“HELLO, Lady Saint.”
When Fiona entered the palace, Management walked briskly over to her with a smile as she carried several books. Originally, the relationship between herself and the government officials had been strictly professional. But the more time she, Budget, and Management had spent together going over the country’s finances, the friendlier they had become. Now, she was at ease with them.
“We don’t have any meetings scheduled today, so can I assume you’re here to do research?”
“Yes. Since we received authority over other budgets, we can address the issues at the orphanages. However, I’m unfamiliar with the situation, so I thought I should start by researching their circumstances.”
Though they had multiple requests related to the orphanages, including repairing the buildings, she couldn’t approve them without question. She needed to look at the numbers and scale of the requests and then determine what was actually necessary. Fiona didn’t agree with the loudest voices winning while those who couldn’t speak up were left to their own devices.
As she walked through the palace with Management, she heard lively voices. When she turned her head toward the source, a throng of people was a short distance away. Their vividly colored dresses told her they were noblewomen, but what exactly were they doing?
“Miss Management, what’s happening over there?”
Fiona asked her on account of Management’s long employment in the palace. The other woman glanced at the gaggle of women and nodded.
“Oh, that. His Highness is likely training the knights.”
Though her answer was dismissive, Fiona felt like she’d heard something bizarre.
“His Highness is training the knights… Does that mean he can use a sword?”
Even if he could, the knights were the ones who should be protecting Linus since he was the crown prince. So it made no sense that he was training them.
“You didn’t know, Lady Saint? Then, would you like to take a look?”
No meetings today meant Fiona wasn’t pressed for time. Above all else, she simply couldn’t reconcile the idea of the kind Linus she knew wielding a blade. So she and Management headed to observe the training.
Many knights were clashing swords with each other in a large, fenced-in area. The aristocratic women in their flamboyant dresses gathered in one corner outside of it. When Fiona looked in the direction they stared, she found their attention focused on one person. Likely Linus. But everyone on the training ground wore the same helmet and breastplate, so she couldn’t tell if it was actually him.
“It’s not possible to differentiate between them like this.”
One of the young ladies who heard her strode imperiously toward Fiona. Flaxen-haired and wearing a deep crimson dress, she glared at Fiona and sighed dramatically.
“Please tell me you’re joking when you say such words?”
“Huh? I am not, in fact. They’re all wearing the same armor.”
When she answered honestly, she received a deep exhale in response.
“Those sublime movements, the aura of nobility emanating from him, the glimpses of lustrous silver hair through his helmet. A glance is enough to tell anyone that is His Highness, yes?”
In the face of such an exasperated remark, Fiona turned and looked again. Sure enough, she caught a flash of silver hair through one of the individuals’ helmets.
“I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you before. Based on your attire, I’m guessing you’re a priestess? Let me tell you there is no greater happiness than watching His Highness wield his sword.”
The young lady informed her proudly. Though her self-satisfied attitude perplexed her, Fiona wondered if all of the noblewomen had come here for the express purpose of watching Linus. Shrieks of excitement echoed around her. The battle they had focused on ended, and the person, probably Linus, sheathed his sword.
“His Highness never ceases to amaze. Another string of sweeping victories today.”
In contrast to the spellbound young lady in front of her, all the other aristocratic women clustered around Linus. Fiona made a surprised sound seeing roughly twenty women line up eagerly to hand him towels, drinks, and all manner of things.
“Goodness, he’s very popular, isn’t he?”
To have so many noblewomen dress up in their finery this early in the morning to observe him, squealing merrily the whole time. The beautiful crown prince was more popular than Fiona had imagined, and she couldn’t help but be impressed.
“Of course he is. His Highness cuts a dashing figure, his background is flawless, he’s kind and gentlemanly, and he excels with the sword. Not only is he beyond reproach, he is also unattached and without a fiancée to boot, which literally makes him the perfect man.”
“I-I see?”
Although Fiona found the girl’s impassioned speech a bit off-putting, she more or less understood what she meant.
“You’re not going to join them?”
The young lady smiled smugly in answer.
“Of course I am. However, it is beneath me to behave so uncouthly like them. Once they calm down, I’ll make my move, which should give me a chance to speak to His Highness as well.”
Fascinating. It seemed a variety of tactics existed. Impressed again, Fiona looked in Linus’ direction.
Black hair was unusual in this country for good reason, that being the fact that a majority of the people here had hair in light shades. Yet Linus’ silver hair stood out even amongst such hues. The way the sun reflected brilliantly off it, combined with his natural beauty, created a truly lovely sight.
No wonder the daughters of nobility lost their heads over him. Fiona nodded in understanding.
“Um, right then. Shall we go?”
She addressed Management after bowing politely to the young lady, whose eyes bounced back and forth between her and Linus in surprise.
“What? You’re not going to speak to him?”
“There’s quite a long line of ladies waiting to speak to him, not to mention I don’t have any documents for him that require his immediate attention.”
“I didn’t mean work…”
“Fiona!”
Before she even had a chance to register the dulcet voice projecting smoothly from a distance, Linus jogged over to her. Though he had taken his helmet off, he still seemed like a stranger to her in his unfamiliar knight’s armor.
“What are you doing here? I thought we didn’t have any meetings today?”
“We don’t. I just wanted to look through some reference materials.”
“Is that right? Then let’s go together.”
The smile Linus gave her was overpowered by the noblewomen behind him staring daggers at her.
“Your Highness, perhaps an introduction is in order…?”
He finally noticed the young lady, her expression stiff. Linus, being Linus, was also unfazed.
“Oh, right, none of you know each other. This is the saint, Fiona Everett. Fiona, meet the various daughters of the aristocracy, including Prime Minister Mulligan’s.”
At the word “saint,” the noblewomen’s gazes transformed from hostile to baffled.
“Did he just say ‘saint’…?”
“Impossible. The real thing?”
“And there you have it, ladies. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to show the saint around.”
That last part rekindled the enmity sharply in their eyes. It brought to mind the phrase “a bed of nails,” except all Fiona could think was that a band of said beds was about to attack her.
“I’m fine, thank you. Please tend to your guests, who have been waiting so long.”
Panicked, Fiona pleaded with him, which only made him smile forlornly.
“Ahhh…how cold the saint is to me.”
He wound his fingers around a lock of her hair and brought it to his lips. As soon as he did, shrill screams erupted all around them. A few dropped the things they held while others covered their mouths in shock. Even the young lady who’d spoken to her stared in dumbfounded amazement.
He had only kissed her hair like usual, so why was everyone reacting so strongly? Fiona didn’t know what to do. As she grappled with the conundrum, Linus, the source of the chaos, gently tugged her hand and held it in his.
“Off we go then.”
All smiles, and the only one smiling, he led her away. She couldn’t resist him when he was like this. So Fiona left with him.