As the sun began its slow descent, casting long shadows across the castle courtyard, Kyle turned toward the Head Knight and spoke casually.
"So, tell —what does the Grand Duchess want with soone like ?"
The Head Knight didn't even turn her head, her voice sharp and emotionless.
"You'll get your answers when we arrive."
Kyle tilted his head slightly, studying her stiff posture.
"So, no hints?"
"No. And stop asking questions."
She said flatly.
Kyle just nodded, unfazed.
"Alright. I'll be ready to leave in an hour."
The Head Knight turned slightly, her piercing gaze eting his.
"et outside the castle. And keep your mouth shut about my gender—if you know what's good for you"
Then, her voice dropped a little lower.
Kyle just grinned.
"Is that a threat?"
She didn't answer, but her presence alone was a clear warning. Yet, Kyle wasn't the least bit intimidated, and the Head Knight could tell.
She watched Kyle walk away, his calm, steady stride showing no signs of fear.
Once he was gone, the Head Knight turned on her heel, heading toward the washroom. As soon as she entered, she removed her helt, allowing her short hair to swing free.
She stared at herself in the mirror, her flushed face making her complexion look soft and lovely.
But she didn't feel lovely.
She saw sothing fragile staring back at her. A woman who, despite all her strength, could still be taken advantage of.
"Tch."
She clicked her tongue in irritation and clenched her fists.
For just a mont, Kyle Armstrong's words had made her feel… hopeful.
But she knew better.
She had fought too hard, sacrificed too much, to believe that being a female knight was sothing to be proud of.
She cursed herself for even considering the idea.
Taking a deep breath, she forced her emotions down and slid her helt back on.
'I'll decide what to do once I learn more about him.'
Her mind scread at her that this was a mistake, that she shouldn't get tangled with Kyle Armstrong.
But sothing deep inside her— sothing she refused to na—ignored that warning.
She had found her solution
______
An hour later, Kyle, lissa, and Bruce stood in front of the Armstrong Castle, ready to depart.
The journey to the Grand Duchess's castle would take a full week, even on horseback.
"Ready?"
Kyle asked, glancing at his companions.
lissa adjusted her saddle.
"As ready as I'll ever be."
Bruce grinned and patted his sword.
"I've been ready since this morning."
Kyle let out a soft chuckle before turning toward his falcon, Queen.
"Go on ahead."
He said, giving the bird a gentle flick of his wrist.
With a powerful flap of its wings, Queen soared into the sky, taking the lead to scout the area.
The Head Knight, already mounted, took off without a word.
Kyle and his group followed behind, letting her lead the way.
For hours, they rode in silence, the only sounds being the hoofbeats against the dirt road and the rustling of the wind through the trees.
By the ti they stopped to make camp, the sky had turned into a deep shade of navy blue, dotted with faint stars.
The Head Knight kept her distance, choosing a spot far away from the rest of the group.
lissa, who had been watching her all day, finally spoke up.
"Does the head knight not like us or sothing?"
Kyle, who was preparing the fire, didn't even look up.
"Everyone has their reasons. Don't assu things when you don't have all the information."
He said simply.
lissa pouted slightly.
"I was just curious…"
Kyle glanced at her, his expression unreadable.
"Curiosity's fine. Jumping to conclusions isn't."
lissa pursed her lips but didn't argue.
She knew Kyle wasn't soone who spoke without reason.
Bruce, who had been silent until now, let out a long sigh.
"Well, I don't care if the head knight likes us or not. As long as the head knight doesn't try to kill us in our sleep."
He muttered, stretching his arms.
Kyle smirked.
"If that person wanted us dead, they would've done it already."
Bruce thought about it for a mont, then nodded.
"Good point."
The group settled down for the night, but Kyle didn't sleep.
Instead, he leaned back against a tree, his sharp eyes focused on the flickering flas.
His mind was already several steps ahead.
The Grand Duchess…
What did she want from him?
And more importantly…
Why did it feel like the Head Knight was testing him?
______
The Head Knight stood before Kyle and his group, arms crossed.
"We'll be camping here for the night. We'll take shifts keeping watch."
She stated firmly.
No one objected.
"I'll take the first shift."
She added.
lissa yawned, nodding without hesitation.
Bruce stretched his arms before dropping onto his bedroll without a word.
Kyle, however, remained still, his gaze lingering on the knight for a mont longer than necessary.
Even though she had volunteered to keep watch, Kyle didn't trust her.
Sothing about the way she distanced herself from the group didn't sit right with him.
She kept her interactions short and her emotions locked away, but Kyle had already seen glimpses of the person behind the armor. She was hiding sothing.
So, when Kyle lay down to rest, he kept his senses open.
Just because she wasn't their enemy now didn't an she wouldn't beco one later.
A shift in the air pressure jolted Kyle awake.
It wasn't loud, but his honed senses caught the slightest disturbance.
His eyes flicked open, instantly alert.
Across the dying campfire, the Head Knight sat on a rock, arms resting against her knees. She turned slightly, catching his gaze.
She looked surprised to see him awake.
Kyle didn't say a word—just raised a hand, palm down, signaling for silence.
The Head Knight tensed, her grip tightening around her sword.
For a few seconds, the only sounds were the crackling embers of their fire and the slow breathing of lissa and Bruce.
Then—
A rustle in the bushes.
A soft but deliberate crunch of grass.
The movents were too controlled to be from an animal.
Soone was out there.
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