After that light walk, I returned to where Serira was. I then saw that Caitel was waiting for me. It seemed like he finished his work early today.

  “Did you have a good time?”


  “Papa!”


  I was so happy to see him, so I ran to his arms, and Caitel held me in his arms. Serira took the leash on my hands, but both of our eyes were on Pibbit.

  “So when do you plan to cook that thing?”


  “I’m not going to eat him!”


  He’s the one who said that it’s not for cooking!

  Caitel laughed when I get mad. I was disgusted with the way he looked, but as usual, I just flung it over. After he finished laughing, Caitel patted my head.

  “I have business with you today.”


  “Hmm? What is it?”


  What’s the matter with him? Caitel headed to Solay with me in his arms. I kept tilting my head with a puzzled look on my face. However, as if he didn’t want to tell me, he was only patting my head without giving me a reply. What was it?

  We headed to the Solay Palace, not a restaurant, not an audience room, but a reception room. I was wondering why I was going to that place, but those familiar faces made me curious. Why was Ferdel here? Assisi, who ran away from me earlier, was there too.

  What’s this about?

  As I looked around the room, not knowing what was going on, suddenly, Ferrell smiled and came up to me.

  “He will be your knight and will escort you from now on.”


  “What escort?”


  Ciatel placed me down onto the ground. Standing on my own, I frowned.

  “Are you telling me that would be with me all the time?”


  “Yes.”


  What? What’s happening?

  I looked around Caitel, but Caitel hadn’t said much. Ferdel did the same. He laughed but said nothing. Eventually, I turned to Assisi. Hr stood, somehow tense.

  “From now on, Assisi will be your personal knight.”


  What? Did I just hear that correctly?

  “But… Assisi is dad’s knight.”


  “It’s all right. His Majesty already agreed to it.”


  Caitel, what did you do?

  Looking back, Caitel just shrugged silently. Really? Was that true? I asked my questions with a glance, but they just beckoned me to look forward. Nevertheless, they gave no answer. Thus, I looked forward. Assisi was before me. I was always the one who approached him first. However, now that I saw him coming towards me like this… Ironically, I felt like running away. I gulped.

  Assisi knelt before me.

  “Please allow me to reintroduce myself.”


  I held my breath upon hearing his low but stern voice.

  “I am Assisi Zavaikal, the first sword of the Winter Moon Knights.”


  Our eyes meet. It’s strange to see him looking into my face this way. Mainly since he used to avoid me so much. However, it’s not like I hated it. I was just a bit surprised. I nodded my head with a smile.

  “I’m Ariadna, please take good care of me!”


  I reached for a handshake, but Assisi took my hand and kissed the back of my hand. I wasn’t asking for this, but at the next moment, I lost the words I wanted to say upon seeing Assisi’s face with a slight smile.

  “You can rest assured from now on, My Lady.”