Chapter 32

We received some wonderful news at the age of fourteen!

Shurigan and Bell have decided to get married!

...Well done, Shurigan, with that face of his.

I never thought they would end up getting married. I've never even seen Bell smile.

They might be more alike than I thought.

Serea is also overjoyed. She seems genuinely happy about their marriage.

"Sorry, but Bell will be retiring as a maid. From now on, I'll be protecting Lady Serea."

"Understood."

"Four years, every day without fail, I've been drilling sword techniques into you. You're my pride and joy, my disciple."

"Thank you, Shurigan..."

Shurigan has been promoted from squad leader to deputy captain, the number two in the Royal Guard.

He won't be my bodyguard anymore. I have to graduate from Shurigan.

"So, I'm giving you a graduation test."

Suddenly, Shurigan reverted to his usual tone, and I was dragged to the Royal Guard's training ground. I'm wearing a light armor with protectors on my torso, head, and hands, looking like a city adventurer hunter.

"I'm retiring as your bodyguard. We'll be choosing a new one."

The Royal Guard, who had just saluted me, looked up and murmured. It's a great opportunity for promotion.

"Obviously, to be your bodyguard, you must be stronger than the prince. You'll each fight the prince one by one."

The guards looked at each other.

"Show no mercy. Don't think of him as a prince. Let's start. Baxter!"

"Sure thing!"

No, no, no, no, I'm fighting seriously! A real match?! I wasn't told about this!

One of them stepped forward, holding a wooden sword as a two-handed sword.

"Begin!"

The straightforward sword techniques were typical of the Royal Guard. But after four years of learning Shurigan's fighting style, they were easy to read!

I blocked the sword and kicked his stomach!

I tripped him as he stumbled and placed the wooden sword next to his face!

"Stop! Next, Tolshtar!"

I caught the wooden sword aimed at my legs with my reverse grip, stepped forward, and hit his chin with my left hand. He fainted.

This is a real fight. The longer it goes, the more I'm at a disadvantage.

In a real fight, one strike decides the match. Shurigan told me this over and over.

"Next! Aurean!"

The guards were now surprised and their eyes changed. They were clearly serious. I could even feel their killing intent.

"Your Majesty, such unorthodox techniques won't last. We'll make you pay for underestimating the Royal Guard."

So, the sword techniques I learned were unorthodox. Thanks for the info, Shurigan.

They came at me with continuous strikes. I deflected them with my sword and tackled their legs when I saw an opening!

I lifted them and made them fall! Since they are the Royal Guard, I didn't stomp on their crotch but twisted their arm.

"Ow!"

"Next! Zieglund!"

A spear? No, no, no, no, a spear as a bodyguard is a bad idea. A guard with a spear following behind me and Serea? It's too conspicuous. I absolutely can't let this one win.

I stopped the staff, which was used as a spear, with the tsuba of my wooden sword, pushed the tip down, and stepped on it, pulling the staff to the ground. I accidentally kicked Zieglund's face as he stumbled forward.

I didn't kick him but pressed the wooden sword to the back of his neck, pinning him to the ground. If it were a real sword, his head would have rolled off.

"Next! Schwartz!"

Oh, it's Schwartz. The one who was Jack's bodyguard and caused a commotion. This is going to be tough.

"Your Highness"

"Yes?"

"I won't hold back."

He said that and casually threw his wooden sword.

What, he's fighting without a sword?

Then Schwartz pulled out a jutte from his waist!

"...It's a good weapon for a bodyguard. Did you learn it from Shurigan?"

"Actually, I'm better at it than the deputy captain now."

Oh... Is that true? If it is, I have no chance at all. I've never beaten Shurigan once!

We measured the distance, with Schwartz in a low stance.

I was tempted and swung my sword. That was careless.

He caught it with the hook of the jutte, grabbed the handle, and spun my wooden sword 180 degrees, making me lose my grip.

Clank, clank, clank... My wooden sword rolled away.

Of course, the tip of the jutte was pressed against my forehead.

"Damn."

"Thank you."

Shurigan clapped.

"Good job, Schwartz. Your Highness, you've been getting a bit cocky lately. This will be a good lesson. I'll leave you in his capable hands."

"Yes. I will do my best."

He bowed to me, as protocol dictates.

"But to think Your Highness is so strong..."

"Hey, unorthodox techniques like that, are they acceptable for a prince?!"

"Such surprise attacks and dirty tricks are not befitting a prince! It's like a street fight!"

Shurigan's fighting style has a bad reputation.

"Silence."

Shurigan shouted.

"Your Highness is only fourteen. His options for defeating grown men are limited. Can you only win against a noble and upright knight? When faced with street thugs or assassins targeting the royal family, or in the heat of battle, will you say 'That's unfair' before dying? What will the Royal Guard, the shield of the royal family, do if they lose to such a simple fight? Change your mindset."

That's a bit harsh... I'm sorry, everyone.

"Here they come!"

Jack and Silfa came to the capital to attend Shurigan and Bell's wedding. We went to the carriage station to welcome them, along with our new bodyguard, Schwartz.

"Long time no see! Did you get the data?"

"...That's the first thing you say? Here, I gathered the data as you asked."

He handed me a stack of papers and scratched his head, noticing Schwartz behind us.

"Ah, Schwartz. Long time no see. I caused you a lot of trouble last time. I'm sorry."

"It's fine. Let's forget about it. I'm glad you're doing well."

Wow, for Jack to apologize so easily to a bodyguard... He was quite a troublemaker back then.

"People do grow..."

"What did you say?"

Jack glared at me and then smiled.

"Schwartz is my new personal bodyguard, replacing Shurigan. We'll be seeing each other often. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you."

Schwartz bowed, and Jack returned the gesture.

"Nice to meet you. That's great. Shurigan must be relieved to be free from babysitting. He's the deputy captain now, right?"

"I'm sorry for the trouble."

Jack has been calling Shurigan 'master' since the annual 'Shurigan Boot Camp.' It's been a while since we've had this kind of conversation.

Ignoring that, I flipped through the stack of papers. Jack said, "It's data from four hundred cattle farmers. You were right."

"...What will this be used for?"

Serea and Silfa, who were hugging and rejoicing, looked puzzled.

"It will lead to groundbreaking medical technology."

"Medical technology?"

"Yes, if we can, we'll eradicate smallpox!"

"True, there haven't been major outbreaks in my territory. Now that you mention it."

Smallpox. A disease that once devastated entire villages, with a mortality rate exceeding 50%.

It's highly contagious, but thanks to the strict isolation and alcohol disinfection protocols in the hospitals we supervise, it no longer spreads. However, people still suffer from smallpox in rural areas.

We need solid data to verify if Serea's claim that people who have had cowpox are immune to smallpox is true. There's no guarantee that the diseases Serea knows are the same as those in our world.

I wanted to present this data to Dr. Spaluts, which can only be obtained in Jack's Wyls territory, a major dairy production area.

"...But, master getting married to Bell... I never thought they'd end up like that."

"I thought it was just Shurigan having a one-sided crush on Bell, but he proposed and got an easy yes."

"Can't lie about what's in your pants..."

"Pants, huh..."

We nodded in agreement.

"What's that about?"

"Something only men understand!"

We stopped talking when Silfa asked, but Serea was smiling.

I've been caught by Serea multiple times... It's embarrassing.

And Silfa's chest has gotten bigger again...

"Shin"

"Hm?"

"I win again."

Jack grinned and gave a thumbs up.

I'll punch you, you jerk.

That evening, Shurigan and Bell's wedding was held at the church.

The same church where we secretly got married at night.

...I saw Bell smile for the first time.

It was more terrifying than cute. Her face didn't change at all when she smiled. Is this what they call a 'professional smile'? Serea was happy, though.

Shurigan was also beaming, but only a few people, including me, were in the church.

They kissed after making their vows in front of the priest, and the couple in white suits and a wedding dress waved us over. We were supposed to keep the prince's presence a secret.

"Please, we'd like you to sign as witnesses to our marriage."

It was the same marriage register where we signed.

I signed with Serea, and Shurigan and Bell signed as witnesses. Now, the roles are reversed. It's a touching and joyful moment.

Shurigan and Bell signed the thick register, and then Serea and I signed on the same line.

"Having minors as witnesses is a bit..."

The priest didn't look happy, but Shurigan whispered, "Is there a problem with the prince and princess of the kingdom?" and he shut up.

Flipping through the pages, I saw our names written in our childish handwriting from four years ago. We both blushed in embarrassment.

"Be happy, Bell."

Serea handed a bouquet of flowers to Bell, who smiled and accepted it.

"I can't compare to you, my lady."

Still the same Bell.

As they came out of the church, the Royal Guard, the Colette family maids, and some very suspicious-looking people threw flower petals. They have a mysterious social circle.

"Congratulations!"

"Congratulations!"

After the ceremony, the traditional bouquet toss. Bell turned around and threw the bouquet Serea made. It landed perfectly in Silfa's hands. How cool is that, Bell? Impressive.

Jack and Silfa were blushing as they received congratulations from everyone.

We didn't get any...

We're already married, so we don't need a bouquet.

I'm not jealous at all.

No, I'm not.

Next: "32. The Final Report"