The solemn royal palace. Among them, the main hall of the palace where the throne was located. In a solemn atmosphere, well-dressed people were lined up on both sides of the passage leading to the throne.

"...."

The Black Prince, who was sitting on the throne, rested his elbow on the armrest and pressed his temples. His head was throbbing.

'He's late.'

He had told him not to be late countless times. Thinking of that guy's face, who didn't even listen to his words as if they were dog poop, anger welled up automatically.

The only thing that could give a clue to the situation was the note that guy had left for Linda. A threatening note that said he would be back soon and to be quiet until then. He could guess that something had suddenly come up.

Nevertheless, the investiture ceremony proceeded as scheduled. It was because he thought that if he had at least some sense, he would somehow return before then. But this damn guy, as if mocking that expectation, didn't even show his face.

'I thought he had at least some sense...'

Considering that guy's personality of ignoring him, there was a possibility that he had erased the investiture ceremony itself from his mind. Or he had gone knowing about it. Both didn't make much of a difference in that he didn't come to the investiture ceremony.

As the waiting time grew longer, people began to whisper anxiously. Wondering if a problem had occurred.

"Haa..."

Should he have known when that guy, for some reason, had expressed his intention to become his knight? He had canceled all his schedules and set the date for the investiture ceremony as soon as possible, but... to think he would screw him over like this.

Grind—

The Black Prince's fist on the armrest trembled.

Seeing that, Sir Smith said. He was standing behind the Black Prince.

"Let's wait a little longer. He didn't seem like a person with that little sense. There must have been some unavoidable circumstances."

"...Is that so."

The Black Prince slowly unclenched his fist.

"He didn't run away, did he?"

"Of course not. Hasn't he been waiting for the teleportation magic circle all this time?"

Sir Roetgel, who was standing on the opposite side, kept his mouth firmly shut. Because in his eyes, he seemed like a person who was more than capable of doing so. That guy's temper was no ordinary temper. It wouldn't have been surprising if he had suddenly gotten angry while waiting and ran out.

Just as everyone was getting tired of waiting...

Creak!

The door of the main hall opened. The one who opened the door with his own hands and entered was clearly a man with eyes as red as blood.

The servant who had followed late shouted in a hurry.

"The Red-Eyed Devil has arrived!"

The impatient man, who had run like the wind and opened the door himself before the servant could even announce the news inside, strode straight down the passage of the main hall of the palace.

The gazes of the waiting people all turned to him.

"Oh..."

"Is that him...?"

The eyes of those looking at him shone. It was the most solemn place in the palace, where the throne was located. As the place was what it was, the onlookers were no ordinary people. High-ranking nobles, Royal Knights, and ministers of the palace. They were a splendid group.

The most solemn place. People who were not easily seen. The countless gazes watching.

He could have been nervous, but the man strode forward without hesitation. His appearance looked confident, but to put it nicely, it didn't look noble. The clothes he was wearing were good, but he didn't look clean, as if he had rolled in the dirt, with dirt splattered and stained here and there.

Normally, he should have bathed and purified himself beforehand and then put on neat clothes and armor, but the Black Prince decided to be satisfied with just the fact that the scoundrel had come.

The people murmured as they looked at the protagonist of the event who had arrived late.

"That's the Red-Eyed Devil..."

"Indeed, just as I heard!"

The Black Prince raised the corners of his mouth as he watched him stride towards him without any separate guidance. Since the Black Prince also disliked useless formalities, the investiture ceremony was conducted in a simplified manner as the Black Prince wished.

The Black Prince rose from his throne and slowly descended the stairs. The waiting old servant approached and carefully handed him a sword wrapped in red cloth. The Black Prince took it and took a few steps forward as if to greet the approaching man.

The two stopped at a certain distance and looked at each other.

The Black Prince said.

"You're late."

Ashuban answered.

"Not that late."

At his shamelessness, the Black Prince shook his head and then drew the sword from its scabbard.

Screech—

A brilliant silver sword bloomed.

"Oh."

Ashuban let out a short exclamation.

To that Ashuban, the Black Prince, holding the silver sword, said in an indifferent tone.

"Kneel."

"What, you brat?"

"Kneel on one knee."

Ashuban stared at the Black Prince blankly. Was he imagining hitting him on the head?

"It's a procedure. Don't you want to finish it quickly?"

"The only one I kneel to is my master."

"Just kneel. It's a formal procedure."

"Roger."

Ashuban grumbled and knelt on one knee in front of the Black Prince.

"This doesn't feel very good."

"Be quiet."

The Black Prince, holding the sword, began the speech he had prepared.

"The man before me is the one who was called the Red-Eyed Devil."

At the Black Prince's speech, the murmuring noise subsided.

"That's right. He is the vicious man who killed Baron Brankai and spread his evil name throughout the Blake Kingdom."

In the hall that had become as quiet as a dead mouse, only the Black Prince's voice echoed clearly.

"But, today I affirm his actions. He received my solemn command and became the king's sword, punishing Baron Brankai who was tormenting the people. He served as an example and coolly passed judgment on the trash who fattened their own flesh and blood by tormenting my people. The order of events is a little different, but I have decided it so. Does anyone object?"

As the Black Prince looked around, holding the sword, a thunderous answer was heard from somewhere.

"No, sir!"

Following that shout, others also answered forcefully.

"No, sir!"

The Black Prince nodded with satisfaction and continued.

"As proof of that, on this day, I bestow this sword. The Red-Eyed Devil will become my one treasured sword and burn away the darkness. I, the King, approve of all that he does with this sword."

The Black Prince approached Ashuban, who was kneeling on one knee with his head bowed, and said.

"Thanks to you, the restless people of this country will be judged, and the good people will be saved. Also..."

Halt.

The Black Prince, who was approaching Ashuban, stopped. It was because he smelled strongly of alcohol.

'...This bastard.'

The Black Prince frowned slightly, but soon composed his expression and placed the sword on his shoulder.

"Always act with courage. Always speak only the truth, be merciless to your enemies, and always stand on the side of the weak..."

"...Kool."

The Black Prince's expression distorted. No wonder he was so quiet. He was dozing off. Where else would there be a madman who would doze off during a glorious knight investiture ceremony?

The Black Prince lightly tapped both his shoulders, and then, finally, hit the dozing Ashuban's head rather hard with the flat of the sword.

*Thwack!*

"Ah."

To him, who was blinking his eyes drowsily, the Black Prince said.

"This is the honor of a knight."

"...What?"

"By the right determined by fate, I appoint you as the free sword of me, Roanoke Vittorio Blake..."

Looking at Ashuban, who was making a strange face as if holding back a yawn, the Black Prince suppressed the urge to beat him up and then finished his words.

"Rise as a knight!"

At his words, the other knights who were observing shouted at Ashuban, who was getting up clumsily.

"Rise as a knight!"

Simultaneously, cheers erupted and applause poured out.

To him, who had gotten up with a bewildered expression, the Black Prince approached and said in a low, growling voice.

"You've been drinking?"

Ashuban answered with a serious expression.

"I drank, but I'm not drunk."

"Good for you, you son of a bitch."

"No, why the curse?"

The Black Prince swung the sword he was holding and held out the hilt to him.

"Take it."

"Oh, is this mine?"

"Yes. A certain blacksmith of great skill has worked hard on it."

And then he gestured with his eyes to one place. There, Hans and Julia were clapping and laughing. And next to them, Joy was jumping up and down, happy as if it were her own business.

"Aha."

He said he would bring a gift. It seemed this was that gift.

Ashuban smiled brightly and waved at them.

The Black Prince watched him for a moment, then said in a deliberately serious voice.

"Sir Ashuban."

To think that the day would come when he would be called "Sir" by that Black Prince fellow. Ashuban felt a slight chill and retorted.

"What is it, Your Majesty."

"You are now my knight. Do not forget that I am always watching you."

"Our Majesty, you're full of shit."

"You damn country bumpkin."

Only then did the two look at each other and grin.

At that moment, there was a name that people were chanting in unison.

—Devil Knight! Devil Knight! Devil Knight!

"...Devil Knight?"

They were two words that truly did not fit together.

Ashuban frowned and grumbled softly.

"What's a Devil Knight? They could have just called me the Red-Eyed Knight."

"Shut up and just accept it. You can't change the name the crowd gives you."

"Alright."

Ashuban raised his sword high and shouted.

"I am the Devil Knight!"

"Waaaaah!"

Cheers erupted.

Watching the scene, the Black Prince raised one corner of his mouth like a black tiger.

"Oh my. That madman."

And so, the knight investiture ceremony ended in great success.

"...Let's go."

"Yes."

An old man who had been watching with a pleased expression from among the crowd quietly slipped out with a pale-faced man.

***

It was a surprising thing. I closed my eyes for a moment and when I opened them, the knight investiture ceremony was already over. Since becoming a knight was originally difficult, I had expected the investiture ceremony to be complicated and time-consuming. I don't know if I had closed my eyes for a long time, or if the Black Prince had just skipped it as he pleased. It was over sooner than I thought.

Ah, of course, it wasn't intentional. I hadn't had a chance to get any sleep due to a busy schedule of running over the sleeping city with Shushruta all night, racing in the forest, sharing good liquor with Saul, and then fiercely using qinggong with Shushruta on the way back, and then attending the investiture ceremony as soon as I arrived.

Perhaps because of that, I felt sleepy. It was irresistible. The words the Black Prince was spouting were also terribly boring.

I only woke up a little after holding the silver sword and had a chance to look around, and many familiar faces had attended the investiture ceremony. Not only Hans's family, but also Count Stavanger and Sir Curtis, Sir Schneider, and other knights whose faces I had become familiar with while staying in the Stavanger estate. Not to mention Sir Ashley, Sir Walpole, and Sir Fluffy standing behind the Black Prince, as well as the Black Prince's Black Tiger Knight Order and the Royal Knight Order.

Most of the connections I had made since coming here were here.

'It's a new feeling.'

[It turned out well. You can say your goodbyes while you're at it.]

'What a coincidence.'

As soon as the investiture ceremony was over, the Black Prince put the people straight into the banquet hall. I didn't know, but there was an after-party scheduled right after the investiture ceremony. Thanks to that, I was able to exchange greetings in a pleasant atmosphere while eating delicious food.

Of course, the first one to greet me was Linda, who had been waiting patiently for a whole half-day.

"Devil!"

*Thwack!*

I was attacked by the little mutt from behind.

I reached behind me, grabbed the scruff of the bashfully smiling Linda's neck, and asked as I pulled her off.

"Have you been good?"

"Yeah! I did well, right?"

"You did well."

"Heehee."

"I'm not going anywhere now, so go over there and play. Don't poison the food. If you do, you'll die."

"Okay. I will."

As soon as I let go of her scruff, Linda ran to the table laden with food.

I instructed Shushruta, who was standing next to me.

"That one is very unsettling. You keep a good eye on her."

"...I have no choice."

Shushruta, contrary to her words, approached Linda, who was attacking the cake on the table, with a not-so-displeased expression. It seems the words that she had missed her had worked well.

"Mister!"

The assassination captain, Joy, came running and hugged my leg. I ruffled Joy's hair.

"Who is this? Isn't it our assassination captain, Joy?"

"That's right! I'm assassination captain Joy!"

"It's been a long time. Have you been well?"

"Yes. I played with the knight uncles. I also watched them train."

It seems she had been tormenting the knights of the Stavanger family in my place while I was away.

"I also learned the sword from the knight uncles."

"Oh. Really?"

"Yes. Want to see?"

Joy held a transparent sword and showed off a dance.

I was purely impressed.

"Amazing. What do you think, Master?"

The Heavenly Demon laughed and retorted.

[A fatal blow. I can't even think of countering it.]

"You too, Master? Me too."

The assassination captain, Joy, who had been demonstrating for a long time, panting, asked me.

"How was it?"

I answered in a serious tone.

"I have never seen such a swordsman in my life. It was truly a fatal sword dance. Even if ten Royal Knights had rushed at you, they would have all collapsed, clutching their hearts."

"Hehehe."

Joy, who had been praised, smiled broadly.

"Me. I'm going to be a cool female knight like Commander Ashley!"

I chuckled.

"An assassination captain becoming a knight. What is this? This is why it's a problem even if you have a lot of talent."

Is this why the environment is important? After staying in the Stavanger estate, her dream had become to be a knight. This little one, a knight.

I then greeted Hans and Julia, who were watching with a pleased expression from a step behind.

As we were talking so cheerfully... perhaps because he had finished his remaining work, I spotted the Black Prince, who had arrived late at the banquet hall.

"Ah, just a moment."

I asked for Hans's family's understanding and then strode straight to the Black Prince.

"Hey, Your Majesty."

The workaholic king, whose dark circles were still deep, looked this way.

"I'm leaving tomorrow."

"...? To where?"

I smiled and answered.

"To my hometown."