Betrayal Knight’s Joyful Faith Chapter 20

It was the ti when the sun had completely set and the downtown area had beco quiet.

Saif led the knights to the warehouse behind the bakery building, where ingredients such as flour and dried fruit were stored.

Arendt was lost in thought as he walked deep into the warehouse with Saif and his seniors walking ahead of him. Things like a bakery and a trading post were things he had never seen in the novel.

‘So I thought it wouldn’t be a big deal.’

Things got bigger than he thought.

That ant that even while the civil war was raging in ‘The Blue Knight of the Holy Sword’ and the empire was in ruins, there was information that Laius had not been able to properly grasp.

In fact, it was inevitable.

As the commander of the knights, Laius was tied to the palace. Even if he could use the knights, soldiers, and police to the best of his ability to watch over the empire, there were limits.

In order to bring the scenario to a happy ending without much damage, Arendt had to dig into the parts that Laius didn’t know about as much as possible. That way, he could avoid the death flag.

‘It’s not like it’s minesweeper or anything.’

At this point, shouldn’t it be said that he’s a director rather than an actor?

While Arendt was thinking about sothing else, Saif stopped walking.

“That… is this way.”

He watched Arendt’s expression.

Arendt looked up and saw where Saif was pointing. There was an oak barrel there, used to store wine or old liquor. It was big enough to easily fit two or three people.

Arthur frowned.

“Is that a secret entrance?”

“Yes that’s right.”

“It’s a boring secret base. Listen carefully.”

Arendt, who had left a comnt indifferently, kicked Saif with his foot. When Saif turned around with a trembling face, Arendt lowered his voice and said, “We’re a group of people. Roughly speaking… yes, a dissolute young master from a rich family. You received a few pennies to guide us here. Do you understand?”

“…Yes.”

“If soone asks where the clerk is, just tell them that we ca here alone because he had to greet another custor.”

Arendt, who had finished speaking, pushed Saif’s back.

“Okay, take the lead.”

“You want to take the lead?”

“What, then what should we do? I told you. You brought us here, mister. You have to guide us properly. Open the door. If it’s locked, break it.”

Saif stood in front of the oak barrel, muttering sothing about a bastard even a ghost wouldn’t haunt.

Fortunately, there was no mishap that required him to break the door himself. After Saif fiddled with the round lid of the barrel a few tis, the entrance opened with a click.

A staircase plunged into pitch-black darkness appeared inside the barrel.

“Oh oh.”

Arthur burst out in admiration.

Saif took a deep breath and stepped forward. The knights followed him down the stairs.

Thud, thud.

The deeper they went down, more of the cold underground air brushed their faces.

Richt muttered.

“It looks like the ventilation system is working properly.”

“It seems that from the beginning when the bakery was built, it was intended to be used as a trading post.”

Arthur also agreed.

After walking for a while, a large door appeared in front of them. Two ard rcenaries were standing guard in front of the door. As soon as they saw the group, they thrust their weapons.

“Stop.”

“It’s , Saif.”

Saif went to where the light was shining and showed his familiar face.

The rcenary’s face was crumpled.

“What about Jeff?”

The na of the clerk that Arendt had knocked unconscious earlier seed to be Jeff.

Saif forced his tongue, which was about to stiffen, to move and answered.

“… I heard that he was welcoming another guest. This is my group. I brought them here to introduce them to the owner.”

The rcenary looked at the three of them suspiciously. Arthur and Richt unconsciously stiffened and clenched their mouths.

After a while, the rcenaries nodded.

“Co in.”

They stepped aside and opened the door, revealing another short passageway.

Unlike the damp and dark staircase, the sconces hanging on the wall lit up the hallway brightly. The floor was also covered with thick carpet.

Arthur opened his mouth quietly as the door slamd shut behind him again.

“They seem quite confident.”

The fact that they were able to easily let outsiders into their secret space seed to indicate that they were confident that they could deal with a few intruders without difficulty.

Arendt pouted.

“You won’t know if they’re wolves, lions, or mutts until they fall in front of you.”

The two of them kept their mouths shut, because it wasn’t a wrong statent.

As they opened the door at the end of the passage and went inside, a bright light poured in without warning. After a while, as his eyes gradually beca accustod to the light, a luxuriously decorated hall ca into view.

“Hey…”

An exclamation burst from Arendt’s mouth.

A large chandelier hung from the fairly high ceiling, shining brightly, and the walls were decorated with pure white marble. The carpets laid thickly on the floor had delicate patterns and were obviously of the highest quality.

“Isn’t this Saif? It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”

While they were distracted by the suddenly expanded space, a person approached the group.

Arendt turned his head in the direction from which the voice had co.

There was a man there with his arms outstretched and a warm smile on his face.

He had a muscular body and a smile, so at first glance he seed like a kind person, but in his narrow, curved eyes, a light called greed shone.

He was Bread, the owner of the bakery and the owner of this exchange.

“Oh, well. I brought them here especially because the young master here said he was interested in it. It won’t be bad for you either.”

“I see. You have co to the right place. My na is Bread. It is a pleasure to et you, young lord.”

The baker, who introduced himself as Bread, imdiately bowed.

The bakery owner’s na was Bread. I felt like I had heard that the owner of the pastry shop was Pastry.

“Who are the two behind?”

“Don’t worry. They are my servants.”

Arendt blurted it out naturally.

At the word “servant,” Richt and Arthur’s eyebrows twitched. However, they displayed unprecedented patience and controlled their expressions.

“I’m just going to sit back and watch today. Saif, you go do your own thing. I won’t bother you like I promised.”

“All right.”

Saif nodded his head in agreent.

Arendt looked around calmly.

The underground space, which was quite spacious, was brightly lit up like daylight with lights hanging from every corner. The guards stationed here and there each held sharp weapons and glared at the group.

“There are so wanted n. They’ve gathered in a place like this.”

Richt whispered softly enough for only Arthur and Arendt to hear.

It seed like they hired criminals who had nowhere to go as security guards. There were an excessive number of soldiers stationed in the basent, which was the size of a large hall. Even if you counted them roughly, there were easily more than ten of them.

Arendt nodded vaguely and looked away.

A large cupboard that looked like a display case was neatly arranged with weapons of strange shapes, and on one side was a pile of suspicious dicinal herbs that gave off a peculiar sll.

Bread, who had quietly approached Arendt, spoke to him first.

“So, is there anything you’re looking for?”

“No, as I said earlier, I just ca to look around. If you don’t mind, I’d like to ask you to show around.”

Arendt glanced at him. Bread arched an eyebrow.

“A recomndation. That’s good, but I don’t know your tastes, so it’s difficult. A child of a noble family would never co to a place like this because they lack things… are you looking for stimulation?”

“Then? Surely you’re not going to start talking nonsense? Like a place like this doesn’t suit a noble.”

“Of course not. It’s a wonderful thing to pursue your interests. You only live once, so what’s wrong with seeking out excitent?”

Arthur watched Arendt and Bread’s conversation with a sense of unease.

Arendt naturally burst into laughter.

“I like that answer.”

“Oh, how about so precious dicinal herbs? They’re rare items.”

Bread picked up a handful of dried lizards from the stand next to him.

“It’s a lizard that only lives on islands in the far northern seas. It’s a very expensive dicine.”

“What’s it used for?”

“It is used to make potions and poisons. It is also used to treat internal injuries suffered by inspectors or magicians due to magical power. It is very effective. It also helps to increase magical power explosively at any given mont. It is a little dangerous, but it is a useful item if processed.”

Bread held out a dried lizard to Arendt.

Arendt held out his hand and took it, even though he looked reluctant. No, he tried to take it.

Pat.

Then Bread reached out and grabbed his wrist hard.

Richt reflexively reached for his sword.

“What…!”

“What are you doing?”

But Arendt was faster. Raising his free hand, he made Richt step back and snapped coldly.

Then Bread smiled broadly.

“Looking at how rough and hard your hands are… it seems you have mastered the sword.”

“Don’t touch it with dirty hands.”

Arendt shook his hands.

Bread stepped back obediently, his eyes whirling in confusion.

“It seems unlikely that a noble duke would have learned the art of self-defense… but for sothing like that, the hilt of the sword seems to have been quite used.”

“…”

Richt’s face hardened. Arendt crossed his arms and faced Bread.

“So?”

“And to make that Saif look so innocent? I have a feeling that he is not an ordinary person. He is so arrogant. He is not the kind of person to be nervous around a curious noble young master.”

As the atmosphere beca strange, rcenaries began to gather around them little by little.

“Jeff has either been bought or you’ve taken advantage of him.”

Crunch.

The sound of rcenaries tinkering with their weapons reached their ears. Before they knew it, they were completely surrounded.

“Please reveal your identity.”

Bread grinned, revealing his yellow teeth.

Richt clicked his tongue inwardly and tensed his body.

‘I guess I underestimated you.’

The rcenaries, who noticed his change in montum, also lowered their posture as if they were about to draw out their swords and axes.

“Arthur.”

“Yes.”

Arthur responded calmly as Richt muttered softly. He had already placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

The rcenaries’ eyes beca more fierce. Arthur and Richt also glared at their enemies coldly.

There was a tense atmosphere.

A tense situation where a clash could break out at any mont. Arthur and Richt’s nerves were getting increasingly tense as they exchanged blatant threats.

At that mont, a laughter-filled voice lifted everyone’s spirits.

“This is the level of skill required to be considered a businessman.”

“I…”

Arthur’s mouth fell open. Richt, too, forgot the situation and looked at Arendt in bewildernt.

The two people had the sa thought at the sa ti.

‘What are you talking about now!’

Bread also furrowed his brow, perhaps because of the unexpected reaction.

“What does that an?”

“If you don’t even have that much sense, you should die. You shouldn’t be sitting around taking up space like this.”

Arendt added leisurely.

Bread’s expression grew even fiercer, but before he could say anything else, Arendt blurted it out first.

“You, you know the rumors, right? You’re a businessman in your own right. Then you probably know what’s been going on in the palace recently.”

“The palace?”

“You can’t not know this. It’s a story that’s related to your livelihood.”

Arendt raised his arm.

When he suddenly moved, the rcenaries flinched and tensed up, but Arendt did nothing, only rolling up his sleeves.

A silver bracelet was revealed, fitting snugly around his white wrist. Bread could clearly see the imperial emblem engraved on the clasp of the bracelet.

“Uh?”

Bread was montarily stunned.

Possessing imperial property ant belonging to the palace, but that bracelet had a slightly different aning. It was an item that the emperor had used in the past to give to nobles who showed signs of treason, or their children, as a ans of holding their lives hostage.

In recent tis, it was used as an object to restrain criminals from noble families who were temporarily released, but its aning has not faded.

Bread’s mouth suddenly fell open after blinking blankly several tis.

“Then, surely…”

“You asked for my identity?”

Arendt smiled bitterly at him, then declared with great confidence:

“I am Arendt von Eckhart, the traitor to the Imperial Knights.”

An unusually ear-piercing voice filled the hall.

The rcenaries’ eyes widened at the sudden situation, and Bread just kept opening his mouth as if he was at a loss for words.

“Surely you know my na, do you? Even though you use ‘that mark’.”

Arendt emphasized his tone as he received the attention of his enemies. There was no one in the room who did not know what sign he was talking about.

The basent suddenly beca as quiet as a mouse.

Arthur, who had been quietly watching what he was doing, muttered so that only Richt could hear.

“I don’t know anymore.”

“I do not know either.”

Richt responded quietly.