"Sis, I'm exhausted."
"We can stop if you like. It's your decision, but you have got to ask father first."
"I wouldn't want to bother him. All of these people came from around the world to see him. He hadn't seen them for a very long time, and I don't want to cut this event short. I don't want to disappoint him."
"…"
They both talked quietly to each other and Morrigan couldn't feel anything but guilt after seeing her sister go wild on Rakzel. The cope must've taken a toll on her, and she felt nothing but sadness and is still disheartened by their mother's death. Ending the gathering abruptly would be a smart decision, but at the same time, this would also disappoint their father, the king, and she wouldn't want that.
Briomaar's old yet fluffy fox-like ears twitch, overheard the conversation and drew his attention.
"Disappoint me?"
"Ah, father! I'm sorry. You shouldn't have heard that."
"Sheri, my sweet dear daughter."
The king placed his old and wrinkly hand on top of Sheri's head and gently rubbed his daughter's head.
"You do not have to worry about me. I am grateful to have my old friends and companions come to me on the day of your mother's mourn. But what I care about the most is you. While the gifts they have given to me were nice and generous, they're not as valuable as either you and your sister altogether. So if you feel uneasy and feel the need to rest, just tell me, and we'll end it and we'll head back quickly."
"Father…"
Hearing the king's concerned words are genuine; it made Sheri feel relaxed. He loves his daughter. He cares for his daughter. And he is willing to give her anything, not only as a king, but as a father.
Briomaar smiled and nodded to her as he stood up from his throne and announced to the guests.
"To all of you that have attended here, I must thank you all for the gifts and words of condolences you have given to me. Your presence will forever be engraved in memory within this castle and will be passed down to future generations. However, I'm afraid we have come to an end. But this will not be the last time we'll ever meet. We, the Abelgiz family, welcome you into our home. But for now, we all bid you farewell."
Wait, they're leaving?
Shouya sees the king, Briomaar Abelgiz, send his farewells before heading to the door behind him, with both of his daughters by his side.
But I need to ask her something!
Once that door is shut, it's likely that they would never repeat this event or see them again unless otherwise.
Hey, wait!
—But before they could…
"WAIT!"
A voice echoed the room and everyone who heard it set their eyes on the person who had said it. The person who said it aloud was Shouya.
The king and the princesses stopped and turned around to the boy who shouted. But…
"—!"
Sheri's eyes widened when saw him for the first time. Her expression tells many tales; she was confused, astonished, surprised, she could not find the right expression but left her speechless.
Gin, on the other hand, who was right next to him the entire time, was shocked when this was happening.
"Bro, what the heck are you doing?!"
"I just thought that I would like to get a chance."
"This late? Oh, I apologize, Your Highness. You see, this boy is my assistant and he's unfamiliar with royalty customs. So forgive me if my assistant—."
"Oh, Gin. It has been a long time, old friend."
Gin was interrupted by the king's unfazed greeting. It only took him a flash second only for him to completely forget what happened before. Or maybe he's just ignoring Shouya just to greet someone who haven't seen for a long time.
"How was Melenna? Doing well, I presume?"
"I, uh, yes. We only had children for a couple of years now."
"Ah, that's wonderful! So I'm assuming that young man over there is one of your offspring?"
"Oh, no. This is my assistant, Sho. He helps me around my store. And is also the one who helped me fight against the Blue Sharks."
"Ah, so this is the boy who helped you fend off the riots in Vincilos. I must say, you look quite young. But despite how you look, you were brave enough to fight against an army of a group with overwhelming odds. I commend you for your efforts."
"T-Thank you, Your Highness. But it was all Gin and the people in the city who helped me get through it. It was thanks to them that we are alive right now, and I wouldn't have done it without them."
"Hohoho, I see. I understand."
Briomaar happily brushed his gray beard with his old fingers after hearing Shouya's response. The news about the riots in Vincilos was spread around the world, and everyone knows who stopped the riots. Of course this is only three weeks old news, so the news isn't really that relevant anymore.
But still, from the sound of the king's voice, even if it's old news, he is praising Shoua for what he has done for risking his life to save the people in that city.
The king raises his hand at the boy and says to him "Come". He does so and slowly approaches the king, with Gin following him in the rear.
Everyone in the room sets their glare at him. All he could hear was whispers coming from the guests, saying; "Who is that boy?", "How dare he speak to the king!", "How does a commoner get here?", and so on. Shouya was nervous about how people perceived him, but he does his best to ignore them as both he and Gin walk through the middle of the room.
They both stopped a few inches in front of the king with Gin kneeling next to Shouya.
"Oh."
Shouya noticed Gin kneeling and he attempted to do the same. But…
"Don't."
"Huh?"
He froze his knee halfway above the floor after he heard the princess, Sheri, stopped him from kneeling, and instead stood back up. She approached the dog boy and she gently sandwiched her hands between his dog-like frame, holding his head still.
Her hands were soft to the touch; they were like angels descending from heaven and giving him blessings. Using her soft hands, she moves her hands to inspect his head: up, down, left, right, and in a circular motion. She even goes as far as to feel his ear. Shoua does his best to hold back his laughter as that is a sensitive part of his body that makes him feel ticklish.
"So, you really are…"
She looked at him with such mixed emotions. She winced her face for a short moment until—
"—!!"
Out of nowhere, Sheri, the princess of Silovilo, kissed Shouya on the lips. He could feel her soft lips touching his against his will. He was actually surprised by this.
But it wasn't just him. Gin, Briomaar, Morigan, and everyone in the room, including the guards, was shocked to see this unpredictable outcome. No one could have known that this was going to happen, not even Shouya could have known as he was not expecting to get a kiss from the princess herself.
Then, after a short few seconds, she released her lips and ran out from the room and to the open door behind her.
"W-Wait!"
But she ignored him and has already left the room. Her sister, Morrigan, reached out and wanted to give chase, but she did not attempt to and she instead stayed put.
What was that all about? Who would suddenly kiss a stranger on the lips and leaves without giving much thought nor elaboration? This made Shouya look confused yet dumbfounded on what just happened. Even Gin, who was right next to Shouya, was completely speechless that he was not sure whether to cheer him or scold him.
Briomaar, on the other hand, cannot overlook this and turned his view on to Shouya.
"Young man. Tell me, did you two have any intercourse with each other?"
"W-Wha—! No way! It was nothing like that! This is the first time I've actually met her. Honest!"
The king narrows his eyes, questioning whether or not that he is telling the truth.
But Shouya was actually serious. He has never actually met nor interacted with the princess in his life. He could tell him about the same vivid dream that he told Gin, but that is not enough evidence to prove him justice. In fact, it would be embarrassing if he told him that publicly.
—But he has no choice but to simply do that.
"Except…"
"Except?"
"The only time I've met her, at least not physically, was in my dream. But I have never met her before and I didn't know what her face actually looked like until just today. So that's all I know."
Briomaar raised his brow after he received that response. He did not know what to make of it. He was not sure if he was actually telling the truth or was lying.
But before he could give judgment, the guests started laughing.
"Wait, does he actually believe that rumor?" "I can't believe he fell for that!" "He should know that stuff like that doesn't actually exist."
Shouya knew that they were going to laugh at him after he told the king that dream. If he had kept his mouth shut, then he would not be laughed at. Now it's too late. He looked at Gin and even he was ashamed by this.
Everyone was laughing at him—everyone…except for Morrigan.
"Enough!"
Morrigan reaches for her hip to pick up her sword by the scabbard and slaps the floor with it, making a loud clap as she hits it, and everyone in the room falls silent. The sound echoed throughout the entire room. It was so loud to the ears that it sounded like thunder was approaching.
Everyone, including the king, drew their attention to the source of the sound: Morrigan Abelgiz.
"What he said does sound laughably ridiculous, I can confirm that he did not have any relationship with my sister. Otherwise I would've been informed about this. While we all have fantasies about one another, including such sickly desires, we shouldn't make fun of each other's personal preferences in public, and not have our head filled with lies with this so-called 'rumor' that people have been clamoring about. And as for you, young man. It's better for you to keep that to yourself."
"Y-Yes, ma'am."
Like a turtle going into its shell, Shouya hung his head low out of shame. He was flustered, feeling embarrassed that he told everyone about his dream. Now that he told everyone that, it is likely he won't be able to recover from it.
Then, someone from the audience spoke out.
"And let's say, hypothetically, this rumor seems to be true. Does he even think that he's qualified to engage in a relationship with the princess?"
"In my honest opinion, at where he is now, I'm afraid that he has not met the qualifications to be in a relationship with my sister."
Qualifications?
Shouya did not get what they meant. What are they talking about and do they mean by that? He begins to ask for clarification on what the "qualifications" that they are talking about.
"What do you mean that I'm not 'qualified'?"
"It's as I said: you have not met the qualifications to be my sister's partner. Commoners are prohibited from forming a relationship with my sister."
"Prohibited from forming a relationship? But doesn't that make her feel restricted?"
"It is for the best of her."
"What?"
Briomaar, who has been sitting on his throne during their conversation, steps in.
"Whether it be romantic or platonic, it's a family tradition, and for her sake, it's our job to find her a suitable candidate that is qualified to be both as her partner and someone that she can be with wherever she goes."
"And what if she refuses? What if she doesn't want to be with the guy that she's arranged with as her bride?"
"She can't."
"—!"
"In order to ensure safety for my daughter, she has to abide by this rule. She cannot have any bonds outside of royal grounds."
Shouya couldn't believe what Briomaar had said. This is his daughter he was talking about. Having to live a life without forming a relationship outside of royalty? Having to be forced to bond a relationship with someone that is in the same league? This is outrageous. The princess shouldn't deserve this kind of treatment.
"—This is wrong."
This pent up feeling. Shouya had felt this before. The feeling of imprisonment. It was familiar—so familiar that it made his blood boil. He couldn't stand it. And so, he let it out.
"This is all wrong! This is your own daughter! Shouldn't she have the right to make the decisions herself? She should be out there, making friends outside of this castle and living a life like a normal girl. Why do you gotta force her to follow these rules that she didn't agree with? It's just not right!"
"I am sorry, but that is our tradition."
"Even so, she shouldn't be treated like she's a bird in a cage!"
"You're being out of line, boy."
"I don't care! It's still not right!"
While both Shouya and the king argued, everyone in the room remained silent. Looking at the expressions of the people, some were pretty mixed on the idea of the king's way of protecting his daughter, some pondered, and only a tiny amount of people agreed with Shouya. However, the majority was in Briomaar's favor and they agreed with his ideals.
Shouya even looked at Gin and he had the most uncomfortable look on his face. It's like he wanted to say something. He wanted to call out to the king. It is not because he doesn't agree with Shouya. He wholeheartedly agrees with him. But it is not his place to have a say in the matter.
The odds in Shouya's favor are against him.
"Shouya, was it?"
Briomaar sighed and rubbed the temple of his forehead. Then his tired old eyes looked directly at Shouya.
"You have potential. You are willing to risk your life to save others, just like how you demonstrated in Vincilos. I can see it in your eyes. But that's the only thing I can praise you for. You are free to criticize and disagree with me on how I take care of my daughter, but that's not going to change my mind. But if you're going to change my mind, how are you going to do it?"
"I…"
That one Shouya actually hadn't thought ahead. He ponders for a moment how he can get him to change his mind. He could try challenging him in combat, but he is not below throwing a punch to a senior citizen that is past their prime, even if they are royalty. This is the one question that Shouya is actually stumped on.
"If you can't provide an answer, then it's better that we end this conversation here."
"Hold on!"
The king rose to his feet from his throne and he, along with his daughter by his side, started to walk out to the door behind them. If they pass through the door and close it, then he won't be able to talk to the king again.
There is only one way left that he could do.
"Wait! Can I ask what the requirements are?"
"…"
Briomaar stopped in his tracks and, a little bit annoyed, he turned to look at Shouya.
"Can you repeat that?"
"What are the 'requirements' for someone to be with the princess?"
He took a slight pause before answering his question. Then after a few seconds, he raised two fingers in front of him and answered him.
"There are two ways for someone to be with my daughter: The first is for one to be royal by birth. Whether be passed down by blood and heritage, or from a political diplomatic party, one must already have a recognized name that was acknowledged by the masses. That being; those who are aware and accepted of your existence, and must accumulate a majority of alliances from other royal factions."
This sounds like something that is reserved for those who already have been born royalty. Obviously Shouya was not born royalty. If he was, this would have been so much easier for him from the start. But now, he was born and raised as a commoner.
Then, he asked the king.
"And the second?"
"The second is for someone to be her knight. Someone that is strong, shows valor, and is willing to put themselves at risk for the sake of protecting the one that is closest to them. If one commits and values their life long enough, then they will be accepted and qualified to be her prince. However, rarely has there ever been a knight come to me or our fathers that came before. So the chances for a knight to be the princess's bride are very slim."
The second option actually sounds possible. If Shouya becomes a knight, then he will likely have a chance to be with Sheri and make him break the cycle.
"…"
However, becoming a knight also means that he has to fight, and no choice but to fight. Doing so would be committing his life in a bloody combat to protect her. But how can he protect her? He has very little experience in fighting; he has no sword training, and the battle in Vincilos is just one time. Can he really throw his own life just to be with this particular girl?
"I believe we are done here."
"T…Th…"
—If it means getting to know the girl who kissed him, then that's the bet he'll be willing to take.
"—Then make me a knight!"
It was that moment where everyone froze. Gin, Briomaar, Morrigan, and everyone that had attended in this room were utterly shocked by what Shouya had said. This was the second time he has called out in this very same room, but only this time, it was done intentionally.
Then, he uttered the same words aloud.
"I said make me a knight."
"You, a knight? Preposterous! Why would I ever let you become a knight? So that I'll let you get close to my daughter? Nonsense!"
"I won't do just that. I'll protect her! I'll give my life to defend her and this kingdom. No matter how long it will take, I can assure you that I will be her shield and her sword, even if it means risking my life to give her a better future, and a life that she deserves. So let me say this one more time. Make me a knight."
Briomaar fell silent after hearing Shouya's decision. But it wasn't just him. Everyone in the room was silent. However, they were indecisive. Even Gin, who was behind him, was questioning if this was the decision Shouya was willing to take.
"Psst! Sho, are you sure you wanna make this call?"
"I am sorry, Gin, but I can't let this go. Call me an idiot or brash, but the look on the princess's face, she felt like she's depressed, and I can't help but she needed someone by her side. So I can't sit idly and let her be forced to marry someone who is not going to care for her, and there is no way I'm letting this one slide. So, I am sorry if we're ending our training very early."
Hearing this, it sounded like Shouya actually cared for the princess, even though they talked for only a couple of seconds. Is it really worth risking his life just to save a girl that he barely knows about?
"Do you really care about this girl?"
"If it means getting out of the forced tradition like this, yes. I don't want anyone to mistreat her badly."
"Well if that's the case…"
Gin stood up and looked at Briomaar, and said aloud to him.
"—I, myself, can vouch for him."
"Oh? And why should I trust you on that, Gin? Surely you can't believe what he said is true."
"I know this boy long enough, and I fully trust him that he'll become a wonderful knight. Given enough training, you can turn him into a man in no time and he'll protect your girl. Just give him armor, a sword, and he'll fight for ya and protect this kingdom til his heart contempt."
Well I wouldn't go that far. But…
Aside from that, what Gin had said about Shouya was true. While he did have little training with Gin in Vincilos, if the king accepts his offer and trains him to become a knight, not only he'll protect the kingdom, but will protect the princess—Sheri—as well, and break the family tradition.
"Please, sir. Give me a chance."
The king looked at Shouya one more time. He leaned in and peered through his eyes. He sees a burning sensation, a glow like no other.
"Those fires in your eyes…"
What Gin had said was not a lie. It looks like this boy does want to be the princess's knight. He can tell by those flames that are in his eyes burning with passion like no other. He has not seen those flames for years ever since he became king. The knights have sworn their duty to defend the kingdom and serve the king as long as their life depends.
But for Shouya, however, he is a special case.
"…"
Briomaar leaned back to his chair and asked this boy a question.
"You are aware that there are trials that await you. If you accept this, there will be no going back. Do you accept it?"
"If it means saving her from a relationship that she did not agree to, I don't care. Even if it costs me my life, body and soul, I swear that I'll save her! So yes, I accept!"
Hearing this brought the king a smile across his pale face.
"Very well. Then I will allow it."
The crowd, even his own daughter Morrigan, were all in shock. They could not believe what they had heard. The king accepted the boy's request? Preposterous! But unfortunately, it all became true as their king accepted this boy in front of their own eyes in this very castle, where the king granted this nobody knighthood.
This was met with mixed feelings within the audience. Some applauded the king's decision, but some questioned his decision. But there was only one that boycotted the idea of giving Shouya knighthood.
"Your Highness, you can't possibly allow this, can you?!"
"I can. That's why I'm placing him in your squadron under your supervision."
"—!!"
She was shocked to hear what the king—Briomaar—had said. As such, he gave the responsibilities to his daughter without having a saying in this. She tries to object to this notion—.
"But fa—!"
"No buts! That is my decree and that's final! I will not overturn my decision unless I say so!"
"…"
Morrigan kept her mouth sealed as she had no choice but to heed the king's command. This is beyond her control and she did not want to discuss the king any further. All she could do is say, in a calm breath, "I understand, My Lord."
Briomaar looked back at Shouya with a smile on his face.
"I hope you do well in your trial, young one. And I do hope you make it out alive."
"I-I will, Your Highness!"
With that, the king went through the large open doors and closed behind him where he could never be seen.