Capítulo 21

TL/Editor: Raei

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Entre no discord! Aqui

O governante de Riverville era um nobre chamado Barão Kaltz.

Como convinha ao senhor de uma grande vila, o Barão Kaltz construiu e morava em uma casa dentro das muralhas de um castelo.

Diferente de outros nobres menores que receberam seus feudos de um nobre superior, a família Kaltz era local, estando presente em Riverville desde o seu início.

O primeiro Barão Kaltz era o chefe da vila de Riverville.

Ele empunhou sua espada para expulsar ladrões e caçou monstros para expandir seu território.

Extraiu pedra para erguer um castelo e impedir invasões de forasteiros, e aos poucos ampliá-lo levou ao atual castelo de Riverville.

Por isso, o Barão Kaltz era um nobre com o qual até senhores razoavelmente influentes teriam dificuldade de se meter.

Embora seu território fosse pequeno, a lealdade de seus súditos era enorme, e possuir mesmo um pequeno castelo tornava a agressão militar um assunto delicado.

A consolação era que ele não tinha soldados suficientes para atacar outros territórios.

Algum dia, se Riverville crescesse e se tornasse mais rica, talvez se envolvesse em guerras para expandir seu território, mas isso era outra história.

"Então, você quer fazer negócios em Riverville?"

O Barão Kaltz olhou de lado para o homem prostado diante dele e falou com indiferença.

O homem era o representante de um pequeno grupo comercial chamado Companhia Rabbit Foot. Seu nome era Rick ou algo assim.

"Sim, meu senhor! Na verdade, nossa empresa fez negócios em Riverville há três anos também..."

"Ah, sim. Lembro."

Na verdade, não lembrava. Não era como se fossem poucos os mercadores que quisessem fazer negócios.

Apesar da época difícil para o comércio, a perspectiva de fazer uma fortuna garantia um fluxo interminável de candidatos.

Assim, o império ainda hoje via o nascimento e o desaparecimento de companhias comerciais.

"Só não cause problemas. Resolva as coisas por conta própria."

"Obrigado pela permissão, meu senhor!"

Rick, um mercador habilidoso, concluiu com sucesso a reunião com o nobre.

Ele tivera que oferecer uma riqueza considerável para ver a face do grande senhor, mas como tudo correu bem, valeu a pena.

Afinal, havia vezes em que se oferecia dinheiro e ainda assim se era expulso.

Quando isso acontecia, a pessoa se sentia tão injustiçada que queria se jogar no rio.

Mas o que se pode fazer diante da sensação de injustiça?

Apenas um mercador ambulante, afinal.

Xingando baixinho, ele teria que seguir para a próxima vila.

"Hehe. Mas, meu senhor. Eu tenho uma história que preciso contar ao Barão Kaltz..."

"Algo que eu precise saber?"p>

"Na verdade, a pessoa que mais respeito é o Barão Kaltz! Toda vez que visito Riverville, ouço canções louvando o misericordioso Barão..."

"Hah. Chega de pompô, vá direto ao ponto."

Enquanto Rick tagarela, o Barão Kaltz não pôde evitar esboçar um sorriso satisfeito.

Ao mesmo tempo, o tesoureiro do barão franziu a testa.

Já que esse mercador plebeu fez o barão feliz, pela dignidade do barão, ele precisava receber algum dinheiro.

Do contrário, sairia choramingando pelo bairro inteiro: 'Depois de tudo que fiz por você, Barão! Como pôde fazer isso comigo!' enquanto se lamentava e chorava.

Então, rumores maldosos sobre o barão se espalharia, dizendo que ele era mesquinho e avarento, não oferecendo nada em troca de lealdade.

Naturalmente, mercadores e viajantes ficariam relutantes em conversar mais do que o necessário com o barão.

Isso significava ser isolado das notícias do mundo exterior.

Numa época em que as únicas fontes de informação eram mercadores e viajantes, ficar desinformado era algo bastante irritante.

Além disso, Rick começou sua história de forma astuta após elogiar generosamente o barão para deixá-lo de bom humor.

Era para garantir que não seria expulso, mesmo que a história que Rick estava prestes a contar não fosse extraordinária.

"Na verdade, eu encontrei um mago durante a viagem."

"Um mago?"

O Barão Kaltz prestou atenção na história do mercador.

'Ele está tentando vender algum item raro?'

Magos eram raros, úteis e caprichosos.

Não seria surpreendente se o mercador tivesse adquirido algum item maravilhoso de um mago.

"Sim! Essa pessoa salvou nossas vidas com habilidades incríveis!"

Rick narrou com uma voz envolvente, uma habilidade aprimorada pelas estradas.

Afinal, um mercador precisa vender bem, certo?

Walking the fine line between a charlatan and a merchant, a quack doctor is, after all, still a merchant.

Baron Kaltz was entranced by Rick's story. Regardless of its truth, the tale of the wizard was too interesting.

In an era devoid of novels or comics, most entertainment was bland at best.

The most interesting stories were usually about knights' adventures, but how much more entertaining would be the bizarre adventures of a wizard!

"What? Kidnappers attacked in the night, and a drake attacked them? And the wizard talked to the drake and settled the matter in a single fight, even scolding the drake?

Wow! Super interesting!

Who needs Nobel Prize literature when you have this?

"Truly amazing."

Baron Kaltz was genuinely astonished.

A wizard who commands a drake like it's nothing. How impressive must that be!

"The truly surprising fact is... this person is currently staying in Riverville."

"What!"

Baron Kaltz was so startled that he stood up.

The super interesting adventure story just drifted into horror thriller territory.

It was fine when the wizard was adventuring and controlling a drake. But f*ck, that person is in my territory?

Just the thought sent shivers down his spine.

If, by some chance, an irritated wizard released a drake within the territory... what would become of Riverville?

Baron Kaltz would end up being the former Baron Kaltz.

Whether losing the territory or dying in a fight trying to defend it from the drake.

"I absolutely must not! Absolutely must not reveal their whereabouts... but I respect you so much, my lord, that I had to tell you in secret."

It was a lie.

Ian had only mentioned staying in the village to Rick.

But laying this groundwork would make Rick's sharing seem more valuable. Being a born merchant, Rick knew well how to embellish a product.

Even trash can look like treasure if you add rarity to it.

"...I salute your courage."

Baron Kaltz genuinely thanked Rick.

To ignore the wizard's warning and still report to him. What a touching show of loyalty!

Without Rick's advice, today one less baron might have been in the empire.

"Steward!"

"Yes, Your Excellency."

"Give this man a generous amount of gold, and let him stay in the castle until he leaves Riverville."

"Th-thank you! My lord!"

Baron Kaltz immediately issued the command.

"Select reliable people to patrol the village. We must not let anything happen that could cause us trouble."

"Yes!"

"Steward, send Sir Hansen to the inn."

The elder steward asked politely.

"Shall we bring the wizard here?"

"No. Since he has decided to stay in the village, we cannot force him to come to the castle."

Baron Kaltz couldn't fathom why the wizard chose to stay at a village inn.

Wizards are such beings.

Capricious and unpredictable.

"However, bring the Santiago Knights."

Currently, a quirky group called the 'Santiago Knights' was staying in Riverville.

Monks and martial artists, they were lunatics who took up arms with a devotion to serving God.

As wealthy as they were to afford weapons, these madmen didn't engage in the wars they were supposed to but roamed around hunting 'demons' and 'monsters.'

Baron Kaltz had offered to host them in the castle, but they refused, claiming that as monks, they could not use comfortable beds, which shows how tightly wound in madness they were.

The Santiago Knights might be a group of madmen, but they were safe madmen.

They only bared their teeth against demons and monsters, self-proclaimed 'protectors of humanity.'

The problem was...

When the wizard who commands a drake and the Santiago Knights collide.

Would the Santiago Knights, the protectors of humanity, leave the wizard who controls a drake alone?

It wouldn't be surprising if they attacked, threatening to rip out his tongue.

Santiago Knights and the wizard.

If the two clashed in Riverville... Baron Kaltz would have to cry his eyes out.

'You f*cking bastards! If you're going to fight, get out of my house and do it! You motherf*ckers!'

Since both were madmen impossible to capture by force, it was unfortunate for Baron Kaltz...

"Hurry. We need to separate them before any problems arise."

"Yes! Your Excellency!"

Unlike the wizard, who was madness itself, the knights, who were humans wearing the mask of madness, were at least beings you could communicate with.

Therefore, the baron planned to summon the knights to the castle until the wizard left Riverville.

Sensing that this was no ordinary crisis, the steward raced off, eyebrows flying, to summon Sir Hansen.

"Sir Hansen!"

"What's the matter?"

Sir Hansen, one of the four knights of Riverville, greeted the steward.

Born a noble's bastard, he was an exemplary knight who, unlike the common rogue knights, knew honor and dedicated himself to chivalry.

"It's an emergency!"

The steward briefly summarized the crisis in Riverville.

Grasping the gravity of the situation, Sir Hansen, with a grim face, armed himself and headed to the stables.

There, he encountered a person he was not at all pleased to see.

"Young lord."

It was Bernard, Baron Kaltz's son.

"Going to the village, right? I'll come with."

"...I am carrying out an important order from the lord."

"I know! That's why I'm saying let's go together!"

He must have overheard the entire conversation in the hall.

Young Lord Bernard, still wet behind the ears, wanted to meddle in the affairs of the estate despite not having the capacity for it.

If he were competent, it would be one thing.

But he was just a foolish boy playing at lordship, more likely to cause trouble.

"If the lord finds out..."

"Ha! As if getting scolded by my father is anything new to me? And! You say it's important, right? What if something happens that's too much for you to decide on your own?

Will you run back to the castle?"

"..."

Bernard, now somewhat grown up, occasionally made sense, which made him even more annoying.

It seemed like he had only grown in cunning.

"I'll take responsibility! So, let me come with!"

"However, Young Lord..."

"Ha! Sir Hansen! Is that all your loyalty amounts to!"

'Bratty kid...!'

Sir Hansen was furious but suppressed his anger.

He had sworn to protect the people of this land, charmed by the peaceful atmosphere of Riverville.

Even if the boss's son is difficult, if you appreciate the company, why consider leaving?

Blame your fate for landing in such a family-like corporation!

"Absolutely, do not interfere. This is for your own good, Young Lord."

"What do you take me for! I swear to the heavens I won't disappoint you, Sir!"

Bernard's accompanying was not a bad thing for Sir Hansen.

It's comforting to have someone of higher status with you when you're out on a mission.

That is, assuming Bernard didn't pull any strange stunts.

Praying that Bernard would behave, Sir Hansen rode his horse towards the village.

He headed straight for the only inn in Riverville, 'Misty Inn.'

The inn where the monastic knights were staying.

"What's with the smoke..."

Bernard muttered ominously.

Sir Hansen's heart sank.

From somewhere around the back of Misty Inn, white smoke was billowing up.

What else could cause such huge plumes of smoke outdoors?

'A fight!'

There was no other explanation than a fire caused by combat.

Clang!

Without hesitation, Sir Hansen drew his sword and spurred his horse forward, charging aggressively.

The residents, terrified, hurriedly cleared the way.

Whinnying loudly, Sir Hansen practically leapt from his horse and dashed into the inn's backyard.

He was immediately appalled by the horrific scene unfolding before his eyes.

'That, that's... What on earth!'

A pot large enough for a person to fit inside.

Beneath it, firewood burned, sending plumes of white smoke into the air...

But most horrifying was the fact that there was actually someone inside the pot...!

And that someone was a naked young man!

'The wizard and the monastic knights!'

The men surrounding the pot were knights from the Santiago Monastic Order.

And naturally, the man in the pot was the wizard.

The Santiago Knights looked at Sir Hansen with cold eyes, silently staring him down.

Sir Hansen felt chills running down his spine, his stomach turning in horror.

The monastic knights were... right now...

Boiling the wizard alive in water!

Witnessing such a shocking scene, Sir Hansen momentarily lost his ability to speak.

Thus, he found himself utterly unable to scream at the monastic knights, 'What are you doing!'

But Young Lord Bernard, who had followed him, was different.

After clearly witnessing the barbaric and cruel actions of the monastic knights, he showcased his noble presence by shouting at them.

"What the hell are you doing!"

At that moment, Sir Hansen thought it was good that he had brought Bernard along.

However, even after the young lord's thunderous scolding, the monastic knights just looked at each other, heads tilted from confusion.

The first to speak was the wizard.

From inside the pot, the wizard being boiled said,

"...I'm taking a bath?"

"???"