Who Brought the Head Maid Back? - Chapter 44

Suddenly, Jack remembered something and slapped his forehead.

“Now that I think about it, I haven’t told His Grace the Grand Duke about that person yet.”

Dwayne’s eyes widened, and he followed suit by punching his palm.

“Ah, that person! Ugh, it’s all because of these guys. I was so shocked to hear they were still loitering around the Grand Duke’s castle that I completely forgot.”

Dwayne glared, shifting the blame onto the Imperial knights. The knights, who had been minding their own business only to be snapped at, looked flabbergasted. Jack pressed a hand to his forehead and waved them off as if shooing away stray dogs.

“Whatever. Since you’re staying here anyway, just keep it quiet until you leave. If you cause a scene, aren’t you just disgracing the Crown Prince’s name?”

“We’re taking good care of the Crown Prince, so mind your own business,” sneered a knight who looked as shifty as a countryside thug. He didn’t stop there, bringing up the one topic Jack and Dwayne were most sensitive about.

“Don’t you guys have someone else you should be more worried about than us?”

The other knights snickered as if they already knew what he meant. Dwayne looked blank, trying to figure out who it was. However, Jack, who immediately understood their implication, let his expression harden.

“I’m talking about Vernon, that washed up cripple.”

“!”

Jack grit his teeth, and only then did Dwayne realize the insult, his eyes flaring with rage.

“Sigh.”

Exhaling a small breath, Dwayne wiped the expression from his face and took a step forward. When he was like this, he was nearly impossible to stop. Jack quickly stepped in front of him to block his path.

“Did you lot leave your guts back in the Empire? Why are you acting like there’s no tomorrow? If we start a brawl here, what does that make the Crown Prince and the Grand Duke look like?”

“Our Captain will handle the cleanup. Though your incompetent Captain Vernon could never do that even if he died trying.”

Boisterous laughter broke out again. Jack felt the heat of fury radiating from behind his back and swallowed hard.

“Instead of that, let’s have a duel.”

Jack quickly tried to change the nature of the fight. If things continued like this, it could escalate into a full scale conflict between the Empire and the Grand Duchy.

“One on one. We bet everything on a single bout.”

He raised his index finger and whispered suggestively, like a witch trying to lure a customer.

“Just one knight takes all the glory.”

“.”

Ambition could be called an essential quality for a knight. The desire to distinguish oneself and rise higher is what pushes a knight’s skills to the next level. Furthermore, these guys were mere leftovers who couldn’t even breathe properly in front of Jack, Bradley, and Dwayne back when Vernon was the Captain of the Guards.

‘They’ll think our skills have rusted living in the countryside, so they definitely won’t refuse.’

In fact, they would probably fight over who got to step up. Jack was annoyed that they were being looked down upon by such low lifes, but he decided to bury it for now. He would pay them back several times over soon enough.

“Not a bad idea. I guess your brain hasn’t rusted yet?”

“.”

Jack merely smiled without replying. Internally, however, he was hurling curses. If you’re so afraid of rusting, go change your profession to a blacksmith!

He spoke with a benevolent expression.

“Then I’ll take that as an agreement. Shall we move?”

They walked toward the training grounds. When a group of men the size of mountains moved at once, it inevitably drew attention. But that only lasted a moment.

“Huh? Things seem a bit hectic?”

Jack frowned and looked around. The maids and servants, who would usually send them admiring glances, were all moving busily, as if something urgent had happened.

“Do you really have the leeway to worry about other things?”

Oh, I’m so scared of your confidence, I think I might pee myself. The Crown Prince’s knights burst into laughter, pretending to tremble. Jack fell silent with a look of disgust.

Soon they arrived at the training grounds. Luckily, the place was empty. For their side, Dwayne was chosen to step out. From the Crown Prince’s knights, the largest one, the one who had first picked the fight, stepped forward.

“Ah, I forgot to mention this. Let’s avoid hitting above the neck so the superiors don’t find out.”

At Jack’s words, Dwayne, who was swinging a wooden sword around, pouted. The opponent also gave a noisy stretch of his muscles and agreed. The two walked to the center and glared at each other. One of the knights declared the start.

Thump!

Dwayne stomped his foot and rushed in nimbly, swinging the wooden sword. Just as the opposing knight raised his blade to block, Dwayne suddenly threw his sword away.

“?!”

The moment everyone’s eyes went wide, Dwayne’s fist struck the knight’s face directly.

Crack!

The sound of something splitting echoed, and the opposing knight’s body collapsed instantly.

“?”

Question marks appeared over everyone’s faces, except for Jack and Dwayne. Jack wiped his face with his hand and muttered to himself. This guy really has zero understanding of his job class.

The first knight to snap out of it protested fiercely.

“Are you crazy? We agreed not to hit above the neck!”

Another shouted, “Jack! Was this your plan from the start?”

Jack replied nonchalantly, “Didn’t you know? He doesn’t even listen to me.”

“Gah!” The knights jumped around in fury.

“When His Highness the Crown Prince finds out, he won’t leave you alone!”

Dwayne replied indifferently, “Is it because I only clean my ears once a year? I can’t really hear you.”

Then, he rushed at the knights again and began to beat them joyfully. It was a mad act befitting his nickname, “The Mad Dog of the Imperial Palace,” but no one could stop or overpower him. Jack stood with his weight on one leg and clicked his tongue.

‘Dwayne is the unofficial rank two of the Empire, after all.’

He was a bit weak in formal duels, but in a dogfight, no one could beat him. And right now, he was thrashing the knights, looking as lively as a fish in water. He was even baring his white teeth in a grin. Jack crossed his arms and began to offer coaching.

“Rock flying in from 11 o’clock. Oh, he’s trying to trip you? Headbutt him there. That’s it, good job, stone head.”

When Jack praised him, Dwayne grinned again. The knights, who were desperate to avoid the madman, were reaching their boiling point.

“Hey, take this!”

The knights grabbed wooden swords from a pile in the corner of the training grounds. One of them charged at Dwayne with a shout. Dwayne lightly dodged him, picked up a wooden sword that happened to be on the ground, and swung.

The opposing knight held his sword downward to block, and the wooden swords collided with a thunderous boom. Dwayne quickly pulled his sword upward.

Screeech. The clashing wooden swords slid against each other with a grinding sound until they caught on the opponent’s crossguard. Dwayne applied pressure and sent the sword flying.

Whish. Everyone’s heads moved in unison, following the sword as it drew a parabola through the air. The knight, who lost his sword in a single exchange, stood dazed before jumping in shock. This was because Dwayne was swinging his sword slowly with a ghostly smile on his face.

“Gah! I lost, okay? It’s over, so stop now!”

The knight shouted, jumping around like a grasshopper to avoid the sword.

“It’s not over though? I haven’t let off enough steam yet.”

Dwayne followed him with a creepy, “Hehe” laugh. Soon, the endless sound of something being thrashed, like a sack of grain, could be heard. Jack looked weary.

‘That guy, he never gets tired when he’s hitting people.’

As he shook his head, a shrill voice suddenly came from behind.

“Sir Jack? What is all this?”

Rita arrived gasping for breath, having run in a hurry. She saw the knights piled up like luggage, groaning in pain.

Dwayne, who was walking over humming a tune with the last unconscious knight slung over his shoulder, saw Rita and waved happily.

“Oh, Rita. Long time no see.”

“Is this the time for that? His Highness the Crown Prince is leaving for the Empire right now!”

Rita yelled at the top of her lungs. Jack was taken aback.

“What? No, so suddenly?”

“That’s what I’m saying! Who gives notice on the day of departure? The castle is turned upside down right now because of the preparations.”

Ah, so that’s why it was so hectic earlier. Jack ruffled his hair messily.

“He’ll be looking for the knights then.”

“Of course! I was looking all over because they weren’t in their quarters and here they are, sprawled out so comfortably. Honestly.”

Rita shook her head and clutched her head with both hands.

“Ugh, how do we fix this. Argh.”

“.”

Feeling the same way, Jack wanted to cry. Dwayne, sensing their mood, slunk over to the knights and began to wake them up by pounding on their heads with his fists.

“Hey, your Highness is heading back to the Empire. Why aren’t you waking up?”

“Auuugh.”

The knights struggled to get up. The moment they barely managed to look like functioning humans, a sharp voice came from behind.

“So this is where you were. I’ve been looking for you for a long time.”

Amy was also momentarily flustered by the sight of the ragged knights but quickly regained her composure. She turned back and spoke to the two Highnesses.

“It seems the knights were having a sparring session. It’s a wonderful way to prove the friendship between our two nations. It’s truly a sight to behold.”

“.”

However, no one answered. No matter who looked at it, it was clear they had been one sidedly thrashed. Martin, standing behind the Crown Prince, grit his teeth and covered his eyes with his hand. Having lost face like this on the final day, he already had a headache thinking about what the Empress would say.

The Crown Prince didn’t hide his pathetic expression, curling his lip disdainfully.

“Sir Martin.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

At the Crown Prince’s call, Martin quickly stepped forward. The Crown Prince gestured toward the knights with his chin.

“Are those things even usable?”

“Of course, Your Highness. It’s just that the sparring was intense, they are all the glorious of the Empire.”

“That’s enough. We’re leaving immediately.”

The Crown Prince turned away without listening to the end. Martin and the knights scrambled after him. In the wide courtyard, horses in barding, carts, and carriages were lined up, and servants who had packed their masters’ belongings were busily loading them onto the carts.

Under Melbourne’s direction, blacksmiths checked the horses’ shoes, and tents coated in bitumen and rain gear were packed in preparation for bad weather. Mrs. Weaver and the maids moved the food they would eat on the way to the capital. Everyone moved frantically due to the rushed schedule.

The Crown Prince, who had been silently watching the people preparing, suddenly turned around. As if he felt it was too regrettable to leave, he gazed at Amy with eyes full of lingering affection and reached out his hand.

“Amy.”

Just then, a large, calloused hand slapped down firmly on top of his. When the Crown Prince turned his head in confusion, Noah was standing there with a sullen expression.

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