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Chapter 278 The Zero Knight Order ②
Part 2
“Even my “Master (Shisho)” wants to meet Cry-chan~! Will you go~?” (Liz)
“Good girl, good girl, Liz is great…… Good, good, good” (Cry)
“No-Nothing is going good, Master~……” (Tino)
The way he is completely unfazed despite the black-haired girl being pulled back. His calm smile and dry voice――There is no doubt about it.
This Cry Andrich――He is not listening at all!
And he expresses with his whole body gestures that he is not listening to what she said. Not even the sliest noblemen and merchants would behave in this manner. In fact, there is no need for them to do so.
Is this――Is this the peculiarity of a Level 8!?
This unmotivated attitude that seemed so familiar to him――And Liz being unfazed by such a situation wasn’t something that could be developed overnight.
I want to know. This power is in a completely different dimension, different from any other Imperial teaching the Empire had taught me. And with this skill, I am sure I will be able to climb to even greater heights.
I want to know. The secret of this power! If I stay close to him, will I be able to understand the nature of this power? Can I make it my own?
Cry, who is stroking Liz while completely abandoning his thoughts, looks like a big-shot.
And there, for the first time, Cry’s eyes looked at Hugh. He looked at Hugh while blinking slowly for a while, and eventually nodded heavily and said to Liz.
“Good, good, good, Liz…………. Go back to where you should be.” (Cry)
“Eeeeh~, Cry-chan, what about my Curse?” (Liz)
“Good girl, good girl……” (Cry)
“What about my “Master (Shisho)”?” (Liz)
“………… Gooood girl!” (Cry)
Even though it doesn’t look like they are communicating at all, Liz releases her body that was clinging tightly to him and makes some space.  Cry smiled nihilistically and crossed his legs in a somewhat grand manner.
At that moment, a deep respect filled my heart. My body naturally straightened its posture, I put my palms on the floor, and lowered my head.
“Cry-san, make me――Make me your disciple, please.” (Hugh)
“Aaah, a disciple, a disciple, huh. Un, un, that’s right………… Eh?” (Cry)
Hugh, who had forgotten to give his name and his dignity, got down on his knees and did a dogeza, and then 《Infinite Variety (Senpen Banka)》 gave the dumbest voice ever.
§　§　§
How in the world did this happen? Looking down at the young knight bowing deeply, I simply blinked, as if trying to escape from reality.
It has been a long time since I came to this Imperial Capital, and I have been asked by many people to take them as disciples several times, but this is the first time I have been asked by a knight on his knees and whose name I don’t even know.
Moreover, I didn’t do anything special this time.  I couldn’t hide my confusion, and when I was *kyorokyoro* looking around, I saw Tino, who came with Liz. Tino, who was as confused as I was, hurriedly raised her voice in a panic.
“As-As expected of Master~…… To have a proud knight of the Zero Knight Order kneel on the ground without doing anything…… As expected…… Of a Level 8……” (Tino)
Rather than praising me, wouldn’t it be better to question this person’s sanity……?  It is also possible that Liz hit him too hard on the head when she grabbed him and brought him in.
However, for some reason, Liz seemed to be proud of herself. She was as bright as ever, even though she just made a knight unconscious for no good reason.
For the time being, I leave the knight, whose name I don’t know, on his knees, and deal with Liz.
“Like I said earlier, Luke’s accident was just a coincidence. The staff I gave Lucia was just on a whim…… So, it would be problematic even if you say 『I want one too』. No matter what I do, I can’t give you what I don’t have.” (Cry)
Apparently, Liz heard about Luke’s incident and thought it was unfair that I was only taking care of Luke-chan and not her. Seriously, how old are you?
For now, calm down. Everything that you are saying is wrong.
It was just a coincidence that I gave Luke a Magic Sword, okay, it wasn’t his reward in the first place, okay, what I gave to Lucia wasn’t a Cursed Item, okay, and by the way, it wasn’t my plan to suddenly put a knight unconscious!!
There are so many tsukkomi that I am already tired. Then again, why are you looking for trouble so much? Where is that vitality coming from even though you just had a terrible experience at the Supreme Martial Arts Festival?
Every time Liz rampages, Franz-san gets a headache, but do you understand that?
My argument, however, did not change Liz’s expression. Her well-shaped pair of eyes were shining with anticipation. She thinks I will bring her trouble again. It was an unpleasant trust she had in me.
I am sure that Luke’s incident has raised her expectations of it. I know because we have known each other since childhood. It is useless to speak with Liz when she is like this.
When I reached out my hand with a peaceful feeling, I *gachigachi* stroked her head while hoping for her memory to disappear.
“Good, good, good, Liz-chan, good, good, good.” (Cry)
“Nghhhh~……” (Liz)
Seriously, I am being falsely accused. I know that Liz beating up this knight guy is going to end up being my fault anyway…… I know, you know.
Tino looked at her Onee-sama and me with red cheeks. And then the key knight staggered to his feet, widened his eyes to the limit, and said while trembling with emotion.
“A…… Amazing………… So this is a Level 8 technique…… The art of seizing people’s hearts.” (Hugh)
“…… Somehow, the people around me are just all weird.” (Cry)
“………… I-I will refrain from commenting on this matter, Master~.” (Tino)
Where does it look like I am in control? If there is such a thing as a way to control Liz, I would like to know it myself.
I unexpectedly sighed after feeling tired. As to how this young man took my sigh, he straightened his back and saluted with a dignified expression that would make a woman swoon just by looking at him.
“Sorry for my late introduction, I am Hugh LeGrand, a member of the Zero Knights Order. By order of “Franz-Dancho (Commander Franz)”, I will now be under your command. I am at your service!” (Hugh)
This is surprising………… I haven’t heard anything about this. Or rather, isn’t it strange that a member of the Knight Order would come under my command? I heard stories about them investigating together as collaborators, but how come a member of an official Knight Order be under my command?
And even if you take a proper attitude now, you won’t take back the points you lost earlier. I won’t say anything because it is possible that he became like that because Liz punched him too hard.
Hugh did not change his expression even under my suspicious gaze. If it were me, I would have turned away my gaze under the pressure, but as expected of an elite knight.
Hmph…… Well, Franz-san……. You’re going to make me work for you, aren’t you? He is underestimating me. Has he not heard that incompetent hard workers are the most troublesome thing of all?
No one will understand, but things have never happened because I wished for it!
I crossed my arms, *tonton* tapped my elbows with my fingertips, and said with a badass smile.
“………… I see, alright. Well then, for the time being, should I ask you to find a Cursed Item to give to Liz?” (Cry)