After a tedious staring contest, Lucas smirked and securely readjusted his grip on the sword with both hands.
His crooked standing posture instantly shifted into that of a knight entering battle.
Even I, who am utterly hopeless at swordsmanship, could tell. Lucas was an outstanding knight.
Even while wearing shackles and handcuffs, the sight of him holding a sword suited him incredibly well.
He looked like a person born for war.
Tayros also sensed that something was amiss; keeping his hand on his sword hilt, he pushed me behind him.
Then, as if he had never done any of it, Lucas turned the blade of the wooden sword toward himself and extended the handle to me.
“Here it is.”
I smirked, raising only one corner of my mouth.
I had been properly provoked in a place where everyone was watching.
I couldn’t just stay still after being shown this display.
“You’ve got it wrong. Hand it over properly with full etiquette.”
He tilted his head with an innocent face as if he didn’t understand.
Anyone could see he was acting.
Tayros kicked Lucas in the shin.
Only after being kicked did Lucas drop to his knees on the ground, adopting a posture of offering the wooden sword to me with both hands.
Only then did I receive the wooden sword and hand it to Tayros.
“Lucas, return to your room. Commander, follow me.”
“Understood.”
“Understood.”
I turned around and spoke to Leon, who was merely watching my reaction.
“You return to your room too. Let’s talk later.”
Leon hesitated before apologizing in a small voice. “I’m sorry.”
My nephew only used formal language when he did something wrong.
I wondered if he did that knowing it was cute. I stroked his hair so he wouldn’t be scared.
“It’s fine as long as you aren’t hurt. I’m not angry.”
Leon nodded while keeping an eye on my reaction until the very end.
Then, he looked at Lucas, who was still kneeling.
As if he found it pitiful, or perhaps fascinating.
He was probably doing that because it was his first time seeing a slave.
“I will let you see the slave later.”
Leon nodded.
After settling the situation, I returned to the office with Tayros.
I’ll have to kneel in front of people once later too. It can’t be helped.
That was how my first psychological warfare with Lucas ended.
Tayros was quiet on the way to the office, but as soon as the door closed and we were left alone, he became talkative.
“What is that? Where did something that dangerous come from to get all the way here? Did you see him openly threatening you earlier?”
“Ask one at a time, one at a time.”
Tayros agonized over what to ask first, but unable to decide in the end, he ruffled his hair in distress.
It was just like our Knights Commander, whose body moved before his brain.
Knowing him well, I opened my mouth right away.
“It’s a gift bestowed by His Imperial Majesty, and he was a duke and a knight in the neighboring country. Well, it’s not like I made him kneel because of that, though. Putting that aside, who told you to hand a sword to a guy like that? What would you have done if someone got hurt?”
“No, I didn’t know he would be such a brazen bastard……”
Tayros spoke in a shrinking voice while watching my reaction.
Because he had the awareness that he had done wrong, I didn’t say anything more.
“It’s fine as long as you understand. Just in case, prepare emergency measures against an escape. If he succeeds in escaping, it’s your fault.”
“Alright……”
If he hadn’t done anything wrong, he would have grumbled a few words about why everything was his fault, but today he was completely deflated and slouched.
Disliking his dispirited appearance, I threw a remark.
“Why are you so disheartened? Do you lack the confidence to win?”
I had deliberately provoked him to cheer him up, but Tayros unexpectedly replied with a serious face.
“If we fight one-on-one, I’ll win. But I don’t know if there is anyone else in the knighthood besides me who could beat him.”
“To that extent?”
My jaw dropped in surprise at the statement that no one besides Tayros would be able to win.
The knights who hadn’t gone to war remained at the mansion, and among them, Tayros possessed the greatest skill.
“Yeah. Be careful. If push comes to shove, he might take you hostage and attempt an escape.”
Furthermore, the guy who is supposed to be the commander even gave me a warning.
“The one who is supposed to protect me is you. If I get hurt, your disciplinary action comes first.”
“Of course I’ll protect you well so nothing happens to you.”
Despite the following answer, my mood felt uncomfortable.
It hit me anew what kind of guy I had taken in as a bedroom slave.
‘…Should I take it back?’
Tayros asked with a look of coveting something. “So, what are you going to use that slave for?”
“Huh? What?”
“I asked what you’re going to use him for. If it’s fine, give him to our knighthood. If we use him as a sparring partner, I think it’ll be an opportunity for our knighthood to grow. Of course, I’ll tightly fasten his shackles before sparring so you won’t worry.”
“That’s……”
“Uh. What are you going to use him for?”
It was a gaze coveting a talented individual. This time, I answered in a shrinking voice.
“A bedroom slave……”
“What? I can’t hear you well.”
“I said, a bedroom slave……”
His face contorted terribly. I had to spend an hour persuading him why I had to use Lucas as a bedroom slave.
Tayros told me to restrain Lucas with a safer device.
Otherwise, he said he would have at least two knights on standby inside the room at all times. I had no choice but to agree.
When I ordered them to search the storehouse, fortunately, there was a suitable magical artifact.
It was made of bracelets and anklets; it was a magical artifact where if anyone spoke the activation word, the bracelets and anklets would restrain the limbs.
After removing the handcuffs and shackles and putting those on, Tayros personally verified that it operated properly before memorizing the activation word.
After soothing Leon, by the time I finished the remaining work, the day had ended.
I returned to my room and flopped face down onto the bed.
“I’m tired……”
When I flopped down and didn’t move, the servant tried to help strip off my clothes.
Even that felt bothersome, so I just waved my hand to make everyone leave. I needed rest.
Knock, knock—.
At the ensuing sound of a knock, irritation flared up instantly.
It had only been a few minutes since I dismissed everyone.
If I stayed quiet, they would realize on their own and come back tomorrow.
Though I remained still, I heard the sound of the door opening.
Turning my head while lying down, Lucas was opening the door and walking in.
When our eyes met, Lucas politely folded his hands together and dropped to his knees on the floor first.
“Master. I have come to tend to your night duties tonight.”
‘This guy seems to lack tact…….’
It was driving me crazy. He still wouldn’t call me the Count.
As if he didn’t even remember what happened during the day, he looked up at me with the face of a gentle lamb.
Normally I would have found it absurd, but because a pretty and handsome man was doing that, my heart weakened.
“…Do you not know what reflection means?”
“That is why I have come to serve as a sign of reflection.”
His answer was incredibly brazen.
Because it was bothersome to reply, I left him alone, but he remained kneeling on the cold stone floor and wouldn’t stand up.
