Hajin turned toward the unfamiliar voice and saw a tall man approaching through the parted crowd with slow, deliberate steps.
The Royal Knight Order's prestigious captain crest was clearly stamped into the polished surface of his left steel pauldron.
His weathered, scarred face carried the cold and strictly professional expression Hajin remembered seeing among the elite palace guard.
Polished steel sabatons clanked against the cobblestones with each deliberate stride, commanding immediate silence across the crowded market street.
Civilians, bustling street merchants, and academy students stepped aside respectfully without being told as the imposing knight captain drew near.
"Knight Captain, what brings you all the way out here?" Didi asked, her voice turning crisp and formal.
Her playful, teasing amusement vanished instantly as she straightened her back into the dignified posture expected of an imperial princess.
