How to Live as a Wandering Knight – Chapter 70.2

“Caenerna-nim, we have arrived at the city.”

The knights spoke cautiously. Although all wizards were known to be quirky, the one they served, especially so.

But there was no other choice.

She was a wizard, almost a confidant of the Emperor.

“Caenerna-nim, please be careful. The atmosphere in the City of Vaizen is not good.”

“I know.”

Caenerna replied with a languid voice. She was a wizard, not a fool. She was far from those who couldn’t read the atmosphere and flaunted their status.

Now, revealing that they were part of the Emperor’s forces in the City of Vaizen was not beneficial. Thus, the knights were in disguise, hiding their banners. It was dishonorable, but necessary.

“Why so discontent? Wasn’t it your wish to seek Sir Gairendel?”

“N-No, that’s not it.”

“Is that all the honor and camaraderie of knights amounts to? Perhaps I was mistaken.”

Discontent was evident on the knights’ faces. The wizard’s words had hit a sore spot.

But beyond the perspective of honor, coming here to find Sir Gairendel was an excessive waste.

Perhaps for Sir Karamaf, but knights like Gairendel were plentiful in the Emperor’s court.

And honestly, Gairendel losing contact meant. . .

‘𝘐𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵?’

‘𝘎𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘧𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩, 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵 𝘥𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘧𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘤𝘪𝘳𝘤𝘶𝘮𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴.’

“Sir Gairendel is originally from the Empire’s south. It wouldn’t be strange if he had gone elsewhere.”

“Magic doesn’t say so, so just follow orders quietly, will you?”

“. . .Yes. What should I do?”

“I need to go somewhere and have a conversation. If the other party doesn’t listen, you might need to come and help.”

“. . .?”

“This is why knights are troublesome.”

Caenerna gestured with her hand across her neck. The knights were horrified.

“Should we kill them?”

“No. Don’t kill. We need to kidnap and take them away. Can you do that? Surely you can.”

“. . . . . .”

Though more difficult, the knights nodded. It was dishonorable and following the wizard’s order, but not impossible. They were capable.

Sneaking out of the city could be done by seeking help from the Emperor’s forces within the city. Once they revealed their identity, they would surely be assisted.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸      

Geoffrey checked once, and the maid checked again, but Johan still examined his appearance one more time.

One of the virtues a knight should have, surprisingly, was fashion.

How stylishly one dressed could sometimes influence their reputation.

Of course, Johan wasn’t doing this to visit any lady or maiden. Suetlg said disdainfully.

“You can go comfortably.”

“Please wait a moment. I’m nervous about meeting the wizard. . .”

‘𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶?’

“Alright. Let’s go.”

Johan turned and set out for the city streets with Suetlg. Suetlg quietly watched the mercenaries following behind.

“Being cautious isn’t bad, but. . . isn’t this a bit too much?”

They couldn’t be heavily armed in the city, but the mercenaries skillfully carried their weapons. Besides the swords at their waists, there were certainly more hidden.

“The friend I’m visiting isn’t the type to enjoy a crowd of people coming over.”

“We’ll wait outside. Of course, inconspicuously.”

The experienced mercenaries knew how to disperse and wait discreetly nearby. Suetlg nodded.

“Well. . . that should be fine.”

Crossing several city districts and entering an area where guilds gathered, Suetlg suddenly entered a stable next to a building.

‘𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦?’

Johan was puzzled. Suetlg had insisted on walking instead of riding. But why go to a stable?

Inside the stable, there was a loud snorting sound. Among the horses, a hairy man was lying down, asleep. He was wrapped in some strange leather, which made him look even more like a wild man.

“Gulrak. Wake up.”

There was no answer. Suetlg pointed to a dirty wooden barrel beside him. The water in it was not clean either.

“Splash it.”

“A magic to sober up, I see.”

“Stop the strange jokes.”

𝐒𝐰𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐡!

Along with a curse, the man stood up. Muttering something unintelligible, he looked at Suetlg.

“What kind of motherf*cker. . . Can a guest come and splash water on the host!”

“I was the one who splashed the water.”

“And who are you?”

“Johan of the Yeats family.”

“A knight? I didn’t know Suetlg kept company with knights.”

Gulrak wiped his face with leather and then walked out of the stable, heading to the side.

The building, looking like a storeroom, was filled with all sorts of things.

Gulrak roughly made a space and sat down by himself. Suetlg coughed meaninglessly.

“Shouldn’t you be hosting your guest?”

“I’ll host if I recognize you as a guest. Haven’t done that yet. What brings you here?”

“Came for the help of a talented wizard.”

Gulrak snorted. Knowing Suetlg’s personality, it sounded unbelievable. Wizards often thought they were the smartest in the world.

“To be hosted in a wizard’s home, you know what you must do. Ready for the test?”

It was an old tradition for those visiting a wizard to pass a test to receive hospitality.

Hearing this, Johan remembered the chess game he had with Suetlg.

“Was the chess game a test?”

“No. That was just something I enjoy. It wasn’t my home anyway.”

“Ah.”

“Will you receive it, or refuse it?”

“Is it really necessary? An old friend comes visiting and you bring up old customs.”

“Alright. I’ll accept it.”

Gulrak grumbled but didn’t back down. It seemed he wanted to bring Suetlg down a notch, finding him irritating.

Johan asked quietly.

“What is the test?”

“A test you’ll like.”

Suetlg, responding to Johan, said reluctantly.

“Well, can’t help it then. Go on, try it with the knight here.”

“Suetlg. Aren’t you going to do it?”

“That’s shameless. How could I do such a thing?”

“Isn’t it shameless to pass it off to a knight? Sometimes, a wound to honor hurts more than a physical wound.”

Despite his words, Gulrak rolled up his sleeves and approached. He thought whether it was to embarrass the man Suetlg brought or Suetlg himself, it was the same.

Johan asked.

“So, what is the test?”

“It’s something a knight should know well. Just grab each other and the one who falls loses. Simple, isn’t it?”

“Oh. . .”

A simple test of brute strength!

Johan looked at Suetlg, who nodded with a pleased expression.

It seemed he had been looking forward to this day.

Gulrak, oblivious, urged them on with an innocent expression.

“What are you waiting for? Hurry up. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure no one gets hurt.”

“Well. . . alright. . . Let’s do it.”

Johan stepped forward and grabbed Gulrak’s arm. Gulrak also grabbed Johan’s arm.

Gulrak clicked his tongue.

If Suetlg was the philosopher of the Ipaël River, then Gulrak was the wild man of the Black Forest.

He was enchanted by the mysteries of the forest’s nature and beasts and had inherited their power. He was especially close to bears and could somewhat harness their strength.

Challenging Gulrak to a test of strength was almost like challenging a bear.

Knowing this, Suetlg must have passed the defeat onto this poor young knight.

“Shall I start?”

“As you wish.”

“Alright. Then. . . begin!”

“. . .???”

Gulrak was baffled. The knight in front of him didn’t move an inch. His face turned red with effort, and veins bulged, but Johan remained motionless.

Suetlg burst out laughing on the side. It was then that Gulrak realized he had been tricked.

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