"My lord… forgive my audacity. I've been cornered, and I saw no better option."
"I dare to ask you this because there is no one better than you. For one month .. would you be willing to teach me how to wield the sword?"
The request caught Asterion off guard.
Even Vanessa looked surprised.
Despite its apparent simplicity, the request was anything but trivial.
Ethan was asking the strongest knight in the kingdom to become his mentor.
And implicitly, he was choosing to begin as a knight, not a mage .. contrary to his original plans.
It was a gamble.
But judging by the Uncrowned Emperor's personality, Ethan believed he would walk away unharmed even if rejected.
Though… he was betting on the opposite.
Asterion stared at him. For a brief moment, his eyes gleamed as he stepped closer.
"You truly never hesitate," Asterion mused with a smile.
"Is it courage that makes you speak your mind so freely… or are you simply a madman who doesn't grasp consequences? I wonder."
