Chapter 23
Rinoa's bombshell announcement that she would appoint Rion, a slave, as an apprentice knight.
With that single sentence, the peaceful forest manor was thrown into utter chaos.
Knights, apprentice knights, servants—everyone, without exception, was gossiping about the same topic.
“Did you hear? Rion's going to become an apprentice knight.”
“Of course I heard. That's why the place is in an uproar right now.”
“Will he be okay?”
“Probably not? I've never heard of a slave becoming a knight.”
Slave knight.
A lowly thing and an honorable thing glued together as one. The sense of incongruity was beyond imagination.
A knight was the symbol of honor.
Proudly bearing the glory of being a knight, they would give their lives to protect that pride.
And yet some slave with no lineage dared to set foot in that sanctuary.
Resistance was the inevitable next step.
“Young lady! Please reconsider this decision!”
As expected, the knights stormed into Rinoa's study in a swarm.
“Making a slave into a knight? There is no precedent for that in the history of the Empire!”
“It's true the boy has remarkable skill, but becoming a knight is another matter entirely.”
“Exactly. What will the other nobles say, mocking House Edelheid? They'll point and laugh that House Edelheid is making knights out of every Tom, Dick, and Harry.”
They raised their voices, invoking the family's honor and knightly code.
But Rinoa's attitude remained unchanged.
“So?”
“So... what?”
“The house's standing? Honor? What others think? Are those more important than my decision?”
“That...”
Rinoa took her eyes off the book and looked at the knights.
Though still young, the unique pressure she exuded was enough to overwhelm the knights.
“It's a disgrace when someone with no ability relies only on bloodline and acts out. Why is it a disgrace to appoint someone with real ability? Since when did Edelheid become a charity that shelters the incompetent?”
“But...”
“You dare object when I'm going to raise him in my own manor with my own money?”
“......”
“Get out. I'm tired.”
The knights fell silent, exchanged glances, and withdrew without another word.
After leaving the study, the knights walked down the corridor, grumbling.
“Just what is the young lady thinking...? A slave knight—does that even make sense?”
“Indeed. It's so embarrassing I wouldn't be able to hold my head up in public.”
“I wonder who she takes after to be so stubborn.”
Even the knights were left in awe of the force radiating from that tiny frame.
“What did Sir Zain say?”
“He said the young lady's wishes come first.”
“That man is loyal in the strangest places.”
I can't tell what either the master or the knights are thinking.
“What are we going to do? Are we just going to sit here and watch?”
“I'll send word to the ducal manor first.”
“So that's the only option after all...”
“The manor's going to get noisy again.”
As if shuddering at the storm about to arrive, the knights exchanged a few more words and disappeared.
The study fell silent after the knights left.
Only Rinoa and Bibi remained. Rinoa went back to reading.
“Young lady.”
“Why. You're against it too?”
“I merely follow the young lady's wishes. However...”
Bibi continued carefully.
“The knights' words aren't wrong either. If the main house hears about this, they won't sit still.”
“I know.”
“I don't think that slave is worth that much.”
“Maybe not.”
“Then why...”
-Rustle.
Rinoa calmly turned the page.
'I can't trust anyone.'
The knights here are excellent. Their loyalty is deep, too. The problem is the direction of that loyalty.
They are not Rinoa's knights. They are knights of House Edelheid.
If the house, if someone from the main branch, ordered them to eliminate Rinoa?
If House Edelheid had to sacrifice Rinoa for its own benefit?
They would obey without a moment's hesitation. They would drive a blade into Rinoa's throat with blank faces.
Because that is the chivalry and loyalty they pursue.
“Bibi.”
“Yes.”
“A well-trained hound will wag its tail at a new master when its owner changes.”
-Rustle.
Rinoa turned another page.
“But a starving stray dog only licks the hand that feeds it.”
A person with no house, no honor, no family to protect. Someone with nothing, who can only rely on themselves.
A person who would stake their life on a single command from me, rather than on the emperor's edict.
A person who, even if the whole world turned its back on me, would stand in front of me until the end, swing their sword, and die in my place.
Rinoa needed someone like that.
In that sense, Rion, being a slave, was the perfect fit. As long as the contract continued, he could never betray her.
“Do you think that boy will become that?”
Rinoa gave a prim little shrug.
“Well, I don't know. I even doubt he can grow that far.”
Everything was up to Rion. A hunting dog that can't hunt is useless.
Though I don't like the idea of Rion spreading his wings in the process.
'Not that it really matters.'
In the end, Rinoa herself was the one holding his leash.
***
“I cut it all off, Rion. Take a look.”
My reflection in the mirror. The hair that had reached my shoulders was now neatly trimmed.
I had asked one of the maid sisters to cut my hair. It was definitely shorter now, so it didn't block my vision, and the neat look was nice.
“I like it. Thanks.”
“With your hair this short, you really do look like a boy now. My little brother's handsome!”
“Looks like a young nobleman, doesn't he?”
The sisters kept teasing me, ruffling my hair and poking my cheeks.
As much as I wanted to stay here forever, I couldn't. I couldn't be late on my very first day.
“Thank you. I'm heading off to training now.”
“Work hard. If it gets tough, come be spoiled by us anytime.”
With the sisters' encouragement, I headed for the training yard.
What I'm wearing now is the uniform worn by Edelheid's apprentice knights.
It wasn't just my clothes that had changed.
My status window had changed too.
======
Name : Irion
Status : Apprentice Knight
Master : Rinoa Edelheid
•Owned Skills
【Knightly Virtue】
Physical abilities increase in proportion to loyalty to the master. (Current Loyalty : 7%)
【Master of Duels】
Concentration rises dramatically during one-on-one duels.
【Blessing of Chains】
Growth efficiency increases dramatically while in slave status.
•Proficiencies
【Basic Swordsmanship Lv.8】
【Mana Breathing Lv.2】
======
'Man, this skill window is long.'
Thanks to the [Slave Skill +1] reward I got from the battle with Garner, I now had one more skill that suited my status.
When I was a miner, the description was just 'Good at mining ore,' and that was all. Now it's all over the place.
To put it simply, knights get stronger by being knightly. They have to be loyal to their master.
'Loyal to Rinoa...'
Even if it's not easy, I've got to make it work somehow.
Still, she's beautiful.
Just looking at her face makes it worth being loyal to her.
I arrived at the training yard. The yard, which should have been crowded with apprentice knights, was empty.
“…What?”
Am I in the wrong place?
Did I get here too early?
That's strange. If this is some kind of surprise prank for the new recruit, there isn't even one person here.
“The others aren't coming.”
At that moment, a girl walked toward me with her hands clasped behind her back.
She was a girl with an orange ponytail, wearing a female apprentice knight uniform.
“Who are you?”
“I'm Helena Weiss. I'm from House Weiss, a baron family, and I'm an apprentice knight just like you.”
“I'm Rion. What do you mean the others aren't coming...?”
“They boycotted, saying they couldn't train with a slave.”
Wow, those petty bastards.
A boycott?
I didn't see that coming.
“What about the knights?”
“Them too.”
“No, I get it if the cadets are immature, but even grown adults do that?”
“The grown-ups are probably worse.”
Unbelievable.
The people calling themselves knights aren't even embarrassed? And they're the ones preaching chivalry?
“Miss Helena?”
“Just Helena is fine.”
“Okay. So why are you here?”
“I'm not idle enough to boycott just because someone I don't like showed up. I've got places to be.”
That's the way it should be.
Anyway, guys are the worst.
“Helena, you're going to be a great knight.”
“Thanks.”
“But if the lead knight doesn't show up too, isn't it pointless if it's just the two of us?”
“Hmm...”
“I'll handle that, so don't worry.”
I turned toward the deep male voice. Zain, Rinoa's current bodyguard knight, was walking toward us.
Helena's eyes went wide.
“Sir Zain? What brings you to the training yard?”
“By the young lady's command, I came to train you two. I'll be in charge for a while, so keep that in mind.”
“Really? It would be an honor to be taught by Sir Zain!”
Helena clasped both hands tightly together and smiled, visibly moved.
I asked her quietly.
“Is he that amazing?”
“Of course! Sir Zain is one of the top three strongest in House Edelheid! How could you not know that if you're aiming to become a knight in Edelheid?”
Well, I'd only been in Edelheid for less than a month, and I'd only decided to aim for knighthood yesterday.
Either way, I was happy to have someone that skilled teaching us. If he's a knight of the ducal house, he should be stronger than Dovan.
'Come to think of it, he said he'd reward me if I succeeded.'
I got dragged off right after the match, so I never even got my reward. He isn't cursing me right now, is he?
“Before training begins...”
Zain was staring at me.
“Draw your sword. I need to see what your skill is like firsthand.”
So he wanted to test my skill before teaching me.
Just what I wanted.
I was curious how skilled the proud knight really was. I wanted to know whether or not I was a frog in a well.
“If I win, can I get promoted straight to bodyguard knight?”
“You! What do you think you're saying to Sir Zain...!”
“Doesn't matter. If you want to be a knight, you need that kind of guts.”
Zain smiled at me.
“You may use mana. Come at me with everything you've got.”
“Mana...? You can use mana too?”
Helena, startled, leaned in with wide eyes.
'Did he notice from the match with Garner?'
I had hidden it as much as I could, but to think he'd see through it from just watching from a distance.
'So that's why Rinoa bought me.'
No wonder. Otherwise, there was no way she'd have bought me at that price.
Still, it can't be helped. If I hadn't used mana then, I'd have died on the spot. Even if I went back to the past, I'd make the same choice.
“Ready?”
“Let's wrap this up quickly. I've still got a long way to go.”
I didn't hold back and charged at him, my mana surging to the max.
-WHACK!
“Ouch! No fair! You hit a bone.”
-BAM!
“W-Wait, time-out!”
-THWACK!
“I give up. I give up, okay?”
I got beaten like a dog on a sweltering day.
Damn, knights are insanely strong.