The retainer knight system is an infamous custom.
The reason for its infamy?
Simple. Because it is a custom rife with absurdity.
It began as a mere title attached to disciples taken in by free knights, but in this day and age, who would become a free knight's disciple?
They call themselves free knights, but they are criminals no different from thugs.
However, naive boys from rural villages who know nothing of this are easily deceived by a free knight offering to take them as disciples.
And so begins their slave life, retainers in name only.
Cleaning, laundry, and cooking go without saying.
They must earn money for the knight's entertainment, and sometimes even take out loans to cover the knight's dignity maintenance fees.
In the name of the retainer knight, no less.
As a result, most who become retainer knights end up in debt.
Of course, most flee before falling into debt, but there are those who cannot escape.
Even if they are free knights, they are still knights, and being thugs, they have no hesitation in killing people.
That is why the free knight system was abolished.
Because there is no villain quite like this kind of villain.
Yet strangely, the retainer knight system still has not been abolished.
According to nobles, it was the free knights who did wrong, and knights of other prestigious houses do not act like that?
...That was bullshit.
The knights of prestigious houses he had seen, and their retainer knights who were worse than servants....
Yes, how many times had he seen them being treated like slaves.
That was why, if there was an ignorant young lamb hoping to become a retainer knight, he would gladly teach them a lesson.
That 'it's not what you think.'
But.
'What could it mean for a guy who knows all this to say he wants to become a retainer knight?'
1. He's crazy.
2. He's a pervert who enjoys pain and suffering.
3. Or both.
...Hmm, difficult.
It's a difficult problem.
Therefore.
"...Where should I hit you?"
"Excuse me?"
"Where should I hit you for you to get better? Think about it seriously and tell me. Since I seem to have broken you, I'll gladly fix you."
"……."
Crack, crack.
Yi Han lightly unclenched his fists, preparing to hit the guy whether on the back or front of the head.
If hitting him with the lectern yesterday was the problem, then he'd just hit him differently.
He threw a curveball when he hurled the lectern, so maybe this time he should throw a slider?
Though it's a bad connection, this guy is also part of the Swordsmanship Department.
Even if he's an instructor in name only, doesn't he have an obligation to set a student's head straight?
'If it doesn't work, never mind.'
As Yi Han casually scanned his surroundings looking for a suitable rock, the guy who was still kneeling...
"Th-that's not it, Sir. I, I think there's a misunderstanding, but I'm not crazy!"
"You're not crazy but you're doing this? ...Isn't that even more of a problem?"
"Th-that's..."
Perhaps feeling that even he thought it was a rather pathetic excuse, Damian fell silent.
And then.
"I, I think I misspoke."
In his haste, he had declared he would become a retainer knight without explaining the circumstances, so he couldn't complain about being treated like this.
Humbly accepting this, Damian added further explanation.
"My fa- no, the Lord commanded me. To serve Sir Yi Han."
"...?"
...Why?
Yi Han tilted his head, expressing his question with his eyes.
...He had heard many things.
From the story that the Count had changed overnight, to the story that the knight order and the Count's eldest son who had raised their voices at the Count were walking on thin ice.
Besides that, the story that the elders had personally stepped forward to tighten the family's discipline.
The story that the youngest son who had disgraced the Count's house was eventually expelled from the family register—no, from the house register.
And the story that if he wanted to return to the family, he must first receive forgiveness from a certain knight.
Well, he had heard many things, but in conclusion.
"If you want forgiveness, either cut off your insolent tongue, or bring me the head of the knight who attacked me. That much and I'll forgive you."
"……."
"Choose either one."
"……."
"Don't want to? Then don't. Just get lost. Just seeing your face makes me sick."
Yi Han spat out a sneer with merciless contempt.
As if he knew they wouldn't be able to do it anyway.
...At that moment.
"I, I'll cut it."
"...Cut what?"
"I, I'll cut my tongue. If, if I do that, will you take me as your retainer?"
"……."
"I'll take that as affirmation."
Snick.
In an instant, Damian pulled out a pair of scissors from inside his clothes, who knows when he had been keeping them.
The scissors had quite a sharp edge, and with them straight away...!
Thwack!
"Cough!"
"If you just cut it recklessly like that, you could die from bleeding. Who are you trying to make a murderer out of?"
"Cough! Urgh!"
Damian, whose face had been kicked, struggled in pain but barely stood up.
However, Yi Han continued speaking without any sign of apology.
"Tch, did you not learn even this basic thing from your house?"
"...Who would teach such a thing."
Damian answered with clumsy pronunciation.
Blood pooled in his mouth, as his tongue had been slightly cut.
To such a Damian, Yi Han threw one low-grade potion he carried for emergencies.
"C-can I drink it?"
Damian had grabbed the bottle in bewilderment, and Yi Han nodded at his question.
"...Thank you."
Of course, since it was a low-grade potion, his tongue wouldn't heal all at once.
But it would serve as emergency treatment, and since the guy had learned aura techniques, he would recover on his own even if left alone for a week.
And looking at such a guy.
"If you did that to stir my sympathy, I would have separated your body from your head even if it meant fighting the Count. Because I would have thought you were trying to mock me again."
"...Yes."
In other words, the fact that he had sincerely tried to cut his tongue was also why he had saved him.
"Why do you carry scissors around?"
"I thought you would demand some kind of price from me. I was prepared to give up a finger or an ear."
"Do you want to do that that much?"
"If I can return to the house, I don't care."
"...Is that so."
"Yes."
...What an amusing fellow.
Until recently he thought the guy was just a thug who only knew how to run his mouth, but he had quite some guts, didn't he.
He wasn't a type he disliked.
However.
'It's not like I like this bastard.'
It's difficult to view a person you've come to dislike in a positive light again.
Also, in the end, this guy has no intention of sincerely seeking forgiveness; he's going this far just to maintain his noble status.
So there's still no reason to view him favorably.
Still, he doesn't despise him.
Even in some backwater village with nothing, people scheme and fight to gain the position of a mere village chief.
Or there are even cases of old men hanging themselves when their village chief position is taken away.
This despite having plenty of money and lacking nothing in life.
It must mean that having power taken away was more painful than anything.
That's why power is terrifying, and at the same time, people like himself...
'Are things one shouldn't get close to.'
Yi Han stared down at the guy, and Damian's pupils were trembling ceaselessly.
Still in a state of unrelieved tension.
To such a him.
"You can just leave. You don't have to be a retainer or serve me, and I'll forgive you."
"……."
"...Good. If you had accepted my words as they were, I would have gone to the Count. To tell him never to forgive you."
"...Yes."
Seeing how the guy's complexion turned especially pale, it seemed his heart had been swayed.
But it was fortunate that he suppressed the temptation with a "just in case" thought.
That "just in case" thought barely saved the guy's life.
Feeling amusement at Damian once again, Yi Han didn't curl his lips up, and instead held up three fingers.
"3 years. Serve me for just 3 years. Whether inside or outside the Academy, I'll call you when I need you."
"Do, do you have no intention of taking me as a retainer knight?"
"I'm not in a position to take disciples. Instead, I'll accept you as a 'teaching assistant.' That should satisfy you, right? You wouldn't like becoming my retainer anyway."
"...I won't deny that."
"I like that you're honest. -Follow me, teaching assistant. Classes start right away from today."
"Understood, Sir!"
"Not 'Sir,' call me 'Instructor.' I'll call you only 'teaching assistant' and not by your name for 3 years."
"......Ugh."
"Answer."
"...Yes, Instructor."
"At least you listen well."
Yi Han turned around, and Damian, who had finally succeeded in grabbing his lifeline, let out a deep sigh with a tearful face.
And he thinks.
'...Ah, I want to go back to the entrance ceremony day.'
I want to thoroughly beat up the me from that time.
Damian Pollet—no, the man who had now become Yi Han's teaching assistant—found his eyes growing increasingly moist.
Saying his future already seemed pitch dark.
And sure enough.
"Bring enough water and towels for 80 people. Also bring any other supplies you think might be needed."
"Th-the money..."
"Use my name and get support from the Academy. Or pay for it with your own money."
"……."
"Any complaints?"
"...No, damn it."
"You talk too much, teaching assistant."
"......Sob."
Damian finally whimpered.
* * *
...There were students who were momentarily flustered seeing Damian, but their interest quickly disappeared.
Half of the students roughly figured out how the situation was rolling, and the other half simply didn't care.
They were busy enough with their own affairs.
Yi Han also liked the selfish students.
Because he didn't have to give unnecessary explanations.
While casually checking the students' faces, Yi Han nodded.
'Every one of them has the face of someone who won't listen to a damn word.'
Did someone once say that physiognomy is science?
This was something Yi Han also agreed with.
Just look at their faces; they reek of the stench of worthless trash he'd seen in the military.
A will to absolutely never listen obediently could be glimpsed.
'It's probably that they don't like me.'
He understood.
If it were him, what thoughts would he have looking at an instructor who was demoted from the knight order and caused an incident at the entrance ceremony?
It's natural to not like him.
...However.
"First, before this instructor's introduction and greeting, I have a proposal for the students."
-...?
"Students who have doubts about the instructor's skill, draw your weapons at this very moment. I'll face you anytime. Ah, and for your information."
-......
"If there is a student who can defeat this instructor, I shall give them the opportunity to receive Baltar Grace's teachings. This is a notarized oath sworn on the name of the White Silver Lion."
Clang!
"Splendid."
The next moment, half the students drew their respective weapons without hesitation and poured their fighting spirit toward Yi Han.
"Heh."
─Yes, but.
Just as they didn't like him, why would he like the guys who disliked him?
Above all, the most important thing was that he had not a speck of desire to linger and become friendly with these guys.
Rather.
'It's nice that there are so many puppets.'
If anything, he was full of the desire to use them.
This morning. Unfortunately, the sparring puppets that had met their end—there were so many 'puppets' to replace them, and a smile lingered around his lips as he confirmed this.
Because each and every one of them looked sturdier than the patchwork puppets he had made.
Yi Han was pleased.