Chevalier-sama! The situation at the castle seems strange somewhat."
As if mowing down my melancholy, combat maid Erina who rushed to the entrance hall was being noisy.
"What kind of strange?"
"There's a lot of knights-sama going in and out. Moreover, it's strange that they are galloping horses even though it's inside the castle walls."
Fumu, I open the map to see if there's a large outbreak of monsters in the Royal Capital, but nothing like that is happening.
After looking at the flow of the knights at the garrison, there are only people from three knight orders that are frequently going in and out.
I wonder what's happened.
There are a lot of people who seem to know about it, but there are only a few who would tell military matter to Satou.
The king and the prime minister seem busy too, I guess curious Nanashi will go visit them later at midnight.
I asked Erina to tell me if she learned what happened, and then I went to the kitchen alone.
I've decided to prepare a mountain of whale karages and various cakes so Lady Karina can binge eat and divert her attention at least.
This mansion has heat-retaining warehouse and refrigerator magic tools, so she can just take them out whenever she wants to eat.
◇
An unexpected guest waited for us who had gone back to our mansion.
"I'm sorry that I kept you waiting."
"What, do not mind it. It was I who came without announcing first."
Julberg-shi who's wearing the white armor of holy knights composedly replies.
The people in the parlor are me, Liza, Julberg-shi, and the third seat of Shiga Eight Swords, Heim-shi the [Weed] whom I've just met for the first time.
Heim-shi is investigating Liza's strength, he's been sending probing glances toward her since awhile ago. If Liza were of the same race, she would have won sekuhara appeal.
By the way, Heim-shi's armor is also the white armor of holy knights, but it's been devilishly remodeled to the point that you wouldn't believe they're the same model. At least please stop adding those meaningless horns on the shoulders.
"Let's get to the point, what kind of business do you have?"
"Umu, there's going to be a banquet where Shiga Eight Swords gather tomorrow night in my mansion. His Majesty has granted me the good Oumi beef, so I'm thinking of treating everyone."
--The beef from the official farm we ate back then were delicious.
Besides me, Liza's face looks composed, but her presence feels like her heart has been captivated with the meat.
"I have invited other candidates of Shiga Eight Swords too. I want you two to come by all means."
It seems the candidates are Jeril who's a Mithril explorer like us, and five other people.
We couldn't exactly decline an invitation from the first seat of Shiga Eight Swords after all, so we accepted too.
There's a simple arena at Julberg-shi's mansion, so we have to make sure not to equip weapons in visible places in order to avoid fight.
I brought up the matter of the knights from Erina during our idle talk, but they only told me that it was a national defense secret.
--In other words, there's a situation that affects the safety of the nation huh?