Personal Knight [#]


    <hr>


    I sought balance in life and believed I had found it, only to discover my path was flawed.


    How does one ever truly know the way?


    <hr>


    Personal Knight [1]


    Deon remained seated for a long time in the back garden. The calm of the night helped his thoughts crystallize and take form.


    Who is Viktoria De Avila, really?


    Other than being the mother of Deon and Vierenna, there were many mysteries surrounding her. The first thing Deon planned to do in the near future was to learn as much as he could about her.


    For now, he had his personal maid, Yven, who claimed to have been close to her. There was also Vierenna, but Deon was cautious about revealing anything to her.


    Although Deon hadn’t put much effort into fully assuming the role of his predecessor, he didn’t know much about him anyway. The former Deon had, in a way, made it easier for him to act with some personal freedom. Thanks to the fact that he had been depressed about his talent, everyone would simply assume that he had changed, "found himself," or something along those lines.


    Even so, Deon remained cautious about Vierenna, as she was the closest person to him. At the same time, he learned from her as much as he could without drawing attention to himself.


    The more Deon learned about his surroundings and the world around him, the higher he could push his investigation’s horizons—for instance, searching with the de Avila. But for now, the idea was distant.


    He was weak, inexperienced, and unknowledgeable. Only by compensating for these deficiencies could he address his flaws.


    With a tired sigh, Deon rose from his seat, the Memories Record in his hands, and made his way toward the mansion with steady steps.


    …


    The next day, Deon woke up very early, the darkness still blanketing the world.


    He felt no fatigue or lack of energy, thanks to the mana coursing through his body.


    Thus, all he could do was train—not that he needed anyone to tell him; this was the only reason he had awakened so early.


    He assumed a familiar position on his bed, the blue cube in his hands, and closed his eyes.


    Part of his consciousness drifted away as time took its natural course.


    At a certain point, the figure of a young girl with bright green eyes quietly entered the room.


    She was astonished, even a little shaken, as soon as she noticed the faint blue glow illuminating the bed.


    ‘I wonder what it feels like...!’


    But she quickly regained her composure, her fear of her master’s reactions having lessened after their recent conversations. She now found him kind and reasonable.


    ‘For a high-ranking noble, at least! It''s a bit strange, though.’


    Compared to any ordinary noble, Deon appeared mild. He seemed calm and without any arrogance despite his name, which would strike fear into anyone. He appeared far too focused to take pride in anything but himself.


    Yven found that attractive; he reminded her of Lady Viktoria. Though they didn’t resemble each other physically, their actions did.


    ‘Maybe I should tell him that… Just not the ‘attractive’ part!’


    Yven placed the laundry basket beside the door, which she carefully closed, and tiptoed to the changing room.


    She was pleasantly surprised to find her master’s clothes neatly placed in the designated area for used garments. Though this didn’t make her task easier or harder, she preferred order over chaos.


    She picked up the used clothes and glanced around for anything else that needed organizing.


    Everything was in its place, so she left the room.


    This time, her eyes lingered on the bed where her master sat cross-legged. Thus, she wasn’t surprised when she found him staring at her.


    Well… she was a little surprised, but not as much as yesterday morning.


    Recalling that fateful day, Yven’s cheeks turned red as she lowered her head to hide her face.


    “Good morning, Yven,” her master’s calm voice pulled her from her embarrassment.


    Taking a deep breath, she raised her head again.


    “Good morning, sir. I apologize if I disturbed your training.”


    “No, you didn’t. There are limits I cannot surpass, and I need rest from time to time.”


    Yven nodded, her earlier tension and embarrassment now gone.


    ‘It’s easy to talk to him.’


    “Is there anything the master would like me to do for him?”


    “Besides coffee with milk, I’m just curious why you come to clean at this time, and all you do is take care of the used clothes.”


    ‘Mental note: coffee with milk—honey with milk after whisking.’


    “Well, sir, I’m your personal maid, so I’ll only take care of your specific needs and requests, like coffee with milk and your clothes. As for the room, for example, it’s cleaned weekly by a full staff of servants. I can request cleaning if the master feels it needs it.”


    Deon nodded, his expression remaining calm.


    “That explains your duties, but my question is: why this specific time?”


    ‘What? Is he pretending not to know when he was the one who used to send me away before?’


    Yven felt her heart clench with tension, and without realizing it, her expression shifted to a slight frown.


    “The master didn’t like anyone entering his room before... so—so I use...”


    “I see.”


    Deon interrupted Yven mid-sentence. Along with her slight frown, which didn’t escape his notice, Deon got his answer.


    “I’m sorry for making your job difficult before. Ignoring you being my personal maid exposed you to bullying and exclusion, which only added to your troubles.”


    Yven’s eyes quivered slightly, but she remained silent, her mind unable to process his words.


    “I won’t excuse myself or my actions with weak justifications, but I hope you can forgive me if you find it in your heart. Only then can we work together honestly. I want you to feel proud to be by my side, and I want my name to carry enough weight to protect you. So please, forgive me.”


    There was a simple reason why Deon chose to apologize to Yven now.


    Of course, she deserved the apology, but Deon’s reason was deeper, though also simpler.


    He wanted to get closer to her.


    Close enough for her to speak to him freely outside the bounds of her duty as his maid.


    Only then would the young maid feel comfortable enough to talk to Deon about Viktoria and her time with her.


    Even though Deon doubted he’d learn much, every piece of information could hold importance. And if it didn’t, it would at least give him a direction to pursue.


    The shock Yven felt at that moment was hard to describe in words.


    She was just praising her master for being reasonable, but this went beyond the limits of reasonableness.


    Although Yven had indeed felt wronged by the way her master had treated her in the past, she had not hated him for it. Her impression of nobles had always been like that.


    She never expected, in her wildest dreams, to receive an apology—a full apology, no less. And from whom? From the very person who was her master.


    ‘Does he truly mean it?’


    Yven’s thoughts were chaotic, her mind unwilling to accept the fact that her master’s apology was genuine. She suspected there was a hidden reason behind it, which was likely true from a logical perspective.


    ‘Why would someone of such high nobility apologize to someone like me?’


    But her heart said otherwise. Her master was the son of a woman who had treated Yven well, a woman she respected and loved. Yven wanted her master to be like his mother; it felt right and honorable as a tribute to Viktoria de Avila.


    So, Yven chose to listen to her heart, which had never failed her before.


    She smiled a gentle and radiant smile that captured all of Deon’s attention.


    Placing her hand on her heart, she bowed slightly.


    “I will do my best to be good enough to meet the master’s high standards and will not cause him any embarrassment.”


    Deon, still caught in Yven’s captivating smile, did not respond immediately. But he quickly regained himself and smiled in return.


    He rose from his spot on the bed and approached her, stopping right in front of her.


    ‘He’s tall!’


    Yven thought as she raised her head high just to look into her master’s violet eyes. His eyes were calm, like a still lake.


    ‘Just like Lady Viktoria…’


    She felt as if she had drowned in his gaze, not even noticing the hand he extended toward her.


    “I’ll rely on you.”


    Deon’s words snapped Yven out of her daze. Her body trembled slightly as she bowed her head in embarrassment.


    She was about to take a few steps back, but noticing Deon’s outstretched hand stopped her, one of her feet hovering slightly above the ground.


    Yven shifted her gaze between the hand and Deon’s calm expression. For a moment, she didn’t know what to do, but then she quickly clasped Deon’s hand with both of hers. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    “I’ll take care of you.”


    “...?”


    “...!”


    ‘I want to die!’


    Yven thought as her face turned completely red.


    “My… sir… I… I’ll return to work now...”


    She released his hand and hurried to the door of the room, not forgetting to pick up the empty basket.


    As soon as the girl left, Deon could no longer suppress the smile forming on his face.


    “‘I’ll take care of you!’ Hah, haha.”


    Looking down at the floor, he noticed the clothes Yven had dropped when she grabbed his hands.


    ‘What a delightful girl.’


    Deon knelt down, picked up the clothes, and headed toward the door.


    As he prepared to open it, he heard Yven’s faint voice outside.


    “I wanna die… I wanna die… I want to die...”


    “Of all the things I could say, I say, ‘I’ll take care of you.’ Noooo...”


    “What is that even supposed to mean...”


    “No… What will the master think I meant by that...”


    “I have to die; there’s no other option...”


    Deon felt pity for the embarrassed girl and opened the door, at least to reassure her.


    But to his surprise, Yven fell backward, her head landing on the carpeted floor of the room.


    ‘Was she leaning on the door?!’


    She looked up at him from below, her eyes glistening with tears, and for the second day in a row, she didn’t seem like she would get up anytime soon.


    Deon, holding his clothes in one hand, extended his free hand to help her up.


    She hesitated for a moment but took it.


    Once she regained her balance, Deon didn’t give her any time to overthink before handing her what she had come for.


    “You forgot these.”


    She took them in silence, and to his surprise, she held them up to her face, covering half of it and leaving only her eyes visible.


    ‘What?’


    Deon wanted to comment on what she was doing, but he stopped himself. She might actually kill herself.


    He waited for Yven to step back so he could close the door, but she just stood there, watching him silently as if waiting for something.


    SIGH


    Deon sighed to himself.


    “You can leave now, and don’t forget the coffee with milk.”


    Yven raised her head slightly from behind his clothes, her eyes filled with hope.


    “I know you meant well with your words, and I appreciate that...”


    He placed his hand gently on her small head, ruffling her hair softly.


    “There’s nothing wrong with being yourself. In fact, it’s endearing. I consider it a blessing to have a personal maid as kind as you, and funny from time to time. So you can leave now. Don’t forget my coffee with milk.”


    Yven nodded, her face sinking back into Deon’s clothes in what seemed to be embarrassment.


    She stepped back and hurried out of sight.


    Deon closed the door behind her, his calm expression returning to a smile.


    ‘She’s too sweet to die young.’


    <hr>


    ???


    ???


    ???


    <hr>


    Personal Knight [2]


    The best parts of the day passed for Deon without the need to leave his room—just training, resting, and learning. Yven was a great help in this easy routine, as she took care of his basic needs like food.


    Deon had grown fond of the young girl, and his admiration only deepened when he tasted the improved version of coffee with Milk she had prepared. It was heavenly.


    Though Deon had never liked the idea of having a personal servant before—something that went against the instincts he had developed in his previous world—he now had no complaints. Yven, despite being a bit clumsy, was extremely helpful.


    She might lack the experience of a seasoned servant, but Deon would still choose her over anyone else for simple reasons.


    She listens without overstepping his instructions.


    She only acts on what she deems appropriate, without prying into Deon''s personal affairs or exceeding his orders.


    She carries a sense of innocence—a quality Deon appreciated.


    These were just the positives stemming from her personality, not to mention her connection to Viktoria de Avila and the knowledge she might possess.


    She was simply perfect in both heart and form.


    Deon’s current break ended once he had replenished the mana he lost in his earlier training, and now he was ready to continue.


    He closed the book he was reading without marking his place—mainly because he could now recall even the smallest details, such as page numbers or stopping points.


    Deon''s memory had grown incredibly sharp and capable of recalling past events with great clarity. He had even recovered some childhood memories that should have faded with time.


    He rose from his seat at the desk in his room and returned to the bed, where the blue cube rested. Its surface bore a mixture of intricate blue and black patterns, though the black still outweighed the blue. Deon''s progress, however, was steadily accelerating.


    Sitting cross-legged on the bed, he prepared to resume his training. He closed his eyes... but the peace he anticipated was disrupted by the sound of the door bursting open.


    “Missed me, baby brother?”


    Deon opened his eyes again to find Vierenna approaching him with a wide smile.


    But something about her felt different.


    Ignoring her silly grin, she exuded the air of a true noble—especially with the outfit she wore.


    Vierenna was dressed in a refined yet practical ensemble. A crisp white blouse adorned with fine embroidery near the collar. A high-waisted navy skirt, cinched with a meticulously decorated belt. Transparent stockings with intricate patterns, adding a touch of elegance and allure.


    Draped over her shoulders was a dark blue cloak resembling a coat, its edges embroidered with faintly glowing symbols.


    She also carried a small bag featuring the emblem of the Eirenios Household, as Deon had learned in his recent studies.


    Deon suddenly grew curious about why his sister would dress like this and where she had been during the last day and most of today.


    Previously, he had assumed her absence was related to the Memories Record book, but that now seemed far from the truth.


    Deon set the cube aside when Vierenna sat on the bed across from him without even asking.


    “So, how do I look?”


    ‘Oh no!’


    Deon wasn’t going to compliment her appearance, just to avoid dealing with her wordplay and hidden meanings. But she saw through him and went straight to the question.


    “You were born beautiful, so what’s the difference now? You’ll always be beautiful.”


    This was Deon’s answer to the loaded question, hoping she would accept it without further complications.


    Vierenna rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.


    “Fine, fine. I’ve been mean to you before, and now you’re cautious. But I don’t like it when you’re not honest.”


    “In that case, you look as beautiful as moonlight piercing through the clouds.”


    Vierenna raised an eyebrow, leaning forward slightly in contemplation.


    Deon thought she was about to say something, but she fell silent as her gaze landed on the cube beside him.


    She moved a little closer to Deon and picked up the blue cube in her hands. Her expression shifted to a slight frown as she ran her finger across the blue patterns on its surface.


    Her eyes met Deon’s, who watched her curiously.


    “You surprise me, baby brother,” she said.


    “Don’t move; let me examine you a bit.”


    She placed her fingers on Deon’s chest. He remained silent, watching her with curiosity. He knew Vierenna wouldn’t do anything to harm him.


    A faint white light emanated from her hand and entered Deon’s body. He felt an addictive comfort that relaxed every muscle in his body.


    He almost fell backward, but Vierenna caught him with her free hand at his waist.


    A few seconds later, she withdrew her fingers, and Deon returned to his usual calm state, albeit with lingering embarrassment.


    “Wow, I don’t know what to say!”


    Deon tilted his head slightly, still silent.


    “Well, it’s clear you’re a genius for your achievement with the cube. But that’s only dependent on mental state, understanding, and adaptability if you feel to add it. To progress this quickly, though—that’s just cheating. I’ve never seen anything like it.”


    She was mere centimeters away from Deon’s face, her gaze scrutinizing.


    Deon’s eyes twitched slightly, more from embarrassment than tension.


    “If you continue like this, you’ll reach the minimum threshold for learning a beginner-level spell in about three days.”


    This was good news for Deon. Knowing his training was yielding results gave him a sense of accomplishment. Still, he didn’t let it get to his head.


    Soon, he refocused on Vierenna, who continued to watch him with curiosity.


    “So, are you here for the Memories Record?” Deon asked, trying to discern the reason for her absence.


    “Did you feel lonely without me, baby brother? Well, I can’t blame you for that, I suppose.”


    Deon’s expression remained neutral. He wasn’t going to give her what she wanted.


    “You’re no fun.”


    “If it helps, I’m happy to be boring.”


    Vierenna flashed a dazzling smile, quickly extending her hand toward Deon’s face. He wasn’t prepared and couldn’t avoid her.


    “Is this how you treat your wonderful sister? You need to learn a lesson.”


    Deon tried to resist, but Vierenna adjusted her position to restrain both his hands.


    Deon’s expression sank, and in his helplessness, he stopped resisting.


    “I’m sorry, wonderful sis. I won’t disrespect you again.”


    ‘She’s so hard to deal with.’


    Vierenna beamed brightly, still holding him in her grip.


    “Apology accepted, but I’m still going to teach you a lesson. It’s my duty as your elder sister.”


    She released his hands and began tugging at his cheeks. It wasn’t as painful as it seemed, so Deon only put up minimal resistance. He certainly didn’t want to ruin the good mood Vierenna seemed to be having. Who knew what she might do?


    After a few seconds, she let him go, and Deon exaggeratedly rubbed his cheeks.


    “I’m satisfied now. See? That wasn’t so hard.”


    When Deon didn’t respond, So Vierenna finally decided to answer his earlier question.


    “Actually, I’m here for another reason.”


    <hr>


    ???


    ???


    ???


    <hr>


    Personal Knight [3]


    “And of course, I''ll take the book back with me as well,”


    Vierenna said, attempting to sound indifferent.


    “So, what is this other reason?”


    Deon asked, resting his hands on his cheeks, trying to clear his mind of what had transpired mere seconds ago.


    “It''s time for a knight to be assigned to accompany you.”


    Deon knew a little about this matter and had somewhat anticipated it, but he had decided to refuse since having a personal knight wasn’t mandatory.


    “I don’t see how that would be possible. I''m practically unknown, and time is limited. Besides, I prefer being as I am, so... I''ll pass. Even you don’t have a personal knight.”


    The role of a personal knight was more cultural than protective, despite what the name suggested.


    Furthermore, the whole concept was both confusing and complicated.


    Firstly, the knight had to be the same age as their master. The knight was also required to swear loyalty to their master for a specific period, though this had recently been replaced by formal contracts.


    Additionally, the knight had to hold a noble title, making the arrangement even more difficult.


    In the current era, only the imperial family and the four great houses still bothered with such traditions.


    Deon had thought he wouldn’t need to follow this path since Vierenna didn’t have a personal knight in her first year. But now, she was saying otherwise.


    “I know, and it’s not as you think. Let me explain first.”


    Deon frowned slightly but allowed Vierenna to continue.


    She took a deep breath and began in a somewhat nervous tone.


    “You''re right about everything you said. I also wouldn’t have allowed any knight the elders might chose for you—that being an if. But this time, it''s a request. She''s a friend of mine who doesn’t have the means to enter the academy, so she asked for my help…”


    Vierenna lowered her head, noticing Deon''s deepening frown. He remained silent for a moment, his thoughts unreadable.


    One of the privileges of having a personal knight was that they could access any place their master had the right to enter, including the academy.


    If the master enrolled in the academy, the knight would follow suit. It was easier for knights, as they were bound to their masters.


    “So you want me to take someone who can’t enter the academy on their own? Wouldn''t this reflect poorly on me if my knight lags behind?”


    This was the only logical conclusion Deon could draw. A knight was expected to be a noble, which alone made enrollment easier. But if they couldn’t enter on their own, wasn’t that simply a lack of talent?


    “She isn’t untalented! It''s just her unique circumstances that prevent her from enrolling. In fact, she''s one of the best talents I’ve ever seen.”


    ‘A girl?’


    Deon was still skeptical, but he also didn’t plan on rejecting Vierenna’s request. She had helped him immensely, and he still relied on her support. Refusing her now would leave a bad impression.


    “Fine, but I have things to say.”


    Vierenna smiled and tried to approach him for a hug, but Deon placed his hand on her forehead to stop her, taking advantage of her request.


    “Since this is purely formal, I want it to remain that way—even in the contract, if there will be one. Also, I don’t want to end up taking care of this knight, nor do I expect them to take care of me. Got it? If that’s fine with you, then I’m okay with your request.”


    Vierenna stepped back, her cheeks puffed in mild disappointment. But Deon''s words brought a smile to her face, even if it was a slightly tense one.


    “Are you okay with that?”


    “Yes, yes, that’s fine. I was hoping you''d become friends with her, but if you don’t want to, that’s alright. You’re cold even with your loving sister, so I guess I shouldn’t expect much... And I doubt she’d want you or anyone to take care of her, if that’s what you’re worried about.”


    Deon nodded.


    “You said her unique circumstances prevented her from enrolling. What exactly are these circumstances?”


    To that, Vierenna smiled broadly.


    “I''ll leave that for you to discover yourself.”


    “Not ideal, but fine, I guess.”


    Silence lingered for a moment.


    Deon broke it first, standing to fetch a book from one of the shelves where he had hidden the Memories Record.


    He held it in his hands and handed it to Vierenna, who extended her arms to take it.


    “So, when will I meet this knight?”


    Deon asked as he relinquished the book to Vierenna.


    “In the next few days, I think,”


    she replied, brushing her hand across the book''s surface, her expression filled with deep emotion.


    She raised her head to meet Deon''s gaze as he remained standing.


    “Did you take a look?”


    Deon nodded.


    “So, what’s your favorite memory?”


    She asked with a smile, leaning forward to rise from the bed.


    “I’d say the one where you almost killed me,”


    Deon said, though it was the only memory he had seen, aside from the still images.


    Vierenna furrowed her brows in thought.


    “Oh, that was on you. You kept pushing me.”


    “No. I distinctly remember you were the one who pushed me. No, you outright threw me.”


    Deon didn’t know why, but he felt compelled to tease her.


    “Wow, I can’t believe you. You only see what you want to see. I’m not continuing this conversation.”


    She placed the book against her chest and crossed her arms over it. Without sparing him another glance, she walked toward the door.


    Deon smirked and moved to give her a slight shove.


    “It’s okay to admit you were scared back then. We’re adults now; you can own up to it.”


    Deon’s tone dripped with mockery.


    Vierenna whipped her head around to face him, shouting,


    “I wasn’t scared! You can’t just ask someone to do something so irrational. I was rational, unlike you back then.”


    “Wow, still hiding behind rationality. You were scared. Just admit it…”


    “Fine! But not as scared as you. Coward!”


    She said, her expression sulking.


    ‘What is she talking about?’


    Deon turned the words over in his mind. They held no meaning in the context of their conversation.


    ‘Perhaps a memory I don’t know about?’


    Deon didn’t know how to respond. Vierenna seemed angry at him over something beyond his knowledge.


    ‘Something that happened between her and the original Deon?’


    Deon began to regret letting his guard down around her.


    ‘I was reckless.’


    He remained silent, not wanting to worsen the situation. But his silence seemed only to fuel her anger. She almost looked... hurt?


    “Whatever. I’m leaving now. Don’t slack off in your training,”


    She said in a colder voice than usual as she left the room, gripping the book tightly.


    ‘Why did I bring that up again?’


    Vierenna ran her fingers through her hair, her expression tense.


    She took a deep breath and walked down one of the palace corridors, her previously good mood turning icy.


    But it wasn’t because of Deon—it was directed at herself.


    Deon, still puzzled, returned to sit on his bed, his expression grim.