I was already thinking that I needed a knight who would follow my orders.

 

There are many reasons, but the most important thing was that I needed a knight to secretly go to the Evans Dungeon’s Ruel’s Trial.

 

Think about it.

 

I’m a countess’s daughter even though I look like this.

 

Even if I somehow managed to enter the dungeon, would people really leave me alone?

 

There’s no way!

 

There would always be soldiers and knights to guard me.

 

No matter how much I try to be a jerk, I can’t be alone.

 

This is a safety issue.

 

It’d be better to endure my frustration than Benedict’s anger.

 

Why can’t I just go in where everyone is and claim it was a coincidence?

 

That’s impossible.

 

The place where Ruel’s Trial is hidden is a remote place where you have no reason to go unless you go there on purpose.

 

Let’s say I went there by force.

 

But then accidentally entered Ruel’s Trial in that situation?

 

If you were sane, would you believe that?

 

That’s where Karl comes in.

 

With this guy who is highly respected and trusted by people by my side, I should be able to move around quite freely.

 

Furthermore, I could explain Ruel’s trials quite well if I just took in this sloppy knight.

 

“Commander of the Knights, excuse me, but can I talk to Miss Lucy alone for a moment?”

 

While I was cheering in my heart at the good fortune that had rolled in, Karl spoke to Possell.

 

“It’ll only take a moment.”

 

“If Miss Lucy allows it, I’ll leave.”

 

“Miss.”

 

Huh?

 

What’s going on?

 

You want to talk to me alone?

 

Alright!

 

I was going to ask you a secret favour anyway.

 

‘Commander of the Knights, could you step out for a moment.’

 

“Idiot Possell. Stay out.”

 

“Understood, Miss. Then I’ll wait outside.”

 

After Possell’s footsteps faded, I asked Karl.

 

“Knight, what do you want to say?”

 

“Sloppy knight, what are you going to ask me?”

 

“Do you have a blessing, Miss?”

 

Blessing.

 

The name of a skill that NPCs use in Soul Academy.

 

We understand skills as a system in the game, but the characters in the game are different.

 

They don’t know the concept of skills, so they consider it a blessing from God.

 

“I want to know. Was it simply my own shortcomings that I tried to harm the young lady yesterday, or was it some other force at work?”

 

Karl’s voice was filled with tension and self-loathing.

 

As the perpetrator, I didn’t think much of it, but Karl was different.

 

He was accepting what he had done as a great sin.

 

“I know that asking you to tell me about your blessings is extremely rude. I also know how trashy it is for a beast that tried to kill the young lady to ask something like this. But please, just once. Just once! I will believe you no matter what you say!”

 

That was what Karl was hoping.

 

That his mistake wasn’t entirely his fault.

 

That he had someone else to make excuses.

 

That he had an excuse for his mistake.

 

When I saw Karl banging his head on the stone floor of the prison, I unconsciously stepped back.

 

I was pressured by Karl’s tenacity, as if he would give up his life if what he had done was entirely his.

 

“Please!”

 

It’s not that hard to talk about skills.

 

I don’t know what people in the game think, but to me, skills are just skills.

 

They ‘re not something special, they’re just tools that you gain and lose based on practicality.

 

That’s why I didn’t feel bad about telling others.

 

More importantly, if I leave here without saying anything.

 

He’ll really kill himself.

 

So, I’ll tell him, but I can’t do it for free because he almost hurt me.

 

I definitely have to get something in return.

 

This is a deal that’s advantageous to me.

 

I’m A and the other person is B.

 

In this case, I first ask the other person to give me something ridiculous and then gradually reduce it.

 

All I want is help in Evans’ dungeon, but it wouldn’t be bad to get more than that, right?

 

So, first…

 

‘Okay, But there’s a condition!’

 

“Okay, sloppy knight I’ll tell you. But there’s a condition.”

 

“What is it? I’ll do anything I can.”

 

“Swear to the God of Oathst that you’ll be my loyal knight.”

 

Karl froze for a moment after hearing my words.

 

Surely, he never thought I’d make such a request.

 

Swearing to the God of Oaths at Soul Academy means declaring that you’ll keep your promise in past, present and future.

 

If you break this oath, the oath symbol that’s engraved on your body when you make the oath will turn black.

 

That’s the end of it.

 

It’s nothing special.

 

The characters in the game mention things like your soul being tainted or being dragged to the abyss, but there are no actual penalties.

 

At best, your reputation might drop.

 

That’s how it is for the player, but for Karl, who actually lives in this world, it’s different.

 

Because breaking an oath is considered a huge dishonour.

 

Could Karl, who agonizes all night because of his misbehaviour as a knight, endure dishonour?

 

No.

 

So, the offer I made to Karl would sound like this.

 

Be my loyal slave for the rest of your life.

 

No one in their right mind would accept such an offer.

 

So, I waited for Karl, who was keeping silent, to reject it.

 

To make another offer.

 

“Okay.”

 

But what came out of Karl’s mouth was an answer different from what I expected.

 

“Huh?”

 

“What?”

 

“I swear to the God of Oaths.”

 

No.

 

Huh?

 

Is he really saying that?

 

How could someone who has lived his whole life in this world not know the meaning of an oath?!

 

Karl, who had been kneeling on the floor, got up from his position and stood in front of me.

 

Then he bit his thumb with his lips and drew a line on the back of his hand with the blood from it.

 

‘Wait a minute!’

 

“Hey! Wait a minute! You sloppy knight! Stop!”

 

No.

 

Shit.

 

I can’t go in there to stop this because of the iron bars.

 

“I’m telling you to stop. So, stop it!”

 

Should I call Possell?

 

If it’s the commander of the knights, Possell, he should have the means to open the door of this prison.

 

Yes.

 

Let’s go call Possell.

 

As I was about to move my body in a hurry, a voice leaked out of Karl’s mouth.

 

“God who governs the oath.

 

I stand here as a knight.”

 

Karl’s usually soft voice gained strength.

 

His voice filled with magic stopped me from moving.

 

Damn it!

 

What kind of magic density is this high?!

 

I can’t move!

 

“I will put the days of my past to become a knight in this circle.

 

I will put the present of my life as a knight in this circle.

 

I will put the future of living for my dreams in this circle.”

 

As I struggled to escape the magic, I soon realized that escape was impossible and watched Karl swearing his oath.

 

I engraved in my mind the sight of him mortgaging his life.

 

Ha.

 

Damn it.

 

Yes.

 

Do whatever you want.

 

You’re the one who’s getting screwed, not me.

 

“Great Gods.

 

Everything about me is contained in this circle right now.

 

So, I swear by this.

 

I will live as a loyal knight of Lady Lucy Allen from now on.”

 

After finishing all his words, Karl ran his hand over the line drawn on his hand.

 

Then, a light appeared on the back of his hand, and the line of oath was engraved.

 

After the series of events were over and I regained my freedom, I quietly looked at Karl’s hand, then raised my head and shouted with all my heart.

 

“Karl! Did you go crazy after getting beaten by my father?!”

 

“Didn’t you tell me to do it?”

 

“What kind of crazy guy actually swears an oath just because you told him to do it?! You piece of trash!”

 

Yes.

 

I did tell you to do it.

 

But swearing to the God of Oaths isn’t such a light thing, you crazy person.

 

Why are you looking at me like you’re doing something crazy and then asking why?

 

Huh?

 

This really pisses me off.

 

Seriously.

 

“Since I was saved by your mercy, isn’t it natural for me to dedicate the rest of my life to you? I intended to do that from the beginning. The oath just got added on top of that.”

 

He spoke so calmly that I briefly wondered if my knowledge was wrong.

 

So, I thought back on the various quests I had in Soul Academy.

 

The conclusion I came to was this.

 

Nothing was wrong with me.

 

The only thing that was wrong was this person whose head was twisted in a strange way.

 

Benedict.

 

How hard did you hit him?!

 

How hard did you have to hit him to make him a mental cripple!

 

“Would you like to tell me now?”

 

After seeing him swear in front of me, I couldn’t help but listen to what he had to say.

 

“That’s right… I have the blessing to provoke others.”

 

“Then the reason why I couldn’t control my emotions.”

 

“It must be because of the blessing.”

 

“I see. My guess was right.”

 

My head started hurting as I watched Karl mutter to himself as if he was relieved.

 

Is it right to swear an oath just because of that?

 

I can’t understand you with my head.

 

Lucy was a crazy bitch before she was possessed, but you seem to be just as crazy.

 

‘Are you satisfied?’

 

“Sloppy knight, are you satisfied that I found out that you are not an idiot?”

 

“Yes, thank you, my lady. I will continue to aid you in activities as a knight in the future.”

 

As I looked at Karl, who bowed his head politely, a thousand thoughts came to mind.

 

If I only consider the results, I have a skilled knight who will follow my every word for the rest of his life, so why do I feel so uncomfortable?

 

Haa.

 

I don’t know.

 

Karl swore to be my loyal knight that day, but that didn’t mean his punishment would end.

 

Karl had to stay in prison until just before leaving for the expedition.

 

I had to find another knight who could match my sparring.

 

In the end, I had to go through Ruel’s Trial alone.

 

No matter how much Karl followed my orders, if I was lax in my preparations, I would fail.

 

That’s why I couldn’t rest even for a moment.

 

So, I asked Possell to find someone to help me, and Possell replied,

 

“In that case, I will help you!”

 

It was a welcome offer for the knight commander to personally spar and gain experience, but for some reason, I felt uncomfortable with the offer.

 

Think about it.

 

Why did Karl, a knight of the Allen family, train me so hard on the first day?

 

Of course, it must have been because he was treated that way too.

 

Then who made Karl treat me that way?

 

Of course, it must have been this knight commander who shouted that he would help me.

 

I was sure that the Spartan-esque education would go on beyond my imagination, so I declined, saying that Possell would have a lot to do, but Possell was stubborn.

 

“It’s okay! If it’s for you, young lady! I can train you as much as you want!”

 

Unlike Benedict, who was easily fooled by his daughter, or the other people who could be suppressed by my status as a Countess, Possell, the knight commander, was someone who could ignore my wishes.

 

Possell, who had thus acquired the position of my sparring partner, said,

 

“Okay, young lady! You were really good at blocking with your shield and then pushing away to create openings! Let’s do it again!”

 

He created a bootcamp training program that made me lose my mind.