Volume 2 Chapter 93 The Circumstances Of The Danofen Family I
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
There were several subordinates of Owl at the fortress checkpoint, checking the entry permits and collecting taxes.
It seems they weren’t strictly excluding foreigners like McCutchen and Waterman’s subordinates did, as there were a few Azraelian and Easterners in line before the checkpoint.
When he visited the Eastern street before, it looked like Waterman’s subordinates were having some kind of dispute with the locals, but he hopes at least that old woman’s clothing shop stays safe for Natra and Rufna’s sake.
(Owl’s subordinates are few in number.)
While completing the entry procedure, Kian looked toward the space hidden under the castle gate’s arch.
There were about 4 or 5 well-built soldiers in full armor waiting there.
Staring at those lined up, their visored heads were fixed intently on the drawbridge.
’Were there about a hundred of Baron Waterman’s subordinates?’
(If you count the vassal knight and knight apprentices, there’s probably more. There should have been 38 knights alone.)
In contrast, Owl’s subordinates number only around 50.
Oswald and Renaud seem to have only about half that number in the castle, but they have hundreds at the fort of the ‘Knights of the Sun’ outside, plus even more knights living in their homeland.
He can understand why McCutchen is hesitant to move his troops.
If Oswald and Renaud’s forces surrounded the main castle, there would be nothing they could do.
The combat ability of the commander aside, simply having more soldiers is a threat in itself.
After successfully passing the checkpoint, he headed up into the fortress city’s street.
Along the way, he parted ways with Natra and the others at the junction leading to the Eastern street.
As he watched them enter the intricate back alley as spirit forms, Kian also began walking toward the main castle.
’Well then, from now on, we will train while tackling adventurer Quests.’
(Yeah, anyway, I need to enhance my personal power. For now, I want to reach advanced-rank as an adventurer. I can get passes to various countries under light conditions. After that, if Oswald and Maribel still need me, I’ll join their service.)
”That’s a good idea. Now that the political struggles have settled down, the princess and the Knights of the Sun are also in disarray. By the time you reach advanced-rank, the new order should be taking shape.”
(I hope so. I plan to take on many high-difficulty Quests suited for a large party of Rank 6, so intermediate-rank should come quickly. …Oh, right. Since party special points max out at 4 members, I might as well register Natra and Rufna as adventurers.)
’Becoming an adventurer means you”ll need to pay taxes.’
(Right now, it’s all about points. Once I reach advanced-rank, as long as I don’t fail, I should gather plenty of money.)
And as a good opportunity, he should talk with Natra and the others about how to distribute the Quest rewards.
They are his familiars, but they also have independent personalities capable of thinking about what they each need.
Wouldn’t they prefer to have some visible reward rather than just following Kian?
’If it were Wing Cain or Shield Cain, there would be no need to think about that. I could use them until death.’
(But maintaining them is tough. I can’t just keep them in a rented room at ‘The Boar’s Trot Inn,’ and unlike Natra and the others, they wouldn’t fetch food and nourish themselves if left to roam. I need to have them wait in a nearby cave and ensure they get enough nutrition──like the amount needed for 15 or 16 adult men per day.)
’Can’t they just be kept free-range? Look, there are wilds around the Labyrinth of Roses. And then there’s the Eastern Forest, too.’
(What will you do if they meet an adventurer? If the Bloodsucking Kind are hunted, it’ll be a deficit, and if the Bloodsucking Kind hunt the adventurers, it’ll be a disaster.)
’Hmm… It seems that raising Bloodsucking Kind requires money and land… It’s difficult.’
He walks while chatting with the ‘glasses’ until he reaches the drawbridge in front of the main castle.
The gatekeepers here were young guards in their teens who were infatuated with Maribel.
Crossing the lowered drawbridge, a familiar face walks toward him from by the gate.
”Hey, it’s you. You made it back safely from the meeting in Châtillon.”
”Hi, Liam. Your armor’s changed. It’s gotten a bit more extravagant.”
Kian responds with a smile and shakes hands, while young guard Liam beams happily.
”Actually, I was appointed as the guard captain at the main castle gate… I’ve been a bodyguard for the princess for a long time, but I finally got a promotion. I’m a bit further from the princess now, but my salary will increase. Once I return home, I can report my job to my father and mother. I’m a little relieved.”
”That’s really good to hear. I wish you even more success in your new position.”
”Haha, thank you. So, what brings you here today?”
At Liam’s question, Kian points beyond the gate.
”I’m here to greet Lady Christina and Her Excellency Maribel. I’ve completed my Quest at this fortress, so I’m planning to return to my original base in East End. Are Her Excellency and Lady Christina in the palace?”
”Ah, I think they’re working today, but I can’t say for sure if you can see them. Their security is handled by others, so you should ask them.”
”Then you’ll let me through, right?”
”I will have one guard accompany you.”
At Liam’s call, a soldier emerges from the watchtower.
Kian thanks them and passes through the castle gate with the guard.
First, he heads to Christy’s house to meet Serena, who should be waiting.
Maribel and her companions circled around the palace where they were working, heading towards the northern district where the head magicians lived.
Along the way, they passed by the head magician, Natasha, who seemed flustered, but other than that, they reached Christy’s house without encountering anyone else.
After leaving the guard waiting in the yard, Kian stood by the entrance, passing by a gargoyle statue.
When he knocked on the door, a girl from the Wolfmen tribe appeared with a white shirt that exposed her shoulders and shorts.
Her light blue eyes showed no sign of surprise upon seeing him.
She probably sensed his presence with her keen senses.
”Hey, Serena.”
”Good morning, Kian. Did you finish the request?”
”Yeah.”
”That’s great. Actually, I was getting worried since Ms. Christy hasn’t returned here at all.”
”Christy hasn’t come back…? The guard said she was at the palace.”
”Then that means she has been working there continuously.”
”Hmm…?”
(I wonder if something happened…)
’Even at the Châtillon fortress, there seemed to be some urgency at the end. Something significant must have happened, overshadowing even the servants being put to sleep.’
(What kind of incident could be so unnatural that it overshadows a deep sleep situation? The discussions must have ended smoothly, right?)
’This one doesn’t know what to say to this.’
(That’s true.)
Kian glanced towards the castle, hidden behind the roof.
”I hope nothing’s wrong…”
”It doesn’t concern us, the Adventurer. Kian, you’re returning to the East End after this, right?”
”That’s the plan. My affiliation is with the Guild over there. If I try to accept a quest here, the problems with permits and taxes, and the hassle of procedures due to the absence of officials would outweigh the benefits.”
”Right. There are more jobs with this Guild, and the requests come from nobles or wealthy merchants, so the rewards are good…”
”I’ll respect your wishes. If you want to stay here, that’s fine with me.”
As Kian said this, Serena shook her head.
”Staying at Ms. Christy’s house is only temporary, just until I respond to your request for help. Setting up a new base here costs too much, and I’ve already spent a lot at the ‘Pumpkin Pie Inn.’”
”Cost of living, huh? It’s true that food and weapons might be pricey. Medicines are about the same if I use the Guild store.”
”Living in Izerland fortress made me realize that East End is enough to live as an adventurer. It’s cheaper there, and the quality of weapons and armor isn’t much different. There are more shops here, though.”
”That’s true. East End is known as the ‘adventurer’s town,’ making it a convenient place for adventurers to live.”
”Yeah. I’ll head back to East End, sharpen my skills, and look for ‘Azrael’s Death Sword User.’”
”────”
(Should I mention that I met a Wolfman mercenary named Randy at Châtillon’s fortress?)
However, if he say that, he’d also have to admit that he came with Rufna and the others to kill Kian.
Kian, wanting to keep his information private, was in a dilemma.
After some hesitation, he decided to only mention that he met a Wolfman.
”Does the name Randy ring a bell for you, Serena?”
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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