The Solitude of an Emperor [TO BE UNPUBLISHED]

12 : The Knights

The sword of the knight fell to the ground as it made an ear-catching sound, making everyone look towards the Princess' direction. Their eyes turned wide as they saw the Princess still standing perfectly while holding her sword flawlessly good. She doesn't even look like she got tired of sword practicing. And she doesn't even look that challenged with the sword fight.

Princess Darya had a long sigh after she defeated one of the Imperial knights. Dissatisfied, she looked at the other knights who had their jaws dropped. She then aggressively pierced her sword to the ground, making them all stand up straight and in perfect lines.

"This is a disappointment." She announced, with her eyes going around each one of them, making them all nervous.

Everyone could only either bite their tongue or sweat in intimidation. It does not make sense that a ten-year old girl could defeat a knight that had undergone five years of training. However, Princess Darya is special among all. She had acquired many titles and achievements during her young age. She had an exceptional talent that no one could beat.

"This is an undeniably terrible result from a group of Imperial knights that are supposed to protect the Largoth Empire." Princess Darya spoke more, emphasizing their weak points as it hit them to the core.

The silence after that was deafening. The knights could not speak as they could not look at the Princess' eyes. Seeing them looking guilty, Princess Darya sighed to calm down her disappointment.

"Have a one on one battle as of now. Tomorrow, I will come back to speak with all of you." She announced before taking her sword and put it on its hilt. She left the training grounds with Ejila and Alluka.

"I have no idea that a knight could be that bad, Princess." Ejila could not help but share her criticism.

"As a senior knight, I am ashamed of such disbeauty, your highness." Alluka approved of Ejila's statement.

Princess Darya did not speak as she felt insulted by the fact that she was given such knights purposely. She clenched her fist in anger as she convinced herself to not lose her rationality and think of what best to do. As of now, she hasn't yet gotten many powerful men as allies. She needs nobles on her side, not because she will be the Emperor. She wants an ally that will continue to be her ally even if she had nothing to do with the throne.

While on her way to her room, there she came across Viscount Morata. Upon seeing the cocky smile on his lips, Princess Darya could not help but feel insulted by the fact that this man was the one who gave her those untrained knights.

"I greet the First Princess Darya of the Largoth Empire."

Even the way he bowed his head, it felt like he was purposely showing her that she is not worthy of his respect. She could not help but...

"Am I a mockery to you, Viscount Morata?"

The Viscount's smile widens after seeing Princess Darya's expression that seemed pathetic in his eyes. He felt as if he won against the First Princess, the said 'genius'. He worked so hard to be known to the public yet a ten-year old Princess could surpass him? That is unacceptable.

"It has never crossed my mind to mock the first princess, your highness, unless it has come to the Princess' thought herself."

She clenched her fist while looking at that disgusting smile the Viscount had. His subordinates in his back even had the audacity to chuckle in front of her. She really wanted to punch his face because it is annoying her. She will take down this person first among anyone else.

"That is such a taint to the nobility, Lord Morata." A man spoke from the back of Viscount Morata's group. There they saw Duke Garrett coming towards them.

Calmly, the Duke stood before her and lowered his head. "I greet the first princess. Please do not take Lord Morata's words into heart and regard it as a slip of tongue of an irrational person."

"Lord Garrett-"

Duke Garrett's eyes pierced through Viscount Morata's making him stop and look at her.

"I apologize for my indecency and irrationality, your highness." He apologized not because he had done something to her but because Duke Garrett just signalled him to do so.

Princess Darya could only stay silent, observing them. 'They really think that I am still a ten year old child who does not know reality.'

Duke Garrett, he is a good man, a good example of nobility. However, he is ambitious and is not satisfied with his current position as he wants to surpass anyone in this Empire which is... the Emperor. He wants to be the Emperor, the one that is on the top of everything in this Empire.

The two nobles finally left her as she remained silent while walking to her room. When she arrived, she immediately attended to the bath. She was still silent while she was deeply thinking about how she could take control of those two nobles. It has been six years since she lived a different life however she seems to be getting impatient as time goes by. She could not wait for that time when those people would revolve around her fingers.

"I could not get enough of your hair, Princess."Ejila suddenly spoke while she was brushing her wet hair.

"Black hair is such a rare beauty. There are only a few people who have this colour of hair."

"In the other world, this colour of hair is the natural one." She wanted to tell them that but it would be no good if she said so.

Now that she remembers it, how many lifetimes did she spend in the other world? It was many lifetimes that she could not even remember the last time she died. Right, how did she die in her fourteenth life?

With this thought, she got troubled sleeping at night due to her inability to remember. It felt as if she had forgotten something again. She had forgotten her fourteenth life! She could only remember that she does not want to forget her 14th life as it signifies the best lifetime she had. But why did she think about that? Why did she tell that it was the best lifetime? Why can't she remember?!

Looking sleepless, the next morning, she met many people to have her plan executed. She talked to one of the five captains of the Imperial palace to train her knights. After that, she went to town to talk to the designer of the knights' uniform and asked him to make more uniforms.

While on her way back to the Imperial palace with a carriage, she was slouching on her seat and got woken up by the sudden stopping of her carriage.

"We are under attack! Protect her highness!"

Upon hearing that, Ejila panicked as Alluka got alarmed. Alluka opened the carriage to go out as he saw five assassins attacking the knights who were guarding Princess Darya. He was about to attack when a group of knights came to rescue and in just barely a minute, the assassins were annihilated.

Alluka was amazed by the swordsmanship of one of the rescuing knights. He almost thought that it was a captain but judging by the colour of his uniform, he is an ordinary knight whose job is to watch and guard the town.

Ejila was hugging Princess Darya to protect her in case an arrow was coming. But then Alluka opened the carriage's door and announced, "Everything is taken care of, your highness."

Ejila sighed in relief as she broke her embrace to the Princess.

"A group of the town's knights in duty have come to rescue, your highness." Alluka further announced.

Princess Darya nodded as she went out of the carriage to meet those knights. Upon stepping foot outside the carriage, her eyes immediately landed on familiar looking faces. She stopped a bit and looked intently at them while they stayed in line in front of her.

Her eyes specifically looked at the man in his silver hair while it covered his eyes. It was still very fresh in her memory at that time this man tried saving her from the Hapra Forest. It was the Captain and his group, however they are just ordinary knights at this time.

***
END OF CHAPTER 12
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Chapter character

Sir Alluka - Darya's personal knight