Return of the Female Knight

“What are you here for?”

“Oh, I…”

Kuhn’s tone quickly turned business-like. The fact that he would say goodbye to Mirabelle remained unchanged. His allegiance was to Carlisle, and he had to return to his side before anything bad happened.

“Oh, wait!”

Mirabelle interrupted him and pointed to a fruit bowl on the table.

“It’s not dinner yet, right? Let’s talk slowly over some fruit.”

Mirabelle didn’t know what Kuhn was about to say, but she knew he would leave the room as soon as he finished. Kuhn was that kind of person, so perhaps some fruit would prolong his visit.

“No, it’s fine—”

Kuhn knew that if he hesitated now, he would not be able to say what was needed to be said. There wasn’t much time, and he had to leave Blaise mansion as soon as possible.

Gathering the resolve in his heart, Kuhn spoke, his voice coldly flat.

“I’ve come to say that I’m going to quit working at Blaise mansion.”

“…What?”

There was an uncomfortable pause. Soon after, Mirabelle’s dark green eyes began to shimmer in anxiety.

“Oh, did I make you uncomfortable by asking you to eat fruit? I’m sorry. This won’t happen in the future.”

“No, it’s not about you. I can’t work here anymore because of personal circumstances.”

As soon as she heard the word “personal circumstances”, the first thing that came to mind was her visit to the Imperial Palace. Kuhn had told her to go home alone that day, saying he had something to attend to.

“What’s the personal circumstance?”

“If I tell you what it is, will you still try to stop me?”

“…Then if I don’t ask, will you stay?”

“I can’t.”

“…”

Mirabelle bit her lip. She didn’t want him to go.

“But what if…what if I would never allow you to leave?”

Mirabelle was in charge of running the Blaise household. She was not yet as skilled as Elena, but thanks to her lessons, she managed it without too much difficulty. If Mirabelle decided that Kuhn could not leave, then that was that. Of course, she didn’t know that she couldn’t capture Kuhn by any force, or that he could slip away as silently a shadow. A conflicted expression crossed Kuhn’s face.

“You can’t. According to my employment contract, I simply have to pay a penalty.”

His contract stated that if he could not uphold his obligations, he would have to pay an amount ten times his salary. Mirabelle suddenly wondered where Kuhn had obtained such a large amount of money.

“Kuhn, no…are you trying to do something dangerous again?”

Mirabelle did not know Kuhn’s past, but she knew that he sometimes put himself in great peril. She remembered how she saved him when he collapsed in her bathroom at the palace, bleeding out onto the floor.

Even if Kuhn wasn’t returning to dangerous work, he was still the type to think of his life as insignificant…

Mirabelle shook her head firmly.

“Then it’s even worse. Don’t ever go back to dangerous work again.”

“It’s my job, and it’s my choice. By forcing me to stay any longer, you’re trapping me.”

Kuhn’s harsh tone left Mirabelle speechless. He was not wrong. Kuhn was simply doing his duties, and Mirabelle was acting like a child by forcing him not to go.

Mirabelle’s green eyes filled with tears. Nothing was more miserable than to be kept by a person that one didn’t like. And yet, what was worse for her was the thought of Kuhn disappearing from her side.

“Yes, I’m just trapping you. But you know why I hold on to you so tightly.”

“I…”

“I like you. I love you. Even if Kuhn is uncomfortable with me, my feelings can’t help but get stronger.”

This time it was Kuhn who was left speechless. Sometimes Mirabelle expressed her feelings so straightforwardly that it embarrassed Kuhn.

“Don’t go. I’ll do whatever you want. Just stay by my side, please.”

Mirabelle’s voice was thick with tears, and Kuhn’s looked at her with mixed emotions.

“Don’t say that. You know the two of us can’t be together.”

“I don’t believe it. Why not?”

“Our statuses are different…”

“I’m the daughter of a count, and if you find my family burdensome, I’ll throw everything away. I’ll take care of you so you don’t have to worry anymore.”

“…Young Lady.”

“I don’t need much. Just stay with me.”

Hot tears slipped down Mirabelle’s cheeks. As Kuhn watched, his chest felt like it was tearing. But he could not accept Mirabelle’s heart.

“Stop complaining. It won’t work.”

“Why not?”

At her question, Kuhn’s face turned bleak.

“You will eventually grow to hate me. You will regret that you chose me over your status, your property, your family. “

“Never!”

“I don’t have the confidence to let myself be abandoned.”

Mirabelle’s wet eyes widened. From her point of view, his rejection wasn’t because he hated her.

“I can’t hold your hand when you go through that. I’m sorry.”

He was about to turn away, when—

Deobseog!

Mirabelle grabbed Kuhn’s sleeve in desperation. She knew if she let him go now, she would never see him again. No matter how miserable or pathetic she looked…if she let Kuhn walk away, she might really die.

She begged to him with tears streaked on her cheeks.

“Please, don’t go.”

“Young Lady…”

“How can I let you go? I love you so much…”

“…”

“Kuhn, just once again…”

“…I’m sorry.”

Kuhn could no longer watch Mirabelle shed bitter tears for him.

Taak!

He raised his hand and struck Mirabelle in the side of her neck. She fell unconscious and collapsed, and Kuhn caught her body before she reached the floor.

He carried her to bed and tucked her in. Even when she was unconscious, tears continued to leak out of her eyes.

‘Don’t cry, Young Lady. I’m not worth it.’

Kuhn looked at Mirabelle’s face for a moment and brushed the tears from her eyelashes. The soft texture of her skin against his fingers was not something he would easily forget.

Kuhn turned and saw the teddy bear by the bedside. The bear really did resemble him.

“I’m sorry, but I have to leave you now.”

Kuhn looked down at Mirabelle and murmured softly.

“Be happy, Young Lady.”

It was a heartfelt wish. He hoped that she would live happily in her bright world. He did not want to drag her down to the blood-stained pit of his life.