Ms. Anna

Though it was a quasi-military operation and they were all Quasi-Knights, they were within the territory now, perfectly safe. Standing guard? Guarding my ass.

Colin sat with Bill, chatting, while the other three team members stayed on the other side.

Before nightfall, the main force of the Fifth Knight Order arrived at the camp. The laborers immediately became busy. They first erected the camp's outer perimeter, having brought enough timber.

Some began feeding fodder to the livestock. The warhorses and mule horses were fed separately, and their feed was completely different.

At the same time, the Knight Order commander's tent was erected first. Once it was ready, Colin was summoned into the tent alone, along with the other five squad captains.

The tent was large. Though the conditions were simple, the floor was laid with wooden planks. An oil painting hung opposite the entrance, with Fifth Knight Order banners planted on either side. A full suit of metal armor stood to the right, giving the place a strong ceremonial air.

An exquisite rectangular conference table stood in the middle, along with a finely crafted chair. Lyon Brown sat in the only chair, while Michael Harris stood beside him.

Colin and the squad captains stood opposite them.

The hierarchy and authority within the Knight Order were displayed without reservation.

Lyon Brown glanced at Michael Harris. Understanding at once, Michael raised his head and said to the group, "The most important task at night is naturally keeping watch. I will announce the duty roster and shift changes."

Six squads, twelve hours. Two hours per squad, rotating in turn. But some shifts were better than others. The first shift, from six to eight in the evening, was naturally the best. The second, from eight to ten, was not bad either, and the shift before dawn was decent as well. The three shifts in the middle were rough.

Colin's First Squad naturally received the shift from two to four in the morning.

After Michael Harris announced the schedule, none of the squad captains voiced any objection. A unified "Yes" was all it took.

After leaving the tent, Colin shared the good news with Bill and the others.

"We're done for. This really never ends. And staying up late is bad for the skin." Bill let out a mournful cry, pulled a small mirror from his clothes, and gazed resentfully at his beautiful face in the reflection.

The other team members looked awful as well. Being assigned to Colin Russell meant they had suffered eight lifetimes of bad luck. But they dared to be angry without daring to speak; Brian and Chal's fates had been too embarrassing.

Late at night, at two o'clock.

The weather was clear, and the stars shone brightly. The cold wind was fierce, howling past like blades. The First Squad members lived in one tent and were awakened ten minutes early.

The moment it struck two, they began their watch. The five men split up, remaining out of sight rather than standing somewhere conspicuous.

Quasi-Knights had sharp hearing and a strong grasp of the movements around them, enough to stand watch while concealed. If they stood out in the open, they might be killed.

Though no one was likely to attack them anyway.

After separating from his team members, Colin went to a corner of the stable, took out a sheepskin blanket, spread it on the ground, and sat down.

Not long afterward, Colin heard footsteps. He looked up in surprise and saw Ms. Anna.

"Colin, I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do," Ms. Anna said softly. Her expression was somewhat strange, as though she had something on her mind.

"You're too kind, Ms. Anna. This Knight Order Action is a quasi-military operation to begin with. As a teacher, you're only responsible for protection and cannot interfere." Colin hurriedly stood, then mocked himself. "Besides, who told me to offend Lyon Brown?"

Ms. Anna stared at Colin, seemingly trying to determine whether he was lying. But she found nothing in his eyes except self-mockery and calm acceptance. She could not help feeling relieved. What she feared most was that he would be unable to endure this humiliation and become bitter and cynical.

Ms. Anna then sighed. "Still, this incident is a lesson. We are nobles of the Empire, and our hierarchy is relatively strict. Brian targeting you was actually overstepping his bounds. But offending Lyon Brown was not wise either. You must remember this lesson."

"This is only a quasi-military operation. If you truly join a Knight Order in the future, you must carefully consider whether to defy those of high standing. By comparison, Michael Harris is much more compliant. Though he is a viscount's heir, he knows that within a marquis's territory, the marquis's Hereditary Knights are more prominent."

At this point, Ms. Anna seemed to think of something else. Her usually impassive, aloof expression showed a trace of vulnerability and sadness.

Seeing Ms. Anna's expression, Colin was caught off guard. Wasn't she supposed to be comforting me? He had intended to comfort her, but after thinking it over, he found no way to begin and could only stare blankly.

However, Ms. Anna quickly returned to normal. Smiling, she said, "But fate favors those who work hard. You are a hardworking person. I believe you will break through the class barriers and go higher, farther."

"Thank you for your guidance. I will remember it," Colin said respectfully.

"Keep it up." Ms. Anna smiled, turned, and left. She concealed herself somewhere unknown and continued keeping watch.

"Ms. Anna's words of encouragement weren't bad." Colin sat down again, leaning leisurely against the stable as he continued his watch.

Not long after daybreak the next morning, the main force ate breakfast and set out once more. Colin and his First Squad continued handling reconnaissance.

This continued repeatedly. On the evening of the fifth day, after crossing mountains and rivers, the main force finally arrived at the Ox War ruins in the Dolor Mountains.

Countless years had passed, and nature had swallowed most of the ruins. Very few traces remained visible.

The Fifth Knight Order camped atop a flattened mountain peak, with the water source in the mountain hollow below.

This campsite had not been chosen at random. Before this, many classes of students from Wales Knight Academy had come here for Knight Order Action.

As a result, a stone wall surrounded its perimeter, while a stone house and a stable stood within the camp.

The Fifth Knight Order would conduct basic Knight Order Activities in this camp, including training, reconnaissance, and watch duty.

Lyon Brown had no intention of letting Colin rest. As soon as the main force arrived at this camp, he assigned Colin a reconnaissance mission.

Colin shrugged and accepted it. The roads were all mountain paths, so they could not ride horses. The First Squad members brought a small amount of dried provisions and their weapons, then set off.

"God. Making us walk thirty li of mountain roads just to scout a stretch of mountain—he really came up with that." Bill was deeply irritated. None of it was life-threatening mistreatment, but these little tricks could really drive a person mad.