Chapter 422: The Show Goes On (2/2)
”I will serve you, My Lord.”
***
The show was over, and the knights returned to their rooms. The people left were Arthur and his six knights, awaiting the orders from their new lord.
”Great Seika,” the Captain Knight of the academy stepped forward. ”It is an honor to meet you at last,” he said with a slight bow. ”Might I recommend a few knights that you might have overlooked?”
Arthur glanced at the knight with interest and knew who he was going to recommend. This knight acted politely, but he doubted Arthur's ability to judge, which seemed to anger Big Bear.
”If I intend to raise more knights, I'll make sure to choose them,” Arthur refused politely. ”But for now, may I have a word with my new knights?”
The captain's face betrayed nothing, and he simply nodded. Arthur was followed by the young knights toward a hall where they would hold their ceremony.
After finding a private office, Arthur asked everyone to wait outside except for the Mad Prince. Now, he would do a one-to-one interview where he would make sure none of them were spies.
”Why did you choose Veran?” the Mad Prince spoke as if Arthur's identity changed nothing of their social standing, but Arthur preferred this attitude more than blind respect.
”I truly have no idea who that is,” Arthur shrugged.
”That short knight,” she said with unease. ”I know that you noticed the stench of blood on him. He is abnormal,” there was fear in her voice.
'As attentive as I thought,' Arthur smiled.
”Why do you think I chose him? That's the exact reason,” Arthur stood up from his seat. ”You have no say in this, so might as well shut up.”
”What?” the knight frowned.
”I know that you pursue strength and that I need knights, but you have lost your place as the number one in the academy. From now on, you need to prove yourself to grow stronger.”
Arthur's words made the knight paused, and she nodded slowly. Even if he didn't mind if someone spoke rudely to him, he didn't tolerate arrogance. After all, she had no authority to lecture him on who to choose.
”What is your name?” Arthur stretched his hand for her sword, and she knelt after giving it to him.
”My name is Hilda Greenwood,” the knight presented her sword, which Arthur took. ”I swear loyalty to the Lord of Hidden City, Seika of Living Beings.”
”Before I appoint you as my knight, I have a question to ask of you,” Arthur's eyes began shining in the dim room. ”Are you going to betray me?”
***
The rest of the interview followed the same procedure, and Arthur now had one of the two friends as his guest. Before Arthur appointed the oddball as his knights, he would test Kaza.
”Seika,” Kaza knelt on the floor. ”I apologize for the disrespect that I've shown you in the room.”
”Veran told me about your reasons,” Arthur smiled and gestured for the knight to stand. ”I hold nothing against you, but I still need to ask you something.”
”Anything,” Kaza stood up and straightened his back.
”If the circumstances demand it, would you kill Veran?” Arthur asked and saw the knight's face slowly morph into horror, but he didn't say anything.
”What kind of circumstances?”
”For example, if I ordered you to kill him. Another example is that Veran harmed innocent people, or threatened the safety of my city, others, or the world.”
”How... did you know?” Kaza's face was pale as his body trembled.