Chapter 102
In the Marquis of Nemeia’s household, Theo was nothing more than a useless existence.
He was constantly compared to his exceptionally talented older sister, and that was all.
That was why he wanted to become a holy knight.
He believed that if he became a high-ranking knight in the Holy Empire, even his father would acknowledge him.
Even without innate divine power, one could become a holy knight by receiving consecration.
The holy knight who wielded the Spear of Rubeus originally possessed no divine power at all.
But he was recognized for his outstanding martial prowess and received consecration directly from the Holy King.
Though he lacked talent for divinity, through consecration, he rose to the position of a first-order holy knight.
Having gained strong divine power, he later made a name for himself by wielding the Spear of Rubeus.
Hilderd proudly proclaimed the holy knight they had created to the entire continent.
His success resonated deeply with Theo.
‘I may not have talent for divinity either, but if I just work hard, it should be possible.’
And so, at the age of thirteen, Theo sneaked out of the house and headed to the Holy Empire.
He resolved not to return home until he officially received ordination as a holy knight.
And indeed, he became a trainee and underwent holy knight training.
The training was grueling, but each day felt fulfilling and rewarding.
Here, no one hurled insults at Theo.
No one slapped him across the face or punched him.
Theo grew increasingly fond of his life as an apprentice knight.
He resolved that he must become a holy knight, and he gave it his all.
He truly believed he would receive ordination.
That is, until he met Benji.
“You’re from the Marquis of Nemeia’s family, right?”
Benji approached, mentioning Theo’s background, and extended his hand first for a handshake.
“I’m from a noble family too. But once you’re in the Holy Empire, none of that matters anyway.”
His face, smiling warmly and sociably, was incredibly affable.
Even in the short time he greeted and chatted with Theo, greetings from acquaintances flew in from all directions.
“Let’s get along well.”
Benji, who had boldly approached first, was a friend from whom Theo had much to learn.
He was sly and full of mischief, but he took training more seriously than anyone.
Everyone liked Benji.
And Theo couldn’t help but like him too.
Benji taught Theo all sorts of little things he didn’t know, sometimes handing him snacks, and looked after him as he suddenly found himself living in a foreign land.
Naturally, Theo tried his best to be good to Benji in return, and the two seemed to become excellent friends.
But one day, Benji started acting strange.
It began after Theo won a sparring match against him.
Theo had consistently trained in swordsmanship back at the Marquis of Nemeia’s household.
He was slow to learn, but once he learned something, he never forgot it.
It was the same with learning the swordsmanship of the Holy Empire.
It just took a little time to get used to it.
Once he had mastered it completely, catching up was inevitable.
“Theo, victory!”
On the day he won the sparring match against Benji, who had been the most outstanding among the trainees.
Unlike the others who gasped in shock as the judgment was announced, Theo remained calm.
He had anticipated the win, after all.
But Benji’s face crumpled in a terrifying way.
“……”
He even slapped away Theo’s extended hand with ferocity, then stood up abruptly and disappeared.
From that moment, Benji treated Theo like he was invisible.
Not wanting to lose his friend, Theo agonized over it and eventually deliberately lost to Benji in their next spar.
“What, so that win last time was just luck after all?”
Benji smiled and extended his hand to Theo.
Theo took his hand and stood up, and their relationship returned to normal.
He had to live as the eternal second place, but that was fine.
It wouldn’t be a problem for receiving ordination.
But that was Theo’s naive misconception.
A high-ranking holy knight came to assess the trainees’ levels.
He noticed the skill gap between Theo and Benji the moment he saw their spar.
The two were scolded harshly, and from then on, their relationship soured again.
“That bastard did it on purpose to me.”
Benji went around telling everyone that Theo had deliberately acted that way to make him look bad in front of the superiors.
Theo protested that it wasn’t true, but no one believed him.
Theo became completely isolated.
The kindness Benji had shown turned into malice several times greater, tormenting Theo.
Under Benji’s direction, the trainees all banded together and tore into Theo.
Theo held up as best he could.
But the day he was locked alone in a dark warehouse for over two days was too much.
Exhausted from life in a foreign place with no one to turn to, he cried for a long time before sending a letter to his sister.
It was a letter saying he was doing well and not to worry…
Unfortunately, the letter ended up in his father’s hands.
His father immediately came to the Holy Empire.
And in front of all the trainees, he slapped Theo across the face.
“You arrogant brat!”
Curses and beatings followed.
The trainees watched the entire scene unfold.
Whispers, sidelong glances, stifled coughs to hold back laughter.
Theo’s face flushed red with humiliation as tears streamed down.
That was the end.
Theo left the Holy Empire and returned to the Marquis of Nemeia’s household.
And now, here, he had encountered Benji again.
“……”
Theo felt a sharp pain as if his heart were being squeezed tight.
As expected, Benji had become a holy knight.
With his skill, he must surely be a high-ranking one.
Seeing Benji shining in the very form Theo had wanted to become made him feel even more pathetic today.
“You should really live gratefully. Ah, since it’s been a while, why not at least see the kids’ faces before you go?”
It was while Benji kept tapping him and trying to talk.
Splash, splash, splash.
The sound of rapidly approaching footsteps echoed.
Theo looked ahead in surprise.
Belzeon stood there with a slightly annoyed expression.
Chesha handed the puppy to Belzeon and reached out toward Theo.
Without thinking, Theo naturally pushed off Benji’s arm from his shoulder and lifted Chesha up.
Chesha, nestled in Theo’s arms, climbed onto his shoulder and settled there.
Benji, who had been flustered, let out a hollow laugh upon seeing the small child.
“You came as an escort for a young lady attending the Little Saints’ Prayer Assembly? You’re from a marquis family, and you’re doing this kind of thing…”
He was about to openly mock when he flinched and shut his mouth.
It was because Chesha had narrowed her round eyes fiercely and glared at him.
She extended her tiny finger, like a piece of candy, and pointed accusingly at Benji.
“Don’t bully the bear!”
At the stern warning, both Theo and Benji froze.
Benji, momentarily stunned, soon wore a bewildered expression.
In the meantime, Chesha tugged firmly on Theo’s ear and whispered into it.
“Beat that guy up.”
It was a very violent suggestion.
Theo looked at Chesha.
The child, her face full of dissatisfaction for some reason, had even raised her eyebrows.
Her plump lips moved in a pout.
“Theo is stronger anyway. So why are you scared?”
The short words poked Theo sharply.
Without realizing it, Theo glanced at Benji again.
He was small, and Theo was much larger.
Even the arm around his shoulder earlier had been on tiptoes, pretending to be on equal footing.
This wasn’t the training grounds.
Theo was no longer a child, and there was no reason to be wary of Benji.
And Theo… was much stronger than Benji.
The newly realized facts struck him strangely.
‘Why am I still afraid?’
He slowly mulled over the truth he had only now recognized, staring intently at Benji.
“……”
Benji’s face crumpled.
He had read the change in Theo’s gaze.
With a distorted smile, Benji extended his arm.
“Ha, this bastard…”
But the arm he thrust out stopped in mid-air.
Two swords were drawn simultaneously.
Both Belzeon and Theo drew their swords without hesitation, pointing them at Benji.
They had drawn swords in the Holy Empire, right in the plaza in front of the grand temple swarming with holy knights on all sides.
Benji gasped in horror and shouted.
“Are you insane?”
The sword blades glinted incongruously in the peaceful plaza, drawing the surrounding holy knights toward them.
Even as they swarmed in, ready to arrest them at any moment, for some reason, Theo didn’t feel worried or afraid.
Normally, he would have been terrified by now.
Yet the small weight and warmth perched on his shoulder strangely gave him courage.
To Benji, who stared with eyes wide as if looking at a madman, Theo replied slowly.
“…I’m escorting a precious person.”
“What?”
Glaring at the bewildered Benji, Theo warned.
“So don’t touch carelessly.”
Benji gaped in disbelief, his mouth opening and closing.
“Put away your swords immediately!”
The surrounding holy knights who had encircled them barked roughly.
Just as the situation was about to lead to all of them being arrested by the holy knights.
“Stop.”
A voice as cold as a glacier sliced through the air.
The holy knights recoiled in fear and immediately lowered their swords.
“H-Hailon, sir!”
They quickly saluted and pointed at Chesha, explaining the situation.
“There was a dispute with those escorting that child…”
Hailon, dressed in uniform, raised his hand to silence the holy knights.
And with an expressionless face, he said.
“She is my child.”
