Vol 2 Chapter 45 – A New Order【Vol 2 – The Condemned Knight Edition】

“Whoa, Debora! I’m so glad you’re safe. Are you hurt?”

“Honestly, Papa. I’m fine.”

The moment we entered the Throne Room, King Rei, the ruler of this country, came rushing over. He threw his arms around Debora, his hands anxiously patting her down, checking her over.

Debora looks a little annoyed. I suppose she’s at that age.

Still, in all the times we’ve returned to report after carrying out one of his orders, he’s never once reacted like this when it was just the two of us.

I suppose it’s because Debora is so precious to him… The injustice of it all is a little thrilling.

“Erik. You’re certain nothing dangerous happened to Debora, are you not?”

As I was lost in thought, King Rei shot a glare my way. A world of difference from the eyes he had for Debora. I am most grateful.

Since I was the one getting beaten to a pulp by goblins, she was, in fact, never in any real danger. But if I were to lie here and say things were a little dicey, I’d be executed… No, if that happened, it wouldn’t just be me; Miriam might be endangered as well.

Forcing Miriam, who does not walk the same Path of M as I, to face that would be far too cruel.

“No, there was no danger. Thanks to Debora, everyone is safe.”

“Is that so, is that so. Just as I’d expect from my daughter.”

King Rei stroked the head of a puffed-up Debora, who was putting on a triumphant, smug look, his face now that of a gentle father. If only he showed that face to his subjects more often, I imagine his approval ratings would rise…

As I was thinking that, King Rei’s expression went blank as he turned to look at me.

“However, what is this I hear about you addressing my Debora by her name alone? Unforgivable. The sentence is death.”

Wh-!?

The emotional whiplash is too sudden! And yet, that’s what makes it so good…!

“Oh, come on, Papa. You’re such a kidder. You know I’m the one who gave Erik permission.”

“…Hahaha, so you did.”

Debora seems to think he was joking, but that look on his face was deadly serious. That’s precisely what makes this country worth serving.

“So, Papa. Why did you summon Erik?” Debora asked as she slipped out of King Rei’s grasp and drifted over to my side.

A new, brutal order, perhaps? How exciting.

But King Rei shook his head, his expression conflicted.

“Ordinarily, I would delight in giving you an order that would ensure your certain death… but doing so would likely make Debora hate me, so I shall refrain. First, I am ordering Debora to take a temporary hiatus from adventuring.”

“Whaaaaaaaat!?”

Debora’s shriek echoed through the hall.

Even so, that brutally honest inner thought of his… Exquisite!

“But why?! I was finally having fun!”

Debora is furious. And she has every right to be; she was always the one who seemed to be having the most fun whenever we were out carrying out his orders.

Although, when it comes to savoring agony, I won’t be outdone.

King Rei offered a bitter smile in response to Debora’s question.

“I am pleased that you are enjoying yourself… but you have been away far too often. From now on, you must also attend to your duties as a princess. You must receive the proper education for it as well. Considering that, you have spent a little too much time abroad.”

“Urk…”

I see, so that’s what this is about. It’s true that Debora will likely have more and more duties to perform on behalf of the kingdom from now on.

And here I was, about to leap to the uncharitable conclusion that King Rei was just using his doting-father routine as an excuse to lock her up.

“Now, we can be together forever…”

…………

Is King Rei a yandere…? I can’t imagine there’s much demand for that.

Then again, the experience of being imprisoned is something I’d love to try at least once. For about ten years.

“As for you two, I will continue to issue orders. For your next one, how about you go and retrieve a dragon’s egg from a nest said to be in the frontier?”

Oh, now that’s an impossible task. Ever since I started working with Debora, I’ve been missing this sort of thing.

“…This is why I can’t stand royals…!!”

But while I was pleased, Miriam’s rage was boiling over. And understandably so; unlike me, Miriam is neither a masochist nor immortal.

There’s no need for her to accept an order that only a legendary hero could accomplish. As much as it pains me, I’ll have to refuse for her sake…

“Hey! No way! You can’t go on a storybook adventure like that without me! I won’t allow it! Papa, you can’t do this!”

“U-Urgh…!”

Before I could speak, an objection came from a person neither of us expected.

Debora.

She is the only one capable of silencing both me, her loyal knight, and her father, King Rei. For an adventure-lover like her, a quest for a dragon’s egg must sound thrilling.

To us, it sounded like little more than a death sentence.

“Guhhh…! F-Fine…”

If Debora hadn’t said anything, he would have forced it through, wouldn’t he? King Rei’s hatred for me is so comforting…

“Nyeh.”

Debora glanced our way and stuck her tongue out. It seems she was helping us out.

I’m grateful she helped Miriam. If it were just for me, though, it was nothing but unwanted meddling.

“Very well. I suppose we shall proceed with the next-best plan,” King Rei muttered, turning back to face Miriam and me.

“The previous order is rescinded. You two shall be tasked with maintaining the peace in this Royal Capital.”

“The peace, you say?”

The sensible nature of the assignment disappoints me. If the dragon was a no-go, I was hoping he’d at least tell me to go fight a behemoth…

“Lately… or rather, traditionally, the Royal Capital has had poor public safety.”

“…The king is who he is, after all.”

Miriam, if you’re going to say that, please don’t whisper it where he can’t hear. Say it so King Rei can hear you.

“Therefore, we have decided to focus our efforts on improving public safety. It was Orace’s proposal.”

Of course. There’s no way King Rei would propose something so sensible. The moment he spoke, I knew that the prince—a man far too competent for a royal of the Kingdom of Vilemse—had to be involved.

Well, I suppose the fact that a revolution hasn’t broken out means King Rei isn’t entirely incompetent, but…

“Are you dispatching the knightly order throughout the capital?”

“That would be too costly, and it would leave the Royal Castle’s security thin. They also need to train, and we are short on hands. That is where I wish to borrow your power.”

I see. I am a Hero, not a knight. He can work me to the bone without worrying about things like proper benefits.

Still, guarding the Royal Capital? I can’t imagine there’s much in it for me…

“The Royal Capital… Public safety is bad. We probably shouldn’t accept this, Erik. We’ll just be assigned to the most dangerous areas anyway.”

Miriam whispered to me furtively.

…Hah! That’s it. We’ll be sent to the most dangerous areas.

Which means, without a doubt, that a delightful turn of events awaits me! Of course, it won’t be as stimulating as one of King Rei’s brutal orders, but it’s not a bad alternative.

“Miriam, we have no choice, for the sake of our homeland. It seems Debora has no intention of helping us this time, so let’s just accept it quietly. If we were forced into something even worse than this, I wouldn’t be able to bear it (for the sheer pleasure of it).”

“…Right.”

Miriam’s face soured as if she’d just chewed on a bitter bug, remembering the dragon egg hunt we’d just been ordered to undertake. I suppose being dispatched to the rougher parts of the capital is still a far sight better than a mission we’d likely never return from.

Thanks to all the experience I’ve gained subjugating bandits and apprehending criminals, I can hold my own reasonably well in interpersonal combat. All of it, of course, was at King Rei’s command.

“We accept the order.”

“Hmph.”

King Rei nodded as if it were only natural. I don’t dislike that arrogance of his.

“However, I cannot entrust this to you two alone. I have therefore summoned others who will undertake the same mission. Enter.”

At King Rei’s words, the doors opened and figures entered the room.

One was a large, elderly man. He wore a kind-looking smile, but my M-dar was telling me that types like him are generally not to be trusted.

The other was a beautiful woman with a black bob haircut. Her sharp eyebrows seemed to reflect her strong-willed nature. And what drew the eye most of all was the impossibly bulky, heavy armor she wore—nothing like what a woman would typically equip.

…Something about this smells wonderful to me.