The Perfect Knight and the Illusionist (BL)

LEO

Unfortunately, our kickball match against the Capital Guards Cadets ended in a draw. I was so happy that Dimitri scored and I really wanted us to win—even the Second Lady seemed to be cheering for us!—perhaps it was for the best. In a weird way, I was actually relieved that we drew. The Cadets also played very hard and as nice as it would have been nice to beat them, probably seeing the hard-working Cadets be defeated wouldn’t have made me feel too good either.

After the match, I remembered that Briant and Alexis’s debate club was going to hold a public debate event pretty soon. I hesitated a little whether to go because public debate wasn’t really something I was interested in, but then figured I’d still go to support my friends there, so I made my way.

On the way, I saw Mario heading in the same direction with the Second Lady. I felt I shouldn’t shout out his name and disturb him, but thought a little wave wouldn’t do any harm, but the silly Mario Boy did not see me, much to my disappointment.

Nevertheless, we arrived at the hall where the debate was being held. Mario sat near the front in the row behind the Second Lady, and I sat right at the back. I was lucky to get a seat at all because a surprisingly large number of people turned up to watch the debate.

The debate topic was written on a banner that hung above the stage.

’How to solve social division and unite the citizens of the Aurelian Empire’

It sounded like one of those topics that people in fancy clothes liked talking about while using words that I didn’t understand.

Still, Briant and Alexis were already sitting on the stage with several other members of the debate club, so I decided I would at least listen properly when my friends spoke.

The club president opened the session.

"The Aurelian Empire is prosperous, powerful, and diverse. Yet differences in wealth, occupation, birthplace, and social standing continue to divide its citizens. Today, rather than debating whether these divisions are right or wrong, we ask a different question: what can actually be done to reduce them?"

That sounded surprisingly sensible.

I noticed Mario straighten slightly in his chair.

Then I remembered he had told me this was the event he was most looking forward to.

Maybe he really liked this kind of thing.

Weirdo.

The first few speakers talked about taxation, schools, military service, and laws. I tried to follow, but at some point there were too many words like ’alloocation,’ ’re-presentation,’ and ’ad-mini-strative’ being thrown around, and my eyes wandered toward Mario instead.

He was listening very seriously.

Of course he was.

Then Briant stood up.

That got my attention back.

"I agree with the previous proposal that greater contact between different classes is desirable," Briant began, speaking calmly. "However, I question the assumption that contact alone produces understanding."

He didn’t speak loudly like some of the others. Somehow, that made everyone quieter.

"If two people meet while one possesses authority over the other, they have technically interacted. That does not mean they have met as equals."

A few people nodded.

"The Empire cannot command its citizens to respect one another. Respect imposed by decree would be meaningless. What institutions can do, however, is create circumstances in which cooperation becomes advantageous to everyone involved."

He walked slowly across the stage as he spoke.

"Consider this Academy. Students come from different provinces, families, and levels of wealth. Yet when assigned to the same team, success depends upon each member performing his or her role competently. A noble swordsman who refuses to trust a common-born mage because of her birth is not merely prejudiced. He is also a fool who may get his entire party killed."

That earned some laughter.

Even the Second Lady laughed.

Then I noticed her turn toward one of the attendants beside her and whisper something. The attendant immediately took out a small book and began writing.

Was she actually taking notes?

"Therefore," Briant continued, "I propose expanding institutions in which citizens of different backgrounds have a genuine reason to cooperate: public academies, guild partnerships, civic projects, mixed military units, and scholarships based upon ability. Not charity. Not symbolic gestures. Structures in which each person possesses something the others need."

One of the other debate members raised her hand.

"But wouldn’t those opportunities disproportionately benefit talented individuals while leaving the poorest citizens exactly where they already are?"

"A fair objection," Briant said immediately.

He didn’t seem bothered at all.

"In that case, access must come before selection. A scholarship based on ability is meaningless if a gifted village child was never taught to read well enough to apply for it."

For some reason, that sentence hit me, although I would have never called myself ’gifted.’

I leaned forward.

Briant continued discussing schools and regional opportunities, and this time I actually tried to understand everything he said.

When he finished, there was strong applause.

The Second Lady clapped enthusiastically too, then leaned toward her attendant again.

More notes.

Then Alexis stood.

Unlike Briant, Alexis looked nervous.

He adjusted his clothes, glanced at the audience, then took a breath.

"I agree with Briant."

A few people laughed.

Alexis smiled awkwardly.

"Sorry. I know that’s not a very good way to start a debate."

More laughter.

"But I do. I think everything he suggested would help. I just don’t think institutions alone can solve the problem."

The room settled again.

"You can put two people in the same school. You can make them serve in the same unit. You can make them work together. But you cannot make one of them believe the other deserves to stand beside him."

There was something different about the way Alexis spoke. Briant sounded like every sentence had already been crafted before leaving his mouth. Alexis sounded like he was finding the words because he really wanted us to understand him.

"My family is comfortable," Alexis continued. "I have never gone hungry. I have never had to wonder whether I could afford clothes, books, or medicine. It would be dishonest for me to stand here and pretend I understand what that life feels like."

The hall became very quiet.

"But I know that being fortunate does not mean I worked harder than everyone who has less than I do."

I glanced at Mario.

He was staring at Alexis now, completely still.

"I didn’t choose the family I was born into. None of us did. So I think the first thing we need to change is very simple, even if it might be the hardest—we need to stop treating another person’s circumstances as proof of their worth."

The Second Lady stopped whispering.

She was listening directly now.

Alexis continued.

"So yes, create opportunities. Build schools. Give scholarships. Make people cooperate. I support all of that. But while we do it, we also need to remember why. The purpose isn’t to turn poor people into people we can finally respect."

Briant smiled slightly.

Alexis finished,

"It is to build an Empire where we understand that they deserved our respect from the beginning."

The applause started somewhere near the middle of the room.

Then it spread.

I found myself clapping hard too.

The Second Lady was one of the first people in the front rows to stand.

That made practically everyone else stand as well.

Alexis looked horrified by the attention and bowed repeatedly before sitting down.

When everyone settled again, Briant raised his hand.

"I would like to amend my earlier proposal."

The president nodded.

"Go ahead."

"Alexis has identified a weakness in my argument. Institutions can create the conditions for cooperation, but they cannot guarantee the spirit in which that cooperation occurs."

Alexis looked surprised.

"Therefore, I would add civic education and shared community service to the proposal—not as instruction about which opinions citizens must hold, but as opportunities for them to understand the lives of people outside their immediate social circles."

Alexis raised his hand this time.

"And I’d amend mine too."

That got a chuckle from the audience.

"I think I made it sound as though changing people’s hearts should come first. But Briant is right too. It’s easier to understand someone when you actually know them."

Briant nodded.

"So perhaps neither comes first," he said. "We improve the structures that bring people together, and those relationships gradually improve the structures in return."

The Second Lady immediately whispered to her attendant again.

The poor attendant was writing so quickly now that I wondered if his hand hurt.

For someone who normally had very little interest in politics, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the debate.

Maybe because they weren’t really arguing.

Well, they were arguing, but not like people fighting.

I looked toward Mario again.

He was still watching the stage with that serious expression of his, but there was something different about it now.

He looked pleased.

Proud, even.

I wondered if he had something to do with all this.

Knowing Mario, he probably did.

The debate continued, with other students adding their own proposals, but I kept thinking about Briant and Alexis’s words.

And occasionally about Mario.

Mostly the debate.

I thought.

When the session finally ended, the Second Lady remained behind to speak with the debate club members, which meant Mario and the student council would probably be stuck there with her for a while longer.

I stood from my seat and stretched.

There were still so many things happening at the festival.

Janice’s choir performance would be later, and Isabelle and Beatrice’s play too.

But I looked toward Mario one more time before leaving.

He had been busy all morning.

Maybe after this, he would finally have some free time.

I smiled to myself.

Maybe I could meet up with Mario afterward.