[Episode 164] Recompense (8)
“For a beast, those bite marks look eerily similar to that of a human, my student.”
“…An acquaintance I made recently did it.”
Silveryn released her embrace and grasped Damian’s arms, giving him a sleepy yet piercing look.
“A friend?”
“…Yes.”
“How close must you be for a friend to bite your shoulder?”
“A friend with a playful streak… that’s all.”
“And you don’t find anything strange about it?”
T hi s w a s co p i e d f r o m k i ng mtl. o rg
“Other than the mark lasting a while, not really.”
“Not that. I’m talking about the energy imbued in this wound.”
“…What?”
T h i s wa s c o p i ed f r o m k i n g m t l. o r g
She couldn’t take her eyes off the scar on Damian’s shoulder.
“My student, there’s holy power lingering in your wound. Is your friend associated with the clergy?”
“I’m not sure about that.”
Silveryn scrutinized him as if dissecting his inner thoughts and asked sharply,
“What’s this girl’s name?”
It was frightening. He hadn’t mentioned the gender, yet how did she know?
“…Her name is Trisha.”
Narrowing her eyes even further, Silveryn pinched Damian’s cheek. What did he miss now?
“Have I… done something wrong again?”
“No. I just felt like pinching you.”
“…”
“While we’re on the subject, tell me about your friends in Eternia.”
Embarrassing as it was, Damian could count his friends on one hand.
“I’ve made three friends.”
Silveryn blinked several times, as if verifying what she heard, and then asked,
“Is that all? Their names?”
“Trisha, Cecil, and Luna… those three. We help each other out occasionally and get along well.”
If he had to name another, it would be Sion, but her feelings towards him were too ambiguous to simply label as friendship.
“All girls?”
Th is w a s c o pi e d f r o m k i n g mt l . o r g
“Yes.”
The hand pinching his cheek tensed slightly. Although she said nothing, it felt like a silent reproach for only befriending girls.
To make excuses, girls were somewhat easier to deal with. He knew how to fit in with men before, but at some point, after becoming isolated and cutting off external relations, he seemed to have forgotten how. The only interaction he managed was with Liza or the nuns, so he became more accustomed to interacting with women.
“How close are you?”
“Close enough to share meals.”
T h i s w a s c o pie d f r o m k i n gm tl . o r g
“When I return to Eternia, will you introduce me to Trisha and Cecil?”
“It’s difficult with Cecil since she doesn’t know my true identity… but Trisha actually wanted to meet you.”
“That’s interesting. She wants to see me?”
Her tone was quite sharp.
“Does that bother you?”
“…If I find her intentions odd or if she has other motives, I’ll have to isolate you from her.”
“…”
Watching his expression intently, Silveryn then said,
“I’m joking. Making friends is your choice, not mine. I’ll intervene if they put you in danger.”
The part about isolation seemed sincere, though…
T h i s w a s c opi ed f r om k i ng m t l . o r g
“Still, biting the shoulder, no matter how I think about it, seems a bit odd. I hope… you make friends who are a bit more cheerful and healthy.”
Damian wondered what Trisha’s reaction would be if she heard this. Perhaps she would be shocked and on the verge of tears.
Another task seemed to have arisen for him. If the time came for these two to meet, would he need to guide them to have a favorable impression of each other? They were both important to him, yet he wasn’t sure he could manage the unpredictability of both women.
“I think you’ll find her to be quite a pleasant person.”
T h i s w a s cop ie d fr o m k i n gm t l .or g
T hi s w a s c o pi e d f r o m k i n g m tl . o rg
Silveryn sighed inscrutably and released her pinch on Damian’s cheek.
“Good. We don’t have much time left, so let’s get moving.”
“Where are we going?”
“There’s an event at the Duchy’s Memorial Hall. I’m responsible for bringing you. No one is quite sure why, but everyone seemed on edge about you disappearing without a word.”
Whatever the event was, the elaborate preparations suggested it was significant.
Silveryn led the way across the corridor, with Damian following. At the end of the passage, a Gainax family crest-adorned carriage waited.
It wasn’t the usual Eternia carriage that Silveryn used, but one belonging to the Gainax family. The coachman and accompanying guards bowed their heads in respect as soon as they saw us.
“The Archduke is waiting.”
It seemed the event would be grander than Damian had anticipated.
***
The Memorial Hall was a massive building next to the central knight academy of the Duchy. Passing by the academy’s training grounds, Damian observed that not a single knight was visible. With an important event imminent, it appeared everyone had vacated the premises.
Reflected sunlight made the white marble dazzle, and the golden dome rising from the center of the city made the Memorial Hall easily identifiable from a distance.
Along the carriage path, golden banners fluttered. The guards, adorned in golden armor, maintained a tight security perimeter with unyielding postures.
Even closer, there was a luxurious carpet laid out for the carriage path.
Overwhelmed by such opulence, Damian momentarily held his breath.
Silveryn casually remarked as she observed the scenery outside,
“It seems the event is more grandiose than I heard.”
Th is w as co p i e d fr om k i n g m t l . o r g
“Is this your first time as well, Teacher?”
“Yes, it’s my first. It’s exceedingly rare to invite outsiders to this event.”
“…Thanks to you, Teacher, I’m gaining a valuable experience.”
Damian assumed he was accompanying her as Silveryn’s student.
Silveryn chuckled and shook her head.
“No, I’m here because of you.”
“…What?”
Her words felt like a heavy blow to the back of his head, and he couldn’t help but wonder if she was just trying to uplift his spirits.
Shortly after, they arrived at the Memorial Hall. Disembarking from the carriage, Damian saw hundreds of knights assembling, ready to enter. Apprentice knights assisted with the preparations, their faces tense.
Nobles and their daughters were also present, but the knights clearly outnumbered them.
As they alighted from the carriage, the attention they received was almost oppressive. Nobles covered their mouths and chattered ceaselessly upon seeing Silveryn and Damian. At first, he thought it was Silveryn’s appearance that drew their gaze, but many eyes turned to him as well. It was an unsettling yet not unpleasant feeling of attention.
As they stepped down, a group of about a dozen servants came to assist them.
“We will escort you to the VIP waiting room.”
They entered the imposingly grand Memorial Hall, which seemed large enough to cover the sky.
T h is w as c op i ed fr om ki n g mt l . o r g
While passing down one corridor, Damian saw portraits of unfamiliar people hanging on the walls. Further along, more portraits appeared.
These individuals, portrayed in humble attire and unstyled hair, seemed to be high-ranking nobles.
Another portrait depicted a dignified knight. A man in a mask. An old woman. A middle-aged man. There was no discernible common thread among them, with varying ages and statuses.
Unable to contain his curiosity, Damian asked,
“Who are these individuals in the portraits?”
One of the servants following closely replied,
“They are the knights of the Platinum Shield. From humble farmers to renowned swordsmasters, these portraits honor those of all origins and backgrounds who have made significant contributions to the Duchy of Ulyssia.”
“…Did you say swordmasters?”
“Yes. Among the knights of the Platinum Shield is also the greatest swordmaster of the continent, Zeldan Hart.”
Pride tinged the servant’s voice.
So, one of the portraits Damian had passed could be Zeldan Hart?
He looked at Silveryn and asked,
“Did you know about this, Teacher?”
Thi s wa s cop i e d f r o m k i n g mt l. o rg
“Yes.”
“…”
Then she tossed a hint his way,
“From what I know, Zeldan Hart disliked showing his face when he was younger.”
Among the dozen or so portraits Damian had seen, there was one of a man hiding his face. He glanced back, but the portrait was too far behind to see clearly. Was that masked man Zeldan Hart? The thought of having glimpsed even a part of the swordmaster’s visage quickened Damian’s heartbeat.
They were led to a lavish private room with golden windows. The servants told them to ring a bell if they needed anything before disappearing.
Honestly, Damian wasn’t accustomed to any of this. He could adapt to unpleasant, filthy environments, but overly formal settings like this were beyond him.
They didn’t stay in the private room for long. Shortly after their arrival, the seating ceremony commenced.
In the center of the Memorial Hall’s dome, nobles and hundreds of knights sat in an impeccable array. From a distance, Damian could see Vivi, too far away for any exchange of greetings.
He and Silveryn took their designated seats.
The atmosphere was so solemn, not a single cough could be heard among the hundreds assembled.
It didn’t take long for Damian to figure out the purpose of the event.
The knights all checked their attire as if by reflex, looking around nervously. Some frequently unrolled scrolls, seemingly memorizing declarations.
It was clear this was the setting for a knighting ceremony.
The main characters of the event seemed to be grouped separately, notified in advance. Given that Damian and Silveryn were seated in the VIP section at the back, their presence likely held more symbolic value than active participation.
Then a grand drumroll and trumpet call signaled the start, and the announcer called out a name. A representative of the apprentice knights stepped forward for a solemn oath-taking ceremony.
Next, the Grand Duke Gainax ascended the podium. As he took his place, every breath in the room was held. His movements and gaze conveyed a dignity no other noble could mimic.
The Grand Duke then personally declared the names of those to be knighted.
The dozen or so knights called upon strode confidently across the hall toward the dais.
A marching tune played, and servants scattered petals to bless the path of the new knights.
Until that moment, Damian had considered himself merely a placeholder at the event, as his name had not been called.