I Became a Dark Knight in the Game

36 – The Sorcerer’s Melancholy (2)

Orisin, who was watching Armed and Kriel’s meal, thought.

‘This guy…’

Is more knowledgeable about etiquette than I thought?

He said he wasn’t a real knight, so I thought he was more like a seasoned mercenary who had eaten his share of sword meals, but that wasn’t the case.

The way he handled the cutlery was extraordinary. It was hard to say he had the face of a traditional noble, but if you said he was the head of a martial family, it was somewhat convincing.

Orisin spoke to Tuon. It was a one-on-one conversation transmitted via telepathy to avoid disturbing Armed and Kriel’s meal.

[He keeps saying he’s not a real knight… Isn’t he actually an illegitimate child of some knight family? His standard of ‘knight’ is too high. His etiquette is perfect even now.]

Tuon, seemingly satisfied with the praise for his master, opened his mouth without much complaint, which was rare.

[Of course.]

[Huh.]

[The current dining etiquette of the master follows my guidance. It’s rewarding to teach.]

So, that little blade kid is giving remote dining etiquette lectures.

Crazy.

Orisin felt a headache from his long-severed head, which he shouldn’t have been able to feel.

Tuon’s words carried a certain sense of pride, making it even more absurd. What exactly is this guy’s identity?

Could Gratouon’s sword spirit possess such knowledge of dining etiquette? Considering the number of corpses Gratouon had consumed, it wasn’t impossible to rule out. After all, Gratouon must have slain hundreds of nobles on the battlefield.

But the question remained whether this ‘Tuon’ sword spirit truly originated from Gratouon. It seemed more like something else born from Gratouon as a material rather than Gratouon itself.

A dark knight trying to distance himself from the abyss, a decapitated spirit (or what used to be one), and now a sword spirit with an unknown origin.

They were indeed a peculiar bunch.

*

Following Tuon’s instructions, which were chattering in his mind, Criel adjusted his grip on the cutlery. Although he had some rudimentary knowledge of the order of using cutlery in such formal dinners from his time on Earth, it was nothing compared to a professional instructor.

Armed, who had grown up in the Count of Kett’s household, also brightened his eyes.

“You used to eat so recklessly during your mercenary days. Did you get knighted properly somewhere?”

He asked nonchalantly, but underlying it was a hope that ‘please, don’t let him have been knighted anywhere.’ No matter how estranged a child might be, her marriage would inevitably have a significant impact on the power dynamics within the Count’s household.

If Criel was still a wandering knight, that would be enough. The other two heirs would dismiss it as their sister bringing home a lowly partner, as per her eccentric nature.

However, if Criel were the head of a knightly order from another noble family within the empire, there would be a risk of that family’s influence being projected onto the Kett family through Armed. Even if Armed himself insisted he had no interest in such vulgar power games, they would try their hardest to ruin it.

Criel responded calmly.

“What? Do you have a hobby of observing others eat?”

“Hmph. Who are you accusing of being such a vulgar voyeur? Eating is essential for maintaining combat strength. Throughout my mercenary life, I watched not only you but also the meals of all the troops under our mercenary command.”

Armed’s fluent, but somehow too fast, response poured out. Criel was reminded of the military from his time on Earth by that answer.

The term ‘maintaining combat strength.’ Familiar phrases like meal discipline and how skipping meals had a detrimental impact on maintaining combat strength. It seemed that the perception of ‘eating well to fight well’ was similar in both Tirnanog and Earth.

“I see. I am still a wandering knight. Although I was unintentionally captured by the Western Army, I am about to be discharged soon.”

“Western Army?”

Armed frowned. Well, he wasn’t affiliated with any family. It was fortunate that he would be discharged soon.

How did he end up being dragged to such a remote place dealing with the three great calamities? Perhaps he drifted into the Western Army while wielding his sword to save others.

“Well, if that’s the case, then fine.”

This subtle answer. Orishin wanted to find some snacks to chew on. Sharing the same table was originally a great symbol of trust.

The term ‘family’ (食口) meaning ‘eating together’ wasn’t there for no reason. At the same time, asking about Criel’s knighthood was subtly roundabout but essentially inquiring about the current employment relationship.

Having shared a meal meant ‘I trust you enough to eat the same food,’ and discussing the employment relationship afterward was a metaphor for ‘do you have any intention of relying on me?’

[This guy is shooting a chivalric romance with only his neck left….]

While Orishin was muttering to himself, a commotion was heard outside the room. The footsteps were more frivolous than cheerful. The sound of things bumping into each other.

Bang, the door opened.

“Oh, Lady Armed Kett! I heard you prepared a luncheon for me! Although I am late─”

A blond young man with an impression that could be described by combining the words ‘nobleman’ and ‘rookie’ and then splitting them in half appeared. Kett’s expression twisted at the uninvited guest’s appearance.

“Ah, damn.”

“W-what?!”

“I don’t remember sending you an invitation. Didn’t you hear from the reception that there’s no place for you here?”

The blond young man called Mazar looked around with a rather bewildered expression. He saw Kriel idly chewing on some grass.

The flavor of the asparagus, served as a garnish for the lamb steak, was quite excellent. Mazar’s eyebrows twitched as he watched Kriel continue his meal without even glancing at him.

“Who is that? Miss Ket. Is he a new patron of your academy? But no matter who comes, no one can surpass Mazar Gavi─”

Ket snapped her fingers. An unnatural wind swept over Mazar’s body. A disgraceful sound of “Uwaah?!” echoed, and he was dragged out of the room by the wind.

The door then locked. The sound of the lock clicking repeatedly was a delicate harmony of magic.

“Oh. Have you improved?”

Kriel admired the skill. When he last saw Armed at the Ket estate, her magic wasn’t at this level.

Her combat style was to mercilessly project massive firepower. Such delicate control was far from her usual approach.

She would either appropriately evacuate allies before attacking or use an explosion to announce the start of the battle and overwhelm the enemy.

It seemed that Armed’s skills had significantly improved during the time Kriel hadn’t seen her.

Armed, who was about to explain about Mazar, felt somewhat deflated upon hearing the admiration. Wasn’t it clearly a conversation with some unusual circumstances?

And yet, the comment was “Your magic skills have improved.”

Compliments are always nice to hear, but shouldn’t they be given at the right time and place?

“Yes. I’ve improved. Abyssal prevention research isn’t something that can be done with just strength.”

There were a few truths not contained in her words. For example, the sense of helplessness she felt when she saw Kriel collapsed after fighting the Wraith King.

“Indeed, impressive.”

Kriel left it at that and picked up his knife again.

Feeling increasingly absurd, Armed spoke first.

“Hey. Aren’t you going to ask anything? Like who that Mazar guy was, or what our relationship is?”

“Why pry into what others don’t want to talk about?”

It was hard to tell if it was consideration or indifference. Just as Armed was about to feel a bit lonely, Kriel continued.

“It must be the result of your family’s interference. You declared that you would withdraw from the succession dispute, but whether your family believes that is another matter. Are they trying to completely separate you from the family under the pretext of marriage?”

“Huh?”

It was a rather accurate analysis. Kriel swallowed a piece of lamb with marmalade.

“It wouldn’t have been easy to find a suitable fiancé for your disposition… Perhaps they appeared as a patron of the Abyssal Prevention Academy, provided some funds, and then suddenly closed their purse and said something like ‘Let’s get married and make the academy prosper.'”

Armed’s expression alternated between admiration and bewilderment in real-time. Kriel felt a strange sense of satisfaction at the clear reaction.

“How did you know? Did you come after hearing the news or something…”

What should I call this? Kriel decided to use the universal excuse.

“A knight’s duty is not only to fight on the front lines. Advising the lord to make the right choices by understanding the situation is also a knight’s role. This level of political sense is a basic virtue.”

To be honest, most of it was thanks to dramas.

There were quite a few dramas he had watched during his time on Earth.