Chapter 8

"Em, why did you cry, I wonder?"

Watching his childhood friend, his best friend, and the master he had decided to serve for life, Douglas muttered.

Though physically much larger and more imposing, his master, Lancelot, who was actually a year younger, was wiping away tears with a look of unprecedented ferocity as he held his new wife's head out of the blanket. Emeline seemed to have fallen asleep quietly while crying.

Ronnie and Wyatt also watched silently. They had only planned to camp for one night, and the men had no intention of sleeping.

"Em turned out to be a much easier girl to handle than I thought. She's quite different from the noble girls around me."

Ronnie, actually the second son of a marquis, had joined the military to avoid unnecessary succession disputes with his elder brother and had become devoted to Lancelot. Among a group of men who excelled only in martial arts, Ronnie was both literate and martial. Because of Ronnie, Lancelot's squad functioned well. He must have turned twenty, right? His trademark glasses were fogged up by the campfire, so he had raised them to his forehead.

"She accepted the camping so smoothly... and ate the rations with such enjoyment... but was it still too hard for her?"

Wyatt narrowed his eyes and looked at Emeline with a pained expression. Wyatt was a commoner who had joined the military to survive and whose life had been saved by Lancelot. Since that day, he had vowed to dedicate his life to Lancelot. A quiet but troublesome man, he was a year younger than Lancelot—twenty-two, wasn't it?

"No, Em was enjoying the camping. She must have been reminded of something painful from the past."

Lancelot, whose expressionless face struck fear into his subordinates, kissed her black hair and adjusted her in his arms to help her sleep better.

"Such doting..."

Ronnie was dumbfounded.

I allow informality only when we four are together. Lancelot, who had shared countless life-threatening situations with us, wouldn't nitpick about our tone. Besides, he appreciated it when we spoke more casually, as it made him feel less like a superior.

◇◇◇

My father was not a noble but an excellent soldier, a direct subordinate of the general. The general apparently asked my father to have me befriend his third son.

Even though he was the third son, he was a duke's son. My father, a commoner, found it strange but was in no position to refuse.

When my father took me to the Alabaster Duke's mansion, I met Lancelot for the first time. I was five, and Lancelot was four. Lancelot was already as tall as I was, receiving the general's elite education and already stronger than most adults. My father thought, "If he had been a weak noble child, he might have been crushed, so it's a good thing it was my son!"

The general placed his hand on my shoulder and asked if I would be Lancelot's friend. Being a child, I was honest and said, "He's younger and so strong, I can't do it." The general laughed and said,

"You don't have to fight. Just play with him. Give him memories of a normal childhood. The fate he bears is too heavy."

From that day on, I was by Lancelot's side. At five, I didn't understand the general's words, "Lancelot's fate is too heavy." I've come to realize it more and more as I've grown older. Was it a blessing of foresight for the general?

When I heard that a capricious prince's leftover woman, given for political reasons, was to be bestowed upon my best friend Lancelot, I thought my insides would boil.

A haughty noblewoman. Despite the peace we enjoy thanks to Lancelot's efforts, some people find his facial scars frightening and look down on him. Is that what passes for refinement? It makes me want to vomit.

And it was by imperial decree! Unavoidable! The woman who was on display at the victory celebration had a plain appearance that didn't even leave a lasting impression. Assigning a plain, scarred woman to our hero Lancelot... it would make me lose my loyalty to this country.

However... I was betrayed. In a good way.

Emeline was, in a good way, an ordinary woman.

She fit snugly into the arms of the large, battle-demon Lancelot, whom the noblewomen of the capital would all fear.

She spoke to Lancelot calmly on horseback, smiling and reacting for him, whose expression was dead. She didn't miss Lancelot's fatigue and cheerfully opened a wrapper to pop a candy into his mouth.

It was clear that Lancelot cherished her as if she were a precious glass figurine.

◇◇◇

"When she said she was going shopping, I thought she'd definitely empty Lancelot's wallet!"

Her shopping was to buy children's clothing suitable for travel. Cheap stuff that cost less than a silver coin. She paid for it with her dowry.

"And we were easily won over with candy," Wyatt said with a smile.

When she gave us candy, we were greatly puzzled. If it was a bribe, it was too light. Candy is something even a child can buy.

"Receiving candy from a woman and being this happy is a surprise even to me," Ronnie said with a smile, popping an orange candy into his mouth. I knew he carefully counted and cherished the candies. Wyatt and I were similar.

When I stopped overthinking, the answer was simple. Emeline bought the candy for Lancelot's throat. Because it was so clean and delicious, she wanted to share it with us. That's all.

A gift with no ulterior motive, its value something she would never realize. The apple-flavored candy we ate then was a sensation I doubt I'll experience again soon. It was just a kind, gentle taste.

"Em said she likes Lancelot's hoarse voice, with a big smile!"

I never imagined there would be a day when I would tease Lancelot about a woman.

"Em looks cute when she smiles. We should dress Sir Lancelot in cuter outfits. She looks plain because of her clothes."

"But she willingly wears plain children's clothes, so the journey is going smoothly, right?"

Even the high-minded Ronnie and the cautious Wyatt accepted Emeline. Spending five full days together was enough. If she were fake, some flaw would have shown. The only flaw she showed was a bit of naivety, which, from our older perspective, was like a pet's mistake—just endearing.

Wyatt, being a horse enthusiast, quickly deemed Emeline a good person for timidly and lovingly caring for the horses.

Horses aren't stupid. Animals instinctively dislike carrying evil people. Even the temperamental Ring and my Nancy, who dislike women, have taken to Em.

Lancelot was surprised to hear that Emeline had bought the clothes with her own money. He was even more surprised to hear that she had bought the candy for him... and his expression changed.

"I haven't given my husband a single gift yet."

"What does Sir Lancelot plan to give Em as a return gift for the candy?"

Ronnie asked brightly, knowing or not knowing that Lancelot was secretly anxious.

"...I promised her shoes."

"Seriously? Giving shoes means... 'don't go out without my shoes,' right? Or 'I'll take you wherever you want to go,' right?"

"Doting..."

Wyatt whistled.

Lancelot sighed.

"It doesn't matter. Em probably won't notice."

"Ah..."

Our Em is, for some reason, incredibly dense. In other situations, she's very considerate.

"Maybe that's why the prince broke the engagement? But it was a forced match, so it's good that they're compatible, Sir Lancelot!"

"No!!!"

"Uh?"

Ronnie flinched at the unexpectedly strong denial.

"I wasn't forced to take Em."

"Eh, eh?"

"Emeline is the best woman, so the king gave her to his son from the moment she was born. But the son was a fool and didn't recognize her value. So I forcibly took her from the side. That's all."

From the moment she was born... Is it related to a blessing? And,

"Lancelot... did you go to fetch her?"

"Yes. Em couldn't escape."

She couldn't have. If the battle-demon Lancel was serious, his prey had no chance.

"...Right. Logically, the power to make a woman fall so quickly after a broken engagement... can only be the power of the hero, Sir Lancelot."

"Well, Sir Lancelot's partner is a respectable person, and I'm happy about it."

Wyatt neatly summed it up.

It seems I had a big misunderstanding. Lancelot was in love. Then there's no problem. I will serve Em, no, Lady Em, with all my heart for Lancelot's sake.

My blessing is 'Righteousness.'

Occasionally, I ask Douglas to tell me stories that Em can't see.