Published: January 4, 2026
“Ugh, hmm…”
“You’re awake.”
“Huh—?”
The woman suddenly sat up and looked around, her eyes darting nervously.
She had a confused expression, as if she didn’t understand what had happened to her.
Most of the onlookers who had gathered had already dispersed.
We had laid her down under the eaves of a nearby teahouse and had Jiji tend to her, so she regained consciousness surprisingly quickly.
“Who are you?”
“You should be grateful to this person. He’s the benefactor who saved you,” said the teahouse landlady, a kindly-looking middle-aged woman, before returning to her busy customers.
“Saved… me?”
“How much do you remember?”
“The fight… ah, the attack when I let my guard down.”
“That man had his comrades secretly attack you.”
“How cowardly!”
The woman spat out the words in anger.
“I won’t deny it was cowardly, but you were also too careless.”
“Ugh…”
“Why were you even doing that in the first place? No matter who the opponent was, you didn’t intend to lose, right?”
“Can you tell…?”
I chuckled softly.
It felt like she didn’t say the next part, but I could almost hear her thinking, “A kid like you?”
“You can tell just by watching.”
This time, her eyes held a wary look — like she thought I wasn’t ordinary.
“If he meant to do something, he would have done it while you were unconscious.”
“…That’s true.”
“So, why were you doing that?”
“…Because I didn’t have travel expenses.”
“Travel expenses?”
She nodded, her face twisted as if tasting something bitter, and began to explain.
“I came to the capital this year for the knight selection, but I didn’t make it. I thought it was a mistake, so I stayed in the city and asked around. While waiting for the investigation, my funds ran out. At this rate, I wouldn’t be able to return to my hometown, so I did what I did…”
“Wait, that doesn’t make sense.”
When she admitted she failed the knight selection, she looked down, crestfallen. But when I spoke, she quickly raised her head and glared at me angrily.
“What do you mean it doesn’t make sense?”
“Don’t be mad, that’s not what I mean. I saw your skills just now. Someone with your ability shouldn’t have failed the selection.”
Even considering that the opponent was just some random guy in the city, her skills were impressive.
She was on par with Shirley, the only knight I had recruited.
Failing despite that? Unthinkable.
“I thought so too. So I asked around through connections. Then, I was able to meet with the tenth prince, the examiner. The prince said, if you’re a woman, well…”
She hesitated and blushed deeply.
Her expression was neither shame nor anger.
“Ah, enough. I get the gist.”
I knew the tenth prince well — he was my older brother.
He was the type to be blunt and straightforward, likely telling her to offer her body just because she was a woman.
That was his personality.
After thinking briefly, I asked her,
“Do you still want to become a knight?”
“Of course. I plan to come next year, too. No matter how many years it takes, I will become a knight through my own strength.”
“Then there’s no need to rush back to your hometown.”
“Huh?”
I took a small pouch from my pocket and handed it to her.
“What’s this… money?”
“100 Liens. Enough to stay in the capital for about a year.”
“Eh…?”
“Jiji, aren’t there some unoccupied houses on Tyler Street?”
“Yes, master.”
Jiji, who had been quietly standing behind me, answered.
“Dylan, arrange for one of those houses to be used by her.”
“Understood.”
“W-what does this mean?”
She looked confused, still unable to grasp what was happening to her.
“Stay in the capital. You’ll get information about the knight selection more easily here and be better prepared.”
“No, I mean, why are you giving me this…”
“I’m a patron to several people. I like those who want to prove themselves by skill, not by relying on their weapons or other shortcuts.”
“…”
She was stunned for a moment.