Chapter 22
Chapter 22
The black lion banner symbolizing House Bellark.
And beneath that banner stood a row of chairs lined up in order.
This was Bellark’s conference hall, prepared in a modest fashion.
Only around fifteen people sat inside.
And these people were the core of Bellark.
Though honestly, calling them the “core” felt overly grand.
Eden, Sir Rekun, the five young knight apprentices under Sir Rekun, the nanny and cook along with a handful of servants, and finally me, the guest dependent.
No matter how far the territory had fallen, calling this the power of a noble house was honestly embarrassing.
There were so few capable people that it almost felt like some were only here to fill empty seats.
Still, things were slightly better today.
Thanks to Sir Rekun’s wife, Selene, and the several guards she had brought with her.
Honestly, just judging by appearances, Selene’s group looked far more proper than Bellark’s entire household.
Anyway, the reason the lord and all the retainers had gathered together after so long was simple.
“Your Highness, it feels improper for me to say this as one of your retainers, but…”
Lady Selene Rochester had apparently come with something important to discuss.
“I would appreciate it if you would consider allowing Rochester— my husband Rekun— to retire.”
“S-Selene!?”
“Shh. Stay quiet, dear. I’ve endured enough already.”
“….”
I had guessed there must be a reason for a woman separated from her husband to suddenly appear here.
But this was far beyond what I expected.
That statement was practically a bombshell capable of shaking all of Bellark.
Someone might say that losing a single knight was no big deal.
But think about it.
Wasn’t the entire reason Bellark managed to survive at all because Sir Rekun existed?
And now they were talking about his retirement?
Even if they possessed silver mines, they would mean nothing without the strength to protect them.
From Eden’s perspective, there was absolutely no reason to allow this.
Despite nearing ninety, Sir Rekun’s sharp eyes and sturdy muscles clearly proved he was still active.
Just his existence alone prevented nearby bandits and petty warlords from even daring to invade Bellark.
And saying it another way—
If he disappeared, Bellark would become prey.
Honestly, even I didn’t know exactly how strong Sir Rekun truly was.
People around here practically trembled before him without even crossing blades.
A warrior of his caliber rarely had reason to draw his sword.
Still, considering he once cut down four rogue knights in a single strike…
And considering his mere presence suppressed forces numbering over a hundred men…
There was no doubt he remained a one-man army despite his age.
That was why I respected him.
And since I was under his protection, I was grateful as well.
Not to mention I was supposed to become his disciple someday, so naturally I wasn’t happy about this retirement talk either.
But I was only a dependent.
I had no standing to interfere in noble affairs.
“……”
So all I could do was roll my eyes around nervously and read the atmosphere.
Hoping Eden, now nearly an adult, would handle this properly.
‘Still… he looks reliable.’
I nodded in satisfaction while looking at Eden.
Now that he’d grown up, he’d become tall and handsome, and the way he handled serious matters looked surprisingly dignified.
Combined with his good looks, he practically resembled a painting.
A fallen noble was still a noble.
He truly looked like someone destined to become the king of a small kingdom.
Go, Eden!
Show them you’re the lord of Kaltenberg!
“Understood.”
Eh?
What?
“If that is Lady Rochester’s wish.”
King material my ass.
No, this lunatic—
He just agreed immediately?
He was seriously telling Sir Rekun he could retire?
‘…What exactly are you planning?’
Was this guy really the lord?
More importantly, was he even sane?
“Then… when shall Sir Rekun’s retirement take effect?”
“…Oh my. You agreed more easily than expected?”
Even Selene, the one who proposed the retirement, looked shocked.
And rightly so.
Even I was sitting here dumbfounded.
“To be honest… are you truly alright with this, Your Highness?”
Then maybe you shouldn’t have brought it up in the first place.
“Haha… honestly speaking, both I and the people of the territory desperately rely on Sir Rekun…”
So you do understand!
Then why the hell are you doing this!?
Did somebody stab a throwing spear into your brain!?
“But I’m already eighteen.”
So what!?
You growing up doesn’t solve everything!
I’m still only ten!
I’m legally entitled to protection, okay!?
Save me, waaaah! Protect Sir Rekun!
“I think I’ve depended on Sir Rekun long enough.”
Stop making that enlightened expression, you brat. You’re still young yourself!
I understood what he meant, I really did.
But shouldn’t there at least be some kind of plan before letting Sir Rekun retire!?
Surely this idiot didn’t think those five little knight trainees could replace him?
Anyone with functioning thoughts wouldn’t make that conclusion.
I could already picture five tiny brats calling themselves knights while guarding their lord, and the image alone gave me a headache.
“Thank you for granting my request, Your Highness. Though I believe the others deserve an explanation.”
But nobody in the room seemed to care about my internal suffering.
Sir Rekun’s retirement was already becoming an established fact.
Still, I was curious.
Selene seemed kind.
And she clearly understood what Sir Rekun meant to Bellark.
So why propose something like this?
After all, wasn’t Selene herself also someone who once served House von Bellark?
“The reason isn’t particularly grand. I truly do sympathize with all of you and His Highness.”
Sympathize?
Then why are you suggesting this?
…Was she just being polite?
“But I want my husband to spend the rest of his life peacefully. It would’ve been different if he’d remained retired ten years ago. But he returned to service despite my objections, and now things have become like this.”
The old man stared out the window, pretending not to hear.
Even that stubborn fossil feared his wife, huh?
“Shouldn’t Rekun pursue his own happiness now? He’s reached the age where he should care for himself— no, honestly, he passed that point long ago.”
But the look in Lady Rochester’s eyes as she stared at him was so sorrowful it seemed tears might spill out at any moment.
“I served Bellark as a secretary for fifty years. Even as an elf with centuries of lifespan ahead of me, it was exhausting. But this man— a short-lived human— has devoted eighty years to Bellark since his days as a retainer.”
The sincerity in the beautiful elf’s tearful voice gradually made the entire room fall silent.
At first, I thought retiring someone for the sake of a comfortable old age seemed excessive.
But now it no longer felt like such a simple issue.
“He has to stop now. He has to come home. If he spends his entire life serving his lord and caring for the territory… when is he supposed to live for himself?”
Her face and voice trembled with emotion as she spoke on behalf of her husband.
Perhaps because she was exposing her true feelings, her emotions were spilling over.
And despite how little had been said, I already understood her feelings.
If one of my family members spent eighty years working for a hopeless company, I’d feel miserable too.
Still, now that the lord himself had approved it, she could’ve simply forced the matter through without further explanation.
The fact she bothered to explain herself showed how warm-hearted Selene truly was.
Sir Rekun might lack many things, but he definitely married well.
“Where exactly is his life in all of this? Who will reward him for his efforts? Who will comfort him?”
Even I, who didn’t want Sir Rekun to retire, found myself unable to speak after hearing that.
A knight’s glory came from the prestige and authority of the lord they served.
Remaining here as a knight offered Sir Rekun absolutely nothing.
If translated into modern terms, it was like spending eighty years investing into stocks or real estate, only for it all to collapse overnight.
Or dedicating eighty years to a company that suddenly went bankrupt.
And Bellark had once been a county of a small kingdom.
The fall from grace was unimaginable.
At that point, obsessing over loyalty like this truly was cruel.
And forcing loyal retainers to remain through the power of loyalty alone was equally cruel.
The man had already worked unpaid for over ten years.
What more could anyone possibly ask from him?
“I feel sorry for all of you too. But I think it’s equally cruel to keep demanding sacrifice from an old man just because those remaining behind want comfort.”
The retainers who previously looked reluctant now gradually turned solemn.
As though preparing themselves to say farewell to Sir Rekun.
Those who still remained in Bellark were people with strong attachments.
They couldn’t simply ignore Sir Rekun’s happiness.
And honestly… that included me too.
Sir Rekun was always so lively and dependable that I never even considered this side of things.
There was a difference between pursuing practical benefits and simply being selfish.
And perhaps Sir Rekun himself had deliberately hidden his burdens from everyone else.
“And I wish to spend meaningful time with my husband as well. After he passes away… I, as a long-lived elf, will have to remember him alone for a very long time.”
As for Lady Rochester, there was nothing more to say.
“I shall fully accept Lady Rochester’s wishes.”
Eden nodded quietly.
“Reuben, could you bring the parchment?”
He even instructed a maid to bring the documents related to dissolving the oath.
Though he looked conflicted and glanced at Sir Rekun several times…
“…I will not accept objections.”
He suppressed his own feelings and stamped the seal firmly onto the document.
A parchment declaring the termination of a knight’s oath.
“Thank you sincerely, Sir Rekun.”
And then Eden handed him the parchment while bowing deeply.
A lord bowing to his knight was absurd.
Which only showed just how important Sir Rekun was to Eden.
In some ways, Sir Rekun was practically his adoptive father.
Lady Rochester offered to provide funds later for mercenaries and guards, but internally and externally, none of that could compare to Sir Rekun’s presence.
So ending the oath couldn’t have been an easy decision.
Seeing this, maybe Eden was stronger than I thought.
Or maybe unexpectedly ruthless.
“……”
Still… what were we supposed to do now?
I couldn’t even imagine Bellark without Sir Rekun.
What about security?
What about internal affairs?
Who would teach me swordsmanship?
Were the five brats and I supposed to somehow figure things out together?
Just imagining the old man leaving made my chest feel heavy.
Honestly…
I’d grown attached to Sir Rekun too.
Not as much as Eden had, of course, but I still felt depressed.
Maybe Sir Rekun understood how the others felt.
Or maybe he simply disliked how this discussion was unfolding.
“It seems this discussion is progressing without considering the opinion of the person involved.”
Or perhaps he truly hated the idea himself.
“Selene, a knight’s glory lies in serving their lord. If eternity is impossible, then at the very least we should preserve what peace remains for them.”
His rough fingers brushed against the black lion engraved on his scabbard.
Those hands carried decades of training far beyond swordsmanship alone, and the old knight’s eyes gleamed sharply.
“However, ignoring your plea would also be wrong. I’ve already been cast aside by my lord, so being stubborn would be unreasonable. Therefore… grant me just a little more time. Five years. No more and no less.”
Then the old knight’s gaze turned toward the five knight apprentices.
“I will raise those children into proper knights.”
And finally—
His gaze stopped on the young dependent who was little more than an uninvited guest.