Chapter 18

Rodella and Aivert’s eyes met as they took in the chaotic scene before them.

“…There goes any hope of future public support requests,” Aivert remarked dryly, arriving at a rather realistic conclusion.

Rodella pressed a hand to her forehead as dizziness overtook her.

“No, wait. Let me think.”

There had to be a way out of this!

She’d dealt with far worse during her time in the Capital’s Administration Bureau. Back then, even her own colleagues had sided with the noble cartel and ostracized her. She’d had no allies.

But the Knight Order was different!

This was a far more favorable situation. ’Come on, Rodella… think… Aha!’

If it’s come to this…

“We’re going with the ’Pitiful Knights’ strategy!”

“…What?”

When Rodella began explaining her plan, Aivert raised a brow—then burst out laughing.

It was classic Rodella—clever, a bit off the wall, and unexpectedly effective.

Honestly, it fits the Azure Knights perfectly.

“You’ll have to act well for this to work. Got it?”

‘But can he pull it off convincingly?’ If he came off stiff, it would all fall apart.

She turned to him with a questioning gaze.

Aivert met her eyes—and gave a nod.

“Of course.”

‘I spent over ten years pretending I only liked you as a friend,’ he thought. ‘You think I can’t manage this much acting?’

With that… the operation began.

* * *

“Ten reps. Say ‘Get your act’ when you sit, and ‘Together!’ when you rise.”

At Aivert’s cold command, the Azure Knights, lined up in perfect rows, dropped into squats on the spot.

“Get your act!”

And as they rose again:

“Together!”

Their faces were stiff from the tension in the air, but their bodies weren’t quite cooperating. Some were still clearly tipsy, wobbling slightly as they moved.

“I saw two wobble. Add twenty more reps. Again.”

Aivert’s voice rang louder this time.

“When you sit—‘Get your act!’ When you rise—‘Together!’”

“Get your act!”

“Together!”

Loud chants filled the farm’s clearing like some strange war cry.

Alarmed by the noise, Thomas, the farm owner, rushed out—and froze in shock.

“Wh-what in the world is happening?”

Sure, the Beruba looked like it had been piled neatly nearby…

But the drills weren’t happening in the field. The knights had moved to an open area, since the farmland itself had been too wrecked for proper formations.

Thanks to that, Thomas hadn’t yet seen the devastation.

Rodella stepped up to handle the explanation.

“The knights dispatched for civic aid were… lacking discipline. We’re correcting that.”

She intentionally made her tone sharp and formal. Her eyes turned cold as she glared at the knights being punished, then bowed to Thomas.

“If there’s any damage to the Beruba, the Order will compensate you.”

The operation: ‘Better to confess first than get caught.’

Also: ‘Whoever admits fault first gets yelled at less.’

From what Rodella had assessed in her short time with him, Thomas didn’t seem like the type to cause a fuss.

He wasn’t like those nobles who’d dump random administrative demands on the bureau and then throw tantrums.

He seemed genuine—even generous. After all, he’d voluntarily offered food when he saw them working.

Would a man like that curse someone who took responsibility first?

“Damage to the Beruba…!”

…Well, damaged crops might be a different story.

But Rodella had already confirmed the Beruba was fine.

“Fortunately, no visible damage!” Thomas said, exhaling deeply in relief.

“Still, if anything comes up later, please don’t hesitate to let us know.”

Rodella gave him an expression of sincere remorse.

“Get your act!”

“Together!”

The punishment drill continued in the background.

“What, you’re gonna hunt monsters drunk too?” Aivert shouted coldly.

From where she stood, Rodella couldn’t even tell anymore if he was acting or genuinely furious.

“Rest assured—we’ll completely rework their discipline,” she said, turning to Thomas again with another apology.

But Thomas waved his hands hurriedly.

“I gave them the liquor myself, haha… Perhaps a little too much. Really, it’s alright!”

“No. They must be thoroughly retrained.”

Rodella’s firm response stayed cold despite his reassurances.

Because just then—

“…Oh.”

Thomas’s gaze drifted past the knights—to the field.

To the ruined, muddy mess that had once been neatly plowed earth.

“….”

His face changed. Dramatically.

Rodella took one look at his reaction and came to a conclusion.

They had apologized, and promised compensation—so maybe, maybe future civic support missions wouldn’t be entirely cut off.

But she doubted they’d be able to recruit any more knights for them.

Before the farm owner could complain directly to Sir Latine, she’d have to file a full report the moment they returned to HQ.

There was no helping it now.

If you’re going to get hit twice, get it over with fast.

Seriously, who told them they could get completely wasted on duty? These walking disasters!

It was becoming increasingly clear that her mission to reform the Azure Knights… was going to be much harder than she’d thought.

* * *

After nearly three years, the Azure Knights had finally returned to civic support duty with pride.

This time, no less than Vice Commander Aivert Royden himself had taken command—accompanied by the brilliant Quartermaster, Rodella Syveric, known as one of the logistics division’s finest.

‘This is our chance to change the public perception of the Azure Knights!’

With that hopeful thought in mind, Latine warmly welcomed the knights as they returned to headquarters.

“You’ve all done well,” he said with a pleased expression.

But Rodella responded with a solemn look.

“I have something to report.”

“…What?”

Sensing something was off, Latine faltered. Then Aivert, standing calmly at her side, dropped the bombshell.

“It was a disaster.”

…What was?

Before Latine could ask, the distant sound of hoofbeats grew louder—fast and heavy, the sharp clink of armor indicating a mounted knight.

He turned to see one of the western branch knights riding hard toward them.

“…What in the world?”

What kind of failure sends a messenger galloping in like a battlefield emergency?

“The farmer who requested civic support sent this letter!”

At that, Rodella closed her eyes.

‘There it is.’

She’d known something like this might happen. She’d rushed back to get ahead of it. But of course, a lone courier was bound to be faster than a unit returning on foot.

‘We’re doomed.’

As she pressed a hand to her forehead in defeat, Latine took the letter from the messenger.

“Let me see that.”

* * *

Wherever people gather, there’s always at least one weirdo in the mix.

But in a place like a knight order? The odds seem strangely higher.

Why wouldn’t they be? Setting aside the officers who commute, most knights are confined to their quarters or barracks with round-the-clock duties. Unless something actually happens during their shifts, they end up… hopelessly bored outside of training hours.

They thirst for “interesting incidents.”

As a result, they often resort to bizarre antics.

Among those… was an unholy craving for alcohol.

After the continent-wide monster war ended, these knights were left to clean up what remained. Aside from occasional missions with the royal scouting forces to catch the rare rogue criminal, there wasn’t much else to do.

If no incidents occurred, they were basically glorified, caged layabouts.

Naturally, alcohol was a luxury reserved for special occasions—if even then.

And yet—

“…You went on civic support duty and drank?”

Latine’s low voice dropped like a boulder as he slowly read through the letter.

“……”

Aivert glanced back at the silent knights behind him.

Even he knew this wasn’t defensible. If Latine ordered punishment, he intended to carry it out himself. After all, as the Commander on-site, the responsibility ultimately lay with him.

Luckily, the quartermaster wasn’t in his direct chain of command, so none of this would fall on her. In fact, Aivert was more than willing to testify to all she did to resolve the chaos. 

He wouldn’t allow anything to hinder her dream of becoming chancellor.

“…You maniacs went wild harvesting beruba?”

Meanwhile, Latine barked out a hollow laugh.

“I’ve seen my fair share of fools in this life, but to think they’d all be under me, I—urgh.”

He clutched at his neck as his voice trembled with barely restrained fury, his face flushed and pale in turns.

He hadn’t even finished the letter yet, but that was enough to unhinge him.

“You drank on duty—!”

Just as he was about to roar with the full force of his internal power—

“Sir! The farmer who sent the letter specifically asked that you take care of them!” the knight courier cried.

“Take care? What? Oh—you mean beat them within an inch of their lives?”

Tenderize them like a good cut of meat, right?

Latine flashed a gentle smile as he cracked his knuckles, while the courier frantically waved both hands.

“N-no, sir! Please finish reading the letter first!”