In the daylight, from a distance, I had merely thought of him as a striking individual. That was the extent of my perception. But now, with Latvan standing before me, I found myself unable to catch my breath. It was as if a mighty steel sword had transformed into a man. I beheld towering height, necessitating a tilt of my head, and broad shoulders resembling colossal walls. Donned in the white vestments of the Temple Knights, his physique was unmistakably honed beneath the garment. Simultaneously, I noticed his thick forearms and large hands. Hands so immense that they could easily crush my head with a single grasp.

For a prolonged moment, I gazed at him, my thoughts seemingly frozen. My gaze gradually shifted back to his face. Only then did I truly discern it. The intense disdain embedded within Latvan's gaze directed towards me.

"Ah..."

His raw, unguarded emotions were impossible to conceal. In response to that gaze, I instinctively recoiled. Yet, it was futile, for the backrest of the bench hindered any further retreat.

As I stared at him, he, too, scrutinized me. Then, with a firm expression, he averted his gaze. It was as though he had witnessed something he ought not to have seen. I hastened to observe my own appearance.

"Good heavens."

Without needing to ask about his expression, I clearly understood. The hem of my nightgown, which had ridden up as I anxiously climbed up the stairs before the man's arrival, was even more crumpled, clinging to me tightly. Consequently, my legs were fully exposed under the moonlight, revealing the obvious marks that adorned them.

Quickly adjusting the hem of my gown, Latvan finally spoke, turning his head.

"I would prefer it if you were not visible."

Those were the first words he uttered to me. His low voice, piercing through the night air, laid bare the disdain that his gaze had conveyed.

Not visible, I pondered. Did he mean for me to remain unseen by his eyes or to conceal this aspect of myself from others? In truth, it mattered little which interpretation was correct.

In that moment, upon hearing his voice, I realized how naively presumptuous my notion of forming amicable relationships with the male protagonists had been.

The Latvan I had encountered in books was an honorable knight, faithfully serving the gods and cherishing his honor. Yet, Evelina had reduced him to a laughingstock in front of everyone. Perhaps, to Latvan, his entire life had been nothing but a subject of ridicule. And now, would my endeavors to change that make any difference?

Latvan would never forgive Evelina.

Just then, the man who had collided with a tree and fell emitted a groan. Regaining my composure, I rose from my seat. Then, I inclined my head towards Latvan.

"Thank you for your assistance."

"..."

Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

Whatever the circumstance, certain words needed to be spoken. Naturally, I did not expect a response from him, nor did I anticipate one. He would not be inclined to engage in any further conversation with me.

"If it weren't for Commander Latvan, something unpleasant might have happened..."

“It was not an inconvenience, I assure you."

He interrupted me, his tone remaining chilly.

"Next time, please rely solely on your magical abilities. It would not be a stretch to wonder if you have even forgotten how to utilize them, given your current display."

His words left me breathless.

The contents of the book resurfaced in my mind. The moment Evelina realized her magic had vanished, without a moment's hesitation, Latvan aimed his sword at her back. The longsword on her back had been crafted by Latvan himself.

With those arms, with those hands, this man will kill me.

In that instant, a future before me plunged into darkness.

***

"Captain!"

The knights of the Holy Temple order were startled when they saw Latvan entering the order's building unexpectedly, as if he had taken over the evening guard duty. To their surprise, he had brought along an unknown man with him.

At first sight of the man wearing priestly robes, everyone gasped in astonishment. However, it didn't take long for Latvan to realize that the man thrown at him was not a priest. In that instant, the knights' bodies stiffened with tension. The building of the order was filled with an intense atmosphere, as if someone would draw their sword at any moment. A non-priest pretending to be a priest and entering the Holy Temple was a grave offense. They needed to apprehend him immediately, verify his identity, and thoroughly investigate his purpose and how he managed to enter the temple. But Latvan's command to simply release him by morning was perplexing.

Just then, one of the knights examined the fallen man and muttered, as if understanding something.

"He has a peculiarly half-and-half face."

The expression on the knights' faces froze. It was no secret within the order that the maiden would lure men of dubious character every night for her own amusement. Most likely, this man was one of those men. When they realized this, the knights understood why Latvan ordered them to let him go without further questioning.

After all, if the man was someone a high-ranking priest offered to the maiden, there would be no point in exposing him. No, it was more likely that he had come to the order to exert unnecessary pressure, hoping to keep his own actions hidden.

One of the knights spoke to Latvan.

"Wouldn't it be better to interrogate him?"

In response, Latvan asked with a retort.

"Why should we?"

Everyone present here already knew the man's true identity. Latvan wanted an explanation as to why they had to go through such trouble.

Scratching his head, the knight answered.

"Surely this man won't be able to keep his mouth shut for even ten minutes. We will find out who I am, how I managed to enter with the help of a high-ranking priest, and what my purpose was. So, after finishing the interrogation, if we tie him up in front of the temple along with the record, everyone passing by during the night will be well aware of what happened in the temple."

The knight's face was filled with a mocking smile. It was a derisive laugh directed at the maiden who had brought this man inside.

“So, what do we gain from all this?"

"What?"

"What do we gain from it? And if we check him thoroughly, he will most likely have a temporary pass to the Great Temple. He probably wore the priestly robes for some absurd reason. Then the priests involved will frantically protect him. Nothing has gone missing, and no one is injured..."