Fortunately, Saul’s worries proved unfounded.
After thinking for a moment, Kastel reached her own conclusion.
“I suppose that means Your Highness possesses aptitude as well. Though there are still many areas in which you are lacking.”
“Yes. I know I still have a great deal to improve. I understand.”
Having safely defused the situation, Saul thought about Aina.
The girl had undergone her coming-of-age ceremony only a few months before he had.
She certainly seemed to have a promising future.
‘The more people I can bring to my side, the better. Right now, the only people I can really call my allies are Gray and Kastel.’
Saul’s current objective was to take revenge on various nobles of the Kingdom of Gamelda and, eventually, on the Kingdom of Gamelda itself.
To accomplish that, he would need many people who were both trustworthy and capable.
With Aina’s abilities, she would undoubtedly prove useful.
Of course, there was no need to rush.
Saul said nothing more and began preparing to return to the lord’s estate.
***
After successfully completing the monster subjugation, Saul returned and dismounted to a welcoming reception.
“Congratulations on your victory, Your Highness.”
Lord Duncan, who had personally come out to receive him, bowed his head.
Saul returned the greeting and said,
“Your daughter was a great help. Her skill was impressive.”
“I am relieved that my inadequate daughter was of assistance.”
“She was a tremendous help. But I’m tired now, so I’d like to rest for a while. That won’t be a problem, will it?”
“Of course not, Your Highness.”
Saul had already mentioned beforehand that he wished to rest as soon as he returned, so Duncan immediately escorted him to the guest room.
Once Saul and his party had withdrawn, Duncan turned to his daughter.
“Well done.”
“Thank you, Father.”
“Let us go to my room first.”
Duncan headed to his room with Aina, Kalland, and several close retainers.
Every one of them was either a member of House Hopkins with no ties to the royal family or a trusted subordinate.
Once he had gathered only people he could trust, Duncan came straight to the point.
“Aina.”
“Yes, Father.”
“How capable was Prince Saul?”
“Quite capable.”
“Impressively so?”
“Yes. I watched him fight three large Hogs with magic and bring them down in moments. Without receiving any help from Miss Kastel.”
Everyone was surprised by Aina’s answer.
Defeating three Hogs in such a short time was not something just anyone could accomplish.
To think that inexperienced young prince was such a capable mage.
“My lady, are you certain?”
“Yes. There was no need for me to look after him at all. Even while facing monsters and fighting them directly, he never showed the slightest sign of surprise or panic.”
Duncan’s close retainers each offered their thoughts.
“That is surprising. Prince Saul surely has never been on a battlefield before.”
“I looked into it. Forget going to war—apparently, he was a frail bookworm as a child. Then one day, he suddenly began studying magic.”
“Could he have secretly gained combat experience before coming here?”
After the discussion continued for a while, Kalland, who had remained silent, finally spoke.
“Aina.”
“Yes, Brother?”
“How does Prince Saul’s ability compare with yours?”
“Pardon? Well....”
Aina thought for a moment before answering.
“I don’t think he would be an easy opponent.”
Kalland’s gaze sharpened at his sister’s response.
His sister was proud of her abilities.
It would be difficult to find a mage or warrior of her age with comparable skill anywhere in the Kingdom of Darsen.
If she said that sincerely rather than out of modesty, then Prince Saul truly possessed considerable ability.
Both Kalland and Duncan understood what her answer implied, and their expressions grew serious.
“So he isn’t some reckless fool who doesn’t know his own limits.”
“No, Father.”
“Then your original plan is useless. The plan to show the prince the harshness of battle and frighten him into leaving.”
“That’s right. To be honest, that was what surprised me most. I was told it was definitely his first real battle, yet somehow he remained perfectly calm in front of those monsters....”
Kalland voiced his own suspicion.
“Could the royal family have sent the prince here with some particular intention?”
After thinking for a long moment, Duncan shook his head.
“I do not know. It is difficult to imagine the royal family sending a prince who has only just come of age merely to keep us in check or take something from us. But judging from what Aina said, it does not seem as though he came to our territory for no reason either.... I cannot even guess what his purpose might be.”
Managing the territory, maintaining relations with the royal family, dealing with the Other Races, handling unexplored lands and monsters, and confronting problems involving the enemy Kingdom of Gamelda.
Duncan had retained his position as lord despite facing countless difficult matters, yet even he found this situation impossible to read.
As everyone pondered the matter, Kalland suddenly spoke.
“Father. Since matters have come to this, why not continue assigning Aina to Prince Saul?”
“What do you mean?”
“If Aina becomes close to Prince Saul, would that not allow us to learn more about the prince and, by extension, the royal family? They are the same age, and neither is betrothed. There should be no particular problem with them becoming close.”
The moment Kalland mentioned their age and betrothals, Aina’s expression changed.
“Brother, what exactly are you suggesting?”
“What is wrong with it? You are the same age, and I hear Prince Saul neither has a betrothed nor is courting any particular young noblewoman. The same is true of you. In that case, there should be nothing wrong with the two of you simply spending time together.”
“That may be true, but....”
Aina was flustered.
She had never even considered something like this, yet to her dismay, Duncan’s close retainers began agreeing with Kalland.
“That could certainly be one way.”
“Even if the young lady merely becomes close to the prince, would that not benefit us? It would create a new connection between the royal family and House Hopkins.”
The conversation had changed direction completely because of one remark from her brother, and Aina looked toward her father.
One word from Duncan, the lord, could put an end to the entire discussion.
But even Duncan betrayed his daughter’s expectations.
“That is not a bad idea.”
“Father?”
“This is all for House Hopkins. There is nothing to lose by establishing friendly relations with a prince. We would normally have to create an opportunity from nothing, yet a prince has come rolling into our territory of his own accord. Would it not be better for you to become acquainted with him?”
For the sake of the house.
Those words alone were enough to prevent Aina from stubbornly refusing.
“But... can I really do something like that?”
When Aina hesitated, Kalland joined in.
“Do not misunderstand. I am not telling you to seduce the prince or secure a marriage promise from him. Simply continue accompanying him and become his friend. We will ask no more than that.”
Aina relaxed at Kalland’s explanation.
For a woman more accustomed to armor than dresses and more familiar with axes and shields than flowers, being told to seduce a prince would have been an impossible mission.
Even if, by some miracle, Prince Saul fell in love with Aina, it was difficult to imagine the royal family approving a marriage with House Hopkins.
The kingdom would hardly elevate the status of House Hopkins—an ever-present object of royal vigilance—by marrying one of its daughters to a prince.
Even the young Aina understood that much.
Becoming friends would be enough.
Realistically, nothing beyond that was likely to be possible, nor would anyone expect it.
‘If that’s all....’
Even Aina, a noblewoman far more accustomed to living as a warrior, could accept that much.
If she succeeded, it would be a significant benefit to House Hopkins.
“Yes, Father. If it is for the sake of our house.”
Duncan smiled and nodded at Aina’s resolve.
“Good. Your task is important. For the sake of our house, do whatever you can to become friendly and close with that prince. With your beauty, it should not be difficult.”
“Honestly, Father.”
Aina’s face reddened slightly at Duncan’s teasing words.
Despite wearing leather armor, the sight of her blushing with embarrassment was undeniably beautiful.
Looking at his daughter, Duncan said,
“If you are going to become close to the prince, make good use of the gift your brother gave you for your coming-of-age ceremony.”
Aina’s eyes widened at the mention of ‘her brother’s coming-of-age gift.’
“What? Father, if you mean Brother’s gift....”
Kalland grinned.
“Yes. That would be perfect.”
“Brother?”
“Prince Saul must have met and socialized with countless young noblewomen in the capital. If you are going to spend time with him, should you not at least present yourself with the same refinement as the young ladies of the capital?”
“But....”
Apparently, the coming-of-age gift from her brother was not something Aina particularly liked, because she frowned.
Unfortunately, no one in the room was on her side.
***
What awaited Saul after successfully completing his first real battle was neither praise nor rest, but brutal training.
Under the pretext of correcting the flaws revealed during his first battle, Kastel made his lessons even harsher.
As always, whenever Saul ran low on mana, she replenished it. Whenever he ran out of stamina, she restored that as well, then drove him relentlessly to his limits.
“Huff... huff.... Damn it.”
The training was so grueling that Saul forgot all about a prince’s dignity and cursed aloud.
Kastel did not end the lesson until Saul had truly reached the brink of his limits.
“That will be all for today.”
“Whew....”
Forgetting his royal dignity entirely, Saul dropped onto the floor.
At this point, even Kastel’s magic was no longer helping.
Only rest would do.
After Saul had caught his breath for a while, Kastel spoke.
“Do you intend to continue staying here?”
“Of course. I didn’t come all this way just to experience one real battle.”
“Then it would be advisable for Your Highness to fight not only monsters, but humans or intelligent members of the Other Races as well.”
She had a point.
Monsters were occasionally used on battlefields, but ultimately, the victors and losers in war were determined by humans—or intelligent members of the Other Races—wielding weapons and casting magic.
If Saul truly wished to develop genuine combat experience, he would eventually need to fight intelligent opponents as well.
Not in training, but in actual combat.
That was easier said than done.
For a prince to fight another human in a real battle?
If a subject of the Kingdom of Darsen raised a weapon against a prince for the sake of ‘real combat,’ the act alone could be considered treason.
Even among hardened criminals, it would be difficult to find anyone bold enough to knowingly raise a sword against Saul the ‘prince.’
That meant he needed enemies who did not belong to the Kingdom of Darsen, which created another difficult problem.
The armistice treaty with the Kingdom of Gamelda was still in effect, so he could not simply go fight Gamelda either.
“Monsters are one thing, but humans or the Other Races won’t want to fight me. And I can’t exactly pick a fight with the Kingdom of Gamelda.”
“You can conceal your identity.”
“Conceal my... identity?”
“Yes. If you wore a mask and used a different name, as I do, they would not know that you were a prince.”
It was a reasonable suggestion.
Kastel herself was proof.
Without her distinctive mask and attire, she was simply a beautiful woman with a somewhat vacant expression.
Anyone who did not know her would never imagine that the bare-faced Kastel was the ‘Black Witch’ or the ‘Black Star of Ill Omen.’
The same applied to Saul.
Outside the royal palace, few people knew Prince Saul’s face.
If he cleared away his entourage and simply wore a helmet that concealed his face, hiding his identity would not be difficult.
“That’s not a bad idea.”
“I have done it myself. When I need to sharpen my combat instincts, I sometimes travel without my mask.”
“Really? What happened to the unfortunate people who fought you?”
“They were all people who could lawfully be executed on the spot.”
“…….”
There was no need to ask anything further.
Those unfortunate ‘subjects for summary execution’ had undoubtedly been executed on the spot in the most literal sense.