Chapter 77

The meeting with Leopold ended up going pretty well.

In exchange for showing a decently friendly attitude, he promised to block half of the nobles’ approaches.

He also said he’d help me become the next Elector, and in return, I should officially support him later.

Even if I act friendly a few times at the banquet, everyone will know whose side I’m on without me saying it outright…

But still, making an official statement carries a different weight.

I guess this counts as taking out some insurance for the future.

After that, it was just small talk.

He congratulated me on reaching the level of a master.

He also mentioned wanting to recruit some of the people who performed well this time as his knights and asked if I had any recommendations. Stuff like that.

I brushed off the recommendation question for now.

I thought about suggesting Damien or Milia, but I’d need to hear their opinions first.

Given their personalities, they probably wouldn’t want to get involved in politics.

If we follow the original story, Leopold would try to recruit Damien like this, so recommending him here would make sense.

His achievements can’t compare to mine, but considering he took down a pureblood warrior at his age, he’s overflowing with knightly qualities.

But unless Leopold is a surefire ally, he’s not exactly a safe bet either.

I’m not too worried about myself since my status and combat strength make me hard to mess with, but if Damien and Milia end up on Isabella’s bad side at this point…

…They might end up floating down the river one day.

I’m supposed to meet Ernst later, and though I told him I had no intention of being swayed, he warned me to be careful because Empress Isabella’s actions are suspicious.

He advised me not to openly antagonize her and to keep things vague.

He said if I show hostility too soon, there’s no telling how she’d react.

In the end, all these discussions wrapped up after about an hour and a half.

“Then, I’ll consider this all agreed upon. Thank you for your cooperation, Princess.”

Leopold smiled and extended his right hand.

As expected of someone more suited to paperwork, his hand was smooth and free of calluses.

Come to think of it, my hands don’t have calluses either.

Maybe it’s because my body is so sturdy that no matter how much I swing a sword, they don’t form.

“Alright. Let’s do our best. Take care of yourself.”

I’m not just saying that. If you end up dying like in the original story’s route, it’d be a huge problem.

I smiled back, shook his hand lightly, and gave it a small shake.

Leopold’s smile deepened.

I didn’t sense anything sinister, so I didn’t feel too bad about it.

He seemed genuinely happy about this agreement.

In fact, the fact that he offered a handshake probably means he’s treating me as a political ally or warrior, not as a lady, which is what I wanted.

A handshake is a gesture between noblemen, not a greeting for ladies.

You’re sharp, Leopold.

—

When I returned to the reception room, Nigel was quietly sipping tea.

I thought he might be doing some exercises here too, but I guess even he thought that would be rude.

“Ah, Princess Hasalleur. Did the meeting go well?”

“Yeah, it wasn’t bad. Unfortunately, I can’t share the details.”

Leopold wanted as few people as possible to know, after all.

Marquis Ludwig would probably hear about it from Leopold anyway, so it’s fine.

“Shall we head to the next palace now?”

“Yeah. I should go meet him now.”

Nigel glanced at the wall clock after hearing my answer.

“There’s about an hour left until lunch, so time might be a bit tight.”

“It’ll probably be over by then.”

I didn’t plan on talking long with Ernst anyway.

Waiting until after lunch to meet him would be a hassle too.

That would mean I’d have to eat at the Imperial Palace, and that’s just too much pressure for me to stomach anything.

—

After leaving Leopold’s palace, I headed straight to the palace where Ernst was staying.

This palace was also quite impressive.

While Leopold’s palace had a simple, natural aesthetic, this one was overwhelmingly lavish.

The garden was decorated with exotic flowers and marble statues, and there was even a silver fountain in the center.

The palace itself was made of the same marble as the main palace, with golden accents gleaming on every balcony railing.

If I could just take one of those railings, I wouldn’t have to worry about money for a while.

I admired the extravagant scenery as I approached the palace’s main gate.

Two knights stood stiffly guarding the entrance.

Judging by their attire, they didn’t seem to be Royal Guards, just regular security knights.

I handed my invitation to one of them and was guided inside by a servant.

The interior of the palace was just as dazzling, filled with all sorts of decorations.

Seems like Isabella or Ernst has a taste for luxury. Probably Isabella.

After following the servant for about five minutes…

“Wait a moment, who’s that over there?”

“Why? I’ve never seen this face in the royal palace before.”

While we were passing through the corridor, a woman noticed us and briskly walked over.

Her bright golden hair was curled and hung down. A faint smile lingered at the corners of her mouth, and her slightly upturned eyes were filled with mischief and curiosity.

Beads of sweat trickled down her sharp jawline, tracing over her flushed neck. She seemed to have just come from some physical activity, dressed in something akin to riding attire, with her exposed skin slightly damp. A sweet scent and the heat radiating from her reached me.

At her waist hung a longsword, its plain and rugged appearance suggesting it was a practical weapon rather than a decorative one. The leather wrapping the hilt was quite worn, indicating it had been used for a long time.

“James, would you introduce this lady to me?”

Her commanding purple eyes stared directly at me.

Isabella’s daughter, Leonor von Wettin. The 2nd Princess of the Empire and… the leader of the Rose Cross Knight Order, a group composed solely of female knights.

—

The Rose Cross Knight Order. A group of forty knights, essentially Leonor’s personal guard.

Apart from the fact that all its members were female knights, there was nothing particularly outstanding about it, but the sight of so many female knights gathered together was a rare spectacle in itself.

The creation of this unique knight order was rooted in Ferdinand II’s anguish and affection. From a young age, Leonor had been a determined child who insisted on becoming a knight rather than a lady, and the Emperor couldn’t break her resolve.

If her skills had been lacking, he might have been able to oppose her. But Leonor possessed a decent level of talent as a swordsman and eventually proved it before the Emperor’s eyes. She wasn’t at the level of a master, but her skills were more than sufficient to become a knight.

The story of how the Emperor lost a handful of hair due to his daughter’s threat to run away and live as a free knight if he continued to oppose her was still famous to this day.

One morning, the Emperor woke up to find a pile of hair on his pillow and finally made a decision. If she wanted to be a knight so badly, he might as well let her.

The problem was what came next. A noblewoman of her status couldn’t be assigned to an existing knight order.

If a beautiful woman were to join a knight order full of men, any untoward incident could lead to serious trouble. Enough to make an entire knight order disappear in disgrace.

After much deliberation, Ferdinand II decided to create a new knight order composed entirely of female knights and made Leonor its leader. Thus, the Rose Cross Knight Order, commonly known as the Rose Knights, was born.

—

The combat strength of the knight order was about average. They weren’t elite, but they weren’t a ragtag group either.

Their leader, Leonor, wasn’t a master, but she was a skilled knight in her own right. Perhaps similar to Damien’s current level?

I thought this as I faced Leonor.

“This is Princess Ha-shal-leur Ai-shan Gi-or of the Ka`har tribe, who has come in response to the Prince’s invitation. Princess Ha-shal-leur, this is Princess Leonor von Wettin, the leader of the Rose Cross Knight Order.”

The attendant introduced us with a respectful demeanor.

“Ai-shan Gi-or? The Beastman Devourer Princess? Hmm… Quite different from what I’ve heard.”

Leonor tilted her head. A bead of sweat fell from her chin, staining the upper part of her chest.

…This feels a bit risqué.

“Anyway, nice to meet you. I’m Leonor von Wettin. You can call me Leonor, Princess Leonor, Lady Leonor… whatever you prefer. I give you special permission.”

“I’m Ha-shal-leur Ai-shan Gi-or. I suppose I should say it’s nice to meet you too, Princess Leonor.”

Leonor smirked as if amused by my response. I smiled back.

To an outsider, she might seem a bit arrogant, but I knew that this boldness was exactly her style. Even though I had already chosen Leopold’s side and might one day become her enemy… there’s no need to make a scene here.

Unlike her mother, she’s not a villain, nor is she a woman interested in power struggles.

“Your personality seems to be as rumored.”

“If it displeases you, I can be more polite, Princess.”

“No, I actually like it. A knight should have some boldness.”

See? Just as I thought.