His exasperation dissipating, David stared dazedly at Rosetta's face.
Silver hair, shining beneath the midsummer sun. Golden eyes, as mysterious as the moon hanging upon the night sky.
Amidst her alabaster complexion, her red lips were as alluring and as beautiful as the camellias blooming in the snow's expanse.
Every time he brought her up, he would mock her and look down on her because not only was she a criminal's daughter, the criminal that was her mother was also a maid. But here, it was actually the first time he saw her face to face.
The two esteemed daughters of House Valentine never went out that much and did not regularly go to social functions.
The only way he'd be able to see her was, at best, during the knighting ceremony. Even then, he'd only manage to see her from afar.
'Sure enough, she has that vulgar bloodline, but the colors are apparent.'
The daughter of the criminal, who jumped unabashedly into the bed of the sleeping duke who she had drugged.
Where exactly did that bloodline go?
"Ahh…"
The groan that left those red lips somehow sounded, and so David gulped dryly.
However, he soon returned to his senses and asked her.
"Are you alright, Princess?"
As he lowered his voice to sound manlier, Rosetta gently smiled, her eyes curving into two crescent moons.
"Ah, I'm alright. How about you? I was so lost in thought that I didn't see you there."
Her voice was as sweet as the smile that dawned upon her countenance.
Seeing this contradicted what his father said, that she supposedly was 'a ducal princess who has a high nose despite her lowborn status'.
"I'm fine as well. Even if I run into someone as slender as you, Princess, how could a strong, mighty man like me get hurt at all?"
Outwardly, Rosetta looked like she was being very considerate of the man in front of her, but she inwardly smirked at his response.
Her 'very slender self' was confident that she'd be able to knock down the strong and mighty David in just five seconds.
However, the expression Rosetta had on her face as she thought this was wiped off so fast that David never even noticed it.
As she quickly schooled her features, Rosetta stared at David's face, perhaps contemplating something.
When he looked forward and their eyes met at that moment, David's face flushed bright red.
"What is it, Princess?"
"Oh, gosh. I'm being rude, aren't I? It's just, I think you look a bit familiar."
"Pardon? Are you talking about me?"
David asked sincerely. He had never crossed paths with the ducal princess before.
"Yes, you do look familiar… Ah, by chance…"
David blinked dazedly as he hung on Rosetta's slow words. The heart in his chest was pounding with such anticipation and tension.
Just like when he was called by Damian earlier, when he was making a fool out of himself.
Rosetta's lips opened once more, and at the same time, his heart continued to beat so hard.
"By any chance, you're Sir David Valheim, correct?"
David's eyes grew wide as he heard the ducal princess utter his name exactly.
How did she know him by name—no, even by face?
His heart fluttered in his curiosity, but first, he nodded to confirm that it was him.
"That's my name, yes. Does Your Ladyship know me?"
To answer his hesitant question, Rosetta nodded lightly.
The smile on her face was refreshing and elegant.
And the person standing before her couldn't contain the exhilaration he felt at this.
But then, as he heard the following words, David inevitably froze in place.
"Of course I do. The one who chose you as my friend's opponent—it's me, you know."
She said so in a whispering voice as if she was telling a secret.
David stared blankly at Rosetta, but then his toes suddenly curled up.
The annoyance he felt earlier, which had already disappeared, surged once more.
'Are you mocking me?'
If not, then she must be disregarding him.
Since her friend was ordinary, the opponent that she'd have to pick for him was a weak person.
Here, the ducal princess named him.
And pointed a finger at him.
She picked out the name 'David Valheim' and even went as far as remembering it.
The back of his neck was stiff with tension at the thought of this woman, who seemed like she couldn't even lift a sword, looking down on him.
A lovely smile on her beautiful face, a melodious voice.
Everything about that felt like an act of mockery directed at him.
'Sure, I get it. Since you're an illegitimate child.'
What's the point in having such a beautiful and elegant appearance when everything else about her was vulgar.
As David was at a loss for words, Rosetta tilted her head to the side as though she had no idea what was going on.
There was an air of innocence to her, but even this made him feel like he's being ridiculed. David gnashed his teeth.
"What's wrong? Your complexion doesn't look so good. Are you hurt anywhere?"
"…No…t at… all."
His emotions were evident on his face, but Rosetta nodded like a tactless little girl.
"Good. That's a relief."
Inhaling deeply, David stared at the woman before him. There were two blazing fires within his eyes. He forced his stiff facial muscles to form a smile.
"However, may I ask your reason as to why you chose me?"
He didn't need to ask for the reason, but he wanted to hear it.
Compared to how he kept his mouth shut in front of Damian, he looked quite different.
As a response to his query, Rosetta shrugged.
"Well, you're the strongest knight in the fourth order, that's why."
That's right, the strongest knight in the fourth order is me…
"Pardon?"
David was already brooding over how discontented he was with Rosetta's words, but then he had to ask back in surprise.
"My older brother asked if I'd rather pick a knight that has been in the knightage for less than two years out of consideration for my friend, but… Still, since this is a test to confirm his abilities to qualify as an escort knight, I think it's better to evaluate him fairly. That's why."
"Ah…"
"Even if we're close friends, I can't exactly leave my safety in the hands of someone weak."
Don't you think?
When she added this whisper, David unconsciously nodded.
The displeasure he felt earlier quickly got better again.
'Right, so I wasn't looked down on…'
Rather than that, he had been recognized.
Yeah. Of course. It's only natural.
No matter how much he thought about it, it was weird.
Someone like me being paired up with a dumbf*ck like him?
That didn't add up.
But then if this was the reasoning behind that, then he totally understood.
'Wait a sec. That means…'
If the young duke and the ducal princess had such a conversation before, then this meant that the young duke also recognized David's prowess.
Since the ducal princess said that a strong person would be the opponent, the fact was this: Damian also acknowledged that David was a strong individual.
To the point that he was the one appointed to the position.
"Khh, ahem."
David coughed to press down on the urge to smile.
However, even as he tried hard to control his expression, he ultimately failed.
As one more piece of good news waited for him, he couldn't bear to hide his smile any longer.
"Ah, and did you hear from my brother?"
"What is it?"
"The prize for winning."
A prize. At the first mention of something that he would get, David's eyes flashed.
There was not one doubt in his mind that he was going to lose.
Therefore, it was already his.
Money. Recognition. Even more.
What else would he be receiving? His eyes turned to look Rosetta up and down.
Luscious red lips.
A pale, smooth neckline.
'Seriously pretty…'
She was—he dared say—one of the most beautiful women in the whole empire.
And her body…
He managed to pull up his gaze before it went lower.
'You're a criminal maid's daughter, so it'll be difficult for you to marry into a high-ranking noble household.'
She would eventually need to marry into a household that would suit her standing.
If that's the case…
Greed overlapped that lecherous look in his eyes.
At the type of gaze she received, Rosetta smiled broadly.
Because she found it laughable that this man's unsightly hideousness was plain for all to see.
Right then, it occurred to her that this was the type of entertainment that Blanca typically enjoyed.
It felt as if she had become the snake who had come out to tempt man with the forbidden fruit.
That very snake, which was lying in the wait as it urged Adam and Eve to take a bite.
"What will I be getting?"
The man asked.
Then, Rosetta replied.
"If you win, you will be my escort knight. What do you think? Is that alright with you?"
Her voice was as sweet as that apple, her smile as coy as that apple.
At this, the man smiled in return.
Lustful, just like that apple.
'Escort knight, you say…'
An escort knight for a half-blooded ducal princess, but nevertheless an escort knight for a noble household's esteemed young lady.
He's going to be an escort knight for a great noble household?
It's like he's already on track to a path of fame and success.
As long as he'd walk down this road and take the ducal princess to be his wife later on…
"If so, then it would be my honor."
At long last, man took a bite out of the forbidden fruit.
And thus provoked the wrath of God.
* * *
Standing by the entrance of the garden, I stared at David's retreating figure as he walked away. His excitement was obvious just by looking at his back.
Sure, that's good.
Be utterly confident that you would win.
This should be a lesson to you. Even a person you trust could stab you in the back with an axe.
Once David was completely out of sight, someone took the place beside me.
A tall man who stood beneath the sun's rays and created long shadows.
I looked sideways and glanced at the person standing next to me.
Cassion stiffly stared at the direction where David had disappeared to.
On that hardened expression, there was a vicious look in his eyes.
As if he was cursing the other man with just his glare alone.
"Makes me feel shitty."
In fact, he even spat out these words with utmost dissatisfaction.
Cassion said the words so bluntly. It surprised me a little because it's the first time I'm hearing something like this from him.
"Why?"
Even as I asked, he didn't look my way.
However, with a sigh, he closed his eyes tightly and swept back his fringe.
The hand he used to do that was shaking.
This, too, was out of character for him.
Soon, Cassion slowly opened his eyes once more.
His black eyes were deeper than the shadows. That dark gaze turned to me as he opened his lips to speak.
"I want to gouge out that man's eyes—I had a thought like this today, for the first time in my life."
Obviously, the target wasn't me.
I had the same thought, when David was leering at my body like that a while ago.
And yet as I saw how vicious these black eyes were, chills ran down my spine as though I was the target of his fury.
"…Ha."
Funnily enough, it didn't feel all that bad.