Chapter 22 - Right, There Should Be At Least One Event Like This
Right, There Should Be At Least One Event Like This
Translator : Elizabeth
Chapter 22. Right, There Should Be At Least One Event Like This
Kailey shot a glare at Danel with a hushed voice.
"What kind of mercenary knows all these confidential matters? If you get caught, it won't just end simply."
Danel chewed on the meat calmly and retorted.
"Well, it has to be a powerful noble family for it not to end simply. Most of them ended simply."
The atmosphere had changed a lot from 10 years ago when Captain Barkas was alive.
Back then, commoners learning Aura was a dream beyond reach, but now an atmosphere where commoners learn Aura discreetly had formed.
Because nobles weren't the only ones with talent for Aura.
It was a picture where talentless nobles dragged talented commoners into their families to increase their prestige.
10 years was enough time to change even the stubborn common sense of the world.
If Captain Barkas had learned Aura….
An unachievable assumption left a bitter aftertaste.
Just then, a familiar auditory hallucination seemed to be heard in his ears.
'If I learned it, I'd be an Aura Master right away, you brat! Kuhahaha!'
While immersed in thoughts with the hearty laughter, Kailey's voice pulled Danel back to reality.
"Really… can you improve it?"
"Do I look like a guy who suggests doing something impossible?"
Kailey's brow trembled finely. Still a look full of suspicion.
"Fine, let's say it's true, yielding a hundred times."
"Not saying let's say, it is true."
"…Don't cut me off, please! I just can't understand. Why do this much for me? How many days has it been since we met."
Danel chuckled and shrugged.
"Does the reason have to be grandiose? We are comrades."
"……What?"
"I told you. Let's share the burden. Don't groan trying to protect Lady Lorraine alone. Build your skills in that time. So I can do other things with a relaxed mind. Right now in this Duke's residence, the only corner I can trust is you, Kailey."
At the casually thrown words, Kailey's face flushed red instantly.
She lowered her head deeply to hide her flustered look.
"…Haa, you really…… know women well, or are just a fool…."
"…What does that mean?"
"Shut up for a moment because it's noisy, it's annoying."
It was then.
Just as the peaceful meal was about to continue, a low voice pouring cold water was heard.
"Wow, thought you were the 'Mercenary King', turned out to be just a 'Romance King'? Seducing a woman as soon as you arrive and eating in a corner."
Kailey's expression rotted instantly. She recited low between her teeth.
"Danel, ignore him. Guys not even worth dealing with."
But unlike Kailey's words, Danel's eyes were already sparkling.
He turned his head and looked up at the approaching man with twinkling eyes.
Kailey was dumbfounded.
'W, what? That excited expression?'
Danel was cheering inwardly right now.
'Right! This is it! A commoner mercenary with no background entered a Duke's family, it would be disappointing if such a typical 'quarrel event' was missing!'
"H, hey…… Danel? What's wrong, it's scary."
Despite Kailey's anxious call, Danel began to analyze the man in front of him thoroughly.
'Ooh, this blatantly emanating spirit! Stronger than Arisa! Mid-level Ascendant Aura user? Look at those calluses. A diligent guy who doesn't skip training for a day. There's only one reason such a sound guy picks a fight with me!'
Danel jumped up from his seat, smiled brightly, and extended his hand.
"You! You like Kailey, right? Right? Unrequited love, right? Correct?"
Instantly, cold water was poured over the entire dining hall.
Not only the man picking a fight, but even Kailey chewing food stopped moving.
"W, wha……!"
"Hahaha! Nice to meet you! I'm Danel! Originally, one must be brave to win love! I understand, I understand!"
Kailey couldn't stand it and screamed.
"What bullshit is that, you crazy bastard!!"
The knight who came to pick a fight, Lars, looked at Danel speechless with an absurd expression.
'What is this, this crazy guy?'
Lars's brain freeze was quite serious.
His age twenty-six.
A mid-level knight acknowledged for his skills in his own way, entering his 7th year indebted to the Ashuhalt Duke family.
To such him, this situation right now was beyond the scope of understanding.
As Danel said, Lars actually had an unrequited love for Kailey.
A pure love story that began the moment he first saw 13-year-old Kailey in his 19-year-old youth.
Although she was prickly and venomous, to Lars, even that venom was beautiful like a snowflake flower.
But such her is eating alone in a corner of the dining hall with a mercenary guy like a dog bone rolling from somewhere?
Not enough with that, that mercenary guy poked his true feelings squarely saying 'Unrequited love, right?' at the first meeting.
Lars clenched his trembling fist and recalled this morning's conversation.
"Fufu, heard there's quite an interesting guy among those who came in this time?"
A voice resonating languidly.
Rose Ashuhalt was sitting leaning obliquely on the bed looking at the scenery outside the window.
The woman called a genius until Arisa inherited the 'Genius' title.
She was an existence like fog whose inner thoughts could not be guessed at all.
Lars flinched at her spirit and bowed his head.
"Is that so?"
"Hmm, so you see. I want to test him a little. Bad rumors are heard these days."
"If bad rumors… do you mean the matter in the North?"
Rose answered languidly.
"Yeah, might be nothing but… I find it more comfortable and good for you guys to step up for me than moving myself. You can relieve my trouble, right, Lars?"
She was a woman who knew how to handle people.
If Arisa was a genius of pure martial power, Rose was a genius of control shaking people's psychology.
At her single word, vassals shuddered and swore loyalty.
"Do you intend to accept him as a vassal?"
"Well, heard he's Lorraine's contract mercenary. Wouldn't it be fine to steal him? If he has the ability."
"I will meet him first."
At Lars's answer, Rose smirked and waved her hand.
"Right, Lars. You are weak, but you have a talent for handling these trivial matters."
To a knight, the word 'weak' was no different from disgrace.
But thinking of the monster-like knights under Rose, Lars was definitely a skill not even reaching the middle.
Lars answered gritting his teeth.
"I will devote myself…."
"It's fine, everyone has something they are good at. You are sufficient with that."
This is what drives people crazy.
Saying she has no expectations, but when work is actually done, she tames people by giving unimaginable rewards and praises.
Lars was one of her faithful dogs perfectly trained in such Rose's way.
"Well, just go see what kind of guy he is. Without missing a single thing, in detail."
What reflected in Lars's eyes, who came for reconnaissance receiving Rose's order, was a shocking scene of the reconnaissance target mercenary guy flirting(?) with Kailey whom he admired for 7 years.
Master's order or whatever, Lars's head had already burned white with anger.
"Hey, fuck. Fight me once."
Whatever knight's dignity, rough curses popped out.
He couldn't watch the sight of being arrogant just because he luckily beat Lady Arisa anymore. Lars deliberately emitted sharp spirit.
'I am this strong. So crouch down appropriately.'
It was an aura seeming to say such words.
'Definitely stronger than me. How far can I go? This will be fun…!!'
But Danel, far from being flustered, rather shouted with a bright voice with sparkling eyes.
"Good! Let's fight! But whose faction are you?"
"W, what?"
Lars was flustered by the random question.
Danel put his hand on Lars's shoulder and asked cunningly.
"No, liking Kailey is your personal matter. To fight you, I should know under whom you work. It'll be tiresome for me if you go tattling that I won."
Grind—
It was speech annoying enough, but knights speak with swords.
And Lars was a young man who kept such knightly values quite well.
"…It is Lady Rose Ashuhalt."
Lars answered with a voice mixed with pride.
Danel searched his memory for a moment.
The name 'Rose Ashuhalt' passed by in the names Lorraine and Kailey mentioned.
The genius of the previous generation whose title of genius was taken by Arisa Ashuhalt.
"Oh? Really? A person I haven't met directly yet? Someone who doesn't care much even if I beat you up?"
"Lady Rose is not such a person!!"
"Good, then the story is fast."
Kailey shouted holding her forehead next to them.
"Hey! Danel! Are you crazy? Lars is a formal knight! And Lars you too! If you cause a commotion here…!"
Then Lars stepped in front of Kailey.
"If I endure here, will you date me?"
"???"
Kailey's head fell into confusion for a moment.
"What does me dating you have to do with this situation?"
Lars said snorting.
"Let's say it's in exchange for half-killing that guy named Danel. Lady Lorraine would be sad if I smash that guy."
Lars spat it out thinking it was consideration in his own way since he would obviously win, but Kailey was dumbfounded.
"Hey, Danel."
"Huh?"
"Kill this bastard."
"Okay!"
"And I'll accept your proposal."
At that, Danel's eyes opened wide.
"Uh!? No going back on your words? You are mine now?"
To provoke Lars, Danel deliberately chose the expression 'You are mine' which is perfect for misunderstanding instead of the word 'Your Aura Cultivation Method.'
As expected, Lars's face turned beet red with anger.
But Kailey's reaction was more spectacular.
"Right. If you beat Lars, I am yours, Danel."
The two looked at each other and grinned.
'Kuk kuk, look at this girl?'
A combo matching perfectly well.
Eventually, Lars exploded.
"Kuaaaak!! How dare you!! Trampling on my 7 years of pure love!! I won't let you get away with this!!"
"Whoa whoa, friend calm down. Still, we can't fight here, right?"
"Lead the way!! I'll make you a cripple today!!"
Danel was already conceiving the next scene in his head.
A knight picking a fight, the powerful figure of the family hiding behind him, and a scenario to raise his value further using that situation.
'Rose Ashuhalt… previous generation's genius… this is getting interesting?'