The Black Prince looked at me with an expression that said, "What kind of nonsense are you spouting now?"

"...What did you say?"

"Is our Majesty deaf? I said I'm going back to my hometown tomorrow on the teleportation magic circle."

The Black Prince looked at me for a moment, then shook his head.

"Not yet."

"What do you mean, not yet? You've already drafted all the court magicians."

The Black Prince narrowed his eyes.

"...Where did you hear that information?"

"I heard it from a good place. Is that important right now?"

The Black Prince sighed.

"Do you think teleportation magic is some kind of neighborhood rain ritual? Teleportation magic is an incredibly complex and sophisticated magic. More than twenty magicians are mobilized, and the balance between them is also very important."

"Hmm."

"They are still coordinating. Tomorrow is impossible."

The Black Prince said firmly, cutting me off.

I recalled what Saul had said and retorted.

"In the end, you're saying that the more unstable it is, the greater the margin of error."

"That's right."

"I'll accept it."

"...What?"

The Black Prince looked at me as if I were a madman.

"I said I'll accept it. I won't die from being dropped in some strange place. In the end, it's just a positional error, right? There's no misfortune of being dropped in another dimension or getting stuck between spaces and dying, right? That's what that complex magic circle is for."

"...."

The Black Prince stared at me. His expression said, "Where on earth did this guy pick this up?"

I am also the hidden disciple of the Red Witch. Although I can't use magic, the knowledge I've picked up over her shoulder is this useful.

The Black Prince glared at me as if he would kill me... and then finally ran his hand through his hair roughly and threw a tantrum.

"Damn it... I was going to rest for a bit."

"Rest after I'm gone."

The Black Prince muttered a curse, turned around, and left the banquet hall.

"...Damn country bumpkin."

And so, the Black Prince left as soon as he had entered the banquet hall.

Sir Smith, who followed the Black Prince like a shadow, gave me a light bow and then immediately followed him.

Fluffy, who had gotten a job as the Black Prince's second shadow, briefly separated from the Black Prince and exchanged a short greeting with me.

"Well then. Are you leaving tomorrow?"

"You could say that."

"Your departure is as sudden as your appearance. It's just like you."

"Don't mention it. Is being the Black Prince's shadow manageable?"

"It's not easy, but it's a rewarding job."

"Is that so."

"It is."

Fluffy looked at me for a moment, then bowed his head deeply.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For everything."

"...."

"I'll hold on to Vlad for a while, so come and get it whenever you need it."

I had no intention of taking it back, but I said it in the sense of telling him not to be lazy with his training.

"Sir Fluffy."

"I'm listening."

"Train so that you can defend your current position whenever I come to get it. You are still significantly lacking compared to the other Royal Knights."

Fluffy nodded.

"I will take it to heart."

We exchanged a brief glance.

"Well then."

Fluffy quickly followed his workaholic lord and left the banquet hall. The farewells of men were thus indifferent and concise.

As I was watching Fluffy's retreating back for a moment, Hans approached and spoke to me. It seems he had been watching the conversation with the Black Prince.

"Are you leaving tomorrow?"

"Yes. It just happened to be that way."

"That's a shame. Joy will be sad."

Following Hans's gaze, I spotted Joy, who was playing with Shushruta and Linda. If those three had stuck together from the beginning, she might have said she wanted to become a poison-wielding assassin instead of a knight.

We watched them play in silence for a while.

"Let's... keep it a secret from Joy."

"That would be best."

Hans's gaze fell on the sword hanging at my waist.

"Do you like the sword?"

"Yes. It's cool."

I slightly drew the sword at my waist with my thumb and checked the blade.

Screech—

The silver blade reflected the light like cold ice.

"But it's too shiny. Is it made of silver?"

Hans grinned.

"As expected, you can tell. I heard that since there are many magical beasts in Maia, they carry silver swords. I tried mixing in silver to make it."

"Oho."

This was a more expensive sword than I thought. Only knights carried silver swords, and mere mercenaries like me would either have their swords plated with silver, or use them without even that. The reason for using a silver sword is simple. I don't know why, but magical beasts are weak to silver.

Anyway, I had received a precious gift.

Click.

I put the sword back in its scabbard and then said.

"I'll use it well. I'll be careful not to break it."

Hans said in a nonchalant tone.

"Swords break when you use them. Don't worry about it. If it breaks, I'll make you a new one anytime."

"Yes."

"Are you coming back? Someday."

I nodded.

"Yes. Someday."

Hans smiled.

"Someday. Yes, that's enough."

We stood side by side and watched Joy and Linda chasing each other.

***

I heard somewhere that the way to look at something with a new perspective is to look at it as if it were the last time.

The place I was currently at was the upper balcony overlooking the entire banquet hall. I was sipping some kind of sweet drink and looking around the banquet hall, leaning on the railing.

I looked around the banquet hall as if it were the last time... and then I realized anew that I was the protagonist of this noisy banquet hall. All these people had gathered around me.

Perhaps because of that, there were quite a few familiar faces. Here and there, familiar faces were drinking and talking to each other. And on one side, unfamiliar faces were interacting with bright expressions.

What would have happened if I had lost the decisive battle? Imagining a scene where people like Baron Brankai would be swaggering and showing off instead of the people here, I felt very relieved.

"Mr. Ashuban."

At the voice calling me, I suddenly turned around and saw a familiar face.

"Count."

Count Herman Stavanger was looking at me with his characteristic gentle smile.

"You seem to have fully recovered."

"Well, I'm quite sturdy. And you, Count, are your injuries alright?"

The Count smiled playfully.

"Perhaps because I'm getting old, it still aches a bit."

"Oh dear."

"Would you like some?"

I gladly accepted the cup the Count offered and tasted it.

"...Keck, cough!"

It was a strong liquor.

The Count laughed heartily.

"No, Count. A sudden assassination attempt."

"Your taste seems to be still young. Unlike your fierce swordsmanship, which is unbecoming of your age."

"I'm still in the prime of my youth, Count."

The Heavenly Demon interjected.

[The prime of your twenty-eighth year, you mean.]

The Count raised his cup slightly and said.

"Congratulations on becoming a knight, Mr. Ashuban."

"Don't mention it."

At that moment, there was the sound of footsteps and an interrupting voice.

"My lord. You should call him Sir Ashuban now, not Mr. Ashuban."

These were also familiar faces. Sir Walpole was in the lead, followed by Sir Curtis and Sir Schneider. They were walking side by side, dressed in fine clothes.

I greeted them warmly.

"Look who it is. The three musketeers are all here."

Curtis smiled and said.

"Congratulations, Devil Knight Sir Ashuban."

Schneider also said, with a much softer expression.

"Congratulations."

"Three congratulations in a row. Well, I'll be. I'm at a loss as to how to respond."

The Count and the three musketeers laughed.

I held out the cup I was holding to Sir Walpole, who had been left out of this line of congratulations thanks to his earlier congratulations.

"Sir Walpole. Drink this."

"What is it?"

"Our Count personally handed it to me. You should know it's an honor."

"Oh. Thank you."

We laughed as we watched the choking Walpole.

Walpole, who had been coughing for a long time, looked at me with resentful eyes.

"No, Sir Ashuban. A sudden assassination."

Has this guy also been influenced by being with me for a long time? Walpole was saying the exact same thing as me. The Count and I laughed once more at those words.

I chatted with our Stavanger family's knights about this and that... and then revealed the fact that I was leaving tomorrow.

Walpole's eyes widened.

"Huh? So suddenly?"

"What do you mean, suddenly? I've waited long enough. It's just that the time has come."

"Ah..."

Leaving the dejected Sir Walpole, Curtis said with a regretful tone.

"If I had my way, I would like to follow you..."

"Don't say things you don't mean. And this is not sad news, but happy news. If things hadn't gone well, I wouldn't have been able to use the teleportation magic circle, nor would I have been able to stand here and chat safely like this."

Schneider nodded.

"That's right."

The Count said to me.

"Whenever you visit our Stavanger family again, we will welcome you warmly. Don't you still have the token that Sir Curtis gave you?"

"Ah, I had that."

I took out a coin slightly larger than a silver coin from my pocket. I was about to give it back... but I thought they probably wouldn't take it, so I put it back in my pocket.

"Yes. I'll be sure to use it next time. I'll ask for a lot of expensive liquor."

The knights laughed heartily at my words.

And so, after chatting with the knights of the Stavanger family, this time the Royal Knights came to visit. Sir Ashley, who I had been wondering about, was in this group.

I received their congratulations and then asked Sir Ashley.

"Are you a Royal Knight now?"

Sir Ashley, while pushing away Rutie's arm, which was trying to sneakily wrap around her shoulder, answered me.

"No. I haven't taken the exam yet."

"Oh. So you've decided to take the exam?"

"Yes."

I clapped my hands.

"Congratulations."

"Huh? I haven't even taken the exam yet, what are you talking about?"

"I have to congratulate you in advance. You're going to pass anyway, right? Besides, I won't be here by then."

"You won't be here?"

I naturally conveyed the news that I was leaving tomorrow.

"Isn't this... too sudden?"

Only Sir Ashley was flustered; the other Royal Knights didn't seem very surprised.

Rutie said.

"I knew you would be leaving soon, but I didn't know it would be the day after the investiture ceremony. Earlier, His Majesty was about to come in, but after talking with Sir Ashuban, he left in a huff. Was it because of that?"

"That's right. I'm a rather impulsive man."

"Aha."

Van Dyke suddenly held out his hand. I looked at his outstretched hand, then took it and shook it slowly.

"Farewell."

"Farewell."

Now that I looked, both his arms, which had been cut off by me, were moving well. As I was staring at his arms, Van Dyke said.

"Violent movements are still difficult."

"Is that so."

Another arm suddenly came in. It was the Silent Victor. I shook his hand as well.

"...."

"...."

Since there was nothing to say, we just shook hands, and he also waved his hand silently. And so, the two men said their goodbyes and left. The farewells of men were thus short and thick.

While Sir Ashley was looking at the backs of the two with a flustered expression, Rutie also held out her hand to me.

"It was fun, thanks to you. Come again."

"We'll see."

Then she suddenly pulled the hand she was holding and whispered in my ear.

"I won't let you go so easily next time."

"...."

I looked at the brightly smiling Rutie. Her strangely twisted blue eyes were also crazy in a way.

[They look good together.]

'I said no.'

I felt goosebumps on my arm and let go of her hand.

Rutie waved her hand cheerfully at me and walked away.

Now all that was left was Sir Ashley, who was fidgeting with her hands with her head bowed low.

"Sir Ashley."

"...Yes?"

She slightly raised her head and looked at me.

"The next time we meet, you'll be a Royal Knight, right?"

"No... that's..."

Ashley's head dropped down again.

"Say yes. Because I've decided it so."

"That's so unreasonable..."

"Here you are."

"Here I am."

Seeing the slightly smiling Ashley, I said.

"Come to think of it, we haven't had our sparring match. We were supposed to do it at the Stavanger estate."

"Ah, that's right."

"Let's do it next time."

As I held out my hand, Ashley nodded her head vigorously and took my hand.

"Yes!"

I smiled faintly and said.

"The chicken skewers I had with you were delicious."

Ashley also smiled bashfully.

"Me too."

We slowly shook our clasped hands.

(End of Chapter)