Chapter 14 · I've Got Some Puppies Now

“Absolute… obedience?”

Ark asked back, slightly startled.

“What, you don’t want to?”

“N-no, it’s not that!”

He shook his head hurriedly and spoke solemnly.

“I will obey the princess absolutely. Even if you tell me to give my life, I will give it!”

“Good. Now that youw attitude is wight! Then we need to howd the oath ciwemony wight now.”

I held out my hand to him. The knights of Santra kiss the back of their liege’s hand when they swear allegiance. He would soon be doing it for the king as a formal royal knight, but surely there was no harm in me sneaking in a little preemptive claim.

“Wizen, wecite the oath fow me.”

Rizen, who had been watching this sudden turn of events with great interest, snapped to attention at my words. Standing between Ark and me, facing each other, Rizen recited the oath with the utmost solemnity.

“Does Ark Ellenoa, apprentice knight of Dinitas, swear to protect the princess even at the cost of his own life?”

“I swear.”

“Do you swear to follow the princess’s orders unconditionally?”

“I swear.”

“Do you swear to obey and give your loyalty to the princess for the rest of your life?”

“I swear.”

Ark recited the final vow, knelt, and kissed my tiny hand.

“Fwom now on, Awk has to do evewything Asha tells him.”

“Of course. Just give the order, Princess!”

I had the illusion that a tail had sprouted from him and was wagging.

“Fiwst, apowogize to Wizen.”

“…What?”

“Apowogize fow buwwying Wizen and tweating him badwy! Wizen suffewed so much because of Awk.”

“That…”

He glanced at Rizen and hesitated. Even after swearing absolute loyalty to me, apologizing to a commoner must have been difficult for his pride.

“It’s fine, Princess. You don’t really have to receive that kind of thing…”

Rizen muttered with a slightly reddened face.

“Rizen Tigris. For all the rude things I’ve done to you, I apologize.”

Just then, Ark bowed his head—one that had never once bowed before a commoner.

“And… thank you for saving me and the princess.”

“…”

A slightly awkward but warm air settled in the room. Rizen, at a loss for a moment, seemed to make up his mind and held out his hand to Ark. Ark’s eyes widened, then he too, with a resolute expression, took the hand and shook it. These two young boys had just now become the greatest of rivals and friends.

‘…Did this turn out well?’

As I watched them with a satisfied smile, Rizen suddenly cried out.

“Princess, please let me swear my loyalty to you too!”

“…Huh?”

No, you’re a holy knight! A holy knight swears loyalty to God!

“I don’t want to swear to God, I want to swear to the princess. It’s not fair that this guy gets to do it and I don’t!”

…Is that allowed? Oh, whatever. It’s not like we’re writing up an official document—what difference does one or two make? He’s so earnest about it, I might as well adopt one more puppy.

“Now that I’ve sworn the oath, I feel like a real adult.”

After repeating the same process, Rizen said with a flushed face. You little rascal—I’m the one who feels like I’ve just acquired a light brown cocker spaniel and a red-furred spitz as pets.

“By the way, do eithew of you know a place where Asha can twain quietwy? Asha can’t go to the twaining gwounds anymowe. I can’t teach Awk magic in a woom wike this eithew.”

“That won’t do! I absolutely need to learn from the princess…”

Ark cried out urgently. But even he couldn’t think of a suitable place. After a moment, Rizen whispered in a tiny voice.

“…I actually know a secret spot.”

Using a walk as our excuse, we found the small space behind the temple. It was the area behind the rose fence between the royal palace and the temple’s back gate, and except for being a little cramped, almost no one passed through, so it seemed suitable for training for the time being.

Rizen had probably discovered this place while wandering aimlessly looking for somewhere to cry his heart out away from prying eyes. He probably hadn’t wanted to share it… What a kind boy.

‘Still, it’ll be hard to come here every day, so I’ll need to be able to get back into the training grounds eventually…’

I let out a small sigh inwardly.

◇ ◆ ◇

Meanwhile, at the training grounds, hellish training that pushed the knights to their limits continued late into the night.

“Not good enough. Strike harder!”

At Paeon’s shout, the knights gritted their teeth and brought their wooden swords down on the practice dummies before them. Their training clothes were soaked through with sweat and clung to their bodies.

“More!”

Some knights, unable to lift their arms any longer, groaned and staggered.

“When prana is exhausted, in the end, stamina and swordsmanship decide victory or defeat. How do you expect to defeat the enemy with only this much?”

He walked over to a knight who had sunk to the ground, looked down at him with cold eyes, and spoke.

“Get up, Jud.”

“…Hah… hah.”

The knight wiped his rain-like sweat and raised a knee, but soon collapsed again.

“Commander, let’s stop here for today.”

Vice-Commander Shellman, who had been watching, spoke.

“It’s already night. We have to continue training tomorrow, so I think it’s right to let them rest now.”

“…”

Paeon clicked his tongue and turned away.

“Dismissed.”

The moment the word fell, the knights at the training grounds collapsed like bows with cut strings. Everyone was gasping for breath as if about to die. Shellman looked at them pitifully, then spoke to Paeon, who was about to leave.

“Commander, let’s talk for a moment.”

They walked along a path brightly lit by the full moon. Despite having instructed training from morning to night, Paeon showed no sign of fatigue. His marble-sculpted face in the moonlight held no expression, but Shellman, who had been with him for a long time, could read a certain suffering in him.

“…It’s because of the princess, isn’t it?”

At the sudden remark, Paeon looked at her as if wondering what nonsense she was spouting.

“I mean how training suddenly got so intense these days.”

“I don’t know what grounds you have for such nonsense.”

“You’re concerned about the princess, aren’t you.”

Shellman met his eyes squarely, undaunted by his fearsome glare.

“I know you’ve always been watching over the princess.”

“Shellman Piart, I’ve indulged you enough.”

“I did think it was unlike you. For someone as rigid as you to look after a royal who might have a Kalisan for a father…”

She paused, hesitated, then cautiously added.

“Commander, growing attached to someone isn’t a sin.”

“…”

After a heavy silence, Paeon answered in a stiff voice.

“Do you think it’s all right to grow a little lax just because the war is over?”

“Commander, that’s not what I meant—”

“Does it seem like war will never break out again?”

His voice grew rougher.

“The northern edge of the continent still suffers from endless monster invasions, and Kalisa hasn’t exactly fully surrendered to us either.”

“…”

“If you have complaints about my methods, don’t call me aside—file a formal protest. So we don’t waste each other’s time.”

Shellman clamped her mouth shut. Despite the thorny words, she wasn’t hurt. Because she felt those thorns were pointed at Paeon himself.

‘That man is still living inside the war.’

Perhaps he would for the rest of his life, she thought. She wondered. Why did he have to live that way? Why was he punishing himself?

◇ ◆ ◇

Now that state affairs had stabilized somewhat, the king summoned me for a dinner. It was a modest banquet for royalty only, but on the long table draped with a splendid tablecloth, an endless spread of delicacies I had never seen in my life was laid out.

“Here, here, eat plenty, my child.”

The king moved a piece of steak onto my plate.

“I respect your choice, but this grandfather’s heart can’t help but worry. Leaving a child as young as you alone at the temple… I don’t even know if you’re eating properly.”

Stella, seated across from me, snorted.

“Her face has doubled in size since she first got here—you’re making too much of a fuss, Your Majesty.”

Doubled in size?! My cheeks just got plump!

The temple food wasn’t bad, but it was my first time tasting beef that melted in your mouth like this, so I forgot to act cute for the king and ate frantically.

“Is your work difficult these days? Your Majesty’s face has grown quite thin.”

Aquila asked with concern. Come to think of it, this was the first time I’d seen her since the grand prayer meeting. Ugh, looking at that face makes me sick—I’ll just focus on the food as much as possible.

“The reconstruction of the damaged buildings is nearing completion, but the biggest problem is, as always, people.”

The king sighed as if the world were ending.

“Slave hunters kidnapping war orphans are running rampant. I’ve assigned the relevant officials and the Third and Fourth Royal Knight Orders to stakeout operations, but there’s been little result.”

“Truly human trash. How could anyone drive children who’ve lost their parents into even greater tragedy?”

The human trash is you, Aquila! Because of you, I was caught by slave hunters too!

The memory of my terrible fifth life surfaced and I couldn’t swallow my food anymore. As I tried to calm my trembling hands, she spoke to me this time.

“Come to think of it, niece, your magic skills were quite outstanding.”

I knew she’d bring that up.

“Shouldn’t you be learning magic at the royal palace, after all?”

She must be restless about me being at the temple. She’d try to drag me to the royal palace somehow.

“Yes, it’s not as if I haven’t thought about it. Though she’s far too young, she already has mana sensitivity and can use a few spells, so she should receive proper instruction from a royal mage.”

“Yes, and she should learn court etiquette and Logos doctrine as well. It’s a bit early, but if it’s our niece, she can surely—”

“The scriptures are fine. I’ve memowized them aww.”

“What? You’ve memorized the entire scripture?”

The king dropped his fork in surprise.

“Yes. The onwy book in the house was the sciptures. So I wead them evewy day.”

It was true that I had memorized the scriptures, but this part was a lie. There hadn’t been a single book in that cabin. I had spent my entire ninth life shut in my room memorizing the scriptures. Because I thought that would earn Lord Lux’s forgiveness.

“Th-then, this isn’t meant to test you at all, I’m just curious… Do you know what verse is in Chapter 17, Verse 2?”

“Wux, pwease do not fowget the weak. Do not dewiver the wife of Your sheep to the wowf, now the wife of Youw dove to the hawk.”

I answered immediately, reciting it smoothly.

“It’s Asha’s favowite verse. When my adoptive fathew hit me, I awways wecited it in my head.”

“Good heavens…”

The king took out a handkerchief and dabbed at his tears.

“I have anothew favowite vewse too. Chaptew 30, Vewse 4.”

I met Aquila’s eyes and recited it.

“Youw hand is awways howding mine, and My awm will keep you steadfast. The enemy will not deceive you, and I will save you fwom the twaps of the wicked.”

“…What a beautiful verse.”

Aquila said, forcing a smile.

“You know them so perfectly that there’s no need for you to study at all! Even Stella can’t recite a few verses.”

“Why, why are you suddenly comparing me to her!”

“There’s no need to move your residence now—how about receiving your education alongside Stella? Come to the royal palace about twice a week for magic lessons. Lady Roktania, the second-ranked royal mage, will teach you.”

Hmm… Twice a week, and with Stella? That wasn’t a bad arrangement. At that level, it would be hard for Aquila to control.

“Sounds good. Pwease take cawe of me, Aunt Stella.”

When I smiled brightly and spoke, Stella’s expression curdled. It probably wasn’t a pleasant thing, having to take lessons with a four-year-old.

“Anastasia, is there anything else you wish for?”

I thought carefully, then spoke.

“Pwease let Asha watch the Ars Confewo.”