Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: An Implicit Promise (4)
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Sasha recalled his conversation with his brother.
‘I know I called you out of the blue, so you must have been flustered, but thank you for your cooperation. I couldn't think of anyone else.’
‘Whatever they say, just give them some excuse. It might be unpleasant, but as long as they don't know our true identities, they won't be able to pressure us recklessly.’
‘Never let the Master step in. You handle everything. The moment the Master gets involved, you can consider this whole plan a failure.’
It would be strange not to be nervous, conning the Grand Prince of the great Giftrang family.
“He's traveling incognito, so the details are….”
“He's taken a vow of silence….”
“He's very shy around strangers….”
One might have expected the Grand Prince to rebuke them, asking why they'd even come if he wasn't going to reveal his name or utter a single word, but he remained silent.
‘It's a kind of implicit promise. Pretending not to know what you know. Pretending to know what you don't. Knights believe that's how you preserve another's dignity.’
When he first heard those words, he had wondered if such people really existed in the world, but they truly did.
“Indeed, it is said that among the renowned knights of the central regions, there are those who wander the world seeking glory and justice, relying on nothing but their sword. Iden, watch and learn. That is the very model of a knight.”
“Yes, Master. I will watch with wide eyes and learn everything.”
The scene of them spouting empty compliments was like a farcical play.
“It's late today, so let's go to the barracks together.”
Even welcoming them as guests without any proper identification, with a band of bandits causing trouble right at their doorstep.
That, too, was just as his brother had predicted.
That knights, who were always itching to show off their magnanimity and courage regardless of the time or place, would surely act this way.
It was a world Sasha couldn't comprehend, but regardless.
It was all for the better.
Sasha quickened his pace, following Knight Gunther.
Catching sight of ‘them’ exchanging glances in that brief moment.
When they arrived at the barracks, a tent had been prepared for them.
“Given the nature of our mission, I ask for your understanding that we cannot provide proper hospitality.”
Contrary to the humble words, it was a luxurious tent equipped with just about everything.
“Then let us continue our conversation tomorrow at sunrise.”
With those words, the Grand Prince and his knights retired to their respective tents, and Sasha also entered the tent assigned to him and Gunther.
“Hoo. Knight. So far….”
*Thump.*
Sasha, who must have been tense without realizing it, let out a sigh of relief, only for a rough hand to clamp over his mouth.
It was Knight Gunther.
*Shh.*
He extended a long finger and gestured discreetly.
It seemed to mean that there were listening ears, so he shouldn't let his guard down.
Only then did Sasha realize his mistake, and his brother's warning flashed through his mind.
That the real test would begin once they entered the tent.
The surveillance of the Giftrang family, and ‘them’, who could make a move at any moment.
The tension doubled, tightening its grip on Sasha's throat.
*Tap.*
If not for the rough hand that had been placed on him at just the right moment, he would have found it difficult to calm his heart for a while.
*Whoosh.*
The hand on his shoulder felt heavy.
Sasha turned his head and saw his brother's Master, who had at some point lifted the visor of his helmet.
His deep-set eyes were as clear and transparent as a midwinter lake.
The moment he met that gaze, the last vestiges of tension and fear that had remained like dregs vanished as if by magic.
Sasha expressed his gratitude with a small nod, then turned at the sound of someone's presence.
“Ahem.”
“Who is it?”
“The name's Grendel, a free knight hired by the Giftrang family. I've come to belatedly pay my respects to the esteemed Knight from over the mountains….”
Sasha looked at Knight Gunther with a stiff expression. Gunther, who had lowered his visor again, gave a small nod.
*Nod.*
Permission granted, Sasha called out.
“The Knight has permitted your visit!”
The words had barely left his mouth when the tent flap opened and three men entered.
“The Grand Prince didn't give us a chance, so we had to disturb your rest like this.”
“As you can see, we're treated like outcasts, so we'd appreciate your generous understanding.”
“I'm Grendel. These are my brothers, Geriam and Goron.”
They offered their hands with affable smiles and greetings.
“A pleasure.”
Knight Gunther, who had been staring at the outstretched hands, suddenly spoke.
“I thought you were under a vow of silence…?”
In the moment the three Grendel brothers' faces lit up and they exchanged glances.
*Grab.*
Knight Gunther seized the hand of Goron, the man with twin swords at his waist.
*Whoosh. Squish.*
All Sasha perceived was the sound of a gust of wind and the unpleasant noise of a blade tearing through soft flesh.
*Fwoosh!*
Immediately after, Sasha saw Goron collapsing, blood fountaining from his neck.
“What is this…?!”
“Goron! Goron!”
In their dismay, the mages drew their respective weapons and charged at Knight Gunther. Meanwhile, Sasha, now out of sight, bolted from the tent and screamed at the top of his lungs.
“The free knights are attacking the Knight! The free knights are attacking the…!”
Before he could even shout the instructed words twice, the Giftrang knights rushed out.
They were all in full armor, as if they had never taken it off.
Indeed, just as his brother had said, their welcoming him as a guest was merely superficial. In reality, they had remained on guard, not even removing their armor.
“Knight Johanna, take the Blood-Neck Knights and secure the tent! Cavalry, guard against external intruders!”
The knights of the Giftrang family surrounded the tent in perfect order.
“Ugh…!”
Sasha frowned.
By now, Knight Gunther should have left the tent and joined them, but for some reason, he hadn't emerged.
*BOOM!*
*SHIIING!*
All sorts of brutal noises were erupting from inside.
Watching the tent flap as if it would be torn apart at any moment, Sasha stomped his feet in frustration.
Just then, someone tapped Sasha on the shoulder.
“For now, your part is done. Good work. Leave the rest to me.”
“Brother…?”
***
Thanks to the three brothers abandoning their mission, taking over the empty barracks wasn't difficult.
While the main Giftrang force was lost wandering the wilderness, caught up in the three brothers' noisy scheme, all we had to do was run like hell and secure the spot first.
Afterward, we just had to dress appropriately as if we were the troops left behind at the barracks from the start and welcome the main force, and there would be no reason for suspicion.
Not only would the high-ranking knights of the Giftrang family not bother to inspect mere mercenaries closely, but it was also possible because the guild had acted as a bridge between the mercenaries and the Giftrang family.
Of course, my build was so small that I had to wait beforehand in the tent assigned to the mercenaries.
Everything was going smoothly.
All according to plan.
*BOOM!*
*SHRRRIP!*
Through the torn tent, flashes of sword light could be glimpsed.
Contrary to the initial plan to leave the area immediately, Gunther was fighting like a madman inside the tent.
Of course, that too was within the scope of my predictions.
He was a beggar knight with not a shred of a knight's dignity to be found, but he was still a knight.
The creed of never retreating was not a virtue but a basic principle for such knights; even in the Great War, where all sorts of betrayals were rampant, countless knights had fought to the death, refusing to retreat from the enemy.
“Stand back.”
Pushing back the anxious, foot-stomping Sasha, I took out the Knight Slayer from my coat.
*Creeak.*
I took out the loading tool known as a goat's foot lever, drew the string, and nocked a bolt.
In that state, I waited patiently for the right moment.
*GWOOOOOOOOOH!*
Just as an immense presence surged from inside the tent, the thick, oiled canvas was instantly torn to shreds.
At the same time, the situation inside the obscured tent was revealed in perfect clarity.
Gunther stood with a longsword held before his chest, faintly enveloped in a silver-white auspicious aura.
The expensive plate armor that Anton had tearfully given up for the disguise as a knight from a prestigious family was already damaged beyond recognition, and crimson blood dripped from the gaps in the dented plates.
Despite this, Gunther was unwavering, and his expression looked incredibly reverent.
“I knew you were being stubborn, you damn Holy Knight!”
“You dog of a Holy Knight! Damn the monasteries!”
The surviving mages ground their teeth.
For me, it was the first time I'd learned of Gunther's identity in both my past and present lives.
I felt like I'd been struck on the back of the head.
“Well, no matter. From the looks of it, you can't even properly draw out your holy light. You must have been excommunicated. All the easier to devour you.”
“You should have dealt with me or Geriam first, not Goron.”
“He was the weakest of us three brothers.”
“Let's see what a great Holy Knight tastes like.”
The two brothers spouted lines that even a third-rate thug in a marketplace would be ashamed to say.
But contrary to their ridiculous dialogue, their power was no laughing matter.
“O, Faceless Witch, the woman who smiles sated on death throes! Greedily kissing death…!”
“As the beast that walks the earth without legs howls, may those who walked on two feet never stand again….”
The profane and ominous words echoed in all directions, instantly taking form.
A gloomy, blue-gray energy radiated in all directions.
Grendel's longbow flipped upside down and gaped open like a mouth, and Geriam's great spear writhed like a snake, its tongue flicking.
“M-Mages!”
“And high-ranking mages at that!”
The Giftrang knights, who had been observing the sudden bloody battle, finally realized who the enemy was and shouted.
Watching their stereotypical reaction, I sighed.
Instead of shouting such useless things, how about attacking the two mages right now to stop them from drawing out more power?
“Mages!”
“A Holy Knight and mages!”
But the Giftrang knights showed no intention of stepping in.
It was only natural, in a way.
Because knights consider a joint attack to be an act of unparalleled shame.
From my perspective, I wanted to suggest they show some flexibility and at least even the numbers to 2-on-2.
But it was a suggestion that would fall on deaf ears.
They were the kind of blockheads who would not just stand by, but would even block anyone else who tried to interfere—such was the way of knights.
However, regardless of such knightly customs, there was one being who could interfere.
A person who wouldn't be blamed by anyone even for a sneak attack from behind, not just for interfering.
A being who moves as a pair with a knight, like their own hands and feet.
A squire. An esquire.
That would be me.
“Hoo.”
I'm not the type of person who hesitates to use the privileges granted to me.
*Twang.*
Without hesitation, I pulled the trigger of the Knight Slayer.
A situation where I was focused to the absolute limit.
*SHWIIIIIIK!*
The short bolt released from the string flew in a straight line toward the mage's undefended back, the sight astonishingly clear.
In that fleeting instant, a thought suddenly occurred to me.
That perhaps, in this life, the name of the Knight Slayer might change.
Mage Slayer.
Not a bad name at all.
At least I wouldn't be chased around by knights for using a subversive weapon.