Chapter 68

While I’m not looking, the world tends to move at a dizzying pace.

For instance, the other day, a knight who wandered outside without checking the snow-shoveling schedule apparently almost died when they got buried under a mountain of snow dropped from above. In other news, Calme—who was shaking like a leaf from the nerves of accompanying the Cooking Squad—miraculously managed to land an arrow within a meter of her prey. Then there’s Senior Rock, who finally discovered a massive weakness of Chronicler Yagara and launched a counter-offensive. I even got a tip-off from another colleague that the “Bearded Geezer” back in the Royal Capital, Commander Luger, is planning a big move soon.

But out of everything, the biggest incident was the shocking news that Captain Akina had kidnapped a pure-hearted boy and brought him back to the Knight Order as “takeout.” Naturally, I assumed it was about 97% exaggeration.

“Look, strictly between us… is it true you guys took a bath together?”

“E-eh… our bath at home is a sauna type, and it seemed like Akina-san didn’t know how to use it…”

The day after the bear hunt, I was attempting some “real talk” with Busse-kun in the cafeteria. We’d both been bombarded with questions during the meal, so I waited until after we finished eating to corner him.

Busse-kun, who was about to answer normally, suddenly realized how careless his words were.

“Ah, wait, no! After I showed her how to use it, I went outside, of course! And I made sure to stay covered with a towel! So it’s a little—no, a lot—different from what everyone’s imagining!!”

“Then, what about the part where you slept together and she ‘comforted’ you?”

“That’s, well… I guess, even if it’s just temporary, leaving the village made me overthink all sorts of things. I think Akina-san was just trying to encourage me in her own way…”

“I see. Thanks for telling me all that. I was pretty mentally drained yesterday, so I missed out on the gossip.”

The fact that he didn’t deny the “sleeping together” part is a bit concerning, but if I pry too much, Captain Akina’s fist of fury might come flying my way, so I decided to cut the questions there. The other party involved, Captain Akina, has gone into a total pout and locked herself in her room. Besides, the search area is expanding further today, so I want to get warmed up.

“Still, using the word ‘cohabitation’ is bound to cause misunderstandings. I knew she wasn’t interested in romance, but for her to be so ignorant that it goes beyond lack of interest is a surprise. I thought that only happened to sheltered young ladies.”

In my mind, I recalled the tearful face of a certain someone (Sedona) who believed storks brought babies until she finally had a health class lecture. The legendary incident where she ran out of the classroom clutching her shattered dreams is, of course, a dark history for her.

“I… I didn’t know either…”

“Well, it’s only natural you wouldn’t know, right? When I was a brat, I knew the words, but I didn’t really understand the details.”

“In Isberg, generally, men and women only live in the same house after they’re married, so I never even dreamed of doing it beforehand. Oh, it’s all because I said something unnecessary…!”

“Well, just go and apologize properly. Knowing her, she’ll be mad at first, but she’ll probably let it slide into ambiguity in the end.”

“I wish you would have told me she’d forgive me, even if it was a lie!”

Even so, that woman is the troublesome type who can’t apologize honestly; whenever there’s a fight, she tries to act like it never happened. She has the temperament of a cowardly older sister who puts down her younger brother.

“Sigh… Varna-san, you’re a hard person to figure out. Talking to you like this, I can hardly believe you’re the one who took down that massive bear with a sword. A monster bear like that… if things went wrong, people would die even if a whole crowd attacked it. Why did you even think of fighting it?”

“What are you talking about? We’re a group that operates on the premise of fighting monsters; if we couldn’t take down a single bear, our dignity would be in shreds. My sword doesn’t just represent the Order—it carries the prestige of the entire country, you know?”

“The country…? You do, Varna-san?”

“Of course. I am, so to speak, the Kingdom’s First Knight of Excellence—the pinnacle of all knights.”

Knights are fundamentally beings that influence national prestige, and among them, I am the most prominent figurehead. While I haven’t had the experience yet, there’s always the possibility I’ll be introduced to a foreign king as “our strongest knight.”

When that time comes, I have to be someone who doesn’t bring shame to that introduction.

“If a legendary guy claiming to be the country’s strongest struggled against a bear, any kid who looks up to knights would be heartbroken, right? Even the King and the citizens wouldn’t be able to brag about it when they go abroad. So, regardless of how ferocious the bear is or how bad the footing is, if it comes to a fight—I win. Absolutely.”

This pressure is actually quite intense. If I’m going to stay in the seat of the strongest knight from now on, there will be times when I have to compete in martial arts against knights from other countries. In those moments, the only result the people of the Kingdom will accept is victory.

“If someone seriously wants to take me down, they’d better bring at least a Great Dragon. Of course, I’ll live up to the name ‘Beheader’ and take its head too.”

“………”

When I said that jokingly, Busse-kun stood frozen with his mouth hanging open.

Incidentally, the seniors who were chatting nearby and the Cooking Squad members clearing up were all staring at me too.

“You… you actually think about that stuff seriously, don’t you…”

“Varna… much as I hate to admit it, I actually thought you were cool just now. Yeah.”

“Declaring a dragon subjugation so casually. Man, if I said that, it’d just sound like a hollow boast, but when you say it, it feels like you could actually do it. It’s totally unfair!!”

“Varna-kun, you usually act like you don’t care about looking cool, but you’re such a show-off at times like this. I actually kind of like that ‘boyish’ side of you.”

To my pointless story that I thought would be laughed off, the surrounding crowd offered nothing but praise. No, wait. I thought this was the part where everyone snickers? Am I the only one who was prepared to be laughed at? Astraea would definitely laugh. She’d smirk and say, “What’s with the uncharacteristic speech? Did you think that up yourself?”

“I’m sorry, Varna-san. You really are an amazing knight!”

“Can you stop? Those kinds of reactions are embarrassing.”

“Alright everyone, let’s keep praising Varna until he’s worshipped as a deity!!”

“I said stop!! I know exactly how this goes—halfway through, I won’t even be able to tell if you’re praising me or insulting me! I can see right through you!!”

By the way, I found out later that the reason Knight Caliban had been sleeping from exhaustion yesterday was because he’d received a request to return to base to get Pero’s cooperation. He couldn’t stay at Busse’s residence and had to trek back through the snow all over again.

Considering Senior Senega and Knight Bevion—who went to search with him—casually stayed the night with the Captain, he really is a guy who consistently gets the short end of the stick.

Anyway, setting aside the nonsense in the cafeteria.

As scheduled, the investigation into the area where we took down that confusing polar bear began today. We mobilized our full strength, and with Pero memorizing the scent, the lineup was flawless. As for me, I was on standby as a reserve force at a temporary camp set up by the Engineering Squad.

“The time has finally come, Varna-kun. Here, have some cocoa. We don’t know when you’ll be deployed, so you’d better warm up while you can.”

“Thanks, Nonoka-san.”

As I waited for contact from the familiars, Nonoka-san handed me a cup of cocoa.

Uncharacteristically, Nonoka-san had strongly requested to accompany us to the field this time. Usually, she stays cooped up in the Purification Yard, claiming she’d only get in the way on-site. Seeing her all bundled up in a fluffy coat like a cute snow fairy was one thing, but her level of interest in this mission seemed abnormally high even before we set out.

What exactly was the identity of this white Unidentified Mysterious Animal that made Nonoka-san—who was usually so cheerful you could practically see musical notes floating around her—this concerned? I tried asking casually, without getting my hopes up.

“Are you still not going to tell me why you’re so invested in this case?”

“I’d love to tell you, but I have my position as a member of the Royal Magic Research Institute to consider. I’m afraid my lips are sealed, even to my boyfriend.”

The determination in Nonoka-san’s faint smile was incredibly firm. In that expression, which should have been soft, I felt a weight like a towering cliff. She was a woman who lived for her work and was capable of doing so. It made me realize that precisely because she took pride in her job, she would remain silent even toward her partner.

The more seriously she wanted to keep it a secret, the more curious I became, but I knew I wouldn’t get an answer even if I kept prying. In that case, I should just do what needs to be done.

“For this mission, is the prey to be taken alive? Or does it not matter if it’s dead or alive?”

“Eh? Oh, come to think of it, I hadn’t mentioned that yet. What’s with the sudden question?”

“Well, it seems like your secret can only be revealed once we deal with this target. You can’t say anything because the facts haven’t been confirmed yet, right?”

“Well, that’s true… I suppose so. Fretting about it here won’t solve anything, and if I’m going to be this nervous, I’d rather hurry up, confirm the truth, and perform a dissection immediately… All right! I’m requesting this one dead or alive!”

She still seemed to be forcing it a little, but it looked like Nonoka-san’s policy was firmly set. The other members of the Skirmish Squad on standby also shouted a carefree “Roger!”

However, that harmonious atmosphere was instantly pierced by a sharp voice.

“—Everyone!! A messenger has arrived!!”

“Finally. Where’s the target?!”

At the news, every member of the Skirmish Squad stood up, weapons in hand. There was only one meaning behind a familiar’s message coming from the scouting party.

“They’ve discovered what looks like a nest! There are bloodstains in the vicinity, and they confirmed a shadow fitting the description for a brief moment! They’re requesting deployment!”

I dashed out of the camp along with the rest of the Skirmish Squad.

“What do we do if it’s another bear?”

“Don’t go jinxing it!!”

I prayed that this wouldn’t end in some lame punchline like “It was a white bear again.”

Progressing while the snow resistance was reduced by the swift route-clearing of Snow-Play Unit DD, the knights sprinted across the frozen land. Unlike yesterday, the snowy wind was a bit strong today, which was a concern, but if we could settle things today, we should be able to say goodbye to this cold.

Running at the front, Senior Garmon raised his voice to those behind him.

“Has everyone finished their anti-freezing measures for their weapons?! The Engineering Squad and the other Skirmish branch should already have the site surrounded! The moment we arrive, everyone draw your blades and suppress the target immediately!”

“How big is the area?! And where is it?!”

“The target has ducked into a cave that isn’t particularly large! Based on the terrain, it’s unlikely there’s another entrance! If it’s a dead end, we can handle it regardless of their numbers!”

It seemed the target’s dwelling had a very simple structure. Normally, wild creatures build nests in more inconspicuous places or spots that are difficult for an opponent to approach. Orcs, for instance, tend to prefer nests with multiple passages. That’s exactly why we struggle every time we hunt them, but it seemed that wouldn’t be the case this time.

A white creature, wounded and fled into a cramped cave. If we tossed in a smoke signal or some tear-gas firecrackers, it wouldn’t be able to stand it and would come out, at which point we’d finish it off. It was a simple encirclement strategy that even a monkey could pull off.

However, there were concerns.

I hope I’m just overthinking it, I thought as I checked with Senior Garmon.

“The fact that the numbers are unknown bothers me. What’s the deal with that?! If there are allies operating elsewhere, they’ll be on guard and catching them will be even further out of reach!!”

“To be honest, we haven’t been able to confirm that for sure! However, since the activity zone has been narrowed down by Pero-kun’s tracking and the timing and location of the trap destructions, we’ll go for what we can definitely eliminate first!”

Regarding the animal traps that had been destroyed, the Knight Order’s full-scale investigation revealed that the areas where they were broken actually varied. When cross-referencing the timing of the trap installations with the destructions, they were broken in a rough straight line centered around the current search area.

Even if there were other unidentified white creatures operating elsewhere, it was judged that tracking them down would be possible, given that they left traces by destroying traps and Pero had memorized their scent.

“We’re about a kilometer from the site! Brace yourselves, and let’s go for zero injuries again today!!”

“YEAH!!”

Amidst the members raising their arms and shouting, I noticed one of the DD guides—Pickelt, whom I’d worked with yesterday—beckoning to me, so I approached. Pickelt spoke rapidly as we ran side-by-side.

“All I can do is guide the way, so for the sake of the village, I’m counting on you for the rest!”

“Leave it to us. We aren’t going home until this is completely finished.”

“Also, uh… is it true? That Busse packed his bags and is leaving?”

“…”

I instinctively felt that the latter question was his true concern. Pickelt didn’t doubt that I, who had already taken down a bear, could handle the rest. His interest seemed to have shifted from the mission to the fact that Busse-kun had headed toward the Knight Order with a large amount of luggage.

“Do you want him to leave?”

“—?!”

I heard Pickelt gasp. I’d heard rumors through the grapevine about the village’s reaction toward Busse-kun. And I knew Pickelt didn’t want to get too involved in it. That’s why the words slipped out without me considering his feelings. I felt a surge of self-loathing at my own foolish reply.

“No, never mind. It’s just like a work experience program; he’s just leaving for a while, and he plans to come back.”

“I see… No, sorry for asking at such a busy time.”

“It’s fine. We’ll protect the village.”

With that, my conversation with Pickelt was cut short. As I watched him move away, I muttered to myself.

“…That was a bit too blunt. Hmph, showing me a side of things I’d rather not see.”

Right now, I was thinking about something rather unpleasant, setting aside the identity of the white creature. If Pickelt had answered “Yes” to my question—and if a visible look of disappointment had appeared on his face the moment I told him Busse would eventually return—would I have lost the will to protect this village called Isberg?

Of course, I had no intention of abandoning the mission for such a childish reason, but still, the distrust I’d felt once wouldn’t fade easily, lingering like the smoke rising from a poorly extinguished campfire.