OKOBORE HIME

TO

ENTAKU NO KISHI

The Leftover Princess and the Knights of the

Round

Book III: A General ’s Melancholy

Story by: Riine Ishida

Art by: Ichiko Okiya

Translation by: Crystalhikari

iii

Characters:

Duke Barchet

Knight of Sixth Rank of the Royal Chivalric Order

Rumored to have the best skills within the Order

The receiving end of Leti's high-handed invitation

Leticia

“Leftover Princess”

First Princess of Sommevesle, heir to the throne

Already knew that she would be the next queen

Leonhardt

Leti's younger brother

Third Prince of the Kingdom of Sommevesle

An eccentric historian

Friedhelm

First Prince of the Kingdom of Sommevesle

Leti's eldest half brother

A prince of charm and charisma

iv

Astrid Gale

Knight of Tenth Rank of the Royal Chivalric

Order

Duke‟s junior

Guido

Second Prince of the Kingdom of Sommevesle

Leti‟s second oldest half brother

A Prime Minister-type of prince with his

detailed planning and organized executions

v

Translator‟s note:

The Japanese honorifics were kept in the translation of the

dialogues of the characters to show the respect or adoration

shown by the characters. Footnotes were provided upon the first

appearance of the honorific in the chapter to explain it.

Thoughts are signified by italics.

The titles for this volume are all based on wedding traditions

“something borrowed, something new, something old, and

something blue”.

vi

PROLOGUE

Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi: The General‟s Melancholy

- 7 -

The promising rookie of the Royal Chivalric Order,

Astrid Gale, was on his way to the Royal Villa, the

residence of Sommevesle‟s First Princess, Leticia Elle

Kreutzer. This place was usually peaceful and tranquil,

but it had been noisy and busy as of late. Astrid was well

aware of the reason why the normally serene household

was in a bustle of activities.

The villa‟s mistress, Leti had decided to move out and

transfer to one of the wings of the Royal Palace.

“Oh! This is a rare occurrence. You did not enter

through the window. Are you, perhaps, sick? Or did you

finally learn your lesson after the countless times Ane‟ue1

reprimanded you? Ahahaha,” laughed Leonhardt, Third

Prince of Sommevesle and Leti‟s full younger brother, as

he saw Astrid standing by the Villa‟s entrance. His

greeting was overflowing with the Prince‟s odd and

eccentric personality.

The young knight bowed down to greet the prince

and took out a letter from his chest pocket.

1 Ane'ue: A Japanese honorific for calling one‟s older sister. (More formal

and old-fashioned than the normal Onee-san)

Prologue

- 8 -

“Professor, one of my former classmates asked me to

deliver this to you.”

“Oh, I see. Thank you for the trouble,” thanked

Leonhardt as he took the letter, but continued on looking

at Astrid.

“So I can now safely say that you enter through the

front door when you are to see me, but you go through

the window when you‟re meeting my sister. That‟s

interesting.”

Though both Leonhardt and Astrid are young lads of

sixteen years, Leonhardt is a brilliant historian and holds a

teaching position in the Knight Academy. Astrid was one

of his students in the Academy and even though Astrid

had graduated, their relationship of being a “teacher” and

a “student” remains.

“I would have invited you inside so you could greet

Ane‟ue, but I‟m afraid she is quite busy with the

preparations for her travel to Ilstra. This will be her first

state visit as the crown princess though she could easily

get through with it with her smile. She will only be

attending a wedding.”

Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi: The General‟s Melancholy

- 9 -

“Duke-senpai2 would be coming with her as well, am

I correct? He said so yesterday. But I do not understand

why do they have to pass by Northruth just to go to Ilstra?

Isn‟t it odd to do that?”

Duke Barchet was Astrid‟s senior and the Knight of

the First Seat of Leti‟s future Knights of the Round. He

told Astrid in one of their conversations that he was

looking forward to going to Northruth again for he was

not able to visit there for some time.

Astrid found it strange that they were specifically

choosing the longer path when they could have gone

straight to Ilstra. His professor provided him an answer.

“Taking the straight lie does not necessarily mean it is

the fastest route in the real world, little3 Astrid. The roads

going to Northruth are well-maintained so it will be faster

for the horses to pass there.”

2 Senpai : a Japanese honorific for someone‟s senior

3 Leonhardt uses the honorific „–kun‟ (informal honorific for young males) for Astrid but I decided to decided not to use it and just keep the somehow

playful tone of Leonhardt.

Prologue

- 10 -

“Ah, I understand now! But I climbed over the

mountains and it was faster.”

“Now, now, little Astrid, better add some details to

you story like when and why you where there before your

senior, standing behind us, asks you for those. Just say

you went out there for a picnic with your family.”

Leonhardt already had an inkling as to Astrid‟s

previous occupation before he entered the Knight

Academy and decided to give the quite innocent knight

and advice.

“Yes Sir,” was the overly enthusiastic reply Astrid

gave to Leonhardt before turning around to face his

scowling senior, Duke.

“Message from the Order?” Duke nonchalantly asked

Astrid as he decided to turn a deaf ear on the

conversation he heard a while ago.

“No, sir. I was just asked by a friend to deliver

something.”

“Ah, yes,” confirmed Leonhardt. “He did deliver to

me a letter from one of my former students. Do not you

Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi: The General‟s Melancholy

- 11 -

find it thoughtful? They asking about my health even

after graduating? I think this is a good proof that I am a

good teacher.”

“Putting aside the „good teacher‟ part, I think, as a

knight of the Order, I have a right to check that letter in

case in contains some top-secret information that should

not be disclosed to anyone.”

There had been rumors about the young prince

fishing information from the Order‟s network through

his former students. Duke thought this might be a good

time to verify the rumor, but the prince only gave him a

vague smile.

“We have quite a lively party here,” greeted Leti as

she came out from the corridor together with her maid.

“Oh, Astrid? Why are you here?”

“I had some business with Professor, your highness.

But I have finished it already.”

“I see,” coolly replied Leti, quite a contrast with the

energetic reply and sparkling eyes Astrid gave her.

Prologue

- 12 -

Anyone who saw their exchange might have found it

endearing, but not the two other men who were truly not

amused by the sight.

Seeing there was nothing left for her to do, Leti

turned around to go back inside when she suddenly

stopped, remembering something.

“This may actually be a good timing. Astrid? I have

something to say to you. Do you have the time?”

“Of course, your highness,” eagerly replied Astrid and

followed Leti with a certain lightness in his steps.

Duke and Leonhardt, however, felt more displeased

than ever as they followed the hop-skipping Astrid with

their annoyed gazes.

Leti dismissed the servants around but did not went

inside the room. She had no plans of being in a close

room with a previous offender.

“I remember you told me that your dream was to

become a „knight‟. Have you realized this dream already?”

Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi: The General‟s Melancholy

- 13 -

“Not yet, your highness.” Astrid works as a knight in

the Royal Chivalric Order. No matter where you look at it,

he was a „knight‟. But his dream was different.

“I had only became a knight in the Order, but I want

to be a knight swearing my loyalty to use my sword to

protect the king, the country and her people.”

Astrid answered Leti with pure honesty and passion.

He did not want to be a knight wishing to gain honor or

prestige, nor did he want to be bound by blood and duty.

He wanted to be a knight in the truest sense of the word.

He wanted to serve and protect.

This was not the first time Leti heard Astrid‟s

absurdly ideal dream and yet, she still could not find it

foolish. She found it admirable and the smile she gave

Astrid showed it.”

“I have not heard that answer while now. You also

said before that you have decided on who you wanted to

be as your master. How is your progress? Do you they

find you a desirable knight?”

Prologue

- 14 -

“To be honest, I‟m having a hard time. That person is

not looking for „strength‟ in a knight. I think with my

current state, I am beneath their notice.”

“Maybe you could consider this other path I thought

of.”

Leti wanted to discuss about Astrid‟s future, and she

happened to have thought of a possible path for him.

“I think fulfilling your dream by becoming an

honorary knight will be difficult. This occupation has

become nothing but a shell of what it should be. Now,

swearing your loyalty to a master simply means following

their personal orders, and this can come into conflict with

your own set of morals. However, I think there is another

way for you to fulfill your dream”

Leti understands how difficult it is to make one‟s

dream a reality. But she might have found one way for

Astrid to realize his dream.

“Aim to be the commander of the Royal Chivalric

Order. Show everyone how to be a „true knight‟ by

standing above them all. Doing this means you can be the

Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi: The General‟s Melancholy

- 15 -

„true knight‟ every time. This is exactly what your dream

is.”

“The commander?”

“Yes. But your feelings should still take the priority.

But do remember that reality is harsh on dreams.

Consider your options carefully. Should you wish to

follow my suggestion, you can expect full support from,

especially if you would encounter problems due to your

origins.”

Astrid listened to Leti intently, but he did not gave

her an affirmation, but asked her an impertinent question.

“Did your dream not come true, your highness?”

Astrid occasionally lets his true nature come out, and

this is one of those unexpected moments.

Leti was surprised, though not offended, at Astrid‟s

question. She was momentarily rendered speechless, but

soon found her voice.

“No, it did not. But then I realized I would be a

queen, and it no longer mattered.”

Prologue

- 16 -

“I see,” Astrid replied and excused himself.

Astrid was walking out of Leti‟s residence as he

contemplated on Leti‟s words and about his future. He

could not point out exactly what was wrong, but he did

not seem to be settled on his own future, and this

frustrated him. He let out an inward groan.

“Hey Astrid! I see you‟re still a stray dog as usual,

huh?”

The sarcastic greeting came from Friedhelm, the First

Prince of Sommevesle.

Astrid felt the prince‟s presence even before he called

to him but decided to ignore him. But he could no longer

do that now since Friedhelm was the one who

approached him. Though after some consideration, he

thought that this might be a good chance to ask someone

else‟s opinion on the matter of dreams.

“Your highness, may I know what was your dream

when you were young?”

Okobore Hime to Entaku no Kishi: The General‟s Melancholy

- 17 -

“I still cannot say whether you‟re just a natural

airhead, or you do this on purpose,” commented

Friedhelm on Astrid‟s blatant disregard of his „stray dog

comment‟. He was still contemplating if Astrid was

someone whom he should be on his guard, but decided

to give him an answer.

“My dream was, naturally, to be a king,” Friedhelm

said with a flare.

“But how come something „naturally‟ could be a

dream? I wouldn‟t have considered my family business my

dream.”

“...You‟re astute in the wrong places, you know?”

Becoming a king for Friedhelm is like becoming an

adult. It was a path prepared for him and not exactly his

dream. It was like becoming an assassin for Astrid.

“Then, let me tell you what my dream is. It‟s probably

the same as Duke‟s. A particular someone also told me

before that it was his dream. I guess, it‟s safe to say that

my dream is also the dream of all boys in this country.”

“What dream?”

Prologue

- 18 -

Friedhelm knew that Astrid did not grew up in

Sommevesle, so he chose to phrase his answer that way.

“If it‟s the same as Senpai‟s dream, then is it to

become her highness‟ knight?”

“Quite correct, but not exactly the right answer.”

Astrid asked Friedhelm because he wanted to use his

answer as a reference to clear his own confused mind, but

instead of providing him with a straight forward answer,

Friedhelm even added a riddle for him to solve.

The young knight let out a sigh as he realized that

thinking was a difficult business.