Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: Beggar Knight Gunther (2)
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“Youngest! What are you doing! Hurry up and wreck him!”
“Yes, boss. I'll beat him to a pulp.”
A beggar who looked about my age sauntered over and suddenly swung his club.
Having them make the first move was actually a relief.
A man who’d made his living by the sword getting into a scuffle with beggars was hardly a good look.
*Hup.*
I took a short breath and stepped diagonally.
*Whoosh.*
The club grazed past my shoulder by a hair's breadth.
“Huh?”
Hearing his dazed voice, I jabbed the branch toward his exposed skin.
*Thwack!*
The sound was so satisfying it reached deep into my soul, and I couldn't help but nod.
“...Agh!”
The man let out a scream, hopping back on his good leg.
“...Youngest. What are you doing.”
“Ha. That bastard is unbelievable.”
The beggars standing behind him grumbled.
“I-It was a mistake! I-I'll go again!”
The startled youngest beggar approached again, his face a mask of grim determination.
*Flinch, flinch.*
But having been struck once, he couldn't bring himself to charge, merely readjusting his grip on the club where he stood.
“And we've been looking after a guy like that.”
“Should we just kick him out now? He's completely useless.”
At the threats from his ‘bosses’ behind him, the man squeezed his eyes shut and charged.
*Whap, whap.*
As if I'd been waiting, I struck his calves one after the other.
“Agh! Ugh! Agh! It hurts! Stop! Stop!”
Each time, he jumped around, screaming that he was dying of pain.
The feel of the strikes was good, and his reactions were great.
There was a certain satisfaction in hitting this one.
“Uwaaah. Please, stop!”
When I came to my senses, he was bawling his eyes out, begging for mercy on his hands and knees.
“Ahem.”
It seemed I had lost my composure for a moment, enjoying the satisfying thwacks after so long.
I cleared my throat and nonchalantly lowered my hands.
“You bastard. You call yourself one of Hansen's crew?”
“Don't you dare go anywhere and say you were part of our crew. You'll die. For real.”
One of the beggars standing behind hawked a loogie and charged at me.
“Agh! It hurts! Stop it! I said it hurts!”
And in the blink of an eye, he was screaming and running away.
“Wow. Boss. At this rate, the reputation of Hansen's crew is going to be dog food.”
“Looks like you two, number three and number four in the hierarchy, will have to step up.”
“Yes, boss.”
Two beggars, a bit heftier than the previous ones, stepped forward.
The result was the same.
They were struck with every blow, screaming for me to spare them.
“This is a problem.”
The strikes felt good, but at this rate, I wouldn't even have a chance to use the swordsmanship of Roman that I'd just learned.
Beating up these guys who had no fundamentals and no grit just made me feel like the villain, leaving a bad taste in my mouth.
“B-Boss. He's no ordinary guy. I think you're going to have to step in.”
“Right. I can tell he's properly trained in swordsmanship. He was too strong an opponent for you guys from the start.”
Just as I was wondering if I should stop, the leader of the beggar crew stepped forward.
“It's over for you now!”
“Our boss Hansen used to be a mercenary!”
At the word mercenary, I frowned and studied the man.
His crew's words weren't just a bluff.
Muscles too developed to belong to a beggar, and a stance that stopped at just the right distance.
And above all, the look in his eyes, visible through his disheveled hair.
Beyond his murky pupils, a bluish, ghostly aura flickered.
This one... he's killed people before.
And he was clearly the worst kind.
The kind of trash that feels pleasure from killing. The human butchers I'd encountered in my past life had the exact same look in their eyes.
“What a complete mess.”
A monster who should be hiding in the deepest mountains is wandering around the middle of a city. The West must really be a lawless place.
“Tsk. How annoying.”
I tossed the flimsy branch to the ground.
“What? Getting scared now? If you beg for forgiveness, I might be generous enough to let you join the crew.”
Seeing me, the man spouted off, full of himself.
Ignoring him, I picked up the club the youngest beggar had dropped.
It was heavy, but not so much that I couldn't swing it.
“How about it? Join the crew and I'll give you the number two spot...”
“You.”
I cut off his nonsense and spat out a single word.
“This won't end with just a little pain.”
I kicked off the ground.
“Kid. With those scrawny arms...”
I brought the club straight down on the shoulder of the man who wouldn't shut his mouth.
“It doesn't even tic...”
*Swoooosh!*
“...?”
The man's eyes widened.
*Crack.*
A moment later, the gruesome sound of something breaking followed.
“Huh...?”
Seeing his own caved-in shoulder, the man's face twisted like a demon's.
“You bastard...”
*Swoooosh!*
*Crack.*
With his other shoulder also caved in, the man stared blankly at me.
A question appeared in his eyes.
*Swoosh.*
The question became confusion.
*Swoosh.*
The confusion became terror.
I raised the club over the head of the man who was flailing on the ground, unable to even scream.
But in the end, I didn't bring it down.
“No need to dirty my own hands.”
Instead of finishing him off, I gestured to the beggar crew, who were staring blankly in my direction.
“You, yes. You. The youngest one, I'm talking to you.”
“Yes? Yes, boss!”
The youngest beggar ran over, scared out of his wits.
“Go to the guards and check the wanted posters.”
I gently pushed the leader's disheveled hair aside with the tip of the club.
“Go see if there's anyone who looks like this. You can do that, right?”
“Yes, boss! I can do it!”
“If you find one, explain the situation to a soldier and bring him here.”
The youngest beggar shot off like a messenger who'd just received an imperial decree.
Not long after, he returned with a soldier from the city watch.
“I-It's true! That guy, he was on a wanted poster!”
“Will you be quiet? It's not even certain yet. If I check and it turns out you made me walk all the way here for nothing, I won't let you off...”
The soldier, who had been smacking the back of the youngest beggar's head with a thoroughly annoyed expression, saw the battered butcher and his eyes went wide.
“Huh? Uh... Uh!”
The soldier hastily pulled a wanted poster from his tunic and looked back and forth between it and the butcher.
“I-It's really 'Dog Butcher Hansen'!”
A dry laugh escaped me at his scream-like shout.
I knew from my past life's experience that these types usually have a shady past, which is why I told him to check the wanted list, but I never imagined he'd be crazy enough to use his real name.
“H-Heeik.”
It seemed Dog Butcher Hansen's infamy was quite high, as the soldier hesitated, unable to approach.
I had to coax and persuade the soldier to confirm the man's identity one more time.
“How did you catch this scumbag? Who caught him?”
The soldier, having confirmed the identity several times, asked with a still-dazed look.
*Swish.*
As if on cue, the beggars all turned to look at me.
“You're not telling me this kid caught him, are you?”
*Nod, nod.*
A look of disbelief appeared on the soldier's face.
“These bastards, I've had enough of...!”
It was then that I, who had been watching quietly, stepped forward.
“Soldier.”
“...What?”
“Unit and name.”
The soldier looked at me and let out a scoff.
“Kid. I'm not in the mood for jokes right... Agh!”
The chattering soldier screamed as I kicked him in the shin.
“Unit and name.”
“You crazy!”
*Thwack!*
I kicked the soldier's shin once more.
“Agh! You hit the same spot! This damned kid!”
Watching the soldier hop around, I lowered my voice and said.
“Esquire Yan.”
“What...?”
“I am currently visiting the city while serving a Master who is traveling incognito. I happened to discover a wanted criminal and subdued him. Is there a problem?”
The soldier let go of his shin and awkwardly straightened his back.
“A-Are you really an Esquire?”
“One who impersonates a knight or their squire has their tongue cut out and is sentenced to hard labor in the mines. If the damage caused by the impersonation is great, the punishment is hanging. Now, soldier. Do I look like a madman who wants to die?”
Hearing my words, the soldier studied me with hazy eyes.
I didn't wait for an answer.
*Thwack!*
“Gyaak!”
“Unit and name!”
“D-Day Patrol, Private Pelon!”
Overwhelmed by my presence, the soldier forgot even his pain and snapped to attention.
“A pleasure, Private Pelon.”
“B-But, Esquire, what business do you have here?”
“That is not for you to know.”
I replied coldly, then barked again.
“Private Pelon! What is your duty right now?”
“...?”
“You fool! You've captured a wanted man, so you must take him into custody so he can receive a proper trial!”
The soldier flinched as if he expected me to kick him again.
“Tsk.”
Then, my pitying gaze seemed to snap him to his senses, and he bound Dog Butcher Hansen's hands with rope.
*What's the point of tying up arms that are already broken and limp.*
“As you can see, he's a big man and in no condition to walk on his own. It seems you'll need help transporting him.”
At my glance, the beggar crew promptly lifted Hansen's body.
“I will wait here.”
Private Pelon, who was about to leave, turned back to me with a puzzled look.
“Private Pelon, did you win your position at the city watch in a game of chance? We've caught a wanted man, so there must be a bounty!”
“Ah, the bounty! Yes! It's 5 shillings!”
“A modest sum. But I didn't do it for the money.”
At my words that I was satisfied with having contributed to the peace of the Empire, a look of respect appeared in the soldier's eyes.
That excessive respect could potentially complicate matters. So I warned him.
“I'm telling you this just in case, but take special care that your superiors don't make a fuss and disturb my Master.”
“Yes, Esquire!”
Private Pelon snapped to attention one more time, and he and the beggars quickly disappeared from view.
I stood with my back straight, watching the spot where they had disappeared, and then,
“Yahoo! Free money!”
I cheered.
5 shillings.
This was more than enough to say goodbye to this miserable life on the streets.
A high-quality sword might be out of reach, but I could probably get a decent one.
That Hansen fellow, he turned out to be a more wonderfully heinous bastard than I thought.
Not long after, Private Pelon returned.
“Thank you for waiting! I tried to get back as fast as I could, but I had to report to the captain. It took a little longer than expected!”
He rushed back, stopped in front of me, clicked his heels together, and straightened his back.
“Esquire Yan! On behalf of the captain, who was concerned about drawing unwanted attention! We express our gratitude for your contribution to the safety of our citizens on behalf of the city watch!”
As Private Pelon saluted, I returned the gesture in the Imperial military fashion.
“Well done, Private Pelon. On behalf of my Master, I too express my respect for the dedication and hard work of the city watch.”
“Thank you, Esquire!”
The soldier disappeared, leaving behind the sound of his crisp footsteps.
*Jingle.*
I smiled in satisfaction at the heavy weight in my pouch.
If Dog Butcher Hansen, who only ever caused harm in his life, left one beneficial thing in this world, it would be this very pouch in my hand.
As I was chuckling at my unexpected income, the beggars hesitantly asked me.
“Are you really serving under a knight?”
“Yeah.”
The beggars froze. It seemed they finally realized what they had done.
“Don't be scared. If you don't start anything, I won't either.”
My heart as full as my now-heavy pouch, I admonished the beggars.
I told them to make sure my name was never mentioned in connection with this incident, lightly gesturing with the club stained with the Dog Butcher's blood.
“Live good lives from now on. I'll be watching.”
“Yes! We'll live really good lives!”
“We won't do anything bad!”
They started rattling off their life plans in front of me, though I hadn't asked.
It was mostly about how virtuously they were going to live.
“That's enough, go.”
I had no reason to listen to the beggars' worthless life plans, so I waved them away.
“...?”
The crew left, but the youngest beggar lingered around me as if he had something to say.
“Why aren't you leaving?”
“W-Well... I was just curious why someone as amazing as you, boss—someone who even a soldier couldn't handle—was begging! It's not like you were planning to change careers.”
His question made me sigh.
“Right. I'd like to know that too.”
To be honest, I was extremely curious about that myself.
Just what in the world is our Beggar Knight thinking.