欧美级韩国三级日本三级

Watching the still-cheering Verdant Vale, Harun sighed deeply again.

“It’s a good thing. Why the constant sighing? That’s unlucky.”

Kirian tilted his head and asked.

“……It’s because of that luck.”

“Huh?”

“I feel like I’m blessed with too much luck, and it makes me reflect on myself.”

“Reflect……?”

Harun pointed again at Verdant Vale.

“There are so many people who want to receive even a single lesson from Master. Yet here I am, already enjoying that blessing, but I complain at the slightest difficulty. Suddenly, I feel pathetic.”

“Uh…… Hm……”

The mood turned solemn.

Of course, if Ancelot had heard this, he would have shouted, ‘Oh, so should I give you training in both the morning and afternoon, and even at night?’

Fortunately, he was currently soaring through the sky, so Harun’s voice didn’t reach him.

“I-I’m always grateful to the honored guest! That’s why I always give my best in training…… Well, maybe not always……”

Kirian’s voice grew quieter.

“I-I’ll definitely repay this kindness one day.”

“……Never forgetting a favor. That’s the way of a knight.”

Jan added to Kirian’s words.

“Just don’t mention anything about chivalry or whatever in front of my fiancée.”

“P-Princess?”

“……Ah. You guys don’t know.”

Winley, the only one who knew the ‘truth about the knight’s exam’, shook her head. She still couldn’t forget the shock she felt when Duke Herman first told her about it.

“‘Like having a funeral while you’re still alive?’ Did he seriously write that on the actual answer sheet? Is he out of his mind?”

She was so horrified that she even swore in front of the duke, something she usually wouldn’t dare to do.

“Anyway…… let’s just work harder. That’s probably the only way to repay the honored guest.”

“That’s not it, either.”

“Sorry……?”

As she watched the naïve Kirian, Winley furrowed her brow again.

“How would getting stronger be any sort of repayment for him?”

“Uh…… Well……”

“In the end, it’s just something that benefits us, right?”

As the oldest, Winley had a slightly different perspective than the others.

“If you truly see him as a benefactor, then at the very least, don’t say something cliché like, ‘I’ll repay you with progress.’ In the end, it’s just something we’re doing for our own good, and wrapping it up nicely to make it look like a favor doesn’t change that.”

“S-Sorry!”

Harun, who unconsciously felt the gap in status between them, apologized without even realizing it. Such was the intimidating aura of the princess.

“……Hah. No, I didn’t mean for you to apologize.”

“Then, Your Highness, how do you think we should repay Ancelot?”

Jan asked, his one eye gleaming.

“……I don’t know, either.”

“……?”

“Honestly, I’m not even sure if a kid who shines that brightly would need any help from someone like me.”

Winley, in an uncharacteristically uncertain tone, looked toward the center of the excitement. Naturally, the mood around them sank even further.

“……But.”

“……?”

“If we do our best in our respective roles, we might find some way to repay him. After all, even if that kid asked for help right now, we’re pretty much useless, aren’t we?”

“……”

The children fell silent, each to their own thoughts.

‘As far as I can tell, that kid’s only real weakness is his background.’

At least, that’s how it appeared to Winley. No matter how noble one’s birth was, or the amount of talent they had, all that was merely the added value of a relative factor called ‘power’.

‘Power.’

Alone, you can do nothing.

That was something Winley, and probably the boy himself, knew better than anyone. Being a royal without a claim to the throne was more of a curse than a blessing.

‘Is this the place where your background will be forged?’

Winley brushed away her thoughts and quietly looked beyond the canyon.

“……Maybe a legend is about to be born in this barren land.”

“A legend……!”

Winley grinned.

“So, let’s get strong enough to play our part in that legend.”

“……!”

Finally, the other kids smiled back at her.

“But…… Do you really think the dwarves will help? As far as I know, they’ve been a reclusive race with no contact with humans for centuries.”

Kirian’s concern was something Winley also shared.

But……

“……We’ve already witnessed a miracle, haven’t we? Who would have thought we’d meet the Swordsman of Illusions, a figure you’d only read about in the empire’s history books?”

“That’s true.”

Yes.

If it’s the Swordsman of Illusions.If it’s that annoying fiancé of hers, he’ll find a way through this too.

We finally emerged completely from the canyon.

“Wow……”

And soon, the sight that unfolded shocked most of the marquis’ knights.

“Such an expansive plain……”

It was a sight none of them had ever seen before. No one had anticipated that beyond the dry gorge, there would be such a vast, lush green field.

“The end is nowhere in sight.”

“I’ve heard rumors that the inner part of this land is so fertile that it’s one of the most arable lands on the entire continent……”

“In fact, there was almost a war between our Hart Kingdom and the Meeke Principality over this land once, wasn’t there? Both sides tried desperately to make it a part of their territory.”

That was over several decades ago.

The full-scale war between the two nations, which became known as the ‘Northern War’, lasted for three long years.

But in the end, there was neither a victor nor a loser. The war was forcibly put to an end by external factors, not by the combatants themselves.

“When both sides were weakened, the scent of blood attracted monsters. According to the records…… They said that the number of monsters in that land almost equaled the total number across the entire continent……”

“That’s not all. The next day, high-level magic rained down in the middle of the camp. At first, they thought it was an enemy attack, but if the reports of 5th-class spells being cast relentlessly were true……”

“It must have been the elves.”

“I also heard that arrows were fired from several kilometers away with such destructive power that they pierced through steel armor. That had to be the work of dwarves, with their innate divine power and craftsmanship.”

The knights of the marquis’ house continued to chatter.

“It was inevitable. From their perspective, after being driven and driven into that corner by humans, they couldn’t afford to lose their last stronghold……”

And I heard all of their conversations.

“I have something to say.”

At the same time, Trevor, who had been beside me, spoke.

“What is it?”

“When we meet the dwarves, I want you to leave the matter to me and not interfere.”

“You’re stating the obvious. We already agreed to that, didn’t we?”

“No matter what happens.”

Despite my answer, Trevor didn’t back down.

“To be more specific, I mean don’t go beating up the dwarves.”

“……”

I furrowed my brow.

“That’s a bit offensive. Do I look like some sort of thug to you?”

“Phew…… I don’t want to say this, but every time I look at you, I’m reminded of my lord.”

Flinch.

His words struck like a dagger straight to the heart.

‘What am I supposed to say to that?’

Feeling awkward, I looked away.

“……That reaction is exactly the same.”

“Huh?”

“My lord always had the habit of avoiding my gaze just before causing trouble.”

Trevor’s piercing stare was hard to endure.

“L-Look, you don’t need to worry that much! It’s not like I’d go beating up the craftsmen who are helping us build our city or anything.”

“……Who knows, though? With your upbringing being so similar to my lord’s, you might’ve inherited his personality as well…… Actually, to my eyes, that hypothesis seems pretty solid.”

The more we talked, the more I felt like I was being backed into a corner.

‘This guy knows me too well.’

In that moment, I made a resolution.

‘Trevor, I’m appointing you as the first deputy in my territory.’

If I kept him around, I’d be constantly on edge. Plus, I wasn’t sure the blood from my ears would ever dry.

“Once again, I’m reminding you……”

“Alright, alright, Mom.”

“……That ‘Mom’ thing……”

“Enough!”

I cut him off sharply and stomped forward.

“W-Wait! I still have more to say.”

“Ugh, what now?”

“One day……”

Suddenly, Trevor’s face turned unusually serious.

“If you ever find out who the traitor is……”

I froze. For the first time, I turned fully to face him.

“Before you kill them, could you let me know?”

“……They might already be dead.”

“No. They’re alive. They must be.”

“……”

It wasn’t that he knew for sure. He just wanted to believe it.

‘He’s no different from me.’

If that traitor had betrayed us just to die a dog’s death, it would make everything too miserable for all of us.

“……Why? You want to take revenge yourself?”

“I just want to ask them something.”

“What?”

“Why did they betray us? Why did they have to stab our lord in the back after he treated them so well?”

My expression turned complicated.

“And then?”

“If I can’t accept their reason……”

Suddenly, Trevor’s blue eyes glinted with a sharp killing intent.

“Even if you’ve already beheaded them, I’ll tear their body apart myself. I’ll toss their remains to the beasts to honor our fallen comrades.”

……No.

I take that back. That wasn’t just a glint of cold blue rage. Trevor was weeping blood with his whole body.

“……Let’s take it one step at a time.”

I turned away from his silent outcry. If I didn’t, I feared I might be swept up in those emotions too.

***

Before we knew it, the sun was slowly setting.

“We’ll camp here tonight!”

Soon, the marquis’ knights and Verdant Vale started scrambling to prepare the camp. Amidst the commotion, Krong quietly approached Trevor.

“Captain.”

“……?”

“I’m sorry.”

Krong bowed deeply at a right angle.

“Why are you apologizing all of a sudden?”

“Because of my greed, I proceeded with things without your permission…… I feel like I’ve caused you unnecessary trouble, and I’m truly ashamed.”

“If it’s about that, there’s no need to apologize. I’ve already entrusted everything to you.”

“But…… isn’t it troublesome for you?”

Krong spoke with concern.

“Those damn humans dare set foot in our sacred land!? I’ll smash their heads in with a hammer!”

He was reminded of their first encounter with the dwarves.

“Considering their fiery temperament……”

Before Krong could even finish his sentence—

“Well, with that temper, they’re bound to cause trouble.”

“……Indeed……”

Just as Krong was about to lower his head even more, Trevor spoke again.

“I just hope that fool stays out of it.”

“……Excuse me? Fool?”

Krong raised his head again.

“If he cuts them down with a sword, it’ll be a disaster……”

“A sword, not a hammer……?”

“And we still need the shovels…… Hmm……”

Trevor, muttering to himself, soon turned around.

“……I’d better give him another warning, just in case.”

“……”

Krong could only stare blankly at Trevor’s retreating back.

Um, Captain?

Is that really what you’re worried about?

‘What kind of person is this prince?’

Krong suddenly found himself very curious about Ancelot. Soon, he’d be able to make a solid judgment about him.

That bastard was, without a doubt, the biggest lunatic in the history of mankind.

***