The Nymph Wants to be Plundered - Chapter 229

Was this the one? Her height was about the same as the young ladies he’d seen in social circles, and she wore a plain dress. Most tellingly, she stared directly at Asar before her gaze turned to Cayan, the Imperial knight, and she seemed to be acting coquettishly—so it seemed to be her. By rough estimation. So this was why he’d been expelled from a perfectly good marquisate and was wandering around such countryside, wasn’t he?

‘Her manners are somewhat lacking…’

“Thank you.”

At Cayan’s neat response, the woman even gave a slight curtsy.

“Not at all!”

Once he viewed her unfavorably, even that cheerful tone didn’t sit well with him. Asar picked up a madeleine and placed it on his plate while asking nonchalantly,

“Who is that lady?”

“Oh, I’m Faye, the village chief’s daughter. I’m…”

“Dear! Take more of these with you. Excuse me.”

Through the open doorway, some young man who looked like a farmer peered in and held something out. When the woman who had introduced herself as Faye approached the door to receive it, Asar was flabbergasted.

No way, he brazenly put a married woman on his horse…?! Wait. Even if they were entangled in some scandal, she might be reluctant to leave the Empire. There’s no guarantee he was escorting that woman around. That’s it—now I understand. He’s a scoundrel who privately seduces women wherever he goes!

It was a conclusion that made his hair stand on end just thinking about it. No wonder his grandfather’s words were right—no matter who looked, there was no way a plump, delicious apple would hang abundantly on branches convenient for people to pick. Those who knew would have already plucked them all!

As Asar fell silent with an instantly sour expression, the fellow who was either an Imperial knight or a playboy stood up.

“As I mentioned through your attendant, I should be going now. I have a long way to travel.”

Go ahead and leave—he absolutely wouldn’t try to stop him.

Though Asar himself wasn’t particularly moral, he believed that the first knight he personally selected absolutely must not be that way. Yet inwardly, he felt it was rather regrettable. When would there ever be another chance for a young knight from the Empire—and from the Heliotrope Knights at that—to come to the Kingdom of Devran? Even among the knights currently forming the kingdom’s knight order, not a single one was a graduate of Imperial knight orders or military academies.

‘What should I do?’

If he tried to stop him now, it would seem like admitting defeat, but letting him go so carelessly felt like wasting a rare opportunity. No, that fellow was poison that shouldn’t be touched rashly.

With a bitter expression, he tried to force himself to change his thinking. After officially becoming king, if he made efforts to invite decent knights from various continents, wouldn’t one or two come? Though a newly appointed knight who received investiture from the Heliotrope Knights might be somewhat difficult.

In the end, Asar maintained his silence and let the suspicious knight go. He couldn’t judge at all whether this was the right thing to do or not.

‘Damn it…’

Having a bitter taste in his mouth from eating several madeleines with their strong lemon flavor, Asar slowly stood up.

He must have left by now, right? Good, it was the right thing to do. They say out of sight, out of mind, so he could just think of it as a momentary lapse and forget about it.

When he emerged from the village chief’s house, the dazzlingly bright sun was blazing overhead. It had become even hotter than when he’d arrived, making him frown, when his attendant, who had been waiting outside the whole time, quickly welcomed him.

“Your Highness, are you returning now? That knight put the woman on his horse and left first.”

Damned bastard. Was he planning to brazenly ride around this suburb with a woman who had a perfectly good husband? Though come to think of it, the husband who watched with his eyes wide open as his wife was played with by some stranger who was only handsome on the surface was equally pathetic.

Asar clicked his tongue in disbelief.

“Tsk, tsk, forget it. A knight who carelessly flirts with women isn’t worth considering! How could I… with someone who plays around and flirts with the village chief’s daughter…”

The attendant tilted his head and lightly scratched the back of his head.

“Huh? No, that’s not right. The woman who was with that knight for a long time is apparently his childhood friend. The knight blocked her way and barely let her speak, seeming to cherish her greatly. Haha, maybe she’s his fiancée.”

Learning the inside story he hadn’t known, Asar felt his heart suddenly sink.

“What did you say?”