CHAPTER 4 - WHAT ARE PANDAS?

Years went by, as the princess slowly grew up, and she finally reached the age of twelve, with many things that had happened, over the years.

For starters, my older brother finally got married to Lady Ingrid, the daughter of a Duke, and now queen Ingrid.

Next Skoll and Hati have got a little bit bigger. They are now the size of a large hunting dog, but according to Erika, they are still considered puppies and would continue to grow. Often, they could be seen either lying about, in the garden outside Lily palace or being trained.

Oh, before I forget, the First army came back from their battle against the monsters. I had learnt about the news, from my governess and gone out with Erika to see the parade to celebrate their return. Having seen them I greatly admired them. Often, I would have my playmates Dorothy, Hilda, Anna, Louise, Caitlyn, Chandre, and Catrina march around the training ground, imitating the royal knights and guards as they trained. The keyword was imitating, without proper training we were just imitating the soldiers. Occasionally, some of the old soldiers would even give us some advice, but still, it made little difference. This persisted for four years until my tenth birthday.

On my tenth birthday, my brother finally buckled and delegated an old general by the name of Harlow. He trained us in many things from blades like swords and knives, to polearms like lances and spears. He trained us to the point where we could fight both on foot and on horseback. Military tactics were obviously also part of the course. It was only much later that we realised the training he was giving us was much more comprehensive, than compared to ordinary soldiers and even highly trained knights. In two years, we went from children playing with wooden swords, to being able to evenly match the royal guards in sparring matches.

Between the training with general Harlow and studying under my governess time quickly went by. On the eve of my twelfth birthday Claude and Ingrid both paid a visit to me. Having my schedule so packed, I could not even remember the last time I had a nice long and uninterrupted talked with the two of them, in the past two years.

We had some small talk, nothing serious or anything, just our day-to-day lives. Claude asked about what I wanted to do now that I had completed my primary education with my governess. He asked me whether I wanted to become an adventurer and explore the lands or follow my brother into the royal courts and enter politics, or even becoming a knight. My brother completely denied the possibility of me becoming a common rank and file soldier.

Different from other countries, The Kingdom of Kar was one of the most progressive in culture. Such that women have every right that men do. It’s probably due to our patron god being female, but it’s generally more common for a family to be under a matriarchy. In the royal family, I had the exact same right to rule as my brother, but as my parents died when I was too young, I wasn’t really seen as a viable ruler at the time. Not that I want to be the ruler of a kingdom as large as Kar. Seeing the stressed look of my brother had every day makes it highly unappealing.

Females can also join one of the nine armies like their male counterparts or even becoming a knight. There are two knight main orders, the Royal Knight Order of Kar, and the Order of the Silver Wolf.

The Royal Knight Order of Kar, more commonly known as the royal knights, is a small elite knight order of both highly skilled and educated people that can only be knighted by the royal family. Currently, there are only one hundred knights in the order, all of whom have received senior officer training, as they are required to command the royal guards who oversee the defenses of the royal capital.

The Order of the Silver Wolf, commonly known as wolf knights on the other hand is more of a military order and is actually one of the nine armies of Kar and is not a pure knight order. While not as highly trained as royal knights, often they make up for it in experience and numbers. Many of the wolf knights are also skilled front-line leaders as they have received junior officer training with some completing senior officer training.

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While not true orders noble families also have knights, but under the kingdom's law, they can only have a limited number of knights according to their noble rank. Dukes can have up to a hundred, Marquesses can have up to seventy, Earls can have up to fifty, viscounts can have up to thirty and barons can only have up to twenty. There are always some exceptions to this rule but that’s how it usually is.

If I were to join a knight order, I would like to join the Order of the Silver Wolf, as they see more action and are more often deployed. While the royal knights also get deployed regularly, they are often the last resort and don’t get sent out often.

Now that I’m asked about it, I don’t really know what I want to do. I have exceled at everything I did. I finished my primary education that wouldn’t usually be completed until one turns sixteen I have no idea what to do next.

Additionally, I have no other reference to go off, as my friend and playmates are also my study mates and are equally as clueless on this matter. Now that I think about it, we are a group of highly intelligent and lethal group of little girls, but we are still clueless about what we want to do, so aren’t just a few loose cannons. Is this why my brother wants to know what we want to do?

My brother and sister-in-law sat in front of me patiently, while I thought of an answer. Well, if anything, I know I don’t want to go into politics, so that’s ruled out. I don’t want to become a scholar either so that’s also ruled out. I can only use certain magics, so I can’t become a mage. I like moving my body and excitement so maybe I can become a solder? Never mind Claude won’t let me, as my status as a princess prevents me from doing so, I can be a commander but not a common rank and file soldier. If it comes down to it then I might as well be a knight. So, becoming a knight or an adventurer are my only options really. Both seem like they can be interesting.

“I’m thinking about becoming either an adventurer or a knight I’m not sure.”

“You can become a knight, but I don’t agree with you becoming an adventurer.”

I had expected my brother to allow me to become a knight, but I hadn’t expected my brother to limit me from becoming an adventurer. With a frown, I questioned my brother.

“Why can’t I become an adventurer, it’s a respectable occupation, sister Ingrid was also an adventurer before she married you, why can’t I become one?”

Realising he had been misunderstood, Claude quickly corrected himself.

“No, no I don’t mean I’m not letting you become an adventurer. What I meant was you're not yet at the age where you can join the adventurer guild. You need to fifteen to join. Though I would feel better if you become a knight. As I would have more control over your situation.”

Feeling embarrassed that I had worked myself up over nothing and forgotten that you could only become an adventurer once you become fifteen. I guess with my age my only option is to go to the academy and go through the normal route to become either a knight or an adventurer. Maybe I can go through the knight course but take some of the adventurer courses, I know that’s what my Ingrid did, and she was a highly skilled adventurer.

In her short career as an adventurer of six years, she had discovered many ruins and artifacts. Her greatest achievement, however, was at the tower of gods, located in the centre of the continent in a neutral city where the gods’ trials are held. It is unknown how many floors there are in the tower but currently, Ingrid and her team hold the highest number of explored floors which is sixteen. It may not seem like much, but each floor is incredibly difficult to clear and deaths were not uncommon. However, the rewards are immense. Most adventurers that dedicate their life to clearing the tower only achieve five floors. Before sister Ingrid came along the highest floor conquered was nine.

Even with one in ten people that head into the tower dying to it, adventurers still flock to it. Whether it's for the fame, materials from hunting the monsters and beasts, or artifacts for clearing each floor for the first time. For whatever reason people just continue to flock there.

Having decided to go to the academy, or more precisely it being my only option, other than becoming a lazy princess that stays in her palace all day. I informed Claude and Ingrid that I would enter the academy, but I also told them that I wanted to talk to my friend about it first. They agreed with me as this decision also involved them.

Ingrid noted that tomorrow was the perfect time to let them know about it, as we would be holding a ball in my honour at the main palace for my birthday. My friends and their parents would all be in attendance.

As it was getting late Ingrid and Claude decided that I should rest early today as I had to wake up early and prepare for the ball.

Thinking that I didn’t want to look like a panda, when I woke up tomorrow, I quickly brushed my teeth and washed my face, and hopped in bed. It was only when I was lying in bed about to fall asleep, that I started to wonder what a panda was, but decided to ignore it and think about it another time.