The Knight We Met Again (2)
Sinclair scanned the disturbance unfolding outside the window with sharp eyes as she asked, “What is all this commotion?”
The dispatched unit commander glanced out the window before replying in a dismissive tone, “It’s those Baskio bastards. Looks like they’re fighting over territory with another organization again.”
“Baskio?”
“It’s the largest criminal organization in the Albirose Refugee Camp, led by a man named Elchapo. Things like this happen all the time, so there’s no need for you to concern yourself.”
Unlike the commander who brushed it off so casually, Sinclair found it impossible to simply let the matter slide. Above all, how could anyone laugh off a criminal organization causing chaos right in the middle of the city? Her mind simply could not comprehend it.
‘This entire refugee camp is rotten to the core — the residents and even these dispatched troops!’
Still, the name of the largest criminal organization in the Albirose Refugee Camp — Baskio — somehow stuck in her mind. She decided to trust her instincts. Clutching at straws in her desperate search for the missing Adelia, she resolved to dig into this Baskio organization.
After ending the utterly fruitless conversation with the dispatched unit commander, she immediately left the building, gathered her soldiers, and headed straight for the mansion where Baskio’s boss, Elchapo, lived. Riding hard, she narrowed her eyes with fierce determination, silently vowing that she would find Adelia no matter what.
“Don’t get cocky, you bastards! This isn’t over until it’s really over!”
“The Lion Heart bastards have come here?”
“They’re raising hell at the front gate right now, demanding to search the mansion!”
“H-how did they even know?”
Elchapo’s face twisted in panic. If royal troops bearing the king’s special orders forced their way in to search the mansion, there was no way to stop them.
“Damn it! Everything was going so well!”
He slammed his fist down on the desk with a loud bang. It had only been a short while since he received the report that Adelia had vanished, and now the Lion Heart unit had shown up like ghosts. It was a bolt from the blue.
At that moment, another subordinate burst into the office in a panic.
“The Lion Heart bastards have smashed through the main gate and are entering the grounds!”
Soon after, loud crashing sounds echoed from the floor below, followed by the continuous screams of terrified maids.
Fearing that his tail had been caught, Elchapo hurriedly gathered important documents and money. He was just opening the secret door installed in the wall when—
BANG!
The firmly locked office door exploded into splinters under a magical blast, and Sinclair appeared with her subordinates in tow.
Sinclair fixed a cold gaze on the frozen Elchapo, who was clutching an armful of secret ledgers and bundles of documents.
“Where are you rushing off to in such a hurry? Got something to feel guilty about, do you?”
After that, Elchapo was captured on the spot and forced into an “interview” with Sinclair. Meanwhile, the soldiers began searching the entire mansion from top to bottom. They inspected the floors, decorations, and even the ceiling beams one by one. The prison and annex were searched as a matter of course, and they even went through the basement with torches in hand.
Eventually, the soldiers discovered the armor and equipment Adelia had been wearing. With clear evidence before them, they clapped iron cuffs on Elchapo’s wrists and forced him to his knees in front of Sinclair.
“You sons of bitches who deserve to die!”
Sinclair’s eyes blazed with fury at the sight of Adelia’s belongings. She drew her sword in a flash.
“Tell me right now where you’ve hidden Commander Adelia! If you don’t, I will execute you on the spot!”
“I-I really don’t know! All I know is that some bastard sneaked in and kidnapped her!”
“Don’t lie to me!”
“Hiiik!”
When Sinclair swung her blade through the air, Elchapo flinched in terror and fell backward onto his rear.
“I-it’s the truth! My men chased after him and several of them got hurt. I can even show you the bodies!”
Sinclair recalled the noisy scene she had witnessed outside the dispatched unit building. Elchapo’s words carried credibility.
“Do you know which direction the culprit fled?”
“If you ask my subordinate who was in charge at the scene, he’ll be able to tell you for sure!”
They brought in the subordinate who had commanded the pursuit and had him explain the situation. He told them that the culprit had kidnapped both the twin slaves and Adelia together, that they had fled in a cargo wagon, and that they had already left the refugee camp.
After hearing the full story, Sinclair narrowed her eyes and stroked her chin.
“A cargo wagon, you say.”
If it was a cargo wagon, they still had time to catch up. With that thought, she shot up from her seat.
“Take Elchapo and all his subordinates back to our headquarters immediately! Ten cavalrymen will follow me at once! We are going to pursue the bastard who kidnapped Lady Adelia!”
I handed the reins to Marcus and sprawled out in the cargo bed. After running around without a moment to catch my breath for half a day, exhaustion had completely taken over my body. The decisive blow had been carrying a person while climbing over a high wall twice.
With my stamina completely drained, I needed time to recover.
“That woman is really the commander of the Lion Heart unit?”
I answered with my eyes still closed, half-dozing off. “Yes. She’s the woman who chased after us when we were climbing over the castle wall.”
“I can hardly believe it.”
Marcus muttered in a voice full of admiration. I could hardly believe it either. It was like a golden calf had fallen from the sky and landed right at my feet. I had simply scooped it up thinking, what a lucky break.
“When the boss hears this news, he’s going to be overjoyed. We’ll have something to brag about in front of all the other leaders — that our Elk Bandits have captured the commander of the Lion Heart unit.”
“What are you talking about? I’m not handing her over to the boss.”
“What?” Marcus looked utterly dumbfounded. “If you’re not offering her to the boss, what the hell are you going to do with her?”
“I’m going to make her my slave. A slave who will protect me with her life using her outstanding martial skills.”
“You’re talking complete nonsense.” Marcus snorted in disbelief. “That’s just your wishful thinking. Do you really think a greenhorn bandit like you can handle such a big shot? She’s not some ruined noble — she’s from a still-powerful family. You think someone like that can be broken and turned into a slave? They say a pine caterpillar must eat pine needles to survive. It’s best not to reach for something bigger than the bowl you can hold.”
“Then should I just abandon her here?”
“Why would you abandon her? This is a golden opportunity for you to earn recognition in our bandit group. The boss will surely reward you handsomely.”
A reward from the boss seemed far less valuable than claiming this female knight for myself.
I opened my eyes and glanced at the female knight lying on my left. She was currently wrapped tightly in layers of cloth, her face completely hidden. She looked like a caterpillar trapped inside a chrysalis.
I didn’t want to hand her over to the boss, but locking her up in a cave like Dana so that only I could see her… Both of them were stunning beauties. If Dana became my left arm and this knight my right, I’d be able to walk around with two beautiful women by my side. It sounded incredibly pleasant.
But it was a fantasy that would be difficult to realize in reality, so I could only imagine it. Just imagine.
Aaah, I was torn between handing her over to the boss or making her my slave. I quickly pushed the complicated thoughts aside and turned my gaze backward.
“Are you guys hungry?”
I spoke to Haida and Evynee, who were sitting with their backs against the railing, sharing a single blanket. The sisters looked quite uncomfortable and unfamiliar with the situation, silently watching me with wary eyes.
“If you’re hungry, shall I give you something?”
The older sister, Haida, hesitated and fidgeted with her lips, while the younger sister, Evynee, nodded her head vigorously. This was a good time for me to replenish my own energy as well.
I sat up, rummaged through my bag, and took out four boiled eggs. I handed two to the sisters, peeled one, and popped it into Marcus’s mouth. Then I took a bite of my own egg while watching the sisters.
They must have been quite hungry; they devoured the eggs messily, bits flying everywhere in their haste. The sight brought a warm smile to my face without me even realizing it.
“Now that I think about it, you two still don’t know my name. The old man didn’t tell you?”
“Hyun-woo.”
“Hyuuun-woo.”
Haida and Evynee answered at the same time.
“Oh, you know it well. Did I tell you before?”
They nodded their heads simultaneously again. Looking at the adorable sisters, I spoke in a gentle voice.
“From now on, when you call me, say ‘Uncle Hyun-woo.’ Got it?”
“Yes.”
“Mm-hm.”
“What do you mean ‘yes’ and ‘mm-hm’!”
The children flinched and shrank back. Marcus suddenly exploded in anger.
“You little brats! Don’t you dare forget that you are slaves! If I hear you calling him ‘Hyun-woo’ one more time, I’ll whip you until dust flies! You must call him ‘Master’ without fail! I’ll say it again — you are slaves!”
At Marcus’s harsh scolding, the children froze in fear. They stopped chewing the eggs in their mouths and began to sniffle.
“Remember this old man’s words for the rest of your lives! Understood?”
“Yes……”
“……”
The children instantly lost all their spirit. I didn’t stop Marcus and simply gave a bitter smile.
I had told them to call me ‘Uncle Hyun-woo’ because it felt awkward for them to call me ‘Master,’ but after hearing Marcus, I realized my thinking had been wrong. There was an absolute wall between the children and me that could never be narrowed.
The fact that I had bought these children to make them work, the fact that I had treated them like objects. Even if I pretended to be a kind uncle, in the end I was nothing but a hypocrite.
Rather than being a hypocrite, it seemed better to reveal my true colors and maintain a strict master-servant relationship. That way, I wouldn’t feel any burden when ordering them to do dirty work.
Anyway, as I was pondering how to comfort the disheartened children, the chrysalis suddenly began to wriggle and squirm as if waking up.
“Is anyone there! Get me out of here right now!”
Since she was wrapped completely in cloth, she probably couldn’t see anything. Marcus glanced back, let out a small chuckle, then looked forward again.
“Where are you taking me! You despicable bastards!”
The chrysalis shouted in a resentful voice while thrashing left and right. After watching the spectacle with amusement for a few seconds, I pulled down the cloth covering her face.
The female knight frowned the moment she saw me.
“Untie these ropes immediately! Are you not afraid of earning the kingdom’s wrath!”
“I’ve already been abandoned by the kingdom. If I were afraid, I wouldn’t have taken you in the first place.”
“I will make you regret doing this to me!”
“Oh really? What exactly can a captured woman like you do? Shouldn’t you be grateful that I haven’t killed you yet?”
Suddenly, I saw her lying there purse her lips. Wait, is she—
“Ptoo!”
She spat at me, but I easily dodged to the side. What a vicious woman. I furrowed my brow.
You bitch.
“You shouldn’t spit at people. I guess I’ll have to give you a proper punishment.”