Chapter 46: The “Former” Knight Commander (2)
The training grounds of the Daphne Knight Order, bathed in sunlight.
There, two groups of people were lined up.
First, the ones who looked like mountain bandits at a glance—no, who were actually former bandits—the Maw mercenaries.
“...Mikkelsen, here it goes!”
“Throw it, throw it!”
“Grrrr! Four, four! I’ll take it.”
“Ah, damn it.”
Thud! Thud!
The Maw mercenaries were sitting on training logs they used as chairs, gambling with dice.
Every time they threw the dice, their fortunes swung back and forth, and exclamations burst out.
Since the war had ended and Hardin no longer pressured them with training, they were taking breaks on their own.
After all, no one could spend 365 days a year just training.
Besides, they had won a great victory in the war, so they deserved this little luxury.
Sure, that was how it was.
If there was anyone to object...
“Do they really find that so entertaining...”
Splash, splash.
Beryl watered the flowers around the training grounds with water he had drawn from a bucket, then shook his head.
“They’ve got no class, no class at all.”
Anyway, while the Maw mercenaries were each enjoying their leisure in their own way,
on the other side of the training grounds, a rather different scene was unfolding.
“...Faster! Swing it faster!”
“Yes!”
At the commands of the training instructor, Manton, the Daphne knights swung their swords.
Their wounds hadn’t even fully healed yet…
They gritted their teeth, their whole bodies drenched in sweat, as if driven by desperation.
‘I couldn’t do anything.’
‘Damn it...’
The reason they were acting like this was simple.
They were ashamed.
They hadn’t done anything in this war.
They had survived only because those pathetic mercenaries over there gambling with dice, and Young Master Hardin, had saved their lives.
They had survived, but the shame felt like it was going to kill them, so they all clenched their teeth and pushed themselves to shake it off.
While the atmosphere of the two sides of the training grounds stood in stark contrast,
two people walked steadily into the center.
“Everyone, asseeemble!”
“Hmm?”
At the loud shout, everyone’s heads snapped around.
The head of the house, Viscount Cobalt, and the Knight Commander, Mulgybson.
The two of them were walking over.
Seeing this first out of the corner of his eye, Mikkelsen...
“Ahem!”
Thud!
He quickly kicked the dice board aside and stretched as if he had been merely relaxing.
“Alright, alright! Break time’s over!”
“Hey, Mikkelsen, I was winning! Why—”
When another mercenary stuck out his lips in protest,
“Have some awareness, will you, brother.”
“Aaagh!”
Mikkelsen firmly stepped on the toes of the complaining rebel(?).
Then Beryl, who had somehow already come over to the side, awkwardly smiled and asked his men,
“Alright, where were we in our training again?”
“No, Brother Beryl, why are you doing this? We were right in the middle of having fun… Ugh!”
The one whose foot Mikkelsen had stepped on was now elbowed in the stomach by Beryl and fell silent.
‘Why, why is it always me?’
In the midst of this confusion,
Mulgybson stared at them for a moment, then let out a long sigh and spoke.
“You mercenaries, come over here as well. The Lord has something to announce.”
“Us… us too?”
“That’s right.”
Shuffling.
Only then did the mercenaries approach with puzzled looks, tilting their heads.
‘What is this? Why are we being called?’
‘What is he going to say…’
Once the Daphne knights had gathered in front and the Maw mercenaries behind, Viscount Cobalt cleared his throat and spoke in a rather serious tone.
“Everyone, listen carefully.”
“…”
Just as everyone was tilting their heads in confusion,
Viscount Cobalt placed a hand on Mulgybson’s shoulder and continued.
“Mulgybson, who has served as our house’s Knight Commander for more than a decade… has decided to step down from the position as of today.”
“What?”
The jaws of the Daphne knights, with Manton at the forefront, nearly hit the ground.
“Cpmmander Mulgybson is stepping down?”
“All of a sudden?”
Manton, the training instructor, took a few bewildered steps forward and asked.
“Is… is this true, Commander?”
With a calm nod and a faint smile, Mulgybson replied.
“Yes. As of today, I will step down as Knight Commander… and return to serving the Lord as an ordinary knight.”
“What kind of nonsense is this? If you step down, who will take over as Commander?”
When Manton asked again, looking utterly at a loss, Mulgybson showed a satisfied smile.
“Why, isn’t there someone far more outstanding than me?”
“What?”
Step.
At that moment, someone walked into the training grounds.
“This one has arrived.”
Hardin Daphne, the Young Master, stood there with his arms crossed, grinning.
“…Don’t tell me.”
An uneasy energy spread across everyone’s faces.
Then Mulgybson nodded and spoke.
“As of today, Young Master Hardin will take over the position of Knight Commander.”
In that instant, the knights’ eyes went wide.
‘What did he say?’
‘…Huh?’
That shut-in Young Master, Hardin Daphne.
[There goes the shut-in Young Master.]
[Tsk tsk tsk… If only he were half as capable as the Third Young Master.]
Memories of how they had all scorned him in the past came flooding back one after another.
And now, Hardin Daphne was going to be their Commander?
A chill ran down their spines, and goosebumps prickled all over their bodies.
‘W-we’re finished.’
‘How could this happen…’
The image of Hardin slaughtering enemies like a madman on the battlefield and the memories of all the misdeeds they had committed kept flashing through their minds.
To think they would be the ones Hardin would crush next…
It was… despairing.
Still unable to accept it, Manton asked again.
“Sir Mulgybson, why are you stepping down? Why, exactly?”
“You know the reason well enough.”
“…That’s…”
When Mulgybson looked straight at Hardin and spoke, Manton fell silent.
Mulgybson then glanced over Manton and the knights behind him and continued.
“It’s a decision I reached after long deliberation.”
“No, this can’t be… The Commander of our knights is you, Sir Mulgybson.”
Manton’s face twisted into a miserable expression, but Mulgybson shook his head.
What could be done?
The die had already been cast, and a mere training instructor had no authority to interfere.
At that moment, Hardin walked forward with his hands clasped behind his back, moving lazily.
“You all heard, didn’t you? I’m Hardin, the new Knight Commander.”
“…”
Hardin scratched his chin and spoke.
“I don’t expect much from you.”
“…”
“There’s only one thing—absolute obedience to my orders.”
“Absolute obedience… you say?”
“That’s right. I’m not someone like Sir Mulgybson…”
Boom!
When Hardin stomped the ground, a burst of dust shot up, and the earth trembled with a muffled explosion.
“…who’s such an admirable man.”
W-we’re finished.
Everyone’s faces turned pale, their bodies trembling.
“Why aren’t you answering?”
“A…alright!”
“Your voice is too quiet.”
“Understood!”
While the Daphne knights raised their voices,
‘See how it feels, you lot.’
‘Serves you right. Heh heh!’
The Maw mercenaries in the back couldn’t help smirking.
Then Hardin pointed a finger toward the mercenaries and spoke.
“And you see those mercenary bastards over there?”
The Daphne knights turned their heads.
“From now on, you’ll be training with them and living together.”
“Whaaaaaat?”
With them… live together?
Shock and horror spread across the faces of both the Daphne knights and the Maw mercenaries.
‘We have to live with mercenaries?’
Manton couldn’t close his gaping mouth.
‘We’re training together with knights?’
‘Why on earth?’
Beryl and Mikkelsen doubted their own ears.
A tense atmosphere, a mix of discomfort and hostility, began to drift between the knights and the mercenaries.
Hardin clenched his fist and spoke with a murderous smile.
“If anyone has complaints, step forward. I’ll make sure you understand.”
“…”
Naturally, no one objected.
“No one has any complaints, right?”
“…”
“Answer me.”
Thud!
When Hardin stomped his foot again, tiny voices squeaked out.
“N-no complaints.”
“Can’t hear you.”
“No complaints!”
In the end, loud voices rang out across the training grounds.
As they watched him, satisfied smiles appeared on the faces of Mulgybson and Cobalt.
‘As expected of the Young Master, dependable indeed.’
‘Hardin… do well.’
Hardin crossed his arms, exhaling a sharp breath, and continued.
“Well then, that’s enough for my introduction.”
Then he reached into his coat, took out a pouch, and tossed it over to Manton.
“Take this.”
“What… is this?”
Manton, who had caught the pouch without thinking, asked, and Hardin shrugged as he replied.
“Money.”
“Money? What is this for…?”
“It’s about 500 gold altogether. Use it to prepare a banquet. Don’t skim any off.”
“A banquet? Why are we suddenly having a banquet?”
“Why?”
Hardin twitched his eyebrow and shook his head.
“Sir Mulgybson, how exactly did you teach these guys?”
“…Pardon?”
“When a mentor as great as the sky retires, they ask why we’re holding a banquet. How unbelievably rude.”
“Ah…”
“This is the sort of thing they should be offering to do themselves before I even have to say it. These brats, no manners at all…”
“T-that is…”
As fury rose sharply on Hardin’s face, Manton paled and called out to Mulgybson.
“I—I’m sorry, Sir Mulgybson! I was so flustered that I didn’t even think of it.”
“It’s alrigh—”
Just as Mulgybson raised his hand to calm him,
Thwack!
“Oof!”
Hardin kicked Manton hard in the shin and spoke.
“If you have time to yap, go get ready.”
“A-alright! L-let’s go!”
“Y-yes!”
Manton hurriedly led the knights out of the training grounds in a rush.
The mercenaries watching them from behind let out deep sighs.
“Tsk tsk tsk, even knights aren’t much in front of that guy.”
“A banquet… I’m jealous.”
It was then.
Thwack!
“Ow!”
Hardin now kicked Mikkelsen in the backside.
“And why are you lot just standing there?”
“Huh? What do you mean…?”
“You should be going after them to help, shouldn’t you?”
“…Why us?”
When Mikkelsen asked again in confusion, Hardin kicked his backside once more.
“Why? Because you lot are part of the same household now. Or are you not going to attend the banquet?”
“What? Us too?”
“That’s right. So get moving.”
When Hardin clenched his fist and his eyes gleamed fiercely,
“Sorry. We’ll go right away.”
“Move it, now!”
“Y-yes!”
Still wearing bewildered expressions, the Maw mercenaries scurried off.
“…Honestly, no sense at all, no sense,”
Hardin muttered with a sigh as he crossed his arms, just as the knights and mercenaries disappeared from view.
At that moment, Mulgybson spoke with an awkward smile.
“Young Master. I truly appreciate the thought, but… you really didn’t have to go this far…”
Hardin waved it off.
“Don’t mind it. I’m doing this because it’s necessary.”
“Necessary?”
“Yes. When someone who devoted decades to the house steps down from the position of Commander, if nothing is done to mark the moment… how will discipline be maintained?”
Then Cobalt cleared his throat and added.
“Ahem! Quite right.”
“…”
“If you don’t properly honor those who have devoted themselves to the house, what would anyone else rely on to give us their loyalty?”
“Is… that so.”
“It is.”
Watching Cobalt, Hardin let out a small laugh.
‘This guy… he knows how to say the right things.’
[Varlach, always be sure to reward those who have given their all in loyalty. For the sake of the house itself.]
For the briefest instant, in Cobalt’s figure, he saw the image of his eldest brother from the past overlapping.
It was only natural.
‘If there’s nothing at all even after grinding yourself to dust, after decades of loyalty, then what reason does anyone have to stay loyal to the house?’
The Daphne family up until now had been too busy struggling just to keep their heads above water.
Honestly, even now… well, it wasn’t like things were overflowing with riches.
Still, it had to change now.
‘If we didn’t do it before, we just start doing it now. And from there, we keep building it up.’
Right now, it might begin with just a few hundred gold. But in the future, there would be victory celebrations… days when everyone could eat and drink until they couldn’t stand.
Those who betrayed the house deserved to have their skulls smashed in, but for those who remained loyal to the end… it was only right to treat them well.
With a gentle smile, Mulgybson nodded.
“…I understand what you mean.”
“Right?”
“Yes.”
Hardin placed an arm at his side and nodded, his face full of a warm smile.
Mulgybson looked at him with a gaze full of deep feelings.
‘Was the Young Master always this thoughtful?’
Without realizing it, he really had grown so much.
Or maybe…
‘All this time, it was my own perspective that was too narrow.’
His nose stung.
Mulgybson smiled, then let out a soft breath and spoke calmly.
“Thank you, Young Master. Then… I will do my best to enjoy this occasion you’ve prepared.”
“Yes, you certainly should.”
Today… they were going to eat and drink themselves into oblivion.
With a flick,
Hardin raised his thumb up high.