Chapter Text
Knock! Knock! Knock!!!
A sound of something knocking on the other side of the window. With my half asleep eye, i peek over the curtain that covers the window. I regret it immediately because the light of the sun immediately strike me.
"Rise and shine Akiyama! Today is your knight coronation! So you better get ready!" Said the old man in the street with the fedora hat. He's my regular alarm-man, he's waking up people with the rod that he always takes everywhere, an nice man to be honest but still, waking me from my slumber sleep is annoying.
I give him a wave and thumbs up as a sign that i awake and he walk away to wake another person across the street. Then i get up from my to prepare myself for the knight coronation, I'm shower of course.
Anyway, I'm Akiyama Mizuki a knight from Kamiyama Empire, I'm living alone in this unit on the central city, well, i was living with my sister until she decided to become a merchant and going outside of the empire. She's my savior, she's the one who encourage me to take a sword and be who i am, without her i wouldn't be a knight like today.
I take a look at myself in the mirror, my white garment mixed with blue-ish color on it appeal with my pink hair, Make me look dignified but also cute. My focus turn into the sword that stand right next to the mirror. I take a deep breath before took it on my palm.
The sword was gifted by my sister i was so happy to get the sword and i take it whenever i go, The thin sword is the only witness of my journey to become the knight. All of the hard work and all of the tears and sweat, finally lead me to this moment, the moment that i've been waiting for.
"Sister, i made it, i hope you're with me right now but I Know you're as busy as i am, so until we meet again, i will prove you that not only i really become the knight but also deserve to be one" my monologue to the sword as i kiss it then put it back to its cover that strapped on my back.
"Yosh, now I'm ready!" With excitement in my head, i stepped out to the street. Everyone greeted and congratulate me as i Walk through the street. I don't even know I'm quite famous but it's fun though getting attention from everyone who always support me.
"Hei Akiyama!" A man in the street store calling me and i give him a wave as a response but he started to run after me.
"This a bunch of apple for you" he said as he giving me a bag with a bunch of apple in it.
"Eh, you don't need to do that" i said hesitant to accept it.
"It's a special day for you, of course you need that so you're not hungry" he said resistance to give it to me.
"Alright then, thank you sir!" I give him a smile and a hug i can see a faint blush in his face but i try to ignore that so he doesn't feel embarrassed then after that i continue to walk.
"Flirting with people is unethical in the knight Akiyama" a sounds of a woman from my side jolted me. I look at her and sure enough, i know her, my senior from knight academy. Hinomori Shiho.
Her flat yet grumpy face with her silver hair, resemble a serious look of the knight. She wears the same uniform as me but more short and her middle size sword tangles in her side of the hips, an serious and stiff knight indeed.
"Ah senior Shiho! good morning!" I greet her with a big smile.
She sighed "you should really fix your attitude, you're no longer rookie, you're knight now" she said as she pinching her forehead.
"Ehhh??? Is that bad tho? I think everyone seems don't mind"
She rolled her eyes "Whatever you say" she gives up and start walking fast.
"Ehhh! Wait for me senior! You're so mean leaving me behind!"
I run to her although she hear what i said, she doesn't want response to anything i said but I'm pretty sure i catch her smile before she avoid my gaze, a tsundere indeed.
In the middle of the road, there's commotion in it, people gathering around to see something and driven by our couriosity, we also join in to see what happens.
"You all are wrong! I didn't do anything! It's a prejudice! You all just hate me because I'm a mage! What's wrong with that?!" A man of the attention yelling at the crowd and the guard who trying to detained him, there's two of them.
"What is wrong with born as a mage?! We also a human just like you! And you all still think-"
Buaghhtt!!
his yells is cut of by a punch in the face from one of the guard and make him fall to the ground
"Shut the f*ck up! You have the right to stay silent!" One of the guard said as the other guard handcuff the man who still whimpering in the ground.
Looking at the helpless man,my body is moving by itself and before i realize it, i already stumble into the scene and pushed the guard from the man.
"Stop it! You can't do that!" I said to the guard that looking at me confused denying their confusion, i trying to help the man to sit.
"What's happening here?" Ask Shiho as she walking out from the crowd.
"Knight Hinomori, may the justice be with us!" The two guard give her a salute and she just replied with a nod.
"What is happening here?" She repeat her question.
"He was making commotion around the area, he trying to make a fight with some merchant here and make people feel uncomfortable because apparently he threatening people with his magic" explain the guard.
"Ha! That's bullshit, you don't even listen to my sise of the story, those people were the one who threatening me! They told me that they gonna kill my child just because we are mages! How can i stand still while they threatening my family!" The man said it passionately that her face turn into red because of the anger
"He have short temperament, so we decided to detained him" said the other guard
Shiho looking at the man then back at the guard "even he was threatening people, showing the violence is unethical, just put him in detain care and wait until his trial"
"What?! You don't even listening! You knight are the same!" He stands up and walking in front of shiho the spits on her uniform "You all just a bunch of hypocrite bastard trying to play hero and hiding behind justice! Disgusting!"
Shiho just stand there and stare at him. although it emotionless, i can feel that shiho is angry but she trying to resist doing the violence. The stare contest long for several minutes until shiho broke the stare and walking past him.
"Guard, take him to the detaint care before he makes another trouble" she grabbed me out from the scene.
"Yes ma'am" replied by the guards, the last thing i saw was the man was lowered his head as he forced to go with the guard.
"What a nuisance, we should go fast now, so we don't came late"
I only nod although I Know she wouldn't see it, but still my heart feel conflicted about what was happening. I stay silent until we arrive at the palace.
We arrive at the palace gate and greeted by palace guard who escort us to the hall for the ceremony. I stayed silent as we walk on the hallway, not just because accident a moment ago, but also the nervous that i finally become the knight. So I take a deep breath in order to feel relax.
Not a long walk to arrive at the hall room, once we arrive at the front of the hall, we were ordered to wait for the rest of the knight in the hallway.
"Nervous Akiyama?" Shiho break the silence
"Y-yes, a little bit"
She sigh and looking back at me "I'm sorry about what happen there, i know it makes you uncomfortable since you also a mage"
Yes, I'm a mage, a healer to be exact, it's not dangerous like any other magic power but still, it's still useful especially if there's a battle or war, the later probably never gonna happen, but i never use it massively that's also the reason not many know that I'm a mage, only closest friend and some of the knight know, because somehow some of them can sense the magic power inside of me.
"N-no, it's okay senior, i understand"
She walk closer to me and put her hand on my shoulder, i look at her face who give me a smile of encouragement.
"I know you will Akiyama, remember, anything that we decide is for people and always have, even if it looks cruel or unfair, it's for better greatness"
I only nod with silence. We sit on the sofa there until we heard a couple pair of footsteps.
"HOHO! There's our precious new knight! You look good with the new outfit, THAT'S THE FIRST STEP TO BECOME A HOLY KNIGHT OF KAMIYAMA!" A loud voice coming from a man knight with yellow hair color.
"Shut up senpai, you do realize we in the kings palace right?" Said the grumpy knight with ginger hair beside him.
"Ah, Shinonome and senior Tenma, greeting" Shiho greet them and They are giving a salute as a reply.
Shinonome Akito, he's one of the best guard of his generation alongside Shiho that's why both of them has appointed to be a knight. While Shiho is a stoic and stiff senior, Akito is a bit relax towards his junior, he still grumpy and stoic towards people, but he always want to listen and understand people if they need advice or support. He was gave me a new customs armor when i almost give up become a knight one time, he also sometimes giving me advice and that's why he's my mentor.
And then there's Tenma Tsukasa, the knight in the shining armor of Kamiyama. He's the oldest out of us, he also have different personalities than Akito and Shiho. He's a flamboyant and a eccentric knight. He also famous among people because he will always help people and kind towards everyone even if he doesn't have to. No wonder he's a favorite among knight, guard and even people.
"Yahooo senior Tsukasa and Akito~" i greet them with my usual smile.
"HA! How's your day Akiyama? Are you excited to become the knight?!" Tsukasa ask with a fire in his eyes.
I nod with confidence that make him more fire in his eyes.
"Ekhem! Ladies and gentleman" a voice interrupt our conversation, it's from the guard "You all may enter his throne"
The guard open the door and we enter the glorious throne hall. The room is decorated with simple yet fancy decorations. Like there's a wall with a bunch of swords and shield hanging there and there's mosaic glass behind the throne to make it more majestic to whoever sit on that throne. As the throne itself, there's all mighty our king sitting gracefully.
As we walk into the front, i felt a hands join on mine, it's Akito as i checked it. He giving me a smile and a nod, understand that i feel very nervous now and to be honest, it works. The nervous i've felt feel a little bit light as i feel Akito hands on mine.
Once we get in front of his Majesty, we give him a bow as a sign of honor for him.
"Akiyama Mizuki, come forward" he said and i walk forwad then kneel in front of him as he takes his sword.
"The hardwork and the spirit you have, have come to us, started as a common guard, you prove yourself to be a knight with your kind-hearted, bravery, and your strange" he pulled up his sword and put it in my shoulder "then, in honor of your hardwork, i shall declare you as Sir. Akiyama Mizuki, the knight of Kamiyama, may the peace be with us!" The sound of applause ended the coronation
He pulled back his sword and lend me a hand, i take that and start to stand up. We shakes hands with a smile then i looked back to my senior who give me a round of applause and proud smile. I once again bowed to the king as i turn back and pulled all three of them into a group hug.
This is the best day of my life
"Your first task is quite simple for today since you just started" said a woman in uniform with a longblack hair, Hoshino Ichika, head of knight administrative giving me a sheet of paper.
"Guard the king?" I read it out loud
"Yup, like i said, it's your first day so you wouldn't get high risk mission, not to mention almost every knight in town is doing the spy mission in the south and we kinda short for protecting the kings, so i hope you a good luck for today Akiyama, now if you mind I'm going back to my work" She looking back to whatever paper she works on.
I sight, not that i disappoint or anything because just like she said, i just started today there's no way i would get high tier mission, it's rather tiring to imagine how boring it would be to stay still in the throne hall. I checked my watch, its 4 PM, the duty ends at 9, at least it's not that long. Then i started walking to the throne hall and doing my duty as a knight.
Its 8 PM, I looking qt my watch for thousand times and hoping that the Times would speed up at any moment. I've been following the king since evening, going to dining room, park, or just like now accompany him painting in the throne hall. One thing i notice, the king doesn't really talk much, maybe that's why it feels boing.
"Akiyama" he called me
"Yes my lord"
"I heard you're a Mage" the question taking me back, it was unexpected, why would he ask that? I thought he doesn't even care people around him.
"I-i, yes i'am my lord" why would i stutter? It's not like that i afraid he would do something to me, it's probably because i still shock.
"I see, how has your live been, if you don't mind me asking?"
"It's... Nothing special, I'm just a sage, my power doesn't really do much in battle based activity so i live like normal family in Kamiyama with my sister"
He pause his painting and look at me with a smile "Good then, sometimes a new guard, a new knight who has magic power always complain about discrimination they got by the people or from internal"
I stay silent as he continues to speak "This city isn't a good place for those who wield magic,i don't deny it. It's all come from traumatic event years ago, but i try to make a change, so everyone can live in harmony including all the mages"
He takes my hand "and you Akiyama, already prove us once again that our people is ready for a change and live in harmony in Kamiyama"
His words really make me feel comfortable, the boring hours that I've been through feels nothing now and i feel like I'm gonna hug him but I can't.
"Thank you , my lord" i whisper.
"Your wel-" "HAHAHHAHA!" A male voice suddenly echoed in the hall and everyone suddenly feel alert, it's not from the guard, they doesn't have limit to talk while doing their task, it's intruder.
"Stay in my back my lord" i said as to pull him behind me.
"Kamiyama... The city of peace they said, but all i can see is the city of lie and hypocrisy" everyone looking around trying to find the source.
"Show yourself cowards! You have no right to talk such a word in this hall!" The king scream, trying to provoke the man.
"So? What can you do oh dear king? You can't even see the problem in front of you eyes, why would you care about the problem you can't see" mocking the voice
while the king and the voice talking i suddenly realize something weird. All of the guard shadow seems like it thinner and thinner and it pointed on one direction regardless of the light. it looks like the shadow is pulled into one point so i follow the point and ended in one painting, a painting of the king in the throne, i narrowed my eyes to the painting to find any clue and then....
The eye suddenly blink
"Nine o'clock, in the painting!" I scream and all the guard almost immediately move to the painting.
"Interesting... Not bad, Mizuki"
All The light of torch suddenly turned into red and a red orb appears in front of the painting. The orb Burst, making the nearby guard knocked back. From it, a Silhouette of a man appears.
"Greetings everyone" he bowed to us
"CHARGE!!!" The guard suddenly screaming make the rest of the guard come forward to attack him.
But everything went too fast, the man with super sonic speed, chocking a guard so tight that the blood flowing in his hand and with his other hand he pulled all the blood from the poor guard to himself. Another guard make an attempt, but fall the same, then one by one everyone falls in mere second, leaving me and the king in the middle of the hall.
"What the... Just who are you??!! And who ordered you?! You Mon-" the man suddenly dash to chocking the king in mili-second.
I caught of guard, i try to pulled my sword but he knocked me back into the wall with his magic before i knew it, the king is in his bloddy hands.
"I'm a monster yes, the monster you and your people created!" And just like the rest, the kings blood is sucked into his body throwing the lifeless body of the king to the floor.
"Noooo!!! " I scream as a tear drops from the corner of my eye.
His arms pointing at me and a rope of blood appears and dash toward me, too fast for me to react. I can only so nothing as the blood locking my arm and chocking my neck. I try so hard to get freed from it but instead It only make me struggle to take a breath as he walking towards me.
"And for you my dear friend" i feel like I'm gonna knock out as more oxygen I've been lost.then, he pulled up my chin forcing me to look at him in the eyes
"we will meet again, sooner or later" his cat-like feature starring at me mockingly. My heads feel like and my body starting to loose as he pulled back from me.
"Until then, Sleep well, Mi-Zu-Ki,fufu" the only thing i see before black out is his feline face with a smile and his long tied purple hair with a blue streak looking at me with his red eye mocking me before i blank out.
This is the worst day ever...