There was no point in lying, so I told him the truth.
I explained how Dragonia had attacked my village, and how the emblem had manifested the moment I felt a desperate urge to protect my mother.
“...You might find it hard to believe, but...”
“No, the fact is that your emblem is the same as the Sword King’s... it is a Regalia Emblem. It is difficult to process, yet history shows that other kings awakened just as you did—by resisting fate.”
“Is that so?”
“Or so I have heard. Stories from the distant past are often little more than hearsay, and I cannot be certain of their truth. However, the circumstances here all point to one conclusion.”
Saying that, Gaia-san peeled back the cloth covering my left hand and stared at it.
“That you are a True King Candidate.”
“A True King Candidate... U-Um... what’s going to happen to me?”
“Knights from all over the world will likely come for your life.”
The blood drained from my face at those words.
I had gathered from the knight Liberto’s reaction that the Regalia Emblem was no ordinary mark, but was it really that dire?
But... I didn't want to die.
“Will you kill me too, Gaia-san?”
“We knights are constantly considering how to eliminate any king other than our liege—the Arcadia Sword King.”
“............”
“So, hide that emblem. Do not speak of it to anyone. Ever.”
“Eh?”
Gaia-san produced an expensive-looking handkerchief—or rather, a scrap of fine cloth—and tied it around my left hand to conceal the mark.
“Who else knows about this?”
“E-Err... probably the Dragonia prisoners from my village, and...”
I listed everyone who might possibly know about the emblem.
“Understood. I shall deal with them. From this moment on, do not speak of it to another soul. If anyone asks why you possess an emblem, tell them you received a Vassal Emblem from me.”
“............U-Um.”
I tried to parse the meaning behind his words. Did it mean Gaia-san didn't intend to kill me?
I looked at him with a puzzled expression. I didn't really understand. Why was he being so kind?
“I am simply returning a favor. You risked your life to warn our country of its predicament. Out of respect for your resolve, I will see this matter through.”
“...Gaia-san.”
With that, Gaia-san turned his back to me. He was letting me go.
“We are heading straight for Canaan Castle to rescue the Princess. What will you do?”
“What will I do?”
“You have two choices. You can wait here for our return, or you can come with us.”
“I’m allowed to go?”
“If you wish it, I will permit you to accompany us. You seem reasonably capable in a fight. The more combat power we have, the better.”
“Wish... I don't know. It's not that there's something specific I want to do... I was just desperate to protect someone...”
“It is easy to stay here and be protected. But... do you not wish to protect them with your own hands? Is that not why you became a candidate for king?”
Gaia-san turned around and crouched down to meet my eyes.
“You have power. How you wield that power... that is for you to decide.”
He gazed quietly into my eyes. He had the sharp, piercing gaze of a hawk, yet deep within it, I felt a warmth that spoke of kindness.
I want to protect... That’s right. I...
“...Can I come with you?!”
“I permit it. Come to think of it, I haven't... heard your name yet.”
“............It’s Leo! Just Leo!!”
“I see. Leo. I am Gaia. Gaia Featherfield... I look forward to working with you.”
He knelt on one knee to match my height. The hand that gripped mine was large, calloused, and firm, yet gentle. It was the hand of an adult—the kind of hand that brought back a sensation from a long time ago, one I thought I’d forgotten.
And so, we headed west. We rode toward Canaan Castle, where the princess of this kingdom—Princess Scarlett—was currently besieged.
“So, why the hell are you riding on my Emblem Horse?!”
“Gaia-san told me to rely on Iricobert-san. He said you were helpful and kind... is that not okay?”
I looked up at Iricobert-san with the same pure, watery-eyed look I had practiced several times today.
I'll call it my secret technique: Spoiled Eyes. Everyone lets their guard down, making them a breeze to kill. It’s a guaranteed finisher.
By the way, Gaia-san hadn't actually said any of that.
“The Lord... said that? Hu... humph. Well... as long as you don't get in the way... I don't mind you sitting there.”
“Thank you! Iricobert-san's Emblem Horse is so easy to ride! You're really good at controlling them!!”
“Hahaha! What's with you, kid? You’ve got a lot of promise, don't you!”
Gaia-san had actually told me that I just needed to keep praising Iricobert.
“How long until we get there?”
“Ah? Let's see... we should make it just before the sun goes down.”
Currently, a Knight Order of about a thousand men was maintaining a speed of roughly forty kilometers per hour on their Emblem Horses. I was told that every single one of them belonged to Gaia-san's personal forces.
“So many people. These are all knights...”
“Hey now, kid. They're not just any knights. In a war, nearly ninety percent of the forces are just conscripted commoners, but these are all regular soldiers. Furthermore, the Gaia Knight Order consists of the finest elites in all of Arcadia. There are plenty of One-Star knights here who could easily be Knight Commanders anywhere else.”
“One-Star... doesn't that mean a Knight Commander?”
“Ah... you really don't know anything, do you? Well, I guess it can't be helped since you're a brat. Listen closely.”
His tone was rough, but I was starting to realize that Iricobert-san was actually quite kind. He felt like a helpful, rogue-ish older brother.
“To become a Knight Commander, you need to be at least a One-Star. A One-Star usually leads an order of about twenty people. Then, those units gather together to form a Great Knight Order. The people here are knights who look up to the Lord—myself included. We’re a collection of such units. You could call it the Gaia Great Knight Order. We want to fight with the Lord, protect the Lord, and die with the Lord. The Great Hero Ordained by the Stars... Gaia Featherfield. Simply put, he’s a General.”
“The Great Hero Ordained by the Stars...”
While riding on Iricobert-san's horse, I looked at Gaia-san's back as he rode at the head of the formation. It was a gallant, imposing sight. His martial aura was such that even I felt a sense of admiration after only knowing him for a short time.
If I felt that way, then surely the knights gathered here felt it even more. They had all come here because they looked up to Gaia-san and wanted to fight by his side.
“............Five Star Sword.”
The Great Hero Ordained by the Stars—the Five Star Sword. I still knew nothing about this world, but I felt like I finally understood a little bit more about what it meant to be a knight.
A few hours later, we passed through the checkpoint we had escaped from earlier.
No one was there. Word must have already spread through the Dragonia forces via their communication devices.
We continued to ride without stopping. The sun dipped low, and the sky began to bleed into dusk. The twilight in this world was the same color as the one I remembered.
Finally, a sturdy stone castle came into view.
However, the fortress where the princess was supposed to be holding out was already engulfed in flames.
“............This is bad. It’s already falling... hm?”
“Follow me, Iricobert-san!”
“H-Hey!!”
A chaotic tide of people, burning fires, the clashing of steel, and the sound of screams filled the air. I jumped off Iricobert-san's Emblem Horse and sprinted toward the chaos at full speed.
The princess was there. She was already surrounded.
Maybe... I could still make it in time.