The Princess Knight is Too Strong

“Hah, hah, hah, hah, hah.”

Again.

Another nightmare.

I’m sick of it.

Even though the room is doused with air freshener, I feel nauseated as if the scent of blood permeates the air.

“Huk, huk.”

Breathing heavily, I slowly lower my trembling feet to the floor.

Though rationally I’m certain there won’t be blades or saw teeth jutting out from under the bed, I hesitate several times before lowering my feet.

Silently stepping barefoot on the floor, I slowly head toward the window.

Suddenly, I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the window glass.

Evangeline’s hair, faintly reflected in the window, was no longer brilliant gold.

Like ashes left after something has completely burned, it had turned platinum white.

…Damn it, now I think I can smell burning in the room too.

“…Cough.”

-Clunk.

With a small cough, I reached out with my only remaining hand.

Perhaps because I was still half-asleep, after several failed attempts, I finally managed to roughly open the half-open window.

Then, I breathed in as deeply as I could toward the forest spread out beyond the window.

“Shaaaaaaaah, kak, kak.”

So that all the blood-scent deeply embedded in my bronchi would fly away.

“Kahak, kak…”

With dry, stiff eyes wide open, I looked up at the night sky.

Two months since the war ended.

I still haven’t escaped from that place.

[The war is over. The excruciating war that lasted for four long years has finally come to an end.]

An excited voice continued to flow from the radio. It felt as if I could feel the heat of the reporter speaking passionately if I brought my hand close to the radio.

[But we must not let our guard down! The monsters calling themselves the Demon King’s Army will always threaten human territories again! Just as the four nations that quarter this continent ended their long disputes and joined hands 30 years ago, all of humanity must once again unite as one, to completely eradicate these evil demons who call themselves an army from this land….]

-Click.

Feeling like my head would start hurting if I listened any longer, I nervously tapped the radio’s stop button repeatedly.

-Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap….

After the sound of thin metal hitting wooden blocks a few times, the radio finally quieted down.

That’s better.

-Fssssh….

Wait.

Just when I thought the sound had stopped, white smoke began to leak from the gaps of the radio.

“…Damn it.”

I looked at my left arm with resentful eyes.

Not smooth skin, but an artificial curve made of hard metal pieces intricately intertwined.

A combat prosthetic I’d been fitted with after losing my left arm two years ago.

The culmination of magitech engineering brought together by the technological prowess of all Failon Kingdom… no, the entire continent.

I heard the Delmaria Republic especially helped. Among the four major nations of the continent, they’re the most advanced in magitech engineering.

Without this, I couldn’t have punched a hole in Aslaksha’s skull.

The problem is… it’s a bit difficult to control the strength.

Actually, very difficult.

This is too extreme, though. Breaking a radio just by tapping its button a few times.

Its official name is “combat prosthetic” after all, but still, this is too much.

It scores 120 out of 100 for “combat,” but only 60, no, 50 points as a “prosthetic.”

At least in daily life, I try my best not to use my left hand, but that’s surprisingly difficult too.

“…This was all paid for with taxpayers’ money.”

With a guilty feeling, I picked up the radio and was turning it around wondering if it could be fixed, when—

-Knock knock.

“Yes, come in.”

A maid who opened the door softly and silently entered, bowing deeply as she spoke.

“Princess, your father is calling for you.”

“…My father?”

I tilted my head and asked back.

My father, the 4th King of Failon Kingdom.

When Karl Failond calls for me, it can be categorized into two main types.

Moreover, when the palace servants relay my father’s message to me, they distinguish his title as follows:

The first is “His Majesty.”

His Majesty is calling for you, His Majesty is looking for you, etc.

In this case, it’s a meeting between a king and a princess of a nation.

Sometimes palace retainers or servants may be present, or it may take the form of a three-way meeting with a representative from the council, and usually official matters are discussed.

The second is “Father.”

In this case, it’s a private conversation between a father and daughter, not between a king and princess.

The meeting place is also different. Instead of the official reception room, we meet in a small, cozy special room prepared separately within the palace.

It’s much less formal, and even if there are third parties present, they’re only family members. Servants are rarely present.

“…I understand. I’ll be out soon.”

“Very well. I’ll be waiting outside the door, so please let me know when you’re ready.”

Glancing at the maid who closed the door and left, I muttered to myself.

‘What does he want?’

I thought slowly as I changed my clothes.

The war is over. The kingdom is slowly washing away the aftereffects of war and trying to return to normal, and I’ve heard that the council is actively discussing post-war policies and measures.

Surprisingly, the differences between the upper and lower houses aren’t that significant, I’ve heard. That’s unusual for those who normally fight all day.

‘Ah, perhaps.’

Maybe marriage talks have come from the Empire.

In the original story, Evangeline was already engaged to the Empire’s Third Prince at the age of 11.

What was his name again, Oscar Valentine? My memory is a bit hazy.

I did meet him once during the two years I was preparing for war right after being possessed… but how should I put it.

He didn’t leave much of an impression. Maybe it was because even though my body was female, my mind was male.

Anyway, there was no way in hell I would willingly spread my legs in front of that guy.

Still, if the reason my father called me this time was really about marriage.

Since I don’t have an excuse to refuse, I might have to accept it.

To be blunt, after seeing all sorts of horrible things over these 4 years, spreading my legs doesn’t seem like such a big deal anymore.

After changing clothes, I placed my hand on the doorknob, and it bent on its own as the door opened.

What’s this? I didn’t even apply force.

“…I’ve been waiting. I would have opened it for you if you had called.”

It seems the maid had been on standby, holding the doorknob the whole time.

Being a maid is truly an extreme job.

On the way to the special room where my father would be waiting, the maid quietly spoke.

“…Princess. Did you perhaps bring in another new air freshener?”

“…”

How did she know? I specially procured one that wouldn’t be noticeable this time.

“I recommend not using air fresheners with such strong scents. It could damage your nose.”

Despite starting with what seemed like a weighty tone, the maid only gave a brief caution and didn’t bring up the topic further.

It’s embarrassing when she talks like that, but I understand why she reacts that way.

Right after the war ended, I once had a fit claiming I could smell blood in my room.

In the end, Sir Scabbard had to come personally and physically restrain me.

‘I never imagined I’d create a cringe-worthy trigger in this world.’

But… I can still smell it.

“Princess, we’ve arrived.”

In front of a door located in a corner of the palace. The maid turned toward me and said, slowly bowing at the waist.

“His Majesty is waiting inside.”

“You’ve come? I’ve been waiting.”
My father welcomed me with a much less formal tone.
“…Hello.”
I awkwardly nodded my head in return, then hesitantly sat down in a chair.
…This feels awkward.
After 4 years of getting used to sitting on the ground, on rocks, and slumping in chairs.
“Sit comfortably.”
Glancing at me as I sat awkwardly with my legs tightly together, my father smiled.
“The reason I called you today is because…”
“Is it about the engagement?”
“Hmm?”
My father asked back as if he didn’t understand. Caught off guard by this unexpected response, I stammered a bit.
“Uh, well. I’m of age now, and that, what’s his name. I thought you called me because marriage talks came up with the Empire’s Third Prince…”
“No, no. It’s not that.”
“…I see.”
My father smiled and shook his head. Then, he quietly put down the teacup he was holding on the table.
“The council suggested sending you to the Academy.”
“…The Academy?”
Just as I was wondering if we had such a thing in our country, my father continued.
“Thirty years ago, a peace treaty was signed between the four nations that quarter the continent.”
“Ah…”
“At that time, as a symbol of peace between the four nations, an academy was built within the inviolable zone located in the center of the continent.”
They named this place of education the Polaris Academy.
A symbol of peace and a guide—Polaris—leading humanity’s next generation.
“The Polaris Academy has requested to invite you as a special admission student.”
“From the Polaris Academy, to our country?”
I asked in surprise.
Polaris Academy, though jointly established by the four countries, is a completely neutral zone not belonging to any country.
For such a place to officially ‘invite’ a dignitary from one specific country could potentially develop into a diplomatic issue.
“Don’t worry about that.”
But my father smiled and shook his head.
“You are, so to speak, a hero who protected Failon… no, all of humanity from the clutches of the Demon King’s Army. Not just our country, but the entire continent has its eyes on you.”
“…I, I see.”
In other words, they wanted to admit me as a special student not as a hero of Failon Kingdom, but as a hero of all humanity.
If put that way, there would be no problem at least nominally.
My father smiled and added one more thing.
“We can also showcase our country’s well-being to other nations through your trouble-free stay at the Academy, as you’re practically a symbol of Failon.”
“I see.”
“The council recommended that you enroll in the Military Science Department. They said that would best leverage your reputation as a war hero.”
Listening to my father’s words, I thought quietly.
I never expected that after going through so much, I would end up going to an academy.
But as far as I know, the admission age for Polaris Academy is 17… and I’m 18 now.
As I was worrying about whether there might be issues with my age, my father spoke again.
“…That’s what I have to tell you as the king of a nation.”
“…”
After fiddling with his teacup for a long while, my father looked at me and said:
“…Eva.”
Eva was the nickname for Evangeline.
In this place where most people call me Princess, it’s a name that only my father and mothers are allowed to use.
“It may be too late to say this now, but still… I want you to rest comfortably now.”
My father’s fingers holding the teacup handle were trembling slightly.
“You don’t have to listen to those council people. You don’t have to go to the Military Science Department. You can study literature, philosophy, art, science… you can learn whatever you want to learn…”
With each word my father spoke, his voice grew increasingly shaky and faded.
“Like other children your age, like young adults… going to school, making friends, skipping classes, playing together…”
“…”
“Haven’t you worked hard enough? Born as a princess of a nation, haven’t you paid enough for what you would receive from this country in your lifetime during these 4 years?”
My father’s head slowly dropped. His voice, as if something was blocking his throat, gradually became more hesitant and broken.
“Rest, Eva. Go to the academy, and forget all about war and such things…”
Karl Failond could not finish his sentence.