The white snake liked the boy.
The boy was a presence carrying old memories in his eyes, and now he was one of the few people who could remember him.
Moreover, now that he was offering fragrant offerings, there was no reason not to cherish the boy.
"The liquor is really good."
[As expected, whiskey was the answer.]
Vlad followed the voice's advice and took the whiskey and sprinkled it under the tree.
Vlad was about to cry when the voice told him to offer whiskey made of barley to the ground, but the voice asserted that it would go well with the ground's spirit, the white snake.
"This is a knighted souvenir that Lord Josef specially gave me."
[It's expensive, so it should be used extravagantly. The protection of the snake is like having an extra life.]
It was expensive for a weekly salary, but Vlad could only nod his head as he listened to the voice.
The protection of the white snake, engraved on Bayezid's leather armor, had always protected Vlad.
If he hadn't had the protection of the white snake in his battle with the man without a head, he might not have known that he was lying on the ground drinking liquor.
[They're coming. Don't be too scared.]
"I felt this way last time when I was killing a dragon, but I think I hate scales."
Despite Vlad's grumbling, the white snake, descending from the tree, began to wrap itself around Vlad just like that day.
Having experienced it once, Vlad wasn't greatly surprised, but the majesty of the white snake seen through the world of voice still felt pressure from its existence.
[It helped you in the duel, so it won't harm you.]
"I... I understand."
Vlad knew very well that he hadn't defeated Stephen with his full strength.
The western knight was arrogant, but he was a skilled one, and no matter how much preparation Vlad had made, the period was less than a month.
If there hadn't been much help for the duel, Vlad would have ended up losing that day.
"...Thank you."
There was a time when he thought that showing one's honest feelings meant showing one's weakness.
But now Vlad had confidence in himself and had created a vessel large enough to embrace his weaknesses.
-----.
Having received Vlad's sincere gratitude, the white snake raised its neck high and began to rattle its head.
Since you have offered tribute and gratitude to me, I will share my blessings with you.
The sight reflected in the world of voice included a white snake singing toward the sky and the figure of Vlad in shining white armor.
The white snake and Hainal.
In whichever world, Deomar welcomed the boy.
※※※※
The mission in Deomar was complete.
Vlad and Bayezid knights, showing results that exceeded expectations, successfully drove out the uninvited visitors from the West, and now it was time to leave here with a fair reward.
"Come in."
Vlad, who came to Alicia's office with Zayar, tilted his head without realizing it.
It was partly because of his long-standing habit of treating unfamiliar places, but also because the atmosphere here was quite different from Josef's office.
"Are you well, Lady Alicia?"
"Thanks to you."
After exchanging greetings with Zayar, Alicia turned her gaze to Vlad standing beside him.
'······.'
Then, from afar, a sight that Alicia had not seen before came into her eyes.
Small scars all over the face and steps that look somehow awkward.
There was a boy who willingly walked the path of hardship for a glorious victory.
"Are there any problems, Sir Vlad? Any injuries?"
"I'm fine, Lady Alicia."
Although he said he was fine, Alicia found such an answer rather bitter from her perspective.
Alicia knew very well that the cause of all the wounds Vlad bore was because of her.
"······I saw you sprinkling liquor on the hill yesterday?"
"Yes."
Every action Vlad had shown so far was imbued with respect for Deomar.
Even when he mistook himself for a servant girl, Vlad was willing to clean her parents' graves.
"I extended my greetings to the owners there. It was only possible because of their blessings."
And the sincerity guaranteed by Andrea, the renowned priest.
Even aside from his potential as a knight, there were countless reasons why Alicia would highly value Vlad.
"Every time I come to Deomar, I seem to bring back shining victories, so it seems that the owners here look favorably upon me."
"······Is it so."
Though Vlad was of lower standing compared to herself as a noble, even that was an advantage for Alicia now.
Their respective shortcomings seemed to complement each other excellently, and Alicia thought that the relationship between her and Vlad was like fitting broken pieces together perfectly.
"Yes, I also think that Sir Vlad and our Deomar are well-matched."
"······I see."
As Vlad looked at Alicia, who was staring at him, he felt a sense of unease.
At first, her eyes had been clear like water, but now they seemed to have a sticky quality to them.
"Please convey to Lady Oksana. I truly felt warmth from the bloodline after a long time."
"I will."
Zayar accepted the letter Alicia handed over and bowed his head.
Although she hadn't forged a close relationship with Oksana this time, even this much would satisfy Josef.
Having faced trials from both the Central and Western regions, Alicia was now sure of which side she should stand on.
"And also, to Knight Vlad, who has honored my name."
The price to be paid to Josef had already been decided.
So now it was time to pay back the boy who had wielded his sword for her sake.
And it had to be something so heavy that it couldn't be undone.
"I agree with you that the previous generations here will also like you."
As soon as Alicia finished speaking, Duncan brought the box that had been prepared next to him as if he had been waiting for her.
It was not a large wooden box, but it was clearly handled with care, even from the outside.
"So, my ancestors won't say anything about me giving this to you, sir."
Vlad, who protected Alicia, the rightful Hainal, and protected Deomar from the West.
In front of him, the wooden box that the Hainal family had kept in secret opened its mouth.
[······.]
"······."
A round jewel emitting a dazzling yellow light.
It was a jewel that radiated an unusual energy that silenced both voice and Vlad, who was looking at the jewel right in front of him, at the same time.
"The former head of the family had a close relationship with the elves."
Elves.
The god elves believed in was different from those humans believed in.
There were different tribes that were pushed out to the eastern border because they had different beliefs.
"I heard that this jewel was obtained through connections with them. My father told me it's a very precious amber made from the resin of a special tree."
Even after Alicia finished speaking, Vlad only looked at the wooden box that Duncan was holding with a cautious expression.
Vlad was more focused on the voice echoing in his ears than the gaze of Alicia looking at him.
[······I remember seeing that.]
Vlad promised the voice.
[If possible, please bring it. I beg of you.]
You give me the sword, and I'll help you regain your memories.
With that promise as a stepping stone, the two stood here now.
"My father had this amber attached to the pommel of his sword. But since I have no use for the sword, it has been left to decay like this."
Alicia smiled as if urging him to take it, but Vlad couldn't easily move even at her smile.
He knew well that expensive items came with a hefty price.
And the treasure of the Hainal family that Alicia was offering must surely be more valuable than what he had achieved.
Her smile seemed to say that much.
"······May I dare to accept it?"
"Of course."
Yet Vlad still reached out for the Hainal family's treasure.
He resolved to willingly accept the shining jewel and the constraint it represented.
[Thank you.]
He wanted to protect what he could.
The reason the boy could dream of stars even in the slums was because he had his own unwavering standards.
"Thank you, Lady Alicia."
Even if he wasn't a knight, it didn't matter.
As long as he could be confident in himself.
Vlad truly believed that, and so without hesitation, he grasped the yellow amber.
The boy kept his promise.
[Look.]
The yellow jewel he held in his hand.
The jewel seen through the eyes of the voice was full of falling leaves.
It was always autumn there.
※※※※
The distance between Deomar and Shoara was about a three-day ride on horseback.
Despite the snowfall, the horses accustomed to the seasons of the north paid no heed to such matters and tirelessly led their masters northward.
"You have ambition, brat."
"I knew it from the start."
Bayezid's knights constantly talk to Vlad, with Noir in the middle.
"Of course, if you're a man, you should aim for high places!"
"How long have you been a knight and are you already aiming for a noble title?"
"······."
Vlad just frowned at the voices coming from all around.
"It's not like that."
It wasn't received in that sense at all.
It was just an item received to fulfill the promise with the voice.
"That's not the point."
"I think it was actually a pretty good choice."
But it didn't seem that way at all to those around him.
Although it was nominally a borrowed item, Hainal's treasure was practically handed over.
Since she gave it to the knight who took her handkerchief, it could be said that it was enough to be misunderstood by others.
"You will have to report separately to Lord Josef."
"······Understood."
If Vlad were still a squire, Zayar would probably have prevented him from accepting the item given by Alicia.
But now Vlad was a proud knight, and the situation was too ambiguous for Zayar to intervene.
"There it is!"
"Finally, we've arrived."
Amidst the playful misunderstandings and futile excuses, the gates of Shoara began to come into view ahead.
It was the boy's hometown, a city that was always warm but never truly comforting.
The sight of Shoara's walls, trapped in darkness, always stirred strange emotions in Vlad.
"Give it a try."
At that moment, a voice pushed Vlad forward, who was lost in thought for a moment as he looked at the walls of Shoara in front of him.
"Me?"
"Yes, you. Give it a try now."
Vlad hesitated momentarily at Zayar's command to step forward.
Since it was a dark night, the lowered gates of Shoara's walls wouldn't open until the morning light unless prompted.
"Hmm."
With a small clearing of his throat, the boy and his black horse walked up to the gates of Shoara, now enveloped in darkness.
Vlad, who was more accustomed to hiding in the dark and finding holes, found the current situation quite awkward.
"Who goes there?"
The guard asked sharply as he saw the figure suddenly popping out, but Vlad simply raised his sword in its sheath.
The guard part of the sword given by Rutger had a pattern drawn on it that all of Bayezid's knights had.
"I am Vlad, a knight of Bayezid."
The locations of the crevices under the walls were still etched in Vlad's mind, but he would no longer need to remember them.
"I have returned from my mission. Open the gate."
Now, if he wished to enter, all he had to do was state it confidently.
The boy had proven himself, and the emblem of Bayezid illuminated by the torchlight served as his proof.
"Welcome, Sir Vlad!"
With the guard's announcement confirming the emblem, the gates of Shoara began to open, piercing through the darkness.
"...It's really opening."
Knight.
A title held only by those who had proven their qualifications, honor, and existence.
The boy who had proven himself would no longer need to hide or wait.
From now on, the gates of Shoara would await the boy.