TMOWM~27

Chapter 27

While some were sad, others were quite pleased.

“From now on, I will protect Young Master Hider during the time Sir Tybern is away, and I will also provide his swordsmanship lessons. I am Hilden.”

“…Please take care of me.”

Hider replied politely. The middle-aged man who had come out for morning training in Tybern’s place had eyes as cold as frost. The combination of his emotionless gaze and the deep scar across his cheek gave off a thoroughly intimidating presence.

“But how am I supposed to know what kind of person you are? Just because Grandpa sent you, I’m supposed to trust you?”

Hider bristled like a startled cat. Perhaps due to a difficult life, even at the young age of thirteen, he had developed a habit of being cautious.

Hilden’s dull-colored eyes widened slightly.

In truth, Hilden had come to the capital with no expectations. Tybern had made a big fuss about a child who would inherit Exylon, but Hilden, who knew Herdern, couldn’t believe it.

Herdern had neither talent nor interest in the sword. He had become a knight, but unlike Tybern, had achieved nothing noteworthy.

Perhaps because of that bloodline, Sornia and Karte were said to be the same.

So, he thought Hider would be no different.

“Are you telling me to prove my skills?”

“Yeah. I don’t know what you were doing before this, but I want to get stronger. I don’t want to learn from some nobody.”

“…A nobody.”

Hilden muttered instinctively. Not once in his 45 years of life had he ever imagined hearing something like that.

Ever since he had earned distinction in the North, Hilden had walked a smooth path. Born a commoner, he had risen to become the captain of the 1st Knights of the Duchy of Katieron. He was a Sword Master and Tybern’s right-hand man.

Even Herdern had never treated him that way.

“I’m not a nobody. You’re the young master of Katieron, and you’ve never even heard of my name?”

“I was locked away every day. How would I know? You talk too much. Just show me what you’ve got.”

“…You were locked away?”

“Seems like you don’t know anything about me either.”

Hider let out a long sigh.

Why did Grandpa assign such a foolish man to me? Doesn’t he know that swordsmanship is a language of skill, not words?

People who talked too much rarely had great swordsmanship.

Disappointed, Hider’s shoulders slumped.

Meanwhile, Hilden’s previously disinterested eyes suddenly flared with energy.

This was the first time he’d heard that Hider had been confined. It meant the child had received very poor treatment. If Amy had left and the boy had been left alone, that meant someone had been oppressing him.

“And what was his father doing during that time? Wait—was it his father who locked him away? Is the reason you’re shorter and skinnier than your peers because you weren’t properly fed?”

Hilden asked rapidly.

Hider’s cheeks turned red. His height had always been a bit of a complex. While he was taller than most, he was still short for someone with northern blood. What bothered him most was that he was slightly shorter than Rani.

To protect Rani, he needed to be as tall as Tybern—but he was still far from it.

Lately, he’d been drinking milk every morning and evening to surpass Rani’s height, but despite his efforts, there had been no growth. Hider drew his sword.

“Fight me. If you beat me, I’ll tell you!”

Hider pounced like an angry kitten. Hilden drew his sword with a serious look.

Tybern had been right. A tiger cub could never be a mere house cat.

As soon as Hider drew his sword, a flash of brilliant blue aura rippled forth.

It was still unrefined and unstable due to his unawakened state, but it was clearly the light of someone with the potential to become a Sword Master.

And on top of that—

‘He said I have to win to hear it.’

Hilden was determined to hear the truth directly from Hider. He sincerely clashed swords with him.

At that moment—

She had come to ask Tybern why her room had been forcibly changed, but ended up getting dragged along. And now, she saw Hider training with another man.

“Oh no, oh no! What if he gets hurt!”

She stomped her feet and clung to the window. Not even noticing her face being pressed against the glass, she stuck her head out as far as she could. She saw a large man, like a black bear, charging toward Hider.

Has he lost his mind?!

Was he really swinging a sword seriously at a child? Hah, maybe it was time for her to step in. Surely she had a useful skill somewhere…

“He’ll be fine. Hilden is a seasoned knight—and in fact, he deeply, deeply cares for Hider.”

“How can you say that when he’s charging like that…?! Wait, did you say Sir Hilden?”

“What, you know of him?”

“Of course! I’ve heard he’s the strongest knight in the North! Plus…”

She swallowed the rest of her sentence.

In the original novel, Hilden became Hider’s reliable right-hand man. He compensated for Hider’s lack of experience and helped him survive dangerous battlefields.

If a character was mentioned by name in the novel, it meant they were an important supporting role.

It also meant Hilden would be a great help to Hider.

…I must’ve had fish eyes.

How could I fail to recognize such a valuable connection?

“…The strongest knight?”

“Yes! That’s what I heard!”

“…Did they really say he’s the strongest?”

“Huh? Is there someone stronger?”

“What about me?”

Tybern raised an eyebrow. The kind expression he had a moment ago while offering her sweets from the North had vanished.

“…What are you talking about? You’re not a knight, Sir Tybern.”

“Then what am I?”

“A hero, of course!”

She gave two big thumbs up.

Not only had he earned great honors slaying monsters on the battlefield—

He was also her personal hero who had made her rich in one stroke.

You get what I mean, right, Sir Tybern?

She winked, and Tybern laughed happily.

“Exactly! I’m a hero! You’ve got a good eye!”

“Oh, stop it!”

“Here, have another one. And this too.”

“Thank you!”

Now this is social life done right.

Guess who didn’t end up stuck with the losing team?

Definitely not me.

As she tended to Hider, she chattered cheerfully. She handed him a supplement to replenish his energy. It wasn’t something she made herself.

On Tybern’s orders, a doctor had examined Hider and prepared it.

Watching him drink the supplement with a scrunched-up face, she asked:

“I heard you trained with a new instructor today. How was he? Did you like him?”

“…You knew?”

“Of course! I watched along with Sir Tybern!”

“What did you think of him, Rani? You’re pretty skilled with a sword yourself.”

That’s all thanks to my skill, though—I’m actually clueless.

She scratched her cheek. She hadn’t been using her skills when she watched, so she didn’t really know. But—

“He seemed like a good knight! And Sir Tybern praised him a lot too. He said Sir Hilden uses the world’s fastest quickdraw technique! You’ll be able to learn a lot from him!”

She showered Hilden with compliments, hoping to raise Hider’s affection level toward him.

Please befriend him. You need him.

Tybern had said that if he ever had to be away, Hilden would protect Hider.

It looked like in this life too, Hilden would take on the same role. In the original story, it had taken quite a while for Hilden and Hider to become close.

“…What about me? How did I do?”

Hider asked nervously.

How did he do, you ask?

Oh, Hider. Looks like you need a little praise. Well, they say even a whale will dance if you praise it enough.

“You were amazing.”

She quickly gave a thumbs up.

“You’re incredibly talented! With a bit more training, you’ll become a knight who surpasses even Sir Hilden!”

And that wasn’t even an exaggeration. In the novel, Hider became the youngest Sword Master in history.

At her words, Hider grinned in satisfaction.

His chubby, now slightly fuller cheeks looked so cute, she almost wanted to bite them.