By the time they reached the first objective, most of the knights were already exhausted. But the training was just beginning.
The target point was a wide plain with rocks and bushes blocking the view. The knights who arrived relaxed and relaxed. However, not a single one of the Knights of Elijah let their guard down. On the contrary, they became even more tense.
Elze narrowed her eyes and looked around. The plains, dotted with large rocks and bushes, were ideal terrain for hiding. Suddenly, she remembered the conversation she had with Shan before the training.
"I plan to participate in the mock combat training myself."
"You yourself?"
Shan smiled brightly at Elze, who was puzzled. He didn't explain in detail, but simply asked a question.
"Are you on the side of the knights?"
"There are Elijahs, so of course it would be like that, right?"
"I see."
Shan nodded slightly and muttered to himself.
"You alone need to be organized to achieve balance."
At the time, Elze didn't know what it meant. But by now, it wasn't hard to guess that there was something there.
Shan was the one who had decided to ride ahead and wait at the first target point. However, he was nowhere to be seen. Liv, who had been marching with them, had also disappeared somewhere.
The march was tough, but it was definitely too boring for a mock combat training. After all, it was supposed to be a 'combat' training.
Elze exchanged glances with Elijah and checked the sword at her waist. It was a longsword that had never been used and had been issued to her for training purposes.
Tarkun sent Ivanna next to Rapine. Then he stood next to Elze, ready to draw his longsword. He called out to Elze briefly.
"Captain.."
Elje nodded. It was the time when Tarkun and Elze were about to go out to scout out the surrounding area.
“Ugh!!”
A scream erupted from the front of the line. Elze drew her sword and ran to the front. And at the sight that unfolded, Elze gasped.
“!!”
A group of people wearing masks and black clothes was ambushing the knights. For a moment, she thought they had learned of Heglatan's training schedule and were making a surprise attack, but that was not the case.
The surprise attackers were all holding training swords. Elze was dumbfounded when she saw the training swords. She burst out laughing.
“This person really...”
Shan's plan was to surprise the knights who had just finished their march.
As the name combat training suggests, the atmosphere was very much like a real battle, and the black hordes began to slaughter the knights.
The knights also belatedly responded by raising their longswords. However, their bodies were loose from the march. Only a few knights, including the Knights of Elijah, were able to swing their swords properly.
Hundreds of knights began to shake indiscriminately at the surprise attack of only a few dozen. Elze gritted her teeth and ran forward, shouting.
“Form up! Form up!!”
At Elze's shout, the knights who had been falling apart in a ragtag group came to their senses. While they were reorganizing their ranks, Elze ran to the front.
“Tarkun, assist! Rapine, command the knights!!”
At Elze's command, the Elijahs moved in unison. And Elze rushed at the black horde. She leaped forward and swung her sword at the one who seemed to be the leader of the horde. But a loud "Ugh!" came out from the masked man who slammed her sword.
"Lady!!"
The opponent quickly pulled down his mask. A neat face was revealed. Elze was surprised and called his name.
“Liv?”
But that didn't stop her hands. Liv let out a loud "Ugh, wow, wow" sound as Elze's attacks poured out.
“Madam! Please look at me!! My only sin is following orders diligently!”
Elze almost burst out laughing at Liv's joke. However, once Liv was taken down, it would be easier to subdue the group.
“Sorry, but this is training!”
Elze had no intention of letting it go. As she was about to seriously confront Liv, a sword with an ominous momentum swung in from the side. Elze instinctively stepped back and countered the sword. The sword strike was so strong that it made her hand tingle; it was extraordinary. Elze confirmed the sword’s owner.
“Oh, Elze.”
And then she found sparkling purple eyes.
“If you act so seriously, you won’t be able to train.”
Elze called his name in a breathy voice.
“Shaan...”
Shan lifted his chin. His mask fell down, revealing his lower face. Shan was smiling. He spoke to Elze with a sly smile.
“Would you like me to deal with you?”
Elze frowned and asked him back.
“Are you suggesting we have a fight now?”
“Well, maybe something similar.”
Elze took a moment to look around. Fortunately, Rapine and Tarkun were doing well. The knights were gradually forming formations and responding to the surprise attack. Elze took a deep breath and spoke.
"... Great."
And then she struck the wrist of the person next to her hard. The man in black screamed and dropped his sword. Elze grabbed the sword that he had dropped. Holding the sword in both hands, Elze smiled at Shan and said.
“I know you know how to get your ass kicked, you.”
It was the first time she crossed swords with Shan.
He had fought with him many times, but they had never pointed their swords at each other. The two had never even sparred.
The sharp sound of metal rang out again and again. The two men's swords were not sharp, but their sharp momentum was no different from that of a real sword.
Elze instinctively parried Shan's attack and moved. He was too fast for her to guess and move his next move.
“Ugh...!”
Elze pushed away the sword and distanced herself from Shan. At first glance, the two seemed to be on equal footing, but Elze knew that she was being pushed back little by little.
Elze slowly took a deep breath and searched for a weak point. However, there was no opening that could be easily exploited. It was embarrassing to say that she would beat him to a pulp.
Even in the past, he boasted great swordsmanship that earned him the nickname of the Devil. However, in just a few years, Shan has developed to a frightening degree.
The current Shan was incomparably stronger than before. The more she fought with him, the more she realized this fact. It was to the point where she thought he could become a real devil.
Even though he was chasing his opponents fiercely and quickly, his sword was not weak. He swung it with great force without feeling burdened and at ease.
There was probably no one on the continent who could defeat Shan in a one-on-one fight. And that included Elze. Even if she had been armed with a rapier and a mangosh instead of two training longswords, it would have been difficult to guarantee a victory.
I guess I can't win...
Thinking about it that way, her competitive spirit suddenly surged. Losing was something Elze didn't like very much. She loved Shan, but winning was a completely separate issue. No matter how much he was her husband, she didn't want to lose.
After a brief search, Shan charged again. His sword flew straight at her. Elze blocked Shan’s sword by crossing her swords in both hands in an X shape.
They clashed with a sharp, clanking sound, their swords meeting each other. Their muscles tingled under the pouring weight.
Shan's face appeared right in front of her nose. It was so close that she thought it was only two finger joints. Shan smiled. He narrowed his eyes and whispered affectionately.
“Surrender, Lord Erzenes.”
Then, he put more weight on the sword. The pressure that was pushing in was no joke. Elze let out a “ugh” sound without realizing it. But she didn’t step back.
Normally, she would have slashed away with her sword, retreated, and found another chance to attack. But now, trying to attack quickly was useless against Shan.
A quick attack was only meaningful when you could overwhelm your opponent with speed. If you were to just chase down the attack like you did now, it would be nothing more than a waste of energy.
It was a law that one had to use a different sword depending on the opponent. And Elze planned to use different swords to deal with Shan.
Elze knew his weakness well. The method of attacking Shan Cirxus was simple, but only Elze could do it. Elze smiled at Shan.
“...?”
Shan was a little taken aback by Elze's sudden smile. He seemed to be shaking slightly. Elze pushed her face toward Shan. Shan's eyes widened at the distance they were so close to each other. Elze licked his lips with her tongue and bit them lightly.
“... Elze!”
Shan flinched a beat later. His sword shook violently. Elze took advantage of the gap and thrust her sword at him.
Shan took a few steps back. He didn't even think of defending himself properly, and was struck on the arm by Elze's sword, which chased him.
There was no mercy in the sword that struck without mercy. Elze spoke shamelessly as Shan looked at her.
“It was your fault for taking your eyes off the battle, Your Excellency, the Duke of Cirxus.”
And she added one more thing.
“It’s not a crime to be pretty, right?”
"...Ha."
Shan let out a hollow laugh, as if he were dumbfounded. But he didn't look offended. Rather, he seemed to like it. He muttered.
“The world of competition is cold.”
Elze smiled and flicked her sword. It was a signal to attack again. But Shan did not attack. Instead, he looked at Elze quietly and asked a question.
“If I surrender, will you kiss me?”
At this point, Elze burst into laughter. Elze giggled and answered him.
"Sure."
At Elze's answer, Shan immediately lowered his sword and declared willingly.
"Surrender."
Elze accepted his surrender with satisfaction.
“I will accept your surrender.”
As Elze lowered her sword, Shan hugged Elze as if she had been waiting for it. Because of the violent movements, both Shan and Elze's bodies were hot. As the heat mixed, a hot sensation spread. Elze shivered for a moment at the hot feeling. Shan hugged Elze and spoke as if sighing.
“I can never beat you.”
Shan's words were true. Shan had always been unable to move an inch when it came to Elze.
In everything else, he was relaxed and confident. To be honest, he couldn't help but be relaxed because he didn't feel any particular excitement about anything. He could act boldly because it didn't matter if he was completely cut off or broken.
But the Elze thing was a completely different matter. Anything that involved her made Shan nervous and anxious.
It was said that the one who loved more would lose. Shan had felt this way for a long time, but now he realized it clearly. He could never beat Elze in his entire life.
Shan sighed lazily. He asked, firmly grasping Elze's waist with his hand.
“So the kiss now?”
“Not here.”
And Elze quickly covered her mouth with her hand. Seeing her smiling with her eyes covered, Shan hugged Elze tightly.
"Oh my."
Liv sighed. It was Liv and Shan who planned the mock combat training.
The idea of a surprise attack after the march came from Liv, and Shan loved the idea.
Of course, Liv thought it would be fun too. He was even a little excited at the thought of how it would make those easy-going knights come to their senses.
But he never wanted a fight between the couple.
“...”
Liv watched the fiery clash between Shan and Elze. This was something he had never expected.
Of course, he had expected that Madam and Cirxus would clash. When a surprise attack was made, only Cirxus had the power to stop her. When he was planning the battle training scenario, he had in mind that the situation would unfold that way.
However, he thought they would just fight moderately, and he never thought it would turn into a real showdown. Liv watched the two people’s fierce battle and then looked back at the knights.
The knights who were at a loss when they were first attacked by surprise gradually regained order and began to fight back. The fact that they were able to move like that was all thanks to Elijah leading from the front.
Rapine was the most central figure and led the knights. He gathered the knights and directed their movements on Elze’s behalf. Tarkun and Ivanna each commanded the knights as assistants. The angry voice rang out clearly.
“Oh, really! Move this way, not that way!!”
Liv muttered as she watched the knights bowing down to little Ivanna.
“For now, I think we’ve achieved the purpose of the training...”
He looked back at Shan and Elze with a troubled expression. He couldn't bring himself to squeeze in between them.
As he was wondering what to do with those two, one of the men in black took off his mask and shouted at Liv.
“Liv! Shall we continue? The atmosphere is starting to settle down.”
He was Catinson Lovell. Catinson had once been beaten by Shan in a duel and had pledged his allegiance to Targayel and become his vassal.
Shan and Liv were evaluating Catinson as being useful. He had a personality as honest as a bear, and he was skilled enough to join the Imperial Knights. Today, he was favored enough to be assigned to the surprise attack team instead of the marching team.
Liv thought for a moment. As Catinson had said, it was time to end the training. But the problem was the Duke and Duchess. He had to tell Shan to end the training, but there was no room to intervene between the two men who were engaged in a fierce battle.
A total of three swords were flying around, drawing various trajectories. Liv absolutely did not want to get caught up in them. If he was not careful, he might end up as a well-chopped piece of meat.
He wanted to ask Catinson to do it, but he quickly waved his hand away as soon as their eyes met. In the end, Liv was taking deep breaths and preparing to intervene. Liv opened her eyes wide at the sight before his eyes.
"Ah!"
After a brief standoff, Elze suddenly kissed Shan.
From then on, the atmosphere collapsed in an instant. Liv's expression became sullen as Shan shouted Surrender and lowered his sword. He felt relieved, but at the same time, he felt dumbfounded. He had known this for a long time, but Liv thought about it again.
There is a madam above Cirxus. Let's be nice to the madam.
Liv reaffirmed his resolve inwardly and quickly approached and reported.
“Your Excellency, I would like to conclude the second training.”
Shan's face, which had been soft and relaxed in front of Elze, hardened in an instant. Liv was inwardly amazed by the change that had occurred in an instant. As expected, the soft appearance was limited to Elze.
“...”
Everyone was silent at Shan's words. They had nothing to say in response to the reprimand. The knights themselves knew very well. How flustered they had been by the unexpected surprise attack, and how they had looked so savage.
“If it weren’t for Elijah, we would have been wiped out here. It’s a shame to be called a knight.”
Shan's lips twisted. He looked around at the knights with downcast eyes.
“You can’t protect anything now. Your family, your friends, your lover, your country... none of it.”
At those words, some of the knights suddenly looked as if their hearts had sunk. But Shan never lowered the level of his speech.
“War is never noble. Do you think there will be an enemy who will overlook you because you are tired from marching?”
Absolutely not. Just like in the mock battle training, this was the best time to be ambushed. The knights' heads slowly lowered as they felt shame creeping in.
Shan looked at them for a while without saying a word. Sometimes silence is more frightening than a hundred words. The knights were at a loss as the silence grew longer. Liv also became tense and kept swallowing his saliva. After a long silence, Shan finally opened his mouth.
“For the time being... assume everyone is dead and follow me.”
The knights raised their heads. Shan had given them a second chance. Just as they were about to answer loudly with brightened faces, Shan continued with an evil grin.
“Resume training.”
“...”
At those words, everyone's faces turned pale, and they forgot what they were going to say.
After a long night, the morning sun rose. But the training did not end easily. The mock combat training ended only when the sun was halfway up the sky.
The knights who had gone through a similar hellish experience were almost in a coma and on the verge of death when their training was over. However, some were fine. They were the Knights of Elijah, Shan, and Liv.
And the knights looked at them with eyes of disbelief. The Knights of Elijah, in particular, looked at them almost as if they were monsters.
Shan and Liv did not undergo full training as they were commanders. However, the Knights of Elijah received full training along with the knights.
That wasn't all. During a march, he carried the backpacks of those who fell behind, and during a surprise attack, he was the first to react and led the knights.
At least twice as many knights had moved. But unlike the knights who were languishing, they looked only slightly tired. Even the youngest, Ivanna, was standing upright and blinking.
Despite the long march, Elze was the first to react when she was surprised. She even crossed swords with Shan. They weren't even casually sparring. The Duke and Duchess were swinging their swords with the intent to kill each other.
Yet Elze was standing there, chatting with Shan. It was absolutely out of the ordinary. One of the shocked knights muttered blankly.
“...Are you human?”
Another knight answered in a dumbfounded voice.
“I don’t think so...”
While the Knights of Elijah were having a serious discussion about whether they were people or monsters, Elze was talking to Shan. Shan glanced at the knights and asked Elze a question.
“Has anyone ever been rude to you during training?”
"Hmm..."
Elze glanced at the knights. The knights who had been staring at her from afar flinched when their eyes met. It seemed that they were looking at Shan, who was smiling and talking affectionately to someone.
Perhaps they don't know that Elze is holding their lifeline in her hands right now.
Shan seemed to have misunderstood Elze's gaze upon the knights. He asked in a slightly annoyed voice.
“Is it him?”
Shan was furious and ready to beat him up at any moment. Elze quickly grabbed his arm and said.
“That’s not it.”
Of course, he was rude. But by now, he would have understood the situation and repented. In addition, one of the knights was in a sorry state. Elze did not want her power to decrease.
Shan calmed down at Elze's words. However, his eyes were still fierce. Shan spoke in a low voice.
“You can tell me, Elze. Just nothing...”
He paused for a moment, thinking about what to say next. Shan, who was choosing his words quite carefully, spoke slowly.
“I’ll end it by just increasing the training intensity a little.”
A little, a little. He kept emphasizing the word “a little.” It was a truly unreliable word. The knights, who had belatedly figured out the situation, began to watch Elze's expression.
Seeing that, a mischievous feeling suddenly welled up in her mind. Elze, who was thinking about jokingly telling Shan, “It’s them!”, just held back.
“I told you, that’s not it.”
Instead of saying no to Shan, Elze smiled at the knights. The meaning of the smile was clear.
I saved your lives. Be good to me.
The knights seemed to have noticed it too. They quickly lowered their gazes. From now on, there will be no one who will bother the Knights of Elijah.
Anyway, it was going to happen a long time ago. Elze smiled leisurely in front of the knights who were trembling.
The mock combat training ended like that.
But soon, the knights of Targayel were sent on another special training mission. The training, which lasted several nights, was so harsh that many were injured and dropped out.
However, their skills also improved rapidly in proportion to the pain. The knights no longer blinked in most situations.
After the joint training, the Knights of Elijah did not receive training mixed with other knights. Instead, they were assigned to groups of knights and served as trainers.
None of the knights complained about Elijah teaching them.
In the past, they would have grumbled about how great they are that they are teaching them.
But this time, they followed Elijah's words without a word of complaint and moved. Those who had been sneering in front of Elze also disappeared. It was because they had all tasted the bitterness of the joint training. Thanks to this, the training was easy, and they were able to successfully improve their fighting power.
Elze and Shan's ended with an all-out effort to train their troops.
January 1, 999, the new year has arrived.
The continent was unusually tense as it welcomed the New Year. It was a happy New Year, but no country was able to enjoy it with peace of mind.
It was because of the ominous signs that were being felt between Targayel and Heglatan. The Hundred Years' War had once been a war between only two nations, but now things were a little different.
The continent was divided into two sides, one for Targayel and the other for Heglatan. There was a high possibility that the war between the two countries could spread to the entire continent. Everyone was anxious about when the flames of war would flare up.
“Elze, I will be back soon...”
And Ilwooz, who had been staying at the Targayel mansion since the coronation, returned to Inesian for a while to celebrate the New Year.
“While you’re here, get some rest before you come back.”
Elze advised him to rest in Inesian. He had been looking very thin lately. He was already a pale and transparent person, but these days, he looked like he would disappear if he blew on him. However, despite Elze's sincere words, Ilwooz quietly shook his head.
“I’ll be back as soon as possible...”
There is now exactly one year left until the millennium.
He said it was for the New Year's address and New Year's service, but it was more likely that he had gone back to discuss with the priests how to prepare for the millennium. Elze sent him away without saying anything more.
Celebrations took place throughout the empire to celebrate the New Year. Firecrackers were set off, colorful paper flowers were scattered on the streets, and people shared love and blessings.
On the surface, it was a truly peaceful time. Everyone enjoyed sweet and abundant happiness.
But the people of the Targayel royal family did not enjoy complete peace. They prepared and prepared again, as if they were being chased by something.
It was because Targayel's eyes saw ominous clouds. Dark clouds were beyond the sky that seemed clear. And the dark clouds that had been creeping in eventually began to cover the sky.
One day in January 999, when heavy snow was falling.
An urgent message arrived from the county of Mapel, located on the border. The bloody letter contained the news of a rebellion.
The Mapel Territory located on the border, was once where Elze and Shan stayed. There, Hayden was made Count Mapel and used to unite the forces on the border.
Elze and Shan immediately drew up a plan of action and prepared to go on an expedition to suppress the rebellion, while they hurried to the palace to report the situation to Astin.
“A rebellion in the Mapel Territory...”
Shan muttered with a hardened face in the carriage heading to the palace.
“That Blahar guy is quite clever.”
Elze, sitting across from Shan, also bit her lower lip.
She was mentally prepared, but the prelude to war was as sudden as always. The surprise attack by the rebellion left her dizzy.
The situation in Mapel Territory is dire. The people have revolted against the Targayel Empire and have organized a militia to occupy the city.
But that militia was not trivial. If it had been a militia of the residents, Hayden, the Count of Mapel, could have easily suppressed it. However, the militia was beyond what the border residents could create.
Clearly, Heglatan was behind it. Heglatan had not yet officially declared war on Targayel, but they supported the rebellion in Mapel Territory and would use this as an excuse to wage war.
But the real problem wasn't this. It was that Heglatan was moving in two parts.
“According to reports, Heglatan’s forces are gathering at the border. But they are only about a day’s drive from Mapel Territory.”
“Operation diversion...”
Shan nodded at Elze's muttering.
“It would be right for us to send our troops to where the main force is gathering, but we cannot leave Mapel Territory alone.”
Elze and Shan looked at each other in silence for a moment. Shan's eyes trembled slightly. Elze said the best way.
“You and I must separate.”
“...”
“I will go to Mapel Territory. I cannot withdraw many troops, so organize a battalion. You lead the rest and go to the border.”
But Shan didn't answer. Elze didn't say anything in front of him, who had his mouth tightly shut. In silence, the carriage arrived at the palace.
Astin had already heard the news and was waiting for the two of them with Heyla. After dismissing all the maids from the audience room, Astin called out to Elze in a soft voice.
“Sister...”
The informal address made her heart ache. Astin, who was looking at Elze, had a pale face. Elze calmly called Astin’s name.
“Astin.”
Astin took off his glasses and placed them on the table. The sound of the glasses hitting the marble table was unusually loud.
“Sister, I...”
Astin lowered his head. He covered his face with both hands. With a faint sob, Astin spoke in agony.
“I wish my sister hadn’t gone...”
“...”
“I don’t want to send you ”
Astin's shoulders shook slightly. Heyla hugged Astin, who looked as if he was about to cry. Astin continued speaking in a voice that seemed to be breaking.
“I sent you off without knowing anything before, but not this time. I knew it was obvious, I knew what would happen..."
Her heart was pounding. Her nose was tingling, so Elze strained her eyes to keep herself from crying. Astin spoke as if she were about to burst into tears.
“But how could I send my sister to the battlefield...”
A faint sob was heard. Heyla hugged Astin and buried her face in his shoulder. Moisture spread across Astin’s clothes. She was crying too.
In front of the Emperor and Empress, who were shedding tears over her, Elze called out to them in a straight voice.
“Astin, Heyla.”
But Astin and Heyla didn't look at Elze. Elze spoke softly to the two who avoided eye contact.
“Just as you want to protect me, I also want to protect you.”
“...”
There was no answer. Elze looked at Shan for a moment. He, too, avoided Elze's gaze.
A smile appeared on Elze's lips as she watched that scene. She wanted to protect these people. Because Elze loved them as much as she loved herself.
Elze got up from where she was sitting and knelt on the floor.
“Your Majesty, the Emperor.”
Astin, who was sitting on the sofa, forgot that he was crying and looked at Elze in surprise. Elze looked up at Astin and opened her mouth.
“Erzenes Targayel, I wish to set out to reclaim the territory of Mapel.”
Elze spoke sincerely to Astin, who was looking at her and shedding tears.
“I want to protect the Empire and Your Majesty.”
As a sister and a knight, Erzenes made a request to the Emperor of Targayel.
“Please allow me to go on a mission.”
Astin finally couldn't hold it back and burst into tears. He quickly wiped them away, but tears were already running down his cheeks. His lips trembled once, and he barely managed to speak.
“...You must survive.”
And then he fell down from the sofa and hugged Elze tightly. He held her tightly and cried loudly.
“This is, this is... an order...!”
Elze faced Astin and hugged him tightly, swearing a firm oath.
“I will definitely survive and return victorious.”
The target point was a wide plain with rocks and bushes blocking the view. The knights who arrived relaxed and relaxed. However, not a single one of the Knights of Elijah let their guard down. On the contrary, they became even more tense.
Elze narrowed her eyes and looked around. The plains, dotted with large rocks and bushes, were ideal terrain for hiding. Suddenly, she remembered the conversation she had with Shan before the training.
"I plan to participate in the mock combat training myself."
"You yourself?"
Shan smiled brightly at Elze, who was puzzled. He didn't explain in detail, but simply asked a question.
"Are you on the side of the knights?"
"There are Elijahs, so of course it would be like that, right?"
"I see."
Shan nodded slightly and muttered to himself.
"You alone need to be organized to achieve balance."
At the time, Elze didn't know what it meant. But by now, it wasn't hard to guess that there was something there.
Shan was the one who had decided to ride ahead and wait at the first target point. However, he was nowhere to be seen. Liv, who had been marching with them, had also disappeared somewhere.
The march was tough, but it was definitely too boring for a mock combat training. After all, it was supposed to be a 'combat' training.
Elze exchanged glances with Elijah and checked the sword at her waist. It was a longsword that had never been used and had been issued to her for training purposes.
Tarkun sent Ivanna next to Rapine. Then he stood next to Elze, ready to draw his longsword. He called out to Elze briefly.
"Captain.."
Elje nodded. It was the time when Tarkun and Elze were about to go out to scout out the surrounding area.
“Ugh!!”
A scream erupted from the front of the line. Elze drew her sword and ran to the front. And at the sight that unfolded, Elze gasped.
“!!”
A group of people wearing masks and black clothes was ambushing the knights. For a moment, she thought they had learned of Heglatan's training schedule and were making a surprise attack, but that was not the case.
The surprise attackers were all holding training swords. Elze was dumbfounded when she saw the training swords. She burst out laughing.
“This person really...”
Shan's plan was to surprise the knights who had just finished their march.
As the name combat training suggests, the atmosphere was very much like a real battle, and the black hordes began to slaughter the knights.
The knights also belatedly responded by raising their longswords. However, their bodies were loose from the march. Only a few knights, including the Knights of Elijah, were able to swing their swords properly.
Hundreds of knights began to shake indiscriminately at the surprise attack of only a few dozen. Elze gritted her teeth and ran forward, shouting.
“Form up! Form up!!”
At Elze's shout, the knights who had been falling apart in a ragtag group came to their senses. While they were reorganizing their ranks, Elze ran to the front.
“Tarkun, assist! Rapine, command the knights!!”
At Elze's command, the Elijahs moved in unison. And Elze rushed at the black horde. She leaped forward and swung her sword at the one who seemed to be the leader of the horde. But a loud "Ugh!" came out from the masked man who slammed her sword.
"Lady!!"
The opponent quickly pulled down his mask. A neat face was revealed. Elze was surprised and called his name.
“Liv?”
But that didn't stop her hands. Liv let out a loud "Ugh, wow, wow" sound as Elze's attacks poured out.
“Madam! Please look at me!! My only sin is following orders diligently!”
Elze almost burst out laughing at Liv's joke. However, once Liv was taken down, it would be easier to subdue the group.
“Sorry, but this is training!”
Elze had no intention of letting it go. As she was about to seriously confront Liv, a sword with an ominous momentum swung in from the side. Elze instinctively stepped back and countered the sword. The sword strike was so strong that it made her hand tingle; it was extraordinary. Elze confirmed the sword’s owner.
“Oh, Elze.”
And then she found sparkling purple eyes.
“If you act so seriously, you won’t be able to train.”
Elze called his name in a breathy voice.
“Shaan...”
Shan lifted his chin. His mask fell down, revealing his lower face. Shan was smiling. He spoke to Elze with a sly smile.
“Would you like me to deal with you?”
Elze frowned and asked him back.
“Are you suggesting we have a fight now?”
“Well, maybe something similar.”
Elze took a moment to look around. Fortunately, Rapine and Tarkun were doing well. The knights were gradually forming formations and responding to the surprise attack. Elze took a deep breath and spoke.
"... Great."
And then she struck the wrist of the person next to her hard. The man in black screamed and dropped his sword. Elze grabbed the sword that he had dropped. Holding the sword in both hands, Elze smiled at Shan and said.
“I know you know how to get your ass kicked, you.”
***
It was the first time she crossed swords with Shan.
He had fought with him many times, but they had never pointed their swords at each other. The two had never even sparred.
The sharp sound of metal rang out again and again. The two men's swords were not sharp, but their sharp momentum was no different from that of a real sword.
Elze instinctively parried Shan's attack and moved. He was too fast for her to guess and move his next move.
“Ugh...!”
Elze pushed away the sword and distanced herself from Shan. At first glance, the two seemed to be on equal footing, but Elze knew that she was being pushed back little by little.
Elze slowly took a deep breath and searched for a weak point. However, there was no opening that could be easily exploited. It was embarrassing to say that she would beat him to a pulp.
Even in the past, he boasted great swordsmanship that earned him the nickname of the Devil. However, in just a few years, Shan has developed to a frightening degree.
The current Shan was incomparably stronger than before. The more she fought with him, the more she realized this fact. It was to the point where she thought he could become a real devil.
Even though he was chasing his opponents fiercely and quickly, his sword was not weak. He swung it with great force without feeling burdened and at ease.
There was probably no one on the continent who could defeat Shan in a one-on-one fight. And that included Elze. Even if she had been armed with a rapier and a mangosh instead of two training longswords, it would have been difficult to guarantee a victory.
I guess I can't win...
Thinking about it that way, her competitive spirit suddenly surged. Losing was something Elze didn't like very much. She loved Shan, but winning was a completely separate issue. No matter how much he was her husband, she didn't want to lose.
After a brief search, Shan charged again. His sword flew straight at her. Elze blocked Shan’s sword by crossing her swords in both hands in an X shape.
They clashed with a sharp, clanking sound, their swords meeting each other. Their muscles tingled under the pouring weight.
Shan's face appeared right in front of her nose. It was so close that she thought it was only two finger joints. Shan smiled. He narrowed his eyes and whispered affectionately.
“Surrender, Lord Erzenes.”
Then, he put more weight on the sword. The pressure that was pushing in was no joke. Elze let out a “ugh” sound without realizing it. But she didn’t step back.
Normally, she would have slashed away with her sword, retreated, and found another chance to attack. But now, trying to attack quickly was useless against Shan.
A quick attack was only meaningful when you could overwhelm your opponent with speed. If you were to just chase down the attack like you did now, it would be nothing more than a waste of energy.
It was a law that one had to use a different sword depending on the opponent. And Elze planned to use different swords to deal with Shan.
Elze knew his weakness well. The method of attacking Shan Cirxus was simple, but only Elze could do it. Elze smiled at Shan.
“...?”
Shan was a little taken aback by Elze's sudden smile. He seemed to be shaking slightly. Elze pushed her face toward Shan. Shan's eyes widened at the distance they were so close to each other. Elze licked his lips with her tongue and bit them lightly.
“... Elze!”
Shan flinched a beat later. His sword shook violently. Elze took advantage of the gap and thrust her sword at him.
Shan took a few steps back. He didn't even think of defending himself properly, and was struck on the arm by Elze's sword, which chased him.
There was no mercy in the sword that struck without mercy. Elze spoke shamelessly as Shan looked at her.
“It was your fault for taking your eyes off the battle, Your Excellency, the Duke of Cirxus.”
And she added one more thing.
“It’s not a crime to be pretty, right?”
"...Ha."
Shan let out a hollow laugh, as if he were dumbfounded. But he didn't look offended. Rather, he seemed to like it. He muttered.
“The world of competition is cold.”
Elze smiled and flicked her sword. It was a signal to attack again. But Shan did not attack. Instead, he looked at Elze quietly and asked a question.
“If I surrender, will you kiss me?”
At this point, Elze burst into laughter. Elze giggled and answered him.
"Sure."
At Elze's answer, Shan immediately lowered his sword and declared willingly.
"Surrender."
Elze accepted his surrender with satisfaction.
“I will accept your surrender.”
As Elze lowered her sword, Shan hugged Elze as if she had been waiting for it. Because of the violent movements, both Shan and Elze's bodies were hot. As the heat mixed, a hot sensation spread. Elze shivered for a moment at the hot feeling. Shan hugged Elze and spoke as if sighing.
“I can never beat you.”
Shan's words were true. Shan had always been unable to move an inch when it came to Elze.
In everything else, he was relaxed and confident. To be honest, he couldn't help but be relaxed because he didn't feel any particular excitement about anything. He could act boldly because it didn't matter if he was completely cut off or broken.
But the Elze thing was a completely different matter. Anything that involved her made Shan nervous and anxious.
It was said that the one who loved more would lose. Shan had felt this way for a long time, but now he realized it clearly. He could never beat Elze in his entire life.
Shan sighed lazily. He asked, firmly grasping Elze's waist with his hand.
“So the kiss now?”
“Not here.”
And Elze quickly covered her mouth with her hand. Seeing her smiling with her eyes covered, Shan hugged Elze tightly.
***
"Oh my."
Liv sighed. It was Liv and Shan who planned the mock combat training.
The idea of a surprise attack after the march came from Liv, and Shan loved the idea.
Of course, Liv thought it would be fun too. He was even a little excited at the thought of how it would make those easy-going knights come to their senses.
But he never wanted a fight between the couple.
“...”
Liv watched the fiery clash between Shan and Elze. This was something he had never expected.
Of course, he had expected that Madam and Cirxus would clash. When a surprise attack was made, only Cirxus had the power to stop her. When he was planning the battle training scenario, he had in mind that the situation would unfold that way.
However, he thought they would just fight moderately, and he never thought it would turn into a real showdown. Liv watched the two people’s fierce battle and then looked back at the knights.
The knights who were at a loss when they were first attacked by surprise gradually regained order and began to fight back. The fact that they were able to move like that was all thanks to Elijah leading from the front.
Rapine was the most central figure and led the knights. He gathered the knights and directed their movements on Elze’s behalf. Tarkun and Ivanna each commanded the knights as assistants. The angry voice rang out clearly.
“Oh, really! Move this way, not that way!!”
Liv muttered as she watched the knights bowing down to little Ivanna.
“For now, I think we’ve achieved the purpose of the training...”
He looked back at Shan and Elze with a troubled expression. He couldn't bring himself to squeeze in between them.
As he was wondering what to do with those two, one of the men in black took off his mask and shouted at Liv.
“Liv! Shall we continue? The atmosphere is starting to settle down.”
He was Catinson Lovell. Catinson had once been beaten by Shan in a duel and had pledged his allegiance to Targayel and become his vassal.
Shan and Liv were evaluating Catinson as being useful. He had a personality as honest as a bear, and he was skilled enough to join the Imperial Knights. Today, he was favored enough to be assigned to the surprise attack team instead of the marching team.
Liv thought for a moment. As Catinson had said, it was time to end the training. But the problem was the Duke and Duchess. He had to tell Shan to end the training, but there was no room to intervene between the two men who were engaged in a fierce battle.
A total of three swords were flying around, drawing various trajectories. Liv absolutely did not want to get caught up in them. If he was not careful, he might end up as a well-chopped piece of meat.
He wanted to ask Catinson to do it, but he quickly waved his hand away as soon as their eyes met. In the end, Liv was taking deep breaths and preparing to intervene. Liv opened her eyes wide at the sight before his eyes.
"Ah!"
After a brief standoff, Elze suddenly kissed Shan.
From then on, the atmosphere collapsed in an instant. Liv's expression became sullen as Shan shouted Surrender and lowered his sword. He felt relieved, but at the same time, he felt dumbfounded. He had known this for a long time, but Liv thought about it again.
There is a madam above Cirxus. Let's be nice to the madam.
Liv reaffirmed his resolve inwardly and quickly approached and reported.
“Your Excellency, I would like to conclude the second training.”
Shan's face, which had been soft and relaxed in front of Elze, hardened in an instant. Liv was inwardly amazed by the change that had occurred in an instant. As expected, the soft appearance was limited to Elze.
“...”
Everyone was silent at Shan's words. They had nothing to say in response to the reprimand. The knights themselves knew very well. How flustered they had been by the unexpected surprise attack, and how they had looked so savage.
“If it weren’t for Elijah, we would have been wiped out here. It’s a shame to be called a knight.”
Shan's lips twisted. He looked around at the knights with downcast eyes.
“You can’t protect anything now. Your family, your friends, your lover, your country... none of it.”
At those words, some of the knights suddenly looked as if their hearts had sunk. But Shan never lowered the level of his speech.
“War is never noble. Do you think there will be an enemy who will overlook you because you are tired from marching?”
Absolutely not. Just like in the mock battle training, this was the best time to be ambushed. The knights' heads slowly lowered as they felt shame creeping in.
Shan looked at them for a while without saying a word. Sometimes silence is more frightening than a hundred words. The knights were at a loss as the silence grew longer. Liv also became tense and kept swallowing his saliva. After a long silence, Shan finally opened his mouth.
“For the time being... assume everyone is dead and follow me.”
The knights raised their heads. Shan had given them a second chance. Just as they were about to answer loudly with brightened faces, Shan continued with an evil grin.
“Resume training.”
“...”
At those words, everyone's faces turned pale, and they forgot what they were going to say.
***
After a long night, the morning sun rose. But the training did not end easily. The mock combat training ended only when the sun was halfway up the sky.
The knights who had gone through a similar hellish experience were almost in a coma and on the verge of death when their training was over. However, some were fine. They were the Knights of Elijah, Shan, and Liv.
And the knights looked at them with eyes of disbelief. The Knights of Elijah, in particular, looked at them almost as if they were monsters.
Shan and Liv did not undergo full training as they were commanders. However, the Knights of Elijah received full training along with the knights.
That wasn't all. During a march, he carried the backpacks of those who fell behind, and during a surprise attack, he was the first to react and led the knights.
At least twice as many knights had moved. But unlike the knights who were languishing, they looked only slightly tired. Even the youngest, Ivanna, was standing upright and blinking.
Despite the long march, Elze was the first to react when she was surprised. She even crossed swords with Shan. They weren't even casually sparring. The Duke and Duchess were swinging their swords with the intent to kill each other.
Yet Elze was standing there, chatting with Shan. It was absolutely out of the ordinary. One of the shocked knights muttered blankly.
“...Are you human?”
Another knight answered in a dumbfounded voice.
“I don’t think so...”
While the Knights of Elijah were having a serious discussion about whether they were people or monsters, Elze was talking to Shan. Shan glanced at the knights and asked Elze a question.
“Has anyone ever been rude to you during training?”
"Hmm..."
Elze glanced at the knights. The knights who had been staring at her from afar flinched when their eyes met. It seemed that they were looking at Shan, who was smiling and talking affectionately to someone.
Perhaps they don't know that Elze is holding their lifeline in her hands right now.
Shan seemed to have misunderstood Elze's gaze upon the knights. He asked in a slightly annoyed voice.
“Is it him?”
Shan was furious and ready to beat him up at any moment. Elze quickly grabbed his arm and said.
“That’s not it.”
Of course, he was rude. But by now, he would have understood the situation and repented. In addition, one of the knights was in a sorry state. Elze did not want her power to decrease.
Shan calmed down at Elze's words. However, his eyes were still fierce. Shan spoke in a low voice.
“You can tell me, Elze. Just nothing...”
He paused for a moment, thinking about what to say next. Shan, who was choosing his words quite carefully, spoke slowly.
“I’ll end it by just increasing the training intensity a little.”
A little, a little. He kept emphasizing the word “a little.” It was a truly unreliable word. The knights, who had belatedly figured out the situation, began to watch Elze's expression.
Seeing that, a mischievous feeling suddenly welled up in her mind. Elze, who was thinking about jokingly telling Shan, “It’s them!”, just held back.
“I told you, that’s not it.”
Instead of saying no to Shan, Elze smiled at the knights. The meaning of the smile was clear.
I saved your lives. Be good to me.
The knights seemed to have noticed it too. They quickly lowered their gazes. From now on, there will be no one who will bother the Knights of Elijah.
Anyway, it was going to happen a long time ago. Elze smiled leisurely in front of the knights who were trembling.
The mock combat training ended like that.
But soon, the knights of Targayel were sent on another special training mission. The training, which lasted several nights, was so harsh that many were injured and dropped out.
However, their skills also improved rapidly in proportion to the pain. The knights no longer blinked in most situations.
After the joint training, the Knights of Elijah did not receive training mixed with other knights. Instead, they were assigned to groups of knights and served as trainers.
None of the knights complained about Elijah teaching them.
In the past, they would have grumbled about how great they are that they are teaching them.
But this time, they followed Elijah's words without a word of complaint and moved. Those who had been sneering in front of Elze also disappeared. It was because they had all tasted the bitterness of the joint training. Thanks to this, the training was easy, and they were able to successfully improve their fighting power.
Elze and Shan's ended with an all-out effort to train their troops.
***
January 1, 999, the new year has arrived.
The continent was unusually tense as it welcomed the New Year. It was a happy New Year, but no country was able to enjoy it with peace of mind.
It was because of the ominous signs that were being felt between Targayel and Heglatan. The Hundred Years' War had once been a war between only two nations, but now things were a little different.
The continent was divided into two sides, one for Targayel and the other for Heglatan. There was a high possibility that the war between the two countries could spread to the entire continent. Everyone was anxious about when the flames of war would flare up.
“Elze, I will be back soon...”
And Ilwooz, who had been staying at the Targayel mansion since the coronation, returned to Inesian for a while to celebrate the New Year.
“While you’re here, get some rest before you come back.”
Elze advised him to rest in Inesian. He had been looking very thin lately. He was already a pale and transparent person, but these days, he looked like he would disappear if he blew on him. However, despite Elze's sincere words, Ilwooz quietly shook his head.
“I’ll be back as soon as possible...”
There is now exactly one year left until the millennium.
He said it was for the New Year's address and New Year's service, but it was more likely that he had gone back to discuss with the priests how to prepare for the millennium. Elze sent him away without saying anything more.
Celebrations took place throughout the empire to celebrate the New Year. Firecrackers were set off, colorful paper flowers were scattered on the streets, and people shared love and blessings.
On the surface, it was a truly peaceful time. Everyone enjoyed sweet and abundant happiness.
But the people of the Targayel royal family did not enjoy complete peace. They prepared and prepared again, as if they were being chased by something.
It was because Targayel's eyes saw ominous clouds. Dark clouds were beyond the sky that seemed clear. And the dark clouds that had been creeping in eventually began to cover the sky.
One day in January 999, when heavy snow was falling.
An urgent message arrived from the county of Mapel, located on the border. The bloody letter contained the news of a rebellion.
The Mapel Territory located on the border, was once where Elze and Shan stayed. There, Hayden was made Count Mapel and used to unite the forces on the border.
Elze and Shan immediately drew up a plan of action and prepared to go on an expedition to suppress the rebellion, while they hurried to the palace to report the situation to Astin.
“A rebellion in the Mapel Territory...”
Shan muttered with a hardened face in the carriage heading to the palace.
“That Blahar guy is quite clever.”
Elze, sitting across from Shan, also bit her lower lip.
She was mentally prepared, but the prelude to war was as sudden as always. The surprise attack by the rebellion left her dizzy.
The situation in Mapel Territory is dire. The people have revolted against the Targayel Empire and have organized a militia to occupy the city.
But that militia was not trivial. If it had been a militia of the residents, Hayden, the Count of Mapel, could have easily suppressed it. However, the militia was beyond what the border residents could create.
Clearly, Heglatan was behind it. Heglatan had not yet officially declared war on Targayel, but they supported the rebellion in Mapel Territory and would use this as an excuse to wage war.
But the real problem wasn't this. It was that Heglatan was moving in two parts.
“According to reports, Heglatan’s forces are gathering at the border. But they are only about a day’s drive from Mapel Territory.”
“Operation diversion...”
Shan nodded at Elze's muttering.
“It would be right for us to send our troops to where the main force is gathering, but we cannot leave Mapel Territory alone.”
Elze and Shan looked at each other in silence for a moment. Shan's eyes trembled slightly. Elze said the best way.
“You and I must separate.”
“...”
“I will go to Mapel Territory. I cannot withdraw many troops, so organize a battalion. You lead the rest and go to the border.”
But Shan didn't answer. Elze didn't say anything in front of him, who had his mouth tightly shut. In silence, the carriage arrived at the palace.
Astin had already heard the news and was waiting for the two of them with Heyla. After dismissing all the maids from the audience room, Astin called out to Elze in a soft voice.
“Sister...”
The informal address made her heart ache. Astin, who was looking at Elze, had a pale face. Elze calmly called Astin’s name.
“Astin.”
Astin took off his glasses and placed them on the table. The sound of the glasses hitting the marble table was unusually loud.
“Sister, I...”
Astin lowered his head. He covered his face with both hands. With a faint sob, Astin spoke in agony.
“I wish my sister hadn’t gone...”
“...”
“I don’t want to send you ”
Astin's shoulders shook slightly. Heyla hugged Astin, who looked as if he was about to cry. Astin continued speaking in a voice that seemed to be breaking.
“I sent you off without knowing anything before, but not this time. I knew it was obvious, I knew what would happen..."
Her heart was pounding. Her nose was tingling, so Elze strained her eyes to keep herself from crying. Astin spoke as if she were about to burst into tears.
“But how could I send my sister to the battlefield...”
A faint sob was heard. Heyla hugged Astin and buried her face in his shoulder. Moisture spread across Astin’s clothes. She was crying too.
In front of the Emperor and Empress, who were shedding tears over her, Elze called out to them in a straight voice.
“Astin, Heyla.”
But Astin and Heyla didn't look at Elze. Elze spoke softly to the two who avoided eye contact.
“Just as you want to protect me, I also want to protect you.”
“...”
There was no answer. Elze looked at Shan for a moment. He, too, avoided Elze's gaze.
A smile appeared on Elze's lips as she watched that scene. She wanted to protect these people. Because Elze loved them as much as she loved herself.
Elze got up from where she was sitting and knelt on the floor.
“Your Majesty, the Emperor.”
Astin, who was sitting on the sofa, forgot that he was crying and looked at Elze in surprise. Elze looked up at Astin and opened her mouth.
“Erzenes Targayel, I wish to set out to reclaim the territory of Mapel.”
Elze spoke sincerely to Astin, who was looking at her and shedding tears.
“I want to protect the Empire and Your Majesty.”
As a sister and a knight, Erzenes made a request to the Emperor of Targayel.
“Please allow me to go on a mission.”
Astin finally couldn't hold it back and burst into tears. He quickly wiped them away, but tears were already running down his cheeks. His lips trembled once, and he barely managed to speak.
“...You must survive.”
And then he fell down from the sofa and hugged Elze tightly. He held her tightly and cried loudly.
“This is, this is... an order...!”
Elze faced Astin and hugged him tightly, swearing a firm oath.
“I will definitely survive and return victorious.”
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