Chapter 35: Knight Attendant⑫ – The Subordinate Knight
Haiyaan’s purpose was fulfilled, but we decided to bring him along under the condition that he remain quiet.
I was summoned to a small conference room — though “small” was relative. It was still formal and grandly built.
At the head seat sat a tall man with the back of a black panther and a white beard like Santa Claus.
He wasn’t dressed flashily, but his robe had an air of dignity.
He was Alhazard Abramelin, the Grand Guildmaster of the Grand Guild.
He’s really a black panther… Why a black panther, though? He must be a beastman, right?
They say he’s lived for over 600 years. What a mystery.
And there were the witches — Shiro, Chive, and Munieka.
No one else was present. Huh?
“Let me formally greet you again, Wof.”
“Y-yes. Pleased to meet you.”
Alhazard glanced once at the rabbit sitting on my shoulder, then continued speaking without any visible reaction.
Incredible. He doesn’t ask questions. Completely composed. So this is the Grand Guildmaster!
“Now then. Except for Narcissus, who declined, I’ve gathered those who chose you. I too have declined, leaving only four remaining.”
“Y-yes.”
“Frankly speaking, this is unprecedented. Nothing like this has ever happened before.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, no, there’s nothing for you to apologize for. In fact, you should be proud.”
“Uh… sure.”
There’s nothing to be proud of, though… Still, what kind of joke is this?
Probably the witches’ doing, though who knows what they’re thinking.
“Now, let’s get to the main topic — the Knight Attendant, Have you heard anything about it?”
Alhazard asked gently.
“Just that it’s like a personal attendant for a First-Class Explorer, and that they share the same quarters.”
“That’s right. And that’s entirely accurate.”
“Eh?”
“In the past, the Knight Attendant held an important role. Many aimed to become First-Class Explorers. They served and learned directly under them — in short, they were the retainers of First-Class Explorers. But nowadays, the Knight Attendant is merely an honorary title. The ‘preference sheets’ for it are just part of the entertainment value of the Great of Rounds. The nicknames given to Second-Class Explorers are similar in spirit. Still, we do enjoy the tradition. And though it’s honorary, the Knight Attendant still gains the benefit of being close to a First-Class Explorer.”
In my case, my teacher is a witch, and somehow all these First-Class Explorers ended up around me.
It’s extravagant, but I don’t see what benefit there is. Still, I didn’t realize it was an honorary title.
The witch interjected when he finished speaking.
“Sooo, why did you call just us four together?”
“Shiro’s not satisfied.”
“You’re not telling us to fight it out for him, are you?”
“If that’s the case, I’ll have to take things seriously.”
“After much discussion, we concluded that deciding on just one would be impossible.”
Well, that’s understandable. None of these four look like they’d back down.
So what are they going to do?
“Hmm hmm. So what’s the solution, then?”
“Follow me. I’ll show you.”
Alhazard began walking, and we followed as instructed.
We arrived at one of the guest rooms in the lodging area.
Inside, there were four beds.
We immediately understood. Ah, so that’s how it is.
Alhazard said:
“This too is unprecedented, but we’ve decided to make one Knight Attendant shared by four people.”
“Oh ho. So you compromised, huh.”
“At first, we considered rotating one per day, but that was deemed… unhealthy.”
“Yeah, I can see why.”
“Not ideal.”
“I personally wouldn’t mind.”
“It was also pointed out that having guild staff rotate around the same honorary position was wasteful.”
That does sound like a lot of unnecessary trouble.
“So, since it’s an honorary title anyway, you decided to group them together, huh.”
“Exactly. Saves both manpower and effort.”
“Logical.”
“A sound decision, indeed.”
“Well, it’s not much different from the witches’ house, is it?”
“We did live together before.”
“Up until yesterday, actually.”
“Though we weren’t this close in distance.”
One of them said, sitting on a bed.
“That’s all. The rest is up to you. Interact as you like.”
Alhazard said this and began to leave the room.
Then, the rabbit who had been quiet until now spoke.
“Sir, may I ask one thing?”
“What is it, Rabbit?”
“Haiyaan. That form of yours — is it the Talisman’s mischief?”
The Talisman’s mischief? Alhazard smiled faintly.
“Indeed. ‘The Talisman’s Eternal Egg’… a price I paid in my youth.”
“Do you still have the egg?”
“No. What I drank was the bottle.”
“I see.”
An egg? A bottle? Don’t tell me…
“Was that all you wished to ask?”
“Yes. My apologies.”
“No need. Though, your form — is that also the Talisman’s doing?”
“No. This is a replacement.”
“Ah, that’s a relief. I was worried I might end up like that someday.”
“Nothing more will happen. You won’t turn completely into a black panther.”
“I’m glad to hear it. My thanks, Alchemist.”
Haiyaan smiled faintly.
“Just one more thing — the egg’s whereabouts?”
“Let’s just say… I’m still searching for it.”
“I see.”
“Of course. Its potential danger cannot be ignored.”
“Good.”
Hayaan seemed satisfied.
That egg — could it be those three eggs…?
“The Holy Elixir Egg” and the Other Two
The Elixir — I have that one. It’s still tucked away deep in my pouch.
The Talisman, huh? What kind of egg could that be?
“Now then, Wof.”
“Yes?”
“I look forward to seeing your continued efforts — both as an explorer, and as a challenger.”
“Y-yes. I’ll do my best.”
Challenger? What’s that supposed to mean?
Alhazard left the room.
What is going on? Is my name spreading and acting on its own somewhere without me?
Well… whatever. For now, I just need to focus.
I turned to the witch.
“Witch. What exactly is going on here?”
“What’s what? Everything’s just as old Abramelin said.”
“Not that. I mean about Shiro-san.”
“Hm? What about her?”
“What’s wrong with Shiro?”
“Hmm hmm, what’s this about now?”
Wait—she’s not pretending ignorance? So this isn’t the witch’s doing?
“I mean…”
I look at her.
That pure-white girl, staring blankly back at me—
“You’re not Shiro-san, are you? Who are you?”
Because she isn’t Shiro-san.
I’m completely certain of it.
Who is this?
“Wha— not Shiro?”
“Oh my, oh my, I see, I see.”
“Wof-kun, what are you talking about? That’s not a very funny joke.”
The thing wearing Shiro’s face smiled faintly.
Even Hayaan sounded uneasy.
“Wof. Are you certain?”
“No mistake. That’s not Shiro-san.”
“What are you saying? What kind of act is this? Chive.”
In response, Chive drew her beautiful jade-colored curved blade and held it to Shiro’s throat.
“What kind of act, you ask? Isn’t it obvious?”
“You’re really trusting what Wof says?”
“Fufufu… you’ve given yourself away, haven’t you? Shiro wouldn’t say something like that. And of course I believe him. I have to believe him. Because Wof boy would never accuse anyone of that lightly. If he says it, it means it’s true. Which means you’re a fake — ‘Thousand Faces.’”
As soon as the witch said that, the impostor wearing Shiro’s form sighed.
Her body twisted and warped, and then her shape melted away.
“I give up, I give up. Didn’t think I’d be found out so fast, de gesu.”
De gesu? No way— that voice! That strange, slightly raspy androgynous tone!
Before us stood a small figure, wrapped in a filthy robe with a hood pulled low.
A long-beaked bird mask — like the plague doctor masks from my previous life — hid their face.
“Nice to meet you, Sir Wof, the one who brought down the Unconquerable Fortress.
I am most humbly called Thousand Faces, a lowly seat among the First-Class Explorers, de gesu.”
“I didn’t bring down anything, though!”
…What happened to “the challenger” part again?