In response to all the gasps and whispers, I simply let out a dry, amused scoff. Then gently patted little Marco on the head.
"Thrown stones sometimes bounce back. If you want to kill me… pick up a sword."
The murmurs didn't die down, they only grew louder. No one could quite grasp what I was doing. I had spared someone who'd just tried to harm me… and not only that, I'd granted him permission to enter the royal knight training.
Yes, whisper louder. Spread your wild little rumors. That's exactly what I want.
While Marco stood there frozen, still unsure of what had just happened, Dylan cleared his throat behind me.
"Well? Aren't you going to thank Her Highness?"
Marco blinked as if waking from a dream, then quickly dropped to one knee, bewildered.
"Th-Thank you, Your Highness…"
Don't thank me just yet, boy. Wait until you set foot inside the training grounds. By then, you might resent me more than you ever hated me today.
