From a hired knight to a master of Game of Thrones

Elise's fingers tightened around the beer glass, a look of bewilderment flashing across her grey-blue eyes, followed by bitterness.

She bit her lip and remained silent for a moment before saying heavily:

"Many people around me say that women are naturally weak and have soft bones, so they can't support the plate armor of a knight or hold the greatsword of a knight."

"So I've been secretly practicing swordsmanship and also using a wood-chopping axe to chop wood stakes to hone my strength."

"I haven't given up! I refuse to believe I'm not even qualified to wield a sword!"

"but.

"……Tradition."

She raised her eyes to hide something, and after a long while, she lowered her head and gulped down the ale in her glass, continuing:

"The way of chivalry in Westeros has always been a man's game."

"The people around me noticed that I was practicing swordsmanship and kept emphasizing this to me."

"Women should spin yarn, manage household chores, or marry into a good family to continue the bloodline."

"Wielding swords and spears is heretical and will be ridiculed by the entire North."

Finally, Elise said helplessly:

"Over time, I couldn't stand the strange looks, the malicious ridicule, or the endless nagging from my family."

"Hehe, you're right. I thought the future was bleak, so I gave up."

...a person oppressed by gender and tradition.

Don Quixote said nothing more, raised his glass in a toast, and said:

"Miss Elise, at least you tried, that's great!"

Elise looked into Don Quixote's calm but unremarkable eyes and asked, puzzled:

"You don't seem surprised by my thoughts."

...What's so surprising about that?

It was the fantastical events that happened in his past life, such as the LGBT community and the "Red Master," that surprised him.

Perhaps the threshold for surprise has been honed to be too high.

The idea of ​​a rebellious act that challenges chivalric tradition is surprising, but not much.

"I've seen many more unusual things when I was traveling around, this is nothing compared to what you've done."

Don Quixote, who speaks without understanding the pain of others, laughed:

"Besides, I personally think that the old traditions of knights are outdated and meaningless."

...Is it because he has seen a wider world that he can accept my ideas so calmly?

I really hope that one day I can ride a horse and adventure around the world like a knight!

I'm so envious!

Elise paused for a moment, then looked thoughtfully at the unkempt free knight in front of her.

Don Quixote suddenly said again:

"Miss Elise, I still can't figure out your reasons for taking over the Iron Axe Tavern?"

"Is that related to your dream of becoming a knight?"

"I don't want to be like most women, holed up in a cramped room, sitting around all day watching a seamstress." Elise sighed and smiled, snapping back to reality.

"So I had to find a reason to convince my family, and Iron Axe Tavern was a good one, wasn't it?"

"I don't know why, but my mother has been in a low mood lately, and her health has also deteriorated."

"The Iron Axe Tavern is doing quite well, and my family doesn't want to give up this business."

"So I proposed taking over the Iron Axe Tavern. Although they argued about it for a long time, they finally reluctantly agreed."

"How is Madame Vera's health?" Don Quixote asked with concern.

"Not very optimistic."

Elise shook her head:

"My mother is getting on in years, and her health was already somewhat weak."

"But it suddenly got worse a little over a month ago. My mood got worse every day. I drank alcohol almost all day and didn't want to eat anything."

...Is it because of old Valentine?

Don Quixote made random guesses.

He had only met Mrs. Vera a few times before and did not know much about her specific situation.

He had always assumed that Mrs. Vera's poor health was a condition that had been present from the beginning.

They were unaware of the sudden change.

Don Quixote prays sincerely once:

"May the Old Gods protect her! May Mrs. Vera recover completely!"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"By the Old Gods! I will slaughter you brutal, insane monsters!"

A hunter who had drunk a few too many glasses of strong liquor suddenly stood up.

The hunter's eyes were filled with resentment and anger as he stared intently at the two guests a few seats away from him.

The two men were wearing black chainmail, and on one side of the table were two conical helmets decorated with a relief of a skinner.

Their fur cloaks were also painted with pink-based red skinning figures.

The two knights, who were chatting, laughing, drinking, and eating meat, exchanged a glance.

"Hehe, hahahaha."

One of them slowly rose, coldly staring at the seemingly drunk hunter, and said with a sinister smile:

"You lowly commoner whose brain is stuffed with strong liquor, you do have some guts."

As he spoke, a cruel smile appeared on his lips as he looked around.

The already quiet Iron Axe Tavern became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Many customers didn't even dare to breathe loudly, either burying their heads and pretending to drink, or quietly moving to a corner to hide.

They all recognized the skinner's emblem with its pink background and red stripes.

Those were the Boltons, the "skinners" whose fear outweighed their hatred in the hearts of the Northerners.

A Northern proverb reveals the cruelty of House Bolton:

"When the Burtons smile at you, you'd better check if your skin is still intact."

Don Quixote rose and reached out to stop Iris, whose grey-blue eyes showed a hint of fear but who was still preparing to step forward, and calmly said:

"Miss Iris, this is my duty, Don Quixote."

Before Elise could respond, Don Quixote strode over.

The drunken hunter was not intimidated by that cold gaze.

He drew his hunting knife and said fiercely:

"The Boltons are mad dogs! You burned down my village and skinned my daughter alive, I will never forget it!"

"I'll kill you bastards."

The word "bastard" seemed to strike at the snake's Achilles' heel, and the smile on the Bolton knight's face vanished instantly.

He drew his sword from his waist, pushed over the tables and chairs blocking his path, and walked toward the hunter, snarling:

"I'll skin you alive, you lowly commoner, and sew your skin into a wine sack!"

Another Bolton knight slowly stood up, his hand resting on the sword at his waist.

His gaze swept coldly over the unusually quiet crowd in the tavern, finally settling cruelly on Don Quixote as he approached.

Bang!

Don Quixote took a few steps, then suddenly bent down, grabbed a wooden stool from the table, and threw it at the Bolton knight who was near the hunter.

Immediately afterwards, he drew his sword and faced another Bolton knight, saying;

"Iron Axe Tavern: Private fights are prohibited!"

The knights of the House of Naboton sized Don Quixote up and down.

Seeing that Don Quixote's worn-out chainmail had no conspicuous family crest, they assumed he was just a down-on-his-luck free knight with no connections.

A contemptuous smile curled at the corner of his lips:

"Where did this wild knight come from? How dare he meddle in the Bolton family's affairs?"

"If you know what's good for you, get out of here, or I'll skin you alive and hang you up at the tavern entrance as a sign."

"Hahaha, what a load of rubbish, Iron Axe Tavern! It sounds awful, awful! How about we change it to Skin Tavern? What do you think?"

……

PS: (Please recommend and read this!)