ALL NOVEL Chapter 9
Chapter 9: Astrid Makes Her Entrance
Loyalty has its limits.
The nation is its monarch, and because the monarch was a soldier, the knights’ loyalty was exceptionally high. But even loyalty had its limits, and those limits were shaped by how the object of that loyalty treated them.
Knights who lived by honor and died for loyalty were the backbone of the military empire of Einthafen.
From an early age, Leopold had been educated on how a monarch should treat knights.
But over time, as Kreutz and Wolfgang aged, the blood-bound comrades who had fought alongside them on the battlefield one by one retired.
Now, the Royal Guard, Silver Guard, Copper Guard, and Bronze Guard were all made up of a new generation of knights who had grown up hearing the legendary tales of their predecessors.
In other words, Leopold had no deep ties with this new generation of knights.
Loyalty that lacked a strong foundation was shallow, and Kreutz was always concerned about it.
But that was the story until now.
It was night.
The time to end the day. Even in the grand Imperial Palace where the Emperor resided, night arrived equally for all.
After a whirlwind of administrative affairs, Kreutz, the Emperor of Einthafen, finally finished his day’s work and returned to his chambers.
He handed his robe to a maid, changed into his nightclothes, and dismissed the maids. As he approached his bed, the crystal orb beside it began to glow with a soft blue light.
“To His Majesty, sworn loyalty sealed in blood.”
A woman’s voice echoed from beyond the crystal orb.
It was low but steady, a voice with the sharp precision of a soldier.
“Yes, it’s me. Report.”
Naturally, Kreutz gave the command to the orb as he sat on the edge of his bed. The voice of the woman reported everything that had happened since the morning, from the moment they left Wolfgang’s Miterien estate until the present.
“Hmm.”
At noon, Astrid approached the escort troops and shared her meal with them.
And Leopold, following Astrid’s example, distributed royal provisions to the knights and shared a meal with them.
It was a praiseworthy display from the future Crown Prince and Princess.
The detailed report on their actions was relayed to Kreutz, and he stroked his beard as he listened.
A broad grin slowly spread across his face, growing like ripples on a pond until it finally became a loud, hearty laugh.
Kreutz’s booming laughter echoed as he slapped his knee in delight. It took him a long while to settle down.
“Yes, yes. That’s right. Wolfgang raised that daughter of his superbly. A leopard of the snowy plains, indeed. She’s fit to be the mother of all citizens. Leopold, you’re a lucky fool. Lucky indeed. There’s no one more suited to be the Empress of this empire!”
He was beyond satisfied.
Utterly satisfied.
The Frozen Shield of the North, the noble daughter of House Miterien.
A woman who bares her fangs at enemies.
A woman as gentle as snow to her children.
The Snow Leopard—Astrid von Miterien.
“Leopold, you truly are a fortunate fool. Excellent. Absolutely excellent. It seems I’m blessed with a good daughter-in-law.”
The sound of Kreutz’s laughter echoed throughout the Emperor’s chambers for a long time.
*
There are things that can be done through persistence and things that cannot—and Astrid’s current situation was the latter.
“No matter how I see it, it’d be best if Your Highness slept inside the carriage.”
“Do you plan to make a fool of me, Astrid von Miterien?”
“Didn’t you say you’d stop calling me that?”
“I’m just calling you by your name. As a wielder of a greatsword, can’t you be broad-minded enough to understand that?”
‘He’s sulking.’
She’d complimented him on being broader than a rapier—so why was he acting like this?
Astrid’s eyebrows twitched, and she shook her head lightly.
It certainly wouldn’t look good for Leopold to sleep outside while she stayed in the carriage. At this point, it was better to make a concession.
As much as she despised the idea of receiving care from a man, especially from Leopold, there were situations where one had to consider the other person’s position.
“Your Highness, I wish you a peaceful night.”
Clad in a violet evening gown, Astrid offered a graceful bow. With her hair down after washing up for bed, her silver hair flowed like silk down her slender neck, revealing her pale, elegant nape.
“Y-yes. I hope you have a peaceful night as well.”
What’s with him?
She watched Leopold’s hurried retreat from the carriage and couldn’t help but laugh quietly.
It had started as a playful suggestion.
Since they would be dining together from now on, and since the academy—though called an academy—was practically a military school, she’d jokingly suggested they camp with the knights as well.
Leopold had enthusiastically agreed… but the guards had strongly opposed letting Astrid camp outside. As a result, Astrid ended up sleeping in the royal carriage while Leopold camped outside.
“That wasn’t my intention.”
Unintentionally, she’d sent Leopold down a path of hardship.
Would the pampered Leopold, a true hot-house flower who had never experienced hardship, be able to endure the night peacefully—
Astrid felt a twinge of guilt.
‘I didn’t think he’d take it so literally.’
She really hadn’t expected it.
“I’m fine, I’m fine.”
“Please, just let me see it.”
The next morning, as expected, Leopold was grimacing in pain, complaining of a sore back inside the carriage.
He kept insisting he was fine, but from Astrid’s perspective, he was anything but fine.
“I told you to let me sleep outside. Why did you have to be so stubborn?”
“I’m a man, after all. How could I let a woman sleep outside? What would Father say if he heard about it?”
“Well, I appreciate the sentiment.”
Not that she wanted to be treated as a “woman” in that way.
Astrid didn’t care much for this kind of chivalrous treatment, especially since she’d been a reserve soldier in her past life. The idea that she couldn’t camp outside was absurd.
“So, I do look like a woman to you, huh?”
Leopold’s eyes narrowed as he glared at her.
“Of course you’re a woman. What else would you be? A man?”
“I’m just saying, you’re awfully rough with me for someone who’s so hung up on treating women properly.”
“That’s because you—”
Leopold’s words suddenly trailed off.
Even after a moment’s pause, he didn’t seem inclined to finish his sentence, so Astrid tilted her head and asked, “I’m what, exactly?”
Leopold sighed deeply.
“You’re annoyingly quick-witted. You never let me get the last word.”
“Please, just say I’m clever.”
“Urgh…”
Camping isn’t something just anyone can do.
For Leopold, who’d grown up pampered in the royal palace, one night of camping had clearly been an ordeal.
“There’ll be much tougher training than this at the academy.”
“Astrid, aren’t you afraid? They say there’s plenty of training even men struggle with.”
“Oh? Are you scared, Your Highness?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
‘Oops.’
Unconsciously, she’d let slip a phrase from her previous world—a slang term that didn’t exist in this one.
She had no idea how it sounded to Leopold, but since it wasn’t a term used in this world, she quickly covered it up.
“It’s a phrase from the northern barbarians’ dialect.”
“So it’s an insult, then.”
“Correct. Congratulations on figuring it out.”
She glanced away, pretending not to notice Leopold’s sharp glare.
***
The journey took a week.
By the end of it, Leopold had grown used to camping, and by the last night, he even took a shift on watch duty.
“At this point, I’m practically a soldier myself,” he said with pride.
Astrid’s snicker made him flare up again, sparking another round of bickering. But despite the small commotion, the journey had been peaceful overall.
“Your Highness, the city walls are in sight,” announced one of the attendants.
The capital of Einthafen—Persangte.
True to its status as the heart of a military empire, the city was encircled by towering fortress walls.
Even from a distance, seeing those walls was a clear sign that one had nearly reached Persangte. Hence, it was called the “Wall of Welcome.”
“We can see the Wall of Welcome… Ah, we’re finally here,” Leopold said as he stretched his arms, his joints cracking audibly.
“Ah, that’s refreshing,” he added, sounding like an old man.
Astrid leaned forward to peer at the Wall of Welcome, craning her neck to get a better look.
It was tall.
Tall, wide—massive.
Even from a distance, she could see the giant stone blocks stacked high, rising to the sky like they meant to pierce the heavens.
It was truly an awe-inspiring sight.
As the carriage moved closer, the majesty of the Wall of Welcome became even more overwhelming.
The carriages lining up in front of the gates looked as small as matchboxes in comparison.
“Your Highness, we’ll proceed directly to the palace.”
“Do so,” Leopold replied.
Since it was a royal carriage, they didn’t have to wait in the line of common carriages.
Their carriage veered off to a different route, heading to the royal checkpoint rather than the regular inspection post.
‘They don’t even ask for my opinion on this.’
No one had even asked Astrid if she wanted to accompany them to the palace.
Not that she had any plans to refuse, but the lack of consultation irked her.
‘How selfish.’