Chapter 11: The Knight’s Oath
There is a nation to the northeast called Omuks.
Relations between Omuks and our Kingdom of Lahti have always been extremely poor.
It is common knowledge that Omuks was secretly involved in the northern tribal uprising that occurred several years ago.
The proposal to build a railway connecting the Kingdom of Ruleo and the Kingdom of Lahti was approved, and the two nations would become more closely tied than ever before.
Naturally, Omuks wanted to prevent that from happening.
Rumors even circulated that they were planning bombing attacks to sabotage the railway construction.
It was all quite alarming.
Because of that, my husband, Lord Olivier, who had once served as Prince Adolf’s personal guard, was summoned once more.
Apparently, he was placed in command of a unit tasked with capturing Omuks operatives believed to be hiding within the royal capital.
For twenty-five days after our wedding, I never once saw Lord Olivier.
But in truth, he had rarely been at the ducal residence anyway.
Whenever he did return, the three of them would hold their tea parties together.
I suppose Lady Yuliana served as Lord Olivier’s source of comfort.
After successfully dismantling a major hideout used by Omuks spies, Lord Olivier went to the royal palace to report the matter directly to His Majesty.
And there, Prince Adolf apparently instructed him to properly escort me at the upcoming ball.
Perhaps the prince felt at least a fragment of pity for me.
Or perhaps not.
In any case, he ordered Lord Olivier to escort me.
And once he actually accompanied me to the ballroom, reality finally seemed to catch up with him.
“Kastehelmi! I was wrong!”
With that, Lord Olivier dropped into a full prostration inside the carriage.
Honestly, I never knew it was possible to perform a proper apology bow in such a cramped carriage.
“This was supposed to be a place where everyone celebrated my newlywed wife, and yet I completely forgot!”
“And all of my countless rude actions until now!”
“Behavior worthy of execution!”
“I know an apology cannot possibly be enough!”
“But please, at least let me apologize here and now!”
My, my.
Execution seemed a bit excessive.
“Lord Olivier, please raise your head.”
I had been called a perfect lady for a reason.
I smiled politely and invited the prostrating Lord Olivier to sit down.
“I am aware that Lord Olivier, Lord Niklas, and Lady Yuliana are extremely close siblings.”
To his credit, Lord Olivier did not interrupt.
At least he wasn’t a complete fool.
“However, according to my friends, Lady Yuliana specifically approaches handsome young men among the noble families serving under the House of Lautavaara and enjoys spending time with them.”
“They say she has already caused three engagements to be broken.”
“And those three young men now attend tea parties where they all gather around Lady Yuliana.”
Even then, Lord Olivier listened quietly.
Perhaps he was a more capable man than I had initially believed.
After all, most men would not remain calm while listening to someone describe the woman they loved surrounding herself with multiple men.
“And at the ducal residence, during tea parties, Lady Yuliana keeps both Lord Olivier and Lord Niklas at her sides, does she not?”
Still he listened silently.
“Yes, the three of you appear close as siblings.”
“I believed that at first as well.”
“However, Lady Yuliana’s gaze, and the gazes Lord Olivier and Lord Niklas direct toward her, are clearly not those of siblings.”
“Besides, Lady Yuliana was never officially registered as a daughter of the ducal house, so there is no reason to deny the existence of romantic feelings.”
Amazing.
His expression barely changed at all.
Yet he continued listening seriously.
“Our kingdom once practiced polygamy within the royal family.”
“Even now, there are neighboring kingdoms where royal families are permitted multiple wives.”
“In southern nations, even commoners may have multiple wives.”
“And I have heard that on a southern island inhabited by warrior women, polyandry is encouraged.”
“Everyone around me insists that Lady Yuliana wishes for polyandry.”
“When I heard that, I found myself thinking, ‘Ah, of course. That explains those tea parties.’”
Oh?
Still no reaction.
“Lord Olivier, I fully support Lady Yuliana’s polyandry.”
“I have already discussed this matter with the Duke and Lady Paula.”
“I have even given them a signed divorce petition.”
At that point, Lord Olivier’s facial muscles finally twitched.
“I support your form of love.”
“However, even a decorative wife like myself will eventually become an inconvenience.”
“For now, I avoid direct contact.”
“But sooner or later, Lady Yuliana will likely come to dislike my very existence.”
“When that happens, I have already arranged matters so that we can divorce immediately.”
“The Duke and Lady Paula have agreed as well.”
I smiled pleasantly.
Lord Olivier’s face twitched again.
The ducal residence in the capital stood very close to the royal palace.
Thus, our carriage arrived almost immediately.
The coachman assisted me from the carriage, and I accepted his hand as I stepped down.
Judging by Lord Olivier’s reaction earlier, he apparently had no idea that I had already completed and submitted a divorce petition.
Well, this was the same man who had not even known his own mother had taken to bed because of the ‘Polyandry Shock.’
Clearly there were many things he did not know.
Hopefully he would simply agree to the divorce after hearing everything.
Though if that happened, the true nightmare for the House of Lautavaara would begin.
Still, that was hardly my concern.
“Lady Kastehelmi, Lord Olivier, welcome home.”
Only when the butler, Glen Peltra, greeted us did I realize Lord Olivier had followed me from the carriage.
I had assumed he remained inside!
I nearly let out a startled squeal.
But since I was known as a lady among ladies, I restrained myself.
Lord Olivier extended his hand as if to escort me.
“I must decline your escort.”
The moment I said that, he immediately withdrew his hand.
“Then good evening.”
After offering a polite bow, I turned toward my room.
And Lord Olivier followed me.
The man was so tall that having him walk behind me felt like being pursued by a moving wall.
The pressure was immense.
“Lord Olivier, good night.”
As I bowed, Lord Olivier entered my room before I could stop him.
Had this been some attempt at seduction, I would have been furious.
But after looking up at his face, I changed my mind.
“Lord Olivier, you look exactly like a soldier who lost a war, was taken prisoner, and dragged before the enemy commander.”
Personally, I had never seen an actual prisoner of war.
Yet that was exactly the impression he gave me.
He looked like a man who had completely accepted defeat.
A man kneeling before the enemy general—namely me.
A man declaring he would no longer resist.
A man promising obedience.
And yet, somehow, his eyes still sparkled with hope for a miraculous comeback.
“A soldier who lost a war, became a prisoner, and was brought before the enemy commander…”
“There could not be a more accurate description.”
Lord Olivier knelt before me.
Taking my hand, he pressed it against his forehead as though making a sacred vow.
“I, Olivier Askam Lautavaara, swear to become the sword and shield of my wife, Kastehelmi.”
“I shall oppose the cruelties of the world.”
“I shall protect my wife for the rest of my life as her guardian.”
“I offer my loyalty and my love.”
“I pray that you will accept this oath.”
“A knight’s oath is certainly admirable, but the love part is a little… unnecessary.”
His declaration had been so dramatic that I couldn’t help laughing as I responded.
“Of course I’ll offer the love too.”
“And the loyalty.”
Lord Olivier rose to his feet with a bright smile.
“And I mean both.”