The Lich of Glory Knight Spirit: Moving towards Krimasha!
Chapter 52 - 37: Before the Battle (2)

Chapter 52: Chapter 37: Before the Battle (2)

Pulling back the curtain, Yilin stepped out of the tent first, followed by Gray.

Stopping in her tracks, Yilin surveyed the children standing outside and asked softly, "Will you say it, or should I?"

Gray stood there dumbfounded, staring at the children, unable to speak. The children stared back at him.

"Alright, I will say it then." After coughing twice, Yilin spoke softly, "I have discussed with Baron Gray, and given the urgency of the war, we truly do not have the extra energy to take care of you. So, we need to send you back home now."

"Why?"

"We are knights, we don’t need anyone to take care of us!"

"We can take care of ourselves!"

Immediately, the children burst into an uproar.

"Even if you can take care of yourselves, you must go back!" Yilin’s voice was raised by eight decibels, leaving no room for argument.

"Boss, is it true? Say something."

"Boss, you said we are already knights and can go to the battlefield."

The children’s eyes all turned to Gray, looking hopeful. Gray could only nod woodenly, saying, "You should go home first, alright? I have already agreed with Miss Yilin."

The children in armor fell silent, staring blankly at Gray, their eyes glistening with tears.

"See, I told you not to do this. It makes everything so sad, what’s the point?" Black Cat sighed helplessly.

Yilin turned back, silently watching the dejected Gray.

"You promised us..." someone whispered.

"Yes, I already told my family."

"Shut up!" An older child stepped forward and said loudly, "We are Baron Gray’s knights, members of the Silver Moon Knight Order. As per our vows, we must obey all of Baron Gray’s commands. If the boss wants us to go home, we should go home!"

Another child carefully reached out and lightly tapped his chest armor, choking up, "Yes! I obey your orders, my Baron!"

"I obey your orders, my Baron!" all the children said in unison.

Fifteen individuals, fifteen youthful faces.

Gray dared not look them in the eye, only nodded woodenly, unsure of how many times he should nod.

He whispered to Black Cat, "I feel like crying."

"But you have no tears."

"My heart hurts."

"But you don’t have a heart."

"Yes, I have nothing."

*"I’m sorry,"* he could only whisper to the children.

"Huoersi, send them all back."

"Yes!"

"We can go back on our own," the lead child said awkwardly.

"Alright, you can go back on your own." Yilin relented helplessly, "Then send someone to follow them, make sure they get home safely."

"Yes!"

Under Huoersi’s urging, the children left, turning back every few steps, waving farewell to Gray from afar, reluctant to part.

Some children started crying loudly.

"Don’t cry, we are knights!" the older child comforted.

"Mm." The crying child nodded heavily and stopped crying.

Lowering her head, Yilin noticed one child was left behind.

"This is Little Jimmy, right? Send him back too."

"Yes!" Mike replied softly from the side.

Among the departing children, perhaps only Little Jimmy felt happy.

*"I’m sorry,"* Yilin gently patted Gray’s shoulder and left, returning to her own tent.

Gray was left standing alone, his soul fire flickering weakly, showing his extreme sadness.

Standing there blankly for a while, he moved to a brick nearby, hugged his knees, and sat down. He continued sitting while Yilin’s two guards watched him either intentionally or unintentionally.

Clouds drifted lightly in the sky, while sunlight slowly altered its angle.

"Hey, are you okay?" Black Cat asked softly.

"I’m fine. I just... don’t understand," Gray replied softly.

"Don’t understand what?"

*"I don’t understand why they must be sent away. They are upright and kind knights, though still growing, I can protect them on the battlefield. I can help Yilin win the war; she doesn’t need to worry."*

"Because no one believes," Black Cat said helplessly.

*"No one believes? They don’t trust me anymore?"*

"Listen, Gray. It’s not that they don’t trust you... well, they do, but not in the way you think. The human world is complicated, far more than the Lich’s world. Many things aren’t as clear-cut as they seem; there’s always a nuance. And I know this nuance is hard for a Lich to grasp. But it’s the way it is. Just like your knight spirit, your understanding and others’ understanding of it aren’t the same."

*"Are you saying my knight spirit is wrong? But I’ve been following the vows one by one."*

"Yes, you’ve followed the vows one by one. But knight spirit isn’t just about that, at least not in the eyes of others, including mine."

*"But the children understand it the same way I do, they trust me too."*

"That’s because they are children."

*"But they will grow up."*

"And when they grow up, they will change."

*"Why must they change? Isn’t it good for everyone to be upright and kind?"* Gray slowly stood up, taking uncertain steps forward. The Bone Horse quietly followed behind.

Soldiers around him watched, but he only saw his path.

Now, this path had become blurred.

Always decisive, his actions had never been so uncertain.

"I really don’t know how to explain. Although I mock you daily, Gray, I do think you are an excellent knight. You are better than most knights, but you can’t become a great knight."

*"You’re not praising me, aren’t you?"*

"I’m glad you figured that out. At least you didn’t misunderstand like you did with Huoersi. It’s because a great knight is more important than an excellent knight, whereas commanders and leaders are not."

*"Yes. I want to be a great knight. But I don’t want to be a commander or leader. They aren’t in knight spirit. I just want... to be a good knight."*

Black Cat could think of a thousand sarcastic remarks but chose not to say them at that moment.

Yes, it chose not to.

A knight who was a Lich, this was terrible.

But a Lich wanting to be a knight, a great knight, adhering to knight spirit. This sounded... perhaps more inspiring than the cold and sordid sculptures in the churches.

For a moment, Black Cat even felt perhaps Gray’s arrival was a gift from heaven to this world. But just for a moment.

Who knows what the road tomorrow holds?

With the sunset behind them, a Lich in knight armor walked slowly toward White City with a Black Cat, leading a Bone Horse.

"Black Cat. If I still want to be a great knight, what should I do?"

"Start by learning to care about others’ feelings, accurately understand their words, and grasp the meaning behind them."

"Specifically?"

"For example, you should first ask my name and remember it. You’ve never asked my name despite following you for so long."

"Alright, what’s your name?"

"Bolaisidong. Abilis. Welsby. Ibili. Thatcher Billy. Kenfeds Chelms."

"..."

"You can call me Bolaisidong Kenfeds Chelms."

"It seems I can’t be a great knight. I’ll continue calling you Black Cat."

"..."