Chapter 50: Border(1)

At Charlotte Rosemary Colchis' villa in Pine district.

We were getting ready to depart. That Ryan guy hadn't approached me for our duel yet. Did he get scared? I didn't even know where he is right now. He had been quiet ever since.

I haven't seen much of Erica either. They gave her a scholarship for the Mage Tower. Jacob told me that to enter the Mage Tower and gain access to their archives and plethora of spell books, you have to pass a difficult exam. The exam lasted two weeks for that single test. That must've meant that the exam was so hard that students had to have time to relax and mentally recuperate.

I couldn't even visit her during the exam so I only left her a few letters. I left them just to let her know where we were going.

That aside, I sent a letter to the Elca Kingdom stating that I will immediately head there after my return from Charlotte's campaign. Charlotte also gave me her permission since she also wants me to become stronger.

"Is the princess not done yet?"

Helen spoke tiredly. Charlotte had been in her room the entire morning. We finished with our preparations a few hours ago already. The soldiers were getting impatient outside.

"She must be nervous for her first campaign, miss Helen."

Servants were also nervously waiting outside for Charlotte to come out.

I sighed at my lord.

'Is she not ready yet?'

After telling Helen that I was going to check on her, I approached Charlotte's door.

"Princess?"

I didn't knock and only entered. We would be late for the departure if she kept brooding like this.

When I entered, I saw Charlotte standing by the window overlooking the backyard of the palace.

She was wearing a military uniform specially made for her.

As she heard my voice, she glanced back.

"It's rude to enter without knocking. Not what I'd expect from a subordinate."

"You were taking a bit too long."

"Ah…"

She looked a the clock on the wall.

"What's got you down?"

"It's just…" She bit her nails. "What if I fail? I might lose the rest of my support for the future. Many of the nobles that joined my circle are great talents that might achieve great feats in the future even if they are only barons and viscounts. What if I don't meet their expectations? This anxiety is driving me insane."

I patted her shoulder.

"You're still young. Even if you fail, you could just try again. Well, if you don't succeed the throne, will you agree to marry that Ryan guy and become Duchess Rosenberg?"

I spoke with a sly smile.

"Never."

She spoke with a disgusted expression.

"That licking dog can go die."

That's a little harsh.

"If I don't succeed then I might as well leave this kingdom with my mother. That's the promise we made. Olivia might get rid of us if we don't leave, after all. Even if I don't become queen then I can at least have a long happy countryside life with my mother. I can look for a husband and raise our children on the farm. Maybe I could become a teacher at an orphanage?"

"I-I see. You've thought that far ahead already."

"That's obvious. I have to be ready for when things go awry."

I wonder what the queen was like. I haven't officially met her yet. I only saw her once during Charlotte's birthday party. That was only for a few minutes.

"Okay!" Charlotte then slapped both her cheeks. "I'm done brooding like a little child. I'm the future queen of the kingdom so I have to act like it!"

She swung her hand down, causing her cape to flutter.

"My knight! Today I lead the army against our enemies and secure our future! Will you join me?"

I took her hand. After taking off her white glove and kissing the back of her hand, I declared:

"We shall dominate the battlefield, princess."

Charlotte nodded energetically.

"Let's go! My knight!"

◇◇◇

We boarded an exquisitely decorated carriage with the Royal Crest on its back.

I used [Sleep] magic so Charlotte could fall asleep since she barely rested last night. The carriage had spatial magic casted on it so that made the inside bigger than the outside. Charlotte was resting in the corner behind a curtain.

By the way, I brought Edna along. She acted as my squire since there was no other excuse I could give. Damian also insisted on going along since he could show his power to Charlotte. He was riding on a horse outside. The princess didn't fully trust him since he's from an assassin clan.

Helen didn't come along because she must look after Charlotte's villa. Nate also agreed to help. It might just be that he has a crush on her and wants them to work together. His advancements are so obvious but Helen is too dense to notice.

A total of 300 men joined us to head to the Polomine Border. Charlotte's duty is too lead the army and negotiate with the enemies so they can return the commanders they kidnapped. If their letter of negotiation was a lie and they end up killing the commanders… well, the entire kingdom will invade the Republic. This battle was to take over a large plot of land from the Republic anyway.

Anyway, Charlotte found three spies in our ranks when she interviewed everyone during this week. She pretended to not know since it would be more beneficial to watch their movements. They might lead us to their ambush location.

One of the captains of the Knight Order and my father's superior, Elsa that was in charge of a platoon of 100 men was ordered to capture those three and interrogate them if they make any attempts of going back to their camp. Charlotte deliberately excluded them from the meeting when she presented her plan to the other generals. If word got out that Charlotte isn't as incompetent as they think in her first campaign then things will get even more difficult when we attempt to attack the Republican army.

They will be on guard and that would be bad for us.

If anything does go wrong then I could just escape with Charlotte. She might be executed for abandoning her position as a commander. I'll have to leave the decision up to her when the time comes. The fact is that I didn't plan on dying on a battlefield at this age. I would even use my spirit magic if it meant protecting my life.

I'd been working on a lot of spells so I didn't think any mage squadron would pose a threat to me. If I could make up for my weaknesses in the future then I might become unstoppable so long as the environment had spirits.

It took me an entire day gathering spirits at the Spirit Waterfall in the forest near Hurge city. My body could hold up to a million spirits at the moment which was more than enough.

Damian opened the window next to me and spoke.

"We're arriving."

I looked through the window and saw a huge fence made with large logs lining a perimeter. Large white tents were built around the camp.

"Princess."

I gently shook Charlotte. My eyes kept glancing at her exposed chest through her shirt. She looked so defenceless.

"…Hmm?"

Her drool fell onto my hand as I helped her sit up straight. I took a brush from the cabinet next to the bed and began brushing her medium length golden hair.

She yawned and began buttoning up her shirt.

"Why did we stop? Did we arrive?"

"Yes. That's why I'm trying to fix your messed up appearance. Didn't one of your maids take a few hours just to perfect your hairstyle?"

Her medium length hair was already a complete mess.

She chuckled.

"I was so tired that I forgot to put on the satin cloth on the bed. Now my hair is all springy and tangled."

I sighed. Arielle and Charlotte had this in common. Both sleep sloppily in bed. It wasn't once or twice that Arielle's foot ended up in my mouth in the morning when I wake up. She'd also crush my with her arms while still asleep.

With the help of the maid that entered the carriage, Charlotte looked just like she did when we left.

We were already in the middle of the camp. A lot of noise came from outside. It was the excited voices of the soldiers and generals. They must be expecting someone from the White Order.

Charlotte took a deep breath and nodded at me.

I pulled aside the curtain, revealing a lot of eager faces awaiting our arrival.

"We have arrived to give aid to the Royal Army. I am Charlotte Rosemary Colchis, the third royal princess!"

◇◇◇

"Hey."

I poked Edna who was munching on a piece of steak. She gazed up at me with a face full of meat.

"Hwaat?"

"Since I was the one that took care of you during your hibernation in that crystal, aren't you–in a way—my pet?"

She spat the food out and glared at me.

"How dare a lowly human call me a pet!? I am an almighty dragon with potential to become a dragon god! I am a child of a dragon lord! And yet, you call me a pet!"

"Well…"

What kind almighty dragon enjoys being scratched behind the ears and lays on someone's lap when they sleep and not be called a pet?

Edna and I were walking around the camp after getting our food in line. Charlotte was in an important meeting with the generals so I couldn't stay there any longer.

The entire camp was rowdy even though their enemies could attack from anywhere.

The smell of sweat was so strong everywhere you go. There were also less women than men around here. I even saw a group of six guys being led into a tent by a single prostitute. Since men's lust accumulate during war, women can make a lot of money if they sell their bodies here.

The maids and female knights on duty could also get extra coins in their pockets that way.

"Hey, kid!"

When Edna and I was passing by with our empty plates, a group of men called us over.

The fat guy with his yellow stained shirt put his arm around my shoulder. Since I wa so short, I could literally taste his sweaty armpits through my nostrils.

"Y-Yes?"

He led me to their table. A bunch of grown men were doing arm wrestling and betting their good-time girls or money.

The adult men were grinning from ear to ear.

"How about a little game? Hm? Our captain over there is interested in your squire girl you have there."

A guy among the eight guys with a scar through his eye waved at me.

I stood there with a gaping mouth. I glanced at Edna and at the huge hulking man.

'I-Is he serious?'

"She's a 12 year old girl, though…"

I tried reasoning with them. All of them laughed at us. Edna seemed to be clueless about what was going on since she was looking at them with a confused expression.

"Come on~ Just a little game. And if you win, you can have any girl we have here. Hell, we'll even pay you."

He pointed to the women who coquettishly pushed up their breasts for me to see.

"Ahem."

I averted my gaze and looked at the guy that called me. He grinned widely showing his yellow teeth.

They seriously want me to arm-wrestle them? Can they not tell from my robe and wand on my waist that I'm a mage?

"If you say no then we might have to find another way to deal with this…"

All of them snickered as some began cracking their knuckles. What a bunch of muscle heads.

They're underestimating me just because I'm Charlotte's knight.

'Well, I was getting bored anyway.'

I sat down on the crate and rolled up my sleeves. A skinny right arm appeared.

"Kek."

"Kukuku."

The gorilla lolicon sat across from me.

He lowered his right arm onto the table. A big veiny arm of pure muscle appeared.

His eyes were narrowed in amusement.

"Shall we?"

I nodded.

He put his hand on mine and squeezed hard. My entire hand was swallowed into his.

"10… 9…" The girls were holding our hands down and doing a countdown. "4, 3, 2, 1… Go!"

"!!!"

With a beastly roar, the guy swung down his arm.

"…?"

"Huh?"

"What the…"

But he didn't even move my arm an inch. It was covered in a bright white light.

I had over a million spirits within my body so that naturally meant that my body was far stronger than usual.

"Huh? Why isn't it moving!?"

The gorilla kept pushing my hand down.

"Can I try now?"

"….Huh?"

!!!!!

CRASH—!

BOOM—!

"GYAAAAA!!!!"

With a loud crash, the entire table broke apart followed by the scream of a grown man.

When they picked him up, all they saw was a mangled arm completely bent in the wrong direction. His fingers were broken and even his bones tore through the skin.

"It hurts! Kuk!! Guh!"

The joints where it broke was already purple and swelling up.

"H-Hey. Are you okay?"

I approached him while scratching my head.

"Sorry about what just–"

"Hiiirk!? Stay away!"

The guy moved backward on the ground as snot and tears streamed down his face. After gaining his footing, he ran away like the wind.

When I looked around, the guys from earlier were also backing away from me.

"E-Err…"

Then they ran as fast as they could.

"What about my reward…?"

Even the girls left….

Edna laughed with her hand on her stomach.

"You inferior humans do strange things just to mate."

'Ah. I went too far.'

A day hadn't even passed yet but I already caused a bit of trouble.