Chapter 85. I am coming to take everything back
“Are you going?”
Blanc, who finished the conversation with Bartomyu, turned his head at the sound coming from behind his back.
“It suits you well.”
In the place he turned his head, Iselin wearing pure white clerical robes was standing with a Paladin escorting her.
Since they were simply waiting for the time to announce her as Saintess, Iselin was already receiving treatment no different from a Saintess inside the Order.
“Already going?”
“Since the Count also came, I intend to go with a relieved mind.”
Blanc said while stroking Iselin’s hair.
At that appearance, the escorting Paladin flinched for a moment, but perhaps he also had tact, he didn’t say anything special about Blanc’s act of stroking the sacred Saintess' hair.
“……It’s your birthday soon right?”
“That is right.”
Iselin seemed to have remembered Blanc’s birthday surprisingly well.
“I debated what to give you for a long time, but suddenly coming here, the worries I had then became all useless.”
Hearing Iselin saying she prepared a birthday gift for him, Blanc smiled a pleased smile.
It was worth the hardship of taking care of her so much.
“Thank you just for the thought. Saintess.”
Iselin made a disappointed expression at Blanc calling her Saintess.
Then she held out a pouch to Blanc with a sulky face.
“Take it. Baron Blanc Cadmus.”
“What is this?”
“Show courtesy before the Saintess.”
Blanc knelt on one knee laughing loudly as if he took a hit from Iselin.
“I have shown courtesy. Saintess.”
Iselin made a triumphant expression for some reason looking at Blanc kneeling in front of her.
“I debated what to give and asked the knights escorting me, and they said this would be most necessary for Baron Blanc, so I give it.”
Iselin opened the small pouch she was carrying, took it out, and pinned it on Blanc’s left chest.
“This is?”
Blanc looked at the green brooch pinned on his chest.
It was a small brooch with a Blue Star drawn on it.
“I permit the Cadmus Knights to use that crest.”
Iselin stuck out her chin and made a face saying ‘This is excellent enough’.
And it was indeed an excellent birthday gift for Blanc, enough to make that face.
Blanc made a moved expression wondering when this child grew up like this and said.
“Thank you. Saintess.”
“Hmph! While not being very grateful, you speak empty words well.”
“That cannot be.”
Blanc tried to stand up kissing the back of Iselin’s hand.
“Wait!”
Iselin rummaged through her pouch, took out another brooch, and handed it to Blanc.
“I really wanted to say it, but he was always avoiding me.”
Iselin put it in Blanc’s hand and said.
“Blanc wasn’t the only one who obtained the Moonlit Grass. Convey that I was sorry then.”
Blanc quietly looked down at the brooch Iselin gave.
“He will be happy. Saintess.”
“Then go now.”
Blanc stood up receiving the order of the Saintess.
“I will ensure I do not bring shame to the things the Saintess gave.”
“Please take care of yourself. Baron Blanc Cadmus.”
Blanc smiled at Iselin.
“May the protection of the Goddess be with you!”
Hearing the blessing greeting the young Saintess uttered for the first time, Blanc turned his body and walked forward.
The red sunlight of twilight was dyeing the corridor red.
And Iselin watched Blanc moving away from her stepping on that red wave.
“He doesn’t look back once.”
And finally when he turned the corner and disappeared, she ended up bursting into tears.
***
“Baron.”
Knights of Cadmus and Tolome were waiting at the exit of the temple.
They were in a state ready to depart at any time according to Blanc’s instruction.
Blanc stopped for a moment looking at the falling twilight.
“Everyone stop for a moment. There is something I must do now.”
Knights of Cadmus and Tolome tied their horses to pillars following Blanc’s order while making puzzled expressions.
“Rakshar, the groundkeeper of Cadmus, come out and kneel.”
“Yes……? Yes!”
Rakshar, flustered at the sound of Blanc calling him, hurriedly came out of the group and knelt on one knee.
“Present your shoulder. Rakshar.”
Blanc drew Aselheit’s sword and placed it on Rakshar’s shoulder.
Over Blanc’s sword, the red aura of the sun running out of its last breath gathered and flowed.
“Rakshar. Do you swear to always contain justice in your sword?”
“……!”
“……!”
Knights who noticed what Blanc was trying to do now screamed soundlessly.
“Ba, Baron.”
Among them, the most surprised one was Rakshar, so he looked up at Blanc stuttering, unable to hide his bewilderment, but.
“Answer. Rakshar.”
Blanc stood with the twilight behind him without an inch of wavering.
Rakshar was confused unable to judge if this was a dream or reality looking at Blanc where the red light stayed, but.
He was answering without realizing it himself.
THUD-!
Knights stomped their feet matching Rakshar’s answer.
“Rakshar, do you swear to always contain valor in your heart?”
From the time the young boy knocked on his shabby hut, he had answered he would always do so.
THUD-!
“Rakshar, do you swear to always pursue conscience with the tip of your sword?”
Even when he pulled the young boy out of the ashes and stood him outside the cruel world, he always blocked the strong wind by Blanc’s side.
THUD-!
Rakshar, he was a person who proved his loyalty by throwing away his life in the previous life.
Blanc’s three questions and the knights’ three foot stomps ended.
“I order Rakshar who answered three questions.”
And now, from this moment.
He was no longer a lowly groundkeeper.
The pitiful gray wolf born from Evil, abandoned by his mother, and eventually died protecting Blanc in the previous life would have a new name from now on.
“Rise with the steps of a knight.”
That name was something shining and was like a sign of gratitude and affection Blanc gave to Rakshar.
“The first Knight appointed by Blanc Cadmus. Rakshar.”
The knighting ceremony in the Order of Moirai with the red twilight as a witness ended.
When Rakshar rose with the steps of a knight.
The sun was completely eaten over the mountain and disappeared, and above Rakshar’s shoulder, the appearance of the newly rising moon settled.
Rakshar straightened his bent knees.
And proudly straightened his shoulders and waist that had been cowering under people’s gazes and contempt until now.
Then he raised his head upright and looked at the moon floating in the night sky.
The loyal groundkeeper always gave the same answer to his young master’s question.
As always. As it had always been.
Just like in the previous life.
“Yes, Baron.”
He just answered that he would do so.
***
“Raise the flag. Rakshar.”
Blanc ordered Rakshar to stand at the very front.
“Ye, yes, Baron.”
“Ah, and.”
Blanc personally pinned the brooch Iselin conveyed on Rakshar’s left chest and spoke.
“If there are people who do not acknowledge that you are a knight, say my name first.”
Blanc tapped it once to check if the brooch was pinned perfectly.
“If there are people who still doubt, show them this.”
“Wh, what is this?”
Blanc put the flag personally in Rakshar’s hand and answered.
“The Saintess said, she was sorry for trying to pull out your fang back then. She said she did it because she liked you so much.”
Rakshar looked down at the brooch on his chest.
The brooch was shining in blue.
“Lead the way. Knight blessed by the Saintess. Stand at the very front and lead us.”
Rakshar accepted the flag Blanc gave and looked back toward the temple with tears in his eyes.
Although invisible, the lonely girl with silver hair would be waving her hand there.
“Move out! My knights!”
According to Blanc’s instruction, knights got on their horses and formed a formation.
Rakshar obeyed Blanc’s order and stood at the very front leading the knights’ vanguard.
His left chest shining receiving the full moon, the crest of a black wolf drawn on the flag he was holding, and.
And the crest of the Blue Star drawn above that wolf were brightening the darkness.
“We are a Knight Order blessed by the Saintess! Do not fear the approaching darkness!”
Blanc drew his sword and ordered his knights.
“Advance!”
Knights of Cadmus and Tolome moved.
Wherever they moved, white moonlight followed, and blue starlight brightened the front of the knights.
The knights ran without hesitation.
“We were waiting. Baron.”
Blanc joined the cavalry captain with a glorious scar and the mercenary corps he led.
“This has become a road. It’s an expensive road costing at least a thousand gold.”
The Cadmus Baron army crossed the forest which had become a road now, pierced by the red-haired handsome man saving the group.
“Neudorf’s troops moved ahead with the supply unit.”
Bonas, his quartermaster, said he had bought plenty of food and was already moving with Neudorf’s soldiers.
“I barely met the deadline. I will deliver 100 crossbows to the Quiesco Cavalry.”
Duven Fogota, who had become haggard unlike a Dwarf, did not betray Blanc’s expectation.
Cool summer air pushed them cheerfully.
The Cadmus Baron army absorbed the troops prepared by Bartomyu and Vitelli in Baltimere.
“Will our wish come true?”
“I will do enough to pay for building the training ground.”
Vitelli patted the shoulder of the wolf running with the wind on his back.
“Noel and Aubert, serve Sir Edwin well!”
There, the Tolome Knights joined.
“I still have strength remaining to stand on the battlefield about once. Baron.”
His teacher and respected knight Edwin stood by Blanc’s side.
The Tolome Knights, although not out of loyalty, revealed deep friendship and respect for Blanc and were proud to be with him.
The Cadmus Baron army left Baltimere.
Blanc realized Ciella was tearing up behind his leaving back but did not stop.
He rode the flow.
“Open the path! You rude but not immoral guard! The thirty-second Blanc Cadmus has come!”
The rude but not immoral guard who had restrained Blanc before hurriedly lowered the drawbridge and saluted Blanc.
“I apologize for not recognizing you back then!”
“I will not forgive you for the rest of my life!”
At Blanc’s shout, the guard broke into a cold sweat on his back and did not lower his salute until the procession of the Cadmus Baron army passed completely.
“I was crazy…….”
He deeply regretted in his heart but was proud of Blanc Cadmus' growth.
The young boy who threatened him holding a white glittering dagger when entering Baltimere for the first time was now leaving Baltimere leading an army of over 1,000.
“I was standing at the scene where a legend begins.”
He did not worry about the money for alcohol to drink with colleagues today as always.
Because whenever he talked about Blanc, people around offered drink cups.
***
The Cadmus Baron army entered the King’s Path.
Tolome and Neudorf had already sought cooperation from the lords near where the army passed.
Therefore, there was no hesitation in their movement.
Blanc breathed in deeply and looked ahead.
Although it couldn't be, for some reason, Norington seemed visible over there.
His hometown, the place he dreamed of.
Norington.
Everything started there.
And Blanc was going to take everything back there.
***
That night Blanc left Baltimere.
Langketa, Vicious, and the head of Kamora received a letter.
On the seal of that letter, a crest symbolizing a wolf was stamped.
“What was to come has come.”
“Finally the young wolf moved.”
“Arrogant fellow…….”
The three lords received the letter in different places respectively, but opened that letter at the same time as if guided by the Goddess.
And in that letter, only a single line written by Blanc was written.
-I am coming to take everything back. Baron Blanc Cadmus.