Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: An Office is Born (4)
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“I can accept that since I lack power. But you could’ve gone to Leana or Lydia….”
Her question made me forget the taste of the apple I’d just eaten.
Here it comes.
From the princess’s perspective, it must have bruised her pride.
To think they’d been pushed aside for a backwater place like the Water Bureau.
But I hadn’t come here because I underestimated them.
‘If anything, their overwhelming authority is what burdens me!’
Serving under them would drag me back into that hellish fight for the throne.
Countless knights would die in the process.
I was done with that.
I didn’t want to watch the comrades I’d spent my life with die anymore.
This rare second chance at life.
I just wanted to live out my days peacefully, even in some remote corner.
That’s what I thought.
But….
Standing before me now was Irina.
Looking at her, a pang tugged at my chest.
“There wasn’t any special reason.”
Was it a shred of sentiment?
“I just wanted to live quietly, without any major incidents.”
I found myself speaking honestly without thinking.
“Quietly, without any major incidents…?”
Irina’s delicate brows furrowed.
She pressed a hand to her lips, as if trying to puzzle out my meaning for a moment.
‘She can’t understand.’
Princesses by nature were just figures who commanded those beneath them.
They had no idea what it was like to be used like us.
But….
Having thought it over, Irina gave an answer that was completely different from what I expected.
“I understand, your feelings.”
Her green eyes gleamed with light.
“So… could you wait for me, just maybe?”
She smiled with her eyes.
Then, hand on her chest, she spoke earnestly.
“I’ll build a knight order strong enough that you won’t have to worry.”
This felt like she’d completely misunderstood my intentions.
I’d only put up an iron wall out of maximum courtesy.
It must have looked like I saw her as inadequate.
“When that time comes, you’ll become my knight order captain, right…?”
Her smiling eyes.
But there was a subtle wistfulness mixed into that smile.
What was I to do with this young girl?
She’d just turned twenty—did she really not grasp even roundabout refusals?
Or….
Maybe she was deliberately playing mind games to wring a promise from me.
“Yes, I understand.”
I reluctantly agreed.
“Really? It’s a promise?”
“Yes, really.”
Her eyes sparkled like a girl’s, drawing a smile from me.
With her current capabilities, assembling a proper knight order was impossible anyway.
Even if she scraped something together, I could just refuse.
But….
Irina was a far shrewder princess than I’d given her credit for.
As if she’d anticipated the whole situation, she pulled a sheet of paper from her bosom.
“Here, sign this.”
A contract handwritten with meticulous care.
「Irina shall appoint Veil as knight order captain upon constructing a knight order to his satisfaction.」
「The knight order’s standard shall be judged by Grand General Valderian, and upon his approval, Veil must uphold this contract.」
When did she conspire with Gramps?
I slowly read through the crude contract.
‘At least it doesn’t seem like there’s any ulterior motive.’
I calmly took up the quill.
And signed my name boldly in the space provided.
“There, done.”
The princess snatched the contract from my hand.
She rolled her blue eyes, eagerly taking in my signature.
Then, as if spotting something odd, she lowered the paper and asked.
“Um… Veil? What’s this written below the signature?”
Irina pointed to the small clause under my signature with her finger.
“Oh, that? It’s nothing. Just a little safety measure of mine.”
「However, even if Valderian is satisfied, if it appears inadequate in Veil’s eyes, this contract may be voided at any time.」
Her lips pouted at my unexpected condition.
“Isn’t this basically a refusal…? No matter the knight order’s state, you can just say no.”
Her face fell gloomily.
I flashed her a broad smile.
“Of course not. Why would I joke around with Your Highness? If the knight order is splendidly built, I’ll join anytime.”
She narrowed her eyes and stared at me intently.
Then she let out a deep sigh and smiled with her eyes.
“Fine… I get it.”
The Second Imperial Princess accepted surprisingly easily.
In the past, she’d been the type to thoroughly pursue and claim whatever she wanted.
“For now, this’ll do.”
Irina winked, clutching the contract.
Did she have the confidence to build a knight order I couldn’t refuse?
Her adorable self-assurance tugged my lips upward.
“Then, I’ll be off.”
The princess pulled her white robe back over her head.
“I feel like I’ve taken up too much of your time, Sir Knight.”
She tucked the contract carefully into her bosom.
“I’ll walk you out.”
We descended to the first floor of the building together.
Soon, the dim night streets greeted us.
This was one of the capital’s especially remote outskirts—dangerous territory….
To come here alone, what a bold royal.
“I’ll call a carriage.”
“No, I’m used to going around by myself.”
Irina lifted her robe slightly to meet my eyes.
Then she waved lightly.
“Take care, Veil. I’ll come again.”
“Safe travels.”
I saluted with one arm across my chest.
And I thought.
I hope she fails to build a proper knight order.
This wasn’t for my own safety.
‘It’s for all of us.’
The moment she gained military power.
She’d become an enemy to every royal.
So please….
I hoped she wouldn’t even think of fighting them.
I never wanted to see her die again.
Her footsteps faded into the distance.
I waited until they vanished completely.
The quiet night streets.
Only the sound of my boots echoed.
But.
Suddenly, I realized I wasn’t alone on the street.
I’d sensed mana’s presence from afar.
It was extremely well-controlled—powerful enough to be hard to conceal.
‘She’d been hiding it until now?’
I turned toward the source of the energy.
A long row of street trees.
Staring intently, I finally pinpointed the mana’s origin.
‘Up in the tree!’
I locked eyes with purple irises perched on a branch.
In that instant.
The hidden black silhouette lunged at me in a flash.
Faster than even Richard.
I drew my sword to meet it.
Our blades clashed—his dagger against mine.
“Who are you.”
Was this finally a mercenary sent by Luper for real!
Sparks flew from our clashing blades.
Log was gradually being pushed back by sheer force.
He retreated while hurling several short knives.
￣￣￣!!
I concentrated mana into my arm.
And decisively batted away the incoming blades.
The knives clattered noisily to the ground.
With even his throws failing, he began backing away hesitantly.
“That all you’ve got?”
I brushed off my uniform sleeve.
I’d deflected them lightly, but he wasn’t a complete amateur.
He’d even avoided my vitals—showing restraint, like he wasn’t out to kill.
That bastard Luper.
Planning to capture me for blackmail?
If he’d come at me like this from day one….
‘Talk about convenient!’
Threatening via abduction was a grave crime.
Nailing Luper’s weakness with this would let me lord over the Water Bureau like a king for life.
Just imagining that blissful knightly life made my lips curl up.
“You’re the contractor, right? It’s fine, I won’t catch you!”
I approached him with the most harmless expression possible.
“Why’d you take so long? I’ve been waiting forever!”
The assassin frowned at my sudden attitude shift.
Normally, people begged for their lives upon seeing him.
My welcoming demeanor must’ve creeped him out.
Soon, he whipped his head around.
And bolted off at top speed.
“Hey… why run? Let’s talk for a bit!”
Log hurriedly climbed the street tree.
He fled like an Eastern ninja, swift and nimble.
Each long stride carried him to another tree.
His astonishing speed drew a hollow laugh from me.
But I wasn’t giving up here.
No, I couldn’t!
How could I let this golden opportunity slip?
I poured all my strength into my legs and gave chase.
I might lack tree-climbing skills, but these two legs were sturdy enough.
“You here to catch me? That’s why you came!”
But he ignored me.
He even dropped from the tree into a back alley.
I rounded the corner after him.
Even without sight of him, I pursued relentlessly.
If he vaulted a fence, I’d scale it somehow.
If he climbed a building, I’d circle around.
That endless pursuit finally paid off.
He reached a dead end.
“Hah… you’re insanely fast, seriously….”
I blocked his escape, panting heavily.
“Think a knight can’t keep up?”
The masked assassin backed away at my approach.
But no matter what, it was a dead-end wall.
“It’s okay, it’s okay. I won’t hit you.”
I strode toward him confidently.
“Just tell me who’s behind this, and I’ll let you go. For real.”
As I closed in, he drew his dagger.
As if desperate to hide his affiliation.
That only piqued my curiosity more.
When I got right up to him, Log swung the dagger.
But I didn’t dodge.
Instead, I focused mana into my arm and took the blade barehanded.
“With his arm…!”
His purple eyes widened at the unprecedented sight.
In that moment, I seized his wrist.
And slammed him down to capture him alive.
But this time, it was my turn to be shocked.
As he hit the ground, he twisted his serpentine waist and slipped my grasp.
He pulled out a black orb mid-escape.
And hurled it to the floor, detonating it.
‘Smoke bomb…!’
My vision clouded instantly.
I covered my mouth with my sleeve and frantically tracked his silhouette.
Cornered, perhaps?
His mana had grown wildly unstable, unlike at first.
Thanks to that, I could faintly sense its erratic waves even through the fog.
I pretended not to see, staring elsewhere.
The moment he tried sneaking past me.
I grabbed his face in one swift motion.
“Got you at last.”
I smashed the held face into the wall.
￣￣￣!
A thunderous crack that dented the wall.
Even a decent knight would’ve blacked out.
I pried the captive from the wall.
Alright, time to unmask?
Luper’s “gift” to me.
I pulled him toward me to check his face.
And the moment I yanked off the mask.
I froze in stunned silence.
White skin gleamed through the loosened mask.
Far too soft for a burly assassin.
‘A female assassin…?’
Then her purple eyes emerged.
Long lashes, feminine eyes.
Up close, her figure was an hourglass—sleek, with slender wrists.
No trace of the rugged assassin uncle I’d imagined.