00009 <-- Episode 9 Local Adaptation (3) -->
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The Rusclan clan search party that had been chasing Alita eventually returned to the capital without any results. The West Villaen River was the limit of their pursuit.
Once you cross the West Villa River, you are no longer part of the Kingdom of Lilstein, but rather the autonomous city of Kagon.
If the regular army of the Kingdom of Lilstein enters Kagon City, which already maintains a delicate balance between the three kingdoms, it will become a serious political issue.
Alita knew that from the beginning, so she lived on Mount Depilan on purpose.
So that if something happens, I can immediately run away to Kagon City.
The expedition team that failed the mission was punished.
“I will sentence Expedition Captain Zenon Stride to one month of probation and the Magians to magical labor! The soldiers will undergo one week of special training to strengthen their military discipline!”
It was a reasonable punishment, not particularly harsh.
From the perspective of King Lilstein I, it was nothing more than an unfortunate loss of one of the ordinary Rusclan bloodlines. It was nothing to be particularly angry about. So he dealt with it as stipulated in the regulations and forgot about it.
The expedition team also accepted the punishment willingly, grateful for the king’s generosity.
Except for one person, Zenon Stride, who was in charge.
“Give me a chance to reclaim my honor! I will wash away this disgrace, Higher Endawyn!”
In front of his superiors, Zenon raised his voice to convey his will, which made Endarwin, the commander of the Royal Knights of Lilstein, embarrassed.
“Look, there’s no need to go that far… … .”
Zeno insisted that he would capture the accursed Rusclan bloodline even if it meant going alone, hiding his identity, and crossing the border.
In simple terms, it means that you will be doing military service instead of confinement. Naturally, military service is a punishment that is several times heavier than confinement.
“Is there any need for this, Your Majesty the King, to show mercy, Higher Zeno?”
“How can a sinner who has failed to carry out orders accept mercy? Isn’t it the duty of a knight to regain his fallen honor?”
Every word of it was right. It was a claim that felt sincere.
Endarwin thought for a moment.
“Umm… … .”
Zenon was certainly a young and capable swordsman, but his absence was not significant enough to have any effect on the Royal Knights.
There are many swordsmiths in the Royal Knights who are stronger and more experienced than Zeno. So Zeno’s request to leave the Knights for a long period of time is not that unreasonable.
Also, if he were to capture the Rusclan bloodline, the reward would be considerable. Enough to erase the failure of this mission.
From Xenon’s perspective, it’s not like it’s a request that only brings harm. It’ll be hard, but if it succeeds, the rewards will be equally great.
‘The reason is understandable and it is not against chivalry. The youthful spirit and challenging spirit are also praiseworthy.’
No matter how much I thought about it, there was no reason to oppose it.
“Very knightly! Well done, Higher Zenon!”
Eventually, Endarwin accepted Zeno’s request.
***
Delstrey, the capital of the Kingdom of Lilstein.
A row of simple two-story houses lined the southern part of the capital. It was a street where the commoners living in Delstrey lived.
A large man, a head taller than the others and with broader shoulders, walks down the street. Several young men who were walking around with a slouched voice were surprised to see him and hid themselves.
“Ouch! It’s Xenon.”
“Ugh… … .”
Zenon was a man of exceptional talent who became a knight-level swordsman in his twenties.
Even physically, he would take a few steps and get in. Even before he learned the art of fighting, he was no match for a mere fighter, so it was natural for street thugs to fear him.
On the other hand, the merchants greeted Zenon, who was two meters tall, in a friendly manner.
“Oh, Mr. Zenon! I got some good stuff. Do you want to go and take a look?”
“Taste it and go, Young Master Zenon. The eggs are particularly large today.”
Zenon looked disappointed at the solicitations of the old man at the vegetable store and the lady at the egg store. Then he smiled gently and declined the offer.
“Unfortunately, I have some work to do.”
The old man at the vegetable store and the lady at the egg store muttered as they watched Xenon passing by.
“What’s the matter? Why is that guy refusing the asparagus I picked today?”
“I see? What’s going on?”
Walking quickly, Zenon arrived at a two-story house.
It was a cozy house with a blue roof, red walls, and pure white walls. The garden was filled with various herbs and edible vegetables.
A stranger would probably never guess that this brick house dotted with girlish things belongs to a muscular, rugged giant who can even strangle a wild boar with his bare hands.
Zeno entered the house. The interior was extremely neat and tidy. Everything was neat and orderly. There was not a speck of dust on the floor or in the windows.
“hmm…….”
Zenon went to the kitchen and started packing while thinking about something.
Pack your groceries and portable cooking utensils in your backpack.
These are all items for long distance travel.
Of course, you can’t leave out a cloak. If you carry a sleeping bag, your luggage will become too bulky. A cloak that is easy to carry and can be used for various purposes such as a blanket, tent, and raincoat is a valuable companion for travelers.
After packing his backpack, he headed to the second floor attic.
The attic was locked tight. Even though it was inside his own house, he had locked it with a key. It was his own secret place that he never revealed to his friends, even when they occasionally came to visit.
Zeno opened the door, revealing an interior filled with numerous paintings, icons, various books, and small statues.
The images of black-haired young men were everywhere in the paintings and sculptures. The titles of the works were also written underneath them.
『The other world savior who stabs the heart of the madman.』
“A city that raised the flag of revolution.”
『A peaceful moment between the other world’s savior and the queen of thieves.』
I would say that these are items that are very focused on one concept.
The bookshelf was the same. There were quite a few books on it, and the titles were mostly like this.
『The Hero of Memories, the Chronicles of Seong Si-han』
『A romantic fantasy that crosses two worlds! Lovers from a dangerous otherworld.』
『The Success Philosophy of the Otherworldly Savior.』
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Zeno looked at the faces in the painting with a disturbed expression.
The paintings all had different faces. They were beautified and the artist’s imagination was added, so they were all completely different from the real Seong Si-han.
But Zenon knew his true face.
“Is it really him?”
Of course, he couldn’t be sure. It was over ten years ago, when his hero was still a teenager. But even so… … .
‘They look so similar… … .’
Shaking his head, Zenon picked up the half-plate armor that was lying in a corner of the attic.
Full plate armor that is difficult to put on and take off by yourself is not suitable for solo travel. It is also inconvenient to move around in, as it is like advertising, “I am a knight!”
However, Xenon, a knight-level swordsman, would be killing his strengths without armor, so he chose half-plate armor consisting of steel boots, forearm guards, and a torso.
Since even mercenaries commonly wore half plate armor, it wasn’t that much of a problem.
Zenon muttered as he prepared his weapons.
“I need to check… … .”
I did not lie to Higher Endarwin.
He was definitely sincere. He really wanted to track down the princess of Rusclann. He was prepared to endure any hardship or adversity for that purpose.
It wasn’t just loyalty to the royal family of Lilstein, chivalry, or his own glory.
After thinking for a moment, Zenon opened a wooden box in a corner of the room.
“I don’t think that’s true, but… … .”
His rough, rugged fingers took out a picture frame. In the frame, there was a pair of square men’s panties hanging out of nowhere. Zenon took out the panties with a serious expression and began to fold them neatly.
He holds the corners firmly and folds them carefully, then puts on a serious expression again.
“It’s highly unlikely, but… … .”
To the untrained eye, these panties might look like nothing special. But these are no ordinary underwear.
According to legend, the otherworldly savior left everything behind on Terranor and returned to Earth in its original form.
These panties were the relics of the remaining heroes at that time.
It is incomparable to a mere painting or booklet; it is the real thing that the other world savior, Seong Si-han, wore when he defeated the mad emperor, Rustanad!
Well, it’s not like Zenon has any weird hobbies… … .
In fact, the other fancy items that the hero used were so expensive that a mere knight could not even dare to think about buying them with his income.
These panties were the cheapest ones. I had to save up for six months to finally win the bid.
Anyway, after packing all his luggage, Zenon got up.
He left the house with his backpack on his back. Looking up at the bright blue sky, he muttered again.
“Still, I have to check.”
***
The Barondom of Baron …
It was a month ago that something strange happened in the peaceful territory of Bakelon.
A pack of Ignis Wolves, wolf-shaped demons that control the power of flame, have appeared in the forest near the territory.
These powerful demons, who appeared from nowhere, formed groups and began to prey on the livestock raised by the people of the territory. Later, they even began to harm humans, becoming a headache for the territory.
In response, Ted Barkelon, a young knight who ruled the territory in place of his ailing father, formed a punitive force to pursue the Ignis Wolf pack.
However, due to a lack of power, they suffered great damage and had to retreat, so they eventually had no choice but to borrow external power.
When a threat is too great for the fiefdom to handle, it is usually necessary to appeal to the king and request the dispatch of regular troops.
But this is a last resort.
Because not being able to protect one’s own territory is the greatest shame for a lord.
So, as is customary, Ted Barkelon decided to try to hunt the beast once more by hiring outside mercenaries.
Hiring a free-hire was expensive, but it was still more honorable than asking for help from other lords in the area or asking for the help of regular troops.
The family’s butler, who had gone to Kagon City on a mission to hire mercenaries, returned four days later with two free hirers.
***
“I’m back, Ted.”
“Thank you for your hard work, Deacon Lettward. And these?”
“Yes, they are the free hires introduced by Kargon.”
Despite their differences in status, Ted treated Letworth politely. On the other hand, his treatment of Alita and Sheehan was not so polite.
“I am Ted Barkelon, the acting lord of Barkelon Estates. I wonder how skilled you are?”
Originally, free hire was quite ignored by the regular knights.
Not all free-hire workers seek a free life and do not serve their masters. Rather, most of them are forced to wander because the world has changed.
Most of the current Free Hireers are remnants of the old Rusclan Empire.
Those who are truly capable can be forgiven for their past sins and regain their status, but those who are mediocre do not have such a chance.
You can’t go back to being a knight, and you can’t reveal your identity carelessly.
Since all I’ve ever learned is swordsmanship, my only option is to become a mercenary.
So Alita didn’t really care about Ted’s attitude. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t a misunderstanding either.
“Free Hire Alita. She is fighter-level.”
“It’s a free hire. It’s also a fighter level.”
To prove it, Alita and Sihan lightly casted the sword. As an invisible energy formed on the two people’s blades, Ted’s face hardened slightly.
“It’s amazing, they both look young, but they’re already at the level of fighters… … .”
Sword Hire, a warrior who deals with speculation.
These were conventionally divided into six stages.
This is a level of initiation where one can use seeds and speculation to enhance physical abilities and demonstrate movements that transcend human limits.
It was given that name because it is also a condition for becoming a candidate for knighthood.
When you reach the fighter level, you will not only have enhanced physical abilities, but you will also be able to infuse fighting spirit into the metal weapons you hold in your palm.
This is where most swordsmiths fall, as they are at a level where they can use the throwing sword.
When you reach the level of a knight, you can infuse metal with energy through your entire body, not just your palm.
It is a realm where one can fight like a true knight, putting spirit into not only weapons but also full-body metal armor.
The master swordsman can grant speculation to all types of weapons, not just metals.
So, once you reach the master level, you don’t necessarily have to wear armor unless there’s a large-scale war. You can gain similar defensive power by adding fighting spirit to the cloth you wear anyway.
It is more advantageous in combat to maximize body movements and keep your senses undisturbed.
Above that, there is a superhuman level.
These are people who can condense speculation into not only inorganic objects but also empty space, and who use tangible speculation swords rather than intangible ones.
Even in the entire continent of Terranor, they were extremely rare masters, and only the Seven Heroes of the Revolution or the Six Generals of the former Rusclan Empire had reached this level.
And a swordsman of the god of war.
He has mastered all of speculation and is no different from a one-man army, an ultimate level that has never been seen before in the long history of Terranor.
Recently, it is said that only the other world’s savior, Seong Si-han, General Rondarc, who was a guardian knight of the Rusclan Empire, and the mercenary king Barak, who was praised as the strongest free hire, have reached this level.
This concept, which had been used since the days of the Empire, still persisted even though the world had changed. So Ted looked slightly embarrassed.
“Wow! I have been knighted by His Majesty the Sixenguard himself, but I am ashamed to say that I am still only a fighter… … .”
He was thirty-four this year. For a swordsman of average talent, that means he was an ordinary person.
It’s surprising how old these two are, especially Alita’s.
“Both of them are trustworthy.”
Ted’s eyes softened a little. No matter how much the opponent was an ignored Free Hire, it was a welcome thing to have a high level of power as an ally.
“Then let’s get rid of the poison first. The punitive force will leave tomorrow. Butler Letward, please show them to their rooms.”
“Okay, Ted.”
The three men left the office. Ted, left alone, had a determined look on his face.
“Good, this time I can finally kill all those demons.”
***
Kagon City West, Kagon Commission Agency.
A large young man sat at the counter and continued to ask questions.
“You really don’t know? He’s a young Galen man who goes around with a blonde girl. He’s about 180 centimeters tall and looks to be in his mid to late twenties.”
It was Zenon who left the capital city of Delstrey two days ago.
First of all, given that Alita was a sword hirer, Zenon could easily guess that she was working as a free hirer. With that much power, she wouldn’t just be a bar girl, right?
And seeing as he fled to Kagon City, it was easy to infer that he had a deal with the city’s only brokerage.
The problem is that, due to the nature of the brokerage, information about the trader will never be disclosed to the outside.
Many free hirers have connections to the former Rusclan Empire, and many of them are wanted criminals. Who would trust the Kargon Agency if they knew that their information would be exposed?
“How many mercenaries are hanging around here? Do you think you can memorize them all?”
Sure enough, the middle-aged man sitting at the counter was wiping the cup and making excuses. Zenon scratched his head in embarrassment.
“Oh, what should I do? I was supposed to meet that friend here.”
“Friends?”
“yes.”
“So you are also from the Kingdom of Zexengard?”
The middle-aged man secretly looked at Zeno. He knew that Shihan had come from the Church of Inasius.
Zenon shook his head.
“No, I’m from the Kingdom of Lilstein. I’ve been acting separately for a while. I don’t know where he works these days.”
You shouldn’t pretend to know something you’re not sure about. Most trap questions are like that.
“Then what is that friend’s name?”
“Don’t you know? What alias are you using now? Don’t you know our situation as well?”
Zenon scratches his head again, seemingly regretful.
The middle-aged man’s expression slightly relaxed.
It’s both sad and funny to see a man as big as a bear fidgeting like a child.
“Ah, what should I do? I understand why you don’t tell me, but can’t you at least tell me whether you’re here or not? If you haven’t arrived yet, I’ll just wait, but if you’ve already come and gone, then it’s like I’m wasting my time.”
“That’s right… … .”
The middle-aged man clicked his tongue. It was not that he did not understand the other person’s feelings.
Besides, looking at the opponent’s rugged physique and manly face (which is also in line with the fact that he looks dull and stupid), he doesn’t seem particularly suspicious. His attitude and speech are also quite natural.
“I understand, in principle it’s not right, but… … .”
In the end, he told Alita and Shihan the details of the request they had received, telling them to keep it a secret.
“There’s no guarantee that he’ll return to Kagon City, so maybe we can meet up if we hurry to the Bakelon Estate.”
“Thank you! Thank you so much!”
Zenon bowed at a 90-degree angle and expressed his gratitude. The middle-aged man at the counter responded with a warm smile to his innocent appearance.
“Heh heh, what about gratitude… … .”
Zenon left the agency with a bewildered expression. The moment he stepped onto the street, a sly smile appeared on his lips.
‘Yes, you mean the Barkelon Estate?’
