After concluding his discussion with Frenn, Elias made his way to Noque’s chamber. Upon requesting a brief audience, Noque gave a nod of acknowledgment.
“You wish to discuss the future, I presume?”
“Yes, I wished to confirm how I am to proceed.”
“…As the lord of this fortress, my preference would be for you to continue training the knights and serving here. However, I suspect your intentions lie elsewhere.”
“If that is the directive given to me, I shall comply.”
At Elias’s composed response, Noque let out a quiet sigh.
“…You are already aware, are you not? The reason you were stationed here was by the will of a certain individual.”
“Yes.”
“By assigning you to a rear support role as a Holy Knight, they sought to obstruct your advancement. To be sure, one could still accrue some degree of merit from serving here, yet compared to those who fight on the front lines, such achievements would be insignificant.”
Noque cast a sidelong glance at Elias before continuing.
“Ultimately, the maneuver was designed to keep you from rising further.”
“I had surmised as much upon my arrival.”
“…And so, what do you intend to do now? The subjugation of the Elder Beast has brought you merit. Should you leverage this, you might secure reassignment to a frontline fortress—or perhaps even another opportunity entirely—”
“I have no intention of making such a request.”
At this unexpected declaration, Noque furrowed his brows.
“You mean to remain here?”
“Since my arrival in the North, I have found a purpose worth pursuing. To accomplish it, I shall require a degree of influence as a Holy Knight. Yet, were I to recklessly chase after such authority, I would inevitably draw opposition. The North is a land perpetually at war with monsters; if discord were to take root here, it would hinder our ability to fight. That is an outcome I wish to avoid.”
“I see… In that case, you will be left with little opportunity to accrue further achievements before the next battle. If you truly seek influence, should you not place yourself in a more favorable position?”
“I have yet to grasp the full extent of Northern affairs. Acting prematurely would only serve to multiply my adversaries. Rushing forward would be to my detriment; for now, I believe it best to adhere to my given duties.”
“So your first priority is to avoid making enemies.”
Noque locked eyes with Elias.
“You came here today to ascertain whether I am friend or foe, did you not?”
“I do not believe you would seek to expel me.”
“Indeed. Moreover, those who orchestrated your posting here would be reluctant to act against you now that your name has begun to spread. Still… does it not trouble you to know who had a hand in your assignment?”
“If I were to probe into that matter, it would only bring unnecessary complications. I would rather feign ignorance.”
“Hah! Is that so…?” Noque chuckled before leaning forward, folding his hands atop the desk. “As for me, I wish to improve the capabilities of this fortress.”
“To enhance its functions?”
“After the attack by the Crimson Wolves, the North has been stirred into vigilance… To be frank, I had never considered the possibility of a high-risk monster making its way to this fortress, which serves only as a rear support base.”
“The absence of monsters here is a testament to successful frontier development. It is only natural that you believed as you did.”
“Perhaps. But the undeniable truth is that the impossible has now occurred. Had you not been here when the monster struck on your first day, the situation might have spiraled into disaster.”
Noque paused for a moment before continuing.
“…This fortress was built to provide logistical support. That has always been its role. However, should it be breached, there will be nothing left to hold the monsters back. The villages and towns beyond would be left defenseless.”
“In other words, this fortress is the final defensive line.”
“Precisely. This ordeal has made that clear to me. To treat it merely as a base for support is no longer sufficient. We must be prepared to fight.”
Elias could tell that the recent events had profoundly altered Noque’s outlook.
“I am no frontline warrior,” Noque admitted. “Even if monsters were to attack, I would be of little use in battle. When my men were thrown into disarray at the first sign of an attack, I realized the bitter truth—I had been complacent. We are knights, sworn to stand against the monstrous threats of this land, and yet, we could not even muster the will to raise our blades. This failure must be rectified.”
“And in that effort, I am to…?”
“As the commander of this fortress, I technically take orders from the very people who placed you here. However, they do not interfere in my management of the garrison. Your work within this fortress should remain unchallenged.”
Then, Noque issued his decree.
“I can evaluate your contributions. Furthermore, I shall turn a blind eye to your activities here. Beyond that, however, my influence is limited.”
“That is more than enough. I am grateful.”
Noque, too, sought change in the face of crisis. Elias recognized this and offered his sincere thanks.