That day, the commander of the Red Knights, Nerf Dalton, was not in a good mood.
It was because he heard insults from other commanders at the general meeting that his tone and behavior were vulgar.
He, who was an illegitimate child, was often despised by other commanders, that’s why the nobles called the Red Knights a ‘collection of junks’.
“Those narrow-minded fools! If we face each other, their heads will fall out in 10 seconds!”
“Oh my, Commander! Please, be careful with what you say.”
“Don’t point out my way of speaking!”
As soon as he opened the door to the general commander’s office angrily to Gerald, Dalton made eye contact with an unexpected guest.
Neat clothes, soft face. The typical ‘narrow-minded fools’ he hated so much was sitting on the sofa in the dressing room.
“Oh, Sir Dalton. It’s a great pleasure to meet you. My name is Leonard Peresca, who was introduced by Viscount Noct.”
Leonard Peresca.
Only then did Dalton recall Hamilton’s drunken request yesterday.
A nobleman’s son is very interested in the Order of the Imperial Knights, and he asked if he could accept an application for a field trip.
The other knights were reluctant, so they seemed to want Dalton to accept it somehow. In the end, he accepted the request in exchange for alcohol that day.
“…Oh, you are the esteemed son of Duke Peresca who is said to want to visit.”
“Yes, I look forward to your kind cooperation today.”
“I don’t know the Perescas studied martial arts. How did you end up with the sword?”
“Ah, learning swordsmanship from my younger sibling got me interested.”
“Huh? And the young master’s age is…?”
“I will turn seventeen next spring.”
With that said, Leonard smiled. Dalton’s excitement fell at that angelic expression.
He listened to Hamilton because he had asked so desperately. He didn’t know he’d send him such a newborn.
And what? Learning from his younger sibling? Are you kidding me?
‘I’m going to have to kick him out so I won’t be able to see him again.’
It is the best for the knights, and also for this young master who dreams of vain dreams.
“It’s a shame if it’s just a tour. Are you willing to participate in the Order of the Imperial Knights’ training today?”
“Oh, are you sure? If you allow me, I will be happy to participate!”
Leonard replied with a bright eye.
Yes, be very happy now. Sooner or later, you will cry out loud saying you want to go home, sweetheart.
“Gerald, take the young master to the training camp. I guess I’ll have to attend in particular today.”
Said Dalton with an ominous laugh. Gerald’s expression distorted strangely at those words. There is nothing else he hates more than his boss visiting.
“Come on, would you like to taste the training of our Red Knights?”
***
The training course that day was too difficult compared to the other days.
It was inevitable as Dalton, who was disrespected at the general commander’s meeting, took his anger out with the duke’s kid.
“100 laps of running the training ground, 100 sit-ups, 200 push-ups, 200 pull-ups, 2000 sword swings…”
Gerald, standing next to Dalton, took a deep breath after slowly reading today’s special training course.
“Commander, our kids are going to die like this.”
“Well, it’s okay. He probably won’t even be able to run ten laps around the training ground and he’ll be the first to leave.”
Standing firm with his arms crossed, looking at the training ground, Dalton grinned.
“Why do you want to harass the good-looking master?”
“It’s annoying to see a pale-faced guy holding a sword.”
“What’s good about being hated by a duke?”
“Heh, what’s the worth of his name if even I have to call him ‘duke’?”
Dalton snorted.
Money, or political influence. One of them needs to be present to say someone is ‘powerful’.
Peresca, an old noble who stands one step behind the political front, is forced to be pushed out of power.
“Come on. I think I’ll feel quite relieved when I see him dragging around later.”
“Whatever, you’re mean.”
Hearing Gerald’s nagging, Dalton only shrugged his shoulders lightly.
But things didn’t go according to his plan.
Leonard, whom he had thought would fall even before he finished going around the training ground, trained vigorously.
“Wh-what’s with that guy?”
What the— This isn’t—
“C-Commander… I can’t do it. Today’s training is so hard… Whew.”
“This… How long do we have to do this… My arms are so numb now…”
Even the existing knights raised the white flags, but only Leonard persisted.
At this point, Dalton had no choice but to be embarrassed.
“Hey, what if you guys surrender? Don’t you have pride?”
“No, but… That boy… I don’t think he’s human.”
The knights now had tears in their faces.
‘What the hell did this bastard eat when growing up?’
How absurd.
“Young Master, how’s your training?”
Dalton sneaked up to Leonard and tried to talk to him. Then Leonard stopped his sword and turned to Dalton.
“Ah, yes! After all, training for the Order of the Imperial Knights is a bit difficult!”
Leonard replied with a smile.
It is not a human expression that says ‘this is too much’.
“The knights do this kind of training every day. I’ve been saying that I’m already working hard. Now I feel ashamed.”
“No… We don’t usually go this far either…”
Dalton’s voice gradually weakened. Now, regardless of anger, this boy was simply amazing.
“I’m glad I came on this field trip today. I’m awakened by the thought of having to be more sincere in my training.”
Leonard said so, and sent a bright smile towards the gasping knights.
“If one day I come as a junior, please accept me generously. I will do my best to become a knight that you are not ashamed of.”
Whoa… What is this?
Are you not human?
This boy is… How should I say this? I don’t know, but he must be like light.
“Young Master, I was wrong!”
“Pardon?”
“Actually, you shouldn’t have done this training. It was my prejudice! Young Master deserves to learn swordsmanship!”
Dalton’s courageous apology began to wave with excitement among the scattered knights, “Ugh, Commander!”
They were moved by the commander’s generosity… There was no other reason, it must have been because of the joy that this forcible training would finally be over.
Leonard glanced at them once, and finally gave Dalton a broad smile.
“Wow, did I pass Commander’s exam then? I’m happy that you acknowledge me!”
At that smile that cleansed the mind and body, the knights were at a loss for words.
***
“I don’t want to do this, but I will give you a chance to fight directly with the knights.”
Dalton couldn’t stop his desire to take care of this angel, or young master, who flew to his squad.
“No matter how good a teacher taught you, the sword of an incumbent knight will not be easy.”
“Yes, please teach me a lot.”
“Great. Dalian! Come and have a fight!”
At Dalton’s cry, a young knight came forward.
Just because one has enough guts to survive physical training doesn’t mean they have great sword skills.
Daniel held his sword with a confident expression. He was full of the will to restore the pride he had lost during training.
“I look forward to your kind cooperation.”
Leonard greeted politely. At Leonard’s relaxed expression, Dalian’s confidence rose even more. He shouldn’t lose to such a soft guy.
Rumors of a match between the visiting student and the knight spread quickly within the Imperial Palace, and the other knights also crept in to watch.
“What’s this, Sir Dalton? The Red Knights also recruit that kind of newborn now?”
Horio of the White Knights grinned and stood next to Dalton. Dalton would have been annoyed before, but as of today, his snorting was not even heard.
“Well, think whatever you want. If he regrets it later, we’ll just fetch him back.”
“Huh? Does the young master come with another unexpected profit as well?”
“Don’t talk, just watch.”
Dalton chuckled confidently.
Soon after, the call of the referee, Gerald, was heard.
“Dalian, start!”
And in the fleeting moment.
The auditorium, which had been buzzing, became quiet for an instant as if cold water had been poured on it.
It was because Leonard, who was smiling softly, had a heavy fighting spirit.
The smile on his lips was still there, but his eyes became sharp like a beast.
“…What?”
Horio briefly clicked his tongue at the sudden change.
It’s not just the atmosphere that has changed.
“Haaaaa!”
With the sound of the start, Leonard rushed towards Dalian with great momentum. At the unexpected speed, Dalian was bewildered from the start.
“Uh-huh? Huhh?”
Kaang, Kang! Both swords collided several times in a matter of seconds. Whenever the metal sounded, the onlookers held their breath.
“No… What is that?”
Horio muttered in a dazed voice.
Leonard’s sword skill is the most textbook technique. In other words, it is easy to read.
However, it overwhelms the opponent with its tremendous speed, power, and excellent judgment. Even after reading the attack, there was no room to counterattack.
Dalton felt a shudder all over because of Leonard’s skills.
“Unexpected profit, huh… We’ll bring him in no matter what. Don’t look anymore because you spat on me before.”
Thanks again, Viscount Hamilton Noct!
“Stop! Left side wins!”
The decision was made quickly. It was Leonard’s victory.
After that, other knights joined in, and there were a total of five battles, and Leonard won three of them.
“He doesn’t even look so tired. My, my…”
Horio shook his head in disbelief.
Dalton shrugged and gave Horio a smirk, then walked over to Leonard.
“Your skill is wonderful.”
“Thank you for looking at me that way. It was my first time fighting with knights, and I learned a lot.”
Leonard showed a harmless smile. The eyes of the beast that he had been wearing a while ago were nowhere to be seen.
“We’d better stop here today. It’s not good to overdo it.”
“I think so too.”
“Let’s go to my room. It’s too late today, why don’t we stop at my house…”
Dalton urged Leonard to leave the arena, with the intention of grabbing him quickly before the other squads could.
However, at that time, a young knight from another Order came to quarrel with the two of them.
“You’re struggling after only beating those junks. Peresca must have no noble face, right?”
To attack two in one shot, it must be a knight with a great snout.
At those words, Dalton, who was impatient, stopped walking.
“What’s that?”
“Oh, did you hear that?”
The young knight roared.
“I heard there was a fun show, so I came here, but in the end I just yawned. It’s obviously a planned battle, isn’t it?”
“Our Red Knights don’t do such silly things!”
“Otherwise, the skills of the Red Knights are so poor that they would be beaten by such a little young master.”
“Bring it on!”
With his veins bulging on his temples, Dalton tried to pull out his sword. If the knights standing nearby didn’t stop him, something would’ve happened.
But the young knight did not stop quarreling with him.
“Participating in this kind of fraudulent game, there is a reason why Peresca has not produced talented people.”
“You’re talking too much.”
Unlike Dalton, Leonard responded calmly. His face was still smiling.
The gentle reaction made the knight even more excited and raised his voice.
“You said you learned swordsmanship from your younger sibling? Isn’t that already a funny thing to say?”
“Sir seems to be making judgments without seeing Helena’s skills in person.”
“Oh, yeah. Princess Helena. I saw her at the party yesterday.”
The knight smiled and said.
“At first glance, it was a young girl who could not lift her dress because the hem of her dress was heavy, far from being a swords…”
The knight could not continue the next word.
For in the blink of an eye, he realized that a sword was on his neck.
Until Leonard drew his sword and aimed it, most of those gathered there didn’t notice.
The speed was there, but no anger was felt at all.
“Sir.”
Leonard called the knight in a low voice.
“If you insult my sister any more, I have no choice but to separate your head from your body.”
There was no anger in Leonard’s voice. He was still polite and gentle.
But everyone in the room knew. That those words are sincere, not pretentious or intimidating.
“Uh… Uh, err… I-I made a mistake… M-My apologies…”
The knight stuttered begging for forgiveness. The trembling eyeballs looked urgent.
At the knight’s apology, Leonard lowered the tip of his sword again.
“I’m relieved that you’re someone I can communicate with.”
Leonard smiled like an angel again, but none of those present saw him as a kind-hearted angel.
***
“Puhahahahahaha!”
A few days later, the Red Knights’ commander’s office.
When Caesar heard of Leonard’s anecdote, he burst into laughter.
Dalton clicked his tongue, expressing displeasure at Caesar’s reaction.
“I was worried, how could such an angel-like young master become friends with His Highness, now I understand.”
“Uhahahaha! Ahahahahak! Cough! Cough! Uhaha!”
“Oh, stop laughing.”
At Dalton’s rebuke, Caesar wiped away his tears and barely stopped laughing.
“Sir Dalton, I heard you invited Leonard to a meal the next day.”
“Yes. Anyway, he’s a talent not to be missed, so I definitely need to salvage it.”
“What did you talk about?”
“I recommended the military academy because he wants to be a knight. When he graduates, I will bring him to our Order of the Knights as the deputy commander.”
Dalton said eagerly. It was the first time Caesar had seen him with such a pleasing expression on his face.
“Ah, it’s a pity I couldn’t see it in person. It’s really rare to see Leonard like that. You guys are blessed.”
“I don’t want that kind of blessing. It was so scary that even the younger ones were choking.”
“He’s my friend.”
“Don’t brag.”
Saying that, Dalton glanced at Caesar’s eyes.
It was the first time Dalton had ever seen Caesar smile so fervently.
Dalton sometimes felt like there was something living in him, who had just become an adult.
A man hiding his fangs to bite his opponent at any time.
‘The nickname of the gray wolf is not in vain.’
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So even the hot-blooded Dalton became cautious in front of Caesar.
If Leonard was the one who warned and beheaded, Caesar was the one who beheaded and warned.
“Ah, I’m looking forward to it. I hope Leonard enters the Imperial Palace soon.”
Caesar smiled pleasantly and added:
“By the way, Sir Dalton, who was that knight who spoke nonsense about Helena?”