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Volume 9, Chapter 3

 

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Translator: Manga0205
Editor: Weasalopes

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Vice-city Kashnart was now a town First Princess Narika called the 「Temporary Capital City Kashnart」.

Turning towards the group that arrived at this town, which had a beautiful townscape though not as beautiful as Elarc, the knights that walked at the lead turned around.

「You’ve all done a good job up until now……We’ve arrived at Kashnart!」

What was in front of them were sturdy town walls, and a splendid gate.

These people who had grown familiar with the spectacle of various places of Elarc being broken raised shouts of joy in unison.

After waving his hand to stop them as they looked like they were about to start running at any moment, the knight at the lead called out the the knight that stood at the watchtower on top of the gate.

「We have brought the refugees! We request you open the gate!」

「Understood! Welcome, to the capital of hope!」

What they saw beyond the gate that opened together with the watchtower knight’s signal was a beautiful townscape that resembled Elarc before the civil war had started.

In the vicinity, delighted voices resounded.

「We’ll, probably be told to fight if something happens, won’t we.」

「Probably.」

Popping his face out from the window of a building in the vicinity of the main gate, Kain absent-mindedly overlooked the townscape.

It has already been a week since the group arrived at Kashnart.

So far, there were no chances to meet the First Princess, let alone Mazenda.

This was probably only natural since Kain’s group came as ordinary Adventurers, but according to the predictions that Maid Knight Reina, who was cooperating with Celis, had made, the other side should have made contact with them.

That being said, they couldn’t just wait like this the whole time.

Thinking that it was about time that they make contact with some sort of method, Ein started thinking but……

「Ah, as I thought, you’re not doing anything.」

「Nn……」

Hearing a voice from outside, Kain turned his gaze over there.

What was there was, a young white girl expressing a thin smile and waving her hand――it was Lys’ figure.

「Hey, hey, Kain, could you open up?」

When Ein looked outside while moving Kain’s head out of the way with her hand, the young girl who called herself Lys was in front of the entrance. Ever since they arrived in Kashnart, she came to meet Kain almost every day.

「It’s you again. Are you bored?」

「Ara, Ein. You’re wrong, even I’m pretty busy……Today, I came with some proper work, you know?」

Ein responded to Lys’ provocative smile with a scornful smile.

「Hmph, I wonder about that. Wouldn’t it be better if you relearn the meaning of “proper”?」

「Isn’t it fine, Ein? Why don’t we let her in.」

「Ara, Kain, you sure do get it!」

After Kain smiled looking delighted, he left the window.

「Oi, Kain.」

「What?」

Ein whispered to Kain as he was about to head downstairs.

「……You, you haven’t forgotten our objective, right?」

「Of course not. I haven’t forgotten it.」

「Then, that’s fine. I will be going ou……」

Kain grabbed Ein’s arm as she was speaking.

After Ein brushed away the hand that grabbed her with practiced motions, she lightly glared at Kain.

「Wait, Ein, I think it’s better if you’re around too.」

「……Again. Why do you always make me be present?」

During these past few days, at times when Lys came, Kain would definitely make Ein be present.

Ein didn’t know the reason since Kain didn’t tell it to her but……

「Nn……For some reason, I feel like it’s better this way.」

「That doesn’t make sense.」

Even while frowning at Kain’s vague words, Ein decided to reluctantly follow him.

At times like this, Kain’s intuition……she didn’t know if she could call it that, but in any case, it was often right. In that case, she thought that she should do as Kain says.

Following after Kain and descending the stairs, the door was unlocked.

When it was, the door was vigorously opened as if waiting for that exact moment, and Lys came rushing in.

「You’re so slow, Kain. I was tired of waiting!」

「Whoa.」

When Kain pressed down on Lys’ forehead with his hand when she tried to hug him, Lys puffed her cheeks looking dissatisfied.

「Ara, that is so mean. To refuse my greeting!」

「Haha. So, what did you need?」

「I think that laughing and passing things off is a bad habit but……well, it’s fine.」

Lys nimbly separated from Kain, and went past his side and entered the house.

「I will be intruding……Ara, as usual, it’s a house with nothing in it.」

「Oi, don’t come in on your own.」

「So you were here, Ein. A guest is coming in, so can’t you at least bring out some tea?」

After clicking her tongue at Lys who arbitrarily sat down in a chair, Ein went to the opposite side of the table and sat down making a *dokah* sound.

「We don’t have tea for a guest that came in on their own. What is your business here.」

「……You and Kain are always together, aren’t you.」

「I asked you what your business here is.」

Seeing Lys put a finger to her mouth and tilt her head, Ein tapped the table with her finger and made an irritated expression.

「About that story of you two not being lovers, just what kind of relationship do you have. Are you Adventurers? It seems that it turns into a falsely similar relationship when you have long journeys together, you know?」

「So you don’t have any business here, right?」

「Ahー, Ein. Calm down.」

When Kain, who had just closed the door, came to where the two were sitting while he made a wry smile, Ein and Lys simultaneously tapped the chair next to them.

Without any hesitation at all, Kain pulled the seat next to Ein and sat down on it.

Seeing that, Ein nodded looking satisfied, while Lys on the other hand puffed her cheeks.

「Erm……So, Lys. What did you need from us?」

「Kain is being cold to me, what should I do about it.」

「E, even if you tell me that.」

While glaring at Kain who scratched his cheek looking troubled, Lys languidly stretched her body out on the table.

「Jeezー. Even though I came with a good prospect for your sake, Kain.」

「Good prospect?」

「Yup. You know that I work at the castle, right?」

「Ah, yeah. You did say that.」

When Kain answered like that, Lys continued her story while idling about on top of the table.

「So, Kain, you also said “I want to go to the castle tooー”, didn’t you.」

「Yeah.」

「There’s a chance for you to go, you know?」

Kain and Ein reacted at the same time.

Seeing that, Lys chuckled.

「Ah, nice reaction. It’s funnyー」

「Oi, more importantly, that story just now……」

「Tsuーn」

Kain stopped Ein who was about to reflexively stand up from Lys turning her face away from her.

「Erm, what do you mean by chance?」

「The Chivalric Order member selection. They said that they’re recruiting people with skill from among the refugees.」

Currently, the Chivalric Orders of the Canal Kingdom that serve First Princess Narika are the Imperial Guard Chivalric Order, the Shields of Light Chivalric Order, and then, although it’s only a portion of them including the Order Captain, the Staves of Light Chivalric Order.

If there were to be a recruitment among these, it would be reasonable to think that it would be for the Staves of Light Chivalric Order which has few people in it.

However, if he were to be ordered to go on a campaign through that, it would be increasingly more difficult to meet with Narika and Mazenda. It wasn’t the time to make achievements, rise through the ranks, and slowly aim for a chance for an audience.

「A Chivalric Order huh……Which Order is it for?」

「All of them. Including for the Imperial Guard Chivalric Order, they will take the applicant’s aptitude into consideration……that is how it seems, you know?」

「That is quite a story. Putting aside mercenaries and soldiers, to think that they would employ refugees as knights.」

Kain also nodded at Ein’s words.

This seemed to be the case even in Kain’s country of origin, the St. Altlis Kingdom, but a 「knight」 was a special social position.

Being under the direct control of the country, knights would draft and take command of soldiers, mercenaries, and vigilante corps with their own judgement in emergencies, and were given authority depending on the situation.

On the other hand, soldiers had no right to command. Also, there were cases where the country would employ them, but they were generally employed by the Chivalric Orders. They would be stationed in regional towns as subordinates to the knights, and they would be hired locally for the sake of doing things like subordinate work. Mercenaries were also similar to them, but unlike soldiers, they were 「battle specialists」, and their pay being done on a reward system was a huge difference.

If refugees were going to be employed, making them soldiers or mercenaries which had limited authority would be the norm.

However, Lys had said 「Chivalric Order member selection」. Moreover, she said 「including for the Imperial Guard Chivalric Order」 which was close to the royal family.

「Why, would they do such a thing?」

「Well, I wouldn’t know that, you know? But, that doesn’t matter. Isn’t that right?」

As Lys chuckled, Ein pondered.

If they could skillfully slip into the Imperial Guard Chivalric Order, they could instantly approach Mazenda.

No, maybe……she might show up at the selection grounds or whatever.

In that case, should they try going for it for the time being?

Beside Ein who was thinking that, Kain opened his mouth.

「I see. Well then, I’ll need to apply for it.」

Hearing Kain say that so readily, both Ein and Lys made slightly surprised looking faces.

「Kain……?」

「Ara, how unexpected. I thought that you would say that you would think about it for a bit, you know?」

After smiling at the two, Kain tapped the table.

「There’s no need to think about it. Things like this are always sudden, and the necessary time to make a decision is but an instant. That’s how it is, isn’t it?」

「What an interesting thought. I really like that sort of thing, you know?」

After Lys said that and smiled, she took out a single piece of paper from her pocket and placed it on the table.

The Selection Meeting for New Chivalric Order Members.

As Kain gazed at the paper that had that written on it, in his eyes……dwelled an earnest brilliance.

 

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