The Prince and the Princess (2)
Long time no see.
Leon Benning stood behind the Second Prince, flashing a faint smile at Theodora as he mouthed the words. Whether it was meant to provoke her or was simply a casual greeting, she had no way of knowing. All she could do was fight desperately to swallow the rage boiling up inside her.
Don’t show it.
Theodora screamed the words inwardly. It was fortunate she had already lowered her head in a swift show of etiquette toward the prince. Behind her, she could feel several gazes flicking in her direction. The stares of knights who knew nothing of the twisted history between her and that man—her father. Most were filled with curiosity, or perhaps a hint of expectation. She could sense it clearly.
“Splendid.”
The Second Prince’s voice flowed out. It was less solemn than it was arrogant, pressing down on others with a false dignity that masked raw intimidation. His gaze, which seemed to survey the world as if it were his to command, was blatant. Yet beneath all that oppressive aura, glimpses of an empty core flickered through.
“His Majesty has raised such an outstanding knight order in such a short time. This is truly a blessing for the kingdom.”
Among the members of the Raven Knight Order, those affected by the prince’s oppressive presence inwardly marveled, while those untouched by it sensed the hollowness within him and felt doubt—or in some cases, outright disgust.
“Wouldn’t you agree, Count? To have such individuals under my command is like having a pumpkin vine drop fully ripened into my lap.”
“Just as you say, Your Highness. These are knights who have made their names on the frontier. They will surely become a great asset to you.”
Count Benning’s voice answered without a trace of emotion. The knights who harbored doubts about the prince’s qualities perked up their ears at his words.
“Well, no matter how exceptional they may be, Count, could they ever compare to you? You are my greatest strength.”
“You flatter me. Even my daughter, the commander of the Raven Knight Order, will soon surpass me as a warrior.”
The Second Prince’s voice brightened noticeably when he spoke of Theodora.
“Yes, of course. I’ve heard the rumors myself. The knight who felled hundreds—thousands—of demonic beasts in the north, then brought the mighty Behemoth to its knees in the east. And her appearance? They say she’s so beautiful that many knights’ hearts flutter at the sight of her.”
“She is a child with truly promising prospects.”
The words that praised her felt unbearably uncomfortable to Theodora. She was seriously considering interrupting the conversation when the Second Prince finally turned to the knights and commanded,
“My kingdom’s—no, my valiant Ravens, raise your heads.”
As if the Raven Knight Order had already become his personal military force, the Second Prince addressed the kneeling knights.
“Each of you possesses a truly courageous bearing. The commander is like a single lovely flower. You have all captured the heart of this peerless warrior.”
Self-praise that made one’s brow furrow, and compliments directed at her that turned her stomach. Theodora nearly let her expression twist, but the weight of a foot gently pressing down on the hem of her cloak from behind helped her regain composure. Judging by where the pressure came from, it must have been the quick-witted Paola. Theodora felt a deep surge of gratitude for that consideration.
“You shall now assist me in restoring order and law to the royal palace. I hope you will wield those fierce blades only for righteous causes.”
The Second Prince looked down at Theodora as he spoke. Though the mention of “order in the royal palace” grated on her, she kept her head bowed and responded calmly.
“I will devote myself to the task with all my strength.”
The concise reply seemed to please the Second Prince, who let out a satisfied laugh. Though she hadn’t meant to, Theodora was forced to endure that laugh with a heart that felt like it was rotting away.
“Yes, a simple declaration of loyalty is far better than those who drone on for dozens of sentences as if delivering some grand speech. It suits that cold beauty of yours perfectly.”
It seemed the Second Prince had yet to realize that true loyalty could never be fully revealed on the surface. In the end, he and the count were both spouting the same empty drivel. Theodora let out a long, inward sigh at his shameless tendency to interpret everything in whatever way suited him best.
“Your Highness, it would be best to conclude the inspection of the knights here.”
The scene must have been too much even for Leon Benning to watch, for he quietly suggested in a low voice that the prince stop. The Second Prince narrowed his eyes.
“I was just beginning to enjoy this meeting with them, and you had to ruin the mood.”
“Your appointment with the mages of the Magic Tower is approaching.”
Whether it was impressive or simply that he had grown numb after experiencing it so often, Leon Benning didn’t bat an eye at the Second Prince’s utterly arrogant attitude. The prince nodded at his explanation.
“…Ah, yes. There was the Magic Tower.”
“If you see the most outstanding talents from the Magic Tower, I believe you will be just as satisfied as you were with these knights.”
“Very well. Then I shall return first. See to it that they are properly dismissed.”
“As you command.”
The Second Prince turned on his heel with one of the escort knights who had joined him, his footsteps echoing as he disappeared down the distant corridor of the royal palace. Leon Benning watched the prince’s retreating figure with his characteristically mechanical eyes, then turned his gaze toward the Raven Knight Order.
The moment the prince turned and left, they rose from their positions in perfect silence.
“Quite the figure, isn’t he?”
With his lips twisted into a smirk, Leon Benning spoke. Theodora faced her father with a face pale with unmistakable disgust.
“The one who is quite the figure is you, Count.”
“There are only you and your subordinates here. You may simply call me Father.”
“Yes, Count.”
Theodora let out a low, scornful laugh. There was no reason to fall for such an obvious provocation. Leon Benning, apparently uninterested in prolonging the exchange, tapped the sword at his waist and slowly scanned the Raven Knight Order. As his mechanical gaze passed over a few of them, a fleeting spark of curiosity appeared before vanishing.
“From now on, you will operate in pairs to handle His Highness’s escort duties. Separate quarters have been prepared within the palace. You will reside there, maintaining a constant state of readiness. On days without assigned duties, you may train freely. A servant will soon arrive to guide you.”
After issuing the order, Count Leon Benning turned to Theodora and produced a mechanical smile. She stiffened her face and took two steps back from the count.
“Then, I leave it in your hands, Theodora.”
His oily words lingered in the air like a foul odor. Leon Benning strolled leisurely toward the corridor where the Second Prince had vanished. Theodora followed his steps with her eyes for a moment before giving up and letting out a sigh.
“…This must be no small burden for you.”
At that moment, Paola’s voice—welcome for once—jerked Theodora back to her senses. The knights, who seemed to have realized the Second Prince’s true nature and the abnormal relationship between him and the count, were looking at her with worried eyes.
“I’m far more exhausted now than after swinging a sword all day. And we have to keep doing this damned farce for months.”
“It would be best not to dwell on the duration,” Paola said in a voice thick with irritation. “From what we’ve heard, he already intends to treat us as his direct subordinates. Even if we resist, what real change could we hope for?”
She hadn’t realized the weight of the vice-commander title resting on her shoulders would feel this heavy. Leone cautiously approached their side. She glanced around before speaking.
“Commander, the Second Prince…”
Theodora raised a hand to stop Leone from saying more.
“Let’s return to our quarters first. Look, a servant is coming now.”
A servant was hurrying toward them from the direction Theodora pointed. Crushed by the knights’ intimidating presence, the servant greeted them in a frightened voice.
“Honored knights, I will guide you.”
“…We’re in your care.”
The servant quickly turned away as if afraid even to meet their eyes, then began walking. Watching the servant move ahead, Paola spoke in a relaxed tone.
“Let’s set the complicated matters aside for now and follow. Sleeping in the royal palace? Who would have thought we’d enjoy such luxury in our lifetime.”
At Paola’s words, the members raised voices of agreement.
“I’m curious what kind of quarters they’ve prepared. If it’s worse than our headquarters, we should just leave, right?”
“The air in the palace alone is completely different from our headquarters, you fool. Even if they tried to kick me back to headquarters, I’d lie down in this corridor and stage a protest.”
Theodora’s rigid expression softened at the jokes the members tossed out one by one. She followed the servant with lighter steps.
The presence of the Raven Knight Order seemed to have already dissolved into the morning bustle of the royal palace. The servants who had once trembled in fear as they passed now stole glances at the knights joking casually among themselves.
The servant leading the way suddenly stopped and craned his neck down the corridor. Theodora, who had halted with him, tilted her head in confusion.
“Ah, one moment.”
“What is it?”
“The King’s personal guard is passing through. They bear the most important duty in the palace, so if they are using the corridor, we must yield the way and let them pass first.”
At the servant’s explanation, Paola beside her wore an expression full of curiosity.
“Oh. The First Royal Guard. I’d like to see their faces at least once.”
“They are the finest knights in the palace. No, they must be the finest in the entire kingdom.”
“Interesting. I wonder what level of skill they possess. The guard captain I saw before seemed like an incredible person.”
The faint hint of competitive spirit in his voice made the servant look horrified.
“No matter that you are all assigned to the Third Royal Guard, you must never carelessly provoke the King’s personal guard.”
“I know, I know. It was a joke.”
It was just like Leon Benning. No footsteps could be heard at all, yet their presence grew intensely stronger as they approached. Theodora pretended to be indifferent, but inwardly she felt a surge of curiosity about what kind of skill these knights possessed. The guard captain had the aura of the kingdom’s strongest knight—how would his subordinates compare?
“They’re coming,” Paola whispered excitedly.
Theodora subtly raised her gaze to meet the King’s personal guard as they came into view. There were three of them. The one at the front was someone she had never seen before—a female knight with a fierce expression and hair that fell to her shoulders. Beside her walked a short man with a loose smile on his lips. The two behind them seemed to be their juniors, listening attentively to the conversation between the first two.
The man walking at the very back.
Theodora’s gaze suddenly fixed on the black-haired man. His features were sharp, yet he possessed an overwhelmingly handsome face. His jet-black hair curled gently, framing his cheeks. He was quite tall. Perhaps similar in height to Maxim.
For a moment, Theodora’s heart sank as she superimposed Maxim’s image over him.
No, Theodora. Don’t think about that right now.
She clenched her fist until it turned white. Then she deliberately released a bit of her aura to gauge the opponent. His skill… she couldn’t measure it at a glance. That alone was proof of how formidable he was.
“All three look incredibly strong. Especially that man at the very back… or rather, he might be the strongest of them…”
Paola muttered to herself. Beside her, Leone’s face flushed red as her eyes followed the rearmost knight.
Whether he had noticed Theodora’s aura, sensed Leone’s gaze, or heard Paola’s words, the black-haired knight turned his head toward the corridor where the Raven Knight Order stood in formation.
Their eyes met.
Ah.
He had skin as pale as snow, in contrast to his jet-black hair. Those deep, dark eyes—like bottomless wells—were looking directly into Theodora’s stormy gray ones. It was a strange feeling. Though this was the first time she had ever met this person, Theodora could have sworn she had encountered him before.
An eternity passed in a single instant.
The knight from the First Royal Guard soon turned his head back toward his seniors. Theodora pressed a hand to her chest, trying to calm her heart that was now racing faster and faster.
“I heard he’s the new recruit who recently joined the personal guard. Quite handsome, isn’t he?”
Paola nodded in agreement, while Leone, whose face was still lightly tinged with pink, quietly chimed in with a small “Yes, he is.”
“Commander?”
The knights had passed. When Theodora still didn’t resume walking, Paola called out to her in a puzzled voice.
“Ah, yes. Let’s get moving.”
Theodora started walking again with the servant in the lead. A strange sense of unease still tickled at her.
“What the hell are you staring at, Arsene?”
Maxim barely managed to keep his head— which kept trying to turn back—fixed forward through sheer force of will. The short, boyish-looking knight with a youthful face matched steps with Maxim and glanced briefly toward where Maxim’s gaze had been drifting.
“They’re all dressed in black. So that’s the Raven Knight Order the Second Prince is trying to get his hands on? They certainly live up to the name. Why were they watching us?”
“Denis, could you shut your mouth for once?”
The fierce-looking female knight scolded the youthful knight—Denis—with an exasperated tone.
“It’s been so long since we got a new recruit. Aren’t you even curious about him? I pestered the captain and still couldn’t get anything out of her.”
“I told you to stop bothering him. If you can’t even teach him properly—”
“No, Charlotte, what could we possibly teach this guy in the first place? The captain was the one at fault for throwing a guy who’s already far beyond the stage of completion at us to ‘educate.’ The only thing we can tell him about is the layout of the palace. Right, Arsene?”
Maxim gave an awkward smile to Denis, who was looking at him with sparkling eyes.
“No, I still have a long way to go.”
“What are you talking about? A guy who already had a private audience with His Majesty acting all humble? How boring.”
“You’re being frivolous, Denis.”
As they conversed, they arrived at the deepest part of the royal palace. They passed through a maze-like corridor and climbed a rarely used staircase. There were many places in the palace where the king could conduct official business. One such office lay in the middle of a corridor blocked by doors that only certain people could enter.
“Well then, rookie. Have a good time with His Majesty.”
“This bastard really needs his mouth sewn shut.”
Charlotte pinched Denis’s side after he casually spat out words that would not have been strange to be called blasphemous. Denis let out a small yelp and crumpled under her terrifying grip.
“…I’ll be going now.”
“Yes. Speak comfortably and return safely.”
So not everyone in the personal guard was as solemn and taciturn as the captain. Maxim thought to himself as he stepped into the corridor. In front of the office, he deliberately revealed his presence. Before his fingers could even knock on the door, the king’s voice granted him permission to enter.
“Come in.”
Maxim opened the door and faced the king, who greeted him with a satisfied expression, along with the captain of the personal guard who always stayed by the king’s side. He knelt.
“There’s no need to stand on such ceremony anymore, I told you.”
“How could this one dare diminish Your Majesty’s dignity?”
King George II let out a hearty laugh.
“Stand up. You speak too well. It’s something I like about you, yet it can occasionally become rather troublesome.”
He immediately moved on to the main topic.
“The achievements you accomplished in the east cannot be praised enough. Thanks to you, the royal family has gained a moment to catch its breath.”
“It was only possible because Count Agon and the Margrave cooperated so well.”
The Margrave had surprisingly readily agreed when Count Agon personally went to persuade him. The carrier pigeon that had arrived not long ago carried his intention to soon gather troops and personnel to support the First Prince.
The king nodded.
“Their hasty actions have become poison to them this time. To turn that poison into a lethal toxin that threatens their very breath, we must move with precision this time.”
The king tapped his fingers against the desk.
“How much time did the Margrave say he needed before sending people to the palace?”
At the king’s question, the captain of the personal guard beside him answered immediately.
“It will take anywhere from three weeks at the shortest to a full month at the longest.”
“I see… It would be impossible to carelessly select personnel while facing demonic beasts.”
The king seemed to have made up his mind as he called out to Maxim.
“Sir Arsene Verne.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“I heard that Count Agon of Murat dispatched several knights and one maid to assist the First Princess. That maid is the girl Leon Benning attempted to kidnap, correct?”
Marion. His fiancée, who had begun to smile more brightly these days. Maxim recalled her face and nodded.
“Yes, that is correct.”
“Then Michelle should be safe for the time being. If Count Agon went so far as to send people with special care, they would hardly be ordinary individuals.”
The king’s fingers, which had been tapping the desk, stopped.
“Sir Arsene, although you have not been assigned here for long, I must ask a difficult favor of you.”
“Please give any command you wish.”
“Until the Margrave’s people arrive.”
A sigh that sounded almost like a groan escaped the king’s lips. His voice, which somehow lacked its usual vitality, gave Maxim his orders.
“Protect the First Prince under the pretense of being his swordsmanship instructor. Just one month. Once a month has passed and the Margrave’s people have taken up positions around the First Prince—”
As if it had never happened, the king’s voice returned to normal.
“Then we shall begin cutting off those bastards’ limbs. Together with you.”