「Hmm～ Something like this?」
「That should be fine.」
Lutte stirs the huge pot while Frea tastes and checks the flavor.
The two of them are surrounded by a pack of starving wolves, practically leaning in, ready to pounce at any moment.
「Alright. Line up nicely.」
「First in line～!」
「…The vice-captain really shouldn’t be cutting to the front.」
「I’m starving! If you’re gonna send me to the back, at least give me a husband first.」
「Here’s an extra-large serving. Now take it and go somewhere else.」
「…Damn it～! It’s actually delicious～!」
Clutching her bowl of soup and bread while fake-crying, she vanishes.
Frea shrugs with a weary sigh and starts dishing out soup to the subordinates lined up behind her.
Because Captain Noie suddenly took yesterday off, everything got thrown out of whack.
They still pushed through a full day of work… and just when they thought they could finally head home, a nocturnal dragon showed up. The castle town gates closed, and they were stuck.
For the squad stationed at what’s essentially the front line right next to the capital, this kind of thing happens all the time.
They spent the night on standby in case of a dragon attack, then started making breakfast at sunrise.
From past experience, they knew the people who had yesterday off would bring extra ingredients this morning, so they threw every leftover scrap into the pot and made a thick, chunky soup loaded with everything.
Also known as leftover cleanup.
「Hmm～ Frea-san.」
「What?」
「What do we do about days off?」
「Was anyone scheduled off today?」
「Mostly Mische-senpai.」
「Then it’s fine. She’d just spend the whole day in her room getting all worked up over her pillow anyway.」
「Right there! What kind of person do you think I am?!」
「Pervert.」
「…I never knew words from a colleague could hurt this much.」
They leave the sobbing, collapsed Mische alone for now.
After that, Frea quickly adjusts the regular soldiers’ days off and powers through the rest of the miscellaneous tasks.
「This should do for now.」
「Yes.」
Frea’s skill at quickly sorting out personnel assignments is, as always, nothing short of amazing.
For Lutte, who’s constantly told to learn from her example, it’s just a heavy reality to swallow.
「I guess the rest depends on the captain.」
「She’ll come, right?」
「She’s supposed to?」
「「……」」
The very fact that someone who never took days off before is now resting back-to-back like this is already abnormal.
Even with the excuse of getting married, the idea of her missing work because she’s feeling under the weather is simply unbelievable.
Frea and Lutte can’t help but gaze toward the castle with a touch of worry.
-0-
With replacement personnel and fresh supplies arriving, they grant today and tomorrow off to the group heading home and send them on their way right away.
They turn the newly arrived carriage around, swap the loads, and have it depart immediately.
The sun is still up, and not much time has passed.
A dragon that has just woken in its lair first slowly licks its body, basking in the sunlight. It’s said to be regulating its body temperature, but why they do it remains a mystery.
Then it starts moving in search of food.
There should still be plenty of time. Yet on a normal day, she would already be here by now.
「Captain… she’ll come, right?」
「That’s the plan, but…」
「If she doesn’t, we get another fun day of live combat～」
Frea lands a light jab at the small, flat-chested spinster voicing the unwanted truth and shuts her up.
As members of the anti-dragon strike team, none of them have complaints about fighting dragons. No complaints at all… but they’d at least like a heads-up beforehand.
「How are your arrows, Lutte?」
「They’re a bit dicey right now. I used a ton during the wedding.」
「Those flying money-guzzlers are custom-made, after all.」
「I can’t exactly deny that.」
The arrows Lutte uses are special ones engraved with a ritual.
They’re still experimental, but compared to the early days, they’ve become much easier to handle and far more powerful.
「Then I’ll shield us with my barriers, and we’ll just have to attack and drive them off like always.」
「Ugh～ The most exhausting pattern～」
「No choice, is there? Besides, compared to the other posts, we’ve still got it pretty good here.」
That’s right. This standby post has Lutte, a blessing holder, stationed here.
That alone makes it considerably privileged compared to others.
「Well, as long as the captain shows up, it’ll be fine.」
「Yes.」
「「「Whoa!」」」
A sudden voice rang out, making the three who had been deep in conversation yelp in surprise.
Before they knew it, Noie had arrived and was staring blankly down at the three sprawled on the ground.
「Good morning.」
「Good morning! But seriously! We’ve told you over and over, Captain! Stop sneaking up behind us without making a sound!」
「Yes.」
She replies obediently to Frea’s words.
Even so, Noie will probably forget again in about three days.
Then, instead of heading straight to change as usual, the captain turned to the three and thrust something out toward them.
「Here.」
「Ah, yes!」
The youngest, Lutte, instinctively takes it.
What she received was… a package from a famous high-end sweets shop in the castle town.
「Sorry about yesterday.」
「「「……」」」
At the sight of their superior bowing deeply in apology, all three collapse to the ground in shock.
The legendary captain had actually bowed and apologized, and even brought sweets.
「Um… Captain?」
「Yes.」
「Did Argusta-sama tell you to do this?」
「Yes. Arg-sama and I went to the shop this morning and bought them. He told me to bring them. And to apologize.」
「「「……」」」
While Noie counts on her fingers to confirm the instructions, the other three huddle together and whisper.
「Love is amazing. Ahh～ I want to meet my special someone soon too～」
「Lutte. Let me shoot that one in heat right there.」
「Compared to Mische-senpai, Frea-senpai only goes crazy once in a while, so it’s better.」
「Speaking of which, why hasn’t a husband like the captain’s shown up for me yet? Hey?」
「Uh… maybe karma?」
「Pfft. Die and apologize～! And hand over that chest fat while you’re at it～!」
「Ah, no! Hands off inside my clothes!」
Ignoring the three as they suddenly erupt into chaos, Noie heads off to change.
To be honest, she only did it because Arg told her to… she didn’t really understand the meaning behind the gesture at all.
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