I Became the Dark Knight in the Game
Chapter 44: Mage (1)

Dale sighed as he looked at the residents prostrate before him.

“Why are you kneeling down again?”

“Why? We just felt like we should…”

The chief stammered in reply.

“Well, what happened to that damn bastard?”

Dale simply nodded his head instead of answering.

The lifeless body of Bordan drained of all life force and shriveled like a mummy came into view.

“Ah!”

“Is he…!”

The residents were thrilled and astonished at how easily the warrior who had been tormenting them had been dispatched.

The chief made a fuss.

“To think that a warrior who survived a battle with demons could be defeated so effortlessly… To be blessed with a knight like you, truly the goddess has not forsaken us!”

There were several inaccuracies in his statement.

First, it wasn’t the goddess who sent Dale, but Erielle, and that too only after being tempted by the promise of a relic.

Moreover, the claims about Bordan were greatly exaggerated.

Indeed, he had been a strong warrior.

However, Bordan was never in a league to confront a demon.

Even the lowest-ranked demon could have snuffed out Bordan with a mere gesture.

At best, he might have dealt with the minions while someone else took on the demon.

Of course, even that would be a feat worth boasting about for a lifetime.

But Dale’s interest was piqued by the one who had directly faced the demon.

He mentioned fighting alongside someone, a mercenary king or something of the sort.

Back when Dale was first introduced to this world through the game, demons were akin to natural disasters.

They were not beings a mere human could contend with.

Yet, humanity had its own monsters capable of standing against such demons. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ ɴ0velFɪre.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

The masters of the magic towers, the captains of the royal knights, and the four generals who guarded the front lines.

But the name “Mercenary King” was unheard of at that time.

The idea of a mere mercenary being dubbed a “king” seemed overly grandiose, almost to the point of mockery.

Maybe a new hero has emerged in the meantime.

Dale recalled Garland mentioning it a few times.

He hadn’t paid much attention until now, but he decided to investigate further when the opportunity arose.

Having sorted his thoughts, Dale gestured for the residents to rise.

Explaining himself had become too tiresome. He resolved to let them continue with their misunderstandings or misconceptions.

The residents slowly got to their feet and went inside to clean up the mess.

Despite the fierce battle that had taken place, the interior was relatively tidy.

Broken dishes and furniture were strewn around the place, but there was not a drop of blood.

The black mist had spread around and absorbed all the blood spilled by Bordan.

Thanks to this, the residents quickly tidied up the inside. The problem was Bordan’s body.

The residents looked down at the shriveled corpse with discomfort.

Then, Harty who had been sitting quietly strode over and nudged Dale’s waist.

“What?”

Harty pointed at Bordan with its nose. Dale caught on and nodded in approval.

When he gave his permission, Harty opened its jaws wide and chewed Bordan.

Perhaps because the body was so dried out, a crunching sound echoed with each bite Harty took.

It was a similar sound to when a dog was chewing on a dog bone.

Is it really okay to let it eat a person like this?

The thought crossed Dale’s mind for a moment, but he quickly dismissed it.

After all, the wolf had already developed a taste for human flesh, and Dale who himself took lives to drain their life force was in no position to criticize it.

Once the cleanup was complete, the day had fully transitioned into night.

Dale surveyed the residents who had regathered in the clearing.

Now they weren’t just looking up to him. There was an overwhelming emotion in their eyes that was hard to ignore.

Well, they’ll likely follow orders now.

He then shared the plan he had in mind with the residents.

“Stick together until this turmoil subsides. Don’t wander off alone. Avoid going out after dark, and minimize contact with strangers as much as possible.”

It was the least he could do to prevent any unwarranted attention.

As for the rest, he planned to observe the situation a bit longer before making any decisions.

Things could go any number of ways, after all.

With various interests at play, no one could predict the outcome of the event.

There was even a slight chance that matters might resolve more smoothly than anticipated.

***

Dale returned to the inn, which was as deserted as ever except for the occasional fly buzzing around. Kayla greeted him warmly as he entered.

“Aah! You’re back!”

A radiant smile spread across Kayla’s face, lighting up the room. Harkin who had been sitting in a corner grumbled at the sight.

“What’s this? When I walked in, all I got was a face like you’d been chewing on dirt. Why is there such a difference in treatment?”

Kayla retorted.

“Well, maybe if you looked a bit more handsome like Sir Dale.”

“I’m not saying I’m as handsome as Sir Dale, but I’m not bad-looking, am I?”

“……..”

“Sorry.”

Kayla’s stern look silenced Harkin who then sheepishly lowered his head.

Turning back to Dale with a beaming smile, Kayla then noticed Harty for the first time.

“Wow! Is that a new puppy Sir Dale is raising? It’s soo cute!”

Harkin interjected with a scoff.

“Calling that beast a puppy? With that size? It’s clearly a wolf, anyone can see that.”

“What’s the difference? A puppy, a dog, a wolf, they’re all the same.”

Kayla showed no fear of Harty’s huge size. She was, after all, a woman with a lot of guts.

Dale inquired.

“Would it be possible to keep it at the inn?”

“Hmm, keeping it indoors might be a bit difficult, but how about the backyard? It could also deter thieves, which would be great!”

Dale glanced at Harty and gestured toward the back door.

Understanding the cue, Harty nodded and lumbered outside.

Kayla was momentarily impressed by Harty’s intelligent response and she asked Dale,

“Would you like something to eat?”

“Yes.”

Engaging in the mundane act of eating, Dale sat down opposite Harkin. He removed his helmet and asked the latter,

“So, why are you here?”

“Well, I’ve decided to follow Sir Dale from now on, haven’t I? It only makes sense that I’d move to this inn too.”

Dale nodded his head indifferently. An additional long-term guest meant good business for Kayla.

Though she herself didn’t seem too thrilled about Harkin’s presence.

Harkin took a big gulp from his beer mug, then grimaced slightly as he muttered,

“The beer tastes a bit strange, though the food is passable.”

Dale remained silent. He didn’t care about Harkin’s complaint about the food.

To Dale who lacked a sense of taste, such concerns seemed utterly extravagant.

Harken who downed his entire beer while grumbling glanced at Dale. It seemed he had something to say.

“What is it?”

“Well, it’s about that request Garland made earlier. What do you plan to do about it, Sir Dale?”

At the gathering with Garland and Kadal, the party received a request.

The request was to join in a search of the slums.

Mazel had flatly refused.

Dale said he would think about it, and Harkin had given the same response as Dale.

Dale asked him

“What about you? What do you plan to do?”

“Of course, I’ll decide after seeing what you do, Sir Dale! Why would Garland ask me unless it was because of you? It’s all because of you.”

Harkin had a fairly objective view of himself.

“So, will you do it?”

Dale shook his head.

“I’ve received another request, of the opposite nature.”

Dale roughly explained the request he had received from Erielle. After listening intently with a serious face, Harkin responded.

“Hmm, then I guess I’ll have to sit this one out.”

“It wouldn’t really matter if you took Garland’s request. It seems like a decent enough job.”

“No, no. What if I end up fighting with you, Sir Dale? And something about this job smells fishy.”

“Fishy?”

“Like it has a hidden agenda, perhaps? It seems like getting involved would bring no good. Just a hunch, though.”

A hunch.

Mercenaries who had danced with death tended to trust their own instincts.

Dale didn’t add more to the conversation. Perhaps Harkin’s intuition was correct.

Images of the armed vigilantes and Eirek flashed through his mind.

They didn’t seem inclined to go down without a fight.

This could be much more dangerous than Garland suggested.

Dale picked at the ham Kayla had served with his fork and he tasted nothing as usual.

Whether she knew this fact or not,

Kayla was about to bring out a plate full of food with a beaming smile when,

“Aaaaah!”

A piercing scream came from outside. The next moment, the inn’s door burst open.

A woman in a white priestess’s robe hurriedly shut the door behind her and slumped to the floor.

It was Esther.

“O-outside…! A monster! There’s a monster!”

Her already white face became even paler and she pointed outside.

Harkin who had been staring blankly suddenly realized something and exclaimed,

“If you’re talking about the wolf outside, don’t worry, priestess. It’s a wolf Sir Dale is keeping.”

“I always say my name is Esther. But more importantly, how can you keep such a hideous creature! It’s clearly not an ordinary wolf, anyone can see that!”

Esther spoke with a quiver in her voice.

She was clearly shaken by the sight of Harty.

Both Dale and Harkin turned to look at Kayla.

Her reaction was vastly different from Esther’s startled one. Kayla had thought the creature was merely a cute puppy.

It seems this is the more normal reaction, though.

Kayla who caught their gaze muttered something about it being “just cute” before approaching Esther to help her up.

“Are you alright, Priestess?”

“Th-thank you. I was just a bit startled.”

“Would you like something to eat? Or perhaps a room for the night? You seem to know Sir Dale, so I can give you a discount.”

Kayla saw an opportunity to make a sale in Esther’s flustered state.

Unfortunately for Kayla, her attempt was in vain as Esther quickly regained her composure and declined.

“Ah, I apologize. I’m quite busy with church duties at the moment… I just made time to stop by for a moment.”

And yet you took the time to come visit me despite your busy schedule? As Dale looked at her curiously, Esther approached him.

She hesitated for a moment as if she found it hard to talk to Dale then spoke up.

“Um, Sir Dale, do you still have the Ring of Faith?”

“The ring?”

Why was she suddenly asking about a ring?

When Dale asked back, Esther asked anxiously.

“Don’t you remember? Isn’t there a ring that priestess Maria gave to you, Sir Dale? Surely… you haven’t, ah, thrown it away?”

Only then did Dale recall what Esther was referring to.

I did help a priestess once and received something like a ring from her.

Dale rummaged through his pockets. The ring was buried among various other items.

Esther was visibly relieved when he took out the ring that gave off a subtle luster.

“Phew. You didn’t throw it away.”

“So, what about this ring?”

In response to Dale’s question, Esther said something a little different.

“This isn’t just any ordinary ring. It’s said to be a relic containing a fragment of a hero’s soul from the past. It’s an item that offers great power once to a person with a noble soul and strong convictions.”

Dale didn’t respond.

Frankly, he was unsure what to make of it.

In any case, Esther asked with a certain earnestness in her tone.

“Of all things, Sister Maria entrusted such a special ring to you, Sir Dale. She must have believed in you in her final moments, didn’t she? No. She definitely did.”

“Well, she must have had her reasons.”

“Exactly. Sister Maria wasn’t one to judge people lightly.”

It was then that Esther seemed to be relieved.

Her face bore the expression of someone who had found the answer to a troubling question.

Before Dale could inquire further, Esther bowed her head.

“I’m sorry for the sudden intrusion. I’ll take my leave now.”

With those words, she disappeared without looking back.

She had arrived abruptly, posed her questions on a whim, and then vanished, seemingly satisfied with the interaction.

Harkin muttered in bewilderment.

“What did she eat to act like this?”

Dale nodded his head in agreement.

And then a moment later,

“Aaaah!”

Once again, a piercing scream rang out but no one paid it any mind.

They simply assumed Esther had been startled by Harty once more.

***

As soon as morning arrived, Dale made his way to the mercenary guild.

He intended to explain the situation and decline Garland’s request.

However, the mercenary guild was unusually bustling that day.

It seemed as though all the mercenaries from the outskirts had gathered, crowding around the bulletin board in a buzz of activity.

Dale made his way through the crowd and pushed past the mercenaries.

The mercenaries grumbled in annoyance.

“Who’s the bastard shoving through?”

One mercenary looked up at Dale, who in turn looked down at the mercenary.

“Please, go ahead.”

With a polite bow, the mercenary slowly stepped back.

Dale moved through the mercenaries with ease like this.

Despite their typically rough and fierce demeanor, the presence of Dale brought forth a sense of respect and manners from them.

In this manner, Dale reached the front of the bulletin board and examined it closely.

The board displayed a recruitment notice.

They’re really going through with it.

The council had finally announced an official search of the slums.

This included a massive hiring of mercenaries.

This much was already widespread knowledge and was likely known by most of the other mercenaries as well.

The issue lay in a sentence prominently displayed on the notice.

Reading that sentence, Dale sighed deeply.

[This operation is fully supported by the Magic Tower.]

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