There Is No Eternal Supporting Role

“Oh, well. It wasn’t that difficult to deduce. Seeing that you have a sword in the palace, you must be a knight. But judging by the fact that the high-ranking officials usually leave at this time, you must be in a rare low-ranking position for you to stay. I recently saw that the regular knights always wear practice clothes with the royal emblem when they don’t wear armor, but you’re just wearing ordinary clothes. So, it leads to the conclusion that you’re a rookie knight who hasn’t even received practice clothes, right?”

Vakran I felt the need to correct her serious mistake.

“No, that’s not it. I…”

But to do so, there was one very important fact.

‘I have no way to prove that I am the emperor.’

It was a natural occurrence in a way. Within this palace, no, anywhere in this vast empire, Vakran I didn’t need to prove himself. His existence alone was enough, and no further explanation was necessary.

But he also understood Elena’s misunderstanding. Except for a few chosen individuals, no one dared to casually look up at his face. In other words, it meant that unless they were high-ranking nobles or officials, they didn’t know his exact appearance. Usually, the emperor’s conquest and the sword he possessed would have been enough to make his presence known, but now he was dressed just like an ordinary person, as Elena had said.

As he stood still, contemplating a way to prove his identity, Elena smirked.

“Why are you so serious? You still look young, and being a trainee now, does that mean you’ll be a trainee for life? Even as a trainee, if you can join the royal knights, it means you have tremendous skill. Just do well from now on! Oh, by the way, about that hand. It might take some time to fully recover, but for now, it looks much better. What do you think?”

Hearing Elena’s words, Vakran I nodded and moved his injured hand silently. Observing his movements of clenching and unclenching without any discomfort, it appeared to be fully healed.

“It’s fine.”

Actually, he was slightly surprised. It was impressive to know that there were people other than the Pope who could heal to this extent. The priest standing before him, smiling slightly, seemed somewhat different.

“Do you have something to say to me?”

“Something?”

“Well, ‘It’s nothing.’ ‘No, it’s nothing serious.’ I have those replies ready. Shouldn’t you at least say thank you to the person who fixed your injured hand in no time, when you would have suffered for weeks if I had left you alone?”

Saying that, she tucked her hair behind her ear and extended her hand as if pretending to listen. Although her playful act was a bit surprising, Vakran I responded with the same blunt tone as before.

“Thank you.”

“Oh, no worries. Actually, I needed someone to practice on. And I have to say that fixing people’s strained backs and knees at the Palace of Dawn is not exactly practice anymore. So, it was a bit awkward…”

In an instant, a light flashed through Elena’s mind. Her healing practice homework had become less frequent. Thanks to Elena, there were fewer places for the guards of the palace to feel pain. So it had gradually become dull and frustrating.

Her light brown eyes quickly focused on the trainee knight in front of her.

“Excuse me, Mister Trainee Knight.”

“What?”

He was neither a trainee knight nor a mister, but Vakran I replied nonetheless.

“When you train, do you get injured a lot?”

Now that his once-mentor, Knightmaster Heinz, could no longer beat him, the only person who could push him that hard was his cousin, Renier, at best.

“Not really.”

“But what about sparring? Even though it’s a sword fight, you roll and tumble and eventually get cuts here and there.”

If someone who wields a sword doesn’t have a single scratch on their body, that is evidence of their decline. Vakran I nodded his head. At that moment, Elena’s expression brightened, and she approached him closely.

“Trainee knight, would you like to make a contract with me?”

“A contract?”

“Yes, a contract. I have a good idea that would benefit both you and me, a win-win situation.”

It was a strange phrase he heard for the first time, but somehow he understood its meaning. Vakran I patiently waited for her next words, feeling curious.

“I need to practice healing. Let’s meet here about once every three days. Then I can practice by healing you while you advance in your recovery. How does that sound?”

Elena thought it was a flawless proposal. If he was an apprentice knight, he must have had sore spots all over from training. So she thought she would readily accept this proposal. However, Vakran I shook his head.

“I don’t get injured that often. So there’s no reason for me to come here every three days and go through the trouble.”

Besides, he had potions made by the Pope. Unless it was a major injury, one bottle of it could treat most wounds.

“Ah…”

Elena looked dejected, her shoulders slumping visibly. Seeing that, Vakran I thought to himself. She possessed something he desired even more than the ability to heal. But how could he say it without sounding suspicious?

“That’s a shame. I thought it would be a good deal.”

The opportunity to have a regular practice partner for her healing abilities slipped away. The next time she met the Holy Father, she wanted to surprise him with how proficient she had become.

At that moment, Vakran I spoke up.

“I want to be a knight of the Palace of Dawn in the future.”

Since she had already mistaken him for an apprentice knight, Vakran I decided to take advantage of it.

“A knight of the Palace of Dawn?”

Initially startled by the revelation, Elena pondered for a moment and then nodded her head, saying, ‘Okay.’

“Well, since Duke Levi doesn’t even go outside, there’s no need to annoyingly accompany him as a guard. He’s scared of knights, so just guarding the entrance of the Palace of Dawn is enough. Anyway, now that I think about it, it’s quite a sweet deal, isn’t it?”

“But when there’s a vacancy, Duke Levi appoints the knights himself.”

“Oh, I see. So that’s how they are chosen.”

“That’s why I need to know more about Duke Levi. We can meet here once every three days, and you can practice your healing skills on me while I tell you about Duke Levi. How about it? It seems like a good deal, doesn’t it?”

It wasn’t such a bad proposal. Vakran I might claim not to get injured much due to his pride, but it was obvious that the statement that trainee knights don’t get injured was a lie. So, she would provide some information about the Duke of Levi, and in return, she would have a subject for her healing practice.

“Well, okay then. Is the deal sealed?”

Elena smiled and asked, and Vakran I nodded in response.

“Alright, let’s do well from now on!”

She extended her hand to him. Vakran I looked down at the offered hand. As Meinard had said before, Tito’s theological instructor was a really small person. And true to those words, her hand seemed unusually small.

“Oh, go ahead! We need to shake hands for the contract to be sealed!”

Elena urged him. Reluctantly, Vakran I took her hand in his. When his large, but surprisingly warm, rough hand, grasped hers, Elena snickered.

“Hey, it’s almost sunset! If we’re any later, we won’t get dinner!”

Seeing Elena, who was still tumbling around, grab her basket and shout, Vakran I gestured silently towards the south in response to her question.

“Thanks. See you in three days as promised!”

Even as she spoke, she was walking in the direction he pointed.

“I understand.”

What a gruff old man. Elena thought that and turned her back, walking briskly. Then, after a moment, she turned back and asked Vakran I, who was walking past.

“Sir, what’s your name?”

“Name?”

“We’re going to see each other often, so I can’t keep calling you ‘mister’ forever. I’m Elena. And you?”

The words ‘Vakran I’ almost slipped out of habit, but he managed to swallow them just in time, hesitating for a short while.

There was one name left that he could use without revealing his identity as ‘Vakran I’ or ‘Emperor Ifren.’ But he couldn’t remember when he told someone that name last.

Finally, his lips opened cautiously.

“Adrei. Call me Rei.”

It felt strange for his own name to roll off his tongue. But Elena, after calling his name a few times, smiled widely and waved her hand.

“I got it. See you next time, Rei!”

Leaving only those words, she quickly ran off, and Adrei, left alone, stood there quietly.

A refreshing breeze blew from somewhere.