145-139 Role of the chief




 If a fellow worker sought treatment, he would try to help.
 So, if it's the high priest's squire or his companion, which treatment would you give priority to?

 When I arrived at the large training ground, I found that most of the knights had fallen.
 Lionel and the others could be seen poking their knees, even if they hadn't fallen.

'Looks like they're okay.'
 I walked up to him in relief and saw Catherine lying in front of Lionel and Lumina in front of Ketty and Kefin.

'Lionel! What does this mean?
 Lionel turned around at the sound of my voice and a look of relief crossed his face.

'Good. Luciel-sama, I see you have returned. May I ask you to recover these men first?''
 Lionel put off telling me what was going on and urged me to treat both Catherine and Lumina, who were in a bloodbath, first.
 Naturally, I decided to heal them without being told, but if you look at it, Lionel and the others were in shambles.

'Everyone else in range, just area high heels?
"...Lord Catherine has crushed some bones.
 It was assumed that the borrowed weapon wasn't good, or that they couldn't take it down quickly enough.
 Otherwise, it was hard to imagine that Lionel, who was a good match for Catherine-san and the battle, would be so battered.

''Well I'll use extra heals just in case. Lionel, you guys too.
 Ketty and Kefin didn't fire anything, and I could see that they managed to stay standing, so I did an area high heel first, and then hung an extra heel on them in turn.

'I don't know what happened, but you're all bleeding too much, so take a break. I'm probably going to go help the knights recover from being healed by the healers over there that you guys blew up. By the way, who's missing a part?
No, it's not.
I'm not that much of a bully.
I didn't have to.
 I could see the disdain for the Order from the three of them.
 Even I've never seen them look at me like that.
 It was hard to judge how rusty they were, or how sweetly they were training to look like they were just playing around.

 In fact, half of the Knights had been blown up, and the War Maiden Holy Knights were no exception.
'Is this weakness the reason Lionel and the others despised them? Or was it that posture of sitting on the job I'll have to ask you later to make sure you get it right.
 I continued my recovery.
 No one, including the War Maiden Holy Knights, thanked me for my help, but no one told me what was going on when I asked them what was going on.


 When all the recovery was done and we headed to the center, Estia was greeting Lionel and the others.
'Were you just introducing yourself?'
'Oh, Master Luciel. Um, why am I here? I thought you were in the labyrinth just now?
 Irritated with Estia for suddenly buzzing me with NG words, I decided to complain the next time the dark spirit appeared, and I decided to complain the next time the dark spirit appeared.

''What do you mean by the labyrinth? More importantly, were you saying hello to Lionel and the others?
'Oh, yes. I don't know what's going to happen next, but I've told them I'll be accompanying them to Meratni.
 I go through the labyrinth and continue the conversation.

'Well I see. Lionel, Keti, Kefin. I'm sorry, but this is a request from the Pope. I'll have Estia accompany you to Meratni.
Well, it's more promising than the Knights of the Round Table playing nice.
Esther's pretty strong, so she'll do well in training.
Stronger than me I wouldn't say, but your ability to judge a situation on the spot is better than mine.
 I haven't forgotten about undermining the Order. It's rare for the three of them to be this emotional.

''Maybe Esther is stronger than Kefin, Nya.
'You said things you shouldn't have said,'
Are you in?
No, I'll look back at you one day and you'll be ready.
I'm looking forward to it.
 Smiling at the fact that they had been getting along better lately, Ketty and Kefin couldn't watch them jostle each other forever, so he decided to call out to them as they fell.
 He had noticed that they would be awake for a little while now.

'Catherine, Lumina-san. My followers have excused themselves. I don't know why the Great Training Ground has become like this, as I wasn't there to see it, but I apologize to you.
"...Is this case under your direction, Luciel?

 It was Lumina-san who reacted first.
 But still, what are the instructions?
I haven't given you any instructions, you know? Did you do something?
If you don't know, that's okay.
 Lumina's face fell and she fell silent.
 She didn't open her mouth when she saw Lionel and the others.
 But thinking about yesterday I felt like I had given them a pretty big blackmail.

''........If they did anything, it was all for me, I guess. Because that's what I thought at times.

 As I stuttered at my own surprisingly venomous words, their bodies jerked because they didn't expect such a statement to come from me, either.

 Either what was said to me was that shocking, or the same thing was said to them by the three of them, and they remained gloomy.

''........Luciel-kun, wouldn't it be better if you were to lead the Knights?''
 When Catherine-san, who had been silent, opened her mouth, it was really an offer to relinquish her position as Knight Commander.
 Lumina-san looked at Catherine-san with an expression of disbelief.

''There is no way I can do that. I have a mission, and it's the knightly order of the church with the holy knights and priestly knights who protect the church, right? Who will protect the Pope?
 


 Lumina-san was already stronger in her personal skills, and she was able to conduct herself better than Catherine-san when it came to commanding.
 Catherine, who lost her confidence because of this, would you like her to win even if it means cutting corners and regaining her confidence?
 But it wouldn't do anyone any good, it would only have a negative effect.
 I decided to take a little of what I had developed in Yenis and tell Catherine about it.

'I believe that just because you're strong individually doesn't mean you can't command a group. If you don't have the ability to command, you will find other ways to contribute while honing it. Otherwise, you won't be able to have subordinates or followers.
"...is that an insult to me?

 You feel a strong anger.
 You're angry, which means you're frustrated, right?
 If that's the case, does that mean you actually want to remain a Knight Commander?
 I decided to continue the conversation.

''In my opinion, if Catherine-san can't be the Knight Commander, then I think you can quit. Because if that were to happen, the chain of command would be a mess, and I think it would also create distortions between the Holy Knights and the Priestly Knights.
'That's no longer the case. It won't change even if the head of Lumina and the rest of the squad is the head of the Order. We've had at least one drill every month for the last few years, so we're not as close as we used to be.

 You looked sad, Catherine, but I've been in similar crises before.
 When they found out about the honey factory in Yenis, and the reason I was the head of the school, I didn't think there was any need for me to have a reason to be the head of the school once it was in shape.
 But when I think about it, the words of Mr. Hanir from the Hatch tribe always come to mind.
 I'm the top, so I'm helping him.
 I selfishly think the same thing is true for Katrine.
 So I try to reach out to Katrine-san and Lumina-san, who have been so helpful to me, to make sure they don't suffer any more.

''Are you sure about that? As far as I could see, everyone in the Order seemed to be paying attention to Miss Catherine.
'What are you talking about? General Lionel said the same thing, but what do you know in just a few days?
 Beside the dumbfounded look on his face, there was a look of support for me.

 I spun my words, encouraged by the look on his face.
'I'm saying this because I know when these Church Knights were resurrected, not in a few days. Lionel knows the real battlefield, so he can understand.......but even if you're not the best at individual combat, even if you're not the best at commanding, there's a reason why Catherine-san is the head of the Order.

...and what is it?

I can't put it into words, but if I had to choose, I'd say it's popularity. I'm not sure how to put it into words, but if I had to choose, I'd say it's popularity. I can make them think that they can follow your instructions by having you in charge.
'No, it's not. Anyone can do that if they've been at it long enough. Even during the exercise, the Holy Knights were well organized by Lumina.

 Elites are a pain in the ass when they get hurt, aren't they?
 They're completely stubborn.
 Essentially, among the elite group, there's at least one person who's always been bright and has a weed spirit and a centripetal force... you can't extort what's not there... and if you can't state the facts and say it, then give it time. Okka.

''You were just making it look that way, weren't you? You were actually defeated by the Priestess Knight Squad led by Catherine, right? That's the answer.
I don't understand what you're saying.
'Overall, we were going through the exercise to make sure that Catherine didn't lose.
'What for? Lumina, answer me.
It's...

 The composition of a deflated Lumina-san with an indignant Catherine-san has been created.
 It's too heavy for Lumina-san to talk about the reason why it's not the difference in rank, but the eighteenth grade, or the reason why she's holding back.

'It's because I wanted Catherine-san to be a Knight Commander. Although I also think the job of Knight Commander is better for Catherine-san.
...the work of a Knight Commander?
 The stare changes from a glowering face to a quizzical one.

'It's my job to organize the eight captains. I can talk to all the captains of each squad and put them together. That's the only thing that fulfills the responsibility of a Knight Commander.
 When I was in Yenis, I was just talking to the top brass and only saying hello to the employees.
 Still, it worked out well, thanks to the captain and tribal chief who I gave orders to, who kept the bottom together.
 When I was thinking that far, Lionel opened his mouth.

''Master Left. The only thing left to do is to direct it from each captain to the platoon leader or member, and that's all that's left to run the organization. It's not all your job.
 I'm sure Lionel has noticed more than I have, but maybe I'm also being tested here.
 That's what I thought.

''If we're going to do exercises, I think it's Catherine's job to look at them from above and correct what she notices. Of course, I don't have any trouble raising my personal combat abilities, though.
Does that mean I was overwhelmed?
'Yes, sir. You are one of the few positions of trust the Pope has placed in you, so get a grip.
 If this is the case and I even get the position of Knight Commander, I'll definitely die of exhaustion.
 Besides, since I came back from Yenis to run away so that I wouldn't get involved in something bloody, I want to have some leeway.


''Your... role... Lumina I'm sorry about that. I may not be reliable, but you have my back.
''Ha. Please continue to lead us all as a Knight Commander.
 They smiled at each other.
 It was a relief that Catherine-san was an adult.
 Come to think of it, Catherine-san was an elite, but she had stepped down from the Knight Commander's chair once before, and maybe she had experienced many setbacks.
 Maybe I should have been grateful that the Knight Commander's chair didn't become vacant this time.

''Once we have the discussion, I'll rethink the exercise method. Luciel-kun, you've been a great help to me once again.
'I'm glad I could be of help, but I'm just saying what I felt when I watched that exercise. And I'm sorry to sound like such a big deal.
Luciel, you've made your point.
 I was relieved to see that she didn't look as cloudy as she did earlier.

'I think you can be a little more confident, Catherine,'
"...thank you, Mr. Luciel.
 Catherine smiled at me as she came up to me and then I felt a soft touch on my cheek.
 Without wincing at that, I smiled and decided to thank her.
'You're welcome,'
 I had just started taking the effects of Object X and it wasn't working like it was.
 In a previous life, I wouldn't have been able to stay this calm.
'Oh my God, you don't seem to be upset at all.
'But it's nice to have someone as beautiful as you, Catherine, kiss you.
 I'm rounding off from my previous life, and I'm a rounding off to a rounding-off point, but just getting a kiss on the cheek is enough to make me soar.

'Heh, come on Lumina,'
Yes, sir. What is it?
'I wonder if you could give Mr. Luciel a thank-you kiss. I don't think he'd be surprised if it was me.
 Why are you forcing me to thank you?
 More importantly, you can't give orders.

'No, that's not something you can do when you're told to do it. Hey Lumi...?
'I'm grateful for this time, and I didn't do it because Lady Catherine told me to...'
 Lumina was so cute with a slight tint to her cheeks.

 The sweet smell that tickled my nostrils, this feeling that lingered on my lips, and the rush in my chest was something I'd never felt before in this world.
 If this was a honey trap, I would definitely fall for it.
 As I was thinking about this, I lowered my head and thanked him.
'Thank you. Thanks for the treat.
 The fact that it was all of the knights who had witnessed this made them laugh at me in the shadows for a few days.

 In particular, the War Maiden Holy Knights, with the exception of Lumina-san, would make fun of me as a story, but as it happens, Lionel and the others would also be in a bad mood instead of helping me, but that's another story.