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“I didn’t know that the day started this early for the knights,” Ilyin said as she looked about nervously. Aden glanced at the knights periodically while he listened to her, and he noticed that they seemed startled every time they met his eyes.

“It’s okay to be at ease now,” Aden said as he led Ilyin through the inside of the Delrose knight’s house.  As they walked, Aden told her that there was a part of the knight’s house where various families came to meet for business purposes. And the section of the knights mansion they were in now was considered to be Delrose’s private area.

“Really?” She replied, looking somewhat uncertain by his comment.

When Ilyin met Aden’s eyes with ease, the composure of the knights that were training diminished. “Huh?” One of the knights made a stupid noise.

None of the other knights said anything out loud, but their reaction was the same as the knight who had made the sound, and their body language said it all. The fact that the lady met Aden’s eyes meant that she was a real Delrose now. As the knights figured this out, their attitude also slowly changed. Their initial reaction was to be expected because the knights of the knight house couldn’t have known this fact which only the Delrose’s on the seventh floor of the main building knew.

The swordsmanship of the knights became sloppy as they looked at Ilyin intermittently instead of focusing their attention on the knight who was leading the training. Aden saw this and squinted his eyes,  glaring at the knights, who then quickly returned their focus to their training.

“Everyone seems nervous,” Ilyin whispered, concerned that the knights might hear her. She felt that she was to blame for their feeling of discomfort.

Ilyin assumed that they couldn’t hear her, but Aden saw the expressions on all the knight’s faces change as she spoke to him. The knights fought battles in the middle of deadly snowstorms without anyone falling out, and, therefore, their hearing was much better than Ilyin thought.

“Then I’ll just let them rest a while.” Aden’s deep voice echoed throughout the training ground as if it was an order, and the knights who were training, immediately stopped what they were doing.

Ilyin’s eyes widened in surprise as she asked, “Would that be okay?”

“I was thinking of introducing you to the knights anyway,” Aden replied casually. He thought it would be a better idea if he could be beside her the entire day. However, that wasn’t an option, and he frowned because he didn’t like being in a situation like this.

The Yester clan’s movements seemed peculiar lately. And there were many people in the mansion that had loose lips. Aden didn’t think that the mansion was a safe place for her to be. Although the seventh floor of the main building only housed Delrose people, in a dire situation, the maids of the Delrose’s wouldn’t be much help if a fight broke out. Therefore, there should be trustworthy knights by her side.

The knight, who was leading the training, approached them and introduced himself, “I’m Emil of Delrose knights.”

“Nice to meet you, Emil,” Ilyin replied and smiled kindly at the knight.

Some of the knights lined up behind him, looking curiously at her. Their stance was different from the stiff image that Ilyin had become accustomed to back home. She thought of the knights in the Viscount’s house who would only have a conversation if necessary. Other than that, they treated each other as if they didn’t exist. She also recalled how those knights had mocked her when she was looking for someone to marry. Things were a lot different here, and she began to feel less tension.

“It’s my first time seeing a person from the warm region so close. If anything is lacking, please let us know.” Emil bowed his head low and added, “Welcome to Delrose.”

Emil’s words seemed genuine rather than sounding as if he were obligated to be kind, and the sight of the friendly knights behind him gave her a warm feeling of being at home in the middle of a bitter-cold winter.

“Thank you,” Ilyin replied as she flashed a smile at them. She felt thankful for the warm welcome and her heartfelt lighter instantaneously.

***

Aden decided to assign two knights to Ilyin. Usually, he allowed them their free will to decide amongst themselves who would be best suited for the job. There were no knights that would put their life before the mission in Delrose. But it was different this time.

Aden remembered Ilyin’s smiling face, claiming she knew nothing about swords. As her cheeks blushed while smiling, she wasn’t able to choose from the knights standing in front of her. Ilyin wasn’t someone who could ignore the hopeful stare of the knights. And Aden could tell by looking at them that the knights were hoping she would choose them. He understood how they felt because it would be an honor to be by Ilyin’s side.

Ignoring the fact that it was the first time they saw a person from the warm lands, Ilyin looked like she was too soft and weak to be in the middle of the winter region. It was enough to ignite their sense of life-long duty of protecting someone.

“I’ll come by often to see everyone,” Ilyin said, hoping to calm them down. She was overwhelmed by their attention, and after pondering for a while, she still couldn’t decide on which knights to choose.

Aden could see her trembling fingertips, and he knew she was worried that the knights that she did not select for the job might be disappointed.

“Should I help you?” Aden finally whispered to her, and she nodded eagerly in response. Without asking for their opinion, which was unusual, Aden then assigned the two knights. He specifically chose two women to protect her. It was out of the question that men would be by her side, but he couldn’t admit that such childish thoughts had influenced his decision.

For the next few days, Ilyin passed the time without much discomfort. Although the cold weather became fiercer in April, the Delrose people put their best efforts into assisting her to get used to the harsh winter region.

“Your highness, I’m hot,” Idith said unexpectedly. These words were never spoken, by anyone, during April.

Aden, who’d been deep in thought, stopped tapping on the wooden desk and looked up at Idith, “The temperature of the mansion is way too high. Of course, it is the best way to keep the Yester clan out.”