Two weeks later, Fie stood before the snaking line of hopefuls taking the squire test.
(There are so many people... I’d better get to the back of the line quickly...)
The line had stretched from the open doors, where members of the Royal Knights were holding their reception, all the way into the center of the castle.
Fie had left early in the morning, earlier than the first guard would rise, escaped from the back pavilion, and made her way to the middle of the castle.
Of course, all this was for the squire test.
In order to not be spotted by the denizens of the castle, Fie had looped around to the outside walls, eventually making her way into the test grounds.
As such, although Fie had to line up with people from outside the castle, she had actually come from within it. So it was important to quickly find the end of the line and stand in place.
For the last two weeks, Fie had been practicing her hand at the sword day and night.
Fie was on her own — so other forms of practice were not really very practical, but she had put her all into it, and did what she could in two weeks’ worth of time.
To be frank, she wasn’t in very good shape, and she hadn’t really been able to eat. Upon arriving in Orstoll, Fie’s status had been upgraded to that of “troublesome individual,” which was slightly higher than her standing back in Daeman, where no one had noticed her at all.
No food, supplies, or amenities were provided to her. If one thinks about it, perhaps that is a given.
To the people of this country, Fie was an add-on, an unwanted being, who was only here as part of a wedding condition for her glamorous twin. Upon arriving in Orstoll, she was regarded as little more than dust — just a nameless princess from a rural kingdom. Who would deign to look after such an individual? It was seen as imposing to even ask for the most basic of items and services required for living.
Ever since arriving at Orstoll, the only things provided for Fie had been unmotivated guards, and a pavilion that probably functioned as a sort of storage facility graced only by endless visages of walls before her arrival.
Due to the above-stated reasons, the ingredients for Fie’s food so far were purchased with Fie’s own funds, by her now-resigned chef. They were probably ingredients purchased from merchants who visited the castle... And although the food provided was nothing but cold and unappetizing, with the chef now gone, there was no one who would venture out to procure food for the occupant of the back pavilion, Fie.
Upon realizing this, Fie knew that she had a problem. However, there wasn’t much she could do about it. It was pointless to ask the guards for assistance of any kind, and Fie had made up her mind to walk her second path in life. For that very reason, it would be foolish to reveal her face to guards who hardly knew it.
As a result, for the last two weeks, Fie had feasted upon the remaining ingredients that the chef had bought — if leaving bits and pieces for the coming days could be thought of as feasting.
How absolutely sad, to be in one of the few Great Kingdoms such as Orstoll, and even within its castle walls, only to engage in such a hand-to-mouth, survivalist lifestyle. But life isn’t fair. Of that, there was no doubt.
In spite of all her efforts, Fie’s food supply had run out two days prior to the test, so for the past two days she had been unable to eat. Even so, she continued practicing her swings.
(A chance like this will never come again!)
Today was the day that Fie would pursue a different life — one that was completely unlike the one she had known before.
Failure was not an option.
Fie was still in the middle of the castle. From here, she would pass the main gates, and line up with the rest of the aspirants. This was the first hurdle to overcome.
To avoid attention, Fie had purposely taken a side path to the line — and she had reached it, when a voice behind her rang out.
“Hey, pretty little miss. Are you lost?”
(Oh no! Have I been found out!?)
Hearing the phrase “pretty little miss,” Fie’s heart sank. Cold sweat dripped from her cheek and brow.
The reason for this was simple: Fie was currently dressed as a man.
Utilizing one of the many dismal dowry gifts she had received from Daeman, she had cut her hair short with scissors, found a tattered and ragged gardener’s outfit from somewhere in the pavilion’s storage areas, and promptly put it on.
With that, Fie was applying for the squire test as a man... Or so she had thought.
Although there were no rules in the test stating that all candidates had to be male, to Fie, who lived in a rural kingdom like Daeman, female knights were rare. She had hoped that this would improve her chances. She thought that it must be easier to be accepted as a young boy, compared to a young girl. It was a simple reason.
After all, Fie’s entire life was at stake here, at this specific moment in time. No matter what happened, Fie absolutely had to make it.
(What am I going to do? There must be some way I can pull the wool over his eyes...)
In retrospect, it was fine if the stranger behind her had realized she was a woman. That wasn’t the real problem. It was the worry that if her presence were regarded as suspicious, and if the authorities found out her true status as an add-on bride from some rural kingdom, she would probably be trapped in the back pavilion once more.
And this time, they wouldn’t give her guards that practically did nothing at all.
(In any case, I have to smoothly get out of this...)
Fie needed information. Exactly how much the stranger believed that Fie was a woman... And if they had found Fie particularly suspicious in any way or form.
“Uh. Well, I’m...”
Turning around, Fie came face-to-face with a blonde, hazel-eyed knight. With his height and facial features, she thought that he must be popular with the ladies. Then she thought...
(He looks like quite the flirt.)
And that was Fie’s first impression of the knight before her.
The knight, finding Fie’s gaze somewhat interesting, laughed in a carefree manner.
“Oh, sorry. My bad. Don’t make such a surprised face. You just have a cute face, little boy — and I just had to make fun of you. So, what’s wrong? Are you lost?”
Fie was a little stunned at being called a “little boy.”
It seemed like the knight was just making fun of her, after all.
“Um. Well, I uh, want to line up. For the squire test.”
“Oh! Did you get chased out of the queue? I mean, you’re quite small, so.”
“Y-Yes! That’s right! That’s what happened!”
Although Fie had not even been in the line at all, she jumped at the knight’s misunderstanding, and was determined to use it to her advantage.
“Well I’m sorry, but in this case you’re gonna have to line up again. I’ll show you to the end of the line.” The knight smiled — and it was a broad one, at that.
The maids from Daeman would probably have flushed beet red, and eventually fainted from seeing such a smile. Fie however, was more concerned about being brought to the end of the line. She was grateful for that, even.
(With this, I won’t be treated as a suspicious person and I’ll be able to leave the castle to join the line!)
Quite good luck, if Fie could say so herself.