Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Rise in Status (2)
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Chapter 28
Chapter 7
Rise in Status (2)
“Azel is the one who made a great contribution to safely escorting the princess here. Are you ignoring what the princess herself said?”
“Is that even a reasonable argument? Sir Zail, you might not know this since you’ve been stationed out here in the boonies, but the princess has a tendency to be overly lenient with her subordinates. And more than that, do you really think it makes sense that some random nobody—who we don’t even know where he crawled out from—racked up merits against enemies threatening enough to endanger her?”
“……”
“Besides, just look at him—he’s scrawny as hell, isn’t he? You think that frail body of his was any help to the princess?”
Azel’s body still lacked much muscle. It was only natural for a rigorously trained knight to call him frail.
Even so, every word from Boer was designed to grate on one’s nerves. Azel nearly clenched his fist so hard it cracked, barely holding back at the last moment.
*This guy’s got a real sewer for a personality. Ah, should I just beat the crap out of him? Once the princess arrives, ask her to knight me right away, raise my status, then deck him?*
Azel was still regulating his outward aura to project a harmless, approachable vibe. Yet Boer had come at him like this the moment they met, meaning he didn’t care what kind of person Azel was. Armed with rigid preconceptions, he had no interest in actually seeing the man for who he was—Azel’s efforts were doomed to fail.
Boer sneered.
“Well, Sir Zail, you’ve been stuck in this backwater, so you wouldn’t know much about the princess. You might think that way. But since we’ll be traveling a long road to the capital together now, you’d do well to take my words to heart.”
He was openly looking down on Zail too. With his position in the capital—no less, guarding the princess—Zail must have seemed like some country bumpkin rolling around in the borderlands.
Zail glared at him. Boer smirked as if to say *got anything else?*, and tension crackled thickly between them.
The imminent clash was broken up by Arietta’s arrival.
“Everyone’s gathered, I see.”
Arietta appeared alongside Enora. Unlike usual, she wore a massively puffed-up hat that covered the top of her head, her horns, and her pointed ears, paired with a thick travel cloak draped over her body.
Zail and Boer, who had been facing off, withdrew their hostility toward each other and paid their respects to her.
Azel asked, looking baffled.
“Everyone?”
“Exactly as it sounds. The whole party’s assembled.”
Arietta replied. Azel jumped in surprise at her words.
“What? Just five people total?”
“That’s right.”
“But why so few……”
When Arietta had asked him to accompany her as an escort, Azel had naturally assumed dozens of guards would come along. After all, hadn’t she arrived here with about twenty escorts in tow?
Arietta said,
“The escort unit will return later with the mages and scholars.”
Of the thirty-odd in her party who had followed her here, three had died in the Dragon Shadow attack, and about ten were injured. Despite everyone’s objections, Arietta had decided to leave them behind and press on to the capital with the bare minimum of personnel as quickly as possible.
Arietta continued,
“In truth, I’d considered disguising myself, but unfortunately, it’s not possible.”
“Disguise?”
“My appearance is too distinctive, so I thought a transformation spell might work. But the mages said it’d only be feasible if I cast it myself—they can’t apply that kind of magic to me. A shame.”
Arietta’s Dragon Demon mana resisted external magic acting upon her. As such, ordinary mages couldn’t cast alteration spells on her.
Arietta asked,
“So I tried dressing down to avoid attention… How do I look?”
“Extremely eye-catching.”
“I feared as much.”
Arietta deflated a bit at Azel’s honest answer.
She’d gone with the oversized hat and cloak as an attempt to hide her striking features. But the outfit itself was so comical it drew eyes. Even with her horns, ears, and the Dragon Demon Stone on the back of her hand covered, her looks were plenty captivating.
Arietta sighed.
“Even Enora objected.”
“Well, it’s still better than flaunting it outright.”
“I’ll take the flattery, at least.”
“But isn’t traveling with so few people dangerous?”
Arietta answered Azel’s question with grave seriousness.
“Hm. To be frank… I think a middling number is actually more dangerous.”
“You’re right.”
It might sound like downplaying the value of escorts. But Azel, having fought the Dragon Shadows, agreed with her. Unless they had an overwhelming numerical advantage, a group of twenty to thirty just made a bigger target.
Azel asked,
“Is Enora coming too, by any chance?”
“Yes.”
“…Is that really okay?”
“I thought the same and tried to dissuade her, but……”
Arietta sighed as she glanced at Enora, who wore a stubborn expression.
The night before, Arietta had told Enora to stay behind and follow with the others. But……
*“Absolutely not! If I did that, the head maid would strike me with lightning! Does Her Highness intend to doom me to spinsterhood?”*
……Azel had no idea what staying behind had to do with marriage, but Enora had wailed and dug in her heels until Arietta relented.
*“Who knew she was this fearless.”*
Her previous exclusive maids hadn’t been so bold. The moment they left the capital for the battlefield, they’d turn pale and beg to quit serving Arietta.
*“The head maid was spot on. No one else could fill this role.”*
When the head maid assigned Enora as her exclusive maid, Arietta had been perplexed. Enora was young and had only joined the royal maids half a year prior.
The palace did have young girls among the maids, but they handled menial tasks while learning the ropes. Serving high nobility was typically left to fully trained maids.
The head maid had bucked tradition by assigning Enora—not just for palace duties, but to accompany her on outings like this.
It had been the right call. Enora had endured hardships her predecessors couldn’t dream of, yet showed no sign of quitting. Azel wondered how the Byre barony had raised their daughter.
Enora spoke up.
“I can’t let Her Highness travel with nothing but men to attend her. And……”
She boldly addressed the men.
“You’re not saying you lack the confidence to protect even one little me, are you?”
“Hmph. Is that even worth saying? Rest easy and follow along. No matter the danger, I’ll handle it.”
A knight who followed the code of chivalry wasn’t a knight without his pride—Boer, who’d risen young to the royal guard, was the epitome. When Enora pricked his ego, he thumped his chest and boasted.
Azel gave a wry smile.
“That’s a fair point, but… Hm. Well, if it’s already decided, nothing to be done.”
To him, Enora seemed genuinely plucky. She didn’t strike him as some delicately raised girl—likely she’d faced plenty of danger from a young age.
Arietta said,
“Since we’re traveling light, no carriage—we’ll ride. Enora.”
“Yes.”
“You can’t ride, so……”
“I know.”
“Hm?”
“Not expertly, but I learned with my brother.”
“Impressive. Well done.”
Arietta was astonished. Who’d expect a twelve-year-old noble girl working at the palace to know horsemanship?
Arietta said,
“Perfect. Then let’s pick horses—you, me, and Azel.”
The three headed straight to the fortress stables. Once they were far enough from Zail and Boer, Arietta spoke.
“Sorry you had to deal with that unpleasantness.”
“You knew?”
“My ears are annoyingly sharp—I heard everything from afar.”
Arietta gave a wry smile, then turned to Azel.
“Sir Boer was recommended by the escort captain who came this far with us. When I insisted on a small elite group, both the fortress commander and the escort captain begged to include at least one of their own……”
Arietta couldn’t refuse that much. So she’d agreed, and the Western Border Guard sent Zail while the escorts sent Boer.
Arietta said,
“I don’t know about Sir Zail, but I hear Sir Boer is quite skilled.”
“Otherwise he wouldn’t have been picked when only one slot was available. Quadruple mana pulse master, right?”
“…How did you know?”
Arietta asked, stunned. Azel chuckled.
“He’s not even trying to hide it. In terms of combat power, he’ll be useful.”
Separate from his personal dislike, Azel gave a cool assessment. Though Boer’s aura control was obvious to him, it showed solid technical proficiency.
Arietta asked with a playful smile.
“How does he stack up to you?”
“Shall I answer seriously?”
“Yes.”
“If we fought now, I could take his head in three exchanges.”
“……”
Arietta swallowed hard at Azel’s calm, brutal statement. Enora flinched beside them, and Azel realized his gaffe, offering a wry smile.
“…That came out harsher than intended. Anyway, Sir Boer’s completely looking down on me.”
“I see. So he poked your nerves without a clue?”
“Well, he’ll probably keep at it. Got me thinking.”
“About what?”
“Close my eyes, get knighted by you, then challenge him to a duel……”
“‘Close my eyes’ to being knighted by me? Plenty dream of that happening.”
“Sorry. But since I can’t be tied down yet, I’ll pass. I’ll just endure, or……”
“Or?”
“Lean on Your Highness’s authority.”
“How unchivalrous.”
“What can you do when a guy from a decent family acts high and mighty on his status? An origin-mystery like me has to back it with the princess’s favor.”
“To be honest……”
Arietta laughed in disbelief.
“This is the most pathetic thing I’ve heard in my life. And said so brazenly.”
“You don’t like it?”
“Not particularly. Quite the marvel.”
Shaking her head, Arietta asked,
“Then will you take that as payment for this job?”
“Hm?”
“No need to bind yourself to me. I mean knighting you.”
Azel stared blankly at her for a moment.
Nobles with fief rights or royalty knighted to gain servants. But knightings based on lord-vassal oaths could be flexible: one could gain the title without land or loyalty pledge, by mutual agreement.
Such variant knightings didn’t exist before the Dragon Emperor War. Back then, knights were noble cavalry who swore fealty and received fiefs.
During the war, young Emperor Haven of the Nadic Empire—succeeding his frail predecessor—made a radical move.
He redefined “knight.”
No need for cavalry. Mages, even Dragon Demons, were fine. Anyone exceptional could claim the title and rise in status. If agreed, no loyalty oath required.
It was to secure talent against Dragonkin without wasting prodigies on class barriers—or rogue mages turned wildcards by noble snobbery.
It worked wonders, especially dragging battle-indifferent mages to the front.
*If His Majesty Haven had lived longer, the Empire might still stand.*
Azel reminisced. The celebrated young emperor, just as Azel began gaining fame, fell to Dragon Demon King Atein.
But his reforms endured. The world was mysterious indeed.
Snapping from his thoughts, Azel asked,
“…Wouldn’t that be a raw deal for you?”
“Eh, it’s a power I barely use anyway. Considering you saved my life, it’s a bargain. I can play the magnanimous benefactor and invest in the future.”
“What if I vanish without a trace later?”
“Then… Hm. I’d be miffed.”
Arietta pouted genuinely. Her poised speech clashed adorably with her girlish looks.
“Dear, oh dear.”
Azel raised his hands in surrender. Was it her battlefield upbringing? She was no pushover despite appearances.
Finally, he bowed his head.
“I gratefully accept.”
“Knightings need witnesses, so we’ll have Sirs Zail and Boer attend back at camp.”
“Perfect.”
Nodding, Azel glanced at Enora as if it just occurred to him.
“Oh, Enora.”
“Yes?”
“I’m no longer a commoner—I’ll be a knight soon……”
“Indeed. Not yet, though.”
“Well, it’s imminent, so no need to be so formal. Can I call you little miss now?”
Enora scowled and asked Arietta,
“Your Highness, may I hit him?”
“In the name of the Dragon Princess, I permit punishing this insulter of ladies.”
“Then I won’t hold back.”
“Eek, scary!”
Azel dramatically shuddered and fled from Enora as she raised her fist.