47.
The Duke nodded as if it were only natural.
“If that is what Tania wants, you are welcome to meet whenever you like. You do not need my permission for such things.”
“Then that is settled. That is more than enough.”
Because I insisted on refusing any compensation, the Duke furrowed her brow, looking troubled. It seemed she was deeply uncomfortable leaving things as they were. As far as I knew, it was because she had grown accustomed to the stipend that Lucian’s biological father had been collecting monthly.
That was when it happened.
Grandfather Declan, who had remained silent until now, spoke up with a grave expression.
“You. Have you no intention of joining the Papiope Knights?”
“……Father, what are you saying?”
The startled Duke uncrossed her legs and gripped her father’s shoulder. But the man, as if he had been waiting for this exact moment, immediately steered the conversation toward recruitment.
“I have heard many rumors of the Papiope Knights’ majesty. However, I have neither the noble standing nor the extensive education to be a knight. Would that be acceptable?”
“Hahaha, Papiope does not employ people based on their social standing. If we cared about such things, why would we have built the talent training center?”
“Father!”
Though the Duke raised her voice to silence him, Grandfather remained unmoved, showing no sign that he would retract his words.
“Education? Who among us knows everything from the start? If one has the mindset to learn, that is enough.”
“Father, let’s have a talk.”
Amidst the chaos, Aiden-ajusshi secretly caught my eye and gave a slight nod. It seemed he had realized that I had already struck a deal with Grandfather. A few days ago, I had told him I would make him my personal escort and bragged that I knew a way to bring him into the Papiope Duchy.
Yes, the wish I had asked of Grandfather Declan was simple: to have Aiden-ajusshi admitted to the Papiope Knights.
I recalled the conversation from a few days ago in my head.
“Tania, if your purpose is simply to be together, wouldn’t a servant be better than a knight?”
“It’s rare for a young girl to have a servant. Besides, ajusshi used to handle a sword, so an escort knight would suit his aptitude better.”
“I see. If you insist, I can force him into the knighthood.”
“Oh? You offered an alternative, so I thought you would hesitate, but you’re agreeing more readily than I expected.”
“Dropping one person in by pulling strings is something I can easily do. It would end with people just cursing me and calling me senile, that’s all.”
“……Are you sure you’ll be alright?”
“I am fine. However, the contempt he will face due to his lack of pedigree is something your guardian will have to endure.”
“Hmm.”
“The Papiope Knights pride themselves on their skills above their status. Are you sure he’ll be fine with that?”
I smiled brightly, answering as if it were exactly what I wanted.
“That won’t be an issue. Grandfather, have you ever heard of ‘real-world compressed muscles’?”
Practical, compressed muscle.
The skill honed by sparring in a training hall cannot compare to the weight of a sword swung while risking one’s life in real combat. Of course, I had never seen ajusshi fight, but I was certain his skills would not lose to the Papiope knights. The fact that he had survived this long as a professional mercenary was proof enough of his strength. Besides, Aiden-ajusshi was affiliated with the famous Geumeunhwa Mercenary Corps.
While I was lost in memory, the confrontation between Grandfather and the Duke was still raging. The Duke took a deep breath, remaining firm.
“Even if you wish for it, Father, as long as I lead Papiope, I cannot permit someone to be admitted into the knighthood just like that.”
“Why?”
“To offer a special appointment without testing, simply because you like him? There will surely be talk.”
“Anything said can be silenced through skill.”
“No, it’s not about the talk; I do not wish to bring dishonor to the knights who serve me with loyalty.”
I couldn’t help but admire the Duke’s razor-sharp boundaries. Wow, our Duke was certainly clear on the line between public and private matters. Just a moment ago, she had been troubled that she couldn’t do anything for Aiden-ajusshi, yet she rejected this request with remarkable vehemence.
“Surely Father knows this as well. This is unlike you. You are being unreasonable.”
Of course she would say that. If not for the promise made to me, Grandfather would never have hired a man in the blink of an eye. But Grandfather had the expression of someone who already knew how the Duke would react. He clicked his tongue.
“To have such a poor eye for talent…….”
“What is that supposed to mean…….”
“Daughter, can’t you tell just by looking? An extraordinary talent that must not be missed is standing right in front of you, and you’re refusing him?”
The Duke’s eyes trembled as if she were caught in a dilemma. She knew that Grandfather’s eye for people was nothing short of incredible—his own subordinates were always prepared to lay down their lives for him. However, she composed herself quickly and warned him.
“Father, I will say this again: the authority to appoint knights lies with me.”
“And I am not asking for your permission. If you won’t take him into your ranks, I will take him as a knight under my own command.”
……Oh ho, a move like that?
I tapped my knee in appreciation of Grandfather’s brilliant strategy. He commanded his own private knights. They weren’t the official knights of the Papiope Duchy, but their combat power was in no way inferior. They had all been official members of the Papiope Knights in the past.
The question was whether he could become my escort knight even if he joined Grandfather’s ranks.
Before Grandfather passed down the Duchy, there had been three divisions: the ‘Blue Knights’ who used swords, the ‘Red Knights’ who used Abilitators, and the ‘Black Knights,’ which accepted only elite soldiers favored by Grandfather. Currently, only the Blue and Red Knights remained. When Grandfather passed the title to Viviana, the entire Black Knights had resigned, their loyalty tied solely to Declan. The Duke had left the unit empty to this day, finding it too bothersome to reform.
Grandfather clicked his tongue at the Duke’s sullen expression.
“Why that look? Are you going to meddle even if I take him under my own command?”
“Yes, I am going to meddle.”
Just as the argument threatened to ignite again, Aiden-ajusshi, who had been watching, quietly offered his opinion.
“How about I take the official entrance exam for the Papiope Knights?”
But that, too, was immediately blocked by the Duke.
“The official exam is fine, but it is impossible.”
“May I ask why?”
“The Papiope knight exam is held as a tournament. If that happens, Aiden, who would you even face in the match?”
Waiting for the exam wasn’t an option, either. It was held every two years, and the last one had been only a few months ago.
“Enough of this circular conversation!”
Unable to stand the frustration, Grandfather sighed deeply.
“My daughter, who has not even an ant’s waist worth of flexibility—how about doing it this way?”
“I am, as you say, a person without an ant’s waist worth of flexibility, so I’m not sure if it will be to my liking, but let’s hear it.”
“……A total failure in raising my child.”
Listening to Grandfather grumble, I decided that having a bad harvest in raising children was a common occurrence in every generation.