Return of the Female Knight Chapter 62

RotFK Ch . 62 This Is Who I Am (2)

Elena could not understand why he was upset . Carlisle's voice rose as he spoke .

“Didn't you promise you would stay by my side as much as possible?”

“Yes . With the condition 'if possible . '”

“If you wanted to keep your promise, you should have come to me the moment you sensed danger . ”

“I couldn't do that . The bridge was going to collapse when all the explosives were fitted . Then the people on the bridge and Your Highness would've–!”

Carlisle cut her off .

“What if you got hurt?”

Elena stiffened . He was right that the situation was dangerous . But Elena was confident she could stop them . She had frequently risked her life in the past, and this life would be no different, from the moment she promised to protect him . But all Carlisle pointed out were the dangers .

“You're smart enough to threaten me by asking me to give up on my contract marriage . ”

“If you got hurt, you don't understand how angry I would be . ”

Elena paused . She hadn't thought that far, but to be fair, she hadn't much time to think about it when she was busy saving Carlisle .

“…I understand what you're saying . But if I didn't stop them, your life might have been in danger . Shouldn't gratitude come first in a situation like this?”

“There's a chance I may die, but just because a bridge collapses it doesn't mean it's a guarantee . ”

Something bitter surged in her chest . She never imagined he would be so upset that he wouldn't even offer a simple word of gratitude . She would never make such a remark against someone who saved her life, no matter how worried she was .

“Yes, even if you survived, the countless people on the bridge–”

“You should think of me before you care about the countless people on the bridge . ”

“I told you, if you get hurt, I could lose my mind…”

His gaze turned heavy and burned bright as daylight in the darkness . His intense stare was fixed exactly on Elena .

“Have you thought about what I would do with them if you were injured? I could rip off their limbs so they looked dead, but were still alive . ”

Elena was momentarily speechless .

He was serious . His calm voice uttered cruel words without hesitation .

“Then if you die…what do you think I'll do then?”

If injury alone could drive him to this terrible state, and she couldn't imagine what he would do beyond that . Carlisle continued in a lower voice .

“…The Ruford Empire may have to prevent me from becoming emperor . ”

Why? What on earth was he going to do?

Elena could not keep up with how Carlisle so easily brought up these gruesome stories . She knew he worried about her, but this was beyond rational . It may have been Elena's fault that she went away from his side without a proper explanation, but the contract had already allowed her to act as knight . Now Elena's mission was to change her terrible future . The life of the family was on her shoulders . No matter how much Carlisle hated it, she would defend him and make him emperor .

Elena replied in a calm voice .

“Caril…I want to be empress, and that is why I entered a contract marriage with you . But that doesn't mean I'm a doll waiting for you inside a glittering palace . ”

She called his by his pet name to soothe the atmosphere and convince him to allow her to keep her contract term as much as possible . Whether her heart was conveyed or not, Carlisle's fiery eyes seemed to softened a little .

“There are some things I understand about Caril, and some things I don't . ”

But the point was…

“…This is who I am . ”

Elena was not just a pretty noblewoman in a beautiful dress . She was also a knight clad in armor who wielded a sword .

“I will wear this armor, whether you want me to or not . ”

Suddenly, there was a loud popping sound coming from the direction of the festival . Perhaps the end of the festival was approaching .

A breeze stirred and scattered red petals in the air, which began to dance like snowflakes around Elena as she stood in her black armor . The petals were the same color as her vivid crimson eyes shining from beneath her helmet . The hard armor and red petals were a contradiction yet harmonious at the same time .

A beautiful lady by day, and a cold swordswoman by night .

“…Don't try to change me . ”

Carlisle did not respond . He only gave her a complicated stare, but there was no longer any anger in his eyes .

The two simply gazed at each other in silence . The murmur of the river flowing in the distance was strangely not uncomfortable . If the two people had kept parts of themselves hidden from each other thus far, it was at this moment their layers had exposed themselves a little .

Carlisle's hand was still holding Elena's arm, and he suddenly pulled her body to himself . She momentarily lost her balance from the force of it . Carlisle embraced Elena's head with his other hand . Her eyes opened wide underneath the helmet while he whispered thickly in her ears .

“Don't get hurt . ”

“…I'm not hurt . “

Carlisle seemed to have forgotten that Elena was never injured in the battle . Instead of a proper embrace, he cradled her head against his chest . She couldn't feel his touch because of her armor, but she wanted to pull out of this awkward and uncomfortable situation . When Elena tried to return to her original position, Carlisle tightened his grip .

“Caril…”

“You are a very dangerous woman . You make me selfish . ”

She wanted to ask what he meant . Carlisle's voice returned with more resolution .

“…You won't have to change, so please stay like this for a little longer . ”

“Eugh–why is the weather like this?”

Helen disembarked from her luxurious carriage and gathered her shawl about her shoulders . The coachman stepped from his seat and gave a steep bow that was enough to break one's back .

“My Lady, this is the weather of the capital . ”

“I'll get a cold before I attend the royal ball . ”

Sophie tailed behind the grumbling Helen . Sophie had been re-employed by the Selby family and was compensated generously . She was quick to try to impress Helen more than anyone else .

“Lady Helen, please go inside . It will be terrible if you were to catch a cold!”

“Yes . All of you, take my luggage . By God, I hope the cold won't spoil my beautiful dresses . ”

Another maid appeared at Helen's instructions . She was Tilda, the one who had destroyed Elena's dress and fled .

“Y-yes! Yes, My Lady . ”

Tilda hastened to moved the luggage with a panicked expression on her face . Helen headed for the mansion at a leisurely pace as the servants were in a commotion about her . She walked across the garden from where the carriage stood, glancing around and muttering uncomfortably .

“That old man…get me a nice mansion . ”

It was an imposing mansion with a large garden, unlike the simple Blaise residence . But even that could not compare to Helen's castle .

Helen saw the butler run towards her, having belatedly received the news that she arrived at the mansion . They had fallen far behind schedule because of the long journey, and the butler hadn't been given proper notice .

“Oh dear, My Lady, you have arrived?”

“Yes . Your reception is rushed . ”

“M-my apologies . ”

The butler dropped his head and Helen sneered at him .

“I've dispatched a man, but I haven't heard from him . Find out what's wrong . ”

“Yes, My Lady!”

“And send someone to see if the Empress can receive an audience . ”

“Yes, right away . ”

Helen glided past the butler .

“Don't just talk about it . Hurry up . ”

“Y-yes!”

The butler hurried away to carry out the tasks she ordered . Soon the urgent sound of footsteps faded away, and Helen serenely entered the mansion . Now that the ball was close, there was a lot of work to be done . Fortunately, Tilda tore Elena's ball gown, leaving Elena unlikely to attend . However, this alone did not quell her anger .

'Lady Blaise, some fun things are about to happen . '

Helen's smile glittered as she remembered Elena at the tea party .

Chapter end