Regular Report
This morning, I visited the Tryon estate with Elina.
Lately, most of my work has been more like a farmer’s duties than a knight’s, but I am still stationed at the station and have a duty to report on the village’s condition regularly.
… That said, Lord Doyle visits Curtis Village quite frequently.
Well, this time, I also needed to formally report on the incident in Glacera, so making the trip here was worthwhile.
"That concludes my report."
"Thank you. Since you arrived, the village seems much livelier than before."
"Oh, really?"
"Yes. Having a strong knight nearby must be quite reassuring."
It’s an honor as a knight to be relied upon by the villagers—but at the same time, Miracca’s words from the other day crossed my mind.
(Do you really want to return to the capital?")
That thought doesn’t even occur to me now.
Hearing Lord Doyle’s words, the first thing that came to mind was, "I’ll keep working hard for the villagers."
Maybe I don’t have any lingering attachment to the capital after all.
"How about some tea? Marietta just baked a delicious cake."
"Cake…!"
Elina’s eyes gleamed with excitement—she loves sweets.
There was no way to refuse now.
Then, as if sealing the deal, Butler Brough added, "Please, take your time and relax for a while."
That settled it. Elina cheerfully accepted with, "Then I’ll gladly take you up on that!"
Technically, I’m her superior, but oh well.
Since they were kind enough to invite us, it would be rude to refuse.
We were led to a prime spot overlooking a beautifully maintained garden and enjoyed a relaxing tea time.
Then—
"Actually, I have something I’d like to discuss with both of you."
Lord Doyle suddenly broached the topic.
"A consultation…?"
"Yes. I’d like to request something, relying on your skills as knights."
Ever since I mentioned how we took down the criminals in Glacera, I’d felt that his reaction was a bit different than usual…
This was probably going to be a request for a bodyguard.
"You say it’s because of our skills as knights—does that mean you need an escort?"
"I appreciate how quick you are to catch on."
"That’s an easy request. I’ll accompany you wherever you need."
"Naturally, I’m coming too!"
With that, the conversation could have ended with just a simple "Come with me."
But Lord Doyle must have wanted to make a proper request rather than just ordering us along. He really is a courteous man.
"So, where will you be going?"
As soon as I asked, I realized something.
Now that I think about it, I’ve never heard of Lord Doyle traveling anywhere.
He often visits Curtis Village and frequently inspects his territory, but I had no impression of him ever leaving his lands.
For a noble, that’s unusual.
In my mind, nobles are always traveling to expand their connections.
Not all of them are like that, of course, but that image is pretty strong.
Perhaps Lord Doyle is also looking to build connections for the sake of his territory’s development.
As I waited for his response, he quietly said—
"I’ve been invited to a ball."
What do you think about this chapter?
