I've never been like my older brothers. They handle everything with ease, while I stumble.
I hate studying.
I'm no good at noble duties or stiff manners. As the third brother, no one expects much from me, and no one spends much time on me.
Maybe it's my nature, but I was a tantrum-throwing brat since I was little.
But then, one day, I changed.
From a wild kid, I became... a knight.
It started when I got a little sister. The first baby didn't survive here—she was kidnapped before I ever met her.
The whole house went dark after that. Mother and Father grew distant. I lashed out more, and my brother Alex mocked me for it.
When I finally saw my sister, Spica, she looked like a princess from a picture book. She lay in a crib of light, dressed in white, smiling sweetly.
I didn't really understand why, but it felt wrong to stay a raging brat near that kind of girl. So I stopped.
I'd rather spend time by her side.
Just being near her made Spica happy.
And a baby's smile—it made my chest warm and fuzzy, like something tickling inside. I couldn't explain it, but it made my heart race.
I even asked the commander of the Knight Order how to protect her.
"Young master, with all that energy, why not polish your swordsmanship? If your blade shines, you'll guard the young lady like a talisman!" he said.
Complicated thinking isn't my thing. So from that day, I trained with the sword.
It suited me. My brothers practiced too, but before long, I was the best among them.
Spica grew fast. She followed after me like a little chick, and that fuzzy feeling returned every time.
My grin wouldn't leave my face. I was crazy about this tiny creature.
Every treasure I found—pill bugs, smooth stones, even the wings of a magic butterfly—I gave to her.
Sometimes she cried, but she always ended with, "Thank you, niicha!" and smiled. So I promised, "I'll gather everything you like and give it to you!" She replied, "Then Spica will fill up with all of niicha's likes too!" My chest melted all over again.
She kept growing, more and more like a real princess. She remembered things easily, acted kindly, always noticed others.
When I trained at the grounds, she'd come running with a maid, carrying a towel and drink.
But just before she reached me, she tripped. Instinct made me catch her.
"Don't run like that! Are you hurt?" I asked.
She blinked those big eyes.
"I'm fine! You looked just like a picture book knight, onii-sama!" My grin split wide.
"Then I'll be your knight, Spica. With this sword, I'll cut down anyone who threatens you. With this shield, I'll guard your life!" I thumped my chest with my right hand.
She laughed gracefully, then handed me the towel. "How reliable, Sir Knight."
By six, Spica had become a striking young girl.
Even my friends begged me to introduce her. I shut them up with my fists.
Father and I agreed she needed self-defense and horse riding. At first, she struggled, but she learned fast. Within half a year, she could ride long distances.
She didn't take well to fighting—hurting others seemed too cruel for her—so her skills stayed at simple self-defense. On her seventh birthday, I gave her a horse: a beautiful chestnut mare named Themis. She cherished it, and I didn't regret giving her my best mount.
Honestly, I hated seeing her play with my brothers.
But when I remembered that Spica trusted me more than anyone, I felt better. After all, unlike them, I would always protect her like a knight.
Notes:
• Alex - Second step-brother, seven years older. Suffers from the rare Monaza Disease, which robs both sight and holy power, but shines as a gifted musician and artist.