"What are you doing? Put your sword down, Kael!" I hissed at him, my voice trembling with suppressed panic.
He didn't move. He didn't even blink. His glare was still locked onto Elena, sharp enough to cut skin. He looked ready to trade his life for a strike.
Elena lowered her sword first, though her knuckles were white on the hilt. She glared at me like she was barely holding back a legion of demons.
Only after she disengaged did Kaelen finally lower his blade from her neck, stepping back to my side, though his hand never left the hilt.
Phew... I let out a shaky breath. This man really is dangerous. He almost committed high treason without blinking.
Before I could apologize or run away, the blue System screen flickered to life right in front of my face again.
[ Don't you question my tip. I never said it was to survive the Morning Assembly. ]
Yeah, never mind that! I screamed internally. But what should I say to her now?! I walked over here with absolutely zero plan!
The System text rippled, offering a "helpful" suggestion.
[ Just say: "Nice weather it is." ]
Yeah. Very funny. I stared at the screen in disbelief. We just had a sword at each other's throats, and you want me to talk about the sun?
The air in the arena was still thick with tension. The knights had technically gone back to training, but I could feel their eyes darting toward us. They were hesitant, keeping a wide berth—whether out of respect for the blue gem glowing at my throat or fear of the lunatic knight standing beside me, I wasn't sure.
I decided to ignore the System's terrible weather advice and go with the truth.
"Uh... you look pretty well-built," I blurted out.
I looked at her fitted armor. It wasn't just decorative. I could clearly see the definition of strong forearms, and the effortless way she held that heavy sword in the air proved she wasn't just playing dress-up.
Elena didn't lower her guard. She eyed me with suspicion, her chin raised.
"I train myself every day," she said, her voice steady and defensive.
"Yeah, I can see that," I said, trying to sound genuine. "You look pretty strong. And honestly? You look gorgeous in that armor."
Elena blinked. The suspicion in her eyes wavered for a split second.
"Right?"
Her face lit up. The cold, "I will kill you" glare vanished instantly, replaced by the sparkling excitement of a teenage girl showing off a new outfit.
"Isn't this armor majestic?!" she gushed, twisting her torso to show off the plating. "It's made of Red Dragon scales! It's lightweight but impenetrable!"
...Talk about a mood swing.
"That was a quick personality change," I remarked, unable to hide a smile.
Elena froze, realizing her slip. She quickly cleared her throat, coughing into her fist as a faint blush dusted her cheeks.
"Ahem. Forgive my rudeness... Your Highness."
"Oh, don't worry about that," I said, waving my hand. "You really don't have to be so formal with me."
Her eyes widened, sparkling with sudden interest. "Really? How should I address you then? Big Sister?"
In her excitement, she swung the sword through the air with a loud whoosh.
Yikes.
Kaelen didn't say a word. With a smooth, practiced motion, he grabbed my upper arms and physically pulled me three steps back, dragging me out of the accidental decapitation zone.
"Haha..." I laughed nervously, eyeing the sharp blade that had just sliced the air inches from my nose. "Call me whatever suits you. I don't really mind. Uh..."
"Then call me Elena, Big Sister!" she chirped, completely oblivious to Kaelen's death glare.
"Okay then," I agreed, relaxing slightly now that I was out of range. "Elena. You can call me Big Sister if you want."
"Yay! I always wanted a Big Sister!" she squealed.
Before I could react, she launched herself at me, wrapping her armored arms around my waist in a crushing hug.
I froze. Mostly because the sword she was still holding was now dangling menacingly right behind my back.
One wrong move and I lose a kidney.
I could feel the intense, lethal aura radiating from Kaelen. He looked ready to snap her neck to save me. I quickly shot him a sharp, warning glare.
Step back. She's just a girl. Do not murder the Princess.
He hesitated, his jaw tight, but he obeyed, forcibly relaxing his stance.
I glanced around the arena. The other knights looked like they were about to have a collective stroke. Hugging the Imperial Consort—especially while wearing plate armor and holding a weapon—was definitely not in the royal rulebook.
"Your Highness," Kaelen warned, his voice low but firm.
Elena flinched, realizing the scene she was causing. She quickly let go of me, stepping back and straightening her breastplate.
"Ahem. My apologies," she muttered, her face turning red again. "I lost my composure."
She sheathed her sword with a sharp click and beamed at me, grabbing my hand.
"Let's talk in my room instead, Big Sister!"
After she removed her heavy armor and rested her massive sword on the rack, we walked through another gate leading back into the palace hallways.
Kael followed silently a few steps behind us, his hand still resting near his sword, ever the paranoid shadow.
I glanced at Elena, who was now bouncing slightly as she walked, looking like a completely different person from the warrior in the arena.
Everyone around me is really weird... but kind of cute.
"By the way," I started, deciding to just ask. "I didn't get why you raised your sword at me and gave me the cold shoulder earlier. You seemed... pretty ready to kill me."
She looked at me, her expression completely unbothered.
"Oh, that?" she said nonchalantly, picking at a loose thread on her sleeve. "I was told to."
Huh? She was told to?
I stopped walking, my brain short-circuiting.
"By whom?" I asked, my voice coming out a little more hesitant than I intended.
Elena didn't even break stride. She answered as if we were discussing the weather.
"Oh, by Mother," she said lightly. "Her Imperial Majesty."
I froze in the middle of the hallway.
"Huh?" I stared at her back. "By... Her Majesty?"
The Empress?
The same woman who just gave me the legendary Azure Concord? The same woman who forced the entire court to kneel to me not twenty minutes ago?