No one doubted he passed the Test of Strength. The same went for the Test of Courage, which he didn’t even flinch at.
But when it came to his performance on the third test of knighthood, there was some confusion.
“With all due respect, sir,” he said to his superior, “I passed the Test of Compassion. I helped everyone.”
“You also terrified them with your scowl.” The older knight leaned forward. “It wouldn’t hurt to smile once in a while. Why don’t you try it right now?”
“Sir… I am smiling.”
After a long silence, the knight conceded the point.
Author’s Note: After working on a story with a protagonist who never smiles, I wanted to write a lighter take where the character looks so serious no one realizes when he’s smiling.
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