Watchman in the Barley Field (2)
Josef always said that you should give back what you received.
Regardless of whether it is grace or resentment.
“Please save me… please save me. Sir.”
If you received something, you must return it.
Vlad had not lived a soft life to the point of sending away the person who wanted to harm me.
“Did you also save others when they asked you to?”
The moonlight shining at the right time was shining on the bandit, praying for his life.
Someone’s fingers hanging on the back of his neck looked so pitiful.
“That’s right! You saved my life! It’s true!”
“okay?”
There are too many unqualified people in this world.
Even though you are not qualified, you take more than others and rise higher.
And they too easily crush the world that is weaker than them.
“Don’t be a damn thing.”
And one thing that unqualified people have in common.
That they are all liars.
“Get rid of the finger bones stuck in your neck and tell me. “You bastards.”
Goat was staring blankly.
The moonlight starts from Vlad’s closed left eye and flows all the way to the tip of the sword.
The boy who admired Moonlight sung by someone else is no longer here.
The person here now was a person with his own world.
The smooth moonlight summoned by Vlad began to capture bright red blood.
Under the sword wielded by a qualified person, lies began to cry out.
The price of daring to insult a legitimate knight.
It was not enough to pay for it with one’s life.
※※※※
Dobrechti, a secluded country estate.
It was a quiet village where even the merchants passing by were all familiar people, but the guards standing in front of the wooden fence looked stiff.
This is because the recent rumors circulating around the territory have made them sharper.
“What is there?”
“hmm?”
There was a suspicious party in their sight.
Two men riding horses coming from a snow-covered hill in the distance.
“What is that?”
And even the men being dragged behind them.
Even though it was a cold winter, they were clearly not an ordinary group as they were being dragged by a rope without even wearing boots.
“stop! “Everyone in front must stop!”
The guards aimed their halberds forward at unfamiliar men they had never seen before.
However, the man in front was not at all intimidated by the sharp restraints of the guards and just approached slowly.
“who······.”
“I am Bayezid’s knight. “It’s Vlad.”
A blond young man riding on a jet black horse.
The young man, not only with his gorgeous hair color but also with the clothes he was wearing, all looked luxurious, and he was showing an elegance that made anyone look like he was of some nobility.
“We have caught the bandits who were causing trouble around here.”
“Bandits, do you mean bandits?”
Although he had not yet confirmed his proper ID, the guard treated Vlad with a respectful tone without realizing it.
It wasn’t just because the aura he gave off seemed noble.
The men followed behind the young man, tied with rope.
This is because they were all holding someone’s frozen head.
“I want to meet the person in charge of security in this town.”
With those words, Vlad raised his sword sheath and showed it to the guard.
In the center of the handle of Vlad’s sword was engraved the flag that was flying on the huge castle wall.
It was a sentence referring to Bayezid, a noble family in the north.
※※※※
“welcome! Welcome to Dobrechti!”
The guard, who had rushed inside in a huff, let out a heavy sigh and politely let Vlad into the village.
This is because Vlad was an armed knight, not an ordinary merchant or traveler, so they could not easily allow entry through their own decisions.
“The lord wants to meet you in person!”
“······My lord?”
Vlad was a little taken aback when he heard that the lord suddenly wanted to see him.
Originally, the plan was to meet the person in charge, hand over the bandits, and receive a reasonable reward.
I also thought that it would be better if there was a bounty on it.
“good. Guide me.”
“All right!”
The guard quickly tried to grab Noir’s reins in response to Vlad’s response, but the ill-tempered horse only growled, baring its white teeth like a wolf.
“······Don’t hold on to the reins.”
“Yes, yes!”
Thanks to living in Shoara, Noir no longer dislikes people, but that doesn’t mean his damn personality has gone anywhere.
Excluding Vlad, at least a familiar Goth would be able to take Noir’s reins and saddle him.
“I will guide you to the permanent residence.”
Vlad and Goth walk on horseback following the guard who took the lead and said he would guide them.
And even the bandits trudging behind them.
Although they were a group with a very unique combination, the mood of the villagers who saw them was a bit different from what they expected.
“Leader. “Isn’t the atmosphere here in the village a bit strange?”
“······I know.”
If this were Shoara, people would have flocked to see something unique that they had not seen in a long time.
However, the villagers of Dobrechti just quickly locked the door and hid the children behind them, as if they were seeing people suffering from a plague.
Former pickpocket and conman.
Two people who were good at observing the atmosphere were able to realize that there was something strange about Dobrechti’s atmosphere.
“We’re all here.”
“hmm?”
Vlad looked around and tried to guess the situation, but it wasn’t easy either.
Dobrechti was a small place that didn’t give Vlad time to think.
“In front of this is the residence where the Lord of Dalmatia resides.”
“·······,”
Vlad raised his head and looked at the building the guard pointed to.
A three-story wooden building.
It didn’t look bad, but it was too shabby a building to be said to house a lord.
‘Is it too small?’
Although he lived in the back alleys, Vlad was clearly a city citizen.
Vlad, who had seen the high gates, churches, and magnificent mansions where the lords lived, even from afar, could not help but be a little embarrassed to hear that a nobleman was living in the small building in front of him.
“The lord is waiting. Sir.”
“okay. Please guide me.”
The authority of a noble is not guaranteed by the family’s history or high title.
In that sense, it would be safe to say that the Dalmatian Baron failed to establish authority.
Vlad’s first impression of the Dalmatian family was only concern about whether he would be able to properly receive compensation for the bandits.
“Oh oh. “A knight who has proven himself is coming to our territory!”
Baron Dalmatia, who recognized the knight carrying his own flag, personally came outside the manor house to greet Vlad.
It was excessive hospitality for a wandering knight.
“Thank you for your hospitality.”
“No, no. “I even caught the people who were causing trouble nearby, so as the owner, is there any reason why I didn’t welcome you?”
Baron Dalmatia nodded in satisfaction as he watched Vlad greet him with a respectful attitude.
Although he had not fully mastered it yet, Vlad’s courtesy, which Countess Oksana had beaten down, was still shining.
“Let’s go inside!”
“yes.”
Vlad followed the Dalmatian Baron into the drawing room and was convinced that his thoughts were correct.
“······.”
“······.”
The scenery of the village I saw while walking to Yeongjugwan.
And even the drawing room, which must be the most extravagant in Dobrechti.
Vlad and Goth made eye contact and realized that things had gone wrong.
This estate was destitute.
“okay. “I heard there were a total of 9 bandits captured?”
“If you include the ones who just raised their heads, it would be like that.”
Vlad got a fair price from the bandits who threatened and insulted him.
And it would be right for the lord in front of them to pay the remaining price not received from them.
Since I caught the bandits who were threatening the security of the surrounding area, I, as the owner, should pay some compensation.
“Hmm. The road from Shoara to here must have been rough, so you must be tired. “You prepared my lunch in advance.”
However, Baron Dalmatia put off talking about compensation and just kept an eye on Vlad.
Because I wanted to hold on to Vlad for as long as possible.
’15 people alone!’
Five bandits were captured alive, and four were killed.
And because he was alone, there were about six people he could not catch.
Since I brought the evidence myself, there is no room for doubt.
None of the knights he has with him will be able to achieve this level of accomplishment.
“okay. “He is a knight carrying the flag, so he must be looking for something to prove himself.”
“That’s right. “Baron.”
Vlad wanted to be honest and say no, but he couldn’t say that openly to the lord who came out to greet him in person.
The mistakes he had made with the nobles over the years gave Vlad the judgment he has today.
“There is something I would like to ask of you. “I say this because you are a true knight who pursues fame.”
At first I thought about refusing.
Vlad’s goal was to find traces of his voice rather than to prove his honor.
“Recently, strange things have been happening in our territory.”
“Is there a problem?”
However, the Dalmatian Baron began to tell a sufficiently interesting story to Vlad, who thought he was about to take on a burdensome task.
“Now is the time to sow barley. So, our territory is also sowing the seeds we have stored in the fields.”
The Dalmatian Baron moistened his mouth with a neat tea that did not suit his chubby cheeks and then opened his mouth.
“You just sow the seeds in the field and they disappear.”
“······Are you saying the seeds will disappear?”
“okay. “Even if you station soldiers and watch them all night, it’s the same.”
At first glance, it was an incomprehensible statement.
Even though the soldiers were stationed, the barley seeds sown in the field disappeared.
If it was the work of rat-like animals or monsters, there was no way the soldiers standing guard would not have noticed.
“Some old people in the village say it is the work of spirits living in the forest…”
“Are you talking about spirits?”
A word was heard from the Dalmatian Baron’s words that caught Vlad’s attention.
“okay. There are many stories about spirits in this forest. “Of course, I do not believe in such things according to the teachings of the Church.”
The new orders created with the empire and its establishment did not give way to old things like spirits.
In particular, in the case of the church, everything that did not stand in the name of God was denied, so the only people who remember the existence of spirits these days are probably the elderly who have lived for a long time.
‘Spirit, spirit…’
However, Vlad knew very well that there were beings called spirits in this world.
Because he was the one who saw it, felt it, and even received his blessings.
Vlad couldn’t help but worry as the word “spirit” was mentioned in a strange, inexplicable event.
“So, could you please watch over the barley fields in our territory for once? “If it’s the eyes of a great knight like you, I might see something different.”
It was an insignificant task, but the eyes of the Dalmatian lord who asked for the task were full of earnestness.
For him, if this planting failed, he would not be able to survive until next fall when the wheat would be harvested, and if that happened, the family’s existence could be in jeopardy.
“······All right. Baron. “I will do the best I can.”
“Oh oh. Thank you so much! “I never thought there would still be true knights who follow chivalry in this day and age!”
It may have been just meaningless words spoken by old people, but Vlad decided to agree.
For Vlad, who was looking for clues about the spirit, this clue was a good one.
Moreover, since it was a simple task that only had to protect the barley fields, there was also a judgment that it would not be a big problem.
“Make sure you’re comfortable while you’re there! “I will do my best to compensate the bandits!”
“thank you. “Baron.”
If it is related to your work and the mission is simple, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to make a good impression on the Dalmatian Baron.
For a knight, the more value of honor he has, the better.
“By the way, Captain. “What happened to our compensation?”
After finishing the story, Vlad came out of the Baron’s drawing room and heard Goth’s small but urgent voice shouting.
“Don’t you need to get paid? money! Noir, that guy only eats boiled fodder these days. It is the price of fodder and the price of firewood…”
“That’s up to you.”
“what?”
You must be able to distinguish between big things and small things.
That was the reason why Josef always took Bordan, a half-baked knight who could not even use a sword, with him.
“You can take care of that now. “That’s why I brought you here.”
“oh······.”
Bordan and Goth.
A charlatan and a swindler.
Goth, who had taken over the negotiating rights with the bandits, was looking at Vlad with sparkling eyes.
※※※※
“Raspberries, where are the raspberries?”
Has it just turned ten?
A girl with rosy cheeks and a basket was walking toward the edge of the forest.
The child’s clothes were shabby, as if showing his difficult circumstances, but his neatly braided hair showed that this child was receiving attention and love from his parents.
“It’s over there.”
Up ahead, on the white snow-covered vines, I saw small fruits showing their true colors.
Winter raspberries.
It was one of the few fruits that could provide comfort to people in this season of need.
A girl approached the vines, drawn by the vivid colors of raspberries.
It was enough to put one in her mouth, but the girl was hurriedly putting the raspberries into the basket, thinking about her family at home, when she suddenly heard a strange sound.
Wow~
“······?”
A strange sound that seemed to echo from far away.
At the sound that echoed like an echo, the girl stopped picking raspberries and looked deep into the forest.
The darkness of the forest is alive.
As the Forest of Dobrechti is old, it is also a place that contains many legends and stories.
And the moment the girl looked at the forest.
“Aaaah!”
The forest also looked at the girl.
The place where the little girl was.
There were baskets rolling around and raspberries scattered about.
And the pit that had swallowed the girl was just an open dark mouth.
