Rafin was curious about Sir Folke, who had lost to him but was a man of great skill all the same.
Natye went on.
"Leave your armor in the waiting room and go to the great hall. Since early this morning, the day of the final, the great hall has been busy with preparations for the victory banquet. I'll assign a servant to you, so you can just let the servant guide you."
Natye finished speaking and left.
Ivan helped Rafin out of his armor.
"You won without getting hurt; it couldn't be better. Congratulations again on your victory. But how did you think of making your horse leap? That was ingenious."
"Against a seasoned opponent like Sir Folke, you have to catch him off guard and throw him off balance. So I made my horse leap. That's how you create an opening."
Against an opponent like Sir Folke, strong on attack yet solid on defense, using an unorthodox move to aim for an opening was easier said than done. Ivan marveled, thinking it a brilliant strategy.
"That's a strategy worthy of a veteran of a hundred battles. You're only 15, Lord Rafin, and you thought of that. You've already surpassed me."
"It's thanks to a wise teacher who has guided me well since I was little. Anyway, maybe because I fought the match all tense today, I'm really hungry. Let's go to the banquet and have a proper feast."
"Haha! Yes, let's!"
Just then, the servant Natye had mentioned came over and led the two to the great hall.
Rafin took in the whole of the great hall. He couldn't even begin to guess how much bigger it was than the great hall of Winstio Castle, where he had been born and raised.
The servant showed the two to their seats. Every seat in the great hall was assigned.
In no time, the great hall filled with a thousand or so people. Servants hurried back and forth waiting on the many guests.
The wide area in the middle of the great hall had been left open with no tables set out; jesters were juggling there, and behind them minstrels were playing music.
Not long after Rafin and Ivan sat down, appetizing dishes began to appear one after another. Whole roast pig, mutton stew, rye bread, and goat's-milk cheese were brought out.
Rafin's mouth watered at the sight of the whole pig's crisply roasted skin. Looking around, he saw that people had already started eating the moment the food came out.
"We can eat right away, can't we? Meat tastes best while it's warm, after all. You eat too, Master, go on. Look at the size of it. This must weigh 40 kilos."
"Take your time and eat plenty. You're probably the hungriest man here, Lord Rafin."
The servants bustled between the tables, checking the empty pitchers of ale and wine and refilling them.
In the merry atmosphere, Rafin and Ivan hurried to start eating too.
As Ivan bit into the roast pork, a smile came naturally to his lips.
"The inn's food was good, but the castle's food really is better."
"It is. I was just thinking the same thing."
Meanwhile, far from where Rafin and Ivan sat, the master of Barad Castle, Anchin, was seated with Varter.
When Anchin entered the great hall, he had checked with his eyes where Rafin was sitting. But he said nothing to Varter beside him and feigned ignorance.
Varter, spotting Rafin, spoke.
"There's the tournament winner, far over there."
"......Ah. Is he?"
"He seems too busy eating to notice anything. Haha. He's at the age for it."
"He must have been very tense and tired from fighting the final. He'll have been hungry. If he's from House Valone, he would have stayed at an inn while he was in Unton."
"Yes. That's right. I made arrangements so that even at an inn he would be given good meals and clean lodgings."
"That's a relief, then."
"My lord, then, about taking Rafin in as a squire, may I send someone to Rafin here and now to tell him?"
Varter was quick on the uptake. As the saying went, you pull an ox's horn while it's still hot; once they had decided to take him in as a squire, they should tell Rafin quickly and get things moving.
"Proceed as you see fit."
Varter picked up his cup of ale and slowly rose from his seat. Then he went to where the Knight Commander, Gerhardt, was sitting.
When the scholar Varter came over, the knight sitting beside Gerhardt quickly stood up from the seat.
"Scholar, please sit here."
Varter nodded and sat down beside Gerhardt.
"I came because I have something to tell you, Knight Commander."
Gerhardt wondered what business the scholar could have with him, to come and sit beside him at a banquet.
"Is there something you need from me?"
"The lord wishes to keep the tournament winner here at Barad Castle."
"You mean Rafin. I was thinking that myself: that it would be a waste to just put the prize money in Rafin's hand and send him back to Philia."
"I see. I think the same. The lord seems to have had his eye on him too; he has ordered that Rafin be taken in as your squire, Knight Commander."
"Quite right. I'll do as he commands."
"Rafin is over there. He must have been hungry. He's still eating, oblivious to everything else. Then, Knight Commander, would you go over and give Rafin the news?"
Varter nodded toward where Rafin was sitting.
"He's with the man they said was his teacher. Yes. I'll go and tell him."
Just then, the jesters' act on the central stage ended, and gentle music began to play. Male and female players were holding hands and dancing to the music, livening up the mood.
A few of the nobles who had been sitting and watching came out to the central stage, and men and women began to dance together.
Rafin was still tearing at his meat. Ivan, beside him, was full and was slowly drinking wine while watching the people dance.
"Lord Rafin, you're still not full? Have some wine at least. You'll choke."
Ivan poured wine into Rafin's cup.
"I'm going to eat a little more."
Rafin took a gulp of wine. Then, just as he stabbed a piece of meat with his fork, someone tapped him on the shoulder.
"The seat beside you happens to be free. Mind if I sit a moment?"
Rafin raised his head. It was a well-built man in middle age with black hair.
"Please, sit."
"I saw you earlier, doing nothing but eating, oblivious to everyone around you. At a banquet, you ought to go out front and dance and mingle with people."
"I'll fill my stomach a bit more first. Where I come from, we don't get the chance to eat food this good."
Rafin scratched his head sheepishly. Judging by his clothes and bearing, the man who had sat beside him seemed to be a high-ranking vassal. Seeing that he had gone so far as to sit beside Rafin to talk to him, it seemed he had some important business.
"From now on you'll have plenty of chances to eat good food. I'm late introducing myself. I am the Knight Commander of House Rosrad, Gerhardt."
"You're the Knight Commander. I'm glad to meet you like this."
Rafin bowed his head politely.
"I watched you in the tournament. What sort of training do you usually do?"
"I trained hard under the teaching of my master here beside me."
Gerhardt exchanged greetings with Ivan, who sat beside Rafin, for a moment.
"With skill enough to beat Sir Folke, you'd be coveted anywhere. Rafin, from now on you'll serve as my squire. The lord has given his special permission."
Gerhardt did not bother to say that Rafin had become his squire by the lord's order.
If Rafin learned that he was staying with House Rosrad by the lord's order, he might get too full of himself.
"Thank you for thinking well of me. I won't forget this kindness. I'll do my very best."
This was quite encouraging. As a secondary prize for winning the tournament, he had been able to join the lowest rung of House Rosrad's vassals, even if he was still only a squire.
"To repay the lord's kindness, you should give loyalty rather than thanks. Keep that in mind, then. Don't just eat; enjoy the banquet."
Gerhardt clapped Rafin on the back.
"Haha. Understood, Knight Commander."
Gerhardt went back to his seat.
Ivan had been quietly listening to the conversation between Lord Rafin and the Knight Commander. He had come to Unton together with Lord Rafin, but now he would be going back to Philia alone.
Deep down, Ivan had wanted his beloved Lord Rafin to become the heir of House Valone. But if he became squire not to just any knight but to House Rosrad's Knight Commander, there was no telling how high he might rise in the future.
'So I'll be going back to Winstio Castle alone....... It'll feel empty. I won't get to see Lord Rafin's face as often as before. Is this how a parent feels when a child goes out into the world and makes good?'
Ivan felt glad and sad at the same time.
"Looks like I'll be going back to Winstio Castle by myself."
"So it does. Then I'll have to write a letter to my father. Please do give it to him when you get back to Winstio Castle."
"Yes, that goes without saying. Lord Rafin, how do you feel?"
"My new challenge is beginning. I'm excited, and I'm worried too. Whether I can do well here... But now that I'm in House Rosrad's embrace, I have no intention of staying a squire forever. I'll have to rise to a higher position and do what I can to help House Valone."
"A fine way of thinking."
"Instead of just sitting there, Master, why not go dance? I'll get up too. I've eaten my fill now."
Before they knew it, many people had come out onto the central stage and were dancing in pairs of men and women.
As Rafin was heading toward the central stage with Ivan, someone came up beside Rafin.
"Will you dance with me?"
Rafin was startled. The one who had spoken asked him to dance as if having been waiting for the chance. Looking at that face, he thought he knew who it was.
"By any chance...... are you the lady who gave me a garland?"
"You remember me."
Mera smiled brightly.
Rafin took Mera's hand. The two began to dance to the music.
"You're Rafin, eldest son of House Valone, right?"
"Yes. When did you go digging into my background?"
"Digging into your background? It's all in the tournament roster. My name is Mera. Of House Sirasi."
"Mera Sirasi....... House Sirasi is a house far off to the west, then."
Rafin was facing Mera. For a girl, Mera was quite tall. Their eyes were almost level.
"You're tall. Might I ask how old you are?"
"Oh my. That's a rude question to ask a lady."
"Oh dear, I'm sorry."
"I'm 14."
"I'm a year older, then. You're younger than I thought."
"What did you say?"
Mera gave the back of Rafin's hand a little pinch.
"Ow."
Rafin made a show of it.
"We can talk casually, right?"
Rafin sensed that Mera, unlike the usual prim young ladies, was frank and easygoing.
"Sure. Sure."
"If I get the chance, I'd like to learn horsemanship from you. Your horsemanship in the final was amazing."
"I worked hard for that horsemanship, you know. You don't get it for free."
"Hmph. I'm not going to ask you to teach me for free."
"But what would a fine young lady like you use horsemanship for?"
"Riding makes you feel free, you know. You can go faster than you can run."
Ivan was dancing with a middle-aged woman. Rafin caught his eye. Seeing that Lord Rafin had grown up before he knew it and was dancing while chatting so smoothly with a young lady warmed his heart.
It was a side of him Ivan had never seen at Winstio Castle.
'Lord Rafin, whom I only ever saw as a child, is becoming a man.'
Mera was a better dancer than Rafin by a step. Mera took the lead and guided Rafin.
"So now you'll be going back to Philia?"
"No. From now on I'll be living at Barad Castle."
"Why?"
"I'm going to serve as squire to the Knight Commander here."
"Oh. Impressive. House Rosrad really doesn't let talent slip away."
"Of course. They can't let talent like me slip away."
"Haha. You're not exactly modest."
"After watching the final, you can say that? If you think the final was everything I've got, you're mistaken."
"Liar. Anyway, I'm going back to Nigate tomorrow."
"Nigate...... that's a long way west of here."
"It's a long road. This time I came in my father's place, as a vassal house of House Rosrad. But... could you write me letters, maybe?"
"Letters? If the young lady wishes it so, I'll have to write them."
"Don't, then, if you don't want to!"
At the end of the table where Anchin sat was someone who wasn't talking with anyone. The mage Stormmond. He lifted his cup of ale in a pale hand, took a sip, and watched the dancers intently.