Chapter 13

"Nice to meet you, Lord Virginia."

--This is troublesome.

When I saw him, I had that gut feeling.

Even his simple bow exudes a sense of completeness in mind, body, and spirit. If we were to compare just our sword skills, I can tell that even as a knight, I would be outmatched.

His handsome appearance is so captivating that even I, a man, am drawn to it. The well-tailored clothes he wears are of a quality that I can't even imagine the cost. His shoes are made of shiny leather, likely from a very high-ranking monster.

What stands out the most is the cloak he wears. The deep black and indigo colors seem to draw you in, and the gems scattered like stars make it look like the night sky.

But. This beautiful decoration is not on the outside. It's on the inside of the cloak.

What does this mean?

He is hiding something. Probably something extraordinary.

"Father. This is the noble from a foreign land, Lord Second."

My daughter, whom I haven't seen in a long time, introduced him timidly.

Sylvia, you're still a poor liar. Your eyebrows are twitching.

...Now, I know he's not a noble.

Then, who is he?

There is only one thing, just one thing, that I can think of. It is—“Prince.”

The first prince of our Castor Kingdom, Claus, is skilled in swordsmanship, and it is said that his skills are among the best in the kingdom. The second prince, Mein, is rumored to be the top student in the first year of the prestigious 'Royal Magic School.'

The dazzling confidence, overflowing wealth, shrewd appearance, intellectual gaze, and transcendent composure of the person in front of me—none of these aspects fall short of what I know about the royal family.

...Alright. I should test him.

With this in mind, I decided to act as if we were equals.

If he gets angry, then he's just a commoner. If he shows any signs of fraud, I can have him arrested for fraud.

"Yes, Lord Second. I am Noir Virginia. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you."

To my surprise,

He returned with a confident smile and just one word.

I am certain—He is a royal from a foreign land. There's no doubt about it.

If he were a dirty noble, he would surely be enraged at being treated this way by a mere knight. There would be some slip in his actions or words. A noble pretending to be a royal would never be able to maintain such composure in front of my disrespectful treatment. Besides, he has never once claimed to be a royal.

If that's the case.

...I should honestly apologize for my rudeness.

Bang. The sound of my head hitting the table.

"Your Highness Second. I apologize for testing you. I will accept any punishment. However, if you forgive me, this Noir will do anything for you."

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I can't let it slip away.

Sylvia brought this person here. Even if he isn't skilled with a sword, I know she has a good eye for people. Second Highness is most likely not a bad person. Whatever his purpose may be, if I can be of use to him, it will benefit my family and even the Castor Kingdom. I should seize this opportunity.

I kept my head bowed, waiting for Second Highness's response.

I hope it will be good for the Virginia knight family.

* * *

How did it come to this, I wonder.

I want to say that.

I was just trying to hype up the "Damacrass Operation" and thought it would be as simple as "wearing rare clothes, pretending to be a noble from a foreign land, and tricking Sylvia's dad into writing a recommendation letter for the magic school."

A knight who became a knight through his sword skills, even without "power," has "credibility." I was confident that a bright response would come from the Royal Magic School.

But in reality, it's like this.

What is this?

Why is Noir bowing his head?

Highness? What?

Test? Punishment? I don't understand anymore.

I glanced at Sylvia. She was frozen, her eyes wide.

What the hell is this? I don't understand at all.

...But there is one thing I do understand.

It is—

"Raise your head."

—That I should go along with it.

When I said this boldly, Noir raised his head.

Strangely, I can tell what kind of face Sylvia, who is standing behind me, is making. It must be a shocked face, like "What are you talking about!?"

But there's no going back now. I've decided to keep up the act of being "someone important" as far as I can.

"I'm sorry for deceiving you... I have my reasons for hiding my identity. Can you understand?"

"Hmm. I will not speak of it to anyone."

Oh, it was a spur-of-the-moment decision, but it seems to be going well.

"I have two requests today."

"Hmm. Please tell me what they are."

...Noir, you're quite gullible. What kind of misunderstanding led to this?

I'm starting to worry about the Virginia family. You're a knight, aren't you? Don't you swear loyalty to the King of Castor? What's the point of bowing so low to someone of unknown identity?

You are truly Sylvia's father in every sense.

But I can't let my guard down just because my opponent is a klutz (father). I rack my brain to think of the next words to say.

"Let's start with a small request. I need a connection to the Royal Magic School. Is it possible?"

"Hmm. If it's for a transfer to the first year, I can write a recommendation letter right away. I once fought alongside Kevin, an elf who is the head of the first year."

...Wow. I knew Noir was a trustworthy person, but I didn't expect this much. This guy is amazing.

But a transfer is not good. The period is too long. I just need to sneak in and read some magic books.

"Short-term is fine. Do you have any ideas?"

"Hmm. Then, a short-term study abroad program might be the best option."

"I see."

It's a good idea. If I say I'm visiting the magic school from a foreign country, it will make sense.

How long should it be? A short period is better, but if I can't find the magic books in 2-3 days, it will be bad.

Oh, right, Sylvia also needs to learn the second and third forms of fire magic. If she can flip through the pages like I do, she might be able to learn it.

...Hmm, I'm a bit worried, so I'll make the period a bit longer.

"Alright, the period will be two weeks. I'll ask for a recommendation letter in that form."

"As you wish."

Noir nodded, and his eyes briefly glanced at Sylvia.

He's probably starting to wonder about the next request. And he probably expects it to be about Sylvia. Noir is quite sharp. But why is he so strangely mistaken? Still, it's thanks to this that I'm getting away with it, so I can't really complain.

"Well, after the small request, the next one should be important."

"That's right."

Noir, nodding in agreement with my casual words.

I straightened up and opened my mouth.

"Let me be straightforward... I like Sylvia. She has talent in archery and magic. Could you allow her to accompany me as my attendant?"

I bowed slightly and made the request.

I thought that if I get Sylvia's accompaniment recognized now, I can have Noir on my side if the spy in the Third Knight Regiment is exposed and a conflict arises. Ideally, I would like the direct approval of the Virginia family.

...But, is "I" really appropriate? Noir's eyes were wide. Maybe it was a bit too much.

"Please raise your head, Your Highness."

Noir's flustered voice. I slowly raised my head.

"She is an unworthy daughter, but if Your Highness wishes, you may use her as you see fit. However, do you really want Sylvia...?"

He still has doubts.

Of course, in Noir's mind, Sylvia is just a dreamy girl who wants to be a knight but can't even handle a sword properly.

"Indeed, she has no talent for the sword. But in archery and magic, her skills are truly renowned throughout the land. I guarantee it. Sylvia should leave the knight regiment and come with me."

I declared confidently.

"Sylvia has such talent...?"

Noir still didn't believe it. Tough.

"I have borrowed her from the Third Knight Regiment for a two-year contract. When the period is over, I plan to ask the regiment to send her to me. At that time, I would like to ask for your help, Lord Noir."

I want to show that I really want Sylvia.

"......I am afraid......No, I am honored."

Noir started to say something negative but quickly retracted it. Then, with a determined look, he said:

"I hope for a lion's fierce performance. Even if I remain seated here, I will wait for the cheers that will surely reach this house."

After Noir's words, I could hear Sylvia's breath, which seemed to be filled with emotion.

I didn't quite understand what he said, but I guess it means "OK," right? It must be.

"That spirit is admirable. I will never forget the Virginia family."

I nodded in satisfaction, smiled as broadly as I could, and left the Virginia residence with Sylvia.

...Strangely, my legs were trembling as I walked back. I was really nervous.

Sylvia was complaining all the way back, saying things like "You idiot!" and "You big idiot!" and "Being with you, I don't have enough hearts to spare." But I know that when Noir recognized your talent with the bow and sent you off, you were a little teary-eyed. It was the right decision to strain your heart, wasn't it?

However, well, now that we have a connection to the Royal Magic School... It seems to be more troublesome than I expected, and I'm a bit scared.

I really thought, deep down, that I shouldn't have to lie.

* * *

"Principal Paula, I have something to talk about."

In the principal's office of the Royal Magic School, a tall, long-eared man with a beautiful face entered without hesitation. The man, surrounded by bookshelves, approached the desk where Paula, a woman with glasses who looked like a grandmother, was quietly writing with a pen.

"Kevin, I always tell you not to call me by my first name."

Paula said this and stopped writing.

"It's fine, right? We're alone here."

"Are you trying to flirt with me?"

"Hehe. Flirting with a woman two decades younger than me goes against my gentlemanly principles."

"Oh, that's right... You..."

Paula, holding her head in her hands at Kevin's smile. Seeing this, Kevin tried to smooth things over.

"Whoa, don't misunderstand. I'm not saying you lack charm. If you were just a little older, say, another 100 years, it would be a strike, you know."

"...You're a hopeless case, being a fan of mature women despite being an elf."

"What did you say just now?"

"It's a monologue."

Incidentally, the age of Paula Memento, the principal of the Royal Magic School, is 49, and the age of Kevin, the head of the first year and the teacher of the first year A class, is 130. Paula, being human, looks younger than her age, while Kevin, being an elf, looks much younger than his over a hundred years of life.

"So, what's the matter? You didn't come just to chat, did you?"

When Paula asked, Kevin snapped his fingers and answered.

"I received a letter from Noir."

"Oh, that's unusual... But it doesn't seem to be just a letter, does it?"

Paula sensed something from Kevin's expression.

"You're right. The letter says—A noble from a foreign land wishes to study abroad at the magic school. I wish for my daughter Sylvia to study in your class for two weeks."

As Kevin's expression became serious, Paula's also hardened.

The request itself is not a big deal. A two-week study abroad can be arranged. The problem is the person who made the request and the person who was requested.

"What do you think?"

When Paula asked, Kevin opened his mouth as if he had been waiting for it.

"That stern Noir calling someone 'noble.' It means the person is someone Noir can't help but recognize. Not only that, but he even wrote a recommendation letter and sent his own daughter as an escort. This is an unusual situation. We need to take immediate action."

"I mostly agree."

The two, with their arms crossed, groaned.

The letter doesn't say anything about who the person is or what their purpose is. All we know is the name "Second."

"Normally, it would be suspicious... But since it's a letter from Noir..."

It can't be ignored. The trust in Noir, a "stern knight who is so serious it's like a suit wearing a sword," is that strong.

After some time,

Paula spent a considerable amount of time thinking and came up with a rough plan.

"...I have two plans. One is to assume that Second is a foreign royal and treat him with the utmost hospitality for two weeks. The other is to treat him equally as a student and complete the short-term study abroad procedures, then leave it at that. Which one?"

Both the speaker and the listener had bitter expressions.

"Maybe the latter is better... Reluctantly. There's a reason we can't give Second special treatment in my class."

When Kevin said this, Paula nodded.

"That's right. Because in your class—"

"Yes, that's right. In my A class—"

—Prince Mein, the second prince, is present.

Thank you for reading.