The Villainous Princess Saves The Doomed Knights

A short while later.

 

“So, to summarize what you’re saying.”

 

Giscard asked me with a peculiar expression.

 

“You want me to mark the barrier stone assigned to our Knight Order with something only we can recognize?”

 

“Yes, that’s right.”

 

I quickly nodded.

 

Giscard narrowed his eyes.

 

“It’s not difficult, but… why do you need such a mark?”

 

“Well, it might just be me worrying too much.”

 

I shrugged lightly.

 

“But we don’t exactly get along well with the 4th Knight Order, do we?”

 

Giscard fell silent for a moment.

 

He probably felt uneasy about working alongside the 4th Knight Order as well.

 

“That’s why I thought it’d be good to have at least a minimal safety measure in place.”

 

“A safety measure…?”

 

“I want to distinguish the barrier stone assigned to our Knight Order from those assigned to the 4th Knight Order.”

 

My eyes gleamed as I continued.

 

“After all, the 4th Knights have been negligent in managing the barrier stones. We can’t let them keep pushing the responsibility onto us, right?”

 

If our barrier stone has a mark that only we can recognize…

 

By simply checking the barrier stones, we’ll be able to tell which side has properly replaced them, won’t we?

 

Meanwhile, Giscard, after listening to my explanation, seemed deep in thought for a moment, then gradually started to look brighter.

 

“…Indeed, you have a point.”

 

He nodded seriously.

 

After pondering for a while, he picked up the barrier stone from our wagon.

 

‘Huh?’

 

My eyes widened as I watched the scene unfold.

 

A brilliant blue light emanated from Giscard’s hand, and then, as if being absorbed, the light was drawn entirely into the barrier stone.

 

Soon, the swirling light completely dissipated.

 

“Will this do?”

 

Giscard handed me the barrier stone.

 

I inspected the stone thoroughly, and my eyes sparkled with excitement.

 

“This is more than enough.”

 

[A. D. K]

 

TL/N: FOR YOUR REFERENCE, IN THE RAWS IT’S [K.B.L] WHICH I THINK REFERS TO “KNIGHTS OF BLUE LIGHT” BUT SINCE IN MY TRANSLATION IT’S [AZURE DAWN KNIGHTS=KNIGHTS OF AZURE DAWN] I CHANGED IT TO [A. D. K], PLUS THE NAME IN MY TRANSLATION IS BETTER IMO 🙂

 

Inside the transparent barrier stone, three letters shimmered as if floating in mid-air.

 

He had infused his Aura into the stone, engraving the initials of the Azure Dawn Knights.

 

As the infused Aura faded, the initials dissolved and disappeared.

 

“That’s really impressive.”

 

I admired genuinely.

 

“To be able to manipulate your Aura with such precision, not just release it—it’s amazing.”

 

I looked up at Giscard with wide, sparkling eyes

 

To which he replied.

 

“It’s nothing, stop making a fuss.”

 

He scolded me needlessly and turned his head away.

 

But then…

 

‘Huh, his ears are bright red!’

 

If I exaggerated a bit, it was as if touching them would leave a red stain.

 

‘Really, his ears are always so honest.’

 

Stifling a giggle, I gave Giscard a playful wink.

 

“Oh, and please keep this mark a secret from the 4th Knight Order.”

 

“…Understood.”

 

Giscard replied, trying hard to maintain a stern demeanor.

 

But with the back of his neck flushed red as well, the seriousness didn’t quite land.

 

“Oh, by the way, about the upcoming border guard duty…”

 

I began, holding back the urge to tease him more.

 

“You’re going too?”

 

Giscard turned to me, surprised.

 

“Yes. I want to check the state of the outpost as well.”

 

The outpost where the border guard duties are conducted.

 

Essentially, it’s a watchtower located near the portal.

 

The knights keep watch over the portal from there, handling meals and lodging, and staying for at least a month at a time.

 

And in my estimation…

 

‘The outpost’s housing is probably on the verge of collapsing too.’

 

Even the barracks’s housing only became livable after the technicians worked on it for several days.

 

So what about the outpost?

 

That’s why I planned to inspect it myself, figure out what needed repairs, and identify which supplies were lacking.

 

‘Honestly, it makes sense, right?’

 

What good is it to only fix the housing?

 

If you had to pick the most overworked people, it would be the knights on border guard duty, right?

 

So we should provide them with the most comfortable environment possible!

 

However, Giscard immediately rejected my suggestion.

 

“No, it’s too dangerous.”

 

Hmm, I expected that.

 

I understood why he said no.

 

After all, I wasn’t a combatant.

 

He was probably worried about me in his own way.

 

‘But still…’

 

I looked at Giscard with a sly smile.

 

“You know, Commander, there’s something you once said to me?”

 

“…What is it?”

 

Giscard stiffened, his shoulders tensing at my mischievous tone.

 

“Ahem, ahem.”

 

After clearing my throat a couple of times, I quoted Giscard’s words from the Dawn’s Festival party, word for word.

 

“Look, even now you’re just saying nice things, but you have no intention of actually sharing our suffering.”

 

“A-Astrid, Administrative Officer?”

 

His blue eyes shook as if struck by an earthquake.

 

I stared straight into Giscard’s eyes and continued slowly, enunciating each word.

 

“Anyone can play with words from a safe place—”

 

“Wait, wait!”

 

Giscard, looking as if he might faint, hurriedly interrupted me.

 

I mischievously asked.

 

“So, you really don’t want me to share the suffering with the knights, do you?”

 

“No, that’s…!”

 

“You said you didn’t want me to just play with words in a safe place, right?”

 

“Alright, alright! Just stop, please!”

 

Giscard’s face had turned completely red, like a ripe tomato, not just his neck and ears.

 

I watched him with great interest, then slyly suggested.

 

“If you’re that worried about me, you could come along too. Weren’t you planning to inspect the outpost yourself soon?”

 

Giscard gave me a grumpy look as if to say, ‘How did you know that?’

 

I simply flashed a beaming smile.

 

In the original story, it was mentioned that ‘Giscard would occasionally visit the outpost to check if there were any difficulties in the border guard duties.’

 

Well, given that resources were always in short supply, it didn’t make any difference when Giscard went there to look around himself…

 

‘Seriously, our male protagonist had a hard time too.’

 

A feeling of sympathy naturally appeared on my face.

 

Giscard, seeing my expression, turned away with a disgruntled look.

 

“Honestly, who could stop the Administrative Officer when she’s so stubborn?”

 

Having studied Giscard-speak ever since I joined the Azure Dawn Knights, I could tell.

 

This roughly translated to permission.

 

‘I won again today.’

 

Satisfied, I nodded to myself and sidled up next to Giscard.

 

“By the way, Commander.”

 

I’d been curious about something for a while.

 

At my call, Giscard glanced down at me from the corner of his eye.

 

“What is it?”

 

“Why are you here?”

 

“……”

 

As soon as I asked, Giscard clamped his mouth shut.

 

His blue eyes darted around, desperately avoiding my gaze.

 

‘Oh, don’t tell me…?’

 

My eyebrows shot up as a knowing smile spread across my face.

 

“Did you really come all the way here just to make sure I wouldn’t cause any trouble?”

 

“……”

 

“Really?”

 

Giscard couldn’t bring himself to answer my question.

 

I squinted at him.

 

Hey, Mr. Male Lead!

 

Isn’t this a bit too much?

 

You should really cut back on the prejudices!

 

* * *

 

With not much time left before they had to depart for the portal guard duty, the atmosphere within the 4th Knight Order’s barracks had grown exceedingly tense. This was because the Commander of the 4th Knight Order was in an exceptionally foul mood about being dragged into the portal guard duty.

 

‘Damn it.’

 

The Commander of the 4th Knight Order muttered through gritted teeth, practically sinking into the plush chair in his office.

 

“Just because she’s a princess, she thinks she can do anything she wants?!”

 

His bloodshot eyes glared into the air, as if he had Cassia right in front of him, and his appearance was quite ferocious.

 

“Just because you’re a princess, does she think she can go around poking her nose into everything?! Huh?!”

 

Unable to contain his anger, the commander of the 4th Knight Order slammed the desk.

 

BANG!

 

“As they say, if a woman meddles, even a doable thing won’t work out. What rotten luck, really!”

 

After panting for a while, the commander of the 4th Knight Order’s eyes gleamed ominously.

 

“This won’t do. I need to get rid of the princess somehow.”

 

* * * *

 

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