Melissa Arendriks.
Though of common birth, she had risen to the rank of Royal Guard Captain through sheer ability.
Handpicked by the King himself, her skill was unquestionable, but her values posed a significant problem.
She was fiercely loyal to the King, who had taken her in when she was on the brink of starvation.
The problem was that her loyalty was excessive, bordering on fanatical.
Demanding loyalty to the Human King from other races, not just humans, naturally didnât endear her to them.
The King, aware of this, usually kept Melissa away when meeting with other races.
Unfortunately, this time, he hadnât managed to prevent her involvement.
âYour Majesty, I have brought the guests.â
âCaptain Melissa? You greeted them personally?â
âYes, Your Majesty.â
So, it wasnât surprising that the King was taken aback when Melissa entered his office with the Royal Knights.
He clicked his tongue.
âCaptain Melissa, I hope there werenât any...misunderstandings.â
âI would never be disrespectful to Your Majestyâs guests.â
âIâm glad to hear that, but...â
âThere was absolutely no incident.â
âThank you for your service, Captain Melissa. You are dismissed.â
Melissaâs eyes narrowed at Hansâs casual tone, but the King, quickly noticing, dismissed her before things escalated.
She saluted and left.
âA truly loyal knight.â
âIt seems she was a bit...overzealous. I apologize on her behalf.â
âNo, itâs fine. It wasnât anything to apologize for.â
From a human perspective, it was a strange sight.
Regardless of Hansâs ability and achievements, it was the King who had appointed him Commander of the Royal Knights.
Yet, the King seemed almost subservient to Hans.
But it was all a matter of appearances. The King remembered how Hans had initially refused the position. If Hans hadnât accepted, the Kingâs plans would have crumbled. rÌ£
He had no choice but to treat Hans with the utmost respect.
What about his pride as King?
He had abandoned it the day his predecessor died helplessly, having accomplished nothing.NoÌv(el)B\\jnn
âI will not be an incompetent king like my predecessor. My name will be etched in history.â
His desire bordered on ambition. But it wasnât driven by a desire to sacrifice others for his own gain.
He genuinely strived to govern wisely and revive his kingdom.
Indeed, under his rule, the Human Kingdom had held its ground on the front lines for thirty years. Even the canned food distributed to the people was something he had developed.
Moreover, Hansâs success in reviving the Royal Knights had significantly elevated the Kingâs standing.
He had secured treaties with the Beastmen and Dwarves, and even races they had rarely interacted with were now seeking them out.
All of this stemmed from the Kingâs foresight in recognizing Hansâs value and entrusting him with the task.
Powerful artifacts created by the first King of the Human Kingdom to protect his people.
Humans, once the dominant force on the continent, had fallen from grace due to the demon invasion.
Having held the largest territory, their fall was almost inevitable. The land they had lost was, for the most part, where humans had resided.
The first King had welcomed all the refugees. He had even sacrificed his life to create the royal treasures and repel the demon invasion.
But that was the extent of their glory.
âAs the demons intensified their attacks, the Human Kingdom lost much of its territory, and even the royal treasures were lost. In the end, only about thirty percent of our territory remained.â
âA tragic piece of history.â
âBut youâre saying you know the location of one of these treasures?â
âIndeed. One of them is relatively close.â
Recovering a royal treasure was a significant advantage for the Human Kingdom.
Even if its power was only half of what legends claimed, it would give them the strength to surpass other races.
âTell me more.â
For the first time, the King spoke with genuine interest.
The negotiations concluded successfully.
It was high risk, high reward, but the potential gains of reclaiming a royal treasure and expanding their territory outweighed the risks.
Moreover, they had Hans, the Commander who had proven his abilities time and again.
After careful consideration, the King accepted the proposal.
With the Human Kingdomâs support, the Royal Knights would embark on another expedition.
Their first target was two territories right on the kingdomâs border.
The key to this operation was Aresâ Bridge.
Calling it a bridge was generous, it was practically a fortress. Spanning the river and connecting the territories, it was the only path forward.
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Securing Aresâ Bridge was crucial for further expansion. It would serve as a forward operating base for the kingdom.
âNot bad.â
Hans, leaving the Kingâs office, breathed a sigh of relief.
Adapting his knowledge of the original story to the current situation had been challenging, but he had managed.
With the expeditionary force secured, he felt one step closer to his goal.
Just then, a commotion caught his attention. It seemed something was happening at the training grounds.
Hans looked around.
Helia and Bayard were nowhere to be seen.
A wide grin spread across his face.
âJust as I thought. They wouldnât be the Royal Knights if they stayed quiet.â
âYou two again?â
[Translator Notes]
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