Episode 18: The Watchtower and the Knights
The lookout tower is the tallest building in the castle.
It is a tall cylindrical tower made of roughly cut square stones, standing independently and not connected to any other buildings.
As the name suggests, its main purpose is observation. It was designed for climbing during wartime to survey the battlefield from above.
When Luke was guided to the top floor for the first time by Emile and Lily, the observation tower was filthy, dusty, and even adorned with spider webs. Even in peacetime, this was a concerning state of affairs.
Determined to tackle the grim condition, Luke promptly decided to bring in some cleaning supplies.
Swish, swish went the broom as he diligently swept, and when he finished wiping it down to a sparkle, he destroyed the webs but let the spiders scamper away to freedom.
By the time the observation tower was completely cleaned…
The sky in the far east shimmered with the colors of dawn, and he could see the morning sun lazily climbing up.
As Luke breathed in the crisp morning air, he felt as if he had gained something precious, as if good fortune was on the horizon.
That feeling of “something good is about to happen” materialized the moment Luke descended the terrifyingly high ladder and placed his feet firmly on the ground.
“That was quick.”
“Alexia-sama…!”
Alexia had her long hair cascading down. It glimmered in the pure light of dawn, her lustrous black hair casting a halo of brilliance. Her eyes mirrored the captivating deep blue of the sky above.
“…I… love you…!” Luke murmured, finding his hands clasped in prayer without realizing it.
“What are you praying for?” she asked.
“I’m just so happy to see something beautiful this morning…”
Being able to gaze upon Alexia so early in the morning was a fantastic omen. Today was shaping up to be a great day.
Incidentally, if Luke saw Alexia in the morning, it made him think, “It’s going to be a good day.” If he encountered her during the day, he believed, “Today is a good day.” And if he saw her at night, he could reflect, “Today was a good day.” In short, love is magnificent because it blesses him with happiness at any time, without exception.
“Are you going somewhere?” he inquired.
“Yeah. It’s my morning routine—training with the knights.”
Alexia smiled, indicating the sword she was holding—a long sword, designed for practice.
Imagining Alexia wielding a sword made Luke’s heart flutter wildly. There was no denying it; he absolutely loved everything about it.
“Want to come with me?”
“Yes!”
Luke’s excitement was on full display, his eyes sparkling like a puppy wagging its tail with boundless enthusiasm.
*
The Rietberg Knights’ headquarters was nestled in a fortified area to the north of the castle.
Within a vast area carved into the mountain, the garrison boasted quarters for the knights, an arsenal, and an impressive training ground.
“Good morning, everyone.”
“My Lady!”
“Good morning!”
Alexia greeted cheerfully, and a chorus of hearty voices responded in kind.
A wall of muscles, towering like iron pillars, obstructed Luke’s view completely.
“Uh…?” he gawked, staring blankly at the wall of brawn.
“A knight…? Right…?” he questioned, feeling disbelief wash over him; these men were nothing like he pictured knights to be.
Bulging muscles. Sweat cascading like waterfalls. A primal, earthy scent. Their necks and limbs were thick, their robust physiques towering beyond mere muscularity.
Though they all donned matching uniforms, their sleeves were rolled up, their robust chests boldly on display, covered in intricate tattoos that screamed artistic flair.
To put it nicely, they appeared fierce. To put it less kindly, they looked downright savage.
In fact, if they were in the capital, one might mistakenly think they were a band of marauders rather than knights.
“I’m Nicholas, the commander of the Knights. Beside me are the leaders of each unit: Julius, Klaus, and Marius,” Alexia introduced grandly.
The men she pointed out looked impressively muscular, towering above even the other knights.
“That guy…?” Luke’s memory sparked—a fleeting recollection of Julius struck him, piecing together the fragments of memory.
That’s right. The day they first arrived here and were attacked by a wild wolf. He was next to Alexia that day—and the man who had pushed Luke off a cliff.
(Ah, that time…!)
That single blow had been effective. Considering the strength required to command a unit, it made complete sense.
Moreover, Luke felt no resentment for being pushed off the cliff. It was only natural to handle a suspicious man who suddenly proposed to an important young lady with a bit of roughness.
Even if he got beaten up and his body fell apart, he couldn’t complain; he was fortunate to have only been pushed.
“Well then, Nicholas, I’ll leave it to you,” Alexia said, running her hand through her long black hair. With deft fingers, she gathered it up, tying it neatly.
As white nape of her neck peeked through, Luke’s heartbeat skyrocketed, almost stealing his breath.
(I love it…!)
Unaware of Luke’s racing heart, Alexia gracefully swung her sword.
Although it was a practice sword, made of iron and quite heavy, she moved with a grace that suggested she didn’t feel its weight at all.
Nicholas, the commanding knight, had muscles that could rival boulders and towered over Alexia.
With a signal, they both simultaneously drew their swords from their sheaths.
The swordplay was as swift as lightning.
In a flash, the two clashed their swords, the sounds of blows echoing through the training ground—clang, clang!
“…Wow,” Luke breathed, holding his breath, entranced.
His family, the Valten family, had also employed renowned knights, drawn by his younger brother Matthias’s enthusiasm for training with them and often challenging them to duels.
However, the knights hired by Hermine had been strictly instructed never to harm Matthias, so everyone treated him with the utmost leniency.
They wouldn’t even properly teach him the basics, let alone the secrets of swordsmanship.
Their job was merely to allow Matthias to win, lavish praise upon him, and send him home in high spirits.
In fact, if anyone were to seriously try to train Matthias and cause him injury, they would be immediately dismissed from their posts.
The Valten family, being originally merchants, was never expected to contribute to military endeavors.
Even as the successor, it seemed they only hoped Matthias would indulge in swordsmanship as a pastime.
The only one oblivious to all this was Matthias himself.
He boasted that he had never lost to any knight and called himself a genius, often challenging Luke to battles while flaunting his custom-made, expensive sword—against unarmed Luke, no less.
Having seen so many knights adjust their approach for Matthias, Luke could easily discern whether others were indeed giving it their all.
And that’s why it struck him—there was no favoritism among the knights of the Rietberg territory.
Regardless of whether she was the lord’s daughter or a lady, they were a hundred percent committed, facing Alexia with unyielding intensity.
The sound of their clashing swords reverberated profoundly, and even the sparks that flared as their blades collided were breathtaking.
“…Incredible…”
Luke, engulfed in awe, was encircled by the unit captains, who grinned at him mischievously.
“Right? Our girl is amazing, isn’t she?”
Julius threw his thick arm around Luke’s shoulder.
“Hey, buddy, wanna work up a sweat too?”
“Yes!”
Luke beamed back, looking up at Klaus with eager determination.
“Alright, that’s the spirit! First, let’s run twenty laps around the castle!”
“Yes!”
Motivated by Marius’s bulging muscles, Luke fell in line.
Alexia squared her stance, pointing her sword firmly at Nicholas.
With a strong swing, she deflected Nicholas’s heavy strike, then swiftly slashed sideways. Seizing the slight opening that appeared, she brought her sword down in a diagonal cut.
Before Nicholas could regain his balance from the staggering impact, Alexia swiftly leaped forward, delivering another strike without giving him a moment’s respite.
Nicholas’s massive body lifted into the air, kicking up a cloud of dust before crashing down into the arena with a thud!
Watching Alexia move with such poise left Luke’s heart pounding wildly.
“…I… love her…!”
With starry-eyed admiration, Luke gazed at Alexia, his heart ablaze with fervor. Meanwhile, Julius, Klaus, and Marius exchanged amused glances, their expressions twisting into something resembling disbelief.
“…You know, numerous young nobles have proposed to her up to now, but…”
“…Yeah. This is the first time I’ve seen a young man fall for her all over again after witnessing her knock the commander down…”
“…Normally, guys would freak out…”
It wasn’t unusual for men to react negatively when a woman bested them in strength. Instead of being impressed, they often displayed resentment, calling her insolent rather than praising her and labeling her barbaric.
Especially among the soft, pampered boys of the central nobility, untouched by wars—this was the expected response. But this lad, well, he seemed different.
Julius, Klaus, and Marius burst into synchronized laughter, finding amusement in Luke’s infatuation.
“Hmph… interesting guy…”
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