What to give and what to receive (3)
All the uninvited guests have left, and now the only guests remaining in the mansion are Josef’s people.
The only true guest was Bayezid, who came from the north, so Alicia prepared a farewell party for them on the day of their departure.
I wanted to throw a big banquet, but now is the time for the Hainal family to mend the cracks.
Josef, who knew the situation, spoke a little in advance, so Alicia was able to prepare for her current position without any burden.
“Vlad of Shoara, Bayezid’s squire, please come before Alicia.”
At the call of Duncan, who was still wearing bandages, the boy stepped forward looking a little embarrassed.
Josefna Zayar. This is because I haven’t heard anything from either of them.
“Knee… no, the left. That’s right, you can kneel.”
Vlad looks at Duncan’s nod and clumsily kneels and bows.
Alicia was smiling mischievously as she looked at the boy who still looked innocent.
I wanted to torment him a little more, but I couldn’t help it because I was in a hurry.
“Thank you very much. Vlad of Shoara. “If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
At the small ceremony discussed only by Alicia and Duncan, the people in the hall began to murmur little by little.
“You protected my honor and even brightened up a duel full of fraud, so no amount of gratitude can be enough. so.”
I have already paid handsomely for borrowing Zayar.
However, Alicia felt like she wanted to hand over the boy in return.
Because it was so dramatic, I was grateful.
Alicia took out a folded handkerchief from her arms.
A handkerchief with something embroidered with gold thread on a purple cloth.
Just by looking at it from the outside, it was clear that it was a handkerchief made of very high-quality silk, reflecting light without being disturbed.
“I would like to entrust my name to you on that day, when you were not a knight, but you were more honorable than a knight. Vlad of Shoara.”
“······!”
The vassals of Hainal were shocked to see Alicia handing the boy a handkerchief with her name engraved on it, but Josefman, who was quietly listening to her, nodded quietly.
“hmm.”
Because I noticed Alicia’s intention in giving Vlad the handkerchief.
She is a smart woman.
They want to prove the relationship between Bayezid and Haynal by sharing a promising young man named Vlad.
It is truly the best effort to show gratitude and gain benefits at the same time.
‘If that’s the case.’
Josef was understandably dissatisfied with the ceremony that had been suddenly arranged without his knowledge, but he allowed it to proceed because it was at least not a loss.
If I had known something would happen a little later, I would have stopped it.
“······.”
Vlad thought as he watched Alicia trying to hand him a handkerchief.
‘You must receive what a nobleman gives you. That’s courtesy.’
These words that Xayar said were embedded deep in Vlad’s head.
‘I can’t get beaten again.’
When he first arrived at Bayezid’s residence, he was in trouble because he did not accept the peanuts Rutger gave him.
So, it would definitely be rude to her if she didn’t even accept the handkerchief.
I might get beaten up by Xayar again.
“thank you. Alicia.”
That’s why I decided to get it.
With both hands, politely, following the best etiquette you know.
“······!”
It happened so naturally that no one could stop it.
Alicia could not hide her surprised expression as she saw Vlad taking the handkerchief in his hand with both hands.
“······?”
Around this time, Vlad was wondering as he looked at the light-colored haired woman whose face was becoming increasingly red.
“That, then. “That’s not true.”
The face of Duncan, the old knight next to her, distorted greatly and he began to stutter.
“Ahhh. Right. “I didn’t know.”
Even Josef sighed and realized that he had made a mistake.
The boy who grew up in the back alleys had little knowledge of the world of nobility.
“Would you like to write well?”
Vlad, who didn’t know why he was doing this with just a handkerchief, just rolled his eyes blankly.
A handkerchief engraved with Lady Alicia’s name.
There were two ways for the Lady to hand over the handkerchief symbolizing her honor.
How to hang it on the end of a sword.
And how to pass it from hand to hand.
Vlad just received her name in the latter way.
※※※※
On the way out of Deermar and back to Sturma.
“······.”
Josef, who was sitting in the carriage, was unable to hold back his laughter from earlier.
“It was truly the most absurd feeling I had felt in a long time. “Of course, it was my fault.”
“······sorry.”
Vlad, who had finally learned the situation, was unable to raise his head from the moment he got on the carriage.
Because it was a truly pointless mistake.
“Like the peanuts last time, why do you make such a fuss every time you receive something?”
Xayar, who was riding a horse alongside the carriage, began growling at Vlad as if he had been waiting.
“Just give it to me.”
“I was down on my knees, so why did you crawl over and pick it up with both hands?”
“······Because I don’t think nobles should move?”
“ha······.”
Xayar touched his temples and sighed loudly from his horse.
I can’t say anything about not knowing in the first place.
He said he did as he was told, so he had nothing to say about that either.
It just made me feel worse inside.
Jayar has finally realized that in order to grow something properly, pain and patience like now are needed.
“Just from now on, when you receive anything from nobles, look at me first! Do you understand?”
“······.”
In response to Xayar’s yelling, Vlad simply lowered his head without saying a word.
Receiving a handkerchief with Lady’s name on it had two major meanings.
One is honor.
Another one is love.
The prosecutor receiving the honor holds out his sword sheath and the woman hands it to him with a handkerchief hanging from it.
It was an act so simple that in some cases a mother would hand it to her son.
However, it was different if it was received from hand to hand.
It was meant only as support for loved ones.
“I guess the bards around here won’t have to worry about making a living for a while.”
Josef said he had been smiling for the longest time in a while and began to massage his numb facial muscles with his hands.
“Well, anyway, congratulations on becoming a quasi-knight.”
“A semi-chauffeur?”
Vlad asked back, reacting sensitively to the words in Josef’s words.
“Yes, you are a man honored by the noble noble Lady Alicia. At least in places where her name is known, she will be treated like a knight.”
A knight.
What a knight!
Vlad, who had been depressed until just a moment ago, began to liven up his blue eyes as if for the first time in a while.
“Well, since she has just become a baron, her name can only be recognized by Deermar.”
“iced coffee······.”
That’s why they say he’s a semi-knight, not a knight.
The emotions that seemed like they would overflow at any moment quickly cooled down.
‘Well, there’s no way it could be this easy.’
Since Vlad had unintentionally met only great knights, he would not have accepted it sincerely even if a knighthood were bestowed on him now.
Because he knew very well that he was still lacking a lot to be in the same position as them.
“Tsk.”
Vlad felt a sense of regret and fiddled with the handkerchief Alicia gave him.
The soft texture was quite pleasant to touch.
“When you received it, you said you got it by mistake, but now that you know its meaning, make sure you never lose that handkerchief.”
“What happens if I lose it?”
Josef shrugged his shoulders and answered Vlad’s innocent question.
“You just have to handle it yourself. “It happened because you accepted it with both hands.”
“······I can’t afford to lose it.”
While listening to Josef’s answer, Vlad buried the handkerchief Alicia gave him deep in his heart.
Because it was the first time in my life that I had received something that had to be treated with care, my heart began to feel heavy.
“Well, the ending was absurd, but thanks to you, things went well, so I don’t need this anymore.”
Josef took out a piece of paper and waved it in front of Vlad.
It was a piece of paper with tiny letters written on it.
“Thank you again for your hard work. Thanks to you, things didn’t get complicated.”
“What is this?”
In response to Vlad’s question, Josef handed over a now useless piece of paper.
It explains the essence of the incident and at the same time tells us what position the boy held.
This was like a lesson that Josef gave for Vlad, and it was also a reward in its own way.
“It’s something for when you lose a duel.”
“······ah.”
As he received the paper handed to him by Josef, Vlad recalled the events of that day.
Josef asked me to last ten minutes.
He said he had something prepared.
“Cha…Dragon?”
Vlad, who had learned how to read thanks to Haven, fumbled to read what was written on the paper.
“Still, I praise you for learning the letters.”
“thank you.”
Vlad responded to Josef’s compliment and lowered his gaze to the signature line at the bottom of the IOU.
‘Alicia?’
The person borrowing the money is Alicia Hainal.
The amount is.
‘Ten thousand gold!’
Vlad, who discovered the shocking amount, looked at Josef with wide eyes.
His master, sitting across from him, was smiling darkly.
“It was a means to secure her recruits in case she lost the duel. “I didn’t actually rent it, though.”
Josef, who took the paper from Vlad, continued his explanation.
“Alicia decided to give herself up if she lost all her status.”
If Alicia had lost to Ender, she would probably have died.
From Ender’s point of view, he wouldn’t have wanted to leave even a single seed behind.
Therefore, Josef set up a justification to secure her first.
And even the force to carry out that cause.
“Is there any reason to bring Alicia…? “Did you know that if you lose a duel, you will lose your right to succession?”
The boy asked, feeling a strange feeling that calling his name would make him feel affectionate.
“Of course.”
Josef said as he put the paper that was the IOU back in his pocket.
“But a cause is like an ember hidden in a pile of ashes, and it can be revived with just the right wind.”
Even if Ender became the new Baron of the Hainal family, he would have been under great pressure if Alicia was in Bayezid’s hands.
Because that’s what justification is.
Because it was like an arrow that could fly at any moment.
“okay.”
The boy, who had a little understanding of the world of nobles, was impressed.
I felt like I finally understood why nobles live their lives based on justification.
“Then maybe I can finally duel Sir Pablo again?”
“······okay?”
According to what Vlad had just learned, Ender was still alive, so the spark of succession was alive.
If so, the day may come when we will face off against Arnstein’s Pablo.
Vlad asked Josef with that in mind, but for some reason the answer he received was only a lukewarm rebuttal.
Just as Vlad was puzzled by Josef’s reaction, Zayar suddenly spoke from outside the window.
“Joseph. “Unidentified individuals are approaching us.”
“What color are your clothes?”
“He is dressed in black and has a blue scarf tied around his forearm.”
Josef nodded at Zayar’s report and ordered.
“good night. “Send a signal.”
“yes.”
After hearing Josef’s command, Zayar sent a signal to Bordan with a glance.
Beep profit-
The old, fat knight took out his whistle and started blowing it as hard as he could.
It was a thin, thin sound that only trained people could perceive.
Beep profit-
Or, it was a sound that only Vlad, who had sensitive hearing, could understand.
“The answer has arrived.”
“okay. As a result, I ended up using it for other purposes.”
“······?”
When Vlad, unable to join in on the conversation, was staring at the two people back and forth.
From afar, people dressed in black began to ride on horseback.
The men approached in an instant without any time to move, as if they were guarding the road.
“It is a little late to receive fair compensation. “Mr. Josef.”
“Good job.”
One of them, who appeared to be the leader, approached the carriage without any restraint and handed Josef a black bundle and asked:
“Is it this guy?”
“okay.”
“There are already rumors spreading around the area.”
“Please show me some cuteness later.”
When the unfamiliar man he saw for the first time talked to Josef without hesitation, Vlad vaguely realized that he was an ally, but he was unable to hide his nervous expression.
“······.”
Vlad has finally created his own world.
Therefore, for the boy who had a new sense that he had never felt before, the man in front of him was giving off enough energy to be wary.
With scars all over his face.
Even the strong, dangerous smell.
Instinct was speaking.
The man in black is someone you should not let down your guard.
“Would you like to go with me?”
“I think we need to come back sooner.”
“It’s a shame. “Thank you for your hard work.”
“It was only faithful to its mission as Bayezid’s sword.”
Following the signal sent by the scarred man, the men dressed in black began to rush out with refined movements.
The disciplined appearance made it look like an army.
“Hmm. “I guess I was secretly looking forward to the duel, but it turned out to be disappointing.”
“yes?”
While Vlad was preoccupied with the men who had approached him like the wind and suddenly left, Josef opened the package the man in black gave him and smiled delicately.
“If I want to see your lady again, I guess I’ll have to come up with an excuse other than a duel.”
“······.”
Vlad felt something cold in Josef’s joke.
It was a feeling I was used to feeling in the back alleys.
Vlad carefully opened the bundle that Josef handed him.
A familiar smell accompanied by damp energy.
“······I guess so.”
The black bundle that the boy opened contained the world of nobility.
Relentless.
Cruel.
Also, a world of unforgiving people.
Ender, the man who played a trick on Bayezid.
he was there
With eyes wide open that I couldn’t bear to close.
