14. The power of a single business card.
14. The power of a single business card.
Morning promotion time.
Alisa, who had spent the night tossing and turning with anticipation and worry, was finally able to see the face of that beautiful knight she had met yesterday once again. The dazzling uniform with the sun emblem on the chest was more than enough to capture Alisa's attention.
Ahㅡ.
Alisa simply couldn't contain the passionate respect erupting from within her chest. She felt like if she could have a private interview with someone like that, she would suck that bastard's dick ten, no, a hundred times over.
It wasn't just the goody-two-shoes squad leader; every single trainee present was so overwhelmed by her noble aura that they couldn't even make a peep. On top of that, the assistants, instructors, and even the director and headquarters manager were seated, listening intently to her words.
Alisa felt ecstatic throughout the promotion time, as if she were walking on clouds. And shortly after, the promotion time ended. For some reason, that time, which was always boringly long, felt ridiculously short this time around. It must have been because she was so focused on every single word she said.
Once the promotion time ended, the cadets all moved to have lunch. Perhaps because they were still suppressed by the knight's spirit, even the usual bullshit was quiet.
"She was fucking pretty, though. ...Damn it, the universe is unfair. Giving someone that face and that talent tooㅡ."
The buzz-cut girl muttered that while repeatedly scooping and dropping the tasteless soup with a face like she'd eaten shit. Hearing that, Alisa felt happy for no reason. Thinking that maybe one day, when she became a knight, people would look at her like that too.
After finishing her meal, Alisa found it hard to sit still from the moment she entered the [Dormitory]. She was waiting with bated breath for the private interview that the bastard had promised.
...Surely it wasn't a lie, right?
Of course, she couldn't rule out that possibility. It wasn't like having connections with the Solar Knights was easy, was it? Let alone a simple greeting, she couldn't even gauge what kind of relationship one would need to have to request a private interview. ...But for such a person to come to this shithole training camp? Honestly, it didn't make sense.
As the lunch break was almost over and there had been no call, Alisa was becoming increasingly discouraged. Blaming herself for letting her judgment get clouded because she had received such an offer so suddenly yesterday....
...Right, I was the idiot. Why did I fall for that kind of talk so easily...! I'm the idiot for believing that kind of bastard in the first place, you idiot...! A girl who wants to be a knight, can she really not even judge a situation?
Alisa was sadder and more regretful about not being able to have the interview with that person than she was about having sucked that bastard's dick.
Just as she was about to give up all hope, suddenly, the female assistant kicked the door open and walked in.
"Squad leader, come out."
"...Yes?"
"You're being called."
A callㅡ!
The squad members were puzzled to see the face of their squad leader, who had been as gloomy as if she were dying, brighten up as if she had won the [Imperial Lottery]. Wondering, what on earth could she be so happy about?
Of course, the squad members didn't even register in Alisa's eyes. She quickly followed behind the assistant, wallowing in high expectations, thinking, Could it be the knightㅡ?
"By any chance, may I ask what I'm being called for?"
"Don't know."
At the words "don't know," Alisa harbored even greater hope. That meant the possibility of it being related to the knight was even higher.
Thus, they arrived at the Director's office. The training camp director was waiting for her outside, just like yesterday.
"Cadet, go on in."
"Ah, yes."
Alisa calmed her pounding heart as much as possible and entered the Director's office.
Inside the Director's office, the headquarters manager wasn't there like yesterday, and only the blonde female knight of the Solar Knights was present.
Ahㅡ.
As soon as Alisa confirmed that the private interview had actually been arranged, she was so ecstatic she could have practically pissed herself. To think that bastard Kal had actually pulled it offㅡ!
"Ah, welcome. You said your name was Alisa, right?"
"Yes, Knight-nimㅡ! It is an infinite honor to see you againㅡ! Really, I will never forget this moment for the rest of my lifeㅡ!"
The blonde beautiful knight, Ellis, smiled faintly and pointed at a chair with her finger.
"Sit."
Sitting on the plush chair, Alisa kept her back straight and stared only forward. Since she wasn't facing her directly, her gaze caught the damp-colored sky outside the window. It was a poop-colored sky, like the mascot of the shitty [Hell-Lugal].
However, why did the world look so beautiful to Alisa's eyesㅡ!
"You said you wanted to become a knight?"
"Yes, that is correctㅡ! My dream is to become a knight respected by everyone, just like Knight Ellis-nimㅡ!"
"Well, it might look good to others, but once you actually do it..., it's not as good as you'd think."
Ellis's face turned slightly bitter. However, Alisa's eyes, looking straight ahead, failed to see her expression change.
"Still, I want to do itㅡ! It has been my dream since I was youngㅡ!"
"Right.... Well, what job in the world isn't hard? Especially since the higher you are, the more hardships there are. ...Still, the treatment is good once you become a knight."
"That is true."
"But it doesn't end just because you become a knight. You need tremendous effort to survive there too. If you start to settle, you get left behind. Knights are especially like that."
"I will keep that in mind."
"Anyway, do your best. I'm rooting for you. You'll be able to do well."
Support from the Solar Knightsㅡ!
Alisa felt her chest swell with emotion. She felt like tears of emotion were about to stream down, but she held it in tightly and sublimated it into a shout.
"Thank youㅡㅡ!!"
The smile on Ellis's face, who had been smiling contentedly watching that, gradually faded. She drank a sip of tea and moistened her lips, then opened her mouth cautiously, unlike before.
"That..., by any chance, how is Kal doing?"
"...Yes?"
Alisa was a bit flustered by the name that suddenly popped up, so she looked at Ellis's face and then turned her gaze back to the front.
"I heard you were close."
"Ah, yes...! We are close."
She had sucked his dick and even swallowed all his semen, so if that wasn't being close, what was?
"Has Kal adapted well here?"
Uh.... For a moment, Alisa was at a loss for words. Honestly, she had bluffed that they were close, but she had no idea how that bastard was living, so she had nothing to say.
Still, the knight she respected had asked, so she had to answer somehow.
"Yes, I think he has adapted well."
"Really? ...That's a relief."
Ellis gave a smile that was barely visible. Alisa was so curious about their relationship, but she felt it would be very rude to ask such a question to a high-ranking person like her, so the words just wouldn't come out. It was unthinkable for a mere trainee to ask personal questions to a knight of the Solar Knights.
"Well, if you have any questions, ask."
"Um..., actually, I have failed the knight qualification exam a few times."
"Is that so?"
"So I plan to go through the knight course after completing my time here..., by any chance, will I... face discrimination?"
Hmmㅡ. Ellis let out a long breath through her nose and stared quietly at Alisa's profile.
"You will. It might be worse than you think."
"...Is, that so...."
"But if you used shortcuts, you have to take that into account."
"Yes, that is correct."
"And, there are people who became great knights like that too. We have such a person in our Solar Knights as well. So don't lose hope. You can't say effort is everything..., but still, it's too sad to give up without trying. Don't you think?"
"Yes, that is correctㅡ!"
To think there is someone from the training camp in the Solar Knights tooㅡ!
It was something she hadn't even imagined. And Alisa felt her dream of becoming a knight there swell even more.
If others can do it, why can't sheㅡ!
"Right, anyway, do your best. ...Ah, and."
Ellis took a business card out of her bosom. It was a business card made of real gold leaf. It even had a name engraved on it, written by liquefying the highest-grade black diamond. ...Ironically, the amount that went into this single business card was about the annual salary of a Sergeant Major for three years. Of course, if you add the value of the Solar Knights' connections, wouldn't it be about three or four times more expensive?
Actually, in this era where everything runs on electronic devices, what's the point of a physical business card, but since such things weren't allowed for trainees, she had brought one just in case, and it happened to go to Alisa.
Alisa's hand holding the business card trembled as if she had received the most precious treasure in the world. As soon as she received it, she vowed to make it a family heirloom for life.
"If you ever need to contact me urgently, do so."
Actually, Ellis was giving the business card because of Kal rather than Alisa, but there was no reason to add such words. The other party seemed very happy, too.
"Thank you. I will never forget this grace for the rest of my lifeㅡ!"
"Grace, that's a bit much. ...Right, you can go now."
"Yes, I will be going nowㅡ!"
Alisa saluted with such force that it sounded like a gust of wind, and left the Director's office. The director, who was waiting outside, asked if there were any problems.
"Yes, it was just a simple interview."
"Really? Okay. Go on back."
"Yesㅡ!"
The goody-two-shoes girl followed behind the leading assistant with energetic steps.
She checked and checked again to see if the business card in her pocket was still there the whole way. Just like someone checking to see if their winning lottery ticket is safe when going to claim it.
She would definitely become a knight and contact Knight Ellis-nim with confidenceㅡ.
Her resolve to become a knight hardened even more than before.