“Guard! I am Damian, joining the Imperial Knight Order from today, Commander!”
“Welcome, Sir Damian. A capable newcomer has arrived, so this Commander is very pleased.”
Time passed, and I joined the Imperial Knight Order that protects the Rosehill Imperial Palace as the valedictorian of the Academy’s Knight Department.
“Indeed. I heard you showed ‘Aura’ in the academy graduation exam. Would you show me once?”
“Yes, sir!”
Answering in a voice full of military bearing, I drew a longsword from the scabbard at my waist.
And on that sword, I ignited a red aura.
Whish.
“That is an extremely pure yet well-refined aura. At this level, it would be about the Intermediate realm.”
In this world, according to one’s ability to wield aura, the realms are divided into ‘Lower, Intermediate, Advanced, Peak.’
In my case, I was at the Intermediate realm.
Naturally, aura was not a power one could ignite simply because one wished to.
It could be called a mysterious power that could only be ignited when talent and effort meshed together perfectly.
The academy teaches this aura, but historically, including myself, there have been only ten students at the academy to achieve it.
Thus, it seemed the Imperial Knight Commander had great expectations for me.
“For your information, I am at the Peak realm. Hehe.”
“Is that so!? I will do my best to reach that realm as well!”
“Hehe. For someone your age to have reached the Intermediate realm, I think you might get there with just a little more effort.”
The basics of social life begin with flattery.
Since the position of Imperial Knight Commander is one with considerable authority within the Imperial Palace, if I show him a good side, it will bring great benefit to me.
Moreover, since he was ranked third among the people I most needed to win over, it was necessary to get close to him in advance—
—if only to ensure the Blood Empress’s stable ascension to the throne.
“Since your enlistment is finished, let us go meet the Imperial Knights who can be called your seniors.”
“Yes, Commander!”
“Hehe. No need to be so rigid. The Imperial Knight Order is strictly merit-based, you see. Sir Damian, you may loosen up a bit.”
I must absolutely not listen to those words.
Because it is a kind of test.
“No, sir. How could a new recruit who just joined dare to loosen up? I only intend to properly take in my seniors’ teachings and do my utmost for the safety of the Imperial Palace!”
“Hehe. Your military bearing is tightly in order. Anyway, let us go, Sir Damian.”
“Yes, Commander!”
Shortly after, I arrived at the Imperial Knight Order’s barracks.
“Fresh meat’s here, you lot!”
“A rookie?”
“Ooh! For real?!”
“Am I finally escaping being the junior!?!”
“Jackson, someone’s excited because the junior’s here?”
There were four knights in the barracks.
Wearing Imperial Knight uniforms, they felt like hyenas starved for a new recruit.
‘Could it be? That twisted service number chain?’
Unpleasant memories crept in.
The memory of the junior never coming in, dragging out being the junior for so long….
“The guy who enlisted last year dropped out!”
Thwack!
The Commander delivered a heavy flick to the head of the Imperial Knight named Jackson, among the four.
“Ugh… It’s not only been a year, it’s already been a year….”
“We cannot pick Imperial Knights haphazardly. Clearly, we are in a position to protect this Imperial Palace, so must we not select mainly knights with definite skill?”
“That may be true, but….”
“For your information, Sir Damian will likely be the last one this year.”
“What?!”
Jackson’s face turned startled.
“No, what do you mean….”
“The salutatorian of the academy is said to be the third son of Count Teclis.”
The House of Count Teclis is one of the pillars supporting the Rosehill Empire.
As they are the ones who protect the empire from the northern barbarians, I recall that they operate a great many knight orders.
Probably, the third son of Count Teclis, being the salutatorian, joined one of those knight orders.
And later, he would become the commander of that order.
“If it is the House of Count Teclis, certainly…. No, more importantly, the salutatorian is the third son of Count Teclis!? Then the va-valedictorian—!”
“That’s right. Sir Damian, who just joined, is the academy’s valedictorian. For your information, not once in three years did he yield the top spot.”
A flash!
Those four looked at me with eyes showing extreme interest.
‘S-so much pressure….’
I almost shrank back under that extremely burdensome gaze, but I could not make a bad first impression.
“Greetings, seniors! I am Damian, assigned to the Imperial Palace from today and joining the Imperial Knight Order! I look forward to working with you!”
“Seeing as you have no family name, I suppose you’re a commoner?”
“Yes! That is correct!”
“Hey, hey. Make yourself comfortable. Me and these guys are all commoner-born too. Well, we’ve all earned merit and hold quasi-viscount positions now, though.”
“No, sir! This is more comfortable for me right now!”
In the first place, even if born a commoner, having earned merit and received quasi-viscount titles, they were nobles now, for all intents and purposes.
And thinking of veteran Imperial Knights casually was the very definition of a write-off.
It was best to do that only after more time had passed and we had grown close.
“Now that’s some tight military bearing. Completely different from Jackson’s time. Isn’t that right?”
“Come on. Why bring that up, Euphir, sir?!”
The Imperial Knight Order.
Quite an interesting place.
“Anyway, since the rookie’s here, we need to decide where to assign him.”
“Now that you mention it, Commander. Though it’s a probationary period, it’s good to decide ahead of time.”
“Wouldn’t it be good to coordinate with the others?”
“Hmm. I suppose so. Since he just joined, it would be good to have him start with easy tasks step by step.”
After some small talk, the following conversation was about my assignment.
Though it was a brief conversation among the Commander and the four members, I could clearly feel them trying to make things comfortable for me.
“But in times like this, maybe it’s not bad to let the rookie decide directly?”
At one knight’s words, the Commander nodded.
“That wouldn’t be bad either. Sir Damian, look at the assignment map here and tell me where you would like to be posted.”
I had wanted to speak about this part anyway, so this was perfect.
To be by the Blood Empress’s side, being posted there would be best.
“Then I will be posted here.”
“You mean here?”
“Yes, sir.”
The place I pointed to was the palace of the Youngest Imperial Princess—that is, the palace of the Blood Empress.
The four Imperial Knights had bewildered eyes.
“That’s right, rookie. Honestly, the Youngest Princess’s palace is not recommended, you know?”
“Among the Imperial Knights assigned there, not a single one has remained intact to this day.”
And there was good reason for that: the Imperial Knights posted to the palace of the Youngest Imperial Princess, ‘Yuria Rosehill,’ died off one after another.
Therefore, among the Imperial Knights, everyone was extremely reluctant to be assigned to the Youngest Princess’s palace.
—Except for one female knight.
‘That female student I saw back then must be that female knight.’
Cecilia Silvesta. That is the identity of the female student I saw back then.
She is the second daughter of Count Silvesta, a knight who reached the same realm as me, Intermediate Aura, and the person who would later become the ‘First Sword’ of the Blood Empress, a knight of the Peak Aura realm.
Because of her youthful appearance, she had been infiltrating as a student.
Anyway, because of that, even if I were posted there, it would not be an immediate threat to my life.
—With Cecilia Silvesta there, would I be in danger?
“Hmm. It should be fine.”
“Commander!”
“That is too harsh for a rookie…!”
“I understand your concerns, sirs, but there is no need to worry so much. Sir Damian is a knight of the Intermediate Aura realm. Furthermore, to pay tuition, he worked as a mercenary during vacations, so he also has plentiful real combat experience.”
“Yes?!”
The four knights looked at me with surprised expressions.
Hearing that I, who had just graduated from the academy, was at the Intermediate Aura realm and had plentiful real combat experience from mercenary work, it seemed difficult to believe.
“My father is a former mercenary. So when I needed work, through the help of my father’s acquaintances, somewhat….”
“What? So he was a capable used rookie?”
“If you worked as a mercenary, you probably did merchant escorts or VIP protection, right? Or labyrinth and dungeon explorations?”
“While not labyrinths, I have done dungeon explorations, and I have some experience with merchant escorts and VIP protection as well.”
“What? This overly capable used rookie?”
“Haha…. Father’s influence was rather significant….”
Though he has now retired for health reasons, my father was an extremely capable mercenary.
Thanks to that, the current me exists.
“What is your father’s name, rookie?”
“His name is Sigismund.”
“Sigismund…. Sigismund…. Could it be ‘Sigismund’ the Giant Slayer!?”
“Per-perhaps…?”
Having heard of my father’s exploits since childhood, honestly, I did not easily believe them.
Because a father is someone who wants to look good in front of his child.
But could all those stories he told until my ears bled actually be true?
“As expected, does talent also come from bloodline…?”
“‘Sigismund’ the Giant Slayer was definitely Advanced? Peak? Aura realm before retiring, probably?”
I felt like I learned just how great my father was through this opportunity.
Somehow, I got the feeling that the mercenary work I had done all this time was excessively harsh….
‘Father, just how strongly did you intend to raise your son….’
My younger sister, on the other hand, was doted on endlessly.
When I get leave, I should go home and question him.
“Anyway, does everyone have no objections to Sir Damian being assigned to the Youngest Princess’s palace?”
“Yes, Commander!”
“Good. Then Sir Damian…. Starting tomorrow, you may report to the Youngest Princess’s palace.”
“Yes, Commander!”
“If you need help, feel free to rely on me or these senior friends of yours anytime. Then everyone, back to your duties! And Sir Damian, stay and chat with me a while longer.”
And so my first day of Imperial assignment passed quickly—
‘So this is the place.’
Gulp.
The next morning.
I reported for the first time to the palace where the Youngest Imperial Princess, Yuria Rosehill, who would later become the Blood Empress, resided.