RETURN OF THE FEMALE KNIGHT

44. Today She Didn't Cry

Lalisa flinched in shock, but she understood what Hyunbin was trying to ask. He wanted to know about the rumors spreading throughout society. But she had another question.

'What had he heard?'

It was unclear whether Hyunbin was asking about the false rumors spread by Yerim or a scandal involving Jungkook. However, if he had heard the scandalous rumors about Lalisa, then he would have rushed to the mansion much sooner than now. Given that this was when he had shown up, it was likely he came after hearing about Jungkook.

'...He doesn't know all the rumors, does he?'

Perhaps he was indifferent about the other rumors, but came running as soon as Jungkook was involved. Although her father was blunt and did not express himself well, she still believed he had love for her somewhere. She replied in her usual calm voice, hiding her shaken gaze.

"Why don't you come inside and have dinner first?"

"That's enough. I'll skip the meal for now. I want to listen to you speak first."

"...Yes, Father."

She couldn't disobey her father. She dismissed the other servants before walking to his office with only her family. No matter how much Hyunbin, Lalisa and Roseanne were the masters of the house, it was not a good idea to have important conversations in the presence of other servants. Anyone could listen in and eventually a terrible story could spread, just what had happened with Dahyun.

The family walked towards Hyunbin's private office without saying a word.

Hyunbin opened the office door first and strode in. Lalisa made to follow, but Roseanne grasped her sleeve.

"I'll go with you, sister."

"This is fine. This is my problem, so it's better I have a quiet conversation with Father."

"But...I'm worried."

Roseanne did not miss how Hyunbin arrived with a stormy temper. She did not know the details, but she had already guessed that Hyunbin had come back after having heard something about Lalisa and Jungkook. The chances were high that the conversation would turn south.

"Don't worry. Just wait outside."

It was Lalisa's turn to smile. Hyunbin called out loudly from inside.

"What are you doing, not coming in?"

"Yes, Father."

She quickly patted Roseanne's head before hurrying inside where her father was waiting for her. An expression of regret passed on Roseanne's face before the door swung shut.

Hyunbin intently watched Lalisa as she came into the room, and before going straight into the conversation.

"Explain clearly what the rumors about you are."

"I don't know exactly what you're asking–"

Hyunbin slammed his fist on the mahogany table.

"I'm asking you about Prince Jungkook! If it's true that you met with him!"

"...!"

Lalisa stopped talking at the sudden burst of outrage. Hyunbin was a knight of discipline who never shouted or did anything violent in the house. Her brother Namjoon was the same. Lalisa, a swordswoman in her last life, knew better how difficult it was for people in their profession to maintain a decent personality. For some reason or another, most other swordsmen were eccentric and fierce, and the taverns in the village were always crowded with mercenaries.

At first Lalisa couldn't decipher their wild moods, but she gradually came to an understanding as time went by. It was a feeling known only to those who had blood on their hands. The more that you saw death in battle, the more you felt like your mind was falling apart. Even the ever-composed Lalisa could not cool her emotions and sometimes ran like a madman in the middle of the night. She had witnessed so many deaths, not only of the enemies, but of all the soldiers whom she had greeted only the day before. A multitude of thoughts would torment her mind. Would she die like them? Did the people she kill have families? From the time she held the sword, those words haunted her like a shadow. The dark feelings accumulated in her mind, unsorted and unforgotten. Had it not been for her firm determination to avenge her family, Lalisa might have been broken. That was her life in the past, and she wondered if her father, the head of the Fourth Order of Knights of the Royal Family, lived like that too.