Side: Ruthkania
The haniwas came to see Ruth one day while she was working on redecorating plans for room 106. Nalfa and Kotori had been dropping by a lot lately, meaning that there were now twelve people regularly hanging out at the apartment. To help make the tiny, crowded space seem bigger and more welcoming, Ruth was thinking of changing the curtains and the wallpaper.
“I think a pale, cool color would work great...”
“Ruth-chan, Ruth-chan!”
“We want to ask you something, ho!”
Ruth was staring intently at the curtains as the two haniwas jumped up and down at her feet. When she saw them, Ruth reconsidered her color choices. A warm color would contrast Koutarou’s dark wardrobe nicely—especially when he wore blue.
“What can I help you with?”
As expected of a serious and courteous girl like Ruth, however, she quickly put her thoughts aside and sat down in front of the haniwas to give them her full attention.
“We can’t decide on our titles, ho!”
“We want to hear what our vice captain thinks, ho!”
The group had recently decided that the haniwas would be joining the Satomi knights. It was customary for the knights’ liege to bestow titles upon them, but the haniwas were blessed with a kind lord who let them pick their own. The decision was a weighty one, however, so the haniwas had come to the knightly and knowledgeable Ruth for advice.
“You two were appointed by Princess Theiamillis herself, making you established knights. This gives you a great deal of freedom when it comes to picking your titles.”
“So we’re free to choose what we want, ho?”
“How free, exactly, ho?”
“Well, think about Master. His title is ‘Theiamillis’s Blue Knight,’ which is quite different than most titles.”
“Now that you mention it, ho, everyone always just calls him the Blue Knight... so I’d forgotten about that, ho.”
“Ho! Your title is ‘Guardian Knight,’ isn’t it, Ruth-chan?”
“That’s right. My family title is different from Master’s. It’s simply an appellation describing my role.”
“Ruth-chan’s family has protected Theia-chan’s family for generations, so they’re Guardian Knights, ho!”
“But both titles stand for something important, ho! Big Brother carries Theia-chan’s wishes, and Ruth-chan carries her family’s legacy, ho!”
“That’s right. A knight’s title is like their sword—what it signifies is more important than its literal meaning.”
“Ho, oh no... So I can’t pick ‘Lightning Knight’ just because it’s cool, or ‘Cat Knight’ because it’s cute, ho...”
“It’s gotta be deep, ho! We can’t pick anything that would embarrass the knights that come after us, ho!”
As the haniwas continued to discuss potential titles, Ruth turned back to the curtains and the design pamphlet she was holding. After a while like this, the haniwas began bouncing up and down to get her attention again.
“Ruth-chan, Ruth-chan! We’d like to ask something for reference, ho!”
“If you could pick a new title for yourself, ho, what would it be?”
“Of course, I’d want to be the Blue Knight’s—”
Ruth had an answer, and she’d almost confessed it readily: the Blue Knight’s bride. Luckily, however, she was able to stop herself before saying too much.
“Er, I’d like to be the Blue Knight’s... Right Hand, perhaps?” she eked out with a furious blush.
“Really, ho...? I think you were about to say something else, ho!”
“Tell us, ho! We’re dying here, ho!”
“N-No, the Blue Knight’s Right Hand would be the perfect title for me! That’s what I want!”
Unfortunately for Ruth, it seemed it would be some time yet before she got back to her redecorating plans.
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