Chapter 68…
Babian and Jurna, from then on, came to the royal palace whenever they had free time to train together.
Babian’s progress became more astonishing by the day.
“…Can he really do this too?”
Clears was surprised.
Lilkia, who always watched from the side, also found herself admiring him more and more often.
Babian’s agility and strength had surpassed even Ellie, who had been training for over a month ahead of them.
“I even practiced alone in my room on days when I couldn’t train at the palace.”
“Wow… as expected…”
Jurna didn’t have the courage to go that far. She could only gape at Babian’s passion in amazement.
If someone is overwhelmingly strong, it’s impossible to even feel rivalry.
“I want to start magic training soon too…”
Jurna wanted to make the most of her own strengths.
Duke Bernt was already practically a great knight, and Babian had better physical ability than Ellie. That left her with only her magical power, so she had to find a way to show it off.
But such opportunities rarely came.
Nilit had flatly refused, saying, “Magic training only starts when your mana is fully developed.”
Thanks to that refusal, everyone threw themselves into physical training with all their energy.
“They say stamina comes first. So let’s push just a little more.”
“Yes…”
Though she answered weakly to Babian’s encouragement, she didn’t feel motivated.
When everyone else surged ahead, it was discouraging to be left behind.
“Straighten your shoulders! Eyes forward!”
At that moment, Ellie smacked Jurna’s back and shouted.
“Eek!”
Jurna jumped in surprise and straightened her back.
“There are things you can’t achieve overnight!”
“Y-Your Majesty…”
Jurna’s voice wavered as Ellie’s shout seemed to understand her anxious feelings.
“Whatever you do, building a strong foundation step by step is important.”
Her brother had said that, her academy teachers had said that, and so had Lilkia.
Three adults saying the same thing at the same time—this had to be the truth.
“Yes!”
Jurna’s heart filled with confidence at Ellie’s conviction.
If our Majesty says so, it must be true!
“But… even if I can’t contribute much later, don’t leave me out on my own, okay?”
She needed to be reassured.
Ellie playfully smiled at Jurna’s insistence.
“That depends… if you can run all the way over there and back!”
This method of sneaking in extra training came from Clears.
Ellie’s learning ability shone even in such situations.
As soon as she shouted, Ellie started running.
“Eek! Come on, Your Majesty!”
“Argh!”
The three children shouted as they followed Ellie, running toward a distant tree.
By now, the four of them were completely accustomed to running and ran like puppies.
It was a cute sight, but not everyone could see it as cute.
“Th-That, th-That…!”
“No, what is that…!”
These were adults who believed that everything had to be serious, solemn, and proper.
In the entire royal palace, the only child running around like that was King Ellie himself.
It was one thing for the king to play—he was the king, after all.
But those little “puppies” following him—what were they?
Even the thought of those “puppies” being their own daughters would have been shocking.
“No, that’s our Babian!”
“Jurna?!”
At that exact moment, Count Senol and Marquis Chent were passing through the palace.
And they were forced to witness their precious daughters running about in the dirt like foals.
“It seems your daughters are having fun with His Majesty. It appears the king has recently taken a liking to exercising. They’ve already become quite close, so shouldn’t we congratulate you?”
Even the kind words of Duke Whitten failed to make the parents smile.
What noble parent could laugh at seeing their daughters like that?
In the world of nobility, any flaw could become a lifelong problem.
A young lady running in pants, kicking up dirt, was a serious problem.
It could lead to constant ridicule, and perhaps even no suitor would ever propose.
“Babian!”
“Jurna!”
Even if they were with the king, this was damaging to their honor.
Their fathers could no longer stand by silently.
Count Senol and Marquis Chent stormed into the king’s barbecue party.
“Ah! F-Father…!”
“Hmph!”
Babian and Jurna froze when they saw their furious fathers.
“So this is what you do, coming to the palace every day under the pretense of befriending the king?”
Babian lowered his head in guilt at Count Senol’s scolding.
Sensing the tension, Ellie and Clears ran toward them.
But Count Senol’s rage had already blinded him.
“While others train step by step, walking until their feet bleed, you’re running around like this? What will you become? What will you do in the future?!”
“I-I plan to join the Mage Corps with His Majesty…”
It was frustrating to be misunderstood as just playing around.
Babian trembled but spoke bravely despite his father’s anger.
“A Mage Corps?!”
Count Senol’s anger exploded even more.
“What’s going on here?”
Ellie, arriving a step late, looked around in alarm.
Count Senol tried to calm his breathing, but the root cause was clearly the young King Ellie.
“…I am Count Senol, Babian’s father.”
“Yes, I know.”
“I am Marquis Chent, Jurna’s father.”
“Yes, I know you too.”
They were families of her friends, of course she knew them.
But seeing them in person for the first time was different.
Babian and Jurna had originally been invited to meet the king, so for their parents to meet him, they needed Ellie’s permission.
But that had been skipped until now, so only the children had been coming to the palace.
“It is an honor that Your Majesty keeps my daughter close out of kindness.”
Count Senol tried to speak politely despite his anger, but Ellie noticed his trembling hands.
‘Why is he so angry?’
Ellie didn’t understand.
Why were the fathers so angry, and why did the children immediately shrink like criminals when seeing them, even though they hadn’t done anything wrong?
“But!”
Count Senol raised his voice, having reached his limit.
“How can you commit such absurd acts?!”
“Absurd acts?”
“Yes, talking about being a mage, dressing like that…”
He glanced at Ellie and Clears, who were dressed for exercise and covered in dirt just like the children.
“We were exercising… you can’t exercise in dresses!”
Ellie explained hurriedly.
But it wasn’t enough to sway Count Senol.
He shook his head, his gaze on Ellie icy.
“Your Majesty may need exercise, as I heard you recently collapsed. It is important for a king to maintain health, and I understand that. But my daughter does not need that.”
“Why…? We want to become mages together…”
“Do you not think it is too much to plant such unrealistic dreams? Babian cannot live the same life as His Majesty or Duke Bernt! She is supposed to be the flower of society!”
When they first met, Babian had said the same.
A noblewoman’s dream was not a lowly job but to become a duchess.
But living with Ellie changed that dream significantly.
Babian no longer cared about trends in dresses or which lady’s ribbons were open for applicants.
“Babian wants to do something else!”
Ellie spoke for Babian.
“Sigh…”
Count Senol could not speak harshly because he was addressing the king, but his anger boiled inside.
“Your Majesty, you may say such things because you are young. A noble daughter running around in pants will be mocked endlessly. While you or Duke Bernt may have suitors despite this, my daughter will be utterly ruined!”
Count Senol meant no ill will.
He was simply worried as a father because this life path was not acceptable.
“But if she has talent, shouldn’t she use it for the king?”
Ellie remembered a phrase from a book on royal governance.
She applied what she had just learned.
Count Senol paused, and Marquis Chent spoke next.
“Does our daughter even have talent to use for His Majesty?”
“Of course!”
“Right now, it’s enough if she has the stamina to play along, but there are so many talented people in the world. Will that still be the case later?”
“She will still be able to.”
The answer did not come from Ellie.
Cling.
The sound of a mage’s jingling approached from behind.
