After retrieving the orc corpses that hadn't been eaten by wolves into my storage, we were riding the Humvee 1151 heading towards the Royal Capital...

"Hey, Elaina! I-Is this thing really working? Like, seriously, it's actually moving, right? It won't break, will it? Please tell me it won't!!"

Looking at Beiger through the rearview mirror, I saw him clinging to Azeth's neck, making pitiful noises.

"Um, Mr. Beiger, Mr. Azeth seems to be in pain, so could you let him go? He might die."

"Are you guys not scared riding this incomprehensible thing?!"

This guy really isn't listening to me at all.

"Well, I find it enjoyable riding it."

Myurina calmly responded to Beiger.

"I trust El-chan, so I'm not afraid."

Lizlina smirked at Beiger, and I felt like there was some resentment in her expression... Or was it just my imagination?

"V-Vice... Captain... Be... Beiger... please... let... go... it... hurts..."

With a pale face, Azeth managed to speak to Beiger, but it seemed Beiger wasn't hearing him at all, as he showed no sign of loosening his grip.

Beiger, you're the Vice-Captain, please get it together!

"Alright, everyone. We'll be arriving at the Royal Capital soon, so get ready to disembark."

Initially, Myurina was leaning out of the gun seat, but upon seeing Beiger clinging to Azeth and not letting go, she tried her best to peel him off. However, as soon as she heard my voice, she stopped trying to remove him and turned to face me.

"Wow, this vehicle is fast. We're already reaching the capital, huh?"

No, no, Myurina, please don't stop! We need to help Azeth quickly!

"El-chan is full of mysteries, huh~. Do you have any others?"

"That's a secret."

"Aww, come on, El-chan, that's mean. Just a little hint?"

"Nope. If you try to find out, I won't give you more of the drink from earlier."

"That's mean, El-chan. You're being mean to meee...sniff!"

Uh oh! Lizlina starts crying. Did I go too far?

Thinking that, I decelerated the Humvee 1151 and stopped it behind the last carriage waiting for immigration procedures, then cut off the engine.

It seems faster to walk to the gate from here than to stay in line for carriage immigration.

"Let's get out here and walk to the gate. Pull this lever here to open the door."

I instructed Beiger and the others how to open the door and disembark before getting off first.

"Okay!"

"That was fun. Let's do it again sometime."

While Lizlina and Myurina disembarked normally, the other two didn't.

"Ha... Have we stopped? We've stopped, Elaina!? What's going on!?"

"...We stopped because we've already arrived, Mr. Beiger."

Saying so, I opened the door on Beiger's side with a bewildered expression, urging him to get out.

"We... we've arrived? At the Royal Capital? Al-Alright! Let's get out, Az...!!?"

Beiger said as he looked around, but then his gaze stopped midway. And then his surprised expression turned into a frightened one.

"Azeth? Azeth! Stay with me!!"

Beiger tried to shake Azeth, whose face turned blue and foam was coming out of his mouth, to wake him up, but Azeth only moved his head like a doll and didn't regain consciousness.

"Damn it! Why is this happening... Oh! Could it be... was there poison on that orc's weapon?"

Beiger laid Azeth down in the car and started rummaging through his backpack.

...What's this guy doing, seriously? Is he stupid?

"...Not here, damn it! Myurina! Didn't you have an antidote? Give it to me..."

Beiger stopped his movements and looked at us with a serious expression.

"...What are you guys doing?"

"...Mr. Beiger, Mr. Azeth isn't suffering from poison."

"Whaat? So why is Azeth like this?"

Beiger asked me with a surprised expression.

"...You really are unaware, huh?"

Everyone present pointed fingers while saying,

"""It's because you were strangling him!"""

"Wh- Whaaaat!?"

After that, the culprit, Beiger, hastily performs CPR on Azeth, who is foaming at the mouth.

Thanks to that CPR, Azeth survived.

"I... thought I was going to die..."

Azeth, regaining consciousness, spoke with a puffed-up face.

"I'm sorry, Azeth."

Beiger apologized sincerely, looking truly sorry.

"...I didn't enjoy Ms. Elaina's ride..."

"I'm- I'm really sorry."

"Vice-Captain Beiger, this could be considered attempted murder. With three witnesses, you might not just get demoted, you might even need to resign from the Knight Order."

...Lizlina, you're definitely saying that with a grudge for being scolded earlier, aren't you!?

"I'm really, really, really sorry!! You can even punch me if you want, just please forgive meeeee!!?"

Beiger bowed his head to Azeth and started apologizing. He clearly lost all his dignity as the Vice-Captain.

"Vice-Captain Beiger, let's settle this discussion after completing the report."

"But Myurina, if I don't settle this, I won't feel at ease."

"But even so, isn't it more important to report about the orcs first? Vice-Captain Beiger, please prioritize."

Oh, whoa! Myurina is angry! But you know, her angry expression is cute, so it doesn't feel scary. ...Huh? I hear something approaching. It's not showing up as an enemy mark on the radar, so I think it's okay.

"Oh, it really was you guys. Long time no see, Elaina-chan. Have you been well?"

When I turned around, I saw Amy. And I'm not sure if she was on patrol or not, but she was accompanied by twenty knights.

"Ms. Amy, it's been a while!"

"Hehe, it really has been. I'm glad to see Elaina-chan."

Amy said, then suddenly hugged me.

"M-Ms. Amy!? This is embarrassing!"

"Oh, really? You're reacting like a boy."

No, no, no, no, I used to be a boy! So there's no way I wouldn't feel embarrassed in this situation, right!?

"Anyway! There's something I need to discuss, so please let go!"

"Oh? Can't we talk like this?"

"I'm trying to have a serious conversation, so please let go!!"

"Fine... I understand."

Saying so, Amy let go of me.

"So, Elaina-chan. What's this serious matter?"

"Well, actually..."

I told Amy about the orc incident on the road between Gozes and the Royal Capital and how I saved Beiger.

"I see... I understand the situation now. So you all came back to report it?"

"Yes, I feel my own lack of strength."

Beiger and the others looked at Amy with a dejected expression.

"Knights shouldn't look like that! If you're feeling weak, inadequate, then become stronger! And if you were saved by Elaina-chan, don't forget to express your gratitude to her from the bottom of your heart!"

As I watched Amy's resolute attitude as she spoke to Beiger and the others, I felt a sense of admiration, probably because I was seeing someone who truly reflects the image of a knight.

"That's right... You're absolutely right! Let's make use of today's experience for the future!"

"That's the spirit, Beiger!"

"By the way, Amy, why did you come here with twenty knights? Wasn't your patrol scheduled for tomorrow?"

Amy looked troubled and placed a hand on her cheek before responding to Beiger.

"Well, you see, we just received information that some unknown monster appeared and is heading towards the Royal Capital."

An unknown monster appeared? I didn't see anything like that on the way here.

"Is that about the orcs we mentioned earlier?"

"No, it's different."

"Then, what kind of monster is it? Can you give us some information?"

"Well, there's little information since it was an emergency letter that was sent. It said that its whole body was covered in metal and it was running along the road at a tremendous speed."

Emergency, huh? Does that mean someone sent a letter to the Royal Capital with a tamed monster? But... whole body covered in metal?

"An Iron Golem?"

"No, it's different. According to other information that was written, it seemed like there was a person inside the monster, so maybe it's not a monster but some sort of vehicle like a carriage? Since there might be danger, we're going to check it out... But will you come with us, Beiger?"

"I understand, I'll accompany you, Amy. Lizlina and the others, please report the orc incident to Captain Guel."

"""Understood!"""

...Huh? Is that monster, by any chance...

"M-Ms. Amy..."

"What is it, Elaina-chan?"

"Could that monster be this?"

I pointed to the Humvee 1151 and asked Amy for confirmation.

"Huh? Ah!?"

Amy looked at the Humvee 1151 and then came over to me, grabbing both of my shoulders.

"Exactly as the information said!! Elaina-chan! Why is this here!?"

Uh oh! Amy's face is close and scary! And she's gripping my shoulders with such force that they really hurt!

"A-Actually, you see... Uhmm~..."

"Be straight with me, Elaina-chan."

Yeah, I should be honest. After all, right now, Amy has that 'I won't let you off easy if you lie' look on her face.

"This... belongs to me."

"Elaina-chan, let's have a little chat, just you and me... okay?"

As I looked at the intimidating Amy, I couldn't help but regret not holding back a little more.