Chapter 4

“…so that’s why we decided to refuse it.”

“Yes?”

Arhin’s eyes, which lost focus, shook in despair. She didn’t quite understand what she just heard from her parents.

“If I don’t get married, what about our family, father…?”

“It’s my problem, not yours. Don’t worry and don’t do anything.”

“…….”

Arhin was silent. It was the moment when her sublime first kiss plunged headlong into a crazy woman’s deviation.

Her parents’ words were simple. After much thought, they decided to refuse Count Amu’s request for marriage.

“Actually, the reason I considered Count Amu’s marriage proposal was not only because of our family’s financial problems, but also for your happiness.”

I am 23. I’m old enough to get married.

Therefore, Count Amu’s request for marriage was quite timely. Furthermore, he was a powerful man, rich, and a high-ranking count.

Although there was no word for love in marriage, it was common among nobles in the first place.

She might feel reluctant now, but if she were to marry the Count, she would surely share her affections, have children, and live happily ever after.

The baron and his wife did not doubt that idea. At least, that was until last night when they got word that Arhin was staying at Deborah’s house.

“Lady Arhin is said to be sleeping in Lady Deborah’s room.”

Very late at night, the servant of Deborah’s family delivered a message. The baron and his wife were pacing around the parlor, waiting for their daughter.

The servant added hesitantly to the baron and his wife asking how their daughter was doing.

“Actually… Lady Arhin came very drunk, her eyes were red as if she were crying, and she kept muttering something she couldn’t believe, and seemed to be screaming in pain.”

It was a mix of truth and lies. The baron and his wife were shocked, thinking that their lovely and precious daughter was having such a hard time and suffering.

They thought she could be happy, but it was obvious that she would be unhappy if it started like this.

Throughout the night, the baron and his wife reconsidered their decision.

“If it’s just the three of us, we’ll be happy even if we don’t have any money.”

“If I sell this house and move to a small house on the outskirts, I should be able to pay for your medicine.”

Suddenly, the rosy dawn broke and the rooster crowed. After deep consideration, the baron and baroness decided to make Arhin happy.

In the morning, they sat down in the parlor after sending the Count a letter rejecting the marriage, waiting for their daughter to return soon.

“It’s a good choice.”

That’s what each other’s eyes were saying.

And soon Arhin arrived. Their precious daughter, who had been so sad last night, just smiled as if nothing was wrong.

She must have acted so in order not to worry them. The baron and his wife brought tears to their eyes. Now it was their turn to deliver the happy news to Arhin.

“Arhin, we have decided to refuse the Count’s request for marriage.”

Now it was Arhin’s turn to be happy.

“Ahhh!”

Arhin slammed her fist down on the bed sheet.

Before getting married, I kissed a handsome man to create memories, but suddenly the marriage was called off.

No, what’s wrong with me?! It was obviously a good thing, but a part of my heart felt uneasy.

‘……I am very embarrassed.’

It seems that the grip of her hands holding his cheeks was quite strong.

She wanted to go into the mouse hole to hide. What she did last night was just the deviance of a crazy woman.

“Phew…….”

Arhin soon relaxed her body and lay back on the bed. She could see the ceiling built much higher than average height. Small gems embedded there glistened in the midday sunlight.

The expensive gems embedded in the shape of the constellation Sagittarius were her parents’ idea, it was to commemorate Arhin’s birth month.

She watched the sparkle and closed her eyes. Her parents, who loved her so much, blew a good opportunity.

How will I live now? My mother is weak and my father is old.

“I have to repay them.”

Arhin raised her body from lying down and sat upright. What is needed now is money. So how can she make money herself?

“……sword.”

Arhin muttered quietly.

It was a skill her teacher said she was good at. She was really confident in wielding a sword.

The joy she felt when she raised the sword. The joy she felt when she cut through the wind.

Arhin recalled what she had seen and heard before arriving home.

What she saw was an announcement from a famous knight order that they were recruiting members. And what she heard was that they were offering above-average wages.

There were rumors that the selection was only through practical skills, and they even offered living allowances.

‘This is an opportunity for me.’

Being a knight is an honorable job in itself, and the wages are very high. But what if they paid more than this average wage, plus a living allowance?

It must be a reasonable amount for a baron family to live on. Even if it’s not as affluent as before, it’s enough to live on.

Arhin got up and grabbed the sword by the window. She drew her sword and quickly cut through the air. Thanks to that, the wind picked up and made her hair rustle.

She is confident in her skills. Obviously, she has talent. Although the biggest stumbling block is that women cannot become knights.

‘……I just need to dress up as a man.’

There was nothing to shy away from now. She had even almost become Count Amu’s wife, it was no big deal to dress like a man.

Arhin tucked back her flowing hair and smiled. Now it’s her turn to make money for her family with a sword.

***

A piece of paper was placed in front of Arhin. This is Vrindel, the estate of the Berth family.

Arhin was looking closely at her application to join the Berth Knights.

[Knights applicants will not disclose the contents of the test, and will not hold the organizer responsible for any unpleasant incidents or physical injuries that occur during the test period.]

‘It feels a bit irresponsible.’

Even as she thought so, she wrote an unfamiliar name without hesitation on the signature line at the bottom.

‘Aaron.’

She wanted to use her real name, but she couldn’t.

After signing, she handed it over to the reception desk, and a short man accepted it without sincerity. He skimmed through the paper with a bored expression and stamped it twice.

“You are accepted.”

It was a blandly simple reception.

No. 209. As she walked out of the building, she gently touched the wooden sign with numbers on it. The unique rough and rugged feeling of wood was conveyed as it was.

I’m nervous.

‘Okay. It’s just the beginning.’

Arhin looked at the sign on the corner.

‘It’s Area 17…….’

She looked around for a moment and then turned to the left. The destination is the Montreur market near the 21st arrondissement station at the western end of Vrindel.

The Berth Knights entrance test is notoriously unconventional.

You only need to write down your name as information. There’s no need to write where you live, how old you are, or where you’re from.

In other words, applicants are eligible to take the test regardless of their status, and whether they are 10 or 40.

Because of this, Arhin was also able to borrow the name of Aaron, the son of a blacksmith who lived near her mansion.

His name is quite similar to hers, ‘Arhin’. It was a decision she made because she didn’t want to do stupid things like saying her name incorrectly.

‘Aaron, sorry. I’ll make sure to repay you when I succeed.’

However, even if the test qualifications are generous, it does not mean that women and criminals are also eligible. That’s why Arhin disguised herself as a man.

As she walked towards the setting of the sun, she soon arrived at the Montleur market. To put it nicely, it is a lively market with an old-fashioned feeling, or to put it a little realistically, it is a place with an old and chaotic atmosphere.

Arhin never shopped herself, but she liked to tour the market. People laughing and chatting, dogs wagging their tails as they pass by, and dishes from the flea market that you encounter around the alley.

For some reason, whenever she went to the market on a sunny day, she would always find something she liked.

It’s just like now. Arhin was walking around looking for a famous restaurant and stopped when she saw a stall.

[XX Stall!]

Staring at the stall, she gently touched her soft chin.

‘This is going to be pretty useful, right?’

As she picked up the item on the stall and looked it up and down, the thing in the glass bottle swayed and shook.

“With this, even a woman can become a real man! Just two silver coins!”

The seller held out two of his fingers at her.

“Give me ten of this!”

Arhin grinned and nodded.