Felt and Carlisle sat side by side on a bench in the garden. The girl stared at the bulging bag of sweets in her hand and asked,
"What is this?"
"Do you remember that old sweets shop?" Carlisle said softly. "I bought them this morning. They are all your favorite flavors. They were freshly baked and still warm."
"...So, what do you want?"
Silence stretched between them.
Carlisle took a deep breath, his blue hair swaying slightly in the wind.
"Felt, I want to apologize to you about revealing your background."
"I do not know how to make up for that mistake." He lowered his eyes, and his voice gradually softened. "So even if you do not want to forgive me, that is alright. I only hope that if you ever encounter a situation that even Reinhard cannot resolve, you will remember to contact me. Although..." A faint bitter smile appeared on his lips. "It is difficult to imagine anything the Sword Saint cannot handle."
"Stop. Stop!"
Felt suddenly interrupted him, her red eyes filled with confusion. She grabbed Carlisle's tie and forced him to look up.
"What is with that tone like we will never see each other again? And who said I would not forgive you?"
Carlisle looked at her with confusion in his blue eyes. His crooked tie made him look somewhat disheveled.
"Honestly." Felt let go of his tie and crossed her arms in annoyance. "I cannot stand this personality of yours. Every time something goes wrong, you want to take all the blame on yourself."
"Listen carefully." She raised her index finger. "You are just a knight, not some omnipotent being. You cannot change my background. I was simply surprised that day."
"You do not hate me?"
"What do you mean hate?" Felt nearly jumped off the bench. "You really think that little of me?"
She looked down at the bag of sweets in her hand, the wrapping paper rustling as she squeezed it.
How could she hate him?
In this world, besides Old Man Rom, only this blue haired knight remembered what she liked to eat.
Oh right. Now Reinhard had to be added to that list as well.
Felt glanced toward the flowerbed in the garden and sighed softly.
"Carlisle, how long have we known each other?"
Carlisle looked up in thought, his blue hair shining under the sunlight.
"Hmm... I cannot remember clearly. It seems I met you stealing in the Royal Capital marketplace not long after I became an apprentice knight."
"Heh." Felt's lips curled into a nostalgic smile. "You were really annoying that day. You chased me nonstop like a piece of sticky plaster that I could not shake off. I even had my last words prepared."
"And then..." Her fingers unconsciously twirled a strand of golden hair. "After you finally caught me, you said things like 'She is so small' and 'Is something wrong at home?' You even tried to give me money."
Carlisle chuckled softly, the corners of his eyes relaxing.
"Yes, that is true. But you angrily slapped away my money pouch back then and shouted 'I do not want your charity' or something like that."
He even mimicked Felt's tone from that day.
"Like a little cat with its fur standing on end."
Felt immediately turned her head, her cheeks puffing slightly.
"W who was bristling!"
However, her expression soon softened again.
"But... you really were the first person, besides Old Man Rom, who did not look at me with strange eyes."
Flower petals slowly drifted between them in the courtyard.
After a moment of silence, Felt spoke again.
"You are not still feeling guilty, are you? About the Royal Selection?"
She turned her head. Carlisle's tense expression had already given her the answer.
"About that day, Reinhard told me that the Bowel Hunter might have intended to kill everyone from the very beginning. That whole employment arrangement was actually a conspiracy."
She looked up and met Carlisle's clear blue eyes.
"If you had not been there, Old Man Rom and I would already be dead."
"That was just..."
"Ah, ah. Here it comes again."
Felt suddenly waved her hands dramatically while imitating Carlisle's tone.
"'That was just my duty.' 'That is my responsibility.' 'I am a noble knight.' I am perfect, therefore I cannot possibly have any faults."
Carlisle stared blankly at the suddenly sarcastic girl.
"What?" Felt leaned closer, her fingertip lightly tapping his forehead. "Just because people call you the Perfect Knight a few times, do you really think you are some flawless deity?"
Her finger slowly slid down the bridge of his nose.
"Before being a knight, you are first Carlisle. You are a... hmm... somewhat handsome..."
"Commoner?" Carlisle quietly finished her sentence.
"Exactly. A commoner." Felt snapped her fingers. "I remember you telling me that you grew up in an orphanage before joining the Knights Order, right?"
"Yes."
"Heh." Felt crossed her arms. "When it comes to background, we are basically the same. You just got lucky with some talent and managed to squeeze your way into the noble circle."
She deliberately used rough words, but a sly smile appeared on her lips.
"But now look at me. I am a proper princess. Even if it happened suddenly, it is not that unacceptable, you know."
Carlisle looked at the girl's golden hair shining under the sunlight.
He understood.
This was Felt's way of comforting him. In her own awkward manner, she was telling him that she had never blamed him.
"Actually, the Royal Selection is pretty interesting." Felt swung her legs lightly. "Those nobles who used to look down on everyone now have to respectfully call me Lady Felt."
Her expression suddenly became serious, and a hint of sharpness flashed in her red eyes.
"But it is only a little interesting. I will never enjoy this kind of treatment. I was serious when I said during that meeting that I wanted to drive out all the nobles."
A breeze passed through the garden, gently ruffling her hair.
She turned her head slightly, and her voice softened a little.
"Of course... that does not include you."
Carlisle blinked in confusion.
"What?" Felt suddenly revealed a mischievous and playful smile. "I hold grudges, you know. When I become Queen, I will make you clean the Royal Palace every single day."
She poked Carlisle's shoulder with her finger.
"That will be your punishment for always dragging me along to sweep the streets back then."
Carlisle could not help laughing.
"Is that so? In that case, I wish you good luck."
Felt suddenly stood up and extended her hand toward him.
"Looks like you finally understand what I meant. Come on, get up. Reinhard said she is taking me to the Sword Saint's main residence this afternoon."
Sunlight formed a bright outline behind her figure.
"While I am still acting like half a hostess here, I will make sure she treats you to a good meal at lunch."
Carlisle took her hand. The warmth of her touch was greater than he expected.
As he stood up with her help, he saw Felt's smile bloom brightly, more radiant than any flower in the garden.
...
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