Chapter 17
The next morning, I woke up from my slumber and tried to ring the bell next to my bed, but my attempts were futile.
Right. I didn’t actually sleep in the mansion yesterday.
It’s been so long since I’ve slept in a bed that I got confused.
After stretching my body in a delightful yawn, I raised myself up and briefly felt a sense of calm as I gazed at the neat wooden surroundings of my room.
Yeah. This is what a living space should look like.
How can a room filled with frills, like Lucy’s in the mansion, be considered a place where people actually live?
I’m prepared for the day I’ll tear all those frills apart and be treated like a crazy lady by the people in the mansion.
I got out of bed and quietly opened the door.
If I remember correctly, the maid should be waiting outside before I even get up.
“Good morning, Miss.”
“You’re awake, Miss.”
My expectations weren’t off. The maid was up bright and early as usual, waiting for me.
But there was someone else there, too.
Karl.
He stood there, armored and sword in hand, waiting by the door.
‘Karl, what are you doing here?’
“What a waste. What are you doing?”
“I was on duty guarding you, Miss.”
‘Since when?’
“Since when?”
“Since you entered your room. There have been no intruders until this morning when Lady Erin came here.”
So you’ve been on guard without sleeping? You didn’t even ask me to do that!
I know you swore to be a loyal knight, but this is a bit much, don’t you think?
Who voluntarily stays up all night?
I appreciate you doing work for me, but honestly, it’s a bit of a burden.
Hey, doesn’t this feel less like loyalty and more like stalking?
What kind of danger is there in this town?
Even though I shot him a sharp glare, Karl didn’t flinch even a little.
He’s convinced that what he’s doing is necessary.
I really shouldn’t have mentioned his oath back then.
Thanks to that, this annoying guy is sticking to me like glue. Wait, if I hadn’t mentioned the oath, would he still have hung around?
Considering how quickly he clung to it, he might have been planning this from the very start, right?
Seeing Karl’s excessively loyal behavior lately made me seriously doubt it.
Hah. What do I care anyway?
What does it matter to me if he wants to suffer for no reason?
If he wants to suffer, more power to him.
If he sits there all day long, he’ll just wear himself out, not me.
“Maid, please come in.”
“Sloppy maid, come inside.”
“Understood, Miss. Would you like me to help you put on your armor?”
‘Yes, please do.’
“Why are you even asking something so obvious?”
Finally, the day has come to step into the dungeon.
*
As soon as we finished preparing, we headed to the place where the knight order was staying.
I wonder what they’re up to by now.
Are they already training as soon as they woke up?
They probably are.
That guy Posell wouldn’t let his men rest for a second without getting sick over it.
Poor knights.
Why on earth did they even join the Allen family?
A doting head of the family, a training-happy knight captain, and a countess on top of that?
Isn’t that just a nightmarish workplace? If it were me, I would’ve thrown in my resignation immediately.
After riding for about an hour in the carriage I had waiting in town, I spotted the campsite erected in the distance.
Unlike the makeshift campsite we put up while traveling to Evans, this setup near the dungeon looked like the real deal.
It reminded me of the homes of Mongolian nomads I’d seen on TV.
It’s definitely nicer when they put in the effort.
With something like this, could it have been okay for me to stay here?
It was nice to finally wash up properly, have a decent meal, and sleep in a proper bed again.
But considering the emotional toll I’ve dealt with all day, just camping out would’ve probably been a better choice.
“Miss, please come in. Did you sleep well last night?”
‘Thanks to you, I was fine.’
“Not bad for a shabby commoner’s house.”
“That’s a relief to hear.”
Posell greeted me warmly with a wide smile.
His relieved expression made me a bit anxious, so I subtly shifted my gaze to the other knights.
They were paired up sparring with each other, but every single one of them had heavy dark circles under their eyes.
As expected, they’ve been working them to the bone.
This is an addiction. A real addiction.
Good things and bad things need to be done in moderation, you know!
By the way, there seem to be fewer people than usual. Is it just my imagination?
As I started counting how many people there were, Posell picked up on my intention and spoke up first.
“There are few knights today, right? It’s because they went into the dungeon first.”
‘Already?’
“Did they enter already?”
“Yes. What would we do if we took a break? Since last night, we’ve been taking turns going in and out.”
They’re not here for a holiday; they’ve come to train, so taking a break isn’t an option, or so Posell says, and I could sense a kind of madness in his words.
“Since knights of the Allen family can endure a few days without rest, we have to prepare them for dire situations before real trouble arises.”
So you mean to say that training has to be done as if it were the real thing?
Hmm. Right.
That makes some sense.
Hey! What would happen if a rebellion broke out in the Allen family knight order like this?
If you keep working people like this, when the time comes, they might attack their superiors before the enemies!
Of course, neither Benedict nor you will fall to attacks, but still, you should at least be moderate!
What will you do if the grudges you’ve built up turn back on me?
‘Knight Commander…’
“Idiot Posell, if this keeps up, the scruffy knights will drop like flies before we even take down the dungeon!”
“Miss, when we go to conquer the dungeon someday, there will be countless situations tougher than this. This is nothing but easy training.”
I get what you’re saying.
I understand.
The dungeon they will someday conquer belonging to the count’s family is bound to be at least a level A catastrophe.
A single moment of negligence can lead to death in hell.
I recalled when I first entered an A-ranked dungeon not too long after joining Soul Academy.
Even though I was thoroughly prepared, I almost smashed the keyboard amidst the continuous barrage of absurdities.
In time, I gained enough experience to breezily break through an A-ranked dungeon, but that’s only because I’m a player who can constantly keep challenging myself.
It’s because I’m someone who knows all about the dungeon structures and strategies to come.
But people living in this world are different.
They have to walk in blind, depending only on their own strength.
In such situations, resting… must be an extravagance.
Even if I try to reason with Posell, he doesn’t seem to back down.
The heavy will inscribed in his eyes is something I, who have lived a regular life, can hardly understand.
Just how many hellish paths must Posell have crossed to reach the position of Captain?
And what led him to this conclusion?
There must be a reason why the usually nice guy becomes a demon when it comes to training.
The knights sparring behind Posell were watching me with eager eyes, but there was nothing I could do about it this time.
The logic is on Posell’s side, so how could I go against his will?
‘Fine, I get it.’
“Right. Just do as you wish, idiot Posell.”
As I nodded, I could visibly see the knights behind me deflating in despair.
That’s gonna be tough for them.
But what can I do?
You chose this knight order! Tough it out with grit and determination!
I think of this as a good experience, so put in the effort.
Isn’t it said that if you can’t avoid something, enjoy it?
I can’t enjoy it myself, but I believe you knights can.
Fighting!
“Well, the Miss isn’t wrong. We should rest when we need to,” he said.
Posell shrugged and turned his head back.
“Knights!”
His booming voice echoed like thunder that shook the grasslands.
How can a single loud shout make the ground tremble?
“By the mercy of the Miss! For the next two hours, rest has been granted! Show your gratitude to the Miss!”
““Thank you so much! Miss!””
The sight of dozens of average-sized adult men shouting and lowering their heads was honestly a bit burdensome.
I told them to chill out and relax, but the knights couldn’t easily take a break.
It seems my very existence is significantly overwhelming.
If they have any sense, they should know to fade away.
Since we’re at it, shouldn’t I take this training addict along with me?
‘Captain…’
“Posell, where’s the entrance to the dungeon?”
“Do you wish to see it? Follow me. I’ll lead you right there.”
Posell seemed to grasp my intention and led me without a moment’s hesitation.
Following Posell, we soon arrived at the entrance of the dungeon located in the center of the campsite.
It looked just like what I’d seen in the game.
A door made of stone standing starkly in the middle of an empty field.
I hadn’t thought much of it when I saw it in the game, but seeing it in person sent shivers down my spine.
What is it about a plain stone door that brings forth fear?
While I was observing it closely, the dungeon door suddenly swung open.
“Eek!”
What the?! What’s coming out?!
A monster? A monster indeed?!
That’s the only thing that should come out of a dungeon!
“Oh, Miss! When did you arrive?”
Stepping out from behind the door were four knights, including the bald one.
Hah. What’s this? Were they coming back from a successful raid?
Ugh, the timing could not be worse.
You scared me, you dumbheads!
The bald knight greeted me, saw my expression, and chuckled.
“Miss, it seems you were quite startled.”
You jerk! Since I offered you some comfort, you’re feeling quite pleased, huh? Right?!
How dare you pick a fight with the noble countess!
‘You just cleared the dungeon, right?’
“Just finished the raid?”
“Yes, Miss.”
‘Then go and rest.’
“Then go back to the campsite and rest.”
“Yes?”
When I told them to take a break, their faces reflected disbelief.
“The Miss requested that the knights take a break, and I agreed.”
As Posell confirmed my words, their expressions were painted with shock.
What does rest mean to knights of the Allen family, anyway?
I only said to take a moment to catch their breath, and they look like they’re about to burst from pride.
Oh, is this their first time seeing it? This is what rest looks like.
“Really?! Thank you, Miss!”
‘Except for you.’
“Bald Knight, you’re excluded.”
“What?! Why only me?”
‘For messing with the lady.’
“For being an unimportant knight who doesn’t know his place! ♡”
The bald knight’s face stiffened at the provocation, but he had no means to retaliate.
What will you do if you’re unhappy about it? I’m a countess, and you’re a knight of the count’s family.
Abusing my power is quite entertaining. Maybe I now understand why Lucy acts like this all the time.
“Lady Lucy.”
While I was laughing at the trembling bald knight, Posell spoke to me.
‘What is it?’
“Why.”
“Why don’t we take advantage of the empty dungeon and go inside?”
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