Royal Knighting
"Raise your head." A deep and profound voice echoed through the chamber.
A man no older than 30 years of age lifted his head as he continued to kneel in front of the one who spoke. He had brown hair and eyes and a strong jaw line. There was a full suit of armor that hugged his body with a sword at his hip that gave a mystical glow from within its scabbard.
He knelt alone in front of the grand throne where the King of Everfrost sat imposingly, glancing down at him with a small smile hidden behind his aging face.
"Kane Zephyr, the Dragon Slayer, Demon Killer, and master of the Spellblade. I, Darion Everfrost, hereby bestow upon you the title of Royal Knight. You will serve as the Royal family's sword and shield henceforth until your dying breath."
"Yes my King!" Kane responded in a booming voice as he looked up to his King with determination.
It had been an extremely long and harrowing road for Kane, who was once another orphan on the street struggling to survive. He could recall the days full of hunger and cold vividly even over two decades later.
If it had not been for the whims of an adventurer, he surely would have rotted in an alley somewhere. Through this adventurer he learned the way of the sword and became an adventurer himself at the age of 10. His talent for fighting was immense, so much so that he eventually surpassed the adventurer who taught him.
In a short five years, he climbed from the bottom of society to the top as an S-Ranked Adventurer, something only a handful of people in history have been able to achieve. To earn such a title one had to literally save the world from peril, to which he did by slaying the Demon King that appears once every millennia.
But even amongst S-ranked adventurers, he was a cut above the rest. Having managed to become the youngest ever S-ranker at the tender age of 15, such a feat seemed impossible yet he had achieved it.
He continued to live out his glory days in the prime of his youth as a heroic symbol for the people of Everfrost and the other kingdoms around the world. Life was amazing but that was until he reached the age of 25.
After having slayed another powerful foe, he realized that something was wrong with his body. As the years went by and he monitored his condition, he knew that his unique powers were attacking him from the inside out.
His unique skill, Lightning Manipulation, granted him almost full control over all manners of electricity to use at his disposal. However over time, this same power of his that helped him rise from poverty was slowly killing his nerves.
His fingers and toes were slowly growing more numb, he no longer felt pain in certain areas of his body, and sometimes he'd worry if a sharp bit of food would get stuck in his throat and he wouldn't be able to feel it.
Not to mention, he may one day fry his brain...
He had barely reached 30 years of age at this point yet he knew he must retire his sword. There was so much he still wished to do in life and as much of a hero he had already become, he no longer wished to be in the limelight.
The fame and glory had also took a toll on his physical and mental health, and Kane felt it was time to finally settle down and have a family. Only... retiring was much more difficult than he thought...
He was unable to escape his fame, having noble households constantly harassing him for their daughter's hands in marriage while he could no longer go out in public without people crowding around him. Even thought he was born a commoner, he had earned himself a Noble title, the last name Zephyr, and some land at one point in his life by the same King who was knighting him now, but he did not wish to become some trophy for the family he wed into, to flaunt around.
Kane had no childhood friend to run back to or an adventuring buddy to settle down with but the King presented him with an opportunity he didn't think he could refuse. By becoming a Royal Knight, it would allow him to avoid the marriage proposals, while also still putting his years of fighting experience to good use.
It would also give him the peace and quiet he wished for, as guard duty would be much less stressful than slaying monsters out on the frontier.
While Kane was reminiscing about all he had been through, the Throne room erupted with clapping and cheering, as everyone there regardless of status had all heard and respected the name Kane Zephyr.
Kane slowly rose to stand as the King stood up from his throne and met him face to face. The old King smiled and patted his shoulders before taking a pin from an attendant and placing it on his breast.
The Royal crest of Everfrost glowed for a moment as it stuck to his armor and he had officially become a Knight. To go from adventurer to Knight was also quite the feat, as adventurers were usually regarded as barbarians who'd do anything for a bit of coin.
Even for such a distinguished adventurer like himself, he could still feel the cold stares of a few in the throne room. He knew not everyone would like him, as some would be jealous of his fame and fortune while some still saw him as some uncouth commoner who did not deserve the honor of being a Royal Knight.
Similar stares were felt during his first ceremony with the King, in which he got his last name and title as Baron.
With the ceremony drawing to a close, the celebration was brought out to the public where a massive crowd surrounded the castle, all wanting to catch a glimpse of their hero becoming a Royal Knight.
Standing on a balcony beside the King, he waved out to the people of Everfrost, probably for the last time.
"I know this isn't what you wished for, but I'm relieved you accepted." The King spoke more gently than before.
Kane continued to wave out as his turned to King Darion before shaking his head with a smile.
"Its fine. I realized a while ago that I would never get to live a normal life. At least now I don't have to eat jerky for my meals."
It was a bittersweet ending to his story as a Hero, but Kane looked forward to what the future held. The two of them chuckled as the town square began to turn into a festival. While normally a person being Knighted would not be such a big event, when the Hero Kane Zephyr was involved, everything became an event.
As the townsfolk celebrated in his steed, Kane was brought back into the castle and taken to a tea room where he got to sit down with the King and Queen. Maids served them diligently as Kane was allowed to be free from his stuffy armor for a moment.
The three of them got to chat freely, a very rare occurrence among people of high status, but they talked as if they were old friends. Kane was just a young lad when he first met the two of them, as newly crowned King and Queen.
Their rule had been prosperous and Kane was part of the reason for that. His mere presence deterred other countries from trying to cause trouble while at the same time, helping to keep nobles in check.
The two Royals were grateful for that, and made sure to let him know multiple times. They also reminisced about stories of the past before they finally got down to business.
"King Darion." Kane put his cup of tea down and looked towards his King.
The atmosphere quickly shifted and the maids and knights in the room took this as a sign to quickly remove themselves. None of them feared what the Hero might do in their absence, as some of them probably trusted him more than the Royal family themselves.
"What was the real reason for me becoming a Knight?"
King Darion paused with his cup still in hand before sighing and gently placing it down. The Queen reached out and held his hand with a look of pity that worried Kane a bit as he recieved his answer.
"We are growing older with everyday, Kane, and one day we will return to the earth just as my father and mother did before me." The King began.
"Our Eldest sons grow more ambitious everyday, as do the greed of the nobles who serve the Royal family. And now with your retirement being known, the other Kingdoms have begun to move."
Kane narrowed his eyes a little, frustrated that things were already moving so quickly.
"To be honest, I never expected you to accept my invitation." Darion chuckled, "I only did it on a whim out of fear and anxiety for what the future would hold. At least with you by my side, it would help calm me a bit."
"However," Darion took a deep breath and his face grew sterner, as he became the King of Everfrost once more to address Kane, "Now that you are here, things will change once again. Now that you are present in the castle, even my sons will need to be careful of their actions. Still, you no longer wield the same power you did before Kane Zephyr.
"Your duties are now that of a Royal Knight and as such, you are to listen to the will of the Royal family, regardless of whether you like it. At the same time, you are now a part of Nobility and will be expected to play the role of my Subject and a leader of the country."
Kane nodded along, getting to know just how much would be changing. Now that he had defeated many of the terrible creatures that plagued the world, people were much less fearful. At the same time, it meant that the numerous human kingdoms saw this as an opportunity to expand their influence and the tides of war would soon begin stirring.
The race for the next in line within the Everfrost Kingdom was also underway, as even though the King and Queen were only in their forties, it was expected of them to come to a conclusion about their successor before they reach 50.
Kane's movements would also be limited, as he was now a Royal Knight and a part of nobility. He would have to attend balls and Court meetings, he was expected to learn etiquette and get a basic education, not to mention the possibility of being sent out to battle as a soldier rather than an adventurer.
Legally speaking, he could no longer do as he wished. There was no pardon from the King to protect him anymore and those around him who wished him gone would try to use that to their advantage. Fighting his way out of a problem was no longer an option.
"With that in mind," The King continued, "We have decided to make you the personal guard of our daughter Nalia, the first princess."
"*pfffft!!* Wait what?!" Kane spat out a mouthful of tea in shock.
Looking at the two royals, he could tell he had been set up. The Queen put a hand to her cheek with a gentle smile while the King had a grin on his bushy face that he tried to cover up with a hand.
'You sly bastard!' Kane grit his teeth, knowing now that he wasn't given this position out of pity, but as a way to get closer to their daughter...
Who has long reached a marriageable age...