Chapter 57 The Knight’s Report
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”That concludes today’s training! Dismissed! Get some rest!”
I gave the command, signaling the end of the day. The men of the subjugation squad¹ practically bolted, their faces screaming finally as they hurried back to the barracks. It was a stark contrast to the women, who took their time, strolling back in small groups while chatting.
I suppose the men just couldn’t wait for their session with the massage maids. Honestly, men can be so pathetic-though I suppose the crown is just as bad for exploiting that weakness. Then again, I’m hardly one to talk; our own knight faction is doing the exact same thing as Her Highness the Princess by sending in our own maids.
Amidst the departing crowd, the Hero stayed behind. He approached me with a look that suggested he had something on his mind.
”Sir Knight. I have a few questions regarding the training,” the Hero said.
”Of course, what can I do for you?” I replied.
I answered him with a polite mask, though internally I was sighing. If you want to have a conversation, look me in the eye, not at my chest. I kept my irritation tucked away, however. I didn’t want to incur the Hero’s displeasure over something as trivial as a wandering gaze.
According to the reports from the maids, this Hero is utterly obsessed with large breasts. If that’s true, his eventual reward for slaying the Demon King might be a different woman entirely, rather than the First Princess. Perhaps I should start positioning some of our more well-endowed royals closer to him? It’s a thought I should probably share with the Commander’s wife. Bringing it up to the Commander himself would be a bit too awkward.
”I think the frequency of magic training is far too low,” the Hero said. “At this rate, it’ll take forever to get the hang of it. We should be training more.”
So, he was questioning the curriculum? I understood his point, but he was asking for the impossible. Or perhaps, after only two days, he was already bored of following our instructions?
”Unfortunately, the number of times you can use magic is dictated by your individual mana capacity,” I explained. “It isn’t that we’ve set the frequency low; it’s simply the limit of what you and your party can currently handle.”
”I’m aware of that, but I’ve heard the castle keeps a stock of mana recovery potions²,” the Hero said. “If we used those, couldn’t we train more?”
…I wonder which idiot let that slip. I can only hope it wasn’t someone from our faction. The Hero clearly doesn’t understand the true value of those draughts-they aren’t something you just waste on practice.
”I’m afraid mana recovery potions are in short supply and aren’t something to be used for training,” I said. “It would be a disaster if we ran out during actual combat because we exhausted them during practice.”
”But isn’t this all for the fight against the Demon King?” the Hero asked. “To ensure a swift victory, shouldn’t we secure as many as possible by any means? Can’t we purchase them from other countries?”
He seemed to think our budget was bottomless. If we spent like that, the people’s livelihoods would collapse. Besides, it’s not like other countries are just sitting on mountains of the stuff; they treat it as a vital military asset, just like we do.
”The primary ingredient for those potions is mana grass³, which is found near the Demon King’s territory,” I said, deciding to push the official excuse. “Since it can’t be harvested easily, no country has a significant amount.”
In fact, since mana grass can only be picked in the Demon King’s territory, the number of people who can harvest it is limited, so there’s no lie in saying we can’t secure the volume. We previously tried to see if we could cultivate mana grass in our country, but we only managed to produce terrible weeds that were incredibly bitter and only recovered a tiny amount. If he insists, I’ll try making him drink those failures. He’ll regret having a sense of taste in an instant.
”I see. That’s a shame,” the Hero said, backing off surprisingly quickly. “I truly wanted to defeat the Demon King even a little sooner…”
Oh, he gave up just like that? Interesting.
”However, besides the potions, I really should learn more about this world in detail,” the Hero said. “Sir Knight, if you’re free tonight… perhaps you could tell me more over a quiet talk?”
Ah, so the invitation for the night was the main point. Again, I wished he’d stop staring at my cleavage while trying to sound smooth. At least have the decency to look me in the eye when you’re hitting on me.
However, putting aside what happens after the Demon King is defeated, bearing a child for the current Hero wouldn’t yield much in the way of mana capacity, so that’s not an option. I could sleep with him now just to get on his good side, but I don’t know if he’s the type to stay loyal. And if the s*x is as mediocre as the maids claimed… well, I’m just not feeling it.
”I’m sorry, but I have preparations for tomorrow and reports to my superiors after this,” I said. “Until the Demon King is defeated, I’m inevitably busy. But after the war is won, if you still desire my company, I would be more than happy to talk as much as you like.”
”Then please, let’s do that once the Demon King is gone,” the Hero said. “For your sake, I’ll make sure he’s defeated as quickly as possible.”
Well, he took the bait. I expected him to push back since the “learning about the world” excuse wouldn’t work after the war, but he seemed satisfied. With this, if I can secure a child with him after the victory, I can retire from the knighthood with a massive subsidy and a guaranteed future.
* * *
With the Hero finally gone, I headed up to report to the Knight Order Commander. When I entered the office, his wife was sitting right there beside him. She’s a former knight herself, but she’s been retired for years. I wondered what brought her in today.
”Oh, you’re back,” the Commander said. “How did it go today?”
”Sir. Reporting for the day-” I said.
I gave him the rundown. Since it was only day two, there wasn’t much to say-just that we were on schedule and that the existence of the mana potions had been leaked. The Commander nodded along, though his brow furrowed at the mention of the leak. He didn’t seem to have much else to say.
Once I finished the official report, the wife spoke up.
”So, how was that massage you got today?” the wife asked. “Since Her Highness is keeping him all to herself, did something happen?”
”Ah, the masseur?” I replied.
So that was why she was lurking. I should have known. She’d wanted to go herself, but since she’s the wife of the Knight Order Commander from a different faction, the political optics would have been too much. So the task was passed to me. She must be dying of curiosity.
”I managed to slip away during a break to see him, but I think he’s just a very talented professional. He only worked on my shoulders, so I don’t know the details,” I said.
”Just your shoulders?” the Commander asked. “There was nothing else?”
”Sir. I checked with the maids who went after me, and they all reported the same. Just a shoulder rub,” I said.
The Commander hummed, deep in thought. “Hmm… would Her Highness really go to the trouble of sequestering a man in the girls’ dorm just for that?”
”I still think he’s a decoy,” I offered. “Even if she’s ‘keeping’ him, I was able to meet him quite easily.”
”Then the real prize is the tailor?” the Commander mused. “We can’t get anyone from our faction near that one, and we don’t even hear what they’re doing.”
Unlike the masseur, who was basically running a public clinic, or the chef, who was rubbing elbows with every faction, no news has come regarding the tailor. They were definitely hiding something there.
”How was the security?” the Commander asked. “Were there any guards?”
”A lady-in-waiting and a single maid,” I said. “Both showed signs of combat training, but their mana levels were unremarkable. The lady was typical nobility; the maid was a commoner. They’re unreliable as guards to protect an important person.”
”Then there’s no mistake-this one is a decoy,” the Commander said. “We have to find a way to get close to that tailor…”
While the Commander was lost in thought, the wife leaned in again.
”But how did the massage actually feel?” the wife asked. “Did it fix your stiff shoulders?”
”It did. My shoulders feel brand new, and it’s even made my sword swings feel more fluid,” I said. “That said, I’m sure our own massage maids could do something of the same level.”
Our maids are professionals, after all. I’d never actually used one, but I assumed they were in the same league.
”Is that so?” the wife sighed. “My shoulders are killing me, and I was thinking of going if they’d do it for free.”
”Absolutely not,” the Commander snapped. “I’m not letting you go to some masseur under the Princess’s protection. I’ll call a massage maid for you.”
A stop was put in by the Commander. Honestly, I feel like the reason he’s stopping her is just that he hates the idea of another man touching his wife, and he doesn’t care about the politics. He’s just making up reasons because it’s hard to say that directly. The wife caught it too, crossing her arms under her breasts in a huffy, exaggerated pout.
”You know, it’s your fault they’ve gotten so heavy that my shoulders hurt,” the wife teased. “If you’re going to stop me from going, then maybe you should be the one to rub them.”
”Hmph… if that’s what you want, I suppose I could do it,” the Commander muttered.
Good grief. Please don’t flirt in front of me. I’m a single subordinate just standing here. Can I please just go home now?
—
Author:
Massage Maid: “You think we’re on the same level as someone with a Job Skill⁴? Not a chance in hell.”
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Summary:
A female knight reports on the Hero’s training and his attempt to solicit her for a ‘private meeting.’ She later meets with the Knight Order Commander to discuss the political implications of the new masseur and tailor protected by the Princess. The chapter ends with a humorous domestic scene between the Commander and his wife.
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Trivia:
- The Hero’s primary motivation for fighting seems to be s*xual rewards.
- Mana recovery potions are high-value military assets, not common items.
- The Knight faction is actively trying to counter the Princess’s influence by sending in their own maids.
- There is a mysterious tailor who is under even tighter security than the masseur.
- The Commander’s wife is a former knight, implying she still has significant influence and insight
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Character Insight:
The Knight narrator is highly pragmatic, viewing a potential relationship with the Hero primarily as a retirement plan (subsidy and status) rather than a romantic endeavor. The Commander is revealed to be possessive of his wife, masking his jealousy with political excuses.
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Behind the Scenes:
The author uses the ‘Massage Maid’ end-quote to emphasize the gap between common professional skills and ‘JobSkills’ granted by the world system.
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TL Notes:
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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