Umarekawatta “Kensei” Wa Raku o Shitai

I was returning to my room with Illis.

The story was that Illis was walking out in the middle of the night because he ended up not being able to do an audition during the day. This feeling would have led me to continue my training not only in the morning but also in the middle of the night.

To be honest, I just wanted to be a little bit careful, but not if we're talking about it now.

With a strange face, Illis looks at me.

This is the second time the assassin and I have confronted each other - but this time it's a different story.

From what I said, I guess I somehow guessed.

"Is Dr. Schweitz a Knight?

Enter from an inquiry where Illis punches the core.

It's easy to fall in love, but it's hard to delude yourself if you've been listening to me and Fort in battle twice.

Besides, it may not be the stage where you need to be deluded anymore.

Whatever, there's even the kind of person who comes in while deliberately trying to find out on the grounds of a bound school.

A legitimate killer, not an assassin - Remill's word, but maybe when this happens, it's a little different.

Even as a killer, the Swordsmen are unusual.

After a few moments, I answer to Illis.

"Yes. Alta Schweiz - I'm a first-class officer with the Black Wolf Knights. It looks like this. It makes me work as a knight."

"Maybe the youngest one right now...?

"That's also correct. For once, as a knight, you'll be the youngest."

"... is that right?"

Hearing that, the look on Iris's face clouds.

'I'm not going to be protected by anyone weaker than me' - Illis that he said so, but at least I don't apply.

Although it presupposes that she is sincerely saying so.

"That's what the teacher came here to protect me, isn't it?

"It's an escort mission, so you will."

"... for once, without a teacher, I would certainly have lost my life"

Yes, says Illis.

Neither about the assassins nor about the swordsmen, Iris asked me deeply.

She couldn't have cared less, but maybe she didn't want to touch that she was targeted herself.

Iris clenches his fist and continues his words with some determined look.

"Still - I don't need an escort"

"You don't need it in this situation, you can't say. I know you do, but there's a good chance that you're going to lose, even if the Azma who came before you did it right. Even if you say you have the strength..."

"I know that, even if they don't say it......! But the swordsmen killed the other knights, didn't they?" The Ethereal Sword "... don't you mean Mr. Bell"

What Illis said was "Ethereal Sword" Belle Torsault.

I guess you were listening to what I was saying.

He was defeated and killed by the swordsmen.

"... did you have the facial knowledge?

"I've fought in the finals of swordsmanship competitions before. I also had a chance to talk in the social world... He was more like a knight than anyone, a man of strength. People like that, they're killers, aren't they?

That's why I'm here.

"That's not what I'm trying to say. Wouldn't Dr. Schweitz be able to find and defeat the swordsmen? 'Cause I could have chased you earlier."

The words of Illis are not wrong.

I attach more importance to protecting Illis than to defeating the swordsmen.

If we put Illis away from the school - we might even be able to start and finish finding the swordsmen.

Where Illis has admitted other escorts, though it's unlikely he'll be able to protect them.

Or if it means that Illis will pull around the Royal Palace until he kills the swordsmen, there is a chance that he will be able to protect them.

"Mr. Iris, my task is to protect you - I'm an escort. The situation is not that simple right now. I'd say it's more certain to wait near you than to find the swordsmen. If that's what you mean, it's going to sound like you're being stunned."

"I don't mind that. Make it your top priority to defeat the swordsmen, not protect me."

At least, you don't seem to refuse to let me be nearby, but I feel a strong will for words to the Illis.

Originally, you wouldn't be able to say you don't need an escort this way if you knew your strength was being targeted by someone above you.

Even for me, that's where I was concerned.

"Mr. Iris, you seem reluctant to be protected. Why not?"

"Oh, that's..."

Illis turns a blind eye.

I guess there's something to think about - after a lot of silence, Illis opens his mouth even as he gets lost.

"I have to be the one to protect, not the one to be protected. To inherit the will of my father, called the Knight of the Most Powerful."

"Father... is this the former Knights Commander, Lord Garro Reinfel"

"... you know that. It was more than a few years ago."

"I'm a former Knight Commander, so as much as a rumor."

"Then you know he was murdered."

"... Yes, I'm listening"

I nod and answer the words. [M]

The father of Ilis - Garro - was killed by someone.

They found him on the Rheinfel property as a tragically murdered body.

There were signs of combat all around us, but the killer remains unknown.

Fighting as a knight - they say he died in battle, but the circumstances make it reasonable to see Garro killed by an assassin.

"My father was a man who, as the head of the Reinfel family and, above all, as a knight - had aspired to protect the people. That's why I admired him, too, and I've wanted to be a knight over my father since I was a kid. It won't happen again..."

What Illis aspires to - it's to be a knight like Garro.

If Garro was called the mightiest knight, even after she became known as the Sword Sage Princess, there is still a point in trying to be strong.

"I - I have to be a knight who protects everything on behalf of my father. You can't just stand on my side of being protected. If I'm the only one who's after the swordsmen, I'd like you to prioritize defeating them at all costs if it's harmful to anyone else."

Clearly, that's what Illis declared.

I'm not saying we don't need escorts because for Illis they're just weaker than themselves.

Even if she were stronger, she wouldn't be on the side of being protected.

Even if Illis is called the 'King' candidate, Illis himself does not want it.

Being a knight and protecting people is her goal and I believe it should still be.

- It's just not going to be the only thing that Iris sticks to strength.

"I understand how Mr. Illis feels. Surely you can't leave the swordsmen alone in the wild. They will kill more people than they have been and will continue to be killers."

"Then..."

"On top of that, escorting you will lead to defeating the swordsmen. I don't need to protect you, I need to protect you to defeat the swordsmen, that's what I mean."

"... to attract me?

"Yes, as I said earlier"

If you try from Illis, you'd better say that's the position you're in than being protected.

It means working together to fight, not to protect Illis.

"I will be here for a while as a lecturer. So let's intercept the swordsmen targeting Mr. Iris. If you want, I'll teach you swordsmanship in the meantime. It's a promise."

"... if that's the case -"

He gave me the look of Illis getting lost, but still showed a certain understanding of my words.

I ask, blocking her words like that.

"Just let me check one thing"

…… What is it?

"I think it's true that Mr. Illis wants to take over your father's will and protect everything - that's what he thinks. But that's not all, is it?

……

Iris gives a surprised look.

I know that Iris' desperation to teach me swordsmanship comes from his unquestionable desire to inherit the will of his father.

But there's another emotion there.

"Kill the person who killed your father - isn't that why you really want strength?

I understood that what Illis really wanted to do was to be stronger than anyone else, to kill the knight who should have been stronger than anyone else - the one who killed Garro Reinfel.