Actually, I was the Real One

as there, so the drinking party could not have been fun.

It was too late when she realized it would be best if she didn ’t attend. 

”I won ’t be joining you today but please put the bill under my name. ”

The declaration brightened the faces of the knights who were looked uncomfortable.
The change was so drastic that she almost wanted to laugh.

”I ’m sorry. ”

”… ”

”… ”

The excitement didn ’t last long.
It was surreal to hear an apology from the esteemed Captain. 

’What the hell is going on? What are you sorry about? ’

Their hearts sank.

”I attended past drinking parties without considering it would affect the atmosphere.
It won ’t happen again, so please enjoy it with your colleagues. ”

The excitement of drinking to their heart ’s content was all but extinguished.

”…? ”

Keira tilted her head in confusion at seeing an even more despondent atmosphere from the knights.

Wondering if she had made a mistake, she continued to speak, ”I meant no offense.
I just attended because I wanted to get close to everyone.
I didn ’t know you wouldn ’t be able to drink comfortably if I was there.
I ’m sorry I didn ’t notice it sooner. ”

Even though she spoke in a soft voice, the atmosphere became even more strange.
The knights looked more bothered than ever.

’Oh no, what did I do wrong this time? ’

She was pretending to be calm but could not control the embarrassed flush crawling up her face. She thought everyone would be happy if she said what she said, but instead the atmosphere became colder? Why?

She was about to resign as the Knight Captain.
She wanted to at least leave a good memory for the last time…

”Um…
That ’s all, then.
Goodbye. ”

Keira hurriedly left the post because she thought she would be more embarrassed if she stayed longer. 

Only cold silence remained where she left. 

What the knights understood from what their Captain said:

I now know that you guys dread it when I join the drinking parties.
I ’m sorry I ’ve been thoughtless.
I ’m sorry, so I ’ll pay for all the drinks.

I joined you because I wanted to get close to you, but I didn ’t know you ’d feel uncomfortable.
Sorry…

”W-what do we do? ” Arthur, one of the youngest knights, muttered.

”I think she heard us complaining about it… ”

”I wished she didn ’t come…
That wasn ’t an insult, right?? ”

”That ’s true, but I ’m not sure she thought the same. ”

”Aack! ”

The knights ’ faces looked pale.
Their Captain, the lady of the duchy, heard them talking behind her back!

Besides…

”I meant no offense.
I just attended because I wanted to get close to everyone.
I didn ’t know you wouldn ’t be able to drink comfortably if I was there.
I ’m sorry I didn ’t notice it sooner. ”

She just wanted to be friends.

Unlike the knights, ladies like Keira didn ’t share a training camp with them nor did they have the same daily routine.
Truly, the position of the Grand Duke ’s children in the Order of the Knights was in name only. 

Furthermore, unlike the knights who were mostly men, Keira was a woman. 

Her only chance to get close to them was to go to the drinking party.

”But, if she really wanted to be close to us, why was she so cold? I thought it meant we should drink responsibly and end the party early. ”

”Wasn ’t she there to make sure we didn ’t drink too much and went back to our quarters before we could bring shame to their family? ”

The knights threw similar complaints.

They believed that Keira, who quietly sat at the drinking parties with a stoic look, wasn ’t there to make friends.

In a speculative tone, a new recruit said, ”The lady is known to be a studious person.
Maybe she didn ’t know how to play. ”

|  |