Weeping Men: The Innocent Princess's Secret Delight - Chapter 1.5
His first meeting with that child had also taken place in a place like this.
When he shared food with a scruffy, starving yellow dog he found in the bushes, it followed him all the way home. No matter how much he tried to chase it away, it wouldn’t leave.
“Now you have to take in useless beasts on top of that one?”
He resented the child for following him home when he knew he’d get scolded, but when his father tried to kill the dog, he rushed in to stop him.
Without knowing how he rashly promised to raise it into an excellent hunting dog.
His father gave him a chance. Not because he believed in his son, but because he disliked the house becoming noisy over a mere puppy.
That’s how he was able to stay with that child.
To raise it as a hunting dog, he should have started by making it hunt small animals, but he was scared and reluctant, so they just ran around every day.
It was a short time, but it was enjoyable. Every moment with that child was happy.
It shouldn’t have been like that.
“…!”
He almost recalled the child’s last moments. Kaizen hurriedly shook off the afterimage.
Perhaps his arms had tensed due to his agitation, as the puppy was struggling.
“S-Sorry…”
He apologized hurriedly and let it go. The puppy ran away again as soon as it jumped out of his arms. It seemed to have gone far, as its presence gradually faded until it could no longer be felt.
‘I should find it—. …No. It’s better not to get involved with me.’
He was worried but restrained himself. Not paying any more attention would truly be the best for the puppy. Kaizen forcibly turned his steps away.
Returning to the Captain’s office, he immersed himself in work to forget his thoughts.
“Captain.”
At that moment, an adjutant entered to report.
“It’s almost time for the assembly, but three are missing.”
“Who’s absent?”
“Teritos, Philian, and Kitchel.”
They were the second sons of Count, Viscount, and Baron families respectively. They were also those who received their titles through training alone, without any practical experience.
It was common for knights who had never experienced wartime situations to be lax in discipline. Kaizen ordered nonchalantly.
“Find them.”
The adjutant hesitated even after hearing the order. When Kaizen raised an eyebrow as if to say ‘What are you doing’, he spoke.
“Well, actually, there’s a bit of a problem with those three.”
“What kind of problem.”
“They’ve been found in taverns before, skipping training. And when we tried to bring them back, they caused a commotion, nitpicking about the backgrounds of the knights who came to fetch them, asking who they were to give orders…”
So they’re even steeped in elitism. Kaizen didn’t hide his disdain as he stood up and put on his cloak.
“I’ll go myself.”
“Captain, in person?! …No, I mean, please go ahead!”
The adjutant was surprised but didn’t try to dissuade him. He understood that Kaizen going himself would be most efficient, as he was inferior to none in terms of status or position, and the search wouldn’t take long.
As the adjutant expected, Kaizen found the three quickly. They were discovered in a pond within the Imperial Palace grounds. As if they had been playing in the water, they were in the pond with their clothes on.
“What are you doing here?”
“C-Captain!”
He approached them reproachfully, as they hadn’t even noticed his arrival, staring blankly at something. They bowed their heads in surprise.
However, their attention was still focused elsewhere. They kept glancing back and trying to turn around.
Kaizen almost looked behind as well. But right now, correcting the lax discipline of his subordinates came first.
“Did you forget about the assembly? Does guarding the Imperial Family seem so easy that you can skip out as you please?”
As the subordinates’ heads lowered even more at his stern words,
“It’s not their fault!”
Along with an urgent voice, someone approached from behind, parting the water.
Kaizen turned around with a glare and couldn’t hide his surprise, his eyes widening.
“…Your Highness.”
He barely managed not to stammer. Instead, he quickly turned his head away. Her state was such that staring intently would be disrespectful in itself.
The Princess was also in the pond.
Which meant she was wet, with her skirt hitched up, exposing her ankles and calves.
‘Is it alright to show ankles so defenseless? Has the capital become much more open in the three years I wasn’t here?’
While confused, a thought suddenly struck him.
‘…So this is why these fellows were staring so intently!’
It was unthinkable for Imperial Knights to look at the Princess’s body so blatantly.
Kaizen was about to severely reprimand his subordinates who were still trying to keep their eyes on the Princess even at this moment.
However, before he could rebuke them, his arm was grabbed. It was the first time since he had grown up that a soft body had entwined with his. Kaizen stiffened once again.
“It’s my fault they’re here… If you’re going to be angry, be angry with me!”
“Please step away.”
Kaizen spoke stiffly without even glancing at the Princess. The more he did so, the more she clung to him, pressing her body closer.
“At first, they just invited me to watch their sparring practice, but then I realized I had dropped my pendant by the pond. When I tried to go find it, they said that as knights, they couldn’t ignore a lady’s trouble and followed… Anyway, it’s my fault! Please scold me!”
The soft bosom kept rubbing against his arm. Kaizen swallowed a sigh and promised.
“…I understand. I won’t reprimand them, so please don’t worry.”
“R-Really…?”
After all, even if it wasn’t dereliction of duty, there were plenty of other reasons to scold them.
The Princess, who took Kaizen’s words at face value, hesitantly stepped back. As she had been clinging to him with only one hand holding her skirt, it had risen even higher. It was at the point where her thighs might be visible at any moment.
Gulp. The sound of his subordinates swallowing was clearly audible.
‘A lady is unaware of herself in this state, and as knights, they can’t even correct it, let alone…’
Kaizen shot a glare at his subordinates and then stepped between them and the Princess, creating a barrier.
He had blocked their view, but having just promised not to reprimand them in front of the Princess, there was nothing more he could do. Kaizen had no choice but to request the Princess.
“Please fix your attire.”
“What? But everyone is helping to find my pendant, I can’t just…”
“Your presence alone is an honor for them, Your Highness.”
Though he spoke indirectly, it was essentially a suggestion to stay still. Understanding his meaning, Judith’s fair cheeks flushed red.
“I-I see. All right…”
The Princess’s eyes instantly filled with embarrassment and disappointment.
He almost apologized for dampening her enthusiasm, but he firmly suppressed the urge. It would be far better for her to be embarrassed by him than to be exposed to the disrespectful gazes of his subordinates.
“Then, I’ll go over there…”
The Princess turned around, lifting her wet skirt even higher.
But she kept stumbling as she walked. Worried that she might fall, he couldn’t take his eyes off her.
“…Haa.”
Kaizen eventually followed closely behind the Princess.
“Excuse me.”
Then he supported her back and the back of her knees, lifting her up.
“Ah!”
The Princess let out a shrill scream as she was lifted. The way she wrapped her arms around his neck seemed quite natural.
Kaizen realized as he observed her reaction.
‘It’s her nature.’
