Chapter 17 – Sweet and Bloody Break Time
The experience of unintentionally grabbing the crowd’s attention was all too familiar to me.
Around the time his hair became thicker, he was one head taller than most adult men. And even if you tried to hide the body that was trained to the limit, you couldn’t hide it.
In addition, during the war, small and large scars were formed all over the body, including the face.
“Huh… How could such a dangerous person roam the streets in broad daylight?”
“Wow, Uncle! I’ve never seen someone that tall!”
“Shh, be quiet! Never make eye contact!”
That’s why I always prefer to wear armor.
If you put on the armor, you will be transformed from a dangerous person with a vicious appearance into a dignified reverse warrior who has survived countless battlefields.
If you couldn’t avoid people’s gaze, it was far better to instill awe than fear.
It would be perfect if it didn’t attract attention from the beginning, but that’s infinitely close to impossible.
Even though taking walks was her hobby, the reason why she dared to go out only at night, violating the night curfew, was also the reason.
Because I wanted to avoid this situation as much as possible.
“Chief… I think people’s eyes are a little excessive.”
“It’s because you’re so beautiful, so don’t worry about it.”
“Yeah, it seems that you’re a little too disrespectful of me, but…”
What if there wasn’t even a vice-captain next to him?
The guard, who started slowly following me at a distance of about 10 meters from a while ago, must have started talking to me a long time ago.
I’m sorry, but I want you to accompany me to the police station for a while.
—Wheejeokwheejeok!
‘I can’t handle it alone! Reinforcements requested!’
The hand signals unique to the guards calling their comrades were classified as confidential in their own way, but I had seen them so many times that I could not grasp their meaning and memorized them.
“Oh, honey! I said it’s safe here! But what is this! It looks like I have to pay for protection from today.”
“Huh, huh…!”
The items on sale were interesting, so I just looked at them for a while. She is the image of a middle-aged woman who suddenly breaks down and cries and swears at her husband.
Now, that kind of reaction was boring because I wasn’t used to it.
“Dare!”
However, it seems that this was not the case with the vice-captain.
When did she receive such an unpleasant glare?
He must have received the admiring glances of men, or the envy of subordinates due to his high achievements inappropriate for his age.
“Seriously. It’s familiar.”
“Didn’t those insolent people dare to treat the captain as a rogue without even knowing the subject! The captain is someone who should never be treated like this!”
“What can I do? In the first place, I was born like this. It’s easier to just give up.”
“But…”
For a long time, I had to barely stop the vice-captain from burning with loyalty.
Though I’d like to look around the streets a bit since I’m out at the end, I figured it would be better to go to some restaurant sooner rather than later.
As expected, the moment I was about to get a little disturbed, wondering if it came out for nothing.
— Mungle!
“Vice-captain?”
“Please stay still for a moment. Wouldn’t the young eyes of their enemies subside a little if we showed a friendly appearance?”
I couldn’t help but be at a loss for words for a moment at her behavior, as if it were for a sweet lover.
Vice-captain Agnes, dressed in a light blouse, was suddenly crossing her arms at me.
The feeling of heaviness felt through the entire arm, and the soft, satisfying feeling that eventually began to wrap around the lower arm and elbow, for a moment.
“No, it’s touching a lot of embarrassing parts.”
“To help the lifesaver out of trouble, at least this much.”
I hurriedly tried to stop the vice-captain from acting, but she seemed stubborn, as if she wouldn’t listen to me at all.
Where did the loyal vice-captain Agnes, who never refused my orders, go?
Even if it’s not a public place but a private place, this is…
—Wheejeokwheejeok!
But, in reality, as soon as they crossed arms with the vice-captain, the guards who had gathered in groups of five in a gap would immediately disperse.
Also, the vigilant gaze of the surroundings has decreased a lot.
“That’s true. It looks good on its own, but the female side will have a hard time at night.”
“That woman… She seems to be very revealing about her arrogant appearance. Her taste in men is so blatant.”
“The woman’s side can barely reach the stomach? If that’s the case, the man will carry it… Oh, hey…”
Should I just say instead?
The people who watched us from afar began to whisper small things, and the obscenity began to take root in the superhuman’s developed hearing.
Of course, this was no exception to the vice-captain, so her face flushed red as if it were a mana runaway phenomenon.
“The mindset of the common people is very… Bold. Since I was a child, I have almost always stayed in the residence exclusively for bachelor knights, so it sounds quite interesting to me.”
“There is a way to forcefully restore the enhanced hearing. When adjusting the pressure inside the body, in the process of blowing air into the ear, fill the place with mana instead…”
“I’m sorry. I’m not sure if my achievements are good enough to tell you.”
Apparently, when Master taught me this, he said it was a basic grabbing skill that could be done even at the level of an average knight. He also said that the principle is very easy.
But maybe he was wrong?
— Back!
The vice-captain stopped listening to my explanation and suddenly began to lean his head against him without even tightening his arms even more.
The pleasant smell wafting up was definitely the scent of the mysterious hair soap that I mentioned earlier as being sweet.
“Vice-captain? Is it really necessary to go this far?”
“If you start an operation, make it as clear as possible. Isn’t that an old adage from knights?”
“I’m sure it’s like that… But what if my subordinates see it? Isn’t this a downtown area?”
“Who would dare to speak nonsense to the leader of the Black Lions? Captain, you can just act as you please.”
It was a fact that I vaguely felt when I had a scuffle with the princess last time.
The vice-captain was quite a talker. No matter how much it was at the level of a joke, it was to the extent of winning by decision in an argument with the princess, so what should I say?
I was stronger in her power, but from her words, it seemed that there was no way I could defeat her.
“Whoops…”
I finally gave up on persuading her and had no choice but to let her sub-captain, who secretly started rubbing her head and her face against my biceps.
Seeing how she continued to act as more than a normal subordinate, it seemed that my saving her life had created feelings of dependence.
It was common on the battlefield, so there was nothing unusual about it.
“Captain. That pocket watch somehow seems to go well with the captain. Do you like it?”
“Well, I don’t have a hobby of carrying anything.”
Even that was not enough, the vice-captain seemed to want to give me something as a present by dragging me around.
“I see… Then how about that belt?”
“Hmm… It’s necessary. Let’s take a look.”
I ended up choosing the cheapest and most acceptable option, the belt. There was nothing bad about it either.
“As expected, a belt made of lion skin would suit the leader of the Black Lions the best.
“Thank you. Thank you for the gift, vice-captain.”
“Ah, no. Compared to what I received from the captain, this much… Oh, by the way! When I return, it looks like the new uniform that the captain gave me will arrive. I’m very excited.”
Also, in the first place, the woman named Agnes seemed to be a bit talkative and childish in private, unlike her usual tight-lipped appearance.
“Vice-captain.
“Ho, are you offended? I’m sorry…”
“No, it’s not. It’s fine to stay as it is.”
Of course, even taking that fact into account, the vice-captain’s behavior seemed to cross the normal line, so it was clearly at a level that deserved attention.
‘Captain, look at this!’
Seeing her appearance overlapping with Lieutenant Laurent in many ways, I couldn’t bear to tear her away from her clinging to me.
— Jerrit!
Moment. The gaze of the white eagle owl still lingering in the sky seemed even more fierce for some reason. Haven’t you gone yet?
It can’t be, but it feels like the princess is watching us.
For some reason, I suddenly felt like I had to go inside. I was also hungry at the time.
“Then why don’t we go get something to eat? I’m starting to get hungry.”
“Ah! Yes, I see!”
* * *
Wandering around the main street of Viscount Bartok’s house, I caught my eye at the phrase of the restaurant that captivated my heart at once.
[Unlimited freshly slaughtered beef for 5 silver! Add 5 silver and even brew your own beer! Enjoy unlimited fun with 10 silver!]
After all, the gateway city was good because of this.
With so many people coming and going, there are bound to be odd shops and restaurants that you wouldn’t see in an ordinary manor to attract the attention of passers-by.
“I think it would be nice here.”
“…Are you sure you’re okay with this? This isn’t a restaurant that only commoners would find. I think it’s better to find a restaurant with a more luxurious atmosphere.”
However, the vice-captain looked very disapproving. With such a perfect restaurant, why the hell?
“I can’t burden you too much. I’ve already received a decent present.”
“Whew…”
When I said that, carrying a lion-skin belt wrapped in her stylish box, she let out a small sigh as if she couldn’t help it, and went into the dining room.
No matter how private it is, the two of us come from aristocratic backgrounds, so we know that we should take care of our dignity whenever possible.
But how the hell can you put up with unlimited beef and beer? The smell is so amazing.
It is a restaurant that I cannot even dare to visit because I am afraid of people staring at me when I return to Jejedo.
If not at times like these, when else will you have a special experience?
“I’m really looking forward to it. I’m starting to enjoy it already.”
“Since the captain is happy, I am also happy.”
The vice-captain had a happy smile on her face as well, as if her thoughts had changed once she entered.
It was the time when I was looking forward to the beef being grilled in chunks in the middle of the store.
Several familiar faces appeared before us.
“Huh? Captain! Vice-captain is also with you!”
“Oh, is that Captain Raul the Tenth?”
“Yes! That’s right! Guys! Hurry up and salute! Did everyone hit the knight just because he was on vacation?”
“No! Loyalty!”
Then it is. How can energetic drivers stand up after seeing a store like this?
Even so, I was paying attention to him because his skills were excellent compared to his position. As expected, Captain Raoul seemed to be a man who knew something.
“Captain! The overwhelming prowess you showed in the last battle is still in my dreams!”
“Our leader who can knock down an ogre with a single blow and turn monsters into dough just by passing by!”
In an instant, the place where there was only the vice-captain and me was surrounded by numerous members of the Black Lion Knights.
Haha…”
“Vice-captain, do your best…!”
The quick-witted host put several tables together at once when a crowd of men who seemed unusual at first glance made noise and crowded.
“Captain Rachel Dec. What did I do wrong? I’m almost there.”
“You shouldn’t have let them enter this store in the first place! Why the hell did you make such a terrible choice…”
For some reason, it seemed that the blonde-haired female knight was patting the vice-captain on the back and scolding him for something.
At first glance, it didn’t look like they were in a bad mood, but rather, it was a very friendly atmosphere, so I decided to leave it alone.
“For the Black Lion Knights! For the leader!”
“For!”
It was a time when a festival-like atmosphere was created in an instant, and he was having a good time with his subordinates whom he met in an unexpected place.
Let’s get to the time when some of them are completely unconscious and are carried away by their colleagues.
Two men who had been seated at a nearby table more than 30 minutes ago, but rather than eating meat, had been sitting still in a dignified and serious attitude, started talking to me.
“You’re here, Sir Wolfgang. I’ve been looking for you for a while since you weren’t at the inn.”
“What are you guys?”
“It’s very rude during the break, but we’re from the ‘top’. The top lord wants a quick delivery.”
With their refined spirit and restrained demeanor, there was only one person who dared to describe themselves as ‘top’.
Agents belonging to the Imperial Counterespionage Department, each of which is composed of the best elites, no less than knights.
Also known as ‘crows.’
“Will you wait outside for a while? I’ll make sure to leave soon.”
“Yes, then…”
Apparently, at most the Security Bureau was called, but instead, counterintelligence-like people came.
Of course, I thought it would never be an ordinary thing since it was a matter involving the self-restraint of the Medici family.
It seemed that the higher ups were taking this matter much more seriously than that.
It’s been a long time since I’ve tried to get drunk with a little force.
I felt like I was running out of alcohol.
