The Legend of Sun Knight Side Stories 5: “Making a Mistake”

The Legend of Sun Knight Side Stories

Original novel in Chinese by: 御我 (Yu Wo)

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“Making a Mistake” – translated by Lucathia

At first, he had wanted to become the Judgment Knight in hopes of atoning for the mistake he had almost committed.

When his teacher had asked him why he wanted to take over the Judgment Knight’s position, he had thought that it was because he wanted to ensure that criminals never had the chance to make a second mistake.

In the end, he understood that the prerequisite for ensuring that criminals never had the chance to make a second mistake was that he himself could never make a mistake…. The price of one mistake could possibly be the life of an innocent, the wrecking of a family, or even worse harm.

The Judgment Knight did not have the right to ever make a mistake.

Lesus Lucen concentrated as he swung his blade toward the wooden dummy. He was young and could not yet lift a real sword, but his skill with daggers was so good that even adults wielding swords dared not look down on him.

In reality, no man in the Lucen family dared to accept Lesus’ challenge now. For the most part, they were knights or other professions that practiced swordsmanship. Losing to a twelve-year-old child would be humiliating, and they did not have the confidence that they would definitely win against Lesus.

Phil Lucen was also one of the men who didn’t dare accept his nephew’s challenge, but he did not feel self-abased over this or envious of his nephew, for this nephew of his in name had long ago become his son in reality.

Wonderful innate talent, a serious disposition, and the tragedy of losing both of his parents were what had created the present Lesus Lucen.

Given a few years more, Lesus would definitely become a formidable knight.

However, Phil believed that Lesus would rather be average his entire life than have his parents fall to that calamity.

I heard that the person was suspected to have committed several robberies and murders, except there had been no evidence, so he was released.

Ah! If he had not been released, then my older brother and my sister-in-law would not have… Has the murderer been found?

He’s still on the run, but I heard that the Judgment Knight is very furious. He’s sent out many holy knights, who are hunting the criminal who has escaped. They’re collecting evidence as well, hoping to sentence him to death by hanging immediately after he’s caught.

What is this “collecting evidence” about? He should be hanged right away!

Don’t say that. It’s not like they can hang people without a reason…

“Lesus.”

Lesus stopped swinging his blade, and turned his head to look at Phil, his uncle. Even though his uncle had made it clear that he could call him Father, he knew he would never call him by anything else. His actual father and mother had already passed away. No one could take their places.

“Lesus, you will be happy when you hear this.” Phil smiled as he said, “Your parents will finally be avenged! The robber was caught a few days ago, and will be hanged today. Why don’t we go to the execution ground and watch the execution? Don’t tell your aunt though; she doesn’t want you to go.”

The criminal who killed my parents is going to be hanged? Lesus was stunned, yet he did not feel happy. In fact, not knowing what to do, he turned and ran.

“Lesus? Where are you going? Lesus!”

When he should have been hanged, he hadn’t been hanged, thus resulting in my parents’ deaths. If he is hanged now, who am I supposed to take revenge on?

Angered, Lesus ran to the Church of the God of Light, the expression on his face full of hatred. He even wore a dagger at his waist, yet surprisingly the holy knights at the door did not bar his way, allowing him to burst into the Church.

It wasn’t until he had walked into the Church of the God of Light, with holy knights frequently passing by his sides and his steps slowing down, did he finally wake up, surprised to find that he had recklessly barged into the Church just like that. Why hadn’t the guards at the door stopped me?

“Are you lost?”

Lesus jumped in surprise, turning his head to see a holy knight stooping down to look at him. Since the person wore a smile on his face and didn’t look like he meant any harm, Lesus quickly nodded his head to answer him. “Yeah.”

“Come here.” The holy knight led him to a window and gestured outside. “You should be gathering over there. See those other people?”

Curious, Lesus peered outside the window. There was a small plaza, with numerous children in the plaza who looked around the same age as him.

He was puzzled for a moment. However, he immediately remembered that his uncle had mentioned that the Holy Temple was currently selecting the next generation of the Twelve Holy Knights. His uncle had even asked him if he wanted to participate in the selection. At the time though, his heart had been set on revenge, so he had had absolutely no interest in the selection.

No wonder the guards hadn’t stopped me. They probably think I’m also a participant in the selection.

“If you want to go to the toilet, it’s just around the corner over there.”

Lesus turned his head back from the window. The holy knight smiled and said in a whisper, “If you’re just curious and taking a look around, that’s okay too, just don’t wander too far in. The inner temple is where the rooms of the Twelve Holy Knight-Captains are. The area is off limits!”

Hearing about the rooms of the Twelve Holy Knights, Lesus did not bat an eyelid as he asked, “Where is the inner temple that I’m not supposed to go? I’m afraid I might accidentally end up there.”

Without any suspicion, the holy knight pointed out the direction.

Lesus nodded to show his understanding. However, once the holy knight left, he immediately headed in the direction he was not supposed to go. He didn’t have to walk far before he passed under an arched door, and the corridors’ appearance changed. Compared to the majestic ones outside, these were much plainer.

Lesus slowed down his steps, carefully watching for anyone around him. He knew that if he was spotted there, he would definitely get thrown out.

There was absolutely no one in the corridors, probably because it was daytime at the moment. The holy knights must be carrying out their duties outside! Lesus surmised to himself.

Someone’s coming! Lesus hurriedly turned into a side corridor, and then stealthily stuck his head out to take a look. The person was standing next to the window, facing outward. With the black robes he wore on his body, and the long, black hair he had that reached his waist, his figure, when seen from behind, was a complete shroud of darkness.

Black hair and black robes… Judgment Knight!

This is the person who had let the criminal go, causing my parents’ deaths… He is also a murderer!

Lesus gripped the dagger by his waist, calmly looking to his left and right, making sure there was no one in sight.

Generally, most people don’t have much vigilance toward children, plus the selection is being held at the moment. Judgment Knight would most likely think that I’m a candidate as well. If I pretend that I’m lost, and then take the chance to strike once he is close, I might truly succeed...

Even though he was merely a twelve-year-old child, his concentration had always been above that of other people’s. He had practiced with his sword from a very young age, and had suffered the catastrophe of losing both of his parents, so Lesus had long since developed a calm and logical demeanor that would have frightened others.

He hid the dagger behind his back, pinched his eyelids to force out some tears, fixed a scared expression on his face, and was about to step out…

“Chasel!”

Lesus quickly hid himself again.

“What’s up with you recently? Everyone’s been so nervous that they came to tell me that you’re in a terrible rage, and they want me to deal with it. What are you furious about anyway? If anyone has provoked you, why don’t you just finish them off?”

Lesus sneakily stuck his head out and saw a man with blue eyes and golden hair. The man was also wearing a white knight’s outfit with the edges embroidered in gold, and wore a golden sword by his waist. With so many conspicuous features, even if he had never laid eyes on this person before, he would still have known who he was—the leader of the Twelve Holy Knights, the Sun Knight.

The Judgment Knight who had been called Chasel turned around, his brows furrowed. He coldly said, “Then you might as well kill me, Neo!”

Both the Sun Knight, Neo, and Lesus, who was hidden behind the wall, jumped in surprise. This time, it was Neo’s turn to furrow his brows. He asked, “What are you talking about? Why are you suddenly telling me to kill you?”

“Didn’t you ask me who I was furious with, and even say that I might as well finish them off?” Chasel said emotionlessly, “I am furious with myself.”

Neo relaxed his brows, and asked in understanding, “This is about today’s case, about the criminal that’s going to be hanged?”

Heart pumping, Lesus hurriedly concentrated on looking at Judgment Knight, Chasel. The other still had his brows furrowed deeply, and he nodded his head.

“If the person has already been caught, and the situation resolved, why are you upset?” Neo abruptly stopped mid-speech and then somewhat oddly asked, “Wait, don’t you always go to watch executions? You’ve told me before that since you’re the one who sentences them to death, it’s like you are the one killing them, so you should at least go watch their last moments, or something similar.”

“I am afraid to watch the execution.”

Stunned, Neo asked, “You think there’s a problem with the criminal’s sentence?”

Hearing this, Lesus, who had been hiding off to the side, hatefully drew out the dagger from behind his back.

However, Chasel shook his head and said, “That criminal deserves his sentence. What I am afraid to face is the victim. The husband and wife who had been killed left behind a child. The child is only a bit older than ten, most likely around the same age as those children outside in the plaza at the moment, I would think?”

After he said this, he turned his head to look outside the window again. Neo wasn’t good at comforting people either. Put on the spot, he didn’t quite know what to say to cheer the other person up.

Seeing the Judgment Knight reveal an obviously anguished expression, Lesus suddenly realized that he was not as cold-hearted and unfeeling as the rumors said he was… So even the Judgment Knight can feel regret over releasing a criminal by mistake?

“The God of Light entrusted the Judgment Knight to discipline criminals in order to protect the innocent, yet the true difficulty lies not in disciplining criminals, but rather in discerning who is guilty and who is innocent. Once the death penalty is dealt, no longer is there any leeway for backing out, so never am I willing to lightly deal the death penalty… Yet being too cautious has caused the deaths of even more people.”

Neo wrinkled his brows a bit and said, “Chasel, it’s impossible for humans to never make mistakes.”

Without waiting for him to finish, Chasel spun around and agitatedly shouted, “The Judgment Knight cannot make mistakes! It was my mistake, yet someone else suffered the consequences. That husband and wife, that child… How could I make a mistake?”

Clatter.

“Who’s there?!”

Neo turned around. At the same time, he already unsheathed the Divine Sun Sword that was hanging from his waist. Sword in hand, he stayed alert, glancing at the dagger that lay on the floor around the corner of the corridor. Just as he started feeling confused, he saw a child slowly move forward.

He hadn’t thought it would be a child. Neo stared blankly. No matter what, he could not fight against a child, and the child had already dropped his dagger on the floor, so he was completely unarmed and defenseless.

Chasel pressed against Neo’s sword hilt, his tone rebuking as he said, “Don’t frighten the child.”

Neo made a tsking sound and simply put away his sword.

Chasel walked forward a few steps, doing his best to lighten his tone as he asked, “Child, what have you come here for?”

“I, I…” After Lesus stuttered for a good while, he suddenly said loudly, “I want to register for the selection for the Judgment Knight!”

“Register for the selection?” Neo brusquely said, “Registration ended yesterday!”

However, Chasel waved his hand to stop his companion’s words, and then he asked, “What is your name? Do you know how to use a sword?”

“Lesus Lucen.” Lesus nodded his head frantically and said, “I know how to use a sword!”

At this time, Neo curiously took measure of the child. “Black hair and black eyes, your appearance passes! But the Judgment Knight’s job is very difficult, and you have to bind the criminals onto the walls and flay them until their skin breaks. Aren’t you afraid?”

Hearing this, Lesus’ face immediately turned pale.

“Neo, don’t scare the child!” Chasel gave his companion a glare and continued to ask Lesus, “Do you have your parents’ permission for entering the selection?”

Lesus lowered his head as he said, “No parents. I only have my uncle.”

“Does your uncle know then?”

After hesitating for a moment, Lesus shook his head.

Seeing this, Chasel furrowed his brows.

Neo deliberately said, “The registration period has already ended. You’re not thinking of breaking the rules for him, are you? Is this something the law-abiding Judgment Knight should do?”

Hearing this, Chasel rolled his eyes at him. Neo merely laughed, as he was only joking. So far, all the children who had registered for Judgment Knight were undisciplined and unruly. He couldn’t fault Chasel for wanting to widen his options even by a little. At least this child in front of them gave off a good first impression.

Chasel lowered his head to look at the child. Even though he knew the registration period had already ended, and even though he knew the Judgment Knight was an arduous and thankless job, that missing the registration period might even be a blessing instead of misfortune for the child, yet…

At this time, Lesus abruptly revealed a determined expression. He lowered his body to a ninety-degree bow and loudly said, “Judgment Knight, I am sorry!”

Surprised, Chasel looked at the child who was currently bowing to him at a ninety-degree angle. He squatted down in order to look the child in his eyes but discovered the child was looking away, afraid to meet his eyes. He reached his hand out to pat the other’s head. Comfortingly, he said, “Don’t be afraid, I won’t hurt you. Tell me, why are you apologizing?”

Lesus deflated but refused to let any tears leak. He just continued to repeat, “I…sorry. I’m really sorry!”

Seeing this, Chasel didn’t know what to do. He could only hold the child’s hand. “Let’s go. We’ll go and search for your uncle to see if he’ll be willing to let you register.”

“Uncle is willing!” Lesus hurriedly said, “He asked me before if I wanted to enter.” Even though he said that, at the time his uncle seemed to have said something about entering the Sun Knight selection or some other knight’s, but he didn’t really remember. Still, the Judgment Knight should be okay too, right?

“No matter what, at the very least we still have to ask.”

“Okay.” Lesus very obediently nodded his head.

After bidding Neo farewell, Chasel led the child by his hand and said, “Let’s go.”

“Okay.”

Neo watched the two leave. The older and the younger, both with a head of black hair, practically looked like father and son. He laughed a little, and murmured, “Lesus Lucen? I think it’s time to call you Lesus Judgment instead?”

Grisia listened to the story as he ate his blueberry cookies. Once Lesus reached this point in the story, he asked in puzzlement, “Did your uncle really agree on letting you enter the Judgment Knight selection? I remember those children who were part of the Judgment Knight selection were all no good…”

Somewhat helplessly, Lesus said, “When my uncle heard that I wanted to enter the Judgment Knight selection, he immediately yelled that he wanted to evict me from the family. My aunt was so shocked that she fainted… But in the end, he agreed and even took me to participate in all the various tests.”

Grisia raised his eyebrows, not at all believing Lesus’ words.

“…except, whenever I passed one of the tests, they would cry violently for three days.”

“Then what happened when you got chosen?”

“…they cried for around a month…”