Chapter 30

Just as Latine’s face began to cloud over after hearing Rodella’s detailed report on how on earth the two ended up handcuffed, she handed him the latest performance figures.

“This is a miracle! An actual miracle!”

Latine exclaimed, jumping with joy.

“Almost 40% down compared to last quarter! Total property damage has dropped overall!”

By nearly two-fifths! He beamed with delight.

Even Aivert looked a little surprised as he scanned the report.

He hadn’t expected the numbers to drop this much.

Of course, compared to the Red Knights—who were known to sacrifice people instead of property—the Azure Knights’ damage costs were always going to be higher.

But compared to before, this was nothing short of a stunning achievement.

“There’s a quarterly report coming up soon, right?”

Latine licked his lips as he said that.

Suddenly, a crucial fact came to mind.

The Imperial event, hosted by the Quartermaster’s Office, where all knight orders reported on their financial and operational performance, was held twice a year.

The mid-year report was just around the corner.

The problem? Rodella had only joined at the tail end of this first half.

Which meant that all the catastrophic compensation costs from earlier in the year couldn’t be avoided.

“Still, just this quarter alone is already at 85% of last quarter’s total! Can you believe that? Huh? Our Vice-Commander—can you believe it?!”

Latine couldn’t contain his excitement.

“You think we can pull off a good report with this, huh?”

He turned to Rodella, eyes gleaming.

“…I’ll try.”

Rodella nodded after a pause, a shadow of hesitation on her face—unusual for her.

Aivert glanced at her.

“Don’t worry about the handcuffs. I’ll move in sync with you.”

If he said that, then maybe it would be okay… Still—

Rodella let out a sigh.

But she had to do this!

She straightened up and said firmly:

“I’ll make it work somehow!”

That’s what she came here to do!

Latine nodded.

“You know this already, but even if Ameris isn’t fond of the Red Knights, she draws a strict line between personal and official business. Don’t expect any favoritism.”

Rodella nodded back.

“I know. I know what kind of person she is.”

Chancellor Ameris.

Though she had once formed a personal connection with Latine during wartime, it was now said the two rarely met.

“People handling state affairs shouldn’t be meeting in private.”

That’s what Ameris always says. Naturally, the noble cartel types had all cleared their throats awkwardly when they heard that.

‘I’ll be like her—someone who speaks through results, with confidence.’

‘And to do that—’

“I’ve already prepared the materials. The Red Knights require a different approach, so…”  

Rodella spread her hands and began to explain content not included in the standard reporting format.

These were new sections designed to highlight the stark difference in image and direction between the Red Knights and the Azure Knights.

Upon hearing the details, Latine responded with: “As expected of our quartermaster!”  

He stood up and gave her a round of applause.

Meanwhile, Aivert turned to her with a puzzled look.

“When did you prepare all this?”

They had been together the whole time—how had he not noticed?

At his question, Rodella let out a light laugh.

“While you were sleeping.”

“Sleeping?”

‘In bed?’ 

‘But I went to bed after you. I couldn’t even sleep—so when on earth did you…?’ 

As the memory of that early morning came flooding back, Aivert’s mind went blank.  

Latine, watching this, looked flabbergasted.

“You two walk around everywhere handcuffed together, and you still don’t know what the other’s doing?”

Whether he heard that or not, Aivert blurted out almost at the same time as Latine:

“Must’ve been too busy looking at your face to notice.”

At the sudden flush of pink in the air, Latine began rubbing his arms like he had chills.

Right in front of him—

“You did look tired that day. I was going to ask you to work on the paperwork with me, but you were asleep.”

…If you’re going to say stuff like this, can we at least have a warning first?

Still, Rodella managed to keep up the act like a pro.  

She even remembered to smile sweetly.

It was thanks to this very acting skill, after all, that she had been able to end all those arranged marriage meetings.

“I only focused on the paperwork to finish quickly—so I could look at your face sooner.”

In the end, Latine, who couldn’t take any more of it, said:

“…You two can finish this outside.”

There was something oddly forlorn about the way he said it.

Just like that, the date of the quarterly report crept ever closer.

* * *

The monster war that had all but swept across the continent was long and grueling.  

Throughout it, the Harnes Empire stood firm at the continent’s center, earning great acclaim for exterminating countless monsters.  

While several kingdoms fell to ruin, merged with others, or crowned new monarchs in the chaos, the Empire alone remained unshaken.  

That, of course, meant a vast number of troops had been mobilized to ensure the Empire’s internal stability.

By the time the war came to an end, the number of knights in the Empire had more than doubled compared to before.  

That was just combat personnel—if you included scouting teams hunting monsters, supply units, and the civilians whose livelihoods depended on these forces, the total figure was staggering.

Naturally, the Empire couldn’t simply cut those numbers back.  

Nor did the Emperor intend to.  

Why would he diminish his own military power?

Instead, he placed the knights under direct imperial oversight via the Quartermaster’s Office, managed personally by his loyal chancellor.  

By providing royal funding to the orders, he ensured their prosperity—but also tightened his hold over them.

Part of that management included the regularly held Quarterly Report.

A formal imperial event, this was when the Quartermaster’s Office received performance and budget reports from each knight order—through the quartermasters assigned to them, whether Red or Azure.

“Phew.”

For Rodella, who had essentially come from the Quartermaster’s Office and knew its inner workings well, this event shouldn’t have been a cause for nerves.  

She’d seen plenty of assigned quartermasters fumble their reports with contradictory nonsense.  

“I’d like the Red Knights’ quartermaster to submit a more detailed financial breakdown next time.”  

She’d heard both the chancellor and even the Emperor himself give feedback like that.  

In short, it wasn’t typically a high-pressure affair.

But Rodella was someone who always aimed for perfection.  

She intended to be completely prepared—so that no one could find even the smallest flaw in her report.

So, she pulled an all-nighter, memorizing her report down to every number.  

She even drafted answers to every potential question she might be asked on-site.

Whenever she wasn’t overseeing training, she was studying during travel.  

Even now, just before bed.

Which was why—  

She noticed something unusual.

“You’re still awake?”

Aivert, who had seemed exhausted lately, was lying awake late into the night.  

Had he always stayed up this late? No, not really.

Even if he wasn’t used to the new environment, surely he’d have adjusted by now?  

She, who was sharing the bed with him, had been perfectly fine for days now.

‘He must still be afraid he’ll hurt me in his sleep.’

Scratching her cheek, she glanced over.  

Aivert was lying on his back, his forearm draped across his forehead, shielding his eyes.  

“Try to sleep.”

His voice held not a hint of drowsiness.

Tilting her head, Rodella simply nodded.  

“Good night.”

Then went back to reciting her report.  

This quarter needed to be broken down more thoroughly, starting from January…

“……”

Trying to concentrate, Rodella found her gaze drifting toward Aivert again.  

Then toward her wrist, where the transparent handcuffs still bound them together.

She never imagined they’d end up attached like this—literally.  

If people found out they’d shared a bed, handcuffs or not, it would set society ablaze with gossip.

“Seriously?” 

“Oh dear, how scandalous.”

The social circles would be in an uproar.

But if it were Aivert Royden and Rodella Syveric—

“Well, for those two, it’s not surprising.”  

“I wouldn’t be shocked if this wasn’t their first time.”

…People would likely be more shocked to learn that this was their first time.  

Just like Latine had been.

The fact that they slept together wasn’t even that shocking anymore.

And yet—

“……”

‘Why does it feel so strangely unfamiliar?’