Naturally, there had to be something to do after dinner.
The two old men dragged and shoved at each other as they headed toward the courtyard, each pointing a finger in the other’s face and shouting, “You better not run away!” They were preparing to have a thoroughly satisfying martial contest.
Kirill, however, specifically instructed everyone not to let the children into the courtyard, so the two mothers remained inside the house with the three children.
Lucia silently lowered her head.
Zofia suggested taking a look at what kinds of toys Clarus had, which made him hesitate a little.
“Hmm…
You might not like my toys.
They’re all boys’ toys.” “That’s okay!
If we’re friends, then of course we’ll like each other’s things too!
Hurry up and show us!” Zofia’s eyes sparkled brightly.
“All right, then.” Clarus led them to the balcony, where he normally kept his toys.
“There are so many little cars…
and little people!
These little people are so cute!” Zofia crouched in front of the toy box and reached out with one small hand, only to stop and glance sideways at Clarus.
“It’s fine.
Take them out and play with them.
We’re friends, aren’t we?” Clarus smiled.
The feeling of sharing things with friends was strangely wonderful.
“Mm!
Friends!” Zofia gave him a sweet smile before taking one of the little figures out of the toy box and hugging it against herself as she played with it.
“Friends!” Little Margaret repeated the word, seemingly delighted to have learned something new.
Margaret crouched behind Zofia and peered into the toy box, tilting her head before raising her large eyes to scan the rest of the balcony.
Her attention was soon captured by a pile of toys sitting in one corner.
“Swords!
Swords!” Margaret’s eyes lit up.
She ran over and scooped the entire pile of toy weapons into her arms.
Unfortunately, there were too many toys and Margaret was far too small, so by the time she came running back, she had left a trail of dropped weapons behind her.
“Oh no!
Margaret, you’re dropping everything!” Zofia hurried over and picked up the scattered toy swords and weapons one by one before helping Margaret carry them back.
Clarus stood motionless by the edge of the balcony, staring absentmindedly into the courtyard.
“Sword!
Sword!” Margaret waved a little toy sword around with sparkling eyes and ran over to show him.
Clarus snapped back to his senses and casually shifted his body, blocking Margaret’s view of the courtyard from the balcony.
“What is it, Margaret?” “Sword!
Pretty!” Margaret waved the little sword in her hand and gave him an adorable smile.
“You like it?” Clarus forced a smile onto his face.
“Then look around and see what other toys you like.
You can play with any of them.” Margaret thought for a moment before going patter-patter-patter back toward the toy pile.
This time, however, she discarded the sword.
Instead, she picked up a toy sword-lance and a small golden hammer.
“These two!
Like!” “Oh?
Margaret likes weapons like those?” Zofia seemed a little surprised by Margaret’s choices.
She gave the small whip in her own hand a few satisfied swings.
“Mm!
Now this is the kind of weapon a proper lady should use!” “You two…
really like weapons that much?” Clarus looked at them curiously.
“Of course!
Learning how to fight well and then becoming a knight—isn’t that what everyone in Kazimierz dreams about?” Zofia tilted her head.
“Clarus, your dream must be to become a knight too, right?” “A knight…” Clarus smiled, but a shadow suddenly passed through his eyes.
Almost unconsciously, his hand moved toward his lower back.
“Yeah.
I dream of becoming a knight too.” The innocent Zofia didn’t notice anything unusual and immediately began excitedly imagining her future.
“Hmm…
I’m definitely going to become a great knight someday!
I’ll become an amazing knight and make everyone look at me differently!” “And most importantly!
Once I become a great knight, I’ll finally become a true Nearl!” “Great knight!
Great knight!” Margaret became excited too, repeatedly thrusting her toy sword-lance toward the ceiling.
“I see…” Clarus smiled faintly before suddenly asking, “By the way, are there any Infected knights?” “Infected?” Zofia frowned, not entirely understanding.
“Infected…
You mean people who have Oripathy?
I don’t think there are any.” “Besides, an Infected becoming a knight…
that’s something you couldn’t even imagine happening.” “Couldn’t even imagine it…” Clarus closed his eyes.
Despite his young age, he had already begun learning how to conceal his emotions.
“It’s nothing.
I was just asking.” He smoothly changed the subject.
“Have you ever thought about what titles you and Margaret would have if you became great knights someday?” “Titles!” A child’s attention really was easy to redirect.
Zofia became so excited that she grabbed little Margaret and shook her twice.
“I’ll be the Lady Knight!
How does that sound?
Doesn’t it sound super ladylike?” Zofia giggled and swung the little plastic whip in her hand twice.
“The Lady Knight defeats the evil Ursus bad guys!
Woo~!” “Title!
Title!” Margaret didn’t really understand what a knightly title was, but seeing her older brother and sister getting so excited was enough to make her happy too.
“Margaret has a sword-lance and a hammer, so in the future…” Zofia stared thoughtfully at the excited little Margaret.
“Then maybe your title could be the Hammer Knight?
Or the Sword-Lance Knight?” “How about the Nearl Knight?” Even Clarus’s gloomy mood was partially dispelled by Zofia’s astonishing lack of naming talent.
He stared at her speechlessly.
“Don’t you think Margaret is so cheerful that she’s like a little sun?” “Oh!
That’s true.
Margaret really is so cheerful.
She’s just like a little sun.” Zofia took Margaret’s hands and began spinning around in circles with her.
“Then how about the Sun Knight?
That sounds really good too!” Zofia excitedly continued spinning with Margaret, whose eyes were already beginning to turn into little stars.
“Maybe the Light Knight?
Or…” Clarus felt as though an answer was buried somewhere deep inside his mind.
The words slipped naturally from his mouth.
“How about…
the Radiant Knight?” “Whoa!
Radiant Knight!” Stars practically filled Zofia’s eyes.
Then, in her excitement, she carelessly let go of Margaret, who had already been spun completely dizzy.
Margaret immediately lost her balance and landed on her bottom with a soft thump, letting out an adorable little retch.
“Margaret!
How about you become the Radiant Knight when you grow up?” Zofia excitedly dropped to her knees in front of Margaret.
It took Margaret’s tiny brain a moment to recover enough to start working again.
She carefully thought about it.
Then, as though answering the call of fate itself, she excitedly joined in.
“Radiant Knight!
Radiant Knight!” “What about you?
What about you, Clarus?
What kind of knight are you going to be someday?” Zofia’s eyes shone with admiration.
“Me…” Clarus hid one hand behind his back, secretly rubbing the spot on his lower back through his clothes.
“Hmm…
I haven’t thought of one yet.
Why don’t you two help me come up with something?” “Okay!” Zofia’s eyes immediately lit up before she frowned deeply in concentration.
“Hmm…
Your hair is black, so maybe the Black Knight?
But that sounds really familiar.
And a name that obvious is definitely going to be used by some other competition knight, right…?” “Ugh…
I can’t think of anything!” Zofia scratched at her hair and pouted at him.
“It’s all your fault for coming up with such a good title for Margaret!
Now everything I think of sounds bad!” Margaret also furrowed her tiny brows and began thinking with all her might, but perhaps expecting a foal whose language skills hadn’t even fully developed yet to invent a knightly title was asking a little too much.
“It’s okay.
Take your time.” Clarus smiled.
“You can think about it tonight.
The next time we meet, you can tell me what title you came up with for me.” “We won’t be meeting for the last time today.” “Hmm…
okay!” Zofia immediately returned to her usual lively self and began making whoosh-whoosh noises as she played at fighting with Margaret, the two of them laughing happily.
From the balcony, Clarus watched the adults beginning to make their way back from the courtyard.
He lowered his head and thought quietly.
Zofia.
Margaret.
Even little foals dreamed of becoming great knights.
But Clarus?
Could a little foal like him dream of becoming a great knight too?
…
TL: Ah, yes.
Nothing beats a good old dose of tragic foreshadowing.