Chapter 28: Someone I can’t take my eyes off.
The Second Imperial Knight Order Training Grounds.
Conrad approached Leonard and asked,
“Where exactly have you been?”
“Why do you want to know?”
Leonard replied, sounding irritated.
Undeterred, Conrad pressed further.
“Well, it’s not every day you take a leave, let alone for two full days. Of course, I’m curious.”
“Right, it’s definitely curious!”
The other knights nearby chimed in agreement.
“Don’t tell me… Did you go to meet Her Majesty the Empress?”
Conrad asked sharply.
“And what if I did?”
Leonard replied nonchalantly.
“No way, you actually met her?”
Conrad was visibly shocked.
Oh no, I really didn’t think this could happen.
Conrad sighed deeply.
“If I could turn back time, I’d stop myself from saying anything strange to you that day.”
“Something strange?”
Leonard tilted his head slightly.
Conrad sighed heavily before speaking.
“It’s my fault for saying something foolish. I mentioned that no ordinary means would suffice to guard Her Majesty the Empress.”
“Ah, I suppose I owe you a belated thank-you.”
“Pardon…?”
“You were a great help.”
“You’re not talking about that absurd ‘consort declaration’ at the banquet, are you?”
“Of course, I am.”
“Oh, Captain!”
Conrad looked like he wanted to faint on the spot.
Leonard wore a look that said, What’s the big deal?
“Wait, that consort declaration… You weren’t joking, were you?”
“Of course, I meant it.”
“My goodness.”
“Is it really that shocking?”
“Of course it is! Becoming a consort, just to guard Her Majesty? That’s way too extreme!”
“It wasn’t just about guarding her.”
“That makes it even worse. Why would you…? This has to be a joke, right? Please tell me you’re joking.”
As Conrad clutched his chest in frustration, a warm voice called out from a distance.
“I’ve come to see Sir Leonard.”
Leonard’s head instinctively turned toward the sound.
His eyes widened slightly in surprise.
“Your Majesty…?”
***
Almost Noon.
I left the Empress’ Palace.
I was on my way to find Leonard.
“They said he’s at the training grounds, right?”
“Yes, Alphonse from the guard informed us a little while ago.”
Guard Alphonse?
He must have been one of the informants who used to work for me.
Even though I told them they no longer needed to serve me, it seemed they were still waiting for my commands.
It was burdensome, but times like this, it was convenient.
The Imperial Palace was unnecessarily vast and expansive.
To get from the Empress’ Palace to the Knight Order’s quarters, I had to take a carriage.
Still, a carriage drawn by eight horses seemed excessive.
Did I really need so many horses?
It felt like calling a limousine just to go to the bathroom from the living room.
It was overwhelming but also enjoyable—a luxury I had never experienced in my past life.
When I arrived at the training grounds, I saw a vast open space where over a hundred knights were training diligently.
The moment I arrived with my maids, all eyes naturally turned toward me.
“Her Majesty the Empress?”
“I’ve come to see Sir Leonard.”
“The Knight Commander? Please wait here for a moment.”
“No need. I see him over there. There’s no need to call him.”
Declining the knight’s offer to guide me, I led the maids toward Leonard.
“Who’s that?”
“The Empress?”
“Why is Her Majesty here at the training grounds?”
“You haven’t heard the rumors yet, have you?”
“Don’t tell me… She’s here to see the Commander?!”
Curiosity filled the gazes of the knights watching me.
If I had known I would attract this much attention, I would have called for Leonard instead.
I regretted my decision but couldn’t turn back now.
Halfway across the training grounds, Leonard rushed over upon hearing the news.
“Your Majesty.”
He must have come running the moment he heard, without even adjusting his attire.
“…!”
My eyes widened as he approached, shirtless.
His body, honed through years of rigorous training, was as finely sculpted as a masterpiece.
With every breath he took, his chest rose and fell, showing off broad shoulders and a lean yet muscular waist.
Sweat trickled down his well-defined torso, emphasizing every curve and line.
Oh no.
Stay calm.
“I… I seem to have come at a bad time. I’ll come back later…”
I quickly turned to leave, feeling flustered and embarrassed.
“I’m not busy. Not at all.”
Leonard’s quick steps made it difficult to leave.
“No, I’ll come back later.”
When I looked up, I found myself face-to-face with his solid chest.
“If you leave now, I doubt you’ll come back.”
Oh no.
It felt like he had read my mind.
Why does he have to be so perceptive?
Leonard smiled softly at my expression.
That smile was devastatingly charming.
“Goodness, the Commander actually smiled!”
“Is that really the same Commander known to be so coldhearted?”
“The same Commander who makes us miserable even if we slack off for just a moment? Smiling?”
The knights were shocked and even horrified at Leonard’s rare display of warmth.
Amused by their reactions, I tilted my head slightly.
Is his smile really that strange?
While he had seemed stiff when we first met, he often smiled like this since then.
It seems like he’s teasing me.
Well, I did suddenly show up at the training grounds with maids in tow.
I was careless.
I should have visited in a more formal manner.
Anyway, amidst all the chaos, my eyes were busy moving around.
Against my will, my gaze kept turning in one direction.
Calm down. It’s just a human body.
No, think of it as a sculpture.
Then again, where would you find such a perfect physique?
That body belongs in a museum. Walking around alive like that should be a crime!
As I was trying to compose myself, Leonard was looking at my wrist.
“Your wrist…”
“Oh! Cedric healed it for me. Looks flawless, doesn’t it?”
“…Cedric?”
Leonard tilted his head slightly.
“He’s a magician. The one who helped us before…”
“Ah.”
Leonard nodded as if he remembered.
“The magician who helped us that day. I was surprised by how he wielded various spells without incantations, and now he can use healing magic as well.”
“Exactly. I thought he was just someone chasing after flowers, but he turned out to be quite capable.”
“Flowers… you say?”
“Oh, there’s a story behind that.”
“…I see.”
Leonard’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“I was worried it might leave a scar, but I’m glad it didn’t.”
“It wasn’t even a serious wound. I don’t understand why everyone’s so interested in my wrist.”
“Everyone else… who else showed interest in Your Majesty’s wrist?”
“The Emperor. He came to the Empress’ Palace this morning, surprisingly enough.”
At my words, Leonard’s gaze darkened slightly.
“His Majesty the Emperor came to see Your Majesty.”
“I wondered why he came, but he just said pointless things.”
“…I see.”
“…?”
Did Leonard’s expression just change again?
But in the blink of an eye, that fleeting emotion was gone.
I tilted my head in confusion.
Was I imagining things?
“What brings Your Majesty to see me?”
“We haven’t seen each other since that day.”
At my words, Leonard’s lips curved into a gentle smile.
“You were worried about me.”
“Well, of course… but it’s not what you think. I just wanted to properly thank you.”
Despite my strong denial, the smile lingering on his lips didn’t fade.
“I won’t misunderstand, Your Majesty.”
That expression… he’s completely misunderstanding.
“Take this.”
I handed him a small pouch.
“May I ask what this is?”
“Just in case you were hurt anywhere. I packed medicinal herbs and remedies that the maids prepared.”
I took out the items in the pouch one by one and explained them.
“This is ointment for abrasions. This one helps with fever and pain. This hardened horn is said to be good for restful sleep. Oh! You’re supposed to use only a fingernail-sized amount at a time. And that one’s good for colds…”
Leonard’s expression was a mix of amusement and helplessness as he listened to my explanation.
“That’s… quite a variety.”
“You never know what might be needed. By the way, are you feeling okay?”
At my question, Leonard raised both arms.
“I’m perfectly fine.”
He wasn’t lying.
His sculpted body showed no signs of injury, not even the smallest scratch.
Still worried, I circled around him, meticulously inspecting every inch.
“You took so many poisoned needles; you can’t be completely fine.”
His neck and shoulders seemed fine.
His chest was uninjured, and even his back and less visible areas seemed okay…
“There’s a small scar on your waist. It looks like an old wound…”
“Yes.”
Leonard’s expression briefly turned melancholic.
“It’s a scar from childhood, tied to old memories. It’s been so long that I don’t even remember when I got it.”
“Whenever you have time, visit the Empress’ Palace. Cedric might be able to remove even old scars.”
“…I will.”
“Your arms seem fine, and your legs don’t appear to be bothering you…”
“Your Majesty?”
“Yes?”
“If you don’t mind, wouldn’t it be better to conduct such a thorough examination in private?”
“An examination?”
When I looked up, Leonard was wearing an embarrassed expression.
“Oh!”
That’s when I realized what I had been doing.
Oh no.
In full view of everyone, I had been scrutinizing his shirtless body.
My face flushed crimson.
“W-Well, it looks like you’re not seriously hurt, which is a relief. I’ll be going now.”
I quickly turned and walked away, speaking rapidly.
I was moving so fast that I barely knew where my feet were taking me.
‘What was I thinking? What was I thinking?’
I screamed internally as I hurried away.
I wished for a hole to crawl into and hide.
“Your Majesty.”
Don’t call me.
I’m not here.
I should just become stardust in the universe.
Farewell, everyone.
The troublesome villainess is becoming stardust and vanishing forever.
Please forget about me.
“W-We’ll meet again next… time?”
Maybe I was moving too quickly.
I misstepped and lost my footing.
A sharp pain ran through me as my lower body gave out.
“Ah!”
I braced myself to meet the hard ground.
I squeezed my eyes shut, expecting pain to follow.
But the pain never came.
Instead of the cold ground, I felt warmth—strong and steady—catching me.
And then, above my head, a languid voice spoke.
“Truly… I can’t seem to take my eyes off you.”
—
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