Chapter 253: So When Are We Going Down the Labyrinth? (4)
Chapter 253: So When Are We Going Down the Labyrinth? (4)
"My Lord. How was my performance?"
"To anyone watching, you looked exactly like a man determined to be reborn as a true adventurer in his twilight years by pledging himself as a knight of Fermaton. It was a flawless performance, Sir Bernhard."
Bernhard’s act of crushing his own nameplate at the Adventurer’s Guild was, of course, a staged performance.
It was far more impactful and attention-grabbing than simply shouting, 'I quit being the Guild Leader!'
"I never imagined you’d hidden a double-edged axe inside the wall, though."
"I placed a seal of sorts on that false wall for the day I finally decided to become 'Knight Bernhard.' Huhu. You should have seen the looks on the rookies' faces when the wall crumbled and the axe appeared."
Ah.
As expected, a rigged game is always the most satisfying.
"Did anyone step forward to follow you, claiming they’d conquer the Infinite Labyrinth as well?"
"Unfortunately, no one did so immediately. I plan to walk the streets soon, shouting, 'Who will join me in seeing the end of the Infinite Labyrinth!'"
"There’s no need to go that far. I prefer fresh virgins who have just picked up a sword over hot-blooded veteran men anyway. There’s a certain joy in raising them from the ground up, wouldn't you agree?"
"Are you perhaps worried I might harbor lecherous thoughts toward your knights, My Lord?"
"Well."
There was that, too.
"No need for excuses. My women are all charming, and once we descend into the Infinite Labyrinth, other hot-blooded knights might try to approach them recklessly. They might forget their assigned roles."
"Assigned roles... As you mentioned, do you mean the protection of the 'Relays' for your Living Armor?"
"Exactly."
The primary duty of the knights under Bernhard’s command was the 'management' of the Infinite Labyrinth.
Specifically, it involved clearing out the Boss Mobs that frequently appeared and maintaining hunting zone control.
Just like in a certain game where a Great Lord uses their exclusive status to monopolize hunting grounds and maintain power, I intended to have Bernhard’s knights establish bases in key areas of the Infinite Labyrinth to control the hunting grounds within.
For that purpose, I didn't need man-whores or bachelors.
All I needed were virgins, or—at the very most—family men who were already married with wives and children.
A family man wouldn't dare swing his cock around recklessly when he had a wife and kids waiting at home.
And even if he did feel the urge, I’d be providing each of them with an exclusive Succubus. Why would they bother messing with my own knight order?
"If I had it my way, I’d make your entire unit consist of virgins as well."
"Haha. Still, we need at least a few men, don't we? I shall select them personally. We shall call them... the 'Married Men Knights'."
"Whoa."
What kind of name for a knight order is 'Married Men'?
"Are you sure about that?"
"Yes. Bringing in hot-blooded bastards who haven't even married yet would only be a nuisance to you, My Lord. Since the demons we’ll be facing are likely to be 'female-type beasts,' we’ll need married men if we want them to maintain their composure during battle."
"What if someone finds themselves more enchanted by the beasts than by the wife they have at home?"
"The thought of their adorable children will snap them back to reality faster than any foxy wife could."
"I see your point."
Then I’ll allow it.
"Proceed with the plan to establish the Married Men Knights. I’ll leave the recruitment to you, Sir Bernhard. I will provide full support for all necessary resources."
Even if time was relative, we had more than enough budget.
"Of course, as you know, the primary objective of the knight order is..."
"The conquest of the Infinite Labyrinth."
"Right. We are building a force for a full-scale conquest—a 'subjugation' of the Infinite Labyrinth. By no means is Fermaton raising a massive army to start a war or anything like that. Right?"
"Of course, My Lord."
The mere fact that Bernhard had become a knight of Fermaton had already begun to draw concern from some quarters.
If we recruited too many knights too aggressively, both the Kingdom and the Empire might grow suspicious of Fermaton.
Therefore, we had to increase our strength moderately, but maximize it as much as possible behind the scenes.
"Anyway, good work, Sir Bernhard."
"I am merely grateful that you have allowed me to become an adventurer pursuing romance, My Lord."
Bernhard, clad in his White Tuscan heavy armor, lightly tapped the magic stone switch on his chest.
"Thanks to you, I’ve even received such magnificent armor. How could I not be pleased?"
They say men remain children no matter how old they get.
Bernhard laughed with satisfaction over and over as he watched the light on his armor flicker on and off each time he tapped the magic stone on his chest.
Both the White Tuscan and the Dark Grainger were ordinary sets of armor.
However, after the armor was forged, I had magic stones attached in long, lamp-like strips, much like stitching seams into clothes.
It was similar to the LED lights on a car. I had sent my own crude drawings—designs where straight lines and curves harmonized—to the craftsmen to have them made.
Design by Ruji Fermaton.
Though there were many differences from the actual vision and the philosophy behind the design wasn't fully captured, one thing was certain.
'Style.'
Fermaton’s 'Magic Armor' had style.
"Make sure the knights understand. Wearing different armor doesn't mean the knight orders are divided. Remind them that everyone wearing this 'Magic Armor' is a person of Fermaton."
I pointed to the crest engraved on the inside of the chest piece of Bernhard’s Magic Armor.
"As long as the Fermaton crest is engraved on this chest, everyone wearing this armor is Fermaton."
"I’m sorry to throw cold water on such a cool speech, but..."
Bernhard lowered his voice.
"Is it definitely true that you’ll be assigning an exclusive Succubus to each of us?"
"Why? Do you think I’d lie about something related to sex?"
"It’s not that. It’s just... among the adventurers, there are those who would prefer other beasts as their exclusive aides and squires rather than a Succubus."
"Other beasts...?"
"Yes."
Bernhard continued in a truly serious tone.
"There’s a fellow who wants a Siren. And the lower levels of the Infinite Labyrinth are filled with all sorts of other beasts."
"...Is there a beast you want, by any chance?"
"I..."
Bernhard licked his lips while tapping the magic stone on his chest.
"I want to capture a 'Dark Elf' virgin, the kind that starts appearing from the 41st floor."
I knew it.
This man has more than enough potential to be a knight of Fermaton.
* * *
Bernhard, the leader of the Adventurer’s Guild, had quit his post to become a knight of Fermaton!
The death of Queen Messalina had certainly brought great chaos to Fermaton, but the news of Bernhard becoming a knight of Fermaton hit the people with an even greater shock.
"No, how could he do this! This is a betrayal!"
"Betrayal, my ass. Who’s going to stop an old man’s stubbornness when he’s dead set on 'subjugating' the Infinite Labyrinth up to the 50th floor?"
"No, but still! How can he just abandon the Adventurer’s Guild like this?"
"He’s done a good job as Guild Leader until now. Man, the vice-leaders who were eyeing the position must be in a total frenzy right now."
Bernhard was old.
Naturally, there were several people who wanted to succeed him, and they were currently gathering their respective factions to become the next Adventurer’s Guild Leader.
"So, who’s going to be the next Guild Leader?"
"Who knows? Is there even a reason to stay on a sinking ship?"
"But it’s the Adventurer’s Guild!"
"Fermaton is starting to oppress the Adventurer’s Guild. Things are going to change now. You can bet on it."
Everyone began to grow anxious.
"I’ve often seen lords and the Adventurer’s Guild at odds, but usually, the Guild wins. If there are no adventurers, the lord has to personally manage all the monsters around the territory."
"But for Fermaton, that’s the Infinite Labyrinth, isn't it?"
"Exactly. What if Ruji Fermaton can sufficiently control the Infinite Labyrinth?"
"...Then isn't the Adventurer’s Guild completely fucked?"
Adventurers weren't stupid.
Fermaton claimed they were recruiting a knight order to subjugate the Infinite Labyrinth, but everyone knew the reality was that it was a move to crush the Adventurer’s Guild.
"Dammit, are we all just going to end up as losers at this rate?"
"We were living the sweet life off the Infinite Labyrinth, and now this bolt from the blue. Sigh, if I’d known this would happen, I would’ve settled in another region earlier."
"Hey. The Count is about to take away all our hunting grounds. Are you just going to sit there? We have to act now!"
"Act how? What, are we going to tie red bands around our heads and protest as a group? Against the Lord?"
"We have to gather public opinion! The Adventurer’s Guild is the target now, but others will be next. Think about it."
The adventurers thought.
"When the brothels were swept away, we remained silent—because we had the Succubi as a substitute. When the merchant groups were swept away, we remained silent—because there were plenty of other merchants. But now it’s our turn. We can’t just stay quiet anymore."
It was time for the Adventurer’s Guild to step up.
"...It feels more like we’re just paying a heavy price for not participating in Fermaton’s war."
"Hey! Are you saying you’re just going to sit still? Huh?"
"I have Fermaton citizenship, so..."
"You bastard! You’re a traitor!"
While cracks were forming even among the adventurers, a thunderous piece of news reached their ears.
"Hey! We’re all fucked!"
"Why?! What happened now?!"
"The Magic Tower Master has sided with Fermaton!!"
Following Knight Bernhard.
Even Barbas, the Master of the Magic Tower, had become a person of Fermaton.