[V7C6] The Golden Knight Wants to Be Dominated

Einhard Berger, a member of the Imperial Guard’s second unit, was a tall and handsome man turning 26 this year.

Known for his dark golden hair and refined, sculpted face, he was often called the ‘Golden Knight’ by the ladies of the Empire. All looked up to his striking appearance, noble lineage, and exceptional swordsmanship.

Chosen for the prestigious task of guarding Princess Cecilia during her visit to Ridill, Einhard stood guard at the corridor leading to Cecilia’s room within the splendid Ausahorn Palace.

As a man whose handsomeness rivaled that of the glamorous palace, Einhard maintained a dignified posture, dutifully ensuring the security of the beautiful princess.

He exuded a presence befitting his title of Golden Knight, which would surely captivate the hearts of any nearby madams.

“…Hmm.”

After a vigilant scan of the surroundings, Einhard Berger began whispering to his junior, Kirchner, who stood beside him.

“Hey, Kirchner.”

“Yes, what is it, Berger-dono?”

“The Kingdom of Ridill has some real beauties, don’t you think?”

“…”

Despite Kirchner’s disapproving stare, Einhard continued with a serious expression, as if reporting on intelligence gathered during enemy reconnaissance.

“I saw an incredibly hot maid a bit earlier. A tall one with glasses, and I only caught a glimpse, but I bet the view would be amazing once the glasses came off. A real hidden gem.”

Kirchner was one year younger than Einhard and much more serious. He cast an exasperated side glance at Einhard before responding.

“…What about the beautiful secretary of the Third Prince you were ranting about just the other day?”

“Listen and weep. The Third Prince hasn’t even been summoned to the castle. Naturally, his beautiful secretary won’t be present either. I was so heartbroken that I collapsed to the ground when I heard the news. The margrave who I was drinking with looked down on me as if I were trash.”

“…”

Apparently, the aforementioned margrave, Henrik Blanquet, had also said, “I hope His Majesty executes you soon,” with complete seriousness.

“He truly knows nothing about love,” muttered Einhard under his breath.

As a side note, the escort target Princess Cecilia was undoubtedly a beautiful woman, but she did not fit Einhard’s preferences. After all, he enjoyed a woman with an assertive personality and a powerful gaze.

“While it’s unfortunate that I won’t be meeting the transcendentally beautiful Bridget, there is still hope! I’ve heard that a young lady from the Seven Sages will be assisting with Cecilia-sama’s escort! The 19-year-old Silent Witch, Monica Everett-chan!”

Word of the famed Silent Witch had reached even the neighboring Schwargard Empire.

Monica Everett was the young hero who joined the Seven Sages at the age of 15, praised for defeating a black dragon and a curse dragon. Allegedly, even the Black Lion Emperor acknowledged her abilities.

“By my estimations, Monica Everett-chan will be a tall, black-haired cool beauty with sharp eyes. She will be cold and aloof, looking down at all men as if they are trash.”

“Do you happen to enjoy being treated like trash?”

Coincidentally, Kirchner was also looking down at Einhard as if he were trash. In response, Einhard wagged his finger with a “tut-tut”.

“The best part is grabbing the heart of such a confident woman, and having her fall for me… though getting dominated is quite fine too! Do you get me, Kirchner?!”

“No, I do not.”

“…U-Um.”

Their conversation was interrupted by a quiet voice from a short distance away. Upon closer inspection, there was a petite girl peering from around the corner, fidgeting nervously.

The girl had light brown hair tied into simple braids, as well as a modest and youthful face. She appeared to be around 16 or 17.

Judging by her navy blue robe and staff, she was likely a mage employed by the palace. Given her age, perhaps she was still at the apprentice level.

With meticulously calculated movements, Einhard swept his bangs back and smiled at the girl, exuding the charm befitting a member of the Imperial Guard.

“Hey there, young lady. Are you running an errand for someone?”

“Um… well, I heard that Princess Cecilia’s preparations were finished, so…”

Einhard was puzzled. What could the girl have to do with Princess Cecilia’s preparations being finished? Then, he realized that Mage Countess Monica Everett of the Seven Sages was scheduled to visit Princess Cecilia soon.

“Oh, I see. So you are a disciple of the Silent Witch? Perhaps your master told you to come and gauge Princess Cecilia’s mood?”

“Eh?”

“Well, I suppose they always say ‘Imperial ladies have a fiery temperament.’ Nothing good can come from meeting a lady of such high status when she’s in a bad mood. But rest assured, Cecilia-sama is as gentle and soft as the moonlight. She would never throw a tantrum or anything like that.”

“Um, o-okay…”

Though the girl returned a nod, she seemed like she wanted to say something. Judging by how she kept glancing at Einhard, she was probably dying to learn the name of the striking knight in front of her.

Einhard nodded in understanding, then put a kind smile on his handsome face.

“I am the one and only Einhard Berger. Everyone calls me the Golden Knight. And this is my junior, Kirchner.”

“Um… I’m, erm…”

The girl seemed embarrassed, twiddling her fingers with half of her body still hidden around the corner. However, she soon mustered the courage to reveal herself.

Now seen up close, she was even more petite than Einhard initially thought. Nevertheless, her robe and staff were clearly top-notch.

Her staff in particular boasted elaborate decorations, and was practically as tall as her body. Come to think of it, in Ridill, didn’t the length of a mage’s staff define their status?

“I’m the Silent Witch, Monica Everett… Sorry for, erm, not being a cool beauty.”

Einhard couldn’t help but murmur an “oof” to himself. Apparently, she had overheard the conversation between him and Kirchner.

For reference, the Seven Sages served as direct advisors to the King of Ridill. And he just offended one of them. No one would complain if his head flew off for this.

As Einhard silently muttered, “I screwed up big time,” Kirchner gave him another disapproving stare.

“How lucky. You get to be treated as trash by the captain now.”

“Dang, the captain isn’t really my type.”

After responding to Kirchner in a hushed voice, Einhard unleashed an even more dazzling and splendid smile at the Silent Witch. In desperate situations, forcing your way out with a smile was the way to go——in Einhard’s experience, at least.

“Silent Witch-dono, that exchange with my coworker was merely an Imperial joke. I would like you to keep it a secret from my superiors, if possible…”

“Um, don’t worry about it… I often get told that I don’t look like a Sage…”

The Silent Witch seemed genuinely unoffended. She was clearly a very good girl, but Einhard still found it hard to believe she was a Sage.

(Did someone so tiny really defeat two evil dragons? …This must be the result of embellished rumors, right?)

Suppressing his doubts about the rumors, Einhard placed his hand over his chest in a theatrical gesture, speaking in a tone that indicated he was deeply moved.

“Oh, my little goddess. You have saved me. Thanks to you, I can escape the captain’s scolding.”

“Um, about the audience…”

“I will guide you. Please, follow me.”

As Einhard led the way, the Silent Witch took a deep breath, tightened her lips, and straightened her posture.

For some reason, she looked like a child about to perform her first presentation. Einhard felt uneasy about whether or not such a young girl could truly serve as a guard.

＊　＊　＊

Monica was granted an audience with Princess Cecilia, the lady she was tasked to guard.

During her stay at the Albright residence, she had practiced her greetings for this moment countless times.

Upon entering the room, Monica set her staff by her feet and bowed her head.

“I am the Silent Witch, Monica Everett, one of the Seven Sages. Thank you for coming all this distance and welcome to our palace, Cecilia-sama.”

She managed the greeting without stumbling, clearing the first stage.

Next came the bigger problem. If Princess Cecilia turned out to be talkative and started asking her several questions, how would she respond? To prepare for this possibility, Monica had brainstormed various conversation patterns with Raul, Ray, and Frieda beforehand.

(Um, so if she wants to see flowers, I’ll guide her to the flower bed with the new varieties recommended by Raul-sama. And if she wants to go shopping, consult with the Captain of the Imperial Guard, and…)

As Monica went over the prepared material in her mind, she was brought back to reality by the faint sound of rustling clothes.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Silent Witch-sama. I am Cecilia Charlotte Phoebe Belschweig Kreving… Please, raise your head.”

It was a soft and lovely voice, as delightful as the ringing of a glass bell.

Monica lifted her head as instructed.

Standing before her was a frail-looking princess with straight silver hair. Her voice matched her impression——fragile and delicate. She wore an elegant light purple dress adorned with beautiful lace.

While the clothes matched her to an extent, they appeared more subdued than the colors and designs preferred by most younger women.

(This is… the younger sister of the Black Lion Emperor…)

She appeared to be the exact opposite of her brother, who overflowed with more vitality than should fit in the confines of a human vessel.

Cecilia held up the hem of her skirt and offered a graceful curtsy.

“Silent Witch-sama, I will entrust myself to your care for a while.”

“Y-Yes, of course.”

“…”

“…”

The conversation fell into an awkward silence. That felt a bit uncomfortable.

Monica discreetly observed Princess Cecilia, keeping it within the bounds of politeness.

Princess Cecilia had her head slightly lowered, also seeming a bit uncomfortable. Apparently, she wasn’t very talkative either.

It would not be appropriate to start a conversation with a princess who did not want to chat. As long as Cecilia remained silent, Monica had no choice but to remain silent as well.

“…”

“…”

Afterward, the two continued to share the awkward atmosphere until it was time for the next event.

The Golden Knight, Einhard Berger, first appeared in Gaiden V3EX. He loves the Blanquet siblings very much.

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