Chapter 4

Constantin wakes up every day before sunrise.

Not a single servant is up yet.

During his time at the military academy, he had to wake up early to take care of the knights. The habit has never completely left him, and he still begins his actions before the sun rises every morning.

First, he grips his sword and performs some swings. This usually dispels most of his sleepiness.

Next, he boils water and takes a bath to wash away the sweat. Here, he shaves his beard and brushes his teeth, getting himself ready for the day.

Finally, he slips into the uniform of the knight corps.

The shirt is ironed and crisp.

During his time at the military academy, ironing was also part of the job. Constantin once won first place in an ironing contest at the academy. He is an incredibly meticulous man.

After getting ready, the first light of dawn begins to appear on the horizon. It seems that morning has arrived.

Until breakfast time, Constantin patrols the king's garden.

The historic farm was created to provide the king with fresh, high-nutrient vegetables.

There are no walls around it to block the sunlight; only a fence about knee-high to keep out animals.

As he walks along the ridges, he encounters a knight on night duty. The knight was yawning leisurely. Despite having a flamboyant aura like a stage actor, his hair is tousled, he has a mustache, and his back is always hunched, making him a rather disappointing man.

"Good morning."

"Good morning, sir."

Even when the captain of the knight corps, Constantin, arrives, the knight greets him with a yawn without correcting his posture.

What is the discipline like here? This would be unthinkable in the royal guard.

But it can't be helped. The members of the Seventeenth Knight Corps, known as the garden knights, are a collection of knights who have been demoted from other units.

If they were serious and corrected their posture upon seeing the captain, they wouldn't be here.

The knight scratching his head in front of Constantin apparently came to the Seventeenth Knight Corps a year ago due to an affair with his superior's wife. He carries out the important task of patrolling the king's garden without a single complaint.

No matter how irresponsible his attitude, the fact that he shows up to work every day is a plus.

The Seventeenth Knight Corps also includes a few noble sons who are difficult to handle. They have high pride and are angry at being garden knights.

Fights among the members are a daily occurrence. Mediating these disputes is one of Constantin's jobs.

Other issues include knights who are incorrigible womanizers, who steal and eat the king's vegetables, or who skip work and sleep all day. They are a collection of terrible troublemakers.

In the past, the Seventeenth Knight Corps was made up of elite knights. This was because, in the old days, bands of thieves were rampant around the capital, and the king's vegetables were often stolen.

The trained and disciplined knights bravely protected the king's vegetables.

Thanks to their efforts, fresh vegetables graced the king's table.

However, their success did not last long.

The bands of thieves were destroyed, and peace arrived. With no role to play, some suggested that the knights should be disbanded.

For a time, they were withdrawn, but the rise in vegetable prices in the market led to citizens raiding the king's garden for food.

The Seventeenth Knight Corps was reformed and assigned the task of protecting the king's garden.

Without the knights, the fields would be ravaged for some reason. Therefore, the existence of the Seventeenth Knight Corps is absolutely necessary.

For several hundred years, the Seventeenth Knight Corps has carried out the task of protecting the king's fields.

However, the job lacks fulfillment, and over time, it has become a place for demoted knights.

Constantin's father, Gregoire, had a laid-back personality and seemed to fit the role of a garden knight.

On the other hand, Constantin was different.

He could not find any fulfillment in this job and spent each day monotonously.

What should he do here?

Facing the vast fields, Constantin cannot picture his own future.

The royal guard and this place are too different.

The king's garden stretches as far as the eye can see.

Rich green plants stretch towards the sky from the ridges, trying to catch as much sunlight as possible. There are also rice paddies where rice is grown, and greenhouses where tropical fruits are cultivated.

The site is lined with the residences of agricultural workers and the knight corps, as well as warehouses, creating a small village-like atmosphere.

There are about sixty agricultural workers who take care of the vegetables and thirty knights who protect the fields. They are divided into three teams and work in shifts, with four days on and two days off.

As the captain, Constantin alternates between day and night shifts every week.

Today marks the start of a week of day shifts.

The work is not too much. He attends the morning roll call, checks for any abnormalities, patrols the king's garden, and listens to the requests of the agricultural workers.

Today, he is scheduled to welcome Lucien, the son of the Fortrieux family.

What changes will he bring?

He had a slight interest in this.

After walking around the fields, the sun began to brightly illuminate the land.

As he squinted at the morning sun, he noticed something approaching.

A small shadow was hopping – it was a rabbit.

In this area close to the forest, wild animals are often seen.

Rabbits, hedgehogs, deer, wild boars, and even bears were recorded a few years ago.

Among them, rabbits are numerous, and he sees them several times a day.

"Hmm?"

Constantin focused his eyes. Someone was chasing the hopping rabbit.

A woman in a long skirt was chasing the rabbit.

The scene of the woman chasing the rabbit was like a page from a story.

Suddenly, the wind blew, and the hat the woman was wearing flew off, revealing her appearance.

Her golden hair, braided in a single braid, shone brightly in the sunlight.

Her large blue eyes were fixed straight ahead, determined not to let the rabbit escape.

She was a young woman, probably not yet twenty years old, with fair skin and a delicate, ethereal beauty.

She ran with perfect posture, not minding the mud splashing onto her skirt.

Why was she chasing the rabbit with all her might?

At one point, she whistled. A high, loud sound echoed.

Then, a small, floppy-eared dog jumped in front of the rabbit. It must be a hunting dog.

The rabbit, startled by the dog, turned around. But there was the woman waiting.

The woman scooped up the rabbit and captured it.

Then, she hugged it affectionately.

Perhaps the rabbit had escaped from her care.

It was a common brown rabbit, but it might be a pet to her.

However, that was Constantin's mistake.

The woman smiled broadly and said,

"I'll make this rabbit into a meat pie!"

The moment he heard those words, it felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck Constantin's head.