After that, Gwynnslun was able to see Dahlia almost every day.
More precisely, she came to visit the training ground every single day.
She would always hide behind trees or pillars, peeking out cautiously.
And without fail, Gwynnslun was the first to sense her presence.
By the time training was about to end, the tips of her crimson hair, just barely visible from behind a tree, would already be in his sight.
'She's hiding there again today. How adorable.'
He wasn't sure if the other knights had noticed her or not, but none of them ever approached her first.
If they truly had no interest at all, that unsettled him as well.
It felt as though the knight order tasked with serving the Princess was, in truth, ignoring her.
As soon as training ended, Gwynnslun swiftly slipped out of the group and headed toward her.
"Greetings, Your Highness."
It was always the same greeting, yet his heart felt new every single time.
"I was just… passing by and thought I'd stop in for a moment."
It was the same excuse she always told.
The training ground was far from the palace where Dahlia resided. Far to be a place one could casually stop by while passing through.
Yet Gwynnslun willingly believed her every time.
Because he wanted to see her, and the way she made excuses was adorable.
And because he feared that if she sensed his true feelings, she might be uncomfortable, he always hid them carefully.
"Allow me to escort you."
As he slightly extended his arm, her hand rested atop it.
"Alright. Please do, Lun."
For him, this was the happiest and most anticipated moment of the day.
On days when Dahlia did not leave the castle, walking together like this became their routine.
As he walked beside her, Gwynnslun couldn't remember what flowers bloomed along the road, nor where exactly they passed.
Because his eyes held only her.
To Gwynnslun, she was the most beautiful and radiant flower in the world.
Trying not to let her hear his heart pounding wildly, he walked stiffly beside her when Dahlia spoke.
"There's no training tomorrow, right?"
"Yes."
"Tomorrow, I'm planning to step outside the castle for a bit."
That meant Dahlia was going to the orphanage the next day.
She always let him know whenever she went out.
He had once offered to act as her escort, but she had gently refused every time.
Though he wondered why, he never asked.
Because he knew she did not wish to speak of it.
From that day on, whenever Dahlia left the castle, Gwynnslun followed her silently.
He was worried about her walking alone without an escort.
Sometimes a maid named Betty accompanied her, but even then, he couldn't help worrying.
Fortunately, the days she went outside were always days without training.
Outside the castle, Dahlia was known not as a princess, but as an ordinary noble lady who secretly offered help.
Watching her hide her identity and laugh brightly as she played with the children was dazzlingly beautiful.
Yet whenever resentment or criticism toward royalty arose, she was cursed along with them.
Unaware that she herself was a princess, people freely spoke ill of the royal family in front of her.
Dahlia always listened quietly, smiling without saying a word.
That sight only made Gwynnslun's heart ache more.
So on days when she didn't go outside the castle, he went into the capital and quietly spread word of the Princess's kindness and warmth.
Little by little, very little by very little, the slander surrounding Dahlia began to fade.
***
That day's training was different from usual.
It was the day Gwynnslun finally began to understand why Dahlia had refused an escort knight.
During a short break in training, a knight approached him with a mocking grin.
"Hey. I hear you're always glued to the Princess after training. What, did you turn into her dog or something? Or does she pay you extra if you do her a few favors?"
Before the sentence even finished, Gwynnslun's hand moved like lightning.
In an instant, the knight was grabbed by the collar.
No one around had time to stop him.
Gwynnslun could endure insults directed at himself, but humiliating Dahlia was unforgivable.
"She is our Princess. Watch your mouth. And she is not that kind of person."
His gaze dropped like a blade.
Eyes that always shone like a sunlit blue lake when he looked at Dahlia were now like a deep, lightless abyss.
A fury no one dared to peer into.
"Ghk—! Ha… once you're no longer needed, you'll be thrown away anyway. You really think that Princess wouldn't treat a knight like a toy? Hell, I could do a better job being her toy—"
The knight, choking as the grip tightened, forced the words out.
At that moment, Gwynnslun's patience shattered.
After confirming that Dahlia had not yet arrived, he drove his fist into the knight's face.
"Ugh!"
The knight tumbled across the ground as others rushed in, pulling the two apart.
Even after throwing the punch, Gwynnslun's rage did not cool.
He was about to strike again—
"Enough!"
The cold, commanding voice of the knight commander seized the training grounds.
The commander glared angrily at the knights, and the atmosphere of the yard shifted instantly.
"Both of you—my office. Now."
***
Inside the commander's office, he spoke in a low, hardened voice.
"Do you know why we accept people without conditions? Because when war breaks out, numbers come first. So don't reduce those numbers by fighting each other."
His voice was cold, yet firm.
After adding a few more words, the commander dismissed the knight who had picked the fight first.
Believing Gwynnslun would receive the harsher punishment, the knight shot him a mocking look before leaving.
The room fell silent, leaving only the two of them.
After studying Gwynnslun for a moment, the commander spoke again, his expression unreadable.
"I don't particularly care if you follow the Princess around or whatever else you do. Just don't cause trouble. Don't skip training, and fulfill your duties properly."
"Yes, sir."
After a brief silence, the commander continued in a lower voice.
"…The Princess is a pitiable one. Though she bears the title of royalty, she's never been treated accordingly. The king didn't even announce her birth. I've worked in this castle since before she was born, yet I only learned of her existence once she had grown."
Each word pressed heavily into Gwynnslun's chest.
"Take good care of her, but don't get too close. No matter how poorly she's been treated, she is royalty. You are a knight. There is a line that cannot be crossed."
Those words pierced Gwynnslun's heart like a dagger.
Was it anger? Sorrow? Longing?
An emotion he couldn't even name tightened around his heart.
Gwynnslun clenched the fist hidden behind his back.
"…Yes."
After the meeting, wondering if Dahlia might be waiting for him, Gwynnslun hurried back toward the training grounds.
And just as he feared—
There she was, peeking around cautiously from behind a tree.
Though training had ended long ago, she was still there.
Seeing her, Gwynnslun clenched his fist.
After steadying his emotions, he quietly approached her from behind.
"Your Royal Highness…?"
"Eek—!"
Startled, Dahlia turned around, eyes wide—then broke into a bright smile.
"Lun! Wasn't there training today?"
Her smile, her eyes, her voice, everything about her was painfully dear to him.
That someone so gentle received so little in return made his heart ache.
"Lun…?"
She called him softly as he stood there staring.
In that moment, Gwynnslun hugged her without thinking.
He wanted to protect her.
He wanted to make her happy.
'I wish… Your Highness could be happy…'
The instant her hand touched his back, Gwynnslun snapped back to his senses.
He hurriedly stepped away.
"I–I'm sorry!"
His face burned hot, refusing to cool. Shame and self-reproach washed over him.
'W–What am I… doing…'
He had thought simply standing beside her was enough.
That being her knight should have been sufficient.
But he didn't just want to serve her.
He wanted to stay by her side as a person, as a man.
This feeling was not mere loyalty.
Gwynnslun already knew that.
"…It's okay."
Dahlia smiled slightly, though she couldn't hide the redness of her cheeks.
After hesitating, he spoke a beat late.
"…I'll escort you back to the palace."
She nodded quietly and gently took the arm he offered.
From that day on, for nearly a year, Gwynnslun remained by her side, burying feelings he was never meant to hold.
But emotions could be suppressed by the mind, never deceived in the heart.
A feeling he dared not even name had taken root, deep and silent, within his heart.