~Chapter 07~
Third: Getting Caught in Your Superior’s Romantic Scandal
Sonnet Eduke was a rookie everyone was talking about.
Naturally, that title drew attention—
and as a result, many people kept their eyes on her.
Now, several weeks had passed.
And those who had observed her came to the same conclusion:
Sonnet Eduke was a capable rookie.
“Sonnet! Write my report for me!”
“Write it yourself!”
“But whenever I do, it gets rejected!”
“That’s because you write it carelessly!”
At least, that’s how things looked from the perspective of Pierre de Edenrosa, the commander of the knights.
Watching Sonnet bicker with her fellow rookie, Fey, from afar, someone approached him.
“Watching the new recruits?”
“Drop the formalities, Ben. I’m here as commander right now.”
“Well, if you say so.”
Chuckling, Vice-Captain Ben turned his gaze in the same direction.
The recruits, having finished training, were now writing reports for the assignments they’d recently been given. Over the past few weeks, they seemed to have grown quite close.
“You were worried, but they seem fine, don’t they? No suspicious behavior either.”
“Yeah. Nothing particularly strange.”
The young duke recalled the report he had read—
the one that mentioned her suddenly awakening talent and dragging in street thugs to beat them up under the pretense of training.
Aside from those… somewhat unusual details, nothing about her felt unsettling.
And besides—
“She’s quite shy, which is a relief.”
For a brief moment, the image of Sonnet’s face when she had run into him flashed through his mind.
‘O-Oh… hello, Commander. I have something to do, so I’ll be going now!’
Whenever she encountered him, she fidgeted nervously before fleeing—
just like a shy girl her age.
Even if she had the boldness to join the knight order of the man she liked,
it seemed she still couldn’t face him properly.
Well, if she achieved something noteworthy, he might grant her a brief personal conversation…
…but if she didn’t have the courage to accept it, there was nothing he could do.
“…At least she doesn’t cling. That saves me some trouble.”
“Really? She seemed pretty friendly.”
“That’s different when it’s someone you’re interested in.”
“Interested in?”
Ben looked at him with mild confusion, then shrugged.
“Well, maybe. Anyway, let’s go, Commander. The recruits might notice.”
“Right.”
After the two superiors left, the recruits—who had been pretending not to notice them—began whispering.
“Are they gone?”
“Yeah, they’re gone.”
“Man, that scared me… Why do they keep showing up all of a sudden?”
Their superiors hadn’t even approached them—they had only been watching from afar.
But if you can see someone, they can see you too.
Of course, the recruits had long noticed their commanders staring at them.
They had simply pretended not to.
“They’ve been showing up a lot lately… what’s up with that?”
“I know, right? The seniors told us to act like we didn’t notice, but…”
“I wish they’d just stop coming.”
After all, nothing is more burdensome than a superior trying not to be burdensome.
* * *
“Fey, how’s your family business going?”
“Pretty well. It hasn’t been long, but it’s already making good money. The existing businesses are stable too.”
“Wow. Then you’re treating me today.”
“Why would I do that?”
As usual, chatting with Fey confirmed that the business I was running with Mephisto was doing just fine.
The artisan-related ventures were stable, and the recently launched performance business seemed to be going well too.
Well, all I really did was use knowledge from the original story—
finding hidden gems, suggesting investments, pointing out useful resources.
…If only I had the capital, I would’ve done it myself.
“Oh, and I sent that item you asked for to your mansion.”
“Got it. Thanks.”
Money was steadily coming in.
For now, it was only enough to count as the kind of gift one noble youth could give another.
So instead, Fey sent me physical goods under the name of “a goodwill gift.”
And that gift?
Gold bars.
Gold really is the best.
“Should I try starting a business too? Maybe I inherited some business sense.”
“If it’s Count Eduke’s blood… then yeah, maybe. Are you serious?”
“Yeah. My father ran some things, but they don’t suit me. A new field would be better, right?”
“That’s fine, but do you have investment money?”
“Why do you keep stabbing me in the heart?”
“I don’t know what that means, but I’m pretty sure I’m right.”
Annoyed, I smacked Fey on the back, but he only laughed.
I swear, he’s so annoying.
We were fooling around in the knights’ dorm lobby when—
BANG!
The front doors slammed open.
“Emergency!!!”
“This is bad!!!”
“Can someone take over my guard shift?!”
Senior knights—especially the women—rushed inside in a panic.
Seeing them so shaken was rare.
“What’s going on?”
“The princess is coming!”
“Damn it! Of all people, why the princess?!”
The recruits stood there, stunned, as the seniors screamed like the world was ending.
“What’s all the noise?”
Vice-Captain Ben emerged from his room, scratching his stomach lazily.
The moment the knights saw him, they rushed over desperately.
“Vice-Captain! Please give me leave for a few days!”
“Trying to run away?!”
“This lunatic’s trying to escape alone!”
“Vice-Captain, me too!”
“Hmm…”
Ben calmly looked around the lobby, then nodded as if he understood.
“So you finally heard the princess is coming.”
“If you knew, you should’ve told us earlier!”
“Leave! Leave! Leave!”
“Escape! Escape! Escape!”
“That’s exactly why I didn’t tell you!”
One of the recruits raised their hand.
“Vice-Captain, could you explain what’s going on?”
“Ah, right. You newbies don’t know yet. It doesn’t matter much since none of you can use aura yet, but it’s better you learn. Mari, explain.”
“I refuse! It’s a hassle!”
“Explain well and you get leave while the princess is here.”
“Everyone, listen up!”
Mari immediately changed her attitude and began explaining loudly.
She drew a princess in a dress and a man with a sword on the board.
“Those with dragon blood are granted special abilities. If you didn’t know, remember it now.”
The imperial family.
Those who carried dragon blood.
And the princess’s ability was—
“The princess’s special ability is Charm. She can make anyone feel affection for her.”
Charm.
It sounded simple—but it was terrifying.
If she wished it, people would fall so deeply in love they’d give their lives for her.
And the most frightening part?
They did it willingly.
Without resentment, without hesitation—
just for a single word of gratitude from her.
With this power, she had built her own faction and secured immense influence.
“There are exceptions—cases where resistance is possible. Not immunity, just resistance.”
“Like what?”
“Women, aura users, mages above the third circle, and people with strong mental fortitude. And that’s exactly why we’re suffering—and why we want leave.”
Mari circled “women” and “aura users.”
“Our job is to protect the duke’s house and the young duke. But when the princess comes, anyone who doesn’t meet those conditions must be removed from duty.”
“To avoid being charmed?”
“Exactly. There have been incidents before. So now, only qualified knights guard her routes.”
“That doesn’t sound too bad… just rearrange shifts?”
“No. That’s not the problem.”
She sighed deeply.
“The problem is… the princess is obsessed with the young duke.”
* * *
A few days later—
“It’s been a while. Did you miss me? Because I missed you!”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes! Since we’re reunited, shall we get engaged?”
“I’m afraid I believe in free love.”
“Oh, don’t be shy… Fine, then let’s date.”
“I must decline.”
The young duke stared blankly at the princess—
who clung to his arm, pressing herself against him with a smile.
