How a Second Life Knight Lives

28. Meeting.

Thud!

Ugh!

Thud! Thud!

Bang!

The sound of people hitting and being hit.

A low groan.

Occasionally, the sound of someone falling or rolling.

The suppressed silence was rather a terrifying space.

“Section 4 leader.”

“Yes, Captain.”

“I want to kill all of you.”

“……”

“It’s not a joke or an exaggeration. I want to kill you all.”

“……”

The tension kept rising with Arekson’s indifferent tone.

It hasn’t been long since Arekson became the captain of the guards.

The former captain resigned, taking responsibility for the count’s accidental death.

And his successor, Arekson, was selected based on his abilities.

At least, that’s what Arekson believed.

But the countess’s prospective fiancé almost died in an attack by a mercenary group.

The previous fiancé died near the harbor’s pleasure district.

And both times, the guards were late to respond.

It’s inevitable that people would talk about the incompetence of the guards led by Arekson.

Arekson thought he wouldn’t have had anything to say even if he had been fired after the incident in the pleasure district.

But to be late in capturing the culprit again?

And they just passed by even though the culprit was hiding nearby?

Arekson felt like his head was going to explode.

He felt like he had to kill someone to relieve this anger.

Of course, he understood why things turned out this way.

It’s because these idiots didn’t understand the situation.

So they just acted as usual.

They wandered around the taverns under the pretense of patrolling, exchanged a few jokes with the tavern thugs, made lewd comments to the girls working there, and then picked an apple from a street vendor’s cart to freshen their breath before returning when the time came.

If it were usual times, there wouldn’t have been a problem.

If it were usual times.

But now is not a usual time.

After the death of the former Count Kalmar, the elector and his cronies, who had been biding their time, started to probe in earnest.

This manifested in the assassination attempts on the countess’s fiancés and the attacks on the Powell merchant group.

Arekson’s face still turned red and he felt a surge of anger whenever he thought about how incompetent he had been during the emergency meeting in the countess’s office.

In the meeting, the countess, who was always cold and composed, rarely showed personal emotions.

*

“It’s been over a year since the former count passed away, hasn’t it?”

“Yes, my lady.”

Master Johan quickly answered Countess Linnea’s seemingly self-directed question.

However, it seemed that the Countess did not need an answer.

The Countess continued speaking.

“One year is indeed enough time for those who have been cautiously weighing their options to finally raise their heads.”

The key retainers gathered in the office exchanged glances.

Meller, the mayor and treasurer of Kalmar,

Master Johan, who holds the military power of the territory,

Captain Arekson, who is in charge of security,

Lindstrom, the representative and tax collector of the Count’s advisory council,

Sara, who is in charge of internal affairs of the Count’s household,

Jensen, the chairman of the city council representing the merchants,

Peterson, the secretary of the city council representing the artisans and harbor guild,

Mikkelson, the auditor of the city council representing the rural areas around Kalmar,

and Sorensen, the legal advisor.

Except for Arekson, all of them were key figures in Kalmar city who had held their positions since the previous Count’s time.

“The result of raising their heads is the attack on the Powell merchant group. Duke Maximilian intends to either starve us out or pressure us into submission. As expected, Baron Patson has decided to become the knife that stabs us. Should we just leave him be? What do you think, Sir Meller?”

Countess Linnea, the lord of Kalmar, asked the mayor of Kalmar in a dry tone devoid of emotion.

“If it were just Baron Patson, I would cut off his head right now, but the Emperor is currently absent, and behind him is Duke Maximilian. We could get caught up in a conflict between the electors that could last indefinitely. As you know, the Aalborg region, which got involved in the conflict between the electors, has now lost its functionality due to the plundering by mercenaries. Some of the lords who went to war on behalf of the electors in that region have gone bankrupt. Therefore, I think we should deal with Baron Patson in a way that excludes war.”

However, Jensen, the chairman of the city council, immediately objected.

“The Powell merchant group is not just any ordinary merchant group. It is treated as a semi-official merchant group by outsiders. If we do not properly avenge those who slapped us, no one will respect us. The safety of the merchant groups passing through Kalmar will be ruined. There are plenty of nobles who need money besides Baron Patson. Moreover, Baron Patson has been continuously provoking us. Remember the watchtower incident.”

The Countess nodded at Jensen’s words.

“The watchtower incident. That did happen. Master Johan, has anyone tried to cause trouble on the river since then?”

“Of course not, Countess. The waterway of the Dalaben River is safe.”

“Then it is right for us to act before we wither away. Master Johan, is the territorial army ready for battle?”

Master Johan looked troubled at the Countess’s question.

While the knights were always ready as combat machines, the regular soldiers were not.

The problem was always the budget.

Even for Kalmar city, it was not an easy task to train enough elite soldiers who were paid regularly.

That is why professional mercenaries, who are on short-term contracts, are needed.

“Not right now. We need time to hire mercenaries. Even if we hurry, we need at least three months, and if we prepare properly, we need six months. And that is rushing it.”

“If we strike and retreat with a small number of people?”

“It is possible within a few days, but strategically it is meaningless. Setting fire to the territory and killing a few soldiers will not solve the problem.”

“Still, it could show our resolve. Then there might be room for negotiation, don’t you think? Sir Meller.”

“Yes, Count.”

“Do we have enough military supplies?”

“We have a budget in reserve, so there should be no problem for about a year. At least for the time being, you don’t have to worry about additional taxation. If additional taxation becomes necessary, I will discuss it with Sir Lindstrom and report back.”

“Good. There’s no point in prolonging the meeting. I trust you all. And Sir Arexon, could you stay for a moment?”

Until then, the Countess had been even more composed than usual.

However, when all the retainers had left and only Arexon and the head maid, Sarah, remained in the office, she threw off her mask.

“Sir Arexon.”

“Yes, Countess.”

Her tone was overflowing with coldness.

No, it might have been a tone like the heat just before an explosion, pressed down tightly.

Arexon straightened his posture unconsciously and waited for the Countess to speak.

But the Countess glared at Arexon and did not easily open her mouth.

Finally, it was only after the head maid, Sarah, moved cautiously that the silence was broken.

“I haven’t even seen the faces of my fiancés, but I feel like a widow.”

“I have nothing to say.”

“One is dead, and one almost died. All in my territory.”

Arexon lowered his gaze.

He saw his fists clenched so tightly that his veins stood out.

“But I, the lord of the territory, do not know who attacked my fiancés. Even a mercenary knight who happened to visit the inn beat all the attackers, and only then did the guards arrive? If it had been far away, I wouldn’t say anything. But wasn’t it a high-class inn located close to the inner city? What on earth are the guards doing?”

Arexon had nothing to say.

He could only repeat that he would do better in the future.

At least it was fortunate that he was not reprimanded in front of the other retainers, which would have shattered his dignity.

However, it was obvious that if he did not show something soon, his position would be taken by someone else.

“Sir Arexon. Among the words my late father told me, there was this: Let others fight. You do business. Feed your people well. I want to follow my father’s words. To do that, I must not be humiliated. If I am humiliated, I have no choice but to fight. So please make sure the guards do their job properly.”

With those words, the Countess left the office.

Still clearly showing signs of not having calmed down.

*

Arexon calmed his anger.

He knew better than anyone that this was not something that could be solved by getting angry.

Beating up the idiots rolling around with bruises in front of him a few more times wouldn’t reveal the mastermind behind the incident.

This was just venting his frustration.

Frustration at his own incompetence.

For those who realize they are incompetent, there are two paths.

One is to ignore their incompetence and try to proceed with the work somehow.

This usually ends in catastrophe.

Or, they can acknowledge their incompetence and ask for help.

Arexon chose the latter.

He decided to meet the knight who had caught the hidden mercenaries within just a few hours of being appointed as the temporary investigator of the unlucky city council.

He thought he needed to hear whatever kind of wisdom it might be.

According to what Arexon heard, this mercenary knight was running a merchant guild.

It was an unusual case.

Most mercenary knights with some reputation usually work on commissions.

Even in Arexon’s considerable experience, he had never heard of a mercenary knight directly running his own merchant guild, unless they were recruited as a partner or director.

The mercenary knight’s shop was located on one side of the herbal market on the outskirts of the port.

It was an impressive shop with a striking exterior of gold, red, and black.

The sign outside the shop was even more impressive.

For the pride of the bowed man!!

We have the solution!!

“How vulgar.”

But I do want to try it.

Startled by his own thoughts, Arexon shook his head and unconsciously stepped back in greater embarrassment.

Because he saw an unexpected person at the tea shop next to the store.

No, why is the Count here?

*

No, why is the Countess of Kalmar here?

The moment I made eye contact with Countess Linnea, I had to choose.

Should I pretend to know her?

Should I pretend not to know and just treat them as a guest?

But it seemed like the choice was already made.

The moment our eyes met, I flinched.

If they were quick-witted, they would have sensed that I had figured something out.

If I acted suspiciously at this point, I would be branded as untrustworthy.

I sighed and greeted them politely.

“I am honored to meet Countess Linnea of Kalmar. My name is William Burrows.”

“How did you recognize me?”

Countess Linnea, dressed in commoner’s clothes, and I faced each other.