Chapter 22 (2/2)

“Well…”

“Why? Are you so regretful about it? ”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

It would be a lie if I said I was not regretful about his decision at all, but I couldn’t easily agree with his frank opinion. There was a smile in his mouth when he looked at me silently.

“Aristia, do you know the oath of a knight in an old story? I mean his oath to the lady. ”

“I know, but it is not relevant anymore these days. It happened a few hundred years ago. Why are you bringing it up suddenly? ”

A knight’s oath to a lady was a story that could be found only in history. Unlike now, when knights swore allegiance only to their masters, they had a pledge to their ladies back then. According to history, the knights of the time vowed to give everlasting love to the lady for the rest of his life while giving the monarch his allegiance to die for him at any time.

Why did he bring it up all of a sudden?

“Well, I wonder if you wish you had a knight who could only love you just like they did in an old story. You are more greedy than I thought. ”

“…No, that’s not what I’m thinking.”

I wondered why he suddenly brought it up, but it looked like he did so to tease me.

While watching me shaking my head, Allendis smiled a little more.

“Okay, I decided. If you really want to be a lady, I’ll be happy to become a knight for you, my one and precious friend. The knight for you!”

“Huh? What are you talking about? ”

I tilted my head at his unexpected announcement. Suddenly, he got up and knelt in front of me. Slowly he leaned, grabbed my right hand and gently touched his lips over the back of my hand. Startled, I tried to pull my hand, but he tightened his grip on my hand and said, “I, Allendis de Verita, would like to swear to serve you, Aristaa Monique as my own lady. Would you accept me as your knight? ”

I suddenly stiffened. I felt happy at his promise that he would be my knight, but at the same time I felt somewhat uncomfortable and awkward.

‘Why is he doing this to me? What does he want from me?’

I looked at Allendis who was looking up at me, kneeling. His light smile and emerald eyes sparkled with affection for me.

I could not turn my eyes away from his pure gaze looking up at me. If I recall Sir League’s sharp reminder, I was supposed to be wary of getting too close to him, but I didn’t have the nerve to stop him from flirting with me.

“… Sure, I will,” I replied with a sigh, after all.

I thought that over time his innocence would fade away and our promise today would be remembered as faded memories at best. I decided to let him do what he wanted, so I could watch his innocence that I had lost a long time ago.

Right after Allendis left after saying goodbye, my father returned.

“Tia, can I see you for a moment?”

When I was about to go back to my room after having dinner with him, my father stopped me.

‘Does he have something special to say?’ Even after I entered his office, I tilted my head because he was hesitating for a while.

‘What’s the matter with him? Did he hear about what Sir League said to me?’

“What’s up, Dad?”

“Well, I just want to say something.”

“Oh, you’re right. I forgot.”

Yes, it was my birthday tomorrow. I will be eleven years old tomorrow. It’s a bit after I turned ten when I came back from the past, soit’s been a year since I came back to my past.

I realized how fast one year passed! My father cleared his throat and said, “Just take this. ”

“What is it, Dad?”

“Khmm, it’s your birthday present.”

“A birthday present?”