—Clang, Clang…
The sound of practice swords clashing against one another echoed throughout the room. I sat on top of a chair.
"Your Highness…" The voice was hesitant. I turned to see Lye, her green hair in a pony tail.
"Are you sure you should be here… His Majesty ordered us to let you rest…"
How lovely… I thought to myself.
"Well, I am quite rebellious myself." I responded, clearly hiding my inner thoughts.
She looked worried. What kind of person was Sorrel for Lye to be worried about just for sitting and watching two knights training. She paused before speaking,
"Alright then."
She remained calm the entire time. Compared to how she was during breakfast, that was a huge change.
"Please call me if you need something, Your Highness." She bowed and quickly left.
She clearly held authority, given how she scolded Rein without a second thought.
Everyone has their own secrets, I shall respect that.
I turned my attention back to the arena. There, Rein and Liona were in the middle of an exchange. I could barely see their movements.
I was fascinated. To a lazy bum who'd spent his life locked in a room, the controlled violence before me was a foreign language—one I found I desperately wanted to understand.
As I sat there on the chair, I felt a presence. Something similar to Father's force but this one felt… gentle. They meant no harm.
"Rein!" I called out.
Liona stopped, and Rein followed to do the same.
"Sorry for interrupting your duel, but I'm gonna take a stroll." I declared.
"Outside the capital!" With a wide smile on my face, they looked at me as if I was some sort of madman.
"Y-your Highness!" Shouted the dramatic Rein. his practice sword clattering to the floor as if my words had physically disarmed him.
"You shouldn't go alone!" He added, rushing to the edge of the training area, his face spelled 'genuine panic'. "Bandits! Wild beasts! His Majesty would have my head on a pike!"
"Oh, don't worry Rein." I said, waving a dismissive hand.
"I know a few ways to protect myself." I sounded quite smug.
Rein looked like he was about to have a mental collapse. Liona, the ever strict knight, only raised a suspicious eyebrow. Her grip on the practice sword tightening.
"Your Highness, could you please, at least tell us where your 'stroll' would be?" She asked.
"Hmm…" I hummed a thinking noise.
"A forest…"
I raised my right arm and pointed it up to the sky, my left hand placed on my hips.
"I need the air directly from nature itself!" I declared.
Rein was going through a mental collapse.
"Then, at least let me accompany you, Your Highness." She pleaded.
"Very well, Liona shall accompany me." I announced.
"And, Father mustn't know this. Never." I added, glancing at the whining Rein on the floor.
Hang in there, Rein!
———[Line break.]
In the original novel, there exists a beautiful forest near the palace. "The Valdine" They called it. It was described as a beautiful place. What I wanted to see was a special grass that grew only in that forest called "Lumos".
They are sensitive to mana, which is why they glow when it is present. If the presence I felt really was mana, then it'd react in some ways.
I stood in front of the palace gates, Liona, now with her battle sword, right behind me.
"Liona, have you heard of the 'Valdine'?" I asked.
She tilted her head, her eyes locking with mine.
"I thought that was basic knowledge, Your Highness."
"Well, we'll be going there." I said to her.
For a split second, shock flickered across her face—For a split second.
"Your Highness, perhaps that area is… a bit too much for a stroll, don't you think?" She asked. For the first time since I had woken up, this was the only time she has shown genuine worry.
"Well, that's why I brought you with me." I said, my face dead serious.
"...Excuse me?"
"Yeah. You, Liona, will be my meat shield today!" I declared.
Liona's jaw tightened, the sword in her grip creaked as if they were about to shatter. She paused for a moment before speaking,
"Very well, I will fulfil my duty." She said, her eyes filled with fury.
You say that… yet you look like you are about to rip me to shreds… Scary!
"Ahem." I cleared my throat.
"You, Liona, shall have the honor of riding the horse for me!" I smirked.
The more I talked, the more fury her eyes held.
"Very well, Your Highness." She said as we walked to the stable.
It seemed like she had a favourite horse, one with a white spot. She was surprisingly gentle with animals.
We quickly hopped on before charging towards the forest.
———[Line break.]
After a short ride, we arrived at the entrance to the forest. It looked ordinary from the outside, but on the inside is where the gold lies.
"Your Highness, are you sure you want to go in there?" Liona asked.
"Well, why not?"
She sighed, swiftly hopping off of the horse after me. She led it to a nearby tree, to tie it in place.
"I'll be back soon." She whispered, patting its head.
"You're gentle with animals." I said to her.
"Unlike a certain Prince," She shot back.
"I lost." I admitted.
"Well, shall we step in?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
———[Line break.]
The entrance looked like a dark, narrow path but as we went deeper into the forest, the bright, colorful plants and trees surrounded us.
"Pretty…" Mesmerized, Liona muttered under her breath.
"Indeed."
As we walked, I noticed a field of grass that fit the description of 'Lumos'—Blueish green, short and usually in groups.
I pointed at the field, showing Liona what I was looking for.
"Stay right here, I'll go there myself." I ordered.
"But Your Highness, as the 'meat shield' I have to protect you." Liona protested.
"Listen to me. Just stand here. You can sit if you want."
She hesitated before sitting down, her face slightly pouting. It was a strange sight for a strict knight commander to pout.
I turned to the direction of the field, slowly walking towards it. A few seconds after I stepped on the Lumos's, they lit up. I was right—It was indeed mana. But it wasn't mine.
"I am not a mana user," I declared, slowly turning to see a figure appearing from thin air.
"You've caught me, Your Highness."