17 — 16. Reunion With Father, And The Princess's Wrath

“What an incredible crowd.”

Reet couldn’t help but let that observation slip out as he gazed at the spectators filling the training grounds.

The venue had taken on the atmosphere of a festival. The seating was packed with ordinary citizens, while vendors selling food and drinks lined the arena.

“It’s not just commoners. Royalty, nobles, officials—and above all, knights from every knight order come to watch the matches. If you perform well here, you can make a name for yourself,” Iris explained.

The Lorence Kingdom had several organizations beyond the palace guard: the Central Knight Order, the Eastern Knight Order, and the Western Knight Order.

Each organization desperately wanted skilled knights, so they came to the Tourney of Champions specifically to scout promising warriors and recruit them to their own orders.

“Well, I have no intention whatsoever of letting any other knight order have you,” Iris said with a laugh.

Reet and Iris entered the training grounds building.

Iris was going to introduce Reet to the members of each knight order.

Then—

“Ah, if it isn’t Princess Iris!”

A voice Reet knew well—a voice he’d been hearing his entire eighteen years—rang out.

When he looked, the person bowing to Iris was Ride Welzley.

The former commander of the Eastern Knight Order—and none other than Reet’s biological father.

“Well, Duke Welzley. It’s been a while,” Iris said.

“Indeed. It has been quite some time. How have you been?” Ride replied formally.

“Ah, I’ve been well. You seem well too. What is it—ten years?”

“Yes, that would be about right. You’ve become quite beautiful.”

“No need for flattery. I’ll speak plainly: you’ve aged.”

“Ha. I suppose I have.”

When that exchange had settled, Iris looked to the side—toward Reet.

“Ah, that’s right. Let me introduce someone.”

Iris said this innocently.

“This is Reet. I just hired him this year. He’ll be serving as my escort.”

Hearing this—Reet was forced to face it.

His biological father—the very person who had expelled him from home.

Reet couldn’t say anything.

The smile that had been on the Duke’s face moments before vanished.

“Hmm, what’s wrong? Why are you both silent?” Iris asked.

Somehow, Reet managed to answer her.

“Your Highness… Duke Welzley is—my father.”

“What?”

At those words, Iris’s eyes widened.

“Reet, you were the son of ‘Sword Saint’ Ride? I never imagined you were parent and child…”

But in the next instant—

“No, Your Highness,” the Duke said gravely, his voice carrying an intensity as if he were wielding a blade itself.

“He is not my son. He has no connection to the Welzley family whatsoever.”

“—!!”

Reet felt his breath catch at his father’s words.

The reality being thrust upon him once more felt like his chest would split apart.

“What? What do you mean?” Iris asked, bewildered.

“True, he is someone who shares my blood. But he is no longer a member of my household. My son—whom I shall introduce to you later—is Kait Welzley alone. This man, Reet, has no relation to me whatsoever. He is nothing but a complete stranger.”

Even Iris’s expression darkened at this sudden turn of events.

“Your Highness, during today’s Tourney of Champions, my true son and the heir to House Welzley, Kait, will emerge victorious. And it is customary that the champion dines with the royal family. Kait will certainly win, so please look forward to meeting him at that celebratory dinner—I assure you it will be memorable.”

“—I see, Duke. Very well,” Iris replied.

Then she glanced at Reet once more and bid the Duke farewell.

“Then we shall speak again later. Reet, come with me.”

Reet somehow managed to move his heavy legs and followed Iris away.

The princess walked at a brisk pace, and once they were alone together, Iris spoke up.

“What happened between you and your father?”

Iris, normally cheerful, was clearly furious now.

Of course not at Reet.

But at Duke Welzley for calling his own son a complete stranger.

From his parched throat, Reet managed to weave together words.

I spoke of being expelled from home by my father, and of how my half-brother Kait would inherit the family estate instead.

When Iris heard this story, her reaction was—

“…How utterly foolish.”

She flatly rejected the Duke’s judgment.

“For a biological father to abandon his son because of his Class—it’s unthinkable.”

At Iris’s genuine anger, Reet felt somewhat comforted.

Ever since being expelled from home, I had never been able to accept myself.

But now, for the first time, I knew there was someone who recognized me, and that brought me joy.

“Reet. You must win today’s Tourney of Champions. Win, and make that Duke regret what he’s done.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”