Ch.216Chapter 216: Eastward

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The day after my dreamlike date with Shizu came to an end.

My steps were light as I headed toward the Imperial Knights headquarters for my inevitable work day.

Despite knowing that as soon as I entered headquarters, I’d be greeted by a mountain of paperwork and rigorous field duties like patrol, I remained cheerful.

It’s not because I’m obsessed with work.

It’s because even difficult and exhausting daily routines can be endured with the happiness gained from spending time with someone you love.

Yesterday, I experienced such overwhelming happiness with Shizu.

That was the main reason I had the strength to maintain my balance against the tremendous wave of work that would greet me as soon as I arrived.

Whether it’s desk work or being dispatched to the northern regions to exterminate monsters, bring it on!

I’ll take care of it all in one go!

And after work, I’ll enjoy dinner with Shizu.

Isn’t that what makes life worth living?

[Excessive confidence can be poisonous. Whether for body or mind.]

‘It’s not excessive, just the right amount.’

With that, I confidently dismissed Fafnir’s concerned comment about my display of self-assurance and strode proudly into headquarters.

“Knight Cal Ranos, the Vice Commander has summoned you. Please report to her office immediately.”

As I heard those words from an administrative clerk with fully bloomed dark circles under his eyes—as if he’d been up all night—saying that my sister… no, the Vice Commander was looking for me.

An inexplicable anxiety began to fill my mind.

I recalled that whenever my sister called for me before work officially began, it usually meant something unpleasant awaited me.

Being handed mountains of documents to review would be considered a minor favor.

Being used as dispatch personnel to exterminate suddenly active monsters in the north was commonplace.

How could I not be tense upon receiving such a sudden summons from my sister?

However, if I didn’t respond to her call because it might be difficult, I’d surely face consequences I couldn’t handle.

“Thank you for letting me know, Simonu. You look like you’ve been up all night—you should go rest.”

“I was just about to clock out after handling Knight Cal’s summons. I should be thanking you for coming promptly.”

After chatting briefly with Simonu, the administrative clerk who informed me of the summons, I immediately headed to the Vice Commander’s office.

When I arrived at the Vice Commander’s office, tucked away in a relatively secluded corner of headquarters:

“You’re late. If you’re going to take your time on a date yesterday, you should at least report promptly for work.”

Excel teased me with a playful voice, and:

“Hehe, good morning.”

Seeing Shizu greeting me with a bright smile.

The anxiety I felt upon hearing my sister’s summons grew even stronger.

If she called not just me but all three of us together, this couldn’t be about something as simple as reviewing documents.

[See? Didn’t I tell you excessive confidence becomes poison?]

Fafnir’s voice sounded particularly annoying as he teased me while making a rare valid point.

Creeeeak-!!

At that moment, not from the entrance I came through, but from the door behind the desk:

“You came quickly.”

My sister entered the office with a steaming glass of fragrant coffee in one hand, greeting us with a voice full of welcome before sitting down at her desk.

Judging by the coffee cup in her hand, she had undoubtedly spent the night here again.

Though not as severe as the dark circles on administrative clerk Simonu’s face that I’d encountered at the entrance.

Even on my sister’s face, a trained superhuman who rarely showed such signs, faint traces of fatigue were visible.

“Thanks to that, I can get straight to the point with you all, which is good.”

But despite such fatigue, her voice overflowed with energy as she welcomed us.

I could easily detect a slight expectation about something she was about to tell us three… and mischief?

I could easily see the playfulness in her expression—something I hadn’t seen much from my sister lately.

…What could it be? What news could possibly fill her with such playful anticipation?

My curiosity didn’t last long.

As soon as she sat down and took a sip of her coffee:

“Escort duty for a diplomatic delegation. You, Shizu, and Excel—the three of you.”

When she announced we’d be going on a long-term assignment, what reason did I have to remain curious?

A diplomatic delegation? What on earth does that mean?

The Solarium Empire, the hegemonic power of the Central Continent, only maintains diplomatic relations with a few nations.

Besides the City-State Alliance of the Western Continent and the Golden Moon Empire in the East, which boasts almost equal national power to the Solarium Empire, there are virtually none.

And we three were selected to escort a delegation for establishing regular diplomatic relations with such a major nation?

It was so unbelievable that:

“…A delegation?”

I reflexively questioned my sister.

Normally, when faced with such an announcement, the other two people present would also question it, but:

Excel, who becomes giddy at the mere sight of my sister, and

Shizu, who was just blinking her eyes, not fully understanding what my sister had just said.

It was difficult to expect such a response from them, so the question came only from my mouth, acting as their representative.

I had a tiny hope that I might have misheard, but:

“Escort duty for a regular diplomatic delegation to the Golden Moon Empire. Duration: about two months. Departure: five days from now.”

My small hope was shattered by my sister’s calm voice.

…I had been so busy with knight duties, not to mention being repeatedly called to exterminate monsters sporadically appearing in the north—except for yesterday’s day off when I had my date with Shizu.

Just when I thought I might finally work at a more relaxed pace, now I’m assigned to a long-term mission escorting a diplomatic delegation representing the nation.

…Isn’t this too much, really?

I shot my sister an imploring look conveying this sentiment, but:

“Seeing how you keep trying to avoid busy work, it seems our brother has finally developed an interest in family head duties rather than—”

“I humbly accept the Vice Commander’s orders.”

“Yes, that’s more like it.”

My small rebellion was immediately suppressed as soon as my sister mentioned succession to the family headship.

Having successfully subdued me—the biggest obstacle(?) to this assignment briefing—my sister’s face bloomed with a relaxed smile rarely seen these days.

“That’s right. That’s right. Now it seems our brother has finally opened his eyes to the sense of duty that an imperial knight should rightfully possess.”

…A gentle voice that I couldn’t tell whether was teasing or genuinely pleased reached my ears.

[Despite not looking much alike, your sister really resembles Lumen in personality. To an extent that even surprises me.]

‘…That’s not something I particularly want to know right now.’

[Wouldn’t listening to this one’s old stories be better than being pushed into mountains of work?]

‘I’m not irresponsible enough to neglect my duties and fool around.’

[…Weren’t you?]

Why does Fafnir suddenly attack me with facts?

‘…Sigh.’

As I inwardly sighed so only he could hear:

[Hehehehe. Working hard enough to make your bones ache will save you trouble later.]

The annoyance I felt from Fafnir’s voice, whose skill at teasing me had grown more subtle by the day as he became accustomed to our conversations, only continued to increase without limit.

Anyway, despite the confusion caused by the voices pulling at my neck both from my ears and inside my head:

On the other hand, I felt a small sense of relief seeing my sister regain her usual composure while briefing me on this assignment.

My sister has been exceptionally busy lately.

Not only did she have to deal with the rigid inspection schedule of the Imperial Inspectorate that inevitably comes at the end of the year:

Unlike what I remembered before my regression:

She also had to prepare for the Obsidian Palace’s frenzied attempts to invade Night Haven every winter—something that had been happening annually since the Subjugation Festival I participated in.

And my sister was approaching a time of decision.

She would soon have to choose whether to succeed Lord Eckhart, who was about to step down as Commander, and be promoted to Commander of the Imperial Knights:

Or to completely take over the position of family head from our father.

That’s why there had been a tense atmosphere around my sister lately, who had unintentionally become sharp-nerved—an atmosphere that could melt the rather chilly weather outside.

Well, now that it’s been announced, backing out is impossible, right?

To prepare myself mentally, I checked on the two people beside me who had received the same notification from my sister:

Excel, still entranced just by looking at my sister, made me wonder if he had even heard what she said earlier.

“…A business trip?”

Judging by the confused, quiet voice coming from Shizu, who still couldn’t grasp the reality of what had fallen from my sister’s lips:

The only ones with their wits about them in this situation were me, quickly thinking about what needed to be done after hearing my sister’s words, and:

Slurp

“Hmm… the aroma of these beans from the Western Continent is excellent.”

My sister, who had plainly finished what she had to say and was now enjoying her coffee.

The Eastern Continent…

It seems this winter, instead of Night Haven in the north, I’ll be heading to an unknown land I’ve never set foot on, even before my regression.