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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader – Kawaii]
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Chapter 81: The Unexpected Guest (2)
***
Liam Bluegreen.
The Marquessate of Bluegreen is famous for being a prestigious knight family in the Apple Kingdom.
At the same time, he was a high-class figure who was loyal only to the royal family, as there were only three people in the Apple Kingdom who were high-class.
There was not much information about Liam Bluegreen that Damien knew.
Because he had already died when he was turned into a Death Knight.
“Why did such a great person like you do such things?”
Once the identity was revealed from the other side, there was no way to belittle him.
Instead, Damien looked at Liam Bluegreen with a face that he didn’t like as much as possible.
“I wanted to see your real skills.”
“Then did you ask for a duel?”
“I didn’t say ‘real’ skills. You can’t know real skills with a lukewarm duel.”
Damien’s forehead narrowed even more at the absurdity.
“So did you make a farce pretending to take my family as hostages?”
“Don’t be too angry. I explained everything to your father and got permission.”
At that, Damien wiped his face with his palm without even knowing it.
“What if your subordinates died?”
“That’s why I intervened at the right time. There’s nothing to worry about.”
Liam Bluegreen said with a smile. Damien had to hold back his laughter from trying to leak out.
Does this man know? The fact that if Damien had made up his mind, he could have killed his subordinate before Liam Bluegreen stepped up.
“And this guy is not a subordinate. He is my son and disciple. He’s a tough guy, so he won’t die easily.”
Liam Bluegreen said with a smile towards the man.
“Dover, isn’t that right?”
However, the man just trembled without saying a word. Only then did Liam notice that something was wrong.
“Dover?”
“Ah, father… Po, potion… Kwek!”
The man barely managed to say a word and shook his head.
“Oh, no, why is this guy suddenly like this? Dover! Wake up!”
Liam hurriedly took out a potion from his pocket and poured it into the man’s mouth.
Judging that it was not enough, he injected mana into the man’s body while massaging it. It was a treatment called Bloodletting and purging.
“You, you, you, why are you still unconscious!”
Even so, the man’s complexion did not return to normal.
There was no other way. When Damien kicked his abdomen, he released a blast of mana that hit him inside.
He won’t die, but it was an injury that would take at least a few weeks to recover. It wasn’t easy to get better.
After a while, the man regained his senses and got up. As soon as he raised his head, he met eyes with Damien, who had been staring at him.
“I’ll introduce myself! I’m Dover Bluegreen!”
Immediately, Dover bowed deeply. Damien was taken aback by the completely changed attitude.
“I apologize for being rude! My father told me to provoke you as much as possible!”
Dover scratched the back of his head with an innocent face.
“Hey, how can you lose so easily? What will become of your father’s dignity?”
“I lost! I will work harder in training in the future!”
“Of course. I’ll double the intensity, so be prepared.”
“Yes!”
Dover answered loudly. It was a lively scene.
“Well, Sir Damien, now that we’ve seen your skills… shall we start the real conversation?”
Liam’s eyes became serious.
Surely, a high-class figure like him wouldn’t have come just to see Damien’s skills.
“Let’s go inside and talk.”
Damien returned to the reception room with the two of them.
The atmosphere inside the reception room was completely different from before.
His Family and the people who were disguised as troublemakers were sitting together, eating tea and dessert and chatting.
“Oh, Damien. Have you come?”
Father waved his hand and said. Damien rolled his eyes at him.
“Father, for someone who makes his son worried, you seem quite pleased.”
“Will you be the only one to do it? You fooled me and wandered around outside.”
At that, Damien was speechless. If you were to judge who was right or wrong, Damien’s side was much worse.
“……I’ll understand and let it go this time.”
“Stop talking nonsense and sit down.”
Damien sat down on the empty seat. Liam and Dover also sat on chairs.
“Sir Liam, are you done with your business?”
“Thanks to the Viscount Haksen. I saw earlier that your acting skills were top-notch. Even the actors of the Water Theater would have to bow before you.”
The two of them laughed out loud as they spoke. Damien could only look at them with a face of disbelief.
“So, what’s the main point?”
“Right, I almost forgot.”
Liam put down his teacup and said.
“Sir Damien, won’t you join the White Horse Knight order?”
***
The term ‘knight order’ referred to a combat group composed only of knights.
Considering the cost and procedures involved in raising a single knight, it was not easy for individuals or private organizations to operate a knight order.
For this reason, it was common sense that it was almost impossible for anyone other than high-ranking nobles like Duke Goldpixie and Marquis Ryanbloom to operate a knight order.
Among them, the White Horse Knights was a royal knight order directly operated by the Apple Kingdom with a long history.
It was also a place that received a lot of support as a core force of the Apple Kingdom.
For Apple Kingdom knights who had been interested in knights since childhood, it was a dream knight order that everyone hoped to join.
“I’m sorry, but I’ll decline.”
However, Damien refused without any hesitation.
They didn’t expect a refusal. Liam’s face stiffened. The other families had the same reaction.
“Can I ask for a reason?”
“I still don’t want to belong anywhere.”
Although he said so, the reason was that Damien wasn’t very interested in the White Horse Knights. Even if he joined, there was nothing that would benefit him.
“Hahaha, I didn’t know I would be rejected. I didn’t even know I would have to persuade you.”
Liam scratched his cheek in embarrassment.
“The White Horse Knights is the best knight order in the Apple Kingdom. If you join, you will receive many benefits. You can even receive weapons and mana techniques and elixirs.”
Elixir.
It was the most needed item for Damien right now.
But it wasn’t urgent. There were many ways to get elixirs.
Above all, he still had the opportunity to enter the Treasury of the Church.
The Treasury of the Church was a place full of elixirs that could not be obtained even if millions of gold coins were given.
Thinking about that, Damien didn’t even notice the elixirs that would be given in the knight order.
“In addition to this, there is another reason why you should join the knight order.”
Liam continued with a serious tone.
“There are many people in the Apple Kingdom who suspect you right now. I was one of them. Of course, if you experience it once, you will understand. But… rumors spread more slowly than you think. Unbelievable rumors are even more so.”
Considering Damien’s growth rate, anyone would be suspicious.
It had only been a few months since he had picked up a sword, and he had already reached the middle class.
“People who want to test you, people who are jealous of you, people who want to use you… all sorts of annoying bugs will bother you. It won’t be easy to get rid of them.”
Damien nodded as if he agreed. Liam Bluegreen’s expression brightened at that action.
“It seems you understand what I’m saying. Then I’ll consider joining the White Horse Knights.”
“No, I don’t think so.”
Liam made a groaning sound at Damien’s words.
“Do I have to explain it again?”
“I understand what you are saying. But still, I’m not attracted to being part of an organization.”
Receiving support from an organization was convenient, but it also brought obligations and responsibilities.
Damien had an important mission to stop Dorugo’s plan. He couldn’t be tied to the Apple Kingdom.
“You were worried that bugs would bother me. It might be a bit annoying, but it’s not something I can’t handle.”
If you squash some bugs, other people will start to understand.
It means that the rumors about Damien Haksen are not fake.
“Haha, this is a headache. I thought it was a chance to swallow a confirmed jackpot.”
Liam scratched his chin, lost in thought at Damien’s words.
“Okay. If you join the knight order, I’ll teach you everything. Even if I do this, I don’t think you’ll join…”
“I don’t have any plans to join.”
Damien’s firm answer shocked Liam.
“You… are you sure? I’m a high-”
“I know. But I still don’t want to join.”
Liam was even more shocked by Damien’s repeated rejections.
“…But I was relieved. I didn’t think you would join another knight order.”
Missing talents like Damien was a painful loss for the Apple Kingdom.
But if Damien didn’t belong anywhere, at least they wouldn’t lose him totally.
“So, Sir Damien, do you have any thoughts on receiving the king’s command as a knight of the Apple Kingdom?”
“I’m considering it.”
Damien answered vaguely.
If the conditions were right, there was no reason not to accept. On the other hand, if the conditions weren’t right, there was no reason to accept.
“In fact, His Majesty wants to give you a task that he really wants to entrust to you. So he asked me to bring you here.”
“His Majesty?”
There was a slight sense of foreboding in the fact that Damien was specifically invited.
He didn’t show any reaction and focused on Liam’s words.
“Originally, I was going to let you join the knight order and give you this task, but…”
At that, Damien’s expression involuntarily twisted.
He had thought about giving him a task as soon as he joined the knight order. Not joining was indeed wise.
“Now that things have turned out like this, I hope you’ll take on the task at least.”
“What kind of task are you talking about?”
“Can you take on the role of swordsmanship instructor for the Crown Prince?”
For a moment, Damien doubted his ears. It was such an unexpected word.
“Swordsmanship… what?”
“Swordsmanship instructor. In short, a swordsmanship teacher. All you have to do is stay in the capital for a while and guide the Crown Prince. That’s it.”
It was a much easier task than he had thought. But Damien couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
“Why are you inviting me? There must be many excellent teachers in the capital.”
“From here on, it’s a bit of a secretive matter… It’s difficult to talk about it with outsiders.”
In other words, if you want to hear more, accept the mission.
Damien looked at Liam with even more suspicion.
“Ah, right. I almost forgot. If you accept the position as a swordsmanship instructor, His Majesty will provide you with a suitable reward.”
“A reward?”
Of all the words that came out of Liam’s mouth, this was the only one that caught Damien’s attention.
“Originally, if you joined the knight order, His Majesty planned to grant the title of Earl to Viscount Haksen.”
At that, Viscount Haksen looked surprised and glanced at Liam.
The Apple Kingdom was a country with a fairly strong monarchy. The rights of nobles varied according to the titles bestowed by the king.
In particular, the title of Earl was a highly esteemed one, with rights greatly expanded compared to those of Barons and Viscounts. Thus, nobles with the title of Earl were not common.
“Not that you have any intention of joining the knight order. But if you accept the position as a swordsmanship instructor, I’ll speak to His Majesty and arrange for you to receive the title of Earl.”
Earl.
Strictly speaking, it wasn’t something that directly benefited Damien.
But it was clearly beneficial to his family. That alone was enough to make accepting this proposal worthwhile.
The problem was why the king’s side had insisted on such conditions.
‘The Crown Prince of the Apple Kingdom… Was his name Oliver Apple?’
Thinking back on the past, Damien couldn’t recall much.
During his being an asshole days, he was too busy enjoying himself to pay attention, and when he was a beggar, he was too preoccupied with begging. As a mercenary, he was too occupied.
So Damien didn’t know much about the Apple royal family.
But one thing he did know was that there was an incident in the Apple Kingdom.
‘Surely at this time, the capital was attacked.’
It wasn’t an external invasion, but suddenly the capital was under attack.
The servants in the capital fled hastily, leaving only knights and soldiers to fight off the intruders.
‘The royal family managed to drive out the invaders, but the king died.’
The late king passed away, and the one who succeeded him to the throne was the current Crown Prince, Oliver Apple.
Despite being praised as a genius by Liam Bluegreen, Oliver Apple didn’t properly govern the country.
‘He probably wasn’t ready to inherit the throne so suddenly.’
The unprepared young king greatly weakened the Apple Kingdom.
As a result, during the war with Dorugo, the Apple Kingdom couldn’t muster much strength and fell quickly.
‘It’s difficult for the Apple Kingdom to be unstable, especially now.’
He didn’t have any intention of preventing all future events. Not only did he lack a sense of duty, but it was also an impossible task.
However, the attack on the capital of Apple Kingdom was different. The Apple Kingdom was where his family was based.
If the kingdom was shaken, it was the same as his family suffering. He couldn’t just stand by and watch.
‘Simply put, it’s just being called in as a swordsmanship instructor, so it shouldn’t be too difficult.’
In fact, it didn’t matter if it was difficult or not. Damien already had a good method that could rehabilitate people.
“Sir Liam, I will accept His Majesty’s will.”
Liam couldn’t help but smile softly at Damien’s response.
“Congratulations on coming to the capital.”
***
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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader – Kawaii]
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