Evade the Hero and Flee! 222 A princess’s memory (29)

There had been signs. Rea started using more time on training after Ast began. She even prioritized it more than guarding me.

What had he done? I had kept silent because I wanted to enjoy it later, but this was unbearable.

“What in the world is going on?”

I had to observe the battle between As and Rea.

“Die!”

“What the..”

I saw Ast’s soldiers charge, and while Rea’s troops were more trained, Ast’s soldiers were stronger.

“What is this?”

I tilted my head. I had known Ast’s soldiers were stronger individually, but soldiers worked only as a group. Those unable to follow orders were useless. Moreover, they all lived in battle and would die in a heartbeat for a good one. Since they managed to survive for years, however, they became stronger.

I thought that was why the fight between Rea and Ast’s troops would be interesting to see, as they were opposites.

“I wanted that..”

However, both troops followed orders faultlessly as they changed formations. Blunt spears met each other, and those deemed injured and dead increased.

Ast’s soldiers were even using spears! They used their preferred weapons, which was a minus as troops. Each weapon had its own role in the field, and soldiers would need to fight accordingly. However, Ast’s soldiers refused such classification, which made them unusable.

“What had he done..”

I had heard many leaders who had tried to help, threaten, or heal them, but none had succeeded. However, they followed Ast’s orders like they would die for him.

“Charge!”

Ast raised his wooden stick, and the soldiers marched on, following the charge flag. However, it seemed that they were looking at the stick.

“For Karan!”

They were shouting the Empire’s name and fought with their expertise.

“Ah!”

Rea groaned at seeing her troops beaten, as the two were on completely different levels. While her troops were well trained and already had been elite soldiers. They would be considered the best of the best anywhere. However, they lost without any excuse.

“I have lost.”

Rea admitted her defeat and looked devastated.

“Rest.”

Ast’s soldiers lay down on the floor when he let go of the wooden stick.

“I was a bit surprised.”

Ast came up to Rea without a smile.

“Are you playing with me?”

Rea seemed to be in a pout.

“No, they were stronger than I expected.”

“....”

Rea’s face hardened even more at his words. I knew they had seen each other’s troops for the first time. Ast’s words meant he had thought he would win more easily.

“What had you done?”

I questioned Ast.

“Your majesty..I just beat them up.”

“Is that all?”

Rea put in a word, and I saw that she looked despondent. It seemed her loss had really taken a toll on her.

“Yes.”

I stared at Ast. Had the answer been that simple?

“How did you do it?”

Rea also seemed curious.

“I just hit them with this stick.”

Ast showed us his wooden stick.

“With that?”

“Yes.”

Rea’s eyes were vacant. It was only a wooden stick. A well-made one, but still a stick.

“Would you like to see what it feels like?”

“What?”

Ast raised his stick at Rea’s frown.

“You’re going to hit me with that?”

“Yes.”

While Rea seemed surprised, she nodded.

“Try.”

Rea was a knight. She was called the greatest genius in the Empire, but she trained even harder. A wooden stick would be useless against her.

“Ahhhh!”

“What?”

I saw Rea was on the ground.

“What, what did you do?!”

Rea stood up after one hit but stumbled. She was down again with two hits and started to show tears with three.

“Rea?”

I could only stare down at my best knight and closest guard.

“You are impressive, Sir Rea. My soldiers lasted three hits at the most.”

Ast looked down on Rea with satisfaction before raising the stick again.

“Sir Ast! You..you can stop now. I think that’s enough. Ahh!”

However, Ast lowered the stick down again.

“Argh! What?!”

“Sir Rea! You’re amazing!”

“Stop...”

I had to turn my gaze away for a moment at the situation.

“What is that stick..”

“It’s something I made to train them well with love.”

I saw Rea rolling on the ground. I could not see how love had anything to do with this.

“Ast, don’t you think that is enough?”

I did not want to see Rea suffer like this anymore.

“If you say so, your majesty.”

Rea closed her eyes as Ast lowered the stick again.

“Rea, are you alive?”

“I did not die. Why would I do something so drastic?”

“I thought death may have been the preferable choice.”

I had only felt pity at seeing Rea’s state.

“I do not kill.”

However, he would kill someone’s social reputation or mental with ease.

“What had you made with the World Tree’s branch?”

The goddess who had saved this world would shed tears if she saw this weapon.

“I worked hard so my soldiers would learn their mistakes without being wounded.”

“How does one work hard to make a swordmaster roll about the ground like this?”

However, I now understood. If that weapon had made Rea like this, he would have been able to control the soldiers. Ast had made them the best soldiers, even if they followed only his orders.

“This is another achievement for you.”

The situation of the lands was complicated. Small countries were swaying, and even the larger ones showed trouble. The Empires were moving, and if we did, the Pernes would do so, too. Only the two countries could call themselves empires. If we fought, things would escalate in a second.

Maybe Ast would have become a legend if he went to the military in the current state of affairs.

“You would still remain with your current title.”

He may be wasting his talents but would not participate in the war if I had anything to do with it. I would remain in the palace. Which meant he would, too. I was not nice enough to let go of what I already had and liked the current situation.

“I am sorry..really, forgive me.”

“It is nothing.”

I saw my father apologize to me. It seemed that those days were over.