I, reincarnate as the leader of the villainous knight order

Chapter 88: Settlement for the Dwarves

Come to think of it, I was planning to mention this beforehand, but with the discussion about Ernest dragging on, I haven’t reported it to His Majesty yet. If I let this slide, it might end up being postponed indefinitely, so I’ll just say it now.

“Your Majesty, I have another report aside from the monster incident.”

“Another report, you say?” His Majesty’s eyebrows twitched slightly at the mention of something separate from the monster incident. He must have realized that he hadn’t received any reports about the dragon search since returning to the capital. There wasn’t even time to talk about such matters given the priorities.

“Oh, does this mean we can expect some good news?”

“Yes. I’ve made contact with Jest’s mother and formed a familiar contract.”

“What! Not only cooperation, but a familiar contract too? Incredible!”

Once again, murmurs spread through the audience. Even when Jest formed a familiar contract, there was quite a stir, so it’s understandable.

“And also… a few, or perhaps even dozens, of dwarves, including Jest’s mother, are considering settling in the capital.”

“Huh?”

The only one who managed to speak was His Majesty; the others seemed utterly speechless, perhaps because they didn’t anticipate such news.

“Well, consider this: if the resurrection of the evil god is imminent, we’ll need to strengthen our weapons. They would be a great help. Now, about housing…”

“W-wait a minute! Jest’s mother and a group of dwarves living in the capital? That’s unheard of…”

It’s the first time I’ve seen His Majesty so flustered. I’m already accustomed to dealing with the dwarves, so my senses are numbed, but yes, it’s quite surprising.

“If the dwarves are coming, we’ll need to expand the workshop. As for housing, there’s space on the Third Knights’ grounds. We can just enlarge the planned area. And since the Third Knights are closer to the workshop, there’s no need to transport the dwarves by carriage every day, right? As for the apprentices, we can increase the personnel in the Third Knights and have them take turns in the capital for care. I doubt anyone would oppose that after the recent event.”

The King’s words make perfect sense, shutting down any objections before they can arise. I wanted to say that it would be best if the dwarves lived in the palace and were chauffeured here daily, but I can’t refuse a royal command. As for the apprentices, if we increase personnel, we can use those on rehabilitation duty as caretakers or mentors.

“Rest assured, dividing living quarters is easy. Although Jest’s mother is a dragon, it wouldn’t be appropriate for her to live in the current accommodations. It’s better for her to be nearby. And forging bonds with skilled craftsmen who know about balance and movement is beneficial for the apprentices. Meeting such high-level craftsmen is a blessing in itself.”

The King’s points are valid, hitting the nail on the head. He’s so logical that there’s no room for debate. Orel already looks resigned to the situation.

“As Your Majesty commands.”

Afterwards, it was a boring briefing that would have put Jest to sleep if he were present, and we were finally released just before noon. Before Ernest, who seemed unwilling to give up on joining the Third Knights, could catch up with us, Orel and I left the royal castle promptly. Since I was on foot, Orel walked alongside me, leading the horse by the reins.

“I never thought… that the Crown Prince would want to join the Third Knights.”

“Yeah, I couldn’t believe my ears either. But in terms of fighting against monsters, he’s more than capable, equivalent to the elite forces of the Third Knights… but I’d rather not have him join.”

“Especially since Saint-sama mentioned she wanted to train with the Third once we return from the expedition. If we accept the Crown Prince as well, it’ll definitely be troublesome, don’t you think?”

“Ah… that’s right, the Saint did say she wanted to train there. We’re in a hurry, so we should arrive in the capital the day after tomorrow, right? We’ll need to increase the Third’s personnel, and once the rest day is over, it’s going to be busy one way or another… sigh…”

“That’s true, but… for now, let’s fully enjoy this brief respite.”

We turned our backs on the troubles and returned to our quarters, discussing what to do during our break.