Shadowless Night

Ricardis had a somewhat dumbfounded expression. It was an unexpected wish. He absentmindedly let her name slip.

“Rosaline.”

“Yes.” Rosaline smiled brightly.

He read her emotions from the way her eyebrows drooped. Ricardis idly brushed his lips with his fingers, his gaze wandering. Come to think of it, lately, he had been calling her Rosaline. Officially, in formal settings, he’d refer to her as “Sir Rosaline,” but when they were alone, it was mostly just her name.

He realized now that she must have been hurt by the incident where he had angrily called her “Sir Rosaline”. She had happily smiled over being called her name just once. More than when she received a whole cake or when she saw a dinner table filled with new dishes.

Ricardis felt a sinking in his chest. He later realized that he was so happy to be treated better than food, but at this moment, his face felt hot to the point of dizziness.

Was it because she had cried the last time he had seen her? Was it because she kept nervously glancing at him while in the bathroom? The way she smiled…

His wandering gaze met hers. Ricardis was flustered. The warmth and the scent of roses swirled around his nostrils to the point of dizziness. Perhaps from staying in the bathtub for so long, her skin had slightly reddened. Rose petals clung to her white shirt and hair. The faint steam made her figure flicker. The sensation of holding her just moments ago came to mind as if engraved in his fingertips.

Ricardis’s face turned red. His ears were burning, and he objectively assessed the current situation. His blood circulation began to improve. If he stayed like this… this was going to be a big problem. A real big problem, even if she hadn’t laid a finger on him! Ricardis tightly closed his eyes and shouted.

“Perbell River! Damn it!”

Bam! Lewon burst out from one side of the bathroom. From his sudden appearance, it could be deduced that he had been waiting in the secret passage. Rosaline widened her eyes, looking at the suddenly appearing Lewon.

Lewon, with a fierce expression and a drawn sword, closed his mouth and scanned the inside of the bathroom. He soon wore a noticeably awkward expression. A spacious bathtub, rose petals, a man and a woman. Clearly, situation was strange, but why on earth had he summoned…

“Did you want to have Perbell River at this exact moment? Out of all 24 hours? So urgently that you couldn’t postpone it for even a moment?”

“No, bring new clothes for Sir Rosaline to wear!” Ricardis exclaimed with his reddened face. Only then did Lewon roughly grasp the situation. The rose petals were doing a great job.

***

Rosaline changed into dry clothes and sat on the couch, waiting. Blinking, she directed her eyes to find Ricardis standing in front of her, staring. Rosaline greeted him with a bright smile. Ricardis, who had claimed to have calmed down, narrowed his eyes as soon as they met Rosaline’s.

“… Were you expecting me to drop dead at any moment? What happened?” Ricardis’ words were not directed at Rosaline, and she could tell. Behind him, Lewon shook his head.

“How could that be possible, Your Highness?”

“Then you must’ve had a lot of complaints against me. Judging by how you barged in without missing a beat.”

“Ah… how could that be?”

While Rosaline silently listened to their incomprehensible conversation, she became aware of Ricardis’ gaze directed at her. Despite the loose fit, it is no big deal, she thought.

“I brought them hastily because it seemed urgent! How else could I get women’s clothes in the middle of the night? The maids’ clothes won’t fit, it is impossible to fetch Sir Rosaline’s clothes if we don’t want her to get caught disobeying your order and sneaking out during her probation.”

Ricardis had his hand on his waist, looking uncomfortably troubled. He hadn’t seemed bothered in the bathroom; so perhaps her clothes were the problem, after all? Rosaline stood and grabbed her clothes.

“I’ll take it off!”

“No!”

“You can’t, sir!”

Ricardis and Lewon raised their voices to deter her actions. Rosaline was left blinking, unable to do much else.

Lewon whispered to Ricardis, “Look, what a mess. Not even having women’s clothes on standby, Your Highness? You’ve never had a day where you needed women’s clothes? What a preposterous excuse…”

Although they were arguing from a distance in hushed tones, Rosaline heard every word of their conversation clearly. Perhaps it was really about the clothes… Could it be that they felt sorry for not providing women’s clothes? Truly our Highness, with such extraordinary consideration! Rosaline stepped forward again and voiced her opinion, “I find skirts uncomfortable, so I prefer pants. They might be a bit loose, but I tied them securely!”

“I see…” Ricardis had an expression that seemed like he wanted to say he was very uncomfortable.

“Oh, and I like the scent of Your Highness.”

Ricardis’ breath caught for a moment. Lewon pressed his lips firmly to suppress a chuckle.

“It seems there’s at least one person who doesn’t mind…”

“Lewon!”

“I’ll leave now, Your Highness.” Lewon glanced at Ricardis with a wicked smile. Ricardis threw a cushion from the sofa at him. Lewon deftly dodged it and opened the door. Just then, outside the door, he locked eyes with the inquisitive Isserion.

“Why is this tacky person here?”

“Lewon, you rascal. You’re just too permissive!”

Isserion tried to force his way into the room, but he couldn’t be a match for Lewon. Sounds of resistance and protest were heard as he was dragged away. The sounds gradually faded and grew faint. And then, silence. The chirping of crickets filled the air.

Ricardis was staring at the door in silence. What… what to do about this…

“Your Highness? Is something wrong?”

Many things were wrong. Ricardis turned his head slightly to scrutinize her. There were indeed many issues. Given that the white shirt was so large and loose, almost reaching her thighs, it was more fitting to say she was buried in it than wearing it. In addition, the hems of the pants were folded up a few times, revealing slender ankles. The fact that Rosaline was wearing all his clothes gave rise to a peculiar warmth from within his chest. A sweet scent added a subtle charm to the atmosphere.

‘… A sweet scent?’

Ricardis looked at the table. Adorned with several luxurious scented candles, the table was set with a generous spread of appetizers, wine, and two glasses.

‘He had time to do this?’

The overpreparedness felt wrong, yet it was somewhat amusing. Ricardis shrugged off the continued fluster from the bathroom and sat across from Rosaline. Deciding to indulge in the effort made, Ricardis reached for the wine. As he picked up the bottle, Rosaline looked at him with shining eyes.

“Don’t even think about drinking. You’re a patient.”

“… I’m completely fine now.”

“Out of the question,” Ricardis said firmly, then speared a sausage with a fork and held it up to her mouth. Rosaline made a displeased face but happily accepted the offering.

Normally, for a post-dinner wine pairing, the focus would be on simple items like cheese and fruits. However, the table was laden as if it had condensed a whole feast. It was clear it was tailored to Rosaline’s preferences. Lewon, that man. Truly meticulous. Proving he’s Isserion’s brother.

Having received reports through Calyx and Raymond for days that Rosaline wasn’t eating properly, Ricardis felt relieved watching her display such a strong passion for the food. He pushed the plate she was eyeing toward her. Watching her enjoy the meal, Ricardis tilted his glass. One glass, then another. With each emptied glass, a sense of intoxication swirled within him.

While Rosaline was in the midst of requesting the dismissal of Senior Knight Kairo, music drifted in from outside. It wasn’t strange, as the festivities were continuing everywhere. Rosaline perked up her ears, listened to the song, and got upset.

“I know this song.”

“It’s a famous piece.”

“I always practice to this song when I dance.”

“You can dance too… I see. The ball is coming soon.”

“Yes, I’ve thoroughly learned different styles. The etiquette instructor said there’s nothing more for me to learn.”

The etiquette instructor she mentioned was the eldest sister of Count Falhas, Commander Starz, who was so similar in temperament to him that nothing could be taken lightly. If she had said that, it meant Rosaline had truly shown remarkable progress.

She hadn’t known how to dance at all just a few weeks ago. Rosaline truly had impressive talents in many ways.

“However, the instructor mentioned that I need to try it out personally because there can be cases where the partner may not be skilled, more skilled, or the chemistry might not work well…” Rosaline said vaguely, looking at Ricardis. “She suggested asking other fellow knights. Sir Nestor said he would help.”

“Let’s try it now.” Ricardis promptly stood up.

In front of the terrace where the moonlight poured in strongly, Ricardis lifted his left hand, looking at Rosaline’s fair face. Rosaline placed her hand over his, assuming the basic posture for dancing.

Ricardis was subtly flustered. He had initially thought that the touching hands would be the main issue, but it turned out his hand that wrapped around her waist and back was more challenging. The loose shirt clung to his hand, and his hand brushed against her slender waist through the thin fabric. He could feel her warmth. Ricardis needed a moment to gather himself, still stiff with a racing mind.