Chapter 420: How to Live as a Wandering Knight (1)

Chapter 420: How to Live as a Wandering Knight (1)

Above Ground. In a remote village in the southern continent, 'Wakewack'.

This village, which had always been warm and humid and had abundant fruit crops, had been suffering from unprecedented drought and famine in recent decades, even hundreds of years.

The drought is so extreme that the ground is parched and cracked, and the trees and grasses are not only dying, but burning to a crisp.

Wildfires of epic proportions have scorched the mountains and dried up the lakes, decimating the wild animals and aquatic species.

Open dungeons everywhere are causing monster damage to explode.

Whiiiiing-

A hot, dry wind carries ash.

It blows from the opposite mountain range, which has been reduced to a pile of charcoal by a forest fire.

These pungent ash blowing in with the wind sucked up every bit of moisture that was left, further impoverishing people's spirits.

...And.

Across the desolate wasteland, a wanderer made his way.

Dull black armor peeked out from beneath a tattered black cloak.

A plague doctor's mask with a long stork's beak hung below his waist, and a long object wrapped in bandages was carried on his back.

cheolkeog- cheolkeodeog-

Every time he took a step that seemed arduous, the sound of the joints of the armor clicking together rang out faintly.

Wandering Knight. Speechless. This is a group of people that can be seen often, if not commonly, in these difficult times.

The black-armored wanderer arrived in Wakewack with weary steps.

He headed straight for the nearest tavern, pushing open the dried-out wooden door and taking a seat in a corner.

Between famine, drought, forest fires, and monster damage, the town's food situation was not good.

It was reflected in the drinks and snacks served at the tavern.

Two handfuls of boiled beans on a bare plate, a glass of steaming beer.

At least it was a tavern, and you got what you paid for.

The Wandering Knight checked the mask strapped to his waist and drank his beer in silence.

Then.

A commotion began to emanate from the tavern's center table.

Two men, apparently vigilantes, were having a conversation.

Since ancient times, taverns have been a hotbed of rumors, both past and present.

And many would agree that a group of men with nothing better to do than get drunk and argue about politics.

"So. Are you conservative or progressive?"

"Well, I'm always a progressive. What about you?"

"W-what are you asking? I am a conservative, a conservative!"

They argue about their views on the current state of affairs on the continent.

"Oh, of course the throne should go to the right man! Isn't it only right that the First Prince be crowned? Don Quixote and Usher and Leviathan are doing a great job!"

"I think the Second Prince is fine, and I can understand the choices of Baskerville, Morg, Bourgeois, and Quovadis."

"Eh- So you're saying they were right to stage a coup?"

"No, it's not a coup, It's just a fight to stand in line. Since it is a political fight, it is correct to call it a civil war."

"So. Is it right for the Seven Families of the Old Country to be fighting a civil war at this time, and the Second Prince they're crowning as Emperor hasn't appeared in front of the people in decades? I don't even know if he exists anymore!"

"Ugh, you're being disrespectful. Isn't it the same for the First Prince's faction to be waging a civil war in these times? Why do you blame it on the Second Prince's faction?"

The current situation on the continent was extremely complicated.

Aside from the massive wildfires spreading across the Empire, and the devastating drought, famine, and monster damage, the political powers were engaged in a fierce civil war among themselves.

However, there was also a rumor that was a ray of hope for the people.

"Let's stop talking about this."

"That's right, it's all for the high and mighty."

"More than that, have you heard the rumor?"

"What rumor?"

"The vigilantes roaming the continent."

"Aren't we the vigilantes?"

"This guy! not a lowly vigilante like us. I'm talking about Wandering Knights, who operates all over the Empire."

"Wandering Knights? In this day and age, that's just a rumor."

"No! Listen!"

A hopeful rumor that soothes the hearts of people devastated by all kinds of natural disasters.

It was a story about the NIGHT WALKERS, a civilian group of vigilantes.

"They travel thousands of kilometers a day, slaying monsters, and they're supposed to be incredibly powerful."

"Does that make sense?"

"No! I heard they showed up and destroyed a horde of monsters when I went to the city across the street! Is that all? They offered food, water, and God's blessing if they followed them, and they took refugees in droves. Half the city's population followed them."

"If there are such righteous people, why don't they show up in our town? I'm afraid we'll be killed by the gnolls."

"...Well, maybe it's because there are fewer people and the damage area is so large?"

"Yes, let's say it is, because we need that hope to survive."

The only force that has the support of the people.

They are the vigilantes, the Night Walkers.

A group of mysterious figures who have rallied under the slogan, "Even the strongest darkness is beaten back by the weakest light.

They traveled across the continent under the somewhat childish nicknames of "Saint of the Night," "Knight of the Night," "Sniper of the Night," "Warrior of the Night," "Wealthy of the Night," and "Queen of the Night," respectively.

And like the old oral fairy tale 'The Pied Piper,' they whispered salvation with sweet words and took countless people to distant places.

People were scared even as they waited for them.

They were hopeful but wary.

Longing, curiosity, hope, anxiety, vigilance, fear... or just plain snorting at the sound of nothingness, they still follow them today.

And then.

...bang!

The tavern door shattered open and a vigilante soldier rushed in.

"Raid, It's a raid! let's go!"

At the same time, the horns of the monsters' invasion began to echo throughout the village.

Tuuuuuu-

Even before the sound could be heard, the people in the tavern were on their feet.

The two soldiers who had just been arguing over politics quickly grabbed their swords and spears and ran, while the tavern owner put everything aside and took refuge in the cellar.

"Everyone, get to the underground cellar!"

The people in the tavern looked contemplative, but in a very familiar motion, they followed the tavern owner to the passageway below.

....

The tavern was silent in an instant.

ppigeudeog-

It was at that time that the Wandering Knight, who had been sitting like a statue in the corner until now, moved.