Yuusha-sama no Oshishou-sama

“At any rate, for it to need not only Apprentice Knights but Knight Cadets, the Knight Order really has fallen low.”

“Truly. It’s all the fault of those fools who conspired with Zaunas, now we have too many problems. The Knight Orders of other countries must be laughing at us.”

“In the first place, it was a mistake to allow commoners to become knights. They let it get to their heads.”

If they continued marching at a good pace, the Imperial Knight Order’s advance party, which had departed from the capital, would reach the place where the Petersian knights disguised as bandits were causing problems the next day.

At sundown, the knights made camp at a clearing, and were greedily eating their provisions as a pot hung over a campfire.

The knights gossiped, slightly tipsy, since a little alcohol was permitted in order to raise morale, since there was a chance that a battle would occur the next day.

The more serious knights discussed the prospects of the battle with the Petersian army, while the others talked about wine, women, and also the outsiders among them: the Knight School students.

The victims of the knights who talked about the students were invariably the commoners like Wynn.

Since the knights sent on the advance party were largely of either n.o.bles or knight status, they didn’t have good sentiments towards commoners, who were the made up most of the insurgents who worked with Zaunas during the coup d’état.

“The mood is somewhat bad, huh.”

Reeno frowned while adding firewood to the campfire.

“Is it my fault?”

As if it weren’t in plain sight, Wynn asked about the surrounding state of affairs. He had felt the stares. They weren’t merely stares of interest. There were stares that clearly contained contempt.

“No, it’s not only because of you, Wynn. We’re also being targeted by the words.”

Even though the Marine house held more influence than lower-cla.s.s n.o.bles, the fact that Locke was a commoner was enough for them to scorn him.

“I wonder, how much money did they have to save up to get the status of knight?”

“Cut it out! The can hear you, you know?”

“There’s no way they have that kind of money. The probably pooled their money together. Don’t forget. Those guys are apprentice knights, not real knights.”

“Well, if they stood there with spears, then all they’re good for is for filling up numbers.”

“Come to think of it, there is even a knight cadet who hasn’t even been promoted to apprentice knight. He’s even wearing the Knight Order’s crest!”

They were clearly speaking loudly to provoke the students.

“… Those people…”

Locke clenched his fists tightly and tried to stand up, but Wedge, who was also by the campfire, put a hand on his shoulders.

“Those guys are just trying to pick a fight.”

“… But, they were saying….”

“Wait a minute, what do you think about this, Wedge?”

It wasn’t Wedge who responded to Locke’s surprise, but Reeno.

Wynn was also looking at Wedge, wide-eyed.

He had never talked with him in Knight School, but since they were now in the same group, he would at least listen to what Wedge had to say.

“There are superior officers among them. They are provocatively picking a fight with us, in order to trick us into getting punished for going against superiors. It’s best to ignore them.”

Saying only that, Wedge crossed his arms, closed his eyes, and made no more move
ments.

“When you speak, you have a surprisingly manly[1] voice.”

Dumbfounded, Locke stared at Wedge’s face, which was illuminated by the campfire.

He seemed like an enlightened priest, the way he was silent, and didn’t tremble even a bit.

“But I wonder, do those people not know that Wynn is the Master of that Leticia the Brave?”

“From what I can see, those who are from knight families and lower cla.s.s n.o.bles don’t. If that’s the case, then there are some people who must not recognize Wynn’s face, since his name wasn’t called.”

Locke felt that the Empire’s upper echelons were avoiding the fact that Wynn, who was born a commoner, had achieved something that raised his reputation. If they had recognized his deeds during the coup, there was no way that Wynn would remain a Knight Cadet.

“If it were me, I would be too scared of Leticia-sama to say such things.”

As the the Brave and a Duke’s daughter, Leticia’s words held a large influence even on powerful n.o.bles, and weaker houses would not be able to sway that influence.

“Well, it’s not just Wynn. I feel like they are treating us uniformly, complaining about the fact that we are commoners.”

Some of them belonged to houses of lesser n.o.bles which had less power than Locke’s family, the Marine House.

Though it was highly probable that they couldn’t find out Locke’s lineage just by looking at the people that were being scorned.

“Sheesh, how unlucky…”

Reeno, looking down, called the other three’s attention in a small voice.

One knight approached the group of four, getting tired of provoking them to no effect.

“Hey you four!”

His gait was unsteady. He was clearly drunk.

It seems that he had drank more than was permitted.

“Us REAL knights think that you commoner knights being here is a real pain in the a.s.s. You got that?”

“What is this guy saying…?”

‘Before bullying us commoner knights, you real knights should follow the regulations!‘

The four probably agreed with Locke’s soft retort and probably had the same thoughts.

“Because Zaunas and you commoner knights did such a stupid thing, we went through such pointless struggles, you know?”

Those words were preposterous. He must have drunk a lot.

His attendants were also quite drunk, and rather than trying to stop him, they were egging him on.

“In the end, you commoner knights will immediately run away when the enemy appears, right? Okay. The esteemed me, a real, full-fledged knight, will tell you guys what to do.”

The drunk knight drew his sword.

“W-wait a minute. It’s not a joke anymore if you draw your sword. Aren’t duels during a campaign against regulations?” Reeno asked, fl.u.s.tered.

“It’s just a lesson. You guys are students right? The esteemed me, your senior, will give you studious students a swordplay lesson, that’s what we’ll say.”

“Hey, don’t do it. You’ve drunk too much.”

Locke shook his head, appalled.

“What should we do? That’s technically a superior’s order, right? But if we follow it, it’s also bad.”

Reeno looked around for somebody to stop it, but all the knights were staring at them, and wouldn’t want to stop it. They were all agitated, since they could possibly encounter the enemy the next day. To those who weren’t already asleep, this must have seemed like a good way to kill time.

“Hey, what’s wrong? Stand up. I said that I would teach you a lesson.[2] Let’s start with this young lady here. How bout that?”

“… you drunkard. Cut it out.”

Reeno badmouthed the drunken knight under her breath.

Even if Reeno wasn’t a knight yet, she was proud of being an apprentice knight. She was offended by his insulting words.

The drunk knight and his attendants wore repulsive smirks. The knight brandished his sword.

Judging that they wouldn’t be able to avoid a fight, Wynn and the others stood up and drew their swords.

The tension increased between them.

Suddenly, they felt a fierce sword pressure, and the surroundings fell silent for a moment.

“Wha…what happened…”

Reeno’s whisper was heard in the surroundings.

“What are you doing?”

There stood Lieutenant Kelvin, smiling peacefully.

His calm voice was not particularly forceful. He wasn’t carrying a sword. He still seemed like he couldn’t harm a fly, but his whole body exerted an intense sword pressure.

“Haven’t you had a bit too much? You should be resting your body before the campaign tomorrow. It is your job to rest in preparation for a fight, and aren’t the students already being taught by instructors?”

n.o.body spoke up. Everybody there was overwhelmed by the pressure Kelvin, a mere lieutenant, exerted.

“If I wanted them to train daily, as their deputy officer[3], I would do it. You have a higher rank than my subordinates. They can’t refuse your invitation because of that.”

Speaking calmly, Kelvin slowly walked in front of the drunk knight.

“Now then, is that fine with you?”

Kelvin still did was not wielding a sword.

However, despite being only in his twenties, Kelvin’s calm demeanor gave off the impression of a seasoned warrior. The drunk knight and his attendants, seemingly sobered, froze in place.

The knights around them, who were watching the commotion while drinking, took over half a minute to get up.

Among them–

‘Oh?’

Kelvin was intrigued.

Despite the fact that the full-fledged knights around them all showed disgraceful appearances, only Wynn’s and Locke’s expressions didn’t change. They were still limber and on guard while all the other knight’s bodies had stiffened.

Since Wynn and Locke had sparred with Leticia again and again, so their ability had rapidly improved. They experienced Leticia’s extraordinary pressure countless times. They were not even agitated in the least bit.

“No… we… um… we didn’t want to trouble you, Lieutenant…”

Where did all the energy from before go? The drunk knight backed away while stammering.

“Thank you, you drank quite a lot, didn’t you? Would you like to stay in the detention barracks for a while?”

“No thank you. Wait…”

“Hey, go.”

“He hurriedly sobered up, and when he returned to where the other knights were, he looked their way and saw Kelvin shaking his head in resignation[4]”

“I thought they were n.o.ble-born, but they’re so recklessly violent. They don’t have the ability to be a knight.”

He said the latter part in a soft whisper, and let out a sigh.

“Sheesh, even though we depart for battle tomorrow, they’re so lively. We took great pains to let liven up the atmosphere, by having all the officers above the rank Lieutenant stay in a separate tent. I can understand that you are excited before a battle, but If if you can’t control your own emotions, you won’t be able to use your strength when you need it most.”

Speaking to n.o.body in particular, Kelvin nonchalantly walked to where Wynn and the others were.

Despite the commotion around them, they saluted to the Lieutenant.

Kelvin returned the salute, and straightened his back.

“Tomorrow, we will go ahead of the battalion as scouts. That’s why, Royce says to hurry up and take a rest. You got it? Don’t forget that resting when it is time to rest is also part of your duty.”

Translator Notes