Chapter 34

“Marriage and all that…you sound just like the elders in my family, Viscount. Is that what happens when you get older? Your interests start revolving around such things?”

When Estelle openly called him out, Viscount Milo finally feigned an apology.

“Haha, perhaps that was an old man’s lapse in judgment. Please forgive my rudeness.”

Of course, there wasn’t a trace of apology on his face.

Viscount Milo could afford to be this disrespectful toward royalty because Estelle was only second in line for the throne, and her half-brother, the crown prince, was openly hostile toward her.

It was widely known that Estelle didn’t get along with her stepmother and half-siblings. Once Henry inherited the throne, it was an unspoken assumption that Estelle would either be married off or forced to live quietly, as if she didn’t exist.

Viscount Milo was just one of many who saw her that way.

Having been through situations like this far too often, Estelle would sometimes feel a surge of anger…only to find herself suddenly at a loss for words.

It was as if something had lodged itself deep in her chest, leaving her emotions with nowhere to go.

As always, Estelle quietly steadied herself.

“By the way, Viscount, what brings you to the capital? Wasn’t there a joint training exercise between the Eastern and Southern Legions in Arsigio just last week? It’s not exactly close by. I doubt you came all this way just to see an exhibition.”

“Sharp as ever, Your Highness.”

“Like a knife?”

Estelle held back a dry laugh. She was briefly tempted by the thought of stabbing him with it.

Viscount Milo then asked,

“Who do you think is the greatest swordsman in the kingdom? Has that ever crossed your mind, Your Highness?”

“That’s rather out of the blue.”

Viscount Milo gave a sly smile instead of answering, prompting Estelle to respond anyway.

“Anyone who says they’ve never thought about that is lying. It’s childish, but such a fun topic to imagine.”

“Exactly. But soon, that fun little topic will be the talk of the entire continent. Next summer, there’s going to be an international swordsmanship exchange tournament held in the imperial capital. Our kingdom has also decided to select representatives to participate.”

Estelle asked, half-jokingly,

“Are you planning to compete yourself, Viscount?”

“Hardly. I did make a name for myself back in the day, but I’m too old for that now.”

“Too old? I heard that during the joint training, you picked up soldiers who made mistakes and tossed them into the river with your bare hands.”

“If you’re a ranger from the East, that’s the least you can do. Even in old age.”

It was bravado befitting a true soldier.

Estelle gave a slight tug at the corner of her lips.

“Let me guess. You’re here to recommend someone from the Eastern forces as a representative, aren’t you?”

“As expected of Your Highness. The decision will be made by the officials at court, so I had no choice but to come in person.”

“How many representatives are being chosen?”

“Four, I’m told.”

“And what are the selection criteria?”

“Skill, of course. There will be a demonstration event showcasing the kingdom’s traditional swordsmanship, which is important in its own right. But the highlight of the exchange is the open tournament. People from all over the continent will come to see the finals, and even the Emperor of the Empire is scheduled to attend.”

“I hope our kingdom does well.”

“Exactly. Which is why it’s all the more important that proven talent is selected.”

On the surface, it sounded like a call for fairness, but Viscount Milo’s tone was clearly steering toward a particular goal.

Estelle shrugged.

“You must be quite confident. So who is it? The person you’re recommending.”

“A ranger from the First Mountain Brigade. Even as a low-ranking soldier, he always stood out, and now he’s managed to become a centurion at the youngest age in history. He’s probably in the border training camp right now, undergoing officer training.”

“A centurion at such a young age? He must be exceptionally skilled.”

“The brigade commander considers him a gem. He has an impressive record in subjugating beasts, and in one-on-one combat, there’s apparently no one in the brigade who can match him. Above all, the swordsmanship he uses is rather unusual. Most people who face him for the first time get taken out in the very first exchange. I imagine that advantage would carry over even in the Empire.”

“Unusual, you say? How so, exactly?”

“That’s still a secret. If he gets chosen as a representative, you’ll naturally have the chance to see for yourself.”

“You’re awful. Calling it a secret now, of all times.”

Just then, Estelle noticed that Josephine had been listening with an interested expression on her face.

Oh, right.

Josephine was a warrior who practiced swordsmanship as well.

She couldn’t be entirely free from the idea of who might be the greatest swordsman in the kingdom;

Josephine’s childlike, innocent expression as she perked up her ears made Estelle smile.

Estelle naturally passed the baton to Josephine.

“What about you, Josephine?”

“Huh?”

“Isn’t it possible that you could be chosen as one of the kingdom’s representatives?”

“…I’ve never really thought about that.”

Josephine responded after a brief pause.

She truly wasn’t good at lying.

Estelle spoke in a gentle persuasive tone.

“If what the Viscount says is true, then choosing the most skilled swordsman is in the kingdom’s best interest, isn’t it? As a knight sworn to the royal family, would there be any reason to shy away from such an honor? Besides, I’ve seen you fight before.”

“You’ve seen me fight?”

Josephine’s expression changed.

She had suddenly imagined something awkward.

Could she mean… the incident with the Candela Order?

But her concern was unfounded.

“I was there when you took the Royal Guard entrance exam.”

“Oh.”

Josephine let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Estelle continued with her eyes shining with anticipation.

“You were incredible. You actually defeated one formidable opponent after another without even flinching. I’m no expert, but with skill like that, wouldn’t you be among the top in the kingdom?”

“With swords, you can’t easily judge who’s superior without facing them directly… but if it’s an enemy standing before me, I’m confident I won’t lose to anyone.”

Estelle nodded in satisfaction, then turned to Viscount Milo with a teasing glance.

“What do you think, Viscount? Isn’t it possible that Josephine could be chosen to represent our kingdom?”

Viscount Milo gave a troubled smile.

“Well, it’s true the Royal Guard is often seen as the elite of the kingdom. And I do know that Lady Josephine is reputed to be one of the most skilled among them. But how meaningful is recognition that only comes from within the Guard itself?”

“What do you mean by that?”

Josephine responded immediately. Her voice was slightly raised.

It seemed the viscount had touched a nerve. Her pride as a knight, perhaps.

Viscount Milo answered calmly.

“For a swordsman, what matters most is real combat experience. But the Royal Guard hasn’t seen proper battle in decades, has it? You can’t expect true combat ability from such a group. Maybe they’re suited for ceremonial duties, nothing more.”

“I’m afraid I have to disagree with that.”

Josephine’s brow twitched.

“The Royal Guard is always prepared to throw themselves into the fray to protect the royal family against the worst of enemies. Just because we haven’t had the chance to prove that doesn’t diminish our worth.”

“Is that really what you believe?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm…”

Josephine replied without a hint of hesitation, and Viscount Milo gave her a disapproving once-over before speaking again.

“In that case, I would suggest you take a moment to reconsider your own appearance, Lady Josephine.”

“Huh?”

At his words, Josephine looked down at what she was wearing…and her face flushed red.

She’d realized what he was getting at.

The dress Estelle had gifted her, with its delicate straps and necklace still adorning her neck.

The viscount sneered.

“Rather than confronting enemies of the crown, that outfit makes it look more like you’re here to greet a guest. Dressed like that, can you even wield a sword properly? This is exactly why people say female knights are nothing more than ornamental flowers beside royalty.”

“Just a moment! That dress was my—!”

Estelle flared up, but Josephine stopped her with a raised hand.

When Estelle turned to her in confusion, Josephine spoke quietly.

“There’s no need to defend me. The viscount is right.”

Viscount Milo gave an exaggerated shrug, as if proud of himself, while Estelle quietly bit her lip.

He carried on with an air of smugness.

“Well now, I didn’t expect the conversation to get quite so heated. My apologies. I had no intention of disrespecting Lady Josephine. If anything, I hold her in high regard. After all, it couldn’t have been easy to join the Royal Guard as a woman. So please, don’t take my words too much to heart.”

Josephine clenched her fists silently and turned to Estelle, bowing her head.

“I’ll go change and return. I apologize.”

As Josephine walked away, her back turned, Estelle couldn’t bring herself to say anything.

After Josephine had completely disappeared from view, Viscount Milo chuckled lightly.

“Honestly, I wish some of my subordinates could learn even half as much as Lady Josephine.”

“Are you mocking her?”

“Not at all. I mean it.”

When Estelle looked into his eyes, she realized something and her brow furrowed.

“You were testing Josephine.”

“Hahaha, was it that obvious?”

“You did the same thing to me. Did you really have to go that far with her, too?”

“When it comes to gauging a person’s character, I find it’s best to push them a little. And true to her reputation for dedication and skill, Lady Josephine didn’t disappoint. Her personality’s a bit rigid, but… for a knight, that’s exactly as it should be.”

Estelle spoke firmly.

“What you did was wrong, Viscount. You owe Josephine an apology.”

“If I see her again, I will.”

“When is ‘again’, exactly?”

“Well, let’s say, for example, that Lady Josephine transferred to the Eastern Legion… Now that would be truly reassuring.”

“No way. Josephine is my personal knight. Who said you could just take her away?”

“Where she goes and what she does is ultimately her own choice, isn’t it? A true warrior knows their worth and naturally moves toward the role that suits them best.”

“And how would you rate Josephine’s abilities, Viscount?”

“Well, her skills are certainly far beyond what would be satisfactory in the Royal Guard. Is she perhaps secretly holding down another job somewhere?”

“Josephine is a knight sworn to the royal family. What else would she possibly be doing?”

“Who knows? She did look rather lovely in that delicate dress earlier. Maybe she works as a dancer at a tavern by night. If such a place exists, I’d love to pay it a visit. Haha.”

Estelle did something she would never normally do for Josephine’s sake.

She lifted her skirt and kicked Viscount Milo square in the shin.

“Argh! What do you think you’re doing?!”

“Sorry. But that felt incredibly satisfying.”

Estelle said and started dusting off her hands.