The Crown Princess's Man (3)

“The unit commander tried to dissuade me. I was the one who urged Ban to open the door and escorted the Crown Princess out. Punish me.”

Haris stepped forward in front of the captains and spoke.

“Opening the fortress gate without permission is a grave crime. I knew that and did it anyway, so do not forgive me, Commander.”

Ban also stepped forward. Nel followed behind him.

“Commander, any of us would have acted the same. If you punish anyone, punish us all equally. To be frank, I am not sorry for disobeying orders. What I am sorry for is our incompetence that made you decide to face that demon bastard alone.”

Zik stepped forward as well and bowed his head.

“I second that. I’m sorry, Commander.”

Kaiston crossed his arms and looked at them. Liris grew anxious at his hard, set expression. It was all her fault. Still, she knew this was not the time to intervene. She could only hope he would be lenient with his subordinates.

After a long moment, Kaiston spoke.

“From now on, double your training load for six months. Same for sparring time. And confiscate all leaves and furloughs for three months. Any objections?”

“None.”

Saik and the captains answered in unison.

“And, Crown Princess.”

“Yes, yes?”

Liris jumped in surprise and answered.

“At the fortress, please follow the fortress rules as much as possible. We were lucky this time, but that won’t always be the case. Remember that one person’s unusual actions can put many knights’ lives in danger.”

“Yes. I understand. I’m sorry, Duke.”

Understanding his request as an official duty, Liris quietly promised to follow his wishes.

Kaiston sighed softly and stood up.

“Today’s incident is largely my fault for not being more reliable. I’m sorry to all of you.”

Taken aback by the unexpected words, Saik and the captains were at a loss for a response.

“Co-Commander…”

“Don’t say such things…”

“I won’t let something like this happen again, so you must steel yourselves and train hard.”

“Yes, understood.”

“We will keep that in mind, Commander.”

Only then did Kaiston’s expression soften.

“It’s been a rough morning, but let’s leave it at that. Today is the Crown Princess’s birthday, you see.”

“Gasp? Is that so?”

Everyone’s gaze turned to Liris.

“Oh? Th-that’s right?”

Liris, who had lost track of the date, counted it up. The feast had been on January 1, they left Sinal two days later, and arriving at the Red Moon after a three-day journey was yesterday, so today was indeed January 7, her birthday.

“Had you been on the Isles, there would have been a grand birthday celebration. In this barren fortress it’s impossible. Crown Princess, what would you like us to do for you?”

The captains looked at her with sparkling eyes. In a fortress where discipline was strict, the knights’ desires were simple.

“Ahaha… a merry social hour with food, drink and dancing… something like that…?”

“Hmm…”

Kaiston glanced at the captains, whose smiles stretched ear to ear.

“We can afford to let things go for a day, right?”

“Oooo!”

The captains cheered.

“We won’t forget this favor, Crown Princess.”

Liris laughed at Zik’s affable words.

“Promise me you’ll do that, Captain Zik?”

“As if there were any doubt!”

Watching them, even Kaiston couldn’t help but smile slightly.

After telegraphing a large order of wine and food to Viscount Newman of Korum Castle and dispatching a detachment to receive it, Kaiston summoned Millen, who had been confined, to his study. He had told Liris his intentions and received her permission.

After watching the clash between his father, General Luther, and Kaiston, Millen had become severely demoralized. Perhaps it was a deep resignation about his life, fallen to the bottom. Even facing his enemy Kaiston, he no longer showed the surface fury he once did, though enmity still lingered in his eyes.

“Millen.”

Kaiston looked up from his papers and stared at him. The sharp pressure in his gaze made Millen flinch and drop his eyes.

“You have good subordinates. One named Chris, I believe. He claimed the actions you took as his own.”

“…Those knights, Chris included, only followed their commander’s orders. Please send them back.”

Kaiston shrugged at Millen’s words.

“I can’t do that. Regardless, they’re criminals who trespassed into the Duke’s castle without permission.”

Millen glared at him, choked with emotion.

“What do you want? You said if I wished to kill you, I should say so.”

“And you?”

Kaiston replied.

“How about you? Have you given up now?”

Millen frowned.

“I have no choice but to… give up, don’t I?”

“Yes. I suppose so.”

Kaiston chuckled lightly, which Millen took as mockery and burst out again.

“Why on earth did you spare me?”

At that, Kaiston set the papers down and rummaged through the desk drawer.

“Do you want to die? If that’s truly your wish, then do as you please. Ah, here we are.”

Millen blinked at Kaiston, who suddenly drew a dagger from the drawer. Kaiston rose from his chair, approached him, removed his restraints, and placed the dagger in Millen’s hand.

“W-what…”

Kaiston blinked and smiled at the flustered Millen.

“Thank you, right? If you want to die, then die.”

After saying that, he turned his back to the dagger-wielding Millen, defenseless. Millen’s eyes flashed fiercely. As enmity and murderous intent rekindled and swept away his fear, Millen lunged at Kaiston.

“Die!!”

It was a single, all-out strike that summoned every ounce of his strength. That seemingly simple thrust contained the essence of the martial arts he had built his life upon. A faint smile crossed Kaiston’s lips.

Kaiston turned his body and stopped the dagger with his forearm. Millen was the one taken aback when the dagger sank in deeply, even piercing the armor. He had expected to fail pitifully despite his all-out effort. Startled at his own success, Millen dropped the dagger from his hand.

“Wh-what is this.”

“What do you mean, ‘what’.”

Kaiston frowned, drew the dagger from his forearm and wiped off the blood. Millen heard him mutter a few vulgar curses and say “That hurts like hell.” Even with his defensive reflexes protecting him initially, Millen’s skill wasn’t shallow, so the wound was significant.

Bleeding profusely, Kaiston approached Millen again and placed the dagger in his hand, making Millen startle and take an involuntary step back.

“A real man shouldn’t be startled by something like this.”

Kaiston turned his back again, defenseless, but the frozen Millen couldn’t attack. Kaiston nonchalantly returned to his desk, rummaged through a drawer, took out a healing potion and poured it onto his forearm. Millen watched in a daze as the wound sizzled and quickly closed.

“Who knows? Today ends at this level, but next time you might even pierce my heart.”

At Kaiston’s words, Millen unconsciously looked down at the dagger in his hand.

“I don’t dislike capable people. If you had been pitifully weak, I would have killed you long ago, but your skill is more usable than I thought.”

“…You said it’s common here.”

Kaiston snorted with a laugh.

“It’s common. Anyone at the squad leader level or above can reach your level. But let me ask you one thing. Have you ever truly struggled with everything you had to become stronger?”

“……”

Millen could not answer. Since childhood he’d been called a prodigy and always stronger than his peers. He trained diligently every day, of course. But believing himself the best, he’d never thrown himself into training with desperate intensity. He never felt the need.

“The knights here have a desperation to become strong in order not to die. Naturally, many with ordinary talent become as strong as you. You received the sword techniques and secret skills of Grandis, the Empire’s top martial artist, and you have exceptional talent. So what have you been doing until now?”

Millen clenched his teeth. He was angrier because he had no excuse.

“If you want, I’ll give you a chance. From today on, you’ll have the opportunity to spar with me once a day. Strive with all your might to become strong. And when you defeat me and drive your blade into my heart, everything I have will be yours.”

Millen suddenly raised his head and stared at him. At the look in his eyes asking if he was serious, Kaiston lifted the corner of his mouth.

“Seems you like my offer.”

“Why… are you doing me such a favor?”

Kaiston tilted his head at Millen’s question.

“Do you feel my offer is a favor?”

Kaiston questioned with a genuinely puzzled expression and tone. Millen looked at him as if asking what he meant.

“Then it’s clear your goal has changed. Very well. Let’s call it a favor because I don’t dislike capable men. Also, your subordinates are commendable.”

“What about them… What will you do?”

“I’ll have them imprisoned in Sinal. If your skill surpasses the captains of the Red Moon, you may summon them under your command.”

“……”

“And don’t pull stunts like ambushes anymore. A knight who has lost his honor will never take my place, no matter how strong he becomes.”

At Kaiston’s firm words, Millen bit his lower lip and bowed his head. He now realized how shameful his actions were for a knight. Kaiston watched him silently and crossed his arms.

“Your answer?”

“A-alright… I understand, Your Grace.”

Hearing Millen correct his tone to speak politely again, Kaiston smiled darkly.

“Not ‘Your Grace’ but Commander. You’re my knight now, until you beat me.”

Millen hesitated at that and then answered.

“Yes, Commander.”

“For the time being you’ll be attached to the Butterfly Corps. Haris, as your captain, will brief you on fortress life. I hope you’ll become a knight your subordinates won’t be ashamed of. Can you do that?”

“…Yes.”

“Good. You may go.”

Millen, glancing between the forearm and the dagger still in his hand, opened his lips as if to say something but no words came. With a complicated expression, he bowed once and left the study.