I Will Be the Greatest Knight-Chapter 451: Changing Her Mind

The rains started about an hour before they were set to arrive at the village. It seemed insignificant at first until the drops grew larger within half an hour, and it felt like buckets of water were being dumped on them rather than mere drops.

Irene knew immediately that she was going to have to thoroughly attend to her armor and weapon to avoid rust. Hopefully the reeve would have the supplies for them. If not, at least a blacksmith or local shop might.

The knight’s eyes scanned the place as they pulled into the village. The apprentices still wore determined expressions despite how thoroughly soaked they were.

Rainy season truly had begun in the valley and in the worst way possible. It was no wonder the villagers had been worried about getting the barn back and working.

When they arrived at where a large barn formerly and familiarly stood, Irene continued looking around. She saw quite a few broken boards and poles stacked in one corner. It seemed that they had tried to preserve some and cover them in another place. She was grateful for their efforts. At least the area was cleaned for them to place the wagon.

"We will leave the entire wagon, so take your horses," Felix explained to the apprentices. "All that they asked us for was supplies. They have enough housewrights to build and carpenters to manipulate the wood. Let us go to the reeve’s home. He will be expecting us with rooms ready and places to put our animals, if not merely at local stables."

Even though Irene directed Sammy in the direction of the reeve’s home, she couldn’t help her green eyes continuing to measure her surroundings.

From what she could see through the thick clouds, the sun still had a few hours before it would fully set. It also seemed that there would be a break in the rain a couple of hours before that, based on the direction in which the clouds were traveling.

There was no desire to settle down for the night. Restlessness was all she felt.

She knew that the Commander told her that he wouldn’t consider their promise broken, and he knew how important duties were, but she had a wild thought of returning as quickly as she possibly could.

Shortly, they arrived in front of what was undoubtedly the reeve’s home, considering how large it was in comparison to the ones surrounding it.

Felix was the first to dismount from his horse, and he strode forward to knock on the door with his third in command at his side. The apprentices followed suit, even going so far as to pull all the horses together and put their reins on a post, unsure of how long it would be before they could properly put the animals away for the night.

The reeve was quick to the door and greeted them with his thanks and hospitality. Before they could argue, they were whisked away into his home and found themselves in a small dining hall with fine ale placed before them. His wife and maid were in the kitchen preparing something fragrant to fill the stomachs of those who had traveled all that way.

The knights were permitted a side table to place their armor so it wouldn’t inhibit their eating experience.

Irene found herself eating quickly, even being able to keep up with the others in her party. Normally, she would at least try to hold back in the presence of others who weren’t quite used to her as the others were.

"My home is yours," the reeve explained. "We have plenty of guest rooms for esteemed travelers coming and going. If you’d like to sit here and drink more, be my guest. We also have room in the stables around back."

"Apprentices, you ought to wind down for the evening," Felix explained. "I can deal with the horses. It’s best you get dry and not risk getting sick. I was in armor and in far better shape than you."

But it was a lie. The armor wasn’t entirely waterproof. There were plenty of parts on both Irene and Felix that were soaking wet, but their dark clothing didn’t give it away.

Regardless, the apprentices went off in the direction the reeve indicated. It was nice staying in the house of a smaller noble rather than an inn. Oftentimes, the rooms were a bit nicer with beds less worn in because of fewer travelers than at an inn.

However, Irene stood up as well the moment Felix did.

"What is it?" he wondered.

"I would like to talk to you about something," she admitted. "I can help you with the horses."

Felix’s blonde eyebrows rose, but he didn’t have an issue with her coming along.

As soon as the two stepped outdoors, only to be met with a misty sort of rain that caused visibility to be lower than it was earlier, Felix couldn’t help his curiosity. He wondered, "What is it you need to talk to me about?"

It was always a surprise when it came to Irene. Ever since she had come into his life, there had never been a dull moment.

True to his dutiful nature, Felix still grabbed two horses from the post and brought them around the house. Irene did the same as she explained herself to the other knight.

"I feel I should return to the Duke’s Tower this evening," she explained, a bit hesitantly, Felix noticed.

There was a long pause as the older knight contemplated what the third in command was telling him. After the strange occurrences since she had returned from the winter, he couldn’t help that his imagination was working overtime trying to figure out the ’why’ to all of her unusual actions.

"Since you aren’t seeking permission, I can only warn you that the visibility seems to be low right now," he explained. "Who knows what it might look like in a couple of hours?"

"I was paying attention," she explained. "I believe it will cease at some point in the evening."

Felix nodded, and he pulled the first two horses into pens and closed their short gates so that they would stay put before he could attend to them further. He brushed his hands together and turned to Irene.

"Am I allowed to ask why?" he questioned. "What has you racing back so quickly despite the risk due to the rainy weather?"

Irene hesitated, but she answered as honestly as she could, knowing the Commander likely wouldn’t appreciate her spreading their business through the knighthood.

"I made a promise to the Commander," she admitted. "I intend to keep it."

It was vague, but it was enough for Felix to nod.

"You best be safe," he reiterated. "Don’t do anything too reckless. Act like apprentices are watching your every move. I will finish up here. You ought to go quickly before it’s too late."

Irene smiled at that, agreeing that it would be best to leave with haste.

However, Felix watched her as she left. He couldn’t help sighing.

He never saw Irene as a woman before realizing that it was possible someone else did, and that someone else was their Commander. He felt stressed out like some older brother, or even a father.

Unfortunately, he also knew that the Commander was a good person who wouldn’t hurt another, especially not someone in the knighthood. Would they be the worst pair? Now that he pictured it...

"Get a grip," Felix uttered to himself as he turned away.

Not everyone was like him, who was struggling with what he was doing behind closed doors those days.

For now, he would blame whatever Irene was up to on her dutiful nature. She seemed just as worried to lose the Commander as he was. Perhaps she was also stressed out when they were in post-war times and struggling to keep it together.

At least the Commander was on the mend. That much, Felix could be grateful for.