Surviving as a Knight in a Trash Game

Chapter 144

More bustling than any metropolis, well-paved main roads and neatly connected streets.

In the market, opened amidst buildings erected as if measured with a ruler, people moved busily.

As the sunlight pierced through the dim dawn and shone upon the people, their already dynamic faces became even more vibrant.

“Isn’t it nice?”

Gremory, feeling languid while basking in the warm sunlight, lay on the roof of a building with her arms crossed.

A demon enjoying sunlight seemed somewhat paradoxical, but demons also liked delicious food and fine weather.

Because those were things absent in their world.

“Come to think of it, who made up the story that demons necessarily live in castles of solid black, with flowing lava and red volcanoes?”

Gremory hummed a tune, enjoying the sunlight for a long while, then lightly descended to the ground.

Taking slow steps, she cast a perception-distorting magic on her alluring face to divert attention, then very naturally moved towards one place.

[Gomorrah’s Magical Bakery]

As the scent of bread, more enchanting than any magic, vibrated through the surroundings, people lined up in front of the store from early morning, eager to buy bread.

Gremory, too, joined the crowd, waiting for bread like ordinary people.

After roughly 30 minutes or more, as the line shortened, Gremory’s turn approached.

“You’re here again? Pretty lady?”

A young boy, appearing to be around 10 years old, approached Gremory with ghostly speed and handed her the bread he was holding.

It was filled with apple pie containing sweet apples and freshly baked baguettes.

“Kiddo, thank you. I’ll bless you today as well.”

“Perhaps because an angel-like pretty lady blesses me every day, it seems like more people have been coming lately!”

At the boy’s smooth way of speaking, like a master salesman despite his young age, Gremory unknowingly smiled.

To an ironic demon who liked humans, a cute boy was an existence she could never dislike.

Gremory took a bite of the freshly baked bread and showed a happy expression.

“Among all breads, the bread here is truly the most delicious.”

She once again seriously contemplated the reason why the human world had to be destroyed.

If humans perished, wouldn’t this delicious bread eventually disappear too?

And then, she would have to eat things like Goblin Stew or Orc Hind Leg Stew.

Then, things like Goblin Eyeball Pudding or Ratman Eyeball Candy would be served as dessert.

‘It’s horrifying.’

As a Great Demon, she could live without eating, so she didn’t bother eating in the demon world.

Even so, it wasn’t that she couldn’t feel the joy of eating.

Among human’s five desires, they say there are desires for wealth, food, sex, honor, and sleep, and among them, the desire for food was considered a strong one.

Demons are naturally products of desire, so wouldn't it be natural for them to also possess a desire for food?

Some say a demon’s appetite is satisfied by eating humans, but while such demons existed, there were also demons like Gremory who enjoyed delicious things just like humans.

“Hmm… The apple pie is especially good today.”

She was beaming with joy.

Just as she was enjoying the freshly baked bread, someone slowly walked up beside her.

“Try some milk too. Your throat will get dry if you only eat bread.”

It was a woman who offered the milk with a gentle smile.

Even with the free milk offered by a woman with a strangely dangerous smile, Gremory expressed her gratitude with a bright smile and accepted the milk.

“You’re very kind.”

“I hear that often. If you’re bored, come visit the hotel next door. You know that in the Arthur Domain these days, accommodations called hotels are popular, not inns, right? I’m the owner of that largest building in the domain.”

“Oh… really? Then, are delicious drinks and food also provided?”

“Yes, I’ll provide you with free lodging as well, especially for you, young lady.”

Gremory briefly wondered why this human, who exuded a dangerous scent, was showing her free kindness.

“Do you know me?”

“I just saw you today, how would I know you?”

“Then why are you offering to feed and house me for free?”

“Well, I know everything that happens in the domain, but I don’t know much about you, young lady. Even after watching you for quite a while, that’s the case. I’ve never not known something after observing it for a long time. Isn’t it best to keep dangerous people close by?”

Watching Anne, who was speaking with a bright smile, Gremory once again felt that the woman before her was a dangerous human.

And yet, she really liked this woman.

To judge her as dangerous despite not knowing her identity and still want to keep her close.

Wasn’t she an interesting human?

“That’s great. Then, can I stay there starting today?”

“Of course, I’ll give you the best room on the top floor. You can stay as long as you like. I’ll cover all your expenses while you stay in the Arthur Domain.”

Thus, Gremory began to live in the hotel called [First Meeting, First Start], a famous landmark in the Arthur Domain run by the strange human named Anne.

“No, I mean, you know, sis? That human, I tell you….”

And she was forcibly made into the owner’s counselor, and on some days, she had to be her drinking buddy.

“Honestly, sis, you’re playing and eating for free, shouldn’t you at least be a drinking buddy?”

“So, little sis, I never said I’d stay here, you brought me here, remember?”

“I know that, but still, what’s the harm in being my drinking buddy while you play and eat for free?”

Gremory was a demon.

Demons were a race sensitive to favors and contracts.

And she was, more than she realized, receiving many favors from the woman before her.

Though unseen, Gremory was accumulating quite a lot of karma from Anne.

But strangely, she didn’t dislike it.

Anne was a woman with a peculiar charm.

“Hoo… Little sis, I’m telling you, let’s switch to another man.”

“Sis…!”

“Well, I did kind of like that human, Karl.”

“Hey…!”

For the first time in her demonic life, Gremory heard a human say "hey" to her.

Yet, she didn't leave Anne's side and clinked her drinking glass with hers.

Thus, Gremory was perfectly adapting to life in the Arthur Domain.

***

After the recent incident, Postasia, which seemed ready to invade the Arthur Domain at any moment, had instead become quiet.

It seemed they also thought an all-out war was too much.

Karl and the Arthur Domain, in the short span of a few months, once again recorded dazzling growth, showing daily development.

Also, within the Arthur Domain, educational opportunities were equal for everyone.

Slavery did not exist, and a culture where nobles did not treat commoners carelessly was taking root.

It was creaky at first, but as nobles gained respect for being noble-like and they, in turn, practiced noblesse oblige, trust between nobles and commoners was being built.

Even though Karl had not considered anything like an egalitarian society while managing the domain, the ideology underlying his policies naturally permeated the domain’s management, and society was flowing that way without anyone forcing it.

“You’re starting to look quite like a lord now, aren’t you?”

As always, next to Karl, who was enjoying sweet cake with warm black tea, sat Anne, also lifting her teacup and smiling.

“It seems it’s about time for me to wander outside again.”

Anne was quietly smiling as she watched him, who answered somewhat bluntly despite feeling quite good inside.

“By the way, it seems zombies are reappearing in the northeast. They say the numbers aren’t that large… but you never know, when their population might suddenly surge.”

“Is it those damn elves again?”

The only ones who could control zombies, from what he had seen recently, were about the elves.

“I’m gathering detailed information, so I’ll let you know once it’s confirmed.”

“Thank you.”

Just as the steam from the warm black tea was rising again, Sancho knocked on the door of the room where the two were.

“Come in.”

Sancho, who bowed deeply to show his respect, opened his mouth with an unusually serious expression.

“It seems the zombie attacks in the northeast have worsened. Not in the Arthur Domain, but the number of attacks on domains beyond our borders has increased significantly. They seem to be responding over there, but it’s unclear how it will spread.”

Would those cunning pointy-ears use the same strategy that had already failed once?

The pattern seemed similar to before, but that couldn’t be all there was to it.

“Are they deliberately trying to lure us out… or is there another device in play?”

There was a grudge between the elves and Karl, but there was no rule that they would solely target Karl.

They too would have an ultimate goal.

Their ultimate objective wouldn't be Karl's downfall.

“What should we do.”

Karl quietly closed his eyes and began to organize his thoughts.

“First, we need to convene a meeting.”

Karl, having ordered Hans to gather the key figures of the domain, quietly closed his eyes again.

Thus, time flowed quickly, and soon, all the key figures of the Arthur Domain had gathered in the meeting room.

***

“It feels like a trap. I don’t know what they’re thinking by doing such a thing, but the fact that they’re operating in an area adjacent to us is suspicious.”

Rogério spoke first.

His words made perfect sense.

After all, a deep grudge had formed between those damn elves and Karl’s forces.

“I know very well that they bear a grudge against you, but that won’t be their final goal.”

Bastien held an opinion similar to Karl’s.

That they wouldn’t simply move for Karl’s downfall.

“I also agree with Bastien. If we consider them a faction as well, they won’t move based on simple grudges.”

Marquis Nigel also agreed with his close friend.

As the opinions of the two elders coincided, those gathered in the room tried to discern their intentions more carefully.

Even after several hours of meetings, a conclusion about their intentions was not easily reached.

“First, regardless of their intentions, we cannot simply stand by and watch what they are doing. It is a clear fact that we must cooperate with the northeastern nobles to stop what they are doing. However, as there is a clear risk that they will target the gap when the domain’s forces are depleted in the process, we need to move after thoroughly securing the domain’s defense.”

Everyone nodded at Karl’s neat summary.

As the meeting continued, Karl began to decide who would accompany him on the northeastern expedition this time and who would remain for defense.

“Sir Bastien, Sir Daniel, Vice-Commander Definir, and Kirk will be in charge of defending the castle. Lord Emilio, please stay with them.”

The defensive force, with a Master-grade knight, a sage, numerous Superior-grade knights, and the knight order, was quite sufficient.

“Kelvin and the remaining personnel will accompany me.”

Thus, the long meeting concluded, and people began to move in perfect order to do their respective tasks.

***

“Commander, I don’t know why I have such an uneasy feeling. What if it’s a trap set by those nefarious elves?”

Throughout the journey to the area where the undead had appeared, Kelvin was engrossed in the worry that it might be a trap set by them.

Although Kelvin’s level had actually risen higher than before due to the miracle, after experiencing his body being ruined once, he had become someone who considered various things.

“If it’s a trap, we just break through it.”

The force moving this time consisted of 100 Knights of the Lighthouse and 100 Knights Hospitaller, a total of 200 knights.

It meant that if worst came to worst, they had enough power to escape from their trap.

Of course, Karl, too, had not failed to consider that they might employ a strategy of feinting in the east to attack in the west.

However, even so, he was confident that the current strength of the Arthur Domain could sufficiently counter their attack.

It meant that the military strength of the Arthur Domain had been greatly enhanced.

Recently, a mage training course through Emilio had even been established, and although still rudimentary, they were even producing mages.

From the castle walls to various siege equipment, everything was thoroughly prepared, and their own armed forces, including the knight order, were incomparable to before.

In addition, Holy Knights from the Essus Order and the Vatican were stationed there, making it difficult for any ordinary force to dare covet the Arthur Domain.

“If they’re not idiots, they wouldn’t dare to strike the domain directly.”

“…Right? Why do I strangely feel like they’re going to enter the domain?”

“Put aside your useless worries and focus on our side.”

Karl and the members of the Knight of the Lighthouse arrived at the domain where the undead were said to have appeared.

And at that moment, Karl already realized that this place was a trap.

Even though it was a swift judgment made before even entering the Lord’s castle, the entire surrounding area was already filled with undead.

And Karl instantly understood what those undead signified.

“Return to the domain as quickly as possible.”

Those things were obstacles meant to delay their return.

Feint in the east, attack in the west.

That was truly what those pointy-eared bastards were aiming for.