Enya wanted to smile, but she nodded.

“Sure. That sounds like a fun deal… so no more training for me?”

“You’ll still train under Cullen. But before I approve this, you’ll have a challenge,” Zilant said.

“No take-backs! I said—”

“Have a duel to test your skills,” Zilant interrupted.

Enya glared at him.

“Are you serious? Fine…” she paused. “Then let’s go for the duel!”

Zilant stood and walked up to her, leaning over her. He was so close, flustering Enya internally. She swallowed as his broad body shadowed over her.

“You’ll be dueling with Cullen.”

Enya’s jaw dropped, staring at his eyes. Zilant stepped beside her, walking outside. Enya turned, looking confused.

“Wait! Right now?!” Enya asked, following Zilant.

“Now!” Zilant demanded.

Enya pouted and silenced herself. After reaching the training ground, everyone surrounded the center of the battlefield. Cullen stood on the other side of it, holding his sword.

Zilant turned around to look at Enya. She locked eyes with him, sighing.

“Let’s see how you defend yourself,” Zilant ordered.

Enya walked to the battlefield with her sword at her waist. She stared at Cullen.

“Vyrm Aeris Ignis,” Cullen said, wielding his sword.

Enya nodded, wielding hers and staring at Cullen without uttering a word.

Hansel watched Enya closely, saddened. Is he getting punished because of me? Hansel tightened his jaw.

Cullen lunged forward. Enya expected it, but then Cullen’s sword aura suddenly appeared. She jumped back, clashing her sword against his. Cullen’s sword didn’t break hers. Then Enya charged forward, twirling around.

I must get the position by winning… but not show my full strength, she thought, fusing only a small portion of her aura to her sword. She swung, striking Cullen’s blade. Cullen blocked and pushed her sword away. He unleashed another aura attack, striking forward. Enya didn’t expect that, and as she dodged, the air around his sword added a small cut to her face.

“Tsk!” she muttered, flickering with frustration. She concentrated her restrained aura to shift her position, pointing her sword at Cullen and charging forward.

Cullen struck again. Enya smirked, closing the distance. As she reached the tip of his sword, she twirled around it and landed on her knees. Her residual aura collided with the ground, sending a small cloud of dust spiraling around them.

As the dust cleared, everyone gasped. Enya knelt on one knee, pointing her sword at Cullen’s neck. He had managed a light graze across her collar, but his own sword wavered in the air, leaving him off-balance.

Zilant stared silently, groaning.

“Enya Fraye…” he called.

Enya stood, locking eyes with him.

“Commander.”

“If you become reckless like that, what will happen if that recklessness ends your life, and the protection that you were supposed to give ends instantly?” Zilant questioned.

Enya frowned, groaning at him.

“Commander, it’s not reckless if you observe it carefully. It’s tactical strategy—”

“A cut on your neck showed that even if Cullen is not the strongest against you, if another is stronger, you would have lost your neck.”

Enya smirked, walking forward.

“Then I lost my neck with honor.”

The silence between them stretched. Zilant froze, unable to utter another argument against her. He clenched his fists, yet he slowly released the pressure and sighed.

“Very well. As the honorable knight you wished to become, I hope you don’t disappoint me. I approved it,” Zilant responded.

Enya smiled and nodded.

“Yes, Commander!” she said.

Zilant froze, stunned to see her smile being warm for the first time. Hansel blushed, turning away.

Is that really a boy?! Hansel thought to himself.

He can smile? He had always frowned or smirked… Vaince’s jaw dropped.

Zilant coughed, snapping everyone out of their sudden attraction to Enya’s smile. He hesitated to say another word. As he glanced to look at Enya, he quickly avoided her eyes.

“I’ll send word to the Emperor…” he whispered and quickly walked away.

Enya sighed in relief, clenching her hand. Mother… I can finally protect him now… My baby brother. Enya stared at Hansel happily before she looked away.

After everyone finished training for the day, they all stared at Enya awkwardly. They were not sure how to talk to her because they felt a small change in her since the first time she entered.

Vaince couldn’t stop himself, patting Enya’s shoulder.

“New recruit! That was an insane fight against Captain! How did you manage to infuse an aura?” Vaince asked curiously.

Enya shoved his hand away.

“I just did. I watched how Captain did it. That helped make it simple…” Enya responded, removing her gloves.

Cullen observed Enya’s movement and expression. He walked up to her.

“You’re very quick-witted. I can see why Commander thinks so highly of you,” Cullen added.

Enya froze, glaring at him.

“Are you insane? He thinks so highly of me? He looks like he’s tired of my immaturity.”

“If anything, you’re the one who is insane.”

Enya narrowed her eyes, frowning.

“Well, at least that’s what makes me different after all. Right?”

Cullen smiled and nodded.

“That does… Congratulations. Please protect the Phoenix Heir. He matters a lot to Commander… Commander knows that he might not be able to protect him in the future. He has been searching for someone who is reliable…” Cullen explained.

Enya scoffed, leaning her head back.

“If he has, then why didn’t you or Vaince?”

Cullen and Vaince swallowed hard, silencing themselves. Cullen bit his lower lip.

“Because… if one of us does, then Commander will be the one taking the damage,” Vaince answered softly.

“Ey? What about me? I’m a part of this knight… Wouldn’t–”

“You’re different. Despite being a part of us, you argue back to Commander. This has been the empire’s hot topic. Now that you have faced the First Prince, it shows your loyalty clearly.”

Enya paused, chuckling silently.

“Loyalty?” Enya questioned. There is no such thing as that when it comes to the Dragon Empire. They don’t value that… otherwise, the Phoenix Clan wouldn’t have been massacred.

“Enya?” Zilant called.

Enya quickly turned and stood.

“Commander?”

“Your duty to protect starts tomorrow. Do your morning routine and then head to the guest house,” Zilant ordered.

Enya bowed.

“Yes, Commander…”

Enya walked out to the entrance of the training ground. Hansel stood by the gate, waiting. When Hansel caught a glimpse of Enya, he beamed. However, as Enya walked closer, he blushed and turned away.

“Yes?” Enya asked.

“Are you… okay?” Hansel hesitated, trembling.

Enya observed his shaky hands and nodded.

“I mean, I almost got my ass whooped by Captain… but I’m fine,” Enya answered.

Hansel swallowed hard, closing his eyes.

“I-I… why did you do that? You barely know me…”

Enya paused, waiting for him to open his eyes. Thirty seconds had gone by, and there was only silence between them. Hansel slowly opened his eyes and looked at her. She smiled warmly.

“Because… you reminded me of my baby brother. I want to protect you, the way I wish I could have protected him… that’s all.”

Hansel stared at Enya, tearing up slowly. Enya gasped, panicking frantically.

What the heck! I didn’t mean to make you cry?! Enya panted, reaching a hand to his shoulder and patting.

“I… they told me that I have a sister… but I don’t even remember her…” Hansel cried.

Enya froze, swallowing hard. Her hand trembled above his shoulder. She clenched that hand tightly, tightening her jaw. She forced a smile, patting his head. This action stunned him.

“If you missed her but couldn’t remember her, then that’s okay. I’m sure she also misses you. Just as much as I missed my baby brother. He will always be my baby brother… ‘I’m proud that you’ve grown’ will be the first thing I say to him if I ever meet him again…” Enya said.

Hansel sniffled, staring at her in awe. He broke into a smile and nodded.

“I hope so! His Grace always tells me that she really loves me…” Hansel replied.

Enya was stunned. How would he know? He was the one who took you away. Enya sighed.

After that evening, Enya returned to her residence, sighing the night away. She couldn’t shake off Hansel’s confession. His weakness.

“He didn’t tell him that I would have died… everyone knows for sure that when a phoenix uses all of their aura, that it ends up dying… Why?” Enya pondered. Why, Zilant? Why did you do that? Did you know that I survived or something?

She closed her eyes and rested.

Meanwhile, Llard heard the news from the head butler that the Emperor had approved Enya Fraye as the personal knight for the Phoenix Heir, Hansel. Llard threw his breakfast onto the ground, crashing plates.

“How dare that bastard’s child set up a stupid way to block me?”

His personal butler walked in, bowing.

“Your Highness, I’ve heard that Enya Fraye was the same person who humiliated you. Wouldn’t this mean an insult to you if His Grace has requested him as Phoenix Heir’s personal knight?”

Llard slammed his hand onto the table, laughing slowly, manically.

“How dare an illegitimate child like him do this to me?! Let’s teach them a lesson for defying and humiliating me!” Llard demanded coldly.

The butler smiled and nodded.

“Will do… since the Phoenix Heir has no aura so far, wouldn’t that make him illegitimate as well?”

They both smirked at each other, knowing where this would go.

The next morning rose, and many of the Dragon people whispered among each other.

Hansel excitedly walked to the market, hoping to find something for Zilant. He wanted to thank Zilant for trying his best to find a suitable knight for him. Enya followed him closely, staring at the market.

“What color do you think His Grace would like? I want to make sure the present is perfect…” Hansel asked.

Enya looked at him, frowning.

“You’re only thinking about Commander? He’s a cold brute…” Enya pouted. “Find something blue like the ocean.”

Hansel chuckled.

“Don’t worry. As my knight, I got something for you…”

Enya hid her smile as she looked away. Suddenly, a tomato was thrown toward Hansel. Enya instinctively caught it, crushing the red gush of it.

“How dare you—”

“Go away! You, illegitimate Phoenix Heir!”

“You’re only here to take advantage of His Majesty’s kindness! Because of your family, we lost some of our families!”

“Yeah!”

A crowd of people circled them, shouting at them. Enya glared at the people, then she looked at Hansel.

His eyes were widened with fear, sweating. His legs couldn’t escape that place. His feet were glued to the ground as he panted.

Enya bit her lower lip out of frustration. She turned behind her and slammed her sword sheath onto a wall, startling and shutting everyone up.

“Who gave you the right to call him an ‘illegitimate’? Do you know what the crime is for insulting a noble?!” Enya shouted angrily.

The people looked at each other, fear flickering across their faces as they realized the danger of their words.

Suddenly, applause rang out from within the crowd. Everyone stepped aside as the source of the clapping approached. Enya glared, groaning.

“It’s the loser who lost to me again…”

Llard. He smiled, his eyes fixed on Hansel.

“How can the people claim that he is an illegitimate? You’re right… they should be punished… but are they truly wrong? The Phoenix Heir hasn’t even developed any aura over the years we’ve taken care of him… Could he really be the Phoenix Heir?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 🪶 🔥 Princess, Don't Waver ❄️ 🐉 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~