Ch.102Appointment (3)

“Cast off the armor of the secular world and kneel. Now you shall don armor in the name of the gods.”

I followed his words, removing my studded armor and kneeling reverently.

From now on, the one speaking to me was not human but a representative of the Four Great Gods.

He was a being worthy of my respect, so I must treat him with proper courtesy.

As I knelt, he gripped a cross in his fist and posed questions to me.

“Why do you wish to become a knight?”

“To save the weak and guide the strong, my lord.”

“Why do you wish to save the weak?”

“Because I remember when I myself was weak, my lord.”

“Why do you wish to guide the strong?”

“Because I have realized how much resentment is created by power that is not righteous, my lord.”

Three questions. Three answers.

One who wishes to become a knight must take responsibility for the tragedies of this world.

It is their responsibility to save the oppressed, admonish the oppressors, and prove that there exists absolute goodness and justice in this world that can be trusted and relied upon.

“What is power?”

“The means to realize one’s will, my lord.”

“What is your will?”

“That all children in this world may grow without being broken, my lord.”

“Was your life unhappy?”

“Yes, it was.”

“Are you happy now?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Tell me the reason.”

“Because I have a loyal wife who supports me, and comrades who walk with me on the path of honor and glory.”

“Then that is sufficient.”

Saying this, he pressed a button on a remote control.

Mechanical arms emerged from the walls and began fitting armor onto me, and I quietly accepted the armor as it conformed to my body.

Whirrr…

Clank…

Welded and connected, forging my oath into steel.

Though it may break, bend, or snap, this armor shall never be ruined.

“You shall engrave this oath upon your soul. Do you swear to fulfill the duties of a knight in the name of the gods?”

“…I will not swear in the name of the Four Great Gods.”

At my words, wrinkles formed between the middle-aged man’s brows.

“State your reason.”

“The one who consecrates my duty is the Sun of Humanity, because I have heard His message.”

When I said this, he approached me and placed his hand on my head.

In his other hand hung a cross, and as he closed his eyes and uttered an incantation, the cross shattered with a brilliant white light.

Crack!

“!”

A heavy silence filled the room, and then he gave a faint smile.

“The radiance of the Sun envelops you; there is no greater glory for one who has become a knight.”

He marked me with holy water and helped me to my feet.

“The world is dark, and the human soul is as precarious as a candle in the wind, but here one soul has been reborn from a candle into a lighthouse.

With the hope that you become a beacon for the righteous and a bastion of justice, I, in the name of the Grand Master, hereby appoint Viktor Walker as a knight-errant.”

Saying this, he engraved the insignia of knighthood—two crossed swords behind a shield—into both my palms.

A stinging pain coursed through my palms but soon subsided.

The Grand Master looked at me for a moment, then after receiving something from an attendant, he called out to me as I was about to leave.

“The appointment of a knight-errant is complete, but wait a moment longer.”

“?”

“Should you not greet your wife?”

“!”

I turned around, and beyond the slowly opening door stood my wife in a pure white dress, waiting.

“Go and greet your wife.”

At his words, I opened the door and approached Laisha, drawing the attention of all the guests.

*

As I appeared, the acolytes who were attending gestured to me with deliberately solemn expressions.

“Groom, step forward.”

Led by the acolytes’ words, I slowly approached her side.

With each step forward, she gradually came closer.

A bright dress adorned with frills and flowers. Her flushed cheeks beneath the veil woven of fine thread…

As I stood beside her, the acolytes removed my visor and her veil, and her beautiful face with light makeup began to form an image in my eyes.

She had been waiting for me, and finally, I came to her side.

“According to ancient law and ritual, we have the honor of binding another pair of souls in this sacred place.”

The priest officiating the ceremony opened a book engraved with two intertwined snakes, the symbol of Medina, and began his sermon.

“Today, we have gathered to witness the founding of the smallest church and the fruition of love.

Though not yet of age by secular law, we conduct this wedding according to ancient law and knightly tradition.

If anyone objects, let them raise their hand.”

No one raised a hand.

The guests were knights who were already here, meaning there were no knights who would pick a quarrel with a novice knight who had done them no wrong.

The priest looked around briefly, and after confirming there were no objectors, he continued.

“Groom, Viktor Walker.

Do you swear, as Laisha Walker’s husband, to labor morning and evening to provide for her livelihood,

To love only her and embrace her so that no shameful bastards or illegitimate children disrupt the harmony of your home,

And as her master, to avenge any insult or humiliation she receives?”

“I swear.”

The priest nodded slightly, then asked Laisha.

“Bride, Laisha Walker.

Do you swear, as Viktor Walker’s wife, to labor morning and evening to care for him,

To trust and rely only on your husband, keeping no other men in your heart or body,

And to care for the children born of him with devotion and love?”

“I swear.”

After both sides had completed their vows, the priest offered a prayer to Medina to bind the couple.

As the prayer ended, I began to hear Medina’s voice in my mind.

[You have promised me unchanging love, now show me your resolve.]

As if knowing that Laisha and I had heard Medina’s voice, the priest nodded with satisfaction.

“The bride and groom may kiss.”

We kissed.

The moment our lips met, cheers and applause began to rise from the guests, and we gently parted our lips.

“By this, I declare in the name of God that these two have become husband and wife, and may their souls remain together until death under the name of Medina.”

Now we were husband and wife, and she had become Laisha Walker.

Amidst the shower of blessings and cheers, I whispered words of love to her.

“

After the wedding, I carried Laisha outside.

“Congratulations on your marriage, Sir.”

“Thank you.”

I passed by the saluting guards and approached three people playing a card game, who smiled and waved when they saw me.

“Hey, newlywed! I thought my neck would fall off waiting!”

Lucia’s clear voice reached my ears, and I smiled awkwardly as I placed Laisha, still in her dress, onto the Bruiser that Simon was bringing over.

“The armor suits you well. May it shine as brightly as your honor.”

Simon said this as he patted my back, and I smiled as I left the 445th branch with my comrades.

Her veil tickled my lips.

And the hem of her dress wrapping around my feet was incredibly beautiful.

“Master…”

She closed her eyes and leaned against me, her full bosom touching my arm as I held the reins.

But why? My heart, which had been racing so wildly, now pulsed calmly.

Was it confidence that I would never lose her to any other man?

I’m not sure.

Anyway, tonight she would become mine.

“What’s the nearest port from here?”

“According to the map, it should be Gibson’s Port.”

“Then let’s set our course there.”

Simon nodded, and we turned our horses toward Gibson’s Port.

Not long after, we stopped to prepare lunch, and just like before, the elves and Simon began screaming as they turned the frying pan into a fire pan.

“Just pour a little! Just a little!”

“How much is ‘a little’ supposed to be?!”

And so, I enjoyed the spectacular fire show while eating fried rice with Laisha, and the fire show continued into the evening.

*

The next day.

After breaking Laisha’s hymen, I stretched my back and emerged from the tent to find Lucia rubbing sleep from her eyes.

“Did you sleep well?”

“No…”

“Why?”

“You two were too noisy…”

“Hmm? I’m sure Simon cast a soundproofing spell…”

Lucia yawned and then pointed at the ground.

“He should have cast a vibration-blocking spell too.”

“Oh dear…”

I put my hands on Lucia’s shoulders to comfort her for the sleep she lost due to the sage’s oversight.

“If you’re jealous, you should get married too.”

“You bastard…”

“Hey now, use nice words.”

“You son of a bitch…”

“Hey now, use proper words.”

And thus began another day for us, the Iron Walkers.