One Day, My Fiancé Brought His First Love Along - Chapter 83

“—Look at Princess Revart. She’s a knight, and yet she acts like she’s someone special. But she has such a rough personality. It’s frightening.”

“—Where has the dignity of nobility gone? Tsk.”

In truth, it was she who had her reputation dragged through the mud.

Already uninterested in social circles, she withdrew even further after that incident.

I used to be indifferent to idle gossip, but after that day, I lost all affection for those people. From then on, I deliberately ignored their remarks—no matter how insulting they were.

Of course, becoming the center of attention at a banquet was an entirely different matter.

After surviving a near-fatal incident, stepping away from her journalism work, and with her engagement to Carlisle essentially finalized, she began to return to society—slowly and cautiously, revealing only the bare minimum of herself.

And now that she had finally regained the knighthood she had longed for, she no longer cared what others were saying about her—as long as they didn’t stand in the way of her future as a knight.

So, what should we do about Carlisle?

The most effective way to unsettle him would be to show him that she was doing well. Carlisle had always been an indifferent man—barely affected by reputation, nor shaken by the harsh words thrown his way.

Even if he got angry and stripped her of her title—if he married Judith and moved on—he would still be satisfied. Besides, the Emperor still had need of him. Carlisle couldn’t make a reckless move just yet.

It was difficult to predict the Emperor’s true intentions as he continued to use Carlisle in his plan to bring down the Marquis of Hessiden.

And if Carlisle were to marry Judith, causing a rift within the Hessiden family, he wouldn’t be happy either.

Aileen slowly turned her head.

“You never know what kind of monster might appear,” she said. “Always stay on alert. Sort them by danger level and inform the knights as thoroughly as possible.”

Carlisle was busy giving instructions to Piel.

There had to be a moment… to say thank you. Aileen whispered that to herself.

✦ ✦ ✦

“So, what’s the damage report?”

The Marquis of Hessiden, his dark eyes narrowed, asked coldly through the communication port.

“There are about seven knights with minor injuries,” the man on the other side replied. His voice was timid, and his shoulders flinched at the Marquis’s tone—just as expected.

“What about Carlisle and Revart? Is Revart unharmed?”

His suppressed anger flowed slowly into the words. Marquis Hessiden clenched his trembling fists and asked again. No, it wasn’t a question. It was closer to a monologue.

He said he had released more ferocious high-level monsters than originally planned. The northern noble had spoken in a way that slyly tried to mask his misjudgment, but I knew he had hoped for more damage—if not death, then at least serious injury. But Carlisle was safe.

Marquis Hessiden, not being a knight himself, didn’t know how skilled Carlisle or Aileen truly were. He had assumed even Carlisle would struggle against something of that level.

I don’t know exactly how Carlisle feels about Aileen now. But he had always been the kind of man who couldn’t do anything about her—never able to control or confront what she meant to him.

You were separated by a curse you didn’t choose. That must have left regrets.

Even if his feelings for Aileen had faded, there were still rumors—rumors that he was always jealous of his subordinates. It seemed very likely that he wouldn’t be able to sit by and watch his former fiancée be put in danger.

And that thought—it made me angry.

Even if part of me wanted him to suffer.

“Carlisle.”

The Marquis muttered his name through clenched teeth.

“Carlisle.”

The Marquis muttered the name in a biting tone.

No matter how deeply Judith might have loved Carlisle, to the Marquis of Hessiden, he was nothing more than an unpleasant man.

He had reluctantly agreed to the engagement because his daughter was not in her right mind—but truthfully, he had wanted to dissuade her. Even now, he couldn’t convince himself that Carlisle truly loved Judith.

Had Carlisle ever been entangled with Aileen—had he shown even a trace of lingering affection—Judith would’ve ripped him apart, regardless of how hurt she felt.

Thankfully, Aileen’s hostility toward Carlisle was obvious. And Carlisle, for his part, never approached Aileen unless it was strictly professional. He avoided unnecessary contact.

Still, wasn’t it strange? The man about to marry Judith remained strangely ambiguous.

Even though Carlisle was on the verge of joining the family, he remained distant. He had shown no real willingness to approach them or adapt to aristocratic life.

On the surface, he was loyal to the Emperor. More precisely, he was loyal to the Diert Empire itself. But either way, since the Emperor ruled the Empire, the outside world saw it all the same.

While Carlisle and the Emperor had once been close during their academy years, after graduation, their relationship had clearly settled into that of master and servant. Carlisle had never behaved in a way that suggested he was part of the Emperor’s inner faction.

He simply fulfilled his duties as commander of the Imperial Knights. That was the full extent of his involvement.

And that was precisely why the Marquis of Hessiden tolerated Carlisle’s insolence for so long.

Ironically, it was another man—the one who always upheld the Emperor’s orders and continually interfered—that had become the real thorn in the Marquis’s side. That man had even gone so far as to place a curse on foreign nobles.

Had Carlisle openly supported Edith, the Marquis would have demanded that he formally convert to nobility as a condition for marrying Judith.

Judith had listened to what Carlisle said, and asked that her father not pressure him too early.

Still, even if the Marquis didn’t express it openly, seeing Carlisle unharmed stirred bitterness. That, however, was a separate issue.

The trap had been set for Aileen, but deep down, the Marquis had secretly hoped Carlisle would also be injured.

Judith had hoped for it too. She had expected him to be at least slightly hurt—even if she burst into tears upon hearing he was wounded. Her anger only doubled when she found out that Aileen Revart, the woman who constantly stood in her way, had come out completely unscathed.

Even though he wasn’t the type to raise his voice or show open anger, Haller—Count Petter’s son—was deeply frustrated. And because Count Petter was too valuable to sacrifice, the Marquis swallowed his irritation.

“This time, let it go,” he said. “But remember—you must succeed next time.”

“Yes, Marquis!”

Haller’s voice rang out, almost eagerly, as though he had been waiting for the moment. And with that, the communication port cut off.

Haller, who was originally supposed to remain in the capital, had ended up joining the punitive force dispatched with Aileen—all thanks to the quiet arrangements made by the Marquis of Hessiden.

Disguised as a knight named Boris, Haller had been waiting for a chance to strike. Revenge against Aileen burned at his core.

Fortunately, I haven’t been caught yet. But it’s so hard to contain the rage whenever I see her in front of me…

He was trembling from the effort to suppress his emotions. It nearly overwhelmed him.

But he clenched his fists, forcing himself to endure—repeating the same words like a mantra.

“The goal is just ahead… Just a little longer. Hold on. Just a little longer.”

How long had it been since they last rode on horseback?

Before them stood a massive castle wall, dark and imposing, as if nothing could ever breach it. Its near-black color gave it a cold, heavy, and unapproachable presence—one that seemed to wrap the entire fortress in silence.

Aileen swallowed dryly at the sight. The Rebart family’s stronghold matched its fearsome reputation. The Hanilom Mountains, after all, were not known for hospitality.

As the knights drew closer, the pitch-black gates groaned as they opened. Aileen narrowed her eyes as light spilled through the gap, revealing several figures stepping out.

“You’ve arrived earlier than expected. Welcome, Master Carlisle. And knights.”

A middle-aged man with a slender build and gentle eyes stepped forward—it was the baron who governed the territory. He greeted them warmly.

“You must have had a difficult journey. I’ve prepared hot water for you to bathe and rest. Please, go inside and relax.”

Following the Baron’s guidance, Aileen entered—and her eyes widened at the scene awaiting her.

“Wow! The Knights of Sel are here!”

“It’s Count Aberg!”

“Welcome, knights!”

Cheers erupted from all directions. The crowd, made up entirely of locals, greeted them with uncontainable joy.

Men, women, and children alike beamed brightly, like flowers in full bloom. Some threw petals they had prepared in advance, others waved both hands wildly in excitement, and many simply cheered with all their heart.

The welcome was so enthusiastic that even passersby couldn’t help but feel moved. White flower petals rained down, scattered by a young girl named Ji-min, clinging to Aileen’s hair like spring snow.

She knew the Knights of Sel had often visited to offer protection, but she hadn’t expected such warmth. She blinked in slight surprise.

Even though they were warriors who came to defend these people, the response felt far too affectionate—too personal to be formal.

Noticing her confusion, Piel, walking beside her, gave a light laugh and explained kindly.

“That’s because they know us. This isn’t our first or second visit. There are many lives here we’ve helped protect—personally.”

The Hanilom Mountains were more dangerous than most regions, which made visits from the Knights of Sel more frequent. On top of that, Carlisle himself had come from a commoner background.

Carlisle, who had earned the title of earl entirely on his own without the backing of any noble family, had become a symbol of hope—and envy—for the empire’s common folk. Many projected their own dreams onto him.

Because of that, the people of the estate had grown to feel close to him. They welcomed the knights more warmly than ever, and likewise, the knights treated the locals with greater kindness—an influence that stemmed from Carlisle himself.

“They say the captain has always been beloved by the people of the empire,” Piel continued. “He secretly greets everyone, remembers details, and treats others with care. It’s no wonder they feel close to him. Honestly, I just wish he’d be that gentle with us too.”

Though Piel’s explanation was meant to satisfy Aileen’s curiosity, his words ended with a light-hearted grumble.

As they stepped into the castle, Carlisle was walking ahead with the baron, so Piel didn’t seem too hesitant in speaking freely.

But that moment didn’t last.

His voice was quickly drowned out—scattered like grains of sand—by a loud voice coming from the front.

“Oh! Lord Carlisle is here.”

From the distance, a large man strode forward quickly, waving one hand in greeting.

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