Arthur carefully held my arm and escorted me.
The fact that a knight was escorting a sponsor meant that the sponsor relationship has been established.
There were already many people paired up like us at the back party.
As expected, Iriel Toz was escorting Dien Liz and Ash Green was escorting Elista B. Elman.
Fortunately, Billia Bird was alone.
Although Colette stuck onto him, it seemed like he did not give in immediately, and didn’t get sponsored.
Usually, Billia’s first sponsors were different every time.
Sometimes, he was sponsored by a normal sponsor, and other times, he was sponsored by Elista or Dien.
But who would sponsor him this time?
Sometimes, Billia Bird had a vacancy in his sponsorship.
In that case, I could sponsor him if I do well…
But right now, I only have the money to sponsor Arthur.
In fact, I still might not have enough money for that. I have to make money quickly to increase the amount of people I can sponsor.
“Huh?”
I felt Arthur’s arm stiffening.
Why is he suddenly nervous now?
I was scared once I realized the reason.
Iriel Toz was walking towards me.
“Hello Sponsor. I am Iriel Toz.”
He said while he slightly bowed.
“Hello, I’m Lauren Divian, but you can just call me Lauren.”
“Nice to meet you, Lauren.”
As I reached my hand out, Iriel skillfully kissed the back of my hand.
With his head down, his red hair fluttered and lightly tickled my hand.
“Did you decide to sponsor Arthur?”
“That’s right.”
Why would he ask that?
I looked at Iriel suspiciously.
“I was worried Arthur wouldn’t be able to find a sponsor…but I guess I was worried for nothing.”
He said with a smile.
His blue eyes sparkled under the chandelier, like the sea was shining from the morning star.
“I think Arthur is very lucky to have such a great sponsor already. I’m already very jealous.”
Ah, yes.
Now I know why Iriel was doing this.
At first glance, I realized a subtle thorn hidden in the sweet way he was speaking.
He didn’t like Arthur.
Born as the youngest of eight brothers and sisters and raised in poverty, Iriel Toz worked hard to pass the entrance exam.
On the other hand, Arthur entered the academy comfortably without having to do an entrance exam even though he was a commoner.
He had never held a sword and lacked social etiquette and common sense.
Anyone could see that he is below standards in fighting and only had a good face, and was at the same level as Iriel, so Iriel, who had a strong pride, would’ve been bothered.
“Didn’t you already get a sponsor? There’s no need to be jealous.”
“My sponsor sponsors many knights. I’m embarrassed, but it’s probably because I’m not good enough, so I feel envious of Arthur, who is forced to receive the full expectations of one person.”
While I was away for a while, it seemed that Dien Liz had already sponsored other knights. He’s fast.
“Sponsoring multiple people doesn’t mean that we have fewer expectations.”
I roughly said to make it seem like I was comforting Iriel.
“Yes, I know that, but I can’t help it when I think about it. Moreover, I’m having a hard time…”
Iriel blurred the end of his words and lowered his eyes.
“If you don’t sponsor me now, I have no choice but to seek another sponsor.”
Hmm.
I gazed at his long eyelashes.
No matter how many knights Dien Liz supports, there is no way he couldn’t give Iriel a lot of money.
He already had enough money for his entire life.
But the reason he’s trying to appeal to me is to steal me, Arthur’s sponsor.
Arthur knew what he was trying to do, and strengthened the grip between our arms.
“I’m sure there’ll be another good sponsor. I think the person that sponsored you is enough.”
“Thank you for those kind words.”
Iriel lowered his head lightly and laughed.
That smile. Just how much did he practice to get it like that?
“Shouldn’t you go back to your sponsor?”
As I said that, the musicians started playing their instruments. It was a sign that the dance was beginning.
Soon the calm atmosphere changed into a cheery one once the music started playing.
At the welcoming party, it was customary for the sponsor and the knight who was sponsored, to dance together.
Dien Liz, who likes to show off, couldn’t miss the opportunity to show off Iriel’s face.
“Then see you next time.”
Iriel gracefully kissed the back of my hand again and left.
I looked at Iriel’s back involuntarily moving away.
Every time he took a step, his red hair was like silk and it fluttered.
“Also…”
Gorgeous.
I didn’t like Iriel Toz, but it was hard to deny that it was snowing. (pr/n it means that Iriel is rlly hot and that he’d melt all the snow away, therefore making it not snowing)
He had incredible beauty and elegance for a commoner.
“Well, Lauren.”
Arthur, who couldn’t say anything the whole time Iriel and I were talking, spoke in a small voice.
“Yes?”
“Are you going to sponsor Toz…?”
Arthur hesitantly asked.
I don’t know which part of the conversation you were paying attention to, but I already vehemently refused.
Well, Arthur doesn’t know anything yet, so he might not know.
“No, I’m only going to sponsor you for now.”
I don’t have the money.
“I see.”
Arthur, who was visibly relieved, smiled brightly. He was a simple fellow…
“Do you know how to dance?”
“No…”
At my words, Arthur quickly replied depressingly.
I said it without much emotion because I already knew that.
“Then take a look. Pay close attention, especially to Iriel Toz. Iriel is outstanding in dancing. You should learn how to dance later…”
I looked at Dien Liz and Iriel Toz, who were standing in the middle of the floor.
Arthur’s gaze followed me and followed the movement of the two of them. (pr/n yeah guys, they’re both dancing. imagine that. 2 guys dancing… LOL)
The two red-haired people standing together looked as if a large rose had bloomed.
Ash Green and Princess Elista also came out to dance.
The two also looked like specimens of good men and good women.
When the song started, countless people began to dance around and around.
Among them, by far the two pairs stood out.
“…sorry.”
Arthur said with a sullen face while looking at the dance floor.
“What?”
“Because I can’t dance…you can only watch.”
“I don’t care.”
I shrugged while saying that.
“I’m only dancing to show that I’m sponsoring. You don’t really have to dance, and I don’t like dancing.”
But Arthur’s face was as dark as a forest without light.
At that moment, he began to feel the difference between the other knights and himself.
I knew in advance that Arthur would grow quickly, so I had no worries.
He became a knight one day without knowing anything about it, which made me nervous.
I patted his arm saying to not worry, and looked at the dancers.
Meanwhile, there was no Billia Bird.
He was still far away, standing alone.
Somehow, I had a hunch that there would be no sponsors for Billia Bird for a while.
* * *
A week after the welcome ceremony.
I visited Arthur again at the academy, to pay for his sponsorship.
“For this semester, you would have to pay for tuition, dorm fees, food, clothing, and equipment for Arthur Beatz. In total, it would be 6,500 gold coins.”
The academy’s administrative staff said, showing Arthur’s documents.
“Ugh.”
My butler, Raven, took a big breath.
Raven read the paper carefully with an astonished look.
The tuition fee for one semester is 6,500 gold.
It’s 13,000 gold for a whole school year.
As I started sponsoring again, I could feel my money draining from the bank.
It costs too much to support a single knight.
At what age can you earn enough money to support five knights?
Besides, this was only the minimum cost required for his school life.
Including the knight’s pocket money and gifts, the cost would be much higher with all of them added together.
In Arthur’s case, there are also people I need to hire to help his sick grandmother and to give her medicine.
“Lauren, you have 20,000 gold coins, do you really need to sponsor this poor knight?”
Raven desperately whispered into my ear so that the employees couldn’t hear it.
If the knight is sponsored by several sponsors at the same time or can pay some tuition from his family, the sponsorship would have been greatly reduced.
Arthur, however…had no money and no other sponsors except for me, so I have to pay for everything.
“Are you going to pay by check?”
“I’ll pay with cash.”
Raven silently screamed at my answer. I felt like I could hear Raven screaming at me, saying it was too much.
If you pay with a check, you can afford to pay the check, but cash goes out of the box right away.
It was a big blow to Raven, who is in charge of living expenses in my family.
Raven put the briefcase on the table with an expression that looked like he was about to cry.
His hands were trembling to show how shocked he was.
“Thank you.”
The employee said when he checked that it was the right amount of gold.
“Would you like to meet the knight you are sponsoring before returning?”
“Let’s go. I need to see what type of man is eating away Miss Lauren’s money.”
Raven whispered urgently.
Even if he didn’t say anything, I would still meet him.
I nodded at the employee.
“Okay, I will call you soon, so please wait a minute. We will guide Mr. Beatz to you.”
The employee, who became very kind in front of the money, stood up with a gentle voice.