Knight (1)
Knight (1)
No matter how dumb and oblivious a Recruit might be, they couldn't just run their mouth in front of a Knight.
Stiff as boards, the Guards stood frozen as the Knights Order procession passed by toward the main gate.
Everyone passing through this gate should rightfully be inspected, but no one—not even Ilone—dared to try questioning them.
"Welcome."
"Yeah— is the Lord in the castle?"
"Yes."
"Looks like he's busy. Not even sending a single retainer, after all."
The man at the front of the Knights Order procession said this with a cold, hardened expression. Normally, Ilone would've shrunk back at that look, but... today was different.
"That's right."
"...Hoo, is that so? What's going on?"
"I cannot tell you."
The Guard Force members were startled by her attitude, but the Knight seemed to like her firm stance, blooming a faint smile.
"Alright, got it. Need an inspection?"
"No need. A noble Knight-nim wouldn't smuggle dangerous goods, after all—."
"Thanks—."
Ilone bowed her head and let the Knight through.
Behind him came a long line of Knight Candidates and carriages.
Once time passed and they could finally catch their breath, the Recruit couldn't hold back their curiosity and approached their senior.
"Um, Squad Leader-nim. Why are the Knights here...?"
"Huh? Oh, this is your first time this year, right?"
"Yes."
"It's winter now, remember how cold it is outside?"
"......Yes. I remember."
Recalling their early-year training camp life, the Recruit shuddered at the memory.
The poor facilities and the extreme cold had turned training into hell.
But what did that have to do with why the Knights were here?
"How do you think the Knights train in this cold weather?"
"Uh... with magic in a warm indoor space?"
"Where would they get the money to do that on purpose?"
The Recruit thought the kingdom's top fighting force must have plenty of cash, but they had enough sense not to argue back.
Thanks to that, the Squad Leader started blabbing away without interruption.
"You know there's a Dungeon, right."
"Ah...... Dungeon."
That was it. There was a Dungeon. A whole other world maintaining its shitty environment 365 days a year.
But if the Knights took over the Dungeon, wouldn't that cause one big problem?
"What about the Adventurers?"
"Huh?"
"Back in the day, everyone could enter different Dungeons, so they didn't care if Adventurers were around or not...... but not anymore, right?"
"That's...... not our business."
The senior followed after the Knights Order with a bitter expression.
"And it's even less their business."
Teoreong-!
Emilia blocked the incoming Wooden Sword, then fluidly lowered her own to pin down Dojin's blade before kicking him square in the gut.
The moment he blocked the kick with one arm and lost his balance, she closed in faster than he could retreat and smashed down on his head.
Kwaaak!
Dojin felt a flash before his eyes and instantly staggered back.
Emilia looked at him triumphantly, as if to say, "How's that?"
"......Pass."
"Yesss!"
Having successfully landed a hit on Dojin, Emilia pumped her fist in joy. Dojin rubbed his head while looking at her.
Having learned the basics of Swordsmanship, she'd now successfully blended it into her movements. In other words, she'd mixed the solidity of Swordsmanship into her beast-like agility and flexibility.
'No more going easy on her now.'
His head throbbed—how was it so damn hard? Feeling a bit dizzy, Dojin chugged some water and took a break.
The sweat dripping from their bodies showed just how grueling the training had been, and the steam rising off them revealed how freezing the weather was.
"......?"
Drip— feeling something cold on the bridge of his nose, Dojin slowly looked up at the sky.
Snow was falling.
"It's snowing."
Emilia stared up at the sky with a fed-up look. A girl her age should welcome the pure white snow, but for some reason, she didn't look thrilled.
"What's wrong?"
"Garbage falling from the sky......"
"......Garbage?"
"This is garbage—what else would you call it?"
Dojin couldn't understand why something so pretty was "garbage," but after hearing her explanation, he nodded along pretending to get it.
"In the countryside, when it snows, everyone clears it together? But once it freezes, it's hard to shovel, so we clear it as soon as it piles up a bit... but after half a day of freezing your ass off in the cold snow, you turn around and it's piled up again. Total wasted effort."
"Ah— I see."
"What, you've never shoveled snow?"
"Nope."
"You...... don't look it, but you're from a rich family, huh."
Emilia said this while giving Dojin a fresh look. Well, anyone with sword skills like that couldn't be from an ordinary family.
At worst, the son of a promising Knight, or the son of a noble who kept Knights on staff to teach his kid Swordsmanship.
Did she know of any black-haired nobles? But what would a country bumpkin know? She just accepted it and glanced at Dojin's reaction.
"Shall we go?"
"Huh? Yeah?"
"Body warmed up enough?"
"Yeah...? Pretty much."
Warmed up, alright— a bit tired, but in peak condition. Like his whole body was revved up. Right now, he could counter any ambush in a flash.
Emilia nodded, and Dojin grinned at her.
"Training's over for today...... time to try it in real combat."
"......Real combat?"
"Yeah."
For Adventurers, real combat meant one thing only. The Dungeon.
To keep the sweat from cooling, the two threw on light coats over their sweat-soaked bodies and headed for the Dungeon.
But upon arrival, they were stopped by a Guard blocking the way.
"Sorry, but passage ahead is prohibited."
"......Prohibited?"
Dojin tilted his head at the Guard blocking him. This was the path to the Dungeon, always clear for the countless Adventurers— no one ever blocked it.
The Guard Force patrolled often, but they didn't station anyone here permanently. So why block it so boldly?
Feeling puzzled but not keen on defying authority, Dojin tried to go around the Guard.
But the Guard stopped him again, obstructing the path.
"The Dungeon is currently closed to entry. Please turn back."
"Never heard about that."
"We announced it in advance. We can't make exceptions for individuals just because they missed the Adventurer Guild notice......"
He was starting to get annoyed, but with the Guard being so polite, Dojin couldn't exactly go off on him.
Raised in the land of Eastern etiquette, Dojin had a bit of an obsession with showing kindness and courtesy to others.
"Just check with the Guild, right?"
For the record, that obsession didn't apply to those in the weaker position. Dojin stormed straight into the Guild Master's office.
The Guild Staff couldn't stop them. For folks like Dojin and Emilia, they could slap the Guild Master and get away with it.
The Guild Master, who was polishing some stones, jumped in surprise and looked at the door.
"D-Do-jin-nim? And Emilia-nim? What brings you here so suddenly......"
"Guild Master-nim, I heard something funny."
"Y-Yes! What fun story did you hear?"
"That the path to the Dungeon's blocked, and it's already been announced."
"Ah, ahaha. No way......"
The Guild Master thought of Pion inwardly. That girl—he'd sent her to assist properly, and she couldn't even mention something this simple?
Then he cursed the Guard who'd stopped them. Couldn't he tell they looked classy just by their vibe?
Why not guide them politely and sensibly? What would it hurt?
But the Guild Master didn't know the Guard had been polite enough that Dojin hadn't blown up and had come to the Guild instead.
"I never heard any announcement."
"Ah, ahaha. Emilia-nim, you neither?"
"Nope."
"Must've been some mix-up."
"Fix it quick. Think of the cash we'd make hunting instead of this. Right?"
"......No need for that— go on ahead. I'll sort it out personally."
The Guild Master said this and left his office. The Guild Staff who'd failed to stop them avoided his eyes.
But they'd already been spotted—no helping it. The Guild Master vowed to deal with them later and headed to the Dungeon with the two.
Sure enough, just as the official notice had said, the Guard Force had the Dungeon entrance locked down tight.
Approaching a Guard, the Guild Master cleared his throat.
"Ahem—."
"Ah, yes. What is it?"
"I'm this kind of person."
The Guild Master held out his Identification Badge.
Guards were trained to memorize all kinds of badges since they dealt with everyone.
Recognizing the Guild Master, the Guard saluted smartly while standing at attention.
"...Good work. What brings the Guild Master here?"
"Came to complain."
"Complain......?"
"Yeah, complain."
The Guard stared at him, wondering what the hell, then spotted Dojin and Emilia behind and realized they were the Adventurers from earlier.
They looked high-class at a glance, so he'd talked them into going to the Guild nicely— and now they'd dragged the Guild Master back?
'Who the hell are these big shots?'
Glad he hadn't been rude, he listened closely.
"We agreed not to interfere with High-rank Adventurers' hunts, right? So why block these two?"
"Ah... I forgot. Sorry."
"F-For—!? There's forgetting and there's not—! Know how much these two could've earned in the time they just wasted? Your annual salary— your annual salary!"
"Yes. Truly sorry. We'll be more careful next time—."
The Guild Master thought he'd caught a good opportunity and amped up the scolding on purpose. Sure enough, as intended, Dojin stepped in to stop him from chewing out the Guard.
"Guild Master-nim, that's enough."
"Ahem— but how can we let someone who wasted your time off easy......"
"He said it was a mistake. We get it. Yeah."
"......Then we're good. This incident has nothing to do with our Guild—."
Tail-cutting, in the end. Dojin nodded that he understood and sent the Guild Master packing.
Leaving the striding Guild Master behind, Dojin looked apologetically at the Guard.
"Sorry. Should've said something earlier."
"No— thank you for covering for me. It was our fault."
The Guard thanked Dojin lightly and personally escorted them to the Dungeon. Dojin knew the place better than anyone, so he didn't need guiding... but seeing it as goodwill, he didn't refuse.
"Um, Adventurer-nim."
"Yes."
"Do you...... really make more than my annual salary in a day?"
Dojin pondered how to answer. They say you don't even talk salary with family.
Let alone a Level 3 Adventurer's income...... He worried the truth might crush the guy's spirit.
Sometimes a lie's better than the truth. Dojin smiled faintly and said it wasn't quite that much.
"I see. The Guild Master's full of hot air."
"Yeah. Oh, can I ask something too?"
"Yes, anything."
"Why was the path blocked?"
"Ah, you don't know yet."
The Guard said this and looked up, pointing at the Dungeon.
Several carriages were parked nearby, and armored Knights were entering the Dungeon one by one.
"It's because of the Knights."