NOVEL WEB Episode 17
Episode 17
“Is he really a knight?”
“Well, I didn’t hear that specifically… but he’s wearing armor, so he must be, right?”
Mary stammered, looking equally uncertain. Verona frowned and looked at the man again.
He wore a shining plate armor as if he had just returned from a war. However, his sloppy posture and the fact that he was dozing off in the side palace’s parlor made him look anything but a knight.
‘Carlos wouldn’t have sent a strange person… would he?’
Despite her doubts, she stepped inside. The man continued to nod off, his forehead almost touching the table.
“Hey!”
“Huh?”
Mary, looking displeased, banged on the table. The man jolted awake and tried to get up but tumbled off the chair because of his legs propped on the table.
‘This guy seems pretty uncoordinated.’
Verona watched him climb back into his chair with a frown. The man spoke with a somewhat rude tone.
“Why the hell are you banging on the table all of a sudden?”
“…What?”
Who is this person?
Verona’s mouth dropped open in disbelief. His attitude was bad enough, but his tone was even worse. No knight in the imperial palace would behave like this.
“How dare you speak to the princess like that?”
Mary fumed. The man scratched his head nonchalantly and sat back down.
“Ah, right. Are you Princess Verona?”
His golden eyes scanned her indifferently.
“They said I should guard you.”
“‘They said?'”
“His Majesty told me to come here. So, how should I protect you? Do I need to keep assassins out of your bedroom? Or is there a sneaky spy trying to poison you?”
“…”
“Well? Hurry up and tell me.”
Contrary to his urging, his face showed clear signs of annoyance.
“Just tell me what you want. I’ll do it and then leave.”
“What’s your name?”
“Huh?”
The man tilted his head at Verona’s abrupt question.
“Is my name what you want? It’s Retrius.”
“Sir Retrius, are you still half-asleep?”
“What do you mean?”
“Why are you speaking so informally?”
Informal speech deserves informal speech in return.
Verona crossed her arms confidently and leaned back. The man’s expression turned sour.
“Damn, she’s definitely the Emperor’s fiancée…”
“Cursing now?”
“Alright! Alright!”
The man yelled, obviously annoyed but resigned.
Suddenly, Carlos’s voice came from behind.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“Huh?”
The man froze, a strangled noise escaping him.
“Mary, leave us.”
Carlos strode over with his long legs. Mary glared at Retrius before stepping out and closing the door. As soon as the door shut, Carlos grabbed Retrius by the neck and slammed him onto the table.
“Argh!”
“I told you to drop that insolent attitude.”
“It hurts! Let go!”
“Did you take my orders lightly? How dare you yell at Verona?”
“My neck! My neck! It’s going to break!”
Despite being fully armored, Retrius was helpless against Carlos’s bare hands.
After repeatedly promising to show respect and sincerity, Retrius was finally released by Carlos.
“My name is Retrius, Princess Verona.”
With his cheek swollen, he rubbed his jaw, making it clear this wasn’t his voluntary will, but he still showed proper etiquette.
Carlos sat beside Verona and took her hand.
“Did that brute’s shouting scare you?”
It was bewildering, but not enough to be frightening, Verona thought, just as Carlos glanced seriously at her lower abdomen.
“What if the baby was startled?”
“…I don’t think that would happen. Not over something like this.”
“The child has to exist first for that to be a concern.”
But suddenly, Retrius’s mouth dropped open.
“What? A child?”
“Yes.”
Carlos glared at him with a look that could kill.
“Now do you understand your crime?”
“No, I don’t think yelling would cause a miscarriage. But that’s beside the point.”
Retrius stammered and then asked, “Are you really saying that Princess Verona is carrying your child, Your Majesty?”
“Why else do you think I called you here?”
Carlos retorted coldly.
“Your only value lies in your strength.”
“So, you called me to protect a pregnant woman?”
“Exactly.”
“What do you need then? A shield that deflects arrows and daggers? An antidote for all poisons? Or is the princess’s maid controlled by a dark sorcerer?”
“Prevent suspicious people from getting close to the princess.”
“What?”
Retrius’s face twisted in confusion, then he shouted.
“So nothing’s actually happened yet!”
“I called you because something might happen.”
“Am I your dog? To be summoned for such trivial matters?”
“Precisely.”
Carlos spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“You swore to do whatever I commanded, didn’t you?”
“Damn it…”
Retrius groaned, clutching his head.
“I should never have made that promise. If I’d known it would come back to haunt me like this…”
His muttering was anything but knightly.
“Carlos, is he really a knight?”
“Ah, to be precise, he’s not part of the Imperial Knights.”
“Then what is he?”
“He’s a dragon.”
“What?!”
A dragon? An actual dragon?
Seeing Carlos speak so casually about it and Retrius reacting nonchalantly made it clear this wasn’t a joke.
“Not a member of some dragon knight order, but an actual dragon?”
“Exactly.”
Carlos corrected himself as Retrius received a glare from Carlos and quickly adjusted his tone.
Considering she herself was a mermaid, it felt strange to doubt the existence of other species. Still, it was hard to believe since he looked completely human.
“Don’t worry. He’s just a lazy bum I dragged from his lair. He’d do nothing but sleep otherwise. There’s no better guard dog to protect our child.”
Carlos reassured her, patting her hand. Retrius, though visibly frustrated, didn’t argue.
“I came to make sure that brute didn’t show you any disrespect. Now that I’ve set him straight, I need to get back. I left in the middle of a meeting. I’ll come again this evening.”
Carlos kissed her forehead and stood up.
“Feel free to order him around. Make him do all the dirty, annoying, and trivial tasks.”
He gave Retrius another stern look before leaving. Retrius flinched and averted his eyes.
“Phew, that temper of his.”
As soon as Carlos left, Retrius shook his head.
“Did he blackmail you or something?”
Verona asked curiously, watching him.
“Are you really a dragon? You seem to be at his mercy.”
“I am!” Retrius snapped.
“Carlos… I mean, His Majesty, is different from others.”
“What’s different about him?”
“Dragons can’t break their oaths.”
Retrius explained, reverting to a more casual speech, then squinted at her.
“Wait a minute, Princess Verona. You’re not human, are you?”
“…What?”
“Your aura is different.”
His golden eyes narrowed, making her shiver.
“You’re a mermaid, aren’t you?”
Retrius seemed intrigued.
“That makes sense. I thought His Majesty wouldn’t choose just anyone.”
“How did you know?”
“I told you, I’m a dragon. You didn’t believe me?”
He grumbled and sighed.
“Well, I’m bound by my oath, so I have no choice. I’ll guard you, Princess.”
He sounded reluctant, but Verona caught an odd term in his speech.
‘Oath?’
Was that why Carlos could easily subdue him?
As she pondered, Mary entered the room, glaring suspiciously at Retrius.
“Princess, His Majesty has invited you to dine with him this evening.”
“Oh, really? Shall we go?”
“Let’s go.”
Retrius got up, his armor clanking.
“Since I’m supposed to be your guard, I should stay close.”
“Fine.”
Verona wasn’t sure if such an imposing guard was necessary, but Carlos wanted it.
‘Besides, who knows what Olivia might do?’
Though she didn’t think Olivia was capable of anything serious yet, Verona preferred not to take chances.
“Can I call you Retty?”
After trying to say his long name several times, she asked as she left the room.
“Your name is too long and a hassle. How about Retty, Sir Retty?”
“What if I say no?”
“I’ll still call you that.”
“Damn it. It sounds too girly.”
Following her with a sword at his hip and scratching his head, he looked more like a puppy than a dragon. She found herself agreeing with Carlos’s description of him as a guard dog.
But Mary seemed less convinced. She stuck close to Verona, whispering with disapproval.
“Princess, that man is really strange. Are you sure you want him around? He seems more suspicious than Mareighton.”
“If His Majesty says to keep him, we should.”
Verona replied nonchalantly, heading to her bedroom. She planned to rest before Carlos returned. Retty stood outside her bedroom door. Before lying down, she sat at her dressing table.
“Mary, my neck feels itchy. Can you bring me a mirror?”
“I’ll get the ebony mirror you received as a gift. Did you scratch your neck? Why does it hurt?”
Mary quickly fetched the mirror and handed it to Verona, asking permission to lift her hair and inspect her neck.
“Oh my!”
“What is it?”
Mary’s startled reaction made Verona curious. She picked up the ebony mirror and looked at the reflection of her neck in the dressing table mirror.
‘What is this!’
A distinct red mark stood out against her pale skin. It was a lip mark.
‘Carlos, really!’