Chapter 41 – Fight Against Knights
After returning Alicia, who was soundly asleep, safely to the Palace of Light.
As we drove toward the suburbs, we saw a rare scene where houses, though not flashy, were lined up like soldiers in rows and columns.
“It’s very confusing because all the houses look similar. The vice-captain’s house must have been somewhere around here.”
The size of this place itself was quite large. Almost like a small to medium sized village.
However, there was not a single auxiliary facility necessary for the community to function smoothly, such as a shop or a police station.
A place that seems okay to live for a short time, but seems a bit unreasonable to settle down.
The identity of this place was a kind of collective living area where official residences and dormitories for middle and lower-level officials and soldiers who had not yet formed a family were gathered.
I didn’t want to argue with His Majesty’s gift to the young and loyal servants, but it would be nice if the sign was a little bigger.
When she came with the vice-captain, she didn’t feel it because she found her way on her own.
She wandered around alone, so something didn’t seem right.
“How the hell do people here find their homes?”
Even in broad daylight, it was so inconvenient to find the way.
No matter how much the coachman, not me, was driving, I was constantly wasting time going round and round in the same place, and I was feeling cramped.
I noticed a blonde haired woman walking with a bag full of groceries in her arms.
“Hey, honey. Can I ask for directions?”
“Ah. Are you on a first-time trip? This neighborhood is a bit… Kyaaak, Captain?! Chu, loyalty!”
She just wanted to say it was okay, so she quickly lowered the window and started talking to me, but the woman who was talking normally recognized me in a hurry and saluted.
I wondered why, but when I took a closer look, it was a familiar face.
“Oops, I thought it looked a bit familiar… Nice to meet you, Captain Rachel.”
“Yes! Where can I lead you? The geography of this place is clear, so please give me your order!”
A situation where she unexpectedly ran into her subordinate who was enjoying a vacation.
The sight of her standing at attention with her shopping cart almost thrown down on the ground made her feel sorry for herself.
You’re probably feeling a lot of discomfort on the other side. I just need to solve the problem and send it quickly.
“Hey, you must have had a pretty close relationship with Vice-Captain Agnes. Do you know where the vice-captain’s house is?”
“Ah…! You’re staying right next door to me. Just a little further from here, I’ll guide you right away!”
That way, I was able to safely visit the vice-captain’s house along with Captain Rachel.
It is a bonus that I learned anew how to find my way here due to the overly kind and detailed explanation.
“Then please have a good time!”
“Well, thank you. Go ahead and rest.”
“Old! Loyalty! Finally today, a new history…”
It seemed that Rachel, the leader of the Ten, had muttered something meaningful to her just before leaving, but she didn’t need to pay much attention.
“Please wait outside for a while.”
“Yeah.”
After stopping the wagon at a suitable place on the roadside nearby.
I passed through a neat and thoroughly maintained small garden and knocked on the door.
—Thump!
“Are you there?”
“Hey…! Hehe…!”
I could definitely feel the presence in the house, but for some reason, instead of answering, I heard only strange moaning.
Did he even go to the bathroom? Maybe it’s vacation time, so he’s having nightmares while taking a nap.
“Captain… You’re the captain…! Please come in…!”
If you desperately call me outside, how can you get inside when the door is closed?
You can’t force it and break it in. In the end, all I could do was emphasize my presence again.
“Vice-captain! Are you inside? I’m sorry I couldn’t greet you properly in the morning. If you’re sick or confused, I’ll leave.”
I was the one who shut down the door first because I was having a good time with Alicia, so I stood there for a while, thinking that I wouldn’t have anything to say if the same thing happened to me.
— Cudang-tang, thump!
“…Huh?! Captain? Are you really the captain?”
“Yes, it’s fast. Are you okay? You seem very unwell just by hearing your voice.”
Along with a bloody noise as if something was being smashed and tipped over, a hoarse voice that seemed to be locked somewhere rather than the usual calm voice was heard.
I wondered why he didn’t wait and just went back.
“Wait a minute, please! We’ll be out soon!”
“No. Please do not overdo it and prepare slowly.”
The sound of clothing being squeaks and the sound of someone rushing to get something.
Anyone could see that he was relaxing at home and was in a hurry to welcome an unexpected guest.
If I had known it would be like this, we would have met after the vacation was over.
Just as I was about to raise my head, I wondered if I had done something useless just to be considerate.
—Knock!
“Haha…!”
The vice-captain, drenched in sweat and more disheveled than ever before, appeared before my eyes.
Her head was dizzy from the strong scent of a woman blowing in the wind.
A terribly stimulating figure that shakes men’s hearts just by its existence.
The deep valley formed by forcibly crumpling the chest, which boasts a tremendous presence, into the clothes is dizzying.
Even the short sleeveless top worn by the vice-captain couldn’t even cover his stomach, exposing his strong 11-character abs.
How about tight-fitting leggings pants with slight folds of wrinkles as if advertising the fact that they were dressed in a hurry?
“Ha…! I’m sorry. Everything, in front of the captain, I look so ugly.”
“It’s okay. It’s not much different from the appearance we see every day during physical training.”
No, it’s similar, but obviously different.
Her condition now was clearly different from the exhaustion from her exercise.
Because of Alicia, I was able to understand that I had become somewhat familiar with her woman’s body and her various reactions.
It’s like…
—Sue
I awkwardly stretched out my hand to her forehead, which was exposed through the azure ponytail of her vice-captain.
“Hey, you seem to have a fever. Rest in peace. I’ll be back for today.”
Yes. Things like that happen, too.
I had no intention of nagging her about having a good time alone.
Using the opposite sex as a ‘side dish’ is also understandable.
“Ah, ah…”
The vice-captain, whose face was flushed as if it were about to burst, stared at the ground without saying anything.
Accident. Yes, this was just a minor accident.
I thought about what to do dozens of times in her head, but after all, I thought it would be better to just pretend I didn’t know for now.
“Have a good vacation.”
“…”
The subtle line still drawn between the vice-captain and me.
The fact that it was gradually worn out was definitely felt.
How long can this precarious relationship last?
It seemed that the meal should be served next time.
I hope that by the time her vacation is over, I will be able to see her again with her smile on her face.
* * *
After that incident, the week-long vacation went by like a lightning bolt.
After taking care of various chores including tidying up the house.
“Rest in peace, everyone.”
When I went back to pay my respects at the cemetery where my fallen comrades and men were buried, I felt empty, as if something was empty.
It was because I felt guilty for the fact that I was having a good time alone, leaving the people who had left.
It was a common symptom that would come and go. It disappears on its own after a few days.
Just that much.
So, after staying at home for a few days and not doing anything, the time to return to normal life has arrived.
“It must have been difficult to manage the unit if there were not enough commanders. The 2nd Centurion seems to have done a good job.”
After coming to work earlier than usual and sitting in the office of the knight commander looking at the overdue documents, I felt at ease.
Despite the absence of leadership from the long mission, the unit seemed to be functioning well.
Well, if the superiors were sane, they couldn’t have entrusted the mission to the Black Lion Knights, who were as if their heads were missing.
Bondi soldiers have nothing to do in peace.
“Loyalty! Good morning, Captain!”
“Good morning, vice-captain. Did you have a good vacation?”
I smiled lightly at the vice-captain, who greeted him with a lively morning greeting, and said a good word.
Alas.
“That, that… Yes…”
“Well…”
The blushing vice-captain seldom made eye contact with me, and the awkward atmosphere calmed down after a while.
“So, are there any instructions from the higher up or special matters?”
“Hmmmm. Well… No mission has come down, but a very important event has been scheduled.”
“What is that?”
What kind of event would it be if you didn’t say it right away and hesitated?
Whatever it was, it wouldn’t be more shocking than the princess’ surprise visit to the troops.
Seeing that the vice-captain opened his mouth and his eyes were shining as if he was expecting something, it didn’t seem burdensome or serious.
In the first place, I was a bit reluctant to attend an event because it is not very pleasant for a soldier.
“This is a regular knights match directly hosted by the imperial family. In the past, the condition of the unit was so dire that we couldn’t expect good results, but with the newly appointed captain, this time will definitely be different.”
“It’s a competition… Is it like a mock battle?”
After hearing the story, this was not a cumbersome catering act like a review ceremony, but an event that stimulated interest properly.
Are the knights gathering and competing with sharpened blades against each other?
Can’t you stand that?
“Yes. Yes, but it’s a little different in many fields…”
I listened to the vice-captain’s explanation.
