How to survive as a beggar count

Chapter 8

“…Do you think you have more than one life?”

“Does it look like it?”

The knight, whose patience seemed to be running out, tightened his grip on his sword.

“Don’t do something you’ll regret. No matter how much the count’s house is falling apart, a noble is still a noble. If you go around killing people just because you’re angry, it’s going to get really troublesome, you know?”

“…”

For a brief moment, I could sense hesitation in his expression.

He seemed to be wondering whether he should kill this crazy young noble who had been bothering him.

“Get lost. If you keep annoying me like this, I won’t hold back.”

Fortunately, the worst was avoided.

Now, the next step was to persuade him.

“But I’m serious. I know where the knights’ relic is.”

At that, he stopped in his tracks.

“…What do you want?”

“Glad to see you understand quickly.”

I couldn’t help but smile a little at his reaction.

“In a month, there will be a trial by combat. I need you to stand in as my representative. If you do that, I’ll tell you exactly where the knights’ relic is. I’ll even mark it on a map for you.”

“Heh. How can I trust you?”

To be honest, I had no solid evidence.

If I said, “Actually, I’ve fallen into the world of this novel, so I know everything. Haha.” they would think I was crazy.

But I said it confidently.

“To be honest, there’s no reason for you to trust me.”

“…”

“But there’s also no reason for me to lie, right? Just like you gave me that ointment to ease my pain earlier.”

Most lies are told for a reason.

Either to gain something or simply because it’s fun.

Earlier, he had given me ointment to relieve my pain.

He could’ve given me poison-infused ointment instead, but he didn’t.

Why? Because he had no reason to.

I was telling him directly.

Why would I lie to someone from the Eternal Knights?

If I did, not only would I be dead, but my entire family would be wiped out by his sword.

“I only have one life. If I lie to someone from the Eternal Knights, I’d be dead in an instant, wouldn’t I?”

“That’s true.”

“…”

The comment about being able to kill me without a second thought made me a bit upset. The difference in power between us was clear.

But I bit my tongue for now. My pride wasn’t important at the moment.

“…Just trust me. In a month, if I win the trial by combat, I’ll tell you. If you really can’t trust me, I’ll put my life on the line.”

“Hmph. What difference does it make if I kill the son of a count from this backwater village?”

“If you keep thinking like that, then do so.”

“…”

He stayed silent, clearly deep in thought.

It made sense for him to be conflicted.

A nobleman’s son from a rural village knowing where the relics are? It sounded absurd.

But for the past decade, the entire continent had been searched, and there hadn’t been any solid leads.

And now, here was a faint clue.

He had only to wait a month, and I’d give him the clue. How could he not be tempted?

“Think carefully about it. What will you do?”

I’d done my part.

I had planted the bait, laid out the hook, and now it was up to him to bite.

“What do you think?”

“…You said a trial by combat?”

Yes!

At this point, it was like he had already taken the bait.

He was asking because he was interested.

“So…”

I explained everything in brief but pointed out the important details: why the trial by combat was happening, and that the representative from the Count Benner family was a monster with a swordsmanship rank of 5.

“…That’s how it happened.”

“Hmm.”

He appeared to be lost in thought.

“I thought you were someone who could think on your feet. Turns out you’re even dumber than I imagined.”

He wasn’t wrong.

All of this happened because Ian had been recklessly attacking people.

“I have personal reasons.”

I shrugged awkwardly.

But I kept an eye on him.

And I learned one more thing.

Even though he claims to be rank 5, he’s not worried at all.

Is it because he’s from the Eternal Knights?

Even though he’s facing a rank 5 monster, he doesn’t flinch.

Maybe I’m up against a monster more dangerous than I imagined.

‘I wish I knew his name. He’s not likely to just tell me if I ask outright.’

After a long pause, he finally spoke.

“…Fine.”

“Really? Hahaha! Good decision!”

“But remember this: if you don’t keep your promise after the trial by combat…”

“I know. You can take my life then.”

“No. It won’t end with just your life. I’ll kill everyone connected to you first, and then I’ll deal with you.”

“…”

Damn, he speaks with such menace.

It’s not an idle threat.

Torture is probably a given, and he might even target others from the Impera family.

For the right goal, he wouldn’t hesitate to become a villain. That’s the kind of person this wandering knight is.

But I have nothing to fear.

As promised, I’ll definitely tell him where the relic is.

“See you in a month then.”

“What will you be doing until then?”

“Originally, I was going to leave, but… with things the way they are, I’ll have to stay around here for a while.”

For a wandering knight, there’s no better place than the Impera Count’s domain.

It’s a remote village, so the Kingdom Alliance’s influence is minimal.

“Alright then. If anything changes, should I come here?”

He nodded instead of answering.

I cautiously extended my hand.

“Our first meeting wasn’t the best, but I hope we can get along. My name is Ian Impera, as I said, the heir to the Impera Count’s domain.”

With this, he should give me his name in return.

“…”

“What are you doing? My arm’s going to fall off.”

Reluctantly, he extended his hand.

“Chrode.”

Wait. Chrode?

My hand froze in mid-air, trying to shake his hand. This felt like avoiding a fox only to run into a tiger.

Chrode?

As soon as I heard his name, I couldn’t believe my ears.

Why is Chrode here?

“…Oh no.”

It was only then that I really looked at him again.

His messy black hair, wearing ragged clothes like a wandering knight.

I was an idiot.

If I had recognized the black hair and the Eternal Knights earlier, I should’ve figured it out.

But why is someone like Chrode wandering around in a backwater village?

Honestly, that was the bigger question.

Chrode is too significant a character to be in a place like this.

He’s not a mere monster to level up the protagonist like Ian, but a major character in the story.

Chrode…

The swift sword Chrode.

He’s a rival to the protagonist, Dia, and plays a central role in the second part of the story, where the Kazan Empire’s remnants are involved.

With his quick and heavy swordsmanship, he dispatches enemies in an instant, making him a master of the swift sword.

Even when reading the novel, he was an extremely charismatic character.

Chrode’s goal was to resurrect the Kazan Empire, while Dia sought to prevent it.

Their rivalry was so intense that it kept readers on the edge of their seats throughout the story.

But in the end, he loses to the protagonist, Dia, who is supported by the “protagonist buff.”

Chrode dies at Dia’s hands, but he’s not entirely a villain.

Even after the fall of the Kazan Empire, his loyalty remained unshaken, and he was a knight who abhorred senseless killing.

From my personal experience, he seemed like someone who just didn’t want to get involved in troublesome matters.

But his true ambition is the resurrection of the Kazan Empire—a dangerous ideology that would once again bring war and bloodshed across the continent.

Dia, the protagonist, is a war orphan who deeply understands how devastating war can be.

If the Kazan Empire is resurrected, the entire continent would be thrown back into the chaos of war.

Once again, meaningless blood would stain the land, and children like Dia, who lost their parents, would live through hellish days.

That, Dia could never accept.

While Dia tried to avoid killing Chrode, they ultimately couldn’t reconcile their differences, and Dia had to kill him in the end.

Sigh… Damn it. Of all people, Chrode shows up here…

There were plenty of knights who were once part of the Eternal Knights, so I had assumed this was just another one of the countless wandering spirits searching for a “knight’s relic.”

“What is it? Have you suddenly changed your mind?”

Chrode was still extending his hand. As I hesitated to shake it, his expression grew more menacing.

He must be just as baffled.

I had been trying to convince him just moments ago, and now I was changing my approach because he said his name.

I stepped into a pile of shit.

It’s too late to back out now. I hadn’t intended to simply ask him for the trial by combat.

I had planned to use the information I had to manipulate him into my ally.

For a wandering knight with no home, it would have been easier to trick him into joining me.

But doing so would definitely lead to a rift with the protagonist.

I wasn’t worried about the Kingdom Alliance or anything like that.

This is still a world within a novel.

In a world like this, nothing is dumber than going against the protagonist.

Ugh… I did agree to tell him the location of the ‘knight’s relic,’ though…

That might be fine, after all.

I only promised to tell him the location of the relic, not how to activate it.

“…Ah, sorry. I was just lost in thought for a second.”

I would make sure not to get too entangled with him. What I’m offering Chrode is just the location of the relic.

And he’ll be the one standing in for the trial by combat.

That’s all. As long as I don’t get more involved with him, it’ll be fine.

The Impera Count’s domain is already in a precarious situation, like a lantern flickering in the wind.

I can’t afford any more risks.

With that thought, I firmly shook Chrode’s hand.

Just the trial by combat. I’m not getting any more involved with him after that.

“Hmph.”

Chrode seemed to have no idea what I was thinking and softened his expression.

“Should I write up a contract or something?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

For now, the immediate problem was solved.

If it’s Chrode, taking down a rank 5 agent would be nothing. I now understood why he didn’t react much when I mentioned the trial by combat.

“Alright. I’m leaving.”

“Okay. You know the consequences if you’re late for the scheduled time, right?”

“…”

Chrode gave a sly grin before heading into the forest.

“…Ah!”

Oh, he had been roasting some meat.

He had only taken the skin of the horned boar and left.

That means…

***

Part 2

“The taste is pretty consistent.”

I had worried that the meat might smell bad since he lived in the mountains, but when I tasted a piece, it was surprisingly good.

Maybe because it had only eaten fruit, the meat was sweet the more I chewed, just the way I liked it. Even if it had smelled, it probably would have been delicious anyway.

The real reason the meat tasted so good was thanks to Chrode’s cooking.

The meat was cooked deeply over a subtle flame, leaving it a beautiful pink on the inside.

Then, at the end, he seared it over a high flame, giving it a crispy exterior.

“Chrode… has been wandering around so much that his cooking skills have improved?”

I found myself salivating. It had been so long since I had eaten meat.

It had been months since I had eaten meat, and the only other time was when I had eaten the foul-smelling monster meat.

Anyway, it was a treat for a Korean palate.

I immediately tore into the pork belly. The perfect balance of fat and lean meat!

How could it not taste good?

Hah…

As I took a bite, the savory smell of the meat filled the air.

I wondered if wild animals might start gathering, but the horned boar probably chased them all away.

Right now, my focus was on enjoying this delicious meat.

Chomp, chomp.

With another bite, the flavors and juiciness exploded in my mouth.

“…Ugh!”

I couldn’t help but tear up a little.

Anyone would laugh seeing a count like me crying over a piece of meat.

But so what? They say not to talk about life with someone who’s never had a piece of bread soaked in tears.

Well, it’s meat, not bread.

“This is so damn good…!”

I didn’t want this happiness to end. I kept biting into the pork belly, chewing it over and over.

Chomp, chomp!

There was oil smeared all over my hands and mouth, but who cared?

Before I knew it, the well-cooked pork belly that had been sitting heavily was gone.

Ugh!

I patted my stomach, enjoying the fullness. Even though my belly was full of meat, there was still a mountain of it left.

This is what living feels like.

What part should I try next?

After eating until my stomach was about to burst for half a day, the meal finally ended.

Phew!

The light pink meat, with all the internal organs and fat removed, was piled up like a mountain. This would last me at least a month.

Chrode had promised to stand in for the trial by combat, but the issue I faced wasn’t just that trial.

Even if I manage to get through this trial, Count Benner wouldn’t give up.

He would keep trying to tear our family apart, scheming at every turn.

I couldn’t keep asking Chrode for help every time. The chances of him helping weren’t high.

To stop him, I needed to get stronger. But how could I become stronger?

It was impossible to increase my rank with expensive potions or by hiring a master. The Impera Count’s domain was barely scraping by as it was.

Then I’d have to at least make my body stronger. And to do that, the most important thing was meat.

I guess I’ve more or less taken the first step…

It was funny to think that a noble like me would consider eating meat as taking the first step toward strength.

So what if it’s funny? If I get stronger, that’s all that matters.

Hhmm…

I hadn’t realized how big this horned boar would be. If I had known, I would’ve brought a cart.

In the end, I packed up as much as I could carry and headed back to the estate.

The rest… well, I’ll figure it out somehow.