Chapter 40 – Vice-Captain’s Curiosity

The day after Dake returned, the knights gathered at the parade ground as usual.

“Everyone is here. Did you sleep well?”

It was Fine who responded most energetically when Agnes asked how she was doing.

“Yes, Captain! Did you sleep well too, Captain?”

“Yes, Bloom. It’s nice to see you so energetic.”

“I’m glad that the leader seems to be in a good mood too! Is that because Senior Dayke came here?!”

“What…?!”

Unlike Agnes, who was embarrassed, Fine was smiling.

“You were depressed while you were away.”

Private conversations between work and time are behavior that should not be tolerated in the first place.
However, there was no one senior to stop the innocent Fine.

The once rigid atmosphere of the Knights Templar softened after the energetic Fine joined, and more than anything, I was curious about the other members as well.

So everyone pretended to be thinking about something else and was listening to the conversation between Fine and Agnes.

“My, when did I say I was depressed…”

“Did you go on a date with your senior yesterday?!”

“What do you mean, a date?”

“In human novels, spending happy time between lovers is called dating!”

“Happy time…?!”

Agnes cannot hide her embarrassment when she remembers what she did with Dayk last night.

The face of the leader who lost his composure was a rare sight even for other members, so all eyes were focused on him at once.

On the other hand, Dayke, who was just amused by the situation, was watching as if it was nothing else, and vice-captain Rize was reticent to say anything because she knew that the two of them were in the same room last night.

“Ah! Captain, your face is red! You went on a date with a senior!”

“Well, that’s not it! …Hmm, Finne! It’s not good to chat too much during work hours. Don’t forget that we are the kingdom’s final sword and shield. And it’s okay to read human novels, but please be careful not to talk too openly. .”

“Oh, sorry!”

Fine, who gets her bearings as soon as she reminds her of her knighthood.
The corners of her mouth were still twitching, but Agnes tried to pretend not to notice.

“Today, we will go out on patrol in the forest. We will also form teams of two by drawing lots to observe a wide area and also train ourselves to respond to various situations.”

The elves who drew lots began to gather to find their mates.

Dake was also looking around, when he heard an unexpected voice.

“D-Dake?”

“Vice-captain?”

“Are you in the same group as me?”

“I guess so.”

“…”

After a short question and answer, there is silence.
It was like that originally, but ever since Rize tried to kick Agnes and Dake out of the Order, the two have had a very awkward relationship.

It was very uncomfortable for both of us to patrol alone, but it was so awkward that it was difficult to show that, so both Dayke and Rize just looked somewhere else.

Meanwhile, elsewhere, Fine, who had checked on his partner, jumped up and down as if he was about to fly away.

“To be in a group with the leader! I guess the goddess blessed me!”

“Well, I guess I just caught it by chance.”

“It’s okay if we talk occasionally while patrolling, right? I’d like to hear about various things from the leader!”

Just by looking at him, he looks excited to hear his superior’s love story.

Agnes couldn’t bear to speak harshly to that bright face, so she spoke in as polite a tone as possible.

“…Fine. Promise me one thing during today’s mission.”

“Yes, Captain! Just say the word!”

“Please don’t ask me anything about what happened with Dake yesterday.”

—

I walked through the quiet forest.
All I can hear is the sound of leaves crunching under my feet or the trees swaying in the cool breeze.

The vice-captain was clearly walking next to me, but he didn’t say a single word and for some reason I couldn’t even hear his footsteps, so it felt like I was walking through the forest alone.

‘Is this the end if we just go around the designated area like this? ‘The work is easy.’

Still, I couldn’t patrol lightly, so I diligently looked at the floor and surroundings.

I don’t know if the vice-captain is working hard, but he’s always been sincere, so he’s probably taking care of it.

He didn’t really care and just focused on my work.

“Dake.”

“Ok?”

The vice-captain, who had been walking in silence, suddenly called me and I quickly turned my head.
Her face was quite serious, as is typical of her, who rarely shows her smile.

“Is the feeling of love common among humans?”

“I guess so… Right?”

Since it was an unexpected question, I answered vaguely, but the other person didn’t seem to mind.

“Do you really love Captain?”

Why are you suddenly asking such a question?
There was only one answer I could think of.

‘Are you really suspicious?!’

Currently, the vice leader and members think that the leader and I are lovers.

In order for me and Agnes to remain in the Order in peace like now, that misunderstanding had to be maintained, and if the vice-captain was suspicious of this, it was not a matter to be taken lightly.

“Then of course it is.”

I answered as casually as possible, and another question popped up.

“Captain, does he truly love you too?”

“Yeah. …Why is that suddenly happening?”

“Okay. I’m just asking because I’m curious, so don’t worry about it.”

Is that really all it is?
In fact, the vice-captain didn’t say anything more after that.

But I don’t care because I’m told not to worry.
I thought I should try to understand the other person’s feelings, so I tried to talk to them while walking diligently.

“Vice-captain.”

“Why?”

“What is the vice-captain’s name?”

“…Rize. Why?”

“No, it’s just that I’ve never heard of it before. Agnes doesn’t even call the vice-captain by her first name.”

“I don’t like the name because it’s too childish. Knowing that, they only call me vice-captain.”

“Aha.”

Just as calm and cold as usual.
I can’t decide whether to be careful because his tone of voice is cold, or to be reassured that it’s the same as usual.

The moment I looked to the side to check the expression, something caught my eye.

“Uh, vice-captain. Bug.”

“What? Bwaaaaah!”

The vice-captain let out a scream I had never heard before.
It was because of a green bug the size of a finger riding on my shoulder, and its voice was so loud that even I next to it was startled.

They say elves are a race that lives in harmony with nature, but they can’t do the same with bugs?

Actually, I knew that there were elves who were secretly afraid of bugs, but I had no idea that the vice-captain was one of them.
I had no idea it would glow like this.

“No! Deke, take this off me!”

“Okay! Wait, just stay still!”

I stretched out my hand to chase it away, but it was running so wildly that it was difficult to touch even a single hair of the bug.
Meanwhile, this guy got into my clothes.

“Hey!”

The fact that a bug landed on my shoulder caused such a commotion, and now that it has gotten into my clothes, there is no way it will pass without incident.

The vice-captain, whose normally white face became even paler, began to take off his clothes, forgetting that I was next to him.

“Vice-captain, wait a minute!”

“Aaaaah! Get off quickly!”

I throw the clothes I took off on the floor.
He then frantically felt around his body to see if there were any bugs.

Only then did she realize that her bastard had disappeared, and she let out a deep sigh and belatedly noticed my presence.

“Tsk!”

I feel sorry for the other person, but I was looking at her naked body with my eyes straight open.

It was absolutely not because I had a dark intention, I was just watching it without realizing it because I was bewildered by the unexpected situation.

“Uh, sorry.”

As I was about to turn her head, the vice-captain quickly turned behind her.
However, she tripped over a stone at her feet, lost her balance, and her body quickly tilted.

At that moment, a large stone caught my eye.
It seemed like the vice-captain’s head would fall on top of her if she left it like this, so she instinctively stretched out her hand.

“Dangerous!”

I quickly grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards me.
Her sudden pull caused her vice-captain to lose her balance again, and she extended her hands towards her body to support her.

However, because she was moving so quickly, her hand ended up in a bad place.
The vice-captain, who was about to fall forward with his back turned to me, grabbed one of his breasts.

“Hmph!”

I heard a voice like a deflating balloon, and I was startled and quickly moved her hand to another place.

However, there was no way that something that had already happened would never happen, and a silence that was heavier than when the two were patrolling in silence fell over the surroundings.

“…”

I never would have thought that a childish situation like something out of an old cartoon would unfold.
She was embarrassed in many ways because she didn’t want to create a hostile relationship with her, even though she didn’t have to be friendly with her.

“Vice-captain, that’s…”

“You don’t have to apologize because I was trying to help you. On the contrary, I’m sorry for making a fuss.”

It seems really good to see that you have found your composure.

Just as she was sighing in relief, the vice-captain, who was trying to pick up the clothes she had taken off, fell to his knees.

“Ugh!”

“Are you okay?”

“I think I sprained it when I was about to fall. But it’s nothing like this-, ugh!”

It looks like her left ankle is injured and walking is not easy.

“Here.”

“…Thank you.”

The vice-captain expressed his gratitude when I picked up the clothes for him and handed them to him.
The expression on his face as he got dressed was quite calm.

‘I guess I should treat it with a healing hand, right?’

He doesn’t seem to mind that he accidentally touched her breast, so it seems okay to use this opportunity to return the favor.

But wouldn’t it be better to give in a way that seems more sincere?
That way, your regret and gratitude will increase.

Instead of using the skill, I squatted down with my back turned to the vice-captain who had finished getting dressed.

“Get on your back.”

“What? Give me a piggyback ride?”

“It’s hard to patrol with your feet like that. It’s hard to go back.”

“That’s true, but…”

“Or should I go and call someone? What if something happens while I’m alone? Just get on my back.”

The vice-captain reluctantly got on my back.
I lifted it up and started walking in the opposite direction from where I came.

“Isn’t it heavy?”

“Not really. Because I also trained quite hard.”

In fact, regardless of her training, her body was light enough to be able to exercise while carrying her.
Whether she is the vice-captain of the Knights or something, her body is no different from that of a human woman.

“…Yeah. You know that.”

“Hmm?”

“Please keep what just happened a secret.”

“Okay. But it wasn’t really on purpose, it was by mistake-.”

“Well, other than that, I was afraid of bugs. No one in the group knows yet.”

Of course I thought it was about touching the chest.
Although she didn’t know it, it seems she also cares about her image.

“Okay, don’t worry.”

“…Thank you.”

The vice-captain briefly expressed his gratitude and said nothing after that.
I had nothing to say, so I kept my mouth shut and walked away, and in that quiet atmosphere, we were able to safely return to the meeting place.

—

The evening of the day when there was a bit of a commotion with Dake.
Rize was resting in bed with his ankle bandaged.

His expression was darker than usual, but it wasn’t because of his ankle injury.
It was an incident this afternoon that caused her to be lost in her thoughts.
Because of what she experienced with Dayke, her curiosity about the emotions of love and pleasure that she had deliberately hidden bloomed again.

“…”

Smart.

“Who are you.”

-Vice-captain, it’s me! This is Fine!

“Yes, come in.”

As I was wondering why she was whimpering and opening the door, there was a tray with a meal in Fine’s hand.

“The vice-captain said you didn’t receive the meal, so I came to bring it for you! Is your ankle okay?”

“Yes, it’s okay. I didn’t eat dinner because I wasn’t that hungry.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t even know that…”

“No, just looking at it makes me want to eat it again. Thank you, I’ll eat it well.”

“Okay! Then, let’s go. Rest in peace!”

Finn turns around with a brave greeting.
When Rize saw the back, something suddenly occurred to her mind.

“Fine, wait a minute.”

“Yes?”

“Do you usually read human novels often…?”

Fine’s eyes widened at her unexpected question.

“Yes, I read it often. Why is that?”

“Uh, that… Can I read it too?”

“Oh! Vice-captain, are you interested in human novels too? I’m so happy to see this for the first time around me. I’ll lend you as much as I want!”

“Well, I just thought I’d be bored during the break…”

Unlike the embarrassed vice-captain, the youngest member spoke in great excitement.

“What kind of story would you like me to tell you? There’s romance, adventure, and horror!”

“Then, as a romantic relationship… Are there any sexual scenes?”

“Ah, you’re a little reluctant about that, right? I’ll bring you a book without any explicit elements!”

“No…!”

“Yes?”

When Fine asked a question, Rize hesitated for a while before opening her mouth.

“Well, I’d like to ask that there be a lot of scenes like that…”