Chapter 164: Becoming a knight
The curtains at the entrance shifted as Vlad entered the hall. His tall body was clad in silver armor, his one hand covered in a black glove resting on the dual swords tied at his waist while the other moved with his measured steps.
A black robe flowed behind him with every motion, its shoulders lined with thick, pale fur that contrasted against the dark fabric beneath the armor. Silver gauntlets covered his forearms, while several belts were fastened around his waist, securing the swords in place. His long black hair was tied behind his head, with a few loose strands falling around his face.
As he walked, the knights on both sides of the aisle unsheathed their swords, crossing their tips above him.
Once he reached the platform, Victor said, his voice commanding, "Unsheathe your blade and kneel before it."
Vlad drew the sword with a crimson gem at the edge of its hilt and stabbed it into the floor.
Both his hands rested on the sword as he lowered himself onto one knee, his face parallel to the sword’s hilt, his eyes lowered.
Victor drew his own blade and rested its flat against his shoulder. His deep voice echoed through the hall as he asked,
"What is the duty of the knight?"
"To protect those who cannot protect themselves," Vlad answered, his voice firm.
"What must a knight never surrender?"
"Their honor."
"A knight has two lives. What is their other life?"
"Their weapon."
"Pledge the oath, Vlad Lumberjack," Victor ordered, tapping the blade against his shoulder. These questions and their answers had already been provided to Vlad before the ceremony. As for the oath, he had been given a small chit that contained the words he needed to say.
I pledge that first, my sword, my honor, and my life belong to the Argentum Kingdom. I shall defend its lands, uphold its laws, and stand against any who threaten its people.
My second loyalty belongs to the House ______, whose banner I have chosen to serve. I shall honor its name, protect its members, and carry its banner with pride. (Skip this line if you have a sponsor.)
I shall never draw my sword in betrayal of those I have sworn to protect, nor shall I abandon my duty when fear or hardship stands before me.
So long as I bear the title of Knight, I shall walk the path of honor and place my duty above my own desires.
By my sword, I swear.
By my honor, I vow.
By my life, I shall uphold this oath.
Slowly, Vlad’s lips parted as he announced in an unwavering tone,
"I pledge that I shall aid all in need, that my sword shall never waver before corruption, and that I shall never turn my eyes away from injustice.
So long as the Argentum Kingdom does not let me down, I shall never let the Argentum Kingdom down.
I shall never draw my sword against the innocent or those who have supported me, nor shall I abandon my duty when fear or hardship stands before me.
By my sword, I swear.
By my honor, I vow.
By my life, I shall uphold this oath."
An utter silence followed. The lined knights along the aisle, who had not let a flicker of emotion show on their faces, stared at Vlad with widened eyes and parted lips.
"H-haha, he really is something," Noah gasped in exasperation, shock evident on his face.
"What is the meaning of this, Vlad Lumberjack!?" A sharp voice came from one of the knights in the line. She had ear-length blonde hair, her auburn eyes fixed sharply on Vlad. On the left side of her chestplate, four stars were engraved, while on the right was an emblem of a roaring lion. "Do you intend to say that your loyalty doesn’t belong to the Kingdom?"
She pointed her sword at him as she continued, her tone demanding, "Explain yourself, or I shall take your words as treason."
"Dame Augustus," Victor’s sharp eyes turned towards the female knight as he muttered, his tone threatening, "Don’t disrespect the Knighting Ritual."
"But—"
"Return to your place right now," Victor ordered, a suffocating pressure falling upon Augustus. She felt as if a dangerous predator were warning her.
’H-he is a four-star knight like me,’ she muttered inwardly. ’How could he possess such a terrifying presence?’
She clenched her fists until her knuckles turned white as she returned to her place.
"Do you have anything to say to Dame Augustus?" Victor asked Vlad, his tone returning to normal.
"I have nothing to explain to her," Vlad replied calmly, his eyes fixed on the hilt of his sword.
The reaction from Augustus came in an instant, her brows knitting together and her jaw tightening.
"Rise, Sir Vlad," Victor ordered, moving his sword back from his shoulder. "You are officially a one-star knight."
Vlad rose to his feet, pulled the sword from the platform, and placed it back in its sheath.
As he began moving back, his path was blocked by Augustus.
"What does that woman want?" Chloe muttered from the first floor, prepared to jump in at any moment.
"Dame Augustus is a knight from the capital," Seraphina revealed, shaking her head. "It is natural that she will not let Vlad walk out after taking such an oath."
"W-why does he have to cause trouble everywhere?" Max muttered, pressing his forehead in frustration. "He just has to offend someone from the capital."
"I will not let her harm Vlad," Chloe declared. She had only moved onto her toes as she prepared to jump when Seraphina pulled her back by the back of her collar.
"Why?"
"You are no match for her," Seraphina said in a calm tone. "She can kill you with the flick of her finger."
Chloe’s grip tightened on the railing, the steel pressing inward from the pressure. What was the use of her so-called S+ Rank talent if all she could do was spectate from the side while someone was threatening Vlad?
"Besides, there is no need for any of us to make a move," Seraphina continued, pulling her out of her thoughts. "Did you forget where we are standing right now?"
---
"Do you need anything from me, Dame Augustus?" Vlad asked her, keeping his tone calm.
"You have only become a one-star knight, yet you possess such arrogance," Augustus muttered, her eyes narrowed at him. "Try repeating the words that you said before?" She was referring to how Vlad had denied answering her question earlier.
"You are not someone I work under, nor are we acquainted, either personally or professionally," Vlad replied, keeping the same neutral tone. "Could you tell me why I have to give you any explanation?"
"Insolence!" Augustus shouted, barely restraining herself from reaching for the hilt of her sword. "I am a Knight of the Capital, serving the Crown Prince. If I sense someone showing signs of betrayal against the Kingdom, my sword shall not hesitate to behead them."
"Which of my words gave you the hint of treason, Dame Augustus?" Vlad asked, releasing an annoyed sigh.
"You didn’t swear loyalty to the Kingdom."
"I clearly said I will not let down the Argentum Kingdom."
"As long as the Kingdom doesn’t let you down?" She finished his words with a retort. "A brat like you, still wet behind the ears, thinks that you can place yourself equal to the Kingdom? Every being living in these lands is a subordinate of the King. How dare you put yourself on the same level as them?"
"Did what Dame Augustus said really true?" Vlad murmured, the corner of his lips rising into a smirk. "Does the Arcane Academy also belong to the empire?"
"Of course it does," Augustus said in a confident tone.
"Then, Miss Principal, Lirien Argent Sigvorn, is a subordinate of the empire?"
"Defini—" Her words stopped mid-sentence, realizing what she had almost said out loud. She had only parted her lips when a sudden, crushing pressure befell her. The ceiling above blasted apart, the floor beneath her shattered, slamming her to her knees. The sheer pressure forced blood from her mouth.
"The Academy belongs to the Argentum Kingdom?" A calm female voice demanded, echoing inside the room, yet its source remained unknown. "And I, the Primordial Dragon, am their subordinate? Did I hear it correctly?"
"He is really diabolical, actually pushing the Principal to take an action," Seraphina sighed, shaking her head in bewilderment.