Ch.388EP.80 – The Knight Sets Out on a Journey Once Again (6)

Bang! Boom!

Suddenly, a construction site unfolds.

One might wonder what kind of construction could happen without materials or manpower, but right now, the “God of Construction Sites” had descended upon this place.

Clang! Clang!

Gathering fallen or dead trees from all over the mountain.

Scrape!

Trimming all the lumber with a hand axe.

Crack!

With the addition of monster materials he had unknowingly collected over time, the basic necessary materials were quickly gathered.

It happened in an instant, and the amount collected was enough not just for a building but potentially for an entire skyscraper. However, he hadn’t gathered these materials to build real estate and become rich.

“I’m going to build your home with this.”

[Buzzz?]

He was planning to build a home for the bees—a “beehive.”

“I’m leaving this mountain now. Some suspicious people have discovered where I live.”

[Buzzz!]

The bees buzzed angrily at this and proudly beat their chests.

As if saying they would handle any suspicious characters who came.

While it was reassuring to have the world’s strongest honey bees acting this way, Ihan shook his head.

“I don’t want to ask you for that kind of sacrifice. You’ve already helped me so much.”

He meant it.

These bees weren’t just the size of dogs; they were as loyal as dogs to those they recognized as their masters.

That’s why they had abandoned their newly built nest and followed him all the way to Bulkan.

He was truly grateful for that, but also felt sorry.

“From now on, you should settle in Bulkan.”

[…Buzz.]

“I’m not abandoning you. We’re just parting temporarily. We’ll meet again someday.”

[Bu-buzz.]

“And I’m not just letting you go. Why do you think I’m building this home for you?”

[Buzz?]

While he was grateful for their help and wanted to build them a home, that wasn’t the only reason he was constructing such a massive beehive—or rather, house.

“Build up your forces. Enormously. After all, the power of bees comes from their numbers. And if I need help later, please help me then. Can you do that?”

[…Buzzz.]

Thump.

The queen bee thumped Ihan’s chest as if to say “don’t state the obvious,” her eyes seemingly moist.

And so, Ihan and the queen bee shared their friendship and promised to meet again.

“…Woof.”

…Damn it.

Orthos watched the entire scene from behind and clicked his tongue.

Even as a canine species, he had never seen such dog-like behavior.

What was this, some youth drama?

Anyway.

“Haah….”

Everyone’s crazy except him, absolutely crazy.

Orthos let out a deep sigh.

* * *

Unlike the canine monster sighing, what Ihan was doing was not filming a youth drama.

‘I need to prepare in advance.’

Bulkan was, in a way, Ihan’s fortress.

The fact that it had been breached was undeniably negative, and if enemies invaded while he was away, it would mean losing one of his places to stay.

Yet he couldn’t just stay here forever either.

‘I need someone to protect it in my place.’

The mountain heroes of Bulkan who would hunt down and tear apart anyone who dared enter this mountain!

After all, wasn’t it called “Tiger Peak”?

Well, unlike tigers, these creatures were adorably cute, but still, just five of them together could toy with an average knight.

They numbered less than fifty now, but if their forces grew to a hundred, a thousand, or ten thousand, they could hold their own against even an archmage or grand sorcerer, and with proper tactics, they might even devour their opponents.

In that sense, Ihan was investing in those who would protect this mountain, his vacation home.

‘Ogre tendons, troll hides, wyvern leather. Frog poison and the various toxins and weapons from goblins—this should make for a sturdy beehive.’

Since he was building it, he had no intention of doing a half-hearted job.

He would fully utilize monster materials, and there were plenty of trees felled by Bulkan’s rage.

The materials were sufficient, and with enough care, he could create a [Beehive] stronger and more durable than most fortresses.

Of course…

—It would be an absurdly powerful beehive by any standard.

If he was going to do it, he’d do it right!

Ihan intended to prepare thoroughly, even as he was leaving.

As the saying goes, preparation prevents anxiety.

With good preparation, there would be no worries.

Tap! Tap!

“I should be able to build this in about a week.”

Ihan had no hammer or saw, but he began working with his fists and the edge of his hand instead.

‘Should I build it in a pentagon shape?’

His creative urge was bubbling up after a long time.

Thump! Thump!

…What would later be counted among the South’s 10 Great Mysteries and known as an impregnable fortress that humans couldn’t even approach, guarded by invincible million bees.

[Honey Pentarium] was born this way.

* * *

While building the beehive, Ihan also diligently prepared for his departure.

He made jerky and dried foods, as well as various tools for camping.

Why prepare so meticulously when he could just buy food if needed?

…Because he had no money.

Ihan hadn’t even collected severance pay when he left the kingdom.

Meaning he didn’t have a single penny.

Of course, he had things that could be sold for money, but Ihan hadn’t had the leisure to gather or sell them all, and had simply asked trustworthy people to manage them on his behalf.

‘I should visit a guild in some suitable city later.’

That Haomun guy wasn’t the type to backstab him, so he was probably managing his funds well.

“That’s right. Simon may be a bit lecherous, but he won’t betray you, Sir Knight.”

“…Miss Maid, I thought you couldn’t read minds?”

“Yes, I still can’t.”

“……”

“Hehe.”

“…It really doesn’t seem that way…”

Ihan clicked his tongue but couldn’t hide his apologetic gaze toward her.

For good reason.

“Miss Maid, are you really going to follow me? You’re not staying on this mountain?”

“Yes!”

“…It will be difficult.”

“I have good stamina.”

“That I know.”

How could he not know that her stamina and physical strength might even surpass his own?

Yet he was still concerned.

He worried she might suffer needlessly by following him.

“It would be more comfortable for you to stay on this mountain…”

“But I don’t want to be alone.”

“That’s…”

“And just being with you is enough for me, Sir Knight! So please don’t feel sorry!”

“……”

…How could he not feel sorry when she spoke like that?

‘A person can feel burdened even by too much trust.’

Kindness and affection without expecting anything in return.

If Ihan had a weakness, it would be such kindness and affection.

Because it felt too generous.

“…Sigh, it will be hard.”

“I’m fine with that.”

“It will really be difficult, really…”

“Hehe.”

A smile that said persuasion wouldn’t work.

Ihan smiled bitterly.

As if he couldn’t handle it.

During this time…

“By the way, Miss Maid. Why do you keep calling me a knight?”

“?”

“I’m not a knight anymore.”

He asked something he’d been curious about for a while.

He had already abandoned his knighthood.

Yet she still called him a knight.

He wondered if perhaps she found it awkward to call him by name, but she shook her head.

“To me, Sir Knight is Sir Knight.”

“Even without the title?”

“Even without the title, you’re more knightly than anyone else. You respect and protect the weak.”

“Well, I don’t think that’s true…”

For Ihan, it was just an embarrassing statement.

He thought he was the least knightly person of all.

“The weak I think of aren’t just those without power. There are many who live wickedly despite being powerless. So my criteria for the weak is probably different from others, and entirely subjective.”

In that sense, Ihan couldn’t empathize with the concept of chivalry.

For him, chivalry was something he couldn’t relate to at all.

Should one protect someone just because they’re weak? Are they automatically pitiful just because they’re weak?

No.

“There are no weak people in the world. There are only the circumstances and situations people find themselves in. And I only help people when their situation moves me to empathy. I don’t respect someone just because they’re a child, a woman, or an elder. If they earn my respect through conversation, I might offer some help.”

“Is that so?”

“That’s how it is. So someone like me has no right to call himself a knight.”

Ihan shrugged his shoulders.

As if he truly meant it.

However…

“Then that’s Sir Knight’s own chivalry.”

“Pardon?”

She was smiling brightly.

“From what I know, there were originally no knights in the South. Even those who called themselves knights weren’t worthy of the title. Even bandits who robbed others went around calling themselves knights—it was an abnormal environment.”

“……”

“But then a man called himself a ‘knight’ and created his own ‘oath.'”

“……”

“And that oath later came to be known as chivalry. Not following this oath doesn’t mean you’re not a knight. Rather, the knight who created this oath said: ‘If you draw your sword not to shame yourself or to boast of your strength, but to help someone, then you are a knight.'”

“……”

“So to me, you are a knight, Sir Knight. As far as I know, you’ve never drawn your sword to defeat someone and boast about it, have you? You draw your sword to help others.”

“Well, that just happened by chance…”

“Hehehe.”

Ihan said it was all unintentional, but the maid laughed even more at his words.

As if to say he was already proving her point.

“Indeed, Sir Knight is Sir Knight.”

“……”

……Ihan couldn’t refute her words.

He had much to say, but somehow.

‘Why can’t I speak up?’

—For the first time, he felt proud to be called a knight and didn’t want to deny it.

Embarrassingly so.