When the Villain Joined the Knights to Avoid Doom Flags, but Somehow the Heroines Started Approaching Him - Chapter 08: The Knights' Exam

Chapter 08: The Knights’ Exam

The Knights’ entrance exam takes place at various locations. 

Knight squads stationed in major cities like the royal capital and the duke’s territory handle the written and practical tests for applicants. 

Generally, the Knights are stationed across the country to maintain order, but most young people aspiring to become knights aim for assignments in the major cities.

After all, the more important the city, the more talented individuals gather there—and it’s known as the place where one can advance in their career. 

Working in a major city means higher pay and the chance to build connections with people you’d normally never have access to, making it a dream destination for many.

However, Yulis had the opposite wish—he hoped to be sent off to some remote region.

Climbing the ranks in the capital could mean rubbing shoulders with influential figures… and possibly running into the heroines.

He’d worked hard to avoid the academy and take the “straight-to-work” route by joining the Knights, just like a fresh graduate starting a job. He had no desire to get entangled with anyone important.

But even so, he couldn’t afford to intentionally mess up the test to avoid getting a high-ranking post. If he failed the exam, there’d be no point. 

So, Yulis decided to give the entrance exam his best effort—

“In the end, the test was so easy that we didn’t even need to cheat.”

“True, the cute Iris was yawning non-stop halfway through.”

─So, it was the day of the exam.

Yulis and Iris had completed the written part of the test at the Knights’ facility stationed in the royal capital and were now chatting on a nearby bench.

“Turns out, for a job that’s all about physical activity, they don’t care much about what’s in your head. I bet you could pass if your brain was empty as long as you had some impressive muscles to flex.”

“If your brain is that empty, I don’t think you’d have much to talk about… If all the conversations with our peers end up being shallow, dumb banter, I’m confident I’ll lose my cool.”

“Well, Iris, you’re cute, so you might become the center of those ‘dumb banter’ talks among guys our age.”

“Getting those kinds of looks from anyone other than you, Master, would just give me the creeps.”

The two bantered back and forth, poking fun at each other. They were clearly taken aback by how easy the written exam had been.

“So, next up is the practical test, right? If the written part was just a warm-up, the next part is like the real competition?”

“Yeah, what matters for a knight is having basic manners and the strength to keep the peace. This is where it really counts.”

“…I don’t know, hearing it like that makes me feel all nervous.”

“It’s a maid’s duty to ease her Master’s tension… How about a lap pillow? I’d love to offer one!”

“Fufufu… Dear lady, we’re in public, you know. Fufufu.”

Yulis wasn’t the only one at the exam site. 

There were plenty of others—kids around his age, both commoners and nobles, who had come to take the test, and knights in armor going about their duties. 

Even now, if he looked up, he could see people constantly walking past. If a stunning girl like Iris were to offer him a lap pillow in the middle of all this, it would definitely attract a lot of attention. Especially since—

“Hey, isn’t that… Yulis Blanche over there?”

“Uh, what’s that disgrace of a noble doing taking the Knights’ exam?”

“He’s probably just messing around. Maybe he actually thinks he can become a knight, just like he always does.”

“Wait, doesn’t he look… kinda thinner?”

Whispers came from the people passing by. 

Most of them came from noble kids who knew Yulis’s reputation well.

If you summed up what they were saying, it was the usual: “How does a disgrace like him think he can become a knight?” and “He’s definitely not cut out for it.”

(I’d almost forgotten about it since I haven’t heard it much at the mansion lately… but yeah, my reputation as ‘Yulis the Villain’ is still as bad as ever. How deep do I have to sink before they start saying anything good about me?)

Since Yulis rarely attended social events, those scornful looks and whispers actually felt oddly nostalgic to him. Meanwhile—

“What’s with those people!? How dare they mock my Master without recognizing his charm, are they ‘beep’ (self-censored) or something!? Honestly, should I just ‘beep’ them, then ‘beep’ them again, and after that, ‘beep’ them, ‘beep’ them some more!???”

“Hey, hey, hey, calm down!”

The girl who adored her master was absolutely fuming.

So much so that the words spilling from her cute lips were the kind that you really wouldn’t want to repeat.

“Calm down, you fiery girl. Your words are so far from ladylike, it’s not even funny. The only thing we should be focusing on is the practical exam… got it?”

“…Got it.”

Iris took a deep breath, then nodded firmly.

“So, I just need to deal with them during the practical exam, right?”

“You didn’t get it at all.”

Iris puffed out her cheeks, making it clear how dissatisfied she was. 

Yulis let out a small sigh as he watched the people whispering about him and murmured to himself—

“It doesn’t really bother me, no matter what anyone says about me.”

“…Really?”

“To be honest, if I’m being truthful, it does sting a little…!”

But then…

Ignoring Iris’s skeptical look, Yulis casually spoke up.

“If there’s someone beside me who acknowledges me, that alone is enough to save me. So, I’m grateful to you, Iris.”

These words held a genuine sincerity toward her. 

It was clear from his tone and expression that he wasn’t lying. Maybe that’s why, feeling the full weight of Yulis’s feelings, Iris couldn’t help but blush deeply.

“I-I see…”

“…Did I say something weird?”

“Y-You absolutely did, Master! Sometimes you throw these straight, fast pitches right at me that catch me off guard! Please consider a maiden’s heart a little more!”

With that, she practically demanded an apology, leaning in and offering her head as if saying, “Go ahead, pat me!”

(…Well, it’s better than a lap pillow.)

Seeing the flustered “hidden heroine” in front of him, Yulis couldn’t help but let out a wry smile. 

Still, he gently patted her head, just as she wanted.

“Hey, I heard the princess is coming to watch today’s practical exam!”

“Wouldn’t it be great if she remembered our faces? Then we’d be on the fast track to promotion, right?”

“Come on, like someone as high up as her would pay attention to aspiring knights like us.”

“Still… I’d love to at least chat with her once.”