The Money-Obssessed Archmage's Second Life As A Broke Duke-Chapter 57 - They Do Make A Pretty Pair

Chapter Fifty Seven

"What is going on here?"

Kaelen’s voice cut through the room, sharp and alert.

I looked up just as his eyes flicked between Lady Elena and me, assessing the distance between us, the half-empty glass of water in her hand, the faint redness around her eyes.

"Did I perhaps disturb you both?" he asked carefully.

Elena bolted upright as if the couch had suddenly turned into hot coals. "Not at all, Sir Kaelen!" she squeaked, her face flushing a shade of crimson that rivaled the velvet curtains. She smoothed her dress with frantic, shaky hands, looking ready to dive out the window to escape the awkwardness.

"I was just leaving."

Weren’t we still talking about her problem? Why are women so confusing?

"Wait a second, Lady Elena," I sighed, raising a hand to stall her before I turned my gaze to Kaelen, who was still wearing an expression that sat somewhere between suspicion and second-hand embarrassment. "What did you come here for, Kaelen?"

"Ah, right!" Kaelen straightened, shifting back into his knightly persona, though his eyes lingered on the glass in Elena’s hand.

Does that kid like her or something?

[Ping!]

[They would make a good looking pair?]

Really? Maybe, you’re right. They are both pretty.

"On Sir Eatassh’s orders yesterday, all citizens stayed up last night making ice houses for all the bandits. We were worried about fights but the citizens welcome them warmly. Everyone has settled in."

I paused.

The image of that battered, stubborn man coordinating housing while still being injured from the fight looked truly admirable.

I must hold a ceremony and honour all of them.

I’m just so great at picking people and stuff

[Ping!]

[Host is really self obsessed.]

Maybe, a tiny bit.

"He was bruised. He still found the strength to ask?" I asked, pulling myself out of my thoughts.

"Yes, Master." Kaelen nodded. "They were almost originally all his people. It’s natural for him to care."

I exhaled slowly. "I see. Sit. We need to talk."

Kaelen hesitated for a fraction of a second, then took a seat on the couch across from us, posture straight, hands on his knees. Lady Elena hovered awkwardly before I gestured to the other side of the couch. She sat, stiff as a board.

I leaned back.

"Kaelen," I began, leaning forward and lacing my fingers. "What would you think of a girl who tells you she likes swordsmanship?"

Kaelen blinked, the question clearly catching him off guard. "I don’t understand your question, Master?"

Dumbass.

"If a girl likes swordsmanship what is your take on it?"

"Well..." Kaelen scratched the back of his neck, looking genuinely confused by the simplicity of the query. "She should learn it? If she wants to swing a sword, she should find a sword and swing it."

I glanced at Elena, whose eyes were wide, then back to my knight. "Does your opinion change because of gender, Kaelen? Be honest."

Kaelen’s expression hardened, his gaze turning reflective. "A little yes. Women are fragile creatures. But, there’s the fact that on the battlefield, there’s only survival and death. Master, neither of those distinguish between genders. For survival, there are only two categories. The strong and the weak. For death, there are also two. The alive and the dead. Under no circumstances have I seen a sword stop mid-swing because it realized its target was a woman or a man or even a child. If you can’t fight, you die. That’s the only law that matters. There are no rules on the battlefield. It’s simply about the nature of power one possesses."

"In that case," I said, a small smirk playing on my lips, "what if I assign you a female student? Are you going to rebel?"

Kaelen’s jaw dropped. "What do you mean, Master?"

"I want you to teach Lady Elena swordsmanship. Properly. No half-measures."

"She’s a woman, Master-"

"You men are all the same!" Elena snapped, her sorrow suddenly replaced by her earlier fire. She gripped the glass so hard I thought it might shatter. "One second you talk about ’survival’ and the next you’re back to ’but you’re a lady!’"

"Because, you are a lady? And, there’s nothing wrong with it. Plus, that’s not how I intended it, Miss Elena!" Kaelen waved his hands frantically, looking panicked. "It’s not about you being a woman. It’s about me."

He deflated, his shoulders sagging in a way I hadn’t seen before.

"You should have a female teacher due to ummm... reasons. Men are not good creatures especially when entrusted with beautiful ladies."

Is he flirting or something? This brat.

"But, it’s you, Sir Kaelen."

He’s blushing, Sysi. We should definitely set them up.

[Ping!]

[Kyaah! So cute!]

Haizzz... Lemme help these young kids a bit.

"Your first reason is overruled. Move on. What else?"

"Second of all, I’m no longer fit to teach anyone," Kaelen muttered, staring at his boots. "I am already falling behind Master. Every day, the gap feels like it grows. All the knights of the Halcrest Duchy are veterans, men who have bled for years. And instead of trying to grow stronger, I’ve started to rely on Master more. I’ve been acting like a mixture of a stupid puppy and an irritating errand boy."

I raised an eyebrow. "So, you knew you were irritating me."

"Of course I knew," Kaelen sighed, a self-deprecating smile touching his lips. "I enjoyed it at the start, too. Watching you get annoyed was the highlight of my day. But then, my own incompetence began to highlight itself as you took care of problems one by one while I could only be annoying. I’m on the verge of giving up. I feel... pathetic. How can I teach a student when I can barely keep up with the teacher?"

"You should have just told me," I said quietly.

"And give you a chance to fire me?" Kaelen looked up. "Really, Master?"

"I’m not that heartless. I only want to fire you when you delay my work, Kaelen." I countered. "And, for the record, you are my knight not my wife. You can’t just switch your brain off when you’re with me."

"I thought we were family," Kaelen grumbled, though his eyes regained some of their light. "Butler Vizen, you, and me."

"We are," I replied, unable to stop a small grin. "But you’re still not my wife, you little shit. So stop moping like I’ve neglected our anniversary."

Kaelen let out a tired sigh, the tension finally breaking. "I really want to grow stronger, Master."

"Mhn... In that case, let’s make a bet."

Kaelen’s ears practically perked up. "What bet?"

"Is there a way to dispel those rings you have without dying?"

"Yes. There is."

"If you lose... I want you to show me by dispelling your rings."

"What are we placing bets on?"

"You said we are more or less on the same level. Right?"

"Yes, Master."

"Then, let’s have a duel."

"Okay, Master. What if I win?"

"What do you want?"

"Knowledge. I want to know how that day we arrived to town square quickly. Proper explanation with doubt answering session. Without any fees."

I laughed, the sound echoing in the quiet study. "Haha. Deal. We’ll have the duel by afternoon. You should get Lady Elena started on the basic training. Make it same as any other knight. If Lady Elena can’t take it she’s allowed to quit."

"But, I can take it, Your Grace." Elena interjected.

"Then, prove it," I said, looking her in the eye. "Do as Kaelen says."

She bit her lip, then nodded. "Understood, Your Grace."

"Get the training grounds cleared and prepared by afternoon before our duel, Kaelen. You two may leave."

"Understood, Master."

"T-thank you, Your Grace."