EWOWMAIBTYPF Chapter 143

Chapter 143

 

Jack ignored the heat creeping up his ears and hastily wiped his body with a towel before slipping on the shirt Allen had thrown at him.

“Why the sudden change? I thought you didn’t care.”

Jack ignored Allen’s smirking remark and asked instead,

“Have you already returned from the Imperial Palace?”

“Huh? Oh, right. I nearly died trying to fend off their subtle pressure to join the Imperial Knights.”

As Jack finished buttoning up, he gave Allen a long, thoughtful look.

“What?”

“I just thought… isn’t that a good opportunity? It may not compare to the Rexion Order, but leading the Imperial Knights and representing the empire…”

“No thanks. Even if I receive a title and leave my family someday, I’d rather establish my own order than serve under the Imperial Court.”

Jack immediately caught on—Allen wasn’t rejecting the offer because of the knights themselves. He simply didn’t want to pledge loyalty to the emperor. That made Jack even more puzzled.

After all, Duke Elard was the Minister of Military Affairs, known as the emperor’s sword, and his son, Lucio, was a rising star in the Foreign Office, a loyal servant of the empire.

“Jack, if you get an offer, turn it down. It’s a hassle to get involved.”

“Don’t worry. I have no such intentions.”

Jack had no desire to swear allegiance to the Imperial Court either.

Being the commander of the Imperial Knights was undoubtedly an honorable position, but what he truly wanted was…

“Huh? Isn’t this the potion Lia sent you?”

Allen’s surprised voice pulled Jack from his thoughts as he noticed a small vial near Jack’s sword.

“What made you take it out? You’ve been hoarding it so much that you didn’t even use it when we went to Diapel last year.”

“It’s not like I did it on purpose… I just didn’t particularly need it.”

Jack answered awkwardly as he picked up the small crystal bottle, roughly the size of two fingertips, filled with a shimmering green liquid.

Last year, when a neighboring country suddenly posed a threat, the Diapel territory, positioned along the empire’s borders, requested reinforcements from the capital.

Jack, having just recently broken through the limits of a Swordmaster, volunteered without hesitation. He hadn’t even had time to write Lia a letter before leaving.

Yet, almost as if she had been waiting, Lia sent him a few potions she had personally crafted, claiming they would accelerate mana circulation and recovery.

They were incomparable to the standard healing potions sold at the Mage Tower.

But even when Jack faced real battles and dire moments for the first time, he couldn’t bring himself to use Lia’s potion.

Allen, having known how carefully Jack had been keeping the potion, found this change odd and stared at him intently.

Feeling caught, Jack cleared his throat and mumbled,

“Well… Lia somehow found out and got mad at me.”

“Huh?”

“She knew I hadn’t even touched the potion and told me that if I didn’t drink it immediately, there wouldn’t be a next time.”

Allen froze.

He had a strong suspicion that he was the one who had tattled.

Lia had only ever sent him regular healing potions, so he had pestered Diana to mention in a letter that he wanted to try whatever Jack was so reluctant to use.

At the time, he had simply been happy to receive the same potion from Lia, never realizing what it might lead to.

Allen darted his eyes around and forced a smile.

“S-So, are you planning to drink it during today’s training?”

“Yes. I think that would be best. Besides… Lia has started learning swordsmanship.”

Allen recalled the letter Diana had received from Lia.

“Oh, right! She finally convinced the Grand Duchess!”

“Yes, she seemed quite excited.”

“Tch, what a shame. I always thought Lia should have started training much earlier.”

“She may be late, but she’ll do well.”

Jack’s voice was steady and confident.

Allen, too, recalled the shockingly precise movement Lia had once displayed—though his memory of it had faded somewhat—and he nodded in agreement.

 

***

 

The Training Grounds of the Belus Grand Duchy

The knight order, already known for its discipline, carried an even heavier atmosphere today.

As squads quietly conducted their training, one knight glanced toward the center of the training grounds, where the Grand Duchess and Bianca were having a serious discussion. He nudged the knight beside him and whispered,

“Why is the atmosphere so tense today?”

“Huh? Oh… right, you were on leave. You didn’t hear. Starting today, Her Highness the Grand Duke’s daughter will be learning swordsmanship. That’s why.”

“What? Her Highness?!”

His exclamation was so loud that not only the nearby knights but even Bianca frowned in irritation.

Despite the glares, the astonished knight couldn’t suppress his disbelief and lowered his voice to a whisper.

“Is that true?”

They had always known that the Grand Duke’s daughter had wished to learn swordsmanship. But none of them had ever expected that wish to be granted.

“So that’s why the atmosphere is like this.”

“Yeah. There’s even talk that Her Highness might end up in tears today. It seems both Her Grace and the Commander plan to train her harshly.”

The mere thought of their precious Grand Duke’s daughter shedding tears was enough to make the knights’ hearts ache. Even though they understood why the Grand Duchess disapproved of this decision, they couldn’t help but feel anxious.

At that moment—

“May light shine upon Your Highness’s path.”

The knights standing near the entrance straightened their postures and saluted with impeccable discipline.

The murmuring knights quickly composed themselves and followed suit.

Then, as they discreetly lifted their heads, they saw her.

Her long, soft pink hair, usually cascading like waves, was tied high in a single ponytail.

With her slightly droopy, gentle-looking eyes and deep pink irises, the Grand Duke’s daughter stepped into the training grounds, her expression tense.

As she walked, she suddenly realized her arms and legs were moving in the same motion, and she hurriedly stopped, shaking her head.

“Ugh. M-My heart…”

Her adorably determined expression made not only the knights who frequently visited the castle but also those watching from afar clutch their hearts.

To be honest, it was impossible not to love the Grand Duke’s daughter, Adriana.

Despite her lonely and difficult childhood, she always treated others with kindness and warmth, considering everyone around her.

She found joy in the smallest things, blushed shyly when expressing gratitude, and had the courage to show her appreciation. Just watching her made people’s hearts feel at ease.

“Mother.”

“Ahem! Adriana, you’ve arrived right on time.”

The Grand Duchess, still not accustomed to her daughter’s overwhelming loveliness, cleared her throat and barely managed to compose herself.

It was the first time she had seen Lia so nervous. And even though she wore a simple training outfit, she still looked breathtakingly beautiful, which made the Grand Duchess worry even more.

After Adriana’s coming-of-age ceremony, the nobles of the Grand Duchy, who had only heard rumors of her beauty, had been utterly captivated upon seeing her in person, flooding the castle with invitations and love letters. It was completely understandable.

But today was not the time to admire her daughter’s charm.

“Before we begin training, we should first assess your stamina. Why don’t we start with a light thirty laps around the training grounds?”

T-Thirty laps?!

The knights gasped and covered their mouths in shock.

Their delicate Grand Princess! They would have clapped just to see her walk a single lap around this vast training ground, and yet…!

However, despite her body stiffening momentarily, Adriana soon nodded with determination and immediately started running.

“…She runs quite well.”

“Her movements are surprisingly light.”

Astonishingly, the Grand Princess maintained a precise form as she ran, never once stopping.

Of course, as time passed, her breathing grew labored and her pace slowed, but the important thing was—she never gave up.

And when she finally completed all thirty laps, the knights, who had forgotten their own training, stared at her in a daze.

“What’s next?”

Even as she panted heavily, her eyes burned with determination.

The Grand Duchess barely concealed her surprise and responded in a firm voice,

“Next, you’ll be throwing these at a target.”

“…Throwing knives?”

“What, did you think I’d let you hold a sword right away?”

…Ordinarily, one would begin training by teaching the proper way to grip a sword.

But in this case, the purpose of the training was entirely different, so the Grand Duchess remained unfazed.

Though, to be honest, she was quite bewildered.

‘She actually ran all thirty laps?’

She had expected Adriana to collapse midway, giving her the perfect excuse to scold her for not being prepared enough.

But that was fine.

Right now, just standing was a challenge, and with her trembling arms, hitting a distant target would be nearly impossible—no matter how much willpower or focus she had.

As expected, unlike how she had immediately started running earlier, Lia now hesitated, staring at the throwing knives with a peculiar expression.

But no one present could decipher the true meaning behind that look.

“Well? Go on, throw them.”

The Grand Duchess gestured toward the trees on the outskirts of the training grounds.

Several targets had already been set up.

The distance was considerable, and with her depleted stamina, there was no way a beginner like Adriana could hit them.

Clearly, this was meant to humiliate her in front of all the knights by showing how her knives wouldn’t even reach halfway to the target.

‘Our poor Grand Princess…’

The knights all maintained serious expressions, carefully watching the Grand Princess for any reaction. However, inside, they were all collectively praying for Adriana, deeply sympathetic toward her.

Even the Grand Duchess herself, upon seeing her daughter’s flushed face from running, felt a twinge of guilt and turned her head away.

And then—

Swish! Thud! Thud! Thud!

A sharp gust of wind was followed by the sound of something striking solid targets.

“…?”

The Grand Duchess blinked in confusion for a moment. Then, as her gaze landed on the throwing knives embedded perfectly in the distant targets, her eyes widened in shock.

“You… you just…”

Had Lia really thrown those knives?

And not just one, but three at once—and hit the targets dead-on?

The Grand Duchess looked between Adriana, who was calmly preparing her next throw, and the targets, her expression one of disbelief. She shook her head, convinced she must have imagined it.

She had specifically prepared dull-edged throwing knives to ensure Lia wouldn’t injure her fingers.

Even a skilled expert would struggle to hit the targets with such knives…

Swish! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud…!