Chapter 49
Chapter 49
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: His Majesty the King (Captain of His Cavalry) Has Arrived! (3)
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“So, what's your name?”
“Ekaterina Starletska! Please call me Katya for short!”
She was tall, but her shoulders weren't particularly broad.
In fact, her height made her look even more slender.
And her face...
The skin visible below her visor was so pale it was almost translucent.
“Lieutenant.”
“Lieutenant Ekaterina Starletska!”
Her armor, boots, and gloves were all brand new.
It was like she was advertising to the world that she'd just graduated from officer academy and been commissioned.
“So, His Majesty sent you?”
“Yes! That's right!”
“Why?”
“Pardon?”
The rookie lieutenant's face went blank.
I ignored it.
“Why are you here? Here.”
I leaned in close as I asked.
“Are you high nobility?”
Her gleaming plate armor was spotless.
At a glance, it looked three or four times more expensive than standard-issue gear.
The sword at her waist, her gloves, her boots—all top quality.
“I-I am nobility, but not high nobility! And strictly speaking, I'm not real nobility either!”
“Real nobles are rare in the army anyway. It's all guys who fled the power struggle.”
“That's... not entirely accurate!”
“What's different about it?”
“I'm adopted!”
I gave her a once-over, clearly unimpressed, then flinched.
“My biological father couldn't raise me, so my current father, Baron Starletska, took me in and raised me!”
I was suddenly stuck listening to her complicated family history.
“I'm fine with it! My adoptive father treated me like his own daughter, and my biological father...”
“Who asked? Did I ask?”
“You seemed flustered, so...”
“Me? No?”
I asked again, looking at the flustered Lieutenant Starletska.
“So, why aren't you answering my question? I asked why you're here. To keep tabs on me?”
“No!”
“I asked why, and 'no' is your answer?”
She squeezed her eyes shut and yelled.
“H-He just told me to go, so I came!”
It was a stupid answer.
But it was exactly the kind of answer you'd expect from someone in the Thracia army.
“Fine. You pass for now.”
I stepped back and called for Jamal.
“Show our lieutenant to her quarters and give her a tour of the fortress.”
“Me?”
“You want me to do it?”
“No, sir!”
Jamal, who'd gotten more insolent since becoming an officer, scurried off with a sheepish look, dragging Lieutenant Starletska along.
What the hell was this all about?
I felt twisted inside, thinking they'd shoved one of their own on me under the grand banner of “for the kingdom.” But on second thought, that didn't seem right either.
If they really wanted to spy on me, they wouldn't send a total rookie like that.
Which made it even more baffling.
I couldn't figure out why they'd dump this baggage on me right now.
Whatever.
Whether she was a spy or something else, Lieutenant Starletska couldn't do a damn thing anyway.
And besides, now wasn't the time to worry about that.
“Good. Everything we ordered is here.”
The supplies in the wagons made me forget all about the tagalong.
“Hey! Don't touch anything. Just haul it to the barracks!”
At my shout, a few bluecoats who'd been poking around the wagons with giddy grins scattered.
Rumble, rumble.
As I watched the wagons head toward the barracks inside the fortress, someone burrowed into my arms.
It was Natasha, no surprise.
“You stink.”
She wedged herself in without asking, then complained about the smell.
“That woman just now. She stinks. The same smell as from the capital.”
I'd unconsciously sniffed, then looked at her in surprise.
I finally realized the “smell” she meant wasn't the scent of a competent commander who'd been too focused on tactics to bathe for ten days.
It was one of Natasha's greatest talents.
She could detect the faint mana flowing through a normal human body—their essence.
In simple terms, everyone has their own unique mana.
And Natasha could distinguish those scents flawlessly.
“Same smell as that man.”
I froze.
I knew exactly who “that man” was.
I also knew what made mana scents match like that.
Blood ties. Close direct lineage.
“If I draw blood, I can confirm for sure. Want me to?”
I shook my head.
I trusted her abilities unconditionally.
They'd saved my life more times than I could count.
No reason to doubt her now.
I'd never heard Igor had other children.
So there was only one possibility left.
Her biological father couldn't raise her, so she'd grown up with her adoptive father.
“Illegitimate daughter.”
Lieutenant Starletska seemed to be Igor's hidden child.
“Natasha. Thanks. You're my treasure.”
She beamed at my words.
**
“Uh, well. I don't know how you figured it out, but yes.”
Unlike our first meeting, she'd shed her armor for light uniform, and she answered without hesitation.
Her frank admission caught me off guard instead.
“You admit it this easily?”
“You already knew, didn't you? No difference.”
The lieutenant stayed nonchalant throughout.
“Just don't spread rumors elsewhere.”
“That's no big deal.”
I wasn't the type anyway, and it wasn't the kind of story you'd blab about.
“You're awfully calm about it.”
“It's a relief, actually. I'm not the type to hide things.”
She did seem that way.
Not hiding anything—too honest, even.
“His Majesty warned me my identity might come out right away. And if it did, to just be upfront and honest.”
So Igor had anticipated all this.
“He probably didn't expect it the moment I arrived, though.”
With her cards on the table, I had no reason to hold back.
“Did His Majesty send you here with marriage to me in mind?”
She blinked in surprise at my blunt question.
“I won't deny it. He mentioned something like that. But that's not the only reason he sent me to you, Major.”
Then she said casually,
“If it's meant to be, great. If not, oh well. He said to learn and observe by your side, and if I earn your trust as a subordinate, that's enough.”
In other words, her initial greeting about hoping for guidance wasn't just polite fluff.
My head was starting to ache.
“That's all His Majesty said?”
Fatigued, I asked one last question.
“Well...”
For the first time, she hesitated—even about her own marriage.
“His Majesty told you to win my trust? You won't with that attitude.”
“I'm not sure if I should say this, but I'll spill it all.”
I narrowed my eyes, pressing her, and she shrugged like whatever.
“If things ever go south between you and the royal family...”
Obvious. Stab in the back.
What else would prompt sending a hidden daughter all the way to the front?
“He told me to follow your orders first. Even if they go against the crown—obey unconditionally.”
No.
“No matter what, stay loyal to you until the end.”
My headache worsened.
Ten years ago, as a prince, Igor wasn't this much of a headache.
Now he was utterly unpredictable.
Every action defied logic.
“That's everything.”
She looked relieved.
My head felt ready to explode, and her calm face annoyed me.
“Got it. You're dismissed.”
I wanted her gone.
But she lingered, like she had more to say.
“So... what will you do?”
Chase her off or keep her? That was the question.
“Like I said, you're already here. No sending you back unless your skills fall short or you harm the unit.”
Even so, she shuffled awkwardly.
“I'll do my best to meet your expectations, Major! But my question was different.”
“......?”
She hesitated, then spoke.
“So... will you marry me?”
What nonsense is this?
“No! Out!”
“Yes, sir.”
The crestfallen lieutenant saluted and vanished.
**
Two days passed since my talk with Lieutenant Starletska.
The front lines were heating up bit by bit.
Our forces besieging the Astoria fortress intensified pressure daily, while light cavalry probed rear routes with shows of force.
Spies scurried about, and the Astorians, long holed up, started night raids with small units—like they were testing the waters.
The time was ripe.
Battle was imminent.
Yet Killigrad remained peaceful.
How peaceful? They were betting on matches between the rookie lieutenant and a defector knight.
“Come on, Lieutenant! My life's savings are on you!”
“Sir Otto! Don't lose this time!”
“You've followed me here too?”
“I got here first. You lot came after.”
Asha the gypsy woman was running the bets again. She'd made a killing off my duel and even bought a wagon.
“Hm.”
I didn't bet, but I watched the spar with interest.
Her specialties were infantry combat and command, she'd said.
Command aside, her swordplay was solid.
She deftly parried the defector knight's wild swings with sword and shield—stable footwork.
Clearly trained under a proper master.
“Raaargh!”
Frustrated his attacks weren't landing, the defector charged like a wild boar.
“It's over.”
She blocked with her shield instead of dodging and staggered.
The knight followed with a brutal kick to her gut.
“Urk!”
As she retched, failing to absorb the impact...
“Rawr!”
The defector roared in victory.
The match ended, cheers and groans mixing among the spectators.
“Boo!”
“Lieutenant! What did they even teach you at the academy?!”
The bluecoats jeered, Jamal piling on.
“Me strong! You weak!”
The smug defector knight.
Did they even know whose belly he'd kicked, whose daughter he was mocking?
When they found out—if they ever—it'd be a sight.
But only I knew her secret.
“Royal scandal? Haven't heard anything. The Trakieri royals are pretty clean on that front, as you know.”
I'd probed Lieutenant Colonel Evgen, rumor mill extraordinaire, but even he was clueless about Igor's hidden kid.
Ugh! Igor's ears are donkey ears!
I screamed internally.
“Lieutenant Starletska. You'll have veteran Vadim as your second. Take command of an infantry company.”
I appointed her infantry commander for the reserves.
If her leadership was half her sword skill, she'd pull her weight.
Vadim would cover her lack of combat experience.
Her company's main role was supporting the bluecoats anyway. Couldn't throw a precious noble kid into the meat grinder from day one—trouble if she got hurt.
Though everyone's kids were precious back home.
Tough luck—go have a royal bastard if you're jealous.
“132 white horses, all fresh picks.”
A day after the spar, Numan returned with 170 mercenaries as promised.
True to Doppelzoltner recommendations, they had discipline unusual for mercs.
Their gear was subdued, not clownish—perfect.
I signed contracts on the spot, paying from the royal budget.
“Unit.”
And five days later...
“Deploy.”
We slipped out of the fortress quietly.
The king's hidden daughter and one defector knight.
One cautious genius staff officer and one mad mage.
Ninety-nine battle-hardened bluecoats and one ex-guardsman in a colorless coat.
Thirty mercs at double pay and 170 imperial mercs at half theirs.
Me included, a full force of 305 headed into the night toward the battlefield.
Rumble rumble.
Wagons freshly arrived from the fortress in tow.