I Became the Teacher of the Imperial Family’s Bastard

076. Imperial Guard (2)

As soon as we entered the palace, Aria cried and asked for a cheeseburger.

Fortunately, I had brought some to give her, so I gave her a bite, and she finally stopped crying. I sat her down and comforted her.

The atmosphere between the newly arrived Imperial Guards and Aria was strange, and later I realized who was the cause of the incident.

‘Anyway…….’

I don’t know why that guy, the Crown Prince, has such a terrible personality.

The scariest part here is that the Crown Prince has no malice whatsoever.

That guy genuinely believes that Aria brought him a burger for his sake.

I thought about giving the Crown Prince a hint, but I gave up.

With his self-centered nature, he would definitely try to argue with me, and why would I bother with a tiring argument?

Anyway, I roughly appeased Aria and sent her back.

The guards also threw their luggage into the barracks and gathered again at the training ground.

I said to Peto.

“But why are you acting all important behind me? Go over there.”

“What, but I’m an officer……”

“Officer, my foot. Go.”

Only then did Peto, looking sullen, move to the side of the guards.

Did he want to act all high and mighty just because he came in first?

No way, man.

The four people looked at Peto with curiosity.

Is it an illusion that a ‘?’ seems to be floating above their heads?

“Well, anyway, everyone is here. You five are the guards.”

They focused on my words.

A new feeling arose.

Liam, Rubin, Nathan, Peto, and then there’s Fred… well, let’s just say that’s a change due to regression.

Gathering the subordinates who roamed the battlefield again, their young faces overlapped with the dark faces of that day.

Of course, I don’t intend to leave them as miserable as they were back then.

This is the second chance that came after much effort.

If things are going to go well, it’s better if everyone who deserves it does well together.

“Let’s skip the introductions. You guys can fight and bicker in the barracks. Training starts right away.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Let me ask you this first. What do you think the guards are?”

For a moment, they were confused by my question.

Soon, it was Liam who raised his hand.

“I am an honorable knight who guards His Highness the Crown Prince from the closest proximity!”

Hmm, knightly pride, is it?

I turned my head and asked the others.

“Any other opinions?”

Then Nathan spoke.

“I think we are performing the role of a special task force. Unlike other royal knight orders, we assist His Highness the Crown Prince’s schedule and are responsible for close-range security.”

“Any other opinions?”

This time it was Rubin.

“His Highness the Crown Prince’s close friend… Could we not also take on such a role? After all, we are to guard him for life.”

“Could it be that we function as an honor guard? Since we accompany His Highness directly, we have to be mindful of how we are perceived…”

It was Fred who countered.

That was the closest to the correct answer.

But even that was wrong.

Peto blinked and kept his mouth shut.

I sighed.

“None of you got it right.”

It was a lamentable situation.

Yes, the position of the Imperial Guard, at first glance, seems to be a very glamorous and splendid title.

Moreover, as the person we serve becomes the Emperor and we grow old together by his side until he passes away, the role of a close friend? One might think so.

However, the true purpose of the Imperial Guard was not that.

I spoke.

“You’re all wrong. Fred was somewhat close, but still a bit off from the correct answer.”

Flinch, the five of them simultaneously twitched at my words.

I showed the puzzled ones a slightly uncomfortable truth.

“You are meat shields. Pretty-looking meat shields.”

“…!”

Their breaths stopped.

Their eyes wavered.

But I was not finished.

“Liam, you said the Imperial Guard is an honorable knight order? That’s right. The Imperial Guard is honorable. But what do you think is the most honorable thing one can do in the role of ‘Imperial Guard’?”

“That is…”

Liam hesitated to answer.

So I answered for him.

“It means dying in place of your lord. Taking the arrow meant for him, dying from the assassin’s dagger meant for him, and receiving the curse meant for him.”

“…!”

Liam’s face showed shock, but he couldn’t refute it.

I continued speaking.

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“Next, Nathan.”

“Yes, yes…!”

“Special forces, close protection. Sounds good. Looks like capable security personnel. But tell me, are all of you stronger than the First Knights? Are you experts with laughable skills?”

“……”

“The strongest royal knights are the First Knights. Your level? Honestly, you’re just cadets. Even if you grow, you’ll just be experts.”

“…That’s correct.”

“Can you kill the prince’s enemies better than the First Knights? Can you detect enemies better?”

“…No, we can’t.”

“Right, so you’re wrong. Next, Rubin. You brat. Is the prince your friend? Have you read any knight literature? Do you dream of some strong bond between lord and guard?”

Rubin shook his head frantically in fear.

I said,

“The prince has no friends. The emperor is a solitary existence. He doesn’t rely on anyone.”

There might be such emperors, but not Kalios van Orteer.

That man shines the brightest when he stands alone.

“Lastly, Fred.”

When I pointed at him, Fred stiffened and widened his eyes.

Why so tense? You were the closest to the correct answer.

“The honor guard. Yes, the imperial guard’s dignity is important. You are the face of the prince. Every time you go out, the people see you, not the prince inside the carriage.”

Fred’s face brightened.

I shattered it.

“But that’s just one virtue, not the purpose. Your thinking is too passive.”

Fred’s face fell again.

I clasped my hands behind my back and walked around them in a circle.

“As I said before, you’re pretty meat shields. That’s your purpose. Outwardly, you create admiration for His Highness with your disciplined formations, and internally, you must think of yourselves as spare lives ready to die in place of His Highness. That’s it. That’s your role.”

Liam’s fist clenched tightly.

But it wasn’t out of defiance; his resolute eyes were filled with a willingness to accept something.

That’s why I like this guy.

His tenacity is outstanding.

“Well, assuming you understand that, let’s move on to the next topic.”

The atmosphere calmed down a bit.

But I didn’t say this to crush their spirits.

“But I’m the one teaching you to be those meat shields. I don’t know if you know, but I have a bit of a rebellious streak.”

As I spoke, their gazes focused on me.

I smiled slightly.

“It pisses me off if the ones I taught die meaninglessly. His Highness? He’s someone who can survive without your protection. So, I’m going to prioritize my pride.”

I took out my sacred staff and slung it over my shoulder.

“You must not die. Even while fulfilling your purpose, you must survive any accidents and remain as the royal guard. Got it?”

“Yes, Master…!”

“So, the training objective is one.”

I got to the point.

“The sturdiest meat shield in the world. The ultimate flesh wall that even crushes steel.”

Were they moved?

I could feel their enthusiasm.

Even Liam was on the verge of tears.

“Your answer?”

“Yes!!! We will be loyal!!!”

“Not to me, to His Highness.”

Thud!

“Yes!!!”

They knelt and shouted.

Their eyes were burning.

Hmm, very good.

“We start with real combat. As they say, you build endurance by taking hits.”

Isn’t this the way to beat them to death and make them come back again?

A thick smile spread across my face.

Boom―!

“Ugh?!”

“Ugh?!”

I crushed their bodies with mana.

They all struggled to support their collapsing bodies, and Peto… well, he fell.

Anyway, I had to proceed.

I spoke to the ones who were dumbfounded and gaping, unable to grasp the situation properly.

“I’ll beat you all evenly. The first one to pass out will be woken up and beaten until evening, so endure with all your might.”

Then I swung the sacred tree.

Smack!!!

“aaah!!!”

Peto, who had fainted, got up.

* * *

Imperial Knight Academy.

Except for Peto, the Imperial Guard had all been the most promising of the most promising in the entire empire, so each one had a strong sense of pride and confidence in themselves.

As such, the education the Imperial Guard had received so far was regular training within a well-organized curriculum, and Yuren’s classes were a new world to them, accustomed to such an environment.

Not in a good way, but in a way that meant it was that much more intense.

“Ugh…!”

Rubin shuddered and complained of pain.

Nathan groaned and foamed at the mouth.

Fred tried to stand somehow, but only the whites of his eyes remained.

Peto had fainted long ago.

Liam, who had thicker muscles than the others, was barely holding on.

Today was the third day.

All they had done every day was get beaten by Yuren.

Not just beaten, but meticulously, excruciatingly painfully.

Skipping training due to injury was unthinkable, as Yuren would place a necklace in the hand of anyone who fainted from being beaten to the point of unconsciousness.

Then all their injuries would heal, and they would have to get beaten by Yuren again, with only their minds intact.

“Why are we doing this?”

Rubin shed tears.

Liam forced a smile and replied.

“It’s a harsh but effective training. My muscles have gotten harder in just three days.”

“Isn’t it rigor mortis?”

“Stop joking.”

Rubin sighed but didn’t argue further.

It was because even Liam could see that Rubin’s body, which used to love slacking off, was changing day by day.

It’s tough, but it’s rewarding.

Everyone felt that.

And one more thing,

“Hey, Peto!”

“Ugh…! Don’t talk to me…!”

Going through this together has brought them closer.

“Damn Yuren…! He said he’d make us successful…!”

“Haha, success is success.”

“What kind of success is this! I should have stayed in Igrosia! I shouldn’t have come!!!”

Peto rolled on the ground.

Fred, who had woken up at some point, laughed at the sight.

Should we call him the common enemy?

Thanks to Yuren taking on the role of the villain, the members were getting closer by the minute.

Even with Peto, who seemed like a stranger on the first day, they had become much closer.

So much so that after training, this life felt quite enjoyable.

“Come on, let’s go wash up and eat.”

They were getting up when it happened.

“Villains!”

“Huh, really?”

A young voice was heard from the edge of the training ground.

The guards’ heads snapped around, and soon the startled members stood up.

“Second Princess! Third Princess!”

Aria beamed and pointed at the members.

Behind her, Philia covered her mouth with her hand, blinking dumbly as she said, “A real villain?”

For some reason, her face seemed to have turned red.

Peto shuddered with a “Hiiik?!”, but no one paid attention.

Thus, Aria and Philia approached, and Aria spoke.

“Why have you come here!”

The question was strange, considering she was the one who came, but they couldn’t defy the royalty.

“Uh, for training…”

“Th-the training…!”

Aria was startled.

But she didn’t seem upset.

The reason was that she hadn’t lost her cheeseburger today, and thanks to her excellent memory, she had already forgotten about the past. From the perspective of the guards, they were just grateful she didn’t dislike them.

At that moment, Philia opened her mouth.

“You are the guards of my eldest brother!”

Clap!

She even clapped her hands, looking quite adorable.

Peto kept his gaze fixed on the ground, but the other four were just pleased.

After all, wasn’t she a girl who admired knights?

And she was a princess, so they couldn’t help but feel proud.

“We are still lacking.”

“We are working hard in training.”

“To be of help to Your Highness…!”

“Oh, it’s hot.”

The atmosphere warmed up.

The guards, with their puffed-up shoulders, and Philia’s admiring gaze.

Aria tilted her head, but it didn’t matter to them.

Is this why they became knights?

It was a moment when the guards even thought such things.

“Then, who is the leader among you?!”

To that question,

“Ha ha!”

“Of course…”

“I…”

“The captain is…”

Suddenly—

The members’ expressions hardened as they looked at each other.

They all had the same expression, as if asking what on earth he was talking about.

…Indeed.

The Calios Guard had not yet chosen a captain, and for that reason, there was no hierarchy.

But could that last forever?

A captain would eventually emerge, and the members, at that moment, were inwardly coming to that conclusion.

‘Isn’t it obvious that I’m the only one fit to be captain?’

As mentioned earlier, the four cadets were very proud.

Moreover, Peto thought that since he was the first to join, he should naturally be the captain.

But saying it out loud felt somehow wrong.

“Is there no captain?”

At the repeated question, a war of nerves began to unfold among the members.

Philia laughed.

Very… very slyly.

And then,

Flick!

“Ouch!”

“Why are you trying to sow discord among our members?”

Yuren, who had just appeared, flicked him on the forehead.