SN Chapter 17

The criteria remained incomprehensible. Before some she lingered several minutes, while others she passed without a second glance. Only after facing all fifteen did she return to Raymond's side.

"Must I choose all five?"

"No—five is the maximum. Do as you please."

"You. You. I look forward to working with you."

"The man is Eberhardt, the woman is Rhaetisia."

"Eberhardt, Rhaetisia. I look forward to working with you."

She'd selected the navy-haired male knight who'd received her gaze longest first, and the auburn-haired female knight taller than Rosaline. The two looked at each other, then beamed with joy.

"Thank you, Dame Rosaline. I'm Rhaetisia of Frosthorn, a trainee knight in my third year. I'll serve you with utmost dedication. I look forward to working with you!"

"I'm Eberhardt of Roote. I've been a trainee knight for four years. I'll strive to ensure you won't regret choosing me. I look forward to working with you!"

They tried to compose their expressions but ultimately couldn't hide their irrepressible smiles. Even Rosaline's expressionless face bore a faint smile. She'd heard trainee knights were essentially a senior knight's limbs. Some senior knights selected trainees based solely on applications, but Rosaline had wanted to meet them directly. Paper documents couldn't reveal everything. Their thoughts, their gazes, the emotions they held toward Rosaline—none of these appeared on forms. This was why Rosaline had examined all fifteen applicants so carefully.

This one's gaze was thoroughly unpleasant, this one looked down on Rosaline, this one stared only at Raymond while applying to her for incomprehensible reasons, this one seemed to have applied merely because others did and showed no motivation whatsoever. In this comprehensive disaster, exactly two stood out. They too held greed in their gazes, but it stemmed from desire to improve their skills under a good senior knight. Moreover, though somewhat burdensome, their eyes held what seemed like reverence when they looked at her.

Her intuition was exceptional. Compared to humans who shared a common language and communicated through it, the mountain's many creatures possessed languages and habits as varied as their numbers, making conversation nearly impossible. What developed as a result was intuition. One could barely read others only by carefully observing their behavior, atmosphere, and surrounding circumstances. Having lived long, having spent time as various animals, Rosaline possessed discernment. She saw straight through people dressed up in smooth words. To such eyes, these two were fairly decent. Even mixed with different people, she'd likely choose these same individuals.

The trainee knights excluding the two selected frowned as if deeply offended. Rhaetisia came from a powerless, declining noble family with no connection to the capital. She'd even chosen Eberhardt of 'Roote.' 'Roote' was the family name commoners without titles commonly used. A commoner and declining noble? She'd keep only such people at her side? Senior knights typically gathered forces to climb higher—Rosaline of Redvielle seemed unaware of this. They struggled inwardly to swallow their displeasure.

At Raymond's gesture they dispersed, leaving only Eberhardt and Rhaetisia. Their faces flushed completely. Rosaline found their ardent gazes somewhat burdensome.

"Eberhardt, Rhaetisia."

"Yes!"

"You two will leave the trainee knights' dormitory and be assigned near Dame Rosaline's quarters. Serve her with utmost dedication to avoid interfering with Dame Rosaline's daily life and duties. This continues until you become lower knights and pledge loyalty to His Imperial Highness. Any objections?"

"None!"

"None."

Eberhardt now smiled openly without attempting to hide it. Trainee knights were knights in name only—not officially commissioned. Therefore they received no salary and no education beyond basic instruction. They lived dozens together in shabby, worn buildings, covering their own living expenses.

To such people, a senior knight was mentor, lord, and something that guaranteed stable living. They could now leave their cramped rooms to stay in a senior knight's dormitory.

Though not as luxurious as Rosaline's room, it couldn't compare to where they'd lived until now. Though not yet officially commissioned as lower knights, years of hardship seemed to melt away. Rhaetisia's eyes reddened before she composed the surging emotions and smiled broadly.

"I look forward to working with you!"

"As of today, I am Senior Knight Rosaline of Redvielle, commanded to guard Second Prince His Imperial Highness. I will devote my life to this duty."

Several more days had passed. Only after procedures and handover completed did Rosaline assume guard duty for Rikardis. Rikardis rustled papers at a wooden table. He seemed utterly unconcerned whether someone saluted or greeted him.

Rosaline exhaled beneath her impassive expression. The commissioning ceremony incident remained deeply impressed. She still vividly remembered how her heart had pounded fit to burst upon encountering Rikardis. His handsome face remained unchanged, but fortunately her heart sailed calmly without incident.

He spoke without lifting his eyes from the documents, writing and reading with his quill. His voice sank languidly while remaining sharply edged.

"I said I have no need for your life or such, Dame Rose."

Rosaline's eyes shifted down to observe his shining silver hair. Kallix had taught her that 'conversation is not done alone but is exchange with others,' yet Rikardis seemed ignorant of even this simple principle. His gaze never left the vicinity of the table and papers. He concentrated so thoroughly on work that one wouldn't think he'd addressed her.

Rose. Edelweiss, who was Rosaline's mother, had called her Rose. When she'd asked Kallix, he'd explained it was a diminutive of 'Rosaline.' More precisely, a diminutive she detested. She'd thought herself very far from flowers, so the appellation Rose had dealt considerable damage—this he'd informed the current Rosaline. Did the handsome man before her know this fact when using it?

"Are you listening, Dame Rose?"

He seemed to know. He hung a smile more dazzling than brilliant sunlight on his expressionless face. The man beautiful enough to feel sacred held the appellation 'Rose' on his lips for the shabby black-haired female knight before him.

The commissioning ceremony and now. Only two meetings, yet when he displayed it so openly, she couldn't fail to notice. The emotions contained in occasional words and glances weren't particularly favorable. Therefore, the appellation 'Rose' also wasn't based on any affection.

Rosaline—perhaps she and this man hadn't shared a good relationship. Though she'd wanted to protect this man even at death's threshold, that apparently didn't guarantee any intimate relationship had formed between them.

Rikardis pressed her with unsmiling eyes. Rosaline lowered her head slightly and spoke.

"I'm listening, Your Highness."

"At any rate, to return alive from between poison and hidden weapons—your talents exceed expectations."

"Thank you."

"I hear your memory is somewhat troubled? I heard from Knight Captain Stas."

His voice remained plain and perfunctory for discussing someone's major crisis. But Rosaline wasn't someone who'd be wounded by such perfunctoriness. She also answered calmly.

"That's correct."

"What do you know and what don't you know?"

Rikardis's question proved fairly difficult. What she knew, what she didn't know. She'd never possessed the ability to gauge such scope. Kallix had taught her words for such situations. I know nothing. I remember nothing. Magic words to silence others, he'd said.

She began saying "Nothing..." as Kallix had instructed. But before she could finish, Rikardis cut in faster.

"You don't know?"

"Yes, that's correct."

He propped his chin crookedly. Bright silver hair slid smoothly with his movement. Rikardis stared at her fixedly.

She wore the same face as before, yet somehow felt like a different person. Whether from her clipped, monosyllabic speech pattern, or because she no longer wore that desperate expression constantly fidgeting as if she had something to say—he couldn't tell. Her eyes no longer suggested she'd draw her sword without the slightest resistance if ordered to commit suicide immediately. Perhaps that was why she grated considerably less than before.

"I look forward to your performance, Dame Rose."

"Yes."

Rosaline's eyebrows twitched. The appellation from her own mouth seemed to have made her uncomfortable. Rikardis smiled inwardly. Yes. Yes. Understood, Your Highness. I accept your command, Your Highness. She differed entirely from her former self.

Rosaline saluted and stood directly beside his table. The arrangement when Rikardis was in his office placed two at the door, two inside the office, and three outside by the window. Rosaline was assigned to guard him from inside the office. In truth, riffraff were filtered out at the door, so dangerous elements rarely reached inside the office. Though she'd demolished Nestor, she still lacked senior knights' trust. Therefore she'd been assigned inside the office where danger was relatively minimal.