I Will Be the Greatest Knight
Chapter 75: Fussy

Chapter 75: Fussy

Irene, Leif, and Felix simply stared at Sir Gunnar for a few moments with their mouths hanging slightly open in disbelief.

"Excuse me?" Irene was the first to utter as she used a sheathed sword to stand herself up despite how shaky her entire body felt.

"You heard me," Sir Gunnar stated. "In two days, Her Grace needs an escort and I will be one of the ones assigned. Last night I chose the rest of my team the moment I saw you three where you weren’t supposed to be."

Felix was next to his feet and he promptly dragged Leif up as well. They all hung their heads.

"Yes, sir," they all said but it wasn’t in unison and it wasn’t very confident.

"Good," Sir Gunnar responded. "I’m so glad we have an understanding. Now, off to your usual duties. You won’t make it far without breakfast."

The apprentices agreed and they were off. Unlike usual, while they ate there were few words shared between them.

Since the Duchess was someone they didn’t particularly want to spend any time around, the days went by unbelievably quickly until they had to rise before the crack of dawn and meet the knights in front of the Duke’s Tower.

Not only were they awake early, but they were required to haul a few of her things into the carriage she would take with her.

When they were finished, the apprentices mounted their horses and waited for the Duchess to present herself but she was late despite how long everything was ready.

Since Sir Gunnar was there next to the apprentices he was punishing, they were completely silent despite the complaints bubbling up in their heads.

There was a disturbance towards the front door and they all lifted their heads to see the Duke surprisingly bringing his wife out of the front entrance. She used his arm to guide her forth despite him also needing a cane to keep moving. It was quite the sight that caused a smirk to appear on Felix’s face, but Sir Gunnar clearing his throat wiped it away rather quickly.

Sir Gunnar was the first off of his horse and he met the Duke halfway, saying "Don’t worry, Commander, we’ve got here from here."

He then led the Duchess and helped her into the carriage with far less effort than what the Duke had presented before.

"Please take good care of her," the Duke weakly called.

"Of course, Your Grace," Sir Gunnar said and he closed the carriage door tightly behind her.

Once the knight was off, he asked Felix to take the front left and he would take the front right. Leif and Irene would be behind as needed. They would also scout whenever the trail seemed precarious or if it wasn’t completely visible to them all the way through.

There was a knock on the carriage window that was covered with a curtain and Sir Gunnar turned to the others.

"We’re off," he ordered. "Slow and steady."

The apprentices followed orders silently even though they certainly shared the occasional glance that communicated a lot.

Even though it was punishment, Irene was happy that they weren’t having to do more physical labor. Her shoulders and back were still sore from the sword practice Sir Gunnar made them endure certainly to get his frustration out.

She knew she wouldn’t ever act out again, especially because he talked about telling her father and she didn’t want to do anything to disappoint him. Her lack of foresight made her realize that perhaps she was more child-minded than she thought. She wasn’t simply a twelve-year-old with a twenty-year-old’s mind. It was like the two brains combined and she was easily as hotheaded and impulsive as she was when she was much younger than twenty.

Just as Irene thought their escorting was going off without a hitch, she realized it wasn’t going to be that easy and it seemed Sir Gunnar knew that.

It seemed that every single hour, the Duchess knocked on the window to escape the carriage for a while or to fuss about something. Even though they were already late because of her, they were also taking much more time than expected because of her as well.

By the time they made it to the foothills leading to the mountains that were much less tall than the mountains in the north, it was already evening which meant they were going to have to camp. Ideally, knights liked to have their camp set up when there was still daylight considering monsters settled in places suitable for camping at night.

As they were beginning to set up everything, they heard a voice that caused Irene to pull out her sword.

"Gunnar, I’m surprised to see you still up and kicking around," the large man said.

He was certainly a knight but he was one of the biggest Irene had ever seen except for her father. Unlike those in the north, the man had jet-black hair and dark skin. She couldn’t stop staring.

"Callum," Gunnar stood up from where he sat on a stump and he went forward to clasp the greave-covered forearm of the other man. "Commander Lothian, I should say. I was wondering when we would see you."

Seeing that the man was a commander, Irene, Felix, and Leif all bowed their heads and greeted him, showing him the utmost respect.

Irene was instantly jealous that the knights in the south seemingly had such an active commander while the one they had was far much less than that. He couldn’t have been more than thirty and he had a sternness about him that demanded respect.

"I have brought my apprentice and a few other knights," the southern Commander stated. "Her Grace will be in good hands."

"I don’t doubt that at all," Gunnar agreed. "For all the trouble, you may use our supplies for the night. We have been well stocked by His Grace."

"Much appreciated," the Commander responded. "Alix! This way." He then turned back to Gunnar before settling down near one of the two fires the apprentices had built. "The others are scouting the area because we saw a sign of monster nests but nothing too alarming."

The Commander’s apprentice soon appeared from where he had been attending to the horses and making sure they were fed and watered before moving towards the fire. When he pulled off his hood, revealed to them was long, straight blonde hair that seemed to glow in the firelight. He seemed almost too pretty to be a boy.

When Irene realized she was staring, she quickly looked away. He had to be Felix’s age.

"Yes, Commander?" Alix asked, his voice dripping with something that suggested to Irene he was of extremely high status.

"We have permission from the Knights of Chemois to use their supplies this evening," Callum stated. "Get something to eat. I’ll eat later."

The apprentice was quiet and obedient. After a nod, he did just as was asked of him then quieted down next to the other apprentices who he knew were staring at him but it didn’t bother him.

Sir Gunnar, on the other hand, chuckled at Commander Lothian’s words.

"Still ever the rebel, I see," Gunnar remarked. "Does His Majesty know you still call the Knights of Tenetium the Knights of Chemois? You are actively undermining his reach in the north."

The Commander grimaced.

"He’s lucky I still refer to him as ’Your Majesty’ at this rate."

All apprentices knew at that moment to drop their gazes completely and try not to listen at all. That man was a troublemaker and they were already in trouble enough.

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