Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: Knight
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That day, two years after Bulki unleashed the Hero's light during the Second Demon Invasion and Iven writhed in humiliation. In Helred, the eastern continent shrouded by the sun.
And in a small training ground in Sonain, the capital of the Sonain Empire that had unified the continent.
"Good morning, friend. Training again today?"
"Good morning, Bulki."
From early morning, the two friends had made their way to the training ground inside the holy grounds. Unlike Bulki, who had just washed up, Iven was already drenched in sweat. You could tell just by looking at the steam rising thickly from his body how much he'd been swinging his sword up and down.
"Did you train in hard mail this time?"
At Bulki's question, Iven delivered one horizontal slash and two vertical ones toward the dummies before answering.
"Yeah. My strength's still lacking, after all."
Iven's body beneath the faded russet plate armor was markedly different from two years ago. It wasn't as bulky as Bulki's, but it had a solid, compact feel from the finely honed muscles packed tightly together.
His long black hair, tied up high, suited him perfectly.
"Iven, don't push yourself too hard today. It's the second anniversary of when we parted with Lije. Just as she said, it's been two years since we crossed from that western coastal village through Brnaun, over the Granblad Great Canyon, and arrived here. And today is finally the day we squires receive our knight order swords."
"I know. That's exactly why. It's the day we squires finally become official knights."
At Bulki's words, Iven glanced once at the sky heavy with dark clouds, then removed the streamlined plate that hugged his upper body from arms to chest and sat down.
The leather straps connecting each part were worn through, and the chain mail inside reeked sharply of iron and blood.
"Knight order, huh..."
"Iven, you planning to head to the Great Archive again before the conferral ceremony?"
"Yeah. Can't skip even a day. Whether it's training or this."
Iven tapped his temple as he spoke.
"Got it. Then I'll do some training and wash up. Let's meet for lunch in front of the Great Archive, friend."
"Sure. See you later, Bulki."
Bulki gripped his wooden sword and stretched in front of the dummies. He slung iron weights over his shoulders, the clanking filling the training ground, and Iven left to the sound of it.
It was all the same.
This meaningless conversation they had alone in the early morning, the unchanging sorrow as time passed-nothing had changed in two years.
In other words, the two had never trained together in the mornings even once in those two years.
***
"What happens if I can't draw the sword, by any chance?"
"I told you, Iven. That won't happen to you."
The middle-aged man in scholar's robes at the center of the Great Archive smiled as he spoke. Iven shook his head, set down the books he was borrowing for the day, and replied.
"You say that every day, but please speak comfortably. 3rd Knight Order Captain."
"I say it every time, but I'm just Hyeon. This feels more natural. How's your condition?"
"The closer the day gets, the more my worries pile up."
To comfort the tense, bowed Iven, 3rd Knight Order Captain Hyeon spoke warmly.
"Don't worry. I'll be at the conferral ceremony, so I can cheer you on from even closer. By the way, what kind of sword do you hope to get?"
Iven took the books Hyeon had checked and packed them in his bag before answering.
"No idea. I just want to receive a sword... I haven't given much thought to its light, considering my station."
Hyeon pulled out his own small sword-smaller than his palm, gleaming with a purple light like a surgical scalpel-and set it on the table as he continued, scratching his tousled, floppy hair.
"You can't become a knight without drawing the sword, so in the knight orders, a sword is as vital as your life. Cases where you awaken the sword's name and manifest its power are rare, so you're assigned to orders based on the signs, shape, and color it shows before awakening."
"Since the light is tied to those signs, that makes sense."
"Even if it shines brightly, a sword this small would land me in the 3rd like this. Of course, it'd be different if it were the golden light the Hero had."
"The 3rd handles clerical, administrative, and medical support duties. The 1st leaves the capital for subjugation and scouting missions, the 2nd defends the capital and regions. But no matter which order I'm assigned to, as long as I get a sword, I'll do my utmost in my role. Even if it's some shallow, frail blade. So the shape and such don't matter to me."
Hyeon nodded, putting his sword away. He smiled at Iven again.
"I'misspoke, Iven. As you say, whether the role we're assigned is big or small, the sword is what matters. Maybe it's because you're the only one I see every day outside of the intel corps managing the Great Archive. Personally, I'd love for you to end up in the 3rd, Iven."
"Thank you for thinking so highly of me, Captain. See you later."
Iven gathered his books and left the Great Archive. He'd have to hurry a bit to make it back to the dormitory before Bulki finished training.
Hyeon called out loudly to Iven's retreating figure in the distance.
"Yerutsa Rahav! May you inherit a shining sword!"
Iven turned back, murmuring with a smile as if trying to reclaim some hope.
"Yerutsa Rahav."
***
Three bells tolled through Sonain, even to places out of sight. Bulki was heading to the grand cathedral with the other trainees.
They'd left behind their issued squire uniforms and wore the heavy plate armor from training, all worn and tattered to varying degrees. Bulki asked the one whose was the worst off.
"Iven, how many of us do you think will become knights?"
"That's what worries me too. For real."
"But we can do it."
"Shh, it's Captain Riu."
Standing before the grand cathedral-the tallest building in the capital Sonain-was 1st Knight Order Captain Riu, her short bob hair glowing red.
She stood atop carpeted stairs where the dirt path for squires ended and the marble one began.
The plate armor issued to squires was just crude, streamlined iron plates, but those for Riu and the official knights were different.
The chest curved out like an eagle's beak into elegant lines, and the neck guard extended back like feathers.
Riu's was mostly dark brown leather except for one arm, specially made because she'd ordered the holy grounds' smiths to "make it without thinking of anything but swinging the sword."
This anecdote was like a living legend to the squires.
Of course, so was she.
"All squires, listen up."
"Yes!"
"The conferral ceremony begins now. Half of you will return home today. The next half will linger nearby before giving up. The half after that will die in your first battle. And the final half will leave on your own... Only the few who remain will silently await the next mission."
Riu continued expressionlessly.
"That is a knight's conviction. Remember it. Upholding conviction as a knight will be neither glorious nor comfortable. But even if you die unacknowledged and fade into the abyss! If you must draw your sword right here, right now, to uphold that conviction..."
Before the grand cathedral where petals drifted, Riu closed her blazing eyes for a moment, then opened them and shouted.
"Yerutsa Rahav. Knight orders, inherit your swords!"
"Yerutsa Rahav!"
"Surely the goddess Miflas herself would command it!"
Riu, with her knight captain's small brooch on her chest and blue short cloak on her right arm only, flung open the cathedral doors.
Light burst through the crack, visible to all, and after she entered, everyone followed.
"Yerutsa Rahav."
"Yealutsi, those who receive mercy."
"Great Sonain, rise, Adam. Yerutsa, oh, Yerutsa."
All gathered in the grand cathedral, regardless of age, prayed toward the squires. Some elders even shed tears.
Passing the carpeted path in the vast central hall, Riu saluted the platform, and someone rose to return it.
Luiel Sonain VI, the great emperor of the empire.
"Yerutsa Rahav."
At his gesture with his jeweled right hand, the empire's young prince Lui Sonain stepped before Riu, and Mariel Sonain-the empire's princess, high priestess of the Sekulra Church, the continent's sole faith, and the empire's saintess-stood by the Holy Brazier at the platform's center.
Skin white as fresh snow, eyes blue as gems, long blue hair cascading mystically to the hem of her saintess robes. She was stunningly beautiful, with grace in every step and gesture.
As she approached, a small flame flickered on the Holy Brazier's round base, flaring brighter as if fed oil. The elegant, noble flame, unextinguished since the imperial calendar began, instilled instant reverence in first-time viewers-the squires included.
If I can't draw the sword from that brazier...
Does that mean I can't become a knight...
But...
What if I can't, but Bulki does?
Bulki nudged the tense, anxious Iven, whose mind swirled with frantic thoughts.
Iven let out a sigh, smiled faintly, and looked at his friend. He was truly rooting for him.
"L-Let's become knights for sure, friend."
Iven nodded quietly to Bulki. From the stutter, he realized Bulki was nervous too.
Bulki felt the same.
It's different from that day.
"Yeah, Bulki."
Iven turned his gaze to the Holy Brazier burning sacredly.