Confronting the Knights

With his plan now in motion, Elias sought approval from Noque to conduct a survey of the area surrounding the fortress.

There were two objectives for this mission. The first was to confirm whether any monsters were present, the primary reason for the survey. The second, however, was to foster interaction and build rapport with the knights stationed at Noque’s fortress.

A “knight” in this region did not always mean a mounted warrior. Unlike the conventional image of knights riding gallantly on horseback, those engaged in the northern frontier rarely rode steeds. Horses were more commonly used for transporting supplies than for combat. When fighting monsters, the terrain often consisted of rugged slopes and dense forests, making mounted combat impractical.

Thus, the real distinction between knights and ordinary soldiers lay in their training and equipment.

Elias led the group down the mountainside at a deliberate pace, carefully scanning his surroundings for any disturbances. His measured approach allowed those accompanying him to follow without issue.

For this mission, Elias had chosen two knights—one man and one woman. The selection had been deliberate.

“Seems clear. How about you two?” Elias inquired, glancing back at his companions.

The knights both shook their heads. It was the male knight who spoke first.

“There are traces of wildlife, but no signs of monsters.”

His voice was composed and precise, reflecting his meticulous demeanor. He had smooth, chestnut-brown hair and a calm, expressionless face. His tone was neutral, almost detached, as he relayed his observations.

“The tracks belong to small animals. It seems that as human presence has expanded, larger beasts have retreated deeper into the wilds.”

“I see… Once we return, we should check past reports on monster sightings.”

“The last recorded sighting was three months ago,” the knight responded.

“Oh? You checked the records in advance?” Elias raised an eyebrow.

“I reviewed the documentation before this mission,” the knight stated matter-of-factly.

“Impressive,” Elias remarked, nodding in approval. Then, he posed another question.

“What kind of monster was spotted three months ago?”

“A creature resembling a rabbit. It was not aggressive toward humans, so it was classified as non-threatening.”

“Got it. Thanks.”

“Um… is there really a chance that monsters could be nearby?” the female knight asked.

She had striking red hair, loosely tied back in a casual bun. Though she addressed Elias with proper etiquette, her tone was more relaxed compared to her colleague’s.

“We’re conducting this survey because we suspect the presence of monsters following the appearance of the Red Wolf,” she continued.

“More precisely,” Elias clarified, “we’re checking whether that incident led to any shifts in monster activity or any changes in the flow of miasma.”

Both knights turned their attention to him.

“Powerful monsters continuously emit miasma. Normally, when a monster is slain, its miasma fades. However, in rare cases, residual miasma lingers.”

“How does that happen?” the female knight pressed.

“For example, if the lingering miasma settles in an area prone to accumulation, it may persist for an extended period.”

“So if it lingers, it could cause problems?”

“Exactly. When new lands are opened for settlement, areas with stagnant miasma are typically purified. However, if a powerful monster’s miasma interferes with that purification, it may render the treatment ineffective.”

“You seem quite knowledgeable about this,” the male knight noted.

“I’ve spent over twenty years fighting monsters. This is standard knowledge in the East. The specifics might differ, but I doubt the fundamental nature of monsters changes drastically between the North and East. This information should be applicable here as well.”

Even as he spoke, Elias remained vigilant, continuing to scan the surroundings. Unlike usual, Frenn was not present on this mission.

The reason Elias had specifically chosen these two knights was straightforward—he needed capable fighters.

If they were to confront high-risk monsters in the future, Elias would need allies among the fortress knights. It was essential to identify those who had the potential to fight alongside him.

Among those he had observed, these two had caught his attention.

The male knight was named Luke.
The female knight was named Reina.

Ideally, he had hoped to encounter a monster to gauge their combat skills in a live scenario—but…

(Of course, things rarely go that conveniently.)

It was an expected outcome, so Elias mentally adjusted his approach.

“I understand your skepticism,” he told them, “but for now, let’s continue. The possibility of monster activity isn’t zero.”

Luke and Reina both nodded.

Though their personalities and speech differed, they both seemed diligent and committed to their duty.

(For now, I’ll keep the conversation going and observe them.)

“How long have you two been stationed at the fortress?” Elias asked, shifting the topic.

This was an opportunity to assess how they would respond when the conversation turned away from their mission.

“This is my second year,” Luke answered first.

“I was knighted and then assigned to Emile Fortress.”

“Two years—would you say that’s a long time for this fortress?”

“No, not particularly. But there aren’t many who stay for more than five years.”

“Do they transfer elsewhere?”

“Yes. After spending time in the North and gaining experience, knights are often reassigned.”

Elias frowned slightly.

(What kind of personnel management is that…?)

Something about it felt off, but he kept that thought to himself.

Turning to Reina, he asked, “What about you?”

“I’ve been here for three years,” she replied.

“So that makes you the senior knight.”

“I suppose, but our roles have been different, so Luke and I haven’t interacted much.”

“Yeah, this is probably the first mission we’ve done together,” Luke added.

Since they had little prior interaction, their conversation remained formal.

“Who decides these assignments? Noque?” Elias asked.

“Probably,” Luke replied.

(So placement isn’t necessarily based on swordsmanship skill…)

That was useful information.

Satisfied with the responses so far, Elias continued his questioning, steadily gathering more insights.