I Will Be the Greatest Knight-Chapter 421: Felix’s Night (I)

Before going into the banquet hall, Felix agonized over how the evening would pan out. Not only did he grow up a parentless child, but he also grew up amongst a bunch of knights with a lack of care for manners. Being in such a stiff and well-mannered place as Earl Auden’s home was not a place for someone like him.

Yet there he was, daring to pretend he fit in an environment like that with clothing finely sewn and something he could never afford in his life. He stared at the very garments in displeasure for a few moments, but he knew it was inevitable. All that it was missing was the outer cloak that his maid had busied herself with getting perfectly straight so that he would be sharp for the event.

Eira should be back soon with his cloak, he realized. Imagine that—a maid had traveled all that way on his behalf simply to get him dressed so that he was presentable for the nobles.

While his Commander was nothing like the other nobles, Felix couldn’t help thinking that all of the lengths the younger man went to ensure he was celebrated during the banquet felt unbelievably excessive. He was satisfied knowing the duchy was protected well. There was nothing else he needed.

Soon enough, a knock was heard at his door, and his chain of thought was broken. The person he was expecting was there. He hoped it wasn’t all downhill from there.

"Eira," Felix greeted, trying to remain polite even though he dreaded her having to get him dressed.

Predictably, her pale face was rosier than usual—but usual around him was always so rosy. She was ever aware of his presence. While it did feel good to be seen in such a way, it was more of an inconvenience than anything, knowing he could never return the affections she wished she could give him.

"Sir Felix, are you ready to get dressed?" she asked. "I waited until as late as possible, but all the other personal maids have gone to their various charges."

He did feel a little bad for voicing his irritation that he had to be put in nice clothing at all. It was more suitable for someone like him to go outside with the other knights and protect the guests rather than be one of them.

"You’re doing fine," he responded. "I shouldn’t have complained like that before."

"Yes, well..." she trailed off with a small smile. "I will give these to you. Allow me to help you with the rest so that my hard work doesn’t go to waste."

With that, he stood behind the partition in his room that would give him a bit of privacy while he changed from the pants he donned after his morning practice and into the ones she had handed off to him. He had bathed a while before, but all he got up to after that was sitting around.

He was completely restless, wishing he had something to distract him. However, there would be plenty of alcohol and beautiful women that he should be able to take his mind off the knighthood for merely a moment, but... would it?

Times like that, there was always an empty feeling where there was once warmth. He wished he could share these moments with someone.

He moved quickly, willing away his thoughts. Other people had survived mourning, so why did it always feel like he couldn’t?

When he was at least in boots and pants, he moved back to the open area of the room and was met with a blushing maid who managed to only stare for a moment before she wrenched her eyes away from him and looked anywhere else she possibly could. She then only spared him a glance when her hands were on him helping him put on his shirt, fasten the golden buttons on his wrists, make sure the thread that tied his tunic at his chest wasn’t tangled and pull at his neckline when it was tucked in incorrectly.

The redness on her cheeks didn’t cease, but at least she seemed relieved when she clasped her hands together and stepped backwards.

"My work is as good as done," she expressed. "You look... h-handsome, Sir Felix."

She quickly busied herself with tidying up things that didn’t need to be tidied.

"Thank you, Eira," he answered quietly.

Just as silence fell over them, he also busied himself with pulling on a belt he had never seen in his life that he found a bit stiff. Still, it matched everything else he was wearing that was stiff and unused—certainly not for fighting monsters or wielding a sword, despite what the sword he made sure to place on his side might say. He was certainly not going to be caught without it that night.

"I suppose it is time I should be off," Felix explained. "I will see you later."

"Will you need help when the banquet is over?" she asked.

"I doubt it," he admitted.

He didn’t want to be there first, but it seemed that, despite the start time, there were still many others arriving even later than him.

As he got to the massive, gilded room, all he could do was marvel at it while people filled in around him. How he was able to sit at the table at the head of the room was beyond him. He at least felt relieved when he realized his Commander had a place marked beside him.

Would that change eventually? It felt like they were only seated beside one another because they were two single men. What would happen to him if the Commander went off and got himself a wife and had a family?

Left in the dust, Felix imagined. Such was the life he was used to, and he wouldn’t blame anyone else for seeking happiness.

To lift his spirits, he decided that night he was going to drink while he had some time off.

As he glanced towards the other tables as they ate their meal, he was relieved when he saw a flash of red hair. Although, more surprisingly than anything else, with that red-haired woman was a dress. It was a most unexpected sight. He was going to have to give her trouble for it when they talked to one another.

However, it didn’t happen like that.

The Commander asked Irene to dance first, and Felix couldn’t help eyeing the two and wondering if he was imagining the chemistry between them. They weren’t saying that much, but their body language was rather surprising.

He drank more. Maybe he would still have an opportunity to dance with his friend yet.

But then a beautiful, noble lady approached him, and he found himself whisked away for a few dances. He was passed between a couple of ladies before he realized he was burning up and wanted to seek one of the rooms that offered cold ale. That was the beauty of the north—unlimited cold drinks during certain times of year.

After that, he couldn’t bring himself to return to the banquet hall just yet because the halls between were just too peaceful. He wandered a bit further, looking out various windows or wandering through various doors that led to balconies. He checked on the knights whenever he could, and they called him addicted to the knighthood.

Perhaps.

He happened to stumble upon something he wasn’t expecting on his way back to the banquet.