A Knight Who Protects His Enemies

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Balron, Willas, and Martin dragged me and secured me to Vivian’s bed.

They locked the handcuffs behind my back onto the thick wooden pillar.

They couldn’t even face me. No matter how hard I tried not to resent them, I felt betrayed.

“…You bastards.”

I whispered. It was more a momentary irritation than deep-seated anger.

All my arrows of blame were aimed solely at Vivian.

They were merely her lackeys.

“…Why didn’t you just kill me?”

Martin muttered.

“Is that even something to say?”

“…Sorry.”

“…We should’ve really killed him.”

Balron glanced at Vivian after securing me to the bed.

She was still barking orders, trying to regain control of the situation.

“…Hang in there, Kyle.”

Balron said.

“Hang in there? How long do you think I’m stuck here?”

“…Guests will be arriving soon.”

He replied.

“Vivian’s birthday is coming up. I can’t leave you like this until then.”

…If that were the case, you wouldn’t have tied me up in the first place.

I swallowed my words.

Vivian was changing.

Her unwillingness to let me go was apparent to me.

No, perhaps it was revealing her true nature all along.

She might have been like this from the start.

Thinking back to what she did to me the moment I first arrived in this land, soaked in rage… maybe this was the essence she’d been hiding all this time.

She might just bite back when pushed to the limit.

The trio soon stood as if they had finished their chores.

I shook my arms, bound behind my back, but nothing came loose.

No matter how hard I tried, it made no difference.

I was locked up like this.

“If you’re done, all of you, get out.”

Vivian commanded everyone.

The ones clustered at the center of the chaos began to retreat, glancing around cautiously.

Maid, soldiers, my comrades, even Nesto, all shuffled out of the room.

Vivian quietly followed them out and shut the door the moment everyone had left.

Silence hung around the previously chaotic space.

Vivian didn’t let go of the door for quite some time after closing it.

She didn’t even look back at me.

As her emotions settled, it seemed she realized the extent of her actions, standing there frozen without facing me.

“…What on earth are you thinking?”

I couldn’t hold back any longer and asked.

“What results do you expect? Do you think this will end well?”

This was a completely irrational choice. I hadn’t anticipated that she would make such an illogical decision, and that’s why I ended up like this.

Vivian whispered, her hand still on the door.

“…Even if this leads to destruction.”

She slowly turned to face me.

Her red eyes stared intensely.

“…I need to keep you by my side for at least another day.”

“…”

“…Not having you in my life is my destruction. I won’t tolerate seeing you happy without me. You need to share both sorrow and joy, pain and pleasure… with me.”

After that, she averted her gaze from me and walked over to her desk.

Seated at the desk, she went through papers, looking like someone who had just regained a sudden peace.

It seemed I was invisible to her, pinned to the bed.

It was a moment I let out a hollow laugh, realizing how ridiculous searching for reason in this situation was.

I watched Vivian grit my teeth in frustration.

She paid no attention to me.

But as time passed, she occasionally glanced at me from the corner of her eye.

With a wistful smile as if looking at the most precious thing in the world.

****

The maids entered the room carrying steaming hot water.

They first brought in a large wooden tub, then fetched a jar of hot water and poured it into the tub.

After several trips, the tub quickly filled up.

Before stripping Kyle, Vivian sent all the maids away.

She didn’t want to expose him to anyone.

Ideally, she wanted to hide him from the whole world and keep him for herself.

Only after the maids had left did she swirl her hand in the water to check the temperature.

Her touch was as natural as if she had done it numerous times before.

Perhaps a part of her had vaguely imagined this day, making it feel so effortless.

Vivian looked at Kyle with sharply opened eyes.

…What happened was even his anger looked good to her.

Feeling the relief of having caged him, she found comfort in his captivity.

Every hint of rebellion he showed seemed soothing in that moment.

“…You’ll get nowhere by getting angry.”

Vivian whispered.

“So why not give me a smile? I’d prefer that.”

“…”

One by one, she began to strip away the gear he wore for his long journey.

If she thought of them as the wings he donned to leave her, she wanted to burn them all in anger, but she steadied her heart thinking that would only be a tantrum.

She undid the straps of the armor one by one and tore or cut away the clothes that couldn’t be taken off due to the handcuffs.

In no time, Kyle’s bare torso was revealed.

At the moment she faced his body, Vivian let out an honest sigh.

“…I’ve never told you this, but Kyle, I think your body is just magnificent.”

Her long fingers carefully settled onto his body.

“…So when Lani Dubos touched this body before me in the rain, I think I felt jealous now that I think back.”

“…You condemned me for saying lust was filthy.”

“…Those who claim they’re not usually are the craziest, aren’t they?”

“…”

Vivian kept caressing Kyle’s torso, as if proving that statement.

Her touch was as cautious and gentle as if she were handling a statue.

Desire shimmered in her eyes.

But for now, she settled her heart and began to dampen a towel with the hot water to wipe his body.

“Is there anywhere that feels uncomfortable?”

Vivian asked cheerfully.

“…It feels uncomfortable that you’re touching me.”

Vivian shook her head.

“Don’t lie to me, Kyle.”

“…”

Vivian was especially careful as she wiped away the scars on his body.

Kyle might still be sensitive around the scars; every time her hand brushed them, he slightly winced.

“Does it hurt?”

“…”

Despite Kyle’s silence, Vivian continued unfazed.

Rather than waiting for his answer, she climbed onto his lap and kissed one of his scars.

“I’m so sorry every time I see this.”

She whispered as she kissed it.

“…When I think of it as a wound you received because of me, I feel incredibly sorry and thankful.”

“Aren’t you sorry for doing this to me right now?”

She chuckled softly.

“…You were trying to leave me, so that’s not important, is it?”

Kyle might think it was contradictory, but Vivian was genuine.

She truly felt sorry and thankful for each one of his scars.

They felt like remnants of their turbulent past left on his body.

Vivian continued to wipe his body.

And the more she looked closely at his body, the harder it became to suppress the slowly rising desire in her chest.

Is there anyone who could keep their rationality while continually caressing the body of a man they adored so much that they imprisoned him?

At the very least, that was not Vivian.

So she ceased wiping and hugged him tightly.

Kyle’s breath hurriedly escaped from his body.

Then she felt a change in him, and it made her giggle.

“…You’re getting excited, Kyle.”

Kyle groaned and responded.

“…Don’t let me down.”

“…”

Vivian clenched her lips tightly at the sudden hit she received.

Sparking with anger, she pulled away from his embrace and seized his head.

She tried to assert her dominance with her tongue, but Kyle turned his head away.

Then he said.

“…No matter how much I love you, this is crossing the line, isn’t it?”

“…”

Though fire crackled in her chest, Vivian attempted to regain her composure.

“…Yeah, sure. Anyway, we have plenty of time.”

She said that as she slid off his lap.

“But what gives you so much confidence?”

Kyle chuckled at her.

It felt just like a brawl from the past.

Since the moment she had caged Kyle, mercy vanished, and Kyle stopped holding back what he needed to say.

“Do you think I’ll still like you after this? The more you act this way, the more I dislike you. You’re spitting on our memories.”

“That’s what you said. You said we had more quarrels than good memories. And yet you loved me this much. You cherished me deeply until you ended up a wreck. There’s no way I’d make you dislike me just because I craved your love.”

The confidence behind those words stemmed from the depth of their history together.

Seven years spent in such closeness made it hard to refer to it as merely seven years.

They knew each other almost as well as themselves.

“You already knew all my filthy and ugly sides. No one has ever experienced and understood me as well as you. What difference does it make if I become more hideous now? Honestly, I’m surprised you’re still shocked. You already knew I was this kind of woman.”

Kyle shook his head.

“…I didn’t, Vivian.”

“…”

“…Had I known, I wouldn’t have loved you from the start.”

Vivian’s heart ached at his words.

His words were like sharp knives piercing through her, but knowing she couldn’t give him up sent even more shivers down her spine.

The one who hurt her so much was only him.

The one who caused her pain was only him.

Yet the fact that she couldn’t give him up felt like a curse.

She knew locking him away would throw all her achievements into a pit, yet she couldn’t avoid it.

Vivian couldn’t grasp this complicated situation.

It hurt, but she couldn’t let go.

She steadied herself and replied.

“…Your love is quite convenient, isn’t it? Sometimes it’s a curse directed at me, and other times it’s your will. If you never should’ve loved me from the start, then why call it a curse? Why speak as if it’s your will?”

“…”

“Make your choice clear. Is it a curse, or do you have feelings for me? Don’t keep changing your tune to suit your tastes.”

Kyle nodded slowly, accepting her words.

Then he replied.

“…Yeah, you’re right. This does seem like a curse, Vivian.”

“…”

“Otherwise, there’s no way I’d love someone like you.”

His words were so definitive, they shattered her heart all over again.

“You’re cruel, selfish, and completely devoid of charm.”

They exchanged words imbued with intent to hurt one another.

Especially since they knew each other so well, that was the real problem.

Having seen each other up close as lovers and painfully intertwined as foes, they were acutely aware of each other’s weaknesses.

Moreover, having inflicted hurt on each other so many times, they felt no resistance in throwing such words back and forth.

The more they fought, the more they stabbed at each other’s hearts.

They knew well which words would inflict the deepest pain on each other.

Kyle shook the handcuffs loudly again before speaking up.

This time, it was filled with sharpness aimed to wound Vivian.

“If it weren’t a curse, I would’ve fallen for another woman in this land. Not someone like you, but maybe Lani Dubos, or Serena, or even Princess Reina. They all have such feminine personalities—”

“-Not in front of me…!”

Vivian lost her cool at his provocation.

She lunged forward and grabbed his neck.

With enough force, she could choke him.

The feeling of having his life in her hands excited her immensely.

Her nails dug into his flesh.

“…Say another woman’s name in front of me again.”

She warned with her crimson eyes blazing.

“Whether a princess or anyone else, I will kill them ruthlessly.”

This wasn’t a threat.

It was a promise.

The tension between them felt as taut as a bowstring ready to snap.

Kyle seemed to understand her resolve and kept silent for a moment, but soon spoke.

He wasn’t the type to be cowed by threats.

“…I just made my choice, Vivian.”

He even smiled.

“Once I get out of here, I’ll go back home and greet my cute and lovely wife. And I’ll love her with all my heart, even more than I loved you.”

Vivian felt an overwhelming surge of jealousy with his short remark.

“…You won’t be getting out of here.”

“If I do, that’s how it’ll be. I promise.”

“…If you do, I’ll kill that woman and take you back.”

Kyle laughed at her.

“How will you do that? I’ve never lost in war like my father.”

“…”

“Plus, I know the Rondore family now. There’s no way I’d lose.”

This time, Vivian couldn’t find a reply and froze.

Her grip loosened from his neck.

Her voice grew softer, blended with warmth and pain as she looked at him.

“…To want to keep receiving your love, is that such a wrong thing…?”

Kyle’s expression wavered slightly.

“What?”

Vivian pondered with her head down.

If she had treated him well from the beginning, would this have ever happened?

Days she tormented him flooded her with regret.

His sharp hostility towards her felt painful.

And yet, it was hard to believe that being mean to him was the only way to keep him by her side.

Vivian shook her head and stood up from the bed.

His hurtful words made her draw away from him, and she absentmindedly soaked a towel in water.

As she squeezed the towel, she mulled over the intentions behind his recently spoken hurtful words.

Then she whispered lowly.

“You’d better try harder, Kyle. Because I can’t hate you that easily.”

At her words, Kyle’s handcuffs rattled.

He turned to look back at her, wincing slightly, and his gaze was strangely unsettled.

“That won’t diminish the gratitude and affection I have for you even a bit.”

He looked displeased, like someone whose intentions had been exposed.

Still, she continued to regard him with affectionate eyes.

In the end, that was the right response.

She knew very well the reason he spoke such words.

It was probably an attempt to make her hate him just enough to create conditions where she would release him.

But her affection and resentment for him ran deeper than that.

It wasn’t something that could change with just a few careless words.

It was a depth of emotions even Kyle couldn’t comprehend.

Now, it was no longer Kyle thinking of her; it would be her thinking of him even more.

It is said that people never forget those who saved them.

Vivian was no exception.

She knew well who had protected her over the years.

Beyond just having been her protector, he was the only one who had become her emotional support.

It was a complicated relationship, but that was the truth.

Sometimes she felt pathetic for depending on someone she thought was her enemy.

But the moment he was by her side, all her fears dissipated, and she felt a strong comforting wall surrounding her.

When everyone else deserted her, Kyle was the only one who extended his hand.

She believed in the warmth that lay behind that choice.

And that warmth was something she could never let go of.

She understood well how difficult it had been to trust him.

The emptiness and solitude she felt after losing her father, brother, and mother one after the other were beyond anyone’s understanding.

No one could fathom how brutally she had crumbled or how desperately she wished for comfort.

Only Kyle filled that void for her.

Only Kyle.

He was the only one for her.

Others may have had family, friends… countless beings to rely on and exchange deep emotions with, but for Vivian, Kyle was everything.

She wasn’t foolish enough to casually let go of everything he meant to her.

Even street beggars risk their lives for the last remaining coin.

Vivian was ready to risk her life for the only person who stayed by her side.

Especially since Kyle wasn’t just some coin; he was a treasure she could not trade for anything.

After all, there was no one left for her to be cautious of.

Who could possibly do anything to her?

There was no reason to be wary, and being wary had never helped her at all.

As a result, she had fought with Kyle so often that careless words floated easily from her lips, and yet, here she was relying solely on him; she couldn’t live without him… and now that she had no reason to be cautious of others, this is how she could act so autonomously.

“…”

“…”

Vivian looked down at Kyle.

Did he even realize how much she wanted to completely mess him up and make him hers?

With him already imprisoned, there were no restrictions in place.

She was in a position to enforce everything she had ever wished for upon him.

It was a sense of liberation and betrayal that came with the moment ethical restraints slipped away.

Kyle likely wouldn’t understand the emotions he was experiencing right now.

“Hah… Kyle.”

She called out his name like it was a strange incantation.

While calling him, she regained her reason.

“…Again. Is there anywhere that feels uncomfortable?”

Immediately after, she began wiping his body again as if cleaning a craft.

“…You’ve gone mad.”

Kyle whispered.

Even the pain he caused her became something she cherished as she continued to use his body.

“Thinking about you leaving me… that’s the thought that’s driving me insane.”

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