Hey Buddy, Have You Heard?
…A reward, huh.
Victoria, having returned to her quarters, sat upon her bed and found herself utterly unable to suppress the constant twitching at the corners of her mouth.
…Yes. Hadn’t this body declared it? That she would bestow upon that man the reward he so rightly deserved. Of course, it was nothing more than a transparent excuse born of her desire for another bowl of his cooking.
Yet the words had already left her lips. If she was going to do it, she wanted to offer a proper reward.
…What would be best?
Victoria fell into serious contemplation. Gold and treasures? No, that man was not the sort to rejoice over mere material wealth. A peerage? Hmm… he had already received both the captaincy of the Imperial Guard and a territory.
In that case… …Yes, perhaps it would be best if this body prepared another meal for him.
At the thought that suddenly occurred to her, a faint blush rose to Victoria’s cheeks. Just like the egg porridge from last time—this body would personally prepare a meal for him. How would it be to offer a sincere reply to the bowl he had cooked for her?
…Hehe, that doesn’t sound bad at all.
Recalling the warm table they had shared that day, her heart was already beginning to race. What should she make this time? What dish would bring that adorable expression to his face as he said it was delicious?
…Hah. What on earth was this body thinking right now!
Snapping back to her senses, Victoria gasped and pressed both hands to her cheeks. To think she had been grinning like a fool at the mere imagined sound of that man saying “delicious.”
…Ah, no. This is merely repayment. Yes, repayment. When one has received something, it is only proper to return the favor… Indeed, that is all it is.
Victoria hurriedly offered excuses to herself.
…Yes. There is no need to rush. Mm, yes. A reward is, by nature, something one prepares with proper decorum and careful thought. It is still… still too early. I should take my time and wait for the right moment…
…Her excuses were gradually losing all coherence. In truth, it was none other than herself who was desperately eager to give this reward, yet Victoria continued to spout nothing but absurd justifications.
Just as she sat alone, lost in these ridiculous excuses in an attempt to hide her soaring heart—
“Your Highness. I beg your pardon for the intrusion, but there is news I must convey.”
A servant entered the bedroom with great caution.
“…What is it?”
“It is this: a message has arrived stating that Vice-Captain Celine von Frostheim, who has been stationed in the Northern Grand Duchy, will soon return to the imperial palace.”
In that instant—
“…….”
Victoria’s previously elated expression… slowly froze over.
“…What did you just say?”
“Pardon? That Vice-Captain Celine is returning—”
“…Celine von Frostheim.”
Victoria murmured the name under her breath. Simply uttering it sent an inexplicable chill down her spine. The warm excitement that had filled her chest only moments ago had vanished without a trace.
…Of all people.
Victoria’s fingertips trembled faintly. In her previous life, Celine von Frostheim’s return to the imperial palace had certainly occurred much later than this.
…So why was that woman coming back so soon?
…It is going off track again.
Unconsciously, Victoria clenched her fist tightly. Why did her heart stir with such ominous foreboding? The servant had merely delivered news of one person’s return, yet this body felt…
…No. Victoria knew the reason her heart was stirring this way.
That woman’s return meant they would soon clash once more. With the woman with whom this body could ultimately never share the same sky.
“…Your Highness? Your complexion seems…”
“…It is nothing.”
Victoria hastily composed her expression. Then, feigning calm with great effort, she asked quietly.
“…I see. When is that woman said to arrive?”
“It appears she will arrive shortly. At the latest, within a few days.”
“…A few days.”
Victoria stared blankly at the northern sky beyond the window. Only moments ago this body had been happily lost in thought over what to cook for the man she loved. Yet with the mere mention of one name, all those sweet dreams had shattered so easily.
…Celine von Frostheim.
Victoria’s crimson eyes sank coldly.
…Very well. Come if you dare. In this life, things will certainly not unfold as they did before.
Even as she made that vow, Victoria could not shake the inexplicable sense of foreboding that had bloomed in a corner of her heart.
Meanwhile, at that same moment, Kyle was… slowly dying beneath a mountain of documents.
“…What in the world is all this?”
Captain of the Imperial Guard. Or simply, Guard Captain. The grandiose position the emperor had forced upon me.
…It was only after actually sitting in the seat that I finally understood. The captaincy was not a position reserved solely for the strongest fighter.
Piled before me were the entire guard’s duty rosters, equipment supply ledgers, security deployment plans, training schedules for the new knights, and even the security protocols for imperial events. An endless mountain of paperwork stretched out with no end in sight.
“…When I was vice-captain, I never even knew these things existed.”
Back then, I had simply swung my sword as ordered from above. Now that I was captain, all the ordering had become my responsibility.
A tremor worse than the one that came from gripping a sword ran through the hand holding the pen.
…Celine von Frostheim.
Suddenly the name of my predecessor came to mind.
…Captain. Just what kind of life have you led until now?
Had that person silently borne this horrific document hell all alone? Fresh respect and pity for my predecessor welled up within me.
“…Your Majesty.”
I slammed my seal down on the approval documents and quietly cursed the emperor in my heart.
…If you wanted to reward me, you should have just given me a cart full of gold. Why inflict this kind of punishment…
Outwardly I remained the picture of a loyal blade serving the emperor, but inwardly I hurled every blasphemous insult I could think of at that gullible ruler.
After somehow finishing the mountain of documents and dragging my exhausted body out of the office—
“…Hey buddy, did you hear that story?”
The low murmur of the guards’ voices drifted from the corner of the training ground.
…What now?
I unconsciously halted my steps. Then, without thinking, I stealthily hid behind a pillar and strained my ears toward their conversation.
“What story?”
“You know, about the new captain. …Well, his martial prowess is beyond question. The man who single-handedly wiped out a manticore horde—there’s no one who could doubt his skill.”
“But?”
“…But still, there’s such a thing as proper order, isn’t there? Captain Celine was perfectly fine. While she was away in the north for a short while, he suddenly took her seat… it feels a bit much, doesn’t it?”
“…True. If we’re talking about justification.”
“Ah, now that you mention it. I heard from a friend of mine.”
“Hmm?”
“…That Vice-Captain Celine is scheduled to return to the imperial palace soon. She’s apparently wrapped up her duties in the north.”
“…Oh? Is that so?”
“Which is why some are saying… perhaps this return is an attempt to reclaim the captain position that was taken from her.”
“…Reclaim the captaincy?”
“Think about it. Who is Vice-Captain Celine? She is none other than the daughter of the Northern Grand Duke himself. …No matter how thin His Majesty’s ears may be, if she requests the return of her original position, it would be difficult for him to ignore it.”
“…Indeed. Given the influence of the Northern Grand Duchy, it’s entirely possible.”
…Overhearing every whispered word from behind the pillar, at that moment—
──!!!
It felt as though a brilliant ray of light had pierced straight into my chest.
…Yes, yes! You’re a hundred, a thousand times right!!
I nearly burst out from behind the pillar to seize their hands.
Well said! You are the true loyal subjects of this imperial palace! Sign your names in support of Her Excellency Celine’s return!
—I almost shouted it at the top of my lungs.
Yes, think about it. I had never wanted this captain position to begin with. My dream was to flee the imperial palace, find some quiet countryside, and open a little restaurant… yet I had been helplessly bound to the role by the inescapable imperial decree.
But now. Wasn’t the original captain, Celine von Frostheim, returning!
O…oh…oooooh…!!!
I screamed with pure joy inside my head.
…Yes. Celine, the original captain. In martial prowess, in justification—there was nothing lacking. She was the perfect candidate.
…Moreover, in the original story, wasn’t she known for her upright character? If she was coming to reclaim the captain position that had been taken from her, it was quite literally the ideal situation.
Think about it. As the guards had said, Celine was the daughter of the Northern Grand Duke. If such a person requested the return of her original seat, even our gullible emperor would find it impossible to refuse.
…This was a heaven-sent opportunity. Once she returned, I simply had to hand this cumbersome captaincy back to its rightful owner in its entirety.
…Yes. The justification was more than sufficient.
Since that position originally belonged to Celine… even if I quietly step down, no one would be able to object…!
Once I cast off this detestable yoke of the captaincy, only one thing would remain.
Evading the gaze of that terrifying princess, I would leave this stifling imperial palace… slip away to some quiet countryside, and open a small restaurant.
…Finally. At last, I see the light.
On the distant path of my escape, a single ray of hope finally seemed to shine through. Clutching my swelling heart, I began to count the days until Celine’s return.