novelDon't come to the hunting contest in the forest (6)
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Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Don't come to the hunting contest in the forest (6)
Jean's face turned white when Lard called him.
Even Wendy, who was nervous about the fact that the boys broke branches of roses in the garden while sparring with Jean noticed his embarrassed look with interest.
"Oh my god...boss!"
The four boys, stared confusedly at Jean's embarrassed face, also became interested in the appearance of the new imperial knight. These quick-witted boys seemed to have found out which of the two was superior.
"Why are you here?"
Lard's cold look became as hard as dry oak firewood.
"Well, I've come to check these boys' fencing posture..."
"...Why are you, instead of somebody else, doing it?"
"Oh, I bumped into them when I stopped by here to buy flowers..."
Schroder's eyes turned sharper when he was babbling.
Jean was well aware that his poor excuses didn't fit the attitude of an imperial knight would only upset him further, but it was not easy for him to explain before Lard.
Jean turned to Wendy, hoping for her help. She stood still as if she had no desire to help him. Jean was becoming more and more nervous.
"Is this knight your boss? Wow! He really looks strong!" Carnewin said, looking at Lard.
As if they were overwhelmed by his authoritative posture, they turned their attention to Lard.
When they looked at Lard with envy, like they looked at Jean until a minute ago, Jean felt relieved, ironically, because Lard's sharp gaze at him had softened.
Obviously, he could not rebuke Jean in front of the boys. Regardless of their tense staring match, the boys were smiling brightly as if they couldn't believe they were now looking at the two mighty imperial knights right before their eyes.
"Show your manners, boys. This is my boss Lard Schroder. He is the leader of the 1st Imperial Knights Division as well as its Lottea, the supreme knight."
The children exclaimed, "Wow, Lottea!"
For the boys, the title Lottea of the Imperial Knights was one that they thought the world of.
Benfork, who had been focusing his gaze on Lard all along, looked at him and Jean alternately, tilting his head to the side, and asked with his eyes open wide, "Then, is it a love triangle? Sister and two knights?"
"Benfork, you idiot! I heard that Sir Simuan and our sister are lovers. Don't you know that?"
"Hey boys, it's not courteous for you to say that in front of the direct parties, " said Jean.
His face turned white again when they were involved in a heated argument over the relationship between Jean and Wendy.
He continued, with cold sweat rolling down his face, "I told you Miss Wendy and I are not related romantically. If you said so, I'm really in trouble! Captain, these guys must have misunderstood me. Ha ha ha!"
Jean was trying to clear up their misunderstanding while waving his hands violently.
"Isn't it really a love triangle? Or your crush on her?" Tom asked Jean, excitedly.
Stunned by the boys' provocative questions, Jean was becoming more nervous while checking Lard's gaze on him.
Noticing his boss knitting his brows, Jean believed himself that his boss's severe scolding was impending. He immediately felt he should leave as soon as possible to avoid the crisis.
"I think I have to leave now, Miss Wendy, I'm sorry to have disturbed you."
He quickly left her shop without saying goodbye to the boys. The bell on the door of the shop rang unusually loudly, reflecting his restless state of mind.
"Oh! Sir Simuan! Why are you leaving so suddenly?"
Wendy was so happy to see him making a beeline for his workplace, but the boys seemed to have been sad at his sudden departure because he didn't clearly promise any follow-up on their practice next time.
"He said he would review our fencing posture one more time..."
Benfork murmured as he touched his wooden sword.
Wendy, who was preparing meals for the children without caring about their reaction, was so overjoyed. Fortunately, Lard's unexpected visit solved her trouble.
"... Were you guys learning the basics of swordsmanship from him?" Lard asked Benfork.
Wendy, who was putting just fried chicken in the bowls, stopped.
She got nervous about what he would say to them next.
"Yeah..."
"If you want to learn the basic skills, I can teach you. But I don't tolerate pranks. If you are serious about learning from me, you will have to be fully ready for it."
While looking at the boys who became downcast at his conditional willingness, he made an unexpected offer. Wendy put all the plates on the table with a noise.
"Really? Wow! knight, Are you serious?"
"I don't lie."
The children hugged themselves with joy and ran around. While looking at them with no expression on his face, he turned his eyes toward Wendy. She was staring at him with a ferocious expression.
She said, "No, you shouldn't do so. I can't bother you anymore as you're very busy. I can't give in this time. No way!"
"Oh, sister! Please. We spread fertilizer in the garden as you told us to, right?"
When she disapproved, they desperately pleaded with her to grant their request.
But she didn't budge a bit. Actually, they had to spread fertilizer because Carnewin lost his sparring match with her.
"Everybody, please listen to me carefully. Today is the last time you guys are coming to this shop to meet knights!"
Although she resolutely issued an ultimatum, they, including Lard, didn't seem to accept it.
"Wendy, these boys say Sir Simuan promised them to take another look at their fencing posture, right? As Jean can't keep his promise because of me, I think it is right for me to take his place on my off-day."
She raised her eyebrows as if she were unsatisfied with his remarks.
She even suspected that he had been wanting to take Jean Jacques's place when he readily accepted the boys' request. In this situation, it would be much better for Jean Jacques, not Lard, to meet the boys one more time.
"Hey, sis, you don't know how hard it is for kids like us to learn swordsmanship from imperial knights. This is a once-in-a-life opportunity for us. Why are you stopping us?"
Crying, Benfork appealed to her with a sullen voice. It was her first time seeing him so serious, so she was kind of surprised.
"Benfork, don't cry. You knew that it was a luxury for kids like us to pick up swords like this, right? She's not blocking your way. Just give up, " said Carnewin, tapping his shoulder.
Jerry next to him wept, too. She was now distressed to see them crying.
"Yes, I know! She's not blocking my way. I know that. But..."
Benfork was desperately appealing to her as if he were determined to change her mind.
"Calm down. It's not anyone's fault, " said one of the boys, patting Benfork's cheeks gently.
"Cheer up, my friend, " said another, tapping Benfork on the shoulder.
Looking at them, she barely opened her mouth, "Stop it. I know what you mean. Okay, this is your last time taking up his precious time. I won't tolerate it any more if you ask him again, which is very shameless of you. So, keep it in mind!"
As soon as she gave a go ahead, they nodded seriously, trying not to show joy at her decision. Though she was not sure if they got her point well, each of them took pains to refrain from showing any excitement for fear she might change her mind. Carnewin shook his shoulders to refrain from giggling. They took pains to conceal their happiness at the moment.
Waving her hand, she thought it would be better for the boys to learn acting and enter the troupe than dream the futile dream of joining the knights division.
"Hummm... you are tenderhearted."
She suddenly came to her senses when Lard said that, as she was swayed by the boys' appeal to her sentimental state of mind.
Turning to him, she clenched her fists as she felt insulted by his intolerable insinuation about her personality, which she had never heard in her life.
'Tenderhearted? How can he insult me like that?'
As that expression didn't fit her philosophy of life at all, she became more upset.
"You told me last time I was like a flower without color. In my view, you look like the true color of a flower. Of course, I think you would deny that, Wendy, " said Lard with a smile.
Wendy wanted to rebuke him for his nonsensical comment, but didn't, because she saw a gentle smile on his face. She really could not get angry at his smiling face.
Wendy got up from bed, scratching her head and opened her bleary eyes.
As the sunlight was streaming through the window early in the morning, the room was quiet and still. She walked to the window wearing slippers and opened the window wide.
She got goosebumps when the cold air at dawn touched her delicate skin.
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