Rischel (4)
The sea voyage was far more pleasant than I'd expected.
Perhaps because we were on a luxury cruise liner.
Not only I, but even Tatiana, who was traveling with me, enjoyed the trip without a hint of seasickness.
Visiting Rischel came with stringent conditions from the start, and since we were there on behalf of the Association, we received an exceedingly warm reception as we set foot on Rischel's soil.
Regular tourists were strictly forbidden; only a handful of merchants transporting goods or officials from other countries on business ever visited. But arriving as honored guests meant treatment on an entirely different level.
WE WELCOME ACADEMY CITY SUPREME STUDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT YEON JE-SEONG! -ALL OF RISCHEL-
And now.
I was seriously regretting this official visit.
"Welcome!"
"We've been waiting!"
"You're finally here!"
The moment we entered the arrivals hall, residents pushed through the knights, screaming enthusiastically as they rushed toward us.
"Kyaaah! Oppa!"
"Over here! Look this way!"
"Marry me!"
From mature women to fresh-faced girls.
People of all ages cheered toward us in unison, and Tatiana beside me let out a sharp yelp.
"P-President? What in the world...?"
"...Just ignore them appropriately."
I kept a straight face and started heading out of the hall with the knights.
The wall of people surrounding us shifted en masse to follow my direction.
"My god..."
Tatiana, seeing this for the first time, alternated between staring at them and me with a look of cultural shock.
"Shh. Stay quiet. Don't even make eye contact—just move calmly."
From experience, ignoring crowds like this was the way to go.
Any reaction at all, and even the escort knights wouldn't be able to handle the chaos.
Never react!
The knights were barely keeping their sanity right now; otherwise, they'd have charged us already.
"This way! Look over here!"
"Ahh...!"
"Eek! Kate fainted!"
"Help! Amy's not breathing!"
"Who cares about that right now? Ditch the ones who passed out!"
As we exited the hall, I glanced sideways at the knights controlling the crowd.
Even as residents following us collapsed, the knights stayed cool and carried out their duties.
Observing them eased my mind a bit.
Good, the effect's still holding. Thank goodness.
It was thanks to the artifact I'd gotten from Rischel's sage right before leaving last time.
This small bracelet suppressed the intense life force emanating from my body.
I hadn't used it since leaving Rischel, but I'd put it on for this trip.
I fiddled with the bracelet absentmindedly and stepped out into the sunlight.
───
Outside the arrivals hall, countless knights stood at the ready.
They must have anticipated the crowd.
It seemed excessive, but considering the residents who'd followed me out, maybe not.
"You're finally here."
At that moment, a familiar figure pushed through the knights.
Her short ponytail, brushing her nape, swayed and drew the eye.
Bright golden hair like the sun and blue eyes paired with harmonious features created stunning beauty.
Meanwhile, her voluptuous figure was clad in yellow armor, with a golden sword at her waist—clearly marking her identity...
"Gawain."
"It's been a while, Mugeuk."
The Knight of the Round Table, known as the Sun Knight—that was her.
"I didn't expect you to come greet me."
"When it's you, Mugeuk, of course I had to."
"President, who is this?"
At Tatiana's cautious question, I stepped aside to introduce her.
"This is Gawain. A Knight of the Round Table and one of the strongest knights."
"Pleased to meet you, lady. I'm Gawain."
"Thank you for the grand welcome, Lady Gawain."
Gawain flashed a bright smile at Tatiana's greeting, then turned and directed the assembled knights.
"Escort duty begins now. Everyone, assume level-one alert and maintain formation!"
With the knights moving in perfect unison behind us, Gawain turned back.
"I'll escort you to the palace from here."
"Got it."
We boarded the prepared carriage on the road and headed to the palace amid the residents' cheers.
.
.
.
.
Inside the carriage sat me, Tatiana, and Gawain.
"Gawain, what's the schedule after this?"
"You'll probably meet His Majesty, followed by a small welcome ceremony."
"...A welcome ceremony?"
"Yes, since it's a rare visit from such an honored guest. But knowing your personality, Mugeuk, it's just us Round Table knights and a few others."
"I see."
A welcome ceremony, huh.
Imagining the Round Table all together already drained my energy.
"Skipping it would be tough?"
"The main guest skipping out might look a bit off..."
"Hmm..."
Figured as much.
They were holding it for me and Tatiana; if the guests of honor bailed, it'd be weird.
But man, I really wanted to skip!
Gawain here was one of the tamer ones compared to the other Round Table knights!
That's when it happened.
As I sighed inwardly and stared blankly out the window, Gawain had quietly slid next to me and hesitantly asked,
"Um, by the way. Since it's been so long, how about a spar...?"
"Come to think of it, you've gotten a lot stronger."
"R-Really!?"
Maybe because so much time had passed.
Her aura felt incomparably sharper than before.
She used to have a bit of clumsiness, but now there wasn't a single gap.
She's thrilled like this, so her personality hasn't changed.
Back then, Gawain was the one who'd sought me out most for combat training.
Getting one-sidedly crushed after that incident must've shocked her; while I stayed in Rischel, she constantly requested guidance and spars.
We were practically glued together back then.
Her competitive spirit made it fun enough, though.
The protagonist training method I use now was refined while raising her.
Knowing it in theory doesn't help if you can't apply it in real combat.
So I'd run training regimens through others.
Gawain was the first subject.
"You might actually make me break a sweat now."
"R-Really!?"
"Yeah."
"──!"
Right then, Gawain flushed red and trembled faintly.
Soon, a sigh laden with allure escaped her lips.
"Haaah♡ Finally syncing with Master...!"
I glanced at Tatiana, whose expression crumbled as she stared at Gawain grinning with unfocused eyes.
P-President...?
Pretend you didn't see.
B-But...
I told you—ignore it.
She'd face scenes like this endlessly from here on; poor expression control would be a problem.
Better to act like nothing happened and keep talking.
So I ignored Gawain's creepy smile and turned to look out the window.
───
"We've arrived."
At the palace, I looked out the window at Gawain's call.
"Wow...!"
"Welcome once more. This is Rischel's pride, the royal palace—Logres Camelot."
At the same time, a magnificent stone building revealed its grandeur through the window.
Decorated in white and blue, the palace perfectly captured Rischel's essence. Given the strong winds, it was broader than tall.
Laid out horizontally to minimize wind impact, it had no glass windows—just multiple ventilation frames.
Probably used magic circles to block wind in winter.
Overall, it embodied maritime city's architecture to a T.
"Gawain here. I've brought Rischel's honored guest—inform His Majesty."
"Understood!"
Gawain notified the gate knights, and the carriage passed through the heavily groaning gates into the inner grounds.
"Here we are. Time to disembark."
"Mm."
"...Incredible."
How far had we gone?
The carriage wound through the palace grounds and stopped before a large building.
We stepped out after Gawain, entering amid soldiers' salutes.
Inside, ornate sculptures and beautiful paintings adorned the walls for show. Tatiana, with her ex-princess eye for art, couldn't hide her admiration.
"We've arrived."
Before an elaborately decorated door, we looked up at Gawain's words.
The massive door, nearly touching the ceiling, bore intricate patterns. At its center: a great sword plunged into a rock.
Moments later.
───Come in.
A clear voice echoed from beyond the door.
"Eek...!"
"......"
The grand audience chamber unfolded before me and Tatiana.
Beautiful chandeliers hung above, with knights exuding extraordinary auras lined on both sides. In the center, atop the throne, sat a figure with even greater presence.
"It's been a while."
Then, pure white like fresh snow dazzled my vision.
Her blue eyes turned to me──
"I've been waiting for you, as always."
A faint smile bloomed on her lips.