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“Do you know much about the Balpa family?”
“No. All I know is that they’re a minor house with just a feudal lord title. Compared to the Abner or Jarpen families, they are quite modest.”
It was a small house similar to Johan’s Aites family. Still, their fiefdom seemed to be in a slightly better condition.
“It’s only natural to want to treat someone well when you hear the names Abner or Jarpen.”
Treating guests well was both a duty and an honor for the nobility, especially if the guests were of high status.
Of course, with that hospitality often came a few favors in return.
“I just hope I don’t end up owing any favors. . .”
“Why? It would be the people of Abner or Jarpen who’d be in trouble, not you.”
At Suetlg’s words, Johan realized something.
He thought about it and realized he was not in any trouble here. He could just relax and enjoy himself.
‘𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵!’
Johan shifted his mindset from being the leader of the group to simply enjoying the moment.
The feudal lord’s manor wasn’t very large, but it was cozy and warm, and the Balpa family’s lord was a cheerful dwarf. Short with a lively voice, he laughed and celebrated their victory.
“To defeat the Marquis’s army! That Marquis Crucho’s army. Surely the Abner family is under divine protection! Hahahaha!”
“. . . . . .”
Marco and the other knights seated there didn’t know how to react and were sweating nervously.
‘𝘐 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘯’𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘺 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘵. . .’
“Actually, Sir Johan here played a major role in that battle. He was at the forefront, defeating the knights of the Marquis.”
“…!”
The feudal lord was surprised upon hearing this. He knew the names of the Abner and Jarpen families, but Johan’s name was new to him.
But people from the Jarpen family wouldn’t lie. Surprised, the lord asked,
“To accomplish such feats at your age is truly remarkable. You must be blessed by the gods. If only my children could achieve half as much. . .”
“Are your children knights?”
“Yes.”
From the lord’s response, it seemed his second and third children were knights.
The first child had to continue the family line, so the second and subsequent children had to find their own paths. The two chose to be knights rather than scribes or priests.
“Could they perhaps serve as knights in the Abner family?”
“Pff.”
Stephen, who was sipping a fine beer, choked.
Though a child of the family, the rights varied from one house to another. And Stephen wasn’t very prominent in his house. A recommendation from him here would have made Ulrike very happy.
“I. . . I’m sorry. I don’t have such authority. . .”
“That’s unfortunate. Can’t be helped, I suppose.”
The lord didn’t seem to have been seriously expecting a positive response. When Stephen humbly declined, the lord seemed to take a liking to his modesty. It was unusual for an Abner family member to be so humble.
━𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐥.
Karamaf, who had been gnawing on a chunk of meat in a corner, suddenly raised his head and growled menacingly, causing the servants to step back in alarm.
“What’s the matter? Why is he acting like that?”
Johan was also puzzled.
They checked just in case, but the feudal lord had not ambushed the soldiers or done anything like that. (Suetlg scolded for having unnecessary suspicions)
“Is there a monster roaming around the feudal lord’s estate? This wolf wouldn’t act like this without a reason.”
“. . . . . .”
For a moment, the face of the feudal lord darkened. But it soon returned to normal. The feudal lord, waving his hand, said,
“What are you saying? If that were the case, all the serfs would have run away.”
“True, it’s rare for monsters to come close to a town where people live.”
After that, Karamaf didn’t bark anymore.
Johan thoroughly enjoyed the meal favored by the dwarves. The pork sausage made by removing the tendons was delicious, and the cabbage cooked with oil and wine was also good.
‘𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘴’ 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘌𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘳𝘢, 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥.’
There was certainly an old-fashioned uniqueness, different from what he had eaten elsewhere.
The meal ended pleasantly, except for the feudal lord subtly suggesting a marriage with a relative to Stephen.
🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸
“Are you sleeping?”
“No, I am not.”
“I thought so. Planning a night walk?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s go together.”
Suetlg was someone who couldn’t overlook a mystery. And Johan was more wary than curious.
If Karamaf barked, there must be a reason worth checking out.
“Do you think the feudal lord has some ulterior motive?”
“It doesn’t seem so. The beer tasted good.”
“. . .I’m speaking seriously.”
“So am I. The beer seemed home-brewed by the family, too rough and unrefined for a dwarf with a nasty temper.”
Suetlg could read many things from water. Johan was amazed. Reading a person through the taste of beer.
‘𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵.’
“Here, take this silver-plated longsword, just in case. The monsters that appear at night are mostly evil. My slaves don’t react as sharply as you, so be careful.”
“Karamaf is with me, so it’s fine.”
Suetlg’s slaves were skilled in swordsmanship but somewhat blunt in instinct due to some aspects of their personality being muted.
“Should we call the other knights?”
“The more we are, the more likely we’ll be noticed. It’s not a big issue if we’re caught, but it’s embarrassing, so keep your voice down. If it’s a monster. . . I hope it’s useful.”
“?”
“For experiments. The rarer the materials, the better.”
“Really. . . aren’t you too relaxed?”
Johan had come out to check preemptively for an attack, but Suetlg had other thoughts.
Monsters found across the Empire were a secret among wizards. Full of mysteries and secrets.
“If we find something useful, I’ll definitely share with you, so do search.”
“Thank you. I will search diligently.”
Johan remembered his time in his former fiefdom. Roaming quiet towns at night.
It was different then. . .
“Why didn’t the feudal lord tell us?”
“Your turn to guess.”
“Maybe it’s about saving face.”
“Good reason.”
“Especially embarrassing in front of a renowned western feudal family, not being able to deal with a monster. But. . . it’s still strange. Why not ask for help on such an occasion?”
Suetlg nodded. Johan was seeing it right. It was more beneficial to ask for help when such knights were present.
“So, your conclusion?”
“Maybe the feudal lord is involved in the issue.”
“Sometimes. . . not just sometimes, often I think. You would have done well as a scribe. Why didn’t you go to college, even if not a priest?”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
Unlike other knights, Johan could reason logically. To Suetlg, it was merely fascinating.
Suddenly, the air turned cold, a different chill from winter’s.
Karamaf started scratching the ground. Johan quickly came to his senses and looked ahead.
With glowing blue eyes, a knight stood in front of them.
The chainmail was torn, and the attached metal plates were shattered, almost like a corpse.
But the intimidation it radiated was more substantial and unpleasant than a living knight.
Suetlg exclaimed in astonishment.
“Death Knight. . .!”
When a person dies harboring intense resentment, they become undead. And a knight, being stronger than an ordinary person, can harbor even more intense resentment in death.
Such a knight, unable to shake off their attachments, wandering as an undead, was called a Death Knight.
A Death Knight bringing death to the living.
Suetlg instinctively checked the position of the moon. Death Knights couldn’t roam once the sun rose.
“It came out too early!”
Could the magic he currently possessed be enough to defeat this Death Knight?
Meanwhile, Johan carefully observed the knight’s ears. Fortunately, it wasn’t an elf.
“Thought it was a Karamaf.”
Since it wasn’t far from the Dead Forest, where Karamaf died, he was honestly a bit startled.
But if it wasn’t, it didn’t matter.
Death Knight?
After all, it had a physical form. Wouldn’t it break apart if beaten enough!
━𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐟-𝐧𝐢𝐦. . . 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐟-𝐧𝐢𝐦. . .
“?!?!”