An innocent gaze was directed at Violet. Looking into his pale lavender eyes, not unlike her own purple eyes, Violet asked.
âWhere did we meet?â
ââŠâŠâ
Once Violet asked this, he fell silent, and his expression changed more and more by the second.
He now looked so forlorn that Violet was almost about to apologize for not remembering him.
âNo, if you donât remember, it doesnât matter.â
ââŠâŠâ
âYou seem to be lost, but if you donât mind, may I escort you?â
âEscort?â
âAh, I-I mean. Iâm not a suspicious person.â
The embarrassed knight scrambled to get something out of his inner coat pocket. Violet just said that she already knew he was a knight.
Feeling awkward, he coughed briefly. He showed her his identification card, and it said there that his name was âAldinâ and he belonged to the First Imperial Order of the Black Wolf.
Violet wondered where she might have met him before. She rummaged through her memories.
He was tall and had a robust physique, but his face was still young. His dark hair was reflecting the sunsetâs red hue, and, somehow, his lavender eyes contained within them the rain[1].
âI think I can remember him.â
Lavender eyes, not unlike Violetâs purple eyes. Somewhere in her memories, she could remember them vaguely.
However, she couldnât pull out the exact memory.
ââŠIf itâs alright with you, then please. Iâm in your care.â
She knew the look in his eyes.
Those eyes, like serene lakesâhorribly subdued.
Not knowing why, Violet suddenly felt awkward about staring at him. Her gaze slipped down.
âPlease speak comfortably, Ducal Lady.â
âDo you know me?â
âEveryone knows that the esteemed daughter of House Everett has come to the capital.â
âNo, Iâm asking if you know me personally. And I wish to ask as well about what you meant when you asked me if I donât remember you.â
âIf you donât remember, you donât have to force yourself to remember. It was just a passing encounter.â
Though Violet asked him straightforwardly, Aldin replied boldly as well.
Surely if he was someone who was in Violetâs memories, Aldinâs standing couldnât be ordinary.
âSir Aldin, youâŠâ
ââŠâŠâ
âYouâre very tall.â
As Violet spoke first, she eventually trailed off and avoided looking at him. It was awkward.
When Violet was silent for a moment, Aldin felt a bit nervous because he didnât know what she was about to say. But when she finally spoke again, he relaxed for a moment.
âHis is a face that Iâd definitely remember.â
Violet was once again left to her own thoughts as they continued walking forward, and she could only wonder if her memory was this bad.
The man seemed to be accustomed to guarding people. Violet had a hunch that this fellow might have a high position, too.
ââŠâŠâ
ââŠâŠâ
While their surroundings gradually changed as they walked down the streets, the two of them couldnât easily open their lips to speak again.
Is he just curt? Violet thought. Trying to gauge the man in front of her with narrowed eyes, Violet caught sight of her long-lost escort knights running straight to her. They looked frightened out of their wits.
âYouâ Who are you!â
Then, they pointed their swords at Aldin.
Violet was rendered speechless by the dumbfounding situation. Itâs as if Aldin had saved the escort knights from drowning, but here they were, asking where their lost bags were.
But regardless of her reaction, the confrontation between the escort knights and the imperial knight continued.
âYour name, I asked! And state your affiliation!â
ââŠâŠâ
Was his mouth glued or something?
Glancing once at the man who wouldnât say anything even as several swords were mere inches away from his throat.
âHe is a knight of the imperial guard and heâs the one who helped me when I was in trouble. Even if you donât have any manners, can you please refrain from being rude?â
It was not until Violet said this that the knights fell back and returned sheathed their swords once again. What a funny turn of events.
It could be said that this was Violetâs fault for going around so freely, but it also made no sense for escort knights to lose track of the person theyâre supposed to be guarding.
Regardless of how crowded it had been back then, it was their job to stay by her side no matter what.
And yet, far from admitting their mistakes, itâs laughable to see them pointing their swords at the person who saved their butts.
These knights should undoubtedly be given more rigorous training the moment theyâd return to the townhouse.
Still, Violet didnât want to add more to her notoriety. She would be handing over the task of scolding these knights to Roen.
Anyway, it seemed like the knights still hadnât noticed the mark of the imperial family.
Violet felt troubled by the apparent level of skill of her householdâs knights. Well, of course the imperial mark was on the cloak, which was on his back, and they were standing in front of Aldin. They wouldnât have seen it.
âAhem, ahem. Pardon me. If you donât mind, may I ask about your affiliation?â
âThe Black Wolf.â
âBlack Wolf? You mean, the first chivalric order?â
Âč I couldnât quite capture the whole meaning of this word right here. Violet used the term ì°ì, which could mean rain(fall), melancholy or excellence. The first meaning parallels how Violetâs eyes are compared to lakes, so it somehow makes sense if Aldinâs eyes are compared to the rain.