Chapter 47

My name is Dolsen Katavaria, the son of Drouna Katavaria, the leader of the knight's order. Because of this, I have been trained in martial arts since I was young, with the expectation that I would one day protect the royal family.

I felt proud of this responsibility, and my training was intense. However, to be honest, I found entering the academy to be a hassle. I believed that staying at home and learning from active knights would be far more beneficial. Nevertheless, as the heir of a noble family, it was inevitable that I would attend the academy.

When I entered, my naturally quiet personality made it difficult for me to fit in. I didn't particularly mind, but I often thought that attending the academy was a waste of time. One day, I met a girl named Yurie Neuer, the daughter of the Baron Neuer. We met at the training ground, which was rarely used but could be accessed by students upon request. I practiced there almost every day.

"Wow, that's amazing!"

Her first words to me were these.

"...What?"

"Ah, sorry. I come here every day... and I was curious about what you were doing every day."

"...The back?"

As far as I knew, the back area only had a flower bed, which was mostly overgrown with weeds due to lack of use.

"Yes. Since there's a large flower bed, I thought it would be a waste not to use it, so I've been growing my favorite flowers there. Of course, I have the academy's permission."

"I won't report you to the academy, so don't worry."

"Ah, no... that's part of it, but... well, it's not something to be proud of, is it? A noble lady playing in the dirt. So, I'd prefer it if you didn't spread it around."

"Sure, it's not like you're bothering anyone. I won't say anything."

"Thank you. So, what do you do here every day?"

"...Can't you tell?"

"I can see you're training, but... why? After all, you always top the martial arts classes."

Martial arts is an elective course, mainly taken by children of the knight's order. Others take it to protect themselves or because they want to become knights in the future.

"I'm not training for the classes."

"...Really?"

"Yes. I train to dedicate my sword to this country and the royal family."

The girl, who had been looking at me blankly, smiled like a flower blooming.

"That's wonderful. To have someone like you protecting us would be such a great comfort."

Her words and smile stayed with me. From then on, she would sometimes visit me while I was training. We would usually have a brief conversation before she left. At first, I didn't feel anything special, but over time, I began to look forward to her visits more than anything else. She would often praise things I considered normal, and her words motivated me to train even harder. I believed my sword was for the royal family, but sometimes I even thought I wanted to dedicate it to her.

I realized it was love when she was betrothed to the second prince, Edward. At first, I was disappointed, but when I realized that my desire to protect her aligned with my long-held beliefs, my feelings of despair began to subside. I vowed to protect her in my own way.

So, when it came to supporting Yurie against the Duke Iris's daughter, who was bullying her, I naturally sided with Yurie. We successfully expelled the Duke Iris's daughter and thought we had protected Yurie... until I was suddenly summoned by my father.

"What have you done?"

I was confused and tilted my head, and he sighed dramatically.

"It's about the Duke Armenia's daughter!"

"I don't understand why I'm being scolded like this."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"Even raising a hand against a noble lady is unforgivable, but for a knight-in-training to do so and to be so unrepentant... You were supposed to be proud of the knight's code."

"But the Duke Armenia's daughter was bullying Yurie."

"Did you see her bullying her?"

"N-no... but the rumors..."

"Did you verify those rumors yourself? Did you see it happen?"

"N-no..."

"I can't even begin to express my disappointment. You raised a hand against a woman, and not just any woman, but the second prince's fiancée. This is a disgrace to the knights. You have tarnished the name of our family and the very concept of knighthood."

"But I was just trying to protect her..."

"I don't want to hear your excuses! You are to be confined to the house and reflect on your actions!"

I was taken to my room by the butler and placed under house arrest. I was not allowed to train and had nothing to do, so I spent my days in my room, confused about why I was being punished. I had only wanted to protect her. However, my father's words, "You have tarnished the name of knighthood," kept echoing in my mind.

Then, I was summoned by my mother.

"It's been a while, Dolsen."

I realized I hadn't seen her in a long time, as I had been spending most of my time at the academy and hadn't left my room since being confined.

"...It has been a while."

In front of me was a tea set and a brown object on a plate, which I had never seen before.

"This is called chocolate. It's recently become popular in the capital... try it."

I followed her suggestion and took a bite. It was delicious, sweet yet slightly bitter, with a complex flavor.

"It's handled by the Duke Armenia's trading company."

"...Duke Armenia..."

"Rumor has it that the company is run by the Duke's daughter, Iris."

When my mother mentioned Iris, she sounded a bit sad.

"Dolsen, can you truly say with pride that what you did was right?"

"Right...?"

"Yes. Honestly, your actions were a major problem politically and for our family, but putting that aside, can you still say what you did was right?"

I didn't understand her true meaning. I thought what I did was right. After being confined, I considered my father's words and concluded that he was angry because I hadn't considered my position as a noble of the Katavaria family. If that was the case, I had no reason to be ashamed. I had protected her, and that was all that mattered.

"I feel, Dolsen, that it's a bit rude to say, but I sympathize with the Duke Iris's daughter."

"Why, Mother?"

"From the outcome, it seems that Yurie Neuer was not trying to seduce a man who was already engaged... As a woman, I think what the Duke Iris's daughter did was understandable. Jealousy and sorrow... who could blame her for feeling those emotions towards Yurie?"

"That's..."

"Having her beloved fiancé taken away. Because of your public condemnation, she was also expelled from society."

I suddenly remembered her last words at the academy. "What more do you intend to take from me? My fiancé, my status..."

She had said this while crying.

"I see this confection as a symbol of her resolve. The resolve to remain single and live alone. She was not only jilted but also expelled from society. Finding a new fiancé would be difficult. Dolsen, can you truly say that raising a hand against such a woman and contributing to the ruin of her life was right as a knight?"

"I... I can't..."

I couldn't argue. I had never considered that she might have been suffering or that she might have been sad.

"Are you satisfied with protecting the girl you like? Is that the only reason you honed your sword? Did you feel satisfied raising a hand against a weak woman who might have been suffering right in front of you?"

Each word from my mother cut deeper into my heart. I realized... but it was too late to turn back.

"I am not a knight, so I don't understand your ideals or your vows. But I do understand that what you did to the Duke Iris's daughter was just violence."

When my father scolded me, I only felt rebellious. But now, I felt confusion and regret.

"Reflect on your actions."

After my conversation with my mother, I returned to the academy, as staying at home for too long was not a good idea. I attended classes but spent most of my time training, trying to clear my mind. Perhaps I was trying to escape the thoughts of my mother's words and the Duke Iris's daughter's words. I graduated from the academy somewhat distant from Yurie and Edward.

After graduation, I joined the knight's order as a trainee, as planned. I had a fulfilling life, despite the challenges from my seniors.

One day, I was invited to participate in a mock battle with the military. I wondered why I was chosen, but I accepted the invitation.

General Gazel appeared, a figure admired by knights for his heroic deeds. Beside him were two of his disciples, a fact that caused a stir among the military and the knights. It was rare to receive personal training from General Gazel, as he was in high demand.

The match began with the three of them watching. The matches were intense, and I was 2-2. As I stepped onto the platform for my turn, I was tense. The signal to start the match was given, and to my surprise, I was to fight against two of General Gazel's disciples, who were working together with a military soldier.

...It was interesting. I was curious to see what the disciples of my idol, General Gazel, were like and how my skills would fare.