The Female Knight of Doom - TFKOD 60: The Knight’s Legacy

The sudden passing of Knight Philo cast a profound shadow over what had been a jubilant tournament.

As the summer of Cloudmist drew to a close, it did so beneath the first autumn rain, falling softly at his funeral.

In quiet hope, Alice wished that the vacant seat beside the duchess might remain unoccupied a while longer, believing that the simple addition of a knife and fork could serve as a subtle reminder that he was still present in spirit.

Regrettably, her wish was unmet— the duchess had chosen to seat the Knight Bennett, who had distinguished himself admirably in the competition, in his place. To accommodate him, all but the most senior Knight Pulan shifted one seat forward. That seat was now occupied by Knight Arnold.

While there was nothing inherently wrong with Arnold, Alice could not help feeling that he was unworthy of such prominence— a sentiment rooted in her belief that, in her view, no one truly deserved that honor.

She was so immersed in her sorrow that she didn’t notice the change in her status in Cloudmist Castle after the tournament.

After she won the championship twice, no knight dared to laugh at her anymore, and they all showed her due respect. But to her, the things that once made her so angry seemed unimportant now.

She was a little lost in her own world.

A week later, when she and Kent went to collect their pocket money, the castle’s accountant gave each of them a big bag of money. Her bag looked even heavier than Kent’s.

Alice stared at the purse with wide eyes, thinking that the accountant had made a mistake.

The accountant looked at her surprised expression and explained, “This is the prize money for winning the martial arts competition.”

She had almost forgotten that she had originally agreed to enter the prize competition. But now, with the money in her hands, she found herself not as happy as she had expected. It was especially hard to accept that some of the money had been earned by defeating Knight Philo.

She thought for a moment, and then thrust the entire purse at Kent, “All this money together should be enough for a whole suit of armor, right?”

He pushed the purse away in surprise, “I can’t take that money! Besides… Don’t you want armor, too?”

“I have a land,” Alice said. “And I can buy it in two or three years. But I don’t know when Her Grace will give you land.”

Her demeanor was marked by genuine sincerity, and Kent’s gaze lingered on her expression as he accepted the pouch she offered.

“I’ll repay you later,” he vowed with quiet gravity.

Though she was initially skeptical of Kent’s promise, her doubts were soon dispelled.

A few days later, she received another payment—this time, a substantial bag of gold coins. The recent conclusion of village square betting had settled in her favor, and she had been among the few who wagered on their team’s victory, resulting in favorable odds.

What had started as a modest ten gold coins had now grown into a fortune of two hundred—a sum nearly rivaling the prize she had earned in the martial arts tournament.

Had this been the Alice of days gone by, she would have gladly accepted the money to purchase armor, carefully deliberating over the intricate patterns to adorn it. However, the Alice of today was not in such a state of mind.

Instead, she simply tucked the full purse into the drawer of her table and secured it with a lock.

Were Rom to witness her current demeanor, he would undoubtedly reproach her for neglecting to take the value of money seriously. Yet, Alice appeared to have uncovered something more profound—something more vital than wealth for the first time in her life.

The complexities of the world often defy straightforward explanation. For years, she had fixated on ways to increase her wealth, yet her efforts consistently fell short. Strangely, when her concern for money diminished, new opportunities and resources began to reveal themselves.

The village chief of Ronald had even commissioned a letter proclaiming that this year’s crops were thriving, promising a bountiful harvest. As long as no unforeseen calamities struck during the autumn, she could expect to receive at least fifty additional gold coins.

She read the letter and set it aside, paying it little heed.

Alice believed that her endeavors had reached their conclusion—secured by the tournament prize money, her gambling winnings, and the income from the village. However, a few days later, a distinguished visitor arrived at the castle, whom she promptly recognized as the duchess’ counselor.

She had assumed he had come to sort out some of Knight Philo’s business, she was surprised to see him wanting to see her.

“We’ve found Sir Philo’s will.”

“What?” She asked without thinking, not understanding what was going on.

“Yes, it was on his desk and was found by his servant. She can’t read very well, so she didn’t know what it was about at first. She sent it to the castle with some other papers when Her Grace asked her to tidy his room. The will is only two weeks old and is in Sir Philo’s own handwriting and with his seal on it. It was not witnessed, but it should be valid nonetheless.”

Alice stared at the counselor, still not understanding why he was saying this.

He sighed, “If you still don’t understand, let me explain briefly. Sir Philo left you a full suit of his family’s knight’s armour, the one he was wearing when he died.”

Knight Philo had left her armour? This heavenly gift made her a little dizzy.

After a while, she continued asking, “What else was in Sir Philo’s will?”

“There’s nothing in it except a document about the distribution of his assets,” the counselor said, opening the document in his hands and reading from it. “He left his property in the royal capital to his nephews, his property in the village and all his furniture to Sir Kent, his horse, two suits of formal wear, four suits of casual wear, and twelve shirts from the wardrobe to Knight Bennet, with a postscript that said, ‘Don’t always dress like a beggar.’ Apparently the two had drunk together in a tavern before.”

The lawyer flipped a page, “He had originally intended to use the prize money to pay for his own funeral expenses, but Her Grace actually did. So, according to his general idea, after obtaining Her Grace’s consent, I used this money, plus some of his existing funds, to pay the inheritance tax, so that the inheritor of his estate wouldn’t have to worry about such matters. He gave Her Grace a souvenir, and the other small change and a small amount of cash were left to the maid who took care of him in the end… Anyway, that’s it.”

“I’m here today just to inform you of this matter. I also need to complete some necessary procedures. I will personally hand over the armor to you before I leave, so please don’t worry.”

Alice responded with a faint nod, her gaze unfocused, as the counselor offered her a courteous smile and took his leave.

Knight Philo’s will had been meticulously drafted just a week prior; it seemed he had a premonition of his nearing end, for his arrangements concerning his estate were executed with exceptional care.

A fresh wave of emotion swept over her as she reflected on this.

Soon afterward, the counselor dispatched a substantial box to her, its weight testament to the complete set of Knight Philo’s equipment it contained.

Upon opening the box, she carefully counted each item, noting that they were all impeccably maintained and none was missing.

“Have you verified everything?” the counselor inquired. “Please sign the receipt to confirm you have received the items.” Alice signed, and with a nod, he acknowledged her.

He then proceeded to knock on the adjoining door, likely to deliver the keys to the house Knight Philo had bequeathed to Kent.

She gently closed the door and meticulously examined the ancient armor of Knight Philo, the venerable knight. This armor, a treasured family heirloom passed down through generations for centuries, bordered on antique rarity. Crafted in an era when full-body armor was twice as heavy as modern equivalents, it demanded greater physical prowess from its wearers, yet offered unparalleled protection—precisely what Alice required.

It was evident that this armor was a masterful work of craftsmanship; its intricate design and delicate construction spoke to the skill of a master artisan. Remarkably, it incorporated mechanisms allowing for precise size adjustments.

Alice carefully set the armor to its smallest configuration, and it fit her perfectly.

As she tenderly traced the ornate patterns etched into its surface, she noticed subtle, faint blue glimmers hidden within the design—an enchantment subtly woven into its very fabric, hinting at a powerful magic concealed beneath its exquisite exterior.

Enchanting an entire suit of armor of this caliber would require a considerable fortune, one that even noble families could seldom afford.

Consequently, the enchanted suits of armor that have survived through the ages are often treasured antiques dating back centuries—an era when magic practitioners were more numerous, organizational structures were more loosely assembled, and the costs for enchantments were significantly lower than they are today.

When Alice requested Lady Meredith to analyze the nature of these enchantments, she concluded that their primary purpose was to safeguard the intricate patterns and designs adorning the armor’s surface.

“So, this enchantment doesn’t serve any practical defensive purpose?”

Lady Meredith gently shook her head, “Regrettably, no. The enchantment woven into this armor employs an ancient spell with which I am not entirely familiar. However, I believe that the numerous intricate patterns engraved upon it serve more than mere decoration. This armor has endured for centuries, remaining remarkably intact—perhaps because of this very enchantment. Might I kindly request to borrow it for a few additional days so I can study it further?” Once seemingly drowsy and unassuming, her eyes now sparkled with renewed vigor and an extraordinary sense of enthusiasm.

Given that the tower—the residence of Lady Meredith—was protected by a series of intricate security spells, making it far more secure for safeguarding valuables than the barracks, which were accessible to nearly anyone, Alice consented, albeit temporarily, to lend her the armor.

After Knight Philo’s estate was dealt with, Alice’s life in Cloudmist Castle returned to normal.

However, whenever she habitually looked towards Knight Philo’s original seat during dinner and found Arnold sitting there, she would always feel a sense of loss. Fortunately, she would soon be leaving Cloudmist Castle.

Before dinner that day, the duchess announced her autumn plans, “Summer is over. According to my usual habits, I should return to Ferren at this time. In a month, I will go to the royal capital from Ferren.”

She glanced at Alice, “After the death of Knight Philo, I have lost one of my personal guards. I plan to let Alice fill the vacancy of Knight Philo’s and go to the royal capital with me.”