Episode 38
As soon as Cedric finished speaking, Theo’s mouth fell open. No matter how tense he was in front of a duke, he had rarely had the occasion to observe etiquette.
“K-Knight? Me?”
“Yes. Of course, your skills are far from sufficient, so you won’t immediately receive the title of a knight. You’ll work as a squire in the Maynard Order of Knights. When you have the skills required for knighthood, you’ll be granted the title.”
With each word Cedric spoke, Theo couldn’t help but gape.
“Maynard Order of Knights!”
Becoming a knight was the only way for a commoner to become a noble. A knight’s rank was equivalent to that of a baron, and from the moment they received their knighthood, they could be addressed as “Sir” by commoners.
Among the various paths to nobility, two knight orders were particularly coveted: the Royal Knight Order and the Maynard Order of Knights.
While the Royal Knight Order held great prestige, serving the Emperor and high-ranking nobles came with its own set of constraints. They often served nobles rather than the Emperor directly. Though the workload was not particularly heavy, those who became knights had already undergone rigorous self-discipline. The lower workload sometimes led to dissatisfaction among those who excelled.
On the other hand, the Maynard Order of Knights, despite being less prestigious, offered a more liberal environment and the camaraderie of strong individuals. This order was more popular than one might think. Additionally, the Maynard family had a long history of producing knights, making it a well-known option for those aspiring to strength.
Naturally, Theo, too, would have chosen the Maynard Order of Knights if given the choice.
“But how can I enter?”
The Maynard Order of Knights hardly held any entrance exams; they mainly recruited their members through referrals from current members or by accepting promising candidates from private academies. In other words, connections were needed to join.
However, entering a private academy required a considerable amount of money, which was an issue for Theo.
Milard, who had taught him, had also said things like this:
— Theo, you certainly have potential. But to become a knight, you need to catch the eye of a decent minor noble. So, you should give up on the Maynard Order.
— But Mr. Milard, couldn’t I become a knight and join the Maynard Order?
— Sigh! Once a knight receives their title, they have a master. If you want to change masters, then you’d be a mercenary, not a knight. You should give up on that and focus on one thing.
— Come on, stop it!
— That thick-headed nature of yours!
Thinking back, their conversation consisted mainly of scolding. No matter how much Theo might struggle, he had no chance of defeating Milard. In the end, he would just end up beaten and crying after a spirited attempt.
However, who could have predicted that the Duke of Maynard himself would appear before Theo?
“You might not know this, but nobles like me operate a sponsorship program. If a talented child enters their service, they provide the necessary financial support and education for the child to work for them.”
Cedric’s proposal was straightforward. In other words, he wanted to sponsor Theo.
“I promise to provide enough funding for this orphanage to operate, equivalent to the cost of a squire working for me. If there are other children with talents, my subordinate will sponsor them.”
If there were children who wanted to find a family, he would find them a home. If there were children who wanted to attend a private academy, he would send them there. Of course, he would guarantee a sufficient education. And for children like Theo who wanted to work for him as knights, he could arrange employment opportunities whenever they were ready.
Cedric handed over a document with detailed information, but Theo couldn’t read it because there was one thing he hadn’t learned from Milard: reading.
However, at least Theo was sure that Cedric was not making a casual promise.
In Theo’s mind, he recalled the day he first met Cedric.
— What you’ve given me is something very important. Ask for anything in return. Is there something you want?
— Really? Anything?
— Anything within my power.
—— Then… please make all the kids here happy.
At the time, even as he said those words, Theo had chuckled inwardly. He had said it thinking it was an impossible request.
Of course, he had never thought it would become a reality.
“In exchange for all of this, you will have to work for me. Can you do that?”
“Yes, I can! No, I will!”
Theo shouted as if he were ringing a bell, then hesitated a beat before continuing.
“But, Your Grace, may I ask one thing?”
“What is it?”
“Is this proposal… to fulfill the request from back then?”
In truth, whether he got an answer or not, it was an irrelevant question. He was just curious.
But if he had to guess, Theo thought the answer would be yes.
“No.”
However, the answer that came back was no.
“All I can do is provide support. I can’t make you happy, so I can’t say I fulfilled your request. Save your request for something else in the future. Think it over more.”
“Then… why are you doing so much for us?”
“Didn’t you help Lillian?”
Cedric replied as he stood up.
“I must repay you for helping my daughter.”
As Cedric spoke, his gaze was directed towards the door.
To be precise, it was directed at Lillian, who was coming through the door.
* * *
The new caretaker of Maryfield Orphanage was Milard, a retired knight.
He was the closest to the children and knew the place better than anyone else, making him the ideal candidate.
Cedric called Milard and discussed a few matters with him before leaving with Lillian and Theo for the ducal palace.
However, due to his need to attend to issues involving the former director of the orphanage, Winston, he soon left, leaving Lillian and Theo alone.
While Theo had seemed overwhelmed by the grandeur of the ducal palace, when the two of them were left alone, he quietly spoke up.
“Hey, did you have this kind of secret birth? The vanished noblewoman of Maynard, I couldn’t have imagined.”
“…”
“How long have you known? You never really hung out with the other kids, always with Swan. Is that why?”
“I don’t know. Don’t talk about it.”
But unlike Theo, who was bursting with curiosity, Lillian had no desire to make a fuss.
The reason was simple. Cedric’s words kept echoing in her mind.
‘He called me his daughter.’
Is the Duke trying to adopt me?
Lillian naturally thought that Cedric would not accept her.
Now that she knew the director had tried to set her up with a substitute, it was obvious that Cedric would not trust her, especially with the pendant that Lillian had brought. That was a separate issue from listening to Lillian’s words to deal with the director.
‘Even if I get kicked out, at least I’ve achieved some revenge.’
Of course, that alone was not enough to satisfy her.
The life Swan had left behind was by no means so trivial. Lillian had to do what Swan couldn’t. Swan’s dreams, her revenge, the future she couldn’t reach.
So even if she was driven out of Maynard, Lillian was determined to somehow live out Swan’s share.
But then Cedric suddenly said he would adopt Lillian.
‘Why now?’
Is this really a good sign?
Could it be a trap?
Lillian, who knew Cedric’s suspicions and obsession with his lost daughter, became anxious.
‘If I make a wrong judgment, everything could be ruined.’
It would be fine if it was just her own life at stake, but she couldn’t abandon the life Swan had left behind…!
As Lillian tightly closed her eyes.
“Lillian, what’s wrong?”
A hand suddenly grabbed her.
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