While Amon was busy getting reprimanded by his boss, Leon was blissfully taking a tour of Twilight Keep. With Lucia, a bright and energetic guide, Leon's tour was quite eventful. He got to visit all the famous areas of the Black Dragon Order, and surprisingly, none of them were as gloomy as rumoured. The rooms were pristine, lighting was available at every corner, and the castle was decorated as nicely as any other palace.
Leon wouldn't have guessed that he was at the enigmatic Knight Order if not for the Black Dragon Order banners hanging on every corridor.
Finally, as Lucia finished the final parts of her tour, she brought the young teen into a detached block where the Eighteenth Squad made their base. Entering the block, Lucia greeted a few Knights, each more imposing than the next. Yet, they were relatively friendly and welcomed the newcomer with warm smiles.
Then, he saw a rather imposing Knight. He wore a neutral face, but when Lucia introduced Leon as Amon's squire, Leon could see his lip curve down in annoyance. Ever since then, he shot Leon and unfriendly look every time they passed each other, but since the man didn't say anything Leon simply brushed it off.
Throughout the tour, Leon carefully observed his surroundings, notably every knight he encountered. They ranged from warriors in their twenties to veterans in their fifties. Yet, no matter how many Knights he stumbled across, none impressed him.
None… could compare to Amon.
'As expected… Amon is still stronger than most Knights I came across.'
When Leon decided to become Amon's squire, everyone questioned it. None more so than his grandfather. Given that he had Ascalon, countless powerful Knights yearned to be his master. However, Leon's gut feeling screamed at him to choose Amon.
And his gut feeling was always right.
'I wonder what Amon is doing with the Grand Commander?'
While Leon was worrying about Amon's situation, his tour of Twilight Keep came to an end.
As Lucia was about to show Leon to his room, a bespectacled man in his thirties walked over to the pair with a gentle smile. His black hair and golden eyes betrayed the fact that he was a true-born Solaris, but his welcoming demeanour made everyone second guess if he was a true Knight. He locked eyes with Leon for a brief moment before turning to the amicable Knight he was familiar with.
"Lucia, you've returned quickly."
"Captain! Haha, I just was bringing Leon on a tour!" Lucia stepped aside and presented the young squire to her immediate superior. "This is Leon, our problem child's new squire! Leon, this is Jareth Solaris. The Captain of the Eighteenth Squad and our boss."
"Nice to meet you! My name is Leon Bright! Starting today, I will be serving as Sir Amon's squire! Pleased to make your acquaintance!"
Since Amon was Leon's boss, Jareth would be the man he reported to. Leon wasn't slow on the uptake and immediately treated the gentleman respectfully. Fortunately, the Captain didn't put up any airs and waved him off.
"Haha, there's no need to be so polite. It's my privilege to meet the Knight who summoned Ascalon."
The Captain of the Eighteenth Squad was no fool. He knew Leon's identity and played to get on his good side. Flashing his pink gums, he continued: "It's a waste for a talent like you to join our humble Squad. Let alone be a squire of that dense boy."
"Dense?"
"Hah… Amon, that boy is talented but rarely listens to orders. He takes on missions on his own, ignoring teamwork and protocol. I've been trying to change his behaviour since he was a squire, but he's too dense to understand."
Jareth rubbed on his forehead as if he were managing a headache. No, just by thinking of his mischievous subordinate did give the Grand Knight a headache.
While most of Jareth's words could be disparaging, Leon focused on one key detail.
"Squire? Sir Amon served as your squire?"
"Haha, as surprising as it may be, yes, he did!" The seasoned Knight puffed his chest out in pride at that statement. "It was by chance that Amon was randomly sorted to me while studying at the Academy. Believe it or not, he was much more of a pain back then!"
The Knight started to ramble about Amon's misdeeds, including the numerous times he went AWOL to elope with his lover. Those caused the Black Order to look at Amon in a relatively negative light despite his innumerable contributions to the Order.
"Even as a squire, he was bloody brazen. I can't count the number of times the Grand Commander called him into her office!"
Jareth didn't sound like a benevolent Captain but a bitter old fool who despised his subordinate. However, as the insults mellowed out, a tinge of pride was hidden within his poisonous words.
"But well… He's the undisputedly the most talented Knight I'd ever worked with. I'm sure even with his untamed behaviour, you'll be able to learn a thing or two from him."
In the beginning, Leon thought that Jareth was just a bitter mentor who couldn't stand the talent of his disciple. But as he observed the Grand Knight even further, he now understood that underneath the tough exterior was a man who deeply cared about his pupil.
"Thank you! I'll be sure to be a good squire to Sir Amon."
"Bahaha, to think that boy would become a Sir… I must be getting old…"
The Knight Captain intended to continue his lecture, but his eyes wandered to the nearby exit. Stunned momentarily, he quickly regained his wits and let out a wry smile.
"Speak of the devil!"
Leon and Lucia's eyes bolted towards their backs, and to their surprise, Amon was walking over with heavy feet. His frown was ever so apparent, and his eyes were soulless. Like a lost puppy, Leon instantly rushed over to greet Amon.
"Amon! Back so soon?" While Leon was the first to greet him at the door, Lucia was the first to open her mouth. "So, what's the damage?"
"One month of confinement, twenty missions without pay… and toilet duties."
"Pfft, she's trying to set an example out of you this time, huh?"
Lucia stifled her laugh. Though her words seemed like the punishment was harsh, deep down, she knew that it was barely a slap on the wrist. At best, Amon would be embarrassed before those who feared and revered him.
But that was hardly a punishment for Amon.
"Leon, unfortunately, I won't be able to serve as your mentor during this period. You can return to Grandpa Alrock for training if you'd like."
"No, I will stay here with you!"
"... To watch me wash the toilets?"
"Don't worry! I'll assist you! That's the least I can do as your squire."
Leon's firm declaration was utterly unfathomable to Amon. Why would the story's protagonist, the man who summoned Ascalon, willingly lower himself to be a mere cleaner? Alas, there wasn't anything that Amon could do to change Leon's mind. Almost instantly, he bowed down to Lucia and Jareth and remarked:
"It was nice meeting you, Sir Lucia. Sir Jareth. I would like to help Sir Amon with his chores."
"Phew…" Lucia whistled in amazement. Naturally, she was well aware of Leon's status. So for him to willingly join Amon's punishment even though he didn't have to… It gave the Knight Lieutenant an added respect for the young squire.
"You've gotten yourself a fine squire, boy." Jareth grinned from ear to ear as he rested his hand on Amon's shoulder. "Treasure him, and perhaps… you may learn a thing or two."
"... thanks."
Amon raised his brows but didn't understand what his Captain was hinting. Nevertheless, he solemnly bowed and led Leon towards the cleaner's changing room to begin his new duty.
❖❖❖
Two hours passed since Amon formally began his punishment. And even though he had vehemently attempted to change Leon's mind, the squire was adamant about helping Amon, even if it meant shadowing him around like a lost puppy.
Amon unwillingly brought Leon around Twilight Keep with no other options, scouring every lavatory for filth. Fortunately, the fortress was almost spotless, meaning Amon's job was significantly simplified. Though he scrubbed each toilet bowl himself, he was unwilling to let Leon shoulder the dirty work. Ultimately, his squire became a cleaning assistant who fetched water for him when needed.
Watching the future hero of Hyades serve as an errand boy made Amon's heart itch, and he couldn't help but apologise.
"I'm sorry… I didn't want your first impressions of the Black Dragon Order to be like this."
"Hmmm? Ah, don't worry! If you think about it, it's quite a unique tour experience! I get to visit every toilet in this massive castle! Haha, how many squires would get to have that experience?!"
Contrary to Amon's worry, Leon was beaming with jubilance. He relished the idea of touring the toilets so much that Amon wondered if the young teen had hit his head somewhere.
"Are you sure you don't want to return to Grandpa Alrock? I may be your mentor, but I can teach you nothing when confined."
Amon's worry was valid. Leon had just summoned Ascalon and was widely sought after by every major political faction. Even within the Solaris House, every Knight Order was salivating to get him into their ranks, yet here he was… cleaning toilets as a squire.
His time here could have been used in other areas, such as developing his newfound powers and stabilising his position within the Solaris House.
But alas, Leon felt differently.
"Honestly… Sir Amon, I find this activity a relief."
"A relief?" Amon paused his brush, perplexed at Leon's choice of words.
"Yeah, a relief… You see, after I summoned Ascalon, everyone has been treating me… differently." Leon let out a heavy sigh while resting his face on the mop.
"Before, while I was being ostracised as an outsider… at least they treated me like a regular Knight-in-training. They looked at my talents, making me feel like I earned their respect rather than being handed to me. But after I got Ascalon…"
Unknowingly, Leon summoned out the gorgeous Heroic-grade sword. Contrary to its flashy summoning back during the Sword Bestowment Ceremony, Ascalon was far more restrained now. Nevertheless, even while resting, a Holy Blade was still a Holy Blade. Its radiant light bounced from every corner of the toilet, illuminating the room and making the urinals seem holy.
"Rather than treating me as Leon Bright, everyone has been looking at me as the owner of Ascalon. They put all these high expectations on me and gave me undeserved praise. It was annoying me…"
For someone who has worked the entire time to get the Solaris House to acknowledge him, Leon felt bitter and empty when he finally got the praise he so craved. It felt undeserved and vain, making him wonder why he even craved the adulation of the masses in the first place.
"But unlike the others, you don't treat me differently at all." Leon stared straight at Amon, his crystal-clear blue eyes glistening with relief and awe. "It's as if you don't care about Ascalon and are truly watching over me as an individual. I admire that about you, Sir Amon."
"... It's nothing."
Amon only felt that way because he genuinely admired Leon as a character from [Bright]. He knew the boy's futures, adventures, struggles, and tears. So, in Amon's mind, Ascalon was just a tiny part of Leon Bright. Of course, there was no way for Leon to know that.
"Contrary to being in the spotlight, I would much rather spend time with you cleaning toilets. It's more fun, to be honest."
"... you should get your head checked out."
"Haha, should I?"
Leon smiled ever so brightly as he passed Amon a new bucket of water. Receiving it with thanks, the Knight sighed and questioned: "Hey, why are you calling me Sir Amon again? Didn't I say you could drop the honorifics?"
"Hmmm? But I'm your squire now… Wouldn't it be proper for me to call you with…"
"It's bothersome."
Amon responded with conviction. He truly disliked being called respectfully, especially by someone like Leon, whom he desperately wished to learn from. Hence, he reiterated his point:
"We're similar in age, and just because you're my squire, it doesn't diminish our friendship. I never intended to treat you like a squire in the first place."
At most, Amon would train Leon into a better version of himself. Amon had no intentions of making Leon run errands or any other traditional things that squires did. Furthermore, Amon was genuinely uncomfortable with the respectful tone that Leon called him.
"So just drop it."
"Haha, as you wish! Amon!"