That Lady’s Stalker - Chapter 20
As Olivia steeled herself and stepped out of the carriage, all the nearby onlookers turned their gazes toward her. As always, she lightly brushed off their stares and approached the soldier guarding the entrance to the training ground.
Thud, thud, thud—her heart, which had been quiet, began to race again. She could see the eyes of the young, somewhat clueless soldier growing wider. Sweating, she gripped her parasol tightly.
“Um… um?”
“Could you please call Commander Asher for me?”
“C-Commander…?”
Suppressing her frustration, Olivia forced a smile and patiently waited for him to regain his composure.
“……”
“Lady! Just… just a moment!”
As Olivia smiled and stared at him, he dashed inside the training ground, flustered. Whether he was quick on his feet or Asher happened to be nearby, the wait wasn’t too long.
Olivia spotted Asher standing somewhat apart from where she was, looking stunned as he gazed at her. It was clear he was pondering whether it was acceptable to show his feelings for her in front of others.
Olivia welcomed him with a bright smile. Seemingly relieved, Asher finally ran toward her.
“Liv!”
His face was full of excitement. The joy that burst forth in his voice was palpable.
In an instant, Asher hugged her tightly. Olivia beamed with happiness as she returned the hug.
“Asher, are you that happy to see me?”
Even though they had met earlier that morning?
“Yeah.”
Asher didn’t elaborate, but Olivia could feel it in his embrace—he too regretted that their time apart had been so brief.
“Can I stay by your side today?”
“Liv, I told you that you don’t need to ask.”
His warm lips pressed gently against her forehead. The surrounding noise of murmurs grew louder. It was a lively commotion, but not unwelcome.
“Hm… is it really that surprising?”
Olivia glanced at a man who had fallen over in shock at the sight of them. The commotion showed no sign of settling and continued to follow them wherever they went.
“I understand. Even I can’t believe it when I’m with you.”
Asher responded to her words while keeping his gaze stubbornly straight ahead. He was adorably embarrassed by the mere act of linking arms.
What on earth had possessed him to be so intense that night…? The memory of spending the night with him suddenly flooded her mind, and she felt heat rise to her cheeks.
As Olivia fanned herself in sudden embarrassment, he looked at her with concern.
“Are you hot?”
She had heard that the officers were going to be training. Olivia quickly shook her head, worried that she might be a distraction to his work.
“No, let’s hurry.”
Naturally, the training could not proceed properly. Although they didn’t say it outright, all the gathered eyes were fixed on Olivia, who was closely positioned next to Asher. While their bodies were actively moving, their minds were not in sync. The faces directed forward didn’t seem to want to move at all.
Feeling the awkwardness, Olivia looked at Asher.
“……”
Asher simply gazed at her with a warm expression. Neither he nor the others had any interest in the training.
Olivia had to acknowledge that her very presence was a nuisance here. Swallowing a sigh, she pointed to the only bench at the edge of the training ground and said to Asher,
“I’ll rest over there.”
“Then I’ll….”
Before she could take a step, she turned to see Asher following her. Even though they weren’t at the Flonari residence, he still wanted to accompany her.
She thought she might be a hindrance, but she never expected him to completely abandon his responsibilities. Reflecting on her casual assumptions, she spoke more sternly,
“I like people who do their jobs diligently. I hope you’re one of those.”
Asher turned away before she finished speaking. The sight of him looking back, as if she had scolded him, made her chuckle. She hurried to the bench and sat down.
The large tree behind her provided a cool shade that welcomed her overhead. The sounds of the soldiers’ vigorous training under Asher’s guidance resonated clearly, even from a distance.
As expected, now that she had moved away, everyone seemed to finally focus on their training. A satisfied smile crept onto her lips. Watching him from a distance wasn’t so bad after all.
Although his serious expression felt somewhat unfamiliar, he appeared undeniably handsome.
Was this what it felt like to simply enjoy watching someone? Olivia understood Asher’s earlier fixation on her. It just felt nice. Nothing else came to mind.
Just as she found it hard to look away from him, a thin voice pierced her ear.
“You’re quite bold to be dealing with a man with black hair.”
The speaker had hair as thin as straw and similarly light-colored eyes. Olivia recognized him instantly.
One corner of his mouth curved upward. He was someone who didn’t even need to bother with managing his expressions.
