“Really?”
Pelarhar asked curiously. Before he could add another word, he heard a sliding sound.
“It’s over.”
Sophia sighed softly. Belen was covered in dust, his arms and legs stretched out, panting.
The wooden sword flew far away, and in the meantime, he had been hit once, so the area under his left eye had turned black.
On the other hand, Erdene, who was not even breathing hard, stabbed the ground with the tip of the wooden sword and said.
“It’s definitely better than last time. After all, you got beaten up. You have good eyes, Commander Wizard.”
Belen sat up.
It was a huge improvement compared to the last time when she beat him up and carried him away without being able to get up. He even bowed his head to Erdene on the spot.
“Thank you for teaching me, Your Majesty.”
On the other hand, Vetor’s soldiers sighed again and fell into disappointment. They had been believing the rumors about the Captain Wizard.
The rumor that he would never lose to Erdene of Hirschsten, the people who had been pinning their hopes on that illusion were all disappointed.
Erdene, who noticed the atmosphere, turned to the soldiers and raised his voice.
“If you have time to envy others’ achievements or lament failures, swing your sword once more. If you want to show that the knights of Vetor are also courageous and proud soldiers, become one yourself. Do you understand?”
Silence fell for a moment.
Erdene, who saw the eyes of the soldiers and captains sparkling, said,
“I will leave behind three people who were under my command, so take out as many as you can. Merton, Aiman, and Thelma. Do it properly. Do you understand?”
Thelma jumped around with a look of bewilderment, but Merton and Aiman did as Erdene said.
While the Vetor soldiers and captains who had gathered in droves were asking them questions and asking for a duel, Erdene wiped the sweat from her forehead and looked up at the stage.
Pelarhar, who met her eyes, smiled and waved.
He came down from the stage and handed Erdene a handkerchief.
Erdene looked down at Pelarhar’s handkerchief for a moment and then smiled and accepted it.
“Thank you.”
“How can Your Majesty move like that? That adjutant following you... Is her name Thelma?”
“Thelma. Thelma.”
“Yes, that person is great, but Your Majesty’s swordsmanship is amazing. I have some swordsmanship skills, but when I think about it again, I think it was God’s help that I didn’t lose my head to Your Majesty’s sword at that time.”
“I think so too.”
Pelarhar burst into laughter at Erdene’s arrogant coolness.
Pelarhar spoke again.
“I understand why the soldiers of the Empire fight so well. They learned from someone like you.”
“Well, if they could raise their level just by watching and listening, I wouldn’t have had to sweat so much training them.”
"That’s true. If all the soldiers of the Empire were at the same level as you, Your Majesty, the continent would have been...”
Pelerhar, who had been speaking without thinking, suddenly closed his mouth.
Erdene stared at him with an expression that was hard to read, then smiled meaningfully and tucked the handkerchief into her waistband.
“I’ll wash it and return it to you.”
“You can keep it.”
Erdene blinked a couple of times.
It wasn’t that she didn’t like Pelarhar’s kindness, but she was curious as to why he was being so friendly to her.
Pelarhar said.
“But, Your Majesty’s adjutants... old adjutants. It seems a bit difficult...”
Erdene, who looked back, shrugged as if nothing had happened.
“It’s okay. I was worried that if I left them alone, they would get bored and cause trouble, so I asked them to stay. And to reorganize the Knights of Vetor, we need to retrain the soldiers.”
Pelarhar’s eyes widened in surprise.
“You’re going to reorganize the Knights?”
“The current organization of the Knights of Vetor is too inefficient. They’ve probably given the position of Grand Master to anyone who seems like they’re good at it, and the soldiers under them are even worse. They don’t know what kind of weapons they’re good at, what they’re good at... They just go in as they’re given. How can they be any different from a rabble?”
Pelerhar's eyes sparkled lively.
"I think I can help Your Majesty a little."
"The Duke?"
"Call me Pelarhar. Yes, I am Arkan... I think it would be better to tell His Majesty the King. Of course, if Your Majesty does not want it, I will remain silent.”
Erdene nodded after thinking for a moment.
“Yes. I think it would be better for the Duke to talk rather than me.”
If she tried to talk to Arkan, it would end up in a fight anyway. The issue regarding the Knights was important.
If she bickered with him and the issue was left unfinished, she might hit Arkan once and for all.
“Then I will do so. And Your Majesty.”
Erdene looked up at him as if asking what was his business.
“Why?”
“No. If you have no plans, I was thinking of asking you to have tea together.”
“Thank you, but I have something to do. Let’s drink later.”
Pelarhar smiled with a slightly regretful expression, but he meekly withdrew.
Erdene did not know the meaning of the bitter smile passing by his face.
“Then I will ask you later.”
Erdene nodded and walked briskly with Sophia, out of sight.
Pelarhar touched his pocket where his handkerchief had been, then let out a short sigh and wiped his face with his palm.
“Um, it’s okay. It’s okay for now.”
He muttered something incomprehensible and then hurriedly walked into the palace as if he had suddenly remembered something to do.
Erdene went straight to where Rolls was without even changing his clothes.
Although he had come as an imperial envoy, he had dared to act without regard for his place in the presence of Arkan, so he was practically locked up.
The soldiers guarding the door did not recognize Erdene at first.
However, when they saw her pale blue eyes gleaming with murderous intent, they flinched and stepped back, and only then did they realize Erdene’s identity when they saw Sophia.
“Your Majesty, I greet you.”
“Is the envoy still inside?”
“Yes, we’ve been guarding it in shifts since last night.”
“Good.”
Erdene nodded and looked back at Sophia.
“You wait outside. No matter what you hear inside, you don’t have to look in. Soldiers, you too.”
Sophia bowed her head politely.
“I understand, Your Majesty.”
Sophia cleverly understood Erdene’s words. She figured out that she meant to guard the outside as well as prevent others from entering. Erdene went inside the door, feeling somewhat satisfied.
Rolls sat at his desk, scribbling something without even noticing her coming in.
His pursed lips flushed face, and sweat dripping down his face were ugly to look at.
“Are you writing a will?”
“Wh, hic! Huh, Your Highness.”
Rolls, who belatedly noticed Erdene’s entrance, quickly moved his gaze to the paper on which he was scribbling something.
The next thing that happened was something that happened unconsciously.
Rolls, who had crumpled up the paper and hidden it behind him in front of Erdene, whose eyes were wide open, staggered back in his chair.
Erdene crossed her arms and said,
“Hand it over.”
“Wh, what. This...This is a report that His Majesty, the Emperor, needs to see...”
A drop of sweat dripped from Rolls’ chin. Erdene uncrossed her arms and took a step toward him.
“It’s been so long since you saw me that you’ve forgotten who I am. Should I remind you right now?”
“T-T-You can’t threaten me! T-T-Your Highness the Princess can’t do that now...!”
“Threat? If I were to shove that piece of paper into your mouth right now, make you swallow it, pull it out with your butt, and hang you upside down while you recite each word, would you have the brain to judge whether what I’m saying is a threat or not?”
Rolls’ face turned pale at the words that he would only hear from vicious mercenaries who had seen everything in the afterlife, not from a Princess or a Queen.
What he feared most was the fact that Erdene’s case would never end with a threat.
Pelarhar asked curiously. Before he could add another word, he heard a sliding sound.
“It’s over.”
Sophia sighed softly. Belen was covered in dust, his arms and legs stretched out, panting.
The wooden sword flew far away, and in the meantime, he had been hit once, so the area under his left eye had turned black.
On the other hand, Erdene, who was not even breathing hard, stabbed the ground with the tip of the wooden sword and said.
“It’s definitely better than last time. After all, you got beaten up. You have good eyes, Commander Wizard.”
Belen sat up.
It was a huge improvement compared to the last time when she beat him up and carried him away without being able to get up. He even bowed his head to Erdene on the spot.
“Thank you for teaching me, Your Majesty.”
On the other hand, Vetor’s soldiers sighed again and fell into disappointment. They had been believing the rumors about the Captain Wizard.
The rumor that he would never lose to Erdene of Hirschsten, the people who had been pinning their hopes on that illusion were all disappointed.
Erdene, who noticed the atmosphere, turned to the soldiers and raised his voice.
“If you have time to envy others’ achievements or lament failures, swing your sword once more. If you want to show that the knights of Vetor are also courageous and proud soldiers, become one yourself. Do you understand?”
Silence fell for a moment.
Erdene, who saw the eyes of the soldiers and captains sparkling, said,
“I will leave behind three people who were under my command, so take out as many as you can. Merton, Aiman, and Thelma. Do it properly. Do you understand?”
Thelma jumped around with a look of bewilderment, but Merton and Aiman did as Erdene said.
While the Vetor soldiers and captains who had gathered in droves were asking them questions and asking for a duel, Erdene wiped the sweat from her forehead and looked up at the stage.
Pelarhar, who met her eyes, smiled and waved.
He came down from the stage and handed Erdene a handkerchief.
Erdene looked down at Pelarhar’s handkerchief for a moment and then smiled and accepted it.
“Thank you.”
“How can Your Majesty move like that? That adjutant following you... Is her name Thelma?”
“Thelma. Thelma.”
“Yes, that person is great, but Your Majesty’s swordsmanship is amazing. I have some swordsmanship skills, but when I think about it again, I think it was God’s help that I didn’t lose my head to Your Majesty’s sword at that time.”
“I think so too.”
Pelarhar burst into laughter at Erdene’s arrogant coolness.
Pelarhar spoke again.
“I understand why the soldiers of the Empire fight so well. They learned from someone like you.”
“Well, if they could raise their level just by watching and listening, I wouldn’t have had to sweat so much training them.”
"That’s true. If all the soldiers of the Empire were at the same level as you, Your Majesty, the continent would have been...”
Pelerhar, who had been speaking without thinking, suddenly closed his mouth.
Erdene stared at him with an expression that was hard to read, then smiled meaningfully and tucked the handkerchief into her waistband.
“I’ll wash it and return it to you.”
“You can keep it.”
Erdene blinked a couple of times.
It wasn’t that she didn’t like Pelarhar’s kindness, but she was curious as to why he was being so friendly to her.
Pelarhar said.
“But, Your Majesty’s adjutants... old adjutants. It seems a bit difficult...”
Erdene, who looked back, shrugged as if nothing had happened.
“It’s okay. I was worried that if I left them alone, they would get bored and cause trouble, so I asked them to stay. And to reorganize the Knights of Vetor, we need to retrain the soldiers.”
Pelarhar’s eyes widened in surprise.
“You’re going to reorganize the Knights?”
“The current organization of the Knights of Vetor is too inefficient. They’ve probably given the position of Grand Master to anyone who seems like they’re good at it, and the soldiers under them are even worse. They don’t know what kind of weapons they’re good at, what they’re good at... They just go in as they’re given. How can they be any different from a rabble?”
No matter how peaceful Vetor was, Erdene couldn’t stand it.
It was ridiculous that those who called themselves the Knights were so disorganized and messy.
Why not consider the one-in-a-million-case scenario? Right now, it serves as a fortress for Vetor against the empires of the other kingdoms in the interior, but if one of them becomes more greedy and joins hands with the empire to attack Vetor, who will stop them?
'Well, I will stop them.'
On the one hand, she felt a little bit of indifference, but in any case, the knights needed to be reorganized.
Not only Belen Wiziard, but also Raed, who had dealt with Merton and Aiman, and Sislan? At least the people who were at the level of captains seemed promising.
At that time, Pelarhar tilted his head and asked.
"But, Arkan... Does His Majesty know of Your Majesty's plans?"
“No, not yet, but I'll talk about it when we talk about it.”
It was ridiculous that those who called themselves the Knights were so disorganized and messy.
Why not consider the one-in-a-million-case scenario? Right now, it serves as a fortress for Vetor against the empires of the other kingdoms in the interior, but if one of them becomes more greedy and joins hands with the empire to attack Vetor, who will stop them?
'Well, I will stop them.'
On the one hand, she felt a little bit of indifference, but in any case, the knights needed to be reorganized.
Not only Belen Wiziard, but also Raed, who had dealt with Merton and Aiman, and Sislan? At least the people who were at the level of captains seemed promising.
At that time, Pelarhar tilted his head and asked.
"But, Arkan... Does His Majesty know of Your Majesty's plans?"
“No, not yet, but I'll talk about it when we talk about it.”
Pelerhar's eyes sparkled lively.
"I think I can help Your Majesty a little."
"The Duke?"
"Call me Pelarhar. Yes, I am Arkan... I think it would be better to tell His Majesty the King. Of course, if Your Majesty does not want it, I will remain silent.”
Erdene nodded after thinking for a moment.
“Yes. I think it would be better for the Duke to talk rather than me.”
If she tried to talk to Arkan, it would end up in a fight anyway. The issue regarding the Knights was important.
If she bickered with him and the issue was left unfinished, she might hit Arkan once and for all.
“Then I will do so. And Your Majesty.”
Erdene looked up at him as if asking what was his business.
“Why?”
“No. If you have no plans, I was thinking of asking you to have tea together.”
“Thank you, but I have something to do. Let’s drink later.”
Pelarhar smiled with a slightly regretful expression, but he meekly withdrew.
Erdene did not know the meaning of the bitter smile passing by his face.
“Then I will ask you later.”
Erdene nodded and walked briskly with Sophia, out of sight.
Pelarhar touched his pocket where his handkerchief had been, then let out a short sigh and wiped his face with his palm.
“Um, it’s okay. It’s okay for now.”
He muttered something incomprehensible and then hurriedly walked into the palace as if he had suddenly remembered something to do.
***
Erdene went straight to where Rolls was without even changing his clothes.
Although he had come as an imperial envoy, he had dared to act without regard for his place in the presence of Arkan, so he was practically locked up.
The soldiers guarding the door did not recognize Erdene at first.
However, when they saw her pale blue eyes gleaming with murderous intent, they flinched and stepped back, and only then did they realize Erdene’s identity when they saw Sophia.
“Your Majesty, I greet you.”
“Is the envoy still inside?”
“Yes, we’ve been guarding it in shifts since last night.”
“Good.”
Erdene nodded and looked back at Sophia.
“You wait outside. No matter what you hear inside, you don’t have to look in. Soldiers, you too.”
Sophia bowed her head politely.
“I understand, Your Majesty.”
Sophia cleverly understood Erdene’s words. She figured out that she meant to guard the outside as well as prevent others from entering. Erdene went inside the door, feeling somewhat satisfied.
Rolls sat at his desk, scribbling something without even noticing her coming in.
His pursed lips flushed face, and sweat dripping down his face were ugly to look at.
“Are you writing a will?”
“Wh, hic! Huh, Your Highness.”
Rolls, who belatedly noticed Erdene’s entrance, quickly moved his gaze to the paper on which he was scribbling something.
The next thing that happened was something that happened unconsciously.
Rolls, who had crumpled up the paper and hidden it behind him in front of Erdene, whose eyes were wide open, staggered back in his chair.
Erdene crossed her arms and said,
“Hand it over.”
“Wh, what. This...This is a report that His Majesty, the Emperor, needs to see...”
A drop of sweat dripped from Rolls’ chin. Erdene uncrossed her arms and took a step toward him.
“It’s been so long since you saw me that you’ve forgotten who I am. Should I remind you right now?”
“T-T-You can’t threaten me! T-T-Your Highness the Princess can’t do that now...!”
“Threat? If I were to shove that piece of paper into your mouth right now, make you swallow it, pull it out with your butt, and hang you upside down while you recite each word, would you have the brain to judge whether what I’m saying is a threat or not?”
Rolls’ face turned pale at the words that he would only hear from vicious mercenaries who had seen everything in the afterlife, not from a Princess or a Queen.
What he feared most was the fact that Erdene’s case would never end with a threat.
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