Chapter 39
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: An Awkward Disturbance
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Ugh…
Shone’s throat was dry. She fluttered her eyes open.
‘Huh? A moment ago, wasn’t I with a man who looked like a goat… no, a man who looked like a cow?’
Shone tilted her head, watching the bald man in front of her tremble as he held a cup.
It was rather amusing how her dream changed every time she blinked.
“You… you’re quite lucky, aren’t you?”
The bald man growled, glaring to his side.
“So it would seem.”
Following his gaze, she saw Aron sitting there with a bored expression.
‘Aron, what’s that on your head? And your clothes…’
Despite her pounding headache, Shone’s eyes went wide as she observed Aron.
He was already wearing colorful armor, but now he also had on a wide-brimmed white hat that was clearly a woman's, and even a black cloak draped over his armor.
The two items were so distracting that, for a moment, Shone wasn't even sure it was really Aron.
‘He looks so cool…!’
His colorful armor had been impressive before, but with the cloak and hat, he exuded a strange, powerful aura, making him look like a big shot.
In her drowsy state, Shone made a vow.
She would definitely buy a cloak and a hat!
Hey!! Find them! Run, damn you!!
The clamor from outside rumbled like a sound from across a river.
“Sounds like something’s happening outside. Making such a fuss after midnight.”
The bald man clicked his tongue.
“Perhaps. So, are you going to fold?”
“No! Who do you take me for? I am Gyorgang!”
The bald man placed something on the table.
Shone squinted, realizing it was a stack of gold coins.
She clicked her tongue at the sight of an amount she’d rarely seen in her life.
‘He’s sure spending recklessly, just because it’s a dream.’
Her eyelids grew heavy again, and Shone closed her eyes.
“By the way, can’t you get rid of that little thing next to you? It’s distracting.”
“She’s my good luck charm. Just spin.”
…
“Cheat! It’s a cheat!! You’re a cheat!!”
*Yawn*…
Anticipating what dream would come next, Shone let her consciousness drift away again.
***
Gern, the gatekeeper of the Lonely Wolf, blinked and surveyed his surroundings.
The city nights were always noisy, but today was exceptionally so.
Men with grim faces, brandishing weapons, poured out from inside, and the area was a battlefield of shouts and screams.
Fires blazed in some parts of the city, while elsewhere, buildings collapsed with a loud crash.
What in the world was going on? Had a war broken out?
Gern blinked, worried about his elderly mother at home, but he couldn't leave his post until his shift was over.
Amid the chaos, none of his passing colleagues bothered to explain the situation or ask him to join them.
It made sense, as Gern was known as ‘Dull Gern’ for his dim-wittedness.
His mother used to tell him he wasn't stupid, just slow to understand, but he later realized that was just a long-winded way of saying he was stupid.
His unusually large and strong physique had gotten him hired by the Lonely Wolf, but his slow hands and soft heart were soon discovered, and he was relegated to being a gatekeeper.
When the massive Gern scowled, even drunkards would straighten up and pass by, so he served his purpose in his own way.
His colleagues ignored him and treated him as if he were invisible, but Gern was content.
All he had to do was stand there and look intimidating, and he earned enough money to live. For someone as clumsy as him, there was no better job.
His legs ached from standing for so long, and his eyebrows felt stiff from the constant scowling, but he managed well enough.
He was sure of it.
“So, Gerok. How old did you say you were?”
A large man wearing a pink hood, which he must have gotten from somewhere, spoke to him from the side.
“It’s Gern. I’m twenty.”
“Anyway, I’m telling you this because you remind me of my old self. You should look for another job.”
‘Must be a drunk.’
Gern clicked his tongue at the man who had suddenly started lecturing him about life. The strong smell of alcohol confirmed he was thoroughly wasted.
This was when he should glare…
Gern’s eyebrows twitched as if paralyzed.
“Your eyes are too kind. You’re not suited for this line of work. Find another path.”
“I’m not good at anything else.”
It didn't work. Gern sighed softly and relaxed the tension in his eyes.
“No, everyone has something they’re good at. If you think you don’t, it just means you haven’t found it yet.”
For a drunk, the man spoke surprisingly clearly.
Gern didn’t answer, but the man, as if his lips were loosened, spoke even faster than before.
“There’s a line. Once you cross that line, you can never go back. If you don’t get away in a hurry, you’ll cross it someday. As your senior, I can guarantee that once you cross that line…”
“O-range!”
Just then, a thin voice cried out, and Gern finally noticed a person clinging to the man’s back like a growth.
“Right, let’s talk about something else then.”
Gern turned to look at the man, who had started speaking again, with a sullen expression.
The hood covering the man’s face lifted, revealing it.
His face was covered in scars, but his eyes held a kindness that created a strange atmosphere.
That look was the same as the one the kind neighborhood hyung from his childhood used to give him, and Gern unwittingly let his guard down.
Or perhaps, amidst the constant disregard from his colleagues, he had been craving a conversation with someone.
“Why the long face? You and I both have to pass the time anyway. Won’t it go by faster if we talk?”
He was right. It was still a long time until sunrise.
Gern gave a slight nod.
“Seeing your lukewarm reaction, I suppose I should tell a story that will pique your interest. Hmm… this should be good. Gern, if you were trying to kill Philip, what would you do?”
At the name ‘Philip’, Gern instinctively straightened his posture and glanced around.
Fortunately, everyone else was either running somewhere, shouting, or angry, and no one was paying them any mind.
Gern let out a small sigh of relief and quickly spoke.
“He cannot be killed.”
Gern could say it with certainty.
No, anyone who had seen Philip in person would say the same thing.
He could not be killed.
“No, there’s no human in this world who can’t be killed. Whether they’re a knight, a noble, or an emperor, they all die if you cut off their head. I guarantee it.”
The emperor! Did this man have a death wish?
Gern’s heart pounded.
“Don’t worry. No one’s paying attention to us. They’re all busy either looking for the big guys in colorful robes who cleaned out all the gambling dens, or trying to find the cause of the suddenly collapsed building, or dealing with those Cool Dagger guys who launched a surprise attack.”
Gern couldn’t understand what the man was talking about, but it was clear that no one was paying attention to them.
He let out another small sigh of relief.
“I don’t know why everyone’s so scared of this Philip fellow. I heard he’s small and doesn’t look like much of a fighter.”
The man said, poking the small person on his back with a finger.
He wanted to ignore him, but the man had piqued his interest, and the words came out on their own.
“…He has a magical weapon. It can incinerate anyone in an instant.”
Having seen it with his own eyes, Gern trembled slightly. The sight of a person burning to death was horrifying enough to give him nightmares.
Gern had occasionally been late for work, but after seeing that, he was never late again.
“Oh, a magical weapon. Nice. Must be expensive.”
The man’s reaction was completely different from what Gern had expected.
Was this man as stupid as he was?
Finding the man strangely annoying, Gern spoke again.
“And he commands a knight. He controls one of the Swords of Humanity, who wields Aura, as if he were his own limb.”
“A knight… now that’s unexpected.”
For the first time, the man let out a groan.
Pleased by his reaction, Gern continued.
“Yes. Although his right hand is crippled from a fall from a horse and he’s a drunkard, a Sword of Humanity is still a Sword of Humanity.”
“I see. Crippled right hand and a drunkard…”
The man lowered his head and muttered something, as if calculating.
Feeling a sense of victory, Gern puffed out his chest.
“He also has forty men who serve him like his own limbs. Every one of them is a fighter, ruthless bastards who won’t hesitate to stick a blade in you.”
“I see. Forty men… enough to make any baron jealous. Thank you, Gerkin. I’ll be sure to tell the next boss of your contribution.”
“The next boss?”
“Anyway, back to my original point. Think hard. I’m sure there’s something you’re good at too.”
The man’s low voice strangely struck a chord.
Gern slowly searched his memories.
Come to think of it, there was something he was good at.
“There is, but…”
“Really? Tell me.”
“It’s a bit embarrassing.”
“What is there to be embarrassed about between us? I’m a little hurt.”
‘Between us? Isn’t it the relationship between a drunk and a gatekeeper?’
Still, feeling like it was okay to say something, Gern scratched his head and opened his mouth.
“I’m good at knitting.”
“Uh… um… I see.”
“You say that because you haven’t seen my knitting. I can even knit in the shape of a sword.”
The man’s lukewarm response was strangely disappointing, and Gern pouted.
He was skilled enough to have been invited by the knitting guild, and it was a shame he couldn’t show him right now.
Just then, two of his colleagues burst out from inside, shouting.
The man who saw them muttered, “Twenty,” then handed over the person he had been carrying on his back.
It was a young woman, drooling in her sleep.
“Gern, you who can create swords with knitting, could you watch this for me? I’ll be back for her soon.”
The strangely familiar tone and warm gaze made Gern nod.
“I’ll be counting on you, then.”
The man entrusted the young woman to him, gave a broad smile, and went inside.
‘Should I have stopped him?’
Gern, suddenly remembering he was a gatekeeper, tilted his head but quickly dismissed the thought.
‘What’s the big deal, between us.’
Mimicking the man’s words, Gern once again put strength into his eyes and stared ahead.
At the edge of the sky visible between the buildings, the sun was beginning to rise, pushing back the dark night.
‘My shift will be over soon.’
He was an excellent gatekeeper who never dozed off during his shift and even peed in his pants, but he was also Dull Gern.
***
‘Knitting, with that face. How grotesque.’
I muttered to myself as I took off the robe I was wearing and threw it on the floor.
I had deliberately chosen robes in the most eye-catching colors.
By presenting a clear, memorable feature that was easy to spot and talk about, then discarding it, it was easier to shake off pursuit.
They were looking for a big guy in a black and red robe, but I was a big guy in a pink robe.
It also helped that they wouldn’t expect the person who won money from the Lonely Wolf to go to another gambling den instead of fleeing the city, unless he was crazy.
Furthermore, they would never imagine I would head straight for their main base.
I had stayed up all night gambling, run until my feet were on fire, and thrown punches, so my body felt heavy and tired, but it was bearable.
‘Things went much better than I expected.’
The old man leading the Cute Rabbit gang agreed to demolish five of the Lonely Wolf’s buildings for five gold coins.
The Cool Dagger gang gladly agreed to attack the Lonely Wolf’s men for ten gold coins.
Originally, I had only intended to request a simple disturbance, but they agreed far too easily.
When I asked why, the response was, ‘Those bastards were bound to explode sooner or later, so why not get paid to set it off? It’ll be more motivating.’
The simple-mindedness of these thugs was beyond my imagination, and the grudges that the possessive Philip had accumulated over time created an incredible synergy.
Just in case, I gave them half the payment upfront and promised a hefty bonus on top of the remainder if they did a good job.
Judging by the commotion outside, they really seemed to want that bonus.
Of course, the gold to pay them was more than enough, as I had multiplied it several times over by visiting three gambling dens.
‘Did I make things too big?’
The thought crossed my mind, but I shook my head.
If I was going to cause trouble, it was better to go all out rather than do things halfway.
Stepping inside, I found the interior decorated like a nobleman’s banquet hall.
‘This guy really is pathetically obsessed with the nobility.’
Glistening chandeliers, round tables covered with clean white cloths. Candles placed here and there, and a high ceiling. To top it off, men in ragged clothes were banging on instruments, filling the hall with music.
However, it seemed they couldn’t imitate the contents, as prostitutes with heavy makeup and thugs awkwardly mimicking nobles sat around, giggling.
They seemed to have a severe lack of safety awareness, drinking and raising their voices without a care for the chaos outside.
I feigned drunkenness, smiling awkwardly as I surveyed the area.
The only one carrying steel was a man with a sullen expression standing by the stairs leading to the second floor.
Counting the people from the third gambling den and the ones who had rushed outside, there were about thirty-five men.
If Gern wasn’t lying, there should be about five left inside.
I grabbed a large piece of bread and a cup from a table where a chubby, bulbous-nosed man and an equally voluptuous woman were sitting.
The chubby man scowled and looked up at me, but upon seeing my face, he buried his head in the woman’s chest.
I smacked the back of his head, and the man disappeared completely into her bosom.
I headed for the stairs with the bread and cup.
As I staggered, pretending to be drunk, the man in front of the stairs blocked my path with a scowl.
The man opened his mouth to say something, and I quickly shoved the bread into it and punched him in the face. He tried to scream, but the bread muffled the sound.
I punched him again, and the man’s eyes went slack.
‘A Caesadic-style greeting.’
I caught the collapsing man, whispered in his ear, and propped him up against the side. He looked more or less like he was dozing off on duty.
I downed the wine, placed the empty cup in his hand, and went up to the second floor.
Unlike the floor below, the second floor was quiet and deserted.
A long corridor stretched out with doors on either side, and at the end were the stairs to the third floor.
And sitting in front of them was a man.
‘This must be the knight Gern mentioned.’
His armor was so worn that no trace of steel was visible, as if it hadn't been maintained. His sword was slung on his back in a way that he’d have to turn to draw it, suggesting it hadn’t been drawn in a long time.
Empty wine bottles were rolling on the round table in front of him. For a knight, he seemed to have a taste for expensive liquor.
A typical washed-up knight.
Gern’s words about his crippled right arm, the inconvenient position of his sword that couldn’t be drawn quickly, and the empty wine bottles.
*Thump-thump.*
Tapping my fingers to the music from below, I added the three factors together to gauge my chances of victory.
‘If I use the tenant, it’s a certain win. Otherwise, a slight advantage.’
To think that I, who sweated every day, had to be on even footing with a knight living like a wreck.
‘Damn Aura.’
Muttering a curse, I quietly loosened my body.
I understood why that Philip fellow had sent all his remaining men outside.
No matter how much of a has-been he was, a knight was still a knight.
With a knight as a gatekeeper, what was there to fear in these back alleys?
The knight was dozing off.
I silently prayed that his sleep was deep enough that he wouldn't wake even if I slit his throat.
Putting as much force as I could into the balls of my feet to avoid making a sound, I took a step forward.
*Creak-*
As if it had an alarm function, the wooden floorboard let out a long scream.
‘Damn bastards. They should’ve built the building properly with the money they spent on chandeliers.’
Contrary to my hopes, he must have been in REM sleep. The man slowly opened his eyes, and I drew my sword.
*Shing-* With a cool sound, the man staggered to his feet.
“…Ugh.”
As if trying to recall a memory, the man clumsily grabbed the hilt of his sword and awkwardly drew it.
By that time, I had reached a spot two steps to his right.
The moment I swung my sword at him, a brilliant blue light erupted from his scabbard.
Simultaneously, the man’s hazy eyes sharpened, and his turtle-like movements became swift.
‘Damn Aura.’
I clicked my tongue at the drastic change, as if he had been injected with a stimulant.
The man, drawing his sword late, aimed for mine.
A typical fighting style for knights.
A cowardly strategy of aiming for the opponent’s sword with their Aura, which could cut through anything that wasn’t another Aura.
However, it was within my expectations.
I forced my arm muscles to their limit, unnaturally twisting the path of my sword.
My muscles screamed in protest, but thanks to my daily conditioning, they didn’t tear. Thanks to that, I was able to perform the feat of abruptly changing my sword’s trajectory mid-swing.
My sword grazed along the line drawn by the blue light, sliding off at an angle.
The man’s eyes, deeply shadowed, widened significantly.
He belatedly tried to follow my sword, but as Gern had said, his right hand was crippled, slowing him down, and the alcohol he had drunk added to the weight.
I took a step to the left and thrust my sword straight forward.
*Thud-*
It was blocked by his iron armor and couldn't penetrate, but the force was fully transferred to the man.
He staggered, and his Aura flickered.
I took another step and swung my sword in a wide diagonal arc.
*Thud-*
Another dull sound, and this time the man’s pauldron crumpled as if struck by a hammer.
His posture broke completely, and unbecoming of a knight, he dropped his sword.
No, he hadn’t been a knight since the moment he started working for a thug.
“W… wait…”
Belated regret surfaced in the man’s dazed eyes.
It was a very slight difference.
He had drunk himself into a stupor, but I hadn’t had a single drop today.
He had his sword slung in an awkward position, as if he hadn’t drawn it in ages, but I had swung my sword just this morning.
They were trivial gaps, but when added together, they were enough to bridge the distinct difference between us, the difference called ‘Aura.’
A red line was drawn across the man’s neck, and soon his liberated head flew into the air.
As the Aura vanished, the man’s body collapsed.
The splattering red blood soaked my face and chest.
I roughly wiped the blood from my face with my hand.
The smell of blood and its heat exhilarated me, making my head spin.
‘That sword looks nice.’
As I took a deep breath to calm myself, I noticed the sword in the man’s hand.
My own sword had been chipped from striking his armor, so I exchanged it for the knight’s, which looked good for its station.
In return, as an honorary monk, I prayed for his soul.
Neither of us complained, so it was an excellent trade.
I swung the new sword a few times to get a feel for its reach and weight as I headed to the third floor.
There were four large men in front of the third floor. The idiots with wide eyes only charged at me after one of them lost his head.
Thanks to them, the new sword felt quite familiar in my hands.
The door to the third floor was painted gold.
A love for gold seemed to be a timeless trait of thugs.
I pushed the door open and entered a room so lavishly decorated it would make any noble envious.
As if being a noble wasn't enough, in the center of the room sat a large, gilded throne, upon which a scrawny-looking man was perched crookedly.
Behind him stood three menacing-looking men.
They seemed to be the three original members he had first brought with him.
‘What a fucking joke.’
The sight of them standing like a king and his guardian knights was so ridiculous that I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Who are you?”
Knight 1 behind him asked in a voice that was clearly intentionally lowered.
“Do you have any idea where you are?”
Knight 2 asked in a light voice he couldn’t hide.
“To still hold your head up so high, you must want to die.”
Knight 3, who was particularly large, said with a cough.
And in a corner, there was one more man with unusually sunken eyes.
‘The Four Heavenly Kings?’
I slowly looked over the four thug kings.
Except for the one in the corner, they all looked fleshy, more like house dogs than wolves.
“What did you do with Sir Behaten?”
The scrawny man, who was clearly Philip, asked in an unfittingly high-pitched voice.
As soon as he spoke, the three knight candidates behind him simultaneously shut their mouths.
“Sir? I didn’t see anyone worthy of being called ‘Sir’.”
I deliberately wiped the blood on my hand onto my forearm and smiled.
The trio behind him flinched, but Philip just smirked as if it were pathetic.
“He was a rather expensive knight. A shame. So, what brings you here?”
“I came to kill you.”
At my answer, his and the trio’s eyes widened.
Their expressions were so comical that I let out a chuckle.
“Hahaha! Amusing. Truly amusing. I don’t know when I last laughed this hard.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Philip burst out laughing.
The trio behind him awkwardly followed suit.
“I’m glad. I had quite a bit of fun myself. Reminded me of the old days.”
He still seemed to think I was joking, staring at me with a confident expression.
“Kill me… are you confident?”
“Of course. Taking heads is one of my few specialties.”
“My head carries a different weight than others.”
“Speaking as an expert, your neck bones are thin, so it should be much easier. I guarantee it.”
“Tsk, that’s not what I mean. Behind me are Count Behareuteu, First-Grade Administrator Perunui, and Abbot Gureuam. Go a little further, and my connections reach even the Imperial family. Can you handle them?”
He listed his backers with an incredibly arrogant expression.
He looked just like a punk I vaguely remembered from a long, long time ago.
The kind who would ask if you could handle this big shot brother or that scary brother.
The names he mentioned were indeed heavy.
A count, a first-grade administrator, an abbot, and possibly the Imperial family.
Getting on the bad side of any of them would surely make life difficult.
However, it wasn’t an effective threat against me.
I had made various preparations and had a plan of my own, but more importantly…
‘I’m already a wanted man by someone even worse.’
Adding a few more to the list didn’t seem like it would change much.
When I didn’t answer, he seemed to gain confidence and got up from his throne, approaching me.
I saw him take something out while pretending to clasp his hands behind his back. It was undoubtedly the magic tool Gern had mentioned.
‘What kind of thug has a magic tool… It’s the end of days.’
Not only was it expensive, but a magical weapon was something you couldn't get even if you had the money.
Soon, the man stood right in front of me, looked up, and curled his lips into a smirk.
“A fine expression. Don’t be ashamed. Many have come before you, but in the end, they all gave up and kissed my feet.”
He held his neck stiffly as if he were a real nobleman and continued. Though his line of sight was so low that it wasn’t very impressive.
“The father of the woman who was forced into prostitution and killed herself, the husband of the woman who became the mistress of a knight with sticky fingers, the man whose shop had been in his family for generations was taken away— all of them knelt and kissed my shoes. No matter how angry they are, in the end, a person’s own life is what’s most important.”
‘Hmm…’
He spread his arms and preached in his thin voice as if he were someone important. The sight was so ridiculous I just let him be, and he tapped my cheek with his hand.
“So don’t be ashamed, and kiss my feet. Seeing as you dealt with Sir Behaten, your skills must be outstanding. I will forget your rudeness and make good use of you.”
“Are you done talking?”
I flicked my right hand holding the sword as if shaking it off, and his confident face flew into the air, spinning round and round.
In that split second, the man swung a thin wooden stick, and a searing flame shot out from it.
I had been watching for it, so I quickly dodged to the side. Even though it only grazed me slightly, the firepower was incredible enough to scorch the front of my armor black.
If I hadn't known he had a magical weapon, I might have gotten a little too warm.
‘Thank you so much, Gerkin.’
His body lost its master, and the now aimless wooden stick set the ceiling on fire.
I quickly reached out and snatched the wooden stick.
A long line of incomprehensible language was written on the bottom of the stick. When I pressed a round part among the characters, the fire went out.
‘I like this.’
Even the design was rugged, which I quite liked.
The widened eyes of the Four Heavenly Kings behind me followed Philip’s head as it rose into the air and then fell.
Only after Philip’s head hit the ground with a *thud!* did their gazes turn to me.
I pointed the newly acquired wooden stick at them. They flinched noticeably and took a step back.
I cleared my throat and opened my mouth.
“Well then, we will now begin interviews for the vacant position of the Lonely Wolf’s boss. Everyone, check your attire and present your strengths.”
At that, only the man who had been in the corner among the Four Heavenly Kings approached me; the rest hesitated.
It seemed they hadn’t quite grasped the situation, so I spoke again.
“Oh, and failure means death by fire.”
I pointed the wooden stick at the three who hadn’t come forward and smiled brightly.
Only then did the remaining three scramble to stand before me.
“I! I am more ruthless than these guys and can prevent future trouble…”
“Shut up! I am twice as vicious as this one! Just give the order and I will…”
Despite their rough appearances, their inner selves were like docile dogs baring their bellies. I chuckled heartily.
***
“Ugh… so noisy…”
Nova, who had been lying in her soft bed, sat up with a frown.
It was so loud outside, as if a festival was going on, that she couldn't sleep at all.
For Nova, who valued a regular lifestyle, the situation was infuriating.
With the intention of letting loose a string of curses, she opened the window—
“…What is this.”
The sight of the city, as if a war had broken out, jolted Nova wide awake.
Vicious-looking men were swinging swords at each other, and fires were rising from various parts of the city.
On top of that, buildings that had been perfectly fine just a moment ago had collapsed, as if a natural disaster had struck overnight.
She knew the three organizations in Karzan didn't get along, but why did such a catastrophe have to happen on the very day she visited?
For some reason, the image of Aron smiling broadly and saying he would go with her popped into her head.
‘…It couldn’t be, right? Nah, no way. Even for Aron. Nah-.’
Forcefully ignoring the creeping anxiety, she returned to her bed.
Nova buried her face in the thick blanket and muttered for a long time, “It can’t be… Nah… It couldn’t be…”
However, the anxiety that filled her chest simply would not go away.