C72
"Why is Isidor being so meddlesome with me?"
At first, I suspected he had something to gain from my father.
He gave me a rare diamond worth as much as the price of a townhouse, so he might have thought that Duke Seymour cares deeply for me.
However, if his purpose was the Duke and not me, it doesn't explain why he simply gave me the book written by the head of the sixth-generation family.
He could have made a deal with my father with that book.
But assuming that Isidor likes me...
Somehow, it's quite dangerous.
It's really bad for the heart and blood pressure.
Warning lights lit up as I postponed my judgment for a while, but due to the Master's mysterious attitude towards Isidor, a overwhelming thought suddenly passed through my mind.
Could there be some kind of relationship between Isidor and the Master?
Maybe the reason Isidor is intervening, which wasn't written in the novel, has something to do with the Master?
Furthermore, there was a link between the two that I overlooked.
"The Crown Prince."
Isidor is friends with the Crown Prince, and the Master is the Crown Prince's conspirator.
It's possible that the Master pretended not to know when he already knew everything about Isidor.
Of course, it's just my assumption because there is absolutely no physical evidence.
Should I investigate Isidor through another information guild?
If the research results are different, it would be quite a good deduction...
"Princess, how is the water temperature?"
While I was lost in thought, the maid asked me a question, so I suddenly came to my senses.
"Please make it a little cooler."
"Yes, Princess."
I took a break while receiving the gentle massages from the servants, then I put on a robe and lay down on the bed.
I'm tired, so I'd better sleep.
My body feels heavy, but I can't sleep because so much happened today.
Philap disappeared, and the winner of the tournament changed.
The content of the match also became strange. Diery's glory was stolen by a nameless knight and was cut short by Isidor in 3 seconds.
However, the doubts about the absurd flow of the tournament were quickly resolved.
This is because the huge unknown knight, who had caused a major unexpected event in the joust, arrived in Armand the next day.
It was the first encounter with Oryx, who would later be called the undefeated jousting knight.
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In the capital, where the heat of the jousting tournament had not yet subsided, the story of the knights who played an active role this time became a hot topic.
"The star of these jousts is Oryx Mirkain. I never thought he would hide his natural martial talent in the rural estate I've never heard of."
"I heard he's an apprentice who hasn't been officially knighted yet, so I heard he's been escorting people here and there."
It was a life-changing event, so everyone felt envious.
This is because most second and third sons of lower-ranking aristocratic families want to join the army or any high-ranking aristocratic knight and become official knights.
"If he just trains how to deal with the aura, it's only a matter of time before he receives the title of official knight."
"By the way, who will he choose? He's already surpassed the age to join the Imperial Knights, so it must be a concern."
"I heard rumors that Marquis Granber has fallen for him."
"Hm? Hasn't the Duke Sereig family already...?"
"Isn't it Count Bellugi?"
Prominent family names were mentioned randomly.
It doesn't matter whether it's true or not. That shows how much of a hot topic Oryx was.
And shortly thereafter, Oryx's whereabouts were determined.
Men, who had anticipated he would go to Duke Sereig, a famous swordsman, were surprised by the unexpected surname.
"Seymour?"
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Oryx Mirkain came directly to Armand and waited for me for over half a day.
"During the jousting match, I felt like I was going to collapse due to severe thirst and a headache, but my condition recovered thanks to the drinks from this shop."
He sincerely asked Armand's manager to ensure that the noble who gave him the drink would be repaid, and I finally had a private meeting with Oryx in the basement of Armand.
"This is the butterfly effect."
After drinking the isotonic beverage, his dehydration symptoms were relieved, so Oryx's performance improved greatly, and the outcome of the jousting tournament was completely different from the novel.
"I want to repay the favor."
He said in a very serious tone.
By the way, is he really 17 years old?
He didn't seem that big when seen from a distance, but when I actually met him up close, I felt like I had encountered a wild bear.
A thick neck and arms like tree trunks, large and bright eyes, dark eyebrows.
"He looks very strong."
He's just a high school student. I couldn't help but feel a little frightened because I had let my guard down, thinking he wasn't much.
"His body constitution alone is worthy of being utilized."
It was at that moment that the Master's advice to obtain a promise from a loyal knight came to my mind, as it was rare to find one in advance.
"Hm. Do you want to repay me?"
I asked with as much strength as I could muster in my voice to hide my trembling fear.
"Yes. Thanks to your kindness, my identity as a knight has been revived."
He explained that he was able to prepare a fund to send his younger sister, who was in a hurry, upon receiving the prize money from the third prize, and that he had the opportunity to become a good knight.
He said that if he couldn't play an active role in this joust, he was thinking of resigning as a knight to earn money and become a mercenary.
"It was a desperate situation, and the drink was a great help to me."
His big eyes trembled like a calf.
"Thank you for giving me the moment to shine that I will never forget."
He could just let it pass by saying he was impressed with his mouth alone, but the fact that he couldn't let it go and came to repay the favor directly would mean that he is an upright person.
The tip of my nose is impressed.
"He's really suitable as Slave No. 3."
"I understand your profound meaning."
I stayed silent for a while and opened my mouth.
"By the way, how do you plan to repay me? If you train as a knight, you will be strong, but what you have now is nothing but physical strength."
He opened his mouth with determination.
"I want to use my humble strength for you. My mother always said that if a man doesn't know how to repay kindness, he's no different from an animal."
"Whoever you are, will you work for me?"
"Yes."
There must have been an offer from a more prominent aristocratic family, but he would willingly forgo going higher for me.
I like the fact that he's straightforward.
As I calmly looked at his honest face, I lowered the robe covering my face.
Oryx's eyes, looking into mine, opened calmly, and his mouth opened slightly.
He seems surprised.
Well, if you don't know about Seymour's wicked woman, you're a spy.
But it was Oryx who offered to repay the favor first.
Even if he doesn't like me as his lord, he won't say a word with that personality, right?
I slightly lifted the corners of my mouth.
"Your expression seems to indicate that you know who I am."
"I-I'm sorry for being so ignorant, but I don't know who you are. I've been living in the dark because it's only been a short time since I came to the capital."
"Eh? You don't know?"
"That, you, are so beautiful. I was surprised. So, I'm s-sorry."
Isidor made such a fuss that day, how can you not know?
He stammered helplessly, not knowing what to do, and I opened my mouth after a moment of silence.
"I am Deborah Seymour."
"Huuk! It is an infinite honor to meet the great princess of Seymour!"
I suppose you know Seymour.
He abruptly clenched his facial muscles, while his neck turned red.
"I am glad that after a long study, the 'Super Aid' I produced has been useful to an outstanding warrior like you. I was also impressed by your way of coming here personally to repay my favor."
When I took a step closer, emphasizing the word "favor," he nervously shook his head with a red and tense face.
"I will give you the opportunity to repay the favor. I will let you join the Knights of Seymour so that you can learn about the aura and develop your strength to glory."
Having been incorporated into the Knights of Seymour out of nowhere, he repeated the word "glory" with a perplexed look.
"If it's the Seymour Knights, it's not a bad choice for Oryx."
I know that two families made him an offer: Sereig and Bellugi.
Seymour doesn't stand up to them at all.
Rather, it's much better.
It's just a prejudice that the Knights will be weak just because Seymour is a family that represents magic. Seymour was forming a squad of knights with terrifying skills.
Among them, the organization under the name "Ouroboros" was a group of human weapons, so some called them Seymour's dogs.
Well, in a nutshell, it means that the Seymour Knights are also very good.
"It is, it is an honor. Princess."
"Only in words?"
"What?"
"This is a contract in which you will work as my vassal in the future."
"Ah..."
"Sir Oryx only needs to sign here."
Watching him motionless as he read the contract, I waved the paper and urged him.
"Sign!"
"Ah, yes!"
He shook the ink-stained pen, which is the size of a pot lid, with one hand, and signed below.
There's one thing I learned from Belreck's example. It's only a beneficial contract when I can get the signature, faster than lightning, while the other person is excited.
As I watched Oryx sign the contract, I managed to swallow the mischievous smile that appeared on my lips.
There was a clause stating that if he becomes an official knight, he will swear a knight's oath to me and dedicate all his loyalty to me.
