141 – Trade
The stature of the Knights in the Empire can be said to be very great.
Even if you look at the troops separately, they are in charge of the empire’s security.
And the interrogation room of the police department here in the capital.
A glamorous woman with dull blonde hair continued her work by a small light.
-Huruk.
The woman glared at her papers while drinking coffee from a cup, then took her eyes off her papers, rubbing her eyes.
“Haa…”
Her name is Viola as she sighs.
She is Bianca’s older sister, Harald’s classmate, and at the same time the left arm of Gilbert, the leader of the knights.
She took care of Gilbert’s business, so she sometimes worked overtime here close to her house, and today, for that reason, she was struggling with paperwork.
“Herald you bastard. Can you help me a little…”
Viola says that she is too tired today and resents her comrade for leaving work early.
‘I’d rather not ask….’
When I asked why she was leaving work so early, this answer came back.
-She came to work less than an hour after the manager came and stayed until she left work. No more
When she heard that, she couldn’t bear to say that she would like to work overtime.
“Why did the captain go there…”
Sure.
Leaving her upset behind, she took out her lunch box from the drawer.
Originally, she would have been working overtime with her, and the late-night snack she prepared to eat.
– Seruk.
As she undid her fabric, omurice decorated with hearts in red ketchup were revealed.
“I deliberately bought and prepared a magic tool to keep warm…”
The moment when she was about to take a big spoonful and take it to her mouth as she spread her ketchup while erasing her heart with a spoon with her little emotion.
-Can’t you see the security officer?
-He said today is vacation.
-Who is on duty?
-One person went out to handle a complaint while he was on an errand….
-Haa…. I left this place empty and where did everyone go?
A troubled voice came from outside the door.
‘What happened?’
She put down her spoon and went towards her door.
– Knocked up.
When I opened the door, there were knights patrolling there, and when they saw the viola, they hurriedly bowed and saluted.
“Why is Instructor here…”
“I have some work left. So what are you guys doing here?”
“I have secured the identity of the credit delinquent during patrol, but I was waiting because there was no one to take over.”
A puzzle appeared on Viola’s face after hearing the knights’ words.
‘You have bad credit. There was an intruder who avoided the eyes of the empire?’
For an empire that thoroughly checks entry, the number of cases caught has been in the single digits for the past few years.
It was not unusual for her to react like this.
“I’ll take care of it until the successor returns. Let me in.”
My job wasn’t easy, but since I’m often indebted to this department, I decided to help out a little.
The senior knights, those who could carry out all the duties of the knights without difficulty, had the authority to take command in the absence of the commander, and she was also a special position that couldn’t escape Gilbert’s side, so it was definitely a senior knight.
It was possible because the security department was a subordinate department of the knights.
“Yes, I understand.”
At her words, her face lit up, and two knights entered the room with a man who appeared to be in bad faith.
Then Viola noticed that the appearance of the suspect brought was quite unusual.
‘Black hair?’
It’s not unusual, it’s a hair color I’ve never seen in my life.
And I heard about him recently.
-Sister! Did you hear that
– Bianca. I told you to call me an instructor here.
-Leave those trifles aside! Do you know why Sonia decided to become a knight? No, come to protect her lover! Isn’t that totally romantic?
– Senior! What are you talking about to the instructor!
-How are you? By the way, I heard that the lover is a man with black hair. Have you ever seen someone like that?
‘I’ve certainly heard that…. Who is the author?’
“Were you eating? Sorry.”
When Saga here apologized while looking at the lunchbox on her desk, Viola thought it was a relief that she erased the heart.
“It’s okay. Talk about bad credit.”
“I thought he was a mana addict and approached me because he was laughing and talking to himself late at night…”
Flinch.
Viola’s eyebrows furrowed when she said she was a mana addict.
Mana addicts were a term used to refer to illegal drug addicts who have recently started appearing.
A Beyonder, a narcotic substance that is inhaled by grinding low-performance mana stones and mixing them with additives that help absorption.
As the name suggests, it has the effect of raising the quality of mana to the next level, such as using low-level magic even for people who cannot use magic at all when taking it, but that was just a side effect.
The principle is a way to break the balance of mana in the body and cause it to run wild, so when the medicine runs out, the ability returns, but the mana system once collapsed did not return.
For this reason, people complaining of lethargy began to appear one after another, and the typical symptom was laughing at the feeling of power that rose when re-inhalation.
“But you say you have bad credit? Seeing what you say, I don’t think that’s the case again.”
“Yes, there was no mana response, but instead an enormous amount of platinum coins came out for an individual to carry. Neither the source nor identity could be answered, so they were arrested on the spot.”
“What else?”
“There was also a woman’s purse with a few silver and gold coins.”
“It’s a pickpocket. Was there any resistance during the arrest?”
“Yes. There was none at all.”
‘Seeing that he didn’t resist, he thought he would come out relatively calmly.’
“You worked hard. I’ll take care of the rest, so get back to work.”
From noble mtl dot com
“Yes, I understand. Good job.”
After the knights left, only the two of them were left in the interrogation room.
Viola looked at the man in front of her.
Breaking sweat was typical of those who had committed a crime.
‘It must mean there’s something grabbing me.’
There is a possibility that this man could be Sonia’s lover, but from now on it is the realm of public affairs, so Viola decided not to speculate, and opened her mouth.
“My attitude toward you will change depending on how you answer my question.”
After hearing her words, the man’s expression gradually hardened.
***
How did I end up like this?
As soon as I was brought to the interrogation room where only one light was on, that thought came to my mind.
It’s fortunate that I’m not a man with a shaggy beard, but I still don’t like the situation itself.
“I ask. How did you come to the Empire?”
Are you starting from there?
That ‘how’ wasn’t asking about business, as is commonly said, but literally asking how.
Now, what kind of situation would unfold if we were to be honest here?
-You are the porter of the warrior party, but there is no way to prove it? Are you asking me to believe that? Since they’re back in the capital, I’ll send someone to check on them.
-The porter. I warned you that much in the morning, but did you have an accident within a day? And what is this again? Where did the wallet go? Was it a porter? I really have nothing to say.
-Touching a party member’s belongings. Is it also a thief?
– I don’t know if that would be good for you. Don’t go anywhere and say you’re a member of our party.
-To believe that he commits a crime without hesitation even though the eyes of the goddess are upon him…. I’m really disappointed, brother.
‘Just imagining it is terrifying….’
But I won’t tell you to leave. Rather than that, it was better to wait in the detention center for the emperor to notice.
“….”
As I kept my mouth shut, the woman sitting across from me opened her mouth.
“The right to remain silent. You certainly have the right to do so. But.”
Gasp.
She stops talking and suddenly grabs me by the collar and pulls me.
“Please also be aware that the more you do it, the more you have to deal with it roughly.”
The tired amber eyes glared at me.
At the same time, there was a strong, faint scent of coffee.
Gulp.
“Then let’s move on.”
-Fluffy.
When the collar was released, I sat on her chair as if I was about to fall.
“Where did you get all this money from?”
“….”
As I continued to remain silent this time, my head hit the desk in the blink of an eye.
– Bang!
“Do you think I’m joking?”
What was caught in the sideways view was a fountain pen on the desk.
-Jurruk.
I felt a cool feeling when the ink spread across the desk and touched my eyes.
A situation where the sight of blood flowing runs chills down the spine.
Suuk.
The fountain pen was retrieved by a white hand.
“One last question. Where did you get this money?”
A cold warning flew overhead.
That could just be a bluff.
Even the knights won’t be able to harm you carelessly.
‘But what if that’s not the case?’
What if I’m wrong and I’m really a daredevil to find out information?
Tumbling.
Where would the fountain pen, out of sight, be aiming at right now?
The fear from the absence of information was beyond imagination, and eventually the mouth moved on its own.
“Gilbert!”
Flinch.
“Call Mr. Gilbert! He will secure my identity!”
As soon as the name of the knight commander came up, I felt the power that weighed down my head weaken.
“…You answer my questions.”
The answer was to stop talking nonsense, but the gap was already visible.
“Then, where did you try it? Take care of the after work.”
“Awesome…!”
If you come up with a bluff, I should respond in the same way. So what are you going to do?
“Haa…”
Eventually, a long sigh was heard, followed by the removal of the hand that had been pressing his head.
When I looked up, I didn’t even hold a fountain pen in the first place.
After all, it was just a scare.
Looking at her disgruntled gaze, she opened her mouth.
“Is that true? That the captain guarantees your status.”
“Before that, I don’t even know your name yet.”
“…My name?”
I wasn’t asking because I was interested. Because I have Sonia.
If it was a man with a lower body, it would have been behind the scenes, but in the case of a real man, it is a revenge that must be carried out. I’ll tell Gilbert later.
When I mention her boss and ask her what her name is, she replies as if she can’t help it.
“I am Viola Ambassador, the special task training officer of the Araknian Knights.”
‘Viola?’
When she heard that name, there was a person that came to mind.
If Gilbert’s right arm was the Herald, then the viola was on his left arm.
Certainly, looking at that hair color, Viola is right. Why didn’t I know this until now?
‘Is it because I’m tired unlike the illustration in the game?’
Anyway, it’s a good situation for me. The closer you are to Gilbert, the faster you talk.
“I’m sure Mr. Gilbert will secure my identity. Just today, I’ve been with the sun up.”
E. What am I doing with my boss? I sparred for half a day and did everything I had to do!
Of course I won’t do it again.
Hearing the porter’s words, Viola was troubled.
‘Is that statement true? The Herald also said that he was with the captain until he left work….’
When the intersection of information was created, she made a decision after thinking about it.
“Whoa… That’s good. I’ll trust you for now.”
Viola returns to her original attitude as her doubt wall is broken down.
For now, I mean. I don’t really like her, but should I be satisfied with this level?
As he sat leaning back in his chair in a comfortable position, Viola asked cautiously.
“That, this is my personal question…”
What is it? What else to ask
“What is it?”
“What is your relationship with Sonia?”
When the unexpected question came in, she couldn’t help but flinch for a moment.
Can I tell you this?
After all, if my status is guaranteed through Gilbert, I will automatically know about my relationship with Sonia. It is definitely right to clear up the false name here.
She opened her mouth to put an end to the false rumors.
“It’s a flirtatious relationship.”
“Some? What’s that?”
Viola tilted her head as if she didn’t understand what I was saying.
Isn’t there a word called Some here? Anyway, the Middle Ages can’t be like this.
She opened her mouth lamenting at the age when the system of male-female relationship was not established.
“It is said that men and women are getting to know each other before marriage.”
“Are you married?”
Contrary to Viola’s expectation that she would give an ambiguous answer, she covers her mouth in surprise when a responsible answer comes back.
She has never been in a relationship for more than 25 years. Even if a woman just talks to her, he sees her sons and daughters twins and great-grandchildren.
For him who believes in the crazy tech tree of Some – Love – Marriage, it was no different than saying that Some was the first step in marriage.
“That, you’re very different from what I’ve heard. I didn’t expect you to think so seriously…”
Perhaps it was fortunate for him that there was no word “Some” Here.
Otherwise, the viola in front of her eyes would have been caught and thrown away without listening to him anymore.
“I get a lot of misunderstandings like that. Isn’t that why you’re here?”
As she narrowed her eyes and answered questioningly, Viola quietly avoided her gaze.
Aren’t you stingy? Where are you judging people by their appearance? What you see isn’t everything.
“Anyway, please let me go. My wrist feels heavy because I have not committed any crimes.”
-Judge.
When she proudly pushed her handcuffs in and demanded that they be released, she cleared her throat but answered firmly.
“Kuhmm. Contrary to what I believe, this case has already been filed, so we have no choice but to detain you here until the leader comes and proves your identity. Please understand.”
What?
Her excitement at the thought of getting out of here quickly went down the abyss.
‘If that’s the case, I’d be immediately dragged away and rolled again.’
Suddenly, I remembered what Gilbert said at the end of the sparring.
-Since it’s the first day, I’m going to finish it at this level. Look forward to seeing more progress tomorrow.
Not like that.
That’s not something people would do.
“What are you talking about now!”
“I can’t help it because I’m temporarily in charge of the security department. With authority comes responsibility.”
At the firm answer, it was as if I could faintly see myself being tortured under the guise of sparring by Gilbert.
I don’t know once, but never twice.
Driven into a corner, I looked at Viola, who was sitting in front of her.
‘Clearly Viola had a crush on Harald….’
After I watched the ending, there was a brief after story of the people around me, but even then, I was still nervous about not being able to convey my feelings.
The responsibility she must be feeling.
She thought of a way to alleviate it and opened her mouth.
“Shall we make a deal?”
“Deal?”
At my words, one of Viola’s eyebrows went up.
“It’s about Mr. Harold…”
Flinch.
When the Herald is mentioned, she shows a remarkable reaction.
‘What are you talking about? Could it be Harold’s weakness?’
But then she shook her head.
‘Herald wouldn’t do such a thing.’
The Herald she knew was strict with others, but even more strict with himself.
She asked in her angry voice, thinking that she couldn’t do something that would embarrass her own motives.
“Are you trying to blackmail a knight of the Empire?”
‘The reaction is definitely different from before.’
But it can be seen that it is rather good. The more you react like that, the more you won’t be able to listen to me.
“It’s not a threat. You seem to be misunderstanding something, but there’s no reason for me to do that, even mentioning the captain of the knights.”
Before she got to the point, she revealed that she had no intention of doing that at all. What I’m going to talk about from now on is more like advice if I had to ask.
“Then why did you say that…”
When he replied with a smirk, a question appeared on Viola’s expression.
“Let’s listen to it. It won’t be a bad thing for each other.”
Sir.
His face, darkened by the small light, had a smile that anyone who saw it could feel evil.