Chapter 32 (2/2)
Angela covered her mouth as she laughed.
”You are a very easy going person, Sir Luke.”
”I used to be scolded a lot due to my care free nature. Is there anything that you are curious about?”
”I wish to hear about Hansel Kingdom, the kingdom from which you hail.”
”As you wish.”
Luke had always been friendly and talkative. He didn't need much time before capturing Angela's interest and full attention.
”Amazing. I could never have imagined that Hansel Kingdom would have an academy solely for the children of n.o.bles.”
”It's only possible because we are a small country. It would be impossible in a country as large as the Sith Empire.”
”Still, I think the concept itself is very inspired. The most important thing for n.o.bles is to build connections after all.”
Luke continued on from stories about the Academy to his time as an officer at the front lines of the war with orcs, fully enrapturing the attention of the three women inside the carriage.
Even the expressionless maidservants couldn't help but pay attention to Luke's enthralling story.
”You talk very well, Sir Luke.”
”Ah, my professor at the Academy said this.”
”What did he say?”
”He said that I would not drown even if I sank. He told me that my mouth would float around in the water.”
”Hohohoho.”
Angela laughed with a hand over her mouth before straightening up and looking at Luke.
”It seems that you've been doing all the talking. Is there anything that you would like to know about the Sith Empire?”
Luke's smile thickened. He had been aiming for this moment ever since he had entered the carriage. What he needed most was some advice about the state of affairs in Sith Empire from the knowledgeable Angela.
”To be truthful, I came to Sith Empire with large ambitions.”
”I a.s.sumed so.”
”However, it turns out that getting a start in a country where you know no one is not so easy.”
”No, I don't suppose it would be.”
Angela stared at Luke silently.
”If you wish, Nigel Viscounty can back you on a lot of matters.”
”That would be too much generosity on your part, my lady.”
Luke smiled as he politely refused Angela's offer.
”Since I've come to this country with a goal, I wish to make it on my own. I will gladly accept the good will behind your offer, but decline the offer itself.”
”Well, if that is your wish.”
Angela did not hide her disappointment.
”May I ask you just one thing, my lady?”
”Anything.”
”What would be a good way for two knights at the aura expert level to make a lot of money?”
Angela started and stared at Luke with surprise.
”A-A lot of money?”
”Yes, my lady.”
The maidservants who had been listening began to frown. It seemed that they had pegged Luke for a narrow-minded and greedy fool. However, Angela's reaction was different.
'There is no way that Sir Luke could be a lowly person manipulated by money.'
Angela smiled shyly as she continued to look at Luke.
”Well, first I would like to hear your reasons for needing to make a lot of money.”
”As you've already seen, my lady, my training method with Kurotan is extremely fierce and dangerous.”
Angela nodded immediately. She had observed Luke and Kurotan duel ferociously during the past ten days. Just as Luke had said, their training method truly was dangerous, as they did not hold back their blows. Injuries had been unavoidable.
The pair of aura experts had each broken a bone five or six times during the past ten days that they had trained. If they were normal knights, the training would have stopped there. Thankfully, there was a rather talented priest residing in the castle who was able to heal them.
The priest, from the church of Leines, G.o.ddess of the Lake, healed Luke and Kurotan's broken bones very quickly. Once they were healed, Luke and Kurotan immediately resumed their training.
”The priest seemed to be near collapsing from exhaustion at the end of ten days of your training, sir Luke.”
Angela shook her head as she remembered the pale skeletal face of a priest who had spent too much holy power.
”That's why we need a lot of money, my lady. We must purchase healing potions in order to heal ourselves when priests are not around.”
”Ah, I understand now.”
Angela nodded sternly.
”But I'm afraid I can't easily think of a way that two aura expert level knights can earn a lot of money quickly.”
”Yes, I'm afraid I can't either.”
”Our Sith Empire experiences quite a few knight compet.i.tions or even territory wars. We also have many lands where monsters roam. I've even heard that a skilled mercenary can bring in a rather large sum of money.”
”A mercenary?”
Luke frowned slightly. Most knights considered themselves as superior to the common mercenary. It was mainly because of their code of conduct, chivalry, was so different from the mercenary's willingness to do anything for money.
”You don't seem to be that enticed by the option?”
”Yes, to be honest, my lady. If I become a mercenary, I will have to carry out missions even if they do not necessarily fit my moral code.”
”Then how about a mercenary knight?”
”A mercenary knight?”
Luke stared blankly at Angela.
”A mercenary knight, in the Sith Empire, is an occupation that allows you to take requests or missions even without a mercenary registration.”
”How intriguing. There isn't anything like a mercenary knight in Hansel Kingdom.”
”If you are a registered mercenary, you absolutely must join the Mercenary Guild, but a mercenary knight does not have to. They can still receive missions, however, from the Mercenary Guild.”
Luke's eyes began to s.h.i.+ne as his interest piqued.
”Can you tell me a little more in detail?”
”Mercenary knights usually take on missions that are deemed too difficult for regular mercenaries to complete. They often hunt boss level monsters, or even fight in knight's compet.i.tions for a price. It's more dangerous than regular missions, but they are compensated extremely well.”
”Well, this is extremely useful information.”
”And…”
Angela lowered her voice.
”What is it, my lady?”
”I've heard that two officially knighted aura experts can form an Order of mercenary knights.”
”An Order of mercenary knights!”
Undeniably attracted by this idea, Luke silently memorized this information.
”It's not easy to maintain an Order of mercenary knights, however.”
”Why is that?”
Angela stared at Luke with serious eyes.
”Do you trust Kurotan, Sir Luke?”
Luke nodded without hesitation.
”Yes.”
”That may be true for now, but may not remain true in the future. A knight of the aura expert level will receive welcome and good treatment wherever they go. It means that there are many opportunities for their loyalties to be tested.”
”n.o.bles stop at nothing to take more talented people under their wings. Money, power, and beautiful women. Sir Kurotan will experience all of these things in the future, and his loyalty may wane.”
Luke smiled bitterly at Angela's truthful words. There was no way that a human could not be swayed by temptation or selfish thoughts. With power and strength came ambition and corruption, a change of heart.
”To this day, countless Orders of mercenary knights have collapsed due to their members' betrayals. It was because the mercenary knights making up the Order could not resist the temptations offered to them by n.o.bles.”
”I see…”
”On the other hand, if you can maintain an Order of mercenary knights, you are sure to be able to grasp fame and money within a single hand.”
Luke stared outside of the carriage as his thoughts raced. He was looking at Kurotan, who was silently riding on his horse.
'Would an orc in the guise of a human be swayed by the temptations of n.o.bles as well?'
Luke smiled bitterly as he shook away the thought and turned to Angela.
”Thank you for this valuable information, my lady.”
”It seems that you've decided on forming an Order of mercenary knights.”
”Yes. It seems that it is the road most fit for me as I am right now.”
”You will need to officially knighted as well, Sir Luke. The minimum requirement for forming an Order of mercenary knights are two officially knighted aura experts.”
”I see…”
Angela's voice turned soft as she made the offer once again.
”If you wish, I will ask my father to officially knight you… As a free knight, of course, with no obligations to our Viscounty.”
”Perhaps, my lady, when there is a chance in the future.”
Luke politely refused again, and Angela did not hide her disappointment from showing on her face.
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