Chapter 160 – Dismissal
The morning after a long holiday.
I prepared to greet the precious daily life given to me with a godly heart.
The handle of a greatsword that fits snugly in the hand. I am very satisfied with that cold feeling.
A week spent on an uninhabited island with Ophelia.
It was a short period for being in distress, but as he had never let go of a weapon in his hand for such a long time, he swung his sword harder than usual even while enjoying the holiday.
It was an expression of guilt for indolence and a kind of rehabilitation treatment.
In order to calm down once again, I took a deep breath and greeted Demon Bane.
“Please take good care of me after a long time.”
As soon as I arrived at the house, he was the guy who greeted me with an upside down flower in the yard like a legendary holy sword.
If my return had been a little later, my grave would have been built around it.
It was a long tradition passed down among the knights of the Empire to put the weapon they used in their lifetime as a tombstone to commemorate the knights who disappeared during the mission.
Or it was recovered as it was and put into the storage of the imperial relics.
If so, wouldn’t it have been roughly written like this on the bottom of the display stand?
[The Greatsword used by Wolfgang von Schwarz, Commander of the Knights of the Black Lion]
[It is dotted with the blood of countless demons and has the properties of perm. It takes tremendous strength to wield it.]
Well, Alicia wouldn’t have let that go.
Sometimes imagining things like this is fun in its own way.
“Come on, Master.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
On the way to work, old butler Alfred gives an unusually friendly farewell.
“Goodbye, master!”
The servants of the mansion, who were usually difficult for me and silently performed only the tasks given to me, were also there.
I nodded in response to them.
Something awkward, but not too unpleasant.
Everyone is doing things they wouldn’t normally do.
Hagisa, in the eyes of others, it will feel like I have lived and died without fail. It is likely that such a reaction will occur.
If so, is it a kind of consideration given to me that I was able to spend this holiday relatively quietly?
Obviously, the case of the disappearance of the saintess and the encounter and battle with the apostle of Eclipse are serious matters that cannot be easily overlooked.
As much as that, the Celestial Church and the United Command would bother me a lot to investigate the inside story of the incidents that occurred during the mission.
There were no uninvited guests trying to disturb my rest during the holidays.
Considering the hardships he went through in the process of clearing up the mission to subdue the Countess of Fersen, he was prepared for this mission as well, which had more variables than that.
Could it be that the investigation has already been completed while I was stuck on a deserted island?
At this point, it’s rather embarrassing that nothing happened.
Well, the details will come naturally after I go to work.
I got into the prepared wagon and went to work.
“Shall we go?”
Rest was sufficient.
I slept well, had a good time with my lovers, and enjoyed my hobby life to the fullest so that I no longer have any regrets.
It’s time to return from the prodigal loafer Wolfgang to the leader of the Knights of the Black Lion.
“Captain… It’s the captain!”
As he got off the wagon and took a step closer to the guardhouse, the eyes of an ordinary knight widened.
— Boom boom…
“You’re back, Captain!”
“Loyalty! Congratulations on your safe return, Captain!”
Soon after, when my subordinates who were on their way to work and those who had gone to work in advance sensed my presence and started to flock one by one, the surroundings quickly started to get noisy.
Even the servants and servants are approaching this direction, glancing at each other.
If I continue like this, I will be swept away by the crowd and will not be able to go to work.
“Everyone…”
I don’t know why they are doing this.
Where did he throw away all his stature as a knight?
How dare they crowd around as if the front of the unit is a marketplace.
“Oh, Captain! You’re back!”
“Demon crusher! Dark light of dawn! The one who returned from the end of the world!”
“Our leader, the Black Lion, has returned after rescuing the saintess!”
It is something that should be punished.
It is an act of serious disorganization that would not be enough even if an order was issued immediately, everyone was dispersed, and the parade ground was turned round and round all day long.
Since I came back after a long time, I need to be more disciplined.
Originally, that was the right thing to do.
“Nice to meet you, everyone.”
But… I didn’t want to.
I accepted all the greetings and salutes of the flocking subordinates and slowly entered the unit.
For some reason, my heart is a little heavy.
A sentiment that could never be felt during the war, when people were torn apart day by day.
It is a real bliss to have a place to return to and people to welcome you back.
“This is a great start to the day.”
Really. A person can never live alone with good taste.
I was about to go up to the office located on the top floor of the barracks with a feeling of fullness rising deep in my heart.
“Well?”
“This, my… Why did this happen…!”
In the hallway in front of the office, Agnes, holding an order stamped with the commander-in-chief’s seal, was wandering around, biting his nails.
It’s the first time I’ve seen him so anxious.
Besides, she was definitely Agnes, who had been out with her on a date in the downtown area until yesterday evening, holding her hand tightly and whispering that she was the happiest woman in the world.
What could be the reason for her to change like that in just one morning?
Very concerned, I walked closer to Agnes and gently wrapped my arms around her shoulders.
No matter how much it was inside the base, it seemed that I couldn’t bear it without comforting me.
“Agnes, why is that?”
“Everything, Captain…! This can’t be done, can’t be done…!”
—Sueuuu…
However, even in my arms, he was trembling weakly and finally releasing cold air, as if something really unusual had happened.
“Come on. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ll go inside first.”
Haha… Yes, Captain…”
I don’t know what it is, but the most important thing to me right now is to calm Agnes.
I stand still and pat her on the back until the slightest trembling in my body stops, then hold her hand and enter the office together.
“I-I’m sorry for being rude. The news was too embarrassing…”
“No. It could be. You are human too.”
Then, after a while, Agnes, who had regained some composure, carefully laid out the order on my desk.
“There must be some mistake. There is no reason for the higher ups to issue an order like this.”
“Well…”
Then, the contents of the slightly shocking order appeared in front of my eyes.
I could see why Agnes was overreacting.
I muttered in disbelief.
“Are you telling me to quit the position of captain of the knights?”
* * *
There were only two lines in the order.
[Wolfgang von Schwarz, Commander of the Black Lion Knights, dismisses you from the position of Commander of the Knights]
[To be able to wait while performing the existing mission until the next order is issued]
To the extent that I could understand Agnes’ devastated muttering that there must be some mistake.
What is the reason for suddenly giving me an order with this written on it?
Generally, these important matters are never communicated simply in writing.
Either way, it is bound to go through a process of preparation so that the person concerned can know in advance.
Only then can the situation be sorted out without unnecessary confusion and the existing mission will not be affected.
Besides, I don’t particularly want to sell off Master’s name, but I’m a former disciple of the Great General. I’m not even familiar with the Commander-in-Chief.
It was common sense for the military to treat me like this.
However, the order clearly had the seals of Master and the Commander-in-Chief stamped with a bang.
It is said that the matter has already been discussed and agreed upon at the upper level.
So, in the end, this situation could only be interpreted in one way.
That the commander-in-chief wanted to call me in a slightly different way.
Are you trying to play a prank like this just because you’ve been high-pitched lately?
As far as I know, he was definitely not the kind of person who likes to joke around.
Anyway, I left the unit and headed straight for the Unified Command.
It was a bonus that the puzzled gazes of his subordinates caught his eyes.
“Loyalty! Please explain your name and affiliation!”
“I’m Wolfgang von Schwarz, the commander of the Knights of the Black Lion.”
“Okay. How are you doing?”
“I’m here to see the Commander-in-Chief.”
“Excuse me, but the procedure…”
“Maybe you won’t need it. Just tell them I’m here. Then you’ll be fine.”
“Yes, old!”
Even if I visit Master’s house right next door often, it’s been a long time since I’ve been in and out of it.
Even during the war, I was mainly in the field, and I had no connection with the headquarters.
There were many thoughts in my head, but for now, as soon as I get permission to enter, I go straight ahead.
It felt like if I had even a little negative thought right now, I would topple everything.
The office of His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief arrived shortly after.
—A jump!
Without knocking, I opened the door and entered.
His Excellency, Commander-in-Chief, must have already noticed my momentum.
It was like this often during the war, so you wouldn’t bother arguing about it.
“It’s been a while, Your Excellency Commander-in-Chief.”
“Yeah, you’re right here.”
So what are you going to do with me?
Please, I hope it’s important enough to call people in such an unpleasant way.
