21 Chapter 21

The Princess shortened the distance with Celtic. Only one step remained between them. The Princess reached out and stole the water from Celat's fringes. The girl's appearance had yet to go away, and a playful smile spread over her delicate face.

"The pond has been obtained, so just wipe off the water. It's an order."

"If that's Your Imperial Highness' command, I will faithfully follow it as a knight."

Celtic answered with exaggerated manners, then wiped the rainwater from his cheeks and hair in a similarly modest motion. The princess burst into laughter like a bell again. The knight laughed as well. The laughter died away slowly.

"Sir Celtic." Wiping off the water from her cheeks and eyes, the Princess asked whispering. "Will you really do anything in my name?" The Princess was still smiling, but her playfulness was gone. The water that had not been wiped was still on the Princess' eyelashes. Celtic nodded, thinking that he wanted to wipe it off.

"I can do anything..."

"It's a little chilly."

The princess came one step closer. The knight's toes met the Princess' toes. She was so close that he could feel the heat of the body and hear the breath of the other person. Celtic didn't back down. The Princess said, leaning her forehead on Celtic's shoulder.

"Please don't let me get cold. It's an order."

Maybe Celtic could have given a different answer.

It's chilly. Let's go for a walk. Let me take off my jacket. Other euphemisms like that...

But Celtic's answer was:

The knight raised his arms to embrace the thin shoulders of the princess.

It wasn't just for romantic reasons that he felt some attraction for the princess. It was undeniable that the princess was beautiful and attractive, but it was also true of many ladies whom Celtic had met before. The reason Celtic, who politely rejected the countless women, did not reject the princess was much more secular.

Erin Tantal was a woman who could bestow Celtix Durak with greater honor, power, and social position. Celtic thought of the numerous honors that the Crown Prince would follow to the husband of his dear sister.

If you are a man looking at a higher place, you will not dare to resist the Princess' temptation. It was already clear that if the Crown Prince's right arm, Celtic, was given the Princess as well, the path of being able to do underground (illegal things) work and being the highest out of everyone would be pierced right in front of him.

The knight hugged the princess more tightly. So that the opportunity in his arms cannot escape. Celtic Durak had no intention of missing out on this rare opportunity. Erin, who was in the arms of the knight, glanced over the knight's shoulder. Eyes are everywhere in the palace. Erin, who lowered her gaze, hugged Celtic slightly at his waist, then stood back and whispered.

"This too... Please keep it a secret to my brother."

***

Asilah Alectin snooped her head.

"Lady Vivia. What about the princess?" That would be the case, as Vivia Contra Viol, who had left for the garden to find the Princess at the Jedis' request, returned alone.

"Asilah, Asilaaah! Do you know what I've seen?"

Vivia's sudden voice was so loud that Cecil, who was wiping out the princess' jewelry, was also interested. Vivia looked around as if she were in a hurry to talk.

"What about Jedis? Everyone should listen to this!"

Just in time, the door opened and Jedis appeared with a tray of liquor and biscuits. Then Jedis said, who pushed the door shut with her hind leg and then put the tray on the table at in a fast pace.

"Ladies who would like to have a drink before the return of Her Imperial Highness?"

It seemed that she knew that Vivia would not return with the Princess. However, Asilah and Vivia, blinded by snacks, did not express any doubts. The four ladies-in-waiting sat down and shared sweet drinks.

"So what did you see, Miss Vivia?" Asilah asked. Vivia, who was weak in alcohol, had a hot face.

"Well, Her Imperial Highness the Princess is now too old to think about getting engaged." The usual rather cold-hearted Cecil *poured cold water.

(*korean idiom which means: to jump into something that is going well and impede the progress or ruin the mood of it.)

"Yes, but since the Crown Prince is still single, it's too early to bring up the marriage of the Princess."

"Whatever! We are at age to search for finding a spouse? Right? Then, who is the best spouse for Her Imperial Highness the Princess?"

'Finding someone with good status, money, and appearance' was the main concern of marriageable noble ladies, and it was the same with Her Imperial Higness the Princess' ladies-in-waiting.

The ladies-in-law gathered their heads and rattled. If it weren't for the Rowenthal family's rebellion, the name of Tristan Rowenthal would have been the top priority, but it wasn't the case. Cecil said, who was twisting her hair.

"It's highly likely that the one who is the best for her belongs as the knights of the Eleven swords. Someone who's single right now... Gareth?"

"Sir Gareth?" Gareth's current lover, Asilah Alectin, intervened coldly. "Not Sir Gareth Wallow, Sir Gereint Bell?"

"Gerry fell less. He's not qualified."

Jedis was on the cold side of her own relative.

"Then Sir Celtic Durak. He's the second son, but that's enough. Rumor has it that the current Marquis Durak cares more about his second son, not the eldest son."

"Yes! It's Sir Celtic Durak!" Vivia clapped her hands and jumped out of her seat.

"Take a note! I just saw Her Imperial Highness and Sir Celtic secretly meeting in the garden!" A momentary silence came to them at the shocking news.

"Lady. Vivia. The public doesn't call it a secret meeting if she's taking a walk with her escort."

"Don't you think it's a secret meeting if they're hugging each other while taking a walk?"

"Oh my goodness." Asilah stopped eating the biscuits and covered her mouth with her hand.

"How can I call Her Imperial Highness if they're doing that? I don't want to interrupt. So I just came back." Speculations about the change in the relationship between the Imperial family and Durak moved between the ladies-in-waiting' lips. Jedith eagerly eat the biscuits and instigated their speculation. The rumors seemed to spread well even if Jedis did not make a big noise.

* *

Early morning.

Gareth Wallow was sitting in his bed, stitching his trousers. A slender arm wrapped around the knight's naked shoulder and pulled. Gareth fell on the bed without resisting.

"Gareth, are you going already?" Asilah Alectin asked, leaning her cheek against Gareth's shoulder. Gareth hugged Asilah' waist and back tightly and kissed her head and said, rubbing her nose.

"Should I not go? I will do as my lady wants."

"It's okay. I have to go out soon anyway. I'm just doing this a little bit." Asilah dug into Gareth's arms. The knight's chest was hard with the sword remaining. Asilah said, tracing the sword with her fingers.

"When you go to work, you'll see Sir Celtic."

"Indeed. I have to see the face I've been fed up with since I was a kid."

"What kind of person is Sir Celtic?"

"Are you interested in Lottle Master?"

Wallow family was the vassal of the Marquis of Durak from generation to generation. If so, Celtic Durak would still have been Gareth's 'little master', but now Gareth has pledged his allegiance to the Crown Prince, and now he is only his companion. However, Gareth still adhered to the title of Little Master. Asilah, who knew about his habits, did not show any doubts about Gareth's title (how he called Celtic). Instead, she asked jokingly.

"If I am interested?" Gareth, who was planning to introduce a decent woman to Celtic Durak took the 'Shortcut to Disgrace', responded slowly.

"I should be willing to act as your love messenger." It was an attitude that it didn't matter if his lover left for another man. Originally, she knew he was such a man, and she met him, but she couldn't help but get hurt. Asilah replied a little coldly.

"I don't need that. I was wondering what kind of man might be the fiance of Her Imperial Highness the Princess, so I asked." Gareth jumped up.

"What? Who doesn't know who's fiance?"

"You did not know?"

"I didn't think so, but..."

Gareth, who heard of Asilah's polite eyewitness accounts, hurriedly put on a leather armor over his shirt and ran out.

When Gareth arrived at the Imperial Palace, the first sight he saw was the appearance of Her Imperial Highness the Princess and Celtic Durak having a late breakfast in the garden.

The two were friendly, but Gareth felt anxious. He nervously swept his golden-brown hair and approached Celtic.

"Little... hmm! Sir Celtic. Can you give me a minute. I have something to report."

Celtic asked the Princess to forgive him and followed Gareth. As he led Celtic to a place where the people's ears could not reach, Gareth roared, lowering his voice.

"Little Master! What the hell is going on here?"

"I don't know how many times I've been telling you, but you're not a little master. Do you want me to call you Gary?"

"I don't really care. Call me Sir Gary."

"... So what's the rush to report?" Gareth hit his forehead and asked seriously.

"Sir Celtic. Are you serious? With Her Imperial Highness? Seriously?"

"I don't think I was calling you to say that one thing."

"That's right." Celtic turned his back right away, and Gareth clung to Celtic's leg, foolishly.

"Let go of me, Her Imperial Highness is waiting."

"I will never let you go! If I send you, you'll have another great time with Her Imperial Highness."

"Gareth Wallow! Let go of me!"

"You can't go to Her Imperial Highness!" I'll introduce you to a nice, pretty, and family lady, so please give up Her Imperial Highness!" Gareth was desperate. "I'm saying this for the sake of the little master!" Celtic tried his best to remove Gareth.

It wasn't easy to get rid of the big guy who was over 6 feet (about 182 cm), and Celtic decided to change the route a little. He squatted down and looked at Gareth.

"Sir Gareth... Why the hell are you saying I can't go with the Princess? Are you saying I am not enough?" Gareth, who was clinging at Celtic's leg with false tears, rolled his eyeballs.

T/N: Forgive me guys but I can't keep up with the schedule, I'm still a student and I wasn't a fast-learner so I was struggling with my studies and I am only with myself here so... Bear with me. I will update if only I can. If someone wants to help me translate this, I will share the raws. Hehe...