“Young Master, there may be many eyes on you, but don’t worry too much. You’ll do just fine.”
And so, the time had come.
Today marked the start of the Coming-of-Age Ceremony.
I couldn’t help but worry if he would pull it off well.
“Don’t worry.”
“But what if you make a mistake…?”
“It’s all good, I tell you.”
Kyle’s face was completely devoid of worry.
He looked way too relaxed for someone about to undergo an important ceremony and succession.
To anyone else, he could easily be mistaken for someone living a normal life.
“Yes…”
“By the way, do I really need to button this all the way up?”
“It’s required.”
Normally, I would let Kyle wear whatever he liked, whether that meant leaving his shirt unbuttoned or whatever else felt comfortable.
But today, that was not an option.
Think about how many people gathered just to see Kyle’s Coming-of-Age Ceremony.
There was no need to show any weakness for a couple of minutes of comfort.
Even leaving one button undone could be seen as a shortcoming in noble society.
They would bash him for lack of decorum.
If I have to choose between hearing snide remarks or feeling slightly uncomfortable, I’d choose discomfort every time.
“If you really feel the need to unbutton it, do it after the ceremony during the festivities. I’m sure nobody will say anything then.”
“Got it.”
As I tied Kyle’s necktie, I could feel a rush of readiness.
Under normal circumstances, he would never wear something like this, but today, he needed to look perfect.
The attire might be a bit warm for Kyle, who hails from the North.
A shirt, necktie, and a coat on top.
He usually just wore a shirt, so this must feel especially uncomfortable.
“Ha… Young Master, if there’s anyone here who you find unpleasant, please don’t do anything weird. Just inform the Duke or the Head Butler.”
“Do you really think someone’s going to act out at a Coming-of-Age Ceremony?”
“While that might be true…”
Predicting the behavior of nobles can be trickier than one might think.
On the day the Duke’s heir becomes an adult, there’s a chance for some unrefined antics.
If they had any sense, they wouldn’t dare, but there are plenty of airheads roaming around.
“Just be cautious, alright?”
“Yes.”
Afterward, Kyle and I stepped out of the room.
Then we exited the castle.
We hopped onto a carriage to continue our journey.
As we traveled, one thought crossed my mind.
“The weather is quite harsh today.”
“Indeed.”
Today was windier and had more snowfall than usual.
It was the first day of the new year, right in the middle of winter.
So the cold weather was to be expected.
“Ha…”
“Are you alright?”
“Of course I am.”
In truth, I wasn’t entirely fine.
I felt very anxious about Kyle.
The thought of him having to endure the cold for a fortnight was nerve-wracking.
What if something dangerous happened?
“Sophia.”
“…Yes?”
Kyle suddenly took my hand.
I didn’t quite understand the situation, but one thing was clear.
Kyle’s hand was incredibly warm.
Now I understood why he could endure the cold weather so well.
I mean, humans are generally around 36.5 degrees, but his hand felt like it was at least 38!
“Am I really that concerning to you?”
“…Yes.”
“I told you not to worry several times.”
“That’s true.”
How could I not worry?
This was a child I had raised since he was 12 who was about to be thrown into the snowy wilderness for two weeks.
I couldn’t be unsympathetic.
“Well… if you really want me to, I’ll try to cheer you on.”
“Cheer me on…?”
“Yes, if you cheer me on, I feel like I’ll do just fine.”
“…”
Even if I was tasked with cheering him up, I had no idea how to go about it.
It caught me off guard.
How would I cheer someone on just like that?
“If you do well and come back… let’s go to that nice place we talked about. The one you mentioned a while ago.”
Suddenly, I recalled something Kyle said before.
He promised to take me somewhere nicer than the mountain where I got injured.
That memory struck me out of nowhere.
“How about it? That doesn’t sound too bad.”
Kyle answered with a smile.
It felt strange that I was the one overthinking things when the one doing the succession was Kyle.
But thanks to Kyle, I managed to calm down.
…
It was bewildering to think that this young kid had grown up so well.
I mean, I wouldn’t be having children anytime soon, but if I ever did, it would feel something like this.
Anyway, we rode the carriage towards the Grand Shrine where the Coming-of-Age Ceremony would take place.
The Grand Shrine, which began construction after returning from the Cathedral, was truly magnificent.
Not a single shred of doubt that it was called the Grand Shrine.
We halted the carriage in front of it and followed after Kyle as we disembarked.
There were an overwhelming number of people surrounding the Grand Shrine.
From Northern Residents to nobles and representatives from various regions, the crowd was massive.
It was just absurd.
“Young Master, you can head inside now.”
Kyle nodded in response before making his way inside.
The reason the Coming-of-Age Ceremony was held at the Grand Shrine was quite simple.
After all, the castle couldn’t manage that many people.
And given that many folks were at the castle, who knows what might happen?
Anyway, as Kyle entered, it was clear that nobles sat in rows in their seats.
And further inside were significant figures from the Eristirol Family, including the Duke, and members of the Knights.
The sacred ambiance of the Grand Shrine set a somber tone.
Except for the Duke and Adela, everyone else spoke in hushed whispers.
Moreover, when I glanced toward Elin, I noticed her slightly trembling.
“Kyle Eristirol of the Eristirol Family, step forward.”
Kyle walked forward, weaving through the rows of seated nobles.
I stood at the door of the Grand Shrine, watching the beginning of Kyle’s Coming-of-Age Ceremony.
It wouldn’t be right for a servant like me to intrude on such an important moment.
The ceremony kicked off with what flowed out of the Duke’s mouth, a graceful welcome speech that belied his appearance.
Normally, he’d laugh out loud, but given the occasion, he held back, not wanting to crack up too much.
“I’ve prepared a test to assess if the little wolf of Eristirol is worthy of this opportunity.”
The Duke glanced lightly toward the Knights.
This was precisely what Elin had mentioned before.
The duel between Kyle and Elin.
I already knew this from hearing about it multiple times.
But I had no reason to worry.
After all, it was just a show.
Kyle grabbed a longsword offered by a nearby knight and assumed a stance.
“Wow…”
I was amazed.
I knew he had learned about swords, but seeing him wield one for the first time was breathtaking.
Perhaps that’s why his posture looked considerably impressive.
For someone who began his sword training around age 15, it looked almost flawless.
“Position.”
With the Duke’s command, they prepared their stances and faced each other.
Elin played the role of an ordinary knight, donned in armor.
If she took off her helmet, attention would likely shift from Kyle to Elin.
“Ready!”
In contrast to Elin, Kyle wore armor only on his helmet and hands.
While I worried that he might get hurt dressed like that, I allowed myself to push those thoughts aside.
After all, it was Elin.
I assumed she’d take care of things just fine.
“Begin!”
At the Duke’s signal, the duel commenced.
They initially stayed in a standoff, eyeballing each other.
The duel took place in the pristine center of the Grand Shrine, perfectly in view of both the audience and members of the Eristirol Family.
“Kah!”
Kyle lunged at Elin, his sword cutting through the air.
But Elin easily blocked it with her sword.
-Clang!!
Though Elin parried Kyle’s strike, he didn’t retract, pushing harder against her.
Elin soon caught on to Kyle’s intentions, cleverly shifting to redirect his blade.
-BAM!!
Kyle’s sword struck the floor of the Grand Shrine.
“!!”
The moment Kyle’s sword hit the ground, Elin swung at him, but Kyle reflexively bent backward to evade the attack.
For a fleeting moment, I feared for Kyle’s safety, but thankfully, he dodged.
Despite being weaponless now, he had to face an armed opponent.
It wasn’t exactly an easy feat.
Knights were incredibly skilled with their weapons.
-Elong!!
After Kyle lost his weapon, Elin continued her assault.
Yet Kyle expertly maneuvered to dodge each strike.
“Huff…!”
Elin put all her strength into a side slash aimed at Kyle.
-Swish!
Had that hit, it would have been a grave injury.
But Kyle managed to evade the attack.
And then, in a swift motion, he grabbed her sword with one hand!
“Phew… finally got a hold of it.”
Of course, since he had armor on, it wasn’t much trouble, yet I instinctively closed my eyes.
I imagined he might bleed if he got hurt.
“Is it my turn now? Sir Elin?”
Kyle declared as he disarmed her and tossed her sword aside.
Perhaps he believed winning with swords would be more difficult than this.
I thought this was a reasonable decision.
-Clang!
-Thud!
In a blink, they transformed the duel into a fistfight.
Although originally meant for the audience’s entertainment, I couldn’t help but worry intensely.
Kyle couldn’t afford to get hurt!
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