Betrayal Knight's Joyful Faith

Chapter NaN

The uniforms of the Imperial Knights were divided into two types. The first was the formal, deep blue uniform.The other was the light blue uniform of the apprentice knights, marking them as apprentices who had yet to be appointed to an Order and were to be protected in battle.

At one time, the apprentice uniform could have been considered a symbol of some eccentric individual.

“Not so eccentric.”

Ash, the current apprentice knight of the Third Knights, stared blankly into space.

Arendt von Eckhart, the foremost contributor to the victory against the Chernion Cult.

He was treated like a walking storm.

Because of this, Ash, as the new apprentice was…

“I’m sorry! I thought you were Sir Arendt…”

The attendants he encountered in the palace…

“…Sir Ash, I’m sorry. I thought you were Sir Arendt.”

Even other noble officials, including Grand Duke Lancelot, had strange expressions upon seeing him.

After weeks of this, Ash finally couldn’t bear it anymore and focused on visiting Arendt himself.

“Senior Arendt!”

“What.”

Arendt, lazily lounging on the sofa in the dormitory lobby, confronted him.

After the war, Arendt had been granted special treatment by the Crown Prince and was promoted into the Order.

He had already graduated from his apprentice knight’s uniform and was now wearing the deep blue uniform of a full-fledged knight, but it seemed his behavior then and now was no different.

Ash steeled himself and stood before him.

“People keep flinching whenever they see me! I think they’re confusing me with you.”

“It’s because you just don’t have a strong presence.”

But Arendt, without looking up from the book he was reading, simply responded indifferently.

“If you’re free, go to the kitchen and get some more snacks. I already ate them all.”

Ash, who absentmindedly accepted the snack basket Arendt shoved at him, frowned.

“Senior!”

“What a nuisance. What do you want me to do?”

Only then did Arendt raise his sullen gaze and meet Ash’s.

“If you’re so wronged, why don’t you try to cause trouble like me?”

“How could I possibly do that!? That’s not something a normal person would—!”

“So you’re saying I’m not normal?”

“That’s not what I meant!”

A year after the war ended.

It was three weeks into Ash’s apprenticeship.

“Other seniors say, ‘Hold on, it can’t be helped…’ But every time I walk through the palace, people flinch and check my face. It’s beyond stressful!”

Once, he’d been so thrilled to be accepted as an apprentice knight into the Third Knight Order, led by a living hero.

But since then, all he’d gained was heartburn.

“It’s okay. You’re not as handsome as me, and so it’ll stop eventually.”

“T-That’s…!”

Ash, who had almost agreed without thinking, found himself stunned.

“Or maybe they’re just surprised by your ugly face.”

“Senior!”

Because Arendt had been promoted so early, they were the same age.

But other than that, Arendt and Ash had absolutely nothing in common. Ash was slightly taller and more massive. Even from a distance, their silhouettes were easily distinguishable.

But to others, it seemed otherwise.

Just by wearing Arendt’s uniform, Ash was unintentionally startling people.

That’s how strongly Arendt’s impression from his apprentice days was etched in their minds.

“Ugh.”

Arendt sat up, stuffing the last snack he had in his mouth.

“For an apprentice knight, you sure talk a lot. You should be honored to be mistaken for me. Why are you complaining so much? Don’t you know that contempt is also a form of attention?”

“I really don’t want that kind of attention!”

Arendt clicked his tongue, watching Ash cry out in frustration.

“Honestly… you’re so weak. Well, it’s not like I can’t come up with a solution.”

“Huh? Really?”

“Uh-huh.”

Arendt nodded slightly and said briefly.

“Just follow me around for a while. Once people get used to seeing us together, they’ll stop confusing you with me.”

“What do you think? I’ll tell the other seniors I’m personally training you. Quit if you don’t like it.”

Ash’s eyes lit up at the plausible words.

“Please!”

“Okay. Then, let’s go on a downtown patrol together later this evening. And bring some snacks. I’m hungry.”

Settling back down, Arendt picked up his book again.

Ash had no choice but to trudge towards the kitchen, carrying the empty basket of snacks Arendt had given him.

Arthur, who had been watching the scene, muttered uneasily.

“…Poor Ash.”

“Leave him be. He hasn’t realized what he’s gotten himself into yet. He’ll learn something when he experiences it firsthand.

Richt, too, looked pitying, but said the same thing.

Arthur asked.

“Senior, are you free tonight?”

“Even if I’m not, I’d better make time, don’t you think?”

Richt answered quietly.

Rather than trying to stop Arendt, it would be faster to join him in cleaning up the mess.

“…Senior.”

Ash, after a long moment of hesitation, stuttered.

“You said patrol?”

“This is a proper patrol.”

As he spoke, Arendt was in plain clothes.

Ash was no different. Ash, who was about to go on patrol in his usual uniform, had been forced to change into plain clothes by Arendt.

“I’m off duty today. Did you forget? Patrolling the city outside of work on my off-duty day, means…”

“…Isn’t it just a walk?”

“Correct.”

Arendt nodded plainly.

“Haaaaah…”

Ash sighed and his shoulders slumped. Arendt stuffed a snack into his mouth.

“Mmph.”

“Don’t complain, just follow.”

Arendt began to walk leisurely down the night street. Ash, too, had no choice but to trudge along behind him, munching on the sweet treat that didn’t suit his taste.

Matching his pace with the man, who had a limp from the aftereffects of war, Ash unintentionally slowed his pace.

Walking slightly behind Arendt, Ash watched his profile with a pout.

‘I can’t even tell what he’s thinking.’

As he always said, his strikingly handsome face was devoid of any expression. He seemed to be simply observing the bustling downtown area without a care.

Ash followed him, his gaze wandering around.

‘This place was definitely in ruins…’

The devastation the area had suffered immediately after the war was gone. Thanks to the cooperation of the Imperial Family and the people, the scars of war had been erased as quickly as possible.

While traces of the fierce battle still lingered here and there, at least the downtown area looked much the same as before.

“If I had to point out one difference…”

The statue of Luce, once so prominent everywhere, was no longer visible.

In fact, that was the biggest difference before and after the war. The people of the Imperial Capital, as if eager to quickly forget the horrific memories of the war, gradually eliminated any trace of Luce.

Of course, many still opposed it.

“Anyway…”

“Huh?”

Arendt’s voice suddenly brought Ash back from his reverie.

“Why did you join this idiotic order of knights?”

“Huh? What are you talking about all of a sudden… There’s no aspiring knight who wouldn’t be aspiring to join the Third Knights, who contributed the most to the war.”

“I doubt only good rumors are circulating.”

Arendt turned his head slightly to look at Ash.

“We’re an Order led by the Hero of the Holy Sword, and yet we deposed Luce from the throne. Don’t you have a lot of complaints about that?”

“Haha… It’s a bit odd to hear such words from the one who spearheaded the effort to overthrow God. It was Sir Arendt who persuaded Captain Laius, wasn’t it?”

Ash let out an awkward laugh, and Arendt shrugged.

“Who else could say it if not me?”

“That’s true, but still…”

Ash paused for a moment before speaking.

“My grandfather and father were very against it. Both of them are devout believers.”

“Hmm.”

Arendt tilted his head indifferently.

“But why the Third Knights? To the Luce faith, we’re nothing more than apostates.”

“Well…”

Ash hesitated again. But that was fleeting. He scratched his cheek sheepishly and continued.

“My father’s devoutness goes back to his father’s generation. This has nothing to do with me… Of course, it was shocking that even Captain Laius, who was chosen by Lord Luce, turned his back on Him.”

“But?”

“In the end, Lord Luce cast you all out, but you all did a great job saving the Empire. I was inspired by that…”

Ash smiled shyly.

“During the war, I was training in the territory to graduate from the Academy and become a knight. I had heard clearly about Captain Laius’ and your exploits. Ultimately, the reason you turned your back on Lord Luce was all for the sake of the people.”

“Oh.”

“Senior Arendt, your and Captain Laius’ sincerity was already proven by the war. I feel bad for my father and grandfather, I believe your loyalty stands closer to righteousness than Lord Luce’s. That’s why I applied to the Third Knight Order.”

Arendt nodded lazily.

“Then… At least I don’t have to worry about being stabbed in the back.”

“Huh?”

Ash’s eyes widened at the sudden question. Focusing on the conversation, the two had already found themselves in a rather secluded back alley, far from the bustling city center.

“Wait… Senior Arendt, where is this…?”

“These days, some annoyances still insist on following me around.”

Arendt stopped abruptly and rolled his shoulders.

“You need to train more. I can’t believe a knight can be so insensitive.”

“Huh?”

Ash, who had been asking blankly, finally realized something was off.

There were eyes hiding somewhere, watching them.

Ash’s face turned pale.

“An ambush?”

“It was a bit of a hassle to do it alone, but you, like an idiot, just happened to start talking to me.”

One by one, the men began to emerge from the shadows. Even amidst all this, Arendt remained calm.

“I heard from the Khan Union that some suspicious people have recently entered the capital.”

With Ash’s face turning pale, Arendt smirked.

“These guys seem to think I’m not what I used to be, and they’re really looking down on me.”

The men emerging from the darkness each began to draw their weapons.

“Blasphemer who betrayed Lord Luce.”

“Owing your very life to Him, yet you turned your back…”

The enemies began to slowly surround the two. A panicked Ash turned to Arendt.

“Ah, ah, Senior Arendt?”

“You’re not seriously scared of this level of trash, are you, Ash?”

Arendt also drew his sword. Ash’s face turned as white as a sheet of paper.

“Oh, no! That’s not true! But the Imperial Knights are forbidden from personal combat!”

“If we’d followed those rules, I or your other seniors would be having a nice chat with Luce right about now.”

He wasn’t called the Imperial Family’s number one lunatic for nothing.

The enemy leader roared.

“Capture him!”

“Waaaaaa!”

And as if waiting for that cue, the attackers all charged at once. Arendt, with a joyful smile, readily accepted the challenge.

“Senior!”

In the end, even Ash, on the verge of tears, had no choice but to throw himself into the fray.