A short while later.
After a long conversation, Giscard and I were finally able to clear up the misunderstandings.
“Ahem, ahem.”
Giscard, his face flushed red, let out a short, dry cough and tried to sound calm as he opened his mouth.
“So, you’re curious about Sir Gerard?”
For your reference, Sir Gerard is the name of the 4th Knights Order’s deputy commander.
Well, I was curious about that.
But,
“……”
I narrowed my eyes and glared at Giscard.
Giscard gulped.
“Sir Knight Commander.”
At my call, Giscard’s shoulders flinched.
I urged Giscard in a sharp voice.
“Before you explain about Sir Gerard, don’t you have something to say to me?”
“…..That.”
His blue eyes fluttered like a candle in the wind.
Either way, I crossed my arms and stared at Giscard intently.
A strange standoff continued for a while.
“I’m sorry.”
In the end, Giscard apologized to me in a voice that seemed to be squeezed out of him.
Well, of course he should.
How dare he compare me to the original Cassia?
However, I should take into account the countless incidents and accidents that this body has caused so far.
“So, why is Sir Gerard being excluded from the Order?”
I pretended to give in and changed the subject.
At the same time, Giscard’s expression darkened slightly.
“It’s because of the 4th Knights Order’s Commander.”
“What?”
For a moment, I doubted my ears.
So, the commander ordered the exclusion of his deputy?
Is he crazy?!
And so, the story I heard from Giscard about the deputy commander went something like this.
Sir Gerard was of lower nobility, and his skills were exceptional, so he quickly rose to the rank of deputy commander.
However, his rapid promotion did not always look good to his superiors.
So, the 4th Knights Order’s Commander regarded the deputy commander as a thorn in his side.
And here, the deputy commander dared to speak the truth.
“I think the distribution of supplies between the Knights Orders is a bit biased.”
With that single comment, Sir Gerard completely fell out of favor.
In addition, the 4th Knights Order members didn’t like the deputy commander very much either, and for good reason.
Haven’t they been living comfortably by monopolizing supplies so far?
Now that they have to distribute the supplies properly to the Azure Dawn Knights Order, the amount of supplies that the 4th Knights Order can enjoy will be reduced.
“..That’s how it happened.”
Giscard concluded with a complex expression.
Well, I guess you must have mixed feelings about this.
After all, Sir Gerard was excluded from his order for requesting better treatment for the Azure Dawn Knights.
‘Hmm.’
I rested my chin on my hand and fell into thought for a moment.
In that case.
‘Wouldn’t it be better to build a rapport with Sir Gerard?’
It’s true that the 4th Knights Order has been incredibly annoying so far.
But realistically, we can’t just dismiss the entire 4th Knights Order.
Because.
‘Knights are high-level personnel.’
The cost of training a single knight is astronomical.
Plus, there was a portal in the north, so it was a shunned area for knights in many ways…….
That means.
‘Even if I intervene, the best I can do is replace the commander.’
So, since the deputy commander was already on the fringe anyway.
‘It wouldn’t be bad to have someone on our side in the 4th Order, right?’
My eyes sparkled.
Even though he was excluded, the deputy commander was still the deputy commander.
He has a lot of authority within the Order.
If such a high-ranking officer were to have a cooperative relationship with our Knights…….
“Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo…….”
A sinister chuckle escaped my lips.
Giscard seemed to be looking at me with trembling eyes.
“Administrative Officer Astrid. I don’t know what you’re thinking, but please restrain yourself.”
He urged me in a serious voice.
“You mustn’t cause any trouble, understand?”
“No, Commander, what kind of person do you think I am?”
I glared at Giscard with narrowed eyes.
I was only trying to do what was best for the Azure Dawn Knights.
So unfair!
As I was appealing my innocence with my eyes, I noticed something strange.
Giscard kept glancing at me sideways.
He was moving his lip, not sure what to do, and he looked like he had something to say.
“Do you have something to say to me?”
I asked sullenly, and Giscard hesitated with an embarrassed face.
“No, it’s just…”
What the heck is it?
I narrowed my eyes and stared at Giscard intently.
Eventually, unable to bear my gaze, Giscard gave in.
“……I think I should thank you.”
Huh?
Surprised by the unexpected words, I blinked my eyes.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
Giscard nodded.
The expression on his face as he looked at me was quite serious.
“I heard that there was a conflict with the 4th Knights Order this time. I heard that Administrative Officer Astrid intervened and smoothed things over?”
Giscard straightened his posture and finished speaking.
“Thank you very much.”
“No, why are you thanking me for something like that?”
I shrugged casually.
“I’m also a member of the Azure Dawn Knights, so of course I have to take the side of our knights, right?”
I was sincere.
No, wasn’t that the case?
The 4th Knights were the ones who picked the fight first in this situation, objectively speaking.
As the saying goes, “Blood is thicker than water,” so of course I have to take the side of our knights?
Our kids hit, so I’m not going to stand by and watch them get hit back!
“……”
On the other hand, Giscard was silent for a long time after my answer.
“Our knights, huh.”
He savored my words and smiled faintly.
“I see.”
It was an expression I had never seen before.
Even after considering all the time I had spent with Giscard and rummaging through all of the original Cassia’s memories, it was an expression I had never seen before.
It was as soft as cotton wool…….
Maybe that’s why.
‘Ehem.’
A strange ticklish feeling stirred deep in my chest.
Somehow, I found it difficult to look straight at Giscard, so I averted my gaze awkwardly.
TL/N: LOL, BOTH ALREADY FALLING IN LOVE >-<
* * *
And so, the next morning.
Today was the day for the joint training of the Azure Dawn Knights and the 4th Knights.
Having woken up at the crack of dawn, I was waiting in the dining hall with my eyes wide open.
‘What if the 4th Knights pick a fight with our knights?’
Don’t even bother a dog when it’s eating. Huh?!
TL/N: “Don’t even bother a dog when it’s eating.” It’s a Korean proverb. This proverb has a dual meaning: it conveys a sense of dining etiquette while also issuing a warning. It suggests that even a dog, a mere creature, dislikes being disturbed while eating. If even a dog reacts negatively to being bothered while eating, then surely a human would react even more strongly. Therefore, the proverb warns against bothering someone while they are eating.
I’ll protect our knights!
…or so I thought.
Fortunately, it seemed that my act of pretending to be mad and attacking them yesterday had worked, and the 4th Knights were huddled in a corner of the dining hall, quietly eating their breakfast among themselves.
On the other hand, our knights were stealthily checking my expression.
I guess they were still worried about what happened yesterday?
“Good morning, Sir Rodrigo!”
I clapped his back loudly as if nothing was wrong and encouraged our knights.
“Eat up. You need to eat to train well!”
“Yes, Administrative Officer.”
Although the knights looked a bit sheepish, they didn’t seem to mind me taking care of them.
The corners of their lips that were twitching upwards.
Their eyes that were gently tracing a line.
Even their tone of voice was much softer than usual.
‘Hehe.’
As I was looking at the knights with a warm smile,
“Aren’t you going to eat, Administrative Officer Astrid?”
Giscard, who had approached me, glanced at me.
Before I knew it, he was holding a tray full of food in both hands.
“Oh, I’m fine.”
I replied, sipping my hot coffee.
I’m not the type who has much of an appetite in the morning anyway.
Besides, I’m not the one who’s actually going to train, so…
I don’t really need the calories, right?
Then, Giscard, who heard my answer, narrowed his eyes slightly.
“Drinking only coffee like that in morning will damage your health.”
He placed a plate of toast in front of me.
“Eat this.”
Huh?
* * * *
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I really like the female lead character! Thank you for the chapter, I enjoyed it a lot!