A Practical Guide to Ending a One-Sided Love - Chapter 20

The knight uniform, made to excessively emphasize certain parts of the body, was overly decorative and clung tightly enough to hinder movement.

However, the citizens of the Principality were enthusiastic about the knights’ splendid appearance. The nobles also opened their purses more generously the more impressive their outward appearance looked.

He learned of the existence of a special service for nobles who paid especially large donations shortly after he passed adulthood.

‘It’s about time you started meeting the devotees directly as well. Isn’t it?’

Even when the high priest who guided him brought it up, Bjorn held no particular suspicion.

However, the place he was led to had nothing at all to do with a temple, religion, or the name of a holy God.

The only thing that held value there was money.

‘Oh my, a precious item has arrived today. A paladin who has just come of age?’

The order, blinded by donations, sold them like goods, and at that disgusting stall Bjorn was merely one product.

Among them, a paladin was an especially expensive rarity. Only later did he learn the price placed upon his own body.

The faithful paid money to buy his time. Depending on the amount of offering, the quantity and intensity of time they could spend with him differed, so everyone competed to donate more.

Among them were elderly noblewomen, and even the lady of a ducal house who had only just held her wedding. Even men frequently looked him over and pulled out blank checks. Naturally, he felt revulsion.

At first absentmindedly, later out of obligation, he went through several ‘audiences’. However, from the day he realized that the possibility of acts he couldn’t even bring himself to speak of was included in those meetings, Bjorn fiercely refused the activity.

The temple coaxed and threatened him. They said it was a necessary duty all qualified knights carried out. Sometimes deceived, sometimes unable to resist pressure. After that, he was dragged out several more times.

Even as his pride and soul shattered, the nobles merely coveted the beautiful paladin.

He was sickened by those who observed and evaluated him as if dealing with a rare animal. There were even shameless ones who demanded they would do as they pleased with Bjorn’s body since they had paid.

It was around that time he noticed the existence of Leila Bailey. Exactly when Bjorn felt disgust toward everything in the world. Around the time when any noble made him recoil.

Thus, from the beginning the feelings he held toward her were close to hatred. From then until now, he had never once considered the possibility that he and a woman named Leila Bailey would be entangled in any intimate relationship.

Meaning that, like right now, the act of performing buffoonery at the entrance of some alley in the capital with that woman hanging at his side had never existed in his life plans.

“Oy, big bro! Come talk with me for a sec, will ya?”

How much of a human life proceeds as one wishes, and from where does it cease to do so.

Bjorn’s head began to throb.

* * *

The contents of the second plan Allen named ‘the idiot operation’ were simple. To abandon Leila in danger and run away.

The core of the two operations he strongly insisted on was that somehow the man Bjorn had to become someone unbearable to look at.

‘Normally it would end at terrible table manners. It’s practically a landmine.’

‘But Miss Bailey isn’t normal. We need a fallback.’

At Bjorn’s certainty, Allen crossed his arms as if troubled.

If by chance the first failed, the second had to be an even more destructive disgrace.

Among the three who were pondering the contingency plan in an atmosphere as serious as a battlefield tactical meeting, the unexpected idea came from Todd.

‘What about a situation where you leave only the woman in danger and run away? That would be the worst…’

At the unexpected brilliant suggestion, Bjorn and Allen looked toward Todd at the same time.

Indeed, for a knight who valued chivalry more than life, there would be nothing more cowardly.

After a short silence, Allen spoke aloud the thought that had crossed everyone’s mind.

‘You’ve done that before, haven’t you?’

‘…It was when I was young. Before I was even invested as a knight!’

‘Really? How old were you?’

At Allen’s teasing question, Todd exercised his right to remain silent.

Anyway, Bjorn thought it was quite a good method. A man busy running away instead of protecting the weak in danger. Even if he were a woman, he felt all affection would instantly vanish for such an unreliable man.

Of course, until then he expected Leila to raise a white flag from the dining place. However, she overturned everyone’s expectations and completely ignored the first trap.