บท 12: [12] The So-Called Knight...
[As the days passed, your research on this vast land delved deeper, gradually becoming well-versed in the habits of various plants and magical creatures.]
[You found yourself enriched, realizing that the intellectual knowledge etched in your mind was the true treasure compared to the abundant combat virtues of this ultimate life form.]
[With your current knowledge, returning to the Clock Tower might allow you to conduct a small lecture series on 'Identifying Popular Creatures of the Age of Gods.']
[After all, despite being a mentor, this vast magical knowledge comes solely from various materials and texts, unlike your ability to interact with vivid real entities.]
[The firsthand experience of the Age of Gods is indeed a dimensional blow.]
[Feeling adequately prepared, you began to plan the initiation of your research project on crop improvement, which would require a piece of experimental land for agriculture.]
[When you inquired about the most fertile farmland nearby, the townspeople unanimously pointed to the same answer:]
["If you talk about fertile land, that would be Sir Ector's wheat field."]
["Similar to the righteous you, Sir Ector is a genuine good person, often providing relief to the town's poor with food. He will surely welcome your visit."]
[Following the townspeople's guidance, you set off toward the purported wheat field on the outskirts of town.]
[The sky was clear, cloudless, and today's Britain was bathed in the brilliant sunshine of autumn.]
[Not yet fully traversing the dense forest beyond the town, the unique fragrance of barley and wheat wafted up to your face with the gentle breeze of this autumn day.]
[Standing on a giant tree, you gazed into the distance, and at the horizon's edge, a dazzling golden light faintly appeared.]
[Listening to the wind's guidance, you slowly made your way toward the wheat field.]
[Clang~ Clang~ Clang~]
[The rhythmic and cadenced sounds reached your ears, something very familiar from your training in the combat field, it was the sound of chopping practice dummies.]
[Approaching the source of the sound, you noticed the young man practicing swordplay in the grassy field, his flowing blond hair swaying in the wind like the radiant wheat field itself.]
...
Marching forward, sword swinging diagonally, as steady as a rock, swift as thunder.
Clang!
A crisp breaking sound echoed.
The golden-haired youth, holding a wooden sword in a mid-level stance, was diligently chopping at the training dummy before him.
His fair and clean neck glistened slightly with sweat, and each swing of the sword was flawless, exhibiting precision, elegance, and a sense of beauty in swordsmanship, strength, and skill.
Seemingly aware of the presence of an outsider, his sword movements hesitated slightly.
The golden-haired youth paused, raised his gaze, and their eyes met as if by fate.
"..."
In that moment of seeing each other's faces, Alvin couldn't help but be stunned.
It wasn't just him, the other party seemed equally surprised.
The reason was simple.
This golden-haired youth was exceptionally good-looking!
The level of handsomeness on this face seemed to outshine even Alvin in his ultimate life form.
And it wasn't just about the looks.
There was an unassuming charm that the simple peasant attire couldn't conceal, an otherworldly aura as if he stood alone against the world.
With flowing golden hair, deep green eyes as clear as a jewel, and that eye-catching stray strand of hair, he was indeed a top-tier among handsome young men!
Moreover... it felt familiar.
For some reason, the face gave Alvin a sense of déjà vu, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't recall where he had seen this man's face.
A faint sense of unease lingered in his mind, refusing to leave.
However, for certain special reasons, Alvin quickly ignored the familiarity of the face.
His attention subtly shifted, and his gaze instinctively began to scrutinize the young man, a natural scrutiny after experiencing various ill-intentioned encounters.
A well-proportioned physique.
Muscle lines that were full and firm without being excessive.
And the stance he held while wielding the sword, seemingly effortless...
Alvin's enhanced senses quickly picked up on this, undeniably, the guy was skilled in swordsmanship too.
"May I ask who you are?"
A gender-neutral voice resonated across the wheat field, comfortable like a gentle breeze brushing against the face.
The golden-haired youth sheathed his wooden sword, and with a bit of awkwardness, asked, keeping his gaze fixated on Alvin's face for an extended period.
Alvin nodded in acknowledgment and replied, "Alvin."
"Silver Star Guiding the Way?! "
Upon hearing this name, the youth's originally excited expression froze for a moment.
"Seeing your appearance, I had a guess... and it seems my guess was right, recently, your deeds have been frequently talked about in Essex County!"
"Slaying bandits, taming magical creatures, defeating giants, refusing the recruitment of the lords, and helping the weak without expecting anything in return..."
"Despite being of the same age, you uphold such noble justice. Undoubtedly, you possess the virtues of humility and compassion, a knight senior worthy of our admiration and learning!"
As if meeting an idol they admired.
The golden-haired youth spoke with excitement, his eyes shining with admiration.
Undeniably, being admired felt refreshing.
However, the title of 'Silver Star Guiding the Way' always carried a sense of embarrassment...
But it sounded nice.
Actually, Alvin was well aware that in the eyes of the people, he was considered a big shot.
Despite that, Silver Star Guiding the Way made him feel like he was labeled as a leader of manual labor...
Moreover, he felt a strange sense of familiarity with the face, and he tried hard to remember but couldn't recall where he had seen that man's face.
Feeling a slight discomfort, Alvin quickly ignored the familiarity due to certain special reasons.
However, he felt the need to correct the misunderstanding in the face of the youth's admiration.
"Sorry, but I'm not a knight, and I don't like being called one."
"Eh?"
Hearing such a response, the originally excited expression of the golden-haired youth faltered for a moment.
"What do you mean..."
"I don't have a title, and my ancestors don't have any commendable glory."
Alvin honestly replied, and that was indeed an accurate statement.
After all, the glory of a knight?
His old man was the vile king Vortigern. Not being drowned in spit was already good enough.
Clearly positioned as a villain full of evil deeds.
How did he become the Silver Star Guiding the Way in the eyes of people?
Maybe that's just another alias for a labor foreman...
"Besides... the so-called knights in Britannia, I despise associating with them. Being called a knight together with them makes me feel ashamed."
"Shame... ashamed..."
The golden-haired youth repeated the word in disbelief.
"Why would you say that..."
"As a non-productive, competitive, violently armed class created through exploiting labor, aiming to maintain noble rule, the so-called chivalry, despite sounding grand, cannot change the ugly nature of representing exploitation."
Alvin pointed out the essence of the knight class without mincing words but thought of explaining it in simpler terms since the other party might not understand these terms.
"In simple terms, knight games and such are very hypocritical."
"Hypocritical..."
Never expected to receive such an answer from the admired person.
The golden-haired youth bit his lip, seemingly wanting to argue.
"But... but your noble conduct undoubtedly fits the knight's code of conduct-"
"So, is this noble conduct something brought about by the title of a knight?"
Alvin asked with interest.
"Is it that having virtues makes one a knight, or is it the title of a knight that makes people possess these virtues?"
"This..."
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