I, Reincarnate as the Leader of the Villainous Knight Order - Chapter 166: Roommate

Chapter 166: Roommate

We were guided to the guesthouse within the royal castle grounds. 

It was larger than a typical noble’s mansion. The entire knight order could stay in the same building. The guesthouse in the Kingdom of Rafios was the same. It was designed so that those from the same country could be managed and monitored together. 

“Now that I think about it, this is the first time I’m sharing a room with the Captain.” 

Upon arriving at the third-floor room assigned to the Justin unit, Simon glanced at me and muttered. 

Since a list of those accompanying Clarisse had been submitted in advance, the knights were assigned rooms according to their respective squads. 

“Good for you. Aside from you guys, all the other knights here are nobles. So you’re being treated like one. The beds must be high-quality too.” 

“You’re right! Look at this, the sheets are silk! Even at my family home, only the guest rooms have these. This is my first time sleeping on them.” 

Though Marius came from a fairly well-off merchant family, even he had never slept on silk sheets before. He happily rubbed his cheek against them. 

“Captain, we don’t have an audience today, right? Can we go out after dinner?” 

Gaspard had already changed from his knight’s formal attire into his usual training clothes. He looked ready to head out. 

In the Kingdom of Rafios, knights could be recognized even in training clothes. But that wasn’t the issue here. 

“Of course not. Think about how it would look if knights from another country started wandering around the capital right after arriving. The night streets are a classic spot for gathering intelligence.” 

“Exactly. This country hardly gets visitors except for merchants and envoys from Rafios. Acting suspiciously will only make them more wary.” 

“It would be no joke if Gaspard’s reckless actions cause the entire Kingdom of Rafios to be on high alert.” 

“Even I know that much! Just like when seducing a woman, you have to break down their guard first.” 

Everyone gave him exasperated looks, and even Simon ended up scolding him. It left Gaspard shocked. 

“Even Simon is telling me off… I’m finished…” 

“What the hell is that supposed to mean!?” 

“It means exactly what it sounds like!!” 

The two started arguing over something pointless again. 

Ignoring them, Arnault, Marius, and I unpacked our belongings and changed into our casual clothes. 

Even though we were commoners, because of the Third Knight Order’s headquarters being near the noble district, our casual wear was of decent quality. 

“Hurry up, or we’re leaving without you. The maid just told us dinner will be ready soon. The royal family and ministers will be having a banquet. But for us knights, it’ll be the usual dining hall setup. If you’re late, you might not get anything.” 

“Ahh! Wait for me! I’ll get ready right away!” 

“This is all your fault for saying weird stuff, Gaspard!” 

Though they complained at each other, Gaspard and Simon hurried to get ready. 

Of course, even if we were late, there was no way the Eldrasia Kingdom would allow its knights to go without food—it was just an excuse to make them stop bickering. 

Upon entering the first-floor dining hall, about half of the First Knight Order was already having their meal. 

Naturally, conversations were taking place. But the difference in table manners compared to the Third Knight Order’s mess hall was obvious. 

There was hardly any clatter of dishes, and everyone maintained good posture. 

“Uh… are we really supposed to be eating here?” 

Arnault looked around anxiously and whispered. 

“Heh, just eat properly, and you’ll be fine. Unlike a banquet, no one expects perfect etiquette. Just keep your head down and eat quietly.” 

It was a buffet-style setup, with colorful dishes arranged on the central table. They were flanked by four rows of dining tables. 

Since it was already early summer in the Eldrasia Kingdom, there was an abundance of fresh fruits as well. 

“Whoa, what the hell is this!? Is this even food!?” 

“Keep it down! What are you yelling about?” 

As I was picking up food for my plate, Simon suddenly shouted over by the fruit section. It drew the entire dining hall’s attention. 

“No, look at this! It’s covered in spikes! Is this thing even edible!? And this one has fur on it!” 

Simon was staring in disbelief at something—fruits I had never seen in this world before: dragon fruit and kiwi. 

For presentation purposes, the dragon fruit had been sliced into wedges with its peel still attached. While the kiwi was cut in half. 

“The spiky part is the peel, so you don’t eat it. Though you might be crazy enough to try. The fuzzy one—you eat the inside with a spoon.”

“Ohh~. Is it tasty?” 

“The fuzzy one is sweet and sour, and the spiky one has a much milder version of that flavor.” 

“You’re quite knowledgeable. These fruits are rare even in this country.” 

While I was explaining to Simon, a maid carrying additional dishes spoke up. 

Her Arabian-style outfit exposed her midriff. It made it a bit awkward to know where to look. 

I forced myself to think of it like being at the beach or a pool—after all, it wasn’t as revealing as a bikini. 

“I did some research for a gift for my fiancée.” 

“Oh my, how thoughtful. I’m jealous of your fiancée.” 

That was a lie. 

The reason I said it was because she had the same look in her eyes as noblewomen searching for a husband. 

She probably assumed that knowing about such rare fruits meant I had the connections to acquire them—implying a certain level of status. 

Her face immediately lost interest the moment I mentioned a fiancée. It proved my theory right. 

I wondered if the women here had no qualms about marrying abroad. Or if international marriages were encouraged for the sake of diplomacy. 

The bright, tropical atmosphere of this country could be deceiving. But it was clear there was more beneath the surface. 

With that realization, I refocused and enjoyed my meal. I was preparing myself mentally for tomorrow’s audience.