Chapter 75

Cordelia had come to the palace to see off Femina, who had regained her spirits. She was there to handle the procedures that could be managed by a proxy among the tasks assigned to Leonhardt. After submitting the prepared documents, she was walking with her attendant, Hannah, when a familiar figure appeared.

"Hey, what a coincidence to run into you here."

It was the young imperial soldier with the matted red hair who had helped her recover the veil. Today, he was accompanied by a large man who seemed to be his subordinate, and he appeared to have come to the palace as well.

"…It's been a while. Thank you very much for your help on the day of the welcoming ceremony."

"You're too formal. It was nothing. How about I show you a magic trick or two today?"

"Thank you, but before that, may I ask for your name?"

"My name?"

The young man smiled genially.

"Guess it. I'm sure you, Lady Cordelia, already have an idea?"

Cordelia's name was called casually. She had never introduced herself to him, yet he seemed to know her name as a matter of course. Taking his provocative words as a challenge, Cordelia decided to respond.

"Lord Allen Rude. One of the Thirteen Knights of the Ringland Empire, the fourth in rank, right?"

The Thirteen Knights of the Empire.

As the name suggests, they were the elite of the elite in the rapidly expanding empire, with only thirteen members. Anyone with an interest in politics and diplomacy should have known of them.

(I had heard that he was a commoner who had been chosen as one of the Thirteen Knights at a young age in a military state like the empire, so I imagined a more robust and typical military figure...)

The large young man standing behind Allen looked more like what Cordelia had imagined. Upon closer inspection, Allen was also well-built, but his demeanor was gentle, and he seemed like someone who wouldn't look like a soldier if he took off his uniform.

If Cordelia hadn't been curious about the person who had helped her recover the veil that day and investigated, she wouldn't have realized that he was one of the famous Thirteen Knights of the Empire.

"Last time, I didn't get a proper chance to greet you, and I apologize for that."

"Haha, don't be so formal. I just happened to notice the veil and decided to lend a hand."

Was it really just a coincidence?

Allen being one of the Thirteen Knights of the Empire.

He might have been observing Cordelia that day and looking for an opportunity to make contact. For Cordelia, he was someone she couldn't let her guard down around.

"Umm, once it's revealed that you're one of the Thirteen Knights of the Empire, people tend to get stiff. I'm not that scary, you know? I'm a genuine commoner, born and raised. I even learned magic tricks to feed my grandmother."

"…Your grandmother?"

Cordelia, who also cherished her late grandmother, felt a sense of familiarity and decided to listen to Allen's story.

"Yeah. My parents died in an accident when I was very young. My grandmother raised me. She was a loud and energetic person, but she couldn't win against age. I started performing magic tricks for passersby to earn money for both of us."

"That's why you're so skilled at magic tricks."

Allen's magic tricks were so impressive that it was hard to see how he did them. Since he wasn't using elaborate equipment, it must have been a testament to his skill in sleight of hand and directing the audience's attention.

"Well, I worked hard, but there's a limit to what a commoner kid can earn with just magic tricks. My grandmother was getting smaller, so when I came of age, I decided to become a soldier. At first, I didn't understand much about being a soldier, but I was fortunate enough to be assigned to the unit where His Majesty the Emperor was stationed."

The current Emperor of the Ringland Empire had risen to power from a military background. Allen seemed to have been recognized by the Emperor when he was still a soldier on the battlefield.

"His Majesty seemed to take an interest in the magic tricks I performed for my fellow soldiers during training breaks."

"Your magic tricks must have been exceptional to catch the Emperor's eye."

"Cut it out, don't flatter me. It was just a whim of His Majesty, a way to pass the time. As proof, I once had a magic duel with His Majesty…"

"How did it go?"

Cordelia, intrigued by the outcome, asked.

"The result… you'll have to wait for the next time we meet to find out."

Allen waved his hand and walked away.

"Save the rest for our next meeting. It'll be something to look forward to."

With that, he left. Cordelia watched the matted red hair of his back as it grew smaller.

(I got caught up in talking about his grandmother and lost track of time…)

Was this part of Allen's plan?

In this country, it wouldn't take long to find out that Cordelia was raised by her grandmother, not her parents. Allen might have mentioned his grandmother to gain Cordelia's empathy and make the conversation smoother.

(He doesn't seem to be the kind of Thirteen Knight I imagined…)

Cordelia reaffirmed that he was a capable and unpredictable opponent.

Among the candidates for Zaid's collaborators currently under investigation, there were names of Ringland Empire personnel, including Allen. Although the possibility was low, there was a chance that Allen and the Empire were involved in some way.

"I need to be careful…"

Cordelia murmured and led Hannah towards the palace exit.

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"Since we have the carriage, why don't we visit Lord Bernhardt's quarters?"

After leaving the palace, Cordelia had the carriage head to Bernhardt's place. They had been collaborating on the Zaid case, but usually, Bernhardt would come to Cordelia's mansion. Today, she had some documents from Leonhardt to deliver to Bernhardt, so she decided to visit him.

"The address we have should be here…"

Hanna, Cordelia's attendant, frowned as she looked out the window. The scenery outside was gradually becoming more desolate. Bernhardt's quarters were located in a corner of the capital where land prices were relatively low and nobles rarely ventured.

"This is…"

Cordelia was slightly surprised when she saw the quarters after getting out of the carriage. Bernhardt was a young hero and the captain of the third squad of the Eltoria Kingdom's garrison. Despite his illustrious position, the quarters in front of her seemed to tell a different story.

"Rundown…"

Cordelia whispered, and Hanna nodded in agreement. The quarters were spacious, but the location and the condition of the building made it hard to believe it was Bernhardt's residence.

"Excuse me, it's Cordelia."

Hanna knocked on the door, and footsteps approached from the other side. The door was opened by Bernhardt's deputy, Gail.

"Lady Cordelia, welcome. Is there something urgent?"

"No, not really urgent, but I have some documents for Lord Bernhardt, so I thought I'd drop by on my way out. Could you pass these to him?"

"Thank you for your trouble. Since you've come all this way, would you like to meet Lord Bernhardt?"

"…Is it alright for me to come in?"

Seeing the dilapidated building, Cordelia decided to ask just to be sure.

"Yes, of course. If you don't mind, please come in."

"Thank you."

Following Gail, Cordelia stepped into the building. The interior was as worn out as the exterior. The floorboards were intact, but cracks ran through the walls in various places.

"Lady Cordelia, are you surprised by this state?"

"…To be honest, a little."

"It's understandable. I didn't hide it, but it's a shocking sight to see in person."

"Is this quarters arranged by the Eltoria Kingdom's military?"

"Yes, it is. In a way, this quarters reflects Lord Bernhardt's position."

"Lord Bernhardt's—"

Cordelia stopped in the doorway as Gail did.

"Lord Bernhardt is currently training in the backyard. He should be finishing soon. Would you like to wait nearby?"

"Sure."

Outside the door, a spacious garden spread out. The bench in the garden was rusty, but the grass had been cut. In the center, Bernhardt was swinging his longsword with intense focus.

"His speed is incredible."

Even to Cordelia, who was a layperson, the intensity was evident. Bernhardt wielded the longsword as if it were an extension of his body.

"Lord Bernhardt was so frustrated by his loss to Prince Leonhardt, but he also seemed to enjoy it. He hasn't been this serious and enthusiastic about training since he spent time with his siblings at home."

As Gail explained, Bernhardt finished his training. He wiped the sweat from his brow with a cloth hanging on a nearby tree branch, sheathed his sword, and approached.

"Lady Cordelia, I kept you waiting."

"I just arrived. Are you done with your training?"

"Yes, for today, the sword training is over. I plan to take a break and then move on to magic training."

"You're very diligent."

"It's a hobby and a source of fulfillment. Since I still feel there's room for growth, training is very enjoyable."

Despite the intense training he had just completed, Bernhardt already looked cool and collected. He seemed to be thoroughly trained as a soldier.

"How much training does Lord Bernhardt do every day?"

"Recently, except for the time spent searching for Zaid's collaborators, I've been training almost every day."

"Training all the time…"

Cordelia decided to ask her question in response to Bernhardt's answer.

"…Does Lord Bernhardt have no other duties besides searching for Zaid's collaborators?"

"Not at the moment."

Bernhardt answered immediately to Cordelia's hesitant question.

"I am indeed the captain of the Eltoria Kingdom's third squad, but I'm more of a figurehead."