With a mix of fear and anticipation for the unknown future, Clobber couldn't help but feel his heart pounding harder in his chest.
His fists were clenched tightly, beads of sweat forming in his palms. The weight of his impending fate seemed tangible, pressing down on him with every step. Each stride felt heavier, as though he were crossing into an entirely foreign world.
By his side, Baron Adam was the picture of calm composure. His tall, commanding presence exuded an inexplicable sense of reassurance. It was as if just following this man would lead Clobber safely forward. Taking a deep breath, Clobber steadied his nerves, forcing himself to calm down as he followed Baron Adam into Count Daniel's study.
The room was filled with the faint scent of aged paper, its walls adorned with priceless paintings and ancient maps. Sunlight filtered through the windows, illuminating the desk piled high with books and documents.
Though Count Daniel's actual age was around sixty, his status as a Sky Knight had granted him a vitality that made him appear more like a man barely in his thirties.
His golden hair shimmered with a brilliance that seemed perfectly crafted to match his sharply defined features—a face so chiseled it could have been the masterpiece of a master sculptor.
His eyes, a mesmerizing shade of sky blue, were deep and radiant. They resembled the clearest summer seas or the most luminous stars in a cloudless night sky.
Those eyes carried a warmth and elegance that seemed to harbor infinite wisdom and kindness. When he looked at someone, his gaze felt like it could pierce through their soul, leaving them inexplicably drawn to him.
At this moment, Count Daniel was seated at his desk, reading a letter with rapt attention. But the deep furrow of his brows betrayed his true emotions—his mind was far from the tranquil image he projected.
The sound of Adam and Clobber's footsteps naturally caught the count's attention.
When he saw his son escorting a young man who bore the unmistakable features of their family, Daniel immediately realized who he was looking at. This must be Lilith's son—his grandson—Clobber Goldrose.
"You're back?"
Daniel set the letter on the desk and rubbed his temples, clearly weary. With war looming, the affairs of the territory, large and small, all rested on his shoulders. Even with the physical endurance of a Sky Knight, exhaustion was starting to catch up with him.
"Yes, we've returned!"
From the moment he entered the castle, Baron Adam seemed like a completely different person. The reckless man who had kicked down doors and caused chaos in Klarl's manor was nowhere to be seen.
Now, he stood straight, his expression solemn, as if he'd walked straight out of the pages of a knightly tale, embodying the very image of a righteous protector.
Count Daniel, however, was clearly used to his unreliable son's antics and didn't linger on the matter. Instead, his focus shifted to Clobber.
"It's an honor to meet you, esteemed Count Daniel. My name is Clobber Goldrose, son of Lilith Goldrose. I humbly extend my sincerest respect, admiration, and highest regards to you."
Clobber's voice was steady, deep, and magnetic. His gaze was firm, and as he bowed slightly, his movements were graceful and dignified. He exuded an air of nobility and humility that felt genuine.
The atmosphere in the room grew solemn yet friendly, a balance of formality and warmth.
Whether Clobber's words were heartfelt or not, his impeccable manners and earnest introduction left a strong impression on Count Daniel. The old knight nodded slightly, his eyes softening.
"Clobber, there's no need for such formality. Just call me Grandfather. Your mother, Lilith, is my most cherished daughter. Naturally, that makes you my most cherished grandson."
When mentioning Lilith, a flicker of displeasure crossed the count's face, hinting that Adam had already reported the full situation he'd overheard at Moonlight Keep.
Hearing this, Clobber felt a wave of relief. At least Count Daniel's attitude toward him was positive, not cold or dismissive.
At the count's invitation, Clobber and Baron Adam took seats on the sofa in the study.
Count Daniel picked up the letter he had been reading earlier and handed it to them.
Curious, Baron Adam took the letter and began reading. It didn't take long before his brow furrowed, mirroring the expression the count had worn moments ago.
Clobber, intrigued by their identical reactions, leaned over to glance at the letter in Adam's hand.
The letter wasn't lengthy, but the signature at the bottom immediately caught Clobber's attention.
It read: Saint Goldkeep.
"A Letter from the Capital? Is it a New Order from the Archduke?"
Clobber's thoughts raced as he speculated wildly, conjuring up a grand and bloody political intrigue in his mind.
Beside him, Baron Adam hadn't noticed his nephew's internal turmoil. Seeing Clobber's curiosity, Adam handed him the letter without much thought.
Clobber eagerly took it, scanning the words carefully.
"...?"
The contents of the letter were nothing like what Clobber had imagined. Instead of political scheming, the short missive was a conscription order from the ruler of the duchy: the Golden Dragon Knight, Archduke Aurelius.
As the only Dragon Knight in the entire duchy, the archduke's position was unmatched in prestige and authority. For Count Daniel Goldrose, serving the archduke's command was a matter of absolute loyalty.
But the problem was that the conditions in this particular conscription order were... excessively demanding.
The letter outlined that noble heirs under the age of twenty-five who had successfully advanced to full-fledged knights and possessed gold-element battle aura were eligible to join the archduke's personal knight corps.
"Grandfather... Count Daniel, isn't this a good thing? This is the archduke's personal knight corps we're talking about! Shouldn't people be lining up for a chance to join? Why do you and Uncle Adam look so conflicted?"
Clobber, ever pragmatic, decided to ask directly.
Count Daniel, hearing his grandson's question, sighed and began to explain.
"You've only just come from Deepwater, a relatively quiet place, so it's no surprise you don't know. Let me break it down for you."
"As you may know, every knight's battle aura has an elemental attribute. For a knight corps to perform at its peak, it's best to have knights with matching attributes. The archduke's corps is built entirely around gold-element knights."
Seeing Clobber listening attentively, Count Daniel took a sip of coffee and continued.
"The issue is that there are only a handful of noble families in the entire duchy with gold-element battle aura. Including ours, there are maybe fifteen or sixteen families, and only two or three are major houses."
"The archduke's requirement to reach full-knight status by the age of twenty-five excludes many candidates. Without exceptional talent or substantial family support, most are eliminated from consideration. In practice, this means the knight corps primarily recruits from the few major noble houses like ours."
Hearing this, Clobber began to understand. The archduke's standards were simply too high. While there were plenty of gold-element knights in the duchy, few achieved the necessary breakthroughs by age twenty-five. And even fewer wanted to leave their comfortable estates to join a corps, especially when they could rule their own territories like small kings.
This set of stringent criteria naturally kept the knight corps' numbers low. And the lower the numbers, the more anxious the archduke became.
"Why doesn't the archduke just raise the age limit a bit? Surely it would make more sense to allow older knights. After all, a full-fledged knight's combat prowess can peak well into their fifties or even sixties."
"...Well..."
"..."
Clobber blinked at the sudden silence from his grandfather and uncle, his expression slowly shifting into one of mild confusion.
"Um, care to explain?"
Adam was the one to break the awkward pause, clearing his throat. His face held a mix of discomfort and amusement as he answered.
"To be perfectly honest, the age requirement isn't the only factor. The archduke... well, she also has a personal preference that her knights... be good-looking."
"???"
Seeing Clobber's bewildered expression, Adam elaborated.
"The archduke's personal knight corps is nicknamed the 'Honor Guard' among the nobility. It's said that joining the corps involves a very thorough inspection—of everything."
"Height must be between six feet and six foot three. The body must be well-proportioned—not too fat, not too thin. Skin tone? Fair only. Hair? Preferably long and blonde. And, of course, the face must be... attractive."
As Clobber processed this, he noticed Adam's gaze shifting, taking on an increasingly suspicious gleam.
"Height, physique, looks... and that dazzling golden hair of yours. Good heavens, Clobber, you're practically made for this corps!"
"???"
"What?! Uncle Adam, what are you even talking about?"
Panicking slightly, Clobber turned to Count Daniel, hoping for some semblance of sanity.
"Well... Adam does have a point," Count Daniel admitted, his keen eyes appraising Clobber. "You do meet all the requirements perfectly. It would be a shame not to take advantage of it."
"But Uncle Adam just said this corps is more like a ceremonial guard. Looks are more important than skill! What if it disrupts my training?" Clobber argued, grasping at straws.
"Hmm? Don't worry about that. Because the corps has trouble filling its ranks, the archduke has raised its benefits significantly," Count Daniel replied. "All recruits are issued standard plate armor, finely forged weapons, and warhorses. After one year of service, these become your personal property."
"As for training resources, the Goldrose family will cover all your needs. You'll receive two potions and fifty gold coins every month from our family, delivered through our trade network in Saint Goldkeep."
"And the archduke's corps itself provides additional resources—one potion and ten gold coins per month for new recruits. After a year of service, that doubles to two potions and twenty gold coins monthly."
As Count Daniel laid out the benefits, Clobber felt his earlier objections fading. His pride and reluctance gave way to a more pragmatic thought: This could be profitable.
"Well... I guess I can give it a try."
Seeing the surprised looks on his grandfather's and uncle's faces, Clobber awkwardly scratched his cheek.
"Making money isn't shameful, right?"