[Three days later, the Kazimierz League had officially begun. You had already registered for the tournament under the codename "The Hope Knight," a name chosen by Margaret. Since you weren't good at naming things yourself, you decided to use it.]
[Margaret still didn't know the real reason you joined the Kazimierz League. You lied to her, saying it was to test your own abilities. However, Sophia seemed to know the truth. She pulled you aside into the living room to talk. She strongly disagreed with your decision to go to war to rescue Młynar. You tried to reassure her and asked her to keep it a secret from Margaret. You promised her you'd return with Młynar.]
[Sophia sighed, hugged you, and told you not to do anything stupid out there. You didn't promise, but you said you'd do your best.]
[Upon arriving at the arena, an official told you to undergo a preliminary assessment. It seemed the competition had tightened this year, likely due to the poor performance of the knights in the last tournament. The authorities raised the standard by deploying officials for stricter oversight. Things would've been easier if you had competed under the Nearl family name, but you didn't want to drag their reputation into this, despite your grandfather's reassurance.]
[You faced the examiner in a test duel and defeated them with a single strike, passing the assessment.]
[The registration official then asked you which format you wanted to compete in—1v1, team battle, or free-for-all. You asked which format offered the fastest point accumulation. She replied that the free-for-all battles offered the most points, but participation required at least two prior matches. In free-for-alls, points were only awarded for defeating opponents, not for survival.]
[The scoring system was explained as follows: win a match = 3 points, win against a higher-ranked opponent = 5 points, lose a match = -3 points, lose to a lower-ranked opponent = -5 points. Additionally, special win conditions would grant 2 bonus points: winning after one minute of combat or forcing an opponent to surrender. There was also a special challenge: if you could win using a single strike, you would receive double points. Accumulating 200 points would allow you to advance past the qualifiers.]
[You asked who currently had the highest scores. The official looked at you strangely but showed you the top 3: 19, 16, and 10 points.]
[You told the official you wanted to challenge the top two ranked competitors. She said you could fight the second-place competitor in the next hour, but for the top-ranked, you'd have to schedule a match 7 days in advance due to a backlog of challengers.]
[You requested to face the second and third-ranked opponents instead and asked her to arrange a free-for-all battle afterward. She was stunned but complied.]
[Half an hour later, you entered the arena to face the third-ranked knight, clad in white. You barely listened to his introduction. As soon as the signal was given, you rushed forward and knocked him out with a single blow. The announcer stood in stunned silence before declaring your victory.]
[You earned 14 points and exited the arena, waving to Margaret, Maria, Sophia, and your grandfather, who had come to cheer for you.]
[Another half hour passed, and you faced the second-ranked knight. This time, you didn't wait for introductions, having learned that combat begins as soon as both fighters enter the field. You defeated them again with one strike. The announcer quickly declared your name and announced your victory.]
[You now had 28 points.]
[After the match, reporters swarmed you for interviews, but you refused, needing to prepare for the upcoming free-for-all.]
[While waiting in the lounge with the other contestants, a well-dressed man approached you, offering to sponsor you in exchange for wearing his company's armor and products. You declined without interest.]
[As the match was about to begin, you noticed that many contestants were staring directly at you. Since you were wearing a helmet, you doubted they recognized you, but something about the situation felt off.]
[When the match started, all the knights who had been watching you charged at once with killing intent. You didn't hesitate to release your sword aura, knocking them all out in a single strike.]
[Since you never drew your blade, there was no cutting damage. Still, the force of your aura likely fractured several ribs, sending many of them to the hospital for months.]
[The arena fell silent after your attack, until Maria shouted, "Hope Knight is amazing!" Her cry triggered cheers from the crowd.]
[You sheathed your sword and looked at the announcer, waiting. He snapped out of his daze and declared your victory.]
[You earned 300 points for defeating 30 contestants in under a minute with a single attack—setting a new record in Kazimierz League history that would be remembered for years to come.]
[As you exited the arena, reporters descended upon you again, more aggressively than before. You told them you'd only answer one question. One brave reporter asked if you intended to become the League champion. You replied immediately that you had no interest in that—you only came for the knight title and to test your skills. You never cared about the tournament itself.]
[After answering, you walked away and approached the registration official again. This time, she treated you with much more respect. You asked how to claim your knight title, and she said you could file the request directly at the Central Council. You thanked her and left the arena.]
[You met up with your grandfather and the others at the parking lot. Since you'd removed your helmet and changed clothes, you no longer worried about reporters recognizing you.]
[But when you arrived, you were surprised to find Margaret looking upset. Sophia and your grandfather looked guilty and avoided your gaze. When you asked what happened, you learned that Margaret had discovered your true reason for joining the tournament—to go to war and save Młynar.]
[You sighed, unsurprised. Margaret was no fool; she had probably suspected your motives from the start.]
[You told her you had to go to rescue Młynar and promised to return. Margaret said nothing, turned away, and got into the car without speaking another word.]
[Your grandfather drove everyone back to the estate, then took you to the Central Council to register your knighthood.]
[Shortly after arrival, and after a brief discussion, you were granted your medal and officially became a knight.]
[Your grandfather was furious but kept his anger in check. He asked calmly why the knight title wasn't being awarded by the High Council and royal family representative, as tradition required. The staff replied that such ceremonies were outdated and inefficient. Due to the war, those officials were too busy, so the process had been streamlined.]
[Your grandfather looked like he was about to explode, but you quickly pulled him away before he caused a scene.]
[Upon returning to the estate, you found Sophia in the kitchen preparing a feast to celebrate your knighthood.]
[You looked around the table but didn't see Margaret. Sophia, looking sad, said Margaret had locked herself in her room since they returned. You offered to go talk to her, but Sophia advised against it. She suggested you wait until it was time to say goodbye before your departure.]
[You agreed and promised to follow her advice.]
[The celebration started and ended quietly. Your grandfather kept reminding you of the dangers awaiting you at war—landmines, traps, food shortages, and more. You knew he was worried, so you reassured him that both you and Młynar would be fine.]
[Over the next three days, you kept up with Ursus military news. The war hadn't started yet—they were still stationed at the Kazimierz border, seemingly waiting for something. Since Młynar was leading a scout unit at the front lines, their inactivity meant he was likely still safe.]
[Your grandfather knew this but kept repeating his warning: if you encountered those monsters, you must run. Even if you could defeat them, it wouldn't be worth the consequences. You promised to follow his advice.]
[That night, after putting your grandfather and Maria to bed, you quietly packed your things, intending to leave without saying goodbye—it would be easier not to see their sad faces. But when you reached the first floor, you were shocked to see Margaret waiting in the backyard, wearing your adoptive mother's knight armor. You instantly understood her intention.]
[Margaret said she was coming with you. Naturally, you refused. She was furious and insisted on following you, with or without your permission.]
[You were silent for a moment before drawing your sword. You told her you'd let her come—if she could defeat you. But if she lost, she had to stay behind and obey. Margaret agreed instantly, thinking she could take you on, as she was more skilled in both swordplay and Originium arts.]
[However, once the duel began, she was stunned when you suddenly drew a bow and fired an arrow. She barely managed to deflect it. When she looked up, you were already in front of her—and you brought her down with sheer strength.]
[You told her she had lost, but Margaret still refused to accept it. She said you were a coward for using such tactics. You nodded and told her that you truly were a coward—but that was the way of war. And if she continued to think like that, she would die. That answer left Margaret speechless.]
[She became upset and started to cry. She said she didn't want you to go, and she didn't want to lose your uncle either. She didn't want to lose any more of her family.]
[You looked at Margaret, kneeling and crying, and you bent down to embrace her. You told her you understood how she felt. You shared the story of your own life—how you had lost your parents to war. You told her that this time, you wouldn't lose someone important to war again. You promised her you would bring your uncle back.]
[You placed your fist over your chest in front of Margaret, and solemnly swore upon your honor as a knight that you would return to her.]
[Hearing that vow, Margaret, though still heartbroken, finally accepted it. She gave you the knife she had been carrying—a knife she had meant to give you when you became a knight, but never had the chance to until now.]
[You took the knife and promised to keep it safe.]
[Margaret gave you one last hug. She told you that you must come back. You promised firmly, and left the mansion without looking back—heading into the war with your army, to rescue your uncle...]