Chapter 72.

s.h.i.+eld!

Hearing his enraged shout, Julian hurriedly threw Seon-Hyeok a buckler secured to the horses saddle. He s.n.a.t.c.hed the small s.h.i.+eld out of the air, grabbed the handle, and immediately smashed downwards.

Keok!

The man running in front had his face smashed in by the s.h.i.+eld and fell down screaming.

Die!

The second thug trampled on his fallen comrade and brandished a knife. For Seon-Hyeok, the attack felt incredibly sloppy and slow. He almost yawned as he kicked at the man, not even bothering to block the clumsy attack.

Ugh.

Kicked in the stomach by a hard leather boot, the man collapsed while letting out a grotesque noise. The man running right behind him stared wide-eyed, shocked that two of his fellow thugs had been taken out in an instant. Seon-Hyeok smashed the blank face with the buckler.

Thud.

Ugh.

A piece of a tooth and crimson blood spewed into the air as the third man collapsed.

Huh?

The unidentified a.s.sailants hesitated, belatedly realizing that they had picked the wrong target. However, Seon-Hyeok was furious and had no intention of letting them run away. He secured the handle of the s.h.i.+eld. Although it was a cute little buckler barely large enough to cover ones head, in his hands, it was a terrifying chunk of iron and an efficient weapon.

Ack!

Kuack!

Seon-Hyeok approached, swinging the buckler in a wide arc, and the men in front fell, faces slashed by the edge of the s.h.i.+eld. He pushed forward without hesitation, recklessly swinging both fist and s.h.i.+eld as he tore through the a.s.sailants.

Hiik!

Oh? Closing your eyes? You dont even have the basics of fighting down.

The man shut his eyes in fear even before Seon-Hyeok could reach him. His face, sporting knife scars, was truly pathetic.

I, Im sorr keok!

He prostrated before the foreigner, head down as if begging for forgiveness. He was promptly kneed in the face and began foaming at the mouth.

We lost two of them.

Seon-Hyeok turned to see Hansen and Jackson standing on top of two archers.

What. That was it?

Still angry, he looked for another opponent. However, anyone able to stand on their own two feet had already disappeared.

Ugh.

Sob.

The unidentified attackers had tears and snot running down their faces. It was a completely different sight from just a moment ago.

Seon-Hyeok grew even more enraged. These men wouldve been beaten up by the lowliest of soldiers on the western front, but here, they were brandis.h.i.+ng their blades like they owned the settlement. He searched out the ones who still seemed to have their wits and kicked them.

My Lord. There are people watching.

He came to his senses after hearing Jackson. He looked around before stopping.

But n.o.bodys paying attention?

They had left the alley as they beat up the a.s.sailants. However, despite the commotion, none of the people pa.s.sing by looked at them. They hurried about, afraid of making eye contact. It was as though midday stabbings were commonplace in these parts.

Wow. What kind of s.h.i.+tty neighborhood is this? People actually live here?

As Seon-Hyeok exclaimed in bewilderment, he heard a whistle from afar. With that, the guards approached.

Wow. So early. Way to get here after theyre all taken care of.

He clicked his tongue at the horribly slow guards as Julian came to take the bloodied buckler.

Halt!

Its been a while since things stopped.

The ma.s.s of guards glanced at the alley and awkwardly stuck out their spears.

We received a report that you ambushed innocent citizens. Drop your weapons

Just stop. Im actually going to get angry.

Seeing the guards about to call the victims the attackers, Seon-Hyeok warned them in a low voice.

If you surrender, you will be brought to justice

This place is a mess.

The guards demand for surrender wasnt even worth listening to, so he called Julian. She had been wiping the blood and flesh from the buckler using a mans coat lying on the ground, but quickly came to his side when he called.

Take care of this.

Would you like to go to your accommodations first?

No. Lets go together in a bit. This place really is a s.h.i.+thole. We shouldnt split up and invite any more trouble.

Then Ill take care of this as quickly as possible.

The noisy guard gave them a fierce look as they spoke.

What are you doing

Smack.

Julian walked up to the guard and smacked him across the face before he could even finish.

What are you doing

Ident.i.ty and affiliation, guard.

Overwhelmed by the commanding att.i.tude, the guard stroked his swollen cheek and answered reflexively.

Rugenburg guard forces, Carls

Smack.

Julian once again smacked the guard.

How can a commoner speak that way in front of a n.o.ble?

A, are you a n.o.ble?

Smack.

Julian was ruthless. The guard captain was in a daze after being slapped repeatedly.

Apologize before you even think about asking who youre talking to. Your complacent att.i.tude and carelessness almost resulted in the n.o.ble coming to harm.

Smack. Smack. Smack!

Julian continued to smack the guard even as she demanded an apology. He didnt have the chance to open his mouth.

You dont deserve to know the name of this n.o.ble man. Take those trash and get out of here. If I hear that they didnt get properly punished, I wont let you get off so easily.

The guard captain, slapped dozens of times by the small but sharp hand of the young girl, was almost delirious. The remaining guards stepped up to gather the unidentified a.s.sailants and disappeared.

Is it okay to treat them so harshly? Theyre still guards of this territory.

Considering how the guards stood by the thugs, it was evident what kind of relations.h.i.+p they normally had. Even so, Seon-Hyeok couldnt help but be worried that they were mistreating the guards of a different territory.

My Lord, you should be more aware of your position as a n.o.ble. No n.o.ble asks forgiveness from those beneath him. He was the one who tried to accuse you of being a criminal.

In the end, he was scolded for voicing his concerns.

Lets go. I was already tired before having to waste my energy on those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds.

Aware that hed continue getting reprimanded, he gave an excuse to leave. Julian gave a disapproving look, but shut her mouth.

Fortunately, they didnt have to worry about being attacked once they reached their accommodations. As befitting a large port city, Rugenburgs accommodations and service were excellent. There was only a single wall between him and the outdoors, but the atmosphere inside was completely different from what he just experienced.

I feel so much better now.

The group looked like they had forgotten their recent troubles as they gathered at the restaurant after was.h.i.+ng themselves. Considering they had been unable to wash properly during their journey, they felt refreshed after finally getting rid of the dirt and mud caked on their bodies.

Hm.

Even Julian, the squire responsible for delivering such feisty slaps earlier in the afternoon, wasnt above the afterglow of the hot bath, as she dozed off like a young child.

Im back.

At that moment, Jona.s.son returned from the sailors guild.

You actually managed to find this place okay?

You caused such a scene outside, so itd have been strange if I couldnt.

Jona.s.son casually responded to Hansens verbal jab and immediately began to talk about what he had heard.

Around 4 years ago, three merchant s.h.i.+ps heading southwest encountered a giant sea monster. Of those, the flags.h.i.+p and one of the accompanying s.h.i.+ps sank, while the remaining s.h.i.+p was half-wrecked before the people were rescued by a pa.s.sing merchant fleet.

Was it the sea serpents doing?

They say its probably a sea serpent. However, n.o.bodys actually seen the monster, so well have to ask the survivors tomorrow to find out the truth.

Jona.s.son claimed that asking around too openly from the beginning left one open to pranks or false information. He seemed quite familiar with the task at hand.

Lets get something to eat first. Itll be our first time having a proper meal in a while.

Seon-Hyeok didnt expect much considering it was their first day at Rugenburg. He was about to order their meal when the door of the inn opened and guards rushed in.

Ah. This place really doesnt suit me.

The party was just about to get over their earlier situation, and thus, they didnt welcome the guards. Julian rose from her seat and glared at them.

Affiliation

I am Squire Harold Tyrone of the Rugenburg guard forces.

Contrary to their expectations, however, the man was polite as he introduced himself.

I heard that my men had a misunderstanding earlier and treated you rudely. I came to apologize in person. Please be understanding.

Julian sighed as she saw the squire in traditional knight attire politely apologize.

I am Squire Julian Vanquish.

Considering it was not a common soldier, but a squire, showing them this respect, Julian couldnt blatantly ignore his apology. She reluctantly returned the courtesy.

Carls. Beg for forgiveness.

At Harold Tyrones command, Guard Captain Carls knelt down. The group of soldiers behind him likewise bowed down and asked for forgiveness.

We were wrong. Please show us mercy.

Hm.

Seon-Hyeok wanted to mention the deplorable behavior of the guards and their close affiliation with the street thugs, but it was ambiguous whether he, as a guest, should meddle in other territories affairs. He waved his hands as a sign of understanding, unable to reject Harold Tyrones politeness, and the squire discreetly asked.

May I know your name? A n.o.bleman has come all the way to our territory, and I dont know how I am supposed to address you. I worry that you will be inconvenienced again.

It was obvious that this was the true purpose of his visit. However, he had no justification to refuse the question of the polite man.

This is Viscount Seon-Hyeok Rheinperle Kim Drachen. The royal princess has given him the name Drake Knight, and His Majesty has personally appointed him as a knight.

Oh! Youre the famous Drake Knight. Its an honor to meet you. If the lord knew of this, he would run here immediately to greet you.

He is just stopping by for personal business, so he doesnt want to cause a disturbance. We dont doubt that the Lord of Rugenburg would want to welcome us personally, but well unfortunately have to push that off until next time.

Up to this point, Seon-Hyeok had not spoken a word. Julian was asking him not to speak with her eyes.

Thats unfortunate. If only the lord could meet a knight with Gradus. He wouldnt spare any expense.

Gradus?

This time, even Julian was confused with what Harold was saying. She stared.

Dont you know what Gradus is? These days, its common for the capital to rank everyone, whether theyre mages, knights, or summoners.

Harold Tyrone looked at her like she was acting strangely.

The border territories are too remote, and weve been focused on the movements of the Nocteins. I apologize for our lack of familiarity with the happenings at the capital. Would you care to explain, Squire Tyrone?

Harold Tyrone spoke excitedly at Julians words.

Ever since the medium called newspapers became popular in the capital, there has been an interesting development called magazines. Its a separate publication containing articles and conversations with the renowned knights and mages of the capital, and it is becoming hugely popular there. Among them, the most famous is known as Gradus, which ranks people by their power.

Upon hearing the explanation, Seon-Hyeok felt as though this bizarre ranking system known as Gradus must be the work of a foreigner. Likewise, he could tell that Gradus would be no different than rankings used in the other world.

The proud knights of the capital are allowing people to make such a big deal about this?

For a while, the capital was in a state of chaos because the knights unhappy with their Gradus kept fighting to prove their skills. But now that almost half a year has pa.s.sed, there are fewer of such duels, and people are mostly satisfied with their Gradus.

Harold Tyrone went on to say that Gradus was given only to 100 proven talents, including knights and mages, and that having it was a great honor.

And what is my masters Gradus?

As if guessing Seon-Hyeoks innermost thoughts, Julian asked about his rank.

The Drake Knight is