episode_0021

The path leading to the royal seat.

I took a moment to gather my thoughts before the princesses.

Most likely, I will be interrogated starting from my intrusion into the tournament.

Since Jaesang was aware of it, perceptive princesses must have noticed long ago.

It’s time to apologize and exit from the party.

I did what I had to as a guardian knight, so they have no grounds to punish me.

If I admit my mistakes and offer to leave on my own, they will eventually be satisfied.

The next plan is simple.

Return to the office, chew on the nuts picked up from the floor, and fall asleep.

“Perfect.”

This is the picture I desired.

Now all that’s left is execution.

“Alright, you need to be careful from here on. Remember the appointment ceremony? It’s about maintaining the same decorum as back then.”

My senior cautioned me from the end of the stairs.

Nodding to the guests, I entered the royal seat.

Three grand thrones.

Surrounded by the escorts of each knightly order.

Veterans with higher ranks than Allen and Basch.

They seemed displeased that we, mere guardian knights, had made it this far. Their expressions were stern.

The handsome knights stepped back towards the wall.

Soon, the three princesses sitting in the seats all looked at me.

Especially today’s protagonist and the host of the party, Lydia.

She gazed down at me, resting her chin on her hand.

Irina and Leah sat on either side.

“Vale Mikhail, we greet Your Highnesses.”

I bowed respectfully.

Lydia, now that we were not in a formal setting but in the royal seat, addressed me informally again.

“Of course. You probably know why I called you here?”

I slowly raised my head.

Then, I apologized for the incident to the host of the banquet.

“For daring to mediate the tournament without even having the skill.”

“For failing to mediate properly.”

“For intruding onto the stage without permission.”

I put on an expression of deep disappointment in myself.

And humbly acknowledged my mistakes to the three princesses.

“I’ve committed too many faults to even count.”

After confessing my sins, I quietly gauged the atmosphere among the princesses.

Irina maintained a calm, expressionless demeanor.

However, her eyes were keenly observing whether I had been hurt.

Leah held a teacup with a firm grip, staring at me.

Her face appeared unusually pale in the dim light of the royal seat.

She simply listened to my words.

She neither interrogated nor showed anger.

“From the start, this party was not a place suitable for me. I will take responsibility and withdraw now.”

I deeply bowed.

And silently awaited the response from the princesses.

“—.”

However, no matter how long I waited, there was no response from the host, the third princess.

“What’s going on?”

Puzzled, I immediately lifted my head.

Meanwhile, Lydia stood up from her throne and came right up to me.

“What do you mean by that?”

With hands on her hips, the princess leaned in close to me.

“If this party doesn’t suit you, does that mean inviting you was my mistake?”

Lydia lightly tapped my shoulder mark with her finger.

Then, half-closing her eyes, she scrutinized me intently.

“Right. Since I was the one who decided to call you here.”

She had seen through the moves of Champion Basch and the foolish swordplay of Alan.

However, Lydia’s question caught me off guard for the first time.

“Is that even possible? I only thought others might feel uncomfortable because of me.”

While the third princess was known for her peculiar personality, I never expected it to be to this extent.

“Is that so? Then let me ask you this. Did any of the guests feel uncomfortable?”

Lydia turned her arrogant face away.

Then she glanced at the cheering guests on the first floor.

“Hmm, nothing interesting over there.”

Next, she looked at the two princesses beside her.

Both princesses responded positively to Lydia’s gaze.

First, Irina.

“The act of a knight stepping into a threatening situation is not wrong, is it? Rather, they should be praised for bravely facing any opponent.”

The second princess defended me with her gaze.

She then closed one eye as if to ask, ‘Did I do well?’

It felt like she was settling things from the incident in the market.

“No, not that…! What if you defend me instead!”

Yes, Leia still remains.

As the first princess and the eldest daughter, she must have received thorough education in royal etiquette.

Moreover, with the stage collapsing and plans going awry, she must be feeling uncomfortable now.

Certainly, she would approve of my dismissal.

“This time, Veil was clumsy.”

That’s right!

Indeed, the eldest daughter is different!

I closed my eyes in anticipation of her forthcoming probing questions.

But…

I soon opened my eyes wide again.

After all, the first princess seemed more astute than expected.

“Excessive humility can unsettle others.”

She said to me with a mature smile.

“So, sometimes it’s okay to have confidence in your actions. Your actions were justified.”

Why is she so lenient in this aspect…?

Is the world I am in now truly the same as before?

I thought all princesses had similar personalities.

Now, they seem needlessly gentle.

“See? No one seems uncomfortable. Everyone is full of praise, right?”

Lydia smiled thinly like a little devil.

At that smile, I let out a deep sigh.

And responded as if in agreement.

“Then I will wait on the first floor again.”

To think I have to endure this boring party all evening.

As I was about to go downstairs grumbling inwardly,

I abruptly stopped in my tracks.

The princess’s guards suddenly blocked the stairs leading down.

“What? The first floor is chaotic right now. Let’s spend the night here.”

Lydia approached me.

Then she looked at me intently with her red eyes.

As if with a gaze that questioned why I would try to escape.

“How dare I sit with the princesses.”

I tried to refuse.

However, in the meantime, Lydia casually nudged my jacket.

“It’s fine. The more guards, the better.”

The princess’s hand pulling me towards the throne.

I followed that hand, getting farther away from the exit.

My sweet holiday…

The comfortable sofa…

They vanish, forever.

“Please take a seat in an appropriate place.”

Three thrones drew closer again.

Instinctively, I felt the urge to survive.

For some reason, in the royal seats…

There were no guest seats, only the prince’s seat left.

“Darn it…!”

The three princesses all indicated their own seats at once.

As if telling me to sit beside them.

“Are there really no other seats available?”

“Yes, it seems we only prepared for the three of us nobles who attended today-.”

Lydia answered with a smirk.

I felt trapped.

Even if there were no seats, making a common knight sit in the prince’s seat was absurd.

Especially Irina.

She had been staring at me with her unique green eyes.

When our eyes met, the princess subtly asked me.

“There’s something to discuss, could you come sit next to me for a moment?”

Irina discreetly gestured towards the empty seat beside her.

“What discussion are you referring to?”

When I asked curiously, she explained the reason with a sheepish expression.

“We need a trainer for the knights. Just until we hire a professional trainer, I hope you can help.”

A trainer.

Both princesses looked at Irina with displeasure.

However, despite their cold gazes, Irina did not back down from her proposal.

Instead, she subtly smiled, seemingly looking down on them.

“The other knights here are already too perfect—there’s no need for a trainer.”

She wore a fox-like expression of ignorance.

With that expression, Irina subtly asked me.

“As you know, my knights are still newbies, right?”

Listening nearby, Lydia chuckled.

Then, looking at her sister, she spoke as if scolding her.

“Do we need an instructor? Then I’ll have one sent from our side.”

“Sure, Irina. I’ll support the veteran instructor from the Bright Knights Order as well.”

The two princesses cut off Irina’s words sharply.

Though they had been at odds with each other before, now they seemed to get along quite well.

“We shouldn’t disturb our busy knight’s rest time spent protecting the kingdom, right?”

“Hmm….”

Irina put on a blank expression in response to the princesses’ interference.

Thanks to their distraction, a guest seat tucked away in a corner caught my attention.

Taking a seat there and holding a chair out courteously, I said, “I will sit here like a knight should.”

And in that spot was Miya, who had been seated first, following the guidance of the princess’s escorts.

“Even if there’s no room, how can a mere knight join in the princess’s seating?”

As I sat in a completely different seat, the princesses all looked at Miya, who had taken the seat next to them.

Caught in their gaze, Miya abruptly halted all her movements.

“Vale. Who is this person joining us?”

Irina was clearly smiling.

However, her smile felt different than usual.

“That’s true. It’s a completely new face, isn’t it?”

Even Leia, who had been quiet until then, asked.

“Yes, um…? Well, you see…”

Caught off guard by the sudden spotlight, Miya hesitated.

She could feel the scrutiny in their gazes upon her.

“She’s a senior from my knight order.”

I introduced her to the princesses instead.

“A senior from the knight order?”

Lydia looked at Miya with a displeased expression.

A dress clinging tightly to her body.

Every detail enticingly positioned to seduce, even down to the teardrop earrings.

“If your attire doesn’t scream ‘knight,’ are you some sort of princess?”

The party host chuckled to himself, arms crossed.

In response, Leia persuaded the youngest princess with a gentle expression.

“Lydia, it’s a party today. Since she’s a guest, she should naturally come dressed in a gown.”

Upon the first princess’s defense, Miya finally breathed a sigh of relief.

However, soon she faced an even greater fear.

Leia, who had been defending her, suddenly approached her.

“But that’s strange. I’ve never heard of a ‘female knight’ at the lower ranks of the knight order.”

Dressed in a white gown, the first princess slowly sat at our table.

Gazing fixedly at Miya, she smiled.

“What’s your name?”

“M-Miya… Your Highness.”

A visibly flustered Miya.

Leia looked down at her as if she were a pet.

“What a cute name. Like a kitten.”

The princess placed a teacup at her spot and led the conversation naturally.

“It’s surprising, isn’t it? You seem quite powerful for someone in the lower ranks of the knight order.”

“Oh, haha… Thank you.”

Despite Miya’s efforts to smile, I couldn’t bring myself to smile at all even in this natural conversation.

I realized something chilling from the first princess’s earlier comment.

‘Seems powerful…?’

I glanced briefly at Leia.

To think she could sense Miya’s strong mana.

Reaching that level requires a decent understanding of magic.

‘Could it be that she saw my Sword Aura during the appointment ceremony?’

As anxiety crept in,

Leia briefly met my eyes.

Radiant golden locks.

Delicately feminine eyes.

Beneath those eyes, her crimson lips spoke to me.

“You seem pensive, Sir Vale.”

“I apologize; this is my first time in such a distinguished company.”

At my response, Leia smiled knowingly.

Then she left me with a meaningful request.

“Could you spare me a moment? I have something to ask.”