chapter_0032

32 – The Abandoned Ones

32 – The Abandoned Ones

Dreyhart, liberated by Calix, was full of vitality today as well.

The freed people worked where they wanted and received wages for their labor.

No longer bound by painful purple chains, they walked freely and met with family and friends.

The new UFC fighting tournament created by Calix became a famous attraction in the new Dreyhart, drawing countless spectators from the empire. Its champion earned enormous prize money and honor, becoming the goal of all Dreyhart warriors.

While Dreyhart had changed like this, as with all things in the world, where there is light there is also darkness.

Many slaves died during the Dreyhart rebellion, but at the same time, many nobles also perished.

However, some of them fled underground, grinding their teeth to repay the suffering they endured 100 or 1000 times over once the suppression forces quelled the rebellion.

But what those who held out saw was unbelievable.

Calix Crone, who occupied Dreyhart, freed all the slaves and confiscated the assets of Dreyhart’s nobles by his governing authority, using them for the freed slaves and Dreyhart.

The surviving nobles were naturally enraged, and they took actions like suing Calix Crone to the Platinum Council.

But they had already acknowledged Calix’s right to rule, and the Platinum Council, having received massive bribes from him, ignored the words of those who had lost their power base of slaves.

Thus, Dreyhart’s nobles fell overnight into a position worse than slaves.

The people of Dreyhart who became free citizens pointed fingers at them and called them “The Forsaken.”

So did they quietly accept and reflect on their fallen lives?

Not at all.

Late at night, masked people began to gather in a secret waterway deep within Dreyhart.

They went to a secret room known only to nobles and sent a signal.

Knock-! Knock-!

As they knocked on the wall, a small hidden window opened, revealing a person’s eyes.

He asked for the password from the fallen nobles who had come secretly.

“The slaves?”

“Are ours.”

Creeak-

After confirming the password, the door opened.

Entering through the door, there was a hidden room.

Inside were gathered the fallen nobles of Dreyhart, and in the center sat Jeton, the former chief administrator of Dreyhart who looked like a mouse, who spoke:

“Everyone has gathered. Then let’s begin the meeting.”

As Jeton spoke, everyone sat at a shabby table.

The fallen had hidden themselves in the shadows like this.

And they were holding regular meetings to prepare for revenge.

But while it was called preparation for revenge, 90% of their meetings were closer to venting.

“Those abominable slave bastards started renovating my house today! They said they’re remodeling it so other filthy slaves can live there!!”

“It’s the same with our mansion!!”

The houses of the rich were being remodeled so that the newly freed people could live in them.

They were enraged that their homes were being destroyed for the sake of slaves.

“Are we just going to take this lying down! Jeton!”

“That’s right! I can’t stand it anymore!!”

All eyes turned to Jeton, who had been Dreyhart’s chief administrator.

He raised the corners of his mouth and said:

“Of course we can’t just take it. I’ve thought of a way.”

“Ooh! As expected of Lord’s right-hand man, Administrator Jeton.”

“Yes! What is this method?”

The fallen nobles focused on his words.

Jeton spoke without hiding his rat-like expression:

“We kill Lord Calix, Crone’s Silver Dragon.”

“What!?”

“Is that possible?”

The other fallen nobles couldn’t help but be surprised at Jeton’s words.

Of course, they wanted to kill Lord Calix too.

But that was by no means easy.

“Are you thinking of using assassins?”

“I heard rumors that he single-handedly caught the Blood Clan assassins who killed our magicians. Three of them at that.”

If they spent all their funds, they could hire 1-2 assassins.

But there were rumors that Calix had caught 3 assassins alone with just a knife.

To assassinate Calix for certain, they would need more assassins.

“Who said anything about killing him with assassins?”

“Then how do you plan to kill Lord Calix?”

Jeton revealed the secret method he had prepared.

The fallen nobles turned pale upon hearing it.

“Are you really going to use that method!?”

“If we’re caught using that, we’ll all die!!”

“Then are we going to keep living like this!!!!”

The extreme measure Jeton had prepared was a method that shocked even the fallen nobles who were willing to use any means necessary.

At their reaction, Jeton rather lost his temper and said:

“Then are we going to keep living like this!!!!”

At Jeton’s words, they all fell silent.

Of course, none of them wanted to continue living like this.

“I will kill that abominable ‘King of Liberation’ Calix Crone by any means necessary. And I will reclaim everything that was originally mine!! Anyone who doesn’t want to join me can leave this meeting and continue living like this, waiting to die on the streets!!”

Jeton opened the door to the meeting room and declared.

A moment of silence passed, and everyone looked at each other.

But they already knew.

That this was their only option.

The noble who seemed to be the eldest closed the door Jeton had opened and said:

“What do we need to prepare… Jeton”

That day, the Forsaken resolved to kill the King of Liberation.

…It appears there is such a conspiracy.

I am currently investigating with Jarha and will deal with them as soon as possible.

Still, just in case, it seems necessary to pay more attention to protecting Your Lordship’s safety for the time being.

Please take care, my Lord.

Your financial officer, Noah

——————————

The letter sent by Noah from Dreyhart contained vivid information as if she had seen it herself.

Did she watch it directly through surveillance cameras?

OTNXSU9XcTFURXdtd0tweHpoait4aTFPdWxMQTRsaWlhWnhOOGo5YWk5U3hrZjVIUVZlMVhWR2VNSlhnSnNXUA

How could it be described so vividly?

As I was thinking about that, Azel, who was in front of me, patted her chest and said:

“You don’t need to worry! I will protect Your Lordship like an iron wall.”

“Y-Yes, thank you, Azel.”

Azel spoke as if telling me to trust only her.

After mental education through farming, Azel’s obsession with justice had improved a lot.

The problem was that, perhaps as a reaction to that, she followed me around like crazy.

That’s the role of a guard knight, but Azel took it to an extreme, following me even to the bathroom.

As I was getting a headache thinking she would follow me around even more, Lana spoke:

“If we need to pay more attention to protecting Your Lordship’s safety, I will not leave your side starting today.”

“What!?”

Lana made this bombshell statement with her usual stoic expression as if it was nothing.

Come to think of it, lately it seemed Lana had been feeling strangely competitive watching Azel constantly follow me around.

No. That look in her eyes! She’s 100% feeling it.

“You don’t need to worry, Lady Lana. I will protect Your Lordship like an iron wall.”

“Still, just in case, you need me, the perfect maid.”

“It’s fine. The Knight of the Moonlight Azel alone is enough!”

Sparks were flying between Lana and Azel.

Just as it seemed like it would turn into a fight between a dog and a cat if left alone, Hart intervened.

“Now, now, let’s calm down.”

“Administrator Hart.”

“Yes! Mr. Hart.”

Hart stepped between the two and gently resolved the situation.

“As Noah said, since the situation may be dangerous, I think it would be good for both of you to accompany His Lordship for the time being.”

“If Mr. Hart says so, I will comply.”

“I’m fine with that too!”

Lana bowed her head and followed the will of Hart, her great-grandfather.

And Azel, who values rank, also followed the words of Administrator Hart without complaint.

As expected of Hart! Fifty years of experience as an administrator was no joke.

But wait… doesn’t this end up being hard on me?

My prediction was accurate.

After that, Lana and Azel never left my side.

Of course, they followed me to the office and outside the castle as usual.

They stuck close by my side even during meals.

They started sleeping in the room next to my bedroom.

And they even followed me to the bathroom.

In the bathroom, where I would normally spend time leisurely alone, Lana and Azel followed me inside and watched over me.

“…Lana, Azel, do you really need to come in like this?”

“My Lord, they say a person is most vulnerable when sleeping, eating, and bathing. We must always be prepared for any possible threat.”

“Lana is right! You never know what might happen!”

They worked well together at times like this.

As I was thinking it would be difficult to bathe comfortably under their gaze, Lana said:

“If you find it uncomfortable that only we are clothed in the bathroom, I will take them off right away.”

“So! So that’s what was bothering you! I’ll take them off right away!!”

“It’s fine!! It’s fine, so please continue guarding as you are!!”

Hurriedly stopping Lana who was about to take off her clothes and Azel who had already started undressing, I finished an uncomfortable bath under their surveillance.

As I was hoping for this situation to end quickly,

Not long after, that incident occurred.

Author’s Note (Afterword)

Thank you for reading today as well!!!

⌯◕ᴗ<⌯