In one single moment, both his eyes and his heart had been stolen.
(I, it's her... It's Reaina-sama...)
The boy was looking at a girl inside a luxuriously decorated carriage that was passing right in front of his eyes. For a moment, he completely forgotten about his assignments, and his heart was excited by the appearance of this long-awaited person.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Kingdom of Agartania, right now a parade was being held as a main event. There were hundreds of knights arranged at equal intervals alongside the road, there was an orchestra playing the march, there was a King and a Queen, Princes and Princesses, and overly excited crowd of people.
(It is the real Reaina-sama...)
There was one particularly over excited knight who was guarding the road. Rou Coral's heart right now was soaring high.
Losing both of his parents at a very young age and having no other relatives, he went to the royal castle's gates. After that, for a several years he continued to refine his sword skills and spirit, and finally ascended from apprentice knight to being the official knight. Securing this parade was his first official job.
The nervous-looking boy's appearance was very similar to that of a girl, and he looked very innocent in his armor and helmet.
After adjusting and correcting his posture, he kept standing admirably at his post for a couple of hours, but now he can't help but to follow with his gaze the girl that passed right before his eyes. The Third Princess of the Kingdom of Agartania, Reaina Luise Wilhelmian, was the girl that he was looking at with sheer admiration.
Her long, golden hair wrapped in the rays of sun looked fluffy and were elegantly dancing in the wind, shining even more than the silver tiara on top of her head.
Her large eyes had long eyelashes, and over her eyelids a slender eyebrows were drawn. The high nose and well balanced facial features were completing her somewhat ecstatic image, making her look similar to the elegant fairy that graced the earthly plain with her presence.
And then there were her plump breasts, attracting the gazes of the audience, especially the males. She was tall, her body was slender, and over her pearl dress you could see her exposed, thin shoulders. Her huge breasts are standing in contrast to her figure, but it is exactly that that makes her magical charm so strong.
"Reaina-sama~~"
"So wonderful! Please, look this way ––"
To the cheering crowd she raises her hand and smiles, creating a noble image that feels almost like out of this world.
Her face was so beautiful, but by looking in her eyes he couldn't quite shake off the feeling that her expression was somewhat looked forced and unnatural.
(Haaah... And off she goes...)
Rou was among those young men who were captivated by the young princesses beauty.
Eventually she passed by him, and next in line was an Order of Knights marching gallantly. While he traced the princess's back with his eyes, he wondered what would it feel like to personally protect the royal family as a full-fledged knight one day.
"Reaina-sama is so pretty, isn't she~~?"
"Rumor has it that she is to marry the prince of the neighborhood Kingdom of Sahighland."
"Though it would be a political marriage, it would still be lovely to have such a wonderful bride."
He could hear the crowd chattering.
He was sorry to hear that Reaina was going to get married, but their positions as an orphaned knight and the country's princess were too different in the first place. He would often imagine love and romance going far beyond one's social status, but in the end it was nothing more than a fantasy. The boy sighed deeply.
"Uoooooohhhhhh! Ann-sama!!"
"Please look this way, Mirian-sama~~!"
"Kyaah–– She's so cute!!"
An even bigger cheer sounded amongst the crowd, bigger than that when Reaina was passing by. Raising his face again, he could see that another gorgeously decorated carriage has come. And this time, the princess who appeared in front of the people responded to their cheers with a charming smile full of energy.
(This is...)
She is Reaina's sister as well as the Fourth Princess, her name is Mirian Henriette Wilhelmian. And it so happens that she is the most popular one among all princesses, being overwhelmingly supported by the people.
Her beautiful facial features are adorned with big ribbons, and her long blonde hair, big eyes, plump cheeks, and cute nose ridges make her look super classy with them.
Her body, enveloped in a pretty dress with lots of frills, is hardly sensual, but her smile was like that of an angel, inviting smiles and warmth to people's hearts.
And there was hardly any doubt that in the future she would turn into a beautiful and refined young woman, just like her sister Reaina. That was what everyone were thinking, and the boy could hardly keep himself from smiling.
"Everyone, thank you very much~~."
Although she was young, she was as diligent and dignified as a full-fledged nobility, Mirian was also very friendly. She constantly leaned out of the carriage to weave her hands both left and right at the audience, responding to the cheers with a smile.
Of course, Rou also liked Miriane. However, since Rou was living on his own since he was very young, he strongly adored Reaina because of her aura of strength seeping out of her.
The princes and the princesses passed the parade, followed up by the Queen, and now it was the time for the King to appear. But then, amidst the excited crowd, colorful confetti dancing in the air, and the orchestra honoring the royal family with a song, an incident occurred.
"Brace yourself, King!!"
The scream was drowned amongst the cheers, but Rou heard it.
Tens of thousands of spectators were filling the course, and roads were overflowing with them.
From within that crowd, a single shadow jumped out and passed just beside Rou.
(Eh, no way...)
It rushed straight towards the King's carriage, with a bright flash of silver.
When the members of the Royal Guards noticed the deadly shadow, the man was already raising his hand up high.
"Why you ––––!"
Rou hurriedly jumped out of the formation, tackling right into the assassin's back.
The first assailant that emerged from the crowd sank to the ground in front of the carriage. He must not have anticipated being attacked himself, or else he would have for sure take some action instead of falling down face-forward.
The boy-knight fell on top of him, overlapping him from above.
"Easy now!"
Rou holds him by the hood and pins him down.
"Y-You little shit! Who the hell are you!?"
Soon enough, the elite unit of heavily equipped knights surrounds the suspicious individual and takes him into custody.
The knife fell from his twisted hand, and it seems that everyone, including the King, finally notices the seriousness of the situation. The atmosphere on the boulevard in front of the castle in the blink of an eye turned from festive to turbulent.
"Do not think that this the end, Agartania!"
The gazes of all spectators turned towards the man who was stripped of his black robe and was dragged away, as well as the boy still lying on the ground. Thanks to his swift and quick reaction, the King's attempted assassination was prevented.
The boy who managed to achieve such a thing got up on his feet with a look of shock on his face but quickly bowed down his head when he realized that he was standing in front of the King.
"What is your name?"
To the inquiries of the Knight's Captain, the boy responded in a panicked and nervous voice.
"Rou Coral of the Kingdom Knights Order 17th Platoon..."
"You will receive orders shortly. For now, return to your post."
The area becomes restless, but the interrupted parade begins anew and the carriage with the King leaves the site.
"Hey, that's amazing, isn't it?"
"For such an amazing achievement, he will surely be rewarded nicely."
Rou, who was always fascinated with the Princess, could not recall the last time that something so unrealistic happened to him. So, until he finished his mission he continued to stare into the sky, with the voices of his colleagues sounding somewhere at the back of his head.
At that time it certainly did not feel realistic to him, and he was so sure that nothing great would happen to his life.