Therefore, he has an excellent sense of balance. He's good at managing relationships and can skillfully enjoy the push and pull of insincere interactions. He rarely missteps or loses his composure, and seldom loses his reason.
He smiled at Sigrid, whose eyes were shining with curiosity before him.
"Except when it cos to you."
He stumbles, missteps, fumbles with his true feelings, loses his reason, his judgnt becos clouded, and the balance he's so carefully maintained crumbles.
No one would believe that this Beramund Lunatil was experiencing his first love.
"?"
As Sigrid tilted her head, Beramund lightly kissed her lips. Being in the bathtub, her lips were hotter and more moist than usual.
"The bathwater will get cold. Let's get out."
"Beramund."
"Yes?"
"For , Beramund is always first, no matter what."
Beramund's lips parted slightly. Sigrid said, her cheeks flushing red,
"Because Beramund is... the best—"
"I know. And you're my goddess."
Beramund grinned. Sigrid felt her face grow even hotter. Really, how could this man say such things so easily? While she could only manage to say this much.
'Should I practice sothing more?'
Sigrid pondered as she went through her dawn practice. The words Beramund whispers are sweet. Especially when she hears his praise during intimate monts, she feels as if she's beco a goddess of beauty.
Skin like pearls, a voice sweet as honey, hair like morning dew— it was amazing how he ca up with such novel expressions.
Sigrid stopped her sword mid-swing. Her breath ca out in white puffs in the winter air. Steam rose from her sweat-soaked clothes.
'Co to think of it, Marie-Chez and Lowengrin will be here soon.'
Marie-Chez had angrily asked why they weren't coming up when there wouldn't be much territory work in winter, but Sigrid didn't want to leave her still unstable territory.
There's always a difference when the lord is present versus absent.
So Marie-Chez insisted on coming all the way to this northeastern region, in this winter. Sigrid was grateful for her sentint but also worried, so she tried to dissuade her, but that seed to have only added fuel to the fire.
—I have so much to talk about!
She replied, even setting a definite date for her visit. It seed she was dragging Lowengrin along too.
'Isn't Lowengrin a newlywed too?'
Lowengrin had married not long after Sigrid's wedding. Lowengrin had smiled and said,
"I want to do it quickly before the experience from doing it once fades away."
True to her word, Lowengrin swiftly dealt with the attrition warfare Sigrid had gone through during her wedding—using the sa vendors—and held her ceremony.
The groom, Viscount Hatien Illisaine's heir, smiled at Sigrid and said, "It's all thanks to you."
'I'm not sure what he's thanking
for, though.'
Sigrid quickly wrapped her cloak around herself before her body cooled down.
As she was leaving her private training ground, a familiar sound brushed past Sigrid's ears.
The sound of swords cutting through the air and clashing against each other.
Sigrid's ears perked up. She quietly moved her steps. Not far from her private training ground was Beramund's. The sound was clearly coming from there.
Sigrid hesitated at the entrance.
'Is it okay to watch?'
Normally, of course, she would have entered without such thoughts, but this ti there was an opponent. And Sigrid could tell who that opponent was without even looking.
'The sound of cutting through the air is different.'
There was a strong, threatening sound, as if ripping through the air, completely different from a regular sword. This must be that scimitar.
'I'm so curious!'
Sigrid fidgeted restlessly at the entrance. It's against etiquette to watch soone else's duel without permission. But, but—
It's a duel between the Black Knight and the Wanderer!
The next mont, Sigrid spun around, extending her sword blade. Karsus was standing right in front of her.
'So fast—!'
Sigrid swallowed her breath. Karsus looked at the sword Sigrid had extended and smiled.
"You're quick. Usually, people get caught from behind."
He slightly bent his upper body. The sword blade touched his neck.
"As expected of the pure white lady knight."
Sigrid didn't lower her sword. It's different from before. The scimitar Karsus was holding was now definitely within killing distance. The mont she lowers her sword, he would swing.
"Stop fooling around."
Beramund said as he ca out from behind Sigrid. Karsus backed away, still smiling, and said, "Aw." Beramund grinned and said,
"Siri, you could have just co in and watched."
"It's against etiquette to do so without permission."
Sigrid lowered her sword but didn't sheathe it as she spoke.
"Oh my, our secret duel dar—"
Before he could finish saying "darling," Karsus stopped speaking. The tip of Sigrid's sword was touching his Adam's apple. The sword tip is sharp, and skin is delicate, so even a touch might normally cause a scratch or slight bleeding. But Sigrid was avoiding that by a paper-thin margin.
It was an impressive level of control. She opened her mouth.
"The only person who can call Beramund 'darling' is ."
Karsus blinked. Beramund stared blankly at Sigrid, then suppressed a laugh. Though she's usually shy, she occasionally makes such bold statents without hesitation.
It's truly endearing beyond compare.
Karsus slightly raised both hands. His sword tip was lowered.
Taking it as a sign of understanding, Sigrid lowered her sword. Karsus said,
"Your sword skills are remarkable."
"Because I'm a Master."
"And it seems you've killed a person or two."
"Because I'm a knight."
"I thought Beramund wanted to marry a kind and gentle girl, not soone with the scent of blood."
"—!"
Sigrid flinched. Just as Beramund was about to angrily ask, "Whose delusion is that?
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