Black Badger - Chapter 424



Only Noblemtl

424. Old Tale, Night Owl (1)

So, this was the result of Kyle’s confrontation.

Kyle got angry when I explained the situation so simply, but I was able to confidently answer the question, ‘And you just stayed quiet?’

I still behaved fairly politely.

“You didn’t even get angry and only intervened at the very end.”

Kyle stared at me, as if he was dumbfounded.

I blinked once.

“Why are you looking at me like that? It’s true. I just protested quietly.”

“Even though you pulled out your sword?”

“That’s because they started first. I didn’t even swing.”

“You really have no answer either.”

Kyle said something rude.

I arched my eyebrows as if I didn’t understand. But the black-haired knight turned his head away rather than meeting my gaze.

He even laughed.

“What a strange guy.”

It’s too much.

That was the end of it. Just now, I had helped Kyle stand up to a senior officer who was discriminating against me based on my nationality, and I hadn’t heard a single word of thanks from Kyle.

Instead, he got angry and asked why I interfered earlier.

Kyle’s forehead was slightly furrowed, as if his anger had not yet subsided.

Black hair blowing in the wind.

Golden eyes looking into the distance.

“I heard lamb pie is coming out today.”

I muttered as I watched my friend staring at an unidentifiable place, but was ignored.

“Should we go and see if there’s anything left before we leave?”

There was no answer.

Kyle didn’t move, his hands in his pockets. I didn’t intend to continue talking either, so I kept my mouth shut and remained still.

I haven’t known him for very long.

However, we did various missions together for a short period of time. This was because they were the most untidy of the Western Knights and continued to tie us up on missions together.

The western unit, which was largely composed of mercenaries, had its own factions within it.

A member of a distinguished mercenary band. A person supported by nobles. A person who was famous before joining the Knights Templar through his mercenary work… .

Kyle and I were neither of those.

I’m embarrassed to say it myself, but there aren’t many in the western unit who can match our skills.

So even though there were no more people who openly ignored Kyle, discrimination remained. Subtly unpleasant things happened. Things that were hard and unrecognized, not to mention famous. Or missions that were too dangerous to guarantee a safe return.

We’ve been doing that together.

We had a dense time with Ray Renouard, who followed us voluntarily.

What I mean is, I know Kyle isn’t a stingy person when it comes to gratitude.

That he takes terrible care of his own people.

A knight with great affection for his tribe.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

I said that because I knew no words could appease his anger.

“There are some enoki mushrooms growing near the unit’s quarters. If we don’t have any, let’s pick some and make soup and eat it before we go.”

Kyle hated the very fact that he belonged to the Knights of the Empire.

It seems like he doesn’t usually face that anger, but when a situation like this comes up, the anger he had been ignoring seems to come rushing back.

It would be upsetting to be discriminated against because you are a colonial citizen, and it would be unpleasant to be insulted along with someone who tried to stop the situation because you are an orphan from the countryside.

Actually, I don’t care.

Kyle would blow up whenever I treated him unfairly.

You are a very affectionate person.

I smiled bitterly, looking at his furrowed brow.

“Let’s go.”

The black-haired knight opened his mouth after some time had passed.

“Because the road is as long as a dog.”

The man pushed his curly black hair roughly behind his shoulders.

A breeze mixed with the scent of grass tickles my nose.

Only then did I tear my eyes away from Kyle. Then I turned my head and followed his golden gaze.

We were standing on a hill overlooking the entrance to the zodiac.

The time when the sunset begins to set.

The unobstructed view captured the edge of the empire, the plains beyond, and the rugged mountain ranges at the end of the plains.

At the entrance to the mountain range, you can see rows of white birch trees.

Bread made from acorns from a cedar tree is delicious.

I thought as I looked at the tree that I often saw near the temple.

It would be nice to smoke meat and fish with sawdust.

I’m hungry… .

“How much food should I pack?”

I muttered, counting the hours.

“I don’t know how many days it will take.”

“Let’s stop by the mill at the end of the empire.”

Kyle answered.

The close friend, who had turned his body, turned his gaze to the monster flying around at the edge of the red-tinted sky.

“Even if you take more, it will just rot.”

“That’s not wrong….”

“Hey guys!”

A clear cry cut through the words.

Kyle and I both twisted at the same time.

I wasn’t surprised, though. I had a gut feeling that he was coming.

I smiled as I watched Ray Reneur running towards me, fully prepared to leave, and Kyle sighed heavily.

“There it comes again.”

“Well, if he was a normal person, he wouldn’t have come to the western unit in the first place.”

I heard Kyle’s innocent muttering and replied.

“I thought you’d come too.”

The only nobleman of the Western Unit.

To be exact, Ray Reneur is the only noble other than the royal family, Kisis.

He stopped in front of us and raised the corners of his mouth.

Her white curly hair swayed in the evening breeze.

“You said you beat up Labatut.”

The eyes are golden, like mine and Kyle’s.

“So you ended up going west to the Leonov Mountains without even eating lamb?”

“Tell this priest to distinguish between time and place and to intervene.”

Kyle nodded in my direction and grumbled.

“It was my job to begin with.”

Now Kyle and Ray weren’t fighting.

At first they didn’t understand each other, but now they accepted each other’s attitudes. Kyle no longer regarded Ray as a noble who wanted to become a commoner. Ray also did not think that Kyle’s anger was excessive. They had learned a little about each other’s backgrounds through several missions.

It’s also because trust has been built.

“So are we leaving now?”

A smile spread across Ray’s face.

Kyle sighed in resignation and nodded.

“That’s right.”

“Okay. Let’s go then. I just came back from trimming Humboldt’s mane. I don’t think he’ll be too upset if I take him out now.”

“no.”

Kyle said shortly.

no?

I looked at the black-haired knight with a puzzled look.

Ray also made a face as if he didn’t understand what was being said.

Kyle said.

“The mountains are too rugged to ride a horse.”

“But we can’t walk. Then we won’t be able to return to the zodiac until the sun sets.”

“You can’t teleport either. I think a knight can’t ask someone to use magic.”

Ray spoke in a noble tone.

Commoners usually don’t have a magician around them to ask for favors.

There were many who had never encountered a magician before taking the Knight’s Exam, so Ray, who spoke on the assumption that there was a magician around him, seemed like a true noble.

Of course, I didn’t show it because I would tremble and hate to say such things.

Kyle just nodded coolly.

Then he added:

“I’m thinking of taking the Bambi Ikjo.”

“her?”

“Night Owl?”

Ray and I made a stupid noise.

Ray in particular was embarrassed.

“Why is that monster suddenly… . No way? You’re not saying you’re going to ride that thing like a real horse, are you? No matter how rugged the mountain is?”

“It is not easy to serve the nightingale even compared to the birds of the sky.”

Meanwhile, I was recalling some bad memories.

I once confidently rode on the Skybird, a popular airplane among missionaries, and got severely seasick.

The motion sickness was so bad that I vomited as soon as I got off.

Even the birds of the sky are like that, so what about the nightingale?

That’s a choice that even most missionaries wouldn’t choose.

When I expressed my concerns, Kyle laughed.

It was a unique, charming smile that highlighted her natural confidence.

“I need help.”

“What? Whose?”

“History.”

Kyle answered.

“Our side’s missionary.”

***

It’s called Kairos.

“I’ve been crazy about monsters since I was little, so I understand if I’m a bit eccentric.”

“As we crossed the sunset-tinted zodiac, Kyle spoke.

“It’s not that I don’t have any sense at all, but when it comes to monsters, I tend to look away before my senses kick in, so I often end up doing embarrassing things.”

“It seems like your ministry skills are really outstanding.”

Kyle was planning to have four Bambi’s Wings working at the same time.

It seems like they’re going to leave the night watchman’s work to the courtesy servant. I don’t know if it’s possible to serve four night watchmen at the same time, let alone four sky birds.

I wonder if he came up with this plan because he’s so good?

The answer to the question I asked in thought came right back.

“The best among the tribes.”

I see.

Then it would be good to get some help.

I nodded, thinking simply, and Ray let out a short groan.

“I don’t know….”

He looked up at the sky with an anxious expression.

“The Skybird isn’t an easy monster to work with. Accidents sometimes happen in the air. It just seems easy because the missionaries often use it as a means of transportation… But you want to ride a nighthawk? Wouldn’t it be better to wait until morning and ride a Skybird?”

“You know there’s a giant that wakes up every morning and roams the third peak in the west?”

Kyle answered, closing his traveler’s cloak.

“If you pass by at night, you can easily avoid the giant. There’s no need to take risks.”

“Will he actually do it? I don’t think it would be polite to come here at this late hour and ask for it.”

When I asked, Kyle chuckled.

“It doesn’t matter. I’d rather be happy.”

ok?

“I heard that since being subjugated to the empire, you haven’t been able to do your work like before.”

Do you enjoy serving a lot?

Anyway, we entered the area where Kyle’s tribe was staying.

A place that nobles usually avoid. An alley that even the commoners of the empire avoid.

I now feel strangely comfortable when I enter here.

It must be because the people of Kyle have been so welcoming to Ray and me.

It was also nice not having to worry about running into any arrogant nobles. Unless they were a weirdo like Ray, nobles usually didn’t bother to venture into this alley.

It was also convenient that the people living in the alley knew each other well.

Today too, Ray and I receive a warm welcome.

Even though they were not well off, they even gave me mushroom porridge.

I was emptying it and playing the flute with the kids when Kyle came back.

“He’s coming right now.”

“oh.”

“Anything is possible….”

Kwaaang!

A loud noise cut off Kyle’s words.

We immediately put our hands on our swords at the noise that erupted from behind him.

He tenses his muscles tautly and senses the presence of smoke within him.

A sign that appeared with the monster.

“Kyle.”

The man in question laughed cheerfully.

“It’s been a while!”

The hair of the man riding on the giant lizard fluttered in the wind.

I stared blankly into the other person’s vivid orange eyes.