Classless Awakening; My Dragon Is Legendary-Chapter 20: Shadows Of Duty

Derrick’s eyelids struggled open, consciousness piercing through a fog of confusion as pain radiated through his battered body.

"He’s waking up!" a female voice cried out, the urgency in her muffled tone slicing through his disorientation and jolting him fully awake.

It took his mind a few seconds to clear, and when it did, he recognized where he lay.

"I didn’t expect you to be back in the infirmary so early?" Royal Knight’s voice shook Derrick.

"Where were you?! " Derrick’s tone was raised, his voice filled with anger.

Derrick had come too close to death’s door for comfort.

"I am very sorry, my prince," the Royal Knight said with his head slightly bowed.

He failed Derrick. There was no excuse or explanation he could give, his job was to keep Derrick safe, and he faltered.

"Where were you?!" Derrick asked once again.

He had always been respectful and kind to Royal Knight, but that fight was the straw which broke the camel’s back.

Of all the times he needed Royal Knight, he needed him the most that day.

"I was discussing with your father." Royal Knight admitted.

"Discussing what?" Derrick asked angrily, he didn’t see what was so important that it would distract Royal Knight from his duties.

Royal Knight took in a deep breath then heaved a heavy sigh. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

He looked Derrick in the eye for a few seconds, his mind and heart warring.

He knew telling Derrick about the coming war and the dark Emperor was unwise, but he couldn’t lie to Derrick.

As Derrick’s Royal Knight, his utmost loyalty was to the king first, and Derrick second.

"Answer me!" Derrick demanded, fury written all over him.

"Derrick..." Royal Knight didn’t know what to say, the words lingered on his tongue, but he couldn’t speak.

And for every second he hesitated, Derrick’s anger grew.

"Calm down my prince." Royal Knight placed his hand on Derrick’s shoulder, but Derrick pushed him off.

Royal Knight was taken aback, he had never seen such a violent outburst from Derrick.

"I needed you, I needed your help!" Derrick shouted.

"I had to fight five trained assassins by myself." The dangerous situations and conditions of the fight ran through Derrick’s mind.

"My body broke down more times than I could count." Every cut, every hit, every broken bone, shattered tendon or torn ligament pulsed through Derrick’s mind all at once.

Royal Knight didn’t know what to say, he understood Derrick’s anger.

In fact, if Derrick hadn’t been so lucky, he would be no more.

"You’re useless!!" Derrick screamed, and Royal Knight’s head turned slowly.

For the first time since Derrick could remember, Royal knight’s calm and collected personality had finally broken.

"Useless?" Royal Knight asked, his voice cracking at the end.

Derrick understood that he had struck a nerve, but he couldn’t care less.

Royal knight’s anger wasn’t important to him, he had failed to protect him and that was all that mattered.

Derrick saw Royal Knight as a man with only one task. In fact, he was more than capable of taking on this task, but recently he was stretching himself too thin.

"You arrogant, selfish thing!" Royal Knight snapped.

"I have stood by your side for years, enduring countless pains, just to make sure you were safe." Royal Knight continued.

"I’ve spent more time with you, than I’ve spent with my family!"

Royal Knight had sacrificed and was actively sacrificing a lot of things, just to keep Derrick safe.

"Despite all that, I was nearly killed!" Derrick retaliated.

Derrick’s anger didn’t fully stem from nearly dying. Another contributing factor was the feeling of helplessness he experienced.

He felt as if everything, all his training, everything was nothing but a waste.

"There is a war coming boy!" Royal Knight’s words caught Derrick off guard.

Derrick pulled his head back and blinked his eyes twice, his mind trying to process that information.

He took pride in how up to date he was with the recent activities of the world, and he had never heard something about a war.

"You lie!" Derrick accused, and Royal Knight grew even angrier.

"The dark emperor." Royal Knight’s words made Derrick shiver a little.

The king had sent a short message ensuring the citizens of the kingdom not to panic or fear anything about the dark emperor, but here they were.

"Another lie!" Derrick believed that if the matter was that serious, especially something involving the dark emperor, then his father would inform him.

Royal Knight burst into a guffaw of laughter while shaking his head.

Derrick was confused in both mind and heart, he had never seen Royal Knight display any emotion, and he didn’t know how to feel.

Whatever he had said to Royal Knight today really pressed his buttons, but Derrick was unwilling to back down.

"What is ironic, is that you are the cause of it all!" Royal Knight said angrily.

"What do you mean?" Derrick asked, his mind wondered.

He didn’t see what was his connection or relationship with the dark emperor.

Derrick knew how much of a big deal the dark emperor was, but he didn’t see how it was his fault.

"I’ve been too busy with your father, because we are trying to protect you from the dark emperor." Royal Knight’s words sparked confusion and curiosity in Derrick.

"What are you saying?" Derrick asked, "You speak as if the dark emperor targets me personally." Derrick’s words had a sprinkle of fear in them.

The dark emperor he heard stories about was a being that was ruthless, brutal and inhumane, and it frightened Derrick that someone like that could be personally after him.

"Oh child." Royal Knight placed his hand on his head.

He was tired of it all, the sacrifices, the espionage, the planning and the upcoming war.

Everything was exerting serious mental pressure on him, and he was stretching himself way too thin.

"You still don’t grasp the truth, do you?" Royal Knight’s voice cut through the silence like a blade.

"What truth?" Derrick challenged, his eyes narrowing.

"The dark emperor has only begun this war because of the dragon spirit within you, you set him free!"