After finishing a satisfying breakfast, I headed to the training ground.
As usual, Diana, who always followed me closely, was left to another maid this time.
It wasn’t easy to separate the child who always wanted to stick with me, but I promised firmly that I would come back and read her a princess storybook and let her touch my hair until she falls asleep, and Diana nodded her head while pouting.
Looking into the teary eyes of the child, my heart weakened, but there was nothing I could do.
“I’m going to take care of the little rascals myself.”
It would eventually be sorted out over time, but I wanted Jack to feel comfortable as soon as possible, even if it was just for a day.
Even though Jack is close to his original position, seeing him suffer like that somehow made me feel a strange sense of responsibility for bringing him into the Duke’s Castle.
And when I arrived at the training ground, I realized that I had timed it very well.
“You damn bastard! Why are you touching our weapons like that?”
“Valerie said so. You’re different from us knights, even though you’re the same kind!”
“That’s right. Who would take someone like you as their disciple? Oh, maybe Taze who was rolling around as a mercenary.”
“Haha! What’s with that look! Do you want to fight us now?”
Six or seven children surrounded Jack.
There were also other children from another group watching, but they didn’t seem to be stopping it.
I had a rough idea of what was going on in the Knights’ Order.
All the children surrounding Jack were well-fed and well-grown. They were a little taller and had a better build than Jack.
Although he was thin due to not eating properly, Jack still seemed to be the strongest among the orphans at the orphanage, but here he was a weak and feeble boy.
“Jack!”
I saw the biggest kid among the dogs push Jack down, and I ran toward him like lightning.
Jack lying on the ground noticed me and made a helpless expression.
“Why did you come again?”
“I came just in case!”
Huh, what is this again? Wasn’t there another beggar like you?”
I felt the eyes of the kids around me scanning me up and down.
Bullying someone with a group of people? And do you still think you have the qualification to be an honorable knight?”
I was someone who had been having a showdown with my guildmates, including Jade and other colleagues, day after day without flinching. This was nothing to me.
The faces of the kids who had been annoying me with sarcastic remarks and glances stiffened in disbelief.
To be technical, they are nobles, and I am a commoner, so there is a difference in status, but what does that matter?
“And what? Taze? Sir Sedian was knighted by the Duke himself and received his title and surname. Are you ignoring the Duke’s order now?” Lia refuted.
As if they couldn’t believe what they were hearing, the children covered their mouths with their hands and widened their eyes. Their pupils shook violently.
“W-We’re not like that…!”
“That person was a commoner, right? He was a mercenary who would kill anyone if you gave him money!”
“So what? Is there a law that says commoners or mercenaries can’t become knights?”
The children’s mouths fell silent at my words. Of course not. There is no such law.
It’s just not common. Unlike nobles who can start learning swordsmanship as part of their education and can learn it deeply whenever they want, commoners who have to focus on making a living every day from a young age are not given the opportunity from the beginning.
But it’s ridiculous that the title of a knight itself is as if it’s the exclusive property of nobles.
“Hmph! You guys aren’t even worth a punch. If being a knight is your dream, then you should at least start with being human. Well, even if you try, you guys probably couldn’t even keep up with Jack’s footsteps.”
“What are you doing right now…?” Allen asked, with a bewildered look on his face as he approached us.
I quickly hid my fist behind my back.
I wasn’t trying to act innocent, but I thought it would be better to appear as a well-behaved kid if I wanted to stay by Diana’s side.
“Master! This kid insulted us, who will become Lexion’s knights in the future.”
“They said we can’t even compare to a poor orphan like him.”
“They even said we’re not even worth a punch!”
Thinking that they had found someone on their side, the kids who had been bullying me turned to Allen and began to speak aggressively.
‘These kids still haven’t come to their senses,’ I thought to myself as I bit my tongue, but Allen narrowed his eyes and asked me, “Is what they’re saying true?”
It was all true, and I had nothing to argue, so I nodded my head.
As Allen’s confident expression faded, his face gradually became more menacing.
“What’s so great about those guys? They can’t even go one punch with you? Can you take responsibility for what you said?”
Allen was ready to have Jack and the others fight right away.
I was startled and quickly raised my fist again, saying, “I meant that even my own punch can’t go one round with them.”
“…”
“…”
Silence fell, even Allen who was angry and the other kids who were full of energy were stunned.
“…what?”
After a long moment, Allen asked hesitantly.
Following his gaze, I saw my small fist, like a chestnut that had fallen earlier.
“Ahem.”
Feeling embarrassed as if I had bragged for no reason, I cleared my throat and suddenly came up with a good idea.
Although I didn’t expect Allen’s intervention, I thought my plan would be easier with his help.
“If I win against these kids, would you grant me one wish, sir?”
As I spoke up, the kids urged Allen to let them have a showdown.
The more I looked at them, the more pathetic they seemed. They were younger girls than themselves, and they weren’t even knights.
‘They’re nothing.’
Just as Allen hesitated, I provocatively said, “Are you afraid? I won’t make a difficult wish.”
“Hmm.”
Naturally, it was ridiculous to assume that I would win, so Allen, who had been laughing, pushed the back of the smallest kid who was trying to rush at me.
“Don’t hurt him.”
But I pointed to the biggest boy who had pushed Jack, shaking my head.
“If I’m going to fight one person, I’ll fight him.”
“Lia!”
Jack, who was watching the situation, grabbed me.
His pupils shook violently, as if he had no idea I would try to fight.
“I’ll do it instead…”
“No, I’ll take responsibility for what I said.”
I pulled Jack’s hand away and approached the hesitant boy as if I was already confident of victory.
“Are you going to fight with your bare hands? You can even pick up a sword if you want.”
As the bewildered boy watched, I took out a small comb from the pocket of my apron.
“What’s that supposed to be…”
“It’s a hairbrush to brush the lady’s hair,” Diana retorted to Allen, who looked bewildered.
Diana was a mischievous girl who often had her pretty hair come undone after just a short while of playing around. But she also loved pretty things, so it was my role to keep her hair neatly combed whenever I had the chance.
“I’ll fight bare-handed, but I’ll look a bit shabby, so…”
As I spoke, I twirled the brush once.
It was a cute size, but it was just right for me. Even though my stamina had improved since my days in the orphanage, a sword would still be too big and heavy for me.
Besides, this is about the same feeling as the short knife I used to use.
“Are you really going to fight with that?”
Allen rubbed his forehead as if getting a headache. I nodded my head in response.
Meanwhile, the children were clamoring for us to start the fight.
“If I tell you both to stop, you have to stop immediately. Got it?”
With Allen’s final warning, a dogfight disguised as a duel began.
Whether it was because he aspired to be a knight in shining armor or because I was ridiculous, I ran forward without holding back.
And I kicked his ankle first.
I aimed for the weakest point on purpose, but he seemed to have weak lower body strength.
In an instant, his body crumbled, and his face, which had been facing up, fell sharply.
Staring at me with widened pupils in surprise, he quickly turned his body around, raised his hand, and forcefully struck down with his wrist.
Unable to even defend himself, he dropped the short sword he had never even had the chance to swing properly.
Finally, swoosh.
His hand frighteningly hit the ground, and I immediately jumped onto his back, grabbed the back of his head, and aimed my hairbrush at his exposed neck.
It couldn’t have made that sound from the hairbrush.
It seems that my training with the master was not in vain.
Although I may not have the same power as before, I was small and light enough to move nimbly.
“… What, what just happened?”
Suddenly, a surprised voice came out of the mouths of the kids who had been watching us surrounding them.
They were shouting at each other, apparently not fully understanding what was happening right in front of their eyes.
I could understand why.
In the blink of an eye, the big boy had fallen, and I was on top of him, threatening his neck.
Allen and Jack were especially looking at me with disbelief.
“This is all just a matter of experience, you little punks!”
I shrugged lightly and got off the boy’s back. I twirled the whip lightly once again, as if to say, “If this was a real sword, you’d be dead.” Then, I put it neatly into the pocket of my apron.
‘Because I have to brush Diana’s hair later.’
I laughed brightly and said to Allen, who was still in shock.
“I won, so keep your promise. My wish is…”
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Translator Note:
This chapter was translated by Bree.
Next chapter will be released tomorrow. To read chapters in advance support us on Patreon!!
