In the kingdoms of the human race, there are three legendary titles bestowed upon knights: the Silver Knight, the Bronze Knight, and the Iron Knight.
These are not self-proclaimed monikers, but official honors.
The title of Silver Knight is granted by the Corin Religion in the Reiwight Kingdom. They are wanderers who travel from land to land, upholding the justice they believe in. Because of this, they are immensely popular with children.
The Bronze Knight is a title recognized by twelve different nations, led by the Louga Kingdom, the Garlet Kingdom, and the Berl Kingdom. As such, they are permitted to travel freely between these twelve kingdoms, often serving as intermediaries or arbiters between nations. The title is never granted to someone who lacks academic brilliance, regardless of their martial prowess.
The Iron Knight is a title given to those who served as the commander of the Kaizan Kingdom's Second Knight Division after they retire from the post. Since it is awarded upon retirement, it carries a strong sense of being an honorary distinction, and their popularity among children is rather lackluster. However, most Iron Knights do not simply fade into obscurity after stepping down; they remain active as military advisors for the Kaizan Kingdom or as personal bodyguards for the royal family. In the Kaizan Kingdom, they are more famous than the King himself. Incidentally, as the King of the Kaizan Kingdom serves as the commander of the First Knight Division, the commander of the Second Knight Division is effectively the pinnacle of the nation’s knightly order.
While the Silver, Bronze, and Iron Knights are not one-of-a-kind positions, it is said that only one or two people hold each title during any given era. This is because incredible strength is demanded of them. Not merely in swordsmanship, but in every conceivable form of combat. Of course, since they live their lives on the battlefield, they do experience defeat. However, even in defeat, their spirits never break. In the end, they always find a way to emerge victorious. That is the essence of these three knights. Depending on the region, they are sometimes more revered than even a Hero or a Sword Saint.
I first heard the story of these three knights from Pirika in Village Five. I see.
"So, who exactly is that lying over there?"
"That is the Silver Knight."
... He certainly was wearing white armor. If I were told he was the Silver Knight, I suppose it would look the part.
"And who is that currently stuck in the wall?"
"That is the Bronze Knight."
From what I could see of his lower half, he was wearing blue armor. If I were told he was the Bronze Knight, I suppose it would look the part.
"Then, is the one shivering over there the Iron Knight?"
"No, he is the Iron Knight's Attendant. The Iron Knight himself fled."
... I see. So he ran.
"Ah, I've just received a report that he has been captured."
I see. So they caught him.
... Um... How exactly did it come to this?
I had been visiting Village Five on a regular basis lately. This was because Yoko had suggested that I open a shop in the village. Marcos, from Shashato City, had also expressed a desire to have some of his employees work in Village Five. Furthermore, since Village Five is accessible from Village One, it would be a convenient workplace for the residents of Village One who have children. Thinking that made sense, I had come for a site inspection.
Yoko had secured various plots of land before Village Five even began its rapid growth, and she had narrowed down the candidates for my shop to five locations from the start. None of them were bad. In fact, they were all excellent spots. Ultimately, we decided the location by drawing lots.
It was roughly halfway up the southern slope. At first glance, it seemed like a cramped plot—five meters wide by two meters deep—but since it was excavated into the side of the hill that forms Village Five, the interior was quite deep. The excavated section reached back about ten meters. Thus, the actual usable area was five meters by twelve meters. It couldn't compare to Big Roof Shashato, but it was plenty spacious in its own right. The only weakness was that natural light didn't reach the back, making the interior dark. Magic light would be a necessity even during the day.
Incidentally, the regulations of Village Five strictly prohibit digging into the hill without permission. If residents were allowed to dig as they pleased, the entire hill supporting the village might collapse. This particular spot, however, had been excavated under the leadership of Yoko—the one who grants the permissions—so there was no issue. All that remained was to consult with the residents of Village One and have the Village Five Carpenters finish the interior.
And so, while I was in Village Five, I decided to go check on Pirika and her group... Only to find two knights defeated and one in full retreat.
... "For starters, who did this?"
Galf was with me as my guard. Daga hadn't come to Village Five today. That left Pirika, Yoko, or perhaps... Hii, Nana, Chelsea... or maybe even Niz? Niz didn't exactly have the aura of a fighter, though. Ah, there was also the possibility that one of Pirika's disciples had done it.
While I was pondering this, the culprit raised her hand. It was Pirika. Not much of a surprise there.
And the cause of the scuffle? The result of a challenged duel? I see. So... it wasn't exactly a "trouble," then? That was a relief. In that case, we should probably let the captured Iron Knight go.
No?
"I am still inexperienced. Therefore, I will accept it if I am the one being mocked. But I cannot stand idly by while my predecessor is insulted."
Ah, yes, I suppose that’s true. In other words, these three knights had insulted the previous Sword Saint, Pirika's master. I couldn't exactly tell her to let that slide. Still, weren't knights supposed to have a bit more decorum? To insult a deceased predecessor... By the way, what exactly did they say?
"They said that because the predecessor was a fool, we disciples were driven out to the ends of the earth. They said things like that repeatedly."
Yeah, I can't defend that. And calling Village Five the "ends of the earth" is a bit much...
I understand. Just make sure you do it properly through formal matches. No private punishments. One-on-one, twenty times? Well, I suppose that's fine. Show them what you're made of.
And what about the Iron Knight's Attendant? If he wants to join the matches, I can put in a word with Pirika. He absolutely refuses? The Iron Knight is looking at you as if begging for help, are you sure about that? He abandoned you a moment ago, so you don't care? Understood.
In that case, come talk with me for a bit. I want to hear why the Three Knights came to Village Five in the first place.
I moved away from Pirika and the others to listen to the attendant's story. Tea was prepared at Galf's direction. That was helpful.
According to the attendant, the Three Knights hadn't actually been traveling together. The Silver Knight and the Iron Knight met at a port city before heading to Shashato City, and they encountered the Bronze Knight while they were in Shashato. The goal of all three was the same: the Sword Saint, Pirika. Apparently, they had come to scout Pirika and her disciples.
Wait, if that was the case, why on earth would they insult her master? Isn't that completely counterproductive? They did it to test the strength of Pirika and her group... ... I felt like telling the Three Knights that they got exactly what they deserved.
Once the three knights regained consciousness, they were forced to participate in the Village Five Security Team’s special training. The Village Five Elves were delighted, welcoming them as new comrades in their struggle.
On the other hand, the Iron Knight's Attendant was welcomed by Yoko as an official guest of Village Five. If he had a letter from someone important, things wouldn't have ended up like that if he had just presented it at the beginning.
"I’ve been told that crossing swords allows one to understand an opponent better than mere words ever could."
Is that really how it works? But is it truly alright to leave the Iron Knight to his fate? The attendant claimed he was fine because he was usually the one handling conversations with important people anyway. I see. Well then, please take it easy and enjoy your stay in Village Five. If there are any issues, you can just speak with Yoko.
Ah, me? For the time being, I am the Village Head of this place.
After seeing the Iron Knight's Attendant to the inn, I returned to Yoko's Mansion to hear the contents of the letter he had brought. It was an incredibly polite letter from the King of Kaizan Kingdom, stating that while the knight might cause some trouble, they had no hostile intentions whatsoever.
... I couldn't help but wonder: was the Iron Knight someone the Kaizan Kingdom was just looking to get rid of?