Irina walked towards the long table.

    However, her spot was already taken by Lydia.

    The two princesses glared at each other as if ready for a battle.

    “That’s my seat.”

    Irina’s emerald eyes coldly met her younger sister’s gaze.

    “My seat-?”

    Yet, Lydia didn’t back down; instead, she smirked at her sister.

    She had a powerful faction that disregarded the hierarchy of the royal family.

    “Isn’t the one who claims it first the rightful owner?”

    It was the dozens of knights under her command.

    And the royal family of Samad, their homeland in the East.

    “….”

    Of course, Irina was aware of this fact.

    However, she didn’t cower before Lydia.

    Instead, she approached her sister and slammed her palm on the table.

    Thud―――!!

    The once quiet hall suddenly focused on them.

    Even the solemn Valerians were taken aback by her sudden action.

    “What… are you challenging me right now…?”

    A startled Lydia swallowed deeply as her sister got closer.

    Her previously mocking attitude vanished long ago.

    “…!”

    She closed her eyes tightly under the sudden grip of the Second Princess’s hand.

    “No need for that.”

    Fortunately, Irina’s touch didn’t reach the Third Princess.

    She simply opened a drawer in front of her.

    “I reserved this seat yesterday.”

    Documents revealed from the drawer.

    The Second Princess casually spoke as she took them out.

    “If the rightful owner is the one who claims it first, wouldn’t it be appropriate for me to sit here since I placed these documents?”

    She waved the documents in the air.

    Then, with a sly smile, she firmly grasped her sister’s shoulders.

    “So, will you step aside now, little sister?”

    Lydia, caught off guard by her words, seemed displeased.

    “Why should I?”

    At her youngest sister’s question, Leia raised her head to look at Irina.

    “Should great royals fight over just one chair?”

    With a cold gaze, she added, “Especially when it’s East’s Lydia?”

    Lydia softened her voice at Leia’s calm words.

    She seemed momentarily satisfied with the First Princess’s support and bit her lip.

    “Well, if you put it that way…”

    Eventually, the youngest princess stood up from her seat.

    Crossing her arms, she leisurely moved to another spot.

    “Fine, I’ll make an exception. I can’t stoop to anyone else’s level.”

    The knights in turbans accompanying her followed suit.

    Thanks to them, Irina could reclaim her seat.

    “….”

    However, Irina’s expression did not seem pleased.

    Her emerald eyes remained cold and stern.

    She knew there was a hidden thorn in Leia’s words.

    ‘Especially when it’s East’s Lydia.’

    It was a kind of sarcastic remark, implying that the beautiful one should tolerate the less attractive Irina.

    Irina smiled wryly alone.

    And confidently sat in the center of the table.

    ‘Yes, that’s Irina for you.’

    Presenting herself as stronger than anyone else to hide her weakness.

    In that aspect, she was no less than the other princesses.

    However, I know.

    Behind that confidence always lurked loneliness and sadness.

    “….”

    The princesses deliberated with the gathered knights on whom to select as a candidate.

    Despite the surrounding noise, Irina checking documents alone seemed even more desolate.

    But.

    Irina paid no mind to the chatter around her.

    Instead, she studied the faces of the knights with eyes as beautiful as emeralds.

    After analyzing them, she quietly began to jot something down with a pen.

    “Wow….”

    The sight of the princess concentrating alone captivated several knights, who stared at her absentmindedly.

    Among them… I was there too.

    “….”

    However, it wasn’t because of the princess’s appearance that I was captivated.

    It was simply due to my awareness of her lonely lack of power.

    “Hey, why are you acting strange all of a sudden?”

    “What… what do you mean?”

    “You’ve been staring at Her Highness for a while now.”

    Thanks to Cain’s words, I could barely regain my composure from the princess.

    “What was I staring at? I was just lost in thought.”

    I briefly turned my head to look at Cain.

    At the mention of training, he tightly sealed his lips.

    “Is that so? Well… there was training…”

    His legs seemed to tremble slightly.

    “Even someone as strong as you seems worried?”

    Unlike me, Cain excelled more in tactics and strategy than swordsmanship.

    Therefore, despite his excellent writing skills, he had many worries about training.

    “Don’t worry, you’re capable enough to compete with the nobles.”

    I tried to encourage him.

    However, even though he tried to maintain his composure, his expression was not good.

    “….”

    I silently observed him.

    “Cain.”

    Perhaps it was because it was nice to see him after a long time.

    Despite knowing all this was just a show, I felt like being overly familiar with him.

    “Hold on for 5 more minutes. The princesses know we haven’t received proper education.”

    Moreover, Cain was specialized in tactics.

    Just holding on would likely earn him a high score.

    “I’ll try my best…”

    It’s almost impossible for a common knight to defeat a noble.

    They receive tutoring from swordmasters and regularly take various elixirs.

    Even fighting against them and holding on would earn Cain a high evaluation.

    Of course, this is a fact known through past experiences.

    “Valderian Kye.”

    The 1st Princess of the Empire, wearing a monocle.

    Lea, with sharp eyes like a queen, commanded the general.

    “Yes, Princess Lea.”

    “First, let’s identify the top performers in each candidate group.”

    He complied with the princess’s cold voice.

    “The top two performers from each candidate group step forward!”

    Following the general’s command, four knights stepped forward.

    We had me in swordsmanship and Cain in writing.

    The noble candidates were two knights, one with blonde hair.

    Among them was Richard, famous as the son of the commander of the royal knights.

    “….”

    Perhaps due to seeing the princesses up close, Cain’s tension heightened, and he swallowed deeply.

    Still, making it this far meant there was at least a slight chance of being chosen.

    But I know.

    No matter how far we’ve come, we can’t compare to ordinary noble candidates.

    “Siblings, may I be called first?”

    “You always do this, urging us to hurry up and pick-.”

    In response to Lea’s formal question, Lydia remained indifferent with a sullen expression.

    Resting her chin on her hand, she gestured to hurry up and choose.

    “Thank you, then may I start with Richard?”

    Richard Stonefield.

    Currently ranked first among the candidates.

    Moreover, his father was famous as the commander of the Bright Knights and a swordmaster.

    Perhaps he inherited his bloodline.

    The man who stepped forward looked easily over 6 feet tall.

    “I will respond to the call, Your Highness.”

    Richard, showing off with his golden bangs, seemed relaxed as if being called was natural.

    “I promise you the best duel.”

    “Impressive, Richard. I have high expectations.”

    Later, he became the deputy commander of Lea’s knights.

    But he betrayed her by siding with the crown prince.

    Despite his sturdy build, he is a cunning and dangerous man.

    “Well, then who will duel Richard?”

    The princess asked sensually, crossing her legs alone.

    The commander’s plump thighs twitched.

    “….”

    However, no commoner knight readily volunteered to her question.

    Richard was notorious for thoroughly crushing defeated opponents.

    If anyone fought him and lost, they would face a miserable end before becoming official knights.

    “Hmm… no one, then.”

    The silence in the hall lingered.

    Even though it was an opportunity to impress Lea.

    “….”

    Richard shrugged his shoulders and looked down on us with a haughty gaze.

    It seemed he had known all along that there was no challenge for him this time either.

    “Once again, only timid cowards-.”

    Lydia yawned as if bored already.

    Just turned twenty this year.

    The princess, who had just celebrated her coming-of-age ceremony, chewed on the candy given to her by the guards.

    The table was littered with forgotten candy wrappers.

    “It can’t be helped.”

    The atmosphere grew tense.

    In the end, Leia made a decisive move.

    “Richard, would you like to choose your opponent yourself?”

    At those words, I raised my head in surprise.

    ‘Choose the opponent yourself…?’

    This was different from past memories and expectations.

    Originally, Richard was the most skilled swordsman among the noble-born.

    Therefore, he had sparred with me, the top student in the same subject among commoners.

    ‘I thought it would be the same this time too, but suddenly giving a choice…’

    At that moment,

    I began to think that this situation might not be as straightforward as it seemed.

    ‘The way Lyra is seated and everything…’

    The past and the present situations had progressed completely differently.

    “I will accept the challenge.”

    Richard’s blue eyes sparkled at Leia’s proposal.

    Cain was already trembling in fear at his menacing gaze.

    With determination, Cain kept his gaze fixed on the ground, clenching his fists tightly.

    He had no choice.

    If the outstanding scholar Cain were to face off against Richard, a swordsmanship genius…

    Tragedy would undoubtedly unfold.

    The prodigious knight observed the two of us as if choosing prey.

    And then…

    His cold gaze soon settled on Cain in front of him.

    ‘Richard, this guy, could it be…!’

    “I will duel with Cain Altarline.”

    A rare opportunity.

    Richard intended to showcase his skills by choosing an easy opponent.

    “As another top performer, I am curious about your abilities.”

    Cain trembled like a condemned prisoner awaiting execution.

    I whispered softly to him.

    ‘Refuse, Cain. You are not capable of winning against him.’

    I looked at Cain with a serious expression.

    Soon, he met my gaze.

    “I know, but…”

    I could guess why he hesitated.

    Those who refused duels were pushed to the lowest ranks of desired positions.

    Being pushed down meant being banished to the borderlands, just like I used to be…

    And being separated from family.

    As an orphan, it didn’t matter to me.

    That’s why, in my past life, I accepted Richard’s proposal.

    However, Cain was different.

    Although he didn’t have parents like me, he had a younger sister to support.

    “If I endure, as you say… maybe I can stay in the capital…?”

    However, with his skills, he couldn’t even hold his own against an average nobleman.

    ‘A guy like that wants to face Richard, whom not even I could beat…?’

    At that time, I barely escaped with minor injuries after a fierce battle.

    But Cain…

    He would undoubtedly suffer severe injuries from Richard’s merciless onslaught.

    Something twisted, and it twisted firmly.

    The old memories I tried so hard to watch turned into the worst nightmare.

    “I will accept….”

    A hesitant voice.

    In the end, Cain tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword.

    And slowly, he began to step forward towards Richard.

    However, I knew.

    I could see his hand gripping the sword hilt trembling uncontrollably.

    At that moment,

    “…!”

    I grabbed his wrist.

    And boldly shouted for everyone to hear.

    “Your Highness.”

    My voice echoed through the silent palace.

    “I apologize for the delay in speaking.”

    Everyone focused their attention on my words.

    “I will be the one to face Richard.”

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