“LADY FLORIN may be working in the Red-light District, but I don’t think she works as a courtesan.”
Diether nodded his head in agreement with what his mother said.
Right now, he was having breakfast with his mother in the Hexford Mansion. It had been three years since they returned to Wison– the kingdom’s Royal Capital.
[Father still doesn’t live with us, though.]
Despite being the Grand Duke who was responsible for his own territory, his father still served as the king’s advisor. Hence, his father was currently residing in the Royal Palace.
[But everyone knows Father lives in the palace because of his discord with Mother.]
Even so, his father would attend the Worship Service with them every Sunday.
[Only for keeping up appearances, of course.]
“His Majesty the King approved the union between me and Lady Florin,” Diether said while slicing the sausage on his plate with a knife. “I don’t think Father and His Majesty would allow a courtesan to become the next Grand Duchess.”
After all, House Hexford was the only grand duchy in the kingdom.
Nobles would throw a fit if Sonata Florin’s background got exposed.
“I don’t want to admit this, but that’s what I’m curious about,” his mother said. “If word gets out that Lady Florin actually works in the Red-light District, it will definitely harm our family’s reputation. And yet, your father still chose her as your fiancée. He even got the king’s approval.”
“If I remember correctly, Sir Harris and Dame Maurice Florin were only Lady Florin’s adoptive parents,” Diether said. “Her birth parents might be quite important.”
“Should we run a more thorough background check on Lady Florin this time?”
The moment his father told him to marry Sonata Florin, he ran a background check on her with the help of Candyfloss– the only information guild in the kingdom that he trusted.
According to Miss Carmine, the head of the guild, Sonata Florin graduated as a Sword Expert from the Zinnia Academy– a knight academy for commoners and lower nobles. Being a Sword Expert meant Lady Florin graduated as the top student of her batch.
[Just like me.]
Diether graduated from the Royal Savior Academy– the most prestigious knight academy in the kingdom.
“I was wondering why the information guild didn’t find out that Lady Florin is working in the Red-light District,” his mother wondered out loud. “According to the information we received, Lady Florin turned down the offer to be a part of the Royal Knight Order. Then she became an instructor for children learning basic swordsmanship.”
To be precise, Sonata Florin was an instructor-slash-volunteer worker in an orphanage.
With her credentials as a Sword Expert, Sonata Florin could have easily become a knight for any prestigious family in the kingdom.
[She could have even become a Holy Knight if she wanted.]
“I wonder why she’s wasting her potential…”
[“I promise you– once you start getting curious about me, you won’t be able to stop thinking about me anymore.”]
Diether was so flustered after hearing Sonata Florin’s voice in his head that he accidentally stabbed the sausage on his plate like how he would stab a monster to death. “I am not curious about you…!”
His mother, clearly surprised by his behavior, looked at him as if he had gone crazy. “Are you okay, son?”
It was crazy how his last conversation with Sonata Florin affected him this way.
“Son?”
“I’m okay, Mother,” Diether said, taking a deep breath to calm himself down. “Ah, Mother. I forgot to tell you I’m attending the Worship Service today.”
His mother was surprised, understandably. “Did you forget that today is Saturday?”
The elite members of high society would attend Worship Services every Sunday.
On the other hand, Saturday was for the common people of the kingdom. The upper middle-class and the lower nobles also belonged to that category.
“I know, Mother.”
“Then why are you going to the temple today?” his mother asked, confused. “The Saintess only officiates the Worship Service on Sundays.”
[Mother, if you say it like that, it sounds like Sundays are reserved for the higher nobles because it’s the only day the Saintess makes an appearance… wait, let’s stop here.]
He didn’t want to put the temple in a bad light, so he just stopped thinking about it.
“I made a deal with Lady Florin,” Diether said, sighing. “I need to fulfill my promise or else my subordinates’ ‘family jewels’ might be taken away from them.”
“What are you talking about, son?”
He just shook his head and changed the topic. “Mother, I might lead the monster subjugation team headed to the North next month.”
His mother, who hated it every time he went to war, frowned. “Why? Is your father forcing you to bring more honor to the kingdom again?”
“It’s not like that, Mother,” he said while shaking his head. “I just need more Artifacts for Francine.”
Francine was the Saintess.
He could address the Saintess casually because aside from the fact that the Saintess was only eighteen-years-old, they were also close friends.
[It was Celeste who found and saved Francine, after all.]
Francine was also the reason why Diether became the commander of the Avari Holy Knights at such a young age.
“I heard there are ancient monsters in the North, and most ancient monsters produce Artifacts when killed,” Diether explained to his mother. “Francine needs more Artifacts to increase her divine power. And she needs to gain more divine power in order to look for Celeste using her Vision.”
It had been three years since Celeste disappeared without a trace, without even telling Diether why she had to leave.
But they hadn’t given up yet– especially not him.
[I swear I’ll find you, Celeste.]
“If that’s the case, then I’ll support you,” his mother said, sighing. “But be careful, son. I heard ancient monsters are getting stronger these days.”
Diether nodded at his mother’s reminder. “Don’t worry, Mother,” he assured his mother. “I won’t die until I find Celeste.”
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
***
[MAYBE I should just let Lady Florin take the ‘family jewels’ of these punks.]
In order to observe how the temple knights acted around Madam Margo and the courtesans-in-training, Diether attended the Worship Service in disguise.
He wore a cheap hooded cloak to hide his hair color and the Holy Sword tied around his hips. As the commander of the Avari Holy Knights, he was required to bring his Holy Sword every time he was out in public.
[Lady Florin was telling the truth when she said Madam Margo and the girls attend the Worship Service outside the temple.]
Since the Worship Service had already begun, the doors were closed.
Diether had sharp senses so he could hear the High Priest’s sermon, but he doubted if the madam and the young misses could. And yet, the ladies stayed while praying earnestly.
[They’re more sincere than most people inside the temple.]
“Madam, I strongly suggest that you and the young misses stop attending the Worship Service.”
“Your group is distracting and tempting the gentlemen who came here to pray.”
“We’ve already received tons of complaints from the wives of the gentlemen you’re seducing, madam. Even the young ones you brought with you are causing a distraction.”
“The temple is supposed to be a safe place for our people, but you’re making everyone else uncomfortable.”
Diether let out a sigh.
Madam Margo was a blonde and green-eyed woman in her mid-thirties who still looked as beautiful as the young misses with her. There were five young misses with the madam who looked like they were only in their late teens.
[I’m only twenty-one so those young misses are probably around my age, but I can’t help but see people younger than me as kids…]
Madam Margo and the young misses all wear dark dresses as if they were attending a funeral instead of a Worship Service. They even had hats and veils that covered their faces. But even though their faces were covered, the way the ladies carried themselves looked more dignified than the four temple knights that were harassing them.
[Those knights are supposed to be nobles, but Madam Margo and the young misses who are taking the insults in silence look classier than those idiots.]
“Madam, instead of wasting your time here, should we bring you somewhere else?”
The way the punks snickered was obviously malicious.
[And perverted!]
Diether clicked his tongue and marched towards the temple knights to discipline them.
[These punks…]
He was forced to stop talking when Madam Margo and the young misses suddenly burst out laughing.
The temple knights were confused, and obviously offended.
[Madam Margo and the girls are laughing mockingly at those punks, after all.]
“Just because we work in the Red-light District doesn’t mean we don’t have standards, young men,” Madam Margo said in a mocking tone while looking down on the temple knights. “We won’t sleep with you even if you paid us a fortune.”
The young misses giggled, eyeing the temple knights with contempt.
“Aren’t temple knights just glorified knights who failed the test to become Holy Knights?”
“Moreover, most of them are just second or third sons of their families– choosing knighthood since they can’t become the successor of their households.”
“They probably wouldn’t be able to afford someone on Madam Margo’s level, and yet they have the audacity to act like they’re important.”
“If you don’t have wealth, you should at least have manners. Even a good face will do– but they lack both~”
Madam Margo and the young misses laughed out loud again.
The temple knights, who were very offended and humiliated, touched their scabbards as if they were planning to unsheathe their swords.
[Haaah.]
“Stop right there,” Diether said coldly, making everyone turn to him in surprise. “Are you seriously pulling out your swords on unarmed civilians?”
“Who are you–”
The temple knight who tried to ask who he was stopped talking when Diether removed his hooded cloak.
He wasn’t wearing his knight uniform, but his silver-blue hair was enough for everyone to recognize him even in his casual clothes. Moreover, every single person in the kingdom was familiar with his Holy Sword.
“C-Commander Hexford!”
The temple knights immediately bowed their heads towards him.
Even Madam Margo and the young misses gave Diether a polite greeting.
Diether slightly bowed his head towards the ladies. “Madam Margo, young ladies, I apologize on behalf of the temple knights for their discourtesy towards you.”
The temple knights gasped and raised their heads.
“Commander, you don’t have to apologize on our behalf!”
“Please don’t apologize to those women!”
“You’re too important for that, Commander!”
“Those women insulted us– they don’t deserve an apology!”
[These punks, really…]
“If you don’t want me to apologize on your behalf, then kneel and beg for forgiveness,” Diether said coldly, his sky blue eyes glowing menacingly. “Do it before I remove you from our knighthood.”
***
“REST ASSURED, Madam Margo, something like this won’t happen again,” Diether said politely. “Moreover, no one would stop you from entering the temple again. So please feel free to attend the Worship Service inside.”
Madam Margo smiled and slightly lowered her head. “Thank you, Commander Hexford. But please don’t mind us. We’re satisfied as long as no one bothers us from now on.”
Diether made the temple knights apologize to Madam Margo and the young misses.
After that, he dismissed the temple knights.
[I’ll punish them later.]
He invited Madam Margo for tea, but the madam politely refused.
And so, right now, the two of them were talking under the shade of a huge tree in the park near the temple.
Madam Margo already sent the young misses to their carriage first.
“I understand, Madam,” Diether said. He didn’t want to insist because he knew that the madam and the young misses would still get ostracized even if they attended the service inside the temple. That was a problem that even his authority couldn’t solve. “I’ll ask the temple to make you comfortable next time.”
“If you insist, then I won’t turn it down, Commander,” the madam said. “Thank you.”
“Please don’t thank me profusely for doing the bare minimum,” he said, embarrassed. “I don’t deserve it.”
“Right? I should thank Nata instead because if it wasn’t for her, you wouldn’t even care about us, Commander.”
Hmm?
[‘Nata?’]
Perhaps…
“Sonata Florin?”
“We call her ‘Nata,’” Madam Margo said, smiling. “She’s the hero of the Red-light District. Thank you for rejecting her, Commander.”
Diether flinched because of the madam’s jab at him. “You don’t have to be sarcastic about it, Madam. I’m truly remorseful for humiliating Lady Florin that day.”
“Oh, I’m not trying to be sarcastic– I’m being genuine,” the madam said. “I truly believe that Nata is too good for you, Commander. She deserves someone who will treat her with kindness and respect.”
And that couldn’t be the man who left Sonata Florin in the middle of their engagement ceremony.
[I got the message loud and clear.]
“You’re right, Madam,” Diether said, nodding in agreement with the madam because he didn’t want to marry Sonata Florin anyway. “Lady Florin deserves better.”
“I’m glad you’re aware of that, Commander,” Madam Margo said, smiling. “I hope you and Nata don’t cross paths again.”
Of course, Diether and Sonata Florin crossed paths again the very next day.
***
DIETHER wore his white and blue knight uniform for today’s Worship Service.
He was the Saintess’ personal knight, but he had time to enter the temple with his mother and father.
[I wonder how long we should pretend as a complete family.]
If it was up to Diether, he’d want his parents to divorce already.
“Mother, the butler said Father is already here,” Diether said as he entered his mother’s room after he was let in. “Are you done yet?”
His mother was sitting in front of the mirror as the maids braid her hair.
[Oh, not yet.]
His mother scoffed. “Let your father wait. The service wouldn’t begin without us anyway, so it’s okay even if we’re a little late.”
Diether chuckled. “Understood, Mother,” he said, kissing his mother on the top of her head. “Please take your time.”
After that, he left the room to let his mother finish her preparations.
His plan was to waste time in his office and let his father wait in the drawing room, but he changed his mind when he glanced at the window.
He saw his father talking to a woman in the garden.
The woman in question was being dragged away by their family knights.
[Wait. That girl… it’s one of the girls who were with Madam Margo yesterday.]
Before he knew it, he was already marching towards the main entrance. His father entered the mansion just when he had finished climbing down the grand staircase.
“Father, who was that?”
His father looked confused at first, then he let out an ‘ah’ before responding. “It was just one of Lady Florin’s subordinates.”
“Did something happen? Why was she dragged away?”
“She was begging for help,” his father said indifferently. “Apparently, Lady Florin is in danger.”
“What kind of danger?”
“I believe the young miss mentioned something about Lady Florin getting sold to a dangerous group.”
Deither’s eyes widened in shock. “And you turned away the young miss asking for our help, Father?”
“Lady Florin isn’t your fiancée anymore, so why do I need to help her?”
He clenched his hands tight while glaring at his father. “You’re really a despicable person, Father.”
As expected, his father remained indifferent. “If Lady Florin remained as your fiancée, then I wouldn’t hesitate to come to her rescue. But she has nothing to do with the Hexfords now, so why would I waste resources on her?”
He knew talking to his father was useless, so he just turned his back on him as he bolted out of the mansion.
“Where are you going, Diether Hexford?”
“I was the one who broke off my engagement to Lady Florin, so the least thing I could do is to save her,” Diether said, then he looked over his shoulder just to glare at his father again. “Father, when I return, I’ll convince Mother to divorce you already.”
***
[THIS IS the most fascinating thing that happened to my life yet.]
Sonata didn’t expect Diether Hexford to run to the Red-light District to “save” her.
[But here we are now.]
Diether grabbed her by the wrist as gently as he could while glaring at the ‘snake’ in front of them. “How dare you touch my fiancée?”
Sonata was pleasantly surprised.
[I’m his fiancée again, huh?]
So, how did Sonata end up in this situation again?