「Yes, please! Please start being friends with Carol!」
「U-Umu……」
To Wilhelm-sama’s words, I was moved. My relationship with Wilhelm-sama, was only『Grandfather’s friend』.
And even from Wilhelm-sama, it was only『Friend’s granddaughter』.
And that, Wilhelm-sama made me a friend of his.
Not calling this as an advance, what else would you call it.
And, Wilhelm sama said, to start from being friends.
Because he said that it is for start, there is the path that from friends, step by step, gradually, we will become lovers, and I will become his wife.
If it was for that, I will not spare any efforts.
This only means, that it is the test given to me by Wilhelm-sama.
「……Captain, please excuse me, I will be going to work」
「Ah, Albert, but!」
「You are friends right? Then, I am not as clueless, to say something about interaction with friends. My lovely Carol’s guide, please take care of her okay」
“Ha〜”, letting out a huge sigh for some reason, Big Brother left.
I have not thought about it, but when my marriage with Wilhelm-sama was decided, Big Brother’s position would be very complicated.
Wilhelm sama is the captain of the knights which is the highest position in the order of knights. And Big Brother is only a mere knight.
And in the case where I became together with Wilhelm-sama, Wilhelm-sama would be Big Brother’s brother in law.
I only wish, that it would not have effects on Big Brothers work.
「Well then, Wilhelm-sama. Will you please be with me?」
「……ahh, understood. I will guide you」
「Thank you very much, Wilhelm-sama」
And, I started to walk with Wilhelm-sama.
Natalia is just behind, but only Wilhelm-sama enters my sight.
This, it might already be something called as a date. Thinking of that, my cheeks suddenly blushes.
「This is, the weapon storage. In an emergency, everyone in the garrison will take weapons from here, and go to battle」
「Do you not carry weapons usually?」
「Yeah. The mock battles are usually held using wooden swords. Even the troops patrolling around, they do not have real weapons. It is our work to protect the people of the city, and we should never point our blades towards the civilians」
As expected of Wilhelm-sama, his words are also gallant.
As long as a noble person like WIlhelm-sama is the captain, the order of knights of this country would never run to evil.
「Just ahead, it will be the training grounds. Ahead……it might be too stimulating to Lady Carol huh」
「Wilhelm-sama」
「Mu……*Gohon*, it might be too stimulating, to Carol」
When I showed him a little sulky face, Wilhelm-sama corrected it without saying anything.
I do not want to be called as “Lady”, “Lady”, forever.
In the first place, “Lady” is what you use with people unfamiliar with or treating them as children. A lady, is very embarrassing to be continued being called by that.
(TL: Wilhelm calls her キャロル嬢 = (young) Lady Carol. 嬢 = as young lady. And Carol uses 淑女 = (noble) lady, well, as a noble lady like herself)
「I am fine. If it is Wilhelm-sama’s workplace, I want to see everything」
「Mu, but……」
「What they are doing, I want to know. Please, do not be reserved, please guide me」
The place called training grounds, I am sure that mock battle being held there.
The appearance of the brawny knights fighting by themselves, it is true that it might be too stimulating for me.
However, it is because there is training like these, that they would become strong knights. If that is so, I want to see all of it without skipping.
「Fine……then」
「Thank you very much, Wilhelm-sama」
Wilhelm-sama, just like that, opened the sturdy door.
And ahead of there, it looks like it was a circular space. It has no ceiling, and it seems like a courtyard.
If only, there were no fights being done there thoroughly, though.
「UUOOOOOOO!!」
「HAAAAAAAA!!」
「GOFU!!」
「URAAAAAAA!!」
I can hear fierce shouts. They are on rampage as if it was a quarrel.
And on top of that, they are not wearing full equipments like the normal order of knights, and most of the knights were half naked. I did not think, that they were training with that kind of appearance.
It is true, that training while wearing full equipments, it is very tiring.
They are fighting using wooden swords, but when it is being swung by knights that has a good build, it is no different to a blunt weapon. There were also ones who had lost their consciousness within them.
Blood and sweat flying around.
Reverberating loud voices.
Spirit as if it was struck like a hot breeze.
It is frightening, I honestly thought.
But.
I could not let my eyes off.
This is, the fight between men with full power. It is only a scene of that.
It is a space, where a person like me could not enter.
*Piiiiiii*, with that high-pitched sound echoing, it signed the end of the scene.
「The fight earlier, is the training for a skirmish」
「A, skirmish?」
「Yeah. The real fight between armies, has tree stages. First, is the interception against a charge. Next, the skirmish were both enemies and allies are mixed everywhere. And lastly, the pursuit against a fleeing army. Right now, they are training for a skirmish」
I do not really understand, but it is probably a necessary training.
I have only read love stories up until now. I wonder if it is better, to read military or war scripts to understand Wilhelm-sama better」
「The skirmish, is something that is hard to get used at first」
「……is that so?」
「Yeah. The enemies and allies are mixed together, and you could see everyone in front of you as an enemy. It is the more when with new soldiers. There are even cases that they might accidentally cut their allies……that is why, a training like this is necessary」
「……」
I do not understand it very well, but the history of fights that Wilhelm-sama had stacked, I understand.
Wilhelm-sama, is a person, who have placed himself in the battlefield for more than 40 years. That deep experience, is probably coming from many battles.
For me, it is something that is very hard to understand.
That is, war.
「Wilhelm-sama」
「Mu?」
「Is Wilhelm-sama……not, afraid?」
With the sound earlier, it looks like it was their break, and the knights were resting their bodies freely. Even though it was with wooden swords, they were really getting along with each other that you would not think that they are slashing at each other earlier.
This is a training, and it is different from a real fight. They probably know about that.
However.
Although I have seen only one part of that.
For me, I could see it as very frightening.
「I am scared」
「You are, scared?」
「In the battlefield where you do not know when you are going to die, there are none who are not scared. That is why it is my work, to train myself, train my subordinates, and make even one more of them able to survive. If the true danger for this kingdom comes, there might be even a situation, that I would exchange for my head」
「No way!」
I cannot believe it.
A situation that Wilhelm-sama would need to exchange for his head, what in the world is it. For me, the survival of Wilhelm-sama has a higher priority than the kingdom’s fall.
「That is why, I did not plan to have a wife. People die with my command. People that I sent die. I steal the knight’s futures. It is because I have that stature, when the time comes, I need to save this kingdom even if I risk my own life」
「……but」
「I do not need somebody, to cry for my death……that, is what I have thought」
“Ha〜”, Wilhelm-sama let out a huge sigh.
Only hearing that, I already am about to cry. If Wilhelm-sama were to die, I will surely cry so much. I will cry until my tears run dry. And for sure, I will weaken just like that.
And if there is a poison, I might drink it at once.
「But, Carol will……if I die, you will get sorrowful」
「……yes. I think that I will wail, just like a child」
「If I let Carol cry, I would not have a face to show Dukeridd huh」
Wilhelm-sama, crosses his arms.
It seems like he wants to say something, but he is thinking twice. I, waited for those words.
Finally, Wilhelm-sama, started to talk.
「Then, I……cannot die huh」
「Yes. Please live a life together with Carol, Wilhelm-sama」
「With that then, I wonder until how old should I live……」