Your Absence (Krish’s POV)

“Krish-san, the breeding season of the light moss is coming soon. Are you going to go see it with Lady Annette?”

The breeding season of the light moss… I see, it’s that time already.

Every year at this time, the whole town becomes restless and excited. Especially the young people, they start fighting over the shifts to go see it with their lovers. Those who are assigned to the night shift on this day run around looking for someone to take their place.

It doesn’t matter to me, since I don’t have a lover thanks to Lady Annette.

“Don’t be stupid. There’s no way her parents would allow you to take Lady Annette out at night before she’s married.”

“You’re saying that again. Lady Annette is coming of age this year, and the whole town’s talking about how you’re going to get married before you leave on your next trip. The breeding season of the light moss is the perfect occasion to propose marriage!!”

So that’s the rumor going around. That’s why I should have ended the pretend lovers thing sooner. The most natural reason would be that she had a change of heart while they were apart for so long.

Even so, it’s amazing that such happy rumors have started when they haven’t even been on many dates. I don’t really care about other people’s love affairs.

“It’s nice, isn’t it? Lady Annette is beautiful, and a fresh, young wife who just became an adult is a man’s dream. I’m so jealous.”

Indeed, if she is the one he is in love with, it would be the ultimate pleasure for a man.

But in my case, I’m honestly annoyed by the troublesome duties I’ve been forced to take on. Even if someone says they are jealous of my fake relationship, I’m like, “How so?”

“Hey, concentrate on your patrol.”

I don’t know what he’s thinking, but I scold my subordinate, who is walking with a shaky step, and carefully looked around the market.

While reprimanding a street vendor and a customer for a fight and mediating a couple’s quarrel, I suddenly think that this town is peaceful.

Perhaps it’s because the town manages the Tree of Life and has more knights than other places, but the residents here have bright expressions and the security is good.

Many of the towns I visited during my travels were deserted and gloomy. I think the impact of not having children is more noticeable in rural towns.

Small villages and towns with small populations suffer from labor shortages, and fields that have lost workers are abandoned. Without people, business is no longer viable, and merchants leave for other towns.

When merchants leave, there are no stores, and when there are no stores, there are no jobs, and people leave again. There is no way to stop this vicious cycle, and as people become desperate, crime increases. As a result, security only gets worse.

“Now that I think about it, it seems there have been more bandits.”

A subordinate who had just calmed down a fight between drunks who had been drinking all day long muttered in a hushed voice.

“They only target houses where the elderly and women and children whose husbands are away working away from home live. They’re so cowardly. They keep stealing while moving around, and they’re gradually getting closer to this town.”

“Yes, I’ve received reports. It’s the same group of five thieves. They’re fast, and the local knights seem to be having a hard time with them. They’re still a long way away, but they might show up in this town soon. It’s a relief that no one has died yet, but their actions seem to be escalating. We’ll have to be on guard.”

The thought of Shinobu crossed my mind. The house where he lives is an hour’s ride from the town by cart. It takes 25 minutes even if Blanche runs at full speed. There are no residential houses nearby, and it’s a place where dairy farms and farming houses are scattered here and there.

There couldn’t be a more easy target for the thieves we just talked about. I guess it’s a good thing to go and check on him once a day.

Maybe my frequenting of Shinobu’s house will act as a deterrent to crime. Anyone who isn’t stupid should be able to understand what would happen if they robbed a house who knows a knight.

Knights often share the same room and eat, so they have strong ties. If a friend of theirs is hurt, they will search everywhere, even if it means going to the roots, and catch him no matter where he runs.

Even arrogant thieves will avoid them if they know that a knight is coming and going.

Ever since the day Shinobu visited the management office, Felix-sama has been calling out to me as the day approaches. “Are you going out again today?”

I don’t know what he was thinking, but he once told me that he wouldn’t blame me if I stayed a little past my break, so I should just take my time.

It might be nice to have a leisurely chat with Shinobu on my days off, but it would be a bit odd to be late for personal reasons during work. The knights patrol in designated areas each time, and they mainly patrol within the city.

It is acceptable to patrol on one’s own accord during break time, but if one goes to an unspecified place and is late for work, it cannot be helped that they will think one is slacking off.

What would the citizens think if they found out that a knight who is supposed to maintain order was doing whatever he wanted? I don’t mind being reprimanded, but what if someone were to think that Shinobu was being given special treatment?

What I think is good for Shinobu could end up causing trouble for him.

“You’re so serious, Krish. Why don’t you relax a bit?”

“This is just my nature. Even if you tell me to change, it’s not something I can change easily.”

Felix-sama looked at me sideways with an expression that said, “That’s why you’re such a stickler.” This expression is very similar to Lady Annette’s. Although their personalities are completely different, it really makes one realize that they are blood siblings.

“Krish.”

“Ha.”

“If you ever get tired of putting up with Annette’s selfishness, just tell me. I’ll tell Annette too.

I don’t think you can win an argument with Annette, who was born with such a mouth so I’ll lend you a hand.”

“Ha, thank you.”

I’m very grateful for Felix-sama’s consideration. I think I’m not so insensitive that I can say, “I got tired of you a long time ago,” in front of Annette-sama’s real brother.

Blanche’s steps are light as he heads for Shinobu’s house. I know the reason. Blanche is in love with Shinobu’s horse.

The mare, named Brian, stands with a dignified and beautiful posture, and her coat is shiny because she is cared for with great care.

Although he is my partner, I have to admit she has pretty good tastes.

However, judging from her haughty appearance, it seems that it will be difficult to win her over.

I’m careful not to let him get too close to a mare who is not in heat, because she will kick if I let him get too close, but every time we meet, Blanche’s feelings for her seem to grow stronger, and it’s getting harder to hold him back.

“Blanche, she is an important member of Shinobu’s family. Please be careful not to make any mistakes.”

I wonder if my partner is aware of my worries. He runs faster and faster towards Shinobu’s house every day. Look at Annette-sama, falling in love is something that makes you feel so engrossed that you wonder if you can ever be that powerful. This seems to be the same for both people and horses.

When the red roof came into view, Blanche’s running speed became faster and faster. It was difficult to control him. I stopped on the public road in front of the house to admonish him, and turned my eyes in the direction of the field, but Shinobu, who usually notices me and waves at me, was not there.

It should be the same time as usual, but I wonder if they are having lunch. As I approached the field holding Blanche’s reins, I saw the livestock that Shinobu calls “my family” grazing in their own spots.

“Shinobu, are you here?”

I knocked on the door but there was no response, so I put my hand on the doorknob just to be sure and found that it was locked.

I called out several times to make sure he was not there, then I looked around the field. The weeds surrounding the house rustled in the wind, and the livestock were spending their time peacefully, the same as always, but Shinobu was nowhere to be seen.

I remembered the thief that my subordinate had talked about earlier in the day, and my heart was unsettled. I guessed that nothing had happened to Shinobu, as the guard dog Pochi was digging up the field and stealing radishes. If something had happened, he wouldn’t be so nonchalant.

However, understanding and feelings are two different things, and I was seized by an inexplicable sense of irritation and quickly walked around the house.

After walking around and returning to the original place, I couldn’t find Shinobu.

“Pochi, where is your master?”

Pochi’s ears twitched at my words, then he snorted and turned away. I had always thought this, but his attitude towards children and adults is quite different. He no longer bares his fangs at me in front of Shinobu, but I could sense from his actions that he doesn’t accept me.

As a guard dog, it’s natural that he doesn’t easily put down his guard to anyone other than his master, and normally I would have praised him for it, but I seemed surprisingly irritated that I couldn’t see Shinobu.

Unintentionally, a low voice came out.

“Pochi, sit down.”

The guard dog, overwhelmed by the pressure, stomped its feet nervously before placing its tail on the ground as ordered.

“You know, right? Where did Shinobu go?”

Right now, I’m aware that I look grim, like I’m interrogating a criminal.

This world isn’t all kind. I’ve felt the security situation getting worse day by day during my travels, so maybe that’s why I’m overly sensitive, but I’m worried about Shinobu.

It hasn’t been long since he came to this world. It’s possible that he unknowingly stepped into something dangerous.

“Pochi.”

“Woof.”

I called his name again, and Pochi turned toward the town and barked. Shinobu’s friend Norn was in the town. On the way there, there should be the fields of the brothers Nott and Marco. So he’s in one of them.

“I’m sorry I got angry.”

After apologizing for my harsh attitude, Pochi took a position that showed his side to me. This means submission to dogs. It seems that he recognized me as a stronger being than him.

“Blanche!! Let’s go!!”

When I called Blanche to go look for Shinobu, he had left my side and was trying to cover Brian from behind and was being kicked.

“What are you doing? I told you not to make any mistakes!”

What was he thinking, trying to jump on a lady without permission? Even a horse would be angry.

I hastily took the reins and pulled the two horses apart, and Blanche whined pathetically, while Brian kicked the ground with her front hooves, breathing heavily and looking irritated.

“I’m sorry.”

I apologized as Blanche’s owner, and Brian kicked the ground with her front hooves again. I felt sorry for her because it seemed to me that he was saying, “You’re the owner, please discipline him properly.”

As a result, Shinobu had just gone to help Nott and Marco with their fields. My worries that he might have gotten into some kind of trouble turned out to be unfounded.

When I found Shinobu watering the brothers’ fields, I truly felt relieved, but I felt sorry that I had scared the younger brother. Perhaps because my excitement had shown in my attitude.

“Krish-san, were you looking for me? I’m sorry. I should have said something.”

“No, I’m sorry too. Security has been getting worse recently. I was a little sensitive.

I have no intention of restricting Shinobu’s actions. You have the right to spend your time freely.”

“No, I know you come every day, but I didn’t think about it enough. From now on, I’ll let you know when I have plans to go out.”

 A knight’s job is to protect the lives of the citizens. But even if I were to take up another job, I would probably rush to Shinobu if something difficult were to happen to him.

Brothers Nott and Marco were watering the vegetable seedlings that had sprouted in the fields, occasionally cheering. They called out to Shinobu as he spoke to me, waving, “Come quickly!”

Shinobu replied, raised one hand, said goodbye, and ran off.

The scenery around here was the same everywhere. At Shinobu’s house, which I had visited earlier, there was a peaceful scene of livestock grazing.

But I was impressed by how much the impression changed depending on whether Shinobu was there or not, and even felt a sense of respect for his presence.

The scenery with Shinobu there looked so gentle to me.

If it was to protect the sight of him smiling, it wouldn’t be a problem to come to this place away from the city.

Tomorrow, I would have Blanche running again to protect this scene.