Chapter 39: An Aspiring Knight

"Uh-hmm. ..."

"You woke up huh"

"ehh—"

　The woman got up quickly and looked around her.

　She had a look of confusion on her face, as if she didn't know what had happened to her.

　Most of the onlookers had already dispersed.

　I rented the nearby teahouse's eaves, laid her down, and let Gigi take care of her, which she did surprisingly quickly.

"You, what?"

"You'd better thank this person, he's the one who saved your life."

　The owner of the teahouse, a good-looking woman, said to the woman and went to serve the customers in the busy store.

"Helped?"

"How much do you remember?"

"I was fighting ... and there was an attack from somewhere I wasn't paying attention to."

"The guy you were fighting had his guys sneak in and attack you."

"Cowardly!"

　The woman became angry and spat at the person.

"I don't deny that it was cowardly, but you were too careless."

"Ugh. ..."

"Why were you doing that in the first place?　You never intended to lose no matter who your opponent was, did you?"

"You understand, ...?"

　I chuckled.

　Beyond what she didn't say, I thought I heard her say, "A kid like you?" .

"I can tell that by looking at you."

　This time she gave a wary look, a look that said, "This guy's not ordinary."

"If I was going to do something, I would have done it while you were unconscious."

"... That's true."

"So, why were you doing that anyways?"

"... I had no money for travel."

"Travel money?"

　She nodded and spoke with a bitter look on her face.

"I came to Royal Capital for this year's knight selection, but I couldn't make it. Thinking it was some kind of mistake, I stayed in the capital and waited for them to look into it, but I ran out of my expenses. I couldn't even go back to my hometown at this rate, so I did what I did ...."

"Well, that's strange."

　She was depressed and turned her head down when she mentioned that she was not selected for the knighthood, but when I replied, she looked up and glared at me with an angry face.

"What's so funny?"

"Don't get mad, that's not the point. I just saw your skills. If you were to come with that skill set, there was no way you could fail the selection process."

　Even if you take into account the fact that she was just some person from the city, her skills were quite impressive.

　She is no less skilled than Shirley, the only knight I've taken.

　I can't imagine her falling for that.

"I thought so too. That's why I asked my contacts to check it out. Then, I was able to meet the Tenth Prince, the examiner. And for His Highness, a woman had ...."

　The woman stammered, and her face turned bright red.

　Her expression could not be taken as either shame or outrage.

"Okay, that's enough. I understand what you're talking about."

　The tenth prince, my brother, I know his character well.

　I think he was very direct in saying that if you are a woman, you should offer your body.

　That's the kind of guy he is.

　I thought about it for a while and asked the woman.

"Do you still want to be a knight?"

"Of course I do. I will come back next year. No matter how many years it takes, I'll make it."

"If so, there is no hurry to return home."

"Eh?"

　I took out a small bag from my pocket and handed it to the woman.

"Is this ... money?

"It's 100 reens. Enough to last you a year in the capital."

"Eh ...?"

"Gigi, weren't there some empty houses on Tyler Street?"

"Yes, Master."

　Gigi, who had been quietly waiting behind me for a while now, answered.

"Tell Dylan to arrange for her to use one of them."

"Understood."

"W-What do you mean?"

　The woman was puzzled.

　She still didn't seem to understand what was happening.

"Stay in the capital. It's easier to get information about the selection of knights and take measures if you stay here."

"It's not that. I mean, why are you giving me this ..."

"I'm a patron of many people. And I like you, so I gave you money."

"Me, you say?"

"I want you to be recognized for your abilities, not for your easy use as a woman. That's the kind of person I like."

"..."

　The woman was puzzled.

"Who are you?　You're not an ordinary person."

　The woman stares at me with admiring eyes.

　Then, an intruder, who did not read the air, arrived.

"There she is!"

　After the voice, I heard many footsteps approaching.

　I looked around and saw that there were roughly twenty people surrounding us in the entire teahouse.

　At the center of it all was the man from earlier, Chad.

　He had a first aid bandage on his shoulder and had changed into proper pants.

"You little bastard. Finish him off, all of you!　Brother too, please!"

　At Chad's command, the men attacked in unison.

　They never learn, do they?

　I took a step forward.

　While I was thinking about Leviathan, Luthiya made a direct appeal in my head.

　Not only Leviathan, but also me.

　Such feelings flowed straight to me, and I decided to respond to them.

　I linked the two rings together.

Linking Luthiya and the armor ring, I transformed them into hand armor to cover both arms.

In an instant, I had two burning fists.

　I intercepted the men with them.

　Punching them in their unprotected bodies and through their gaping jaws.

　Throwing flames that crawled on the ground, I grabbed their throat rings and blasted them at zero distance.

I replicated Luthiya's technique, just as I had done with Leviathan.

　Each time the attack hit, the men's bodies would burst into flames.

　Another characteristic of Luthiys' technique is that it flares up for a moment and then quickly disappears.

"Amazing ... speed and strength for a boy who looks ... just like he does, but he's so strong!"

　The woman who was late to the game was marveling.

　In the meantime, all the newly arrived men had been defeated, including Chad, who I could hardly be bothered to question anymore – I thought.

　There was only one man, dressed like a knight, who had not fallen.

　He was at the end of the line and didn't attack, so I didn't fight back and attack him.

　The man looked as if he had bitten into a bitter bug.

If you do not want to fight, there is no need to bother, I told the knight.

"I'll take these guys and go somewhere else…"

"You are!　The Tenth Prince's knight!"

"Hm?"

　When the woman said that, the knight was startled.

　When I looked at the knight, his face instantly turned pale.

"Ooh, I see. That's how it is, huh."

"—!"

　I said so, and the Knight was surprised again.

　It seems that the Knight is a knight of the Tenth Prince Dustin Ararat.

　While I don't know anything about the other side, of course they know about me.

　Oh, by the way, Chad also said, "Brother, please."

　It's okay that Chad had dragged him here, but knowing that it was me, and thinking that I didn't know him, he didn't attack me and kept quiet to see if he could get away with it.

　But then, the woman who had probably seen him before, when she asked for backstage entertainment, told me.

　It would have been fine if I hadn't known about it, but now that it's out there.

"Please forgive me!　Your Highness the 13th."

　The knight instantly kneeled down to me on the spot.

　The onlookers, who had once dispersed, gathered again and started buzzing.

"eh ...?"

　The woman, too, looked at the knight and me in turn, as if she had been pinched by a fox.

"13th...? His Highness?　Isn't that the Wise Prince of the Minister of Justice?"

　The woman was greatly astonished.

"Yeah. Lucas Ararat."

'T-the real one ...?　No, that knight is on his knees with such vigor. It can't be fake. ..."

　It seems that this knight also have something to say about it.

"You're a prince and a minister, but you don't flaunt your status and position. ...?"

　The woman's eyes were half in amazement and half in respect.

　She could be left alone for a while, but the problem was the knight.

　Unlike the time at Cobalt Street, this one is well behaved.

"Are these your people?"

"Yes,..., that….right… my friend."

"If so, then just leave."

"Eh?"

"Didn't you hear me?"

"N-no. I did. I ...?"

"Did you try to attack me?"

　The knight man shook his head with such force that it seems like he would rip his neck off.

"I'll let you off. Take them and get the hell out of here."

"Oh, thank you for your greatness!"

　The knight slammed his head into the ground with such force that you could hear it thump, thump, thump, and then he woke up his friends and left with them all.

　Now, all that's left is the woman–

　Clap, Clap Clap.

　I heard a resounding clapping sound while the onlookers were still buzzing around.

Looking towards the sound, I saw an old man clapping at a stall serving sake across from the teahouse.

"Well, you are quite a boy. Your face, as well as your skills, are first-rate. I've never seen such an amazing boy in recent years."

　The old man praised me, he seemed to have a certain air about him.

　Just as I was wondering who the hell he was, I saw the golden gourd he had placed on the table.

　My heart thumped!　And I felt my heart beat loudly.

　Dokun!

　In this world, there are times when the most eccentric belongings are more famous than the person himself.

　For example, a knight's alias is the pattern of his favorite weapon.

　The golden gourd is another example.

　Recently, I came to know its owner.

　I looked it up and found out.

　I approached the old man and knelt down in front of him.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness, the Thunder Prince.