Why Would a Holy Knight Be Afflicted with Such a Curse? - Chapter 61

One was that neither of us had the personality to make other friends. The other was that, despite his natural physical abilities, he wasn’t a troublemaker.

Even though he had the strength to overwhelm his four brothers, Celesto wasn’t very interested in running around and playing.

That meant he was perfect for playing with a same-aged girl who was a bit prickly but not a wild child.

We didn’t have much attachment to each other, but we didn’t dislike spending time together.

Even when doing outdoor activities that neither of us was particularly interested in.

It was probably when we were about five or six. The season was spring.

The greenery was so lush that even kids like us wanted to go outside.

Playing in the garden, we were caught in a sudden shower. By the time we took shelter under the pavilion, even our underwear was soaked through.

While waiting for the shower to pass, the early spring temperature difference tormented us.

No… it tormented only me.

At some point, I started shivering. The trembling didn’t stop even after the rain passed.

I was so cold that I asked Celesto to bring me just one blanket, but he flatly refused.

The reasons were complicated.

First, Celesto himself barely felt the cold even in much colder conditions.

To begin with, neither his two older brothers nor his one younger sibling at the time had ever caught a cold.

He probably hadn’t even seen anyone catch a cold a handful of times in his five years of life.

The fact that Celesto was the third child also played a role.

What would a five-year-old, running errands between two older brothers and an infant younger sibling, think of a request to fetch a blanket?

Of course, he would have thought that Roarna Balseren was trying to use him.

But the stubbornness unique to a child whose ego was just developing didn’t last long. Because I, suffering from hypothermia, ended up passing out.

After that, I was bedridden for several days.

During that time, Celesto learned that other friends weren’t as sturdy as he and his brothers.

And as these embarrassing childhood stories often go, the ‘incident where I refused to get a blanket and made Roarna fall ill’ remained unforgettable well into our adulthood.

It was still vivid enough that just a few clues could bring the memory back.

‘There were other similar incidents, too.’

I thought as I thoroughly teased Celesto.

“Still, I guess I owe my survival as a scholar to you, don’t I?”

“…”

“Thanks to you raising me tough, even though I live as a researcher with a completely ruined work-life balance, I haven’t had any major illnesses.”

“…Just curse me out instead.”

“I really mean it, you know?”

But my friend, whose mind had grown as much as his character, didn’t believe me.

A little later, Celesto returned with a tray. On it were neatly prepared fruits and a few biscuits.

I picked up a ripe fig from among them.

“You should have just brought the cookie jar.”

“…Just hydrate.”

Celesto cut off my complaint.

I obediently shut my mouth. Better to just eat the fruit than bring up any topic related to ‘fluid’ again.

Then I noticed that each piece of fruit on the plate was oddly round and smooth.

Given the time it must have taken, the contents seemed simple, but it appeared he had carefully selected nicely ripened fruits.

“Hmm…”

Really, serving a master seems to be his true calling.

‘Come to think of it. With this kind of meticulousness, it’s no wonder he could become a clergyman.’

And not just any clergyman, but a Holy Knight of the Temple Knights, who must take a vow of chastity.

I popped another fig into my mouth. Sweet juice filled my mouth.

‘Vow of chastity, huh.’

In fact, it was rare for a noble-born clergyman to apply for a position that required a vow of chastity.

It wasn’t for nothing that there were many children presumed to be illegitimate offspring of nobles at the temple.

Unless they had competed for the heir position until the very end and lost, ending up shoved into a monastery, it was safe to assume it almost never happened.

Or unless they had ulterior motives, like Leocel.

‘…Of course, Leocel was pushed out and out by his family until he ended up at the cathedral.’

Just then, something flashed through my mind.

I stopped chewing the fig and sat up.