“Did I ever say no?” Leonidas shrugged, returning her focus to the paperwork.
“I mean to say I want to join now, this year,” Kaon clarified. “Not the next one.”
This finally snagged her attention. She leaned back in her chair, arms crossed. “So the guy who hates anything bothersome suddenly wants to volunteer for monster patrol duty? Interesting.” There was a sharp edge to her voice. While she knew he wasn’t angling to be Duke, this was still out of character. “Looks like that girl’s got you doing things you never thought you would.”
“It’s not like that!” Kaon blurted out, instantly regretting the defensiveness in his tone.
How is she supposed to fight monsters if she freaks out over a puppy?
Alessia had never faced a real monster, yet she was still trying to do her duty. Here he was, on the other hand, a nervous wreck on her behalf.
“Just use some common sense, Kaon,” Leonidas sighed, shaking her head. “Using your heart isn’t exactly what I had in mind.”
“What are you talking about? My heart’s mine to use as I see fit. Anyway, I’m here for a noble cause, so please grant me the permission now.”
“Oh, the heart’s definitely involved,” Leonidas teased.
“No, it’s not! Stop messing around,” Kaon grumbled. Did his sister even know him anymore? It stung a little. As a Ferdinand and a knight, what was more important than protecting their lands from monsters? Besides, it was not every day they got a mage eager to help. Why wouldn’t he want to back her up?
And there was Alessia. They were engaged, for now at least. Whether it ended in annulment or marriage was still up in the air, but he was determined to do his part, at least for the time being.
He pressed his case. “So, permission granted or not?”
Leonidas sighed. “Just don’t skip training. Get clearance from the inspection leader. Dismissed!”
“Thanks, I’m outta here!” Kaon practically bolted, worried she’d change her mind.
***
“She gave me her permission.”
“I see,” Commander Alain mused, a hint of surprise in his voice. “Letting you join wouldn’t be a problem, but there’s still half a year before the next inspection. Any particular reason you want to start early?”
Kaon had already prepared his excuse. “Well, the mage from Ingelos will be joining, and as a Ferdinand, I can’t exactly let her go unsupervised.”
“Ah, I heard she’ll be starting after some training this fall. You could join her then.”
“Thank you for being understanding, Master.”
“No problem at all. It’s good to see you taking initiative. Your parents would be proud.”
Kaon winced slightly – it wasn’t exactly a lie, but it wasn’t the whole truth either. He felt a pang of guilt, but at least his conscience was clear.
“That being said,” Alain continued, his tone gentle but firm, “It wouldn’t hurt to attend training more regularly.”
Kaon bowed his head sheepishly. “Yes sir.”
“Look, you’re growing into a fine young man. It’s been a tough year since your father passed, and I remember how lost you seemed at first.”
Kaon flinched. He had skipped training at every opportunity, attended his regular tournaments only half-heartedly, and had not practiced his swordsmanship. It was no exaggeration to say that he was at the end of his rope.
“When you first started training with me, I worried I wasn’t doing enough to help you find your way.”
“But that’s not your fault, Master. The fault lies with me for not taking it seriously.”
“A teacher shares the responsibility. If a student struggles, the teacher must guide them. Failure to do so falls on the teacher’s shoulders.”
Kaon felt a weight settle on him. He wasn’t exactly a model student now, and he doubted that would change.
Seeing his discomfort, Alain softened. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. I’ve never been disappointed in you. In fact, I always saw potential in you.”
“You’re being too kind, sir.”
“Nonsense. Now that I’m getting old, flattery holds little appeal. I simply remember the boy who could hold his own against elite knights at merely twelve years old.”
A flicker of nostalgia crossed Kaon’s face. Back then, swordplay was pure joy. He had no idea that his blade could one day threaten his sister’s position, not just their enemies.
“Before this old man kicks the bucket, I want to see you become a master swordsman. Surprise everyone.”
“That seems like a rather tall order,” Kaon chuckled, a touch of bitterness in his voice. He couldn’t bring himself to tell Alain that such a day might never come.
***
A few weeks had flown by, and conversations between Kaon and Alessia had become scarce. They exchanged polite greetings whenever they crossed paths, but that was about it.
There wasn’t any animosity, no pointed avoidance. It just…was. Alessia spent her days diligently training, and Kaon was following suit. Their busy schedules meant they naturally saw less of each other.
So, when Kaon spotted Alessia already seated in the dining hall as he entered, he felt a flicker of surprise. The scorching sun had cut their outdoor training short, pushing him to grab an early bite.
Adding to his surprise was Alessia’s choice of headwear: another hat from Deborah’s boutique. This one was a flamboyant affair, adorned with feathers and flowers. While the designs tended to be overpowering, Alessia seemed to have developed a fondness for them.
All her hats followed the same theme – bright, bold, and large. They often obscured her face, sometimes with a cascade of lace, other times, like today, with a flurry of feathers.
‘Interesting contrast,’ Kaon thought, ‘her clothes are so understated.’
‘It wasn’t his place to judge her taste, though.
Suddenly, a cheerful voice broke his silent observation. “Kaon!” Alessia waved enthusiastically, her smile wide enough to rival a crescent moon.
He returned her enthusiasm with an awkward wave.
“I thought you’d be in training.”
“The heat got the better of us today,” he explained. “Our session ended early, but we’ll pick it back up this evening.”
“Ah, training never lets you catch a break, does it?”
“Unfortunately not.”
They took their seats across from each other. Soon, the table was adorned with a tempting array of dishes.
Alessia’s eyes lit up. “Wow, Kaon! Look at that!” she exclaimed, pointing excitedly at a plate of roast turkey. The golden brown skin promised both crispness and succulence.
Kaon looked from the impressive bird to Alessia. ‘It’s a fine dish, sure,’ he thought, ‘but why point it out now?
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Sorry this batch took a bit longer to put up. I’ll try to follow a schedule for the posting. For now, it would be every Friday. Thank you again!
