kscans

Aspiration

1

“Well, well, Bard. Idora seems to be in quite a good mood. She appears to have taken quite a liking to you.”

“Lord Hydra, that’s not true. Lady Idora graces everyone with her radiant smile.”

“No, that’s not exactly right. That girl is very clear about her likes and dislikes. When she’s in a bad mood, well…”

Continental Calendar Year 4226. At the beginning of this year, several life-changing events occurred in Bard’s life. First, Bard turned fourteen, marking his transition from childhood. Second, Bard became a squire, opening his path to knighthood and beginning his formal training. He also saw and fought against his first living demonic beast.

And Idora was born. Having served as an attendant to House Tercia’s head Elzera for nearly four years, Bard was treated like family by the Tercia household. The birth of Hydra’s daughter Idora, the future head of the family, filled Bard with boundless joy.

She was utterly enchanting. Her smile made the hardships of training and physical pain vanish instantly. Her cheerful laughter filled his heart with courage and vigor. Though he was no longer Elzera’s attendant, he couldn’t stay away from Princess Idora. However, for Bard, who came from a humble warrior family barely above common status, such frequent visits to the main family’s quarters were seen as presumptuous, and some took offense.

2

“Get up and face me!”

Knight Nix roared, his massive frame shaking with fury. The fallen Bard felt his skull rattling from the sheer force of that voice.

“Damn it!”

He sprang up and struck with his sword. His full-force blow was easily deflected by Nix’s practice shield. In the next instant, a powerful strike caught his side. Bard went flying, rolling through a cloud of dust. He knew what had happened. Knight Nix had kicked him. As Bard struggled to regain his footing, a sword descended towards his head.

He barely managed to raise the shield strapped to his left hand, but such a weak defense couldn’t stop Knight Nix’s attack. The knight’s sword knocked aside his guard and struck hard on Bard’s head. The practice sword was thick and weighted. A direct hit could kill.

“Hmph. You seem desperate to curry favor with Lord Elzera, but that won’t make you a knight. If you want to become a knight, find another domain.”

Being told to seek another domain was the ultimate insult for knights and squires of House Tercia. It meant “You’re not worthy of Pakula domain.”

As Bard tried to stand while muttering curses, darkness took him.

3

Though Bard was well-built for his age, he was no match for trained knights and their battle-hardened bodies.

Knight Nix especially towered over others, exceptional even among House Tercia’s knights. To Bard, he was a giant. For a novice just beginning proper knight training, Nix was an overwhelming opponent. For some reason, Nix seemed fixated on Bard. He frequently chose Bard as his training partner and thoroughly thrashed him. Whenever their paths crossed, he would make cutting remarks.

Yet Bard couldn’t bring himself to hate Nix. The knight’s face and body were covered in scars. These were proof that Knight Nix had fought relentlessly for his lord’s house and people, never sparing himself. Knowing this, Bard couldn’t harbor hatred toward him.

Moreover, the brutal training was exactly what Bard wanted. Bard yearned for strength. It was his singular desire.

For now, this desire was shapeless beyond wanting to become a knight worthy of the Garden Of The Knights. But he couldn’t imagine channeling the endless stream of vitality flowing from the depths of his being towards anything but becoming stronger.

That’s why Bard didn’t avoid Nix. Instead, he sought him out. While hurling contempt at such eagerness, Knight Nix pushed this youngest squire to his absolute limits.

4

The orders arrived. A demonic beast had appeared. All available knights and squires gathered to form a subjugation team. Knight Nix was appointed as the commander. Bard joined the subjugation team as a squire.

The target was a Spotted Gibbon. The Spotted Gibbon.

A beast skilled in camouflage, able to change its skin color to match surrounding trees, grass, and rocks. Even experienced hunters could fall prey to this creature in the forest. Now that it had become a demonic beast, its threat was even more terrifying.

When Bard learned they were facing a Spotted Gibbon demonic beast, his mind flashed to six months prior.

From the end of last year to the beginning of this one, Bard had been stationed at the Rift Fort. There, he had fought against a Spotted Gibbon demonic beast and achieved the remarkable feat of inflicting a fatal wound, even before officially becoming a squire.

But this battle might be different from the last. It might be Bard’s turn to fall. With this thought, he steeled his resolve.

The knights were ordered to carry spears, while squires were to wield bows. The spears were shortened slightly for better handling in the forest. The arrows were coated with Wormegie venom.

The subjugation team, four knights and four squires strong, rushed to the demonic beast’s suspected location.

5

Knight Nix raised his right hand, halting the column. He signaled for cautious advance from this point. Though they had moved carefully through the forest already, the group now proceeded even more slowly.

Nix’s instincts must have warned him they were nearing their quarry. Bard scanned his surroundings. The demonic beast lurked somewhere in the dense forest shadows. The squires drew arrows from their quivers and nocked them.

Bard was about to do the same but felt an odd unease. Following this instinct, he dismounted. Though this broke formation, Knight Nix noticed but didn’t rebuke him. The view was worse from the ground, but for Bard, still inexperienced with mounted archery, he needed solid footing to show his true skill.

The group advanced with measured steps, maintaining awareness of their surroundings in perfect coordination, moving as one.

It’s here. It’s close. The demonic beast is nearby. The wave of intense hatred made their necks prickle.

Bard’s position was near the rear guard, tasked with watching for attacks from behind. And if he spotted the enemy…

“There! Upper right rear!”

Bard shouted.

A split second before his cry, he loosed his arrow. The shot struck true, piercing one of the demonic beast’s glowing red eyes. Chaos erupted.

Originally, the four squires were to launch their poison arrows first, then provide support from the rear or form an encirclement, typical support roles. But once battle descended into chaos, the distinction between knights and squires vanished. In the end, they defeated the demonic beast with only one knight and two squires suffering minor injuries. Bard too had drawn his sword and fought, landing solid hits on the creature.

6

That night, the subjugation team enjoyed a lavish meal and drinks at the castle. As Bard sobered up from the unaccustomed alcohol while gazing at the Sister Moon (Sarie) from the veranda, footsteps approached.

It was Knight Nix. Without looking at Bard, Nix stared at the forest for a while, occasionally sipping from his cup, before speaking softly.

“Hey, Bard”
“Yes?”
“You know, I was made a knight out of pity”
“What?”
“I had no status, no education, and my sword skills were unremarkable”
“No, that’s not…”
“But I had raw strength, so I just kept pushing forward relentlessly for years”
“Your sword strikes have incredible power”
“Haha. That’s from training. My only assets were this huge, sturdy body and strength. So I honed them relentlessly. And I never held back using them. After years of this, they took pity and made me a knight. Once you become a knight, attendants handle your daily needs, and you receive an allowance. I couldn’t afford equipment or a horse, but Lord Elzera granted them to me under the guise of rewards for service. Thanks to that, I became a proper knight. Now I want for nothing.”

Not knowing how to respond, Bard remained silent. Silence stretched between them.

“You’re good with a bow”
“I still have much to learn”
“I’ve seen many warriors, but those skilled with bows always become fine knights. You’ll be one too”

This praise was also difficult to answer, so Bard stayed quiet. Again, silence fell.

“Hey, Bard”
“Yes?”
“You should become the Head Knight of House Tercia”
“What?!”
“You can do it”

That’s impossible.

Head Knight of House Tercia. That position commands all of House Tercia’s forces in the lord’s name. It requires someone whom all knights of House Tercia respect and willingly follow.

House Tercia’s knights are formidable. The strength of the higher-ranking knights, in particular, transcends human limits. The Head Knight must have achieved military feats that even these superhuman knights acknowledge as superior.

Strategy demands wisdom. One must also navigate politics with other houses. It requires someone who commands both fear and respect from within and without.

Noble birth is crucial.

Just look at the current Head Knight of House Tercia, Lord Rougmont Expengler. He embodies military might, intelligence, and dignity in human form.

Seeing Lord Expengler bow before the lord is like witnessing a living legend. It offers a glimpse into the realm of myths. One can’t achieve such status through mere ambition or training.

Moreover, Bard is just a rural warrior’s son, lacking both status and wealth. His swordsmanship will improve with training, but he doubts he can ever become truly peerless. The absolute strength befitting a Head Knight of House Tercia seems as distant to Bard as Sarie in the night sky. While sword skills can be polished, intelligence and dignity aren’t simply acquired. As for noble birth, that’s beyond change.

“I have a dream too”
“A dream?”
“Yes. Want to know what it is?”
“I don’t know”
“To die in battle”
“What?”
“To fight, and fight, and fight through to the end, and fall in battle. That’s my dream. To die serving House Tercia. That’s my pride as a knight”

Having said this, Knight Nix quickly departed. He never once met Bard’s eyes. Left alone, Bard gazed at Sarie again and pondered.

(A dream)
(My dream)
(A dream I must fulfill)
(An aspiration I must achieve)
(Something I can say I live to realize)
(A goal where the very pursuit itself brings pride)
(What could that be?)

The answer would come much later.