Chapter 9: Entrance Examination Briefing
The briefing for the Royal Guard Knights was held at the Imperial Army’s training grounds beside the castle.
This was because, second only to the Court Magicians, the Royal Guard was one of the most prestigious military posts. Every year, applicants flooded in far beyond what any indoor venue could contain.
—And this year, the place was packed once again.
At the very back row sat Al and Selestaria.
“…There are like ten times more people than I imagined.”
“This hall is only for those who already passed the document screening, you know? Believe it or not, this is the reduced crowd.”
“How popular is this job, seriously…?”
“Fufufu. For any swordsman, there’s no greater honor than joining the Royal Guard.”
Originally wishing for a nice, peaceful NEET life, Al was already overwhelmed by the heat of everyone’s enthusiasm.
“How many people pass each year?”
“I heard usually around two or three. But there are plenty of years when no one passes at all.”
“Well, they protect His Majesty. The tighter the standards, the better for the Empire.”
And Selestaria intended to join such an elite few.
If she passed, she might even work alongside Al someday. That thought filled her with even more determination.
The buzzing hall fell silent as three Royal Guard Knights entered.
A dignified veteran knight led the way, followed by two younger ones.
Their pure-white armor—reserved for Royal Guards alone—drew every eye in the room.
The veteran knight stepped onto the stage, swept his gaze over the examinees, and declared:
“Thank you for gathering today. I am Rendon, the vice-captain. I will serve as your proctor, so remember my face and name well. …That said, I will not be the only one conducting mock battles with you. These two beside me will assist. Introduce yourselves.”
““Yes, sir!””
Prompted by the vice-captain, the two knights stepped forward.
The man stood to the left, the woman to the right.
“I am Barnes Berry, squad leader of the Royal Guard Knights. I shall ensure the fairness of the examination.”
“I am Orise, likewise a squad leader. I expect to see your full strength on the day of the test.”
Real Royal Guards—the vice-captain and two squad leaders, no less—were intimidating enough. But on top of that, all three radiated the distinct magic pressure of those who lived by the sword… the famed “Haki.”
Selestaria grimaced openly.
“…Of all people, why Barnes…”
“You know that guy?”
“Yeah. The eldest son of the Berry Viscount family. He sent me over a hundred love letters.”
“A hundred? That’s… yeah, that’s gross.”
“And I properly rejected him in the very first letter. He just kept sending them. Forever.”
“Yikes…”
“And even after we announced our engagement, he still kept sending letters addressed to ‘My beloved Seles.’ I mean—when did I ever give you permission to call me Seles?!”
“Looks like the integrity of this exam is already in danger.”
“Agreed. If he ends up assigned to evaluate me, things are not going to go normally.”
There was a high chance he’d whisper something during the exam. He might even shamelessly make marriage a condition for passing. And if she refused, what would he do then?
A man who continued sending love letters to a woman already engaged… there was no way he’d let her complete the sword trial properly.
“The worst case would be beating that guy in the exam and then being placed in his squad.”
“That is absolutely the one thing I refuse!”
At that moment, Barnes noticed Selestaria and shot her a wink.
A wave of nausea hit her.
“Ueeegh.”
“A noblewoman already engaged—and he sends love letters. Now winking during the briefing. Why did the Royal Guard even accept someone this shameless?”
“He’s annoyingly good with a sword. Every one of his letters invited me to a duel.”
Then he noticed Al at her side and glared with a demonic intensity.
His expressions shifted rapidly—he was truly a strange man.
“To think someone with even less common sense than me exists in this world.”
“Shocking, isn’t it? If he’d attended the medal ceremony, he wouldn’t act like this. Lucky or unlucky, I can’t tell…”
Barnes had missed the ceremony due to duty and thus knew nothing of the terrifying nature of the Dream Attribute.
Colleagues had told him stories, but he believed none of it, assuming they were exaggerations to boost the fame of a new Court Magician.
“Is it just me, or does he give off the same vibe as Gust?”
“Not your imagination. The Berry family is under the Noir Marquis’ house.”
“Birds of a feather, huh.”
After that, the vice-captain began explaining the exam, so the two settled down to listen.
According to him, the test would take place exactly two weeks from today.
The location: the Imperial Army training grounds—the very place they were in.
Weapons: real steel swords, with three healers on standby.
Any applicant who managed to land a single decisive blow on a Royal Guard knight passed instantly.
Even without that, those with remarkable skill could still be accepted.
…That was the gist of it.
To avoid Barnes, the moment the briefing ended, the two rushed out of the hall.
Now they were retracing their path back.
“Honestly, maybe I shouldn’t have come. I think I just provoked Barnes even more.”
“That’s not true. Thanks to you, I felt secure the whole time.”
—A kind sentiment from Selestaria.
She was the sort of heroine who could rally a duke’s army on a real battlefield. Even without Al, she wouldn’t have faltered under the pressure of the Royal Guards. Al understood this well and was grateful for her kindness.
“…Should we train together? Until the exam?”
“Eh—really!? Are you serious!? Even homebody Al!?”
“Yeah. I can’t just send you into that exam unprepared.”
“You’re actually really sw eet, you know.”
“If I were truly sweet, I’d have at least one friend.”
In reality, aside from his fiancée Selestaria, he had no one he could call a friend.
He’d never tried to make any, nor felt the desire to.
“Oh come on~ don’t be shy~”
With a mischievous grin, Selestaria peeked up at his face from below.
“………………”
(Am I really allowed to marry someone this adorable…?)
Just as he was leisurely melting inside—
“Oh my my my? That angelic, crystal-clear voice… could it be my destined partner, the lovely Selestaria?”
From around the corner, pretending it was some coincidence, Barnes stepped out and blocked their path.
Selestaria stepped half a pace back and glared suspiciously.
“Barnes… Berry…”
“Please, call me Barn. Seles.”
“I have zero reason to call you Barn, and I never gave you permission to call me Seles.”
“Hehehe. A shy Seles is lovely in her own way.”
Al couldn’t stay silent anymore.
“Oi, Barnes or whatever. Don’t get cozy with our Seles.”
“Silence, Al Dragals. So you fooled His Majesty and our colleagues with some shady ancient magic called the Dream Attribute. I refuse to be duped by the same trick. To think a man like you was made one of the Empire’s top weapons—truly the end of days. I bet you’ve cast some mental manipulation on Seles as well? …Don’t worry, I’ll break it for you soon, Seles.”
Barnes turned to her with a smile—
Which Selestaria promptly slapped.
A crisp smack echoed through the corridor.
“S-Seles…?”
Barnes clutched his reddened cheek, staring at her in disbelief.
“Do not insult my fiancé.”
“Oh, poor Seles… I’ll free you from that filthy mental influence during the exam. And Al Dragals—you will someday suffer pain so great you’ll regret ever being born. Look forward to it.”
Al narrowed his eyes and spoke in a low, heavy voice.
“What a coincidence, Barnes Berry. If you weren’t a proctor—”
He moved beside him, leaned in close, and whispered:
“—I would have killed you already.”
(Wh—!?)
Barnes’ eyes flew open. He tried to retort, but—
“!?!?!!?”
Overwhelmed by the crushing Haki Al released, he collapsed onto the ground in terror.
(W-What was that…???)
Al turned away as if nothing happened.
“Come on, Seles. We don’t have time to waste on garbage.”
“Yes, let’s go.”
They chose a different route back to the mansion.
Barnes’ legs still trembled with fear. All he could do was watch their backs.
“……………………”
(I—I must save Seles from that monster, no matter what…!)
Then, walking like a newborn fawn, he wobbled back toward the castle.
◇◇◇
On the way home—
“Hey, say my name again?”
“Seles.”
“Ufufufu. One more time, one more time.”
“Seles.”
“Ufufufufufu.”
Selestaria seemed absolutely delighted by being called “Seles,” smiling every time Al repeated it.
“So, what did you whisper to Barnes? Something like ‘I’ll punch you once’?”
“Mm… something like that.”
“Ehehe. Thanks, you know. For my sake.”
“Of course. Seles is—already a precious part of my family.”