Evil-like Duke Household

[ Today is really good day, huh]- Erza

I, Zen=Helix, were at my wits end on what should I said until Erza-sama finally started the conversation before me.

[Eh, ah... yes!]-Zen

Without much thought of what did she really meant about that, I just replied in reflect.

And now, that I had already answered that I ended up wrecking my brain to thought of what did she actually meant with those word.

[ In day like this, we can pleasantly hunt monster] -Erza

While I still thinking of the meaning from her previous word, she already continued the conversation. Slightly bewildered, I forcefully made my brain calm down and carefully thinking so that I didn’t answered with a wrong answer.

[... monster subjugation, it is?]- Zen

Someone low like me wouldn’t understood the reason why she asked that question for sure, but it seems that Erza-sama tried to said to me that today was a good day for subjugate some monster.

[ Yes, monster subjugation. In clear day like this, don’t you somehow felt like the joint on your armor move smoothly than before, your blade sharper, and it’s sharpness become profound than usual]

[ Sharper, profound... somehow, I understand that feeling] – Zen

Hearing those word, I, someone who have the same occupation as her somehow understood what she meant.

Realized about that reason why she told me that, I move my gaze toward the outside of the window, indeed, today’s weather was clear.

Sunlight that wasn’t too strong, and breeze wind. The air wasn’t dry at all, but still, it wasn’t moist like when raining.

For a leather and metal that usually used for armour, today’s weather was really good that it seems it will increase the function of those things.

Just as Erza-sama had said, in a good day like today, the armour will move smoothly and leather that connect those metal felt flexible.

[... I am from heavy unit, so I use two handed sword to slice my enemy into two, what about Zen-dono, what is your main weapon?] – Erza

The next question that Erza-sama throw at me was my main weapon... the weapon that I mainly use.

At that point, I realized what Erza-sama tried to convey to me.

She tried to relieve my nervousness.

Our conversation up till this point, I had sense of deja vu toward it.

That was of course, all of the question that Erza-sama throw at me, were the exact same question that my senior and the colleagues asked to me the first time I entered the light weapon unit.

To a knight that you didn’t really close with, or perhaps when you tried to have a conversation with a fellow knight, this flow was the template.

Probably, Erza-sama realized my nervousness, and so, though I said it by myself... she started to started this meaningless topic.

Though, she was someone who are the higher ranking in both family status and the rank on the chivalric order, but having someone who was younger than me to look for me, made me could felt my cheeks start to slightly reddened in shame.

[ A slightly long one handed sword, and a slightly small buckler, I guess. I got told a lot that it’s too common of a weapon, but I think this style is what fit me the most...]-Zen

So that she will not sense my embarrassment, I replied her question about my main weapon.

No, it’s Erza-sama in front of me, she should’ve already realized the shame that I felt in my heart.

But even so, Erza-sama who act like she didn’t realized it just nod her head.

Aah, I showed such uncool side of me.

As the thing become more embarrassing for me, I scratch my cheeks, while felt slightly hopeless, but it did relieve my nervousness.

[Umm, is it alright if I asked something as well?] – Zen

Around the time when I felt that my cheeks was not red anymore, finally I was able to ask Erza-sama a question,too.

Hearing my word, Erza-sama’s reddish black eyes looked at my face and urging me to continue my word.

[Why, did Erza-sama choose to become knight... even though you’re a noble lady, you choose to drag your body into battlefield,why?]- Zen

The thing that I asked her was something that had been weighting my mind all this time.

Why, someone who had a high perigee like duchess’s daughter like her, enter the chivalric order, trained so hard until she reached the status as the vice captain and devote herself to battle.

I was sure, not only me the one who were curious of this thing.

Thought it would be rude for me to said this, but for someone of high birth like Erza-sama to strive the road of knight, generally people would call her as someone who deviate from her true road.

Hearing my word, Erza-sama looked up toward the ceiling, seems troubled... not, she wasn’t troubled at all, she looked like she was reminiscing the past. After some moment passed she finally start to state the reason to me.

[... That’s, because it’s cool]

[Cool? What, did you mean... ]

Hearing her answer that was outside my expectation, I ended up asked back.

Surely, she will tell me what did she actually meant by “cool”

[ Just as it is. When I was a small, I saw the knight’s mock battle at the country’s national foundation day... at that place, I getting captivated by a female knight who wore black armour with double handed sword. While she was a woman, she wore a full plate armor on her body, I felt her figure who swing that big sword as big as her body is really beautiful]- Erza

Erza-sama’s usual clear voice become softer than usual, she sound like someone who was reminiscing the moment when they were praised by their parents as a kid, as she said that to me.

Erza-sama kept a firm, solid expression all this time, but perhaps it was just my imagination, but slightly, just slightly, I felt like I saw really kind smile floated on her face.

[And so, I want to become like that, I started to thought that I wanted to become someone like her]

Hearing all of her word, deep inside my heart, I felt some unspoken nostalgic feeling brought back up to my mind.

When we all grow up, many people worked as a knight with the motive; for their family, future, gains, country, and many other. But, I felt that all of the people who strive to become knight for sure originally had the same reason.

That was right, just like what Erza-sama had said. It was the feeling of “cool” and “I want to become like that”

A pure admiration.

... However, Erza-sama’s environment wasn’t really the normal one, if she wanted to become a knight under such reason.

If, she was someone who born as normal civilian, or perhaps a noble that had pedigree on military, then there would be no problem for her.

But she was the granddaughter of the sorcerer king; the daughter of the governor of the kingdom.

[... Wouldn’t that be something so hard for you? I think, there should be many problem will happen]- Zen

[ Indeed, there are lot of problem happened. To reach the thing that I aim for, I have been passed through a lot of trial and error, it felt like thousand people already told me to stop, and give up]

As I expected, so it was true.

Even if it was not Erza-sama, for woman to aim to become a female knight, even if this place wes Azolias, would still be a thorny road.

Of course, she surely received more word of objection more than I had imagined.

But, Erza-sama did become a knight.

Surely...

[But even so, I didn’t gave up, and reached the place that I am right now. That’s why, only proud that I felt, not shame, regret, not all of that!]- Erza

The gaze full of passion that lies deep inside her eyes, that even made me thought of it as heated up iron, were reflected into my eyes.

Aah, just like I thought, I wasn’t wrong. Erza-sama, without a doubt... the true knight.

It’s because she is a woman, she couldn’t realized it by herself.

Probably, even if Erza-sama had been a male, I would still attracted to her.

It’s because she was Erza-sama, that I was charmed by her.

[... Erza-sama, as I thought, you’re my ideal woman. Truly my ideal one, the one that come in my dream that we are not balanced to be together. But precisely because of that, my feeling toward you, I can’t hold it anymore]- Zen

Now, I cannot hold these feeling that I had inside my heart.

[Erza-sama. Please, will you marry me?]- Zen

The room wrapped in silence.

No, probably only several second had passed, but for me, it felt like several years had passed for me waiting for Erza-sama’s answer.

[Zen-dono]

[Yes]

[Please cease the honorific, while we are from different unit, we’re both the same knight... also, we will be wife and husband in the future, right?]- Erza

Erza-sama who rarely change her expression, but, me who probably hallucinate, was able to saw it clearly.

The kind smile that she had toward me.

... This person, Erza-sama, how far she tried to charm me even more before she satisfied.