Chapter 45

"What did you say just now?"

Sunhyuk feeling that he had misheard, asked again. However, no matter how many times he asked, the answer did not change.

"The Princess wants you to be her escort in the victory banquet tonight."

"So I'm asking why me"

Why would a person who is vastly higher in position choose a partner like him, he did not know, but the servant showed a grim face.

"Would it not be right rather to have a grateful heart than harbour doubts, sir?"

That would be something that might work for people who grew up here, but for him that was planning on just receiving what he was promised and returning, it was a thunderous piece of news.

"Ugh. I understand."

But no matter how much he argues with the servant whom grew up in the Palace, he wouldn't be able to hear an answer he wanted so he ended the conversation.

"Oh my. Why is that little child suddenly"

No matter how much the Princess looked cute and lovely which made him almost have a fatherly forbearance towards her, but it didn't change the fact that he was displeased with this sudden arrangement. However, he was willing to follow the order even if he didn't really like it.

It wasn't a hard thing to bend down one's back for a brief moment to obtain what he wanted in the long run.

Not only that, if he was able to prevent the troublesome nobles from approaching him by being with the Princess, there was also some positives as well. As such, he tried to think positively about the situation.

But those kind of feelings did not last very long.

"Are we still not there yet?"

It seems that the escort which the Princess had sent for was not such a simple ordeal. From his perspective, he wasn't that keen on bending down to all this last minute etiquette teachings, now required for all of the courtesy and manners entailed for such a setting.

"These are all of the aspects that a Stranger should at least consider before entering the ball."

Though this guy was rambling on about courtesy this and that, he was internally dying. He was slowly becoming weary, wondering why he had to be listening to the nagging of this middle-aged Knight along the way.

"If you cannot maintain such basic courtesy, you will lose face on behalf of the Royal Family perhaps, even tarnishing their honour into the very ground we walk on. If you were to involve the Princess with any such scandal in the slightest, I promise that you will be in for a fun event."

Sunhyuk became silent as he could feel that clear heavy pressure from yesterday against that blatant intimidation oozing from the middle-aged Knight chuckled.

'Ugh. Why doesn't that Ahjussi just be by that child's side. Why did he have to come all the way here'

Whatever the reason may be, the courtesy and actions which he demonstrated were extremely strict compared to what he had learnt before arriving. Not only that, what made him more nervous was that he was aware of the identity of the middle-aged man in front of him.

Reinhard Heinrich Polgram, head of the Royal Guards and Marquis of the Kingdom of Ardenburg. That was the knight's identity.

"Seriously, your movements are too rigid."

Reinhard wasn't even keen on encouraging him at all. It would have been alright if he wasn't interfering with him, but Reinhard was endlessly interjecting. Though his anger had reached the tip of his threshold, since he was suppressed in both position and ability, all he could do was scratch his head like a fool.

"If you roughly know this, then it will be alright. Though I will have to monitor for a bit to see how well you can apply it, and how well you can maintain it, please ask me for advice whenever."

Sunhyuk's face couldn't help but distort at how this could be 'roughly' okay after several hours of lecturing on the finer points of courtesy. Feeling a bit of unfairness with it all, he asked who he was supposed to ask advice from, which Reinhard gave a glance back at him.

"Life is a battle, greenhorn."

As if he wasn't keen on giving advice at all, Sunhyuk decided to give it a try. With that hateful appearance of his, he asked with a voice full of complaints.

"Then why is the Marquis here with me?" "What do you mean why? The daughter-like girl that I had raised is fully grown, and is wanting to attend the ball with a man, so I have to check what kind of guy he is."

He couldn't help feeling stupefied from the Marquises rambling on about how that little girl was his daughter.

This Ahjussi, he's a similar breed as my comrades.

Though it has diminished a lot by now, but there is still that sense of veteran-like behavior which has yet to die down, as he was aware that the personality of this Knight in front of him was not so different from the cavalrymen in his own regiment. He looked at the Marquis's expression and asked.

"So how am I?" "I don't know if you're a good guy or a proper man, but if you were to create any trouble, just know that I will break your legs. If you want to live, I know you will maintain the proper actions."

However, if there was a stark difference between the Marquis and the Riders of the 24th Regiment, it was that he had an excellent talent at intimidating people.

"Probably so. I will do well."

When he found out that the Marquis was not like those nobles, he just replied with a straightforward answer.

"Alright. Good. I hope you do well."

Though he still had the same blunt tone of an old man, but it did not match with those serious eyes of his.

"Do not be won over by the enticements from such nobles. Do not fancy their reach, nor desire their ways. Do not take in their pleasures, and decline their offers.

Until just now, that grumbling atmosphere of the Marquis had completely changed.

"Their wealth and shows is just the last dinner before death row; walking to a guillotine."

After that, the Marquis presence became like that of a sword, making Sunhyuk feel that if he were to move an inch, he would be killed on the spot.

"Please keep my words in mind. The Royal Family cherishes talents, but there is no mercy towards immoral men."

Sunhyuk nodded without hesitation.

"If it wasn't for that old man's request from Mengsk, I wouldn't have even warned you, so make sure to thank him later."

Then, the appearance of the Marquis changed so suddenly again, along with the atmosphere that it was difficult for him to grasp the situation.

"Then, do your share and go along. See you again, greenhorn."

Then, finishing what he had come for, he quickly left the place. Sunhyuk who was all alone wiped away the sweat. In that short time span, he was so tense that he became sweaty all over his body.

"By recklessly acting after obtaining this Drake, I might have left this world"

Though he didn't know how much of an elite the position of a Marquis was, but seeing that small moment of tension between the Marquis caused all of his senses to be revived.

'It is the mighty that can be compassionate to the weak, but it is not yet permitted for you to do so.' 'Survive. Survive even if you roll in the mud and crawl to me. Until then, your compassion will not become of arrogance and ignorance, but of true value.'

Recalling the voice of the Dragon from that day, Sunhyuk recollected himself.

*****

The victory banquet had already begun. However, Sunhyuk was outside in a waiting room killing time.

"The right honourable Baron Gary Olde Citroen and Baroness Citroen of the Citroen Estate of the east enters!" "The right honourable Baron Hallock Luem Parisen, the Baroness and his daughter, Iris of the Parisen Estate of the central enters!" "The right honourable Baron William Leach Carlisle of the Carlisle Estate of the east enters"

He could hear the the introductions which were ringing throughout the ballroom from inside the waiting room as he waited for quite a long time.

He had heard that the nobles had heavy buttocks. In other words, there was an implied rule that those in higher ranks of nobility will not enter prior to those lower than them. Now, the Knight Bachelors and the Barons had barely finished, and it was now the turn of the Counts, so it would be quite a while before the Princess was to enter.

Full of boredom, he sat down and listened to the ball from outside, and soon heard a welcoming announcement.

"Annihilating those evil Noctanes and crushing their ambitions, the shield that has defended the Kingdom's wellbeing, please welcome Baron Bittenfeld Roam Mengsk and the Drake Cavalry of the 24th Regiment!"

After a brief silence, he could hear an applause as Sunhyuk unknowingly stood up and gave out a fistpump.

'Ah, how nice would it be if I could join them.'

At this time, all he could feel was shame that he could not confidently show himself in front of the nobles with his comrades.

*****

"Huh. What happened here?"

The Chief Executive of the Western Armies, Baron Bittenfeld Roam Mengsk along with the Blue Coats that had slain the Sastane demons had entered, but did not see the Stranger. Looking around, he saw that the other nobles were also wearily looking for that Stranger.

"That rumored Stranger is nowhere to be seen, as if he was cursed by a ghost."

Realising that the rumored protagonist was not here, the nobles were full of speculation and curiosity, and were waiting anxiously for when the Dragon Rider who rode in on a Drake through the way here would appear or not.

However, even though the line had reached the Dukes now, he still had not appeared, making the nobles worry a bit that the Royal Family had sneaked him out of the banquet prior.

"The true ruler of Ardenburg, more honorable and wise than anyone else, please welcome Your Princess, the eldest daughter of the King of Adesden; Theodore Tiberius Adesden, direct descendant of the true king, Ophelia Lauriel Adesden!"

Simultaneously, all of the nobles lowered their heads and stayed still from such announcement of the Princess. But, when they had thought that the introductions was over, the Herald announced again.

"Achieving the number one Ranking in military achievements of the six hundred and twenty seventh Ar-Noc Wars, slaying the heads of the Sastane demons and a brave warrior even fending off an Advanced Noctane Knight; Drake Knight Kim Sunhyuk will be entering with her together!"

From this announcement, all of the nobles flashed their heads up and saw a black-haired man in a blue uniform escorting the Princess together.

"Damn"

They had not withdrawn the Drake Knight separately. Rather, they took him and made him accompany them in front of the nobles. The Princess met the gazes of a few nobles. They hurriedly lowered their heads, but they had already seen that sly smile from the Princess.

'Do not covet what the Royal Family has.'

It was as if the Princess was saying as such.

The nobles had to soothe themselves internally from this quick action from the Royal Family. It was as if all of the plans they had set in place were now voided due to the action of the Princess.

They could not dare approach the Princess's partner, and could not take the Stranger aside with the Royal Family by his side.

However, they coveted the Stranger more as a result. The attitude of ruling them out by making the Stranger their partner revealed that the man was the greatest evidence that the Royal Family was trying to settle him down. Thus, the nobles continued to watch the Stranger continuously while aware of the presence of the Princess.

"Since the Princess has focused more on her inner qualities than her physical strength, don't you think it will be a problem for her to enjoy this banquet for a long time?" "She is still young after all"

There was no rule that the young Princess would stay for long, and once she was absent from here, the real party would soon start.

From the distorted faces of the nobles, she could notice that their eyes were full of cunningness.

"The Princess will not stay here for long. Since she is a person with a lot of work" "Yes. Leave it to me, father."

Someone had made a request to his daughter.

"When the opportunity comes"

And if someone were to touch what was in his arms, he was willing to fight.

*****

The anticipation by the nobles that the Princess will not stay here for long was correct. Sunhyuk, alternating gazes between the princess and the nobles, couldn't help but sigh.

If it was possible to attack a person with just a look, then he would have been kidnapped several times already from his spot.

That was how scary the eyes of the nobles and ladies were.

"You're doing very well. If you keep this up, a very interesting event will occur."

He looked around and stopped in his tracks. Due to that, he had missed the stride of the Princess in his hand, which caused his senses to be fully tensed from the growl of Marquis Reinhart. Quickly catching up with the Princess, he began to walk again with the Princess.

When they had proudly arrived at the seat which was reserved for them, the gazes of the nobles focused on them.

"How could you be so beautiful like a flower, I might not have noticed that it was you." "The fragrance of the descendants of the Adesden bloodline is growing with the flow of time, and the moment the Princess had entered, I almost fainted from the delightful fragrance." "The beauty and grace of your walk is so"

The nobles poured out all sorts of greasy comments and tributes, and the Princess gracefully received their words with a loving and dignified look that did not match her age.

In the meantime, Sunhyuk became completely meek from the moment as he laid low. Seeing that the nobles were introducing themselves to the Princess first, and despite that he may have high achievements, he was a Stranger that had not been knighted into nobility yet so they did not talk to him.

'Help me'

Finding his comrades, Sunhyuk sent out a plea to them signalling for help, but his comrades who were without any brains whatsoever just stared back at him full of envy. Thus, when he was busy looking at another way, the Herald who maintained silence after the Princess, entered the ballroom and announced in a thunderous voice once more

TL Afterword:

Calvis:

The middle-aged man must be a pain to deal with. Damn, several hours of nagging. Oh god.

PR Afterword:

T0ngan:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQvV4SNeH-U

Borderline Masochist:

N/A