Chapter 11 · The Training Grounds (1)

“Commander! You’ve come?”

The knight who had knocked the boy down called out cheerfully. She was a tall woman with a short bob, cat-like upturned eyes, and a refreshingly crisp impression. She looked a little older than Paeon.

The boy called Rizen sprang to his feet the moment he heard her voice. Then he spotted Paeon, and his face turned red as a beet. Oh ho? Look at this boy.

“But who is this little lady you’re holding…!”

I bowed politely from his arms.

“Hewwo! I’m Asha.”

“So you’re the princess everyone’s been talking about! I’m Shellman Piart, vice-commander of Veritas. What brings you here?”

Ooh, this sister is the vice-commander? She must be incredibly strong.

“I begged Papa to bwing me. I wanted to see the twaining gwounds. I weally wanted to see the knights.”

While we were talking, the knights stopped practicing and gathered in a circle around us.

“Papa? Pfft—hahahaha!”

She doubled over laughing as if she’d just heard the funniest thing in the world.

“See, what did I tell you, Vice-Commander? I said she really calls him Papa! I won the bet, so hurry up and give me ten tium (a unit of currency).”

A large, black-haired knight strode over and spoke triumphantly.

“Ugh, I lost good money because of that. I thought the subordinates were just teasing me… Papa! Why on earth do you call the commander that?”

“It’s the pet name I gave him. We’re fwiends. And ‘Pawshiel’ is too hawd to say.”

When I said that primly, she opened her eyes wide in disbelief, then laughed like crazy again.

“Hahaha, Commander! You’d better treat the princess well. When in your life will you ever be called Papa again?”

Goodness, Paeon flinched at the sudden attack from someone who didn’t know the truth. He glared at her for a moment, then set me down on the ground.

“Stay over at that end. Just in case, don’t come too close. Wooden swords sometimes fly off, you see.”

“Okay, I undewstand!”

As I nodded quickly, a strange groan came from one side.

“Sh-she’s so cute…”

“Am I looking at a doll or a person?”

These uncles… What a fuss… Hmm, it doesn’t feel bad, though.

“Come to think of it, the princess hasn’t seen the commander’s skills yet, has she? How about a sparring match with me, then? I’ll give you a free show!”

Shellman said heartily. Oh, I think I like this sister. I’d wanted to see it anyway.

“Stop talking nonsense. A sparring match isn’t child’s play…”

“I want to see it, Asha wants to see it! Pwease do it.”

When I clasped my hands together and pleaded earnestly, the surroundings grew noisy.

“Yes, Commander! Show us!”

“Surely you won’t refuse a sparring request in front of the princess? That would go against the knight’s code!”

Paeon let out a sigh and pointed to the center of the training grounds with his sword. Shellman ran eagerly to where he pointed.

It was a sparring match with no divine power, purely a contest of swordsmanship. It was my first time seeing knights spar, and I was thoroughly excited.

The two stood at a slight distance in the center of the training grounds and saluted with crisp formality.

“Attack first.”

Paeon said, drawing his sword. Shellman grinned and quickly drew her blade, charging at him. It happened in the blink of an eye, so before I could even be startled, Paeon twisted his body to the right without even moving his feet, avoiding the attack. At the same time, he aimed his sword in his right hand at Shellman’s left flank, but she too spun quickly halfway around and parried his strike.

A crisp metallic ring rang out, and I could feel the powerful shockwave even where I stood. To have this much force without using divine power—it was truly astonishing.

Clang, clang, clang, clang—their blades clashed dozens of times at a speed too fast to follow with the eyes. Just from watching, it was clear Paeon was far stronger and Shellman was struggling against his power. Yet the fact that she parried his sword several times showed that her skill was also tremendous.

Clang! She took a blow so strong that her sword shuddered, and was pushed back a step. Paeon did not miss the moment Shellman’s sword hung in the air and drove his blade forward in a straight line. In an instant, his sword was touching her chest. Cheers of “Whoa!” rose from the surroundings.

“Your strength has improved since before.”

“Haha! Commander, you weren’t really going all out, were you? You just didn’t want me to be embarrassed in front of the princess.”

“…Enough with the nonsense. Back to duties now.”

Paeon sheathed his sword. I hopped about clapping, then glanced sideways—Rizen had his whole attention fixed on Paeon and couldn’t take his eyes off him.

That flushed face and those sparkling eyes… even a sigh of admiration! There was no doubt. That boy was completely smitten with Paeon. In the sense of awe and worship, I mean.

“Papa, Shellman! That was so, so cool! Thank you so much for showing me.”

“Princess, I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“Shellman, Asha wants to leawn the swowd too. Huh? Can Asha weawn it too?”

Shellman grinned and pointed at Rizen, who was still dazed.

“Rizen, you take on the princess today. With your skill, the princess should be just right for you!”

At Shellman’s words, Rizen snapped to his senses and bowed his head low.

Goodness… Isn’t that too harsh? I liked her bold personality, but her bluntness is no joke. The kid’s going to get hurt and lose his confidence!

“Princess, let’s go over there.”

He found a tiny toy-like wooden sword from somewhere and led me to a corner of the training grounds. I studied his profile closely, then suddenly remembered where I had heard his name.

He was Rizen Tigris. Eight years from now, he would become Paeon’s most outstanding disciple and the ‘Hawk of the God Lux,’ soaring across battlefields like a bird!

His superb horsemanship, the speed with which he swooped down on enemies like a hawk, and the giant hawk-shaped divine beast he would summon were destined to become legends of Santra.

But the reason I hadn’t recognized him at first was that he looked so different from eight years later. This frail, delicate pretty boy was going to shoot up to nearly four cubits (about two meters) tall? Starting today, he’d have to grow about one as (about three centimeters) every single day!

While I was staring at him dizzily, he came to a stop and spoke quietly.

“Princess, I’d like it if you didn’t come here after today.”

Huh?

“This isn’t a place for the princess to come. Honestly… you’re a nuisance.”

His angelic face had turned cold.

Well, well, this brat. Why take out your frustration on me just because you got scolded! I need to keep coming here and sticking close to Paeon! This guy who won’t help my survival one bit dares to block my path?!

Besides, the training grounds looked perfect for practicing magic. There were limits to practicing magic in a small room. The training grounds were enormous, and with many large, thick trees around, it seemed like a good place to try various spells without standing out too much.

I was furious, but I calmed myself for now. The other party was a twelve-year-old boy. If I coaxed and soothed him appropriately, it would be fine.

“Wizen, are you mad because Shellman made you take cawe of Asha? Shellman went too faw. Wizen isn’t pathetic wike that.”

“You don’t need to take my side. The vice-commander is a truly excellent person. The reason I get scolded is… because I’m… hopeless.”

What on earth is he saying now?

“Hopeless… No! Wizen is still young.”

“There are already many comrades my age who can use excellent sword energy and divine power. I can’t do any of it, and even my basic swordsmanship is just mediocre.”

Hearing him assess his own skills so flatly made my heart ache. His self-esteem seemed to have sunk as low as it could go.

“…But Wizen is here at Vewitas, wight? Even as an appwentice, Vewitas isn’t a place just anyone can join! That means you’re amazing!”

“…I’ll be kicked out soon.”

Wh-what kind of terrifying thing is he saying so casually?!

“Honestly, it’s a wonder I’m still here. I still don’t understand. Why Sir Parsiel… brought me here…”

“Papa bwought Wizen here?!”

I asked, startled. So he was Paeon’s pick?! That’s why he’d become such an outstanding knight. There’s no way he’d fail to recognize promising talent. But why can’t he show his ability now? I’m dying to spoil his life for him.

Just then, a boy with blazing red hair and gray eyes appeared from somewhere. He wore a mischievous, impish smile, and looked every bit the son of a noble house. Unlike Veritas’s pure white apprentice knight uniform, his garb was pitch black cloth embroidered with gold thread—so he must be an apprentice knight of the royal knight order.

“Hahaha! Rizen, Veritas has finally given up on you. Making you practice with a little girl like that! Are you transferring to nanny duty?”

“…Don’t speak carelessly! This is the princess.”

Rizen said, his face hardening at the mockery. They seemed like long-standing enemies.

“Ah… so this is the princess who came to the royal palace last month. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Ark Ellenoa, eldest son of the Count Ellenoa family.”

Ellenoa? I’m sure I’ve heard that surname somewhere too.

“Now I understand why they entrusted the princess to this guy. He’s perfect as a playmate. He should have been a maid long ago, not a knight. Honestly, I don’t think the commander of Veritas has an eye for people.”

At Ark’s provocation, Rizen turned pale. He trembled all over and raised his sword.

“How dare you insult our commander! I won’t forgive you!”

“Ha! You’re going to cut me down with that? When you’re still practicing your swings?”

Ark sneered.

“And don’t talk down to me. You’re a commoner, aren’t you?”

Compared to the royal knight order, which is almost entirely noble-born, the temple’s members come from diverse backgrounds. But however low one’s station, once you belonged to the Great Temple, you were treated with respect. It wasn’t that people never looked down on others behind their backs, but… openly condescending like that was truly rude.

Rizen flared up and tried to lunge at Ark, so I had no choice but to grab his leg and hang on.

“Don’t faw fow such a chiwdish pwovocation, Wizen! If knights fight, Papa will be angwy!”

“That’s right. If you, who can’t even use divine power, came at me, who knows what might happen. You’d be lying down for days.”

“I… I can use divine power!”

Rizen shouted, his face red. You just said you couldn’t, Rizen! I understood not wanting to lose, but I worried whether it was all right to bluff like that.

“Ha! Then spar with me. If you really can use divine power, you should be able to block my aura.”

Ark raised his sword with a full sneer. The fact that he could use aura meant he belonged to the First Royal Knight Order. That knight order, called Dinitas, was made up entirely of knights, apprentices included, who could use ‘aura’—wrapping mana around their blades to attack.

“…Fine. A duel.”

Wait, you immature brats! What duel at your age! What if you get hurt?!

Ignoring me as I stamped my feet in distress, the two quickly began their duel. Before even a few exchanges had passed, Ark swung his sword wide, and black aura slashed Rizen’s leg. Blood spurted from the spot.

“Ugh!”

“Kyaa! Wizen, you’we bweeding a wot! I’ll go get Papa wight away!”

“Don’t.”

Rizen grabbed me as I tried to run. His face was contorted with pain.

“Can’t even heal your own wound, and divine power, what divine power? Haha! Are all Veritas knights liars? Veritas means ‘truth,’ doesn’t it!”

I can’t stand this any longer. I glared with blazing eyes, clenched my fists, and snapped.

“…Awk is a duwnce.”

“Wh… what did you say?”

“I said duwnce!”