Captain Cyril stared at me blankly for a while, then, perhaps reading something from my expression, he sighed in resignation.
"...I understand. Then, let's have Curtis accompany you." (Cyril)
"What?" (Fia)
Not understanding what Captain Cyril meant, I asked, and the Captain suddenly smiled with amusement.
"I have been entrusted by the people of the territory with the task of 'protecting the Great Saint as her guardian knight.' However, it will be difficult for me to accompany you for three weeks from tomorrow, so I will leave it to my other guard, Curtis." (Cyril)
"Uh, no, but Captain Curtis is busy, isn't he...?" (Fia)
"I've asked Curtis to convey important information to the Captain of the 11th Knight. Or rather..." (Cyril)
Captain Cyril stopped talking for a moment and sighed.
"Curtis submitted a request for three weeks' leave a long time ago. Even if he has no other duties, I think he intends to accompany you." (Cyril)
"But I have never once told anyone that I was going anywhere during my special vacation." (Fia)
That was because Captain Curtis was just as anxious as Captain Cyril. I was worried that he might tell me to stop, so I kept quiet until the last minute, but I never imagined that he had predicted that I was about to go out somewhere and intended to follow me.
As if he had spotted someone behind me in surprise, Captain Cyril muttered "Good timing" as he gazed into the distance.
"It looks like Curtis has just arrived." (Cyril)
When I turned around, I saw Captain Curtis approaching me with a crimson rose in his hand.
"Congratulations on completing your training." (Curtis)
Captain Curtis stopped just one step in front of me and handed me a rose with a gentle smile.
"Th-Thank you." (Fia)
I was thinking it was impressive how he chose a red rose while accepting the flower offered to me. Captain Cyril seemed to have thought the same thing and spoke with an impressed look on his face.
"They say that the legendary Great Saint's symbol was a rose. And certainly, in a portrait of the Great Saint, she is depicted with a crimson rose wrapped around her wrist. No wonder the people of Sutherland ask you to become her knight." (Cyril)
Then, Captain Cyril turned to Captain Curtis and began talking about their plans for the next day.
"Curtis, Fia will be heading to the north tomorrow to visit her sister who is a member of the 11th Knights. I have entrusted you with delivering an important letter to the Captain of the 11th Knight Order, so please accompany Fia." (Cyril)
"I understand. However... if we go to Blackpeak Mountain, we have to cross several mountains. Taking into account the length of our stay, three weeks is a forced march." (Curtis)
Despite the sudden instructions, Captain Curtis didn't seem confused at all, and even started to worry about the itinerary, which made me feel a bit annoyed.
...I just said I was going to visit my sister Oria, and I didn't mention Blackpeak Mountain at all. So why would anyone expect me to go near that mountain? Well, the annoying thing was that I was actually quite willing to get close to that mountain and Captain Cyril and Captain Curtis' guesses were correct.
Hearing Captain Curtis' words, Captain Cyril pressed one hand to his lips as if thinking.
"...That's right. Now that Fia has completed her training, she will be taking up the duties of guarding the royal family after her special leave. ...Although there is no problem with Commander Savis, His Majesty the King wishes to see for himself the knights who will be guarding the royal family in advance." (Cyril)
As he spoke, Captain Cyril glanced at me and smiled as if he had just remembered something.
"That being said, His Majesty is a busy man, and it will take several days to interview everyone who has completed this training.... Well, I guess we should postpone the interviews with Fia for the last and use that time to focus on the work in the north." (Cyril)
"Huh?" (Fia)
While I tilted my head at the sudden suggestion, Captain Cyril nodded in understanding and continued speaking.
"Over the past few months, the monster distribution map of Blackpeak Mountain has been rapidly rewritten. It is as if a terrifying and vicious monster has suddenly appeared in the center of Blackpeak Mountain, and powerful monsters are being pushed out of the mountain one after another. As there is a severe manpower shortage, we are sending more knights to the area every month." (Cyril)
"Huh, oh, I see, that's right." (Fia)
...This is bad. I can only think of one thing. No doubt it's because Zavilia has returned to that mountain...
Thank goodness! I'm so glad I didn't tell Captain Cyril that my familiar is the Black Dragon. If I had confessed, I would have been lectured and told, "You can't just let such a vicious monster loose in the wild. It's a familiar, so you need to control it properly."
Also, from the look of it, it seemed that Captain Zachary hadn't reported to Captain Cyril that my familiar was the black dragon. Ok, well, since they haven't found out yet, I'll keep playing dumb.
"Oh, I see. So it's possible for a strong monster to suddenly appear. Ah! Blackpeak Mountain is at the northernmost tip of the continent and close to the sea, so it's possible that a sea anemone or a large fish monster has come up from the sea." (Fia)
"...Those monsters don't breathe with lungs, so there's no way they could come up from the sea. If they suddenly appeared, it would be reasonable to assume they descended from the sky, you know." (Cyril)
"It, it descended from the sky! ...I-I see. I wonder if there was anyone who was strong against bird-type monsters?" (Fia)
I felt like I was getting closer and closer to the point, and Captain Cyril glanced over at me as my voice started to crack.
"Originally, Blackpeak Mountain was the home of the black dragon, so the 11th Knights believe that it is the black dragon that has returned." (Cyril)
"Ah, I see! It's a black dragon! That's right! That's right, I thought it was the black dragon too!" (Fia)
I no longer know what the right answer was, so for now I had decided to completely agree with Captain Cyril.
Captain Cyril looked at me in amazement and let out a big sigh.
"Really... Fia, you're so honest it's annoying. Curtis, I'm very worried about leaving someone like this alone, so please be kind to her." (Cyril)
"Understood." (Curtis)
After seeing Captain Curtis nodded solemnly, Captain Cyril continued speaking with a look of relief.
"Fia, since that's the situation, there's no problem with treating you as one of the knights we've added to our ranks to control the monsters. From the time you join the 11th Knights and stay in that area, you will be treated as part of a business trip. However, your chain of command will be under Curtis. Is that okay?" (Cyril)
"Yes, Captain Cyril. Understood!" (Fia)
Actually, it was not just nice, it was an exceptionally generous treatment. During my stay in the north, I was treated as a worker, and on top of that, Captain Curtis was my boss. I couldn't imagine being given work to do, but I wondered if it would really be considered a job?
Although I had doubts, Captain Cyril and Captain Curtis nodded to each other in satisfaction, so I decided there was no point in denying it and remained silent.
...In the end, I was allowed to go to the northern lands, so my greatest wish was fulfilled, and there's no need to go on about unnecessary things.
Thinking that, I looked up at the sky. Thinking of my friends who were far away, connected to this sky.
...Zavilia, I won't get in your way when you fly off to become king, but it's okay to come and see you, right?
I'd like to give you a souvenir from Sutherland, and if Captain Curtis will come along, I'd like to introduce him to you. Without you, my tummy feels light and lonely when I sleep.
My strong and cute friend. I'm coming to see you, so please wait for me.