A Failed Knight Who Went to the Academy To Get Married

001. Efforts for Betrayal

“Hand over everything you have.”

A young boy threatened a noble girl in a dimly lit alley.

He thought she would be scared if he pressed a dagger to her throat,

but the girl muttered nonchalantly,

“Robbers in such a small town, how unusual.”

The moment the boy brandished the dagger threateningly,

the girl grabbed his arm and twisted it.

“Let go!”

No matter how much he struggled, he couldn’t shake off the girl’s grip.

She looked similar in size and seemingly frail, but her strength was immense.

“You’re not from our village, are you?”

“What if I’m not?”

Just then, an old man who appeared to be the girl’s butler entered the alley.

“Miss, what’s the matter?”

“This child tried to rob me.”

“It seems he’s an orphan who drifted in from outside.”

The butler pressed a sword to the boy’s neck.

“Shall we kill him?”

The boy closed his eyes in resignation.

‘So this is how I die.’

It wasn’t particularly frightening.

After all, it wasn’t a life worth clinging to.

But then, the girl suddenly said something unexpected.

“Weren’t we just saying the village needed more hands?”

She found him a job and arranged a place for him to stay.

Then she handed him a fairy tale book she had.

“Study with this.”

“I know how to read.”

“Read it anyway. It will surely be of help.”

The boy still seemed on guard as he glared and asked.

“What’s your angle?”

Then the girl replied with a gentle smile.

“I just hope there are no unhappy people around me.”

-In that moment, I was breathless.

The always ashen landscape began to change.

The color of the girl’s gently swaying, long black hair.

The color of her face, beaming so brightly it dazzled.

The color of warmth and kindness, felt for the first time.

For the first time, the swirling array of brilliant colors was dizzying.

“From now on, stop the thievery and live honestly.”

The boy called out to the departing girl.

“Hey! I’m Train, what about you?”

Turning back, the girl answered.

“I’m Yuril, the lord of this village.”

That night.

Train read the fairy tale book Yuril had given him at the inn.

It was a common story about a knight and a princess.

A knight born poorer and more unfortunate than anyone else.

He overcame all trials and hardships and saved the princess.

Afterward, they married and lived happily ever after.

Train frowned as he closed the book.

“What an ignorant fool.”

To think of saving others when he himself was unhappy.

For Train, who was too busy making a living, it was an unimaginable dream.

So, he was about to throw the book away in displeasure…

But then he remembered Yuril’s words.

“Wishing there were no unhappy people around…”

In the end, Train opened the book again and read it over and over.

With each reading, the article seemed to shine a bit more.

And before he knew it, he began to admire him.

Finally, Train felt an inexplicable thrill and muttered to himself,

“Could I ever become someone’s knight?”

***

A month later.

Train went to Yuril’s mansion on his own accord.

It was to repay the room rent Yuril had lent him, but he was only stopped by the guard.

“Get lost! A nobody like you shouldn’t come in!”

Of course, Train had no intention of giving up.

That’s why he successfully sneaked over the wall.

“I wonder where Yuril could be.”

Then, luckily, he saw her through a second-floor window.

He quietly climbed up the drainpipe and then hid himself on the balcony for a moment.

From inside the window, the voices of the butler and Yuril could be heard.

“Why am I forbidden to love?”

“It’s because of the curse that has plagued your family for generations.”

The conversation that followed was utterly absurd.

Yuril had to duel with the person who proposed to her.

If the challenger wins, they can share love safely,

But if Yuril wins, the challenger dies.

In other words, Yuril was destined to kill the person she loves with her own hands.

“Who would cast such a terrible curse?”

“It was cast long ago by an ancestor who wished to ensure only the strongest descendants.”

“Did my mother and father die because of the curse?”

“They were both gravely injured in a duel, and after giving birth to you, they did not last long.”

It felt like overhearing something that was not meant for her ears.

Yet, Train could not bring herself to stop eavesdropping.

“If my opponent is stronger than me, that would suffice.”

“You are already stronger than I can handle, my lady.”

“So, intentionally losing the duel?”

“When the moment comes, the curse will take over, and I won’t be able to control myself.”

“…I see. So, I just have to avoid falling in love forever, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“You may leave now.”

As the butler left the room, Train peered slightly inside.

Yuril was sitting on the floor.

Her expression was hidden behind her palms,

and her slender shoulders trembled, obscured by her black hair.

The vivid colors she once had faded back to ashen tones.

Yuril murmured through her sobs,

“So in the end, I’m meant to live alone forever.”

…It was heartbreaking.

The girl who had a warmer heart than anyone else.

The girl who never wished unhappiness upon anyone.

But now, she looks more miserable than anyone else…

It’s strange.

She, of all people, should never be unhappy!

“Don’t cry!”

As Traine flung the window open with all his might,

Yuril, startled, lifted her head.

Traine shouted with all his strength before her,

“I will become the knight who saves you!”

***

For a moment, Yuril was deluded into thinking that an angel had come to save her.

But that fleeting illusion shattered in seconds.

She didn’t even have a chance to respond.

After all, Traine was promptly seized by the butler and thrown out of the mansion.

Later, it was said that the butler issued a decree banning Traine from approaching Yuril.

For that cold-hearted butler, it was a rather lenient act.

Anyway, thanks to that, Yuril had no choice but to catch wind of Traein’s news through rumors for several months.

“They say he’s a spirited and diligent errand boy, receiving praises all around, right?”

“Lately, whenever something happens in the village, people look for Traein first.”

“But for some reason, he’s holed up in the forest from the afternoon onwards.”

What on earth could that boy be doing alone in the forest?

It wasn’t just Traein who was acting suspicious.

Her own butler had also been frequently making excuses to leave his post recently.

“I shall take a short walk in the forest.”

Eventually, she decided to follow her butler one day, mustering a great deal of courage.

As she followed him through the forest path,

Sure enough, a familiar face was waiting for the butler.

“Master.”

“Then let’s begin.”

Traein and the butler drew their wooden swords,

And suddenly charged at each other, commencing a sparring match.

Yuril squinted from a distance, muttering under her breath.

“Could it be they’re training in swordsmanship to break my curse…?”

But it soon became clear that wasn’t the case.

“Argh!”

Traein’s sword flew out of his hand from the butler’s strike.

Yet, the butler didn’t stop, continuing to pummel Traein.

It was less a training session and more a one-sided beating.

When Traein finally collapsed to the ground,

the butler looked down at him and said,

“Just give up. If you can’t even beat me, there’s no way you can defeat Miss Yuril.”

It seemed the butler’s goal was to make Traein surrender.

But he sprang back up, shouting defiantly,

“No, I refuse!”

Rising, charging, falling. Rising again…

Yet, without landing a single proper blow on the butler.

After being battered for hours, Train could not stand up.

“…Do you still not think of quitting?”

Lying defeated, Train clenched his teeth and barely responded.

“I will never give up.”

“I promised to accompany you until you give up on your own…”

The butler said firmly, pointing the tip of his sword at Train.

“You lack the talent.”

Despite the insult, Train forced a smile and replied.

“It doesn’t matter.”

As the butler finally sheathed his sword and left, Yuril quietly followed him.

Not far along, the butler stopped and bowed to Yuril.

“What brings you to this forest?”

“It seems you were up to something fun without me knowing.”

“I was merely indulging the stubbornness of a naive child.”

“By the way, is Train really that devoid of talent in swordsmanship?”

The butler answered with a gentle smile.

“Talent, passion, perseverance, all are the finest I’ve encountered so far.”

“Do you think that child could break my curse?”

“If they maintain their initial determination for about twenty years, it might be possible.”

“Then why are you so intent on giving up on that child?”

“Miss, can you tell that boy to devote his life to you?”

Yuril bit her lip, unable to respond.

To train for decades solely for Yuril’s sake.

If that effort could be assuredly rewarded, perhaps,

But in the worst case, Yuril might end up killing Train.

What would become of Train’s efforts then?

“To be honest, it might be best to just kill the child now—”

“Shut your mouth.”

Yuril, without realizing it, punched the tree beside her,

And the massive tree fell with a single blow.

“Ah…”

As Yuril looked at his hand with a sense of resentment,

the butler calmly said,

“Do you now understand what must be done for the sake of Master Train?”

“…I understand. I’ll try to persuade Train myself.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

Yuril returned to where Train had been.

Train had clearly collapsed from exhaustion earlier.

Yet, there he was, risen again, swinging his sword in the air.

“Today, I’ve fallen 130 times, so I must swing it 10,000 times!”

Yuril was astounded by the sight.

Was he really going through all this trouble every day just for Yuril?

But it seemed wrong to interrupt such focused training,

so he decided to wait until it was over.

“Ha! Ha! Hah! Ha!”

An hour passed,

And then two more,

It was only after the sun had completely set that Train finally stopped.

Yuril muttered with a grimace.

“Did you really swing it ten thousand times?”

Just when it seemed Train might finally head home,

He suddenly lit the lamp and opened a book.

“Now, it’s time for magic practice!”

“Do it in moderation!”

Unable to bear it any longer, Yuril shouted.

He regretted it immediately, but it was too late; he had been caught.

“Yuril?!”

In the end, Yuril reluctantly approached Train.

“Stop it. No matter how long you keep this up, you’ll never beat me.”

“I know, right. I can somewhat mimic swordsmanship, but magic is just a total flop.”

“Swordsmanship or magic isn’t the problem!”

“I know. When I grow up a bit more, I plan to study the theory of curses at the academy.”

Communication is utterly futile.

Eventually, Yuril, with weary shoulders, asked him.

“Why do you want to save me so badly?”

To which Train replied with a bitter smile.

“Because I wish for no one around me to be unhappy.”

“Are you mocking me now?”

“That’s what you said to me first.”

“What does that have to do with you?”

“I’ve decided to adopt that saying as my belief.”

Train declared, placing his hand over his heart.

“So I swear. I will never leave you to be unhappy.”

Yuril’s heart pounded fiercely.

I felt like I could fall for the boy before me.

No, perhaps Yuril had been smitten with him for quite some time.

Ever since he burst through the window, proclaiming he’d save Yuril.

…I must end this before my feelings grow any stronger.

“Don’t be ridiculous. I won’t speak to you again until you give up.”

Yuril finally turned her back to Train and said,

“If you want to be friends, give up now.”

Train replied,

“It doesn’t matter. Even if you hate me, I will never change.”

Yuril ignored Train’s words and left the place.

***

Years passed, and nothing changed.

Train continued his arduous solo training,

The butler occasionally tormented Train under the guise of training,

And Yuril never once agreed to meet Train.

It was a winter five years later when Yuril decided to meet Train again.

“Miss, Train has been accepted into the Academy,” the butler announced.

At the butler’s words, Yuril sprang up without realizing it.

“Really?! The competition there is fierce!”

“You said there was no need to worry,” he reminded her.

“It’s truly a relief.”

Yuril smiled unwittingly, then quickly coughed and slumped back into her seat.

“Anyway, finally, he can leave this village.”

Train had wanted to go to the Academy for Yuril,

but she hadn’t opposed his decision.

If he left, he might forget about Yuril.

Moreover, for Train,

it would certainly be better to be recognized for his talents at the Academy and make a name for himself.

“Then I shall deliver this letter to Train,” the butler said, excusing himself.

“No, I’ll go and tell him myself as a farewell.”

Yuril headed to the forest after a long time.

She soon found Train.

He was still practicing his swordsmanship alone.

“Ha! Ha! Ha! Hah! Ha!”

Yuril hid behind the bushes, watching Train for a moment.

He had grown much taller and sturdier compared to five years ago,

but to Yuril, he was still the same overly passionate boy.

‘He’s still the same, after all.’

Just as Yuril was about to approach Train with a smile,

she sensed an unpleasant presence from afar.

‘Monsters?’

Wolf beasts were approaching their way.

It seemed that Yuril’s curse had grown stronger,

and as she had been warned, monsters would swarm over her in such remote places.

Of course, such monsters were no match for Yuril, so there was no worry.

‘Should I take care of it quietly…’

But she decided to watch the situation a little longer.

Because she wanted to see Trine defeat the monster.

Eventually, Trine encountered a pack of wolf monsters.

“What, what is this!”

Trine was momentarily flustered, but soon aimed his sword calmly at the wolves.

A tense moment as they glared at each other.

He swiftly and cleanly thrust his sword into the neck of one of the wolves.

The wolf turned to ash and scattered in an instant.

That swift action looked so beautiful to Yuril.

‘At least there’s the reward for five years of hard training.’

But lost in that admiration…

Yuril ultimately missed the timing to save Trine.

“Damn it!”

The remaining four wolves charged at Traine simultaneously.

Traine raised his sword to strike the wolves,

but one leaped up and bit his hand.

“Argh!”

Traine screamed, falling over.

The wolves pounced together.

Baring their grotesque teeth, ready to tear him apart.

But Traine, having dropped his sword, could do nothing.

“Traine!”

Yuril finally burst forth.

And then, a one-sided massacre began.

She burst faces with her fists, kicked bellies to make holes.

The last one, she grabbed by the head and slammed to the ground, bursting it.

Yuril, who dispatched the wolves in an instant.

She, with hands wrapped around, asked the bleeding Traine.

“Are you okay?”

Traein, now a complete mess, was making quite a funny face.

The image of Traein that Yuril had briefly admired was nowhere to be found.

Fear? Anger? Or perhaps despair?

There was no leisure to think about such things.

Yuril carried Traein on his back and ran all the way to the mansion.

Thanks to the swift treatment at the mansion, Traein’s life was no longer in danger.

However, the hand that had been bitten by the beast was said to be beyond healing.

In the end, Traein became someone who could never wield a sword again.