The Northern Duke’s Daughter Will Never Fall

Chapter 27: The Difference Between Boldness and Arrogance

The monster’s corpse, transported outside the training ground, was enough to leave the onlookers in awe.

Its sheer size was one thing, but the fact that Astrid had split its head cleanly down the middle—right between its brows—was an even more astonishing revelation.

Not only that, but the story of how she stopped the monster’s charge with raw strength and then bisected its head as it charged again might have sounded like an exaggeration.

But thanks to the testimony of the other squad members who had witnessed it with their own eyes, there was no room for doubt.

After Astrid had taken down the monster, an emergency gate opened within the checkpoint.

Using that gate, Astrid and her squad members exited the training ground.

This incident was not something that could simply be brushed aside. While all cadets were technically equal, there were always certain individuals who required special treatment. Among them, the most significant were Leopold and Astrid.

The fact that the two of them had been in simultaneous danger was something the academy would have to answer for.

“…That concludes my report.”

After finishing her report, Astrid turned and began walking back to where the squad members were gathered.

Leopold watched her for a moment before quietly asking the instructor standing next to him.

“What kind of monster was that?”

“That…”

Even though Leopold was still a cadet and not yet an official student, the instructor didn’t answer immediately.

Of course, the instructor knew exactly what kind of monster it was. He had seen many types of monsters and had plenty of real-world experience.

But the reason he hesitated to answer was that this particular monster was something that should never have been there.

“Instructor?”

Leopold’s prodding prompted a quiet sigh from the instructor.

There was no point in dragging it out.

On top of that, Leopold wasn’t just any cadet—he was the crown prince. It wasn’t an option to ignore his question.

“It’s called a Hellveig, also known as a ‘Hell Beast.’ It’s a beast-type monster known for its immense strength and rapid attacks.”

Beast-type monsters were collectively called “beasts,” and this particular one was named Hellveig, commonly referred to as a Hell Beast.

“Why was something like that here? Didn’t you say earlier, Instructor?”

Leopold’s gaze remained fixed on the instructor.

His blue eyes didn’t contain any visible anger or rebuke. It was a calm, steady gaze that simply demanded an answer.

“You said only small and medium-sized monsters would be released, and that hunting them was the purpose of the training. But that one doesn’t look like a small or medium-sized monster.”

The instructor couldn’t bring himself to meet Leopold’s gaze.

An accident had occurred. This wasn’t just any accident—it happened at an academy that was personally overseen by the emperor’s decree.

The instructor hesitated, clearly unsure of how to respond. Leopold, recognizing this, decided it would be better to set the tone himself.

“…Be honest and explain it thoroughly. I’m asking as the crown prince of Einthafen.”

That was the right move.

The instructor took a light breath and finally opened his mouth.

“Your Highness, I’ll be honest. This incident was unexpected for us as well. We will conduct a thorough investigation and provide a complete report.”

It was just as Leopold had anticipated.

He hadn’t expected them to know the cause right away.

“Not only myself, but also nine other cadets were put in danger. And if it weren’t for Lady Astrid von Miterien handling that monster, things would have been much worse. No, in fact, she was nearly put in danger herself.”

“My apologies.”

“That’s enough. Ensure that this matter is reported to His Majesty, and once the cause is identified, report it to me as well. Do you understand?”

“Understood, Your Highness.”

There was no point in pushing further.

This was enough. As long as it didn’t happen again, that would be sufficient.

When Leopold turned around, his gaze met Astrid’s.

Astrid, who had been looking at him with a sullen face, immediately turned her head away the moment their eyes met.

For some reason, she had seemed irritated since earlier.

Leopold knew the reason.

It was because, when Akemilla had made that comment earlier, he hadn’t given a clear rejection and instead dodged the question.

But hadn’t it been Astrid who’d said she didn’t see him as a man?

Wasn’t it Astrid who’d suggested they should find better partners for themselves?

And now she’s sulking?

Leopold couldn’t understand it.

But that was that, and this was this. Leopold wasn’t foolish enough to conflate personal matters with official duties.

“Astrid.”

Astrid Looked Up

Seated among her squad members, Astrid raised her head and looked up at Leopold. She didn’t say anything in response, but her mint-colored eyes stared directly at him.

“…Squad Leader.”

“Speak, Cadet Leopold.”

Her gaze remained fixed on Leopold.

Leopold met her eyes for a moment.

She’s beautiful.

Truly, her beauty was undeniable.

No one would ever imagine that someone so beautiful could possess the raw strength to wrestle a giant monster to a standstill and cleave its head in two.

“Thank you for saving us. Thanks to you, we’re all able to return safely.”

With that, Leopold extended his right hand toward her.

“…You’re too kind.”

After a brief moment of hesitation, Astrid took his hand in a firm grip.

With the commotion settled, the cadets returned to their dorms.

Because of the earlier incident, it was announced that dinner would be a special meal instead of the usual field rations.

However, it would take some time to prepare, so the cadets were sent back to their dorms to rest in the meantime.

Back in their room, Leopold and Astein, without a word to each other, changed out of their uniforms and headed straight for the showers.

Their bodies were covered in dust and sweat, and while the temptation to collapse onto their beds was strong, they knew better.

“The results will be announced tomorrow, right?”

“That’s what I heard.”

As Astein had said, the results of today’s training were postponed until tomorrow.

Originally, everything, including the result announcements, was supposed to be concluded today, but the appearance of a large monster had disrupted everything.

Dealing with the aftermath had taken precedence over grading the cadets’ performance.

‘And then there’s Lady Akemilla Uraid.’

The Uraid family, though commoners, wielded significant influence. Starting as a small fabric shop in a rural village, the Uraid Trading Company eventually grew into a major trading firm and, later, a grand merchant guild.

Their accumulated wealth was enormous. During Einthafen’s founding war, they had funded over 50% of the war effort, which gave them a status that even most nobles couldn’t ignore.

And now, Akemilla Uraid, the daughter of that family, has declared herself a candidate for Leopold’s future bride.

There was certainly a valid reason to reject her proposal—Leopold was already engaged.

Marriage was a matter of great importance, and as the crown prince, he couldn’t decide it on his own.

More importantly, the arrangement between his father, the Emperor, and Wolfgang von Miterien was a formal agreement that neither party could simply overturn on a whim.

However, in reality, his relationship with Astrid had been strained for quite some time. And hadn’t they agreed to search for better partners for themselves until they graduated from the academy?

With that in mind, it wouldn’t be easy to reject Akemilla’s approach outright.

“Our squad leader is seriously impressive, isn’t she?”

Leopold’s thoughts were interrupted by Astein’s sudden exclamation.

Astein was grinning from ear to ear. After spending about a week together, the two had grown close enough to exchange casual conversation.

“She is,” Leopold admitted.

Since Leopold was a year older, he’d been speaking casually with Astein from the start, and Astein didn’t seem to mind.

“I’ve always admired strong women. Isn’t she amazing? Stopping that monster’s charge head-on like it was nothing… Wow.”

It was certainly impressive.

Yes, it was incredible. There was a moment when Leopold had almost dashed forward, shouting “Astrid!” without thinking, but in the end, he’d stayed put.

He’d watched as Astrid gripped the monster’s fangs with both hands, leaving long drag marks in the ground as she was pushed back. Then, she’d stopped it. Not only that, she’d pushed the monster back.

And in the end, she’d shoved it away completely.

“…She’s certainly impressive.”

“I’m so envious. Honestly, if she weren’t engaged to you, I’d…”

“You’d what?”

“Ah, never mind. I’m just saying things I shouldn’t. That’s a bit rude, isn’t it?”

Astein lowered his gaze, unable to meet Leopold’s stare.

“You’re aware you’ve already been rude, right?”

“Ah, is that so?”

Astein let out a cheeky laugh.

“So, if she weren’t engaged to me, you’d try to pursue her yourself. Is that it?”

“Well…”

Astein’s smile became ambiguous.

Even without a verbal answer, Leopold already knew what it would be.

He didn’t like it.

For some reason, he didn’t like it at all.

He didn’t want to see it.

The image of Astrid standing next to Astein—he didn’t want to see that.

He didn’t know why.

“……”

“Oh my, Squad Leader Astrid. What a coincidence.”

“Your room’s on the other side of the hall. This seems more like fate than coincidence.”

It was the hallway.

Such encounters weren’t supposed to be common.

Astrid was not happy to see Akemilla smiling brightly in front of her.

Not happy. No—she disliked it.

“If you’re here to see Cadet Leopold, it’d be better to meet him outside. Even in a mixed dormitory, wandering around like this doesn’t leave a good impression.”

“No, actually, I’m here to speak with you, Squad Leader Astrid.”

It was sudden.

Astrid had no idea what Akemilla could want to talk about after showing up out of nowhere.

A Bold Request

“I’m not sure what your business is, but wouldn’t it be better to discuss it outside? Especially if it’s about Cadet Leopold.”

“No, we can do it right here. It’s not a long conversation, and fortunately, there’s no one around.”

This girl was as bold as ever, and Astrid couldn’t understand her.

She found it all tiresome. It seemed faster to just hear her out and move on. With that in mind, Astrid nodded her head.

“In three weeks, there’s going to be a ball to celebrate the completion of basic training. You’re aware of that, right?”

She wasn’t.

“No, I didn’t know.”

Hearing Astrid’s honest response, Akemilla smiled, as if she’d been expecting that answer.

That self-satisfied smile irked Astrid, making her feel worse for no particular reason.

“At the ball, I’d like you to yield the first dance with Cadet Leopold to me.”

Astrid didn’t really understand the value of such a request, but it was clear that it wasn’t meaningless.

“No.”

Her answer was more firm than expected.

Akemilla had anticipated that Astrid wouldn’t agree right away, but she hadn’t expected her to be so blunt. The sheer decisiveness of Astrid’s response left Akemilla stunned.

“Why not?”

“Isn’t it obvious? No matter what Lady Akemilla says, you’re still a challenger while I’m the fiancée. If I were to give up the first dance, what would that do to my dignity? Can you not think that far ahead? If you hadn’t realized it before, I’m telling you now, so take your time and think it over.”

Akemilla was left speechless. She stood there, dumbfounded, unable to offer a single retort to Astrid’s blunt and unfiltered words.

“And don’t overstep your bounds. I only accepted your challenge as a gesture of generosity from a victor. I never gave you permission to climb all over me. You seem to have no understanding of the difference between being bold and being arrogant. Don’t push your luck. Do you understand?”

Having said her piece, Astrid slammed the door shut and went back into her room.

“…What the… what’s with her…”

Akemilla’s expression mirrored her disbelief. She couldn’t believe what she’d just heard.

TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES