“…It’s quite a rare occurrence, Valken.”
Hedera expressed a brief sentiment.
The Empire’s Imperial Knight Order.
Capital knights, wandering knights… Among the countless knight orders and knights on the continent, the prestigious title undoubtedly belongs to the Imperial Knight Order.
They gather verified knights and undergo rigorous training. The result is an elite knight.
So, the tale that one Imperial knight can take on an entire unit of other knights isn’t just a joke on the continent.
However.
The Imperial Knight Order is also known by another name.
─Silent Knight.
They never make unnecessary sounds.
There is no sound when they wield their swords.
And in the final moments, they leave no last words.
Yet, Valken is undeniably a guard knight of the Imperial Knight Order. For him to request to speak in an official setting was indeed unusual, as Her Highness stated.
But, on the flip side, when he does speak, there must surely be a reason.
To become a guard knight for a princess, one must survive countless competitions even within the Imperial Knight Order. Only when others perceive you as superhuman can you finally achieve the glorious duty of guarding the princess.
So, the voice that was raised now is not simply that of a knight.
He speaks as a superhuman, holding an immense honor.
As the 2nd Princess, there was no reason for her not to pay attention.
Valken first bowed politely.
“Please forgive my rudeness. I am fully aware of my reckless behavior.”
“Go ahead and speak. I’m listening.”
The observing mages swallowed dryly.
Why did the guard knight suddenly step forward? The mages’ faces began to show an unsettling anxiety, while the inspector, Ezekiel, remained remarkably calm.
Huuuh—
Calmly, he only puffed out smoke from his sunweed.
In fact, he was far too accustomed to such matters.
Fame is bothersome, and obscurity is frustrating.
Ezekiel belonged to the latter category.
Most of the duties he had undertaken throughout his life were carried out in concealment, so it was quite rare for him to encounter any backlash.
─Who do you think you are?
─Can you take responsibility?
─Do you know who I am?
‘Too many to count.’
The attitudes demanding proof while glancing down at Ezekiel were beyond counting. Such matters were merely a nuisance to him. Not difficult at all.
It was then that Valken continued speaking.
“Before the 2nd Princess makes a decision regarding the sale of the Magic Tower, there’s something I must request.”
But Ezekiel immediately interjected.
“I believe it would suffice to request after hearing the decision; Her Highness must have solidified her intent by now.”
“…”
At that, the sharp gaze from behind the helmet turned towards Ezekiel. There was no room for misinterpretation; it was sheer hostility.
Half of the 2nd Princess’s face was hidden behind the mask, but a fleeting hint of curiosity flickered in her eyes.
Hedera slowly opened her mouth.
“Inspector, do you have confidence in hearing the results you desire?”
Ezekiel did not even bother to reply to that question.
He merely bowed slightly with an overly relaxed smile, a display of overwhelming confidence.
But at that moment.
“Regardless of today’s decision, it seems that the inspector needs to correct his attitude. How dare you be so rude in the presence of Her Highness?”
Again, the voice belonged to Valken.
This must be what it feels like to encounter the eyes of a beast in the night. Yet, Ezekiel simply accepted the remark as if it were nothing.
“I don’t know about manners, but I focus on results.”
He spoke as if the 2nd Princess were absent.
“Isn’t that better than having an incompetent inspector?”
“…How dare you.”
For Ezekiel, it was a sincere question, but for Valken, it seemed like a provocation as he placed his hand on the sword’s hilt, staring at Hedera.
“Please grant me 10 minutes of your time. I will instruct this Magic Tower on the proper way to address Her Highness.”
However, it was rather embarrassing how even Hedera didn’t seem to care about Ezekiel’s attitude.
The 2nd Princess simply waved her hand lightly and said.
“The guard knight should state his request first.”
“…Understood.”
There was no choice. If the princess wasn’t raising a problem, it would be an abuse of power for him to get all worked up. Valken felt increasingly anxious and uneasy for this very reason.
…Hedera’s attitude toward Ezekiel is different.
He had never seen the princess treat someone in such a way.
Taking a deep breath and straightening his posture, the guard knight spoke.
“Your Highness, I believe there is a significant difference between a great person and a great leader. The gap is substantial.”
“Hmm.”
“Even if the inspector is an excellent mage, he has not proven himself as a leader in today’s presentation. In order for the Imperial Magic Tower to achieve high results, the skill of all its members must increase, correct?”
Everyone listened quietly. The logic itself was sound.
“Many citizens of the Empire are currently suffering from the erosion phenomenon. If he were truly a commendable inspector, he should quickly foster skilled individuals and demonstrate actual results.”
Hedera seemed to ponder for a moment.
Eventually, as if she had made a decision, she nodded.
“I’ll grant others the right to speak as well. You don’t need to stay silent. Feel free to share your opinions.”
Then Widro, the leader of the theoretical faction, stood up immediately.
“You mentioned that they should quickly foster skillful individuals to achieve results, but how long exactly are you referring to? Consider that an exchange meeting is soon scheduled.”
“The citizens of Ruiple, just next door, are suffering from mana and monster issues even as we speak. I believe we must resolve this within a week at the latest.”
“…You can’t be serious! One week? You must be joking!”
“I’m confident that I could raise them to be knights in just a week. Is that not possible for this Magic Tower?”
At that moment, Nox pushed up his glasses and interjected.
“Guard knight, the inspector has provided significant motivation to the mages who have been wandering aimlessly in this Magic Tower. Isn’t that already a result?”
“Motivation can come from a band of thieves. What’s important is visible results. Not that kind of emotion.”
“What…! Are you saying that we are a band of thieves?”
“After receiving taxpayer investment with no results, perhaps calling you a band of thieves is flattery. It seems you’ve been legally robbing us.”
“…!”
The expressions of the mages began to fill with resentment and anxiety. They had harbored hope after seeing the presentation, but the guard knight was attempting to take that away.
The problem was that his words rang true.
To highlight individual excellence over leadership excellence is logically valid.
However, the mages felt uneasy. The difference between dreaming and achieving was as vast as the sky and the earth.
Could they really reach the level shown by the inspector? Could they arrive at the locations where the erosion phenomenon had erupted, amid mana chaos, and achieve remarkable results?
…In just a week?
Results meant the purification of the erosion area.
Purification meant the defeat of monsters and fiends, leading to the stabilization of the people’s lives…
With no guarantees, anxiety enveloped them.
Just then, the training ground began to stir.
“Halt!”
Hedera declared.
Although she didn’t lower her mask to speak the Dragon Speech, this alone was enough to quell the chaos.
“Valken has faithfully carried out his duties for many years, and the presentation by the new inspector was impressive. Please provide your opinions based on what you’ve heard so far.”
The princess’s gaze flicked over to Valken.
“I am a bearer of dragon’s blood, a princess, and a lingual mage… The weight of the words I speak is immense. I’ll decide today. The sale will be made now; the guard knight wouldn’t dare oppose.”
“Of course not. I’ll follow whatever you decide.”
Hedera nodded.
“For now, the Magic Tower will not be sold. That’s my decision.”
“…!”
At this, the mages’ eyes went wide. Their previously anxious and worried expressions were now filled with joy.
However, the 2nd Princess’s words were not finished yet.
“And while the guard knight’s assertions hold merit, it’s a suggestion that the inspector cannot afford to ponder. It is indeed a suggestion that carries no benefit.”
“….”
“Therefore, let’s do this.”
Hedera slowly crossed one leg.
An alluring posture that was more than just fitting.
“If the inspector accepts the guard knight’s proposal despite the tight schedule, I will partially open the Imperial report. That could serve as the reward from the Magic Tower.”
“…The Imperial report?”
Agnes found herself mumbling without realizing it.
The Imperial report—wasn’t that a resting place for unimaginable treasures?
“I will open the first floor and grant you what you desire from the Magic Tower. As a lingual mage, I will not speak lies.”
“The entire first floor…!”
The mages buzzed with excitement.
Meanwhile, Valken remained calm. There was no chance that the inspector would step into the report. In fact, there was little chance he’d take the proposal seriously.
The reason was simple. These people wouldn’t be capable of it.
Instantly, everyone’s attention turned towards Ezekiel.
It was like a trap.
Participation wasn’t forced, but there would be rewards for joining. On the surface, it appeared one could simply avoid participation after forgoing the reward, but certainly, no fool would think that way.
…the princess wouldn’t have shown interest if she didn’t have something to gain. That was the crux of the matter.
If they avoided it, the princess would be disappointed, which was problematic.
If they accepted, the possibility of realization was nonexistent, which was problematic.
…It was a trap. Disappointment settled on everyone’s faces.
After a significant pause.
Ezekiel finally spoke.
“Well, I’m not inclined.”
“…”
At this, the mages awkwardly nodded.
It was the expected response and a safe bet. Considering the potential for utter failure, it would be much safer to have the princess be just a little disappointed.
“Ha.”
Just as Valken snickered as if he had predicted it, at that moment.
“Still, since it’s a matter of receiving Imperial treasures, guard knight, let’s say you will produce results exceeding his.”
“…”
Everyone fell silent for a moment.
Valken doubted his ears, parting his lips.
“…Results higher than my knights?”
“Indeed.”
“─!”
Then, everyone reacted as if struck by lightning.
Not only would they nurture the mages, but they would also produce results from the Ruiple region…
Ezekiel confidently declared that he would surpass Valken’s results as an Imperial Knight.
…He had now boldly asserted that.
A situation where everyone seemed frozen, like they had been struck by lightning.
In the midst of this oppressive silence.
“Inspector, are you out of your mind?”
To the guard knight’s question, the man expelled smoke from his sunweed.
And then.
He smiled broadly, showing all his teeth.
“…I was never in my right mind.”
A straight and piercing azure gaze.
It had long since penetrated Valken’s helmet.
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