"Fia, did you hear the decree that the church issued this morning to select the Chief Saint?" (Desmond)
While I was having breakfast in the dining hall, Captain Desmond showed up for the first time in a long while.
I answered with a smile, as I happened to be holding a loaf of my favorite white bread in my hand.
"No, I didn't hear that!" (Fia)
Last night, although Lloyd had told me about the schedule, this was the first time I'd actually heard it presented.
So when I honestly answered that I didn't know, Captain Desmond sat down in front of me with a serious look on his face.
"Um, Captain Desmond, you may not have noticed, but this is the dining hall for regular knights. The dining hall reserved for the knight commander is over there." (Fia)
Captain Desmond was sitting in front of me with a look of complete confidence on his face, and even though I had provided him with some very useful information, the captain didn't move from his chair, as if he hadn't heard a word I said.
On the contrary, without a word, he reached out and picked up the white bread that was left on my tray.
"Ah, a thief! Despite being a Captain, not only comes to the dining hall for regular knights, but also steals bread from a rookie knight!" (Fia)
I shouted in protest, but Captain Desmond took another glass of orange juice from my tray and exclaimed in a weary voice.
"Fia, I haven't had much sleep since yesterday because the church has been acting on its own. Please feel sorry for me and give me some bread and juice." (Desmond)
"Wow, that was tough!" (Fia)
As I answered that way, I thought to myself that since there was all the bread and juice I could take, maybe I could just get some myself.
However, Captain Desmond quickly realized that I might be too tired to walk to the buffet table, after a moment of thought, he handed me out a plate of meat—one for each person.
"Captain Desmond, eating meat gives you energy!" (Fia)
Captain Desmond then pretended to wipe away tears that were not there.
"Fia, you're so kind. If you weren't a woman, I might have stumbled at this very moment. But that doesn't mean I like men." (Desmond)
As he said this, the Captain grabbed the meat in one hand and took a big bite.
Yeah, it looks like you're fine. If you can eat this fast, you're doing fine.
While I was thinking this, Captain Desmond had stripped the meat down to just the bones and had emptied all the bread and juice.
Then, perhaps having had some food calmed him down a little, he leaned his back against the chair and looked at me.
"Fia, you had promised to go to Kingdom of Dithal to eat meat dishes soon, right? It looks like that will be postponed a little, so I came to tell you." (Desmond)
"Well, I suppose so." (Fia)
As I replied to Captain Desmond, I remembered the time when he made the promise.
About a week ago, while I was picking medicinal herbs in the castle garden, Captain Desmond suddenly showed up.
"Fia, are you picking grass again? Maybe your salary is not enough? So, you start eating grass at the end of the month?" (Desmond)
Apparently, because he saw me regularly picking herbs, he assumed that I was using them for food.
I was collecting these to throw into the green potion fountain, not to eat them.
Besides, there was a dining hall reserved for knights inside the castle, so I could go there and eat as much as I want; there's no way I'd be so hungry that I'd have to eat grass, I thought to myself as I glared at him, but Captain Desmond gave me a faint smile.
Seeing his expression, I knew he was up to something nefarious, so I put on a cautious expression, but what Captain Desmond was talking about was exotic cuisine.
"Fia, did you know? Apparently, the Kingdom of Dithal has some really delicious meat dishes!" (Desmond)
Luckily I was feeling a bit hungry, so I let my guard down and asked.
"Oh really?" (Fia)
——Kingdom of Dithal.
It was a small country located between the Näv Kingdom and the Arteaga Empire, and did not exist 300 years ago.
In other words, it was a country that was established after I died in my previous life, and it probably had a unique food culture that I was not familiar with.
I was thinking that if there was a meat dish there that was delicious enough that Captain Desmond would go out of his way to mention it, I'd love to take a vacation and go there someday, when, as if reading my mind, the Captain invited me.
"Do you want to go eat some meat?" (Desmond)
"Huh?" (Fia)
"Right now, I have the authority to take you to the Kingdom of Dithal! I've already got Cyril's permission!" (Desmond)
Captain Desmond said this so refreshingly, and for the first time he looked manly.
So I replied in a cheerful voice.
"That's perfect! Let's go!" (Fia)
As I recalled the conversation I had with Captain Desmond when he invited me, I felt disappointed that our promise had had to be postponed.
However, the deal Captain Desmond brought with him to go to the Kingdom of Dithal was too good to be true, with the knights even covering the cost of the trip.
Therefore, I had felt it was odd from the beginning that the knights would take care of everything just to go to a neighboring country to eat meat, so I understood why the trip was postponed.
As I nodded in ignorance, Captain Desmond seemed to sense something from my expression and added something in a flustered manner.
"Fia, this is just a postponement! It's definitely not a cancellation!!" (Desmond)
"Well, when you say postponement, you mean an indefinite postponement, right? My guess is that it will continue to be postponed and then it will be canceled without going ahead with it." (Fia)
I thought it was too good to be true, as I continued, Captain Desmond exclaimed.
"Not at all! In other words, between you and me, the reason is that the First-class Saint selection meeting will be held earlier than we expected! Therefore, if that cause is resolved, we can carry out the meat tour as soon as possible." (Desmond)
Captain Desmond began to lower his voice as if he was telling a secret, and I looked back at him blankly.
"Yes?" (Fia)
I didn't understand what Captain Desmond was saying.
But it seems like the First-class Saint selection meeting and the meat tour have absolutely no connection? I thought, tilting my head in confusion, and the captain added with a stern look on his face.
"In other words... to the west of the royal capital is the royal villa. And there resides Commander Savis' mother, the current First-class Saint, Her Majesty the Queen Mother Hyacinthe. The Queen Mother is due to participate in the Chief Saint selection meeting, so we must escort her to the royal capital before the meeting begins. That role has been entrusted to Clarissa, Quentin, and Zachary." (Desmond)
"Well, that's amazing!" (Fia)
I heard about Empress Hyacinthe from Fabian the other day.
She was said to be the kingdom's pride and joy, a saint known all over the world as the "Healing Flower."
The Captains' eyes lit up, saying how amazing it was that they had been given the role of guiding such a saint, but Captain Desmond simply shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.
"Well, that's one way of thinking about it. However, it's true that five captains can't all leave the royal capital at once, so we planned to stagger the dates of our visit to the villa and the Kingdom of Dithal. The selection meeting was originally scheduled to be held a little further in the future, so we thought we would have enough time to go to the Kingdom of Dithal first and come back, but... the date selection meeting was shifted forward. So those three ended up having to go to the villa first." (Desmond)
"I see, you can go on a meat tour whenever you feel hungry, so you can move the trip around as much as you like! But isn't it rude to put the meat tour in the same category as welcoming the Empress Dowager, which is a respectable job?" (Fia)
As I said this, I noticed a contradiction and asked Captain Desmond a question.
"Oh, did you say that five knight captains were leaving the royal capital? If you add Captain Desmond who is going on the meat tour and the three knight captains who are going to the villa, that makes a total of four, right?" (Fia)
"Ah, that's it. Actually, between you and me, Enoch has a weak body. He said he wanted to go to the Kingdom of Dithal to eat meat in order to improve his body, so I promised to go with him. So, I'm taking Enoch on the meat tour. I'm also planning to take some other knights who like meat." (Desmond)
"Well..." (Fia)
It seemed that a large group was planning to visit Kingdom of Dithal.
Even if it was a private occasion, wouldn't it be mistaken for something official if two captains were there, and they were accompanied by many other knights?
Captain Desmond slammed his foot on the table, seemingly unaware of my worries.
"So, the matter of going to the Holy Kingdom has only been postponed!" (Desmond)
"I got it!" (Fia)
Captain Desmond spoke with great enthusiasm, and I replied with a cheerful response.
When I thought about it, I realized that this postponement was actually quite convenient for me as well.
The reason was that I had business that required me to remain in the royal castle for a while.
So, when Captain Desmond announced he was leaving for the Kingdom of Dithal immediately, I nearly couldn't join him.
"Oh, what wonderful timing! I am made for Holy Kingdom meat after all." (Fia)
As I blurted that out, I suddenly noticed the person who was the direct cause of me having to stay at the royal castle standing at the entrance to the dining hall.
While I was distracted by the person who had suddenly appeared, Captain Desmond seemed suspicious when I stopped moving and turned around.
Suddenly, Lloyd and Captain Desmond, who had just happened to be walking close by, found themselves staring at each other.
"Why are you here?" The two of them exchanged looks of mutual concern, but Lloyd seemed to have regained his composure and gave a faint smile.
"Hey, Desmond. Do you really want to skip the sumptuous breakfast served in the captain's dining hall and have a meal with Fia? However, it seems that this wonderful time has come to an end, so I'll borrow Fia." (Lloyd)
"Huh? No, that's fine, but..." (Desmond)
Captain Desmond looked at me questioningly.
"Lloyd and Fia have only met once or twice so far, so why would the duke go out of his way to come to the dining hall to pick up Fia?" a question appeared on his face.
"Well, actually, yesterday the duke and I..." (Fia)
"Fia and I have become friends. And now, Fia, why are you trying to be polite in front of Desmond and calling me 'Duke'? Is he a scary boss to you?" (Lloyd)
I was about to make an excuse to save the situation, but Lloyd cut me off.
"…………"
"…………"
"…………"
Everyone had their own thoughts, and as silence fell, I muttered just one thing.
"Captain Desmond is not scary." (Fia)
Author's Note
Thank you for always reading!
We apologize for keeping you waiting, but the process of publishing the book is taking time, so updates may be irregular for the rest of the year.
I'm trying my best to update as much as I can, but... (I can't see the end in sight).
We are very sorry for the inconvenience, and thank you for your understanding.