Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Noble Invitations and Plate Armor
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"Duke Izel of Grendorff hereby invites Sir Eugene."
"The heir of the Ingsman family, Lady Martina, has prepared a banquet for Sir Eugene..."
Partek's prediction had come true exactly as he foresaw.
Starting the very next morning, influential figures from Maren and noble families began visiting the Sky Throne to invite Eugene.
"Ha! The Ingsman family? What right does a noble chasing after the royalists have to invite him?"
"Isn't your master the one mingling with the rebels of Kalsbaegin? Would a knight pursuing noble chivalry share wine with the kingdom's traitors?"
"What did you say!? You done talking?"
"I could say more if you want."
This even led to verbal sparring between families that had never gotten along.
But Eugene couldn't care less.
"I'm grateful for the invitations, but my injuries are acting up. I need to rest for a few days, so I'll have to decline them all."
"Ah..."
"We figured as much, so my lord Duke Rasnik prepared this top-grade mana crystal as a gift. It will greatly aid in your recovery, Sir Eugene."
Some even offered expensive top-grade mana crystals.
But Eugene turned it down flat.
"I have elf blood in my ancestry, so a few days of rest will heal me right up. I'll gratefully accept your kind intentions. Please convey my thanks to Duke Rasnik."
"Ah... I see."
Only then did they nod in unison, convinced.
It made sense for his striking looks and superior recovery compared to ordinary people if he had elf blood.
Elves also avoided consuming mana stones from monsters, even if purified.
'Mana crystals are useless to me anyway.'
Eugene was a vampire.
Mana crystals infused with the divine power of high priests restored human vitality and even extended lifespan slightly, but to Eugene, they were like poison.
Those unaware of this were shocked and impressed that he refused such a valuable top-grade mana crystal, even if his elven heritage made it less effective.
'Such a knight still exists...'
'Sir Eugene is a knight who truly understands honor!'
Knights like him were hard to sway, but once committed, they never betrayed.
'He must join our family...'
'Such a knight belongs at my lord's side!'
Though all invitations were rejected, the butlers and attendants representing their houses burned with even greater zeal(?) for Eugene.
* * *
Three days later.
The plate armor crafted at the Betisak Armory was delivered to Eugene's room.
Normally, such armor took over a week to make.
But the market had paid three hundred silver coins and placed the order directly, so the dwarf brothers had all pitched in to shorten the production time to an absurd degree.
"Look at that shine! Wow!"
Even Mirian's fussing seemed understated compared to the flashy exterior of the Betisak Armory's plate armor.
The plate mail worn by knights like Galpredic and Madrica consisted of iron plates strapped to the body with leather thongs.
Plate armor, however, connected each part with hinges and rings for much easier donning and removal.
Above all, its surface featured wave-patterned grooves and radial lines, greatly enhancing defense and durability.
"Forged from Elsic steel blended with ogre bone—our Betisak Armory's signature alloy. We hope it aids even a little in Sir Eugene's pursuit of knighthood."
As befitting a luxury item, the armory manager delivered it personally.
Eugene, who had been admiring it with satisfaction, soon narrowed his eyes.
"What's this?"
He pointed to a tiny crest engraved from the neck down to the chest.
"Ah, that's the crest of Maren City. At the market's special request."
"Hmm."
It felt a bit off, but he couldn't complain about a small city crest on armor that was practically free.
The dwarf brothers had also faithfully incorporated not just the market's requests but Eugene's special ones too.
The helmet's front protruded forward, forming a perfect visor that shielded a vampire's eyes from direct sunlight whether raised or lowered.
"Does Sir Eugene particularly favor black?"
At the manager's cautious question, Eugene nodded.
"Partly. But if the armor reflects light at night or in a dungeon, it'd be a problem."
In truth, he had requested black because he hated it sparkling in the daylight.
"As expected! Our workshop owners guessed it was for that reason too."
"True masters of the craft—they understand a knight's heart. Anyway, I accept it gratefully. I'll treasure it."
"Thank you. Unless it's destroyed beyond repair, we offer three years of free maintenance, so visit Betisak Armory anytime if there's an issue."
"Will do."
Once the manager and staff left, Eugene shed his chain mail and donned the plate armor.
It was easy to wear, with almost no hindrance to movement.
It was worthy of Maren City's top dwarf artisans all working on it.
'No need for other armor underneath with the black scale mail.'
Eugene was greatly satisfied.
Not only had he sold the monster byproducts for more than planned, but he also received combat pay from the recruitment, plus this high-end plate armor tantamount to a letter of identity from the market.
'And I got Silion too.'
Coming to Maren in person had truly been an excellent choice, he thought as he left the room.
Even if the plate armor was payment for slaying the roamer goblins and orcs, the warhorse Silion came with a pedigree certificate—a different matter entirely.
So before leaving the city, it was only right to personally thank those who had shown him such favor.
* * *
"Have you still not met that knight Sir Eugene?"
"Yes."
Prechella bowed her head at the question from her grandfather, the head of Maren's merchant guild and former owner of the Feilin Merchant Group.
Even at over sixty, her grandfather remained vigorous, still a daunting figure for Prechella despite his retirement years ago.
"He got a pedigree warhorse from Agail Stables and the top room at the Sky Throne, plus plenty of gifts. Must be worth the investment, right?"
"Of course. If he joins the Tiwin family's dungeon just once more and performs like he did in the gatekeepers' subjugation, we'll recoup the investment easily."
"And you're satisfied with just recouping?"
"Hardly. From our main branch's perspective, Sir Eugene is a knight with confirmed investment value."
"What makes you so sure?"
"For one, the boy who's recently become Bilmore's new assistant is Sir Eugene's squire. The bastard son of the Tiwin family and brother to the new Lord Tiwin."
"If a knight sends his squire to the merchant group, doesn't that mean he doesn't value him much?"
"That could be. But Sir Eugene... how to put it... doesn't seem like the type who sent him here because he undervalues his squire."
"Oh?"
Seeing her grandfather's curiosity, Prechella continued quickly.
"He struck me as incredibly ambitious. According to Bilmore, he even went to the Tiwin castle to get his status acknowledged, and he was utterly fearless before the nobles there."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. Even the eldest son—the new Lord Tiwin—was initially indifferent but warmed up to Sir Eugene in just days. And..."
Prechella fleshed out and embellished stories she'd heard from the three mercenaries who followed Bilmore and Eugene.
Seven parts true events, two parts exaggeration, and the final part was her own hopeful projection, mistaking his arrogance—refusing to show his face for days even after receiving that expensive horse—for 'ambition.'
"He turned down every invitation from the city notables too. Said it was due to injuries, but I asked the Sky Throne staff, and he moves without any apparent trouble. It was just an excuse."
"Hmm. True, it's ruffled a few feathers. But his feats are so impressive, and he hasn't accepted a single invitation, so they're holding back."
Her grandfather, the merchant guild head, stroked his beard as he recalled the mood among Maren's notables toward the knight Yan Eugene.
"See? He's clearly aiming higher. And what proves a knight's worth if not skill and achievements? Even as a sudden arrival, I believe his investment value overflows."
"Heh heh. It's been a while since I've seen you so certain—it's promising. Truth be told, my thoughts align closely with yours."
"Thank you, Grandfather."
She had exaggerated a bit due to the big spending on the horse and some stubborn pride, but his positive response boosted Prechella's confidence.
"A known name takes time to spread, but a needle in a pocket always pokes through eventually."
"Yes."
"And spotting and securing such talent before others is a merchant's virtue. Dismissing him for lack of track record or verification—that's amateur talk."
"Then..."
"Proceed with the investment. I'll speak to your father. Even if he shines only locally, we can extract the funds reliably, so no pressure."
"Yes! Thank you for trusting me."
Though retired from the front lines, her grandfather held most of the Feilin Merchant Group's shares, and Prechella's face brightened further.
'He won't just leave like this, right? Should I visit him myself? No way I'd get turned away at the door.'
As Prechella pondered, the office door opened cautiously, and a staff member entered.
"Deputy Manager, Sir Yan Eugene is here!"
"Perfect timing."
"Indeed."
Suppressing the urge to leap from her seat, Prechella secretly clenched her fist.
* * *
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Prechella, deputy manager of the Feilin Merchant Group in Maren."
"I'm Yan Eugene. Thank you for the horse."
"No need to mention it. Please, have a seat here, Sir Eugene."
He had expected the deputy manager of a major merchant group to be ostentatious, but Prechella seemed surprisingly modest. After shaking hands, Eugene sat where she indicated.
But contrary to Eugene's first impression, Prechella was quite shocked.
'This is the terrifying knight who ripped out a troll's head with his bare hands and punched a hole through an orc warrior's chest with a thrown spear? Really?'
He was tall and solidly built, but that was standard for knights.
The problem was his face.
Glossy black hair flowing long, skin so white it bordered on pale, and crimson eyes shimmering with an eerie heat even in broad daylight.
Calling him merely handsome felt insufficient.
"Do you like the horse? I heard you rode it without issue in the battle a few days ago."
"Very much so. Thank you again."
"I'm delighted to hear that."
Not mere politeness—Prechella genuinely felt pleased.
For one, Eugene's timely visit had earned her extra points with her grandfather.
Moreover.
'He thanks me twice already, and we've just met?'
She had gotten prior info from Bilmore on Eugene's temperament, but Prechella wasn't naive enough to take it at face value.
The knights she knew were all barbaric, violent brutes who treated merchants as inferiors regardless of the group's size or status.
Yet the Eugene before her seemed different.
Knights who so readily expressed gratitude to merchants were exceedingly rare.
"I hear you're heading back to the Tiwin territory. Planning to keep subjugating that dungeon?"
"To do that, I'd need to become Lord Tiwin's knight, which I have no intention of. I've even taken Pellid as my squire, so out of obligation, I'll join just once more."
"Ah! Pellid—the young master learning from Bilmore? Word's already spreading in the merchant group about how bright he is. No wonder a knight of your caliber took him on for a reason."
"Good to hear."
"So, may we assume we'll look after young Pellid here at our merchant group for the time being?"
"Considering your ties to the Tiwin family, wouldn't that be better for the Feilin Merchant Group?"
"Ah, yes, of course."
She had tried using 'looking after' the squire Pellid as an excuse to build ties with his master Eugene, but he had shifted the onus to the Tiwin family.
'Not an easy mark.'
Shaking off her momentary fascination with his looks, Prechella sharpened her focus. This knight was no ordinary fellow.
"You mentioned selling the monster byproducts from the next subjugation through our merchant group too?"
"Yes. Just like this time, together with the Tiwin family."
"Understood. Then... if I may be so bold, would you be open to joining other dungeon or labyrinth subjugations?"
"If the opportunity arises."
With red mana stones only obtainable that way for now, Eugene nodded.
"Ah! Then may I make a proposal?"
"A proposal?"
"Yes. You may or may not know, but our merchant group doesn't operate solely in Maren. This is our head office, with branches across the kingdom—and even two in the ports of the Roman Empire."
"..."
"And our Feilin Merchant Group branches trade with local families who own demon realms. Like the Tiwin family you know well. So perhaps—no, I can definitely arrange demon realm subjugations connected to our Feilin Merchant Group for you, Sir Eugene."
(To be continued in the next chapter)