Chapter 36: The burning capital? (2) (4)

At a certain tavern, rioters were on the verge of breaking in.

“Tear down everything! Take back everything! Their booze had always belonged to the people!”

“We are here to take back liquor produced from the wheat and grapes of farmers!”

“...None of this makes sense!?”

The owner angrily shouted back at the rioters who were trying to break the table that was being used to fence the gate. Unlike other establishments, this was just a small tavern serving cheap booze. Why were they being labelled as oppressors instead of allies of the people?

“What the heck is wrong with these people...”

“Yeah, really...”

Nikola, a frequent customer of this tavern, agreed readily with the owner. What in the world was happening. Just as per normal, he was done for the day and headed for the tavern. This was a perfectly normal day so why was he involved in this now?

What reason do these rioters have for ignoring the tavern’s contribution for the people and for them to direct their violence towards the tavern.

Yes, there were some shady people among the merchants. But those kinds of people were just a small handful. Nikola himself could be considered to be running his own business, though the scale was relatively small. He was completely undeserving of the current situation. Similarly, though he felt bad about it, this was just a cheap tavern that can barely turn any profit. The same probably goes for the shops around here too.

These people were robbing innocent people of their lives and property.

“Isn’t this just a new way to rob others?”

The owner could only laugh dryly at Nikola’s comments.

“Yes! That is it! They are no different from thieves at all.”

In the meantime, he piled up wooden crates and barrels to strengthen the table blockade.

“...Can you smell something burning along that direction? They must be burning somebody’s shop. Stealing, killing, arson. These must be the worst villains we have seen so far!”

“Aren’t we in trouble, ol’ gramps!?”

A customer who happened to be present stood with an grave expression.

“If this place burns up, we can’t fight back at all! Won’t the booze catch fire!?”

“This shop doesn’t have the kind of high purity, expensive booze.”

“Even so!”

The customer lips quivered. He held out his hands in the air, clenching and unclenching his hands, as though he was grabbing somebody by the collar.

The end is nigh, Nikola realised.

That was the person strange quirk whenever he becomes stressed and when somebody big was about to happen. Once, he joined as an onlooker and was witnessing a fight between some hooligans. Just before a guy pulled out his knife, this same customer made the same movements.

“Sticking here would be the same! I-I’m l-leaving!”

“Hm!? Stop!”

A man let out the panicked scream and wanted to run towards the blockaded exit. Nikola promptly pinned him down. He was probably going to get rid of the blockade if that was what it took to leave. Even though he was pinned down, he tried desperately to reach for the exit.

“Let me go! Get out of the way! Why are you getting in my way!? Are you friends of the people outside!?”

“Ugh!? Hey, stop!”

The man desperately elbowed Nikola who held onto him. Nikola vision was obstructed momentarily by some sparks of sorts. He could feel an impact on his nose and the warmth in it. Blood gushed out from Nikola’s nose. Nikola’s grip on the man loosened.

“Argh!”

“Ah!?”

A sound of something dull came from behind and the man he held on to lost strength. Puzzled about what had conspired, Nikola looked up.

“Oof…, Chloe?”

“Hah...Hah...Are you alright, Nikola?”

Chloe, the barmaid, holding a beer mug and breathing roughly. The man beside him now laid still with a lump on his head. Looks like she helped by knocking the man out.

“Thank you.”

“I am glad. Ah! Blood! Blood is flowing out!”

“Ah, it is just a nosebleed. Nothing to worry about. You were quite the daring one though...”

He made the jokes, perhaps because he felt at ease now. Chloe bashfully laughed it off while hiding the beer mug behind her. The tavern keeper smiled.

“Heh! She is a lady from the lower part of the city. Since she is not a noble, of course she knows how to handle a drunkard or two.”

“Stop teasing me!”

Chloe’s cheeks turned red from embarrassment. Nikola felt more relaxed. Still, their situation remained very much unchanged and there were still violent noises from outside the tavern.

“Hey! Are you listening! Shit! How long are you planning to hole up there, you evil poisoning pig!”

The rioters were still trying to break through. The endless sound of them recklessly kicking, punching and hitting the wooden barricades poured in.They should not be breaking in any time soon since it seemed they lack an appropriate tool like an axe.

“Do you guys want to be burned alive!? If not, get the hell out!”

The angry voice from across the walls sent a shock to Chloe. Nikola carefully placed his hand on her shoulders and said quietly to her.

“I-It will be fine. If they are still threatening us like that, it actually means they cannot do anything else. So the shop won’t be burned anytime soon.”

“Nikola…?”

“Very likely, their oil is currently being used to attack somewhere else. I’m sure the people out there don’t even have a fire starter.”

Nikola was rather confident in his conjecture. After all, he could not hear one bit of reason nor patience from the man shouting outside. If he had the means to burn the place up, surely he would not have spared a thought at negotiation and simply burn up the tavern.

Which basically meant that they currently lack the means to do so.

The tavern keeper rubbed his chin, appearing convinced and gave a fishy look to Nikola.

“What if they regrouped with the others with the guys who can start a fire? Wouldn’t it just be a matter of time...”

“Hm, yup. But...”

Nikola gulped down all his fears and maintained a cool front. Though he has never once had anything smooth sailing for him.

“...if it is a matter of time, that is the same for them too.”

“Oh?”

“They are making a huge riot in the capital. Surely the knights would be rounding them up anytime soon?”

Nikola said those optimistic words not to persuade the tavern keeper and Chloe, but to convince himself. This was Brousounne, the capital of the Arquell Kingdom. The knights stationed here were the most elite and most renowned amongst the military might of the Arquell Kingdom. Surely, they would not let these ruffians do as they like forever. If the knights are coming, they would be able to exterminate these people…

This was Nikola’s, as well as the entire city dwellers’ final hope. With those words, Chloe and the tavern keeper could force a smile.

“R-Right! The knights would definitely come and save us!”

“Seriously. If not, where is all our tax money going to...”

While they were in the midst of conversation, sounds of breaking could be heard. Would the knights arrive first or would the defences of the tavern wear out first? Or perhaps these people would regroup with the guys with the oil first?

The powerless inhabitants of Brousounne huddled together, shivering in wait of the conclusion.

Nikola’s conjecture had two pitfalls. First, who was the target of these rioters? Second, the knights that he spoke of, who did they belong to? However, pointing out these flaws were meaningless. For the powerless, there was nothing they could do but wait.