As My Husband Said, I Brought in a Lover

* * *

Rumors spread that a woman was participating in the subjugation squad recruitment tournament. Those rumors were proven true by a silver-haired woman who made it to the finals.

“What the, she’s really a woman?”

“Damn. My eyes must be deceiving me. Did I drink too much beer?”

“She really is a woman. How did she make it to the finals?”

“I’ve seen her before. She’s the commoner who first enrolled in the capital academy! I heard she joined the imperial knights, but why is she here? What was her name again? Lasia? Lisia?”

“Lensia. The strongest swordswoman in the empire, Lensia.” A blond man with glasses answered with a pleased expression.

The plainly dressed man looked at the handsome stranger who suddenly appeared beside him. “

, thanks for telling me, but who are you exactly…?”

“I’m that woman’s destiny companion applicant. If you want to apply, you’ll have to line up behind me.”

“What’s a destiny companion?”

“No idea.”

Lensia advanced to the finals, defeating her opponents with terrifying momentum.

The day before the tournament finals, Run arrived to recruit the subjugation team to kill the dragon.

“Just watch. Whoever they are, I’ll definitely catch and crush them.”

Lensia had endured all sorts of sabotage throughout the tournament, such as drinking poisoned potions mixed into her water or being kidnapped the day before a match. She overcame all these obstacles and made it to the finals.

“They won’t let today go smoothly.”

She gritted her teeth in the dormitory, waiting for whoever would come to sabotage her today. Soon, she sensed a suspicious presence and strode toward the door.

“

? What brings Your Majesty here? Have you finally decided to cheer for me?”

But instead of the expected saboteur, someone entirely different stood at the door.

Lensia spoke with a bright face and let Edin into the room. However, Edin’s expression was dark, not like someone who came to cheer. He slowly opened his lips.

“You asked me to find out who was sabotaging your matches.”

“What? Did you find out already?”

“It’s me.”

Lensia looked at him in disbelief and laughed hollowly. “

, why would you joke like that, Edin.”

“I did it, Lensia. Please, I’m begging you. Withdraw from the tournament.”

“…Why?” Lensia’s expression hardened, and she spoke stiffly. “Why did you do it? Am I interfering with the noble lords’ precious politics? Or is it because Allen is trying to follow me?”

“…”

“Edin, answer me.”

“Because I don’t want you to die.”

“You don’t trust me? I know. No one has ever even come close to being a dragon slayer. But I’m different. I know how to kill a dragon. I know how to destroy their territory too.”

“I believe you can do it.”

“Then that’s enough. Once I defeat Run and become a hero, no one will look down on me anymore. You and Allen won’t have to hear any more dirty rumors. I can meet Allen properly too. You know, I’m lacking in many ways right now.”

“You’re already in a high position. You’re not lacking at all.”

“No, I am lacking. You and Allen, who were born with everything, will never understand. I must become a dragon slayer, for my sake. Don’t worry, I won’t die.”

“Lensia, please…” Edin frowned in anguish. “Whether you kill Run or not, the moment you join the subjugation team, you will die.”

“…What do you mean by that?”

“Anyone who kills a dragon is cursed to die.”

“…”

“It’s a secret the imperial family has kept for generations. Naturally, Allen doesn’t know either. The moment you kill a dragon and become a hero, you will no longer belong to this world. That’s why I oppose it. So…” Edin’s face contorted with pain. “Lensia, don’t go. I can’t lose my friend like this.”

“…I see.”

Ever since Edin found out she was participating in the tournament, he had looked troubled whenever the topic came up. Lensia had thought it was because he was worried about her, but she never imagined his concern was directed this way.

“Whether I kill Run or not, I’ll die if I join the subjugation team.”

“Yes, so…”

“

, you’re joking, right? Don’t lie to me.”

Edin replied with a desperate face. “It’s true. That’s why I interfered. If you don’t win, I don’t have to reveal the secret, and things can be resolved peacefully.”

“Peace? Sacrificing someone else instead of me is peaceful? Whether I succeed or fail, the outcome is the same. Besides, that someone else might have a family.”

“That’s not… Right. You know I’m not fit for my position. That’s why I hoped it wouldn’t be you.”

“As long as it’s not me.”

Edin didn’t realize it, but he always made Lensia painfully aware of how different they were. He never had to exert himself, never had a reason to be desperate, never had to sacrifice anything. Someone was always there to take his place, he was always in a position to grant someone’s wishes, and sacrifice was always someone else’s burden. He could easily demand sacrifice from others.

But unfortunately, Lensia was the opposite. She always had to work herself to the bone just to keep up with a normal life, always had to be desperate, and could never reach a place of honor without the tool of sacrifice.

“…So, that’s why she wanted me to take on this task.” She thought of the teacher who had taught her swordsmanship unconditionally at the academy.

Since she was very young, growing up in the Fioren orphanage, Lensia had always been alone. The orphanage children were all adopted before her, and the teachers either ignored her or treated her as a troublemaker.

Then, she entered Eldran Academy and met Edin and her teacher. No matter how close she was with Edin, there was always an unbridgeable gap between them. He was surrounded by many people, and even if Lensia disappeared, there were plenty of others to take her place.

But her teacher was different. To her teacher, she was the only one who could kill the dragon in her stead. Lensia was happy to be important to someone. She was even more thrilled that she could fulfill her teacher’s lifelong wish.

“Did she just look for someone to use? Someone to sacrifice instead of herself…”

“What are you talking about?”

No, her teacher even gave her precious treasure. The sword is made from the bones of a rare dragon. So, she must have valued her… Even though to others, it might just look like a pretty iron sword.

“Edin, what does this sword look like to you?”

“Why are you asking that all of a sudden? It’s just iron, isn’t it?”

“…That’s what it looks like to me too. But it’s not.”

Lensia stroked the scabbard with her palm. It would be a lie to say she had never doubted it. To her eyes, it always looked like an ordinary iron sword. But she wanted to believe it was special. Because then, her insignificant life would feel a bit more special.

“I don’t know why you’re talking about this now, but anyway, just getting to the finals is enough for people to recognize you. So let’s stop here.”

“I’ll think about it. Go in now. I won’t tell anyone.”

“Lensia. I need a definite answer.”

“Just go.”

“No.”

“I’m tired. Just leave me alone.”

“Lensia, I’m anxious. If you just turn a blind eye, someone else will…”

Lensia glared at Edin with eyes full of anger. Edin shuddered at her cold gaze.

“Edin, to you, I’m just another pawn to be sacrificed for peace.”

“Lensia. That’s not why I came all this way.”

“If we were strangers, would you have shown me such kindness? Do you think a commoner like me could have joined the imperial knights?”

“You became important to me because of your abilities. Abilities that everyone coveted.”

“Do you know what makes me feel even more miserable?”

“…”

“I also used those abilities to benefit from you. So I can’t say we’re purely friends.”

“…Lensia.”

“That’s why I wanted to achieve something purely with my abilities. To repay my teacher and stand proudly beside you as a hero.”

“We’re already equals. Lensia, so…”

“There’s no such thing as kindness without strings attached. I don’t want to live in debt.”

“It’s not a debt! What’s wrong with receiving a bit of help from a friend?”

“It makes me feel miserable!” Lensia clenched her fists. “The privileged think they’re being fair. Edin, we’ve never been equal friends. I’ve always lived with the fear that you might suddenly turn your back on me. Afraid I’d become one of those common sacrifices you so easily offer for peace.”

“…Lensia. How can you think that? You know how much you mean to me.” Edin looked at Lensia with a hurt expression.

“In the end, I couldn’t achieve anything with my strength alone. Well, there’s one thing.” Lensia gripped the scabbard tightly. “Defeating Run.”

“Lensia!”

“No matter what you do, I will fight tomorrow.”

“There are other choices. Like Allen di Servenia? Use him. No, it’s not using. You care for him too.”

“…Why bring him up now?”

“You know he’s madly in love with you. So if you become Marchioness of Servenia—”

“Edin, get out.”

“…What?”

“You will never understand me. So go back. And don’t interfere with how I die. From today on, our relationship is no longer friends. You’re just emperor, and I’m just an ordinary citizen.”

“Are you saying you want to end our friendship?”

“If you put it in your childish terms, yes.”

“How can you say that…?” Edin looked at Lensia with tears welling up in his eyes. “…I warned you. Do as you please. I won’t tolerate your fiery temper anymore.” He turned and left the room.

Lensia, standing alone in the middle of the empty room, soon sat on the bed and hung her head. “Must be nice to get angry so elegantly. I can’t do that.”

Lensia buried her head in her hands. “I’m always on the edge. People living on the edge have a nasty temper. They’re always anxious because one push and it’s all over. You’ll never understand this anxiety…” And you’ll never have a reason to.

She then curled up. “…You’ll come to cheer tomorrow too, won’t you?”

She didn’t know why, but she thought of that fair boy with the yellow hair at that moment.