Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Twelve year old
"All right, that’s enough for today, Bennett. You’ve learned all you can from me. The true lessons of the sword can only be taught on the battlefield," Instructor Aiden declared, sheathing his sword and placing it on the rack.
Nine-year-old Bennett bowed respectfully. "Thank you for everything, Teacher."
Aiden nodded, a small smile on his face. "Good. Now, you should begin your magic studies. You turned nine this year, correct?"
"Yes, I have."
Aiden gently ruffled her hair, and Bennett looked down, her face impassive. She didn’t like being touched, but she didn’t show it.
"Are you done with your sentimental farewells? It’s not like the instructor is leaving the palace," David said, glaring at Aiden. "He’s still the knight captain, you know."
Aiden feigned hurt. "Your Highness, can’t you show me just a little respect?"
David’s lips twitched as he saw Bennett turn and give him a calm but pointed look.
"Tch, don’t pretend I don’t respect you," he muttered.
Aiden snickered, hiding behind Bennett. David’s fists clenched in frustration, a vein popping out on his forehead.
"Ahem, okay, training is officially over," Aiden announced, turning to walk away from the training ground.
"Brother...!" A cheerful shout made Bennett turn her head. A young girl in a white dress was running toward them, a bright smile on her face.
’Why is Princess Hazel here?’ Bennett thought, watching as David affectionately ruffled the girl’s hair, earning a playful protest.
’I miss Alia. We were the same as these two. I just want time to pass quickly so I can find an antidote and kill that bastard. This age is holding me back.’
Hazel’s gaze fell on Bennett, who was clenching her fists tightly, a dark expression on her face.
"Ah, Brother Bennett, you’re here too." Hazel quickly turned shyly, fussing with her hair.
Bennett was pulled from her thoughts by Hazel’s voice. She tilted her head, watching the princess comb her hair in a hurry, then bowed formally. "I hope your day has been happy, Your Highness."
"Ugh, Brother, how many times have I told you not to be so formal?" Hazel whined, pouting.
"Two hundred ninety-nine times," Bennett replied, without hesitation.
"I’m not asking for a number! Just don’t treat me so formally. We’re friends, aren’t we?" Hazel insisted.
David watched their exchange, a calm expression on his face, though a hidden glint in his golden eyes was impossible to decipher.
"Princess, I should be going to my room now." Bennett turned and walked away, peeling off her armor to reveal her blue formal clothes underneath.
"So, why did you act so childish in front of him, dear sister?" David’s piercing gaze turned to Hazel, his eyes becoming cold and dull.
Hazel snorted, her childish demeanor vanishing instantly. "Hmph, I could ask you the same thing. Why do you become a different person around Brother Bennett?"
"Let’s forget this. This argument won’t get us anywhere. Where is Princess Lillian? Did she attend her sword class?"
Hazel rubbed her neck, sighing in exhaustion. "You know she’s not the warrior type. She has no interest in swords, so she skips class most of the time."
A shared sigh escaped both of them. Without another word, they turned and walked toward their rooms.
’I don’t know how many times we’ve had this argument. I don’t even know why I act like that myself.’
---
Three years later...
"Knock, knock."
"Come in." Bennett stood up from her study table, magic formulas scattered across the surface.
"Miss, the Ball has started, and officials have summoned you there."
"Understood, Lily. You may go." After Lily bowed and left, Bennett strode toward the throne room.
"The young master of the Blacknight family has arrived," the guard announced.
Bennett exhaled and entered the grand room. The first thing she saw was the nobles scattered throughout, talking and laughing.
"Bennett, over here." She looked up to see David standing in a corner, raising his wine glass toward her.
She walked over to him, taking the glass from his hand. While she sipped the wine, she glanced at David standing beside her.
’Why is he so tall now?’ she thought, annoyed. ’I can still take him in a fight, but it’s frustrating that I only reach his shoulder.’
David, noticing her eyes scanning his body, looked at her in confusion.
"Emperor William and Empress Evelyn have arrived!" a herald announced. The musicians began to play a flourish of drums and horns.
"Psst," David whispered. "Don’t forget to send letters. The situation has escalated in that territory."
Bennett watched the emperor take his throne and nodded, a slight smile on her lips. "I’ll send letters, but don’t expect me to ask for help from a weaker person."
"Hey, are you challenging me right now?" David protested, a frustrated expression on his face despite the grin that belied his words.
’In three years, he’s become so much friendlier... and his smiles are more frequent,’ David thought to himself with amusement.
"But how did you know where the Emperor will assign me?" Bennett asked, looking at him. "I don’t even know myself."
David shrugged, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "You don’t need to know that. What I can tell you is that your position was decided years ago."
’What years ago...’
"Sir Bennett, come forward! The Emperor will bestow upon you..."
Bennett quickly walked forward, ascended the stairs, and knelt on one knee.
"Are you ready to lead an army to a land where you could be killed without any backup?" The Emperor stood from his throne, holding a jewel-encrusted sword in his hand.
"Yes, Your Majesty. I will give my all," Bennett replied.
The Emperor nodded in satisfaction. From her throne, Empress Evelyn sighed with worry, her gaze fixed on Bennett’s face, a face so similar to her deceased friend’s.
’I hope you don’t die there. I don’t want my friend’s son to die for some achievement,’ she thought.
She watched as William placed the sword on Bennett’s shoulders, one by one.
"Now I announce, as the blood of the Blacknight family who swore their loyalty to the royal family decades ago, it is time for you to lead your army toward Maine territory. As your emperor, I assign five thousand soldiers to you."
---
After the ball and ceremony, David stood by his window, watching as Bennett mounted her black horse. The servants who would accompany her were already seated in wooden carriages.
"It’s time to say goodbye, huh..." he muttered, watching the knights march away from the palace. "The next time we meet will probably be in six years."
He placed a hand on his chest, his heart thudding with an unnatural rhythm.
’Why am I so reluctant to part ways? Stop thinking these thoughts, David. As the Crown Prince, I have my own responsibilities, and he has his.’
---
Marching through the forests, Bennett raised his hand, stopping the company near a lake. He looked up at the darkening sky.
"We’ll rest here," he announced. "Set up camp. We march again with the first ray of sun."
"Yeah!" the knights cheered, dismounting their horses and beginning to tether them.
With a soft thud, Bennett jumped from his own horse, handing the reins to his vice-captain.
"Captain, your tent is in the center there," the vice-captain said, pointing to a large camp the knights were setting up.
"Thanks for letting me know. After you tie the horses, assign some knights to stand guard and secure the camp. Have them work in shifts."
After assigning the tasks, Bennett walked toward her tent. Her gaze fell on her maid, Lily, who was waving at her cheerfully.
Bennett gave her a small smile and a nod. "Rest for now. You must be tired after sitting in that carriage for so long."
Lily nodded and hopped away.
Inside her tent, Bennett sat on a simple mattress and pulled a map from her pocket. Her gray eyes scanned the route, then lingered on their current location.
She sighed, rolling the map back up. "There are still five hours of travel. I don’t know what the situation will be like when we get there."
She flopped back onto the mattress, staring up at the cloth ceiling of the tent.
"I hope it’s not as bad as the rumors say. Half of my research is already complete; I can’t waste time on unnecessary things." She sat up again, exhausted. "I can’t waste time."
Placing a hand on her bag, she pulled out a potion bottle she had made with the palace pharmacist.
"This can only hold off the poison for two months at most. I have to work alone now; I can’t ask others for help."
Taking papers from her bag, she began scribbling down her mistakes and looking for solutions in her books.
---
"Ah, Young Master..."
Bennett’s tired eyes widened as she heard the angry voice. She quickly tried to shove her books back into her bag, but sighed, seeing Lily standing there with an annoyed expression.
"Young Master, how many times do I have to say this? You have to rest. You can’t keep going on like this."
"But..."
"No buts," Lily insisted. Bennett watched as Lily picked up the papers and began putting them back in the bag. "Do you realize it’s almost a new day, and you’re still working?"
"Alright, my fault. Let’s go, it’s time to march," Bennett said, standing up from the mattress.
"No, lie back down and go to sleep. There are still three hours before anyone else wakes up," Lily countered. "I came here because I knew you’d be doing this. Now sleep. I’ll be sitting right here watching over you to make sure you rest, hmph."