Chapter 13 - The Knight and the Court Mage
The next day was rainy.
Elenoa knocked on the door to Louis's bedroom, though she expected no reply. Straining her ears, she heard not a single word, so she gave up and entered the room, approaching the bed where a human shape bulged beneath the covers.
She nearly found herself inadvertently captivated by his sleeping face, which was beautiful even in slumber. Yet that innocent expression, utterly devoid of wariness, remained just as it had been in the past.
"Wake... you're not awake, are you?"
Unlike Lumina, Louis was not a morning person.
Elenoa lifted the corners of her mouth slightly and whispered, "This is why humans..." Her habitual, irrational curse was gentle. She had been watching over him since he was small, after all. She would not deny the affection she felt for him, not now.
She tried saying, "Breakfast is ready," above his head, but that hardly meant he would wake up for it.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, she placed a hand on his shoulder. As she leaned in, her lowered hair and drooping wings slid down his back, coming into view at the edge of her vision.
"Hey, boy."
"...Mm."
She shook him.
Leaking a faint sound, Louis's eyes gradually opened.
His head was still asleep, and he looked blankly at Elenoa's face. Intimidated by his quiet, staring gaze, Elenoa flinched as an arm emerged from the bedding and slowly reached out.
"H... hyaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!"
The moment his hand touched 'that,' she screamed and leaped back.
"H-hah, on my... on my wings... how dare you touch them... are you an idiot!?"
"There's no need to get that angry."
"Moron! Research maniac! Clumsy oaf! How many times do I have to call you a pervert!"
Since Elenoa had no plans to go outside, she often left her wings exposed. Today happened to be one of those days. When her guard was down, her wings hung down like a veil, leading to accidental contact like this.
"If they're so important, you should keep them hidden."
"Boy, would you tell a cat to hide its tail and live like that? Just because they're exposed doesn't mean it's okay to touch them."
With tears in her eyes, Elenoa glared at Louis while hugging her own body in the corner of the room. She looked as though she had been assaulted by a thug.
"I've said it many times, but a fairy's wings represent the quality of their mana. They are conduits for mana. If my wings were to be torn off, I would drop dead instantly...!"
"It would be troubling if you were to drop dead."
Louis rose from the bed, exhaling deeply.
"But isn't the beauty of your wings thanks to me? It was my mana that raised you. So touching them a little should be fine, no? I'm not thinking of crushing them or pulling them out."
"That's a separate issue. Would you say the same thing if you touched a woman's chest?"
"Eh, for fairies, wings are that kind of..."
"You wouldn't understand as a human, would you!"
There was only one method to capture a fairy other than locking them in a silver cage.
Plucking their wings.
However, this was an extremely violent and cruel method, a form of restraint that disregarded the fairy's life or death. A fairy's wings were conduits for mana, and the major mana channels (similar to blood vessels) throughout the body passed through the wings. These were the fairy's wing veins.
For a fairy to lose their wings was equivalent to having all their life channels severed. Even individuals with high vitality would die within about two days.
"Since the first thing you touched when we first met was my wings, I suppose the reality of it feels thin, doesn't it?"
"'Doesn't it'? Don't tilt your head like that, it's cute."
"You are truly disappointing."
"What do you mean, disappointing, to your mother?"
"That line of thinking is already extremely disappointing."
"There's no way the child I raised wouldn't be cute," Elenoa declared before leaving the room. Louis watched her retreating back with a complex expression. He felt both happy and frustrated.
"She's already taller than me, yet how long does she intend to stay in that nanny mindset..."
Louis buried his upper body, which he had raised, back into the bed.
From downstairs, he could hear two female voices. His younger sister, who was too energetic—perhaps because breakfast was her favorite—and Elenoa, who dodged her with a calm voice.
From the window came the damp sound of water droplets falling onto the roof and ground.
Listening to these sounds, Louis gradually closed his eyes.
"Well, Louis-boy. The noon bell rang a while ago. Do you have any excuse?"
"...I was tired."
"Devoting half of your rare holiday to sleep, do you not find that a waste?"
"Not in the slightest."
"I do not recall raising a child like that."
"And I do not recall ever thinking of you as a mother."
"How cruel! Lumina-chan, your older brother seems to be going through a rebellious phase!"
"W-what did you say!? That mythical rebellious phase has finally bared its fangs at Onii-chan!"
"I'm going back to sleep."
The House of Stylus, which knew no rebellion, held a slight longing for the rebellious phase.
＊
Louis thought there was nothing more tedious than the morning council after a holiday, yet even so, he enjoyed the King's deep trust.
From the King's seat at the head, long tables were arranged in a U-shape. The layout, with the Research Institute and the Knight Corps facing each other, mirrored the structure of the court itself.
From the innermost part where the King sat, to the right were the Mage Corps Commander and the Chief Court Mage, along with three others—the court mages up to fifth rank. Facing them were seven knights. Following the Commander, the commanders of the First through Third Knight Corps and their adjutants were seated in order.
When called upon by Nandiel, the Chancellor, an older man attending beside the King, Louis stood from his seat and read from the document in his hand.
"There has been an indication that the common knowledge—that light magic is something most monsters dislike, regardless of attribute—is incorrect. It is possible that there exist monsters against whom light magic is entirely ineffective. The truth of this is unknown."
He paused there, implicitly suggesting that questions were welcome. After a brief silence, since Hawk, the fifty-three-year-old Mage Corps Commander to his left, said nothing, he continued.
"The Magic Research Institute is currently focusing on confirming the efficacy of light magic against monsters, while simultaneously organizing, training, and strengthening a corps of mages capable of opposing the Demon Lord."
"...We are lending you the First-Class Research Institute, aren't we?"
In response to the Mage Corps Commander's question, Louis nodded. "Yes."
"However, it is impossible to capture all several types of attributes and hundreds of species, so progress has not been favorable. It is quite embarrassing."
"No, there is no need for shame, Stylus. In human history, this is the first attempt to actively engage with monsters."
It was His Majesty the King himself who offered words of comfort to Louis. He was a young man for a king, with black hair and eyes that were transparent green. There was some fatigue visible around his eyes, likely due to political duties and mental strain.
"I am grateful."
"Ah. If there are no other reports, we will move on to the Knight Corps' report. I look forward to future developments."
"Your words are too kind."
Once Louis had returned to his seat, the Chancellor called another name.
"Commander of the Second Knight Corps, Claire Weavy."
The person sitting directly opposite Louis stood up smoothly—or tried to, letting out a small "wah."
Her height was insufficient for wielding a sword, and it seemed her feet did not reach the floor when she sat on the chair. She placed her hands on the desk as if falling from the chair, then quickly straightened herself with a start.
When she met Louis's eyes, who was watching her with exasperation, her face instantly turned red.
"I-I, Claire Weavy, will now give my report! The Second Knight Corps—"
The voice echoing through the conference room was that of a young girl.
When the morning council was dismissed, Louis flipped his black robes and headed for his own laboratory.
He was aware of the footsteps following him from behind, but he had no intention of stopping unless called out to.
"Hey, you there. Stop."
"............"
"I said wait."
"............"
"I'm begging you, please wait!"
His conscience finally pricked him, and he stopped. Turning around and lowering his gaze, he saw a girl who looked barely old enough to be standing, hands on her hips, glaring at Louis.
She was a young girl with fiery red hair tied in a single bundle at the back of her head. But this appearance was deceptive; in reality, she was a respectable knight of the same age as Louis.
Her height had likely not grown in the past five years. Her chest was also modest.
Though their paths differed, she was a companion bound by a long-standing relationship.
"Why can you never call out to me honestly, Commander of the Second Knight Corps?"
"...One should not expect honesty from a Commander."
The mutter came from the adjutant standing behind Claire. His superior stepped firmly on his foot, causing him to groan, "Guh."
"Don't step on me."
"Hmph."
Claire crossed her arms and turned her face away, but she still looked like nothing more than a child.
Born into a renowned knightly family that had received a sword directly from the Royal Family, her talent had been discovered in early childhood. She entered court service at the same time as Louis and rose through the ranks alongside him.
The achievement of her fierce first battle, where she ran through a battlefield swarming with monsters and defeated an Orc Lord, now shone on her chest in the form of a medal. She continued to excel in every monster subjugation, and just a few days ago, she was promoted to the position of Commander of the Second Knight Corps. —She was a prodigy of the sword.
"Better late than never, congratulations on your promotion. That small Claire has become so impressive... though it seems your height hasn't grown."
"I will accept your congratulations, but do not call me small. We are the same age. Do you understand? The same age."
"Yes, yes. So, what is it you want?"
Claire hummed, "Mm," and said,
"...I wanted to request a Pass for teleportation magic. For the new recruits' intensive training camp, I want to set up a campsite in an open area along the great river to the west, and I intend to use teleportation magic for the movement."
"I do not mind, but for an intensive training camp, I think it would be more effective to make them move entirely on their own."
"Ah. So, the movement is for, well, in case of injuries or emergencies. Monsters have been becoming more active recently. I want to prepare for the worst."
"Then you should just cancel the training camp."
"It is tradition, so it cannot be helped. New recruits are always treated this way during this season. I do not know how it is at the Institute, but we must respect and follow our predecessors."
"Our creed here is that predecessors, parents, and teachers are all stepping stones for us. However, I do not deny your opinion."
Needless to say, I will not take responsibility, so please decide that matter on your own.
When he said this lightly, Claire replied straightly, "Naturally." Like a true knight, she showed a strong will without any twist. She was a rare breed among those around Louis.
"I will submit a formal request later. I estimate I will need about fifty Passes."
"Understood. Then I will be going."
"Ah, hey."
"Yes?"
Facing Louis, who looked puzzled, Claire hesitated slightly. A blush colored her cheeks. The only one present who could understand her feelings was her adjutant.
"Tonight, for dinner, are you busy?"
"I believe I am. Perhaps preparations are already underway."
Louis glanced outside. It was still morning, but the housekeeper, who was particular about cooking, sometimes started preparing dinner from the morning.
"...I see. Understood."
For some reason, she looked disappointed, but Louis did not pry further.
He attempted to head to the Institute once more, but stopped again. He remembered something he needed to tell her.
"The other day, I saw a Troll in the Nild Hills."
"A Troll... I believe they are not supposed to inhabit this area."
Trolls originally lived in deep labyrinths. They would absolutely not appear in open places like the Nild Hills.
The reason Elenoa did not notice this was likely because, in her common sense, 'it would not be strange for a Troll to be in the Nild Hills.' In the world of the game she knew, that is, the timeline where the Hero, the Player, was necessary.
—A world where monsters became active, causing chaos in human society.
That time was approaching. Louis believed so.
"There is a possibility you may encounter unexpected monsters during your so-called intensive training camp, so please be careful. Well, small fry are still small fry. It is an opponent you can defeat with a single strike."
"I see, I will keep that in mind!"
"Why do you look so happy?"
"It's nothing, really."
You can defeat it with a single strike. That was one of Louis's rare compliments.
Although she was a knight, Claire was also a girl her age. There was no way she would not be happy to be praised by the one she loved.
Even if she turned her red face away, saying, "I'm not happy just because you praised me...!" it did not hide her expression.
She knew.
That the one she loved had someone they loved.
With the conversation ended, both returned to their respective posts.
Hearing Louis's voice again from behind, she turned around to see that he had been called out to once more.
He was popular. Did his charm work even on the King? The King, who had been attending the serious meeting until just now, was earnestly inviting Louis. She caught snippets of him saying he wanted to have tea for the first time in a while, or something like that.
"...His Majesty and Louis get along well."
"It seems he is called frequently."
Indeed, those two shared a similar atmosphere. Perhaps their conversation topics, values, or preferences were alike.
Claire, not particularly concerned, turned back toward her direction of travel.
A high-spec young girl, typical of galge.