Teresa had always found banquets a bother.
Due to her powerful Hextongue, Teresa mainly relied on her writings to communicate with others. She could get most of her message across without trouble, but the efficiency was terrible, especially during social events. It was hard for her writing to keep up with conversations during social events, and others needed time to read her writings too.
For that reason, she would always have an interpreter beside her to read her messages to facilitate conversation. The problem was that students weren’t allowed to bring outsiders into Saint Freya Academy, so Teresa couldn’t bring her interpreter with her.
This made it hard for her to hold a conversation, especially when the other party was the star of the banquet.
Don’t go.
Roel was surprised by the notebook that suddenly appeared before him. He lowered his head and looked at the pink-haired woman grabbing his sleeves.
Due to her inability to speak, Teresa could only use her physical actions to draw Roel’s attention. It was embarrassing for her to grab another person’s sleeves in such a formal setting, but there was no denying its effectiveness.
Knowing the difficulties Teresa faced in communication, Roel first informed Paul and the others, who were waiting for him by the side, that he had some business to deal with. Then, he led Teresa to one of the seats by the side of the room, where she could take her time writing her message.
Roel’s consideration touched Teresa’s heart, and she flashed him a radiant smile. She picked up her quill and began writing down her message.
Mister Roel, I’d like to relay my deepest gratitude to you about William’s affairs.
“You don’t have to thank me. I just did what I wanted to.”
That might be the case, but what you have done changed William’s fate. I feel indebted to you as her older sister, so I ask you to accept my gratitude.
“Alright. It’s William’s fortune to have a caring older sister like you.”
Roel casually remarked as he glanced at the armored knight surrounded by fans some distance away. Teresa’s face reddened at the comment. She quickly waved her hands to deny it before continuing with an ashamed look on her face.
I’d also like to apologize to you. I knew that you would react in such a manner prior to our conversation, and that’s why I told you everything.
“Is there a problem with that?”
But Mister Roel, I used you.
“Used me? You’re being too harsh on yourself. I see it in a completely different manner,” said Roel with a smile.
Teresa tilted her head in confusion, not knowing what Roel was getting at.
“Miss Teresa, didn’t you choose to tell me everything because you trusted my character? Am I mistaken?”
“!”
Teresa widened her eyes upon hearing Roel’s question. She took a moment to think about it before shyly nodding her head.
“Doesn’t that mean that everything is fine then? Besides, throughout that conversation, you didn’t use any misleading words to guide my line of thoughts. I think that it’s far-fetched to say that you have used me.”
Thank you for your understanding, Mister Roel.
“You’ve already thanked me enough. So, Miss Teresa, what do you all intend to do now?”
What do you mean?
“Since your plan to take me away and protect me has flopped, what will your next course of action be? Return to Knight Kingdom Pendor? Or…”
Regarding that, you might have to ask William in person.
Teresa smiled at Roel before waving William over with an invitational gesture.
But before William could walk over, a commotion suddenly echoed from afar.
Antonio and the other staff members had finally arrived at the banquet hall. Chris was also part of the group, and she was dressed in a gorgeous dress.
The students immediately put their conversations on hold to greet them.
Antonio and the others acknowledged their greetings with slight nods. Under the students’ warm applause, they made their way toward where Roel was standing.
“Roel, I was deeply impressed when you won the Champion Cup despite the odds,” complimented Antonio with a heartened nod.
“I’m honored to be one of the few people in the world who could impress you,” replied Roel with a smile.
After a short exchange of pleasantries, Antonio moved to the forefront of the banquet hall and officially announced the commencement of the celebratory party. Hundreds of magic fireworks whizzed to the sky, and grand music began playing. Excited cheers could be heard from the banquet hall to the grass field outside.
There was no need for the staff members to do anything since it was a party and not an award presentation ceremony. They wouldn’t want to steal the show from today’s stars, the challengers.
The celebratory party was a standing buffet, where the food was supplied by Saint Freya Academy and the alcohol was sponsored by Leinster’s administration. It was inevitable for the students to stuff themselves under the free flow of food and drinks.
The students began digging into the mouth-watering array of food prepared by the commercial street. Heavyweight drinkers also began heartily gulping down alcohol, determined to have their fill.
At the front row of the banquet hall, Roel and William finally managed to catch up with each other.
“Do we really have to do it?”
“Lord Antonio said that it’s the academy’s tradition.”
“I guess we have no choice then. Cheers!”
“Cheers!”
As if exchanging secret codes, Roel and William reached for the two bottles of super huge champagne placed at the front of the banquet hall. Through infusing their mana into the champagne bottle, they were able to swiftly increase the pressure within to pop its cork.
Pah! Pah!
Roel quickly scanned the crowd and confirmed his targets.
First and foremost, he didn’t want to spray the champagne over the ladies as formal gowns tended to be more revealing. Accidents could occur if those gowns got wet. He also didn’t want to target seniors like Edward as they could find it disrespectful.
After careful consideration, Roel’s gaze fell upon Paul and Geralt. The next instant, the alcohol started spraying out under the gaseous pressure and sprayed toward Paul and Geralt’s face.
“Big bro—Pu!”
The shocked Paul only managed to get a word out before he was sprayed down by champagne. The sharp-witted Geralt reacted fast and hid behind Paul, leaving Roel deeply impressed by his sharp reflexes.
On the other hand, William had chosen to target the transfer students from the Knight Kingdom.
With the champion and the second runner-up leading the pranks, the atmosphere in the banquet hall soared to a new high. The excited Selina and the others quickly equipped themselves with bottles of champagne and joined the battlefield. The other challengers also began attacking each other with mischievous smiles on their faces.
Golden alcohol was raining all over the banquet hall in just a few moments.
Brittany grabbed the closest champagne bottle and began chasing Geralt, sending the terrified lad fleeing in a panic. Teresa used her Hextongue to seal off her surrounding space, preventing any champagne from spilling onto her. Juliana was infuriated to have her elegant demeanor ruined by William, so she sought to get her revenge.
Greenrose Ringbearer Glint and Greyrose Ringbearer Edward joined the battle as well. Charlotte was unharmed thanks to the protection of the Golden Soul. As for Lilian… Well, who in the right mind would dare to target her?
The banquet hall devolved into a champagne fight. Most students swiftly let go of their internal restraints and went wild. Those who weren’t able to find a champagne bottle used beer bottles as substitutes. The musicians switched to an intense melody to suit the mood.
The atmosphere was contagious. It didn’t take long for those in the grass field outside to join the champagne fight as well.
Antonio and the other staff members looked at the youthful scene before them and lamented that they had gotten old.
During the champagne fight, some of the students who got closer to Roel after losing to him in the tournament decided to unite together to exact vengeance. Caught off-guard, Roel ended up taking quite a few hits from them. In the end, he decided to team up with Paul and the other members of the Bluerose Faction to fight back.
On the other hand, William and her fans had gotten embroiled in a battle with Greenrose Ringbearer Glint.
The laughter and splashing alcohol washed away Roel’s pent-up stress, leaving him feeling more refreshed than ever. It was only when they finally ran out of alcohol that this moment of wild fun came to an end.
…
After the champagne fight, the exhausted students turned their attention back to the delicacies, which had been guarded by the staff members much to everyone’s relief. The fight had brought bonds together, and students who had never talked before began engaging one another in conversations.
A mildly intoxicated Juliana walked up to Charlotte and grumbled about her Golden Soul being an eyesore. Lilian started chatting with Teresa, much to everyone’s surprise. William dragged Geralt and stationed him in front of Brittany. Kurt and Edward began a light conversation about history. Paul summoned his armor and demonstrated their effects to Selina and Stuart, amazing the two of them.
Roel gazed at this harmonious sight as he took a sip of wine. Academy life was often the most memorable period for most. Those joyous and carefree days that were overflowing with vibrant youthfulness ripened like fine wine in our memories, becoming what most called the taste of nostalgia.
There was a period of time that he was hesitant and fearful of attending Saint Freya Academy. That apprehensive little boy back then couldn’t have fathomed how much he would come to cherish the experiences and bonds he had made here.
“I’m glad that I have come here.”
“Is that what you think?”
“Hm?”
Roel turned in the direction where the voice was coming from and saw William walking over.
“Eavesdropping is not a good habit.”
“You weren’t trying to hide your words.”
“I guess so.”
The fully-armored William took her seat beside Roel. She looked at the bustling crowd before her and remarked.
“Now that I’ve heard those words from you, I have even less of a reason to take you away from here.”
“Not like I was planning to leave with you in the first place,” replied Roel with a smile.
He heaved a sigh of relief, knowing that William had finally thought things through. However, he soon recalled the Goddess of Fate’s Guidance and the mission he had to carry out. He quickly scanned their surroundings before resolving himself to grasp this opportunity.
So, he turned his head over and began staring at William.
Sensing his gaze, William also turned her head over to meet his eyes. Time ticked slowly under their exchange of eyes. Her initial curiosity turned into confusion, followed by fluster. Soon, she thought of something and slowly lowered her head.
Fifteen seconds would have usually passed by in an instant, but every second felt frighteningly protracted when one had to stare at another person without saying a word. Nevertheless, Roel still held his gaze firm as he continued his mental countdown. When the countdown finally reached zero, William reacted to his gesture.
“Can you come with me for a moment?”
“Sure.”
Its effects are showing right away?
Roel nodded his head before quietly leaving the banquet hall under William’s lead.
It was quite chaotic inside the banquet hall. Most students were drinking and chatting heartily, so no one noticed the departure of the duo. The noises slowly faded as Roel followed William to an open corridor that basked them under the brilliant moonlight.
“Wait here.”
“Hm?”
William suddenly turned around and walked away, leaving the latter utterly bewildered.
What’s going on? Did she brign me here to meet someone else?
A while later, ‘someone else’ really appeared.
It was a tall lady dressed in a white skirt. She had ash-blue hair and tangerine eyes. Her waist was slim, yet one could feel explosive power in her. Her limbs were toned to what most people would call the golden ratio. Despite her valiant disposition, her eyes swam around diffidently in Roel’s presence.
“You are… William?”
Roel had to stare at the familiar face for a while before he could recognize the lady before him.
William nodded her head. Her hands were fidgeting around as if she had no idea where to place them. In the end, she decided to hide them behind her back.
“Does it fit me?” she asked softly.
“I-it does, but why would you suddenly…”
“T-that’s because you kept staring at me! I wanted to follow your suggestion and try out a skirt, but I’ve gotten too used to wearing my armor. The thought of others staring at me in a skirt feels weird…” replied William with a reddened face.
As she said those words, she quietly tried to tug the hem of her skirt down in hopes that it would magically stretch longer and cover her exposed legs. On the other hand, Roel was finally reminded of the words he had told her in the finals.
When William’s helmet shattered after the final clash, revealing her true face, he did mention something along the line that she could try wearing skirts from time to time. He never thought that she would take those words so seriously.
All of a sudden, he felt that the obstinate William looked rather adorable. He also felt relieved, thinking that this was a good change for her to make.
William’s devotion to the vow was symbolized by her armor and the concealment of her identity. The fact that she was willing to cast these away showed that a tinge of change had started in her heart.
“It sounds like you’re finally giving up on your mission to take me away from here.”
“I was forced to. What else can I do after you shattered my armor in public? Too many people have seen my face. It’s no longer possible to hide the truth,” muttered William grudgingly.
It turned out that the revelation of her true face resulted in the claim that she was the adopted son of the Cambonytes to crumble. She was instructed to return to Pendor after the holiday to be reinstated as a princess.
In the first place, she had put on the armor and assumed the role of the Cambonytes’ adopted son so that she could focus her time and effort on growing stronger. Pendor would also be less affected if she ever needed to fulfill the vow and die as Roel’s scapegoat.
However, now that William was shown to be the real daughter of the Cambonytes, it was no longer possible for her to become Roel’s scapegoat. That was because she was the sole daughter and successor of the Cambonyte Royal Family.
It would be one thing if the Cambonytes had a bunch of children fighting over the succession, or that William was truly an adopted son carrying out the vow. The problem was that William was the only child of the Cambonytes, and that changed the nature of things.
The king of the Knight Kingdom might be willing to put his daughter’s life on the line for the sake of humankind, but that didn’t mean that the nobles would agree to it. William was the only legitimate successor to Pendor, and her death would indubitably destabilize the country.
Roel’s heart was finally put at ease upon hearing those words.
Not even the king could afford to go against the collective will of the circle of nobility in the present Sia Continent. It was unlikely that William would ever have to sacrifice herself anymore.
“That’s good news. It looks like my sacrifice in the finals was worth it.”
Knowing that his deeds had definitely changed William’s fate, Roel looked at the night sky above with a gladdened smile. William stared at him for a long while before finally posing a question.
“What if you lost? What would you do then?”
“What if I lost?”
The question caught Roel off guard. He turned to face William, who was staring intently at him, and hesitantly spoke up.
“To be honest… I never thought that I’d lose.”
“You… Are you looking down on me?”
“That’s not it. It’s just that… I couldn’t lose in that situation, so I wouldn’t lose.”
“…”
William was surprised. Despite Roel’s gentle smile, the words coming out of him were surprisingly forceful.
“… Is it because you wanted to save me?”
“I wouldn’t use the term ‘save’. I just wanted to return you the right of choice. I said it, didn’t I? You should be the one to choose how you wish to live.”
“Choice, huh?”
William murmured under her breath. She walked over to Roel’s side and stared at the beautiful night sky together with him.
“I might have suffered over the years, but I have also gained much in return, be it strength or reputation. You might have refuted the vow, but there are still many things I don’t wish to change. Is that… fine?”
“Of course. You really are an obstinate one… It isn’t a crime to take it easy, you know.”
“I really don’t like being told that I’m obstinate by someone who adamantly refuses my help. However, there are things that I wish to change too.”
“Oh? What does Lord William wish to change?”
“N-no, not William…”
William turned to Roel and put a finger on his lips. Then, she said with a smile.
“Call me Wilhelmina.”
Teresa had always found banquets a bother.
Due to her powerful Hextongue, Teresa mainly relied on her writings to communicate with others. She could get most of her message across without trouble, but the efficiency was terrible, especially during social events. It was hard for her writing to keep up with conversations during social events, and others needed time to read her writings too.
For that reason, she would always have an interpreter beside her to read her messages to facilitate conversation. The problem was that students weren’t allowed to bring outsiders into Saint Freya Academy, so Teresa couldn’t bring her interpreter with her.
This made it hard for her to hold a conversation, especially when the other party was the star of the banquet.
Don’t go.
Roel was surprised by the notebook that suddenly appeared before him. He lowered his head and looked at the pink-haired woman grabbing his sleeves.
Due to her inability to speak, Teresa could only use her physical actions to draw Roel’s attention. It was embarrassing for her to grab another person’s sleeves in such a formal setting, but there was no denying its effectiveness.
Knowing the difficulties Teresa faced in communication, Roel first informed Paul and the others, who were waiting for him by the side, that he had some business to deal with. Then, he led Teresa to one of the seats by the side of the room, where she could take her time writing her message.
Roel’s consideration touched Teresa’s heart, and she flashed him a radiant smile. She picked up her quill and began writing down her message.
Mister Roel, I’d like to relay my deepest gratitude to you about William’s affairs.
“You don’t have to thank me. I just did what I wanted to.”
That might be the case, but what you have done changed William’s fate. I feel indebted to you as her older sister, so I ask you to accept my gratitude.
“Alright. It’s William’s fortune to have a caring older sister like you.”
Roel casually remarked as he glanced at the armored knight surrounded by fans some distance away. Teresa’s face reddened at the comment. She quickly waved her hands to deny it before continuing with an ashamed look on her face.
I’d also like to apologize to you. I knew that you would react in such a manner prior to our conversation, and that’s why I told you everything.
“Is there a problem with that?”
But Mister Roel, I used you.
“Used me? You’re being too harsh on yourself. I see it in a completely different manner,” said Roel with a smile.
Teresa tilted her head in confusion, not knowing what Roel was getting at.
“Miss Teresa, didn’t you choose to tell me everything because you trusted my character? Am I mistaken?”
“!”
Teresa widened her eyes upon hearing Roel’s question. She took a moment to think about it before shyly nodding her head.
“Doesn’t that mean that everything is fine then? Besides, throughout that conversation, you didn’t use any misleading words to guide my line of thoughts. I think that it’s far-fetched to say that you have used me.”
Thank you for your understanding, Mister Roel.
“You’ve already thanked me enough. So, Miss Teresa, what do you all intend to do now?”
What do you mean?
“Since your plan to take me away and protect me has flopped, what will your next course of action be? Return to Knight Kingdom Pendor? Or…”
Regarding that, you might have to ask William in person.
Teresa smiled at Roel before waving William over with an invitational gesture.
But before William could walk over, a commotion suddenly echoed from afar.
Antonio and the other staff members had finally arrived at the banquet hall. Chris was also part of the group, and she was dressed in a gorgeous dress.
The students immediately put their conversations on hold to greet them.
Antonio and the others acknowledged their greetings with slight nods. Under the students’ warm applause, they made their way toward where Roel was standing.
“Roel, I was deeply impressed when you won the Champion Cup despite the odds,” complimented Antonio with a heartened nod.
“I’m honored to be one of the few people in the world who could impress you,” replied Roel with a smile.
After a short exchange of pleasantries, Antonio moved to the forefront of the banquet hall and officially announced the commencement of the celebratory party. Hundreds of magic fireworks whizzed to the sky, and grand music began playing. Excited cheers could be heard from the banquet hall to the grass field outside.
There was no need for the staff members to do anything since it was a party and not an award presentation ceremony. They wouldn’t want to steal the show from today’s stars, the challengers.
The celebratory party was a standing buffet, where the food was supplied by Saint Freya Academy and the alcohol was sponsored by Leinster’s administration. It was inevitable for the students to stuff themselves under the free flow of food and drinks.
The students began digging into the mouth-watering array of food prepared by the commercial street. Heavyweight drinkers also began heartily gulping down alcohol, determined to have their fill.
At the front row of the banquet hall, Roel and William finally managed to catch up with each other.
“Do we really have to do it?”
“Lord Antonio said that it’s the academy’s tradition.”
“I guess we have no choice then. Cheers!”
“Cheers!”
As if exchanging secret codes, Roel and William reached for the two bottles of super huge champagne placed at the front of the banquet hall. Through infusing their mana into the champagne bottle, they were able to swiftly increase the pressure within to pop its cork.
Pah! Pah!
Roel quickly scanned the crowd and confirmed his targets.
First and foremost, he didn’t want to spray the champagne over the ladies as formal gowns tended to be more revealing. Accidents could occur if those gowns got wet. He also didn’t want to target seniors like Edward as they could find it disrespectful.
After careful consideration, Roel’s gaze fell upon Paul and Geralt. The next instant, the alcohol started spraying out under the gaseous pressure and sprayed toward Paul and Geralt’s face.
“Big bro—Pu!”
The shocked Paul only managed to get a word out before he was sprayed down by champagne. The sharp-witted Geralt reacted fast and hid behind Paul, leaving Roel deeply impressed by his sharp reflexes.
On the other hand, William had chosen to target the transfer students from the Knight Kingdom.
With the champion and the second runner-up leading the pranks, the atmosphere in the banquet hall soared to a new high. The excited Selina and the others quickly equipped themselves with bottles of champagne and joined the battlefield. The other challengers also began attacking each other with mischievous smiles on their faces.
Golden alcohol was raining all over the banquet hall in just a few moments.
Brittany grabbed the closest champagne bottle and began chasing Geralt, sending the terrified lad fleeing in a panic. Teresa used her Hextongue to seal off her surrounding space, preventing any champagne from spilling onto her. Juliana was infuriated to have her elegant demeanor ruined by William, so she sought to get her revenge.
Greenrose Ringbearer Glint and Greyrose Ringbearer Edward joined the battle as well. Charlotte was unharmed thanks to the protection of the Golden Soul. As for Lilian… Well, who in the right mind would dare to target her?
The banquet hall devolved into a champagne fight. Most students swiftly let go of their internal restraints and went wild. Those who weren’t able to find a champagne bottle used beer bottles as substitutes. The musicians switched to an intense melody to suit the mood.
The atmosphere was contagious. It didn’t take long for those in the grass field outside to join the champagne fight as well.
Antonio and the other staff members looked at the youthful scene before them and lamented that they had gotten old.
During the champagne fight, some of the students who got closer to Roel after losing to him in the tournament decided to unite together to exact vengeance. Caught off-guard, Roel ended up taking quite a few hits from them. In the end, he decided to team up with Paul and the other members of the Bluerose Faction to fight back.
On the other hand, William and her fans had gotten embroiled in a battle with Greenrose Ringbearer Glint.
The laughter and splashing alcohol washed away Roel’s pent-up stress, leaving him feeling more refreshed than ever. It was only when they finally ran out of alcohol that this moment of wild fun came to an end.
…
After the champagne fight, the exhausted students turned their attention back to the delicacies, which had been guarded by the staff members much to everyone’s relief. The fight had brought bonds together, and students who had never talked before began engaging one another in conversations.
A mildly intoxicated Juliana walked up to Charlotte and grumbled about her Golden Soul being an eyesore. Lilian started chatting with Teresa, much to everyone’s surprise. William dragged Geralt and stationed him in front of Brittany. Kurt and Edward began a light conversation about history. Paul summoned his armor and demonstrated their effects to Selina and Stuart, amazing the two of them.
Roel gazed at this harmonious sight as he took a sip of wine. Academy life was often the most memorable period for most. Those joyous and carefree days that were overflowing with vibrant youthfulness ripened like fine wine in our memories, becoming what most called the taste of nostalgia.
There was a period of time that he was hesitant and fearful of attending Saint Freya Academy. That apprehensive little boy back then couldn’t have fathomed how much he would come to cherish the experiences and bonds he had made here.
“I’m glad that I have come here.”
“Is that what you think?”
“Hm?”
Roel turned in the direction where the voice was coming from and saw William walking over.
“Eavesdropping is not a good habit.”
“You weren’t trying to hide your words.”
“I guess so.”
The fully-armored William took her seat beside Roel. She looked at the bustling crowd before her and remarked.
“Now that I’ve heard those words from you, I have even less of a reason to take you away from here.”
“Not like I was planning to leave with you in the first place,” replied Roel with a smile.
He heaved a sigh of relief, knowing that William had finally thought things through. However, he soon recalled the Goddess of Fate’s Guidance and the mission he had to carry out. He quickly scanned their surroundings before resolving himself to grasp this opportunity.
So, he turned his head over and began staring at William.
Sensing his gaze, William also turned her head over to meet his eyes. Time ticked slowly under their exchange of eyes. Her initial curiosity turned into confusion, followed by fluster. Soon, she thought of something and slowly lowered her head.
Fifteen seconds would have usually passed by in an instant, but every second felt frighteningly protracted when one had to stare at another person without saying a word. Nevertheless, Roel still held his gaze firm as he continued his mental countdown. When the countdown finally reached zero, William reacted to his gesture.
“Can you come with me for a moment?”
“Sure.”
Its effects are showing right away?
Roel nodded his head before quietly leaving the banquet hall under William’s lead.
It was quite chaotic inside the banquet hall. Most students were drinking and chatting heartily, so no one noticed the departure of the duo. The noises slowly faded as Roel followed William to an open corridor that basked them under the brilliant moonlight.
“Wait here.”
“Hm?”
William suddenly turned around and walked away, leaving the latter utterly bewildered.
What’s going on? Did she brign me here to meet someone else?
A while later, ‘someone else’ really appeared.
It was a tall lady dressed in a white skirt. She had ash-blue hair and tangerine eyes. Her waist was slim, yet one could feel explosive power in her. Her limbs were toned to what most people would call the golden ratio. Despite her valiant disposition, her eyes swam around diffidently in Roel’s presence.
“You are… William?”
Roel had to stare at the familiar face for a while before he could recognize the lady before him.
William nodded her head. Her hands were fidgeting around as if she had no idea where to place them. In the end, she decided to hide them behind her back.
“Does it fit me?” she asked softly.
“I-it does, but why would you suddenly…”
“T-that’s because you kept staring at me! I wanted to follow your suggestion and try out a skirt, but I’ve gotten too used to wearing my armor. The thought of others staring at me in a skirt feels weird…” replied William with a reddened face.
As she said those words, she quietly tried to tug the hem of her skirt down in hopes that it would magically stretch longer and cover her exposed legs. On the other hand, Roel was finally reminded of the words he had told her in the finals.
When William’s helmet shattered after the final clash, revealing her true face, he did mention something along the line that she could try wearing skirts from time to time. He never thought that she would take those words so seriously.
All of a sudden, he felt that the obstinate William looked rather adorable. He also felt relieved, thinking that this was a good change for her to make.
William’s devotion to the vow was symbolized by her armor and the concealment of her identity. The fact that she was willing to cast these away showed that a tinge of change had started in her heart.
“It sounds like you’re finally giving up on your mission to take me away from here.”
“I was forced to. What else can I do after you shattered my armor in public? Too many people have seen my face. It’s no longer possible to hide the truth,” muttered William grudgingly.
It turned out that the revelation of her true face resulted in the claim that she was the adopted son of the Cambonytes to crumble. She was instructed to return to Pendor after the holiday to be reinstated as a princess.
In the first place, she had put on the armor and assumed the role of the Cambonytes’ adopted son so that she could focus her time and effort on growing stronger. Pendor would also be less affected if she ever needed to fulfill the vow and die as Roel’s scapegoat.
However, now that William was shown to be the real daughter of the Cambonytes, it was no longer possible for her to become Roel’s scapegoat. That was because she was the sole daughter and successor of the Cambonyte Royal Family.
It would be one thing if the Cambonytes had a bunch of children fighting over the succession, or that William was truly an adopted son carrying out the vow. The problem was that William was the only child of the Cambonytes, and that changed the nature of things.
The king of the Knight Kingdom might be willing to put his daughter’s life on the line for the sake of humankind, but that didn’t mean that the nobles would agree to it. William was the only legitimate successor to Pendor, and her death would indubitably destabilize the country.
Roel’s heart was finally put at ease upon hearing those words.
Not even the king could afford to go against the collective will of the circle of nobility in the present Sia Continent. It was unlikely that William would ever have to sacrifice herself anymore.
“That’s good news. It looks like my sacrifice in the finals was worth it.”
Knowing that his deeds had definitely changed William’s fate, Roel looked at the night sky above with a gladdened smile. William stared at him for a long while before finally posing a question.
“What if you lost? What would you do then?”
“What if I lost?”
The question caught Roel off guard. He turned to face William, who was staring intently at him, and hesitantly spoke up.
“To be honest… I never thought that I’d lose.”
“You… Are you looking down on me?”
“That’s not it. It’s just that… I couldn’t lose in that situation, so I wouldn’t lose.”
“…”
William was surprised. Despite Roel’s gentle smile, the words coming out of him were surprisingly forceful.
“… Is it because you wanted to save me?”
“I wouldn’t use the term ‘save’. I just wanted to return you the right of choice. I said it, didn’t I? You should be the one to choose how you wish to live.”
“Choice, huh?”
William murmured under her breath. She walked over to Roel’s side and stared at the beautiful night sky together with him.
“I might have suffered over the years, but I have also gained much in return, be it strength or reputation. You might have refuted the vow, but there are still many things I don’t wish to change. Is that… fine?”
“Of course. You really are an obstinate one… It isn’t a crime to take it easy, you know.”
“I really don’t like being told that I’m obstinate by someone who adamantly refuses my help. However, there are things that I wish to change too.”
“Oh? What does Lord William wish to change?”
“N-no, not William…”
William turned to Roel and put a finger on his lips. Then, she said with a smile.
“Call me Wilhelmina.”
