24. Overnight

When Ursu and the others returned to the village, the village chief had just come out of his house, his granddaughter Lily at his side.

“Sir Knight, is something wrong?” the village chief asked.

But it wasn’t Ursu who answered—it was one of the village swordsmen.

“All the Lizardmen have been defeated. Every last one of them.”

“…What did you say?”

The village chief’s face went pale with disbelief.

“There were easily over a hundred of them. Every single one defeated!” the swordsman spoke with excitement.

“Who in the world could accomplish such a miracle…”

The village chief’s question found its answer from Ursu.

“Most likely… Reet.”

“Reet? That young knight? All by himself?”

The village chief’s voice rose in astonishment.

As if drawn by the commotion, Reet emerged from his room, scratching his head.

“Reet, you defeated all the Lizardmen overnight, didn’t you?” Ursu asked.

Reet rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, I… defeated them in a little practice session. Since I couldn’t sleep…”

“A little practice? That was most likely all of them. Lizardmen respond to the scent of their comrades’ blood. If any had survived, they would have gathered in the cave, but not a single living Lizardman remains inside,” Ursu said.

“Is that so? Then that was all of them. That’s good,” Reet replied sheepishly.

Ursu wore an exasperated expression, raising both his palms to the heavens.

Lizardmen are nocturnal. That’s why the conventional approach is to exterminate them during the day. But I deliberately went at night—because it was more efficient. At night, there’s no need to search for them.

“I was told free action was allowed at night. I thought if I could exterminate them even a little faster, it would be best,” Reet said.

Ursu spoke in a stern tone. “No one said you could take such reckless risks. Lizardmen are troublesome. No matter how much power a Holy Knight possesses, they’re an opponent you must exercise caution against. That was rash.”

“I’m sorry…” Reet bowed his head.

But then Ursu turned to the village chief and said: “However, it seems thanks to Reet, we should make it in time for ‘Star Day.’”

With those words, the village chief understood Reet’s true intention. Reet had rushed through the Lizardman extermination so that Lily could meet her mother and father.

“—Thank you so much!!” the village chief said, bowing deeply.

At his side, Lily’s eyes began to sparkle.

“I can see the stars!?”

“Yes, you can. I’m so glad,” the village chief said warmly, stroking his granddaughter’s head. “It’s thanks to that knight over there,” he continued, gesturing toward Reet.

Lily ran toward Reet, pattering across the ground, and hugged him around the waist.

“Thank you, big brother!”

“…You’re welcome,” Reet replied, a little embarrassed, gently stroking Lily’s head.

The next day, Reet and the others decided to return to the royal capital.

“Sir Knight. Thank you truly from the bottom of my heart,” the village chief said, bowing.

Ursu spoke forthrightly. “It was all Reet’s doing.”

“Sir Reet. Thank you. I hardly know what to say…” The village chief offered his gratitude again.

“No, I couldn’t accept that…”

Then the village chief looked Reet in the eye and spoke: “Right now I have nothing I can offer in return… But someday, I will repay this debt.”

“There’s no debt owed. I was simply glad to be of service.”

With that, Reet bid farewell to the village chief.

After Reet and the others left the village.

The village chief returned to his private room and took a single letter from a drawer.

“I was reluctant, but… thinking of it as repaying a debt to that boy, it becomes a bit more bearable.”

Written in that letter was the news of the death of the village chief’s brother.

And that brother was—

—Duke of Gilia.

One of the greatest nobles of the Lorence Kingdom.

The Duke of Gilia had passed away—but he had left no children.

In other words—

The village chief was the rightful heir to become the next Duke of Gilia.