Introduction to the knights

>>Enri

"Alright everyone," I spoke up gathering the attention of all my knights in the training ground, "Listen up," They all looked at me, "We're getting a new trainee today." 

I had a meeting with the Oracle before dawn. She expressed her worry regarding Mavis and that she probably doesn't have any place to go. She didn't tell me the details just like the first time but made sure to put the problem in my head.

I know it's not my duty but since the Oracle asked, I myself felt like I should try and do something. Mavis is just a girl and quite an alluring one at that. If I make her a trainee she'll at least have a place where she can live. Many knights live in the palace servant quarters.

"What?" One of my knights said, "A trainee?"

"Here?" All of them were rather stunned.

"A trainee? We've never had a trainee before." And just like I had expected they all started complaining.

"Yea, we're the royal guard. We don't have trainees."

Mavis was hiding behind me, her small stature actually allowed her to completely vanish behind me but I felt her grip on my clothes tighten when all the knights complained.

"Right?" They all looked at each other, "We're the best ones collected from different places."

"A trainee doesn't make any sense!"

I understand their doubts. The royal security squad is made up of the best knights in the country that come from all over the nation. So while we all train to better ourselves, there has never been a trainee with no official training here. Even the knights who directly join the royal squad are training under one knight separately, not as a squad trainee.

"Captain, why would you suddenly introduce a trainee?"

"Yea, something is suspicious." They all eyed me and I sighed.

"Well, to be fair, the girl is supposed to train under me." The light in their eyes perked up.

"A girl~?" I knew what they all were trying to get at and I ignored it with all my might. I haven't mentioned a female for quite some time or gone out with anyone at that so they're all being jerks right now.

"But I want everyone to help me out since I have other things I need to take care of and can't guide her all the time."

"That just means you're pushing your apprentice onto us,"

"Captain, that's not how this works!"

"Yeah, there are no squad trainees! Only the best can come in." 

I felt her grip on the back of my shirt increase.

"Well I'm telling you she's mine and I just need help from you all!" I growled at them.

"But captain, you're breaking the rules."

"Yea!"

"Oh my God!" I massaged my temples, "Fine, let's not call her a trainee then. She's just an apprentice of mine, Okay?!"

They all nodded their heads in peace and I shook mine in disappointment. Do any of them take me seriously?

"Her name's Mavis," I sighed, "Mavis," I glanced back and she flinched, "Come out."

"Wait," The knights panicked, "She was here all along?"

"Oh, shit…" About time they all realized and tried to cover up their blunder.

"We didn't mean anything bad by what we said." 

Mavis looked up at me and I nodded.

"Girl, we'll be happy to help."

"Yea, we really didn't mean anything negative!"

Mavis popped out her head from behind me nervously and all the knight suddenly shut their mouths. I looked back at them to see what was wrong and it was quite a view really. 

When they looked at her they all paused with their eyes out wide. Well, Mavis is quite pretty and maybe a bit small considering her age to be a knight but for the time being, this is the best solution I can provide for her.

"Captain…" They all then looked at me with wide wary eyes.

"The hell are you looking at me for?" I glared at them

"You brought such a pretty and petite girl here…"

"And?" I folded my arms.

"You're seriously asking us?"

I raised my brows at them and they quietly looked between me and Mavis on repeat.

"If none of you speak up, you're all getting a hundred laps."

"No!" They screamed together, "We'll be happy to help you!" I noticed something wrong in their eyes but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. It was like they were scheming something but what could they possibly scheme here?

"Mavis," I softly placed my hand on hers and brought her out front, "It's just practice," I placed my hands on her shoulders when she was in front of me and looked at all the other knights, "They'll help you." She was still nervous, I could tell because of her body language. She was feeling like a stranger but that's a given.

But then again, there is something I can do to make her feel at ease. I looked at my knights and glared at them with a gesture.

"Mavis!" Nana was the first one who came over and held her hands, "We'd all love to help you!" Following her, the rest of the guards came over and tried to befriend her.

I smiled and folded my arms.

Good.

At least these fools act whenever I get a little serious with them.

I watched as they all introduced themselves and nodded as I felt satisfied. I stood in my place when she quietly looked back at me with worried eyes.

….!!

At first, I didn't get it but it hit me all of a sudden that she might be getting overwhelmed. God knows how much time she's been in that miserable unmovable situation of confinement.

"Rose, Nana," I called out to the two female knights, "You'll be in charge of Mavis for a while." I looked at the rest, "You all, back to work." I glared at them, "Now,"

"Yes sir," The rest of them scurried away.

"Captain," Rose came over and nudged me while Nana stayed with Mavis as all the other knights went to their respective work.

"What?"

"Isn't the girl too old and thin to learn from the start?"

…

I looked at Mavis and observed, "She's familiar with the basics." I glanced at Rose, "Just cooperate with me for a while. This might just be a temporary thing."

"What?" She looked at me suspiciously, "Captain, what are you even doing?"

"Listen, Rose, she doesn't have anywhere to go and I've been told to do something about it and this is the best solution I have for now." She looked at me with a frown, "Until the time I find something else, just do what I'm telling you."

She sighed and looked back at Mavis while I did the same.

…

Rose is right…

Mavis is too thin, she needs to eat more. I should ask the doctor or the nurse about her recovery level to see how much I can train her.

>>Enri

"What?" I was surprised, "Are you absolutely sure?" I had come to visit the nurse in charge of Mavis to ask about a few things.

"Yes," She replied, "She's all healed up."

"Just-" It seemed impossible, "Wasn't her condition really bad? What about the injury on her stomach?"

"The amazing part is, the wound on her stomach healed very nicely." The nurse was in awe as well, "I didn't think it was possible, even if the wound was going to heal, it was going to take a lot of time and it was definitely going to leave a scar."

"It didn't?"

She shook her head, "No, it's like it was never there."

"This fast?" This shouldn't be possible. She's only been here for a few days.

"Yes, It's very unusual."

Hmmm

This is actually new to me too. I saw her injury the day I rescued her and I know how bad it was and now it's healed?

On that note, there are a lot of things that don't quite add up. Her recovery rate is fast, very fast, even knights with top-notch fitness don't recover like this. And without a scar?

Come to think of it, I didn't see any other injury on her body either. If what her mother did to her was a regular thing, shouldn't there be something else too?

….

I'd guess she has a special power to recover but I wonder if that's all. Having a high healing efficiency could lead to that but that kind of mana only belongs to magicians and I definitely don't sense any sort of magic from her.

  I feel like there's something I'm missing.

This shouldn't be humanly possible

….

Is she perhaps a hidden demon?

…

I wasn't sure.

No one could tell Sorin was one either… So it could be the case with Mavis too. Right? Or am I thinking too much into it?

But on that note, Sorin didn't let anyone near her but anyone is free to approach Mavis.

I tapped my foot as I thought about it more.

Just what am I overlooking?