Ch.106EP.27 – The Knight Doesn’t Want to Be Reinstated(5)

The bloodline of the Pendragon royal family is extremely small compared to other royal families.

Whether it’s because they carry the blood of dragons or not, it’s difficult for them to have children.

While other royal families have at least hundreds to thousands of relatives and collateral branches, the Pendragon bloodline has only ten members, which shows just how few they are in comparison.

However, this may also be because the standards for royalty are strict.

Silver hair.

It was proof of receiving the blessing of the Silver Dragon, and without proving this evidence, one cannot use the Pendragon name.

In other words, unlike other royal families, the Pendragons could never have illegitimate children.

Thus, with the Pendragon lineage being so rare, royal blood was always precious.

Perhaps that’s why.

“…While suicide might be unavoidable when considering a knight’s honor, I have the noble mission of preserving royal blood. The duty of royalty and the honor of knighthood. When placing these two weights on a scale, how could I neglect the royal mission? Therefore, I cannot die!”

“……”

“Hence, killing me is certainly not the right choice. Do not kill me, commoner!”

“……”

“And, I would appreciate if you stopped threatening me with your fist…”

“…You’re a really funny bastard, aren’t you?”

He’s dignified even while begging for his life.

He’s annoying and his way of speaking certainly invites a punch, but at the same time, it’s amusing.

Should I say he’s arrogant and rude, but somehow not hateable?

So Ihan said.

“I’m not nice enough to let someone who drew their sword first go free.”

“……”

“You should have fixed that bad habit. Do you know how startled my tender heart was?”

“……”

Ihan delivered a quiet sentence to the prince who was buried in the ground with only his neck exposed, and sweat trickled down Aren’s face.

Along with the ominous feeling that today might be his memorial day.

“—This doesn’t seem like your first time doing this?”

“There have been many who picked fights with him. Plus, he holds grudges, so he’s used to this kind of thing.”

“…I’m surprised those who suffered didn’t send assassins.”

“They sent many. But the assassins all died, and those who sent them ended up paralyzed, unable to even control their bodily functions.”

“……”

…Yord decided that while he might not care about others, he should absolutely never become enemies with this senior.

* * *

…I know it might sound like an excuse now, but Aren had no intention of harming him, even if he meant to threaten him.

“I, I just thought he was a parasite trying to cling to Her Highness as usual… ah, I mean the Crown Princess…”

“Why would you think that? Ihan was a properly invited knight.”

“He, he was suspicious in many ways. Despite being demoted, he gained fame at the Academy in no time…! How could anyone be more suspicious?”

“To doubt him based on just that is a bit…”

Even Jake, who was a pacifist compared to Ihan and had respect for the royal family, couldn’t defend his words as they lacked any validity.

Seeing Jake’s rapidly changing expression, Aren hastily continued.

Knowing that if he couldn’t convince this normal person, the monster with the shovel would bury him again!

“Of, of course I didn’t doubt him based on just that! I heard things!”

“Things?”

“That, that he was a brutal person. That he bullied powerless members and assaulted them indiscriminately, and despite that, he was desperate to form connections with those in power… things like that.”

“……”

For Jake who was listening, it was an absurd story.

Ihan bullying powerless members, assaulting them indiscriminately, and sucking up to those in power?

‘Is this a case of mistaken identity?’

Rather, such behavior was common among the noble cadets of the Order of the Silver Lion, completely unrelated to Ihan.

“Who told you these things?”

“…I cannot say. How could a knight sell out the names of his comrades!”

“…Then I can’t help you either…”

Jake’s gaze shifted slightly, and there was…

“Should I hit him about a hundred more times?”

“Please restrain yourself, senior.”

A predator with a fierce gaze.

“I don’t think he’ll keep quiet even if…”

“Eek! I said I can’t tell! How could I sell out the names of Sir Baker and Sir Lyman! I absolutely cannot do that!”

“……”

“My lips are sealed! How could I mention that Sir Garmond said similar things…!”

“…Hmm.”

…Jake’s respect for royalty diminished by about half.

‘It would have been better to just stay quiet.’

But one thing was clear.

‘He’ll live a long life.’

Jake thought that although he lacked awareness, his survival instinct was so strong to the point of being servile that he would live a long life.

“…What?”

Ihan blinked at his only friend’s explanation in the Order.

Wondering if he had misheard.

But it seemed he hadn’t.

“It looks like the First Order has designated you as a political enemy. In other words, you’ve been labeled as a political adversary by the royalist faction. And the prince, or rather the First Order Captain… seems to have just been used?”

“A royal?”

“A powerless royal, and a major parachute appointment at that. Probably not many people are loyal to him.”

“…Good survival instinct, but terrible awareness.”

The world is fair.

Royal status, outstanding appearance, and even talent enough to become a knight, but unfortunately, it seems the prince took away his awareness and political sense.

That’s why he’s so easily used.

‘Or is it just that he’s gullible and hot-tempered?’

Whatever the case, he’s clearly destined for a short life, but strangely faithful to his survival instinct, so he seems like someone who will face crises but live a long time.

‘He’s really an interesting guy.’

Ihan dismissed his concern for the prince, thinking he was too stupid to even be angry at, and instead asked about the question that had been bothering him.

“Why am I a political enemy…?”

The Order had designated him as a political enemy.

Ihan found this statement surreal.

He had never bothered them, had no interest in them, so why should he suddenly be called a political adversary?

To this question, Jake said:

“Because you stand out too much. That’s what happens when you show off too much.”

He told him that he had been too conspicuous.

“Huh… this is driving me crazy.”

Unlike the prince, Ihan had awareness and immediately understood his friend’s words.

What he meant was that the nobles of the Order of the Silver Lion, or rather the palace, were wary of Ihan.

Why?

Because he had been too active and was doing too well…

“The Crown Princess’s summons was probably the final straw, but there were likely many factions targeting you before that, and they took this opportunity to test you.”

“What did I do?”

Ihan was bewildered.

He truly hadn’t done anything.

Even if he had accomplished something, he had hidden it and passed the credit to others, living his knight life very quietly.

Yet now they make him a political enemy just because he gained some merit?

What kind of nonsense is this…

“The problem was that you didn’t do anything.”

“?”

“Don’t you get it? As long as you’re in the Order of the Silver Lion, you should have made a decision. Whether to support the royalist faction or the noble faction. You should have chosen one of the two, but you didn’t choose either. This alone is enough to make you disliked, and on top of that, you’re exceptionally skilled. In other words, the protruding stone finally gets hammered.”

“Damn…”

“Yeah, it’s really damnable. But what can you do, this is-.”

The royal palace.

Jake shrugged lightly, and Ihan’s eyes naturally narrowed.

To be targeted for not taking anyone’s side… what kind of idiotic logic is that?

He felt like finding all the knights and beating them up.

“Be patient, fighting isn’t particularly beneficial. Rather, those guys probably want you to pick a fight with them. Even if it’s just to tarnish your image.”

Jake urged him to be patient.

He understood his frustration, but the reputation he had gained was at stake.

In this situation, if he fought with the Order, his reputation might turn into infamy.

Hoping that his friend would make a wise choice-

“I don’t mind getting a bad reputation.”

“……”

“Baker and Lyman, was it? I’ll start by taking care of those bastards first.”

“Ah….”

Jake then remembered.

This guy doesn’t care about his image at all, and he’s a beast who will cripple anyone who attacks him, regardless of their status.

And he predicts.

‘This is unstoppable, isn’t it…?’

That several people would be bedridden today.

*

*

*

“By the way, Princess!”

“You should call me Crown Princess.”

“…Is that different?”

“…I wonder how many times I have to explain this to you.”

“Hehe, I’m sorry.”

“…Sigh, it’s fine.”

Isis had always been lenient with Leira Winter.

She couldn’t help it because there was no malice in her.

Rather, from her perspective, it was easier to deal with those who were cunning and hid their true intentions, while it was more difficult to deal with those like Leira Winter who were transparent and innocent.

Her weakness, so to speak?

That’s why she couldn’t get angry at the maid’s slip of the tongue.

Instead, she was rather kind.

Perhaps if Isis had a natural enemy, it would be the innocent maid with braided hair in front of her.

“What did you want to ask me?”

“Hehe, it’s nothing else… Ah, what was I going to ask?”

“……”

“Oh, right! I just saw it, but the knight was taking your brother away. Is that okay?”

“Brother…? …I see, you’re referring to that dull one.”

One might ask how she could forget her brother like this, but she only remembered talented individuals.

She wasn’t idle enough to pay attention to a [Jester].

…Conversely, she did remember her talented siblings.

─Those who had their heads cut off by her hand or were imprisoned.

It was wiser not to attract her attention.

“Hmm, if he took that dull jester away, there must be a reason. Perhaps, like a jester, he’s being used. Without even knowing he’s being used.”

“…?”

“…Sometimes I wish you were a little smarter.”

“Hehe.”

“Sigh….”

With insight that made one wonder if Ihan had clairvoyance, she immediately made a guess close to the truth.

‘The Order probably instigated the jester.’

It’s obvious.

With the royal family’s status at rock bottom, they probably thought they could toy with the 8th prince who had no right of succession and was essentially useless.

They are quite insolent.

‘…What should I do?’

Tok, tok.

Delicate fingers that would remind one of the phrase “jade-like hands” tapped on the teacup.

To someone’s eyes, it might look like a beautiful scene of an angel or fairy lost in thought, but considering that people die whenever she has such contemplations, it’s an unsettling moment.

Tuk.

“…Hmph, come to think of it, there’s no need to worry about this.”

There’s no need for her to step in.

After all.

‘My step-brother won’t tolerate it.’

How could a great tiger tolerate the impudence of lowly dogs?

Isis knew her step-brother well.

Sure enough.

Knock knock.

“Your, Your Highness! It’s, it’s Berhen! I, I have urgent news to report, please forgive my intrusion…”

“Enter. What brings the head chamberlain to my chambers at this late hour?”

“For, forgive me, Your Highness. It’s, it’s not without reason… Sir, Sir Ihan is currently causing a disturbance. Because of this…”

“It’s not a disturbance, but a sparring match.”

“…Pardon?”

Although the head chamberlain committed the disrespectful act of questioning her words, Isis decided to let it slide just for today.

Isn’t it a welcome rain in a drought, bringing vitality to the monotonous palace life?

She decided to be lenient just for today.

“So, has any ‘problem’ arisen due to the ‘legitimate’ ‘sparring’ between ‘knights’?”

“……”

38 years of palace life.

Surviving in the palace, which was like a den of vipers, proved one’s capability, and the head chamberlain recognized that the Crown Princess was ordering him to ‘cover up’ this issue.

Therefore.

“…Ahem, well, due to the legitimate sparring, there have been ‘some injuries’, but I, I don’t think there will be any major problems…”

The head chamberlain trembled, realizing that he needed to somehow change this ‘incident’ into a ‘sparring match’.

Overtime work was confirmed for the foreseeable future.

Isis nodded in satisfaction at the head chamberlain’s wise response.

“That’s unfortunate. So, how many are injured?”

“…Sixty-three from the First Order. Seventy-two from the Second Order.”

“The Second Order?”

“Well… they got mixed up while trying to stop it, I’m told.”

“I see. A total of 135, huh? Hehe, that was quite an intense sparring match.”

“…Your Highness.”

This was not a matter to laugh off.

Due to a single knight, 135 out of 300 members of the Order of the Silver Lion were crushed.

If this were to become known outside, it would cause a huge scandal.

The head chamberlain’s heart was burning with anxiety, but her face showed clear satisfaction, making him all the more anxious.

At that moment.

“Head chamberlain.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

At her sudden call, the head chamberlain reflexively bowed his head and held expectations.

She was a person with incomparable royal wisdom.

Surely she would provide a clever solution to this crisis-

“Next time there’s such an interesting event, call me quickly. I missed a rare opportunity to watch.”

“……”

“To be so unaware, really…”

“…Your Highness…”

The loyal head chamberlain Berhen suddenly felt like retiring.