Chapter 112: Oh? Curiously, comedy is not included…

Chapter 112: Oh? Curiously, comedy is not included…

Oddly enough, Faima was presenting her conjecture about the Heavenly Dragon Knight Order around this time.

「So, you shamelessly scurried away. Is that what you’re saying?」

「My deepest apologies. B-But how can a mere soldier refute the words from a man of commander’s caliber. If I said the wrong words, I would beーー」

「I don’t want to hear excuses. ……However, I understand your point. I’m not that narrow-minded. Enough, leave me.」

Despite feeling bitter towards his subordinate who were unable to complete their task, he ordered the subordinate to leave while suppressing it to the utmost. The pale-white subordinate left the room in a hurry after bowing once, so much so that nary a sound was produced from their footsteps.

「Damn Sharga, you’re getting carried away when I’m restraining myself.」

Commander of the Heavenly Dragon Knight Order, Theotis Catrates muttered to himself in the empty room.

He was in his mid-thirties and his well featured appearance was popular not only among the maids in the Imperial Palace but also among women in the country. But at this moment, his well-featured appearance distorted considerably.

However, he shows composure before long. Theotis regained the appearance of someone contemplating while being seated at his desk inside the commander’s office.

「Still, winning over that adventurer would be difficult regardless of Sharga’s interruption. He is also not the type to be moved by money or fame. If I bring him into our fold, it may instead lead to a dissension to my knight order. It would probably be better to observe him rather than making a hasty decision.」

With his hand on his chin, Theotis reviewed the adventurer’s image internally.

The conversation between his subordinate and Kanna was concluded very quickly and although it was information based on the subordinate’s words, his conjecture were mostly accurate. This was not because the person named Kanna was [simple] but simply because of Theotis’ distinctive intellect.

His title of a commander for the Heavenly Dragon Knight Order was not merely decoration.

As Theotis continued to work on documents for some time afterwards, the sound of knocking from the door echoed in the room, informing him of a visitor. Theotis stopped the movement of his brush and when he urged the visitor to enter, it was the vice-commander of the Heavenly Dragon Knight Order who opened the door.

「Theotis-sama, I brought documents.」

「Aa, good work.」

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Despite being a young man in his early twenties, the vice-commander was an excellent assistant to Theotis. His origin -a distinguished family- was no less inferior to Theotis’ and his skill as a dragoon was the best inside the knight order, save for the commander.

He handed over the documents he was holding to Theotis and proceeded to mention several messages. Its content was a daily workplace communication and did not include anything noteworthy. Usually he would promptly leave after a salute once he finished conveying but today was a little different.

「What is it, vice-commander? Is there anything else?」

The vice-commander who did not leave the room had a vague expression. Sensing that he was thinking, Theotis began with a question.

「……What happened to winning over Shiroyasha?」(vice)

「As expected, that matter. Unfortunately, the result was unfavorable. Furthermore, it will complicate future negotiations.」

「My deepest apologies.」

「The proposal came from you but it was me who approved it. There is no reason for you to apologize. I was able to grasp Shiroyasha’s personality. As a result, it is not so bad.」

「I am grateful. ……However.」

「At this rate, the Phantom Dragon Knights will continue to grow.」 Thanks for reading on ManaNovel!

The Phantom Dragon Knight Order was established a few years ago by the [Dragon Sword Regulus], the one who became an A-rank adventurer as the youngest in history.

There were numerous cases of former adventurers joining the army and later became a famous hero. It is not uncommon for them to be appointed as a knight shortly after joining the army. However, there has never been a case whereby a knight order were established less than a year after a knight’s enlistment.

According to army protocol, [If a person appointed as a knight obtains the emperor’s permission, the establishment of a knight order are permitted]. Specific years of service and achievements are not a prerequisite.

Most of the people who want to establish a knight order are those with power1 who enlisted to make their name resound both inside and outside the army. Otherwise, personnel will not be assembled even if a knight order was established. His Majesty the Emperor took this into consideration, thus does not easily grant permission for the formation of a new knight order.

However, in the case of Regulus, for some reason it was granted. This is one of the great mysteries of the Diagal Empire and the truth has not seen the light even until now.

Regardless of circumstances, the current Phantom Dragon Knight Order’s presence had already grown to an extent where they have a great influence within the Imperial Army. If a connection could be made with Shiroyasha, who had recently begun to make a name for himself in Draknil, the Phantom Dragon Knight Order will attract even more attention.

It was an enticement maneuver planned based on the anxiety over those issues but the result was a failure.

「The recent goblin subjugation has increased the influence of the Phantom Dragon Knight Order inside the army by a large amount.」(vice)

「If it were us, it will not matter even if more than a dozen goblin general appeared. They would have been annihilated without the help of adventurers. Well, saying this after the fact is easy. According to the initial data, the opponent was a large group consisting of only goblins and at that point, the Phantom Dragon Knight Order was the suitable choice.」

ーーSuppose that the Phantom Dragon Knights were destroyed and the large group of goblins and lizardmen led by general goblins approached the imperial capital, that would have been the cue for the Heavenly Dragon Knights to enter the stage.

But that was a future{possibility} that did not come to pass. Just another story about an idler dreaming of what ifs.

「What should we do from now on?」(vice)

「Continue to pay attention to the movement of the Phantom Dragon Knight Order. If they make anymore ostentatious moves, it may shake the Imperial Army itself.」

The vice-commander heard Theotis’ words that were heavier than expected, with a feeling close to that of reflection.

「Even for argument’s sake, the Phantom Dragon Knight Order are a part of the Imperial Army. Isn’t this a little too much of an undue concern?」(vice)

「Perhaps. Nevertheless, we{nobles} are the guardian of Diagal Empire who inherited blood from heroes of the past. Our responsibility is not so light as to be left to a mish-mashed group of start-ups. If you make light of this fact, I will not tolerate it even if you are a fellow member of the Imperial Army.」

「It was impertinent of me. My apologies.」

「Those in my knight order are fundamentally obedient to me. That in itself saves me a lot of trouble but it is not so bad to have one person offering me their honest opinion. I look forward to your continued support.」

「Y-Yes! It is a great honor!」

Overcome with emotion, the beaming vice-commander uttered those words while saluting before finally withdrawing.

「We, the Knight Order of Diagal Empire, are the core of the Imperial Army. It is our providence to lead those who should be led and fight those who should be fought. I must never forget that.」

In the commander’s office where he was once again by his lonesome, Theotis muttered to himself.

ーーAt a certain place.

「It’s not alright. It’s absolutely not alright at all.」(?)

「Annoying.」(?)

「……Aren’t you a bit cruel, Tenken-san? Saying that as soon as you appear.」

「Do excuse me. That’s because it’s my principle to hate bastards who operates behind the scene like you. When I look at your face, I can’t endure not hurling abuses and when I hear your voice, I can’t resist wanting to kill you」(tenken)

「I knew I wasn’t liked but I don’t think I’ve ever heard it directly before!?」(?)

「Isn’t honesty a virtue?」

「That depends on the vector of the honesty!」(?)

「Anyway, what were you grumbling about?」

「Ignoring me, are you. ーーNothing much, I was a little worried because things didn’t proceed as planned.」(?)

「Hou. For a bastard like you to make a blunder, that’s unusual.」

「Well, I may be a member of the Great Blessing{Arc Bless} but I’m also a human far removed from being all-knowing. There are times when I make a mistake. Especially so for the various occurrences recently.」(?)

「I’m not in the position to criticize you either, not with my blunder the other day.」

「The mission to destroy the Phantom Dragon Knight Order, was it? For the combination of Heavenly Sword and Legion to have failed, it certainly pushed the limit of an unexpected situation.」(?)

「It was a result of my carelessness. I’m not going to give excuses.」

「You really are a serious person when it doesn’t involve combat. Well, I can’t complain because I also contributed to that failure. I never thought there would be a [puppet] with a broken [thread] at that place. That wolf{puppet} was my favorite.」(?)

「If we’re going into that direction, the [Oracle] who overlooked Dragon Sword also shares a big part of the blame.」

「In hindsight, it was a mission with a lot of irregularity. Dragon Sword and Wolf. Those two are elements who weren’t supposed to be there.」(?)

「Furthermore, a new foreign body called Shiroyasha has been confirmed at the location.」

「Ah, that adventurer……」(?)

「You don’t seem to be interested. Beyond any doubt, he was the one who disrupted Legion’s trump card, you know?」

「Wasn’t that a result of overlapping coincidences? If Shiroyasha was the decisive factor, it’s impossible for Oracle to overlook him. Am I wrong?」(?)

「Until now. that is……」

「Quite the implication you’re making there. Ah but certainly, it might be better to divert a little attention to him. After all, he didn’t accept my invitation. At any rate, it would be safer to have an unruly puppet to leave the stage as soon as possible.」(?)

「……As a fellow comrade of Great Blessing{Arc Bless}, I’ll give you an advice, Puppeteer.」

「Why are you being all formal?」(puppet)

「Do not take that foreign bodyーーShiroyasha lightly. Even provisionally, he is the man who crushed an arm of the Heavenly Sword{me}. If you handle him poorly, your prided [thread] might even be torn off, you know?」

「It won’t happen. My [blessing] from [our Lord] aside, isn’t he just a pebble who deviated from Oracle’s reading? ………No way, did you come here just to say that?」

「I warned you.」　

…………………………。

……………

……

「Dear me. Heavenly Sword is worrying too much. Even though my [thread] can’t be easily cut.」