Midnight Visitor
The one who appeared in Curtis Village at night was none other than Elina, my former subordinate from the unit I once led as captain.
"W-Why are you here, Elina!?"
"Isn’t it obvious? I came to assist you, Senior!"
"O-Obvious, you say… I’m surprised Vice-Commander Bellows gave you permission."
"Actually, he ordered me to come here."
"Vice-Commander Bellows did!?"
It was hard to believe—but the fact that Elina was standing right before me left no room for doubt.
I couldn’t begin to guess the Vice-Commander’s true intentions, but if anyone was more confused than me, it had to be Village Chief Ganun and the gathered village men.
"S-Sir Knight… who is this lovely young lady?"
"She is—"
"Thank you for asking!"
Before I could answer, Elina cut in and introduced herself.
"I am Elina Bellows, formerly a member of the unit led by none other than Captain Justin Foyle, who stands before you now."
"Bellows? Hmm… that name sounds familiar."
"Perhaps because my father is the current Vice-Commander of the Knights Order?"
"! S-So that’s it!"
The moment Elina’s family background became known, the men started buzzing with excitement.
Of course, they would.
Not only had I, an unfamiliar knight, arrived in this town, but now even the daughter of the current Vice-Commander had been assigned here.
"I’d love to celebrate our reunion, Senior, but first, I should greet the Village Chief—"
"Wouldn’t it be better to visit the Tryon family, the ruling lords, first?"
"The ruling lord?—Ah!?"
Judging by that reaction… she completely forgot, didn’t she?
"Well, it’s late today. You can visit Lord Doyle tomorrow instead."
Showing up unannounced at this hour would only be a nuisance, and I know well enough what kind of person she is.
Still… if Vice-Commander Bellows himself suggested Elina’s reassignment, there had to be some deeper reason.
She’s not a Holy Knight yet, but given her skill, it’s only a matter of time. That much is certain, even without considering her father’s influence.
Which is why losing her must be a blow to the Knights Order.
There may not be any large-scale monster subjugations or signs of unrest from neighboring nations at the moment, but the capital’s defenses should always remain on high alert. Lately, though, some higher-ups seem to lack that sense of urgency. Aside from Vice-Commander Bellows, only a handful of people are still taking things seriously.
In any case, there must be a reason they sent such a valuable asset like Elina here.
For now, I should keep an eye on the Vice-Commander’s movements and avoid drawing too much attention.
"Huh, so you’re a knight too, Miss?"
"That’s right! No matter what kind of criminals or monsters show up, Senior and I will take them down together, so don’t worry!"
"Haha, that’s reassuring!"
Before I knew it, Elina had already blended in with the villagers. Even Lindel seemed to have taken a liking to her, playfully circling her feet.
Her ability to communicate and connect with people never ceases to amaze me.
Her father, Vice-Commander Bellows, is the quiet, contemplative type, so… maybe she takes after her mother?
In the end, there were no signs of the demon wolves that night, and the gathering gradually turned into an impromptu welcome party for Elina.
Well, it was mostly the village men drinking, but seeing that she was being warmly welcomed seemed to put Elina at ease, so it was fine.
"Curtis Village… is a nice place, Senior."
"I agree. I’ve grown quite fond of it already."
Curtis Village had a peaceful, laid-back atmosphere—something I had never experienced before.
At first, I felt completely out of place, but now, I could genuinely say… it was a good village.
What do you think about this chapter?
