I Became a Crazy Swordsmanship Instructor in the Game

Chapter 56:

After several days of being absent, Philip returned to the academy and was promptly summoned by the Senior Professor.

Surprised, Philip entered the senior professor’s office, expecting to find only Emil Phanoy, but to his astonishment, there were additional guests present.

“Welcome. Oswald, my old friend. Have you been enjoying your time off? I called you here because we have some visitors. Haha.”

The Senior Professor’s expression showed no hint of blame or reproach towards Philip. There was a clear and earnest hope that Philip could assist with the guests who had come to see him.

Taking in the sight of the guests, Philip nodded confidently.

“Well, um, how did the Sixth Prince and the Princess end up here?”

Seated on the sofa in Phanoy’s office were the strikingly handsome Sixth Prince and a young Princess with a mysterious expression. Their eyes were fixated on Philip.

“Ah, Philip, you’re here. It’s good to see you again under these circumstances.”

Prince Alessios, a young man three years Philip’s senior, spoke warmly. Much like the majority of royals, he was already married and dedicated to serving in the Kingdom’s knighthood, prioritizing his commitment to the country over seeking personal dominion.

Philip respectfully nodded in acknowledgment to the royal guests. The prince reciprocated the gesture, lifting his hand to acknowledge Philip’s greeting before speaking with a genial smile.

“We’ve come here for a special reason. You see, my dear little stepsister has just joined the ranks of Privia Academy’s students today, and I find myself wanting to make a certain request of you.”

“Pardon me?”

Philip’s eyes widened slightly, taken aback by the unexpected nature of the request.

Philip found it challenging to consider himself on familiar terms with Prince Alessios.

A few days prior, Philip had been too injured to engage in dialogue following Count Eloy’s demise, and Prince Alessios was busy handling the aftermath, so he hadn’t had the opportunity to converse either.

“Is this your doing?”

“It appears so.”

“Remarkable, truly. You’ve become a hero in our midst, Instructor Oswald! Please, look after my little sister.”

That encompassed the entirety of the conversation between Philip and the prince. Philip felt confident that there was no discernible link that could have led to such a meeting.

“Given the capable instructor that you are, working here at the academy, I thought you’d be more than equipped to guide and teach my dearest sibling.”

“But wasn’t it a longstanding tradition for the Calaria royals to abstain from enrolling at Privia Academy?”

In response to Philip’s query, the Prince chuckled amiably, and he gestured in dismissal.

“That’s to prevent factions from forming. In truth, it’s not a story that applies to royal family members like us, who are distant from the succession. We’ve already sought permission from His Majesty and the Headmaster, and her admission has been decided in the form of a transfer.”

According to his words, there seemed to be no reason to visit Philip. The prince’s expression became slightly more serious, as if he also sensed Philip’s doubts.

“I’ve learned a lot from this incident. Let’s just say that even the royal palace is not a very safe place at this point when it is revealed that the Count of the West signed a contract with the demons. In my judgment, you surely knew something. You were the calmest person there.”

Philip felt that Prince Alessios wasn’t an ordinary person. As a sense of caution shrouded Philip’s gaze, the prince chuckled and put his arm around the shoulder of the quiet princess sitting beside him.

“Don’t misunderstand. I have no intention of extracting information from you or gaining any advantage through you. I only have one motivation – to ensure my younger sibling stays safe. That’s why I’ve come to find you.”

“….”

Philip couldn’t determine if the Prince’s words were sincere. He was certain only that the Prince’s thoughts were correct, and he had no grounds to refuse.

“I’ll be brief.”

As the atmosphere grew tense, the Senior Professor quietly left his seat. After all, if he wanted, he could eavesdrop on their conversation from dozens of footsteps away.

With the professor out of the way, Philip spoke up.

“… Are you saying that the Academy, guarded by hundreds of knights, is safer than the palace? How can I believe that?”

Prince Alessios looked at Philip and smiled knowingly.

“I have a keen intuition, Sage. And you’ve already gained my trust. When the resurrected Count Eloy targeted my sibling, only you reacted. It’s a response that can’t happen without early concerns for Camilla’s well-being.”

Philip had no words to respond. As he remained silent, the Prince turned and placed Princess Camilla on the chair in front of Philip.

“Brother…?”

“Look at this little one, Sage. If something I fear happens, who would care for this child? Would I have the power to protect her just because I’m a prince? I’m just a knight with noble blood running through my veins, nothing more.”

At Prince Alessios’ words, Philip felt his resolve weaken.

In reality, Princess Camilla wasn’t a person present in Philip’s mind. After quite some time had passed, it was unclear whether she would survive until the end or perish before that.

Sixth Prince and Princess Camilla were siblings from a different mother, but they seemed even closer than blood siblings who shared the same mother.

“I understand what you’re saying. Moreover, since you’ve completed the admission process, you’re now my student.”

Prince Alessios frowned as if he didn’t quite like Philip’s response, which seemed just right. “Well then, let’s do it this way. From today onwards, you shall address me as your brother. Considering your status and the reputation that will soon spread, it wouldn’t be odd for you to become a sworn brother with me, the prince. Then Camilla will also become your sister-in-law.”

Philip politely declined. “That feels a bit burdensome.”

“Why? Becoming a brother to royalty is an honor not everyone would refuse.”

“If I desired honors like that, would I be here as an instructor?”

Although it was a sullen response, Prince Alessios found himself growing more fond of Philip. With his exceptional ability to understand people from childhood, Alessios was starting to get a sense of who Philip truly was.

“… Don’t say that, I’ll beg you.”

The Prince held onto Philip’s hand, and despite Philip’s attempt to pull away in surprise, the Prince didn’t let go.

“Why are you doing this?”

Philip was genuinely displeased. He already had a handful of children to care for, and if a precious princess with royal blood was added to the mix, he felt like his hair might turn white before Lua even graduated from the academy.

But on the other hand, understanding Alessios’ heart, he ultimately couldn’t refuse the prince’s request.

Philip headed to the mansion with Princess Camilla.

“I’m in quite a predicament.”

Since things had turned out this way, Philip decided to look at it positively. He had become a royal and Alessios’ brother, which was no different from aligning his actions with the royal family’s influence.

The power the royal family held aside, the authenticity and honor of their bloodline were not to be taken lightly. That alone could make many things easier to handle.

“Now that you’ve become the brother of my beloved elder brother Alessios, I shall welcome you as an elder brother from this moment on.”

The princess had a mature and poised demeanor. Even a simple gesture carried with it grace and etiquette. Despite her noble blood, her attitude was remarkably polite.

Philip didn’t quite like that.

‘She should be herself. Should I keep her with Lua for a few weeks?’

“Yes. Even though we don’t know how fate brought us together, since it happened this way, let’s get along well from now on.”

Philip spoke without any particular thoughts. To him, she was just a young girl under his protection, regardless of being a princess or anything else.

“Yes, Brother.”

“Yes. And one more thing. I am living with the girl I am sponsoring. She is from a commoner background, but I plan to accept her as part of my family in the future. I hope you won’t disregard her in case you come across her. She’s a kind and lively child, so try to get along with her.”

Camila didn’t seem likely to do that, but Philip wanted to give her a heads-up.

“… How old is she?”

Camila’s eyes sparkled slightly at Philip’s words. Seeing anticipation and a hint of excitement in her eyes, Philip chuckled and answered.

“Fourteen years old. Same age as you.”

“I see. I’ll do my best to get along.”

In Philip’s eyes, it seemed like Camila was pleased.

Soon after arriving at the mansion, Philip took Camila to Lua’s room. He intended for Camila to share a room with Lua while her luggage and her maid came here from her palace.

It was an event that showed no respect for princess, but Camilla didn’t seem too dissatisfied.

She looked around the beautifully decorated pink room with awe.

“Your room in palace must be better. Do you like it here?”

“…Yes. My room isn’t this pretty.”

“Once your room is ready, you can decorate it as you please.”

Camilla chuckled softly at Philip’s words. She remembered the conversation she had with Prince Alessios before he left the academy.

“With the Western Count turned into a demon, there are hardly any trustworthy nobles left in the world. I could have entrusted you to another noble, but I chose him. At least until you graduate from the academy, you’ll be under his protection.”

She couldn’t fathom why her brother made such a choice and decision. Camilla still hadn’t sensed anything particularly special about Philip.

There were skilled knights in the Royal Guards, and knights capable of facing demons alone were rare even among Aurum Knights or Silver Knights.

The label of being a good person seemed accurate. While the way she, a princess, was being looked at like a neighborhood child was slightly disrespectful, it was better than being seen as a prize.

“Classes start tomorrow, so when Lua comes, let’s go out together and buy what we need. You signed up for swordsmanship lessons, right? You’ll need to get a training sword.”

“Yes, thank you.”

An awkward atmosphere settled in. Since this was only their second meeting, it was understandable that they felt a bit awkward being suddenly referred to as siblings.

Philip exchanged a few words to ease Camilla’s tension.

Fortunately, Lua returned soon after.

“Instructor, I’m here.”

Lately, she hadn’t been coming home alone. She had been spending time with first-year students like Hailey, Olivia, and Janice, and also bonding with members of the Travel Club. So, she always returned with someone.

Today, Janice Morella was the one chosen by Lua.

“Hello, Instructor.”

“Yeah. Hello. You’ve been coming here quite often these days.”

Janice, who was enchanted by Lua’s cuteness, had become almost like a sister to her lately. It was evident from the way they linked arms.

“But who is this? I feel like I’ve seen her somewhere before.”

Suddenly, upon noticing Camilla, Janice Morella asked. She even tilted her head while asking.

‘… I’m sure I’ve seen her somewhere before.’

Camilla, who had been smiling awkwardly, finally spoke up.

“Hello. Morella Yeong-ae. I remember meeting you during my late father’s birthday celebration.”

{TN:- “Yeong-ae” is a Korean name that can be translated to “Elegant” or “Graceful” in English. It is often used as a given name for girls and carries a positive and refined connotation.}

Upon hearing those words, a drop of cold sweat trickled down Janice’s forehead. Something about Camilla’s tone and demeanor triggered a memory.

“Excuse me, but is your father’s name by any chance…?”

Cautioningly, Janice asked, and Camilla answered with a teasing smile.

“My father’s name is Velopair Elseus Calaria Jr.”

“No way.”

Startled, Janice had to hide behind Lua.

“… Are you a princess?”