“So what you’re saying is, the duty of a master is so obvious and simple that it doesn’t need to be defined by rules.”

“What is it?”

“Do not disgrace the oath you received from the knights.”

Seres fell silent. It was preposterous to mention knighthood to a princess from the beginning.

“It’s an insult to the knights to serve a master who doesn’t stand in front of the knights, who would throw the knights away and run away when danger arises.”

“Even so.”

“The Artina family is a warrior family. If you consider why our family’s knights are praised so much, you will know that my perspective is correct.”

Although her vocabulary was not sophisticated due to her young age, all the nobles present understood that she had a clear conviction.

The eyes of the young girls looking up at the high seat sparkled more and more. At this rate, they might be seen as a stepping stone to secure a position in the future social circles.

However, the mood of Seres darkened in inverse proportion. She wanted to show everyone here. When you look into it, there’s no reason to admire the princess, who’s just a little kid. It didn’t go as she wanted.

“Ah, warriors. Right. They’re different indeed.”

So her mouth went off without control. At least she had to see the princess’s face twisted.

It’s okay to cry. If she then fails to control her emotions like a little child and bursts into anger and runs out, it would be perfect. Seres sharpened the words coming out of her mouth.

“The vanguard of this demon extermination is the young duke, isn’t it?”

It was still confidential. It was a fact that probably only a few highranking nobles knew. The eldest son of the Artina family, who just turned sixteen, Arkhan, was leading the extermination for the first time.

So far, he’s been learning by stepping back, but this time he’s the vanguard who runs ahead.

Evelia, who was rolling her oceancolored eyes in confusion, took a small breath when she heard the unexpected words.

“……!”

Seeing her calm eyes shake and her small chest release a hard breath, a sense of satisfaction filled Seres’s face.

‘I knew it. The princess wouldn’t know yet.’

She knew well how much the ducal family cared for the princess. It was a fact that was not easy to tell because they loved her. The fact that the underage Orabi is going to war with just one sword.

“Although the young Duke is not yet an adult, as the princess said, the Artina family is a ‘warrior family’. There would be no worries about Orabi going to war alone.”

She pricks while pretending to lift up. No, it wasn’t a thorn, it was a large nail.

‘Oh, dear. This was a fact that should not be disclosed to Eve.’

Elysia, who had been watching leisurely, clicked her tongue lightly.

“It doesn’t seem like something the young lady should be chatting about casually. What do you think, Duchess?”

“I apologize, Duchess.”

The duchess bowed her head as if she was truly sorry, but there was no way to soothe Evelia’s shocked emotions.

Seres, too, nailed one more around as if she really misspoke, following the expression of her mother.

“I apologize, Duchess. I was simply astonished by the fact that you are leading the vanguard at such a young age, even before you have reached adulthood. It seems to me that since you are the first son of a highly esteemed martial artist, there should be no worries…”

“Ha.”

Elysia gave a cool smile and seemed about to retort, but instead turned her gaze to her daughter. This was a situation for which she had brought her to learn, so she planned to observe her response first.

“Subjugation…”

The whispering voice was already wet with moisture. Her slightly raised shoulders, due to her rapid breaths, did not drop. The gaze that had been confidently looking ahead dropped a little.

‘I knew it, I knew it. It was strange. He was training more intensely than usual these days. When he returned every morning after training, he was full of wounds. That was all because he was preparing for the departure.’

I knew very well the strength of my brother. However, could anyone smile simply at the news that a beloved family member, separate from that strength, was going to war?

The hand resting on her knee was shaking helplessly. A single phrase was continuously ringing in her head.

‘Demon, demon subjugation.’

My friend, the rabbit, is really strong. No matter how strong my brother is, he won’t be as strong as my friend rabbit. And yet, is he going to fight with demons as strong as the rabbit?

Finally, her lower lip was bitten and tears filled her blue eyes. She had heard such unexpected news so mercilessly. She had received such news as if it was nothing.

‘Yes, cry and get angry disgracefully, asking my brother not to go. That will shatter your illusion about you and Arital.’

Serest’s heart thumped. How refreshing it would be when the gaze of admiration toward that child changes into disappointment.

How delightful it would be when everyone realizes that the princess, whom they cannot reach and for whom they are suffering, is no different from a mere child.

“Hu.”

Evelia clenched her trembling hand and took a deep breath.

Even though she was young, even if her voice shook, even if she was trembling with vague fear. Arital was Arital, Evelia was Evelia.

Born with the temperament of a ruler, raised in an environment that further strengthened that nature. She instinctively knew that this was not the place to collapse.

‘When I get out of here, the first thing I’m going to do is go home, then to the secret base. I’m going to go to the secret base and cry while pouring out everything to my friend, the rabbit. I can’t do it here.’

Reassuring herself, Evelia tightened her throat and declared,

“I’m going with you.”

The audience fell deeper into silence. They would dismiss it as a child’s tantrum. But soon, they would feel that she was fully capable of it.

“Even if I can’t go, my spirits can.”

It was a statement made with a sobbing breath, but there was no one who didn’t understand the implication.

With one word from that little princess, several spirits, by no means a small force, joined the Imperial Army.

“……”

“……”

After a moment of silence. The child slowly lifted her gaze that had been cast down.

The tears that had been welling up had dried up. As if they had never been there in the first place. Then her chin was slightly raised to the usual angle. The short underbite was natural.

“As you said, Your Highness, I’m not worried.”

In her blue eyes was an overwhelming arrogance, a birthright. Her icy, seacolored eyes dropped and fixed on Serest.

“One should not underestimate the value of the name Arital.”