That night, Roline did not go far. She and the bull-like warrior and archer lingered outside the town for a long time. Her two subordinates believed they ought to leave that unlucky place as quickly as possible, but Roline seemed to have something else on her mind. Hesitation and uncertainty showed in her eyes. With that expression, she hugged her knees and sat there watching the moon all night.

Early the next morning, Du Wei's party set out. This time, however, a bullock cart followed the convoy. Inside lay the mage, trussed up like a dumpling. The poor man looked utterly worn out, his face drained and his entire body soaked through. Du Wei's knights had carried out his orders admirably: every so often, they poured a bucket of cold water over the mage, denying him any chance to sleep or meditate and recover his mental power.

As usual, once they were on the road, Young Master Du Wei sat in the carriage with a thick book in his arms. He seemed to possess an extraordinary passion for reading.

The finely made carriage barely jolted even over the rutted road. Du Wei lay comfortably on a thick, soft velvet blanket, curled into a ball as he read and thought—until someone interrupted him.

There was a light knock at the window, followed by Ma De's somewhat troubled voice. “Young Master... um, there is something that may require your attention.”

Du Wei opened the window and saw Ma De frowning. Ma De was riding alongside the carriage that day and bent from the saddle as he spoke. “Young Master, those people from the tavern yesterday have been following us.”

Du Wei paused, then leaned out to look behind them. Sure enough, about a hundred paces back, the long-legged girl from the tavern was following at a distance with her two companions: the bull-like warrior and the archer, three riders in all.

The Rowling Family's guard cavalrymen seemed to find the sight deeply suggestive. Each wore a barely restrained smile.

Yesterday, that girl had come out of their young master's room... Had their young master conquered her? Had she fallen for him and found herself unable to leave? Ha!

Still, none of them dared show the least trace of mockery before their master.

Du Wei considered it briefly. “Stop the carriage. Go invite that girl over.”

Roline had followed Du Wei's convoy from afar for the entire morning. Her thoughts were a mess; she did not even understand why she was following him.

Was she worried about that poor captured mage? That did not seem right. She could not care less whether that man lived or died.

Then the convoy ahead came to a stop, and two knights quickly rode toward her.

“Miss, our master wishes to see you. Please come with us.”

Thinking that the long-legged girl might have a special relationship with their young master, the knights delivering the message were considerably more polite.

Roline nodded in a daze and unconsciously urged her horse after them. Her two companions were doubtful, and even more worried, but they followed as well.

“Why are you following me?” Du Wei did not even leave the carriage. He simply opened its door and sat within, watching the girl ride up before him.

Roline dismounted. She bit her lip, and in that instant the question that had tormented her all night finally found its answer.

Why? Perhaps... because that demon-like smile had appeared on his face again.

“I...” Roline stood beside the carriage and drew a deep breath. Then she suddenly dropped to one knee beside it, bowing her head deeply. Her voice was solemn. “I, Roline Moon, pledge my loyalty to you. I am willing to become your subordinate. For every remaining decade of my life, I will guard the oath I make today with my blood and my life. Will you accept my loyalty?”

Du Wei was silent for a moment as he examined the girl kneeling before his carriage. Then he spoke slowly. “You wish to serve me... why?”

“I do not know.” Roline spoke honestly. “Perhaps you were right. I am too tired. Holding all this together as a girl, I have already found my abilities far from enough. Perhaps I need a great tree to lean upon. And I am willing to be a vine that lives by that tree.”

“You think I am a suitable great tree?” Du Wei asked with a smile.

“Yes.” This time Roline answered without hesitation. “Even now, I do not know your identity, but you give me the feeling... that you must be an extraordinary person. Or rather, that you are destined to become one.”

“That makes things difficult.” Du Wei sighed, then turned to Ma De. “Oh, Ma De, I forgot. I should have the right to recruit my own honorary knights now, correct? How many may I recruit?”

Du Wei did not seem particularly concerned by the question. “Well, my master...” Ma De, formerly a groom and now the estate steward, had thankfully studied hard before his promotion. At least he had painstakingly memorized the necessary customs and rules. “You are the Count's eldest son. Even if you cannot inherit the Count's title in the future, Imperial law guarantees you at least a barony. A noble of that rank is authorized to recruit ten honorary knights of his own.”

“Thank you.” Du Wei rubbed his nose. “Only ten places... a little few. But knights may have squires, correct? A knight can equip several squires. Counting my direct honorary knights and each knight's squires, that still gives me several dozen people. Not too few.”

After Ma De confirmed it, Du Wei rubbed his temples, then raised a smiling face toward the girl before him. “Very well. I accept your loyalty. From this day forward, I grant you the status of an honorary knight in my service... You are the first honorary knight I have ever invested with a title, and a woman knight at that.”

Roline seemed unable to look at his smile. She lowered her head. “Thank you... Since I have already pledged loyalty to you, would you please tell me your identity, Master?”

“Oh, my identity? I am Du Wei Rowling, eldest son of Count Raymond, the present head of the Rowling Family and Deputy Commander of Imperial Headquarters.” Du Wei smiled. “I nearly forgot: I have another famous nickname in the Imperial Capital. They call me... ‘the Idiot.’”

“The... the Idiot?!” Roline's eyes went wide.

Damn it! This boy was an idiot? If he was an idiot, there were no geniuses in the world! If he was an idiot, then most of the people in the world were imbeciles!

She did not dare show the least amusement. Quickly rising, she pointed to her two subordinates. “Honored Master, these two are my companions. Their names are—”

“No, no, no.” Du Wei cut her off without ceremony. “I am sorry, but I have little interest in their names. As you heard, the law allows me only ten honorary knights. I will not waste such places for nothing. I intend to reserve the remaining ones for experts at the level of Saint Knights or Great Swordsmen.”

Du Wei did not even glance at Roline's two subordinates.

What a joke. Those people were scarcely worth considering. That bull-like warrior merely had a little strength, while the archer... Hmph. A few hundred gold coins could recruit three or five like him. Even this woman knight—well, if she had not been a beauty with a lovely pair of long legs, Du Wei would not have thought much of her martial skill either.

“Lady Knight Roline Moon, you are now my direct honorary knight. Your two subordinates may serve as your squires. As for your knight's badge and equipment, once we reach our destination, I will have the family servants outfit you properly. Now bring your people into the convoy. If all goes well, we can reach home tonight.”

Roline said nothing, but her two subordinates could not help feeling dejected at losing their chance to receive a knightly title.

This had been a real chance to become knights!

Generally, there were only three ways to obtain a knightly title. First, one could possess formidable martial skill, pass the Knights' Association's evaluation, and earn an official knight's medal of the appropriate rank. Such knights were regarded as the most legitimate.

Second, one could devote oneself to the Temple of the Goddess of Light from childhood, serve the Church, train in martial skill from a young age, and pass rigorous selection as an adult to become a temple knight.

Third, one could pledge loyalty to a noble and be granted the title of a direct honorary knight.

These two men possessed neither the formidable martial ability to pass the Knights' Association's assessment nor any connection to the Church that might make them temple knights.

Their sole hope of entering the knightly class was to be noticed and recruited by a noble.

But the nobles with the right to recruit knights were all great lords. Why would they look twice at men with such mediocre skills?

Seeing her two companions' dejection, Roline could only offer them a few quiet words of comfort.

Roline herself felt conflicted. Once she pledged loyalty to Du Wei, she would lose her independence. The little independent group she had struggled to maintain would dissolve; she would no longer be its leader, but another person's subordinate.

What Roline did not know was that, many years later, when people looked back on history, they would speak of this day.

For this was the day the first official member of the ten Demon Knights of the Demon Knights Order—later renowned across the continent—joined: Roline Moon, the woman knight who had first sworn loyalty to the Demon.

Her name would be remembered in history because of that singular moment.