Chapter 13: The Rusty Sword Again

    Cassion felt his heart squeeze in pain as he refused Ruel’s words.

    Ruel frowned.

    “Today’s business is over.”

    “Cassion.”

    “Good night.”

    Cassion took a mysterious black object from his sleeves.

    Chik!

    As soon as the pump was pressed something was sprayed out, hitting Ruel causing him to stretch weakly.

    Ba-bump ba-dump.

    Cassion’s heart pounded hard in his chest as if it was going to explode.

    Cassion’s back was drenched in a cold sweat after a long time.

    ‘...Damn! It hurts like hell.’

    He felt like was going to die before he became a butler.

    Cassion faintly regretted what he had committed himself to.

    ***

    Two days later.

    Ruel was eating the meat pie gracefully.

    “I’m amazed, as soon as you open your eyes, you really dove in that.”

    “What do you expect? I’m hungry, I’ve been asleep for too long thanks to someone.”

    “I’m glad, thanks to that you’ve lost your fever.”

    Crinkle.

    I deliberately spilled pie crumbs on the blanket. The pies were succulent, oily and juicy, so I’ll have to wash my blanket.

    Ruel brushed away the crumbs and said.

    “Delicious.”

    “You can try spilling as much as you want. I’m going to throw it away anyway.”

    Ruel’s face wrinkled up.

    He put the second slice in his mouth and shook his hand.

    “You got something for me, don’t you?”

    “Yes.”

    Eight letters came out of Cassion’s pocket.

    The numbers were the same as the eight barons in debt.

    ‘You must have been in a hurry anyway.’

    Ruel read them one by one.

    It was not until he took out the last letter and read it that a smile leaked out.

    The contents were all the same, however the names were different.

    Setiria did not borrow money.

    Borrowing money was just a dogmatic choice of Carbena and Jane. It was better to have no debt altogether as compared to meeting a bitter end by treason.

    “You’re wise.”

    “Did you get the results you wanted?”

    “Yes, Minart...”

    “I’ve already heard from you. After Ruel said he was hungry as soon as he woke up.”

    Ruel asked while going for the third slice.

    “What do I have to do today?”

    “All you have to do is bring out what you want for me.”

    “Then add one more. I’m going to inspect the most remote places. Get ready.”

    Cassion didn’t answer and stared at Ruel. With a look asking them to explain.

    “...Ruel-nim.” He called his name with a sigh.

    Ruel explained as he knew, Cassion was waiting for one

    “I’m the Lord. I haven’t done anything for five years.”

    “That was due to your circumstances.”

    “In other words, it’s just an excuse. The Lord has been missing for 5 years and the person that was left in charge caused a serious mess. It’s pretty clear what a runaway like myself has to do. I have to protect my territory, it’s people and win back their trust.”

    After speaking, Ruel dug into his fourth slice of the pie.

    “Will you be able to continue eating breakfast like that?”

    “Maybe it’s because I’m growing up, but I’m still hungry.”

    “It could also be due to that power.”

    “Whatever the cause, I’m leaving after breakfast. Oh, make a lot for breakfast. I’m taking Ganien with me. Tell him.”

    Calmly, Ruel is demanding a lot.

    Cassion offered a suggestion to Ruel, who looked at him like a magic tool that popped out of thin air in his hands.

    “Why don’t you have one more butler?”

    “Good idea.”

    “Sure.”

    “They have to be just as strong as you are. Feel free to bring someone like that.”

    ‘... you bastard!’

    Cassion’s heart throbbed for a moment.

    It was not an easy job for a loyal butler to swear at their owner, especially for one that signed the mana contract.

    Seeing Cassion wince, Ruel hinted.

    “You were having bad thoughts.”

    “No way.”

    “Go, you’re going to be busy making breakfast for two people.”

    “Okay, I’ll leave.”

    “Yes.”

    Ruel put the pie back in bed after confirming Cassion had left the room.

    ‘Ruel is five years behind. We need to get it all together as soon as possible.’

    In the latest chapters of ‘SSS-Class Knight’ he read, there was a strange atmosphere between the Kingdom of Leponia, the Kingdom of Cyronian, and the Kingdom of Kran.

    The air held the smell of gunpowder as if a war would break out.

    However, that wasn’t confirmed.

    Since I came into a novel that wasn’t even finished.

    ‘There’s no harm in being prepared.’

    This will be my fourth rule of survival.

    Ruel noted the things in his head that he’ll need to do in the future.

    ‘I hope there’s some information about that unknown group... something unpleasant will always cause trouble.’

    Merchants in the shops were full of energy, and the atmosphere was energetic, prosperous sight could be seen everywhere. However amidst this flourishing place there’s few contrasting images that can be gleaned through.

    Ruel looked down as he felt his clothes were being pulled.

    It was a child who looked about nine years old. The child looked anxiously at him holding a basket the size of his body.

    “Are you in a lot of pain?”

    Ruel blinked at the boy’s sudden question.

    Is it serious enough to hear this from a random passing child?

    Ruel seriously thought about it.

    “You look very sick. It’s an herb, and I got it from Masu’s Forest yesterday.”

    Ruel finally noticed the strange plants in the basket.

    Ah this was like the kids that would often be seen in the novel, selling flowers on the street

    But I was more concerned about the child’s words than the herbs.

    “Did you say it came from the Masu’s Forest?”

    “Right, look at this. It has three pairs of leaves, and has bluish tint. It is an herb called Akal.”

    The child smiled innocently.

    ‘Is the Masu’s Forest unmanaged enough for a child to go there as he pleases?’

    There is one more thing that needs to be solved.

    “Akal is definitely the herb you need. It helps reduce your pain.”

    Ganien whispered to Ruel. Ruel smiled warmly at the child.

    “Yeah, it looks like I need it.”

    When Cassion reluctantly took out the money, the child’s narrow eyes turned to Cassion.

    Ruel asked, looking at a child possessed by money.

    “The Masu’s Forest is dangerous. Are you going alone?”

    “No, I’m going with my grandfather. He’s very strong!”

    “Your grandfather taught you about herbs?”

    “Yes, that’s right!”

    The child was excited to see the money he received from Cassion. Then he handed over the basket.

    “The basket is for free. Buy from me again next time.”

    “Yes.”

    At Ruel’s reply, the child hummed and disappeared into the crowd.

    Cassion, who was looking at the child, sighed.

    “You are even more nosy than Ganien.”

    “I’ve never heard of it before.”

    Ganien said unpleasantly.

    Ruel was also unprepared for those, so his voice became a little sharp.

    “What do you mean?”

    “Look.”

    Along with the child who had just disappeared, other children rushed out with baskets of Akals.

    Only then did Ruel understand Cassion’s words.

    In a word, he just got ripped off.

    That boy’s grandfather is basically everyone’s grandfather.

    “What do you want to do?”

    “What else? Buy it all.”

    It is possible that the owner of the house that the children lived in, will allow them to stay only when they had worked.

    Hoping for a good night’s sleep tonight, Ruel bought all the Akal from the children.

    “You can start a business with this.”

    Cassion complained as he carried several baskets.

    Ganien looked back and forth at Akals in the basket.

    “Although it was forced on us, the price is conscientious. The quality is fine too.”

    “My grandfather told me not to do anything expensive!”

    ‘But you can force them on the streets?’

    Ruel grinned.

    “Big brother, do you want to meet my grandfather? My grandfather is a doctor!”

    “It’s all right, Cough, Cough.”

    A cough came out of nowhere.

    Ruel desperately tried to stop coughing but to no avail.

    The children looked at Ruel with anxious eyes as they watched him.

    If we didn’t go with them, they looked like they were about to cry.

    What matters if those innocent eyes were fake.

    Don’t I have two monsters tagging along?

    I could hear Ganien laughing.

    “There’s nothing I can do. I have to go.”

    “I know.”

    Ruel walked under the guidance of the children to see how far the children were driven.

    Small legs did not stop no matter how far the supposed grandfather lived which was located opposite the main gate. Thanks to this, he got information from the murmuring kids while looking around.

    “Hey, brother, you know what? Not long ago, Sisel’s big warehouse was burgled!”

    “How about eating as much bread as later!”

    “It was a good time, that the uncles and the aunts all laughed!”

    Someone robbed a large warehouse full of goods and seemed to have distributed the grains in it to many people.

    The strange thing about that day was how that large warehouse was robbed.

    “Do you know who did it?”

    “No one does. The barons blew their horns and ordered adventurers to find it.”

    “I hope they don’t get caught. I want to eat bread again.”

    Except for Minart, all of the barons were killed by Cassion without leaving any traces.

    Although it was revealed that the mission had to be cut short, it was strange that adventurers were still continuing the quests of the barons.

    ‘Is moderate threats to the family, but that wasn’t enough?’

    Seeing that the names of the barons are still being used, it seems that they do not know the fear of the contract yet.

    Let me show you, if you don’t.

    “Cassion.”

    Ruel called Cassion quietly so that the children could not hear him.

    “Yes.”

    “Find out from the adventurers why the request is still ongoing.”