Chapter 42
I’m Taking Mine Off Too
2024.02.11
I hadn’t slept for that long, but my steps felt lighter than before.
It was like I had just leapt over one of the obstacles that had been blocking my path.
By now, Oscar and Maximilian should have taken Caroline out of the rift, and she would soon be under investigation.
The fact that she had handed monsters over to Ernandt would come out during the investigation.
And the things he was hiding in the imperial palace’s underground would be revealed soon enough.
I’d been at a loss as to how to stop his madness, so I was relieved that things had gone more smoothly than I expected.
With a light heart and lighter footsteps, I continued on with the group.
The next obstacle appeared about half a day later.
“A rocky mountain… and quite a tall one at that.”
The captain muttered with a voice tinged with resignation.
I replied in the same tone.
“At the top of that rocky mountain is the Queen.”
Unfortunately, what I said was true.
The Queen wasn’t even midway up the mountain — she was at the very top.
I remembered having to climb that mountain in my past life when trying to take down that monster.
I glanced at Elma just in case.
“Elma, with your ability, could you transport all of us to the top?”
“No… I don’t think I can manage everyone. Maybe one person at most.”
The more people transported, the greater the mana consumption. If the number was reduced to just one, it seemed she could teleport them all the way to the summit.
The question now was: who would be the lucky one to reach the top by teleportation?
The captain gave his opinion.
“Elma, take Karl and teleport him to the top first. Karl has the least stamina among us.”
It was indeed a logical choice.
Karl, with his healing ability, was not a combatant like us. His role was to stay in a safe spot and apply his ability during battles.
Because of that, he had no need to train his stamina, making him the weakest in that regard.
“Wouldn’t it be better for you or the vice-captain to teleport instead? I’d feel too guilty receiving that benefit while leaving you behind.”
The captain shook his head firmly.
“We’re sturdy, unlike you. If a healer collapses halfway up the mountain, that would be trouble. Just follow orders.”
“…Yes, understood.”
His voice was lower than usual.
Unlike his usual polite compliance, there was a hint of dissatisfaction this time.
Still, he eventually took Elma’s hand, ready to follow orders.
As Elma prepared to use her ability, she told the captain,
“We’ll wait near the summit.”
Then both Elma and Karl vanished from sight.
Now it was just the captain and me left at the base of the mountain.
The captain spoke first.
“Hiking with your superior — isn’t it enjoyable?”
“…Yes, I suppose it will be… enjoyable.”
He gave me a rare smile at my forced answer.
Was he really in a better mood than usual, or was I imagining it?
I wanted to ask what he was so happy about, but decided against it.
With such a steep and towering mountain ahead — one that would take half a day to climb — I needed to save my energy.
We began climbing the rocky mountain in earnest.
It was no easy task.
The slope was so steep that I wasn’t sure if I was climbing a mountain or scaling a cliff.
Still, my stamina was better than most, and I could manage some conversation even as we climbed.
“Captain.”
“What is it?”
He didn’t stop climbing as he replied.
Carefully placing my feet among the jagged rocks, I continued,
“I honestly didn’t expect that being a knight would involve doing… those kinds of things. I thought I’d just be fighting monsters.”
“Those kinds of things?”
“I mean arresting someone who was my comrade until just yesterday — with my own hands.”
The captain paused for just a moment before moving again.
“You don’t need to feel guilty about Caroline. She broke the order’s code and illegally traded monsters. She’s nothing but a criminal.”
“I figured that’s how you’d respond. You don’t tolerate that kind of mistake.”
“As the one who leads the knights, I can’t overlook a member’s crime or treat it lightly. A combat group made of Awakened must be strictly managed for everyone’s safety.”
His answer was exactly as I had predicted — cold, sharp, and unwavering.
Then he suddenly glanced back at me.
“Do I seem like an overly strict superior to you?”
“No, not at all. In fact, I think it’s a good thing that you’re so clear-headed.”
“A good thing?”
“Yes. I feel like, if I ever stray from the right path, you wouldn’t hesitate to punish me.”
The captain suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned to look at me.
“Why would you say that? You don’t plan on committing any crimes, do you?”
“You never know. Maybe one day I’d do something for my family or friends that goes against the greater good. Seeing Caroline just made me think about it.”
“…”
“But it’s fine. I know you’d stop me — even if it meant putting a sword to my neck.”
It was comforting to know there was someone who would stop me if I ever lost my way.
And the captain was perfect for that role — warm enough to grieve for me if I were dying, but never so lenient as to cover up my crimes.
“You would stop me, right?”
I expected an immediate “of course,” but he hesitated.
I couldn’t tell why he was pausing.
In the end, he didn’t give me the answer I wanted.
“That won’t happen. You’re not the type to go astray.”
“I appreciate your faith, but…”
“If you have the energy to talk nonsense, use it to climb faster.”
And with that, he simply kept walking forward.
We didn’t speak again for a while.
The next words came when a heavy raindrop landed on my nose from the darkening sky above.
“I think I just felt a raindrop.”
“Tch. Looks like we can’t go any higher for now. Let’s find shelter.”
The rain was about to get heavy, so we hurried to find cover.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t easy on a mountainside, and soon enough, the skies opened up.
Ssshhhhh—
We climbed on, drenched from head to toe, until we finally found a small cave halfway up the mountain.
We rushed inside.
“…Completely soaked.”
Annoyed by the way his clothes clung to his skin, the captain pulled off his jacket.
He was about to remove his remaining shirt when he glanced at me.
Understanding what he was thinking, I waved a hand.
“Don’t worry about me. You should take it off. You’ll catch a cold if you stay in wet clothes.”
“What about you?”
“I’m taking mine off too.”
“…?”
Seeing his pause, I quickly added,
“Not everything — I’ll keep my undershirt on. It’ll dry if I keep it on.”
“…Alright.”
Only then did the captain turn away and finish undressing.
When he pulled off the soaked shirt, his well-trained torso was fully revealed.
My eyes naturally went there.
My impression upon seeing his body properly for the first time was simple: The perfect knight’s physique.
His muscles were built to perfection — not lacking, not overly bulky.
His back was broad, his waist tapered into a sharp V-shape — a flawless inverted triangle.
While I was sneaking glances at his muscles, he neatly folded his clothes and turned toward me.
For some reason, his cheeks were slightly flushed.
“…Isn’t that a bit of blatant staring?”
“They’re impressive muscles. I want to train mine to that level too — do I just need to work out more?”
“To my level? No, you’re fine as you are.”
“But I want to build more strength…”
He glanced at my upper body, as if gauging it.
My shirt wasn’t as thin as my undershirt had been before, so nothing was see-through, but the wet fabric still clung to my skin.
Feeling a little embarrassed, I hunched my shoulders, and he turned his head away, muttering,
“Your body is perfect the way it is now. No need for more training.”
