Chapter 08

In Nina’s previous world, this would have been called a high-five.

In this world, however, pressing one’s palms together was the traditional way to seal a promise.

Sometimes people even intertwined their fingers, and for more solemn vows, they would flip their clasped hands over and kiss the back of each other’s hand.

Nina had never made a promise that serious.

Adrian studied her face for a moment before finally letting go of her hand.

As she watched the sleeves of Adrian’s coat, now noticeably too short for him, Nina made a silent promise to herself.

Once I earn a lot of money… I’ll have new clothes made for Adrian.

Though…

He probably knows far more about clothing than I do.

Even in a place like this…

Even under circumstances like these…

Adrian was always impeccably dressed.

His clothes were old.

They no longer fit him properly.

Yet somehow he never looked shabby or untidy.

He simply knew how to wear them well.

A gentle smile appeared on his face.

“Sleep well, Nina.”

“You too, Adrian.”

Nina walked him to the door before closing it behind him.

Then she threw herself onto the bed.

So… Incident Number Three is over…

Now another worry began creeping into her mind.

Incident Number Four.

The annihilation of the Black Knight Order.

They’ve only just started looking like a proper knight order… isn’t wiping them all out a little too cruel?

The thought felt deeply unfair.

But sleep claimed her before she could dwell on it.

Within moments, Nina was fast asleep.

Morning in the Black Knight Order always followed the same routine.

Training.

Breakfast.

Patrol.

Her usual partner, Jin, looked down at her.

A former mercenary, he had fiery red hair to match his hot temper.

Despite that, he was surprisingly warm-hearted.

With a body as large as a bear’s, he stood out wherever he went.

“Sleep well?”

“Of course.”

Nina answered cheerfully.

Then she asked,

“Jin… what would have to happen for our entire Order to be wiped out?”

Jin stared at her.

“That’s a terrifying thing to ask.”

“It’s just a hypothetical.”

“You have some weird dream or something?”

Nina made an awkward face.

“…Something like that.”

Can memories from another world count as dreams?

Jin nodded knowingly.

“You’re run-down.”

“Eat more meat.”

“That’s why you’re dreaming strange things.”

The day passed as usual.

When evening came, Nina helped organize paperwork.

There were only a handful of people in the Black Knight Order who could actually read and write.

Nina.

Jin.

Vice Commander Louis.

And Adrian.

The four of them often handled administrative work together.

Louis looked over one of the reports.

“So we’ve been excluded from the exchange tournament again this year.”

“The Imperial Guard Knights are taking our place?”

Adrian asked.

“Yes.”

Adrian gave a short laugh.

“It’s amusing.”

“They think excluding us is some kind of insult.”

“I’m grateful they don’t invite us.”

“It’s considered an honor reserved for the knight order representing the duchy.”

“An honor…”

Adrian repeated the word under his breath.

His fingertips tapped lightly against the desk.

“That makes me think…”

“…perhaps we should establish an elite unit.”

The suggestion sounded spontaneous.

Everyone except Nina knew it wasn’t.

“An elite unit?”

Nina tilted her head.

Adrian nodded.

“We’ll gather those with the greatest ability.”

“Rank them.”

“Without competition…”

“…people stagnate.”

“It’s hard to stagnate in a place like this.”

Nina pointed out.

After all…

Anyone who wanted to survive against the Bellaks had no choice but to keep improving.

Adrian shook his head.

“Survival alone isn’t enough.”

“We need people looking beyond tomorrow.”

“Beyond the next battle.”

He understood better than anyone that giving people something to strive toward was part of a leader’s responsibility.

A few days later…

A notice appeared inside the Black Knight Order barracks.

Recruitment for the Elite Knights.

The notice explained that the elite unit would be formed specifically to fight higher-ranking Bellaks.

Those selected would receive special long coats capable of resisting stronger concentrations of corrupted miasma.

The Black Knight Order’s uniform was entirely black from head to toe.

Not merely for appearance.

The fabric had been dyed and treated with a rare plant that resisted the Bellaks’ poisonous corruption.

Thanks to that special material, members of the Order enjoyed some protection against contamination.

The plant grew only within the Violet Forest.

As a result, only the Black Knight Order of House Rubloyenne possessed uniforms made from it.

Now…

The elite unit would receive something even better.

Special long coats with far stronger protective properties.

The selection trials lasted several days.

Finally, during the ceremony establishing the Elite Knight Unit…

The chosen names were announced.

Fewer than ten knights passed.

Among them…

Were both Jin…

And Nina.

A week later, Nina received her new long coat.

The moment she put it on…

She burst into laughter.

“It’s enormous!”

“You’ll grow into it.”

Jin grinned.

The coat dragged across the ground behind her.

Nina folded the excess fabric around her waist and tied it with a belt.

She decided to simply ignore the sleeves that swallowed her hands completely.

Really?

You couldn’t have made the sleeves a little shorter?

Still…

She knew the Order’s budget was painfully limited.

They couldn’t afford to tailor new uniforms every time a growing fifteen-year-old got taller.

So she merely nodded.

“I’ll just have to grow faster.”

Ordinary weapons weren’t very effective against Bellaks.

To kill them properly required a special metal known as Lengsi Steel, forged in the Kingdom of Lengsi.

Unfortunately…

The Black Knight Order never had enough funding.

Their standard swords contained barely ten percent Lengsi Steel.

The elite knights received slightly better weapons.

Fifteen percent.

Higher-ranking Bellaks possessed tougher hides and extraordinary regenerative abilities.

That extra five percent made a noticeable difference.

I’m sure there was a mine somewhere inside the Violet Forest…

She remembered that.

A mine producing Brightsteel—

A legendary metal even superior to Lengsi Steel.

The problem was…

She couldn’t remember where.

Only that Fiona had discovered it by sheer accident.

It’s not like I can search the entire forest…

If she stumbled into a high-ranking Bellak alone…

She’d die.

Literally.

Still…

I’ll keep an eye out whenever I get the chance.

Even if she found the mine today, they had no way of refining the ore.

Still…

Finding it in advance would allow them to act immediately once they developed the necessary methods.

Hopefully it’s somewhere nearby.

If fifteen-percent Lengsi Steel is already this good…

How incredible must Brightsteel be?

Just then, Kirill beckoned her over.

“Kirill? Did you need something?”

No matter how rough the members of the Black Knight Order usually were…

Everyone became respectful in front of Kirill.

She was the only healer they had.

Offending the person responsible for keeping you alive was a terrible idea.

Kirill herself, however, remained as blunt as ever.

She wore a spotless white coat.

Apparently she received separate supplies from outside, because the tobacco in her pipe never seemed to run out.

“You’re heading into the Violet Forest today?”

“Yes.”

“Then see if you can find this plant.”

Kirill handed her a sheet of paper.

On it was an exquisitely detailed botanical illustration.

“This plant?”

“What do you need it for?”

“Herbal medicine research.”

Kirill answered casually.

“I’ve dissected enough humans.”

“I think it’s time I researched something else.”

She casually muttered,

“I’ve gotten rather tired of cutting people open.”

A chill ran down Nina’s spine.

“I’ll definitely keep an eye out.”

Looking at the illustration reminded Nina of something else.

The heroine, Fiona, had transformed the Duchy of Rubloyenne into one of the richest territories in the Empire.

How?

By discovering and cultivating valuable native plants.

If I find them ahead of time and start growing them now…

That would be even better.

Though…

I don’t know when Young Master will actually become Duke…

The thought immediately darkened her mood.

Will Adrian really end up killing his own family?

With his own hands?

I don’t want that.

If someone had to do it…

She would rather kill them herself.

Anything was better than letting Adrian be remembered as a man who murdered his own father and siblings.

Thinking about everything the Duchess had done made her blood boil.

Even so…

If Adrian personally killed his younger half-brother…

And even his own father…

I don’t want him carrying that burden.

Not for his own sake.

But…

If he doesn’t…

Can he even become Duke while the Third Young Master is still alive?

Maybe I shouldn’t start cultivating those plants yet…

I’ll just locate them and prepare for the future.

Or…

A rebellion?

A coup?

But they had no legitimate justification.

Nina let out several heavy sighs.

Kirill frowned.

“You’re only fifteen.”

“What’s with all the sighing?”

“Ah…”

“There are some things you wouldn’t understand, Kirill.”

Kirill looked over Nina’s oversized long coat.

It made her appear even younger than usual.

She chuckled.

“True enough.”

“What would I know about the worries of a fifteen-year-old brat?”

Nina puffed out her cheeks.

Ignoring her expression entirely, Kirill continued.

“The rumors surrounding the duchy haven’t been good lately.”

She exhaled a cloud of smoke.

Nina subtly leaned away from it.

“What kind of rumors?”

“That the duchy is drowning in debt.”

“That creditors are constantly coming and going.”

“That they keep losing every exchange tournament.”

“And…”

“That they don’t even participate in the Imperial Tournament anymore.”

Nina stared at Kirill.

She had thought this before.

Kirill was…

Strange.

Why would someone this capable choose to remain with the Black Knight Order?

She clearly maintained connections outside the Order.

Her medical skills were exceptional.

She could have found work almost anywhere.

“So…”

Nina finally blurted out,

“Why are you here, Kirill?”

The question sounded rude the moment it left her mouth.

Yet Kirill answered without hesitation.

“So I can dissect as many humans as I want.”

“…”

For a long moment…

Nina had absolutely nothing to say.

“…Right.”

She quietly lowered her gaze to the botanical illustration.

“I’ll bring it back if I find it.”

“Good.”

Tucking the drawing safely inside her coat, Nina couldn’t help thinking—

Seriously…

Is there not a single completely sane person in this entire knight order?

It was enough to make anyone despair.