"You want to know how far you are from the standard of a true knight, which means that accepting knight training wasn’t entirely your father’s coercion. You still want to be a knight. But... you refuse to pledge allegiance to me, is it because I’m not worth your allegiance?"
"No! That’s not what I mean!" At Yilin’s words, Erwin panicked and quickly said, "You are very much worthy of my allegiance, very much worthy! But I already have someone I’ve pledged allegiance to, and a knight should honor his vow, right? I’m sure you wouldn’t want a knight who doesn’t uphold knightly spirit."
"Who have you pledged allegiance to? Is it some lucky lady?" Yilin smiled.
"No... not a lady. To be exact, he’s not even human." Lowering his voice, Erwin seriously said, "It’s Lord Lich King, the leader of our Silver Moon Knight Order."
Upon hearing this, Yilin was stunned.
Erwin continued, "Actually, I’ve met you several times in the past, when the leader stayed in White City. I often came to the castle with other members. You probably don’t remember."
After speaking, Erwin smiled at Yilin.
Yilin’s smile gradually faded, replaced by disappointment, "You are a member of the Silver Moon Knight Order?"
Erwin replied earnestly, "Yes, I have always kept my identity in mind. Even if the leader is no longer here, I am still a member of the Silver Moon Knight Order."
"How are the other children?" Yilin asked.
"They... are all fine. But some have already given up the dream of becoming a true knight. However, they still live on this land." With that, Erwin smiled.
"Alright, I understand." Yilin also smiled, "It’s a pleasure to have lunch with a member of the Silver Moon Knight Order."
"There is no ’then’." ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ Novᴇl_Fire(.)net
In the small room, Erwin sat expressionlessly, his gaze focused on the bare ground in front of him.
Erwin’s father, Bart, stared with wide eyes, his jaw almost dropping.
"You! You actually refused? My god! A knight title handed to you on a silver platter, and you don’t want it? Are you crazy?"
Erwin’s father was so angry that he trembled, practically gritting his teeth in fury.
Yet Erwin remained indifferent, expressionless, almost with vacant eyes.
"So many years, so much money spent, isn’t it all for today? Just one nod and you’re a noble. Our entire family becomes nobility! Nobility, understand? Our family won’t be commoners anymore!" Bart paced back and forth in the room, roaring angrily, "Do you know what this means? It means you’ll be the only one in the family’s history! Your descendants might not remember their grandfather’s name, but they will surely remember yours! We’ll have our own family crest to wear on our chests! And yet... my god! You refused? To ensure you had enough money to walk the knight’s path, and not be looked down upon after becoming a knight, I didn’t even dare to hire a maid! I made dinner every day!"
"I can make dinner in the future." Erwin shrugged.
"Is this about dinner? Is this about dinner? You!" Bart’s face turned green, "You go back right now, before it gets dark, and tell her you’ve changed your mind! Now! Immediately!"
"That’s impossible." Erwin replied lightly, "I’ve already clearly told her I only pledge allegiance to the leader, so going back now would be breaking my vow. No one wants a knight who breaks his vow."
"You!" Upon hearing this, Bart leaned back slightly, glaring. Moments later, a hysterical roar echoed through West City: "You ungrateful child—!"
Well, echoing through West City might be an exaggeration, but it was close. At least their neighbors heard it clearly. But they were used to it. If these two didn’t cause a ruckus every day, that would be unusual.
At nightfall, Erwin prepared dinner, finished dinner, washed the dishes, and then lay by himself on the roof, gazing at the stars in the sky.
Apart from training, this was probably his favorite thing—to space out. To be alone quietly, clear his mind, and appreciate the beauty of nature. Simple and plain.
Of course, it could also be understood as a kind of helplessness amidst confusion. After all, if he can only pledge his loyalty to Gray and Gray is missing, it would indeed be very frustrating.
A vow is supposed to be an absolute thing, which means it’s something you must do. However, reality always has countless variables, and a vow not strictly examined often leads to a very awkward situation.
Just like the state Erwin is in now.
If Gray were declared dead, then he could choose another figure to pledge allegiance to, such as Gray’s successors Richie and Jones, or Gray’s original figure of allegiance, Yilin. However, there was no declaration of Gray’s death; he was merely missing. In this case, it seems Erwin has no other course than to embark on a quest to find Gray.
But he doesn’t even know where to start looking, which is very unfortunate.
The night breeze gently blew, tousling his slightly upturned brown short hair.
A firefly flew past him, circling him slowly. Erwin’s gaze was drawn to the firefly, silently watching it as it danced in the air.