The Monster Knight wants Parental Leave

Lucia hurriedly entered the room with the child in tow. As she swiftly removed her coat and set aside her gloves, the child remained motionless on the tiny mat at the training camp’s entrance.

Even Lucia, not known for her keen observation skills, couldn’t overlook the child’s unusual conduct, and a suspicion began to form in her mind.

‘…I didn’t think it was this bad.’

The child standing before her was covered in a messy assortment of grime, as if she had taken a tumble into a pit. Amidst the dirt, the child’s eyes remained remarkably clean, casting wary glances in every direction.

“….”

The child’s crystal-clear gaze fixated on the white glove Lucia had just removed. While her black attire remained untarnished, the glove was smudged with mysterious black and brown substances. Observing this, the child seemed taken aback by her own marks and hastily lowered her head.

Lucia could somewhat discern the situation, although it put her in a slightly awkward position. She needed to visit the Emperor at the palace soon, and time was scarce for her to change into fresh attire.

“Shall I show you where to wash up?”

The child, seemingly anticipating those words, nodded her head swiftly in response.

Lucia made arrangements for warm water in the bathroom.

The child, who had been standing motionless, cautiously entered the bathroom and closed the door behind her as soon as Lucia departed.

‘At that age…… did she bathe alone?’

As memories of her distant childhood flooded back, Lucia’s mind became entangled with complexity.

In order to proceed with her tasks for the day, she headed towards the dressing room and swiftly changed into her uniform.

Suddenly, a voice resonated from the bathroom.

“….ready….”

It appeared that the child had finished bathing.

Drenched from head to toe, the child cautiously peered out from behind the bathroom door, her face as pale as tofu wrapped in seaweed.

“What is it?”

“….”

With no response forthcoming, Lucia approached the bathroom door to check on the child.

Knock knock.

“Commander, are you awake? It’s time to head to the palace,” Vice Commander Berl’s voice resonated.

Startled like a cat, the child swiftly closed the bathroom door.

“Alright, understood,” Lucia replied.

Although her concern for the child lingered, considering Berl’s nature, they couldn’t afford any further delay if they wanted to make it on time. Time was of the essence.

“Kid, stay put and remain here. I’ll be back soon. You understand, right?” Lucia whispered softly to the closed bathroom door, receiving a small response from the child inside.

Upon confirming the child’s understanding, Lucia released a small sigh, opened the front door, and addressed Berl, who stood waiting attentively.

“Let’s go.”

Inside the swaying carriage, which was close enough to the palace to walk but had been prepared by Berl, Lucia found herself facing him.

Since a while ago, she had been looking at Berl, who was sitting nervously across from her.

Questions about whose funeral she had to attend were pouring out in his mind, but he dared not ask about the Commander’s actions.

‘Berl… Is he in his 30s?’

No, not at all.

Lucia felt a certain confidence in her ability to understand her subordinates well. However, she didn’t know this confidence was merely an illusion, as she wasn’t particularly sensitive to others.

Berl had neatly combed dark brown hair and a clean forehead. In contrast, the Black Knights in the royal court carried themselves with audacity. Consequently, Berl always made sure to maintain a tidy appearance, so as not to be a burden to the Commander.

This, however, posed a problem.

Despite being in his twenties, his well-groomed appearance often led to misunderstandings.

“Berl.”

“Yes, yes! Commander.”

Startled, Berl responded when Lucia addressed him.

“How old is the child?”

‘He mentioned having a baby before entering the training camp.’

Lucia was confident, but Berl was still unmarried. Surprisingly, Berl clasped his large hands together, seemingly touched by her question.

“Commander! I’m touched that you remembered… Cesar is five years old this year!”

‘Indeed. So his name is Cesar, and he’s a son. I’m a bit disappointed it’s not a daughter, but at least I have something to ask about.’

“Berl, when you raise a child…”

Just as Lucia was about to continue, Berl suddenly bowed his head.

“Commander! Thank you again! Thanks to your concern, my sister was able to have a well-deserved rest during her parental leave and has returned!”

It sounded as if there was something to celebrate.

As she listened, Lucia recalled that the main character of the story she was reminiscing about was Berl’s sister, five years prior to this point.

“…Is that so? Is everything okay?”

“Yes! Absolutely. Thanks to you, she proudly resumed her position as the administrator of the White Mage Squad!”

Although Lucia’s face didn’t betray her emotions, she felt quite flustered.

Observing her, Berl’s eyes began to glisten.

‘Ah… How challenging the training must have been. Her speech reveals signs of fatigue. I was just struggling to fill in for the Commander, awaiting her return… I still have a long way to go. Far, far off.’

Initially a woman of few words, Berl now regarded her with a hint of pity, observing the changes she had undergone in the past five years.

Berl, his eyes filled with admiration, gazed at his commander, who wasn’t even aware of his age.

Deeply moved, he reaffirmed his loyalty once again.

The sight of Berl, with an odd expression, reminded Lucia of a peculiar phrase.

“……You mentioned parental leave, didn’t you?”

“Ah, yes, Commander. Didn’t you have an agreement with the White Commander? Thanks to that, my sister was able to spend quality time with her child.”

The White Commander?

‘Ah, Leon Ruins?’

Lucia recollected the time when she had a duel with the White Commander, who was once considered her rival. It was probably the day they dueled for a wish.

Back then, she accepted the challenge out of boredom and emerged victorious. However, since she didn’t have a wish to ask of him at the time, she decided to allow Berl’s sister, who faced the unfortunate situation of having to quit upon learning about her pregnancy, to take a break.

“…That seems like a good idea.”

Lucia’s mind seemed to be filled with a revelation, and a faint smile graced her resolute lips.

***

Parental leave.

In recent years, it had become a powerful measure—one that left the bewildered emperor in a daze, unable to comprehend what had struck the back of his head.

The reason behind Lucia’s proposal of parental leave was simple.

Staying by a child’s side for decades was absurd.

Not only would it create a rift between the child and a normal upbringing, but the child might also seek independence once they reached adolescence.

To provide an environment where the child could thrive even without her presence, Lucia had to eliminate those involved in the plan to seal the Saintess. And being a royal knight proved to be the most effective way to gather the necessary information.

And then there was the matter of the control stone.

The child possessed a sacred power of immense magnitude.

Even at such a tender age, it was likely that the child’s power rivaled that of a high-ranking priest.

If only the child could conceal her power like Lucia, it would be ideal. However, such expectations were unrealistic at such a young age.

Hence, although Lucia had already obtained a control stone stolen from the shrine, it would take even a genius like Hiss at least six months to refine it.

However, this unexpected concern was resolved by Berl.

Half a year of parental leave.

The emperor stood there, his expression vacant as if struck by a blow, while Lucia organized her thoughts and plans.

However, she had already voiced her opinion and didn’t have the luxury of waiting for the emperor’s understanding.

The reason behind it all was the Saintess who remained alone at the training camp.

After offering a polite bow to the emperor, she was about to take her leave when he called out in desperation.

“Wait… Stop! Let’s put a stop to this!”

The emperor, now fully present, clung to a glimmer of hope as he looked at her smooth head.

“Are you playing a joke on me? Parental leave? Asking for parental leave when the child is five years old… it’s absurd.”

Silence filled the air as the emperor poured out his words without restraint, pointing towards the small training camp on the hill visible from the terrace.

It was a place he had observed with warmth each morning, envisioning the future of possessing a Sword Master.

Lucia acknowledged his gesture with a slight nod.

“……That’s absurd. Then who’s the husband? Answer me!”

Still holding on to a small hope, the emperor waited for her answer with half doubt.

But then,

“Yes. He was a herb collector. But while picking herbs on a cliff, he fell and eventually died, unable to collect herbs anymore. The last thing he held in his hand was not a herb, but a grass clump that resembled a herb, or so… I’ve heard.”

The story seemed nonsensical, utterly lacking in coherence.

As someone who had never needed to lie in her life, Lucia shamelessly uttered an excuse she had fabricated during her carriage ride, devoid of any hint of sorrow, even though it was a sorrowful tale by any measure.

A brief silence settled between them.

And then…

“Just now. Are you joking!? Do you even know how many of those damn herbs are in what you’re saying!”

The emperor’s anger distorted his features as he stomped his foot, unable to fathom the current situation.

However, he soon sighed, wiped his face, and composed himself, leaning in closer to Lucia with a hardened expression.

“You. That better be a joke. If that were true, if you had a child. You wouldn’t have been able to become a Sword Master. Then……”

The emperor’s gaze turned cold as he shifted his face away from Lucia, seemingly looking into the distance like a distant mountain.

He reached for his crystal wine glass, his back displaying torment—a sight that could be mistaken by an observer as the cold and rational ruler preparing to strike down a cherished subordinate in one fell swoop.

But she saw it.

She saw his three trembling fingers desperately clutching the upper part of the heavy crystal glass.

He was higher in status than anyone else, yet lower than anyone else.

She knew all too well the struggles he faced as the emperor of the empire.

A compassionate individual who lacked power but would accompany her on expeditions.

Due to his kindness, Lucia had personally experienced his annoying and contemptible nature, despite having saved his life numerous times.

“You’re guilty of neglecting your duties and leading a personal life within the training camp of the imperial palace.”

He tried to maintain an unconvincing atmosphere, awkwardly continuing to speak as if imitating a lonely figure he had witnessed somewhere.

It seemed he wanted to mimic the charismatic appearance of a moderately powerful ruler.

‘Tsk. I guess he died young because of alcohol.’

Lucia had no desire to play along with his lonely act, but eventually, feeling as though she had no choice, she picked up a pen made from a large feather that rested next to the approval documents.

Taking a deep breath, she infused the feathered pen with a sword aura.

Soon, the red sword aura caused the feather to dance gracefully, swiftly striking towards the glass the emperor held.

Whoosh!

“What, what!! Have you done something? Have you finally lost your mind!?”

The emperor shouted loudly, believing he had been attacked after sensing something pass by in an instant.

Lucia then presented the emperor with a smaller crystal glass in her hand.

The whiskey, which the emperor had only half-filled, now overflowed within the crystal glass.

It was peculiar.

It was clearly the same glass he had been holding…

“……?!”

In the emperor’s grasp, only the round and transparent top of the heavy crystal glass remained, tightly held by his three fingers.

And what severed it was not a sword, but a feather.

The feather in Lucia’s hand flickered with a red sword aura.

The emperor couldn’t hide his astonishment.

No matter how skilled a Sword Master Lucia may be, it is impossible to manifest a trembling sword aura without a solid object like Mithril.

This is basic knowledge even for the emperor, who himself is unable to wield a sword.

Yet, a feather.

The sound of the emperor, quick in calculations, resonated through the grand hall as he began to contemplate.

He wondered if Lucia had surpassed the realm of a Sword Master.

Had she reached the level of the legendary Grand Sword Master, whose power as an individual surpassed that of an entire kingdom’s knights?

If Lucia had achieved such a feat at the young age of 25…

A radiant smile bloomed across the emperor’s face, brighter than the flowers adorning the palace.

“……I know. I know! You are indeed……!”

“……”

“100% paid parental leave. Retention of training camp accommodations. And,”

Looking at both hands raised in joy, Lucia swiftly placed the glass in front of the emperor’s nose, preventing him from getting closer.

“Here. I’ve reduced the size of the glass as much as your age. You can’t even hold a glass of alcohol properly anymore, can you? Your Majesty.”

The emperor checked the size of the glass at her words that it was reduced as much as his age.

It was almost halved.

“……You really. Today, your damn mouth……!”

Being openly discussed about his lifespan by a subject, and being teased by her again today, he grumbled in frustration.

But despite her behavior, knowing that she cared about him and meant for him to reduce his alcohol consumption, he only snorted at the door she had gone through after a while.