Translator: Darling | Editor: Coming soon…

Alia and Iris left the room.

To break the silence Remyl opened her mouth.

“Did you seriously invite her on a date just now?”

“It’s part of our strategy, remember?”

The fact that I said date before seemed to have caused a few raised eyebrows.

Iris’ eyes seemed flustered while Alia took a stance as if she was protecting Iris as they walked out the door.

Though I said date, a real date is obviously not going to happen.

If just Iris and I were on the move, we are sure to attract the Swordsman Gang to us. 

It’s part of our strategy. If I were to let Iris walk alone she’d also be in danger.

That’s why I want to move together – And they will show themselves eventually.

“Of course I’d agree to move together. That was quite obvious, no?”

“Yes. Though you are wary of a trap, you might still fall for one”

“I lure them in, and you defeat them – It’s easy, but it might work”

“I really don’t have that great of a strategic planning mindset, you know. I’m just strong. 

You of all people should know this, Captain”

“You’d even say that in a situation like this, huh? I too would lend a hand… But as you can see…” – Remyl said whilst pointing out to her hand in bandages.

Even with this Remyl is far from weak. 

But this time around the enemy is the problem – Once the Swordsman Gang gathers up and works together even a large army wouldn’t be a match.

The same goes for me.

“The Captain should do what a Captain does, and leave me to dealing with our perpetrators”

“That’s what I like about you. If this is all over maybe you could take me on a date ins-“

“Ooohohoh, nono. Wasn’t our age difference a bit too much?”

“It was meant as a joke, you know. Just turning me down like that, not very nice of you” – Remyl said with a bit of anger in her face.

In reality, I am actually older than Remyl. Mental age that is.

“Anyway, Captain, the problem is still with who actually sent the SG members after Iris”.

“…Yes, I have conducted some research about that. There’s some info, but we have no evidence to back it up. This person seems to not make moves carelessly”.

It seems like Remyl too can’t just sit still.

Ever since I was acting as Iris’ escort, Remyl has been continuing her search for the mastermind. 

The mastermind – The quickest way to guarantee Iris’ safety is to catch them.

Still, Remyl seems to have a clue as to who this mastermind could be.

“So the person that hired the Swordsman Gang, is it…?

“That’s right. The current King’s very own child – Zeil Tyrok”

Though it feels like it is something that is impossible, these words were astonishing to hear.

The King’s very won son – Someone in a position like that is actually after Iris.

****

Iris returned to her one-person room in the dorm.

After she and Alia had split up she had time to think to herself.

(A date… No, the strategy)

He just said it so naturally – it was a bit embarrassing.

You can’t just invite me to a date in a place like that. Iris soon caught on to what Alta actually meant.

We have to create an opportunity for them to assail me – that’s what he was talking about.

Still, Alta and Iris are two rather young children.

No one would expect us to be the Swordsman Princess and a boy who’s a swordmaster.

Of course, if they’d look at our faces anyone would be on to us immediately.

Still, it’s to create an opportunity for our strategy.

With this in mind, Iris had only one thing that she needed to do – To actually commit to the date proposal.

(..I don’t actually have that experience..)

I couldn’t say it back in the room though, not having any experience. Let’s just keep the strategy in mind.

I’m a very serious lady after all.

If the strategy is to date, then I will adjust my appearances accordingly. 

(I should ask Alia for advice… No… She too has no idea how this works)

She’d say it’s appropriate. I can already hear her say it. 

Iris fell on to her bed with a deep breath.

She fell silent as she looked at the stars out of her window.

“I feel like I am floating…”

This is nothing more than a strategy.

Don’t worry about the date. All I need to do is lure out the Swordsman Gang members. As long as I can do that I am good to go.

(That’s right. I am — I am going to surpass father as a knight. I don’t have time for something like love – I am better off not knowing about it at all. That’s the best way to go about it, right?)

As she delved deeper into her own thoughts she came to this realization.

Just living up to the strength of what they call a Swordsman Princess, or to become the strongest knight – I must realize my dream. 

With this resolution, Iris was ready to confront the assassins. 

****

In the center of the Kingdom of Washir, in the ward, Vasil stands the royal palace.

The “Escort Knights” squad is centralized within this district, and as their name implies they act as the shield of the royal palace. Most of its knights are also within here.

Of course,  while they protect the palace they also make sure to be wary of what might happen to the people that live near the palace as well.

In that very place, a man and a woman showed up.

“I told you not to come here if not necessary” – Zeil Tyrok said while stroking his long blonde hair.

The man and woman wore robes as their disguise. Though it was quite suspicious, there was something special about their “Disguise”.

The people that wear this kind of robe are seen as Zeil’s bodyguards.

All knights know of this, so the two figures can move freely in and out of the royal palace 

– These two figures were none other than the Swordsman Gang members Adyl and Fiss.

Zeil laughed while he said that.

As the son of the current King, he is after Iris, who is eligible for ascending to the throne. 

How many people suspect him to be the one after Iris is unknown, but as of now he seems to be in the clear.

If they were to catch Adyl and Fiss as they stood before him now, it would pose a big problem. But that won’t happen.

Would Iris die, then Zeil would be the next in line for the inheritance of the throne?

Though Zeil is the King’s own son, right now Iris seems to be getting the most support for the inheritance.

Not only the people of the kingdom think that, but Zeil’s father, King Willam too thinks so.

From Adyl’s perspective, the people seem to think that King Willam’s way of thinking is the right way of thinking.

“If you want to, you can come and see”.

“Hahahaha. Don’t make me laugh. I won’t do that. All I will do is wait for Iris to die, and take her place as the next “King”. 

Then I will start a war as I imagined I would. It’s quite boring, isn’t it? The secure way my father rules. With the military and economical power, they’re just being asked to be used”.

Any normal day and you would meet a very well behaved Zeil, but his real self is a power-hungry maniac, who would do anything to gain more power.

Adyl and Fiss too are just the same.

His father might be a good person at heart, but that doesn’t make his son one too.

It could be said that this country will live or die by its next ruler.

“Ah… But if the opportunity arises, take her to me, alive. Of course, you have to make sure not to let anyone see”.

“You didn’t pay us for that though. We work as killers, not kidnappers”.

“Yes, that’s right. Why would you want us to take her to you alive?”

“That’s simple. She put me to shame during the blademaster tournament. I want to bury her with my own hands, I am sure you can understand that much?” – Zeil said in response to Fiss’s question. 

To fulfill his own selfish desires and personal grudges – It’s exactly this kind of man that will start wars when he gets his hands on the right amount of power.

With that in mind Adyl can finally stand in the battlefield again – His battlefield of dreams, that is.

“With that in mind, take her to me. But don’t get caught. The moment they know you’re after Iris it’s all over”.

“Haha, that’s right. Well, then I’d have to be the grown-up here. I will make sure even you don’t understand what’s happening”.

“Understood”.

Adyl left the place together with Fiss.

Along the way, Fiss unexpectedly opened her mouth.

“He’s really not fit to be king, after all, I think”.

“Right? He loses his temper as soon as he loses. He will soon meet his own ruination. Until then we can just play along. We now just have to get rid of the Swordmaster Princess and Alta Schweiss”.

“The child knight, huh? If you even put children on the battlefield your country’s military power really is waning… That’s not what I think of this though”.

“I know. He already took out two of our members. He’s neither a normal boy nor a regular knight”.

Fiss and Adyl aren’t just after Iris, but also after Alta. 

The day of reckoning was just around the corner.