Chapter 21: The Selection Began
"I can't believe I'm going to say this," Kain said with a chuckle. "But, I'm nervous."
"Nervous? You?" Laif laughed. "You've been through this kind of test in the past. Why would you be nervous?"
Kain lowered his voice and spoke, "It may have to do with the fact that we might get caught for our," he paused to search for a proper word, "uh, deception."
Laif rolled his eyes at Kain's choice of words. "Relax. I don't think that whatever we're doing is wrong. It's not that we signed up as the Princess's Royal Knights to harm her for our political gain or something like it. Trust me. Everything will be fine."
The two of them stood up straight immediately when the Training Chief walked into the area. The Chief's loud voice could be heard, summoning everyone to gather and lined up.
"Commander Irvine and a few other officers are coming to observe the exam process. Line up everyone, and keep your heads down until I tell you that you can raise your head!" He warned. "Anyone dared to raise their head will be eliminated instantly!"
The Candidates lined up swiftly and soon, the sound of a trumpet could be heard, signaling that Commander Irvine was on his way towards the observation stage.
Everyone on the training ground lowered their head as the commander and a few others walked passed them. The music soon stopped and only then did the Training Chief permitted everyone to raise their head.
In an instant, gasps and whispers were heard when the candidates noticed that a well-decorated dais took place on the stage. A woman sat on the dais, but her appearance was covered with a thin sheers curtain.
A few palace maids stood on the side of the stage with their head lowered. Whispers of news that the Princess came to observe the selection process spread among the candidates. With that, their anxiety tripled with the news.
Laif craned his neck to search for that maidservant that he knew, however, she was not among the maidservants who were escorting the Princess."She's not here," he muttered to himself.
"Who's not here?" Kain whispered.
Laif turned to Kain and shook his head. He watched Commander Irvine bent down to whisper something to the Princess. Then the commander walked at the center of the stage and hit the gong.
The Royal Knights' selection has officially begun.
...
Amelia nodded as she listened to Commander Irvine's explanation of the selection's exams.
There are several stages of trial for the candidates, he explained—writing exams, stamina, archery, self-defense, and swordsman skill.
The commander explained that there were a total of fifty applicants. The candidates have gone through the stamina and writing exams since yesterday and twenty of them were eliminated.
Then he pointed out each and everyone's skills and talent—Iris Fisher, the girl with long hair, for example, was said to be really good in archery. She was the only girl who survived the first few trial and made it this far.
The Princess's eyes wandered as she searched for that familiar face of her savior. Her lips slowly formed into a smile when she saw him stood with a few other candidates. "What about him," Amelia pointed out towards a candidate who happened to stepped out from his line as the Training Chief called out his name. "Is he good?"
"That is Laif Hue," Irvine told her. "He's one of my favorite among the other candidates. Very humble but a bit impatient sometimes. He's very young, but he had an excellent skill in martial arts. It has been a while since I saw someone with skills such as his."
Her eyes trained on Laif as he picked up a wooden sword and began to demonstrate his skills against his sparring partner. As she continued to watch him, Amelia could not deny that Laif indeed had great skills.
Suddenly, she started to wonder how he would react once he found out that she was telling him the truth once he passed as a Royal Knight.
"His best friend, Kain showed an excellent skill as his." The Commander pointed towards another candidate who, Amelia recognized instantly as her savior on the night she was attacked.
"I'm positive that both of them would pass the selection," Commander Irvine continued. "I think the king would be really excited if he were to meet these two candidates. He would love to have them as his sparring partner."
The princess's smile gradually faded at the memory of her brother, the king. Commander Irvine was right. Asher would be happy to have someone with outstanding skills to spar with him. Her brother was someone who loved martial arts and sword fighting.
"They're both the two men who rescued you when you were attacked in the city if I am not mistaken?"
Amelia nodded. "They have absolutely no knowledge of my identity when they saved my life. I'm very surprised that they both signed up as my Royal Knights."
"And they still have no knowledge of your identity?"
Amelia shook her head. "No. I don't believe they do."
She watched the commander for a while and frowned when she sensed that there was something in the commander's mind. She turned to watch the trial and said, "What is it?"
The commander paused before he answered, "I'm glad that someone with their skills signed up as Royal Knights to serve you, Your Highness. And after the king's disappearance and an attempt after your life two weeks ago, we definitely need someone with their skills in our side."
"But?"
Commander Irvine took a deep breath and heaved slowly. "I'm a bit concern if they are trying to get close to you to harm you."
Amelia turned her head quickly, causing the ornaments in her hair to jingle.
Although she knew that the Commander was only concerned about her, Amelia found that she did not like hearing his words.
"You're in a very dangerous position, Your Highness. Not only from the nobles who want you off the throne but from other countries that wanted to harm Noa Kingdom as well."
Her gaze lingered on the Commander for a little while as his words sunk into her mind. "Are you implying that the two might be spies send from other countries?"
Commander Irvine nodded. "But I could also be wrong. Perhaps their intention is purely to join as your Royal Knights."
Amelia wasn't sure how to respond to the Commander's allegation towards her savior, but she agreed that she needed to be cautious.
However, her intuition told her that those two weren't here to harm her. "Do you really think might want to harm me?"
"I don't know. Only after observing them for some times can we learn of their intention of joining as your Royal Knights. Right now, there is not much that we can do right except to be wary of them."
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