Chapter 37
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: The Lord of the Iron Fist
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"Luon! Couldn't you slow down just a bit? With these short legs of mine, it's quite a struggle to keep up with your stride!"
At the shout from behind, Luon let out a low sigh, shortening his pace before coming to a complete stop.
When he turned his head, he saw Strabo, grinning from ear to ear and waving his arms, walking alongside Igor.
"A dwarf's pace might be frustrating, but in return, you'll get to notice things you usually miss. The smell of the earth, the chirping of birds, the movement of the soft white clouds drifting by... ah, the weather's foul today. Anyway, things like that!"
He doesn't seem to realize he's a wanted man.
Luon let out a hollow laugh at the hopelessly excited Strabo.
Just then, Igor spoke.
"Strabo, I don't know much about dwarves, but... you're certainly not a typical one."
At those words, Strabo beamed.
"Oh, Igor! That's what I love to hear most in the world! You're right, I'm fundamentally different from those fools who just bang on steel in a dreary workshop all day!"
He immediately added.
"Because I am a dwarf who knows the romance of adventure!"
Did I make a mistake letting him out?
Luon shook his head.
He had only just gotten used to Igor, the prayer addict, and now he had a dwarf who was an even more severe romance addict... The thought made his vision go dark.
"The moment I thought it was all over, a two-headed monster appeared and killed the Iron Fist bastards, then you killed the monster, and now you're the benefactors who will testify to my innocence! Yes, this is adventure, this is romance. Indeed."
As if moved by his own words, Strabo closed his eyes and began to quietly stroke his beard.
Luon, who had been watching the scene blankly, quickened his pace again.
***
A soldier with a grim face, matching the dreary city walls, raised a palm toward the travelers who had approached him.
"Halt. A brief inspection is required."
The soldier's eyes, which had been formally scanning the faces of those lined up, narrowed.
What is this combination?
A giant with shoulders so broad they made him, who prided himself on his own large frame, look small; a man with a friendly face; and a dwarf with a braided beard... a dwarf?
The soldier, scratching his head at the strange sense of unease, suddenly widened his eyes and began to rummage inside his tunic.
As the soldier hastily pulled out several rolled-up wanted posters, Luon spoke.
"If you're looking for the dwarf wanted as a demon, there's no need for that. You've seen correctly."
"What?"
As the soldier reflexively gripped the spear on his shoulder, Igor asked a question.
"May we see the lord?"
"Why the lord?"
"We intend to testify that this man—no, this dwarf—is innocent and have the wanted order rescinded."
In the meantime, a few other soldiers, sensing the unusual atmosphere, surrounded the group. The one who appeared to be the most senior among them stepped forward and continued the conversation.
"If you wish to testify to his innocence before the lord, you must first identify yourselves."
At the polite suggestion, Igor produced a necklace adorned with a silver stag from his tunic.
"I am Igor, a priest of the Great Church of Tivela."
The soldier, after staring at the necklace for a moment, slowly nodded his head.
"...Very well. I will guide you to the lord. However, the dwarf's wrists must be bound. We can't have him roaming the city freely when the wanted order hasn't been rescinded."
At the soldier's firm words, Strabo shrugged and held out his wrists.
"I don't mind. My conscience is clear."
Surrounded by soldiers, the three of them walked along the main road leading to the inner castle.
Luon could easily hear a few people who spotted the handcuffed dwarf whispering to those around them, "It's that demon."
Leaving the murmurs behind, the group entered the inner castle, crossed a wide central garden, and walked into a tower topped with a whitish, triangular roof.
As expected of a defensive structure, the tower had few windows and was dark inside, even though the sun had not yet set.
At the top of the stone staircase, the party was greeted by a large iron door.
Next to it stood a knight in a surcoat over a thin chainmail shirt, his arms crossed.
"What is it?"
At the knight's question, one of the soldiers who had escorted the group stepped forward and spoke.
"Captain Hanson of the guard. The criminal on the wanted list has appeared with people who can prove his innocence, so we've brought him to be judged by the lord."
The knight gave a short nod at the clear explanation, stared intently at the tightly bound Strabo, and then spoke.
"You've done well. You may go."
As soon as the soldiers bowed and descended the stairs, the knight knocked on the iron door with his fist.
"I'm coming in."
There was no reply, but he immediately opened the door.
As Luon faced the knight, who leaned against the open door and gestured with his chin for them to enter, he happened to see the emblem on his surcoat.
It was the shape of a blackened fist.
Well, what do you know?
Entering the room with a strange expression, Luon glanced at the banner hanging on the wall and smirked.
Meanwhile, the lord, who had been sitting on the edge of a long table sipping from a teacup, turned his head and spoke.
"So, you've come to prove his innocence?"
He placed the teacup on the table and added.
"Ah, you can consider that door a formality. The soundproofing is terrible. I've already heard everything the guard captain said outside. So, dispense with the trivial explanations and get to the point."
Strabo, as if he had been waiting, raised his voice.
"A ridiculous rumor spread that I was a demon, and I've had a hell of a time because of it! I'm not a demon, I'm a druid! A druid!"
Igor followed up.
"I am Igor, a priest who serves Tivela. By my mother's will, I stand against wicked demons. I swear on my mother, this dwarf is not the demon you think he is, my lord. If he were, I would have ended his life myself."
"Huh? You would have?"
"...Of course."
The lord nodded.
"The testimony of a priest who follows the Goddess of Mercy is trustworthy. Very well, I accept that the dwarf is not a demon."
Igor, who had been considering whether he would have to display his divine power if the lord remained suspicious, widened his eyes at the unexpected response.
Strabo was just as surprised, blinking his large eyes and murmuring.
"Was it really going to end this anticlimactically?"
"As if. Of course not."
"What?"
Strabo's face hardened at the lord's words.
The lord, who seemed to find his expression amusing, let out a nasty chuckle and spoke.
"Hey, dwarf. Do you have any idea who it was you tore the throat out of?"
Strabo answered without hesitation.
"That fucking bastard? I know him well. A piece of trash who thought nothing of taking out passersby on a whim. The skin he wore was a waste of a human form, so I personally ripped it off. Is there a problem?"
The lord's face lost all traces of amusement as he growled in a low voice.
"That fucking bastard was my one and only nephew. You vermin of a dwarf. If you thought you could get away with what you did to my nephew, you're gravely mistaken."
Strabo retorted as if he couldn't believe it.
"That arrogant son of a bitch was your nephew? For fuck's sake, does that mean you knew about the shit they were pulling and just let it happen?"
The one who responded this time was Luon, who had been silent until now.
"The Iron Fists are the lord's private organization in the first place, so how could it be a problem? Isn't that right?"
The lord's face contorted in a snarl.
"What did you say?"
"It's obvious that raising a private army would lead to them being conscripted for the northern expedition by royal decree, so you seem to have used a little loophole by creating a private organization in the city under the guise of a mercenary group... but if you're going to hide something, you should do it properly. Isn't this a bit too obvious?"
As he spoke, Luon pointed his finger first at the surcoat of the knight standing behind them and then at the banner on the wall.
Igor, confirming the black fist drawn on both, murmured under his breath.
"Iron Fist..."
In an instant, the lord's complexion darkened.
Luon continued.
"I have no interest in whatever scheme you had for creating a mercenary group called the Iron Fists, or Steel Fists, or whatever. But I'm not sure the king would feel the same."
At the calm words, the lord grit his teeth.
"Are you threatening me?"
"I'm merely stating the facts."
This guy is even dumber than I thought.
It was pathetic to see the lord's disastrous judgment, not only creating a private organization with a name that could be easily inferred from his family's crest but also entrusting its management to his own nephew.
Luon barely suppressed the scornful laugh that threatened to escape his lips and continued.
"I'm not without sympathy for your desire for revenge after losing your nephew, but there's no need to make things worse, is there?"
The lord slowly opened his mouth.
"And what if I decide to silence you all? Have you forgotten that this is my castle?"
Luon smirked and gripped the hilt of his holy sword.
"Go ahead and try."
Staring into Luon's unwavering eyes, the lord grit his teeth and picked up a quill.
He dipped the nib in ink, angrily scribbled something on a piece of paper, stamped it with his seal, and held it out to Luon.
"This is an official document rescinding the wanted order for that dwarf."
The moment Luon reached for the paper, the lord pulled his arm back and said.
"I can't just give it to you for nothing. Judging by the pommel, you also seem to be a warrior who follows Tivela. Swear in your god's name that you won't spread any unnecessary rumors."
That's easy enough.
Luon replied without hesitation.
"In Tivela's name, I will take what was said here to my grave. There, is that good enough?"
Only then did the lord extend his arm. Luon snatched the document and added one more thing as he headed for the door.
"You should start by changing that 'Iron Fist' name."
***
After delivering the official document to the city guard, the group immediately left the city and had finished setting up camp in a quiet forest.
Regardless of having resolved the issue, they had exchanged sharp words with the lord, so resting inside the city didn't seem like a good idea.
"I'm still not sure what just happened, but... anyway, thank you!"
As Strabo gave a thumbs-up, Igor nodded and continued.
"When I heard the person Strabo killed was the lord's nephew, I thought things were going to get very complicated... I never expected it to end so easily."
Luon, who had been staring at the rabbit meat roasting over the campfire, shook his head.
"It was resolved easily because the lord is not only incredibly stupid but also a coward. So stop with the needless talk and let's eat."
"I'll eat well!"
Watching Strabo bring the rabbit meat to his mouth as if he'd been waiting, Igor asked.
"Where will you go now?"
"Hmm? I was thinking of following you lot."
"Do you even know what we do?"
Strabo nodded while chewing his meat.
"You said something about... vanquishing evil? You fight demons, I take it?"
"And you'd still follow us, knowing that?"
"A debt must be repaid. That's the romance of it!"
Igor, looking at the chuckling Strabo, turned his head toward Luon.
Luon, reading the meaning in his expression, nodded.
"You said you were a druid. I expect you'll earn your keep."
"You can count on it!"
The dwarf druid, who had smoothly joined their journey, thumped his chest with his fist.
A faint smile on his lips as he watched, Luon suddenly put down the piece of meat he was bringing to his mouth and said.
"Strabo."
"Huh? What is it?"
"I think you'll have to earn your keep sooner than you thought."
"Eh? What do you mean?"
Luon peered into the dark forest and said.
"Looks like our friends from the Iron Fists have come to call."