Chapter 11: An Unusual Experiment
951 Words
Chapter 11: An Unusual Experiment
The next morning, Lucien woke earlier than usual.
As he dressed, his thoughts wandered back to the previous afternoon.
The palace balcony.
The training grounds.
Amelia.
More specifically...
The way she had been watching the knights.
He frowned.
Why had that bothered him so much?
He still couldn't understand it.
After a moment of silence, he came to a conclusion.
"Perhaps I simply misunderstood."
"Maybe she wasn't looking at them."
"I should confirm it."
The thought sounded perfectly reasonable in his mind.
Completely unaware that he was making excuses for himself, Lucien quietly made his way toward the training grounds.
---
The captain of the Royal Knights immediately saluted.
"Your Highness."
"I'll be joining today's training."
The captain looked surprised.
"You will?"
Lucien rarely trained with the knights unless there was a special occasion.
Still, he nodded.
"Prepare the field."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The knights quickly assembled.
Remembering the Crown Prince's order from the previous day, every knight wore his full training uniform despite the scorching summer heat. None of them dared remove their shirts.
Lucien glanced toward one of the palace corridors.
According to the servants...
This was the time Amelia usually returned from the Royal Library.
For a brief moment, he hesitated.
Then, without a word, he removed his own training shirt and handed it to a nearby attendant.
The captain stared in confusion.
"Your Highness...?"
Lucien picked up his wooden practice sword.
"It's too hot."
The captain bowed immediately.
"As you wish, Your Highness."
Although every knight remained fully dressed, only the Crown Prince trained without his shirt.
Years of relentless training had sculpted his body into that of a true swordsman. His broad shoulders, well-defined muscles, and firm abdomen reflected countless hours spent mastering the sword.
As the morning sun shone over the training grounds, sweat glistened across his skin while he sparred with one knight after another.
His movements were flawless.
Swift.
Elegant.
Powerful.
Even the Royal Knights found it difficult to keep up with him.
---
Meanwhile...
Amelia had just finished borrowing another stack of books.
Most of them were about magic.
One discussed magical beasts.
Another explained ancient kingdoms.
The last was filled with records of legendary swordsmen.
Smiling to herself, she carried them back toward her room.
As she approached the balcony overlooking the training grounds, the familiar sound of clashing swords echoed through the air.
"Oh..."
"The knights are training again."
Curious, she stepped closer to the railing.
Her eyes immediately found Lucien.
She blinked in surprise.
"His Highness?"
Unlike the other knights, he was the only one training without his shirt.
The sight caught her off guard.
His physique was even more impressive than that of the royal knights.
A faint blush crept onto her cheeks.
"He's... very well built."
She quickly shook her head.
"Amelia!"
"Stop looking at his body."
Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to focus on something else.
Soon, her eyes followed the movement of his sword.
"His footwork..."
"His balance..."
"The way he shifts his weight before every strike..."
"No wonder he's the Crown Prince."
"If I study his technique, my own swordsmanship will improve."
Completely absorbed in observing his skills, Amelia didn't realize she had been watching for several minutes.
Below, Lucien noticed her almost immediately.
She had stopped.
She was watching him.
Without realizing it, a strange sense of satisfaction filled his heart.
His movements became even sharper, as though he unconsciously wanted to impress her.
The captain of the Royal Knights frowned slightly.
"His Highness seems unusually determined today."
None of the knights understood why.
After defeating his final opponent, Lucien casually glanced toward the balcony once more.
Amelia was still there.
Watching him.
"So..."
"She wasn't only watching the knights that day."
For reasons he couldn't explain, the thought pleased him.
---
---
A short while later, Amelia continued toward her room.
As she rounded a corner, she nearly bumped into Lucien.
"Oh!"
She quickly steadied the books in her arms.
"Your Highness."
Lucien gave a small nod.
"Were you returning from the library?"
"Yes."
She smiled.
"I saw your training."
Lucien tried to sound indifferent.
"Did you?"
Amelia nodded enthusiastically.
"It was incredible."
"The way you move your feet before attacking..."
"And the timing of your strikes..."
"I've never seen swordsmanship like yours before."
Lucien looked at her quietly.
"So... you were watching my swordsmanship?"
Amelia smiled and nodded.
"Yes."
"I've been thinking that I should learn how to train properly."
She stopped herself there.
She couldn't tell him the real reason.
She had no intention of revealing that she already knew swordsmanship or that she wanted to become even stronger.
For now...
That part of herself would remain a secret.
Lucien looked at her with slight confusion.
"You wish to train?"
"Yes."
He remained silent for a moment.
Among the nobility, it wasn't uncommon for ladies to learn basic self-defense or horseback riding.
But serious sword training?
That was unusual.
Most noblewomen left fighting to the knights and soldiers.
They believed men existed to protect them.
Yet Amelia stood before him, calmly saying she wanted to train.
It was another side of her he had never expected.
After a brief pause, Lucien spoke.
"If you'd like..."
"I could teach you."
Amelia's eyes brightened.
"You would?"
Lucien nodded.
"I don't mind."
A warm smile spread across Amelia's face.
"I'd like that very much."
As she walked away, Lucien remained standing in the corridor.
He placed a hand over his chest.
"Why do I keep thinking about her?"
"And why does her smile make me... happy?"
He couldn't answer.
Not yet.
His heart had already begun falling in love.
His mind simply hadn't realized it yet.
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