Celine von Frostheim
Finally, the two women’s gazes collided in midair. Victoria stood frozen in place, quietly studying the woman across from her. Silver hair and eyes as cold as ice… It was Celine von Frostheim. And standing right beside her was Kyle.
“…….”
The moment she saw that sight, a corner of Victoria’s chest sank with an inexplicable chill. Why? They were simply standing side by side. So why was this body’s heart fluttering with such unease?
…No. Victoria knew exactly what that anxiety was.
…It was that woman.
In her previous life, after Kyle left this body’s side, she had been the one and only enemy who never once lowered her blade. Even when the entire world knelt at this body’s feet, that woman alone never bowed her head. With those icy eyes fixed on this body, she had fought and fought until the bitter end.
…And now that same woman was standing so close to none other than Kyle in this life.
…It’s deviating again.
Victoria’s fingertips trembled faintly. …In the previous life, something like this would have been impossible. Kyle and Celine standing together like that. Everything was twisting away from the flow this body remembered.
Yet Victoria forced the anxiety down. Then, wearing the most imperious expression a princess could muster, she slowly walked toward the pair.
“…Who do we have here? The white knight of the north has finally returned to the imperial capital.”
A cold smile curved Victoria’s lips.
“You must have endured much on such a long journey. Celine von Frostheim… Vice-Captain.”
──Vice-Captain. She placed subtle emphasis on the word, as if to remind the other woman that the one who once commanded the empire’s blades now stood beneath him.
“…You honor me, Your Highness the Second Princess.”
Yet Celine did not waver in the slightest. She simply offered a perfectly courteous bow.
…That composed attitude somehow irritated Victoria even more.
“…I see. But why are the two of you together?”
Victoria asked with deliberate nonchalance. But her crimson eyes had already begun to scrutinize Celine with razor sharpness.
“It is nothing of importance.”
Celine turned her gaze toward Kyle, then continued in a low voice.
“I was about to hand over the duties that have accumulated for the Captain.”
…Captain. Victoria’s eyebrow twitched at the title.
…Had that woman just called Kyle “Captain”?
“Managing the Imperial Guard requires a great deal of attention. Since the Captain has only recently taken up the post, this subordinate must remain at his side and assist with each matter personally.”
As Celine spoke, she looked at Kyle. The warmth and depth in her eyes were unmistakable──
──!
Something surged violently inside Victoria’s chest.
…Assist? At his side? What exactly was that woman scheming?
“Therefore, Your Highness, though it may be presumptuous, may I borrow the Captain for a short while?”
The words were phrased as a request, yet they left no room for refusal. The Imperial Guard’s affairs were official imperial business. Not something a princess could interfere with on personal grounds.
…Victoria bit her lip.
…She had no justification to stop them. If she threw a tantrum and said “you may not,” this body would look like nothing more than a ridiculous woman throwing a jealous fit over a single man.
“…Do as you wish.”
Victoria barely managed to force the words out.
“…Thank you. Then, if you will excuse us.”
Celine bowed once more with flawless etiquette, then spoke to Kyle.
“Let us go, Captain.”
She took the lead and began walking. Kyle, looking strangely relieved, quickly bowed his head.
“…Ah, yes. Then, if you’ll excuse me, Your Highness.”
He hurried after Celine.
The two of them walked side by side, passing right by Victoria and disappearing down the far end of the corridor.
“…….”
Victoria remained rooted in place, staring blankly at their receding backs.
…What had just happened? This place had clearly been this body’s domain. Yet somehow Kyle had been led away by that woman, leaving her behind. And so naturally, too.
…That. That woman.
Victoria’s fists shook.
…Celine von Frostheim. On the surface she acted utterly polite and respectful, yet she had cunningly stolen Kyle away from this body.
…And you, Kyle. Why did you follow her so quickly? Leaving this body standing here all alone.
…Hmph.
Victoria whipped her head to the side with a pout.
…Fine. Go on, then. Go. Enjoy your oh-so-important duties. This body won’t care in the slightest.
…As if she truly believed that. No. Victoria’s heart was already burning pitch black.
Only moments ago she had been happily pondering how to repay that man. Yet here he was, following another woman without a backward glance.
…I’m not. I’m not sulking. Absolutely not.
Victoria tried to convince herself, but her wounded feelings refused to settle.
…Yes, let’s forget about repayment. Why should this body pour any more effort into such a heartless man?
Thoroughly out of sorts, Victoria’s gaze drifted once more toward the far end of the corridor—toward the silver-haired woman who had taken Kyle away.
…In that instant, her sulky eyes cooled into an icy glare.
…Celine von Frostheim.
…Yes. The sulking toward Kyle could wait. What this body needed to engrave in her mind right now was something else.
…That woman. The one who could never share the same sky with this body in the previous life was now aiming for Kyle’s side in this life.
…Very well. Victoria’s red eyes gleamed with deep, cold light.
…Wasn’t this body just looking for someone to repay? The repayment for Kyle could be postponed. But as for you, Celine von Frostheim, before long this body will give you a very, very──
……thorough repayment.
…Of course, it went without saying that this “repayment” would be the complete opposite of anything kind.
And so, today’s contest ended in a complete defeat for Victoria von Roseria, no matter what anyone said.
Following Celine back to the office, I was inwardly cheering.
…Finally. It had worked. This reliable former captain was personally going to handle the duty handover. If so, the rest was simple. I would receive everything from her step by step, then at the right moment shove the whole burden back onto her and slip away at my leisure.
…Right. For now I’ll pretend to study hard and listen carefully.
I tilted my ear to her explanation with a deliberately serious face.
“First, please look at this.”
Celine held out a single sheet.
“It is the Imperial Guard’s duty roster. You must inspect personnel daily to ensure there are no vacancies. The Captain must personally check who is off-duty and who is assigned to night shifts.”
“…Ah, yes. That much is fine.”
That seemed manageable. Learning one thing wouldn’t hurt.
“And this is…”
But Celine presented another document.
“The arms and equipment supply ledger. You must verify quantities of swords and armor each month and submit advance requests for shortages. It would be disastrous if equipment ran low during an emergency.”
“…Y-yes, of course.”
One had become two. Still, this was doable.
“Next, this.”
“…There’s more?”
“Of course.”
Celine unfolded yet another sheet with a perfectly serious expression.
“This is the new knights’ training schedule. The Captain must know each individual’s skill level in detail. You must also evaluate their progress monthly──”
“W-wait. Just a moment.”
Two had become three. My mind was beginning to spin.
“…Is there still more?”
“It is only the beginning.”
…The beginning? The moment those words left her mouth, Celine brought over an enormous stack of documents and dropped them onto the desk with a heavy thud.
“…Ugh.”
“You must draw up security plans for every imperial event. Routes, personnel placement—there cannot be a single gap.”
Three became four.
“Requests also come from various noble houses. You must maintain firm principles so as not to be swayed by personal feelings.”
Four became five.
“Ah, and there is the monthly operational report to submit to His Majesty. This one is particularly complicated──”
Five, six, seven…
…S-save me.
I could only gape at the mountain of work piling higher and higher.
At first I had been impressed.
…As expected of the former captain. To hand over duties so thoroughly without a single gap. She truly is an outstanding person.
That was what I had thought.
…But now that same thoroughness was slowly strangling me.
The explanations never ended. Learn one thing and two more appeared. Learn two and four sprang up. From Celine’s mouth, new tasks flowed endlessly like water from an unfailing spring.
…Is this all what a Captain does?
I clutched my dizzy head. This was insane. I had assumed the position simply meant wielding a pen instead of a sword, but it turned out to be the very heart of a paperwork hell.
…And worst of all.
…This was dangerous. Once I learned everything in detail, what excuse could I possibly use to pass the position on?
…Oh no.
A chill ran down my spine. At this rate, instead of dumping the work on Celine, I would be the one stuck with every last duty, unable to escape this chair no matter what I did.
My original plan had been to hand the Captain position back to her and run away freely. So why did it feel like the more I learned, the more tightly every escape route was being sealed?
“…Captain? You don’t look well.”
Celine suddenly stopped explaining and studied me.
“…Ah, it’s nothing. I’m just a little dizzy.”
“My goodness. You must have pushed yourself too hard. But please don’t worry.”
Celine smiled brightly, her face somehow radiant.
“It is not as if the Captain must bear all of this alone. This subordinate will remain by your side and assist with every single thing, without fail.”
…Th-that. That was exactly the problem!
I couldn’t bring myself to say it aloud. Instead I swallowed bloody tears in silence.
…Yes. She must be speaking with good intentions. With genuine sincerity to help me.
But why did that goodwill feel like an enormous shackle around my neck?
…Farewell, my little countryside restaurant.
Once again I bid goodbye to my dream as it drifted further away.
And so the hell known as a duty handover showed no signs of ending even as the sun began to set.