Chapter 24

It's short, but that's how it's always been!

The chapters set in the capital will progress chronologically, so I'll summarize a bit when revising.

The next morning, I met Tristan in the great hall.

"Good morning."

"Ah."

Is he not bothered by what happened yesterday? He's unresponsive.

Was he really just being shy?

We had breakfast together.

Tristan's sister apparently eats in her room for reasons like her health, which means Tristan usually eats alone. This grand meal, all by himself.

In my case, I don't have a family.

However, when I lived in the dormitory, there was always someone in the cafeteria.

When I was in the castle, my uncle liked eating with everyone, so I never really felt lonely.

Even among nobles, the way they eat can differ.

Tristan's constant lack of expression seems to be related to this kind of environment.

Today, I plan to visit the Mencis Knights' garrison and tour the second ward in the afternoon.

When I asked Tristan if it was okay to tour so boldly, he said that the knights' garrison occasionally gets visits from noble children.

Some are even squire candidates, so the presence of outsiders doesn't hinder training, according to Tristan.

I can't keep only interacting with Tristan, so maybe it's better to be properly introduced.

When we arrived at the garrison, young soldiers were already running drills.

Some were almost bare-chested, some in tank tops, and some fully dressed. There are all types.

In any case, it's a rough scene, all men.

This is apparently a voluntary training session.

Some are off-duty, and some are about to start their guard shifts.

The expedition group is off-duty today, but I see a few familiar faces. They're really dedicated.

Do they feel their bodies get sluggish if they don't move for a day?

One of them just entered the training ground, noticed Tristan, and froze.

He has light blue hair. It's really eye-catching.

Is it unusual for the captain to show up here?

"Captain, good morning. Good morning, Noah."

Baldur, the deputy captain, appeared from behind the man with the eye-catching hair, pulling him by the collar towards us.

"Ah."

"Good morning."

The light blue-haired man looks uncomfortable, but is he okay?

"Come on, Sol. Greet the captain and his friend."

"What! The captain's friend?"

That's the part you're hung up on!

Baldur said the same thing while slapping the back of Sol's head.

Sol stumbled, clearly shocked. It's more than just a slap.

Sol finally turned to the captain, greeted him, and then faced me.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Noah Ignis Essex. I'm here to observe the training today."

"Essex?"

Baldur is scolding him again.

He scratched his short blue hair and bowed slightly.

"My name is Sol Keller."

"Voluntary training?"

"Y-Yes. I'm off-duty today, and I don't have anything else to do..."

He's being honest, but he seems like a good, serious guy.

"Noah, I'll have this guy be your guide. It's a good idea to see the city in the afternoon."

"Wh-What? Me?"

"Do you not want to?"

At Tristan's words, Sol froze.

You can't refuse when the top two of the knights' garrison tell you to.

I feel bad for Sol, but I'll have him accompany me for half a day.

"I just arrived in the capital yesterday and don't know my way around at all. Can you guide me?"

"Y-Yes! Leave it to me!"

That's great.

Baldur is a good deputy captain. I was wondering what to do, as it's awkward to wander around alone.

I thanked Baldur for his casual consideration, and he laughed heartily, saying it was no problem.

"Everyone, gather!"

At Baldur's call, the soldiers in the training ground gathered.

"Today we have a guest, so everyone put in some effort during training."

Prompted by Baldur, I introduced myself as I did to Sol.

"You probably know by the name, but Noah is a relative of Lord Essex. Some of you already know him."

The expedition group nodded.

"Due to certain circumstances, he will be staying at the captain's residence. He will likely visit here from time to time. Explain this to those who aren't here!"

"Understood!"

The response was perfectly synchronized.

I thought that was it, but Baldur glanced at Tristan.

"Noah is my friend. If he needs any help, assist him."

After a moment of silence, the soldiers responded with a cheer.

From Sol's reaction, it seems Tristan doesn't usually call anyone a friend.

I had a feeling, but the late king really set up a challenging scenario.

The soldiers dispersed and returned to their training.

Tristan is heading to the castle to report on the expedition.

As for me, I was surrounded by Sol and two of his friends.

"Sol, you're supposed to be the guide, right?"

"Can you handle it alone?"

"Ugh..."

What's wrong? Are you worried?

Sol has a troubled look on his face.

The two men introduced themselves.

The tall red-haired one is Fran, and the sturdy blonde is Gerard.

Including Sol, all three are squire candidates.

"Guiding him won't be fun, you know?"

"He probably doesn't even know the good restaurants."

"Ugh..."

Sol looks pitiful, being poked at.

These two are probably concerned about Sol's unreliable side and are trying to help him out.

"Then you two should come along too!"

Baldur appeared from somewhere and patted Fran and Gerard on the shoulder.

I didn't even notice his presence, despite his large build. I was surprised.

"Understood, Deputy Captain!"

"Leave it to us!"

They agreed loudly.

It looks like it's going to be a noisy afternoon.

2015/01/11 Revised