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When Johan saw the orc who came to visit, he wondered who it was. Only after the orc spoke did he recognize him. It was the orc from the Alarhim family he had met at the mansion.
“May I come in?”
Johan shrugged his shoulders and gestured for him to come in. He had wondered why the servants asked, ‘𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘦 𝘥𝘰 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵?’ It was because the guest was an orc.
Many were reluctant to let orcs into their mansions. Letting one in without the master’s permission could result in a whipping.
“Thank you for allowing me. I came to thank you for saving my life.”
“It was what I had to do.”
The orc was internally amazed at Johan’s demeanor, treating a guest so naturally. It was too unfamiliar for a young knight.
“Did you receive your reward properly?”
“Of course.”
🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸
After everything was settled, Johan received heartfelt thanks from both Count Ganolwood and Sir Karpati.
Especially for Count Ganolwood, this incident was like a bolt from the blue. The city’s conquest, which was the biggest challenge, was easily accomplished, and to think such a thing happened within the city.
━𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲. . . 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡. 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮.
In return, Count Ganolwood cautiously offered some advice.
━𝐈𝐟 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐚-𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐢𝐭.
━𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲. . .
━𝐘-𝐘𝐞𝐬. 𝐈 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝.
Count Ganolwood guessed what Johan was thinking.
Initially thought to be just a young knight favored by the duke, his insane performance in the punitive expedition drew inevitable attention. Information about what kind of knight he was had already been gathered from the surroundings.
While other knights would have already tried to mingle with the children of the Brduhe family, Johan was not like that at all. He was clearly keeping his distance on purpose.
━𝐁-𝐁𝐮𝐭, 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐝.
━𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐚-𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐢𝐧?
━𝐍-𝐍𝐨. 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭. 𝐖-𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐠-𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝. 𝐓-𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐭. 𝐄-𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐚-𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐠, 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐲𝐨𝐮?
━𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲?
Count laughed scornfully.
━𝐘-𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝-𝐝𝐮𝐤𝐞. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐚-𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞. . . 𝐚-𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬, 𝐢𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐭-𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐧.
The duke’s children were not fools. They wouldn’t do such pointless things. Johan understood what Count meant.
━𝐄-𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐟 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬, 𝐭-𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐉-𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥, 𝐚-𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧.
━𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐞.
━𝐈-𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐚 𝐤𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭-𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐫. 𝐈-𝐈’𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬. 𝐈-𝐈’𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐲.
🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸
“Count Ganolwood is a clever person,”
said the orc, snorting. The expression on his face was not a pleasant one.
“Is there a problem?”
“Ha! How many times has that guy cunningly extorted money from the orcs through trials. . . He’s a tenacious character.”
Johan didn’t bother to respond. There was nothing to be gained by engaging in slander about the Count .
Coaxing and appeasing the wealthy to extract money was a skill. There were more than a few nobles who borrowed money and brazenly failed to repay it. . .
“So, did you come here just to convey your gratitude? You could have sent a servant for that.”
“Acting grateful in such a manner is something only a rude person would do. If one has self-respect and pride, they can’t express gratitude that way.”
The orc pulled out a rolled-up certificate and laid it in front of Johan. Johan looked at it quizzically.
“If you’re a knight, there must be times when you’re short of money. I promise you gold in the name of the Alarhim family.”
“Is this a gift?”
“What are you talking about? It’s a loan.”
Johan was slightly disappointed at the orc’s expression, which seemed to say, ‘𝘋𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘯𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦.’
But even lending it was a big deal. Merchants lending money to nobles was because of the appropriate collateral.
From various lands to rights. But Johan was a poor knight with almost nothing. All he had was his fists and a sword.
“I’ll accept it gratefully.”
Johan did not show a reaction like, ‘𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦!’ He expressed his gratitude and quickly pocketed it.
“. . . . . .”
Normally, other nobles also reacted that way when they were really desperate. But it was strange for Johan, who didn’t seem in a hurry, to behave like that. The orc looked at Johan as if he found him peculiar.
“So, are you following Repiata-gong?”
“It’s a contract relationship. We provide the gold, and Gong will. . .”
The rest didn’t need to be said. They were obviously expecting various rights and privileges.
“Some fools despise us for colluding with them, but it’s a laugh. Is there a noble without a money source? Are the souls of merchants cleaner than ours? Even the normally arrogant nobles beg us in desperation.”
“That’s true. Gold is supreme.”
“. . .????”
The orc hesitated in the middle of speaking.
“Are you flattering me?”
“Why would I flatter you?”
As Johan asked curiously, the orc flinched.
He had been speaking as usual, but remembering Johan swinging his fists and killing mercenaries in the mansion made him recall.
The orc quickly straightened his posture. He thought it unlikely to be killed, but acting recklessly was foolish.
“N-Never mind then. I misspoke because I didn’t think a knight would understand the value of gold. Please understand.”
Contrary to the orc’s worry, Johan had no intention of killing him. He could extort a huge amount of gold later, so that much misbehavior was tolerable.
“You really seem strong, where are you planning to go next?”
“Hmm? I have a fief to check on.”
“You could send an administrator for that. Why bother going yourself?”
Johan, who wasn’t setting up a family of knights nor intending to sit as a feudal lord, had no reason to personally visit each town to check.
“Shouldn’t a young knight aspire for greater opportunities, whether following his lord or roaming the battlefield?”
‘𝘐𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨?’
The orc thought to himself.
Johan seemed to covet the territories governed by the nearby small kingdoms and city-states, gathering soldiers for this purpose.
The area was rife with targets for conquest, and the small kingdoms and city-states were preoccupied with various matters. It was a good time to attack.
However, this was a misconception of the orc. The afterimage he saw in the mansion had left a strong impression. He thought of Johan as a knight forged in blood and violence.
“It’s better to see for myself, then.”
“Why bother seeing the town in person?”
“It might help with managing my fiefdom. Why do you keep questioning my desire to inspect my own fiefdom?”
“N-No reason.”
Nobles did engage in fiefdom management. A savvy feudal lord would choose crops effectively, hire additional people without family, prepare useful equipment, and increase the annual harvest.
But this was typically the work of a bishop-origin feudal lord, not something knights usually did.
The management by knights was much simpler: collect taxes, collect more if insufficient, earn elsewhere if still lacking, and suppress any rebellions that arose. . .
The orc began to doubt his assessment of this knight.
Incredibly, it seemed there might have been a glint of intelligence in the knight’s eyes, as impossible as it sounded.