The twilight air on the balcony of the east tower carried the lingering scent of roses from the garden below, brushing Alicia's blond hair so that it swayed around her shoulders. The setting sun stained the sky purple, and there Ren stood a few steps away from her, his hands resting on the stone railing. Since the end of his afternoon training, he had been glancing at the princess, as if there was a weight on his chest. Alicia felt it—a silent pressure that made her restless too.
Ren finally turned his head, his eyes dim in the orange light. "Alicia," he said softly, breaking the silence. His tone was not the friendly tone of a servant, nor the teasing whisper he had had in the kitchen. It was the voice of a man about to spill a secret.
Alicia gripped the edge of her coat—still Ren's coat that she had stolen the night before—and waited. Ren took a breath, then stared at his palms as if searching for words there.
"I shouldn't say this," he began, his voice soft but firm, "but I… have fallen in love with you."
The words cut like swords into Alicia's heart. She fell silent, her chest suddenly tight. Her mouth opened but no sound came out. Ren quickly bowed his head, adding, "But I'm not worthy. You're a Princess Knight, a future legend, and I'm just a servant. Just looking at you from afar is a blessing."
Alicia stared at him, her eyes wide. Warmth overflowed, mixed with pain at hearing him demean himself. Ren smiled thinly—a sick smile unlike his usual—then turned to leave, as if intending to end the conversation before he tarnished it further.
"Don't," Alicia's voice finally broke. Ren's steps stopped. The Princess approached, her boots bouncing softly on the stone floor. She stood right in front of Ren, just a breath away.
"I don't know this feeling," she whispered, holding back a shudder, "but every time you touch me, my heart… warms. When you leave, I look for you." She grabbed Ren's wrist, holding him back. "If that's not love, then I'm stupid. And if you say I'm not worthy, you're insulting my feelings."
Ren looked up, looking surprised, even a little tortured. "I'm afraid you'll regret it. Hiro—"
"Hiro is a hero, and I'm a knight," Alicia interrupted, her voice rising a notch. "But beneath the armor, I am a woman. And you—you make me feel wanted as a woman, not a symbol."
Ren stared at her—his brown eyes moist, but his lips curved into a slow smile, as if he had just been allowed to breathe. Alicia, without warning, wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him to her chest. Their first embrace belonged entirely to the daytime consciousness—no hesitation, just a mingling of heartbeats. Ren held his breath for a moment, then hugged her back, pressing his face into her shoulder.
"Then," he whispered against her skin, "let me protect your heart… even if I have to fight the world."
Alicia closed her eyes, feeling the words run down her spine. Ren's hand moved to her back, pulling her closer. The setting sun left them in the last of the twilight, their silhouettes merging over the city.
They stood for a long time in a warm embrace. When they finally parted, Alicia's lips were inches from Ren's. She held herself back only because the patrol's footsteps could be heard far up the stairs. "Meet me at midnight at the old armory," the Princess whispered, her cheeks flushed. "I want… to make this feeling real."
Ren nodded, his finger brushing Alicia's cheek before he stepped back. The Princess watched him descend the stairs, a smile lingering on her lips. As he disappeared behind the arch, she touched her chest—the beat was loud like a war drum, but not for battle, but for a new feeling more terrifying than any demon.
At the bottom of the stairs, Ren nearly collided with Hiro as he made his way up. The hero's eyes sharpened at the heat on Ren's face. Hiro clenched his fists, his sense of betrayal growing into certainty. Tonight, the armory would not only be a place of love promises—it would also be an arena for the clash of two heroes.