Episode 16. Single Bridge Dalian (2)
“When I observed Master Keter, I got the impression that he was very energetic.”
At Prosciutto’s words, Paneer’s face crumpled at once.
“Could it be that Katherine is being used to seduce Keter?”
“How could I use Katherine, whom I raised as a daughter, for a vulgar ploy? I said this because I thought that Master Keter would feel even greater humiliation if he were defeated by Catherine.”
“Hmm. It is certainly a great humiliation for a hot-blooded man to be defeated by a woman. One, in order to humiliate, it is meaningful to win first. You have to break that very firmly.”
“That is correct.”
“I heard that Anis was also attacked by Keter. Do you think Katherine can definitely defeat him?”
Paneer didn’t care at all that Anise wasn’t in good shape or that it was a surprise attack. Anis lost, and Keter was the winner.
Prosciutto thought so too.
It is Keter who defeated Anis. In order to defeat such a guy, the premise was that Catherine also had to defeat Anise.
“Wouldn’t it be enough if Catherine was a 2-star knight?”
Paneer, who wasn’t surprised at all, opened his eyes wide.
“Catherine became a 2-star knight? It’s only been three years since I became a 1-star knight!”
The gap between apprentice knights and first-star knights is not large.
However, the gap between 1st and 2nd stars is vast.
It is an established fact that apprentice knights become 1-star knights, but after that, the story changes. More than 60% of all knights die of old age after reaching 1 star without being promoted to 2 star.
That’s why it’s absolutely impossible to become a 2-star knight by luck. It is a 2-star knight test that takes more than 10 years of preparation just by trying.
For a woman, Catherine, to become a 2-star knight in three years was an achievement that would go down in the history of the kingdom.
“Amazing. I knew Catherine was talented, but I never thought she would become a 2-star knight faster than Anis… … .”
“Isn’t that all thanks to Panir-nim’s discernment?”
“Huh, that’s right too.”
It was Panir who recognized her talent early on and recruited her into the Sephira family. Even though I didn’t adopt her as an adopted daughter, there was no one in the family who didn’t know that she cared for her like a daughter.
Paneer, who was distrustful of Prosciutto’s choice, was convinced when he heard that Catherine had become a 2-star knight.
“Then, this mission is Catherine’s first mission as a 2-star knight?”
“If the Elder allows it, it will be.”
“There is no doubt about Catherine’s skill. However, I don’t know if I’ll be able to perform the mission well apart from that. Prosciutto, if you can vouch for it, let Catherine go.”
“I will vouch for it. Don’t you know that Catherine is different from other women? That child is the model for knights. I think it is worth entrusting everything about this mission to her.”
“I trust you, Prosciutto. Send Catherine in my name.”
Paneer put down the arrow and bow he was holding.
“Trust Catherine and wait. But we’ll have to pay it off before tonight’s over. There is nothing good about postponing the event.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
“Let me go.”
Prosciutto went to Catherine without delay.
* * *
If you’re looking for Katherine, you don’t have to run around here and there. Because she lives a regular life every day.
At this time of day, she is always in the gym in the driver’s camp.
Dozens of knights were training their strength in the gym, but there was one who showed off his unrivaled presence.
Tanned skin and elastic muscles. Catherine’s presence with her hair tied back was overwhelming.
Prosciutto exclaimed when he saw Catherine.
“Catherine! Could you give me a minute?”
Catherine, who was training her arms and shoulders by pulling on the firmly fixed steel pole, turned her head to look at Prosciutto.
Unlike her strong body, she said with a bright face.
“yes! Seniors, let’s go first!”
The knights responded to her greetings.
“Have a good trip. I will always keep your seat empty.”
“The 4th break room will be empty. Let’s go there.”
“You can come to me anytime if you need advice.”
She was not just the red point of Sephira. It was a refreshing existence that gave hope and vitality to the dry and stiff Sephira family.
Even the knights who worked out together were senior as jockeys, but in terms of rank, she was the senior. Nevertheless, Catherine treated them respectfully as seniors.
Because of this, it was inevitable that there were more people who secretly admired Catherine, rather than those who were jealous of her talent or dismissed her as a woman.
After a while, Katherine and Prosciutto met alone in the break room next to the gym.
“Uncle Prosciutto. It’s been a while since you came. How you doing? The bow you gave me to celebrate becoming a 2-star knight the other day, I am using it very well.”
Katherine asked friendly, wiping the sweat from her brow.
When Prosciutto looked at Catherine, he smiled as if he were his own daughter, but since this was an important job, he said with a serious face without a smile.
“Catherine. I have a mission for you.”
“hehehe, please do anything.”
When she says it with a smile, it may seem like she knows the mission lightly. Butler Prosciutto also misunderstood at first.
But no. The reason why she is bright is to make the other person feel comfortable, but when it comes to carrying out a mission, she handles it more meticulously and reliably than anyone else.
“You know Keter, right?”
“The patriarch’s bastard, right? I heard that you came today.”
“Did you know that he gets into trouble as soon as he arrives?”
“yes? sorry. It’s the first time I’ve heard of that.”
Catherine is extremely focused in training. To the point of being oblivious to the things around you. Because of this, the soldiers and knights had not heard rumors about Keter.
Prosciutto briefly recounted what Keter had done. Upon hearing Keter’s actions, Catherine made a puzzled expression.
“Did Master Keter make such a big mistake? I understand.”
How can a person only have advantages? Catherine also had a fatal flaw, which was that she was overly tolerant.
Nevertheless, the reason why Catherine was favored by Panir was that she always obeyed orders even if she didn’t understand.
“Elder Panir thinks that Kether is harmful to the Sephira family. We can’t let him run amok here and there. Catherine, you try to stop Keter.”
“Yes, I will.”
Truly a model for knights. A knight who unconditionally obeys the orders of his superiors, even if he does not understand them with his head.
“What can I do?”
Catherine thought Prosciutto had a plan. However, Prosciutto shook his head.
“This mission is yours alone. Think and judge for yourself.”
“single… A mission?”
Catherine’s eyes widened.
Prosciutto nodded and emphasized.
“As a 2-star knight and squad leader in charge of the soldiers, you can’t just listen to other people’s orders forever. Besides, aren’t you the up-and-comer of our Sephira?”
“ah… … !”
“This is not my dogma. Elder Panir thinks so too.”
At the mention of paneer, Catherine’s eyes moistened.
Prosciutto, like a parent, was worried about whether Catherine, who was full of emotions, would be able to do well.
“Have courage. Even if you fail, we will stand out. No matter what you do, the elder and I will support you.”
“I will not disappoint you. Just like it always has been.”
“The elder told me to finish the work before nightfall. Keter just happened to be at the 2nd shooting range, so use that as an opportunity.”
Originally, it was true that Catherine had to find out this information on her own, but Prosciutto couldn’t because he wanted to take care of something more when he saw Catherine.
“Think deeply, act quickly.”
Prosciutto hurriedly leaves before he faints.
Catherine, who was left alone, seemed to be lost in the afterglow, and her eyes were still closed.
It wasn’t the first time he had been given an assignment, but it was the first time he had entrusted it to himself from start to finish. It was as if Paneer had fully acknowledged himself.
‘Elder Panir… … .’
From noble mtl dot com
She grew up in an orphanage supported by the Sephira family. The other children were busy with their own lives when they got older, but she was different.
I wanted to repay the orphanage for taking care of me and taking care of me with love. He made it the goal of his life.
Upon learning her will, the head of the orphanage said. It is entirely thanks to the support of the Sephira family that the orphanage is running. So, rather than the orphanage, return the favor to the Sephira family.
Catherine immediately went to the Sephira family and spoke boldly.
“Please let me work for the Sephira family.”
At the time, the family butler gave her a chance to work as a lady-in-waiting. Catherine thought it wouldn’t matter if she lived the life of a court lady for the rest of her life, as long as she could contribute to the Sephira family.
For about a year, she faithfully served as a lady-in-waiting, but accidentally heard that the number of knights in the Sephira family was insufficient.
It was the time when Sephira began to suffer from external pressure in earnest, so the number of knight cadets supported by the outside plummeted.
Unable to ignore Sephira’s crisis, Catherine went to the general butler and said that she wanted to become a knight.
Catherine always showed sincerity while working as a lady-in-waiting, but that alone was not enough to become a knight.
The general butler coldly refused her request. It wasn’t that she refused because she was a woman. Women can be knights too. However, female knights had four times higher passing standards than female knights.
There are over 5,000 knights in the Lillian Kingdom, but only 220 knights are among them.
Even women who were born and raised in prestigious families give up their education as knights, but could Catherine from an orphanage do it?
Since the manpower and money required for knight training were considerable, the general butler nailed down that Catherine could not be trained as a knight.
At that time, it was Paneer who happened to pass by.
“Did you say Catherine? Although your status is low, you must not ignore the desire to contribute to our family. i will support you I will give you a chance to become a Sephira Knight.”
When everyone else said no, only Panir trusted and supported Catherine.
For Catherine, Paneer was not just a supporter. The same existence as the father that I dreamed of so much since my orphanage days.
Even though I couldn’t call him father, I thought of him as father and followed him. So I couldn’t fail this mission even more.
After careful consideration, Catherine rose from her seat. As Prosciutto advised, he thought deeply and acted quickly.
She summoned the soldiers under her command and headed for the 2nd shooting range.
Usually, the second shooting range is uninhabited. Judging that the right time was right now, with Keter there, I decided to make a quick decision.