"Huh, Dee. I know how you feel, but you can't say that. 」

This time, instead of being a recorder, Hevi O'Burry, who piloted the Phantom Knight "Trander Okey" as a horseman, reminded him. The Phantom Knight has a microphone in the driver's seat, and if you don't turn it off, you can hear the sound inside clearly. What's more, there is also a device to amplify the volume inside, so that the sound of speech is not drowned out by the operation of the Phantom Knight, and Dietrich's voice is likely to be heard by the middle school students as well.

"You two be serious. Even if there's nothing going on now, it's part of the training. 」

Earl Camber, who had caught up from behind, approached Trandeokes and Gouyer, and Edgar C. Blanche's voice could be heard coming from within.

"Oh yes, he's the best rider in the line, but it's different. 」

"Di, didn't you hear what I said?"

"Ahh Everybody heard. 」

Gouyer and Earl Camber fell silent after hearing Hevi's words, and immediately returned to the group. As she drove the Trande Oces, she was torn by the uneasy prospect. They are not the only ones who don't know how to pass the time.

"I know I can't help it, but it's too boring. 」

Sitting in the carriage and rocking for about half a day or so, Kidd was honestly bored and almost hung up. Not only Chid, but the other students around him felt the same way. There are about four days left before they reach their destination, and during this time they are basically moved by horse-drawn carriages, so the students who sit on it will have a lot of free time. Although you can chat leisurely, you can quickly get tired of the carriage where you can't stretch your limbs, which is also helpless.

"So, Chid, do you want to take a look at the scenery outside, too? 」

"No, you're the only one who can be satisfied by looking at the scenery. You mean, you're really not bored, how long have you been watching?"

Kid looked at Al with a look in his eyes that he couldn't stand him. Al turned back from the position of looking out the window and sat down in his seat lightly. The slightly tilted and pensive look was very cute, and the atmosphere around it eased in an instant.

"So, do you want to read the book I brought? I think that's going to pass the time. 」

"Books...... I want to move my body. Hey, forget it. What books did you bring?"

"Introduction to Alchemy, Volume I. 」

"That's a textbook, isn't it? If you want to pass the time with that kind of thing, wouldn't it be better to just go to sleep?"

"That being said, there's really not much to do in a place like this. You can learn from Artie, and it might not be bad to get some sleep. 」

In front of Chid's suspicious gaze, Artie could be seen sleeping with Masaka. Her serene, sleeping face, which in a sense had nothing to do with boredom, made Kidd look up at the sky. He maintained the same position, then suddenly looked up as if remembering something.

"Hey, can you pass the time?"

They climbed onto the roof of the carriage. The roof of the bus carried the students' luggage and travel supplies. There are no chairs here, but if you just sit down, you won't have a problem.

"The view here is better. 」

Under a clear sky, the carriage moves along the leisurely and quiet streets, and there is a laid-back atmosphere wafting from the roof. A gust of wind blew through the streets, swaying through El's silver hair. He took a good seat between the gaps in his luggage and soon went into the mode of enjoying the scenery.

"Ahh Hey, but it's better than a cramped car. 」

There's nothing to do anyway, and it's fun to snooze under the blue sky. Kidd began to feel like he didn't want to do anything anymore.

"Ah, here you are. 」

At that moment, Artie poked her head out of the carriage.

"Are you awake?"

"Well, you two don't know when they're gone. 」

Artie said this, and walked over to Al, then lay down directly on his lap, and put himself in a sleeping position again.

"The sun is so warm, it's easier to sleep here. 」

"It's okay to sleep, but why use my feet as pillows?"

"Because it's easier to sleep that way. 」

While Al was still surprised, Artie had already embarked on a journey to the dream realm. Al couldn't help her, so he had to start reading and occasionally look at the scenery. Qi Dedong thought about it for a while, and then, as if he felt troublesome, he simply used his luggage as a pillow and fell asleep.

Their journey continued at a leisurely pace. Three days of staggering in the carriage. The Dreiser Cavalry Academy and the Knight Academy finally arrived at Yantunin, the largest city in the central part of the Kingdom of Fremevilla.

There is a reason why Yantunin is one of the few major cities in the country. It is located on the western side of the country, on the transport route that connects it with other countries across the Eubigne Mountains, and on the east side of the country, on the transit point of the route that transports goods from the fortresses and granaries of the Bokus Great Tree Sea. Moreover, due to its location at the heart of transportation, the city was even given the second most armament after the royal capital, and the city was surrounded by a strong city wall and a moat outside the wall. Not only that, but there is also a large knight order equivalent to a brigade (about 100 phantom knights) stationed in the city. No matter how important this stronghold is, such a force is too much for a city, but this is because it can take advantage of the geographical advantage to send combat forces to the outskirts of the city. In fact, about 30 percent of the troops are often on patrols, fighting, and other tasks and are not in the city.

When the Dreiser Rider Academy arrived at Yantunin, it was already past noon.

The ramparts surrounding Yan Tu Nin are of astonishing size. In this era, it was difficult for a few people to move long distances due to the presence of magical beasts, so there were many students who saw a big city other than the Dreiser for the first time. Everyone was curious about the city, and it was the finale of the trip.

"What a magnificent wall, what are you going to fight against?"

"Their imaginary enemy is the living Monster...... Or maybe it's the monsters at the time of the founding of the country? At that time, there seemed to be more vicious monsters than now. 」

"I see—that's why it's so thick. 」

The students were thrilled to see the huge gate leading to the inside of the city walls. However, instead of passing through the city gates, their carriages assembled in the square in front of the city gates.

"What's the matter, let's not go to Yangtunining?"

"As I explained before, the purpose of our visit to Yantunin is only to replenish supplies. 」

You can get out of the carriage and rest outside, but once you've loaded your cargo, you'll have to continue on your way. The students, who had thought they would be liberated from a boring journey, complained loudly, and the twins glared at the huge city gate.

"What, it's boring. Let's go into the city and see what happens!"

"yes, I want to shake it around. 」

"No, that's not the purpose of this trip......

"Don't you want to see it?"

"I'm very interested, but it would be a terrible thing to take such a large group of students on a sightseeing. 」

As he spoke, Al looked to the side. It must have been arranged in advance, and the goods received from the merchants who came out of the city were loaded onto the wagons one after another.

The short break was over, and it was time to set off quickly. The carriage carried the students who were reluctant to give up on Yantunin, and set off again towards their destination, Crocker Forest. A day's or so journey by horse-drawn carriage from Yantunin is to Crocker Forest. The road that stretches to the eastern border is barely paved and has been shaking for a long time, and finally a dense forest entrance appears in front of the road.

As soon as the carriage entered the forest, it stopped in a nearby sparsely wooded clearing, which had been used for field drills in previous years.

"Okay—after taking off the luggage, each group will set up a tent first, and then they can have dinner—"

At the teacher's command, the students began to set up tents for sleeping. By the way, they stayed in the carriage all the way, even sleeping at night. Because they were on the main road, they didn't know when or where the monsters would attack, so they stayed in the wagon in order to escape immediately if they had a chance. And they would practice here for days on end, and no matter how much they could stay in the wagon, they set up tents for this purpose, and used this place as a base for camping.

The senior students had several experiences and skillfully set up their tents step by step. In addition to such exercises, there are also opportunities to camp from time to time at the Faculty of Knighthood. Since they will become knights one day, setting up a stronghold while marching is an indispensable skill, and the Department of Knight not only teaches swords and magic, but also learns this skill. However, this is not so simple for first-year students. Although they explained to everyone before the field exercise and practiced it, they really couldn't say that they did a good job because they were inexperienced. Even with the help of the teacher, several groups delayed their progress and caused them to delay their dinner until late.

The entrance to the forest is lined with tents, giving it the appearance of a camping area. Bonfires lit up all over the place, illuminating a corner of the dim forest. Incidentally, students from Year 2 onwards are required to take turns keeping vigils as part of their internship program. After all, there are so many people, and teachers alone can't take care of everyone one by one, so the students themselves are also responsible for guarding the surroundings and doing internships by the way.

Al: They set up their tents faster than the rest of the group. On the one hand, because he knows the steps very well, and on the other hand, because the twins are taller than the children of the same age, they have the opportunity to show their talents. The two men set up their tents and went to help the other groups who didn't know what to do, while Al walked alone to the outskirts of the campground.

(I'm not lazy with the basics done...... Ah, there you have it. ）

Next to the camp of the middle division is the base of the high division riders and their phantom knights. During the few days that Phantom Knights were on patrol, there was nothing more disturbing to sleep than the sound of their footsteps and movements, which is why they were here to stand by in case they needed something.

Ten Phantom Knights lined up in a standby position of kneeling on one knee. The majestic figure emerged in the darkness by the light of the bonfire, making it impossible to see at a glance, even more powerful than in the daytime. Ordinary people would probably feel oppressive, but Al just looked around at the Iron Giants who sat in a row without saying a word with a smile on his face.

(Ah, the giant robot is really great - this is the oasis of the mind, and every family should have a robot.) ）

Even this world doesn't exist in that kind of horror family, but unfortunately, no one present can complain about Al's thoughts. "Hey, over there...... Silver-haired, is it El Nesty?"

After a while, someone called out from behind to stop Al, who was immersed in mysterious healing. As soon as he turned around, he saw Edgar, the owner of Earl Camber.

"Good night, Senior Edgar. Excuse me a bit. 」

"Sure enough, it's you. Why do you ...... This question is asked in vain. 」

Al was already a celebrity in the Horse Gymnastics Department. At the same time, the reason for his extremely abnormal action is also known to everyone.

"Is the senior in charge of standby?"

Edgar heard Al's question in the light of the flickering campfire, and a wry smile on his face was different from the one he had just had. He shook his head.

"No, I was still deciding on the standby order...... Hey, Di, just like before, is making trouble again. 」

"Senior Dietrich?"

"That's right. To put it simply, he just thought the standby task was troublesome, and complained fiercely. As Dreiser's most senior horseman, it is also a very important task for us to look after our younger siblings...... But the guy is still the same and capricious. 」

Even if you say something willful, you still have to carry out the task in the end, and even if you make a fuss, it's useless. Still, Dietrich scolded for a while.

"I'm too lazy to complain with him, I want to change my mood and come and see this guy by the way. 」

Then, together, they looked up at "that." The glow of the campfire reflects the giant knight covered in pure white armor, the Phantom Knight Earl Camber. This one has no special processing and decoration, and the body that is loyal to the prototype and has been solidly tuned has no outstanding features, but the performance is extremely tame, and it can really cooperate with Edgar, who is also the top in the school riding trainers, and these two partners are also known for being the strongest in the riding trainer department.

"Does the senior like Phantom Knights too?"

"Hmm, it's not so much like it...... This guy is both my weapon and my partner. Just be with it and the mood will calm down. When I'm feeling irritable or tired, I often come to it. 」

I'm probably not fit for this kind of thing—Edgar scratched his head.

"No, I think it's great to have a trusted partner. 」

"You like Phantom Knights very much. By the way, if you continue to work hard as a knight like this, you will get your own companion sooner or later...... Ahh 」

So they said goodbye to each other and walked their own way.

「...... Well, it's time for Dee to calm down. 」

Edgar watched into the silver glow of the darkness, and muttered to himself, ready to go to war as if he was going to battle.

It was already dark, and the freshmen, after eating their belated dinner in the dark, went back to their tents. First-graders don't have anything special to do in the evenings. Feeling tired from the hasty movement and the camp, it didn't take long for them to fall asleep wrapped in blankets. Just when everyone was just asleep—

From the forest came a long, loud howl of a beast. Probably a wolf. After the horses started to start, there were also echoing cries from all over the forest. The senior students standing guard for a moment raised their alertness and looked in the direction of the forest. If there was only howling, they could hear it often, so they quickly lost interest. However, there are also those who can't pretend that they didn't hear it. Because of that howl, the first-year students who came to participate in the field exercise for the first time realized their situation again. This is not a safe town, nor is it a wagon where you can escape immediately, but directly in front of the forest where the monsters lurk, where they have set up their tents and slept in them.

No matter how dangerous Crocker's Forest is, and with students watching, it's still not safe. Because they arrived here safely, they always felt that the atmosphere was a little relaxed along the way, and they became nervous just because of a howl. The drowsiness caused by fatigue disappeared completely, and I became more awake instead.

In El's tent, Kidd lay down and shook his head. Even if the degree was different, he felt a little uneasy, and it seemed that he couldn't fall asleep right away.

(I thought I was bolder, but I was nervous.) ）

The faint light of the campfire came in, and there was an atmosphere of uneasiness in the dimly lit tent. It suddenly occurred to Kid whether Al, who was sleeping next to him, was as uneasy as he was, so he whispered to him:

"Hey, Al, may I ask...... Belch. 」

Al had long since fallen asleep. It's not that he's indifferent to this situation, it's just that he fought as a warrior on the front lines of hell in his previous life, and he understands the importance of recuperating his energy no matter how reluctant he is, so he has developed the ability to fall asleep no matter what the situation.

（...... Although he thought so before, he was really too strong, and he didn't care too much. ）

Hearing Kid's voice, Artie, who also couldn't sleep, turned her head and stared at Al's sweet sleeping face.

"Well, that's cunning. 」

I don't know where the cunning point is, but Artie stumbles over and takes Al directly into her arms, which is the so-called "pillow" posture. Suddenly he was hugged, and even Al woke up. As soon as he realized that it was Artie, he gently touched her head and fell asleep again. Artie may have felt reassured by this, and after a while there was an even snort. Looking at the two of them, Kidd began to feel stupid that he couldn't sleep, and couldn't help but smile bitterly.

(I always feel that I'm the only one so nervous, isn't it idiot?)

That's right, he also decided not to bother with it anymore. Soon after, he also fell asleep. The next morning, a little after sunrise, the students got up.

Many students don't get enough sleep. In this atmosphere of listlessness early in the morning, Al and the others welcomed a refreshed morning. Every time I camp, there are always students who can't sleep, and not only in the city, but also in the wilderness to actually experience this tension is also one of the purposes of the exercise, but the teachers do not want to force the first graders who have little physical strength, so their work is relatively easy. After the students had eaten a simple breakfast made with preserved food, they were ordered by their teachers to gather in different grades.

After a brief explanation by the teacher, the students from the second grade and above set out in groups and headed out into the forest. The biggest purpose of this exercise is to actually fight the demonic beasts that inhabit the forest and hunt more than a certain number. First-year students go to the outskirts of the forest first, and there is a chance that they will fight, depending on the situation.

The first-graders who first stepped into the forest were nervous, and the older students were moving towards the forest with a different kind of nervousness. Soon, the sound of the armor they wore faded away, and the forest was silent again.

And so began a long day that will be remembered for the rest of a lifetime by all the students of the Knight Academy.