Chapter 69

EP.69 Holy Sword - 1

What the elders were trying to do was to undermine Leonardo's achievements, expose his sins, and tarnish his self-esteem and honor.

They believed that by doing so, they could ensure that Leonardo, a capable talent, would sleep soundly.

Thus, their true purpose was merely to comfortably utilize Leonardo, while the reprimand for his sins was a superficial excuse.

Therefore.

[Oh, you used your head a bit.]

This was a result they would never have wished for.

"…What… What…!"

"The hearing by the council of elders has only strengthened my resolve. It seems this position was too much for me."

Both Chris and Marken wore expressions of shock.

They had ample grounds to defend him, no matter what punishment was to be meted out, but they never expected him to announce his resignation in such a manner.

"I will send my resignation letter through the head of the family later. It was an honor to share the council's precious wisdom and time."

"Just a moment...! Do you think you can quit as a knight so easily?!"

[You old coots, who have retired and are stuck in a back room, have no right to say that.]

It was a blunt fact, but now it needed to be packaged more tactfully.

"Originally, I was not someone who could become a knight. Perhaps this was something that was bound to happen."

Looking at the elders with a touch of self-mockery and sadness doubled the effect.

"Then...! What about the dedicated knight...!! What will you do about the dedicated knight?!"

Was that the best you could come up with? For an old man, it was a rather cute and petty idea.

"If needed, I will continue to work until a successor arrives. I also need to inform the young lady of this fact."

"Like that...! Have you even thought about the repercussions when you leave?! Do you think the position of a knight is so easily obtained...!!"

In their excitement, the elders continued to shout in agitated tones. The dignity and decorum they had cultivated in their old age crumbled at the mere resignation of a young boy.

"I have never once thought it was easily obtained."

Not once, from his previous life to the present, had he ever entertained such thoughts.

"I am sorry for not achieving better results due to my inadequacies... but I truly tried not to be a burden."

In fact, if one looked at the results Leonardo had achieved over the past two years, they were not much different from the accomplishments of the elders.

"But as the elders have pointed out, there were many unforeseen sins and mistakes."

Finally, he redirected the blame to the council. They must have realized it by now.

[You've all messed it up.]

<Always like this.>

Leonardo had never forgiven the council for their dullness in allowing Ariasfil to die without intervention.

Their sins were a corruption so deep that even death could not cleanse them.

"…Do you think you will be honorable by resigning like this?! Honor and money...!"

"It's fine. That is also my karma, and I must accept it sweetly."

This was the final word.

<No matter what you offer, I will not follow.>

The final word, filled with this meaning.

Because he was not a knight of the council, but the sole knight of the hero, Ariasfil.

"Then I will take my leave."

With that, Leonardo walked out the main door. The council was left in a state of chaos and agitation, holding an emergency meeting.

***

Chris Reinhardt was shocked to a degree that made the earlier destruction of her innocence seem trivial.

She never thought the council would have a positive influence on Leonardo, but she never imagined they would make him resign from his position as a knight.

She rushed out the open door. All she could see was the boy walking down the corridor. Grabbing his shoulder, Chris shouted.

"Don't make a hasty decision...! There's still a chance...!"

"Such a chance is too much for me to receive."

The boy turned back and smiled lightly. The forced smile looked like a desperate attempt to hold back resignation and sadness.

"I'll try to defend you...! If you resign, it will end up being your fault...! No one will understand...!"

"Thank you, but it's fine."

Leonardo turned to face Chris properly. His eyes seemed to lack focus and vitality.

"To be honest, I was also in a dilemma. Whether I should be by Ariasfil's side or not."

At this, Chris's grip loosened. Leonardo had always been confident in his words and actions, overcoming every crisis.

Perhaps they had been mistaken in assuming he had no doubts.

Leonardo would have no doubts.

"I was wondering if I was fulfilling my role as a bodyguard, or if someone else, like the Dark Lord or the Executioner Knight Captain, could provide better experiences."

But no one is without doubts, especially a young boy who hadn't even lived for twenty years.

"And after hearing the council's words, I realized I was inadequate to help Ariasfil."

No, to Chris, Leonardo was the only one who could help and follow Ariasfil.

"I relied on the family and Ariasfil. I became spoiled and weak."

It was natural. When he came to the family, he was only 13, and now he was 15—a boy, not yet a young man.

There was no reason for a boy to be criticized for seeking support.

"Actually... I think I've had a very lucky life. Challenging and fighting with Miss Aria was the greatest fortune of my life."

Luck was not eternal, and happiness was shrouded in pain.

"She was my entire world, everything to me."

And that day, his world shattered again.

Without any warning, suddenly.

When the light disappeared, there was nothing to see.

"Then...! Try harder...!!"

"Stop it."

Marken appeared from behind.

"Director...!!"

Whoosh

A white scroll was thrown. Leonardo looked at the scroll and then at Marken.

"It's a return scroll. If you're quitting as a knight, stop whining and get lost."

"Thank you for your consideration."

Leonardo activated a teleportation spell, dodging the scroll.

"Goodbye."

Leonardo disappeared with a flash of light.

"Father...!! What are you doing!?"

"I gave him the scroll because he needs it to return."

"That's not what I meant!"

Chris shouted in unprecedented agitation, even to her father, Marken, whom she usually couldn't defy.

"...Christina, what were you doing at 13 and 15?"

"...That's..."

She recalled. At 13, she wasted half a day trying to come up with a cool nickname, and at 15, she wore bandages and eye patches as accessories and enjoyed making up skill names.

Thinking about it now, it was a bit embarrassing.

"I received education and training as the head of the family. At the time, I often complained and acted out."

Then, a boy came to mind.

"But what about that boy?"

She was speechless. Seeing that boy made her feel ashamed of her own life, which she had taken for granted.

"His parents passed away, and from the age of 10, he has been fighting in bloody and violent situations."

The boy's pain and

"Discriminated against in the family for being a commoner and despised for being an orphan."

His suffering was endlessly heavy.

"Yet, he never complained. He never cried or got angry."

His determination to live and fight silently,

"We took it for granted. That's why we couldn't be a support for him."

Because we didn't see or recognize him.

"Admit it. We betrayed that boy's world and don't deserve to hold onto it."

She was ashamed to speak.

***

At that moment, Leo was,

<How was my acting?>

[Even though I knew, your sudden shift is still chilling.]

Smirking at the peak of his performance, he was excited about the results to come. It would be a shocking twist, like the betrayal of a trusted ally in a play.

<It doesn't matter, right? Those old men are still cheap.>

The council was like a senior center where old men gathered, demanding respect.

Their pensions alone could have increased the salaries of all Reinhardt's knights by 2.2 times,

And they continued to interfere with the family, claiming to strengthen their position, acting like parasites.

<What's the reason for maintaining such a senior center?>

[What else? Of course, it's the perks under the guise of wisdom.]

As he said, they were in the council because they claimed to bring glory to Reinhardt, ostensibly to share their wisdom.

<But if they had reprimanded and forced a young, hardworking knight to resign, what would that wisdom be worth?>

[Even saying it yourself, they'd be doomed. The people who tolerated their arrogance would tear them apart.]

The wise man clearly foresaw the consequences.

<The council is also one of the main culprits in Ariasfil's death.>

Ariasfil, as a hero, was constantly plagued by battles and demon hunts.

If they had wisely divided the tasks, it could have been resolved smoothly, but they dumped everything on Ariasfil just because she was a hero.

[...Old bastards.]

<If that was the case, at least they would have gotten what they deserved.>

What Leonardo found most unforgivable was that they even controlled the media that reported on Ariasfil's condition, using the flimsy excuse that it would shake Reinhardt's trust and make the people fear.

[...You... Don't tell me...]

It was too late and in the past. The opportunity to change it was in the present, and the past only left scars.

<Actually, the biggest mistake was mine for leaving. I was worried that I might just say I was resigning.>

It was a joke, but it couldn't be ignored. The guilt and self-mockery embedded in it twisted his soul's blood and flesh.

[...You're not wrong.]

<Ha, did you see it too, Wise One?>

[Did you see my life?]

His laughter was a response to the sharp question.

<I don't really want to see it.>

[Me neither. Kid.]

The insults they threw at each other felt strangely warm, perhaps because they had adapted to it.

[You worked hard. You lived hard enough to be loved without shame.]

The boy's shoulders trembled slightly and definitely. The silence was likely due to the last bit of pride he had left.

[So, try to live a little for yourself. Honestly, if you're not embarrassed, you're either a god or a corpse. Are you human?]

"Ha..."

A laugh that was more like a sigh, a wise man's advice that didn't even bring tears or sobs.

<Is that comfort?>

[Is it comfort?]

<...Yes, it is comfort.>

He felt a bit more energized. In life, he even received comfort from the origin of magic.

[Putting aside the sappy words, can I ask one thing?]

<As long as it's not a dog bark.>

[What will you say to Ariasfil?]

A moment of uneasy silence followed.

"…I'll bow and apologize later, I guess."

Actually, he had no plan.

[Is that even a statement? You might as well bow naked. That would give you a better chance of survival.]

That person had shown a miraculous way to halve the score he had built up.

And Ariasfil wasn't that heartless, and he wasn't really leaving, so there was no need to make a fuss.

"I might have to camp out here tonight, just in case."

[Yeah, but your life is important.]

It wasn't because he was afraid of Ariasfil. It was just that the weather was cool tonight, and the mansion's atmosphere would be tense, so he was avoiding it.

***

At that moment, at the Reinhardt mansion.

"Leo!! Leonardo!!"

Ariasfil had been looking for her dedicated knight, who had disappeared that morning.

In fact, only the head of the family and those involved knew that Leonardo was going to the council, and it was kept secret from Ariasfil.

<Did you find him?>

[No, he's not around at all.]

The spirits consistently answered, "No."

"Exactly... Where did he go without a word...?"

Honestly, she was more worried than angry. Leonardo always got involved in strange or dangerous situations at times like this.

"ARIAAAAAAAA!!!"

At that moment, her brother, a tall figure, ran towards her, shouting.

"...Why? Be quiet. I'm looking for Leo..."

"What do you mean, Leo is quitting as a knight?!"

That day, a crack appeared in Ariasfil's world.

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