Chapter 12
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Knight Emperor
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Even after Clue arrived, my life hadn't changed much.
If anything, I'd just gained an assistant besides the maids at my side.
"Master, you're channeling too much mana there. It could get unnecessarily large."
"Ah, okay."
Of course, true to her name as a homunculus, Clue was constantly helping me out.
Mainly with magic, though.
"By the way, you've been reading books nonstop lately, huh?"
"...Ah, yes! The books are just so interesting."
"Good to hear."
I should get her even more books this time.
"Anything you want?"
"No, they're all fun... All the books you give me seem great, Master."
"I see. Want me to add more mana?"
"If you put any more there, I'll really burst, Master!"
Burst?
I shook my head, imagining a mana tank exploding.
"Sorry. But tell me if you're hungry."
I'd thought such a finely crafted lifeform would devour mana like a tank.
Surprisingly, she didn't consume much.
With that in mind, I resumed my magic practice.
Big sis Lily and big sis Ravire hadn't visited me once since my birthday.
Word was, big sis Lily had gone to the Mage Tower on business, and big sis Ravire was in some kind of training.
As for Isfil...
"Lady Isfil stopped by again today, right?"
"Yeah."
She didn't talk much, but she always came to watch for a bit before leaving.
If I tried to speak to her, she'd just look at me with a kind expression that said she had business to attend to.
Occasionally, Isfil would ask if I wanted to learn how to use holy power...
But not yet.
For some reason, I'd heard mana and holy power didn't mix well.
I hadn't even properly paved my own path yet—what need was there for holy power?
Still, practicing magic alone was starting to feel a bit stale.
"...Maybe I should try some training."
"Pardon?"
"Nothing."
I shook my head at Clue's words while handling the magic.
"Do you need something, Master?"
"Not really."
I picked up the glass of water beside me and took a sip.
By the way, this was the Holy Grail Isfil had given me.
Following her claim that it turned water into holy water after a while, I always kept it filled and drank from it. Not bad at all.
How to put it—it felt like my energy gradually replenished with each sip, and any toxins in my body were cleansed.
Of course, it could just be a placebo effect, but feeling healthier was a good thing anyway.
"You look bored."
"..."
Did I?
Honestly, yeah, I was.
Maybe because I'd gotten the hang of magic to some extent, my progress was slowing down bit by bit.
Naturally, I started wanting to try something else.
I fiddled with the Diamond Orb, lost in thought.
It was nice to have, but I wondered if I was relying too much on gear.
Maybe from today, I should try manifesting magic bare-handed again.
Just as that thought crossed my mind, the door burst open with a bang, and someone entered.
Gray hair fluttered, followed by a lively voice that pierced my ears.
"Theo!!"
There was only one person who called me like that.
"Big sis Ravire, you're here?"
"Yeah! Having fun? Not bored?"
Big sis Ravire approached me with a cheerful laugh.
"Yeah, Clue's been here, so it was fine."
"Clue? Oh..."
Big sis Ravire's gaze flicked to Clue, who looked back at her.
For a moment, it felt like their eyes clashed in midair.
"You must've been bored playing with a doll!"
She grabbed my hand with a bright smile.
Doll?
Oh, right—homunculus.
But calling her a doll so bluntly...
"No, sis. It's not a doll, it's Clue..."
"You even named it Clue. Theo, you're so sweet!"
No use talking.
Big sis Ravire gripped my hand tighter with her beaming smile.
"No, really, I'm fine..."
"You look bored, Theo!"
Big sis Ravire tugged me along.
"Come on, Theo! Let's go!"
"Wait, sis. Where are we—"
But she had no intention of listening, simply dragging me along with a laugh.
Well, what could I do?
Clue calmly followed as I was pulled away.
Being dragged down the corridor by big sis Ravire, I spoke up.
"Sis, where are we going anyway?"
"To see the Knight Commander."
"Knight Commander?"
Why him?
I looked at her meaningfully, and only then did she release my hand and turn to me.
"I got praised for handling the sword pretty well this time."
"Nice. And?"
"But the Knight Commander said to bring a decent sparring partner..."
"...Me?"
"Yep!"
I'm only seven.
At seven, boys and girls are about the same size.
In other words, I was just a two-years-younger kid compared to her.
I pictured big sis Ravire.
Her flexibility holding a teacup in that bizarre pose.
Me beat her like that?
I had zero confidence—in fact, even if she let me hold a weapon, I doubted I'd win.
Thinking that, I followed behind her.
Soon, a massive training ground appeared, along with the whoosh of sweat stench.
Brawny knights and a few kids were training.
"Those kids are knight aspirants."
"Knight aspirants?"
About nine kids in total.
None looked younger than me.
"Knight Commander! I brought Theo!"
Big sis Ravire bellowed while holding my hand, and soon a man thrust his face in front of mine.
A muscle-bound guy.
Scars everywhere on his body and face—he clearly hadn't lived an easy life.
"Your Highness!"
Our eyes met, and embarrassment crossed the Knight Commander's face.
"Hello, um..."
"Just call me Alfonso."
"Knight Commander Alfonso."
"No need to be so formal..."
"It's fine."
Like with Gordolf, manners were always key.
I replied politely and turned my gaze to the other nine.
They hurriedly bowed as our eyes met.
One girl, eight boys.
Makes sense—most aspiring knights were boys.
Thinking that, I looked back at the Knight Commander.
"The reason you called..."
"Well, we pair them up two by two."
The Knight Commander cleared his throat and continued.
"It's hard finding a partner for Princess Ravire."
"Ah."
I got it.
I wouldn't want to spar with a princess either.
What if you went all out and hurt her by accident?
Your whole family could get wiped out by her raging mother on the spot.
I nodded, thinking that.
"Then I'll pair with big sis—er, Princess Ravire."
"But... um."
Only then did the Knight Commander look flustered.
"Has Prince Theodor ever handled a sword before?"
"Nope?"
I'd only trained magic every day.
"In that case..."
He still looked flustered.
"You might not be able to win..."
"Ah."
I understood.
How's an untrained kid supposed to spar with knight aspirants? That kind of thing.
"It's fine."
I looked at him reassuringly.
"I can handle it."
After all, didn't they just need someone of status to spar with big sis Ravire, rather than a real opponent?
That's what I'd thought.
-Thwack!
"Kuh!"
Big sis Ravire's strike came like lightning, sending me rolling across the ground.
"Theo!"
She rushed over and helped me up.
"You okay? Hurt anywhere?"
"No..."
Five times.
In five spars, I hadn't landed a single hit.
No, if I hadn't even swung, it wouldn't sting this much.
I couldn't even swing the sword.
She was too fast.
So fast that my body reacted after getting hit.
Thankfully, she went easy on me, so it didn't hurt...
"..."
But my pride stung.
Even as a boy older than her, getting thrashed by a little kid like this hurt my ego.
"Wanna stop?"
Big sis Ravire stroked the back of my hand worriedly.
"..."
I glanced at the others.
The nine knight aspirants.
All watching me.
The girl looked concerned, but the boys...
One who met my eyes snickered.
A boy around eight.
"..."
For a split second, I thought of tattling to Mom and wiping out his clan, but executing a first-grader for acting childish felt a bit much.
Still, I decided to get revenge another way and turned away.
"I'm fine."
I pulled away from big sis Ravire and raised my wooden sword.
"This time will be different."
If I couldn't win with swordsmanship, I'd use what I could.
"Theo..."
"Sis. No holding back this time."
I gripped the sword.
I didn't know swordsmanship or even how to hold it properly anyway.
So...
"..."
I took a deep breath and tensed my lower abdomen.
Mana began boiling up inside me.
"...?"
The Knight Commander glanced my way,
"Then I'll end it quick...!"
and big sis Ravire's hand shot out again.
Speed I couldn't possibly catch.
But,
-Whoosh!
I kicked backward, activating magic at my feet.
A gale erupted from my toes, propelling my body back farther than usual.
"Whoa...!"
Just as her sword sliced empty air.
"Hup!"
This time, I stomped forward with my other foot.
Using wind magic again for thrust, I launched myself.
My body, which had retreated far, shot forward,
and in that instant, an inexplicable power surged into my hand holding the wooden sword.
For a fleeting moment, I thought the sword glowed.
But as the sword slipped from my insufficient grip, my body alone flew toward big sis Ravire.
-Thud!
I slammed into her shoulder with mine, rolling across the ground together.
And at the same time,
-Fwoosh!
"Ow!!"
I didn't forget to shoot compressed wind at the brat's forehead.
A sharp pop, and the kid clutched his forehead, staggering.
I held back; any harder and he might've gotten a concussion.
We rolled until covered in dirt, finally collapsing face-down.
"Ow, ow ow..."
Big sis Ravire, sprawled atop me, grimaced in pain as she got up.
"Theo!"
Her eyes sparkled with delight now, her mouth split in a huge grin.
"That was so coo—"
"How did you do that just now?!"
But the wide-eyed Knight Commander cut her off.
Knight Commander Alfonso couldn't believe what he'd just seen.
Mages and knights were incompatible.
That was common sense.
For some reason, those who used magic always had fatal flaws in swordsmanship.
They couldn't wield Sword Aura.
One of the essentials to become a knight.
Sword Aura.
But what he'd just witnessed...
"...Did you just use Sword Aura?"
"Sword Aura...? Not sure about that..."
"You did use magic, right?"
"Yes... I did."
Alfonso's eyes sharpened as he watched Theodor answer his questions with bewilderment.
"Come over here for a moment!!!"
"Pardon?"
"Hurry!"
As Theodor approached hesitantly, Alfonso's eyes gleamed.
I've found a gem.
This boy could become a knight to uphold the nation.
Knight King! No—Knight Emperor!
And I, Alfonso, will be the Knight Emperor's master!
A sparkling light lingered in Alfonso's eyes.