Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 15. Birthday Party (1)
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A mountain pigeon soars high into the sky.
The towering outer wall of the imperial palace.
Beyond it stands a grand mansion.
Through the windows, a lavish office comes into view.
Dozens of golden birdcages hang in the air.
Inside them are carrier pigeons trapped.
However, not a single one dares to coo recklessly.
As if they've undergone extreme training to prevent it.
Soon, the pigeon entering the office lands on someone's finger.
"It's arrived, Your Highness."
A woman in glasses and a suit.
She transfers all the memories the pigeon saw directly to herself.
"Yes, Eri. What happened in the market today?"
A gentle, feminine voice.
Lea, seated at the golden desk, asks kindly.
On the desk lies an intricately carved wand.
Its handle embeds a recently researched mana amplification artifact.
Secretary Eri approaches cautiously and whispers into the 1st Imperial Princess's ear.
Lea listens expressionlessly the whole time.
Until the moment Veil's name comes up.
"Pfft... Is that really true?"
She starts chuckling, covering her mouth with the back of her hand.
"They counted saliva contact as strikes and beat him?"
"Yes, that's correct."
The princess aims her gripped wand at the birdcage.
"To twist the law for her own ends... such a cute girl."
Mana injected, a menacing air hisses through the surroundings.
The birds in the cages shrink back, trembling.
"Should we track the lady who tried to replicate the artifact separately?"
Lea shakes her head lightly.
She speaks in a leisurely tone.
"Well now—how many 'ladies' in the empire would dare gather troops right under my nose?"
Eri clamps her mouth shut at the question.
"Forget that side. I have a rough idea already."
The princess rises from her chair.
She paces the office slowly with her hands behind her back.
"The merchant's name was Toliso, right?"
"Yes. He supplied military goods to our Radiant Knight Order."
The secretary shows the ledger of merchants the princess deals with.
The ledger is enormously thick from the sheer number of contacts.
"Cut him out."
A short, firm command.
Eri's eyes flash at the words.
"Yes...? But we've had smooth dealings with him until now."
Merchants dealing in military supplies are rare.
Thus, the secretary finds it regrettable to sever ties.
"He's the type to cross the line eventually. Dealing behind my back is reason enough to boot him."
Eri nods in agreement.
She opens one birdcage and releases a carrier pigeon.
The bird heads toward the 1st Imperial Princess's Radiant Knight Order.
"Somehow ended up getting help from this kid named Veil?"
For the first time in a while, the princess smiles with evident pleasure.
She opens the door of one empty birdcage.
"Now I've got a perfect excuse to meet him."
Eri glances at her after sending off the pigeon.
She asks cautiously.
"May I ask why you've taken an interest in that new knight?"
Eri, who usually never questions the princess's words.
But she's curious enough to risk rudeness.
Why the 1st Imperial Princess has set her eyes on a commoner knight.
"That kid. He's incredibly strong."
The princess half-closes her eyes, as if recalling the spar.
"The golden mana he briefly showed when beating Richard. That was definitely sword aura."
"S-Sword aura?"
The secretary's eyes flash.
A lowly knight using sword aura is unbelievable.
That realm is only for top veteran elites even in the Radiant Knight Order.
"Yes. He tried to hide his skill, but he couldn't fool my eyes."
Lea smoothly brushes down the hem of her dress.
"And the way he freely changed his mana's color."
At those words, Eri stares at the princess in stunned silence.
She swallows deeply and asks.
"No way..."
"Yes, a feat only possible from swordmaster level."
The princess pours herself tea, as if her throat is dry.
She elegantly sips from the cup.
"But why hide his power? A swordmaster at twenty would be one of the empire's greatest talents in history."
Eri asks with an expression of utter incomprehension.
Lea gazes at her secretary as if she's endearing.
"Well—. I think I know."
Lea picks up her teacup.
She explains her deduction while sipping slowly.
"Deliberately avoiding us princesses to join a state institution. Hiding his swordmaster prowess."
As she walks, droplets fall bit by bit onto her chest with each sip.
But she pays it no mind, evidently enjoying her theorizing.
"Even flattering non-royal Baldorians. All of it might be that kid's strategy."
"Strategy...?"
Lea glances sideways at her secretary with narrowed eyes.
She says indifferently.
"You, my secretary, can't figure that out?"
Eri hurriedly bows her head at the remark.
"S-Sorry..."
Soon, her black hair touches the office floor.
"Joining a princess's guard means competing with knights from prestigious houses."
Lea passes the birdcages, rubbing each door with her finger.
"No matter the skill, you could lose to faction politics, or get eliminated due to overwhelming talent."
She stops before the window.
Gazing at the vast sunset.
"But what if you become a state knight and rack up achievements?"
In the red sky, hawks much larger than the caged birds dominate the heavens.
"You naturally become the emperor's close aide, with no rivals."
Eri approaches the birdcages.
She inspects the doors the princess touched, one by one.
"But in a lowly post like capital defense, building achievements is extremely hard. Hard to even get noticed."
With the doors closed, the birds settle comfortably to sleep.
As if the cages are their nests.
Lea smiles brightly at her words.
"Confidence."
The 1st Imperial Princess picks up the wand from the table.
She points it at her own neck demonstratively.
"The more I see, the more I like this kid."
Her always kind and elegant eyes narrow.
With a sly smile, she murmurs to herself.
"'I'll rise solely on my own strength, depending on no one'... "
Lea ponders alone for a moment.
Soon, she tucks the wand into a drawer.
"We share so many similarities."
She grips a quill and begins writing something on paper.
"Can't let talent like that rot in the Procurement Office."
One letter written in ornate script.
She packages it meticulously.
Afterward, she frowns, rubbing her brow as if her head aches.
"Are you alright...? You've had frequent headaches lately."
As the secretary approaches, Lea clutches her head and shakes it.
"I'm fine. Damn inherited disease from my mother."
She takes a deep breath and loosens her dress buttons slightly.
She also undoes her tight jeweled necklace.
Revealing her soft collarbone and a glimpse of skin.
"When's the upcoming banquet?"
The 1st Imperial Princess asks, brushing back her disheveled hair.
"Next week. Princess Lydia's birthday party."
Lea presses her furrowed brow with her fingers.
"Invite the Capital Defense Knight Order too."
"Understood."
While the secretary handles the task, the princess picks up her teacup with a trembling hand.
She inhales the aroma, breathing calmly.
"Oh, and Irina too."
The secretary's pen stops abruptly as she takes notes.
She lifts her head slightly, wondering if she misheard.
"Yes...? The 2nd Imperial Princess too?"
Her breathing now steady, she raises her head.
"She's our blood kin too, isn't she? No law saying she can't come."
However, dark circles form under the princess's eyes.
"Might as well make it clear to her this time."
Lea gazes at the empty birdcage with eyes full of assured victory.
She imagines the bird soon to enter it, wearing a decadent smile.
"Who suits an ambitious knight best."
The secretary looks up at the princess with eyes full of awe.
"As expected of the 1st Imperial Princess! Planning to show the overwhelming difference on an official occasion?"
"Right, you're quick on the uptake this time."
The two chuckle with sly smiles.
"You'll see."
However, Lea has no idea yet.
That the knight she's set her eyes on prefers a fluffy sofa over the throne of power.
* * * *
My ear itches.
As if someone is whispering close by.
I scratch my head from the irritating sensation.
"It's winter, maybe that's why it's not growing..."
I stand from the office backyard vegetable patch.
Stretching my stiff lower back.
"Toliso said it grows anywhere you scatter it."
Watermelon bought after grilling Toliso.
Small seeds selected from eating it.
Planted them in the patch and watered, but for some reason, they're not growing well.
"The taste was really good though..."
I toss the hoe I'm holding roughly onto the field.
Gazing blankly at the sunset horizon.
No chores makes the day feel so long.
So happy.
I want to keep mooching off the state's money like this forever.
And in retirement, travel on pension.
Maybe that's why the happy imagining works.
I forget the boredom and focus back on the vegetable patch.
I diligently pick out the stones from the soil.
But then...
A black shadow falls over my back.
I glance up at the shadow.
"Senior Miya...?"
"Veil! Newbie slacking off already?"
A voice laced with teasing.
Senior waves an official document in her hand at me.
"Tending a vegetable patch? Totally old-man hobby."
"Old-man...? This is all retirement prep."
Senior tilts her head at my endgame knight talk.
Twenty and already prepping for retirement.
"Not the time to be gardening."
Senior shows me the message from Capital Defense Command.
But I'm not that interested in the message.
"Look at this. Next week, a princess's birthday party!"
I glance down while fiddling with watermelon seeds.
"So what? What's it got to do with us?"
"Why, our Procurement Office is infiltrating as guards!"
Miya's cat-like eyes sparkle, already excited.
"Good timing. Chance to make an impression on the higher-ups."
I infuse mana into my fingers.
Hoeing slowly with controlled strength.
"No, the general said just two lowly ones should go!"
My previously indifferent face stiffens.
Why suddenly send underlings...?
These are supposed to be senior privileges.
"So it's just you and me going—"
Miya proudly places a hand on her chest.
"Don't tense up. This experienced senior will give you all the venue tips in advance."
She says confidently, as if to say trust only her.
Watching her, I think for a moment.
If senior had cat ears, they'd be twitching excitedly.
"I'm good. Princess parties are my nightmare. It's strictly 'infiltration' guard duty anyway."
I place watermelon seeds into the nicely tilled soil.
Covering them carefully with dirt.
"Come on—without you, I'd have to go with Luper senior!"
Miya clasps her hands tightly, pleading.
At her desperate look, I let out a deep sigh.
Going to a party with Luper.
'That'd definitely be kinda dogshit.'