As we live, everyone is bound to have a time when their hearts bee plicated due to aable force that they ot do anything about.

  This is no exception even freat wizard who has entered a glimpse of the truth. Or for a warrior who has reached a mature state where he materialize his imagination with physical force.

  As long as we are human beings who live on this earth,

  there is probably no one else who be free from such troublesome worries except His Majesty the Emperor.

  A being who has already transded humanity to the point where he interfere with the ws of the world as an individual, with a transdent will embedded in every gesture and voice.

  'If His Majesty finds out about his retionship with the princess, he will surely be horribly executed.'

  The sight of His Majesty the Emperor, with his golden eyes filled with rage, uttering the and, "Be torn to pieces," made my spiingle.

  Well anyway… That's why every ordinary person ends up living with at least one worry in their heart that 't be easily solved.

  This is a very obvious and on story that could apply to any citizen of the Empire.

  That's why there are so many solutions.

  The most effective method is to focus oask at hand.

  —Knoock

  A careful kno the office door early in the m.

  That's how the day began. If you work as faithfully as possible, you won't be able to think about the worries that are out of reaymore.

  "Loyalty! Good m, ander."

  "Yes. Good m."

  When I saw the face of the vice-captain who came to give a regur report, my mood that was about to bee gloomy quickly improved.

  Her slightly upturned eyes and sharp overall impression made her seem like she would do whatever she wa first gnce, but she was one of the most loyal subordinates I've ever had.

  She had a face that looked i yet soft, but I couldn't help but pare her to someone who behaved and acted in a pletely perverted and uable way.

  And what about that chest that boasted a heavy prese's probably simir in size to the princess, but the vice-captain's body was smaller, so her preseood out even more.

  Plus, her oangled, sky-blue ponytail seemed to be shining today. Could it be something good? What's that strangely sweet smell?

  "Uh… Captain?"

  "Hmm? Oh, sorry. It's just that you look better than usual. I think I smell something sweet."

  "F-F-?! Why are you suddenly saying that... Ugh, I tried a trendy hair soap on the advice of Captain Rachel. H-If you like it, I'll tio do so iure..."

  The vice-captain blushed as he stood in front of me.

  'Oh, what a mistake.'

  When I blurted it out without thinking, it was nothing more than a joke.

  If I treat a loyal and capable subordih selfishness, how is that any different from my pathetic predecessor? I feel a sense of self-loathing toward myself for my as that I itted out of impulse.

  It's definitely nht to blindly desire a beautiful woman just because she's nearby.

  Is it because I've had so many stimuting experiences retly that I haven't been able to relieve my desires in time?

  The atmosphere might be a little awkward, but it would be better to apologize first. This is definitely something that o be addressed.

  "I didn't know it would be this effective... Rachel, Captain of the Ten. My grace will definitely be..."

  Look at her embarrassed expression.

  She must have felt quite ashamed by the sudden teasing, and she was mumbling something to herself in front of me.

  I apologized to her with all my heart.

  "I'm sorry." "Huh? What do you mean?"

  A bewildered expression. Was it hard to express my dissatisfa in front of a superior?

  The teasing of a superior tends to be even more mischievous because it's hard for a subordio easily show their dislike.

  I, too, have retly suffered a lot from someone who treated me harshly, and now I'm trying to do the same thing to the vice-captain.

  This was wrong behavior as a human being and as a leader who should be an example to others.

  If the Master saw this, he would probably se greatly.

  "I didn't know I was teasing you. It was something I shouldn't have done as a superior. I sincerely apologize again. I'm sorry."

  "T-ahem. I'm fine. Of course, any man would do that. Rather, I don't know what to do with myself because you praised me."

  He must be feeling embarrassed even though he said that. His face was still bright red.

  "Thank you. The vice-captain is really siderate. I'll be especially careful about my as from now on."

  "No, I don't know about the other idiots, but if you're the captain, it's really fine..."

  Even though she was the victim, she made empty remarks so that I wouldn't feel bad.

  'What did I do to such a great subordinate?'

  Refleg deeply on my sins once again, I ma up the inal topic.

  "Are there any orders from your superiors or any special things I should know?"

  "Both exist. Whie should I report to you first?"

  I thought there were none. Both exist?

  No, it's better. When there's a lot of work to do, there won't be time to indulge in idle thoughts or desires.

  "Listen to the special report first. Somehow, that one sounds even more ominous."

  "As you said, it's quite important. We've received a request for dispatch from the Bartok Visty, which is in our operational area."

  "Really? What's the matter?" "Retly, the number of dangerous monsters such as trolls and owlbears has grown to a level that the territory's own forces ot hahe tone of the request seemed quite urgent."

  It sounded a bit serious.

  The Bartok Visty, located he isnd, has quite a lot of power pared to its title, so if they 't do anything about it, they should send the entire Hundred Forces.

  "Out of the five Hundred Forces uhe Bck Lion Knights, whiit hasn't been deployed for the loime?"

  "If it's a rge-scale dispatch of a hundred men, the 2nd Hundred meed the lo."

  "Thehe 2nd Hundred men. Ask them to maintain a thh rep system as much as possible."

  "Yes!"

  It hasn't been long sihe war ended, and now there's a mass outbreak of monsters. If possible, the Knights should not e out to maintain peace properly.

  If ominous rumors start to circute in a territory with frequent direct exges with the system, the news will spread throughout the system in an instant.

  Therefore, this i had to be dealt with urgently before it had a ive impa publitiment.

  "Please make sure to vey this information to the other hundred men, and make sure that not only the 2nd Hundred men, but all of the Bck Lion Knights' troops maintain a state of readiness starting today."

  "Uood. Should we trol uting and have everyoay ihe garrison?"

  "No, there's o do that. We'll sider it when the deadline for the advanit's operation is approag."

  The vice-captaiiohe brutal measure of trolling uting hours so casually. It was obvious how grumpy the previous knight ander was.

  No matter how serious the i was, he shouldn't do anything that could have a serious ive impa the morale of his subordinates.

  Treating the knights, who were not scripts but high-level troops, unnecessarily harshly would only decrease their loyalty. This was not a wartime situation, so maintaining a moderate level of tension would be suffit.

  "Then what orders did you receive from your superiors? The Unified and, the Imperial Administration, or the Imperial Family? Which of the three?"

  "The Imperial Family. The Imperial Guard is sending a small force to us. The purpose is training."

  "Training… What oh do these elites want to learn from a single knight order?"

  In the first pce, it was questiohat he was dispatched to learn something from the Bck Lion Knights, but even requesting training from the Imperial Guard, which had ander-level skills even at the lowest level.

  Even if it was an imperial order, it was a measure that was not easily uood by on sense.

  "Was there a detailed reasoioned?"

  "Yes. That is… ahem, I will tell you exactly what is written iice."

  What oh could it be that he was hesitating and clearing his throat?

  "Although the Imperial Guard's troops are said to be excellent, I am very ed that their sharpness, which has protected the heart of the empire for a long time in the safest pce, may have dulled."

  "You are saying that the Imperial sword has bee dull just because it has stayed in its scabbard for a little while? That is a difficult statement to uand."

  I muttered in disbelief as I listened, but the vice-captain's reading tinued regardless.

  "So, I'm sending some troops uhe and of Wolfgang von Schwarz, a war hero who made great tributions to suppressing the puppet goverhat was in the north. I hope you'll learn valuable bat experience from him."

  "Wait, what."

  What did I just hear that was so embarrassing?

  No, strictly speaking, there's nothing wrong with it, but the citation is too much.

  It's not like I won the war alone, and even among my fellow knights, there are three who have made greater tributions than me.

  And they're all still active. sidering the achievements of those who died honorably, I definitely shouldn't be treated that way.

  "You're truly amazing, ander Wolfgang. To ask for my help so humbly from the arrogant Imperial Guard. You're truly the ander."

  "Stop, stop…"

  I desperately had to turn away from the vice-captain's gaze, which was beginning to sparkle as she looked at my face. I felt like my expression would colpse again if I kept going like this.

  Of course, I khat the vice-captain had no iion of teasing me, but it felt a little too embarrassing to hear her praise so openly right in front of me.

  …For some reason, I feel like I've been feeling too embarrassed tely.

  I don't know whether I should be wary of my appearahat has pletely retreated, or whether I should accept it positively.

  Still, this is no longer a battlefield, so I don't o be so nervous all the time.

  I thought about it carefully.

  After sending away the vice-captain who seemed like he would tialking nonsense if left alone, I tinued w until the afternoon.

  It was time to swing my sword so that my skills wouldn't rust, but since I had two important tasks and more than a few dots to handle myself, I was busier than usual.

  I could just cut down on my sleep to secure time for training. Other than that, since I had a lot of work to do, I didn't have any distrag thoughts, which was actually nice.

  The feeling of the princess's pure white and soft little hands, and even the secret valley that had been floating around in my mind for days and causing me ay, didn't even e to mind at this moment.

  So it was really fortunate. While thinking that, I tio delve into my work.

  —Knoock!

  "Gasp, gasp… Loyalty! ander! We're in big trouble!"

  "What is it?"

  A servant who looked like he had e running out of breath came to find me.

  "First, catch your breath. If you want to be a great knight, you shouldn't show up disheveled in front of your superiors."

  "Eek…! I'm, sorry!"

  He frowned slightly, but there was o be harsh on the young servant. I could just hold the servant responsible ter.

  "The imperial guard's dispatched troops have just arrived in front of the guardhouse!" "Really? Got it."

  Indeed, it was something that made him run out of breath.

  After sending the servant away, I quickly checked the dition of the armor. Fortunately, there were no fws in sight.

  What kind of dispatched troops arrived so quickly after sending the notice? I had to swallow my distent.

  But since I had already arrived, I had no choice but to hurry and go.

  The dispatched troops that arrived at the Bck Lion Knights were, as mentioned in the dots, extremely small. Just a dozen people.

  Well, they could just return ter and share their experiences, so there was o dispatany troops.

  It would be a problem if the Imperial Guard's bat power was disrupted due to the personnel gap.

  "Glory to the Imperial Guard! Eternal loyalty to His Majesty the Emperor!"

  Even though I was from the Imperial Guard, I was much higher in rank, so I saluted the ander of the dispatched troops who saluted me loudly first.

  "Glory to the Imperial Guard! Eternal loyalty to His Majesty the Emperor!"

  But that knight. He seemed a little familiar.

  "It is an honor to meet you, ander of the Bck Lion Knights. My name is Elizabeth of the House of Tyler."

  "Hello. Lady Elizabeth. I am Wolfgang of the House of Schwarz."

  Because of their ins, I had to personally lead the dispatched troops and guide the troops. It would be absurd to treat the Imperial Guard poorly.

  But the face of that ten-man captai ing into my eyes.

  She was certainly pretty, but her overall appearance was bnd and her name was so on, so why oh did I feel a strange sense of unease?

  —Tear!

  And even if she was from the Imperial Guard, what oh was that rude look in her eyes?

  Feeling an unpleasahat I could never just sit by and watch, I finished guiding the troops and called her aside to give her a sharp rebuke.

  "Sir Elizabeth. Even though you are from the Imperial Guard, that kind of attitude is…"

  "I'm sorry, you don't reize me. I didn't mean to offend you. Please five my rudeness. Do you remember me if I say 'Liz'?"

  'Ah!'

  I finally remembered.

  That night, the knight who carried the princess and gred at me with eyes full of suspi and hatred.

  Her impression was pletely different from then, so I almost didn't reize her.

  She must have been crazy to pick a fight with her superior first, so she must have been deliberately getting on my o make room and refresh my memory.

  So was that knight a tact perso by the prio tact me?

  "I see you remember now. The purpose of this dispatch is undoubtedly training, but the princess has also given me a personal mission. Here, here is the message the princess sent."

  As expected, it seems to be right. I hurriedly unfolded the he knight had handed me.

  [Why oh didn't you tact me first? From now on, write me a letter every three days. I liked the ag, but I haven't fiven you yet.]

  The tent of the note, which started with a slightly murderous but cute topic, tinued for quite a while.