Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Squire's Plea
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Two days had passed since Eugene and Galpredic's sparring match.
In the meantime, Eugene had experienced in real time how the people of Rose Castle were changing their attitude toward him.
When he had first arrived, the castle folk had simply feared him because of his status as a knight.
But after his victory over Galpredic in the sparring match, he could sense something different in their eyes.
And it was remarkably similar to the expression and gaze that Pellid had shown him.
“These humans, they seem to respect you.”
“Respect?”
Eugene furrowed his brow at Mirian's words from his shoulder.
“Yeah. I eavesdropped on some chatter while you were wandering around. They’re scared of you, sure, but they also think you’re kinda cool. That big bear you decapitated must’ve been a real powerhouse.”
At the mention of Galpredic, Eugene nodded inwardly.
‘His swordsmanship was no joke.’
His skill was not far behind the holy knights Eugene had clashed with in his previous life.
Moreover, Eugene was certain that Galpredic had held back in the match, taking into account that his opponent wasn’t wearing armor, just as Eugene had controlled his own strength.
“Anyway, now I get why you said to be careful around knights. If guys like that swing silver-plated spears and swords at you, you could really be done for.”
Naturally.
He had actually died at the hands of such knights.
Ever since he’d taken a sip of the swamp monster’s blood, he no longer felt like ordinary metal weapons could kill him, even if they cut or pierced him painfully.
Silver-plated weapons were the exception.
He had no idea, but the pain was probably several times worse than what a human would feel, and it didn’t heal.
‘The black scale mail’s defense will be the key.’
At least, he had a feeling he wouldn’t go down helplessly like in his previous life.
“Hey! Sir Eugene!”
Just then, Galpredic’s booming voice rang out.
“I hear all the mercenaries have arrived. You heading there too, sir?”
“Yeah. The eldest son summoned me.”
“Heh heh! Since you don’t have subjugation experience, let me give you a heads-up.”
Galpredic sidled right up next to Eugene.
Not content with dropping the formal speech, he had been acting overly chummy ever since the sparring match.
“With mercenaries, you gotta seize the initiative. They respect knights because of status, but if they think you look kinda weak? They’ll butt in or offer unsolicited advice without hesitation. And you said you’re not well-versed in tactics, right?”
Knights, even those at the lowest rung of the nobility, didn’t just learn combat techniques.
They were also taught how to handle subordinates and battlefield formations and command—tactics, in other words.
But as a vampire, Eugene knew nothing of tactics, so he had claimed he hadn’t learned them because he’d spent his time training alone in the mountains.
“Well, you’re only commanding those three anyway, but you never know what might happen. So lay down the law early and put the fear of god in them. Or you could just watch me and learn.”
“Thanks for the advice.”
“Ha ha ha! What’s that between us!”
Galpredic let out his signature hearty laugh and slapped Eugene on the back.
Even though the blow would have staggered an ordinary person—or even a mercenary—Eugene didn’t budge an inch, which only made Galpredic feel even better.
Having a strong fellow knight he could trust to guard his back during the dungeon opening subjugation was most welcome.
And he liked this quiet red-eyed knight whose skill matched his reputation.
* * *
“Oh! You’re here.”
“Sirs.”
Kamara and Bertel greeted the two knights.
The mercenaries rose en masse and bowed their heads.
“Hello, Sir Galpredic!”
“It’s an honor to meet you, Sir Galpredic.”
Placing high in Count Evergrow’s tournament meant he was one of the top knights in the region.
As such, the mercenaries treated Galpredic with extreme caution.
‘That knight…’
‘He’s so skinny. Doesn’t look like much.’
In contrast, their gazes toward Eugene held a hint of doubt.
Even though it had been a sparring match, beating Galpredic was impressive—but they hadn’t seen it with their own eyes.
“Alright, let’s get started.”
Once Eugene and Galpredic had taken their seats, Bertel addressed the group.
“We depart tomorrow morning. The discovered dungeon is half a day away, so we’ll arrive by noon. I’ve sent soldiers ahead, but just in case, we’ll scout the area before entering. And…”
Bertel’s dry voice continued.
“Obviously, since it hasn’t been opened yet, we don’t know what monsters will appear. But judging by the location and entrance size, low-tier will likely be goblins, gnolls, kobolds. Mid-tier: trolls, cave giant spiders, and so on. Upper-tier is anyone’s guess, as usual.”
The mercenaries nodded.
Even among long-opened dungeons and labyrinths that were regularly subjugated, there were plenty where the upper-tier monsters remained unknown.
“Anyway, rest up today. No booze, no women. But I promise a feast upon our return. If you want riches, fame, and a party, come back alive.”
The mercenaries, well aware of the gravity of a dungeon opening subjugation, burned with motivation amid an appropriate tension.
Then one bald-headed mercenary shot his hand up.
“Sir! A question!”
“What is it?”
Undaunted by Bertel’s sharp gaze, the bald mercenary spoke up.
“How will we divide the unit? Dungeons aren’t labyrinths, but there’ll be forks in the road.”
“That’s…”
Bertel’s eyes turned to Eugene and Galpredic.
Galpredic stepped forward.
“Dividing the unit depends on the situation. But we always split into two groups. Three or more is too hard to handle if something unexpected happens.”
“Will you and… Sir Eugene be leading them?”
“What? Got a problem with that?”
“N-no, sir. We don’t know much about Sir Galpredic, sure, but Sir Eugene… he’s not well-known. And a dungeon opening isn’t your standard mission…”
“Hoh? So you can’t trust a knight? Wanna see how big your balls really are? I’ll cut ‘em out and check.”
Galpredic rose with a growl, hand on his rondel dagger, and the bald mercenary’s face drained of color.
“N-no, sir! I overstepped!”
The bald mercenary bowed frantically.
But Galpredic kept his grip on the dagger’s hilt, sweeping his gaze over the mercenaries as he spoke.
“Everyone, listen up. Challenge me or Sir Eugene’s authority one more time, and I don’t care about the subjugation—I’ll gut you first. Got it?”
“Yes, sir!”
Only after their unified response did Galpredic relax, grinning as he tilted his head up.
“Look at this, you bastards. Sir Eugene spun my jaw around and left it like this.”
“……!”
“You all know no one but Sir Rugates could match me in last year’s swordsmanship tourney, right? And this guy, Sir Eugene, knocked my jaw flying.”
Galpredic’s smile deepened as he draped an arm over Eugene’s shoulder.
“I trust there’s no idiot here who doesn’t get what that means. Don’t believe me? Fine. Experience it yourselves—though if you do it inside the dungeon, nine times out of ten you’ll end up dead. Minor detail.”
Only then did the mercenaries grasp the situation, swallowing hard.
‘Why’d that bald bastard have to run his mouth?’
‘Doesn’t he know Galpredic’s got a temper like a rabid dog? Idiot.’
Under the glares from the other mercenary groups—excluding their own—the bald one finally hung his head.
Galpredic chuckled and whispered to Eugene.
“See? That’s how you seize the initiative, sir.”
“Good reference.”
Not entirely convinced yet, but figuring there was no harm in getting closer to Galpredic, Eugene gave a slight nod.
* * *
After the meeting, Eugene returned to his room with Partek, Glad, and Raban.
But someone was standing in front of the door.
“Huh? That guy… er, that person.”
“We’ll head back and rest first, Sir Eugene.”
Spotting Pellid, Partek quickly led the other two mercenaries away.
“What brings you here?”
Eugene approached Pellid, whom he hadn’t seen in days since the boy had been confined to the main keep.
“Have you been well, Sir Eugene?”
“So-so. Hm? Who hit you?”
Eugene narrowed his eyes at the blotchy red marks on Pellid’s face.
“Well, my younger brother said he’d teach me swordsmanship…”
“Swordsmanship?”
Something was off.
Pellid was a boy who’d farmed and raised pigs in Broadwin Village. Suddenly teaching him swordsmanship?
“The moment you arrived at the castle, he starts with sword lessons out of nowhere? Have you met Lord Tiwin? Did he approve it?”
“I haven’t met the lord yet. They say his illness is too severe for visitors. And the sword lessons were…”
Pellid bit his lip briefly, then spoke in a trembling voice.
“My younger brother said I’m to go as a porter for this dungeon subjugation. For the family’s honor, at least one blood relative has to join…”
“Wow! Look at that ice-cold prick’s nerve? Sir Eugene! Isn’t this straight-up telling the old kid to die in there?”
Just as Mirian said.
Sending a kid whose only monster experience was peeking at goblins eyeing the village pigs and chickens into a dungeon opening subjugation?
“Let’s talk inside first.”
“Yes…”
Once inside the room, Pellid quietly recounted what had happened.
* * *
“…So, after the subjugation and our return, he said he’d let me meet the lord.”
Pellid’s story was shocking.
He said he’d been sleeping only three or four hours a day while doing all sorts of menial tasks in the main keep for the past couple of days.
He didn’t know what Bertel had told them, but the servants called him “young master” with their mouths while exploiting him without mercy.
Not content with that, they’d openly shunned him because of his different status.
“I steeled myself for the work and the isolation. But no matter how I think about it, me joining the subjugation team doesn’t make sense. So… You’re the only one I could come to with this. I’m sorry.”
Pellid bowed his head deeply, gauging Eugene’s reaction.
“Eugene, he’s a weird kid, but not the type to scheme or do evil. We could go find those bastards who messed with the old kid and just rip their corn right—squawk!”
Eugene’s lightning-fast hand snatched Mirian and shoved him forcibly into the leather pouch.
Pellid, head still lowered, didn’t see it. Eugene spoke to him.
“This might be belated, but the mercenaries I sent to fetch you? They weren’t from Lord Tiwin—one of your brothers sent them.”
“What!?”
Pellid’s head snapped up.
“Lord Tiwin collapsed half a year ago, and since then your two brothers have handled the territory, right? You know that.”
“Yes. I heard from the castle folk.”
“So one of those two sent the mercenaries. And those eight idiots couldn’t even handle two black wolves and got wiped out.”
“What? What does that mean…?”
“The black wolves? I killed them. Those guys got annihilated because they couldn’t handle two.”
“……!”
Pellid’s eyes widened at Eugene’s cunning mix of truth and lies.
“If it had been Partek’s group, they would’ve taken them down with minimal losses. So the ones sent to fetch you were third-rate drifters barely worthy of the name mercenary. Why hire such trash for that job?”
“Ah…”
As realization dawned on Pellid, Eugene voiced the hypothesis he’d been mulling over.
“One of your brothers—or maybe both—might not have wanted you arriving safely at the castle. And now they’re sending you into a freshly opened dungeon? I’m pretty sure something’s up. What do you think?”
Pellid shuddered, mouth agape.
The Pellid that Eugene had observed on the journey to Rose Castle was quick-witted and sharp-minded. He’d surely grasped the implication.
“So… they’re sending me to die in the dungeon? Am I going to die there?”
Eugene didn’t answer.
But he was ninety percent certain that’s what would happen.
Lord’s bastard son or not, no kind-hearted mercenary was going to protect a porter inside a dungeon.
Even Partek’s group, whom he’d grown somewhat close to, wouldn’t shield Pellid in a crisis.
“There is a way to survive.”
“What? H-how?”
Before deciding to enter the dungeon, Eugene revealed the plan he’d prepared to meet Lord Tiwin.
“Pellid Tiwin, become my squire.”
(To be continued)