The Second Strongest Has Returned

Chapter 23

Apprentice Knight

“By the way, didn’t anyone else come?”

For some reason, no one besides Rios had come to greet Leo. Although he couldn’t say he hadn’t caused any trouble, he hadn’t expected to receive such a cold reception.

“Why? Are you disappointed that Aria didn’t come?”

Through Rios’ narrowed eyes, Leo’s face was reflected in the blue eyes.

“…I’m not disappointed. It’s my fault that she was inconvenienced.”

Even though he said that, he actually did feel a bit disappointed. He thought they had gotten quite close after returning, but he hadn’t expected such a cold response again.

“It couldn’t be helped~ The girl cried and fussed so much~”

“…What? The lady did?”

In his previous life, she seemed like someone who wouldn’t shed a tear, no matter what. She had never even been hit when he tried to attack her…

In any case, he couldn’t imagine someone like her crying and making a fuss.

“I’ve never seen her cry like that~ Even when she was a baby, she would just stare at my face with a blank expression.”

[That was because it was you.]

Ignoring the Sage’s words that mirrored his inner thoughts, Leo spoke to Rios.

“Was she very troubled…?”

“…Well, quite a bit. How could she be at ease when the knight she loves is in prison? She’s been holed up in her room ever since.”

Although the description was terrible, it probably wasn’t a lie. From Aria’s perspective, Leo might be her first real friend, so it made sense.

“Um… Rios, if you’re not too busy, may I stop by somewhere?”

Leo had to fulfill his duty as a friend.

***

Everything was a first.

He had lost for the first time.

He had learned for the first time,

Felt a sense of fulfillment for the first time,

And, he had made a friend for the first time.

That boy had given him many firsts.

Without asking for anything in return,

As if it was his own happiness, he helped him naturally.

But,

What had he done for that boy?

“…Miss.”

Alfred knocked on Aria’s door.

“…”

She must have heard the knock. But the sound wasn’t enough to open whatever was closed within her.

“…Are you planning not to come out today either?”

“…”

Since she didn’t deny it, she could only remain silent.

“…Leonardo has been acquitted and released. Are you sure you don’t want to go greet him?”

“…Will it be okay? Alfred…”

Her words came after a long silence.

Since she had finally responded, Alfred tried to continue the conversation as much as possible.

“It will be fine. Miss. If it’s Leonardo, he will surely be happy…”

“I know. Leo is kind… But…”

Aria’s voice sounded unusually low that day. The tone was the same, but her manner of speaking was exceptionally downcast.

“…I don’t know if I deserve to…”

A faint sobbing sound could be heard. Alfred repeatedly touched and let go of the door handle.

“…Since Leo came to the family… No, ever since he met me, he’s always been in trouble.”

Not long after they met, he had to fight and get injured in a fierce battle with Balrog.

“That was an accident…! Miss…!”

“I know… But… after that…?”

The incidents and accidents were endless.

A single joke made a person faint, leading to his arrest.

He was bullied by the servants for being irritating.

And now, he was even attacked by an assassin.

“…Did you see Leo back then?”

Because he was urgently arrested and taken away, she didn’t get a proper look, but Leo’s body was covered in blood. No matter how strong Leo was, it would have been impossible to come out unscathed against those assassins.

“…What if… I had called the family members earlier? No, what if he hadn’t come to the family in the first place…”

It was a pointless regret.

Unfortunately, Aria wasn’t a genius when it came to human relationships. Moreover, at the young age of thirteen, her immaturity was even more apparent.

“…”

Alfred remained silent. No matter how experienced and wise a butler he was, there were limits to what he could resolve as a third party.

‘…It really is…my fault…’

Thus,

“Miss Aria.”

It was most appropriate for the involved parties to resolve the matter. As soon as Leo appeared, Alfred had already left the scene like a true gentleman.

“…Leonardo…?”

Aria hurriedly ran to the door and tried to open it. But she, too, ended up merely fidgeting with the door handle, unable to open it.

“…What is it?”

Her words came out stiffly. She wanted to apologize, but her mouth, as if it had a different persona, spoke coldly.

“I was worried about you. I haven’t confirmed whether you’re safe.”

That kindness hurt. If she accepted that warmth and apologized,

“…Really? How are you?”

She spoke even more indifferently, fearing that she would become more attached to the boy.

“I’m fine. I wasn’t really injured.”

“…I see.”

It was probably a lie. Saying he wasn’t injured when he was covered in blood was likely just bravado to keep her from worrying.

“…Leo.”

“Yes, Miss.”

“How about quitting as my apprentice knight?”

A brief silence followed. Even Aria, who proposed it, couldn’t open her mouth. She was too afraid to hear the answer her personal knight would give.

“…Can I ask for your reason?”

That politeness was harsh. Explaining the reason would only make it harder to let him go.

“…I don’t think it’s good for either of us.”

She harshly pushed away his consideration. Foolish as it was, it was the best care she could offer Leo.

“…Is that so?”

His lowered voice, no matter how much Leo tried, this treatment must have been uncomfortable.

“That’s a bit much.”

Such a reaction was only natural.

So… she looked up at the ceiling, covering her mouth.

To keep the tears from flowing from her eyes, to keep the sorrow in her throat from spilling out.

…She held it in.

“I like being with you. Saying ‘for each other’ seems a bit selfish.”

“…Like…?”

The words escaped, unable to suppress her sadness.

“Yes, I liked it. I still do.”

“…Why…?”

Leo had nothing to gain from being with her. From the family, perhaps, but from her personally, nothing.

“There are many reasons, can I start with the biggest ones?”

Aria didn’t respond. Not as a rejection, but simply because she was too taken aback, and more than that, she was happy.

“…Actually, when you called me a friend, I didn’t show it, but I was overjoyed.”

A sincere story without a single lie, a simple truth that needed no explanation.

“Mercenaries, especially wandering mercenaries, find it hard to make companions. Friends are even harder to come by.”

Even when he was in his hometown, it wasn’t any different. Doron was a backward village, with few residents other than the elderly and middle-aged.

Finding peers or friends was harder than finding monsters in a gate.

“So I was happy. Because I made a friend for the first time.”

What Aria felt at that confession,

Even Aria herself wouldn’t be able to clearly articulate.

But what she could be sure of,

“…Ugh… uh…”

Was that the closed emotions inside her were now undeniably open.

Leaning against the door, Leo continued to list the reasons he was happy.

The fact that he, who had lost his parents, finally found a place to belong,

The fact that he had a strong opponent to aspire to,

The fact that he had a companion to enjoy training with,

Even the trivial act of going to town together, exchanging meaningless words, and buying each other gifts,

All of it was enough happiness for Leo.

With every word of gratitude, Aria’s face turned red. One thing was certain: it wasn’t the same kind of suppressed sorrow as before.

“Leonardo.”

But,

“If you stay with me, you’ll keep getting hurt.”

The guilt still lingering within Aria continued to choke her.

‘This won’t be the end. As long as you’re with the family, things like this will…’

“Ariasphil.”

His tone was firm, sharp enough to cut through the guilt easily.

“I can’t just let that go.”

It wasn’t the arrogant tone from when they first met, nor was it the polite tone he had been using up until now.

“…What, why all of a sudden…?”

“There’s a limit to how much you can belittle someone.”

“…I never did that! I… just…!”

“You’ve seen my body, haven’t you?”

The sudden question left her speechless, embarrassed.

Just thinking about that body made her face flush, and her heart race.

Even though they were the same age, his skin was wild and his muscles firm. Especially the shape of his abs; if she ever touched them… really…

“You must have seen the scars on my body too.”

Aria hurriedly pinched her cheek.

‘What am I thinking…!’

It was the least punishment for recalling such impure memories and imaginations.

“…I saw.”

Calming herself, she replied in a low voice.

“There are scars from being stabbed by a knife, marks from being hit with a club. Finding the bite marks from monsters wouldn’t be hard either.”

She remembered them all. For a 13-year-old, those were not just cruel, but an unbearably harsh life.

“Of course, I’m afraid of dying. But I know that better than you.”

It was more than a guess, it was a certainty, perhaps because Leo had already faced death.

“So don’t decide the safety of my life on your own. I chose to be your knight knowing all of that.”

“…Why go so far…?”

She didn’t understand anything anymore. She didn’t know why she asked that question or what answer she wanted to hear.

“I already told you.”

But Leo didn’t hesitate. As if he knew everything.

“Because you’re my goal.”

Her vision blurred. Even looking at the ceiling didn’t help. One by one, tears rolled down her cheeks.

Only then did she realize.

I was crying.

“Could… could you open the door now?”

“N…no… I can’t.”

She didn’t want to show herself like this.

To anyone, especially not to Leo.

“That’s a bit disappointing.”

Leo explained his reason for being disappointed in a much brighter voice.

“Then could you look outside the door? Even through the keyhole is fine.”

Was it because of Leo’s request, or the reassurance that it would be okay? Her tear-filled eyes turned towards the keyhole.

“We still have something left to do, don’t we?”

Leo showed a bright smile, holding up a bag with a white rose and dye. His face, unscathed, somehow felt refreshing.

“…If you don’t want to, I can come back later…”

Creak

Just as Leo was about to turn away, the door opened.

“Don’t go.”

The one who hugged the boy was a girl who wanted to keep her knight by her side.

“Don’t ever go…”

Tears flowed. She felt embarrassed and didn’t want to be seen.

“Stay by my side from now on… stay as my personal knight for life…”

Even so, her voice didn’t falter. She didn’t want to lose this boy, her knight.

“I… also like being with you…! So…!”

The girl gathered her courage.

“…Yes, it would be my honor.”

Her knight, holding the girl’s hands wrapped around his waist, knelt on one knee.

“I will serve you with all my might, Aria.”

This was undoubtedly the sincere intent of his unwavering heart.