Offer a Tribute and Become an Archmage - Chapter 159



Only Noblemtl

Episode 159.

A few days later.

Arriving at the castle of the Lord of Gradas, Ronobe entered while adjusting his clothes.

Even though he had decided to participate in the battle of the neighboring town, as was the role of a vassal, he had to meet with his lord, Elysia, and pay his respects to her throughout his life.

Of course, this time I didn’t come alone.

They even brought private soldiers.

Of course, there were only five, but the difference between having one and not having one was quite big.

Because only those who had private soldiers could be called true nobles.

“I’ve been waiting for you, Baron Jun Hopper.”

“Um. You guys just wait.”

“All right.”

For a noble, appearance is quite important. Depending on whether it is visible or not, the treatment of those around him will differ, and the status of Elysia, who treats him as a vassal, will seem different.

That’s what it means to be a nobleman.

If a nobleman walked around in a shabby manner, it was no different from looking down on his superiors or subordinates.

“Benny, but is it okay?”

“Hopper?”

“huh.”

He declared his intention to participate in the war.

He couldn’t refuse since he had specifically asked for help. Gradas was in a situation where he couldn’t afford to make enemies.

But I was a little worried about leaving the town of Hopper, which was just beginning to be dug up.

Is it because I created a village with people who don’t know how to do anything? It was even worse.

I’m a little worried about Hopper’s dungeon and the Gergoyle I left behind in there. I left the Aden Guard Captain behind, but I’m still worried.

“He’s the only private who survived Ronobe’s test. I think Aden is useful. He’s not particularly good at swordsmanship, but he’s talented.”

“Aden’s head is a bit crazy.”

He’s not that smart, but he’s a smart guy. Like Ronobe, he’s from a hunter background, so he knows a lot of things and has a lot of talent.

It means you have good skills.

They may not be very strong in battle, but those with good tactics can be useful. The only things I’m worried about are the dungeons and Gergoyles… There’s nothing I can do about that.

‘I have no choice but to trust Gergoyle.’

There was no other way in the first place.

“Ronobe. They’re all here.”

“Okay. Let’s go in.”

Squeak.

As the guard opened the door, the master of Gradas was seen sitting surrounded by his retainers. Elicia was seen peeking out.

The vassals who had been continuing the discussion also became silent and looked at him for their own reasons when Ronobe arrived.

Some of them I had seen before, and many of them I was seeing for the first time in my life. Unlike them, Ronobe rarely showed his face in the lord’s castle, so this was even more so.

“The author…”

“You’re younger than I thought. The rumors about you defeating the wizard were really an exaggeration.”

“It’s just creating heroes.”

“You’re younger than my grandchild.”

The whispering sounds were clearly audible to Ronobe’s ears. Ronobe’s basic hearing had become sharp due to the magic of the bear ears, so he could hear them. Of course, the same was true for Benny, the knight.

Benny gently grabbed Ronobe’s little finger as if telling him to be patient, then released it.

“Ronove Hopper. Hello, my lord.”

“Welcome, Baron Jun Hopper.”

Elicia’s face welcoming Ronobe was very kind. Her eyes and expression were clearly different from the way she greeted other vassals. Ronobe was happy to see her, and she wanted to smile and talk about this and that, but unfortunately, right now was the time to talk about war.

He also nodded as if he knew Elicia and continued the story.

“The County of Aulort has been an important place for the kingdom’s trade, diplomacy, and fishing since ancient times.”

East of Gradas.

The County of Aulot, bordering the sea, is a so-called port city. As such, it is a vibrant place where people of various races and the rough culture of seafarers live.

It is a place that is considered quite important by the kingdom, and since it is a place where distribution and currency exchange often take place, accidents and incidents occur frequently. It is also a place where pirates occasionally appear.

“But a few years ago the count died, and his young son took over the throne. It is said that the vassals became dissatisfied from then on.”

The young count paid no attention to the family business, neglected his duties, and regarded his vassals as nothing more than money-making machines, so it was natural that they would gather together and form factions.

In the first place, they were not the current count but his vassals, so it was natural for them to be dissatisfied.

So, the current situation was that they were preparing for war by putting forward young people from other factions as a pretext for the countship.

‘Even a count can’t just sit around and do nothing. Nothing in this world is easy.’

No matter how I looked at it, the current count seemed to have done something wrong, but somehow Ronobe felt like he knew what he was thinking.

It was because he wanted to live a comfortable life, eating and playing once the Ronobedo territory was stabilized. He never dreamed that he would sympathize with a nobleman he had never met, as if he had truly acquired the mindset of a nobleman.

“The County of Auloth is our strong ally, having helped us when Gradas was in danger. My grandfather and Count Auloth had a special relationship. That’s why we’re helping him.”

Ronobe asked.

“How much support do we have?”

“One hundred armed men, three knights, and two magicians. Our job is to open the supply route to the currently isolated countship.”

Ronobe’s ears twitched as he lowered his head.

‘Winning a war isn’t about winning.’

It only provides some help.

Just like they did.

For Ronobe, it didn’t matter what happened.

“If you are a wizard…”

I thought maybe Elysia was going, but unfortunately it seems that’s not the case.

He smiled bitterly and then shook his head.

*

“Nice to meet you, Sir Hopper. My name is Benald. I am a blue wizard recognized by the Kingdom’s Magic Exams, so this is the proper greeting.”

Benald Bellart.

Benald was a man with a bushy beard.

He was huge, like a giant, and had a savage smell. If I didn’t know he was a wizard, I would have thought he was a bandit or a knight.

He was a wizard who carried a small, branch-like wand that did not fit his large body.

however…

“Kingdom Magic Test?”

“You’re a wizard, don’t you know?”

“I practice in seclusion…”

“Aha. So that’s what happened. Well, if that weren’t the case, you wouldn’t have been able to accomplish such a feat. Yes, that’s true.”

Benald nodded as if he understood and began to grumble.

“This is an official test conducted in the Bright Kingdom. Do you know that each knight completes a task and is given a color?”

“I know that.”

Aaron is white.

I know because you said the change of color is black.

“Each of you will receive a rank in the order of black, white, red, blue, and green. I was awarded the blue rank. I also received my last name at that time. Anyway, I will be seeing you often in the future, so let’s get along well.”

Ronobé shook hands with Benald in a dazed manner.

“yes…”

“But you won’t be involved in this battle. I’m here.”

“…”

It was a meaningful statement.

It seemed that a sense of competition without any meaning had sprouted in his heart.

“I’m famous, but I’m a blue wizard. That’s kind of cool. Do I have to take the kingdom exam or something?”

Above the blue are red, white, and black. If you pick one, you might be given a higher rank or a title that matches it.

Now I see that white was a pretty high class.

‘Benold.’

What kind of magic does he use?

Judging from the way he was blustering about being a blue wizard, he seemed to have some pretty great magic.

I had some kind of expectation for Ronobe.

“Oh! Just like that! I have long awaited the day I would meet you! The hero of Gradas! The young wizard who fought the wizard! The benefactor who saved the lord! Hahaha! I would die today without regrets! To think that I would meet such a famous person today! Haha!!”

“ha ha ha…”

At the extremely high tension, Ronobe let out a fake laugh without realizing it. It was also because the knight who was the commander of this expedition was so short.

‘Are you a dwarf?’

It was so small that I thought it was a dwarf.

It was smaller than the immature Ronobe.

He was so short and small that it seemed as if he had switched bodies with Benald, and his body was like that of a wizard.

“You didn’t tell me my name. Call me Tommy. Sir Tommy will do!”

“Yes, Sir Tommy.”

Ronobe said, looking at the colors on Sir Tommy’s armor.

“Sir Tommy is the blue knight.”

“That’s right. The red was right in front of me, but as you can see, I was a bit short… I really lost by a single point.”

The knight’s test was mainly a duel.

That’s why Tommy unfortunately lost a duel with another knight.

So blue. It was the Blue Knight.

“I know how you feel. I also fought duels often in the village, but I was at a disadvantage because I wasn’t fully grown yet.”

“Right! You know! Just like me! I felt a kinship with you the moment I saw you!”

“Oh… I see.”

That felt a little off.

As Ronobe’s expression became ambiguous, Tommy let out an awkward laugh as if he had made a mistake.

“If you have any questions, feel free to ask. We will be fighting together as comrades.”

“Do you know Sir Benald?”

“I know. We met first and greeted each other anyway. So why are you doing this?”

“Oh, I was just curious. What kind of person he is, what kind of magic he uses…”

“That’s good timing. As a commander, I also wanted to hear the magic of Lord Hopper, the magician of the territory. However, I don’t think it’s right to do this on the street… Would you like to go to a place I know?”

“Yeah.”

Tommy seemed satisfied and took Ronnobe to a tavern he knew well.

But that was a place that Ronobe also knew.

Whispering rose.

It was the same tavern where I had been with Bores before.

“Hello, oppa? See you again?”

“Dana? You’re alive.”

It was the waitress from the tavern I had seen before.

“I heard the rumors. You became a hero? I should have knocked you down then…”

Dana, whom I met after a long time, was the same.

She still glared at Ronobe with her snake-like eyes, and as soon as she saw him, she clung to him and rubbed her chest against his forearm.

Of course, I was still alive during that war, and it felt like nothing had changed, which gave me a sense of relief.

“Today is my day, so enjoy it to the fullest. Lady. Isn’t there a quiet place? I need to talk, but it’s a little noisy here.”

“Then there’s a perfect place! Just go up to the second floor! You can have a quiet and secret conversation about this and that.”

“What the heck are you talking about… It’s noisier on the second floor.”

“Tch.”

The second floor is where the waitresses and customers come into real contact.

Tommy chuckled as if he didn’t know and asked them to find a quiet place, and Dana took them underground.

“This is a place where only the truly special ones are invited, and I brought you here specially. Should I buy you something expensive to drink instead of you?”

“Okay, then go out.”

“Tch.”

Tommy, who had bitten all the waitresses who followed him like sausages, poured wine and began to tell a story.

“Eat. I brought you here because a friend recommended it, but I guess I came to the wrong place. I didn’t know it was a place like this…”

“That could be possible.”

“But Sir Hopper seems familiar. As expected, the saying that heroes are aphrodisiacs is not without reason. It really is as rumored…”

Ronobe held out his palm as if to tell him to stop. It was obvious that he was talking about Elicia.

“Ahem, excuse me. Well, it was about Sir Benald. I don’t know much about him. He’s just a blue wizard of the kingdom, and he used to be quite famous as a mercenary wizard.”

“Mercenary wizard…”

“He is a man of great stature.”

If you worked as a mercenary, then it’s more likely. You’ll have more experience surviving various situations than a wizard of noble birth.

“Rumor has it that he’s called Benald of the Mud.”

“Mud?”

“That’s what I hear.”

Mud.

You might think it’s nothing special just by hearing it, but that’s not true.

In small battles or large-scale battles, the land is important. Just as humans are animals that need land to survive, changes in the ground situation are quite important factors on the battlefield.

Aren’t there many instances where enemies were neutralized simply by spreading oil on the ground in Ronobedo?

If the mud was similar to that, then he was definitely a wizard who would be active on the battlefield.

‘There was reason to be confident.’

If you can make mud and manipulate it, there are many uses for it. Even just throwing mud at soldiers can be very helpful.

“It will definitely be of great help.”

“I guess so.”

But if that was all, Ronobe wouldn’t have had to worry about it. In the past, he would have been surprised and said it was great, but Ronobe had seen and experienced a lot of things in the meantime.

Now, I’m not so young that I’m surprised and freaking out like this.

Ronobe felt goosebumps as he watched himself coolly analyzing and judging.

‘Is this experience?’

It was a very satisfying coolness.

Ronobe ignored Sir Tommy’s gaze, which seemed to suggest that he play a little more, and left the tavern, transformed into a crow, and flew to Elicia’s room.

‘The expedition will begin in three days.’

Since I won’t be able to come back for a while once I leave, I need to let go of all the regrets I’ve had. Ronove also brought some Ponegra for today.

The effect of Ponegra was tremendous.

Eating a small amount will boost your energy and make your lower body feel more energetic. Excessive intake can cause side effects, but eating a small amount like this will give you just the right effect.

And what should I say?

‘I feel like my body is getting cleaner too.’

When I took Ponegra and worked hard to excrete, I felt like the toxins were leaving my body.

After eating it, my body felt refreshed and I felt full of energy no matter what I did. Moreover, if I took it consistently, my stamina increased and my mental strength also became stronger in proportion.

No matter how much I do, I never get tired.

My body is getting healthier, but I feel like my mental power, or magic, is getting stronger.

There was no reason not to eat it.

‘Is there anything else that is an elixir? This is the elixir!’

Ronobe kept Elicia happy all day long.

*

Three days later.

Even Ronobe, who had been frequenting the lord’s bedroom every night, had to say a tearful farewell to Elicia today.

“Let’s go!”

Expedition to the Aulorot County in the east.

Because today was the day of departure.

Elicia saw off Sir Tommy, Benald, Benny, and Ronobé, encouraging them in front of the vassals.

“They say the heroes of Gradas are a married couple, and it looks like the two of you are getting along very well.”

“No problem.”

It was impossible to go to the battlefield in a carriage. Ronobe went on a horse, but since he was not yet used to horseback riding, he rode behind Benny.

It was an embarrassing thing for a nobleman.

But there was nothing I could do.

It would have been more embarrassing if I had fallen off my horse while doing something I wasn’t used to.

“Sir Hopper is still young, so that’s understandable. Besides, isn’t it nice to look at?”

Tommy defended Ronnobe, as if Benald was secretly turning it around.

“Ronobe, stop touching my butt.”

“It’s not a hand?”

“Ear… Don’t whisper.”

“Alright.”

Beni sighed as he watched Ronobe adding more despite being told not to whisper.

But it wasn’t a very bad feeling.

In a way, it was no different from being carried away by Ronobe.

That’s because you keep poking me with strange things.

A few more days passed like that.

“It’s quiet.”

The expedition was leisurely.

Nothing happened until they passed through the Gradas Baronial Territory. It was almost a given. What kind of crazy people would touch an army of armed soldiers, knights, and even wizards?

It was natural to be leisurely.

“Sir Hopper, you shouldn’t say things like that while on a mission.”

“why?”

“that…”

Pfft, thud! A single, ungainly arrow stuck in the ground.

“It’s play!”

A group of playful people appeared.

“If you say something like that, it will appear.”

Sir Tommy laughed as if he couldn’t believe it and shouted straight at the soldiers.

They clashed their shields and swords, shaking the soldiers’ spirits. When the loud noise rang out, the soldiers who had been walking absentmindedly were startled and grabbed their weapons.

Despite his appearance, he was a seasoned knight.

“Don’t be afraid, with just one bit of my magic, you won’t have to worry.”

Bennold smiled confidently, and Sir Tommy roared.

“Get into position!! Raise your shields! Don’t underestimate us and call it a game! If you get hit by arrows and axes, everyone dies equally!”

The sight of the soldiers raising their shields in unison clearly showed that they were a well-trained army, unlike the crippled conscripts.

Ronobe sat on his horse and watched what they did.

“Why don’t you get off your horse? You’ll be an easy target for them.”

“You can just stop it.”

“I’m not that tall. If you want to die, just keep doing that.”

“Look at that talking piece of shit. Do you want to fight back?”

Unlike the calm Ronobe, Liam and Hopper’s private soldiers looked visibly nervous.

These were not guards trained by the Aden Guard Captain.

This is because they were the soldiers that Gayobe had brought before coming to Gradas.

‘There is no training as good as actual combat.’

furthermore.

“You can see Sir Benald’s magic.”

Benald in the mud.

I was brimming with anticipation at the thought of seeing his magic.

And a little later.

Benald used magic.

But that was a bit strange.

‘Why are you taking so long?’

He was muttering all day long, protected by the soldiers.

End