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Chapter 10: The knights

'King Henry gazed pensively out the castle window, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. 'Life has taken such a tumultuous turn. The experience of fatherhood is surprisingly rewarding,' he reflected. His thoughts then wandered to his dear friend, Alden, who was no longer by his side. He observed his son, Zet, growing up so quickly, embodying all the hopes and dreams Alden would have had for him. 'Isabella,' he whispered into the silence of the room, his heart aching with longing. 'I wonder what you're engaged in at this very moment.' A surge of nostalgia swept over him, causing a bittersweet smile to tug at his lips. 'Am I becoming more sentimental in my old age? Yet, these memories, bring such a comforting warmth to my heart.'

From a distance, Delacroix spotted Captain and Prince. A wave of uncertainty washed over her. 'Should I approach them?' she pondered. She had yet to meet Prince, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. 'That could serve as a plausible excuse,' she reasoned, her mind already painting a vivid picture of the encounter.

image [https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53259037581_a87b798afe_w.jpg]'Delacroix approached Captain and Zet, remarking, 'Captain, you seem to be enjoying yourself!' She then turned to Prince, 'Good morning, Prince. You're training hard today. Do you have a specific goal in mind?' Captain glanced at Delacroix, 'Just woke up, did you? Are you here to train as well?' Zet interjected, 'And who might you be?' Delacroix introduced herself, 'This is our first meeting, Prince. I am RoyalKnight, a recent addition to the team.' she then addressed Captain, 'No, I'm not here to train. I just came to greet Prince during his training session.'

The Captain asked, 'Is that so? Since I was free, I offered my guidance to train you. What do you think, Delacroix?' Zet glanced at the Captain, a sinister smile playing on his lips. 'Ah, Delacroix, the royal knight. You've done an excellent job protecting our mansion. Why not join me to discuss important matters and devise new plans for the mansion's protection? Being a Captain is a demanding role, so you should consider meeting him.' The Captain looked at Zet, a puzzled expression on his face. 'Is that the best you can come up with?' He laughed heartily, causing Delacroix to cover her mouth to suppress her own laughter. Zet was left embarrassed, unable to comprehend why. The Captain stated confidently, 'I am a Captain for a reason.'

'The Captain, with a stern expression, suggested we disregard Prince's input for the time being, given his current unstable mental state. He turned to Delacroix, his eyes filled with a mix of concern and determination, and asked, 'What do you think? Are you prepared for the rigorous training that lies ahead?' Before Delacroix could respond, an unexpected event occurred. A carriage, ornate and grand, materialized from above as if it had spawned out of thin air, disrupting the calm atmosphere.

image [https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53269566260_521768c7ac_w.jpg]The Captain, with his quick reflexes, managed to dodge the falling carriage while holding Delacroix securely in his arms. The impact of the carriage hitting the ground was immense, causing a cloud of dust to rise. From the wreckage of the carriage, the Principal, a woman of great stature, emerged, landing on her butt. She winced, exclaiming, 'Ouch, that hurts,' her voice echoing in the silent aftermath of the crash.

The Captain, after ensuring Delacroix's safety, turned his attention to the Principal. He set Delacroix down gently, ensuring she was out of harm's way before approaching the Principal. 'As always, you're the mastermind behind these wild events, Miss Seraphina,' he said, his voice filled with a mix of annoyance and admiration. He extended a hand to help her up, a gesture of goodwill despite the circumstances.

However, his gesture was met with a slap from K, a mysterious figure who had also emerged from the wreckage of the carriage. His face was hidden under a hood, but his actions spoke volumes about his character. The scene was set for a confrontation, the tension palpable in the air.'

K warned, 'Don't touch my lady.' The Captain, noticing a masked individual, asked, 'What did you say? Are you challenging me? Your appearance is irritating; you remind me of someone I dislike.'

Zet approached the principal, questioning, 'What's happening? Why are you here? How did you manage to do that?' The principal responded, 'I've been practicing teleportation magic. It seems I haven't perfected it yet. I'll need to practice more.'

Wait, is this true? What Captain said?' asked in disbelief. 'How are you able to walk so soon? You were at death's door yesterday.' Zet replied, 'See, I'm as good as new. It's strange, I don't really remember anything.' The Principal interjected, 'I'm just glad you're safe, but that still doesn't explain what happened to you.'

She intervened, 'That's enough, K. He's not just a normal Royal Guard, he's a captain. Show some respect.' K apologized, 'You're a captain? I wasn't aware of your status. Please forgive my rudeness.' The principal laughed, 'Yes, but he's also my student, so don't worry.'

She then stood up and approached the Captain, instructing him, 'Lower your head.' Confused, the Captain asked, 'Am I to do this again?' The Principal insisted, 'Do as I say.' The Captain complied, bowing slightly. She patted his head, and asked, 'You don't mind, right?'

Delacroix appeared displeased with the close proximity between the Captain and the Principal. She excused herself abruptly and left the ground. The Captain noticed her departure but was unable to intervene due to the Principal's presence.

The Principal then inquired, 'Is King in his room?' The Captain confirmed, 'Yes, he should be upstairs. Thank you for coming at such short notice, Miss Seraphina.'

The Principal corrected him, 'Now that I'm no longer your teacher, you can drop the 'Miss'. You've risen through the ranks quickly. Are you a third-stage master now, Captain?'

The Captain replied, 'No, I'm still in the second stage. As you know, I wasn't born a genius, so I have to train hard to achieve such feats.'

The Principal responded, 'Still upset about that, are you? Don't worry, you're strong as you are.'

The Captain thanked her, 'I appreciate your kind words... M.. Seraphina.'

The Principal laughed, 'You catch on quickly. I don't mind you calling me that. And you've become quite the handsome man. Everyone on the Continent is talking about you these days.'

The Captain responded, 'No, Seraphina, I owe my rank to your teachings.' The Principal laughed, 'Did I also teach you to be handsome? I don't recall that. Could you show me the way to the King's office?' The Captain replied, 'That's not what I meant, but yes, I can guide you to the King's office.'

K approached the Captain, 'Sir, could we spar after your meeting? I would greatly appreciate learning from you.' The Captain agreed, 'Certainly, wait here and I'll return shortly.' They began to walk away from the grounds.

The Principal remarked, 'K has never requested that before, quite surprising.' The Captain responded, 'I'm eager to teach him some techniques.' The Principal asked, 'Are you planning to discipline him for his earlier behavior?' The Captain denied, 'No, it's just that his mask reminds me of someone, and it irritates me.'

The Principal spotted Zet and assured me, 'He's perfectly fine.' I was puzzled, wondering why I was summoned here. Had I misunderstood something? The Captain chimed in, 'You're not privy to King's thought process. His actions always have underlying motives. He's a step ahead, predicting outcomes with 90% accuracy.'

The Principal confessed, 'I'm uncomfortable around unreadable people. King is out of my league. His power and experience are intimidating.' The Captain pointed out, 'Speaking of power, you've been overusing teleportation magic. You're over-segmenting your mana. You'll never reach the third stage, and a single mistake could be fatal.'

The Principal teased, 'Are you worried about me? You're adorable when you're concerned.' The Captain responded, 'I do care about my mentor. If you're free, perhaps we could spend time together tonight?'

The Principal chuckled, 'I have responsibilities to attend to. Many noble children are injured and need my attention.' The Captain expressed disappointment, 'That's unfortunate. Maybe another time?' The Principal promised to consider it, challenging the Captain, 'Can you convince me?'

The Captain confidently replied, 'Absolutely, I can.' He then noticed her attire, 'Are you planning to wear that? It's covered in dirt.' The image [https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53269564220_ed1b1e6d17_w.jpg]Principal reassured him, 'Don't worry, I can change.' In an instant, she used her magic to transform her clothes.

The Captain was impressed, 'Your ability to change clothes is amazing, as is your physique, despite your petite size.' The Principal explained, 'My magic creates clothes from my skin, so there's no way to see my skin.' The Captain admitted, 'I've focused so much on the first stage of magic that I can see through anything.' The Principal warned him, 'That's not something to use on others. Some things should remain secret.'

'The principal remarked, 'So this is King's private office? I should depart now. Thank you, Captain, for leading me here.' The Captain replied, 'Think nothing of it.' With that, they both prepared to leave.'

In the training grounds, Zet questioned K, 'Are you planning to repair that carriage all by yourself?' K affirmed, 'Yes, Prince, I should repair it and await the captain's return.'

'Why?' Zet asked, 'Didn't you two teleport here? Why do you need a carriage if you're going to return the same way?'

K explained, 'For appearances. We are nobility, and being without a carriage would make us appear poor. We can't afford to have others speak ill of us.'

Zet observed, 'You place great value on your status. Is it about presenting a certain image to others?'

K replied, 'That's an unspoken rule we must follow. As much as it may seem superficial, trust me, people's perceptions can't be changed just because you think it's wrong. I can't present my lady in a poor light, can I?'

Zet admitted, 'That's something I don't understand. This 'unspoken rule' sounds like an excuse.'

K responded, 'You're not entirely wrong to think that, but it's all based on experience. And the way you describe it is quite accurate for human beings.'

Zet asked, 'You're not human?'

K clarified, 'I may look human, but I'm from a different world - the world of Queldor. I came here with a friend, but he got lost along the way and I have no idea where he is now.'

Zet deduced, 'So, you're serving her because you want to find your friend.'

K corrected him, 'No, it's a long story. I attacked my friend and nearly died. My lady saved me, so I want to stay by her side forever.'

Zet mused, 'Your friend, huh? Well, at least you're safe. That's a good thing.'

K chuckled, 'It hasn't been that long, just about three months ago.'

Zet expressed surprise, 'Oh, I didn't know that but why would you attack your friend out of nowhere?.'

The captain landed and told the prince, 'You should keep your distance from there. K, are you prepared to test your abilities?' K responded, 'Thank you, Prince, for hearing me out. I'll speak with you when I have the opportunity. I truly value your support.' Zet interjected, 'Don't push yourselves too hard. I enjoy observing your interactions.' Zet then moved to a higher ground where his maid awaited him.

Eleanor asked Violet, 'Is it risky to stand here?' Violet reassured her, 'We should be safe. This isn't a deadly duel, just a friendly match. And it seems the Prince is coming to watch as well.' Eleanor expressed her concern, 'I'm not sure. I dislike getting injured.'

Zet, surprised to see them, said, 'You two are still here? I assumed my training would bore you.' Eleanor replied, 'No, we weren't bored. We enjoyed watching your rigorous training.' Zet asked, 'You take pleasure in seeing me struggle?' Eleanor quickly clarified, 'No, that's not what I meant.'

Violet chimed in, 'I could watch all day if it means you're working hard.' Zet complained, 'Why? It's painful, you know.' Violet retorted, 'You've been slacking off lately, so I don't mind seeing you train once in a while.'

Eleanor then held Zet's hand. Surprised, Zet asked, 'What are you doing?' Eleanor explained, 'You seemed to enjoy holding hands this morning, so I thought this might cheer you up.' Zet blushed, 'That's not why I hold hands. It's embarrassing. Can you let go now?'

Violet laughed and teased, 'Good job, Eleanor. It seems our Prince has a different side too.' Zet retorted, 'That's not something you should be saying.'

'On the training field, the Captain unsheathed his sword, turned to K, and inquired, 'Are you ready?' K responded affirmatively, 'Yes, I am ready.' He gripped his own sword, assumed a defensive stance, lowered his center of gravity, widened his stance, and focused his gaze on the Captain's every move.

Suddenly, the Captain appeared to be right in front of K, as if he had teleported. However, this was not the case; his movements were simply that swift. The Captain, wielding his sword with his right hand and keeping his left hand behind him, launched a powerful swing at K. K managed to block the attack, but the sheer force of the Captain's swing sent him flying, landing 15 meters away.

Without wasting a moment, the Captain closed the distance between them. K realized he couldn't afford to let his guard down; he was facing a master swordsman. To level the playing field, K invoked his magic to enhance his physical abilities. He activated 'Electro Enhancer,' a spell that amplified his senses and strength tenfold, enabling him to match his opponent's reaction time.

As time seemed to slow down, K thought, 'So this is what the Captain's senses are like.' Now, he was able to keep up with the Captain's swordsmanship and react to his strikes. The Captain, noticing the change, wondered, 'Is he tracking my movements now? Has he adapted to my fighting style?' The battle continued, each combatant studying the other, their swords clashing in a dance of power and precision.'

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