I Possessed the Villain’s Childhood Friend – Chapter 8

In the world of “He heals the wounded world,” what exactly is a knight?

A genius among geniuses.

A mere handful of humans possessing the pinnacle of skill.

Simply put, a title granted only to those standing at the zenith of strength.

For example, over thirty assailants crashed the crown prince’s debut into high society.

And to protect the crown prince, only four knights accompanied him, including my father.

Out of those, only two were guarding the critically injured prince, while the other two dealt with all the attackers ambushing the other nobles.

The result? No casualties.

That alone is surprising enough, but I assure you, if the venue weren’t a ballroom prone to collapse, or if there hadn’t been other nobles around, just one more noble among them would have sent those attackers packing in no time.

These knights are beings whose combat power rivals that of hundreds of ordinary soldiers.

Such descriptors are hardly out of place for them.

And it’s not determined merely by sheer strength.

Strategy, tactics, command, guile, magic, and so on.

Even after honing countless skills, one barely scratches the surface.

That’s why knights command respect and are granted numerous rights, something no one disputes.

For instance, if one comes from a common background, they can receive lifelong support from the empire for three generations, including their parents, and if they achieve something noteworthy, they may be granted a title leading to a new noble house.

In the case of noble birth, the house’s standing directly correlates to power, which opens up opportunities for ascension based on circumstances.

Additionally, all members of the knight order, when they die, are laid to rest in the “Knight Order’s Grave,” leaving their names recorded in the empire for eternity.

That’s how honorable and esteemed knights are in this world.

“Are you saying I’m participating in the martial arts tournament being held in Heros?”

“Well, that’s what your father and I believe.”

But, being who they are, restrictions certainly exist.

The most notable one is that knights cannot participate in any martial arts tournaments.

Martial arts tournaments are an opportunity for aspiring knights to participate.

For a knight to join such an event is to reverse the purpose, as the victor becomes a foregone conclusion.

“I’m the second son of the Akses Duke House. Participating in the tournament is…”

Moreover, the Akses Duke House has been a loyal knight family to the empire since its inception.

It’s the only family where every child, regardless of gender, inherits the talent of a knight.

Therefore, even before becoming a knight, they don’t participate in martial arts tournaments.

“Aidos clearly said you expressed your intention to participate, right?”

As I metaphorically indicated my refusal, the emperor half-closed his eyes and asked me.

What misunderstanding could have arisen?

…For now, let me speak all that I remember.

In the original work, the emperor appears stoic but has a surprisingly hearty personality.

It’s better to speak the truth from the outset rather than beat around the bush.

“I didn’t know the martial arts tournament was being held in Rozelia Duchy.”

“Then what do you think the palace called you for?”

“My father said he would be participating in Rozelia Duchy this week. So I thought I was being summoned for business, and since it’s his first appearance, I assumed I would be receiving orders related to that.”

“…Is that so. Aidos.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Please explain what’s happened. If you were trying to force him into the tournament, I would be extremely disappointed.”

“I merely conveyed what I heard; I also wanted Aike to participate in the martial arts tournament.”

Heard, you say?

Who could have said that?

“Last Monday, Miss Reina from the Rozelia Duke House came to me directly and said so, so I thought it was certainly true, but it seems there was some mistake.”

…Last Monday, Reina?

I can’t quite remember what conversation I had with Reina last week.

She was the leading lady of the original story, whom I met two weeks ago.

I was so absorbed in the reasons for the narrative change and how to proceed from there.

‘Then I should speak to the Duke.’

Thinking back, I recalled that Reina had indeed said something similar.

I still don’t know why that came up or how things led to this.

What kind of conversation was it?

No matter how hard I thought, I couldn’t recall.

“Then I should speak with the eldest daughter of Rozelia.”

“…I will take my leave.”

“Hm?”

“I wanted to properly assess my abilities. I thought it was a good opportunity, and I will participate in the martial arts tournament held in Rozelia Duchy.”

But if this is indeed what Reina desires, there’s nothing I can do.

“But if news spreads that the second son of the Akses Duke House is competing in the tournament, a lot of people will push back. Are you okay with that?”

I decided to participate in the martial arts tournament, but such questions were inevitable.

Regardless of my current skills, the fact that I’m the second son of the Akses Duke House remains unchanged.

To most people, Aike Akses’s existence is just like that of a knight.

“It doesn’t matter, Aike.”

The one who answered my question was the crown prince.

“The Akses Duke House not participating in the martial arts tournament is merely a custom. Isn’t that right, Duke Akses?”

“That’s correct. Average citizens probably won’t even know such customs exist. It’s a custom, not a rule.”

My father nodded at the crown prince and then turned to look at me.

“Normally, I would have stopped you no matter what, but…”

My father, gazing at me, bit his lip.

“Aike, it seems you’re somewhat hampered. You’re still caught up in the tensions from that day. However, there must be a clear reason why you’re not consulting with me.”

“Father.”

“Nonetheless, I believe you will overcome it. The reason I’m giving you permission, even at the cost of tradition, is that I believe you will gain something significant in this martial arts tournament.”

Thus, my father continued.

“Win, Aike. It may be tough for you to win right now. But I believe you have what it takes to win.”

Looking into my father’s eyes, I couldn’t utter words of impossibility.

“Understood, Father.”

I took a deep breath and nodded quietly.

★

Returning from the formalities on Thursday, it wasn’t until Friday that I could meet Reina after a week.

“So you are really entering?”

“Looks that way.”

“The qualifying rounds start next Monday. They’ll last for a total of five days, followed by a two-day break, then another five days for the finals. After the finals wrap up, there’ll be a week’s rest before the grand finale.”

So that means it’ll run for a total of twenty days?

“So? Do you think you can win?”

Reina’s face lit up with expectation as she asked.

Of course, winning would be the best outcome, but honestly, it was as difficult as my father had said.

“I think I have a good shot.”

But I definitely wanted to win, and I didn’t want to shatter her hopes just yet.

“After all, I’m an aspiring knight too.”

“Hehe, I’ll be looking forward to it. Here’s a simple gift in advance.”

“A gift?”

Reina handed me something beautifully wrapped.

“A pendant?”

“Yes, specifically, a rocket. Open it once.”

As I pressed the slightly protruding button, the lid opened, and a serene sky-blue light poured out.

The light soon formed a circle, transforming into a beautiful clock.

“…It’s lovely.”

“Isn’t it?”

I was so overjoyed that I felt like standing up and hugging Reina right then and there.

But I had my dignity to maintain, and above all, I couldn’t do such a thing to someone already betrothed to the crown prince.

“And if you channel magic into it once, an A-rank protection magic will activate.”

Well, in the martial arts tournament, tools aren’t allowed without permission.

Reina said this with a light smile.

However, unlike her lighthearted comment, I found myself unable to grasp her words for a moment.

A magical tool infused with A-rank protection magic?

By the cheapest calculations, that meant a value exceeding a hundred platinum coins.

It was far too extravagant to be called a simple gift.

“I appreciate it, but isn’t this a bit too much? It’s not a special day or anything, and I haven’t won the tournament yet.”

When I asked Reina, filled with various worries, she slightly lowered her gaze.

“…I wanted to express my gratitude properly.”

“Gratitude?”

“Yes.”

I hadn’t done anything particularly noteworthy recently, so what could she mean?

I wanted to ask with a light laugh, but Reina’s demeanor was serious.

“Since you saved me at the ball, I felt I had to show my sincerity somehow. You said it was fine, but the scars you bore were definitely not something to brush off lightly.”

As Reina said this, she bit her lip.

Seeing her appear somewhat sorrowful made my own scar throb with pain.

“Just saying sorry isn’t enough. If I don’t pay a proper price, I can no longer call you a friend. I kept feeling that way, so I asked the duchess for help.”

Hearing that brought back memories of when I went to the market.

At that time, she had indeed mentioned receiving something she had asked her mother for.

“So the rocket I saw in the market was this, huh?”

“It was actually the necessary materials. I had to arrange for a custom-made item. So I gathered the required materials from various sources. What you saw in the market was one of them.”

I had been lost in such thoughts.

I was perfectly fine, to begin with. I had decided from the start to live for her.

But now that I had heard all this, rejecting the gift on the grounds that it was expensive was impossible.

“And there’s something else…”

“Something else?”

“Never mind. I’ll tell you after the martial arts tournament. You’ll find out anyway.”

As Reina said this, she smiled gently.

Was she perhaps planning to give me something more after the tournament?

“Anyway, I assume you really believe I can win, huh? I’ll be watching from the audience with my father during the finals, so keep an eye on it.”

What I said about winning was just bravado, but Reina looked at me with a serious belief in those words.

The fundamental purpose of the martial arts tournament is to discover raw talent that could become knights.

Said differently, this means that most aspiring knights participate in the martial arts tournament.

I would probably allow myself an easy pass in the qualifying rounds.

There aren’t that many aspiring knights, after all.

But could I make a significant mark in the finals?

From an objective standpoint, I’d think I’d be lucky to place in the top ten.

Typically, around ten aspiring knights participate in these tournaments.

Currently, I couldn’t even pass the first stage of the knight order entrance exam.

That’s why I think I’d be fortunate to place in the top ten.

“It’ll be a little complicated, breaking the family tradition.”

“You want to become a knight despite that, right? Then you should work even harder.”

I wasn’t particularly keen on becoming a knight.

Reina asking my father for permission to participate in the martial arts tournament stemmed entirely from this misunderstanding.

I was consumed by the thought that I had to grow stronger to protect Reina.

And last Monday, I had merely expressed a desire to be strong enough to become a knight.

Hearing that, Reina brought up the subject of the martial arts tournament.

In my stead, she had directly asked my father, overcoming my protests on account of tradition.

Honestly, if it were up to me, I would have wanted to tell the complete truth and cancel my participation in the martial arts tournament.

“Win, and I’ll be looking forward to it?”

However, I couldn’t voice such sentiments to Reina, who was genuinely looking forward to my victory.

So all I could do was dedicate myself to effort.

Every minute, every second, I had to get closer to that movement.