Previously
Cecilia and Leoport observe the Holy Knight recruitment tests using enhanced vision provided by Scott and Eugene's holy power. Cecilia identifies Cain, the future ally of Emily, and watches as he struggles through the physical endurance tests alongside a remarkably calm trainee named Eileen.
Because they were busy managing the applicants waiting for their interviews, their voices boomed with an intimidating edge.
“Ah… well, you see, the thing is…”
The two covertly shifted their gazes and gestured toward us, as they could hardly speak of the young master of Ornbach or “Your Highness” right before the candidates.
And when the other knights followed their eyes—
“Good heavens…”
“Honestly, Her Highness’s stubbornness is unbearable.”
The knights recognized me despite the enchanted hood and let out soft groans.
I offered them a polite smile.
“I’m just going to greet my sisters and head right out.”
Unlike when I hid behind the bushes to watch the fitness trials, I boldly looked over the applicants this time.
Had they used a magical artifact? The candidates looked refreshed, dressed in clean training clothes, and sat lined up on the long benches in the corridor.
I took in the scene, rehearsing my plan in my head.
‘All I have to do is take a graceful tumble right in front of Cain.’
My scheme wasn’t complicated. Just a simple exploitation of my sisters’ overprotective nature…
Cain’s character setting was that, as a servant’s son, he looked after Emily’s younger sisters like an older brother.
‘He cared for me like a real brother when I was little. He’d carry me if I stumbled, and if I got into a fight, he’d go fight in my place.’
When Emily introduced Cain to Leoport with those words, Leoport had felt a pang of jealousy, while the reader comments filled with remarks that such an older brother didn’t exist in real life.
Thanks to that, Cain grew accustomed to looking after girls, which would later become a weakness used against him.
Such as an orphan girl being deliberately introduced to lure him away from Emily.
‘Since he made it this far, his personality can’t have deviated much from the original novel.’
The plan was simple: I stumble, Cain comes to my rescue with practiced ease, and my sisters witness it all.
‘Since my sisters dote on me, granting a few extra points won’t be difficult at all.’
That was another reason I wore the hood. If they caught sight of my silver hair, no one would dare touch me even if I took a fall…
‘Though his fitness scores were fine, the number of final candidates is high… I need to make certain.’
Firming my resolve, I scanned the applicants alongside Leoport. Since their numbers didn’t exceed twenty, I quickly spotted Cain.
Thanks to the seating arrangement following the fitness exam numbers, he was once again seated beside Eileen of the grey ponytail.
‘As long as she doesn’t slip up, she’ll likely pass too.’
The interview was merely a final check, after all.
Besides, no matter how inexperienced one might be, no one would act rudely before those indebted to grace.
Though of course, I was here to tilt the odds in Cain’s favor…
‘When are my sisters getting here?’
I glanced down the corridor leading to the main palace, but no one had appeared yet. Do I have to wait longer…?
To pass the time, I spoke to Leoport.
“Leo, who impressed you the most?”
“For me, that brown-haired boy. Number 29…”
Leoport whispered lest the applicants overhear, sounding as if he had prepared the answer in advance.
Feeling once again like a proud guardian at a school recital, I asked him,
“Why him?”
“Every single motion of his was precise and disciplined. Master Schneider always emphasizes that one must pour their sincerity into every movement.”
“I see.”
It seemed Leoport’s swordsmanship instructor, Master Schneider, wouldn’t have thought much of Eileen either.
“Still, there was someone else who caught my eye.”
“Who?”
“Over there, number 25.”
“Ah, her.”
The person Leoport pointed to was a girl with short, reddish-blonde hair seated beside Eileen.
She seemed slightly younger than Eileen and was the very trainee who had shaken her fists in fury at Eileen’s impassive demeanor.
I had found her fiery temper rather frightening, but since she had made it this far, she stood a good chance of being accepted into the Sixth Squad.
Is it really fine for someone’s temper to be that sharp…?
“Her footing was remarkably light. While her form wasn’t strictly disciplined, her movements flowed seamlessly.”
Knowing nothing of swordsmanship myself, I merely nodded along with Leoport’s words.
At that exact moment—while we were quietly conversing—that very girl was suddenly standing right before us!
Beaming with a wide smile, no less…!
‘D-did she hear us?’
“Are you two lost?”
Thanks to my earlier impression of her, I cringed slightly.
“H-huh? No, that’s not it…”
The girl with charming freckles dusted across her nose knelt to bring herself level with our eyes.
The smile she gave us was thoroughly innocent, entirely unlike the murderous glare she had leveled at Eileen just moments ago.
I cautiously shifted my eyes.
She appeared a year or two older than Scarlett. Pinned to her chest was a tag reading: Rena from Hazen Region.
“Did you lose your parents?”
“No, not at all…”
Unlike me, frozen stiff, Leoport answered smoothly.
Rena’s smile lingered as her gaze darted between him and me, an oddly familiar look crossing her face.
‘Ah… is it because Leoport is handsome?’
As for me, courtesy of the enchanted hood, I presented a completely ordinary face.
“Then why are you two here alone? Where are the grown-ups who came with you?”
“The grown-ups…”
Leoport glanced at me, clearly thinking of Duke Ornbach, who was currently in the Senate. I gave a slight shake of my head.
‘We can’t reveal who our parents are, nor who brought us here!’
My target was right before me… How do I escape this without exposing myself as a princess?
The moment my mind raced for an exit, my eyes caught familiar figures behind Rena. My sisters and Lancel were approaching in the distance for the interviews.
“No, wait!”
Why at this exact moment?!
I needed Cain to tend to me right in front of my sisters to boost his evaluation!
This was no time to hesitate!
“Wh-what—?”
Flustered, with no time to orchestrate things naturally, I shoved past Rena and took off running.
As if dashing forward to meet my sisters… One step, two steps, three… And right where Cain was sitting, I threw my weight into a spectacular trip.
Skrrrt—!
The sharp screech of my soles scraping the corridor’s marble rang out. Even as I fell, I made sure to lock eyes with Cain.
‘Catch me!’
His eyes went wide in sheer shock at the sight of a strange girl tumbling right in front of him, and he half-rose instinctively.
“No!”
“Isn’t that Cecil?”
“Hey!”
“Your Highness!”
“Cecil!”
Screams echoed all around me, filling my ears. Cain, caught in a panic, lunged forward to break my fall.
‘Ah, it worked.’
What I hadn’t factored in, however…
“Cecil!”
“Wake up!”
“Good heavens, Your Highness!”
“Scott! Eugene!”
Was that my head would actually slam against the marble floor…
“Gasp!”
“That’s…!”
“Heavens above, silver hair…!”
“A-a princess…?”
Rena had tried to catch me, but in doing so, she had accidentally yanked off my hood…
And so, my silver hair—the hallmark of the Imperial Family—was laid bare before all the applicants, and I blacked out on the floor of the Narcissus Palace corridor.
‘Ugh, seriously… Next time, I am never putting my own body on the line.’
I knew my immune system was frail due to my lack of holy power, but I had never realized my body was this weak.
Because I lacked proper physical training, even faking a fall had been exhausting.
‘And overusing the holy power through Rebecca’s necklace probably took a toll too.’
Reliving the sheer mortification of that day… I sat in the reception room, waiting to face all those who had witnessed my disgrace.
The interviews had been temporarily suspended that day. Scott and Eugene carried me straight to Rebecca, who had returned from the temple, and I received a full purification with holy power.
Afterward came a relentless barrage of questions from the palace physician to ensure my head wasn’t damaged—What is your name? What year is it? and so forth.
In the end, I was slapped with a one-month confinement to Freesia Palace.
‘…Still, starting today, I’ll have subordinates of my own.’
So everything turned out fine. As long as I had people to serve as my eyes and ears, I had no need to leave this comfortable palace.
‘The whole point of this mess was for that anyway… To secure proxies outside the palace… And more importantly…’
Musing to myself, I took a daily sip of the walnut smoothie prescribed for brain and bone health.
Knock, knock—
“Come in.”
“Your Highness, the recruits accepted into the Sixth Squad have arrived.”
“Very well.”
Lancel entered first, gave a brief report, and gestured toward the door. Behind him, ten boys and girls marched in with disciplined steps.
Gone were the worn training clothes; they now wore the crisp official uniforms of the Holy Knights.
And at the very far left…
“It is an honor to meet the Little Star of the Empire. I am Cain, son of Nicholson, and I have joined the Sixth Squad of the Third Battalion.”
Cain introduced himself, his hair neatly trimmed short and his face taut with nerves.
‘Ha, that humiliating stunt was worth it after all!’
Though I learned later that he would have passed anyway—thanks to his solid test scores, stellar evaluations, and spotless background.
‘Still, my own efforts count for something.’
Ahem…
Burying the memories of that day, I scrutinized the trainees’ faces one by one.
Eileen, who had set the endurance pace, stood with the same unbothered expression, while Rena, whose eyes had sparkled at the sight of Leoport, was now gazing at me with naked admiration.
She seemed to have completely forgotten my embarrassing tumble, which was a relief.
‘If anything, Rena was the one who benefited.’
The knights had worried over her fiery temper, but her impulsive rush to catch me had left a stellar impression on my sisters.
And given her apparent weakness for a pretty face, she already looked ready to swear lifelong fealty to me.
‘Is this fine? It might take time for that to turn into genuine loyalty… but Leoport did say her combat instincts were exceptional.’
Once all ten finished their greetings, I rose from my seat.
“A pleasure to meet you all. I wish you the best of luck. Heed the knights’ instructions well, and train diligently so that you may one day become my sword and shield.”
That was more than enough for a brief first audience.
Now, all that remained was the real reason I had waited. I gave a slight nod toward Lancel.
“The rest of you may take your leave. Cain, was it? Stay behind for a moment.”
Everyone filed out, leaving Cain behind on his own.
Rena shot him a slightly resentful glare—as if jealous. Meanwhile, Cain looked pale, utterly bewildered by what was happening.
‘Hmm, he doesn’t lose his head in front of the imperial family… I like that.’
Concealing my irrational satisfaction with him, I delivered the very first order of my life.
“You live in the Third District, don’t you?”
“Yes! Yes, that is correct!”
“There’s a restaurant called The Princess and the Sparrow near your home… isn’t there?”
“How did you know, Your Highness?”
“Word is their meatball soup is exquisite. Could you bring me some of that, along with bread from Paulina, before you report tomorrow?”
“Pardon…?”
Welcome aboard… my very first subordinate.