novelraw Chapter 121 : Chapter 121
Chapter 121 : Chapter 121
Chapter 121: What Went Wrong?
Knight Grumpen was as stressed as he could be from the continuous demanding work.
To make matters worse, it was estimated that over twenty people went missing yesterday, during his night shift.
Because of that, how much had he been chewed out by his superior today?
- My lord is doubting our abilities.
- Even if the 1st Knightly Order went to the capital with His Excellency, we can't even maintain the security of Erundel…….
‘Damn it……. What’s the big deal if a few slum rats disappear.’
Gulp gulp.
As the strong liquor he was downing by the bottle stimulated his esophagus with a jolt.
A hot energy soon rose up from his lower back with a tingling sensation.
“Hah……”
Yeah, this is it.
This is why people drink.
His foul mood finally seemed to improve a little.
Thud.
“S-sir Knight. Another bottle……?”
“Of course!”
As a pleasant tipsiness set in, recent events came to mind again.
Honestly, as unfair as it was, there were also some strange points.
‘There’s no way the culprit wouldn’t be caught by now.’
The number of missing people had been increasing over the past three months, but did it make sense that not a single trail had been caught when all the knights and soldiers in the castle weren't blind?
No matter how he thought about it, there was only one possible reason.
‘There’s definitely someone in the higher-ups. Someone looking out for the bastards behind this incident.’
He didn't know who it was, but that bastard was probably sweating bullets right about now.
Since the missing people were mainly from the slums or penniless outsiders, he might have been able to cover it up with a bit of money until now.
But now the situation was getting bigger.
‘It’s probably that bastard, the superintendent…….’
- G-get out, all of you! Get out and find the culprit!!
A rotten smile naturally formed on his face as he recalled the man who had thrown a hysterical fit like a seizure earlier today.
“Serves you right……”
Honestly, he was more annoyed by being reprimanded for it than by the disappearance of a few insignificant people.
Even so, he was very pleased with the situation where the higher-ups were getting screwed.
The problem was that there was a high probability that he would get screwed along with them, not just them.
As his thoughts reached that point, anger welled up again.
‘Should I report it to His Excellency? No, I have no evidence…….’
Damn it.
“Sir Knight, here……”
“You’re late!”
“Eek, sorry……”
Anyway, the work of these insignificant beings.
Gulp gulp.
He glares at the pub master and drinks his liquor as is.
The only reason he came to this place teeming with insignificant people.
Conmel, the traditional strong liquor of Winblin in the Empire, tantalizingly stimulates his throat as it goes down, warming his insides, and its rich aroma tickles his nose seductively.
“Hoo. Gulp gulp.”
After downing the strong liquor into his throat again, a pleasant warmth circulated throughout his body, seeming to neutralize his foul mood.
“Hoo……”
Thud.
- The security of the outer castle slums will be perfectly established. If the number of missing people increases again this time……. You know what will happen, right?
“Bullshit……”
He received his salary from Marquis Deort Osnal, and it was the Osnal family he had to be loyal to.
There was no obligation to protect insignificant people in a slum like this.
“Insignificant……”
He looked around with blurry eyes, and sure enough, as befitting insignificant people, everyone in the shop was focused on a strange place even with a noble like himself in front of them.
And as he followed their gazes without realizing it, a bizarre sight came into view.
Human pigs who were occupying a large table for two and building a tower of plates.
Hiccup.
“What are those things……”
It got on his nerves.
Moreover, the jet-black armor revealed from under the robe one of them was wearing was an extraordinary treasure just by looking at its luster.
‘Even I don’t have something like that, a young brat…….’
What's more, upon closer inspection, there was something even more absurd.
‘Don't tell me.’
The brown skin of the scrawny girl sitting across from him.
Not simply tanned by the sun, but a feeling that her original skin was dark.
He had seen something similar somewhere before.
The jet-black race that was common in the south of the continent. And the dirty mixed-breeds that the perverted bastards who had slept with them had shat out.
Naturally, they were all slaves or of equivalent status.
He felt like he had found a good target, especially since he was in a bad mood.
‘A knight should manage slaves well, how dare they…….’
That armor did look unusual.
‘If I pick a fight appropriately and reveal my identity, could I get a few pieces of that armor?’
Grumpen, who had always profited from similar acts, once again borrowed the courage of alcohol and approached them without hesitation.
“How dare a blackie eat with a person, it's disgusting?”
Burp~.
But he saw them brazenly glaring at him.
“What are you staring at……!”
The moment he was about to shout boldly.
Puk.
Suddenly, a particularly hot sensation was felt in the lower part of his body, which had been pleasantly tipsy.
And soon, an unimaginable pain rushed in.
“Gyaaaaaaah!”
His hand went to his lower body without him realizing it.
Something hard and fluttering like a feather was caught, but he didn't even dare to pull it out.
In his fading consciousness, it seemed like a jet-black hand was approaching him.
“What is this trash?”
Udeudeuk.
As Muno lifted up the dirty-looking middle-aged man who had fainted with foam at his mouth by his face, the pub owner jumped in surprise and waved his hands.
“S-sir Knight. You'll be in big trouble. Th-this person is a knight of the Osnal family here……!”
“So, what.”
“Pardon?”
Muno didn't bother to answer the owner's dumbfounded question.
With the king backing him, why would he be afraid of a mere marquis's knight?
Of course, this guy's condition did look a bit serious.
“……Even if he's a knight, wouldn't it be dangerous to stick an arrow in there. Rauel?”
No matter how much of a trash he was for spitting out such shitty words, honestly, as a fellow man, he could somewhat guess the pain the guy must be going through.
But the murderous woman who had thrown an arrow with her hand and pierced the knight's that place only showed a cold smile.
“Hmph. What of it. He won't die. I just stuck it in enough to cut off his lineage.”
“……Right.”
A chilling sensation ran down his spine.
‘Is this also my fate?’
Why do all the women I get involved with have such a murderous side?
“Anyway, what should we do with this guy……”
He scratched the back of his head for no reason.
A wriggling sensation came from the hand holding the guy's face.
Hmm?
He already regained consciousness…….
“……Y-you guys are them, right?”
……Oh, really?
“You, criminals!”
Well, well?
“He seems to be a regeneration ability user, Sir Muno.”
“Right. But this guy right now……”
“Did you think Osnal wouldn't know! The things you're doing in Erundel!”
The knight, whose face was held up in his grasp, began to spout nonsense while covering his groin.
Naturally, the gazes in the pub gathered.
Muno clicked his tongue.
“Well, I guess I should hear how the Osnal family is handling the current situation.”
He didn't intend to hide his identity anymore anyway.
“S-someone, report to the marquis's family……!”
Ah, this is annoying.
The moment Muno's narrowed gaze scanned the surroundings.
Unexpected reactions poured out from the people watching.
“Just take him away! Sir Knight!”
“Yeah! That son of a bitch always ruined the taste of my drink.”
“Hurry up and take him away. If possible, get rid of him for~ever!”
Moreover, the most enthusiastic among them was the innkeeper.
“Th-those insignificant bastards……”
Udeudeuk.
“Aaargh!”
The knight who had been spewing curses was forced to shut his mouth again at the pressure applied to his face.
And.
“The tyranny that guy has committed until now……!”
Soon, reports about the illegal acts that Sir Grumpen had committed until now poured out towards Muno.
* * *
“……The superintendent of the Osnal family seems to be involved?”
Originally, he had just wanted to hear about the marquis's response to this incident, but unexpected information came in.
“Th-that's right! A guy like that only picks on his subordinates, and makes knights like me stand guard in places like this……”
Udeudeuk.
“Aaaargh!”
Grumpen, who had been talking animatedly, screamed again at Muno's foot that stomped on ‘that place’.
“Is getting drunk and picking fights with anyone guard duty.”
His regeneration and body activation type traits were, on the contrary, making his pain greater and longer.
“Sir Muno, what should we do?”
“Hmm. Well, I have to tell them. But I'm not sure if this information is useful at this point.”
“Still, shouldn't we eliminate a person who might backstab us during the subjugation? Just say the word and I……”
“……No, this guy also only has circumstantial evidence, so let's meet them first and then decide.”
“Then this guy is……?”
As Rauel's murderous gaze turned to the mangled Grumpen, Muno gave a bitter smile and shook his head.
“I know how you feel, but don't kill him. Killing a marquis's knight will cause problems.”
“If we just leave him, he might get in the way of our work.”
“N-never, never will that happen. Please, please spare me.”
Grumpen, who received Rauel's gaze, screamed desperately at Muno.
But Muno also just gave him a cold smile.
“Even if we break his limbs and spine, he won't die, right? Let's just toss him somewhere suitable after that.”
“Pardon?”
“They said they also abduct weak Corporeal Arts users. Then wouldn't they be very happy with a broken knight?”
“Ah……!”
If the information that two branches had been destroyed hadn't reached their ‘main base,’ it was definitely a bait they would bite.
No, even if it had been delivered, as long as they didn't suddenly change their plans, there was a good chance.
“Most importantly, we can't kill him, we can't. But an unfortunate accident can't be helped. If it's bait to solve this case……”
“Even half-rotten trash can be useful.”
“That's right. In professional terms, recycling.”
“Y-you guys, wh-what……!”
Grumpen, who had been listening quietly, screamed convulsively again.
Kwang.
Rauel's kick, which flew in immediately, blew away the guy's consciousness in an instant.
“Dump this guy somewhere suitable and keep watch in hiding. You've finished adjusting your body, right?”
“Yes. Thanks to you. I can watch from a distance that they won't even be able to guess.”
Rauel, who showed herself lightly bouncing on the spot as if it were easy.
Her slender yet firm body, wearing a form-fitting leather armor under her robe, could be felt as it was.
He could even roughly guess the mass contained within it and the power that its muscular strength and elasticity could exert.
‘It seems she evolved with a focus on elasticity and flexibility……’
However.
Since he didn't know Rauel's traits accurately, it was difficult to gauge how much her combat power had increased.
He was curious anew about her traits after she had completed her fifth evolution, but since he hadn't even told her about his own yet, it was a bit awkward to ask.
‘When the work here is finished, I'll have to tell her.’
- If it's a precious talent, you have to open your heart and treat them accordingly.
Even without recalling his father's words.
A talent who was 5-Star in her mid-20s was like a blessing that had rolled in, and Rauel had already given him firm trust for the short time they had known each other, so there seemed to be no need to maintain a distance anymore.
“Sir Muno?”
“Ah, for now, you should go watch that guy.”
“And you, Sir Muno?”
“I have to go see them.”
“Ah……”
“If anything happens……”
“I'll send a very hot signal.”
“Good.”
He was temporarily separating Rauel in consideration of their possible opposition, but at the same time, he was entrusting her with the role of a fisherman.
‘I hope they show up soon. The Demon Cult bastards.’
Seeing Rauel's condition, a new greed arose.
‘Please, just one or two 4-Circle.’
He could clearly feel that the next evolution was just around the corner.
Muno's face, as he walked away, was like that of a hungry beast.
Near the inner castle, the place he had promised to meet Anthony and Rantor.
Muno's footsteps were cautious as he approached the Tower of Erundel, located in the square.
But.
‘Huh?’
Since it was not long before midnight, there were no citizens wandering around the square yet.
But the area around the tower, the promised meeting place, was excessively deserted.
He couldn't feel the presence of the two people he was supposed to meet at all.
‘What is it?’
What went wrong?
Is there another Tower of Erundel somewhere else?
As all sorts of thoughts flashed through his mind.
As he moved through the shade of the trees and approached the tower, a familiar smell mixed with a fishy stench began to approach him again.
“Hmm?!”
The moment he turned his head, he saw a familiar face that had approached him from the side.
“Shh. Follow me quietly.”
Anthony's expression, as he looked at him with a finger gently placed on his lips, was noticeably stiff.
“What…… What about Sir Rantor?”
“You'll know if you follow. Things have gotten complicated.”
Unlike when they had parted, his red armor, which he wore without even a robe, was shining brightly.
And the thick, fishy smell of blood on it was stimulating Muno's sense of smell.
Just like the meaning of his nickname, the Blood Knight.