Chapter 7

The strength of the Imperial Guard was formidable, making it difficult for the Third Order alone to suppress them. However, with the Gazard Knighthood returning to the front-line base after escorting the wounded soldiers, the rebellion was safely put down.

Count Joseph, suspected as the mastermind, was also apprehended, but he continued to maintain his silence.

Since the culprit was a member of the kingdom’s nobility, no matter how much of a royal family member Alan was, he could not simply pass judgment on his own authority.

It had been decided to escort him back to the royal capital as he was, yet Alan’s expression remained grim.

He had almost no personal ties with the Imperial Guard or its vice commander, Joseph.

If that was the case, it stood to reason that they were acting on orders rather than out of personal grudge.

The only ones capable of issuing orders to the Imperial Guard were the upper echelons of the royal palace—the Crown Prince or those surrounding him.

Thinking of this, a shiver-inducing anxiety and an abyssal anger welled up inside him.

Furthermore, the fact that Diana had taken action to rescue him only irritated Alan further.

Inside the tent after the rebellion had been suppressed.

Left alone with Diana, his tone naturally turned sharp.

“I am grateful that you came to my aid. But why would you do something so dangerous?”

The more he thought about Diana, the more Alan’s heart ached.

Would he end up dragging Diana into political schemes aimed at pushing him down?

That was what he feared most.

“Didn’t you say so yourself, Lord Alan? ‘Make sure you don’t leave my side.’”

“Ah, y-yes.”

“I simply couldn’t believe that someone like Lord Alan would issue an order like that. Naturally, I had to confirm what was happening.”

The gaze Diana directed up at Alan was unwavering and endlessly clear.

The more he realized how deeply she cared for him, the more his frustration mounted.

“I wanted you to prioritize your own safety above all else.”

“To me, Lord Alan comes first.”

Their exchange remained permanently parallel.

Precisely because they cared for each other, they never quite met in the middle.

“Please understand… if anything were to happen to you, I could never face your father.”

When her father’s name was brought up, Diana pouted her lips.

That childish gesture, emerging from her mature and beautiful countenance, threw Alan’s heart into turmoil.

Knowing how deeply she cared for him made him happier than anything else.

Yet precisely because he was happy, he had to reprimand her sternly.

“I, too…”

The voice that came back from Diana was slightly trembling.

“If anything were to happen to Lord Alan, I would regret it for the rest of my life and never be able to forgive myself!”

What flashed in Diana’s mind was her first life.

Hearing through rumors that her first love had passed away, she had wept alone.

She had been able to do nothing but shed tears.

She had learned swordsmanship at the academy, mastered magic, claimed the top spot of her graduating class, and earned renown as a genius.

Yet what good was any of it?

The only person she wanted to save, she hadn’t been able to save.

What had she even grown stronger for?

Had she simply attained top grades for nothing?

Days of blaming herself for being utterly useless when it mattered most.

She had taken action precisely to sever ties with that past life.

“I… I want you to live…”

That overwhelming sense of helplessness she felt in her first life.

Because she never wanted to experience that agony again, Diana had fought desperately to overturn the destiny of her past.

Fat, heavy tears spilled from Diana’s eyes.

Faced with the large drops falling from those amethyst-like eyes, the battle-hardened warrior showed a rare flicker of agitation.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scold you. It’s just…”

Staring up at him with tears pooled in her eyes, Diana left Alan completely at a loss for words.

Calloused fingertips gently brushed across her wet cheek.

What if touching her caused her to break?

As if handling a delicate piece of glassware, Alan’s hand trembled slightly.

“I don’t want to see you get hurt, either… I cherish you deeply, Diana.”

“Lord Alan…”

Diana closed her eyes, pressing her cheek blissfully against Alan’s palm.

Alan’s heart skipped a beat with a sharp thud.

“I’m truly glad you’re safe, truly…”

Diana’s tear-filled words soaked straight into Alan’s heart.

Into a heart hardened by the murderous intent of a systemic conspiracy, a warm emotion spread.

“Indeed… Instead of being angry, I should have said this.”

Driven by an impulse welling up from the depths of his soul, Alan’s arms swept around Diana’s body, pulling her close.

Held in those sturdy arms, Diana blinked her damp eyes.

“Thank you.”

“Lord Alan…”

The moment Alan’s voice echoed in her ears, her emotions welled up like a rushing torrent.

His words, his warmth, shook her chest and set her heart ablaze.

The talented young woman praised for her cool composure wept aloud in the man’s arms, sounding just like a young child.

Having subdued the magical beasts and quelled the rebellious elements, the subjugation army returned safely to the royal capital.

Count Joseph, deemed the mastermind behind the rebellion, was locked away in the underground dungeons of the royal palace, where interrogations were set to begin.

Just how much of the truth would actually come to light?

Alan held not a shred of expectation for an investigation spearheaded by the royal palace.

Instead, he could only ponder how he should move forward from here on out.

“Lord Alan, you really didn’t need to go out of your way to escort me.”

“I couldn’t simply do nothing.”

The majority of the Gazard Knighthood had returned directly to the Gazard domain.

Since only a very small number of knights, including Diana, were returning to the Duke of Gazard’s mansion in the capital, Alan himself had ridden alongside her all the way from the royal castle to the ducal estate, as if guarding her.

Upon arriving at the mansion and dismounting from their horses, Alan’s gaze remained fixed on Diana with a lingering look of concern.

“Rather than me, please worry about your own safety for now, Lord Alan.”

“Ah…”

Diana likely had her own thoughts regarding this rebellion by the Imperial Guard, too.

Staring at the girl far younger than him showing concern for his well-being, Alan offered a wry, tickled smile.

“That’s right! Lord Alan… please don’t forget our promise for a date.”

“Are you truly certain about this?”

Pinning him with those words, Alan let out a voice of bewildered hesitation.

A date with the young and beautiful Diana was nothing short of a reward for Alan.

A man seventeen years her senior found himself helplessly toyed with by a direct and honest invitation.

(Ah, I truly cannot win against Lady Diana—)

He narrowed his eyes at the mischievous smile blooming on the young woman’s face.

She was a friend’s child, and someone he had always thought of as a ward to be protected—or so he had believed.

Before he knew it, she had grown into a beautiful woman, becoming a presence reliable enough to rescue him.

A fact he couldn’t turn away from, no matter how hard he tried.

He was beginning to see Diana as a woman.

He mustn’t give a name to this emotion.

If he acknowledged it, there would be no turning back.

Gently capping the feelings that had sprouted deep within his heart, Alan watched for a long while as her back disappeared into the ducal mansion.