94. Prince and Princess (3)

“A swordsmanship map?”

The first prince, Louis Loir, lived a life completely unrelated to martial arts. It would be closer to saying that he was not related at all, or that he himself did not show much interest. It was a personality that contrasted greatly with the second prince, who showed great interest in swords and knights.

“What happened all of a sudden? A swordsmanship map.”

“His Majesty the King has specially sent a knight from the 1st Guards to give light swordsmanship instruction for His Majesty, who is too engrossed in studying.”

The attendant tried to appease Louis, who seemed displeased.

“Even to God, Your Highness seems to be overly immersed in his studies. Maybe a little change of mood is needed, I think so.”

“… It’s a change of mood.”

Lewis frowned and sighed. The attendant continued to talk to Louis, who seemed troubled, to get him over.

“If it’s light swordsmanship training, you don’t need to be so burdened. More than anything else, I am afraid that if the warmth bestowed by Your Majesty is lightly overlooked, it will be regarded as a small family discord and a large national discord.”

Louis smiled bitterly at the attendant who lowered his body as he spoke.

“You make a fuss about just being considerate of your leisure life. I have no intention of rejecting Your Majesty’s consideration. I am just worried that I, who have lived my life without paying attention to martial arts, will look like a stupid student to the teacher and ridiculous to others if I hold and wield a sword only now.”

The attendant quickly shook his head from side to side to block the self-deprecating prince.

“Who would dare to have such a disrespectful heart toward His Majesty, who is always diligent? And, how can you think that you are a stupid student even if you are not able to lead the future of a country with a glorious heart?”

Prince 1 let out a chuckle and changed the subject of the story.

“done. You really have a good opinion of me.”

Even if you ask me that much, I can’t be stubborn and say I don’t like it in front of my face. After losing the queen and his cherished concubine, the king only supported his children considering their will rather than neglecting them.

‘Have you ever been like this before?’

The first prince laughed bitterly inwardly. While being treated like this, I wish I could improve my stamina and add fun to martial arts. Previously, none of the instructors had been able to convince Prince 1 to learn the sword seriously.

“So, has it been decided who will be the tutor?”

“Just in time to introduce you to His Highness, I ordered you to wait in front of the palace. He is a very talented person, so I think you can look forward to it.”

“You’ve become a rogue boat who deliberately keeps customers waiting. Come on in. The rest of the story can be done with me.”

To the first prince who declared that he would receive guidance, the attendant replied with a more relaxed expression.

“I’ll take it in right away, Your Highness.”

The attendant briskly left the room. Looking at the place where the attendant disappeared, Louise recalled memories related to the sword little by little.

‘Would you like to learn the sword seriously?’

‘Is that really necessary?’

At Lewis’ cold reply, the escort knight who was holding the sword at the time shook his head with a troubled expression.

‘no. But even if it’s just enough for Your Highness to protect herself, God won’t worry.’

‘You’ll protect me, so why should I worry?’

The sword was just that much of an existence for the first prince. Stop knowing, stop not knowing. It may have had a different meaning to my brothers.

smart.

A light knock on the door was heard. Prince 1 repeatedly opened and closed his fists in response to the rare little tension that came over him. Blood slowly circulated through his hands and body, awakening the prince’s spirit.

“Come in.”

The prince’s permission was given, and the door was opened. Contrary to what was expected of a rough and rambunctious knight entering with footsteps, the one who entered was quiet and not that big.

“Meet Your Highness, Prince 1.”

The knight kneeling with respect was wearing the uniform worn by the king’s escort knights. The well-mixed red and white uniform blended well with that sharp impression. Black hair flowed down from her bowed head. His expression was quiet, and the sense of intimidation peculiar to the knight was refined. Prince 1 spat out a small exclamation at the moderation.

“Are you going to be my new swordsmanship teacher?”

“It is. By order of God, Arsene Bern, Your Majesty the King, I have the honor to teach Your Highness swordsmanship.”

Hearing the name of the knight who introduced him, the prince put on a questionable expression.

“Bern? If it’s the Bern I know, there’s only one.”

“Yes. The leader of the escort knights, Hugo Bern’s clan.”

The first prince opened his eyes wide. I don’t know how it was in other places, but at least in this palace, the prestige of Hugo Berne’s name was absolute.

“Stand up. A disciple cannot make the master uncomfortable.”

The first prince raised the knight up and sat him down in a chair. Big stature and imposing physique. All of that blended well with the momentum, and the knight himself showed his ethos without being particularly intimidating.

“Your Majesty said he would send a knight, but I didn’t know you would call one of your escort knights. As a student myself, if I don’t get nervous, His Majesty won’t lose face.”

The knight’s hard expression changed into a soft smile at the words that he implied jokingly.

“His Majesty said that he hired a teacher because he was worried about the health of a prince who was too sedentary and engrossed in his studies.

“Yeah, that’s right… ”

Louis buried himself deep into the chair. Tried to read the knight’s signs, but the 1st prince couldn’t figure out any hints from his teacher.

“What is the class location and time?”

“If Your Highness delivers it as it is convenient for you, I will do it.”

Prince 1 knocked on the desk with a worried look on his face.

“The time, this time, early afternoon would be good. After lunch, it would be nice to have some lessons to digest. The place… Outdoors would be nice, but the right place doesn’t come to mind. The courtyard of the palace where I live, would that be possible?”

“Of course, Your Highness.”

The knight answered without hesitation. The first prince didn’t know whether to be happy with that cooperative attitude or to be uncomfortable with it. Those black eyes didn’t say anything, so the prince immediately closed his eyes and gave up.

“Let’s start tomorrow. Would it be okay to do it every weekday except for the weekend?”

“Anytime you want.”

Right.

Prince 1 replied quietly as if talking to himself. Still, that face is as calm as a windless lake. If that’s the case, you have no choice but to throw a stone yourself and cause a stir. The first prince asked the knight, lowering his voice so that the attendant standing at a distance could not hear him.

“So, what exactly does His Majesty want from you? The knight near me right now isn’t enough, so are you trying to mobilize you to protect my surroundings?”

Hearing that, the knight put on a troubled expression for the first time.

“Don’t even think about telling lies. No matter how much you are an escort knight for His Majesty, the crime of telling lies to the royal family will never be punished lightly.”

“I apologize, Your Highness.”

I guess so. The first prince smiled bitterly.

“A large number of knights were recruited again under the command of the 2nd prince. His Majesty must have wanted to prevent it before it escalated into sudden action.”

“Even so, it is true that His Majesty was truly concerned for His Highness’ safety.”

“I have never dared to question Your Majesty’s sincerity. Both as a subject and as a child.”

It wasn’t sarcastic. It wasn’t even that he had hatred for the king. The tone and voice of the first prince discussing the king resembled that of a desperate person.

“I have unintentionally caused trouble to you.”

“If you just feel comfortable and join the swordsmanship instruction, I know I will be able to carry out my mission with great pleasure.”

The first prince shook his head.

“Okay, okay. Just step back and see. See you again tomorrow.”

Lewis issued an order to celebrate as if kicking out the knights. The knight bowed his head and withdrew from the room. From a distance, an attendant who had been standing at the door watching the scene approached the prince.

“Your Highness, what happened?”

“You will receive lessons. It’s okay if you don’t ask as if you’re worried.”

The servant seemed to have finally relieved himself of all his worries.

“Your Highness’ stamina will soon become the national strength of this country.”

“Right. It would be nice if that were true.”

The first prince frowned slightly. The king’s face, my father’s face, and my brother’s face passed by in turn.

—

The first prince did not have high expectations for the swordsmanship training that started the next day. He just thought it would end in proper training and proper guidance, as all the teachers who had taught him had done.

“What is a sword to your Majesty?”

However, the question the teacher asked in the first class was enough to make the prince frown.

“What is a sword?”

Arsene Vern, her own teacher, wearing a rugged and comfortable outfit suitable for training rather than a uniform, had the tip of a wooden sword pierced into the ground and put her hand on top of it.

“Why are you asking that?”

“Your Highness likes to study and read books, so I wondered if it would be a good way to get interested in the sword a little bit… .”

At Arsene’s answer, the first prince thought, “It could be that.” It was difficult to say what a sword is. Rather, the question of what is a king, what is a people, and what is a state was a much easier question for the prince.

How long has it been since you’ve been asked this way?

Louis put aside the goal of the lesson and the king’s ulterior motive first, and immersed himself in the knight’s question. And then I had to admit it. Right away, I couldn’t give an answer to this question.

“This is difficult.”

Is it natural that he knows nothing, or is it natural that he has no interest? Living as a royal family, he couldn’t answer the question of what a sword was, so he must be ashamed.

“I cannot answer.”

“Why is that?”

“To answer carelessly, I have never thought about what a sword is. The sword has never had a meaning to me, and I have never tried to have a meaning.”

Louis made a face. After all, even if it’s an excuse to have an escort by your side, isn’t it right that the opportunity to seriously consider the sword has come?

“Arsene, would it be all right if I asked you the same question?”

The black-haired knight pulled out a wooden sword stuck in the ground. For some reason, not even a handful of dirt flowed down the pulled sword.

“It was the profile of someone in black to me.”

The sword that I wielded just to become stronger and change became something I wanted to protect while walking next to someone. The knight took the jockey ceremony. His posture was straightened like water flowing, and his momentum, once established, stood tall and undisturbed like a mountain. In the course of that series of events, Prince 1 was blinded.

“I’m not saying you were trying to chase someone.”

“We wanted to walk side by side.”

Arsene smiled. As if bewitched by Arsene’s answer, Prince 1 naturally moved on to the next question.

“Are you walking side by side?”

The knight’s smile changed to a bitter one.

“Still, it seems to be lost on the road.”

1 Prince thought again. Interest and curiosity began to wriggle from the depths of my heart.

The first prince expressed his desire to wield the sword until he found the answer. Arsene was pleased with the changed attitude of the prince and slowly began teaching the sword.

From cultivating basic physical strength to holding a sword, correct posture, and occasionally martial arts theory to stimulate the curiosity of the first prince. The training that had just begun was no different from that of the knights who had guided him so far, but the prince began training with a serious attitude before he knew it.

—

A few days after Prince 1 practiced the sword, rumors began to spread within the palace.

‘I heard that His Highness the 1st Prince started to practice the sword.’

‘Huh, His Highness, the 1st Prince who likes that book? The sun must rise in the west.’

‘Can I still catch up to the qualities of the 2nd Prince?’

‘Ah, how can I say that I’m catching up when my personality itself is so different.’

It was a rumor that Prince 1 was seriously training his sword. It didn’t take long for rumors circulating between attendants to court aristocrats, including Benning. Rumors that spread like that naturally flowed to the second prince.

“Brother Louis?”

The second prince asked the attendant who was reporting the news. The second prince’s attendant, Benning’s attendant, answered with a faint smile on his face.

“That’s right. It is said that Prince 1 is training his basic physical strength every day, and is engrossed in sword training with a knight.”

The second prince stared at the attendant with a dumbfounded expression, then burst into laughter.

“No, don’t joke, valet. Are you saying that Sannim Luis-hyung is really holding a wooden sword, training swordsmanship, and running around the training ground?”

“It is as you say. According to the other attendants, they are practicing with a serious expression like never before.”

The 2nd prince laughed out of breath. Accompanied by a squeaking sound, the second prince continued to laugh, wiping away tears from his eyes.

“No, brother, what are you thinking? Could it be that he felt a sense of danger in the current composition and picked up the sword with the intention of saving himself at least? Or are you even pleading with people around you to look at me, saying that I have the qualities of nothing?”

Words that could not be thought of as being spoken to my older brother or to the first prince of a kingdom flowed from the mouth of the second prince.

“No matter how much it is, I think it is right to be at least vigilant. I don’t know what kind of article he has, but he seems to have the talent to at least make Prince 1 interested in martial arts.”

The second prince waved his hand, making a gurgling sound through his teeth.

“I don’t think so.”

After saying that, the 2nd prince rose from his seat.

“Didn’t my older brother say that he devotes himself to training every afternoon?”

“It is.”

“I heard that my older brother gathered his heart and started to train hard, but I can’t just watch it as a younger brother.”

The second prince hurriedly stepped out of his quarters. Next to them were the Jackdaw Knights, who had just begun to carry out their mission. Today was the day when Theodora and Paola were in charge of the escort.

“Where are you going?”

When Paola asked, the second prince answered with a fishy smile on his lips.

“Let’s go to the first prince’s palace.”

1At the sound of the palace being their destination, an ominous shadow passed across Theodora and Paola’s faces. The second prince, whether he knew or not, added in an excited voice.

“My older brother is training hard, so I need to be able to stay still.”

The 2nd prince headed for the 1st prince’s palace, which was not far away, with quick steps without an escort. Theodora and Paola followed after him, conversing in low voices.

“It looks like something is about to happen.”

To Paola’s words, Theodora nodded and showed strong sympathy.

“I hope you don’t get caught up in trouble.”

“Think of Iljin as having a bad day today.”

Paola openly frowned. It wasn’t long before Prince 2 reached the courtyard where Prince 1 was practicing his sword. The attendant, who dared to block it, lightly educated him, and went to a corner with a white-faced expression and began to tremble.

hello

Theodora’s eyebrows furrowed. Paola also clicked her tongue slightly. Either way, the two princes reached the entrance of the courtyard. The yard, which would normally be filled with busy attendants, was neatly organized, and in the middle of it, Prince 1 was holding a sword and holding a rider ceremony.

stupid.

The 2nd prince tried to spit out a mocking laugh, but he crumpled his face when he saw the 1st prince starting to take a convincing stance.

The engineer in charge of education said he had the ability, so it must be true.

His gaze moved slightly away from the first prince and landed on the back of a black-haired knight who was engrossed in a map.

huh. to waste time.

The 2nd prince raised his voice and called for his brother.

“Brother Louis!”

There was no response back. The knight and my brother were still immersed in training to get the correct jockeying formula. Tendons rose from the temples of the 2nd prince.

Paola was watching Luis with an uneasy squint. Right after Prince 1 was mentioned and they started getting involved in the matter, the behavior of Prince 2 was obviously strange.

“brother! What are you doing!”

Originally, it wasn’t a very mild temperament, but now it felt like an unstoppable colt going wild. Although he occasionally spoke blunt and harsh words, he never laid his hand directly on the servants or servants.

“Your brother is here!”

“Your Highness, your voice is high.”

Leone, who was worse off, went out to stop the excited second prince, but the second prince only glared at Lione with bloodshot eyes. Rione stepped back as she witnessed the opaque desire that shimmered in her eyes that seemed to have lost her reason.

“You talk a lot, escort.”

The atmosphere was unusual. Paola ran ahead of the two princes with quick steps and saw them. I thought that if I left it like this, something would really happen. The second prince lightly pushed Paola’s shoulder as he approached. Paola was pushed aside by the hand and staggered to the side.

“Since my older brother won’t listen, I have no choice but to approach and say hello myself.”

The second prince took a step forward. unstoppable steps. Paola and Leone met eyes.

“I’m not the only one who feels that something big has happened, right?”

“Come after me.”

they ran The 2nd prince was almost close to the 1st prince who was closing his eyes while taking a jockeying ceremony.

“brother!”

2 Prince’s voice. The first prince opened his eyes, frowning at the voice he heard from close by. The step that was about to approach the first prince was stopped by a knight who suddenly intervened between the two.

“He is training.”

Lowering his wooden sword, with a calm voice, the map knight stood in the way of the second prince.

The 2nd prince’s mouth twisted with grumpiness.