The sixth prince, who had been executed in the kingdom after being betrayed by the trusted saint, was reincarnated and, in order to seek revenge, became engaged once again to the neighboring kingdom's "Guillotine Princess." As a result, he was adored and lived happily. - Chapter 53 Meeting

“Gustav-sama, we only have three days left!”

While efficiently performing her tasks, Mariette spoke with joy. The “three days” she mentioned referred to the time remaining until the Kingdom’s diplomatic envoy would arrive in the capital city of Londinia.

“So… What about the matter with Count Golton, as I requested earlier?”

“Yes.”

Mariette provided a detailed explanation of the interactions between the Kingdom and Count Golton. It seemed that while trade was proceeding smoothly, it hadn’t brought significant benefits to the Kingdom.

Despite Mariette’s ability to gather information within the royal palace, Count Golton didn’t hold much power there. However, if circumstances demanded it, he might be persuaded to support their cause.

In any case, the Count’s true intentions remained a mystery.

“But with continued efforts like this, more nobles willing to support Gustav-sama will be advantageous for the Kingdom. Let’s keep doing our best!”

“Haha, you’re right. We’ll do as you say.”

As you wish, we will continue to work towards making the Kingdom’s position less favorable. However, the responsibility for that falls on Mariette, not me.

“Well then, I’m off to training today.”

“Yes, have a safe training session!”

As Mariette bid me farewell, I arrived at the training grounds.

“Haha! I’ve been waiting for you!”

“…”

General Cyrus greeted me with a wide grin, while Glen wore a stoic expression.

Today’s training would also serve as a rehearsal for the welcoming ceremony for the Kingdom’s diplomatic envoy in three days.

However, it was mainly an opportunity to humiliate them.

“So, during the presentation of the Kingdom’s ‘Iris Emblem,’ I’ll not only scrutinize the nobleman Golton but also adopt an attitude that Prince Edward would find displeasing. That will likely provoke his anger, won’t it?”

General Cyrus had a complex expression as he discussed the events involving the Kingdom of Valrois, his homeland, and his brother, Prince Philip. On the other hand, Glen appeared disinterested, observing me with an air of indifference.

“Well, King Edward does appreciate such conflicts, given his fondness for them. He’d probably enjoy the Kingdom’s men getting angry at your provocations.”

“In that case, it’s even more fitting as entertainment. After all, humiliating the entire Royal Knights in front of Emperor Edward sounds like a show worth watching.”

Yes, our goal is to bring humiliation to the Royal Knights, excluding Prince Philip. Yet, we’ll arrange a more suitable stage for the main event.

“But it may tarnish Princess Abigail’s moment.”

Glen, who had been silent until now, joined the conversation.

Primarily, it’s important to consider Princess Abigail’s feelings.

“No, it won’t. By giving the Kingdom a dishonorable title, we can ease the tension built up over the past events. Moreover, it will serve as a clear sign of Princess Abigail’s stance to those who don’t favor the Kingdom. They’ll see that the princess is firmly against prolonging hostilities.”

Originally, the Kingdom had the upper hand just before the ceasefire agreement. The dissatisfaction of those who favored continuing the war, symbolized by us, was considerable. In this case, we should show them that ending Valrois’ rule is truly Princess Abigail’s wish.

“Killing should be strictly avoided. We must ensure they remain ‘unharmed’ to a certain extent.”

“Understood. We’ll keep them ‘unharmed’ then.”

With that assurance, Glen finally displayed a faint smile.

“Ha-ha! You can rest assured, Gustav-sama. This man will never go beyond what has been instructed!”

As he proclaimed this, General Cyrus emphasized his loyalty.

Though he can be quite unreserved at times, especially during our training sessions…

Well, as long as it doesn’t go too far, it should be fine.

Moreover, if it’s close to a near-death experience, I’d actually prefer it that way.

“Alright then.”

“Haha… I’m looking forward to three days from now.”

“Hmph.”

With that, the meeting concluded, and General Cyrus and I resumed our training. But…

“Gustav-sama, I’d like to request a sparring session.”

“Hmm…”

Glen, that guy, had been challenging me to sparring sessions every chance he got since our last match. It seemed he was still quite bitter about his defeat, and when he managed to win in a sparring session, he would gloat excessively. He was quite unpleasant.

Well, despite that…

“Sure, shall we do it?”

“Ah, yes.”

I could get stronger through these sessions, which was a good thing. Besides, I didn’t see that previous match as a clear victory.

Glen’s actual weapon is a spear, and that claymore he used was prepared to finish me off quietly. If he had used a bastard sword more suited to his physique, the outcome might have been different… No, maybe not. I was determined not to lose in that match.

“Let’s do it!”

“Bring it on!”

And so, Glen and I sparred with swords until the sun set.