I Possessed The Villain’s Childhood Friend

7 – Audience – 1

“Suck!”

Throw away your thoughts.

Now I have a sword.

A weapon that exists to cut.

In the middle position, he exhaled and struck the sword.

“Ugh!”

The sword bounced off with an unpleasant grinding sound.

I gritted my teeth and looked ahead, and there was a thick iron plate standing proudly without any scratches.

“Damn it.”

My hand is numb.

In the end, unable to overcome my anger, I lay down on the floor.

How many times do I repeat this now?

I stopped counting after about 30.

But I didn’t get the desired result.

It would be nice if there were even the smallest scratches.

“If I can’t do even this much, I won’t be able to do it.”

The imperial family’s order to advance to Heros, the Duchy of Roselia.

My father clearly said so.

The Duke of Axus is a family of knights who have been loyal since the founding of the empire.

When it comes to punishing enemies, it is the first to come out, and when it is necessary to protect the empire, it acts as the last bastion.

In other words, when the imperial family issued an order to march, it meant to punish the enemy.

“Today is the third day.”

Three days have passed since my father headed to the imperial family to prepare for the march.

After that day, I kept repeating the training to cut this steel plate with my sword.

A normal iron plate would have left at least a scratch.

But this is an iron plate protected by magic.

“Is a knight a monster?”

In the Empire, a knight is someone who belongs to a knightly order and wields a sword.

However, simply wielding a sword does not make you a knight.

Among them, people with natural talent.

Among those born with that talent, only those with the best skills can be appointed as knights.

Even if you belong to the Duke of Axus, a knightly family, you cannot become a knight without skill.

At most, you can only get into the management position of the Knights.

What I am doing now is the most basic test to become a knight.

An iron plate slash that is protected by magical power.

The only things you can use are your own weapons and body strengthening magic.

A small scratch is not enough. It should be completely cut in half.

But now I couldn’t even make a small scratch.

“I can’t protect Reina at this level.”

The Duke of Axus’ order to march means to exclude the enemy.

And this time we will go to Heros, the Duchy of Roselia.

Of course, you won’t be fighting the Roselia duchy.

Raina already met me on Friday, and she looked no different than usual.

In the first place, it makes no sense that the Roselia family, called the second duke along with the Axus family, would become enemies of the empire.

But I know.

That this world has already changed from the original I saw.

There was no past where Reina and the heroine met before entering Arcana.

If it wasn’t for that move at the end of the ball, Reina would have died.

The frame of the grand story is the same, but the detailed story is obviously different.

Maybe it’s because I’m not the real Ike.

In that case, Reina could be in danger of dying in this match.

“… No.”

You must be strong enough to protect Reina no matter what.

It should be at least enough to make her run away.

But how?

I didn’t miss a single day of training.

I shed blood and sweat enough to say that I worked hard.

Still, it was not enough. Not a little, but too little.

There’s no way I can protect her because I can’t even overcome the basics of becoming her knight.

It’s definitely the same body, and the body is strengthened in the same way, but why is there such a difference?

I hope someone can teach me.

“Brother Ike.”

“Huh?”

Someone talked to me as I lay on the floor lamenting.

It was Noel, the maid who helped me change my clothes on the first day.

“The master has returned.”

“Already?”

I thought you’d probably be back tomorrow.

“Yes. And an order to bring the young master.”

“Okay.”

I wanted to practice a little more, but it can’t be helped if it’s my father’s order.

I jumped up, put my sword in the scabbard, and followed Noel.

“I will go to the imperial palace tomorrow, so prepare it.”

“Yes?”

As soon as I arrived at the office, my father told me.

“His Majesty called you directly. It is an auspicious thing.”

“That, that, that….”

“It means that His Majesty recognized your ability. So make sure you’re prepared. There won’t be any problems tomorrow, just in case.”

What should I say?

It was so sudden that I couldn’t think of anything to say.

What did I do to get recognized?

“Father. My, I will meet Reina tomorrow….”

“Even though His Majesty said he called you personally, is he still looking for that child?”

“Not that.”

“I’ve already contacted you, so it’s okay. So don’t worry and go back.”

“Okay.”

After that conversation, I came out of the office as if I was being kicked out.

Suddenly, what?

That’s so out of the blue.

“Damn it.”

I wanted to express my grievances, but of course I couldn’t.

All I could do was prepare to go to the imperial palace tomorrow.

★

“Ha ha.”

In the rattling carriage, I sighed quietly.

This was the second time since the ball that I had left Akkad, the Duchy of Access.

The destination for both times is the imperial palace in Orkeon, the capital of Astraia.

The difference is that last time they went to the ballroom outside the imperial palace for the ball, but this time they went to the main building of the imperial palace.

That was also by order of the emperor.

My father did not tell me the exact reason until the end.

I’m getting expectations, so I’m just saying don’t go against those expectations.

The more I did, the more burdensome it was to come back.

I don’t know if it’s the real Ike, but as of now, I can’t meet their expectations at all.

… I’ll have to do it anyway

Anyway, now I am a nobleman.

The family’s reputation should be valued.

“Ha ha.”

I couldn’t help but sigh at the growing pressure as I got closer to the system.

“Just one day, Captain.”

“Ron. I said it yesterday, but it’s already more than 10 years ago. What if he hears it?”

“But even Captain Chris says that the Central Knight Commander in his heart is only Ados-sama?”

“… He’s still there.”

Before entering the imperial palace, my father was talking with the knights of the Central Knights who protect the imperial family.

Even if you are an access duke, you have to go through various examinations before entering the main building of the imperial palace.

In the meantime, we were having a conversation using our old friendship.

“And the young master is Prince Ike by any chance?”

“Yes. I believe that someday I will definitely join the Central Knights.”

“I see. Young master. Do you remember me?”

A knight called Ron at first suddenly spoke to me next to me.

“I’m sorry.”

I bowed my head in response.

Then Ron laughed and waved his hand.

“It’s okay. It has been more than 10 years since I saw Young master.”

That wasn’t the problem I meant to say, but fortunately I got over it.

“Oh, um. I think you can go in now.”

From nob le mt l dot com

Perhaps they were notified that the screening was over, all the knights, including Ron, adjusted their postures again.

“The sword that protects the empire! Salute to His Excellency Ados and Prince Ike, the 31st head of the Duke of Axus!”

“Salute!”

Along with Ron’s cry, everyone who got into their postures showed their respect to my father and me with perfect movements.

It was a sharp movement that made me want to say that I was overwhelmed by the atmosphere.

“That is the path you must walk from now on.”

“Yes, Father.”

At my father’s words to keep the knights in my eyes, I quietly nodded.

This was the first time I entered the main building of the imperial palace, but thanks to my father, I was able to walk without stopping even once.

The imperial palace, which I quietly looked around while following my father, was simpler than I thought.

Remembering how extravagant the ballroom outside was, it felt a bit steamy.

“Ike, take your position.”

In front of the audience room we arrived before we knew it.

At my father’s words, I caught my breath and straightened my back to look straight ahead.

Two knights standing on either side of the huge throne room door.

The knights looked at my father and me and silently bowed.

“The sword that protects the empire. Ados, the 31st head of the Duke of Axus, and Ike, the second son of the family, request an audience with His Majesty.”

“Eternal Glory to the Empire!”

“Eternal Glory to the Empire.”

The spears the two knights were holding lightly hit the floor.

Then the door of the audience room opened naturally by itself, revealing the inside of the audience room.

When the door was fully opened, my father stepped forward casually, and I followed slowly into the audience room.

“….”

A thought about the imperial palace that made me wonder if it was a bit simple.

That thought completely disappeared the moment I entered the audience room.

Inside decorated with countless different jewels.

It was as beautiful as looking at a group of stars in the night sky.

Also, the huge throne in the center of the throne room.

The sight was so overwhelming that it was natural to think that it had been raised to the limit of the magnificence that humans could create.

And the emperor ‘Raphael Aegis Astraia’ sitting on the throne was definitely dignified.

“Just one day, Addos.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

My father and I knelt down at the same time as the emperor bowed his mouth to show our respect as subjects.

“Ike Axus, the second son of the Duke of Axus.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you. I called you because I wanted to talk.”

“It is an honor.”

Who the hell did you hear the story from?

I was so curious, but I couldn’t open my mouth.

“Then, shall we move? There are people waiting for you.”

“Okay.”

At the emperor’s words, my father and I immediately got up and took our positions.

But I moved my seat, and there are still people waiting here.

What does that mean?

I thought it must be an order related to Heros’ participation next week.

I followed the emperor and my father as they moved forward with such questions.

“Long time no see, Ike.”

“… Majesty.”

The destination was the drawing room inside the throne room of the imperial palace.

And what was waiting for us inside was the smiling prince sitting on a chair.

“Sit comfortably. We are the only ones anyway.”

The emperor smiled lightly and casually sat at the top of the table, while my father and I sat facing the emperor and the crown prince.

“You’re going to a dance competition in Heros soon, too? Father and I are looking forward to it.”

It was the prince who brought up the story first.

And at the same time my thoughts stopped.

“… Yes? What is that?”

“Hmm? A special dance competition to be held this time in the Duchy of Roselia. Did you hear when Duke Ados came three days ago that you were also going to participate?”

What the hell are you talking about?

I let out a silent scream in my heart.