Okami Wa Nemuranai

The morning after, they got up and had a slow breakfast before resuming their travel.

After crossing over the mountain summit, Daina Highway came into view in between trees.

They quickly arrived on the highway, where the two gradually increased their speed to the point of absurdity.

Travelers and villagers they occasionally overtook would look at them with frightened expressions.

Peddlers and wagons would notice the two coming from afar and moved far to the sides of the road to make way.

Normally they wouldn't run at full speed and freak people out like this. But they can't afford that this time. They couldn't help it.

They took their time having lunch. They may be in a hurry but taking a good quality rest is important. They talked to locals twice along the way to confirm their position. The journey is going smoothly.

They passed by two groups of caravans escorted by knights along the way. Must be resupply units.

The sun was going down, so they set up camp away from the highway. As it's a mountainous region here, many magic beasts lurk in the area. They carefully laid out magic beast ward potpourris.

"Is Norma still at the capital?"

"Un. She was super busy."

"Why was it again."

"The book, remember? The conversation between Skalabel-sama and Shira-baachan three years ago, the one priest Amamir-sama had recorded is finally getting turned into a book."

"Ah, yeah that thing. But was that such a busywork? Or rather, shouldn't that be Amamir's job."

"They stumbled on all kinds of difficult passages when they looked over it again and kept coming to Norma every time. Norma herself was fine with it if the questions were something she could answer right away, but some required her to look up in many subjects, it was super hectic."

"Hmph. Really."

"Also, priests and apothecaries from every temples just kept coming asking her for a chat when they found out Norma was in the capital. Some even requested her to hold a teaching course, but she's refusing them all for now."

"It's come to that huh."

"They had presented the first completed book to the king on the first of this month four. The plan is to present the book to Wazrof House and every temple this month, after that it's gonna get distributed in other regions."

"Then guess she's free after."

"Actually nope. Norma is starting the process to publish her dad's books, see. They've finally decided on the composition. It's gonna be 30 books in total. And they're gonna publish one book each year. Although it seems like Transcribers-san have finished transcribing five of the eight initial books, so it will be fast in the beginning."

"Fumu. No complain here if Norma is fine with that, but I guess she's not coming back to Vouka."

"Uun. Norma said she gotta be in Vouka to work on the manuscript. I think she'll go back there after the wedding."

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"Yeah? Ah, changing the topic, how come Jinga got to lead the knights."

"Ah, that you see."

Jinga was originally the highest ranking knight in Wazrof. He would lead the knights to subjugate bandit gangs, or eliminate swarms of magic beast in his prime. His exploits were widely known.

Publicly, he had left Wazrof Knights when he went with Sasfrey and his daughter Norma to Vouka, but once the late marquis of Wazrof passed away and sent his retirement money, Wazrof considered him as a retired knight.

However, during the incident around Goncourt House's heir, Jinga was introduced as the chief knight of Wazrof who acts as Norma's bodyguard. Manfrey who found that amusing appointed Jinga as a Chief Knight of Wazrof for real. There was no such thing as Chief Knight position in Wazrof up until that point.

This formally made Jinga once again a member of Wazrof Knights, but to Manfrey, it was simply a ploy to protect Norma.

But once Norma started coming to Mashajain and the royal capital, the younger knights who know about Jinga's fame started asking for his guidance.

Meanwhile, Guido Empire launched their invasion last year. Most didn't see it as a serious threat by that point, but Rigan Notz couldn't discount the worse comes to worst possibility. The present Wazrof Knights had no experience in a large scale battle.

Jinga whose waist had healed came back to Mashajain early this year. Rigan Notz who deeply respects Jinga entreated Manfrey to have Jinga instruct the knights in group mobilization.

Eventually it was made clear that the danger Guido Imperial army possessed was far greater than anticipated.

Mashajain must deploy their knights. Manfrey initially planned to have Rigan lead the knights.

But as days passed by, they found out how extremely dangerous Guido Imperial army proved to be. Under a leader without actual combat experience, the knights could suffer a heavy loss. A burden too heavy to bear for Rigan.

On top of that, the knights could end up getting deployed in a disadvantageous spot due to power struggle between commanders once there. As there is no individual who acts as the supreme commander.

Since Jinga is Wazrof's Chief Knight, his rank is guaranteed. To top that off, he oozes the depth of an experienced knight who won't permit anyone walk over him. Those who come face to face to him could only yield to his composure and decisive judgment.

Thus, under such circumstances, Manfrey along with Rigan requested Norma to borrow Jinga and had him lead the deployed Wazrof Knights.