5. Signora (2)
Barricades were erected all over the bridge leading to the main gate of Mond Castle. There, the Pebonius Knights and the Chuchu tribe were clashing. Qualitatively, the Knights of Pebonius were superior, but the Chuchu tribe was exceptional in numbers.
In the first place, there was no training assuming a large-scale attack by the Chuchu tribe. The Chuchu tribe did not have the intelligence or command system to carry out large-scale operations. It may be training to prepare for what if, but there was no way to prepare for a situation that would not happen. So, no matter how skilled the Knights of Pebonius were in battle, it was inevitable that this situation would be difficult.
The large Chuchu tribe with black fur raised its shield. It was so huge that it could not even be compared to other Chuchu tribes. He was over 2 meters tall, and his bulging muscles gave us an idea of the amount of physical power his body could exert.
The large Chuchu tribe raised their shields and began a furious sprint. The huge body receiving acceleration was already like a cannonball. The Pebonius Knights attempted to intercept it with arrows and elemental magic, but it was not enough.
A barricade was shattered with a loud bang. The Pebonius Knights responded immediately, but some of the knights were knocked out by the shields wielded by the giant Chuchu tribe. They were new drivers who still lacked experience.
What is interesting is how the Knights of Pebonius were able to secure time to set up barricades. It was impossible to have a structured formation and a command system without prior knowledge of the attack.
However, no matter how thorough the preparations were, preventing a large-scale attack was quite a difficult task. If things continued like this, the defeat of the Chuchu people, who had no choice but to project their limited troops on the narrow bridge, was certain, but it was important to reduce sacrifices before that.
I was watching it from behind the front door. Although visibility was poor, it was possible to roughly guess the situation just by looking at the situation at the front line.
“…… Sorry, but the general public needs to evacuate. “The front door is dangerous, so please step back.”
As I was looking at the battlefield, a man wearing the armor of the Knights of Pevonius spoke to me. I glanced back at him. He didn’t know his name because he couldn’t remember it. Still, he thought he got to know quite a few people while working as a street vendor.
The fact that they cared about the safety of civilians even in such a busy situation was truly the power of the Knights of Pebonius. However, I had no intention of going to the front any further than this in the first place. Would an ordinary person who is crazy and powerless step forward?
There was just something I had to do. I pointed to the knight’s sword.
“The blade of the sword is very damaged.”
“Oh, yes…” Recently, due to the financial difficulties of the Knights of Pebonius, the supply level has dropped a lot, so it’s a little…….”
When the driver answered my question in a confused voice, someone hit him on the head from behind. It was a middle-aged male knight. The annual leave is probably quite high.
“You idiot! Is it time to explain the supply situation of the Knights to someone one by one? Hey, I don’t know who you are… Ugh?”
The middle-aged knight who was scolding the young knight let out a moment of suspicion. His eyes widened in surprise. He quietly studied my face.
“Well, ho, maybe…” Is your name ‘Siwoo’? … ?”
Still, it seemed like my face was quite well known. Normally, it would have been a bit burdensome, but in this case, it was better this way.
I nodded. Then the middle-aged knight immediately kicked the young knight in the shin.
With an audible sound, the young knight jumped up and down, holding on to the leg that had been kicked. The middle-aged knight shouted in an angry voice.
“You idiot! How can you tell someone who has donated 100 million Mora to the Order that the supply situation for the Order is difficult?! You really…… !”
“No, no. It’s okay. “I asked first, so I’ll let go of my anger.”
I stopped the middle-aged knight in a slightly embarrassed voice. The middle-aged knight looked at him with helpless eyes. They were worried that a newbie who knew nothing would be rude in front of Mond, who had sponsored 100 million Mora.
No, my status has just gotten this high? I don’t know what happened during the month I left Mond, but I felt like people were having a hard time with me, including Barbara’s reaction.
Seeing someone older than me in trouble was enough to make me feel uncomfortable. I handed over the sword I had taken out of my ‘backpack’ with the utmost courtesy.
I seemed to be holding back, but at some point, a sword was in my hand, and the middle-aged knight looked at the sword with a puzzled expression. The same was true for the young knight, who had come to his senses now that the pain had subsided. Even though elemental powers existed on the continent of Tivat, this ‘backpack’ function was like magic.
“Please use this sword.”
Hearing my words, the eyes of the two knights foolishly turned to the sword in my hand.
The silver sword body was shining with a sharp blade. The design, which focuses somewhat on appearance, may seem pretentious, but this sword was clearly intended for practical use, not for decoration. The sharpness of the blade was certain.
The name of this sword, which still sparkles silver when exposed to sunlight, is ‘Dawn God Sword.’ Although it was far inferior to the highest grade weapons such as the ‘Sword of the Sky’ that I gave Lumine, it was still usable because it was brand new. And above all, the number of 3-star weapons I acquired while playing ‘Origin’ was so large that I had the advantage of being able to give them away without burden.
Of course, the technology to strengthen weapons through mora and magic ore existed on the Tivat continent. Therefore, no matter how high the grade a weapon was, there was no guarantee that it would be better than a weapon that had been enhanced. However, looking at the current supply status of the Pebonius Knights, I thought this sword would be better.
If I had time, I would have handed over a weapon that had been strengthened, but unfortunately, the few weapons I had strengthened did not exist. At best, there are a few weapons that Lumine, Fissle, and Mona can use.
The middle-aged knight swallowed dry saliva. He asked in a dazed voice.
“Gwae, are you okay? It looks expensive…….”
“It’s not a gift, it’s a rental. And since there are a lot of weapons, please give them to the Knights of Pevonius. “If the quality of your weapon is not good, come to me.”
However, the middle-aged knight seemed to be hesitating whether to receive the sword or not. Well, it was worth it. A person who suddenly lends weapons for free during wartime, and he also sponsored 100 million mora. Even if you couldn’t pay the price right away, the debt of your heart was also a debt. I had to pay it back someday. That was also what I was aiming for.
What put an end to the knight’s worries was a relaxed voice that suddenly joined in. Navy blue hair, eye patch, bronze skin, and shoulder decoration reminiscent of a Duke.
The wide shoulders and slightly exposed chest muscles showed how much training he had gone through. And that was true too. He was one of the executives of the Knights of Pevonius, and he was mentioned at least once when Grandmaster Varka was talking about his strength at Mond Castle after he left.
Cavalry Captain Keia. Currently, most of the cavalry is on an expedition with Captain Barka, but originally, he was supposed to lead the cavalry, symbolizing the power of the Knights of Pevonius. After meeting him for the first time in a long time after the wind demon dragon’s attack on Mond Castle, he still had eyes that could not tell what was inside.
“Oh, it’s you.”
He raised one of his hands in a relaxed posture, which struck me as strange. It was as if we knew each other well before then.
The middle-aged knight stiffened his body. He seemed nervous at the sudden appearance of a commander-level person.
“Ke, Keia Cavalry Commander!”
“Well, for now, let’s take the weapon Siwoo gives you. Anyway, you’re in no position to choose anything right now, right? “Try to tell the story to the knights on the front lines next time you rotate.”
At Keia’s relaxed voice, the two knights immediately saluted and shouted.
“Okay! “I’ll tell you right now!”
The army of the Knights of Pebonius is also an army, I realized when I saw it. It was as simple as a person like Keia saying one word.
But I was still looking at Keia with suspicion. This person felt a little dangerous. He smelled like an inscrutable type and a schemer. People like this were a tiring type of person because they never revealed their true feelings and always had to worry about their intentions.
“hahahahaha. Don’t look at me like that, Siwoo. “It’s not the first time we’ve met, right?”
“…… But we haven’t seen each other much.”
“When it comes to friends, sometimes being on the same page is more important than the number of times you meet.”
Not a single word was lost. Keia walked over at a leisurely pace and tapped my shoulder. It was a sly attitude.
“So, it’s okay to be polite. Now you want to help the Knights of Pebonius, and the Knights of Pebonius also need help. “Then it’s done, right?”
I nodded and swallowed a moan. Keia’s words seemed indifferent, but they had the quality of penetrating to the core.
In the end, they said that if we borrow Keia’s light, things would become easier, so we should just pretend to be friends. I opened my mouth as if I had no choice.
“…… Okay, let’s do that.”
“hahahahaha, good. “I think I can communicate well with you?”
From Noble mtl dot com
At the same time, I glanced at Keia, who was laughing slyly. In the end, didn’t Keia’s wishes come true?
But in the end, it was true that things worked out well, so I sighed and gathered my emotions. Rather, it was better to find out what happened.
“…… What on earth happened? “The Chuchu tribe is making a large-scale attack?”
In response to my question, Keia was silent for a moment as if she was thinking about it. However, she nodded as if she could say this much and opened her mouth.
“Actually, we don’t know much. It was entirely thanks to Ember that I noticed the Chuchu tribe’s attack. She found out that Ember had several Chuchu territories too close to Mond Castle, and based on that, predicted the possibility of an attack by the Chuchu tribe. “Even we had no idea it would be on this scale.”
In the end, it seemed like the Knights of Pevonius didn’t know much either, as they had such a serious look on their faces.
Keia clasped her palms together once and called for her attention again. When I gave her a questioning look, Kea smiled her signature mysterious smile.
“Now, everyone knows the story up to this point. In fact, I had been trying to figure out the intention of this attack even before that. “Isn’t it strange that the Chuchu tribe suddenly launched a large-scale attack?”
“…… Are you saying someone is controlling it?”
“That would be reasonable. And, I know a place that has the power to do so.”
At the same time, Keia cast her gaze somewhere. It was in the alley of Mond’s market. I looked at Keia with puzzled eyes, but she never met my eyes again.
“Could it be Wooindan?”
“No, it’s a little different. “There are people called the ‘Abyss Church.'”
At the same time, Keia looked closely at the alley. It was the eyes of a hunter, with something in sight.
“Now there is no camp in Mond Castle, and there are no honorary knights from the Order of Pevonius, who made even the wind demon dragon retreat. This is the perfect situation to cause confusion in Mond Castle. But at best, an attack by the Chuchu tribe?”
I guessed Keia’s intention by then.
A large-scale attack by the Chuchu tribe was unusual, but not fatal. The bridge leading to the main gate of Mond Castle was narrow, and no matter how many Chuchu tribes there were, there was a limit to the number of people who could pass through the bridge.
Even the Knights of Pebonius are elites. There will definitely be damage, but it is only a level that can be tolerated. To that extent, it is difficult to say that it caused fatal damage to Mond Castle.
There is no Director Jin, and there is no Lumine. It was an optimal situation, and they even went to the trouble of mobilizing the Chuchu tribe on a large scale in an unknown way. But the goal is just to cause some damage to the Knights of Pevonius?
It couldn’t have been that way. Then there was only one conclusion.
“…… “A trick?”
Only then did Keia’s eyes turn to me again. He grinned.
“As expected, I think I can communicate well with you, right? Then I’ll leave the rest to you, Siwoo. “I have work to do.”
With that, Keia huffed and disappeared somewhere, leaving behind only a cold wind. He looked like he was running, but he was going so fast that I couldn’t even see him.
You have to be at that level to be able to take on an executive role in the Knights of Pebonius. While I was purely admiring, I heard a familiar voice from behind me. He complained of resentment.
“Ah, Senior Keia…… ! Ugh, you ran away!”
With that voice, someone came closer to me. A red headband reminiscent of a rabbit and chestnut-colored hair. She was a girl with lively movements.
She was stamping her feet in exasperation. Even though the situation was quite serious right now, I let out a light laugh at that.
“Ember!”
“Oh, uh… “It’s so sad!”
When I called her name, Amber jumped up and expressed her joy.
“You’re back in Mond! But even when I come back, it’s times like this… ….”
Amber said that and looked at me with her pitiful eyes. As soon as she returned to Mond, she was faced with a large-scale air raid by the Chuchu tribe, so I could have felt sorry for her.
But I kept a faint smile on my face. Rather, it went well. It was an opportunity to help Mond. If I hadn’t arrived today, the damage to the Knights of Pevonius could have been greater.
“No, in times like these, I need to be there even more.”
Amber tilted her head at my words. Her face said she wasn’t sure what she was talking about.
“Amber, can I borrow just one tent? Also, would you like to change the bow?”
As Amber looked even more confused, I winked without saying anything. There, knights returning from the front lines were seen. There were some injured people, and some people were seen holding poor quality weapons.
I decided to become a supply officer for the Knights of Pebonius just for today.
**
It was late at night when the battle ended. Before I knew it, the front gate of Mond was filled with members of the Knights of Pevonius with tired faces.
The fatigue of a battle that lasted for a long time gave a feeling of extreme exhaustion no matter how many shifts were taken. As evidence, the members of the Pebonius Knights had faces that made them want to faint at any moment.
No matter how long time passed, the Chuchu tribe could not break through the defenses of the Pebonius Knights, so they eventually retreated while blowing their horns. The damage was so great that the Chuchu people near Mond Castle did not have to worry for a while.
However, the damage to the Knights of Pebonius was bound to be great. The Knights of Pebonius were suffering from unprecedented financial difficulties due to the Wind Demon Dragon incident. The overall quality of supplies was poor, and there were even cases where they were not supplied properly.
Of course, that was only when I wasn’t around.
I was boiling soup in a large pot. Every time I stirred it with a ladle, a warm warmth and a deep, savory scent tickled my nose.
The name of this dish was ‘Bamboo Shoot Soup’, a dish made with bamboo shoots, animal meat, and ham. According to the method handed down by Mr. Jongryeo, it is said that it must be cooked in a more complicated way to achieve the proper taste, but since it had to be cooked in large quantities, it was cooked with somewhat simplified ingredients.
Anyway, as long as I was using the ‘cooking’ function, the only thing I could control was the quality of the ingredients. Still, because we used fresh ingredients, we were able to guarantee the taste.
A ladleful of light milky colored soup was scooped up and distributed to the knights. The knights were amazed by the abundance of ingredients and the deep flavor that stimulated their appetite.
“Enjoy your meal.”
“Thank you, Siwoo!”
I looked at the back of the knights with a faint smile and excitement as they went to eat. Since everyone was happy, I also felt proud.
The knights sat in any of the temporarily erected tents and held spoons. As if he couldn’t bear it anymore, he immediately started eating the soup. And he burst out in admiration.
The bamboo shoot soup, boiled over low heat for a long time, had a harmonious combination of the scent of the bamboo shoots, the savory taste of the meat, and the salty taste of the ham. The moment you chew the bamboo shoot, it has a unique hard yet crunchy texture and moistens your tongue with the broth it contains, and the meat gently tears apart the moment your teeth touch it. The salty taste of ham added a thrilling satisfaction to the deep, savory soup.
And the moment the hot soup enters the stomach, the warmth spreads throughout the body, warming the body exhausted from the battle. It wasn’t just a feeling. In fact, the small wounds on the body of the knight who ate the bamboo shoot soup were gradually healing.
It was the power of my cooking. Among them, the ‘recovery’ function. The seriously injured would have to be taken care of by priests from the cathedral, but if it wasn’t to that extent, my cooking would have been enough to help them recover. Even during the battle, I continued to cook dishes like this and feed the knights who returned from the front lines.
It wasn’t just dishes that had a healing effect. In order to soothe the body in a state of high tension, they prepared food that had a stamina recovery effect, and also cooked dishes that strengthened attack or defense power. So the Knights of Pebonius were miraculously able to win the battle without causing even a single death.
My weapons were also useful in their own way. I was a little worried because it wasn’t reinforced with Mora, but it seemed to be better than the weapon I was forced to use even though the blade was worn. And the quality was superior to existing supplies.
Some knights even inquired about purchasing weapons from me. Although he sent it back, saying that he would decide after discussing the matter with Director Jin.
Anyway, it was clear that my assistance was of great help to the Knights of Pebonius. The drivers all thanked me.
Interestingly, my assistance was even more noticeable as it coincided with the financial difficulties of the Knights of Pebonius. As you can see just by looking at the ‘bamboo shoot soup’ I handed out, the supplies I handed out were not only good in quality but also plentiful in quantity.
As members of the Knights of Pebonius who had been suffering from insufficient supplies, they could not help but feel the effects of abundant supplies even more acutely. Of course, I had to use some of the daily necessities I brought from Liyue, but that amount of expenditure was acceptable.
“I hope Siwoo will continue to serve as a supply officer for the Knights of Pebonius for the rest of his life… ….”
“No, I wouldn’t ask for anything if you just stayed at the restaurant.”
“Is that good? Then, let’s nominate Siu as an honorary supply officer of the Knights of Pevonius!”
I let out an awkward laugh at the knights’ noisy chatter. Yes, this level of spending was worth it. No, even if they asked me to pay several times more than this, I could have paid it.
The members of the Knights of Pebonius now clearly recognized me as a ‘friend’. This was a result that was achieved not only by giving money, but also because they did not hesitate to fight behind the battlefield.
It was no exaggeration to say that there was nothing more important than ‘comradeship’ for an outsider to become an insider. Originally, it was a feeling that had to be built up over a long period of time, but through this battle, I was able to instantly build a deep bond with the Knights of Pevonius.
Maybe that’s why the members of the Knights of Pebonius now seemed to regard me as a somewhat friendly superior rather than a difficult person.
“Now that I think about it, Quartermaster, is that true?”
“…… What?”
I responded reflexively and then thought, Oops. It was because I answered informally. As I was lost in thought, it seemed like I accidentally spoke informally.
However, the article who asked the question did not seem to feel any discomfort about that part. Rather, the attitude was that it was completely natural. Other knights who were paying attention to our conversation did the same.
“It’s a rumor that a supply officer and an honorary knight are dating. “It’s already spread throughout Mond!”
I laughed at that question as if it were absurd. However, everyone, including the young driver who asked the question and the drivers watching the question and answer, had their eyes shining as if they were asking if what was being said was true. It was a look filled with anticipation that we might hear an exciting love story.
Of course, I couldn’t live up to those expectations. I shook my head.
“It’s a rumor, what kind of romantic relationship am I and Lumine? “Do you think I’ll join Lumine?”
However, the knights also burst into laughter. A burst of laughter broke out among the knights.
“Don’t lie, it’s all already been rumored!”
I frowned slightly at those words. Rather than being angry, it was purely because I didn’t understand.
It was true that Lumine and I shared room and board. But that was all. Lumine and I only went out for a short walk, but we never showed anything more than that. However, there was no way I could have been this confident just because they were seen taking a walk together.
In the end, unable to control my curiosity, I tilted my head and asked.
“…… No, why? “There’s no reason for that?”
The young knight who asked me a question opened his eyes wide as if he was surprised.
“No, didn’t you hear? “The story about someone confessing to an honorary knight last time and then breaking it?”
When I heard those words, I felt like I was imagining that scene and ended up laughing. Confess to Lumine? Is that even possible? A woman as good as Lumine had a partner of her level.
But I nodded, willing to listen for now.
“So?”
“But as if getting kicked by that guy wasn’t enough, he ended up swearing at the supply officer.”
That was a common occurrence. That man must have been desperate in his own way, and I could understand his feelings. It wasn’t particularly unpleasant.
But the reaction of the knight who said that was strange. No, not only that knight, but other knights who were paying attention to our conversation also began to tremble. As if he had uncovered some eerie memory.
“…… Well, is this a secret? “You can’t stab an honorary knight just because I said something?”
“Yes, yes. I understand, so just say it. “Surely I can say two things with one mouth?”
I soothed the young knight’s anxiety as if it was no big deal. Well, how big of a deal could it be? At best, it’s just a story about confessing and getting dumped.
However, the story that came out of the mouth of the knight was beyond imagination.
“Immediately after hearing the sergeant’s curse, the honorary knight immediately threw himself into the air. It was a clean kick that went straight into the solar plexus. “The guy, who couldn’t breathe, flew away and was writhing around, but the knight of honor approached him without saying a word and crushed his fingers with his foot.”
I was silent. I was imagining that scene. But I couldn’t imagine it well. Lumine couldn’t have done that. Lumine was a kind and kind woman by nature.
“One word, one word, starting from the tip of the finger. Even though the creature screamed with each step, the honorary knight repeated the process without any expression. And the guy was so hoarse that he couldn’t even properly ask for his life, and only then did the honorary knight smile and say something.”
I looked at the reactions of people around me. Do you believe this absurd story? However, except for me, the reactions of the rest of the audience were the same.
My body was shaking as if I had seen the scene myself.
“‘Don’t tarnish Siwoo’s name with that dirty tongue. ‘It takes effort to help them understand the topic, doesn’t it?'”
The knight who had asked me the question finished speaking and wrapped his arms around his trembling body. For me, it was a ridiculous reaction.
“It must be a rumor, Lumine is not that kind of woman.”
The young knight seemed frustrated with my strong faith. He jumped up and said, as if complaining about his injustice.
“It’s not a rumor? This happened in the square. There were more than one person who saw it at that time. Don’t you know how difficult it was for us when we first met the supply officer today? It’s all because the rumor has spread throughout Mond that if you disrespect the supply officer, you’ll be destroyed by an honorary knight…….”
“Huh, Lumine isn’t that kind of girl.”
But no matter how many outsiders told me about Lumine, my belief was firm. Lumine was not that kind of woman. No one could shake my faith in her Lumine.
In the end, the young knight gave up trying to persuade me, sighed deeply, and decided to focus on eating. Still, I was grateful that he spoke to me in a friendly way. Thanks to that, I was able to realize that I was mixed in with the Knights of Pebonius.
So, I made dandelion wine for him and the other knights. The cheers of the knights echoed through Mond Castle.
That night was a feast. News of the victory spread throughout Mond, and my name became widely known.
‘Honorary Quartermaster of the Knights of Pebonius’ was a very unattractive name.
And the next day, Lumine returned.