I glanced at Deputy Senior General Koo.

“Koo.”

“Yes, speak, Wonhwa.”

“Those bastards who fought—when they recover, kill them properly.”

Everyone in the infirmary looked at me, startled.

Koo, flustered, said, “Th-they didn’t fight for no reason. The Western Army was insulted... Also, some of the Central Army’s strongest knights were dishonorably discharged because of this, so it’s not entirely bad for us...”

“Don’t you get it? We’re the ones who suffered.”

“...Yes?”

I stared coldly down the hallway.

“They deliberately engineered this to force the Central Army knights into retirement.”

“W-what...!”

“Probably the disgraced knights promised to join the Châteaubriand family.”

A dishonorably discharged knight’s name is erased from military records.

“In other words, they can work for other families.”

Like Jeanne.

Koo’s face hardened.

“Then could it be...”

“Yes. They prepared stronger soldiers.”

Stronger enough to afford dismissing a few Central Army knights.

I twisted my mouth.

“On top of that, they injured the competent knights of the Western Army too.”

“...So they couldn’t participate in the 5-on-5 battle.”

The strongest Western Army knights were injured.

“Even Iseze and Liam.”

Apparently, they didn’t use their blessings, so they got hurt.

I glanced at the wounded knights and asked, “Why didn’t you use your blessings?”

Someone quietly raised a hand.

It was Liam, the knight assigned for escort.

“That would be me...”

“You?”

“Yes. Using blessings would have led to a military trial... I didn’t want to cause trouble.”

Liam looked deflated.

“Well done!”

“...Yes?”

“That’s probably what they aimed for. For you to use blessings and be put on trial. Then you couldn’t go to the 5-on-5 battle.”

“Ah...”

Iseze and Liam were badly hurt, but nothing was broken.

“That much should recover before the battle.”

“Koo.”

“Yes, Wonhwa.”

“Bring the court healers. Have them start recovering the first-class knights.”

“Yes.”

Koo quickly left the infirmary.

At the Torch Palace.

Silin, having heard the news from a Central Army knight, chuckled.

“So, they say healers were brought?”

“Yes. But there won’t be any healers sent to the Western Army.”

The knight smiled slyly; Silin lightly lifted her teacup and tugged at the corners of her mouth.

A Northern Army Wonhwa present asked, “Why no healers...?”

“Our knights were badly injured too. Since they’re from more prestigious families than the Western Army, the healers have to be with our knights.”

“Still, none will come?”

“They’re even keeping healers at Prince Salvatore’s palace.”

“H-Has the prince fallen ill?”

Silin sipped her tea leisurely.

“The prince and I grew up like siblings. He said it’s troublesome, so he seems to be trying to help.”

“I see.”

“They won’t be able to train until they recover, so they’ll enter the battle as is. Maybe the Northern Army will even win against the Western Army.”

The Northern Wonhwa looked at Silin with worried eyes.

“B-but nobles will be watching, so such despicable acts...”

“Well, maybe Erilot Astra is just incompetent at military management.”

“...”

“Think carefully. If she embarrasses herself again, they’ll try sending new Wonhwa from the North.”

“W-what...!”

“Do you think the Montague Viscount and your sister will stay quiet?”

“...”

“The Southern and Eastern armies are also bringing in new knights. That means this match is very important.”

“T-The North is sending knights too!”

“Is that so?”

“Of course! They’re formidable heavy armored soldiers called the beasts of the snowfields.”

Silin chuckled.

“Good. We have to make sure the Western Army doesn’t even get past the first round.”

That disgrace must be somehow recovered.

Outside, Silin’s humiliation was still a hot topic.

There were many New Year parties, yet no family invited her even once.

“Just wait.”

I’ll tear apart the mouths of those who slander and chatter about me.

Of course, the new topic of conversation will be Erilot Astra.

A few days later, Western Army barracks.

“Iseze, look at me.”

“You first, damn it.”

“My back won’t even straighten.”

Knights crowded around Iseze.

He sighed as he tended to a particularly serious case.

“Go to the infirmary. Your sacred power is too weak.”

“The injuries can’t be fixed by doctors alone. Those Central Army bastards cunningly blocked the acupoints.”

The Western Army knights groaned.

Blocked acupoints disturbed the flow of mana.

External wounds can be treated by doctors, but this requires healers.

“All the healers are attached elsewhere... Why do the healers stay with the Central Army when their injuries aren’t that severe?”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

Liam, receiving healing from Iseze, rubbed his shoulder.

“They intentionally made the injuries worse.”

“Cunning... Then what about the 5-on-5 battle? Has the roster been announced?”

“You can guess, right?”

“Who?”

“Iseze, Liam, and Sir Jowik Châteaubriand, former Senior General of the Central Army, will participate...”

“And the other two?”

“Hmm... Iseze, heard anything?”

Iseze silently inspected the wounded knights.

He was as puzzled as anyone.

“The roster deadline is today, but there’s still no word.”

Liam glanced sideways at Iseze.

“Have you really heard nothing?”

“Only that we should manage our sacred power carefully.”

Liam smirked.

“They told me to manage my mana well too. Looks like I’m definitely in. I saw Sir Jowik training as soon as he arrived, so he’s certain as well.”

“And the other two?”

“One’s probably Sir Kazin, former Senior General of the Southern Army... Hmm? But why no word about Kazin’s movement?”

Then—

A soldier ran in, out of breath.

“An incident! An incident!”

“Incident?”

The knights looked over as the soldier frantically spoke.

“Our Wonhwa has come to the Southern Army!”

“To the Southern Army? Why?”

“To pick up Sir Kazin!”

“What? If the orders came down, he should have come himself. Why is our Wonhwa going to pick him up?”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

The soldier babbled on.

“The transfer orders came, and the Senior General position hasn’t changed. But he refuses to go, so even the Southern Army doesn’t know what to do.”

“But?”

“The new Southern Army commanders see Sir Kazin Lavio, the former Senior General, as a complete burden. They’re apparently bullying him...”

The soldier cupped a hand at his mouth and whispered.

“Our Wonhwa heard that and went to fetch him.”

“What?!”

A Wonhwa going to fetch a knight?

That was the first time.

When I entered the Southern Army barracks, a knight appointed this year as staff rushed to me.

“What’s going on?”

I didn’t answer and scanned the area.

‘There’s Kazin... over there.’

Kazin was moving supplies alone in a shabby warehouse.

‘Even though he was a Senior General... Why is he doing grunt work?’

Other knights noisily talked nearby.

‘They’re not first-class knights.’

Kazin stepped down from his Senior General post but was still a first-class knight.

But the others acted so insolently.

I strode toward them.

“Wait, Western Army Wonhwa, tell me what’s going on...!”

I stopped before Kazin and the insolent knights.

“I came to pick up my knight. Not to spy on your training, so don’t worry... You don’t even look like you’re training.”

Kazin, his face covered in dust, looked up at me.

“Western Army Wonhwa...”

“Don’t you have privates in the Southern Army?”

“No.”

“Then why is a first-class knight moving cargo? The other soldiers are just loafing around.”

The Southern Army knights coughed awkwardly.

The staff ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) officer looked embarrassed and said to them, “Why is Sir Lavio moving cargo?”

“Well, he asked if there was nothing to do, so we just told him there wasn’t much.”

“No matter what, how could you treat a former Senior General like that...”

I glared at the staff.

‘They watched Kazin work until I arrived.’

I said, “Since the transfer orders came down, Kazin is a Western Army knight. This work should be done by the Southern Army, right?”

Then the curliest, most insolent knight said, “Ah, so we’ve been taking care of him until you arrive. We haven’t made him do a single hard task, just let him rest comfortably.”

“...”

Kazin said nothing.

I choked up.

‘Looks like that’s exactly what it is.’

Deliberately giving no work to force resignation.

Clearing the hallway and forcing him to look at a desk all day—that despicable, cruel method.

No wonder Kazin was asked if he had nothing to do.

Kazin said, “Leave. This is not a place for Wonhwa.”

“Didn’t you come to my army to endure this?”

“...”

“Look at you.”

“...None of your concern.”

Then—

“Ah, why are the Western Army bastards here!”

“Get lost, you bastard. We’re only taking care of our Wonhwa.”

“No matter what...!”

“Move aside, move.”

My knights came to get me.

Even as they rushed forward, I kept staring at Kazin.

“Let’s go.”

“I’m not going.”

“Come on! I care—!”

I yelled, and the knights’ eyes turned to me.

“Fine, since you won’t come, I was about to leave them in the Southern Army. But look at them.”

“...”

“They have no respect for the former Senior General.”

“...”

“What kind of army is this that won’t come because it thinks itself too precious!”

Kazin lowered his head and said nothing.

After a while, he spoke in a low voice.

“It’s nothing if Wonhwa doesn’t care.”

“Don’t care!”

“...”

He stared at me intently, so I bit my lip.

“I do care. You keep... reminding me.”

His stubbornness, wounded but still refusing to give up, reminded me of my first life.

Back then, I should have run away.

But I couldn’t go all the way.

‘Because my efforts would be wasted.’

If I struggled a bit more, someone would recognize my efforts.

Someone would see that I’m capable.

I would get better.

I comforted myself like brainwashing, never stopping even when covered in wounds.

That’s why I could guess why Kazin wanted to stay in the Southern Army.

“You can’t leave the Southern Army you fought so hard to protect.”

“...”

“But look.”

“...”

“Everyone’s happy the upper position is empty. Look at it! Is it something worth protecting?”

I snatched the sandbag from Kazin’s hand and threw it away.

He grabbed me and said, “I do this because I like it.”

“Why do such things!”

“Maybe I’m only good for this.”

I thumped my chest hard.

The knights flinched seeing me.

I grabbed Kazin’s face with both hands and pulled him close.

“You idiot, you’re the one I chose. I didn’t even think of bringing other flashy knights.”

“...”

“Only Kazin Lavio, you were the one I wanted. Me.”

“...”

“Don’t you have value to me?”

Kazin’s eyes trembled.

His transparent eyes reflected my sorrowful expression.

I said, “Let’s go.”

“Wonhwa...”

“Not here, to a place where you can truly show yourself. Let’s go to that place.”

“...”

“To a place that knows your value, Kazin.”

Kazin stared at me, stunned, and the Southern Army’s faces twisted.

“Damn, unbelievable.”

“Who do you think you are~.”

“Look at that. The Southern Army’s former Senior General dragged down to last place.”

I gritted my teeth.

‘Those bastards...’

But just then—

“Let’s go, Sir Lavio!”

Koo, Deputy Senior General of the Western Army, strode up and shouted.

“Yes, let’s go.”

Liam said, “Let’s go.”

Iseze said, “Leave the trash and come to the Western Army!”

“Our Wonhwa may be the smallest, but she’s incredibly smart.”

“If she wants a knight, there’s a reason.”

“Let’s go!”

Kazin blankly stared at the Western Army.

I smiled gently.

“Let’s go.”

“...”

“Kazin.”

“...Yes. I’ll go, Wonhwa.”

Kazin answered in a trembling voice.

I grabbed his wrist and walked proudly.

“Move aside.”

The Western Army knights surrounded us and brandished their hands, threatening the Southern Army.

“Step aside.”

“Damn.”

The Southern Army flinched back with dumbfounded looks.

Just as I was about to leave the barracks—

A warehouse door slammed open and Marqui, the Southern Army’s new Senior General, ran in.

“Western Army Wonhwa? What’s the matter...?”

“Pull up your pants and speak.”

His lips were covered with lipstick marks, evidence of whatever he was doing.

Peeking into the warehouse, a woman in maid’s clothes flinched and hid in a corner.

“Ah, about that, well—”

“I don’t want to know.”

“...!”

“Move aside!”

I snorted and dragged Kazin out.

The sunset was setting.

Ahead, the Wonhwa held my wrist as we walked, and behind, Western Army soldiers trailed.

On the way to the Western Army barracks, the smell of bread baking filled the air.

When everyone’s silhouettes were bathed in the sunset, Kazin said,

“Why do you give up?”

“Find your own reason.”

“...Yes?”

“So you can think, ‘So this is why it was me.’”

The back of the young, naive Wonhwa looked bigger than any adult.

Later, after Kazin defeated the Eastern Dragon, he recalled—

That was the beginning.

The epic of the strongest knight, Kazin Lavio, had begun.

“Why do you give up?”

...That was why it was me.

That’s why I ended up loving him all my life.

The day of the 5-on-5 match.

The royal family, nobles, and Wonhwa gathered in one place.

The Wonhwa seated just below the royal family smiled and chatted.

“Finally, it’s starting. Did everyone put good knights on the list?”

The Southern Army Wonhwa spoke arrogantly; the Eastern Army Wonhwa replied,

“Everyone picked new knights.”

The Southern Army Wonhwa said “Oh my” and answered,

“Same for the Eastern Army. The Central Army’s entire team is new knights.”

Silin pulled the corners of her mouth.

“Luckily, we managed to get good knights. By the way, is the Western Army okay?”

“Why do you care about our army?”

At Erilot’s words, Silin shrugged.

“They’re using all but one experienced knight. The only newly picked knight has no name.”

The royals and nobles murmured.

“Definitely weak, the Western Army. Only Jowik Châteaubriand is any good.”

“They said Iseze and Liam are injured...”

Meanwhile, Erilot smiled watching the knights gathered in the arena.

More precisely, looking at the one newly picked knight.

“It’s time to show you, the final weapon.”