Chapter 187: Princess Knights Reformation
In the morning, sunlight shines through the velvet curtains.
I woke up to the sound of a small bird chirping outside the window.
「Hmm…」
「Okay, sho…」
I thought I felt something heavy on my stomach.
On my stomach, a beautiful little girl with bluish blonde hair was shaking her hips.
「Huh, what are you doing Eliza!」
「Is this what it felt like?」
For some reason, Eliza had taken off her silk nightgown and was now wearing the underwear Sherry had bought for her, with a rather small amount of cloth, and she was dancing on my stomach.
Her panties aren’t off, great… Ha, I was surprised. I felt chilled, thinking that a fait accompli had occurred. Eliza is literally just ‘straddling my stomach and jumping’ and it’s okay. It’s safe.
No, there is no safe or out when dealing with an eight or nine year old child.
「Are you trying to imitate Eleonora?」
「Yes, since you’re here, better go practice.」
What kind of practice is she doing? I can’t help but giggle.
This is no time to laugh. I think that imitating Eleonora is a little too educationally problematic. In that sense, the people around her, Eliza, are all bad adults.
She seems to be wearing underwear, so if it’s just a child’s play…
No, it’s not good after all.
「Eliza, did you get her underwear from Sherry?」
「Ku,uuu…..killl…down. Is that it?」
She imitates Eleonora’s characteristic tone better than I expected, and I burst out laughing.
By the way, I also did something like a realistic princess knight play with Eleonora. Eleonora’s play was so advanced that even if the child Eliza imitated it, it would only be funny.
「It’s about to get heavy, so could you please move away?」
「Ah, sorry. Didn’t you feel comfortable? I guess I wasn’t good enough yet.」
Eliza’s lack of understanding in certain areas, her mere mimicry without true comprehension, perhaps reflects an endearing innocence. Despite her intelligence and seemingly mature demeanor, she remains a child.
「Well, you see… I appreciated being woken up, and it was rather endearing.」
「Yes, thank you!」
In such situations, praise seems the safest course of action. But is it odd to praise this? Should I have scolded her instead? Hmmm.
Being a child, Eliza is undoubtedly influenced by her surroundings. Proper education is crucial; otherwise, we’re in trouble. But who can provide that here in the imperial capital? Certainly not the absent-minded, naturally whimsical minstrel Zither or the pervert Archbishop Nicholas. They’re both entirely unsuitable as Eliza’s teachers. And finding someone capable of nurturing her properly seems like a daunting task.
Perhaps the seasoned General Mainz is our best bet. He’s at least sensible. Although lately, it feels like all responsibilities are being piled onto the poor man, even though he claims he wants to retire. Can I trust him with this?
「Eliza, certain things are too early for practice. Save them for when you’re older. And when you’re with me, try to retain a bit more of that childlike innocence—it warms my heart.」
「Yes, I understand.」
As I gently stroked her beautiful, slightly bluish hair, she closed her eyes, seemingly content. But does she truly grasp it?
Well, no rush. Children don’t grow up overnight. Raising the young empress will be a leisurely endeavor.
When I dressed Eliza in a gown and stepped outside, Eleonora and the others approached.
「My, my, you’ve become quite close.」
For some reason, Eleonora was carrying Oracle on her shoulders. The once rebellious knight now obediently followed her lead, and Oracle shot me a confident thumbs-up.
Ah, Oracle—truly remarkable.
She’d successfully ‘persuaded’ Eleonora, or so I’d like to believe. Not that I’d ever say she’d been ‘trained’. Definitely not.
「I apologize, Takeru. It seems I misunderstood the approach.」
「Oh, no worries!」
Fantastic! Eleonora is actually—well, not ‘training’ but educating!
「Well, you see, Oracle was the one who initially made a baby with you, Takeru. Is it true that it happened in just one try during Oracle’s time?」
「It’s true, but discussing such matters in front of a child—please refrain…」
Eliza turns away, her pink-tinted ears twitching. Even after my warning, she’s imitating Eleonora again. What if she continues with these odd behaviors?
「Besides, it’s not just about the number of attempts; love matters too.」
「I appreciate your understanding, but let’s save that conversation for later.」
I guide Eleonora to another room, where we can discuss matters privately. Eliza, please stay out of this.
「Yes, I’ve truly reflected on it. Starting tomorrow, I’ll take more time, measure the pace, and proceed carefully!」
「Thank you. I’m glad you understand. But let’s avoid discussing nighttime matters in front of the child…」
Eliza, please stop imitating Eleonora.
※※※
Today’s schedule includes the parade of the Legitimate Germanian Army.
Eight thousand troops have assembled in the capital’s central square to pledge loyalty to young Empress Eliza, who sits upon a throne placed high on the balcony.
Of course, the square can’t accommodate such a massive number, so only the elite guards and various unit commanders have made it up to the balcony. Still, it’s an impressive sight.
Leading the Legitimate Germanian Army’s infantry battalion is General Gemon, who recently received the coveted knighthood from Empress Eliza herself. Sporting a distinctive blue mohawk helmet, he addresses the commanders with enthusiasm.
While the commanders are all in uniform for this grand occasion, their equipment varies—a motley mix more reminiscent of mercenaries than the regular imperial forces.
The soldiers lined up before the imperial capital are about to head to the borders for security duties or to quell any unrest that still persists around young Empress Eliza in various parts of Germania.
I approach General Mainz, who stands beside me, stroking his white beard.
「By the way, it’s quite impressive how even the unit commanders sport Mohawk hairstyles.」
「Ah, yes. That eye-catching Mohawk helm is a tradition of the fierce Rastore clan from the East. Not only Rastore, but those soldiers wearing bone armor—scale mail—and wielding crossbows or battle-axes are Tranian warriors. The Legitimate Germanian Army has a significant proportion of former slaves and mercenaries.」
General Mainz, wielding a long staff as his makeshift baton, also flexibly employs former Fist Slave Emperor’s troops like General Gemon. While the grand hall features elite Imperial Guards, including the stalwart ‘Ironwall’ Herman, directly serving the emperor, their numbers are scarce. The regular army alone can’t bear the burden due to practical constraints.
Managing such diverse forces seamlessly is a testament to General Mainz’s strategic acumen. From my vantage point, I can see that he skillfully motivates the younger knights and commanders. He lets them take the spotlight while he plays a steady supporting role.
I can’t help but wish that the Silesien forces had a seasoned veteran like General Mainz. But perhaps that’s just wishful thinking.
Nevertheless, even after defeat and civil war, the World Class Empire of Germania remains resilient. The Dyson administration initially utilized the existing Germanian bureaucratic structure for governance. And even after the tables turned, Germanian bureaucrats continued to maintain order using Dyson’s troops.
Despite differing positions and perspectives causing significant turmoil, they don’t tear each other apart. The national character of this multi-ethnic empire—to rally under the strongest emperor, transcending ethnic and class boundaries—is a unique form of pragmatism found only in a world-class empire.
「Indeed, the original Germanian Imperial Army suffered considerable damage from repeated campaigns. Going forward, it’s crucial that our spirited young recruits take the lead.」
「The decline in old-fashioned aristocrats might actually work in our favor for implementing new military reforms.」
「Hoho, indeed. With the advent of firearms and cannons, it’s a challenging era for old fogies like me. But retirement isn’t on the horizon just yet for me. We’ll use every capable knight in Germania.」
Under General Mainz’s command, there are also seasoned veterans like Baron Rahart van Letmorieux, who diligently lead cavalry units. While these former Germanian knights—once senior officers—haven’t entirely abandoned their traditional ways of fighting, their experience in guerrilla warfare has allowed them to coordinate effectively with the new musketeer units.
「Speaking of knights, thank you for lending us the Fire Dragon Salamander.」
The Dragon Knights, a cornerstone of Germania’s world class empire, were nearly wiped out during the decisive battle with the Silesie Kingdom. However, their expertise in dragon handling lives on.
「Well, honestly, the cost of feeding them was becoming excessive, and we were struggling. While I can’t lend you Louise, if Germania can effectively utilize the Fire Dragon Salamander, it benefits us too.」
Initially, we had trouble figuring out what to feed the Fire Dragon Salamander. We assumed dragons would eat anything, but they devoured three cows and five pigs in a single meal, straining our resources.
According to Germania’s dragon breeders, these mythical creatures don’t digest food conventionally; instead, they convert it into magical essence within their stomachs. Hence, Germania has a specialized dragon feed called the ‘Dragon’s Essence’ which efficiently provides the necessary magical sustenance for these creatures.
The dragon breeders showed me the actual ‘dragon fruit’ although it’s not a fruit in the conventional sense. Rather, it resembles a giant pinecone—a naked seed plant. Feeding dragons this ‘fruit’ provides sufficient nutrition, and it has the added benefit of making them more amiable toward humans.
By ensuring that dragons consume this specialized food, we prevent hungry wyverns from raiding nearby villages.
However, dragon trees—the ones that bear these dragon fruits—don’t grow in ordinary soil. If planted forcefully, they drain the land’s magical essence, turning it into barren wasteland before withering away.
The ideal soil for dragon tree growth is found in miasma holes—areas overflowing with magical essence. In the Germania Empire, dragon breeders cultivate dragon trees within the ‘Mist Veiled Sanctum’, a miasma hole.
Their expertise in dragon husbandry extends to Fire Dragon Salamanders as well.
While it takes time, nurturing more flying wyverns could eventually lead to the revival of the Dragon Knights. The dragon breeders in Germania believe that their knowledge can also be applied to increasing the Fire Dragon Salamander population.
Given Germania’s vast territories, having agile aerial forces is invaluable.
Unlike the Silesie Kingdom, which eradicated wyverns as pests emerging from magical hotspots, Germania’s dragon breeders revere these creatures as sacred beings, testing the strength of heroes. They’ve even managed to collaborate effectively with reptilian shamans—who share a similar dragon faith.
Germania’s dragon ranch serves as a supply base for Fire Dragon Salamanders. It’s a well-suited combination.
「Now, King General, as a hero of Germania, please address the soldiers.」
「Another speech, huh? Can’t be helped.」
Lately, I can’t claim to be bad at speeches anymore. After all, I’ve been entrusted with following in the footsteps of the ancient hero, Emperor Conrad. So, I’ll do what I can.
Ah, the complexities of duty and desire—the weight of responsibility and the unexpected twists of fate. General Mainz, once on the brink of retirement due to age, now finds himself elevated to the rank of Grand General. Both of us bear heavy burdens. As we stand on the balcony of the imperial palace, preparing for my speech, I take a moment to address him.
「And one more thing, Mainz.」
「Yes?」
「Look after Eliza for me.」
「…The young Empress is the future of the empire. I will protect her even if it means sacrificing this old body.」
The venerable general, his white beard flowing, kneels before me. Soon, I’ll have to return to my homeland, and Eliza’s upbringing will fall squarely on Mainz’s capable shoulders. But I trust he understands without further explanation.
※※※
After the speeches, when I return to the palace, Eleonora embraces me.
「Hey there, what’s going on?」
「Well, your work is done, right? So, five times today.」
「Huh? Wait, what are you saying? You said you’d improve after Oracle’s advice…」
Eleonora looks bewildered.
「Takeru, it’s you who doesn’t get it. I promised to do better starting tomorrow. But today, I still have some pent-up energy, so five more times. Don’t worry; this will be the last intense session.」
「Ugh! Oracle, what’s happening here?」
I protest as Eleonora firmly grips my arm, dragging me toward the bedroom. Oracle, nearby, waves cheerfully. Not the time to be cheerful!
「Remember, Takeru, sometimes you just have to deal with what’s been building up. As a man, satisfying your wife is essential.」
「Come on, Takeru. No more fuss. Be a man.」
And so, I find myself—well, let’s say thoroughly exhausted—after those five rounds. Eleonora’s final move was the ‘Final Finish Hold’.
Oracle’s teachings strike again. As I’m about to point out the overlap between ‘final’ and ‘finish’. I realize it’s too late—I’m already defeated.
Since arriving in the Germania Empire, it’s been a series of such encounters. When will this predicament finally end?