Chapter 45

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 45

Chapter Title: Sir Beltein's Oath

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Arpad nodded with an expression of chilling innocence.

"Of course, right? I'm the only husband who performed the marriage rites with you."

No, it wasn't wrong...

It was the truth, after all.

But why did he have to say it in such a weird way?

'It's like a wife insisting in front of her philandering husband that she's still the legal wife...'

I shook my head to dispel the ridiculous, creepy imagining.

'Shoo! Get lost, you absurd thought!'

In the meantime, Sir Beltein had hobbled over on his crutches.

Arpad still refused to let go of me.

I locked eyes with him in a battle of wills.

'Let go!'

'No.'

'Why is this guy like this for real!'

While this silent exchange played out, Sir Beltein did what he wanted.

Shring—

He drew his sword and planted it before me. Then he knelt.

"Sir Beltein?!"

I was so shocked that even Arpad released me.

And no wonder—this was a "knight's oath."

It meant a knight offering his sword to another, no matter the circumstances.

It might not be accepted as absolute like in the old days, but its weight was far from light.

For a noble lady to receive a knight's oath was an honor in itself.

'In fact, during the three regression loops, countless knights had sworn oaths to Evangeline.'

And this was the first time in this life that I'd received one from Sir Beltein.

Right after my regression, he had sworn a brief, informal oath.

But a formal one like this, in front of so many witnesses? This was a first.

For some reason, it felt utterly strange.

Sir Beltein had never betrayed me once, and he'd died helping me.

But receiving such a public oath from him was new.

Sir Beltein spoke the oath with the utmost solemnity.

"The sword and life of Knight Renus Beltein shall be devoted solely to the young lady for life."

He continued in a somber voice.

"This is the only thing I, who failed to protect you, can offer."

Then Sir Beltein stared straight at Arpad standing beside me.

Without a hint of wavering.

Arpad furrowed his brow and said,

"Your form of address is wrong. Not 'young lady,' but Crown Princess."

Arpad glared down at Sir Beltein with an overbearing gaze, as if crushing him.

And surprisingly, Sir Beltein stared right back without yielding an inch.

Crackle!

The two men's gazes clashed in midair, sparks flying as if from friction.

Arpad sneered with a smiling face.

"In a noble and momentous occasion like a knight's oath, using the wrong title could be an insult to my wife."

"......"

Sir Beltein's usually unchanging brow twitched.

He looked not at Arpad, but at me, and asked,

"This humble sword will of course obey whatever my lady commands."

Ugh. What an incredibly burdensome statement.

Given his strict and rigid personality, he'd follow through on his word.

Just like in his past life.

"I will protect the young lady. To the very end."

A hot surge welled up in my chest. I couldn't help but be moved.

Back then, he'd given his life and all for me.

Even without a knight's oath.

'So now that he's sworn it, what will he do?'

Something even greater. Anything and everything.

Heck, even if I claimed this was an unwanted abduction marriage and ordered him to kill Arpad, he'd do it.

...Wait?

'...Come to think of it, doesn't Sir Beltein believe I was truly abducted?'

Annie had been by my side these past few days, gauging the situation and atmosphere.

She'd even sighed in relief and told me,

"We were so worried and cried when we heard you'd been kidnapped, miss. But His Highness the Crown Prince seems genuine and caring, so that's a relief."

"And truthfully... he's better than Grand Duke Ludwig. At least there are no other women..."

Unlike Annie, Sir Beltein was unaware of the Crown Prince's palace situation.

Moreover, he'd witnessed the abduction firsthand and even fought Arpad to stop it.

'Which made the abduction seem all the more real.'

But now, the backlash from what I'd done back then was staring me in the face.

Sir Beltein was blaming himself for failing to protect me.

On top of that, I'd rescued him from imprisonment and hardship at Delphin Castle.

In his eyes, I must have looked every bit the pitiful, virtuous young lady captured by a thug.

'Wait, no way... He's not planning to somehow whisk me away from Arpad this time, is he?'

If that happened, not just Sir Beltein, but I'd be ruined too!

And Hilia's uneasy prediction proved somewhat accurate.

In truth, Knight Renus Beltein harbored similar thoughts and resolve.

He still remembered "that moment" like a nightmare.

The moment he failed to protect Hilia from Arpad's grasp.

"Please let me go, Your Highness! Aaaah!"

Hilia's heartrending scream that tore at his chest.

And the white horse vanishing into the distance, Arpad's white cloak fluttering indifferently behind.

The snide remarks from those around him right after the abduction.

"It's already too late, isn't it? How much time has passed."

"A few rounds must've happened by now, even if trouble broke out."

"Even if she returns now, the bride's honor..."

Horribly insulting words.

Even more vile that they came from Delphin Castle's servants and knights.

Despite his injuries, Beltein hadn't let those who dared utter such insults to a noble lady off the hook.

"How dare you speak such filth. Draw your sword!"

And the other knights, lacking confidence to beat Beltein even with his wounds, had ganged up and assaulted him.

An act that discarded any knightly honor.

They dragged Beltein before Ludwig, calling him the culprit who failed to protect Hilia.

"Is it true that things turned out this way because you couldn't protect Hilia?"

"A knight who fails to protect his lord has no excuses."

And it was the truth.

After that, Beltein became Ludwig's punching bag and was thrown in prison.

Even rescuing such a man had been Hilia's doing.

How could he not revere her?

He was prepared to offer not just a knight's oath, but even more.

If only his lacking skill and still-unrecovered, inconvenient body weren't holding him back.

He gazed up at Hilia silently, steeling his passion and resolve.

And with his eyes and will, he poured all his strength into imploring her.

'I'm ready! Please, just say the word! That you want to be saved!'

Cold sweat trickled down my spine.

Facing Sir Beltein's unyieldingly steadfast gaze, I realized.

'Ah, I'm screwed.'

That face brimming with righteous fury.

And those lips firm with resolve and determination.

Having known Sir Beltein for so long and endured all sorts of hardships together, I could tell.

'He truly believes I was abducted and needs saving right now!'

This "knight's oath" was his way of expressing his intent to rescue me somehow.

A saying from my past life came to mind.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

My one and only knight's sincere trust and loyalty were now threatening me.

'No!'

And to top it off...

I heard Arpad muttering softly beside me.

"He looks just like a knight vowing to save a princess captured by a dragon."

Arpad's elegant eyes curved like a crescent moon.

The red hue of his irises deepened, his vertical pupils narrowing further.

On the surface, it was a luxuriously beautiful smile.

But having come to know Arpad fairly well by now, I could see.

'This guy's really pissed!'

The air grew taut with tension, as if it might tear apart.

Finally, I parted my parched lips.