He muttered dismissively and opened a drawer in the wardrobe behind him. The day before the appointment ceremony, an aide had brought a knight uniform from the tailoring room.

One Blue Knight uniform for a new member was neatly folded inside. The outfit, half the size of his own knight uniform, seemed quite amusing.

“In nine days, there will be a competition among the third-year students for assistant knight qualification.”

Raiden spoke while deliberately closing the drawer roughly. Rosé, not understanding his words, frowned.

“Participate in the competition and rank in the upper tier. Then I’ll give you your knight uniform.”

“What… do you mean?”

“Do you think I can recognize a new member who can’t even earn assistant knight qualification?”

Raiden laughed mockingly. The sword competition held nine days later was a kind of rite of passage where third-year students competed for assistant knight positions.

Those who ranked in the upper tier could be the first among third-years to serve as assistants to knights and receive extra points for advancing to fourth year.

In other words, it was a childish competition. At least to Raiden, the third-years’ sword competition was just that.

He would recognize the Black Cloak if she earned assistant knight qualification from that competition. Though it was a spontaneous decision born from spite, it was also an opportunity to get rid of Rosé.

Although they were still students, they were all outstanding sword talents who had passed the entrance exam.

Rosé Mora wouldn’t even be a match for them. With those frail arms, he doubted she could even perform one thrust.

“What happens if I don’t make it to the upper tier?”

“What happens?”

He placed his hand on her shoulder as if to encourage the new member and whispered.

“You’ll have to leave the knight order.”

The corner of Raiden’s mouth rose loosely. In reality, the knight uniform was just an excuse; his goal was to isolate her.

A formal knight who couldn’t even defeat third-year students. Could she bear that terrible label?

She would gradually become alone among the knights. Even members who had defended the Black Cloak would no longer look kindly upon her.

She wouldn’t be able to endure without leaving on her own. Raiden felt his blood flowing again just imagining that moment.

“……Do I have a choice?”

“No.”

Rosé clenched her fist tightly after seeing Raiden’s mean smile.

Swordsmanship was her weakness. Though she had been steadily learning swords from Muho, her progress had always been sluggish.

But she had no choice. She needed Raiden’s recognition.

“I’ll do it.”

After staring at the floor for a while, Rosé raised her head and looked at Raiden with clear eyes.

The moment their eyes met, Raiden flinched and closed his mouth. His pupils seemed to shake a little.

“I’ll come back for my knight uniform after the competition.”

Rosé said all she had to say and left the Captain’s office. From the unfamiliar stiff speech unique to knights to the fierce battle of wills with someone who hated her.

It was a wonder she had managed to stand straight. Did he think she wanted to join the knight order? When you think about it, wasn’t it all his fault?

If he hadn’t exposed the Black Cloak’s identity, Ariel wouldn’t have summoned her to the palace.

Rosé glared at the door and grumbled. She quietly muttered curses she couldn’t say to his face and even pretended to punch him.

Until someone approached from behind and burst into laughter.

“So even the Black Cloak has things she can’t tolerate.”

Rosé quickly lowered her fist and whirled around. It was a familiar face.

“Ahem, I’m Patrick Osvarthe. I serve as the vice-captain of the First Division.”

“……I’m sorry, Vice-Captain sir.”

“Being called that by the Black Cloak feels somewhat awkward.”

Patrick scratched his head and smiled. A friendly smile with no hidden intentions.

Something about him reminded her of Podrick, so Rosé relaxed her guard and lifted the corners of her mouth. Even his name was similar, and he had a similar smiling face.

“If you don’t mind, could you spare me a moment?”

It was an unexpected request. Seeing Rosé’s hesitant expression, Patrick smiled and said,

“Think of it as the greeting we haven’t been able to have until now.”

Rosé reluctantly nodded. Patrick guided her to his office with a beaming smile. Once he closed the door, he too let out a short, pent-up sigh.

In truth, he had been pacing outside the door since Rosé entered the Captain’s office.

He was preparing for any incident that might occur. For instance, Raiden grabbing her by the collar or hitting her.

Fortunately, no such violent situation had occurred, but something equally serious had happened.

For her sake, who must have been as surprised as he was, Patrick poured cold water and said,

“You must have been shocked by Raiden’s sudden change.”

“Ah… no, Vice-Captain sir.”

“We haven’t had the welcome ceremony yet, so you can speak comfortably. Like in Kamit.”

Patrick gave her a smiling look as she hesitated. Rosé took a sip of cold water as if washing away old anger. Only then did her stiff throat seem to loosen.

“……Thank you, Sir Patrick.”

Patrick also drank cold water beside her. After clearing his throat briefly, he said,

“Don’t take his words too seriously. Our members welcome the Black Cloak.”

Rosé widened her eyes in surprise. She had thought everyone in the First Division opposed her.

“Raiden is…… a different case, you could say.”

‘A different case?’

Patrick sat on the desk opposite her. After staring at the wall, he finally spoke.

“He becomes sensitive when it comes to Lian Mora. That guy. Of course, which Blue Knight member wouldn’t be, but he’s especially……”

Patrick trailed off mid-sentence and gauged Rosé’s reaction. Thankfully, she showed no signs of displeasure.

Come to think of it, she had said she only learned about her blood relation to Lian Mora after coming of age. Feeling somewhat apologetic, he carefully corrected himself.

“Raiden’s father was a mercenary. He was a renowned swordsman in Dinbaek, but being a commoner, he couldn’t receive a knight position. Back then, commoners couldn’t enter the military academy. Now they allow it because so many knights are dying.”

Patrick laughed bitterly as he spoke. Though he said ‘knights,’ in reality, it was limited to Blue Knights.

The survival rate of Blue Knights decreased day by day. Half died before completing three years of service. This was no era to discriminate based on background.

“Raiden’s father wanted to climb the tower. If he reached the top and prayed for peace, he could receive a title. Even as a commoner.”

Patrick eventually added that he had entered the tower. Rosé, who could anticipate the outcome, lowered her gaze to the floor.

Only Lian Mora had reached the top of the tower. And on the day he brought it down, only that one person survived.

“On the day the tower collapsed, Raiden seemed fine at first. He was even brave. He said his father’s death wasn’t in vain. That he sacrificed his life for the Empire’s peace.”

Patrick came from the same village as Raiden. After the tower disappeared, they scattered, but until then, they had been sparring partners with wooden swords.

He still couldn’t forget the young boy staring blankly at the ruins of the collapsed tower.

Even after 22 years, he couldn’t forget how the boy, only 10 years old, gently stroked the ground with hands like leaves.

When they later learned that Lian Mora was the only survivor from the tower, what expression did Raiden have?

He seemed to have said “thank goodness” with tears welling in his eyes.

Lian Mora was hailed as a hero among commoners at the time, and Raiden admired him second only to his father.

Like everyone else then, Raiden firmly believed Lian had prayed for the Empire’s peace.

He endured his father’s death with that belief alone. But that faith shattered in less than half a year.

“When the boundaries reappeared and word spread in the village that Lian Mora hadn’t prayed for peace, Raiden lost his way. The sense of loss he had endured with the relief of regained peace came rushing back all at once.”

Patrick weakly pulled at his lips and looked at Rosé. He hoped she would understand a little. He hoped she wouldn’t misunderstand Raiden as a person.

Why? Perhaps because he sensed with a friend’s intuition that Raiden didn’t entirely hate Rosé.

“From then on, Raiden directed all his anger at Lian Mora.”

Patrick remembered the moment he reunited with Raiden at the military academy. The once innocent boy now had a face deeply shadowed by darkness.

The anger on his face only faded after quite some time. But now, Raiden was even more filled with rage than back then.

“So right now… for now, the Black Cloak’s identity might be confusing for him. He might need time.”

Rosé drank the remaining water in one go and nodded. Many people whispered about Lian when talking about her. They all said similar things.

“Thank you for telling me, Sir Patrick.”

Patrick genuinely cared for Raiden. That’s why he was sharing this story to defend him. ‘Allies’—something she lacked after leaving Bistiman alone.

Rosé placed the glass on the table and stood up. Her smile toward Patrick was tinged with faint envy.

“Black Cloak ma’am.”

Patrick, who had hurriedly followed, hesitated before finally speaking.

“I overheard about the competition outside the door. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to listen……”