As we entered the capital, the townspeople buzzed at our appearance.
“The Dark Knights? Is it really them?”
Curiosity drew more and more people until the main street was packed full.
“Dark Knight Mayer Knox! The strongest Dark Knight!”
“It’s thanks to Your Excellency that I can sleep well. Please defeat the demon lord as soon as possible and bring us peace!”
“Sir Fire Mage! Look over here, please!”
“Oh, Saint of Summer! Please lend us the hand of mercy too!”
The crowd cheered, calling out the nicknames of the famous members. Of course, those cries of praise and cheering weren’t only for the elites. The other members of the Dark Knights also got to enjoy the reverence being showered upon them. The three kids of the special unit were unfamiliar with all this. They had ducked their heads to hide their scarlet faces, looking as stiff as shellfish.
I jokingly said to them, “You guys better get used to it as quickly as you can. That’s the kind of reception you’ll be receiving for the rest of your lives now.”
“…Wha-what if we can’t ever get used to it?” Julietta stammered, looking nauseous. Being able to understand her feelings at least a little bit, I decided to give her some advice. I had gone through the same thing. “You’ll feel a bit better if you think that they’re welcoming everyone except yourself. In fact, the crowd’s real interest is fixed on a certain few. Be it someone with truly great power, a flashy-looking mage, or a priest that can help them.”
Incidentally, I didn’t come under any of the three categories in the first playthrough. Rather, I had to endure mocking fingers pointing at my gray hair as people wondered if I was one of those support mages. Fed up with that treatment, I had no choice but to cover myself with a robe every time I entered the capital.
Sevi seemed to believe that the crowd didn’t really care about him as I had said. The boy raised his head to look around, then remarked, “Come to think of it, most of the cheering is either for His Excellency, Axion, or Reverend August.”
“Right? Those people actually don’t have much interest in us. Don’t be too cowed by their eyes.”
Of course, Sevi was a different case from Julietta or Nova. He was a mage of wind, which was equally prominent as flames. Already, there were some who were glancing at his green hair. But I didn’t want to tell Sevi about it now and make him act like hardened bread while we were in the capital. My plan was to pass level 60 before next year’s performance report meeting. This was, in a way, the only opportunity for the special unit to enjoy the upcoming banquet without being bothered by the eyes of others.
The three kids finally eased up and began looking about. Sevi and Nova looked innocent as they gazed at the splendid and well-maintained buildings of the capital. I smirked slightly at their cute faces. Meanwhile, Axion, who had been quietly receiving the cheering of the people, jested in an undertone, “Be honest, Vice-captain. You’ve been in another expedition corps before, haven’t you?”
“What nonsense is that?”
“I’ve never seen someone act so unfazed when confronted with this welcoming crowd for their first time. Even Tragula and Robur were frozen stiff at first… Yet you look like someone who’s experienced this a lot.”
That I did. We had initially been ignored by the capital guards in the first playthrough, but it wasn’t long before that treatment changed. When Fabian Corps rose to fame rivaling that of the Dark Knights, they acted as if they had never ignored us in the first place.