This time as well, I asked Commander Range to teach me. He acted exactly like in the previous loop, polite and detached. After giving me some instructions, he left and asked Dutro to watch over me.

"Commander Range doesn't like me very much, does he?"

Dutro looked scandalized. "There's no way that's true, Your Highness!"

"Calm down."

Did Dutro think I was going to behead Commander Range if he really didn't like me? Slander against the royalty was a crime, but my father never gave me that kind of authority.

Nevertheless, Dutro looked overly concerned. He looked left and right, and then he leaned closer to whisper, "Your Highness, this is just a rumor-"

"Dutro!"

"Y-yes!" Dutro straightened up his back. "Excuse me, Your Highness."

I watched him leave, feeling a little betrayed.

What was he going to say? You should finish what you say, especially after you make people curious, damn it.

Dutro didn't come back. Instead, another knight stepped in.

"Your Highness, I'll watch over you."

This unfamiliar knight was about as old as the Commander. His tone was respectful like everyone else, but the words he uttered earlier sounded like a threat.

He wasn't just a low-ranking knight, for sure.

"Shall I help you with your training, Your Highness?"

I blinked, taken aback. "What?"

He tilted his head. "Training is more effective when you have a sparring partner."

Ha... This guy had guts. I had to admit that. Most knights here became a nervous wreck around me, but this guy could look at me in the eyes. I didn't dislike that.

I pointed my sword toward him. "What's your name?"

The man smirked. "My name is Gevanni."

We circled each other. Gevanni must be a highly skilled knight. Nobody held a sword in a relaxed manner quite as he did. Even though he wasn't, I would still lose.

In this duel where the opponent had an unfair advantage, I was forced to defend.

In response to my defense, Gevanni charged forward. He was really fast, as expected of a knight. I quickly brought up my sword to deflect him, but with one smooth thrust, he disarmed me quickly.

It was over in a flash.

I picked up my fallen sword. "Again."

Gevanni laughed. "Why don't you try to attack me this time, Your Highness?"

I moved into an offensive position. If there was no difference whether I went into offensive or defensive, then might as well charging with all I had.

I swung my sword. "With pleasure."

I attacked him again, again and again, but he still managed to disarm me every single time. In between attacks, he'd taunt me, making me lose my cool. He was practically toying with me.

Gevanni didn't use his sword the way a knight would. He used free-styled swordplay and dirty tricks, surprising his opponent in every turn. In a battle, people like him and Derita, who set aside the moral ground, were always the most dangerous.

He said that he wanted to help my training, but there was a high chance Commander Range sent him here to crush my spirit and made me give up.

"Again."

All my muscles were protesting. If I kept up like this, tomorrow I wouldn't be able to move.

Gevanni regarded me. "I'd love to, Your Highness, but it's already time for lunch."

"Oh." I looked around.

He wasn't lying. The knights were already gathering to distribute food among them.

I let go of the sword in my hand. My hands were trembling.

"Your Highness, why don't you eat with us?"

"Huh?"

I always ate my lunch alone. This was one particular habit that I didn't feel like changing. Before I could refuse, Gevanni had left my side, and within a blink of eyes, he was back with two bowls of soup, then proceeded to shove one of them into my hands.

"Your Highness!" Dutro jogged toward me, waving energetically. "Are you going to eat with us?"

"I don't-" I faltered when he peered at me with big doe eyes. "Uh, I will."

Dutro's face lit up like a puppy. He guided me to where some of the knights were sitting in a circle. They looked like they were about to trip themselves when they saw me coming closer with a bowl of soup in hand.

||Erik||

The text message popped up between me and the knights, almost as if it was trying to create a wall.

||Don't get too close to them||

I watched the floating text for a second longer.

I knew this more than anyone.