At the Northern Fort

Just as I was nodding off, the One-Eyed Knight called out to me saying, "I'm done".

If he's done work, that meant he was going off for his lunch break, meaning it was time for my one meal of the day.

When I was living at this fort, I received meals in the morning and evening. Now, because I would come to play in the afternoon, they used that time to feed me.

Opening my eyes wide, I jumped down to the floor from the One-Eyed Knight's lap.

Even though I wanted to go to the dining hall immediately, the One-Eyed Knight kept organising the documents on his desk and wouldn't leave the room, so I restlessly paced around his legs as I waited.

Hurry, hurry up!

Apparently when I was in this kind of state, I get a bit too impatient and end up doing things like crashing into doors that hadn't been opened yet, or colliding with people around the corners of the hall. As he was well aware of that, the One-Eyed Knight seized me and picked me up before leaving the room.

I've learned that if it was Tina-san, I can somehow manage to escape her arms, but the One-Eyed Knight has learned how to prevent me from running away. Thus, I gave up on trying to run off on my own and stayed in his arms obediently.

I was so excited for the food that I licked my nose several times.

However, even though my belly was all empty, it seems that we weren't heading directly for the dining hall.

Just as we were about to exit the office, Kix vigorously opened the door without knocking and barged into the room.

His golden hair was faintly dishevelled, and the instant he saw the One-Eyed Knight, he screamed.

"Vice Captain! Is it true that the Branch Captain is going to quit the Knight's Order……!"

For a moment, I was unable to understand his abrupt words.

However, as Kix's voice sounded so serious that it couldn't possibly be interpreted as a joke sunk into my head, I also looked up at the One-Eyed Knight and voiced my concern.

"Quit? Bwanch Captain-san is!?"

As the One-Eyed Knight directed a reproachful gaze towards him, Kix finally realised that I was also in the room.

He let out a momentary, "Ah" and then quickly grew defiant.

"But, Mil's also worried right? You wouldn't like it if Branch Captain disappeared, right?"

"I wouldn't."

I answered loudly.

"Why has it come to this?"

To think that Branch Captain-san would quit.

It looked like he felt that his job was worthwhile, but maybe things were actually different. Becoming a branch captain might've been terribly stressful from all the responsibilities hoisted upon him.

Wait a sec? Goodness, how could I have not realised that until now?

I've barged into Branch Captain-san's office during his precious rest time, forcing him to single-mindedly throw a ball for me before.

Because Branch Captain-san was the best ball-thrower. The One-Eyed Knight sends it flying too far.

Playing with a ball is fun for me, but thinking about it, it probably isn't that fun for the person who has to keep throwing it.

It was probably tough for him to spend his break time accompanying me to endlessly continue repeating the simple action of throwing a ball. It might've made him stressed.

What should I do……as I reflected upon myself, the One-Eyed Knight let out a sigh and said this to Kix.

"Who has been spreading such 'misinformation'?"

"Misinformation? Are you saying it's not true?"

I turned my head and looked at the One-Eyed Knight. Kix also appeared slightly confused.

"But, the one who said he heard Branch Captain and Vice Captain having that conversation was Jeld……."

After learning that the information leak came from himself, the One-Eyed Knight scowled. But, he made this assertion.

"The Branch Captain will not be quitting. Jeld misheard it."

What, so it was just a misunderstanding! -I felt relieved, but then-

"Really?"

Kix questioned doubtfully.

The One-Eyed Knight raised an eyebrow.

"Really."

"But Jeld really did hear the Branch Captain saying something about quitting or not quitting——-ah, I got it!"

Kix then struck the side of his fist against the palm of his other hand.

"Does it mean that he won't be quitting the Knight's Order, but will be quitting as the Branch Captain of this fort?"

My eyes widened with realisation. Kix's intuition for these kinds of things is pretty sharp. Whenever I sneak a bite at the dining hall or sleep on top of the One-Eyed Knight's jacket and end up crumpling it and covering it with drool – basically, when it comes to things that the person in question would want to hide, he'd be the first to notice. I'm sure his guess this time was also on point.

"Bwanch Captain-san is going to disappear from here?"

The One-Eyed Knight looked down at me and made a troubled expression. He hesitated a little before beginning his explanation.

"There have just been some talks about him returning to the main unit in the Capital, but nothing official has been decided as of yet. The person in question wants to continue his duties here, so he won't be disappearing."

He stroked my head as if to say, "Don't worry".

It seemed that the One-Eyed Knight didn't want to speak too much in detail regarding the matter, but Kix pressed him further.

"Jeld said that when the two of you were talking, the name of the Capital's Captain Sarrell came up. Does it have to do with him?"

"I do believe we spoke about that in the Branch Captain's office. It seems that Jeld was eavesdropping with his ear against the door."

Seeing the One-Eyed Knight's right eye glint sharply, Kix flusteredly tried to defend Jeld-san.

"It can't be helped. If I had caught ear of a conversation like that, I would even end up pressing myself up against the door. Isn't it just 'cause we all love and respect the Branch Captain so much?"

Jeld-san was one of the young knights that Kix often talked with. Apparently when the two of them were still fresh recruits in the Capital, they were the same unit.

"If I recall correctly, at the Capital you were under Captain Sarrell's 1st Squad?"

The One-Eyed Knight asked Kix-

"Only when I had just entered the Knight's Order. But as soon as Jeld and I showed a slightly defiant attitude, they sent us over here. He probably doesn't remember me at all. Though I clearly remember him as an unpleasant superior."

Kix made a bitter expression as he responded.

"Did Captain Sarrell's name come out because he's been hoping to be assigned to this fort? In the past, it'd be impossible for that person to want to voluntarily come to a remote region like this, but if it's the current 9th Branch, then Captain Sarrell will also probably be interested as well……"

Kix then glanced at me as he continued.

"Ah, I see! So there's been discussions about having Captain Sarrell come here in exchange for the Branch Captain returning to the Capital."

The One-Eyed Knight made a complicated expression as he listened to Kix's monologue. His expression seemed to ask why Kix's brain was so sharp at times like these.

Apparently, Kix had drawn the right conclusion.

On the other hand, I dug as far as I could into my memories. Previously, I had them teach me about the main branch that was located in the Capital.

Putting aside important information such as, [If I play in the mud, I will be forced to go into the bath] or, [There is a stock of jerky in the dining hall kitchen's shelves], I dragged out my knowledge of the Knight's Order.

While the main branch in the Capital also had several squads, similar to the 9th Branch here, the scale was different, with each squad being composed of a larger number of people.

A single squad in the Capital had about the same number of people as the number of members that made up the 9th Branch itself. In terms of rank, a captain in the Capital would be at the same rank as a branch captain in the remote regions.

The Captain Sarrell of the 1st Squad that Kix and the One-Eyed Knight were talking about was one of the captains from the main branch. He was a considerable big-wig.

And it seems that he wanted to become the Branch Captain of the Northern Fort.

Being assigned to the Northern Fort, which was situated in a remote region that had harsh environmental conditions, should be like being demoted, but for some reason this Captain Sarrell-san wanted to come here.

I wonder if he's an ambitious and strong person like Branch Captain-san or Tina-san, who came here to improve themselves. But, Kix showed too much of a dislike for him if he was actually a person like that.

"I dunno if I should say he's sharp-sighted or just ambitious. That person really hasn't changed at all."

The One-Eyed Knight agreed with Kix's scathing words without showing any signs of rebuttal as he responded.

"In any case, at the present time there isn't anything I can tell you guys. Nothing has been decided yet after all. Absolutely do not let this leak to the others. Tell Jeld that as well."

And then, I went with the One-Eyed Knight and Kix to the dining hall, but I was so worried about Branch Captain-san that I couldn't really taste the meal.