episode_0372

***

The knife cuts the meat into bite-size pieces. A brownish steak oozing juice.

The cross section of the sliced meat was light pink, the emperor’s favorite way to grill it.

“It tastes worse than yesterday.”

As the emperor muttered as he put a piece of meat in his mouth, the cook who was standing far away lowered his head in despair.

“Sorry, sorry.”

The chef was so excited that I was worried he might chew his tongue.

“It’s okay. If yesterday was 94 points, today is 93 points.”

As the emperor grinned, the cook’s face turned blue.

“Go out. Because I want to eat leisurely.”

As soon as the emperor spoke, the cook bowed, bowed, and left the tent.

The emperor, who had all his servants eating, slowly sliced the steak and put it in his mouth.

And then he took a sip of wine to his mouth. The sweet and bitter taste mingled with the meat.

“As expected, it tastes less delicious than yesterday.”

Normally, he would have hit the cook’s head.

But this was a battlefield in its own way, and today the emperor was in a good mood.

That’s how the cook saved his life.

The emperor’s meal took place quietly.

She acted as if there was someone across from her.

blunt expression,

Talk less,

Small wounds all over the body,

Not knowing how to decorate yourself,

Cavalry commander belonging to the Kingdom of Gernoa,

The man he loves.

Act by imagining that the man across from you is eating the same food as you.

She firmly believed that if she did that, such a future would really happen.

And it is also a future that will happen soon.

“Ah – I guess I just have to wait two days.”

The first of three days was passing by.

The emperor smiled as he ate the food with the look of a new wife waiting for an anniversary.

Excluding the afternoon refreshments, it was the deepest smile the emperor had seen in recent times.

“What would be the best food to eat with you, who is now mine… Of course, those cookies would be the most symbolic.”

The emperor tended to attach more importance to meaning. Although the taste of the cookie was terrible, its symbolism would be great.

“Hehe, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to designate that day as the day to make cookies. The entire people of the empire bless the union between you and me.”

As if just imagining it was fun, the emperor twirled the glass filled with wine.

The emperor’s face reflected in the glass was flawless and clear.

***

As the emperor was finishing his meal, a sound was heard outside the tent.

“Your Majesty. The knight commander has arrived.”

“Ask them to come in.”

When the emperor’s permission was given, the tent opened and the knight commander appeared.

The heavy-built man walked forward with long strides and knelt at the emperor’s feet.

“The report has arrived.”

He took out a letter from his pocket and presented it to the emperor.

“Oh, you’re finally here. It was a car I was already curious about.”

The emperor’s eyes sparkled.

The emperor took the letter from the knight commander’s hand as if by snatching it and read it quickly.

“Hmm, meat stew… You worked hard to make ends meet. Yes, I’m not feeling well, but I need to eat well.”

The emperor muttered to himself and was convinced. The knight commander knelt down and maintained an unmoving posture.

“Knight Commander, you will recover sufficiently if you rest for about three days, right?”

It was a story about a cavalry commander.

“It depends on the severity of the injury, but I think the cavalry commander will recover sufficiently.”

The knight captain agreed.

“Hehe, yes. I think I made a good choice by listening to your words and giving it three days.”

“His Majesty would have made that decision even if it wasn’t my words.”

“Haha, that’s true too. I’m not a villain enough to put pressure on the person who said he was injured.”

The emperor smiled, as if he was in a good mood.

“Knight Commander.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“The cavalry commander will soon become my person.”

The emperor’s voice was full of excitement.

“We will reduce it. The cavalry commander’s joining will soon be a great blessing to the empire.”

The bear-like knight commander nodded.

“Ho, do you think that too?”

The Emperor asked enthusiastically, as if he had discovered someone with the same hobby.

“Anyone who fought on the battlefield with him would think so. He is brave, wise, and an example.”

“Haha, I didn’t know you would praise others like that.”

“I was just telling you the truth. So, it was truly a pity when he rejected His Majesty’s offer and left.”

The emperor made a bitter face at the knight commander’s words. Old memories that I had tried to forget suddenly came to mind.

***

“You’re leaving?”

the princess asked. And I couldn’t believe my ears.

“I helped the princess in her war as promised. Now that the contract is over, I plan to return to my original position.”

“Did you hear my suggestion correctly? He said that if you come under my wing, he will promise you the position of cavalry commander. I will use you greatly.”

The princess spoke, touching her face with her hand fan.

“I was just doing my job as a mercenary. No additional prizes will be awarded.”

“It’s not a prize, it’s a proposal.”

The princess frowned, but the mercenary leader didn’t react much.

“In that case, I will assume that I did not hear that suggestion. I have no intention of belonging yet. There are also mercenary units.”

“That mercenary unit… doesn’t exist anymore.”

“…….”

In the process of clearing the road, he lost all his crew.

After all the battles were over, he gathered the fallen soldiers on the battlefield together.

Ignoring everyone’s words to help, he carefully moved the bodies of each member.

He carried his comrades into the middle of the battlefield and buried them with his own hands.

Dig a hole, put your comrades in, and bury it again. Their weapons become their tombstones.

“I’m sorry.”

In front of the grave he apologized.

“I’m sorry.”

He got down on his knees.

“I was ugly.”

He shed tears. The tears that had been flowing drop by drop soon formed a stream.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”

The blunt man’s face was distorted ugly.

The man lying down screamed in pain. It was a moan that he didn’t make even when he was cut by a sword and his shoulder was pierced by an arrow.

The princess saw that.

And I thought.

Ah, this man is someone who can cry passionately for others.

Wouldn’t this kind of man’s love be hot?

Can’t I have that feeling?

Curiosity developed into liking in an instant.

Like a fire in the field, goodwill burned brightly in the princess’s heart.

So that was the suggestion I made.

But the mercenary leader flatly refused.

“Tell me what you want, and I will listen. All you have to do is say that you will be my cavalry commander.”

“Princess, there is nothing I want in the empire.”

The mercenary leader said with a blunt expression.

“Have you forgotten who the person in front of you is? I am the princess of the empire. Is there something I can’t give you?”

The princess was frustrated.

“Yes.”

“What do you wish for? Speak!”

“Family… Sanctuary. That’s what I hope for.”

It was a moment when a soft smile appeared on the face of the blunt mercenary leader.

The princess had no choice but to let him go.

As the mercenary leader said, she couldn’t give it to him.

***

The emperor’s face crumpled at the sad and unpleasant farewell that day.

“Knight Commander.”

She helped the kneeling man up.

“Yes.”

The large knight commander bowed his head solemnly.

“I guess it won’t work.”

She pointed to the empty plate.

“As expected, the food was worse than yesterday. I can’t just leave the person who fed me this kind of food, right?”

“I will do as you ask.”

The knight commander bowed and left the tent.

The sound of a sword being drawn was heard from afar.

Before long, someone’s screams were heard from somewhere.

“It’s two days. Two days. You will soon be mine.”

The emperor kept saying it for two days as if he was reciting a spell.

“I will give you something better than shelter. I promise in the emperor’s name.”