Temur becoming part of Epherna’s Personal Guard.
Realistically, it’s an impossible task.
“I refuse.”
Temur knows this well.
He is the Khan of Urgan, the strongest tribe on the plains.
He couldn’t abandon his people and protect a princess from another country, even if it meant giving up his life.
But did I make this proposal without thinking?
“Temur, do you know what it means to be a Personal Guard?”
“I don’t know exactly, but I have a rough idea. Isn’t it a position that protects the imperial family for life?”
“That’s right. It’s absolutely impossible for you, the chieftain of Urgan.”
“You say this knowing that. Surely, you don’t expect me to agree?”
“Of course not. You’d serve as a Personal Guard for a year to two years.”
“You’re not giving a precise time frame.”
Temur frowned, showing his distrust.
A difficult guy.
‘…He’ll find out eventually, so I might as well tell him.’
“Until the First Princess ascends to the throne.”
“…Do you understand what you’re saying?”
“Of course.”
The statement that the First Princess, not the Second Prince who is certain to ascend, will become the monarch.
It’s something I’m accustomed to, but it must be a shock to Temur.
It might sound like Epherna is building military power to usurp the Second Prince’s position.
“The situation in the Empire isn’t as serious as you think.”
The Second Prince has long decided to give the throne to Epherna.
Hence, there’s no chance of internal strife.
Upon hearing this, Temur’s expression eased somewhat.
“So, the reason you’re gathering a Personal Guard is to protect the First Princess from external forces.”
“Exactly. There are still nobles who do not favor the First Princess.”
We’ve captured assassins and spies over the past three years.
Epherna might not know, but it’s because of these people that I’m gathering the Personal Guard.
“I repeat, it’s just one to two years. Your tribe won’t be in danger in that time. Your tribe is strong even without you.”
“Of course. There are many excellent warriors in Urgan besides me.”
“Then do you accept?”
“Just one last question.”
“Go ahead.”
“Will my face and identity be concealed?”
“Yes. It’s better for you too, isn’t it?”
If word got out that the Khan of the Urgan tribe became the Personal Guard of the First Princess, voices would rise from all corners.
It’s better for both him and Epherna to be hidden as an unknown archer.
“There’s no reason to refuse.”
“You accept?”
“But I need time.”
“I understand. I can allow that.”
The plains are currently in a situation where they’re resisting the Empire to cancel the Original Treaty.
Recently, they even kidnapped Bergamot, so they might be preparing for war.
Temur needed time to calm them and prevent the war.
“How long do you think it will take?”
“At least more than a month.”
“Have you decided how to stop it?”
“There’s a young man instigating the tribes of the plains. If I can persuade him, it will naturally settle down.”
“How did it get to this point if it could be resolved so easily?”
“Losing a war brings anger and dissatisfaction. Many tribes can’t accept the treaty that your Empire forced on us.”
“They haven’t grasped the situation yet.”
“Exactly.”
Saving the exploited plains.
The intention is good. Anyone would want to save their suffering kin, but being able to act on it is truly heroic.
But one must know their place.
If the current plains clash with the Empire, they will undoubtedly lose every time.
Even if they use underhanded tactics to wound their pride, they cannot win against the Empire in this century.
Didn’t they get crushed when the Empire was waging war on all fronts?
Thinking they could challenge again, no matter how romantic, is frankly foolish.
“Now that the discussion is over, release Duchess Katia.”
“Understood. Follow me.”
Temur gestured and led the way.
I thought it was a prison, but we arrived at what appeared to be a lodging tent.
Inside, I found Bergamot, and it turned out she wasn’t even imprisoned.
Though she wore cuffs that limited her mana, she had a bed and food right next to her, making it feel more like a vacation.
However, her expression as she looked at me was far from one of someone on vacation.
“Child, don’t you have something to tell me?”
*****
Bergamot spoke in an unusually cold voice.
“I only came to check on the situation with the Urgan. Even if I went deep into the plains, there were no strong warriors left, so I thought I could easily escape on my own.”
She, too, had thought the Sky King was dead.
“But suddenly, familiar arrows came flying. When I checked, oh my, the Sky King you said was dead was shooting arrows with his tribesmen. That’s how I got captured.”
“…I’m sorry.”
I had no words.
She got captured because of me, after all.
“When we return, you’ll report this to the Princess, right?”
“I have to.”
It’s better to reveal this now than to face bigger trouble later.
“Let’s go back. I miss my husband too.”
“The deputy head of your household is very worried and waiting for you. He even considered bringing the duchy’s private soldiers if necessary.”
“You’re joking, right?”
“I’m not joking.”
I saw it before coming here.
Damian preparing the army, ready to overturn everything if things went wrong.
“He just doesn’t show it in front of you. He’s very worried this time too.”
“Thank you, even if it’s just words.”
“If it were just words, I wouldn’t have made it here.”
As the Personal Guard, I left the First Princess’s side to come here.
Bergamot would understand what I want to say with just this.
“When we get back, please hug the deputy head and apologize for making him worry.”
*****
Although I saved Bergamot, we couldn’t return to the duchy immediately. I had to discuss and resolve several issues with Temur.
We had to decide how to handle Temur’s identity as a Personal Guard, how to conceal his face, and other simple matters.
“But is it okay to take the Duchess back like this?”
“Don’t worry. Everyone saw you, so they’ll know you took her.”
“Ah.”
I might incur the wrath of the Urgan tribe, but it doesn’t matter. From today onwards, I won’t have any reason to step into the plains.
“See you later.”
“Yes. Next time, I hope we become closer as comrades.”
I arranged to meet Temur again.
And so, it took just two days to return to the duchy.
*****
The day we arrived at the duchy, Ern was scolded by Epherna all day.
More seriously than he had expected, for thinking it would be quick and simple.
“Mister, did you find me so untrustworthy? So much that you couldn’t even tell me?”
After hearing that he kept it secret because he feared she wouldn’t allow it, Epherna’s face twisted with a mix of anger and hurt.
“False reports? I can understand. But that was to my brother.”
“I can understand crossing the plains to manage the situation. You wanted to take responsibility and didn’t want to drag me into it.”
“But why didn’t you tell me? Did I seem like someone who wouldn’t understand if you spoke honestly? Did you think I wouldn’t let you go to the plains?”
She found it suspicious.
What could the Personal Guard have to hide from the Princess?
Still, she allowed it without doubt because she trusted him completely.
She thought there must be a good reason for it.
But instead, Ern didn’t trust her.
He chose to hide it, thinking she would unconditionally try to stop him.
The realization that he didn’t trust her felt like a dagger to her heart.
“You said you’d grant me a wish, right? I’m using it now. Never hide something like that from me again.”
*****
Epherna said that and then shut herself in her room, refusing to come out.
I tried to open the door, but it was locked.
“…”
I honestly hadn’t expected her to be this angry.
I thought she would scold me for falsely reporting the death of the Sky King and express concern for why I went into the plains alone.
I thought that would be the end of it.
But Epherna hadn’t said a word about that.
She didn’t care about those things. She was only angry that I hadn’t trusted her.
I was standing in front of Epherna’s room, unable to move.
“Why are you standing there like a lost puppy?”
The familiar voice belonged to Bergamot.
She was wearing a new hat.
“You’ve changed your hat.”
“Haha. My husband gave it to me as a gift. We might have our eighth child soon.”
So she already had seven children.
I didn’t realize she was always in such good spirits.
“By the way, it looks like you got scolded by the Princess. You seem unusually down.”
“It seems the Princess was more hurt than I expected.”
“It’s because you keep treating her like a child.”
“I’ve never seen the Princess as a child. She’s grown up wonderfully.”
“Really? To me, she seems no different from when you used to call her ‘Little One.’”
Bergamot perched on a windowsill in the hallway.
“Child, do you know how hard the Princess has worked to not be seen as a child by you?”
Bergamot was Epherna’s tutor.
No one knew better than her how much Epherna had strived.
“The Princess went through great efforts because she wanted to be on the same level as you.”
At an age where she should have been busy just receiving education, she made connections with the Minister of Finance and worked hard to inherit the Second Prince’s authority.
All to become a worthy lord for Ern.
“It’s good that you think of the Princess like your own child, but isn’t it time to let that go?”
