Chapter 22: Knight Roland
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 22: Knight Roland
Sunlight streamed down through the gaps in the branches and leaves that blanketed the sky. The forest, which had been dark even at dawn, brightened slightly. But the dense thicket still permitted only a fraction of the sun’s rays to pass through. Considering how early night fell in the woods, even this would be fleeting.
Roland, sword drawn, circled the massive tree, inspecting it. Was this what the World Tree of myth was like? It was so enormous that it would take five or six people holding hands to encircle it.
Near the base was a knot hole large enough for a person to enter. Roland casually tossed a stone into the hole, which was as pitch-black as if it rejected all light. The stone vanished, just as the goblin had.
It was as if it had never existed in the first place. It wasn't just hidden by the absolute darkness.
“Unbelievable.”
Roland’s expression was one of pure disbelief.
My own expression was likely no different. There was a vast difference between knowing something and experiencing it firsthand. I quickly schooled my features. After all, I was supposed to be on my second visit here.
“Do you still not believe me?”
“I have never once doubted your words, Sir Allen.”
Roland lied without batting an eye. The complete reversal in his attitude meant his internal doubts had been completely erased. Or perhaps he had no time for doubt.
I spoke, casually testing him.
“Let’s return to the mansion and prepare to conquer it.”
“Prepare…?” Roland asked, his gaze still fixed on the knot hole. It was a dazed, distracted look.
Then again, with a life-changing opportunity greater than any lottery ticket right before his eyes, who wouldn't lose their mind?
“Most people who hear rumors of an ancient ruin will dismiss them as nonsense, but there are always those who act unexpectedly, aren't there? So we must report our discovery as quickly as possible and mobilize the servants and serfs to begin the conquest.”
“That will not do, sir. It is too dangerous,” Roland said quickly.
“Dangerous?”
I asked with an air of perfect innocence. Only then did Roland turn his back to the tree and look at me, not bothering to hide his frustration.
“If we needlessly mobilize those simpletons, word of our discovery could spread. If that information reaches the ears of a greedy titled noble, we won't be able to protect the ancient ruin. Even if we obtain the relics, they will be taken from us.”
“Surely you’re not suggesting the two of us go in alone? We don’t know what dangers might be lurking in an ancient ruin, do we?”
“All the more reason we must be accompanied by truly skilled individuals. We can hire some capable mercenaries in Quaran.”
I frowned and waved my hand dismissively.
“The problem is whether we can trust them. And even if we could hire them, we don’t have the money to pay them, do we? The family coffers have been empty for quite some time. Ah, perhaps my mother would lend us the money if I asked?”
“I have some money saved up. I will pay the mercenaries’ fees. In return, please grant me a share of the relics.”
“How much do you want?”
“Since I’ll be investing the money and doing most of the hard work, I think… a tenth should be sufficient.”
This was the same Roland who leeched off me even when buying a woman, now offering to open his own purse. And in return, he wanted a mere tenth. If he had asked for half, or even more, I might have suspected he was being sincere.
“My, my. Do you intend to make me out to be a petty man who would skin a flea for its hide? I’ll just try speaking with my mother. Compared to the value of the relics, it will be a small investment. I’m sure she’ll gladly provide it.”
Roland fell silent. His eyes sank like a swamp. His hand had, at some point, come to rest on the hilt of the sword at his waist. As silence descended, I felt myself suffocating.
It was as if an invisible hand were choking me. Was this the killing intent Piole had spoken of? Roland and I were the only ones who knew about the ancient ruin. He was thinking of killing me to have it all for himself.
That couldn't happen. I forced the words out.
“The only problem is, there might not be any relics in the ancient ruin. If that’s the case, won’t my mother be furious about her investment?”
The ancient ruin itself was an unsubstantiated rumor. There were many tales of people finding relics, but no one knew who had actually found them. It wasn't even certain that any relics existed.
What if there really were none? He would be forced to become a fugitive with empty hands. Aenya had seen me leave with him. He had to confirm the existence of the relics before he killed me.
I was reminding him of that fact.
Only then did the heavy atmosphere lighten. The hand choking my neck vanished like the wind. The sounds of the wind rustling through the thicket and the chirping of birds once again filled my ears.
Roland spoke, his face impassive, as if he had never been pressuring me at all. His hand was no longer on his sword.
“Is that all? She is a woman of great greed. She will surely demand a share that cannot compare to mine. Perhaps… she might even try to take it all.”
Now Roland was badmouthing his lover, Sophia. It seemed he was completely on board. I let out a silent sigh of relief, stroking my chin and nodding.
“True, that’s highly likely.”
“Then…”
“If I can’t trust you, who can I trust?”
Roland smiled, and I smiled back.
*
Roland immediately rode for Quaran, saying he would fetch the mercenaries. In the meantime, I returned to the village. There was something I needed to prepare while he was away.
If Roland hadn't found me out, I would have used Jin or Piole, but if I went to Quaran now and ran into him, I would only be reawakening the suspicion I had just managed to quell.
So I needed someone else, and only one person came to mind. Fortunately, he did not refuse my difficult request. In fact, he seemed to welcome it.
Well, of course—
Roland didn't return until the next morning, accompanied by five men who looked like mercenaries.
“Isn’t this a bit much?”
“We don’t know what dangers may lie in wait, do we?”
All five mercenaries were clad in chainmail. A single set was worth ten gold coins. If they had horses, it wouldn't have been strange to call them knights.
One of them even carried a heavy crossbow, which was heavier and had a greater draw weight than a standard one. Judging by the winch he carried to help with loading, he was a professional crossbowman. A mercenary like that cost double the usual rate.
Had he invested every bit of pay he’d ever received? If so, that made him even more dangerous. Having invested his entire fortune, Roland would try to recoup his investment and then some, no matter what.
Compromise? Sharing? Such thoughts wouldn't even cross his mind. I could guarantee it. The problem was Roland's relationship with the mercenaries. Had they truly signed a contract just for the money? Or was there something more between them?
The crossbowman met my eyes and gave a slight nod, lifting his helmet.
“Hendricks, sir.”
“I’ll be counting on you today.”
The crossbowman, Hendricks, grinned, revealing yellowed teeth.
“You won’t be disappointed.”
I decided to observe a little longer. In truth, I wasn't too worried. This was an age of barbarism. Faced with treasure, who wouldn't lose their mind? Even if they had some special relationship.
*
What greeted us as we stepped inside the knot hole was piercing sunlight. Coming from a place where the thicket had obscured the sky, we all reflexively raised our hands to shield our eyes.
Through the gaps between my fingers, I could see cliffs overgrown with vines, soaring up to an unknown height. They were almost perfectly vertical, making them impossible to climb. This was a giant pit.
Chachacha—
On one side of the wall was a waterfall. Water cascaded from the cliff's edge, creating a hazy mist and a rather large lake.
At the far end of the pit, a pyramid-shaped structure carved into the cliff face, much like Petra, boasted a magnificent presence. A single path, clearly marked by the passage of time, led from our feet to its entrance.
The knot hole we had entered through was gone. In its place was a dead-end wall. This ancient ruin—no, this dungeon—which you couldn't leave without meeting certain conditions, looked exactly like the scenery from the game in my memories.
“Fuuuck? What is this?”
Hendricks’s sudden curse echoed through the space. Though they didn't say it, the other mercenaries were clearly just as flustered. They had already drawn their swords and were warily scanning their surroundings.
“Sir! This doesn't look like a simple goblin den!”
The mercenaries’ gazes fell on Roland, who had entered last. He looked around with a calm expression and said, “Is that important right now? Look around you carefully. What do you think this mysterious place signifies? That’s right. This is the ancient ruin of rampant rumor. You shouldn't be cursing me; you should be thanking me for giving you this opportunity.”
Gulp.
“An ancient ruin?”
“Yes. A place where relics of mysterious power lie dormant. A treasure that will change your life if you find it is right here.”
Forgetting their earlier panic, the mercenaries’ eyes began to gleam with greed, one by one. If they had valued their lives in the first place, they never would have become mercenaries.
Knowing this, Roland must have waited until they were inside the ruin to tell them their true mission.
This time, another mercenary spoke up.
“When you say opportunity, does that mean you’ll share the treasure with us?”
“I pledge it on my honor.”
“You talk of honor after tricking us into coming here…”
“Don’t misunderstand. The only reason I didn’t tell you beforehand was because I was worried word would get out to other scoundrels.”
“Like hell you were.”
Having been deceived from the start, they had no reason to trust him. Despite their sharp attitudes, Roland remained relaxed. After all, with their escape route cut off, the mercenaries had only one choice.
I stood a step back, careful not to get on the mercenaries’ bad side. There was no death more pathetic than being killed by an arrow to the back of the head in the middle of a fight.
“If you break your promise, we won’t stand by idly.”
The mercenaries, who had huddled together to whisper, returned. Roland smiled at Hendricks, who had stepped forward as their representative.
“Don’t you worry. We’re all going to be rich.”
No one there believed him.
Once the situation was more or less settled, Roland arranged the formation.
“It would be best for Sir Allen to take the lead. I and Hendricks will support you from either side, so it will be the safest position.”
At a glance, it was a reasonable arrangement. If, that is, the path we stood on wasn't only wide enough for three men to walk abreast.
If a battle dragged on, the formation would naturally become a wedge. Unlike those on the flanks who only had to face enemies from the front, the person at the protruding point would be surrounded and find themselves in a difficult situation.
Moreover, in a moment of danger, it was unlikely they would risk their own lives to help me. The lead position was a death sentence.
Roland probably wasn't trying to have me killed by a monster's hand. If that happened, he would have to take responsibility for my death. This was likely just a ploy to secure the safest position for himself.
When all was said and done, what good was anything if you were dead? I understood why he had stepped up, even at the cost of earning the mercenaries’ ire.
“As I thought, you’re the only one who looks out for me, Sir Roland.”
I didn't refuse the lead. Luring Roland here had been part of my plan from the beginning. Although his discovery of my excursion had forced me to move up the timeline, my preparations were more than sufficient.
Roland grinned. I grinned back.
It was then.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
The sound of a drum echoed out. The thick, rough sound, like a drum made of poor-quality leather, was coming from the pyramid-shaped structure carved into the cliff. The sound grew steadily, if slowly, louder.
“Fuck? What’s that?”
“To your positions! Form up as we discussed!”
The confusion was brief; we quickly fell into formation. I was at the point.
The drumming grew closer, followed by the light sound of feet scraping along the ground. From the shadows of the cliffs and grotesque rock formations, pairs of bright yellow eyes began to appear.
“Goblins—!”
“Fuuuck! There’s more than one or two!”
“One or two? Shit, there must be hundreds!”
The reason I had known about the ancient ruin but had never sought it out was right before my eyes.
The main event was the goblin army advancing in formation from within the pyramid structure. There was no end in sight to their ranks and files. We were moments away from being surrounded.
“Sir Roland!”
“For now, we enter that building!”
“What? Are you saying that after seeing that horde?”
“So, should we just defend here until we die? The cliffs are too high, and the vines aren't strong enough to support our weight! We’re trapped here, and the only way out is to break through the goblins and find an exit! Everyone, prepare for battle!”
Though he was my enemy, it was a cold, rational judgment. It was worth luring him here. That's right. My plan was to use Roland to clear this dungeon, which was currently beyond my own power. And was that all?
“Dammit! I knew I shouldn't have taken this job!”
“Enough chatter! We’ll push through at once in a wedge formation! Charge!”
I was at the head. I readjusted my grip on my sword and kicked off the ground. The enemy’s formation broke as well, and the one at their front charged forward. The distance between us closed in an instant. Just as we came within sword’s reach, the creature crouched, preparing to leap.
It was then that something unexpected happened.
“Kieeeek—!”
The creature that had seemed to be aiming for me contorted its face, shrieked, and rushed past me.
Its path took it straight toward Roland. Caught off guard by the sudden attack, Roland was flustered. Still, it seemed he was too skilled to be taken down by a mere goblin. The sword he swung instinctively sliced open the goblin’s throat.
At that moment, my gaze was fixed on my lower right. The instant Roland cut the goblin’s throat, my experience points rose slightly.
Is this what they call getting carried?
It was much, much sweeter than I had imagined.