The Official Appointment
The house where the Village Chief of Curtis Village lived was an ordinary-sized one, no different from the other villagers' homes. In larger cities, the homes of those in power tend to be grand and ostentatious, but that didn’t seem to be the case here.
"Ganun, are you home?"
Lord Doyle himself knocked on the door, checking if the Village Chief was in. This was an unusual sight. Normally, a servant accompanying him would handle such things. According to Brough, this was Lord Doyle’s own preference. He truly was a peculiar man. As I was thinking that, the Village Chief, Ganun, slowly emerged. He looked even older than Brough, a kind-looking elderly man who seemed to be in his seventies.
"Oh, Lord Doyle. What brings you here today?"
"I’ve brought the Holy Knight who will be stationed in this village."
"Ah... I recall hearing about that."
Speaking in a leisurely tone, Village Chief Ganun invited us into his home. A few servants accompanied us inside and gestured for us to sit. His wife was also there, preparing tea.
"This tea is made with herbs grown in our garden."
"That sounds wonderful. I love herbal tea."
As we enjoyed some small talk, the conversation soon shifted to me.
"You mentioned earlier that he is a Holy Knight... but why would such a distinguished knight come to our village? I don’t know much about the work of knights, but I always thought someone of his rank would be handling much more important duties in the royal capital."
"There were... various circumstances."
Lord Doyle said, skillfully dodging the question. I appreciated that.
"He’s lived in the royal capital for a long time, so he may be unfamiliar with life in a place like this. I’d be grateful if you could support him."
"I-I appreciate it."
"I don’t mind at all. Having more people in the village is a good thing, especially when it’s a young and strong Holy Knight."
Village Chief Ganun welcomed me warmly.
… To be honest, as Lord Doyle had mentioned, I wasn’t sure what exactly I was supposed to do in such a peaceful and quiet village. Until now, my tasks had always been simple—defeating enemies that came my way. But that kind of work wasn’t likely here. Having the Village Chief introduce me directly was truly helpful.
Later, the villagers decided to hold a feast in my honor, and by nightfall, the entire village had gathered for a lively celebration.
What surprised me most was that even Lord Doyle was casually participating in the festivities. Normally, in such situations, the villagers would be too intimidated to relax, but here, they spoke to him freely, updating him on the village and their personal affairs. Lord Doyle, in turn, listened attentively, smiling and engaging in their conversations as if he truly belonged there.
"This village is... different."
"You must see it that way, coming from the royal capital."
Replied Village Chief Ganun, who happened to be nearby and overheard me.
"Yes, I’m quite surprised."
"This is what makes our village special. Lord Doyle truly cares for us, his people. Even traveling merchants who have visited before have remarked on how unique this place is."
"I can see why."
Perhaps this kind of relationship was only possible because this was a remote region, far from the capital.
… But if possible, I wished that people in other territories could live with this same sense of warmth and harmony.
And so—starting tomorrow, I would wield my sword to protect these people.
I didn’t know if I would ever get the chance to actually fight here, but until my innocence was proven and I could return to the capital, I intended to fulfill my duty in this village.
What do you think about this chapter?
