The Rural Assignment of a Holy Knight ~Transferred from the Capital to the Countryside, I'll Work Leisurely While Tending Fields and Taking Care of Animals~
Description:
Justin, a member of the Landval Kingdom Knights, held the title of Holy Knight and was considered a promising candidate for the next Knight Commander. However, his rival and fellow knight, Hank, framed him for embezzling operational funds, leading to Justin's demotion to a rural post.
While initially aiming to return to his duties in the Capital, Justin found himself completely charmed by the peaceful and leisurely countryside life. He began to think, "Maybe staying here isn't so bad after all..." But just as he started to settle in, his junior knight, Elina, from a prestigious family and the very person Hank had been pursuing, unexpectedly followed him to the same rural town for her assignment!
Meanwhile, within the Knights Order, suspicions arose that Justin's framing might have been orchestrated by someone with ulterior motives…
The Holy Knight, Demoted
The Landval Kingdom’s Knights Order.
A prestigious and noble order renowned across the continent.
Among them, only the most skilled knights were granted a special sword—commonly known as a Holy Sword—crafted by a royal-certified blacksmith. Receiving one was a surefire path to becoming a high-ranking officer in the future—truly, the elite of the elite.
Even before I joined the order, I had dreamed of becoming a knight wielding a Holy Sword.
Both my parents had passed away from illness when I was young, and the master of a swordsmanship dojo in the royal capital, pitying my situation, took me in.
To repay that kindness, I devoted myself to rigorous training, living in the dojo.
I was determined to climb my way up and walk the path of an elite that everyone envied.
And then—ten years after joining the Knights Order, I finally became a Holy Sword wielder, securing my place among the elite.
A glamorous life awaited me from here on out.
I would never have to experience poverty again.
—Or so I had believed.
"Justin Foyle... As of today, you are dismissed from duty in the royal capital."
"Wha—?! T-That's impossible!"
The words from the Knight Commander were something I could not possibly accept.
"Your new post will be the village of Curtis in the Abbott region, located in the southern territories. We will inform the ruling Tryon family in writing, but make sure to properly introduce yourself when you arrive."
"P-Please, wait!"
"There will be no changes. Reflect on the crime you committed and carry out your duty."
With that, the Knight Commander left the room.
A crime I committed, he said.
My supposed crime... was embezzling the Order’s operational funds.
But I had absolutely no recollection of such a thing. They claimed to have confiscated documents as evidence, yet I had never seen any of them before. On top of that, a witness had emerged, claiming to have seen the entire crime unfold. That had sealed my fate.
I had desperately pleaded my innocence, but with physical evidence and eyewitness testimony against me, I was almost dismissed outright. However, thanks to voices vouching for my past contributions, I barely avoided the worst possible outcome—being fired.
… That said, being permanently stationed in a tiny farming village in some remote frontier region was practically the same as being dismissed.
"Sigh..."
A sigh escaped me involuntarily.
But standing around here wouldn't change anything.
"... Guess I should start packing."
In the end, I was demoted without ever admitting to a crime I didn't commit.
Of course, I wasn't satisfied with this outcome, but judging by how the investigation was conducted, they had already decided I was guilty. Without solid evidence proving my innocence, clearing my name would be nearly impossible.
As I walked down the corridor, frustration and humiliation swirled inside me.
Then, a shadow approached.
"Why the long face, Justin?"
"Hank..."
The one who called out to me was my fellow knight, Hank.
Like me, he was a Holy Sword wielder, acknowledged for his skill. We had grown up together at the dojo, constantly pushing each other to improve—a rival, of sorts.
That said, our backgrounds were complete opposites.
Hank came from a long lineage of knights, a prestigious family that had served as high-ranking officers in the Order for generations.
… Not that I was in a position to judge others, but lately, Hank had been too obsessed with rising through the ranks.
Even after obtaining a Holy Sword, his desperation for achievements led to careless mistakes, and I had heard that his reputation within the Order was declining.
Now, that same Hank was walking toward me with a smug grin.
"Well, I guess it can't be helped. A knight as skilled as you, getting exiled to the countryside over some petty embezzlement… Falling off the elite track must be hard, huh? As your fellow knight, I can't help but feel sorry for you."
His words were utterly devoid of sincerity.
If anything, he sounded delighted by my downfall.
"Oh, by the way, about your subordinate, Elina... She's been reassigned to my unit."
"Elina…?"
Elina Bellows.
Anyone in the Order would recognize the name "Bellows."
It was one of the noble families that had supported the Order’s prosperity for generations, and her father was the current Vice-Commander. She herself had exceptional swordsmanship talent, tirelessly training to one day be worthy of a Holy Sword.
Young, beautiful, and fiercely devoted to her craft.
She was highly regarded within the Order, and many of the future high-ranking officers saw her as an ideal marriage prospect—not just for her looks, but also for her family’s influence.
For me, though, the age gap was too large for me to see her that way.
However, Hank had been pursuing her for some time, frequently inviting her out to dine.
With my unit disbanded due to my demotion, my subordinates had all been reassigned… and Elina ended up in Hank’s unit.
"She's a good knight. She'll go far. Look after her well."
"Oh, don’t worry, I intend to take *very* good care of her."
Hank's sleazy grin made my blood boil.
Did he take her in purely because of his ulterior motives?
Anger surged within me, but given my current position, there was nothing I could do.
I had no more words for him, so I turned to leave—
"Getting spotted by Reyes was unfortunate, huh?"
"…!"
That name caught my attention.
Reyes was the new recruit who had supposedly witnessed me embezzling the funds. He had even tearfully confessed to the Knight Commander that I had threatened him into silence.
—But the identity of the witness hadn’t been made public yet.
So how did Hank know his name…?
"You… don’t tell me…"
Before I knew it, I had grabbed Hank by the collar.
Was he behind everything?!
"Hey, hey, let go of me."
"You bastard…!"
"Took you long enough to figure it out, idiot. You’ve always been too damn naive."
Even knowing it was a provocation, I felt my fury ignite, my fist rising on instinct.
Hank’s expression lit up in amusement.
"Gonna hit me? Go ahead. Punch me. That'll guarantee your dismissal. Hell of a deal, huh? Just one punch, and I get rid of a bothersome rival for good."
"…!"
Realizing my mistake, I forced my fist down.
"What, lost your nerve? Standing before the man who took everything from you, and you’re not even gonna fight back? Well, can’t blame you. You’ve got nothing but your sword. Without the Order, you wouldn’t last a day."
As much as I hated to admit it, he was right.
If I wanted to use my swordsmanship elsewhere, I’d have to become an adventurer.
But starting fresh at my age would be tough.
Joining a party might help, but who would take in a disgraced knight with no experience?
Besides, the adventurer world thrived on rumors. My tarnished reputation would follow me everywhere.
With my Holy Sword taken away, my only future might be living as a nobody, doing menial tasks for the rest of my life.
Compared to that, at least I still had my knight status, even if it meant serving in the countryside.
I let go of Hank’s collar and turned away.
"See ya, pal. Try not to screw up your next job."
Hank laughed mockingly as he walked in the opposite direction.
… This isn’t over yet.
I won’t give up so easily.
Returning to my room at the knights’ dormitory, I packed my belongings and left for Curtis Village that very day.
I had wanted to bid farewell to the Vice Commander and my subordinates, but…
Even if I was innocent, I had caused them trouble. I didn’t have the face to see them now.
"Never thought I'd leave the Capital like this…"
It was far from what I wanted, but there was no way to overturn my situation for now.
I reined in my horse and glanced back.
I hadn’t ridden for long, yet the royal capital was already far in the distance.
"I’ll come back… no matter what."
I swore to return.
Then, I turned my horse southward once more.
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