Chapter 62
“Five knights, including Lucille, chose to go to the city. There are seven left.”
Rodwell spoke as he gazed out the window as usual.
Beyond the fra, the group consisting of Osmond, Lucille, and their party could be seen departing.
“They didn't take any survivors with them. They said they'd only be a hindrance.”
Joshua listened in silence.
He felt as if he were taking the place Lucille had left behind.
“I was worried that those who couldn't follow might riot, but fortunately, things remained quiet.
I suppose the radish seeds you gave them offered so hope.”
“That's a relief.”
Joshua felt the dark clouds hanging over the tower dissipate.
There was nothing more agonizing than enduring without hope.
However, humans were creatures that would struggle to survive as long as hope existed.
“Have you found a place and the people to grow the radishes?”
“I’ve already handled it. I had a plan in place so we could start imdiately once we obtained the crops.”
Joshua offered a light smile.
Rodwell was a man whose preparedness was flawless.
“That's good. Then I'd like to talk about the rights to the radishes....”
“I wondered when that would co up.”
Rodwell looked at him with an anxious face.
It was the ratio to be divided when the radishes were harvested.
Joshua knew he shouldn't demand too much.
The people in the tower were still on edge.
“I'll request 20% of the total harvest.”
“Is that enough?”
Rodwell asked back with a surprised face.
Perhaps because Joshua had pestered him so much regarding rewards, he didn't seem to believe it.
Even 20% was more than enough.
The group only had five mbers.
It was certain they'd have plenty left over even after eating their fill.
They would stockpile the surplus.
One can never have too much food.
“I won't refuse if you want to give more.”
“No. If you're willing to compromise, I'll gratefully accept.”
Rodwell settled the matter quickly.
“Is that all? Then I'd like you to return to your ho, wherever that may be.”
He made a refreshing expression and gestured toward the door behind him.
He clearly wanted Joshua to vanish quickly.
Joshua knew the reason for his impatience.
There was one more problem to solve between them.
“Are you going to pretend you don't know? Should I remind you?”
“...I have no idea what you an.”
“You promised to open the knight's warehouse if I resolved the issue.”
Rodwell let out a long sigh.
He likely wanted to avoid this at all costs.
However, Joshua had no intention of backing down on this point.
“Fine.”
“Then I'll call the friends who are with .”
Rodwell broke into a cold sweat and expressed his reluctance.
“Why are you calling the kids too! Don't tell , if you plan to sweep everything away, I won't forgive you even if it’s you!”
“There are exactly seven items I want from the warehouse.”
“What's with that specific number? You've never even seen our warehouse.”
“I've been in there seven tis.”
Rodwell tilted his head.
Even if Joshua told the truth, it was a story that would be hard for him to accept.
“Let's stop. My head hurts. Anyway, you said seven items? That much is fine.”
There were over thirty treasures in the warehouse in total.
Joshua had requested seven.
This was a number Rodwell could sufficiently understand.
'Of course, I plan to pick only the absolute best among those seven.'
The wicked laughter of [Clever] echoed clearly in his ears.
Rodwell led the way downstairs.
If the office where they'd stayed was the top floor, the place where the knights' treasures were kept was the exact opposite, in the basent.
Just a couple of days ago, this was where the delegation, including Osmond, had been imprisoned.
“Sir Rodwell, greetings.”
In the hall, Leonard's group joined them.
Talleon and Gavinu.
Along with them, Tania joined, and the whole group was gathered.
“Leonard, did you gain a little weight while I wasn't looking?”
“A-Ah, no.”
“Do you have any intention of introducing to where your base is next ti?
I'm curious.”
“I don't believe that's a topic for to discuss.”
Rodwell rolled his eyes in bewildernt.
“I understand you've only been together for a month, but what happened in that ti? You've completely made them your own people.”
Leo showed a bit of excitent.
“You're wrong, Sir Rodwell.”
“Hmm?”
“I'm currently evaluating whether Joshua is a proper leader. He's rely on trial. He hasn't received a passing grade from . I think the expression 'his own people' is a bit premature.”
“But you're respecting him as a leader.”
“That is separate from this.”
“...You have a troubleso personality.”
“W-What do you an by that.”
Rodwell let out a deep sigh with a frowning face.
A different kind of fatigue from when he dealt with Joshua washed over him.
“Sir Joshua, I think it was a good judgnt for you to take this bastard. If he'd been under , I would've worked him to death.”
Joshua rely shrugged his shoulders.
He couldn't help but agree that Leo's personality was tiring.
“Excuse , Sir Rodwell. If I didn't hear wrong, I think you just called senior 'Sir' just now.”
Tania asked with a dazed voice.
The fact that Talleon or Gavinu called him 'Sir' was out of respect.
A na's value was important.
Even in this world, the two classes of nobles and commoners still existed.
Influence was attached to the title one was called.
If he was called so by Rodwell, that influence could actually manifest.
“Did it sound strange?”
“No, I just asked because it was surprising.”
Tania was happy.
She thought everyone here felt similarly.
If the leader received respect, the face of the entire group was maintained.
“Joshua and I are in a cooperative relationship. We must observe formalities.”
“Thank you!”
“You've at least beco a proper person. The party involved hasn't even said a single word of thanks.”
Rodwell glanced at Joshua.
Joshua showed a faint smile.
They arrived at the basent prison.
Rodwell looked at Joshua's reaction and spoke in a puzzled voice.
“Aren't you surprised?”
“What part should I be surprised by?”
“The fact that the place where the treasures are hidden is a prison.”
“Well, I actually think it's quite obvious.”
“What?”
“Rodwell, you aren't very good at hide-and-seek, are you?”
“You, where did you hear that? Only my parents and siblings should know about that.”
Joshua shrugged his shoulders.
Rodwell was a character who didn't talk much about himself.
However, once you beca very close, he'd tell you stories of his mories even without being asked.
It was a good sign.
If his favorability were displayed, it would surely be close to 'Trust.'
“Follow .”
He entered one of the cells and began to feel the wall.
He was looking for a groove.
However, he was slow to find it, as if he'd forgotten the location.
The prison was in a state of neglect, covered in spiderwebs and dust.
Joshua had no choice but to approach Rodwell and whisper quietly.
“Eleven o'clock position. It's at your shoulder height, Sir Rodwell.”
Rodwell's heart thundered.
The boy noticed what he was looking for.
He'd kept this place a secret even from his adjutant, Lucille.
How did he know?
'Opening it cos first.'
There were many eyes watching.
He didn't want to show himself fumbling before the young boys and girls.
After finding the groove, he inserted the dal from his pocket.
With a grinding sound, the wall turned like a door.
“Don't touch things recklessly. Don't run around either.”
Rodwell warned them.
The boys and girls behind him grew tense.
The knight's warehouse they'd only heard of.
This was a place where rare items passed down through generations were gathered.
In terms of value, it wasn't lacking compared to the warehouses of most nobles.
Swords and armor made by master craftsn.
Rare materials obtained while fighting magical beasts.
Books and research journals seized from mages.
Treasures bestowed by other nobles.
This was the place where they were all gathered.
“I'll never forget today.”
Talleon acted as if he'd stepped into a sacred place.
He walked softly and held his breath.
Graduating from the academy to beco a knight.
Accumulating military rit as a knight to join the order.
It was a place one could only see after being recognized by the captain there.
Talleon hadn't been confident he could pass those three stages.
He'd rely imagined it in his head.
That wish he thought couldn't be achieved had co true, albeit with soone else's help.
'……Sir Joshua.'
He called him silently.
Joshua walked in the lead.
His back felt large.
And it felt so far away.
He had to chase him.
Even if he couldn't walk side by side, he didn't want to lose him.
'I don't have talent like the leader or Tania.'
If he lacked talent, he had to put in twice the effort.
He was worried that even that wouldn't fill the gap.
While he was inwardly anxious, Gavinu whispered beside him.
“Are you scared?”
“W-What are you talking about?”
“I'm saying let's just keep doing what we're doing. Without being a hindrance, at a level where we can do a bit better than average. That's our role.”
Talleon nodded his head.
One couldn't understand this kind of worry unless they were in the sa position.
These were words that could be said because it was Gavinu.
“Sir Joshua, I'm asking just in case, but are we picking them ourselves?”
“No, I'll pick them for you. I told Sir Rodwell I'd only take seven items.”
“We aren't able to pick them?”
Leo grumbled as if he were disappointed while evaluating the items.
He was also a knight apprentice.
The knight's warehouse was a place that ant a lot to him as well.
Considering his restlessness, Joshua picked an item for him for the first ti.
“Take this.”
He tossed over a circular shield hanging on a shelf.
It was [Clamand's Round Shield].
Clamand was the na of the craftsman who made the shield.
Joshua had used various shields while playing the ga, but there was nothing as good as this among the shields available at this ti.
'Armor is cumberso. A shield is best.'
Even an ordinary zombie would deal a fatal injury if one were attacked just once.
It was more advantageous to defend with a shield rather than wearing armor that slowed one's movent.
“L-Leonard.”
Rodwell approached and grabbed the boy.
“If it's a shield you want, there are four more here. D-Doesn't this one look cooler? It isn't too late yet.”
Rodwell looked anxious.
He was likely sweating bullets.
Joshua had given him the most valuable shield among the many available.
He wanted to swap it for sothing else to reduce his loss.
“Thank you for the recomndation. But since it's the first thing Joshua picked for , I think it's better to accept it.”
There was no way Leonard would fall for it.
He firmly refused out of respect for Joshua.
If Joshua told the na Clamand, his attitude would change instantly.
“Haha, th-that's true.”
You certainly laugh awkwardly.
Joshua felt sorry for him, but he intended to pick items relentlessly for their survival.
“Next, I'll take three swords.”
[Schulken], [Bloodner], and [Kidman].
These were the three swords he picked from a space with over twenty swords.
“J-Joshua.”
Rodwell snatched his wrist.
He could see him trembling as if he were about to cry.
“Leave the swords to , the expert. The ones you picked are the lowest class among those here.”
“I don't doubt my eye.”
He felt sorry for the man, but he didn't just know the nas of the swords here.
He'd swung them all in actual combat.
Even if they were made by craftsn, their actual performance could be different.
To put it simply, expensive was best.
Items with established reputations had performance that was just as exceptional.
“……I'm going crazy.”
Rodwell wiped his face.
The boy picked out only the finest items in the warehouse.
He didn't even take ti to deliberate.
He acted like soone who knew exactly what was in here from the start.
“That makes four.”
Joshua entrusted the swords to Leo.
The boy's eyes sparkled like a child's.
He looked as if he were seized by the urge to swing them imdiately.
“I'm telling you just in case, but you mustn't swing them.”
“I-I know that!”
I don't think you do.
Leaving the worried boy behind, Joshua walked deeper into the warehouse.
“You said it was the knight's warehouse. I thought there'd only be items used by knights, but I was wrong?”
Tania approached and asked.
“Clashes between knights or mages happened often. The winning side likely seized them as spoils of war.”
He had to pick a gift for her too.
She didn't need a weapon.
The staff she got at the dormitory was enough.
Unlike knights, mages' items were heavily influenced by their innate nature.
This ant the most valuable item wasn't always the right answer.
“Wear this from now on.”
What he handed her was a cloak.
It was an enchanted item like the shield and cloak used in the laboratory in the past.
It was the [Red Witch's Cloak].
Usually, it was an inconspicuous brown.
The mont Tania exerted her mana, this brown would turn red, increasing the mana recovery speed along with a warming effect.
“It's pretty! The embroidery on the back of the cloak. This is the sun, right?”
“Yes.”
“I'll try it on.”
Tania put on the cloak right there.
Then she spun around.
The academy uniform skirt and the cloak rotated together.
Like a schoolgirl of her age, she seed very interested in clothes.
“How is it?”
“Not bad.”
“Is that all?”
“Is it uncomfortable? If it feels too big, just shorten the length of that part.”
“Hmph, never mind.”
[Clever] scolded him, saying he was pathetic.
Even if the trait didn't lash out at him, he knew the words she wanted to hear.
Things like 'cute' or 'pretty.'
He had no intention of granting her wish.
That was unnecessary for both her and himself.
“The remaining two are for .”
When he said he'd take two for himself, no one expressed any dissatisfaction.
They stepped back as if it were natural.
Only Rodwell looked at him with a pale face.
Joshua smiled and walked forward.
The first thing he picked up was a round orb.
“……Are you truly taking that?”
Rodwell tilted his head.
Up until now, Joshua's hand had picked out only items of the highest value.
But this ti, he'd missed.
It looked like an item that didn't suit survival.
It was an ornant that might be most appropriate for the original aning of a treasure.
“Yes, and the other one is this.”
The next item he picked up also fell far short of expectations.
It was a book.
Line Tower was a library.
It was strange to want a book in a place overflowing with reading material.
It was a scripture containing religious content related to a certain god.
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