12
12
Ten years ago.
From that day on, I always wished.
Even if it were just a dream.
Please, just once.
That I could see my noona.
Which is why right now.
"Uh...?"
I had no choice but to doubt my own eyes.
Because finally,
"Roy!"
that wish had come true.
"A-Ah... noona..."
"Yeah, Roy. It's your noona..."
This must obviously be a dream.
But it doesn't matter.
Even if it's merely a fleeting illusion of a single moment.
"Noona!"
Nothing changes the fact that she is my noona.
Warak!
I immediately threw my arms around noona.
'Ah...'
As expected, I can't feel anything.
Even though it's a dream,
I wanted to feel noona's body heat just one more time.
"Fufu, Roy. You're still acting like a pampered child as always..."
No, maybe it doesn't matter.
Let's not be ungrateful.
I should be thankful to even see her like this.
"You've been through so much... really..."
"A... yeah..."
"I'm sorry... it must have been really hard, right...?"
"No, hard? Not at all... And the one who should be sorry is actually me..."
"Stop it. Roy, don't try to apologize."
"But because of me, noona..."
"Ttwek! It's not because of Roy. So saying 'because of me' is forbidden!"
"...U-Uh, okay."
No, in truth, it really is because of me.
Because I was too weak.
Because I caught that bastard's eye.
That's why it happened.
"No, I said it's not because of you... Roy..."
Ah, I am truly a coward.
Using noona just to make excuses like this.
"No, don't think like that..."
Right, let's stop the negative thoughts here for now.
Even though it's inside a dream,
how long has it been since I last saw noona?
It has been ten whole years.
I don't know when I'll wake up.
So let me cherish this very moment.
That is why I immediately...
"Noona... I did well, right...?"
...acted spoiled once again.
Since I was hugging a noona who still looked like the young girl from ten years ago, the posture looked a bit strange, but still.
"Yes, you did well... You did so very well..."
Noona gently stroked my hair.
"Ah..."
It's nice, really nice.
Things like body heat, or touch.
Even though I couldn't feel a single thing directly,
my body and soul felt like they were warming up.
"Roy, what are you going to do from now on?"
"What do you mean 'what'... It's only just beginning..."
"...Right, hang in there."
"...Yeah."
Noona was a kinder and gentler person than anyone else.
All the children in the back alleys liked noona, too.
Wanting to make a good impression on her just once,
copper coins or food they had painstakingly begged for that day...
'...There were so many bastards who tried to give her whatever they had.'
Of course, I chased every single one of them away.
Anyway.
There were words that my sweet noona always told me back then.
"Roy. Don't ever let anyone intimidate you."
"...Yeah."
Even if we were abandoned by our parents,
even if we were vagrants wandering the back alleys.
"Don't get pushed around by just anyone."
"...Yeah."
No matter who the opponent was.
"If you get hit, give it back."
"Yeah... I'll definitely give it back..."
What was done to me.
More than what was done to me.
That's why, regarding what happened today,
there's no way noona would scold me or say anything negative.
Unlike a certain pink-haired girl...
"Ttwek! Stop it. You shouldn't be recalling strange things like that, Roy."
"...Yeah, noona."
As expected of my noona.
She prioritizes the peace of my mind above all else.
Or so I thought, when suddenly:
"More importantly, Roy. You're older now, so surely you have at least one girl you like, right?"
Noona threw an unexpected question at me.
"...Huh?"
Huh? Wasn't this my dream?
The conversation topic suddenly feels a bit out of nowhere...?
"Out of nowhere? What's out of nowhere! As your noona, I'm just asking something I naturally want to know!"
"U-Uh...? S-Sorry..."
"I told you not to apologize!"
"U-Uh... yeah... S... no, I got it..."
"Right, so who is it?"
"Who do you mean by who..."
At noona's question, without even realizing it,
a woman with silver hair flashed through my mind for a second...
Kwang!
Kwang!
"Count-nim! Please open the door!!!"
Ah, fuck.
What the fuck is it now?
"...Roy. Let me see you again next time."
"N-Noona? W-Wait a second...!"
"Don't worry. We will definitely be able to meet again."
"A-Ah, no... I-I... still...!"
I want to see noona a little more!
Kwang!
Kwang!
"I'm coming in, Count-nim!!!"
Not you, you crazy bitch!
###
"..."
What should I call this?
An auspicious dream?
Even though I had prayed and prayed, I had never even been able to see noona in my dreams, so seeing her at last means it really was a good dream.
But...
"...The end was no different from a nightmare."
Ah, seriously, fucking bitch.
Why the hell is she barging into my dream?
And at the happiest moment, no less.
If it had been Sion, maybe I could understand.
"Mmm... right, Sion..."
Yesterday, everything went well according to plan.
Yet why was she so displeased?
For some reason, her uncomfortable expression kept coming to mind.
However.
"...Right now, I should get up."
Yeah, I'm not a wandering adventurer anymore.
"Mmm... but Commander of the Silver Knights, huh..."
It's only named the Silver Knights.
Isn't it practically no different from the Imperial Knights?
'First, shall I go see His Majesty...?'
Thinking that, I immediately made my way toward the Emperor's palace.
But.
Before I could even step inside, someone was already waiting for me.
"You woke up early, Sir Einschwert."
It was the Emperor's bodyguard knight, Kay Bedivere.
"Haha... but surely not as early as you, Sir Bedivere?"
"I don't sleep much, you see."
"Ah, is that so? Still, for the sake of your health, it would be best to get a good night's sleep."
"Hmm. I know you meant it with good intentions, but coming from none other than you, it sounds a bit sarcastic."
"Pardon...?"
Sarcastic?
I don't think I said anything bad.
"Ah, I made you misunderstand. I was just trying to say that since I am a Sword Master in my own right, I am fine."
"Aha. So that was what you meant..."
Generally speaking, a Sword Master can be considered no different from a superhuman.
Meaning it's nothing to go without sleep for about a week.
Telling Kay to sleep well could, in a way, sound like mockery to someone like him.
"Sir Bedivere, I had absolutely no intention of being sarcastic."
"Hmm. Of course I know that. Just think of it as this old knight feeling a moment of envy toward someone who became a Grand Sword Master at such a young age."
"Ahaha... Envy? Well, in any case, I'm glad the misunderstanding is resolved."
Perhaps because of what was shown in the banquet hall yesterday, Kay seems certain that I am a Grand Sword Master.
'Grand Sword Master, huh... Is it natural for him to think so...?'
Well, for now, Grand Sword Master.
It's probably right to call it that.
Since the stages of mastery my Master taught me had so many classifications, let's just leave it at that.
"By the way, why are you standing here, Sir Bedivere? Where is His Majesty?"
"That is precisely why I was here."
Kay turned his head toward the inner palace with a wistful expression.
"His Majesty will likely wake up very late today. That is why I was waiting here, so you wouldn't make a wasted trip for nothing."
"Ah... He mentioned yesterday that he was very tired; is he feeling unwell physically?"
"It's likely more his mind than his body. He drank a bit heavily yesterday."
Kay let out a deep sigh and explained to me what happened yesterday.
Our poor Majesty.
Just as he was finally trying to go back to his room and rest,
the Empress, having heard the news that Leon had received house arrest, barged in,
and apparently, they had a massive clash.
Having spent such a heated night...
he had no choice but to drink heavily to cool his body down.
"Ah, dear me... That is truly unfortunate..."
"Are you really feeling unfortunate about it?"
"...? Yes, of course. My heart aches thinking about how much heartache His Majesty must have suffered."
"Hmm... Is that so..."
Huh?
Kay's gaze felt similar to looks I had seen many times before.
'Princess Sion and Duke Philos look at me like this too...'
Doesn't that mean it's practically no different from saying he suspects me?!
'...What on earth is the problem?'
To think I'd already lose the trust of someone I met less than 24 hours ago.
It was truly regrettable.
Well, anyway.
Now that Empel is sleeping, there's no need to stay here any longer.
"Then I shall take my leave. I must also begin my duties as the new Commander."
"Right, keep up the good work. Wait, a moment. Do you know where the Commander's office is?"
"Ah, yes. Of course I know. Was it not conveyed to me through a servant yesterday? Thank you for your consideration."
"Hmm. Yes, I am glad it was delivered properly."
Kay nodded as if relieved, then added one final word to me.
"Hmm... The Vice-Commander is someone whose inside and outside are different, so handle her well on your own."
Inside and outside are different, so handle her well?
Does he mean she's a crafty person?
I felt a bit doubtful, but decided not to pay much attention to it.
Aren't they Michael's subordinates anyway?
'Well, he probably meant it as advice to mentally prepare myself in my own way.'
Taking it lightly like that, it didn't take me very long to understand Kay's words.
###
"I am Jeanne Edelflead."
"Ah... yes, I look forward to working with you."
Kkeudeok.
"..."
Jeanne Edelflead.
Imperial Knights.
No, my first impression of her, the Vice-Commander of the Silver Knights, was that she was a cold beauty of the same type as Sion.
At least, strictly judging by her appearance.
However, that thought couldn't last long.
Because the view of the Commander's office was enough to make a person dizzy.
Banjak-banjak☆
Star-shaped decorations hung dangling from the ceiling.
Starting from the top of the desk to the rest of the furniture, various animal stuffed toys like bears, rabbits, and cats were placed all over.
Looking at the room decorated with all kinds of girlish things like that...
'...This is the Commander's office, right...?'
I had no choice but to naturally raise a question.
However.
[☆Welcome, New Commander-nim☆]
Looking at the unidentified sign sitting right in the center of the desk, it seemed to be the Commander's office after all.
'More than that, welcome...?'
Not only did I take Michael's position, but didn't I even sever the guy's arm?
So I thought I wouldn't be welcomed at all.
This was truly unexpected.
What was most unexpected of all...
"..."
...was Jeanne's behavior, acting completely different from her outwardly curt appearance.
Hilkkeut-
Her vermilion eyes turned toward the desk.
Sandwiches and coffee were placed there.
"..."
Hilkkeut-
Jeanne's vermilion eyes shifted to me.
'She means for me to eat this, right...?'
I hadn't eaten breakfast yet.
Since as soon as I got out of bed, I stopped by the Emperor's palace and came straight here to the Commander's office.
But is it really okay to eat this?
'Don't tell me she poisoned it...?'
Thinking about it again, her expression is still cold.
'As the Vice-Commander, it's only natural that she wouldn't tolerate me after I cut off Michael's arm...'
This insane interior design, for instance.
The phrase '☆Welcome☆' is undoubtedly a mental attack.
Just yesterday, didn't that pink-haired girl personally demonstrate it in the flesh?
'No way... Is the Vice-Commander also someone who learned young ladies' techniques...?!'
Such a suspicion arose for a moment, but I soon withdrew it immediately.
'No, no matter what, that can't be it.'
Right, that is not a domain just anyone can imitate.
Furthermore.
Looking at Jeanne's current appearance, it was utterly impossible to think of poisoning.
"...If it happens to be insufficient, please let me know."
Because before I knew it, she was waiting on standby while holding a cute-looking lunch basket.
'I'm sure he said her inside and outside were different...'
Isn't it just that her expression and tone of speech are blunt?
Well, anyway.
Since I couldn't ignore Jeanne's sincerity for now,
"T-Then, I will enjoy the food...?"
I put one of the sandwiches sitting on the plate into my mouth.
"Oh... This is delicious."
Admiration came out immediately.
Because it was far more delicious than the high-class food I ate at the banquet hall yesterday.
So.
"If it's this, I could eat as much as..."
I was about to say I could eat as much as I wanted, but stopped.
Why?
"...!"
Cheok-!
Because inside the basket Jeanne opened as if she had been waiting, sandwiches were packed so full they seemed ready to overflow.
Because there were way too many,
"Just this one is enough..."
I naturally tried to decline.
However.
"..."
Since I couldn't reject her silent gaze,
"Haha... Thank you for the food..."
in the end, I had no choice but to choose to overeat.
Kkeudeok-kkeudeok!
"..."
Watching Jeanne vigorously shaking her head up and down with an expressionless face, I thought to myself:
'The meaning of handling her well...'
...was this.