“Your Highness, I have never thought of you as a disgrace, not even once.”
Kevin spoke, his gaze fixed firmly on Alexis, who sat before him. The Crown Prince, now sixteen, appeared mature yet still bore the remnants of boyhood. To Kevin, who was around eight years older, Alexis seemed to be at an age still deserving of protection.
Nervously, Kevin continued to weave his words.
“When I was nineteen, it was my first battle, and it was against a regular magical beast, not an Undead Beast. When I saw one up close for the first time, I was terrified. I froze up and couldn’t stand, and in the end, I was carried back by my superior, unable to do anything that day… I even had to wash my own clothes afterward…”
As embarrassment began to swell within him, his voice trailed off. Chelsea, sitting beside him, placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
—Even if I say something like this, it won’t provide any comfort…
It had been about a month since Elliott had obtained the Holy Sword when Alexis visited the battlefield to offer his support. While it was unthinkable to directly mock the disgrace of a royal, especially a future king, whispers of ridicule circulated among some knights behind the scenes.
Kevin found this behavior utterly foolish and absurd. Yet, just as commoners in a rundown tavern might express their grievances against the ruling class with crude words, it was not unusual for unbearable words to be exchanged in the absence of the person being discussed.
The more foolish the person, the less they questioned their own contemptuous words directed at others.
In a different era, under an absolute monarchy, such insults toward royalty would not be tolerated. However, in the current state of the kingdom, the political climate was not so strong as to allow for a witch hunt against trivial remarks. What began as a minor provocation eventually grew into a widespread mockery within the knights’ ranks.
“But those guys are just taking their frustrations out on His Highness out of spite,” Kevin said.
Alexis seemed to understand, returning a wry smile.
“What do you mean by spite?” Amanda, who had been silently listening, leaned forward. She appeared to know some of the circumstances but likely lacked the full details.
“It’s because His Highness refused to call that girl a Holy Maiden. It’s such a trivial reason,” Kevin explained.
“Is that so…” Alexis pouted, his youthful face reflecting his age.
“At that gathering, there were many members of the clergy and clerics present. They varied in age and gender, but all had contributed to the country and its people for a long time. To call an unrecognized cleric a Holy Maiden, disregarding those who had earned their titles, is nothing short of an insult to everyone else present.”
Kevin nodded seriously. The young prince was not saying anything wrong. Meanwhile, Amanda blushed and her eyes sparkled as she placed her hand over Alexis’s on the table.
“Indeed, as expected of my esteemed prince… However, it is unfortunate that there are always those who exaggerate trivial matters and turn them into slander. I, too, am often labeled as arrogant and haughty.”
Amanda then gazed off into the distance, deep in thought.
“Moreover… there are those who intentionally incite and exploit such situations. Those with only crude words are the easiest to manipulate.”
Listening to her, Alexis let out a deep sigh and turned to Kevin.
“You seem to be different, so I’ll tell you this. I cannot believe that the cleric apprentice named Emily brought forth the Holy Sword. I even question why it is being celebrated without any proof… However, since there is still much we do not understand about the Holy Sword, gathering counter-evidence is difficult…”
A silence fell over them for a moment. Though Kevin agreed, he had no evidence to present.
“…You were trying to encourage me just now, weren’t you? Thank you for that. This may not be a proper way to express my gratitude, but let me share something with you. It’s likely to become known soon, so it won’t matter if you learned it a bit earlier.”
At Alexis’s words, Kevin lifted his gaze.
“Sir Lionel, the Commander of the Royal Knights Order, has resigned from his position and returned to the north.”
“Huh…? Sir Lionel has!? But the hunt for the Undead Beasts was supposed to be over…”
Caught off guard by the unexpected news, Kevin felt a wave of anxiety wash over him. Alexis’s expression turned serious as he met Kevin’s gaze directly.
“Even as a Crown Prince, I cannot grasp every detail of the situation. As I mentioned earlier, I am being underestimated… But I have a bad feeling about this. With what happened to Miss Flora, I will inform you if I learn anything.”
As a low-ranking knight, Kevin had little access to information regarding the battle conditions or the strategies and outcomes of the knights’ operations. To suppress the growing anxiety and turmoil in his chest, he clenched his fists tightly on his lap.