Chapter 227.1

Germion Kingdom had 6 holy knights.

　Lili the Scarlet Maiden who protects the north.

　Sivara the Ripper Knight and Jize the One-Eyed Knight who protect the south. Gulland the Storm Knight, whose position was currently being borrowed.

　Valdor the Twin Swords Knight who protects the east.

　Zelkof the Knight of Destruction, who was confined to the center. These six are the present generation of holy knights that support Germion Kingdom.

　The Majestic King Ashtal Do Germion gathered brave warriors throughout the land and opened his doors to them. Other than Sivara, Valdor, and Zelkof, who are nobles, Jize is a martial artist from the east, and Gulland and Lili are former adventurers.

　Sivara, who was entrusted with the defense of the south, is working alongside Jize to manage the territory. Gulland was sent to work with them too, so now there was three of them working together.

Sivara appeared before Gulland and proposed to him.

“Reinforcements to the Holy Shushunu Kingdom?” Gulland asked.

“Yes.” Sivara replied.

　Gulland knit his brows as he frowned. Despite it only being afternoon, he already stank of liquor.

“I agree with Sivara-dono,” Jize said.

“Hah. So you want to get rid of the nuisance,” Gulland remarked.

　Gulland glared at Jize, but the latter didn’t seem to mind at all as he argued.

“It’s true that you’re not looking forward right now, though. Just a few years ago, you were lauded a hero. But now, look at you. You’re no better than the thugs grumbling over their liquor.”

“Hmph. You think so too, Sivara?”

“Well. It’s an order from above.”

　Sivara shrugged his shoulders and answered in that ever aloof manner of his.

“Actually, they were asking for me, but it sounds like a pain. Can you go instead?”

“…”

　Jize glanced at Sivara with an unamused expression, but he did not appear bothered at all.

“…Fine,” Gulland agreed.

“Great. You have to work for your meal, after all,” Sivara remarked.

“Hmph. So, who am I supposed to kill?” Gulland asked.

“Why so bloody all of the sudden?” Jize asked.

“Isn’t that the sort of job you’re asking me to do?” Gulland asked back.

“You’re not wrong, but you’re not quite right either,” Sivara replied.

“Hah?”

“We said reinforcements, right? That means we’re going to be interfering with the succession war of the war princess. Or at least, our king is, anyway.”

“So, who are we supporting?”

“Blanche Ririnoie. A young lady at the tender age of 18 years.”

“…So we’re to get her into debt and ask for a huge interest later?”

“Well, as for whether she sees it that way or not is another story.”

“…Whatever. It was getting boring anyway.”

　After Gulland left the room while tottering, Jize finally spoke again and asked Sivara.

“That man obediently did as he was told, but…”

“Uh huh… Don’t worry. I don’t think he’s the sort to betray us. He swore fealty to the king too.”

“I know you have an eye for people, but that guy really isn’t that sort of person.”

　Jize frowned. Although he’d heard that the man had sworn fealty to the king, there probably wasn’t a man in the world more ill fit for that image than Gulland.

“Oh, no. Gulland Rifenin has definitely sworn fealty to the king. He’s surprisingly dutiful.”

　Sivara said with a chuckle when he saw Jize’s expression.

“…Is that so?”

　Jize became thoughtful. But try as he might to imagine Gulland swearing fealty, he just couldn’t do it.

“The king picked him up when his family was killed by monsters. Since then Gulland has worked desperately hard, but after a series of unfortunate events, he ended up where he is today. It can’t be helped if he wants to run away from reality with the help of alcohol.”

“And here I thought he was an arrogant man… Hmm.”

　Jize stroked his chin as he thought to himself.

“Still, is that alright? For the crown prince himself to appear for the reclamation of the western region? Perhaps we should say something.”

　Jize asked as he knit his brows a little.

Gulland’s position was currently being borrowed from Sivara. So if Gulland were to start a war campaign at the Western Region, most of his achievements will be recognized as Sivara’s.

“I don’t plan on participating. Also, there are Kushain Believers and monsters in the south. It would be bad if the both of you left the south,” Sivara said.

　Within the army, the crown prince’s expedition was already being spoken about. It is said that he would be leading adventurers and clans along with his army, totaling to 4,000 soldiers, to invade the south. Moreover, King Ashtal himself wouldn’t be against it.

“Indeed. It might be just as you said. But I will do as the king says,” Jize said.

　Informally, orders requesting their participation also came for Sivara and Jize, but Sivara refused the order, citing the threat of the south as a reason.

“Well, another reason is that it’s a pain…” Sivara said.

“Oh, right. You don’t get along with Valdor-dono.”　Jize wryly smiled.

In response to that, Sivara shook, looking like he’d eaten a fly.

“Isn’t he the very picture of a sober and honest man?” Jize asked.

“You jest! He’s a rock head pretending to be a person! Besides, it’s not just him. All the other holy knights have personality problems too. Seriously, there’s just no end to my hardship,” Sivara replied.

“I see, I see… So, other than me, all the holy knights have personality problems. I see.”

　In a flash, Jize’s curved sword struck out and cut where Sivara’s carefree expression was just a while ago.

“Tch. And there’s this one guy with a terrible habit!” Sivara said.

“Let me share with you an old saying from my hometown. ‘The tongue is the source of all calamities’!” Jize yelled.

　The sight of Sivara happily screaming for his life while Jize chased after him with a devilish expression was a normal thing to the people protecting the south. To them, this was nothing more than rough play between the two.

　They simply looked warmly at them, thinking to themselves, ‘again?’ as the two holy knights played a game of tag with their lives on the line.