I Will Be the Greatest Knight
Chapter 314: Their New Commander

Chapter 314: Their New Commander

When was the last time she hesitated like this?

There wasn’t even more than a hand mirror in her room, yet she was stressing over the clothing she had decided to wear that evening. From every angle, she tried to get a proper look at herself, but she couldn’t see much with a mirror that was only a little bit bigger than the size of her hand.

She reasoned her worries were because clothing couldn’t just be that, especially not when there were people from the south in attendance that evening. Would all of those knights expect her to wear a dress and be offended when she didn’t give the proper visage? She was the daughter of an esteemed nobleman and couldn’t help worrying that it would reflect poorly on her father if she were to present herself in an unsuitable way.

However, she knew that it wasn’t just that.

If she thought more deeply about it, she would recall the Commander’s smirk that appeared both before and after their match. How she had surprised him merely by being herself, but it seemed to be a pleasant surprise. The times she had seen him before, he had seemed calm, but their sparring set him ablaze.

He was... admittedly handsome.

Irene groaned at herself.

She continued to reason that this was only happening because she wasn’t used to him just yet. It was just like the times she saw Sir Alix and was somewhat surprised that someone so beautiful could be vicious when in armor and wielding a sword.

There weren’t many nobles in the north who looked quite like the Sadiv line that Sir Alix came from, despite blonde hair being prevalent. On the other hand, no one in the north at all looked anything like Commander Henry. The only other person she had come across with a similar resemblance was Commander Lothian, and she understood why that was.

He was called a lowborn, and she had already heard slights about his possible education level. Yet his quick wit during their sword match and the ease with which he piloted the weapon both indicated that everyone would continue to underestimate him until they fought him as she had.

That’s what he was. An enigma. And that was what he would remain.

With lilac oil brushed through her wavy hair and a light blue tunic her mother had made for her, Irene quickly pulled on a belt over the top so her sword would still be visible. She escaped her barrack so that this topic wouldn’t continue to plague her.

Ale would certainly help how ansty she was feeling, which was why she rushed all the way to the back entrance of the Duke’s Tower and down the hall where festivities had already seemed to begin.

Making it through the door, she felt warmth that nicely contrasted with the cool spring air. A pleased smile appeared on her face at the jovial voices of the knights and apprentices already sitting at the tables, conversing with one another.

The table she normally sat at was almost full. Felix had quite a few men around him, so she opted to sit a bit further down. It put her amongst the Knights of Hydrogia, who didn’t seem to care at all what she wore, but her relief was only half assuaged. There was still another obstacle she hoped to overcome in the shape of her Commander.

"Ale for the lady," someone offered as she sat down.

Pushed in front of her by a hand double the size of hers was a wooden mug, and her ivy eyes snapped toward the man who offered. She was met with red hair and instantly felt comfortable. He was almost a reminder that it was alright. Even though she didn’t think they had any relation to one another, it was always nice to see someone else bearing the red hair that was most common amongst Sunstoian.

Perhaps if they were more comfortable around each other, she would ask more questions.

"Thank you," she responded. "Sir Trenton, wasn’t it?"

"Just call me Trenton," he insisted. "We’re all the same here, aren’t we? In fact, I think we’re about the same rank amongst the knights. Third, correct?"

"Then Trenton it is," she responded with ease. "You’re right, it seems we’re both the same. Here’s to the best two third in commands in all of Peroda."

Any excuse to drink. At this point, it was no mystery the way drinking could cut away tension.

She held up her ale and grinned at the large knight. He grinned back and they both downed a bit of the golden liquid. It was a wonderful way to finish off the day.

Shortly after, there was a lull in the words as the Commander walked through the door, and all eyes seemed to go to him. Again, Irene couldn’t help measure him up to others she had seen before. He wore a navy blue silk tunic with a cloak clasped over his shoulders by a gold chain. He certainly fit the part of a Duke. However, more than his appearance, he seemed almost hesitant, as if each step forward was a burden.

Fortunately, Felix spoke up.

"Commander, over here," he called.

All of a sudden, the man seemed lighter. With his relief, Irene’s appeared as well.

The Commander walked towards the table, but he stopped about halfway, seeming to feel he should address the room.

"Enjoy your evening," he ordered the knights. "Drink your fill. Get some rest. You’ve been on the move for such a long time. This is the only way I know how to thank you for returning."

Only when the Commander sat did the food start to be brought out. It seemed that with the Commander’s arrival, the maids and servants also started organizing themselves more properly to suit a noble’s tastes.

Irene couldn’t help gazing at the Commander for a moment. While it was true he certainly was a noble and deserved to be treated as such, she couldn’t help wondering if he even cared about that sort of thing or if it was lost to him.

Did he find nobility as suffocating as she did? Was this casual, celebratory environment what he preferred more?

Irene opted to sip on more ale because it seemed to at least distract her from continuously wondering about things that were entirely unnecessary for her to think about.

However, Sir Trenton’s next words cause Irene to nearly choke on the liquid she had only just swallowed.

"Who are you getting dressed up for, Your Grace?" the red-headed knight joked. "You’re making your knights look bad."