Knights of the Capital

Quite some time had passed, and it was now the period when the academy graduation exams were taking place.

The academy graduation exams were conducted over five days, approximately three months before graduation.

Starting with theory and moving to practical tests, professors in each field scored and assigned passing grades.

Well, even if you couldn’t pass the academy graduation exam, you could take second and third attempts.

The fact that there were three attempts meant that the difficulty of the academy’s graduation exam was high.

Though, truthfully, by that point the academy would have all kinds of professors helping you prepare for the exam, and if you still failed?

That would mean you had neglected your studies to the point where there was no hope.

And then what could you do? You’d have to repeat a year.

Naturally, repeating a year meant attending the academy for another year, and paying that much more in tuition.

If you didn’t want to break your parents’ backs financially, you’d better pass the graduation exam.

“Phew, today’s exam is finally over.”

Riel stretched as she left the academy.

The exam she took today was Practical Magic Theory and Application.

It was probably the most important exam in her department.

“How was today’s exam?”

“Hmm, I was a bit confused about the calculation formula for the relationship between mana consumption and casting range of Fire Ball… but I think I managed somehow.”

“What’s that?”

Since I tend to use magic by feel rather than calculation, I don’t know much about such things.

Is that what they learn in the Magic Department?

“Ugh, hello.”

As Riel and I were having this conversation, Emilia walked up behind us.

Being in the same Magic Department as Riel, she would have taken the same exam.

“Good work, how do you think the exam went?”

At Riel’s question, Emilia’s expression became gloomy.

“I think I did perfectly on the theory part… but I made a few mistakes in the practical, ugh… I’m sure I lost points.”

“It-it’s okay! I was a bit confused about the theory too!”

Watching their conversation, I thought about my own exam.

Today’s exam for our Martial Arts Department was hand-to-hand combat.

Since it couldn’t be conducted alongside other exams, we spent the entire day fighting.

‘Wentos student, I’ll be your opponent personally.’

‘What? No, Instructor? Wait a moment…’

…No one wanted to be my opponent, so I had to fight the combat instructor.

“Hello~”

“Ugh, I’m exhausted…”

Feris Baltreia trudged out looking tired, while Aria Owen had a relatively comfortable expression.

Well, Feris is in the Martial Arts Department like me, so she would have been rolling around in the exam hall.

Though, since the women’s division had separate exams, I don’t know the details.

Now that everyone Riel was waiting for had arrived, we left the academy and headed into the city center.

Riel planned to have a quick tea time with her friends before going to study, and I also planned to stop by the dormitory for my own studies.

However, we were going to walk together at least until we reached the cafe where they would have their tea time.

As we were walking through the capital city, that’s when it happened.

“What’s going on?”

“There are a lot of people.”

At Aria and Emilia’s words, I looked in the direction they were facing and saw a crowd gathered.

No, rather than gathered, they were lined up along the street as if watching some kind of procession.

After gesturing to Riel and her friends to wait a moment, I went to take a look.

It wasn’t a good feeling.

“What is that?”

Those words escaped my mouth before I knew it.

A group wearing shining armor was moving in formation.

They appeared to be knights, but their attire was distinctly different from the knights of the Palaginya Kingdom.

Suddenly, I noticed the emblem engraved on their armor.

“The World Tree Church…?”

It matched the pattern I had seen a few times back home on the clothes worn by missionaries of the World Tree Church.

Then were they the Holy Knight Order of the World Tree Church that I had only heard about in stories?

The World Tree Church’s influence had greatly declined in the kingdom.

Of course, that didn’t mean they couldn’t operate in the kingdom at all, but why had the Holy Knight Order come all the way to the capital?

That bothered me greatly.

“Hmm?”

“What’s wrong, Commander Alma?”

Commander Alma Brake of the First Holy Knight Order, who was walking through the capital Gransen toward the royal palace, suddenly turned her head.

Seeing this, Vice Commander Remia Blanc, a priestess, tilted her head questioningly, and Commander Alma shook her head from side to side.

“No, I just felt someone staring.”

“Staring?”

“Well… considering the situation between our church and the kingdom, it can’t be helped.”

Currently, the relationship between the Palaginya Kingdom and the World Tree Church was close to its worst.

It had never been good to begin with, but about a year and several months ago, the relationship between the church and the kingdom had deteriorated to its worst.

While they weren’t openly hostile, they certainly weren’t on friendly terms.

“Because of that, we had to dismount from our horses when entering the capital.”

“Haha, well, if you think of it as exercise, it’s not so bad.”

Commander Alma smiled lightly at Priestess Remia’s grumbling.

In fact, the church’s attitude at that time could be considered rude, so even Commander Alma, who had heard the full story, couldn’t help but click her tongue.

It’s fortunate that war didn’t break out.

“By the way, what do you think about the rumors of the Demon King that were circulating back then?”

“Ah, those stories about the Demon King’s revival?”

Commander Alma recalled what she had heard at the time, prompted by Priestess Remia’s question.

The story that there was someone in the kingdom trying to resurrect the Demon King, and that there was also a hero to stop it.

She had heard that because the Archbishop caused unnecessary trouble in the kingdom regarding this, relations with the kingdom had been ruined.

“Well… if it were true, it would be a serious matter, but I don’t believe that story to begin with.”

“Even though Cardinal Gerald received a divine revelation from the World Tree?”

“Ha, what I believe in is the World Tree, not that old man Gerald.”

Commander Alma clicked her tongue as she spoke.

Seeing this, Priestess Remia held her head.

This person tends to be very direct in such matters, and it was obvious that without her restraint, the commander would say such things even in front of Cardinal Gerald.

“…Commander Alma, I think you might hear some words that irritate you during the audience with His Majesty. So…”

“I know, I know. You’re asking me to please be patient, right? I understand.”

Priestess Remia sighed deeply.

Commander Alma is usually a gentle person, but she has a very blind faith when it comes to the World Tree.

Of course, she didn’t think the king would make disparaging remarks about the World Tree, but she couldn’t help but worry.

‘Sigh… Great World Tree. Please help this situation proceed smoothly.’

Priestess Remia habitually offered a prayer to the World Tree.

Hoping that this visit would end peacefully.

“…Huh?”

“What’s wrong?”

Seeing Priestess Remia suddenly widen her eyes, Commander Alma turned to her.

Priestess Remia looked around the capital in a daze, then opened her mouth to speak.

“It’s strange. I heard there weren’t any churches left in the capital…?”

“Ah, I heard that all of them were demolished within a year and replaced with other facilities. Why do you ask?”

“Hmm… how should I explain this…”

Priestess Remia tried to recall the sensation she had just felt.

When she habitually offered a sincere prayer to the World Tree, she felt as if a very warm energy was enveloping her.

It was like the feeling she had when she first prayed to the World Tree and received its blessing as a child.

It was small and faint, but it was a very warm and comforting energy.

“Muung!”

“Sir? What’s the matter?”

The elf, Lilu Arma, looked with a surprised expression at the child in her arms, the World Tree Sirr, who raised his head, lifted both hands up, and made a sound.

And for a very brief moment, a warm energy emanated from Sirr.

“Ah…”

Lilu let out an involuntary exclamation.

It was the energy of the World Tree that she had often felt in her childhood.

It was still weak, but receiving that familiar energy she had longed for, Lilu’s eyes widened.

The energy soon faded away, but Lilu couldn’t move from that spot.

“…Sir, are you alright?”

“Mmhmm!”

Seeing Lilu looking at him with concern, Sirr smiled brightly.

Around Sirr’s neck was a shining pendant tied with a sturdy leather strap.

It was the pendant Lilu had brought recently.

The magic stone embedded in the pendant was emitting a soft light.

“Mmm…”

When Sirr suddenly made a dissatisfied sound, Lilu looked at his face.

“Sir? What’s wrong?”

“Aba!!”

At Sirr’s words, Lilu smiled softly.

“Ah, it’s about time to return to the dormitory. Shall we go meet them now?”

“Yes!”

As if he understood Lilu’s words, Sirr’s dissatisfied expression completely disappeared, and he smiled brightly again.

“Haa, what am I doing right now.”

A young man sighed deeply and muttered in a back alley of the capital.

At the time when Commander Alma was meeting with the king accompanied by her vice commander.

The members of the Knight Order were supposed to stand by, but in reality, standing by was no different from being told to play.

So, most of the members had taken off their armor, changed into civilian clothes, and were enjoying the capital.

The capital Gransen overflows with all kinds of food and entertainment.

For those who had been living an ascetic life as Holy Knights, there was no time more precious than free time in the capital.

Yes, he had turned his back on such precious free time and was pointlessly gathering information.

…Well, it would be funny to complain since he was being paid for it, but still.

“What is that guy thinking… Is the rumor true?”

What he had been asked to do, even being paid for it, was to go to the capital and gather information about a noble girl.

The guy who had asked him to investigate had once been rumored to have been punished and expelled for stalking a noble woman despite being from the kingdom.

He had been half-skeptical at the time, but seeing him willing to pay for such an investigation, it seemed the rumor wasn’t entirely false.

Honestly, it was very uncomfortable. But the money was too good to refuse.

“Riel Ignis… He definitely said she was the daughter of Duke Ignis, right?”

He began to move to gather information.