‘I apologise for startling the lady,’ the knight bowed his head in apology, then added, ‘But as I mentioned before, there was no actual collision, so speaking of compensation is not logical.’
‘Logic? To me, logic is making sure those who threaten what’s mine pay the price,’ Edwin’s presence became more menacing, and the knights tensed, closing ranks around the boy. ‘Interesting,’ Edwin chuckled, looking at them with disdain. The madness that had been simmering beneath the surface was beginning to rise.
‘This is bad,’ I thought, feeling utterly at a loss for how to resolve the situation. Just then, the boy pushed past his knights and stepped forward. The lead knight tried to stop him, but the boy shook his head, insisting. His fists were clenched, clearly indicating his nerves, but he still held his ground, staring straight at Edwin. ‘I am Benjamin of the Ailes family,’ the boy introduced himself, bowing politely to us. I had suspected he was a noble from the presence of the knights, and it turned out to be true.
Edwin looked down at Benjamin as if he were a bug.
‘Even though no actual harm occurred, it is indeed my fault for not paying attention to my surroundings and startling you. I also appreciate that you prevented a serious accident. So, I will offer appropriate compensation,’ Benjamin said, his pale face determined as he spoke.
‘Young Master,’ the knight tried to stop him again, but Benjamin raised a hand to silence him. I couldn’t help but be impressed by how composed the boy remained.
‘How do you know what I’ll ask for?’ Edwin replied.
‘I trust you are a man of honour,’ Benjamin responded.
‘You’re the first person to call me honourable,’ Edwin chuckled, clearly amused by the statement. Benjamin’s eyes wavered with unease. Still grinning, Edwin bent down to meet Benjamin’s gaze directly.
‘I don’t let anyone who threatens me live,’ he whispered with a murderous gleam in his eyes, causing Benjamin to visibly tremble.
The lead knight quickly stepped in, pushing Benjamin behind him and raising his sword toward Edwin. The other knights followed suit, drawing their weapons. Seeing the glinting blades in front of me, I trembled uncontrollably.
‘I told you my bride is easily frightened,’ Edwin’s tone turned cold, his smile vanishing. The air around us seemed to freeze.
‘Lina, close your eyes,’ Edwin’s soft voice reached my ears amidst the tension, and it immediately reminded me of the time we had faced Raven in the streets.
‘No, I have to stop this.’ Those assassins had been out to kill us, but these people were innocent.
‘What should I do?’
No matter how hard I thought, I couldn’t come up with a way to stop Edwin, whose eyes were already filled with madness. Suddenly, an idea flashed through my mind.
I shouted with all my strength.
‘I am Angelina, the fiancée of Edwin Crawford!’
The surroundings went silent in an instant. They didn’t know who Edwin was.
If they knew he was the Mad Dragon of the West, they wouldn’t be so eager to confront him. As that realisation dawned on me, another idea came to mind—this might be a way to divert Edwin’s attention from Benjamin.
I blurted out the words without thinking, and suddenly, all eyes were on me. My face flushed under the intense scrutiny.
Edwin, who had just been handed a sword by Beryl, turned to stare at me. ‘…When someone introduces themselves, it’s polite to introduce yourself in return,’ I mumbled, my voice shrinking as I continued, unable to withstand the weight of their gazes. I lowered my head to avoid their stares and ended up meeting Benjamin’s eyes. He looked surprised, his golden eyes wide. I tried to force a smile and spoke to him.
‘Sorry, I didn’t respond to your introduction earlier. My name is Angelina, and this is my fiancé, Edwin Crawford.’
I gestured toward Edwin as I formally introduced him. Benjamin’s eyes widened further, and the expressions of the people around him turned grim.
They had finally realised who Edwin was. ‘Ed, why don’t you introduce yourself too? Tell them who my fiancé is,’ I said, glancing at Edwin. His expression remained blank as he looked at me.
Thankfully, the dangerous aura had diminished, but it was still hard to read his emotions. I swallowed nervously, and as if the tension melted away, Edwin’s sharp eyes softened.
With a clatter, something fell to the ground. ‘Where did you learn to do such cute things?’ Edwin asked softly, gently stroking my head.
As his touch continued, the intense pressure that had filled the air gradually eased, like snow melting in the sun. I noticed that the sword had fallen to the ground, and my shoulders relaxed in relief.
‘Introducing oneself is basic etiquette,’ I replied.
‘Heh, I should send a gift to the baroness for teaching you,’ Edwin chuckled.
‘Please send her something nice. She’s had to deal with a lot because of you,’ I thought but didn’t say aloud.