Chapter 3: The Insolent Princess and the Challenge

Chapter 3:
The Insolent Princess and the Challenge

 

“AHH… AH…”

Who is that? What am I seeing? Who is that sad, wretched old man?

“Aha ha ha ha! What happened to you? What a waste of a nice face, Gilbert.”

A girl was laughing at me. She cackled wildly, ugly in her cruelness before an old man. He was… Me. That’s me.

Of course… I’d finally enacted my Special Power Registration Law.

Oh God, what have I done?

“I guess it’s true. Your age control really did stop working, so you can only be an old man now,” she sneered. Her mouth curled in disgust at the mere sight of me.

I made a deal with the devil herself.

“You should be pleased; that clever law of yours has made me very happy. I’m the only special person left in the kingdom.”

She smiled. No, she was smirking as she looked at me, a sad, broken old man who’d withered away before her eyes.

I struggled to make out her face through some kind of fog or haze, but that smile was chillingly clear.

“Now I know about all the special powers in my kingdom,” she said. “Everyone with one of those powers is my slave now, and anyone who resisted is dead. That means that all the rare special powers in the world are mine to use.”

I fell to my knees. She crouched down, rested her chin in her hands, and smiled wider.

“It’s all thanks to you,” she said. “I’d say your five years of hard work went pretty well, no? You worked so, so, so hard, and now your law is a reality. Too bad about that bag of germs, though.”

She meant Marianne. My Maria, whom I’d given everything for. My darling Maria, who’d died anyway. That was the “bag of germs.” Not only had I failed to save her, but I’d also let so many of the people of this kingdom suffer execution or enslavement.

“You know,” she went on, “I thought I’d make you choose between slavery and execution too. I mean, it’s not fair that you have the power to stay one age forever.”

She poked at my loose skin, as if my elderly appearance was utterly entertaining to her. I felt nothing. I didn’t care what happened to me anymore.

“But I decided to spare you. The fact that you have to spend eternity in such a disgusting state, well, what could be a worse curse than that? Aha ha ha ha ha ha!”

Her garish cackle echoed off the walls. She rose, footsteps reverberating along with her vicious mirth as she left me there like trash on her floor.

“I’m sorry…” I whimpered. “It’s my…my fault… It’s my fault that everyone is…”

Maria was dead. All those people with special powers were dead or forced into slavery. And it was all my fault. All my…

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!”

I reeled, unable to contend with the enormity of my sins.

Maria, if only I had you. If only I could go back to the day we first met.

My age control wasn’t working on my head, chest, arms, or legs, but it still affected parts of me almost at random. When I shrieked, my voice emerged shrill and young. I shrank and stretched, going from old to young over and over. The back-and-forth threatened to corrupt what sanity I had left. What’s happening to me?

How could I ever manage to apologize to you, Maria? I failed in my promise to make you happy, and now all these innocent people have lost their chance at happiness too.

I miss you. I need to see you. But…

“If…if I pass away…I want you to…to live the life…that I never got to… Promise me…”

That was the last promise we ever exchanged. I promised to live the life she couldn’t.

I had to live.

I had to live for her sake, and for the sake of everyone whose lives I’d snatched away. I had to do everything I could for this kingdom and ensure no one ever fell victim to the hands of that demon again. As the prime minister, I would use every power at my disposal. I would spend eternity looking after this kingdom.

Maria, this is the life you gave me. With all the blood on my hands, a sinner like me won’t be able to join you in heaven when I die. That’s why I must atone here by fulfilling your wish.

My body settled back into its elderly form. Each step pained me. My voice was dry and husky.

“Maria…it’s all for you.”

I’ll spend eternity repenting for what happened to you and the people of this kingdom. Every second, until my heart ceases to beat.

 

***

 

“Gil, are you all right?”

I blinked through blurry vision to behold the woman I loved.

“Maria.”

I’d been dreaming.

I couldn’t remember the details, but the tragic tone of the dream left my chest aching. Marianne wiped away my tears, tears I didn’t realize were there until she brushed them off my skin. Concern knit her brows as she gazed at me, but the mere sight of her face put me at ease.

“Sorry, it must’ve been a dream.”

Perhaps it was a glimpse of the past. Certainly, plenty of tragedy had led to this moment. But that didn’t matter now, not so long as I had my Maria in the present.

I kissed her forehead, soothed by the tangible warmth of her skin against my lips.

“Are you all right?” she asked, sounding uncertain.

Stroking her hair, I replied, “Yes, I’m okay now that I have you.”

I sat up and turned to look out the window. Warm beams of light shone through the glass, setting my heart at ease. It was the same window I’d looked through so many times, but only recently did it make me feel like I was truly “home.”

When I first brought Marianne back to this house after her long illness, the two of us couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. We’d both waited so long for the day when we could live peacefully together.

“Today’s a big day,” I said. “We can’t leave everything to the servants.”

Marianne’s smile outshone the sun pattering into the room. She was perfect, and I couldn’t help kissing her again. Afterward, I prepared for the big day ahead, though I told her to rest up in bed a bit longer.

I left her in our bedroom, but this time my heart and step were light with the knowledge that our separation was only temporary.

 

***

 

“Hmmm…”

“What’s wrong, Big Sister? Do you need help picking out a dress for today?”

I was taking a break on the sofa after finishing my studies for the day. I sighed at Tiara’s question, pushing aside the book I’d been pretending to read from our library. She was looking at me with those big eyes of hers, innocent as ever.

“Don’t worry,” she said. “You look good in everything you wear.” She grabbed Stale by the shirt and dragged him over to the table where I sat.

“Is something the matter, Pride?” Stale asked me. “You can talk to us about it, if you want.”

“Thanks, you two. I do have some stuff on my mind. Mind if I share it with you?”

They settled across from me at the table, nodding their assent. It was a huge relief; I had far too much on my mind, and I needed someone I could talk to.

The first problem was Lotte and Mary, my maids. Then the matter of my guard Jack’s compensation. And I needed to come up with a gift for the party at Prime Minister Gilbert’s house today.

Four months had already passed since the day Arthur cured Marianne. I wanted to find a way to thank Lotte, Mary, and Jack for their help in keeping the whole thing secret. All three deserved a promotion for what they’d done for me. They weren’t only my servants; when they weren’t with me, they had to see to their other duties throughout the castle. But I was hoping to change that and have Lotte and Mary work only for me. They’d get a pay raise in the process and take on less work. They deserved it after all they’d done, including whipping up that outfit I’d worn when Stale and I confronted Prime Minister Gilbert.

I knew Mary had originally intended to focus on clothing and needlework, yet when I tried to pay her extra for the uniform, Lotte offered to help too. It was a larger burden than they should have had to carry. They’d really stuck their necks out for me. If they were my personal servants, they wouldn’t run the risk of getting in trouble on my behalf, since they wouldn’t have any conflicting orders. Plus, I knew I could trust them with absolutely anything, and that was only going to become more important as time went on.

Yet it was thoughts of the future that made me pause. If they kept on serving me, they’d be candidates to become ladies-in-waiting someday. They’d have to train to serve not just a princess but a queen, and that would mean extra work. I was trying to take away their burdens, not increase them.

“Is that something you really need to worry about, Pride?” Stale said, and Tiara nodded beside him. “Tiara and I have already chosen our personal maids. A position like that is considered an honor. What’s the problem?”

His response had surprised me at first, but I was starting to understand.

“Big Brother is right,” Tiara chimed in. “It’s like a promise that they’ll get to be with you forever, Big Sister. Why, I’d jump for joy if that were me.”

Ah. I get it now. Yes, they’d get more work, but that wouldn’t be anything out of the ordinary. Plus, the honor of being a lady-in-waiting would outweigh the inconvenience. With all they’d done for me, it was probably more selfish to waffle about the promotion. When I considered that, it baffled me that I hadn’t promoted them sooner.

“If you’re worried, why not bring it up with them directly? If they truly seem opposed to the idea, you can give it some more thought,” Stale suggested.

He was exactly right. I needed to hear from the two women first.

Okay, one problem down. But what about the guard, Jack? I didn’t feel as much agency to go ahead and promote him the way I could Lotte and Mary. Unlike with maids, the royal family didn’t have personal guards. The knights and guards sort of faded into the background, a faceless mass. Even so, Arthur—a love interest character—managed to stand out. In the game, he even served as an escort for the royal family’s diplomatic journeys.

Perhaps Jack could be something akin to an imperial guard, then. That wasn’t really an idea that existed in this world, and I only understood it from media I’d consumed in my previous life. I figured it would be like having a personal bodyguard. That would keep him by my side and give him a pay increase like Lotte and Mary.

“Why don’t you take a personal knight?” Stale said.

“Huh?!” I’d never even heard of such a thing.

As if on cue, he and Tiara shouted in unison: “Arthur!”

A personal knight… When I really thought about it, I had a vague recollection of seeing personal knights in another otome game. They were just like bodyguards but held the status of knights.

“You can have Jack around as your imperial guard at all times,” Stale said, “then have Arthur stay with you during emergencies as your personal knight. That way, as the crown princess, you’re even more protected. You should consider it.”

Wait, wasn’t I talking about Jack just now? How did Arthur get involved in this?

“R-right,” I said. “But the first hurdle is whether Mother, Father, and the other government officials will let me establish the post of imperial guard in the first place.”

“In that case, I’ll draft up an absolutely perfect law for you,” Stale said.

“Oh!” Tiara clapped her hands together, grinning like she’d just stumbled onto some new idea. “I think it’d be best to go to Prime Minister Gilbert for advice about that.”

Stale grimaced. Apparently, he hadn’t overcome his distaste for the man.

“Don’t make that face, Big Brother!” Tiara chided him, squishing his handsome face between her hands. “Who else is as good at drafting bills as Prime Minister Gilbert?”

I had to agree with her. The prime minister was good at his job before, but with Marianne cured, he worked like a man possessed. If anyone knew how to go about this, it would be him.

Unlike Uncle Vest—the seneschal and my mother’s assistant tasked with aiding the queen’s work, diplomatic matters, and keeping up with world affairs—Prime Minister Gilbert was my father’s assistant, focused on national laws, trials, Freesian information, and even state secrets. Since Marianne’s recovery, he’d thrown himself into his work, tightening security around the kingdom’s secret information and denouncing every high-level official who’d ever leaked or forged information.

But it seemed Stale couldn’t look past his previous transgressions. “It wasn’t long ago that he was the one abusing his power for that exact same purpose,” he grumbled.

How different the two of them were from their in-game counterparts. Stale and Prime Minister Gilbert both went beyond their ordinary roles and worked together to expose abuse in the world of ORL.

Prime Minister Gilbert was hard at work on that in this world as well. After everything that happened with Marianne, he strove to undo the nasty rumors he’d spread about me. I already noticed a difference in how many members of the government treated me lately.

He also grew intensely focused on rounding up anyone involved in human trafficking. Working alongside Mother, he made time to prosecute the offenders even with his already packed schedule. When I asked Father about this frantic work ethic, he swore Prime Minister Gilbert was perfectly healthy.

“In fact, he’s already preparing for the next lawmaking assembly by drafting up all kinds of new bills,” Father had told me.

I might have worried about whether the prime minister had time for sleep amid all that, but ever since he’d moved Marianne out of the castle and into their house, he’d been returning home every night.

Still, the way he immersed himself in his duties was impressive, if not downright terrifying. Father informed me that he was working on a complex array of new laws, from preventing trafficking to compensating victims to securing personal information and establishing free public education for all children. He even had something in the works about supporting citizens with special powers.

Considering all that, he seemed like a good person to consult for advice on creating an imperial guard position. I thanked Tiara and the still-squished Stale for their help in solving two of my current conundrums.

 

***

 

“How could this have happened?”

I was face-to-face with absolute disaster.

Tiara, Stale, and Arthur surrounded me. I was too dumbfounded to speak as I took in the mess before my eyes. A foul stench curled my toes, yet I stood frozen in shock, hardly remembering to blink. My siblings reached out, one putting a comforting hand on my shoulder and the other taking hold of my sleeve.

“Elder Sister, why don’t you just take a step back for a bit?” Stale said.

“There’s always next time,” Tiara added.

Their joint attempts to soothe me came out sounding quite strained. What could they possibly say in the face of the scorched, liquefied concoction before us?

I forced a smile, grateful for their attempt. “I’m sorry, everyone. I never thought it would turn out so bad.”

This was my present for Prime Minister Gilbert’s house party. Well, in theory, anyway.

A small, close-knit group would gather to celebrate Marianne’s recovery. Considering a potluck seemed too rustic and I would never be allowed to swing a big butcher knife around, I thought some homemade sweets might be a nice gift for the occasion. They were simple treats; plus, I could impress the crowd by baking something from my past life that didn’t exist here yet.

The head chef let us borrow the kitchen for a little while, and even Arthur took a break to join us. It had all the makings of a fun, lively afternoon of baking, something I’d enjoyed quite a bit in my past life. I’d had plenty of confidence in my abilities…until now.

I tried a simple version of Japanese-style melon buns first. But for some reason, the dough took on a bizarre color and devolved into a thick, syrupy goo. I popped it into the oven anyway, and what came out was a pile of charcoal.

What exactly went wrong here? I wondered, then decided I should try some cookies instead. Once again, the thick liquid batter burnt to a crisp. This isn’t right either!

Next, I changed course and tried making my specialty rolled omelet, hoping savory would win over sweet. I’d perfected this in my past life, but here it was a lump of coal. This was far beyond simply being “bad at cooking.” It was so dreadful that I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d been cursed…

Can you even curse someone’s cooking skills?!

Dread sank heavy in my stomach. I grabbed a nearby apple and a small knife. I should have no trouble peeling an apple; it was something I did frequently in my past life. But now, my attempt at peeling ended up breaking the entire apple into pieces. The skin I managed to remove was more than a full centimeter thick. It wasn’t just baking or cooking—I couldn’t even peel an apple anymore. At a total loss, I stood there with my mouth hanging open.

Pride Royal Ivy, the cruel and selfish queen, had absolutely zero culinary talent.

It was possible that any household chore I attempted would turn out just as bad. Pride spent her youth as a spoiled princess who did whatever she wanted and was always dishing out orders. Someone like her would never bother with chores or cooking. I’d always thought Pride could do anything I could do and vice versa. I never imagined she’d be so terrible at something like this. To be fair, this was my first time trying it as her.

I was still staring at the remains of the destroyed apple when I heard a sound from behind me.

“Pfft!”

Arthur slapped a hand over his mouth, spinning away as quickly as he could, but that didn’t hide the redness in his ears or the way his shoulders shook with laughter.

“Arthur!” I yelled.

But Arthur couldn’t stop. “I…I’m very sorry,” he said just before another snort burst out.

How rude! I mean, sure, even I’m horrified by my own cooking disasters, but do you really have to laugh that hard?!

I set my knife down and stomped toward Arthur, ready to drag him back by the ear. But the moment I stepped away, more snickers sounded behind me. I whipped my head around to find Tiara and Stale bursting into laughter as well.

“Sorry! I’m s-sorry, Big Sister!”

“I can’t…believe…this is the one thing…you’re bad at!”

They struggled to speak as more laughter bubbled out. I’d never seen Tiara laugh so hard before, nor Stale’s face turn so red. My cheeks flushed with heat, frustrated tears prickling at the corners of my eyes.

This is just how the character was written for the game. I remember lots of recipes from my past life, and I cooked a lot before I was reborn too, but there’s nothing I can do if they made her a bad cook!

Of course, I couldn’t voice these thoughts, no matter how much I wanted to.

“Th-there’re things even I can’t do!” I said, stomping my foot.

Then I fled to a corner of the kitchen before anyone could catch sight of my tears. I crouched down, hugged my knees, and sulked. And cried, just a little, but I’d take that secret with me to my grave. Soon, my companions came slinking over to apologize and cheer me up.

In the end, the four of us ended up making apple jam together as a gift to bring to the party.

Fortunately, Stale, Tiara, and Arthur weren’t cursed with an inability to cook, like me. They did the cooking for me, even using that apple I’d destroyed earlier. Tiara in particular, as the heroine of an otome game, showed surprising skill. Although it was her first time in the kitchen, she cleanly peeled the skin from the apples and even wielded a knife like a professional chef. I supposed that made sense, given that she’d make baked goods as gifts for the love interests in the game. She even cooked lovely homemade meals in Gil’s route when she had to live as a commoner in the village. If I got the cheats of a final boss, she got the cheats of a charming heroine. Perhaps she could help me make more of the foods I remembered from my past life.

By the time we arrived at Prime Minister Gilbert’s home, the party was already well underway. His maids—Agnes, Theresa, and Trixy—and Salman, his guard, greeted us at the entrance. I soon found Commander Roderick and some senior knights inside, here to represent the order. However, when I went to make my introductions…

“M-my name! Is A-A-A-Alan Berners! Yes!”

“Erm, Callum Bordeaux, Your Highness. I serve as the captain of the Third Squadron.”

“I-I am Eric Gilchrist! It is an honor to meet you!”

“I’m Arthur Beresford. I recently joined the main forces.”

I couldn’t help but feel guilty about how nervous they were.

Commander Roderick merely said, “They’re my subordinates, and they’re all the most excellent of knights. Please feel free to talk with them at your leisure.”

Then he left me with the four men as he went to greet Father. I had no idea what to say to these men, even though I’d hoped to meet them. They seemed terrified of me. Even Arthur was acting like we were strangers.

The captain, Alan, was shaking with nerves. His voice went shrill. I could barely even understand what he was saying. Was his name even Alan or had I misheard?

Then there was Callum, another captain. He managed more composure than Captain Alan but stood stiff and formal. I’d met this man before at any number of ceremonies and training exercises. Yet now he held himself so rigidly, it was like talking to a statue.

Last came Eric, who I was pretty sure had been at that ambush two years ago. He swore his knight’s oath to me when I conducted my very first accolade, but today he greeted me as though we had never crossed paths. I supposed the men simply didn’t expect members of the royal family to remember knights they’d met a handful of times. But I felt bad for making them all so flustered. They were being so careful and polite around me. No wonder Commander Roderick was proud of his subordinates.

Next time, I’d speak first, greeting them all by name so they knew I remembered and didn’t have to be so guarded. Or perhaps it was the other way around, and some of them didn’t remember meeting me. Eric had looked nearly overcome when he swore his knight’s oath; it was certainly possible he didn’t remember the person who’d conducted the ceremony.

Still, I enjoyed getting a chance to actually converse with these men. Outside of Arthur, I never got to speak to the knights beyond basic introductions. I’d wanted to get to know them better for a long time.

But one thing that night made me even happier: Prime Minister Gilbert and Marianne’s announcement that they were getting married.

The guests showered them with congratulations and blessings. It was a joyous night, filled with laughter and smiles all around. I was sad when the party started to wind down, but upon witnessing Prime Minister Gilbert and Marianne standing there shoulder-to-shoulder to see us all off, so happy and peaceful together, I didn’t feel a smidge of regret about my recent choices.

From the bottom of my heart, I wished for their eternal happiness.

 

***

 

Exactly one year had passed since the previous lawmakers’ assembly.

“Huh?! What are you doing here?!”

Arthur stepped into Stale’s practice room, ready for another day of sparring. But he found me and Tiara waiting for him as well. His gaze flicked between all of us. When I explained what I’d pushed through the assembly today, his mouth dropped open in disbelief.

“Imperial knights?! They passed that law in the assembly today?!”

“That’s right. As the crown princess, Big Sister will always have an imperial knight at her side to guard her during emergencies,” Stale said. A hint of a smile tugged at his mouth as he took in Arthur’s confusion.

I tried to ease Arthur’s shock with an awkward smile. “The proposal became a reality thanks to the hard work of Stale and Prime Minister Gilbert.”

We’d been working on this for more than six months. When we went to Prime Minister Gilbert for help, he drafted up a bill to establish the posts of imperial guard and imperial knight the very next day. Stale offered revisions, Prime Minister Gilbert put on the final touches, and the bill was complete.

Of course, that didn’t mean the process was perfectly smooth sailing.

“When it comes to personal protection, I believe that, in addition to an imperial guard and an imperial knight, we should dispatch three or four other guards,” Prime Minister Gilbert said.

“I can’t allow anyone I don’t trust to be in charge of my elder sister’s protection,” Stale replied. “Do we have a way to vet that many guards? I seem to remember a certain person who abused their position for disreputable ends not too long ago.”

Prime Minister Gilbert ignored Stale’s barb. “But leaving Her Highness’s protection in the hands of one person may send a message of weakness.”

“All that matters is that she’s safe. I don’t care about the public perception.”

“In that case, we can train knights for a few years and accept them one by one after they pass an examination, then aim to grow those numbers in the future. That way, the brilliant seneschal-to-be can personally identify the guard and knight he feels are worthy of trust.”

“I was already planning on doing just that,” Stale said. “I happen to know a knight who has a good nose for corruption.”

“Oh, of course. Aside from Mr. Jack, the question remains of how to implement Sir Arthur as an imperial knight as well…”

Despite the little jabs, I was relieved to see the two of them working together so well. It even seemed like Prime Minister Gilbert enjoyed the sarcasm and the back-and-forth.

Their combined effort resulted in the Creation of Imperial Guards and Imperial Knights for Protection of the Royal Family Law. It passed on its very first go around in the assembly, though I suspected Prime Minister Gilbert had something to do with that.

The law meant that, as future queen, I would get one personal guard and one personal knight for my protection. They had to pass an examination to be selected for the position. While I’d go about my daily activities with a handful of guards like before, I’d also have one personal imperial guard and imperial knight. After a few years, I could choose a few more if I deemed it necessary.

“Are you recruiting candidates?! When does the selection happen?! Do you have to be a commander or captain to be considered?!”

Arthur burst with questions as soon as we explained. Tiara and I were no match for such intensity. I was glad he was so eager, but I braced for his disappointment when I had to explain that he’d be serving me and not the heroine, Tiara.

As the only truly calm one in the conversation, Stale said: “The job’s already filled.”

“Wha?!” Arthur cried. “What the hell?! So you picked a captain or something already?! Or did you pick Dad or Vice Commander Clark? Who?”

“Don’t be an idiot,” Stale said. “Who else could I trust as Elder Sister’s personal knight but you? Prime Minister Gilbert and I arranged for you to become her imperial knight right away.”

Stale made that sound easy, but I knew just how hard he’d worked. Tiara and I cringed a little at his performative nonchalance.

The exam excluded commanders, vice commanders, captains, and vice captains. We couldn’t disrupt the chain of command for this. But candidates still had to be exceptional and well qualified in order to make it through.

“Then shouldn’t one of the more experienced knights get the job instead?” Arthur asked.

“Normally, sure. We thought it might be a good idea to structure the evaluation just like the main forces entrance exam—”

“Easy enough.” Arthur cracked his knuckles, as though preparing to fight his way into the position. I would’ve expected nothing less of the future commander of the order.

“No, that won’t be necessary. You and I have sparred together for three years now. You’ve already proven both your fighting capabilities and your trustworthiness around members of the royal family.”

“But what’s the point if I’m just using my personal connections to get the job? Let me compete just like anyone else.”

“What if the unthinkable happens and you don’t win?”

“No way in hell I’m losin’. Shouldn’t you know that after training with me for three whole years?” Arthur smirked and Stale soon followed, caught up in his enthusiasm.

“You know what happens if you lose,” Stale told him.

“Ha! Of course I do.”

Tiara jumped up with excitement, beaming just as brightly as the boys. “Now we get to be with Arthur all the time!”

The tournament took place three days later. Anyone not excluded due to rank could compete…and every single eligible knight ended up arriving. I could hardly believe the massive turnout. It took two days for them to fight it out. They dueled with such vigor that I occasionally covered my eyes and couldn’t watch.

Perhaps they fought for the prestige of the title “imperial knight.” Perhaps they fought for the pay raise and promotion. Perhaps they fought to secure the honor of protecting the royal family.

Whatever the reason, two days later, a victor emerged…

Arthur Beresford would be my personal knight.

 

***

 

“What am I going to do? I don’t have any ideas at all.”

“Don’t worry! You’ll think of a great name, Big Sister!”

“It’s nothing to be so worried about, Pride. Gilbert’s the one who asked you to be the godmother, after all.”

Tiara, Stale, and I were leaving the royal residence with my imperial guard, Jack, at our side. At fifteen, I now faced multiple problems all at once. Firstly, the tension between the kingdom’s autonomous institutions and our joint policies with allies. Second, finding a name for Prime Minister Gilbert and Marianne’s baby daughter.

“Not this again,” Stale groaned. “Gilbert’s requests aren’t always your problems alone, Pride. Let’s just think it over in the carriage.”

But Stale wasn’t focused on baby names. He was looking at something in the distance. Following his gaze, I saw a knight rushing toward us. When Tiara recognized the knight, she called out and waved. Our imperial knight ran toward us, early and eager as always.

“My apologies!” he said when he reached us. He was panting for breath.

“What’s wrong?” I said. “We’re just going on a simple observation of the village. You didn’t need to rush.”

“No, no, I apologize for my unseemly behavior,” Arthur said, bowing.

“It’s perfectly fine,” I replied. I was touched that he’d rush for our sake, but he didn’t need to beat himself up over something like this.

“Seriously,” I said. “Thank you for everything, Arthur. I’m glad to have you along for today’s observation.”

Arthur Beresford, my imperial knight, joined the three of us in our carriage. It was just another day for the four of us, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.