“Is it true?”  

“Yeah. I was surprised, too. Who would have thought it would progress this quickly?”  

Benedict murmured with an amazed expression.  

The Military Police officers readily accepted Ruchtainer’s proposal, saying that they thought that since it was the 500th anniversary of the founding of the empire, they could not just pass by. Ian pondered upon hearing the story.  

Perhaps Killian also wanted to properly compete.  

“Since we agreed to match it with the Founding Festival, there’s not much time left.”  

The Founding Festival takes place over three days every year.  

The imperial family and noble families hold extravagant balls day and night, and various street markets and festivities are set up.  

All over, diverse events take place, and for three days, the fire is never extinguished.  

But this year, in commemoration of the 500th anniversary, the Founding Festival was scheduled to run for a whole week.  

The nobles had already been preparing for the Founding Festival half a year in advance.  

“Fortunately, we managed to rent the circular stadium on the last day of the Founding Festival.”  

Since everyone had booked venues early, it was quite difficult to secure a schedule and venue.  

Fortunately, the imperial family showed great interest in the competition, and they allowed the use of the stadium owned by the imperial family.  

They also managed to arrange the other necessary items somehow.   

This is because there are few people who can turn a blind eye to the names of the military police force and Ruchtainer at the same time.  

“Instead, His Majesty the Emperor asked for an audience.”   

“Audience?”  

Ian’s face looked dubious.  

He didn’t want third parties to intervene and tarnish the sacred competition between the Military Police and Ruchtainer.  

If they intervened, unnecessary chatter, noise, and vulgarity would ensue.  

But Benedict said it was unavoidable.  

“We suddenly adjusted the schedule and arranged the venue, so we should understand this much.”  

“I didn’t propose a money-making sideshow match.”  

Ian retorted coldly.  

Receiving the audience meant collecting admission fees, and vendors would take the opportunity to sell items to the audience.  

If it were a duel between the Military Police and Ruchtainer, even selling cheap candies on the side would be profitable.  

Moreover, there would probably be betting booths set up for the outcome of the competition.  

Ian didn’t want it to become a spectacle like a horse race.  

“The world works that way, doesn’t it? What can we do? We need money too. Did we acquire all those weapons for free?”  

“…”

Translator: HaileyFranchette. Read on moonlight novels only

Ian fell silent, as if he understood.  

To carry out the plan, there were unavoidable compromises.  

“Still, there won’t be that many audiences. The knights and military police will occupy the seats, and His Majesty will carefully select the nobles to distribute seats as well.”  

However, this year, in commemoration of the 500th anniversary, the Founding Festival was scheduled to run for a whole week.  

Upon hearing Benedict’s words, Ian nodded with a sense of resignation. Then, with a contemplative look on his face, Ian spoke up.  

“Shouldn’t we conduct special training?”  

“What?”  

“You have to stand up to the military police, but you can’t play for a month, right?”   

“It’s only been a few days since spring training ended. You want to squeeze in special training already?”  

Benedict responded, frowning at the idea.  

They had recently fought battles far away due to the Western conflict issue during the winter.  

After roughly recovering from the wounds of the battles, they immediately entered spring training and only now had some time to rest.  

But if they were to insert special training right away, there would undoubtedly be complaints.  

“Wouldn’t the regular training we usually do be enough? Excessively pushing ourselves might lead to counterproductive results.”  

Even without special training, the knights received regular training for at least three hours every day.  

Some even did personal workouts and practiced in areas they were lacking.  

The knights of Ruchtainer were no amateurs, and if they were going to face the Military Police, they would naturally handle it well.  

Upon hearing this, Ian’s expression hardened with determination.  

“Are you thinking of losing to the military police force?” (Ian)  

“Lose to them?! Don’t talk nonsense!” (Benedict)  

“Then why do you sound so relaxed?” (Ian)  

“It’s not casual; it’s just that I want to give the guys time to recover…!” (Benedict)  

“That’s because everyone’s performance in spring training was lacklustre.” (Ian)  

As Ian brought up the previous training, Benedict found himself at a loss for words.  

During the last Spring Training, Ian took three days off and still achieved top performance.  

He considered the other knights weaker than himself.  

Benedict observed Ian’s behaviour and chose to remain silent.  

‘Trying to show off in various ways, huh.’  

“… You don’t think that I got first place in spring training because of my talent, do you?”  

Ian stared back at Benedict sharply, as if he had read his inner thoughts.  

“Well, honestly, it’s true that you’re a genius.”  

“Am I the only genius in Ruchtainer?”  

“No, don’t ask such strange questions…”  

As the Empire’s top knight order, Ruchtainer indeed had many exceptional individuals, considered monsters in the world.  

There were those who, at the age of ten, could lift a grown pig with ease, others could run 100 meters in just 9 seconds, and even those who could stand on a horse and shoot an arrow.  

Compared to them, Benedict, a somewhat ordinary scribe, sometimes wondered if he even belonged in the same category as these extraordinary individuals.  

However, Ian was a different kind of genius.  

Not only did he possess remarkable abilities, but he also excelled in all areas.  

If someone asked is Ian was the best in a specific field, he might smirk, but if they asked is he was the most talented among the next generation of Ruchtainer, he would nod in agreement.  

“They’re all geniuses, but the problem is they don’t put in the effort.”  

Ian said this with a tone that resembled an old man scoffing at the young ones.  

Benedict had many things to say, but he decided not to speak out.  

If it were true that the knights of Ruchtainer didn’t put in effort, then there wouldn’t be anyone in the world who did. “Carelessness is the mother of defeat.”  

No matter how confident one is in their abilities, the moment they become careless, the enemy’s blade will strike sharply.   

And Ian had experienced that from Killian once before.  

That’s why, this time, he didn’t want to allow even the slightest gap.  

Seeing Ian’s eyes burning with determination, Benedict nodded his head in agreement.  

“Once this news is announced, everyone will come out on their own. You’re not the only one who was inflamed by the word “military police force”. Don’t be in a hurry, just wait.”   

“But there’s only one month left!”  

“I understand, I said I got it!”  

Benedict turned his head in frustration.  

At that moment, young ladies caught his gaze..  

The young ladies approached Benedict and Ian, looking at them with friendly smiles.  

“It’s an honour to meet the knights of Ruchtainer here.”  

The young ladies spoke with kindness as they approached.  

Benedict glanced at Ian beside him. It was clear that the reason these young women approached was because of him.  

‘Lucky guy,’ Benedict thought.  

Translator: HaileyFranchette. Read on moonlight novels only

Wherever Ian went, he always seemed to attract the attention of women.  

‘Are women really attracted to men who look like that?’ Benedict wondered.  

In his opinion, Ian didn’t have the sturdy and solid appeal of a knight; he was rather unremarkable. But in the eyes of these women, he appeared to be different.  

Ian’s body was well-toned and muscular from years of training, but it lacked the ruggedness and bulkiness that some might associate with a knight.   

When dressed, his silhouette didn’t have a strong presence, and his sharp facial features and pretty looks added a touch of elegance.  

His shoulders were broad, but his overall frame was smaller and more angular than expected.  

In addition, Ian’s waist was slender, and his legs were on the thinner side compared to other knights who worked out regularly.  

‘If he’s a real knight, his overall appearance should be more robust, with brawny arms and thick thighs that match his waist!’   

Benedict thought, believing that the women’s standards for a ‘well-built man’ were misguided.  

Anyway, regardless of his thoughts, the women’s attention was focused on the elegant Ian.  

‘Lucky guy,’ Benedict muttered inwardly. (T/L: He thought that again  )  

However, Ian, with an annoyed expression, glanced past the young women.  

“It’s been a long time since we’ve seen you, Sir Ian.”  

“Who are you?”  

“Pardon?”  

“I don’t remember.”  

When Ian spoke nonchalantly, Barbara moistened her lips in embarrassment. (One of the ladies in the group.) 

The young ladies next to them looked at the situation and smiled lightly.   

“We met at last year’s ball, didn’t we? I’m Barbara Laine.”  

“Ah… Was that so?”  

Ian’s reaction seemed like he had absolutely no recollection.  

Watching from the side, Benedict exclaimed, “Indeed, Ian Fraus.” 

How could he forget such a beautiful woman?  

Barbara Laine was objectively stunning, and especially known among the nobility as one of the empress’s maids-in-waiting.  

“I apologize, Miss Barbara. Ian here is so engrossed in his sword training that he can be quite oblivious and lacks social finesse.” Benedict tried his best to mitigate the offence that Barbara received.  

Upon hearing this, Barbara gracefully smiled and said, “It’s alright, I understand.”  

Even though Barbara made an effort to address the situation, Ian appeared uninterested in offering any apology.  

Anyway, those conceited guys…  

Barbara gave up on receiving an apology and spoke up.  

“By the way, Ian, I heard you have a sister.” 

Barbara asked, and this time, Ian’s gaze shifted towards her.  

“Lady Sophia Fraus is your stepsister, right? That’s what I’ve heard.”  

When Sophia’s name was mentioned, Ian’s facial expression changed slightly.  

It seemed like he became more guarded upon hearing her name from a stranger.  

” Yes, that’s true.”  

“Oh my, I didn’t know. I thought she was just a distant relative of the Fraus family, even after reading it in the weekly magazine.”  

Barbara made a snorting sound as she spoke, and the surrounding women nodded in agreement.  

Benedict looked at Ian with an expression that seemed to say, ‘So, what should we do about it?’  

“You two don’t really look alike. Ian, you’ve become such a handsome and distinguished knight, but Lady Sophia is…”  

Barbara praised Ian while comparing him to Sophia.  

“It must have been tough to live under the same roof as siblings without any shared blood.”  

She didn’t forget to offer words of comfort, considering it might not have been easy for them to be step-siblings.