Chapter 029: The Sage, the Sword Master, and the Empress(3)
"Really, all they ever learn is the bad stuff... Tch, tch. Every single one of them with such ugly mugs."
Roland grumbled as if he’d been waiting for the chance.
It was the moment when everyone else had gone outside, leaving just me and the trio.
"Honestly, you’re hardly in a position to say that."
"Ha, there he goes again...! I swear, one day I’ll sew that mouth shut, for real."
The two middle-aged men trading crude banter were... as I said before, the Sage and the Sword Master.
They sat on either side of Adeline.
"Please, take a seat, Bihen Benkou."
Adeline lightly raised her hand, gesturing for me to sit.
My focus, which had been darting left and right between the Sage and the Sword Master, finally settled on her at the center.
"...What’s this about?"
"Pardon?"
"This situation."
As I spoke, my gaze unconsciously shifted to the Sword Master.
Naturally, he was the one among the three who concerned me the most.
"It’s because of you, you punk."
Perhaps sensing my stare, Roland, the Sage, sneered at the Sword Master.
Eugene, who had been adjusting the sleeves of his coat while seated, finally looked up at me.
"Make some time. Our lady here seems to have some questions for you."
There was definitely no hostility in his demeanor.
If he was a master so far beyond me that he could conceal his aura... well, I’d have nothing to say.
"Do you, perhaps, know anything about me?"
It was the first question as soon as I sat down.
I ran my tongue along the inside of my mouth before answering.
"I understand you’re someone of high standing."
"Is that so? I know a little about you."
My head tilted slightly, almost involuntarily.
"You know me?"
"You came with the Gunbel Trading Company, didn’t you? But then you showed some... curious, no, baffling behavior."
...Indeed. She had been watching me.
I didn’t know how that was possible, though.
"Baffling behavior? I’m not sure what you mean."
"While staying with the Gunbel Trading Company, you’ve been acting against their interests."
Her voice, delivered with upright posture, carried both kindness and authority.
Even in this moment, she embodied elegance itself.
...Don’t get carried away, Bihen.
"Stop beating around the bush. I’d prefer if you got to the point."
"I’m curious, that’s all."
It was jarringly flippant.
The contrast with her previous tone made it even more so.
Roland, the Sage, brushed his neatly parted bangs as he continued.
"Like Roxley, the Crimson Flame Cult was also a group we were keeping an eye on. The key was how Zephyros would handle them. But then someone shows up out of nowhere and flips the whole board? And who do we find? An Imperial from the Gunbel Trading Company, working with Zephyros."
"..."
"Why, though? I just don’t get it. Seriously, what’s your deal? What’s your goal to go this far? Makes me wonder if there’s some grand scheme at play."
Roland blinked, looking genuinely dumbfounded.
Adeline maintained her usual expression.
Eugene... well, he was just staring at his nails, as if he couldn’t care less.
...I’m starting to relax a bit.
"You’re supposed to be a Sage, right?"
"This guy... I don’t like being called that."
"Yeah, now that I see you, that title doesn’t suit you."
As Roland’s eyebrows subtly furrowed, Eugene glanced up at me.
I answered while looking at Adeline.
"What reason do I need to help and save people?"
"..."
The Sage gaped silently, the Sword Master let out a snicker, and the Empress remained utterly expressionless.
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"You fought just to save serfs..."
Adeline murmured, breaking the brief silence with her quiet words.
"Now I’m the one who wants to ask. Is it some kind of virtue among Kingdom nobles to neglect the people’s welfare? Every one of them seems obsessed with filling their own bellies."
I lifted my index finger slightly from the armrest.
"You lot were just standing by, weren’t you?"
Roland, who had been chattering away until now, suddenly clamped his mouth shut.
Eugene, on the other hand, had a spark of interest in his eyes.
Adeline, her thoughts still unreadable, finally spoke after a long pause.
"We have our own circumstances."
"Well, your circumstances are none of my concern. I came to this Kingdom for martial training. I have no ties to the Gunbel Trading Company. I just happened to travel on their ship."
I paused briefly, then raised my chin.
There wasn’t a shred of falsehood, so I was utterly confident.
"I have no political motives whatsoever. I saw injustice and didn’t look away, helped the oppressed, and cut down vile scum... I just followed my heart."
"..."
"And I’ll keep doing so."
I’m not eloquent.
I’ve never cared for rhetoric.
Conversation is always clearer and more sincere with a sword than with words.
So, after pouring out everything inside me, I felt relieved... but what was this nagging unease?
‘Ah.’
I pressed my lips together and spoke, offering a sheepish smile.
"I got carried away and spoke too casually. Please forgive my rudeness. One should show utmost respect to foreign nobles, after all."
The three, who had been silently watching with inscrutable expressions, suddenly widened their eyes.
What now?
"It’s fine."
It was Adeline, a faint smile on her lips.
"I came to meet Bihen Benkou, not an Imperial noble. Be at ease."
...Truly the daughter of a duke house.
Then I should respond with equal magnanimity.
"Well, same here."
* * *
A few days had passed since I found myself at the center of a rebellion and met with the trio of heavyweights in quick succession.
We’ll likely meet again soon.
‘...’
Leaving Adeline’s words behind, I walked away. I didn’t think I’d treated them harshly.
‘Who knows what their intentions are.’
I had no intention of easily trusting anyone in the Kingdom.
Especially not nobles.
A swordsman only needs to trust his blade. No need to overthink it.
***
"Hey, Bihen..."
"Hm?"
I opened my eyes just as I was about to roll over.
The ceiling of the guard barracks’ dormitory.
Bill was cautiously shaking my foot, which was sticking out from the bed.
He must’ve thought I was asleep.
"That’s my spot..."
"Oh, sorry."
"No, it’s fine. It happens. I’d let it slide, but I can’t compromise on my nap. I just want to sleep comfortably in my own bed."
Looking outside, the sun was blazing.
After night patrol, a nap was well-earned.
"But, Bihen, why do you keep sleeping here when you have a nice place to stay?"
"Nice place?"
"Yeah, the Gunbel Trading Company’s lodging."
"I won’t be going there anymore."
"Huh? Why?"
I stretched and stepped out of the dormitory.
The full-scale weeding of the barracks was supposed to start today, wasn’t it? Henry was hard at work with a sickle, a basket-like sack slung over his back.
Not wanting to disturb him, I tried to slip away quietly, but Henry spotted me first.
"You’re up, Bihen."
Even doing grueling work, he showed no sign of complaint.
If asked, he’d probably say it’s just his job, so what’s there to dislike?
The building was old, and the barracks were a mess, but the guard’s compound itself was fairly large.
It seemed a bit much for one person to handle alone.
"Oh, hello, Bihen."
Ayan was trudging over from a distance, carrying all sorts of miscellaneous tools.
His posture looked precarious under the weight.
"Right, you’re here."
"Huh?"
"Never mind."
For the past few days, Ayan had been handling odd jobs for the Easton guard.
Jayden had cleverly added a labor expense to the guard’s budget, using it to cover Ayan’s wages.
Honestly, no one else would care, but Jayden was the kind of man who put effort into every little detail.
"Ugh, let’s take a quick break, Ayan."
"Okay!"
Ayan hurriedly uncapped a canteen and handed it to Henry.
He was brimming with discipline.
I plopped down nearby.
"Canchester must be busy too. You’re working hard."
"Hard? Nah. The only hassle is the old-timers nagging me to bring you over."
After that day, Canchester had reportedly decided to keep out any external organizations for the time being.
It seemed Adeline Conwell had exerted some influence.
Given that it wasn’t just an ordinary village but a specialized hub for blacksmiths, they likely deemed immediate security measures unnecessary.
Well, I agreed with that.
"Still, you should show your face there sometime. They’re calling you Canchester’s hero."
That morning, after meeting Adeline and slipping out of Roxley’s hideout, the blacksmiths who’d joined the rebellion were all passed out, the night’s fervor completely dissipated.
Since returning, I hadn’t been back to Canchester, so Henry’s attempts to polish my reputation didn’t really resonate.
"It’s not about that, but I do need to go there sometime. I originally went to get my sword sharpened. The smiths in Easton don’t handle weapons."
"Go. They’ll probably fight over who gets to help you. For free, of course."
How long had it been since I’d traded silly banter like this? I was just starting to savor the moment when—
My gaze drifted to the barracks’ main gate.
It was called a gate, but the terrain was so rough that horses couldn’t pass, and there wasn’t even a signboard, let alone a door, making the name feel overdue for a change.
Something suspicious was stirring there.
"What’s that?"
As I stood up abruptly, Henry followed suit.
The scenery around the gate seemed to crumple, and in an instant, a large, oval-shaped mass of bluish fog appeared.
Tssssss—
Two people stepped out of it as casually as if they were walking through a door.
One was a young man, and the other was someone I recognized.
‘Sage Roland.’
As soon as they set foot on the ground, the blue fog vanished without a trace.
Henry and I were too stunned to speak...
"Ughhh!"
The young man dropped to his knees and started retching on the spot.
"Tch, tch. A young guy with such a weak stomach."
"I-I told you, I get motion sickness even in a carriage!"
"Wow... Look at this brazen punk. So how’s a tax-fiddling guy like you been getting around to sites all this time, huh? Holed up in an office?"
"Ugh... Tax collection is the collector’s job! I’m a treasurer, a treasurer."
"Money-grubbers are all the same. Oi, you brat, you deserve another hit."
The man got a kick to the backside from Roland and toppled into his own vomit.
Roland, sweeping his bangs aside like opening a curtain, approached.
"Bihen Benkou. Impressive. Making me come all the way out here in person."
I was debating how to handle him when Henry whispered beside me.
"Who’s that?"
Come to think of it, his title was an issue.
Calling him by name alone felt off—his flippant demeanor couldn’t fully mask an overwhelming presence that made it hard to be casual.
"What should I call you?"
It was the first thing I said after some thought.
"If I told you to call me ‘lord,’ would you?"
"That won’t do."
"Then don’t. Just call me whatever. Even that punk does, so what’s the problem?"
The young man, barely standing, muttered.
"When did I ever call you casually...?"
"Shut it! You’re guilty of dereliction and insolence. Better brace for a pay cut."
"..."
"Now, let’s see."
Roland, hands behind his back, whistled as he tried to pass us.
Henry stepped in front of him.
"Uh, I can tell you’re someone important, but..."
"Hm? What’s up?"
"I’m Henry, quartermaster for the Easton guard.
This may be a barracks, but... I can’t just let someone in without knowing who they are, especially since we’ve met like this. If that sounded rude, I apologize."
What would this situation be like in the Empire?
Henry deserved a commendation for exemplary service.
As he said, this was a barracks.
The military is one of the few places where lineage doesn’t trump discipline.
‘But this is the Kingdom.’
I couldn’t help but tense up. What if Roland took offense?
"...Ha!"
Roland let out a sigh, then abruptly turned and kicked the backside of the man who’d called himself a treasurer.
"Argh! Why’d you hit me again!"
"Look at that! That’s a true public servant earning his keep! Learn from him, you scrawny punk!"
Henry was impressive, but I was just as startled.
Roland adjusted his bangs again, then smiled brightly as if nothing had happened and approached Henry.
"My apologies. I’m Roland Fremur. They call me Count Neville, but I’m not fond of the title. I served as steward for the great Duke of Conwell for forty years, barely retired, and now I’m dragged around by his daughter, suffering like this. If you don’t want me here, I’ll leave."
Henry straightened up, clearly not expecting this.
"N-No, that’s not it!"
"Impressive, Henry. I already knew of you. From Canchester. Very brave. Left quite an impression."
Henry blinked in surprise. Roland patted his shoulder as he passed, followed by the treasurer scurrying after him.
Henry whispered, watching their backs.
"What’s going on? Why’s he here...? Wait, how does he know me?"
"Is he that big a deal?"
Henry shot me a look like I was crazy.
He’d briefly forgotten I was an Imperial.
"Sage Roland. Once called the real power in Conwell. Second only to the lord himself."
"Hm, that level?"
I scratched my chin, glancing at Roland’s retreating figure, when I felt a prickling on the side of my face.
Turning, I saw...
Henry staring at me like I was insane.