Chapter 47
The Corsini Family was the family that represented the traditional noble class of Fasa.
Although there was a sense of being pushed aside by the newly erging rchant class, the Corsini Family still protected the legacy inherited from their ancestors.
That was the right to military affairs.
A noble is fundantally a feudal being.
Being feudal also ans owning land to provide for the cost of arming oneself.
Therefore, it was the tradition and custom of Fasa for the noble families to take turns serving as the head of the city guard.
The current captain of Fasa's guard was the head of the Corsini Family, Albe Corsini.
Albe was furious upon receiving the report that the rcenaries were causing chaos in the city.
He could endure being called lazy and incompetent, but he could not tolerate having the rights of a noble infringed upon by re rcenaries.
“Which bastards dare!”
“It is I.”
“?!”
The one who blocked the path of Albe, who had confidently set out leading the guard, was Eleonor.
Albe fell into confusion.
‘Why is she here? Wasn’t she out at sea?’
That red-haired knight was soone that even Albe, from the prestigious family of Fasa, had to yield to.
The Historian of the Phoenix Knights is not just a clerk.
She is strictly a knight, a trained combatant, and a high noble of Aquitaine.
It was a mystery why such a person would co to a rural backwater like this to live as a rcenary in the first place.
The upper class of Fasa had tried to find out the reason for Eleonor's visit to Fasa, but Eleonor had never once accepted an invitation. (In truth, she was just trapped in Leon's endless work hell and couldn't get out.)
Therefore, this was the first eting between Albe and Eleonor.
And that eting was the worst.
‘Oh no. Leon has put forward Sir Eleonor, whom I find difficult to deal with.’
If it were ‘just the rcenary commander’ Leon Gryph, he could exert influence as an investor, but even Albe could not treat ‘Phoenix Knight’ Eleonor disrespectfully.
Using Eleonor as a shield was a truly clever move.
As Albe belatedly realized Leon's true intentions, it seed as if he could hear laughter from sowhere.
To that Albe, Eleonor unexpectedly held out a piece of paper.
“Lord Albe Corsini?”
“Y-Yes?”
“Please read this.”
Albe read the paper, his hands trembling with bewildernt.
It was an official request for cooperation.
For Albe, who was not accustod to such requests, Eleonor explained the contents herself.
“Currently, the rcenary company, at the request of the Fasa governnt, is subjugating the thieves who are disturbing the peace of the city. However, as we are short on manpower, we request that the guard also cooperate in the subjugation.”
“If the guard refuses to cooperate.”
“Refuse?”
When Eleonor asked back, Albe flinched.
It wasn't that Albe, as a knight, had not experienced combat.
But with bloodshot eyes (from frequent overti), a scowling expression (from fatigue), and a warhamr stained with blood (spilled by Rhom).
The killing intent emanating from Eleonor, equipped with these three sacred treasures, was no ordinary thing.
When the authority of the Phoenix Knights was added to that, Albe had no confidence in defying Eleonor.
If he defied her, perhaps he too would beco a victim of that warhamr, and the middle of his head would be caved in.
“Well, if you wish, the guard will help.”
When Eleonor nodded with a sullen expression, Albe finally managed to catch his breath, feeling as if he had just escaped death.
To him, a subordinate approached cautiously and asked.
“Lord Corsini, what should we do?”
“What do you an, what should we do?”
“Aren't quite a few of our own people involved? Should we just vaguely pretend to search? Or……”
“Do you think that's possible right now? Are you that oblivious to the situation?”
The subordinate bowed his head as if in apology.
Albe clicked his tongue with a ‘tsk.’
“Cooperate while keeping an eye on things. Tell them to throw in a few small fry as well. Then Sir Eleonor will be satisfied and withdraw.”
“Understood.”
It was a remark that still held no regard for Leon.
Of course, no one cared about that.
It was hard to think that Eleonor would logically refuse the position of rcenary commander.
It was more realistic to think that she had installed a puppet president to handle the difficult tasks while she was on an adventure.
That's how little Leon's stature was compared to Eleonor's fa.
Though the truth was the exact opposite.
Unfortunately, there was no way for them to find out this fact.
Because the people who knew the truth were floundering, trapped in the work hell that Leon had created.
***
As the city guard joined in, progress in the thieves' guild subjugation began to be made, little by little.
Although the city guard had a reputation for being incompetent, they were useful in their own way.
After all, the city guard, composed of locals, knew the city's affairs better than the rcenaries, who were outsiders.
After a profound investigation, fake rchants and smugglers were arrested here and there, and a grotesque new object began to appear in the city.
It was the gallows.
The gallows ordered by Mayor Rapacio were originally custom-made for the pirates.
But since the pirates were sold off as slaves to the mines, there was no occasion to use them, and they were inaugurated for the first ti on this occasion.
Mayor Rapacio, of course, was delighted.
“But it’s still not enough.”
I compiled the new reports and ca to a conclusion.
I don't know if it's because this dieval world in the ga is that harsh, or if they're just confident they won't get caught.
Guys trying to scam with the supplies kept popping up.
Even though quite a few people had already been executed, incidents and accidents still continued unabated.
Just yesterday, a squad of rcenaries dining at a restaurant was carried away complaining of stomach aches.
This happened even after confirming the at was from a new delivery before serving it.
This was the situation even though it was known that the Signori Family was backing the rcenary company.
“At this point, it's safe to say the rcenary company is being attacked from within.”
As I was muttering, a servant employed by the rcenary company burst through the door.
Lately, too many people were entering my office violently.
It seed that if I didn't give a warning, I'd have to replace the door one day.
“The door is going to break, what is it?”
“Lord Gryph, it's an ergency!”
“What is it? Did pirates invade the city or sothing?”
“Well, sothing similar. A vampire has appeared at the entrance of the rcenary headquarters and is causing a ruckus, demanding the commander to co out.”
What is this now.
Was there this kind of sudden event in ?
Was there perhaps a linked event that occurs after subjugating the thieves' guild?
Nothing in particular ca to mind.
However, I felt a sense of déjà vu.
It definitely felt like sothing similar had happened before.
In tis like these, there's only one effective redy.
“Theo. Take out the axe.”
“It’s already prepared.”
Theo, who had been dozing off next to my desk pretending to read docunts, quickly stood up.
A large axe was already held in his right hand.
Even the people who did not acknowledge my authority before Eleonor's arrival did not dare to think of barging into the rcenary headquarters and causing a scene.
The only one was Rhom, but Rhom was a troll and had no sense, so that's why it happened.
He's also been suffering to pay for that sin lately.
I saw him the other day, and it looked like he finally got hit with a hamr by Eleonor…….
I took Theo and went down to the headquarters' entrance hall.
A large crowd of people had gathered in front of the entrance, forming a circle.
When I appeared, the people who recognized showed surprised expressions.
“Commander?”
“Greetings can wait, let pass for a mont.”
Theo cleared a path for through the crowded mob.
The people who were complaining quickly moved aside upon seeing the gleaming axe blade.
Beyond them, an unexpected sight was visible.
Rhom, the troll knight from Aosta, was lying on the ground, curled up.
On the opposite side, a pale-complexioned vampire man stood triumphantly.
I asked a mber next to .
“What just happened here?”
“Ah, well. So vampire fellow ca into the headquarters and caused a ruckus, demanding the commander to co out. So Sir Rhom went out to face him, and then.”
“And then?”
“He was knocked out without landing a single hit.”
I clicked my tongue as I looked at the battered Rhom.
“One point for showing loyalty to the rcenary company. Three points deducted for getting beaten up one-sidedly.”
“My lord, aren't you being too harsh on Rhom?”
“Seeing him get beaten by a re vampire, Rhom is too poor a fighter for a knight. Pick a day and train him properly.”
“True. Still, he is a mber of the rcenary company, so it wouldn't do for our prestige to have him getting beaten up like this. Understood.”
After deciding Rhom's fate, I examined the vampire.
As befitting a vampire, he was skinny, and his face looked like that of a punk.
He was wearing glasses to feign politeness, but he couldn't hide the slovenliness seeping out from beyond them.
“Strange.”
A troll was a combat race in itself, just by its size and resilience.
Moreover, Rhom was a knight who had received combat training.
The fact that this vampire had beaten such a Rhom like a dog was proof that his skills were no ordinary.
If so, it was highly likely that this vampire was an important NPC or character appearing in , but strangely, no one ca to mind imdiately.
“Stop sending out small fry who are no match for and tell the commander to co out already!”
Just then, the vampire looked around and shouted confidently.
“My lord, shall I go out and teach him a lesson?”
Theo whispered from the side.
His voice was surprisingly quite angry.
“Why are you so full of motivation?”
“Rhom may be a jerk, but he's part of our rcenary company, so I can't just stand by and watch him get beaten, can I? Besides, he broke into soone else's house and made a ss.”
“You’re not wrong. Go and fold him in half.”
“Order received.”
Theo is right.
Rhom is a bad dog, but he's our dog.
If he cos back beaten, we have to get revenge.
At my command, Theo cracked his knuckles and was about to step forward.
However, soone else appeared before him.
It was the Phoenix Knight, Eleonor.
“Coming through! Make way!”
“Oh, the knight?”
“Wait a mont! Just a mont! Everyone, stop!”
The crowd made way at Eleonor's appearance, and even Theo stopped in his tracks.
That shaless vampire fellow also flinched, as if he recognized Eleonor.
It was just when everyone was wondering whether Eleonor would flatten the vampire from the head down or fold him in half.
“Ah! Finally!”
The vampire shouted upon seeing Eleonor.
This wasn't the line I was expecting?
Shouldn't you normally scream to be saved when faced with a Phoenix Knight?
Or had the usage of the word ‘save ’ changed without my knowledge?
As I stared blankly, unable to understand, Eleonor, who had run forward, hit the vampire on the back of the head.
Thwack!
A rather pleasant sound echoed.
I thought the vampire would fight back.
My prediction was wrong.
“Ow! Why did you hit !”
“Shut up!”
“Sis! Ow!”
Eleonor didn't stop and continued to strike the back of his head repeatedly.
The vampire didn't dodge and just took the hits.
While doing so, the way he subtly presented only the less painful parts to be hit certainly showed he had skill.
“It seems the vampire and Sir Eleonor already knew each other.”
“So it seems. But what is their relationship?”
“Well. He called her sis, so perhaps a subordinate?”
“Then it makes sense why she’s hitting him like that.”
As expected, Eleonor is a true knight.
Always establishing hierarchy through violence.
After finishing the disciplining, Eleonor grabbed the vampire by the scruff of his neck and dragged him forward.
However, the vampire looked at with a rebellious gaze.
It seed he hadn't been hit enough.
Eleonor apologized on behalf of the vampire.
“I’m sorry, Lord Gryph. Please forgive this one’s rudeness.”
“Do you really know him, Sir Eleonor?”
“He is my junior from school. I called him here, but this fellow is quite a troublemaker, so he ended up causing such an incident. He has committed a discourtesy, Lord Gryph.”
At that, the vampire shouted.
“What? Sis, you must be joking, right? Isn't he too young to be a rcenary commander? He looks like a reed, like he'd break if you touched him.”
“Please just be quiet. What will Lord Gryph think, seeing this?”
“No, you were the one who held your head high even before His Grace the Duke, and now you’re flattering so kid?”
“Please, shut up. I can’t lift my face right now because of you.”
In the end, Eleonor could not overco the dark temptation in her heart.
She ended up hitting the vampire.
At Eleonor's slap, the vampire's head snapped forward and then bounced back up with the recoil.
It was quite a violent level, yet the vampire just grinned.
No matter how much he was hit, he didn't get angry.
For that Eleonor to treat soone so informally, one person ca to mind.
I carefully examined the vampire's face with suspicious eyes.
His impression was different, but his actions were similar, so it was likely the person I was thinking of.
I cautiously called out the na of the vampire being held by the scruff of the neck by Eleonor.
“……Selvi?”
“How do you know that?”
At that, the vampire's eyes widened.
And so did mine.
This guy is really Selvi?
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