IBDFSML Chapter 34

I shouted in delight.

“Wow! That’s a great idea, Sion!”

Excited, I playfully patted his cheek a few times. Sion tilted his face to the side and said.

“Your hand is burning, so stop it.”

Apparently, I’d hit him a little too hard. His cheeks bore visible red handprints here and there. I quickly pulled my hand away and danced a little jig to express my joy.

“A knight! Sion is going to be a knight!”

Watching me, Elda, who was tidying the room, chuckled and commented.

“You seem happier than the young lord himself, Ms. Lin. How adorable.”

‘Of course, I’m happy!’

By now, aside from his romance with the heroine, Sion had veered off the original storyline and was steadily being demoted from his role as the second male lead.

That was when Garen opened the door and entered.

“Young Lord. The horse is ready.”

“Alright, I’ll leave immediately.”

“I’ll accompany you.”

“No need. This one will do.”

Sion grabbed me, who was dancing excitedly around him, and placed me on his shoulder.

***

“Oh, this one has a smooth ride.”

Dangling off Sion’s shoulder, I marveled in amazement.

The horse, Enoch, who had recently become Sion’s, had become obedient in just half a day.

“A smart one. It adapted to commands quickly ”

Sion said while stroking Enoch’s mane. The horse neighed contentedly and added.

[Ah, my master is truly an extraordinary individual.]

It seemed Sion’s charm now extended to animals as well.

After walking for quite some time along the outskirts of the city, a quiet suburb adjacent to a forest came into view.

“By the way, Sion, how does the knight entrance exam work?”

“Typically, it’s conducted in the form of a spar with a senior knight in the order.”

“You’re not telling me they actually fight with real swords, are you?”

“That’s right. The duel ends when one side subdues or incapacitates the other. That’s why maintaining your sword in top condition is essential.”

“Oh, I see.”

I glanced at the worn-out sword strapped to Sion’s back and asked.

“Why not get yourself a new, sturdier, and more impressive sword while you’re at it?”

“A new sword?”

“They say the knight order is full of top-notch individuals, right? Surely they’ll bring incredibly expensive and high-quality swords to the duel. Wouldn’t that put you at a disadvantage?”

Knowing that no world is free from the effects of capitalism and superior equipment, I voiced my concern.

At that moment, Sion reached behind his back with his right hand and unsheathed his sword. Looking at the old, plain blade in front of him, he said.

“This sword was handed down to me by my late mother.”

I immediately fell silent.

“It has been my companion throughout my life.”

“…I see.”

My ears perked up at this new piece of information, which was never mentioned in the original story.

“Lin, as you might already know, my late mother was a commoner. Before that, she was a knight of the North.”

“……!”

I was slightly taken aback.

‘Sion’s mother was a knight of the North? Another important hidden detail I didn’t know about?’

Following the female lead’s pretentious drama, now we have this weighty hidden backstory. It felt like my trust in the original story was slowly eroding.

“They say my mother and my father—the previous Grand Duke—met on the battlefield by chance and formed a connection.”

“…Whoa.”

‘…That’s totally romantic.’

In an instant, a vivid image of the North’s Grand Duke and a commoner female knight’s tender love story floated in my mind.

Sion continued his explanation calmly.

“My mother was one of the most skilled knights in the North. Together with the previous Grand Duke, she defended the North against numerous dangers. However, after giving birth to me, her health deteriorated, and she passed away.”

“…….”

Sion gazed at the sword in his hand with deep affection before carefully sheathing it again.

“This sword is the symbol of a vow I made to my mother. I promised to carry on her will and protect the North as a knight.”

“…….”

I looked at Sion’s worn-out sword with newfound respect.

‘…The very sword that stayed with Sion during his final moments in the original story.’

I hadn’t realized the sword carried such significance.

“I see… I didn’t know.”

As I said this, I felt a strange sensation.

Since becoming the “devoted fairy” of this world, I had rushed forward with only one goal in mind—to ensure my favorite character found love and happiness.

But in this moment, it occurred to me that there might be far more important and precious things in this world and in Sion’s life. It was a realization so simple that it felt almost obvious.

“…Hmm.”

I felt a strong urge to help Sion fulfill not only his love, happiness, and dreams but also the vow he made to his mother.

‘…If I do that, he’ll definitely smile a lot more often than he does now, won’t he?’

If I could see that faint smile I caught just a few days ago every single day, I’d do anything.

“Hey, Sion.”

Clenching both fists, I looked up at him and said.

“I’ll help you keep that vow. I promise.”

Sion looked down at me quietly. After a brief moment of hesitation, he finally spoke.

“Lin, let me ask you one thing.”

“Yes?”

“If I join the First Knight Order and leave the Grand Duke’s estate, what will you do?”

“…What?”

I blinked in confusion before exclaiming in shock.

“What?! Leave the Grand Duke’s estate? What do you mean, all of a sudden?!”

“The mission of the First Knight Order is to station at the northernmost frontier and subjugate demon beasts. The North isn’t in a position to keep such a powerful force idle within the castle.”

“Then… does that mean you’ll leave for the frontier if you pass the entrance exam?”

“Most likely.”

“Forever?”

“I don’t know about that.”

“……!!!”

I covered my mouth in disbelief.

‘What kind of genre drift is this?! This is supposed to be a romantic fantasy! Why is it suddenly turning into an adventure story about the male lead?!’

The idea of my precious favorite—whom I had cherished, nurtured, and adorned—going to such a dangerous front line was utterly unacceptable.

“No way! I’m completely against this decision!”

“…….”

“Why should Sion, in the prime of his youth, go and suffer in such a place? No way, absolutely not! You’re not going!”

Flailing my arms and legs like a spoiled child, I threw a fit.

Sion, looking slightly bewildered, spoke.

“Didn’t you just say you’d help me fulfill my vow a moment ago?”

“T-That was before I knew you’d be going to such a dangerous place! What’s the point if you end up getting hurt or worse?”

“…The frontier has many exceptional knights. They all risk their lives and perform their duties. Just because I go there doesn’t mean I’m guaranteed to die. In fact, it could be a valuable experience to grow into a stronger knight.”

“I don’t care! I’m completely against it!”

Turning my head with a resolute snap, I made my defiance clear.

‘Sion might not know, but I do. That frontier will become an incredibly dangerous and brutal place!’

In my heart, I couldn’t bear the thought of Sion enduring such hardships, especially not before the story’s main male lead appeared to take charge of saving the North.

‘Besides, the female lead, Genevia, is staying at the Grand Duke’s estate. How can Sion just leave?’

“…Wait a second.”

I abruptly halted my thoughts.

Come to think of it…

“We have a healer, don’t we?”

Genevia Lilo.

Who was she?

Though she might just be an ordinary priestess now, she was the female lead of this world. Soon, she would awaken as the most powerful healer in the entire world and play a pivotal role in saving the North.

“If we have such an overpowered healer in the party… there might not be much of a problem after all…”

I began to picture a scenario where Sion and Genevia left the Grand Duke’s estate together.

If Sion were to get injured during a battle, Genevia could just heal him with her divine powers, making it a win-win situation.

Moreover, it would prevent the main male lead—who was bound to show up at the Grand Duke’s estate—from meeting Genevia, effectively buying time for Sion’s romance to develop.

And most importantly…

‘In such dramatic circumstances, where young men and women rely on each other… wouldn’t emotions naturally bloom?’

After all, didn’t Sion’s parents also fall in love on the battlefield?

‘This… might actually work out for the best!’

I swiftly adjusted my stance.

“Alright, Sion. I understand.”

“…?”

“I’ll help you join the knight order and leave for the frontier. And wherever you go, I’ll go too.”

“…!”

Sion’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.

“You want to come along? To the frontier?”

“Yes, yes!”

“I’ll have you know, it’s nothing like the Grand Duke’s estate. The frontier is a dangerous place where demon beasts appear at any time. No one can guarantee who will survive and who won’t. If you’re doing this out of mere curiosity—”

“That’s exactly why I’m saying I’ll go with you. Didn’t I tell you? From now on, I’ll protect you.”

“…….”

Sion stared at me with an inexplicable expression.

His pale blue-gray eyes reflected a mix of confusion, incomprehension, surprise, and various other emotions.

‘Oh, a new expression. Interesting.’

As I admired the fascinating look on Sion’s face, a loud voice called out from the distance.

“Well, look who it is!”

In front of what seemed to be a blacksmith’s workshop, a middle-aged man, as muscular as a grizzly bear, appeared.

“Kun Deman. It’s been a while.”

Sion acknowledged him.

Sion’s tone was monotonous and dry, but the man called Kun Deman broke into a broad smile across his rugged face.

“Young Lord! You’ve grown so tall and handsome! I almost didn’t recognize you!”