After parting ways with Chancellor Savis, I joined Fabian for the usual training.
It was my first training in a while, but I couldn't concentrate because I was still thinking about what Chancellor Savis had called me for.
Despite this, my poetry teacher praised me, saying, "You've finally started to create poems that make sense."
Even Fabian commented, "Fia's poetry is better when she's half-dazed."
I found this hard to accept.
During the chess training, Colonel Desmond, who hadn't shown up in a long time, appeared.
Today really was a day of meeting various people. I wondered what was going on.
Colonel Desmond kept glancing at me while playing chess, but his usual witty remarks were lacking.
He mumbled something incomprehensible and then, as if gathering his courage, asked about Zabiria.
"Fia, you... I hear you have a familiar."
"Yes, I do, but..."
As I said this, I suddenly remembered that I had practiced being mysterious.
It all started with a strategy given to me by Colonel Cyril, who was worried about my transfer to the Fourth Monster Knight Regiment.
The idea was that since imagined things surpass reality, if I maintained a mysterious attitude and made people imagine a stronger familiar than I actually had, I wouldn't be treated roughly in the Fourth Monster Knight Regiment, where the strength of one's familiar determined the hierarchy.
However, putting this into practice was difficult, and when I tried it on Deputy Colonel Gideon of the Fourth Monster Knight Regiment, the opposite effect occurred.
In other words, I made him perceive the strongest monster, the black dragon, as the weakest monster...
Realizing this wasn't working, I practiced being mysterious with the Chancellor and Colonel Cyril.
And the results of that training were...
I glanced at Colonel Desmond and understood that it was time to test the results.
"Well, how do I put it... My familiar is a unique creature... It's kind of black, dragon-like, and regal..."
That's right, to make them imagine something stronger, I should make them think of the Black Dragon King that Zabiria is aiming to become, not just a black dragon. I don't understand the difference, but...
"Fia, Fia! Stop it!! I didn't want to know what kind of familiar you have!! In fact, please be quiet!! Your familiar is so dangerous that my life is in danger!!"
"Huh?"
"I know!! I fully understand that your familiar is the strongest and most terrible monster!!"
Colonel Desmond, who was shouting and holding his hands out in a defensive gesture, seemed genuinely afraid of my familiar.
Is this the result of my mysterious attitude training!?
"Done...!! I've perfected the mysterious attitude!!"
I stood up, placed both hands on the chess table, and trembled with emotion.
Colonel Desmond, on the other hand, was shaking uncontrollably.
"Alright, I'm going back. But, Fia, you have to confirm this for me. I didn't force you to reveal your familiar's true identity, right? I didn't put any pressure on you, right?"
I thought he was talking to me, but Colonel Desmond was looking up at the ceiling.
I wondered what he was doing but decided to agree anyway.
"Yes, that's right."
Colonel Desmond let out a huge sigh of relief and continued talking to the ceiling.
"As you heard, I didn't put any pressure on Fia at all!!"
Faced with the clearly suspicious behavior of Colonel Desmond, I tilted my head in confusion.
...What should I do? I thought it was just Colonel Quentin, but now Colonel Desmond is acting strangely too.
What's happening to these supposedly distinguished and capable regiment commanders?
I was worried about the abnormal behavior spreading among the regiment commanders, but since they were from other regiments, I decided to ignore it.
...It's presumptuous for a mere knight to worry about the regiment commanders, yes, yes.
βββ
In the late afternoon, when Chancellor Savis had some free time, I visited his office with Colonel Cyril.
The Chancellor's office is in a separate dedicated building, but the building, "Black Shield Hall," is surrounded by the buildings of each regiment.
Since the First Knight Regiment's building is next door, I often see the exterior of Black Shield Hall, and I've always wondered, "That building is clearly more luxurious, I wonder what the inside looks like."
I entered the entrance hall with excitement, but when I looked up, I jumped back with a "Hii!"
Colonel Cyril, seeing my shocked silence, smiled as if he understood.
"Fia, this is the first time you've seen this portrait, isn't it? It's of the legendary Great Saint."
...I know.
I saw this face so many times in my previous life that I got tired of it.
When you enter Black Shield Hall, you find yourself in a spacious atrium that spans three floors.
The vast space, both vertically and horizontally, is overwhelming, but what really surprises you is the large portrait hanging on the front wall of the atrium.
A girl in a black dress, with long red hair flowing down to her knees, and a single deep red rose wrapped around her wrist is depicted.
...Wow, it's a battle outfit.
In my previous life, I always wore a black dress when going into battle and had a rose wrapped around my wrist.
This painting accurately represents that, but... the girl in the painting looks so sharp and stern that it's a bit embarrassing.
I unconsciously took a step, then another step back, until my back hit the entrance door.
Colonel Cyril looked at me curiously and tilted his head.
"What's wrong, Fia? Is the portrait of the Great Saint so overwhelming?"
"Well, um, this is the dedicated building of the Chief of the Knights, the pinnacle of the Knight Regiment, right? So, shouldn't there be portraits of famous knights instead of the Great Saint?"
I stammered, voicing the first question that came to mind.
Colonel Cyril said, "Ah..." and looked up at the portrait.
"You have a valid point, but this portrait has been here since 300 years ago."
"300 years... Well, once a portrait is hung, it's hard to find the right time to replace it, isn't it?"
In my previous life, I sealed the Demon King but died young, so I didn't have a long career as the Great Saint.
Perhaps the Great Saints who appeared after my death and lived longer had more impressive lifetime achievements.
If they really wanted to display a portrait of the Great Saint, they could have replaced it with one of them...
As if reading my thoughts, Colonel Cyril continued.
"It's not that it's hard to find the right time to replace it, but rather that it can't be replaced. The first Chief of the Black Dragon Knight Regiment ordered that this portrait should remain here forever."
"......"
In my lifetime, the Black Dragon Knight Regiment didn't exist, so I certainly didn't know the first Chief.
Why was the first Chief of the Black Dragon Knight Regiment so fixated on the Great Saint from 300 years ago...?
"Could he... be a fan?"
The past is often romanticized.
Dying to seal the Demon King could be turned into a beautiful story by a great bard.
"Ah, no, wait. I remember, the history was rewritten..."
...That's right.
The Great Saint was said to have been united with the hero who sealed the Demon King.
This led to the creation of the Nerve royal family by the Great Saint's descendants.
...But, what does that mean?
The Nerve royal family has continued since long before my previous life, and it still continues today.
Was there a desire for a "new royal family" or some kind of fresh start during the Great Saint's time?
To make the new royal family stand out, did they refresh the national flag and the knight regiments?
"Umm..."
I was so confused that I groaned, and Colonel Cyril, worried, asked me.
"Fia, are you okay? Your thoughts have been leaking out as words."
"Huh? Ah, sorry. I'm fine."
I quickly composed myself and smiled.
"...If you feel unwell, please let me know."
Colonel Cyril, still a bit worried, continued talking but accompanied me to the Chancellor's office.