Winter Field Chapter 30

Rensley blinked and looked at the man standing before him, blocking his way. After a silence, Rensley, having grasped the meaning of the words, shook his head in flustered surprise.

“No, Your Highness! I will do it. If waiting is tedious, please go ahead to the office. I will call Madam Samrit…”

“It is not yet advisable to be frequently seen by others. Let us go quietly without even calling a maid.”

Even a moment’s thought confirmed that he was right. Rensley could not hesitate for long and turned around. Between the parted folds of the dress, which was not properly fastened, his bare back was fully exposed.

Even if the weather outside was cold, the room, where the fireplace was kept burning all day, was not cold at all. It was a bedroom so warm one could walk around completely undressed, yet now, his exposed skin felt particularly chilly.

Was it because Gisel Siebendad, ever composed, was looking down at the unkempt back of a man with a cold gaze? He was inwardly tense, but the courage to turn around did not rise.

In the silence that likely continued while the Grand Duke gauged the lengths of the sash on both sides, Rensley nearly let out a voice in surprise but barely swallowed it down. It was because the sensation of another’s fingers suddenly gliding over his bare skin had registered too acutely. His body flinched and trembled briefly. As if having noticed it, Gisel’s voice came from behind his back.

“My apologies. It is difficult to tie without touching your body.”

“It is fine. Do not mind it.”

Though his face grew hot, Rensley answered as if nothing was the matter. No matter the difference in status, he was utterly ashamed of himself for being so startled, even trembling, just because another man’s hand had slightly grazed him.

He hoped he wouldn’t misunderstand. Rensley Malosen was not this timid a person. It was just that the environment and the situation and everything were still so unfamiliar that he kept walking on eggshells, but he was absolutely not originally of this disposition…

Rensley’s mind, which had been rambling self-justifications that wouldn’t even reach his ears, gradually grew quiet.

Once he became accustomed to the touch after a few times, the sensation of Grand Duke Siebendad’s hand brushing against his back was, far from unpleasant, so gentle that it made a person languid even while standing.

After the fingertips passed over his back, the leather cord would pull smoothly taut, and the soft fabric would slowly envelop his body. No words passed between the two, and Rensley stood still, like a dog being brushed.

At last, when the dress completely covered its owner’s back, a short phrase was uttered.

“It is done.”

Rensley, who had been standing in a half-daze, only then came to his senses and turned around. Even after personally performing a task meant for the maids, no emotion could be glimpsed on Gisel’s face. This sort of person really is the hardest to read. Rensley bowed deeply toward him in greeting.

“I sincerely thank you, Your Highness. I will later tell Madam Samrit to also prepare clothes that tie at the front from now on.”

“It is no great matter, so there is no need to trouble yourself.”

“Still… thank you.”

Rensley bowed once more and draped the veil over his head. Beneath the opaque but deeply colored fabric, the glint of blond hair and the violet of his eyes were concealed like a painting hidden under an overcoat.

Even without it, the bedroom was not as bright as the outside, and with the veil covering his eyes as well, it was difficult to see ahead. He unconsciously furrowed his brow and was surveying his field of vision when the man standing before him extended his hand.

“Take hold. It would be a serious matter if you were to trip.”

He wanted to say he was fine, but at this rate, going down the stairs, he really did feel like he might fall. Rensley took his hand without a word. At the warmth conveyed through the hand, the anxiety of leaving the room as the Grand Duchess for the first time in a long while subsided a little.

The two of them left the room side by side and walked down the corridor. A guard standing at a distance bowed his head lightly in greeting. Even though he was wearing a veil, he could feel their silent surprise.

The office was on the 1st floor, which saw the most traffic of people. The gazes of those coming and going through the castle for various reasons were openly fixed upon the Grand Duchess, who was making an appearance for the first time in nearly two weeks since the wedding ceremony.

Voices that could not hide their excitement even when lowered reached Rensley’s ears from time to time.

“Good heavens, how long has it been? The poor Grand Duchess. They say she lived in a warm country and couldn’t overcome the cold here, so her health has become extremely frail. She looked truly healthy on the day of the wedding, you know. So it’s all the more pitiful.”

“Yes, indeed. Seeing as she still wears the veil, the rumors must be true. They say she has grown so gaunt that she dislikes appearing before people.”

“The Grand Duchess is to be pitied, but honestly, I’m more worried about us. If her health is already failing like that, will she be able to safely produce an heir?”

Rensley rolled his eyes beneath the veil. The fact that he was carrying out a fraudulent scheme deceiving all the people of this country struck him anew with vivid reality. Whether or not he could hear what people were saying, Grand Duke Gisel wore an unperturbed expression.

The two walked to the office, holding hands until the very end. The Grand Duke gave strict orders that no one else was to enter, and commanded that the Knight Commander be summoned.

“Now you may remove the veil.”

Rensley nodded and took down the veil. Though it wasn’t hot, a slight sweat had formed on his forehead. Feeling as though the man beside him would plainly see it too, he forced a smile.

“It makes me nervous, pretending to be the Grand Duchess after so long.”

“Do not worry. No one will suspect.”

‘It isn’t the worry of being discovered that makes me nervous, you know.’

While he swallowed the words only inwardly without adding further explanation, there was a knock on the office door from outside.

“It is Anton.”

“Enter.”

Knight Commander Anton entered the office. Walking in with long strides, he discovered Rensley standing inside the office a beat later. His gaze darted back and forth between Rensley’s face and the dress Rensley was wearing. The Knight Commander, whose impression was one of inflexible integrity at a glance, hesitated as if confused and awkward, but soon offered a respectful greeting.

“It has been a while, Lord Malosen.”

“It has been a while for me as well, Commander.”

Rensley was equally awkward. After the brief greeting, Anton turned his head. Though it was a question he could just as well have posed to the person directly, he insisted on going through his liege.

“Has Lord Malosen also agreed to take the entrance examination?”

“He has. So explain the process to him.”

In the end, the two had no choice but to talk directly.

After emitting a low clearing of his throat, Anton approached Rensley, who was seated in the chair of honor. His expression was stern.

“The Royal Knight Order of Oldenland is an elite knight order that carries out the duty of protecting His Highness the Grand Duke at his side, in addition to the role of defending Oldenland from external invasion.”

Anton began his explanation. Even before the main topic began, Rensley was inwardly holding his breath. Judging by his attitude, it was certain that this was not a matter of simply giving him some mediocre soldier’s position.

“Therefore, the entrance examination, too, does not end all at once. First, you take a written examination. After that, only the candidates who pass the written exam undergo evaluation through sparring and mounted matches, and a final decision on acceptance is made by judging whether or not you can handle knightly duties.”

“…A written examination…?”

At the completely unexpected words, Rensley asked blankly.

Did being a knight not simply mean pledging loyalty to one’s liege and being good at fighting? Anton answered in a tone that suggested it was only proper.

“It is only natural. Moreover, as you, Lord Malosen, are someone who has come from another country, this process is all the more necessary. How could you hold affection for Oldenland without possessing knowledge of Oldenland, and how could you serve His Highness the Grand Duke with loyalty without holding affection for Oldenland?”

Every single word was correct. Rensley shut his mouth and simply swallowed dryly.

Anton did not wait for Rensley to master his fluster and continued with the exam instructions.

“The history and culture of Oldenland are the basics. You must also know the geography, the characteristics of each region, and external relations. You will likely need to memorize simple information on influential families besides His Highness’s bloodline. And after passing, to serve as a guard, you will need to become familiar with His Highness the Grand Duke’s personal matters to some extent as well.”

“Ah… haha. That’s right. All of that is correct.”