Perhaps it was because Calca was constantly preoccupied with the thought of her six guardian knights, or perhaps it was because today's lecture was delivered by High Priestess Mariana herself.
The knowledge was profound and delivered with such clarity that Calca found herself still immersed in the "ocean of learning" when the lesson suddenly ended. Six hours of daily classes had slipped past her unnoticed.
After a brief moment of self-reflection—noting that it likely wouldn't be long before she moved on to Second Tier training—Calca couldn't wait any longer. She grabbed Remedios and Kelart and hurried out of the classroom.
She first tracked down the Head Maid of the palace to ask for the whereabouts of her father and eldest brother. Upon learning they were in the study handling official business, she led the two sisters toward the heart of the palace without a moment's pause.
During the walk, Remedios was relatively composed, merely feeling the natural nerves of someone about to meet the Holy King. Kelart, however, had been in a daze the entire time.
She was genuinely stunned by the level of trust Calca had shown by so decisively passing such a technique to her this morning. Through her brief observation, Kelart had realized that the Princess was neither someone who failed to understand the value of things nor a reckless spendthrift.
While it was inevitable that Kelart would eventually be labeled as a follower of the Princess—especially since her sister was already the girl's Guardian Knight—that wasn't supposed to happen yet. According to Kelart's own calculations, she should have gone through various trials and tests before being accepted into the Princess's inner circle.
She had been fully prepared to utilize her sharp powers of observation to slowly, meticulously earn the Princess's trust through her own merits.
And yet, before she had even begun her "operation," the Princess had basically handed everything over on a silver platter?
Wait, isn't this a bit too fast?
Kelart was momentarily lost in confusion, but that bewilderment was soon swallowed by a much more powerful emotion: curiosity. Pure, unadulterated interest.
This sequence of events had ignited her passion for observing human nature to its peak. She now wanted nothing more than to get close to this Princess and see exactly what kind of person she truly was.
As she watched the girl walking ahead of her, a trace of slightly frenzied curiosity flickered in Kelart's eyes.
Further ahead, Calca—who was currently hiking up her long skirt and marching with great purpose—remained blissfully unaware of Kelart's inner turmoil.
As they neared the study, she instructed the sisters to wait at the end of a corridor. It was far enough to give the study some space, but close enough that they would be seen the moment the door opened. Calca took a moment to straighten her clothes, then adopted the delicate, mincing steps of a perfect lady as she approached the study door.
Upon reaching it, she gave a thoughtful, gentle knock.
Inside, Sulla II and Caspond, who had been discussing matters with grave expressions, both looked toward the door. Their curiosity turned into amused smiles the moment they saw Calca.
"Oh, my little Iris! Why aren't you off reviewing your lessons? Why have you come running here?"
"I heard from your mother that the royal curriculum has been revised. Not only are the hours longer, but I hear there's even homework now?"
As he spoke, Sulla II turned his gaze toward his eldest son. Caspond replied with a smile.
"Yes, Father. Most of it consists of questions regarding magical theory and various safety precautions. From what I've seen, it's quite effective."
"Perhaps you should send me back for a refresher course," Caspond added with a slight tilt of his head and a witty glint in his eye. "Who knows? I might actually reach the Fourth Tier after a while."
Sulla II burst into laughter. He knew his son was joking, of course, but the remark underscored the benefits of the new system.
"Enough of that. The Kingdom's affairs are far too heavy; I wouldn't dare let you go now," Sulla II said, half-joking and half-serious. He then turned back to Calca with a teasing look in his eyes.
"So, tell us, our little Iris. Why have you come here instead of finishing your assignments?"
"To see you and big brother, of course!" Calca lied without blinking, prompting another round of laughter.
Sulla II and Caspond both knew that wasn't the real reason, but everyone enjoys hearing sweet words. They didn't call her out on it and let the young girl continue.
"Though, it seems I've come at a bad time. What were you and brother talking about?"
"What were we talking about?" Sulla II exchanged a glance with Caspond. "The matter I promised you, naturally."
"By now, all sixty candidates have arrived. They are currently learning the Magic Aura technique. The sixty have been split into groups to study Positive Energy, Wind, Air, Water, Earth, and the most fundamental Non-Elemental Magic Aura."
"However, they haven't mastered the techniques yet, which is why I haven't told you. I was planning to wait until they succeeded before letting you go pick six of them as your guards."
"But since you're here today, I'll have your brother take you over to make your selection." Sulla II smiled warmly.
Since agreeing to create a squad dedicated to practicing Magic Aura for his daughter, Sulla II had realized something. If the door was already open, he might as well make the most of it. He could use this project as a "hook" to attract the nation's geniuses. After all, the promise of extended longevity combined with a technique from the first Holy King was a powerful draw.
If they could eventually develop a training method suitable for ordinary people, the Holy King's personal strength could be further bolstered. He figured that in his later years, since there wasn't much else to learn and higher-tier magic was a wall he couldn't break through, practicing this would be a fine way to maintain his health.
In fact, Sulla II had managed to barely grasp the technique himself recently, and he felt significantly more comfortable physically. This was why he was so willing to promote it. Ultimately, it came down to talent—and currently, the most stable talent in the Holy Kingdom resided within the Royal Family.
While other families or regions might produce a genius once every few decades, the Royal Line ensured that at least one person per generation was talented enough to reach the threshold, effectively stabilizing the "talent floor" of the crown.
That being said, Sulla II had no plans to expand the squad further for now. He wanted to wait until this first group made a name for themselves—or until Calca grew up—before attempting to recruit a second batch.
Finished with his explanation, Sulla II looked to Caspond, signaling him to lead Calca away. He didn't expect his daughter to say something completely unexpected.
"Thank you, Father. But... I actually didn't come here for that today..."
Calca intentionally put on an awkward expression and spoke with a hint of bashfulness.
"I had planned to teach the Magic Aura technique to Remedios... but I didn't expect her to master it in a single night. I specifically came to let you know, Father."
"What? In one night?" Sulla II stared at Calca in genuine shock.
He had spent several days fumbling through the technique himself before he managed to learn it. He had even felt a bit smug about his progress, considering that the sixty priests under him still hadn't grasped it.
And now he was being told that someone without a drop of natural magical affinity had mastered it in a single night?
Then what does that make me?
Sulla II looked at his daughter with a suspicious squint, his face practically screaming: Are you pulling my leg?
But he didn't realize Calca wasn't finished.
"And I also plan to teach it to Remedios's younger sister, Kelart. She..." Calca intentionally trailed off.
"Did she learn it in one night too?"
"No, she hasn't started yet. But I intend to teach her, so I brought them both here to report to you, Father." Calca gave a playful grin. "Would you like to meet them?"
Sulla II sucked in a sharp breath.
"Meet them? Of course I'll meet them!"
"Bring them in at once."
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I'm not the Queen Greatsword. (70 Chapters, Ongoing)
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