episode_0010

“Hmm…my attendant. I like it. So, what should I call you? Sir Nigel?”

Sir ” is a title that is too much for me. Please call me Nigel. Princess Aishangior.”

“Hashall. Call me Hashal. Isn’t Aishangior a castle that Westerners might find uncomfortable to hear?”

Actually, I don’t want to hear it.

I’ve gotten away from it at best, but every time I listen to it, I still feel like I’m stranded there.

Nigel hesitated, as if he was a little troubled.

“If you command me that way… I will do as you say. Princess Hashal.”

“Except the princess.”

“……Yes. Mr. Hashal.”

That’s how it should be.

Since we started calling each other by our first names, I felt like the distance between me and her had narrowed a little.

I’m not the only one who feels that way, right?

Since we were peers of the same age that I had only known for a while, I wanted to talk more, so I nodded to the chair in the separate room.

Nigel walked with a restrained posture, silently turned his chair and sat facing me.

“Now that I think about it, you and the Marquis are quite good at Eastern languages?”

“The Marquis once said that it would be good to learn the Eastern language.”

“Really? I’m a bit curious about the reason.”

Nigel pursed his lips, then hesitated before speaking.

The brown eyes were slightly avoiding my gaze.

“Well…that’s why it might be unpleasant for Hashal to hear…”

“It doesn’t matter. Tell me.”

He urged her, crossing his arms.

“That…if you know the enemy’s language, you can understand what the commanders are shouting, so you can react faster, and if you understand the enemy’s culture, you can target their weaknesses, making it easier to kill them…”

No, the reason is much bloodier than you might think.

“…It’s definitely an awkward reason. However, despite all that, Shane couldn’t understand a single word.”

“Are you talking about Sir Shane? From what I heard, you have accumulated so much experience and knowledge in your head that you already have room for the Eastern language in your mind.”

Isn’t that just saying that it’s difficult to learn a foreign language when you’re old?

You said it well, man.

“Also, it is said that ‘if you have enough strength, there is no need for your head to suffer’-”

“Okay, I understand. Let’s stop here for Sir Shane’s honor.”

Because the image in my head of Shane would change from a stern middle-aged knight to a sly grumpy muscle guy.

Nigel tilted his head, probably not understanding what I meant.

I guess he didn’t understand that he was criticizing his superior.

“So, how long will you be working as my attendant? In the next four days? Or will it continue to follow you to the academy?”

Personally, I hope you keep following along.

It’s convenient to have an attendant. Ask about things you don’t know, and pass on things that bother you.

I really like what it looks like there.

“Unless the Marquis orders him to return, I will continue to train Hashall until he graduates from the Academy. Remnant Academy’s special admission students are permitted to be accompanied by one escort.”

I didn’t know that.

That’s why foreign characters carried one person behind them like a folding screen.

Escort. In some ways, it goes against the purpose of the academy’s establishment.

Well, if the hostage taken for peace dies, the empire’s position will be very difficult.

In fact, there were some who tried to use this to cause conflict.

“So what should I do now? There are four days left until the imperial family’s reply comes, right?”

“The Marquis ordered that, if Hashall does not refuse, he should teach Hashal the common sense and language of the empire.”

“It’s the common sense and language of the empire, I like it.”

“Yes. The Marquis will also welcome you.”

There’s nothing wrong with knowing this. There’s probably a lot of information I didn’t know about.

I don’t know a word of the imperial language.

“Oh, and if Hashal agrees to this, he told me to give him this gift.”

“Gift?”

What Nigel took out was a round necklace with a purple gem.

“Yes. This is a necklace engraved with an interpretation spell that lasts for about three months. It will help you learn the imperial language.”

“Interpretation magic? It was quite unpleasant because it made my head quite dizzy.”

Nigel’s eyes widened, as if he was surprised by my words.

“Constant horsepower, and at a fairly high level…!”

Oh, that dizziness wasn’t a normal phenomenon.

I thought it was a side effect of the interpretation spell.

Or rather, if I hadn’t told you I was going to study the imperial language, you wouldn’t have thought to give me this necklace, right?

That’s a pretty blatant warning.

If you want to receive proper support, you have to actively show your intention to assimilate into the empire.

“-Excuse me. If you have a negative reaction to the interpretation magic, unfortunately, I cannot recommend using this necklace.”

“Okay. So how long does it usually take to learn the imperial language without interpretation magic?”

“Uh…could you wait a moment?”

Seeing as I couldn’t answer right away, it seems like that rarely happens.

“Hmm. So, let’s see. It’s roughly…about nine months…?”

Nigel tapped the other palm with his fingers and muttered, then nodded.

“Nine months. yes. It generally takes about 9 months.”

9 months.

“What if I use interpretation magic?”

“15 days is enough.”

“Let’s just write it.”

I’d rather put up with this than live for 9 months as a barbarian who can’t even speak properly.

—-

I put down the necklace Nigel gave me next to the bed.

“Then can I start now?”

“No. I wasn’t able to prepare any textbooks today, and since I have other schedules, I plan to start teaching you the imperial language tomorrow.”

“Other plans?”

Was there something left to do?

Nigel stood up.

“It’s nothing special, just spar with me once.”

yes?

So, are you going to beat me from now on?

“Sparring, it seems a bit sudden.”

“This is also the Marquis’ order. This is because, no matter how special the admission is, in order to enter Remnant Academy, appropriate skills are required.”

“…It’s not something to brag about to you, but it seems like Marquis Ludwig has also heard of my whereabouts. Do you really need verification?”

I’m not going to be infamous.

Even though we haven’t touched the Empire yet, Shane was shocked when he heard my name.

They called her the prostitute of Ka`har. She had a pretty unpleasant nickname.

“…It is the Marquis’s will, so I don’t think it’s a matter for me to judge.”

Are you my subordinate or the Marquis’ subordinate?

Oh, you’re the Marquis’ subordinate, right?

I had no choice but to get up from my seat.

“There is nothing I can do because I am living in a dependent situation. Okay, let’s go fight.

“Yes. We will guide you to the training room.”

Nigel bowed lightly and walked ahead.

The hem of his coat fluttered behind his back from his unstoppable steps.

You look a little excited about something?

Am I mistaken?

—-

Contrary to my expectation that we would head outdoors, the place Nigel guided me to was a spacious space inside the castle.

High walls that seemed to be three times my height surrounded me on all sides, and warm afternoon sunlight was shining through the open ceiling.

The weapons displayed on one side of the wall sparkled in the sunlight.

“Even though it’s not inside the castle, the floor here is just dirt.”

“A floor made of stone can easily break when sparring, so it is better to lay it on dirt.”

I walked into the training room with Nigel.

Only the sound of footsteps echoed quietly.

“Except for what I said was a practice room, there was no one else there. Did you leave it blank on purpose?”

“No. This was originally the exclusive performance room of the Landenburg family, a space for the head of the family and his successors only. The knights are probably training in the outdoor training hall across from the castle.”

A space exclusively for the matriarch and heir?

No, a place like that would be a bit burdensome.

“I don’t know if we can use that place.”

“This is a consideration given by the Marquis. Wouldn’t the outdoor training hall attract attention in many ways?”

Is that so?

Well, then there’s no need to worry about it.

“Now that I think about it, I said he was the successor. What kind of people are Marquis Ludwig’s children? I’ve never met him since I came here.”

“The Marquis has no children.”

That’s also surprising. Don’t nobles usually have multiple wives or children?

This is especially true if you are a great noble like a marquis.

“Isn’t that strange? At that age, you should usually have one or two children. You have to continue the family.”

“Both of you were killed in action.”

Fuck.

The atmosphere became cold.

The sunlight was no longer warm.

“Uh…well, that’s a shame. But what’s the point? There’s a saying that it’s okay to have more children, right? With the Marquis-”

“Your wife volunteered.”

No, why are you doing this to me?

When I glanced at Nigel, his eyes were as hard as a fossil already on display.

I asked for no reason. If we spar like this, I think I’ll end up buried in the ground like a dinosaur.

Nigel must have sensed my confusion and turned around.

“…Hashalar, you probably didn’t know, so you don’t have to worry about it. However, it would be better not to mention them in front of the Marquis. From what I heard, it was Kahar who killed the princes.”

I’m ten times more worried.

It was our tribe that completely destroyed the Marquis?

I might be found dead in my sleep, right?

—-

Nigel walked to the end of the practice room and picked up two wooden swords placed on the wall.

“Wooden sword?”

Fortunately, it won’t hurt you too much if it’s a wooden sword.

“Ah! Example like this. sorry. I will correct it.”

Nigel suddenly put down the wooden sword again and headed next to it.

Oh wait, what’s rude?

I don’t know what it is, but don’t correct me.

An ominous feeling ran down my spine.

“I sincerely apologize for my rudeness. Kahar is a people of warriors where even children wield swords. I learned that, unless they are in a priestly relationship, they consider risking their lives to fight as a matter of respect and honor even when sparring.”

Soon, Nigel pulled out two long swords.

The blue blade shined sharply.

You were planning to kill me as expected!

“Handing a wooden sword or something like that to such a person is no different from an insult, treating the other person like a newborn. It’s a culture that’s a little unfamiliar to me, but… I, too, will deal with the enemy with all my heart, with the same mindset as a knight facing an enemy.”

Damn Ka`har. Are you holding on to my ankles all this time?

I accepted the long sword Nigel held out to me, feeling like I was a livestock brought to the slaughterhouse.

Huh, I don’t know. it will work out somehow.

I only trust you, Hashal’s body!

“Then… .”

Eventually, Nigel took three or four steps back and raised the long sword he was holding with both hands in front of his eyes, showing the courtesy of a knight.

…okay. That’s cool.

I held my sword roughly and looked at Nigel, wondering if anything would work out.

Yes, but since it’s a sparring match, I guess I’ll have to die.

It was a complacent thought.

“Shield of the Empire, Tenth Sword of Landenburg. Nigel.”

Suddenly, her mood changed completely.

The raised eyes filled with hostility stared at me fiercely.

I turned my body sideways and raised the sword horizontally, aiming it at my neck.

“ㅡGoing.”

With a low voice, an eerie murderous spirit swirled.