The Black Lion Knights truly welcomed a bustling morning for the first time in a long while.
The knights and squires, who usually spent most of their work hours in idle chatter disguised as training and lounging around, were busy sharpening dull blades and polishing creaking armor.
And the servants, who already had it tough, were half out of their minds.
And then, the deputy knight commander, Agnes, who even under normal circumstances bore the brunt of all sorts of duties, suffering from overwork and stress…
"What on earth happened to the training grounds? Can't you at least make it somewhat presentable?!" "W-well, what can we do about the sunken stone pavement? We need to call stonemasons to fix that." "Haven't you been saying that for two months now?!" "Oh, has it already been that long?"
She had to suppress the urge to immediately stab a blade into that shameless face of the administrator, who was scratching his head while spouting infuriating nonsense.
'Oh god. Yet another soul is being tested here today. Please…'
With no one to rely on but herself, she once again silently recited a prayer in her heart.
What had been increasing day by day as she barely held this chaotic knight order together single-handedly was not her swordsmanship skill but her patience and faith.
Even she, who was barely maintaining her composure by force…
"Fine. Let's say that's that. And that bastard of a commander… I mean, the Commander?" "Ah. He's in his office preparing for the handover. He said to call him when the new commander arrives…" "Aaaagh!"
Upon hearing the commander's whereabouts from the administrator, she finally exploded.
"Handover my foot! He's probably holed up in his office lazing around! It's obvious even without looking!"
As Agnes began screaming and causing a commotion, the administrator's gaze drifted toward her chest.
—Sneaky glance
The administrator whistled inwardly while watching Agnes tear at her hair. The distinct size that made the plain, dry uniform design look lewd.
Whenever the deputy commander made violent movements, such a spectacle would arise.
'Yeah, this is why I stick with this damn knight order.'
Can't something be done? No, probably not. Even though that reckless commander openly pursues her, she never yields.
So a visual treat is enough. Thinking that, he pretended to know nothing and spoke calmly.
"Shall I call the Commander?" "No, it's fine. I'll go myself. Administrator, do your best to fulfill your duties to the end." "Ah, you mean organizing the handover documents. Understood."
Agnes swallowed a sigh as she watched the administrator's retreating back, swaying as he left.
'Acting all manly… As if I don't know.'
Even in this busy situation, he just sits there sneaking glances at a woman's chest. On top of not doing his job properly.
Originally, he should have been replaced immediately, but perhaps because incompetent people have some kind of understanding, this administrator was in cahoots with the commander.
'How can their actions be so similarly disgusting?'
Now, even he seems too lazy to make up excuses to escape, saying he's preparing for the handover.
Of course, the handover preparations had already been completed by Agnes alone. Over a week ago.
With both the commander, who should act as the brain moving the knight order, and the administrator, who should perform the role of the supporting spine, being rotten to the core as a pair…
It's no wonder the hardships of Agnes, the deputy commander, are this severe.
"Sigh…"
However, regardless of Agnes's suffering, there really wasn't much time left now.
Until the unfortunate someone newly appointed as the commander of this Black Lion Knights—which has only its splendid name as its proper asset—arrives.
Agnes roughly ran her fingers through her already frazzled sky-blue hair once more and shouted, filled with resentment.
"Black Lion Knights, all assemble!" "All assemble!"
Still, perhaps because they were knights in name, seeing her subordinates lined up on the training grounds in somewhat presentable shape gave her a bit of relief.
I wonder how long it's been since these pathetic subordinates last raised their voices so powerfully.
Suddenly having such a thought, Agnes felt deep self-loathing as she reflected on her situation of having to feel moved by such trivial, ordinary matters.
"Black Lions! Are you ready to welcome your new leader?!" "Yes! We are!" "Good. Maintain formation and standby."
After putting her subordinates on standby, Agnes headed to the commander's office.
It was the usual flow of the Black Lion Knights' daily life. Whenever something happened, she somehow sorted it out alone and then reported to the knight commander.
But that also ends today. No, it must end.
—Bang bang bang!
Agnes roughly pounded on the office door and shouted. Her tightly clenched fist carried more force than usual.
"The 13th Black Lion Knight Commander Retirement Ceremony and the 14th Knight Commander Inauguration Ceremony preparations are complete! All that's left is for the Commander to come out!" "Oh? Good work. I'll be right out." "Not 'right out,' you need to come out now! Less than 5 minutes remain until the new commander arrives!"
Despite the urgent situation, the office door opened only after about 30 more seconds.
"Hehehe, the deputy commander's feisty appearance is quite charming, you know. But is this really necessary, especially today?"
The appearance of the knight commander who emerged from the office was truly a sight to behold.
Not in uniform, but in completely disheveled casual attire. An unshaven, messy face. Even his eyes were dull and hazy, as if he had just woken up from sleep until now.
Astonishingly, this was his relatively tidy appearance compared to usual. At least he hadn't been drinking.
'It seems he hasn't completely lost his mind. If he had been drinking too…'
Agnes bit her lip tightly upon seeing that. It seemed she had a lot she wanted to say but was barely holding back.
"…At least wear the uniform jacket properly. The person arriving now is not someone beneath you, Commander." "Ah, right. That's true, really. This… I'm curious just how amazing my successor is."
The statement that he didn't even know who his successor was meant he hadn't even read the official documents that came down and had just left them untouched.
Even until this very moment, as he was finally stepping down from the commander position.
With the top person in this state, there was no way the knight order could function properly.
The only reason the Black Lion Knights hadn't completely collapsed until now was solely thanks to Agnes.
"But, this uniform is so stiff since I haven't worn it in so long, it's a bit hard to put on. Deputy commander, could you help a bit?" "…Please stop the nonsense. For the last moment, couldn't you at least show a demeanor befitting the leader of the Black Lions?"
Just as Agnes was shooting a disdainful look at the commander, who was deliberately dawdling while staring straight at her chest…
A squire came running breathlessly to the front of the office.
"A carriage has just entered! It seems the new knight commander has arrived!"
At the squire's urgent shout, Agnes hurried downstairs with a stiffened expression.
Watching her retreating back with a sinister gaze, the commander showed a blurry smile.
"Shall we go slowly then? Finally, farewell to this boring position."
In front of the dual-horse carriage that had arrived at the guardhouse, Agnes swallowed hard.
Over the past few years. How many dreadful days had she spent assisting a reckless scoundrel who acted willfully under his family's protection?
The reason she endured, resisting the urge to submit her resignation dozens of times every day, was her sense of responsibility as the deputy commander of the Black Lion Knights, where she had served since her squire days.
And the hope that someday a proper person would be appointed.
From what she had vaguely heard, the person to become the new knight commander was a war hero who had achieved great feats on the battlefield.
Then at the very least, he would be a more outstanding figure than the current commander who had secured a rear position through schemes.
Holding onto that slim hope, Agnes waited for the carriage door to open.
—Creak!
"Glory to the Imperial family! I am the deputy commander of the Black Lion Knights, of House Ichelheim… uh…"
And then, Agnes, who had been extremely tense and about to introduce herself to the new knight commander, was momentarily speechless.
Because the person who disembarked there was a giant who far exceeded her expectations.
"You are the deputy commander?"
As the huge man clad in jet-black armor stood before Agnes, the top of her head barely reached his chest.
An immense oppressive aura. Agnes slowly looked up at the man with trembling eyes.
A knight is a superhuman existence surpassing human limits, and Agnes was no exception.
Moreover, as someone holding the position of deputy commander of a knight order, she belonged to a level far superior to ordinary knights.
"Deputy."
However, with just one word from the man standing before her, she felt like prey facing an irresistible predator.
Agnes tried with all her might to resist the aura emanating from the man.
—Neighhhh!
"Whoa, why are these guys suddenly acting up? Hey, hey!"
The horses pulling the carriage the man had arrived in suddenly began foaming at the mouth and thrashing madly. Perhaps they felt an instinctive fear from the aura emanating from the man.
Fortunately, the suffocatingly murderous atmosphere didn't last very long.
"But sharply honed. You are an excellent knight."
The man grinned at the extremely tense Agnes and patted her shoulder.
Then, as if it were a lie, the ominous aura was withdrawn in an instant, and the horses causing the disturbance finally calmed down.
"Th-thank you!" "I am Wolfgang of House Schwarz. I look forward to working with you, deputy commander."
Although it was clearly just a gesture of light affection, even that simple action carried such tremendous brute force that her patted shoulder stung.
'So it was a test after all…'
But regardless, the man's words began to swirl continuously in Agnes's mind.
'You are an excellent knight.'
Within the Black Lion Knights, which had fallen to the point where its former glorious state was nowhere to be seen since the calamitous current commander took office…
She was the one who had stubbornly endured the sinister gazes and teasing of men and carried out her duties.
But, this large man.
While possessing a more masculine appearance than anyone, unlike others, he didn't even cast a glance at her chest, which was so burdensome she wished she could cut it off.
He tested her skills, which she had honed silently as a knight, and even acknowledged them.
The path she had walked so arduously had been recognized by such an extraordinary man.
It might have been nothing more than polite courtesy, but even if so, Agnes could only be grateful.
How starved had she been for such a warm word until now?
Looking at the man's face, covered in scars, Agnes felt an inexplicable emotion blooming within her.
"Now, where should we go? I'd like to see the faces of my new subordinates." "Ah. Currently, everyone is assembled at the training grounds. I'll guide you there." "I'm looking forward to it. Wondering just how excellent my new subordinates are."
However, at the new knight commander's expectant reaction, Agnes had to feel a devastated mood.
Judging by just the brief display he had shown moments ago, the man was undoubtedly a remarkable figure, to the point where comparing him to the current commander would be an insult.
In contrast, the pathetic state of the Black Lion Knights she belonged to seemed utterly shabby in comparison.
Of course, the reasons for the Black Lion Knights' decline were closer to an unavoidable force majeure, with multiple factors overlapping, including incompetent leadership.
Nevertheless, she felt a strong sense of responsibility for not having been able to prevent it.
'Sigh…'
If only she had been a bit more capable, or if she had been from a prestigious family powerful enough to control an incompetent superior…
The Black Lion Knights wouldn't have deteriorated to this extent.
"Is it over there?" "Yes, that's correct."
However, in a corner of Agnes's heart, hope was slowly beginning to sprout.
This man, who seemed stronger than anyone she had ever seen.
This huge, reliable man who seemed capable of placing everything beneath his feet.
Might he not restore the glorious state of the Black Lion Knights, once called the Empire's sharpest blade?
'Yes, with this person. Perhaps…'
At some point, an image of the knight order, reborn through this man, naturally formed in Agnes's mind—a majestic and dignified sight.
And alongside that image, her own figure standing beside the largest and strongest male lion leading the Black Lion pride was also drawn.
Imagining the future to come, a faint blush settled on Agnes's face.