The Male Lead Knelt Before Me

He was such a sweet person.

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So much so that he needs to be less friendly to others.

But I only swallowed the idea on the inside.

It wasn’t something I had to say, who had been helped by his kindness.

“No.”

“……”

“I was able to leave quickly because of your response.
Thank you very much, Lord.”

I was still nervous, but I forced the corners of my mouth to form a smile and tried hard to hide my thumping chest.

As I smiled, the tips of my lips quivered.

I could tell without looking at myself.

That my smile is never smooth and is always shaky.

The paper rustled in my hand when I inadvertently clenched my fist.

It was a play promotional paper that I had picked up earlier at the checkout counter.

“Did you take it so you could see the play reenactment later?”

 

“Oh, yes.
I’m going to go watch it later.”

I nodded at Caleb’s question.

In fact, I was unconsciously carrying the promotional paper, but it doesn’t make much difference because I’m planning on going anyway.

“From what I’ve heard, it’s a reenactment.
Don’t you already know the play?”

“I am, but I was always playing the part on stage at the time, so I’ve never seen a play as an audience member.
That’s why I’d like to see it this time.”

“Excuse me, but could you tell me what role you played in that play?”

“I was…the female lead.”

As I spoke, my voice trembled.

It’s the truth, but for some reason, I’m embarrassed.

“Is that so? Given your performance in the previous play, I believe you would have done well in the role.”

My heart was pounding at the time.
He seemed to have faith in my acting for some reason.

“And, even though it’s late, it looks good on you.”

What? The role I played? But isn’t the flow of the conversation off?

It was a time when I cocked my head in response to a question that came to mind.

Caleb said, looking to the side of my face.

 

“The hairstyle you have right now.”

“… Did you happen to notice it?”

“How could I have missed it?”

“But you didn’t say anything the first day after I cut my hair, right?”

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“I didn’t have a chance, but I always thought so.”

The words I heard one after the other warmed my face.

Not only that, but my heart started racing like crazy.

I said thank you and lowered my gaze on the ground.

My hair falls down the side of my head, partially covering my face.

Normally, I would have removed it, but I couldn’t right now.

I know how my face will look right now.

So I fiddled with the promotional paper, hoping that this ticklish sensation would go away soon.

*  *  *  *  *

We hurriedly arrived at the shoe store.

When he tried to follow me into the shoe store again this time, I told him it would take a long time, so please go around and come back later.

Because choosing shoes wasn’t like picking a birdcage, where I could just look around and pick one.

Buying shoes meant that I had to keep looking around and trying them on before deciding which one I liked.

Caleb said it was fine and that he would stay with me, but when I told him it was because I was embarrassed, he looked at me for a moment and then accepted it.

“Then I’ll patrol around for a while, so look around and come out.”

“Yes, see you later.”

After sending Caleb off, I went into a shoe store and tried on various items before deciding on the one I liked best and paying for it.

And I was in a good mood when I asked the clerk to throw away the shoes I was wearing.

When I was leaving the store, I noticed Caleb walking in this direction.

‘I arrived just in time.’

Our gazes soon collided.

I wondered if he was walking faster, but he arrived quickly.

“Did you buy the shoes with ease?”

“Yes, Lord, thank you.”

With that said, I moved my feet slightly in my new shoes, as if bragging.

I could see my shoes under the skirt every time I did that.

“You got some nice shoes.”

The compliment, which was filled with laughter, caused embarrassment.

Caleb’s tone was friendly, but the moment I heard him, I remembered what I had done and felt like an immature child.

“Don’t you have any additional luggage?”

“Luggage?”

“I assumed you were holding the shoes you were wearing because you had purchased a new pair.
No?”

“I asked the clerk to throw away the shoes I was wearing at the time.
If I continue to wear it, it makes me feel agitated.”

I didn’t explain why I was agitated.

I’d already told Caleb everything, so it was a little much for me to restate.

“Please accept my apologies.”

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“Yes?”

“If I had looked a little more closely, you wouldn’t have been in danger and would not have thrown away your shoes.”

“Ah, Lord, you have nothing to be sorry about.
It’s because of those with bad intentions.
Lord, they are the ones who should apologize to me.
It’s not you.”

And after the bullies, the ones who should apologize are those guards who didn’t do their job properly.

The guards’ complacency and soft treatment clearly played a role in the bullies’ rewalking.
“And, in fact, I should be thankful to you, Lord.
You always help me.”

What if it was someone else who came running after I took down the bullies?

Then perhaps, I wouldn’t have been able to buy shoes so leisurely and walk around the streets right now.

“Anyway, I’m finished with my business……”

“I will take you home.”

I simply nodded in response to the immediate response.

My situation was so difficult today than it was unbearable.

* * * * *

We decided to walk home.

I would have gotten on a rented carriage if it had been in the past, but when I remembered the Duke’s carriage I had seen before, I couldn’t tell him to get on the rented carriage.

I also wanted to avoid the carriage as much as possible because I wasn’t sure if I’d get a cramped carriage.

If then, our bodies would come into contact again, and my mind would pop out.

Caleb, thankfully, gently followed my suggestion when I said I wanted to walk.

Of course, I had to rely on Caleb’s directions because I didn’t know how to get there.

‘This is my first time returning from the square by walking.’

This was always the scenery I’d seen from the carriage, but it felt different when I walked through everything.

Our feet collided with petals and large leaves that had fallen on the road.

It’s okay to walk like this every now and then.

I should consider walking more frequently in the future.

While I was thinking about something, I noticed a familiar street and a familiar mansion.

I opened my mouth as soon as I got to the front of the mansion.

“I believe I will be able to walk alone from here on.
Thank you, Lord, for bringing me home.”

“Wait, Elena.”

After a brief greeting, I was about to enter the mansion.

I came to a halt when I heard his voice calling out to me, and I simply turned my head and looked at Caleb.

He reached into his cloak and, after a while, held something out to me.

“Are you willing to accept this?”

Caleb had a badge in his hand.

It wasn’t difficult for me to figure out that it was the Royal Knights’ badge.

Because the pattern resembles the flags that hang in a row at the main gate of the Knights Quarter.

“Isn’t this the Royal Knights’ badge?”

“That’s right.”

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“Why all of a sudden…”

“Put it on when you go out.” It will definitely help if you show it to the guard, especially when something like today occurs.”

Caleb’s words were not meaningless.

When I tell them I am related to the Royal Knights, their attitude changes.

However, it sounds like an abuse of power… It’s probably my misunderstanding, right?

“However, is it alright if you give this to me? What will you use if I take it, Lord?”

“I have a few more on hand for fear of losing them.”

“But, um.”

Can I really take this? Because I’m only in the Royal Knights for a short time.

Caleb grabbed my hand tightly when I didn’t easily accept the badge.

I felt the cold metal on my palm as I flinched and trembled in response to the sudden action.

“I’ll be dispatched to subjugate starting next week, so I’ll be gone for the time being.” I don’t believe anything will happen, but please keep it on just in case.”

His gloved hand didn’t let go of my hand until I held the badge in my hand.

What he said, however, was more concerning than when he suddenly grabbed his hand.

“If you’re going to be dispatched to subjugate, are you going to deal with the magical beast?”

“That’s right.”

“When are you going to return?”

“I believe it will take about a half-month, but I can return sooner or later.”

A half-month is roughly two to three weeks.

The rolling period seemed both short and long.

“I’ve been wasting your time for so long.
Please go inside.”

Caleb was the one who turned around this time.

The tip of his black cloak fluttered shallowly in the breeze.

I had called him in a hurry without realizing it at the time.

“L-Lord!”

Caleb paused.

His face was filled with awe as he looked back at me.

“Have a safe journey.”

In fact, I knew it was a pointless concern.

Caleb is the main character.

And, until what I read, there was no scene in which he was injured or died.

As a result, Caleb will return safely and unharmed from this dispatch.

Whatever kind of magical beast he meets, and whatever he goes through.

“Don’t get hurt, and don’t overdo it.”

Nonetheless, I’m only saying this because I’m concerned about him.

And that just goes to show how much I love Caleb.

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“I’ll do that.”

“……”

“I’ll return without getting hurt.”

His black eyes, bent at me, were tinted with light orange as they took in the sunset.

The image stayed with me for a long time.

Even after breaking up with him.

 

A New Appearance

Two weeks have passed since Caleb was dispatched.
Perhaps it’s a natural story, but my day-to-day life hasn’t changed all that much.

I taught Lord Vessel and returned home after finishing my duties at the Royal Knight’s office.

It was a very ordinary and monotonous routine.

If there’s one thing I can count on, it’s that Count Der visits once in the middle.

She didn’t say much, of course.

Because she was aware that Caleb had been dispatched.

Instead, she asked how my work was going and checked to see if I was always wearing the ring she gave me the last time before leaving.

‘When will Lord Egon return? Around a week later? Or will it be longer?’

I blankly fiddled with the badge Caleb gave me.

It was a new habit I developed after he gave me the badge.

I tried to fix it at first, but I unconsciously repeated this behaviour.

It was the moment when I stroked the surface of the badge with shields and swords shaped symbols of the Royal Knights.

“Huh?”

My hand slipped for a second.

I reached out hurriedly to catch the badge, but it bounced off.

The badge, which flew to the other side in a parabola, unfortunately, hit Lord Vessel on his head and fell.

Ouch!

I got up and went to him after hearing a short scream.

“Are you all right?”

“Oh, yeah, well, I’m fine except for the fact that I think I have a crack on one side of my head.”

How could he say such a thing?

But in this case, I was the sinner.

“I’m sorry.
I didn’t mean to.”

“I know.”

Lord Vessel then bowed.
He appeared to be trying to pick up a badge that had fallen to the floor.

“…Huh?”

“What’s the matter?”

“Wasn’t this the Commander’s badge?”