“I don’t know. It’s not like I’m in charge of the Royal Guard. But… I, the ‘Incompetent Rascal Prince,’ am not so magnanimous as to overlook such rude behavior.”
“!?”
He probably didn’t expect me to respond like that, even after being subjected to such intense hostility.
Commander Drake is clearly taken aback.
“Well, whatever. It’s a Royal Guard full of people who can only look down on others. In that case, that guy is perfect for it. Let’s go, Sandra.”
“Fufu… yes.”
For some reason, Sandra looked at me with a heated gaze and happily took my hand.
I think I was quite cheeky and rude to Commander Drake, though…
Tilting my head, I tried to leave the barracks with Sandra and the others.
“Um, you’re in the way.”
“…Since we’re here, why don’t you join our training, Prince Harold? You seem to misunderstand our Royal Guard, so I think it would be best for you to experience what we’re like firsthand.”
Hmm… is he planning to hurt me under the guise of training?
But I have my usual Special Training with Sandra later, so I don’t have time for that…
“Uh, well…”
“Lord Hal, since Lord Drake has kindly invited you, I think it would be interesting to accept.”
Pulling my hand, Sandra grinned and said that.
It seems she intends to give them a taste of their own medicine.
“Haa… since my fiancée says so, I guess I’ll participate.”
“Ooh! As expected of Prince Harold! You understand!”
I sighed and said that, and Commander Drake’s eyes widened before he cheerfully patted me on the shoulder.
This old man, being in the mentor position for the protagonist, is incredibly strong. It hurts.
“Then, I’ll go change into training clothes.”
“We’ll be waiting! Take the Prince to the changing room.”
“Yes, sir!”
One of the Guardsman led us to the changing room.
“…With all due respect, Prince Harold, you won’t be able to keep up with our training, will you?”
Whether it was out of unnecessary concern, or to mock me for running away after taking his words to heart, the Guardsman gave me that warning.
“Well, I’ll try my best not to get in the way of the training.”
I gave the Guardsman a confident look.
◇
“So… Prince Harold is really only using a Shield?”
“Of course.”
Commander Drake repeatedly confirmed with me after I changed into training clothes.
It seems he intends to make a fool of me, just like Cardis and the others did when they sparred with Carla.
That’s what I thought, but.
“What are you going to do with just a Shield?”
“Since you gave our Commander such a speech with just that, Prince Harold is as rumored…”
“Silence!”
“!?!”
To my surprise, Commander Drake roared at the Guardsman who were looking at me with scorn. That was unexpected.
“Prince Harold, my subordinates have been rude. Please forgive them.”
“No, I’m used to it, so it’s fine.”
Unlike before, Commander Drake apologized sincerely.
“So, what should I do for the Royal Guard’s training?”
“Ah, that’s right. Our Royal Guard mainly focuses on practical Sparring, except for new recruits who don’t have the basics down. So, for Prince Harold, we should start with the basics…”
“In that case, I’ll join the Sparring as well.”
Commander Drake seems to think I’m an amateur, so I implicitly told him that I’m not.
“Wahahaha! That’s right! If the Prince were an amateur, he wouldn’t have chosen a Shield!”
Commander Drake laughed heartily and patted me hard on the back, causing me to give him a sidelong glance.
I wish he would consider his strength a little more.
“Then, let’s have that one be Prince Harold’s opponent.”
Commander Drake pointed to… well, I didn’t expect my opponent to be a Guardsman wearing an Orange Armband.
In EnHaza, Commander Drake’s “Trial” event naturally has difficulty settings, and the Guardsman who appear as enemies wear blue armbands for the easiest difficulty, and red armbands for the highest difficulty, Ultimate.
So, a Guardsman wearing an Orange Armband is positioned as Very Hard difficulty.
I’m not sure if this is meant to pit me against an opponent of a different level to give me a hard time, or if it’s an assessment that my skills have reached Very Hard.
“This is getting exciting.”
Ah, it seems to be the latter.
“Nice to meet you.”
“…”
I offered my right hand, but the Guardsman didn’t shake it and instead held his Wooden Sword with a stern face.
I-It’s not like I’m sad that I was ignored!
But, before I knew it, the other Guardsman had stopped what they were doing and were surrounding us to watch our Sparring.
They’re probably paying attention to what kind of fight I, who only has a Shield, will show… what kind of disgraceful figure I’ll make.
Then, I’ll betray those expectations.
For my Precious Things, who still believe in my victory and are looking at me with straight eyes.
For my favorite fiancée.
“Then… begin!”
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