My Childhood Friend Told Me to Go Marry the Most Beautiful Woman in the Kingdom, So I Seriously Started Improving Myself—and Somehow Ended Up Making Women Fall Hard - Chapter 88 & 89

Chapter 88: SS — Aftermath of the Third Knight Order

Side: Oren Ferna

It was over.

It had been one hell of a mess.

Vice-Commander Daitaros of the Third Knight Order.
It infuriated me that he’d made a contract with a demon. And honestly… I’d wanted his best friend, Snake, to be the one to finish him off.

“Snake. You holding up?”
“Shut it. This fight ain’t over yet! We’re moving out to sweep the remaining demons.”
“Got it.”

Hort looked like he’d burned himself out trying to bring down Daitaros.
No idea why a sister had even been on the battlefield.
But the Commander of the Second Knight Order—and several others—had gathered around Hort to help him.

I chose to back up Snake and focus on eliminating the remaining demons.

I never imagined the operation would spiral this far out of control.
Knights from the First and even the Second Order had fallen to demonic corruption, rampaging through the royal capital.

We hunted them down.
We wiped them out.
We minimized the city’s damage.
If you only looked at the outcome, you’d say we won.

But the way we won? It was the worst possible way.
Because the rot had been inside us all along.

♢

After the battle ended—

I passed Commander Snake in front of the Third Knight Order’s commander office.

Normally, he would’ve thrown some sharp-tongued remark at me.
But that day, he didn’t say a word.

He didn’t even meet my eyes.
He simply walked past, showing me his back.
…That back looked heavier than any expression of despair ever could.

When I stepped into the commander’s office, the usually cluttered room had been cleaned and neatly arranged.

I immediately ran after him.

Commander Snake had gone alone to see His Excellency the Marshal—to take responsibility.

Not just for Daitaros.

Several members of the Second Unit had transformed into demons and rampaged.
The responsibility of supervising the Third Knight Order fell squarely on the commander.

I knew that.
I had always known.

But I still couldn’t accept it.

“If we let the Commander carry everything alone, that’s the end of it.”

In the corridor leading to the Marshal’s office, the other captains of the Third Knight Order were already gathered.

“What are you all doing here?!”
“The same thing as you, Oren.”
“Yeah. That guy… he’s the type who can only forgive himself by taking all the blame.”

Captain Falcon.
Captain Uragar.

“Honestly, what a stubborn man.”

Captain Brigitte gave a troubled smile.
The other captains grumbled about Commander Snake as well.
And yet—

They were all smiling.

“Then let’s go.”

We chased after the Commander.

The Marshal’s office.
Just standing before that door made my stomach tighten. The pressure was on an entirely different level. So this was what it felt like to stand before the man who commanded the kingdom’s entire army.

We urged the guards to open the door—then pushed our way inside.

“The full responsibility lies with me, Snake Shadowblow. Regarding Vice-Commander Daitaros and the misconduct of the Second Unit—no, their rebellion—the supervisory responsibility rests with me. I request to be relieved of my position as Commander.”

His usual rough tone was gone.
His words were stiff and formal.
Just as I thought—Commander Snake had come here to shoulder all the blame.

…And that was exactly why it made me angry.

Don’t speak as if it’s only your fault.
If you carry everything alone, the ones left behind will rot.

I stepped forward.

“Please wait.”

The Marshal’s gaze pierced straight through me.

My throat went dry.
The pressure from him was even heavier than from Commander Snake.
But I didn’t retreat.

“The responsibility should be borne by the entire Third Knight Order. It isn’t just the Commander’s fault. Demons were standing right beside us—and we failed to see it!”

Captain Uragar stepped forward as well.

“That’s right. All of us are to blame. None of us recognized the signs within the Second Unit. We all share that fault. It doesn’t make sense for only the Commander to step down.”

Captain Falcon added sharply, as if biting down on the words.

“That’s right. The Second Unit was the one obstructing the demon investigation. How were we supposed to realize they were rotten? If we’re discussing supervisory responsibility, then it was a flaw in the very structure of the Third Knight Order. Removing only the Commander would leave the roots of the problem untouched.”

Captain Brigitte quietly lowered her head.

“I agree. The responsibility should be shared. The organization as a whole should bear it.”

Commander Snake turned to glare at us.

“You idiots! Don’t stick your noses where they don’t belong!”

Shock was written across his face.
His voice was angry.

But he was trying to protect us.

I wasn’t about to let him claim all the honor for that.

The Marshal remained silent for a long time.

The silence weighed heavily.
My heartbeat thundered so loudly it felt like it echoed through the room.

Then the Marshal finally spoke.

“This matter concerns the entire military. If responsibility must be taken, then I share in it as well. More importantly, you all have merits to your name.”

His voice was heavy.
And yet, strangely, it carried warmth.

“You carried out a large-scale purge of demons that had infiltrated the royal capital. You limited the damage. You restored order. The capital could very well have fallen. Your achievements are significant. Therefore, this matter shall be offset by your merits.”

“What?! What do you mean by that?!”

“Commander Snake. I suspected that you, too, might have been corrupted by demons. Yet you raised your sword against your friend and bore more wounds than anyone to protect the people. I am proud of you. I, too, failed to see through the demons’ scheme.”

At the Marshal’s words, Commander Snake fell silent.

“On the contrary, I intend to grant commendations to the Third Knight Order. Your subordinates fought well. Those who contributed in this incident will also receive bonuses.”

Before I could feel relief, my chest tightened instead.

No punishment? Commendations? Bonuses?

“However, the scale and complexity of this incident are too great to attribute entirely to the Third Knight Order’s efforts. The people will demand a clear hero.”

“What do you mean?”

At Commander Snake’s question, I honestly didn’t understand either.

“The reward for defeating the archdemon Daitaros will be granted to Hort Rubel. Commander Adelheid of the Second Knight Order reported that Hort Rubel slew Daitaros. As I was not present on the battlefield, I wish to confirm. Is there any discrepancy?”

Hort defeated him? A hero is needed?

“Hah! So that’s how it is. I’ve got no problem with that. Yeah—he’s the one who brought Daitaros down.”

Commander Snake agreed without hesitation.
I was completely lost.

“What are you talking about?!”

“Ufufu, Captain Oren. It seems His Excellency wishes to make young Hort a hero.”

“Huh?”

“In other words, instead of dragging this demon incident out and spreading blame everywhere, it’s cleaner to say someone rose up, fought bravely, and resolved it.”

Turn Hort into a hero to close the case?

It was true—he had played a major role in defeating Daitaros.

And ever since Hort joined the Third Knight Order, the tide of the battle against the demons had begun to shift.

“That is correct. The overall achievements of the Third Knight Order will be distributed among its members as rewards. As those who stand at the top, your duty is to protect the honor of the knights we lost. I will not impose punishment. However, I want you to select, from among yourselves, which knight will receive special commendation.”

Instead of condemning us as leaders, the Marshal chose to reward the rank and file.

And the greatest honor would go to Hort.

The Commander—and we captains—could not object.

Politically, publicly… it was the decision everyone could accept.

The ones who nearly died were the ones on the battlefield.
The ones who bore the chaos and endured the blame were the ones on the ground.

Some had died.
Some were wounded.

If rewards were given to them—and to their families—then none of us had the right to complain.

“…Thank you, sir.”
“““Thank you very much!”””

The Third Knight Order would remain intact.
More than that—we were being praised for this battle.

Beside me, Commander Snake had clenched his fist tightly.

Was it frustration?
Was it shame?

Probably both.

♢

After we left the Marshal’s office, the Commander muttered under his breath.

“Tch. Why the hell did you idiots come?”
“Because one idiot was about to shoulder everything alone.”
“Yeah. This time, it’s everyone’s shared responsibility.”
“Ufufu. If we had kept a closer watch, perhaps the damage wouldn’t have grown so large.”
“That’s why we need you going forward, Snake! We’re counting on you!”

Uragar. Falcon. Brigitte.
Not a trace of hesitation in any of them.

♢

Those of us involved—the Commander and the captains—didn’t feel we had the right to accept rewards.
We had allowed that kind of rot to spread under our watch.

Even so, Commander Snake remained in his position.
He wasn’t forced to step down.

Instead, the Marshal ordered a full review of the Third Knight Order.

Reorganization of reporting lines.
Stronger internal audits.
Restructuring of units.

Seal every crack within the organization.

From that moment on, the Commander’s eyes changed.

His mouth had always been foul—but somehow it got worse.
In exchange, his work speed became terrifying.
With a face that clearly hadn’t slept, he tore through stack after stack of paperwork.

…That was how he took responsibility.
I finally understood.

And in the middle of all that, I was summoned.

A message from the Marshal.
Signed by Commander Snake.

“Oren, Captain of the Fifth Unit of the Third Knight Order. As of today, you are appointed Vice-Commander of the Third Knight Order. You are hereby promoted to Deputy Commander.”

The moment I read the paper, my mind went completely blank.

“…Eh?”

The word slipped out before I could stop it.

Commander Snake folded his arms and spoke.

“You’ve seen the battlefield more than anyone. We need someone who can bridge the front lines and the administrative side.”
“Why me?!”
“Catgirl! …No, Oren. From today on, you’re backing me up.”
“Huh?”

He said it firmly, then looked away.

“You say what needs to be said. You step in when someone needs to be stopped. You’re the right one to stand beside me.”

…Was that praise?
Or was he just dumping more work on me?

Either way, if I ran now, he’d end up carrying everything alone again.
I tightened my grip on the paper.

“…Fine. I’ll stay beside you, you stubborn idiot of a Commander.”

For just a moment, the corner of his mouth twitched upward.

“Work yourself to death.”
“That’s way too black.”
“Like that’s anything new.”
“…True.”

We laughed.
We really did laugh.
But deep down, my chest still ached.

Daitaros’s face wouldn’t leave my mind.
Neither would the screams of the Second Unit.

That was exactly why we had to move forward.

The Third Knight Order would never rot from the inside again.

If we wasted the life Hort Rubel risked on that battlefield—

Then it would all mean nothing.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

[Afterword]

Hello, this is Iko, the author.

The second SS was about what happened to the Third Knight Order afterward.
Since the main story focuses on Hort, this was the kind of content that usually doesn’t get shown. So this chapter offers a look at what was happening behind the scenes.

Captain Oren stepped up as Vice-Commander and took her place beside Commander Snake, who had tried to shoulder all the responsibility alone.

I aimed for a slightly mature romantic-comedy atmosphere between adults.

Now then, I’m thinking of writing maybe one more SS before returning to the main story.

I hope you’ll continue to follow along (๑>◡<๑)

Chapter 89: SS — A New Ambition

Side: Brigitte Bram

I have won. I truly have won!

I freed women’s chests from pain.
I corrected their posture.
I even refined their beauty beneath their clothing.

Yes—the mass production and widespread adoption of the brassiere.

The moment it succeeded, the ladies of the royal capital said this:

“…I can breathe so much easier…!”
“My chest doesn’t bounce anymore… even when I run…!”
“My husband… my husband has been kinder than usual lately…!”

…That last one was unnecessary information.

Still, if it contributed to domestic harmony, then all the better.

In other words—I won.

“But this is still not enough…!”

I slammed my hand onto the workshop table, and the tools rattled.

The young blacksmith apprentice beside me nearly jumped out of his skin.

“L-Lady Brigitte… did you invent something again…?”
“‘Invent something’ is far too modest a phrase. I am moving on to the next stage!”

I spread out a new design draft.

Drawn upon it was a woman’s leg.

From ankle to thigh—a blueprint for supporting beauty.

“Corsets tighten the waist and stomach. Brassieres support the chest. So then—what about the legs?”
“The… legs?”
“Exactly! Men have chausses—long stockings! Yet women hide beneath dresses and wear only simple undergarments underneath! A woman’s battlefield is not limited to her chest!”

I nodded solemnly as I proclaimed this grand truth.

“When walking, the line of the legs. When standing, the way shadows fall. The slender shape that sways beneath the skirt. We must create something where all of that becomes proof of beauty!”
“Lady Brigitte… your eyes look a little scary…”

Scary? Passion for beauty is frightening?
What an impertinent apprentice.

Still, I shall forgive him. I am in an excellent mood today.

“Listen carefully. You draw attention with the face and chest, enchant with the waist, and finish them off with the legs.”
“That sounds like hunting…”
“It is hunting. A hunt between men and women.”

I pulled an old book from the workshop shelf.

The title read: Illustrated Guide to Foreign Garments and Ornaments.

Flipping through the pages, I found them.

Cloth that wrapped around the legs.
Designs that tightened below the knee.
Styles that tied around the thighs.

“…They exist.”
“Wait, they already exist?”
“Yes. But they are crude.”

I pinched a bundle of thread and shoved it in front of the apprentice’s nose.

“Look at this thickness. With fibers like these, the skin’s color is lost. The beauty becomes dull!”
“W-With fibers… the beauty becomes dull…?”

Of course it does.
A woman’s skin is defined by how it catches the light.
If that is so, then the fabric covering it must control the light as well.

“Garter belts… and tights…”
“Even just the names already sound fashionable…”

The apprentice muttered under his breath.

Hmph. Those who understand, understand.

“Garters are fastening devices. Tights are leg garments. But that is not my final goal.”
“Then… what is?”
“Thin, yet strong. Gentle on the skin. Revealing, yet elegant. That is what I shall create!”

I clenched my fist.

“And above all…”
“A-Above all…?”
“When women look their absolute best, men get excited!”
“That escalated quickly!?”

I am speaking of beauty.

Beauty has started wars before.

There are beauties who topple nations, and handsome men who do the same. But it is precisely because beauty is dangerous that creators must embrace that danger.

“The problem is the fibers. With current thread, we cannot create ideal tights. Make them thinner and they snap. Make them stronger and they become thick. And then the beauty dies.”
“Isn’t that a dead end…?”
“It is not a dead end! Solving that is exactly why we are developers!”

I grinned.

“I shall consult Hort again!”

In my life, there exists a very convenient man.

With Fururu attached to him, whenever I face a problem—praise be to Hort! He always brings the strangest yet most effective ideas!

A sharp mind.
An unnecessarily deep understanding of women’s concerns.
And above all—

“He has the instinct to turn a woman’s beauty into gold.”
“That phrasing is a bit too blunt!”

But it was the truth.

Though he blushes about it, he always finds methods that genuinely delight women.

My future son-in-law is truly dependable.

I picked up my pen and wrote boldly across the paper.

《Garter Belt & Tights — Ultra-Fine Fiber Project》

And beneath it, I added another line.

《We shall save the royal capital through beauty!》

…The royal capital forever craves beauty! The world is built on balance!

“Good. Tomorrow, we head to the ward!”
“But Lady Brigitte… Sir Hort is injured…”
“Precisely why. We shall make him think while he lies in bed.”
“Are you a demon…?”
“Not a demon. A blacksmith.”

I stood before the mirror and examined my own legs.

Knees.
Calves.
Ankles.

If those lines became even more beautiful, women could hold their heads higher.

“Hehe… as expected, I am a genius.”
“Lady Brigitte, that sounds like a bit too much self-praise…”
“It is not self-praise. It is confirmation.”

I nodded firmly and flung open the workshop door.

“The march of beauty begins now!”
“Please don’t make it sound like a war…!”

Leaving my apprentice’s cries behind, I ran.

Toward the next battlefield.
Toward Hort’s hospital room.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

[Afterword]

Hello, this is Iko.

This has absolutely nothing to do with the main story. Haha.