Chapter 5 - Whispers of Guilt (2/2)

“It’s nothing special. I just really wanted to see what Arsion’s fiancé was like.”

“……!”

“When Arsion was in the Knight’s Order, he would often talk about Lady Ariel. Maybe everyone in the Holy Knights, not just me, is curious about Lady Ariel.”

With her mouth opened in shock, Aiden continued.

“You might be wondering why everyone is so interested in our apprentice’s fiancé. You see, Arsion is not an ordinary apprentice. Although it is currently concealed to those in the capital city, the number of monsters he cut down in the polluted land is several times higher than that of any regular holy knight.”

“Arsion took on monsters?”

This was the first time she had heard of it. She didn’t even know where Arsion was, because the Holy Knights’ Order was closed off to outsiders, and inside information was hard to get from the Duke of Hastings.

Therefore, it was even more difficult to know what achievements he had made in the Holy Knights’ Order. She was just thinking it’s a good thing he was all grown up and safe, but now she realized that he had been dealing with monsters? How many times more than other holy knights?

At first, she was surprised, but then, there came anger. Ariel looked Aiden straight in the eyes and asked.

“Was it a place where the Holy Knights were short-handed enough to put apprentices at the forefront?”

At Ariel’s sharp gaze, Aiden replied as if he knew why she suddenly raised the blade.

“No way. Apprentices are apprentices. Even if we’re short-handed, we wouldn’t have used an apprentice to deal with the monster.”

“Then why did Arsion…….”

“He charged out.”

“What?”

“No matter how much danger your colleagues are in, you cannot move to help them without the leader’s permission in order to prevent more people from falling and creating a greater danger. However, Arsion did not listen to my orders and approached the injured knight and protected him. He didn’t even back down when the great evil came.”

Aiden’s eyes looked distanced, recalling that time.

“Arsion did the same in the next battle, even if he was severely scolded, so I ordered him to keep a low profile, but instead of listening, he sneaked out of the temple and dealt with the monsters alone. In the end, I had no choice but to leave him with the knights so that he wouldn’t be in more danger.”

“Why on earth…….”

Ariel did not understand. Why are you trying to deal with the devilish monsters even though the leader told you to leave the battle, even to the point where he had to order you to keep a low profile?

Then, suddenly Ariel’s thoughts went crazy.

‘Arsion wanted to be a holy knight…….’

Most of the people who wanted to become a holy knight usually started their apprenticeship at a young age. Arsion, who had not entered until he was eighteen, would have been remarkably less experienced than the others, so if he wanted to become a holy knight sooner, he dealt with multiple monsters…….

At that time, Aiden said.

“You’d better ask Arsion why yourself.”

Aiden said so and picked up his teacup. He could have hardened his face at her questioning attitude, but he drank the tea that Ariel had given him in a very polite manner, so polite that it was as if he had accidentally received holy water from her.

A long time later, Aiden, who had finished his tea, stood up. There was a brief conversation in between, but Ariel couldn’t even remember what was said.

Before leaving through the door, Aiden turned and looked at Ariel.

“Please keep it a secret from Arsion that I came here today.”

Ariel didn’t ask why. Instead, she asked something else.

“……What’s the real reason Sir Aiden came here today?”

Aiden did not answer. Instead, he bowed his head to Ariel in a very polite manner and climbed into the carriage. However, Aiden wasn’t the only one bowing to Ariel. The other knights that were waiting for him outside also bowed to Ariel.

At that sight, Ariel immediately turned around and closed the front door violently. A moment later, the sound of the holy knights leaving was heard. Ariel carefully approached the window and watched them leave, as they sometimes glanced over at her house repeatedly, as if they had lingering feelings.

‘They’re all here for Arsion.’

She guessed their purpose was this ever since she laid her eyes on Aiden. As the head of the Holy Knights’ Order and a prince of this country, he really would not have come to visit an apprentice’s fiancée just out of curiosity. Furthermore, he came and kept talking about what contribution Arsion had made. Contrary to his words, when he talked about how Arsion didn’t listen to his orders, his face was showing signs of pride for Arsion’s achievements.

He was right to come to her, but he didn’t come here merely out of curiosity. It was clear that he came here to ask me to break our engagement, which would allow Arsion to become a holy knight in an instant.

Ariel went up to her room.

Over and over again, what Aiden said lingered in her mind. How valiant Arsion was, how talented he is as a knight, and how much he had cared for other fellow knights. Then it occurred to her that whenever he went into battle, he muttered the name of the goddess. Perhaps he was trying to express his sincere beliefs.

Ariel approached her desk. Before Aiden came, she had laid open the book, <Things To Do at Night>. Ariel, who saw this, bit her lip. An unbearable shame weighed down on Ariel’s body.

Aiden’s face looked very proud when he talked about Arsion. Maybe it wasn’t just Aiden. She also remembered the other holy knights bending themselves over to bow to her before they went back. They all came here wishing, with all their heart, for Arsion to become a holy knight.

All of them had given up their rights to the secular world and returned to the goddess with a clean heart. How hard and painful it must be. But they chose that path to follow the goddess’ will and risked their lives for the people, dealing with the monsters. They are the people who have no choice but to stay noble. And Arsion is also trying to walk that path…….

Ariel closed her eyes. Until a moment ago, she was ashamed of her lewd, disorderly thoughts that she had created in order to corrupt Arsion today.

‘I was the only one thinking about it.’

She didn’t want to miss Arsion, so she thought she’d just have to get her hands on him no matter what.

After that, she didn’t think about the finger pointing Arsion would receive. No, that’s not the only thing. Will Arsion still smile if he one day finds out that he could not take the path he wanted while being kept in the dark? No matter how kind Arsion is, will he ever forgive her after he knows everything?

Ariel’s face turned white. Now she realized the consequences of what she was going to do. What she said was good for someone could completely destroy a person’s future.

He belongs to her first since he is her fiancée, so she thought he was going to be hers forever. She whispered to herself that she loved him while trying to do such a thing.

Ariel picked up <Things To Do at Night> and threw it away as hard as she could. The book that hit the wall rolled on to the floor with a thud. Turning her head, she saw Arsion’s annex in the distance.

Tonight, he’ll blink the lamp again. And tonight…….

“……!”

Ariel picked up her bag from the floor with a blue face and ran down to the first floor. She had to get away from here. No, to be exact, she had to get away from wherever Arsion was.

Ariel offered a prayer of thanks to the goddess for the first time in a long time. Apparently, because She cared for Arsion, She must have sent the captain of the knights to her home before night came so that he could become a knight. So that she, herself, can realize what a terrible thing she was about to do and let Arsion go.

(QC/N: ‘She’ with the capital ‘S’ refers to the goddess.)

‘I have to leave.’

She didn’t have the courage to tell him everything she was going to do. Given the duke’s movements and Arsion’s more frequent visits to the royal palaces and temples, it was clear that his ordination as a holy knight was imminent. It’ll be within a week at most.

‘You just have to leave for the meantime.’

All she wanted now was for Arsion to be quiet about what went on between them. Then, without any scandal, Arsion would be able to become a holy knight and leave the capital.

If Arsion does not return, she has no reason to be here. She would get people’s sympathies anyway.

‘So where do I go?’

Where should I go to get out of the capital right now? She didn’t have the confidence to go somewhere she didn’t know anything at all. Besides, she was sure her parents would be worried. For the time being, she wanted to leave and go to a place where there were no people.

Then Ariel saw the letter she had put on the table.

“Yes, Aunt Lucy!”

It was Aunt Lucy’s letter asking them to visit her new villa. The letter mentioned that Aunt Lucy was a little grumpy since it was hard for her to find a good housekeeper.

Ariel is going away for a while. Don’t worry about me. I’m going on a trip to clear my mind.

Ariel wrote a letter addressed to her parents and left home, looking at the address in Aunt Lucy’s letter.