With a burst of energy, a metallic sound reverberated as if shattering. The longsword slipped from Gezell’s large hand, spinning a few times in the air before landing on the ground. Gezell, however, displayed no noticeable change in expression as he gazed down at his sparring partner, who stood innocently. Rensley, positioned in front of him, declared with confidence, “I have won.”
The illusionary magic had been dispelled after the third round, revealing the figure that unmistakably belonged to Gezell Jivendad. Several rounds had already transpired, and the sparring, agreed upon as the final match, concluded with Rensley’s victory. While the wins hadn’t been consecutive, considering the overall count, Rensley held a slight lead.
Leaning on the hilt, Rensley directed his gaze toward the ceiling. As he let out a yawn, releasing the tension from his body, a voice unexpectedly approached.
“It’s not over yet.”
“Huh!”
Almost instantly, someone lightly kicked behind his ankle, causing Rensley to feel his body floating in mid-air. Simultaneously, he heard Gezell’s words.
“It doesn’t necessarily mean defeat just because I missed my weapon.”
“This is cheating…!”
A sudden throwing attack ensued. Rensley, rotating in the air over a broad back that could easily serve as a card game table, ceased talking. The Duke’s face was unexpectedly close.
“Falling like this to the hard ground would cause injuries,” Gezell remarked with a light chuckle. Rensley’s ear tips turned red from the unfamiliar sense of humiliation. It felt like a joke, akin to when an adult teaches martial arts to a child. Treating him like a child just because there was a slight difference in physique… But in Cornia, Rensley Maelrosen was a man who stood out in the crowd.
“Even if you throw me, I would land safely on the ground. Please put me down.”
“Should you engage in such risky behavior right before the physical test?”
“It seems like you can’t accept defeat, Your Grace.”
Rensley hung his right arm around Gezell’s neck. This time, Gezell’s eyes widened slightly. In the next moment, Rensley’s leg agilely mounted Gezell’s shoulder, and in the blink of an eye, Rensley found himself hanging behind Gezell, assuming the position just before choking him. Rensley’s chest and the broad back in contact with him both felt a rising heat.
If they were in a similar weight class, it might have been a reversal technique rather than hanging, but while Rensley leaped over Gezell’s shoulder, Gezell only shook momentarily and then regained his balance and still stood firm. Despite being inwardly surprised by his strength, Rensley repeated his declaration.
“I have won.”
Gezell nodded, raising both hands, a hint of laughter in his voice.
“Alright, I surrender,” Gezell, also panting, finally put Rensley down. Rensley stood and took a few deep breaths to calm himself before returning the used weapons to their places. Once the cleanup was done, Rensley headed towards the exit.
However, before he could open the door, a stern voice stopped him.
“Wait. If you go out now, you’ll catch a cold.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“But it’s hot now. Isn’t it okay?”
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Without a word, he followed the Duke’s instructions. Standing by the roaring fireplace, he took off his shirt and pants, wiped his body roughly with a dry cloth, and then put on the dress.
Come to think of it, the Duke didn’t sweat much. Although his body felt warmer than usual, there was hardly any sense of disarray, unlike Rensley.
‘Could it be that he only watched the sparring session?’
With vague suspicion, Rensley fastened his belt.
“Your Grace, your swordsmanship skills are exceptional. I’m uncertain if a full knight escort is necessary. There likely aren’t many knights who can match your prowess.”
“If it were one-on-one sparring or a duel, that might be the case. But most fights are not duels.”
He swiftly donned the clothes and cloak he had previously taken off, adjusting his appearance.
“In my case, if the first defense of the barrier fails and monsters invade up to Roudken, there are times when I need to summon the familiar I mentioned last time. Since this summoning magic must be used only in a designated location, I’ll be tied down to that place. So, in that situation, others outside would have to fight.”
“That makes sense… Actually, I still can’t quite grasp the reality of monsters.”
“These days, the failures of the first defense have decreased significantly, but it still happens occasionally. Just a few days before Sir Maelrosen arrived here, there was a major battle.”
It felt like listening to an old story about an unknown world. Rensley absentmindedly nodded, recalling something he had momentarily forgotten. The Duke’s peculiar golden eyes from the day they first met—could it be related to the recent battle a few days ago? While Rensley pondered this question alone, the Duke continued speaking.
“I wasn’t fully prepared today, but starting tomorrow, I’ll make arrangements so that you can ride a horse. There’s an open area that I can block people’s entry to, so you can practice there.”
“Understood. Thank you once again.”
“Shall we go?”
“Yes.”
Exiting the tower alongside Gezell, Rensley swallowed his surprised breath. As the night darkened, the wind had gotten so strong that it felt like he might suffocate. Even though he had veiled himself, the wind was so biting that he got goosebumps all over his body.
Gezell’s words were correct. If he had exposed himself to this wind with a body covered in sweat, he would have frozen on the spot. The courtyard between the towers, like a spring, seemed to trap the wind, making the air exceptionally cold.
“Aldrant is generally cold, and the temperature fluctuates a lot.”
“I’ve been staying in the castle recently so I’ve become complacent… I’ll be careful.”
Due to an oversight, he hadn’t worn a winter coat over his dress for a rather trivial reason. In the castle during midday, regular clothes provided sufficient warmth, and as a result, there were no issues.
Rensley lowered his head and clasped his hands, attempting to shield himself from the cold. He occasionally walked hunched over, and suddenly, warmth enveloped his shoulders and back.
“Could it be magic?”
To confirm, he raised his face, but it wasn’t magic. Rensley realized that the Duke had opened his wide cloak, covering Rensley’s back.
“Your Grace, I’m fine. People would laugh if they saw.”
“How about now? No one’s here.”
‘Ugh, this feels weird…’
Rensley intertwined his fingers and pinched his fingertips. His cheeks felt hot in the atmosphere, as if he were being treated like a princess or a duchess. Fortunately, his distorted expression probably wouldn’t be visible to the Duke in the dimming light.
When he reflected on it, back when they drank together, there were many instances when someone complained about the cold wind, and they would either lend each other their outerwear or wear them together. Even now, it didn’t seem much different from back then. Perhaps he was the one feeling awkward due to that person being Gezell Jivendad.
Trying to lighten the awkward situation, Rensley brought up a different topic.
“Is there a magic that can make you not feel the cold?”
“It’s possible, but magic that deceives the senses is ultimately an illusion. If it persists, you might catch a cold or freeze to death in the illusion of warmth.”
“Yes, I see. That would be a problem.”
Rensley walked quickly, making meaningless remarks. After passing through the courtyard and entering through the back gate of the main castle, he swiftly removed the cloak from inside his dress, tidying it up as Gezell greeted him.
“Rest well. Since the exam is approaching, take good care of your health.”
“Are you going to the laboratory?”
Gezell nodded briefly. Rensley hesitated for a moment and then expressed his gratitude.
“Your Grace, thank you very much for today. Not just because of the sparring… I was glad to see Ivet after a long time. Even if it’s an illusion, I still got to meet her in some way. Magic is truly fascinating.”
“If you want to know how she’s doing, shall I inquire?”
It was a proposal that seemed to skip several steps. Rensley was surprised, raising his head.
“I wasn’t requesting for another search. I just wanted to express my gratitude.”
“It was just a simple illusion, so there’s no need to feel burdened.”
“No, it’s not about feeling burdened…”
Rensley’s words trailed off. Abandoning the incomplete greeting that had deviated from his intention, Rensley walked alone back to his bedroom after parting ways. As soon as he returned, he removed his dress and veil, wrapped himself in the fur blanket, and lounged in front of the fireplace until his body melted into relaxation. He then walked to the window, opened the inner door, and looked outside.
Though it was dark, it was still a busy time with many people coming and going. Lanterns and torches illuminated the courtyard and the streets, while carriages, carts, and people carrying loads hurriedly moved about, preparing for the evening.
The morning after arriving at Aldrant, he had also admired the view of the castle from the window. At that time, he had gazed at the peaceful scenery while feeling uncertain about the future. Now, he just wanted to blend into that scene and live there.
‘Eventually, the real Duchess will arrive at Aldrant to celebrate a new wedding, and when that day comes, I can live as Rensley Maelrosen without the need for lies.’
If luck was on his side, he might find a wonderful partner in Aldrant. The salary of the knights guarding the Duke would not be meager, and considering the few gold pieces he had swiped from the gifts brought from Cornia, he might even be able to secure a decent house within the walls of Roudken Castle.
‘Who knows if I’ll establish a career within the knights? When I was a scribe, I couldn’t even dream of such a bright and happy life.’
The longer Rensley indulged in his delightful imagination, the more his mood seemed to plummet. After absentmindedly brushing his now chilled shoulders several times, he lost interest in gazing out the window and decided to close the door. It was undeniable that the impending second exam was heightening his anxiety.
Taking a few deep breaths in his spot, Rensley contemplated asking Lady Samlet for a bath.
The thought of soaking in hot water was enticing, promising the dissolution of unnecessary tension as he slept and woke up.
Ahh~~~~ These sweet subtle moments 😌
Don’t worry Rensley , you’ll be here for a long time !
There’s no need to worry about room and board , someone will take care of that free of cost 🤩. How can they see you suffer hmm ?
You’ll definitely find your Lover in this Winter Field.
You lucky thing (ﾉ≧∇≦)ﾉ ﾐ ┻━┻
Thank you so very muchy for uploading this chapter . Feel like future chapters gonna be filled with more teasing from Rensley’ side . His personality is very proactive (っ˘з(˘⌣˘ )
thank you for your support (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧and believe me, Rensley is… indeed proactive… ヾ(≧ ▽ ≦)ゝ
Aahhhh ~~~ wanna taste that spiciness 🙈💦
Thank you so much for the new upload ! The slow burn romance between them is so sweet , it’s making me blush.
Hehe~ thank you for your support（づ￣3￣）づ╭❤️～