CH 52

Chapter 52: Let’s go to the parade ground

Ernesta planned to change Ivan’s bandages from the morning as usual. However, when she entered the king’s room, she witnessed an unbelievable sight.

The bed where the owner had been lying until yesterday was now empty.

Ernesta hastily left the room.

Although Ivan had seemed quite well yesterday and even joked that he was already healed, the two weeks designated by Jaromir had not yet passed. He should be resting for a little while longer.

Running aimlessly through the hallway, Ernesta spotted a familiar back and quickened her pace.

“Rougena, something terrible happened! Do you know where His Majesty is?”

Rougena, who turned around to face her, didn’t have her usual expressionless face. She frowned very disappointedly, shaking her head.

“He went to the training ground a while ago. He wouldn’t listen no matter how much I tried to stop him.”

“The training ground…?!”

Ernesta’s complexion paled. What business did an injured person have in a facility whose main purpose was to move their body?

“I-I’ll go check it out!”

Ernesta ran again, not knowing that the steel head maid was smiling kindly behind her.

The training ground had a vast area behind the royal castle. The stationed troops in the capital city of Rashtovka were quite sizeable, and anyone belonging to them could use it. Therefore, people from commoners to aristocrats were training together.

Ernesta had never visited because she had no business there, but she knew that the area was always bustling with activity as she passed by. Today, it seemed like they were doing shooting training, as the sound of gunfire was roaring from behind the long wall.

Despite feeling intimidated by the guards who took his bow, Ernesta stepped into the training ground.

The space was as vast as a sports field, with bundles of wooden swords, logs for striking drills, and various instruments whose use was unclearly displayed. The werewolves were training individually and looking at Ernesta curiously, making her feel a little uncomfortable.

She was guided by one of the guards to a section divided by thick, high walls. When she peeked out from the gap in the wall, she found herself in a shooting range with targets lined up in the distance.

Among the werewolves who stood in a row facing the targets, she spotted Ivan, who stood out with his golden hair. Although she could not see his face from behind, she recognized him immediately.

They held muskets that were unbelievably huge, which the werewolves’ physical strength allowed them to withstand the strong recoil.

She had come to see Ivan, who had been injured, but the tension in the air made it difficult for her to move.

As the man standing at the side gave a signal, the barrels of the muskets simultaneously flared up.

It was a tremendous roar. It was not like when she heard it from behind the walls. The sound was so powerful that even the wind pressure could be felt, and Ernesta shuddered.

It was incredibly impactful. How terrifying must an actual battlefield be?

Ivan remained focused on his target, oblivious to Ernesta’s presence. There were only holes in the center of his crosshair, and gasps of admiration rose from all over the shooting range, causing the air to ripple.

“Every shot is a hit. As expected of His Majesty.”

“He handles guns as well as swords. How dependable he is.”

“But why is His Majesty shooting at us? Normally, he’s the one giving the orders.”

“I don’t know for sure, but it seems that he wants to clear his mind and concentrate.”

Two soldiers who seemed to be high-ranking officials and had been watching the training nearby were gossiping about it. Ernesta was about to approach and address them when they noticed her and gasped.

“My Queen?! Why are you in such a dreary place?”

As soon as she appeared, the commotion in the shooting range spread far beyond what it was before. Even the soldiers in training turned their attention away from their targets and gazed at the queen with surprise.

Oh no, I had disturbed them. I didn’t mean to…!

“Are you here to watch the training? Well, that’s great news.”

“It’s the best encouragement for the soldiers. Please come this way.”

One warrior hurriedly cleaned a wooden chair indicated by the person and the atmosphere inside the venue changed visibly because of the queen’s presence.

“N-No…! I just came to say hi!”

“Don’t say that. Come on, come on.”

Ernesta shook her head in confusion, but the warrior, who had a happy expression, showed no sign of backing down. Meanwhile, the nearby werewolves gathered around, and Ernesta became increasingly anxious.

“Wow, she’s the real deal!”

“She’s so cute.”

“Did she come to see His Majesty?”

“His Majesty in training is cool from our point of view, I recommend it.”

Judging from their language, it seemed that they were warriors of common birth. Just as Ernesta became too flustered to understand what was being said, a sharp command tore through the air.

“Line up!”

It seemed to be directed at all the warriors present. They all ran forward and then quickly formed up with no disorder. Ernesta noticed that Ivan was standing before them and finally realized that he was the one who gave the order a while ago.

“These guys really don’t learn their lesson, do they? Their nerve is something to be admired if they can fool around in front of me like that.”

Ivan’s face was clearly filled with anger. Among the trembling men, a werewolf with a carefree smile on his face spoke up.

“No, but Your Majesty, you know there’s nothing we can do about it——.”

“Silence, Yamil. Do you think excuses work on the battlefield? Do 100 laps around the training grounds, 1000 swings with your weapon, and finish it all before lunchtime. And, if you can’t finish it, it doubles and there will be extra added. Go!”

As soon as the order was given, the warriors rushed out all at once. By the time everyone had disappeared beyond the wall, Ernesta realized the seriousness of what she had just caused and turned pale.

Not only had she disrupted their training, but she had also become the cause of unnecessary punishment for the warriors. Even if she wanted to apologize, her guilt choked her voice.

The shooting range, now only occupied by the two of them, was silent except for the sound of the warriors’ footsteps circling around. Ivan approached Ernesta and, as he turned back into a human, grabbed her shoulders.

“Did they do anything to you?!”

Ernesta blinked repeatedly, unsure of the urgency in Ivan’s questioning.

But as the queen’s confusion grew, Ivan’s impatience only intensified.

“They have no barriers. They’ve probably never had to force themselves into a conversation, been spoken to rudely, or had someone casually lean on their shoulder.”

“Well, that’s true, but…?”

Without thinking, Ernesta nodded in agreement, prompting a very noticeable sigh from Ivan.

Why did he even ask that? It shouldn’t matter to him if it’s only something Ernesta is concerned about.

“Okay, listen, from now on, if you want to come to the training ground, bring Dasha or Rougena with you. This isn’t the kind of place where a girl like you can just drop by on a whim.”

“Yes. I’m sorry for being a bother…”

Ernesta bowed her head in shame for her careless behavior.

She couldn’t hinder the king’s work just because she was worried. It might be fine for a true queen, but she had no such qualification.

However, when Ernesta apologized honestly, Ivan’s expression only grew more restless.

“That’s not it! I’m not talking about being a bother or anything like that. I’m saying that you should be careful because it’s dangerous here.”

He was right. There were even guns around, so it wasn’t a place for amateurs to casually enter.

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I’ll be careful from now on.”

“…I have a feeling you don’t really understand.”

Although Ivan gave a strong nod, he seemed troubled for some reason. Ernesta felt sorry for causing him unnecessary trouble.

“I’m sorry for making them do 100 laps around the training ground and swing the sword a thousand times because of me.”

As she said it out loud, she realized what an absurd number it was. However, Ivan remained calm and didn’t seem to think it was anything special.

“If that’s the punishment, it’s not that harsh. Besides, it was their fault for getting distracted during the training, not yours.”

Is that how it is? Ernesta was still unsettled, but the conversation ended there.