“Now, come over here. Shall we change your clothes?”
“Mmm.”
“I’ll help you.”
Van lifted the listless Rowy up in one swift motion and changed his clothes. Then he laid him down on the bed and carefully tucked the blanket around him. Even throughout all this, Rowy still hadn’t regained his senses. Deep concern appeared in Van’s eyes.
“Still, you should have a meal.”
“Wanna sleep. Feel too queasy to eat.”
“Then you must eat when you wake up later. You didn’t eat lunch properly earlier either.”
“Ugh, my stomach feels terrible, what am I supposed to do.”
“…Rest for now.”
Van patted Rowy soothingly. Perhaps truly exhausted, Rowy fell asleep almost immediately. Van gazed sympathetically at his face, which had grown haggard in just one day, then got up and approached the door. …It was because he’d been sensing a presence outside the door for a while now.
“How is Rowy-nim?”
“…He’s sleeping.”
Click. When he opened the door and stepped out, just as expected, a knight from the Flame Knights was waiting in front.
“Then come with me for a moment. I need to inform you about the schedule.”
With those words, Kyle turned and walked away. After briefly checking on Rowy’s sleeping form, Van soon followed behind him.
“I’ve brought him.”
“Sit here.”
The place they arrived at had not only the Flame Knights but also Rona, the leader of the Red Sun Mercenary Company. Edner glanced at Van as he found and sat in the empty chair beside her, then opened his mouth.
“…Now that everyone’s gathered, let’s begin. The monsters’ movements are abnormal, so we’re going to rework the travel route.”
At those words, Van unconsciously nodded his head. …Certainly, the movements of the monsters they’d encountered today were not normal. Being from Marzen, Van was well acquainted with the ecology of the Penter Mountains, and this wasn’t the season when so many monsters should be appearing. If that was the case… it would be correct to view all of this as a precursor to a monster rampage.
“It appears to be a precursor to a monster rampage.”
Perhaps everyone had the same thought, as they all nodded at someone’s words. A monster rampage referred to a period when monsters’ aggression increased and they attacked people indiscriminately. It usually occurred frequently in winter, but occasionally happened irregularly like this for unknown reasons.
“Right, it’s presumed to be a precursor to a monster rampage. When we arrive in Velstra, make sure to inform them that a subjugation force will likely be needed there….”
Edner continued speaking.
“Normally, since we have sufficient forces, we would have followed the main road as planned, but… as you all know, we don’t have time. So from here, we’ll follow this path straight through, crossing this mountain range by the shortest route and heading directly to Velstra. It will be a difficult journey for Rowy-nim.”
At those words, Van inwardly sighed. He could clearly picture Rowy suffering. Edner’s explanation continued.
“And from this point, we go right instead of left. We can’t put Rowy-nim on a horse.”
On top of that, treating him like a piece of luggage. Van frowned.
‘They’re treating my master too roughly.’
Moreover, left or right… looking at the map, both routes seemed equally treacherous.
‘At this point, wouldn’t it be better to just put him on a horse.’
Van’s expression grew serious as he recalled Rowy clutching his head and groaning in the carriage. However… considering how he’d fallen ill after riding a horse for just half a day before, that wasn’t a good option either.
‘Could we perhaps use magic instead?’
They’d told him not to use magic, but… that was surely meant as “don’t cause trouble,” and right now someone was practically dying. Van was thinking he should discuss this with Rowy later when—
“So, you. What’s your name?”
At Edner’s sudden question, everyone’s gaze focused on Van.
“…Van.”
“Where are you from?”
“Marzen.”
“Your family?”
“I don’t have a family.”
“…No family?”
At those words, Edner’s eyebrows rose sharply.
‘Hmm….’
With swordsmanship skills remarkable enough to rival even the Flame Knights, and staying by that difficult Rowy’s side… he’d naturally assumed this was a nobleman’s son from this region.
‘I should have gotten more information from His Grace.’
Tsk. Edner clicked his tongue softly. No matter how strange the mission, orders from his master had to be carried out perfectly. Edner inwardly reflected on his insufficient preparation.
‘Hmm, what to do.’
After pondering for a moment, Edner dismissed everyone else.
“Let’s end the meeting here for now. We’ll stay here tonight, finish breakfast tomorrow morning, and then depart. And… Van, was it? You stay behind for a moment.”
“Yes.”
The others bowed their heads to the vice-commander, glanced at Van with curious eyes, and left one by one. And then…
“……”
“……”
Their eyes met awkwardly. Surprisingly, it was Edner who looked away first. A deep sense of doubt about this situation suddenly washed over him.
‘Just what am I even doing….’
Having to test a son-in-law candidate on behalf of his master—how was he even supposed to do that… Moreover, Edner was….
‘I haven’t even gotten married myself yet.’
Edner, in his forties and long past marriageable age, let out a deep sigh.
* * *
“Is alcohol alright?”
“I apologize, but I don’t drink.”
At that, Edner nodded and filled only his own glass. Then he downed it in one gulp. The surprising fact was that Edner didn’t usually drink much either. Having received even alcohol’s assistance, Edner’s expression became resolute as he offered Van a seat. And then the interrogation—no, the son-in-law test—began in earnest.
“So, you’re quite skilled with a sword. Where did you learn?”
“I’m from the Holy Knights of the Elysion Temple in Marzen.”
Of course… unfortunately, that interrogation was no different from the questions asked when recruiting new knights. It couldn’t be helped. Edner knew absolutely nothing about marriage.
“When did you start wielding a sword?”
“The sword was….”
After that, several more questions about swordsmanship followed. After the exchange, Edner soon realized that the person before him was not the subject of this kind of evaluation.
‘A swordsman far more exceptional than I thought. I couldn’t guarantee victory or defeat against not just Dwyne, but even Kyle. No, perhaps even against Gerard.’
Thinking of Gerard, whom he’d marked as the next vice-commander, Edner nodded with a satisfied expression.
‘I quite like those upright eyes too… It would be wonderful to bring him into my command.’
Edner gave a generous evaluation. The problem was that this was a son-in-law interview, not a knight order interview. However, unfortunately, Edner didn’t realize there was a problem with his interview. Which meant the conversation about swords continued.
“Come to think of it, why do you carry two swords?”
When he’d seen him wield his sword, he clearly wasn’t someone who used dual swords, yet he carried two swords, which had been bothering him. At that question, Van looked at his swords. Even after reclaiming the Holy Sword, Van still carefully carried the sword Rowy had bought him.
“My master bought it for me.”
“…Master? You have a separate master?”
“Pardon? Rowy-nim.”
“Ah, you call Rowy-nim your master?”
How peculiar… Edner, who understood them to be in a relationship leading to marriage, looked at Van with a subtle gaze. Well, anyway. It wasn’t as if there were no cases of knights marrying their masters….
“Well, alright. By the way, where did you meet Rowy-nim?”
“Ah, at the slave market….”
“…Slave market?”
Why is a slave market suddenly coming up? Edner looked at Van with a bewildered face. However, Van only continued the conversation seriously.
“Yes, my master bought me.”
Van said this while showing the slave restraint device around his neck.
“…Bought you?”
Unable to follow the story and fumbling around, Edner’s eyes grew wider and wider.
“What? A slave? Wait, a slave?”
“Yes….”
Good heavens, so this person is a slave? Right now, they’re trying to bring a slave as a son-in-law into the Irad Duchy? No, more than that… What? Bought a slave at a slave market?
“Right now, you’re saying Rowy-nim bought a slave at a slave market…?”
“Yes? Yes.”
Van was equally lost about the context of this conversation. After pondering briefly, Van innocently began to recite what had happened at the slave market.
“Well, my master had originally come to buy a bed slave. But he didn’t like any of the others and only I caught his eye, so he….”
Stopping mid-sentence, Van blushed shyly. It seemed there was a bit of fabrication mixed in… but anyway, right now the two of them were indeed in that kind of relationship, so it didn’t matter, did it?
“It seems my master likes the color black. My eye color and hair color happen to be black, and also….”
Like that, Van subtly began to boast about his relationship with Rowy. And Edner… was clutching the back of his neck.
“A b-bed slave…!”
This troublemaker, just! Fire blazed in Edner’s eyes.
