Chapter 418 - How To Pick Up Knights In An Academy?
The empty meeting room still had residues of the princess's presence, which was chilly but heart-warming. After Arthur snapped out of his daze, he stood up to open the windows.
From his windows, he could see the group he sent to bring Hana back leave the mansion. Arthur saw Eleven meet the princess beneath a maple tree, which had a glowing golden color to signify the beginning of fall.
Their journey will be toward the west, toward a minor noble family in one of the major cities of Freda. Arthur can expect that it would take them a while until they return, and he wanted this time of separation.
Diana turned to look at him as if feeling his gaze. Their eyes met, and she gave a thin smile as if knowing his intentions to separate them. After her journey, she will go back to the capital, and it will be a few weeks until they meet again.
The princess disapproved of his idea at first, but she readily did when Arthur promised that they would go out to have a meal together when they met again.
Arthur wasn't a romanticist, as he knew that time could make everything fade. Their time together would make them too attached, so their time apart, hopefully, will make the princess's feelings fade or lessen.
As for his feelings? Arthur didn't know, as he knew that his feelings weren't as strong as hers. However, something within him devoured all feelings he had, and it was soon to overtake Arthur.
"My Lord?"
Big Bear knocked on the door, and Arthur glanced back at him before nodding. When he turned to look at the princess again, she was walking away. Diana gave a glance back, and that was the last before she left Aquamia.
"Let's see your knights," Arthur said at long last, turning toward the giant man. "Hopefully, we'll find a few promising ones."
"I have a few in mind already," Big Bear gave a grin and saluted. "They are of the finest bodies and hearts. They are willing to serve you until their last breath," the knight seemed more eager than Arthur himself, but it was understandable.
They left the mansion after Arthur instructed Ma to schedule a few visits to the noble families of Aquamia, and the marchioness was on top of the list. After all, he needed to report his success in handling the issue and give the marchioness a taste of her own medicine.
Furthermore, there was still the matter with the missing child of the monster. If he wanted to find out the truth, he would have to investigate the matter by questioning the minor nobles protecting the land.
The carriage took them toward the deeper parts of Aquamia, far away from the harbor's hustle and bustle. Lines of houses surrounded them from each side until they reached Knighthood Academy.
Arthur pulled the carriage's curtains and looked at the academy. The building was grand and spotlessly clean, emitting a disciplined aura around it. Young knights were going in and out of the building, laughing and discussing things.
"If we want to find those of purest hearts, we need to make them believe that they aren't being watched," Arthur said as he looked at the knights. "Everyone would be well-behaved and hardworking when they know I'm here, so let's use a different method."
"What kind of method, my lord?"
"Go in and get me a knight's armor and a badge," Arthur leaned on the window's frame with a smile. "Time for a bit of role-playing."
Big Bear looked at him with confusion that said: why couldn't you handle matters orthodoxly? However, the bandit simply sighed and nodded before ordering the carriage's driver to take them elsewhere.
They found an alley where they waited for a junior knight to bring Arthur's new custom, and it was a while before he did. It seems that being a Lord could bend the rules, but Arthur wasn't exactly happy about it.
Nonetheless, he kicked Big Bear out and wore his armor. After he was done, Arthur looked at his empty arm. Then, he controlled a set of armor with spiritual energy to resemble an arm, making him less conspicuous.
As he held the badge in hand, Arthur got off the carriage to the awaiting Big Bear. The bandit turned to look at his Lord and gaped before saluting and falling on one knee.
"You look majestic, My Lord," Big Bear said, and Arthur simply blinked at him before his face reddened and ignored the man to walk toward the academy.
'Why is everyone in this world likes to do embarrassing stuff?' thought Arthur as he showed his badge to the knights at the gates before being allowed entry.
On the back of the badge was his room, which he picked as the first destination. He didn't have a particular need to go there but thought he might as well walk around the academy.
The building looked like a campus and a bit like Jerano, which brought back some nostalgia. As he walked around, he got to see many different groups of young knights.
"I can't believe a Lord is personally coming to choose his knights."
"Imagine being the first knight to pledge his loyalty to the Seika! The fame I can get out of this would bring great prestige to my house!"
"In your dreams! I heard he already has a Titled Knight as an assistant. Furthermore, it is the Knight of Courage! The Demoness of Battle!"
"You are the ignorant one. The King simply appointed the Knight of Courage. The Seika has yet to choose a personal knight, which he would strengthen to be his sword! Did you all forget what the Seika's full title is?"
"The Seika of Living Beings!"
"Exactly," the knight smirked as he looked around. "He was the reason that the Princess of Ice and Fire awakened her powers, imagine how powerful he can make us!"
The surrounding knights were all zealous, and it scared Arthur a bit; imagine a bunch of people your age looking at you like the elixir of omnipotence?
However, Arthur knew that they had no idea how powerful he could make other people. His low mana and stats might hinder his runes, but what if he gave an ability to a powerful person? Or someone with potential?
As he walked around, similar conversations were everywhere. There were a few talks about the famous knights of the academy and the most likely to be chosen, which interested Arthur a lot.
He reached his room which opened after he presented his badge. The room was simple, but it had three more knights. Arthur entered to the bewildered knights who seemed to have plans of going out themselves.
"Who are you?"
"I'm a recruit from another city," Arthur easily lied as he studied his roommates. "I hope to get along with you all!" As he said so, he placed a hand on his heart and bowed slightly.
"Are you a nobility?"
The question amused Arthur greatly, and it came from the blonde knight with a red nose. However, he didn't show his amusement and decided to test the waters.
"Not at all! I'm an orphan who a knight raised, and I passed the Knight's Apprentice Exam! I got a recommendation to enroll in the Knights Academy of Aquamia, so I came here!"
"An orphan?" the blonde guy raised a brow before glancing at another knight, a young man with black hair and sharp eyes. "Is the academy insane? Do they accept anyone here to be equal with us?"
The blonde knight shook his head with rage before walking out of the room, pushing Arthur aside. As he did, he looked back at the small framed knight, who was the third roommate that Arthur had.
"Let's go, peasant," the blonde sneered, and the knight nodded before following right after. Arthur wasn't interested in the blonde guy but the short knight instead.
After going through numerous life and death battles, Arthur developed a hint of foresight and judgment. However, this knight, who looked thin and weak, gave him an odd feeling as if he was a walking calamity.
This also came from his ability to perceive people's existence. The knight passed by him, and Arthur saw something the moment that he did.
Images appeared in front of him as an aura of death appeared beside him. Bloodshed, massacres, and corpses were in front of him, stretching endlessly. The images disappeared as the knight passed by him, and Arthur snapped out of it.
"If you want to stay," the tall knight with black hair was the only one who stayed with Arthur. "And I mean, if you want to stay alive, then you need to follow us like an obedient dog. Do you understand?"
This kid's antics amused Arthur, but he nodded anyway with a blank expression. The knight smirked before walking out with the other two, and Arthur followed after the three, who seemed to be going toward the cafeteria.