[Intermission] A Knight Commander and a Sister's Daily Records
[Knight Commander Billy Stengel]
I sighed as I skimmed through the documents bearing my name.
The incident in the trading city of Ganos.
It seemed an illegal slave auction was about to be held, and I was reviewing the confiscated documents from the venue, signing off "checked" on a separate sheet.
These documents included a list of auction participants.
Among them, I noticed a few noble names… Yet, I received orders from above to erase those names.
Just like with the underground fighting ring incident.
None of the nobles involved in that incident were apprehended because of directives from higher-ups.
… Initially, I just wanted to advance my career.
I aimed to rise through the ranks and provide my frail wife with a more comfortable life.
To achieve that, I avoided stirring up trouble within the organization.
Even being chosen as the Knight Commander wasn’t due to any exceptional strength of mine.
It was simply because I obediently followed the orders of the higher-ups.
For this incident too, instructions from above had already arrived:
"Retrieve and destroy the auction participant list immediately."
Once I burn or tear up this list, my task will be over.
It’ll be as though the documents never existed. A common occurrence.
This alone will bring in another hefty "special reward"—but is this truly okay?
Is the knight I aspired to be really this disgraceful?
Lately, that question has been haunting me.
However, I had a sense that this incident might resolve that inner turmoil.
The trigger was, of course, the young man named Lake Gallard, who apprehended Zarfin and his accomplices.
He is the son of the renowned merchant Robert Gallard, who receives direct special missions from His Majesty the King.
For Lake Gallard, who will likely succeed his father’s global business empire, nobles are among the most important clientele to treat with utmost care.
Yet, Lake Gallard continued to act in ways that antagonized the nobility, such as dismantling the underground fighting ring or capturing the Beckart family’s son.
Whether he’s conscious of it or not, he acts much like his father.
The same applies to the slave auction incident.
If he were a greedy merchant, he might have colluded with Zarfin to exploit the situation.
But instead, he opposed and defeated him.
This Zarfin was once a rising star in the Magic Corps, seen as a promising talent.
However, his issues with women and reckless spending had long been a problem.
He finally snapped at a superior who reprimanded him, severely injuring them with fire magic before stealing weapons and fleeing.
Who would’ve thought he ended up secretly ruling Ganos and even organizing a slave auction?
What’s even more unbelievable is that a non-magic user like Lake Gallard captured him, who once reigned as the ace of the Magic Corps.
Lake claims a girl named Connie, who was with him, defeated Zarfin using magic... but that might just be a bluff to conceal his own strength.
Still, I was deeply moved by his fearless resolve to confront such a powerful foe.
His actions rekindled something within me, stirring a passion I thought I had lost.
At that moment, a knight approached me.
"Commander Stengel, the confiscated items from the auction venue have been gathered."
"Is that so? Good work. —Wait, hold on."
"Yes?"
"You’re Powell, the recruit who joined this year, right?"
"!? Y-You remember my name?"
"Of course, it’s natural to remember the faces and names of one’s subordinates. By the way, let me ask—why did you become a knight?"
Without hesitation, he replied, "To uphold my own sense of justice!"
His dazzling smile cleansed my heart.
I had forgotten something important.
If young people are striving so hard, how can I, an adult, hold them back?
—I made up my mind.
From now on, I’ll change my mindset.
Forget promotions and personal gains.
Even if it causes hardship for my wife, I will fulfill the Knights Order’s true role of vanquishing evil.
"Is something wrong, Commander Stengel?"
"No, nothing at all. Let’s go inspect the confiscated items. There might be clues leading to other hidden villains."
"Understood!"
I must thank Lake Gallard for reminding me of my passion for this work.
I folded the participant list I was ordered to destroy and slipped it into my chest pocket before heading off with Powell to inspect the confiscated items.
◇◇◇
I was dispatched to this church five years ago.
As a novice, knowing neither right nor left, the cityfolk welcomed me warmly.
—But when that man, Zarfin, arrived in this town, the gears began to turn awry.
People's hearts grew hardened, deceit and harm became routine.
I prayed to God relentlessly, but there were no signs of improvement.
Eventually, I began to doubt myself.
Would God truly help if I prayed?
Why must kind-hearted people suffer?
Would the peaceful days of old ever return?
Just as I was consumed by these doubts, a savior appeared.
His name was Lake Gallard.
Though still a student, he swept away the villains with overwhelming force and rescued me and a boy who was to be sold as a slave.
At that moment, he appeared divine to me.
Though I dismissed the thought, his subsequent actions were indeed godlike in their kindness and compassion.
Not only did he defeat the root of the evil plaguing the city, but he also donated a large sum to the church to aid the children who had been destined for slavery.
I spoke to the children at the church of Lake’s greatness.
Even Arze, who visits occasionally to report to Lake and check on the church, shares the same sentiments and often recounts her encounters with him to the children.
The staff from the Gallard Company, who teach the children reading, writing, and basic arithmetic, also deeply appreciate Lake.
Despite once betraying the company under Zarfin’s threats, Lake forgave them with a magnanimous heart, entrusting them with the children’s education alongside Arze.
As a result, they’ve been motivated, saying,
"We owe everything to Young Master Lake!"
"We’re ready to risk our lives for him!"
"Long live Young Master Lake!"
These have become their mantras.
Recently, Arze initiated a plan to erect a statue of Lake on the central street.
I wholeheartedly supported this wonderful proposal and worked with her to persuade the mayor.
With help from the Gallard Company in finding a contractor, the statue is set to be completed within the year.
This will ensure that the cityfolk never forget their debt of gratitude to Lake.
I, too, must continue caring for the children to meet his expectations.
◇◇◇
"Achoo!"
"Young Master Lake? Have you caught a cold?"
"It seems Connie’s ice magic chilled you too much."
"Eh?! Really?!"
"It’s fine. I feel a bit cold, but I’ll recover after some rest… And don’t even think about using fire magic! The carriage will catch fire!"
At this moment, Lake had no idea.
That in the near future, the entire city of Ganos would come to revere him, and as a result, merchants from various nations would also come to acknowledge his growing prominence.
What do you think about this chapter?
