I Thought I Had Married A Poor Knight, But…!

Unprecedented Debutante Ball (Part 2) – From Cermiane’s Perspective (1)

When I led Ralphine to the table where the snacks and drinks were laid out, she began to eat one after another with sparkling eyes. She was a hearty eater as a matter of course and would eat anything. Surprisingly, she sat properly and handled the cutlery normally, but she had been scolded for eating with her hands, so she had learned at least that much.

Ralphine wanted to talk about hunting with me. She was eager to go to the imperial capital forest she had never seen before and wanted information. Perhaps she was planning to sneak out and go hunting at least once during this stay based on that information.

The details of her hunting stories were concrete and practical, and I sensed that her story about hunting bears was not a total lie. I don’t think she’s the type of person who would tell such a lie in the first place.

“Ral, are you going to become a hunter?”

I asked her this question because, although it is probably not a question to ask a marquise, her obsession with hunting made it seem as if she intended to make it her main occupation. But she said something surprising.

“I haven’t made up my mind. If I marry into a farmer’s family, I want to be the best farmer in the world, and if I marry into a merchant’s family, I’ll do my best to be a merchant. I hate being half-hearted.”

Something pierced me. I didn’t really understand what it was at the time, and I said it in a vague mood.

“Ral, you’re amazing.”

Then Ralphine looked up at me and tilted her head curiously.

“Even Mia, now that you’re a knight, you want to be the best knight in the Empire, don’t you?”

I was shocked. I felt as if I had been hit on the head and my blood ran cold. The words confronted me with my own grave deception.

What is a knight? Is it knighthood? If I I was shocked. I felt like I had been hit on the head and my blood drained from my face. What is a knight? Is it about the status of being a knight? Does becoming a knight mean you are a knight? Is that it? What does it take to become the best knight? Should I just become stronger? Should I just do something to make a name for myself?

I had been calling myself a knight without even thinking seriously about becoming one. I only became a knight for vague reasons, just because my mother told me to, so I wouldn’t become a member of the imperial family. Therefore, I had no goal and was just doing the missions and training assigned to me by senior knights for no particular reason.

“…I’ve never even thought about that. Yes, maybe as a knight, I should aim to be the best knight in the empire.”

I managed to say, my voice trembling with unconcealed agitation. But Ralphine said something even more shocking.

“Of course you are. If you work hard from now on, you could become stronger than the emperor.”

A knight stronger than the Emperor? What is that? Is such an existence allowed?

“More than the Emperor?”

“Yes. The Emperor is probably the strongest person I’ve ever seen. But you can be strong too, so go for it.”

Ralphine said and laughed.

I was stunned. I had heard that the Emperor was a fierce general in his youth and a first-class warrior. In fact, I heard from His Highness with an exasperated face, that even now, with his training, he can still hold his own against the Crown Prince.

However. His strength as a warrior has nothing to do with the Emperor’s nobility. It is not disrespectful to surpass His Majesty the Emperor in combat skills as a warrior or a knight. This is because emperors who can fight like the current emperor are in the minority in successive generations, and even the current emperor’s fighting ability will inevitably decline as he grows old. If there should be no knight stronger than the Emperor, the army would become weak.

In other words, the quest for strength as a knight has nothing to do with status. And yet I did not try to seek strength at all costs when I became a knight. I even cut corners to bury myself in the general knighthood. But that is deception. It is a deception to my own laziness. If  are going to be a knight, you should be a knight with all your might.

Ralphine said that I have the qualities to be a stronger knight than the Emperor. Then I should aim to become a stronger knight than the Emperor. I should become the strongest knight in the empire and use that strength to serve His Majesty the Emperor and His Highness the Crown Prince. Otherwise, becoming a knight would be meaningless if I just ignored the Emperor’s and Empress’s plea.

Ralphine’s golden eyes were beautiful. This beauty is perhaps due to the fact that she always puts in her best effort. I felt refreshed in some way after hearing her words.

“Yes, you’re right. I’ll do my best.”

I smiled sincerely. Seeing this, Ralphine also smiled, showing her teeth in a proud manner.

Ralphine seemed distracted, so we decided to go back to the Marquis. Although she didn’t try to hide her weary expression, socializing with the nobles is their job. Even if she intends to become a commoner, it’s better for her to have some experience.

Suddenly, Ralphsine stopped in her tracks. She gazed at one side with a stern expression. When I looked at the direction she was staring, I saw something unpleasant.

“Mia, what do you think they are doing?”

Ralphine’s tone was stern. She probably knew what was going on. I replied, feeling like I was swallowing down something bitter.

“Perhaps someone of higher rank is tormenting a low-ranking lady. What are the escort knights doing?”

As I said that, I could painfully understand the feelings of the escort knight.