Sigrid

“I hope he wasn’t too anxious himself, so I wish you wouldn’t hate him too much.”

“I wouldn’t dare think such a thing,” Sigrid replied hastily. Erial smiled gently.

“Is that so?”

Erial reached out and picked up a fruit from the silver tray, tossing it to Beramund. He caught it and frowned.

“Why?”

“Try to be at least half as good as Sigrid.”

“Is that what you wanted, Your Highness? If that’s your wish, I must oblige. You look beautiful today. Even your swollen belly seems to shine like the full moon—”

A second fruit came flying. Erial sighed.

“I can never say anything to you.”

Beramund grinned and rose from his seat, striding over to Erial. He lightly kissed the back of her hand and said,

“I’m always ready to accept Your Highness’s opinions.”

Erial finally laughed and swatted his arm with her fan.

“Anyway, I’m sorry for taking your time so suddenly, Sigrid. Next time, I’d like to have a more leisurely chat.”

“Yes, please call for me anytime you wish.”

Erial signaled for them to withdraw, and Sigrid and Beramund quietly retreated. Beramund whispered to Sigrid,

“Keep Her Highness’s pregnancy a secret for now.”

“Understood.”

Sigrid nodded.

After that, it was routine work. When the day shift ended, only the night shift workers remained, and all the members of the 1st Imperial Guard attended the welcome party for the new recruits.

As the protagonist, Sigrid couldn’t refuse and kept drinking. Since she wasn’t used to alcohol, her tolerance was terrible. Before long, Sigrid had the surprising experience of losing consciousness while drinking.

⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱

‘My head hurts…’

The sunlight touching her eyelids felt like it was piercing her eyes, and Sigrid felt dizzy as she turned her head. Her whole body felt stiff, and her eyes were dry.

‘What is this…?’

Sigrid tried to think through the pain that felt like someone was pounding on her head. As someone who always woke up bright and early, it was difficult for her to gauge her current physical state.

‘Yesterday… I drank a lot…’

She couldn’t remember anything after that. Sigrid tried to recall her memories, but it was in vain.

‘I’m thirsty.’

Sigrid groaned and slowly raised herself from the bed. Her mouth was parched. For the first time, she pulled the bell cord beside the bed.

Soon after, Seria opened the door and approached.

“Are you awake, Lady Sigrid? Would you like a glass of water?”

When Sigrid nodded, Seria offered her a prepared cold tea. Sigrid gulped down the entire large glass of water without pause.

“Ah—”

After letting out a soft sigh, she asked,

“What time is it?”

Her voice was husky.

“It’s just past ten in the morning.”

“Oh my—”

Sigrid jumped up from the bed but staggered.

“Lady Sigrid?”

Seria, startled, supported her.

“I’m late for work.”

“You’re off duty today.”

“Huh?”

“Lord Lunatil said you should rest well since you’re off duty today.”

“Lord Lunatil did?”

“Yes.”

Sigrid slumped back onto the bed in relief, covering her face with both hands.

‘That was really scary.’

Her head started throbbing again.

“What time did I come home yesterday?”

“Around 3 AM.”

Seria kindly omitted the fact that Lord Beramund had carried her home.

“3 AM?”

Sigrid let out another groan mixed with a sigh.

‘So this is what they call a hangover.’

She knew it existed but had never experienced it before.

‘I don’t want to go through this twice.’

Sigrid made a firm resolution in her heart. Seria asked,

“Would you like to sleep more? Or shall I bring you a drink that’s good for hangovers?”

“There’s such a thing?”

Sigrid’s ears perked up.

“Yes.”

“Please do.”

“Alright.”

A moment later, Seria brought an unidentified green drink. Sigrid drank it in one gulp, feeling like she was taking medicine. Three seconds later, she ran to the bathroom.

“Ugh—”

“You’ll feel better after emptying your stomach~”

Seria said from behind in a devilishly cheerful voice. Sigrid vowed once again that she would never go through this again.

Seria brought chicken soup for Sigrid’s empty stomach, which she happily ate.

“It’s delicious!”

“I’m glad.”

“Did you make this, Seria?”

“Yes.”

“It’s really tasty.”

Sigrid kept praising as she cleaned the soup bowl. It wasn’t a large portion, but that was just right. The warm and soft food seemed to settle her stomach.

After resting sufficiently, Sigrid went out for her afternoon shift.

Although Beramund had said she was off duty, it didn’t sit well with her nature to be absent the day after drinking heavily on her first day.

Sigrid put on her uniform and headed to the palace.

“Good day.”

Seeing Sigrid greeting, Nas asked, “Oh?”

“Weren’t you off duty today?”

“I felt better, so I came for the afternoon shift. I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s our fault for making you drink too much yesterday. You could have just rested. Anyway, hang your tag.”

“Yes.”

Sigrid hung her tag inside. She noticed that a third of yesterday’s personnel were missing.

‘Is this normal, or is it because of yesterday’s drinking?’

The 2nd Knight Order wasn’t known for high attendance either. When she was in the 6th Imperial Guard, she didn’t pay attention to such things.

“Is Captain Bera— not here?”

“He’s usually with His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Ah.”

Sigrid nodded.

‘So Beramund was close to the Crown Prince. Then wasn’t he trusted by His Majesty the Emperor?’

Once again wondering ‘What have I been seeing all this time?’, she sighed.

After organizing spare clothes in her personal locker, Sigrid received her assignment from Nas.

‘Since it’s two-person teams, today’s partner is—’

“Ankertna, you’re with me today.”

Sigrid hesitated for a moment at the person patting her back, thinking, ‘Um, what was his name again?’

“Orut Alkerans.”

As if reading her mind, he answered.

“Ah, I’m Sigrid Ankertna.”

“I already know.”

He smiled amiably. Judging by his southern accent and skin tone, he seemed to be from the south. His name suggested that too.

‘Is he about my height? No, a bit taller.’

Orut’s height seemed to be in the early 170cm range.

“Is it okay if I call you Sigrid?”

“Huh? Sure.”

“Then you can call me Orut too. I was really looking forward to meeting a female knight, and I’m glad you’re as pretty as I expected.”

“That’s probably because you haven’t seen a real beauty.”

Sigrid thought Marie-Chez was much more beautiful than herself. Orut’s golden eyes widened, then he smiled again.

“Sigrid should have more confidence.”

“I do have confidence.”

“I wish I could say things like that too.”

“What do you mean?”

“Speaking so directly.”

“Aren’t you doing that?”

‘Didn’t you just say things like calling me pretty that most people wouldn’t say?’

Sigrid tilted her head in confusion.

“Well, that’s because it’s a compliment.”

Orut puffed his cheeks.

“Besides, I think you can be confident just for being in the 1st Imperial Guard. To some extent, at least.”

“That last part is the problem. I was the best in my territory too. I was a dashing knight, but here in the 1st Imperial Guard, it’s full of similar monsters. Ah~ I thought I could tease the new recruit a bit, but even the new recruit is a monster?”

“Beramund is the real monster.”

At those words, Orut laughed out loud.

“That’s true, but… Come to think of it, what’s your relationship with the Captain? Lovers, perhaps?”

“……”

Seeing Sigrid’s face, Orut quickly retracted his words.

“Sorry, I guess not.”

“That man flirts with every woman like that.”

“True.”

Orut nodded. Sigrid looked him over. He seemed closer to a boy than a man. Are southerners all young-looking?

‘But surprisingly, his combat style is aggressive and aims for a one-hit kill.’

It’s a fighting style possible for an Aura user. Maybe it’s due to a complex about his physique?

‘Well, that might catch opponents off guard.’

Sigrid nodded, thinking that. As she went on patrol duty with him, she marveled,

‘How can he talk non-stop like this?’

Even she, who was listening, was getting tired, but Orut’s endless chatter seemed impressive. Just as she was starting to listen with one ear and let it go in the other, the duty ended, and Sigrid inwardly sighed with relief.

Later, when she told this story to Marie-Chez and Lowengrin during their day off, they both burst out laughing. Marie-Chez giggled and said,

“Southerners are really talkative.”

“Even the men. I wonder why?”

“When you listen to them, you end up knowing things you don’t want to know. It makes you want to say, ‘I’m not that interested in your private life, stop talking.'”

“They say there’s no such thing as ‘just get to the point’ in the south.”

“Oh my? Then?”

“Apparently, you have to chat for at least an hour or two no matter what. That’s why people from other regions prefer to use letters, they say.”

As Lowengrin spoke, Marie-Chez sighed.

“That’s amazing.”

“I think Siri is the only one who listens to all of that.”

Surprised by those words, Sigrid asked, “Huh? Just me?” Lowengrin nodded.

“I think everyone else just ignores him or cuts him off.”

“Is that so?”

Now that she thought about it, it did seem that way…

Sigrid sighed, crossing her arms. Marie-Chez pressed her finger between Sigrid’s brows to smooth out the wrinkles, saying,

“You’ll get wrinkles. Laugh lines are one thing, but these kinds of wrinkles make your expression look bad.”

“Got it.”

Sigrid pressed and smoothed her brow. Lowengrin, watching her, said,

“But it’s good that you seem to be adapting well.”

“That’s right. Our Sigrid has become human, she’s become human.”

At Marie-Chez’s words, Sigrid wondered, ‘Does that mean I wasn’t human before?’

“Anyway, thanks to Sigrid, I’ve been feeling pretty good lately too.”

“Because of me?”

Marie-Chez said with a bright smile.

“Those who used to say, ‘What’s the point of a woman swinging a sword, it’s just child’s play,’ are all curious now that there’s a female Aura user. They can’t ask directly, so they keep probing me, and it’s so much fun.”

As Marie-Chez laughed with an “Ohohoho,” raising her voice, Lowengrin muttered quietly,

“Marie, I think you were doing just fine before.”

“But I’m working hard these days! My dress size has gone down one, my stamina has improved, and I sleep well at night.”

“It’s important to eat well so you don’t lose too much stamina from getting too thin. Make sure to eat plenty of meat.”

Sigrid added worriedly. Marie-Chez was already slim, and to hear that her size had decreased from there… It was concerning.

“No, my weight hasn’t decreased, you know? But my size has gone down. I feel great about it.”

Marie-Chez said as she quickly popped a chocolate into her mouth. Chewing, she continued,

“Anyway, Sigrid, you’re the center of social gossip right now.”

“Me?!”

Flustered, she turned to Lowengrin, who nodded.

“Of course, you’re a female Aura user. A legendary female knight, naturally you’d be a hot topic. How you perform from now on will affect how future female knights are treated, so keep getting promoted.”

“That… I’m not sure about such things.”

“Siri, you’ll do well just by doing what you’ve always done.”

Marie-Chez said, and added with a grin,

“Actually, I’ve received a ton of subtle requests like, ‘I’d love to talk with Lady Ankertna!’ But I rejected them all.”