Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Chapter 7. Star Banquet (3)
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It seemed like a request for permission, but it was, in fact, an offer of a great favor.
And its weight was by no means light.
To sponsor a Starseeker meant petitioning the star to whom she was sworn on the candidate's behalf.
It was a given that a star who accepted the petition would do more than simply attend; they would positively consider making a pact.
In this case, it was tantamount to arranging a pact not with just any star, but with stars connected to the Giftrang family.
Of course, having a sponsor didn't guarantee that a pact with a star would be formed.
But it was certain that the chances of success would increase dramatically.
That wasn't all.
Acting as a sponsor for a Starseeker meant vouching for the candidate's character and qualifications.
Naturally, they would have to share responsibility for the candidate's future actions in some way.
If the candidate, after becoming a knight, earned a bad reputation or caused trouble, the sponsor could not escape responsibility.
It went something like this.
‘The person you helped become a knight did this. How will you take responsibility?’
‘The one you sponsored has become my enemy, so you are my enemy as well. Do you have any objections?’
Depending on the circumstances, one could get entangled in an unrelated dispute and suffer great losses.
In fact, there were countless cases of people who had sponsored the wrong person and ended up ruined.
To reduce such risks, sponsorships were usually conducted between trusted individuals.
For instance, between a parent and child, a knight and their squire, or someone who had sworn loyalty to a house.
“Yan. Could it be…”
“No. I haven't made any promises with the family head.”
Gunther was relieved.
He had wondered if some sort of agreement had been made between Yan and Gretta Giftrang while he was away, but it seemed that wasn't the case.
Judging by his bewildered face, it seemed Yan was just as surprised by the family head's words.
“Hmm.”
Gunther's mind grew complicated.
Even if from a collateral branch, she was the head of a power that encompassed an entire city.
A woman in her position had no reason to bestow such a great favor on a mere squire.
“It is but a small reward for the righteousness this child has shown. There is no need to overthink it.”
“…?”
Gunther looked bewildered by her words, as if she had read his very thoughts.
At this, she explained the events of three days ago.
“…And that is what happened.”
After hearing the full explanation, Gunther whipped his head around and glared at Yan.
“Hehe.”
Yan, meeting his gaze, laughed awkwardly.
* * *
Reddening and paling.
Trembling.
“Do you have any idea what kind of situation that was, to stay behind alone!”
A shout finally burst from Gunther's lips.
“No, Master! I really, really was just about to leave. I really, really was just trying to run away!”
I reflexively stammered out an excuse.
“If you were trying to run away, you should have run away!”
“Well. Hehe. It just sort of happened.”
Of course, there was no proper excuse.
I tried to gloss it over with an awkward laugh, but naturally, it didn't work at all.
Furious, Gunther flipped me over and spanked my behind.
*Smack, smack.*
“…?”
I never imagined he would do this with someone else present, so I was caught defenseless and got my butt spanked.
“Agh! Master! No matter how you look at it… this isn't right…! Agh!”
I came to my senses late and resisted desperately, but in my battered state, all I could do was run my mouth.
“To ignore your superior's orders and break your promise is an unforgivable sin for a squire!”
But even that was cut short by Gunther's roar.
“To abandon your responsibilities and duties for personal feelings is a grave sin as a commander!”
Because every single word he said was right.
“But among them, the greatest fault is!”
I just kept my mouth shut and groaned.
“That you took your own life lightly.”
But suddenly, the pain in my behind vanished.
“Tsk. You foolish boy.”
An auspicious, silvery-white energy had gathered in Gunther's hand.
“Ah…”
A refreshing sensation, starting from my rear, gradually spread throughout my body.
It was the unique ability of a holy knight, the authority of healing.
“If something like this happens again, I will absolutely not let it slide.”
Pity, pride, and a hint of resentment.
Looking at his face, a complex mixture of all those emotions, I suddenly became curious.
Why the butt, of all places?
If physical contact was necessary to use his authority, it didn't have to be the butt.
“You've been through a lot.”
Why was he resting his hand on my butt like that?
Especially with someone else present.
* * *
“I've shown you an unseemly sight.”
Gunther, as if just remembering Gretta's presence, made an excuse with an embarrassed face.
“The bond between a knight and his squire is so close and deep. It was not an unpleasant sight.”
She just smiled with satisfaction.
It was a rather inappropriate smile to have while watching me get spanked.
“It's too much.”
Gunther, having returned to his usual self, spoke with a troubled expression.
He said that as someone who reveres chivalry, he had only done what was right, and it wasn't proper to receive a reward for it.
…
And just a moment ago, he was listing my faults one by one.
“What was right, you say… So you taught him. Like knight, like squire.”
“…I've taught him nothing of worth, yet he is a praiseworthy child who understands and acts on his own.”
“And modest, too.”
Modest? It's the truth. The only thing I learned from Gunther was begging.
I felt an injustice itching on my tongue, but I didn't go out of my way to ruin the mood.
“It's an age where few consider doing what's right to be a matter of course. Even the children of my own family are like that.”
“…Is there something else you want from this child?”
Unable to bear Gretta's constant beating around the bush, Gunther asked her directly.
He was asking if she wanted loyalty, or a kind of master-servant relationship, which sponsors often demanded from their candidates.
I was also curious.
The favor Gretta had shown me over the past three days was excessive.
Take the Giftrang elixir she prescribed while I was unconscious.
An elixir is made from all sorts of miraculous ingredients using a special recipe.
While it might not compare to those of ancient, noble houses or traditional knightly orders, the elixir she prescribed for me couldn't possibly be an ordinary item.
It wasn't something to be used on a mere squire like me, who wasn't even a member of the Giftrang family.
Furthermore, it wasn't normal for the head of a power that ruled a city to visit frequently to check on my condition and serve as a conversation partner.
And now, on top of all that, she was offering to sponsor my Starseeking.
“I declare here and now, the Giftrang will demand nothing.”
She even said she would cleanly renounce the considerable rights she could exercise as a sponsor.
It made even less sense.
According to her, the Giftrang would be giving unilaterally without gaining anything in return.
That couldn't be right.
Perhaps if she were an ordinary knight.
But she, who had a family to be responsible for, had no reason to go that far.
There had to be something she wanted from me.
“This should do, then.”
As Gunther and I didn't retract our suspicious gazes, Gretta sighed and spoke.
“I hear that fellow Klail promised you a reward for your merits.”
A reward for the merit of dealing with the three Grendel brothers who had infiltrated while hiding their identities.
“That reward, I shall consider it given by me.”
She was asking if there was any reason to feel burdened, since it was just a reward for a merit already established.
Her face, as she asked, was extremely resolute.
It was an expression that said she would not accept any further refusals.
Indeed, when the leader of a family spoke like this, refusing further would be impolite.
“Thank you for your favor.”
“Thank you, Family Head.”
Gunther and I belatedly expressed our gratitude.
* * *
It was decided that the Starseeking would be held on a separate date after the Grand Prince and the knights who had cleared out the bandits' stronghold had all returned.
“Well then, I'll leave you two to have a cozy chat between knight and squire.”
As if that was all her business, Gretta excused herself.
Only Gunther and I were left in the barracks.
“It seems she's taken quite a liking to you.”
To Gunther, who was asking with his eyes just how I'd managed to win her over, I just shrugged.
I hadn't done anything particularly special.
Just…
“I put on a little charm.”
I just used a bit of worldly wisdom based on my past life's experience.
That much is a basic skill for a squire.
So I didn't have any memory of doing anything specific to her.
“And well, she doesn't seem as scary as I thought. Though her true intentions are a mystery.”
I thought she was a viper, but she's just a grass snake.
That was the general feeling.
Of course, the bandits who melted into a pool of blood wouldn't agree with me.
“Hmm.”
Suddenly, I noticed Gunther's face.
One would think he'd be uncomfortable with the current situation where someone else was sponsoring his squire's Starseeking, but he showed no signs of it.
Then again, even in my past life, he didn't help me become a knight.
Back then, I resented him so much for suddenly declaring our separation and leaving without a word.
“Get some rest.”
I saw the face of Gunther, who was sitting on the chair placed next to the bed.
A face worn with fatigue like never before.
Come to think of it, it started then.
After he used the authority of healing on me, Gunther's complexion had worsened considerably.
It occurred to me that this might be related to why he had left so abruptly in my past life.
He was an excommunicated holy knight.
A being who had lost a significant portion of his authority, having been half-abandoned by his star.
*Snore, snore.*
Listening to his snores, I was lost in thought.
The unidentified star that helped me three days ago.
And the Starseeking sponsored by the Giftrang family.
“Finally.”
My life's goal was on the verge of being achieved.
It felt so much like a dream.
*Grinning foolishly.*
The corners of my mouth kept turning up.
I wished and wished.
For that day to come quickly.
And also, for this bandit subjugation to end just like this.
But sweet dreams are always short-lived.
The next day.
“…!”
“Family Head?”
Gretta, who had come to chat with me as usual, shot up from her seat.
Gunther, who was beside her, had also risen to his feet.
But the gazes of the two were fixed on the same spot.
“Why are you two suddenly…?”
As I was asking the reason for their sudden actions, I froze.
“Huh?”
My body, drenched in sweat I hadn't realized was there.
The back of my neck stiffened.
My arms were covered in goosebumps.
“Family Head!”
Immediately after, someone burst into the barracks.
It was a Yuhyeolmogi knight from the Giftrang family.
*Fweee! Bang!*
Beyond the door he had thrown open.
Endless red flames were soaring into the distant blue sky.
It was the guild's signal flare.
“Komlat Castle is under attack!”
Even as the Yuhyeolmogi knight spoke urgently, the guild's signal flares continued to burst in the sky.
“Tsk. It seems they were waiting for me to leave the castle.”
Gretta clicked her tongue once and left the barracks.
“All units, return.”
After a quick glance at me, she vanished on the spot.
*Thud!*
The knights began to run in unison toward the castle.
“Master!”
I called out to Gunther urgently as I grabbed my gear.
He asked me with his eyes.
*Are you okay?*
“I'm fine thanks to you, Master! More importantly, hurry!”
I glanced toward Komlat Castle.
The guild's signal flares were still going off one after another.
*Wooooo.*
A colossal presence was rising.
Judging by that incredibly ominous aura, its owner had to be a mage.
And a powerful one at that, to project their presence this far.
“A Madosa…!”
A presence impossible for anyone less than a Madosa-class mage.
“Knight Gunther!”
A quick-witted mercenary from the Forsaken Dogs brought over a horse.
*Neighhh.*
Gunther mounted the horse without hesitation.
“Oops.”
I, too, was about to follow him onto the horse when I hurriedly grabbed the bow that was lying in the corner of the barracks.
My precious asset that I had almost lost in the last battle.
The legacy Grendel left behind.
*Whoosh.*
The moment I gripped the magic weapon, the crown of my head grew hot.
The F□c□l□ss W□tch, who had been yawning in boredom, shuddered.
And then, I heard the star's voice.
The F□celess W□tch waved happily.
It had been silent for the past three days.
The instant I grabbed the magic weapon.
“Ah?”