IDMH - Chapter 47



This is not because I followed Perdes, but because the data I was looking for was also here.

As it happened, Perdes and I were standing facing each other with a bookshelf in between.

Even after I found the book and brought it to the table, Perdes continued to stand in front of the bookshelf.

Haven't you found the book yet?

I peeked my head over the bookshelf to check his situation.

It wasn't that he couldn't find the book, it was that it was stuck so high that he couldn't take it out.

There was a chair next to him for a footrest, but it was still too much for his height.

"Let me help you."

However, I was able to do it as I was about a hand taller than him.

I climbed up on the chair, took out a book, and held it out to him.

"Here you go."

Perdes didn't take the book and just looked at me blankly.

“Perdes?”

Only then did he receive the book when his name was called, grumbling with a face full of dissatisfaction.

“It would be nice for the Young Lady to grow taller.”

“It’s not that I’m big, it’s that Perdes is small.”

Perdes had been fed well, gained weight, and grew a little taller, but he was still short.

No matter how I looked at him, he didn't look like he was 16 years old.

Perdes' expression darkened at my words. It was a hurt face.

Even though I helped him, he grumbled, so I took it back a little, but seeing that expression on his face pricked my conscience.

Can I say that I feel like a mean adult who bullies a child?

“Perdes is still in the growth stage, so if you take a little care of yourself, you will grow up quickly. Do not worry."

I offered comforting words to ease his conscience, but seeing as Perdes' expression did not improve, it seemed that he was not comforted at all.

***

A dark night with dusk falling on the ground.

“What are you worried about, Your Highness?”

Jack, who came to Perdes' bedroom to prepare him for bed, found him sitting on the sofa and sighing so hard that the earth disappeared, and asked worriedly.

"Ha."

But Perdes didn't say anything and just continued to sigh.

I guess you don't want to tell me.

Because of his personality, there was no way he would tell him by asking, so Jack gave up early and prepared Perdes' bed.

At the same time, he continued to check Perdes' condition out of the corner of his eye.

Perdes continued to behave strangely, such as looking at his hands, looking at his legs, and pulling his neck.

'I'm sure something happened.'

Looking at his condition, it doesn't seem like he fought with anyone.

"Jack."

Jack, who was pondering why he was doing that, raised one hand and looked back at Perdes when he called.

"Yes! I'm here! Please speak!"

“What should I do to grow taller?”

“...Yes?"

Suddenly, how tall...?

“Because I want to grow taller.”

Unlike Jack, who was embarrassed, Perdes spread his palms above his head with a serious expression.

“I wish it was about two spans bigger, but what should I do?”

"Well. If you eat well and exercise a lot, won’t you grow taller?”

Jack didn't know anything about that either, so he gave the most textbook answer.

“Do you grow taller if you exercise?”

“Maybe so? If you look at all the knights, they are all grown up.”

“That’s right.”

Perdes nodded, remembering Aldor, who was so tall that he had to look up for a long time.

Adele was also tall among women.

When he thought about that, it was almost certain that exercising, especially swordsmanship would make him taller.

Then...

***

“I want to learn swordsmanship too.”

Early morning.

It was so absurd to come and say this out of the blue.

“Are you serious?”

"Yes. I also want to learn swordsmanship.”

Just a few days ago, he had complained, asking if I was planning to make him a knight.

But what brought about this change of heart that made Perdes suddenly decide to learn swordsmanship?

It was embarrassing, but it wasn't a bad thing.

If he learns swordsmanship, his basic physical strength will increase and it will be helpful in many ways.

"Great."

Since I had nothing to lose, I accepted his request.

“Then, let’s contact Lord Aldor, and starting tomorrow...”

“Not that guy.”

Perdes demanded, cutting my horse firmly.

“I wish the Young Lady would teach me.”

“Me?”

"Yes. I know it’s embarrassing to ask a Young Lady who already has a lot of work to do, but if I don’t want people to know that I’m not an idiot, I have to hide my sword training.”

That's right.

“Then we won’t be able to use the knight training ground, and the only place left is the secret training ground that the Young Lady uses. If we’re going to do it there, I think it would be better for the Young Lady to teach me. It’s also suspicious that I ask the man to come there every time.”

It seemed like something strange, but there was no way to refute it.

Should I teach swordsmanship?

I was a little worried as the things I had to do were listed like a panorama in my head, but I didn't worry for long.

“I do.”

Anyway, I was practicing swordsmanship a little every morning for the purpose of training my mind and body.

At that time, I can teach him little by little from the side.

Anyway, for the time being, he would only be doing a lot of running and running around the training ground to build up his basic physical strength, so it wasn't difficult at all.

***

Perdes hated Aldor, but that didn't mean he neglected to take classes.

Because he knows that it is his loss.

There was something meaningful that Adele said in the library earlier: Perdes studied harder than when he taught himself to become a wizard.

Aldor must have recognized his passion and taught Perdes with all his heart.

However, it didn't mean that the relationship between the two people got better or anything like that.

After class, they parted ways without even saying goodbye as if they didn't know each other.

Bang-

“I heard that you are receiving swordsmanship training from the Young Lady these days.”

Perdes, who had closed his book to do the same today, looked at Aldor when he spoke to him.

“I can tell you about sword training.”

“Does that mean I shouldn’t bother her?”

“Exactly.”

It may seem like an empty statement to say no, but Aldor did not say that.

Although Perdes thought such Aldor was absurd, he did not think badly of it.

In fact, he viewed him more favorably than people who hide their sinister intentions and pretend to be good.

Still, he doesn't like him.

“What if I don’t like it?”

Aldor's eyebrows rose at the firm refusal.

“The Lady is busy with just what she is doing right now.”

“When she trains in the morning, I’ll just be around the training ground next to her, so you don’t have to worry.”

“In that case, I...”

“She has already decided to do that. If you’re that dissatisfied, go tell her directly instead of me, okay?”

Aldor kept his mouth shut as if he couldn't bear to do that.

Perdes didn't like Aldor's attitude anymore and twisted his lips.

Perdes wanted to say a few more words to him, but he didn't want to even talk to him like this, so he stood up holding his book.

“I don’t know why the Lady chose you.”

Aldor said while looking at the back of Perdes.

“She will never marry you.”

Perdes, who was about to open the door and leave, stopped at those words.

Aldor's point was correct. There was nothing to refute that statement, but he still wanted to do it. He didn't want to lose to that guy.

“...Well."

That heart created a blatant lie. Perdes smiled leisurely, showing off his acting skills that he had honed over a long period of time.

“We’ll have to wait and see what happens, right?”

***

Although Perdes' education was fully entrusted to Sir Aldor, that did not mean he was completely hands-off.

Since I would need to know how much Perdes' level had improved in order to adjust the level of education, I decided to receive reports on a regular basis.

And today was the reporting day.

It was also about two weeks since Perdes received training from Sir Aldor.

I expected it from the time he worked hard reading books at the library, but the results were excellent.

His aristocratic knowledge, which was worse than that of a 5-year-old, was raised to that of an 8-year-old, and he quickly mastered things like administration and law.

If things continue like this, he will be able to rise to the level I want within 3 months.

“Good job, Lord Aldor. Please continue to work hard.”

"Yes."

“I would like to give you something as a thank you for doing my favor. Is there anything you would like?”

I thought hard about giving him the gift he wanted, but since I didn't know anything, nothing came to mind.

In that case, it would have been better to ask outright.

Lord Aldor thought about my words for a moment and then shook his head.

"It doesn't exist."

“Are you sure there isn’t any? Opportunities like this are rare, so if you have them, it would be best to speak up now.”

Sir Aldor paused, wondering if there was anything he wanted.

I expected him to say something right away, but he didn't say anything.

He seemed to be wondering whether it was okay to say what he was thinking, so he spoke again.

“Tell me something. I like things other than things.”

" ...Anything?”

"Yes. Anything.”

After smiling and nodding again, Sir Aldor continued speaking cautiously.

"Then... Please allow me to swear my loyalty to you.”

“...”

This is a completely unexpected request.

When I closed my mouth in embarrassment, Sir Aldor smiled faintly.

“There’s nothing else I want.”

He's laughing and pounding his nails.

My head was pounding. I couldn't refuse or ignore him like I did before, because I had already told him to say whatever he wanted.

“Is there really nothing else to it, Lord Aldor?”

“Yes, there is none.”

“There’s nothing good about pledging loyalty to me.”

“I don’t think so.”

Wow, your will is strong.

I thought about how to resolve this situation, but I came to one conclusion.

“...Great."

These are the words I spoke out of my mouth, so I must keep them.

“Instead, let’s do it not now, but a month later, when the new knight investiture ceremony is held.”

The reason for allowing a month was to somehow change Lord Aldor's mind.

"All right."

Lord Aldor seemed to think it was a good thing, too and accepted it obediently.

“If you change your mind before then, please let me know.”

“That won’t happen.”

Although I secretly expressed hope that he would change his mind, Sir Aldor coldly refused, striking a steel wall.



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