Day 117, Year 3000.
"Welcome back, disciple. I hope that you spent your free time productively."
Joan said while scribbling something on a large page.
"Is Celia here?"
Gawain paid no attention to her comment. There was a much more serious matter at hand.
"She had some errands to complete, so she left early in the morning. Are your arms better?"
"Master Joan, I have to ask you something."
Keeping the tone as serious as possible, he chose to directly confront her.
"Ask away."
She looked up and placed her pen on the side.
"What is bothering you?"
Gawain exhaled once. Taking a deep breath in, he spoke out his question.
"Do you want me to join your family as a retainer after my graduation?"
Joan folded her hands.
"Did someone approach you already? That is a-"
"A violation of code. I know."
Any official meeting for the students must be approved by their respective house masters.
"But it wasn't an official meeting. And that isn't my question."
He had to go through the rulebook once again to confirm everything in this matter.
"It was William, wasn't it?"
For the first time since joining this house, she could see the doubt in his eyes.
'Just like all the others.'
She smirked in disappointment.
"It is true, Gawain. I have withheld this information from you for the last three days because I am trying to figure out what I can do to bring you into my family."
Gawain was equally as disappointed. But in this situation, only one of them was correct.
"If you want to leave my house because of this, however, then you are free to do so."
Gawain nodded his head to refute her.
"That isn't happening, Master. I am not-"
"For once, I would want a person to just trust me without thinking that I am trying to sabotage their future."
She was used to this.
"Expecting you to be different from this was my-"
'Bang!'
Crashing both of his fists at the desk, he stared right into her eyes.
"I am not here to argue with you, master. I trust you enough to come and ask you this question instead of implying that you are a culprit from the beginning."
Her eyes widened in shock.
"I am not here to say that you are in the wrong. I am just here to ask you this."
It wasn't betrayal.
"If you had your reasons, then why does a guy like William, who is probably in the wrong, feel more comfortable disclosing this information to me?"
It was her unwillingness to tell him this herself.
"Why didn't you say something in the first place?"
He moved away from the desk, and stood tall with his arms by his side, waiting for an answer.
Joan raised her voice.
"There's no point in hiding it any longer."
"What is your ambition, Gawain?"
"To become someone that my family is proud of."
He answered without any hesitation.
"So if I stop you from becoming a black knight, would that be okay for you?"
"You should have a pretty solid reason for doing that. If you don't, then I wouldn't be okay with it."
She smirked once again.
"After you defeated Tomoe, you were destined to be approached by many big houses. I was worried because, as a commoner, that will never be a good thing for you and your family."
She had spoken to Regina about this, right after his victory in the semi-finals.
"If you join a noble house, you will be forced to work as a subordinate to someone more 'noble-blooded' than you."
Staring at the page on the desk, she continued,
"As for the union, becoming a black knight will be possible on merit, and you will become a noble, which will also give your family some perks for the future. However, have you ever considered the number of commoners that have successfully achieved that title in the last 100 years?"
'I haven't...'
His expression said everything. She looked back at him and said,
"Two."
"There have been quite a few commoners that have been approached by the council or a noble house for their talent and potential. To them, this looks like an opportunity in their lives. But to the people that control the system, they function as idiots that are trying to dream bigger than what their status would allow."
The system was against the little man in this scenario. If someone tries to threaten the culture that has been cultivated for over 3000 years now, it would be better to crush the little man before he realizes what he is up against.
"And in all honesty, my family is no different. You will face the same problems there if things continue to be the same."
She gritted her teeth.
"That is why I want to change things. As your master, I have to make sure that your ability doesn't go to waste under some family that won't treat you like you should be treated. To ensure a better future for you, and my family's longevity, I have to make some changes and build a culture from the ground up. Not out of charity, but out of care and selfishness."
After the proposals came in, Gawain was as good as gone.
"A noble house might provide you with a better chance at becoming a black knight. In exchange for your life, the union will ensure some dignity. I can provide you with an idea and a chance at building something new. But now, the proposals are here. I know that you will pick either the Union or the Windsor clan. Either way, I can do nothing but wait and pray that your future achievements meet your current potential elsewhere."
With this, she had given up on recruiting him. She bowed her head slightly.
"I-"
A strong grip on her shoulders kept her from moving her body downwards. She raised her head and found her disciple, openly sobbing right in front of her.
"I...I...didn't..."
It must have been so hard on her. She was genuinely worried about him.
"I..."
He couldn't shake the bitter taste of guilt from his mind.
'This was exactly what the others did. Why am I such an idiot?'
He lowered his head, with tears dripping down on the desk.
"Sorry..."
He let go of her shoulders and moved away from the desk.
"Y-you don't have to apologize, Master. I was in the wrong."
The decision was still up in the air. He wasn't going to accept all three of the proposals for now. That would be a decision made after his graduation and after going through all the options in detail once again.
'I have my answer. Now I know the truth.'
His hatred for William had increased even further.
"Go and clean your face up, disciple."
He had understood her intentions. That alone made him better than all the brats that had been manipulated and stolen away by William in the past.
"Yes, master."