Episode 622

Lee Han realized—of course, it was right to catch a criminal if you ran into one.

As shown in the Empire’s famous saying, “In the north, only two kinds of people live: knights and criminals,” the north was full of fugitives.

With its vastness, rough terrain, and many empty places, it was the perfect hideout.

And catching these criminals was one of the knightly families’ duties.

“Do you think Lady Ziklin would be satisfied if we brought in a criminal?”

“Dream on. My sister would never settle for something like that.”

“……”

Lee Han grumbled inwardly.

‘Isn’t that standard too strict?’

“But is there a way to check their identity? Can we just attack?”

Just because the spirit said it was a criminal didn’t guarantee it truly was.

Spirits sensed wickedness instinctively, but even someone who felt like a criminal to a spirit might not be one in the eyes of Imperial law.

“Of course not. Do you think this is Einrogard?”

Giselle spoke as if it were ridiculous.

Unlike Einrogard, you couldn’t just attack people without confirmation outside.

“Then?”

“Approach and confirm their identity.”

“Too bad. If we were at Einrogard, we could just attack them.”

Giselle nodded mindlessly, then caught herself.

‘What am I thinking?!’

She suddenly realized how much she’d adapted to Einrogard.

• * *

“The north is really a damned land.”

“Shh. Quiet.”

The mercenaries cursed, watching their breaths turn white in the air.

Even for mercenaries who had traveled all over the Empire, the northern cold was hard to get used to. All the more so in the winter.

“What’s wrong with talking now?”

“Idiot.”

“What? Who are you calling an idiot? Wanna tussle to warm up?”

“Don’t let your guard down because it’s quiet here. Monsters can show up anytime in the north.”

The words of a mercenary who’d been to the north before made the others flinch.

After hearing that, the calmness around them felt ominous, like the calm before a storm.

“…Doesn’t look like anything would show up here. It’s all just snow and ice.”

“That’s because you’re not a local. Now shut up. Monsters, knights, or patrols—drawing attention is never a good thing.”

The mercenaries glanced at the client following from behind.

Mercenaries would take any job for coin, but they were curious about their current employer.

What sort of background could someone have to be throwing gold around urgently to gather a mercenary troop heading north?

They must have committed crimes against Imperial law like the rest of the mercenaries here, but beyond that, they couldn’t guess.

“Shit, knights!!”

“Control your face! I mean it! Sir, just stay put, we’ll handle it.”

The client, hood pulled low, nodded his head.

The mercenaries nervously straightened their clothes.

Even in remote and shabby areas like this, you couldn’t let your guard down in the north. Knights sometimes did distant patrols just like this.

Just because there were only a few didn’t mean you could relax. There was always a chance more were waiting nearby.

‘Fortunately…’

‘They look young.’

Seeing the approaching knights were so young, the mercenaries breathed a sigh of relief.

At this level, they’d be easy prey.

“Uh, Sirs Knight. What brings you here?”

The lead mercenary feigned a frightened tone. His acting was so good the other mercenaries were impressed.

‘That’s why he’s expensive.’

‘Not a lie about all the contracts he’s resolved.’

A mercenary’s skill was measured by their contracts.

If someone had survived doing dozens of contracts, they weren’t ordinary.

Without special talent, you couldn’t last so long.

Fooled by this act, the younger knight greeted them gently.

“Ah, nothing special. There are so many monsters in this area, you see. I wondered if there was any way we could help.”

“Oh, I see. Thank you very much.”

The mercenary bowed deeply, giving the perfect impression of someone moved by kindness.

“To think Sirs Knight would care about lowly folks like us—”

“Come now, not at all. As a knight of the North, it’s only my duty.”

As the sculpted knight said this, the thin, pretty one stared at him.

The mercenaries wondered at this look.

“…Pretty impressive as a knight.”

“Haha, thanks.”

‘So that’s the senior.’

Within the short exchange, the mercenaries guessed their respective ranks.

The slender knight must have joined the order first, the good-looking one after.

The handsome knight spoke again.

“We’ll need to find a campsite soon. Let us show you a good spot.”

“N-no, that won’t be necessary…”

“It’s a knight’s duty to protect guests of the north from danger. Please don’t refuse.”

‘Hmm.’

The mercenaries weren’t happy, but couldn’t really refuse. Turning it down would seem more suspicious.

Besides, the knight didn’t even seem wary. His speech and attitude were obviously those of a beginner knight.

‘One’s a pushover. The other seems prickly.’

‘The handsome one… maybe commoner-born?’

‘But too pretty for that.’

‘Yeah, whatever. Let’s accept.’

The mercenaries nodded.

“Oh, understood. Thank you. May I ask which family you come from?”

“I’m from the Alpha family.”

“…Me too.”

Borrowing their absent friend’s family name, Lee Han and Giselle both apologized inwardly.

“Alpha family, Alpha family. I’ll remember that.”

“Haha, it’s nothing. This way, please.”

The handsome knight led the group down below the cliffs.

It was a fine campsite, near a river and sheltered by the landscape from the wind.

“A place like this!”

“Not bad, eh?”

“Yes, yes! This is a luxury. All thanks to you, Sir Knight! We’re truly grateful.”

“Allow us to help prepare the camp, then.”

“!”

As the mercenaries panicked and tried to refuse, the pretty knight snapped first.

“Are you kidding? Help prepare camp? Are knights supposed to wait on travelers?”

“Come on. Just in case monsters show up.”

“Don’t talk nonsense!”

The annoyed knight turned around and put distance between them.

The good-looking knight reassured the flustered mercenaries:

“Don’t worry, that’s just how he talks.”

‘Doesn’t seem like it.’

To the mercenaries, the pretty knight seemed a more typical knight.

Usually, they’d grumble about helping mercs, not go out of their way to be helpful like this.

“Sir Knight, we really don’t need your help…”

“Spring forth.”

The knight unexpectedly took out a staff and waved it. Clear water bubbled up, filling a large cauldron, leaving the mercenaries stunned.

“A magician?!!”

“Haha. I can manage a few simple things.”

There were magicians attached to knight orders, but since he looked so much like a knight physically, the mercenaries hadn’t guessed it.

‘So he really is a commoner-born?’

‘Must be.’

Magicians’ magic was impressive. What would have taken much longer was made instantly.

The mercenaries were so impressed they forgot even to keep their faces neutral.

“Whoa…!”

“Sir Magician, that’s amazing!”

The handsome magician was bashful.

“It’s nothing.”

“Even basic magic is impressive!”

“That’s right, absolutely!”

As the camp walls went up and the fire blazed, the magician gave a bow.

“Well, I’ll be going. Safe travels.”

“Hey! At least stay for a cup of coffee, sir!”

“Haha, no need. You’ll need it more than I will; I can have some when I return.”

And with that, the magician left without lingering, departing with his waiting knight.

Only then did the mercenaries relax.

“Phew…”

“Huh. Guess that was really nothing.”

“That was more surprising. Honestly, being so naive made me tenser.”

“Yeah, but the camp’s in great shape!”

The mercenaries let out raucous laughter.

Now that the tension was gone, they couldn’t stop laughing.

“They didn’t even say a word to the client. Some knights!”

“Probably figured he was just dressed that way for the cold! Hahaha!”

At last, the client, who had so far been silent in his robe, spoke up.

“Is it really okay to stay at a campsite marked out by knights? Feels off.”

“Nothing to worry about, sir. They’re clearly soft rookies. Not suspicious in the least.”

“Bet they’ll just go away feeling good about helping. Besides, why waste a perfectly good camp like this?”

“That magic was something else! No need to even fetch water.”

The mercenaries marveled at the neat camp, so rare to see.

Normally, prepping a camp in this cold cost much more effort.

You had to dig into frozen earth, break through ice for water, then boil it, find firewood…

A kind magician had solved all of that.

“Coffee’s ready!”

“Ugh. Give me some first, I’m freezing.”

“Me too, me!”

The mercenaries all poured hot coffee to thaw their frozen bodies.

And one after another, they all drifted off to sleep.

• * *

“Hm. That was easy.”

“……”

Lee Han and Giselle, cloaked in invisibility from afar, observed.

—Hey, there are quite a lot of them. Even some mercs?

—This could be trouble.

—Moradi. If you order them to stop in the name of House Moradi, would they listen?

—Those types… usually don’t.

Seasoned mercenaries prioritized their contract over Imperial law.

If you asked to check them, they’d either attack right away or use the time to scatter.

—Thought so? Let’s subdue them peacefully, then.

—How are you going to do that peacefully?

—I’ll play the good magician and you the bad one. That’ll lower their guard.

—Are you serious? Do you really mean to do that?

—Don’t worry, it worked in Einrogard; it’ll work out here.

And it did.

While pouring water into the cauldron, Lee Han mixed in sleeping potion, putting all the mercenaries to sleep. Seeing this, Giselle decided she’d be much more careful before drinking anything Wardanaz ever offered again.

“Hold! We’re here to check your identity. Hope you’ll cooperate.”

Lee Han shouted to the client, who hadn’t drunk any coffee and was still awake as the mercenaries fell.

Though not threatening, the staff in his hand was ready for action at any time.

“…Who are you people?”

“Knightly families of the north, as per Imperial law, have the right to inspect travelers and detain them under certain circumstances. Where are you from?”

The hooded person muttered.

“You were lying in ambush, weren’t you…”

“Excuse me?”

“An ambush—wasn’t it? Filthy Imperial dogs.”

‘How did he know?’

“Lord Fraphegal will descend, no matter your filthy schemes!!”

“Moradi!!”

At Lee Han’s shout, Giselle immediately drew her twin swords and charged. The artifact swords shone brightly, focusing their power to the tips.

But before she could even close in, Sharkhan and the skeleton warriors, set up ahead of time, rushed in and struck the fanatic down.

The fanatic collapsed pathetically.

“Graah!!”

“Whew. That was a shock.”

“……”

Giselle glared at her friend, who faked being flustered despite being able to handle it easily.