Monster no Goshujin-sama - Volume 10 - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Skanda’s Worries ~Iino Yuna’s POV~

A few days had passed since I started my journey to visit the minor imperial noble, Viscount Bann. I wanted to confirm the rumors of the fake savior myself. After meeting the vice marshal of the Holy Order, and also acting commander of its Second Company, Gordon Cavill, I ended up working with him. We weren’t on our own, however. There were five other knights from the Holy Order with us.

We booked an inn in a village we stopped at, and after finding my room and changing out of my traveling clothes, I dropped by the room Gordon and the others were using. One of the knights came to the door to greet me, then invited me in.

“Ooh, Miss Iino. Welcome.”

Gordon was seated at a table and welcomed me warmly. With dark skin, a bald head, and a large build, he looked somewhat scary, but he had a gentlemanly demeanor. At first, I’d been a bit tense when speaking with him, but after a few days, all my nervousness was gone.

As I walked to the table, which was covered in maps and documents, I immediately asked about their investigation into the fake savior. Gordon’s Second Company was made up of around four hundred knights scattered about in the region’s small noble territories. They were working with local forces to investigate the fake savior. Gordon then compiled all the information they gathered together. Unfortunately, they hadn’t gotten any satisfactory results today either.

“I’m sorry we haven’t been able to get anything useful,” Gordon said, his shoulders slumping. He looked like a dejected bear, which was somehow comical. “We’ve already received useful information from you, yet here we are in this state. I can’t apologize enough.”

He was referring to the information I’d given them about Kudou Riku. Judging by how monsters had annihilated the villages the fake savior visited, I suspected the mastermind behind Fort Tilia’s attack, the Lord of Darkness—Kudou Riku—had a hand in this. Because of that, Gordon had asked me for assistance. I’d complied and had told him everything I knew, but I’d simply disclosed what I had on hand. I hadn’t done anything yet.

“Investigating a fake savior isn’t the kind of thing to turn out results right away,” I said, shaking my head. “I know you’re trying your best, Sir Gordon.”

After working with him, I’d found out that Gordon was a very diligent man. He drove the manamobile during the day and gathered information whenever we reached our destination. Once he got information from the other knights, he carefully scrutinized every detail and collated it together. What’s more, he gave pertinent orders to his subordinates and took care to frequently contact the minor nobles who were cooperating with him. Even though the knights accompanying him were each helping in different areas, the amount of work he did on his own was extraordinary. He was so devoted I questioned whether he was getting a proper amount of sleep.

“I can’t possibly complain when you work so hard,” I said. “Actually, your efforts are amazing.”

“Thank you, madam,” Gordon said, his rocklike face softening a little, “but I’m ashamed to be praised on this point. What we do is a matter of course. It is our duty. We aren’t members of this world, after all.”

“Ummm?”

Not members of this world? I didn’t understand.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Hmm...” Gordon placed his hand on his chin and thought it over for a bit. After a short pause, he continued. “Miss Iino, are you aware of those of blessed blood?”

“Huh? Yes. They’re descendants of visitors, right?”

What we called cheats were called blessings in this world, so that was why they called the descendants of visitors “those of blessed blood.”

“In truth, every knight of the Holy Order is of blessed blood.”

“Huh? Really?”

That was the first I’d heard of it. I reflexively turned to look at Gordon’s subordinates, and they nodded back to me.

“Yes. It’s just as the commander says,” one of them said.

“I had no idea...”

Now that they mentioned it, though, it did make a lot of sense. Gordon had dark skin, which was atypical of this world. Also, thinking back on it, the marshal I’d seen at Fort Ebenus had had facial features similar to ours too. This was because they were descendants of visitors.

“Having said that, not all of blessed blood can become knights of the Holy Order,” another knight, the youngest of the group, added. “The Holy Order is a battle force of the elite meant to fight alongside the great saviors. One cannot become a knight in its ranks without suitable skill. In fact, it is because the Holy Order employs a doctrine of strength that only those of blessed blood, and only a select few at that, can join.”

His tone was filled with youthful passion. His aura resembled the late Watanabe of the exploration team.

“So only a portion of those of blessed blood can become knights?” I asked, feeling nostalgic because of the young knight’s resemblance to my former comrade. “I feel like there’s a contradiction there.”

“No, there isn’t,” he replied. “It seems you do not understand what it means to be of blessed blood, madam.”

“Meaning you’re more than just descendants of visitors?”

“Yes, we are. Those of blessed blood inherit blessings through their lineage. Because of that, many excel at mana manipulation, battle tactics, and magic aptitude—all things generally needed for battle. You could say this power is definitive proof that we are of an exalted lineage!”

Watching his subordinate put his hand to his own chest in pride, Gordon smiled wryly.

“That said, I’d rather you not misunderstand, madam,” he said. “Our power is different from that of the great saviors. It does not surpass the limits of the people of this world. Even among the Alliance Knights and Imperial Knights, there are those like the Raging Bull Knight of the Prairie and the strongest knight of the northern Woodlands who surpass the average knight of the Holy Order. But excluding those exceptions, you could say the Holy Order is a gathering of the utmost elite.”

The strongest knight of the northern Woodlands referred to Shiran, who was currently traveling with Majima. I’d heard that, even if it was just for a short time, she’d crossed blades with Juumonji, who excelled in close combat as a warrior. Just as one would expect, not all knights of the Holy Order had the same combat potential.

Nevertheless, they had more than enough strength as it was. For comparison, the members of the Second Company of the Imperial Knights, the ones I’d traveled with for a month, could only take on monsters of the Fringes when in groups of four or five. The Third Company of the Alliance Knights had more experience than them and could apparently accomplish the same with two or three knights.

But what about the Holy Order? According to Gordon, the average knight couldn’t match Shiran, but people like her were exceptions. That meant the strength of the Holy Order’s average knight exceeded that of an Alliance Knight by a fair margin, so each one’s strength was akin to a monster of the Fringes.

The First Company of the Holy Order was composed of around six hundred knights, the Second Company of around four hundred, the Third Company of around three hundred, and the Fourth Company of around two hundred. Much like Gordon’s Second Company, each one functioned as a practically independent organization, so they didn’t really gather as one big army. Still, a single company had significant power.

“That’s amazing,” I said with honest admiration.

“Yes, but that isn’t all,” the youngest knight said, even prouder than before. “Among us, there are those who can even replicate the blessings the saviors before us once used.”

“Huh? You’re telling me there are people out there with inherent abilities?” I asked, somewhat louder than intended.

Possessing the inherent ability of the Skanda myself, it wasn’t hard for me to imagine how big of a deal that was. I was unable to hide my shock, to which the knight nodded greatly.

“Yes. We call these people the beloved of blessed blood. And why hide it? Our commander is an excellent example!”

“Sir Gordon?” I asked, looking at him.

“Yes,” he said, humbly nodding. “Although, my ability is far inferior to the original...”

“What are you saying?!” the youngest knight exclaimed. “Sir Gordon Cavill of the Radiant Wings is one of the most prominent among the beloved of blessed blood, even throughout the ages! Are you not the one closest to the great saviors of the past?!”

Gordon probably had the strength to match such praise, but the young knight still seemed a little overzealous. Perhaps he simply idolized Gordon that much. As for Gordon, even though he smiled bitterly, he looked at the young knight with gentle eyes. I could see the close bond they shared.

I was a little relieved to see them like this. One reason I was accompanying Gordon in the first place was to find out what kind of organization the Holy Order was for myself. Louis had been the one to feed me false information regarding Majima and the attack on Fort Tilia, but there’d been a knight of the Holy Order with him too—Travis Mortimer.

If, at the time, he’d given me false information on purpose...and if the Holy Order was involved... Given the situation, my suspicions were reasonable. I planned on using this opportunity to verify what kind of people the knights of the Holy Order were.

After observing them like this, I could see that they were proud, and they devoted themselves to their professional duties. I didn’t think they would resort to foul play. It turned out I’d been overthinking things.

“Hm? Is something the matter, Miss Iino?” Gordon asked with a puzzled look.

“No...it’s nothing,” I answered, shaking my head. “It’s just... Um, right. I find it amazing.” I was half trying to change the topic as I attempted to stir the young knight’s interest. “The beloved of blessed blood, you called them? There are others like Sir Gordon, right?”

“Of course!” he answered joyfully. “There are several beloved of blessed blood in the order right now. Among them, the ones with particularly powerful abilities are the four commanders.”

“The commanders?”

I’d heard the names of all the commanders of the Holy Order before: Marshal of the Holy Order and commander of the First Company, Sir Harrison Addington; vice marshal and commander of the Second Company, Sir Gordon Cavill; commander of the Third Company, Lady Vivian Maywood; and finally, commander of the Fourth Company, Sir Travis Mortimer.

“Oh, I’ve met all of them except for Lady Vivian.”

Without even knowing it, I’d met people who’d inherited significant power similar to us visitors. Although, considering that valuable personnel had the most opportunities to meet visitors like me, it wasn’t all that strange.

“Miss Iino...you’ve met Mortimer?” Gordon asked me as I pondered over useless information.

“Huh? Sir Travis? Yes, I have.” I wasn’t planning to tell Gordon that I’d met Travis until I finished finding out what kind of organization the Holy Order was, but I figured it was fine now. “I had the opportunity to meet him in a town called Serrata in Lorenz County.”

After answering, I was a little confused by Gordon’s reaction.

“Is that so...?” Gordon said, his expression turning stiff.

Even the air around the other knights changed. Before I knew it, a strange atmosphere fell over the room.

“So? What kind of relationship do you have with Mortimer, Miss Iino?” Gordon asked as I stood there in bewilderment.

There was something awkward about his tone. What was going on? This was the first I’d seen him acting like this, which only confused me all the more. Still, I had no need to hide anything regarding his question.

“I’m not sure what you mean by that... I only had the chance to speak with him once. That’s all.”

“I see.”

I caught a slight hint of relief in his voice. Anxiety started to swell in my chest.

“Is there something wrong with Sir Travis?” I asked.

“No... Not at all,” Gordon said, averting his eyes.

He denied it, but the way he acted said otherwise. I looked around the room. I met the eyes of the young knight who’d spoken so much. He visibly started when I did, so I threw him my question.

“There’s something, right?”

“No, that’s not...”

He surely never thought he’d be cross-examined by a savior. His young and masculine face tensed up. I felt a little sorry for him, but I wasn’t going to back down. I stared at him for a few seconds. Unable to bear the pressure, he finally cracked.

“Sir Mortimer...is a somewhat problematic person.”

“Problematic?” I repeated, scowling. “Problematic how?”

Faced with my belligerent gaze, Gordon sighed. “I suppose there’s no hiding it at this point.”

So there really was something.

Gordon let out another long sigh, then gravely said, “Let me make one thing clear first. We knights devote our swords to the saviors. It is the duty of a knight to personify the ideals of justice and the salvation of the weak. Including our marshal, Sir Harrison Addington, there are many knights of the Holy Order who embody this ideal. Though I am still inexperienced, I strive to do the same. This goes for all of my subordinates too.”

“Ummm... Right. I know that much.”

Having interacted with them, I knew Gordon and his subordinates were virtuous. I hadn’t spoken with Marshal Harrison myself, but seeing how Gordon spoke highly of him, I was sure he was a man of good character.

“However, I cannot declare that all knights abide by this standard.”

I could also understand this. During my time with the Imperial Knights, I’d seen several who were only interested in ambition and vanity.

“Unfortunately, even among the Holy Order, there are those who are unsuitable for this knightly standard.”

“And Sir Travis is among them?”

“To be specific, he and all those around him,” Gordon admitted bitterly. “Those who possess power must have the heart to keep that power in check. It’s far easier said than done, though. Those who take on the duty must constantly test themselves, but...”

“He’s different?”

“He has great ambition, and to that end, he’ll do anything. I’ve heard many bad rumors. Honestly, I can’t really say anything good about his character.”

I recalled Travis’s bard-like appearance. He hadn’t seemed that dangerous to me...but now that I thought of it, I recalled the events of Serrata. I remembered his elegant smile when he watched me speak with Louis. It’d been a smug expression that suited his looks. I remembered something about that smile bothering me at the time.

Back then, I thought that maybe he’d been snickering at the sense of justice Louis and I had displayed, but perhaps there’d been more malice behind that smile than I’d imagined. Seeing me sink deep in thought, Gordon’s expression darkened.

“Please do not misunderstand, Miss Iino. There are strays among any group.”

“I understand...but why is that kind of person a commander?”

“A vile personality is not enough to strip him of his rank. Also, the bad rumors are just that—rumors. Being from a noble house, he has the influence of his family and is also rather shrewd, so he won’t show his true colors all that easily. Besides...it’s true he is an extremely talented knight.”

Gordon let out a pained sigh before continuing.

“He is the descendant of the savior who once defeated the Golden Dragon of Darkness. He is known as Sir Travis Mortimer of the Holy Gaze. As a knight of the Holy Order, he is sure to treat a savior with respect, but there’s some chance he might do something untoward. Miss Iino, please be careful.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

Even though I’d forced a topic he didn’t really want to talk about, Gordon kindly provided me with a warning. He was a good person. Although, his kindness now might’ve been a little too late. If Travis had actually been the one to provide Louis and me with false information, stoking the flames of righteous indignation beneath us, I’d already danced to his tune through and through. I felt a sudden unease and clenched my fists tightly.

“Excuse me, Sir Gordon. Do you know what he’s doing right now?”

“You want to know what he’s up to?” Gordon asked, wide-eyed. “Forgive me. Each company of the Holy Order has a certain amount of authority and acts independently of one another, so we don’t always know what the other companies are doing... I heard he was dealing with the aftermath of the incident at Fort Tilia, but I don’t know what he’s doing now.”

“I see.”

In this world, communicating over long distances wasn’t simple. Because of that, there were many cases where everything was left to the discretion of the officers on site. In fact, even Gordon, who was investigating the fake savior, had been entrusted with all authority over the course of his mission. This meant the same applied to Travis. If he was moving independently for the sake of advancing his career...

Gordon’s statement that Travis would do anything remained stuck on my mind.

“Majima...”

Majima was already in an easy-to-misunderstand situation. If one wanted to pin a crime on him and make him out to be a villain, it would be pretty simple to do. To a person like Travis, who sought glory and honors, Majima and the people around him were the ideal prey.

It was just groundless conjecture, of course. I didn’t know where Majima was right now, and I didn’t know Travis’s whereabouts either. Nonetheless, I just couldn’t curb this feeling in my chest.