Chapter 45

Chester's closest friends in the knights are, after all, the dragon knights who fight alongside him. Among the dragon knights, the one who holds a higher position is a man named Greg, the deputy. This man seems to be a figure whose reputation is divided within the knight corps.

He talks about ideals but is not an excellent commander—basically, the type who tells you to rely on spirit and determination. He speaks bravely, which is well-received by the nobles, but he is disliked by those below him. Given that Chester has been promoted and heavily relied upon under his command, it seems that they get along well.

If that's the case, one should be cautious and approach Chester or Greg, or perhaps a noble connected to Greg.

While contemplating the knights and soldiers practicing in the field below, the band began to play the trumpet. The noise from the guests quieted down, and King Melvin appeared on the balcony of the knight's tower. He was around fifty, a tall and stern-looking man.

"Everyone, this is a solemn occasion," King Melvin said in a solemn tone, his voice echoing across the square.

"Originally, this was to be a feast to deepen our bonds, but today, those words seem inappropriate. As you all know, several soldiers have sacrificed themselves for our kingdom due to the incident in Cardiff and the appearance of the demons. Thinking of the wives, children, and parents left behind, I had considered not holding this feast tonight."

King Melvin paused, closed his eyes, and then spread his arms wide.

"However, after receiving petitions from many, I have decided to hold this feast tonight. To remember their loyalty and bravery. This feast is to ensure that their names and faces are not forgotten by you, their comrades and friends. As long as we have such brave warriors, I am confident that the glorious Verdgar will not waver even in the face of a demon attack. Our knights, who carry on their souls and wills, will ensure this. Everyone, enjoy tonight's feast to the fullest. It is a tribute to the brave souls who have dedicated themselves to the kingdom."

Raising his cup, King Melvin said, "To the brave warriors!"

He drank the cup in one go. The guests followed suit, and cheers erupted in the square. King Melvin nodded approvingly and surveyed the crowd to quiet them down before continuing.

"And—there is a small hero who faced the demon alone and defeated it. I am pleased to know that such a person was hidden in our country's fields, and that he bravely faced the threat without regard for his own safety. I hear he has been invited to tonight's feast."

King Melvin looked straight at me and smiled, showing his teeth. It was a mischievous expression, like that of a playful child. I could feel the guests' eyes on me. Hmm.

...King Melvin. He is said to be a straightforward and martial type. He might get along with Oswald, but in BFO, he only appears by name and has no direct interaction with the player.

So, I know almost nothing about King Melvin's character. Reputations and public faces don't always align, and as a king, political situations also come into play, so it's not wise to judge solely on whether he is trustworthy or not. The knight corps has its own intentions, and the king has his own, but I still don't know if he is aware of Chester's situation.

As King Melvin sat in the large chair on the balcony, the band began to play solemn music. Normally, a more elegant speech would be followed by a graceful tune, but the occasion is different.

First, the king was to be shown the results of the knights' and soldiers' daily training. The cavalry and infantry formed ranks and demonstrated formation changes. At the command, they changed formations one after another. While the entire national army may not be this well-trained, the seamless and disciplined movements were impressive to watch.

Next, there were jousting and archery competitions. The current event is a team jousting match called Tournay. Armored knights on horses and earth dragons charge at each other, aiming to unseat their opponents with lances. The lances are made of easily breakable wood and have flat caps on the tips to reduce lethality, but the risk of injury from splinters or being unseated remains.

Oswald explained the highlights of the match. Cheers erupted from the guests each time a knight was unseated. The teams, distinguished by red and blue plumes on their helmets, were divided into groups of five.

In the match, the blue team's vanguard had unseated three opponents, but then the red team's deputy unseated three in return. Cheers rose each time the red deputy unseated an opponent. He waved to the audience, further exciting the crowd. Though his face was hidden by his helmet, it seemed to be Chester. Oswald predicted that the red team would win, and indeed, Chester stood out among the others.

However, Oswald didn't seem to enjoy it. Even when Chester won and the crowd cheered, his expression was unimpressed.

"Is there a problem with Sir Chester?"

"It's not just Chester... the entire knight corps. He's too neat and uninteresting, and it's disappointing that none of the current knights can even match him in a close battle. The knight corps knows this and has arranged for the second strongest knight to be the blue team's vanguard to make the match more exciting."

"Ah, I see."

It's half a fixed match. It's a competition among comrades, and as an event, it needs to be exciting. The match itself seems to be a serious one, and since it's lively from an outsider's perspective, the knight corps' purpose is being achieved.

But Oswald is quite picky. Chester's fighting style is orthodox, which is why he is well-received by the guests, but Oswald finds it "too neat and uninteresting."

"So, you should join in and participate. It will be a good stimulus."

"Are you kidding me?"

As I was dodging Oswald's light-hearted remarks, a woman approached.

"Excuse me for interrupting your conversation. Are you Theodore Gartner? I am Annie Eilmeson."

"Ah, hello."

"I am a member of the mage corps. There is someone who would like to meet you, and I was asked to bring you to them."

...The mage corps. They are at odds with the knight corps. Will I get some useful information? And since this is a social event, the candidates for those I need to approach are limited.

"Alright, I'll go with you."

"I'll accompany you."

As I stood up, Grace and Ashley also stood up, apparently intending to come along.

"You can stay and watch the match if you want."

"No, I'd like to come with you," Ashley smiled.

"Well, watching that would be boring. Even more so if we're fighting side by side," I replied.

"Hmm."

...Is that how it is?

Annie led me to a room adjacent to the training ground, the knight's tower. The royal family should be on the upper floors, so security is tight, but Annie moved forward without hesitation.

"Here we are."

When we entered the room, the person inside was someone I already knew, but he greeted me as if we were meeting for the first time.

"Hello, nice to meet you."

It was Prince Albert, with a friendly smile. He was accompanied by his sister, Princess Marlene, and his fiancée, Ophelia. Marlene, who seemed shy, hid behind Prince Albert and peeked at me cautiously. Ophelia, on the other hand, was composed.

"This is—"

Annie tried to introduce us, but Albert stopped her with a hand.

"No, it's fine. I don't like formalities. I'm sorry to interrupt your viewing. I really needed to talk to you privately."

"I see."

"I'm Albert, the fourth prince of this country. This is my sister, Marlene, and—ah, my friend, Ophelia."

Yeah, I know. I had expected that he might approach me since I came to the castle. Prince Albert wants to become a magic engineer in the future, so it makes sense that he has connections with the mage corps.

I know he is a friendly person, but since this is our first meeting and he is a prince, I can't be as casual as I was with Alfred.

"This is my fiancée, Ashley, and Grace."

I introduced them with proper etiquette.

"Fiancée... you're quite the man."

Prince Albert's eyes widened.

"Prince, you have a fiancée too, don't you?"

Ophelia laughed, her face shadowed.

"Well... yeah, I guess. Ophelia is my fiancée."

Prince Albert blushed slightly and scratched his cheek, seemingly embarrassed to introduce his fiancée.

"Anyway, I wanted to talk to you because I heard about you from a friend of mine, Talcott."

Ah, so that's how he's going to bring it up.

It's a bit difficult to react since I know the background. He seems to want to keep the fact that I am Alfred a secret.

"He asked me to thank you."

"I don't think I've done anything that warrants a thank you from him..."

"You can think what you want, and Talcott can feel what he wants. I did pass on the message."

"...I understand."

He probably wanted to convey Talcott's message, but I don't think that's all.

Well... What does Prince Albert want?