Two days before the parade, in the early afternoon.

I was back at my family home, packing up items that had been sold at auction. When I list things on online auctions, I usually coordinate them to end around the same time. It's much easier that way since I can ship everything in one go. I was packing yesterday's sales to take to the delivery service.

"Ah, Jirou. You haven't been around much lately, but you know about the day after tomorrow, right?"

The day after tomorrow? There's a parade, but what about it?

"Don't be stupid. It's your grandpa's thirty-third memorial service."

Wait, seriously? It overlaps with the parade?

And what even is a thirty-third memorial service? Is it absolutely mandatory?

All the relatives will probably show up, so it might be tough to skip.

"I actually have some business..."

"The service will be over by noon, so you're going."

"Seriously?"

Ugh, seriously, what's with a thirty-third memorial service?

Isn't it fine to skip it already?! He's definitely at peace by now!

"Besides, what 'business' could you possibly have? You're just playing around anyway."

It's about half-hobby, but it's definitely not "playing around." But I can't exactly explain that to her.

"But my brother and sister aren't coming back, right?"

"Which is exactly why you, at the very least, need to be there."

"Nnnnggh..."

The parade starts in the early afternoon, around 2:00 PM. So far, the weather looks fine. I guess I have no choice. I'm no match for my mother. I could boycott it, but as long as I show my face, she'll probably be satisfied.

"Fine, I get it. See you the day after tomorrow."

The concern about Dida's interference seems to have fizzled out, and even without me, Rebecca-san and Hetty-san will be there. There are even rumors that the girls might perform better without me hovering...

I'll leave the day-of preparations to everyone. I'm not participating in the parade itself anyway, and I can't completely neglect my affairs in Japan either.

* * *

"...So? What do you think?"

"This is... absolutely wonderful," I replied.

"Dehehe."

"Right?! I got so many interesting design drawings from you, Danna. I haven't done work this good in a long time."

"No, it's amazing you could recreate it to this extent from those illustrations."

"Dehehe. Being stared at so much is embarrassing, de-arimasu!"

The one squirming and feeling embarrassed, going "Dehehe" for a while now, was Marina.

I was inspecting the equipment Master Dargos had manufactured—the matching Knight Order equipment.

I had seen individual parts during production, but this was the first time seeing the completed set. It was the final check with the full set equipped.

When I commissioned Oyakata, I provided samples of "cool and cute" knight illustrations I'd printed from the internet back in Japan. While this world certainly has cool equipment, it prioritizes practicality. Above all, I had never seen armor specifically designed for women.

If that's the case, there was only one path: I had to make it happen. And so, the ultimate sexy-cute-cool female knight equipment was born.

"Marina, how does it feel? Any issues with the weight?"

Looking good was important, but if it wasn't practical, that would defeat the purpose. Balancing design and functionality was non-negotiable.

"It is heavier than my previous armor, but it is not a problem at all, de-arimasu!"

Marina answered gallantly, hopping around like a bit of an airhead to demonstrate the lightness.

Her previous armor was made entirely of mithril, so it was undoubtedly much lighter than this. Mithril is used in this set too, but according to Oyakata, while pure mithril is light, it lacks certain defensive properties. It is better to use materials strategically.

As a result, the parts protecting areas close to the core of the body were mostly steel, while the gauntlets and greaves used a higher proportion of mithril. Putting heavy equipment on the extremities would tire you out incredibly fast, after all.

"What about the swords? Danna, you check them too. We have a full set for everyone. Ah, that katana isn't ready yet. I plan to try making it once I have a bit more time."

"The katana can wait until we've got breathing room."

We also had matching swords made.

The basic design is uniform, but the width and length of the blades were tweaked to suit each person's preference. Some are double-edged, some are single-edged, and Etowa alone has two short swords.

I drew a sword from its brand-new scabbard made of magical beast leather.

The beautiful steel blade gleamed in the sunlight.

Just as ordered—a straight, single-edged sword.

"This looks great...!"

Since my Demon Sword has a pitch-black blade, there's something refreshing about the shine of polished steel.

It had a decent weight to it—heavier than my Demon Sword, but this is the standard weight for a sword. Compared to the two-handed sword I use for practice, it was quite light.

I swung it experimentally a few times. With its shorter blade, it felt easy to handle.

I'd chosen a single edge so it could be used for mune-uchi—striking with the spine—so that if trouble broke out in town, we could deal with it non-lethally.

Though, realistically, even a blunt strike was still basically getting hit with an iron bar. A bad hit could still kill someone.

Still—better than cutting them down, I suppose.

"Man... truly excellent work. Thank you, Oyakata."

"Wahaha! I enjoyed it myself. I got to use some high-quality iron, too. Oh, and this is finished as well. I need someone to try it on."

Oyakata pulled out an iron mask made of mithril and steel. It was more like a helmet that covered the entire head. This was the one we prepared for Ion.

However, since Ion was back at the mansion, I'd have to take it back to adjust it. I tried putting it on Marina just to see—yeah, identifying the wearer would be nearly impossible. If anyone asks, we can just say she's hiding burn scars. It's a classic excuse, but it should work perfectly.

By the way, Hetty-san didn't need a new mask since she had her own. Apparently, from her days leading a mercenary group where she hid her face, she has quite the collection.

* * *

"Goshujin-sama, are you really not going to participate? To have just us out there..."

"Marina wanted to do the parade with Aruji-dono, de-arimasu!"

It was the day before the parade. Marina, dressed in her brand-new knightly attire, and Diana, playing the role of the Princess Knight in a pure white dress and simple decorative armor, spoke up one after another.

Both of them were incredibly beautiful.

From the moment I saw them, I was certain this parade would be a success. Since I had the memorial service tomorrow morning and wouldn't be able to check on things, we decided to hold a final rehearsal today. Naturally, we did it in full gear, exactly like the real thing.

"Well, I've got some work to do outside. You guys are the stars of the show tomorrow, so just enjoy yourselves."

I'd be away in the morning, and participating in the parade was going to be difficult anyway. Besides, I'm not the lead here—the Knight Order is the main attraction.

Almost all the girls would be taking part in the parade, so I planned to arrive at the venue early and act as the coordinator. Etwa, who would normally be my right-hand help, was also participating, so it was probably going to be pretty hectic.

Getting all the equipment ready had been down to the wire. It was gear for everyone, after all. Since I'd asked Bill-shi for the engraving work, it took even longer.

The decorative armor for the dragon turned out to be quite something—both in terms of mass and sheer luxury. In the end, we even used gold origami to decorate it. It looked a bit like a traveling circus act, but I prioritized making it stand out and blow people away. Plus, with Hetty-san joining at the last minute, the workload was immense.

As a result, Oyakata ended up overworked to the point of collapse, so I treated him to some of my collection—knives, high-quality steel, whiskey, and brandy.

The parade would be led by the Knight Captain, Rebecca-san. Instead of her usual horse, she'll be riding the dragon. That alone will draw massive attention; you could call it the centerpiece of the event.

Behind her would be Marina, Elepipi, and Etowa. All three wore matching knight uniforms that perfectly balanced cuteness and coolness.

Behind them came the mage Shamash-san and Ion in her iron mask. Since Shamash-san wasn't a knight, she wore a deep navy outfit befitting a mage. Ion was placed slightly less conspicuously thanks to Shamash-san's overwhelming presence.

Then came Diana, dressed more extravagantly than anyone else. Protecting her in the rear were Hetty-san and Shello-san.

Even though Shello-san is a man and not technically a knight, he's the essential advisor to our team. You won't find a lineup like this anywhere else. This is my pride and joy: the Knight Order.

To keep the momentum going after the parade, we've prepared an exhibition match against a summoned beast called forth by Shamash-san. I've even prepared music to liven things up and candy to hand out if there are children. I even paid attention to the scent, spraying perfume on the lead dragon.

Since we didn't have enough horses for the parade, I bought a new one and rented the rest. Diana also helped by moving trees on the mansion grounds to create a home for the dragon. The horses were a bit spooked by the dragon at first, but now they're good friends.

The dragon is still a newborn and very affectionate. Whether it'll grow up to be a fierce red dragon or something else is a mystery, but for now, it's still a pink dragon.

The rehearsal proceeded smoothly. We held it at the usual training ground—the grassland near Shello-san's house. Watching them march, led by the Dragon Knight Rebecca-san, they were so noble and beautiful that I was completely captivated—everyone: Rebecca-san, Marina, Elepipi, Etowa, Ion, Shamash-san, Hetty-san, and Diana.

They were all beautiful. Beautiful and cool.

My pride and joy.

* 

* * *

"Aruji-dono."

During a break, I felt something poke my back. I turned around to find Marina. She grabbed my right hand with both of hers, rested her forehead against my shoulder, and whispered "Aruji-dono" once more.

"What's wrong?"

Marina didn't say anything for a while, just holding my hand. The others were practicing their riding nearby. Diana seemed to be watching us from a distance, but for now, it was just the two of us.

I could tell from the atmosphere that she had something she wanted to say—unlike her usual energetic self, she seemed deep in thought.

"Aruji-dono... please listen, de-arimasu."

She began to speak in small fragments.

"...Marina is... so happy. It feels like a dream, de-arimasu."

"That's good, isn't it?"

I answered as cheerfully as I could.

Marina sometimes said she felt dreamily happy. In reality, it might have been unusually generous treatment for a former slave—but even so, her gratitude sometimes felt overwhelming.

Well, technically the slave contract had already been annulled, so she wasn't a slave anymore.

"But... it's been so happy, like a dream, for so long... that I can't help but feel anxious that one day I'll wake up from it, de-arimasu..."

"Marina..."

I couldn't see her expression with her forehead pressed against my arm.

"Aruji-dono... even though Marina was a slave, I get to wear these clothes, ride a horse, and be treated like a knight... Ever since I came to Aruji-dono's place, it's been... it's been a life like a dream..."

A dream-like life, huh...

That goes for me, too. Living a dream-like, happy life in this other world.

A NEET who earned pocket money through online auctions becoming the owner of a Knight Order sounds like a joke.

So, I think I understand that sudden wave of anxiety.

Marina kept her forehead pressed against my arm, clutching my hand tightly as if letting go would cause the dream to end.

"Marina, thank you."

The words just slipped out.

"Eh?! T-That's Marina's line, de-arimasu!"

Marina snapped her head up. Our eyes met.

"Then you can just say thank you, too."

"Aruji-dono..."

In truth, I'm grateful to Marina.

A lot has happened since I started coming to this world, but Marina has comforted and helped me countless times. If this life is as wonderful as a dream, Marina is one of the ones who helped build it.

We stared at each other for a moment, and Marina, looking embarrassed with flushed cheeks, squeezed my hand hard one last time before letting go and jumping back three steps.

She looked at my face directly, her expression conflicted. Her face was bright red, and she closed her eyes as if making a life-changing decision.

Then, she shouted:

"Aruji-dono! I've wanted to say this for so, so long! Thank you for choosing the 'good-for-nothing' Marina back then! Thank you for taking care of the Marina who couldn't do anything! Thank you for making that Marina into a knight! I am truly happy, like it's a dream! I'm so happy all the time that I feel like I might die, de-arimasu!"

"Marina..."

"Aruji-dono! Marina... Marina loves you! Always, always, looooves you, de-arimasu!"

After shouting it all out, she covered her face and ran away, yelling, "Hyaaaaawaaaaa, I went and said it again, de-arimasu!"

I stood there, frozen.

I was happy.

I couldn't stop my heart from pounding.

She's told me she liked me before, but no matter how many times it happens, it still makes me happy.

Marina is a slave I bought. I've always felt a bit guilty about that. Even if her life would have been more miserable if I hadn't bought her, that's a separate issue. So, hearing her say she's happy, that it's like a dream, and that she loves me... it's a form of salvation for me too.

In the end, that was it—I was happy as a man.

Yeah. I was happy. Hell yeah!!

* * *

After that, while watching the rehearsal, I noticed Marina still sneaking glances at me with a slightly embarrassed expression.

Anyway, this parade would definitely succeed.

Anyone who sees Rebecca-san on that dragon will think she's cool.

Marina and Elepipi are beautiful.

Etowa is adorable.

Shamash-san is mysterious and lovely, and Ion in her iron mask has a dignified, solitary air about her.

Hetty-san and Shello-san overflow with the aura of powerful warriors. And Diana is so transcendently beautiful that she almost feels divine.

The equipment Oyakata made is beautiful yet cute, bringing out the charm of the female knights to the fullest. And they are strong in actual combat. It's because they are strong that they were able to suppress the monsters of Lucraella, which led to this parade. They truly possess both beauty and skill.

And this Knight Order is composed entirely of women (with the exception of Shellow-san). Whether they are Human, Tark, Canaan, Demon, or Elf—there are no racial barriers. They can all work hard together as fellow members of the same squad.

I'm not thinking of anything as grand as "saving minorities" or "ending discrimination." Starting the Knight Order was mostly just how things turned out.

But still, I find myself dreaming a little.

From now on, they'll probably start getting lots of requests for work as a Knight Order.

It's not that I want to let go of them. It's not that I want them to do dangerous work. But I want them to be recognized and respected, so that they aren't discriminated against because of their Vocation, gender, or race.

Even if it's just a small start.

I just hope they can be the wedge that begins that change.