The Distance Between Rooms

Simon finished the sentence that Levi hadn’t dared to complete. I couldn’t find the right words, so I simply fiddled with the hood of my cloak.

“The reason His Highness is not the Crown Prince despite being the master of the Holy Sword is also because of this incident.”

“I should state for the record that His Highness does not desire the position of Crown Prince.”

Levi hurriedly added to John’s words. John let out a long sigh and concluded.

“Who knows who the true master of the Holy Sword is anyway?”

“Of course, the current King did not sit idly by. He threw a fit, saying that if the master of the Holy Sword being King was a problem, he would delete that law. Because of that, the law stating the master of the Holy Sword becomes King vanished.”

My impression after hearing the whole story was simple.

“He is incredibly petty. And toward his own son, no less. If he was going to act so immaturely just because his son is better than him, why did he have him?”

Levi and Saul frowned at my words, but they didn’t deny them. The knights’ reactions made my mood drop even further.

If Azrael’s closest subordinates were reacting like this, just how much does this man—this King—hate his own son?

“That’s enough of this story for now. I’ll show you to your room. We have to head out on another mission soon, so you’ll probably only stay for a day or two, but you can think of it as your home while you’re in this world.”

“Sir Simon, Sir John. I will leave His Highness’s friend to you. Sir Levi, Sir Judas, and I will return to the office.”

Since they were back at headquarters, Saul pushed us toward each other, telling the young ones to hang out among themselves. Judas, who had suddenly been grouped with the old men, stared at Saul silently.

Simon and John, having changed into lighter gear, led me out of the area.

“I feel like I can breathe again.”

John, who had walked in silence for a while, let out a soft sigh of relief once we were a good distance away. Simon chuckled.

“Our ranks are all about the same anyway, so just relax.”

“How can I do that! They aren’t just seniors by a year or two; they have decades on me!”

Simon slapped John’s back roughly. John staggered from the forceful comfort and glared at Simon.

“I sometimes truly wonder how Sir Simon managed to enter the knight order.”

“It’s because my parents are bores.”

“His Highness truly seems to have no eye for people.”

John replied through gritted teeth. They were bickering, but it wasn’t out of genuine malice; both had a playful edge to their attitudes.

“I don’t know why I’m working as a knight here either. Honestly, Andrealphus, don’t you think I look more like a mercenary than a knight?”

I answered with mock seriousness.

“You can’t. You don’t look enough like a mountain bandit.”

Simon, John, and I continued our mindless chatter as we crossed the knight order’s building toward the dormitory.

The dormitory, viewed against the setting sun, looked quite magnificent. I was genuinely impressed. The order’s architecture was similar to the Rococo style, constructed entirely of pure white marble.

“I want to be introduced to the person who made this.”

“That statement sounded a bit like a pervert.”

“No, I mean the building is really well-built.”

It wasn’t the first time I’d been treated like a strange person, but since John looked so disgusted, I felt a bit wronged. You know how it is. It’s bad to discriminate based on looks, but getting a look of contempt from a pure, fairy-like kid deals double the damage.

“So, is the person who built this still alive?”

“You really sound like a pervert.”

When I asked in a voice dripping with lingering attachment, Simon spoke with a reluctant face. Of course, his appearance didn’t look pure or fairy-like at all, so I took zero damage from him.

“How many years do you think it has been since this was built? Naturally….”

“If we assume it took about four years to build and it’s been about fifty-four years since then? At that rate, they could still be alive.”

“That was truly perverted. I actually got goosebumps.”

John was repulsed. I was truly frustrated. Based on John’s reaction alone, you’d think I had just correctly guessed Azrael’s three-sizes. What’s wrong with admiring architecture?

“So, are they dead?”

“They’re dead! Dead! Do you think just anyone gets to build the First Knight Order’s headquarters? By the time this building was planned, he was already an old man over seventy!”

“Why is John so disgusted?”

What a waste. I still have many architectural skills I haven’t acquired yet, and I was hoping for a good teacher. As I smacked my lips in disappointment, John shuddered as if it were a nightmare.

“The person who built this was John’s grandfather.”

“Oh.”

Simon answered casually. I subtly approached John. The closer I got, the faster John backed away.

“I’m not saying I’m going to do anything bad, so why are you like this?”

“When someone approaches you like they have an ulterior motive, the normal response is to run away.”

John replied primly. Since I did have an ulterior motive, I had nothing to say. When I fell into a lukewarm silence, Simon spoke as he walked ahead.

“John’s house is quite far from the capital, so even if you hit on him like that, nothing will come of it.”

“What a waste…….”

I was sincerely disappointed. John shrugged as if wondering what could possibly be good about that.

“I’ve been putting a lot of effort into learning stone construction lately.”

“You really do everything.”

“It’s fun.”

“Are you possessed by a ghost that died because it couldn’t learn enough? If it were me, my head would have started smoking and gone ‘pop’ if I tried to learn that much.”

Simon asked with a mix of half-admiration and half-exhaustion.

“Nothing is fun if you do it while risking your life. It’s only fun if you do it as a hobby.”

I answered nonchalantly. Simon looked at me as if he’d just heard someone say, ‘I can get a perfect score on the college entrance exam just by studying alone.’ Since there was nothing more to say, I simply shrugged at his gaze that made me feel like some sort of freak.

“I feel a bit reflective now.”

I turned back at John’s sudden remark. John continued with a calm, gentle, and slightly enlightened face.

“When I entered the First Knight Order as the youngest member, I said, ‘I just joyfully swung my sword for ten hours a day.'”

“What about it?”

“It makes me think ‘What is wrong with this guy?’ and it’s annoying.”

While I was debating whether John’s words were an insult directed at me or a reflection on himself, Simon dragged us into the knight order’s dormitory. The interior was more luxurious and beautiful than I expected. The craftsman had processed the marble as if it were soft clay. I couldn’t feel a hint of hardness from any of the decorations in this dormitory.

“They decorated the knight order’s dormitory like a palace.”

“It technically is a palace. The Fourth Prince lives here, after all.”

Simon spoke sarcastically. For a second, I almost let out a string of curses without thinking, but with a handful of sage-like reason, I bared my teeth and smiled.

“In this country, even a Prince lives in the knight order’s dormitory to set an example once he becomes the Commander.”

“You actually know how to speak elegantly.”

While maintaining my toothy smile, I gritted my teeth and whispered affectionately into Simon’s ear.

“Nwug gureum ugusu ssungeul huugutnu? (Do I need to start swearing my head off here?)”

Simon smiled back just as affectionately and said.

“I was genuinely admiring your refinement, so why the attitude?”

“The day will be over by the time we finish showing her where her room is.”

John grumbled. Simon and I followed behind John, bickering while maintaining our harmonious, tooth-baring smiles.

“I am truly surprised that you possessed enough refinement to look down on mine.”

“I am also surprised that you knew how to use such a tone. Since you always cut off the ends of your sentences, I thought you were lacking in education.”

“‘Have you said everything you wanted to say?’ The Fourth Prince’s friend says while pointing a finger at Sir Simon… everyone ‘shocked.'”

“Sir John, makes a remark to the Fourth Prince’s friend: ‘Did your patience run out in just one sentence?’… causing ripples in the knight order.”

“You’re both noisy.”

John scolded us, saying that both of our levels of refinement were about the same and asking why we were measuring ourselves against each other like two acorns arguing over who is taller.

“John’s words really hit where it hurts.”

“The quiet kids are always the scariest.”

John pointed a finger at a door with an expression that said he was done dealing with people acting like children.

“Andrealphus, your room is here.”

“His Highness’s room is the room after the next one over, so keep that in mind. That room right there.”

“It’s not in a completely different place, and it’s not the room right next door. Why is it the room after the next one?”

When I asked without much thought, both of them wore strange expressions. Why?

“Andrealphus… if you weren’t a person from another world, I would have severely misunderstood you.”

“In this place, staying in the room right next door is something only couples or fiancés who have seen all there is to see do.”

“…If you use the room next door as fiancés, it’s a bit… like publicly declaring the relationship.”

John and Simon chose their words carefully, expressing themselves euphemistically. Once I realized the hidden meaning, my mouth hung open. I then grabbed the doorknob while wearing the most awkward and stiff expression I’d made since falling into this world.

“The Prince and I aren’t in that kind of relationship.”

“I’m not curious, so be quiet.”

“Just in case you were curious.”

“I was actually a bit curious.”

“I’m glad it helped clear up the misunderstanding, then.”

It was the stupidest conversation. Dazed, I recorded the location of my room on my map.