His Ideal Image
“What did you think of the duel just now, Mitina?”
Even after such a fierce battle, Zeffen spoke in his usual calm manner.
Although she wasn’t sure what the question was asking, Mitina lightly dried her hair with a towel and spoke honestly about the two’s abilities.
“In terms of swordsmanship, it seems there was no difference between Commander and Kyelse-dono. What separated them… was the difference in experience in human-to-human combat, I think.”
“That’s right. It was pretty rude to break a sword, but neutralizing an opponent is my specialty.”
Breaking an opponent’s sword is not something that just anyone can do. Thinking about it, Zeffen’s fighting skills must be far superior to Kyelse’s.
“But the decisive moment was when Kyelse decided to fight in a way that would live up to her pride… when she declared that she would not use magic.”
“…Kyelse-dono, you chose your pride as a knight over certain victory, didn’t you?”
Now I understand what King Regula meant.
Even if there was a difference in combat skill, if Kyelse had used magic, that difference could have been made up.
However, Kyelse probably thought that it would be unfair to use magic on Zeffen, whose constitution meant he couldn’t use magic.
“Even if I brought out the Magic Sealing Sword, I don’t think I would be able to win against Kyelse who is using magic at full power. It’s a different story if it comes to a fight to the death, though.”
“So Kyelse-dono’s magical skills are in a class of their own, aren’t they?”
“Vite always says that rough magic is hard to control, right? But with Kyelse’s skills, I think she could accurately choose and burn down just one castle or a horde of scattered magic beasts.”
“Th-that bad…”
Extraordinary magical output and precise control. To be honest, it was hard to imagine Kyelse being so unrivaled, but that was probably because he was a Silver Knight who didn’t have much to do with flashy combat.
Thinking this, Mitina looked up as if she had just realized something. Seeing this, Zeffen nodded and said with an apologetic look on his face.
“That’s right. The Black Iron Knights are expected to have high combat ability and commanding ability, and the person most suited to be their commanding officer is Kyelse. And… Kyelse originally wanted to be assigned to the Black Iron Knights, right?”
“Eh? Kyelse-dono, Black Iron Knight, Hope…?”
Mitina was stunned by the shocking truth.
Due to their mercenary nature, the Black Iron Knights were shunned by those of high status such as nobles, and it could be said that there were almost no nobles who wanted to become Black Iron Knights.
So, she couldn’t imagine that Kyelse, who hated all that vulgar and low-class stuff, would want to join the Black Iron Knights at first. She almost thought it was some kind of joke.
“That’s not something I can easily agree with. It seems to me that Kyelse-dono has a strong dislike for the Black Iron Knights, and even despises them.”
“I don’t think that’s an act, I think that’s what you really think. However, back then, Kyelse must have thought that becoming a Black Iron Knight would bring her closer to her ideals. I think that’s probably still the same now.”
Her ideal. Hearing those words, Mitina somehow found it convincing.
Although Kyelse may seem inflexible, she is actually a surprisingly flexible person. Despite being extremely attached to her pride as a knight, she was able to accept that Mitina was only a knight for financial gain.
If becoming a Black Iron Knight was truly his ideal, he would have pursued it without worrying about the traditions of the nobility or the opinions of those around him.
That’s the kind of man Kirillse Beusen is.
“So, the reason why Kyelse-dono is now with the Silver Knights is…”
“That’s right… Let’s talk about something from a while ago. Although it’s from about ten years ago.”
With that, Zeffen began to talk about past events.
About ten years ago, when Zeffen was already the captain of the Black Iron Knights, a young man came to visit him.
His beautiful appearance was well known throughout the royal castle, and even Zeffen, who had little interest in gossip, realized that the young man was a genius who had graduated from the magic academy with unprecedented results.
“Do you need anything from me?”
“…Let me be the Black Iron Knight.”
Kyelse, a young man with a brusque expression on his face, spoke bluntly.
Hearing this, Zeffen smiled but frowned in a troubled manner, since he already knew that he would be assigned to the Silver Knights.
“Hmm, I wonder why. I think you were assigned to the Silver Knights.”
“That’s not my will! It was decided by someone else! I said from the beginning that I would become a Black Iron Knight!”
“Is that so…?”
Naturally, the assignment of knights is not something that can be decided arbitrarily. There is an exam to join, and although there are cases where someone can be rejected due to the results, it is impossible for someone to be forced to join against their will.
“Why do you want to join the Black Iron Knights? Our jobs are very dangerous, and the Silver Knights are safer and are treated as the most prestigious of the kingdom’s knights.”
“A powerful knight has a responsibility to contribute to his country to the best of his ability. Therefore, it is only natural that I, who am stronger and smarter than anyone else, should eliminate the threat that is approaching the country as a Black Iron Knight.”
“Hmm… I wonder if he’s dissatisfied with his job as the Silver Knight…?”
Although he was confused by Kyelse’s condescending behavior, Zeffen somehow managed to understand what he was saying.
Kyelse, who highly values her own abilities, is probably dissatisfied with her job as a Silver Knight, which is important but involves guarding important people and guarding the royal castle. It’s as if she is saying that the Silver Knights can’t handle a genius like her.
“But the job of the Silver Knights, who protect the king and important people, is also important. If the country loses its core and pillars, it cannot function.”
“Of course, I know that. I don’t take my role as a Silver Knight lightly. I just…”
Kyelse’s tone, which had been a little aggressive up until now, gradually calmed down. No doubt it was because she felt a little more at ease with Zeffen listening to her kindly.
“Rather than being a dazzling knight who continues to protect the royal castle, I want to be a knight who fights even when covered in wounds, who is responsible for his own power, and who protects many people. That’s all.”
“I see”
“I naturally possess rare elegance and beauty. I also fully understand the pride of being a knight. Therefore, if I become the strongest of the Black Iron Knights, I will be able to become the perfect knight, possessing all these qualities…!”
(What an interesting kid.)
Those words were so innocent and straightforward that Zeffen smiled with a gentle expression. Just from those words, he immediately realized that Kyelse was not just an arrogant and conceited man.
“I think that’s a wonderful aspiration. I think you’d make a fine knight.”
“…! Y-yes, really!”
Hearing Zeffen’s words, Kyelse smiled happily. Judging from this reaction, he must have genuinely admired the Black Iron Knight.
He works in the shadows to eliminate threats to the kingdom. He fulfills his duties even if no one praises him, and sometimes even sacrifices his life to complete a mission.
Certainly, that may be the image of a proud knight, although in the case of the Black Iron Knights, many swear loyalty to the generous rewards rather than to the king.
“I just wanted to ask, do you know why you were assigned to the Silver Knights? Who decided that?”
If possible, he would like to allow Kyelse to join the Black Iron Knights. But even so, Zeffen began to get a bad feeling.
Someone who can arbitrarily decide the assignment of someone like him. There are so few people like that you can count them on your fingers.
“That’s…King Regula.”
“…”
As soon as he heard that name, Zeffen’s calm heart suddenly sank.
It was sadness. If King Regula had brought it up, then there must have been a good reason for it. A reason why Kyelse had to become a Silver Knight.
And Zeffen could easily imagine that he too would agree with this.
From now on, I would be trampling on Kyelse’s noble aspirations.
I was sad because I realized that.
“Of course, there are several reasons why King Regula made the effort to assign Kyelse to the Silver Knights. The main reason is his life activation power.”
“Indeed… I nearly died from poison, but I was able to recover completely without any after-effects, so it must be quite powerful.”
“Exactly. As long as it’s not poison or a curse, with Kyelse, even incurable diseases and fatal injuries can be easily cured. That’s a very important thing.”
Even if the king fell ill, or a sudden accident put his life in danger, as long as Kyelse was there the worst case scenario would definitely be averted.
On the other hand, if Kyelse became a Black Iron Knight and left the royal castle many times, she would not be able to respond to such a sudden crisis.
The main reason was that he wanted to keep Kyelse at the king’s side, within the royal castle. It may seem like a selfish reason, but if you think about it as a way to protect the heart of the country, it was a perfectly reasonable decision.
“Another issue is the balance with the Black Iron Knights. When I became the captain of the Black Iron Knights, the chaotic organization settled down, which was good, but… the difference in strength between me and the Silver Knights became an issue.”
“Hmm.”
“The Silver Knights, who value pride and family name, and the Black Iron Knights, who value power and reward, were originally incompatible. Because of this, some nobles began to see the Black Iron Knights as a threat because they had too much power.”
–There must be no conflict with the public.
Remembering King Regula’s words, Mitina began to understand their meaning.
If Kyelse had been assigned to the Black Iron Knights, the difference in strength between the two organizations would have been overwhelming. If that had happened, people might have started spreading bad rumors about the Black Iron Knights, thinking they were dangerous.
“In that respect, Kyelse has always admired the Black Iron Knights. If he becomes the captain of the Silver Knights, he will become a symbol of the Silver Knights’ overwhelming power, and as he is rational and understands the value of the Black Iron Knights, conflicts could be avoided… I wonder.”
After hearing this, Zeffen asks if King Regula’s decision is correct.
Mitina was silent as she was asked a question that was not so easily answered.
King Regula’s decision was too rational. It was certainly more convenient in every way for Kyelse to join the Silver Knights.
But.
Because of this, Kyelse was denied the path to becoming the ideal knight she had envisioned.
“Commander Zeffen ultimately told Kyelse that he would not allow her to join the Black Iron Knights.”
“Yeah. I’m sure that’s the reason why Kyelse hates me so much.”
“So, Kyelse-dono, have you really given up?”
With that kind of personality, no matter what reasons were given, there was no way Kyelse would be convinced so easily.
Mitina thought this immediately, but at the same time she thought that he might quietly back down.
“I think Mitina knows too.”
“…”
“Kyelse may have that kind of personality, but his pride as a knight is genuine. If it means he can achieve results that match his pride, he can endure any humiliation and kill his own will.”
This was a completely unexpected side to Kyelse, who she had thought was an unpleasant man. That was the extraordinary pride he had in being a knight.
To be a noble knight, he would be able to ignore his obsession with cleanliness, just like when he accepted King Regula’s orders to be engaged to and live with Mitina.
That’s how proud and patient he is.
“I have one request for Mitina.”
“Please?”
“Yes. I want you to cheer up Kyelse. She must be feeling very down.”
Hearing that, Mitina shrugged her shoulders with a troubled look on her face, because she thought that was an impossible request.
“Don’t be so rash. Kyelse-dono, you never show your weaknesses to others, so I don’t think you’d show me a depressed side of yourself.”
“That’s not true. I’m sure that Kyelse will show her true self, free from her pride, if only in front of Mitina.”
“I guess so…”
“That’s right. Although I usually act like that, I actually respect you quite a bit.”
“picture?”
When I spoke out loud at the unbelievable words, Zeffen chuckled in amusement. I thought he was joking, but this man basically didn’t lie or joke.
“You see, Kyelse likes people with guts.”
“guts……?”
“For example…the female knight who was forced to undergo training directly from me, and who made me want to throw up every morning, but still continued to stay with the Black Iron Knights.”
Mitina was shocked, her mouth hanging open.
He hadn’t shown any sign of that at all. But then again, he had said something like this the other day when he’d been rude to Kyelse.
–It seems I overestimated you.
–So you were just a foolish imitation knight, just like the vulgar Black Iron Knight.
Those words, on the other hand, meant that she valued Mitina more than the other Black Iron Knights. Even though they had been arguing so much, Kyelse still seemed to respect her.
“I didn’t notice at all…”
“Kyelse isn’t very honest, so she wouldn’t admit it to my face. Maybe the fact that he was saying such nasty things to me was a sign of trust in her, in a way.”
Kyelse is cold towards things she isn’t interested in. Hearing Zeffen say that, Mitina was silently pondering.
Kyelse wanted to make the most of her rare talent and become a noble, strong, and excellent knight. However, at the same time, she valued the pride of a knight and continued to suffer from the gap between her ideals and the expectations of those around her.
He probably knows that, but being a noble knight is probably more important to him than being himself.
For Kyelse, Mitina, who was honest with everyone and continued to work diligently to repay her kindness, was probably close to her ideal.
(If that is why Kyelse-dono recognizes me… I wonder if there is some way I can be of help to him.)
His determination to be noble everywhere was truly beautiful. Having reaffirmed this, Mitina naturally felt that she wanted to help him somehow.
If he said something like that to her face, Kyelse would surely say a few insults to him.
But I felt like I should at least ask that much.
“I don’t know if I can do it, but I’ll comfort her appropriately when we get back to the mansion.”
“Yes, nice to meet you.”
“Well then, I’ll go and finish up my work quickly, so excuse me.”
Saying this with a soft smile, Zeffen saw Mitina off as she briskly left the office.
And then, for some reason, I remembered the things Kyelse had said to me before.
–H-Have you no compassion?! You inflicted such violence on him first thing in the morning…! How pitiful!!
–Just because she’s your subordinate that you’ve been with for a long time doesn’t mean you should be too casual about it! Don’t touch a woman’s body carelessly!
“I’m sure Kyelse hates me because of things that happened in the past, but… I’m sure that now…”
He muttered this softly and smiled, then looked out the window at the clearing sky.
Then, after letting out a sigh, he returned to his work, just like Mitina.
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