Chapter 5: Sparring with the Imperial Knights

Dressing up in my training attire, I walked towards the knights' training ground. Upon seeing me, they bowed and greeted me in unison. "LONG LIVE YOUR MAJESTY!" I nodded my head at their greeting. I said, "Thank you, my knights." Hearing these words, they brightened up. For them, I was someone who wouldn't spare a glance at them. Although my predecessor was the one who selected Imperial knights personally, she never trained or conversed with them. During the final fight, almost every knight of OG sacrificed themselves for her. But now, these knights are mine, and I don't intend them to sacrifice themselves this easily. "I am here for practice. Normally, I don't come here to see what you are doing. But remember, I am the one who personally selected you. I truly trust you all. Attack with all your strength, and by that, I mean each one of you. Attack me simultaneously." Even though OG Sharon was a tyrant, her image among the public was that of a goddess. Commoners loved and praised her very much until the protagonist started his schemes to tarnish her image. Although nobles always hated her. The knights looked unsure. One knight said, "Please think again, Your Majesty. We—" "You all trust my judgement, don't you. I decide to select you all as the Imperial knights." I looked at the knight, who requested me to rethink my decision, "I want you to attack me with all you have. Dean, I am expecting you to heed my order as well." The knight, Dea, looked surprised. He stuttered, "Y-you k-know m-my n-n-name, Y-Your Majesty?" I smirked, "I know every one of you," I pointed at a knight, "you are Lanchester. You are Shawn. Andrew, Lance, Kirch, Brith..." I told their names one by one. It was all thanks to OG Sharon's memory. The knights needed to hear her praise. But she never even visited the grounds. Hah... I don't think I should blame her. It was my setting of her character that did that. The soldiers were looking at me with a new, profound respect. Their emperor knew their names. They are very happy. Dean said, "If Your Majesty wants, then we will." His voice was strained with emotion. Taking a wooden sword, I motioned them to attack. Getting my signal, they ran towards me. Dean tried to slash my right shoulder, which I blocked with my sword, nd kicked him away with my right leg. Lance tried to use the hilt of his sword to strike me, but I grabbed it and hit him with it instead. After five minutes, every knight of mine was on the ground. Panting a bit, I said, "You are all good. I am very much impressed by you." Andrew shook his head and rebutted, "No, it's not us. Your Majesty, you are the very fabulous one. You defeated all of us." His voice was full of admiration for me. Everyone nodded their heads in unison. I laughed at his praise. "Hahaha... I didn't know that my knights were all flatterers. But I do accept your praise." The knights blushed at my words. Of course they would. I still don't like men, and that thing would remain a constant forever. I know it very well that I have a face that is above beauty and gender. A face that could bewitch both men and women. My goal was to establish a better relationship with my knights. While this is enough, I still want to develop our relationship more. I think I have to do that as well. After sparring with the knights, I returned to my room and waited for the sun to set. 22 A3 A205 is the date on which the official novel starts. Right now, I have two main objectives. The first is to break off the engagement, and the second, to capture the first heroine. Maria Stazh was a woman who was sold by her parents as a slave. Being saved by the protagonist's father made her feel indebted to the protagonist. Right now, all she felt for the protagonist was unwavering loyalty. But what if I destroy the chain of loyalty that connected her and the protagonist? To do this, I have to first win her trust. And to do this, I have to raid the very slave market in which she was sold. The place where I would find the second heroine.