Chapter 34

"I am Lieutenant Natalie Shar."

"I am Lillian, the daughter of Baron Santier. Princess, please let me know if you need anything."

Natalie, who has black hair down to her shoulders and seems dependable, and Lillian, who has light brown hair and large grayish-blue eyes and looks like a boy, are introduced. Lillian is the daughter of a baron. In the Kingdom of Langdias, baronies are granted to knights or commoners who have made significant contributions, for one generation only. Lillian's father must have been recognized for some remarkable achievement.

And Captain Blanche truly looked like a prince from somewhere. With her golden hair and blue eyes, if she went to the capital, noble young ladies would likely flock to her as devotees.

"Blanche, Melfiela has just endured an unfamiliar air journey and an attack by monsters. I want her to recover from the fatigue of the journey first. Fulfill all her wishes."

"Understood, sir."

I understood why there were no maids, but was it alright to ask the knights to do maid-like tasks? I felt a bit awkward even for the interim period until the arranged maid arrived.

"If you need anything, just let me know. I will have your luggage brought in soon."

"Um, when will the formal greeting take place?"

"I see... How about during dinner? Since I am the master here, the formalities will be different, but that's fine, I suppose."

"Understood. I will take my leave for now."

"Yes, I will send Chaos over in a while. See you later, Melfi."

It was almost evening, so it might be just right to have a few hours to prepare. Natalie opened the door for me, and I bowed slightly to the Duke. The Duke took my hand and kissed the back of it.

"Duke, Duke!"

"Hehe, don't be so flustered. My room is next door, so feel free to visit if you have any concerns."

It turned out that the other room was the Duke's. Since I was his fiancée, it might be appropriate for me to live in the next room once we were married. But as a mere fiancée, was it alright for me to live in such an important room? Feeling embarrassed by the Duke's gaze, I quickly moved towards Natalie, who was waiting by the door. Lillian, who was probably younger than me, was looking at me with sparkling eyes full of expectation.

"Sir, Lillian is too young for such things. Perhaps it would be better to wait for a more appropriate time."

"But it's just a greeting, isn't it?"

"You're leaking all your desires. It's a good thing Chaos isn't here."

"Ugh, are you also one of Chaos's lackeys, Mullan?"

Thanks to Mullan stepping in between the Duke and me, I gratefully retreated to my room. The Duke seemed to be enjoying my reaction. Truly, handsome people are troublesome.

"First, let's take off your travel clothes and get you comfortable."

I nodded at Captain Blanche's suggestion. The room was decorated with soft colors and floral carpets. The furniture and furnishings were all designed to be cute and elegant. As soon as I took a step, the carpet was so plush that I instinctively retreated to the wall.

"Is something wrong?"

"Captain Blanche, my shoes are dirty."

"That's not a problem. Compared to ours, your shoes are almost new..."

Captain Blanche looked awkwardly at my feet.

"But they don't look new. I see, let's start with the shoes."

My leather laced shoes, which matched my travel outfit, were far from clean. They were scratched and dirty. Captain Blanche said, "Excuse me for a moment," and took my hand. Then, she swiftly picked me up and carried me to the couch. It was only five or six steps away, but I was seated on the couch in no time... Was I really carried just now? It wasn't a dream, right?!

"Thank you very much."

"No problem. It's like breakfast for me. You're as light as a kitten."

"I've never been called that before..."

"Come, Princess. Let me help you with your shoes."

"I can do it myself!"

I hurriedly untied my shoelaces and took off my shoes before Captain Blanche could help. This was a different kind of trouble. She seemed to be doing it out of pure kindness, without any ulterior motives. Handsome people are just so handsome!

"Hey, Natalie. How about we have the Princess clean her hands and feet before her luggage arrives?"

"That's a good idea. We can prepare the bath... But there's quite a bit of time until dinner."

"Then why not take a bath?"

"Captain, how about some light refreshments? Sweet things are best when you're tired."

"That's a good idea, Lillian. Princess, do you have any favorite sweets?"

It was nice that they were thinking about various maid duties, but once my luggage arrived, I could manage most things on my own except for the final change of clothes. I felt bad using their time, so I paused before speaking.

"If you could help me change into my dinner dress, I can manage the rest on my own."

"That's not possible, Princess. You will eventually be the mistress of Midleag. We, the Blanche Squad, have been honored to serve as your guard knights. We are your sword and shield. Please consider us as such."

Captain Blanche, Natalie, and Lillian lined up in front of me. They knelt and bowed, and Captain Blanche removed her belt and offered her sword, sheath and all.

"Please grant us the honor of knighthood."

I took the sword with both hands, a bit hesitantly. I slightly unsheathed it to look at the blade. It wasn't heavy, but the edge was beautifully sharp. I noticed a familiar engraving on the sword's sheath.

"Captain Blanche, this sword... Was it made by the same person who made the Duke's sword?"

Captain Blanche, who was kneeling to receive the honor of knighthood, looked up with a puzzled expression.

"Yes, it was made in the Midleag forge."

Indeed, it was the same. No matter how tall Captain Blanche was, a woman wouldn't be able to wield a large sword like the Duke's. This sword was probably made specifically for her.

"What a wonderful sword. The Duke used a sword from this forge to behead Backhorn in one stroke."

"I've heard about the mad beast at the banquet."

"Is that so. Are the swords that Natalie and Lillian have also from the same forge?"

"Yes, but why are you asking this now?"

Captain Blanche's question was valid. We were discussing whether to grant the honor of knighthood, not the forge.

"You are the knights chosen by the Duke. I trust you. However, I don't know anything about you, and you don't know the real me. You shouldn't give the sword, which is the life of a knight, to someone you don't know."

I sheathed the blade and returned it to Captain Blanche.

"The problem is not with you, but with me. I am still the Duke's fiancée. I need to study to become a suitable Duchess. Also, do you know about my reputation?"

Captain Blanche's expression didn't change, but I noticed that Natalie and Lillian were startled.

"You will see the reason why I am called the 'Gluttonous Lady' in the future. I have a promise with the Duke. In this short time, I have grasped what I need to do in Galbreath. So, Captain Blanche, not now. When the Blanche Squad truly recognizes me as the mistress and deems me worthy of receiving the sword, then."

Captain Blanche looked at me straight in the eye. I returned her gaze to show my resolve.

I am not the same person who initially thought that if this engagement didn't work out, I could live in a corner of the territory. I have come to strongly desire to live in Galbreath, by the Duke's side, after learning about the Duke, the territory, and my research in this short time. This desire grows stronger as I get to know the Duke and the territory of Galbreath.

"Understood, Lady Melfiela. We will strive to be knights worthy of you."

"Thank you, Captain Blanche."

I bowed deeply, and Captain Blanche and the others stood up, returning the formal knight's salute. They are intelligent and not blindly devoted to the Duke. I need to work hard to earn their recognition.

(Still, what a magnificent sword. Lillian's sword is quite slender, and Natalie's is broad and doesn't seem to be a one-handed sword.)

An old bad habit I couldn't resist surfaced, and I asked.

"Captain Blanche."

"Yes, Princess."

"The blade I borrowed to prepare the Roiamoodler had the same engraving. It had an incredible edge, cutting through fat effortlessly. I've been curious about the maker since the Duke beheaded Backhorn."

It's enviable that only the knights of Galbreath have such swords. A blade from the Galbreath Duke's forge is one of the things I want most right now.

"I also... I want my own specialized blade. Could you introduce me to the maker, Captain Blanche?"