60 Deputy Tabernacle Commander dreams.

- Don't, don't, don't, don't.

... here...?... I... am...?

Someone... is knocking on the door. Is it someone from the Knights?

... I... oh, yeah.

I'm... Clark Darwin...

Since assuming the post of Commander of the Knights... working stuffing on an insomniac holiday...

Finally, I can't even remember my name right away...

I open the door to the room.

It's the door to the Knights Chief's office.

It's the door to a place that was my... friend's room.

"... Arthur."

I raised my voice unexpectedly in front of the young man standing across the door.

Arthur Beresford. How many months ago did you last see him?

... I already forgot to even count the months.

"Wawa no... Clark..."

"What's the matter, Arthur! How did you get here, Gate Soldier...! Um... hair..."

I am terribly surprised by Arthur's hair.

Because after he cut his hair as long as that, he looked just like my late friend.

... but the bears and skinny cheeks in my eyes were completely separate from my late friend and from him before.

Gently holding onto that short hair that just seems to have been cut, Arthur turns away from me.

"... Mother... at last, even looking at this face like my father's... because I stopped crying.

It's a small, unheeded voice.

I say nothing, that voice seemed terribly sad to me.

"Arthur...

Look at him, he's speechless.

It's the usual outfit for field work. But the body was even more worn out than the muddy clothes that finished the field work. Abrasions and cuts were seen all over the body, and all marks or limbs were blue and swollen. Since Roderick died in a cliff crash, his mother, Clarissa, told me that he was encouraging him to train alone to go for knight.

I don't know exactly why he suddenly went for a knight. But it is the hope that my friend wished until his death. I'd like to cooperate with him if I can.

However, although I took up the post of Knights Commander from the Deputy Commander and lost many recruits and knights on top of that, it was the current situation that I did not even have time to spare while I slept to rebuild my system as soon as possible.

"Clark... please..."

That said, he grabs my shoulders hard.

The force was applied to my fingers and my toes ate into my shoulders strong. I can't even read the expression from him leaning down.

"Please... tell me... the knight's... how to talk..."

"Knight's...?

Unexpectedly I listen back. Why, suddenly...

"To be a knight. It's not my... way of talking. Father... that's not the way Father talks."

badly confused by his desperate plea.

A knight needs some respect and language. But he hasn't even taken the enlistment exam for recruits yet. Why...

"Temehe is the only one who knows his father in the Knights... who can count on him... please, tell me... what he said as a knight..."

He doesn't look up. The words didn't sound like a joke.

"What are you talking about, Arthur! Why do you need to imitate Roderick's words? Besides, if you're verbal, it's too late to remember slowly after you become a knight..."

"I'm a cunt... eh.... I tell the knight... I have to be a father...!

I take my breath off of his words that I don't understand.

"Me... then I can't...! Fuck me. Then I'll be a knight... and I won't even be a recruit... Dad,... not my dad..."

When his words shook up, he noticed a Shizuku dripping directly beneath him, beneath him.

To Arthur, who is crying, I can only listen to him.

"I... became a father... and I made my hair look like it... and then I changed this fucking way of talking, and the sword and all the tricks were on my dad, and I shouldn't have screwed him with my dad."

His words, like hunting himself down, pierce my chest deeply as well.

Now I quietly understood that he was trying to kill himself.

"Arthur... don't do that"

"Please, Clark, it's a lifetime favor...! But hey, I... I can't reach that woman..."

A clear, hateful voice sounds at the end.

That woman... I immediately guessed what that meant. Unlike me, the current Commander of the Knights, Arthur, who is not even a recruit, is not even going to have the opportunity to meet again from now on. I'm sure Arthur... has been imprisoned by that queen's curse.

Ask me even, the begging boy already seemed to have rubbed his body and mind down to the limit.

... my friend, please don't forgive me.

"... Okay, Arthur.

I slowly laid my hands on his shoulders.

Ha ha Arthur looked up and stared at me with his eyes wet with tears.

"I don't have time to do sword arches... but at least if it's as verbal, I'll cooperate as time permits.

Like Roderick. To add that, his eyes begin to dwell on the light. Contrary to that, however, tears continued to overflow from its eyes.

I'm sorry, he thanked me again and again for saying thank you.

My friend… I can only help your precious son to kill himself…

I kept staring until I couldn't see his back as he fluttered away to the house.

... How long has it been since I stopped coming home, too?... my wife,... how are you...

Since that woman became queen, the country has been on the rough side. Though the family of the former Knights captain, it has never been possible before, such as being able to barely pass the gate soldiers at midnight like this.

I'm sure this country won't be long.

I sent a letter to my sister who left the country not to return to my country for a while... I don't want her to jump into the fire on purpose.

Flirting, I myself bring Arthur to the drop-off wall again.

And... I'm sure I won't be long either.

For two years, he continued to work in insomnia, still the country was rough, and no matter how, the people continued to suffer.

Keeping whipping your body won't do it, and neither your body nor your head work well these days.

... but I still can't die.

At least... at least Arthur's, if you don't do what he wants.

You can cut my life.

If I'm the only one Arthur can count on.

At least just what my friend's son wants...

If that's the least I could do to redeem my friend then, and my son.

I...

……

"... Mmm... Shit...

I wake up with the chair.

Looking out the window, the sun was already completely down and it was night.

I was off duty today, but I only went home in the morning and spent time with my wife, and since dusk I was back in this deputy chief's office again. Because I really had some paperwork I wanted to check today.

... and he's fallen asleep so far now while checking the paperwork.

Is it because I nagged at weird times... nightmares or I don't think I had very good dreams. I don't wake up well, I sweat, I even feel like I've been terribly screwed. Grab your chest reflexively and breathe.

What the hell were you dreaming about...

Don't, don't, don't, don't.

Suddenly, my door rang and shocked. Someone's tapping.... Is it someone from the Knights?

Something tells me I open the door with a strange sense of ready-to-see. And you'll be surprised again by the man standing in front of you.

"... Roderick?

Roderick, head of the Knights of Our Knights and friend, was there. I let my face down for some reason, and I can't read my expression.

"Sorry... Clark..."

"What's the matter, Roderick? How do you know I'm here today?

When I got to my house, Roderick explained to me that his wife told me he was coming here. I wonder how steep it takes to talk about visiting my house on purpose during the middle of the holidays.

Roderick doesn't look up. But the next moment, he's been grabbing my shoulders with momentum.

"Clark... please..."

Also annoyed by the unpleasant sense of vestigial vision, I endure the power of his toenails, which are put into my fingertips and feed strongly into my shoulders, waiting for the continuation of the words.

What the hell happened while I was away...?

With some readiness I assume every situation.

And he finally opened his mouth.

"For a drink... hang out with me..."

"... what?

I listen back unexpectedly.

"I'm sorry... I know it's your precious day off for a hundred...

A laugh creeps up unintentionally at Roderick, who says he looks really sorry.

More and more people are really inviting me to drink from Roderick these days. About a week ago, I went for a continuous drink on the day Arthur's main team was decided to join him and the day after that at the recital ceremony. However, I rarely invite people to visit me for drinks until the holidays. I want you to get some rest with your family for the holidays, Roderick used to care about me.

"What's the matter, was there something to be glad about?

Roderick leans down, realizes why he is hiding his expression, and I urge him to continue with a grunting throat.

Roderick finally looked up small as he held his mouth down with one hand.

"... Arthur, I'm sorry."

I can't stop laughing when this happens anymore. I can't help it because I keep saying, "See you later."

I banged my friend's shoulder over and over and said, "That's important! All right, let me hear more in the liquor store!" I have to raise my voice.

Roderick really looks like every day has been fulfilling lately.

And Arthur also grows as a knight every day.

Change and growth of friends and their precious sons.

It's more of a pleasure than anything for me to be the current Deputy Commander of the Knights.

I'm sorry, I'll go to the gate with you, turning my arms to the shoulders of a friend who is already overwhelmed with joy as a father.

Tomorrow is going to be another good day, with a heartbeat.

Tonight, we'll be bragging about our best friend's son again.