Chapter 13
It’s Called Tutu
“Risher.”
The day came for Risher to leave Eudelin temporarily.
I stayed silent for a while, so Risher lightly nudged me and laughed broadly.
“Serdin, don’t tell me you think what happened to me is your fault.”
“But…”
“If you think that way, I’ll really get mad.”
Risher looked at me and said,
“You have to smile so I can go and come back with peace of mind.”
Grateful for his words, I forced a smile.
From that day on, I worked incredibly hard.
Even harder than before.
That day, I realized something for the first time.
I had always thought that my death would only come from Royce’s demon beast.
But I could die anytime, anywhere.
And above all,
Even so, I didn’t feel like giving up on becoming a knight.
In the following days, I immersed myself in practicing sword energy control.
To imbue sword energy into something other than a sword required an even more delicate control, enough to replace the sword’s shape.
At dawn before sunrise, I returned to the dormitory after training alone.
“Serdin? Where have you been at this hour?”
Enia, looking half-asleep, asked while coming out to drink water.
“Just a bit of training.”
“You’re really something. Sometimes I think you and Royce are a little alike.”
“Me and Senior Royce?”
I had never heard that before.
I thought about it, but we didn’t seem alike at all.
“You both… have high standards for yourselves, don’t you?”
“Do I seem like that? Like Senior Royce?”
In my opinion, Royce held himself to extremely high standards.
Even having an upset stomach was unacceptable to him, and sparring with average people didn’t even count as real training.
“Anyway, that’s what I think.”
Enia drank her water and went back in.
I sat down in my room and took out the whistle from my inner pocket.
I lightly put it to my lips.
‘If I blew this here right now, would he hear it?’
Since that day, I always carried the whistle Royce gave me.
I just ended up packing it every time I went out.
It wasn’t simply because I was scared of something like that happening again.
I couldn’t explain it well, but it meant more than that.
It encompassed everything from that day – my thoughts, realizations, and feelings.
‘Should I give him a thank-you gift?’
He saved my life and even gave me something like this.
‘Wouldn’t he feel betrayed if I just pretended nothing happened?’
For the sake of peaceful school life, I felt I had to prepare something soon.
Preparing the Gift
When I tried to prepare a thank-you gift, a dilemma arose.
To give a gift, it had to be something he needed, right?
‘But what could Royce possibly not have?’
Being from the empire’s only ducal house, he could have anything he wanted with just a stretch of his hand.
‘What could I give him that he’d find useful?’
No matter how hard I thought, nothing came to mind.
“Serdin Vivi cadet.”
“Yes?”
“What are you thinking so deeply about?”
At that moment, the professors were giving a speech to the class representatives. Apparently, my distraction was obvious.
“I was thinking about how to increase student participation in academic societies.”
“That’s a good thought. Back in my day, every cadet participated in seven societies each…”
While the professor rambled, I continued my own thoughts.
‘The professor is similar to Royce in that he also has both wealth and ability.’
If I figured out what the professor wanted, it might help me decide on Royce’s gift too.
After the speech, I approached the professor.
“Professor, may I ask something?”
“Speak.”
“Do you ever feel like there’s something you need or want?”
“Of course, there are many things.”
“Such as?”
“I need the power to nurture more cadets.”
Not a helpful answer, but somehow it was similar to Royce. He was also putting effort into training me.
“Not something like that… any material items?”
“I don’t take such questions.”
“Please, just one.”
“Something simple under 500 harc would be nice.”
‘Aha.’
Perhaps for people with great wealth, cheap things or small experiences felt more novel and charming.
I felt I finally had an idea for Royce’s gift.
“Thank you.”
“I should be the one thanking you.”
“?”
I bowed and quickly left the professor’s office.
The Gift
“Senior, come with me for a bit.”
After Knight Sudden Situation Training class in the evening, I pulled him along.
“Where to?”
Royce asked, but followed me anyway.
I took him to a plaza in front of a bookstore in Telln Street.
On certain days, there was a small puppet show here.
It was performed outdoors with simple equipment and a makeshift stage.
Anyone could watch for just 100 harc.
Seeing it for the first time, Royce looked a bit excited.
“What’s this, Serdin?”
“Have you ever seen a puppet show like this?”
“No, it’s my first time.”
I knew it. He’d never have done something like this.
People were already filling the seats as the show was about to begin.
‘Seats…’
The sky behind the stage darkened.
I grabbed Royce’s wrist and quickly led him to an empty spot.
As soon as we sat, the lights came on and the show began.
The story was cliché yet thrilling – about a protagonist who grew up in hiding because of a false prophecy.
Royce watched intently.
I quietly gazed at his side profile.
Suddenly, I realized that seeing him from this close had become so natural to me.
Then, as he watched, he held out his hand towards me.
“……?”
While his eyes remained fixed on the show, I understood what he wanted.
‘As expected, Royce is quick to notice things.’
I took something out of my bag and placed it on his palm.
It was a slime-shaped plush toy that was no longer produced.
‘It’s cheap yet rare, so it fits what he’d like.’
It was my second gift, following the professor’s advice about inexpensive items with novelty value.
A puppet show alone wouldn’t be worth the life debt I owed him, so I’d prepared this as well.
‘He realized immediately there was another gift.’
The play neared its climax as the sky grew darker.
I turned my attention back to the stage, then glanced at Royce.
He was holding the slime tightly in his hand, watching the show seriously.
After the Show
When it ended, I poked the slime plushie in his hand and said,
“I’ve had this since I was really little.”
“Since you were little?”
“Yeah, it’s discontinued now.”
Royce’s face brightened.
‘He seems a bit excited.’
He probably thought its value had gone up because it was discontinued.
I too had hoped for that someday, but even after ten years, its price never rose.
“Don’t resell it.”
“What do you mean, Serdin?”
“You’d lose money even if you did.”
It was my only remaining plushie, so I brought it with me when I moved into the dorm.
“Thank you, Serdin.”
Royce murmured, staring at the slime held in both hands for a long time.
“I’m… so happy.”
His words sounded truly sincere.
His eyes sparkled with happiness.
I didn’t know why he was so happy, but seeing that made me glad too.
On the way back, Royce still had a faint smile.
“Serdin, thank you for giving me a memory like this.”
“For what?”
The puppet show and the slime must have satisfied him greatly.
“I’m so happy… that sometimes, it makes me anxious.”
He spoke as if he’d received some kind of premonition.
“Why anxious?”
“No… never mind. Just forget it.”
Anxious, he said.
If he really felt some premonition, perhaps it wasn’t wrong.
In the original story, his life was full of trials that broke his heart over and over.
But.
“Senior.”
I faced him up close and smiled.
“There will be many good days ahead. Really.”
For him, the process of breaking was also the process of healing.
There would be many moments when he felt happiness beyond comparison, and relief.
I wanted him to know that.
‘Of course, I won’t be there for those moments.’
It felt strange, realizing that I, who only intended to take advantage of him, now thought this way.
“Yeah, you’re right.”
Royce smiled softly, clutching the slime plushie tightly.
Final Scene
During a break in the northern inspection of the Elche Knights,
Senior knight Terian saw Royce smiling to himself.
‘He’s been smiling like that often these days…’
Terian had watched Royce ever since he joined Elche.
Never before had he seen this kind of smile.
Sure, he’d seen him laugh cynically or out of genuine amusement, but this was different.
‘That’s… the expression of someone in love.’
“Royce.”
Terian approached with a supportive heart.
“You’re looking good these days.”
“Senior Terian.”
“You look like you’re in love.”
“I’m not.”
Royce denied it, but Terian saw his handsome pupils visibly shake at the word love.
‘He definitely has someone – 250% certain.’
Since Royce didn’t seem to want to reveal it, Terian spoke as if talking about someone else.
“Even if not now, when you do have a lover someday… there’s something you must remember.”
“What is that?”
Royce replied even faster than when he was a strict first-year cadet.
Terian said,
“It’s called Tutu.”
