The Knight Commander Reflects on a Sweet Day
The Knight Commander of the Martayu Kingdom, Elysia.
After spending a cozy day with my master, she returned to her world and got to work handling her duties as the commander.
Tap, tap.
Elysia answered the knock at her office door.
It was Vice Commander Maril.
Commander! I was really worried. You disappeared for a whole day yesterday.
Maril’s face showed clear relief.
It seemed he had searched hard for her after she vanished for an entire day.
I’m sorry, Maril. I had to take a day off without saying anything because of sudden personal matters.
She didn’t mention crossing dimensions to meet her master and fighting monsters in that world,
since the possibility that the Demon King might still be alive could be read into it.
Only now had the era of peace finally begun.
Elysia didn’t want to shatter that peace with still-unconfirmed information.
Ah, I see. It’s fine. Most of the tasks were things I could handle anyway.
Maril smiled awkwardly.
Then they chatted about work for a while.
The remnants of the Demon King’s army found in the southern region of the continent fourteen days ago were completely wiped out yesterday.
I see. Good work, Maril.
After Maril finished reporting the backlog of tasks from the day, he glanced at Elysia’s face and spoke up.
You must have had some good news yesterday. Your expression is quite cheerful.
...Is that so?
Elysia paused her pen and lifted her head.
Maril was right. A day with her master had been sweet.
Elysia, who became commander of the knights after her master’s death, had learned that reality was far from her expectations.
The commander’s duties were far more paperwork than she had imagined.
Maintaining the kingdom’s security.
Personnel matters for high-ranking knights.
Meetings with the kingdom’s ministers and various assemblies...
There were times she had to arrest someone, but that was basically it.
She would train her subordinate knights.
Elysia often reminisced about the days she had fought on the battlefield alongside her master.
The entire continent was enjoying this era of peace, but for Elysia, the battlefield with her master had far more meaning than peace without him.
That was why yesterday’s day with her master had been all the more precious.
...Well, I could call it a good day.
Elysia smiled faintly and returned her focus to the documents.
***
After finishing her work, Elysia headed to the Holy Temple.
She had to handle the task her master had requested.
The phenomenon of monsters appearing in his world.
She thought that the Saintess Irene might know something about it.
It had been a while since their last meeting.
Saintess.
Oh, Elysia! Long time no see. Come in, please.
Saint Irene was praying in the main hall of the Holy Temple.
Seeing her long-absent colleague Elysia, she widened her eyes in surprise.
After greeting her with the warmth of reunion, Irene noticed something more solemn in Elysia’s face than usual and asked curiously,
Is there something troubling you?
It seems I need to share a rather heavy matter.
Hmm... Then shall we go to my private prayer room?
Deep within the Holy Temple was Irene’s personal prayer room.
There, the two sat down to talk.
Elysia has been wearing such a heavy expression lately. What’s going on?
It wasn’t an easy task to tell her about crossing dimensions, meeting her master, and fighting monsters in that world.
The kingdom had barely begun to heal the wounds of the ten years of war.
However, for the safety of her master and his world, Elysia didn’t hesitate to tell Irene everything.
Actually... I recently crossed dimensions to another world.
Crossed dimensions? Elysia, what are you—
I met my master.
Irene’s eyes widened.
The Hero... really?
Yes. Master summoned me. To his world.
Elysia explained everything step by step.
Irene initially wore an incredulous expression, but after hearing the detailed account, she had no choice but to believe her.
Irene suddenly grew serious.
Master asked me to inquire about any knowledge the Saintess might have regarding this phenomenon.
Irene fell into thought for a moment.
She closed her eyes as if praying, then opened them again.
That... But I don’t know anything about monsters appearing in the Hero’s world either.
Is that so...
Elysia looked disappointed.
Still, I understand this is no ordinary matter. I’ll need to pray deeply about it. If the Goddess answers anything, I’ll let you know right away.
I understand. Thank you, Saintess.
Elysia nodded.
Although she hadn’t received a clear answer, the Saintess, who carried the name of the Goddess’s agent, might find a solution.
Thinking that, Elysia rose from her seat.
After Elysia left, Irene remained alone in the room.
In her mind, her words kept swirling around.
Master summoned me.
That one sentence had shaken Irene’s heart.
She had been mourning the man who defeated the Demon King and returned to his original world even now.
The time they spent traveling together.
His warm smile.
The solid figure who always protected her.
Everything sparkled in her mind.
After barely accepting the predetermined farewell, she had managed to calm her heart a little.
But Elysia said she had met that hero.
She was fighting alongside him as before.
Irene sat on the bed and hugged her knees.
Me too...
It was a candid feeling.
She envied Elysia.
Tap, tap.
Saintess, dinner time.
A priest’s voice came from outside the door.
...I’ll skip today.
Saintess? Are you feeling unwell?
No. I just... have a big worry and will need to pray alone for several days.
Irene’s voice trembled slightly.
She tried to hide her crying, but it was impossible to conceal completely.
Saintess, is there something wrong?
The priest called out again with concern, but Irene no longer answered.
After the footsteps faded, Irene stood from the bed and knelt in the center of the room. GT__
She clasped her hands and lowered her head.
Oh, Lord...
She began praying in a small voice.
Please give me a chance too. Like Elysia... I also want to meet the Hero...
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
Her fervent prayer echoed in the quiet room.
***
The day after I canceled the summoning of Elysia, I visited the Guild Affairs Office as soon as I woke up.
Yesterday had been so noisy that I hadn’t properly inquired about establishing a guild.
This was to handle that.
I’m here regarding the guild establishment inquiry.
Yes, here are the guild establishment documents. Please review the conditions and let us know if you have any questions.
The staff handed me the documents and I began to scan them.
Guild master requirements.
Required documents.
Establishment fees...
But as I read the conditions, something caught my eye.
The guild master must have at least one year of activity as an Awakened in Korea.
Wait, this condition...
Ah, that part. To become guild master, one must have at least one year of activity history.
I couldn’t meet the condition.
I was only recently registered as an Awakened yesterday.
Not even a day had passed, let alone a year.
I took the wrong route.
Well, considering it, it made sense that anyone couldn’t just establish a guild.
Since Awakened were quickly becoming the nation’s power, the existence of guilds was important to the country.
Elysia was almost a foreigner, and I had been missing for ten years.
The Guild Affairs Office probably wouldn’t easily approve guild establishment.
Then... I guess there’s no choice.
I handed back the documents and stood up.
I couldn’t wait a year.
Just as I was about to leave to think of another way...
Wait a moment.
Someone called out to me.
It was a woman’s voice I had heard somewhere before.
With a strangely familiar tone, I naturally turned my head.
In the place where my gaze landed stood a woman with long black hair.
Who...
Where did I see her?
I couldn’t recall right away.
You don’t remember, huh. Figures.
At those words, the memory clicked.
It was the woman I had seen yesterday in the Awakened community.
Cha Seo-rin...?
You’re late. You should have realized right away.
She seemed to be hiding some complicated emotions.
With a playful smile, she approached me and tapped my chest.
Why... why did you finally show up... I searched for you... for so long...
And Seo-rin gradually lowered her head.
The emotions she had tried to hide on her face were impossible to conceal in her trembling voice.
Ah, I couldn’t contact you because of personal matters. Hahaha, sorry.
Personal matters? You couldn’t contact me for ten years?
My well-intentioned apology backfired.
It added fuel to the flame of the emotion Seo-rin had been trying to suppress.
On the day of the entrance ceremony, you said you’d come... and said you came to see me...!
Her voice grew louder.
The gazes of nearby Guild Affairs staff and other Awakened began to gather on us.
You said you’d come after ten years of radio silence with one sorry? Is that all?
Hey, Seo-rin. Calm down for a second... I can explain everything. I can explain.
Go ahead. Let’s hear it! If the explanation doesn’t satisfy you, you really should know you’ll die!
A bad feeling came over me.
If I don’t explain properly here, I might really die at Seo-rin’s hands.