The fourth spring ★For Jade van Cliffdorf, becoming a knight is merely a checkpoint. (TL: name is Kuraifudorufu)
As the eldest child of a renowned family, Jade began attending knight school at age 13. After a year as an apprentice knight, at the end of the second year, he finally fulfilled all of the requirements to become a true knight.
Despite this, since it was still necessary to attend knight school for six years, he was still officially a student.
Jade had just returned to the Cliffdorf mansion in the capital.
In the mansion’s largest room, Marquis Welt van Cliffdorf sat at a round table.
He was Jade’s father.
Welt held a post as a general. While he had been a soldier he was fair-skinned, but now, his face became pudgy, and after having never held a sword for a long time, he became ugly and fat.
When Jade entered the room, he bowed towards his father.
“I have returned, Honorable Father.”
“It is good you have returned, Jade” [1]
He slowly sat into the seat across from her father, at which he pointed.
‘Is such a man the general of the Imperial Knight Order?’
‘His ugly stomach was swollen, the meat on his chin sagged.’
‘If even this man can become a general, then I–‘
While actually holding her father in contempt and smiling at such gossip, he began the conversation.
“So, Honorable Father, the reason you called me back so urgently is?”
“Do you know about the circ.u.mstances of the Brave?”
“Of course, she’s famous after all. Isn’t she the daughter of the Mavis Ducal House, Leticia Von Mavis-dono?”
“That is correct.”
“I hear that she is an extremely beautiful lady.”
Jade does not personally know Leticia.
She was treated as a problem child and never had her debut in high society during her childhood. After the oracle declared her to be the Brave, she left immediately
However, since Leticia’s portrait was placed in the newspapers, her appearance was shown with many news articles, causing her beauty to be widely known.
“I have met her twice, once at the audience with His Majesty, and once during the ball, and I can attest to her matchless beauty. As she is still 14 years old, she is desirable.” [2]
Welt smiled vulgarly.
“Hou, but surely other men haven’t given up on her?” [3]
“Prince Alfred had also asked His Majesty to invite her to become a princess. Well, the Brave has declined the request for now.”
Welt’s body shook as he stifled his laughter.
“The Brave’s invitation to the imperial household was meant to restrain our House.”
“The Crown Prince did that?”
Jade was surprised.
It would be understandable if Leticia, as a duke’s daughter, declined the Imperial Family’s wishes due to the difference in social status. After all, the duke’s status was second to the Imperial Family’s status.
However, to refuse the proposal of becoming the wife of the Crown Prince, as expected of a Brave.
“Didn’t Lord Mavis say anything?”
“Although she’s his daughter, she’s still the Brave. It appears that she has the upper hand. Either way, that saves us some trouble.”
“Honorable Father, what do you say we do?”
“Obtain the Brave’s hand in marriage, Jade.”
Welt’s laughter turned into a smile.
“Your ages are close. If you can marry the Brave, the Clifdolf House will be able to resist the Imperial Family.”
To the plebeians of this country, no, the people of the whole continent, the Brave is a sacred existence.
If the Brave is Jade’s wife…
They could shut up the Emperor, who has recently been meddling in the affairs of us n.o.bles.
It would be hard for the Emperor to interfere if the Brave married into the family.
Looking at his father, who was planning to gain power by obtaining the Brave as his son’s wife, Jade smiled while looking at his father coldly.
He was already imagining the future of having the Brave as his wife.
I wouldn’t be said that he only obtained the t.i.tle of general because he was born into it, but rather due to his own efforts. [4]
Furthermore, desire swirled within Jade’s heart.
(If that’s the case, then from here on out…)
‘If I could marry Leticia the Brave, I may even end up as the emperor.’
Jade suddenly felt his blood boil.
‘The current Imperial Family is soft on the plebeians.’
Jade couldn’t stand it.
As somebody from the Ducal House, Leticia the Brave inherited the blood of n.o.bility.
Instead, n.o.ble blood was important to him.
‘By obtaining her hand in marriage, I would gain many allies.’
‘Thus, the country will be reborn.’
‘Most naturally, the country should have the blue-blooded n.o.bility rule over the ma.s.ses.’ [7]
“So, Honorable Father,”
While thinking about it, Jade interrupted Welt’s tirade on his future prospects.
“What is it?”
“Where is Miss Leticia right now?”
For their plans to go on, the must first gain the Brave’s hand in marriage.
(However, I must first meet her in person.)
At being interrupted, Welt wore a slightly bitter expression. He rose from his chair, and walked toward the window, his belly jiggling.
“Right now, she is staying at the palace. Later, she will return to her Master, but His Majesty seemed to not want to let her leave. Every night, he holds a ball and a banquet to occupy her.”
“In order to meet her, should I attend the ball too?”
“Exactly. The Cliffdorf is sponsoring the ball soon. At that time, create an opportunity. Think about a present to gift her.”
“It will be done.”
Aside from these two people, other n.o.bles are working to obtain Leticia the Brave.
They planned to steal a march on those people.
Jade smiled unconsciously at the gossip. [8]
Clear blue sky, and the gentle sunlight signaled the coming of spring.
Due to the preparations for the Knight School entrance ceremony, Wynn headed to the cathedral in the morning, wiped some sweat on his forehead with a towel on his neck, and then looked up at the shining sky.
Ill.u.s.tration (By みてみん)
(TL: I’m keeping with Wynn. Win just emphasizes the role of an OPMC.. to win.)
The migratory birds that announced the arrival of spring appeared to be white lines in the blue sky.
“Oooi! Wynn!”
Hearing the voice from behind him, he turned and saw his roommate Locke Marine. waving while running towards him.
“Good morning, Locke.”
“Instead of only attending the entrance ceremony, you’re helping with the preparations?”
Locke looked at Wynn’s full hands.
Since the cathedral was lacking chairs, Wynn was carrying one, as requested.
“A teacher saw me doing independent practice. Anyways, had no other plans.”
It’s the fourth time.
Locke takes a chair from Wynn and walks with him.
“More importantly, aren’t you now an apprentice knight? Congratulations!”
“Aah, well..”
While, scratching his head with his free left hand, Locke gave a half-hearted response.
“Honestly, to think I would do it before you…”
“I did not have enough ability, so I failed the examination.”
This happened three times.
Somehow… I couldn’t put magic power into the practice sword.[9]
“Not only that, but his opponent was the top student of his cla.s.s.”
Two years ago, his match ended after having being restrained by magic and disarmed easily.
“Besides, your opponent was formidable, and you had a handicap.”
In a battlefield, one cannot choose their opponent. If I cannot win against whomever my opponent is, I do not have the qualifications to be a knight.
(Sheesh, what a stubborn guy.)
At these words, Locke looked at the back of his silently working friend. [10]
They had been roommates for three years.
The morning after the entrance ceremony, Locke woke up to find that Wynn was not in bed. If he searched the courtyard, he would find him alone swinging an old bokken.
The n.o.bles and merchant children would gathered school, on the other hand…
That was what occupied Locke while he walked behind Wynn.[11]
After washing them, he would act as a waiter in the dining hall.
It was his habit.
He would return from work late at night.
That day, while Wynn returned from work without being able to call out, Locke didn’t feel like playing around, and so he returned to the dorm.
He (Wynn) came home as if nothing happened. However, he was drenched in sweat from swinging his bokken.
Ever since the entrance ceremony, Wynn’s swordsmanship surpa.s.sed the rest, and his peers were surprised at his grades, but only Locke accepted it as a natural outcome.
His hard work could be seen in the results.
When he was young, apart learning the basics from the adventurers, Wynn’s swordsmanship was self-taught, unlike the aristocratic children, who were taught by famous masters. [12]
Even then, Wynn struggled in the cla.s.sroom.
Furthermore, he had low amounts of magic power.
During his second year, he prepared countermeasures, but since the test only allowed the practice swords to be used, he was unable to use the countermeasure, and lost like he did before.
On his third year, he failed to find a way to use the practice sword to counter the magic.
After seeing this, Locke approached a teacher for Wynn’s sake, but after the teacher said “Don’t interrupt the test,” they gave up.
Locke was the second son of a merchant house.
With that sort of half-hearted resolution, considering from Wynn’s desperate efforts, his becoming an apprentice knight seems accidental.
Locke felt guilty towards Wynn.
“Ano, sorry.”
After delivering the items to the official at the cathedral, he was about to set out to help with other work on the way back.
“What is it, senpai?”
Looking back, he saw a young girl standing there.
“Oo, a beautiful person.”
Locke unintentionally muttered. though he was an admittedly reclusive person, even was unconsciously charmed by her.
The girl possessed a sort of translucent beauty.
“A, aa, should I be called senpai? Are you a new student?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
She nodded while smiling sweetly.
“If I have finished registration, I need to change into my uniform, but I don’t see the special changing room for n.o.bles here.”
“Ah, if it’s that, then this isn’t the right way.”
The girl was headed for the commoner’s changing room.
“Sorry, but since it is early, there is barely anybody here, and the other people I asked were busy,”
apologized the girl.
“You two senpais seemed to be walking around idly.”
“Eh, well…”
If that’s the case, then, Wynn, you should show her around, since you’ll be heading towards the entrance ceremony anyways.
“But I still have to help out…”
“Aren’t they all ch.o.r.es anyway? I’ll stay behind and do them for you. What point is helping out with preparations if you don’t help her?”
Waving his hand, Lock quickly turned away and left.
“Well then, Wynn. See you later!”
“Thank you Locke!”
After thanking Locke, Wynn turned to face the girl.
“Well, let’s go then.”
“Okay.”
The girl walked behind Wynn, following him.
He felt like he was caught in something. [13]
“I thought you were my senior, but are you also a new student like me?”
“I am your senior, but this is my fourth time attending the entrance ceremony, so I’m essentially a new student.”
“Then, you will become my cla.s.smate?”
“It will be like that. Please excuse me, but since you’re using the n.o.ble’s changing rooms, are you a foreign exchange student?”
Generally, even the n.o.ble children change in the common changing room by the cathedral.
Only royalty and foreign exchange students of prominent n.o.bles were allowed to use the special changing rooms.
“I was born in this country, but there are a few special circ.u.mstances..”
“So it’s like that, huh. Should I speak more respectfully?”
“Nah, I don’t mind how it is now”
The girl let out a giggle.
“After attending for four years, how can you still hope to be a knight?”
“It is because I swore to become a knight.”
“Even if this path is long and hard, I will continue to struggle without giving up.”
Believing in this, Wynn continued to swing his sword everyday.
“Furthermore, an close friend in the past is still trying her hardest alone in a distant place. Even though we probably won’t meet again, if we do, then I want to be able to tell her that I have become a knight.” (TL: four…)[14]
Having said that, Wynn embarra.s.sedly looked away from the girl.
Thus…
“It’s not strange….”
As the girl’s small mutter trailed off, she realized she had become moved to tears.
“What am I saying to somebody I’ve met for the first time?. Anyways, what’s your reason for enrolling?”
When Wynn asked that question, the girl’s face cleared up and smiled again.
“I am– Hmm… There is a person who I want to walk beside. He is my light, and I am still chasing his back.”
At that, the girl’s smile was so fascinating, that Wynn was unconsciously charmed.
(That smile, where have I seen it before?) (TL: three..)
“Ah, it seems that we have arrived.”
Stopping, Wynn watched as the girl gave the private room a knock before entering.
“Leticia-sama!” (TL: two…)
A large middle-aged man came out from within.
It was the Knight School’s princ.i.p.al, Zaunas-shi.
“You were so late, I thought you were lost.”
“Please excuse me. I actually was a little lost.”
Leticia lightly bowed her head to the princ.i.p.al.
However, Wynn was not paying attention, since he was paying attention to Leticia’s impish smile.
Ill.u.s.tration (By みてみん)
If I remember correctly, you’re the four time repeater Wynn Byrd-kun. You’ve gone to the trouble of guiding her. ??[15]
“Are… are you Leti?” (TL: one…)
Interrupting the princ.i.p.al, he stepped closer to the girl.
He had a surprised and uneasy expression.
“I just realized it, but is it as I thought….?”
Hands on her waist, Leticia sighed.
“It’s been a long time, Onii-chan. I’m back.” (TL: Zero! Celebrate!)
Leticia flashed a dazzling smile at the dumbfounded Wynn.
Did I write it skillfully?
I am more aware of my writing ability … (TN: lazily translated this line…)