“Wuwuwu… Kelly, you have to help me! You have to help me!”
The girl whom Edwin Veid called Kelly was dressed in a well-fitted standard leather armor, her figure agile and athletic, her neat short brown hair highlighting her spirited and heroic aura.
But at this moment, her delicate face was full of anxiety and heartache.
“Edwin, what happened? Don’t cry, tell me, I’ll definitely stand up for you!”
Kelly’s heart was breaking. She hurriedly dropped to one knee and, in a nearly humble posture, gently embraced the childhood friend who haunted her dreams.
Edwin Veid, as if he’d found a vent for his emotions, immediately embellished his story, crying as he recounted how, at dusk, he had “spoken out righteously,” only to be “unfairly scolded” by Astreia, who “sided with outsiders” and showed him no mercy.
He skillfully concealed his own malicious attacks against Wendy, only emphasizing that he had “unfortunately” angered Astreia while trying to defend Princess Royal’s reputation.
Afterwards, Edwin Veid lifted his sleeve and roughly wiped away the tear tracks on his face, complaining, “Kelly, we’ve grown up together, you know me best.
Why did I come to this wretched and dangerous place, Sunset Fortress? Wasn’t it just to be closer to you?”
“But you also know, I’m only a collateral member of the Veid Family. I have to pay a price for everything I do. In order to get the opportunity to come to the front lines, I had no choice… I had to accept the family’s arrangement, agree to court Astreia, and become that ugly Princess’s consort…”
At these words, Kelly’s body tensed slightly, and her gaze dimmed.
Edwin immediately noticed, and hurriedly held her tighter, gazing deeply into the girl’s eyes as he said affectionately, “Of course, this is only a stopgap! I swear, once I become Princess Consort, I will never let Astreia, that fat sow, touch me! By then, I’ll have the authority to summon you as my personal guard, and we can be together openly and forever!”
He sniffled, looking as aggrieved as a child whose candy had been stolen.
“But now… now everything has been ruined by that newcomer, Wendy Black! That wretch! As soon as he arrived, Her Highness was completely bewitched! My future, our future… it’s all gone!”
These words stabbed into Kelly’s heart like a sharp knife.
In her eyes, Edwin was perfect, noble.
All his endurance and “sacrifice” were for their beautiful future together.
And Wendy and Astreia were the culprits who destroyed it all!
“That seductress! And Her Highness! How could they treat you like this!”
Kelly gnashed her teeth, then patted her firm chest and solemnly promised her beloved, “Edwin, don’t worry! Even though I’m just a humble Captain of the Guard, I’m willing to do anything for you! Even… even if it means assassinating that Wendy Black!”
At the word “assassinate,” the grief on Edwin Veid’s face twitched into a barely noticeable smirk, but he quickly replaced it with a look of concern.
“No!” he refused loudly, cupping Kelly’s face in his hands, speaking with deep affection, “How could I let you do something so dangerous?! I will never allow you to be harmed, not even a little!”
Kelly was so moved by his words that her eyes grew red, and any lingering resentment she felt over the “Princess Consort” matter was completely dispelled.
Seeing the time was right, Edwin leaned close to the girl’s ear and lowered his voice, like a venomous snake hissing, “Kelly, no one in all of Sunset Fortress knows about our relationship. That’s our biggest advantage. We just need to…”
He laid out his plan in full detail.
After hearing it, Kelly looked troubled and hesitated, “This… is it really okay to do this? This is the border, after all…”
“Don’t worry!”
Edwin Veid would not let her hesitate further.
He suddenly pulled Kelly up from the ground and pressed her hard against the door.
There was a dull “thud.”
The former Chief Clerk pinned the Captain of the Guard between himself and the door, one arm around Kelly’s waist, the other lifting her chin.
His eyes, still tinged red, were now filled with desire and an overwhelming dominance that brooked no refusal.
“As long as you do as I say, there will be absolutely no problem!”
Edwin’s breath fell hot on Kelly’s face, his voice hoarse and seductive, “For our future…”
The young guard’s eyes flew wide open, staring at the handsome face so close to hers, her body going weak and uncontrollable.
“Gulp…”
Kelly swallowed, the last remnants of her reason swept away by a flood of desire, and she nodded involuntarily.
“Al…alright, for… our future.”
For a moment, the storeroom was filled with the sounds of rustling clothes, heat, and passion.
***
The next morning, at dawn.
Wendy was awakened by a polite knocking at the door.
Sunlight streamed through the cracks in the window, casting bright patches of light across the room.
Prince Wendy rubbed his sleepy eyes and subconsciously reached to throw off the covers and answer the door. But as soon as his feet touched the floor, his mind jolted awake.
‘Damn, almost forgot.’
‘A matriarchal world, male virtue comes first. Being improperly dressed is a major taboo.’
He slowly sat back down on the bed and called out, “Please wait a moment.”
Only then did he leisurely put on his turquoise silk robe, quickly tidy his hair in the mirror to make sure he looked like a “proper” Prince, and then strolled to the door and pulled it open.
Standing outside was Astreia, clad in shining silver armor, her golden hair neatly coiled behind her head, one hand resting on the hilt of her sword, exuding the awe-inspiring presence of the Northern Lioness.
However, when her eyes met Wendy’s, those peach blossom eyes still hazy from sleep, the ambiguous and intimate images from last night flashed uncontrollably through her mind, and her heartbeat skipped a beat for no reason.
“Ahem…”
Princess Astreia cleared her throat a bit awkwardly, forcibly suppressing the flutter in her heart.
She stepped aside, revealing the female soldier standing behind her.
“Wendy, this is Kelly, Captain of the castle guard,” Astreia said, her tone resuming its crispness.
“She’s experienced and responsible. Considering your current situation, after much thought, I’ve decided that from today on, she’ll serve as your bodyguard to ensure your safety. If I’m not with you, just let Kelly handle any problems you run into.”
Wendy looked at the female soldier named Kelly.
Short brown hair to her shoulders, a delicate oval face, her figure considered “standard” among the women of Valoran, not as exaggerated as Astreia.
Only her eyes, when they met his, seemed to dodge away a little unnaturally.
Wendy simply assumed, like Astreia, she also had a thing about male chastity, so he gave a gentle and harmless smile, bowing slightly in greeting, “Then I’ll be in your care, Captain Kelly.”
Kelly hurriedly returned the gesture, keeping her head down and not daring to meet his gaze, “Protecting Prince Wendy… is my duty.”