The Rise Of Third Rate Villain-Chapter 23 - A Knight’s Oath

Leon slammed into the solid wooden study door.

"Come in," came Aldric's deep voice from inside.

Leon entered, stepping in with his usual disciplined posture. The scent of parchment and old books hung in the heavy air, and the odour of ink lingered. Inside, he was greeted by a rather unexpected sight—Darius was already standing there, his arms crossed, looking surprisingly serious for once.

Leon nodded first to Aldric. "My lord."

Aldric reclined back in his chair, tapping the fingers on the armrest. "So? What happened in the duel? Is she worth standing beside Valerian?"

Leon smiled slightly. "Yes, my lord. To be honest, I was also quite surprised."

Aldric arched a brow. "Oh? What do you mean?"

Leon exhaled, choosing his words carefully. "My lord... I lost the duel fairly. Of course, I provided her much advantage, but still, she managed to cut the sleeve of my clothes. Which, alone, speaks volumes about her skill."

A brief silence filled the room. Aldric blinked once.

Then he laughed. "Hahaha! That is, my son has such a discerning talent for picking people and perceiving their proficiency. I guess he really is my son, after all! Hahaha!"

Leon smiled for a moment but recovered his composure. Then his gaze flickered to Darius. "Sir, may I inquire... how did Darius get here?"

Aldric's giggle faded as he looked at the young knight. "Actually, Darius came to ask me something rather bold—he wants me to remove you from your position and appoint him as Valerian's personal knight."

Leon's eyebrows shot up. "Really? Darius, why so suddenly?"

Darius clenched his fists and took a step forward. "Leon-senpai... I came to know how amazing Young Master Valerian is after getting to spend just one day with him. He is not like the other noble brats. No kidding. he even cares about us people. He helped me without asking for anything in return. Right there I decided—I want to devote my whole life to Young Master Valerian."

Leon blinked. Once. Twice.

His brain stalled for a second.

Wait. Did I just hear that correctly? Did Darius, the same being who used to call Valerian a soft touch, just "make up" foreverly love?

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Leon looked at the younger knight for a second and sighed. "If you truly feel that way, then... I have no objections. Honestly, I was already thinking about stepping back to focus on training the Thorne army. If you're ready, I'll pass down my role to you.".

Aldric nodded approvingly. "Then it's settled. Darius, I expect you to show your utmost loyalty to Valerian. He needs someone like you."

Darius knelt immediately. "Thank you, my lord! I will do my best to meet your expectations!"

"Good." Aldric waved him off. "You're dismissed."

Darius bowed again before leaving the room.

Leon watched him go, still a bit amused by the sudden shift. Then he turned back to Aldric. "Oh, my lord. One more thing. Young Master Valerian requested an audience with you. I don't know the reason, but he asked me to inform you.".

Aldric hummed. "Tell him I'll meet him at the dinner table."

Leon nodded and left.

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Aldric sat at the grand dining table, fingers idly drumming against the polished wood as he waited. The maids stood silently by, ready to serve.

Then the doors opened.

Valerian entered the dining hall, straightening his posture before offering a slight bow. "Apologies, Father. I got caught up in training."

Aldric waved a hand. "It's fine. Sit down."

Valerian did as told, and the maids swiftly moved to serve dinner. The smell of roasted meat and freshly baked bread permeated the room and set his stomach rumbling. Not that he'd admit it.

Aldric took a bite of his food before finally speaking. "Leon told me you wanted to meet me."

Valerian swallowed a piece of meat and nodded. "Yes, Father. I wanted to ask for your permission regarding something."

Aldric's curiosity piqued. "Oh? What kind of permission?"

Valerian leaned forward slightly. Dad, after I trained my skills for a while, I found I came to a wall. No matter how hard I try I am not making as much progress as I want to. I need real experience to improve. So... I was thinking of joining the Adventurer's Guild."

Aldric raised an eyebrow.

Valerian quickly added, "Obviously, I won't be going alone. I was planning to take Mabel with me. If something happens, she'll protect me. Leon has already told you about her skills."

Aldric stroked his beard. "The Adventurer's Guild, hmm..." He seemed to weigh the decision for a moment before finally saying, "Well, you're mature enough to make decisions for yourself."

Valerian blinked. "Huh? You're letting me go just like that?"

Aldric smirked. "What? Do you not want to go?"

"Nope! Not complaining at all! I'm just... a little shocked, that's all."

Aldric chuckled. "So when are you going to register properly with the guild."

Valerian nodded. "I was thinking of letting Mabel train under Leon for a few weeks before we head out."

"Hmm... just remember—don't reveal your identity. Our family has many enemies."

Valerian exhaled. "Yes, Father. I know. I'll be careful."

Aldric nodded in approval. "Good."

As the meal continued, Valerian processed everything.

He was actually doing it. He was going to join the Adventurer's Guild. He'd get real combat experience, level up, and prepare for the challenges ahead.

And, most importantly—

He'd finally get out of this damn mansion.

After finishing his meal, Valerian wiped his mouth and stood up. "I'll take my leave now, Father."

Aldric made a slight nod and immediately returned his attention to his meal. "Go."

And that, Valerian turned around and left the dining room, a smile stretching at the corners of his mouth.

Time to prepare.

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