For sixty years, the Grand Knight Territory of Kawaleria has gradually transformed into a purely commercial tourist city.
Not only for the triennial Knight Tournament, but also for the various Knight Leagues held daily in the Four Cities Alliance, this once-small city has undergone countless renovations and upgrades over several decades.
Numerous colossal corporations have sprung up, their main businesses related to the Knight Tournament. Original residential areas have continuously shrunk, while commercial districts and various artificial attractions have proliferated.
The institution responsible for Kazimierz's commercial trade affairs is called the Commercial Federation. Although they, like bureaucrats in other nations, have decayed and fallen into corruption over a long time, a portion of the vast tax revenue eventually benefited the residents.
In this most prosperous city of Kazimierz, mansions and villas are ubiquitous, and unlike Columbia, Slums do not openly appear. Residents live in residential buildings that, while old, are at least sufficiently sturdy.
However, to make room for commercial areas, residential buildings are constructed remarkably close together, and countless alleys, still dark and desolate even in daylight, form a unique landscape of Kazimierz's residential areas.
It is somewhat ironic that the staff serving the tournaments, who greet tourists in the spacious and bustling commercial and competition zones during the day, must drag their weary bodies back to the cramped residential areas at night.
However, in the corner of one of these dark alleys, a faint golden glow slowly shimmered in the air.
A pair of small golden horse ears poked out, twisting left and right like a periscope to observe and listen for sounds around them.
Immediately after, a young Kuranta female Knight, fully armored and clad in light-white heavy plate, cautiously peeked out from the alley entrance, looking around. Only when she found no one did she let out a sigh of relief.
"Ha, they're finally gone. These people are really more troublesome than my previous opponents."
Margaret then sighed with relief and sat down by the wall, a helpless smile on her face.
Margaret Nearl, female, Kuranta, 18 years old, born in Kawaleria.
A month ago, she had just finished her exams and concluded her studies at the Knight High School.
But at the same time, just a few hours ago, Margaret completed her debut match in the 22nd Knight Tournament.
A great victory, a complete victory, an overwhelming win—tomorrow's newspapers would use these words to describe Margaret. But in reality, even she herself hadn't expected her opponent Knight to be so easily defeated.
After all, Margaret had no understanding of Tournament Knight before; she neither watched TV nor paid much attention to the internet. Her greatest entertainment was practicing Martial Skill, which, to others, was extraordinarily dull and boring.
As an old Crusader Knight Family, Margaret's grandfather was a great Crusader Knight who inherited the name "Nearl." His sculptures are found throughout the country, and he is a great hero in many stories.
In the world-renowned Four Emperors Battle, this kind grandfather, who often loved to lift young Margaret high in the air, led Kazimierz's strongest force, the Silverlance Pegasus Knight Regiment, personally beheading a Ursus general and stopping the unstoppable steel tide outside Kazimierz's last line of defense.
Inspired by her grandfather and inheriting the last wishes of her parents who died in the war, Margaret chose the Dao of a Crusader Knight.
From a young age, Margaret displayed exceptional combat talent. Among her peers, no aspiring Knight could defeat her, and she consistently ranked at the top of her class in military studies.
Later, even adult official Knights rarely managed to defeat her; only her grandfather, uncle, and Aunt could occasionally offer Margaret some pointers.
Margaret's extraordinary talent attracted the attention of the Surveillance Court. This department, which is on par with the National Assembly and the Commercial Federation, and represents the interests of Crusader Knights and the military, was very willing to cultivate the youngest Knight of the Nearl Family.
After turning 18, Margaret was to enroll in the Kamisil Central Military Academy, where she would complete her university studies, mastering Martial Skill and military theory, and directly enter the Crusader Knights as a prospective officer.
Everyone believed that, barring any major mistakes, Margaret would almost certainly become a Grand Knight, her achievements even surpassing her grandfather's, possessing a fief no less than Kawaleria.
However... Margaret did not follow her predetermined path.
She knew that while Kazimierz appeared prosperous now, it was constantly on the brink of crisis.
The country Margaret loved was being eroded, and the Knightly spirit she believed in was being dismantled and extinguished. This was not a problem that a military leader or a Grand Knight could solve.
So... she made a decision that went against her ancestors' wishes—to abandon her Knight noble status and participate in the Knight Tournament.
Alone, without sponsorship, without backup, relying only on herself—this was the so-called independent Knight.
Her Family provided no assistance; Margaret relied solely on herself for everything.
She didn't care if anyone offered help, but living alone did make her feel very lonely.
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