Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: The Birth of the Relief Knights (4)
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“How on earth did you manage to turn the entire city upside down in a single day?”
The mercenaries’ faces were filled with disbelief after they had gone out to see the situation for themselves. They seemed unable to accept how much the city’s atmosphere had changed overnight.
“Good grief, seeing you, Esquire, makes all my life-and-death struggles to make a name for myself feel utterly pointless.”
The other mercenaries nodded in agreement with Bok’s dejected words.
The expressions they wore as they looked at me were as if they were looking at some kind of monster that could control people's minds.
“What kind of magic did you use?”
I shook my head at Bok’s question.
It wasn’t magic, nor did I control anyone’s mind.
“It’s only possible because this is the West.”
In truth, contrary to the mercenaries’ thoughts, I hadn’t used any particularly grand scheme.
I had merely exploited the regional characteristics of the West, a land all but abandoned by the Empire.
The West was a barren land, so much so that calling it a frontier was an understatement.
Not only was it a wasteland from the start, but the massive mountain range that stood as a barrier between it and the other regions was also a problem.
Even in my past life, the West had always been out of the Empire’s sight.
To give you an idea, even the flames of the Great War that swept across the entire Empire only managed to scorch a few parts of the West.
While the Central, Eastern, Northern, and Southern regions were home to the Eight Great Families and countless other renowned houses and knightly orders, the West had no notable families or orders to speak of.
At best, there were only a handful of mediocre families.
“What’s the point of gaining fame in a place like this? The moment you cross that mountain range, no one will recognize you.”
That was why knights from other regions, who would readily take down bandits and brigands on their own accord for their knightly training even without pay, would only handle profitable requests in the West before quickly taking off.
“They’re already upset about being abandoned by the Empire, and then the few knights they do see just cherry-pick the profitable requests and disappear. So, how do you think the people of the West see knights?”
“Like bastards crazy for money… Agh!”
“Garon, you crazy bastard! What kind of nonsense are you spouting right in front of the Esquire!”
Bok, who had smacked Garon on the back of the head, glanced my way before offering a more refined answer.
“Ahem. They would feel as though knights look down on the West.”
“It’s the same thing…”
I ignored Garon, who was grumbling while rubbing the back of his head, and continued.
“That’s right. But then, one of those knights suddenly steps up and declares he’ll subjugate the bandits for the sake of the citizens. Now, this is where public opinion splits in two.”
*I don’t know why, but this is great. At least there’s one knight willing to raise his sword for the West.*
Or,
*Don’t be fooled. It’s not the first or second time we’ve been screwed over by those folks from beyond the mountains. He must be after something. There’s no way they’d truly raise their swords for us.*
“W-Well, there were certainly quite a few people saying something similar.”
One of the mercenaries spoke up hesitantly, glancing at me.
“And you just let them be?”
“What else could we do? There were too many of them.”
I stopped Garon as he was about to retort indignantly.
“Leave them.”
“But if we do, they’ll keep spreading useless talk…”
“All the better.”
The mercenaries’ eyes widened at my words.
“Whether it’s good or bad, what’s important is that people keep talking. Whether they’re favorable or not doesn’t matter.”
In matters like this, fame is what counts.
Once you become famous, every little action becomes a topic of conversation.
As those things pile up, they become your reputation and build your name. That’s just how the world works.
Of course, if too many bad rumors spread, you’d build notoriety instead of fame, but in this case, it wasn’t a concern.
After all, we had the justification of being the Relief Knights, an order formed to subjugate the bandits.
“All we have to do is wait.”
The mercenaries looked at me with expressions of utter weariness as I chuckled.
They were still looking at me as if I were a monster.
I inwardly clicked my tongue at their naivety.
*Tsk. They’d faint if they went to the Central region.*
In the Central region, home to four of the Empire’s Eight Great Families and countless other prestigious knightly orders and houses, this sort of thing didn’t even qualify as a prank.
Over there, it was a time-honored tradition to send dedicated bards along with their scions or important talents on their knightly training, having them exaggerate and embellish their achievements.
They didn’t just stop at exaggerating accomplishments; they wouldn’t hesitate to bribe bards to sing ‘black songs’ to slander the achievements of rival families and knightly orders.
The amount of donations they poured into the Bards’ Guild for this purpose was said to be enormous.
In any case, compared to the Central region, where they even bribe bards to sing their praises, my mobilizing a few beggars was nothing more than child’s play.
“Whatever the case, it’s a relief that things are going according to plan.”
“Tomorrow, when the Knight makes his grand appearance before the people! It’ll be quite a sight.”
Bok and Garon looked at me, asking about the timing.
“The Master has no plans to step outside the inn for now.”
However, contrary to their thoughts, our dear beggar knight was scheduled to enjoy his naps at the inn until the opportune moment arrived.
“What? Why? Passing up such a great opportunity to make a spectacular entrance?”
“Fame dictates your value. The guild would offer very generous terms right now. You have to seize the opportunity when it comes.”
Their cautious suggestions, asking if I hadn’t set this all up to negotiate with the guild, were half-right and half-wrong.
It was true that the primary goal of this endeavor was to pressure the guild. But that wasn’t all.
“I’m going to bait the Giftrangs.”
I planned to draw out the crouching two-headed snake.
The easiest path for the Giftrangs, who were originally the sponsors of the subjugation but were now pushed to the background by the name of the Relief Knights, was clear.
“If the Giftrang family binds all the freelance knights by contract, the Relief Knights will naturally fizzle out. A rather dreadful outcome for the guild, I imagine.”
“Are you planning to join hands with the Giftrangs?”
“No. But we can at least hear their terms, can’t we?”
The mercenaries tilted their heads in confusion.
“Ah!”
Amidst them, Bok, who had been deep in thought with his head down, let out a gasp.
“My goodness. Don’t tell me you’re planning to use the two-headed snake as a shill?”
The other mercenaries, still unable to grasp the situation despite Bok’s words, began to whisper amongst themselves.
*Looks like Bok figured it out, but let’s just keep pretending we don’t know.*
*Nod. I don’t know what it is, but it’s scary.*
*There must be some terrible plan we don’t know about.*
*Clap.*
I clapped once to draw the mercenaries’ attention and proceeded to give them their tasks.
“First, Garon. You go to the city watch and find a soldier named Pelon. Get all the wanted posters and related documents from him. If you tell him I sent you, he’ll make sure to gather everything meticulously.”
“And the rest of you, wander around and help spread the rumors.”
The mercenaries who received their orders replied, “Yes,” before frowning.
“Huh? We haven’t signed a contract yet. You’re ordering us around?”
“It’s not an order, it’s cooperation. If you don’t like that, you can call it a request.”
“It’s all the same thing.”
After saying they would bill me for this job as well if the plan didn’t work out, the mercenaries left the inn.
“Bok, you find a conspicuous spot and wait. Someone from the Giftrangs will be sent to ask you a few things.”
“What should I do?”
“Don’t play coy. Just answer whatever they ask.”
I trusted that Bok, who was unusually sharp and quick-witted for a mercenary, would understand my meaning.
As expected, Bok didn’t press for details and simply nodded once before leaving the inn.
Not long after, Garon, who had gone to the city watch, returned.
He was carrying an armful of wanted posters.
“I’ve tried to pick out only the ones likely to be in Komlat, but…”
“…”
I had a feeling, but to think that all of those were for criminals located in Komlat.
Komlat, is this city really going to be okay?
* * *
“They took all that money and now they stab me in the back?”
Klail ground his teeth, thinking of the guild’s money-grubbers.
He had requested information on the freelance knight who had visited Komlat, intending to act before the so-called Relief Knights were formed, but the only response he got was that it was difficult due to the guild’s confidentiality clause.
He even tried to recruit the mercenaries who had been there that day, but that too proved difficult.
Somehow, that cunning Anton had found out and sent all the mercenaries present that day on missions outside the city.
Fortunately, after much searching, he managed to find one mercenary company.
It was the only one that hadn’t been reached by Anton’s clutches.
What was the name of that company again?
“Forsaken Dogs? What a ridiculous name.”
Normally, he would never associate with such people, but he had no other choice now.
“You’ve come to the right place. As it happens, he’s staying at the same inn as us.”
The mercenary, upon receiving a one-shilling coin, handed over the freelance knight’s information without a hint of hesitation.
“Ah, if you wish to speak with him, late this evening would be best. I don’t know what he does in his room during the day, but he never comes out.”
When given another coin, the mercenary spewed out unsolicited information, looking utterly pathetic.
“Get lost.”
“Yes, sir. If you need anything, please feel free to look for Bok of the Forsaken Dogs mercenary company at any time.”
The mercenary, who seemed to have no pride, bowed repeatedly and disappeared. Left alone, Klail hesitated for a moment.
As a member of the great Giftrang family, personally seeking out some wandering knight was beneath him.
If it weren’t for the family head, he would never have made a move himself.
She was the head who had even given up the Yuhyeolmogi Knights. Considering how high her expectations were for this matter, he had to act personally.
He had no time for a power struggle with some freelance knight who could have crawled out from anywhere.
Klail waited for the sun to set, then had his squire lead the way to a building located in a back alley of the inn district.
“The exterior really makes one not want to enter.”
Disgusted by the shabby inn, Klail gestured to his squire.
*Creeak.*
The squire forcefully pushed the door open.
*Step.*
Klail stepped through the open doorway and arrogantly scanned the hall.
“Knight Klail, what brings you to such a humble place?”
A man sitting at a table, Anton, opened his eyes wide in surprise.
“Why, have I come to a place I shouldn’t have?”
Seeing the flustered expression on his face seemed to alleviate some of his displeasure.
His squire placed a handkerchief on a shabby chair. Klail naturally sat down on it.
“You, go and summon him.”
“Yes, Master.”
Just as Klail’s squire was about to call the innkeeper, a young voice interjected.
“There’s no need to go to such trouble.”
It came from the direction of the stairs leading to the second floor.
A child was standing there.
He was a boy of about eleven or twelve, with ash-gray hair and round eyes that left an impression.
“Esquire Yan!”
Only after hearing Anton’s words did Klail realize that the boy was the squire of the nameless knight who had recently caused a stir in the city.
“Hah.”
He let out a dry laugh.
The boy’s appearance, completely unequipped with even basic gear for a squire, no matter how much of a wanderer his master was, was just too pathetic.
If the squire was in such a state, his master was not worth seeing.
The thought of his own pathetic state, having swallowed his pride to visit this filthy inn, was so amusing that he chuckled continuously.
“Haa. Iden.”
But it was a waste to turn back now after coming this far, so he gestured to his squire.
The squire, Iden, took out an envelope containing the contract they had prepared and spoke.
“Deliver this to your master. If he happens to be illiterate, we are willing to recite it for him.”
“That’s fine. Oof.”
The boy trotted down and snatched the envelope.
*Rip.*
He then tore open the envelope on the spot and took out the contract.
“…?”
Iden, who had been staring blankly at the all-too-natural action, belatedly shouted.
“I clearly told you to deliver it to your master!”
“I’ve been given full authority. Happy?”
The boy’s eyes, as he answered nonchalantly, were fixed on the contract the entire time.
“Aha. So this is what a Giftrang contract looks like.”
Having apparently finished reviewing the entire contract right there, the boy nodded with a satisfied look.
The boy’s eccentric behavior didn’t end there.
“How about it, Guild Master?”
He playfully waved the contract in front of Anton.
“We will unconditionally offer you ten, no, twenty percent more than the Giftrangs!”
A moment too late, Iden let out a horrified scream.
“What is this bizarre behavior…!”
Finally unable to contain his anger, he lunged forward to snatch the contract away.
“Stand down.”
Klail intervened.
“But Mas—!”
Iden, who was about to protest, turned pale and bowed his head upon seeing his master’s face.
The symbol of the Giftrangs, the Snake Eyes.
The fact that Klail’s pupils had slit vertically like a snake’s meant his emotions were considerably agitated.
And indeed, Klail was currently in a state of extreme anger.
So angry, in fact, that his head felt coolly composed.
“I should have known when that mercenary bastard started spouting things I didn’t even ask for.”
The boy tilted his head at his voice, which dripped with coldness.
“I’m sorry. I don’t understand what you’re saying at all.”
Klail’s expression grew even colder.
“I’m asking if you planned to use us as a foil for your deal with the guild from the start.”
“Of course not. You from Giftrang were the ones who came looking for us, we didn’t ask you to.”
Klail snorted at the shameless reply.
“Talking to a mere squire who knows nothing and just parrots what he’s told will only tarnish my own image.”
He stood up from his seat and spat out a cold remark.
“Tell your master. I will repay him handsomely for today’s discourtesy next time.”
“I’ll deliver the message without changing a single word.”
At the boy’s cheerful reply, even at the very end, Klail turned his body.
“Let’s go.”
“…Yes! Master!”
Iden, after glaring at the boy for a moment, followed his master out of the inn.
Once everyone was gone, the boy turned to Anton and abruptly held up his fingers.
One, two, three fingers. Three in total.
“Twenty percent, plus another ten percent on top of that. A total of thirty percent. We even ended up on bad terms with the Giftrangs for the guild’s sake, so you should at least provide that much.”
The mercenaries wore dumbfounded expressions at the boy’s whining.
It was so obvious that he was the one who had created the animosity with the Giftrangs, yet he was shamelessly shifting the responsibility to the guild.
“Let’s do it. Yes! A contract!”
But Anton, who was in no position to argue, didn’t care about the details and just clamored for a contract.
And so, the founding of the Relief Knights was decided.
It was an event that had never occurred in the history of the West, nor in the past life of a certain regressor.