I, reincarnate as the leader of the villainous knight order

Chapter 94: Like a Cake, They Said

As I arrived at the dormitory from the workshop, I heard the sound of horses and a carriage approaching.

When I turned around, I saw a carriage belonging to the temple and the holy knights, led by the First Knight Order. The carriage seemed oddly dirty, perhaps due to rain along the way.

“Eleanor and the others have arrived in the capital! Ah, look, Eleanor is waving! Welcome back!”

Jest pointed to the saintess who was waving cheerfully from the carriage window. Jest, who was waving back energetically, was a heartwarming sight.

“Even so, calling them to the royal castle immediately after their arrival is a bit much. They should at least be allowed to rest for a day.”

While they probably had preparations for their audience, making them do it right after a long journey seemed harsh. It was likely to show the good relationship between the royal family and the grand temple, but it seemed unfair to the holy knights, even if the saintess appeared lively. Axel, the captain of the holy knights, passed by with a wry smile, perhaps noticing my sympathetic gaze.

“Come on, let’s show off the sword made with Jest’s scales to the guys training hard.”

“Yes! When my scales fall off next, you can use them for Simon’s sword too.”

“Jest, you really seem to like Simon.”

“Simon always plays with me! And I like Simon’s shoulder rides almost as much as Justin’s piggybacks.”

Apparently, Simon was like a big friend to Jest. Or maybe a small friend, considering Jest’s true form? As we headed to the training ground, I heard the sound of wooden swords clashing.

“Hey! Your torso is wide open!”

“Your stance is too weak! Even swords that should reach won’t hit like that!”

“You still haven’t fixed that habit of dodging to the left!”

The ones energetically instructing were my subordinates. Because I drag them around a lot, they inevitably get more experience and improve their skills compared to other squads.

“Alright! Fifteen-minute break!”

With Orel’s command, some sat down on the spot while others collapsed entirely. Those who fell over were seriously lacking in stamina. I should make them run more. While I was thinking about that, some of them noticed Jest and me and came over.

“Captain! You went to get a sword made with Jest’s scales, right!? Is that it?”

Cassius was the first to approach. When he mentioned the sword made with Jest’s scales, everyone else gathered around. After all, a sword made from dragon materials is a dream for any swordsman.

“Yeah, thanks to my contract with Jest, it channels magic power incredibly well.”

As I drew the sword from its sheath, everyone around me gasped in awe. Honestly, I was glad they brought it up because I wanted to show it off.

“Wow, the slight bluish tint must be from Jest’s scales. It’s beautiful.”

Asil, a squire from Elliot’s unit, said dreamily. Hehe, that’s right. Let’s show them something even better. When I channeled magic power into the sword, its blade gleamed brighter, and my subordinates looked at it with pure admiration.

“It’s already very sharp in its normal state, but when you channel magic, it can cut through an armored dummy like a cake. The saintess and her group just arrived in the capital, and it seems like Jest’s mother and the dwarves are on their way here too. If you prove your skills to the dwarves, they might forge swords for you as well.”

My subordinates erupted in cheers.

“Like a cake, huh? I’ve never eaten one, so I can’t quite imagine what it’s like.”

As the cheers subsided, someone murmured.

“I’ve had the pancakes the captain made, but the cakes sold in shops are much thicker, right? I wonder which is softer.”

Simon, glancing at me, said this in response to someone else’s comment. Making enough cake for everyone here would be impossible. But my subordinates and Jest were looking at me with expectant eyes.

“…Alright, I’ll order cakes for everyone from a patisserie in the noble district later. It’s a reward for your hard work during the recent monster incident.”

Once again, cheers echoed through the training ground. Was it just my imagination, or were these cheers even more enthusiastic than before?

Most of the people here either support their families with their pay or spend extravagantly in the red-light district, so they probably can’t afford luxuries like sweets. Jest was also high-fiving with Simon and the others, looking pleased.

Satisfied with showing off my new sword, I decided to head to the patisserie with my beloved horse, Eleanor. Jest had suggested it, saying Eleanor seemed lonely. It seemed Jest wanted to let the two of us have some time alone (?), so he decided to stay behind at the training ground.

“It feels like it’s been a while since I went out alone with Eleanor. We used to occasionally go for long runs as part of training, but I’ve been so busy lately.”

When I gently patted her neck, Eleanor seemed to be in a good mood. It was probably true that she had been feeling lonely.

I tied Eleanor up beside the shop and went into the patisserie. Since I was here, I decided to enter a famous shop, but because it was also a café, the stares from the noblewomen were a bit uncomfortable.

Considering there are fifty of us, including my subordinates, plus Jest and… the cooks who worked tirelessly in shifts during the recent commotion, I should get some for them too. And the three clerks have also had their workload skyrocket with the monster material processing, so they deserve some appreciation as well.

“Welcome, may I take your order?”

“Ah… let’s see, fifty-nine pieces… no, seven whole and three slices of strawberry cakes. Can you deliver them to the Third Knight Order’s dining hall by noon tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow? That won’t be a problem. The Third Knight Order… the Third Knight Order!? Ah, I-I apologize… I’ll make sure they’re delivered by tomorrow noon. Please fill out this reservation form.”

I filled out the reservation form, paid the fee, and left the shop. Tomorrow, they’ll get to experience cutting the cakes and the pressure of making sure they’re evenly sliced. Riding on Eleanor, I grinned inwardly as I headed back to the dormitory.