Chapter 93 - Chapter 93: As the Commander
Daphne had officially returned to work. Her current duty was Commander of the Rose Knights Order. The Rose Knights Order was a knight unit reorganized for royal family protection, centered on female knights whose mission was to protect female royals. The main duty of protecting female royals remained unchanged, but authority that was once limited to protection had expanded, granting powerful investigative powers.
For example, when an assassination attempt occurred, they would take charge of the investigation. Training was also as strict as the Royal Guard Knights Order, not an honorary post.
Today there were no tasks outside the city, so the escort mission involved a small number of people. Daphne, without escort duty, was instructing the members' training.
She showed the Godspeed Sword example to her subordinates.
"It begins with kicking the ground, accelerates at each joint, and that accumulation transfers to the sword becoming Godspeed. Like this."
Daphne's swinging sword cut the log standing in the training ground at a speed invisible to the eye.
A roar of cheers arose.
"Obviously, muscles are needed to achieve this speed, but the timing of acceleration is important. Even with muscles, without grasping this timing, it is an unreachable realm. In the Royal Guard Knights Order, there is only one user of the Godspeed Sword. However, if this can be used, reaching the realm of the Queen of Sword is not a dream."
Daphne said so to encourage the members.
In reality, Daphne could not beat Nancy with just the Godspeed Sword, but she utilized the fame of the Queen of Sword, a tragic female knight.
The knights of the Rose Knights Order had more strength than average men, but compared to the Royal Guard Knights, they were still inferior. What compensated for that was technique, and among what Daphne could teach, the Godspeed Sword was the best.
The Godspeed Sword was difficult even for the Royal Guard Knights to master, but once the knack was grasped, it could be reproduced many times. She wanted to raise the members that high.
After the demonstration, instruction on the technique of accelerating using joints would begin. It was not something that could be done overnight, so she would not get angry even if the members did not grasp the knack. She was just thinking, how would Steve teach it?
She was able to learn quickly only because of Steve's guidance, and Nancy, who also received Steve's guidance, easily showed the Godspeed Sword in front of her. Because of that, Daphne thought her ability was not special, but Steve's guidance was special.
In reality, both ability and guidance were special, but Daphne had not realized it.
After training ended, chatting with the members began. One member asked Daphne a question.
"If the Commander and the Queen of Sword fought, who would be stronger?"
As a nature of those who favor martial arts, they tended to think who would win if two strong people were made to fight. The members who did not know the relationship between Daphne and Nancy asked innocently.
"Hmm, maybe I can win now."
"You're confident."
"Only now."
Daphne emphasized so. In reality, Nancy was currently carrying Steve's child and avoiding strenuous movement. That was why, under the condition of fighting now, Daphne could win.
Daphne knew Nancy's situation now, but she did not know about the death fake-out. Hearing the news of Nancy's death, she truly thought she was killed by Steve and cried for about three days, unable to get food down her throat.
When she visited the manor to report that everything was over and they were married, she cried again from anger and happiness, and Steve struggled to calm her.
And now, since Nancy who is pregnant cannot guide, Steve creates Nancy with Illusion Magic, and Daphne fights that. Unlike normal training, she can fight with the feeling of holding an actual sword, so she can gain realistic combat experience.
Steve, who could reproduce Ace of Sword movements according to the work manual, guided Daphne, but Daphne could not replicate Ace movements, so she fought with body usage taught by Nancy, and the win/loss was fifty-fifty. The phantom Nancy was also created with data knowing Daphne's Godspeed Sword, so special moves were often dodged.
This was a side effect of training, same as Nancy saving Steve by seeing Ace's preparatory movement.
The members did not know such background, and looked at Daphne who had confidence in beating the Queen of Sword with admiring eyes.
When work ended and she returned home, Daphne became a mother. She had a conversation about what education she received today with her eldest son, and praised him. He was still young and could not talk well, but holding educational blocks made in Archibalt Territory, he taught Daphne colors like red and blue. Daphne found that time very enjoyable.
Regarding behavior as the future Duchess, she had postponed it with family understanding, prioritizing knights, but she had no intention of postponing her duty as a mother.
Among many ladies who leave child education, discipline, and care to nurses and educators, prioritizing the social circle over children, Daphne was a rare existence.
After spending time with the child, she put the protection plan for the Imperial Zoo inspection by the King and Queen the next day in her head.
As a facility around the station, they made a national zoo, and tomorrow the King and Queen would inspect it, so the Royal Guard Knights Order and the Rose Knights Order would jointly handle protection.
The protection personnel were Oliver, Commander of the Royal Guard Knights Order, on the King's side, and Daphne on the Queen's side. When the King and Queen are together, the Royal Guard Knights Order's command takes priority, but when the Queen goes to the toilet, the Rose Knights Order's command takes priority for the Queen's protection.
While thinking various things while looking at the floor plan of the Imperial Zoo, she was attacked by sleepiness, and that day she fell asleep.
Next day, she went to the city hall and prepared for the afternoon inspection.
The King and Queen moved by carriage from the royal castle to around the station. The Royal Capital already had many people, and it was too late to lay a railway to the royal castle, so even if an imperial train was prepared, the distance the King and Queen moved by carriage was long. Also, today's inspection was around the first station, so they did not ride the imperial train.
After arriving at the Imperial Zoo, the King and Queen toured viewing animal exhibits. Daphne and the Rose Knights Order also protected the King and Queen together with the Royal Guard Knights Order.
The incident occurred in front of the tiger cage.
Among people watching the King from afar, flames suddenly erupted.
The King and knights' gazes turned there.
In an instant, two men appeared near the King and Queen. It was Teleportation magic. One was a man about one size larger than Oliver, holding a greatsword in his hand. The other was a thin middle-aged man. The thinner one was a mage, and he teleported here with his magic.
First to react were Oliver and Daphne. Both grabbed sword hilts simultaneously.
The man holding the greatsword cut off Oliver's arm who was trying to draw his sword.
Daphne was able to draw her sword and cut off the thin man's neck with the Godspeed Sword.
Oliver became one-armed, but charged the man in front of him to take distance from the King and Queen. However, the man pierced Oliver's right leg with a sword, stopping that movement.
Since the man stopped moving by stabbing Oliver with a sword, Daphne cut off the man's neck from behind.
The King and Queen attack perpetrators were defeated in less than one minute.
"To a safe place with Your Majesties!"
When Daphne shouted, the Teleportation mage belonging to the Kingdom of Cascade accompanying them teleported the King and Queen to the royal castle.
Even if there were other attackers, Daphne felt relieved that the King and Queen were safe.
And she shifted her gaze to her father, Oliver.
"I will stop the bleeding now. Someone bring bleeding stop tools! Also, seal this place. Evacuate the entrants."
With that order, a knight of the Rose Knights Order brought bandages to Daphne. Others were guiding the entrants.
Investigation of the culprit was to be handled by the Royal Guard Knights Order, and the Deputy Commander took command.
While doing the bleeding stop work, Oliver whose face turned pale from blood loss spoke to Daphne.
"Glad to see my grandson's face before dying."
"What weak words."
"Also, you've grown stronger. You can't even touch Ryan's feet."
Ryan was Ryan Thorndyke, Deputy Commander of the Royal Guard Knights Order.
"Also, stronger than me."
"I still can't reach Father."
"No, your movement was magnificent. I couldn't defeat the enemy in the end. Also, I lost my dominant arm, so even if I live, I will retire anyway."
Daphne had no words to reply to Oliver's words. A knight without a dominant arm is useless. Even her father, the Commander of the Royal Guard Knights Order, was not an exception. The arm that fell on the ground could not be reattached anymore.
The knights of the Royal Guard Knights Order also looked worriedly at the Shields parent and child, but were scolded by Deputy Commander Ryan and returned to investigation.
A heavy atmosphere covered the scene.
At that time, one of the Royal Guard Knights shouted loudly behind Daphne.
"No entry here. Leave the Imperial Zoo quickly."
"Now now. There are injured people, better treat them first."
A young man's voice reached Daphne's ears.
It was a very familiar voice. She turned around quickly.
"Your Excellency."
"I'm intruding."
Steve appeared before Daphne's eyes. He was dressed in commoner clothes, and no noble feeling could be felt at all. So, it was not strange that the Royal Guard Knights did not know Steve.
And next to him was a young woman. Because of that, Daphne's heart hurt slightly.
"Archibalt Excellency. Let him pass."
"Excuse me!"
The Royal Guard Knights apologized and let Steve pass.
"Well then."
Saying that, Steve used Healing Magic on Oliver. The lost arm regenerated, and the leg wound closed.
"Lost blood cannot be recovered, so avoid sudden exercise for a while. Ah, take the original arm back? Then I'll freeze it."
As if unaware of the heavy atmosphere until now, Steve said so in a light tone. In reality, he immediately checked the situation with a bird when the fire rose, that's why he was able to come at this timing.
When Steve noticed, Daphne had already defeated the enemy, so he just didn't use Teleportation magic.
"Thank you, Your Excellency. I prepared to retire, but I didn't think an arm would grow. Seems I can work a bit more."
Oliver stood up and bowed his head to Steve.
Seeing her father restored, water gathered in the corners of Daphne's eyes, but it stopped before spilling.
And she asked about the woman she was curious about.
"Your Excellency, who is this person?"
"Ellie, our factory designer."
"Ellie."
The introduced Ellie bowed her head. She felt awkward in the inappropriate situation, could not look at Daphne's face properly, and was trembling slightly.
"I came to sketch the design of the new animal puzzle and the doll. I thought everyone wouldn't relax if dressed in usual clothes, so I came in commoner clothes. Because of that, it caused unnecessary misunderstanding."
"Is that so. Sorry, but since there was an incident where Both Majesties were targeted, this Imperial Zoo will be closed."
"Can't be helped. I'll come again next time. Bad to interfere with work."
When Steve said that, Ellie worried.
"President, the deadline is..."
"Ah, right. Then when I return, I'll show Ellie animals with magic. Design looking at that."
"I don't understand much, but if the President thinks it's okay..."
Steve thought of showing animals to Ellie with Illusion Magic. He remembered animals he had seen including his past life, intending to make illusions.
Saying that, Oliver stopped Steve who was about to return.
"Did you witness the attack, Your Excellency?"
"No. I sensed mana, looked in that direction, and saw fire rise, that's all. Surprised how allowed approach with the Royal Guard Knights Order and the Rose Knights Order protecting."
"Actually, when the fire rose, we also looked there. At that time, suddenly two enemies appeared before our eyes."
Hearing that, Steve reasoned.
"It's probably Teleportation magic, but the timing is too good. The fire caster is likely a partner too. Two purposes. Draw guard attention and notify His Majesty coordinates. Probably scouted beforehand and decided teleport coordinates. So, when His Majesty approaches that place, use fire magic. That as a signal for the partner to come here with Teleportation magic. That was the plan. The mage who used fire magic seems to have been restrained, but committed suicide."
"You know well."
Steve, who was watching the situation, had also confirmed the mage who used fire was dead. He drank instant poison, so he could not be caught to make him confess.
Steve continued speaking the reasoned thoughts.
"Opponents who can prepare Fire Mage + Teleport Mage, and an assassin stronger than the Royal Guard Knights Order Commander are limited. Moreover, using valuable mages like disposable things means they must have a large number of mages. No domestic noble house can do that, so I think it's a foreign power. If assassination succeeds, they intend to move to military action, I think they are preparing to mobilize soldiers. Or, it's an important trump card, maybe the purpose was to kill His Majesty even after using it. Deep grudge. Well, only thinking things anyone could think of."
"No, no, thank you for valuable opinion. But, if it is a foreign power as Your Excellency deduced, we have no investigation authority, so we are at a loss."
"Please spare me handing over the bowl to me. Somehow when I go abroad, everyone's lifespan seems to shrink, and I am scolded by many people."
"You win too much. Unexpectedly."
"The cunning hare dies, the hunting dog is cooked. Winning too much is also something to consider. I think it's better than many people dying, but in the end, I become the target of elimination."
Steve's concern was that when the enemy disappeared, the King would plot Steve's elimination. When the enemy disappeared, an uncontrollable force is only an obstacle.
Sima Yi survived because of the existence of Zhuge Liang, and the country of Western Jin was born.
If Sima Yi had defeated Zhuge Liang at an early stage, Cao Rui might have eliminated him, and Western Jin would not have been established.
"I can't think there is a thing to eliminate Your Excellency."
"There are plenty of ways. Like taking family hostage."
"It's like stepping on a tiger's tail. Even if I received such an order from His Majesty, I cannot answer success."
"How about Daphne?"
"Hmm. Indeed, she is stronger than me. If she is a daughter, that blade might reach Your Excellency."
"What are you two saying!"
Laughter occurred where Daphne was angry, and Steve returned to the territory to not interfere with work.
Later, Oliver resigned the position of Royal Guard Knights Order Commander, and would give the seat to Daphne. From the record of defeating the perpetrators in the King and Queen attack incident, only a small part of the conservative faction opposed, and it did not become a voice enough to overturn the King's decision.
Thank you always for typo reports.