Erilot slowly descended into the courtyard.

Despite greeting them kindly, the boys remained silent.

“Gentlemen?”

Erilot asked awkwardly.

Then the boy from the archer club standing at the front flinched and replied,

“Ah, uh, nice to mee— ...you.”

He faltered.

His face flushed red.

Only then did the boys regain their senses and start giggling.

When Erilot smiled gently, they froze again.

“Is it very cold outside?”

“Uh? No, no?”

“There’s a big temperature difference between inside and outside. That makes you hiccup.”

“Oh... y-yeah...”

The archer club boy said in a timid voice.

The other boys in the club looked at him with baffled expressions.

‘Oh dear?’

‘The guy known for his temper and loud voice...’

Balzac frowned.

His expression looking at Erilot was serious.

Balzac slipped between the boy and Erilot.

“Where are you going, Eril?”

“Got some things to prepare before entering the palace.”

“Imperial capital shopping district?”

“Yeah.”

Balzac’s face brightened instantly.

He had been bothered by mingling with the weaklings of the capital anyway.

And now, an outing with just Erilot.

His happiness circuits were running full speed.

“Big bro, Erilottu, here, here.”

“Haha, you’re so clumsy.”

I even imagined him wiping Erilot’s hand smeared with ice cream.

“Then I’ll escort—!”

“It’s fine. Big brothers, enjoy your time with the guests.”

“Yeah...”

The invited boys looked at Balzac in surprise.

‘Balzac Astra being so well-behaved?’

No one in the capital knew how the Astra direct line lived inside the manor.

But from cooperative battles with Astra, they knew Balzac’s personality.

A rough guy to the extreme.

Though arrogant based on his skill, even noble elders couldn’t restrain him.

Yet Balzac Astra was being handled with one word?

‘Wow...’

The boys stared at Erilot in astonishment.

Erilot smiled kindly.

“Then please have a good day.”

“Yes...”

“Uh-huh, yes.”

The boys stiffly greeted.

The three Astra brothers briefly left to see Erilot off.

“Wow... that Balzac Astra.”

“Joshua Astra and Richmond Astra are the same. They follow like puppies.”

“‘Seeing off’? Is that even a concept in the minds of Astra’s bloodline?”

“They’re the same people who barely greeted when my uncle came as commander to the battlefield.”

“Erilot Astra... just how incredible is she?”

One boy’s words silenced the others.

“It’s about skill, of course.”

“Even without that dragon, her leadership is impressive for her age.”

“Wise, popular with the powerful. Handles herself well.”

“Even picky ladies like Paangte and Trang adore Erilot Astra. That’s telling.”

“Yeah, definitely—”

“...And pretty too.”

At one boy’s vacant remark, the others fell silent again.

‘Really extraordinary.’

‘I’ve never seen anyone like her.’

The Astra direct line was already known for their stunning beauty.

But Erilot Astra truly...

Was the daughter of Daymond Astra, who caused even the imperial princesses to lose sleep.

Very similar, yet somehow subtly different.

If Daymond Astra’s blonde hair was like light blazing in the desert, Erilot was...

‘Sweet honey refined drop by drop.’

If Daymond Astra’s red eyes were like blood, Erilot’s were...

‘A precious jewel.’

The atmosphere was completely different.

Daymond was intimidating because of his presence; Erilot pressed you with her noble aura.

“Beautiful...”

A handsome boy with large glasses murmured absentmindedly.

Ted Madillo, eldest son of a scholar family and youngest member of the imperial palace’s magic research council.

“A-a nice scent...”

A tall, brown-skinned handsome boy swallowed dryly.

Wiel Langro, head of the archer club and youngest knight appointed in the capital.

“Her voice sounds like a titmouse...”

A boy with a sullen expression muttered.

Kasian Jermo, president of the Warm Watchers of Rabbits club.

The boys remained dazed for a while after arriving in the room.

Until the three brothers returned after seeing Erilot off.

‘What the heck, these guys.’

Balzac frowned at the brothers.

Richmond sighed, and Joshua smiled coldly.

“Things are going to get troublesome.”

“A lot.”

Joshua’s remark was met with Richmond’s nod, and Balzac furrowed his brow in irritation.

“So what!”

—

Though the three brothers were displeased, the gathering ended amicably.

And a few days later, the boys who had attended the meeting began acting strangely.

A few days later.

I entered the imperial palace.

Han Ji-hyuk, who followed me, grumbled carrying a mountain of gift boxes.

“Ugh, bribery? Why so many boxes?”

“I have to greet the senior warriors.”

“Is it custom to give gifts when greeting warriors? What’s the difference from bribing for favors?”

“It’s tradition to give a heartfelt letter and a hair ribbon at the first greeting.”

Why hair ribbons, I didn’t know.

‘It’s a hassle, but I feel the same.’

Not only greetings were a hassle; everything was.

I had to keep coming and going to the palace for days.

Because I had to be educated before becoming a warrior.

‘At this rate, I’ll definitely have to win a prize at the Year-End Festival.’

As compensation for all the hassle.

Han Ji-hyuk and I headed north in the palace.

To the imperial guard barracks.

“If you say you’re going to greet the warriors, your cousins will laugh at you.”

“Probably.”

“They’ll slander that Astra bows to other families’ young ladies.”

“Can’t avoid it. They’d go greet too if they were in my situation. They just pick on me because I became a warrior.”

“Aren’t you angry?”

“I probably won’t go to the manor for a while anyway.”

“You have to go four times a month for family training.”

I smiled and looked at him.

“That’s suspended for now.”

“Why?!”

“Grandfather told them to pause it while I get used to the capital. Even the brothers.”

“Only Daymond Jurisdiction gets special treatment.”

“Joffrey was already bedridden out of jealousy.”

Han Ji-hyuk and I chuckled.

Joffrey bullied me behind my back, but both he and I felt sorry, so we laughed wickedly.

We arrived at the Torch Palace.

Where commanders performed their duties.

And the first floor greenhouse of the Torch Palace was the base for warriors.

A palace staff at the door greeted me.

“We’ve been waiting, Western Army warrior.”

I smiled in greeting and followed him inside the greenhouse.

Gladiolus flowers bloomed splendidly.

There was a dark wooden table made of fine timber in the center, where the warriors gathered.

“You’re late, Western Army warrior.”

Rika Delfre, Northern Army warrior.

“Oh, we arrived an hour ago.”

Benya Montague, Northern Army warrior.

“Welcome.”

Sebastia Biferi, Eastern Army warrior.

And...

“Welcome, Miss Astra.”

The person in white dress standing to greet me was the Central Warrior—

The famous Cyrille Chateaubriand.

“Pleasure to meet you. It is an honor to meet such noble people at the Torch Palace. I am Erilot Astra.”

As I bowed, Cyrille smiled gently.

“You seem to be a clever lady, as I’ve heard. I am Cyrille Chateaubriand, Central Warrior.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Shall we sit and talk?”

Cyrille soon sat and indicated the seat at the end for me.

“Yes. Ah, everyone, this is a small token of my appreciation for you.”

As I looked, Han Ji-hyuk placed boxes at each seat.

They were wrapped in colors symbolizing each army.

The Northern Army warrior was first to unwrap hers.

Her lips curled crookedly.

“Oh my.”

She gave a small, embarrassed laugh.

Holding up the hair ribbon with her thumb and index finger, she murmured,

“Astra has the empire’s finest shopping district, doesn’t it?”

“That’s right, Northern Army warrior.”

“People say Astra’s sense is the best in the empire.”

“Thank you—”

“Now I see it was really a joke.”

The Northern Army warrior chuckled, and the Northern Army warrior joined in laughing.

“Of course, that’s not to say the lady’s sense is bad.”

“......”

“On the contrary, I expected something special from Countess Astra. But it’s kind of... well.”

The Northern Army warrior dropped the hair ribbon in the box with a wink.

“If it’s because you expected something from Astra’s shopping district, don’t be disappointed.”

“It’s not from Astra’s shopping district.”

“......What?”

I smiled slyly.

‘I knew you’d pick at whatever gift I gave.’

So I deliberately bought it in the capital.

If they scolded me for something sold to nobles in the capital, others would get annoyed too.

“I bought it in the imperial capital. It’s from a famous designer.”

“......Just someone who blindly follows trends?”

“Each region has its own style. I thought it might be different from the West where I was, so I bought it here deliberately.”

Then—

“Central warrior, knights from each army have arrived.”

“Bring them in.”

The door opened and about a dozen knights entered.

They were representative knights of each army, here to greet me, the new warrior.

‘As representatives, they all look splendid.’

Imperial guards were like main characters in fairy tales or romance novels.

There were even fantasy novels written about real imperial guards.

‘Representing the palace, they look impressive and have great skill.’

So both men and women admired them.

But before the knights greeted me—

“A gift bought in the capital. ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ And if it’s from a famous designer, you didn’t really put thought into the gift.”

The Northern Army warrior sighed loudly on purpose.

She looked at me, murmuring “Tsk...” with her hands on her cheeks.

“That’s why I said I’d give advice at the last party.”

“......”

“I was worried you didn’t know much.”

The Northern Army warrior looked at the others with furrowed brows.

“Don’t you agree?”

“Yes? Ah, yes.”

“......”

The Northern Army warrior awkwardly agreed, and Sebastia Biferi, the Eastern Army warrior, remained silent.

The Northern Army warrior looked at me with an arrogant expression.

“The first greeting is very important. It’s a chance for senior warriors to see your sense, consideration, and depth of character...”

“......”

“But such a thoughtless gift...”

“......”

“Well, you can learn now.”

“......”

“I’ll teach you a lot, so get along well?”

The Northern Army warrior chuckled softly.

The knights’ atmosphere was strange.

Even to them, this was the Northern Army warrior crushing me.

She grinned.

No matter how much an Astra you are, you’re a ten-year-old with dirty blood.

—That was exactly her expression.

Han Ji-hyuk’s face grew stony.

I was being humiliated in front of so many people.

The Northern Army warrior looked at Central Warrior Cyrille.

“So, my point is, isn’t it too much burden for a still immature warrior?”

“What do you mean?”

“Erilot Astra’s dragon.”

“A dragon... please continue.”

“How about having it temporarily bound to the palace?”

Sebastia’s expression hardened.

She set down her teacup with a clack.

“That dragon is a monster tamed by Countess Astra with her blessing.”

“Who said otherwise?”

“How could you bind such a monster?”

“If you’re a Central Warrior, it’s possible.”

The Northern Army warrior looked at Cyrille and asked, “Isn’t that right?”

Then she raised her eyebrows at me.

“A Central Warrior’s blessing is ‘replication.’”

That was it.

This was why Cyrille was called the finest lady of the capital.

A blessing that could replicate abilities like Alexis’s ‘Dominance of the Ruler.’

But it was a downgraded version.

‘Not quite replication of several blessings at once.’

Strictly speaking, it was hard to call it replication.

‘Cyrille extracted the blessing into a magic tool and used it.’

Only one could be used at a time, and the activation conditions were extremely strict.

The Northern Army warrior said,

“What do you think? The lady’s health is poor, so the blessing isn’t well controlled.”

“......”

“Miss Cyrille has been an incredibly skilled youngest Central Warrior for years and enjoys the emperor’s great trust.”

“......”

“She seems safer than an inexperienced lady.”

“......”

“Don’t you agree?”

I stared steadily at the Northern Army warrior.

‘Trying to take away my dragon to raise Cyrille’s prestige?’

She wanted to steal my ability and boost Cyrille’s reputation.

The Northern Army warrior smiled brightly.

“It’s all for the good of the country.”