Chapter 02

“Uahaha! Pretty lady! If you marry me, I’ll dote on you like crazy. That is, if you don’t mind being my third wife.”

A potbellied, washed-up mercenary approached her with a sleazy expression.

Thud—

“Gaaah!”

Tamia grabbed the drinking cup beside her and brought it straight down on the mercenary’s head.

“Third wife? Is something wrong with your head?”

She even went to a matchmaking agency in the end, but…

“If you want us to find you a suitable husband, you’ll first need to submit a list of the woman’s family background, assets, occupation, and so on. As a special discount, the matchmaking fee will only be 300 der…”

Tamia walked out with her head hanging low and trudged down the middle of the street.

She couldn’t even scream out loud, so instead, she screamed internally.

‘Why is a matchmaking agency more expensive than a mercenary guild?!’

Was there really no way to find a husband without spending money?

As she wandered around looking for a husband, time passed in the blink of an eye.

The competition was already tomorrow. At this rate, she might fail to find a husband and lose the competition prize money.

That was when it happened.

As Tamia anxiously wandered around, her eyes landed on a huge sign.

[Griffin Corps Headquarters]

“Ughhh, today is finally over…”

“Sigh. I wish the sun wouldn’t rise tomorrow. Then we wouldn’t have to train.”

“Wake up from your dream. Even if a hundred suns rose, His Highness the Imperial Prince would still work us to the bone.”

“Uaaaaaah…”

Sweat-soaked knights collapsed onto the training ground floor.

This was the headquarters of the Griffin Corps, known as the strongest knight order in the Empire.

The Griffin Corps was the Empire’s greatest knight order, specializing in battles against monsters.

The Second Imperial Prince had personally founded it to reduce the rapidly increasing monster population, and only exceptionally skilled individuals were accepted as members.

They were an invincible knight order revered by every citizen of the Empire simply because of their reputation.

But they had one little problem that nobody else knew about.

“Why is everyone lying around instead of going home? Do you want to train some more?”

“AAARGH! No, Your Highness! We want to go home!”

The problem was that their direct superior was a lunatic training fanatic who had mastered the art of running his subordinates into the ground!

Even though their working hours had already ended, he was trying to put the knights through another round of training.

Kallen Rodwell, Leon’s aide and the vice commander of the Griffin Corps, rubbed his forehead.

This prince was hopeless…

“Your Highness, have you never considered getting married?”

“Why are you suddenly talking about marriage?”

“If Your Highness were to start a family, I believe you would quickly understand how desperately the members want to return home.”

“Marriage, huh. Hmm…”

Leon stroked his chin with his thumb and index finger, lost in thought for a moment.

His golden hair, the symbol of the Imperial Family, shimmered softly in the setting sunlight.

His eyes were a vivid crimson, as though they were burning bright red. His solid, lean physique, free of unnecessary fat, clearly revealed just how much he trained on a regular basis.

“You know, Kallen…”

After finishing his deliberation, Leon smiled and gave his answer.

“I have no interest in a woman who can’t cross swords with me for at least five exchanges.”

“F-Five exchanges?!”

Kallen’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

“I-If that’s your standard for a bride, Your Highness, then you couldn’t even marry a man!”

“That works out perfectly. I have no particular intention of getting married anyway.”

The knights, who had brightened at the possibility that their superior might finally get married, immediately deflated again.

That was when—

BOOM!

The training ground’s main gate was blown apart with a thunderous crash that shook the earth.

“Whoa!”

“What, what is that?”

While the members were making a commotion, the cloud of dust gradually settled, revealing the figure within.

“…Come out.”

“W-Who are you? Outsiders aren’t allowed in here.”

“Bring out the strongest person here! Right now!”

It was Tamia, who had become desperate in her search for a husband.

“…The strongest person?”

Leon’s gaze naturally turned toward the unfamiliar visitor.

It was a woman he had never seen before.

Her long purple hair was tied high in a single ponytail, and her small, white face, roughly the size of a fist, had large eyes, a neat nose, and well-proportioned features.

Her slightly upturned eyes gave her the appearance of a feisty cat.

And what drew even more attention was…

Her posture isn’t bad.

It was even straighter than that of the members currently sprawled helplessly across the floor.

The sword hanging from her waist also clearly wasn’t an ordinary sword.

Leon became interested in her and raised one hand.

“Are you looking for me?”

“You’re the strongest person here?”

Tamia, the woman who had just barged into the training ground, looked Leon up and down.

“Hmm. You look a little young to be the strongest… But I guess skill doesn’t necessarily come with age. Now, hurry up and draw your sword!”

“…What?”

“Do you even know who the person standing here is?”

Kallen quickly jumped out and placed himself between Leon and Tamia.

“How would I know? I’m seeing him for the first time today.”

“Haah, this person is the Empire’s—”

“That’s enough, Kallen.”

Leon casually stopped Kallen.

“Judging by the situation, it seems she’s looking for someone to spar with. Who knows? Perhaps she really can exchange more than five blows with me.”

Tamia raised her voice at what sounded like an insult.

“Five exchaanges? Is there really some weakling who can’t even exchange five blows with a skinny guy like you? Is that all the Griffin Corps is capable of?”

“A skinny guy…? Please, just shut your mouth!”

Kallen, caught between the two of them, felt his head spinning.

Not only had this woman suddenly barged into their training ground, but she was casually throwing around remarks that bordered on insulting a member of the Imperial Family!

Yet Leon’s face only curved into a smile.

“You’re confident you can exchange more than five blows with me?”

“It’d be a shame if it ended after just five.”

Tamia grinned and slowly drew her sword.

“Come at me with everything you’ve got.”

Oh, look at this.

She dares to provoke me?

The corners of Leon’s lips curled upward.

Ever since he had become the youngest Sword Master, he had never once lost a fight.

Even Kallen, the strongest member of the Griffin Corps aside from Leon, was afraid to cross swords with him.

And now this woman was telling him to come at her with everything he had?

“I won’t go easy on you just because you’re a stranger.”

Leon pointed the tip of his sword straight at Tamia.

“Y-You’re really going to fight that woman?”

“Kallen, just make sure you referee properly.”

“I hate people who claim they’re going to go easy on me without even having a reason. Now, here I come!”

With a mischievous grin, Tamia charged toward Leon.

Surrounded by the members of the Griffin Corps, the swords of the two men and women clashed.

Clang—!

Urgh…!

Leon almost let out a groan, but desperately swallowed it down.

W-What kind of strength is this…?!

It was the most overwhelming strength Leon had ever encountered among everyone he had sparred with.

Their swords had merely collided, yet Leon’s body was being pushed helplessly backward.

He quickly withdrew his sword and retreated, searching for an opening in Tamia’s defenses.

But no matter where he struck, she effortlessly blocked his attacks.

She even countered his blows, driving Leon into a corner.

Leon’s body staggered from side to side.

She’s on equal footing with me, the commander of the Empire’s strongest knight order?

Leon had expected Tamia’s sword to be sent flying after barely two exchanges, but her overwhelming skill left him deeply shaken.

“Why do you keep getting distracted? Do I really look that easy to you?”

Perhaps she had noticed Leon’s hesitation, because Tamia pressed her attack with even greater ferocity.

At this rate, I’ll lose…!

In the end, Leon abandoned his pride and brought out his final trump card.

He infused his sword with a bluish aura and thrust forward with all his might.

“Haah!”

But Tamia met his attack with a sword aura far denser than his own, as though she had been waiting for it.

KLANG!

The tremendous impact destroyed Leon’s stance.

“Urgh…!”

For an instant, something flashed before Leon’s eyes.

Then he felt an icy killing intent against his throat.

“…I’ve lost.”

“Pfft. That was boring.”

Tamia made a disappointed sound and sheathed her sword.

“W-Woooooah!”

“She made it past five exchanges! And she even defeated His Highness!”

“Your Highness, are you finally getting married?!”

The members surrounding the two erupted into a unified roar.

Some of them even hugged one another and shed tears of joy.

“What’s with you guys? Are you getting married?”

Hearing their shouts, Tamia widened her eyes and asked Leon.

“Stop talking nonsense. I’m not getting married.”

“No! You have to!”

“…What?”

“That marriage. Have it with me.”

Leon’s face twisted horribly after suddenly receiving a marriage proposal in front of the entire Griffin Corps.