Becoming the seventh Sword Saint of the kingdom had not significantly impacted Reigerās life.
He was merely knighted, not ennobled, and apart from gaining the title and honor of "Sword Saint," nothing else had changed.
Thus, after the knighting ceremony concluded, Reiger returned to the Franzel familyās estate as usual and continued to accept the myriad challenges from swordsmen. This made the platform outside the mansionās gate a bustling scene of crowds every day.
The only difference was that, from that day on, there was no longer a young female swordsman who challenged him daily at the platform.
Liz no longer arrived at the Franzel estate early and late every day to challenge Reiger. Instead, she was always seen entering and leaving with Reiger, closely following behind him.
The other swordsmen noticed this, and seeing Liz closely following behind Reiger without leaving his side, and silently waiting by the side while Reiger accepted challenges on the platform, they were initially puzzled. Then they learned a shocking piece of news from the knights of the Franzel house.
It was that Liz had become Reigerās attendant and had formed an attendant contract with him.
From now on, she would no longer challenge Reiger on the platform.
"No! My Miss Liz!"
"You, you, you... how did you become someone elseās attendant!?"
"If youāre not going to challenge on the platform anymore, does that mean weāll never see Miss Lizās active performance on the platform again?"
"My youth is over!"
Many male swordsmen wailed on the spot upon hearing the news, and some even broke down in tears.
Their dream goddess was not only refraining from the platform but had also become someone elseās attendant?
And that someone was a spirited young man?
Could she not be posed in all sorts of manners, treated however he liked?
A group of male swordsmen suddenly felt as though they had lost their dreams, as if they had lost their souls, and they knelt on the ground, unable to rise again.
Their appearance was very much like that of frenzied fans who hear the news of their beloved female star getting married.
Of course, some swordsmen, upon hearing this news, cast envious glances at Liz.
Being the attendant of a Sword Saint, that was an opportunity many swordsmen couldnāt even dream of!
This was a treatment only available with Reiger.
After all, other Sword Saints were just swordsmen, not magicians; they were unable to use magic for the attendant contract and thus couldnāt take on attendants.
Only Reiger, both a swordsman and a magician, could perform the attendant contract while being a Sword Saint himself, something other Sword Saints could not achieve.
Liz having become Reigerās attendant meant that at any point, she could have the guidance of a Sword Saint. Wasnāt that an opportunity others could only dream of?
At least, many serious swordsmen present couldnāt help but feel envious, and it also stirred up their thoughts.
"Since Miss Liz could become Lord Reigerās attendant, might we also have a chance?"
The swordsmen couldnāt help but think this way.
In their view, Liz must have won Reigerās attention and regard through her relentless daily challenges and outstanding performance, which led to her selection as an attendant.
If that was the case, did it mean that if they also persisted in challenging and delivered outstanding performances, they could become attendants of the Thunder Light Sword Saint and receive his guidance at any time?
Thinking this, the swordsmen felt their hearts burst with fervor.
Therefore, Reigerās platform became even more bustling.
"As long as one performs brilliantly enough, thereās a chance to become an attendant of the Thunder Light Sword Saint."
This message spread subtly, attracting even more people to come to the Franzel estate to challenge.
Reiger naturally was pleased with this.
The more challengers there were, the better it was for him.
He was already looking forward, anticipating how his abilities would grow from persistently facing a thousand battles over this half month.
As for Liz... The little princess, seeing the swordsmen kneeling and weeping, seemed very heartbroken.
"Everyone was so expectant of my active performance on the platform, and yet I abandoned them all. This really shouldnāt have happened."
The little princess thought reproachfully to herself.
But there was no helping it, Marilyn had already stated that the greatest taboo for an attendant was to cross swords with their master.
Especially in public, drawing a sword against her master was a great disrespect, a detriment to the masterās dignity, and absolutely not to be done.
So the little princess could only muster her courage and approach the group of male swordsmen.
"Iām sorry for letting you down."
Liz bowed deeply to the crowd, and amidst their sobbing, she declared as their eyes involuntarily fell on her (chest).
"There are some things I canāt do with my master during the day, only at night, so Iām very sorry, please forgive me."
Indeed, Liz wasnāt wrong.
During the day, Reiger needed to face othersā challenges in the public eye, and as an attendant, she couldnāt draw her sword against him at that time.
But once the platform challenges were over and night fell, Reiger would teach Liz swordplay.
At that time, Reiger and Liz could still spar a bit.
Thatās why Liz said what she did.
However, the men swordsmen present, upon hearing Lizās words, short-circuited.
"...Things that canāt be done during the day?"
"...To be done at night?"
The men looked at each other and suddenly burst into loud crying again.
The crying was even louder and more miserable than before, startling Liz.
"Could you, could you please stop crying?" Liz could only hastily say, "I know you are very sad, but thereās nothing that can be done about it. I assure you Iāll try my best tonight; I wonāt let down your encouragement!"
With these words, the male swordsmen cried even louder.
This left Liz completely confused, not knowing what to do, her eyes seeking help from Ian beside her.
"Donāt bother with them."
Yet Ian was unsympathetically leading Liz away, leaving the heartbroken men behind.
Since then, Reiger noticed that, among the swordsmen who came to challenge him every day, for some reason, there were those who would step up and glare at him with hatred.
Some would even say strange things.
"Sword Saint, promise me, be gentle with Miss Liz, alright?"
"Sheās still a child, doesnāt understand anything, donāt let her know things she shouldnāt."
"Miss Liz is young... um, her age is young, even if some parts look big, not all big things have multiple uses, can you avoid doing strange things with them please?"
"Autumn pear paste!"
They would say such nonsensical things to Reiger.
"?"
Reiger was full of question marks.
What kind of mess is this?
"Thundering Strike!"
"Ahhhhhhhh!"
Such joyful scenes would sometimes occur on the arena outside the Franzer residence.
......
Night, fell quietly.
In a corridor of the Franzer residence, Reiger and Liz had finished the dayās challenges and were walking towards their rooms.
Reigerās hands were empty.
Liz, on the other hand, was holding a box filled with stuff in her arms.
"What is this?"
Reiger asked with some curiosity.
This box had not been seen before, and Reiger didnāt know where Liz had gotten it from.
Fortunately, it didnāt seem to be anything odd.
"This is from the royal court," Liz, clutching the box and walking by Reigerās side, said obediently, "Itās my personal belongings left in the palace, the King... His Majesty had someone pack them up and send them here, I just got it from the butler."
"I see," Reiger nodded and said, "But your personal belongings are really few, arenāt they?"
Such a small box, it probably couldnāt even fit a few clothes, could it?
But Liz cherished it greatly, holding it as if it contained treasures.
"These are things from before I was brought to the palace; they were left to me by Granny Mia." Liz spoke softly, "Besides these, nothing else matters to me."
Among the things sent from the palace, apart from the small box, there were many valuable clothes and jewelry, all obtained during her time as a princess.
But for Liz, those things were dispensable.
Compared to those obviously high-end gowns, Liz preferred the casual clothes she was wearing now.
Not to mention the precious jewelry, Liz didnāt feel they were worth holding on to.
Only this small box, containing the belongings she had before entering the palace at age 7, was a treasure in the young princessās eyes.
"...Is that so?"
Reiger was silent for a while, then smiled at Liz.
"Then let me help you sort it out."
As Reigerās attendant, Liz had also moved into the Franzer household.
And her room was right next to Reigerās.
However, that room was still in need of arranging; it was fine for living, but to like this, place some personal belongings, it had to be properly cleaned up.
So, thatās why Reiger offered.
"No, no need!" Liz was somewhat flustered, "I can do it myself!"
Letting the master deal with menial tasks was against the attendantās code taught by Marilyn.
Moreover, Liz didnāt want to trouble anyone, especially not her own master.
Unfortunately, Reiger didnāt heed her.
"I donāt have so many rules here," Reiger said, "Besides, you were carrying the sword, and now the box; it seems cumbersome, let me help you with it."
Saying so, Reiger took the box despite Lizās protest.
"Snap!"
Just then, a scroll fell out of the box, rolling to Reigerās feet.