(From Blue''s Perspective)


    "Your Highness, no wonder everyone says you are a match for His Highness. Who else would like to go out in such weather to take a walk?" Perita scoffed.


    "Haha, I am really a great match for him, ain''t I?" I chuckled. "But I have note to take a walk."


    "Then why...?" Perita muttered.


    I did not answer her. My eyes were fixated ahead where I could see a ck horse mounting in this direction on full speed.


    "That... So, this is why," Perita said. "Your Highness just wants to wee His Highness. But how did you know His Highness would being now? It''s not possible to see that far with naked eyes."


    Just seeing a spark of a ck spear forcing its way against the wind from my office was enough for me to know that it was him. I just knew instinctively that it had to be him even though it was like a small ck dot far away.


    I smiled. "It is funny, isn''t it?"


    Before Perita could open her mouth, a shadow fell upon us. "What are you doing here? Can it be that you want to take a walk in this weather, or were you waiting for me?" he smirked.


    "What do you think?" I grinned and offered him my hand.


    He looked puzzled for a while as well as the other knights behind him. But then, he took my hand and got off the horse.


    "I wish it to be thetter," he smiled and kissed me on the forehead.


    "How did it go?" I asked.


    "The duke will start the adoption procedure today. But in the meantime, we need to make a story which I suppose you already did," he said and I chuckled in approval. "We also need to change that child''s appearance as much as possible so she won''t be recognized as the saint."


    "I see. Send the knights away and take a walk with me to the training ground. We will discuss it further there," I said.


    "They can''t hear us. I am wearing that ring."


    "But I want to take a walk with you."


    The side of his lips curled up and the knights backed away just then. He must have ordered them using telepathy.


    "Perita, take a rest. Calix will guard me after I go inside," I said.


    "Shall we go then?" I asked, slipping my hand through Dem''s arm.


    "You are behaving very differently today," he said.


    "Do you hate it?"


    "No, rather, I am quite amused. And this looks suits you very well. I like the fact that you are carrying your sword and your dagger. They wille to use. Besides, you have gotten very good at swordsmanship. I won''t be surprised if you can defeat some of the knights."


    "Perita said so as well. But I wish to know about my progress from you."


    "Me?"


    "Yes," I nodded. "After all, you are the best swordsman in the whole kingdom. Everyone knows about it. Where can I find someone better than the greatest swordsman in the whole kingdom to judge my ability?"


    "You tter me."


    "Lies! You know and believe so as well," I said.


    "Well, I am an arrogant man."


    "You talk as if it is something to be proud of."


    "No, but I don''t mind being arrogant. Besides, why won''t I admit I am the best when I actually am?"


    ''There he goes again. But I can''t even say anything because it''s true.''


    "I think I have changed a lot than the moment I came here first. Now, even though I have nightmares, when I wake up, I can control my thoughts because reality is not a nightmare anymore. Before, when I slept, I had nightmares; even when I woke up, life was another nightmare. But, not anymore. It is very different now. I have found people who support me and like me.


    I feel blessed. I think I have somewhat gotten braver as well."


    "You did. You improved a lot. I am really proud of you," he smiled.


    "I am proud of myself too. I think I have done as much as I could. So, thank you for helping me."


    "You keep thanking me, darling. Trust me, I am a very selfish man. When I am helping you, it means I have an ulterior motive."


    "Yes, but I know your motive already. You want to keep me with you. I don''t mind it at all. You can want me as much as you would like to. I will never mind."


    "Hm, let''s lighten up the mood. I think I know what you want," he said and unsheathed his sword, facing me. "Shall I see your progress now?"


    "I was going to ask for it, but it works too," I chuckled as I unsheathed my sword. "Then, shall we?"


    "Of course, my darling wife."


    I was the one to attack first. He defended it and attacked me from below. I defended it and quickly tried to hit his hand. With my strength, it was impossible to win against a werewolf if I was not quick and tricky enough.


    But he defended my attack very quickly. Dem was faster than the other knights I fought with. I defeated those knights only because I was faster than them and used many tricks just like Perita advised me. But even if I moved as fast as I could, Dem did not seem to be surprised at all, as expected of the King.


    "Should we discuss what we were talking about earlier?" he asked, smirking.


    "Sure... Let''s do that," I said, not stopping to fight just like him.


    "As I said, we need to change that child''s appearance and make a birth certificate for her. The birth certificate can be made after the adoption if you make a story where she doesn''t have a family or never had a family or lost her family in a fire or something where all the documents have been ruined and she is so traumatized that she can''t remember those incidents."


    "I feel rather bad for making up such a story for her, but there is nothing more we can do."


    "Just tell her the story you prepare for her and make her remember a few parts. It doesn''t have to be correctpletely. The court is supposed to be an independent system in a kingdom and even the Imperial Pce won''t have much control over the court. But, it is not the reality of the court of Querencia. We have great influence over the court and if we want to, we can turn a case the way we want to.


    That''s why, no matter what, we can always ensure Athena''s sessful adoption. But if the temple intervenes, it will be bad for our public image and we don''t want more rebels. That''s why we must change her appearance."


    "Her eyes especially... We need to do something about her eyes... and hair as well. Those are the things a saint has. Well, I can just get her hair dyed and change her eye color using a potion. I will miss her current look though...


    But it is important to ensure her safety. Perhaps, we can draw one or two beauty marks on her face or something. I will talk to her and ask for her opinion. Then, let''s do it within this week."


    "Yes, and the duke will manage the papers within this time."


    I hurled towards him from the left side which he blocked very quickly. In this way, no one was winning. Dem was not using all his force. Still, he was very powerful.


    I grabbed my dagger with my left hand and suddenly, pressed it against his throat while my sword was defending his attack. I felt something poking my thigh only to see that he too had a dagger out, pointing at my thigh.


    "Well, it is a must to win," he chuckled and Iughed as well, pulling back my dagger and sword, and sheathing them.


    "You knew I would do it?"


    "Your moves told me."


    "My moves?"


    "Sweetie, when you fight, your thoughts will be conveyed through your movements. I know when you are impatient and when you are out of breath. But it should not happen. Your skills are without a doubt amazing and you are fast. You also use tricks more than average, which can work to your advantage. You can easily beat a knight if you keep fighting like this.


    But if it is someone more skilled than normal knights, it will be a problem. They will understand what your swords are saying about your motive. Your face, bodynguage, and your sword- none of this should convey your real thoughts, only tricks and sometimes mockery."