A moonlit night. An empty field with no one around.
There was a boy there, alone, sweating.
"Come on!"
The boy was trying.
Striving more than any of the squires here.
"Ha, Ha."
A single drop of sweat on the boy's chin caught the moonlight.
But the boy hurried to wipe it away with his hand before it fell to the ground.
Effort was something marvelous, beautiful, and radiant, but he didn't want it to show.
He didn't want others to see.
To see himself giving it his all and spinning like a broken record.
That might make him appear weak.
"Hmph!"
From the small clearing in the back street to the training ground now taken over by the squires.
The boy, unwilling to show his weakness to others, sought a place where no one else was and wielded his sword as he had always done.
[Stretch your waist a little more; it's too stiff.]
"...Stretch?"
Following the advice of the voice, which he could still interpret a bit differently than before, Vlad corrected his posture.
The voice and Jager had told the boy there was no quick turnaround.
Mastery could only be trusted through repetition and years of experience.
"Whoa…”
What a blessing to be able to prepare with all our might for the possibilities of tomorrow.
Compared to his life on the streets, where he couldn't see anything, this was paradise.
Vlad was acutely aware that this was his golden opportunity.
[That's enough for today.]
"Already?"
[You've completed your training for the day.]
The voice understood the boy's frustration.
So it could only do its best to let the boy burn slowly.
So that he wouldn't burn too fast and consume himself.
[The final cooldown is the most important part, but if you end up injuring yourself, all your efforts will be in vain.]
"Alright."
Vlad followed the advice of the voice and relaxed his muscles while assuming the final position that Jager had indicated.
He was disappointed not to have been able to train with Jager yesterday due to circumstances beyond his control, but he wasn't going to let that stop him.
It was always the prepared ones who seized the opportunity.
[Let's go inside.]
"Hmm."
Drenched in sweat, the boy entered the mansion, challenging the increasingly cold night air.
"…”
But the boy wasn't the only one awake tonight.
A knight with narrow eyes also observed the deserted clearing, although he was too far away to hear the boy's words.
Raising people is the hardest thing.
Some things only need love to thrive, but others need a biting reprimand.
It's the only way to keep them on the right path.
Only after seeing the boy enter did the knight with narrow eyes leave.
It was a night of many troubles for the two men, each uncomfortable in their place.
***
"Good."
Joseph replied from within his well-lit office.
"Thank you."
It was a somewhat blasphemous thought, but Vlad felt pity for the shadow in Joseph's eyes that didn't fade no matter how much light illuminated them.
In fact, he had seen it for a few days, shortly after returning from Deirmar.
"I was thinking of giving you some time off. Besides, you already have a place to go, so why not?"
Although Vlad had obtained Joseph's permission, he could only look at him incredulously.
The knight with narrowed eyes had not responded to his constant attempts at eye contact.
Joseph was aware of the uncomfortable atmosphere between them, but he said nothing. Even as the person with the higher position, there were certain relationships that needed to be respected.
"A knight should never let go of his sword, even on vacation."
It was the knight with narrowed eyes who broke the delicate silence first.
Though his gaze was subtly averted, Jager was clearly addressing the boy.
"We'll see when you come back."
Training was something you knew if you missed it for a day, and others knew if you missed it for a week. Jager knew he didn't have to tell Vlad this, but he couldn't think of anything else to say at that moment. He had no experience in raising people, not even seeds.
"I see."
Vlad responded loudly, turning towards Jager, who was finally addressing him.
"Although you better not expect too much from the horse. Your problem is difficult to solve, even for House Kannor."
"That..."
However, Vlad's hopes were dashed again by Joseph's following words.
"I want you to get an approximate idea of how much the horses reject you, and if there's a minor one, find out where it's from."
Joseph was well aware of Vlad's inability to ride, and he knew it wasn't the boy's fault. It was a very special case, but sometimes, like in Vlad's case, horses refused to be ridden by people like him. Someone who smelled too much of blood or had a special curse. Or a knight with too much fervor.
'...Although knights who have too much fervor in the first place tend to control it themselves.'
For now, in the boy's case, it's best to keep all possibilities open. Like Alicia's work, you never know where it might lead.
"You can go now. I'll see you in a week."
"Okay."
"No need for a gift when you come back."
"Yes..."
Vlad left the office with a concerned look upon hearing Joseph's ambiguous words about whether he should bring a gift or not.
"It's the Kannor family..."
Looking at the door through which Vlad had left, Joseph raised an eyebrow.
"I hope they don't know each other."
"Since both are so conspicuous."
Learning Vlad's destination, Joseph pursed his lips, thinking about the "what if..." that could happen there.
"Well, if it's urgent, they'll take care of it."
"You won't keep an eye on him?"
Jager asked, but Joseph simply buried his head in the papers as if there was nothing to think about.
"If he wants something, he'll come for it. I don't like doing things behind his back."
Jager could only nod at Joseph's response. Maybe Joseph was right. They knew each other better than anyone in the world.
***
"What I had in mind came at a very good time."
In Oksana's parlor, where even the sunlight had an orange tint, Vlad stiffened once again.
Maids bustled around him, trying on clothes for him.
As always when he visited, Vlad knew it was best to keep his distance for now.
"…”
Upon leaving Joseph's office, Vlad was immediately stopped by a maid, as if she had been waiting for him.
She had introduced herself as a maid of Countess Oksana, so he hadn't even had the decency to protest; instead, he had been immobilized.
And when he woke up, he looked like this.
"The color suits you very well. I thought I would match it with your leather armor, but it looks better than I thought."
"…Thank you."
Oksana smiled satisfactorily as she looked at the black cloak that covered the boy's shoulders.
Vlad observed Oksana's smile and cautiously touched the cloak.
The cloak, made of warm wool, was warm enough to use as a sleeping bag when camping.
Oksana made sure the cloak was not only beautiful but also practical.
"It has plenty of space, so it fits everything, so it's worth it."
Oksana clapped lightly as she watched the color combination, which was working much better than she expected.
The boy's precious blond hair was an excellent way to complete the outfit.
"Are you going on vacation with House Kannor?"
"Yes."
How she knew, she asked him, even though obviously Joseph had just granted him permission.
The boy, who still hadn't realized the power of a countess in charge of everything in the mansion, could only think that he would have to behave a bit more upright in the future.
"Whenever you're invited to someone's home," she said, "You have to look much more handsome. It's good manners, and that way you won't offend their parents."
"……"
The boy had no parents to disrespect.
"So you can't behave badly."
"...I wouldn't."
Oksana was saying not to worry, even though she wasn't the boy's mother, she would take responsibility.
The support she was giving Vlad was already beyond mere patronage.
"Thank you for your work in Deirmar."
"I was just doing what I had to do."
"No, it's about that."
Oksana probably wasn't doing this just because she liked the boy named Vlad.
She also did it because the boy in front of her was a great help to her son.
If she could do this for a simple squire, how terrible must it be for her son, Joseph, who shared her blood.
"Then we'll have to look for a tutor for him after these holidays, because he'll only make such a mistake once, won't he?"
"...I'm sorry."
If Vlad had known that Oksana had staggered for a moment in shock after hearing what had happened with Alicia, although she was now smiling kindly, he would have knelt in apology.
"The title of knight you aspire to is a semi-noble position, and you have to learn to behave accordingly."
"I see."
Anyone who saw someone so young with so much potential but so little knowledge couldn't help but want to help.
And Oksana's heart was reaching the boy through various ways.
"All right. You can go now."
"Thank you, Lady Oksana."
Vlad, who had been let out shortly after entering the parlor, left it with stiff steps.
"And when you leave, make sure to take the things I left by your side."
Hearing Oksana's words, Vlad turned his head to the baskets she had left on the side.
"This is…”
"These are lemons. They are the ones Joseph brought this time."
Oksana replied, smiling at the boy, who looked perplexed at the lemons.
"It's not good manners to go to someone's house empty-handed."
"Thank you for your kind consideration…"
Vlad had seen a lot of people trying to take something from him, but he wasn't immune to people trying to give him something.
So all he could do was thank her and leave with both hands full of fruit.
"Afterward…”
Vlad let out a small sigh as he left Oksana's room; he always received more than he expected.
He walked slowly down the hallway, looking at his reflection in the window.
Fine clothes, a nice cloak, and a fruit basket in each hand.
It didn't suit him.
Translator's notes:
Finally up to date with manhwa.
A moonlit night. An empty field with no one around.
There was a boy there, alone, sweating.
"Come on!"
The boy was trying.
Striving more than any of the squires here.
"Ha, Ha."
A single drop of sweat on the boy's chin caught the moonlight.
But the boy hurried to wipe it away with his hand before it fell to the ground.
Effort was something marvelous, beautiful, and radiant, but he didn't want it to show.
He didn't want others to see.
To see himself giving it his all and spinning like a broken record.
That might make him appear weak.
"Hmph!"
From the small clearing in the back street to the training ground now taken over by the squires.
The boy, unwilling to show his weakness to others, sought a place where no one else was and wielded his sword as he had always done.
[Stretch your waist a little more; it's too stiff.]
"...Stretch?"
Following the advice of the voice, which he could still interpret a bit differently than before, Vlad corrected his posture.
The voice and Jager had told the boy there was no quick turnaround.
Mastery could only be trusted through repetition and years of experience.
"Whoa…”
What a blessing to be able to prepare with all our might for the possibilities of tomorrow.
Compared to his life on the streets, where he couldn't see anything, this was paradise.
Vlad was acutely aware that this was his golden opportunity.
[That's enough for today.]
"Already?"
[You've completed your training for the day.]
The voice understood the boy's frustration.
So it could only do its best to let the boy burn slowly.
So that he wouldn't burn too fast and consume himself.
[The final cooldown is the most important part, but if you end up injuring yourself, all your efforts will be in vain.]
"Alright."
Vlad followed the advice of the voice and relaxed his muscles while assuming the final position that Jager had indicated.
He was disappointed not to have been able to train with Jager yesterday due to circumstances beyond his control, but he wasn't going to let that stop him.
It was always the prepared ones who seized the opportunity.
[Let's go inside.]
"Hmm."
Drenched in sweat, the boy entered the mansion, challenging the increasingly cold night air.
"…”
But the boy wasn't the only one awake tonight.
A knight with narrow eyes also observed the deserted clearing, although he was too far away to hear the boy's words.
Raising people is the hardest thing.
Some things only need love to thrive, but others need a biting reprimand.
It's the only way to keep them on the right path.
Only after seeing the boy enter did the knight with narrow eyes leave.
It was a night of many troubles for the two men, each uncomfortable in their place.
***
"Good."
Joseph replied from within his well-lit office.
"Thank you."
It was a somewhat blasphemous thought, but Vlad felt pity for the shadow in Joseph's eyes that didn't fade no matter how much light illuminated them.
In fact, he had seen it for a few days, shortly after returning from Deirmar.
"I was thinking of giving you some time off. Besides, you already have a place to go, so why not?"
Although Vlad had obtained Joseph's permission, he could only look at him incredulously.
The knight with narrowed eyes had not responded to his constant attempts at eye contact.
Joseph was aware of the uncomfortable atmosphere between them, but he said nothing. Even as the person with the higher position, there were certain relationships that needed to be respected.
"A knight should never let go of his sword, even on vacation."
It was the knight with narrowed eyes who broke the delicate silence first.
Though his gaze was subtly averted, Jager was clearly addressing the boy.
"We'll see when you come back."
Training was something you knew if you missed it for a day, and others knew if you missed it for a week. Jager knew he didn't have to tell Vlad this, but he couldn't think of anything else to say at that moment. He had no experience in raising people, not even seeds.
"I see."
Vlad responded loudly, turning towards Jager, who was finally addressing him.
"Although you better not expect too much from the horse. Your problem is difficult to solve, even for House Kannor."
"That..."
However, Vlad's hopes were dashed again by Joseph's following words.
"I want you to get an approximate idea of how much the horses reject you, and if there's a minor one, find out where it's from."
Joseph was well aware of Vlad's inability to ride, and he knew it wasn't the boy's fault. It was a very special case, but sometimes, like in Vlad's case, horses refused to be ridden by people like him. Someone who smelled too much of blood or had a special curse. Or a knight with too much fervor.
'...Although knights who have too much fervor in the first place tend to control it themselves.'
For now, in the boy's case, it's best to keep all possibilities open. Like Alicia's work, you never know where it might lead.
"You can go now. I'll see you in a week."
"Okay."
"No need for a gift when you come back."
"Yes..."
Vlad left the office with a concerned look upon hearing Joseph's ambiguous words about whether he should bring a gift or not.
"It's the Kannor family..."
Looking at the door through which Vlad had left, Joseph raised an eyebrow.
"I hope they don't know each other."
"Since both are so conspicuous."
Learning Vlad's destination, Joseph pursed his lips, thinking about the "what if..." that could happen there.
"Well, if it's urgent, they'll take care of it."
"You won't keep an eye on him?"
Jager asked, but Joseph simply buried his head in the papers as if there was nothing to think about.
"If he wants something, he'll come for it. I don't like doing things behind his back."
Jager could only nod at Joseph's response. Maybe Joseph was right. They knew each other better than anyone in the world.
***
"What I had in mind came at a very good time."
In Oksana's parlor, where even the sunlight had an orange tint, Vlad stiffened once again.
Maids bustled around him, trying on clothes for him.
As always when he visited, Vlad knew it was best to keep his distance for now.
"…”
Upon leaving Joseph's office, Vlad was immediately stopped by a maid, as if she had been waiting for him.
She had introduced herself as a maid of Countess Oksana, so he hadn't even had the decency to protest; instead, he had been immobilized.
And when he woke up, he looked like this.
"The color suits you very well. I thought I would match it with your leather armor, but it looks better than I thought."
"…Thank you."
Oksana smiled satisfactorily as she looked at the black cloak that covered the boy's shoulders.
Vlad observed Oksana's smile and cautiously touched the cloak.
The cloak, made of warm wool, was warm enough to use as a sleeping bag when camping.
Oksana made sure the cloak was not only beautiful but also practical.
"It has plenty of space, so it fits everything, so it's worth it."
Oksana clapped lightly as she watched the color combination, which was working much better than she expected.
The boy's precious blond hair was an excellent way to complete the outfit.
"Are you going on vacation with House Kannor?"
"Yes."
How she knew, she asked him, even though obviously Joseph had just granted him permission.
The boy, who still hadn't realized the power of a countess in charge of everything in the mansion, could only think that he would have to behave a bit more upright in the future.
"Whenever you're invited to someone's home," she said, "You have to look much more handsome. It's good manners, and that way you won't offend their parents."
"……"
The boy had no parents to disrespect.
"So you can't behave badly."
"...I wouldn't."
Oksana was saying not to worry, even though she wasn't the boy's mother, she would take responsibility.
The support she was giving Vlad was already beyond mere patronage.
"Thank you for your work in Deirmar."
"I was just doing what I had to do."
"No, it's about that."
Oksana probably wasn't doing this just because she liked the boy named Vlad.
She also did it because the boy in front of her was a great help to her son.
If she could do this for a simple squire, how terrible must it be for her son, Joseph, who shared her blood.
"Then we'll have to look for a tutor for him after these holidays, because he'll only make such a mistake once, won't he?"
"...I'm sorry."
If Vlad had known that Oksana had staggered for a moment in shock after hearing what had happened with Alicia, although she was now smiling kindly, he would have knelt in apology.
"The title of knight you aspire to is a semi-noble position, and you have to learn to behave accordingly."
"I see."
Anyone who saw someone so young with so much potential but so little knowledge couldn't help but want to help.
And Oksana's heart was reaching the boy through various ways.
"All right. You can go now."
"Thank you, Lady Oksana."
Vlad, who had been let out shortly after entering the parlor, left it with stiff steps.
"And when you leave, make sure to take the things I left by your side."
Hearing Oksana's words, Vlad turned his head to the baskets she had left on the side.
"This is…”
"These are lemons. They are the ones Joseph brought this time."
Oksana replied, smiling at the boy, who looked perplexed at the lemons.
"It's not good manners to go to someone's house empty-handed."
"Thank you for your kind consideration…"
Vlad had seen a lot of people trying to take something from him, but he wasn't immune to people trying to give him something.
So all he could do was thank her and leave with both hands full of fruit.
"Afterward…”
Vlad let out a small sigh as he left Oksana's room; he always received more than he expected.
He walked slowly down the hallway, looking at his reflection in the window.
Fine clothes, a nice cloak, and a fruit basket in each hand.
It didn't suit him.
Translator's notes:
Finally up to date with manhwa.
