Chapter 62 Knight's Duty

Two hours had passed since they left home, and now they were outside Boldenville's city, entering a road surrounded by forests.

"Hey, I never asked you, but what is a knight? And why am I suddenly becoming your personal knight?" Allen asked.

Felicia then made a surprised face.

"I thought you already knew about that, so you never asked."

"Yeah... I didn't really have time to ask; I had other things on my mind."

Felicia then explained to Allen about the knight.

Knight was an honor bestowed on soldiers who served nobles or on a noble who served other nobles of higher status. In fact, most knights were nobles who served other nobles. Knights usually serve their lord for 20 years, after which they will be told to choose whether to continue serving their lord or manage one of the territories owned by their lord. Typically, nobles who become knights are the third or fourth child of a particular family; because they lack land, they can leave home and later become the landlord assigned by their lord.

After explaining the basics about knights, Felicia explained the Boldenville family's tradition of selecting personal knights.

"In the Boldenville family, our ancestors chose their knights by giving each family a special knife."

'Before, I did not intend to have Allen as my personal knight, before. "I gave him the knife at the time in the hope that if he survived, he would be instantly accepted by my family for holding the knife," Felicia thought.

"So now I have to take care of you and guard you for 20 years?" asked Allen.

"Not really, you have the right to quit; I also have the right to fire you. Twenty years is just the main requirement if you want territory, and even then, it only applies if you serve the head of the family. My mother is currently pregnant, so if I have a brother, I won't be the head of the family. So the rewards will be money and some sort of living guarantee. But if its sister, I will become the head of the family and can grant you a territory after 20 years."

Allen continued to ask

"What are the knight's duties? Do I just need to protect you? Then it's the same as what I did at Isabelle's house, right?"

"More or less, your existence is only to protect me. But that's just the basics. Perhaps it would have been different if I had given the knife to someone older, but since we're the same age, you should follow the same path as me."

"What does that mean?"

"First, you haven't been baptized yet, so you have to be baptized in the same church as me during the Whitmoon Festival; since the father is a follower of the Church of Fire, you and I will be baptized in the Church of Fire.

Secondly, at the age of 13, I will enter the academy city in the south, Oxwadeshire. And you have to study with me there for ten years," Felicia explained.

"Ten years..."

Allen closed his mouth and looked down, thinking about how long ten years would be for him.

Seeing that, Felicia began to worry that Allen would leave her because he didn't want to be entangled for ten years in the academy city, let alone 20 years with her.

Felicia was a bit awkward person and was known to be arrogant, and the other nobles looked down on her ever since she fell during a dance at her birthday party. So she lacked the confidence to make new friends at the Academy.

She was even convinced that no one would befriend her. She hoped that Allen would come with her to school. But Felicia knew that Allen most likely wouldn't; she hadn't even asked Allen if he considered her his friend.

Seeing Felicia's worried face, Rachel held Felicia's hand.

Felicia looked at Rachel, who was smiling as if to tell her that she would do something.

Rachel then looked at Allen and said,

"Allen, keep protecting Felicia forever; if you can't do that, at least come with Lady Felicia to the academy!"

By giving two choices, Rachel deliberately asks Allen to become Felicia's knight forever to make Allen think, "instead of this, at least this is okay," to increase Allen's chances of accompanying Felicia.

"Maybe Lady Felicia won't be the head of the family, and I hope so. But if you become Lady Felicia's personal knight, you will earn a lot of money!"

'This is still not enough,' thought Rachel.

"Besides, joining the Academy is a good thing. No commoner has ever entered an academy, your life will be secured, and you will become an educated person!"

'Still, not enough, Allen's heart won't be moved just by this thing. From the beginning, a person who doesn't even care about social status like him won't be moved by money and wealth.

Think Rachel! Think about what this child wants...

Think of Lady Felicia's life!

Lady Felicia needs Allen! And I need him to distract Lady from Waldo.

He must accompany Lady to the Academy!

The offers made by Rachel did not make Allen stop "thinking," which meant that Allen was still hesitant about the decision to go to the Academy.

The desperate Rachel recalled all of Allen's behavior from when she first met him until now.

And finally, she reached one conclusion.

"If you come to the academy with Lady Felicia, you will eat delicious meat every day."

When Rachel said that, Allen's eyes immediately widened.

'He responded! That's right! He has always eaten meat with gusto at the Wolverlope residence; even her duel request yesterday was tons of beef every day!'

Felicia, who saw Allen's face and realized that it could make Allen come with her, she then added

"The food you've been eating is only available to noble families! If you become my knight, you'll never eat that kind of food again! Do you want to live every day eating only bread?" Felicia asked.

And Felicia's words also changed Allen's expression to become more interested.

Rachel added

"Five portions of beef in the morning, five portions of chicken in the afternoon, and five portions of rabbit at night! I can cook it in different dishes, stewed, grilled; it's up to you!"

Allen lowered his hand. His face widened, thinking about how his daily life at the Academy was with Felicia and Rachel's offer.

Then after a few seconds, Allen turned his face away and said,

"What else can I do? I have to accompany you to the Academy, then. I still want to eat for free."

Hearing that, Felicia immediately smiled happily, as did Rachel, who seemed to be on the verge of tears.

Rachel then grasped Felicia's hand tightly.

"We did it, Lady!" she said.

Felicia smiled and nodded.

Seeing that, Allen was confused,

"What are you doing? Do you want me that bad to be your personal knight?"

Felicia withdrew her hand from Rachel's grasp and then, embarrassedly, said

"Not that I'm happy about it! You're strong, so I need to ensure you take care of me! Besides, we have a promise; since I can't show you what I promised you anytime soon, I have to increase the deadline!"

"What the hell... You don't have to think about that promise anymore."

"No way! It's important. You must be taught well about morals, you ignorant peasant!"

"Whatever... Listening to your talk makes me tired."

Allen's scarf moved to wrap around his entire body.

"What are you doing?" asked Felicia.

"I'm going to sleep. Wake me up if something happens."

"Ugh, he's really incapable of doing his job. How clueless."

The journey to the Baron territory by fast horse-carriage only took 4 hours, so 2 hours after Allen fell asleep, they arrived in front of the Baron territory's gate. The carriage was stopped by two gatekeepers, who asked for identification and the reason for their arrival.

Rachel was holding the letter brought by the Earl, so she intended to give the letter to the guards.

"Lady, please wake Allen up. I'll give the letter from Lord Boldenville to the guards."

Felicia nodded, and Rachel went out.

"Though I am a lady, why should I wake up my subordinate who deliberately neglects his duties."

As Felicia tried to wake Allen up by shaking his shoulders.

-GRAB

"Ouch!"

Allen immediately woke up and grabbed Felicia's hand.

"Let go!"

Allen then let go of her hand.

"Oh, do we finally arrive?"

"What the hell did you do just now! My hand hurts!"

"I thought someone was trying to attack me. Even when I sleep, I always try to be vigilant."

"Well, with such strong instincts, at least you're doing your duty as a knight."

The carriage door opened, and two guards looked inside the carriage with Rachel. After a few seconds, the guards put their hands on her chest and bent over. Then they did the same to Rachel.

Rachel got back into the carriage, and the train resumed running.

"Did something happen, Rachel?" asked Felicia.

"Yes, it seems that a suspicious person entered the town. That person set fire to one of the houses and then ran away. That's why they're conducting a thorough investigation into all carriages arriving and departing."

"Are we coming at a bad time?"

"It seems so; let's hope the event can finish without problems."

"O hey, where are we going, and what are we doing?" asked Allen.

"A tea party. I got an invitation from Baron Andoram's son. Then, because of the invitation, my father asked me to give a letter to the baron."

"What are you going to do at the event?"

"Drink tea, eat snacks, and chat."

"Is that all?"

"Yes, what else did you expect?"

Allen let out a long sigh; he didn't expect their long trip they did was just for tea.

"Why would you waste time on something like this?" Allen said sarcastically.

"It's because there will be many people coming this time, and all of them intend to enter Oxwade Academy, so I want to increase my relations at the academy as much as possible later."

"How stupid..."

They finally arrived in front of Andoram's residence in just a few minutes. The carriage entered the iron fence opened by the guard; when they entered, many maids were already waiting in front of the residence.

To the left was a garden, and it seemed that the event had already started. As soon as the carriage passed, they all stood up.

They stopped in front of the residence, where the maids greeted them.

When Felicia came out, the girls in the park immediately approached.

"Miss Felicia! You really came!"

"I can't believe Miss Felicia is coming!"

"I'm grateful to be able to come to this tea party."

The tea was a tea event organized by the baron's daughter. It was wrong to send a letter to the Earl to come to her residence in the first place, but somehow that child actually sent a letter to the Earl's place and asked her to come to her residence. It was very rude and unethical. But Felicia ignored it; she took Andomera's mistake as an opportunity for her.

"Good afternoon, everyone; sorry for my tardiness," Felicia said as she lifted her skirt.

When Allen saw the girls approaching Felicia, Allen immediately averted his face, then thought

"Disgusting, everyone put on fake faces, I hope this tea thing is over soon."