Chapter 60
Chapter 60
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: Matthew's Beer Hall Riot
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Providence Principality's capital, Paidus.
This city had one particular nickname.
The city where light never fades.
When Rex had become the lord eight years prior, he had installed magic stone streetlamps throughout the city.
This was a feat even the Empire hadn't achieved.
The Empire wasn't poorer than Providence territory.
The bureaucrats simply didn't trust the citizens.
- Installing expensive streetlamps? The citizens will steal them.
- And having guards watch each one is just more cost.
- It doesn't affect us anyway.
Poor citizens couldn't control their barbaric instincts and would steal the streetlamps for quick cash.
The imperial bureaucrats and the Empire's lords all thought the same, so they never installed them.
Besides, roads and waterways were facilities for nobles too, but superhumans like them didn't need streetlamps in the first place.
They could see fine at night anyway, so there was no reason to spend money on them.
For these reasons, when Rex announced the streetlamps, the bureaucrats unanimously opposed it.
Even Ari, Rex's yes-man, couldn't easily trust the citizens.
In that situation, the only one who sided with Rex was Duke.
- "Trust begins when one side extends a hand first. I want to believe in the goodness hidden within the citizens."
In the end, the bureaucrats reluctantly agreed after Rex and Duke's persuasion.
But as a test in one street first, expanding gradually from the capital to the whole territory if it went well.
Three years had passed since then.
The citizens repaid Rex and Duke's trust.
Knowing the abuses of other lords, they understood Rex's goodwill and didn't succumb to the temptation of the magic stone lamps.
As a result, the capital forgot night, and the magic stone lamps became a source of pride for the capital's citizens.
In that process, a new culture unique to the capital emerged.
"Good work today~"
"The usual spot again?"
"It's Friday. Gotta go."
As the sun set and the magic stone lamps lit up, the citizens' second day began.
The commercial district bustled with people no less than during the day.
This was a stark contrast to other cities where people never went out at night for fear of harm.
It was partly thanks to the bright streets from the lamps, but even more so because the citizens had proven themselves.
- 'A place where they don't even steal magic stone lamps... Do we really need to worry about security?'
Thanks to that, unique nightlife cultures flourished unrivaled in the capital's commercial district.
Taverns especially welcomed this.
In the past, only those desperate for alcohol or confident in self-defense came late at night.
But lately, more people visited to relieve daytime stress or socialize with friends and neighbors.
Moreover, under Rex's rule, the economy boomed, so they didn't hesitate to spend at taverns.
"Cheers!"
Taverns in the commercial district couldn't keep up with demand.
In that lively street, a group of guards appeared.
The guards all had tense shoulders.
But the merchants didn't cower at the sight.
It was hard to imagine guards causing trouble for trivial reasons in this city anymore.
Instead, the merchants smiled warmly at them.
Despite their confident posture, their youthful faces showed they were new recruits this year.
But leading them was one knight exuding veteran dignity.
He was a famous knight among the merchants.
"H-hey, Matthew! On duty today?"
"No. Off duty, out drinking with the rookies."
"Your mom's place again? Such a good son."
The knight called Matthew replied with an awkward smile and led the rookies into the tavern.
"This is the place my mom runs. Drink up today. It's on me."
"Thank you, sir!"
"Call me senior."
"Yes, sir!"
Matthew headed to the center of the tavern, leaving the rookies' loud response behind.
- Whoever rings this bell shall pay for all drinks on every table that night.
Matthew casually pushed aside the familiar warning sign and rang the golden bell.
The bell rang through the tavern, and the other patrons cheered at the sound.
"Whoa, our senior knight must be raking it in lately?"
"Matthew's a god!"
"Didn't you say last time the duke and Duke think he's useless?"
"Correction! Matthew's an angel!"
Amid the cheers, Matthew gave a bashful smile.
"Don't thank me—thank Duke. I became a senior knight because of him."
At his words, the tavern regulars recoiled and pointed fingers.
"There he goes again. Trying to proselytize."
"Uncle, it's not proselytizing."
"Not proselytizing, yet you hold your rookies at the table for three hours?"
"Short one today."
Matthew bantered with the regular and returned to the rookies.
With sausages, barbecue, and beer before them, Matthew began spinning yarns for the rookies.
"So, how I met Duke..."
That day, he had been beaten half to death by a senior knight.
For the trivial reason of getting too close in rank.
Not satisfied with beating Matthew, the senior tried to harm his mother.
Duke had saved Matthew's mother.
"And from that connection, I ended up guiding Duke and Rex back then..."
Matthew and Duke's bond continued afterward.
Whenever they met, Duke taught him swordsmanship and magic, and after ten whole years, he became a Rank 3 senior knight.
After becoming a senior knight and rising to vice-captain of the capital guard,
Matthew never forgot his tadpole days, becoming famous as a model knight kind to citizens and juniors.
But in that process, Matthew developed a minor flaw:
"Where was I? Oh, right. When I was on south wall duty, man, I got the dream post of inner wall guardian... That symbol of freedom, the inner wall. Once I was in charge, every tavern I went to wanted autographs, promotions, bards sticking around for interviews..."
He became a total motormouth.
'He's a good guy. Really good guy.'
The rookies, unable to endure his talk, used the youngest as scapegoats.
This was why new recruits always suffered under Matthew.
Just as in the past they dumped useless patrols and duties on rookies, the audience role always fell to the newbies.
'...Gotta pass it to next year's rookies.'
Fifth gathering this year.
The new guards resolved to offload it on the next batch.
For reference, Matthew's stories grew yearly, so next year's newbies would get even longer versions.
After finishing his 3-hour-10-minute tale,
"Any questions?"
"Senior, but you said you guided Duke to the smithy."
"Yeah?"
"Did you see Duke's real face then?"
"Of course!"
Matthew eagerly launched into Duke-face-reveal mode.
The rookies sighed inwardly, chiming in just enough to pass time.
Then, an old man approached their table.
"Heh heh. Young folks, mind if this old man joins?"
"Of course, sir."
Matthew gladly allowed it.
In the capital taverns, enjoying chance encounters as side dishes was part of the nightlife culture.
Matthew even fetched a chair for him.
'His eyes aren't good.'
He could tell from the cane tapping around.
The old man accepted graciously and joined the table.
"Name's Peter."
"I'm Matthew, sir."
"You the famous senior knight?"
"Haha, embarrassing, but yes. Is this your first time in the city, sir?"
"Not long in town. First time out at night."
Peter observed Matthew's demeanor.
'Hm. Polite young man, as they say.'
Matthew's courtesy wasn't due to Peter's status.
True to the secretive lord, his direct vassals' identities were classified too—only Duke was known.
Ari was publicly just a maid,
and Hana was a lord granted land by the Providence Duke, not a vassal.
Naturally, no one knew about the recently vassaled Peter.
So Matthew's politeness was just his character.
"I see. What brings you here?"
"Always wandered where fancy took me, but getting old, time to settle. Heard this city's great, so here I am."
"And what do you think, sir?"
"Convinced I'll spend my twilight here."
"Rex would be thrilled."
Matthew and the guard rookies gave Peter warm looks.
Congratulating his remaining days here, mixed with pity for discovering it late.
Of course, the trap was that Matthew's and the guards' combined lifespans wouldn't reach half of Peter's.
The old man and Matthew's chat naturally turned to praising Rex.
"Seen the clock tower? Fancy wind-up clocks, yet no one steals them."
"That reminds me of the magic stone lamp incident."
"What's that?"
"Three years ago..."
Thanks to the old man monopolizing Matthew, the rookies caught a break.
'Thanks, gramps...!'
'That's seniority for ya.'
'Gotta age like that.'
The guards felt infinite respect for Peter for odd reasons.
"...And that's how people upheld trust in the lamps. Since then, we made the magic stone lamp our night patrol symbol."
"Good story."
Peter sipped his beer and tilted his head slightly.
"But... I'm a bit worried."
"What about, sir?"
"I hear the lord has no heir?"
"No need to worry there, sir. Rex is at least Rank 8. The principality's good for another millennium..."
"GAAAH!!!"
Suddenly, Peter shouted.
Not expecting the mild old man to snap, the guards and Matthew nearly fell from their chairs.
They stared at the red-faced, vein-popping elder.
"S-sir?"
"A senior knight! How can there be such an irresponsible fool!"
"Sir, calm down. Seems like a misunderstanding..."
"Misunderstanding my ass! Kid! Forgotten we're at war just weeks ago? Forgotten Rex on the front lines?!"
Peter's outburst hit Matthew like a hammer to the skull.
He immediately apologized for his blunder.
"I'm sorry, sir."
Matthew's apology was because his response was unbecoming of a senior knight.
A knight is loyal to his lord and guardian of the realm's system.
And the realm was at war.
War has no absolutes; the lord's safety must always be considered.
A senior knight saying 'plenty of lifespan left, no worries' was unacceptable.
At least 'I'll protect him' or 'the lord has his reasons.'
"Sorry, sir. I've caused concern."
"Good. So, answer my question properly?"
"Pardon?"
"What about Rex's heir issue?"
"Uh..."
Matthew pondered.
Senior knights were high-ranking officials, if not vassal-level.
His official words carried weight.
After thought, he answered honestly.
"Frankly... I'm worried too."
"Hm?"
"Sigh... I know the lord toils for us. See that?"
Matthew pointed to the inner wall from the window.
The wall Duke once sliced remained unrepaired, now a symbol of openness.
Citizens saw it as Rex placing no barrier between him and them.
Thus, they could see Rex's mansion from afar.
The problem: the reclusive lord's office light stayed on late into the night.
"I'm worried too. Seems too diligent for romance."
Previous lords' mansions saw prostitutes and sex slaves often.
Not a whiff at Rex's.
"Married to work..."
At Matthew's 'official' statement, Peter's face hardened.
He knew Rex was diligent, but a knight worrying meant trouble.
With guards nodding too, it was common knowledge here.
"Heh..."
More serious than thought.
This could end Rex's line.
Then, rough-looking middle-aged beastkin at the next table joined in.
"Old timer."
"Hm? What is it, lads?"
"We're ignorant commoners, can't read, only good for muscle. But even we know the duke's grace."
The beastkin shared his past.
Once enslaved for being 'Ain', family sold off.
Rex saved him, reunited family, provided welfare and jobs.
"Still wake in cold sweats from ten years ago."
"Yeah, I bet."
"Blasphemous maybe, but... what if something happens to the duke?"
Peter answered gravely.
"Back to hell. I'd seppuku first."
Everyone in the tavern heard clearly.
When Peter yelled earlier, silence fell, all focused on him and Matthew.
Thus, all had heard the heir discussion.
Soon, murmurs rose.
"Wait, never thought about it. Heard the duke has a lover?"
"Lover? We don't even know his face."
"Huh? Age unknown too? What if he's old?"
"That's the issue now? We're at war! Anything could happen!"
"Duke fights on front lines, right? Aggressive."
"Who said? He's unwell, hiding to spare our worry..."
"Who spreads that bad omen?!"
"Not me! Grocery auntie said!"
"Don't trust that braggart."
"But what if..."
"No need to worry yet..."
"Empire thought same and fell."
"More dangerous than we think?"
Anxiety spread.
"I... can't go back."
"Me neither! This family I built!"
"Fuck! Tasted happiness! Can't end like this!"
All knew the territory's past.
Drinking age meant adults, remembering eleven years ago.
Neighbor kid mauled in alley for eye contact with knights.
Streets rife with shit, piss, plague, unclaimed corpses.
Chicken expressing poverty, beef once-a-decade.
Lord indifferent to citizens' poverty.
"No!"
"What do we do?"
Chaos ensued.
If some higher power rolled dice, it'd be mental resistance fail.
Then, Peter calmed the crowd.
"Calm down, everyone."
His skill activated unconsciously.
'Apt Advice' restored calm to the confused.
"This old man will petition Rex directly."
"Sir, how?!"
"As I recall, Rex's laws grant citizens peaceful petition rights. Grievance box, was it."
"You know law? But you're blind, sir?"
"Braille book."
"Braille?"
"Lets folks like me read... Argh! Not the point now!"
People pinned hopes on him.
"Sir, please! We can't read."
"Got it. I'll petition myself."
Peter hurried off, backed by expectations.
Peter headed straight to Duke.
The grievance system allowed direct petitions to the lord, but officials bridged to prevent abuse.
Only Duke could approve a direct vassal like Peter's, so to him.
"I hear you have petition authority."
Since joining Rex's fold, status-sensitive Peter used formal speech at work.
Duke, the proper knight, received the scroll seriously, unlike his usual bullying.
"This is..."
"A petition."
Duke read Peter's brush-written scroll.
In summary, pleading about Rex's heir.
Duke recalled the original work instantly.
'Even here, it goes like this.'
Original Peter was a mad geezer dragging crowds monthly to yell about sex and church.
Serious face for nonsense earned him dementia old man rep among fans.
Why Duke treated him roughly.
Wise, admirable guy,
but slips into fertility drips if off-guard.
Even post-ending side stories didn't fix it.
Duke reminisced, about to approve,
then a memory flashed.
'Wait...'
Rex teased him about Hana during last war.
Worked out well, Rex even came to front, enabling peaceful truce for Sneria under inner-policy monster Rex's advice.
Watching Hana develop her land proudly, Duke lately thought to treat Rex as boss.
But gratitude aside, Duke didn't forget slights. (Mostly his own.)
'You dared tease me?'
Back to reality, Duke eyed the scroll and Peter.
In seconds, he conceived sweet revenge for Rex.
Composed, he rejected the petition.
"Sorry, can't approve."
"Why?! Ah, sorry for raising voice. May I know the reason?"
"Rex banned such petitions. You're not the first."
"No...!"
Indeed, before Peter, an old gnome (ex-Duke vice, ex-historian, now retired writer) petitioned similarly.
Unlike Peter, politely, no sex talk,
but Rex tired of heir petitions anyway.
Peter despaired at rejection.
"Then..."
"Alternative exists."
Duke shared 'some' method.
Peter exclaimed in admiration.
"Such a system! First I've heard!"
"Rex declared it himself. No worries. I'll approve."
Assured, Peter eagerly awaited night.
Returning to tavern, expectant comrades awaited.
"Sir, how'd it go?"
"Duke said petition impossible for such reasons."
"No...!"
"But I found a new system."
Peter unconsciously activated skill; people listened.
Rex and Peter unaware, but his skill specialized in advice.
Advice could be persuasion,
and group persuasion was incitement.
"We're demonstrating."
"Demonstrating?"
"All go beg Rex together!"
"But isn't that riot or treason?"
No one here—or in city—had ever done group action.
Feared old lord; no need under Rex.
Respected Rex, but old terror lingered; no courage for groups.
Peter explained protest laws.
"As I recall, Rex's laws grant peaceful protest rights."
"Blind, sir?"
"Braille."
"Braille?"
"For folks like me to read... Argh! Not important!"
Peter incited the tavern.
"Everyone! Weekend, gather at mansion! Convince neighbors, tell lord our anxiety now!"
"Safe? If lord or Duke angry..."
"I know Duke personally. I'll handle him. All meet next weekend."
"Understood, sir."
People left somberly.
Alone, Peter recalled Duke's warning.
- "Never say I told you."
Duke permitted protests,
but revealing him as source risked legitimacy, sincerity, legality.
All responsibility on Peter.
He gladly took it.
Yelling sex in public wasn't embarrassing for him.
Thus, Peter gathered tavern comrades for treason-scale protest.
- "Your Grace! Find a consort now! Leave work early today, bed a woman!"
- "Virginity noble in itself, but must discard someday to stay pure, Your Grace! Tonight..."
- "Humbly, I have a book from far continent! Study for help!"
At mansion entrance, a Rank 7 shouting via magic amplification shredded Rex's sanity.
Even dutiful Matthew got swept, yelling behind old man.
The historian recorded thus: