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185
Side Story 4 – The Empire’s Knight
Come to think it, he had protected the crown prince after becoming a certified royal knight until today. Therefore, he had lived a life without vacations.
“It’s the first time I had a vacation.”
Oliver Raywood had been given a half-year’s leave thanks to the emperor, but he found his freedom awkward.
‘What should I do?’
Having a family was a mere weakness for a royal knight whose priority was the royal family, which meant that Oliver could not marry. Therefore, he did not have a wife and kids to spend his holiday together.
“……”
Oliver became deep in thought, but he still did not have anything to do.
‘Training?’
It was natural for him to think of training for his first vacation, but he remembered the emperor’s orders when he was given six months off.
“Play, all right?”
Hayden had given orders to play, and Oliver had to follow them.
“Umm…”
What should he do? He was easier fighting the bone dragon.
‘Maybe I should ask Ian to spar.’
That may be considered play. Would the emperor approve?
“I’m busy.”
“……”
However, Oliver did not need to decide since Ian refused on the spot like a knife.
“I had spent ten years resting as the Tower Lord, and it seems I will busy for the rest of my life.”
Oliver came out of the tower without any gain. What should he do to play?
‘I should go to my homeland.’
Finally, he decided to go to Mogrian lands to meet his relatives.
‘I should see my brother.’
He had not visited his hometown during his trip with the crown prince, as they had avoided aristocrats from first place to observe the people.
‘Lots of things would have changed.’
It was the same during the emperor’s coronation, as the Raywood family had always protected the Mogrian lands with their swords for generations. While this was not a time of war, they had not chosen to participate in coronations to build relationships and greet the new emperor. Instead, they chose to protect the border, and Oliver’s stoic personality was actually a family tradition.
‘I may ride the civilian airship.’
Oliver had a small wish to ride as one of the people instead of riding in an airship for high-class officials.
‘I had only used my feet and horses when traveling with his majesty.’
Oliver went to the airship dock for civilians. Since the crafts looked like a ship, the place to ride them was called docks.
“Hey! Thirty minutes left until the final sale for the airship heading to the Mogrian lands! Thirty minutes! Ten tickets remaining! Hurry!”
Oliver was lucky, and he had managed to get on a plane without reservations. Oliver was in a good mood when he approached the manager selling the tickets. Since the empire was in charge of the airship business, docks were managed by low-class officials and empire knights.
“I’ll buy a ticket.”
“Show me your ID.”
“ID?”
The manager would mean the pass that proved he belonged to the empire. The problem was since Oliver was an aristocrat, he did not have one. While he had passes as an aristocrat and a knight, they were at home.
Should he reveal himself? Would he believe Oliver? If he did, wouldn’t he be refused? Oliver found himself facing many problems today.
“I don’t have one now.”
“What do you mean? Who doesn’t have one?”
No aristocrat would come here, and Oliver was dressed like an adventurer.
“……”
Oliver fell silent, and the manager’s eye turned suspicious. It was a problem, and Oliver would rather face two bone dragons.
It was then booming noises came down from the sky, and everybody turned their gaze upward.
“What…is…that?”
The sound came from a supporting pillar of the dock that soared up to the sky so the airships could be parked. An airship must have crashed during lift-off, and while the craft managed to fly, that was not the problem.
“It’s going to fall!”
The supporting pillar was falling, and people were down there. The fragments were big enough to kill, and a tragic accident seemed to be underway.
Then, Oliver started to move. He took out his sword hidden under brown clothes and bent a leg to spring forward. His jump exceeded human limits, as he was aligned with the falling fragment in an instant.
Oliver chose to hit the fragment with the side of his sword, and the biggest piece fell to an empty spot with inhuman force.
“Not yet!”
However, that was not the only fragment, and he needed to take care of others. He used the Aura Blade, and a blue ray of light came out of his blade to follow the fragments.
Oliver’s Aura Blade did not cut through the fragments but just changed the direction of the fragments’ fall through explosions. His skills were perfect, and Oliver did not allow even a piece to fall.
The moment he landed, people were astounded not only due to the sudden accident or feel relief, but even more surprised at the master swordsman.
With a sigh, Oliver ignored people’s gaze and sheathed his sword. His movements showed the grace of a knight.
“Hey, manager.”
Oliver signaled him because he needed to talk.
“Yes…yes?”
“Contact Ian’s manor to report this accident and ask for help directly.”
“Ah! Yes, sir!”
“And you guys.”
Oliver headed to the guards who were in charge of protecting the airship dock.
“Come here.”
“Yes! Sir!”
The guards were quicker than ever since they had already recognized who Oliver was. No other swordsman would be able to do something like that.
“If I may be excused, aren’t you Sir Oliver Raywood…”
“Yes, so follow my orders. First, evacuate the people and control the area. Since airships are made of complicated technology, no one knows the problems the fragments may cause. Also, clear the road from Sir Ian’s manor to here since we need an engineer right away. Do you understand?”
Oliver showed himself able to think calmly in sudden situations.
“Yes! I am honored to meet and receive orders from you!”
“I am honored! Sir Oliver!”
“This is a family honor!”
The guards bowed their heads in respect, but they were trained as soldiers and quickly followed orders. After gaining control of the situation, Oliver moved to the empty spot where the fragments fell just in case. He could block light explosions on his own.
***
The accident was organized without any faults, as Siram and his students took the fragments and started construction in order to find the cause.
“I should go to my hometown later.”
While he could go to Mogrian with Ian’s help by teleporting or a portal, he did not want to go. It seemed that today’s accident had grabbed Oliver’s ankle.
“There’s still time.”
Oliver sipped beer, and his vacation started from one of his favored old pubs in the city.
“Hello…”
Oliver had been about to drink in celebration when someone spoke to him and even tapped his arm.
“Umm?”
An eight-year-old boy with hair the same shade as Oliver’s was the one who had called.
“What is it?”
Oliver lowered his glass and met the boy’s eyes. What was a boy doing in a pub so late at night?
“I’m…that…it’s…my name is Canolan!”
The body suddenly introduced himself with a tense expression. The pub’s owner added a word while cleaning glasses.
“He’s our waiter. I took him in since he was an orphan in a sad situation.”
Since Oliver could not visit pubs often, it was the first time Oliver had seen the boy.
“Canolan, that’s a good name. What is the matter?”
Oliver tried to speak as kindly as possible but could not hide the aura that stemmed from him.
“I…I saw the accident on the dock and your swordsmanship!”
The boy moved his hand sideways, and it was quite cute enough to wake paternal feelings in Oliver.
“If I grow up, I’ll become a strong knight like you! And then!”
Canolan praised Oliver from then on, and he listened to the boy’s words without complaint.
“I want to beat dragons! Save people! Be recognized by the aristocrats! And…um…”
However, Oliver’s face turned serious when Canolan faltered.
“Canolan.”
“Yes?”
“Do you mean that you want to become a knight to be recognized by others?”
“Yes, like you!”
“All right…”
Even if it may be a childhood dream, he was still a boy dreaming of being a knight, and Oliver had to say something as the greatest knight in the country.
“Remember what I say, since you have to follow them from the moment you dream of becoming a knight. Do you understand?”
Canolan’s eyes brightened, and it seemed that happiness would flow out of his eyes.
“Recognition and honor are knightly virtues, but they are only parts of true knighthood.”
“True knighthood?”
“Yes.”
Oliver stopped for a moment and went on.
“First, knights have to work hard since today’s training will save you tomorrow.”
Oliver emphasized the word hard.
“Also, you need to remember politeness to those higher and lower than you.”
The second was politeness, which was the most fundamental basis of a knight.
“You have to learn humility. Keep your mind clean and use only what is necessary.”
While Oliver’s words were difficult, Canolan listened to him with a serious face. He seemed like he was going to memorize Oliver’s voice.
“Finally, you have a duty to protect the weak. While I protect his majesty, still every knight must remember to protect the weak foremost.”
Oliver risked his life to do so, like when he had cut through the dragon.
“Umm…”
Canolan fell deep in thought at Oliver’s words.
“Thank you!”
The boy suddenly said his thanks to Oliver and went to his room that was behind the pub. It would have been difficult for a young boy like him to understand Oliver’s words.
However, Canolan came out of his room with a wooden sword in his hand.
“I will start training as you said! See you!”
Canolan shouted the words and went out of the pub to swing his sword in the empty lot behind the pub.
“…Owner.”
Oliver spoke to the pub owner with a smile.
“I need you to take my glass back.”
He stood up since he needed to do something else when he saw a boy with such possibilities.
“I need to teach him some sword lessons, and I will do it for free.”
It seemed that Oliver Raywood found a student to teach in his later years.