I Tried To Be Her Loyal Sword

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192 Chapter

“……What did you say?”

Helios asked incredulously. The whispers of the surrounding nobles were so loud that his words were barely audible.

Amidst it all, I met his gaze without wavering.

“I requested the position of training officer for the upcoming war.”

This was my final goal.

Helios’s expression became subtle. El, who had been comfortably seated, raised her body and gripped the armrest tightly, while Tina’s eyes were filled with confusion.

“Quiet!”

Helios abruptly slammed down the armrest. The entire hall that had been bustling became eerily silent as if frozen in ice. Helios looked down at me from his high throne.

“The upcoming war. Does Princess of Crisis believe in the outbreak of war?”

Helios’s voice was unusually stern. His icy blue eyes glinted like those of a judge passing sentence. I took a deep breath, trying to remain inconspicuous.

In this moment of tense anticipation, directly mentioning war during an official gathering was quite dangerous. Everyone was still testing the waters, hesitant to speak. If I brought up war now, I might be pulled apart for what they deemed an ominous subject.

“Yes. War is bound to happen.

But someone has to break the ice.” I answered without hesitation.

Preparations for war could not wait. The time for whispering and tiptoeing around the subject was over.

“Can you be responsible for that statement? This isn’t a playground for children, nor a salon for gossip. You should understand the weight of what you say.”

Helios regained his usual composure as he rested his chin on his hand. His lofty authority slowly pressed down on me. I nodded heavily, refusing to back down.

“I can take responsibility. Your Majesty is already aware.”

That war was approaching.

I conveyed the unspoken words through my gaze.

Having stared at me for a while, Helios surveyed the lively assembly again and waved his hand.

“This awards ceremony shall be adjourned. And…”

Helios’s blue eyes scanned the high-ranking nobles present. Since the awards ceremony was a large event, Cyprus, Dekart, Einhart, and Crisis had all gathered here. Helios slowly lifted the corners of his mouth.

“Since everyone is here, let us begin a conference of the great nobles. By my authority.”

The hall buzzed with even more excitement.

I looked at him in astonishment.

In fact, the matter concerning the military training officer was not something Helios could decide on his own. The military command rested with Caesar, and the overall authority of the Knights Order of the Imperial Palace belonged to Noah.

‘So even though this is clearly out of Helios’s hands… his calling for a conference of the great nobles must mean he’s supporting me.’

A conference of great nobles is held with the consent of all the great nobles. The previous conference regarding the hunting event was conducted that way as well.

Although the Emperor and the Pope could utilize their powers to convene a meeting without consent, it was limited to just twice a year.

Using one of those rare opportunities for my sake meant he was backing me up.

‘I didn’t expect to be saved under these circumstances, but I’m glad he did.’

This was a gamble, just like throwing dice. No matter how much Mir’s name was invoked, the likelihood of a mere commoner princess like me becoming a training officer was low.

If that failed, I planned to leverage Caesar’s name to somehow get involved as his aide, but things appeared to be going better than anticipated.

“Since this is sudden, skip all other formalities and just get a carriage ready for the conference hall.”

Helios ordered the attendants to move quickly in the midst of the unexpected situation and threw a glance in my direction.

Then, he winked at me with the freshness of orange flesh.

‘His personality is truly one of a kind.’

Having somewhat gotten used to his eccentricity, I simply smiled without emotion. It felt reminiscent of the debutante ball.

The nobles in the hall flooded out, and an attendant began guiding the great nobles to the conference hall. As all eyes turned toward me, Caesar, Aria, and Kal approached closely.

“I can’t tell you to do well. Just do what you can.”

“Ignore this guy’s words. Just be back safe.”

Kal and Aria couldn’t attend the conference of great nobles, so they exchanged brief farewells and left. I proceeded alongside Caesar.

“I’ll say it in advance, but I won’t add any comments regarding this matter.”

Caesar spoke devoid of emotion. It was only natural since he didn’t want me to participate. I nodded silently, believing if he opposed, it would have immediately been crushed.

The conference hall was not only spacious but luxuriously designed, fitting for the Imperial Palace. As I pondered where to sit, I followed Caesar who sat comfortably at the highest seat and took a place beside him.

“Alright, then let’s start the meeting.”

Helios lounged in his throne and turned his gaze toward me. His sharp gaze seemed to pierce through me.

“Regarding the brave proposal from this young lady, Princess of Crisis… or should I say Mir?”

After the swordsmanship tournament, the fact that I was Mir had spread throughout the continent, but having it mentioned right in front of me made the atmosphere awkward. Helios had a knack for casually tightening the mood.

“I’m curious what kind of guts led you to make such a request.”

He spoke lightly with his legs crossed, but the weight behind those words was anything but light. As I slowly swallowed, a deep voice echoed from across the table.

“I too must be convinced, Princess of Crisis.”

With eyes like brilliant golden flashes and a gaze that seemed uncompromising, he reminded me of someone, albeit different. He was far more steadfast and formidable.

The commander of the Royal First Knights Order and vice commander of the military, Noah Einhart.

“This old man has shown some inexperience and allowed the North to take advantage a few times, yet I have defended the Empire throughout my lifetime.”

X-O

The flow of mana in the hall twisted. Caesar’s hand, resting on the armrest, twitched, and I instinctively clenched my fist.

He had managed to create a momentarily intimidating atmosphere through subtle manipulation of mana strong enough to be felt only by a sword master. It was an impressive show of pressure.

“I am aware of how exceptional Mercenary Mir is. In just five or six years since entering the mercenary world, you’ve earned the title of King of Mercenaries. With a sword master like Mir helping, the war would be considerably easier. I also owe my gratitude to the princess for facing this danger. However…”

The air pressed down on my shoulders. I couldn’t help but wonder if this was how a giant punished by the heavens must feel bearing the weight of the world. As I noted the bleakness of age in Noah’s form, I also sensed the nuanced manipulation of mana tempered through years, and I couldn’t help but admire it. Noah then pulled up his wrinkled lips.

“Are you so certain that you would make a better training officer than me?”

His golden eyes glimmered like a predator.

Noah Einhart had trained soldiers for decades as a deputy commander. He was certainly proud of his work.

Given the circumstances, with my request directly questioning his ability, it was natural for his pride to be pricked.

“That is not my intention. Not at all.”

I firmly denied it. I had no intention of undermining Noah’s capabilities.

“I wish for the Empire’s victory. I’m merely seeking the best way to achieve that. I know that you, Sir Einhart, would make a far more competent training officer.”

The North had simply infiltrated in unpredictable ways; Noah was more than a capable leader. The peace that the Empire enjoyed throughout his tenure without war was proof of that.

“If we are to highlight the strongest sword masters, it would be better to point toward Duke Crisis or Marquis Einhart rather than myself. They are far more experienced than me. However, the reason I dare to call myself a training officer is…”

I calmly took a deep breath. Count Cyprus showed hatred, Diego displayed worry, El looked confused, and Rainer held expectation. Mixed emotions were directed at me from all around.

“Because the North’s primary weapon is monsters.”

I maintained my steady gaze.

“I believe everyone is aware that the North has succeeded in taming monsters.

The reason they pose a threat in this war, despite traditionally being no match for the Empire’s military might, is strictly because of this monster taming. I believe we are all in agreement.”

There was no room for denial on this point. Even Count Cyprus, glaring at me like he wanted to rip me apart, had nothing to say.

“My focus has been on this aspect. I am most confident when it comes to exterminating monsters. I know exactly how various kinds of monsters behave, what their habits are, and where their weaknesses lie. I am confident that no one understands this better than I do.”

This was a particularly unique skill of mine among mercenaries—the knowledge and experience of dealing with monsters. I had gained it from nearly a lifetime spent rolling through the snowy plains.

This was also why I earned my title as the King of Mercenaries.

“I believe that in preparing for this war, instead of simply improving combat abilities, we should focus on learning how to deal with monsters. Therefore, I’m requesting you to appoint me as a training officer.”

I stared directly at Helios, not wanting to show even a hint of intimidation.

“And secondly, I thought my name could prove quite useful.”

“……You mean, the name of the princess?”

“To be more precise, I mean the name Mir.”

I calmly corrected Rainer’s question and continued.

“War is a contest of strength, but psychological warfare exists as well. Since Mir is a mercenary with long experience in monster hunting, if the fact that they have appointed him as a training officer reaches the North, it could effectively shake their morale.”

In all conflicts between humans, psychological warfare lay at the foundation. Often, the outcome of psychological warfare would determine the outcome of the event. That was my intent.

“This is all I can say. You might feel that my reasons are lacking. But I speak this way solely for the sake of the Empire’s peace and security.”

In truth, I disliked the idea of becoming any sort of leader or undertaking responsibilities. Such things did not suit my character. After spending so long as a wandering mercenary, I had never been one to step forward.

Yet despite that, I found myself stepping forward like this, because it was clear that around one-third of those present in this room would meet their end if war were to break out.

Helios was already fated to die, Noah would perish during the war, and Caesar would also fall.

‘Especially if Caesar dies… I would never forgive myself.’

The main reason I wanted to join the war was precisely this. In the original narrative, Caesar dies during the war. I must prevent that at all costs.

“So please utilize me. I am confident I will be of use. I will not, under any circumstances, let you down.”

I declared as if proclaiming my resolution.

I had to join the war.