Chapter 130: The Knight Is Trying to Become Stronger (3)

“So, what’s up? You aren’t the kind of guy who’d come all this way just to greet someone.”

…Hearing the remark that was hurled towards him without mercy, the young man’s whole body flinched.

“…Your view of me is way too harsh, Instructor.”

“Not my fault that you don’t have the physiognomy that implies you’d be polite to adults.”

“I don’t know what physiognomy is, but… I can roughly tell what you meant by hearing the rest of your words.”

“What do you think it is?”

“I don’t think it’s right to judge people by their appearance…”

“Good job, you deduced it well. This is why it’s easy to talk to a smart guy.”

“…There it is, the thing that you often do—complimenting someone after insulting them to their face…”

The Northern Prince, Roen Dmitri Lionel’s expression didn’t fluctuate much, maintaining his expressionless face.

He could probably be considered as someone who didn’t show much expression on his face.

But, it was clear that his face was twitching right now. Noticing his mood, Lee Han let out a shameless laugh.

“What? Was I wrong?”

“…The irony is that you weren’t wrong.”

“Well, to be fair, noble children like you usually show no manners to adults.”

“…I don’t understand why you have this biased view against nobles everytime you speak about them, Instructor.”

“Hey, at least I only have a biased view against them. If it’s a magic freak who looked at me with the kind of eyes you have right now, I’d have gouged their eyes out immediately.”

“Hmm…”

Usually, Roen could maintain a cool head no matter what happened. Even if his emotional state changed, it would only be a subtle one. Not only was he born as a noble, his personality also fit to be one.

Throughout his life, he had been treated well and with respect by others—even his enemies would only mock him with polite speech. That was why it was hard for him to deal with someone who treated him so bluntly like the instructor.

But, if someone were to ask him what such a treatment made him feel…

Strangely, it doesn’t feel unpleasant.

After all, he couldn’t feel even the most subtle malice in the instructor’s words. Not only that, it also felt like he was treating him like a ‘little brother’.

The feeling felt a little peculiar, but…

It isn’t bad…

The fact that he didn’t feel that it was unpleasant was rather baffling.

“I heard you had a fight with my uncle.”

As Lee Han expected, Blackie did have some agenda coming here. Indeed, the guy hadn’t come just to greet him who had been away for quite a while.

“…Let’s eat first.”

Still, he didn’t mind that, especially after seeing his ‘sincerity’ in bringing a mountain of cakes, including a luxurious fruit set, that was made by a famous dessert artisan.

Gulp-!

He grunted as he put a piece of the cake—which was filled with the rich taste of almonds and a luxurious custard cream that was soft yet rich—into his mouth.

As for the taste…

“I can’t find anything to complain about. I don’t even like sweets that much.”

“Not bad of a price for a story, isn’t it? This dessert is something that people can’t easily get even if they have the money.”

“…I can see that.”

The cake’s taste was exquisite—it justified Blackie’s confidence at the very least. And so, Lee Han opened his mouth.

“…If by uncle you meant that monster, well, yeah, I did fight him.”

“We’re talking about the same person, alright.”

“He was strong, extremely so… He isn’t a bad person, but if you ask me if he’s a good person or not…nah, he isn’t.”

“…He does have such a side. I can roughly guess what happened between you two, so I’ll apologize on his behalf.”

“No, I don’t need an apology. Just tell him this the next time you meet him: ‘No matter how I look at it, the value of the exchange isn’t equal. You stole my technique, so pay the appropriate price’.”

“…I’ll tell him that.”

As Lee Han talked about the duel with Maximus, Blackie let out a bitter smile, as if he could roughly guess what happened.

Lee Han then took a glance at him, confirming his suspicion that the guy had indeed come to ask about the situation in the Tunnel. At the same time, he shook his head bitterly.

Why the hell is he asking me that?

It would be quicker if he just asked his father, no?

Then again, last time I checked, his relationship with the archduke isn’t very good…

Blackie’s attitude towards his father was a little iffy—it was to the point that he expressed his hostility openly even. However, since it was a family matter, Lee Han didn’t want to inquire in detail.

I guess no matter which world you go to, bean powder¹ families are everywhere.

Lee Han let out a sigh of relief over the fact that there was no culture of teachers doing house visits in this kingdom.

After all, he didn’t want to see other families’ discord for no reason.

And so, Lee Han just told Roen what he wanted to know.

“There was a group of fanatics living in the Tunnel, raising Half-Demonic Humans. Not only that, they were also raising a Giant Worm using Mystics. Each of these news would shake the whole kingdom if spread, you know?”

It was extremely valuable information. So valuable that someone who didn’t know Blackie well would berate Lee Han for giving such information away for a few slices of cake, but Lee Han knew…

“I also found similar people by chance. There was a certain slave trader group that was recently destroyed, and it seemed that they were connected to those fanatics. In particular, I think it was that slave trader group that transported that large number of prisoners used to summon that monster, the Ghost King.”

“…What an amazing coincidence.”

“Indeed. I was lucky.”

Look at this. A perfect example of give and take.

The price for not being stingy was paid as good information and opinions poured in.

“Hmm, I can also tell you this. We suspect that their collaborators must hold total control of the shadows of the Southern Continent for decades. Otherwise, there’s no way that slave trader group could easily cooperate with those guys in the Tunnel.”

“But, who could create such a force?”

“I could imagine one of the so-called great nobles, excluding Galahad, Lionel, and Tristan. In fact, three names come to mind. There’s also a chance that it’s the Merchant Association or the Mercenary Union instead. Hmm… I also have at least five more possible names…”

“…That’s a lot of suspects.”

“And they’re all difficult to deal with.”

“Hmm…”

Lee Han scratched his cheek.

The more he listened, the more his head hurt.

Tsk!

Whatever! What good would it do me by worrying about it? That sister will take care of it.

Lee Han had introduced his former coworkers to her, so he thought that she surely could take care of the matter. After thinking that, he told Blackie that he had done enough, and that from then on, it would depend on the ability of the higher-ups.

“If you could achieve a few more similar achievements, Instructor, you could easily become one of those higher-ups.”

“Hell no. I’m a warrior, I don’t need that kind of power.”

“Don’t you feel wronged by your current situation? Arren Pendragon took all of the credits.”

“…It feels like you’re more upset than me in that regard.”

“Of course. That incompetent guy will gain honor and just end up making things worse.”

“Ouch.”

He casually dropped such harsh criticism for the royal family. Lee Han could feel the hostility emanating from him, and he couldn’t help but look at the guy with a newfound gaze.

So the Blackie has bad blood with that Geumjok, huh?

Well, that Geumjok isn’t the type of person he’d like.

If Blackie was a wolf who fought and survived in the wild, the Geumjok was a chihuahua raised in a greenhouse.

Not only were their environments and upbringings different, if they ever met each other, they’d definitely bare their fangs towards each other.

At least that’s what Lee Han thought. But, if they really collided like that…

That Geumjok will be beaten to pulp.

Looking at the level of his hostility, it was obvious that Blackie had clashed with him at least two or three times before he regressed.

I could ask the status window guy about it later. For now…

“I’ll say it again, I don’t really need intangible shit like power or fame. I prefer something more practical.”

“…I see, so you got something that you liked back there.”

Blackie seemingly was able to sense something in Lee Han’s tone.

Towards that remark, Lee Han…

“…To some extent.”

He muttered, as if to appease him, before shifting his gaze.

“How could a cake this tasty exist? Aren’t we in the Medieval Age…? Why is the taste so high-level…?”

“How about some tea, Miss Irene? Your throat is parched, isn’t it?”

At the end of his gaze, there were two girls chattering away. His gaze was particularly focused on the girl with the wavy hair.

“I believe it’s a fair reward.”

“Is…that so?”

At that moment, Roen saw the satisfaction in the instructor’s gaze.

And he remembered.

The sight of the people of the ‘Fault House’ that his subordinates were handling—trembling as if they were suffering from an illness, some foamed at the mouth and fainted.

But that wasn’t what he wanted to remember.

There were tattoos like burns on their faces, necks, and backs.

Those tattoos were…

The same ones that Jeanne originally had.

She was a friend that he wouldn’t be able to see anymore, but he thought that it was fortunate that it was the case.

I guess she found true freedom…

Roen bowed his head, once again, thinking that it was a fortunate thing for her.

─He looked at his friend’s carefree face, and somehow, he felt like crying.

Congratulations, Jeanne, no… Levy.

As if he was enjoying the lingering feeling, he remained silent, giving a heartfelt congratulation that he had never given to anyone in his entire life.

… [Curse Transfer], that sister really is someone who knows a bunch of strange things.

Lee Han’s disciple no longer bore that sinister curse.

Actually, the curse hadn’t disappeared completely, but his sister did say that 90% of it had been removed.

-‘Curse Transfer’ is a method to pass a curse that someone has to another. However, to use this method, there are a lot of difficult conditions to be met, also it requires a hefty price. That’s why you should be grateful to this lady. She shouldered all the sacrifices and the price for you. The total amount should be around 100,000 gold coins!

-…Why couldn’t you do the same thing for mine?!

-You wicked guy! You should thank this lady, not start an argument with her!

-Who cares, do it to me too!

-It’s impossible. Do you think your curse and your disciple’s are the same? That kid’s curse isn’t permeated within her body as it’s in the form of a tattoo, while yours has mixed with the blood that flows in your body. We can try draining all of your blood to remove the curse, but it’ll only have 2% of success even after all that. Do you want this lady to do that to you?

-…At that point, just turn me into a sacrifice or something.

-This lady is just stating the truth… Haa, let’s stop this talk here. This lady will tell you this. You still need to be careful, as it takes 5 years for the curse to completely settle into the target of the Curse Transfer. If the target dies during that 5 years, the curse will just return to the host.

-…If that’s the case, can’t I just freeze them so they stay alive for 5 years?

-…Sometimes when this lady sees you, she can’t help but think that you are ignorant beyond belief. Just think about it, if you thaw frozen meat, would the meat still be fine?

-…So, I can’t just freeze people?

-…They say that the more foolish a knight is, the better they are. In that sense, this lady’s little brother is definitely an excellent knight, hahaha.

“…Haa.”

He sighed as he recalled the flaw in his common sense that the medieval princess had pointed out. It was truly a humiliating experience for him.

However…

“Five years, huh…? Wouldn’t it be easier if we just freeze them? That’d make it easier to manage them, no?”

“…”

“…What’s with that warm look?”

“Nothing… I’m just thinking of how much of an excellent knight you are.”

“?”

“Don’t mind me.”

The revelation that he had gained an ‘excellent’ colleague made him happy.

That should be the end of their talk. The sun had already started to settle, and dusk was beginning to fall on the yard.

Looking at that, Roen quietly got up from his seat.

“The conversation went longer than I thought. I’ll go back now.”

“Now you got everything you wanted, you want to leave? You cold bastard.”

“…Would you like me to treat you to dinner? There’s a restaurant that recently opened.”

“A restaurant?”

“Yeah, it’s on the central noble street.”

“…Isn’t the land there expensive?”

“Well, it costs some money to invest in it, but I know I can make profit from it.”

“…Why the hell are everyone around me rich?”

Lee Han grumbled.

I swear I’m the only poor bastard here.

However…

“Forget about treating me to dinner, why don’t we have some pre-dinner exercise?”

Lee Han made that suggestion, implying that there was something he was more interested in than Blackie’s wealth.

“Pre-dinner exercise, you said…”

“Since it’s just before dinner, it’ll only be a light exercise.”

“…I doubt it’ll be a light one at all.”

“Now we are talking.”

Lee Han was satisfied with his response.

Of course he would be. After all…

“You didn’t refuse.”

“…Sometimes, I also want to stretch my body a little.”

At some point, Blackie pulled out his sword. Seeing that, Lee Han stood up in satisfaction.