Gilliforth Mansion.
"Master, this is a letter from Her Highness the Princess."
"Tsk, you have become quite the young lady now."
The old man snorted and held out his hand. His voice was gruff but powerful.
"Please give me Her Highness's letter first."
Shhhh.
As he opened the letter, Gilliforth expression hardened.
"Is this... Is this really true? The rebels are going north and attacking the royal palace?"
Neril nodded.
Gilliforth looked back at the map after confirming the size of the rebel army and the direction of their advance as written in the letter.
He shook his head. He still couldn't believe it.
"Why now? The timing and scale are truly strange. Where are we going to get all the personnel in these difficult times?"
This is the time when most young men are on the battlefield.
No matter how many people were gathered, this many could not be gathered at once.
"Some of them, including the leaders of the rebels, are mercenaries hired for money. They gathered the people with a cause and brainwashing. If we deal with them, the rest will easily disperse."
It meant that this was not an ordinary civil unrest.
"What kind of people are trying to pollute this country again!"
Gilliforth slammed the table and let out a roar.
The Princess, who had been the regent's puppet, transformed one day and began to cut off the rotten branches one by one.
He thought Valdina was finally seeing the light of day, but he was truly indignant that there were still corrupt seeds that were trying to ruin the country.
Are they not even seeing the efforts of the young Princess to somehow revive this tottering country?
He felt deep regret and anger at how everyone only cared about their own interests.
"Is he the regent? The one who is trying to cause this trouble?"
Gilliforth asked immediately.
Gilliforth was also well aware of the regent's precarious situation, as voices criticizing him were also raised outside the palace.
"..."
"Why can't you answer? Didn't I ask if he was Claudio?"
Gilliforth was almost certain.
The only person who could shake the fate of this country with his selfishness is Joaquin Claudio.
"Gilliforth is a great man who loves his country more than anyone else. But he is too upright. Upright things are bound to break, and I don't need a hunter who can't wait for the hunt."
Neril, recalling the Princess's words, stared straight at him.
"If I tell you so, Master will immediately rush to the castle and cut off his head. Then all the plans Her Highness has prepared will be in vain."
"This guy..."
"Do you think it will end with just one Regent? A second or third Regent will soon emerge. Swinging a dull knife repeatedly will be useless if you want to uproot these scumbags that have long taken root in Valdina."
"..."
Gilliforth took a moment to catch his breath.
Reason, who had settled down coldly under his breath, chewed over his disciple's words. And he could not deny it.
Then Neril added.
"Her Highness has commanded that they be prevented from entering the castle, but that they be allowed to advance up to the castle walls."
"How so?"
Gilliforth could not understand the Princess's strange command at first.
Wouldn't it be better to completely suppress the rebels and leave no sparks behind?
'If mercenaries are involved, it won't be easy to suppress them.'
In battle, the difference between those who know war and those who don't is very big.
'It will be difficult to stop them with just the current royal palace garrison, which has little combat experience.'
However, there is power within the kingdom to supplement them.
'There are retired soldiers in the castle. They have abundant battlefield experience and are capable of replacing the garrison.'
Did the Princess's 'plan' start when she set up a relief center to help them?
Only then did Gilliforth understand Neril's words. And the incredible deeds the Princess had accomplished so far.
'I was so wrong. I failed to recognize the talents of a King.'
A cold goosebump ran down his old, stiff body.
If every single step she took had been calculated from the beginning.
There must be a reason for this incomprehensible command.
"I understand. Tell her not to worry, I won't mess things up by hitting Claudio."
Then his job is to assist the Princess. To make it a large, heavy, but powerful sword that the Princess can use.
The wrinkled eyes finally opened. Gilliforth nodded slowly.
"I will make every preparation."
Neril bowed deeply.
"Thank you very much, Master."
Finally, Gilliforth was left alone and looked at the weapons hanging on the wall.
"Hmm, weightlifting..."
He carefully examined each one and finally picked up the most brutal hammer among them.
A familiar, yet eerie tension flowed through him as it rode on Giliphos's back.
"As I live, the day will come when this old man will have to lift this again."
The trembling voice sounded a little excited.
***
"Neril, are you going straight to the palace?"
"No, Sir. We have one more stop. Where is Tom?"
Before leaving the Gilliforth mansion, Neril came to see Tom.
Neril heard that he was at the training ground and headed to the training ground.
In the training hall, sweaty trainees were sparring.
"Hey, buddy. What's going on here?"
Tom, who was teaching them swordsmanship, greeted Nerill.
"You guys, do you know the Princess of Valdina? The one I've been talking about so much that my mouth is dry."
Tom seemed to have been bragging a lot about the fact that he had once served a Princess.
"My friend here is her closest confidant, who serves as her maid and knight!"
"Wow!"
A thunderous roar erupted from the training ground.
"Hahaha, you guys. Now do you see how great this teacher is?"
Tom returned the cheers from the crowd, perhaps not noticing the stinging glare in Neril's eyes.
Neriel made a face that said she was fed up.
"Tom, I have a favor to ask of you."
"Her Highness the Princess ordered you to do this? What is it? What is it this time?"
Tom's eyes lit up as he hurriedly chased after the trainees.
Instead of answering, Neril took something out of her bosom and held it out. It was a small box the size of a child's palm.
Tom opened the box with a suspicious look.
Wrapped in beautiful, precious paper was a lock of brown hair and a silver necklace.
"What hair?"
"Handle with care."
"Saya, what is this?"
Neril also couldn't hide his wonder when she first saw it. It was when Medea went missing while hunting.
"It's a common superstition on the street I used to live in. It's said that if you put a lock of your hair and your most prized possession in prayer, your family will be safe... Of course, I believe that Her Highness will return safely, but I'm still anxious."
The girl, who had been isolated and alone for a long time on the dangerous streets of the slums, felt a deep fear of losing someone next to her.
Neril realized that this was Saya's way of relieving her own anxiety.
When Medea later returned and learned the whole story behind the box, she looked down at it with an expressionless face.
"Saya, can I keep this?"
The Princess pointed to the faded silver necklace that Saya had shared with her twin brother.
And he gave her the bracelet she had received from Peleus on her seventh birthday.
"Oh, mine is so worthless...! It's the most precious thing to Your Highness. You look at it every time before you go to bed!"
Even though Saya repeatedly refused, Medea gave her the bracelet anyway.
Neriel recalled the day she first brought Saya from Asylum Street.
"Please take me with you. I don't want to stay here."
"You might regret making me your Master. Are you okay with that?"
Neriel knew that this was an apology she was offering to Saya.
Since the Princess used the other person's good intentions, she also gave up what she treasured the most.
"Tom, there is a rebel named Theo among those advancing north toward the castle right now."
"Rebel? So there was a reason why you came to the mansion after such a long time."
A look of amusement appeared on Tom's face as he received the box.
"It won't be hard to find the bookkeeper of the head office. I want you to deliver this to him secretly. Be careful not to get caught."
"Knowing my abilities."
Tom raised his chin haughtily. As expected of a competitive man, he showed no fear.
"Okay."
Tom's always confident attitude was funny and yet so absurd that Neril swallowed a sigh.
"And from now on, there will be no payment. Just remember that."
"What? Really? Really?"
Even though he wasn't getting paid, Tom's face lit up like the moon.
"So, I am now the Princess's person, right?"
Tom's freckled face went up in excitement.
After months of giving up all hope and thinking that it would be meaningful to just follow the Princess's orders, his wish finally came true.
"Just leave it to me!"
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