CH 15

Chapter 15 – The Swordsman with a Red Hat and Cape

“How did you get here?”

Arje kept looking at the man named Banu. The man named Banu had an awe-striking appearance, even for my standards. 

“I came to save you, Miss Arberaj.”

“Please do not call me Arberaj.”

Arje was wearing a mask, but if he could recognize her, they probably know each other. From the fact that he called her Arberaj, he must be from the kingdom.

“That should not be your concern right now, Miss Arberaj.”

The smile on Banu was a bit annoying, but what he said was true. It was no time for a nonchalant conversation.

“He’s right, Arje! Let’s talk once we get out of here!”

We had to get as far away from the elf as possible.

Kwang!

As soon as I finished my sentence, we heard an explosion from the saloon. Although I felt sorry for the soldiers and the rest of the people there, since we were the elf’s target, we had to escape first to survive.

“Arje you say… Is that your name now?”

Banu chuckled, then reached his hand out to Arje.

“Please get onboard.”

Arje looked at Banu, sighed, then took his hand and got on the carriage.

“Miss Aris! Please take my..”

Peter also tried to copy Banu and took his hand out, but

“It’s fine! Just start!”

Instead of taking his hand, I jumped onto the back of the carriage.

“Haha, it’s a little bit too soon for you, I suppose.”

As Banu snorted at Peter, Peter turned bright red.

“Peter! Hurry! Go!”

The reason I rushed him was because I stopped hearing all the explosions coming from the bar. 

“Ah, yes!”

As soon as Peter’s carriage started to move, 

Kazam!

The wooden support of the saloon crashed and then an elf with a ghostly face popped out. 

“Where is she!”

The elf started to glare at the people outside with a horrifying face, and the people started to run from fear. 

“Rabbit, where are you!”

But the elf had one target: me.

“Oh my!”

Peter freaked out after he saw the elf’s face.

“Hiya!”

And then 

Then, slamming the reins, he began to accelerate.

“Rabbit! Do you think you will live after making my face like this? You are dead! 

I will find you no matter what and kill you!”

Fortunately, the elf did not locate me and then started to pour out curses at me.

“Wow.”

I swore to God that I did not want to run into her ever again.

“Aris, are you all right?”

Arje checked on me. 

“I’m fine! I don’t feel a thing.”

I said that I was fine, but Arje was still observing me.

“But, your ears are straight up and shaking.”

It was probably because I was focusing on trying to hear signs of the elf. 

“No, this is not from fear, but rather, are you all right?”

“I’m fine, no worries.”

Arje talked as if she was not bothered.

“No, I mean you just got yourself a home, but now you have to relocate.”

Arje had prepared that plush bed and other things, it must be hard to be running away leaving behind all that.

“The house will always remain there. It does not matter.”

Although she said this, I could hear a sigh coming from her as she turned her head. All things aside, you cannot fool my sense of hearing.”

“Of course it matters. Don’t worry. When things settle down, let’s return.”

As I spoke to Arje while holding her warm hands, I heard a ‘pfft’  underneath the mask.

“Do you know? You just sounded really manly just now, Aris.”

“I did?”

Should I be happy or sad about it?

“Hold!”

As we approached the kingdom gates, the guards blocked the entrance with spears.

“No one can get out of the kingdom in an emergency!”

The guards yelled at us, but started to stutter when they saw Banu.

“Huh?”

“Yes. I believe that you all know who I am.”

One could say that he was showing off, but the soldiers nodded right away.

“Please let us out, for my sake.”

Although Banu spoke softly, the soldiers moved aside with frightened faces.

“We are sorry for causing you trouble! Please go ahead!”

“All right. Thanks.”

The guards saluted until we passed the gates.

“Sorry that I got a salute instead of you.”

Banu apologized to Arje, but did not seem sorry at all.

“It’s fine. I wear a mask because I don’t want to be treated in such ways.”

Banu just laughed at her words, but did not say anything back.

“I think we are finally out!”

Peter let out a relieved sigh and looked at the city. 

“What the hell was that elf from earlier? She was totally different from what I know of elves!”

Peter was right. She was more like a witch in the form of an elf.

“Yes, unlike her appearance, she had quite a temper.”

Banu guffawed as if he was entertained.

“It’s funny? Even though we almost died?”

Arje fired at Banu in an angry voice, but Banu still looked at Arje with an annoying smile.

“So, you should return to the palace, Lady Arberaj.”

“Do not call me that…I will never return, as I have said before.”

“The king is very sad.”

“Sad? For his nature, he would probably be angry.”

“Ah, I cannot fool you.”

“If you are trying to convince me next time, try to be more believable, Banu.”

“I will keep that in mind, Lady Arberaj.”

“There you go again!”

As he made it obvious that he was from the palace since his initial appearance, Banu was someone from the palace. Wait. Banu….hmm…

“Oh!”

When I screamed from realization, all looked back at me.

“Why? What’s wrong? Did you get hurt?”

Arje came first and then started to look at my arms and legs for scars.”

“No, it’s not that.”

I pointed at Banu.

“He’s the imperial swordsman!”

I finally remembered. The imperial head swordsman and the greatest swordsman mankind has ever seen, Banu. In the novel, he was described as a man with a handsome face dressed in red. It was true. 

“Do the bunnies know of me as well?”

And as he appears as the rival of Jarrod in the original novel, he should be pretty stern towards dual specimens.

“More than that, for such a pretty lady to know my name. I guess I have lived a pretty fulfilling life.”

No, he was a bit different. In the original novel, he was the one who saw Jarood then said, ‘get off of lady Arberaj, you inferior dual specimen bastard.’

“This man literally cannot get his head straight when he sees a pretty woman. Please keep in mind your position, imperial swordmaster.”

Arje sighed as if his reaction was pathetic. Was he acting nicer because I am a woman? What a pathetic man.

“Haha!”

Banu laughed again, then looked at me.

“So who is this young lady who keeps following you? Miss Arberaj…”

As if he felt Arje’s glare from underneath her mask, Banu let out a dry cough.

“Cough, is this lady your majesty’s pet?”

Did he see me as a pet?

“A pet?”

When I looked at Banu with an angry face, Arje took my side.

“A pet? No! This girl’s name is Aris Wafer, and she is my companion helping me save dual specimens.”

Arje introduced me in an elaborated fashion.

“A companion? What can that kid do?”

To help Banu answer his curiosity, I opened my mouth with pride. 

“I am swordsman Aris Wafer. I believe that you are also a fellow swordsman. Nice to meet you.”

I introduced myself, generously forgiving him for calling me a pet, but Banu still looked at me with a  smirk. 

“But as a swordsman, do you not carry a sword?”

When I thought about it, I did not have time to get my rapier back after throwing it towards the elf. And as Banu’s words, for a swordsman to lose his sword is the greatest shame of a swordsman. I knew it well.

“I will get one.”

A sword should be easy to find in this world.

“Is that so?”

Banu chuckled.

“No swordsman should go around without a sword. Especially one who accompanies the royal majesty.”

“Are you mocking me?”

I unconsciously tapped my foot loudly. 

“Even your angry mode is cute.”

Banu looked at me with a smile. I was going to add something, but

“So, where will you get a sword?”

Instead of getting angry at Banu, I shrugged.

“There are a lot of swords out there.”

Then Banu shook his head.

“Was it just talk when you called yourself a swordsman?”

“What?”

I was going to give him something to shut up about, but he had lost his smile from his face.

“There are a lot of swords. However, one who accompanies the majesty needs a matching sword.”

I knew what he was saying.

“Then you must know a place where I could get one?”

Banu finally smiled again.

“You at least know to take a hint. If you couldn’t, I would have dropped you off right here.”

“Banu!”

“I am just joking, no need to be so surprised!”

Banu calmed Arje down and then looked towards me again.

“Of course I know where you can get such a sword. And if you can get the sword, it will be proof that you are worthy of protecting the majesty, so I will no longer question your skills.”

Banu was talking about a qualification test.

“Aris, don’t listen to this guy. He is not someone to trust.”

“I am heartbroken, lady Arberaj.”

“Shut up.”

As Arje said, it wasn’t necessary, but for the greatest swordsman of mankind to mention it, the sword for the test must be a great one.

“It’s all good. I will take the challenge.”

“Now you seem like a swordsman.”

Banu made a satisfied smile, then looked at Peter.

“To the city of sun. Let’s go to Helos.”

“Huh? Me? All the way till Helos?”

Peter gaped his mouth open.

“Yes. I will have to make an adjustment to our agreement. You can do it, right?”

Peter made a flustered face from Banu’s ask, but after Banu whispered something into his ears, Peter turned bright red.

“O..Okay! I will go!”

Then he turned the direction of the carriage. 

“Peter, what the hell did that guy tell you?”

I asked Peter, but Peter could not reply and just focused on driving the carriage.

“Banu, you didn’t threaten to kill him if he were to expose our conversation or identity, right?”

“Well, I did at first. But now, it’s something different.”

“Something else?”

Arje looked at Peter as well, but Peter was red even upto his ears and was diligently driving the horses.

What in the world did Banu tell him?