Chapter 56


    Siegfringer was a region in the central northern part of the Empire, governed by the Duke of Siegfringer.


    This region had onerge city and several medium and small cities. The ces where Ricardt and Boribori primarily operated with Nameless included about four medium-sized cities, such as Lunenberg.


    Over the past winter, they avenged Nameless in those cities, and in the process, they eradicated various thief guilds and criminal organizations.


    Because of this, even before the recent battle in the Kaitz Hignds, Ricardt and Boribori had already gained quite a bit of fame in the Siegfringer area.


    Here, they weremonly referred to as the Heros of Siegfringer, or sometimes the ‘Siegfringer Trio’: Ricky, the Red Cloak, Boribori, the Five Body Part Slicer, and Nameless X.


    As Ricardt followed Sandy past the outskirts of a small town, he felt a familiar sensation. Memories of the past winter spent with Nameless came back to him. However, it wasn’t merely a beautiful memory but something more bittersweet.


    Because now, Nameless was gone. Winter had already passed, and even spring was nearing its end.


    It felt as though he could almost see the figure of him walking alongside them on this path. Despite the cold of winter, Boribori hadughed unusually often back then. But now, the weather itself was warm.


    He didn’t feel particrly empty or mncholic. That was because he believed that white mourning attire was more appropriate than ck for mourning Nameless ‘s death.


    He had been saved. So there was no need to be sad. That was Ricardt’s perspective, and Boribori felt the same way.


    Now, however, they were passing through these ces filled with memories ofst winter, apanied by new people and in a new season.


    It wasn’t a matter of covering up or erasing the past, but simply adding anotheryer. One by one, like stacking memories.


    Of course, it was impossible to know yet whether whaty ahead would be cherished memories or things they’d rather forget.


    “Ricky.”


    Marie’s call snapped Ricardt out of his reverie, and he turned to look at her. She shyly held something out to him. In her palm were a few bright red wild berries.


    “Thank you.”


    Ricardt took one and ate it. The tiny, bumpy seeds of the berry popped in his mouth, releasing a tart yet sweet vor.


    But sensing something odd, he nced back and saw Volka, Delphi, and Boribori staring intently at him and Marie. Ah, so they were behind this.


    “Ha… You guys, really.”


    “We were just watching, that’s all.”


    “Sure you were.”


    Volka spoke as if it was nothing, but it was obvious to anyone that he was deeply invested in whatever was going on between Ricardt and Marie.


    Meanwhile, Sandy, who had been walking nearby and observing all this,mented with an exasperated tone.


    “That’s not how you win a man’s heart. It’s like you’ve got it backward.”


    “How do you win it, then?”


    Delphi asked.


    “You have to seduce him. Ricky’s still young, so he doesn’t understand yet. Time will sort things out. Don’t rush it too much. If you do, a man’s heart will just slip further away. When he’s grown enough down there, that’s when you tempt him. Then he’ll fall for you in no time.”


    Whether she was shameless or just didn’t care, Sandy spoke casually right in front of the person in question.


    “Hmm…”


    Ricardt let out a faint hum. Surprisingly, Marie seemed to be taking her advice to heart. When he’s grown enough down there…


    Still, she extended more berries toward him, as if encouraging him to eat more.


    Ricardt felt awkward but didn’t reject the berries. As embarrassing as it was, he didn’t want to trample on the girl’s innocent feelings. He wasn’t hard-hearted enough to decisively cut things off.


    Contrary to Sandy’s opinion, he just hoped that, in time, Marie would naturallye to terms with her feelings.


    “But Ricky.”


    Sandy called out to him.


    “Yeah?”


    “A woman’s courage disappears after her first love. So, treat her with care, okay? I can’t dictate your feelings, but…”


    The age gap between them was only about six or seven years, but Sandy offered advice as if she were a wise elder.


    “I get it, but isn’t it a bit much to say that in front of the person involved?”


    “What’s wrong with saying it? We don’t know when we’re going to die.”


    “…Fair enough.”


    It reminded him of when he first saw Sandy’s n two years ago. His initial impression of adventurers back then had been that they were both closed-off yet, in some ways, open and honest.


    This contradictory nature stemmed from the underlying reality that they never knew when they might die.


    They were closed-off because they had to be wary of others, yet open and honest because there might not be a ‘next time’.


    Perhaps Marie’s confession was along those same lines. It could very well have been driven by a fear and anxiety that this might be herst chance, but that didn’t mean her feelings were fabricated or insincere.


    Marie’s feelings were genuine. Ricardt knew that better than anyone. And because of that, even if he couldn’t ept her feelings, he couldn’t bring himself to trample on them either.


    “I won’t say I’m sorry. But thank you.”


    “…Yeah. But you know.”


    “Hm?”


    “You’re not going to change your mind about that, right?”


    “About what?”


    “That stuff about not believing in love. So, that means you won’t love any other woman either, right?”


    Ricardt suddenly felt that something was seriously off. A chill ran down his spine.


    But Marie’s gaze remained pure. Which only made it feel scarier.


    “Uh… y-yeah…”


    “I’ll believe you.”


    Was the word ‘believe’ really this frightening? Ricardt couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d gotten himself into something he couldn’t escape.


    Whether it was religion, love, or any other belief, there was an inherent madness to the act of faith. The sweet taste of the wild berries still lingered in his mouth, but he couldn’t enjoy the vor anymore.


    Unaware of Ricardt’s inner turmoil, his friends looked on in satisfaction. He thought they must all be crazy.


    Maybe it was just the times they lived in, or maybe it was just his friends who were like this, but they seemed to believe that as long as it could be patched up with a needle and thread, it was good enough.


    Ricardt closed his eyes. Just as he couldn’t ept Marie’s feelings, he couldn’t tell her to stop liking him either. He’d have to endure it himself; what else could he do?


    Anyway, he followed Sandy into the forest on the outskirts of town.


    After walking through the woods for about an hour, they could hear the sound of water trickling nearby. Eventually, they arrived at a ce where there was a small cabin.


    A few adventurers were scattered around the area near the cabin. Some of them looked familiar, though he didn’t know their names. They were people whose faces he recognized from frequently visiting the guild building down the hill.


    Some of them touched the brims of their hats or lifted a hand in a casual greeting. Ricardt nodded to acknowledge them in return.


    Sandy approached a woman with short ck hair who was squatting next to the cabin and started talking to her. Ricardt and his friends stood a bit further back, watching.


    The woman who had been squatting stood up. She was dressed in ck clothes that weren’t tight but fit closely enough to outline her figure to some extent. Her face was half-covered by a scarf.


    After listening briefly to Sandy, the woman turned and walked toward Ricardt.


    Pointing at Volka and Ricardt, she said,


    “Just you two, follow me.”


    The woman in ck led Volka and Ricardt somewhere. It seemed the guild master wasn’t in the cabin.


    Following her, the sound of trickling water grew louder. Soon, they reached a clear brook deep in the forest.


    Near the brook, three people were waiting—two standing and one sitting on a small folding chair.


    They had lit a fire and seemed to be cooking something, as a delicious aroma wafted over to where Ricardt was standing.


    The woman gestured with her hand as if telling them toe closer, and when Ricardt and Volka approached, the person who had been sitting turned his head to look at them. To their surprise, it was Dunkel.


    “Huh? What, it’s Dunkel?”


    “Hahaha, that’s right. It’s not like I was trying to deceive you on purpose. Our line of work has some simrities to a thief guild, don’t you think?”


    Dunkelughed as he spoke. The guild master of the Beringen Guild was none other than Dunkel.


    Ricardt epted it calmly, though he was a bit surprised. In contrast, Volka’s eyes were wide with shock. After all, he was the one who had known Dunkel longer than Ricardt, and he never would have imagined this.


    “First, have some of this. It’s a delicacy.”


    Dunkeldled some of the bubbling red soup from a pot onto a tray. Surprisingly, it contained freshwater crawfish, corn, and other fruits. Then, using a dagger, Dunkel sliced a lemon in half and squeezed it over the two trays.


    “Here, watch. You eat it like this.”


    Dunkel demonstrated by peeling a crawfish. He twisted off the body, separated it from the head, peeled back the firstyer of shell, and then pressed the end of the tail to pop the meat out.


    Ricardt and Volka, slightly bewildered, sat down on the gravel and began peeling the crawfish. Before long, their hands were covered in sauce.


    When they took a bite of the crawfish meat, it was incredible. It was their first time tasting such a refined dish, made with an abundance of expensive spices. Who knew such vors existed?


    Throughout his previous life, Ricardt had subsisted on nothing but dried rations, salty preserved meat, jerky, and nd gruel, so he was astonished, his eyes wide with shock.


    Dunkel watched with a satisfied smile as Ricardt and Volka ate a couple of crawfish. Then, after washing his hands in a jug of water poured by someone else and drying them with a towel, he spoke.


    “I knew things would go well if you joined, Ricky.”


    Ricardt paused in the middle of eating and thought for a moment before replying.


    “But… I kind of feel like I was used.”


    “You weren’t used. I didn’t order your n leader, Volka, to do anything. All I did was casually mention that academy students might be mobilized.”


    “Hmm… sounds just like the whisper of a devil.”


    “Hahaha, I’ll take that as apliment.”


    “So, why did you want to see us?”


    “Alright, I’ll get to the point. What do you want?”


    Dunkel leaned back in his folding chair, resting his elbows on his knees as he asked. Judging by the look in his eyes, it seemed he already knew what they wanted.


    Ricardt looked over at Volka, since he was the n leader.


    “A branch office. It would be nice if the location had farnd, but it’s fine even if it doesn’t. It would be great if there was somend that could be cultivated.”


    “Of course, of course, you’ve got to start preparing for retirement while you’re young. If you wait until you’re old, it’ll be toote.”


    “You’re really going to make us branch head?”


    Ricardt asked.


    “Do I have any choice in the matter?”


    “But you’re the guild master.”


    “I know you’re a noble, and I know the old man’s backing you. So it’s not like I have much of a say in the matter, do I?”


    “N-noble? What are you talking about?”


    Volka looked back at Ricardt with wide eyes. He was stunned, realizing that Ricardt, like Dunkel, had been hiding his true identity. (TL: Poor Volka, two surprises of this level in the same hour…)


    Ricardt gave an awkward smile and said,


    “There’s nothing special about being a noble. I had to leave my family anyway. My real name is Ricardt von Caldebern.”


    “Oh my… It sounds like some foreignnguage or something.”


    “Everyone says that. That it sounds like a foreignnguage.”


    “Who else knows besides me?”


    “Sandy and Bori.”


    “Was it really necessary to keep it a secret?”


    “If I hadn’t, do you think we would have be friends otherwise?”


    “Hmm… yeah, if I had known you were a noble from the start, I probably wouldn’t have dared to pick a fight with you.”


    “Hey you. What kind of tone is that?” (TL: Refering to the way Volka, amoner, speaking casually to a noble.)


    “…?”


    “Just kidding.”


    Ricardt and Volka looked at each other and chuckled. Thinking about it, their rtionship had developed in a rather amusing way. Initially, Ricardt had just beaten Volka up, and he hadn’t expected to grow close to him.


    But he had been drawn to Volka’s dedication toward his fellow students, and through various experiences together, they had grown even closer. They’d be a n, a group that could almost be considered family.


    “So, does this mean we officially have a branch now?”


    Ricardt asked, looking at Dunkel.


    “That’s right. But, there’s nothing in this world thates for free. Whether it’s friends, family, or wealth, it only truly bes yours if you have the strength to protect it and actually do so.”


    Ricardt thought about Dunkel’s words for a moment. With his sharp mind, he quickly grasped the underlying meaning.


    “So, you’re giving us a branch in an unstable area affected by the war.”


    “Exactly. If you can protect it, then it’s yours. My role is nothingplicated. I just align the ambitions of adventurers and the dreams of their ns with our own goals.”


    “And if they can’t be aligned?”


    Dunkel responded with a mysterious smile. Ricardt guessed that the answer was simple—either they would be eliminated or expelled.


    While Ricardt might surpass Dunkel inbat skills and fighting techniques, he had to admit that Dunkel was more skilled when it came to managing organizations and handling people.


    “How’s Ice doing?”


    Volka asked, his tray now full of discarded crawfish shells and empty corn cobs.


    Dunkel picked up the tray, dumped the food waste unceremoniously onto the ground, and refilled it, replying as he did so.


    “It’s best not to get too close to him. Sooner orter, he’s going to part ways with both the guild and you guys.”


    “What do you mean?”


    “Since I’ve already revealed my identity, I might as well tell you. Ice is from the Order of Judgment. He’s not just a believer; he holds a significant position within the Order. He had his own purpose when he joined the academy. I kept him around because he was useful, but in the end, he’ll choose the Order over anything else.”


    “What…?”


    Volka looked utterly stunned, as if today held one surprise after another. Even Ricardt was quite taken aback.


    He had known Ice was involved in some kind of dubious cult, but he hadn’t realized he was such a devoted follower. Being entangled that deeply could mean facing real inquisitions.


    “You guys didn’t notice? You’re amateurs, then. It was obvious if you just looked closely. That guy’s obsessed with bing a Sword Master for the Order’s sake. That’s why he’s trying so hard to be a top-tier adventurer. But that’s not my decision to make. It’s for the elders to decide.”


    “Who are these ‘Elders’? Are there more people involved than the ones I know?”


    Ricardt asked, but Dunkel merely smiled again, opting to remain silent with that enigmatic expression.


    “I’ve said what I needed to say. You might run into Ice now and then, but I’m not the type to dictate what you should do. You handle it as you see fit.”


    Dunkel brushed off his clothes and stood up, as if he was heading somewhere. Before leaving, he gave Ricardt a final piece of advice.


    “Ricky, the title of one of the Empire’s Nine Swords is like being the winner of a jousting tournament. There are always challengers, and there’s no guarantee you’ll win the next match. If you’re struck down, even the champion can end up gravely injured or dead. Just like how you killed Steiner.”


    “Ah, that reminds me of something – about the Ernburg Five. I heard the Emperor was behind them, is that true?”


    Dunkel sighed, feeling both amused and exasperated. This guy really didn’t listen, did he?


    “They were like high-ss courtesans, taking only the clients they wanted. They yed their cards well, so the higher-ups were still deciding whether to kill them or let them live. And then you went and killed them yourself. Thanks to that, you’ve made things easier for quite a few people. Anyway, I’m off. See you next time. Take care of yourself. Sally will fill you in on the branch office details.”


    Dunkel walked across the gravel path with his group. Only the woman named Sally, who had guided Ricardt here, stayed behind and approached the two of them.


    “Are you going to finish that?”


    Sally asked, pointing at the pot.


    “What?”


    “I’m asking if you’re going to eat it all.”


    “Oh, no. I’m fine. What about you, Ricky?”


    “I’m good too.”


    At that, Sally sat down next to the pot anddled some of the stew onto a tray. She must have really wanted to eat it. To be fair, the smell was fantastic.


    The crawfish dish was certainly delicious, but after hearing all those side stories, Ricardt felt a bit unsettled, like there was an unpleasant aftertaste.


    Maybe it was because he felt like he’d been manipted, like a puppet on a string without even realizing it. Did it matter, though, if he’d gotten what he wanted in the end? He wasn’t sure.


    And now, thinking about Ice stirred up mixed feelings. The Order of Judgment…


    The words Ice had once said to him in Griffinswald echoed faintly in his mind.


    ‘…No matter what you do, you can’t save me… Just let me die…’


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