The Knight Who Protects the Weak

Chapter 014: The Crimson Flame Cult

I’ll admit, I was probably getting on Ness’s nerves with my behavior.

Yet, no one openly bared their fangs at me.

While I was meeting with Jayden, it seems Jewel had been working some behind-the-scenes magic, because the members of Zephyros assumed I had some special connection with her.

Well, I have to give credit where it’s due.

Jewel’s influence here is beyond what I imagined.

‘I need to maintain a decent relationship with Jewel.’

Trying to push her away was a hasty mistake.

If I’m going to use Easton as my base for now, it’s in my best interest to make good use of her.

In any case, I ended up staying at Easton’s finest inn.

It wasn’t a burden, really.

Apparently, this place was designated as the Gunbel Trading Company’s lodging from the start.

‘Benkou Vision.’

I pushed through the shrieking wails, like a tidal wave, and reached the abyss.

A flurry of blade-like winds raged over the altar.

‘As expected, it’s those mages.’

Their collective screams clawed at my eardrums.

Though I was peering into the world of the subconscious, my physical senses were heightened to an extreme.

‘Kyaaaa―!’

Five strands of wind, split apart, fell into the furnace, carrying the achievements of Benkou Swordsmanship.

The purple flames flickered wildly.

‘My guess was right.’

I imbued the souls of the foes I vanquished into the achievements of the swordsmanship I wielded at the time.

It was an intuitive method.

‘The problem now is…’

The empty furnaces.

I need to find a way to ignite them.

‘Should I refine a new swordsmanship?’

For instance, learning the Kingdom’s swordsmanship.

The Kingdom is vast, and with its long-standing feudal system, each region’s swordsmanship has a distinct character.

However, I’m skeptical about whether mastering them one by one would be efficient.

‘Unless filling the furnaces is the only way to break through the wall of transcendence… there’s no need to expand my swordsmanship unnecessarily.’

With the mindset of cleaning, I tidied the altar and exited the world of imagination.

That’s how my first day in Easton passed.

* * *

The next morning, Jayden came to find me early.

“Did you sleep well last night, Bihen?”

I’d asked him to speak casually before we parted yesterday, and though he acted reluctant, the Old Knight adapted quickly.

Behind Jayden were two others.

For a moment, I was thrown off.

One of them was definitely the scruffy man I saw at the guard barracks yesterday, but the problem was they looked so similar I couldn’t tell which was which.

“Ah, my apologies for the late introduction. These are our proud Easton guard members.”

The two men bowed deeply to me in unison, their heavy packs nearly toppling them forward.

“First Guard Captain Janson.”

“Second Guard Captain Bill.”

Even after hearing their names, I kept trying to figure out which one was the man from yesterday, but their voices were so similar I eventually gave up.

“The guard unit seems larger than I expected. I didn’t realize it was organized into divisions.”

“The Easton guard consists of just me, Janson, Bill, and a quartermaster back at the barracks—four in total. Last year, everyone else was transferred to Zephyros, leaving us. Since the positions were vacant, I specially appointed these two as division captains.”

“That’s how it happened. Pleased to meet you.”

“P-Pleased to meet you, too.”

This was more like the Kingdom I knew.

The ragtag soldiers I’d seen in my past life were exactly like these guys, so I felt a strange sense of familiarity.

“Then, shall we head out?”

“Ah, hold on. Someone’s late, though they should be here by now.”

“Is someone else coming?”

Step, step.

No sooner had I asked than footsteps approached.

Maserin appeared with a sullen expression.

Whatever she ate last night must’ve disagreed with her, as her puffy face jiggled with every step.

“What are you doing here?”

“Because of you, I’m stuck with extra work.”

“I don’t need you, so just leave.”

“I’d love to, but the deputy leader ordered me to stick by you until you’ve adjusted to the Kingdom. Consider it an honor.”

…She says that, but it’s probably just to keep an eye on me.

No need to get worked up over this.

As soon as we left the outskirts, Maserin asked Jayden.

“Have you pinpointed their location?”

She was asking about the Crimson Flame Cult’s hideout.

I’d been curious about that myself. Jayden gave a relaxed smile.

“I stopped by the mercenary guild last night and got some information.”

“The mercenary guild? How…?”

Maserin blinked. As expected, a greenhorn is a greenhorn. I answered for her.

“They manage both jobs and manpower, so they’re naturally well-informed about outside news.”

Jayden looked at me with an expression that said we were on the same wavelength.

“Exactly. More importantly, the Crimson Flame Cult’s base is quite far from Conwell, so supplies are hard to come by. They likely have to procure food locally. As expected, they’ve been taking jobs from the mercenary guild on occasion.”

“They could just pillage like they did with the caravan, but they’re oddly diligent in some ways.”

“They’re just desperate to show they’re different from knights. It’s all about appearances.”

Maserin was the one who answered.

Jayden didn’t contradict her.

I saw my chance.

“So, what are you, Maserin? Can you be both a knight and a mage? I don’t know about mages, but for a swordsman, that kind of half-hearted attitude…”

“We’re not close enough to have personal conversations.”

“Of course not. I’m just curious.”

Jayden stepped between us, patting both Maserin and me on the shoulder.

“Now, now, that’s enough. Bihen, I’m grateful you’re helping me out like this, but since you’re part of the team, I’d appreciate it if you focused on the mission and Maren, you need to stop being so sharp with others.”

“You know why I’m like this, Master.”

“I do. But there’s no need to build walls just because others don’t understand you. That only hurts yourself, not them. Isn’t that why you joined Zephyros in the first place?”

“…Fine.”

It felt less like a master-disciple relationship and more like a patient father dealing with a stubborn daughter.

Watching Maserin storm off ahead, I let out a dry laugh, while Jayden just gave me a look that said, “Try to understand.”

With Jayden in the lead, we walked for quite a while.

Before we knew it, the sun had set, and dusk was settling in.

Jayden tapped his back with his fist and said,

“It’s a good thing we arrived before it got too dark.”

For reference, we were standing at the entrance to a forested hill somewhere near Easton.

At a glance, it was closer to a barren hill, with sparse trees and grass.

I scanned the area and asked,

“Is their hideout in this mountain?”

“According to the information, yes. The problem is we don’t know the exact location yet. But the mountain’s not that big, so we should find it quickly.”

The terrain was rough, with loose dirt and rocks making it bothersome.

Lighting torches would be risky, and the faint moonlight made visibility poor.

“Let’s camp for tonight and move again when it’s light.”

The spot we chose for camp was a relatively flat area backed by a rock wall.

Janson and Bill unpacked their gear and quickly set up a makeshift tent.

Even to me, a former Imperial soldier, their work was impressive.

Honestly, I hadn’t expected much from them, so I was doubly surprised.

I’d even been debating whether I’d need to step in.

Jayden, who’d been overseeing their work, clapped lightly at the finished tent.

“You two have improved. Excellent work.”

“Thank you.”

“Thank you, Captain.”

“I’m the one who’s thankful, you rascals. We won’t embarrass ourselves in front of our Imperial guest.”

Janson and Bill scratched the backs of their heads, grinning shyly.

I gazed at Jayden.

The more I saw him, the more he seemed like a daycare director rather than a swordsman.

We lit a bonfire and sat around it.

Maserin, not wanting to mingle, had already holed up in a corner of the tent…

Janson and Bill eagerly chewed on slightly warmed jerky, their excited faces making even my nonexistent appetite stir just watching them.

Jayden, watching them fondly, spoke to me.

“I don’t know about other places, but the Easton guard manual repeatedly stresses that guards need training for wartime scenarios. This mission is like a training exercise for those two. It’ll be good experience.”

“…Training that feels like real combat is ideal, but real combat for the sake of training is a dangerous idea.”

Having spent half my youth in the military in my past life, I can’t compromise on this.

Of course, I only spoke so candidly because it was Jayden.

Anyone else would’ve scoffed and ignored me.

Jayden lifted his drooping eyelids slightly and smiled like a kind-hearted man.

“I’ve been spouting some nasty nonsense dressed up nicely, haven’t I? You’re right. I’ve gotten complacent, and my head’s gone soft.”

In that fleeting moment, the shadows on his face deepened.

“You’ve probably noticed, but the Easton guard is just an empty shell now. Zephyros has taken over all its functions, but since they can’t be publicly acknowledged, we’re essentially just figureheads.”

“And yet, they dump critical tasks like this on you, Sir Jayden. That’s what puzzles me.”

“It’s not entirely incomprehensible. Mages and knights are naturally at odds. Getting them to sit face-to-face for a conversation is nearly impossible. Oh, and by the way, the title ‘Sir’ is reserved for nobles or knights in the Kingdom. Don’t call me that from now on.”

The Empire’s customs are similar.

The reason I was surprised…

In my past life, he was a knight leading subordinates.

I can still vividly see him, not in this crude leather armor but in a proper plate surcoat.

“Then what should I call you?”

“Why would an Imperial like you need to stand on ceremony? Just call me Jayden. I’m just an old soldier now.”

“…”

No cricket chirps echoed on the barren hill.

Only the occasional sound of rolling dust and pebbles filled the air.

Janson and Bill were chattering excitedly about something.

As silence settled between Jayden and me…

I quietly asked,

“In your view, is Zephyros truly just?”

“Hm? That’s a sudden…”

“With knight factions and mage schools… in a chaotic Kingdom like this, is Zephyros the justice you’ve chosen?”

Jayden stroked his chin.

A rough scraping sound came from his poorly shaved cheeks and jaw.

“Haha. It’s hard to keep up with your level of thinking. Well, for a guard living off a salary, is there really need for something as grand as justice?”

Did my disappointment show? Jayden patted my forearm.

“Talk like that is best saved for when you’re tipsy and rambling. Let’s have a drink after this mission. I was planning to treat you anyway, as thanks.”

“…Sure.”

The moonlight was finally growing thicker.

* * *

…Damn it.

Snore― Crack! Gurgle… Phew… Snoooore!

I thought a tank was rolling through.

The snoring was shaking the heavens and earth.

The culprit was either Janson or Bill.

The guy passed out with his mouth wide open next to me—was he Janson or Bill? I still couldn’t tell.

‘This snoring could give away our position.’

Jayden was sleeping soundly, clearly used to it.

Maserin, wrapped tightly in a blanket, didn’t budge either.

It seems Kingdom folk are immune to this kind of noise.

‘Unbelievable.’

Meanwhile, the night watch was dozing off, slumped on a rock.

It had to be either Janson or Bill.

I approached and jabbed my finger into the temple of his sloppily worn leather helmet.

“…Gah!”

He woke, wiping drool.

His half-closed eyes widened instantly.

“Oh, oh no! I’m sorry…!”

“Shh. Sorry for what? I’m not your boss.”

“Ugh, sir, please don’t tell the captain…”

“Fine, but stop calling me sir.”

“…Huh? But I heard you’re an Imperial noble…”

“Not a Kingdom noble. If I cared about appearances, I wouldn’t be here. We’re around the same

age, so just relax.”

“R-Really…?”

Somehow, I ended up echoing Jayden’s words.

Whether it was Janson or Bill, he adapted quickly, which was different.

“Hehe. An Imperial friend, huh? Never thought I’d see the day.”

“Friend’s a bit much… So, are you Janson or Bill? It’s hard to tell.”

“I get that a lot. I’m Bill. I’m the slightly better-looking one. Keep that in mind, and it’s easier to tell.”

Was that supposed to be a joke?

Not knowing how to respond, I just stared at the landscape stretching below the hill.

Bill suddenly let out a groan.

“Ugh, mages are scary. I hope we’ll be okay.”

“You won’t have to step in, so don’t worry.”

“That’s a relief. The Langster Faction knights are at least somewhat human, despite their foul tempers and brutality. But mages? They’re like beasts in human skin.”

The air wasn’t even chilly, but Bill hugged his arms and shivered.

He kept shaking his head, as if recalling something terrifying.

I humored him.

“They’re definitely strange.”

“Strange doesn’t even cover it. They eat people. Living people.”

In my past life, I never heard of mages having such vile hobbies.

Since cannibalism is considered the ultimate taboo in the Empire, I felt an instinctive revulsion.

“Eat people? They’re not beasts.”

“It’s a figure of speech, a figure of speech. But who knows? There might be a school that actually cooks and eats human flesh. Anyway, it’s true they use living people as sacrifices for their mana. They absorb life force. I saw one of their corpses once—it looked like a shriveled branch.”

It was a creepy tale, but it didn’t hit me hard. I’d never heard of such a thing.

If it were true, they would’ve launched a massive human sacrifice operation against our Imperial army in my past life.

We’d have tried to eradicate such practices on “moral” grounds.

Of course, I can’t jump to conclusions based solely on past memories. It’s possible such things were widespread, and I just didn’t know.

At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised by anything happening in this land.

Then, a scene flashed through my mind, and my eyes widened.

‘…Could it be?’

The people the Gunbel Trading Company handed over to the Kingdom knights.

Come to think of it, using serious criminals as slaves seemed odd.

Who they were given to isn’t the issue right now. The transaction itself feels suspicious.

Crack.

Bill and I both turned our heads toward the sound.

In the stillness of the night, the noise of a small pebble rolling was loud.

Bill brushed it off, but I stared at the direction of the sound. It was a patch of dark shadow.

“Probably just a small animal. Don’t worry…”

“Shh.”

I placed a finger to my lips and slowly stood.

An immense amount of mana, unlike anything I’d felt even in my past life, was stimulating my entire body.