MTO C111
by berryChapter 111
“Everyone!”
“Stop this at once—!”
“If you’re so worried about me, then just take me with you!”
The moment Kaidan grabbed Michel by the shoulders, Michel shouted right back.
He refused to let Kaidan take control of the conversation.
Victory belonged to whoever seized the initiative first.
The instant you showed even the slightest opening…
A kick would come flying in, and the match would be over.
“If protecting me is your duty, then do it.”
“Take me with you.”
“Keep me by your side.”
“How are you supposed to protect someone you can’t even see?”
Michel fired off the words without taking a single breath.
For the briefest moment, uncertainty flickered in Kaidan’s eyes.
Michel reached up and grabbed Kaidan’s forearm.
He didn’t try to shake him off.
Instead…
It somehow ended up looking as though Michel was the one holding Kaidan in place.
“A truly skilled knight should be able to protect someone wherever they are.”
“I thought you were the strongest knight in the kingdom.”
“……”
“Or…”
“Are you saying you aren’t confident you can protect even one person?”
“Y-Your Holiness…”
Seeing Michel’s provocations growing increasingly dangerous, several anxious knights finally stepped forward.
Before they could intervene, Kaidan released Michel and raised one hand.
It was a signal to stop.
Every knight froze in place.
“You’re right.”
Kaidan never took his eyes off Michel.
His voice remained low and pleasant to the ear.
Yet today…
It carried an unsettling chill.
“I don’t have the right to defy the Saint’s will.”
“Do I?”
Michel remained silent.
He had no desire whatsoever to wield the authority of the Saint.
But if he had to…
He would.
For this matter alone…
He needed Kaidan to fully recognize what it meant for him to be the Saint.
Only then could he find the dragon…
And protect the peace of Valois.
The two stared at one another stubbornly.
In the end…
Kaidan was the first to yield.
“We leave in four days.”
“Until then…”
“Don’t make my life any more difficult.”
In other words…
He was allowing Michel to accompany them.
Michel’s face instantly lit up.
“Tha—”
He barely managed to begin thanking him before Kaidan turned and strode out of the training grounds.
His pace made it obvious he had no desire to exchange another word.
Watching Kaidan’s sulking back disappear into the distance, Michel clicked his tongue.
If we’re going together anyway…
Couldn’t he at least pretend to be happy about it?
Still…
He had accomplished his goal.
He had loudly declared that he would go alone if necessary.
But the truth was…
He had absolutely no confidence in wandering monster-infested mountains by himself.
If Kaidan had still refused, Michel had intended to hire mercenaries.
Even so…
Traveling with the Knights of House Eglance was infinitely more reassuring.
“Your Holiness.”
Michel turned toward the familiar voice.
The knights who had been cheering and marveling while he rode the horse were now staring at him with expressions of utter horror.
David, in particular, looked as though he had been handed an unsolvable puzzle.
“Since when…”
“Have the two of you started speaking so informally with each other?”
Only then did Michel realize what had happened.
In front of everyone…
He and Kaidan had completely abandoned formal speech while shouting at one another.
The one person who could have helped explain the situation had stormed off in anger.
Now…
Cleaning up the mess fell entirely to Michel.
As always…
He chose to laugh it off.
“Well…”
“One thing led to another.”
“Haha…”
“Anyway!”
“It looks like I’ll be joining the expedition to the Dragon’s Waist.”
“I look forward to working with all of you.”
Michel bowed deeply.
The knights awkwardly bowed back.
It was obvious they all had countless questions.
Yet they merely exchanged meaningful glances.
No one dared ask them aloud.
The following day…
While Michel was training by himself, David came to find him.
He announced that, until the expedition departed, he would personally teach Michel horseback riding and weapon handling.
“His Grace ordered me to turn Your Holiness into an excellent cavalryman.”
“There are only three days left…”
“But don’t worry too much.”
“As you know…”
“I’m quite talented at teaching.”
David gave him a playful wink.
For Michel…
It was wonderful news.
Deep down, he’d been worried Kaidan might change his mind and leave without him.
The fact that Kaidan had instructed David to train him meant he’d truly accepted Michel’s participation.
At the same time…
Michel felt slightly embarrassed.
So everyone already knew I couldn’t ride a horse…
“Now then.”
“This will be your weapon.”
David handed him a small hand axe.
It was light enough to wield comfortably with one hand.
Yet its edge was frighteningly sharp.
It looked capable of cleaving through almost anything with the slightest touch.
Normally, it rested in a sheath attached to the belt.
The leather loop around its handle also made it much easier to grip securely.
Holding the axe…
Michel gave it a few experimental swings.
“Do you think I could kill a yeti with this?”
“Haha.”
“Absolutely not.”
David laughed.
“I’m teaching you to use a weapon only to prevent accidents.”
“Not because I expect you to hunt monsters.”
“His Grace undoubtedly feels the same.”
“So under no circumstances are you to do anything reckless.”
“Reckless?”
“Like suddenly deciding…”
‘I think I can beat that monster!’
“And charging at it.”
“……”
Michel stared at David in disbelief.
What exactly did everyone think of him?
He was nearly thirty years old.
Surely he could distinguish between situations where he should step in…
And situations where he absolutely shouldn’t.
So surely…
He could at least handle a single yeti—
“Absolutely not.”
David’s eyes widened sharply.
It was almost as though he’d read Michel’s mind.
Michel grinned innocently and shrugged in an attempt to prove his innocence.
David remained completely unconvinced.
“To begin with…”
“The only thing you’d manage to chop with this axe…”
“Would be a yeti’s big toe.”
“That’s all?”
“Don’t say ‘that’s all.’”
“Even so…”
“If the worst happens…”
“It may save your life.”
“So treasure it.”
Michel nodded and fastened the axe to his belt.
Then he patted the sheath reassuringly.
“But why an axe?”
“Don’t you usually use a sword?”
“Normally…”
“People carry daggers for self-defense.”
“But His Grace told me…”
“That swords don’t seem to get along very well with Your Holiness.”
Michel immediately remembered his sword lessons with Kaidan.
During the very first lesson…
He had let go of his sword and ended up with a lump on his forehead.
After that…
He had attended several more lessons alongside Heart.
Yet whenever it mattered…
The sword somehow slipped from his hands.
Every single time.
Eventually…
Kaidan had forbidden him from attending any more classes.
Michel had been a little disappointed.
But Heart had also seemed uncomfortable with his presence.
So he accepted it.
Father and son deserved time together.
Would an axe really be any different?
At least the leather strap meant he was less likely to fling it away by accident.
David explained that Kaidan himself had visited the blacksmith yesterday to order the weapon specifically for Michel.
Even while overwhelmed with preparations…
Kaidan had quietly taken care of things behind the scenes.
Michel couldn’t help feeling guilty.
I really was too harsh on him yesterday.
I’ll thank him later.
But first…
He needed to thank David.
“David.”
“Thank you for helping me even though you’re busy.”
“I’ll do my best to learn.”
“I don’t want to hold the knights back.”
“You don’t need to think that way.”
David smiled.
“Your Holiness joining the expedition has already raised the morale of the entire Knights of House Eglance higher than it’s ever been.”
Michel blinked.
David continued.
“Isn’t this expedition about fulfilling God’s will?”
“The moment everyone heard that the Saint had received a divine revelation…”
“They all volunteered.”
“Even knights who had only just returned from months-long assignments.”
“Oh…”
“I think they’re just very responsible.”
“That’s kind of you to say.”
“But this time…”
“The credit truly belongs to you.”
“For a knight…”
“Honor is everything.”
“No knight would refuse a chance to take part in an honorable mission.”
“And besides…”
“With the Saint accompanying us…”
“Everyone believes God’s blessing will watch over the expedition.”
“They’re convinced this will be the safest mission we’ve ever undertaken.”
Michel suddenly felt as though the weight on his shoulders might drive him into the ground.
Apparently…
After yesterday’s incident with the horse…
The knights’ expectations had only grown.
Certainly…
What had happened wasn’t ordinary.
But who could say with absolute certainty that it hadn’t all been coincidence?
Still…
This is good.
Knowing the knights genuinely welcomed his presence made him feel much more at ease.
Michel became even more determined.
Before departure…
He would master both riding and weapon handling.
After giving Michel only a basic introduction to the hand axe, David led over a horse.
Since the knights would be handling the monsters anyway…
Learning to ride properly was the greater priority.
It was the very same horse Michel had ridden yesterday.
This time…
No miracle occurred.
Instead…
Michel began learning, step by step, how to communicate with the horse.
Sitting in the saddle still felt awkward.
But having ridden once before…
He improved surprisingly quickly.
Seeing Michel maintain a stable posture, David simply walked beside him while matching the horse’s pace.
Eventually…
Michel was even able to chat casually while riding.
“While I was away…”
“It seems the two of you became quite close.”
“Hm?”
“You and His Grace.”
“Oh…”
“Well…”
“We’ve been staying at Castle Eglance for quite a while now.”
Michel concentrated on keeping himself from leaning too far forward.
Because of that…
He failed to notice David’s expression.
“Hm.”
“You shouldn’t be too upset with His Grace.”
“About what?”
“You know perfectly well how dangerous the Dragon’s Waist is.”
“No one would willingly drag the person they love into a place like that.”
Only then did Michel finally turn to look at him.
For some reason…
David was wearing an extraordinarily amused smile.
Michel’s brain, unusually enough, began working at lightning speed.
The person they love…?