Villainess X Villain: They are obsessed with each other!

Chapter 285: Chapter: 284 Knight in shining armour.[2]

In the grand and opulent castle of the Fairyborn Empire, along one of its vast marble corridors, a lone knight walked with calm, measured steps.

The polished floor reflected the soft glow of countless enchanted lamps hanging from the high arched ceiling, causing the black armor covering his body to shimmer faintly each time he passed beneath them.

Every piece of his onyx armor had been maintained to perfection without a single scratch left unattended, fitting his tall frame like a second skin.

A finely crafted longsword rested securely at his waist, swaying slightly with each step, while the rhythmic sound of steel greaves striking polished stone echoed quietly through the otherwise peaceful corridor.

Servants who happened to cross his path instinctively lowered their heads before moving aside, allowing him to pass without interruption.

His appearance matched the dignity expected of the Empire’s finest knight.

His face possessed sharp yet masculine features that many would describe as strikingly handsome.

High cheekbones gave his expression quiet definition, while a straight nose and firm jaw completed a face that seemed carved by an artist.

His complexion resembled the gentle warmth of the rising sun, carrying a soft golden-orange hue that was neither pale nor dark, completely different from the various brown shades naturally possessed by the Zlycons.

His short pale-blond hair, the color of freshly harvested wheat, had been carefully combed into place without a single strand appearing out of order.

Beneath it rested a pair of crystal-clear blue eyes, calm and unwavering like a tranquil lake beneath a cloudless sky.

Standing tall in gleaming armor, he appeared every bit the image of the perfect knight from the old tales, the kind countless young noble ladies secretly dreamed of meeting at least once in their lives.

Whether fortunate or unfortunate, however, that knight belonged to only one person.

He was the personal knight assigned to protect the eldest princess of the Fairyborn Empire, Princess Sylviana Fairyborn. His name was Leon.

Today, however, despite the brilliance of his appearance, none of it could conceal the loneliness quietly lingering around him.

The polished armor reflected the castle lights, yet it could not brighten the emptiness hidden behind those calm blue eyes.

As he continued toward the princess’s chambers, his posture remained perfectly straight, his pace steady, and his expression disciplined, but an invisible heaviness clung to him with every step.

It was the kind of loneliness that had settled inside him long ago, becoming so familiar that even he no longer noticed its constant presence.

His duty had always come before his own feelings, and over time he had grown accustomed to carrying emotions that could never be spoken aloud.

"...Haah..."

A quiet sigh escaped Leon’s lips before he instinctively straightened his back once more.

The brief moment of weakness disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by the composed bearing expected from the Empire’s personal knight.

Before long, the towering double doors leading to the princess’s luxurious chambers came into view.

Intricate carvings of blooming flowers and soaring hawks decorated their polished wooden surface, while silver handles gleamed beneath the corridor lights.

Leon stopped before the entrance, adjusted the position of the sword at his waist, then raised a gloved hand and knocked three times with measured force.

"Your Highness," he called respectfully through the closed doors. "The caravan has returned. His Majesty has ordered me to escort you to the throne room."

Almost the instant his words faded, an unexpectedly cheerful voice rang out from inside.

"Really?"

The excitement within that single word was impossible to hide.

Hearing the unmistakable joy in her voice, Leon felt something tighten painfully inside his chest.

His fingers unconsciously curled for the briefest moment before relaxing again beneath his gauntlets. He already knew why she sounded so happy.

The caravan had returned from the Thorne Family Estate. Naturally, the first thing occupying her thoughts would be the outcome of that journey.

Even so, none of those complicated emotions found their way onto his face.

Years of discipline prevented even the slightest crack from appearing in his calm expression.

"Yes, Your Highness," Leon answered in the same neutral tone. "The caravan has returned."

A series of hurried footsteps immediately echoed from within the room. They grew louder with surprising speed before the heavy doors suddenly swung open.

Standing before him was a beauty capable of drawing attention anywhere she appeared.

Princess Sylviana Fairyborn possessed a petite figure that only enhanced her delicate appearance.

Although she was not particularly tall, her beauty easily overshadowed that minor detail.

Her face resembled that of an exquisitely crafted porcelain doll, small and flawless, while her smooth skin reflected the warm corridor lights with a gentle jade-like luster.

Her long emerald-green hair, softer than the finest silk, was still damp from her bath and loosely gathered behind her head beneath a wrapped towel.

Tiny droplets of water rested around her slender neck before slowly disappearing beneath the elegant green gown she had hurriedly put on.

Long, dense eyelashes framed a pair of deep emerald eyes that sparkled like polished gemstones, while her small lips curved into a smile bright enough to erase the exhaustion from an ordinary person’s heart.

For a brief moment, Leon found himself staring silently at her.

It lasted for only an instant, barely noticeable to anyone else, yet inside his heart countless emotions stirred together into an indescribable mixture.

Admiration, affection, resignation, and quiet sorrow blended together until none could be separated from the others.

Those feelings had remained buried for years beneath the armor he wore every day, locked away where they would never interfere with his duty.

He had long accepted that they would never be returned. Even so, acceptance did not lessen their weight.

Quickly gathering himself, Leon lowered his gaze slightly before speaking once again in the same composed voice.

"Your Highness... His Majesty requests your presence in the throne room."

The cheerful smile remained upon her face, completely unaware of the storm hidden behind the knight standing before her.

She was Sylviana Fairyborn, the eldest daughter of the Emperor of the Fairyborn Empire, admired throughout the empire for both her beauty and gentle disposition.

She was also one of the women hopelessly and sincerely in love with Crypian Thorne, believing with all her heart that the journey to the Thorne Family Estate would mark the beginning of the future she had long dreamed about.

And she was also the one...the shining but lonely knight was in love with...