Surviving as a Knight in a Trash Game

Chapter 158

The first emotion knights from all over the continent felt upon entering the Arthur Domain was admiration.

A domain located at the barren edge of the North.

“Is this… really the Arthur Domain?”

Those who had imagined a desolate scene due to the recent zombie incident and Uruk raid were left speechless at the sight of well-maintained roads and a perfectly planned city.

“Come this way, we have many good items.”

The next thing that surprised the people, who were astonished by the city’s scenery, was the numerous shops established nearby and the goods being sold there.

It was impossible to tell just how many merchant groups were coming and going; trade goods were overflowing from the South, West, and East.

As rumors spread that doing business in the Arthur Domain was profitable, cases of merchants voluntarily packing their goods and flocking from various regions emerged one after another.

Thanks to this, an abundance of high-quality trade goods were released onto the market in the Arthur Domain at relatively cheap prices.

“I’d heard rumors that the Arthur Domain had developed tremendously, but I didn’t know it was to this extent.”

“This is all thanks to Lord Karl.”

Market merchants, as well as pub owners, all vied to praise Karl.

“Other places take everything in taxes, but here, there’s no such worry. You just pay 10% of what’s left after selling goods. And those who earn a lot pay a little more, while those who earn less can pay that much less; how rational is that, I tell you.”

People didn't know it well, but Karl had already been incorporating the concepts of indirect and direct taxes into the Arthur Domain.

He introduced value-added tax, an indirect tax, to reduce the feeling that people were being ripped off by taxes, and applied the modern concept of progressive surtax to income tax, a direct tax, to set tax brackets.

He created a structure where those who earned a lot paid slightly more taxes and, by bestowing honors such as invitations to city events or plaques in the name of the Arthur Domain, made it feel honorable for those with money or those who earned a lot to pay more taxes.

Thanks to this, tax revenue improved, and a trickle-down effect occurred as merchants from other regions, hearing the rumors, flocked to the Arthur Domain.

As the income of the gathered merchants increased, the income and development of the Arthur Domain also rose more steeply.

“By the way, you seem to be participating in the Knight Grand Tournament this time too?”

A man with tanned skin, explosive-like hair, and a slightly swaggering demeanor asked Dennis, a knight who had come to participate in the Knight Grand Tournament.

“That’s right. I came all the way from the South because I wanted to receive guidance from Sir Karl.”

Dennis, a young knight whose eyes shone brightly, had the spirit fitting his age.

“You seem to admire Lord Karl a lot?”

“Of course. Isn’t he a knight among knights, the likes of whom the world will never see again?”

“Knight… among knights…?”

“Yes! The path Lord Karl has walked is truly the kind of path that all who stand on this continent in the name of a knight think of.”

“You wouldn’t think so if you experienced it?”

“Huh?”

Sancho, the man with dark skin and explosive hair, scratched his head as he recalled what he had experienced.

Regardless of his reaction, Dennis, who had started talking about Karl, continued to speak endlessly as if a floodgate had burst.

“So, Lord Karl then…!”

“Uh…”

“And then! Didn’t Lord Karl begin to mercilessly slaughter those bastards?”

Sancho, who had first asked Dennis a question, was regretting ever speaking to Dennis, who was almost blindly devoted.

‘If he actually saw him, he wouldn’t react like that…’

Sancho, who had suffered much at Karl’s hands, could clearly see the future that awaited the young lamb before him if he joined the Lighthouse Knights.

‘Still, it’s quite amazing.’

Sancho, watching the hotel Anne had built teeming with people, recalled the moment he first came to this domain.

It was an astonishing change created in a short period of less than five years.

“The preliminaries start tomorrow, so make sure to watch carefully.”

Sancho lightly patted the shoulder of Dennis, the young and promising-looking knight.

***

The venue for the preliminary rounds of the Arthur Domain Knight Grand Tournament was teeming with knights.

The sight of thousands of knights, equipped with their respective armaments, waiting for the preliminary rounds was a spectacle.

“Hamshik of the Dantalion Knights!”

“Jaitun of the Tutor Knights!”

“Dune of the Golden Lion Knights.”

Some were already widely known throughout thecontinent, and there were even more unnamed knights.

Even if they weren't included among the 30 who could get a chance to duel Karl, the number of those who wanted to assess their own skills on this occasion or prove their abilities here and join a knight order was considerable.

“Winner! Free Knight Dennis!”

Dennis, a young knight who won the first match of the preliminaries held simultaneously, felt his heart, which had been about to burst with nervousness, finally calm down.

“I won…”

Despite his young age of 20, Dennis had participated in several battles.

Nevertheless, this Knight Grand Tournament was more nerve-wracking.

‘I really want to cross swords with Sir Karl.’

The young knight thought he definitely wanted to receive teachings from the object of his long-held admiration and dreams.

“Huh, what’s with this guy? We meet again?”

“What are you doing there?”

“Ah, this? It’s gambling legally approved by the domain. How about you place a bet too?”

“The domain legally allows something like this?”

“Why? Don’t believe me? Part of the profits earned from this is used for the poor people in the domain. And you know our domain’s education is free, right? It’s also used to cover those education costs.”

“Ah…!”

To Dennis, a young knight full of dreams and hopes, the story that even money earned from gambling was invested in the poor and education sounded incredibly wholesome.

“Then… I’ll also try once…”

Dennis carefully took out a gold coin from his pocket while checking his odds.

It was money he had painstakingly saved by doing various requests as a knight aspirant, so his hand trembled as he tried to place it on the gambling table.

“Hey, scared? What’s wrong with a young man? Bet boldly. Don’t you have that much confidence in yourself?”

“…”

Dennis, completely falling for Sancho’s subtle taunts from the side, ended up betting several gold coins on himself.

***

Tuva Curtis, who learned the axe techniques passed down through a single lineage, came out into the world for the first time after years of training only in the mountains with his master.

Knowing nothing of the world, he blew all the inheritance his master left him before dying within a few days of arriving on the continent.

“Hey, if you’re going to eat, you need money…!”

Since Tuva was several times larger than an ordinary person, restaurant owners couldn't speak harshly to him, but being penniless, he was constantly mistreated wherever he went.

“So, someone like you can earn money by becoming a mercenary. I’ll arrange mercenary work for you and manage it, so work with me.”

Tuva, hearing a kind man offer to arrange mercenary work, began to earn money with him.

After completing several missions, Tuva’s skills became known, and job offers continued to pour in.

“Hey, Tuva. You need to start paying your overdue rent. I know you’re famous and skilled, but not paying rent for a month is a bit much.”

“What are you talking about? Didn’t Amandi pay the rent?”

“You… haven’t you heard that Amandi lost all the money at the gambling tables?”

“What do you mean? Amandi lost all the money?”

“…”

At the innkeeper’s words, Tuva left the inn with thudding steps towards Amandi.

“No, Tuva…? What brings you here?”

Amandi, who was in the middle of receiving cards at a gambling table, looked at Tuva with an awkward face.

Since Tuva had never been seen at a gambling table before, it seemed like cold sweat was trickling down his face.

“Amandi, where is all my money?”

“…Y-your money is fine…”

“Show me the money. I need to pay the rent.”

“Well… just a moment. Th-this hand… I can give it to you after this hand.”

Tuva’s eyes changed into those of a warrior who had found his prey.

Being from a southern barbarian tribe, his eyes resembled those of a beast.

Thump, thump!

Tuva strode over and picked up the money on the gambling table.

“What… what do you think you’re doing…!”

The ruffians running the gambling table tried to stop Tuva but froze a moment when they met his gaze.

“It’s my money. Take care of the rest yourselves. Any complaints?”

At his blunt words, those present shook their heads vigorously from side to side.

There was no mercenary here brave enough to mess with Tuva the Red Axe.

“Tu… Tuva, where are you going?”

“Amundi, this is the end between you and me.”

Tuva had completely trusted Amundi, who had helped him.

He was naive, but not so lenient as to forgive betrayal.

Since he hadn't starved and had been able to stay in good lodging, this was Tuva’s final act of tolerance towards him.

“Ah…”

Amundi sensed that his life was over.

And in a situation where the stakes had been taken, the ruffians of the gambling den would naturally target Amundi, not Tuva.

Thwack.

Tuva, who had returned to his lodging, placed the money in his hand down to the owner.

“Tuva, you. Have you ever thought of quitting mercenary work and becoming a knight?”

“A knight? Do they give you money for that?”

“Of course. They give you food, money, a place to sleep, and you can fight.”

“Is there such a thing?”

“Yes, go to the Arthur Domain. There, you’ll find Lord Karl Reitz Arthur Meyer, the Knight of the Lighthouse, who is called one of the 10 strongest on this continent.”

No one, seeing Tuva who wasn't smart and only good at fighting, thought of him as a knight.

And no one knew how strong Tuva was.

“The 10 strongest on the continent.”

Tuva recalled his master.

-Our Hexler school are those who have inherited the spirit of Adam Hexler, who reached the pinnacle of this world with just a single axe. Tuva, I hope you will carry on the will of our school and one day reach the pinnacle of this world with this single axe. This master couldn't do it, but you definitely can.

Tuva’s master was kind, warm, and strict, like a father to him.

Tuva, recalling what he had forgotten while mired in the swamp of money, departed for the Arthur Domain without hesitation.

Screeeeeech!

“Red Axe Tuva! Victory!”

Thus, Tuva, who arrived at the domain, easily passed the preliminaries with a single swing of his axe.

***

“You see some promising individuals?”

“Yes, there’s a fellow named Dennis. He lacks finesse but has learned a very upright sword. Considering he’s already entered the Superior-grade at the age of 20, his talent doesn’t seem ordinary either.”

Superior-grade at 20 was truly remarkable talent.

Though they’d have to watch his future progress, it was possible that a knight even more outstanding than Karl could emerge.

“And this friend, age unknown, uses an axe, and his name is Tuva. He seems to be from a southern barbarian tribe. His axe technique doesn’t have the feel of a barbarian tribe, and seeing as he uses techniques from an orthodox school, he seemed to have a master.”

The individuals mentioned in the report were already being managed and observed one-on-one by agents under Sancho and Anne.

It was a procedure to immediately recruit those among them who were somewhat promising.

“Other than that, most of the individuals are already in existing knight orders, so these two seem to be the ones we should keep an eye on.”

“Continue to watch them closely.”

Karl reviewed the individuals mentioned in the report again, looking forward to the moment the duels with the 30 would begin.

‘Am I also a person of this place now…?’

To think he was looking forward to crossing swords and dueling with someone; Karl felt he himself had changed a lot.

Thus, a few days later, the preliminaries ended, and the selection of the 30 individuals who would duel Karl was completed.

“Today, finally! In this very place! The great knight, Lord Karl Reitz Arthur Meyer, whose fame resounds throughout the continent, will duel with 30 challengers! 10 people each day! For 3 days! His Lordship will face all 30 of these challengers alone!”

The announcer’s voice echoed through the arena, and in the stadium packed with spectators, the first challenger stepped onto the arena floor.

Yakov, a Superior-grade knight who used a spear, was the commander of the renowned Whirlwind Knights on the continent and also a spearman.

“Ah! Finally! The master of our Arthur Domain, the shield protecting the North, the light illuminating the world, the Knight of the Lighthouse! The Knight of Salvation! Lord Karl Reitz Arthur Meyer. will now make his appearance!”

In contrast to the announcer’s grand introduction, Karl calmly entered the arena holding a single sword, without any flashy decorations.

“Let’s begin.”

The moment the announcer was about to add some other kind of embellishment, Karl’s short remark lightly cut him off.

“Then! Match! Begin!”

Kwoong!

“…”

No sooner had the words signaling the start of the match ended than a huge impact sound was heard, and Yakov the spearman, who had taken quite a long time to appear, collapsed onto the arena floor.

The people, looking at the fallen Yakov, were enveloped in a huge silence.

“Next.”

At that moment, Karl’s short word, breaking through the suffocating silence, echoed through the arena.