Chapter 33: Chapter 33

“But Princess, aren’t you always escorted by royal knights?”

Shan said as he glanced sideways at the two knights standing behind her.

In truth, looking at their skills objectively, they were not all that impressive.

At best, they were comparable to Sir Katra whom he had seen before, or perhaps slightly inferior.

Had that not been the case, no matter how dulled their attacks were because they were trying to subdue him, he could not have beaten two sword-wielding knights bare-handed.

If they had possessed even the level of skill of Sir Gowell, a vassal of Count of Shedil, he would have had to prepare to sustain injuries.

Honestly speaking, they felt far below standard to be considered those renowned royal guards.

Was it right for those serving royalty to be worse than the knight of a mere count?

This question was resolved by Cheryn’s subsequent words.

“They do not belong to the royal court. As I told you, I have almost no allies in the court, so if I came out in disguise with them, my movements would inevitably be exposed. Aran and Kagon are people my maternal uncle assigned to me separately.”

If it was Cheryn’s maternal uncle, it would be that Count of Palles he had heard of before.

After hearing the explanation, he seemed to understand why their skills were not particularly remarkable.

If it were a domain where monsters rarely invaded, they naturally would feel no need to train and contract knights of high skill.

Conversely, talented knights would not want to remain in a place where they could not build up their achievements.

“Since I have been pressing you continuously, I would like to ask as well: why do you want to become a knight?”

“I want to rise in status and possess my own domain.”

At Shan’s concise answer, Cheryn’s expression turned somewhat lukewarm.

After all, the desire for a domain was a commonplace dream harbored by anyone who strutted about calling themselves a knight.

However, a serious look came over her face at his next words.

“I understand that Pendia is the only country in the alliance where Altoans can settle and live.”

“That is right. Libert and Ajun are Old Faith nations, so there is no need to mention them, and the New Faith nations of Horais and Ruman are not favorable to Altoans either.”

Horais, the grassland kingdom situated in the west of the Arman Alliance, was a nation where bloodline purity was extremely rampant.

Perhaps due to their tradition of obsessing over purebreds to breed the finest horses, they even discriminated against westerners of the alliance (who could be considered their kin) regarding them as outsiders.

As for Ruman, it had a history where Altoans had once found it the easiest place to live, only to stage a rebellion, get suppressed, and end up banished.

“Yet even in such a Pendia, Altoans are always the lower class. I want to create a domain where they can live in peace.”

What made Shan harbor such a dream was the Altoan traveling troupe he had met in the past.

They had no talents other than turning their unusual physical conditions into a spectacle, so they could not even come to Pendia, and thus had to bow their heads and endure the harsh persecution of society.

This was the case even in Pendia, only differing in degree.

Half of Pendia consisted of Old Faith believers, and due to their pressure, Altoans could not even become knights, just as Shan currently could not.

Naturally, since collusion with upper circles was problematic in many ways, it was also difficult to succeed as a merchant, and whenever public sentiment grew ugly, all kinds of persecutions poured down upon them.

Except for those living in the cities, the Altoans in eastern Pendia also mostly lived without mingling with westerners, forming their own villages; naturally, places where westerners did not live were rougher areas with more monsters, so they could not help but remain impoverished.

Shan wanted a land where they could live in comfort.

If there were an Altoan lord and several Altoans among the knights and administrators, people would naturally be unable to discriminate against them relying solely on numbers.

Furthermore, if that lord were even a powerful knight who culled the monsters, then just as the princess had said earlier, they might secure a better location and thrive.

“At that rate, wouldn’t that lead to founding a nation strictly for Altoans? If one accepts the hypothesis that a knight is also a type of mage, isn’t that precisely the advent of the savior longed for by the Revivalists?”

“I have no interest in the revival of the Altoan Empire. Nor do I think it is something within my capability.”

In the first place, even if all the Altoans across the world were gathered, it would be difficult to fill a few domains, let alone a nation.

Moreover, if such a thing were attempted, every country in the Arman Alliance would immediately assemble an allied army and rush to tear them to pieces.

No, even just the thousands of troops gathered by the various lords of Pendia would render the martial power of Shan alone meaningless before them.

Unless one were a grand mage of the ancient Altoan Empire who truly crumbled mountains and carved rivers, it was something one would not dare dream of.

“I see. So serving merely as a beacon for a helpless race is enough for you.”

For some reason, upon hearing Shan’s ambition, Cheryn seemed to have grown extremely pleased.

Wearing a languid smile like a well-fed cat, she lightly clapped her hands.

“Very well. Then shall we move on to business? I shall dub you a knight. And… I will not demand a separate oath of fealty from you either. If you wish, you may act as a knight-errant as much as you like.”

“Pardon?”

Then what on earth would be left in it for the princess? Not only Shan but even Roden standing behind him almost blurted out the question unconsciously.

Until moments ago, she had talked about five or seven years, so what was with this sudden change in attitude?

“The reason I sought to bind you with a contract was that I could not handle you as I wished otherwise. However… looking at it now, it seems there was no need to do so in the first place.”

Pausing mid-speech, Cheryn took a sip of the tea sitting on the table.

Though the items of Weavers Manor were fairly high-class in their own right, judging by her slightly grimacing expression, it did not seem particularly to her taste.

“I told you before, didn’t I? Those fools who are my brothers are all brainless idiots. Unless your goal is merely to preserve yourself as a knight and display martial prowess, to achieve that grand dream of yours, you must help me become queen, whether we enter a vassal contract or not.”

Only then did Roden realize why Cheryn was wearing a triumphant expression.

Only after hearing Shan’s ambition a moment ago had she realized that her counterpart was already a hooked fish.

“In ordinary times, as befits a knight-errant, you may pursue gain as you wish. Whether you go out to hunt monsters, subjugate bandits, or enter various tournaments. However, when I need you, I would like you to come and assist me. Of course, since you are not my vassal, it is not an obligation, and I will pay an appropriate compensation each time separately, like a mercenary.”

Having said that, Cheryn furrowed her brow briefly before adding.

“No, ‘mercenary’ sounds far too crude after all. In the first place, there is no need for a knight and a princess to be bound strictly by a contractual relationship. Exchanging what is needed according to each other’s desires… collaborators, friends, wouldn’t it be fine to express it roughly like that? Ah, I might also call you to examine your physical condition and study it. That’s a good thing for both of us, isn’t it?”

Her final words were delivered in the tone of Chery, the curious mage girl, rather than the authoritative and overbearing Princess Cheryn.

The guards standing behind her gasped in shock and spoke up.

“Princess!”

“Even so, to speak of a friend to a mere Altoan…”

“Quiet.”

Silencing the two by placing her index finger against her lips, Cheryn smiled brightly as she looked at Shan and Roden.

Under that proposal, there was truly no burden on Shan whatsoever.

It meant that while enjoying the freedom of a knight-errant, he could help the princess without fully belonging to her faction.

In this state, it was as if that side bore all the burdens while this side took only the benefits.

Of course, if Cheryn failed to ascend to queen, Shan’s dream would have to remain forever a mere dream, but at least he could avoid being dragged down to the very bottom along with her when that happened.

Looking at each other, Shan and Roden nodded without needing to say who came first.

*

In the reception room of Weavers Manor, Shan knelt on one knee before Cheryn.

Holding the sword borrowed from the guard knight behind her, the princess tapped his shoulders once each.

“In the name of the Goddess who looks down upon all creation, and the Hasra Royal Family, the rightful rulers of the land of Pendia, I, Cheryn Gizel Aste Hasra, dub Shan the Altoan as a knight.”

A dubbing ceremony that was exceedingly humble, attended by merely five people in total.

Even in such circumstances, the atmosphere was solemn beyond measure.

“From now on, you have no need to kneel before anyone unless it is before God, your sovereign, or your own lord. Should nobles seek to punish you, they must formally request a trial, and along with the title of Sir, you shall be granted the right to wear full plate armor covering your entire body, the right of first priority to purchase warhorses, the right to collect taxes in your own domain, and the right to challenge anyone who insults you to a duel.”

In the Arman Alliance, a knight did not possess merely the significance of a privileged warrior.

Was not Great Emperor Baren, the founder of the Arman Empire and the very first knight, a figure hailed as the Knight King and the Goddess’s first companion?

As his descendants, knights were recognized as the swords and shields of sovereigns, and simultaneously as defenders of the Goddess Order, enjoying all manner of privileges.

Having listed the rights Shan could enjoy from now on, Cheryn offered her final words of blessing.

“Knight Shan, do not abuse your sacred authority. Perform only deeds unashamed before the name of the Goddess. Respect kings, nobles, the Goddess, and the clergy, and protect humanity from foreign enemies and monsters.”

Now that Princess Cheryn had granted Shan the status of a knight, no one (not even the king lying bedridden) could strip it away.

Ignoring his rights simply because Shan was an Altoan would be taken as directly disrespecting both the royal family and the Church.

As the declaration ended, Shan raised his head slightly and asked.

“…Is it over with this?”

“Is a noisy knighting ceremony where people gather in crowds and listen to grand speeches for dozens of minutes more to your taste? I am a bit busy right now so it is difficult, but if you truly wish for it, I will try to make time sometime soon.”

“Rather than that, I was wondering whether doing it this way actually holds legal effect.”

Was it not beyond simple, to the point of being utterly insincere compared to what he had imagined, seen, and heard of before?

Although he had no particular interest in empty formalities, he doubted whether he could be recognized as having properly received knighthood like this.

“There is no issue in terms of form. As a princess of Pendia, I possess the authority to confer knighthood, and there are two knights behind me to serve as witnesses. Of course, administrative matters must be handled separately, but I will resolve that on my own, so prepare a design to draw on your family banner.”

Returning the sword used in the knighting to the guard knight, Cheryn spoke.

“Congratulations, Sir Shan. The first Altoan knight in history.”

Knight… that resonance sank deep into Shan’s inner self.

When he had heard the words of Count of Shedil, it had felt like an impossibly distant goal beyond reach, but to think it could be obtained so easily…

No, thinking about it, saying he had obtained it easily was a contradiction.

For it was because he had accomplished the feat of fighting and defeating a cockatrice one-on-one (a feat hard to find even in history books) that he had gained the chance to even speak with the princess.

Out of the more than several hundred knights existing in present Pendia, would even twenty people remain alive if all those who had hunted a cockatrice or a monster of similar caliber were brought together?

Had Shan not been an Altoan, he would have become a knight long ago, to say nothing of receiving treatment far exceeding that.

“Come to think of it, it seems you ought to have a surname soon as well. Do you happen to have thought of one?”

“Not yet.”

In truth, commoners’ surnames were simply attached as one pleased and passed down, so if he had wished, he could have created and adopted one long ago.

He had merely stayed quiet because nothing had struck him as quite right.

Thus, he had even suggested simply using Weavers, the surname of Roden’s family, but unfortunately, he had been refused.

Saying that one must not recklessly attach the surname of a person who would achieve great feats in the future like that.

Cheryn spoke in delight at Shan’s response.

“Then may I name it for you? I happen to have thought of one in advance.”

Wondering if this too held some political significance, Shan glanced to the side; when Roden nodded, he expressed his assent.

“If you grant me one, I will accept it with gratitude.”

“Barendil. In the ancient tongue, it means ‘the seat beside Baren.’ If read in the manner of that era, it could also be interpreted as… ‘one equal to Baren.'”

An Altoan using the name of Great Emperor Baren, the first and strongest knight, idol of all westerners, and ancestor of the five royal families?

It was not at all difficult to guess that it would arouse considerable backlash.

However, Cheryn smiled brightly as if she knew nothing of such concerns and spoke.

“Yes, it is a grand name. But to fulfill your wish, you will likely have to accomplish achievements fitting of this name. Then no one will regard it as arrogant.”

If Shan truly accomplished feats equal to Great Emperor Baren, the significance this surname brought would grow that much greater.

Moreover, just as Cheryn had said before, those who would hate him for this were likely hating him already anyway.

“I will strive to live up to your expectations, Princess.”

Instead of kneeling on one knee as before, Shan of House Barendil offered his respects while standing, bowing his head lightly.

For as a knight-errant now, the only subjects before whom he would kneel were the Goddess and the King of Pendia.

*

“Is it truly alright like this, Princess?”

On the way back, Cheryn subtly glanced back at the voice coming from behind.

Her guard knights were wearing worried expressions.

“You will face immense criticism. Several lords who supported You secretly (though unable to express it outwardly) will turn their backs as well. To dub him a knight while bearing such losses, yet not even bind him with a vassal contract?”

“It seems unlikely that a mere Altoan understands concepts like grace or faith. Even now, revoking the knighthood and setting conditions anew would be…”

Neither of the two brought up the idea of not knighting Shan.

For they agreed that Shan’s martial strength was necessary for the grand cause dreamed of by the princess.

Having experienced firsthand how powerful that devil-like Altoan boy was, there was no way they could fail to know.

“Revoking the knighthood, that is the funniest joke you have made all year. What fool would trust a ruler who speaks out of both sides of their mouth?”

Cheryn firmly silenced the two before moving her steps forward.

Her eyes looked forward, but her mind was filled with the conversation from moments ago.

‘Yes, this method is the best.’

After realizing the existence of Shan the Altoan, Cheryn had consistently allocated a portion of her intelligence capabilities toward him.

How he was born, how he grew up, what he desired, what pleased him, and what he disliked…

Even a girl with an unrequited crush likely could not have delved into and studied a single person to this extent.

After being unexpectedly struck and suffering a nosebleed while conducting analysis upon analysis, today she was finally able to completely draw out the blueprint of the human being named Shan.

‘A child starved of affection and goodwill. Basic social ethics have been instilled in him to some extent, but he has not internalized them through experience, and he cannot turn away from the persecuted weak. He possesses a strong spirit of resistance against authority, and is particularly sensitive to attacks on his own people.’

Binding such a person with a contract held no great meaning.

For if he deemed something to be wrong or something he did not want to do, he would reject it without hesitation, even if disobeying that command amounted to social suicide.

That was why she had deliberately set a huge condition of fifteen years right from the start, only to sweep it away.

Naturally, that share would have turned entirely into a debt of the heart.

Of course, while many people remembered grudges and forgot favors, Cheryn was certain that if she bestowed generosity unsparingly first, Shan would never turn a blind eye to it.

This was closer to confidence in her own analytical capabilities than faith in Shan as a human being.

If she commanded Shan through a vassal oath, he would abandon his lord and flee without hesitation in a moment of crisis; but if she thoroughly ensnared him with lingering affection, he would never sit idly by and watch her ruin.

For obtaining the sharpest sword in the world, which those two fools had left alone out of blindness, it was a ridiculously cheap price to pay.

*

“Congratulations, Sir Shan!”

“No, please do not do this, sir.”

After the negotiation ended and Callion heard the details, he immediately bowed deeply toward Shan and called out.

Just as he had done in the past toward attendants or knights of the nobility.

Flustered by this, Shan hurriedly raised him up.

Roden beside him also looked at his father with an incredulous expression.

“Father…”

“Do not look at me like that. From now on, in front of others, you must also treat him not as a mere friend, but as someone to be respected. You had better practice in advance.”

Just as he said, the moment Shan became a knight, his social status became something Roden could no longer dare compare with.

If the two showed an informal appearance in public now, people would view it as Roden daring to make light of a knight.

A lowly merchant, despising a knight who had been dubbed, no matter that he was an Altoan.

It went without saying how severely a challenge to class rank was regarded in a strict status-based society.

“I should have asked the princess to appoint Roden as a knight as well while we were at it.”

As Shan spoke with a sigh, Roden shook his head.

“I told you. You might be fine, but I absolute cannot. Not until I fix this damned constitution of mine.”

Not making an Altoan a knight was, after all, merely an unwritten rule among nobles.

As could be seen from the fact that Sir Darkal harbored no particular aversion, if he demonstrated superior capability as a knight, he would be sufficiently respected by fellow knights at least.

However, a knight who froze in fear before a bladed weapon and could do nothing was a presence even less acceptable than an Altoan knight.

For it meant he was a cripple who failed to satisfy even the most basic qualification of a knight, that of a ‘fighter.’

If Roden were made a knight and that fact became known, not only would he himself be despised, but Shan, who had been dubbed alongside him, would inevitably have his qualifications questioned as well.

After causing such a fuss, the three next discussed what coat of arms to choose for the newly formed House Barendil.

Thanks to Shan having had something in mind from before, this was decided faster than expected.

“Green eyes, huh.”

“If it’s an emblem symbolizing me, I thought this would be best.”

“That’s true. Once seen, it’s impossible to forget.”

An emblem of green eyes with light softly spreading across a black field.

The black background symbolized night and darkness, while the glowing green eyes were directly modeled after Shan’s own.

The coats of arms of families with deeper histories and ties to multiple houses were far more complex, but for the coat of arms of a newly formed knightly family, this much was sufficient.

When they took the roughly drawn design to a skilled painter, an impressive coat of arms came out in just a single day.

It was so splendid that both Roden and Shan nodded in satisfaction upon seeing the finished coat of arms.

“It turned out great! This is good enough.”

“We embroider this onto the banner and the surcoat worn over armor, right?”

“That’s right. It lets everyone know who you are even if you’re wearing a full helmet.”

Of course, if anyone truly encountered Shan in the dark, merely seeing his glowing green eyes would allow anyone to know his identity.

How terrifying it was to face that, Roden had realized acutely while watching the battle in the Demonic Realm sewer in the past.

Likely, opponents who saw the coat of arms of House Barendil in the future would come to know this truth as well.

“Now once the custom plate armor comes out, preparation will be complete.”

“Indeed. I hope we can make it in time if possible…”

What the two were referring to was none other than the pinnacle event of knighthood.

The jousting tournament.

A tournament supreme in elegance yet brutal, where knights from all over would challenge themselves to make a name for themselves, though many would be severely injured or even killed, was scheduled to be held in the capital before long.