JENNIE
I wanted to step out, but the sight of Liam's retreating, unsteady figure stopped me.
It was evidently not the best time.
I remained hidden behind the tent, only looking away once Liam was beyond my line of sight.
My shadow was highly efficient. I received a very detailed report on Liam that night.
Sitting at my desk once again, illuminated by the flickering light of an oil lamp, I looked upon a strip of silk in my hand.
Written on it were small, condensed lines of text, detailing everything about Liam.
Liam's life before the military was summarized in a few, simple lines:
'Liam Manoban, sixteen, born in Elderville of Daze county.
Autumn, the Huns arrived. All one hundred and eighteen residents of the village perished. This person survived as he was picking medical herbs in the mountains.
After that, he traveled alone to General Windsor's army to enlist as a soldier. He kneeled before the registrar, refusing to get up.
The registrar, unable to bear this sight, brought him to the Commander-in-Chief.
His registration was changed, and he was enlisted into the army...'
On the other hand, Liam's two years in the army was described in full detail.
There were several times more words in it than the previous passage.
After reading through the content on the silk cloth, I raised it to the flame on the oil lamp.
Moments later, the silk cloth started to burn steadily, emitting a column of smoke...
Liam has surprisingly simple social connections. Two years in the military, and he has not made a single friend aside from Jackson.
He does not initiate conversations with others, participate in any group activities other than battles, and he has no special interests.
He has consistently attended daily training for two years, except for one period of absence...
Considering the time frame of that absence, and Jackson's explanation, I put two and two together.
I quickly concluded that Liam's abnormal absence in the daily drill was due to... his injury.
What Jackson had said was, apparently, true.
At that thought, my cheeks flushed slightly. I was an unmarried lady after all, my skin was still somewhat thin.
In my opinion, my uncle's evaluation of Liam was already very high, but surprising to say, what I read on the report implied that Liam might be even more outstanding than that...
For some reason, my thoughts returned to the way he looked, drawing his bow.
"To think that Liam was actually using a two-stone bow that uncle discarded... A bow that has lost its accuracy, yet he could shoot with such precision..."
My impression of him had changed completely.
One must not judge a book by its cover, indeed.
To be able to draw a two-stone bow a hundred times so easily with such a thin frame...
Right then and there, I officially settled on a plan I had mapped out earlier.
Liam was only sixteen. Under the proper guidance, he would surely take my uncle's place in time, becoming the next generation's Marshal for the fight against the Huns.
However, a problem quickly surfaced in my mind.
He had no living relatives. He never socialized, had no personal interests, and he seemed to have lost even the will to seek merit after his injury...
How should I put a person like this under my control?
My eyebrows knitted slightly.
I could appreciate his talent, but I disliked his 'personality'.
To me, someone who had no desires, no demands, and no blackmail material, was not only difficult to win over, they were also difficult to control...
***
The next day..
Lisa went to practice archery at the empty ground again.
Halfway through her training, a figure arrived gracefully, light as a breeze.
"Excellent archery skill!"
Lisa lowered her bow and looked behind her.
A woman was standing there, black brows curved gently like distant mountains, skin soft like peach blossoms, and hair as if a black waterfall.
Her eyes were like a beautiful cat, her lips red without paint, and she has dumpling-like cheeks.
A poem that was felt before it was spoken.
A splendid palace dress hugged her body, showing a slim waist that beckoned for a hold.
She stood quietly there, but in Lisa's eyes, it was as if she was witnessing the blooming of a hundred flowers.
Lisa was stunned.
In all sixteen years of her life, she had never seen such a beautiful woman before.
Two years of living with rugged men in the military day and night had almost caused her to forget that she was a woman too...
But even though they were both women, she was facing someone who could actually possess a beauty that could overthrow kingdoms and cities.
Comparing herself to this woman felt like comparing the difference between mud and clouds.
Instantly, she felt a rush of embarrassment in her heart, and she even started to feel somewhat ashamed of her own appearance...
The changes in Lisa's expression did not escape Jennie.
She had been watching Lisa attentively, starting from the surprise, to the look of captivation, the sudden flush of shame, ultimately ending in some sort of bewilderment.
This person had entirely forgotten to greet me...
He was exactly what the report had described. Extremely wooden-headed, lacking even the most basic sensitivity to politics.
"Who are you?" Jennie asked, smiling at Lisa with crescent eyes.
The bashfulness that crossed Lisa's tanned face was quite amusing to see.
The question finally snapped Lisa out of her trance.
Looking at Jennie, her cheeks felt hot as she answered: "I'm...uhmm... Liam Manoban."
Jennie smiled sweetly when she heard this, then she said: "Oh, so you are that young battalion commander that uncle often mentioned."
Uncle? ... ...
It took a while, but Lisa finally realized Jennie's identity.
She kneeled in a hurry: "This lowly one, greets Your Royal Highness."
"There is no need to be too courteous, Battalion Commander. I just happened to be passing by and noticed you practicing here. I hope that I have not bothered you."
"Thanks, Your Highness." Lisa stood up slowly, bearing the pain from her behind.
After a brief pause, she continued: "This lowly one wasn't aware that Your Highness had arrived, please pardon this lowly one for the offense..."
"An offense, in what way? I am the one who breached etiquette first, Battalion Commander is without fault. If I am not mistaken, that black bow in your hand is uncle's two-stone bow, correct?"
"Your Highness has keen eyes; this bow did belong to the Commander-in-Chief. It was thrown away due to the damage on the bow's body. This lowly one thought that this bow is truly a rare find, so I took it. After that, the Commander-in-Chief granted it to me."
"Heroes truly do come from youths. It is quite surprising how you're able to draw a two-stone bow with ease, despite not looking as physically strong as other martial warriors. I am truly impressed."
Lisa's face reddened inexplicably under Jennie's praise.
Fortunately, two years in the army had turned her skin tan. The changes in her complexion could not be as easily noticed.
Because her body was a secret, she had to protect it by practically never interacting with others.
In the military camp, if two 'men' were on good terms, it meant bodily contact and some other nuisances.
That was why Lisa always carried an expression that told others to 'back off' for over two years.
Perhaps it was because they were both women.
Perhaps it was because she was a noble Princess who would not be physically overbearing like the men in the military camp, or perhaps it was because this person was so wonderful that even her voice was so pleasant to hear.
Or perhaps... It was because ever since Lisa's parents had left this world, no one had praised her like this again.
Honestly, not even Lisa could understand the reason behind it.
When she heard Jennie's praise, Lisa who rarely smiled, smiled towards Jennie, revealing a row of clean white teeth.
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