The exception

"Sir, we'll be at our destination in a little while," a scout reported from the large, orderly procession.

Jikade rode on his steed, his short golden hair whipping in the cold wind. A golden longsword hung at his waist, and he wore gleaming silver armor, his snow-white cloak billowing behind him.

This attire makes him look more like a general in the Kingdom's army.

Jikade is a magic swordsman, and the longsword in this armor is considered his magical equipment. Although he is only the captain of the First Magic Custody Force of the Magic Council Branch, the so-called First Magic Custody Force is actually the only magic squad in his Magic Council Branch.

Jikade's strength is among the top even in the Magic Council's headquarters. Apart from the commander of the Magic Custody Force... who is only stronger than Bolunte and some of his confidants, the other captains of the Magic Custody Force are not much weaker than him.

The Magic Council rarely has a magic warrior comparable to S-Class Mage.

Given Jikade's strength and prestige, he would have been qualified to be transferred to headquarters as a captain long ago, but because of his grudge with Bolunte, he could only stay in a mere branch to develop.

First, because he simply couldn't feel any liking for Bolunte. Second, because of Tianna.

Bolunte took a liking to Tianna was only fourteen years old at the time, simply because he brought Tianna to a headquarters meeting. After the meeting, he invited Jikade to a banquet.

After a few rounds of drinks, the gist of the conversation was that Bolunte grabbed Jikade's hand and said, "Brother, look at you. You have top-notch magical talent, strong work ability, and a certain leadership ability. It's really a waste for you to stay in a branch in the south of Fiore. Follow me, and I'll promote you to headquarters."

Jikade's eyes lit up. At that time, he was not familiar with Bolunte and thought that the commander of the headquarters' Magic Custody Force thought so highly of him. It wouldn't be bad to follow him. Just as he was about to agree, Bolunte suddenly said, "I think the little girl you brought is quite nice. You will definitely be very busy after you come to headquarters. Otherwise, I can help you take care of her."

By this time, he had sobered up considerably. He slammed his hand on the table, his expression serious, and said, "No way! Tianna is only fourteen! You, a man in your thirties, are trying to take advantage of a young girl?"

However, he didn't say the last sentence aloud. After all, Bolunte was of high status and great power, and offending him would have dire consequences. He wasn't afraid of causing trouble, but he was afraid of implicating his companions.

But his answer was blunt: no, no, those two simple words clearly stated his stance.

Bolunte didn't say anything, but he seemed to have really fallen for Tianna, and he persisted for two years.

When Tianna turned sixteen, he felt she was of marriageable age and went to propose. However, he encountered Tianna just as she returned from a mission. The girl didn't know who he was, but Bolunte recognized her and was so excited she almost made a move. Fortunately, Bolunte was quite strong, otherwise Tianna might have stabbed him in a moment of panic.

Later, she heard about this man from her brother, but after this experience, she really couldn't bring herself to like Bolunte. Although young girls might like older men, they didn't like lewd older men who would grope them. Later still, they overheard that Bolunte had a penchant for young girls and that he kept many young girls in his private residence like livestock. From then on, Jikade's attitude towards Bolunte plummeted to rock bottom.

In his eyes, Bolunte's behavior was no different from that of an animal. He, a man who hated evil, could not tolerate such a heartless beast as Bolunte.

Similarly, Bolunte seemed to have lost faith in the siblings and used all sorts of means to make things difficult for him.

In Tianna's eyes, Jikade was undoubtedly a man with the spirit of ancient chivalry. He was righteous, kind, calm, resilient, humble, loyal, hated evil, and was upright and incorruptible. He was willing to give up everything for the justice he believed in and the greater good he upheld, even his life, even... Tianna.

Jikade often shared his ideas with Tianna, hoping she would also uphold justice. Although the process was extremely difficult, Tianna, aside from being sometimes eccentric, lazy, and silly, did not do anything to displease him.

Jikade had always been very pleased with his younger sister.

But he knew that Tianna couldn't possibly understand him as well as he understood her. In Tianna's eyes, Jikade was the perfect inheritor of the spirit of justice, and the ancient chivalrous spirit was fully displayed in him. He was like an ascetic, getting up at five o'clock every morning to wash, have breakfast, and exercise, and he was also like a precise machine, with his daily schedule arranged perfectly.

He was always proper, always gentle, always dignified, always...

How could there possibly be such a perfect person in the world? So perfect that... they're not even human?

Actually... there are exceptions...

He gets annoyed sometimes, like when Tianna walks out of the mall carrying a huge bag of clothes, and he feels sorry for his wallet. He gets discouraged sometimes, like when Tianna is always slacking off at school, and he can't do anything about it. He gets irritable sometimes, like when Tianna occasionally brings her best friends home to sing karaoke until midnight, keeping him tossing and turning all night. For example...

Many, many...

Looking back now, it seems that his exception was only related to Tianna. It was because of this girl that he lived like a human being, rather than a machine, a moving sculpture.

He planned everything meticulously, and he adhered to the rules he set. But if there was anything outside his rules, that thing was undoubtedly the only one in his heart.

Tianna was his exception.

Everyone has weaknesses, and deep down there's a sore spot that no one can touch. Tianna was his greatest weakness, and also the sore spot that could drive him mad.

"Jien," he called a name.

"My lord," the young man said in a deep voice as he stepped forward.

"Have you remembered what I told you?" Jikade asked.

The young man gritted his teeth and said, "I'll remember that, Captain."

"Very well." Jikade smiled faintly and said, "Then... now, I order you to lead the entire army to the front lines! And then... the Ninth and Tenth Squads, accompany me to support Vice-Captain Tianna!"

"Yes!!"

Jikade spurred his horse forward, leading the way, with nearly a third of his men following him, and they sped away through a small side path.

"Whoosh~ Whoosh~ Whoosh~"

Tianna knelt on one knee, leaning on her longsword, breathing heavily.

She stared intently at the man before her, her teeth clenched.

Is this really... the end?

"I never expected that a mage who didn't even reach S-Class could withstand my sword for so long... and such a beautiful girl at that..."

The young man before her looked at her as if she were prey, his eyes revealing a burning excitement and lewd expression.

"I've made up my mind. I'm going to cut off your head, take it back, and keep it as one of my collectibles..."

He raised his sword, the gleaming light reflecting in her pupils.

With a swift movement, the sword fell.

"Clang!"

The crisp sound, like the ancient tolling of a bell, resonated in her heart. She suddenly looked up, and a slender figure stood before her, as unyielding as a mountain. The girl's nose tingled, her eyes instantly reddened, and she almost burst into tears.