How to Live as a Wandering Knight

𝐊𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 (5)

The determination of a person who had been away from real power all their life and then seized an opportunity was astonishing.

It’s already this serious even before meeting Horamric. It seemed like they would give away their own heart after meeting Horamric.

The gathered vagabonds and beggars were startled when a strange noise began to sound nearby. They were supposed to do work worth the silver they received, but an interference had occurred.

━𝐂𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐠𝐨 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲?

━𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞! 𝐈’𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬!

━𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞!

━𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠!

As a fight seemed to escalate with pushing and shoving, Johan stepped in.

“Gerdolf. Step in and shut those guys up.”

“Yes.”

“. . .but don’t draw your sword. Use a whip.”

Johan quickly stopped Gerdolf as he was about to draw his sword. A whip would be enough.

“I understand, Sir.”

‘𝘋𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘺?’

Gerdolf rode his horse forward and stopped in front of the beggars. The large knight looked menacingly, causing the shouting beggar to flinch.

“What, what is this. . . Ahh!”

A whip came flying down from above. The beggars were taken aback by the unexpected strike. Although they were beggars, they were a group that could become ferocious at any moment.

It was risky for even a knight to lash out with a whip like this, especially if they all attacked at once.

However, Gerdolf had something he was relying on. The soldiers behind him had simultaneously drawn their weapons. If a fight escalated, it would be them who would die. The beggars, intimidated, backed down.

“B-Brothers, stop! We can’t fight in the city!”

Of course, the bishop was shocked at this sight. Attacking vagrants in the city would ruin his image.

“They were about to attack first, Bishop.”

“They didn’t attack! They have brains too!”

“Didn’t they threaten the citizens.”

The bishop was incredulous. Such an excuse. . .

━𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐒𝐢𝐫 𝐊𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭!

━𝐖𝐞 𝐨𝐰𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐢𝐫 𝐊𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭!

“???”

The bishop was confused. It wasn’t likely that Johan had hired people in advance. . .

Why was he so popular?

Of course, the rumors about Johan were the kind that would make him popular. Whether in the past or now, a brave and young knight was a people’s idol. But those were just rumors that would spread in the vicinity, not in a distant city in the Empire.

The bishop felt the knight he had enticed was suddenly impressively significant.

‘𝘞𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵?’

Of course, his abilities were great, but he thought he was playing in his palm. . .

“Bishop, let’s move.”

“Y-Yes, let’s do that.”

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

The bishop’s mansion was the epitome of luxury within the city. Even without stepping outside, the mansion’s courtyard had cold water flowing through channels, and the windows were filled with colored glass.

The servants inside the mansion wore silk clothes and ornaments more expensive than what Johan wore, with some even draped in shimmering satin.

Johan was freshly reminded of the bishop’s wealth, and that of the republic.

These people really do have a lot of money!

‘𝘐𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳?’

Toiling as a serf and squeezing them dry felt pitiful compared to the profits of trade.

“We have agreed to meet in two days, so rest comfortably. Brother, feel at home here.”

“Thank you, Bishop.”

The bishop seemed quite pleased with himself, hoping that Johan would be impressed. So Johan pretended to be moved.

“By the way, where are the bishop’s wife and children?”

“Oh. . .”

At Johan’s question, the servant looked confused and hesitant, wondering if it was okay to speak.

The church didn’t explicitly forbid priests from marrying. They could marry if they wished. However, priests who didn’t marry generally received more respect, as it was seen as a devotion of their desires and lineage to God.

Knowing this, the bishop had ‘officially’ not married and had lovers throughout the city.

“T-The master is such a steadfast man. . .”

“I see. Understood.”

The servant changed the subject, but Johan had already figured it out. The bishop seemed to have quite a few lovers. And probably a fair number of illegitimate children too, right?

“Karamaf. Come here.”

While waiting, Johan stroked Karamaf and played chess with Gerdolf. It was mostly Johan teaching him, but it served as a pastime.

Karamaf, seemingly in a good mood, purred and kept rubbing his head against Johan’s leg.

“Sir, there is a guest outside looking for you. . .”

“?”

So, Johan was naturally surprised when a guest came looking for him first.

Was it sent by Gareld? There was no one else who would send someone. . .

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

Surprisingly, it wasn’t Gareld who sent for him. The one who called Johan was one of the city nobles he had never seen before. He was a river otter beastman named Pilorachi.

‘𝘋𝘪𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘴?’

It wasn’t that surprising. Thanks to Gareld spreading the rumors, even those who didn’t know were whispering, ‘𝘞𝘰𝘸, 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦?’

It was a favorite pastime of the nobles to meet a brave knight in person, treat them well, and share in their honor. Johan went with Gerdolf. He thought everyone would be happy to see some tricks.

However, the reception Johan received was completely different from what he expected.

“???”

“Welcome! I’ve been waiting for you. You know why I called you, right?”

“I have no idea. . .”

“Oh? No. . . Ah. Sorry about that. I forgot what I was saying. The Alarhim family! Now you understand?”

“I still don’t understand.”

“Oh dear! I mentioned the Alarhim family, why don’t you understand? Please, take a seat.”

Pilorachi was a famous defensive scholar and artist. In this era, numerology, dealing with the mysteries of numbers, was no different from arithmetic or mathematics.

Every wizard needed a patron, and Pilorachi was sponsored by the Alarhim family. Naturally, he became curious upon hearing about a knight skilled in numbers.

As soon as he sat down, Pilorachi started presenting various riddles, and Johan answered them as best he knew. Gerdolf, listening to their conversation, turned pale and staggered. Johan ordered him to go outside and rest.

“Amazing! Amazing!”