The door opened.
Standing there was a man with golden hair, wearing golden armor. At the center of his armor was the emblem of a sun, while a large, slightly thick sword hung from his waist.
It was Derland.
He entered the room and said,
"Princess, I told you that you can simply call me uncle Derland."
Lying on her stomach, Shakky replied,
"If I call such a great knight by his name, wouldn't that be disrespectful to you?"
Hearing that, Derland smiled and walked over before sitting on the edge of the bed.
"So, what is our little princess reading today?"
Shakky remained lying on the bed.
"Nothing much. I was just learning about the various experiments conducted on the human body."
Derland laughed when he heard that.
"You and your strange interests."
Shakky turned her gaze toward him.
"So, what brings you here?"
Derland thought for a moment before answering.
"Well, I came here because I was going to ask if you would like to come with me again and observe the changes in the monsters' behavior."
Shakky's ears immediately perked up.
She was about to say something, but Ameria spoke first.
"Sir Derland, don't you think you're disturbing the princess?"
Derland turned his gaze toward Ameria and smiled.
"Oh, Miss Ameria. Do you think you know the princess's likes and dislikes a little too well?"
Ameria glared at him with her sharp eyes.
Seeing the two of them, Shakky stood up.
"Haah... Will you two stop arguing?"
Both of them lowered their gazes.
"Yes, Princess."
Shakky stepped down from the bed and picked up the books in her hands.
"Come on. I'll put these books away first. After that, we'll leave."
Shakky walked out of the room with the books.
As soon as she disappeared from sight, Derland stood up and walked toward Ameria.
"So, was it really necessary for you to interrupt?"
Seeing him approach, Ameria replied,
"As her personal maid, I know everything about her."
Derland stopped in front of her with a smile.
"Oh? Then it seems you know quite a lot."
He gently took both of Ameria's hands and backed her against the wall.
Ameria smiled.
"Oh? Is the Lord of Knights going to show his authority over a maid now?"
Derland leaned closer and lightly touched her lips.
"I see. A friend of a Sword Saint has now become a maid. If only you had accepted my proposal."
Hearing this, Ameria leaned forward and kissed Derland.
The unexpected kiss caused Derland to pull back slightly.
Ameria looked at him and said,
"That's enough for now. Until the princess gets better, I have to take care of her."
Just then, the door opened.
The two immediately returned to normal.
Shakky entered the room and looked at them.
Noticing the lipstick mark on Derland's lips, she said,
"If the lovebirds are done with their conversation, shall we leave?"
With that, Shakky walked out of the room.
Ameria laughed when she heard her.
Derland hurried after Shakky.
"You've got the wrong idea, Princess. It isn't like that!"
**
Outside the Royal Palace
Shakky and Derland were standing near the massive gate used by people entering and leaving the Polard Kingdom.
The sun was beginning to set, and it was almost time for the guards to change shifts.
Derland and Shakky climbed the small staircase beside the gate. When they reached the top, they found themselves standing upon the enormous wall surrounding the entire Polard Kingdom.
Small watchtowers had been built into the wall every three hundred meters, allowing the knights to send signals whenever something happened.
Shakky turned around and looked at the Polard Kingdom.
At its center stood the enormous palace, shining like glass beneath the light of the setting sun. Beside it was a large enclosed area surrounded by countless trees.
Shakky slowly swept her gaze across the kingdom.
There were countless houses—some made of wood, others constructed from stone. Numerous tall buildings rose among them as well.
There were so many structures that Shakky couldn't see them all.
She then looked ahead.
The setting sun painted the horizon in brilliant light.
Shakky smiled at the beautiful sight.
Derland and Shakky looked toward the enormous forest ahead of them. A small road passed through it, connecting the kingdom to the forest.
Four knights wearing armor stood behind them.
Shakky looked toward them.
"Isn't there a telescope here?"
One of the knights immediately went toward the nearby watchtower and returned with a telescope, which he handed to Shakky.
Shakky raised it and looked toward the forest.
Behind her, the knights quietly whispered among themselves.
"What is the princess doing here? She's already so weak. She should be resting inside the palace instead of coming out here and getting in our way. We should just be allowed to do our jobs."
Shakky continued looking through the telescope.
"I'm sorry. I know I'm getting in the way of your work, but sitting inside the palace all day gets boring. That's why I'm here."
The knight froze.
He immediately bowed his head.
"I-I apologize, Princess!"
Derland glanced at him.
"You knights... honestly."
The four knights immediately bowed toward Derland.
"We apologize, Lord of Knights!"
Just then, Shakky spoke.
"That's strange. Monsters don't usually leave the forest during the evening."
Derland looked at her.
"Did you see something?"
Shakky handed him the telescope.
"See for yourself."
Derland looked through it.
He spotted ten small goblins and two larger goblins emerging from the forest, carrying large weapons in their hands.
Derland frowned.
"You were right. Goblins usually travel in groups, but there aren't many of them here."
Shakky placed a hand on her waist.
"Have adventures become so scarce that knights have to handle their work now?"
One of the knights standing behind her replied,
"I'm sorry, Princess, but the number of adventurers has decreased considerably recently."
Shakky looked at him, clearly confused.
"What do you mean?"
The knight explained,
"Most merchants are hiring even low-class adventurers by offering them good money to protect their caravans. The remaining adventurers are going to nearby villages and providing ordinary protection there. Because of that, adventurers have greatly reduced their monster-hunting activities."
He glanced toward the forest.
"And now that responsibility has fallen upon us, because the monster population is increasing."
Derland looked toward the knight.
"Call the other knights. We need to go there and eliminate them."
The knight nodded.
"Yes, but, Princess—"
Derland interrupted him.
"The princess will come with us. And bring a sword for her as well."
The knight bowed.
"Yes, Lord of Knights."
He immediately left.
Shakky's gaze remained fixed on the forest.
Derland looked at her.
"We should leave now, Princess."
Shakky turned toward him.
"Yes."
**
They returned to the gate.
Ten knights were waiting there with spears in their hands and magical lanterns in the other. Each lantern contained a blue flame.
Darkness was slowly beginning to spread across the surroundings.
One of the knights stepped forward and handed a lantern and a sword to Derland.
Derland took the sword and handed it to Shakky.
"Here you go, Princess."
Shakky accepted it, drew the blade from its sheath, examined it for a moment, and then returned it to its sheath.
"Yes. This will do."
Derland then lifted Shakky and placed her onto the horse.
"Ahh! I'm not a child! I can get on by myself!"
Derland climbed onto the same horse.
"Yes, Princess. I know."
Shakky puffed out her cheeks.
Derland raised his hand and signaled for the gate to be opened.
The massive gate slowly rose upward.
Derland gently urged the horse forward, while the other knights marched behind him.
After some time, they arrived at their destination.
Derland dismounted and looked behind him.
They had now traveled some distance away from the city.
A massive forest stood before them.
Shakky also climbed down from the horse and looked around.
Derland gave his orders.
"Five knights will come with me. The other five will stay with the princess."
Holding the lantern in his hand, Derland moved toward the bushes.
He examined the tracks on the ground.
They were large.
And fresh.
Derland narrowed his eyes.
"These footprints are far too large to belong to ordinary goblins."
Suddenly, Derland noticed something moving inside the bushes.
He immediately stepped back and warned everyone to be alert.
Something emerged from the bushes.
It was a black creature.
Its body was long and thin, while its arms were shaped like sharp swords. Its face was small, with enormous green eyes, a tiny mouth, and round teeth.
Without hesitation, the creature lunged straight at Derland, attacking him with its sword-like arm.
Derland saw it coming.
He immediately threw the lantern from his hand and drew his sword, blocking the creature's attack.
His sword vibrated with a mint-colored glow, and two small crossed swords were engraved upon its guard.
After stopping the creature's attack, Derland shouted,
"Get the princess out of here immediately! And call the Honorary Knights!"
The knights behind Derland began moving.
But then they realized something.
They were surrounded by goblins.
Derland gritted his teeth.
"Damn it... This isn't how it was supposed to go."
He pushed the creature back with his sword.
Then his eyes fell upon the lantern lying on the ground.
Derland swung his sword at it.
CRASH!
The lantern shattered.
The blue flame inside escaped into the air and suddenly burst upward like a rocket.
The brilliant blue signal shot into the night sky.
The knights standing upon the kingdom's walls immediately noticed it.
A danger signal had been sent.