Ainz Ooal Gown: Noble Knight

Rune closed the ledger and looked up at the boy in front of him, who was bent over like a bow.

"Tachimi".

"Your subordinate is here."

“Raise your head.”

The boy hesitated for a moment, then slowly straightened up. There was some trepidation in his azure eyes, but more so a stubborn composure. He had done what he believed was right, and he was prepared to bear the consequences.

Rune looked at him and suddenly smiled.

It was a very gentle laugh, like a ray of sunlight filtering through the clouds in winter—unassuming, yet warm enough.

"You did very well."

Tajimi was taken aback.

“It is my responsibility to think about the people.” Rune placed the ledger on the table. “You can see the difficulties of those two families and put yourself in their shoes. This sense of responsibility is much more valuable than the taxes themselves.”

Rune leaned back in his chair, his voice carrying a serious tone of approval.

"Your salary need not be deducted. You have taken care of the people for me, and I am the one who should thank you."

Tapchimi's lips trembled slightly.

A thin red flush suddenly rose in the boy's eyes, but he held back tightly, not letting any emotion slip out.

Touchmy took a deep breath, put his left hand behind his waist, clenched his right fist, and pounded it hard on his heart. He raised his head and looked intently at Rune.

Those eyes held reverence, emotion, and the thrill of having one's ideals recognized.

"For Justice"

The boy's voice was clear and firm, echoing in the study.

"Heart Sasa Gei Yo".

Sunlight streamed in through the window behind Rune, bathing him in a golden halo. The rays of light, filtering through the transparent glass, cast dappled shadows on his shoulders, resembling sacred wings.

Rune's face was backlit, hidden in a soft shadow, making it difficult for Tapchimi to see clearly.

But Tapchimi felt that Lord Rune must be smiling approvingly at his righteous actions.

Chapter 34 Different Paths

Tachimi knelt on one knee, his back ramrod straight. His still somewhat immature face and azure eyes were filled with anticipation and nervousness.

"Lord Rune," the boy's voice was clear and bright, filled with barely suppressed excitement, "Could you take me with you on this year's cavalry 'Eastern Expedition'?"

Sunlight streamed in through the window behind Rune, bathing him in a golden halo, making his face, hidden in the shadows, even more difficult to discern.

But Rune's voice remained gentle.

"Of course, Tapimy."

Rune paused, his tone becoming serious, almost solemn.

"I promised you, you would be indispensable for this year's 'Eastern Expedition'..."

Tapchimi's eyes lit up immediately.

That radiance wasn't just polite gratitude, but something purer, like a torch being lit. The boy's lips trembled slightly, as if he wanted to say something, yet felt that nothing he said would be enough.

He subconsciously clenched the fabric on his knees, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force, as if only in this way could he suppress the heat that was about to overflow from his chest.

He tucked his left hand behind his waist, then clenched his right fist and pounded it hard into his chest.

"Your subordinate will not fail in your mission!"

The voice echoed in the study, carrying the unreserved enthusiasm unique to young people.

Rune nodded slightly.

"Go."

Tajimi stood up, bowed solemnly again, and then turned and strode toward the door. His steps were faster than when he came, each one filled with eager anticipation, as if he couldn't wait to rush out and begin preparations.

The door was closed gently, the sound so faint it was like a sigh, fading into the empty corridor.

The footsteps gradually faded into the distance. At first, they were rapid and cheerful, like a lively drumbeat. They paused at the corner of the corridor, perhaps turning back for one last look, before continuing forward and finally disappearing completely at the end of the stone corridor.

The study fell silent again.

The silence was heavy, pressing down on the desk, on the open ledgers and books.

Sunlight streamed in through the window behind Rune, illuminating the entire desk in a white light, but it didn't reach the small area in front of him.

Rune remained seated in the same position, back to the light, facing the closed door, as if the boy would push the door open and come in again.

No, not anymore.

The gentleness on his face gradually faded.

It didn't disappear suddenly, but rather peeled away slowly, layer by layer, like rocks exposed when the tide recedes.

The more complex, hidden things slowly surfaced—not anger, not sadness, but a deeper, more indescribable emotion.

Rune's brows furrowed slightly, the wrinkles between his brows casting clear shadows in the light, only to be deliberately smoothed out the next second, as if even he himself was unwilling to confront the spread of that emotion.

Rune's thoughts drifted far away.

In this world, Touchimi is known as "Clem" in another timeline.

Clem. In the original story, he was an orphan whom Princess Lana took in when she was young. The boy who was trained to be the princess's personal guard, the one who was willing to give everything for Lana.

Rune knew very well what Lana's "affection" for Clem meant—a morbid obsession with completely possessing another person.

But in this timeline, Rune found the child before Princess Lana.

It only requires a little bit of operation.

In the original story, Clem's loyalty to the princess was transformed into "Touchimi's" unwavering commitment to justice. Just as Clem was willing to die for Princess Lana, "Touchimi" was also willing to sacrifice his life for justice.

Names can be changed, but behavioral habits can be cultivated.

But the fundamental nature of one's soul is difficult to change.

This is also why Rune chose Clem to become Touchme.

He needed someone like that, someone willing to give everything for their beliefs. And that child was that kind of person at heart.

Rune's fingers rested on the edge of the table, tapping lightly and making a soft, rhythmic sound.

Perhaps Ravenhou was right.

Rune did indeed do something very similar to Lana.

The same "picking up," the same "shaping," the same process of turning a living person into the shape one needs.

But what's the difference?

Rune looked up, his gaze falling out the window. On the hillside path, Tachimi's figure had already disappeared into the distance, leaving only a small, golden dot, leaping forward in the sunlight.

The wind swept across the hillside, rustling the roadside grass and his light golden, tousled hair.

That figure was joyful, full of hope. That boy believed he was indispensable, believed he was doing the right thing.

Rune's lips twitched slightly.

It wasn't a smile. It was a more complex expression, one that even he himself couldn't quite define.

Lana found this amusing.

And he...

Rune reached out and closed the ledger.

Sunlight streamed in from behind, casting his shadow on the table, on the closed ledger, and on his own bony hands.

He loathed that feeling.

I hate this feeling that I'm "no different from Lana".

But he still did.

As Rune once said to Silk, "A knight cannot protect everyone."

But Rune still has things he wants to protect, even if the way he protects them sometimes makes him feel disgusted.

Hill had left sometime earlier, leaving him alone in the study. A thin layer of light clung to the surface of the amber-colored tea, no longer steaming.

The honey cake was still intact on the plate, emitting a faint sweet aroma.

Rune picked up the honey cake and took a bite.

It's very sweet; the sweetness slowly melts on the tip of your tongue, smooth and lingering.

It was so sweet that it reminded Rune of many years ago, at the market in the capital, when Si stuffed a candied fruit into his mouth, and her little face that smiled like a crescent moon.

He slowly finished eating the honey cake.

The aftertaste lingered for a long time, refusing to dissipate.

Then he opened the ledger again and found the two households that had received tax reductions according to Tapchimi's records.

Rune picked up his pen and wrote down, "Each household will be given five silver coins."

Then, next to Tachimi's name, he wrote, "Tachimi, reward: ten silver coins."

After finishing writing, he put down his pen and looked at the line of text. The ink wasn't completely dry, and it shimmered slightly on the paper.

This is the difference.

Lana will keep Clem firmly by her side, leaving him with only herself in his world.

He, Tarun, wanted to take Tapimy to a wider area, so that he could protect more people.

Chapter 35 The Arrival of Ainz Ooal Gown & Legend

Rune stood by the window of his study, watching the town below the hillside gradually light up in the twilight.

A knock came at the door.

"Come in."