How to Live as a Wandering Knight

Chapter 31.1: 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 31.1: 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“)

ใ…ค

โ€œWhat are you two doing?โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œAh. Iaon branch manager. Long time no see.โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œIs this person the branch manager? Nice to meet you.โ€

ใ…ค

When Suetlg and Johan greeted, Iaon nodded with a bewildered expression. At a glance, they seemed to be playing Go. The situation was. . .

ใ…ค

โ€˜๐˜๐˜ด ๐˜š๐˜ถ๐˜ฆ๐˜ต๐˜ญ๐˜จ-๐˜ฏ๐˜ช๐˜ฎ ๐˜ญ๐˜ฐ๐˜ด๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ??โ€™

ใ…ค

At first glance, Suetlg was clearly losing badly. Iaon was even more perplexed. After all, Suetlg was an expert who had even won against a Go player under the Sultan.

ใ…ค

โ€œSince the branch manager is here, letโ€™s stop here. Itโ€™s a shame, but it canโ€™t be helped.โ€

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With those words, Suetlg swept his hand across the board. Johan looked at Suetlg as if he couldnโ€™t believe it. Suetlg avoided eye contact and then walked away first.

ใ…ค

โ€œIs he always like this?โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œNo, not usually. But, did you know each other from before?โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œThis is our first meeting today.โ€

ใ…ค

Iaon slightly revised his opinion of Johan.

ใ…ค

Seeing how well he got along with Suetlg, this go player seemed to be quite an eccentric character as well.

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๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ

ใ…ค

โ€œYou can speak first, Suetlg.โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œThank you. Since youโ€™ve been gracious, allow me to explain the reason I came. . .I have heard of recent disturbances in the southeast.โ€

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โ€œ?โ€

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โ€œJohan looked puzzled. Disturbances in the southeast?โ€

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Suetlg kindly explained what Johan seemed unaware of.

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Recently, mercenaries have been pouring in from various places, and they have formed a rogue band. Their numbers have grown to over a hundred, and theyโ€™ve become a nightmare in the nearby forest. Travelers and merchants in the vicinity prefer to take detours.

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Naturally, Marcel City couldnโ€™t just stand by and watch. The magistrate and the City Council unanimously decided to launch an expedition, and a mercenary group was hired with the cityโ€™s gold.

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With over five hundred mercenaries going into the forest for the expedition, it might take some time, but they will soon bring an end to it.

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Everyone in the city thought that way.

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โ€œIt seems the expedition might fail.โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œ. . .?!โ€

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Iaon was surprised, but he didnโ€™t dismiss Suetlgโ€™s words casually. Suetlg was a philosopher(sage) closely associated with the Katana Merchant Guildโ€™s owner. If he said something like that, it had meaning.

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โ€œWhy do you say that?โ€

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โ€œThe river and water have shown me the future.โ€

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โ€˜๐˜ž๐˜ฉ๐˜บ ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ด๐˜ถ๐˜ข๐˜ฅ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ธ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ฉ ๐˜ด๐˜ถ๐˜ค๐˜ฉ ๐˜ข ๐˜ฑ๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜ฎ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ท๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฆ๐˜น๐˜ฑ๐˜ญ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ. . .โ€™

ใ…ค

Johan found it bewildering. If he were the commander and a wizard came and said, โ€˜๐˜›๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ธ๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ท๐˜ฆ ๐˜ด๐˜ฉ๐˜ฐ๐˜ธ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ง๐˜ถ๐˜ต๐˜ถ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ, ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ช๐˜ตโ€™๐˜ด ๐˜บ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ,โ€™ he would have probably said, โ€˜๐˜š๐˜ต๐˜ณ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜จ๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ช๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ญ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ!โ€™

ใ…ค

Shouldnโ€™t he provide a more plausible reason?

ใ…ค

But that alone was enough.

ใ…ค

Unlike Johan, people took magic and superstition much more seriously.

ใ…ค

โ€œI see. In that case, we should prepare.โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œ?!โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œThatโ€™s why I came here. Itโ€™s a good thing.โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œNo. Can it really be done with that?โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œThank you for the visit. Do you happen to know why this is happening?โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œI havenโ€™t seen that part.โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œUnderstood.โ€

ใ…ค

Suetlg immediately stood up from his seat. It seemed like he was about to leave. Iaon cautiously said,

ใ…ค

โ€œIf you donโ€™t mind, please stay a little longer.โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œItโ€™s fine. The accommodations here are quite uncomfortable.โ€

ใ…ค

There was no way the Guild would provide Suetlg, a wizard like him, with a shabby inn. Even though they were fit for nobles, the reaction wasnโ€™t due to the quality of the accommodations; it was clearly because of Suetlgโ€™s personality.

ใ…ค

Iaonโ€™s mind flashed for a moment. With the wit of a skilled merchant, he opened his mouth.

ใ…ค

โ€œSince it seems like youโ€™re looking for a suitable opponent, wouldnโ€™t it be better to stay here a little longer?โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œ. . . . . .โ€

ใ…ค

Suetlg looked hesitant. To be honest, calling him a โ€˜๐˜ธ๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜บ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ตโ€™ would be a bit of a stretch of conscience. . .

ใ…ค

But it was true that the idea was tempting. Where else could one find such a rival?

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Iaon looked at Johan and gave a pleading look. It was a request for help.

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He had already learned and felt that helping a merchant meant receiving help in return. There was no reason to refuse.

ใ…ค

โ€œWhy donโ€™t we stay a bit longer?โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œ. . .Alright. If you say so.โ€

ใ…ค

Suetlg seemed to regret his words immediately, his expression a complex mix of emotions. Still, he didnโ€™t seem to have any intention of taking his words back, as he was the first to stand up and leave. Left alone, Iaon said with a brightened face,

ใ…ค

โ€œThank you, Sir Johan.โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œIt was nothing. I also enjoy matching wits with a worthy opponent.โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œI appreciate your words even more then. If itโ€™s alright with you, could you stay not at the inn where you are currently staying, but at the mansion where Suetlg resides?โ€

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Johan smiled contentedly. What a profitable turn of events.

ใ…ค

โ€œI shall do so.โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œThank you very much.โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œMay I ask you something?โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œPlease do.โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œSince Suetlg has already made his prophecy and left, why do we need to keep him here any longer?โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œAh. . .โ€

ใ…ค

Iaon smiled bitterly. It seemed the knight was not familiar with such matters.

ใ…ค

โ€œSuetlgโ€™s prophecies do not come easily. No matter how much we plead, he does not readily comply. Magic is not something to be used frivolously, after all.โ€

ใ…ค

โ€œ. . .?โ€

ใ…ค

Johan was puzzled. Then what was the meaning of the prophecy Suetlg had given earlier?

ใ…ค

Was it a favor?


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