“That’s… well…”
Giscard carefully chose his words, trying to maintain his sternest expression.
Then, Cassia asked back with sparkling eyes,
“Honestly, you feel good about this, don’t you?”
“…No, it’s not like that.”
His blue eyes shook as if an earthquake had struck.
Cassia, who was watching him, swallowed back a laugh that was about to burst out.
‘Ah, our male protagonist. He has a secretly cute side, doesn’t he?’
He was torn between wanting to maintain his dignity as the commander of the knights and feeling satisfied that he had gotten his revenge on the 4th Knights Order.
His inner turmoil was obvious to see.
His appearance was like…
‘Exactly like a puppy, isn’t he?’
Cassia held back her laughter and watched Giscard leisurely.
Was this how it felt to slowly tame a black puppy that had been neglected by its owner and no longer trusted humans?
No, puppies were too small and cute for that.
‘Doberman…?’
Just then, Giscard changed the subject.
“Anyway, thank you. It will be a great help for the joint training that will be coming soon.”
It was clear that he was trying to get away from the previous topic, but Cassia decided to let it go.
That was because she was also interested in the current topic.
“Joint training?”
Hmm.
Her red eyes narrowed.
“Which Knights Order is that training with?”
“It’s the 4th Knights Order.”
Oh, those guys again?
Cassia clicked her tongue inwardly.
On the other hand, Giscard continued in a serious tone.
“This joint training is a bit important. An evaluator will be dispatched from the Northern Command to check the training results.”
“An evaluator will check the training results?”
“Yes. And depending on those results, the support for each Knights Order may change a bit…”
Giscard trailed off his words without realizing it.
Cassia’s face hardened slightly.
She seemed to understand.
In that joint training, the role assigned to the Azure Dawn Knights Order was simply…
‘To be beaten here and there.’
Even now, the Azure Dawn Knights Order was being subjected to various unreasonable things by the 4th Knights Order.
Even so, the Northern Commander-in-Chief was condoning it, and even encouraging it.
‘This is really a vicious cycle.’
Under the condoning of the Northern Commander-in-Chief, they were unable to achieve results because of the discrimination they faced.
And those poor results were used as grounds for the Azure Dawn Knights Order to be discriminated against.
No results, so no support, that kind of thing.
But,
‘Do you think I’m going to let things go that way?’
Cassia smiled fiercely and looked at Giscard, her eyes sparkling.
“Can I also participate in this joint training?”
“..….”
What on earth is her plan?
Giscard replied with a strange expression.
“Well, since it’s a mock battle training, the administrative officer doesn’t have to go with the Knights Order, but…”
“No, I really want to go!”
Cassia put her hands together on her chest and her eyes sparkled brightly.
“However, I’d like to join with the Knights Order a little, just a little, later. Would that be possible?”
“..….”
Giscard couldn’t hide his trembling.
“What are you trying to do?”
“Oh my, what do you mean by ‘what are you trying to do’?”
Cassia jumped up in place like a cat with its tail stepped on.
And then she grumbled and made her own defense.
“I was just trying to use my reputation as efficiently as possible for our Knights Order!”
“…reputation?”
At that moment.
Cassia saw it.
Even though he was pretending not to, Giscard was secretly moved by her words!
“Yes, you know, I’m one of the most notorious villainesses in the empire.”
Cassia’s smile deepened.
As a villainess, shouldn’t she act like a villainess?
“Heh, heh heh, heh heh heh heh…”
Followed by a sinister laugh.
It was a wicked smile that reminded one of a little devil.
“Anyway.”
Cassia raised her chin confidently, as if entrusting everything to Giscard.
“Will you help me?”
* * *
A few days later.
The Azure Dawn Knights were gathered in the training ground with tense faces.
Cassia had summoned all the knights.
The knights exchanged glances, their eyes darting around.
‘Is that crazy princess finally going to show her true colors?’
‘Surely she’s not asking us to lose to the 4th Knights Order?’
After all, the Azure Dawn Knights had been under pressure from all sides for a long time.
Not only the 4th Knights Order, but even the Northern Commander-in-Chief was subtly urging the Azure Dawn Knights to accept defeat.
It was said that the Northern Commander-in-Chief had a close relationship with the imperial family.
So wouldn’t the princess, a member of the imperial family, naturally take the side of the 4th Knights Order?
‘That’s right.’
‘Well, it’s natural for arms to bend inwards.’
TL/N: “arms to bend inwards” it’s a korean idiom said when favor is focused on people close to oneself. It’s like “blood is thicker than water”
The knights tried to act as if it didn’t matter, but they couldn’t help but feel disappointed.
But then.
“Oh, have you all been waiting long?”
Cassia approached them with a light step.
She had a pen tucked behind her ear and a stack of papers in her hands.
Judging by the ink stains on her hands, it seemed like she had just been working on paperwork.
“So, the reason I called you all here today is…”
Cassia narrowed her eyes and swept her gaze over the knights.
Gulp.
The knights each swallowed dry saliva.
And then.
“Everyone, please try holding a wooden sword.”
“Yes?”
In an instant, the knights looked at Cassia with dumbfounded faces.
Cassia shrugged and continued speaking.
“I’m planning to get everyone a practice wooden sword, training clothes, and extra uniforms. I thought it would be better to have the wooden swords custom-made for each knight, so I called you all. Also, socks…”
Cassia took out the pen she had tucked behind her ear and began to busily scribble on the papers.
She did this for a while.
Cassia looked up briefly and narrowed her eyes at the knights, scolding them.
“Oh, what are you doing? I told you to go and try holding the wooden swords.”
“……”
“……”
The knights seemed to be cautiously taking her cue, and Rodrigo stepped forward as their representative.
“Um… don’t you have anything else to say to us?”
“Anything else to say? No, I don’t.”
Cassia replied casually, but then suddenly blinked her eyes.
“Oh, I have one thing.”
Could this be it? Was she finally going to show her true colors?
The knights felt their mouths go dry.
At the same time, Cassia added thoughtfully.
“If you need anything else besides the items I mentioned, please tell me now.”
“Is that all?”
At Rodrigo’s dumbfounded question, Cassia raised her eyebrows and replied.
“That’s all?”
Why, what else did he want her to say?
Then Rodrigo opened his mouth hesitantly.
“Then… the joint training with the 4th Knights Order this time.”
“Oh, that?”
Cassia suddenly raised her pen.
And then, it seemed as if she was aiming straight at the knights with the tip of his pen.
“Go and win.”
“Yes?”
For a moment, the knights doubted their ears.
“Didn’t you mean to tell us to lose to the 4th Knights Order?”
At that, Cassia made a bewildered face and looked at Rodrigo.
“Eh, why would I do that?”
“W-Well, you see. The Northern Commander-in-Chief is said to be close to the Imperial Family, so…”
Rodrigo continued stammering.
However, Cassia was still expressionless.
“Sir Rodrigo. Which knight order do I belong to right now?”
“That’s…”
Rodrigo trailed off.
That’s right.
Cassia currently belonged to the Azure Dawn Knights.
…In other words, they were her comrades.
At the same time, she spoke in a thick voice.
“I can never bear to see the knights order I belong to lose.”
R-Really?
The knights couldn’t hide their dumbfounded expressions.
“I don’t like y’all being underestimated or being ignored.”
“… Administrative Officer.”
“So, go and win.”
Cassia concluded firmly.
“Our knights are fully capable of winning.”
Thump.
In an instant, the knights felt their hearts pounding wildly.
* * * *
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