Chapter 12: The Road to Virtue (Not a Dream, BTW)

“How did it come to thiiis?” Vita whined between sobs and sniffles.

The young silver-haired girl sat in a filthy prison cell, certain that she was no longer a knight. No, she was a miscreant, a danger to society, and a fool. Charged with the attempted murder of a civilian—with an aethereal arm, no less—she was certain to face severe repercussions, no matter how much she protested.

“Why did I do that?” she asked herself thousands of times over. No matter how hard she tried, however, she could not wrap her head around it. Seeing that man next to Iris had inexplicably made her blood boil.

Her head had been filled with thoughts such as, I don’t care about honor or family name—all I need is to destroy him! and Only a great man at the peak of military prowess and strength of character is allowed near Iris!

The frenzied rage had consumed Vita’s sense of reason. She’d found herself gripping her blade, lunging at the strange man with greater strength than she’d ever displayed—but it had all been for naught.

“Ugh,” she groaned, “Damn that man! Crow, was it? How dare he defeat me so easily!”

For Vita had been brought down in an instant. Her abusive upbringing had made her believe she was the most powerful of all knights—and she’d been proud of it. Until now, when she’d been summarily crushed.

“Crooow...!”

Given the chance, she would’ve challenged him a second time.

Iris having beat her would at least have made sense. The vice-captain was one of the most powerful people in the country, after all—a genius who had become a first-class knight in her teens and earned herself the nickname “Iris of the White Blade.” An opponent so fierce that even the people of House Kaambl had given up on surpassing her. Losing to her would have only been logical.

Losing to a complete nobody like Crow? Absolutely unacceptable.

Someday, she’d fight him again. Vita would make that poker face of his twist and grimace until he admitted defeat.

Despite all of her fury, however, she knew it would never come to pass.

“Heh, ha ha. That day will never come, will it?” she said to herself. “I’m finished. Convicted criminals cannot wield aethereal arms.”

Any sane person would have agreed that those hopes were mere delusions. She knew full well that she no longer had a future.

If it had been a minor incident, Commander Hypno could surely make it go away, like the good dog he is. But this? This was far too severe.

Attempted murder with an aethereal arm alone would be a serious felony. On top of that, however, the target had been an associate of Iris, vice-captain of the magus knights.

It was hopeless. Hypno could try to interfere, but Iris would never allow it.

If...If only Crow would say it was all a big misunderstanding.

Vita shook her head, finding herself ridiculous for even entertaining the thought. There was no chance things would turn out that way. Why would anyone protect their would-be murderer?

“Ahh, I am finished! Finished!” she lamented, pressing her face to her knees.

She’d been such a fool! Vita almost wished death would take her.

As she despaired over her lost future, however, a husky voice broke into her thoughts:

“Lady Vita. You’re free to go.”

Vita lifted her head in surprise. The door to her cell had been opened, and there stood Hypno, loyal lapdog of the Kaambl family.

“What?! Hypno?!” she exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock.

It was definitely the commander standing before her, but much primmer than she remembered. One might almost have mistaken Hypno for a younger, prettier doppelgänger—with a pale but far less corpse-like complexion, barely any sign of those deep dark circles under the eyes, and a freshly washed outfit.

“What in the world happened to— Wait. Did you say I’m free to go?!”

“Indeed. Quickly, now.”

Vita thought it must be some kind of joke, but Hypno, key in hand, truly had opened the door to her cell.

“Come.” Approaching her slowly, Hypno stopped before Vita, who sat slumped over, and extended a hand, thin and small, from the sleeve of the baggy lab coat.

Staring at it, the young knight asked once again, “Um, what do you mean, I’m free? What in blazes did you do?!”

“Nothing,” Hypno replied simply. “The man you tried to kill... Crow, his name is. He told me to pretend it was all a training exercise, and dropped all charges against you.”

“He did what?!”

Preposterous. That made no sense! What kind of idiot forgave someone who’d tried to murder them? Her family had never told her such softhearted people existed! House Kaambl had drilled into Vita’s mind, “All people are self-serving. You should think of those not of our blood as no better than wild dogs.”

She could not believe Hypno’s words.

“Oh, I see,” she said, her voice filled with malice as she pushed herself to her feet. “Hah. Ah ha ha ha ha. Oh, Hypno, quit it with the odd jokes! You bribed him, didn’t you?! That’s why he gave in!”

Yes, that had to be it.

“Oh, or perhaps you offered him beautiful women!” she continued, criticizing Crow as if to convince herself. “He’d probably make a move on that boring square Iris, so I’m sure that brainless, horny sleazebag would have relations with just about any pretty woman! Yes, he’s scum, just like you!”

“Silence,” Hypno snapped, cutting off Vita’s string of insults.

Vita was shocked—never before had she heard the commander say anything with such fury. That was not the kind of thing a dog should be saying to a daughter of House Kaambl. How dare you! You’re just a slave to my family! Hypno could not possibly be angry with her for having mocked that man, right? This was not the person she knew.

Hypno’s just a parasite who drops by the estate to flatter my family and curry favor with them. A dog who has long since lost any sense of honor. That’s who I know him to be.

The commander was supposed to be scum, a poor excuse for a servant.

Vita was more baffled by the minute.

“Lady Vita, Crow has decided to pardon you because you’re still a child. He wants no compensation. You must not mock him like that.”

“He wants to drop the murder charges because I’m a child? That can’t be true—”

“It can’t. But it is.”

With a start, Vita noticed that the rotten dog didn’t just appear revitalized. Hypno’s once corrupt gaze had a faint spark, and...was that a kind smile she saw? This was unprecedented.

“Hypno, what’s going on? What did you and that bast—I mean, you and Crow talk about?”

Though the young girl had never taken an interest in her family’s lapdog, she had a burning need to know what that man had done to and for Hypno.

The commander chuckled before replying, “I thought you might ask, so I had everyone else leave. Very well, I’ll tell you.”

Hypno spoke slowly, with a face like that of a beautiful teenage maiden experiencing love for the first time.

“He told me not to forget the righteousness in my heart, you see...”

Vita could hardly believe her ears as the story unfolded.

Crow had slapped the corrupt Hypno—who was at the helm of the Salem division, a position many would surely respect—without any hesitation or fear in his eyes. Then, without any show of anger, he’d consoled the commander with an embrace, fully sympathetic to Hypno’s plight. He’d said Vita should be protected and pardoned, and he’d refused the offer of the Kaambls’ dirty money. And he’d told the commander that, if leaving the life of a lapdog behind wasn’t an option, the choice remained to become a wolf, sharp fangs and all.

And—

“Excuse me, what?! He wants me to become a righteous knight and destroy House Kaambl from within?!” Vita exclaimed with a shudder.

How could that man suggest such a plan to Hypno, whom he’d just met? Preposterous! Reckless! Exceedingly foolish!

“That’s what he said,” the commander replied. “The look in his eyes told me he meant all of it.”

“Absurd!” Vita knew that if her relatives caught wind of this, both Hypno and that man would be summarily dealt with. The great heroes of House Kaambl would soon step in, and no doubt it’d all culminate in a fight to the death.

This man, Crow, said such things knowing what the consequences would be?! What manner of rash fool is he?!

Corruption among the wealthy had always existed. Commoners like him should stay out of it all! This was madness!

Vita’s mind swirled as she internally disparaged Crow.

“Dashing, don’t you think?” Hypno said, interrupting her train of thought. “Crow proposed the downfall of a military family in one fell swoop with a righteous, solid plan! Absolutely exciting, is it not?!”

The young girl was in shock. This was something straight out of a storybook! A knight from far away, journeying forth with only a sword at his side. With courage and justice burning bright in his heart, he gathered allies and fought against the great evils of the world!

This cheap—but nevertheless exciting—tale played out in Vita’s mind.

“Should you even be telling me all this?” she asked.

“Oh, probably not, huh? It’d be the end of the road for me if you ratted me out,” Hypno replied.

“What?!” Vita shrieked, sounding nearly hysterical. She wondered, bewildered, if Hypno had come unhinged.

But no. Completely serious, the commander laid a pale hand on Vita’s shoulder. Under better lighting, Hypno’s comely looks would’ve captured the hearts of men and women alike.

“H-Hypno?!”

“Vita, listen to me. This is my way of showing my resolve. Thanks to Crow, I once again want to walk the path of justice,” Hypno explained, eyes shining. “He told me to risk my life to steer you toward righteousness. And to that end, I will truly entrust my life to you, and say goodbye to my former corrupt self for good.”

Such zeal reminded Vita of a tale she’d once heard.

There once was a great hero, forced to retire due to injury... Hypno, the Crusher!

Over twenty years ago, the now corrupt commander had been a zealous, righteous knight.

“Now, Vita. If you tell your shitty family about me, I’ll be done for,” Hypno explained. “And, of course, Crow will be too, although I’m sure he’s prepared for that possibility. So, what will it be?”

“H-Huh?!”

“I’m asking what you’re going to do. Will you carry on as a slave to your vile family and become corrupt as I did? Or will you aim to become a virtuous and just knight, and join me in seeking the light?”

“What?”

Young Vita felt caught. The right choice was clearly the latter, of course, but loyalty to House Kaambl had been drilled into her since childhood.

Her body vividly remembered the pain of the lashings.

“I... I...” She hesitated, her voice trembling with shame.

Surely Crow would have not wavered, choosing to walk the path of light. Compared to him, I’m...

Vita stood dumbfounded, tears welling in her eyes.

Hypno gently pulled the young girl into a hug. “It’s all right, Vita. That’s good enough for now,” the commander said, petting her head comfortingly.

It was the first time an adult had done that for her.

“It’s...enough?”

“Yes. You were conflicted, ashamed of yourself for not choosing the latter. You even shed tears,” Hypno explained. “If you truly were a slave to your family, you wouldn’t have given it any thought at all.”

The silver-haired girl’s eyes widened at those words. Hypno was right. She had been conflicted. Postponing a choice was, itself, a choice. This was the first time Vita had defied House Kaambl’s wicked ways.

Hypno offered her a sincere smile in response to such an incredible feat.

“Congratulations,” the commander said. “And thank you, Vita. Thanks to you, I’ll live. Fighting House Kaambl head-on would’ve been a fool’s errand.”

“It’s true. Mine is quite the terrifying family. I might not be of any help to you with bringing it down, you know.”

“Perhaps not now,” Hypno mused. “As you rise through the ranks as a knight, however, your words will bear more weight. If, when that time comes, you tell everyone what worthless scum House Kaambl truly is, you could cause quite a stir, I think.”

“Saying something like that is far too scary! I could never!” Vita declared.

“I’ll teach you courage, Vita, so come with me. We’ll head toward the light, together.”

Releasing her from the embrace, Hypno held out a hand to the young knight once more.