“Then become my guardian knight and protect me. That’s an order.”
Indeed.
The lord he was sworn to protect was no longer only Cedric.
‘Am I even worthy of living?’
With a vague gaze, Yulian slowly stepped back inside.
Iris, still unable to stop her tears, looked up at him.
There was a reason to live.
He knelt down slowly.
“I apologize, my lord.”
“...I did not say that to reprimand you.”
Simply—
“I wanted to let you know that what you have done so far was not wrong.”
At those words, Yulian bit his lip hard.
Whether this was the choice Iris meant or not, having someone tell him he was not a discarded tool was more tearful than he expected.
How to Protect My Male Lead, Episode 81
Yulian looked into the mirror with a reluctant expression.
It had been a while since he wore his uniform. His arm was still tightly bound in bandages.
He had tried shaking it off several times out of annoyance, but it was fastened so firmly it wouldn’t budge.
‘Is this really okay?’
He was a pragmatic man.
If he truly needed a guard, the Leontheim Knight Order would have already assigned one.
But since they hadn’t, he assumed it wasn’t necessary in the first place.
‘Is this just pity?’
Yeah. Probably.
How pathetic must I look?
He let out a bitter smile, then took a deep breath and lifted his head.
He pushed aside his shame.
What she desired when granting this new chance surely wasn’t this pitiful state.
“Ready?”
At the knock and voice, Yulian hurried out of the room.
Honestly, he was a bit surprised.
‘It’s still so early.’
He should have come to see her first—it was a mistake not to.
He opened the door and stepped outside.
There stood Iris, the owner of the voice—
“And you are...”
Vincent appeared with a surprised look.
‘No wonder the lady was going somewhere this early in the morning.’
Turns out it was to see Yulian.
Vincent glanced seriously between Yulian and the room.
Though only trying to remember, Yulian avoided Vincent’s gaze because he felt guilty for past mistakes.
“What’s going on?”
Once Vincent assessed the situation, he quickly asked Iris.
Smiling faintly, Iris answered casually,
“From today, Sir Yulian will be my guardian.”
“Guardian, you say?”
It wasn’t unusual for noblewomen to have knights accompany them for safety.
‘...The lady?’
Vincent, once a legendary great swordsman, had met many skilled individuals.
Fools often measure a cultivator’s realm by their sword aura, but Vincent, having endured harsh trials himself, saw things differently.
“Judging purely by swordsmanship...”
Iris could confidently be counted among the top cultivators on this continent.
“Especially her discernment is extraordinary.”
While others relied heavily on sword aura, the Lady’s swordsmanship reflected a fierce struggle and refined insight.
“Whenever she sparred with the knights... she seemed to perceive every sword path in a way different from the Master’s.”
Of course, lacking the ability to manipulate sword aura would be a disadvantage against those who wield it.
“But the duke’s fortress is guarded like iron by the knights, so Sir Yurian’s presence might not even be necessary.”
Besides, Iris likely had knights she was more familiar with.
So Vincent couldn’t shake off the thought,
“Is it really necessary?”
“But surely there must be a reason.”
The Lady was always like that.
Nodding, Vincent spoke to confirm.
“Sir Yurian is a fine knight.”
Yurian’s eyes widened at the awkward praise.
He looked at Vincent, who was unsure how to respond to the sudden attention.
Having failed to protect Cedric, Yurian had gradually distanced himself even from Vincent, who had been Cedric’s spiritual pillar.
They spoke so few times it could be counted on one hand.
Yurian assumed Vincent harbored resentment toward him, so he never knew Vincent thought of him this way.
Iris smiled in agreement with Vincent’s words and moved on.
Having a new guard was no excuse for her to delay her duties today.
Vincent, rushing after, glanced at Yurian.
His expression was still somewhat awkward.
“On second thought, this is good. You’ll learn something too.”
“What do you mean?”
“To smile and say, ‘I learned from my failure, so I won’t repeat it.’”
With that, Vincent followed Iris.
Watching them, Yurian quietly frowned.
How can they be like that?
Failure was just failure.
Clenching his uninjured hand tightly, Yurian also pursued after them.
Iris, under Yurian’s watchful eyes, was truly a busy cultivator.
He wondered if the previous day she visited him had been her only time to rest.
At first, Yurian thought her duties were limited to standing guard during paperwork in her study as the Lady.
“Lady!”
“Lu, have you been well? It’s been so long for all of you.”
“Of course! I’ve just started assisting the new kitchen master!”
Lu’s eyes sparkled more than ever, as if she had received ample love and attention.
Other children around eagerly wanted to share their stories with Iris.
“Lady! I—”
“Please look at this too!”
Surrounded by chirping children, Iris smiled warmly.
Yurian didn’t even know who these children were.
But he understood they weren’t people easily met by one in her position.
Their rough hair and calloused hands reminded him of his own childhood.
“That child named Mary is sharp and diligent—an exceptional talent.”
“Is that so, Vincent? I’m glad Lu is doing well too.”
Not only children but other employees, Iris made an effort to listen to their stories.
She confirmed everything and spoke with them, meeting their eyes sincerely.
“Now I’ll head to the study.”
Noticing Yurian’s surprise, Iris spoke kindly.
Then, entering the study, the warm gaze she had for the children vanished as she swiftly began handling her work.
“Vincent. Please take care of this.”
“Yes, here are the quarterly reports.”
Yurian watched this.
“To smile and say, ‘I learned from failure, so I won’t repeat it.’”
Because it was Vincent’s saying, it felt all the more unreliable.
It seemed that person had never truly fallen apart before.
“But...”
What was that face from yesterday?
It had been the same face as his own.
“Yurian.”
Someone called out to the troubled Yurian.
Iris was already standing, signaling the end of her work.
“Go.”
“Ah—where to this time—”
“It’s rest time.”
Saying that, Iris picked up the sword lying beside her.
At that moment, Yurian noticed the calluses and scars on her white hands.
They were the hands of one who truly wielded a blade.
Yulian wanted to say something but missed his chance.
In the end, he was dragged along again by Iris, now dressed in her training robes, and Vincent.
Of course, the place they arrived at was another place he couldn’t comprehend.
‘A training ground.’
Between the swordsmanship earlier and the calluses on his hands...
‘I heard the name Valentine.’
Could it be she still hasn’t let go of the sword?
“Deputy Commander...?”
The knights who saw Yulian standing behind Iris with a strange expression quickly snapped to attention with surprised faces.
Though not comparable to Cedric, Yulian was an untouchable presence within the order.
He rarely stayed at the castle, and only a handful had ever spoken with him — a mysterious figure.
“What brings you here?”
“That’s right. Deputy Commander, didn’t you break your arm yesterday? Shouldn’t you be resting?”
Riu and Greg, who had been close with Yulian since childhood, approached.
The two greeted Iris first, then addressed Yulian.
“And how come you two are together...”
Greg, clearly bewildered, was answered not by Yulian but by Iris.
“Oh, Yulian became my guardian knight.”
“Heh, my lady’s guard? I’m really good at that too—ah!”
Riu, ever cheeky, got a light knock on the head from Greg.
“Cut the nonsense.”
Then Greg asked Iris,
“If you needed a guard, you could’ve told the order...”
Was Iris dissatisfied with her protection in the capital?
Iris waved off the bitter expression on Greg’s face.
“No, Sir Greg is indispensable to the order. That’s why I didn’t say anything, so don’t worry.”
“I see.”
If she says so, that’s a relief.
Greg glanced sideways at Yulian.
‘What is he thinking?’
Knowing the past, that man wouldn’t easily want to be a guardian.
Just then, Yulian turned his head to look at Greg.
“What is it?”
“Oh, nothing.”
Greg looked like he wanted to chase after Iris but stopped.
Yulian quietly spoke,
“Greg.”
“Ah, yes, Deputy Commander.”
“What do you think of the new lord?”
New lord...
He watched Iris, now more comfortably conversing with the knights.
Greg, pondering what to say, decided to only share facts he knew.
“The lady cannot use sword energy.”
“I see.”
“And the rest you’ll notice yourself.”
That wasn’t the answer Yulian wanted to hear.
He wanted to ask more, but Greg, seemingly uncomfortable, had already disappeared far away.
Standing awkwardly, Yulian decided to follow Greg’s words.
‘Maybe there is something to see.’
And now, Yulian understood what Greg meant.
‘This lady...’
She wielded a unique swordsmanship style.
She helped her opponent never give up, opening a path with her sword so they wouldn’t make unnecessary moves.
Yet she never spared her opponent.
This wasn’t something anyone with average skill could do.
It’s easier to suppress force than to gently push it away.
Her swordsmanship wasn’t dazzling or flashy enough to send chills down the spine, but that made it all the more impressive.
‘It’s like she can see right through others’ swords.’
Vincent and Greg’s words echoed in Yulian’s mind:
“The lady cannot use sword energy.”
“She would smile after failure, saying she learned and won’t do it again.”
Now he understood why they said that.
A knight of that caliber being unable to use sword energy would have been ridiculed.
Just that alone could diminish all her other efforts.
‘But still...’
Still, the lady held her sword with a smile.
As if she didn’t care what others thought.
“Was it not difficult?”
On their way back to the castle after rest, Yulian couldn’t help but ask Iris.
How could she keep that attitude?
Having seen the limits of his own skill, he couldn’t understand.
“Hm? What do you mean?”
At first, Iris couldn’t grasp the question, but then she blinked and her eyes shifted with understanding.
Well, Yurian was a skilled knight—he must have thought it strange.
“Do you mean sword aura?”
Yurian said nothing.
But no one could deny that was a yes.
After a moment of hesitation about what to say, Iris smiled casually.
“It was embarrassing, but not anymore.”
The words were simple and plain.
With that, Iris turned and walked away.
Her answer struck Yurian quietly yet deeply.
Embarrassing, but not anymore.
That phrase itself meant she had learned something.
She no longer feared accepting new truths from her own shortcomings.
She’s like me.
No, she wasn’t. He had never been that way himself.
Then become my guardian knight and protect me. That’s an order.
That command, dripping with tear marks, sparked a blaze in Yurian’s chest.
His body, once bereft of will, moved.
“Lady!”
Startled by Yurian’s voice, Iris turned around.
He no longer knelt overwhelmed by emotions as he had yesterday. Instead, he lifted his head to meet her gaze.
In his eyes, the future he desired to become shone clearly.
“I will train harder.”
Though the one dreaming of that future couldn’t quite understand it, his eyes darted anxiously.
“Hmm...? Alright then, do that.”
Wasn’t he already doing his best?
What could doing better than this even mean?
Unaware of the burning respect in her new guardian knight’s heart, Iris simply felt uneasy.
Something about today feels different from yesterday.
Chapter 82