TL/Editor: raei
Status: 5/week mon-fri
Illustrations: none
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Ian left Heltingen under Sir Rima's escort.
Though Fin must have issued search orders, Sir Rima didn't even pretend to follow them.
The knight's subordinates were the same.
They were Heltingen's soldiers, not Fin's men.
"Thank you for your help, Sir Rima."
Sir Rima just nodded with a face as rigid as marble.
He was so tight-lipped that Ian felt awkward trying to make conversation.
He seemed like the type who could have an interesting "not talking competition" with Carl the earth wizard.
"I only did what needed to be done," Sir Rima finally said after a long pause.
"Fin lacks the capability to rule Heltingen. What's worse is his refusal to acknowledge his own shortcomings."
Sir Rima spoke his complaints about the lord quite openly.
The fact that he could openly criticize a noble showed just how formidable a knight he was.
"I assume he wanted to kill Arc because of the succession issue."
"You're well informed."
Though Sir Rima didn't know the contents of the previous count's will, he could guess how things had played out even without knowing the details.
Baron Mud had been staring at the ground silently the whole time.
Ignoring Baron Mud, Sir Rima addressed Ian.
"I've been watching Fin ever since he started meddling with Heltingen's priest. Seems he was plotting something sinister."
"Good guess, Sir."
Ian briefly recounted what had happened with Lord Fin.
Sir Rima nodded as if he'd expected it.
"We'll need to bring the priest back."
"There's no need to confront the lord right away. Even though things went wrong, we still have Father Berum."
"What do you think, wizard?"
Ian shrugged.
"Nothing special. First we need to get House Dufel's treasure, then use Heltingen's priest's help to drive those two out."
Sir Rima muttered expressionlessly.
"The city council will be pleased."
One man's misfortune is another's joy - as House Dufel weakened, the Heltingen city council would naturally grow stronger.
"Return when you've found the family treasure, Arc."
Sir Rima addressed Baron Mud.
The baron, who had kept silent until then, finally managed a response.
"... Are you giving me orders now, Sir Rima?"
"..."
Ian, caught in the middle, was startled.
Shit. This bastard wasn't Pentagon, so why was he suddenly throwing spears around? What the hell.
Arc's precious (or impulsive) words instantly ruined the atmosphere.
"What did you say?"
"You... After never once looking for me all this time! Now you tell me to find the family treasure?"
"..."
"I was just another piece in his collection from the start! Just a collectible emphasizing barbaric blood! And now..."
Baron Mud's voice trailed off.
Sir Rima, who had been listening silently, delivered a heavy response.
It wasn't an apology saying 'I'm sorry for everything until now...'
"Stop being childish, Arc."
"..."
"The Count could have thrown you out, or even killed you. The only reason you're still alive despite everyone knowing you're the Count's bastard is because of his mercy."
Baron Mud didn't answer.
He went back to his silent mode, just staring at the ground.
Naturally, Sir Rima bid farewell to Ian.
"Well then, I leave it to you, wizard."
"I owe Lord Fin a debt. I'll return with good news soon."
As a knight of Heltingen, Sir Rima couldn't travel far.
After parting with him, Ian rode slowly.
Now only Ian, Belenka, and Baron Mud remained on the road.
Belenka pointed at Baron Mud and asked,
"Ian. Why did you bring him along? And what happened at the lord's manor?"
"W-Well... I could have just run away..."
"Oh yeah? Then try running. But if I catch you, you die."
"..."
"I said run. What's wrong? Suddenly lost your confidence?"
"M-Master Ian...!"
Under Belenka's harassment, Baron Mud appealed to Ian about his diminishing mentality.
Ian silently pushed Baron Mud away with his foot.
#
Belenka was in a bad mood after being dragged away from shopping, and Baron Mud made a good target for venting.
"Hey thief."
"Yes! I'm a thief!"
Ian was greatly impressed by Baron Mud's response.
In this medieval fantasy world, he'd seen many classes like knights, wizards, and priests in his party, but this was his first time having a thief class.
Thief, Baron Mud!
Specialties: lockpicking, avoiding traps, stealing treasures from others' graves!
Wow, a real thief!
"Answer quickly! Want to be hanged?"
"Eek! Spare me! Noble knight!"
"..."
But unlike the romantic stealth characters from other RPG games, this medieval fantasy world's thief was... just a criminal bastard.
Not so great after all, thief thief...
Well. In this era, someone who introduced themselves as a thief couldn't possibly be a proper person.
"Your father's a noble, right?"
"..."
"So why do we have to go through all this trouble?"
It could have been a sensitive question.
But the thoroughly irritated Belenka lacked such delicacy at the moment, and Baron Mud had to give some kind of answer.
"I am Count Dufel's son... but I wasn't born to a married couple."
"I heard. You're the count's bastard?"
Ian listened to Baron Mud's story from the side and soon lost patience.
The former Count Dufel was truly an odd one.
"My mother was a slave sold from the Sand Empire."
"A slave?"
Belenka was shocked at the first words.
Nobles getting involved with slaves was actually quite rare.
Why would a noble stoop to touching a dirty, lowly slave?
Not when beautiful women would line up just for some money to warm their beds.
An extremely beautiful slave?
If she was that beautiful, someone would have already made her their mistress and kept her close.
Generally, slaves doing menial work were definitely not beauties, no matter how generously you looked at it.
But... the world of fetishes is wide and deep.
"Father apparently fell for mother's 'wild' look."
"..."
"Well. People from the Sand Empire do look somewhat barbaric, don't they?"
The former Count Dufel had a barbarian fetish.
He hated the civilized(?) Holy Empire and dreamed of living in the cold, desolate north.
That's why he went after Baron Mud's mother, and Baron Mud was born.
"To that man, I was just another collectible. He wanted others to know about me, but never treated me as a son."
Ian nodded.
It seemed unlikely that Baron Mud would have positive feelings toward House Dufel.
'That's why his reaction was lukewarm when told to inherit the count's title.'
Even a noble title that most would snap up eagerly, Baron Mud didn't particularly want.
Perhaps he even wanted to sever all ties with House Dufel.
'I just need to get my hands on the treasure.'
---
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