Journey to the Capital (4)

Constance head is heavy and in searing pain as he woke up from his slumber. He can barely remember what happened last night when they had a drink inside the inn.

We've fucked up badly last night. I can barely even remember what meal we had.

His merry knights really have a blast from the snippets of memories that he can barely recall. They drink ale and beer the entire night, Emile even climbs up to the tables and sings with the rest of the guests who join the drinking fest they had last night.

Luckily the princess and her companions didn't join us, I just hope nothing happened. If there is, our heads would be rolling.

Constance shudder of such possibility. He stands up from his bed even if his mind is still hazy to check the princess.

He gets his sword at the side of the bed and then walks towards the door. He needs to check the situation as soon as possible.

He was near the door when his door suddenly. One of the princess knights, Lady Elisa, is the one who opens the door and sees the haggard state of the young lord.

"My Lord, the princess asks for you downstairs."

Lady Elisa looks sorry for the sad state of the young lord who is still hungover from his merry time with his knights. But even if she is sorry, the princess' wishes and commands come first.

"Tell her, that I would be there in a moment."

Lady Elisa can only nod and goes downstairs first. Constance returns back towards the room and approaches the large dirty mirror hung on the wall first.

The princess is already awake, and it would be bad if his appearance was shabby. Even if he hates noble traditions and practices, looking presentable is an etiquette of a proper human being even if the princess has known him for days already.

He combs his hair and wears a new white tunic.

He then looks back at the mirror and sees that his clothing is presentable enough. But his appearance is still poor as his face is full of dust and still haggard due to the hangover, his handsome face is now in poor state, he thought.

Fortunately, there is a basin full of clean water near the mirror prepared by the innkeeper early in the morning for their guests. He undresses his clean white tunic and carries the water towards the front of the mirror.

I'm an idiot to drink until the lights out... If the public knew what happened last night, then we would all be gallows tomorrow. Sigh...

After preparing himself, Constance went towards the other room to check on his companions, he tried to open the doors, but all were locked. He knocked but there was also no response.

It seems they are all still sleeping. Oh... well, they would wake up later.

Constance went down the stairs to the common area where the princess might be possible waiting for him.

The common area can immediately be seen when you reach the stairs so Constance can immediately notice where the princess is staying. The stairs have only a few steps from the bottom and top floor, so Constance immediately reaches the ground floor of the inn.

Constance then looks around in the common area and notices that aside from Princess Tessia and her two female knights, they are a few guests around talking with them. The men are wearing full military imperial armor and seems soldiers of the garrison of the city.

"Oh, you're here Lord Arignon."

Princess Tessia, noticing that Constance was already here in the common area, called him to approach them.

"Commander!"

The men with the princess are in fact, the soldiers and officers that Constance once lead in the campaign. All the soldiers salute to their once commander who shed blood and sweat with them in pushing back the enemy from the walls of the city to the enemy city of Edeva.

"You're here Officer Baltik, no you are not a border officer anymore," Constance notices the new rank in the military uniform Sir Baltik is wearing. "21st legion vice commander Baltik, am I right?"

"Yes, commander, I'm happy that you notice my new rank." Sir Baltik said happily, he proudly shows that they are now wearing an imperial legion uniform instead of the garrison uniform. "It is because of you that the entire Nors garrison command become the 21st imperial legion."

"It is mostly thanks to the valiant effort and bravery of the soldiers Sir Baltik, I only help the men to their duty, no need to thank me that much."

"If you say so commander... nonetheless, you are the only commander who leads us properly and with honor, we will never forget this debt we had on you." Sir Baltik replied. He remembered how the young lord from the far south of the empire had led them in the battles. Who rides and fights in the middle of the battlefield with the men, unlike other commanders who always stay at the back.

Sir Baltik and the soldiers with him bow their upper bodies forming a ninety-degree angle. That's how thankful they are to their once commander, without him, the Aquintanian territory in the Nors peninsula might have already fallen already.

Constance waves his hand, and the soldiers stop bowing to him. It would be awkward if they keep bowing to him all the time, he can only accept their gratitude to him.

Constance approached them and sat by the side of Sir Baltik. He looks around and notices that only the princess has food serving in front of her. The innkeeper is also nowhere to be seen.

"Why didn't you inform us that you are here commander? If you are here, we could have provided you the best inn and food." Sir Baltik exclaims, the soldiers with him are nodding vigorously, they want the best for the commander.

"We want to keep our presence here in the city discreet as much as possible, we don't know if there are any spies around, especially that the peninsula has become a focus in the empire."

'I also don't want to be trouble more by fame...'

Constance notices that Sir Emile and Sir Markus have also come downstairs. Sir Markus is wearing a full military uniform while Sir Emile is still wearing the brown tunic, he wore last night when they were drinking.

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