His adjutant, Cedric, was a very sociable man. While his occasional bawdy banter sometimes annoyed Callion, the knights actually liked him for this very reason. Fortunately, Cedric spoke only to his comrades and was never rude to others, so no one in the castle disliked him.
It was not at all unusual for Cedric, who had the ability to get along with anyone, to seek advice.
“Nothing special happened... but there’s something I want to ask.”
“What is it?”
“What should I do when I encounter an annoying person?”
“Are you an annoying opponent? Why don’t you just cut off his head?”
When Cedric heard the word "annoying opponent," he naturally thought of monsters. For Callion, perhaps they were the most irritating creatures. The monsters that roam the continent are the greatest threat to human life. And Hessengard was a land particularly prone to monsters.
They weren't always plentiful. After the death of the former Grand Duke of Hessengard, their frequency increased severalfold, leading some to speculate that they were part of the Grand Duke's curse. Fortunately, after Erna and Callion married and ascended to the throne, their numbers decreased slightly, but they still appeared more frequently than in other kingdoms.
So, Callion and his knights frequently left the castle to go on expeditions to subdue monsters. It was only natural that the people welcomed them with enthusiasm.
‘You fought by throwing your body into it...’
Cedric remembered the first time he met Callion. Still in his boyish state, Callion had sliced apart a large monster that had appeared behind Cedric with a single blow.
“I owe you my life! I don’t know how I can repay you.”
Cedric said lightly, sticking out his tongue at the young boy's skills.
"If you owe me your life, you must repay it with your life. What knight do you belong to?"
Then, a haughty tone returned, devoid of even the slightest trace of respect. Cedric sighed inwardly. Judging by what he was wearing and the horse he was riding, he was clearly a high-ranking nobleman, a rare find in Hessengard.
Still, Cedric opened his mouth excitedly, thinking that they were equal until he told them his identity and name.
"You're so young, you're so rude to your elders. Skill isn't everything. After all, I'm a mercenary, not a knight."
"I see. I am Prince Callion of Hessengard. What is your name?"
“My name is Cedric, Your Grace!”
He had envisioned a suitable high-ranking noble, but he didn't expect the very person standing at the top to suddenly appear. Cedric immediately straightened his posture and bowed with the utmost respect. At Cedric's sudden change in demeanor, Callion burst out laughing and spoke to him.
"A mercenary is a good thing. There's no need to bring someone else out. Starting tomorrow, you'll be under the command of the Grand Duke. Are you dissatisfied?"
"No!"
So Cedric became Callion's adjutant. At first, he thought he'd been unlucky enough to be caught by the Grand Duke. He was a foreigner, after all. He assumed the people here wouldn't be considered his people. However, ever since Cedric became his adjutant, Callion has rushed to wherever monsters appear without hesitation and has dealt with them with all his might.
At first, he thought it was a gesture to curry favor. But one day, while camping together, Cedric suggested that it might be okay to be a little more discreet when no one was watching. Callion responded with a serious expression, as if to say, "What are you talking about?"
"This is my duty as a Grand Duke. Who is there who treats their duty with moderation?"
“...”
From then on, Cedric remained devoted to Callion. He never neglected any of his adjutant's duties, and he memorized even Callion's casual remarks. Furthermore, when Callion, much younger than him, was troubled by trivial matters, he occasionally offered him valuable advice.
But today's question was a bit out of the blue. "How do you deal with troublemakers?" Isn't that what Callion excels at? Cedric glanced at the sword hanging from Callion's waist. One swing of that would end all your problems, so why bother?
“...It cannot be killed.”
“You can’t kill him? How strong must he be?”
Cedric was shocked, thinking that the person Callion was talking about must be a monster. A monster that Callion couldn't kill? What had appeared?
Callion, unaware of Cedric's thoughts, spoke again.
“No, it seems strong, but...”
She is indeed strong. As a wizard, Erna would have power comparable to that of a knight.
“I can’t kill you anyway.”
“You can’t kill him, but you have to encounter him often, and it’s annoying, huh... Are you trying to tame a wyvern? Of course, you were thinking about killing them all last time, but you still wanted to tame them.”
At those words, Callion nodded. Since he couldn't say it was Erna, he thought it would be best to leave the identity of the person out of the question.
“If that’s the case... It’s better to be together as much as possible.”
“Stay together?”
"Yes. I've only ever seen one person tame a wyvern before, and they said they spent all day with it. They played with it, ate with it, slept with it... At first, like any monster, they were extremely wary of humans, but after spending so much time with them, at some point, they let their guard down and started to trust them with their backs. Why don't you try the same thing, Your Highness?"
As he recalled what Cedric had said, Callion suddenly felt a headache. Then, Erna spoke first.
“...They told me to stay together in the same space.”
“...”
“They say that if you do that, you’ll gradually get used to it and let your guard down...”
Erna mumbled, observing Callion's expression. If he seemed offended, she planned to immediately declare her displeasure. But Callion, instead, nodded slightly in agreement.
'No, this isn't it?'
Since they hadn't yet found a suitable way to tolerate each other, Erna had thought of buying some time by saying something that would make Callion reject her, but contrary to Erna's thoughts, Callion was quick to agree with her words.
"That's good. Actually, I was thinking about something similar... No, I was just thinking about it. Then I guess I don't need to say any more."
Callion spoke as if informing Erna.
“Let’s increase the time we spend together starting today.”
“What?”
At Callion's words, Erna jumped up as if she were about to jump. Callion looked at her as if he couldn't understand her.
“Why are you so surprised? Didn’t you say it first?”
“No, that’s true, but...”
She didn't know he would accept the offer so easily and all at once.
Erna added that the information within her about Callion was that he accepted and implemented suggestions faster than she'd expected. So, she should be more careful when suggesting anything to Callion.
Up until now, all Erna had learned about Callion had been heard through word of mouth. This was the first time since her wedding that she had experienced it firsthand.
'Aren't you the type that thinks more deeply than you think?'
While Erna was thinking like that, he continued speaking.
"As I said before, I don't have time. I need to create another Knight. And I'm sure I'm not the only one who doesn't have time."
“What are you talking about?”
"You, too, revealed the existence of the Magic Clan last year, so Havand and Aether will be keeping a close eye on you. They probably think your Magic Clan has fewer than 20 members. In fact, there are more."
Erna's body trembled at Callion's words.
'How did you know?'
It was known that they were training and raising wizards, but the actual number was a lie. Others likely believed there were only about 20. While that wasn't a small number, it was small compared to the numbers other nations had. Furthermore, since they weren't from the Magic Tower, where they had systematically trained in magic, they were likely thought to be weak.
'Actually, there are more than 50 people.'
The fact that the wizards Erna trained weren't affiliated with the Magic Tower had its advantages and disadvantages. First, because they were taught entirely by Erna, rather than through an educational institution like the Magic Tower, they lacked a deep understanding of magic. Consequently, when they reached their limits during training, their skills often stagnated.
Conversely, their advantage was that, since they weren't registered in the Magic Tower, there was no way to know who they were or how many there were. Furthermore, because they learned magic that maximized efficiency through Erna's own research rather than relying on standardized formulas, they wielded far more powerful magic than the Magic Tower's wizards.
“You noticed it well.”
“There was nothing special going on at the Grand Duke’s castle, but I found out about it when I noticed that the number of maids had increased.”
At Callion's words, Erna thought she would have to be more careful the next time she formed the magic group.
"Anyway, this year is the last time you and I can build up our power without interference from other countries. You know why, don't you?"
Erna clicked her tongue at the words that Callion threw out as if testing her.
"Yes, I understand. The war between Havand and Aether will probably be settled within the year, and once both countries have stabilized, they will attempt to intervene in Hessengard again."
It was not at all unusual for Cedric, who had the ability to get along with anyone, to seek advice.
“Nothing special happened... but there’s something I want to ask.”
“What is it?”
“What should I do when I encounter an annoying person?”
“Are you an annoying opponent? Why don’t you just cut off his head?”
When Cedric heard the word "annoying opponent," he naturally thought of monsters. For Callion, perhaps they were the most irritating creatures. The monsters that roam the continent are the greatest threat to human life. And Hessengard was a land particularly prone to monsters.
They weren't always plentiful. After the death of the former Grand Duke of Hessengard, their frequency increased severalfold, leading some to speculate that they were part of the Grand Duke's curse. Fortunately, after Erna and Callion married and ascended to the throne, their numbers decreased slightly, but they still appeared more frequently than in other kingdoms.
So, Callion and his knights frequently left the castle to go on expeditions to subdue monsters. It was only natural that the people welcomed them with enthusiasm.
‘You fought by throwing your body into it...’
Cedric remembered the first time he met Callion. Still in his boyish state, Callion had sliced apart a large monster that had appeared behind Cedric with a single blow.
“I owe you my life! I don’t know how I can repay you.”
Cedric said lightly, sticking out his tongue at the young boy's skills.
"If you owe me your life, you must repay it with your life. What knight do you belong to?"
Then, a haughty tone returned, devoid of even the slightest trace of respect. Cedric sighed inwardly. Judging by what he was wearing and the horse he was riding, he was clearly a high-ranking nobleman, a rare find in Hessengard.
Still, Cedric opened his mouth excitedly, thinking that they were equal until he told them his identity and name.
"You're so young, you're so rude to your elders. Skill isn't everything. After all, I'm a mercenary, not a knight."
"I see. I am Prince Callion of Hessengard. What is your name?"
“My name is Cedric, Your Grace!”
He had envisioned a suitable high-ranking noble, but he didn't expect the very person standing at the top to suddenly appear. Cedric immediately straightened his posture and bowed with the utmost respect. At Cedric's sudden change in demeanor, Callion burst out laughing and spoke to him.
"A mercenary is a good thing. There's no need to bring someone else out. Starting tomorrow, you'll be under the command of the Grand Duke. Are you dissatisfied?"
"No!"
So Cedric became Callion's adjutant. At first, he thought he'd been unlucky enough to be caught by the Grand Duke. He was a foreigner, after all. He assumed the people here wouldn't be considered his people. However, ever since Cedric became his adjutant, Callion has rushed to wherever monsters appear without hesitation and has dealt with them with all his might.
At first, he thought it was a gesture to curry favor. But one day, while camping together, Cedric suggested that it might be okay to be a little more discreet when no one was watching. Callion responded with a serious expression, as if to say, "What are you talking about?"
"This is my duty as a Grand Duke. Who is there who treats their duty with moderation?"
“...”
From then on, Cedric remained devoted to Callion. He never neglected any of his adjutant's duties, and he memorized even Callion's casual remarks. Furthermore, when Callion, much younger than him, was troubled by trivial matters, he occasionally offered him valuable advice.
But today's question was a bit out of the blue. "How do you deal with troublemakers?" Isn't that what Callion excels at? Cedric glanced at the sword hanging from Callion's waist. One swing of that would end all your problems, so why bother?
“...It cannot be killed.”
“You can’t kill him? How strong must he be?”
Cedric was shocked, thinking that the person Callion was talking about must be a monster. A monster that Callion couldn't kill? What had appeared?
Callion, unaware of Cedric's thoughts, spoke again.
“No, it seems strong, but...”
She is indeed strong. As a wizard, Erna would have power comparable to that of a knight.
“I can’t kill you anyway.”
“You can’t kill him, but you have to encounter him often, and it’s annoying, huh... Are you trying to tame a wyvern? Of course, you were thinking about killing them all last time, but you still wanted to tame them.”
At those words, Callion nodded. Since he couldn't say it was Erna, he thought it would be best to leave the identity of the person out of the question.
“If that’s the case... It’s better to be together as much as possible.”
“Stay together?”
"Yes. I've only ever seen one person tame a wyvern before, and they said they spent all day with it. They played with it, ate with it, slept with it... At first, like any monster, they were extremely wary of humans, but after spending so much time with them, at some point, they let their guard down and started to trust them with their backs. Why don't you try the same thing, Your Highness?"
As he recalled what Cedric had said, Callion suddenly felt a headache. Then, Erna spoke first.
“...They told me to stay together in the same space.”
“...”
“They say that if you do that, you’ll gradually get used to it and let your guard down...”
Erna mumbled, observing Callion's expression. If he seemed offended, she planned to immediately declare her displeasure. But Callion, instead, nodded slightly in agreement.
'No, this isn't it?'
Since they hadn't yet found a suitable way to tolerate each other, Erna had thought of buying some time by saying something that would make Callion reject her, but contrary to Erna's thoughts, Callion was quick to agree with her words.
"That's good. Actually, I was thinking about something similar... No, I was just thinking about it. Then I guess I don't need to say any more."
Callion spoke as if informing Erna.
“Let’s increase the time we spend together starting today.”
“What?”
At Callion's words, Erna jumped up as if she were about to jump. Callion looked at her as if he couldn't understand her.
“Why are you so surprised? Didn’t you say it first?”
“No, that’s true, but...”
She didn't know he would accept the offer so easily and all at once.
Erna added that the information within her about Callion was that he accepted and implemented suggestions faster than she'd expected. So, she should be more careful when suggesting anything to Callion.
Up until now, all Erna had learned about Callion had been heard through word of mouth. This was the first time since her wedding that she had experienced it firsthand.
'Aren't you the type that thinks more deeply than you think?'
While Erna was thinking like that, he continued speaking.
"As I said before, I don't have time. I need to create another Knight. And I'm sure I'm not the only one who doesn't have time."
“What are you talking about?”
"You, too, revealed the existence of the Magic Clan last year, so Havand and Aether will be keeping a close eye on you. They probably think your Magic Clan has fewer than 20 members. In fact, there are more."
Erna's body trembled at Callion's words.
'How did you know?'
It was known that they were training and raising wizards, but the actual number was a lie. Others likely believed there were only about 20. While that wasn't a small number, it was small compared to the numbers other nations had. Furthermore, since they weren't from the Magic Tower, where they had systematically trained in magic, they were likely thought to be weak.
'Actually, there are more than 50 people.'
The fact that the wizards Erna trained weren't affiliated with the Magic Tower had its advantages and disadvantages. First, because they were taught entirely by Erna, rather than through an educational institution like the Magic Tower, they lacked a deep understanding of magic. Consequently, when they reached their limits during training, their skills often stagnated.
Conversely, their advantage was that, since they weren't registered in the Magic Tower, there was no way to know who they were or how many there were. Furthermore, because they learned magic that maximized efficiency through Erna's own research rather than relying on standardized formulas, they wielded far more powerful magic than the Magic Tower's wizards.
“You noticed it well.”
“There was nothing special going on at the Grand Duke’s castle, but I found out about it when I noticed that the number of maids had increased.”
At Callion's words, Erna thought she would have to be more careful the next time she formed the magic group.
"Anyway, this year is the last time you and I can build up our power without interference from other countries. You know why, don't you?"
Erna clicked her tongue at the words that Callion threw out as if testing her.
"Yes, I understand. The war between Havand and Aether will probably be settled within the year, and once both countries have stabilized, they will attempt to intervene in Hessengard again."
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