Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Chapter 5: The Tacit Agreement (2)
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“Three Free Knights, leading just a handful of mercenaries, have tracked down the band of brigands and engaged them in battle!”
The messenger's report could be summed up like this.
‘Free Knights being Free Knights.’
It was a common story.
It was nothing new for glory-hungry Free Knights to act rashly.
In this case, those who were supposed to guard the camp until the main force arrived had simply abandoned their duty and started a fight on their own.
The Free Knights' thinking was obvious.
*Yeah, as long as we win, it’s fine.*
That must have been their reasoning.
It was standard practice in this field not to question the minor transgressions of those who distinguished themselves.
If they succeeded, they could build their reputation and earn an extra reward, so from the Free Knights' perspective, there was no reason to refuse.
Besides, their opponents were not a regular knight order but a mere band of brigands—the perfect prey to swallow in one bite.
“Tsk. This is why knights are so... Ah. My apologies, Knight Gunther. I wasn't referring to you.”
Anton said, clicking his tongue as if it were nothing.
He, too, seemed to think there was nothing particularly special about the situation.
The mercenaries were the same.
But.
“Something’s strange.”
I wasn’t.
“Why now of all times?”
“That's because once the main force arrives, their chance to claim all the glory for themselves will disappear.”
“Not the Free Knights.”
The unease I'd felt ever since I heard the brigands were roaming nearby just wouldn't go away.
The main force, traveling on horseback, had just left the castle.
After such a boisterous departure ceremony, news of it would have surely reached the brigands' ears.
They should have fled immediately without a second thought.
But far from fleeing, the brigands lingered in this area, eventually letting the Free Knights catch their trail.
Had some new method of suicide become popular without my knowing?
That couldn't be it.
There was something, definitely something.
The problem was that I couldn't figure out what that 'something' was.
“Hmm.”
It wasn't a lure, at least.
Cavalry that included elite knights from the family that governed the castle.
And on top of that, Free Knights and mercenaries.
It was too big a bite to swallow in one go.
I thought and thought.
But the situation didn't wait for me to find an answer.
*Boom!*
With a faint explosion, a red flame scattered across the sky far to the southwest.
“A signal flare!”
A communication flare that anyone living by the sword would carry for emergencies.
Depending on the time and situation, the same color could have different meanings, but generally, red meant….
“It seems something has happened to the Free Knights!”
It was a signal requesting urgent backup, or a rescue.
“We have to go!”
Anton shouted, almost screaming.
“Uh, we have to check out a red signal.”
“Any other signal, maybe, but a red one….”
Even the mercenaries were stirring.
The prevailing opinion was that, while they didn't want to, they should at least go nearby and check it out.
As for Gunther, it was a foregone conclusion.
*Ssk.*
Gunther, who had remained aloof since waking from his meditation, watching the departure ceremony and everything else as if it were a fire across the river, was suddenly standing next to a mounted mercenary's horse.
“Master! Stop! Did you think I wouldn't know you were about to snatch that horse and ride off? What? You weren't? Then why are you over there! Get back to where you were!”
I first had to put out the most urgent fire—that is, stopping Gunther, who looked like he would snatch a horse and gallop toward the signal flare if I left him alone for a second.
“Hah!”
The mounted mercenary, finally noticing Gunther, flinched back.
“Ah, Master! Please!”
I grabbed onto the leg of Gunther's trousers as he subtly tried to move back next to the mounted mercenary.
*Drrrag.*
Even Gunther, who had recently shown a strange level of trust in my words and unconditionally followed my lead, wouldn't easily give up this time.
It was only natural.
The fate of those who lived by the sword was to never know when or where they might meet their end.
A red signal was like a last hope to cling to in such a worst-case scenario.
It was an unspoken promise of the trade to help immediately, as long as one had the means.
“Ah! Please! Come on!”
I went so far as to climb onto Gunther's back and scream.
“It's a trap! A trap!”
Gunther, who seemed ready to snatch the horse with me still on his back if things went south, finally stopped his rampage.
“We just heard they started fighting! What could have happened in that short time? It's not like the Free Knights hired by Giftrang won their knighthoods at a gambling table. It's ridiculous!”
From the time the mounted mercenary arrived to report the situation until the flare went up.
It was far too short a time for something to happen that would require a rescue.
“A trap….”
Gunther, finally calmed down, repeated my words.
“We just have to smash through it with force.”
“Agh! Master!”
Or so I thought.
Perhaps having given up on shaking me off, Gunther simply slung me over his shoulder and approached the mounted mercenary.
Fortunately, Gunther's attempt to steal the horse ended in failure.
This was thanks to the mercenary, who, afraid of having his horse stolen by an ally, quickly put some distance between them.
“Damn.”
Gunther licked his lips as he watched the mounted mercenary retreat.
He didn't seem to have given up completely, but the mercenary, having grasped the situation, wasn't likely to let his horse be taken so easily.
No matter how skilled a knight Gunther was, chasing a horse that was determined to run was impossible.
Having bought some time, I began to explain calmly.
“It makes no sense that the Free Knights were defeated in such a short time.”
It would be impossible even if the Blue Tower had intervened, as I feared.
Just as mages are the natural enemies of knights, knights are also the natural enemies of mages.
The possibility of not one, but three knights being defeated in such a short time was extremely low.
“And if it's true?”
If it were true, that would be an even bigger problem.
If the situation was bad enough to send a distress signal despite having three knights, adding one more like Gunther would only increase the number of casualties.
But if I said that bluntly, even Gunther, who cared little for a knight's honor, wouldn't just let it slide.
“The Giftrang family's forces are nearby on horseback. If the situation is truly dire, they'll be able to handle it.”
“Hmph.”
Although he didn't seem pleased, Gunther appeared to accept that there was nothing we could do for now.
Ah, this is difficult. So difficult.
This is why being a squire sucks.
It was always like this.
Force against force, force against schemes, force against persuasion.
That was generally how a knight's mind worked.
To knights, failure was synonymous with a lack of strength.
And they would never admit it until they'd charged headfirst into a wall and cracked their skulls.
That's what made this even stranger.
“Now, listen.”
Seeing how they pursued the brigands without waiting for the main force, blinded by their ambition, the Free Knights hired by the Giftrang family were also the type to think with their hearts, not their heads.
And yet, people like that sent a distress signal?
For knights who would rather fight to the death to admit they were being beaten by a mere band of brigands and send a distress signal—that was as unbelievable as Gunther giving up begging.
It was complete bullshit.
“Hmm. Now that you mention it….”
“That certainly makes sense.”
After hearing my explanation, the mercenaries and Gunther finally sensed the strangeness and nodded.
“Perhaps I'm misunderstanding, but it sounds as if you're suspecting the Free Knights.”
Only Anton was looking at me with a discomforted expression.
“Have the identities of the Free Knights been thoroughly verified?”
“If you are suggesting a betrayal by the Free Knights, I would answer that it is as unlikely as the Giftrang family losing to a band of brigands.”
“Still, we need to confirm.”
As quickly as possible.
At my words, Anton's expression hardened.
“To doubt the Free Knights introduced by the guild is tantamount to doubting the guild itself. I hope you understand the gravity of this matter, Esquire.”
After glaring at me for a while with a look that was almost hostile, he went into the barracks and returned with a document.
“There are a total of three Free Knights currently employed by the Giftrang family.”
Anton relayed the Free Knights' personal details while scanning the document.
『3-Star Free Knight, Marksman Grendel』
『3-Star Free Knight, Geriam of the Greatspear』
『3-Star Free Knight, Goron of the Twin Swords』
“They are individuals whose identities and skills have been vouched for by a city official.”
I frowned.
The names were familiar, but strangely, I couldn't place them right away.
“For your information, the three are brothers, and the one who uses the bow is the eldest.”
It was only after hearing Anton's explanation that I realized why I couldn't immediately recall them.
Because they weren't knights.
『Grendel of Lament』
『Geriam of Wrath』
『Goron of Deceit』
They were all mages belonging to the Blue Tower.
And not just any trivial, low-class mages, but powerful Madosa-level figures, whose strength was equivalent to that of 6-Star knights.
I was certain.
If it was three brothers who wielded a greatspear, twin swords, and a bow with demonic skill, it could only be them.
“Ah….”
All my questions were answered.
Those three brothers were more than enough to defeat the Giftrang family's elite forces.
Of course, it was unlikely that the three brothers at this point in time were the same powerful Madosa-level figures as in my past life.
They only began to gain their infamy much later than this.
Considering the nature of mages who grow stronger the more knights they devour, they were probably only on par with 4-Star knights at this stage.
But to the Giftrang knights, who firmly believed them to be allies, that alone was a significant threat.
“Damn it!”
No wonder it felt strange.
Even considering I was just an ignorant child in my past life, it was odd that I had absolutely no memory of a brigand outbreak. There was a reason for it all.
The Giftrang family, who suffered a crushing defeat in what was essentially their own backyard.
The Free Knights' Guild, which had recommended the Blue Tower's mages to the Giftrang family, even vouching for their identities.
Either side had more than enough motive to desperately prevent the news of their defeat from spreading.
“Esquire…?”
Anton's eyes widened when I suddenly swore.
Realizing too late that I had been lost in my own thoughts, I revealed the three brothers' true identities.
“They aren't knights. They're mages from the Blue Tower.”
The mercenaries groaned.
Since they had already heard from me that the Blue Tower's mages might be involved in this, they didn't look surprised.
They just exchanged glances with hardened faces.
“Esquire. I can no longer listen to this in silence.”
In contrast, Anton was glaring at me with a fierce expression. His eyes shimmered with a hostility that went beyond anger.
It was an understandable reaction.
Depending on how you heard it, my words were no different from saying a high-ranking member of the Free Knights' Guild was in collusion with the Blue Tower.
“That is absolutely impossible. Esquire, you have just insulted the honor of the guild. If you do not have proper evidence, I, Anton, will not let this matter rest.”
Anton demanded evidence.
If I could, I would have dragged out all my memories from my past life and laid bare the three brothers' atrocities.
I wanted to shout about how many knights they had devoured, but I couldn't.
“Perhaps.”
While I was trying to piece together words to convince Anton, Gunther suddenly spoke up.
“Did you hear it?”
I frowned at his contextless words and looked at Gunther.
“The voice that guides you, I mean.”
“...?”
What in the world was this nonsense? As I was just frowning, Gunther's expression suddenly turned serious.
“For a squire with such a humble career, you have always been far too proficient.”
“No. Master. Could you please explain so I can understand….”
“It would be impossible without the guidance of the stars.”
“...!”
I was dumbfounded by Gunther's words.
“D-don't tell me. Knight, are you saying that a Constellation is already watching over the Esquire?”
“It's more than just watching. At this point, it seems he's already begun the 'Succession' process, just without having received the Vow. From the looks of it, the boy isn't even aware of it himself. But that's nothing new. The affairs of the stars are often like that.”
“I-I see... If the Esquire's extraordinariness stems from such a reason, then we cannot dismiss his words about the three brothers.”
Before I could say anything, I could only move my lips silently as I watched the two of them converse back and forth.
“No wonder. He took down Iden, who had caught a star's eye, in a single blow.”
“So he'd also caught a star's eye. No, this one's more than just noticed, he's practically a prospective Knight.”
Anton's eyes went wide at the mercenaries' admiration.
“W-wait a minute. Are you saying he defeated Esquire Iden in a single blow?”
“Why wouldn't he? Two sword shadows rose with a *shwish*, and our Esquire just smashed him on the head. Just like a snake catcher killing a viper.”
“Oh! Good heavens. At this point, I have no choice but to believe it. Congratulations, Esquire. Congratulations, Knight.”
Gunther accepted Anton's congratulations nonchalantly, without a hint of surprise.
His face showed he firmly believed I had been chosen by the stars.
What kind of absurd misunderstanding was this now?
“That's not the problem right now! What's important is what we do next!”
I hurriedly changed the subject.
Inwardly, I kept repeating to myself.
*This wasn't me invoking the stars. It was all Gunther's misunderstanding. So it wasn't my fault.*
“Uh, what should we do?”
I replied to Anton's question.
“What do you mean, 'what should we do'?”
First, we take them down.