Chapter 22
I was startled and turned to see a knight who had been maintaining his equipment, now holding only a sword, moving towards the training ground.
He was a giant of a man, so big that he could be called a colossus.
When he started heading to the training ground, other knights tried to stop him, but he dragged them along as he made his way to the center.
The knights who were training watched the approaching giant with dry, uninterested eyes, then soon smirked.
At the obvious mockery, veins bulged angrily on the giant’s forehead.
“You’re laughing? You idiots, how can you laugh in this situation?”
“We’re laughing because it’s funny, why? Should we cry instead?”
A knight who was directing the training stepped forward to face the giant.
He was a man whose build didn’t lose out much even compared to the giant.
“Who’s that guy?”
I nodded towards the man arguing with the giant.
Obern took a step to the side to get a better look at his face.
“That’s Vice-Captain Gilbert. He was appointed vice-captain two months ago.”
“Two months ago?”
“He used to be a knight in the royal service, but due to some family issues, he left the royal service and came to the Brilloxen estate. He’s skilled and has a decent track record, so he filled the vacant vice-captain position.”
“First time I’m hearing about this.”
“I did report it, but you entrusted the issues with the knights and soldiers entirely to me, so I handled it. But…”
While I was talking with Obern, Gilbert punched the giant in the face.
The punch was so strong that the huge man practically flew backwards and fell to the ground.
Gilbert shook his hand like it hurt, pretending to be in pain.
The sudden action made the knights who were trying to stop the giant react aggressively.
Likewise, the knights who were training bared their teeth and stood protectively in front of Gilbert, ready to fight.
It was a fierce confrontation, like a pack of predators fighting over prey.
“The knights don’t seem to get along very well.”
“Sigh… That’s my fault.”
When I glanced at Obern, he slowly started to speak.
“Honestly, when Gilbert was appointed, it was mostly my personal decision. He trained under the same master as me, and I knew his skills and character. He was dedicated enough to become a royal knight and was always a step ahead of me. So, when he came here, I thought he’d be a great asset to our knights, but…”
“But now he’s nothing like the guy you knew and is just causing trouble, right?”
“Embarrassing as it is, yes. He seemed fine at first, but then he started creating factions and causing fights. I’ve tried to intervene and put my foot down, but he doesn’t listen.”
“Then why not get rid of him?”
“Even though the captain has the authority to appoint knights, he doesn’t have the authority to dismiss them. I’ve talked to the Count about this several times, but he wants to give it a bit more time.”
“Even so, that’s a bit much.”
I shifted my gaze from Obern to Gilbert.
The knights opposing Gilbert’s group put up some resistance, but in the rigid hierarchy of knights, the vice-captain was an unmovable authority.
“Damn it!!”
Eventually, the giant stomped his foot in frustration, turned around, and stormed off.
Gilbert, watching the giant stomp away, smirked and nodded his head.
“Next time, make sure to show some respect to the vice-captain. If you keep up that insolence, you’ll face severe punishment, so be careful.”
The giant stopped and glared at Gilbert but didn’t charge at him like before.
After smashing a shelf against the wall, the giant walked away, with Gilbert and his group pointing fingers and mocking him.
With the giant gone, the tension dissipated, and an uneasy peace settled over the training ground again.
“I’m sorry you had to see that. I’ll try to keep things in check.”
Obern bowed his head, looking embarrassed.
Instead of responding to Obern, I slowly spoke while still watching where the giant had disappeared.
“I want to meet those two separately.”
“…You want to talk to them yourself?”
“Yes. First, the big guy. What’s his name?”
“Gibson.”
“I’ll start with Gibson.”
I glanced at the shattered shelf and then turned my gaze towards Gilbert’s back.
“Bring him here right away.”
* * *
Knock, knock.
While I was sitting in my office going through some documents, someone knocked on the door.
“Yes,” I replied shortly, and Gibson, whose huge frame made the door look small, walked in.
Looking a bit sheepish, Gibson scratched the back of his neck as he entered.
Unlike his aggressive demeanor in the training ground, he seemed quite reserved as he stood there. I gestured to a chair with the documents I was holding.
“Have a seat.”
“Oh, okay.”
Gibson responded stiffly, clearly nervous, and awkwardly walked over to sit down. Was that chair too small? It was meant for four people, but with Gibson sitting in it, it felt like it could only fit two.
I silently observed Gibson.
His back was straight, and his shoulders were broad and solid. His shirt was too small, showing the outline of his muscular arms. Despite his beastly physique, his eyes kept darting towards me, making him look a bit cute, and I couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
“Is there a problem…?”
At the sound of my soft laughter, Gibson fidgeted in his seat.
Shaking my head, I stood up and sat opposite him, placing the documents on the table.
Gibson’s eyes glanced down at the papers briefly before meeting mine again. After a moment of silence, Gibson lowered his eyes anxiously.
“Actually…”
“If this is about the fight with the townspeople last month, I apologize. It won’t happen again.”
“A fight?”
I tilted my head at his unexpected comment.
With a serious expression, Gibson began to explain in a solemn tone.
“The bakery I used to go to often. The owner was an old man, and he lived a difficult life, burdened by his children’s usury debt. That day too, I went to buy bread, but a moneylender came in and made a mess of the place, I couldn’t stop holding him back, so I ended up throwing a punch without thinking.”
“Is that so?”
“As a knight, I should protect the lord and the people, but I used violence in the process. If you need to discipline me, I’ll accept it.”
Gibson bowed his head with determination.
His eyes showed a mix of resolve and relief, as if he was ready to accept any judgment I gave. He seemed noticeably more at ease now that he had confessed.
Was that what he was worried about? His unexpected confession made me laugh again.
“Heh heh—”
“My lady…?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. It’s not something to laugh about, but I couldn’t help it. Don’t worry. Usury is illegal, and since they acted violently first, you didn’t do anything wrong. You don’t need to be anxious about it.”
(Usury: the action of lending money at unreasonably high rates of interest.)
“Is that so?”
Seeing his visibly relieved expression, I tried to hide my smile but couldn’t completely.
Taking a deep breath, I looked at the now-relaxed Gibson and spoke softly.
“I called you here because I was impressed by your report.”
“My report…?”
“It says you’ve been dedicated to the path of a knight since you were young. You have a strong sense of justice, always protecting and standing up for the weak. Your colleagues say you’re friendly, rarely get angry, and are well-liked.”
As I closed the report, Gibson scratched the back of his neck, looking a bit embarrassed.
His broad shoulders and thick neck made him look even bigger as he leaned back slightly.
“Ha ha… Is that what it says? Well, that’s not unusual. Every knight should strive to be like that.”
“Everyone learns that, but it’s hard to actually live up to it. But there’s something odd. When I stopped by the training ground earlier, I saw an interesting scene.”
Gibson’s embarrassed smile faded quickly.
I leaned back in my chair, putting the report down.
“I saw someone who rarely gets angry, furiously yelling at the vice-captain, no less. That’s not something you’d expect to see.”
“That’s…”
“I’m not here to criticize you. My parents are away, so I’m in charge of handling everything that happens here. The knight order is a crucial part of running this estate. So, please tell me what’s going on.”
Gibson’s hand slowly lowered from his neck and rested on his thick thigh.
He looked up at me, his eyes steady.
“Why did you fight with the vice-captain?”
Gibson’s eyes wavered slowly.
* * *
Viscount Baran Nemir, Aden’s adjutant whose expression rarely changed, stood in front of the door with a rarely embarrassed face.
Despite it being broad daylight with the sun high in the sky, a deep shadow hung over Baran’s face, making him look quite gloomy.
He stared longingly at the closed door as if it were a long-lost lover. Sometimes, he raised his hand to knock, but each time his hand fell back down without knocking.
Servants passed by him carefully, murmuring things like, “What is he doing?” or “He’s still there?”
After lingering for a while under their curious gazes, Baran finally raised his heavy hand with a resigned look.
“Your Grace, they’re waiting for you.”
Knock, knock.
Baran’s hand made a brisk sound, but there was no response.
A small sigh escaped his lips and faded away quietly.
Baran, who had bowed his head slightly, knocked again with a determined look.
Knock, knock.
“Your Grace, it’s been an hour already.”
“……”
“They said they will wait until you come out.”
Baran’s persistent call echoed emptily.
No response came, and his voice just dispersed into the air.
Looking at the door in despair, Baran raised his hand again, as if the word “quit” wasn’t in his vocabulary.
“Your Gra—”
But before Baran could finish his sentence or knock again, the door opened.
