A short while later, Saul got to his feet.
When he stepped outside the training ground, he found Gray waiting for him.
“Your Highness, have you been putting yourself through such grueling training again?”
“It’s nothing unusual.”
“Even so....”
Gray cast a resentful glance at Kastel.
Having endured the same look for years, Kastel ignored Gray’s resentment as casually as ever.
But there was someone else standing beside Gray.
“Your Highness.”
Aina was waiting for Saul with a maid beside her carrying a pitcher.
Saul was rather surprised by Aina’s unfamiliar appearance.
The reason was simple.
The girl who was always dressed in armor was wearing a dress.
The silver ornaments in Aina’s hair and around her neck also caught his eye.
Compared with the dresses worn by young noblewomen in the capital, hers was modest but by no means shabby.
Her silver accessories were simple and unadorned by a single gemstone, yet they suited her well.
Dressed like this, Aina was undeniably beautiful.
It was not as though she had been unattractive in armor, but this was a different sort of beauty.
The only flaw was that Aina herself did not seem particularly happy about it.
Even as she did her best to behave properly before Saul, her lips were slightly pursed in obvious displeasure.
‘I see what this is.’
Aina dressed like a proper young noblewoman for the first time.
And an expression that failed miserably to conceal how uncomfortable she felt.
Saul could more or less guess what was happening.
In this region, armor was considered just as formal as a dress—perhaps even more so.
Even if Aina continued meeting Saul in armor, it would not be considered disrespectful toward a prince.
So why would someone who was clearly uncomfortable with such things be dressed in a gown and adorned with jewelry?
Was it not obvious that House Hopkins was trying to cater to Prince Saul’s tastes?
Saul studied Aina with open curiosity.
Apparently uncomfortable under his gaze, Aina lowered her eyes as her face reddened.
Now convinced of his suspicions, Saul muttered inwardly,
‘Surely they aren’t planning to marry me to a lord’s daughter who barely looks comfortable in a dress. Then are they trying to make Aina and me friends so they can gain something from me afterward?’
Having read House Hopkins’s intentions with considerable accuracy, Saul decided to play along for now.
“This is the first time I’ve seen you in a dress.”
“Yes. I thought Your Highness might be more accustomed to seeing me like this....”
Aina still looked uncomfortable, but neither her appearance nor her behavior was particularly awkward.
As a noblewoman, she had apparently learned the basic etiquette and bearing expected of her.
“You look beautiful, Lady.”
“Th-Thank you.”
Apparently unused to such situations, Aina faltered for a moment before lowering her head, her cheeks turning faintly red.
‘So that’s what this is.’
Aina certainly had not fallen in love with him at first sight and suddenly decided to make it obvious.
Most likely, House Hopkins wanted her to become close to him and gain whatever benefits she could from the relationship.
To put it rather harshly, they intended to make use of him.
But there was no reason to become angry simply because they dared try to use a prince.
For a lordly house barely maintaining its autonomy on the frontier, attempting to please and make use of a prince who had practically dropped into its lap was only natural.
There was no need to interpret it negatively.
Saul also needed the lord’s assistance if he wanted to operate smoothly in this region for the foreseeable future.
Being exploited unilaterally would be unacceptable, but there was nothing wrong with exchanging benefits.
Having decided that, Saul smiled pleasantly.
“We’re the same age, aren’t we?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“You’re impressive. Before coming here, I had never experienced real combat even once. I had only read books and studied under an excellent teacher. That last battle was my first, so it seems you’re already one step ahead of me.”
At Saul’s courteous praise, Aina’s face reddened even further, and she visibly struggled to remain composed.
It was a perfectly natural reaction for someone who had probably never heard such words from a prince before.
It was ‘Teacher,’ who behaved as though Saul’s status as a prince meant nothing whatsoever, who was unusual.
Saul found himself newly aware of just how effective his handsome appearance, status, and courteous behavior could be as weapons.
“I’d like to become a little closer to you.”
“It would be an honor, Your Highness.”
“There’s a great deal I’d like to talk about with you. Shall we go inside first?”
“Yes. I brought you a drink. We have also prepared some special arrangements for Your Highness.”
“Thank you.”
Saul took a drink from the tray carried by Aina’s maid.
The first sip was pleasantly sweet and tart, and wonderfully cool.
There was no ice in it, so magic had clearly been used to chill the beverage.
Cooling a drink was something even Saul could accomplish easily with magic, but he appreciated the thoughtfulness of having a cold drink prepared for him without being asked.
“Have one too, Teacher.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
There was a portion for Kastel as well, so she also quenched her thirst.
Saul then followed Aina to the bathing room.
He had already visited the estate’s bathing room several times and hardly needed a guide, but today was somewhat different.
The bathwater contained unusually fine bath additives, and the massage was far more attentive than usual. The service seemed even better than it had been on the day Saul first arrived.
Saul found himself smiling several times as he received the massage.
Their straightforward efforts to win his favor were almost endearing.
After finishing his bath and changing into light clothing, Saul stepped outside to find Aina waiting for him.
“Your Highness.”
“Thanks to you, I had an excellent bath. Shall we go to my room now?”
When they reached the guest room where Saul was staying, two men were standing outside.
Gray and Royal Inspector Pierre.
Both looked distinctly uncomfortable with the situation.
Pretending not to notice, Saul walked past them and entered his room.
Kastel attempted to follow, but Saul stopped her.
“Teacher. I’d like to speak with Aina alone.”
“…….”
Kastel withdrew without a word, though her expression did not look particularly pleased either.
Gray, Royal Inspector Pierre, and even Teacher Kastel.
Apparently, none of them liked the idea of Saul growing closer to Aina.
‘Gray is probably worried about me, Pierre has political reasons, and Kastel... does she think I’ll neglect my magic because I’m spending time with a woman?’
He understood why all of them might be concerned.
But there was no reason to let himself be dragged around merely because others worried about him.
Saul sat across from Aina.
Looking at her again, she truly was remarkably beautiful.
She wore a modest dress and accessories that even lower-ranking nobles in the capital might consider too plain, but such things could not conceal Aina’s beauty.
Dress her in the expensive gowns and fine jewelry fashionable among the young noblewomen of the capital, and she would immediately attract attention in high society.
Moreover, Aina was not merely a beautiful woman.
She was a warrior who had already experienced real combat several times despite her young age.
For Saul, who had lived in his previous life as a low-ranking noble barely distinguishable from a commoner, there was much about her that he found likable.
“Shall we talk for a while? Is there anything you want to ask me?”
“…….”
Aina could not answer easily.
No matter how well she wore the dress and jewelry, she clearly could not help feeling awkward in situations like this.
Saul decided to take the initiative.
“That dress and those accessories are both excellent. They make your beauty stand out even more.”
Saul spoke the way he normally did when flattering young noblewomen.
Usually, that much alone was enough to make a noblewoman genuinely pleased, or at the very least pretend to be pleased.
Aina was different.
She seemed to be trying to look happy, but even the attempt was awkward.
Apparently, compliments about dresses were just as unfamiliar to Aina as wearing the dress itself.
Saul decided to find a subject she would genuinely care about.
Thinking back on her behavior so far, it was not difficult to determine what interested her.
“Your skill with an axe was impressive. Who taught you?”
Aina’s eyes immediately lit up.
“The knights of House Hopkins taught me.”
The knights of a noble house teaching axe techniques to the lord’s daughter.
That would have been unusual in the royal capital, but perhaps it was natural in such a harsh frontier region.
If even a sheltered noblewoman could become this skilled here, there were surely numerous powerful warriors within and around the territory.
Saul felt both curiosity and competitive excitement.
“I see. I use a sword, but my swordsmanship isn’t particularly impressive. If your axe and my sword collided, my blade would probably break before long.”
“You praise me too highly. I was the one impressed by Your Highness’s magic.”
“Really? Now I’m curious who would win if the two of us sparred.”
“Sparred...?”
“Yes.”
The instant Saul mentioned sparring, Aina’s eyes brightened again.
They looked remarkably similar to the eyes of noblewomen in the capital whenever they discussed fashionable fabrics, dresses, or gemstones.
It was not that Saul disliked the young noblewomen of the capital.
But personally, he found himself more drawn to a girl capable of standing on her own as a warrior or mage than to someone who was merely as delicate as a flower.
Someone like Aina.
Separate from his personal interest, Saul genuinely wanted to spar with her as well.
The only way to properly judge her ability was to face her himself.
Having made his decision, Saul said,
“I challenge you to a spar, Lady.”
He offered the challenge as though asking her to dance at a ball, leaving Aina momentarily flustered.
But apparently recognizing that Saul was serious, she nodded with her eyes still shining.
“It would be an honor, Your Highness.”
Several hours later.
Having mostly recovered, Saul headed outside the estate.
There was a training ground directly behind the mansion.
The lord’s family, as well as knights who had received the lord’s permission, frequently used it for training and sparring.
Since night had already fallen, no one else was there.
Magic Lamps, common in the royal capital, were rare in this region, so several torches were lit instead.
Once the torches had been placed around the training ground, there was enough light for the two of them to spar.
“Shall we begin?”
“Yes, Your Highness. Please forgive any discourtesy.”
With Gray, Kastel, and several knights of the territory observing, Saul and Aina stood facing each other.
It would be troublesome if Aina were seriously injured, and even more troublesome if Saul suffered a serious injury, so they established several rules.
Neither wore armor, instead choosing clothing that allowed them to move freely, and rather than sharp metal weapons, they used wooden training weapons.
Saul held a slender Wooden Sword.
Aina wielded a wooden axe and shield.
Aina seemed perfectly accustomed to the wooden axe and shield, but Saul was not particularly comfortable with the slender Wooden Sword.
Compared with his usual Magic Sword, both its length and weight felt subtly different.
‘I’m at a slight disadvantage.’
Saul decided not to point it out.
Fighting under unfavorable conditions was valuable experience in itself.
Saul and Aina watched each other as they assumed their stances.
Rather than holding the sword upside down as he did when using his Magic Sword for spellcasting, Saul gripped it properly with both hands.
“Hah!”
With a shout, Aina attacked first.
She raised her axe while keeping her shield positioned to protect her torso.
It was a stance that accounted for both offense and defense, leaving no obvious opening.
Saul raised his sword to block the axe.
The instant the two wooden weapons collided, a heavy shock traveled through his wrists.
It was an extraordinarily powerful strike.
The axe might have been wooden, but if he had failed to block it, the match might have ended with that single blow.
The moment Saul stopped the attack, Aina swung her shield.
Using a weapon and shield simultaneously was hardly easy, yet after striking with her axe, Aina smoothly attempted to smash Saul with her shield as well.
Saul quickly pulled himself backward.
The shield swept just past his head.
Then the axe and shield came at him one after another.
As he had expected, Aina was more skilled with weapons than he was.
Then the answer was magic.
After retreating several steps, Saul shifted the sword into one hand.
A sword in one hand.
His other hand free to prepare magic.
It was the standard stance of a Battle Mage.
Apparently realizing what Saul intended, Aina lunged forward again.
She planned to prevent him from casting.
But Saul completed his spell by the narrowest margin.
Lightning burst from Saul’s fingertips and shot toward Aina.