Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: A Warm Welcome
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To the soldiers, the name Sigmund represented a noble existence they could trust and rely on, one deserving of their utmost respect.
It wasn't a name that a mere rookie like Russell could toss around as if calling his dog.
There was a reason Wilson had smacked Russell on the back of the head.
"This little punk. We treat you nice, and you start acting up."
"Ugh."
"Besides, what kind of noble-blooded knight would be crazy enough to come to this tiny fortress?"
Wilson glared.
*Nod, nod!*
The soldiers all nodded their heads in agreement with Wilson's words.
Bowden was a small fortress, home to about forty combat engineers who mined mana stones and a dozen or so reconnaissance soldiers.
Among the dozens, even hundreds of fortresses in Kuberin, it was one of the smallest, making the idea of a knight with Sigmund blood being stationed here utterly absurd.
"No, sir! A real knight of Sigmund blood is coming!"
"This kid, I swear!"
"I'm telling you, it's true! I saw them!"
"Huh?"
"I ran into the escort convoy while I was out on a short patrol!"
"Y-You did?"
"Yes!"
Russell insisted, as if pleading his case against injustice.
"There was someone in the convoy wearing a Sigmund family uniform!"
"Are you sure you weren't mistaken, kid? When would a country bumpkin like you have ever seen a Sigmund uniform?"
"Don't look down on me just because I'm from the sticks! I saw a Sigmund knight when I was a kid!"
"Hmm."
Wilson narrowed his eyes and stroked his beard.
If Russell had seen correctly, he thought, then perhaps a knight of Sigmund blood really was coming to Bowden.
"A knight of Sigmund blood is coming?"
"Nah, no way."
"He must have seen wrong."
The other soldiers also found Russell's words hard to believe.
"It's not entirely impossible."
Kudo, who had been lying down with his eyes nearly closed, spoke up.
He was the most senior soldier in the reconnaissance team and, being quite knowledgeable, was well-respected.
"The chances of a direct descendant of the Sigmund family coming to a small fortress like this are practically zero. They're far too valuable to be deployed in a place like this. Dame Selena, a direct heir, is already achieving incredible feats on the front lines, isn't she? But a branch family member, and a distant one at that, is a different story."
"…!"
"Of course, they might lack a lot compared to the direct line, but a Sigmund is still a Sigmund. In a family where even a branch member can inherit the title of Grand Duke if they have the ability, even a distant relative would be leagues above an ordinary knight."
"Ooh!"
The faces of the reconnaissance soldiers brightened.
If a Sigmund was really coming to Bowden, it would be like gaining a legendary army for them.
Even if it was just a distant branch member.
"See! What did I tell you! They'll probably be here within five minutes! Haha!"
Russell struck a deliberately boastful pose.
"To think I'll get to fight alongside a Sigmund knight! This will be a story to tell over drinks for the rest of my life!"
"Ooooh! Sigmund!"
Before long, the arrival of a Sigmund had become an established fact among the reconnaissance team.
"You tactless bastards. Keep it down. You'll hurt Dame Helen's feelings."
A middle-aged man spoke.
It was Begman, the most senior soldier, nicknamed 'the Axe Murderer', cautioning the others.
Helen was Bowden's only knight, a woman who had risen from the rank and file.
Of course, she wasn't a formally knighted noble, but had received a battlefield commission in recognition of her outstanding service.
For the past two years, she had led the reconnaissance team through countless near-death situations, proving her competence by surviving each one.
As a result, she had earned the deep trust of the soldiers, so it was only natural for Begman, the most senior of them all, to be considerate of her.
"Aw, Dame Helen wouldn't be like that. You know her personality."
"When did we ever say we were unhappy with Dame Helen?"
"Isn't it a good thing for Dame Helen too if a knight with Sigmund blood comes?"
The soldiers jested, their anticipation palpable.
"Quiet! Stop getting your hopes up for nothing and behave! You brats don't even know how to be grateful to the commander who's done so well for you!"
Begman roared, and the soldiers fell silent as mice.
Having served with Helen since she was a common soldier, Begman was worried she might feel slighted.
***
'How much farther is this? They said we were almost there.'
The end of a long, ten-day journey.
Carlyle glanced at the map, trying to gauge his location.
He had never been told exactly where he was being sent, so he had no choice but to figure it out from the map.
'Are they telling me not to even dream of deserting?'
According to the map, Carlyle's current position was deep within the Blood-Soaked Land of Kuberin.
Though not the absolute front line, it wasn't far from the territories occupied by the barbarians.
Attempting to desert in such a dangerous, remote place was practically suicide, so it was no wonder Carlyle thought as much.
'Hmm. Still, it's pretty close to Antiros's Laboratory.'
Antiros's Laboratory was one of several hidden dungeons located here in the Blood-Soaked Land, a farming spot where one could obtain very good items, if lucky.
'The problem is, it's a gamble.'
It wasn't a place that guaranteed good items 100% of the time, so it could be a wasted trip. But since he was nearby anyway, there was no reason not to go.
Though it would mean sneaking away from his unit…
"We're almost there, Sir Carlyle."
"Ugh."
Carlyle shuddered at the unfamiliar title of 'Sir'.
He had heard it countless times over the ten days from Decaron, but he just couldn't get used to it.
"Look over there."
"You call that a fortress? It's a bandit's den."
Carlyle muttered in disbelief as he saw Bowden Fortress in the distance.
Enclosed by a high wooden palisade, Bowden Fortress looked exactly like a bandit hideout.
Then again, there was no reason to spend a fortune building a small fortress that housed only about sixty people.
Besides, due to the unique terrain of the Blood-Soaked Land, Kuberin, they didn't have to worry about enemy siege weapons.
The knight didn't bother to respond to Carlyle's comment.
In truth, though Carlyle was completely unaware, the anxiety felt by the members of his escort was beyond imagination.
'Don't let your guard down. He could snap at any moment.'
'Almost there. Just have to endure a little longer.'
'Just do something! Go crazy! Stop driving us mad!'
The fact that the North's greatest and worst degenerate was, contrary to expectations, quiet and docile, had them losing sleep at night, wondering what insane act he might commit at any moment.
Though the occasional remarks he did let slip were certainly barbed.
"It's the escort. Call for the commander."
As Carlyle's party approached, Helen emerged from the fortress with her soldiers.
"Are you Dame Helen? The one in charge of this fortress in place of the late Sir Jeffrey?"
"I am."
"An order from Decaron."
"Dame Helen, knight, I await your command."
Helen knelt on one knee.
"To my dear knight, Dame Helen, I command you…"
The knight read Grand Duke Guntram's letter aloud.
It stated that a new recruit was being assigned to the Bowden territory, that she should continue to command the soldiers as she had been, and that a separate, personal letter was enclosed for her to read later. That was all.
"...That is all."
As the knight finished reading, Helen rose to her feet.
"But the new recruit is…?"
Helen's gaze swept over the escort party before stopping dead on Carlyle.
"You… you are."
Helen flinched, taking half a step back in surprise.
"…?"
Carlyle tilted his head, wondering why Helen was reacting this way, before he quickly realized the reason and nodded to himself.
'Ah, it's because I'm Carlyle. I guess I'd react the same way.'
If the so-called new recruit turned out to be the realm's worst degenerate and a son of a high and mighty family, anyone would be appalled.
'Still, from Young Master to grunt. Isn't this a bit much?'
A Sigmund deployed to the front for the first time had to serve as a private, the lowest rank among soldiers, until they completed the 'Noble Proof'.
A private was equivalent to the lowest rank in the world Carlyle had come from, so it was like falling from heaven into hell.
That was why the escort knight had referred to Carlyle as a 'new recruit' rather than an officer.
'But why does she look so familiar? Was she an important character?'
Carlyle stared intently at Helen, trying to jog his memory.
However, his knowledge of the game 'Overlord' contained no information about a Dame Helen.
'Where have I seen her? She's definitely familiar…'
Just then, a memory flashed through Carlyle's mind.
It wasn't his memory, but that of the body's original owner, the real Carlyle.
About a year ago.
"Oh? You're quite a looker. Hey, you. Come here."
The real Carlyle had spotted a beautiful lady and tried to hit on her.
"What's your name?"
"…"
"Hey, I asked for your name."
"…"
"What's this, not answering? Judging by the uniform, you're some knight-scum. Don't you know who I am?"
Helen, who had been on leave and visiting the capital of Decaron, had the misfortune of catching the eye of the era's worst degenerate, the real Carlyle.
What happened next was…
'Stop it, you crazy bastard.'
Carlyle cried out to the real Carlyle in his memory, but that wouldn't change what had already happened in the past.
*Smack!*
The real Carlyle, after continuing his advances and harassment, finally lost his temper at Helen's silence and had the audacity to slap her across the face.
Fortunately, knights passing by at that moment intervened, and the situation ended there.
The problem was that the bad blood from that day had now been passed on, not to the culprit, the real Carlyle, but to the current one.
He was now fated to serve as a lowly grunt under a knight who held a grudge against him.
"Well. I'm screwed."
Carlyle summed up his situation concisely.
***
When the escort convoy arrived, the soldiers of Bowden Fortress were brimming with anticipation.
The combat soldiers of the reconnaissance team were especially excited.
Most of the soldiers were primarily tasked with mining, so they were rarely directly exposed to enemy threats.
Not that they never saw combat.
But the reconnaissance team members were frequently exposed to danger, as their duties included scouting, reconnaissance, and occasionally launching preemptive strikes.
It was only natural that they would want to be led by a knight with greater combat prowess.
"Let's go see!"
"A Sigmund knight is coming, we have to go out and see. Yes, of course."
"Ooooh! Sigmund!"
The reconnaissance team members rushed to the fortress gate.
A distinguished person was visiting their humble abode; as proud soldiers of the Decaron army, they couldn't just sit idly by.
But who would have thought that the long-awaited Sigmund would be 'the North's Worst Degenerate'…
"Fuck."
A collective curse erupted from the mouths of the reconnaissance soldiers.
"We're screwed."