Chapter 202:  The Last Supper (1)

“You’re being uncharacteristically hasty.”

Debier swung his cane with practiced ease.

He twisted the flat of Eugene’s sword and instantly diverted the trajectory.

“……!!”

The Black Knight’s body twisted in the air for a moment.

However, as expected of an elite knight, he quickly regained his balance.

“That man has trespassed into the Grand Duke’s residence without permission, Chief Secretary!!”

“So what if a former cadet visited the dormitory?”

His eyes, magnified behind a monocle lens, glared fiercely at the much younger subordinate.

Then, Debier displayed a surprising move with his cane.

He twisted the upper part of the cane with a flick of his wrist…

And from within, a sharp rapier revealed itself.

“And you lot—drawing your swords in His Grace’s chambers? Incredibly rude.”

Clang!!

Debier, though weaker in strength than the young knight, lifted his cane with both hands to overcome the force.

With graceful movement, he twisted his body and deflected the youth’s attack.

Seeing the line of that blade, I suddenly remembered.

Before Debier became the Chief Secretary… he had been the Vice-Commander of the Black Knights.

“What are you all doing!! Arrest Roger while I’m holding off the secretary!!”

Even amidst the chaos, Eugene barked out his order.

The remaining two knights immediately charged at me.

But I had no sword.

I had to stall for time until Debier could incapacitate Eugene.

“……!!”

I pulled a stone from my inner pocket.

Then, aiming toward the thick rye field, I warned,

“Take one more step and I’ll throw it. Once you start digging, you’ll all get taken down anyway.”

“…….”

The knights hesitated, looking back at Eugene with troubled expressions.

Growing increasingly overwhelmed, the senior knight shouted in frustration,

“You fools! One of you search the area where the stone lands, and the other takes him down!!”

“Understood……!!”

The moment I heard that,

I hurled the stone far into the rye field.

One knight’s gaze followed the arc intently.

Desperate not to forget the landing point, he dashed off in that direction.

Thanks to that, only one knight was coming at me.

Still, I was at a clear disadvantage.

There’s no way a top student expelled from the Academy could beat a Black Knight.

But I had to win.

If I were going to crumble over a gap like this…

I never would’ve challenged Eric in the first place.

It’s coming……!!

The swordsmanship of the Black Knights was incredibly concise and efficient.

Their steps were short, and their swings—lightning-fast.

Even calculated the direction I’d likely dodge, preparing for a follow-up attack.

‘They know I used to be a cadet. So naturally…’

Swiish!!

Of course, they’d expect me to dodge toward the slightly exposed left.

A seasoned Black Knight slashed down at me with a powerful vertical strike.

But in that very moment—

“What the…!!”

I dropped backward cleanly and avoided the attack.

The knight, who had fully expected me to dodge left, froze for a moment with a stunned expression, trying to recover his stance.

Seizing that instant of hesitation, I moved my fallen leg.

And swept his leg out from under him, sending him tumbling with me.

“Khugh…!!”

Even as he fell, he didn’t let go of his sword.

In response, I pounced and climbed on top of him.

“I’m pretty damn good at street brawls, just so you know!!”

I slammed my knees down onto the Black Knight’s arms.

No matter how skilled they were, I wasn’t lacking in physical strength.

Pinning him down with my body weight, I drove my fists into his face again and again.

Thud!!

‘I didn’t come all this way to lose.’

With that resolve, I kept throwing punches.

Until the sweat dripping down my forehead felt wild and my hair was completely disheveled.

“I figured you were just a pretty face, but turns out you’ve got quite the strength too.”

It was Debier, who had approached me from behind at some point.

Having subdued Eugene, he now looked as rough as I did.

His once-sleek suit was crumpled, and his monocle shattered.

His wrist trembled faintly, probably from exerting himself at his age.

“You too, Chief Secretary. Who would’ve guessed you were a former Black Knight?”

“To protect one’s liege, strength is a necessity.”

We both turned to look at the last Black Knight returning from the rye field.

He had, against all odds, found the pebble I’d thrown.

But once he realized it was nothing more than an ordinary rock and not obsidian, a conflicted look crossed his face.

“Your comrades have already been subdued. Do you really intend to fight both of us at once?”

“…….”

Even Eugene alone hadn’t been able to defeat Debier.

And I, whom they thought would be weak, had taken down one of them.

After witnessing that, the knight pressed his lips tightly together…

And eventually, raised both hands in surrender.

“Wise of you. As expected of an elite knight.”

The relieved secretary helped me up.

“You even thought to throw a decoy stone in the heat of it all? Truly, you’re a loss to us. You would’ve been the perfect one to take my place.”

“You flatter me. I’m far too ambitious to serve anyone.”

I replied, stumbling a little as we stood side by side.

Then, for the first time, the Chief Secretary let out a small, genuine chuckle.

“Indeed… Someone like you is bound to aim higher.”

He placed his hand on my shoulder for the first time.

For someone who’d always been so cold, his touch was surprisingly warm.

“I’ll handle these men. You go attend the party.”

“Will you be alright on your own?”

I asked with concern, and Debier sat down on the bench in front of the dormitory.

The very spot he’d sat in when he was a cadet thirty years ago.

“I know full well what kind of person Lord Eric is.”

He looked up at me steadily.

As though entrusting me with everything.

“If no one stops him in front of everyone, he won’t stop until the end. You’re the one who must bring him back to his senses.”

Then, he lowered his head for a moment.

The snowy white hair, tempered by time, caught my eye.

“I’m sorry to burden you with such a heavy load. But still…”

When Debier raised his head again,

He no longer looked at me as a subordinate.

It was the same gaze of admiration he had when looking at the Grand Duke of the North.

“If you are to be the master of the Grand Duke’s house, you ought to show that level of ambition, don’t you think?”

“…….”

The Luton family would belong to Echina.

And yet, he said I would be the master…

Debier let out a quiet chuckle.

Then, with genuine sincerity, he spoke to me.

“Please take good care of Lady Echina, Roger Julius.”

Realizing what he meant, I swallowed hard.

Then, with solemn resolve, I nodded and headed to the Erian Hotel.

To prepare for the final banquet.

「――――――」

I returned to Old Luton for the first time in a while.

Now one of Nord’s central cities, the place was always bustling.

Perhaps because it was the weekend, the front of the hotel was packed with guests.

Having just been in a messy fight with the Black Knights, I self-consciously brushed my hair and stepped inside.

The massive elephant statue in the lobby welcomed me.

As I gazed at it fondly—

The sound of familiar footsteps approached from a distance, and I turned my head.

“Well, look who it is!”

“Been hard to catch a glimpse of you lately.”

Men dressed in navy and black suits.

It was Lucun and Mansachs.

“What’s with the mess? Looks like you had it rough down south, huh?”

Mansachs, who must have been briefed on what happened in the south.

Knowing the results, he slung an arm over my shoulder in a congratulatory gesture.

Of course, since he was a little shorter, he had to stand on tiptoes to do it.

“There’s a party today, isn’t there? You should hurry and wash up.”

“Yeah. That’s why I’m here—to get ready.”

The son of a major newspaper, with whom I had no connection in my previous life.

And the heir to the pawnshop, once a rival of mine back when I was a cadet.

Now, the three of us walked side by side through the hotel lobby.

Then more familiar faces came into view.

“Oh my, Mr. Roger!!”

“President Roger, it feels like it’s been ages!”

Surrounded by a crowd of noblemen was the Black Swan, Gehenna.

And even Bennett Tolkien, the last great singer loved by the Empress.

Even they approached me, disheveled as I was.

“Is there some sort of party tonight? It’s the first time I’ve seen everyone gathered like this.”

I’d been in the south, so I hadn’t heard any news from above.

To answer that, a woman descended the spiral staircase.

With her red bobbed hair and her squirrel-like face—it was our manager, Yuria.

“You’ve all been invited to the same party as President Roger. You’re all heading to Luton Hall.”

‘The Grand Duke invited everyone in my circle…’

That intimidating face had shown such quiet consideration.

“Well then, shall we all go together? I’ll just go change real quick and be right back.”

I smiled gently as I looked around at everyone.

But Yuria shook her head and raised one finger.

“There’s still one person who isn’t ready yet.”

“One person…? Who else is here?”

Instructor Tom was probably too busy with his duties.

Sonia, too, would be in the same situation.

“Who could it be?”

“Why don’t you go and check for yourself?”

Yuria narrowed her eyes and chuckled.

Realizing what she meant, my friends exchanged faint smiles.

“Right, I should just go check for myself. I need to stop by the same tailor anyway.”

“……?”

I tilted my head in confusion and ascended the spiral staircase.

Heading toward one of the Erian Foundation’s proudest establishments—our tailor shop.

With every step I took, an unexplainable emotion swelled in my chest.

This space, which I had revived with my own hands, now brimmed with life.

And when I finally reached the top of the stairs, the open doorway to the tailor shop came into view.

From within, someone stepped out.

A crimson velvet dress.

A stunning silhouette wrapped in its radiant texture, and flowing black hair.

I knew that hair.

At the very end—my final moment.

It had fallen like a curtain, caressing my dying face.

“Echina……?”

A dazed murmur escaped my lips.

Upon hearing it, the woman looked at me quietly.

With an awkward smile.

“Roger…… What happened to you? What’s with that look?”

The lady knight in the red dress bashfully brushed her neck.

I instinctively swallowed at the sight.

“It’s nothing. Nothing happened.”

I smiled gently.

Then slowly approached her and asked,

“But why are you getting ready for the party at our hotel…?”

“I just… wanted to go with you.”

She clasped her hands behind her back, her straight hair perfectly neat.

From her, standing so close, a soft rose scent drifted in the air.

“Still, wouldn’t the Grand Duke’s residence have been far more elegant than our hotel?”

“……So, you think I don’t look good right now?”

Her question left me speechless for a moment.

Because there was no way that could be true.

If anything, I wanted to personally hand out a generous bonus to the designer who dressed her.

“You look more beautiful than any masterpiece I’ve ever seen.”

“You’ll go to the party with me, right?”

Just a short while ago, she had been the most formidable female knight.

And yet, looking at her now—she was unspeakably pure and radiant.

“Of course. I’ll just go get changed real quick.”

I rushed into the tailor shop.

Seeing the utterly exhausted designers, I called out an urgent order.

“Get my suit ready. Since her theme is red, I’ll go with black…!!”

“Understood……!!”

One of the children Bennett had rescued was already moving busily.

I pointed a finger at him and asked,

“You’re the one who dressed Echina, right?”

“Yes, I am……?”

The designer flinched,

As if he thought he’d done something wrong.

So I spoke, clearly and sincerely, with a serious expression.

“I’ll send you a cash bonus tomorrow. Make sure you take it before you go home!!”

“Th-thank you……!”

After changing into a crisp suit,

I safely returned to the lobby and boarded the carriage waiting outside.

“Whooo…”

Echina sat beside me.

She quietly watched me as I quickly settled into my seat.

“Did something happen on your way here?”

“No, nothing. I’m just a little nervous.”

Echina covered her crimson lips with her hand and let out a soft laugh.

Then, with her long, graceful fingers, she reached out and brushed my bangs.

“How could the former secretary be more nervous than the master herself?”

“You’re absolutely right.”

I didn’t mention the obsidian stone in my inner pocket just yet.

Because as long as I kept seeing this joyful expression on her face…

Somehow, I felt at peace.

I would hand it to the Grand Duke of the North directly at the banquet.

And in front of everyone—this tangled, persistent misfortune would finally come to an end.

The carriage rolled smoothly down the well-paved roads of Nord.

Toward the city’s highest point.

To Luton Hall, the landmark of New Luton.

A massive crowd was already gathered at the entrance.

A red carpet stretched endlessly across the grand staircase.

I stepped out of the carriage first.

And just for today, I became her secretary once again and said,

“Shall we disembark, my lady?”

I offered her my hand, clad in a white glove.

Echina looked at me quietly for a moment, then lightly accepted my gesture.

“Yes, Roger.”

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