I Will Become the Villain’s Childhood Friend - Chapter 60

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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60

The moment he left the gates of Pelrn’s manor, Kaileus heard Rieze’s voice calling out his name at the top of her lungs.

He hastily checked outside the carriage window, but his vision was blurred by the dust kicked up by the knights galloping alongside as escorts.

He considered stopping the carriage to get out and check, but decided against it.

He felt irritated with himself for still clinging to attachments even after deciding to cut ties.

‘It must have been my imagination.’

Even after dismissing it as such, he remained bothered throughout the entire journey to the duchy, and the fact that he was bothered made him feel miserable.

Kaileus tried to erase the face and voice that kept surfacing in his mind.

He couldn’t afford to waste any more mental energy on someone who had deceived and betrayed him.

Eventually, on the fifth day of traveling north, the carriage procession reached the border of the Diern Domain.

An impregnable fortress that even royalty could not freely cross without Selpieus Diern’s permit.

Even after passing through there, they still had to cross several more hills to reach the ducal palace.

Feeling the dry, chilly air against his skin, Kaileus looked out the window.

Soon, a massive castle perched proudly on high ground came into view.

After passing through the castle walls surrounded by a moat and crossing the single drawbridge, the heavy castle gates opened.

Only after passing through layers of security checks befitting the name of an iron fortress could Kaileus finally step down from the carriage.

He looked up at the castle that would be his home for the next several years.

As a child, he used to come here during summer vacations, but he hadn’t set foot here since he’d grown older.

Diern Castle, which he was seeing for the first time in nearly four years, was more desolate and bleak than he remembered.

Even though it was April when buds should be sprouting, snow still lay like ash in the bitter cold shadows.

The towers that soared as if to pierce the sky showed no consideration for aesthetics, and the stone walls of immeasurable thickness were entirely colorless.

His white breath dispersed.

Having stayed in an excessively warm place for so long made this place feel even colder.

‘I need to adapt.’

Kaileus consciously reminded himself that this castle was now the world he would live in.

The vivid daydream that was choking him precisely because of its vividness would gradually fade from his memory.

***

The morning after arriving at the ducal palace, Kaileus went to find Selpieus.

Carrying stiff tension and competitive spirit, he knocked on Selpieus’s office located at the top of the castle.

When the door opened and he entered, the density of the air changed.

“Father, did you sleep well?”

When he offered a respectful greeting, Selpieus, who had been looking out the window, leisurely turned around.

Golden eyes like those of a predator fixed their gaze on him.

“I have a request.”

Kaileus mustered his courage and walked toward him.

Soon he knelt before his father who looked down at him impassively and bowed deeply.

“Please teach me the sword.”

The cold from the stone floor transmitted through his knees and fingertips. His voice trembled.

“I want to learn swordsmanship from you, Father, the kingdom’s greatest swordsman. I will prove my qualifications as your son.”

A silence passed as if even breath had frozen.

Kaileus waited for an answer, not daring to look up at his father’s face.

“Will you do it to the death?”

At the question that came after what felt like an eternally long void, Kaileus snapped his head up.

“Defeat is not permitted for a Diern. I asked if you would train to the death.”

“…Yes!”

Kaileus, swallowing dry saliva, shouted loudly.

“Noem!”

At Selpieus’s call, someone from the adjacent room opened the door and entered.

“You called, Your Grace?”

The dignified-looking man wearing glasses was a face Kaileus had often seen.

“Entrust Kaileus to Henrite.”

At Selpieus’s quiet command, Kaileus flinched.

“Father. I apologize, but I am requesting that you personally instruct me.”

“Prince Kaileus. Please go first. I will explain.”

At Noem’s gentle but firm urging, Kaileus had no choice but to stand up.

When the two left greetings and exited the room, Selpieus had already turned his back on them.

Going down the stairs, Noem introduced himself to Kaileus.

“Prince Kaileus. I am Noem Wagner, in charge of assisting His Grace the Duke.”

“…Yes. Nice to meet you.”

“Please treat me well. From now on, you can ask me about any administrative inquiries.”

“…I understand.”

“Your education will be handled by Sir Henrite, the commander of the 1st Knight Order. Please follow me.”

Kaileus stopped walking abruptly.

“I came here to receive training from Father.”

When he expressed his displeasure, Noem turned around and explained.

“His Grace is extremely busy with official duties. Sir Henrite will provide you with basic training.”

“I already mastered the basics long ago!”

“If you succeed in inflicting even a scratch on Sir Henrite in a duel with him, then His Grace will personally educate you from that point on.”

“…”

Despite Kaileus’s protests, Noem handled the situation skillfully without batting an eye.

Since he couldn’t throw a tantrum, Kaileus followed Noem to where the knights were stationed.

When they reached the vast training ground, Noem urged one of the knights to fetch Henrite, the commander.

The knight ran off like an arrow and brought back a man.

The man looked at Kaileus, stubbed out his cigarette, and grinned.

Disheveled light brown curly hair, rumpled uniform, hands shoved in pockets, dragging feet.

Kaileus frowned at the free-spirited behavior that was hard to believe from a knight commander.

He could tell at a glance that the man was of common birth.

“Sir Henrite, please show proper respect. This is Prince Kaileus Diern.”

“Ah. Yes. I’m Henriette Sierrden, commander of the 1st Knight Order. Please treat me well, young master.”

Despite Noem’s warning, his manner of speech didn’t change much.

Seeing his slovenly behavior made Kaileus’s anger surge.

“His Grace has entrusted Sir Henrite with Prince Kaileus’s education for the time being.”

When Noem officially conveyed Selpieus’s order, Henrite scratched the back of his head.

“Ah, damn. What a hassle… I understand.”

His attitude of reluctant acceptance made Kaileus even more irritated.

Who’s the one who should really be annoyed here.

He hadn’t come all this way to this distant land to learn from such a person.

‘Knight commander or whatever, I’ll beat him down right now.’

“Let’s duel first.”

He grabbed two wooden swords stuck nearby, threw one to him, and spoke, making Henrite snicker.

“My, my. Quite the impatient personality, young master.”

Kaileus took his stance and, seeing that he had picked up the wooden sword, charged at him aggressively.

His only obsession was to break this insolent man’s pride and quickly gain his father’s recognition.

Spin.

Kaileus’s vision spun for the fourth time already.

Before he knew it, his face was planted upside down on the ground.

Henrite completely subdued him with his bare hands without even using a wooden sword.

As lightly as twisting a newborn’s wrist.

“You’re full of openings, young master. What exactly have you been learning all this time?”

The sound of tongue-clicking settled in his ears.

Kaileus gritted his teeth and charged at him again.

Henrite lightly deflected the blade and struck Kaileus in the ribs.

“Kugh!”

“Your attacks are far too simple. Use your head a little.”

Kaileus gasped for breath and supported himself on the ground with his wooden sword.

Kaileus was well aware that the members of the Knights under his father’s command had earned their positions purely through skill.

So he had estimated that this man who had risen to the position of captain would be somewhat strong. But he never expected such an overwhelming difference.

He was skilled enough to easily crush even the swordsmanship instructor who had taught him in Pelrn.

As if reading Kaileus’s bewilderment, Henrite stroked his beard and raised the corners of his mouth.

“Even though I look like this, I’m the number two around here. It would be troublesome if you underestimated me.”

Kaileus listened to Henrite’s muttering while catching his ragged breath.

“Even young master Darius only recently began to spar with me on equal terms.”

Kaileus shuddered for a moment.

If that was true, he could gauge how far behind his current swordsmanship skills were compared to Darius.

While that vast gap filled him with despair, having a precise reference point ignited his fighting spirit.

‘So if I defeat this man and receive training from father, I can beat Darius too.’

The corners of Kaileus’s mouth twisted upward.

Fine, I’ll surpass you no matter what it takes.

He was pleased to have a concrete target. With something to focus on, nothing else caught his eye.

Kaileus raised his collapsed knees and straightened his posture again.

Sparks flew from his gleaming eyes.

Sensing his fighting spirit, now honed more sharply than before, Henrite let out a groan.

“Oh my. This one’s a complete little Duke, isn’t he?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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