Knight Academy

Tris Knight Academy was much larger than Tris Magic Academy. Unlike the latter, its students weren't all scions of noble families. Wealthy families from all over the province could afford the fees, and some impoverished families even invested the fortunes they'd saved over several generations in a promising child, hoping to change the family's fate. As a result, the dormitories here weren't as uniform in style as those at Magic Academy. Instead, they were clearly divided by class.

After returning from Whispering Forest, Richard had moved out of the dormitory he'd shared with several others and into a more luxurious private suite. He was now living better than Kelly. In addition, he'd received better clothes and armor from Mr. Merkel. All these expenses were nothing compared to what Bark Family had earned from its exclusive trade in Dwarf weapons.

Donald had taken only a small portion of his share of the profits, leaving most of it with Merkel. He knew that Bark Family's weapons business had expanded suddenly and must need working capital. Merkel was deeply grateful for his thoughtful gesture.

Now, with several hundred heavy Gold Coins on him, Donald led Richard and Kelly into the upscale restaurant inside Knight Academy. Prices here were steep, affordable only to the academy's noble students. But compared to the lakeside restaurant Donald and Wesley had often visited lately at Magic Academy, this place seemed quite ordinary.

"Brother, this place must be really expensive, right?" Richard whispered, secretly glancing around.

"Don't worry. I helped Mr. Merkel close a deal and made a lot of money."

Kelly wasn't as ill at ease as Richard. Her maternal grandfather's family ran a sizable business in Dorn City, so she'd often had the chance to visit places like this.

"We should've brought Father here for a meal, too," Richard said with a simple grin.

"When you become a true Knight, we'll take Father to the best restaurant in the city to celebrate," Donald said with an encouraging smile. In fact, he'd already asked Mr. Merkel to send their father a hundred Silver Coins from the profits of the Thousand-Tempered Sword. Gold Coins were rarely useful on Lant Island, and besides, Donald worried such a large sum might alarm the old blacksmith.

When the food arrived and the waiter had poured them each a drink, Kelly was the first to raise her glass. "Then, let's toast to Richard becoming a Knight soon!"

"And to Brother becoming a Mage!"

"Thanks. And here's to Kelly becoming a dashing lady Knight!"

The three youngsters from Lant Island raised their glasses together and drained them.

After that, they talked about Knight Academy's participation in Dorn City's Spring Festival. Richard brought up the spring planting festival on Lant Island, which was held every year. Kelly said the tavern offered everyone a free drink that day, but the brothers from the blacksmith's family had no memory of it.

"Kelly, are these two friends of yours?" A noble-looking young man suddenly came over to greet them. He'd apparently been dining at the next table.

"Bertram?" Kelly was surprised to run into him here. She also seemed a little concerned. She stood up and introduced him to Donald. "This is Bertram, a fifth-year student at the academy. His mother was a close friend of my mother's when they were young. These are Donald and Richard. Like me, they're from Lant Island."

"It's a pleasure to meet you! When I first met Kelly, she was only five, with her hair in funny little braids. She used to follow me around all day, calling me 'big brother.' During her six months at Knight Academy, we've often spent time together, too. Kelly, since you have fellow islanders at Knight Academy, you should've introduced us sooner. I could've shown them around for you."

"Bertram, we're not that close, are we?" Kelly's expression turned cold. "Donald, Bertram and I are just ordinary friends. Don't get the wrong idea."

Richard was a little puzzled. Why was Kelly upset? The young man sounded like he meant well.

"I should be the one showing you around. Thank you for looking after Kelly all this time," Donald said. He knew what Kelly was worried about. Though he'd never said anything, he knew how she felt about him.

The girl's face flushed, a soft blush making her fair, delicate features even more captivating. This was the first time Donald had made his feelings so obvious. Is he saying I'm his? Kelly glanced at Donald. Those eyes that haunted her dreams were looking back at her, and she shyly lowered her head. By then, she'd completely forgotten what she'd been worried about.

Hearing Donald's words and seeing Kelly's reaction, Bertram finally understood why she'd been deliberately avoiding him for the past six months.

"You're from Lant Family?" Bertram seemed to know where Lant Island had gotten its name.

"No. My father's a blacksmith on the island."

"A blacksmith?" Disdain gradually appeared on Bertram's face.

"Donald attends Magic Academy, and Richard attends Knight Academy," Kelly added.

"Donald, could I speak with you alone for a moment?"

"Bertram, what are you doing?"

"Kelly, it's all right." Donald reassured the girl, then followed Bertram out of the restaurant.

Richard looked at Kelly in confusion. "What's going on?"

"I'm going to be your sister-in-law," Kelly replied, blushing. She glanced outside anxiously.

Richard stared at her in astonishment.

In a quiet spot outside the restaurant.

"My full name is Bertram Bunt. My father is Baron Ernest Bunt."

"My full name is Donald Wien. I already told you about my father."

"My father's fief is Bunt Manor, in the western suburbs of Dorn City. I'm his only son. I think you understand what I mean."

"My father's blacksmith shop is on Lant Island. He has two sons, and you've just seen both of us. But I still don't understand what you mean." Donald knew Bertram was trying to flaunt his status, but he kept smiling, his tone calm.

"I don't know how a commoner can afford the tuition at Magic Academy, but you should know that Tris Magic Academy hasn't produced a Formal Magician in decades. And I'll definitely advance to Formal Knight within three years. What can you possibly offer against me?"

"Kelly already knows all that, doesn't she?"

"Of course she does!"

"Then why repeat it to me? Oh, right. Kelly's never mentioned you to me. I suppose even she doesn't think there's any need. Well, if you have nothing else to say, excuse me."

Bernlight glared at Donald's retreating back, his lowered hands clenched into fists.

Back inside the restaurant, Kelly had been waiting for Donald to return. Only when she saw that he was unharmed did she relax.

"Brother, Kelly said she's going to be my sister-in-law. Is that true?"

"Richard!" Kelly's ears burned with embarrassment. She hadn't expected the teasing remark she'd made to Richard in a moment of excitement to be repeated back to Donald so soon.

"Are you in such a hurry for me to find you a sister-in-law?" Donald said with a laugh, giving Richard's head a gentle shove. Richard only grinned sheepishly.

After that little interruption, the three continued their dinner. Kelly sat a little closer to Donald, occasionally getting up to serve him food. They tacitly avoided mentioning the earlier conversation, but a sweetness she'd never felt before was slowly melting inside the girl's heart.

Bernlight was seated at a nearby table, watching them from the corner of his eye.

When he was eight, he'd first met Kelly, who'd come to Dorn City with her mother. From then on, he'd secretly fallen for the sweet, well-behaved girl. That hazy affection hadn't faded when Kelly returned to Lant Island. Instead, the distance had only made it stronger. When he reunited with Kelly half a year ago, his childhood playmate had grown into an even more beautiful young woman. Her innocent, tranquil nature was unlike anything he'd ever seen in Dorn City. Bernlight fell in love at once. He'd already decided that even if his father objected, he'd still marry Kelly. But to his surprise, the obstacle wasn't his father. It was Kelly. No matter how he approached her, courted her, or even confessed his feelings, the girl remained unmoved. Bernlight wasn't discouraged. He even thought it was only natural. A girl as perfect as her couldn't be won easily. Surely her reserve was a test of his sincerity.

But just as he'd been full of confidence, this had happened. He'd lost—to a commoner, a blacksmith's son. Now he sat in a quiet restaurant, while the girl of his dreams sat beside another boy, even serving him food and pouring his wine like a maid.

Bernlight wasn't the sort to accept defeat easily. He'd show Kelly through his actions that she'd made the wrong choice. Everything he had was beyond the reach of that commoner, no matter how hard he worked his whole life. He couldn't allow such a beautiful girl to be touched by the son of a lowborn blacksmith.

But Bernlight couldn't bear to watch what was happening at the other table any longer. Just as he stood to pay and leave, he spotted several people entering. At the head of the group was the friend he'd spent the most effort cultivating over his years at Knight Academy.

"Roger! What a coincidence!" Bernlight's face had already brightened with a sincere smile.

"Bernlight, what a coincidence," said Roger, who'd come in with Lucia and Fiona.

"Oh, Miss Fiona, too! Forgive me for not recognizing you. And who is this...?"

"She's my cousin."

Roger made no effort to introduce Lucia, and Bernlight immediately understood. Roger's father was the Celtic Duke, one of the highest-ranking nobles in the Empire. Though Bernlight had always worked hard to get close to him, he had no right to ask after his cousin's name. Still, running into Roger here seemed like an excellent opportunity.

"Roger! Would you allow me to introduce you to a few friends?" Bernlight had been Roger's classmate for five years and had long since gotten a feel for his personality. He knew Roger wouldn't mind this sort of gathering.

Roger glanced at Lucia, who gave him an indifferent look.

"Sure. But when I came in, you seemed to be alone. What friends are you talking about?"

Bernlight bowed and led Roger's group to Kelly's table. He introduced them to her. "Kelly, this is Roger Celtic, the eldest son of the Celtic Duke and the best senior student at Knight Academy!"

Bernlight didn't see the surprise and apprehension he'd expected on Kelly's face. Nor did he see it on the blacksmith's two sons. All three of them were smiling easily. Were they out of their minds? Or hadn't they understood that a Duke was one of the Empire's most exalted nobles?

Bernlight forced himself to continue with the introductions. "Roger, this is my friend Kelly. These two are..."

"Haha, Bernlight, there's no need to introduce them. What a coincidence, Donald. You're here to see Richard and Kelly, right? It's almost been a month since you returned from Whispering Forest. I didn't expect to run into you here again. Lucia told me you'd enrolled at Magic Academy. Congratulations!"

"Why didn't you ask me to come to Knight Academy, too? Hmph! Since we've run into each other, let's join you. Richard, move over a little." Seeing Kelly sitting beside Donald, Lucia huffed, pulled over a chair, and sat down on Donald's other side.

"You... you know each other?"

Fiona sat down without ceremony, too. She glanced at Bernlight, who was flustered, and said, "We're more than just acquaintances. Donald saved our lives..." She had a peculiar noble talent for making every word sound sarcastic, leaving you unable to tell what she really felt.

"Saved... your lives?"

"Haha, strictly speaking, he really did. Donald, order some wine. I haven't had a chance to thank you properly yet!" Unlike Fiona, Roger had another noble talent: if he wanted, he could make you think of him as your best friend in the shortest time.

"It was just a lucky accident, and I made everyone worry about me all night. I should be thanking you."

Sure enough, the three newcomers sat down, ordered wine and added more dishes, then joined Donald and the others for dinner.

Bernlight sat nearby, stunned speechless by the scene before him. In his eyes, the lowest of the low, commoners, and the most exalted of the nobility were friends. Donald, Richard, and Kelly were completely at ease around Roger. No, they must not know who Roger was. The Celtic Duke's lands stretched across Tris Province and Pokona Province. Even the lord of Dorn City had to bow respectfully when he saw him. How could Roger, the Duke's legal heir, be friends with a blacksmith's son?

What astonished Bernlight even more was that Roger's cousin, the noble girl as beautiful as Kelly, had just been too disdainful to tell him her name. Now she was sitting beside that blacksmith's son, deliberately leaning close to whisper in his ear. There had to be something strange going on. Bernlight had already decided not to act rashly until he'd figured out Donald's background.

Donald was now in a difficult position. He'd just acknowledged Kelly's feelings, and now Lucia had suddenly joined them, showing him the same kind of affection. He'd tried to avoid encouraging her, but Lucia still leaned close to whisper in his ear. Even though she was only talking about inconsequential things, like preparations for the Martial Magic Tournament and plans to return to Magic Academy the next day, the way she spoke was making him uncomfortable.

Lucia was doing it on purpose. Before she'd arrived, she'd seen Kelly sitting so close to Donald that they looked like a couple, and it had irritated her. It was as if Kelly had cheated while Lucia wasn't around. Lucia had spent so much time at Magic Academy without making any progress, while Kelly had managed to get this far in just a few short holidays. She felt an inexplicable sense of defeat. Now she had to make up for that gap, and she couldn't waste a moment.

Roger and Fiona glanced at them, then acted as if they hadn't noticed.

Only Richard seemed to have suddenly wised up. He quietly weighed which of the two would make the better sister-in-law. After thinking it over for a long while, he still preferred Kelly. He was a little afraid of Lucia.