Necromancer's Descent

72 - Reunion

Azzo's Point of View

I met Theodore for the first time when I was seven. My parents were desperate to pawn me off as a higher noble's play friend, until I was old enough to be taken in as a squire somewhere. It was the year that the demon king's revival being near, was announced among nobility, so my family panicked. As a mere Baron, our family wouldn't have power enough on their own to be guaranteed a place in the capital. Especially not with the movement of merchants becoming stronger.

The only way they could think of, was to befriend high nobility of marquis or better.

Had it not been war time, they probably would've suggested seduction, or studies to be useful to the high nobility... but war was coming. Being a priest, even if we had aptitude for it, wouldn't get our family safe... So there was only one way left for me, and my four younger siblings.

Become knights.

Fail and become normal soldiers instead, and we could kiss our family name goodbye. Without that or knighthood, we'd just be cannon fodder for the demons. I was lucky to be physically gifted.

In my eyes, it felt like my parents had sold my life off, so my oldest sister who would take over the family, had a chance to survive in the capital when the war started. So understandably, I was quite- I was a troubled kid when I met Theodore the first time.

At the time, it had barely been more than a month since Lady Troyfort died. The reason I was accepted was nothing more than: 'Lord Theodore seems lonely. He could use a playmate'.

That's what they said.

The rumors about him, were basically that he was cute, but useless. Couldn't use his red mana, and his head was filled with flowers to the point, that he probably didn't know how to get angry. I didn't look forward to meeting a spoiled brat, whose life I was supposed to value higher than my own.

But his first impression was quite the opposite of what I expected.

This kid that was just a couple years younger than me, who looked like he'd never played rough before, stood deeply focused while clumsily swinging a sword over and over. Being the stupid kid I was, I commented on how bad he was.

Theodore being way more mature than me, only gave the response 'I know', while not even looking at me. Rather than as a human being, it felt like he saw me like a pebble that didn't matter. Being wound up myself, I took it out on him. I can't remember exactly what I said anymore, but the next I remember, is Theodore's fist clenched in my shirt, looking at me with eyes that made my skin crawl as he nearly lifted me off the ground. He in rather colorful words told me he'd mutilate me if I mentioned the madam again, and then ordered me to go home.

I went home. I was pretty sure he was insane.

Of course, whether or not he was insane or not didn't matter to my parents, so I was sent off again the next day, from the inn where my parents had set up to let me get settled in in Troy.

That morning, I noticed the blood on the handle of the Theodore's training sword, and his bandaged hand... but the angry and sour look he had the day before was nowhere to be seen. He just calmly smiled and apologized for his behavior the day before, and this time asked, kindly, not to talk about his mother.

That first day was the last time I ever saw that scary look on Theodore's face, so I'd happily forgotten about it... until today...

The way he looked at me like I didn't matter, was the exact same way he looked at Johannes.

I watch Theodore's back quietly, as we ride down along the road. He got Antione to freeze the river, so we could cross without the bridge, the direction we're heading obviously leads to the front line, where the rest of the Troyfort knights and soldiers are stationed. Now where I look back at it, I can see the change in Theodore as a child was unnatural, but now I don't know if the friendliness towards Johannes until now was faked, and Theodore has been suppressing that feeling, or if this is an effect of what happened at the battlefield.