Chapter 62
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Chapter 62
"It seems the Young Master is quite fearful, doesn't he?"
The knight sitting beside Xenon broke the silence with those words.
"With such cowardice, I wonder if he can even participate in the subjugation...."
He trailed off while scrutinizing Lucian.
"Raven."
Claude tried to stop the knight, but concern had already spread across the faces of the other soldiers.
"The Monster Forest barely gets any sunlight...."
"And sleeping arrangements are quite uncomfortable."
"There aren't even proper facilities, so adaptation will be difficult."
Worried murmurs rippled through the group.
"Commander, shouldn't we request His Majesty reconsider? Taking the Young Master of House Bellomen seems unreasonable."
It was when the knight called Raven voiced his opinion.
"No!"
Lucian suddenly let out a sharp cry.
"Lucian, I've told you not to shout in front of so many people."
"I'm not a coward! I can do it!"
Lucian clenched his fists tightly and shot to his feet. His pride had clearly been wounded.
"I'm gifted! A hero! Heroes don't fear such things!"
"But didn't you cry when you saw Xenon earlier?"
"That, that was...."
"There are still tears in your eyes right now."
"No, that's not it!"
Lucian rubbed his eyes roughly with the back of his hand.
"I wasn't crying from fear! I was crying because it hurt! You hit my back like that, it hurt!"
"That makes it worse, actually."
Raven's words made Lucian's shoulders flinch.
"A knight's foundation is patience. If you cannot endure even this much pain, you cannot learn any martial art."
"It, it doesn't hurt, I just, I just...."
Tears began welling up in Lucian's eyes again as panic seized him.
"And excessive tears are absolutely unacceptable."
"Ugh...."
Lucian roughly wiped away the tears gathering at his eyes. Being treated as a coward clearly wounded him deeply.
After all, he'd only ever heard praise—never criticism. It was natural that such a proud ego would crack under such scrutiny.
"That's enough, Raven."
Claude stopped Raven.
"Do you really want to pressure a seven-year-old child like that?"
"Commander, Monster Subjugation is no child's game. He needs to understand how harsh and difficult reality truly is."
'I see.'
After briefly comforting the sniffling Lucian, I understood Raven's intent and nodded in acknowledgment.
As Aiden had said, subjugating magical beasts was no simple task.
I couldn't expect soft beds or delicious meals, and there would likely be days when I couldn't wash away the splattered blood of monsters.
In such circumstances, complaining was a luxury.
'Raven is doing this on purpose.'
To show Lucian how much harder the Monster Subjugation Unit work was than he'd anticipated.
I looked down at Lucian nestled in my arms.
"Sniff...."
Lucian was curled into a tight ball like an injured fawn, weeping quietly.
'He's holding back his sobs, afraid of being scolded.'
Though the sight of Lucian stifling his tears tugged at my heart, I couldn't comfort him this time.
Because Raven was right about everything.
If he was more of a burden than a help, it was better to find another way to assist.
"But then again...."
I was about to ask Lucian if he wouldn't rather return home.
"If you simply promise that you can manage well... there's nothing we cannot do."
At Raven's words, Lucian's head, which had been hanging down, suddenly lifted.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"I can promise! I won't cry even if I'm scared, I won't throw a tantrum about wanting to go home, and I won't be picky about food!"
"Are you truly capable of that?"
"Yes!"
Lucian's eyes, which had been wet with tears all along, suddenly gleamed with light.
"However, there is one thing."
"Yes! Just tell me anything!"
"Within the Monster Subjugation Unit, the principle of hierarchy is absolute."
"Hierarchy? What's that?"
Lucian tilted his head in confusion.
"It means that when a superior gives an order, a subordinate must accept it unconditionally."
I wiped away Lucian's tears with a handkerchief as I explained.
"Until now, you've always been in a position of authority, but that's not the case here. Since you joined the unit most recently, you're essentially the youngest member. And the youngest must obey the senior knights' commands without question."
Raven fixed Lucian with a serious gaze.
"Can you follow our instructions well?"
"Of course!"
"From the moment you enter the unit, you must speak to us with formal language. Is that acceptable?"
"It's fine! Or rather, it's fine!"
Lucian nodded his head so vigorously it seemed to hum.
The boy really does want to be a hero that badly.
"Good."
Raven nodded and rose from his seat, approaching us—or more precisely, approaching Lucian.
Soon a calloused, weathered hand was extended toward Lucian.
"Congratulations on joining the Monster Subjugation Unit, Lucian Bellomen."
Lucian gazed up at Raven with an expression of deep emotion, then eagerly grasped his hand.
"Yes, Senior!"
* * *
"Lucian, how old did you say you were? Six?"
"I'm seven years old... I mean, I am seven years old!"
"My, our youngest member certainly knows how to answer properly."
"With a son like that, one wouldn't need to eat to feel satisfied."
"Hehe."
At the knights' praise, Lucian's mouth fell open in a goofy grin.
The initial fear of the knights' rugged appearances quickly faded.
After a brief introduction, Lucian rapidly became acquainted with the knights.
When Lucian introduced himself, I thought I would die laughing.
With such rigid military bearing, what did he say?
'I am Lucian Bellomen, sir! I shall not throw tantrums and will obey orders well, sir!'
'What is your reason for joining?'
'Because I wished to grow stronger and protect my aunt, sir!'
Recalling Lucian shouting in that rigid stance, I could only laugh.
Though I must admit, the part about protecting me was rather touching.
But where on earth did he learn that stiff military manner of speaking?
"I apologize, Miss. I should have restrained the knights..."
I waved my hand dismissively at Claude, who bowed apologetically.
"No, it's actually for the best. Having someone keep him in check prevents him from doing foolish things. And he's learning respect for his elders too."
Lucian, who had always reigned from the highest position, would surely benefit from experiencing life as the youngest in a group. It would help develop his social skills.
"I never knew Lucian was so earnest about monster subjugation."
"Neither did I. If one thinks about it for a moment, you'd realize there are flaws in Raven's logic."
Following Raven's reasoning, I too should have been using formal speech with the unit members.
However, Lucian was so intoxicated by the thrill of becoming a knight of the Subjugation Unit that he didn't notice anything amiss.
'He's really quite simple-minded, isn't he.'
Sometimes he's easy to raise, and other times he's difficult.
"Senior Xenon, why are your front teeth so dark?"
"I injured my mouth during sparring. My front teeth turned dark after that."
"Ooh, a mark of glory!"
When had he been afraid, thinking they looked rotten? Watching Lucian chat enthusiastically with Xenon, I could only smile.
"You could say that, I suppose."
I observed Xenon, who was boasting while displaying his blackened front teeth.
Xenon was actually the vice-commander of the Subjugation Unit. Everyone assumed he was of mercenary origin because of his rough appearance, but he was actually the youngest son of a prestigious family.
"Senior Raven, do you not have any marks of glory like that?"
"I have nothing of the sort."
Ironically, it was the delicate-featured Raven who was of mercenary origin.
He had started as a lowborn mercenary at the bottom and climbed all the way to the Imperial Knight Order. Among the ten knights representing the Monster Subjugation Unit, he held the highest position.
"Young Lady?"
It was Claude who called out to me, noticing my attention had been drawn away by Lucian and the knights.
"Are you perhaps interested in Raven?"
"No. I was looking at Lucian. He seems to suit the role quite well."
"Ah."
Relief washed across Claude's face in that instant. The atmosphere surrounding him seemed to lighten noticeably.
'Is the result of my magical energy detection training manifesting in unexpected ways?'
My ability to sense magical auras had certainly developed.
"Will you be visiting the Temple again today?"
"No. I decided to rest today. If I attend the Knight Order meeting and train as well, Lucian will be exhausted."
I shook my head in response to Claude's question.
"Then you have no other scheduled commitments for the remainder of the day."
"That's right."
"Would you consider joining me for dinner at my residence?"
"At the Agris Marquis Residence?"
"Yes. While it cannot compare to the main estate in my Territory, the residence here in the Capital is quite respectable. I have also wished to repay the kindness you have shown me."
Now that I thought about it, I had never visited the Marquis Residence before.
"Amelia has been hoping to see you very much."
It had been quite some time since I last saw Amelia.
"I would be delighted."
I nodded readily in agreement.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org