Chapter 1 – The Black Knight

 

♦♦♦

 

—Rumors are spreading around the streets about a human named the “Black Knight.”

Carrying a jet-black sword, he appears out of nowhere, reaching out to those in need of help.

This happens when they are attacked by bandits, kidnapped, or caught up in war.

It is also unknown where he comes from, and his ivy-like mask does not reveal his true identity.

Therefore, nothing about the “Black Knight” is known.

What is known is that he wields a giant sword, and despite being a knight, he can also wield exceptional magic, and appears dashingly to help anyone in trouble──a hero.

He is tall, and judging from the tone of his voice, it has been said that he is around 14 to 17 years old, but even that is uncertain information.

Everything about him is unknown.

Still, many people have actually been helped by him, and his existence has already become a rumor.

However, recently… The rumor has changed a little───

“‘An unknown hero. The Black Knight’s true identity is surely a disgrace to the Astia Marquis family’, is it?”

A maid was reading the newspaper aloud as she sat on the sofa.

She had a beautiful, elegant face that still retained a hint of innocence, slightly wavy silver hair that reached her waist, and clear amethyst eyes that could be mistaken for jewels.

Her clearly defined waistline was enough to be the envy of her fellow women, and she was undoubtedly an eye-catcher if she walked down the street.

That maid girl, Elysia, glanced to the side and gave a faint smile.

“That’s what they say, master.”

“Damn iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!”

It was a weekday afternoon.

Such a voice echoed through a room in the mansion of the Marquis of Astia, a distinguished family of knights.

A boy with short, trimmed blond hair was sitting at his desk, holding his head.

The Marquis of Astia has produced many talented people, such as commanders of the kingdom’s knights and heroes.

In a family full of talent, there is one boy who was born without any talent whatsoever.

 

He was mediocre when given a sword to hold. Even when taught magic, he was still mediocre. Not only that, he spent his days in self-indulgence, making no effort to train.

As a result, he was hated by his family and high society, and those around him came to call him “the disgrace of the Marquis of Astia.”

The boy is actually—-

“It was hot, so I took off my mask and ran into a reporter… I guess it’s better to be careful of curious paparazzi after all.”

“That reporter, one day I’ll give you a good thumping so hard you’ll cry and cling to your mother!”

The boy known as the disgrace of the Astia Marquis Family, Adele Astia, is visibly angered.

It’s hard to imagine the eyes of a hero worthy of being called the “Black Knight.”

“But isn’t it a good thing? Thanks to this, the stigma of being the disgrace of the Astia Marquis Family is about to be wiped away overnight.”

“I don’t want to improve my image! I’ve always wanted to be a goldfish turd and live a life of self-indulgence!”

Adele’s motto is “Aim for laziness and Self-indulgence☆.”

If his reputation continues to soar, attention will be unavoidable. The disgraceful image he had finally settled into will be wiped clean, only to be replaced by the exhausting grind of non-stop work..

“I wonder how your family will react if that news reaches them… I’ll definitely have to drag him into my own knight order and have him spend every day on training missions──”

“By the way, I’ve heard that the head of the family has suddenly returned here from his mission on the frontier.”

“Isn’t that too quick to reach your ear!?”

It had only been so long since he was photographed by the paparazzi.

Adele quietly shed tears.

“I mean, I’m the one you saved, so maybe I shouldn’t be saying this, but… why help people like that? You had to know it would end up this way…”

He doesn’t want to erase his stigma. He wants to stay the way he is now.

If that’s the case, he shouldn’t have tried to help anyone in the first place.

If he had continued to hide his enormous talent, he could have lived the self-indulgent life he still wanted.

But Adele—-

“Can’t sleep?”

“Yes?”

“Well, I mean… if there’s someone in trouble and you turn a blind eye, you’ll be having nightmare.”

Adele rests his chin on his hand and speaks as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“There was someone right there I could help just by reaching out—do you really think I could turn a blind eye and sleep soundly after that? Even while we’re talking, that kid we left behind could be crying… and when you think about it like that, of course I’d reach out.”

“……”

“In short, it’s for my sleep! I don’t want any worries in my self-indulgent life, that’s all!”

Adele frowns as he looks at the other newspaper on the desk.

Seeing him like that, Elesia couldn’t help but smile.

(Really… you’re so kind.)

Even though he says it’s for himself, in the end it’s for someone else’s sake.

He has saved so many people as the “Black Knight” that it’s been published in the newspaper. There’s no way he can solve the problem with just self-satisfaction.

Certainly, his everyday life was depraved enough to bring shame to the Marquis family.

Still, Elesia had no intention of looking down on Adele.

In fact, it’s quite the opposite, her heart was beating with excitement.

Elesia blushed slightly as she stood up, approached Adele, and sat down between his legs.

“Then why don’t you join the Knights like your family?”

“Wait a second, don’t continue the conversation while still touching me like that, I’m also an adolescent boy.”

“I’m a spoiled girl too”

“Haa… You’d be wrong to think that I’m only polishing my steely rationality.”

Adele sighed and stroked Elesia’s head as she sat down.

Perhaps because it made her happy, Elysia let herself lean into Adele.

“Going back to the topic, if you’re more talented than anyone in the Marquis’ family, I think it’ll be easy for you to join the Knights. If you want to help people, it’ll be easier to do that.”

“Like I said earlier, I hate training, and I need time to sleep, time to have fun, and time to cuddle with cute girls and, y’know… do stuff with them too—”

Pakya♪

“…Uh, did you seriously just pop my shoulder out in like half a second?”

“It’s just a cute girl’s prank?”

“A prank that seems to go against the definition of a cute girl…”

Apparently, what he said about other girls was something that cute girls couldn’t tolerate.

Adele’s eyes were watering as he put her dislocated shoulder back in place.

“But seriously, what should I do…”

Returning to his senses, he sighed again as he looked at the front page of the newspaper.

“Even when I went out to buy groceries, everyone was talking about you. In fact, now I’m constantly getting offers from nobles wanting to meet you.”

“I can turn them down, so it’s not a problem to a certain extent… but at the moment, I’m worried about those troublesome reporters who keep showing up everywhere. The scary thing is that they’re currently trespassing in a mansion and locked up in a dungeon.”

“Your reporter mentality is already at the level of a stalker.”

“They’ll probably come out soon anyway, and this is just too annoying…!”

It’s already the source of my identity being exposed, but if they’re even more annoying than a fly, I can’t bear it.

“But if I stay at home, I’m sure I’ll end up being pulled down the path of an overworked personnel… Or rather, my father, who is the biggest problem I want to turn my eyes away from right now, is coming up. With his personality, he’ll definitely be forced to join the Knights.”

“Your other siblings will probably come back soon.”

“That’s just too much trouble. They’ll either provoke me and say, ‘There’s no way someone like you could be a Black Knight!’ or they’ll draw their sword and say, ‘Okay, let’s see if the rumors are true.'”

“Hehe, you’re loved by your family, Master.”

“I didn’t feel any love in those two statements though.”

Hmm. Adele folded her arms and looked up at the ceiling, pondering.

Elesia clung to Adele and let him spoiled her───

“That’s right!!!”

“Kyaa!”

Elesia couldn’t help but let out a cute voice at the sudden volume of his voice.

“Don’t suddenly shout out loud. Please be quiet when declaring your participation in the shouting contest…”

“Well, wait, Elesia. There’s a reason for this declaration. To be more specific, I’ve come up with a brilliant idea, or something like that!”

Adele waves his arms excitedly.

He looked exactly like his age.

And then───

 

“Let’s enroll in the academy! If we isolate the source of information, we can block out information as well! Let’s enjoy our three years at the boarding school until the heat of the Black Knight commotion dies down!!!”

 

♦♦♦

 

“Even now, the only boarding school where you can take the exam and enroll on the same day is the one in the royal capital.”

The crowd in front of the Marquis’ mansion, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Black Knight, is gradually growing day by day.

Elesia presses her body tightly against her master, Adele, and looks at the documents lined up on the table as she speaks.

“When you say a school in the royal capital, you mean the Royal Carbon Academy run by the royal family… Ugh, that’s the school where Mil-nee-san and Lloyd-nii-san are at…”

“But they’re the only ones here with a ‘walk-in applications welcome’ tagline.”

“Hmm… I guess this is a situation where I’m being forced to choose between light hell and deep hell.”

If they get into the academy, they’ll have a legitimate reason to get out of the mansion.

It’s not good to just go ahead and enroll without saying anything, but it’s better than running away.

At first, he had wanted to turn down her parents’ proposal and withdraw into a self-indulgent life. Her father, the head of the family, wouldn’t complain if he did this.

Well, it would be a little farther away from a self-indulgent lifestyle, and having family members would be a big problem.

“What would you like to do? If necessary, I’ll apply to the school on the same day after one lap pillow.”

“Why is the maid asking for it…?”

“Hehe, should I quit being a maid then?”

“…Don’t. At that moment, you’ll only be able to see me in high society.”

“Oh, I don’t like that either. In that case, I’ll continue to look after you, master.”

Elesia smiled with a ladylike and refined smile.

Adele was taken aback by her appearance, but she handed him the documents, saying, “I’ll do it later.”

“If I apply today, the entrance exam will be the day after tomorrow… right? In that case, it would be better if I stayed in the royal capital.”

“Oh! That’s wonderful!”

Adele stood up with sparkling eyes.

“The royal capital is filled with more attractive places than the marquisate! There’s plenty of food and tourist attractions! And most of all, there are plenty of naughty shops where pretty ladies work──”

Gah (sound of Elesia sweeping someone’s leg)

Crash (sound of Elesia taking the upper hand)

Gogogogo (sound of Elesia shaking her fist)

“Master, I missed the part that you said, but what is there in the royal capital?”

“…There’s delicious food and tourist attractions.”

The word naughty wouldn’t come out of her trembling mouth.

“Geez… Master, you really are trouble. There’s this cute girl right next to you, looking after you so carefully, and yet you’re staring off into space…”

“I can’t seem to see that cute girl, I wonder why? Maybe it’s because my eyes are swollen?”

“It’s because your heart is dirty.”

Of course, he couldn’t bring himself to say, “It can’t be helped, he’s a boy.”

Adele reluctantly got up and distanced himself from Elesia, who for some reason felt frightened, and began to look out the window.

“Is the Black Knight really the son of our lord!?”

“You idiot, you came here to find out, didn’t you!?”

“But it would be wonderful if it were true… that boy who was called a disgrace is a hero.”

Maybe because the window was slightly open, a voice like that could be heard from somewhere.

“Wow… look, Elesia. There are a lot of curious spectators.”

“They are spectators of the ‘Black Knight’. Why don’t you just wave at them?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, why would I do fan service to a gallery that violates my privacy? I don’t want to be put in the idol category.”

“More importantly, I can see the reporter who should have been in the dungeon.”

“At this point, I’m starting to think it’s a game of finding the reporter who is definitely in the photo.”

I’d better hurry back to the school. Adele’s cheeks twitched as he saw the people of the territory gathered outside.

At that moment──

“Brother!”

The door slid open.

A boy who looked somewhat similar to Adele appeared.

“I heard it, brother! It seems that there are rumors in town that the ‘Black Knight’ is Brother!”

What an insolent attitude towards her brother.

However, Adele, who loves being teased, wouldn’t point that out.

“Hmph, everyone’s ridiculous. There’s no way your brother, who has no talent whatsoever, could be that ‘Black Knight’!”

Instead, though───

“I’ll tell the people and father! There’s no truth to my incompetent brother!”

────He threw out of the window with all his might.

“Oh… Was that okay, master?”

Peering through the broken glass, which had broken into a snap, or rather a crash!, Elesia asked without changing her expression.

To explain the exact sequence of events that had just taken place, Adele instantly stretched out the vines, wrapped them around her brother’s legs, and swung them towards the outside of the window.

Thanks to that, Adele’s little brother was thrown out of the window and was now a beautiful object with his head buried in the ground below the window.

“It’s fine, I was just showing a little strength. I mean, he was thrown with no reaction at all—didn’t even realize what was done to him.”

“I heard that your little brother is pretty strong for his age, but… he really is way out of the ordinary, master. I won’t care if there’s a complaint later.”

“Survival of the fittest, the strong are right. That’s our family motto, so it’s no problem. Actually, shut up.”

“Well, that’s true. In that case, let’s pack up to stay in the royal capital and enjoy our three years of escapism.”

“Let’s do that.”

And with that, the two of them returned to their room without getting involved with the view outside the window.

The servants of the mansion gathered around due to the sound of the impact, but the two of them showed no interest in the new object on the grounds and started packing to head to the royal capital.

“Master, which underwear would you prefer?”

“Hmm… pink lace.”

“Hehe, I understand.”

 

 

Well, once they’re in the academy, it’ll be theirs.

Three years will make you forget everything from trivial to important things.

So, Adele and the others left the mansion not caring about seeing their families off.

And then, after a day’s journey—-

“We’ve come all the way to school!”

In front of the towering school gates, Adele shouted with emotion.

As you would expect from the best academy in the kingdom. The royal academy, located a little outside the royal capital, has a site so large that you can’t see the end, and a school building that is just too huge.

This is truly a spectacular sight. Even Adele, a nobleman, yelled out this without caring about the public.

“Master, you look so innocent… so cute and lovely♡”

Meanwhile, the girl in the maid’s uniform next to him seemed more fascinated with the man beside her than the school. She was a girly girl.

“Hey, that guy… isn’t he the disgrace to the Astia family?”

Suddenly, at that moment.

Such voices were heard from young people who seemed to be around the same age as her as they were entering the school.

“Wow, it’s true. I thought he wouldn’t go to school.”

“For someone like that to be born from such a distinguished family… that’s quite a disgrace.”

“But according to the story, the true identity of that “Black Knight” was definitely that guy…”

“No way, you’ve seen him at parties a few times, right? There’s no way someone so corrupt could be a “Black Knight.”

And so on, the voices said whatever they wanted.

Maybe they didn’t read the paper, or maybe they didn’t believe that the Black Knight was Adele because they knew him so well. Either way, there was no one who was friendly towards them.

That was a relief. Adele once again thought that this was the perfect place to isolate the source of information.

“They’ve been saying all sorts of things.”

“That’s true.”

“……”

“……”

“……”

“……”

“…Would it be alright if I took care of it?”

“Oh dear, that’s something I don’t want to hear from a girl.”

Apparently, Elesia, who is next to him, is angry that her master has been made fun of.

“Don’t worry, master—you can survive for quite a while even without your limbs.”

“Elesia has really taken to our family…I mean, seriously, stop it. It’s no joke, and I’m actually feeling nostalgic and happy about it.”

But… Elesia was about to argue.

Then Adele placed his hand on the girl’s small head and began to stroke it gently.

“Thanks. To be honest, all I need is a few important people to think kindly of me.”

“?!”

Important people. Hearing those words, Elesia’s cheeks turned red.

Then, timidly, she reached for Adele’s waist and buried her face in his chest.

“…Not only do I like you, I love you.”

“Oops, that’s a line that could be misconstrued.”

With a wry smile, Adele continued to stroke her head.

Elesia thought that it was okay for him to misunderstand, but she didn’t dare say it here.

At that moment—

“Hey, um… isn’t that girl clinging to the disgraceful guy… Elysia-sama?”

“Wow, you’re right. She hasn’t been out in high society lately!”

“Wait, why is the daughter of a noble family with a magic lineage wearing a maid outfit?”

The students’ whispers changed topic and everyone started talking about Elesia.

Elesia, who had been feeling good, pulled her face away and pursed her lips in a slightly sulky mood.

“…It was supposed to be a lovely time with my master.”

“That’s what even I would normally think, and it’s a question I still have.”

“If a reporter asked me a question, I would answer, ‘Because I love my master.'”

“But if you answered like that, the headline would change in an instant.”

For the time being, the two of them ignored the students who were looking their way and continued inside.

The students entering the school like this were probably the same exam candidates as Adele.

Normally there would be more, but now it’s almost the application deadline. The people who are taking the exam now are those who couldn’t apply until the very last minute due to special circumstances.

“Still, it’s very much appreciated that there are multiple exam dates. Even if you show up, you can still sit down with a smile.”

“They welcome anyone, and they nurture the talented. That must be the school’s motto… It’s truly the best training institute in the kingdom.”

“They say that the environment is also excellent. I’ll find a place to take a nap as soon as I enroll, Elesia!”

“It would be nice if there was a place to lay down a sheet and pillow in this excellent environment.”

As they joked, they walked through the grounds.

There was a fountain, a terrace, and a training ground. The further they walked, the more they saw how excellent it was, just as Adele had said.

And after walking for a while, they found a reception desk with a sign that read “Exam Candidate Information.”

“Welcome to the Royal Carbon Academy. Are you here to take the exam?”

“Yes, this is Adele Astia. And as for me, I’m also—”

“Excuse me, but are you a servant?”

The receptionist tilted her head slightly.

Because it is the best academy in the kingdom, most of the people who come are aristocrats. For that reason, they probably didn’t think that Elesia, who was wearing a maid uniform, was a candidate.

“I’m Elesia Elemirea. I think I sent you the application form.”

“Are you the daughter of the Elemirea Earl?! I’m very sorry!”

The receptionist bowed in a hurry.

However, she immediately tilted her head again.

“But why are you wearing a maid uniform?”

“Hehe, it’s just a hobby.”

“Huh…?”

I could understand why she tilted her head, Adele thought, watching from the side.

“Ahh! I see, I have confirmation—Then, I will guide you to the entrance exam venue right away.”

As she rummaged through the documents, the receptionist cleared her throat.

And───

“The first exam will be practical. I wish you the best of luck.”

 

 

“Come on, seriously, it’s practical? Why does it have to be the first thing? The world is way too harsh on me, don’t you think?”

The one who laments this is the shame of the historic Marquis of Astia. And why is he lamenting this so much───

“(Hey, Elesia! Won’t this make me look like the ‘Black Knight’!?)”

As Adele was led to the training ground where the exam was held, she made eye contact with Elesia next to him so as not to arouse suspicion from the other test-takers.

“(It can’t be helped. The school’s policy is to discover talented young people, so isn’t it better to say action speak louder than words?)”

Is it because of the trust between the two of them and the time they’ve built up that they can have a conversation through eye contact?

Elesia also continued the conversation with a calm expression, making eye contact.

“(Even if the students here only give you scornful presents, if you show it off in front of everyone, surely that will be more proof than words!?)”

Even though the paparazzi had taken photos, judging from the whispers of the examinees who had come, they didn’t seem to believe it.

However, what would happen if Adele showed proof that he was the “Black Knight” – or rather, his true abilities? Surely they wouldn’t believe it? Such thoughts crossed Adele’s mind.

“(Then, master… would you like to return to the mansion like this?)”

“(Guh…!)”

“(This is the only school where you can enroll immediately, and it’s a neat two-choice game like a coin toss.)”

“(A coin toss with no rewards written on either side…!)”

Adele thought frantically after hearing Elesia’s words.

If the man known as a disgrace showed a glimpse of his abilities here, there would definitely be confidence or a guess. But if he were to turn around, his father and other siblings would probably force him to join the Knights when they returned.

Going forward is hell, going back is hell.

When he weighs each of these options on a scale, which way will it lean more?──

“(I, I’m going to take the exam like this…!)”

“(Hehe, I thought you’d say that♪)”

“(But I’m going to try to hide the fact that I’m the ‘Black Knight’ as much as possible. I won’t accept any objections!”)

He can still be protected within the miniature garden that is the academy.

Rumors will spread, but even if they do, it won’t affect him in any way while he’s at the academy.

And that’s why, with such a difficult…yes, such a difficult decision, he chose to enter the academy.

All for the sake of three years of peace! You can worry about what happens after that later!!!

“(In the first place, you can just go into the exam with your abilities in check. There’s no need to play Old Maid and show your cards.)”

“(That’s right… That’s right! Just keep an eye on everyone and level up!)”

There’s no need to show off your true abilities as the Black Knight.

All you need to do is pass the exam and be able to enroll.

Since you haven’t met many people your age and you grew up in an unconventional family, you don’t know how to handle it, but you can just wait and see how it goes.

It’s fine. As long as I’m not up first, I can just watch how things go—

“Then, first, Adele Astia-kun, step forward!”

Oh…

“(…Master)”

“(…Why is the world so harsh on me?)”

As expected, he wasn’t in the majority, but out of a certain number of people, he probably didn’t expect to be the first, so Elesia couldn’t help but look at him with pity.

Adele, who was looked at with pity, walked towards the instructor, who was the examiner, crying.

“Haha, what can you do in a practical test if you’re embarrassed?”

“It looks like this will end up being just a formality.”

“Hey, don’t laugh at me. Even if you’re embarrassed, it’s embarrassing to be embarrassed.”

Each time he passed by a candidate, he heard such a voice.

Do they think he can’t hear? If he wasn’t the type to “be mocked”, they would have been shouted at. Adele thought as if it was someone else’s problem.

“Well, Adele Astia-kun—let’s start with your magic.”

The instructor pointed to a target at the edge of the training ground as Adele appeared nearby.

The target was roughly 80 meters away. It was small, and it would be hard for a young person who hadn’t yet become a student to hit it.

“You may use any method; as long as your magic hits the target over there, the test concludes. However, hitting the target does not guarantee a pass, nor does missing it mean failure—please consider it simply one factor of the overall assessment.”

Most of the students who come here are nobles, and although not to the same extent as the Astia family, most of them have private tutors to study with.

Therefore, even if they have strengths and weaknesses, it doesn’t mean that they can’t use magic. Even if that’s the case, it doesn’t mean they can’t take the exam, but it’s safe to say that they will almost certainly fail.

The problem is that Adele doesn’t know how much magic he needs to use to pass.

(Damn it… Seriously, how good do young people these days have to be at using magic to be considered excellent!?)

All he needs to do is show the instructor that he can use magic a little better than the other students.

However, since he doesn’t know what the standard is, it’s difficult to find the balance. It would be terrible if he slacked off and failed the exam.

(Ah, damn it! Whatever!)

Adele made up his mind and took a step forward.

He didn’t raise his hand, he didn’t chant, and he didn’t even swing the sword he was holding in his arm, he just stabbed it into the ground.

“Ah, Adele Astia-kun…?”

The instructor was shocked by the sudden appearance of the jet black sword.

Not only that, even the surrounding students, except for Elesia, were shocked and started to murmur.

However, Adele, who had made up his mind, didn’t hear it───

 

“King of the Forest.”

 

───The moment he spoke, the training ground was dyed green.

Adele’s magic was an earth magic that he had refined to the utmost using his own sense.

The process was to spread the earth on the ground, let the seeds within his perception sprout, water them, and let them grow.

If the ground was originally made of earth, the magic could be used without going through the initial steps.

However, this magic was merely a step beyond the phenomenon of earth magic─”generating earth”.

If he felt like it, Adele could use ordinary earth magic. On the other hand, it is precisely because it exceeds the ordinary that it becomes something special that no one else can use.

In other words, it is something that only Adele, who has an incredible sense for magic, can achieve.

The speed and range of the magic that he can use by carrying the jet-black sword is not limited to the ordinary, and the way he creates new plants in an instant is truly unique.

And so, while Adele is a knight, he also rules over nature───

(‘King of the Forest’, huh?)

Watching Adele thrust his sword into the ground and reign over nature, Elesia glances around.

The training ground, which should have only been a stage and seats, instantly transformed into an overgrown forest, and the target at the edge was covered in plants and only its outline could be made out.

The name of the magic────’King of the Forest’.

He was simply given magic, and was simply covered in plants. If that’s the case, does that mean it’s just flashy in appearance and not that powerful? When asked this, he wants to shake his head.

After all, the outline of the target is smaller than it initially appeared—has the moisture in the material been sucked out, making the surface area smaller, or has it been compressed to such a size? This is something that can’t be known until you get closer.

However, the event was too big to judge from appearance alone.

(More importantly…)

Next, he looks at the students around him.

They all look stunned, as if they are witnessing an unbelievable sight. Even the female instructor has dropped the ledger she was holding to evaluate the students.

(It’s not surprising. On such a scale… no one can do that, even in a magical family.)

In addition, Adele’s forte is the sword.

Magic is merely a secondary skill, and is only used to support him.

This is the skill of a person who has been active enough to be called the “Black Knight”.

A heretic with such talent that it’s too good for his depraved personality.

If you just look at his skill—it’s clear that he stands out more than anyone in the distinguished Astia family.

(As expected of my master. I think I’m falling more and more in love with you♪)

A faint heart mark appears in Elesia’s eyes.

He must have looked that cool. The cute girl has turned into a clear young lady.

And Adele, who had no idea that she was in such a state, glanced at the shocked instructor, sighed deeply, and slowly pulled out her sword.

He must have realized that he had messed up.

Adele, with his shoulders slumped, approached Elesia and sighed again.

“Haa… It seems that I’ve messed up.”

“Hehe, thanks for your hard work. It seems that the surprise was a great success.”

“Far from a great success, it looks like my self-indulgent life is going to be a disaster…”

“Don’t worry, you’re so cool that I’m falling in love with you even more♪”

As expected, even Adele can tell.

The reactions of those around him were proof that he had messed up.

However, the eyes of the girl in front of him didn’t seem to notice. Unlike the maid’s reaction, he dropped her shoulders even further.

“Ha! Excuse me… Next up is Elesia Elemirea!”

Then, the female instructor, who had just come to her senses, called out to Elesia.

“Oh, it looks like I’m next.”

“You’re good at magic, aren’t you, Elesia?”

“My level is average, master.”

Elesia walked towards the instructor with an elegant smile.

She was a beautiful girl who caught the eye every time she moved. Normally, anyone would turn their head when they passed by her, but she was still dazed by Adele’s magic.

Elesia felt something was a little different from usual and was uncomfortable, so she ignored it, saying, “Well, I don’t think it’s good for anyone other than master to see me, so it’s fine.”

“Um, should I aim at that target over there?”

Elesia reached the instructor and pointed.

The outline of the target was visible, but it had now been altered by Adele’s “King of the Forest.” There are other targets, but they are in a similar situation────Elesia said, and the instructor hurriedly nodded his head.

“Um, well… it may be hard to see, but please go over there. It may not be a problem for you…”

“I understand.”

Elesia gave a beautiful bow, then pointed her finger at the target.

Unlike Adele, she seemed to be making a motion to aim properly.

“The sunlight that falls on the world and converges is at my sleeve.”

However, even if there was a motion, the blow that Elesia unleashed was────

 

“Complete, “Arrow of Light””

 

───It dug into the ground, and dug into the target with blinding speed.

“Huh?!”

A voice like that escaped the instructor’s mouth.

Well, maybe that can’t be helped.

“Fufu, as someone who stands beside my master, I have to at least show him this.”

Elesia Elemirea.

Adele’s attendant was also quite out of the ordinary.

 

♦♦♦

 

Well, after the exams were over, the other examinees looked at her strangely, but that was that.

Adele got positive with her “what’s done is what’s done!” style, and went out to see the royal capital.

“Now, where can I find a restaurant with beautiful girls?”

“Care for a good old eyeball roast?”

“Wow, that’s a scary statement.”

Even though there weren’t any events of note, the royal capital was bustling with people.

It was so crowded that it was a little difficult to walk in a straight line, and the bustling noise could be heard from everywhere.

The towns in the marquisate were also thriving, but the royal capital was in a class of its own.

Adele, who had never been that far because she didn’t often show his face in high society, was a little excited to be in a new place.

“The results of the exam will be announced tomorrow, and the successful candidates will have their entrance ceremony in a week…When you think about it, it’s pretty tough.”

“Normally, you should act with a little more leeway. You’re rushing to enroll in a hurry, and the maid who worked so hard to prepare your uniform is nonchalantly shedding tears of distress.”

“Okay, okay, I understand, thank you. So, what should I do to please you, my lady?”

“When we get back to the inn, I’ll ask for your arm as my pillow and sleep next to you.”

“Heh heh, as you wish, my lady.”

“Hehe, Yay♪”

Elesia was so happy that she was in a good mood, and she hugged him with a cute smile.

The faint sweet scent, the plump touch, and the beautiful face that was approaching made Adele’s heart skip a beat.

At that moment──

 

“Ah, um! Can I talk to you for a moment?”

 

A sudden voice called out from behind.

With this crowd, it’s possible that it’s not me. But even so, when you hear a voice, you reflexively turn around.

Adele and Elesia turned their heads behind.

There, a girl with her face completely hidden by a large hoodie was standing there, facing them.

“Um… are you talking to us?”

“Y-yes! Well, more like… well…”

Even though she called out to them, the girl immediately hesitated.

Is she nervous? Or maybe she’s out to sell something? Adele tilted his head at the girl’s state.

However, while he was wondering about this──the girl took a deep breath as if she had made up her mind, and moved her face closer to Adele.

“U-Um!”

“Huh?!”

It wasn’t because her face had suddenly gotten closer… or anything like that.

But because her face had gotten closer, they could clearly see inside the hood.

Her face was innocent, cute, and beautifully shaped. Her golden hair flickered slightly like the moon.

Elesia is beautiful in her own way, but this girl is no less beautiful.

It’s because the beautiful girl’s face is so close to his eyes that he can’t help but blush… but the girl in front is even redder than him.

“A-Ah…”

Her eyes feel like they’re spinning. No, they’re not spinning, but it really feels that way.

Then, for some reason, she pulled her hood down deeper, turned her back, and ran off without a word.

“I-I knew it! It’s just impossible for meeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!”

Wow, she’s avoiding the crowd elegantly, like a cat, and they watch her disappear as she does so.

He impulsively waved his hand lightly,

“Do you think this was a new type of pick-up?”

“If that’s the case, I should have advised her to train her mind first before coming back.”

She suddenly appears and suddenly disappears.

Both of them tilted their heads, wondering what that was.

Then─

“It’s a purse snatcher!”

Suddenly, a voice came from the direction they were walking.

It was hard to see because of the crowd, but up ahead, a woman collapsed and a man ran off with a small bag in his arms.

However, the man was running in the opposite direction to Adele and the others. Combined with the crowd, it would be difficult to catch him even if they chased after him now.

“……”

Still, Adele’s face changed from the slight embarrassment he had shown earlier to an unpleasant one.

Elesia saw Adele like that─

(Hehe, you’re so kind)

As expected, contrary to Elesia’s smile, Adele walked into a nearby back alley.

Elesia followed behind him, making sure no one was around to see him.

“Shall we postpone our date in the royal capital?”

“Sorry.”

Entering the alley, Adele made black vines appear from his hand.

The vines that had gathered on his hand transformed into a mask, and a sword-shaped tree instantly sprouted from Adele’s other hand.

“Seeing something like this keeps me up all night, no matter what.”

Seeing someone in trouble makes him feel uncomfortable.

If you feel uncomfortable, you can’t get it out of your head and can’t sleep peacefully.

After all, this is for his own sake, not a sense of justice or duty, it’s selfish… or so he thinks.

“I understand.”

However, he is the only one who thinks this way.

The maid who watches over the hero more than anyone else knew that his actions were born out of kindness.

“Well then, have a good day today—Hero-sama.”

And that is why, again and again, the maid sees off her master.

 

♦♦♦

“Please don’t just disappear without asking me.”

The brown-haired girl puffed out her cheeks and spoke while holding her sheathed sword.

In a dimly lit alleyway where she could hear the hustle and bustle of the royal capital, she saw a girl wearing a large hood.

“It’s no joke if the princess gets lost in a place like this. Can’t you at least consider the feelings of the guards who are worried about gossip?”

“B-but… the Black Knight was there, you know?! The Black Knight I’ve been chasing all this time was there!? I couldn’t just not follow them, right? I couldn’t have, right?!”

“Isn’t there an unspoken agreement that you have to protect the privacy of idols because you’re such an enthusiastic fan?”

“Ahh… the real ‘Black Knight’ was so cool…”

With her eyes in hearts, the hooded girl blushed and began to think. In addition, she was drooling shamelessly.

Seeing this, the brown-haired girl removed her master’s hood and wiped away his messy drool with a cloth.

“Mugugu”

“So? Did anything useful come out of that conversation?”

As her mouth was gently wiped, the beautiful girl with golden hair revealed herself—

“Hmph… that’s a stupid question. Do you think I’d be able to have a proper conversation with the Black Knight after meeting him?”

“Shut up, you idiot princess. That’s not something you should say with a smug face.”

“That’s cruel!?”

She was shocked by her harsh words.

Without even a glance at her master, the brown-haired girl calmly put the cloth away in her pocket.

“Well, leaving aside the brave fans… the fact that you came over to talk means that he can join our faction?”

“Of course I want to! I’ve always thought he was the right guy ever since he helped me!!”

Then the blonde girl smiled—

“I didn’t have the courage this time and had to retreat immediately, but if I get into the academy, I’ll have plenty of chances♪ For my own sake, I’ll become friends with the Black Knight!”

 

♦♦♦

 

The result of the exam was that they passed, despite all that had happened.

Although the schedule was packed, four days had passed since the results were announced, and all that was left was to wait for their admission to the academy.

Of course, he didn’t tell my parents, “I passed!” or anything like that.

After sending a random letter, Adele was off to sightseeing in the royal capital until he enrolled.

However, today he didn’t get to leisurely sightsee in the royal capital.

The Royal Carbon Academy is a boarding school. Therefore, he had to have her luggage delivered to the dorm before the entrance ceremony started───

“This… This is too much!”

The student dorm was located a little ways from the school grounds.

There, Elesia, who was usually gentle and rarely threw a tantrum outside of Adele’s relationships with women and physical contact, shook her head cutely in protest.

“Even if you say that…”

Adele, on the other hand, looked at her with a troubled expression.

Luckily, he was currently in the room assigned to him in the student dorm. It was for one person, so no matter how much noise he made, he wouldn’t be a nuisance.

Still, he had to scold the cute maid for being in a bad mood.

“If it’s impossible, it’s impossible. So just give it up.”

“I don’t want to!”

“No, but…”

Adele scratched his cheek and said, “What should I do?”

After all, the reason why Elesia is throwing a tantrum like this is—-

 

“It’s impossible for a girl who lives in a female dormitory to live in my room.”

 

The dorms are divided into male and female dorms for each grade.

Therefore, there’s no way she can share a room with a member of the opposite sex, and in the first place, two people in one room are cramped.

“I’m a servant! I have a duty to take care of my master’s personal needs, to give him a pillow on his lap, and to sleep next to him!”

“Hey, you noblewoman. That last part is a mix of selfishness and self-interest.”

She’s being selfish like a cute girl.

“I mean, we can meet even if we’re not together. This seems to be a male dormitory, so aren’t you worried about a girl being thrown into a pack of wolves?”

“Don’t worry, if anything happens, I’ll crush the man’s thing.”

“I can’t be sure!”

Everyone already recognizes that Elesia is a beautiful girl.

It’s impossible for a girl like that to enter a den of teenage boys and not be looked at strangely.

It would be fine if she really lived with me, but if she ended up in the room next door, or somewhere else, then I wouldn’t be able to protect her myself. Or rather, I wouldn’t be able to protect any guy who tries to make a move on her from Elesia.

“Hmm… Elesia has her own room too, right? I think it’s the perfect environment for her to make friends her age.”

Adele sat down on the bed in the corner of the room.

The room they were assigned was small for two, but it was spacious and well-furnished, probably because it was a school full of aristocrats, so it would be a waste to live alone.

Just touching the bed, I could tell it was of higher quality than the ones in the local inns.

“…I don’t want to be separated from my master.”

Elesia sat next to Adele and hugged him from the side.

They were going to school together, so it wasn’t a final separation, but it seemed like a matter of life and death for Elesia.

(Do you really want to be with me that much?)

Even Adele knew that Elesia had opened up to him.

She has come out of her own house to be with me as a maid, there is no way I wouldn’t notice.

Plus, Adele himself doesn’t dislike it either. To be honest, if they could be together, he would want it.

However, the reality is that it’s not that easy───

“But even if we were allowed to live together, there would be a lot of problems with staying in a wolf’s room, you know? Don’t think I have an iron will.”

“…If they’re old enough to play baseball, I’ll do my best to accept it.”

“Sorry, but you should have noticed the problem when they start making a move.”

To be able to tolerate nine children is impressive.

“But…there’s only one bed, and the large bath here is only for men.”

“It’s fine to use the same bed, and there’s a bath in the room. You can take a bath with me, master.”

“Hmm.”

“That’s amazing, the word bath has finally made you think positively.”

Adele Astia.

Even though he has an extremely beautiful girl next to him and is used to girls, he’s still a boy.

It couldn’t be helped, hearing the words “bath with a girl” made the stubborn balance waver.

And then, as if to add insult to injury─

“Are you sure you want to be separated from me, Master?”

“Guh…!”

Elesia said, looking up as she clung to him.

Her eyes were almost feverish, as if she was pleading. Adele’s mind became even more confused.

Normally, it would be wrong for a girl to live in a men’s dormitory, even before the issue of servants.

However, it would be a little disappointing to make such a cute girl sad─

“Ah… I hear there’s a dorm director here, so I hope he gives the OK.”

“Thank you, Master!”

──In the end, Elesia ended up living in Adele’s room.

It was probably because Elesia gave a two-hour presentation to the dorm director.

I won’t tell anyone that I thought that rather than being persuaded, I was more forced into it when I saw Elesia unpacking her belongings in high spirits in Adele’s room afterwards.

 

 

Well then, three years of escaping reality finally begin.

Two days have passed, and today is the memorable entrance ceremony.

The pamphlet I was given in advance contained ominous words such as “There is a system for expulsion, and we hope that no one who does not meet the school’s standards will appear♪”, but I will do my best to spend my days peacefully and calmly.

There will be troublesome things like classes, but it is somewhat better than being forced by my father to join the Knights’ Carriage Road.

Therefore, I will try my best to be as inconspicuous as possible, and not cause any trouble so that no one will notice that I am a “Black Knight”──

“Hey, what kind of disgrace is there in a place like this!?”

…or so I intended to spend my time there.

“(…Hey, isn’t that cruel? Is the world so harsh even on a celebratory departure?)”

“(The world wants its masters to grow, that’s what whips and whips are for)”

“(That’s just Spartan-only and makes you cry…)”

As they left the dormitory and headed to the auditorium where the entrance ceremony was to take place.

Students who had likely enrolled this year were gathered on a straight road with a beautifully maintained garden and a fountain.

In the center of the group were Adele and Elesia, wearing their freshly-worn uniforms.

Also, there was a well-built boy with distinctive red hair.

“Why is someone like you here…answer me!”

Behind the boy were several students who seemed to be his followers.

Apparently, the man yelling at Adele was the leader.

“(As expected of my master. You were already fighting right from the start… and you knew the third son of the duke’s family?)”

“(Well, it seems like that boy admires my father, and doesn’t like people like me, so he always picks a fight with me.)”

The third son of the Duke of Hulen’s family – Raiga Huren.

An acquaintance of Adele’s, he admires the noble lineage of knights.

Because of that, he is the leader of those who hate Adele, who is a disgrace, and he always treats him as an enemy whenever they meet.

I understand how he feels, and I think it can’t be helped. But Adele thought, “I have no use for a place like this and with this much time.”

“Well, I’m here because I became a student at the academy.”

“Don’t lie!”

“What, you think I’m such a useless kid!?”

It’s true that I haven’t done anything, though.

Adele burst into tears at his immediate doubt.

“Raiga-sama, please don’t bully my master too much.”

At that moment, Elesia stepped forward to protect Adele.

She looked like a cool hero who protects the bullied. Seeing her, Adele was moved with tears streaming from his eyes.

“Elesia…”

“I’m the only one who can bully my master.”

“Elesia-san…”

Apparently, Adele didn’t have anyone on his side.

“Hmph! He probably used dirty tricks to get in anyway!”

“That’s right!”

“He must have cried and begged his siblings!”

Only a few students had seen Adele’s exam.

There may have been some here, but unfortunately no one protested to Raiga, who said it was unfair.

Even if it was just the head of the Nobles’ Association, second only to the royal family. Even though they’re in a miniature school, they probably don’t want to stand up to anyone and draw attention to themselves.

“(Hey, I don’t mind being scorned or insulted, but don’t those guys read the newspapers or anything? Am I the only one who thinks it’s okay to be a little suspicious of the Black Knight, you know?)”

“(I think the stigma surrounding Master is even stronger than that. A strong color doesn’t change no matter how many colors you add to it.)”

“(Hmm… I guess that’s how it is.)”

Adele turns away, ignoring Raiga who shouts, “Don’t ignore me!”

“H-Hey! Wait, you disgrace!”

At that moment, Raiga hurriedly stops Adele as he tries to leave.

There was no need to stop, but Adele sighs deeply and turns around.

“…What is it? It’s not like I’m going to ignore this once-in-a-lifetime confession, so there’s no problem with moving on.”

“That’s fine! We’re not done yet!”

“No, no, then let’s wait until the entrance ceremony is over at least. Are you planning on being late with all the curious gallery standing around?”

Yes, we’re talking like this, but time is running out.

To be honest, Adele has no problem with skipping classes or running away, but he knows that he has to be there at least for the entrance ceremony.

Perhaps because he realized that Adele’s words were logical, Raiga pouted in frustration.

Seeing this, Adele shrugged his shoulders and looked away───

“Ha, ha! It seems that disgrace doesn’t know the respect for me, a member of a duke family! After all, he’s playing around with a girl who ran away from a magical family!”

───The moment he was about to go, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Then,

“You can keep playing around with other losers! I’m off to the royal knight’s order— B-Guah!?”

Raiga’s head was slammed to the ground.

“……………………..!?”

The people behind him and the spectators around him who were watching were frozen by the sight before their eyes.

After all, it only took an instant. In a flash, Raiga’s head was slammed hard into the ground and he collapsed.

And──the one holding his head was the boy who was being mocked as a disgrace.

 

“You can make fun of me, but… I can’t forgive you for making fun of my partner, remember that, you idiot.”

 

♦♦♦

 

He lost my temper.

Adele’s mind was filled with a mixture of regret and relief, and a cold sweat ran down his back.

(Oh no… Adele is too aggressive…)

Elesia was mocked, so he closed the distance in an instant and slammed his head into the ground.

That attracted attention from everyone around, but there was no reaction from Raiga in his hand.

I think he’s still alive, but… I’ve definitely knocked him unconscious.

(N-no no no… Adele is an aggressive, mischievous boy, but it’s this guy who mocked Elesia who is in the wrong, and in the first place, why did he take the attack without putting up? It hurts!)

I think he simply couldn’t react to Adele’s speed, but Adele instantly let go of Raiga’s head.

“Master, are you aiming to become famous from street performances?”

Elesia slowly approaches, sighing softly.

“Causing a fuss in public like this will make you a delinquent in a day.”

“I can’t help it! They mocked Eresia, okay!? Someone important to me was made fun of!”

“……”

“Well, I try my best to avoid any actions that might make me seem like a ‘Black Knight’, but I think it’s okay to lose my temper, but they made fun of someone important to me——–”

“Please stop there!”

“Guh!?”

Elesia’s face is bright red as she covers Adele’s talkative mouth with both hands.

She’s happy to hear the word “important to him,” but she seems to want to be spared from being called that in public like this.

“M-more importantly, master. I think we should get out of here quickly.”

Elesia looks around.

The students, who had been frozen in shock at what had happened, are gradually coming to their senses and starting to get noisy.

If things continued like this, the instructors would eventually show up and the school would find out that Adele and the others were at the center of it all.

If that happened, it would be troublesome, and there’d be no doubt that there would be even more of a fuss than there is now about them being problem children so soon after enrolling.

“Okay, Elesia, you say it well! Running away is winning! What a great proverb!”

“In reality, we practically came here to run away.”

“I might as well make that my motto, it’s all that stalker reporter’s fault!!!”

Adele and the others quickly weaved through the gallery and ran to the auditorium.

Even after they’d gotten away from the group and put some distance between them, the freshmen were still buzzing.