Jilted Guilt: the Mermaid and the Hunter - Chapter 11
Now, if Ross were dressed in armor, he would look quite different. He’d be unbeatable wherever he went. No, he’d look even stronger and more impressive than Sir Sylvain.
Perhaps it was because of his role as her guardian knight, but whenever he came under attack, it felt like it was Eizentine who was being unjustly treated.
Every time Klaus picked a fight with Rosander, it was always Eizentine who responded.
“Have you rested enough now? His Highness is waiting for you.”
Rosander was quick to end the conversation. He waited for the princess to lead the way, one hand holding all of the things Eizentine had brought with her.
“Ross.”
“…”
“Rosander.”
Eizentine continued to call out to Rosander, but he didn’t respond. He just stood there, as if fulfilling his duty as her guardian.
With her arms outstretched, as if asking to be lifted like a child, blocking his path, Rosander finally let out a small sigh.
“Are you still throwing tantrums? Are you canceling the duel with the prince?”
“No? You can still be stubborn. That stubborn fellow will regret underestimating me, won’t he?”
With his other remaining arm, Rosander lifted her. Her eleventh birthday was approaching, so it won’t be long before she’s big enough that he can’t carry her like that anymore.
As she grew taller by the day, she couldn’t help but feel that at this rate, she might even outgrow a twelve-year-old puppy prince. Just the thought made Eizentine giggle with joy.
“Stubborn? Even a princess shouldn’t talk like that about His Highness.”
“That’s how I feel.” Eizentine replied bluntly, and Rosander clamped his mouth shut.
“Rosan—der—”
“…”
No matter how she tousled his hair or pinched his lips, he remained unresponsive.
Rosander, who had spent most of his time with the princess since she was a toddler, knew best how to frustrate her.
“Hey, Mr. Hunter. Aren’t you going to answer me?”
“Who told you to call me that?”
Rosander stopped in his tracks as Eizentin teased with her best imitation of a strict jailer. The frown on his face made her want to laugh, but she held it back.
“Klaus.”
“Is that so?”
Eizentine rolled her eyes and sneakily glanced at Rosander. He’d answered, so she’d obviously won, but she didn’t feel good about it. The problem was that she had unintentionally repeated what Klaus had said.
She was playing on the same level as him. Besides, it was true that Rosander was a hunter, and he was married, so he was an uncle, but that didn’t mean he was someone to be messed with.
“You know I didn’t mean it, I was just throwing it out there, I’m sorry.”
In any case, she admitted her mistake, acknowledging that she was a better person than Klaus. Rosander resumed walking along the forest path, still holding her.
Eizentine squirmed in his arms, her lips pouting. She couldn’t recall any pleasant memories related to Klaus.
Their first meeting involved her merely staring at him, and he accused her of being cheeky for looking at him like that, which earned him a good kick in the shin. On the second occasion, he had the audacity to bring Sir Sylvain with him and threatened her not to hit him, and on the third, he lost a jousting match and blamed the squire for managing the horses.
The worst part is that when she argues with Klaus, no one takes her side. No one dares to challenge the prince.
That’s when she became obsessed with winning. Klaus used to tease her with a wooden stick, poking and prodding her. She lunged for revenge with a mere branch. Eizentine couldn’t help but chuckle.
“By the way, why is Ross Sir Wayne? He’s Sir Ross.”
While recalling Sir Sylvain, Eizentine had a question. Both Sylvain and Hayden were knights from the same family, but why was Rosander called by his last name instead?
“Because it’s the name His Majesty has granted. It takes precedence over my first name, as a sign of respect for the king’s decree.”
“Did Rosander not have a last name?”
“No, Wayne is my last name.”
So, his first name is his last name, out of respect for the royal family. But why would he do something so uncomfortable when he has a first name?
Confused, Eizentine tried to come to a conclusion.
“Do you prefer to be called Wayne or Ross?”
“I prefer Ross.”
“Okay, Ross.”
Unable to withstand the silence that had settled in, Eizentine spoke to Rosander once again.
“Do you know what Klaus says about me?”
“What does he say?”
“He calls me a coward, to my face. It’s ridiculous, who does he think he is? He’s the real coward. He wouldn’t even stand a chance against Lav. It’s like he’s saying, ‘I won’t challenge you again because you’re a coward.'”
‘Is he not fighting me again because he thinks I’m a coward?’
Whatever it is, it’s something Klaus says every time he loses and wants to play again.
Eizentine thought that if Klaus would be horrified to death if he ever learned of Lav’s existence, though he doubted he’d ever go that far after hating the queen who had usurped his mother’s throne.
“You mean the mermaid? Did you tell her your name?”
Rosander frowned, and Eizentine pressed her fingers to his forehead.
“Why? Lav was nice.”
“Next time, don’t just drop in like that.”
Eizentine, who had secretly eavesdropped on the maids’ conversation about her mother’s unusual interests, discovered the existence of the mermaid. Her curiosity was piqued when she realized that Rosander, who was feeding the mermaid, hadn’t told her about it.
“A princess’s name is a noble thing,” he said. “It should not be shared or used lightly.”
“It’s okay, she comes from a noble family.”
“How do you know that?”
“Her name is in an ancient language. I’ve been studying hard lately, Ross.”
Lav was a dream. Eizentine didn’t know exactly what the name Lavinia meant, but she recognized the nickname immediately.
Even if the merfolk were a species capable of using ancient languages, they shouldn’t be treated this way, no matter what kind of creature they were. She didn’t know how such a sacred being ended up in the palace, but at some point she had to be set free.
“I’m friends with Lav now, and there’s no stopping that.”
“Princess Eizentine.”
Eizentine glanced at Rosander discreetly. He rarely addressed her this way.
The first time was when she asked about his past, and the second was when he relayed her mother’s words. Rosander hated the queen, a hatred that had been instilled in him from an early age. Yet, he followed the queen’s orders without a word.
It was a strange matter, but it was a familiar submission to Eizentine as well.
“Why…?” Eizentine cautiously asked.
Was there some other story she didn’t know, or shouldn’t know, that keeps Lav in the palace? Rosander hesitated for a moment before giving a stern answer.
“Don’t get too attached. The fate of that mermaid is such that it could die at any time.”
Eizentine tilted her head. Lav resembled a fairy created from water. In fairy tales, weren’t mysterious beings who helped heroes and then disappeared?
The flowing blue hair and ice-like eyes continued to fascinate her.
The assumption that Lav was captured because she had harmed humans became meaningless when she met her.
Anyone who exchanged a few words with a mermaid would immediately realize how kind and gentle she was.
Thinking that they had captured her with the intention of using her weighed heavily on Eizentine’s heart.
If Lav could die, Eizentine thought, she would do everything to make sure that didn’t happen.
