Episode 193
“You mean this young lady wanted to talk to me?”
At the crime syndicate gathering place at the northern end of Temosha ,
Zenith, who was formulating a strategy, asked as she looked at the returned Black Dragon and the blonde girl standing beside him.
“Yes. She is another victim of the incompetent sword I mentioned back then.”
“Ah.”
As if finally understanding, the bewilderment vanished from Zenith’s expression.
Watching this, Riventia took a step closer.
“Hello. My name is Riventia Noston.”
“Noston…?”
Upon hearing the family name, Zenith retraced her memories.
Then, looking at Hanbit, she said,
“So the adventurer who saved Edlen was Lord Black Dragon?”
“I only offered a little help.”
“Well, it didn’t feel that way at all.”
Smiling broadly, she turned her gaze back to Riventia.
“Hello. It’s nice to see you looking so cheerful. And that you don’t look like a noble.”
Zenith looked somewhat relieved.
It was because the fates of the countless victims she had faced came to mind.
Although Liventia was also a noble, social status was irrelevant in the face of the tragedy of losing one's family.
At least, that was how Zenith felt.
“Shall we move to a different spot first?”
She led them away from the bustling area to an inner space.
The three of them sat at a table in front of a small table.
It was Zenith who spoke up again.
“It is a pleasure to meet you. And I would like to congratulate you on restoring your father and the family’s honor.”
“Thank you.”
Liventia, maintaining her composure, appeared quite stable. It was the result of a grueling schedule of
intensive, fast-paced, and exhausting crash course training—
a schedule where instruction continued non-stop, with the exception of time spent sleeping.
“So, what is the reason you wanted to meet me? I am willing to listen to your story as much as you want.”
Zenith spoke with a relaxed expression.
She could not even count how many victims’ stories she had heard over the years.
And when she met those who had suffered the same tragedy and shared their grief and anger, her heart tended to be healed to a considerable degree.
She thought it would be the same reason this time.
“Everyone here was harmed by a noble, isn't they?”
“A few others might be added, but that’s mostly the case, right?”
“Then, may I fight alongside you?”
“…Huh?”
–
? -Fight?
-Is the revenge not quite over yet?
-Yeah. The incompetent Black is living well.
-Those filthy Artua bastards.
Zenith was flustered by Riventia’s sudden remark.
Tapping the table, she let out a sigh.
“We prioritize maximum safety, but it is an operation where everyone is prepared to risk their lives. Nothing is guaranteed. And for a noble, there is more to lose.”
Noble status and the promised position of future Mayor of Edlen.
Even if the value of a life is the same for everyone, the weight of what one holds in their hands is different.
Could one really give up all of that at such a young age and set foot here?
Zenith was skeptical.
“Of course, I have no intention of recklessly entering a dangerous place. I feel sorry for Brother Black Dragon and the others who helped, and it wouldn’t be right for me to be here.”
Riventia said, shaking her head.
Although she had lost her family to the incompetent sword, that did not extend into anger toward the kingdom or the nobles.
Her position was different from that of the victims here.
Regardless of intent, the nobles' needless intervention was highly likely to cause discontent.
"It’s a relief that you know."
Janice, who had harbored similar concerns, felt relieved.
Hearing that he had suffered for such a long time, perhaps he was thinking more deeply than his age suggested.
It felt as if she were reminded of the time she had lived through.
"Then, what will you fight with? Personally, I think Edlen's support would be excellent."
"Henry… I mean, the current Mayor will take charge of the support. The Adventurer's Guild says they will gather people as quickly as possible."
Mayor Henry, who had been attending to business elsewhere, was likely busy moving about after receiving the report.
Cowen, the Guild Master, would surely take the lead in gathering reliable personnel.
"That’s a relief, but… what do you intend to do, Ms. Riventia?"
"I intend to check on the incompetent sword."
"…Check it out?"
"Please take a look at this."
Riventia took a piece of parchment out of her bag and unfolded it.
On it was drawn a diagram of character relationships connected by lines.
“Uncle Henry… no, it’s material the Mayor organized for me. I’m studying the political situation of the kingdom’s nobility.”
—Ugh, look how dense it is;
—Professor Henry… … .
"Do I have to memorize all of this?
" "The undergraduate is crying.
" "It's too noisy, go cry outside. "
The sheer volume of material, enough to elicit a sigh, made even a single reading feel overwhelming.
Riventia wore a distant expression, though she seemed to have become quite accustomed to it over time.
"The areas marked in red are the nobles secretly meeting with key figures of the House of Artua."
The data written on the parchment was accurate.
True to Henry's character, there wasn't a single word wrong.
If you were to judge the outcome, all that was needed was to arrest all the nobles marked in red.
"Are you saying Lakmos is included among those key figures? That dissolute fool who just drinks at home?"
Lakmos, the incompetent sword marked separately on the left side of the parchment.
As an unforgettable enemy, Zenith consistently hired people to monitor him.
However, reports came in daily that he had become a complete wreck.
"The Mayor and I thought so too. But it seemed like an act."
"An act?"
A word completely unsuited to Lakmos was utterly spoken of. To think
that the man who had lived his entire life as incompetent trash was acting.
It was a statement difficult to accept.
“Do you have any grounds for this?”
“There were reports that most of the people on this list held secret meetings at the Lakmos Mansion. There were also rumors that they appeared at the meeting in Artua. Wouldn’t that be grounds for suspicion?”
“…….”
Even Zenith could no longer refute those words.
A man who made her shudder just by standing still.
To think that such a bastard was dreaming of rebellion.
She had almost sided with Emeter and aided the Sword of Incompetence.
“Verification is indeed necessary. Of course, please do not get involved yourself, Ms. Riventia.”
“Yes. Don’t worry.”
Riventia nodded at that warning.
Hanbit, who had been watching the conversation, rose from his seat.
“Then I will head to the royal capital.” “
I will continue with preparations here. We don’t have much time, so let’s hurry.”
Zenith rose to follow suit, bowed, and left.
At the same time, an alarm rang in her ears.
Ding-
[Main Quest #4 completed.]
[Received 1,000,000 Gold.]
[5 Stat Points added.]
[Experience increased by 2,000,000.]
[Progress rate increasing.]
[Main Quest #5: The Royal Capital and the Nobles]
We have succeeded in taking measures to secure as much military strength as possible.
The problem lies with the nobles who will join the invasion by the anti-state forces.
In particular, the movements of the incompetent Sword Lakmos are alarming.
While strategy and troops are being prepared, we must obtain the necessary clues.
Objective: Move to the Royal Capital and assess the situation.
Reward: 2,300,000 Gold, 2,500,000 Experience, 7 Stat Points
*Current Progress: 26 percent
The quest description was written in the same tone as the dialogue.
However, checking the status of the nobles one by one is meaningless.
The important thing is the incompetent Sword Lakmos. After
all, that bastard is the one leading the nobles who will side with the anti-state forces.
I have absolutely no intention of getting drawn into his pace.
“We’re going to the Royal Guard headquarters.”
“The Knights? Why there?”
Riventia asked, looking puzzled.
Not the King’s audience chamber, nor the mansion of a powerful noble, but the Knights’ headquarters.
It was difficult to find any meaning in going there.
“Lachmos is going to show up over there. After all, rebellion requires power.”
“…Weren’t you kicked out for doing something wrong? How are you going to go back to the Knights?”
“He’s the kind of person who doesn’t care about that. Besides, it doesn’t work on the Artua family.”
When they stopped by Edlen, Hanbit entrusted a letter to Cowen. It
was a short message stating that he was teleporting to the Royal Guard headquarters.
Leon, having received it, must have handled the matter quickly.
“Then let’s go.”
Whoosh—
as I used the ring, the sensation of teleportation enveloped my body.
When the outlines took shape in my shimmering vision, the two of us were standing in a room with a hole in the ceiling.
“You have arrived.”
Just then, a voice came from behind.
It was Vice-Captain Leon, clad in platinum armor.
“It has been a long time since I last saw you, Lady Riventia.”
“Hello. Thank you so much for everything back then.”
Leon and Riventia exchanged brief greetings.
Watching them, Hanbit also expressed his gratitude.
“It was an urgent request; thank you for granting it.”
“Not at all. I should help as much as I can here.”
Leon appeared as usual.
However, he did not miss the subtle anger lurking in his expression and voice.
“Looks like he’s already here?”
“They say about ten minutes have passed. I think it would be best if you didn’t go out of your way to meet him, though…”
Lakmos had already arrived at the Royal Guard headquarters.
The man, treated as the troublemaker of the Artua family, was a mere excuse in his very existence.
He listens to no one. Messing with him
only brings trouble.
He is an incompetent sword, so just leave him alone.
Such stories served as a solid shield, granting absolution to the family and Lakmos.
“Liventia, are you sure you don’t mind seeing my face?”
“It’s fine. It’s my duty.”
A tragedy of the past that ended, yet did not end.
Even though Vares and Brook had been captured, the unwashed stains of blood remained.
Lia, who lived in the slums, could not simply stand by and watch.
Hanbit nodded and turned his gaze to Leon.
“Let’s go.”
“…Understood. However, please be careful. You must not get drawn into his flow.”
Leaving a heavy warning, Leon began walking ahead.
Hanbit and Liventia quietly followed behind him.
“Wow, you’re still exactly the same. Are you sure you’re training properly?”
The training ground built for the knights.
A man slumped halfway into a chair was letting out a sarcastic voice.
“I told you that’s not how you do it, you punk. Who do you think you’re protecting like that? Huh? Do you want me to go home?”
Lakmos, the incompetent sword, raised his voice while pointing his finger at a knight in training.
Leon strode purposefully toward where the man was.
“Get out. This is not a place for someone like you.”
“Huh?”
Lakmos turned his head and spotted Leon’s face.
Then, letting out a mocking laugh, he looked back at the knights.
“Hey! Don’t swing your sword like that! Put some resolve for justice into it, huh? Do it properly!”
-Ugh;
-So damn loud;
-Add another unlikable character.
-When are you going to die?
-Black Dragon, do it for me.
A loud shout spitting out.
Leon moved to block his view.
“I said get out.”
“Ah, good grief. You’re ridiculously fussy.”
Lakmos sighed and rose to his feet.
A bottle of alcohol lay beneath his stomach.
“Hey, Vice-Commander. Don’t let your emotions get in the way of work. Huh? Look at the big picture for Raven’s sake.”
“No matter what picture I look at, you cannot be here. Get out. Next is forced execution…”
“Why can’t I be here? I’m the strategist. I need to check on the status of the Royal Guard.”
“What… did you just say?”
“Don’t you know what an operations staff officer is? I hold your lifeline in my hands. If you don’t want to be stuck on the front lines, listen to me. If you don’t want to be called an incompetent Vice-Commander.”
Lakmos laughed, pointing to the seal engraved on his armor
. Despite his past mistakes and the moniker of “Incompetent Sword,” he had been entrusted with a heavy responsibility in the military.
The reason was simple.
“Artua…”
In wartime, the Commander-in-Chief is usually the head of the Artua family.
Appointing one of the members as a staff officer was all too easy.
“Are you really a staff officer? Even the Kingdom is short on talent.”
Hanbit, who had been watching the conversation, leisurely chimed in.
Lakmos merely shifted his gaze to look at him.
“What is that again? An adventurer and a kid? Are they doing field trips now?”
“Isn’t that better than a washed-up knight who was shamefully kicked out?”
“What?”
The Sword of Incompetence furrowed its brow at the sharp accusation.
It was difficult to tolerate a complete stranger, and a worthless adventurer at that, bringing up such words.
“These guys nowadays don’t know what status is. Summary judgment is really difficult to use, you know.”
Swoosh—
Lakmos drew his sword from his waist and slowly approached.
Leon tried to stop him, but Hanbit lightly grabbed her arm and instead stepped forward head-on.
“Can you even swing a sword properly? You look frail and weak just by looking at you.”
“…Ha.”
Although Lakmos lived under the moniker of “Incompetence,” he had wielded a sword for well over thirty years.
He could not tolerate a mere commoner adventurer—not even a knight—disparaging his skills.
This was a matter of instinctive pride.
Rakmos, filled with rage, aimed his sword and said,
"Brawl your sword. I’ll kill you."
