Scandal with the Princess (1)
The gun was the ultimate weapon, the culmination of all human technology. A staff that spewed fire. It granted ordinary soldiers the power to become a force of one against a hundred. Of course, it was still inferior to knights wielding mana blades. Mana blades that could cleave through iron and ravage battlefields remained the strongest weapons in existence.
Yet mana blades had a fatal flaw: training an Expert required enormous time and resources. Since the power was granted only to a rare few born with innate talent, even the Valtaria Empire struggled to deploy them on a large scale.
What about guns, then? Marksmanship was far easier to learn than archery. Once one grew accustomed to aiming at targets and managing recoil, even an ordinary soldier could take on a hundred foes.
Taang!!!
"Hieeek!!"
A child's scream rang out alongside the thunderous gunshot. With a sigh, I lowered the smoking barrel.
"I told you to stay in the room."
"But I'm Edanant's mascot...! How could I possibly stay apart from you!"
"Fine, just stop tugging on my collar."
"B-but it's scary!"
This was the imperial hunting grounds owned by the Valtaria royal family. Nearby stood a shooting range for practicing marksmanship. I'd wanted to loosen up a bit, so I'd asked Ludmilla, and she'd gladly provided the range.
I picked up one of the muskets lined up at the range and hit a target three hundred yards away. A bullet hole appeared dead center. Lu, watching through a small telescope, let out her characteristic exclamation.
"Bullseye again!"
"Three hundred yards is child's play."
In my previous life, I'd never even been to the military, yet here I was in a romance fantasy world, shooting guns. What kind of causality was this? Something about Koreans and firearms being inseparable, perhaps.
Indulging in such idle thoughts, I lowered the musket. Since muskets couldn't fire continuously, they required the tedious process of reloading with lead shot and gunpowder, ramming it down with a rod.
"Edan is so good at shooting, I bet he loves hunting too!"
"Not really. I got bored and quit."
"Huh? Wouldn't catching animals be fun?"
"Hitting every shot gets old fast."
It was like the unpleasant feeling of inputting cheats into a survival RPG. Every hit was predetermined, so I quickly grew bored and gave up. Anyone terrible at marksmanship would surely find that offensive. After all, hunting was as common a pastime among nobles as dancing and horseback riding. Failing at even one of them earned the label of incompetence, so nobles always devoted effort to their hobbies.
"I want to shoot too!"
"Not happening, shorty. You're smaller than the barrel."
"Grr! I'm not a child!"
"Just sit in the corner and eat your Nong-jjuk Candy."
Let me try! Let me try! I want to do it too—! The Nong-jjuk Candy fairy threw a tantrum like a child causing a scene outside an arcade. Ah. I wanted to hit her. A flick to the forehead would feel so satisfying.
Still gripping the musket with both hands, I fell into thought.
"The gunshots suddenly stopped, so I wondered what happened... You were playing with Lu."
"Your Highness the Princess."
A woman with flowing golden hair approached with a bright smile. It was Ludmilla. But her appearance was different from usual. She wore a red field coat and white riding breeches, a belt cinched around her slender waist, and black long boots that accentuated the curves of her legs. It was practical attire for indulging in a hobby. She had come to practice marksmanship as well.
"I wanted to see the skill that felled those intruders with such remarkable marksmanship. If it wouldn't be a bother, may I watch from the side?"
"Of course."
Clack. I tapped the reloaded musket against the ground. Then, shouldering the stock, I aimed at the target ahead. Lu and Ludmilla watched in silence. Soon, the sound of flint striking rang out, followed by a sharp gunshot echoing through the air.
Taang!!
It hit. The bullet pierced the exact center of the target. After confirming the result, I lowered the barrel. Ludmilla clapped her hands in admiration.
"Your marksmanship borders on the divine! I thought two hundred yards was the limit for musket accuracy..."
"You flatter me."
Perfect accuracy was nothing more than a mediocre trick. Compared to her dynamic vision that could even trace the trajectory of a fired bullet, it was insignificant. Unbelievable. How was that possible? Her physical abilities were so superhuman that the word "superhuman" itself felt inadequate. I'd thought only Maximilian could achieve such feats... So this was the power of one of the Seven Strongest of the Warring States, on par with a hero.
Clicking my tongue inwardly, I marveled at Ludmilla's dynamic vision that had followed the bullet's path.
"If it's not too much trouble, would you instruct me? No matter how much I practice, I can't seem to get used to shooting."
"Hmm, I suppose that's fine, but..."
Was there really a need for her to learn? She was strong enough to catch bullets barehanded. Guns were weapons for commoners. They were never meant to be wielded by a transcendent who had reached the Seven Strongest of the Warring States. It was only natural to feel puzzled by Ludmilla's interest in marksmanship. To her, a musket would be worth less than a pebble on the roadside.
"Eeeh, that's unfair! You said no to me!"
I ignored the little one's protest. Then I handed the reloaded musket to Ludmilla. She seemed to already know the basic stance, as she immediately raised the barrel with both hands.
"You need to straighten your back more. Keep your gaze and posture fixed... and hold your breath for a moment when you pull the trigger."
Stepping forward, I approached Ludmilla as she aimed at the target. I placed my hands on her slender waist. Then I lifted her snow-white wrist supporting the barrel. Every time her flowing golden hair tied in a ponytail swayed, a sweet fragrance wafted over. Her boldly exposed nape sent a bewitching temptation my way. Feeling my mind grow dizzy, I turned my gaze to the target.
"That's it."
The moment the words left my mouth, a gunshot rang out. The bullet fired from the barrel struck the target. Though it failed to hit dead center, it was an excellent result for a beginner.
"Haa... I'm proficient with other weapons, but I just can't seem to get used to firearms."
"It's a weapon with an entirely different principle."
Was it because she'd succeeded in an unfamiliar hit? Or was there another reason? A meaningful blush spread across Ludmilla's beautiful face.
"His Majesty enjoys hunting. I want to join him, but my slow progress keeps getting in the way. I'm worried the other royals and nobles will mock me for my clumsy skills."
"I see."
That Emperor Barbarosa enjoyed hunting was common knowledge even among children. The fact that he went hunting even in the middle of war showed he was practically obsessive about it. It was only natural that shotguns had become fashionable. Trends always flowed from the top down, after all. That was what made things so troublesome for Ludmilla.
"With practice, you'll improve gradually. You just hit a target at a hundred yards, didn't you?"
"That was only because you helped me. On my own, even fifty yards is difficult."
Ludmilla, caught in her dilemma, glanced at me with eyes that seemed to ask, Would you accompany me on a hunt? I pretended not to notice. The Emperor was hostile toward House Hohenberg. A doting father like him would never leave alone a family that had committed such shameless acts. He would surely aim for my head before any wild beast.
"Since you've helped with my training, I'd like to treat you to a meal. Would that be all right?"
"...Ah, yes. Of course."
"Then I suppose I should make a reservation at a famous restaurant."
"......"
To think I'd end up having dinner with the Princess. If the nobles found out, it would definitely become the talk of the town. Ludmilla and I had a complicated relationship that was hard to explain in a single word. If our engagement had continued as planned, we might have become in-laws. Should I refuse, then? But seeing Ludmilla's delighted expression, I couldn't bring myself to say no.
* * *
Ludmilla Draig Valtaria was the type who prioritized near-perfect thoroughness. She couldn't show any flaws. She always maintained a thoroughly self-disciplined appearance. In other words—
Her standards for men were extremely strict and demanding.
1) He must be of noble bloodline.
2) He must be a person of upright and benevolent character.
3) He must be a renowned figure recognized by many nobles and citizens for his abilities and contributions.
4) He must be deeply loyal to the imperial family and have served the empire for a long time.
5) He must be younger than her (important).
Nobles and citizens believed that Ludmilla, as the guardian of the Valtaria Empire, continued to remain a virgin in order to uphold her duty as a protector and realize justice. But that was merely an illusion. Her standards for men were so cold and demanding that she had rejected every marriage proposal until now.
Twenty-seven. It was by no means a young age. Considering that the ideal marriageable age for women was seventeen, it was quite late. Would Princess Ludmilla finally be able to marry this year? Numerous nobles of the Valtaria Empire placed their bets. Naturally, "Impossible this year" was the favored outcome. Moreover, the odds exceeded thirty times.
And now, rumors began circulating through the capital that this very symbol of spinsterhood—
had found herself a man.