TYHL 185

~Chapter 185~

Way over there, I saw Khalid suddenly wrap the princess in a protective hug, gently pulling her hood up over her head.

Gently.

Like a startled cockroach faced with a human, I ducked right back behind the decorations.

My heart was pounding out of my chest.

And then, as the princess started to walk, Khalid quickly bent down and carefully tied her shoelaces.

That wasn’t all.

When her handkerchief fluttered away in the breeze, he chased it down and handed it back. He wrapped her scarf around her, checked if her coat was warm enough, even carried her little handbag for her…

Even from behind, he looked so nervous—fidgeting, not knowing what to do with himself, like a puppy who really needed to pee.

What the heck…

I sent him off to look for ancient relics, and he comes back a total butler?

The sounds of the bustling crowd started to fade away for me.

—

“Hey, they’re having an arm-wrestling contest! Let’s go—I have to enter!” Sevelena announced, full of energy.

Nova, her attendant and bodyguard, looked absolutely horrified. “P-please, Your Highness, just watch! And your shoelace is untied! Please, remember your dignity!”

“Oh. Tie it for me, Nova.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Nova hurriedly bent down to tie her laces into a perfect bow.

Nova, with his deep blue hair, was the only aide Sevelena had brought with her from Iosia.

Sevelena glanced from Nova to the man standing just behind him—same hair color, but otherwise his polar opposite in personality, looks, and build. As always, he wore a stoic, unreadable expression. The way his dark hair was slicked back from his morning training only made his strong brows and chiseled nose stand out more.

Ugh. Ridiculously handsome, Sevelena thought as she spoke up, casually, “Sir Khalid, are you uncomfortable or something?”

The man, tense and alert, answered in a low voice, “…I keep feeling like someone’s watching.”

“Watching? An enemy?”

“It doesn’t feel like that.”

“Doesn’t feel like that?”

“It’s just…itchy.”

“What?”

Was that…a joke?

Sevelena exchanged a look with Nova, both of them glancing around, but couldn’t sense anything odd. Maybe he was just jumpy because of the crowds, she offered, and started to walk away.

But when she turned back, her stubborn knight was standing there, arms crossed, looking down at her.

“So, how long do you plan to keep playing around?”

She pouted. “You’re no fun.”

“You insisted on slipping away from the king’s eyes and ears to come here. Isn’t it about time you got to the point and tried to save your neck?”

His voice was low, never hurried—slow and steady, even the way he rested his hand on his sword.

—

“The Demon King’s forces are moving. Ready to lose something precious again?”

—

Khalid thought back to the conversation he’d had with Sevelena a few nights before.

A mysterious woman who knew Ruby’s secret.

He’d nearly killed her on the spot, but her next words stopped him.

—

“Seven years ago, a woman crossed the Babylon border and collapsed in the Iosian woods. She looked so frail, she seemed moments from death. She had a very unusual name.”

“…”

“‘Second.’”

“…”

“Who names their child ‘Second’? Isn’t it funny?”

—

Before leaving, Ruby had mentioned she couldn’t get in touch with “Second.”

Khalid remembered Ruby mumbling as she fiddled with her magic paper. So, did that mean Sevelena was sent by “Second”?

—

“Relax a bit. We have the same goal—to protect her. That makes us allies, in a way.”

“What’s your real objective?”

“Can’t say here. Let’s get away from the procession for a bit and talk.”

—

That was how they ended up at this absurd festival.

“Fine. There’s a pub nearby, plenty of people—let’s go there.”

“Crowds?”

“If you want to hide a tree, you hide it in a forest. If you want to talk in secret, do it where everyone’s talking.”

“…”

“And I need to try Babylonian beer.”

Sevelena chuckled.

Khalid sighed inwardly and followed her. She’d already swiped a sample of fruit from a vendor.

As she wiped the juice off her hand, a gust of wind snatched her handkerchief away.

“Your Highness!” Nova darted out, retrieved the handkerchief, folded it into a rose, and tucked it in her pocket.

At that moment, Khalid’s head shot up.

A killing intent!

From where?

And then—

“Nova, give me my scarf. People keep staring at my tattoo. They seem a bit old-fashioned about that sort of thing here.”

“Ah—of course, here you are.” Nova carefully covered the traditional forest tattoo on her neck with the scarf and fastened her cloak.

Another flash—killing intent!

Khalid kept whipping his head around.

“Nova, why do you look so weak? Carry my bag.”

“What did you put in here now…?”

“Rocks. I’m a forest girl. Strength training is a must, don’t you think?”

Another surge of killing intent!

Sevelena flashed Nova a wicked grin as she half-dragged him along.

“But what’s up with Sir Khalid? He looks like a puppy about to burst.”

“Maybe he actually needs the bathroom?”

“Let’s just be understanding if he suddenly disappears.”

“Understood.”

Of course, Khalid—whose entire attention was elsewhere—didn’t hear a word.

Killing intent? But it’s so dull and clumsy…

No, this isn’t—

Just then, a commotion started at the far end of the street. Khalid’s gaze snapped in that direction.

“Ugh, those thugs are at it again.”

“Drinking in broad daylight, ruining the festival…”

By the alley next to a small statue at the street’s edge, a few rough-looking men were cornering a young, small-statured knight.

“I heard they got out after beating someone half to death last time… Some people never change.”

“Creepy. Poor kid.”

“Looks like just a wandering knight in the wrong place at the wrong time. Let’s wait for the guards—oh! Shoppers, come on over!”

Vendors eagerly greeted Sevelena and her party.

“Wow, is this authentic Babylonian spice?”

“Ah, visitors from abroad! Yes, it is!”

“Sir Khalid, which is best—huh?”

Sevelena glanced over, blinking.

“Where did he go?”

She caught Nova’s eye. At the same moment, they both sighed in exasperation.

Guess it really was an emergency…

—

Ha…

I was wallowing in betrayal.

“Hey, kid.”

He’s out there, playing dress-up, fussing over her like that!

Did he ever tie my hood, fix my coat, do any of that for me? Did he? Ever? I don’t remember!

The image of Khalid and the princess kept replaying in my mind.

Ugh…

I stomped my foot, lips pursed, slipping away from my hiding spot and into the alley.

Why am I so upset?

Is this…betrayal?

“Hey, kid, the big guys are calling you.”

Am I just greedy? The type who needs everyone—family and friends—to pamper me?

Maybe I’ve been too spoiled.

“Hey, why’s this brat ignoring us?”

Is this what happens to third-generation rich kids?

Maybe it’s time to drop the “the third” from my horse’s name.

“Hey, grab him!”

Suddenly, one of the thugs trailing me clamped a hand down on my shoulder.