Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Unexpected Education (3)
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"...Huh."
"Pablo's annoyingly meticulous, so if it's not in his own handwriting, he'll definitely suspect something."
"So, for the dead guy's handwriting... uh. Yeah."
I dredged up a faint memory from just before this girl scouted me.
Aster had surprisingly deep knowledge of necromancy, which wasn't like her at all.
When I'd pointed that out and asked about it before, she'd given me this answer.
- She'd been searching for ways to create reliable allies...
At the time, I honestly hadn't realized that "reliable allies" included walking corpses.
Aster was strangely more talented in necromancy than in ice-shooting freeze magic.
She'd said it herself, so it had to be true.
What the hell is she?
I rummaged through every scrap of original story knowledge I had left, but there was nothing on Aster.
A pretty young lady talented in necromancy? No idea.
Well, since I couldn't remember, I just scratched my ear and watched her work her necromancy.
She drew various circuits, then muttered something at the end as she continued the ritual.
I'd stuck around hoping to see the corpse come alive, but it got so grotesque that I bailed midway.
I'd seen my share of rough stuff in life, but that turned my stomach, so I calmed it with some booze.
Once outside, I wandered the corridors.
First time I've seen someone blow a raspberry like that.
The servants who'd roamed the halls at night like sleepwalkers were back to normal now.
Of course, the looks they gave me—or maybe word had spread that I was Aster's knight—treated me like some weirdo.
To let them know this was the confidence of a back-alley guy, I blew another raspberry.
The servants all snapped their heads away.
Guess I'd lightly asserted dominance over these folks.
"Yawwwn..."
Now I was thinking about this guy named Sven.
All those gaudy ornaments dangling off him were cheap fakes, meant to hide his chest.
What I was doing to him now was called crash-course training.
Something I'd never known in my modern life: pair pain with it, and the body learns fast.
When it hurts, posture corrects quick, bad habits don't fully vanish, but if you're mindful, you fix it fast.
He'd tried spinning mid-attack once, nearly pissing me off.
But Sven had decent potential to begin with, so he followed my quick lessons well.
"Tch... what's with that pasty skin on a guy."
I sauntered toward the training grounds where knights were sparring in the distance.
I approached Sven, who was staring at me from our previous sparring spot. My head was fuzzy; I regretted that last raspberry.
Oof, that was harsh.
The booze in this mansion was brandy—Aster snuck me a bottle every day.
The burning sensation that warmed my whole body made life feel fresh lately.
In my hazy state, I eyed Sven, dressed in clothes perfect for flashy, reckless moves.
He was saying something in that shrill voice, but my hot head drowned it out.
Too annoying to reply, I roughly took stance. Planned to beat him senseless again.
Some exchange event was coming up soon. Once he felt the change, he'd swear loyalty to me.
Guys go nuts for strength. After my crash course, he'd latch onto me somehow.
I knew the value of men like me and others.
I'd never lived treated like an idiot; always heard I was quick on the uptake.
"Today will be different."
Yeah, guys are like that.
I could tell from Sven's eyes he'd sensed some change.
Power really drives people mad, I thought again.
I started today's crash course. Thanks to yesterday's effects, he lasted five minutes longer before his head hit the dirt.
He jumped right up, rubbed the spot I'd thumped, and adjusted his hip angle from the hit.
He got what I was doing.
At this point... average knight level, maybe?
I recalled an average knight's skill.
Hm, those guys who'd shatter if I gripped 'em tight, and then the Knight Commander came to mind.
Never really sparred a proper knight long-term, so I pegged Sven at average.
Sven seemed above typical knight potential.
But where exactly? Couldn't say.
Like some kids take to cramming for studies.
Figured Sven just suited crash courses, so he'd improved a bit.
I gripped my wooden sword tight to slam him down again.
"Hold it."
Someone strode up behind me, so I couldn't finish slamming Sven's head.
"That outfit, the booze stench... who the hell are you?"
I clocked it instantly.
The knights behind him murmuring with you're screwed faces, Sven next to me fumbling into stance in shock.
This guy was definitely.
"R-Rutger, senior knight!"
Yeah, the one who trains other knights, higher rank than them.
I tipped my sedge hat to the guy named Rutger in greeting.
Tried bowing, but my head spun, so I didn't. Unlike Sven, who bowed deep.
Pretty high-ranking knight.
He probably knew everything going on in this mansion. My mood soured, so I gave a curt intro.
"I'm the lady of this house's knight."
"Lady...? Oh, that woman's..."
"Her."
"...Huh?"
I glared at Rutger for daring not to honor my necromancer superior.
"Hole in your head or what? Where do you get off being rude..."
Aster's poor treatment pissed me off, so I straight-up insulted Rutger.
Even if the family's lady got crap treatment, she's still the lady. No call for a knight to call her "that woman."
"You lunatic, drunk and out of your mind?"
"How dare you to Lord Rutger...!"
Ignoring the flies buzzing, I stared at Rutger.
Charred-black skin, short-cropped hair screaming stubbornness.
He looked pissed at my words, eyes bulging menacingly as he spoke.
"I manage all the knights in this mansion. Got it?"
"So?"
"Drinking on duty and slacking alone? That's punishable. You know that?"
"Gotta get the manual to know. What, I gotta hunt it down? Don't even know where the library is."
"......Fine. Ignorance is fixable."
I hadn't memorized the mansion layout; just knew Aster's room.
Rutger seemed the type who didn't give a damn about others.
A vein bulged on his forehead; he ground his teeth, glaring.
Curious how he'd react at peak rage, I asked.
"What, gonna school me?"
"Yeah... you look in need of education."
"Hm. Education, huh."
I'm no fool; knew he wanted a spar in front of the knights. I clicked my tongue.
What gain from exposing my skill now? No way I'd throw it—I'd win, and that was the problem.
Just some petty satisfaction.
Worse, Pablo hearing one of his knights lost would spark suspicion.
Dunno why it feels like fighting invisible Pablo.
Vowed to turn that root of all evil into zombie chow, then told Rutger.
"Prefer somewhere just us two."
"You serious?"
"...Not like that, so don't blush."
I grinned as Rutger cracked his neck.
He tilted his head, confused, then heard the knights behind calling me crazy and exploded.
"Follow me. Now."
"Sure."
Rutger led briskly; I told Sven to dust the dirt off his forehead, then followed.
Guess he ran knights strict; no one trailed secretly.
He took me to an empty, flat-floored room.
Felt like a basketball court—probably for bad-weather training.
Scars on the walls suggested it was used exclusively for sparring.
"To serve as a knight here, obey my words properly."
Rutger drew a thick wooden sword, pointing at me.
"Gonna hammer that into your skull."
"Wait, one question first..."
I paused, then asked Rutger.
"You know what kind of guy this Pablo you serve is?"
"...Every damn thing."
"His deeds too?"
I subtly probed how to handle him.
Did this guy know about demon pacts and locking up orphans?
Or play dumb?
But damn, he was sharp.
Rutger caught on quick from that question, bristling like a cornered cat.
"Oh ho, so that's your game?"
He tossed the wooden sword, grabbed a real blade from the wall.
"That bitch you serve was plotting against Lord Pablo, huh?"
"..."
"Gonna kill you both."
Looked way too comfy with murder. Felt just like those Black something goons.
Was the Knight Commander the weird one?
Knights sucked; I frowned.
"Tch..."
I scratched my nape.
Sighed deep, thought long and hard.
If I ask Aster to zombie him too, will she be in a bind?
**
"Tch... you pissed off Lord Rutger that bad?"
"Some guys get cocky in their skills and go wild like that."
Sven paused training, hesitating to ask the chattering knights something.
They smirked at him.
"What, new guy doesn't even know who Rutger is?"
"Scared your drunk sparring buddy's gonna get thrashed?"
They leaned in with eerie tones.
"He was once the Knight Commander's disciple."
Disciple to the Knight Commander, one of just twelve.
Elite 'Experts' above other knights.
"......Ah."
Sven thought the drunk who'd suddenly trained him was about to get wrecked.
...He's gonna lose?
But from that brief glimpse, he trusted Guro's skill instead.
Shook off the weird feeling.
Especially drunk today, couldn't even walk straight. How could he win?
Sven swallowed regret.
Gripped his wooden sword, repeated corrected stances, honing them.
An hour later, the drunk approached with a refreshed grin.
Sven could only gape dumbly.