“Seraphine, you’re coming with us to the capital next month.”

What?

“There are some circumstances… “,  my Father added with a tired sigh.

“Seraphine,  you know that Prince Alexander has a sister, right? “

“Yes, Father.  I’ve heard Brother Alex mention her before. But I’ve never actually seen or even met her. “

Hmm… What was her name again? I think it was Trinity? Though, Brother Alex didn’t talk about her very much. It seems there is some situation that makes her unable to leave the castle grounds.

“Ah, you’re talking about Trinity,  Father. I heard she's sick. Every time Alex talks about her,  he has a sad look on his face. “

Hm? She’s sick?

“Yes, for all her life, Princess Trinity has suffered an unknown disease that left her bedridden and unconscious for most of her life. She can only stay awake for a few hours a day.  “

“But Father,  how could that be? Can’t the royal family cure her?”

“They tried, Ser. They summoned all of the most qualified doctors in the kingdom, but they still can’t diagnose her. “

“No way…”

She can only stay in bed for most of her life? I can’t imagine living like that. If I can’t spend my time with my family every day I’m sure I’ll be really sad. Brother leaving already made my heart hurt, not that I’ll ever say it. But to be only able to stay awake for a few hours, she must have a really hard life.

“What about the Mages Father?” I heard my brother.

“After the doctors failed, of course, the royal family’s next move is to bring in the mages. But all they can find is that Her Highness's mana pool is always almost empty.”

All living things have mana. It’s basically what fuels everything. Mana is stored in the body and the amount of mana that can be stored is limited only by the body. From what I've heard from my tutor, some say that you can increase that limit with training, others say that the amount of mana you can have is fixed by birth. There’s even a belief that says if you become a devoted believer of God, you will be blessed with more mana.

However, for now, nobody knows the full truth about mana.

But for Princess Trinity, it’s not that her body can’t store mana, it’s just that there’s little to no mana in the first place, making her unable to live properly.

“Don’t make such a sad face Seraphine.” I heard my mother chuckle.

“Stop with the somber tone Darling, don’t you see you’re making our dear Ser sad? Besides, that’s all in the past now”

“What do you mean it’s all in the past Mother?”

“It means, Ser, is that Her Highness Princess Trinity is showing signs of recovery. Last year, Princess Trinity stayed conscious longer than usual, and from that day onward, the amount of time she was able to stay awake steadily increased. It's a remarkable improvement, considering the doctors and mages could find no solution before.”

“That’s great news.” My brother exclaimed with a cheerful voice. I couldn’t help but smile.

“And that’s why you’re coming with us to the capital, Ser. Because of Princess Trinity's condition, she’s unable to socialize and doesn’t have many people around her. So, Her Majesty the Queen asks me to bring you since you and Her Highness are around the same age. “ said my Father.

“Oh! So she wants me to meet the princess? But what should I do when I meet her?”

It’s a bit embarrassing but aside from my family and the servants, I don’t actually have any friends my age. I’ve been too focused on my training to be able to properly make some friends. I don’t really regret it though since to be a knight I must first become strong.

“Don’t worry too much Ser! I’m sure Princess Trinity would be excited after seeing our cute Seraphine!”

“Hehe, your Brother is right, dear Ser. Laura just wants her daughter to have a friend. What mother doesn’t want that? I am sure Princess Trinity would be delighted. Who wouldn’t after seeing our cute Seraphine?”

“Brother! Mother! Stop teasing me!”  After that I heard my brother and mother laughing, even my father seemed to be chuckling a little. Why do they keep teasing me?

...

After Seraphine and William left the room, only the Duke and the Duchess remained.

“Are you sure about this, Sylvie?” the Duke asked.

“If this works out, our daughter would have to stay in the capital for a month every three months.”

“I can’t say I’m fine with this either, dear,” the Duchess replied.

“But, Seraphine… all she has been doing for the last two years is training. At her age, William was already going around with us to events and banquets, making friends. Compared to him, all Ser has is us and our servants. I want her to have someone she can call a friend.”

“Is it not too soon?” the Duke questioned. “After all, she's only ten. She doesn’t need to build connections for at least a few years.”

“I say friend, Griffith, not connection,” the Duchess clarified with a slight scowl on her face. “Laura and I first got to know each other roughly at her age, and look at us now. I hope Seraphine will have that kind of relationship with Trinity in the future. What kind of mother doesn’t want her daughter to have friends?"

~*~

Today is the day we depart for the capital! Since this is my first time going to the capital, I’m really excited! I wonder, what will I find there? Will it be different from our city? Brother said that the cake in the capital is sweeter compared to the cake in our city, I can’t wait to try it out later!

I also wonder what will happen during our journey, I’ve never traveled so far before. It looks like we’ll be on the road for 5 days. There must be a lot of things to see. Maybe we’ll even encounter some monster! Anyway, I’m sure our journey is going to be so much fun!

…

“It’s boring!!!!!!!” I frowned while crossing my arms in frustration. It’s been two days into the journey and nothing happened. While the view was nice for the first few hours, only being able to sit in this confined space is proving to be really frustrating.

“Haha, what do you expect Ser? Of course, nothing is going to happen,” I heard my brother laugh beside me, “If something were to happen, then that means someone is not doing their job correctly, and will face Father’s wrath when we get to the capital.”

“Hmph,” my father snorted, “The road to the capital has been maintained regularly by the knights every few weeks as a regular task for the newer recruits. There won’t be any straggler monsters or bandits in the surrounding area.”

“I thought this was going to be more adventure-like” I muttered weakly.

“You’re still too young to experience that kind of journey, Seraphine. Besides, I won’t let you do any dangerous tasks before you can survive the deep layer of our backyard.”

Hearing my father say that, my body unconsciously flinched.

The Dreadbane Woods, the nightmare of aspiring knights, was the Ashford Family's backyard. It was a vast and dark forest, filled with all kinds of monsters that lurked in the shadows. The forest was divided into three layers, each with its own dangers and difficulties.

The outer layer was where common monsters roamed, such as Sharpfang Wolves and Goblin Militia. They were not very strong, but they were cunning and aggressive. They often attacked in packs or ambushes, testing the squires' skills and teamwork. The outer layer served as a training ground for squires, where they learned how to work together as a cohesive unit and hone their skills in combat. Here, they practiced teamwork, strategy, and adaptability to prepare for the challenges that lay ahead.

The deep layer was where stronger monsters resided and established their territories, such as the Moonshadow Spiders or the Bonecrusher Ogre. They were powerful and dangerous, and they did not tolerate intruders. They could easily crush, poison, or devour the unwary or the weak. The deep layer represented the ultimate test for squires on their journey to become knights. It was a rigorous trial where they had to survive for a week with limited supplies in the midst of these fearsome beasts. This test was designed to simulate the harsh conditions of enemy territory, teaching them the importance of resourcefulness, resilience, and courage in the face of adversity.

As for the core, little information was known, and only the most elite of knights were privy to its secrets. It was the heart of the forest, where the most mysterious and formidable monsters dwelled. They had their own unique characteristics, and some of them were rumored to possess intelligence, magic, or ancient secrets. The core remained shrouded in mystery, reserved for those who had already proven their worth and dedication through their trials and experiences.

Overall, the Dreadbane Woods was a place of trial and growth for aspiring knights, offering opportunities for them to prove their mettle, develop their skills, and uncover the hidden depths of their courage and determination.

“Oh? What’s this? Is our cute Ser scared?”

“I-I’m not!”

“Hmm? William, I still remember when you finished your test, you immediately cried and ran toward-“

“O-oi old man! Don’t tarnish my reputation in front of Seraphine!”

“Pfft, ahaha!” my laugh filled the carriage

“S-Ser! Don’t listen to the old man, okay? I was just happy to finally be able to leave! Besides, I was still young back then! Now, I can even go to the core and get back safely without breaking a sweat!” My brother boasted, trying to save face.

“Brother cried, I wish I could have seen that ahaha!”

Just like that, we continued on our travels. It’s decided that to make it less boring, I can go and spar with my brother whenever we stop to rest and Father will tell some interesting stories of his time when he was still a knight.

~*~

“…er, ….ke …p.”

Mnnggh.

“Wake up Ser, we’re approaching the capital.”

Nnngh..the…capital…? Oh!! The Capital!

I suddenly opened my eyes and gazed outside the window. As I stared in amazement, I saw a gigantic wall, larger than the ones in our own city, surrounding the area. Upon further observation, I noticed some sort of plant life that appeared to be climbing the wall. Additionally, I could see fortified observation towers placed at regular intervals along the wall, overlooking the surrounding area. In the middle of the wall, there’s a big metal gate that serves as the entry point. Before the gate, there’s a long trail of civilians and merchants waiting for their turn to enter the capital.

“It’s so big…” I muttered.

“It’s amazing, isn’t it, Ser? Welcome to the capital, Impervia. “ my brother said with a big grin on his face.

“Woah…” I gasped as I looked around with a star in my eyes.

As we approached the long line of people, I couldn’t help but ask my brother.

“Look at how long this line is, how long do you think until it's our turn, Brother?”

“Hmm? What do you mean, Ser? We’re a dukedom, we don’t have to wait for anything. One look at our family crest and even the royal castle gate will be opened.”

“Really!?” I exclaimed in surprise.

“Haha! Of course! Just watch.”

After my brother reassured me, we moved past the line of people and steadily got closer to the gate. Soon after, our carriage stopped, and Father got off his seat and went outside to talk to the guards.

“Look at that family crest, a broken wall with a perfect shield above it, Isn’t that the crest of the Ashfords?”

“Ashfords? The one where the head of the family is said to be a second city wall? “

“Yes, the Guardian Duke, Protector of the empire.”

Woah, they’re talking about Father, Guardian Duke, it’s what Father is called during his time as a knight. Will Brother get his own title in the future? Will I get mine? The Most Beautiful Knight, Seraphine! I like it! Hehe.

“We'll stop at our mansion first to rest. “ my father's voice brought me back from my fantasy. It looks like he’s already done talking to the guards.

“Tomorrow, we’ll go to the palace.”

” Yes, Father. ” My brother and I replied at the same time.