My Childhood Friend Told Me to Go Marry the Most Beautiful Woman in the Kingdom, So I Seriously Started Improving Myself—and Somehow Ended Up Making Women Fall Hard - Chapter 94 & 95

Chapter 94: Getting Stronger Every Time I Get Sent Flying

At the training grounds early in the morning—

I got sent flying.

My vision flipped upside down for a moment before my back slammed hard into the floor.

All the air rushed out of my lungs.

“Guh…!”

Pain shot through my entire body.

“Hort, get up.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

An overwhelming monster of strength.

“If you stay down that long, you’ll be dead in a real fight.”

“Sorry!”

In my blurry vision stood a huge old lady with white hair.

Dame Haua Uvis was smiling.

Even though my body screamed in pain, I forced myself back to my feet.

“…One more round, please.”

“Good. You’re still weak, but you’ve got potential. Until now you’ve relied too much on tricks and magic. Your fundamentals are still lacking. As a magic swordsman, you need to carve the basics into your body.”

“Yes.”

I wrapped magic power around my buster sword, strengthened my body, and kept moving with everything I had for hours.

And yet—

I still couldn’t land a single hit.

Right in front of Princess Luminaria, I was sent flying again and again.

Before I could even catch my breath, Haua casually lifted her greatsword with one hand.

It was bigger than my sword.

A ridiculous chunk of iron—yet she handled it easily with one hand.

“…Royal Guard knights really are incredible.”

The moment I muttered that, Haua spun her sword lightly.

The air split with a sharp sound.

Dust on the floor scattered into the air.

“Hah. I’m nothing special. The captain of the Royal Guard is the real monster. And above them you’ve got the Crown Knights. Let’s see… I’m probably around the tenth strongest person in this kingdom.”

Haua was only tenth.

That meant the people above her were still far beyond my reach.

“Come now. Take your stance.”

“…Yes!”

Out of habit, my hand reached for the huge sword on my back.

But she stopped me.

“Come at me with your bare hands.”

“…Huh?”

“You still haven’t gotten rid of your academy habits. You rely too much on your sword and magic.”

I clenched my teeth and raised my fists.

The next moment, Haua stepped forward—her movement so smooth it almost looked like she was sliding.

And then—

Impact slammed into my stomach.

The air left my lungs.

My body lifted off the ground.

And a second later, I was smashed back into the floor again.

“Gah…!”

I rolled across the ground, coughing hard.

But this time, before she could even tell me to get up, I forced myself upright.

Without holding a sword, my movements were faster.

She spoke casually, as if nothing had happened.

“Good. You’re finally starting to learn.”

“…That’s because you’ve slammed me into the floor so many times.”

“It’s training. I only break you enough so you don’t die. Real strength only exists beyond the edge of death. You’ve probably experienced plenty of battles already. Some of them must have felt like you were about to die. But how many times can someone really face death like that? With me, I can give you that lesson as many times a day as you need.”

Terrifying.

And the worst part was… she was completely serious.

She probably thought she was being kind.

“Haua, shouldn’t we take a break soon?”

A clear voice cut in.

When I looked over, Lady Lumina had stood up.

Her silver hair swayed slightly as she crossed her arms.

Her expression looked a little pouty—

But her eyes were completely serious.

“Your Highness. If you spoil him, he won’t improve.”

“You’re trying to break him before he even improves.”

Lady Lumina puffed out her cheeks.

Dame Haua only shrugged.

“We don’t need fragile swords that snap so easily. If it doesn’t break, it will grow stronger. Simple as that.”

“…Lady Lumina, I’m fine.”

“Huh?”

“I want to become stronger. I want to properly protect you as your Royal Guard knight. Will you allow me to protect you?”

When I asked that, Lady Lumina’s face brightened with a happy smile.

“You really haven’t changed, Hort. Are you truly alright with this?”

“…I’m fine. Her attacks stop just short of killing me. But no matter how many times I’m knocked down, I’ll stand back up.”

When I said that, she frowned slightly.

“Honestly… you really are… very well. But only until lunchtime. Understood?”

“…Thank you.”

I didn’t know if effort alone would be enough.

But one thing was certain—

Haua was training me hard.

Her blows were far heavier than Captain Oren’s punches.

Sharper than Commander Snake’s sword.

Even more overwhelming than Commander Adelheid.

An incredible person was personally teaching me.

“Her Highness assigned me to train you. If you didn’t realize that, then your brain needs training too.”

“Lady Lumina did?”

Lady Lumina cleared her throat softly, her face turning slightly red.

“…If you are to become my knight, I want you to grow stronger.”

“As your Royal Guard…?”

“No.”

Lady Lumina’s voice lowered slightly.

“I want you to become a Crown Knight.”

“…A Crown Knight?”

The title of the strongest warriors in the kingdom.

Different from the Royal Guard—

They were the kingdom’s ultimate swords.

And yet Lumina said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“You have talent. You’ve already built up achievements. All that remains is strength.”

“…‘All that remains’? Isn’t that the hardest part?”

“Is it? Strength alone isn’t enough to become a Crown Knight. You also need achievements recognized by others. Proper etiquette and presence that people can look up to. Charisma. You’ve already accomplished great things. You’ve even shown the charisma to attract women. That leaves only one thing.”

She said it so easily.

Haua looked down at me and spoke.

“The princess is serious. That’s why I’m serious too. And you know… you might soon reach the level of my granddaughter.”

“…Your granddaughter?”

Haua nodded and rested her sword on her shoulder.

“Yeah. Adelheid von Graetz.”

“Huh? Dame Haua, excuse me, but… who exactly are you?”

“You’re only realizing this now?”

Haua spoke while walking forward.

“I’ve trained quite a few Crown Knights in my time. Some died in wars, though. But the three Crown Knights serving now? They’re all my students.”

“…All three?!”

She glanced at me.

“And I’m also the teacher of Adelheid—the one closest to becoming the next Crown Knight.”

Commander Adelheid’s teacher.

“And her grandmother too.”

Neither Lady Lumina nor Gina looked surprised.

Which meant…

I was the only one who didn’t know.

“Why do you think our last names are different?”

“Uh… yours is Uvis, right? Not Graetz…”

“It wasn’t me who married into the Graetz family. It was my daughter.”

Haua continued calmly.

“My daughter married into the Graetz family. Adelheid is my granddaughter through her.”

“…Your granddaughter…”

My brain couldn’t keep up.

So that meant—

Commander Adelheid’s grandmother… was this huge old lady?

“…Well, that explains why she’s so strong.”

The moment I muttered that, Haua snorted.

“Hmph. Maybe I should start by fixing the way you talk.”

“N-No! Sorry!”

I apologized instantly out of reflex.

But honestly, I couldn’t help being shocked.

I had heard that high-ranking noble families were often connected by blood…

But I never imagined that Commander Adelheid’s grandmother was a Royal Guard knight.

“Alright. Take your stance. Talking time is over.”

“…Yes ma’am!”

As a Royal Guard knight, my job mostly kept me inside the castle unless Lady Lumina went out.

Which meant—

There was plenty of time for Haua to send me flying during training.

After finishing the morning session and taking off my armor, my whole body ached.

…My injuries had already healed, yet now it felt like my body was breaking again for a completely different reason.

But muscles never lie.

Little by little, I could feel my movements changing.

I challenged Haua again and again.

She pointed out my weaknesses—

And I continued chasing strength.

♢

When night came, I set aside my sword.

Instead, I held a pen and a needle.

Designing underwear.

At first, part of me resisted the idea.

But after the brutal training sessions, sitting down with a pen to sketch designs, then picking up a needle and thread to adjust the fabric… somehow helped calm my mind.

And here too—

If I knocked on the window three times…

“Did you call for me, Sir Hort?”

“I knew you’d come.”

Gina appeared inside the room.

She wore her maid uniform, but this time she wasn’t wearing her mask.

“The person you mentioned before… that lady you serve. It’s Princess Lumina, right?”

“Yes. She is the lady I serve.”

“I see… so all the support I’ve received until now came from Lady Lumina?”

“Sir Hort saved Lady Lumina’s life. We merely returned the proper reward for that.”

Even without the mask, her face was still expressionless.

But after coming to the castle, just knowing someone familiar was here helped calm my nerves.

“Why did Lady Lumina choose me as her Royal Guard knight? I only saved her once, yet she’s done this much for me.”

“…That is not something I can explain.”

“I see.”

“However…”

“However?”

“Lady Lumina does not have as many allies as Sir Hort might think. Perhaps… she wished for someone she could truly rely on.”

Someone she could rely on.

She wanted me to become a Crown Knight.

Lady Lumina’s feelings…

“Then I guess all I can do is work harder.”

“Are you alright?”

“Huh?”

“If you are pushing yourself too much, please make use of me.”

“Make use of you?”

Before I could react, she gently placed my head onto her lap.

“…Eh?”

“I already told you before. I am also one of the people you saved. And I wish to support you for the rest of my life.”

Now that I knew who her true master was, I remembered the time I saved Gina as well.

And the words she told me back then…

Maybe they had always been leading to this moment.

“Thank you. I’m not overdoing it. But… can I lean on you a little?”

“Of course.”

Resting my head on Gina’s lap, I slowly closed my eyes for a moment.

Chapter 95: The Princess Is Busier Than I Expected

As I tried to understand my new lord, Lady Luminaria Edelstein Valshrein, by observing her, my sister’s face often came to mind.

Even though she was a princess, Lady Lumina was an incredibly hardworking person.

She woke up early in the morning, carefully prepared herself, and immediately began reviewing documents.

Since I had never known what a royal’s daily life was like, her busy schedule honestly surprised me.

“Hort, please continue your training.”

“Understood!”

During the morning, she watched my training while Gina brought her documents to review.

After lunch, she held meetings with important visitors from other countries as part of her diplomatic work.

And the guests kept coming until night.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“Yes. And thank you for protecting me again today.”

At night, Haua took over guard duty, and I returned to my room.

But according to Gina, Lady Lumina continued working even after that.

Watching her like that reminded me of how my sister used to be before she got married.

My sister had always worked hard.

Being born as the daughter of a baron’s family was both a blessing—and a curse.

If she had been born into a higher noble family, maybe her life would have been different.

But being born into a baron’s house made finding a marriage partner difficult.

That’s what she used to say.

So she corrected her posture.

Refined the way she spoke.

Polished her etiquette.

Studied constantly to improve herself.

There must have been days when she cried and hated it.

Days when she wanted to give up.

And yet—

My sister never stopped.

And when she finally found someone she truly loved…

She smiled brighter than I had ever seen before.

“Hort! People who chase their dreams are wonderful, aren’t they?”

I tilted my head.

“Really?”

What even was a dream?

What did it mean to chase one?

Back then, I didn’t really have any goals of my own. I just spent my time supporting Rina instead.

My sister looked at me and continued.

“You see, people naturally want to cheer for someone who is chasing their dream.”

“Why?”

“Because seeing someone try their hardest moves your heart.”

She paused for a moment and lightly traced the rim of her cup with her finger.

As if she were carefully choosing her words.

“But you know… there’s a moment when you want to support them even more.”

“Even more?”

“Yes. When you’re the only one who knows how hard they’ve truly worked.”

“The only one who knows? What does that mean?”

“It means you feel like you’re special to them.”

“Special…?”

My sister nodded, then smiled a little mischievously.

“You know… feeling special can really make your heart weak.”

Back then, I didn’t really understand what she meant.

But now… I do.

People naturally want to support someone who works hard.

And it’s not just that.

Once you see the effort behind the scenes… you can’t simply look away anymore.

In the Second Knight Order, Commander Adelheid often stayed behind alone, organizing piles of paperwork.

Nagi traveled on her own, struggling and fighting just to survive.

Natasha carried the pain about her father inside her heart, yet still took care of the children at the orphanage.

And Lady Lumina—despite the glamorous image of being royalty—was actually an incredibly busy and hardworking person.

Seeing that made me want to support her as her Royal Guard knight.

The reasons to stand by her kept growing.

My resolve to support her kept deepening.

My sister was someone who worked hard.

So she supported people who worked hard.

And when she met my brother-in-law, she kept supporting him too.

After marrying my sister, my brother-in-law’s success was incredible.

He started as a young, rising merchant.

Now he had built one of the top construction businesses in the royal capital.

At first he was clumsy and quiet.

But he was the type who showed everything through his actions.

Even now, the two of them live happily together.

They never hide their effort.

Their weaknesses, their sweat—everything.

They share it all.

“Honestly… if you ask me what an ideal couple looks like, it’s probably people like my sister and her husband.”

“What are you talking about?”

During one of her short breaks, Lady Lumina was quietly enjoying her tea.

And without thinking, I had spoken my thoughts out loud.

“No, I was just remembering my sister for a moment.”

“Your sister?”

“Yes. I thought Lady Lumina is a very hardworking person… so she reminded me a little of my sister.”

“Fufu, is that so? Are you close with your sister?”

“I think so. I’m the youngest in my family, so my older brother and sister always took good care of me.”

“It sounds like you have a very close family.”

Lady Lumina praised my family.

But somehow… her eyes looked a little lonely.

“Lady Lumina doesn’t get much time to spend with her family, does she?”

“Royalty may have more work than most people imagine. I mainly handle diplomatic matters, so I rarely get time to spend with my family.”

“I see.”

“Yes. But in return, I get to spend time with Gina and Hort! And that makes me very happy.”

She once said her body was weak and that she had no strength to fight.

Even so, as a member of the royal family, she built her place through diplomacy.

Working hard where no one could see.

But… was that truly her dream?

As royalty, she didn’t hide her weakness.

Instead, she fought using different weapons.

Still, when she told me to become a Crown Knight, the look in her eyes felt different.

It wasn’t just an order.

It felt like a wish.

Like she was entrusting something to me.

There was resolve in that gaze.

And somehow, when I saw that side of Lady Lumina, she reminded me of my sister.

A hardworking person entrusting something to another hardworking person.

I understood the weight of that.

For a long time, I had mixed my sister’s words together with my feelings for Rina.

But the truth was… what I felt toward Rina wasn’t something entrusted to me.

It was just dependence.

I had simply left everything up to her.

Because of that, I was finally able to understand my own goal—my dream.

To marry the most beautiful woman in the kingdom.

To work hard and seize that dream with my own hands.

And for that… I wanted to know Lady Lumina’s dream too.

Once I understood it, I wanted to support her properly as her Royal Guard knight.

Tomorrow, I’d probably get sent flying again during training.

But that path would lead toward my dream—

And toward Lady Lumina’s dream as well.

At least… that’s what I believed.