Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Becoming a Noble
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"Is, is that true?"
"What?"
"That you won the duel against the Royal Guard Knight and became a Sky Knight!"
Russel shouted so loudly the room might collapse.
"Oh, that? Yeah, it happened."
I picked at my ear, acting like it was no big deal.
"Kayer!"
He threw himself at me.
'Argh, why are so many people craving my embrace today?'
After the storm of a duel ended, I had received a hot hug from the princess.
Isis, who had suddenly embraced me, seemed to realize she had stirred up trouble and fled with quick steps upon noticing everyone's stares.
Then came the piercing glares from the male knights.
I could truly feel the saying that half the empire's knights adored Princess Isis.
'Heh heh, now Bebeto is mine! Uh heh heh heh!'
Even though the Crown Prince had turned and left, Marquis Mermos had officially declared me the owner of Bebeto.
"Amazing! Truly amazing!"
Russel, hugged tightly in my arms, rejoiced as if it were his own achievement.
Even though he might fail the third test in a few days and have to abandon his dream of becoming a Sky Knight, he celebrated like it was his own victory.
'But why does holding this guy feel so good?'
I had stripped off my armor and changed into my everyday training clothes.
With Russel, who only came up to my chin, nestled in my arms, my breath grew short, and heat slowly rose from my body.
'No! I don't like men!'
Over the past few months with Russel, I had agonized a lot over my sexual identity.
The moist skin visible after a bath, the red lips felt during conversations, the fragrance wafting from his mouth.
When he was nearby, I suppressed the urge to hug him or playfully hold his hand.
Now eighteen, I knew everything I should and roughly grasped what I shouldn't.
I had no desire to offer a man's pure affections to another man.
"Ru, Russel, why today of all days..."
As I tried to push him away due to the strange feeling, I noticed a transparent droplet.
'Huh, he's crying?'
"Sniff..."
Russel, who had been crying like a girl lately.
Whatever saddened him so, he buried his face in my chest and let tears stream down.
'Yeah, even men want to cry sometimes.'
Russel had an inevitable reason to become a Sky Knight.
But he must have hated himself for falling into terror just from riding a wyvern.
"Thank you... at least you became a Sky Knight."
'Russel...'
The first time I heard Russel's true feelings.
His single word of thanks made my heart ache.
His voice carried the desperate concern of a woman worrying for her beloved.
'Yeah, friend. I'll guide you!'
Not like Uncle Moses leading to a land of milk and honey, but I wanted to find my friend's hope.
As the first gift of becoming a Sky Knight.
"Hang in there..."
I gently embraced the crying Russel.
It was the only thing I could do for him now.
'Feels good.'
And I, too, savored comfort.
From Russel's small frame.
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'What do I do now?'
Bebeto had become my wyvern, but I had no idea how to feed and care for him.
Unlike other Sky Knights, I had no administrative officer, and without an official title, even fodder was ambiguous.
'Why is everyone glaring at me like that?'
On top of that, the provocative stares from the males looking at me.
Not just Sky Knights, but administrative officers and soldiers gossiped and shot sharp axe-like glares whenever they saw me.
'Blacklisted by the Crown Prince, ostracized by Sky Knights thanks to Isis. What a refreshing start.'
I had no intention of living an easy life anyway.
A hero of chaotic times, overcoming adversity and hardship.
That was the future prepared for me.
'Bebeto, you rascal, should I give you a bath?'
Even without an administrative officer, there was plenty to do with Bebeto.
I needed to clean the filthy hangar and scrub the grime of years from his body.
'The weather's killer today.'
A full spring day.
Green leaves and nameless flowers bloomed eagerly on the mountainsides surrounding the Sky Wing Legion.
Perfect weather for packing kimbap and going on a picnic.
Admiring the languid spring breeze, I headed to the remote hangar where Bebeto resided.
'Huh?'
Bebeto had become mine as of yesterday.
I had definitely closed the hangar door and returned to the dorm, yet it stood wide open.
Swish swish.
And that wasn't all.
Dust storms billowed outside the hangar door.
Someone was clearly sweeping.
'Who is it? Without my permission!'
Grateful, sure, but anger surged at whoever had touched the hangar door without the owner's consent.
"Who's there! How dare you touch my..."
I rushed inside, yelling, but hastily shut my mouth.
'Isis! Derbal!'
Isis, scheduled to leave for the imperial palace today, was sweating while sweeping the floor, and Derbal stood awkwardly, watching the princess with a flustered expression.
"Your Highness..."
"Hee hee, good morning, Sir Kayer."
Isis, who had never even held a mop in her life, let alone a broom.
Yet she swept the dust-covered floor quite skillfully.
And with her fair face smeared with sweat and dust, she flashed a bright smile at me.
"I, I tried to stop her, but..."
Derbal stammered when I turned to him.
No wonder—he probably hadn't heard that the princess, who could become the empire's empress, was sweeping by hand.
"Please leave quickly. If others find out about this..."
'I'll die!'
Already the enemy of all men after last night's princess incident.
If word spread that the princess had personally cleaned my dirty hangar, I might face terrorism.
"It's fine. This much for Bebeto is nothing."
Bebeto, freed from his iron chains.
He blinked his golden eyes contentedly at the princess cleaning for him.
'Isis is your slave! Bang!'
I cursed him with a movie line.
Though now my wyvern, Bebeto desperately needed training.
I resolved to give him special education from now on.
"Give it here. Even so..."
I reached out quickly to grab the wooden broom, but her dodging motion led me to grasp her hand instead.
'Whoops...'
Isis's face flushed delicately.
I couldn't understand how a princess could act this way.
A single word from her would send dozens of servants buzzing like bees, yet she had a kind heart that did things herself.
Her warm heart transmitted to mine through her hand.
"Ahem..."
Derbal's fake cough reached my statue-still ears.
"My major is floor sweeping, and my minor is mopping."
I smoothly took the broom from Isis so she wouldn't feel awkward.
Swish swish swish.
I vigorously swept the dust-filled floor.
"Pfft... Hee hee hee."
Isis covered her mouth, laughing at my near-servant actions.
The dusty hangar pit suddenly brightened.
Thud thud thud thud.
"Your Highness!"
The Royal Guard Knights, probably scolded harshly yesterday.
Their faces turned ashen as they rushed into the hangar.
'These guys, Royal Guard Knights making one princess suffer.'
It seemed Isis had come here this morning without a word too.
"I'm sorry."
I bowed first to the pale-faced knights, apologizing.
It was a polite and pleasant sight.
"His Highness the Crown Prince awaits."
The knights bowed in response to Isis's actions and politely urged her to leave.
"Sir Kayer, if I invite you to the palace, you'll come, right?"
'Invite!!'
The imperial palace, adjacent to the nobility quarters, which I had never even toured despite living nearby.
My ears perked up.
"Of course. If Your Highness invites me, I'll rush over joyfully."
How could I refuse?
'I hear the imperial cuisine is killer. Heh heh.'
The imperial head chef's skills were legendary among training knights who had visited.
I wanted to taste it at least once.
"Then..."
The princess elegantly bowed her head.
I hurriedly bowed deeper than her.
"Bebeto, be well. I'll miss you..."
Isis's voice suddenly grew moist.
Kroooo.
Bebeto cautiously bid her farewell too.
Step step.
And Isis departed.
Surrounded by the knights, she left my side.
'Regrettable... Tch.'
My indifferent heart now ached.
The adorable princess Isis, whom I wouldn't see for a while.
Our brief connection flashed through my mind like a kaleidoscope.
'Wait, why is Derbal still here?'
Derbal, who had received harsh advice from me.
The prickly, gloomy impression I knew was gone, replaced by a bright expression.
"Please accept me. I'll stake my dreams and hopes on you, Sir Kayer."
Thud.
Turning from Isis, Derbal immediately knelt.
No trace of the childish pride he had shown me.
"What makes you think I'll accept?"
But I couldn't just let it slide.
"Didn't you tell me that someday the sun will rise? Be that sun for me, Sir Kayer!"
His man's voice rang hotly.
His sincerity oozed like thick honey.
Krooo.
'Got it, jerk!'
The quick-witted Bebeto pitched in too.
"Can you handle it? As you see, Bebeto and I are outcasts."
"If it's you, Sir Kayer, it's more than enough. The confidence and skill to defend your honor before His Highness the Crown Prince! I, Derbal, salute that courage."
He must have heard about last night.
"Fine. With that spirit, you're in. But..."
I paused, meeting Derbal's passion-filled eyes.
"Don't stab me in the back. I hate most those who betray my trust."
Thud!
Derbal slammed his head to the floor.
"I'll devote my life to serving you, Sir Kayer!"
'Just be loyal half that much. I'll push for your marriage, home, honor!'
I learned early, from kindergarten first love, that taking responsibility isn't easy.
Isul from the Flower class, who followed me devotedly.
On graduation day, as she wailed she couldn't part from me, my mother said one thing.
'The moment you take responsibility for Isul, you won't buy even one Yu-Gi-Oh card you like, you'll cut back on shrimp crackers from one bag a day, and crucially, you won't sleep freely at night.'
Her cold advice taught me.
Only a pure adult sage who can yield his own can take responsibility for another's life.
But Derbal was a man, not a woman.
Crucially, I was now in a position to splurge on Yu-Gi-Oh cards freely.
With a generous heart, I decided to accept Derbal.
'That guy's got a lot of crap to handle too. Perfect.'
Of course(?) it had nothing to do with laziness over wyvern dung or his piggish meals.
"Anyway, what now?"
"Yes?"
"I ended up with Bebeto on a whim, but I'm not an official Sky Knight... My position's awkward."
Being blacklisted by the Crown Prince was a concern too.
The venomous glare when his pride shattered.
He'd cause trouble at the slightest excuse.
"I heard His Highness the Crown Prince and Commander Marquis Mermos acknowledged it. Is that true?"
Derbal's eyes sparkled.
"Yeah."
"Then visit the Marquis and get your official Sky Knight commission. You can get a title later, but with the commission, the Sky Wing Legion will supply you officially."
"Really?"
'Heh heh, good call keeping him under me.'
I was confident in fights and mind games, but petty admin gave me headaches.
"Especially since Bebeto's a hybrid wyvern, other Sky Knights and their wyverns will be wary."
"Why pick on hybrid wyverns so much? If it were me, I'd mass-produce superior hybrids."
"Of course empires and kingdoms have thought that. But wyverns don't mate with other races. Thus, hybrids are born at odds of one in a thousand, maybe ten thousand. That slim chance, plus the inexplicable fear and rage other wyverns feel toward them, can't be controlled by humans, so production was abandoned. In battle, if a hybrid appears, wyverns go berserk, making hybrids prime targets for extermination. As you know, history repeats, treating hybrids as cursed wyverns."
Unlike Isis's explanation, Derbal summarized systematically.
I nodded.
'Conclusion: one. Gain strength to crush all attackers, and no problem.'
Simple answer.
But the issue was acquiring survival skills under focused fire.
"With the commission, can I get Bebeto's and my armor?"
"That... I'm not sure. No such absurd appointment before."
Derbal looked serious.
"Okay! That's it. First, get the commission and apply for you as my exclusive admin officer."
"Yes. Handle that today. The rest will come from above."
"Orders?"
"Probably... you won't stay here long."
"Hmm..."
I groaned at Derbal's guess.
I thought the same.
Who'd team with a cursed wyvern that annoys on sight, or me, blacklisted by the Crown Prince? Irene the Countess maybe, but.
"But when do I get title and territory?"
"Pardon? Territory?"
Derbal asked back in surprise.
"Don't Sky Knights get titles and lands?"
"Sigh..."
Derbal sighed pitifully instead of answering.
'Huh, not?'
"Sir Kayer, are you really a Sky Knight trainee?"
He asked again.
"Yeah, but..."
"Yet territory? Where's spare noble land in the empire?"
"No, so all Sky Knights here have no territory?"
"They naturally have titles and lands. The problem is..."
He paused, eyeing if I truly didn't know.
Confirming from my eager eyes, he spoke.
"They hold probationary titles and rights to yields from imperial direct territories."
'Probationary title I get, but yield rights?'
"What exactly are yield rights?"
"As you know, His Majesty's imperial domains are vast, larger than any noble land—one fifth of the empire. From taxes there, portions matching the title are paid to imperial forces or Sky Knights serving His Majesty. Barons get about 200,000 gold yearly."
'W-200,000 gold?'
Tuna fishing and monster hunting a month would earn more.
Sky Knights' treatment was stingier than expected.
"But deduct wyvern gear, supplies, and knight gear costs—it's not insignificant."
I get 200,000 gold isn't dog chow.
Still, it didn't satisfy me.
"No way to get both title and land?"
"Of course."
"Yeah? How?"
"Become a war hero. Conquer enemy land for grants. Or perform feats pleasing His Majesty, carve independent nobility from direct territories."
'Hmm... Please His Majesty, huh.'
I pondered.
Continent tense lately, but no brainless fool would clash with Bazran Empire.
'Need to eat land. Big chunk.'
My head grew complicated.
'Eh, get the commission first. Tomorrow's worries tomorrow.'
A kid ignorant of ranks can't master calculus overnight.
I'd walk step by step—two steps.
First, digest the bellyful meal.
'Marquis Mermos...'
I set off.
Marquis Mermos definitely liked me.
How to extract max from him—that was the question.
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'Yeah, a marquis deserves such luxury.'
I'd toured the Sky Wing Legion, but not the stone building on the main headquarters' fourth floor where the marquis stayed.
Guards at the gate looked grave, and plenty elsewhere to see.
Thus, my first view of the key command building.
Sculptures and masterpieces rivaling the palace adorned walls.
Knock knock.
"Sir, trainee Kayer requests an audience."
The guiding knight knocked, announcing me.
"Enter."
The dignified marquis's voice.
Click.
The knight opened the door.
"I see you, Commander."
Marquis Mermos, deputy commander of the imperial Royal Sky Knights and head of this Sky Wing Legion.
A fine old gentleman with white hair neatly atop his head.
He wore the benevolent smile from entrance exams.
"Sit."
'Modest.'
Unlike outer opulence, the office was simple.
A large masterpiece of a black wyvern in flight, luxurious air plate armor, ceremonial sword on wall.
Antique desk, leather chair weathered by time.
Suited the gentlemanly marquis.
"Tea?"
'Pouring himself?'
From magic brazier side, he poured from a floral pot.
High noble using magic items even here.
"I'll gratefully accept."
"Ritor Mountains' Siphore. Mild and crisp—my pre-flight staple."
Like neighbor grandpa, not noble, he explained kindly.
Pour pour.
Solved the faint aroma upon entry.
Red tea-colored Siphore in gold-rimmed white cup.
"Here for the commission?"
"Yes? Yes."
He pinpointed my purpose instantly.
"I can give the commission—my authority. But no title."
He sipped quietly, stating directly.
"Only His Majesty grants formal titles."
I knew.
But no titleless Sky Knights on continent.
Pirates without roots aside.
"Life looks easy, hard. Especially nobles—can't escape politics."
Advising life junior, stating his position.
Had to acknowledge.
Even a high marquis avoids offending next emperor Crown Prince.
"But... Sky Knight with mere knight title is laughable. You kept me up last night pondering unneeded worries."
Grand noble who could kill flat-eyed peasant for insolence if irked.
Slight guilt for his sleepless night.
"What drove you to Sky Knight? Your sword skill suffices for knighthood livelihood."
"Cool, right?"
"Cool? Truly just that?"
"Honestly, money and honor—born man, must challenge, no?"
"Money, fame? Ha ha ha. Fun fellow."
Who bares honest heart to 'Your Excellency' marquis?
My bold words drew his pleased laugh.
"Pity, though. You irked who shouldn't."
"No issue."
"No? Why?"
My ongoing frankness piqued his curiosity.
"World bigger than thought?"
"Meaning... no worry beyond our empire?"
"Who knows..."
I smiled evasively.
"Watched you since boldly voicing to Kermon Marquis at first sight. Poor with noble heirs too."
'Thorough background check.'
"Dangerous chap. Feels no fear of nobles despite commoner, loyalty to empire and throne matches."
Spot-on judge of character.
"You as Sky Knight... If you were me or empire noble, what choice?"
'You know why ask. Tch.'
"I'd indoctrinate into loyal, righteous, brave Sky Knight for empire and throne."
Words flowed brazenly against heart.
"Heh... Loyal brave Sky Knight..."
Marquis Mermos chuckled.
"With title, grant surname Adalon—blessing meaning."
'Huh? Title and name?'
Unexpected from marquis.
No grounds to complain if he expelled Bebeto and me.
Yet granting title.
"But not His Majesty's formal with yield rights—my probationary vice-baron."
'Vice-baron? Argh, baron's baron-lite what!'
"Trainee to Sky Knight disrupts hierarchy; full title too much unproven skill/loyalty. Best per my conscience—know that."
Smile gone from marquis's face.
'Loves empire.'
Only loyalists exude such integrity.
"Thanks for care."
No reason refuse.
Vice-baron starkly above trainee.
One notch over knights—satisfy for now.
'Whew, leveling nobility harder than games.'
Wyvern owner titled, but road long.
"No imperial formal title, so no wyvern magic armor or air plate. Procure yourself if able."
'Not pocket change...'
Understood marquis's heart.
Best compromise my position, Crown Prince politics.
"Fine. I'll handle. Instead, assign admin for Bebeto care."
"Admin... Want to, but as you know, their pay from yield rights portion."
'Whoa, eat me bald then bones.'
"Give Derbal."
"Derbal? Ho, keener than looks. Knows top Imperial Admin Academy grad Derbal, despite one arm."
'Top? That smart?'
Unlike pampered nobles, commoners win by brains/skill.
Top there? Genius level.
"Fine. Slated for discharge—yours."
'Why this queasy acceptance?'
Marquis's generous(?) favor.
I bowed.
"Thank you."
"And this symbolizes vice-baron nobility commission. Probationary, but vice-barons get noble courtesy laws. Be model loyal noble."
'Kuh! Noble now! Um ha ha ha!'
Dreamt noble level.
Lowest dissatisfied, but knight-plus.
Noble life begins.
Mere vice-baron.
"Best fulfill noble duties."
'As fits. Heh heh heh.'
Return breeds loyalty.
"Ah! Fly freely. Avoid imperial capital no-fly zone."
'Not privilege... mine now?'
"Why just me..."
"Last consideration. Master flight quick. Assign your instructor."
'Last? That gaze?'
Pity, bitterness in Marquis Mermos's eyes.
Held unspeakable secret.