'Yes, the white wolf. I almost forgot. I got a message for you from Felix.

　Garnett said something like that while putting his full body armor back on.

　I wondered if this kind of armor could be worn by one person, but it seems to be able to be worn without any problems.

　Is that the way it was built from the start, or is Garnett exceptionally handy?

'They've set a date for your treatment. They want you to come to the guildhouse tomorrow night after business hours.
...... For God's sake, I hope you don't forget such an important message.
'I can't help it. I was just about to leave. He's busy, too.

　Going into the details would be a waste of time, so I'll try to get more details out of him for now.

'By the way, what do you mean by the schedule to decide on my treatment?　Isn't it already set in stone and you're not going to tell me tomorrow?
I don't know much. I'm just telling you what Felix told me.

　As he did so, Garnett had finished donning his armor.

　He put his full-face helmet on tightly, hiding his face, and turned on his heel to the doorway of the dining room.

''......, that was a close one. I wanted to ask you one question. It's a good idea to be able to have a good time with them. How did you feel when you heard that someone you had a grudge against had self-destructed?

　His voice has a somewhat subdued tone that is different from his usual way of speaking, which is tinged with ease and roughness.

　He's wearing a helmet and looking back, so his expression should be ...... unreadable.

　However, an imaginary picture of what Garnett looks like now came to mind, strangely and vividly.

'If you ask me again, it's hard for me to respond ...... well, if I had to say it in one word, it would be, "I've got a tug on my chest.
Does that mean it's all clear?
Maybe it's easier said than done.
But!　We don't know if the brave man is really dead or not, and he didn't get even with his own hands, did he?　You're on it ...... Oh, d*mn it .......

　Garnett tried to argue with his back to me, but he couldn't seem to come up with the right words, and he shook his head to shake off the irritation.

　Probably what Garnett wanted to hear was this.

　-- are you happy with that?

　Of course, you're not supposed to be worried about me.

　He's probably wondering how he should behave when he's in 'the same situation'.

　If that's the case, I'll just reply based on that.

You can't afford to be extravagant, can you?　I don't know if this is the end of it all, but for now I'm happy with the way things are going. Of course, if things change, I might change my mind.
............
'But in my case, I was the only one affected. It's just that it was my own thing, and I was able to get my mind off of it in the right way.

　While Garnett remains silent, he speaks up to continue in the fold.

'If a guy I care about had been put through the same thing, I wouldn't have forgiven him for the extent of his self-inflicted ruin. No matter what the others said, I'm sure he would have wanted to retaliate to his heart's content with his own hands.
'...... hahaha!　You're surprisingly radical, aren't you? I thought you were going to say something about revenge being a bad idea.

　Garnett's voice, laughing as she turned her back on him, showed an unconcealed happiness and relief in her voice.

　It was as if she had been affirmed in her thoughts.

''It's not that I'm a saint, you know. There are times when I hate or envy other guys, and of course there are times when I find them irritating or annoying. For example, with you, I was even thinking seriously about when I would punch you in the face at first.

　At my joking mouth, Garnett started laughing like a kid joking around with his friends.

''Hahahaha!　That's great!　Do you want to try to hit each other by the river now?
I hate this. That's not a fistfight, it's a one-sided beating up of me. You don't think I'm going to let you down, do you?

　Okay, it seems that Garnett's condition has returned.

　I don't know what the hell this guy has in his past and what he thinks he's doing as a knight, but it doesn't feel good to have the sinking air on his back.

...... It's a good thing I laughed as hard as I could, because it made me feel better. Well, I'm going to go home. I'm sure the store is already settled.
'I'm supposed to buy Sylvia and Sakura a meal in return, how about you?'
No, I'll just take the thought. Let's just say you worked and paid for the damage.

　Then Garnett left the shop, fluttering his basket-covered hand and humming as he walked out of the shop.










　The next day, as Garnett had told me, I went to the guildhouse as soon as business hours were over.

　I told the receptionist, Marida, that Felix was already there and we were escorted to a room in the back of the guildhouse.

'Thank you for your time, Lord Luke,'

　The two people in the room were Felix and Bradford, both in plain clothes.

　Bradford was just standing there as if he was an escort or something, so it was practically just me and Felix talking.

'Garnett ...... told me the general story. It hasn't even been three days since you sent the letter, and I hear you've already decided to respond.

　I was a little troubled, but I'll give Garnett a proper title of respect as well.

　Since he says it's fine, he usually treats them in a rather shattered manner, but he's a member of the Silverwing Knights and Felix's subordinate.

　It would be better to express himself properly in such an occasion.

It's a good idea to express yourself properly in a place like this,'' she said, "To be precise, we're at the stage where the date for the announcement of the response to Luke-dono is set. I have not been informed of the details either.
You told me that yesterday, but what the hell is going on?
Please look at this before I explain.

　I gasped when I saw the sealed envelope Felix had given me.

　The two-headed dragon emblem - an emblem that almost certainly would be familiar to anyone who was born and raised here in the Westlands.

''Isn't this ...... the coat of arms of the royal palace?''
"His Majesty is now touring and visiting in various parts of the country. "And in a week's time, he will pass by the road down the mountain from Green Hollow.

　I have a strong feeling that this has become a big deal.

'That means: ......'
"His Majesty will inform me of the various ways to deal with Master Luke himself in a week's time. A formal summons is enclosed in that envelope. That is all I can tell you at this time.

　I'm speechless at this unexpected development.

　It is true that licenses for the manufacture and sale of mithril products are decided in the name of the king.

　The king's rejection of the theory of a thunderous criminal invented by the minister is also within the scope of the expected flow of things.

　But I never imagined that I would have an audience with the king.

"And one more thing: ...... This is a completely unrelated matter, but I've been asked to do something that I really wanted to do: ......

　Felix suddenly stuttered and his gaze began to swim awkwardly.

...... In fact, a certain nobleman who has heard rumors about Lord Luke has asked me to create an object for his mansion.
'Objects?　From a nobleman to me?
Yes, but he's known as an eccentric. But anyway, he is known as an eccentric person, and it seems to be his hobby to have artists create curious objects. Here's a rendering of the commissioned work: ......

　I unfolded the contents of the new envelope that was handed to me, and I cringed.
　Of course, that's a completely different reason than the one that left me speechless earlier.

''It looks like a sword ...... stuck in a stone base, doesn't it?
''That's exactly what seems to be happening. They want you to build a sword that won't come off no matter what, and they want ...... visitors to challenge you and enjoy it or something.
Oh, ...... that kind of .......

　I found that the serious emotions that had filled my chest earlier were disappearing like salt dissolving in lukewarm water.

　What the hell is this?
　It's the same in that it's a sealed letter from a king and nobleman, but the drop is too much.

''You can decline ......, if you'd like, but I don't mind ......?''

　I felt like I'd never seen Felix give such a vague grimace before in a quandary.