Sir K

After finishing their meal in the dining hall, the students were divided into groups based on their sash colors. Compared to the other groups, the Black Sash and White Sash students were noticeably fewer in number.

Ray joined Monk and Gary, noticing another student standing with them. The fourth student also wore a Black Sash. Ray had seen him before, recognizing him as one of the boys from Renny Town, but he hadn't bothered to learn his name until now.

His name was Kyle. He was an energetic, bald-headed student, but what stood out most were his eyebrows—a striking shade of red. Judging by his age and the visible stubble on his head, it seemed Kyle shaved his hair rather than being naturally bald.

Each of the Master Knights led their respective students to training areas designated for their color ranks. The Black Sash students were under the guidance of a knight dressed in black.

As they walked through the academy halls, the Master Knight remained silent, offering no explanation of where they were headed. Kyle fidgeted the entire way, clearly itching to speak. He hesitated several times before finally taking a deep breath and blurting out his question.

"Erm, Sir… Master Knight… What should we call you?"

The knight abruptly stopped. A long silence followed. Sweat trickled down the faces of the other three as if Kyle had made a grave mistake.

"You can call me K," the knight finally responded.

Without further comment, K resumed walking, and the students followed. Unlike the other groups, their path led them outside the academy grounds. The moon shone brightly above, and the distant howls of magical beasts echoed in the night. Monk and Kyle visibly tensed at the sounds.

"The magical beasts reside in the nearby caves," K said. "On nights of the full moon, their powers increase. On rare occasions, they have been known to enter the city, so remain vigilant."

Kyle and Monk gulped audibly, their bodies stiff with fear. Ray could almost hear their heartbeats pounding in their chests.

"Have you ever been to the caves?" Ray asked, thinking they might be a good place to hunt.

"While you are free to leave the city in your spare time," K replied, "I would not recommend hunting there—unless you have a death wish."

Ray narrowed his eyes slightly. K seemed to know exactly what he was thinking. There was something unsettling about the knight—not overtly threatening, but not entirely safe either. Normally, Ray could read a person's intentions upon meeting them, but K was different. Even with the other Master Knights, Ray had been able to discern something about them. But K… K was the first person he couldn't read. The uncertainty sent a small chill down his spine.

Up ahead, a mansion-like structure loomed in the darkness. The building appeared abandoned, its exterior weathered by time. As they approached, a tall figure emerged from within, the dim lighting making their features difficult to discern.

Monk and Kyle instinctively stepped back, fear evident in their faces. Gary rested his hand on the hilt of his weapon, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

"Greetings, Sir K," the figure spoke.

"Same to you, Sir Delbert," K responded.

As the figure stepped into the light, his identity became clear—Knight Delbert. He greeted K with respect, but when his gaze landed on Ray, his expression darkened into a scowl.

"You think you're special, don't you, Ray?" Delbert sneered.

Ray was taken aback by the sudden hostility. Delbert had never been friendly, but to openly display such contempt in front of another knight and students was unexpected.

Delbert stepped closer, his tone seething with disdain. "I know you did something to that sword. If it were up to me, your kind would never be allowed here." His gaze flicked briefly toward Kyle before returning to Ray.

Delbert moved in until his face was nearly touching Ray's. Suddenly, a blade appeared between them—Sir K had drawn his sword.

"May I remind you, Delbert," K said coolly, "that Ray is now a Black Sash Squire and is under my protection."

Delbert's eyes flickered toward K. "Avrion Academy will soon realize that the prophecy is wrong. And when that day comes, we'll see who was right."

K remained expressionless, unmoved by Delbert's words. After a brief standoff, Delbert stepped back, then turned and walked away toward Avrion Academy.

"What a d**k. I didn't know Delbert was like that," Kyle muttered under his breath.

It may have been a surprise to Monk and Kyle, but Ray and Gary had seen Delbert's behavior before.

"He looked like he had it out for you two," Monk observed.

Ray exchanged a glance with Kyle. They both understood why. Delbert harbored an intense hatred toward those with red hair.

Gary approached Ray and lowered his voice. "What was that about a prophecy? Do you know anything about it?"

Ray shook his head, feigning ignorance. But he had a strong suspicion of what Delbert was referring to.

Ten years ago, when knights arrived at their town, Ray had overheard Delbert speaking to Wilfred about a prophecy. At the time, they had found four individuals. Later, in Renny Town, five of them—including Ray—had been given special treatment: guards, tutors, and more. The common factor among them was red hair.

It wasn't hard to piece together. The knights had been searching for people with red hair, likely due to the prophecy.

But there was a key difference between Ray and the others—one he had noticed from the beginning. The other students had always had red hair. Ray, on the other hand, had been born with black hair. His transformation had come later, a result of his past life.

If the prophecy truly sought a red-haired individual, then he wasn't the one they were looking for. They had made a mistake.