I, reincarnate as the leader of the villainous knight order

Chapter 10: Proactive Subordinates

At 6 o’clock in the morning, the bell in the square rang out. Our Third Knight Order, as signaled by the bell, rose and thirty minutes later, we were having breakfast in the dining hall.

Avoiding the rush hour, I used a bit of magic called life magic to conjure up some tea before leaving my room. Recalling my memories, I realized that normally I would go during crowded times and make others uncomfortable.

Until now, being of noble birth, it was natural for others to be considerate of me, so I hadn’t paid much attention. But now that I remembered my past life, I found myself being considerate of others instead! That’s why I waited until most of my subordinates had finished eating before entering the dining hall.

Just as I was about to start eating, Vice Commander Orel approached with a serious expression. Internally nervous about what might have happened, I quickly shoved a hefty piece of bread into my mouth.

“Good morning, Commander.”

“Yeah, good morning.”

“About yesterday’s matter… By this morning, we’ve got agreement from everyone!”

“Yesterday’s matter? You mean the talk about pooling money to improve the taste?”

“Yes! We’ve decided to deduct one silver coin from the provided salary. Will five gold coins be enough?”

They work fast!? Although I was told with sparkling eyes, I honestly felt that the amount might be a bit tight.

“Okay, just buy as much as you can with that. Have the clerk place the order within this budget, but always make sure a knight accompanies them when placing the order. It’s better to negotiate for a lower price if it’s a continuous order.”

When my father died in an accident, there was some life insurance and compensation from the accident. But considering that my younger brothers were going to college, we needed to save as much as possible. So, negotiating for a lower price when buying in bulk was a given. If we bought in bulk not only for this lodging but also for the lord’s mansion, we should be able to get a better deal since the delivery location would be the same.

“Are you not leaving it to the cooks? I was thinking of just giving them the deducted amount.”

“No, it’s better to ask them how much they need and give it to them in kind. If we just hand over five gold coins every month, what if they succumb to the temptation to skim a bit off the top? It would be a problem if they were caught.”

“I see…”

Orel nodded in understanding. Grudges over food can be terrifying. If what should have been delicious food was reduced due to fraud, even I wouldn’t have the confidence to control my subordinates.

“Since everyone has a moment of weakness, it’s better to eliminate as many factors as possible. For now, go to the shop that this lodging usually orders from and hand them the price list for seasonings and herbs, along with the budget. Make sure to bring along a knight who can exert pressure for negotiations. I’m not saying to threaten them, but it would be troublesome if they just obediently paid up without question.”

“Well, then, Commander, why don’t you go yourself? Besides, you can just bring along the clerk on your rounds.”

“…Are you implying that I have an intimidating face?”

“Oh no, not at all. It’s just that Commander Justin’s aura of strength and nobility is overwhelming, so I asked.”

Despite my sharp gaze, Orel didn’t flinch at all. That’s why I trust him as my vice commander.

“…Well, alright. My squad is supposed to head to the southern forest today. Was there any change in the past three days?”

“No, there hasn’t been any change, but today, the Justin squad will be on patrol duty. Since you’ve rested, you can start your rounds from tomorrow. And why not visit the shops while you’re at it?”

“You… you want the seasoning to be changed so soon?”

To my question, Orel just smiled without answering. Maybe he already knew that five gold coins wouldn’t be enough budget-wise and was planning to have me negotiate from the start.

“Sigh… Alright, then. Let’s stop by the shop and the apothecary first during the patrol. Call the clerk responsible for placing orders to the front of the training ground beforehand.”

“I understand.”

I bid farewell to Orel as he quickly left the dining hall, then poured myself some lukewarm soup. Heading towards the training ground after breakfast, I found Arnault and the other members of my squad, along with the clerk Florian, waiting for me.

“Commander Justin! Does the fact that the clerk is coming with us mean we’ll be having delicious food from today onwards?! I heard we’re stopping by the shop!” Simon exclaimed excitedly, as if he were about to burst out into the city.

“Whether it’s from today depends on how the shop responds. It also depends on whether they have stock,” I replied calmly.

“Hurry up! Let’s go!”

“Relax.”

Are you a dog eager to go for a walk? I wanted to retort, but since people in this world other than hunting families don’t keep dogs, it wouldn’t make much sense.

Although I lead the way during patrols, Simon seemed like he was about to bolt ahead. Since the apothecary was closer, we headed there first. It turned out that the last place we visited was the shop where the healers from the lodging purchased potions and medicinal herbs.

“Ah, big brother!”

I heard a cute voice near the apothecary and saw Chloe running towards us. Behind her was Mark, chasing after her.

“Chloe, are you and Mark out for a walk?”

“Yeah! Mom got better, so big brother is with me. Dad seems nicer too.”

“That’s good to hear.”

I squatted down to pat Chloe’s head, and she happily smiled as she reported to me. It seemed that Joseph had regained his spirits thanks to Chloe’s hopefulness.

“T-The commander is smiling…!?”

“Did he just pat a child!?”

“Are my eyes playing tricks on me!?”

“Was it true that the commander called himself big brother!?”

My subordinates behind me were saying whatever they wanted. …Wait a minute.

“Weren’t you guys not there at that time!? How do you know about that!?”

“Eek!”

“Come on, come on, the commander raised his voice and scared the kid, didn’t he?”

Because of my loud voice, Chloe seemed startled. Simon pointed it out, so I quickly apologized.

“I’m sorry for scaring you, Chloe. I’ll bring you a souvenir next time I come to check on you.”

“A souvenir!? Really!?”

“Yeah.”

Relieved to see Chloe’s expression change from frightened to happy, I bid farewell to her and Mark before turning back to my subordinates.

“Well, now, let me hear what you were saying earlier.”