Chapter 127
Chapter 127
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: An Ordinary Defense Knight
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Lea Andalusia.
The Empire's First Imperial Princess and the operation commander, a figure blessed with both wisdom and martial prowess.
On top of that, her stunning beauty and impartial promotion of talent had earned her the respect of every knight in the service.
Jane was one of those knights.
An 18-year-old knight candidate with her radiant golden hair tied back.
She was Lea's cousin.
And so, on this day as well, while striving as a cadet to join her older cousin's knight order...
Jane suddenly realized one fact.
That her sister had changed recently in some way.
"Jane, don't come find me while I'm working."
The First Imperial Princess had always brushed her off like this.
But.
When she'd visited her office lately, the atmosphere had been noticeably different.
"Jane, I'm busy today, so come back later?"
She'd clearly been turned away just the same.
However, Jane could sense a slight gentleness that hadn't been there before.
'That's weird... There's no way Sis would talk like that...'
Jane, who had admired Lea since childhood, began observing her closely.
Her hair swept elegantly to the side unlike usual.
Wearing provocative lace designs instead of the simple stockings issued by the Empire!
At some point, Lea had definitely changed.
'Just who changed Sis...?'
Lost in her speculations, Jane realized one more thing.
That Lea had even made homemade lunch boxes to send to someone!
'There's no way the Sis I know would do that...!'
The First Imperial Princess who had always commanded her men...
Had personally made lunch boxes.
To uncover the identity of the guy who'd received such an extravagant gift, her younger cousin clung to Damian.
And the result...
Was that her sister had her eye on a certain man from the Water Defense Division.
"This is where that guy's at?"
Using that information, Jane arrived in front of an office in Norton.
A building cracked as if it might collapse at any moment.
All the way out to the northern outskirts of the capital, a tough climb.
'How the hell did a guy working in a dump like this catch Sis's interest...!'
"What are you staring up at so intently? You going in or not?"
Her classmate candidate standing beside her, Cynthia, asked.
The top cadet of the 82nd class, with her blue bobbed hair.
She was set to join the Second Imperial Princess's Verdant Knight Order.
"Cynthia, why'd you even come along?"
"Because Sir Veil is my master."
The commoner candidate shrugged.
"Isn't it obvious I'd do my field training under him too?"
"A mere defense knight is your master?"
Jane snorted in disbelief.
"Yeah, he's way stronger than most imperial knights."
The blue-bobbed girl crossed her arms confidently on her own.
But Jane, from high nobility, couldn't agree at all.
"You're an idiot. Defense knights are ranks below imperial knights."
The blonde ponytail girl snickered.
"You've never even been to the palace, have you? You really know nothing."
Cynthia offered no rebuttal to her classmate's words.
She simply strode ahead indifferently.
"If you don't believe me, that's fine. Just follow along."
Was she mad that Jane had dissed her master?
But what could be done?
'That's reality.'
No matter how strong a defense knight was, they'd ended up there after being weeded out.
Someone competent wouldn't pass up a spot in Lea's Radiant Knight Order.
Jane followed behind, pitying Cynthia's apparent ignorance of knight order hierarchies.
――――――.
They arrived at an old two-story corridor.
With every step the two took, the floorboards let out strange creaks.
Kiiiik―――.
"Ugh... This isn't gonna collapse, is it...?"
Jane's brows furrowed automatically at the noise that sounded like a scream.
"Quit grumbling and follow."
But Cynthia walked the corridor silently, as if accustomed to it.
"Be reverent when you meet him."
"He's that impressive?"
The imperial kin asked with skeptical eyes.
"Of course. He's that amazing and..."
Her classmate grabbed the door handle of the office marked "Veil Mikhail."
Then, twisting it hard, she said.
"Cool."
The door opened.
The two uniformed girls stepped cautiously into the office.
'The corridor and the office are like night and day...?'
Luxurious tile floors.
And ornate wallpaper to boot.
'This is a mere defense knight's office?'
Jane carefully stepped onto the tile with her combat boots.
Then, she looked down at the soft leather wrapping around her foot.
'What the... This leopard head...?'
Leopard hide welcoming the girls.
And a bizarre grizzly bear statue next to the sofa.
It was like peering into the collection of some rich pervert with awful taste.
"..."
But Cynthia approached the golden desk nonchalantly, as if used to it.
Jane followed her classmate.
Then, spotting a familiar lieutenant's item on the desk, she flinched.
'Isn't this the golden rose that Sis only gave to her treasured retainers?'
Originally, only Damian and one other had them.
She'd sworn to herself that someday she'd get one too...!
'As expected, I was right. This guy's the one getting Sis's attention...!'
Jane swallowed hard and approached the work desk.
The moment she saw the man with his chair turned toward the window.
'Yeah, let's see what kind of guy he is...!'
Her brows twitched at the ridiculous sight of the man.
"Huh...?"
A man in an eyepatch, leather chair reclined, blanket over him even during work hours, fast asleep.
"I greet Master Veil."
Unlike the flustered Jane, Cynthia was unfazed by the comical man.
She even bowed politely to the sleeping figure.
"Cynthia...?"
Veil opened his eyes.
He peered at Irina's top talent with bleary eyes.
"What's the Verdant Knight Order's business all the way out here?"
He pushed the eyepatch up to his forehead.
Then, yawning, he looked at the girls.
"Aren't you in the middle of promotion ceremonies?"
At his question, Cynthia nodded.
"Yes, but the candidate unit sent us for field training beforehand."
'Field training.'
Cadets visiting seniors to learn hands-on work, experiential learning in name.
"Oh? Then you should go to the Verdant Knight Order. Why come to me?"
"Because I wanted to see you, Master, and gain experience at your side."
He looked approvingly at the blue-bobbed candidate.
"You're stubborn... You know the Water Defense Division doesn't have much work. Nothing to do here."
"It's fine. Please allow it."
At his steadfast pupil's demeanor, Veil fell silent briefly.
Then, yawning, he rose from his chair.
"Do what you want... "
As he stood, his eyes caught another girl.
Radiant golden hair tied back.
Her face felt vaguely familiar for some reason.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Jane Rose. A knight candidate like Cynthia."
He eyed the spirited girl apathetically.
"If there's work for me, just give the order."
At Jane's words, Veil clamped his mouth shut briefly.
Then, with an annoyed expression, he said.
"Fine, then... Sit on the sofa by the grizzly."
"Yes...?"
Flustered by the senior's indifferent command, Jane tilted her head.
"No other tasks?"
"Nah, it's field training. Our main job here's holing up and slacking off."
Cadet life was tough enough with training.
Letting her rest here would be doing her a favor, Veil thought.
"There's tea brewed over there, drink it. Snacks next to it too."
He snapped his fingers, igniting the distant kettle.
"..."
The girls stared at their senior in stunned silence.
Then, quick-witted Cynthia first grabbed a flower-shaped pastry from the table.
"Hey, you're really eating it just 'cause he said so?"
"He said to eat."
Jane glanced back and forth between her senior and the pastries warily.
As if she thought his words were some advanced test.
"Don't like pastries? Weird, she sent them saying anyone would love 'em."
At the defense knight's words, Sia replied first.
"They're delicious."
"I'm fine. I had a hearty breakfast."
Veil eyed the stubborn Jane.
Then, smirking, he said.
"Oh? Too bad—they're from Lady Lydia."
Lydia.
At that name, the girl's eyes flashed.
"Lady Lydia... You mean the Third Imperial Princess of the East...?"
Jane cleared her throat briefly.
Then, cautiously began picking up the pastries.
"..."
The girl slowly put one in her mouth.
Then...
Her young face failed to maintain composure.
"Delicious...!"
Her hair instinctively danced without her realizing.
She shook her ponytail like a tail, devouring pastry after pastry.
"Take it slow. Tea's there too."
The girl gulped down tea too, beaming.
Cadet cafeteria food must've been awful until now.
"..."
Jane kept glancing up at her senior throughout, still refusing to acknowledge him.
But the pastries she admitted tasted good, eating with relish.
"Haa-."
The uniformed girl emptied the plate.
Then, overcome with embarrassment, she clutched her head.
'Damn, I lost it earlier 'cause that pastry was insanely good...!'
Jane sighed deeply.
Then, sinking into the comfy sofa, she stared at Veil.
'But this time's different. I'll expose this guy's true nature somehow...!'
"Jane, crumbs on your lip."
Slurp.
At her classmate's words, Jane licked them off.
"..."
An hour had passed since starting the training.
Jane had observed the defense knight's work closely the whole time.
But.
"Haa-."
Veil's yawning figure looked like some old quartermaster nearing retirement.
Slouched in his chair with glazed eyes, spacing out.
His eyes even moved independently like a goldfish.
"Why's land price doing this lately...!"
Lamenting over the real estate section in the paper, or.
"Cynthia, hand me some scrap paper?"
"Yes, Master."
Scribbling notes asking farm tool prices on the back, or.
Even summoning an expensive messenger bird to send it to the hardware store.
'He's just some uncle!!'
'Lea Sis has eyes for that old geezer?'
In disbelief, Jane sighed deeply.
Half-giving up, as she reached for another pastry...
'Is he finally moving?'
She focused on Veil heading out.
"May I ask where you're going?"
Gathering courage, Jane asked.
The quartermaster-possessed defense knight replied calmly.
"Just to the back of the office."
Sword training maybe.
Thinking that, Jane shot up from the sofa.
"I'll come too!"
"Uh, sure...?"
Veil looked at the girls awkwardly.
Then, nodding casually, permitted it.
"Nice, both of you follow then."
Finally seeing Veil's true worth? Jane hoped.
She followed the suspect proudly out of the office.
But...
"Since you're here, pick up those fallen apples. Yeah...?"
Veil wrapped a damp towel around his neck.
Then, leisurely picked apples from the back hill.
"Oof... My back. Lots fallen today. Windy maybe-."
A twenty-year-old knight patting his back, muttering to himself.
He tossed the apples roughly into a basket.
"………?"
Jane looked at her accompanying Sia with a dumbfounded expression.
As if questioning if that really was her master.
But Cynthia wasn't flustered at all.
"Yes, Master. They're especially good today."
She silently picked green apples.
"..."
Jane stared blankly at the sight.
Then, prodded by Cynthia's "you oblivious?" look, she started picking too.
"The one who picks the most gets a prize."
Veil snickered, telling the uniformed girls picking apples.
Jane remained apathetic.
But.
"...!"
Her eyes widened at her classmate suddenly using mana to pick at high speed.
"W-What... Why so sudden?"
What prize could make cool Cynthia use mana?
Sensing something off, Jane soon followed, enhancing her body.
'Screw it. Pick!'
To not fall behind Sia, she hurriedly gathered apples.
"You girls have decent mana control."
Veil, now perched on the basket.
He snickered, propping his chin on his hand.
And watched the candidates' heated harvest battle fondly.
――――――.
"I win..."
Jane bowed, breathing raggedly.
Hands on her thighs, she panted.
"Congrats. Now, the one who peels them all first wins."
Sia silently began peeling apples again.
Mana on her fingers for delicate, swift peeling.
'No way I'll lose to the Verdant Knight Order...!'
Jane fired up her competitive spirit again.
Peeling diligently, anticipating Veil's prize.
"Haa... Haa... All peeled..."
Veil glanced at Jane's peeled apples.
Nodding as if to say good job.
"Nice, well done. As expected from imperial kin, skilled."
"Thank you. Now the prize..."
Jane grinned at Sia.
But her classmate only smiled faintly at her.
"Now, carry 'em and follow. Time for your prize."
The senior's prize.
Eager for it, Jane hoisted the apple basket.
Followed Veil back to the office.
But...
'What is this...?'
The prize the returning senior gave was made on-site from her harvest.
Apple jam.
"Whew... How's that? Proud?"
Veil grinned, showing five finished jars.
Giving the hardest-working Jane one for free.
"Field training ends here."
The noble imperial kin's eyes twitched beneath.
Various emotions flashed across her face.
'Why would Lady Lea go for a guy like this!!'
"Wh-Why is this training?"
The uniformed girl asked in dismay.
The defense knight chuckled, pointing at her body.
"Still haven't noticed? You're slow on this despite your skill."
Jane followed his finger down her body.
And realized in that instant.
"...!"
Come to think of it, her body felt lighter than before.
The mana flowing inside felt more stable.
"You can't just use mana in training if you want slow growth."
The senior said with a relaxed smile.
"Use it in daily life, and it'll shine in real combat."
He scooped some apple jam with a spoon.
Tasted it, lips curling.
"Tasty. Cynthia, pen and paper?"
"Yup, Master."
The blue-bobbed girl politely fetched them.
"Bored, maybe send this as a gift."
The mere defense knight leisurely gripped the pen.
Muttering prominent Empire names, he began writing letters.
"Let's see... Damian, Camilla, Allen, that Batsu guy too..."
Empire heavyweights who could bury you for a name slip.
Jane stared blankly as Veil wrote their names casually.
'Just what kind of person is he...?'
"Have Camilla come pick hers up. She's idle anyway."
Calling the next imperial knight captain like a neighbor girl, Jane's eyes lost focus.
From then, the uniformed girl stopped thinking.
"..."
Soon, packaging apple jam with Sia.
Like soldiers suffering under a bored quartermaster.
'Lea Sis got put through this too, right...?'