One Day, My Fiancé Brought His First Love Along - Chapter 36

After returning home ahead of the others, Aileen barely managed to shake off Sera who clung to her in a panic, demanding to know what had happened—before she finally collapsed into bed.

Her body was beyond exhausted, and emotionally, she was completely drained. Without waiting for her family, who were still busy mingling at the banquet, Aileen fell into a deep sleep.

The fatigue wrapped around her like a blanket, pulling her under—and she dreamed. It was the memory of the accident that had nearly taken her life several years ago. The one where, despite the scout unit’s report confirming the area was secure, they were suddenly ambushed.

It had always felt suspicious—too calculated to be a simple mistake. But Carlisle and her family, worried it might leave her with lasting trauma, had urged her to step away from knighthood and forget about the incident altogether. And for the most part, she had.

Just as death loomed close in the dream, Aileen jerked awake.

“Hah… Hah…”

Her thin sleepwear clung to her back, soaked in cold sweat. She sat upright, gasping for air, trying to steady her pounding heart.

It had been years since she’d conquered that trauma. Years without a single dream about that day. So why now? Why tonight, of all times, did that nightmare come back to torment her? A creeping unease swept through her body.

Aileen lay awake for a long time afterward, unable to fall back asleep.

While tracing the memory of that day in her mind, she eventually drifted off again—only to be met the next morning by the scolding of her entire family at the breakfast table.

“Why on earth did you go home alone, huh? You’re going to drive me mad!”

Ashite slammed a fist lightly against his chest in frustration as he shouted.

“If I’ve somehow made you feel like you couldn’t rely on me as your father… I hope you’ll tell me.”

Duke Revart, his expression serious, looked at her with wounded eyes.

The Duchess said nothing, but her gaze remained fixed intently on Aileen.

“It’s nothing like that.”

“Then why did you come home alone without saying anything, and wearing that wrecked dress?”

Ashite’s sharp voice cut in before her sentence even ended.

“It felt uncomfortable. And it was too much trouble to go looking for all three of you.”

Fortunately, it seemed the incident with Judith hadn’t reached her family yet. Likely because it happened near the balcony at the edge of the ballroom, away from the crowd, while the banquet was still in full swing.

“If you go off alone again…”

“Then you’ll have to stick to me the whole time.”

“Seriously? Are you saying that for real?”

“Sure, go ahead.”

“If you complain about me hovering too much, I swear…”

Aileen brushed off Ashite’s threat with a tired response, then took a long drink of cold water.

“What about Jeron?”

The Duchess, who had been quiet until now, suddenly spoke. Aileen, who had planned to excuse herself quickly after finishing her meal, had her plans ruined.

“Well… that’s…”

Trying to find the right words, Aileen gave up and went straight to the point.

“It didn’t work out. I don’t think I’ll ever feel that way about Jeron. But the problem is, he says he’s not giving up.”

She let out a soft sigh. The Duchess watched her silently for a moment, then spoke gently.

“If you’ve given it a fair chance and still feel nothing, then that’s your answer. If Jeron becomes too persistent and it puts you in a difficult position, you don’t need to tolerate it, Aileen.”

“Understood, Mother. I’ll remember that.”

Just hearing those words made her feel a little lighter. A part of her had expected her mother to gently insist she give Jeron another try—but that worry now seemed unnecessary.

“Well, Jeron’s not a bad guy. But if what bothers you is how delicate he is, then fair enough. You’ve got training today, right? Let’s go together.”

Surprisingly, Ashite shifted the topic with ease. He stood and gave her shoulder a light pat. Aileen nodded and pushed back her chair to stand with him.

I’ll shake off the memory of last night’s miserable banquet during training.

Swinging a sword without thinking usually cleared her head and lifted her mood.

But that carefree determination wouldn’t last long.

Following the imperial banquet, the days passed in peaceful repetition—constant training in preparation for a swordsmanship tournament whose exact date had yet to be announced.

But as always, disruption arrived without warning.

“Sir Aileen, starting three days from now, you’ll represent the Khan Order in a joint training session with the other two knight orders.”

“…Excuse me?”

“You remember what His Majesty said during his visit to the training grounds, don’t you? Not only Sel, but also Khan and Lil will be participating in the northern campaign. This is part of that preparation.”

Commander Cylas spoke with his usual stoic expression, seemingly unbothered by Aileen’s wide-eyed reaction.

It was an outrageous situation. Throwing aside her usual politeness, Aileen couldn’t help but respond with frustration in her voice.

“But why me? Why am I the representative?”

“That’s classified.”

“What?”

“There’s no reason I need to explain everything to someone who’s merely a member of the order.”

Cylas’s cold response struck deep, cutting through Aileen’s rising frustration. She bit her tongue and fell silent.

He was right. As commander, Cylas had every right not to share the upper-level decisions with the rest of the knights.

“The Sel Order has agreed to pass on the information and experience they’ve gathered while fighting the Northern tribes to the Khan and Lil Orders. Neither side has the time for a full personnel transfer, so it was decided each order would send one representative. From our order, you’ve been chosen to go and learn everything.”

“…”

“The official number is two, but aside from you, the second participant hasn’t yet been selected. That will be announced later.”

The moment Cylas mentioned a second person, whispers began to spread among the knights, stirring a low wave of curiosity.

“You’re to observe everything and ensure none of it is lost. When you return, you’ll be responsible for teaching it all to the rest of the Khan Order. Understood? That’s all.”

Cylas delivered the announcement in his usual flat tone, unaffected by the murmurs, then turned and left the training grounds without so much as a glance back.

Aileen stood frozen, blindsided. Her knees nearly buckled, and she almost sank where she stood—until a voice called out from behind, anchoring her back to the moment.

“Aileen.”

“Vice Commander Siran.”

She had never found the faint smile in his eyes so annoying before. Aileen greeted him stiffly, her expression as frozen as her thoughts.

“Why me?” she asked flatly. “There are plenty of knights more experienced, more seasoned.”

“Are you currently involved in any official missions for the Khan Order?”

The casual, teasing tone only deepened her scowl—until the answer hit her. Oh… so that was it.

She dropped her gaze and muttered reluctantly, “…No.”

“Then there’s your answer.”

Siran gave a low chuckle, clearly satisfied.

It all clicked into place. She hadn’t been picked for her lack of ability—but precisely because of timing. Despite being a fully appointed knight, Aileen was the only one in the order who wasn’t yet on official assignment.

Her skill was never the issue. She was more than ready to be deployed. But due to regulations requiring six months of internal training and mission preparation for new members, she hadn’t yet been added to the active roster.

That rule rarely held any real weight. Orders were almost never idle enough to afford such a luxury—and most knights completed their training far earlier due to their talent. Aileen was no exception. She had long since surpassed the probation period.

However, Cylas had placed particular value on her ability and ordered her to remain in the training grounds—to supervise drills and assist with sparring. That’s why she hadn’t yet been sent to the frontlines.

And now, this sudden, absurd assignment.

“There’s no helping it,” Siran said with a shrug. “Out of everyone in the order, you’ve got the most flexibility. And let’s be honest—other than the commander and me, you’re one of the most skilled here.”

“…”

“I know you separate work and personal matters with precision. I’m counting on you. It won’t be easy, but you’ll manage.”

With that, Siran clapped her on the back a few times in mock encouragement, then wandered off to join the rest of the knights.

Aileen let herself collapse onto a bench. Her legs had no strength left, and her mind had gone completely blank. She stared down at the ground for a long time, unmoving.

Eventually, her tangled thoughts began to unravel, allowing her to piece things together.

It might not be Carlisle who represents the Sel Order. She told herself that over and over. No one knew better than Aileen how busy he was. His schedule was packed—barely able to keep up with his primary duties. There was no way he would have time to lead the training himself.

She told herself it wasn’t fear of lingering feelings that made her uneasy. It was the discomfort of being forced into regular contact with someone she had such a painful history with. And surely, Carlisle would feel the same… wouldn’t he?

But reality wasn’t so kind.

“From today forward, I’ll be leading your sessions on the Northern tribes. I’m Carlisle.”

Aileen pressed her lips together tightly as she stared at the man standing in front of her.

He looked slightly more worn than he had at the banquet—but his presence was as commanding as ever. Calm. Unwavering. Overwhelming.

Clad in the perfectly buttoned black uniform of the Sel Order, his hand resting casually on the hilt of his sword, he slowly scanned the assembled knights.

His face, pale and sharply sculpted, was framed by strong brows and deep-set eyes shadowed beneath. His long, narrow gaze seemed darker today, touched with something cold. His deep blue eyes—like a night sea—met hers for a second, then passed right over her.

Standing before the four knights, Carlisle spoke without arrogance or flourish. With a steady, measured voice, he began explaining the training that lay ahead.

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