Chapter 31
After that, Captain Cyril carefully explained why the Commander-in-Chief had recommended the Fourth Monster Knight Order.
“In other words, you can quantify a monster’s vitality. Every member of the Monster Knight Order has at least one monster under their command, but they only have a rough idea of its vitality. If they could understand a monster’s vitality in numerical terms, they’d be able to do more with them.”
“I-I see. But more than half of my measurements are based on intuition and guesswork.”
So the last digit might be off.
Captain Cyril gave a slight nod at my words and smiled faintly.
“If we officially transfer you, there may be difficulties when it comes time to get you back, so I was thinking of having you work with the Monster Knight Order while keeping you assigned to the First Knight Order.”
Difficulties getting me back? W-wait, do they think I’ll cause so much trouble that I won’t be able to return?
“You’re one of our precious children, after all. I have no intention of letting you go. But once the captain of the Fourth Monster Knight Order gets to know you, they may feel the same way. They say the more foolish a child is, the more lovable they are, don’t they? That’s why I won’t officially transfer you. You may be treated as a guest because of that, and perhaps receive unfair treatment. If that happens, tell me immediately.”
“What would happen if I told you, Captain?”
I felt like he’d slipped in a subtle insult along the way, but I was an adult, so I decided to let it slide.
“Heh heh heh. By the next day, the people who treated you unfairly would be gone, and you’d be treated properly.”
Captain Cyril was smiling gently, but for some reason a chill ran down my spine.
I trusted my instincts, so I decided not to tell Captain Cyril about anything unless it was absolutely necessary.
“It’s getting late. Shall we take our leave?”
At Captain Cyril’s suggestion, the three of us, including Captain Desmond, started to leave. But the Commander-in-Chief had business at the Knight Order as well, so in the end, the four of us headed to the knights’ dormitory together.
It was a beautiful night with a lovely moon. The wind swept past, bringing the scent of the night with it.
The alcohol had me lulled by the quiet when the Commander-in-Chief spoke to me.
“Fia, today was your first time fighting alongside a Saint. What did you think?”
“Damn it.”
After saying it outright, I realized my language had been far too crude, so I added, “...I mean.”
At my words, Captain Cyril froze, Captain Desmond grimaced, and Commander-in-Chief Savis remained expressionless.
When the Commander-in-Chief asked, “The Saint?” I replied, “No.”
“Someone who twisted the Saint into what she is. That wasn’t what a Saint should be. ...Wouldn’t the Saint from three hundred years ago be sad if she saw her?”
...Actually, I was the one who cried my eyes out.
“No, rather than being sad, she’d probably be sobbing uncontrollably.”
“Is that something you learned from a book?”
The Commander-in-Chief asked quietly.
I found it funny and chuckled.
“No. This is my personal opinion. Tell me, Commander-in-Chief. What do you want to do with the Saint? Set her up on a pedestal and turn her into a goddess? Heh heh, that’s not right. The Saint isn’t some distant being who only offers salvation on a whim. You see, the Saint is the knights’ shield.”
I looked up at the moon and became aware of how unsteady I was.
Yeah, I’m drunk.
“Well, this is just my personal opinion. You asked, so I answered.”
Suddenly, I wanted to walk barefoot. I took off my shoes, held them in my hand, and started walking unsteadily. No one scolded me; in fact, not a single person said a word as we arrived at the knights’ dormitory.
◇◇◇
The next morning, I was struck by a terrible headache and nausea.
Wh-what is this? My head is pounding. Actually, someone’s dancing on top of it. It hurts, it hurts! Whoever you are, please get off my head! Ugh, I feel sick, but I’m thirsty. What is this—...
“You’ve got a hangover.”
My roommate Olga spoke to me from above.
“A hangover... At last, I’ve climbed the steps to adulthood.”
“Your steps to adulthood are pretty pathetic.”
Despite the harsh words, Olga handed me a glass of water.
“Gulp, gulp, glug—ahhh, delicious!”
After drinking the whole glass of water, I sat up feeling refreshed.
“Huh? Why are you suddenly full of energy? Your recovery is abnormal.”
“Heh heh. That’s youth for you, Olga.”
“No, that’s way beyond the level of youth!”
Olga kept protesting, but something caught my attention, so I sniffed at myself.
Ugh, I smell alcohol on myself. Smelling like this first thing in the morning... I’m a hopeless mess.
I picked up a towel and headed for the bath.
“I’m going to wash off this grown-up smell.”
After taking a shower and freshening up, I headed to the training grounds.
Let’s see, first I’ll practice swordsmanship...
“Oh, Fia.”
When I arrived at the training grounds, Fabian called out to me in surprise.
“I heard you’re going to help out with the Fourth Monster Knight Order starting today.”
“The Fourth Monster Knight Order?”
...Huh? Was there something like that?
“Huh? Didn’t you hear? Captain Cyril came by in person this morning to tell you.”
...Right, mystery solved. I must’ve heard him. I just don’t remember.
I put on a smile and said, “I’m going to talk to the captain for a bit,” then left.
I knocked on the captain’s office door, and permission to enter came from inside.
I slowly opened the door and saw the captain leaning one elbow on his desk, looking tired.
“Oh? You’re unusually tired today.”
“...What is it, Fia? Do you need to confirm something?”
He asked in a voice just a little lower than usual.
Yeah, he really does seem tired. He must be overworked.
“Um, I came to confirm that I’m being assigned to the Fourth Monster Knight Order starting today...”
“Assigned? I told you yesterday that I wasn’t transferring you, didn’t I?”
...Oh, so that’s right.
I’d better choose my words carefully.
“My apologies. I misspoke. I meant that I was going to help out with the Fourth Monster Knight Order. I came to ask if you had any message for them.”
“...Fia. Don’t tell me you don’t remember the instructions I gave you yesterday?”
The captain’s expression changed into a smile that sent a chill through me.
Sharp. You’re as sharp as ever! As expected of the Knight Order’s highest-ranking captain.
I kept smiling without answering yes or no, but the captain seemed to realize something and gave me a suspicious stare.
“Fia, tell me everything you can remember about what happened last night.”
“Yes. During the Meat Festival, you called me over and lectured me. The Flowerhorn Deer meat was delicious. ...That’s all.”
“You only remember the very beginning! You were blackout drunk and don’t remember last night at all, do you?!”
“Captain, I’m sorry!!”
That’s right. I have the ultimate Skill: I lose my memory when I drink! That means if I do something embarrassing at a drinking party, I won’t remember it, so it won’t affect me at all!
But I know that’s a nuisance for everyone around me. I’m sorry.
As I bowed my head, sincerely feeling terrible, the captain sighed and gave me a faint, resigned smile.
“No, I was the one being tactless, talking about work at a banquet. I should apologize. I plan to have you work with the Fourth Monster Knight Order for a while, starting today. Your job will be to assess the vitality of the monsters they command. One thing I’m concerned about is that the Monster Knight Order seems to believe a member isn’t fully fledged until they can command a monster, so I’m worried you might be treated unfairly. If anyone treats you unfairly, report it to me.”
Then, as if something had just occurred to him, he beckoned me over.
“Just to be sure, could I see your wrists?”
Hmm? Is he checking the wounds the Flowerhorn Deer left on me yesterday?
Heh heh, I healed them without a trace.
I proudly held both hands out in front of the captain.
The captain held both my hands in his and examined them, then his eyes widened slightly.
“The mark of a familiar... Fia, do you have a monster under your command?”
Seeing the one-millimeter-wide black ring circling my left wrist, the captain asked.
...Ah, I see. He was checking for a familiar’s mark.
Yes, I do. I’ve made a familiar pact with a legendary-class monster called a Black Dragon.
Is it okay to say that?