SN Chapter 12

Leaving behind her confusion, the ceremony was already proceeding in order. The Second Prince opened a thick book and read from it, and when Knight Captain Stas shouted something loudly, the order members echoed it together. Rosaline moved her mouth open and closed, pretending to follow along.

People who looked like priests brought ornately crafted wide plates and placed them before the altar. The thin white plates were filled with clear water. The laurel tree where Idelabheim's eagle perched. This was water from the lake right before it. It was also called holy water. The water itself had no special power or efficacy, but it was used for every important ceremony.

The appointment ceremony began with those being promoted from apprentice knight to junior knight. The prince stood back while the knight captain received their oaths instead. Many people ascended and descended the altar. When the appointment ceremony for those being promoted from junior knight to senior knight began, the prince who had been standing back came forward. He personally conducted their appointments. Everyone's eyes gleamed as they looked up at the master of the White Night Order. After waiting a long while, Rosaline's name was called.

"Rosaline Ester of Redvielle. Step forward."

She walked as Kallix had taught her. Step by step. Don't spread your legs too wide, and the stride shouldn't be too large or too small. Pull in your neck, straighten your back, and gaze straight ahead... She repeated Kallix's words in her mind. Standing before the altar, she drew her sword, planted it in the ground, then knelt on one knee to complete her preparation.

At the center of the altar stood the Second Prince, with Knight Captain Stas on his right and a priest on his left. The Second Prince's eyebrows twitched as he looked down at her. But she had her head bowed and couldn't see it.

"Junior knight of the White Night, Rosaline Ester. Make your oath."

His low, soft voice resonated above her head. Rosaline raised her head and opened her mouth.

"Rosaline Ester of Redvielle makes a truthful oath before the Laurel of the Snowfield."

"Rikardis Dareux Illavénia, Laurel of the Snowfield, hears the oath of Rosaline Ester of Redvielle."

Their eyes met. His blue eyes faced hers without wavering. His expression seemed to say, 'Yes, that precious oath of yours. Let's hear it.'

"Rosaline of Redvielle shall become Idelabheim's sword that cleaves the Onyx Moon."

"You shall become Idelabheim's light and cleave the Onyx Moon."

"Rosaline of Redvielle shall protect the weak and be loyal to the Empire."

"You shall be a strong wall for the weak, become the Empire of Illavénia's unbreakable shield, and guard honor."

"Under the glorious radiance of Idelabheim, I swear to offer my life as a knight of the second laurel."

"Under the glorious radiance of Idelabheim, I appoint Rosaline of Redvielle as senior knight."

Rikardis dipped his hand in the water on the wide plate and drew it across her forehead. Rosaline briefly closed her eyes at the cold touch, then opened them. Before her eyes, bright silver hair swayed. She raised her head slightly to look at him. Emotionless, indifferent eyes held Rosaline for a brief moment, then turned elsewhere as if uninterested. After a final salute, Rosaline returned to her place.

Afterward, there was a brief ceremony appointing Raymond as vice-captain's aide. The appointment ceremony for the new vice-captain that followed concluded all proceedings. As soon as all appointments ended, Rikardis left the altar without looking back.

The knight captain declared the ceremony closed. Soon all members of the White Night Order in white uniforms dispersed as well. Rosaline rubbed her forehead. The trace where his fingertips had touched had already dried and disappeared, but strangely, that cold temperature still seemed to feel vividly present.

Surprisingly calm days followed. Though she was a senior knight, there was no way the critical mission of guarding the prince would fall to Rosaline, who had just been promoted. In the end, the work that came her way was only swordsmanship training or document work, and that workload naturally piled up on Raymond's desk.

Working as the strict vice-captain's aide and suffering from a murderous workload, he stayed up through the nights completing her share of document work as well. But that lasted only a day or two. Soon dark traces of exhaustion began to appear beneath Raymond's eyes. He looked like a corpse with life barely clinging to it. Even to Rosaline, who couldn't distinguish all human expressions, it seemed quite serious. It was when she truly understood the meaning of the emotion called guilt.

"Sorry... I don't know how to do that stuff."

At Rosaline's dejected response, Raymond nearly burst into tears. In his heart, he could handle this sort of paperwork for a thousand or ten thousand years, but that might not be for Rosaline's benefit. Doesn't the saying go, teach a hungry person to fish rather than give them a fish? It was about time for her to settle into the White Night Order. Raymond forced a smile and comforted her dejection.

"No. If you don't know, you just learn, right? You're smart, so you'll pick it up quickly."

"Yeah."

"I'll borrow what you need from the library. The training grounds should be empty by now. Go do your sword training there. You've been doing it daily, right?"

"Yeah. In my room every day. Whenever I have spare time."

Even having lost her memories, that diligence hadn't gone anywhere, it seemed. Raymond handed her cookies he'd bought from a famous bakery. There were reward treats even when training the puppies at the Grandram estate... his mood plummeted rapidly as his thoughts reached that point. In any case, Rosaline happily ate the chocolate chip cookies and headed toward the training grounds, following Raymond's words.

Following Raymond's advice, Rosaline practiced swordsmanship only inside her room. He'd said it was to minimize encounters with other knights since she wasn't fully prepared. Though the room was spacious enough to move around, she'd missed the earthy smell of the training grounds, the breeze that blew coolly when she began to sweat, and even the chirr, chirr of insects in the grass.

The training grounds were completely empty. The other knights would be taking a brief rest after their meal. Rosaline drew her sword. She pictured two men in her mind. Raymond and Kallix moved endlessly within her thoughts. The long, heavy sword danced as gently as a butterfly's movements. Sometimes it felt weightless as a feather, other times it descended heavier than a mountain.

Rosaline moved, breaking the silence that had wrapped around her. It was Illavénia's basic swordsmanship. She traced through each movement precisely, flowing her sword slowly. It was slow enough to feel frustrating to any observer, yet the movements touched upon perfection. Rosaline's black hair tied high swayed beneath the sunlight. She smiled slightly without realizing it. The cool breeze felt good.

An impurity intruded upon Rosaline's senses as she moved for some time. It was the uncomfortable gazes she'd felt constantly since coming to the White Night Order. Rosaline continued her sword practice while searching for the source of those stares. In the distance, several tall men were watching her. From the shape of the epaulettes they wore, she could tell they were junior knights. They stared at Rosaline, then huddled together to say something. Then they laughed, giggling among themselves.

Rosaline knew. The formula [when feeling good, one laughs] didn't hold absolutely true. Without any attempt to hide it, they were letting their feelings about Rosaline spill out. Between the nakedness of that emotion and the experience she'd accumulated as a human, something told her: These were not people who liked Rosaline. They wanted to damage her, and they were watching for the moment to pry open that gap.

'You have many enemies, sister. To be precise, you're entering a place with many enemies. You must go to the castle prepared for that.'

Everything Kallix told her was truly correct. She had many enemies. Humans who were the same species, wore the same clothes, and moreover lived together under one building, wanted somehow to drag her down and circled around Rosaline. Her nerves began to fray. Rosaline's sword remained slow but became intensely sharp.

The junior knights who had been watching her practice basic swordsmanship from afar moved their heavy steps. They looked imposing. Since they weren't far away, they quickly approached Rosaline in the center of the training grounds. Sensing them coming, Rosaline had to stop mid-practice without finishing.

All five placed their fists over their hearts in salute. A young blond man with his mouth twisted to one side in a smile opened his mouth.

"Glory to Idelabheim who cleaves the Onyx Moon. It's been a while, Dame Rosaline."

"Glory of Idelabheim to you all."

'At least it's fortunate that the knight order is a group with a clear hierarchy.'

Over Kallix's voice, the laughing man's voice overlapped.

"Sincere congratulations on your promotion to senior knight."

"Thank you."

"You should have given us a heads-up. Thinking back to when we were teamed together before... well... it was so unimaginable that I didn't even think to send a congratulatory gift."

'...A clear hierarchy...'

"..."

I don't think so... The hierarchy doesn't seem clear at all... Rosaline objected to what the past Kallix had taught her. The blond man was currently picking a fight with her. Blatant enough for even dense Rosaline to notice.