It's already been almost a week since I was appointed as the commander of the Black Lion Knights.
Right after the inauguration ceremony.
Thanks to the neat handover documents prepared by the deputy commander, I was able to roughly understand the process and reasons behind the downfall of the Black Lion Knights.
Also, after diagnosing the current state, a heartbreaking conclusion was reached that, when judged comprehensively, the current Black Lion Knights are nothing more than a ragtag group that should by no means be called a knight order.
But anyway, since I was assigned here as the knight commander by the Imperial family's decision, rather than holding complaints, I decided to do my best to perform my duties.
Actually, I never even expected from the start that the unit I would command would be flawless and perfect.
'At least it's much better than back then.'
Having experienced a time during the fierce war when the commanders above and below were all assassinated overnight, and waking up to find the unit shattered…
At least, this Black Lion Knights, with its personnel fully organized without vacancies and able to receive continuous, smooth supplies thanks to its stationed location within the capital's jurisdiction…
While having numerous flaws immediately apparent, is a unit with ample room for improvement.
'In fact, there are even advantages to it being a junk unit.'
Above all, the taste of gradually improving various problems one by one and transforming the unit according to my will seems very special.
As the first step of that, I first severed the head of the corrupt administrator.
'It's unfair! I was just doing as the former commander ordered…'
Come to think of it, I think he spouted all sorts of things to me right until he was taken away by the inspectors…
The excuses he wanted to give me would have been heard plenty by the Empire's Ministry of Justice instead. By now, he's probably sitting quietly behind bars, having fully resolved his grievances.
'Ahahaha!'
Actually, the only thing that clearly remains in my memory now is the clear, bright laughter of the deputy commander watching the former administrator being dragged away.
Her smiling face was really nice to see.
The fact that my immediate subordinate, whom I inevitably must face frequently, is a competent beauty is having a very positive impact on my job satisfaction.
Even though a new administrator hasn't arrived yet, there's been absolutely no disruption to the paperwork so far. It's all thanks to Deputy Commander Agnes.
For me, her existence was the most pleasing element in the Black Lion Knights. At least until now.
I was already planning to introduce a custom tailor for the deputy commander's health and work efficiency, but if she continues to work as satisfactorily as now, I might give her an even bigger gift.
Competent subordinates need treatment commensurate with their ability, after all.
And the second step is now steadily progressing.
"Then let's begin. First, to show mutual courtesy."
At the central training ground, where the entire force of the knight order has assembled without exception.
Right in the middle, two knights in full armor, including real swords, were glaring at each other.
"Third Century Squad Leader. Raoul." "Second Century Leader. Pascal."
Here, the public sparring match, which is gradually establishing itself as a unique culture of the Black Lion Knights and an event to finish the day's duties, is about to begin.
Fitting for one of the most interesting spectacles throughout human history, alongside fire-watching and water-watching—fight-watching—the members' eyes were sparkling intensely.
"Raoul! Win!" "Century Leader Pascal! Just trample him flat!"
Moreover, there was even a certain fervor surging from the subordinates, making it unbelievable that they were the same guys who had shown eyes as dull as rotten fish during the inauguration ceremony.
…Could it be that something insolent like a betting ring is happening?
Somehow it's suspicious. I should investigate this separately later.
"I will now count down from three. Three, two…"
Well, come to think of it, it's understandable they're all like that. Because today's sparring has a reason sufficient to generate even greater buzz than usual.
Not a match between ordinary knights, but a contest between commanders. Moreover, a squad leader and a century leader facing off.
Enough to make the blood of vigorous young warriors boil, isn't it? I, too, am very curious about which direction this fight will go.
"One!"
—Whoosh!
With a sound cutting through the wind, the brown-haired squad leader Raoul's figure charged toward the century leader Pascal, who had a nervous impression.
As befitting superhumans, the distance between the two converged to zero in an instant. The tip of Raoul's sword thrusting toward Pascal's solar plexus in a flash. It was a clean, straightforward movement.
'Squad Leader Raoul. Quite usable.'
However, the opponent, befitting a century leader, didn't give in easily. Pascal, who had kept his eyes on the opponent's movements until the end, twisted his body with minimal movement to evade the thrust.
'Pascal isn't bad either. Well, for a century leader, it's expected.'
Thrusts inevitably leave large openings right after the attack.
Thus, Pascal immediately tried to grab Raoul's right arm, extended into empty air, and break it. But Raoul seemed to have anticipated that, showing an irregular movement.
—Swish!
Raoul crouched his body even more from the posture just before being grabbed. It was an attempt to disrupt the opponent's movement instead. It seemed he intended to force extreme close-quarters combat or a joint-lock fight.
A method without any fundamentals. Yet bold and threatening.
In a fight between superhumans capable of employing unconventional movements, he seemed to instinctively understand how to shake the opponent's psychology to gain an advantage.
Pascal, with a flustered expression, hastily backflipped to create distance. With the opponent's actions unpredictable, it was an unavoidable situation.
"Waaaaah!" "Raoul! Raoul! Raoul!"
As the sparring reached a temporary lull, the members' cheers, loud enough to pierce the sky, echoed.
But I had no intention of restraining them. This was deliberately created to let them indirectly improve their skills by watching their comrades' matches and relieve fatigue and irritation from the day's work.
Then. A low woman's voice speaking from the seat next to me reached my ears.
"…Squad Leader Raoul will win."
It was the deputy commander. She was watching the fight with such interest that it was hard to believe she was the one worried just moments ago that the match's atmosphere might overheat and cause an accident.
Her pretending not to care while thoroughly enjoying it was quite cute.
"Why do you think so, Deputy Commander?" "Century Leader Pascal has already been drawn into the opponent's psychological warfare. Also, to counter such irregular methods, one needs an overwhelming advantage in either strength or speed, but Pascal isn't that person." "A reasonable analysis." "This situation is, after all, just a sparring match."
The deputy commander left a meaningful remark, folded her arms, and began focusing on the match.
But precisely because she folded her arms, her already prominent uniform jacket became even more accentuated, and I had to strictly control my gaze, which kept trying to veer in an impolite direction due to male instinct.
The more I looked, hers was a physique that could cause significant hindrance in duty performance within a knight order with a much higher proportion of men. It's a somewhat serious problem affecting not only herself but also others.
"Tsk, is this not enough? That book clearly said…"
Somehow, she seemed to click her tongue as if regretting something, but I decided not to attach meaning to it and focused again on the ongoing match.
As neither side allowed the other much distance, eventually Raoul's mouth opened first.
"Wow, as expected of a century leader, you manage to respond somehow. It probably won't work next time." "…Hmph. Stating the obvious. You should fix that undignified fighting style."
Hearing that, I couldn't help but chuckle. Wasn't that high praise just now?
When words like "ugly" or "undignified" or "fighting like a street brawler" come up during a fight, it means complimenting the opponent's outstanding skill.
Finally, Pascal, feeling stifled by the prolonged standoff, intentionally revealed an opening. Raoul, as if not minding at all, attempted an attack in a composition similar to before.
—Clang!
This time, Pascal responded more appropriately. The metallic sound created by clashing blades.
Thrust. Block. Swing. Slash. Sharp sword strikes exchanged several times between the two knights in an instant. In swordsmanship skill, Pascal was clearly superior.
As Raoul seemed unable to match his opponent in swordsmanship, he gradually appeared to cede the initiative.
Raoul's collapsing posture. In the moment of an apparent, glaring opening, Pascal attempted a swift finish, but…
—Crunch!
"…Got you!" "What?!"
While grabbing the blade embedded in his own shoulder. Raoul tried to kick Pascal in the groin, whose movement was restricted in a spread-leg stance.
Feeling a serious threat from that merciless attack, Pascal, forgetting this was a sparring match, attempted to manifest an aura to cut off the opponent's arm right then.
"That's enough."
I quickly intervened between the two and stopped the match.
"Tsk!" "Y-you crazy bastard!"
The atmosphere lingering between the two was as vicious as sparks flying, but I was very pleased with the current situation.
Thanks to both showing performance beyond expectations. The fighting spirit is one of the virtues of an excellent warrior.
But regardless, as a commander, I couldn't not give Raoul a warning.
"The match is a draw. And, Squad Leader Raoul." "…Yes, Commander." "Since it's my first time seeing your fighting style, I won't punish you today. But if you cause, or attempt to cause, an accident in a match next time, I won't let it slide then. Understood?"
I intentionally leaked a bit of aura to apply pressure. Because such crazed types need to be handled a bit roughly.
"Y-yes, understood!" "Century Leader Pascal, you did well too. It was a very impressive fight." "Thank you, Commander!"
Thus, the match seemed to end vaguely without a clear winner or loser.
But ultimately, it was clear who came out laughing.
"Kehahaha! See that? Everyone saw that, right?" "Damn!"
Raoul, holding his shoulder with a hole pierced through and bleeding, yet laughing excitedly, and Pascal, without a single scratch but frowning intensely, formed a stark contrast.
A sparring match between a squad leader and a century leader.
Even though the absolute variable, aura, is restricted, considering various factors like experience and swordsmanship skill, it's a fight the century leader should overwhelmingly dominate.
But Pascal couldn't overwhelm Raoul; instead, he kept getting dragged by the opponent's tactics and almost had his balls busted at the end.
If it were a real fight, of course, Raoul would have been bisected by Pascal's aura in an instant without even being able to utilize his strengths.
But paradoxically, as a life-or-death fighter, Raoul's skill was far superior.
If both could handle aura, it would have been Raoul's certain victory.
I don't know why someone who could have surely made a name as a mercenary joined a knight order, but anyway, he was someone worth watching closely.
A rough gem, but if polished somehow, he could be reborn as an excellent jewel.
Pascal was also quite decent.
Since he couldn't withstand the aura during the inauguration ceremony and collapsed, I thought he was a dud, but if he improves his overly orthodox aspects, it seems he could remain in the century leader position.
'A lot of gains.'
As for the ordinary knights, most aren't even at a basic level, so watching their sparring was just frustrating.
But having commanders fight each other was interesting, and I've already discovered two usable talents.
Then, regarding the direction of public sparring, it would be right to encourage it towards competition among commanders, as it is now.
Sparring among ordinary knights is included in the work hours anyway.
Of course, if a commendable ordinary knight challenging a commander appears, I'm willing to accept public sparring requests with a pleased heart.
It seems I've found a perfect method to inject tension into commanders who easily become lax.
'A satisfying day. I'm gradually growing fond of the Black Lion Knights.'
Thus, returning to my residence after leaving work feeling quite satisfied in many ways, the scene I encountered was…
"Master. What on earth have you done outside…"
It was the sight of the old butler, usually so blunt that one might suspect he lacked emotion, trailing off his words while sweating cold sweat.
Sensing that something unusual had happened, I quietly followed the butler to the drawing room.
There, a man blankly staring at an empty snack box and teacup, and the two knights standing motionlessly on either side of him, simultaneously turned their heads toward me.
The knights' individual skills were above century leader level. Moreover, the pattern embroidered with pure gold thread on the uniforms worn by those three was unmistakably…
"Black Lion Knight Commander Wolfgang von Schwarz, receive the royal family's personal letter."
Amid the two Imperial Royal Guards surrounding me on both sides, I hastily knelt on one knee and paid respects toward the herald holding a seal engraved with the royal family's crest.
"Eternal glory to the Imperial family! Eternal loyalty to His Majesty the Emperor!"
Then, extending both hands and waiting, soon an excessively light and soft paper envelope was placed on my palms.
"Thus, the royal family's will has been conveyed. You, as one who serves, must uphold it with all glory."
As the unbearably burdensome procedure, which feels new every time, ended, the guests from the Imperial family left without looking back.
'A message from the Imperial family? What on earth could it be…'
The war is already over. Could it be that remnants of the northern tribes are stirring again?
—Gulp
Filled with tension, I broke the seal and immediately scanned to check the title and sender.
Right after, I personally experienced the mysterious fact that one could feel dizzy from letters.
[Notice of Visit and Inspection to the Black Lion Knights]
[Princess, Alicia von Diana Solaris]
"Ah."