Ever Ever After

Chapter 24: Meeting the Knights

It was if the word “woman” set off an alarm. The knights, dead asleep, began to wake up one by one.

Ailea held onto Blue tightly. She was terrified and shivered pitifully. She had never been put in a situation full of men eyeing her. She felt naked.

“Who are you?” Tarren asked.

Kaiton tapped Ailea’s chin.

She shook her head and trembled with fright.

“What kind of disease is this? It’s spotty and ugly. Why did no one treat you?” Kaiton asked curiously.

“Damn… you’re all f*cking loud. What’re you all up to? Oh, it’s a woman.”

 

A voice echoed.

Tarren sighed and brightened the room. Flames burned brightly and all the eyes turned to Ailea.

“Wow… you smell so good,” Shantee sniffed, smiling.

“You son of a b*tch. Are you a beast?”

“But… she smells really good.” Shantee said, pointing to the cat in Ailea’s arms. “Look, look! It’s that little fluffy thing. I knew I wasn’t hearing things!”

“Yes, now shut up.”

Tarren rubbed his nose awkwardly and asked Ailea, “Who are you, miss? Why are you here? Are you the caretaker of this palace? I’m really impressed. It’s very clean”

But no one, not even the knights could have ever imagined that the woman engaged to the Crown Prince lived in the dilapidated Outer Castle for two years. They thought she was eating well and lived under the gracious flavor of the Crown Prince somewhere in the Imperial City.

“By the way, what’s your position here? Are you alone?”

“Ah… yes…”

 

When Ailea answered shyly, Kaiton came up behind her and whispered, “It’s dangerous being out here alone, miss.”

Ailea looked a little surprised at their sudden remark.

Since this spotted disease afflicted her, she had been treated like a hideous burden and kicked out of the Imperial City to the Outer Castle. She was forced to live there for two years. The man she was engaged to saw her as nothing but a hideous beast.

But these knights, these gentlemen, they didn’t see her as a beast but a human. They worried about her safety, that she was here all alone and the dangers that would come about.

Unwittingly, Ailea smiled lightly.

Her soft laughter momentarily silenced the room.

Thereafter, Tarren slapped Kaiton on the head.

“You’ve no manners! Apologize quickly!” Tarren roared.

“Oh, it was too dark! I didn’t mean to walk up to you that closely! I’m sorry! I’m sorry, maid… oh… no… that’s presumptuous of me. Um… what is your name, miss?”

Ailea laughed merrily watching him make a blunder of mistake.

Peace and serenity washed the hearts of the men who had not seen a woman for two years.

Louison, the only married man who knew how to talk to women and was determined to make peace said, “I’m sorry. These fools haven’t spoken to a female for two years.”

Ailea nodded. “…I see.”

“We haven’t even had the chance to date much less see a woman. We’ve been pushing for two years from Geneva Castle to Excalibur.”

“…Excalibur?”

“You haven’t heard the rumors yet? Well, we recaptured Excalibur a few days ago. Our captain will be crowned Duke of Excalibur and will need to see our Teniac Emperor first.”

Ailea remembered that the last castle Clint recaptured was the one in Phylio, thus resulting in him becoming Duke of Phylio.

But that was the title Clint had two years ago.

Phylio and Excalibur, the two castles were a world difference between heaven and earth.

Excalibur was located in the southernmost part of the country before the Teniac Empire weakened. In other words, Excalibur was the defense border of the Teniac Empire.

Excalibur had huge, thick walls and cliffs in front of it, keeping the Teniac Empire safe from outside enemies throughout its long history of existence. Recently, the Teniac Empire suffered from endless wars because of its weakened defense capabilities and because Excalibur has been taken over by the Khanna Empire.

To occupy Excalibur was to increase the country’s defense.

Thus… the people of the southern provinces of the Teniac Empire have long regarded the owner of Excalibur Castle as the emperor. Its name was proof that.

Has history changed? Or was she hearing new changes in history after her death?

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Unable to confirm her thoughts, Ailea stared embarrassingly.

The vice-captain, Tarren, introduced the knights to her,  “Over there is Kaiton, Shantee, and Louison. The rest isn’t important for you to know. But I’m Tarren, the vice-captain.”

“Yes, Vice-Captain Tarren.”

Tarren grinned. Ailea’s polite manners made him feel good.

“I’m Ailea and her name is Blue,” Ailea said, pointing to the cat in her arms.