The story Jack told in a terrified manner was exactly as I had expected.
He was fooled by the Emperor's words that he regretted neglecting Perdes until now and that he would take good care of him now.
I wonder if he's lying.
I was suspicious, but judging from his earnest voice and facial expression, it didn't seem like he was lying.
Moreover, it was certain because he brought out a magic ring that he had received as a means of contact from the Emperor.
Even though Jack was the Emperor's watchman, he did not betray Perdes.
As soon as Jack was sent out, the room became noisy as if a storm had passed, and then quiet.
I looked towards the bed where Perdes was hiding.
The canopy was up so it was hard to see inside, but if Perdes had come out, his silhouette would have been vaguely visible.
But the fact that his silhouette wasn't visible meant that he was still under the blanket.
Are you so shocked that you can't come out?
I walked through the canopy and sat down on the bed.
“Lord Perdes.”
I called softly and the blanket shook slightly.
“Are you really shocked?”
"...No."
A reply that did not match the answer at all flowed out through the thin blanket.
“I already knew. Jack would never betray me. So I wasn’t shocked at all.”
Despite that, his voice seems a little wet.
“Then why are you doing that?”
“...I’m so pathetic.”
Hmm? Why is the story suddenly jumping around like that?
“If I had been more trustworthy, if I had the strength to stand on my own two feet, Jack wouldn’t have done that.”
“Well, I think it would have been the same.”
If Jack had doubted the Emperor's genuine goodwill and refused to accept it, the Emperor would have threatened Jack.
Or maybe he was trying to get rid of Jack.
“So, there is no need for Mr. Perdes to feel guilty. It is all the Emperor’s fault.”
Yeah, it all happened because the Emperor was a son of a bitch.
Perdes still did not get out of bed, perhaps because my words did not comfort him.
This is true.
I was trying to help him sort out his complicated feelings, but it seemed like it ended up being a hindrance instead.
"...Thank you."
I was about to apologize, but Perdes spoke first.
“Thanks to you, I was able to clear my mind.”
Oh, that was helpful.
“Well, that’s good. But why are you still under the blanket?”
"...So."
Perdes spoke in a voice that sounded like crawling ants.
"I beg your pardon?"
“...So...”
“I can’t hear you very well...”
“I can’t go out because my eyes are swollen from crying so much!”
That's surprising. Why are you suddenly yelling and stuff?
“So just leave me alone and go!”
“Oh, I would like to do that too, but...”
I continued, poking the side where Perdes was lying.
“This is my bedroom and this is my bed?”
“...”
There was silence for a moment.
It was moving a little bit earlier, but now it has stopped moving at all.
But it's embarrassing?
At that moment, I tried to speak to Perdes again.
WHEEK, BOOM, BUZZ-
Perdes kicked off the covers and quickly left the bedroom without looking back.
***
“I went back to the bedroom yesterday... and I told Jack everything and had a frank conversation.”
After morning training, we were taking a short break when Perdes said.
“I told him everything, why I treated Jack so badly and how I felt.”
“Then what did Jack say?”
“He said he was sorry. He said he had no idea that the Emperor had such feelings. He thought he was doing it out of genuine concern for me.”
I guess so.
“And then he started crying and said he would never do that again.”
Oh, that's a bit difficult...
Jack's unintentional double-agent role as Perdes allowed him to avoid the Emperor's attention, but that won't be possible if he stops.
"Don't worry."
Perdes said as if he had seen through my thoughts.
“I asked Jack to continue reporting to the Emperor like he is doing now. So, can you give me back the magic ring?”
“I don’t mind, but... are you okay with that?”
What if I push his beloved Jack into a corner?
When I asked him out of concern, Perdes smiled and rested his arms on his knees, resting his chin on them.
“The moment I held Young Lady’s hand, the die was already cast.”
A bitter smile appeared on his lips.
“Neither Jack nor I can escape until we see the end.”
“...If you say that, it makes me seem like a bad person.”
“Well, I didn’t mean it that way, but I’m sorry if it came across that way.”
“No, it’s true.”
If I hadn't reached out to Perdes to seek revenge, this wouldn't have happened.
And Perdes... would be dead.
Immerse himself in the beautiful pond in the Garden of the Four Seasons.
My heart ached when I thought about that fact.
I couldn't take my eyes off Perdes, who had grown so much since we first met.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“...Do you have any plans to learn swimming?”
"What?"
Perdes asked, bewildered by what I said without thinking.
“Why swimming all of a sudden?”
“It was just something I said, so you can forget about it.”
That way, you won't fall into the pond and die.
I stood up, unable to tell the truth.
"Hey."
Perdes, who had stood up, called out to me with a slightly urgent tone.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Of course. What is it?”
“It’s about the knight.”
Why the sudden knight?
“I heard that to become a knight, you have to graduate from the knight academy. Is that true?”
“That’s right. That’s the most common way to become a knight.”
“Isn’t there any other way?”
“Yes. You just have to win the swordsmanship competition.”
“Ugh,” muttered Perdes, groaning.
“It seems that the Crown Prince and the Third Prince were knighted without attending the academy.”
“That’s because they’re from the royal family. If they reach a certain level of skill, they can become knights without going to the academy.”
"Really?"
A strange light appeared in Perdes' eyes.
“Then can I be one too?”
“It is possible for you, Lord Perdes since you are of royal blood... But why? Do you want to be knighted?”
“No, what..."
Perdes touched the back of his neck.
“I heard that it is good to have a knighthood when traveling...”
“That’s true.”
The best benefit was that we could get through security checks quickly.
“But, Lord Perdes, you can’t use a sword.”
“...”
“Even if you are a member of the royal family, you must have some level of swordsmanship to be granted the title of knight.”
Of course, the standards were lower than those of the academy, but it still had to be at a level where others would think that one had learned swordsmanship.
That's why Chernosser never received a knighthood.
At my words, the strangeness in Perdes' eyes disappeared.
He pursed his lips and spoke in a discontented tone.
“Do you really have to hit the nail on the head like that?”
“I was just telling the truth.”
I would say that you should try hard because there has to be hope, but in my opinion, Perdes didn't even have hope.
“Right now, Haness is looking hard for a magician who can teach you, Perdes. So, study there and become a magician. That will be of great help to you when traveling, just like a knight.”
I tried to comfort him and find a new way, but Perdes waved his hand and left the secret training ground, apparently not satisfied.
***
Adele went out for work, and Perdes, who was left alone in the office, stood up from his paperwork and swung his fountain pen like a wooden sword.
He tried all the vertical and horizontal cuts and even stabbing that Adele taught him several times.
“There doesn’t seem to be anything particularly strange...”
“It’s strange.”
“...!”
Perdes turned around in surprise when he suddenly heard a voice from behind him.
Aldor, whose arrival date was unknown, was standing at the door.
Perdes was impressed by the fact that Aldor had shown him such a fierce appearance.
“What? If you were here, you should have made a sound. Why are you secretly peeking?”
“I did. Lord Perdes was so focused on swinging his pen that he didn’t notice.”
“...”
Although he wasn't sure if he had really made a sound, he was definitely focused, so Perdes put down his fountain pen quietly without saying anything.
Aldor put the documents he had brought down on Adele's desk and asked.
“Your posture is so bad. Didn’t the Lady teach me properly?”
“Young Lady taught me properly. I...”
Perdes couldn't bring himself to say that it was because he had no talent, so he kept his mouth shut.
“You have no talent.”
However, Aldor, who understood like a ghost, hit the nail on the head without mercy.
“You’ve been learning swordsmanship from the young lady for a long time, but if you’ve only learned that much, then you must be terribly untalented in swordsmanship.”
In an instant, Perdes, who was completely wounded, clenched his fists and shouted.
“If I practice more, I can get better!”
“It takes courage to give up early on something that doesn’t work out.”
“I said I would! I will definitely get a knighthood!”
Was it an illusion that for a moment a sneer appeared on Aldor's lips?
“Is Lord Perdes a knight?”
No, it wasn't a mistake.
Aldor clearly laughed at Perdes.
It was hurtful enough that Adele had said outright that he would never become a knight, but now Aldor has come out like that.
'Just wait and see.'
I will definitely do it.
Certainly!
A burning passion burned within Perdes' heart.
I guess I'll have to learn from that guy...
Perdes glanced at Aldor.
He hated to admit it, but Aldor's swordsmanship skills were quite excellent.
Since he's the vice-captain, his teaching skills are definitely better than Adele's.
If Perdes learn from him, won't his skills improve faster than they do now?
Even though he thinks that way, the reason he can't speak up is that he doesn't want to bow down to Aldor.
Only to that man...
“Please give me a chance to protect you.”
Suddenly, Perdes remembered the scene where Aldor swore loyalty to Adel, and he gritted his teeth and clenched his fist.
“...Lord Aldor.”
I don't want to bend... but there are times when I have to bend.
“Can you teach me swordsmanship?”
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