Chapter 173
These days, the atmosphere within the Imperial Knights was indescribable.
It was a boiling pot of joy, sorrow, and embarrassment all mixed together.
“Though… I think we might be the only Imperial Knights in history to go through something like this.”
The knights spoke in weak voices as they recalled the recent events.
First of all, they had failed to protect Eve, whom they believed to be royalty. She had even been kidnapped.
That alone was a record-shattering disgrace in the history of the Knights.
After that incident became known, knights who lived in the capital and commuted had to endure the cold stares of their families.
The Imperial Knights failed to protect the royal family?
What exactly do you even do all day, then?
Faced with such icy glares, the knights had nothing to say.
Their very reason for existence was to shield the royal family from danger with their lives.
And yet they failed. Even if called parasites, they could not argue otherwise.
But it turned out that Eve was a fake princess.
More precisely, she was the daughter of the deposed emperor, pretending to be a princess.
Because of this, the Imperial Knights found themselves in a dilemma.
Was Eve someone they were supposed to protect—or someone they were supposed to capture?
If it was the latter, then this failure wasn’t really a failure of duty.
Another issue that unsettled the Knights was Aiden’s condition following the incident.
The state in which Aiden was found in the Ragselve Marquisate was horrific.
A crossbow bolt lodged in his shoulder, his hand deliberately damaged by Siren.
That alone was terrible, but on top of that, he had been poisoned. He forced himself to stay awake to relay information, allowing the poison to spread through his body. For over a week, he hovered between life and death.
Even Hilde, who normally treated him like a younger brother more than a sibling and bullied him relentlessly, couldn’t maintain a composed expression whenever Aiden’s story came up.
Three whole weeks later, Aiden opened his eyes.
Once he confirmed he was alive, he immediately asked his comrades beside him:
“The children?”
And he seemed concerned about the answer he would receive.
“They’re all safe… well, not completely, but their lives aren’t in danger.”
“Good. Then what about my punishment?”
That was his very next question.
At that, Sir Rommel couldn’t help but praise the kid, thinking, He may wiggle and float like a jellyfish normally, but he’s still the spirit of the Imperial Knights.
In a slightly different way.
“Recovery comes first.”
“No, I mean! My punishment!”
“Don’t shout. You’ll tear your wounds.”
“You’re only withholding the info from me, that’s why I’m asking!”
Frustrated, Aiden felt suffocated lying in bed.
After all, the mission had failed, and they hadn’t protected the royal family.
Had it been the old Imperial Knights, they would have dragged him to the square and executed him without a word.
“I think it would feel better to receive punishment first… but why won’t anyone tell me…?”
“Just wait a bit. I think a conclusion’s almost reached.”
“Really? How can I know? Should I ask the captain?”
“Um, well… they’ll probably come to tell you soon.”
Until his comrade said that, he hadn’t thought much about it.
The next morning, all the knights were cleaning the dorms and dressed sharply in their formal uniforms.
Aiden was puzzled—why this sudden fuss when they didn’t even do this for regular inspections?
“Aiden Knight!”
An unexpected visitor arrived in his room.
“Eve… no, Princess Evebien!”
Seeing Eve after a long time, he tried to rise, but the sharp looks from the other knights made him realize his mistake.
Hurriedly, he tried to get off the bed and kneel, but Eve rushed over, alarmed, and stopped him.
“Stay still! I heard you’re in terrible pain!”
“But…”
Aiden wanted to object, but seeing Eve on the verge of tears, he gave up on getting off the bed.
“Sir Aiden…”
Even so, it was awkward seeing Eve, now officially a princess, teary-eyed.
I don’t know, Aiden emptied his mind and waited for the verdict.
What about retirement pay…? I need to feed my puppy-like dogs and bear-like cats…
As he worried about the pets he kept in the Knights’ quarters, Eve sitting beside the bed spoke.
“I heard… it’ll be hard for you to hold a sword again… sniff…”
Her eyes already filled with tears.
Siren had maliciously damaged the muscles Aiden needed to wield a sword.
His shoulder, pierced by a crossbow bolt, would never fully recover, and though the poison was neutralized, permanent damage remained throughout his body, the palace doctors said.
In short, his life as a knight was over.
“Don’t cry, Princess. At least the most handsome face in the capital isn’t hurt. Your greatest talent and asset remain intact.”
He tried to smile as he said this, but it only made Eve cry harder.
Hilde offered a handkerchief, and Eve, sniffling, spoke again.
“By the way… my father and Arsel are more handsome than you, Aiden…”
“…Hearing that truth hurts me,” Aiden muttered, sulking as her joke stung.
“Anyway… yesterday… the punishment for Sir Aiden was decided. My father, the Emperor, said I should personally deliver the result.”
Normally she could say “dad,” but she was on official duty now.
Moreover, this was her first official duty since being recognized as a princess.
Eve rose from her chair, approached Aiden on the bed, took his hand, and began reciting words she had practiced many times:
“Aiden Nightly of the Imperial Knights. You are hereby notified of the disciplinary action for failing your mission.”
Aiden bowed his head while seated.
Ah, retirement pay.
Ah, my career.
Ah… Imperial Knights…
Even though he smiled, the thought of leaving the place he had devoted his life to was painful.
He pondered whether he should return home or live somewhere entirely new.
Eve then spoke again.
“Due to failure to protect Princess Evebien Alden Shell Harquia, you shall recover to the extent necessary to resume minimal duties. You are to accompany and protect Evebien in all activities until she graduates from the Academy for Gifted Children. Subsequent assignments will be determined according to her circumstances.”
Aiden looked up in surprise.
“What…?”
He had expected to be dismissed immediately, yet now he was ordered to serve as her bodyguard until recovery—and for the next seven years until Eve, only seven, graduates at fifteen.
Not only could he remain in the Knights, but he would also guard the princess inside the palace.
This was no punishment—it was a reward.
“Princess Evebien…”
Aiden’s voice trembled.
Eve dabbed her tears with Hilde’s handkerchief, sniffling.
“You can just call me Eve. ‘Princess’ still feels strange… I like just being Eve…”
She muttered the full official name she would now use on all documents:
Evebien Alden Shell Harquia.
Originally, it would have been Evebien Shell Harquia.
Evebien, her given name.
Shell, her mother Liliane’s surname.
Harquia, the name of Clois and the empire.
But now another name was added: Alden, the surname she had as a child in the orphanage.
She didn’t want Alden erased from her name.
“But how can we include an orphanage name in a princess’s noble title?”
“Perhaps it’s best to remove it from official records…”
For the first time, Eve spoke firmly:
“I will keep that name.”
Eve Alden had grown up with caregivers and friends who gave her a sense of belonging. That name held no shame.
Whether Eve Alden or Evebien, she was the same person.
Thus, she would carry the name for life.
Clois respected her decision and even allowed the emperor to officially include Alden in her name.
No one could oppose now that the princess insisted and the emperor permitted it.
The commoners celebrated this decision.
During the reign of the deposed emperor, the royal family only exploited the people. But under Clois, things had changed.
The new emperor cared for them, and the young princess had also endured hardships worse than theirs without shame.
It gave them hope—proof that the emperor would continue to watch over their lives.
“The textbooks at the Academy are really heavy, so you have to carry them well, Aiden. Promise?”
“I promise. What’s a few books? If you want, I’ll carry Professor Malice on my back too.”
Eve burst out laughing at his spirited response.
Aiden promised he would fully recover before the next semester to serve her properly, emphasizing several times that he must keep this promise. Then Eve left his room.
“Yahoo!”
Once Eve left, Aiden could be heard rolling around energetically in his room.
Eve and Hilde exchanged amused glances.
“That kid… he’s going to burst his wounds at this rate,” Hilde said, a little more at ease.
At least Aiden would remain here for now.
Eve left the Knights’ quarters with Hilde and headed to the palace annex.
Upon arrival, Clois was already there.
By the carriage prepared for departure stood Eve, ready to leave the palace. Today was the day she would leave the palace.
