“A simple soldier, granted the reincarnation gift of ‘Infinite Regeneration,’ found himself the target of countless beautiful women.”

I joined the knights with a singular goal: to acquire a body so resilient that even magic couldn’t destroy it. I didn’t want to die—that was my driving force then, and it still is.

For me, it’s simply a means of survival. Once I gained the strength I sought, I didn’t care about wealth or climbing the ranks. As long as I could say, “I won’t die,” and live a quiet, ordinary life, that was enough.

But fate had other plans. By some unexpected turn, I accomplished something significant enough to warrant a summons to the royal castle. Apparently, the king himself wishes to reward me.

In short:

“I’ll be honest—I’m so nervous I could pee myself.”

That’s the only thought swirling in my mind right now.

My body trembles involuntarily, every fiber of my being tightening with anxiety.

Of course, part of my nerves stems from the fact that I’m about to meet the king. In my previous life, I was just an average person—neither famous nor outgoing. Naturally, I’d feel uneasy in a situation like this.

Imagine a regular employee meeting the CEO. Anyone would feel tense, right? Now imagine that instead of just losing your job, you could lose your head for a simple mistake. Of course I’m nervous!

Still, meeting the king accounts for only a fraction of my anxiety. The real source of fear? There are people here who could erase me from existence.

Within these castle walls are at least five mages who could obliterate me in an instant. They are known as the “Five Great Sages” of the kingdom, capable of magic powerful enough to level a small nation. I can barely wield magic a tier below theirs—if they decided to, I’d be vaporised without a trace.

And if that wasn’t enough, there are the knight commanders and their deputies, monstrous warriors like Instructor Rowe. It’s a living nightmare, honestly. Sometimes I wonder if the gods want me dead after giving me this second life.

As I tremble, lost in my thoughts, someone speaks beside me:

“Relax already. His Majesty is both wise and generous.”

The speaker is Eresdia von Donnart, another knight summoned to the castle. She’s a striking figure, with fiery red hair and eyes that match her strong-willed demeanour. Her lithe frame and cold, sharp aura complement her intense personality.

Eresdia-Sama unnerves me too, though for a different reason. She’s a hardcore magic enthusiast, and she doesn’t seem to feel an ounce of anxiety.

“Honestly,” I mutter, “it’s strange you’re not nervous at all, Eresdia-Sama.”

She shrugs. “Why would I be? The greatest mages in the world are here. It’s thrilling, not frightening.”

I can’t even relate. “You’re impossible to talk to, you magic-obsessed masochist!”

Her eyes narrow. “Excuse me? You’re not getting away with that.”

I grin, leaning in to provoke her further, but she starts muttering something about revenge during our next training session, her cheeks flushing slightly with irritation.

Before the situation escalates, Instructor Lowe intervenes. “If you two don’t quiet down, I’ll see to it that you get extra training when we return.”

We both fall silent immediately.

Later, after being fitted with our ceremonial armour, we wander through the grand corridors of the knight headquarters. The sound of clashing swords echoes from the training grounds, stirring something akin to nostalgia in me.

Just then, a commanding female voice cuts through the air: “You’re an interesting one.”

We turn to see a silver-haired woman with striking blue eyes. Her presence is powerful, her smile sharp and predatory. After giving me a once-over, she smirks. “You’re uglier than I expected.”

This woman is so rude. Hey, where’s the Commander of the Knights? I’ll go and tell him straight away that there’s an incredibly rude woman out there! Now, if you’re going to apologise, then you should—”

“Shut your mouth now!!”

Before I can muster another response, Eresdia-Sama gasps in horror. I glance at her, seeing her face pale, her head shaking in frantic warning.

And then the woman speaks again. “I’m the knight commander. What were you going to say?”

I blurt out the words without thinking: “Ah… I didn’t know the knight commander was such a beautiful woman.”

Silence hangs in the air, thick and heavy, as Eresdia’s eyes widen in disbelief. The commander stares at me, expression unreadable.

Suddenly, she bursts into laughter, her voice echoing through the hall. “You’re bold, I’ll give you that.”

It had been a long time since I last bowed down with all my heart and soul. At the same time.

Before I can say anything else, she waves her hand dismissively. “You can relax. I’m not going to kill you… today.”

Relief washes over me, but I don’t dare breathe just yet.

…So the knight commander is a woman. Naturally.