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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Peptobismol]
[Proofreader – Demon God]
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Chapter 1 – Esteemed Guest from the Empire
“Sir Dian! Sir Dian! Are you here?!”
The restaurant door swung open as a girl rushed in.
“Olysia? What’s going on?”
Setting down my fork, I turned to see Olysia grabbing my arm urgently.
“The Ferenchino bastards are on their way here!”
“Ferenchino? Weren’t they put in their place once before?”
“This time, the leader himself is coming! He’s here for revenge against Dian…!”
Revenge? These guys must be joking.
“Alright, let’s go see. But first, let go of me.”
I freed my arm from Olysia’s grip and we left the restaurant together.
As we stepped outside, various noises filled the air – sounds of breaking, cursing, screams, and hurried footsteps. It was a scene quite out of place in the peaceful harbor town.
Beyond the low rooftops, yellow and black flags fluttered atop tall masts, marking the Ferenchino Union’s ships docked in the harbor.
Against this backdrop, a group of about a hundred people approached us. They were all wearing uniforms with a yellow and black color scheme, matching the flag, and each of them armed.
Let’s see. The guys holding clubs were the union workers, and the one leading the way with a sword was none other than the union leader himself.
“Olysia, you go home. She’s already left.”
Seeing Olysia sprinting away down the alley, I chuckled. Meanwhile, the Ferenchino Union members slowed their approach as they spotted me.
“leader! It’s him!”
One of them pointed accusingly at me, his leg braced with a support, likely from our last encounter.
The Ferenchino Union, a group trading in the Brunswell region, often veered into pirate activity.
In a world where sailors on any ship, whether navy or merchant, can easily become pirates in times of need, it’s not surprising. Moreover, since most of the people who engage in the difficult and rough work of sailing are often ex-convicts or outcasts, the union’s bad reputation is well-known.
Not long ago, some of their crew had caused trouble at my favorite regular diner, refusing to pay and starting a brawl. Hence this mob descending upon me now.
“Are you the one who messed with my guys?!”
Drawing his sword, the leader yelled at me.
“A dockworker like you, a worthless vagrant, dares to touch members of the great Ferenchino Union…”
“Sorry to interrupt you while you’re talking.”
I raised a hand, cutting off the leader mid-sentence.
“I came here in the middle of my meal, so I have to go back quickly and finish it. You came here for revenge, right? Then state your business quickly and be on your way.”
“You crazy bastard!” “Kill him!”
As they charged towards us, I sighed.
I didn’t want to cause trouble, saying ‘I just want to live quietly’, so I helped the protagonist actively, steering the story towards its conclusion.
But now, I genuinely wanted to live quietly, but things like this keep happening, making a ruckus.
# # # # #
“Hurry, move! Quickly!”
With the clangor of bells, the city guards were urgently dispatched. A report was received that armed sailors disembarked from the Ferenchino merchant ships anchored at the dock and went to the city center.
Already notorious troublemakers, with their recent brawl in a local restaurant, it only added to their reputation, making the situation urgent.
“Damn it! Of all days, why today! Just when an esteemed guest from the Empire is due to arrive!”
The commander of the city guards led his men to the scene, resigned but determined.
“What in the world…”
Arriving at the scene, the guards found a chaotic sight before them.
People lay sprawled on the narrow street, groaning in pain. Judging by their uniforms, they were unmistakably the Ferenchino Union members…
“Ugh… help me…”
A man, clutching his side where a flashy scabbard hung, reached out to the guards.
“What happened here?”
“Monster… a monster is here!”
“Monster?”
“Save me! I don’t want to die!”
The man grasped desperately at the guard’s arm, pleading for help.
“I was wrong! Please forgive me!”
The guards exchanged puzzled looks, unsure of what to make of the situation.
# # # # #
“You’re here, Sir Dian!”
As I entered my home, Olysia hurried to greet me.
“What happened?”
“I dealt with them, so they won’t be coming back.”
“Thank you for your efforts. I’ll get you something refreshing to drink.”
“Sounds good.”
I headed to the terrace and lay down on a lounge chair.
The gentle sea breeze from below the hill carried the bustling yet peaceful sounds of the harbor. Beyond, the sparkling sea stretched endlessly like a carpet adorned with jewels.
This was the harbor city of Brunswell, where I settled after leaving the Imperial Palace.
After parting ways with the protagonist, I stayed at an inn in the capital for a while, pondering where to go next.
Since I didn’t receive a title or land, I didn’t have to stay in one place, but I didn’t want to live a wandering life either. I wanted to go to a peaceful and quiet place, enjoy the rest of my life, and see what kind of place would be good.
This place was too underdeveloped, and that place broke out in war often, and this place was too close to the Imperial Capital, which I didn’t like. After looking at the map for a very long time, I found a suitable place.
Brunswell, a small, neutral harbor city in the southeastern part of the continent.
There were no worries about war, the natural scenery was excellent, and it was moderately developed. And, there was no one who knew me. This place was perfect.
I left the capital and came to Brunswell, and it’s already been 10 years. I bought a small house on a hill and am living a leisurely life.
This was much better than saying ‘I just want to live quietly’ and causing trouble, pulling the protagonist down.
The protagonist and his companions are living very difficult lives. I don’t mean it in a bad way, but they have their own positions in the Empire, and they’re busy with no time to rest.
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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Peptobismol]
[Proofreader – Demon God]
Join our Discord for release updates!
https://discord.com/invite/dbdMDhzWa2
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The protagonist became the Commander of the Imperial Guards, and the Saintess became the head of the Church. Both are high-ranking positions, but they’re extremely busy.
I heard the Mage got a high-ranking position in the Magic Federation, but I don’t know the exact title.
In the protagonist’s case, becoming the Commander of the Imperial Guards is a bit of a shame, but there’s a political reason for it.
‘The Hero of the continent is guarding the Imperial Capital.’ Isn’t that impressive? It’s perfect for external propaganda. They’ll probably keep him there for a few years to parade around and then promote him to an even higher position.
So, in the end, I’m the one who’s living the best life among all of us. I’m living without any worries in this warm and comfortable place.
“Have this refreshing drink, Sir Dian!”
Olysia, who handed me the lemonade, sat down diagonally on the sunbed beside me and gazed out at the sea.
“Look, Sir Dian. A huge ship is coming in.”
I turned my gaze to where Olysia was pointing, and indeed, a massive ship was slowly making its way into the harbor, ripping the water.
By its appearance and design, it looked like an imperial warship, but why was it coming here alone?
Something must have brought it here. What do I know?
“Olysia. What’s on the menu for dinner tonight?”
“What would you like to eat?”
“I don’t know. I’m tired of fish. Should we grill some meat?”
“Then I’ll go to the market and buy something. I’ll also check if there’s any charcoal left.”
Just as Olysia was about to get up, the imperial ship docked, and at the same time, the sound of a fanfare could be heard. It seemed like a very high-ranking person had arrived.
“Did the Emperor come here?”
I shook my head at Olysia’s words, smiling wryly.
“If it were the Emperor, it wouldn’t be on this scale. And the Emperor isn’t someone who would come here on a single ship.”
“Hmm, then who could it be… Anyway, I’ll go buy some meat!”
“Get some snacks from that bakery on your way back, too.”
“Okay!”
Olysia left the house, and the sound of the fanfare continued to echo. It seemed like a very high-ranking person had indeed arrived.
…
As I was dozing off in the warm sunshine, I heard the sound of footsteps approaching quickly.
Along with the sound of footsteps, I heard the rustling of a paper bag, which meant Olysia had returned with the meat.
But why was she rushing back like that? Was she holding back pee or something?
Behind Olysia’s footsteps, I could hear the sound of several other people following her.
It wasn’t the sound of ordinary shoes, but the sound of battle boots with steel plates, accompanied by the clanging of swords and the creaking of leather armor.
Could it be the remnants of the Ferenchino? But the sound of their weapons was completely different from usual.
I opened my eyes and sat up from the sunbed, and Olysia came running up, shouting.
“Sir Dian! Sir Dian!”
And a little later, a group of knights appeared from between the buildings.
They were wearing light leather armor and simple clothes, but the swords at their waists were a dead giveaway that they were knights of Imperial Guards from the capital. Were they the ones who had been greeted with a fanfare at the harbor earlier?
But why were they here? This hill road led to nowhere else but my house, didn’t it? Were they coming here?
As I wondered, I was soon able to understand the whole situation.
“Dian!”
The protagonist, standing at the front of the knights, was smiling brightly and waving at me.
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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Peptobismol]
[Proofreader – Demon God]
Join our Discord for release updates!
https://discord.com/invite/dbdMDhzWa2
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