Episode 422: How to Live as a Wandering Knight (1)
ground. A remote village in the southern continent, ‘Wakework’.
This village, which was always warm and humid and fruit farming was abundant, has been suffering from unprecedented drought and famine for the last few decades or even hundreds of years.
Extreme drought, the ground is dry and cracked, and trees and grass are burning beyond dying.
Forest fires of enormous scale burned mountains and dried up lakes, and wild and water animals were also killed in droves.
Monster damage was exploding because of the open dungeons everywhere.
wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee-
Hot, dry winds carry ashes.
It blows from the mountains on the other side, which have been turned into charcoal by the wildfires.
These spicy ash, driven by the wind, sucked up even the remaining moisture and made people’s minds even more impoverished.
… … and.
There was a traveler crossing over that desolate barren land.
Underneath the tattered black cloak, the matted black armor peeks out.
A plague doctor’s mask with a long stork’s beak hung down from the waist, and an elongated object wrapped in a bandage was carried on his back.
Clap – Clap –
Every time he took a step that seemed arduous, the sound of the joints of the armor resounding weakly.
wandering knight. not even a word. It is a group of people that can be seen often, if not common, in these difficult times.
The wandering knight in black armor moved with weary steps and arrived at Wakewok.
He headed straight to the nearest tavern, opened the withered wooden door, entered and took a seat in a corner.
The food situation in the village was not very good because they suffered famine, drought, forest fires and monster damage.
It was reflected in the alcohol and snacks served at the tavern.
Two handfuls of boiled beans on a missing plate, a glass of stale beer.
At least it was a pub, so it was a boom that you could enjoy even if you paid money.
The Wandering Knight checked whether the mask on his waist was in good condition, and then quietly drank his beer.
at that time.
A chatter began to be heard from the center table of the tavern.
Two men who appeared to be vigilantes were having a conversation.
Since ancient times, taverns have always been a hotbed of rumors.
And there are probably quite a few people who agree with the fact that men with nothing to do are usually quarreling over politics when they get drunk.
“okay. Are you conservative or progressive?”
“I’m always on the progressive side. What about you?”
“Eh- what are you asking? I am conservative, conservative!”
They confront each other by expressing their own views on the current continental situation.
“Ah, of course the emperor must be the eldest son! 1Isn’t it natural to honor the crown prince? The Donquixote family, the Usher family, and the Leviathan family are doing well!”
“I think Her Highness, the 2nd Crown Prince, is fine too. The choice of the Baskervilles, the Morgues, the Bourgeois, and the Quo Vadis is also understandable.”
“Eh- then, is it right that they staged a coup?”
“A coup. It’s just a line fight. It’s a political fight, so it should be called a civil war.”
“so. Is it right for the seven families to fight a civil war in this situation? Also, how many decades has it been since the person called the second prince, whom they appoint as the emperor, has not appeared in front of the imperial people? I don’t even know if I’m a real person now!”
“Uh-huh, you look like an arrogant person. Isn’t it the same as the 1st prince’s faction to wage a civil war in this city? Why do you attribute it to the 2nd Prince faction alone?”
The current situation on the continent was truly complicated.
Aside from the massive forest fires spreading throughout the empire, unprecedented drought and famine, and monster damage, the political world was engaged in a fierce civil war among themselves.
The seven pillars that support the empire.
Baskerville, the Iron-Blooded Swordsman, Morgue, the Sorceress, Quo Vadis, the Religious Singer, Don Quixote, the Consort Singer, Usher the Consort, Leviathan, the Magistrate, and Bourgeois, the Conglomerate.
After the death of the emperor not too long ago, these seven families were fiercely confronting each other depending on who should be appointed as the next emperor.
The Old Testament faction of the Don Quixote family, the Usher family, the Leviathan family, and the Quo Vadis family were enthroning the first crown prince, Jack Meridue.
The Baskervilles, the Morgues, the Bourgeois, and the New Testament faction of the Quo Vadis were enthroning the 2nd Crown Prince, Ralph.
Both crown princes were born with the lineage of the founding emperors, possessed the power of a prophet, and were also the subjects of an oracle that ‘one of the two would destroy the world, and the other would save the world’.
So, which of the two would ascend to the throne was inevitably a matter of interest to all the people of the empire.
If the wrong prince becomes emperor, the empire will be ruined.
“Of course, the first crown prince must ascend the throne! It is only natural that he is the eldest son and has continued to shine in front of the people of the empire for the past several years, leading by example in everything. Even in our family, the only hope is the eldest son!”
“Haha- Is the imperial family the same as that of your Pungbi Baksan household? And in your family, the second child is much smarter.”
“what! Why are you talking about our house!”
“Because you talked about your family first. And realistically, I wonder if it would be possible for the first crown prince to ascend the throne. It is an established theory that now that the Old Testament faction of the Quo Vadis family has virtually collapsed, the general trend has leaned towards the 2nd Crown Prince. Also, listening to gossip, I heard that the Don Quixote and Usher families are talking a lot even within the family right now?”
“what? Going to Usher with Don Quixote? why? Is there any controversy?”
“It’s just a rumor rather than a controversy… … Rumor has it that the current head of household is ill. I heard that he is very seriously ill. Let’s see what happens today.”
“Eh? The spear king Cervantes and the nobleman Rodrick? Nonsense! Didn’t you see the two of them when the devil appeared in the ecliptic the other day? I saw it with my own two eyes! They are superhuman! Master! These are not people who would succumb to disease!”
“Well, I’ve heard rumors too. Anyway, it’s already been several years since those two stopped working. From what I’ve heard, it seems that the younger brother of the head of the Don Quixote family and the sister of the head of the Usher family are acting as regents.”
“Hmm, I heard that too. Well, originally, there weren’t many members of the Don Quixote family and the Usher family, so I heard that the collateral characters were also struggling, so is that why?”
Although the quarrel between the two men was superficial, it summarized the situation on the continent well in its own way.
1 Don Quixote, Usher, Leviathan, and Quo Vadis Old Testament, starting with Crown Prince Jack Meridue.
2 The Baskervilles, Morgue, Bourgeois, and Quo Vadis New Testament, starting with Crown Prince Ralph.
Now that the Quo Vadis Old Testament faction had disappeared, the civil war was intensifying.
This confrontation, which has been going on for a very long time, began to flare up in earnest just a few years ago due to the ‘Night Hound’ incident.
Justification. The Hound of the Night offered it to the 2nd Prince faction and went.
A fight over whether the hound of the night is a wicked man, or a rather violent but righteous man who expelled a demon hiding among humans.
Coincidentally, all three of the demons from among the convoy belonged to the faction of the first prince, so the other families protested.
Pedro from the Donquixote family, Isherred from the Usher family, Isabella from the Baskervilles who accused Thomas of the Leviathan family, Banshee from the Morgue family, Lovebad from the Bourgeois family, and Mosgus from the Quo Vadis family.
Their statements were complete and the evidence was complete.
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‘I request a retrial on the Hound of the Night.’
However, the claim, led by Morgue Banshee, was dismissed.
Don Quixote, Usher, and Leviathan immediately tried cutting their tails, and in the end, even the first prince came to the fore and denied it.
‘Doubting them is the same as doubting me.’
Rarely, the attitude of the 1st Crown Prince, who took a hardline attitude, eventually caused this long civil war.
However, it wasn’t that the 2nd Crown Prince faction didn’t have something to gain from this trial.
The 2nd Crown Prince, who did not show up enough to be rumored to be missing, was able to cover up what had no influence with a strong justification.
Baskerville, Morgue, Bourgeois, and Quo Vadis rallied under the very basic and ethical tenet that those who colluded with the devil, that is, must be rejected.
Seven families, each rivaling the power of one kingdom, entered the Civil War.
They began to tighten the grip on the entire territory and cut off all trade with the enemy camp.
The civil war was intensifying.
And apart from this, the people of the empire, who were suffering from various natural disasters such as drought, forest fires, and monster damage, had to suffer even more.
Public sentiment was heading for the worst.
However, in the meantime, there was also a rumor that was like a ray of hope for the people.
“Now, let’s stop talking nonsense.”
“that’s right. After all, it’s a story that everyone in high places eats.”
“Rather than that, did you hear that rumor?”
“What rumors?”
“You mean vigilantes who roam all over the continent.”
“As for vigilantes, aren’t we vigilantes?”
“Yes, this man! Not a lame vigilante like us. I mean the knights who are active throughout the empire.”
“What is an ally? in this state of affairs. All of that is nonsense.”
“no! listen!”
A hopeful rumor that soothes the hearts of people devastated by all kinds of natural disasters.
It was a story about ‘NIGHT WALKERS’, a private group and vigilante group.
“They say they travel thousands of kilometers a day to subdue monsters. They say it’s made up of super strong people.”
“Does that make sense?”
“No! I’ve been to the city across the street, and they showed up and destroyed a bunch of monsters! Is that all? They say they will give you food, drinking water, and God’s blessings if you follow them, and they took the refugees in droves! I heard that half of the city’s population followed?”
“what the. If there are such righteous people, why don’t they appear in our village? I think I’m going to die because of the group playing around.”
“… … Well, isn’t it because there are few people and the affected area is so wide?”
“Yeah- let’s say that. I have to have that kind of hope to survive somehow.”
The only force that receives the support of the people.
They are the ‘night walkers’, vigilantes.
Mysterious people gathered under the slogan, “Even the strongest darkness is driven back by the weakest light.”
They traveled all over the continent with rather childish nicknames, such as ‘Night Saint’, ‘Night Knight’, ‘Night Sniper’, ‘Night Warrior’, ‘Night Wealthy’, and ‘Night Queen’ respectively.
And, like the old folktale ‘The Pied Piper’, he whispered salvation with sweet words and took many people away.
People were afraid even while waiting for them.
I was hopeful, but also wary.
Longing, curiosity, hope, anxiety, vigilance, fear… … Or, the snorts, who say that it is just nonsense, follow them without fail today.
Right then.
… bang!
The tavern door burst open and a vigilante soldier rushed in.
“attack! It’s a raid! Let’s play!”
At the same time, the sound of hornets announcing the monsters’ attack began to resonate throughout the village.
Woo woo woo-
Before the sound could be heard, the people in the tavern moved in a hurry.
The two soldiers, who had been bickering over politics just before, hurriedly grabbed their swords and spears and ran out, while the tavern owner put everything aside and took refuge in a warehouse.
“Everyone, evacuate to the basement warehouse!”
The people inside the tavern followed the tavern owner to the passageway on the floor with contemplative expressions, but with fairly familiar movements.
… … .
The tavern became quiet in an instant.
creak-
It was also at that time that the wandering knight, who had been sitting in the corner like a statue, moved.
