The Knight Commander of the Second Male Lead [Novel] Chapter 61

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 61

Chapter Title: Etiquette Lessons and New Ventures

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The training session that opened with sets of three wrapped up without a single injury. From there, the difficulty ramped up with each successive Belak, and by the third round, the first casualties appeared.

Once the group training ended, the knights—who used to collapse in exhaustion—now voluntarily extended their personal sessions.

A growing number of them even approached Nina, begging for harsher personal schedules.

Clashing with real combat had made their skill gaps glaringly obvious.

Nina welcomed the change with open arms.

By the time Nina returned to Black Shield Castle after the live combat drills, Rorokomo was waiting for her.

Caught off guard by the unannounced visit, she met with him right away.

He explained that he'd liquidated all his carriages and trade contacts.

"If that position is still open and you're inclined to let me, please allow me the chance to repay your kindness."

He bowed low as he continued.

"If not, even as a stablehand—anything to settle the debt."

Mimina bowed deeply alongside him.

Nina pulled Rorokomo upright, assuring him she was counting on him.

"The merchandise comes in all sorts, but to start..."

Nina led him to Kiril's laboratory and introduced the hair growth tonic.

Kiril spoke gravely.

"This tonic has one major flaw."

"A flaw?"

Nina's eyes went wide. Kiril nodded.

Rorokomo—who'd gaped in shock at the promise of actual hair regrowth—grew serious.

"Side effects or not, plenty of people will line up for it. What are they?"

"Skip applications for over a week, and the hair falls right back out."

"...Pardon?"

"The new growth sheds clean off. Just like that."

Rorokomo's expression turned thoughtful.

"That's a serious drawback, indeed."

"Tell me about it."

"Forces steady, ongoing purchases."

"Exactly."

"Big problem."

"My thoughts precisely."

"Still, takers will endure it."

Rorokomo waved off concerns with a confident "Don't worry." Kiril matched his tone: "I'm counting on you."

Watching Rorokomo sync perfectly with Kiril's back-and-forth, Nina thought, Business isn't for amateurs.

Kiril cackled.

"Where'd you scrounge up this gem?"

Nina shook her head. "Beats me what passes your bar."

From that point, Kiril fielded Rorokomo's questions with earnest detail. Nina eavesdropped on production volumes and usage tips from the sidelines.

"Beyond that, I've got research byproducts too."

Kiril showcased hair oil for silky shine and an ointment for pearly whites.

"Hold on—what kind of experiments spit out these?"

"Wound-treatment oil went sideways. Ointment? Gown stain remover that missed the mark..."

Failed experiments, in other words.

Kiril sighed. But Rorokomo's eyes lit up like stars.

His violet and purple heterochromatic gaze brimmed with fresh ambition. He spoke with utmost gravity.

"Best to roll them out selectively. Breaking into noble circles means a ducal recommendation, of course."

"Naturally. Consider it done."

Not sure how far a Rubaenu letter carries, Nina thought with a shrug.

"One more favor, if I may."

"Shoot."

Rorokomo sighed at Nina's prompt.

"Could you teach me etiquette? Nobles demand it to mingle, but as an itinerant trader, I've barely brushed high society."

"Ah."

Shed thought of it before.

Nina nodded. "Got it. I'll run it by the Duke."

"And drop the formal speech from here on."

"You got it."

With crisp informality, Nina dispatched Rorokomo to Steward Lui.

Lui would iron out the details smoothly.

Right on cue, word arrived from one of Lui's etiquette tutor prospects.

She glided before Nina like silk. Mourning garb draped her form; snow-white hair swept into an elegant updo. Leaning on a silver-ornamented cane, the elderly woman introduced herself as Vivian.

Not a whisper of her history, but her poise and diction screamed old-money aristocracy.

"Vivian will do."

She waved off Nina's polite "Madam."

Over the next month-plus as inventory assembled, Rorokomo devoured etiquette drills like a man possessed. Mimina teared up mid-lesson a few times. But in time, their bearing transformed beyond recognition.

Escorted by a handful of knights, Rorokomo and Mimina set off for the capital—new merchant crest and letter of recommendation in hand.

Nina and Jin joined Vivian's classes too.

Etiquette came easy to Nina. She'd always picked up visual and kinesthetic lessons fast.

Swordplay was no different.

Vivian marveled at her pace, clearly relishing the teaching.

"Best pupil I've ever had—Viscountess Dell."

Vivian insisted on "Viscountess Dell," Nina's loftiest title. Proper form, she explained.

Knightly virtues overlapped noble ones, yet diverged tellingly.

Nina chuckled.

[The finest knight plays instruments, chats vivaciously anywhere, quips wittily to the vulnerable—noble ladies especially—and leaps to honor's defense...]

Nina's face fell midway through the list.

"This doable?"

"Not to that degree? No court knighthood for you."

Nina squinted. "Huh..."

No mention of prowess amid the endless roster.

Good grief.

She bit back a tsk and pressed on with lessons.

Jin and the other knights? Faces like death row every session.

One exception kept a straight face: Kell.

Vivian dubbed him ripe for "courtly lady-charming." Praise or peril?

If that's the bar, Sir Lui clears it, Nina mused, head cocked.

Tastes varied, after all. Respect ever at the ready.

Vivian framed her curriculum as bedrock basics.

"Never shame yourself before anyone. Swordsmanship mirror. Internalize till it flows effortless. Highborn start at birth."

Bearing, bearing of mind, fingertip finesse, gaze command, emotion veiling.

Nobles drilled this young, surrounded by peers—so it soaked in naturally. The gulf 'twixt high and low blood; why parvenus strained so.

Short-term mastery? Tall order. Vivian hammered corrections regardless.

"Nina..."

"No deathbed tones when hailing folk."

Jin's playful jab earned an exaggerated slump. They sat across in the knight captain's office.

"Dead serious. Nobles live like this?"

"Bet they'd crumble if told to ape us."

"Cold comfort."

Jin sighed, head drooping.