Allegiance To The Shield.

'Knock.'

A slight tap on the door. Lars turned towards the entrance.

"Your time is up."

'Gwen.'

Gawain remembered her name. She looked nothing like yesterday, but her features and expressions were pretty much the same.

Flawless skin, along with a rose beige complexion. Her hair was blue and luxuriant, and it was tied up in a braid that reached to the bottom of her spine. A figure that could put almost anyone to shame. She was beautiful enough to make every boy in the class feel their heart skip a beat. Andria couldn't even recognize her at first. When realization finally hit her, she couldn't believe her eyes.

"Right, students?"

Lars called out to his class. Except for Gawain, almost no one could hear his voice.

'Cough.'

Some of the girls looked at him. But the rest of the class was still ogling the enchantress.

'Clap!'

Gawain clapped his hand. They snapped out of the trance.

"Sir Lars is trying to say something."

"Thank you."

At least someone could resist the temptation.

"Tch. animals."

Gwen looked at the class with overflowing contempt. Even Gawain, who was fairly innocent, wasn't spared.

Lars picked up his book.

"I will see you tomorrow."

The students stood up.

"Thank you, sir!"

He flashed a weak smile.

"All over to you."

He said as he walked by her. Gwen walked into the class shortly after. She picked up a cloth from the desk and erased the writing on the board.

"What do you think I am in charge of?'

After cleaning up, She turned around and asked.

"Etiquette."

All of them answered simultaneously.

"Exactly. Was looking at my body in a perverted manner something that a knight would do?"

Appreciation and lust are two different things. All the boys hung their heads to the ground, except for Gawain. Gwen looked at his face and asked,

"What are you looking at?"

In her eyes, the boy didn't even display a shred of guilt. He was surely a lecher.

"You, mam!"

"Does it feel nice?"

He raised an eyebrow.

"Does it feel nice?"

"Acting like a pervert?"

"I never did that."

"Don't lie to me!"

As beautiful as she was, you would have had to shower her in clues for her to catch one.

"If I did anything to offend you, then I apologize."

For some reason, he was a target for her. Anything said would only lead to more bitterness.

"Hmph!"

She averted her eyes from him. Back to the class.

"I purposely dressed in this way to show you your shortcomings. As a knight, you represent both yourself and our academy. You must act like one if you want to be respected."

She took out a clip from her pocket and tied her hair up into a ponytail.

"As your teacher, I must make sure that you don't embarrass yourself. To become a knight is to become someone that people look up to. And for that, one must be ready to be held in the highest regard when in conversation."

'Load of crap.'

If the point was to be respectable, then why was she acting like a salty kid?

"Do you understand?"

Lars was way better than she was. Everyone could see that.

Andria raised her hand. Gwen looked at her and said,

"Stand up and speak."

"Ms. Gwen, I am Andria, a student from your house."

"I remember you. Ask your question"

In terms of talent, the girl was above average.

"I-Is it common etiquette to admonish someone for telling the truth?"

Gawain looked at the girl in shock.

"What do you mean by that?"

"At the risk of offending you, I have to tell you the truth. Gawain was not looking at you like the other boys."

The best way to rid herself of the burden of a favor. He stood up for her yesterday. Now she would repay him and be done with this.

"Are you his lover or something?"

Gwen couldn't believe it. This boy had already managed to rope a girl into his trap.

Andria took a deep breath in.

"No. But he did defend me yesterday. I am repaying that favor by pointing out the truth. He helped Sir Lars out when everyone else was busy with your appearance."

She looked back at Gawain, who shrugged his shoulders. The message was,

'I told you.'

"Sit down."

Andria nodded her head, quietly lowering herself back to her seat. Gawain turned around and displayed a thumbs up, but his acquaintance chose to ignore it.

'Smack!'

A well-placed hit on the back of his head.

"Concentrate."

"Yes, Mam!"

After some unnecessary drama, the class began.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

4 hours later,

Gawain stood up from his desk. His bag had been packed, and it was time to leave for the first day of training with the house.

He turned around to look at Andria, but she was already headed for the door.

'She is smart.'

From now on, there was nothing between them. She had repaid her dues, even if there were no dues, to begin with.

He picked up his bag. One by one, everyone left the classroom. When everyone had left, he made his way out through the entrance.

After a pleasant walk to the house chamber, he was in front of the door.

'Knock, knock.'

The door opened.

"You came."

Celia remarked sarcastically.

"You don't trust me?"

"I have no reason to."

Sure, He could live with that.

"Welcome back, disciple."

Joan stood up from her chair. She was in her Knight's Armor without the helmet.

"Are you going to call me that from now on?"

"It is as my master did for me, and I did for Celia."

He nodded his head.

"How do we begin?"

"First, the ceremony to swear allegiance to the shield."

A shield was placed on the table. It was golden in color, escutcheon shaped, and had an emblem of a sword fixed into a shield. A sentence was written below the emblem.

'Many forms, one duty.'

"This is a replica of the legendary shield Aegis."

She picked up the shield and handed it to him.

"Careful. It is very heavy."

When he took it into his right hand, he couldn't feel the weight. He couldn't see Joan or Celia. All he could think was,

'Let my mind not waver from my purpose. As My Beloved Euphemia's Knight, I take this shield and swear my heart to it. Aegis and its infinite forms shall protect me while I strive to fulfill my duty.'

He kneeled to the ground.

I Perseus, bind my life to it.

"Many forms, one duty."

He raised the shield over his head.

"As the heavens continue to question my worth, I shall prove my allegiance to the shield."

He whispered the last sentence. He couldn't control his body. He didn't know why.

A single tear escaped from the corner of his left eye.

He grabbed the strap of the shield as hard as he could. He did not want to let go.

Celia and Joan were staring at him. They were completely dumbfounded.

"That is not allegiance."

Those weren't the words.

'More than a ritual. A bond that must never wither.'

Her master's words.

"What are you doing?"

Celia was just confused. She was about to walk up to him, but Joan had a plan.

They were going to improvise.

She took her sword from her scabbard and placed it in front of him.

"As your master, I allow you to follow the path of Perseus."

She kneeled and bowed in front of the shield.

"Many forms, one duty."

How a knight swears his allegiance is up to him. Her job was to felicitate the ceremony.

For now, Gawain was being pious to the shield, and he did not know why.