Morgan II scratched his cheek as if embarrassed and said,
"I receive sword training every day with wooden and practice swords, but recently, the imperial workshop made a sword that fits me perfectly, so I used it in training."
"What problem arose from that?"
The issue with the real sword sounded quite serious.
He asked with serious eyes if someone had been hurt.
"When I swung the sword... because of a strange lightness I didn't feel with wooden and practice swords, my arm's trajectory went further than usual... and I cut my ankle."
"Oh no, are you alright?"
"Fortunately, only my clothes were torn, and there was a bruise. Take a look here."
Morgan II put his foot on the table and showed his ankle.
Thanks to the diligent efforts of court magicians and healers, the wound didn't seem visible at first glance.
"It doesn't seem like a big problem, and I don't think there's much to worry about."
"Yes, there's no major problem with the wound itself, and I think so too. The real problem... happened right after I got injured."
Morgan II blushed as if embarrassed.
"When I saw the blood flowing from my ankle, I... fainted."
"You fainted?"
"Yes, I felt something warm coming from my ankle and touched it, thinking it was sweat... but after that, I don't remember anything. When I opened my eyes, I saw the familiar ceiling."
"......Oh dear."
Fainting at the sight of blood.
It wasn't unreasonable for a young noble who had always been confined and only read books, but it was still a difficult situation.
"The king who is afraid of blood... indeed, it's a weakness that is enough for others to underestimate."
"Exactly, my sister said the same thing. How can I look after the people if I faint at the sight of blood? Then she said that getting used to blood is more important than swordsmanship training, and she took me to a slaughterhouse for weird training."
Adonis Hupper underwent rough training that was not ladylike, and as a result, she became a knight commander who could defeat even an ogre.
However, it would be difficult for Morgan II to accept such an approach.
"I spoke up because she was putting me through such tough training!"
"What did you say?"
"I told her that I'll overcome my fear of blood, and she should overcome her fear of frogs."
"......You must have been hit."
"Yes, she slapped me on my butt."
It gave off a strong sibling vibe.
Morgan II looked up at Reed with a green face and asked,
"What do you think of me fainting at the sight of blood, Tower Master? Do you also think it's strange?"
Reed answered,
"Being afraid of blood is a big weakness in emergency or unexpected situations, so I think it's a problem that needs to be overcome."
"You're on my sister's side, after all."
Morgan II sighed and lowered his head.
Reed reassured him.
"It's for Your Majesty. As an ally, I'm giving advice for Your Majesty."
"But it seems too difficult for me alone."
"If it's difficult, why not overcome it together?"
At that, Morgan II looked up at Reed.
"Together?"
The deflated face from earlier was gone, replaced by a fisherman's smile that seemed to say he had caught something big.
"That's right. It's a problem we can overcome together. The alliance between the Silence Tower and the Hupper Kingdom! It's a very strong alliance!"
'...Something seems fishy.'
"Recently, my sister reserved a game held in Imorun as a way to get used to blood. It's a top-class VIP room where you can watch the game vividly from above."
"Imorun... that's a city in the south, isn't it?"
Reed knew what was going on in that city.
Reed knew full well what Adonis's purpose was for sending him there.
"Will you accompany me?"
"......"
Please come with me.
Frankly, Reed didn't want to.
Imorun was an intense city where he didn't want to witness the things that happened there.
"As a Tower Master, I have many things to do. Having my time taken away in such a place is..."
"For the sake of our alliance, please, Tower Master."
Morgan II looked up at him like a soaked puppy.
If a thick-headed man had looked at him like that, he would have slapped his cheek, but the opponent was a boy who looked so much like Adonis.
Rejecting the proposal felt like committing an act that should not be done as a human, and guilt would overwhelm him.
Even knowing that it was intended!
"I understand... I suppose I can consider it as official business for a few hours..."
"Your generosity is truly fitting for the person I admire. Thank you, Tower Master."
He smiled gently.
Reed looked down at Morgan II with a fearful gaze.
He knew his strengths too well.
Indeed, he was destined to be a great king.
***
After finishing his conversation with Morgan II, Reed headed to the office where Adonis Hupper was.
She was handling all the official duties that the young king couldn't do, and as expected, Morgan Hupper's seat had transformed into hers.
As soon as the door opened, the portrait of Morgan was replaced with a painting of young Morgan II and Adonis.
In the picture, Adonis appeared with her elegant bob cut.
And a woman with the same appearance was working below the painting.
"Welcome, Tower Master."
Adonis greeted Reed with a blank expression.
"I'm sorry if I've intruded at a busy time."
"No, it's not. I'm grateful that you visited just as I was taking a break. Please, have a seat."
Adonis offered a chair on the opposite side.
"I heard from His Majesty. You reserved a place in Imorun to overcome the fear of blood."
"......Did His Majesty really drag you into this?"
At Adonis's guess, Reed nodded.
Adonis sighed with a displeased face.
"I told him not to keep trying to get out of it... I'm sorry. It seems I got you involved in something unnecessary."
"No, it's fine. I actually wanted to see that game once, so I think it worked out well."
In fact, he really didn't want to, but since the situation had already been discussed, he didn't try to back out awkwardly.
Adonis looked at Reed as if surprised by his words.
"Did you have an interest in the games held in Imorun, Tower Master? Perhaps I'm mistaken, or you misunderstood something..."
"I know it well."
Reed nodded his head in response.
"Imorun is the city where gladiators gather, isn't it?"
The southern city, Imorun.
It was a city built on desolate land, a land of rough gladiators who gained fame through fighting.
