CHAPTER 42

On a moonlit night, an empty field stretched out before him.

Vlad was standing alone, beads of sweat rolling down his face.

"Ha!"

Vlad was training, pushing himself harder than any other squire present.

"Heuk, heuk."

A single drop of sweat on his chin caught the moonlight.

However, before the sweat could reach the ground, he hurriedly wiped it away with his hand.

The word "effort" was magnificent, beautiful, and radiant, but Vlad didn't want to display it outwardly.

Because he didn't want others to see his feeble self, the image of himself rolling aimlessly, having let go of everything.

Perhaps the moments when he might appear weak.

"Heup!"

From the small vacant lot in the back alley to the training ground he took from the squires now, Vlad, as always, sought out a place with no one to swing his sword.

[If only your back was a bit straighter…]

".....Straighten my back? Stand upright?"

Nevertheless, Vlad corrected his posture while listening to the advice of a voice that he could interpret slightly differently than before.

The voice and Zayar had told him that there was no shortcut to return quickly.

They had said that only mastery gained through repetition and accumulated experience over a long time could be trusted.

"Hu······."

What a blessing it is to be able to prepare for the possibilities of tomorrow with all your might.

For the boy, compared to his life in the back alleys where he couldn't even foresee the future, this was like heaven.

Vlad was keenly aware that this moment was like his golden age.

[Let's call it a day.]

"Already?"

[The daily quota is already fulfilled.]

The voice understood Vlad's sentiments well.

Therefore, it did its best to control so that Vlad could burn slowly.

To prevent oneself from burning too quickly and exhausting oneself.

[The final warm-up is the most important. If you get injured now, everything you've worked for so far will be in vain.]

"Got it."

Following the advice of the voice, Vlad assumed the finishing posture that Zayar had taught, relaxing his muscles.

Although he regretted not practicing with Zayar due to his mistake yesterday, he did not neglect the efforts to move forward.

Always being prepared was the only way to seize opportunities.

[Let's go inside.]

"Hmm."

The boy, whose entire body was drenched in sweat, walked towards the mansion to avoid the increasingly cold night air.

"······."

However, tonight, he wasn't the only one awake.

Though he couldn't hear Vlad's voice from a distance, the one-eyed knight was also gazing at the empty field.

Raising a person is the most difficult task.

Some things may grow prosperously with just love, but for humans, sharp reprimands are also necessary.

That's the only way to prevent them from going astray.

After watching the boy enter, the one-eyed knight left his post.

It was a night in which the two men, who felt awkward in their respective positions, had many concerns.

※※※※

"Alright."

Josef answered inside the brightly lit office.

"······Thank you."

Though it was somewhat disrespectful, Vlad couldn't help but feel sorry for the shadow in Josef's eyes that did not disappear no matter how much light shined on it.

In reality, he had fallen ill for a few days just after returning from Deomar.

"I was thinking of giving you some time off. Moreover, since you've made your own way here, there's no reason not to send you."

Though he had obtained permission from Josef, Vlad still cautiously observed him with a somewhat crumpled appearance.

This was because there was an awkward atmosphere between them, especially considering the one-eyed knight's lack of response, despite his efforts to make eye contact.

"······."

Josef noticed the awkward atmosphere between them, but didn't say anything. Even though he was the highest-ranking person here, there was a relationship of respect that needed to be upheld.

"······Even if it's vacation, a knight should never let go of their sword."

The one-eyed knight was the first to break the subtly prolonged silence. 

Although his gaze was subtly averted, it was clear that Zayar was speaking to Vlad.

"I'll see when you come back."

When it comes to training, if you don't do it for a day, you know it, and if you don't do it for a week, others know it.

Zayar knew that Vlad would likely understand this without him having to say it, but in the current situation, there were no words that came to his mind.

He had never raised a person, including a squire like Vlad.

"Understood."

Now, finally facing the Zayar who acknowledged him, Vlad responded in a loud voice.

"Still, it would be best not to expect too much from horses. Your problem may be difficult to solve even for the Kanoor family."

"······Yes."

However, Vlad's sense of anticipation was shattered again by Josef's following words.

"Just roughly figure out to what extent the horses are rejecting you. If there are those who reject you less, find out where they come from."

Josef was well aware of Vlad's inability to ride horses clearly, and that it wasn't his fault.

Although it was a very specific case, there were times when horses rejected people, as in Vlad's case.

People with a strong smell of blood or under a special curse.

Or it was the case with knights who had excessively strong momentum.

'······In the first place, knights with strong momentum control it on their own.'

For now, in the case of Vlad, it would be best to leave all possibilities open.

Like Alicia, he was a guy who didn't know where to go.

"Go ahead. I'll see you in a week."

"Understood."

"No need for a gift when you come back."

"······Yes."

Listening to Josef's ambiguous words about whether to bring a gift or not, Vlad left the office with a troubled expression.

"Kanoor family..."

Josef frowned slightly as he looked at the door Vlad left through.

"If things go well, they might meet each other."

"Both of them are quite noticeable figures."

While looking at the door through which Vlad had left, Josef thought about the possibilities that could arise in that place.

"Well, if it's urgent, he'll figure it out himself."

"Isn't he going to feel suspicious?"

To Zayar's question, Josef just buried his head in the documents as if he had nothing to think about.

"If there's something he wants, he will just come and ask for it. He doesn't appreciate manipulating people behind the back."

Zayar could only nod at Josef's response.

Perhaps Josef's words were correct.

They were the two who knew each other the best in the world.

※※※※

"What I had in mind has come at a very good time."

In the reception room of Oksana's residence, where even the sunlight felt orange, Vlad stood rigidly once again.

Servants bustling around were constantly trying on clothes for Vlad.

Having witnessed this scene every time he came here, Vlad knew that standing still was the best option for now.

"······."

Vlad left Josef's office and was immediately grabbed by the maid, as if she had been waiting.

Since she introduced herself as Countess Oksana's maid, he could not even resist and was dragged along like a tightly held pillow.

And now, he found himself in this situation.

"The color suits you very well. I matched it thinking you might wear it with leather armor, but it suits better than I thought."

"······Thank you."

Oksana looked at the black cloak draped over Vlad's shoulders, with a satisfied smile.

Vlad cautiously touched the cloak while looking at Oksana's smile.

A cloak made of warm wool material had enough warmth to be used as a sleeping bag when camping.

It wasn't just for show; Oksana had clearly put effort into ensuring practicality.

"Indeed, with such a robust frame, anything suits you. It was worth putting it on."

While admiring the combination of colors that fit even better than she expected, Oksana lightly clapped her hands.

The boy's splendid blonde hair was a great highlight that elevated the completeness of the fashion.

"You're taking a vacation to the Kanoor family?"

"Yes."

He had just obtained permission for the vacation from Josef. How did she find out so quickly?

Vlad, who had not yet fully realized the power of the Countess, who oversees everything in the mansion, merely thought that he should behave more uprightly from now on.

"When you're invited to someone else's house, you should show a much neater appearance. It's manners and actions that don't disgrace your parents."

"······."

The boy had no parents to disgrace.

"So, don't disgrace me."

"······I would never."

Oksana may not have been Vlad's mother, but she said she would take responsibility.

The support she provided to Vlad went beyond the realm of mere sponsorship.

"I'm truly grateful for what happened in Deomar."

"I just did what needed to be done."

"No, it was more than that."

Oksana wouldn't go to such lengths just because she liked the boy. It may be because the boy in front of him is a great help to his son.

If she was willing to do this much for a mere squire like him, Vlad wondered how horrified Josef, who shared blood with her, would feel.

"Then, after this vacation, I should get a home tutor for you. You should only make such a mistake once. Right?"

"······I apologize."

Although Oksana was speaking with a soft smile now, Vlad would probably have been on his knees in apology if he had known that she had staggered for a moment in shock after hearing what happened with Alicia.

"If you aspire to become a knight, it's a position equivalent to a noble, so you need to learn appropriate behavior."

"I understand."

Anyone who sees young children who have potential but are not yet good enough will inevitably feel a desire to help.

And Oksana's feelings were being conveyed to the boy in various forms.

"Good. Now, go."

"Thank you, Lady Oksana."

It took a long time for Vlad to be allowed to leave the reception room where he had entered long ago.

And as he was about to leave, Oksana spoke to him in a stern tone.

"Also, when you leave, make sure to take the things I've prepared for you on the side."

Vlad turned his head towards the baskets she had placed on the side in response to Oksana's words.

"These are······."

"Lemons. They were brought by Josef this time."

Oksana smiled at Vlad's perplexed expression as she spoke.

"It's impolite to go empty-handed when you visit someone else's house."

"······Thank you for your thoughtful consideration."

Vlad had encountered many who sought to take something away, but when someone tried to give him something, he was defenseless.

Therefore, he could only express his gratitude and leave with both hands full of fruit baskets.

"Ha······."

Vlad let out a small sigh as he left Oksana's room, where he always received more than he expected.

Vlad walked slowly through the corridor, gazing at his reflection in the window.

In his luxurious attire, adorned with an elegant cloak and hands full of fruit baskets, he felt a sense of discord.

It didn't suit him.