IHDOE Ch 14

Satina stepped outside the mansion with Katan.

Snow that fell at dawn remained uncleared, leaving the road a slushy mess. She shifted her steps carefully to avoid stepping into melted slush puddles.

[Katan] "Excuse me."

At that moment, Katan suddenly grabbed her waist and lifted her. Surprised, she looked at him as he spoke with an expressionless face.

[Katan] "The melting snow leaves the path filthy. A misstep might freeze your feet."

[Satina] "You are getting soaked too."

[Katan] "I am fine. I am accustomed to such things."

His worn shoes quickly soaked through, turning into a mess, yet he paid no mind. Only after passing the water puddle did he set her down carefully on the ground.

Satina looked at his shoes with a dissatisfied face.

[Satina] "Don't do this again going forward."

[Katan] "Did it make you uncomfortable?"

[Satina] "No, your feet are completely soaked. What if you get frostbite?"

[Katan] "The human body is sturdier than expected. Frostbite will not set in from something like this."

[Satina] "Still."

[Katan] "Are you upset?"

[Satina] "Yes."

[Katan] "Why?"

She raised her eyes and answered.

[Satina] "Because I am caring for you right now."

From her perspective, it meant she felt upset because a person under her care ended up like this, but Katan interpreted her words differently.

[Katan] "I understand. I didn't intend to damage my master's property."

[Liv] "Katan's Affection increased by 1."

Satina deliberated whether to correct his words, but since Affection rose, she left it alone.

Soon the two arrived at a weapon shop.

Looking at the array of swords and shields lined up, Katan wore a puzzled expression. His gaze fell upon Satina's delicate arms—too fragile to swing a sword even once.

His face held complete bewilderment as to why she came here, but judging that a slave must not question a master's words, he remained silent.

Satina looked at the swords and spoke.

[Satina] "Pick one."

[Katan] "Me?"

[Satina] "Yes. You will be using it, so naturally you should choose."

[Katan] "……Are you saying you will buy a weapon for me?"

He asked back with disbelief on his face. Understandably so.

Normally, owners never handed slaves edged weapons that could serve as arms like swords. If a slave harbored hidden motives and attacked the master, trouble would follow.

Of course, a powerful magic mark carved into Katan could take his neck at any moment, yet granting a slave a weapon like a sword was hardly a thought an ordinary person would entertain.

[Satina] "And I will buy a training manual as well, so train with the sword on days when I assign no particular duties."

[Katan] "Train with the sword?"

[Satina] "Yes, you possess a talent for battle, so you will master the sword quickly."

Ideally, entrusting him as a squire to the family knighthood for proper training would be better, but Sharlan would never permit it.

So I should make him self-study first to get him into the knighthood later.

For an ordinary person, training alone with a sword to enter a knighthood was impossible, but Katan's talent seen in the game would make it achievable.

[Katan] "I have never used a sword."

[Satina] "I know well that you are strong with bare hands, Katan, but you must become accustomed to using a sword going forward."

[Katan] "Why is that?"

He asked with innocent eyes.

[Satina] "Because I intend to make you a knight."

Light flickered in his eyes. He asked back in utter disbelief.

[Katan] "A knight? Me?"

[Satina] "Yes."

Becoming a knight required more than just brute strength.

Achieving knighthood demanded martial prowess as a given, mastery of military tactics and etiquette, and dedication to a noble family for a set period to secure character references.

Because becoming a knight carried such strict requirements, various benefits followed, one being quasi-noble status the moment one attained knighthood.

If a knight performed distinguished service on the battlefield and caught the Emperor's or a high noble's eye, becoming true nobility was possible.

In short, becoming a knight offered a commoner the fastest and simplest path to nobility.

The more Satina spoke, the more confused Katan appeared. His gaze revealed a complete inability to comprehend why she assigned such tasks to a mere slave like him.

Yet she didn't act without reason either.

Whether he possesses a sword or not, if he resolves to kill me, I die.

Satina recalled Katan gripping a grown man's neck with bare hands and snapping it.

A lady of a ducal house and a slave. On the surface, who held superiority seemed clear, but Satina understood her position well.

I am the weak one in this relationship.

To survive, she had to earn Katan's favor. She needed to raise his Affection and target him.

Katan obeys my commands right now because he knows obeying my orders brings profit.

He was no loyal dog serving a master, but an untamable wild beast.

Even if Sharlan recognized Katan's talent and took him in, or if someone promised him freedom, Katan would abandon her and flee without hesitation, just as he did in the game.

So I must show him that listening to me remains profitable for now.

A position that aimed beyond simple freedom to a noble title itself. For a slave like Katan, such a rise in status was rare.

Plus, I can use this for the upcoming event as well.

[Katan] "……May I ask the reason why you intend to make me a knight?"

He asked in a low voice. His low, raspy voice sounded like a leashed beast growling.

Well, how should I explain the reason?

Because I don't want to die by your hands, because I want to prevent your betrayal, because I……

She could answer none of those truthfully. So she chose to act like an arrogant noble lady as usual.

[Satina] "Because I want to see the gem I chose stand at the very top."

[Katan] "I am a slave. I was a slave from birth. I am not someone worthy of being called a gem."

[Satina] "Treating what everyone calls a gem as a gem holds no entertainment, does it?"

She whispered to him.

[Satina] "How many knights in the ducal house could you not defeat?"

Likely very few. His abilities were that outstanding.

[Satina] "Become a knight. Break those arrogant knights to prove my choice was right."

She reached out, stroking his cheek.

[Satina] "You can do it, right, Katan?"

He remained silent, lost in thought for a moment. Soon, he pressed his cheek against her hand.

[Katan] "Yes, if my master commands."

---

The two bought the sword and exited the weapon shop.

[Katan] "I will work hard to ensure I don't disappoint my master."

Though not a particularly expensive item, Katan cradled the sword Satina bought him tightly against his chest as if it were a holy sword.

[Katan] "Shall we return directly to the mansion?"

[Satina] "Hmm—. No. I must buy your training manual too."

And someone I need to meet exists as well. It should be time for him to appear soon……

As she walked slowly, he spoke.

[Katan] "Master, I feel eyes watching us."

[Satina] "How many?"

[Katan] "One person. He has followed us continuously since we left the weapon shop."

Good, the expected guest seems to have arrived.

[Satina] "Can you beat him?"

[Katan] "If I don't use the sword, it is possible."

[Satina] "Then let us lure him into an alleyway I spotted earlier."

[Katan] "Understood."

They redirected their steps from the bookstore into an alleyway. It was dark with little sunlight, and many spots remained uncleared of snow.

Satina ventured deeper into the narrow alleyway.

Bustling people vanished one by one until only they both remained on the street, at which point a faint squeaking rat sound resonated from somewhere.

CRASH!

Before Satina could even process the movement, something slammed against a nearby wall with a loud crash.

Turning her head, a rat beastkin wearing a large hunting cap pulled low, lying slammed against the wall. In his hand, he held a slender, sharp dagger approximately thirty centimeters long.

His apparent intent to attack Satina with it had met a swift counterattack from Katan beside her.

[B. Assassin] "Ugh, damn it! I heard he was strong, but he is no joke."

[Katan] "What kind of bastard are you? Why are you attacking my master?"

Katan stepped in front of Satina and demanded.

[B. Assassin] "What kind of bastard am I? This is why I hate nobles. Nobles forget what they did completely, blaming only us."

He adjusted his grip on the dagger tightly. In the process, his face—hidden beneath the cap—glimpsed briefly.

Grey hair and brown eyes. A large scar running across his face gave a rough, wicked impression, but otherwise, his cute features called to mind someone back at the mansion.

[Satina] "That face is……"

[B. Assassin] "Aha, right. Seeing this face helps you realize why I came, doesn't it?"

Spitting onto the ground, he spoke.

[B. Assassin] "Attempting escape is useless. No matter how grand you nobles are, you have only one life, right? And this is our territory."

Between the narrow gaps of the alleyway, rat beastkin emerged one by one.

[B. Assassin] "Hand over my younger brother, you bastards."

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