Interlude – The Beginning
1
“Hey, Aldia. What is the meaning of this?!”
“Explain it properly, so we can understand!”
It was one week after the establishment of the Provisional Elite Corps. Just as I’d expected, I was being grilled by my friends. Steano and Petra were leading the charge, thrusting pieces of paper in my face. On them were the words: ‘Provisional Elite Corps Assignment Certificate.’
“It’s just as it says on the paper.”
When I gave my short reply, Mia, who had been watching from the back, raised her hand.
“But you didn’t explain this to us, did you?”
Her deep blue eyes, belying her calm expression, were fixed squarely on me.
“No, I didn’t.”
“Well then, Aldy. Go ahead and explain.”
Mia said her piece and took a step back. She was right. This was something we had decided on our own. Princess Valtrune and I had selected the members we wanted for the Provisional Elite Corps, and this was the result.
“We have established the Provisional Elite Corps under Her Highness’s direct command. We want all of you to be its initial members.”
“And you! Should have! Asked our permission!”
“Weren’t you prepared for this the moment you decided to follow me?”
“W-Well…”
Petra’s momentum rapidly fizzled out, and she fell silent. It was a bit of a low blow, but I hadn’t called my friends to this country just because I didn’t want to fight them. Securing capable personnel was also an urgent priority. A major conflict requires a proportional amount of military strength.
As graduates of Philnotes Military Academy, they all had the potential to be effective assets immediately. I hadn’t revealed it yet, but one of the main reasons I’d assigned them to the military was that the Provisional Elite Corps’s first battle was imminent. It would be too difficult to gather people who could form the core of the army now, and we didn’t have time to train them. We were desperate for people who could command a unit.
“While we’re at it, I want to ask something.”
Next, Flegel, wearing a grim expression, took a step closer.
“What is it?”
“Even if I accept what you’re saying… why am I the only one who got this?”
On the paper in his hand, a different set of words was written: ‘Imperial Princess’s Internal Affairs Officer Assignment Certificate.’
“An Internal Affairs Officer… Why?”
Seeing Flegel’s sour face, I cocked my head.
“…What do you mean, ‘why’? It means exactly what it says.”
“I mean, why am I the only one not assigned to that Provisional Elite Corps!”
“After discussing it with Her Highness, we judged this to be the most appropriate assignment from an aptitude standpoint.”
It was true that his assignment was different from the others. But to make full use of his vast knowledge, we wanted him to serve as an internal officer, contributing in ways other than combat.
“Aptitude… huh.”
He narrowed his golden eyes.
“Yeah. We considered things besides combat. You were always good at administrative work, right?”
“Well, yeah. You know me well.”
“We’ve known each other long enough.”
Given his education as a noble, this assignment was the most logical fit. We needed people to take on command roles in battle, but we’d also been feeling the need for an internal officer to help Princess Valtrune with her foundational duties. Of course, as her Personal Knight, I was first in line to help, but there would absolutely be times when we were still short-handed.
“Flegel, this is for your sake, too.”
In addition, I believed that if he distinguished himself as Princess Valtrune’s right-hand man, his own wish might be granted.
“For my sake?”
“Yeah. You came to the Empire with me. …But that’s not the only reason you’re here, is it?”
“…That… is…”
“You have an important reason to stay here. As an internal officer, this role will help you achieve your goal. If you want to build a record of achievements, this is a more certain path than being a general, don’t you think?”
“…You have a point.”
Flegel loved his fiancée. Having abandoned his peerage in the Kingdom, he needed to build a solid status here in the Empire and be recognized if he was to stand by her side again. The quickest way to grasp that was to assist Princess Valtrune with her work.
“Any objections, Flegel?”
He seemed to understand what I was getting at, and his expression grew even more serious.
“No… No complaints. Aldia.”
“…?”
“I seem to have made you worry about me… Thanks.”
No one else, save for me, could have understood what Flegel was thanking me for. But I knew exactly what he meant.
“This was just the result of considering Her Highness’s intentions. Don’t worry about it.”
“I see… Well, I’d better give it my all, then.”
“Yeah. I’m counting on you.”
This was a mutually beneficial arrangement. He was here to rebuild his relationship with his former fiancée, who was in this country. I was here to spread Princess Valtrune’s prestige throughout the Empire. Flegel and I exchanged a look, vowing to help each other achieve our respective goals.
2
After that, I somehow managed to win them all over, and everyone agreed to their assignment in the Provisional Elite Corps. I had made the decision without consulting them this time, but I resolved to be thorough about explaining the circumstances in advance from now on.
“Whew…”
Letting out a deep sigh, I walked beside Princess Valtrune.
“You’ve been working hard these past few days.”
“Your Highness… Thank you for your kind words.”
After finishing the discussions with Petra and the others, we were heading to a conference room to plan our next operation.
Princess Valtrune had been meeting with key figures in the Imperial army day after day. This was all necessary to carry out the upcoming first mission for the Provisional Elite Corps.
“This time, we have a meeting with General Rudolf, commander of the Imperial Cavalry Division, and General Epika, commander of the Imperial Mage Division.”
—Rudolf and Epika. I recognized those names.
“Nervous?”
She smiled and glanced over at me.
“Yes, a little…”
“I suppose so. They’re both opponents you’ve fought before, after all.”
That’s right… I had fought fierce battles against them in the past. They were two of the most skilled commanders in the Imperial army. My memory of them was fainter compared to Ritziareite, but I clearly remembered them being difficult opponents. One was a berserker with overwhelming physical strength and a fiery fighting spirit I lacked. The other was the sharpest and most powerful mage in the Imperial army. They were two very different types, but both were undeniably among the strong.
“It’s… a strange feeling, I guess.”
“Talking to people you once killed?”
“…Yes.”
And I had, in my previous life, killed both of them. We were enemies, so it couldn’t be helped. But now, they weren’t people from a hostile nation. …I didn’t know how I should act around them.
“The Provisional Elite Corps will be clashing with Marquis Rigel soon. Due to various circumstances, the regular Imperial army can’t make a move, so we’ve been tasked with the role.”
“Marquis Rigel… Fadi’s nemesis, right?”
“Yes. We’ve gathered evidence of his crimes, but it wasn’t enough to get the Imperial army to mobilize.”
“And that’s where the Provisional Elite Corps comes in.”
“Exactly.”
I had a vague idea of the situation. The army couldn’t move because someone within its ranks was connected to Marquis Rigel. The official story was that they couldn’t confirm his crimes, but the main reason was pressure from the nobles who held sway over the military.
“…Which side are General Rudolf and General Epika on?”
I asked the question that had suddenly occurred to me. Were these two generals allies of Princess Valtrune, or not? We were meeting them under the pretext of a direct discussion, but that didn’t guarantee they were people she trusted. I continued to stare into her clear blue eyes, and she suddenly stopped walking.
“If… those two belonged to a faction hostile to me, what would you do?”
I answered immediately.
“If they are an obstacle, I will do as you wish, Your Highness.”
An enemy of Princess Valtrune… was something to be eliminated. That, at least, was an unshakable truth within me. I didn’t know the full extent of General Rudolf’s or General Epika’s influence within the Empire. They might be incredibly powerful. Even so, my resolve to eliminate her enemies would not be swayed.
“Don’t make that face.”
“Huh?”
“Relax. They are on our side.”
She placed her hand on my cheek and leaned in closer.
“Was I making such a terrible face?”
“Yes. You looked absolutely murderous.”
If she said so, it must have been true. Sometimes my emotions get the better of me. Even when I’m trying to act calmly, I can exceed the limits of my reason and expose an ugly part of myself.
“I apologize.”
How many times had I apologized to her now? I had only just become her Personal Knight, and I was already failing her.
“It’s fine. It’s just proof of how much you’re thinking about me.”
“But even so, I am still inexperienced.”
“That may be true. But we still have plenty of time. Let’s grow together.”
“Yes.”
We stopped in front of the conference room.
“Now, it’s time to focus. Behave with the dignity befitting my Personal Knight!”
“Yes! As you command, Your Highness.”
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