Episode 78 – Knight Commander
by Afuhfuihgs
*
There was a large building made of gray bricks about 10 minutes away from the Imperial Palace.
Despite being the closest structure to the lavishly built Imperial Palace, this building was all cold and hard gray. It was a simple rectangular shape with plain walls, a flat roof, and an arched entrance. There were no devices for beauty, making it look dull.
This bleak building, designed with only efficiency and purpose in mind, was the facility of the Imperial Knights, serving as the barracks and training ground for the Imperial soldiers, as well as the office of the Knight Commander.
Commonly known as the ‘Sioland Knight Hall’.
The inside of the rectangular building was empty in the middle, decorated like a dirt-covered playground.
It was usually a drill ground full of soldiers training, but for some reason, not a single soldier was visible today.
From the Knight Commander’s office on the 3rd floor of the Knight Hall building, Robin, who was standing by the window looking at the empty drill ground, frowned at the sound of someone knocking on his door.
“Commander-nim. The inspector sent by His Majesty the Emperor has visited again today.”
“Ha… that shibal saekki doesn’t get tired of this, does he… Alright. Let him in.”
“Understood.”
The sound of footsteps moving away from beyond the door was coming closer again before it had even faded away.
Moreover, there were two sets of footsteps this time.
Robin bit his lip, barely holding back a curse.
Soon, the door opened, and a fat man with a thin, seemingly frivolous mustache entered Robin’s office with a feeble smile.
Robin turned his head away, disliking the sight of his face, and opened his mouth.
“Don’t you ever get tired of this?”
It was a clear breach of etiquette for someone dealing with a person sent by the Emperor, but the man chuckled without showing any displeasure.
“Knight Commander Voldiras, don’t be like that. Ah, it’s not like I want to come here either.”
“Hoo…”
“Even so, please observe the etiquette. I’m fine, but that attitude might one day grab the Commander-nim by the ankles.”
“… Ha, welcome to the Knight Hall, Count Zephyr.”
Robin sighed and bowed his head towards the man named Zephyr.
Zephyr waved his hand with a haughty look and said.
“Ehei, don’t bow your head. We’re both counts, you and I.”
“…Is your business the same as always today?”
“Just like yesterday, the day before, and the day before that, it’s the same today.”
“…My answer is the same as well. Coming here every day isn’t good for the morale of the soldiers.”
Zephyr snorted and looked out the window.
Still, no one was training on the drill ground.
“It seems like the morale of the soldiers was already non-existent even before I came, or rather, there aren’t even any soldiers themselves. Where did they all go?”
“…ssi,”
“See, even your subordinates don’t seem to trust you?”
As he said, the soldiers were subtly avoiding Robin and emptying this Knight Hall building.
This was because rumors were spreading quickly on the streets that Jennifer, or rather, the hero’s family, was a subordinate of the Demon King, and that Robin’s great achievements were all just a scam.
Robin glared at Count Zephyr with a look full of annoyance.
He had a hateful, beaming smile on his face.
Count Zephyr.
He was a court noble residing in the Imperial Palace, sucking up to the Emperor. He was a minister in charge of urban development plans, but after Jennifer’s death a week ago, for some reason, he was assigned to audit the Knights and Robin.
Perhaps the Emperor, sensing that the Balguire family, who was in charge of security, was trying to gloss over the incident because of their close relationship with the hero, made a move first.
Robin, who was already suffering from a reputation that had fallen to the ground after Jennifer’s dogsh*t, was very displeased with the Emperor’s quick move, but what was even more unpleasant and annoying was the personality of the human being called Zephyr.
If you’re going to send someone to dig up my faults, you should send someone more decent.
A fat body with an unpleasant expression.
To send such a ridiculously terrible human being, full of vanity and subtly demanding bribes, as an auditor.
Robin was very displeased with the selection of personnel, which even felt like he was being ignored, but he couldn’t directly turn away someone who had received the Emperor’s orders, so there was no way to stop him from coming every day to question him about Jennifer and the Demon King.
Count Zephyr plopped down on the guest sofa without even asking for permission, his belly fat jiggling, and said.
“I’ve thoroughly realized over the past few days that the Knights are not a place that can show the flexibility to serve something like tea, so I won’t say anything.”
“…”
Robin quietly broke the pen he was holding in one hand.
That arrogant mouth was the only talent, if it could be called that, of that disgusting human being.
Robin threw the broken pen under the desk so that his gaze wouldn’t reach it, and then went to sit across from the sofa he was sitting on.
The human called Zephyr glanced at Robin like that, twitched his eyebrows, and opened his mouth.
“Now, then, shall we get to work? Commander. Stop saying you don’t know and tell me the truth. Isn’t your family secretly serving the Demon King?”
“How many times do I have to say it for you to understand? No, we’re not.”
“But, isn’t your wife’s terrible laboratory and her mysterious death too obvious evidence?”
“Even if I concede a hundred times that Jennifer might have, I clearly told you that I don’t know anything about it.”
“And I clearly said that I can’t believe such ridiculous and absurd nonsense.”
“I… Iiik,”
“…Hey now.”
Zephyr lowered his voice and pretended to be serious.
However, thanks to having experienced him for several days, Robin, who knew exactly what he was going to say next, just closed his eyes tightly and barely suppressed his bursting annoyance.
“I believe in you too. You are the hero of this empire’s founding myth, no matter what anyone says. I am very heartbroken to see the hero’s name being tarnished like this.”
“Ha,”
“Isn’t it time you understood? You need to show some sincerity to prove your innocence so that I can help you.”
“…Please stop it.”
Such a vulgar and hasty demand for a bribe.
Inside Robin’s tightly closed lips, his teeth were grinding mercilessly.
As he said, Robin, who came from a hero background, became a noble from a commoner thanks to his contribution to defeating the Demon King.
As such, Robin, who was confident in his skills and achievements, hated the act of giving and receiving bribes and favors.
Of course, he knew very well that it would be better to give a few coins to this kind of person, as he had been rolling around in the political arena for nearly 20 years, but Robin absolutely did not want to do that for Zephyr.
It wasn’t just because he hated him, but more than that, it was because the demand for a bribe itself was likely to be a trap set by the Emperor, since he was a person sent by the Emperor.
Perhaps that sly old fox of an Emperor deliberately attached this kind of person to him.
And there was one more reason, which was that Robin really didn’t have any money.
Robin, who would clearly have to spend a lot of money at the upcoming 20th anniversary of the victory celebration, had no more money to waste.
For him now, the 20th anniversary of the victory was like a poisoned chalice.
In order to firmly solidify his forcibly usurped position as Knight Commander and to firmly imprint his influence within this empire’s political arena, Robin had said that his family would take charge of the 20th anniversary celebration, but the situation was rapidly deteriorating.
The biggest problem was the incident caused by Jennifer.
Jennifer’s terrible atrocities, which even he didn’t know about, were revealed to the world, and in order to raise the family’s prestige and reputation that had fallen to the ground, Robin had to lead a truly monumental event that would go down in history, spending even more money than originally planned.
The problem was the budget.
Baron Salbier, whom he had been trying to bring over to his side, seemed to be terrified of the Voldiras mansion ever since he was seriously injured by Daniel, who had been resurrected as an undead.
Even if he wanted to ask something of him, if he rashly provoked him, who was keeping his mouth shut about Daniel’s resurrection as an undead, it would only result in stirring up a hornet’s nest.
Villard, who could be said to be Robin’s main source of money, was in a very awkward situation to ask for anything after his engagement with Piadu was called off due to Rose’s death, and even if that wasn’t the case, he didn’t want to lower his head to him anymore, who had been having an affair with Jennifer behind his back.
Due to various unfortunate events that started with the sudden death of his child, the family fortune was rapidly declining, and his once peaceful family was collapsing in an instant.
In this situation, which was impossible to endure with a clear mind, Robin was becoming very sensitive and sharp.
He even recalled that he was being very harsh even to Mela.
‘I should apologize to Mela today and spend the night with her for the first time in a while.’
Lara, who had disappeared with her daughter one morning a long time ago.
Jennifer, who had lost two children in one morning and died with the worst disgrace.
Now that his two wives have left, and coincidentally, all the children he had from both wives have disappeared, Robin realized anew that the only family he had left was Mela and her two children.
His son, Edward, had left to become a priest, so in a situation where there was no man to carry on his family line, Mela was the only one who could give birth to a legitimate male child.
Of course, there was also the option of marrying his daughter to protect the family, but Tess was too weak to bear children, so Mela was the only choice.
Will I collapse like this?
What kind of noble would that be?
What kind of status, honor, and position did I obtain?
Robin clenched his fist tightly, burning his eyes.
He will definitely overcome all these crises.
He will protect it no matter what he has to sacrifice.
Robin looked at Zephyr, repeatedly vowing.
“…I’m trying my best to make sure you understand me well, but you don’t understand how much I feel sorry for you, I’m really…”
Zephyr was babbling non-stop, not caring that Robin wasn’t listening.
“I’m not asking for much…”
“Stop.”
“…Huh?”
Robin cut him off firmly.
Zephyr looked at Robin with a dumbfounded expression.
Robin looked him straight in the eye.
The seething momentum swirling and blazing in those eyes had a clear and distinct murderous intent, like a beast aiming for its prey.
Zephyr swallowed hard for a moment and closed his mouth.
Was this how a rabbit felt when it met the eyes of a tiger?
Zephyr’s instincts were telling him that he was in danger, even though he doubted that he would do anything to him.
Robin looked at the silent Zephyr and opened his mouth.
“I have no money to give you. I have nothing to say to you either.”
“How… how dare you say such a thing to an inspector who came with the Emperor’s orders…”
“Ha, did you think something would happen if you mentioned His Majesty with a voice that’s barely audible?”
“Hut…”
“Come tomorrow and the day after if you want, because my answer won’t change. Go ahead and try.”
“…”
“Who do you think I am? Count.”
“…Th, that’s…”
Zephyr was terrified and couldn’t say anything.
Robin fiddled with the sword at his waist and said.
“As you said.”
“Hiii… Hiik!”
When Robin pretended to draw his sword, Zephyr was so surprised that he screamed and fell backwards.
Robin looked at Zephyr like that and said with a sneer.
“I’m a hero.”
.
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