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After a hearty breakfast, I headed to the Knight’s training ground. Diana, who was trying to follow me as usual, was left to another maid.

It was difficult to keep the child from wanting to follow me, but Diana pouted and nodded when she came back and read the princess’ fairy tale book and I promised to let her touch my hair as much as she wanted before bed.

Looking into the eyes of a tearful child, I felt weak, but I couldn’t help it.

‘I’m going to take care of the little guinea pigs myself.’

It’s something that will sort itself out over time, but I wanted Jack to be comfortable as soon as possible, even for just a day.

Even though Jack is close to his original position, seeing him suffer like that somehow made me feel a strange sense of responsibility for bringing him into the Duke’s Castle.

And when I arrived at the place, I realized that I had timed it very well.

“You bastard! Why are you touching our wooden swords!”

“Lord Valerie said that you’re different from us who’ll become knights even with the same sect!”

“That’s right. Who would take something like you as a disciple? Oh, I don’t know if it’s Taze who used to roll as a mercenary.”

“Haha! What’s with those eyes! Are you saying you want to fight with us now?”

Five or six children were circling Jack. There were also other groups of children from afar, but they only looked at them and didn’t seem to want to stop them.

I had a rough idea of what the situation was like in the Knights.

The children surrounding Jack seemed to eat well and were taller, just slightly taller, and had a good physique.

Although he didn’t eat properly and was skinny, in my eyes, Jack was still the strongest in the orphanage, and here he was a pitiful boy.

“Jack!”

Seeing the oldest of them push Jack to the floor, I sprinted away. Jack, sprawling on the floor, noticed me and gave me a look of dismay.

“Why are you here again?” Jack asked.

“I came here because of this!” Lia immediately answered.

“Huh, what else is this? There was another beggar, right?”

I could feel the children around us scouring me up and down.

“A group of cowards harassing one person? Do you still think you deserve to be called honorable knights?”

It was me who had a war of nerves with Jade and my other colleagues in the guild. This much doesn’t even make me blink.

The faces of the children, who were chatting unpleasantly, hardened when they heard me speak ridiculously with sarcastic remarks and squinting at them.

After all, they are the sons of nobles, and I am a commoner, so there’s a difference in status, but so what?

“And what? Taze? Sir Sedian was knighted by the Duke himself and received his title and surname. Are you ignoring the Duke’s order now?” Lia refuted.

As if in disbelief, they covered their mouths with their hands as their eyes widened, and the children’s eyes shook violently.

“Huh, we’re not like that…!”

“He was from a commoner. He was a mercenary who killed any villager for money!”

“So what? Is there any way to prevent commoners and mercenaries from becoming knights?”

The children shut their mouths at my words.

Of course, there’s no such law. It’s just that it’s not common. 

Unlike aristocrats, who started swordsmanship from a young age and could learn in-depth whenever they wanted, commoners who were busy living day by day were not given a chance from the beginning.

However, it’s ridiculous that the title of knight itself is a relic of the aristocracy.

“Hmph! If you dream of becoming a knight, you have to be human. Well, at least you guys can’t keep up with Jack.”

It was when I clenched my fists and smashed the little minds of these punks.

“Hey, what are you doing now…?”

Allen, bewildered, walked towards us.

I quickly hid my fist behind my back. I didn’t pretend to be nice on purpose, but I thought it would be better to look like a docile child to stay by Diana’s side.

“That bastard. What’s so great about him? They’re not worth a fist? Can you take responsibility for those words?”

Allen was on the verge to get Jack and the other servants to join him at any moment.

I panicked and quickly raised my fist again and said, “I mean it’s less than a fist away from you, not Jack?”

“…”

Whoosh—

Allen, who was angry, and the children, who were at their peak, were silent for a moment.

After a while, Allen asked, confused, “…What?”

When I followed his gaze and saw my fist so small that it bounced off 

“Hmm…”

He thought I was bluffing for some reason, so I came up with a good idea while making a fuss.