If You Take the Enemy Prince as Your Knight

“You woke up first.”

“Yes, just a little while ago.”

“How do you feel? Has there been any change in your mana core?” Sasha got straight to the point without any mention of their lips. That was the right approach.

Regen pushed aside his lingering thoughts and focused. He could feel his mana core—the so-called second heart of a knight. Though it was only barely revived and still severely lacking, he could tell that even now, he could easily overpower someone like Jerom.

“Thank you, Sasha. You truly have restored my core.”

“I made a promise, so I had to keep it. I saw new leaves sprouting from the trunk. How much has your mana core recovered?”

Saying ‘only about the size of a fingernail’ would be too disrespectful to the person who had worked so hard to help him.

“About… 10%.”

“That’s not bad. Let’s aim for ten days of daily treatment.”

“Daily treatment like this…?”

“Yes.”

Without meaning to, Regen’s gaze drifted naturally along the flow of his thoughts—until it landed on her lips.

Sasha immediately clarified, “We only need to make eye contact. Our lips don’t have to touch.”

“…Ah.”

Regen exhaled a long breath, feeling an urge to mock himself. Why had he tensed up, panicked, and then felt relief? He found himself a bit pathetic.

“Aren’t you curious about what your mana core looks like, Sir Regen?”

Thankfully, Sasha changed the subject first.

“I am. Is it large?”

“Typical of a knight—always focused on size.”

“…”

“It was huge. ‘A giant tree’ doesn’t even do it justice. When I first saw it, I thought of the mythical World Tree.”

“I see.”

“I haven’t seen another knight’s mana core before, so I can’t be certain, but I feel like there couldn’t be another tree as large as yours in this world.”

“Yes. That’s probably true.”

Regen’s indifferent reply made Sasha gaze at him curiously.

“You don’t seem particularly impressed.”

For him, the fact that his tree was enormous was just a confirmation of what he already knew. What he truly wanted to know was what she thought after seeing it with her own eyes.

“Sasha, on the other hand—”

“Hmm?”

“You don’t seem particularly impressed either.”

Wouldn’t most people be thrilled to learn that the knight they had chosen possessed such immense power? Yet, for some reason, Sasha’s reaction didn’t meet his expectations.

Does she not care about strength at all? She had chosen him because he resembled her deceased older brother. Perhaps his worth wasn’t in his power—but in his face.

Unaware of his thoughts, Sasha spoke enthusiastically. “Not impressed? I was in awe. Once it’s fully healed, it’ll be a magnificent tree. It had no leaves, but its shape was mysterious and beautiful.”

“I see.”

“I examined the fallen leaves on the ground, and they looked like oak leaves. I’m curious to see if acorns will grow later.”

“Let me know if any squirrels appear as well.”

“I will.”

As he watched Sasha smile faintly, Regen realized something. This was the first time he had ever exchanged normal jokes with the princess.

“Was there anything else you noticed?”

“The gravestones. There were so many along the path.”

“…”

“Sir Regen?”

“It must have been an unpleasant sight. Unfortunately, you’ll have to see it many more times. My apologies.”

“It’s fine. I’ll be going there to see Regen’s tree, after all.”

This time, she wasn’t half-asleep, yet she still called him simply Regen.

For a moment, Regen simply stared at her. She was like a winter beach. Her pale hair looked like it would slip through his fingers if he tried to grasp it. Her light blue eyes were clear and cold, like frozen water. She seemed like someone who would never allow anyone close—yet, sometimes, she would open her world just a little like now.

Regen stood up from the stool and approached her. Carefully, he reached out and tucked the loose platinum strands of her hair behind her shoulder. Her blue eyes blinked softly as she looked up at him. The moment their gazes met, Regen moved instinctively. His lips lightly brushed against her forehead.

“Sir Regen…?”

Even as her voice carried a questioning tone, Regen remained unshaken.

“Rest, Sasha.”

“…Ah.”

Calling her by name was a signal—they were still playing the roles of big brother and little sister.

“Alright.”

Accepting that, she closed her eyes. The delicate moonlight settled on her platinum eyelashes, making them shimmer beautifully.

✦

The same routine repeated in the days that followed. Regen shared meals with me and spent every night restoring his mana core in my chambers. His oak tree was now in early spring. Tender new leaves had started to bud across its branches. Once it was fully covered in foliage, it would be grand enough to form an entire forest on its own.

For the past ten days, I had remained secluded, allowing no visitors into my quarters for the sake of Regen’s stability and protection. Now that he was considerably recovered, I needed to resume my usual life—calling in my tutors for lessons and sorting through invitations to decide which social events to attend. My network of informants outside the palace also began moving.

I inserted a coded message into a book borrowed from the Imperial Library. To return it, I summoned Demia, but instead of my maid, Regen walked through the office door.

“Lady Hamel and Lady Demia are both attending to other matters and are not in the residence. Do you have any orders for me?”

“Um.”

As I hesitated, his uncovered golden eye moved to glance at the book. Every time I saw those gleaming gold eyes, it amazed me that they belonged to a human.

“If you give it to me, I will return it to the Imperial Library.”

“By yourself?”

Our gazes met—mine filled with concern, his implying, ‘Is that a problem?’

“I have learned my way around the palace.”

“That’s not the issue. Sir Regen, your black uniform stands out far too much.”

The uniform, given only to the eight knights directly serving the princesses, was a mark of ownership—branding them as mere possessions and former war captives. There was no avoiding hostility.

“Who would dare think of lying hand on Princess of Silver Bird’s knight.”

“Why wouldn’t they? There are plenty of people who would—The emperor, the princesses, and…”

“And?”

“Never mind.” I stood up from my chair. “I’ll return the book myself. Sir Regen, please escort me.”

Even if he found my overprotectiveness suffocating, there was no choice. I could swear upon my 22 years of life—this palace was dangerous. At its most extreme, someone could lose their head today. And Regen was nothing more than a gift from the emperor, meant to be used as a plaything or a slave. To the scheming nobles of the palace, harming him would be as inconsequential as breaking a porcelain vase.

This isn’t the kingdom where you were loved, Regen. Why don’t you realize that?

If I could, I wouldn’t even let him out of my sight.

I chose the most secluded path to the Imperial Library. Regen, who had been stubbornly walking ahead, suddenly called out to me.

“Your Highness.”

Even though no one was around to listen, he called me ‘Your Highness’ instead of ‘Sasha.’

I stopped and turned. A man stood before me, tall and unwavering, as though he alone could support the vast blue sky. His golden eyes were fixed solely on me. It seemed he had something to say about earlier.

“Speak, Sir Regen.”

“A knight’s duty is to protect their master. Not to be protected.”

“That may be true on the battlefield. But outside of battle, a ruler’s duty is to ensure their vassals are not exposed to danger.”

“I cannot remain under Your Highness’s protection forever. Please do not make me a useless knight.”

“Useless?”

That was absurd.

“To me, your value is more than enough just by being by my side.”

“…”

Just stay alive and stay by my side. That alone is already a fierce battle.

His golden eye widened slightly in surprise. Only then did I realize—I had revealed too much of my true feelings.

“Sir Regen, I meant—”

But I didn’t get a chance to correct myself.

“It has been a long time, Princess Rosasia.”

We had encountered the last person I wanted to meet in the imperial palace—second only to the mad emperor himself.