There is no tree without roots (3)
“Now, shall we finish?”
Oksana poured hair oil into her hands, rubbed them together, and motioned for the boy to come here.
“You should come closer.”
“……yes.”
Oksana’s living room is quiet, but everyone is busy.
The maids were busy polishing the boy’s armor and ironing his clothes and cloaks, but only Oksana and Vlad stood in silence.
“I thought this day would come someday. “It’s faster than expected, though.”
Oksana smiled warmly at the sight and neatly brushed Vlad’s hair.
Hair falling out between oiled fingers.
The blonde hair shining in the sunlight looked quite nice to Oksana’s eyes.
“It must have been that difficult.”
“…….”
Instead of answering Oksana’s words, Vlad quietly closed his eyes as he felt her hand stroking his hair.
Oksana, who was looking at her with deep eyes as if she understood everything, felt uncomfortable, but she wanted to focus on the sensation she had felt for the first time in a long time.
Although he said he couldn’t remember in front of the red-haired girl, contrary to what he said, Vlad cherished the few memories he had with his mother.
Among them, the memory he cherished the most was of his mother combing his hair with a fine-toothed comb.
“You look great with blonde hair. “I should be grateful to my parents for passing it on to me.”
‘Still, I’m glad I inherited his blonde hair rather than my own dull hair color.’
As Oksana’s words brought back old memories with his mother, Vlad inadvertently placed his hand on the handle of the sword he was wearing.
‘ah.’
The place where the unadorned sword that always gave him comfort was.
However, there was only an unfamiliar and awkward sword sitting there.
The beings that I would have liked to have been with at this moment were no longer in this world.
The boy couldn’t help but regret it.
It would have been great if we could have watched it together here.
“done.”
Vlad opened his closed eyes with Oksana’s words.
The afternoon sunlight shining through the window was as dazzling as her green eyes.
“At this level, I think I can put it anywhere.”
Oksana feels proud looking at the work she created.
Only then did Vlad smile when he saw her smiling.
“thank you.”
With those words, Vlad quietly looked around and caught Oksana’s living room in his eyes.
Vlad, who had engraved in his mind everything in Oksana’s living room, including the sounds, smells, and even the feel of the flowing air, closed his eyes again.
As the boy moves forward, following the star, the things he left behind will grow further away.
But there is no need to regret it.
Sometimes, when you miss them, you just have to unfold the memories that were buried in your head.
Like a memory engraved right now.
※※※※
“Are you nervous?”
“Not really.”
Xayar simply raised the corner of his mouth at Vlad’s answer, which he tried to pretend to be calm.
“Pretend to be strong only in front of your enemies. “Sweetheart.”
“…It’s true.”
With those words, Vlad looked at the door behind Xayar.
Huge door.
This was the scene I saw when I brought the death worm’s body, but the boy that day was not worthy of going forward.
“You can go in now.”
“All right.”
When the servant standing next to him gave a signal, Xayar stood in front of the door leading to the Knights’ Hall.
A door that will be opened only for Vlad today.
The only person who can open the door is Zayar, the knight who taught and gave up his own for the boy.
“Vlad, squire of Bayezid! He stands at the knights’ gate, following the Count’s orders!”
Xayar cried out louder than ever for his squire.
“Please allow me entry!”
Zayar’s shout is loud because he is more confident than anyone else, and is trembling because he is prouder than anyone else.
As his words rang loudly, an answer was heard from inside the tightly closed door.
“Come in.”
The aura that emanates subtly from the voice.
The world of knights gave permission for the boy to enter. As soon as the words of
permission
were spoken, the closed door began to open from Xayar’s fingertips.
When the door that had been blocking the boy’s path due to qualifications was opened, the cut red carpet began to show the boy’s path.
“…….”
Vlad could not take his eyes off the scene unfolding before his eyes.
It was a space where everything sparkled.
Knights lined up on both sides.
The sunlight shining through the window was shining brightly on the armor the knights were wearing.
“…….”
Vlad briefly looked away from the sparkling sight and looked back.
Standing there was a man who always watched the boy’s back and pushed him.
A person who cannot even stand in front of the door because he cannot lift a sword.
Behind the boy, a man with dark eyes was smiling with his arms crossed.
“Go see.”
I thought it was a line I could never cross for the rest of my life.
However, today Josef succeeded in pushing one of his swords into it, even if it was not him.
The young man who never gave up deserves to smile more than anyone else.
“Congratulations.”
Xayar’s voice came softly from behind Vlad as he advanced toward the Hall of Knights.
Hearing Zayar’s voice, which was different from usual, made Vlad feel something rising from deep in his heart, but he tried to suppress it.
“Vlad, Bayezid’s squire, please come up to me.”
Vlad raised his head and followed the direction the voice came from.
The world of knights that had finally opened its doors was beckoning the boy to come here.
With the same look in his eyes as he did that day when he was watching the boy under the moonlight.
“yes.”
The red path is the path of honor.
The boy began to move forward, passing the knights surrounding the path.
One step at a time.
Go beyond the mud of the back alleys and head towards the place you dreamed of.
“You worked hard to get here.”
The boy always dreamed of stars.
Even though his feet were sinking into the gutter of reality, his eyes were always looking at the stars floating in the sky.
And now we have reached the star.
“Take in your left hand the sword master’s discipline that will never change.”
Golden parchment.
Vlad carefully accepted the parchment containing the Sword Master’s oath.
Vlad finally held the shining star he had only dreamed of in his hands and gritted his teeth without realizing it.
“Get down on your knees and swear. “Bayezid’s squire.”
Peter’s cold sword landed on the shoulder of the boy who was down on one knee.
The coldness and sharpness of the sword that fell down clearly awakened Vlad’s mind.
“A knight must always embrace possibility. That is the first discipline of a sword master.”
Vlad of Shoara.
There were knights who created the name.
Although they met as enemies, they decided to protect the potential the boy had.
Because that was the duty a knight should perform.
“A knight must always be able to listen to his own conscience. That is the second discipline of a sword master.”
In a village filled with fog, Knight Gregory risked everything and burned himself.
If you’re where you need to be, if you’re standing at the moment you need to be, don’t hesitate.
The only standard that determines it is your own conscience.
“A knight must always follow the honorable path. That is the final rule established by the Sword Master.”
A knight must always be honorable, and to be honorable he must always look upward and move forward.
Without any shame, only for fair compensation.
“Swear before my sword and the knightly discipline. Vlad of Shoara.”
The boy had always looked at the possibility of an unadorned sword.
The red-haired girl who was standing in the mud with you will testify to that.
Even though it was a life in the mud of the back alleys, the boy kept the things he had to do to avoid getting caught up in it.
The knight of the prostitutes who protected the smile of the rose will testify to the conscience of the boy who always tried to keep the good.
“I swear.”
And because the boy was looking at the star, he looked up and went forward to take it in his hand.
Even if I crawl non-stop.
It was a rule he didn’t know about, but the boy did his best to follow it.
“I swear that I will uphold the Sword Master’s rules with all my might.”
And the unadorned sword with which he has been struggling will testify to the final discipline of the Sword Master that the boy has been following without even knowing it.
“I, Peter Bayezid, Bayezid’s master, command.”
Along with the boy’s oath, the rightful owner of this place loudly declared.
“The boy in front of me was Vlad, a lowly squire when he knelt down, but when he stood up again.”
A new star was born under his sword.
“I will stand up as the proud knight Vlad.”
Article by Lady Alicia.
The one who preserves the breath of children blessed by San Logino.
The dragon slayer called out by Lindwurm’s blue blood.
And now Vlad of Shoara, a knight recognized by Bayezid.
He was standing up with confident steps.
[Good job.]
The voice that had been watching the boy closer than anyone else acknowledged that confidence.
With the Sword Master’s Oath held by the boy in his left hand.
Today, the rootless boy created his own roots through his own will.
Not someone’s son or someone’s descendant, but only under the name of Vlad of Shoara.
It was the root that all the stars here would testify to.
※※※※
An office somewhere with candles flickering.
The owner of the place, a middle-aged man, was frowning as if he didn’t like something.
“Those dwarves in the back are really annoying.”
A body that looks enlarged.
Although he looked sluggish at first glance, anyone who knew the man even a little would know that he was hiding strong muscles under his thick flesh.
“So this time, I decided to take it step by step like other nobles.”
The man holding the walnuts on the plate broke them apart as if nothing had happened and continued talking.
“They say Baron Alicia, the only Hainal, doesn’t have a husband yet.”
“That’s right.”
Even though he was a noble nobleman, he was a man who made loud noises without hesitation.
A pioneer and conqueror who doesn’t care about anything.
“Is that why I will use it? “It would be difficult for a woman to survive alone in this harsh world.”
He was always hungry no matter how much he ate, and another prey had just caught his eye.
“So, you need to use some strength this time.”
“Please speak. “Count.”
Count Sigmund Gaidar.
The man who became the loser of the new West.
The man standing outside the candlelight bowed his head at the command he gave.
“Go to Deermar with my son. “Get a just cause there.”
When Sigmund said that he would expand through a cause rather than violence and war, the knight nodded as if he understood.
Together with his son, who is of Gaidar’s blood, he would be able to secure at least one small cause.
“I believe you will not disappoint me as always. Godin.”
The knight raised his head at Sigmund’s words.
“I will do my best.”
Godin, the knight of Gaidar.
The blue moonlight outside the window was falling on his head.
