The first to notice Kaon was Georgie Flemming. He had been smiling shyly but stiffened when he met Kaon’s gaze. Nevertheless, he spoke up.
“Ah, Young Master Kaon Ferdinand is here….”
Kaon clicked his tongue internally. So this was the noble who had completed his squire training and was now joining the Ferdinand knights. He didn’t know why Georgie had arrived a day early, but his presence was unmistakable.
The man with oak-colored hair was someone Kaon had encountered once at a banquet. Georgie had an adequately neat and somewhat acceptable appearance, but to Kaon, he left a poor first impression.
‘So he’s the one talking about that banquet.’
Kaon stared at Georgie, who was lingering near Alessia both then and now. It didn’t sit well with him.
“Kaon! We have a new member! This is Count Flemming’s second son.”
“Does he not have a mouth of his own?”
Kaon deliberately replied curtly, making the atmosphere tense. He could feel Maurice’s surprised gaze but paid it no mind.
“I’m Georgie Flemming. It’s a pleasure to meet you again.”
Georgie, clearly nervous, managed to introduce himself without trembling. He wasn’t a particularly bold person, and the sudden change in atmosphere only made him more rigid.
“The others are arriving tomorrow, right?”
“…Flemming is very close to Ferdinand. I received confirmation that arriving a day or two early wouldn’t be an issue.”
“I heard you completed your squire training in Flemming. Is there a reason you want to serve in Ferdinand? Did your father wish it?”
Kaon’s tone was low and stiff, quite different from their previous encounter. Georgie, now determined to join the Ferdinand knights, was just another knight under Kaon’s command.
Sometimes, people joined the knights aiming to leverage their family connections. While Ferdinand wasn’t a central power, its vast duchy and long history were nothing to scoff at.
Such motivations weren’t necessarily disqualifying, but they weren’t suitable for a knight. Ferdinand knights, in particular, often faced monsters, so it was better not to join with a light heart.
“No, I…”
Georgie paused briefly to gather his thoughts before speaking slowly.
“I want to become a strong knight, and that’s why I chose Ferdinand. This is entirely my decision. There’s no knight order as prestigious as Ferdinand’s in the whole Kingdom of Gaios.”
His answer, though delivered with a timid demeanor, was resolute. He was surprisingly firm in stating his opinion, which wasn’t a bad quality.
Kaon was about to reassess his opinion of Georgie when he noticed Alessia’s gaze lingering on him. His mood, which had just started to improve, quickly soured again.
***
Back in his room, Kaon found himself pacing near the curtains. He couldn’t forget the way Alessia had looked at Georgie. It was definitely not a look of indifference. While it didn’t convey intense interest, only Alessia knew the true nature of that look.
‘Could it have been the same that day?’
Kaon narrowed his eyes. No, that couldn’t be. If they had spoken privately outside, Georgie wouldn’t have approached so timidly.
‘That would mean there’s someone else.’
This thought also bothered him, but for now, Georgie was the more pressing issue. Kaon couldn’t understand why Alessia would be interested in someone as unremarkable as Georgie.
In terms of family, appearance, or skill, Georgie Flemming wasn’t superior to Kaon. If anything, he was far more timid, which wasn’t exactly a positive trait.
“I didn’t know she liked shy types.”
Kaon muttered to himself, though loud enough for anyone on the other side of the curtain to hear.
“I didn’t know you liked timid guys.”
“……”
“Well, everyone has their preferences. Even shy guys have their fans…”
As he continued to speak towards the curtain, it was suddenly pulled back with a swish. Alessia was looking up at him, her expression clearly asking what he was doing.
“It sounds like you’re saying this for me to hear.”
“No, just saying I didn’t know.”
Feigning ignorance, Alessia responded with a slight smirk, as if to say, “What did I expect from you?” Her condescending look made Kaon’s blood boil.
‘Georgie should see that look.’
He was also baffled. Alessia was so kind to Georgie, whom she had barely met, but treated him, who had been with her for almost a year, like this.
Was it because he had discovered her secret? Even that seemed unfair. They had mutually discovered each other’s secrets, so why was she the only one holding a grudge?
“You think I’m a pushover, don’t you?”
“Yeah.”
“Then why do you only—what?”
Kaon had been expecting a denial, so her straightforward answer left him speechless. Alessia sighed and closed the curtain again, leaving Kaon standing there, feeling defeated.
***
The next day, the entire knight order gathered at the outdoor training ground to welcome the new recruits. The knighting ceremony would take place at sunset, so the commander gave a brief welcome speech and explained the basic duties of a knight.
The commander’s role ended there, as it was up to the other knights to mentor the new recruits. The aging commander seemed to know when to step aside, leaving the stage for the others.
“Alright, everyone, listen up!”
As the commander stepped back, Niels took the lead, drawing everyone’s attention. Even among the large knights, Niels stood out with his imposing figure, intimidating the recruits.
“Even though you’re still recruits awaiting knighthood, I expect you’ve all received sufficient training from your families. Is there anyone here who hasn’t learned swordsmanship?”
“If there is, speak up now! We’ll make an exception for the first one to admit it!” Maurice added in a playful tone, easing the tension.
“As you all probably know, our Ferdinand knight order deals with monsters. You need to have proper skills to survive. If you act like amateurs, you’ll lose your head in no time.”
Niels’ stern words instantly chilled the atmosphere. He then laughed heartily, satisfied with the reaction, and scanned the line of recruits.
“Now, let’s see what the new recruits are made of.”
Cheers erupted from the knights. Sparring was a traditional and much-anticipated event whenever new recruits joined. Though the knights often sparred with each other to improve their skills, facing new opponents was always exciting.
“Who wants to go first? Any volunteers?”
“I’ll go first.”
A recruit, quite large though not as massive as Niels, stepped forward. Impressed by his courage, Niels asked his name and responded, “I’ll remember you first!”
“You’ll need an opponent to spar with. Who wants to take him on?”
Many hands shot up, eager for the chance. Sparring with a new recruit was always enjoyable.
“Yvonne, why don’t you take him on?”
Niels grinned and pointed to Yvonne, who hadn’t raised her hand but nodded and stepped forward as the elite knight in the front row.
“A female knight…”
The recruit, upon seeing his opponent, muttered in slight disappointment. It was quiet enough not to be heard by those far away, but close enough for Yvonne and others nearby to catch.
‘Poor guy.’
Kaon shook his head. Every year, Niels paired overly confident recruits with Yvonne. Nine out of ten showed disappointment, and Yvonne mercilessly crushed every one of them.
The moment a recruit underestimated Yvonne, their ordeal began. Yvonne’s sparring style was notoriously ruthless, especially with those who underestimated her.
“Argh!”
As expected, the recruit was getting thoroughly beaten. He had tried to appear relaxed by allowing Yvonne the first strike, only to be pummeled by her wooden sword.
Thinking he might need to flee, the recruit turned his back—a grave mistake. Yvonne, one of the fastest in the knight order, relentlessly struck him, the sound of the wooden sword hitting armor echoing repeatedly.
“Enough, enough!”
Niels, smiling inappropriately for the situation, finally intervened when the recruit collapsed.
“Yvonne, if you start like that, the others will be too scared to step up. Alright, someone help him up. So, who’s next?”
This time, no one volunteered. Witnessing the spectacle had drained their courage. With a resigned click of his tongue, Niels singled out a recruit.
“You, with the brown hair.”
Kaon, watching to see who the next unfortunate recruit would be, stiffened. It was Georgie Flemming.
“We are—”
“I’ll go next.”
Kaon abruptly stood up.
🍉🍉🍉
T/N: please be nice to him, young master XD
