After the field ended, we teleported.
With a blink of an eye, we arrived directly at the entrance of Eliya’s Mansion.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Calm down, it’s okay.”
I patted the startled Yuel.
The sudden shift in space seemed to have shocked her.
Eliya was equally startled because of Yuel.
There was no need to calm her down too.
The moment Yuel lifted her front paw, Eliya teleported away in a flash.
‘Using high-level magic in a place like this… and why is she staring so intently?’
While I was soothing Yuel, the knights stationed at the entrance came running.
“The young lady has returned!”
Several knights and soldiers hurried out.
‘Why is everyone so surprised?’
The way they rushed was unusual.
Their expressions were like those who had just come back to life after dying.
‘…Could it be? Eliya didn’t mention it before leaving?’
Next, the head butler Miguel and Eliya’s personal maid Ria appeared.
They were becoming familiar faces to me.
“My Lady—!”
Among them, Ria looked pale.
She was rushing in as if she might collapse at any moment.
Her red hair was disheveled from the haste.
“My lady, my lady….”
Ria breathed heavily as she spoke.
“Where… why… so suddenly… didn’t you say anything…?”
Her blue lips were trembling.
It didn’t seem like it was just exhaustion.
Just a hunch.
Ria trembled like someone who had just come out of water.
On the other hand, Eliya remained expressionless.
“It was urgent.”
Ria looked at me.
Her dark eyes were dull and worn out.
For some reason, it felt like it was my fault, so I averted my gaze.
Ria looked back at Eliya.
Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but ultimately she hung her head.
“Are you hurt anywhere…?”
“Uh-huh. I’m fine.”
“That’s a relief….”
Ria sighed in relief, and Eliya called Miguel.
“Miguel. Take this.”
The thing she pointed to, which seemed like an ordinary item, was the Sun Symbol I had brought.
The holy relic that grants one miracle no matter what.
It had entered Eliya’s domain, something many factions sought for countless years.
Miguel recognized it and stuttered.
“T-this is… could it be…?”
“Yes. The revered Sun Symbol. Judas found it.”
“Y-you mean….”
“From now on, Judas is my knight.”
At that moment, silence fell.
For an announcement of one’s first knight, it carried no weight at all.
As if saying, “This is my friend.”
Well, it’s not something to celebrate grandly.
Being a knight isn’t that big of a deal.
The Sun Symbol is far more important and extraordinary.
“But since the installation ceremony hasn’t been held, it’s not official yet.”
“I understand. When will the ceremony be held?”
“Well….”
Eliya stared at me and replied.
“I’ll have to think about that separately.”
Saying that, she approached me.
“To be honest, I never thought you would bring back that holy relic.”
I felt the same way.
Who would have thought the target of the final test would be a holy relic I knew?
Moreover, it’s something that shouldn’t have been acquired at this time.
“But you always exceed my expectations.”
“…Thank you for the compliment.”
Eliya smiled gently at my words.
“Shouldn’t we return to the training facility?”
It had been days since the test began.
First, I needed to go to the training facility and inform Gawain of the situation.
“Yes. That’s correct. I intend to report to Sir Gawain first.”
“Well… it’s unfortunate, but it can’t be helped. I have things to do too, so I’ll let you go for now.”
… I wasn’t sure what she found unfortunate, but I nodded anyway.
“And.”
Eliya said.
“Thank you.”
Was she thanking me for bringing the Sun Symbol?
It’s definitely an item worth thanking for.
“I just did what I had to do.”
“…Right.”
In that moment, Eliya’s smile turned slightly strange.
Without a moment to ponder the small difference, she turned and headed into the mansion.
I watched her back.
Her flowing black hair.
Her long legs.
That face, which had come so close….
‘…Stop it!’
I hurriedly shook my head and moved to the training facility.
*
Eliya filled a vase with water using her own hands and moved the marigold she had put in her hair.
She quietly gazed at the vase and pondered.
‘…What is this?’
Currently, she felt strange.
Not just now.
Since that moment when Yuda’s face had come closer, there was an impulse that had lingered, tickling her heart.
It was not just then.
When Yuda called her name, her face turned hot.
That feeling resembled embarrassment.
Why did she react that way just from being called by her name?
She struggled to understand the source of such reactions but could not decode it at all.
‘I don’t dislike this feeling….’
But if asked if it was good, she would tilt her head.
It couldn’t be categorized in either direction.
It felt unfamiliar, awkward, and strange.
Especially, she could not fathom why she had looked at Yuda’s lips back then, nor her intent or purpose behind it.
Yuda, who had looked up at her at that moment.
His flustered expression seemed oddly different from usual.
It was a look she saw often, so why did it feel different?
‘…I don’t get it.’
Eliya ultimately could not find an answer.
She placed the water bottle on the bedroom windowsill.
Next to the anemone pot.
Before she knew it, a stem from the pot had grown, forming a blue bud.
A smile crept across her face.
Though she did not understand the feeling she had earlier, she certainly knew how she felt looking at the anemone.
It was good.
For now, that was enough.
‘When would be a good time for the installation ceremony?’
As she looked at the calendar, one date caught her eye.
February 16.
It was her 18th birthday and the day she would be officially recognized as an adult.
Many people would come to celebrate.
And in front of them….
‘Hmm.’
One thought popped into her mind and Eliya nodded.
‘That would work. Not bad.’
*
In the carriage, I checked the rewards.
The quest that arrived when I brought out the Sun Symbol.
‘Wasn’t it called the one who follows the natural order?’
It was not a choice of reward but a provision, so I had already received it.
If there were any characteristics, they would likely have been added.
I just hadn’t confirmed what those rewards were yet.
[Providing rewards.]
[‘Lunar Influence’ is added to your characteristics.]
‘…Lunar Influence?’
Curious about what kind of characteristic it was, I opened the status window.
[Lunar Influence.]
-Enhances the effect of ‘Divine Discovery.’
-User’s magic growth rate increases (2x > 3x).
‘…Hmm?’
That was quite an unusual reward.
Of course, increasing magic is good.
It’s a positive thing, but still? Three times?
Two times was already fast enough!
When I checked my stats after a long time, I was shocked.
‘…Why is this happening?’
[Health: 54.3]
[Strength: 48.5]
[Agility: 50.1]
These three stats rose evenly.
But.
[Magic: 43.5]
The magic stat dropped by 1.5.
I distinctly remembered it being 45 just a while ago.
‘Can this even happen…?’
I had never heard of magic stats decreasing.
A sudden memory flashed through my mind.
That time, when I embraced Eliya at the altar where the Sun Symbol was kept, I felt something leaving my body.
And it was because of that experience that I unconsciously hugged Eliya.
‘So, what if the thing that left then….’
Several images quickly came to mind.
Ever since some time, Eliya had started hugging me as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Almost to a level of awkwardness.
Perhaps the reason she clung to me for those five years was to absorb my magic.
That seemed the most plausible possibility.
Now that the stats had changed, I realized it.
‘Was that what it was…?’
It all traced back to the first scripture I heard five years ago.
The sun absorbs the moon.
And in the end, the moon dies to the sun.
‘…You don’t mean she wouldn’t actually die, would you?’
Just because Eliya desires my magic doesn’t mean that reality would greatly change.
I would only renew my determination.
‘I’ll have to diligently raise my magic stat.’
*
When I arrived at the training facility, Hermis was waiting outside.
“Oh! Yuda! You’re back!”
She exclaimed as she ran up to me.
“What was the result? How did it go? Was it the revered Sun Symbol? Did you find it?!”
“Unfortunately….”
I deliberately paused.
Hermis’s expression slowly morphed into disappointment.
“I found it.”
“Ah… I knew it… Finding that holy relic isn’t something that happens easily… Wait?!”
“It was hidden in a certain ruin that I discovered.”
I intentionally kept quiet about Hazle and the Royal Wizard Order.
Though I had developed a trusting relationship with Hermis and the information guild, this was not typical.
For Eliya’s sake, it was better to keep it under wraps.
Now, I felt a bit proud of having gained this much insight.
I shouldn’t become too sharp though.
“The Sun Symbol was taken by the young lady….”
“Oh, what is this?”
Hermis slapped my arm.
“I was thinking of some comforting words to console you, thinking you had failed!”
“That hurts….”
I was not joking; it actually stung.
This woman is undoubtedly a knight too.
“That much pain is acceptable.”
“A knight hitting their own charge, how noble.”
“Anyway, congratulations! You’ve finally achieved what you wanted, right?”
What I wanted….
That’s an interesting expression.
When I first came to the training facility, I was trying to escape.
‘That’s not entirely wrong.’
Since I resolved to become Eliya’s knight, it was indeed true that I achieved what I wanted.
“Thank you.”
“Then has the young lady acknowledged you? When is the installation ceremony?”
“I’m not sure about the ceremony yet, but she acknowledged me.”
“Hmm.”
Hermis crossed her arms and rubbed her chin.
“Somehow it feels disappointing.”
“What do you mean?”
“This is the first knight since this training facility was established! Plus, you saved her life when she was little and slept under the same roof, basically sharing souls, so it feels so anticlimactic….”
“Please save your words. I’m terrified someone might overhear. And what’s there to feel disappointed about when the ceremony is still pending?”
“Still, wouldn’t it be more fun if it was kept a secret and then acknowledged grandly later?”
“What’s so fun about that?”
Truly, she was a peculiar woman.
Even with my teasing, Hermis smiled brightly as if it was amusing.
Then she tilted her head and asked.
“But then, what about me? The knight of the knight?”
“…Huh? Good question?”
Hermis was assigned as my knight by Eliya.
Strictly speaking, it was different from those knights used by nobles, but to me, it was the same.
Anyway, she had protected me well for five years…
What now that I would be guarding Eliya?
“I’m sure the young lady will arrange things well.”
“Hmm. You’re right.”
Hermis, who had been looking at me, grinned.
“Congratulations, Yuda.”
I smiled back and nodded.
“Thank you.”
*
After saying goodbye to Hermis, I went to find Sir Gawain.
I had an obligation to report, and I wanted to deliver the news quickly.
My first impression when I enlisted was not particularly great.
However, thanks to Eliya, I had received personal training from him, and now we were on reasonably good terms.
Honestly, Gawain had helped me a lot.
Although it began with punishment, he was serious in every moment.
He didn’t shower me with flattery, nor did he speak demeaning words.
He was truly an objective mentor.
Although he initially claimed he wouldn’t make a good mentor for me, from my perspective, he was more than competent.
“Uh-huh. So that’s how it is.”
Gawain said, with a dull tone.
I had just finished my report to him.
“Yes. I found the Sun Symbol.”
“That holy relic….”
He was seated in his office, leaning back against the chair while slowly nodding.
The corners of his mouth twitched under his bushy beard.
I wondered if Gawain grew that beard to hide his expressions?
“Oh, and this is something that happened during the trial process….”
I couldn’t say anything about Hazle or the Royal Family.
I didn’t know how Eliya decided on things.
Thus, I excluded that part and recounted only what I experienced.
“I utilized the sword using sword skills.”
“…….”
“And for a brief moment, I reached the ‘realm’ you mentioned, Sir.”
“Hmm….”
Gawain nodded slowly and stood up.
“Not only have you become a knight, but you also reached that realm in one go….”
Then he suddenly approached the window.
‘…What’s going on?’
He stared out of the window for quite some time.
Still not looking at me, he spoke.
“Excellent.”
There was something stuck in his voice, as if he was about to cry.
‘…Could it be?’
I, unsure, asked.
“Sir Gawain. Are you crying?”
“…Ahem! Ahem!”
He exaggeratedly cleared his throat several times, still speaking in a slightly choked voice.
“D-Don’t say nonsense!”
I found myself smiling despite myself.
‘He’s crying, isn’t he?’
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