How to Live as a Wandering Knight

Chapter 29.2: ๐ˆ๐ญ ๐–๐š๐ฌ ๐–๐š๐ซ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐‚๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐“๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐˜๐ž๐š๐ซ (๐Ÿ‘)



Chapter 29.2: ๐ˆ๐ญ ๐–๐š๐ฌ ๐–๐š๐ซ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐‚๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐“๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐˜๐ž๐š๐ซ (๐Ÿ‘)

โ€˜๐˜ ๐˜ค๐˜ข๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ธ๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜ฑ๐˜ญ๐˜ข๐˜ค๐˜ฆ.โ€™

ใ…ค

Johan regretted it. There was a reason why Eldans said, โ€˜๐˜๐˜ง ๐˜บ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ ๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜บ ๐˜ข๐˜ต ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ฏ, ๐˜ ๐˜ธ๐˜ช๐˜ญ๐˜ญ ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ด๐˜ฐ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ค๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ญ ๐˜บ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ.โ€™

ใ…ค

It was uncomfortable for Johan to wait at the guild building.

ใ…ค

Even though they heard from Eldans, the employees were not bold enough to approach Johan first, and since the other side was reluctant, Johan also hesitated to initiate conversation. He didnโ€™t want to bother busy people needlessly.

ใ…ค

Coming here to see and hear things firsthand only led to this awkwardness.

ใ…ค

Geoffrey, being a former merchant, skillfully conversed with the guild staff, discussing various matters. The staff also seemed at ease talking with Geoffrey, sharing laughs. Johan wished someone would talk to him, but the cautious employees preferred speaking to a slave.

ใ…ค

โ€˜๐˜‹๐˜ข๐˜ฎ๐˜ฏ.โ€™

ใ…ค

All Johan could do was to sit stiffly and solemnly.

ใ…ค

As time passed in awkward silence, a commotion was heard outside. Soon, the door opened and an elderly human wrapped in robes entered.

ใ…ค

โ€˜๐˜๐˜ฆโ€™๐˜ด ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฐ๐˜ต ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ ๐˜ข๐˜ด๐˜ด๐˜ข๐˜ด๐˜ด๐˜ช๐˜ฏ.โ€™

ใ…ค

Johan thought this pointless thought as he looked at the old man. Certainly not a body trained for combat. His back was straight, and his eyes were sharp, but that was all.

ใ…ค

The old man was accompanied by two slaves. The slaves were in plain clothes but had robust physiques, suggesting they could handle a fight.

ใ…ค

โ€œWelcome, Suetlg-nim. What brings you here?โ€

ใ…ค

One of the employees, familiar with the old man, spoke with a flustered voice. It was customary to make an appointment before meeting a branch manager. Making someone of higher status wait was inconvenient for both parties. One such person was already enough.

ใ…ค

โ€œI came to see the branch manager. Why, is it a problem if this old man visits?โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œNot at all. . . Iโ€™ll inform them immediately.โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œNever mind. Heโ€™s busy, so Iโ€™ll wait.โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œWell then. . .โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œDonโ€™t make me repeat myself.โ€

ใ…ค

As the old man waved his hand for them to leave, the staff hesitated but eventually backed away, knowing all too well his irritable nature.

ใ…ค

The old man glanced around and, upon seeing Johan, his face lit up with interest. Johan, equally intrigued, locked eyes with him.

ใ…ค

They both seemed out of place and awkward here.

ใ…ค

โ€œAre you a knight, milord?โ€

ใ…ค

Johan nodded. The old man grinned wickedly, his smile twisted with multiple meanings, expressing both amusement at finding an interesting counterpart and confidence that he was indifferent to Johanโ€™s status.

ใ…ค

โ€˜๐˜ž๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ๐˜ญ, ๐˜ฎ๐˜บ ๐˜ฌ๐˜ฏ๐˜ช๐˜จ๐˜ฉ๐˜ต๐˜ญ๐˜บ ๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ถ๐˜ด ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด ๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ฎ๐˜ช๐˜ฅ๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ญ๐˜บ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฐ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ ๐˜ธ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฐ ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏโ€™๐˜ต ๐˜ฌ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฐ๐˜ธ ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜บ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฆ๐˜ต๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ.โ€™

ใ…ค

Nobility could make commoners bow their heads, but that was it. The power of nobility came from their background. A noble without a family or fiefdom had little power in a city like this.

ใ…ค

Johanโ€™s treatment in this guild was due to the guarantee of the Eldans and his equipped gear, not his noble status alone. Without these, the cityโ€™s merchants would have called the guards if heโ€™d demanded respect just for being a noble.

ใ…ค

โ€œAnd who might you be?โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œYou donโ€™t know me? I am Suetlg, the sage of the Ipaรซl River.โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œ. . .?โ€

ใ…ค

The old man chuckled again and said,

ใ…ค

โ€œNeed a simpler explanation? Iโ€™m a wizard.โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œOh. . .!โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œ. . .Is that all you have to say?โ€

ใ…ค

Suetlg was surprised. Most young knights, unlike the obtuse nobles, were not thrilled to hear of wizards.

ใ…ค

The virtues of knights were bravery, justice, and loyalty, values far from wizards, who were associated with suspicion, ambiguity, and inscrutable malevolence.

ใ…ค

Yet, Johan seemed genuinely pleased.

ใ…ค

โ€˜. . .๐˜ž๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ตโ€™๐˜ด ๐˜ธ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ฉ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜จ๐˜ถ๐˜บ?โ€™

ใ…ค

โ€œPleased to meet you, Suetlg-nim. A wizard, thatโ€™s fascinating. Iโ€™ve always wanted to meet one.โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œ. . .R-Really?โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œWould you mind telling me about magic?โ€

ใ…ค

In Johanโ€™s rural fiefdom, magic was almost a legend or a rumor. Seeing a real wizard was astonishing.

ใ…ค

โ€˜๐˜โ€™๐˜ญ๐˜ญ ๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ฆ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜บ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜ข๐˜ฃ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ต ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข๐˜จ๐˜ช๐˜ค ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฐ๐˜ธ!โ€™

ใ…ค

โ€˜๐˜ž๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ตโ€™๐˜ด ๐˜ธ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ฉ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜จ๐˜ถ๐˜บ, ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ญ๐˜บ??โ€™

ใ…ค

Unbeknownst to Johan, he was being considered an oddity by Suetlg.

ใ…ค

๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ

ใ…ค

Suetlg regained his composure and nodded.

ใ…ค

โ€œSince weโ€™ve met, I donโ€™t see why I shouldnโ€™t tell you.โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œOh. . . .โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œBut itโ€™s no fun just telling you, so if you beat me in a game, Iโ€™ll answer any question you want.โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œOh. . .โ€

ใ…ค

This โ€˜Ohโ€™ was one of disappointment. Johan cursed inwardly.

ใ…ค

โ€˜๐˜‹๐˜ข๐˜ฎ๐˜ฏ. ๐˜ ๐˜ด๐˜ฉ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ญ๐˜ฅโ€™๐˜ท๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฑ๐˜ณ๐˜ข๐˜ค๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ค๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ.โ€™

ใ…ค

Even if knights didnโ€™t learn to read, they were taught culture, including poetry and chess, the pastimes of nobility.

ใ…ค

Being bad or unfamiliar with these activities made it hard to fit in with their circles. Hence, Johan had learned chess from Priest Valberga back in his fiefdom, believing it would come in handy someday.

ใ…ค

Although Priest Valberga was an excellent chess player. . .

ใ…ค

Johan was not a good student.

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Even when viewed in the best light, the skill level was only average. It was natural not to improve much in chess, as there was little interest in it.

ใ…ค

โ€œCanโ€™t we bet on something other than chess? Like dice gambling?โ€

ใ…ค

Or maybe arm wrestling.

ใ…ค

โ€œYouโ€™re quite the joker. And I wasnโ€™t talking about chess. The game of kings is fun, but itโ€™s nothing compared to the game of gods.โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œ??โ€

ใ…ค

What is the game of gods? A duel?

ใ…ค

As Johan looked puzzled, Suetlg clicked his tongue.

ใ…ค

โ€œSeems you donโ€™t know. Are you from the north? This is a game favored by the sultans of the East. Merchants who caught the sultanโ€™s eye learned it and spread it here. The pagans of the East call it the game of gods.โ€

ใ…ค

With those words, Suetlg snapped his fingers. Then a slave came and set up a board.

ใ…ค

It was a Go board.

ใ…ค

โ€œ. . . . . .โ€

ใ…ค

Johan wore a stunned expression. Suetlg misunderstood it.

ใ…ค

โ€œYou might be wondering why there are so many khans. Let me explain it to you simply. Donโ€™t worry too much. Considering itโ€™s your first time, Iโ€™ll give you a handicap.โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œ. . .Ah, yes.โ€

ใ…ค

Johan clenched his teeth. It was to hold back laughter.


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