Chapter 135

Time flew by, and three years had passed since Leonardo enlisted as a recruit.

For three years, the Plank Kingdom was ‘peaceful’.

As the Future Diary had promised Leonardo, every year brought a bountiful harvest, animals grew fat, and they bore many young.

Bandits were literally ‘uprooted’, and thugs in the cities did not dare raise their heads.

Of course, not every citizen of the kingdom had a full belly and a warm back. Three years was not enough time for that.

But no one starved to death for days on end.

That alone was enough to show how rapidly the kingdom was growing strong and prosperous.

Naturally, the people of the kingdom praised their new king.

But there was one group that revered the King more absolutely than any other—

It was the ‘army’.

***

The training ground within the royal castle.

Today, as always, a rough and dangerous training, far more difficult than actual combat, was underway on the training ground.

“Yaaaaaaaah!!!”

The King's friend and a Giant who couldn't be stopped even if dozens of humans rushed him, Grondar.

With his youthful appearance still remaining, he was training with the soldiers on the training ground.

However, Grondar's role today was not to fight alongside the kingdom's army.

It was to test the kingdom army's skills as an enemy.

Swoosh-!

Grondar powerfully swung a log that would take ten grown men to lift.

At the flank of the defensive formation of thirty kingdom soldiers called ‘Plank's Shield’.

BOOM—!!

—Ugh……!

—Hold on! Here he comes again!!

—Support it firmly from the inside!!

—The shield broke! Replace it!!

—Hey, Remond fainted! Bring him inside!!

—This fucking deadweight……! Switch out, quick!!

—The spears are all broken too!!

—Forget the spears! Just hold the shields properly!!

—Leonardo will handle the attack!!

Befitting the name ‘Plank's Shield’, the soldiers all became a single shield, supporting and protecting each other.

Each knew their role precisely, soldiers standing against an overwhelming force that a single human could never withstand.

With spearmen interspersed, they looked somewhat like a large hedgehog.

—Now!! Leonardo!!

Before Grondar could swing the log again, the most senior soldier at the very front of the defensive formation shouted.

Calling the King by his name seemed very natural. However, it was not out of disrespect for the King, but because he believed deep in his heart that he was now a single ‘soldier’.

Their king was a reliable person who had joined them in every training and every mission.

Clank—clank—clank—clank—!

At the senior soldier's shout, the soldiers holding shields at the front opened up the defensive formation in unison.

Then, Leonardo, who was inside and was the only one not holding a shield, drew his sword and charged forward.

A single soldier charging out without a shield.

It was the last resort when faced with an enemy that even the ‘Plank's Shield’ formation couldn't withstand, where the strongest soldier would risk their life to face the enemy.

Tatata—!

Wearing the same armor as the other soldiers, Leonardo charged at Grondar.

The only difference was that the sword he held was a rare masterpiece.

“Hup!”

With a short cry, Leonardo swung his sword towards Grondar's leg.

Without a hint of hesitation, with the clear intent to cut.

Startled, Grondar jumped back to create distance. An unbelievable agility for such a massive frame.

‘……B-Brother Leo! That was really dangerous just now!’

Thinking that inwardly, Grondar grimaced. But he didn't say it out loud.

This was a training more real than actual combat.

‘But I can't let Brother Leo get hurt……!’

At that thought, Grondar hesitated slightly.

Leonardo never missed that slight opening. Having trained until his palms burst over the past three years, Leonardo's swordsmanship was now largely complete.

Tatata—!

Leonardo, much smaller than him, closed the distance in an instant.

‘……He’s really fast. Like an Elf!’

Judging it was too late to swing the log, Grondar dropped it and threw a punch.

Of course, Grondar had no intention of hitting Leonardo for real.

But.

—D-dodge it!

—Dodge it, Leonardo!!

—It’s, danger—!

Even the knights observing the training were startled by how fast Grondar's punch was, aimed precisely at Leonardo.

The knights and soldiers had watched this kind of training many times, but they could never get used to the sight of their king about to be hurt.

However, this time too, the ‘soldier’ named Leonardo.

No, their king did not back down and showed a perfect performance.

Swoosh—.

He ducked, skillfully avoiding Grondar's fist, which was as big as his torso.

Without losing any speed, he jumped high.

—……!!

To be able to jump that high while wearing armor was, no matter how many times they saw it, a fearsome physical ability.

Everyone was surprised, and Grondar was even more surprised.

Swoooooosh—!

Leonardo's sword swung towards his neck, clearly without mercy. At that, Grondar covered his head with his arms and shouted.

“W-wait!! S-stop!!! I surrender!!”

Thud.

At Grondar's declaration of surrender, Leonardo stopped his sword.

And landed on the ground, passing by Grondar's side while still in the air. He landed stably on two feet, skidding on the dirt of the training ground.

Grondar spoke to Leonardo, who had passed behind him, with a tearful face.

“B-brother! Isn't that too much?! You were trying to kill me!!”

“Haha, that's not—.”

“What do you mean, not true!! The look in your eyes just now was completely……! I'm not doing this anymore!!”

Thump— Crack!

Grondar stomped on the innocent log, shattering it, and ran out of the training ground in a resentful fit. He must have been truly hurt, as chicken-sized tears fell like raindrops onto the training ground floor.

—Waaaaaah!! I'm telling Dad everything!!

Grondar was overwhelming in a fight.

But in front of Leonardo, he was always a younger brother.

As it was a scene they had seen often, the knights and soldiers, whose training had concluded, chuckled awkwardly and scratched their cheeks.

“Ahem. Well…… then, we'll conclude this morning's training here. It's very hot, so you may remove your armor and shirts. Everyone worked hard.”

—Yes, you worked hard!!

“Dismissed.”

—Dismissed!

At the instruction of the knight who led today's training, the soldiers answered in unison and immediately returned to their barracks. Leonardo also joined their ranks.

Removing his armor and shirt as the knight had instructed.

Glisten…….

Leonardo's sweat-drenched body sparkled slightly in the bright sunlight.

A body made of nothing but sculpted muscles, with not a single useless part.

Leonardo spoke to the knight.

“I have something to do this afternoon, so it will be difficult for me to participate in training.”

“Ah…… yes, I understand! You worked hard today as well, Your Highness!”

“Alright.”

Leonardo, who had returned from being a common soldier, a ‘Corporal’, to a King.

He now spoke comfortably to most people.

***

A corridor in the royal castle.

Maids were gathered at the corridor window, watching the training ground.

—Kyaaaaa……!

—Really…… so…… ah…….

—I told you. This is the real prime spot!

—A-amazing……!

—Crazy…… wow…….

The maids exclaimed with bright faces.

The object of their admiration was Leonardo.

Leonardo, walking from the training ground to the royal castle with his shirt off.

Just as the knights and soldiers showed ‘absolute’ loyalty and trust in Leonardo, the maids of the royal castle's admiration for Leonardo was immense.

On nights when they saw Leonardo's body like that, they would be so lost in their fantasies that they couldn't sleep properly.

—M-move a bit!

—Don't push!

—You were in the front yesterday too……!

—H-His Highness shirtless…… this is truly a precious……!

As the maids fought to get a better view of Leonardo.

A chilling voice was heard from behind.

A voice that was soft and pretty, but clearly chilling.

“……What are you all doing here?”

—!

The maids tensed up in unison, straightening their bodies.

“I asked, what are you doing. Why is there no answer?”

“H-H-Head Maid……! Well…….”

Yes. It was the Head Maid, Elly.

Just as Leonardo had grown a lot over the past three years, Elly had also grown a lot during her three years as Head Maid.

Currently, Elly was respected by the knights and soldiers, and a figure of fear to the maids and servants.

Elly took a step closer and spoke.

Click-clack—.

Even the sound of her low heels exuded the dignity of the Head Maid.

“I believe I made it clear at yesterday morning's meeting. Not to spectate His Highness.”

—…….

“And—.”

Swish—.

Elly rubbed the windowsill hard with her hand.

It was almost, no, practically dust-free, but due to the nature of a windowsill, a fine, soft layer of dust inevitably stuck to her finger.

“You're not doing the cleaning you're supposed to.”

—…….

“This will require punishment. From today, you are all assigned to the underground prison for two weeks.”

—T-the underground prison is……! P-please……!

“Are you complaining?”

—…….

“Go and clean it thoroughly. You ignored what I said just yesterday, you did not properly perform your duties as maids, and you spectated His Highness's body—.”

Elly stopped mid-sentence.

In a rare moment for her, she cleared her throat and changed her words.

Ahem—.

“Anyway, you committed those wrongdoings, so I'm assigning you to the underground prison for two weeks. Understood?”

—Yeees…….

—We're sorry…….

—We were wrong.

—Sob…….

“Start from today.”

After Elly finished speaking, the maids bowed their heads in greeting and walked down the corridor.

Underground prison cleaning and management duty.

It was certainly a great burden for the maids, but another conversation was spreading among them.

—It was worth it.

—I'll find a better prime spot next time.

—But…… I really want to be held just once……. No more, just once.

—I-I don't even wish to be held, I just want to touch him once.

—T-touch?! Are you crazy!

—You're crazier! Daring to imagine being held by His Highness—!

—You do it too! I know all about the huge pile of letters you wrote to His Highness under your bed?!

—Y-you, when you were cleaning His Highness's bedroom last time-!

—Hey! That's a secret!!

Insolent. For a maid to harbor personal feelings for the King.

Elly let out a light sigh at those maids.

‘Do I need to gather everyone for another lesson?’

Then, Elly secretly glanced out the window.

She could see Leonardo, who had come right up to the front of the royal castle.

In that brief moment, Elly observed Leonardo well.

Gulp—.

‘Well…… it's not that I d-don't understand the maids.’

Leonardo, gradually shedding his boyishness and becoming a young man.

He, who possessed a different dimension of beauty, now exuded a strong sex appeal as he matured. Even if Leonardo didn't intend it at all, it was something that couldn't be hidden.

Was there anyone whose gaze wouldn't be captivated by that body?

It would be even more so for the maids who hadn't met a man in a long time.

‘There are knights and soldiers in the royal castle, but…… they don't even give the maids a second glance.’

The reason the knights and soldiers didn't give the maids a second glance.

It wasn't because the maids weren't beautiful. It was because of their loyalty to Leonardo.

‘Was the reason that ‘all the women in the royal castle are potential women of the King and their queen’…….’

That was an unspoken rule and law within the army.

Not to harbor feelings for any woman within the royal castle.

‘I heard a rumor that the recruits learn that during their mental education…… I wonder if it's true.’

No matter how well-informed Elly was about the rumors inside and outside the royal castle, the military was a completely different organization, so she didn't know much about it.

Just as Elly was blushing and looking at Leonardo.

“Hee-ya, the Head Maid is indeed scary.”

“!”

Just as the maids had been startled, Elly was startled too, but she turned around as if nothing had happened, befitting a seasoned Head Maid.

“Ah…… Knight Yoanna. Hello.”

“Yes, hello.”

Yoanna, whose light, coppery, healthy skin contrasted with Elly's white skin.

She approached with a light smile.

“They said the servants are more disciplined than the army, and it was true. You're scary, so scary.”

“Hoho…….”

Elly brushed off Yoanna's words with a light laugh.

“Have you come to see His Highness? I believe His Highness mentioned he would be meeting with Knight Yoanna this afternoon.”

“Yes. I'm not sure why he called me either.”

Yoanna was treating Elly very politely. A low posture as if dealing with a superior.

However, Elly did not take Yoanna lightly at all.

‘The youngest knight in the kingdom's history. And according to rumors, she will become a mid-ranking knight soon.’

A year ago, Yoanna had gone from being a Knight Squire to an official low-ranking knight.

And even though it had only been a year since she became a low-ranking knight, rumors were already circulating that she would become a mid-ranking knight. There were many cases where one could never move beyond being a low-ranking knight for their entire life.

‘The reason for her rapid promotion is said to be her incredible swordsmanship…… I've never seen it in person, but I wonder to what extent. Not that I would know anything about swordsmanship even if I saw it.’

While thinking that, Elly was also a little concerned about Yoanna.

‘Knight Yoanna…… she too clearly adored His Highness Leonardo very much.’

However, Yoanna's 'adoration' and her own 'adoration' felt a little different.

Somehow, Yoanna seemed to follow Leonardo with a feeling of something beyond affection and respect.

‘It's like she's dealing with a god…… that's the feeling she gives off. The way Knight Yoanna treats His Highness Leonardo.’

“Shall we go to His Highness's room together then? I will guide you.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Elly and Yoanna walked down the corridor together towards Leonardo's room.

***

In front of Leonardo's room.

As Elly and Yoanna were waiting for Leonardo in front of the door, Leonardo finally arrived.

“Ah, you were here. Have you been waiting long?”

The King, wearing a white cotton t-shirt issued to the soldiers.

At his words, Elly and Yoanna immediately bowed their heads.

“Not at all, Your Highness. We just arrived.”

“You worked hard in training!”

After answering the two with a slight nod, Leonardo entered the room. Elly and Yoanna followed him in.

“Your Highness, shall I prepare some tea?”

“Cold water, please. Yoanna, what about you?”

“I'm fine!”

Since some time ago, Leonardo had been speaking comfortably to her. Was it since a year after Leonardo enlisted?

Elly really liked that. It made her feel like Leonardo was truly her master.

Pour—.

As Elly poured water into a cup set on a side table in the room.

Leonardo spoke.

“Yoanna, starting tomorrow, let's you and I go somewhere together.”

“Yes, I understand! But may I know where we are going?”

Elly pricked up her ears at their conversation and thought.

‘Where could he be going? He didn't say anything in particular.’

While thinking that, Elly was not particularly worried.

There had been many times when Leonardo went somewhere near the royal capital with the army, so this time too, it would be near the royal capital—

“Foothill's Rest.”

Clink— Crash!

The words of Leonardo, saying he was going to one of the furthest places from the royal capital, at the northwestern tip of the kingdom.

At those words, Elly's body froze and she dropped the cup.

‘……You're saying you're going that far alone with Knight Yoanna?’

Elly felt like her brain was trembling.