As we live, everyone is bound to have a time when their hearts become complicated due to an inevitable force that they cannot do anything about.
This is no exception even for a great wizard who has encountered a glimpse of the truth. Or for a warrior who has reached a mature state where he can materialize his imagination with physical force.
As long as we are human beings who live on this earth,
there is probably no one else who can be free from such troublesome worries except His Majesty the Emperor.
A being who has already transcended humanity to the point where he can interfere with the laws of the world as an individual, with a transcendent will embedded in every gesture and voice.
'If His Majesty finds out about his relationship with the princess, he will surely be horribly executed.'
The sight of His Majesty the Emperor, with his golden eyes filled with rage, uttering the command, "Be torn to pieces," made my spine tingle.
Well anyway… That's why every ordinary person ends up living with at least one worry in their heart that can't be easily solved.
This is a very obvious and common story that could apply to any citizen of the Empire.
That's why there are so many solutions.
The most effective method is to focus on the task at hand.
—Knock knock
A careful knock on the office door early in the morning.
That's how the day began. If you work as faithfully as possible, you won't be able to think about the worries that are out of reach anymore.
"Loyalty! Good morning, Commander."
"Yes. Good morning."
When I saw the face of the vice-captain who came to give a regular report, my mood that was about to become gloomy quickly improved.
Her slightly upturned eyes and sharp overall impression made her seem like she would do whatever she wanted at first glance, but she was one of the most loyal subordinates I've ever had.
She had a face that looked innocent yet soft, but I couldn't help but compare her to someone who behaved and acted in a completely perverted and unpredictable way.
And what about that chest that boasted a heavy presence? It's probably similar in size to the princess, but the vice-captain's body was smaller, so her presence stood out even more.
Plus, her once-tangled, sky-blue ponytail seemed to be shining today. Could it be something good? What's that strangely sweet smell?
"Uh… Captain?"
"Hmm? Oh, sorry. It's just that you look better than usual. I think I smell something sweet."
"F-F-?! Why are you suddenly saying that... Ugh, I tried a trendy hair soap on the advice of Captain Rachel. H-If you like it, I'll continue to do so in the future..."
The vice-captain blushed as he stood in front of me.
'Oh, what a mistake.'
When I blurted it out without thinking, it was nothing more than a joke.
If I treat a loyal and capable subordinate with selfishness, how is that any different from my pathetic predecessor? I feel a sense of self-loathing toward myself for my actions that I committed out of impulse.
It's definitely not right to blindly desire a beautiful woman just because she's nearby.
Is it because I've had so many stimulating experiences recently that I haven't been able to relieve my desires in time?
The atmosphere might be a little awkward, but it would be better to apologize first. This is definitely something that needs to be addressed.
"I didn't know it would be this effective... Rachel, Captain of the Ten. My grace will definitely be..."
Look at her embarrassed expression.
She must have felt quite ashamed by the sudden teasing, and she was mumbling something to herself in front of me.
I apologized to her with all my heart.
"I'm sorry." "Huh? What do you mean?"
A bewildered expression. Was it hard to express my dissatisfaction in front of a superior?
The teasing of a superior tends to be even more mischievous because it's hard for a subordinate to easily show their dislike.
I, too, have recently suffered a lot from someone who treated me harshly, and now I'm trying to do the same thing to the vice-captain.
This was wrong behavior as a human being and as a leader who should be an example to others.
If the Master saw this, he would probably scold me greatly.
"I didn't know I was teasing you. It was something I shouldn't have done as a superior. I sincerely apologize again. I'm sorry."
"T-ahem. I'm fine. Of course, any man would do that. Rather, I don't know what to do with myself because you praised me."
He must be feeling embarrassed even though he said that. His face was still bright red.
"Thank you. The vice-captain is really considerate. I'll be especially careful about my actions from now on."
"No, I don't know about the other idiots, but if you're the captain, it's really fine..."
Even though she was the victim, she made empty remarks so that I wouldn't feel bad.
'What did I do to such a great subordinate?'
Reflecting deeply on my sins once again, I managed to bring up the original topic.
"Are there any orders from your superiors or any special things I should know?"
"Both exist. Which one should I report to you first?"
I thought there were none. Both exist?
No, it's better. When there's a lot of work to do, there won't be time to indulge in idle thoughts or desires.
"Listen to the special report first. Somehow, that one sounds even more ominous."
"As you said, it's quite important. We've received a request for dispatch from the Bartok Viscounty, which is in our operational area."
"Really? What's the matter?" "Recently, the number of dangerous monsters such as trolls and owlbears has grown to a level that the territory's own forces cannot handle. The tone of the request seemed quite urgent."
It sounded a bit serious.
The Bartok Viscounty, located near the island, has quite a lot of power compared to its title, so if they can't do anything about it, they should send the entire Hundred Forces.
"Out of the five Hundred Forces under the Black Lion Knights, which unit hasn't been deployed for the longest time?"
"If it's a large-scale dispatch of a hundred men, the 2nd Hundred men rested the longest."
"Then send the 2nd Hundred men. Ask them to maintain a thorough reporting system as much as possible."
"Yes!"
It hasn't been long since the war ended, and now there's a mass outbreak of monsters. If possible, the Knights should not come out to maintain peace properly.
If ominous rumors start to circulate in a territory with frequent direct exchanges with the system, the news will spread throughout the system in an instant.
Therefore, this incident had to be dealt with urgently before it had a negative impact on public sentiment.
"Please make sure to convey this information to the other hundred men, and make sure that not only the 2nd Hundred men, but all of the Black Lion Knights' troops can maintain a state of readiness starting today."
"Understood. Should we control commuting and have everyone stay inside the garrison?"
"No, there's no need to do that. We'll consider it when the deadline for the advance unit's operation is approaching."
The vice-captain mentioned the brutal measure of controlling commuting hours so casually. It was obvious how grumpy the previous knight commander was.
No matter how serious the incident was, he shouldn't do anything that could have a serious negative impact on the morale of his subordinates.
Treating the knights, who were not conscripts but high-level troops, unnecessarily harshly would only decrease their loyalty. This was not a wartime situation, so maintaining a moderate level of tension would be sufficient.
"Then what orders did you receive from your superiors? The Unified Command, the Imperial Administration, or the Imperial Family? Which of the three?"
"The Imperial Family. The Imperial Guard is sending a small force to us. The purpose is training."
"Training… What on earth do these elites want to learn from a single knight order?"
In the first place, it was questionable that he was dispatched to learn something from the Black Lion Knights, but even requesting training from the Imperial Guard, which had commander-level skills even at the lowest level.
Even if it was an imperial order, it was a measure that was not easily understood by common sense.
"Was there a detailed reason mentioned?"
"Yes. That is… ahem, I will tell you exactly what is written in the notice."
What on earth could it be that he was hesitating and clearing his throat?
"Although the Imperial Guard's troops are said to be excellent, I am very concerned that their sharpness, which has protected the heart of the empire for a long time in the safest place, may have dulled."
"You are saying that the Imperial sword has become dull just because it has stayed in its scabbard for a little while? That is a difficult statement to understand."
I muttered in disbelief as I listened, but the vice-captain's reading continued regardless.
"So, I'm sending some troops under the command of Wolfgang von Schwarz, a war hero who made great contributions to suppressing the puppet government that was in the north. I hope you'll learn valuable combat experience from him."
"Wait, what."
What did I just hear that was so embarrassing?
No, strictly speaking, there's nothing wrong with it, but the citation is too much.
It's not like I won the war alone, and even among my fellow knights, there are three who have made greater contributions than me.
And they're all still active. Considering the achievements of those who died honorably, I definitely shouldn't be treated that way.
"You're truly amazing, Commander Wolfgang. To ask for my help so humbly from the arrogant Imperial Guard. You're truly the Commander."
"Stop, stop…"
I desperately had to turn away from the vice-captain's gaze, which was beginning to sparkle as she looked at my face. I felt like my expression would collapse again if I kept going like this.
Of course, I knew that the vice-captain had no intention of teasing me, but it felt a little too embarrassing to hear her praise so openly right in front of me.
…For some reason, I feel like I've been feeling too embarrassed lately.
I don't know whether I should be wary of my appearance that has completely retreated, or whether I should accept it positively.
Still, this is no longer a battlefield, so I don't need to be so nervous all the time.
I thought about it carefully.
After sending away the vice-captain who seemed like he would continue talking nonsense if left alone, I continued working until the afternoon.
It was time to swing my sword so that my skills wouldn't rust, but since I had two important tasks and more than a few documents to handle myself, I was busier than usual.
I could just cut down on my sleep to secure time for training. Other than that, since I had a lot of work to do, I didn't have any distracting thoughts, which was actually nice.
The feeling of the princess's pure white and soft little hands, and even the secret valley that had been floating around in my mind for days and causing me anxiety, didn't even come to mind at this moment.
So it was really fortunate. While thinking that, I continued to delve into my work.
—Knock knock!
"Gasp, gasp… Loyalty! Commander! We're in big trouble!"
"What is it?"
A servant who looked like he had come running out of breath came to find me.
"First, catch your breath. If you want to be a great knight, you shouldn't show up disheveled in front of your superiors."
"Eek…! I'm, sorry!"
He frowned slightly, but there was no need to be harsh on the young servant. I could just hold the servant responsible later.
"The imperial guard's dispatched troops have just arrived in front of the guardhouse!" "Really? Got it."
Indeed, it was something that made him run out of breath.
After sending the servant away, I quickly checked the condition of the armor. Fortunately, there were no flaws in sight.
What kind of dispatched troops arrived so quickly after sending the notice? I had to swallow my discontent.
But since I had already arrived, I had no choice but to hurry and go.
The dispatched troops that arrived at the Black Lion Knights were, as mentioned in the documents, extremely small. Just a dozen people.
Well, they could just return later and share their experiences, so there was no need to dispatch so many troops.
It would be a problem if the Imperial Guard's combat power was disrupted due to the personnel gap.
"Glory to the Imperial Guard! Eternal loyalty to His Majesty the Emperor!"
Even though I was from the Imperial Guard, I was much higher in rank, so I saluted the commander of the dispatched troops who saluted me loudly first.
"Glory to the Imperial Guard! Eternal loyalty to His Majesty the Emperor!"
But that knight. He seemed a little familiar.
"It is an honor to meet you, Commander of the Black Lion Knights. My name is Elizabeth of the House of Tyler."
"Hello. Lady Elizabeth. I am Wolfgang of the House of Schwarz."
Because of their origins, I had to personally lead the dispatched troops and guide the troops. It would be absurd to treat the Imperial Guard poorly.
But the face of that ten-man captain kept coming into my eyes.
She was certainly pretty, but her overall appearance was bland and her name was so common, so why on earth did I feel a strange sense of unease?
—Tear!
And even if she was from the Imperial Guard, what on earth was that rude look in her eyes?
Feeling an unpleasantness that I could never just sit by and watch, I finished guiding the troops and called her aside to give her a sharp rebuke.
"Sir Elizabeth. Even though you are from the Imperial Guard, that kind of attitude is…"
"I'm sorry, you don't recognize me. I didn't mean to offend you. Please forgive my rudeness. Do you remember me if I say 'Liz'?"
'Ah!'
I finally remembered.
That night, the knight who carried the princess and glared at me with eyes full of suspicion and hatred.
Her impression was completely different from then, so I almost didn't recognize her.
She must have been crazy to pick a fight with her superior first, so she must have been deliberately getting on my nerves to make room and refresh my memory.
So was that knight a contact person sent by the princess to contact me?
"I see you remember now. The purpose of this dispatch is undoubtedly training, but the princess has also given me a personal mission. Here, here is the message the princess sent."
As expected, it seems to be right. I hurriedly unfolded the note the knight had handed me.
[Why on earth didn't you contact me first? From now on, write me a letter every three days. I liked the acting, but I haven't forgiven you yet.]
The content of the note, which started with a slightly murderous but cute topic, continued for quite a while.