Episode 134

“To think you could be so considerate of your opponent…”

Christina Bakal.

At first glance, she appeared to be a frivolous Princess who had just come of age.

“How about coming to be my personal secretary this time?”

But I knew.

In fact, she has been an excellent strategist in surveying and topographical tactics since she was young.

The day of the purge.

It was this woman who provided the shortcut route when Bakal secretly supported the Crown Prince.

“Thank you, but I’ll have to decline. I prefer my life here.”

“Is that so? That’s a shame…”

She seemed to have come just as a fan of the novel at first glance…

But in reality, she was an enemy who came to grasp the terrain of Nostrun.

“I was pleased because you were the first man I’ve met who has read this novel…”

The Princess pouted her lips and stared intently at the book.

And she secretly sneaked peeks at the provocative pictures added to the novel.

So diligently that her glasses slid down her nose.

‘Did she really come because of the novel…?’

The Princess’s eyes kept drifting to the book as if she had encountered the Bible.

Eventually, she could only take her gaze away from the book after entrusting it to the escort Team Leader.

“Ahem… Sorry, it’s a limited edition not available in Bakal…”

The white-haired Princess glanced up at me with a shy expression.

“Alright, seeing your sincere dedication, I’ll stay here longer.”

The Princess extended the back of her hand to me.

In response, I gently took the snow maiden’s cold hand and helped her up.

“Yes, I’ll guide you to the next course immediately.”

‘Still, I have somehow managed to change her mind…’

I was worried about messing up because I arrived late.

I was relieved to see the Princess showing interest in touring Nostrun again.

“First, let me guide you to the Nostrun River mentioned in the novel.”

“Yes, understood.”

Encouraged by this, I looked towards Irina.

I was sure she would be relieved as well.

However.

“…?”

Irina’s expression, watching from the side, wasn’t very bright.

She was staring intently somewhere with her beautiful emerald eyes.

I turned my head, following the 2nd Princess’s gaze.

And…

‘Could it be?’

I realized Irina was looking at my hand touching the Princess’s.

For now, I avoided her gaze and headed towards the river.

‘It must be a misunderstanding… She couldn’t possibly be jealous.’

“This is the Nocturn River, a famous attraction of our city.”

We arrived at the riverside after leaving the cafe.

Then, like a guide, I introduced the scenery to Princess Tina.

“It is said that the Slave Knight and the Grand Duchess enjoyed the ambiance here by riding a flower boat.”

We approached the riverside.

And I tried to create a rapport by recalling the contents of the novel as much as possible.

However…

I soon frowned.

“Hoho… It looks quite wide and deep, doesn’t it?”

Tina was surprisingly uninterested in the flower boats, an important element in the novel.

Instead, she focused only on the river’s geography.

Splash!

She even threw a pebble nearby to measure the depth by the sound it made when hitting the water.

“With this depth, even a large man would have difficulty crossing.”

I coldly looked down at the Princess, who was gradually revealing her true colors.

“That’s correct. That’s why no enemy has ever carelessly crossed this river throughout history.”

I narrowed my eyes as if to warn the Princess.

I warned her with a meaningful smile.

“Our army has never lost when defending based on this river.”

I implicitly emphasized Nostrun’s defensive capabilities to her.

To ensure the Princess would never underestimate this place again.

“You seem quite confident, don’t you?”

Upon hearing my words, Tina’s eyes flashed from those of a girl’s to those of a monarch’s.

“But compared to the Northern Sea, our warriors could cross such a river with just a raft…”

“Are you saying it’s warm compared to the Northern Sea?”

I boldly retorted to the Princess, who was underestimating our terrain.

“However, due to the rough currents, it will take a significant amount of time to enter. At this rate, it would take about…”

“30 minutes.”

Both the Princess and I answered simultaneously.

Irina watched this scene with her lips pouting.

“You’re quite interesting. A mere guard guessing all that?”

“As a knight protecting the city, it’s basic to understand the terrain advantageous for defense.”

We complimented each other.

At the same time, we tried to probe each other’s intentions with our lifeless eyes.

“The Princess is truly remarkable. To deduce that much just from a pebble.”

Tina, pleased by my compliment, took off her glasses.

Then, she put them in her pocket and crossed her arms by herself.

“Thank you, but there is a significant weakness in this river you are so proud of.”

“May I ask what it is?”

When I asked, the white-haired Princess pointed towards the upper stream of the river.

“Do you see the upper layer of the river over there?”

I followed her gaze towards the Nostrun Mountain, where the river starts.

It was at a high elevation, and groundwater, the source of the river, flowed there.

“That’s your hint.”

As I looked at the waterway with narrowed eyes like a fox, the Princess looked up at me intently.

She covered her lips with her fist, as if shyly anticipating my answer.

“Could it be…?”

As if trying to test me.

“Are you planning to take over the upper stream and break the dam?”

The Princess, enjoying our strategic conversation, raised the corners of her mouth in a smirk.

And then, like a girl, she chuckled and gave a mischievous smile.

“Not bad. That’s correct.”

Tina squinted her eyes.

“No matter how advantageous a river is for defense, it inevitably has its weaknesses.”

With my eyes closed, I coldly looked down at the Princess, full of vigor.

And I thought.

This woman.

Could potentially be a threat to the empire.

Could that be why?

I boldly spoke to the arrogant Princess from another country.

“Everything in the world inevitably has both strengths and weaknesses.”

“Yes, that means even this Nostrun you love could become a sea of fire if one so desires.”

The Princess opened her fierce blue eyes.

“Therefore, in times of war, one must pay attention to such places.”

She thought she had found my vulnerability.

Her gaze seemed to wish that I would be frightened.

But…

“You need not worry about that.”

Instead, I looked down on her as if she were a child.

And then I spoke.

“We’ve already prepared by digging stakes and trenches in the forest in advance.”

“What…?”

The Princess furrowed her brow, apparently not expecting that.

I leaned in slightly towards her, who was taken aback.

“And, in the first place…”

Like a fox guarding the mountain.

“The mountain will never be occupied.”

The Princess looked into my dark eyes with a stunned expression.

Eyes devoid of vitality, unlike the visible river, with an unfathomable depth.

“As long as I am protecting this place.”

She swallowed hard at my warning demeanor.

No one had ever spoken so boldly in front of her before.

The unexpected response seemed to intrigue her.

“Ha. Interesting.”

Tina flipped her hair back, which was fluttering in the wind.

And then she glanced at me.

“Did you say your status in the Leon Empire is that of a commoner?”

“That’s correct.”

Tina looked at the modest Defense Knight mark on my uniform and shook her head as if it were a pity.

“It’s a pity. Such a responsible man is assigned to the frontier.”

The Princess looked back at the two escort knights, who had stepped back a bit.

Their uniforms were adorned with many splendid medals from the Bakal Empire.

“You might find it hard to believe, but those two escorting me are of general rank in the military.”

Royal Escort Team Leader and Deputy Leader.

In our empire, positions like these were only entrusted to dukes or earls, similar to Richard.

“Even though they all come from common backgrounds.”

Understanding her meaning, I turned my head.

And with an indifferent expression, I just looked at the riverbank.

“……”

Then, the Princess stared at me as if pretending to be oblivious.

“In the Bakal Empire, we do not discriminate based on one’s background when employing people.”

“I see.”

At my cold response, the white-haired Princess clasped her hands behind her back by herself.

And then, feeling the wind, she spoke leisurely.

“Quite modest.”

Tina gradually approached me.

“Contrary to your appearance, you are quite loyal in this regard.”

She gently leaned her face towards me.

As if her lips would touch my cheek.

“But remember, Mikhail.”

The white-haired Princess whispered in my ear.

“One must follow those who need them.”

After saying that, Tina smiled contentedly.

“So, come to Bakal sometime…”

The Princess breathed warm breath into my ear.

And just as she was about to make a secret proposal…

“Princess Christina.”

Between us, cold as river water, and fierce as a glacier mountain, a voice was heard.

“Excuse me, but it’s about time for dinner.”

Irina.

Normally, she had eyes as beautiful as a deer, but now she stood between us with a cold gaze.

“The wheat festival in Nostrun is coming soon. How about we go and see it?”

She, with her silver hair, smiled lightly.

However, there was an inexplicable murderous intent in her gaze.

“Oh… is that so?”

Tina immediately noticed that murderous intent.

And then, she crossed her arms alone and met Irina’s gaze.

“Yes, let’s go where there’s more to ‘see’ than a quiet river.”

The silver-haired Princess warned not to covet any other place anymore.

Sensing this, the white-haired Princess smirked.

“Well, I tend to find importance in what others simply pass by.”

She glanced at me.

Her gaze was as chilling as a beast of the snowy fields.

“And it seems I’ve already found something quite interesting…”

I coughed awkwardly and turned my head.

Then, Irina came closer to my side.

Like a wolf of the snowfields trying to protect a fox.

“If you go to the square, you won’t need to look hard for something to see.”

Tina alternated her gaze between Irina and me.

Then, she smirked with a cocky look in her eyes.

“Well, fine. The night is still young, after all.”

The Princess led the way, hands clasped behind her back.

She prepared to go to the square with her escort.

“Phew…”

I sighed with relief inwardly.

Then, with a polite gesture, I pointed the two princesses towards Nostrun Square.

“Let’s go. There’s a nice restaurant near the festival site.”

I clasped my hands together and smiled slyly.

Afterward, I wedged myself between the two princesses to mediate the atmosphere.

“It’s a place frequented by the upper class, so you princesses will surely be satisfied.”

Perhaps because the day had darkened.

The street lamps, imbued with mana, sparkled.

However, the square was already ablaze with the heat of the festival, making the street lamps pale in comparison.

The citizens of Nostrun came out to the streets to wish for a bountiful harvest.

Throughout their way, they greeted both Irina and me.

“The city atmosphere is bright.”

“Yes, it’s all thanks to Sir Vail’s efforts.”

Irina spoke proudly, as if she were happier about my compliment.

“Since Vail took his post, Nostrun’s public safety has become the safest among the northern regions.”

“No, I just fulfilled my duties.”

I forced a smile.

After all, I had only trained the Toruman Clan that followed Rooper.

Since then, the criminal groups in Nostrun have dramatically decreased, perhaps due to the spread of that fact.

“With this, surely even the royal family can comfortably enjoy a banquet at a nearby store.”

Tina nodded in agreement.

Then, she smiled slyly at the knights, telling them to relax a bit.

“Tone down your gazes a bit. The citizens are getting scared.”

“Understood.”

The two knights briskly dusted off their uniform collars.

Following the Princess’s command, they relaxed their guard considerably.

“Remember, we’re not here as royals but as tourists.”

Then the eyes of the somewhat relaxed knights caught sight of women dressed in revealing outfits.

“…!”

The women had their baggy white t-shirts tied up to reveal their stomachs.

Beneath that, they wore long skirts and walked comfortably around the streets.

To further ease the men’s wariness, I spoke slyly.

“This is a traditional dress in our empire. It gets so hot in the summer that people dress like this for farming.”

I naturally led them to a spot in the square.

Then, I commanded the band in the square to turn up the volume of the music to immerse them in the atmosphere.

“You gentlemen will probably be satisfied. I, too, get excited whenever it’s festival time.”

“Ahem…”

Men, who had only seen women wrapped up tightly in clothes, coughed awkwardly.

With nowhere to rest their eyes, they merely sipped the beer placed on the table.

Irina was no different.

She glanced at the women dancing in the streets, boldly showing off their stomachs.

“Come on, Lady Christina, have a drink. This is Nostrun’s specialty, wheat beer.”

Cold beer was served following the lively music.

“Yes, this is what alcohol is about. They always serve wine at meetings…!”

Christina laughed heartily.

True to a woman of the north, her personality was refreshing.

She took a sip of the cold beer.

Then, she exhaled deeply, seemingly satisfied by the chill.

“Princess Irina, won’t you drink?”

“I should.”

The innocent Princess with silver hair also picked up the plain beer in front of her.

“I, too, find such casual occasions more comfortable than unnecessarily formal ones.”

Irina gulped down the beer.

Tina chuckled at her action.

“Haha… good. This is the atmosphere I wanted.”

The Princess matched Irina’s bold spirit.

And they clinked glasses, fostering camaraderie.

Indeed, she was a woman who knew how to separate public and private matters.

“Aren’t you going to drink?”

The white-haired Princess quickly emptied a giant beer mug.

Contrary to her frail appearance, her tolerance for alcohol was tremendous.

“Uh, I…”

“Vail is currently under a prohibition order and cannot drink.”

Just as I was about to answer.

Irina, with her reddened nose, answered for me.

“How could I drink while serving the royal family?”

It was a reasonable justification.

However, Tina easily overcame Irina’s defense with her words.

“If you say that, then my escorts, who have already drunk, will be embarrassed.”

The Princess handed me a giant mug.

It was a special large size for the festival, much bigger than the mug I had at Mago’s store.

“Come, have a drink. It’s especially from me, so no one can question it.”

I sighed inwardly at the beer placed before me.

And then I looked at the knights, who dared not refuse the Princess’s mug, with a face that couldn’t refuse.

“Yes, this is also part of hospitality…”

I closed my eyes tightly.

Then, I organized the aura within my body to clear my head as much as possible to avoid getting drunk.

The moment I opened my eyes to grab the beer.

“…?”

The mug before me had disappeared.

“Oh…”

The escorts and the Princess looked towards Irina.

Feeling uneasy, I also turned my head.

And then…

“Phew…”

I faced the 2nd Princess, who had emptied a beer mug large enough to daunt an adult man twice.

“As I said, that would be difficult.”

Perhaps it was the effect of the alcohol.

The Princess’s gaze seemed somewhat softened.

Not like a shy, innocent girl, but like a peculiar adult.

“Vail is my knight, so I will take care of him.”

Tina couldn’t help but laugh at Irina’s bravery.

“Good. Seeing the Princess go to such lengths, I can feel your sincerity.”

She alternated her gaze between me and the Princess.

Then, she noticed that Irina’s gaze towards me was unusual.

“However, in Bakal, one must have a drinking buddy to drink beer.”

Princess Tina pointed at the 2nd Princess.

Then she declared, as if making a proclamation.

“So, the Princess must drink heartily with me instead.”

The Princess smirked.

And then, she warned with a gaze as intense as a bear’s.

“Contrary to my appearance, I have a strong tolerance.”

Cristina took off her thick jacket.

Then, the heat that had been trapped inside her body burst out.

“Phew…”

As the heat dispersed, the cotton T-shirt clinging to her body revealed itself.

The T-shirt, soaked with sweat, emitted a peculiar smell.

Moreover, her voluptuous figure hidden beneath the fabric.

“Let’s begin.”

It was impressive enough to make even Irina swallow hard.

And it was enough to make even my thin eyes sparkle.

“Good, I can drink quite a bit despite my appearance.”

Irina faced the Princess with a cold gaze.

And she humbly grasped the beer mug placed before her.

As if they were engaging in a diplomatic battle.