Chapter 5
Book1 - Chapter 5: George's request [2] / Princess of Wrath
Leylin didn't interact a lot with people around his age as he always felt weird towards those kids, he was, after all, twenty before coming to this world, that plus his new six years here, made him twenty-six, although it didn't change him a lot due to him not having the opportunity to interact with other adults.
Surprisingly, those three years had changed George a lot, although he still looked like a kid, they could speak naturally and it didn't feel weird at all.
"So, where's everybody? I thought there would be a lot more people considering it's your birthday."
George lowered his head and put down a fruit he had been chewing. "Do you remember that every time I had a birthday party, there was this girl that always came but never spoke much, and people didn't try to speak with her?"
Leylin frowned and after a moment of thinking he realized that there was indeed a girl like that. His memories of her were a little hazy, however. The problem is that they never even looked directly at each other and he only saw her from the corner of his eyes.
"I do remember someone that fits your description, but why are you mentioning her at all? And what does she have to do with the lack of people here?"
"Her name is Catherine Leblanc of Valois..."
"What's the meaning of this name?" Leylin felt weird hearing this name, it was the first time he heard of someone being referred that way.
"You do know that despite us nobles dominating over large pieces of lands we are still subordinate to a higher power, right?" George gulped and scratched his head. "Our High Lord is the ruler of the empire's capital, Valois, they are descendants of an ancient magi family that lost their inheritance years ago, the House of Leblanc."
"She is the princess?!" Leylin was shocked, despite being nobles, the hereditary titles have been passing down for centuries, and only the founding ancestor of the Farlier family had contact with Royalty.
"Eh!? You actually guessed it right, she is indeed the princess." George was slightly flustered as he spoke.
Leylin couldn't help but re-evaluate the Borunins' level of importance in the grand scheme, to think that the princesses would attach enough importance to his birthday to even bother attending it was something that he could barely begin to comprehend.
"Don't misunderstand it my friend." George saw the shock in Leylin's face and hurried to explain. "The princess is in all senses of the word a girl of rebellious nature! She attends the birthday parties of every possible noble above the rank of Viscount in order to anger her father."
"So that's the case..." Leylin nodded with wide eyes. "But what about the other thing I asked?"
"Well, the other times I didn't invite you to my birthday was because there wasn't any for you to come, meaning she wouldn't come as well! My father was afraid of problems arising due to her coming like that, so he asked me to do more private commemorations. This time, I actually don't plan on commemorating my birthday because the little lass has struck again to cause discord in the empire." George took a deep breath and showed him a flier that his servant had probably been keeping.
It was an announcement about a Hastilude, a competition of sorts open to all nobles with a noble title above that of a Viscount. The rules stated that the competition was divided into two parts and only those nobles of fifteen years and bellow were allowed to partake in the challenge and that they were allowed to bring a companion of any status with them and the only limit is that the challengers had to be knights or squires, no Grand Knight was allowed to participate. And the rewards were...
"What the..." Leylin narrowed his eyes as a glint of surprise crossed his face. "This can't be real, right? Is she trying to start a civil war? To make the winners' members of her personal guard was the same as giving them authority above that of a duke!"
"Exactly." George's lips twitched with the thought. "And that's not all, according to what I heard from my cousin that went to the capital recently after being hired by our queen, it seems that the winners will have their talent for magic tested, and if they happen to have a talent between 4th and 5th grade... she will personally groom them as apparently she is a 5th-grade talent looking for companions to assist her during her time in a magus academy."
Leylin gulped and looked at George with narrowed eyes, the doubts in his heart slowly clearing, but he still asked. "The reason you asked me to visit under the pretext of a birthday was actually because of this, wasn't it?"
"Haha! Your mind is as agile as your slashes I see." George's complexion eased a lot and he continued to eat. "To be honest with you, you're the best squire I know besides me and I really like your personality, you aren't like those bastards that come to visit me because they want something from me. I couldn't possibly trust them to accompany me in this Hastilude, and it so happened that I know the right person to fight by my side.
"So what do you say? Are you willing? I'm not gonna lie, we might have to face a life and death situation more than once during the competition, I heard that the sons of some dukes have managed to burn their life force and become knights already."
Leylin leaned his back on the chair with a thoughtful expression on his face.
Liz watched from afar with clenched fists, she wanted to tell him to deny this request due to how dangerous it was but... With his talent, wasn't there a chance for her young master to succeed? The contradictory thought about wanting to see him succeeding and not wanting to see him in danger confused her a great deal.
Eventually, a smile bloomed on Leylin's face as he stood up with fire in his eyes. "I accept! To break my shackles and reach the highest peak, I'm not afraid of challenges!"
Leylin wasn't someone who didn't fear losing his life, but the thought of fighting so many powerful knights ignited something in his heart. After training for so long, there was barely any improvement in his skills and abilities.
And even though his temperament was much better than most people with his heart of martial arts, there was one thing he lacked... real experience. How could he call himself a Martial Artist without facing a real challenge, one that could take his life? Only by constantly fighting and overcoming powerful enemies would he ever be able to ascend to the next step!
George was exhilarated by his answer and quickly stood up to shake hands with Leylin. "Awesome! I knew you wouldn't refuse a challenge like this! Do you hear that Lorenzo? I told you that Leylin wasn't like those cowards! Hahaha! How could someone who defeated me be afraid of this little danger?! Come! Let's celebrate our partnership with my father's collection of a hundred years old wine!" George laughed as he looked towards his butler who was simply sighing and shaking his head.
It seemed that he would have to contact the master to tell him about his son's future plan.
* * *
Sitting before a mirror with a golden frame, a thirteen years old girl slowly admired her beauty with the corners of her mouth lowered in a depressive state that made her complexion quite sad to any who saw it.
"My lady, please... His Imperial Majesty, The Emperor, your father, will reprimand you greatly if you continue with your goals..." A maid wearing a white and black attire with golden stripes that drew the crest of the Imperial family on her back and each arm bowed as she approached the princess.
"It won't work Rose... It's my father's fault for being so stubborn with this matter!" Catherine was frowning with the mention of her father. "Does imperial mother's word account for nothing? That whore corrupted father's heart, how dare she, a lowly and useless concubine, a courtesan, a prostitute, intervene in the matters of the empire? I'M A PRINCESS OF AN EMPIRE! I SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE MY DESTINY FOR MYSELF!"
In her anger, the air around her was stirred and formed a small vortex as she clenched her fist and punched the mirror, the impact was so strong that it continued after poking a hole on the mirror and only stopped after making the wall behind it crumble. This was the power of a knight.
Her lips twitched as anger flashed in her eyes! She wasn't like other princesses, all weak and dependent on their father and mother, she was a banshee in flesh and bones, ready to eat the souls of those who underestimate her!
"If my father can't see the light of reason anymore, I shall make this empire mine by whatever means necessary! And if that whore or my 'brothers and sisters'," She air quoted with her hands as she walked past her trembling maid. "try to stop me, I'll permanently remove them from the equation! So what if her two sons are acolytes already? So what if other brothers and sisters have already enrolled in a magus academy? I shall bury them all alive if they try to control me! My freedom has more value than this empire of ants!"
*BANG* She closed the door behind her, the strength used was such that the frame of the door exploded on the impact making half of the door fall on the ground.
The princess, one of two direct heirs to the throne, wasn't someone to be trifled with.
"Sister, what happened? I heard a loud sound right now, are you okay?" From another corridor, a frail-looking youth a few centimeters taller than Catherine appeared.
"Royal brother!? What are you doing? You should be resting in your bed!" She quickly walked over and passed her hand towards the other side of his shoulder to help him back to his bed.
The twins had a striking resemblance that could stun anyone, how could such a beautiful girl and handsome boy look so similar and yet pass on such different feelings, her of womanliness, and him of manliness in just a single glance?
The two white-haired youths walked for few seconds, she put him on his bed and covered him with the blankets.
"Brother, don't keep wandering around, imperial mother will be worried if she knows you did that in your current condition..." Catherine sighed and caressed the face of her brother. So young and yet struck by such a weird illness.
"Still avoiding mentioning imperial father? Actually, you don't ever refer to him with respect, right? Always avoiding his title, cough..." The boy looked at her with worry in his eyes. "Sister, you have to be careful... if you keep doing that, our brothers and sisters might try to forcefully remove your right to the throne..."
"Humph! Those parasites are always trying to do that, I don't want to stay passive all along, I'm just preparing the cards in my sleeve, in the future, there shall be no competition for the throne, I'll forcefully take it, and find a cure for your illness my dear brother..."
"Catherine, you have to be more careful, forget those things... so long as you can live a happy life it's already enough for me, I'll be able to die without regrets."
Tears fell down from her eyes as she shook her head with trembling lips, holding his hand she kissed his fingers and said. "Brother, trust your sister, there shall be a day when the people of Chernobyl islands will recognize the names Catherine and Alexander with fear and admiration, those vermins will be purged and we won't suffer anymore if our parents can't see the truth I can deal with it on my own. So never, not even when I'm not here, say that you will die, have faith, hold on even to the smallest strand of hope and wait for me...
"Your sister needs to go now, I'll ask my maids to come and attend to whatever requests you have. Remember, in my absence, no relative or subject of our empire is allowed to take a single step inside our mansion, the captain of the guard, Grand knight Reynald has already been warned of possible intruders, so if anything happens, just listen to his advice."
Alexander, the white-haired boy with red eyes nodded. "I will remember your words sister, farewell."
With a bitter smile, Catherine left her brother's side and hurriedly left. The moment she closed the door, her depressive face disappeared and was replaced by one full of confidence.
For me, for my brother... I shall clear the path of all who tries to hinder us!