I, Reincarnate as the Leader of the Villainous Knight Order - Chapter 140: The Third Knight Order's Apprentices

Chapter 140: The Third Knight Order’s Apprentices

“Oh, that’s right. Commander Vandière, the Dwarves and the apprentices will soon be moving into the new dormitory. How would you like to handle the introductions?”

Ovan was one of the clerks who had rushed in. He was surprised by Ryuka’s voice and took the opportunity to ask this. Ah, that’s true. I almost forgot. Given that they’ve probably heard all sorts of bad rumors about the Third Knight Order while they were being looked after by the Second Knight Order, I just hope the kids don’t cry when they see me.

“For now, we need to make sure they remember the three of us and our roles. You two come along, we’ll go introduce ourselves.”

Ryuka is good with kids, so it should work out fine. As we stepped outside, a few carriages had arrived. About fifteen young apprentices, still showing signs of their youth, had arrived in front of the new dormitory with nothing more than a single backpack each.

Jeanne and the Dwarves stepped down from one of the carriages. The apprentices, upon seeing Jeanne, were spellbound. It was as if they were under a charm spell, standing with their mouths agape.

“Oh, Master. We’ll be under your care from today.”

“Mommy!”

Just as Jeanne noticed me and greeted me, Jest came flying from the direction of the old dormitory, still in his dragon form from last night. The apprentices cheered when they saw him.

“Wow, it’s a dragon!”

“No way! He’s too small to be a real dragon.”

“But he’s flying!!”

Their lively, childlike reactions warmed my heart. Jeanne caught Jest in her arms as he landed and came over to us, still holding him.

“Good for you, Jest. You can meet your mother anytime now.”

“Yeah!”

“You know, seeing you like this, you and Justin look like a family,” 

Ryuka teased as I was patting Jest’s head while Jeanne held him.

“Hoho. Indeed, I wonder where Jest’s father might be now… The last time we met was more than fifty years ago, so he probably isn’t nearby…”

Jeanne’s grip on Jest seemed to tighten just a bit as she said this. Should I comfort her, or is it normal for her kind to be apart for fifty years?

“Huh? Fifty years? Does that mean Jest is older than us?” 

Ryuka asked, either unaware of the atmosphere or letting his curiosity outweigh his concern. It’s true, the timeline doesn’t quite add up if Jest was born that long ago.

“No, Jest was born ten years ago… Dragons can infuse their eggs with magic within their bodies for anywhere between ten and a hundred years. They can lay them whenever the conditions are right.”

“Wow.”

That’s news to me too.

“Hey, we’ve unloaded all the luggage. So, what should we do with these kids over here?” 

Basil, the leader of the Dwarves, asked while pointing toward the apprentices. The Second Knight who had accompanied them had a grim expression. But knowing I was talking with a dragon, he didn’t interrupt or complain and simply waited.

“Sorry about that. We’ve already arranged rooms for Jeanne and the Dwarves, so go ahead and carry your luggage inside. We’ll handle the apprentices and show them around.”

“Got it. Jest, would you help us carry the luggage?”

“Okay!” 

Jest responded. And after being asked by Basil, He chanted a spell and transformed into his human form. The apprentices cheered again at the sight.

“Jest, once we’ve finished here, I’ll come get you.”

“Okay, I’ll be waiting!”

The new dormitory has two entrances. One is for the Dwarves, and the other is reserved for the apprentices and the Knight Order staff. The interior, aside from the kitchen on the first floor, is divided by a thick central wall. It made it impossible to go between the two sides without passing through the first floor. Once we confirmed Jest and the others had started moving their luggage, we headed to the entrance where the apprentices were waiting.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. Thanks for guiding them here. We’ll take over from here, so you’re free to return.”

“Understood. Please take care of the children. If anything comes up, let the Second Knight Order know.”

“Of course… Though, if you’re worried, would you like to take a look around? I’m sure you’re concerned about where the apprentices you’ve been caring for are going to be living from now on.”

The knight had bowed his head. At my suggestion, he lifted it quickly, as if startled. The apprentices also seemed somewhat relieved by this.

It seems this man has earned considerable trust from the apprentices.

“Alright, let’s get your name. Since the members of the Third Order aren’t used to looking after apprentices, we might need your advice in the future.”

“My name is Erik. I’m the only Erik responsible for taking care of the apprentices, so feel free to reach out anytime.”

“Got it. Now then… Apprentices! I’m going to show you around the dormitory where you’ll be living from now on. I am Justin de Vandière, the Commander. These two are Vice Commanders Orel Luminar and Ryuka. If you run into any issues inside the dormitory, consult us or the clerks on the first floor of the old dormitory. Now, follow me!”

I led the way into the dormitory. But the apprentices didn’t move, as if their legs were frozen. Only after Erik followed me did the apprentices slowly and hesitantly begin to enter.

“Even though the Captain is so good with Jest, why does he end up scaring the apprentices with the way he talks to them?” 

“Probably because he’s nervous about dealing with so many kids at once. I bet he was worried they’d start crying.”

I overheard the hushed conversation between Ryuka and Orel behind me. As much as I wanted to deny it, I was likely feeling nervous myself. However, seeing that Erik’s expression softened thanks to their little exchange, I’ll let it slide just this once.