Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Sudden Visit (4)
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As soon as money came up, Camilla turned into a flustered girl.
"Ten... a hundred..."
The check was covered in zeros.
It was nearly equivalent to two years of her salary.
"W-Wait a second! Ten thousand gold?! You're joking, right?"
Camilla's eyes darted around wildly.
She clasped her hands together, at a complete loss.
"No, it's the official amount bestowed upon me by the Imperial Chancellor."
I looked down at the arrogant young genius, who had been so full of herself relying only on her own strength, with a cold gaze.
"How could a mere defense knight have ten thousand gold? You made it up without proof, didn't you?"
Her speech, once befitting a vice captain, had long vanished.
Like any girl her age, she excitedly scanned the office.
But soon, she would notice.
That this office was far too lavish for a mere defense knight.
"Huh...?"
The beautiful marble tiles on the floor.
And the Samid leopard hide.
A platinum table far more luxurious than her own office, along with a golden vase.
Finally, the Imperial treasured sword proudly hung on the wall greeted her.
"W-What is this...? The building looked like it was about to collapse from outside."
It was understandable to be flustered.
Even I still let out a hollow laugh every time I entered the office.
But what could be done?
All of it was gifts from the princesses.
"I'm from humble origins, but I have good connections with people."
'Life is about real-world experience, kid.'
As I grinned, a shadow formed under her forehead.
"As you can see, I've come to possess wealth beyond my station."
It made my face look like that of a sleazy corrupt official.
Seeing that face, Camilla started to get scared.
She was just twenty, sharp on warfare but clueless about money.
"N-No matter how good your connections are, how could a commoner knight live like this...?"
"So, you can't pay it back?"
I tilted my head and cut off Camilla's words sharply.
Then, pointing to the Thorman clansmen and Tau who had witnessed the whole thing, I said,
"There are already too many witnesses."
Especially Tau.
As someone on bad terms with the Imperial Knights, he would definitely testify against her.
"..."
Knowing this, Camilla grew even more anxious.
Finally, she let out a deep sigh and opened her mouth.
"Fine..."
Camilla flopped down onto the plush sofa Leah had bought.
Half her butt sank in as she made a sullen face.
"I'll send you my entire salary as soon as it comes in this year.... So, about this incident..."
She had just barely earned the vice captain position with the Crown Prince's recognition.
Reporting such a blunder right at the start of her tenure would shatter his trust in her.
To prevent that, Camilla would try to cover it up with money somehow.
Now, it was time to toss her the 'carrot.'
"Oh, come on, what are you talking about?"
I sat down next to the depressed young Sword Saint.
Clasping my palms together like a wealthy merchant, I smiled.
"If you give me your entire salary, how will you live in the meantime?"
"Well, I don't really have anywhere to spend money anyway..."
Camilla fidgeted with her fingers like a girl with no sense of money.
"Now, now... you can't do that."
I wagged my finger.
Then, scolding her firmly like a father,
"Don't you know how expensive the capital is? If you treat money so lightly at your young age, you'll end up a beggar in no time."
Camilla stared up at me blankly after my scolding.
"Besides, as vice captain, you'll have to treat your squad to dinners, give out performance bonuses—there are so many places money goes."
It was like nagging from an old Imperial Knight Order captain.
Fed up with it, the vice captain whined like a spoiled child.
"W-What do you want me to do, then?"
She covered her face with both hands.
She had easily beheaded enemy commanders several times her size on the battlefield.
Yet, faced with the 'ten thousand gold' enemy she'd never encountered before, she froze in fear.
"I'll introduce you to a 'job' where you can pay off the debt easily."
I whispered slyly to her.
The young Sword Saint whipped her covered face up.
"A good job?"
For some reason, her face started turning red, lost in her own imagination.
"W-What kind of work are you scheming to make me do?"
Camilla swallowed hard.
She hurriedly looked down at her own body and asked.
*What's with her all of a sudden?*
"What scheme? It's just simple side work."
With an innocently bright smile, I reassured her.
Then, standing up, I made the offer.
"Come along. It's completely legal and reliable part-time work."
Camilla finally stood up.
And we jumped down together from the office with its crumbled outer wall.
"If this is anything shady, I'll cut your head off right away!"
Tau and the Thorman clansmen watched Camilla follow me like a criminal.
The situation had completely reversed from when she first arrived.
Having experienced it themselves, they chuckled and returned to training and tending the vegetable garden.
---
Meanwhile, the Second Princess's knight order was busy training the candidates.
Their numbers had nearly reached fifty.
Rumors of receiving direct instruction from the princess's guards had drawn talents from everywhere.
"Your voices are too quiet! One thousand sword swings!"
"Execute!!"
The trainees, solid in their basics, looked determined.
Allen watched proudly as they swung their wooden swords in a line.
"I should start teaching them how to handle mana soon..."
The 81st formal knight selection in two months.
The upcoming tournament was giving him a headache.
"Should I hire another instructor?"
It was great that the kids were getting stronger, but that meant teaching each one more meticulously.
But it was impossible for Allen alone to handle dozens.
"Damn it, when am I supposed to prepare for my Swordmaster breakthrough...!"
The man who had gone from thug to proper instructor sighed deeply.
Gazing blankly at the training ground entrance...
He frowned at the faint but intense mana he sensed.
"What is it? Veil, maybe?"
Allen peered intently at the main gate.
Then, as the gate opened.
He frowned again.
It wasn't his annoying master but some girl who appeared.
"...!"
A radiant white uniform and golden bobbed hair.
She looked utterly dejected with a shameful expression.
And beside her...
I stood contentedly, like a fisherman who had reeled in a big catch.
"Greet her. She's the vice captain of the Imperial Knight Order."
"What...? Vice captain of the Imperial Knights?"
Allen, who had been stuck in the training ground, had no idea about her and his eyes widened.
But he wasn't the only surprised one.
Imperial vice captain.
The trainees swarmed like a flock of ducks upon hearing the lofty title.
"Th-The Imperial vice captain is here?"
"What for?"
The kids' eyes sparkled as they surrounded us.
Overwhelmed by the massive fame, Camilla cleared her throat awkwardly.
"Wow, Vice Captain. You're really popular."
"Sh-Shut up.... Dragging me to some new knight order. Who do you think you're treating like an instructor?"
Camilla glared up at me indignantly.
"The kids are watching, Vice Captain. Mind your language."
"Urk..."
The pure faces looking up at her.
Seeing them, Camilla finally softened her expression.
"Isn't she the one who just got posted?"
"She slew dozens of enemy commanders on the southern front!"
The young Sword Saint, thirsting for recognition.
She didn't know what to do with the flood of admiration.
"W-Well... it wasn't dozens, it was hundreds."
She primly corrected the kids with a haughty look.
"Whoa...!! As expected, amazing!"
Camilla stood alone with arms crossed, eyes closed.
She savored the voices of the kids looking up at her in awe.
"Ahem."
But the joy was short-lived.
Hearing the commotion in the training ground, the Empire's Second Princess appeared.
"Veil...? What brings you here without notice?"
The silver-haired princess in her noble platinum dress.
She approached me familiarly and said,
"You should've sent word. I could've prepared tea."
"No need. I have to head out soon anyway."
Camilla eyed us curiously as the princess and I stood close.
Even if we knew each other, for a mere defense knight to be this chummy with royalty.
Having spent her life on the battlefield, she was dumbfounded by the capital's realities that defied her common sense.
"This is the Imperial vice captain."
"Pleased to meet you, Lady Camilla."
Irina smiled brightly as she said it.
The beautiful silver-haired princess's smile.
Seeing it, Camilla's mouth hung open, speechless.
It was her first time facing a princess so closely.
"The vice captain wishes to teach the Empire's young knights."
"Oh, really?"
Irina covered her mouth, her green eyes sparkling.
"Yes, to repay that 'great conviction,' I personally brought her to introduce to you, Lady Irina."
I looked down at Camilla with the expression of a noble knight.
"Right, Lady Camilla?"
"..."
The young Sword Saint clamped her mouth shut at my question.
But under the princess's earnest gaze, she finally nodded.
"Yes... I came to help the young students."
Irina's lips curved up.
With a gentle smile, she clasped Camilla's hands.
"Thank you so much, Vice Captain."
"N-No, it's nothing..."
To hold the hand of royalty.
Camilla seemed quite flustered by the soft touch.
"Princess, may I borrow your ear for a moment?"
I approached the delighted princess.
And whispered secretly.
"Truth is, the vice captain owes me money. Could you perhaps pay her instructor fees separately?"
"Oh, for something like that? Of course, I'd bestow it."
Irina waved it off lightly.
And promised Camilla a fitting amount.
"Eight hundred gold per month, ten thousand total per year. Is that alright?"
A generous sum befitting a princess.
Not as extravagant as the First or Third Princesses, but ample for Camilla.
"Th-That much?"
"Of course. But in return, you'll do instructor duty for 'two years' straight."
Irina narrowed her eyes.
Clasping her palms like me, she smiled with a chilling edge.
"The kids would be troubled if their instructor changed suddenly."
Her dress swayed like she had a tail, exuding a sly charm.
And I clapped along.
"Now, from this moment, Lady Camilla, you'll serve as instructor for the Verdant Knight Order for two years."
Caught off guard by the duo, Camilla ended up signing the contract.
"P-Please take care of me... Princess."
"I'll be in your care too, Vice Captain Camilla. Let's do well together."
From behind, I looked fondly at the young Sword Saint.
Camilla still knew nothing of the Crown Prince's schemes.
Building favor with the princesses now...
Later, when he launched his purge, she'd be wracked with guilt.
Perhaps I could even persuade her to our side.
"Don't worry, Vice Captain. It's only weekends, and it'll be reported to your superiors as volunteer work, so the Crown Prince will see it positively."
She probably hadn't had much to do anyway and had been wandering the capital guard.
This was thriftily utilizing idle high-level talent.
"Ugh..."
Camilla silently signed the contract.
Thanks to her, Irina's knight order finally gained a Swordmaster.