Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Exclusive Knight-2
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One Month
A time that gathers thirty days and splits a year into twelve chunks had passed.
During that long yet short period, many changes had occurred.
The first was Leonardo's own transformation.
[Now you look almost decent?]
In that one month, Leonardo had properly solidified the basics of magic. Even the Sage, who used to curse profusely, praised him—it was an achievement worth noting.
He had also mastered 1-circle spells by category, so using them in real combat wouldn't be an issue.
The second was the change in how the family treated him.
When he first arrived, he received looks of contempt as if he were some lucky country bumpkin. But now, at least to his face, that was gone.
The reason could be easily guessed from the previous incidents.
And the last...
"Thanks, Leo!"
It was Ariasfil's change in personality and attitude.
The Ariasfil of his previous life had always looked down on him as inferior... but now, it felt like she saw him as an equal being.
Like a so-called friend, in other words.
[How did she see you before?]
Like looking at an ant, more or less?
The Sage glanced back and forth between Aria and Leo as he asked.
[Jealousy must've really clouded her vision.]
I won't deny it, but it's not an exaggeration either.
There might have been distortions or prejudgments due to jealousy, but back then, Ariasfil truly viewed the world that way.
She saw people merely as the 'same species,' without assigning higher value or lower discrimination.
Like a machine born solely to become a hero.
[That's kinda scary.]
Tell me about it. She's still young, so that's probably why.
She could smile like that because she hadn't yet weathered life's storms.
"...Leo?"
"Yes?"
At some point, her face was right in front of him.
"You okay? I've been calling you..."
"Oh? Oh yeah. I was just lost in thought."
"Training's over, so let's head down. We need to go buy that gift."
Leonardo nodded and followed after the departing Ariasfil.
[Gift? What gift?]
A gift for Lady Sirica.
Sirica Reinhardt—she was the wife of the family head, Gladio, or in other words...
[Ah, Aria's mom?]
...Yeah, but does the Sage always talk so casually?
He had no illusions about the Sage since he wasn't a mage himself, but basic human common sense had long since shattered.
[I've eaten with the invited hero here! Bathed together! Done everything!]
A connection he really didn't want to know about.
But if they were that close, why wasn't there even a portrait from the Hero Family?
[...What? You don't believe me? If I weren't a bit worn out now...! Back then, I was amazing!]
The Sage glared at Leonardo while picking his nose with crossed eyes. For some reason, that disgraceful behavior explained the Hero Family's treatment and actions.
...Tch.
[Don't click your tongue.]
Sorry. Something was stuck...
[You brush your teeth with aura?]
Ah, he didn't take the bait.
"Leo! Hurry up!"
Turning his head outside the mansion, he saw the girl without her armor waving.
"Coming!"
Leonardo followed the young lady out of the mansion.
[The market 300 years later is pretty decent?]
The Sage whistled in a way unfit for his age as he surveyed the market.
He was a bit curious about the market 300 years ago, but the prosperity and vibrancy of the surrounding shops made it hard to voice that.
Merchants on the alley edges busily touted their prepared goods, while pedestrians on foot haggled fiercely over their value and price.
[But does a noble lady need to come to a dump like this?]
She needs to learn about the world, and it's a good change of pace.
As if to prove it, Aria's attention was captured by the market's energy.
"Leonardo!! Leo!! Look at this!"
She waved her hand, calling her exclusive knight as if eager to share the excitement.
"...This is..."
What Ariasfil saw was a blue flower. Not just any flower—a blue rose.
"A blue rose! I've never seen one like this!"
"Ohoho! The young lady has a real eye for things!"
The florist, speaking in an oddly flirtatious tone despite being a man, confidently offered the blue rose.
"This rose comes from the high Ellim Mountains, picked by adventurers. It's famous as the Frost Flower since it grows near ice! Normally it'd be 2 gold, but for such a fine pair, I'll knock it down to 9 silvers!"
It was a flashy, flowery speech, but the one thing that captivated Aria was a single word.
'Fine pair...'
It rang quite nicely, didn't it?
That one phrase was enough to enchant the lady of the Hero Family.
"Then one..."
"Mister."
Leonardo grabbed the florist's wrist.
"Where'd you get this scam from?"
"...Scam?"
But it didn't faze a mercenary who had seen it all.
"...What do you mean? This is..."
"First, it's not flower season in the Ellim Mountains yet. Still too warm for that."
Yet the flower was still fresh. If it were artificial, that claim would obviously be a lie.
"That's... our shop's special preservation method—"
"Second, use words properly. 'Frost Flower' is for magical ice decorations on blue flowers. Anyone can see this is real."
"You're just a kid, so—!"
Ignoring the informal speech, Leonardo snatched the rose.
"Third, this isn't a blue rose to begin with."
Leonardo snapped the stem. A pale blue sap oozed from inside.
"Thought we wouldn't notice without dye on the outside? Pick your marks better for scams."
"You...! Brat...!!"
The florist swung his fist. But,
Pak!
Aria swiftly struck his wrist down.
"Gahhh!!"
"...You lie...!?"
Her eyes blazed with murderous intent; only without a sword did it not kill the burly man on the spot.
[Ooh...]
This is the Aria I've seen.
Of course, she didn't exude this much killing intent, but mostly stared with cynical, cold eyes.
"...Ugh... Ah...!"
"Calm down first. Let's resolve this peacefully."
Leonardo picked up a few white roses.
"Or do you want your hand flying off with your stall?"
Mercenary experience was useful in negotiations too.
"Amazing! Leo! How'd you know?!"
"Just the way he talked was suspicious. When someone's wordy, you start by doubting."
Honest merchants keep explanations concise. That way, customers can judge the goods properly and think of follow-up questions.
"Then! How'd you know the flower was dyed?!"
Aria looked at Leonardo with sparkling eyes. She thought he was just good at fighting, but his sharp mind surprised her too.
"Just trivia. Dip a white flower's stem in colored water, and it takes the color."
A warrior's training wasn't just combat skills or strength. Travel yielded everything from such trivia to advanced info like magic easily.
That was why he picked up 1-circle spell formulas so quickly.
[No wonder he learns fast.]
Does that sound like praise?}
He wasn't sure if the voice was always like that, but the sarcasm was too strong.
[No, you did good. Better than rotting in a magic tower scribbling. Travel's more practical.]
That sounded like genuine praise.
Now even the nagging felt infected with compliments.
A tragic affair. Time to offer condolences.
"...So those white flowers?"
"The gift. Felt like it'd be nice."
"Mom doesn't like white flowers much. Once she said she did, and everyone sent lilies."
Leonardo knew that from his previous life too.
"No worries. What I'm gifting is a rainbow flower."
Leonardo grinned and pointed to a shop selling paints and dyes. Seeing the sign connected the puzzle pieces for Aria.
"Ah...! So we can make it ourselves!"
"Pretty much. A week is plenty."
With that, the young lady and her exclusive knight entered the shop.
Of course, haggling was mercenary basics.
"...Time flew by."
The day was fading. The sun set, ripening the blue sky red.
"You dragged the haggling too long."
"Nah. Thanks to you, we got good stuff cheap."
She smiled at the dyes Leonardo bought. For the Hero Family, haggling might be pointless, but teaching fiscal sense young had big impact.
[Hey, isn't that guy behind us...?]
He didn't hear the Sage's reaction to the end.
"Huh...?"
A man charged from behind, snatching their bags.
"Thief...?!"
Not a question, but a realization. The fleeing pickpocket proved it.
"...You...!!"
"Lady, wait...!!"
Aria was already chasing. No choice—Leonardo followed, pursuing the thief together.
[Something's off, right?]
Definitely.
As the Sage noticed, Leonardo sensed the incongruity too.
[Why's the pickpocket heading to a dead end?]
Two main reasons came to mind.
First, a back alley neither he nor Aria knew.
Second, he didn't want to think it, but...
"...Huh?! Leo! Dead end! We can catch him!"
"Doesn't look like it, Lady Aria."
Leonardo drew his sword from his waist. Overkill for a mere pickpocket.
"Leo...?!"
"As your knight, I apologize, but..."
Gripping the hilt, Leonardo said,
"Looks like we weren't catching him—he caught us."
At Leonardo's reaction, the pickpocket lost all hesitation.
No—better to say he had no hesitation because he 'wasn't a pickpocket.'
"...Sharp for a brat?"
Masked figures emerged from the alley entrance and beyond the outer walls.
The second scenario he dreaded.
An ambush.
"...Stay back."
Leonardo tried shielding his lady with his other hand. Aria shook her head and drew her sword. Seeing the two sword-wielding kids, the assassins scoffed.
"This is too scary. Should we surrender?"
"I'd appreciate it, but you won't."
The assassin who played pickpocket laughed loudly.
Yeah, he was the boss.
"Right, no surrendering. But negotiation's possible."
The boss pointed his dagger at Leonardo.
"Drop the sword, hands up. Then we'll let your girlfriend go."
"How can I trust that?"
The boss nodded to his men. They cleared the alley exit in unison.
"Believe now?"
"When they're all out and 500m away."
"300m."
"400m. No less."
"You little shit..."
"Tough luck? Die then."
The boss sighed, then eyed his men.
"...Fine. Let her go."
"But boss...!"
The boss glared; the subordinate shut up without argument.
"Go, Lady."
"...But...! Leo...!"
She couldn't leave him alone. No matter how strong, opponents were skilled and numerous.
"It's fine, Aria."
Leonardo whispered in her ear.
"...Get help. You're faster than me."
Aria nodded at the whisper.
"Got it."
Aria dashed out, resolute.
She wasn't abandoning Leonardo.
Because she trusted her knight—trusted his skill—she could run ahead.
"Now drop the sword."
"Sure."
Leonardo dropped it without hesitation.
"Hey, tie him up."
The nearest subordinate rushed over with rope and bound Leonardo's arms.
"Taking a mere knight hostage?"
"...Getting casual now?"
"Who cares? You're all dead anyway."
They all burst into laughter at once—including the one who tied him and the boss.
"Kuhaha... You think that girlfriend got away alive? And she'll fetch help like you whispered?"
They roared with laughter, like dumping a year's worth at once.
"We already sent a pursuer. She's caught by now."
All that came was a deep sigh.
"...Hah..."
They mocked his sigh even more. To them, Leonardo was a cocky frog in a well.
"Why's everyone giggling like idiots?"
Then—explosion.
The blast and crackling transferred to the rope-holder.
"Gaaaaah!!"
Fireball
[1-Circle Flame Magic - Continuous Cast]
The repeated 1-circle fire magic ended the assassin's scream with the explosion.
"You get 10 seconds."
The rope had long burned away in the flames.
"Anyone who thinks I wasn't laughing, raise your hand."
At least in front of Leonardo,
"The rest die."
Laughter was best held back.