The group suddenly displaying classic rom-com behavior was the Ice Cross Knights from the northern Empire. They were Margrave Sibedev's 2nd Knight Order, who had been facing monster waves but ca down to the Kingdom for more experience after clearing their territory.
From what I heard, Margrave Sibedev's lands bordered monster wave territories, with Viscount Friedrich's support from behind.
Olek Sibedev, the Margrave's second son, was the knight captain, while Alisa Friedrich, Viscount Friedrich's eldest daughter, was the vice-captain. The rest of the knights were young nobles from smaller neighboring domains, sent to prove their loyalty to the Sibedev family.
Naturally, they weren't the core fighting force, but a sub-knight order made up of noble sons without inheritance rights who showed talent with the sword. This was the Ice Cross Knights.
"A knight order made up of noble families' second sons?" I asked.
"Yes, hero. It's embarrassing to say, but in the past, so dishonorable people ignored a Margrave's request for aid out of selfishness, causing problems at the Empire's borders," Alisa explained.
'...Isn't that my story?'
After receiving supplies and fighting several battles on the 55th floor, we returned to the safe zone via minimap to pitch our tents. Alisa Friedrich stuck close to Han Se-ah, chattering away.
By the way, that story about problems at the Empire's border - isn't that about ?
More precisely, it seed to be about Roland's father, Margrave[1] of Bretagne. If such idiotic incidents of not supporting frontier Margraves and letting borders fall had happened multiple tis, players would've encountered the ruins of the old Empire rather than the current Empire in Season 2.
Anyway, it was common sense for Margraves to face monster waves while neighboring domains provided support. But because of bastards who didn't follow common sense, a knight order of noble youth was ford. It was created with the intention of sending family bloodlines, if not heirs, to the Margrave's domain to solidify alliances.
"Hey, how many tis is this? Can't you even hamr in a tent stake properly?" one knight complained.
"Ah, shit... The soil's too soft. I'm not used to unfrozen ground," another replied.
While Alisa Friedrich stuck close to our group, using her status as a fellow woman, Olek Sibedev and the other knights were handling the chores I should've been doing.
The viscount and baron's third and fourth sons acted friendly towards Olek, the Margrave's second son and knight captain. They didn't seem to have much sense of authority, behaving more like adventurers who'd ford friendships rather than young nobles, but they were still doing their jobs properly.
...They're actually quite decent, except for the stupidity?
Maybe it's because they're from the far northeast, where visitors are as rare as eccentric bards coming to see monster waves. Apart from being incredibly gullible, almost to the point of having paper-thin ears, he was more useful than I'd expected.
I guess he's worth his 5★ rating after all.
"But if the holy sword's owner isn't 3 ters tall... does that an the rainbow treasure in the mountain peak's frost mist is fake too?" Olek wondered.
"What are you talking about, Captain? That's a fairy tale for kids who've never even held a sword. Don't tell you still believed that?" Alisa sighed.
"No, but there must be so truth for stories to start! Even if it's a bit different from the tale, sothing could exist."
It seems the star buff didn't reach his head.
Still, my assessnt that he's surprisingly useful hasn't changed. The coordination among the twenty-one Ice Cross Knights was impressively precise, as if they'd trained together since childhood.
While the Kingdom's 2nd Knight Order was a group of superhumans boosted by the knight commander's buff, the Ice Cross Knights fought by charging in as a group of 21 to break through and overwhelm. Although individually they had just reached the high ranks, when 21 of them banded together, they were quite formidable.
Watching them charge straight into goblin infantry to break through, then devour them like a school of sharks swallowing sardines, the term "trash mob farrs" ca to mind. They might not be much help against a mid-boss or the boss monster waiting for us on the 60th floor, but they'd be a great help in clearing monster encampnts along the way.
"Roland, what are you doing?" Grace asked, approaching quietly.
"I was thinking about helping with the tents," I replied.
As I pondered this while pretending to watch the bustling knights (but actually web surfing), Grace approached. I had no intention of helping the knights with chores, but I couldn't tell her I was watching jealous viewers jokingly threaten to tear apart Olek Sibedev for receiving his childhood friend's affection, so I made up an excuse.
"Let's leave the tents to the knights. Can you help with sothing for a mont?" she asked.
"Hm?"
------
When she suddenly asked for help, I wondered what was up.
"Whew, so how much longer should I help?"
"Hehe, but I was feeling a bit upset, you know."
"About what?"
"Well, the knights keep whispering about whether my hands reach my waist or my thighs..."
As Grace stuck out her clean tongue and smiled awkwardly, I squeezed her hand firmly, feeling a warm, soft sensation pleasantly traveling up my forearm. Her request for help was just an excuse to patrol, but in reality, it was more like a leisurely date walking through the prairie.
Maybe she was stimulated by the sight of Alisa Friedrich, a petite blonde with twin-tails like an ani character, grumbling verbally but showing affection through her actions towards her childhood friend Olek.
When I jokingly stretched out my arm asking if her arms were really that long, she quickly grasped my hand and interlocked our fingers, suddenly going quiet. As we walked with only the soft sound of grass crunching under our feet, Grace slowly opened her mouth.
"Hey, Roland."
"..."
"No, never mind."
Just as I had squeezed her palm firmly, Grace also tightened her grip, gently tickling the back of my hand with her thumb. But for so reason, she didn't continue speaking, showing a sad smile that seed odd.
Forcing the corners of her mouth up into a big smile, Grace swung our clasped hands exaggeratedly, then said we were done and headed back to the safe zone.
'What the hell?'
Her behavior made wonder if sothing had happened to Grace, but then ca the strange behavior of my other companions.
"Roland."
"What?"
"Um, Roland. So... do you, do you like knights?"
After Grace ca Katie.
As I was preparing to rest in my assigned tent, spreading out the sleeping bag Han Se-ah had given , Katie quietly approached and sat down next to .
She stuck so close as if about to share a secret that our armor lightly clinked together. If we hadn't been in armor, I would have felt the soft touch of her beautifully swollen chest... As I indulged in these lecherous thoughts, Katie awkwardly fidgeted before suddenly hugging tightly.
The sudden embrace wasn't an overflow of affection, but more like comforting a child on the verge of tears. After patting my armor with a clanging sound, Katie covered her blushing cheeks with both hands and quickly ran off to her own tent.
"It's, it's okay!"
"What is, why, wait a second?"
What the hell is going on?
Why am I getting the first of the two ways to anger soone from Grace, and receiving Katie's embarrassed encouragent without even understanding the situation?
Just as I was starting to feel frustrated and about to get up to chase after Katie, the final runner in this relay was our saint-in-training, Irene.
As I was about to stand up, I felt a soft touch on my head, gently pushing back down by my shoulders.
I could have stood up abruptly with Irene hanging on, but I couldn't just shove away a woman gently hugging from behind. I felt my strength draining as the formidable weapons hidden under her nun's habit enveloped my nape.
"Roland."
"Irene, please tell what's going on."
"Sotis, even if there are things hard to say, rember that the Goddess has arranged all rewards."
"...???"
The symbol of motherhood that had warmly and softly embraced not only my nape but also the back of my head regrettably pulled away. Then, like a mother kissing a child, she planted a soft kiss on the crown of my head.
When I quickly turned around while sitting, Irene, who had bent down to kiss my cheek as well, gave a sad smile as she gently caressed my cheek.
To figure out what the hell was going on, I opened Han Se-ah's stream window that I had closed earlier. Han Se-ah, who had been filming Irene and , was now slowly approaching as if she was next in line after Irene.
Next to Han Se-ah was Alisa Friedrich, who had been chattering away since earlier.
'No way, did they hear about Roland's past? Alisa seed more normal and sensible compared to Olek... Does she know ?'
Seeing Han Se-ah gulp as viewers told her nonsense about comforting the teacher, an odd sense of unease welled up in a corner of my chest.
Honestly, Han Se-ah and Olek Sibedev are both similarly scatterbrained.
---
[1. changed border count to margrave]
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