Okoborehime to Entaku no Kishi Vol 1 Chapter 3
OKOBORE HIME
TO
ENTAKU NO KISHI
The Leftover Princess and the Knights of the Round
Story by: Riine Ishida
Art by: Ichiko Okiya
Brought to you by: AQUA Scans
Credits:
Raws: Icarus Bride
Translation: Crystal Hikari
Proofreading: Fallinwind
Quality Checking: Mizuouji
Translator’s notes:
The j.a.panese honorifics were kept in the translation of the dialogues of
the characters to show the respect or adoration shown by the characters.
Footnotes were provided upon the first appearance of the honorific in
the chapter to explain it.
Thoughts are signified by ‘italics’.
CHAPTER III THE KNIGHT AND THE a.s.sa.s.sIN
- 4 -
The Royal family of Sommevesle, the high ranking officials of
the Royal Chivalric Order and all knights not on guarding duty
gathered in the Great Hall of the Royal Castle for an important
ceremony. The atmosphere inside the Hall was tense. An event as
grand as this was very rare and all those in attendance would serve
as witnesses as their future queen knighted the Knight of the First
Seat of her Knights of the Round.
Astrid, seated at the back in the audience seat, gazed from afar
his senior and the princess he so admired.
‘This is my first time seeing a knighting ceremony.’
When Astrid heard that Duke accepted Leti’s invitation to be
her knight, he asked his senior why because Duke had hated the
notion before. And Duke’s answer was, “—because she is a master
worth offering my life to.”
That was probably the answer Astrid was hoping to hear all
along. When he asked other knights why they swore loyalty to
their masters, most of their answers were because of duty or
because they were invited.
‘They will truly mean every word in the Knight’s Oath.’
Leti wanted Duke to be her knight. Duke wanted Leti to be his
master. This was how the Knight’s Oath should be, both parties
wishing for the other. Astrid enviously looked at the two persons
he respected.
Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi
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Leti, in her beautiful white dress, stood in front of Duke, who
was kneeling on one knee with his head bowed deeply.
“With a sword on thy right and a shield on thy left, dost thou
swear loyalty to me till the day thou die?” The master’s dignified
voice filled the Great Hall like a wonderful melody. Then the
knight, with an equally dignified voice, answered his master’s call.
“With a sword on my right and shield on my left, I swear
loyalty to thee, my master, till the day I die.”
“Thou art my knight.”
Leti pa.s.sed on the half-closed sword to Duke. Duke then
returned the sword to its sheath, and this metallic sound declared
to all that the knighting ceremony was over. The crowd cheered
and applauded. Astrid joined in his hands as well.
‘…But I wonder why…’
Astrid couldn’t comprehend why he suddenly wanted to stain
Leti’s immaculately white dress scarlet.
Leti could no longer be the carefree princess she was before.
In other words, she couldn’t let herself be occupied about the
a.s.sa.s.sin incident any longer. She had to prioritize her
responsibilities as the crown princess, and today’s tea party was
part of that.
- 6 -
“Duke, stay here. A maid shall come to show you the way to a
drawing room where you can stay for the while.”
Leti left Duke and opened an ornate door with her one hand
since the other was occupied with a big basket.
“A good day to you Prince Guido, Prince Friedhelm, today’s
weather is perfect for a tea party, is it not?”
The weather was a heavily clouded sky, as if representing the
relationship between the three eldest royal children of Sommevesle.
Leti was the one who suggested for the three of them – Friedhelm,
Guido and her – to have a private tea party on their own without
any outsiders. However, even Leti was not sure whether they could
really hold a simple conversation that was even long enough for
the tea to go cold.
“What is inside that basket?” asked Guido, the prince with the
cla.s.sic beauty despite his normally grumpy face.
Guido, the Second Prince of Sommevesle, shared the same
steel-blue eyes and golden locks with Leti. Even Leti, who was
undeniably confident about her own beauty, openly admitted her
defeat to Guido. Both the jovial, amiable Friedhelm and the cold,
serious Guido were Leti’s half brothers. But Leti and Guido
looked so similar one would forget they were born from different
mothers.
“I baked a cake for this particular occasion. I knew for certain
you would be serving us tea alone.”
Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi
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Leti took off the white coverlet of the basket and took out a
small wooden box.
“Sweets are banned here.”
“Stop nagging, you’re a man. Try and learn something from
Leticia,” Friedhelm jokingly said to his fussy younger brother.
Guido warned them again not to litter cake crumbs in his villa,
and then asked the maid to bring out some plates and cutlery for
the cake. Leti deftly cut it into six slices and placed a slice on a
plate for each of them. But no one dared to lift a fork and taste the
cake.
“…How about taking a bite? I did not poison it.”
“Then why don’t you take a sip of tea? I didn’t poison it
either.”
“Well… I just remembered there was this recent poisoning
incident that happened and… Aaahhh… I knew this would
happen!” Friedhelm grudged, slouching on his chair.
It was already expected that the three of them couldn’t
possible have a peaceful tea party. The only reason Friedhelm
agreed to Leti’s suggestion of hara.s.sing Guido with cakes and tea
was because he still felt guilty about the last incident 1
. He also
understood what Leti wanted to achieve with this tea party and he
1 See Chapter II.
- 8 -
was in perfect agreement that they had a lot of patching up to do
with regards to their filial relationship.
“I shall be eating the same cake as you will. So if you die, I
shall as well.”
“You baked the cake and cut it yourself. Of course I’d be
cautious.”
“I could not possibly do such a complicated thing of
separating the poisoned portion with the normal one. If anything
outside of the recipe was mixed in to the batter, the cake would no
longer rise.”
Leti, irritated how things were going, dumped the slices of
cake on their plates into the box and shook it.
“Oi!”
“If I do this, you would no longer mind at all, would you? If
this cake is truly poisoned, then they shall find our corpses
together.”
Leti continued on shaking the box, producing unpleasant,
squishy sounds that perfectly reflected the chaos happening inside
the shaking box. Her two older brothers said not a word to stop
her.
“I guarantee you the taste. It will be the same as before but I
doubt it will be presentable.”
Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi
- 9 -
Leti divided again the squished cake for the three of them
indifferently. Friedhelm looked at the pitiful cake and whispered to
his younger brother.
“Hey, I already feel bad for what I did, better be one too. Geez¸
why do I, of all people, have to eat a cake like this?”
“…Me too…”
Friedhelm took a bite of the cake and couldn’t help exclaiming
his surprise to its taste. True, the cake no longer looked appetizing,
but it was delicious.
“Didn’t think you could bake. This is good.”
Guido nodded in agreement to Friedhelm’s compliment.
“What’s today’s business?” asked Guido.
“We shall only have small talk for today’s tea party, Prince
Guido. I do believe you are aware that I have gained my first
knight a few days ago.”
“Yes. I see you have started to settle in.”
Guido thought that the topic would be a bragging contest
about their knights, but Leti’s small talk didn’t end in small talk.
- 10 -
“I have a suggestion, and I think this will be fair for everyone.
What do you say about giving me some of your knights, four from
Seventh Heaven2
and five from Valkyrie3
?”
“I refuse,” said the two princes.
“What a pity,” was Leti’s nonchalant reply to the immediate
rejection of her brothers. She took a sip of tea. She didn’t feel any
sting to her tongue, so she was sure the tea was not poisoned.
“That ain’t small talk, that’s business. Small talk means more
trivial topics such as asking how things are going with your lover,
or something along those lines,” explained Friedhelm.
“Lover?” Leti asked, tilting her head to one side.
“Duke?”
“Oh. Well, his face is a little different from my tastes.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Your ideal face is that of Lion King
Alexander, right? I really don’t get what you see in him. I mean,
that portrait he has in the Gallery could warrant him the t.i.tle,
‘Serial Killer King.’”
“Well then, in the living, who is the best one you like? I shall
search for the one that will best fit your tastes.”
“Play fair, Guido!”
2 Friedhelm’s private chivalric order
3 Guido’s private chivalric order
Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi
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And in the end, their supposedly casual tea party ended up to
be a business meeting over tea and cake.
While the tea party of the eldest royal children was becoming a
true business meeting, Duke was waiting for his master in the
drawing room usually used by the knights of Valkyrie. However,
the room today was empty, so Duke simply took a random book
to pa.s.s time. As he was absent-mindedly reading a line of poetry, a
knock echoed in the room.
“Please excuse me… Oh, Senpai4
!”
Astrid’s head came peeking in from the door. The two knights
were surprised to see each other in such an unlikely place and
asked the other what they were doing there.
“I’m on escort duties to my master. I’m waiting here till their
tea party ends. How ‘bout you? Since when did you enter
Valkyrie?”
“Ah, no, I was being recruited and they told me to take a look
at how they work.”
Duke then understood why Astrid was called to Guido’s villa.
Astrid was the number one unaffiliated rookie of the Royal
Chivalric Order. He was also being recruited to Friedhelm’s
4 Senpai – a j.a.panese honorific used in addressing one’s senior
- 12 -
Seventh Heaven and Duke thought Astrid might be joining either
one in the near future.
“Then, Her Highness is here?”
“Surprised? I did not believe it either, but ‘tis true, and even
Prince Friedhelm is here.”
Duke wanted to add that such a gathering would be more
believable if Leti said they’d have a confidential meeting or matters
to discuss with each other when he noticed the change in Astrid’s
eyes.
“Princess Leticia… is here.”
Astrid’s normally gentle green eyes turned into a murky moss
color upon uttering Leti’s name. Duke thought it might just be his
imagination, but his instincts told him to be on guard.
“You’re waiting for Prince Guido, right? Why don’t you
accompany me for a while?”
Duke did not want to leave Astrid alone. He threw his book
away and tapped his fingers on the chess board.
After some time – enough for two servings of tea to get cold –
a maid came in relaying a message that the tea party was already
over. Duke stood up, deciding in his mind what to say to Leti,
whether he’d express his surprise that it ended early, or his
congratulations for being able to keep a normal conversation for
that long.
Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi
- 13 -
“Next time, I shall bake cookies that are so identical to each
other; you will not be able to tell the difference. So brace
yourselves for that.”
Duke raised his hand a little to inform Leti of his presence as
his master was leaving her brothers with her gruesome goodbye.
“Oh, Astrid, since when did you join Valkyrie?” asked the
surprised Leti when she saw Astrid standing behind Duke. Astrid
blushed and violently shook his head sideways, clarifying that he
was just there to observe Valkyrie and had not joined them.
“And here I was thinking to have Astrid fill in the seat I
reserved for Duke in Seventh Heaven. Hey, Duke, why don’t you
help me in convincing him?”
“Unfortunately, I am the type who lets my juniors fend for
themselves. Princess Leticia, if you would excuse me, I’d like to
ask for a few moments with Prince Friedhelm.”
“You may.”
“Until I return, please stay by Prince Guido’s side.”
It was the best way Duke could think of to warn Leti about
Astrid since he could not say it directly. He then took his leave and
signaled Friedhelm with his eyes to follow him.
“What’s the matter? Is this something you don’t want Leticia
to hear? Like some problems on your night life?”
- 14 -
Duke sighed deeply at Friedhelm’s misunderstanding and told
him it was something serious.
“It’s about Astrid. You already have him investigated, don’t
you? You are recruiting him for Seventh Heaven after all.”
“Of course I had. I’m recruiting him.”
“…What about his past?”
“Clear.”
“…Clear? I see.”
Duke was already starting to feel relieved when Friedhelm
clarified his answer.
“Clear, as in blank. No matter how much we searched and
investigated him, we found nothing. You do know what this
implies, right?”
‘Nothing’ meant Astrid did not come from normal society.
“From the scarce information we got, it seems like he was a
former mercenary, though unaffiliated to any guild. But that still
warrants him as ‘criminal’ in this world.”
“And yet you’re still recruiting him for your Seventh Heaven?”
“Better to have him on my side than the enemy’s. Guido
obviously thought of that as well.”
Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi
- 15 -
The ever-so-meticulous and careful Second Prince definitely
already had Astrid investigated and came up with the same
conclusion as Friedhelm – that Astrid would a better p.a.w.n than
any other normal knight. Or to put it in a different way, if he was
not yours, then you’d better be careful around him.
With Duke and Friedhelm having their own conversation, the
three – Leti, Guido and Astrid – were left to their own devices.
Astrid, being considerate, took a few steps away from the royal
siblings and did not join in their conversation.
Leti positioned herself somewhere near Guido so she could
shield him if anything happened, and she could still keep an eye
out for Astrid.
“Is Queen Sophia doing well? I have not had the time to visit
her recently.”
Leti began a conversation with Guido while monitoring
Astrid’s actions. Guido, as requested by Duke, decided to
accompany Leti until her knight returned.
“The last time I had visited her was four months ago.”
“Then there is no point in me asking you since the last time I
visited her was three months ago.”
“Do visit her more often. I’m sure she’d be glad to see you.”
- 16 -
“I really want to, but things have been difficult and
complicated ever since I became the crowned princess.”
Guido’s mother, the Second Queen Consort Sophia, used to
adore Leti. She treated Leti like a much younger sister when Leti’s
mother died. She was a very warm and kind person and used to tell
Leti to “take care of Guido.”
‘I am sure it meant to help Guido once he became the king… But…’
Leti did not return Queen Sophia’s kindness with resentment,
but she was doing something near that so it was hard to face her.
“You could have easily come up with a clear decision for this,”
whispered Leti. She wanted to be like Guido, who could clearly
divide things between their merits and demerits, between what
would be advantageous for him or not. But she couldn’t make
herself think that way despite knowing it was the best way for a
ruling queen. Leti silently admitted the only common thing she and
Guido shared was their looks.
Duke and Friedhelm came back only a few moments after they
had just left.
“Prince Friedhelm, Prince Guido, if you would please excuse
me…” Leti bid her brothers goodbye and let Duke carry the
emptied basket.
“…I would not go as far as to call it meaningful tea party, but
it was not meaningless either,” continued Leti.
Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi
- 17 -
“Well, I think it was meaningless since we did not come up
with at least one agreement of sorts despite having the three of us
present,” Friedhelm declared, despite knowing Leti’s true
intentions for the tea party. Guido did not say anything, but he
was most likely in agreement with his older brother.
“I did not suggest this tea party to have any agreements
between us. But if you feel it to be so meaningless, then let me
make it meaningful now. I shall tell you a hint for my ideal
husband. You did ask me about that earlier,” Leti said to her
brothers with a confident smirk on her face.
“My first love, or rather first loves, were Friedhelm-onii-sama5
and Guido-onii-sama. A pleasant day to you…” Leti curtsied and
was about to turn around when Friedhelm grabbed her arm to
stop her. He looked at Leti with eyes full of sincerity that any other
lady would have swooned and fell for him with his gaze alone.
“Leticia, no, Leti. I…I have hidden this for the longest time. I
am actually my mother’s illegitimate son. She had an affair with a
different man and I was the fruit of their relationship.”
“I do not have anything against your perfect delivery and
timing but I find it irritating,” Leti reb.u.t.ted immediately to her
brother’s joke. Friedhelm was nothing else but an older brother to
her.
5 Onii-sama: Onii =Older Brother | Sama = formal honorific for a high person
- 18 -
“There was actually a rumor during the time of my birth that I
was switched at birth and…” Now, it was Guido taking his turn.
“You should practice more in your delivery of jokes because
you make it sound truthful,” was Leti’s reply.
Leti was trying to figure out in her head whether Guido said
his spiel because he thought it will be profitable for him or if he
was just simply going with the flow of the moment. Leti sighed,
feeling the heaviness of having stupid brothers. She signaled Duke
to get ready and they soon left Guido’s villa, leaving behind
Friedhelm, Guido, and Astrid.
“Aaaah! Please don’t worry about me! I promise not to
mention this to anyone! I swear!” exclaimed Astrid.
Friedhelm suddenly felt all the tension in him disappear with
Astrid’s unexpected reaction. Guido, on the other hand, was
already a.n.a.lyzing the hint Leti gave and tried to come up with any
point of similarity between them. He came up with the conclusion
that Leti probably liked blondes.
Meanwhile, Astrid felt relieved upon hearing Friedhelm’s
explanation and had his misunderstanding, about Friedhelm being
an illegitimate son and Guido being switched at birth, cleared.
Then he heard a voice whisper to him.
“Today’s not the best time to do it. Kill her some other time.”
Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi
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The voice did not belong to either Friedhelm or Guido, but
Astrid did not find anyone else around.
“Huh?”
“What’s wrong, Astrid?”
Astrid took another look around, but there was no one else in
the area.
“I thought I heard a voice but… it might just be my
imagination,” Astrid replied, his hands sweating coldly for some
unknown reason.
Duke immediately took his leave from his master after he had
escorted her back to the Royal Villa. It would be his shift soon,
and he had to return to the Royal Chivalric Order’s camp.
However, he remembered something and turned around to ask
Leti.
“Your Highness, what’s your opinion on Astrid? Do you want
him as your knight?”
“As I had said before, taking him in will be troublesome. Any
master who wishes to have him must be fully prepared to accept
him.”
Astrid was someone who unconsciously killed the sound of his
footsteps despite jumping down from a high place. That feat alone
- 20 -
showed how much he had absorbed in his person the habits of an
a.s.sa.s.sin. To add to that, he was currently the most likely suspect as
the Ghost Energy’s host. Leti could not make him her knight even
if she wanted to.
“I see.” Duke’s eyes clearly showed relief in Leti’s answer.
Leti wanted to dig deeper into the topic because it was Duke
who had kept on recommending Astrid to be her knight in the
past.
“Is there anything wrong with Astrid?”
“No, nothing.”
Duke still was not certain and had no proof that Astrid was the
one who targeted Leti recently. It was nothing but a hunch, and he
could not tell Leti about it without any proof. It was just one of
the countless possibilities.
“Your Highness, if you have any business with me, don’t go to
the camp alone…no, don’t go there even if you’re not alone. Send
a word and I will come here as soon as possible.”
Leti obediently nodded to Duke’s warning and they parted
ways – Duke to the camp and Leti to her room. Upon coming
back to her room, she went by the window and looked out to
where the Order’s camp was, thinking about her knight and her
knight’s junior.
Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi
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‘Duke is trying to prevent any contact between me and Astrid. I see he
has noticed already.’
Duke would most likely investigate and monitor Astrid as
much as he could. Though it was the right thing to do for a knight,
his actions might limit the Ghost Energy’s activity and this would
work against Leti’s plan to finish this case as early as possible. Leti
liked smart men, but a less smart one would have been better for
this situation.
“Well, if that is the case, this will be the best opportunity for
me to see how far he would go.”
How far would Duke go as her knight?
Leti did not want to involve Duke any further with the Ghost
Energy, but since he was already having his own suspicions, it
would already be impossible to stop him. So the best way to deal
with this was to use Duke and let the Ghost Energy move as it
pleased. That way Duke would have to choose between her and
Astrid, in the end. And if she was not chosen, the wound from
that would not be too deep.
“No, Leti! That is not how you want yourself to be… You do
not want to be that kind of queen!” Leti reprimanded herself.
‘You chose him to be your knight, the person you can trust. It is the
weakness of your heart that stops you from trusting him.’
“Do not use Duke…believe him.”
- 22 -
If Astrid was really the Ghost Energy host, then she would not
let Duke be connected to it, even if she had to order him so. If
Astrid was just a former a.s.sa.s.sin, then she would give Duke the
freedom to do as he pleased until he was satisfied, and she would
not utter a word about it. The most important point for this case
was to move as carefully as possible, even if she had to rely on
Duke.
‘Please give me the courage to the step forward and the strength to believe,
not the weakness to doubt.’
Leti decided to make a bet and shake Astrid a bit to see if he
really was the Ghost Energy’s host. She asked her servants to
investigate Astrid’s patrol shift and route. Based on the
information they gathered, the best spot for her to wait for Astrid
was by the North Cemetery – the place where the royalty of the
past were to rest, and no one could enter it without permission. It
was the best place to do something that should not be seen by
other people.
Rain had poured incessantly down on Sommevesle for the past
few days. So when it stopped this morning, it was the perfect day
for Leti to put her plan into action. She left the castle and headed
towards the North Cemetery, but upon arriving there, she heard
lively and energetic voices.
“Perhaps they are visiting someone. But none of them look
familiar to me.”
Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi
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The clothes of the six children clearly showed they were simple
commoners who thought of the cemetery’s big stones and lush
bushes as the perfect place to play hide and seek.
Leti was not particularly bothered with children playing in the
cemetery, but she still decided to warn them like any adult would.
“Children, you should only play here during the day because
monsters and ghosts come out here in the night.”
The children looked at each other, then at Leti with an
unimpressed expression.
“Adults always say that, but we have never seen a monster!”
Leti was used to dealing with children because of the number
of younger brothers and sisters she had. She was not annoyed nor
irritated with the children’s innocent impertinence, and she
smilingly agreed to their observation.
“Yes, indeed. Monsters do not come out here, but a scary
knight will come after you instead.”
Leti was thinking of the former a.s.sa.s.sin Astrid when a
different “scary knight” appeared.
“Yeah, she’s right. This isn’t a playground. This is the Royal
Cemetery. Go somewhere else to play.”
Leti heard a low, threatening voice from behind. She quickly
turned around and found Duke, sharply glaring at her and the
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children. His face was so scary and threatening, a crying child
would cry louder if his face were seen. Astrid, few steps behind
Duke, was surprised to see Leti outside of the Castle.
With the appearance of the scary knight, the disgruntled
children left the cemetery, leaving Leti pressing her temples at how
things complicated had become.
‘This is all because I was not able to fully read Duke’s actions. It was an
obvious move on his part. He would change shifts to match with Astrid’s to
keep an eye on him. I should have antic.i.p.ated this much.’
“Are you, perhaps, alone Your Highness? I don’t see any of
your guards.”
Leti thought it best to give up for now and willingly let Duke
scold her and send her home.
“Yes, I am. And yes, I know. I will obediently go back to the
castle,” Leti said, raising her hands in defeat, and then walked
towards Astrid, who was approaching them.
“…A pleasant day, Astrid. I am glad to see you are working
hard.”
“Ah… ah… It’s a pleasure to meet you here, Your Highness!”
No one would ever suspect that the stupidly blushing Astrid
was a former a.s.sa.s.sin. His personality was his biggest weapon. No
one could doubt him because of it. Even Leti admitted to herself
Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi
- 25 -
that she might have been deceived and not found out about his
true ident.i.ty if she did not chance upon the opportunity.
“Astrid, I will escort Her Highness back to the castle.”
Duke casually went in front of Leti to shield her from Astrid
when a child tugged at Leti’s skirt. Duke was about to reprimand
the child – even if he did not know who Leti was, what he did was
still inexcusable. But Leti told Duke with her eyes that it was fine,
and she bent her knees to meet the child’s eyes.
“Hey, have you entered the grave chamber, Miss? Do
monsters really come out there?”
“There? Ah, you mean the Underground Burial Chamber
where the kings lay? No, monsters do not come out there, but it is
like a labyrinth, so promise me you will never go inside even if the
lock is broken.”
“A labyrinth?”
“Yes. So promise me you will never go inside.”
The child nodded to affirm his promise, though his eyes were
not filled with fear, but with a sparkle of curiosity instead. He ran
back to his friends and shared his newly gathered information. The
children were already beaming at the door to the Chamber, but
decided to leave since Duke kept on glaring at them. Duke was
certain those children would come back, so he explained to Astrid
why no one was allowed there.
- 26 -
“Make sure to warn off the children whenever you see them
playing around here. They are not just being disrespectful. They
are putting themselves into danger. This area is secluded, and if
ever they get caught up in a kidnapping incident, it’ll be difficult to
get any testimonies from around here. Got that?”
Astrid soundly replied to Duke that he did. Astrid was the type
of junior who obediently listened to what his seniors would say, so
he was generally treated well and kindly, not only by Duke, but by
the other knights as well.
“Astrid, I shall be borrowing Duke for a while. Sorry for
taking him while he is still on duty.”
“No, it’s fine, Your Highness! I can do the patrol alone! Please
take care on your way,” Astrid said as he waved his hand, sending
Leti and Duke off.
“The master and her knight…” Astrid sighed, gazing at them
walking towards the castle.
Duke was just recently knighted, but seeing them side by side
was so natural that it looked like they had been together for a
much longer time. He felt proud seeing his senior that way and
wished that someday, maybe he could also have a master like that.
And then a voice spoke.
“Why didn’t you kill her? It was just one useless man! It was
the perfect opportunity to do it!”
Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi
- 27 -
Astrid looked around but found no one who could be the
source of the voice.
“…Who…said that? Was that…me?”
Astrid had been hearing this strange voice recently, and he
knew not who owned it. Or maybe he did.
‘Will I just really be an a.s.sa.s.sin? Can I not be a knight like Senpai?’
Astrid thought, and his fists clenched until his knuckles turned
white. He thought the voice was from the deep darkness in his
heart because it was the only explanation he could think of.
Duke followed the ever-so-elegant Leti as they walked back to
the castle. He wanted to reprimand her about several things, but
decided not to waste his energy. He knew full well that his words
would fall on deaf ears. So instead, he pointed out a different thing.
“What you said earlier was not a good warning at all.”
“Earlier?”
“You told those kids that the chamber was like a labyrinth, so
they should never enter it. That was like telling them to go inside
and explore it! Fortunately, the door to the Royal Burial Chamber
is tightly locked, and there is no chance of them getting inside.”
- 28 -
Even if the children wanted to explore the Royal Burial
Chamber, it was protected by st.u.r.dy doors and locks so they
children could not possibly get inside it even if they wanted to.
Duke told Leti not to worry much about it, but she still cast
her eyes down in thought, contemplating whether she should tell
him about a certain secret only known among the royal family. In
the end, she decided to leave it for now and changed the topic.
“You talk to me respectfully when we are public.6
”
“I put at least that much distinction in public. But if you wish,
I shall speak with you in such a formal manner from now on.”
“I have not reprimanded you about it recently, have I? I have
my reasons.”
“Now that you mention it…” Duke wondered what made Leti
change her mind, and his master proudly provided him the answer.
“At first, I thought you should act becoming of your status,
but then I changed my mind. You are just a youngster son of a
lowly baron.”
“I agree with the lowly baron, but I can’t accept you, a
seventeen-year-old girl, calling a three and twenty year old man like
me, a youngster.”
6 The distinction in Duke’s speech is not that obvious in English (sorry for the
lack of talent to deliver). But in the j.a.panese original, it is quite distinct. In
public, his language is formal and respectful (keigo) but when they’re alone he
speaks casually to Leti like they are friends.
Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi
- 29 -
True, the world may still consider him a youngster, a newbie or
upstart, but Leti was much younger than him – so much younger
that she might not yet be still considered under the same category
as him. But Leti was not bothered by Duke’s roundabout way of
saying she was just a kid and even dared looking at him with
teasing eyes.
“Is that so? But I do know something about you.”
“What?”
“That your face is somehow well-liked among the matrons of
high society. And that your scowling face is purely intentional to
intimidate and drive them away.”
Duke’s shock was stronger than the time Leti slapped him.
“What the—! Who told you that? Prince Friedhelm!?”
“No one. I just knew it. That is the reason why you are called a
youngster. But if you could at least seduce or tempt a lady with
that face of yours, I shall take back what I said.”
Duke wanted to answer back, “I don’t want to be told that by
someone who got fl.u.s.tered with a pretend kiss,” but decided to
swallow it all down. He did not know where this might lead, so he
just backed down and scolded himself to act as the adult here.
“Ever since you, the youngster, officially took the First Seat in
my Knights of the Round, I was worried whether you were being
looked down on by the other knights. So I thought that if I could
- 30 -
show the public right from the start that you are special, we could
avoid meaningless arguments.”
Leti had satisfied the minimum requirements for the “Best
Knights of the Round” when she knighted Duke. All that was left
was to work hard to be the best. However, due to her choice, some
people would think that they should also be appointed as her
knight due to different things, such as the influence of their family
or their status in society. These self-important people were the
ones that might look down on Duke as nothing but a youngster or
an upstart son of a lowly baron.
“You are the only one allowed to talk to me in such a casual
manner. So be thankful for having a thoughtful master willing to
protect her retainer with a weak foothold.”
“Is that so? Then it is my honor to have such a generous
master. But I have my own concerns as well. Take, for instance,
your sweet smiles for Astrid.”
“Are you forgetting that I am the kind-hearted princess to the
public? The only people I do not put up a show to are those who
are close to me.”
“Close to you? How come I never encountered the kindhearted
princess? You were the haughty, high-handed queen with
me right from the start.”
The first words Leti spoke to Duke were, “I appoint you as my
knight. Gratefully accept the first seat in my Knights of the Round
Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi
- 31 -
and bow down to me.” It was Duke’s first time to encounter such
hauteur. He had not even encountered that much from the
arrogant Friedhelm.
“I already meant for you to be part of my inner circle from the
beginning, so there was no need for pretense,” Leti a.s.serted.
Duke was about to answer something in return when Leti
continued on and asked him an unexpected question.
“…I want to confirm something. Who is stronger, you or
Astrid?”
“Our results will be even for a match… at least for now.”
Duke indirectly indicated that Astrid would be stronger than him
in the future.
“I see,” Leti said, and looked at Duke directly, her eyes
piercing and sharp.
“To judge your own abilities objectively is one of your good
points. The two of you are evenly matched in a battle between
knights…”
Leti’s hair swayed and danced in the wind. She quietly asked
Duke, “…How about in a real battle for life?”
Duke felt the weight of Leti’s question.
“Do you remember me saying that any master who wished to
take in Astrid would need much confidence and preparedness to
- 32 -
appoint him as a knight? I am considering taking him in. And that
is because you are here now.”
Leti openly showed Duke her trust. And Duke, in turn,
understood the meaning behind his master’s words – she believed
Duke would be able to protect her from Astrid, and that when the
need arose, Duke would be able to kill him without any hesitation.
The wind grew stronger, blowing Leti’s golden locks further,
covering Duke’s sight. The wind pa.s.sed and Leti’s shiny hair
ceased its dance, but Duke still hadn’t answered.
“I shall give you time. Let me hear your answer then.”
Leti had asked Duke if he was prepared. He thought he was
the moment he accepted the First Seat in the Knights of the
Round, but…
‘I’d hesitate, for sure, but I…can kill him. But do I really have the
strength to do so…?’ Duke shook his head, correcting his thoughts.
‘No, I should not even hesitate or falter, for I am the Knight of the First
Seat of her Knights of the Round.’
Leti did not say anything more. She turned around and
continued walking towards the castle. Duke silently followed
behind.
Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi
- 33 -
Later that night after Leti asked her knight’s resolve, she found
herself in the Knight King’s s.p.a.ce and the only other guest was
the Lion King, King Alexander.
“Hey, when are you in?”
Leti answered she had just taken in her first knight. Alexander
hummed silently and stood up by the window.
“Today’s goodbye for me. You do know what I mean, don’t
you?”
Leti understood the Lion King’s complicated yet simple words
and asked to confirm, “Is today the eve of…”
Alexander nodded. Tomorrow was the day he would be killed
by his own knight, prime minister, and best friend who would be
later on known as the Revolution King.
“No! Don’t go!”
“But that can’t be. I will wake up and face tomorrow. I have
long accepted this fate.”
Alexander did not live in Leti’s time. If not for the Knight
King’s s.p.a.ce where the consciousness of the reincarnations of
King Christian, the Knight King, gathered and the concept of time
did not exist, they would have not known each other. But hearing
Alexander would die the next day was not something easy for Leti
to swallow.
- 34 -
“…Then promise me.”
“What?”
“That… you will live. You will live and become a pirate who
will conquer the Southern Seas and be the king of a country there.
That theory existed in my time so promise me you will do just as I
said!”
Alexander laughed heartily and commented that it was an
interesting theory.
“If I do get past this ordeal and live, I will do as you say. I’ll be
a pirate, take over a country across the Southern Seas, and be their
king.”
Alexander reached out his little finger to Leti, and she wrapped
her own to his, making a pinky swear – just like how children
sealed their promises.
“Seeing you makes me think maybe I should have had children.
We may not be directly connected by blood, but having
descendants ain’t bad at all.”
Alexander reprimanded Leti a lot of times, but despite his
harsh words, they were still overflowing with warmth and kindness,
for he considered Leti as his great-great-great-granddaughter. Leti
was happy and a bit sad to be parting with Alexander, and she
wanted to convey this to him.
“I…”
Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi
- 35 -
But her consciousness was suddenly drawn back to reality.
“Princess, we are deeply sorry to disturb you, but Sir Duke
is…”
Suddenly waking up to her knight’s call caused Leti to be in a
foul mood. She was in a middle of an important conversation with
Alexander, but then she was able to gradually turn her temper
around upon hearing the gist of the situation.
‘I know it was King Alexander’s last moments…but I have my own
reality to prioritize!’
She told her maid to ask Duke to wait as she changed her
clothes and let him in once she was ready.
“Sorry for disturbing you this late.”
“Quit the niceties. Our priority right now is to search for the
children. Where exactly is the place you need permission to enter?”
“The North Cemetery. We gathered all the available knights of
the Order to search around the vicinity. They were playing in that
area this afternoon, so we might be able to find clues there if they
were really kidnapped.”
- 36 -
Duke had disturbed Leti this late in the night to ask for
permission to search in the North Cemetery to find any clues
regarding the lost children. Technically, it was the King’s
permission they needed, but it was already late and they were not
sure if it was acceptable for them to disturb the King. So they
thought that maybe Leti, the heir to throne, could give them the
permission instead, so he asked her maid to wake her up, all
prepared to receive her anger.
“You may go and enter the cemetery and just report to me
later.”
“If we’re going to simply remind children to stay away, we
wouldn’t have bothered asking for permission. But if we’re going
to do a search, our actions might disturb the place and we need
permission for that.”
“I see. I understand. I also have the biggest responsibility for
this incident because of the warning I gave them which sparked
their curiosity.”
“Responsibility?”
Leti nodded but did not explain any further.
“Let us hurry. Prepare me a horse, not a carriage. There is also
no need for a lady’s saddle.”
“Thought you’d say that. It’s all prepared.”
Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi
- 37 -
Duke already knew Leti would join the search when he saw her
maid prepare an overcoat and walking boots for her before he
even went inside her room. At first, he thought he should stop
Leti from coming, but decided otherwise, since he was certain she
would find a way to go there. So it was better to let her go under
his watch than to let her go on her own.
“Oh? You are not going to stop me?”
“If you want me to, I will. Your Highness, please stay here because
it’s dangerous outside,” recited Duke monotonously.
“Only the King, my father, can order me. We are going.”
Duke smiled wryly, thinking how Leti-like her answer was, and
threw her the coat. Leti caught it easily and followed behind
Duke’s brisk pace without lagging behind with her long, elegant
strides. They hurried outside, walking together, side by side.
“Have I ever told you I can ride a horse alone?”
During this time, ladies in their dresses were not supposed to
ride horses astride nor alone. They usually rode horses sidesaddled
with gentlemen leading the horse. A lady of n.o.ble birth
who could ride horses was considered strange for trying to
accomplish an unnecessary skill for a lady. Leti simply learned how
to ride one so she would not lose against her older brothers and
knew it would be embarra.s.sing for the whole kingdom if their
ruler could not even ride a horse alone.
- 38 -
“You’re just a princess on the outside, right? I mean inside,
you are exactly like Prince Friedhelm during our Academy days.
Your incognito walks and the inconveniences you cause me. They
are identical.”
“You know your master well.”
“If there’s anything different, you’re a good actress playing the
princess you are truly not, making you the more troublesome one.”
“You really do know me well,” Leti said again, her voice laced
with amus.e.m.e.nt, no trace of her being offended.
“Princess!? Where are you going at this hour?”
“To the North Cemetery. Also…”
Leti gave orders and instructions to her servants who came
after her, and she told her guards that they may come if they
wanted to. After she had said everything she needed to, she
hastened outside.
Leti and Duke, accompanied with three of her guards, headed
toward the North Cemetery. When they reached their destination,
everyone in the party except for Leti was creeped out by their first
experience of a cemetery at night.
“Senpai! By the West Forest… huh? Your Highness!?”
Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi
- 39 -
The only knight from the Order awaiting them was Astrid,
who could not hide his surprise at seeing Leti outside in the middle
of the night.
“Her Highness will help with the search… More importantly,
why are you here, Astrid? Aren’t you off-duty tonight? Where’s
Grantz?”
Duke’s partner for the search was his other colleague, Grantz,
but he couldn’t be seen anywhere. Duke took a step forward,
shielding Leti with his back.
“Grantz-senpai went with the others heading towards the West
Forest. They have gathered information that someone saw the
children go that way earlier today. So he asked me to stay here
instead and relay the message to you. Will you also head to the
forest?”
“Let me think…”
According to the report, the children went to the West Forest,
but Duke did not know how reliable the source of information
was. While he was weighing his options, whether he should go to
the forest or stay in the cemetery, Leti came to a decision and
started moving on her own.
“Duke, Astrid, could you try to move that stone away? I would
like to check all possibilities I can think of before I go home.”
“Stone?”
- 40 -
Leti was pointing towards total darkness, and they could not
see anything. They only knew that the door to the Royal Burial
Chamber was somewhere around that direction. Leti held out the
lamp and started walking there without even minding the dark. As
the lamp lit up the area, everyone saw the stone she was referring
to. It was round, and moving it would need some force.
“Even children can move this stone if they do it together.”
“Have you ever tried it?” asked Duke.
“Yes. I am that Prince Friedhelm’s younger sister, after all.”
Astrid, the youngest in the group, volunteered to try and move
the stone, which was still damp and wet due to the rain last night.
He placed both of his hands on it and pushed with all of his might.
The stone rolled off easily, revealing a hole behind it.
“What the…?” Duke exclaimed.
Everyone, except for Leti was surprised to find a hole big
enough for children to pa.s.s through.
“Just as I thought. This hole is connected to the Burial
Chamber. I think that this was a hole naturally created due to
weathering by the wind and rain. As far as I know, only the royal
children know about its existence. The other children might have
heard it from someone or found it on their own.”
Leti brought the lamp closer to the hole and examined it.
Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi
- 41 -
“A corner of the hole collapsed. I guess the stone rolled back
on its own, covering the hole again and maybe trapping the
children inside.”
Just as Leti said that, there was a trail on the ground of
something sliding in.
“There are also small steps here, and these are yet to dry.
Quick, we should confirm if my theory is true.”
“Can you even see it?” Duke asked curiously.
“Yes, I have confidence in my eyes.” Or rather, confidence in the
dark. Leti could see things clearly even in the night, thanks to one
of the Swords of Promise, the Sword of Black Darkness.
“We cannot go inside through this hole. We are going through
the front.”
“The front…?” asked Astrid.
“Through the front door. The key has arrived anyway.”
And as if on cue, a white bearded old chamberlain on a horse
approached them.
The instructions Leti gave to her servants before she left the
castle was for them to fetch the key to the Royal Burial Chamber
that was managed in the castle. With her complete preparedness,
Duke saw Leti’s other brother, Guido, in her.
“Sorry for calling you this late.”
- 42 -
“Do not be Your Highness. I’m willing to stretch out these old
muscles of mine for children the same age as my grandchildren.
This is also the other item you have requested.”
Leti checked the small pouch the chamberlain delivered.
“Thank you. You have been very helpful. I shall return the key
so you may go back to the castle and rest.”
“No, no, no, no. Taking care of the key is my job. I will wait
here for your return.”
The old chamberlain opened the intricate lock and pulled off
the chains wrapped around the antique door handle. Astrid and
Leti’s guards pulled the doors open, revealing the stairs going
down to the Royal Burial Chamber where the past kings of
Sommevesle were laid to rest. Astrid took a look into the darkness
where the stairs lead and found his knees shaking at the eeriness of
the sight. No one would want to stay inside any longer than
necessary, for the winds sounded like howls of voices in pain.
“I shall take the lead so we will not get lost. A small search
party would be better. Duke, Astrid, come with me. The others
should wait here in case the children find their way out on their
own.”
Leti’s guards did not really want to leave her alone, but
thought it would be fine since her knight, Duke, would be with her.
Leti nodded as they told her to take care. The party proceeded
down the stairs, Leti leading the way with a lamp in her hands.
Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi
- 43 -
“Watch your steps. The floor is slippery due to last night’s
rain,” warned Leti. She was followed by Duke and Astrid.
No natural light could reach the underground chamber. The
lamp’s flicker was only enough to lighten their steps. It was so dark
that they could no longer see the end of their hands if they
stretched it out.
“Your Highness, you are the most knowledgeable about this
place, so please continue on taking the lead. Astrid, take the rear
and be alert in case anything happens.”
“Roger!” said Astrid.
Duke strengthened his guard due to the current situation. In
truth, he wanted to take the lead with Leti in between him and
Astrid to secure her safety. But with his suspicions, he could not
afford having Astrid near Leti.
‘Her Highness has already noticed the danger around Astrid. I’m sure
she’s on her guard as well.’
Duke could only believe in whatever it was Leti possessed. He
was prepared, on his guard with his hand on his sword, ready to
draw it out anytime. In contrast to the tensed knight was his
relaxed master, her voice normal and calm.
“This underground chamber is vast and complicated. I only
remember the way inside here because I have been coming here
- 44 -
ever since I was a child, but anyone who would enter here for the
first time would definitely get lost.”
Knight King Christian designed this place to be complicated
and confusing to prevent the place of rest of the kings from being
violated in any way. The path towards the chambers was never
straight. There would be numerous turns to make, and drawing a
mental map would be difficult. Even Leti did not have a clear map
inside her head. It was more of a knowing because of the number
of times she had been in the place.
“But in the end, this is just a grave. Getting there would not
take much time once you know the way.”
“Ahhh… But this place creepy, isn’t it?” Astrid let out in a
weak voice. The place was a grave, after all, and something might
come out at any moment. Duke was also feeling uneasy being
inside the deep, deep darkness, and thought he should have at least
brought holy water with him.
“Uhm… have… have you ever encountered anyone not of the
living in here, Your Highness?”
“Not of the living? Ghosts? I have not seen one ever, though I
really wanted to meet one. I have a lot of questions to ask the
Revolution King – like why he killed his master.”
Astrid shrieked and swallowed his breath.
Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi
- 45 -
“Se-se-senpai! What should we do if we meet one? Wouldn’t it
be treason if we raised our swords against the kings of the past?”
“Worry first if a sword will work against them. We should’ve
brought a priest with us. Your Highness, do you have any amulets
or holy water we could use?”
“Do not talk to me at the moment. I am currently regretting
bringing the two of you here. I should have just searched for the
children alone.” Leti couldn’t help but be a bit disappointed at the
stupid things the two fully grown knights were saying.
“If I were you, I would be more scared of the living. Which do
you think is more frightening? A b.l.o.o.d.y a.s.sa.s.sin targeting your life,
or a ghost of the past simply floating around? The living is a whole
lot scarier.”
“Oh. If you put it that way…” Duke said, agreeing with her
opinion just as Astrid b.u.t.ted in.
“I don’t think the b.l.o.o.d.y a.s.sa.s.sin can defeat me, so the ghost
is still scarier.”
Duke decided to scold Astrid later and tell him that he should
agree with the lady for those types of situation even if he had to lie,
but Leti, on the other hand, was not even bothered by Astrid’s
words.
Silence followed their exchange. Only the sound of their
footsteps echoed in the darkness, and the lamp elongated their
- 46 -
shadows into creepy shapes. The two knights couldn’t help but
truly respect their Princess Leticia, who was fearlessly leading the
way. After walking some distance, the group heard the sound of a
human voice. Astrid shrieked and started to panic even before he
could comprehend the situation.
“A-a-a-a-a voice! There’s someone here!!!”
Astrid turned blue and Duke was shaking, already thinking of
whether or not there really was a ghost. Leti, on the other hand,
gave the two shivering knights a cold stare. The voice they heard
was unlike the howls of the wind earlier upon entering the
chamber. It was distinctly a human voice.
“…Are you two forgetting the reason why we came in here?”
“Eh? Why? Uhm… To save the children…” answered Astrid.
“Ah!”
Duke and Astrid looked at each other, the cause remembered,
and started to work. Astrid ran first towards the direction of the
voice, followed by Leti and Duke. Leti pointed the lamp towards
their direction and told them help had come. Then a small shadow
emerged from the dark and ran towards the search party. The child
grabbed Leti’s gown, crying and shaking. Leti knelt down and
gently hushed the child to calm down.
“Are you alone?”
Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi
- 47 -
The child sobbingly answered yeah to Leti’s question. Duke
then urged everyone to hurry outside when Leti told him to wait
and pa.s.sed the lamp to him.
Leti took out the small pouch the old chamberlain delivered to
her. The pouch contained a water bottle and some biscuits Leti
asked to be prepared for the children.
“Have some water to calm you down.”
Leti gave the child the water bottle, and he gulped everything
down. Leti followed up a biscuit to his mouth before he could
even ask for it. Leti stood up again and took the lamp from Duke.
“You’re surprisingly kind to children…”
“And to women too. Even I share the chivalric spirit of
knights.”
The party started to walk again towards the exit. Leti, with the
lamp in hand, once again took the lead, followed by Duke with the
child in held in hand, and then Astrid. On their way back, Leti
asked the child how he ended up inside, and the story he told
confirmed their theory. The child was able to move the stone and
then he found the hole and went through it. However, the stone
slipped back on its own, trapping him inside, so he searched for a
different way out and ended up getting lost in the complicated
labyrinth. They continued to walk on towards the exit, and when
they saw the door, everyone felt relieved at they could finally get
out of the creepy chamber.
- 48 -
“Duke, I will light up the steps, so carry the child and go up to
the door. The steps are wet and too steep for a child,” ordered Leti.
Duke did as his master said and went up the stairsm carrying
the child. Astrid was looking at them from behind, keeping guard
at the back when his gaze focused on Leti’s defenseless back and
the voice once again spoke to him.
“Her back is wide open! Go and kill her! NOW!”
Astrid felt something crawl inside his head. He unconsciously
covered his mouth and gritted his teeth to stop any sound from
coming out. He also did not realize that he took out the knife he
normally hid under his sleeves. Inside his head, a gruesome scene
played. He sliced Leti’s white neck with the knife, her blood
gushing out from the wound he had just delivered. The blood dyed
her elegant dress into a beautiful shade of scarlet. After seeing her
writhe in pain, he took out his sword and pierced it into Leti’s
stomach, keeping her down on the floor, agonizing in pain as he
left the sword inside her. Astrid’s head throbbed in pain as he
fought against that scene in his mind, and kept on telling himself
that he did not want to do such a horrible thing to Leti.
Then the voice spoke again to him, “Hurry! Fulfill your desire!
Your desire to kill the Knight King!”
Astrid shook his head to drive the voice away.
Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi
- 49 -
‘I would never do that. She is the next queen, the master Duke-senpai
swore his loyalty to. She is a ve