The silver-haired warrior streaking across the battlefield, filled with screams and roars, was like a lion of victory.
Wherever the white blade flashed, death followed.
“Damn these monsters.”
Liana swung her sword and flicked off the blood from the blade. No matter how many she cut down, the monsters came endlessly, like moths to a flame.
Today of all days, she glanced up at the blue sky and laughed roughly, raising her gleaming white sword high.
“All troops, retreat!”
At her command, the soldiers who had been entangled in fierce battle with the monsters withdrew in perfect order.
“It’s the commander’s magic!”
Boom—!
Lightning struck down where the soldiers had just vacated. A dazzling flash pierced the sky with a deafening roar.
Nothing was left where the large-scale magic had landed—not even ashes.
The highest-tier nature magic inspired awe among the allied forces.
Liana, the First Princess of Rowen and one of the continent’s few magic swordsmen, could determine the outcome of a battlefield simply by existing.
After some time, the heat of battle cooled. It was a flawless victory.
“We’ve won!”
“Woooooah!”
As usual, Liana delivered victory and ran a hand through her hair.
Her entire body was soaked in blood, a result of her love for brutal combat—unbefitting her noble status.
Kyle, who had been waiting nearby, handed her a wet cloth. When she wiped her face, her striking features were revealed.
“Ugh, disgusting.”
Liana wiped her face only roughly before immediately casting a Clean spell.
With that, the blood splattered all over her body disappeared instantly.
‘…If she’s going to use magic anyway, why does she always wipe her face first?’
Kyle, her loyal knight and captain of her personal guard, concealed his inner thoughts with practiced skill—or so he thought.
“It feels like the blood smell lingers if I use magic right away.”
At that moment, Liana undid her tightly tied-up hair, massaged her stiff neck, and casually muttered.
“…Excuse me?”
Kyle looked dumbfounded, stiffening as if in shock.
Did I say that out loud? No… I couldn’t have.
His usually stoic face was overtaken with embarrassment.
“Why are you so surprised? You just looked like you were wondering why I didn’t use the Clean spell right away.”
Liana chuckled mischievously at Kyle’s innocent reaction, tapped his sturdy shoulder, and strode away.
Teasing him is always a treat, unlike a certain someone.
“Ah…”
Left alone, Kyle stared at the spot where Liana had tapped his shoulder.
Though not as soaked as his master, he’d been drenched in monster blood—yet now he was clean.
It seemed Liana had quietly used the Clean spell on him too.
“Seriously…”
Kyle sighed and quickly followed behind her.
Just then, a man with disheveled hair came running toward them, his mage’s robe fluttering wildly.
“Your Highness! Hah… hah… The palace… huff!”
Liana looked at the man, half annoyed and half sympathetic.
Ayle Crohman, commander of her personal magic unit, was Kyle’s twin brother. Though their personalities couldn’t be more different—like fire and water.
“Ayle, I told you to do something about that garbage stamina. The barracks aren’t that far. Why do you look like you’re dying?”
“Gasp… It’s not like… I can help it…”
“Forget it. Catch your breath first.”
Thanks to Liana’s generous pause, Ayle took a minute to breathe heavily. Slowly, some color returned to his deathly pale face.
“Seriously… Kyle, when you train next time, take Ayle with you. What kind of unit commander is this weak?”
“Your Highness! Please don’t say such dreadful things! A mage only needs to use magic well—what good is stamina…?”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ve been fooled by that for five years already. Anyway, why’d you run over here with that pathetic stamina? I was heading that way anyway.”
At her question, Ayle made an “oh crap” face and quietly stepped back from her.
Liana’s brow twitched.
What kind of shitty news did he bring now?
After securing a safe distance, Ayle opened his mouth.
“Your Highness, there’s been a communication request from the palace.”
Liana’s expression twisted into something demonic.
At the same time, Ayle’s face read, I knew this would happen.
“Damn it… Just say I’m injured and can’t move.”
“…Your Highness.”
“I’m in pain and dying—what do they expect me to do? You handle it. You’ve been waiting for this call anyway.”
Liana muttered through clenched teeth, still visibly irritated.
“…I wasn’t the one waiting for it.”
“Well, I wasn’t either.”
“Excuse me?”
Liana stubbornly refused.
The mood boost from the battle was thoroughly ruined now.
“…Your Highness, even if you avoid it now, they’ll just contact you again tomorrow or the next day.”
“Ugh!”
Unable to win against Kyle’s gentle but firm voice, Liana stormed toward the barracks with a grumpy expression.
Internally, she cursed the king she didn’t even want to call her father.
Of course, he’d call the moment the battle ended.
“Ayle, connect it.”
Liana slumped into a chair at the strategy table and nodded.
“You have way more mana than me…”
Ayle respected his commander and kingdom’s hope, but sometimes thought her personality was just awful.
Of course, Liana wasn’t snapping at him for no reason.
If only he hadn’t said that yesterday…
Last night during a drinking party with her brother and Ayle, someone had jokingly said the lazy king would probably reach out soon.
That damned mouth.
“Not doing it?”
It was a simple task, easily done with a glance from Liana—but her foul mood made her uncooperative.
Her brow twitched again, and Ayle—sensing the danger—hurriedly placed his hand on the communicator, muttering under his breath.
“Fine, I’m doing it…”
A blue glow shimmered from his mana. A hazy image began to form over the communication orb.
“…I greet His Majesty the King.”
Everyone knelt on one knee to show respect—everyone except Liana, who stood alone and bowed.
The king’s eyes glistened with sly satisfaction as he looked at the people bowing before him.
Even through a communication orb, the king’s filthy pleasure was evident.
Silence fell, in accordance with the king’s wishes.
…That damned old man. He hasn’t changed a bit.
Liana’s face, still bowed, contorted with disgust.
The man behind that disgusting face was not only the king but also her father. But the royal family of Rowen was anything but warm.
The silence stretched.
“Raise your head.”
At last, the king spoke, and as Liana straightened her back, a hearty laugh echoed.
With a face soaked in greed, he wore a mask of fatherly affection that didn’t suit him at all.
“Oh, Liana. I’ve told you—you don’t have to bow before your father.”
Every time, after forcing her to bow for more than a full minute, he’d always add this line.
No one familiar with the king believed those words for a second.
If Liana truly didn’t bow, he would scream about her disrespecting royal authority.
And he’d come up with all kinds of messy punishments.
Liana had experienced that once—and knew exactly how maddening and troublesome cleaning up his “gifts” could be.
“…How could I not pay respects to the mighty king? Please withdraw your words, Father.”
She spoke hollow words while clenching her fist so tightly that her short nails dug into her palm.
“Haha, if that’s your wish, so be it.”
“Now then, is there urgent news? I’d hate to waste Your Majesty’s precious time.”
Pleased by her subservience, the king finally opened his mouth.
“It’s been over three years since I last saw your face, Liana. I’ve been so worried I can’t sleep at night.”
At that hypocritical remark, Liana bit her lip hard.
It had been three years since she last entered the capital—only returning then for her coming-of-age ceremony.
If not for the stupid tradition that royal adulthood ceremonies must be held at the palace, she wouldn’t have gone at all.
“Defending the kingdom is admirable, but you also have duties as a princess. Isn’t it time to return to the palace?”
That was the point.
He hadn’t cared for years—now suddenly he wanted her to return for “duties.”
Did he think she wouldn’t know what that meant?
“You’re not getting any younger, and if we wait too long, finding a marriage partner will be difficult. You understand, don’t you?”
In short: there isn’t much time left to sell you off. Come quickly.
cool