The next day
The unknown knight with a large physique that caused a huge sensation at the jousting competition came to Armand looking for me.
It was my first time meeting Oryx Myrkane, who later will be known as the undefeated lancer.
In the capital, the enthusiasm from the jousting competition had not yet cooled off and many stories about the knights who participated this year, were very popular.
"The star of this year's jousting competition was definitely Oryx Myrkane. I didn't know that such a rare gem was hiding in the countryside, he is a natural warrior. I had never heard of him before."
"I heard that since he is still an apprentice and not an official knight, everyone was fighting over him "
Many were envious of Oryx, because what happened to him was a life-changing event.
The majority of the second and third sons of the lower-ranking aristocratic families strive to enter the military or to be enlisted as soldiers for one of the high-ranking noble families so that they can become official knights.
"As long as you train hard and strive to handle your aura, it will only be a matter of time before you get scouted and receive the knight title."
If Oryx accepts one of the offers it will be very beneficial to him in the future, because he could be sent out, to represent the family as a knight, whenever there was a jousting competition.
"I wonder who he will choose? Since he is too old to join the Imperial Knights."
"I heard a rumor that he already chose Marquis Granbert."
"Hm? I heard that Duke Serig had already scouted him."
"Wasn't it Count Belluge?"
Many prominent family names were mentioned whenever there was a discussion about Oryx Myrkane.
It didn't matter whether the rumors were true or not, because they only served as proof that Oryx was now a hot discussion topic.
It was only a matter of time before Oryx's decision was known.
The young men that thought that Oryx would choose the Serig family, who are only second to the Orgo family when it comes to their swordsmanship, were surprised by the unexpected decision.
"Seymour?!"
...
Oryx Myrkane went to Armand and waited for me for more than half a day.
"During the jousting competition, I felt like I was going to collapse because of the extreme heat. I was extremely thirsty and felt very dizzy, and your drink managed to give me energy."
Oryx, earnestly, told the manager that he wanted to repay the kindness of the noble who sent the drinks that helped him continue the competition.
So this is how in the end, Oryx and I met alone in Armand's basement.
'This must be the butterfly effect.
The dehydration Oryx felt faded away because he drank the ionic drink I developed...so his performance naturally, improved and the results of the jousting competition results changed, yet again, from how they were in the novel.'
"I want to repay you for your kindness."
Oryx said very earnestly.
'Is he really seventeen? He didn't look like this from a distance, but facing him now in person feels like meeting a wild bear.'
Oryx had a thick neck and bulky arms like logs, big sharp eyes, and scars through his thick eyebrows.
'He looks really strong.'
I thought that he would give the same wibe as a high school student, so I let my guard down, thinking that dealing with him would be a piece of cake, but now I couldn't help but feel a little scared.
"I am a useful person."
At that moment I remembered one of Master's advice, he once told me that if ever a knight makes an oath to me personally, before joining an order, I should accept him, because it was something rare and it meant that the knight swore with his heart.
"Hmm. You want to repay me for my kindness?"
I asked, in a serious voice to mask the fear I felt inside.
"Yes. Thanks to your benevolence, I was given a second chance."
Oryx then explained that by ending up in the third place he received a huge prize, and was able to earn enough money to help his sister, and that he also received many offers from many families to join as an official knight.
He said that the jousting competition was his last chance. He planned to give up trying to become an official knight and join the mercenaries in order to earn money to help his sister.
"I was in a desperate situation, and that drink helped me immensly.
Thank you for giving me a chance to have a shining moment that changed my life, I will never forget your help."
Oryx looked at me and fluttered his big, watery, eyes, like those of a cow.
He could have said simple empty words that he was thankful for my help and then leave. But the fact that he came to Armand looking for me directly and paid his respects without overdoing it, means that he is an honest person.
He was really moved.
'He is really suitable to become my Slave no. 3.'ð
I hesitated for a moment but then opened my mouth.
"I understood everything you said. But...
How are you going to repay my kindness? In the future you will certainly become stronger and powerful after you receive training and become an official knight, but right now, you have nothing but physical strength."
Oryx opened his mouth with a determined look.
"Even if right now I just have my humble strength, I want to use it to help a noble person. My mother always told me that if a person doesn't know how to repay kindness, he is no different from an animal."
"So, it doesn't matter what my identity is? You will still work for me?"
"Yes."
'He must have received many offers from famous aristocratic families. I can't believe that he is willing to give up everything for me.
I must say that I like how uncompromising he is in his beliefs.'
I looked at his honest face, and then pulled down my hood to reveal my identity.
Oryx's eyes widened and his mouth fell slightly open .
'He seems surprised. Well it is nothing new. You must be a spy if you don't know who the wicked woman from the Seymour family is.
But there is no backing down now, after all he was the one who came looking for me, in the first place.
Even if he is not satisfied with having me as his master, I believe that his personality won't allow him to go back on his word. So I hope.. '
I raised the corners of my lips slightly.
"Judging by your shocked face, you know who I am."
"I apologize, but I'm ignorant and don't know who you are. I don't know anything about the nobles, since I just came to the capital not long ago."
"Hm? But you looked like you knew me."
"TT-that's because you're very beautiful. I was surprised. I-I apologize and I am d-deeply grateful."ð¥´
Oryx stuttered helplessly, and I kept silent for a moment...
'Even if he didn't know before...How can he not know now, after Isidor made that huge fuss?'
"I am Deborah Seymour."
"Oh my Goddess! It is my infinite honor to meet the great Princess of Seymour!"
'He at least knows about the Seymour family.'
Oryx rubbed the nape of his neck and repeatedly bowed his head.
"I am glad that the 'Super Aid' I made, after a long research, was helpful to a warrior as talented as you. I was also impressed by how sincere you are about repaying my kindness.
I approached him a little when I emphasized the word kindness, to intimidate him. Oryx shook his head with a red face.
"So I will give you a chance to repay me. I will let you join the knights of the Seymour family, so you can learn how to use aura and build up your strength."
Oryx, who was suddenly assigned to the knights of the Seymour family, repeatedly said it was an honor with a bewildered expression.
'Joining the Seymour's knights, is not a bad choice for Oryx. I know for certain that he was scouted by two families, Serig and Belluge. In the people's eyes Seymour's knights can't even compare to them.
But I believe that the Seymour knights are better.
It is considered prejudice to think that the Seymour knights are weak just because Seymour is a family that is known to represent magic.
What nobody knows is that Seymour is building a private corps with formidable skills. Among them, the 'Ouroboros'. The Ouroboros is an organization that serves directly under the head of the family, it is a group of human weapons, some call them Seymour's Dogs.
Well to put it simply, Seymour's knights are very strong.'
"Again, it is an honor, Princess."
"Those are only empty words?"
"I'm sorry?"
"This here is a contract in which states that you will work as my vassal from now on."
"Aaaa..."
"Sir. Oryx, you just need to sign here."
I stared silently at Oryx, who was absent-mindedly reading the contract, so I urged him to be quicker.
"Sign!"
"Ahh...Yes!"
He shakingly wrapped his finger around the quill, dipped in the ink and then signed.
'There is one good thing I learned from Belreck, and that is that it is most advantageous to get someone to sign a contract quickly while that person is still confused.'
I barely restrained myself from smiling, wickedly, while I looked at the contract with Oryx.
In the contract was a clause that stated that if he became an official knight under Seymour, he would make an official knightly oath with me, that meant that he would be loyal to me for the rest of his life.
Oryx Myrkane is a pearl hidden in the mud, a pearl that gave the esteemed swordmaster Diera a hard time, the star who shined in the third place in the jousting competition.
...
I told Duke Seymour that I personally scouted Oryx Myrkane, the person who was the most popular topic of discussion these days, he was surprised and showed a hint of joy.
"You managed to scout a pretty useful guy. From what I can see he seems to be able to endure a great deal of pain. I believe that he will become a strong shield that can protect the Seymour family."
I quickly agreed with Duke Seymour.
"If Oryx trains intensely with the Seymour knights his talent will shine brighter and he can become an official knight.
I want him to be trained systematically. Because I plan to make him into a knight that is worthy of Seymour to his core."
'The road of hardship has been opened for him.
Even if I am sorry for what I am going to put him through, I want Oryx to become an official knight that can handle aura as soon as possible, and I want him to protect me.'
"I wanted to repay you for your kindness, Princess Deborah, but the contrary happened, I ended up receiving even more kindness."
Oryx told me that he did not resent me, even though he was put under harsh training because of me.
I don't know if Oryx was impressed by Seymour's systematic knight training that also incorporated magic, but he kept thanking me over and over again.
Oryx, was unable to show his full potential in the remote territory because of his foolish brother's inferiority complex. He only recently came to the capital and was having a hard time training and winning money at an unknown knightly order because he was only an apprentice without benefits.
"Princess Deborah didn't bring in a human, but a monster instead."
"She is the only one that can make that monster flustered. How..."
Even the Commander of the Seymour knights was left speechless when Oryx displayed his extraordinary strength.
'I hope that he can soon become an official knight that can handle aura.'
I stopped by the barracks that were near the building where the Seymour's vassals were staying, and watched Oryx as he easily wielded a two-meter spear, like he was just playing with wooden chopsticks, and then slowly left.
................