The princess and I were clearly far apart, but as I read the note, it felt like we were having a conversation right before my eyes.
When was the last time I exchanged letters with someone privately outside of work?
Most of the notes were obviously small and ordinary things like light greetings or stories about the weather.
For some reason, my heart felt a little tingly as I looked at them.
That's how I almost finished reading the note.
Since 'Liz' couldn't make me come and go with letters every time, I noticed that she would use special means to contact me from now on.
Of course, it didn't really matter what method she used, but shouldn't she at least tell me what it was in advance?
"Special means?"
I muttered that absentmindedly because it even said that I could look forward to it, and Lady Elizabeth, who was standing in front of me, nodded as if she understood.
"Ah. That probably means sending the princess' pet, a white eagle owl. Its name is 'Snow.' It's a very smart guy."
"Indeed."
Seeing the knight with the most blunt expression emphasize that it was smart, I was definitely a little excited.
Pigeons are widely used as postmen anywhere in the empire, but this is the first time I've heard of a bird of prey delivering a letter. It must have undergone special training.
[I'll give you a short grace period because your schedule is busy for the time being, but you should be ready to come running whenever I call. For daring to confuse the heart of the princess of the empire. It's still a long way from being forgiven.]
"Haha…"
The note, which was packed with quite a lot of content for its small size, ended with a cute threat that now felt a little affectionate.
I wonder if this is how you feel when you receive a love letter that you've only heard about. Although the princess and I weren't in that kind of relationship yet, it definitely felt that way.
I was also very happy about the honor that was beyond my means. But at the same time, I felt a little bitter.
If only the princess's behavior in front of me was half as normal as the note I just sent.
"Have you read it all? You can keep the note for yourself, or you can dispose of it for security reasons. If you don't need it, please give it to me. The main office will definitely dispose of it."
"No, I'll keep it."
I folded the note carefully and kept it in my bosom.
If I think about it, it was the first personal letter I've ever received from a woman. It was a bit of a waste to throw it away.
"…I understand. However, please be especially careful not to lose it. Even though it's an unofficial communication, you should treat it the same as a top secret document."
"Don't worry."
On the other hand, I was a little relieved that this was the first step toward a normal relationship between a man and a woman.
After all, it was too late to avoid the princess approaching me. I had to take responsibility as a man.
Even though it was a family that had sent me to the battlefield as if they had thrown me away, I felt grateful for the first time that they had given me a bloodline that was not so bad.
I would endure countless insults, saying that I didn't know my place. At least I wasn't someone who would be executed immediately just for hanging out with the princess.
However, the difficulty of my life would become very, very difficult from now on. It would be okay to think that I would have to fight a new war to overcome the great gap in social status.
Still, I just had to somehow resolve the princess's perverted sexual preferences. In fact, compared to that incredibly painful problem, the other obstacles were minor.
If, really, the worst case scenario.
If rumors spread that the royal family's golden-leafed treasure, which had grown like a greenhouse flower, was actually a pervert, who would be held responsible?
Who on earth would think that they had corrupted the pure princess?
Externally, it would be more likely that someone influenced her rather than the 'kind and pure' princess who indulged in her own dark pleasures.
And the most likely suspect who would turn all of that upside down is...
—Creepy!
'Of course.'
It was so horrible that it made my hair stand on end just imagining it.
I tried to erase the ominous thoughts from my mind as much as possible, and I spoke calmly to Lord Elizabeth, who was starting to look at me strangely.
"Excuse me, I have something to think about. Then, let's get back to business. What kind of experiences do you want me to teach you?"
"Oh. That's..."
I started seriously coordinating Yeon-su's training schedule and details with Lord Elizabeth.
But as we talked, I thought that it would be a waste to just leave the royal guards who had already been dispatched to receive training.
"Sir Elizabeth. Of course, actual combat experience is important, but in terms of attitude and ability as a knight, isn't there no place in the Empire that can match the Imperial Guard?"
He spoke as if he had some kind of purpose and wanted to give a little bit of space, but the knight in front of him simply nodded his head nonchalantly.
"Yes. As individuals, this is where the best are gathered."
He seemed to accept the simple fact.
His appearance was not arrogant, but rather proud of being a true elite.
"Then, could you teach my subordinates a little? It doesn't matter how. Whether it's a lecture or a sparring match."
"Hmm. We came here to learn actual combat experience from you, Commander. Teaching the Black Lion Knights is not part of the instructions..."
Sir Elizabeth, who was a commander from the Imperial Guard that boasted strict discipline, began to think for a while with a stiff look.
"I think that's fine. If our efforts can make other knights better, it will lead to an increase in the defense power of the entire empire."
In the end, a positive answer was heard.
To be honest, I thought it was a bit too much to ask of a mere captain of ten, but it seemed that he could exercise that much discretion as the commander of the dispatched unit.
"Thank you. That is truly an excellent judgment."
"However, the knowledge that can be passed on is limited. Please keep that in mind."
Even though Elizabeth was only a captain of ten, she had the refined spirit to compete with the 1st Hundred Captains of the Black Lion Knights.
The subordinates under her command that I saw earlier also looked so excellent that it was hard to believe that they were all ordinary knights.
If they were to receive direct teachings and influences from them, it would be a new stimulus for the Black Lion Knights who were clumsy in many ways.
It was truly a great harvest.
A week had already passed since I received a note from the princess.
In the meantime, she and I had exchanged two letters, and now I was a little used to the white owls that suddenly flew into my window in the middle of the night.
In the first letter we exchanged, I received a reply that was full of complaints about my writing being so stiff as if it were a report. In the letter I received yesterday, I received a minor complaint about my sentences not being fluent.
Also, I had to rack my brain to write a reply that would satisfy the princess who always sent me long letters.
But I didn't hate it or find it annoying.
Of course, it would have been nice if our secret correspondence had only flowed in such a romantic and wholesome direction.
'Please, princess…'
The problem was that almost half of the letters were filled with lewd and vulgar content that was as if I was being raped in writing, and I was afraid to even describe it.
Even the most polite sentences were like this.
'Whenever I think of a scar on your face, my chest trembles. Even as I write this letter, my lower body feels wet...'
...Is that really a sentence that I can use in my right mind? I didn't even want to know the meaning of the mysterious word 'kung-bang'.
On top of that, the descriptions were so unnecessarily vivid that my mental pain doubled.
Even though I had already earnestly asked her to restrain herself once, she didn't listen at all, so my head hurt.
'It's gotten worse...'
At this point, I was truly afraid of the moment when I would meet her in person.
This is how it is with just a few lines of text. What would happen if I met her face to face?
I never dreamed that the princess of the empire would be such a foolish person until I met her in person.
"Sob!"
I worked my body harder than usual in the personal training center, desperately trying to purify my polluted mind.
Now, I have newly included physical training time in the official schedule by exercising my authority as the Knight Commander.
This is the result of gradually reducing the unnecessary mana training time and mental education time. The existing schedule was so inefficient.
Of course, mana training is important, but if it exceeds a certain amount of time, it is just time to sit still and be lazy.
Mental education? Why on earth would knights who have already proven their loyalty by being appointed need such things?
Rather than making them waste time following the schedule in the old textbook that has not been changed for decades, it would be better to boldly revise it.
The Master said. Strength and mental power are important for knights.
Also, isn't it said that pure mana is bound to reside in a strong body? Even for superhumans, consistent physical training was essential.
Of course, there were voices of discontent at the sudden change, but when I told them that I had survived like this on the battlefield, everyone became quiet.
With the harmonious conversation coming from the central training grounds in the distance, I worked hard to train my body, so where could a day be more fulfilling than this?
"Stand up straight, Lord Hassan! What on earth is that posture! How on earth did you get appointed when your movements are like that?"
"Ouch! I will correct it!"
"Is that all you can say?!"
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
Also, the awkwardness between the imperial guardsmen who had been dispatched and the Black Lion Knights seemed to have disappeared a lot, so I felt a sense of satisfaction.
It was when I was having such a peaceful afternoon.
"Captain!"
A familiar voice called out to me from outside the training grounds.
I opened the door right away because it sounded so urgent, and the vice-captain appeared in front of me, drenched in sweat, wearing a tight training uniform.
Her bare skin was visible here and there through the half-transparent fabric that was soaked through.
The impressive valley created by a pair of large peaks that could not be hidden despite being pressed down by the tight training underwear, and the firm abs with the number 11 carved into them were truly breathtaking…
'No, this is not it.'
I had to do my best not to be conscious of the incredibly provocative sight and the vice-captain's fragrant body odor that inevitably wafted out.
Come to think of it, I had also taken off my top, so her gaze was also lingering on my upper body, trembling incessantly, creating an extremely embarrassing situation for both of us.
It's not that he's weak, but he has so many scars that it must be uncomfortable to look at. I felt sorry for the vice-captain for no reason.
—Gulp!
Also, the vice-captain's throat must have been dry from rushing here, so I could hear him swallowing his saliva.
That wasn't the important part.
"What's going on, vice-captain?"
"Ssup… Ah! This is a big deal. We just received an urgent request for support from the 2nd Hundredth Regiment that had just been dispatched to Bartok Territory."
Instead of the eagerly awaited mission completion report, a request for support. And it was urgent.
It seemed like something was going wrong, but it was going wrong for a long time.