The Knight Captain’s Secret

“Ah… You’ve come, my Lord. I have been waiting.”

Rosinante, the Captain of the Sky Castle Guardian Knights, lowered his voice.

He is my subordinate. I took him in when his former master abandoned him. Recognizing his talent, I spared his life, helped him recover, and after several exchanges, secured his oath of loyalty. Since he was a knight from the Empire, he had no ties to my family, which allowed me to plant him here. His reputation was so solid that he was immediately appointed Captain.

I had originally planned to use him as a spy for a potential re-invasion by the Empire… but now he’s essentially a security guard for a girls’ school. It’s a bit bittersweet to see such talent used for patrolling dorms, though he is the Chief.

“I should have come sooner. My apologies. Things have been hectic.”

“Not at all. I know how much work the first-year ladies have to deal with.”

“You’ve had it rough too. Managing hundreds of noble daughters isn’t an easy task. Any trouble?”

I started with some social pleasantries. The Sky Castle Guardian Knights is a job most knights avoid like the plague. The reason is simple:

Serving one noble family vs. Serving hundreds of noble daughters.

It’s a workplace with hundreds of “bosses.” I’ve heard that even if a lady makes a mistake, the knight who happened to be in her path is the one reprimanded. If a knight even shows his face too boldly in front of them, the punishment is even harsher.

“The complaints from the Imperial class ladies have been… excessive.”

He didn’t even try to play it down. I expected a polite “It’s fine,” but his bluntness—which technically insults the nobility—showed he either trusted me implicitly or was reaching his breaking point.

“Are the other classes better?”

“They have their moments, but they are far more reasonable than the Imperial class.”

“The seniors or the juniors?”

“Mostly the juniors.”

“So it’s specifically the Imperial class.”

“By regulation, knights aren’t allowed to speak to the ladies. But then the ladies complain that we ‘ignored’ them, and we get disciplined for that. Even when we explain the rules, it doesn’t matter.”

It was a rapid-fire venting session. The man was drowning in resentment.

“It’s inevitable. They need a punching bag for their suppressed stress, and who better than knights and maids?”

Based on Rocinante’s testimony, it seems only the Imperial class uses physical abuse to establish their vertical hierarchy. Because the Empire is centralized, the future Emperor effectively decides the fate of every student in that class. In contrast, back in our Kingdom, if just three Dukes rebelled, the King wouldn’t have the forces to overwhelm them. Even adding “Great” to the King’s title was a delicate political move.

Furthermore, Princess Celisty came here to solidify her claim to the throne. When power is that absolute, the consensus of the community is easily ignored in favor of the ruler’s whim. Therefore, the oppressive atmosphere of the Imperial class must be a reflection of Celisty’s own will.

Her eyes seemed so clear, though.

I recalled catching her gaze on the battlefield years ago. There was a clarity there, even a hint of hesitation in her strikes. But the war dragged on for another year after that. Perhaps her character eroded under the weight of it.

“They’re treated as little more than playthings, so the stress is high,” Rocinante continued. “And because of that…”

“Are there any ladies involved in romances with the knights? Unofficially, of course.”

“Why wouldn’t there be? It’s forbidden, but it happens in the shadows.”

A knight must bow if he speaks and is punished for “ignoring” if he doesn’t. Their entire existence is defined by submission. Such figures often become the playthings of the upper class. In a culture devoid of human rights or empathy, the oppressed almost always take it out on those weaker than them. For noblemen, it’s the maids; for noblewomen, it’s the bodyguards. The Sky Castle Knights act as the school police, but they clearly lack any actual authority in the eyes of the students.

“It sounds like being a student was a better choice than infiltrating as a knight.”

Had it not been for the Ariang persona, I would have used a fake knight identity. But since knights are socially segregated from the ladies, it would have been useless for investigating the murders.

“How is life as a student treating you, My Lord?”

“Not great.”

“You’ve barely arrived. What happened?”

“Is it possible for a twenty-year-old woman to have absolutely no chest?”

“Pardon? Ah… well, personally, I prefer them with—”

“Shut it.”

I glared at him. “That’s not what I meant. One of the targets seems to have realized I’m padding my chest.”

“The Scale crest or the Black Goat crest?”

I hadn’t mentioned names, but “Black Goat” referred to Girona, one of the two main culprits. Rocinante’s mission was to monitor the two suspects, the crime scene, and search for the mysterious masked man while supporting me.

“The Goat.”

“I have some intel on her. She was having a secret tryst with a knight. Not long ago, an order came down to punish that knight simply for ‘approaching’ her.”

“Really?” This was unexpected.

“Yes. The knight claims it was love, but you know how it goes. To prove his ‘innocence’ and protect her reputation, he’ll have to give up a hand, an eye, or his manhood.”

The famous Four Punishments. When a low-born man is suspected of loving a noblewoman, he must offer one of these to prove his “sincerity” or “purity.” Most choose a hand or an eye. Those who want to remain warriors but save their lives choose the third option.

“If the lady admits to it, wouldn’t Sky Castle grant a pardon?”

“The lady would be expelled, and unless they elope, her family would just catch him and do the same thing anyway. Knights usually sacrifice themselves to save the lady’s social standing. He was a third-year, too.”

“I suppose the ladies are never blamed. They protect the students fiercely here. The discipline is lopsided.”

“Parents want to marry their daughters into higher families. If a knight even looks at them the wrong way, they react as if the girl has been ‘defiled.’”

It seemed Girona had her fun, and the knight was left to take the fall. Sky Castle’s goal is to turn these women into “assets” to secure their inheritance rights. A scandal with a lower-ranked man ruins that. Since they can’t punish the high-ranking girls, the knights pay the price. The ladies just say “he was stalking me” to end the rumors. The knights, out of loyalty or lingering affection, accept the exile and the mutilation.

“A knight who gets caught up in a lady’s game is a fool,” I muttered.

Personally, I find it pathetic. Of course, some do it hoping to be raised to the rank of a Baron and become a son-in-law, but falling for the whims of these girls isn’t just a “fling.” It’s a low-probability gamble for social advancement. If it fails, you’re the one who gets destroyed.

“But,” Rocinante lowered his voice further, “I’ve noticed another knight acting strangely. I suspect the Black Goat has had several trysts with him as well. I haven’t gone public because I don’t want to lose another man.”

“Oh? Go on.” My ears perked up. I could practically smell the drama.

Apparently, Girona had several weaknesses. She had been seducing multiple knights. If it were just one, it might be “forbidden love,” but…

“I suspect she’s deeply involved with at least three knights. And that’s not all; she’s even targeting other ladies…”

Three knights confirmed, plus she’s a predator among her peers. It seems she’s a lunatic who enjoys the thrill of the “gamble” more than the prize itself.

“Is the masked man among them?”

“If he were, I would have told you already.”

The masked man—one of the killers I saw in the residual images of my sisters’ eyes. In Sky Castle, the only men are knights or professors. Unless he can fly, he’s an insider. Just as it’s hard for knights to contact ladies, it’s hard for me to approach the men. Rocinante needs to be my eyes there.

“I understand.”

“My Lord, perhaps you should create a knight persona as well.”

“Why?”

“A first-year Imperial lady is restricted in where she can go. You have the ability to equip armor instantly. Why not use a knight’s identity to scout the restricted zones?”

“I’ll consider it.”

After finishing our talk, I left the headquarters. I needed to use my inventory again. I have to be careful not to be seen as a knight in the ladies’ quarters or as a lady in the knights’ barracks. I was right at the boundary line, a place usually avoided by both.

“Hmm?”

“Ah!?”

Speak of the devil. Girona, whom I had just been gossiping about, spotted me near the knight’s territory.

“Lady Ariang, a first-year. What a surprise to see you here. Shall we go to the sauna?”

“My apologies, I cannot.”

This woman and her damn sauna. At least she hasn’t told anyone else about her suspicions yet.

“Hmm, all you have to do is undo your laces once. Am I really that much of a bother?”

Laces? We don’t even have those in this world’s fashion. Honestly, I don’t just find her a bother; I want to kill her.

“It is because I am shy.”

“Is your speech always like that? It sounds particularly… stiff.”

“It has always been thus.”

I’m using a voice modulation technique, but the formal “Da-na-ka” speech pattern makes it hard to hit lower tones. Ironically, it helps maintain the feminine pitch.

“I really like you, Lady Ariang. We’re close in age, after all.”

“Thank you.”

“I think you have a secret. I have a few of my own, you know. Why don’t we share? We could even share a bed?”

“I have no secrets.”

Her hand moved toward my chest again. This time, I was ready. I stepped back smoothly, avoiding her touch.

“Are you sure?”

“Do not touch me.”

“I already know you’ve stuffed your dress. Why be so coy?”

“I told you, I’m just small, so I’m hiding it.”

“I don’t think that’s it. If you’re really just shy, let’s go to the sauna—just the two of us.”

This b*tch…

“I must decline.”

I drew a line and turned to leave, but she grabbed my arm. Her expression soured.

“Do you only listen when you’re being hit? You’re quite arrogant for a first-year. Senior Le Havre isn’t here to protect you now.”

“How fortunate. Is a Baron’s daughter allowed to lay hands on a Countess whenever she pleases? If you don’t want to be ‘disposed of,’ I suggest you remember your place.”

I dropped the formalities and spoke harshly. She flinched slightly but didn’t let go of my arm.

“Oh, is that how it is? Listen to me, Lady Ariang.”

“What more is there to hear?”

“I want to be ‘Secret Friends’ with you.”

“Secret Friends? What on earth is that?” Her word choice was bizarre.

“Friends who share secrets. If you reveal one secret to me, I’ll reveal one of mine. And if it’s not the secret I suspect… then I’ll stop bothering you.”

“What?”

“My attention is a burden, isn’t it?”

“It is.”

“Your face says you’d rather die than be near me.”

She wasn’t wrong. Being alone with her, I wanted to end her right here. But I still haven’t found a place to hide a body. I plan to dismember one of the three killers and display the remains, and a student’s gruesome death would be more impactful than the masked man’s. I intended to kill Girona first, but there’s no suitable space for… the cleanup. It would be too messy.

“Do you have a hobby of looking at women’s bodies?” I asked coldly.

“No. I have a hobby of looking at men’s bodies.”

So she definitely suspects I’m a man. In that case, she likely wants to use that secret as leverage to use me.

…Wait.

She’s a dead woman walking anyway, isn’t she?