Chapter 317: Chapter 4 (5)
One day, a mysterious document surfaced throughout the Empire,
Igniting a flurry of rumors.
And those rumors, fueled by gossip and speculation, spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of the Empire.
The news eventually reached the Imperial Palace.
“Where did this even come from…?”
-Crumple.
The contents of the document were far from favorable, as far as the Imperial Family was concerned.
2025-02-20 21:41:05 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 316: Chapter 4 (4)
Unease had turned into anxiety, and that anxiety, fueled by undeniable proof, had solidified into a chilling certainty.
The moment Claire realized Carsein had left, she had mobilized the entire household, launching a frantic search.
She contacted the Knight Squadron, dispatched messengers, and scoured every corner of the Duchy.
But her efforts yielded no results.
“…We’re sorry, My Lady. We couldn’t find the Youn...
2025-02-20 21:38:25 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 315: Chapter 4 (3)
-Thud.
Arina placed the finished documents to the side.
An important task completed.
But she couldn’t put down her pen yet.
“…”
A mountain of paperwork still awaited her.
The rustling sound of paper had long since ceased.
The individual sheets, piled high, had formed a thick stack, their weight a testament to the sheer volume of work.
She sighed, reaching for the next document, w...
2025-02-20 21:34:39 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 314: Chapter 4 (2)
I had a general idea of what the work would entail.
Manual labor.
Having left the Duchy, I was now a commoner.
My steady income was gone, and I couldn’t just order people around.
—Thwack! Thwack!
‘…This is much worse than Shatrain.’
The north was known for its harsh conditions, and for good reason.
How could the same earth, within the same Empire, be so unforgiving?
If my stats...
2025-02-20 21:29:38 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 313: Chapter 4 (1)
I changed carriages and horses frequently, concealing my identity with nondescript clothing that covered my face and body, ensuring I wouldn't be recognized.
Thanks to these precautions, I arrived at Illeor, a remote region in the northern part of the Empire, far from the Bagrand Duchy, without being detected.
▶ Entered Illeor Field, Northern Empire. ◀
“…So this is it.”
Illeor was located on the opposite side ...
2025-02-20 21:26:14 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 312: As If It Never Happened (9)
This was the third carriage heading towards the Bagrand Duchy.
And they, too, encountered the same obstacle.
“So the Chas River Bridge is under repair?”
“Yes. Count Ptoah is personally overseeing the repairs. And with the recent downpour and the flooding, it’s impossible to cross at the moment.”
Arina, unfolding a map, explained the situation.
She pointed out the blocked roads, based on the...
2025-02-20 21:22:51 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 311: As If It Never Happened (8)
-Whoosh.
Dark clouds filled the sky,
The heavy rain showing no signs of stopping.
In fact, it was intensifying.
Normally, the sight of such a downpour would be met with sighs and groans within the Duchy.
The maids in charge of cleaning would lament the extra work, while those responsible for the gardens would be relieved that they had moved the potted plants inside before they were ruined.
2025-02-20 21:20:00 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 65: The Male Knight of Sianella (2)
Adelheit, the corner of her mouth curved into a sly smile, addressed the knight guarding her.
“I have some things to discuss with them privately. Please wait a short distance away.”
At the princess’s words, the knight moved a considerable distance away, and the solemn, refined air around Adelheit dissipated somewhat.
However, only Adelheit seemed to feel a sense of liberation from the knight's departure...
2025-02-20 20:57:02 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 64: The Male Knight of Sianella (1)
Princess Adelheit’s coming-of-age ceremony proceeded with splendor and solemnity in the vast royal gardens.
High priests bestowed blessings upon her with their holy power.
The Royal Knights pledged their eternal loyalty to Adelheit and the royal family.
And the King of the Aisilia Kingdom formally declared Adelheit Aisilia as his legitimate successor and the next ruler of the kingdom.
The reason, he p...
2025-02-20 20:36:51 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 63: Jealousy
“Lady Sione?”
At my call, Sione’s blue eyes, previously clouded as if with a thick mist, focused on me.
A smile began to spread across her lips, which had been set in a cold line.
But instead of her usual warm, beautiful smile, it was a playful, almost mischievous expression.
Perhaps because of the alcohol…
The combination of the black dress and her flushed skin, still tinged red from the wine, gave her an almos...
2025-02-20 20:34:08 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 62: The Message
While other nobles chatted amongst themselves, Aria Alenar stood alone, savoring her wine. She showed no other inclination to interact.
I’d assumed that, as the daughter of a Marquis house, she would at least exchange simple greetings with others, but my assumption proved wrong.
She simply glanced indifferently around the banquet hall,
“Sione?”
Occasionally checking on Sione.
She definitely seemed to be acquain...
2025-02-20 20:29:59 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 61: Adelheit Aisilia (3)
Things to discuss, she'd said.
What could I possibly have to discuss with someone I’d met for the first time today?
I suppressed my rising panic and bowed deeply, until I could practically see the top of my head.
A princess of the kingdom had personally sought me out and spoken to me.
If a lowly commoner like myself met her gaze with my head held high, I could have my head chopped off without a second thought.
2025-02-20 20:25:56 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 55: Irene Yustia (1)
***
A knight… is a steadfast sword, protecting the weak.
A single sentence, a dying wish, the foundation of Irene Yustia's being, the catalyst for her obsessive devotion to the knight's sword.
She was captivated by those words, spoken by a knight of the Yustia family, who had sacrificed himself to protect her, the sole weak link in their group.
Irene, who, as a child, had been as carefree and whimsical as a...
2025-02-20 20:11:06 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 54: Finn and Lili (5)
***
What was it I had just decided?
To be careful, to keep a low profile, to avoid attracting attention?
And yet, here I was,
Surrounded by my fellow first-year Knight Department students, exhausted from their own matches, their gazes fixed on Lili and me.
Ian, looking like a lovesick puppy, his eyes shining with excitement.
And the main culprit of this whole mess, Irene Yustia, the academy's strongest kn...
2025-02-20 20:09:11 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 53: Finn and Lili (4)
***
"Sigh…"
As the night deepened and the stars shone brightly, a sigh escaped Marianne's lips.
A sigh born of the complicated thoughts swirling in her mind, after hearing the proud Princess's confession.
"So, to summarize, Sir Finn was Your Highness's former attendant, and the fiancé Your Highness has been speaking of… is actually him…?"
"Yes…"
Her voice was barely a whisper, her head b...
2025-02-20 20:03:55 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 52: Finn and Lili (3)
***
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The sound of the Princess's feet kicking the innocent bed echoed through the opulent, gold-adorned room, each thump a testament to her escalating embarrassment.
'I'm insane! Absolutely insane! How am I supposed to face Finn tomorrow after doing something like that?!'
"May I inquire as to the reason for Your Highness's… vigorous interaction with the bed?"
Marianne Flo...
2025-02-20 20:00:49 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 51: The Second First Kiss
***
-You might lose the power, the talent, I gave you.
That was Finn's warning, in response to my desperate, regret-filled cry, lamenting my own weakness.
That I might no longer be able to protect Lili using his strength.
He had probably warned me because, as the Sword Saint, he knew the way to overcome this limitation, a way I couldn't see.
The way to infuse a sword with a singular purpose.
...
2025-02-20 19:56:38 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 50: Finn and Lili (2)
***
"Ah… this ring? I actually had it made from the hair ornament you gave me. I wanted to receive a ring from someone I loved…"
Lili answered my question about the ring in the Knight Department's top scorer training room, the only place where we could truly be alone.
She looked at me anxiously, wondering if I was upset that she had modified my gift.
She must have misinterpreted my stunned silence, my staring at ...
2025-02-20 19:54:43 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 49: Finn and Lili (1)
***
"…."
Lili's lips trembled, opening and closing soundlessly.
After a long pause, she finally spoke, a single word,
"Why…?"
Tears, both joyful and sorrowful, streamed down her face.
"Have you… Have you forgotten what I did to you? I…"
Tears traced paths down her cheeks, clinging to her chin before falling.
Plip. With every tear that landed on the ground, disappearing wi...
2025-02-20 19:52:49 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 48: I Love You
***
Her expression crumpled, and silence descended.
…Truthfully, I had suspected it since she reached out to me.
That the fiancé she spoke of was me.
But imagine this:
A beautiful girl, whose mere presence makes you smile.
The object of your unrequited affection.
And then, a single gesture, a pointed finger, reveals that you are the fiancé, the most important person in her life.
A w...
2025-02-20 19:50:45 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 47: I am Finn, the Princess's Attendant
***
"Sigh…"
The musty smell of the dungeon filled my nostrils with every breath, making me frown.
The rattling of chains with every movement was a constant reminder of my less-than-ideal situation.
No, not just less than ideal, downright terrible.
Well, maybe not the worst possible outcome. At least they were willing to hear my explanation, since I hadn't resisted arre...
2025-02-20 19:48:43 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 46: Reunion (4)
***
I opened my eyes to the blazing night sky.
Lili's sweet scent, clinging to me as she held me close, filled my senses.
"…Your Highness."
"F-Finn? Are you alright?! Are you hurt…? Oh, your eye…"
Speaking to her seemed to have backfired.
The moment she heard my voice, she started frantically checking my body and face for injuries.
Her hands cupped my face, but my gaze was fixed on Bifrons.
He...
2025-02-20 19:45:02 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 310: As If It Never Happened (7)
The distance from here to the Duchy wasn't far.
By carriage, it would take only a few hours, even less if they hurried.
And they could go faster.
The Bagrand carriage wasn't some cheap, rickety thing that would fall apart on rough roads.
They could even take shortcuts, if necessary.
They could endure the bumpy ride to reach their destination sooner.
And with an experienced coachma...
2025-02-13 06:12:26 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 309: As If It Never Happened (6)
“Wh-what should we do…?”
“I… I don’t know what to say…”
“I can’t believe this happened…”
The servants were sweating, their faces pale.
They didn’t know how to respond to Claire’s sudden, frantic demand to find Carsein.
Initially, they had been confused.
When she had demanded to know who had defaced Carsein’s portrait, they had scrambled to make excuses. The portrai...
2025-02-13 06:09:22 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 308: As If It Never Happened (5)
There had been countless times when she had acted rashly.
And she had learned, painfully, the consequences of her impulsiveness.
She had come to understand the impact of her misjudgments on those around her.
So, Claire had waited.
But this time, a nagging feeling wouldn’t go away.
Something was different.
This time, it felt wrong.
“Lady Claire? You’re returning to the Duchy now?”<...
2025-02-13 06:07:22 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 307: As If It Never Happened (4)
Following Camilla’s guidance, I arrived at the designated location, a place hidden from the Duchy's watchful eyes. Those who awaited me there turned their gazes towards me as one.
If even one of them raised their voice, my escape plan would be ruined.
Since the clear condition for Chapter 3 was to escape the Duchy, failure would undoubtedly result in severe penalties and a delay.
But they had no intention of c...
2025-02-13 06:05:11 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 306: As If It Never Happened (3)
A lot of time had passed.
From spring to the sweltering summer, through autumn, and now, the chilly winds of winter were approaching.
And yet, a strange warmth filled the carriage carrying the four women as they left the Duchy.
“Mother, it’s suspicious that you were gone for so long. What did you talk about?”
“Hee hee. What do you think?”
“Judging by how late you are… you must have told...
2025-02-13 06:02:52 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 305: As If It Never Happened (2)
“You heard that from both Claire and Flora?”
“Yes. I’ve never done anything like this before. Why would I prepare a banquet like that all by myself? I would have messed it up.”
Carsein readily admitted to having asked for help.
He rested his chin on his hand, his expression casual.
“Claire’s more familiar with noble customs and etiquette. She’s organized events before, and she...
2025-02-13 06:00:33 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 304: As If It Never Happened (1)
I had thought I could stay awake, if I just focused.
That I could resist sleep.
Sleep was something I could usually control. I could function on just a few hours of sleep. It shouldn’t have been difficult.
But…
-Shiver.
The cool sensation against my forehead, the unfamiliar feeling of lying in a bed…
And the warm sunlight on my face…
I couldn’t deny it any longer.
2025-02-13 05:57:35 +0000 UTC
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Chapter 303: Before He Leaves (4)
The Duchess’s birthday banquet proceeded smoothly.
While there had been a few choices and minor obstacles, there hadn’t been any major problems.
I had prepared meticulously.
I had taken every precaution to ensure a flawless event.
Time, money, even my own stamina,
I had spared no expense.
The information I had gathered beforehand had allowed me to distinguish between appropriate behavior and poten...
2025-02-13 05:56:02 +0000 UTC
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