Chapter 26

Chapter 26

I Proposed While Drunk and Now the Princesses are Obsessed.

Episode 26: The Second Princess, Hedera (9).

“…It’s a rare occurrence, Valcon.”

Hedera briefly expressed her thoughts.

The Imperial Royal Guard.

Capital knights, wandering knights… There were many knights and knight orders on the continent, but the top of them all was undoubtedly the Royal Guard.

They gather skilled knights and put them through rigorous training. What emerged from this process were elite knights.

So, on the continent, the saying that one Royal Guard knight could face an entire troop of other knights was not just a joke.

However.

The Royal Guard was also known by another name.

─The Silent Knights.

They never make unnecessary sounds. When they swing their swords, there is no noise. At the final moment, they leave no last words.

Yet, Valcon was a Royal Guard escort knight. For him to request to speak in an official setting, as the Princess said, was indeed rare.

However, conversely, when he did speak, it was always for a significant reason.

To become the Princess’s escort knight, one must survive countless competitions, even within the Royal Guard. Only when other knights call you a superhuman could you take on the honorable task of protecting the Princess.

So, the person speaking now was not just any knight.

He was speaking as a superhuman who had achieved immense honor.

There was no reason for the 2nd Princess not to listen.

Valcon first bowed politely.

“Please forgive my rudeness. I am aware of my presumptuous behavior.”

“First, speak. I will listen.”

The watching magicians gulped.

Why did the escort knight suddenly step forward? While the magicians’ faces began to show an unknown anxiety, the auditor, Jaekiel, remained very calm.

Huff.

Calmly, he just exhaled the Sun Grass smoke.

In fact, he was very familiar with such situations.

Fame was bothersome, and anonymity was frustrating.

Jaekiel belonged to the latter.

Most of the tasks he had undertaken throughout his life had to be carried out in secrecy, so it was rare for him not to face resistance.

─Who are you?─Can you take responsibility?─Do you know who I am?

‘I can’t count the number.’

The attitudes of those looking down on Jaekiel and demanding proof were countless. To Jaekiel, such things were just bothersome. They were never difficult.

It was then that Valcon continued to speak.

“Before the 2nd Princess makes a decision regarding the sale of the tower, there is something I must request.”

However, Jaekiel immediately interrupted.

“It seems sufficient to request after hearing the decision, as the Princess has already made up her mind.”

“….”

Then the sharp eyes inside the helmet turned towards Jaekiel. It was hostility, with no room for misinterpretation.

The 2nd Princess’s face was more than half-covered by her mask, but a faint interest flashed in her eyes for a moment.

Hedera slowly opened her mouth.

“Auditor, you seem confident in hearing the desired outcome.”

Jaekiel didn’t even answer the question.

He just gave a relaxed smile and a silent bow, as if to confirm Hedera’s guess. It was truly an enormous confidence.

But then it happened.

“Regardless of today’s decision, the Auditor needs to correct his attitude. How can he be so rude in the presence of the Princess?”

Once again, the voice belonged to Valcon.

His eyes were like those of a wild beast encountered at night. But Jaekiel received it as if it were nonsense.

“I don’t care about manners; I just care about results.”

He was calm, as if the 2nd Princess wasn’t there.

“Isn’t that better than an incompetent auditor?”

“…How dare you?”

To Jaekiel, it was a genuine question, but to Valcon, it seemed like a provocation. Valcon placed his hand on his sword hilt and looked at Hedera.

“Give me just 10 minutes for a lesson. I will instill in this tower the etiquette for dealing with the Princess.”

However, to Valcon’s slight embarrassment, even Hedera didn’t seem to care about Jaekiel’s attitude.

The 2nd Princess just waved lightly and spoke.

“Escort knight, speak your request first.”

“…Understood.”

There was no choice. If he got excited over something the Princess didn’t consider a problem, it would be overstepping his bounds. Valcon felt even more anxious and uneasy because of this.

…Hedera’s attitude towards Jaekiel was different.

He had never seen the Princess treat someone this way.

The escort knight took a deep breath, straightened his posture, and spoke.

“Princess, I believe that a great person and a great leader are distinctly different. The difference is vast.”

“Hmm.”

“Even if the auditor is an outstanding magician, he has proven nothing as a leader in this presentation. For the Imperial Tower to achieve high performance, everyone affiliated must improve their skills, don’t you think?”

Everyone listened quietly. The logic itself was sound.

“Many imperial citizens are suffering from recent erosion phenomena. If he is truly an excellent auditor, he should quickly train skilled individuals and show results.”

Hedera seemed to think about something for a moment.

Then she nodded as if she had made a decision.

“I’ll give the others a chance to speak as well. You don’t have to just listen. Feel free to share your opinions.”

Then Widro, the head of the Theoretical Faction, immediately stood up.

“You said to quickly train skilled individuals and show results, but how long are you talking about specifically? Considering the exchange meeting is coming up soon.”

“The imperial citizens of the neighboring region, Luiple, are suffering from magic and monsters at this very moment. I believe it should be resolved within at least a week.”

“…A week? You need to be reasonable!”

“I am confident I can train apprentices into knights within a week. Is this tower truly incapable?”

At that moment, Nox also pushed up his glasses and intervened.

“Escort knight, the auditor has provided great motivation to the magicians who had been wandering aimlessly in the tower. Isn’t that already an achievement in itself?”

“Motivation is something even bandits can provide. What’s important are visible results, not such emotions.”

“What…?! Are you saying we are bandits!”

“You’ve received investments from the taxpayers but have shown no results, so perhaps calling you bandits is too generous. You’ve been legally robbing them.”

“…!”

The magicians’ faces began to show resentment and anxiety. They had just begun to have hope after the presentation, but the escort knight was trying to take it all away again.

The problem was, his words were full of truth.

Prove excellence not as an individual but as a leader; logically, it was entirely reasonable.

However, the magicians were uneasy. There was a world of difference between dreaming and achieving.

Could they reach the level the auditor had shown? Could they arrive at a place plagued by erosion phenomena and magic and produce amazing results?

…And within a week?

Results meant purifying the eroded area.

Purification meant defeating monsters. Defeating demonic entities. And furthermore, stabilizing people’s lives….

They couldn’t be sure of anything, so they were just anxious.

At that moment, the training ground began to stir.

“Stop.”

Hedera spoke.

She didn’t lower her mask and use Word Command, but this alone was enough to end the commotion for now.

“Valcon has faithfully performed his duties for many years, and the new auditor’s presentation was impressive. I will make a decision based on what I’ve heard so far.”

The Princess’s eyes slid towards Valcon.

“I am a dragon-blood holder, a princess, and a word magician… The weight of my words is immense. I decided to think about it for exactly one day, so I will make the decision now. The escort knight won’t dare to oppose, will he?”

“I wouldn’t dare oppose. I will follow whatever you decide.”

Hedera nodded.

“First, I won’t sell the tower. That’s my decision.”

“…!”

The magicians’ eyes widened. Their faces, previously filled with worry and concern, now overflowed with joy.

But the 2nd Princess’s words were not yet finished.

“And while my escort knight’s argument has merit, from the perspective of the Auditor with a tight schedule, it’s a proposal that can only cause hesitation. It’s also true that there’s no benefit to it.”

“….”

“So let’s do this.”

Hedera slowly crossed one leg over the other.

A seductive posture. The word ‘captivating’ wasn’t enough to describe it.

“If the auditor accepts my escort knight’s proposal despite the tight schedule, I will open part of the Royal Treasury. It will be a reward for the tower.”

“…The Royal Treasury?”

Anes muttered unconsciously.

The Royal Treasury—wasn’t it a place where incredible things are stored?

“I will open the first floor and grant the tower what it desires. I am a word magician. I do not lie.”

“The entire first floor…!”

The magicians stirred.

On the other hand, Valcon remained calm. After all, the Auditor would never set foot in the treasury. No, he wouldn’t even accept the proposal to prove it.

The reason was simple. These people couldn’t do it.

At the same time, everyone’s gaze turned to Jaekiel.

It was a trap-like situation.

It wasn’t mandatory, but there was a reward for participating. On the surface, it seemed like you could just forgo the reward and avoid participating, but of course, there was no fool who would think that.

…The Princess was showing interest to the point of offering a reward. She also had expectations. That was the crux of the matter.

If he avoided it, the Princess would be disappointed, which was a problem. If he accepted, there was no possibility of achieving it, which was also a problem.

…It was a trap. Everyone’s faces were filled with dismay.

A long time later.

Jaekiel opened his mouth.

“Well, I’m not inclined.”

“….”

Then the magicians nodded with difficulty.

It was the expected answer and a safe move. Considering the possibility of a major failure if they tried, it was much better for the Princess to be a little disappointed and leave it at that.

“Sigh.”

At that moment, Valcon sneered as if he had predicted this.

Even Hedera was about to roughly accept it.

“Still, since it’s about gaining the Royal Treasury, let’s make it a condition to achieve higher results than you, escort knight.”

“….”

Everyone was speechless for a moment.

Valcon, doubting his ears, parted his lips.

“Higher results than my knights?”

“Yes.”

“…!”

Then everyone was shocked, as if they had been struck by lightning.

Not only to grow the magicians, but also to achieve results in the Luiple region…

To even surpass the achievements of Valcon, a member of the Royal Guard.

…Jaekiel had just declared it so confidently.

Everyone was frozen, as if struck by lightning.

In the midst of that frozen silence.

“Auditor, are you in your right mind?”

To the escort knight’s question, the man exhaled the Sun Grass smoke.

And then.

He smiled, showing his teeth.

“…I’m not sane to begin with.”

His blue eyes shot out in a straight line.

They had long since pierced through Valcon’s helmet.