There’s No Divorce For You

“I will greet the Count, so you move the box to the room. It’s a gift from Her Majesty, so handle it with care.”

Before leading Theodore into the room, I had to look at the Count’s face first. So I entered the mansion, trying not to wrinkle my impressions. The Count was walking around the hall, and when he saw me coming in, he quickly turned his eyes and looked for Lisa. 

“You are late.”

He talked without thinking and didn’t even try to hide his rude attitude. 

“There were so many stories that I didn’t even know the time was passing.” 

I twisted my body halfway so the Count could see Theodore, who was following me. Since the Count is still the mansion’s owner, he had to accept him as a formal guest to avoid debt of gratitude like a parasite. Before the Count complained, I quickly hit the player. (t/n: Hit the player means something like the person who wins is the first who attacks.) 

“Her Majesty sent me a knight, saying that she was worried about me.”

The Count looked at Theodore and frowned. It was completely ridiculous for him to show such blatant hostility toward him. He clearly showed the boundary’s light. 

“Her Majesty?” 

The Count looked uncomfortable. However, because of the circumstances, he couldn’t disobey the king’s orders, throw Theodore out of the mansion, and treat him as a parasite. I pretended not to see his lips twitch and then answer.

“Yees.” 

I deliberately lengthened my words and tilted my head to the left. When I tilted my head to imitate Lisa like a lark, the Count turned his head to the side as if he had seen something he couldn’t see. 

“I see. I’ll tell the butler to take care of it.”

That was the same as announcing that he would accept Theodore as a guest. The Count added a mockery as to whether his mood was twisted. 

“Her Majesty seems to be having some free time, too.” 

“That’s how peaceful it is.” 

I mocked the Count in front of him. Can’t we find fault with that comment and put him in a cell? I glanced at Theodore thinking like that. 

Seeing his calm expression calmed my annoyance for some time. Well, the king couldn’t do it, so the Count’s neck is still attached to his body. If she could have cleaned it up sooner, she would have done it when Carla said she was going to get married. 

The Count seemed to have decided to go after Theodore after his attack didn’t work. Then he spoke rudely. 

“Her Majesty is too much. How could she send a knight to such an insignificant place?” 

“Oh my, our gardener is going to cry.”

“Haha, the garden in our mansion is nice, but there are places that are more enjoyable. Well, it would be more pleasing to the eye than here.” 

He raised one corner of his mouth and looked at me. Oho, so he’s going to act like this. He opened his mouth as if he didn’t know anything. But, no, he tried to say anything. 

“My eyes are dedicated to God, and I cannot pursue this pleasure for myself.” 

The Count’s eyebrows twitched at Theodore’s firm answer. It was a face that looked like he was thinking, ‘Is it because he’s a Paladin?’. But he didn’t give up and continued. 

“The rules of the temple wouldn’t be that strict…Can you even stop having romantic dreams? Isn’t the duty of a young knight to protect a beautiful lady?”

The Count tried to bring me down secretly. But Theodore didn’t fall. In the first place, he didn’t even realize that this was a fight. 

“It is my duty to follow Her Majesty’s orders.”

Tsk. The Count clicked his tongue. 

“You’re pretty stiff huh.” 

He seemed angry because Theodore didn’t move the way he wanted. Whether Theodore intended it or not, it was clear that he had turned the Count upside down. 

Inwardly, I praised the blunt Paladin for doing a good job. I didn’t have to step up and scratch his stomach anymore. Theodore added one more word. 

“Is that so? It’s the first time I’ve met such a beautiful person, so I think I’m nervous.”

He naively even scratched the back of his neck. He spoke in a tone that didn’t notice the Count’s intentions at all.

The Count asked him if he was upset because my face was ugly, but he replied I was pretty. He couldn’t even find fault with lying here. Then the Count’s face was completely wrinkled.

“The knight speaks well. My stomach will be so full of compliments that I could go a few days without eating.” 

I raised the corners of my mouth and attacked first. I shouldn’t have given the Count time to think before answering. 

“Isn’t that right, Count?” 

As if he was no longer interested, the Count snorted and ignored what I said. 

“You must be tired, please rest.” 

He forgot to look at Lisa and went to his room instead. It was funny to see him protesting as if he were annoyed. It felt like winning without touching his hand. 

I chuckled and turned to Theodore. He didn’t know what he had done and was blinking. 

“Sir Theodore.”

“Yes.”

“I have a feeling that I will be able to build good friendships with Sir.” 

He didn’t answer. I didn’t mean to ask for an answer either. Bell and Lisa came over to fix their clothes as I was getting ready to leave. 

“Bell, please take care of Sir Theodore’s bed.”

“Yes, Madam.”

“Excuse me, Madam. I will take care of the knight—” 

Lisa looked up and spoke softly. Then Bell pinched her forearm and glared at her. Lisa shook her body heavily and closed her mouth. 

Complaining about what the hostess had decided was the worst thing you could do. She pouted her lips but didn’t put her words on me again. 

Seeing her gently stroking the back of her hand, it seemed she didn’t want to be hurt again.

“See you tomorrow.”

“May the great man protect Carla’s night.” 

Theodore greeted me politely and, guided by Bell, walked into the depths of the mansion. Somehow I felt strange. Perhaps it was because of the long and complicated beautiful words, but I felt a tickling sensation in my forearms.

I could only leave after the darkness in the hallway had swallowed up the light that guided him. 

* * *

Theodore came to see me early in the morning. It was around the time Bell was tidying my hair. Solemnly, he asked permission to enter my private space.

I couldn’t show him the bedroom, but I could at least show him the dressing table near the door.

“I will wait for you when you wake up.” 

He was very polite. Perhaps, because he was a knight who was escorting the king, he had a sword-like side to his time. Even though it didn’t seem like it would be good for my mental health to see a very handsome man as soon as I woke up.

“I don’t have a regular wake up time.”

“Then can I wait at the door until you wake up?”

I politely said no, but the inflexible knight didn’t seem to understand anything I said. I spit it out bluntly. 

“It’s too much.”

Bell glanced at Theodore through the mirror, but her hands didn’t stop moving. He could make eye contact with Bell once, but he just stood upright and looked at me.

“This is not a palace. Her Majesty’s orders were given, but you don’t have to be so stiff.”

 “I’m Carla’s escort. I can’t do that.”

Theodore is a really hard person to stop. So I finally gave up trying to talk to him in a normal way and just spat it out like an order.

“Then from sunrise until I go to bed. The Paladin must sleep too, right?” 

By the end of the sentence, it was nothing short of sarcasm. But Theodore nodded his head in agreement. Bell, who was decorating my hair with a ribbon, had a spark.

“Bell, let’s have breakfast in the garden this morning.”

Bell, whose workload had suddenly increased, paused but then responded with a smile. 

“Shall I bring a shawl? It may still be cold with dew.” 

“Sure. Oh, could you bring it for Sir Theodore’s portion, too?”

“Yes, Madam.” 

Theodore looks confused.

“Lady Carla, the escort doesn’t eat.”

“How come?”

“Because the escort can’t put you in danger while he’s eating.” 

“Is that the royal etiquette?”

“That’s right.”

I looked at Theodore tiredly through the mirror. Then Theodore, realizing what I was saying, bowed his head.

It was treason for him to treat me like a king. Anyone he treated like a king was good enough for him.

“I made a mistake.”

“As I said yesterday, our gardener is pretty good. Not to mention the chef.”

I spoke skillfully as if it was a lie that I threatened him. I know I’m being selfish, but it was better than not serving a meal to someone who was supposed to follow me all day. Theodore bent his eyes and smiled.

“Yes, I’m looking forward to it.”

He looked as bright as a flower in full bloom. For a moment, I couldn’t speak and turned my head. My cheeks were burning hot.

I didn’t want to show my face, so I jumped up from my seat. It was rude, but it was better than showing my face to him.

Carla was a married woman. I shouldn’t have admired him. Bell, who didn’t know why, looked at me to see if I was upset.