The Blockhead Trainee Knight

After Gransen Academy’s month-long vacation ended, the second semester began.

Of course, normal classes don’t start right away; the first day has no classes so they can explain the second semester curriculum and major events before starting.

“…Therefore, first-year students need to avoid failing in order to advance to the second year…”

“……”

“……”

Professor Leonora was standing on the podium earnestly explaining, and the students were quietly listening to her explanation.

If I just said this, they would appear to be model students diligently listening to the professor’s explanation.

But Professor Leonora had to sigh inwardly.

The students’ eyes were directed not at Professor Leonora, but elsewhere.

“…Everyone, I understand that babies are fascinating, but please focus on what I’m saying right now.”

Only after Professor Leonora said this did the students hurriedly turn their attention to her.

But their gazes kept sneaking back.

The object of those gazes was none other than the young baby sticking like glue to Riel’s bosom.

It was the presence of Sirr.

Some kids who had seen Sirr before school reopened might be fine, but there were also those who were seeing her for the first time at the academy.

When a classmate suddenly comes to the second semester with a baby, it’s understandable that they would attract attention.

“Sigh…”

Professor Leonora sighed.

Well, we had obtained permission from the academy regarding the baby, so there was no major problem.

Moreover, she was being very quiet, so it’s hard to say this situation is the baby’s fault.

Well, even if they give their attention to the child, it’s just side glances, and it seems they are listening to the explanation, so perhaps the professor thought it didn’t matter, or maybe she just gave up.

Professor Leonora resumed her explanation of the second semester curriculum.

“…If you fail, we will first gather you separately for supplementary classes, and then there will be additional exams…”

The second semester began relatively peacefully like this.

Naturally, after the professor left, students crowded around Riel.

Of course, I was also surrounded since I was sitting next to her.

“Hey, what’s with that child?”

“Little sister? She’s super cute!!”

“Uh…? Uhh? Th-that’s…”

In any case, Riel had never been the center of attention like this before.

As a result, even Riel, who had recently become more accustomed to dealing with people, seemed quite flustered.

“C-could it be a hidden daughter or something?”

No, does that even make sense chronologically?

Did they watch a lot of that bizarre story drama that’s supposedly popular in Duke Grace’s territory?

Well, the point is that it’s closest to the truth…

“Maybe a child with a lover from your hometown…”

“Absolutely not.”

Riel denied this with a serious face.

The person who said it seemed embarrassed and immediately bowed saying ‘sorry’.

Well, there are things you should say and things you shouldn’t.

“What are you saying? Miss Riel is already engaged to Kyo next to her.”

A female student said that.

…I thought it would eventually become known, but I didn’t expect someone to already know that fact.

I’d heard that nobles’ information networks are fast, but I didn’t know they were this fast.

“Whaat? Really?”

“I was wondering when it would happen, so it finally did.”

“Congratulations! Miss Riel!”

Congratulations come from here and there.

Riel’s face turned bright red and she lowered her head, but looking from a close distance, you could see a faint smile on her face.

She’s embarrassed, but it seems she’s still happy inside…

“Th-then that baby is Kyo’s child…”

……

That one still hasn’t come to their senses.

As mentioned earlier, Sirr was surprisingly quiet during class time.

She would look up at Riel blankly from her bosom, or turn her body to look at the professor.

…Occasionally turning her head to look at me too.

Anyway, during class time, her breathing sounds and occasional babbling were all.

Thanks to that, even professors who were initially troubled by the presence of a baby continued their classes without concern once they realized how quiet she was.

However, as soon as break time came, she would stick close to Riel and demand something.

“Wuung!!”

“Ah, yes… it’s already time for you to be hungry? Here…”

Riel took a baby bottle out of my bag and gave it to the baby.

It looked like an ordinary glass baby bottle, but despite appearances, it’s a high-quality item with warming magic applied.

Sirr was sucking on the milk inside, which Luca had painstakingly warmed to the appropriate temperature.

…Hmm, they really do look like parent and child.

“Mmfh.”

“A-all done? Then let’s burp…”

Watching Riel taking care of Sirr so diligently beside me, I sometimes wondered if I should be helping somehow.

However, since Sirr was completely stuck to Riel like glue, and Riel insisted on taking full responsibility for looking after Sirr, there wasn’t much for me to do.

In the end, all I could do was clean up after Riel or carry the luggage containing things needed for baby care.

…This feels kind of like being an incompetent husband.

“Excuse me, Miss Ignis?”

“Ah, yes!”

“No matter what, it would be difficult to hold a baby during practical classes, wouldn’t it?”

During the magic practical class.

Professor Leonora, in charge of magic, hit us with facts.

It would indeed be difficult to have practical classes while holding Sirr.

“Then I’ll take care of her.”

“Whoa?! Who are you…?!”

Into the practical classroom, suddenly appearing as if dropping from the sky, a hooded figure.

Students and Professor Leonora took defensive postures against this figure exuding maximum suspicion, literally.

“There’s no need to be wary. I am the World… no, Sirr’s, um… attendant, Lilu.”

“What…?”

Professor Leonora turned to look at Riel after saying that.

Riel also seemed a bit confused but nodded in agreement.

Indeed, we can’t call her the World Tree, nor can we call her the guardian, so that’s probably the closest expression.

Actually, since Lilu said she would stay with Sirr to protect her even after we graduate from the academy, it’s not a wrong statement either.

“Then, I’ll leave her to you.”

“Yes. Leave it to me.”

Riel was about to hand Sirr over to Lilu, saying that.

grip

“Ow ow ow! Sirr! This hand… ow!!”

However, Sirr was gripping Riel tightly and wouldn’t let go.

With those tiny hands like fern fronds, she grabbed Riel’s clothes and hair and wouldn’t let go.

“Ow ow! My hair! My hair’s going to come out!”

“S-Sirr, it’s just for a little while. It’s just for a little while, so let’s be apart for a bit?”

In the end, I also had to step in to soothe Sirr.

Sirr had a slightly sulky face, but she seemed to understand the intention and barely separated from Riel to be held in Lilu’s arms.

“Lo-Lord Sirr, please bear with it for a while.”

“Wuh…”

It seems Lilu is also trying to soothe Sirr.

Although Sirr requires less care compared to a normal baby, she’s still a baby, so there are many aspects that need attention.

Fortunately, Riel is doing her best, and many people around are helping a lot.

Especially Emilia, and Aria and Feris who have recently become close with Riel, are actively helping her.

…Of course, I would like to help actively too, but since Riel goes back to the dormitory, I can’t help, and all I can do is heavy lifting or cleaning up.

Being a dad is tough.

If only Sirr would follow me a little more, that would be nice.

“Wuu!!”

“Yes, that’s really amazing magic.”

Sirr was waving her hands and enjoying watching Riel who was demonstrating magic excellently in magic class.

…Maybe I should have learned a more diverse range of magic too.

“This guy still hasn’t come to his senses!!”

Along with a dull impact sound, the sound of someone falling was heard.

Many people were watching the scene before their eyes, but no one tried to stop it.

The first reason was that the person executing it was their superior, the commander.

The second reason was that the vice-commander, Priestess Remia, who would normally stop it, was allowing the situation.

And the final reason might be that the person who had fallen was Allen Ludwigh, a figure the members usually found detestable.

“This isn’t the academy where you used to strut around! It’s a knight order that operates under strict discipline and control.”

“……”

Allen Ludwigh carefully stood up, holding his face which had turned red and swollen.

The commander of the First Holy Knight Order, Knight Commander Alma Brake, was glaring at him with sharp eyes.

As a woman who had become the commander of the First Holy Knight Order, Alma Brake was known within the church as a person with excellent skills and character.

She would smile and let minor mistakes of the members pass with just a slight caution, and she would treat tired members to meals and encourage them, so many members followed her due to her excellent character.

The situation where such a person was bursting with anger and assaulting a member.

Normally, it would have been a surprising event that would have made the members’ eyes pop out, but not a single person found this situation surprising.

No, rather, they thought of it as “the inevitable finally happening.”

“Trainee Knight Allen Ludwigh.”

“…Yes.”

“Your response is slow. Trainee Knight Allen Ludwigh.”

“Yes, ma’am!!”

Commander Alma glared at Allen with cold eyes and spoke.

“Are you properly aware of what you did wrong?”

“……”

Allen didn’t say anything.

That behavior almost turned Commander Alma’s stomach, but she exercised patience and suppressed it.

“If you can’t speak, I’ll go through it step by step. Which platoon do you belong to?”

“Under Platoon Leader Rex, 13th Platoon, ma’am!”

“Yes, and what was the mission assigned to your 13th Platoon?”

“It was a mission to explore the lair of goblins ambushed nearby, ma’am!”

Commander Alma gave a seal-like applause.

It’s a frivolous action that the usual commander would never do.

“Very good! You remember that much at least. So what did the 13th Platoon do?”

“We explored the goblin lair and revealed its location, ma’am.”

“Yes, after identifying the location of that lair, what order did Rex Valtor, the 13th Platoon leader, give? Do you remember?”

“……”

“I asked if you remember.”

“…He ordered us to maintain vigilance around the area, re-explore, and notify the main force, ma’am.”

That’s right.

Goblins are magical beasts that live in large groups.

If a goblin lair is found, there’s a high possibility that there are other lairs nearby.

Therefore, for goblin subjugation, it’s safer to conduct a simultaneous annihilation operation with a large number of personnel along with re-searching the surroundings.

Therefore, Platoon Leader Rex’s judgment was an excellent and good decision.

If the operation had been carried out properly, Platoon Leader Rex would have received a great reward.

If the operation had been carried out properly, that is.

The operation was a complete failure.

All because this idiot in front of her charged straight into the goblin lair.