White smoke from a cigarette filled the room. Despite several candles illuminating the room, it was so dark that it seemed as if only the glowing ember of the pipe was floating in the obscurity.
Kassel struggled to handle the heavy atmosphere within the room and coughed awkwardly a few times. But the large man sitting on a chair remained silent, just glaring at him. He appeared to be deep in thought, opening his mouth as if to say something, only to close it again. A massive iron cage set in one corner of the room bore down on Kassel as heavily as the silent gaze.
“May I ask your name? My name is Kassel.”
Despite expecting him to remain silent, the man dutifully provided his name.
“Sheyden Wolf.”
“Sir, are you angry that I used you? I’m truly sorry for that.”
“No anger.”
His response was terse and sounded irritated.
“Look, as I told you before, I didn’t steal this sword and run away. I came all this way to return it.”
Kassel earnestly spoke, hoping the misunderstanding would clear. But Sheyden simply exhaled a long plume of smoke into the void.
“Save that story for when my comrades arrive. But let me tell you beforehand, that sword is of great significance. It’s so grave that if someone so much as touched it, their wrists would be severed as punishment. However, right now, that’s not what’s important. So, just wait.”
Kassel closed his mouth, and the room was once again filled with a heavy silence.
A woman with long braided hair opened the door and entered the room forcefully.
“Oh, what a dreadful night. Three days straight of nocturnal scouting…”
As she noticed Sheyden and Kassel, she stopped mid-sentence.
Kassel was startled and widened his eyes. The memory of his first encounter with her in the Village of Defectors was vividly etched in his mind.
“Who is this?”
She asked.
“Our captain.”
Sheyden answered.
“Aha!”
She crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. A man who had entered following her was the same large figure who was by her side back then. Once his memory returned, Kassel recognized him even under the dim candlelight.
“I know you both.”
Before they could say anything, Kassel took the lead.
“Really? How?”
The woman asked.
“I saw you in the Village of Defectors. You probably don’t know this. The lady here walked into the pub I was at, speaking about seeking this sword. So I knew this sword belonged to you, and I’ve come to return it.”
“So you’ve been spreading legendary stories around Koholrun, huh?”
The large man who had been standing by the door said as he put down the axe he’d been carrying on his back.
“A legend?”
“We’ve heard the rumors, too. That you toppled the Rose Knights with just your fighting spirit, that you made the leader of the bandits your subordinate… Whether it’s credible information or not, it was entertaining,” said the woman with a laugh.
She casually sat down on the bed next to the chair where Kassel was seated. The bed’s springiness caused her body to bounce up and down, her braided hair swaying.
Kassel was momentarily enchanted by her peculiar charm.
“That’s all just hearsay.”
“I know, I know. That’s exactly what we’re going to talk about now,” the woman said, scanning the room, then turned to Sheyden with a question. “Where are Loyal and Dunmel?”
“At the outskirts of the castle. They said they’d be here by dawn. If it’s those two, they wouldn’t complain about us deciding something on our own.”
The man who had set his axe aside also approached and pulled up a chair to sit, and the woman spoke in the interim.
“Shall we introduce ourselves briefly before diving into the story? My name is Azwin Wolf. Just so you know, the surname of all of our knights is Wolf. You might already be aware.”
“I’m Gerald Wolf,” said the man who had set his axe down. (TL Note: Of course, when it comes to Wolves, there has to be a Gerald.)
“My name is Kassel.”
“Kassel, hmm, it has a nice ring to it. Are you from the Village of Defectors?”
“No, I’m from the village of Lurun. It’s a small place, you probably haven’t heard of it.”
“Where did you get that sword?”
Kassel extended the sword he was still holding to her.
“I picked it up in the Village of Defectors.”
She murmured to the two, “See, I told you he lost it there.”
“Again, I didn’t steal this, I came to return it.”
“We didn’t say you stole it. There’s no need to defend yourself. And you can hold onto the sword for a while,” Azwin said with a smile.
“Me? Hold onto it?”
Kassel hesitated at her unexpected words. He was sure they hadn’t captured him to retrieve the item. Neither Sheyden nor Azwin attempted to take back the sword that Kassel thought was the most important thing to them.
Kassel had no choice but to place the sword back on his lap. He comforted himself with the thought that he might not be in as dangerous a situation as he had originally believed.
Kassel was gradually regaining his composure, though that didn’t mean he had completely relaxed. Not being nervous in the presence of the three knights who were known as the White Wolves was impossible.
“We’ve only heard your story through rumors. They’re exaggerated and don’t add up. We want to hear it directly from you. Without leaving anything out, without any lies,” said Azwin.
Kassel finally seized the opportunity to explain, grateful for the respite. In fact, he realized this was the first time he was speaking ‘truth’ since his journey began, no lies involved. He had told a similar truth to Falcon, but he hadn’t been as forthright as he was now. From tales of the minstrel to meeting the bandit called Tiger, then encountering the Black Lion Knights, picking up a sword in the Village of Defectors, losing his way intending to return it, getting dragged away by the Rose Knights, and finally meeting Falcon.
“…And then, I arrived in Koholrun.”
The first to break the silence was Gerald.
“Remarkable. I couldn’t possibly have done the same.”
“Who among us could have? Quite a number of people got duped. That includes you too, Sheyden.”
Azwin chuckled, poking Sheyden’s ribs sitting next to her. Her hearty laughter seemed to push away the heavy air in the room.
“I can’t deny I was fooled.”
Sheyden scratched his nose, responding to Azwin before turning back to Kassel.
“So, what was the deal with the thieves that were threatening you earlier?”
“They wanted to steal the sword. I’m really sorry for passing the responsibility onto you as if you were a bodyguard. Actually, I thought you were another thief trying to steal the sword.”
“I understand. But because of you, I almost committed a needless murder.”
Sheyden spoke with a slightly annoyed voice, while Azwin, drawing her legs onto the bed to sit, asked,
“So, what did you do to the bandits?”
“Well… I didn’t kill them.”
Azwin then asked in a tone that suggested she wished for a more entertaining outcome.
“How did you catch this guy? From his story, he seems quite slippery.”
Sheyden shrugged his shoulders, then looked at Kassel and replied.
“It wasn’t easy. Even when I grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and asked who he was, he insisted that if I knew what the sword was, I should reveal my identity first. I was momentarily taken aback by the command I’ve never heard from anyone but Master.”
Gerald laughed from the side.
“I remember a time when a dispute over who should reveal their name first escalated into a fight and resulted in death. When was that…”
“I didn’t ask.”
Azwin cut him off and turned back to Kassel.
“We’ve heard your story, now it’s time for ours. Let’s start with the origins of that sword. Do you know a blacksmith named Lergo? No matter if you don’t. He is impressive, but not important right now. He is the royal blacksmith for the Aranthia royal family and the one who makes all our weapons.”
She tapped her own sword that hung from her waist. The blade was wide and short.
“So, the sword was made by Lergo… No, I shouldn’t start with that. Let’s start over. This is a tale from before I claimed the title of Wolf. It’s a story that precedes even the beginning of the war, right?”
She seemed to seek approval from Sheyden as she spoke, then opened her mouth again.
“When they said that a symbolic royal sword was needed, a mage from the magical city of Lutia presented a gift of magical metal to the queen. It’s a peculiar metal that truly shines when held by a great hero. Uh… When our Master defeated Captain Welch of Excelon, it was said to shine as brightly as the sun, or something like that. Rumor has it that the holy light startled the Lontamon army into retreat, but I don’t know the details.”
Azwin tapped her chin with her fingers in a strange gesture as she continued her tale.
“That magical metal was combined with the Dragon’s Gem gifted by the royal house of Carnelock, and Lergo made the sword from it. It’s a gem that glows without light and the most beautiful sword I’ve ever seen.”
With newfound awe, Kassel looked at the blue gem of the hilt, which retained its color even in the darkness. Azwin’s disorganized story went on.
“To be precise, it’s the royal sword, not the sword of the Wolf Knights. But if our queen says that the Wolf Knights are the protectors of the royalty, then this sword rightfully belongs to the Wolves. That’s why it was bestowed upon Quain, who was the Captain at that time.”
“That’s it? You’ve barely explained it,” Gerald said.
“Anyway, the sword has since become a symbol and treasure of the Wolf Knights. Did you get that so far?”
Kassel listened in a daze, then quickly replied.
“Yes, I understand.”
“Not too long ago, a secret invitation came from the Kingdom of Camort, requesting reinforcements.”
Azwin continued her chaotic storytelling.
“The Queen pondered briefly before sending us White Wolves as reinforcements, and even sent the sword, signifying that our words and actions would represent hers. Even without it, there’s no special reason why we wouldn’t be able to perform our duties, but it’s such a precious treasure that if we lost it and couldn’t find it, we’d have been beaten to death by Master.”
“The important point here is that ‘beaten to death’ isn’t a metaphor but a reality,” Gerald emphasized.
“Exactly!”
Azwin and Gerald high-fived each other as they did back in the Village of Defectors. Sheyden chuckled and spoke.
“If someone heard you, they’d think Master was a terrible person. From the start, I knew this sword would come back to us. They say that the Aranthia’s royal sword is one that finds its own place, so eventually, it came back into our hands…”
Sheyden halted his speech mid-sentence. Both Gerald and Azwin had scowled, finding no amusement in his words.
“Hmm, perhaps I should stop there,” said Sheyden, puffing on his pipe which he seemed to be blaming for the lack of humor. Azwin, unable to bear the situation any longer, snatched the pipe from Sheyden and stomped the ashes out on the floor. Sheyden simply relished the taste in his mouth, choosing to remain silent.
Despite the amusing scene, Kassel pretended not to notice and asked, “So, did you five come as a delegation to the royal court?”
“As I said, we’re not delegates, we’re reinforcements. Wait, did I say we’re five?”
“You mentioned two absent people, so I assumed there are five of you. Are there five White Wolves?”
“Hmm, you’re right. Sharp thinking.”
“I heard stories about assassins.”
“That’s the funny part. We shouldn’t be in such a dangerous situation even in someone else’s country. We’re now cautious even about our bread and water.”
Azwin expressed her frustration.
As if on cue, Gerald, who was about to drink water, jerked his hand back and set the cup down without drinking.
Azwin continued, “As soon as we crossed the border into the Kingdom of Camort, we were attacked by thugs dressed in dark clothes. In the chaos, the Camort ambassador guiding us was killed. We thought something bad had happened and were about to turn back, but decided to push on rather than give in to those thugs.”
Sheyden added, “The problem is, all of those thugs were wiped out.”
“Why? Were we not supposed to kill them?” Azwin asked, a challenge in her tone.
“Based on what was explained…”
Sheyden glanced at Azwin and Gerald, as if asking them to remember, but they just blinked back with the same expressions. Eventually, he gave up and explained again, “It’s strange that they kept fighting until all forty of them were annihilated. Usually, when such a number rushes at you, half of them would flee when half are dead.”
Gerald objected, “Maybe they didn’t notice their numbers dwindling because we wiped them out so quickly. And there was one who tried to flee at the end. Dunmel killed him with a thrown knife.”
“Ah, I yelled at him not to kill, but he couldn’t hear me.”
Azwin nodded in agreement, then resumed her story, “Anyway, after such an unexpected mishap, we were all disoriented, and then we lost a sword in the Village of Defectors, due to the mistake of a certain person who isn’t here.”
“By the way, those guys in the dark clothes, they’re the ones who chased you and got taken down by me. Somehow, they knew and were in this city too.”
Sheyden added at the end. Azwin murmured in a small voice, ‘Who the hell are they?’.
“To put it precisely, their attack was aimed at Kassel there. After all, he’s known as the captain of the White Wolves.”
Sheyden began explaining, then paused. His gaze collided with Azwin’s.
Gerald interrupted.
“It’s clear now that their last attack wasn’t random. To dare attack the Wolf Knights, have they not heard of our formidable skills?”
“If Kassel over there was their target, those guys are truly oblivious about the White Wolves, just swept away by rumors. They’re just as flustered as we are about the emergence of Kassel’s existence. Hmm, now that I think about it, it’s rather unexpected, isn’t it?”
Sheyden fell into thought, his hand on his chin, standing by the window. Meanwhile, Azwin moved closer to Kassel and asked.
“But, you didn’t bring our sword all this way for nothing, right? You want some sort of reward?”
“No, there’s no such thing.”
Startled not by the question but by Azwin’s proximity, Kassel stammered in reply.
“No, I didn’t mean anything special by asking. We’ll give you what we can. Money? We don’t have it now, but if I asked out knights, we can get a substantial amount.”
Azwin proposed.
“You’re lying. Where would our knights get money?”
Gerald exposed her.
Azwin stood abruptly, pointing accusingly.
“There is! There must be. If anyone heard you, they’d think the Wolf Knights are dirt poor!”
“Who says that? It’s just about not making a promise you can’t keep to the kid who went through the trouble of finding the sword. Unlike you, I have some consideration!”
“You’re talking out of your ass! The money of the council is the money of the Wolf Knights. Didn’t you know that?”
While the two bickered, Kassel’s heart thumped at the mention of a reward. He had many wishes. He could ask to be taken to Aranthia for knight training, or even request a recommendation to the royal knights’ training corps of the Kingdom of Camort. If he were more greedy, he could ask to serve under them. Assisting the White Wolves could provide more opportunities to become a knight than being a trainee.
If that wasn’t possible, he truly wanted to receive a substantial amount of money. It would at least give him some dignity when returning home. Instead of continuously defying his father’s wishes to become a knight, securing a few years’ worth of farming funds seemed like a decent idea.
‘I thought duties and rewards were things given in grand halls, with the solemn king commanding as pipe organs echoed.’
This was not the grand hall of a royal palace, but a shabby tavern room. Instead of a prince and princess dressed in silk, a beauty and a burly man in tattered clothes just like Kassel’s were exchanging curses.
They really didn’t look like knights. But Kassel couldn’t doubt whether they were the White Wolves or not.
‘Now I see why everyone fell for my lie, even though I didn’t act like a knight at all.’
Suddenly, Kassel had the thought that this moment might be that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for an ordinary person like him. These weren’t just any knights, they were the White Wolves. And they were asking for their own reward. But just to ask for money to farm?
‘Can I be satisfied with that?’
Kassel asked himself.
‘Let’s take a closer look. They don’t seem to want to kill me. It’s not just because they’ve delayed judgment. That man named Gerald could make a silly joke, then say he’d strike my neck with the axe beside him. But that probably won’t happen, and even if it does, what can I do about it? I’m safe. I can think that way. Let’s buy some time. I need time to think. What’s at stake here isn’t my life.’
Kassel cautiously opened his mouth.
“Firstly, I have one question.”
Azwin and Gerald stopped their almost vile exchange and turned to Kassel. Sheyden, who had been looking out the window, also turned his head.
“Why don’t you take this sword?”
“Too heavy?”
Azwin asked, shrugging her shoulders.
“No, it’s not that.”
Kassel smiled awkwardly.
“Yes. It is heavy, indeed. The immense responsibility and meaning this sword carries. Yes, I’m a farmer. If you asked for the sword, I would’ve handed it over without hesitation. A reward? I’d be thankful if you just spared my life, really. I wouldn’t have been able to object at all. I would’ve considered it an honor to have met you all. That’s the honest truth.”
“Oh, quite philosophical, aren’t we?”
Azwin chuckled and stopped talking.
“Keep going. Why does your story get longer every time you open your mouth?”
“Oh, is that so? I apologize. Anyway, isn’t there a reason you’re not taking the sword yet? So… there’s a reason I still have to keep this sword. Right?”
Azwin looked at Sheyden. Sheyden, who had crossed his arms, scratched his rough beard.
Kassel also glanced at Gerald without reason. He didn’t show any change in expression.
“And if we say that’s correct?”
Azwin spoke again. It felt like a test.
After taking a long breath, Kassel spoke.
“Let’s consider what I just said as the first assumption. That you left this sword in my possession. Even though you claimed it could be Aranthia’s treasure, and I might get killed by your Master. The second assumption is you were attacked by assassins. But even those assassins recognized me, a liar, as their Captain.”
Kassel rambled until he discovered something, then spoke even faster.
“I too heard rumors about me in Koholrun. Some of my actions have been greatly exaggerated. Even the Rose Knights would know me as the Captain of the Wolf Knights, due to Falcon’s incident. This rumor is the third assumption.”
He was somewhat guessing even before speaking, but fear overtook him when he actually began to speak.
“If we combine these three assumptions, at least within the Kingdom of Camort, officially…”
Kassel bit his lip and said,
“I am the Captain of the White Knights.”
Sheyden concluded the conversation.
“That conclusion precisely comes from the second and third assumptions. The first assumption, the reason we don’t take the sword away from you.”
Sheyden spoke, eyes wide as if angry.
“Add that and explain again.”
Kassel refused.
“I can’t.”
“Speak up! Why did you even mention the first assumption then? You know what I, no, what we are going to say.”
Kassel shook his head almost in tears.
“I can’t.”
Gerald spread his hands exaggeratedly.
“Why are you making the kid cry? Let me summarize.”
“Don’t. If you summarize, it’ll get more complicated.”
Azwin teased. Gerald then lifted his ax. At first, Kassel thought Gerald was actually trying to attack Azwin. As evidence, Azwin loosened her relaxed posture, rushed to the door, and backed against the wall.
Azwin slipped across the mossy stone as if flying, soundlessly moving. Kassel was taken aback.
‘Huh? How did she move just now?’
For a human to move, they need to use their two legs, running step by step. But Azwin just moved as if that process was skipped.
The door swung open from the outside. A man with a sword rushed in.
It was Ike Anfler, Count Godimer’s knight. He tried to say something. For example, ‘Don’t move, I came on the behalf of the Count,’ or ‘Captain Wolf, I came to rescue you.’ But he didn’t say a word.
The sword he held was knocked out of his grasp by Azwin. Almost simultaneously, Gerald gripped Anfler’s collar and slammed him against the wall. Anfler’s head hit the wall and he let out a short scream. The other bodyguards wanted to intervene, but they were unable to with the situation as it was. Azwin had picked up the sword that Anfler had dropped, and Gerald was brandishing his axe towards the door with his other hand.
A giant spear was now pointing towards the door, hovering just above Kassel’s shoulder. Despite only three weapons aiming at the door, the confined space made it feel as though a cavalry was about to charge.
“Ike Anfler?”
Kassel swallowed and asked. Anfler responded, clenching his fists around Gerald’s thick arm.
“That’s me.”
Kassel came to his senses belatedly and hurriedly said,
“Gerald, let him go. This is Ike Anfler, the escort knight of Count Godimer of Koholrun. He’s here to save me.”
Gerald seemed dubious, but he released Anfler. He barely kept his balance, swaying as he leaned against the wall. He glared at Gerald with rage in his eyes, but couldn’t hold Gerald’s gaze and looked away.
Azwin lowered her sword and Sheyden lowered his spear. However, considering their reaction speed, it didn’t seem to matter much whether their weapons were in their hands or on the ground. The soldiers outside the door also lowered their weapons, observing the situation.
“Captain Kassel?”
The voice of Count Godimer was heard. The Count squeezed through the soldiers and entered the room. He looked surprised to see the other three.
“Ah, so…”
Kassel pointed to everyone, swallowing hard once more.
“These are my friends.”
“Friends? Then…”
“The White Wolves.”
“Ah. That, I see.”
Count Godimer looked relieved.
“I apologize for the sudden intrusion. I heard that the man with the spear had kidnapped you and rushed over.”
“Who else could capture the Captain of the White Wolves but the White Wolves themselves? More importantly, are you okay, Count?”
“I hurt my arm a little, but I’m fine.”
Count Godimer showed his bleeding arm. Kassel gave a slight smile and said,
“I’m glad to hear that. However, it’s late, and we’ve both had a rough day. Why don’t we postpone the details for tomorrow? Including the discussion about the assassins who appeared today, as well as the original purpose of wanting to meet me. This doesn’t seem like a good place for a long discussion.”
The Count, looking at the three other than Kassel, carefully said,
“I agree with you.”
“Should we head to the mansion tomorrow?”
“Very well. You may visit whenever you wish. Ah, and if you like, I can leave some guards behind.”
“Thank you, but that won’t be necessary.”
“I see…”
Count Godimer flashed a knowing smile.
“We shall see each other tomorrow. Ike, are you okay?”
Ike slowly stepped out of the door. He looked back one last time, not focusing on anyone in particular.
The count waved goodbye one last time and quietly closed the door.
Before the attention of the White Wolves could turn back to him, Kassel hastily spoke up.
“This situation, as I explained before, has some complicated issues… that is, as Count Godimer mentioned earlier. If I were not the captain of the White Wolves, there could be a war in this city. So…”
Kassel rambled on before bowing his head deeply.
“I apologize. I lied to you again.”
“So, are you going to go out and tell the count that everything you’ve said so far has been a lie?”
“Would you like that?”
“Step outside for a moment. We have matters to discuss amongst ourselves.”
Sheyden said with an authoritarian tone.
Kassel quickly rose from his seat.
“So, I should go to the count right now and tell him the truth?”
“Don’t suddenly play dumb after showing us how smart you are. Just wait outside!”
Sheyden instructed. Kassel stood up from his seat, attempting to put the sword he had been leaning on down onto the bed. However, Sheyden shook his head.
“Keep the sword with you. It’s something you shouldn’t put down easily once you’ve picked it up.”
Kassel couldn’t say a word and was forced to leave, sword in hand.
Kassel shut the door and didn’t move an inch until he was told to come back in. He couldn’t even dare to think about running away from people who didn’t even bother warning him not to.
Inside, a humble meeting that would decide his fate was taking place.
☆ ☆ ☆
“What do you think?”
After sending Kassel out, Sheyden asked in a hushed voice.
Azwin chuckled and pointed towards the door.
“Did you see earlier? His words to the Count were too natural to be lies, weren’t they?”
“Anyone would see him as our captain.”
Gerald agreed and Sheyden nodded his head.
“What would a normal person do in that situation? Lie? No, most would either wait for us to do something without saying a word or blabber nonsense that could make things worse.”
Gerald chuckled softly as well.
“He seemed incredibly nervous on the inside.”
“That’s what’s impressive. When people are nervous, they often misspeak. How about you? Can you handle your axe properly when you’re nervous?”
Sheyden asked. Gerald glanced at his axe and shook his head.
“Whether it’s an axe or a sword, what do you think when you’re tense? You just react. That’s why you never stop training.”
“Exactly. Let’s say, under the assumption that the guy didn’t lie to us, he’s a farmer. If he were a noble, his first lesson would be how to bow properly.”
Sheyden tried to imitate a subservient posture that didn’t suit him and then continued.
“Look at me. Doesn’t fit, does it? When a real Count shows up or when he was caught by us, he couldn’t breathe properly because he was so nervous. But how did he do? He just carried on with his lies to the Count, and that too, with straightened shoulders. As Gerald said, the body reacted. His mind was a blank slate.”
“In his case, it would be more appropriate to say his mouth reacted.”
Azwin chuckled again as she spoke.
“I dislike men who talk too much. I dislike men who are good with words. But somehow, I don’t feel too bad about this guy.”
“It’s because his words are not for self-promotion. There are few who find it despicable to see someone struggling to survive.”
Sheyden analyzed.
Gerald nodded thoughtfully.
“Oh, so that’s it. When I heard rumors about the captain of the Wolf Knights, I wanted to punch any guy I caught, but after talking to him, I didn’t feel like it anymore. I thought I had let him go because he looked so weak, but when I think about it, I get more angry when a weak guy chatters.”
Gerald nodded several times more. Azwin spoke with curious eyes.
“We have been given a quite unexpected character. What should we do, wise Sheyden?”
“What would Master have done?”
Sheyden got up and wandered around.
“Do you think Master would have any special thoughts? He would say what he always does in his stern voice. ‘Let it be as it will be.'”
Gerald said, imitating a deep voice.
“Stop joking and make a thoughtful decision. The honor of the Wolf Knights depends on our choice.”
At Sheyden’s words, Azwin burst into laughter.
“Since when does our Knights have something like honor?”
“What about becoming a laughingstock?”
Instead of scolding, Sheyden quietly mentioned another word. Azwin also got serious for a moment.
“Oh. That’s serious.”
Sheyden spoke again.
“Let’s say it in Kassel’s way. Assumption one, the guy is known as the captain outside. It turns out that someone else was impersonating the captain, which also wouldn’t look good. Assumption two, he was officially exposed to the assassins. No one who saw us survived.”
“So what about the first attack?”
Gerald asked.
“They probably targeted the envoy from Camort.”
Sheyden retorted.
“What if some of them survived and saw our faces?”
This time Azwin asked.
“We wandered around Koholrun for three days without being attacked, but Kassel was attacked as soon as he appeared.”
“Ah.”
Both Gerald and Azwin accepted this.
Sheyden frowned.
“Why do you act like you’re hearing it for the first time? I’ve explained this several times.”
“You did? When?”
Azwin asked with sparkling eyes.
Sheyden sighed and spoke again.
“We have to assume that the entire city is infested with assassins. They’ve identified the captain. Once the target they’ve been looking for shows up, they lose the ability to distinguish whether the target is real or fake. We still don’t know who paid these assassins. So we need to set a trap.”
“Assumption one plus assumption two. Plus, the guy pretending to be Captain Wolf turns out to be a decent character. Hm. Are we really going to do that?”
Azwin asked, raising her eyebrows.
Gerald also looked perplexed.
“Do we really need to do that?”
“Why don’t you become the captain then?”
Sheyden proposed provocatively. Gerald immediately threw his hands up.
“I surrender!”
“Loyal had been burdened by being forced to be captain until now. We need to lighten that burden. But if none of us want to take on that burden, we can delegate it to a porter.”
At Sheyden’s words, Azwin chewed her lips and asked.
“Are you confident you can handle the responsibility? It might be a disservice to ignore the entire Wolf Knights corps, excluding us.”
“I’ll take responsibility. And we must assume that Master is also responsible for entrusting all decisions to us in the first place. Isn’t that right? If it comes to that, we can cling on the Queen. She trusts us, the Queen is no fool!”
Sheyden nodded as if he had accomplices. Azwin agreed by nodding as well. Next, Sheyden asked Gerald for his opinion.
Gerald didn’t answer, but asked.
“Do you think he’ll do well?”
“With just a single sword, he made dozens of people believe that he is the captain of the Wolf Knights. At least he should be highly evaluated for that part. If necessary, we can later reveal the fact that we used him as a scarecrow.”
Sheyden said.
Azwin frowned deeply.
“Hey, isn’t that too cruel? If it seems dangerous, shouldn’t we just abandon him?”
“Plus, it’s a gamble with low odds.”
Gerald was also worried.
“Shall we listen to his opinion first?”
Sheyden approached the door, then stopped and spoke to the two.
“Most of all, he noticed my intention just by a few words I threw casually and showed a reaction of refusal.”
“Huh? Did he?”
Gerald and Azwin asked simultaneously.
“From your reactions alone, it’s clear you guys are less sharp than the other one,” Sheyden said, opening the door before either of them could reply.
Kassel was waiting anxiously in the hallway. Sheyden beckoned him with a jerk of his head.
“Come in, Kassel. Let’s continue where we left off.”
Azwin, late in comprehension, cursed under her breath.
“That bastard, did he just make fun of me?”
“Did he?” Gerald asked.
☆ ☆ ☆
“Do you want to be a White Wolf?”
That was the first proposal Kassel heard when he reentered the room.
“I thought so,” he said, tightly clenching his outstretched hand.
“What did you think?” Sheyden asked.
“I tried to sort things out while standing in the hallway. For starters, I was impersonating a captain of the Wolf Knights. That was a huge mistake. I apologize.”
Kassel bowed his head, and Sheyden responded, “Apology accepted.”
“You guys didn’t take back your sword. And you said this sword needed to go where it belonged. Is that some sort of magic? Or can the sword move on its own? Anyway, if the sword is still with me, does that mean I can keep it for a while?”
The White Wolves remained silent, watching him intently. Kassel swallowed hard.
“Also, I am publicly known as the captain of the Wolf Knights. Thanks to that, I even threatened the city of Koholrun with war. The Rose Knights probably reported my name to the Count of Red Rose. Maybe even to the Black Lion Count. If you go to the royal court as you are, you’ll find yourselves in a rather complicated situation. You’ll need someone to clean up the mess.”
Kassel continued his frightening narrative.
“One more thing, you’d want to find out why the assassins attacked you and who paid them. You’d need a decoy.”
Kassel concluded with a grim expression.
“In summary, I have to keep pretending to be the captain of the Wolf Knights.”
“Did you hear everything outside?” Gerald asked stupidly.
Kassel did not bother to deny it.
“I’ve already answered. I can’t.”
Sheyden was about to say something, but Azwin interrupted him.
“We’re not forcing you. We’re asking you. We really know nothing about Camort. But from what I’ve heard, you seem to have a lot of information.”
“It’s just rumors and trivial facts I’ve collected in a short period of time. They won’t be of much help.”
“Do you want a reward? Tell us. The Aranthia Royal family can provide it officially, or we can arrange it personally.”
Kassel thought of becoming a knight trainee for a moment, but quickly erased the thought from his mind.
“It’s not about the reward.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“I’m afraid I’ll be exposed. Haven’t I told you? Falcon has discovered my identity. I don’t possess the unique aura of a long-serving knight. Even without uttering a word, there are people who everyone would say ‘This person is a knight’… I can’t distinguish such subtleties.”
“Look at this guy. He thinks we look like knights.”
Azwin commented.
Gerald agreed as well.
“Kassel, you should look at Loyal. There’s no such thing as a knight-like knight in the Wolf Knights. They’re all thugs.”
“And you’re the top thug, boss, aren’t you?”
Azwin teased, but Gerald remained unfazed.
“Of course.”
Kassel was truly conflicted.
‘Oh, you fool. Do you even realize what you’ve just refused?’
But Kassel had already decided to stick with his original plan from when he was in Falcon’s village. He would retrieve his sword and return to the village. He was content with having met the knights who were like a legend of the White Wolf. What mattered was surviving and returning…
“Learn.”
Suddenly, Sheyden spoke.
“Learn what?”
Kassel asked.
“That knightly thing you were talking about.”
“You can’t just learn that by…”
“What was that apology earlier? You held the sword and pretended to be from the Wolf Knights. Captain Wolf? Ten years ago, the person who held that name defeated Captain Welch of the Excelon Knights. Now, he’s the guardian knight of the Queen of Aranthia and is regarded almost like a god of the sword by those who learn the sword.”
Kassel couldn’t understand what Sheyden was talking about. Sheyden gestured with his chin towards the window, indicating someone who was not present.
“The next Captain Wolf was a friend named Loyal. He’s the strongest among the Wolf Knights and even Master who taught him has admitted that he can no longer best him.”
“Who says so? That Loyal is the strongest?”
Gerald questioned with a stare.
“Stop getting in the way of the conversation and be quiet!”
Sheyden commanded.
“You need to make sense for me to be quiet. Who are you calling the strongest, leaving me aside?”
Azwin also disagreed. Sheyden waved his hand above his head.
“Let me finish! Anyway, being Captain Wolf is a big deal. But Kassel, are you planning to tarnish that name and destroy it? You must take responsibility.”
Was it because Azwin and Gerald had made a joke? Despite his strong tone, it felt like a gentle suggestion. Kassel wavered.
“I was stepping aside to avoid tarnishing it any further.”
“If you’ve dirtied it, it’s polite to clean it up before leaving.”
“What if…I can’t?”
Kassel asked one last time.
“Don’t look for a way out before you start.”
Sheyden said.
Kassel knew what was to follow.
‘If you prepare an escape route beforehand, you’ll definitely run towards it when things get tough.’
It was a phrase his father often used. There was no need to stake everything on every matter, but there were matters that required you to stake everything. When that time came, it was wrong to prepare a way out in advance.
Once again, Kassel’s heart started to race. It was neither fear nor surprise.
Excitement.
The spirit of adventure, which he had kept bottled up deep within him, sprang up with a vengeance. This was entirely different from when he had rushed out in a huff upon seeing Luchi become a knight. Kassel had a choice, and he could just as easily return home.
Sheyden did not try to persuade him any further. Nobody stopped Kassel. Either he could enter the realm of assassins, war, and nobility, or he could return to the village of Lurun and farm. Farming wasn’t a bad idea. Kassel knew for certain that someday he would become a farmer like his father. But he had something else he wanted to do before that.
‘Your name, Kassel, was taken from that adventurer.’
Kassel offered the Sword of Aranthia to Sheyden and said,
“I will do it. I will take responsibility for everything that happens while I undertake this task.”
“Wow, you’re on fire.”
Azwin’s face lit up brightly.
With a still apprehensive face, Kassel asked,
“Now, is there anything else I need to do?”
“Hmm, something like this?”
Azwin extended her hand.
“From now on, your name is Kassel Wolf, and you are appointed as the temporary captain of the White Wolves until the matter is deemed complete. This decision was made with the agreement of each of the White Wolves and no one can violate this decision until we collectively decide to change it. That’s all.”
Kassel looked down at Azwin’s outstretched hand for a moment. As Kassel thought about it, he had hardly ever held a woman’s hand.
Azwin didn’t rush him. Cautiously, Kassel extended his hand and took hers. Her hand wasn’t soft or delicate. The back of her hand, scarred as it was, bulged with veins like a man’s. Despite a light grip, her strength was remarkable. Kassel repeated the words he had heard and made his oath.
“According to the decision made by the White Wolves, I am now the temporary captain of the White Wolves, Kassel Wolf. I will not violate this decision until I am dismissed from my position with the agreement of all. That’s all.”
“Woah, you memorized that?”
Azwin laughed heartily.
Kassel was filled with a peculiar excitement.
“Don’t get too comfortable. We still don’t fully trust you.”
Gerald said in a voice that was like a splash of cold water. Just as Kassel was about to get lost in a dream, he quickly returned to reality.
“Of course, I don’t believe I’ve earned your trust.”
Kassel managed to calm his excited heart. But he didn’t hide his emotions.
“I was going to refuse, but I must admit it feels good to stand in Captain Wolf’s position, even if only temporarily.”
Kassel addressed the most pressing matter first.
“Now, I’d like to hear your real mission. Why did the knights of Aranthia come to Camort?”
To avoid any misunderstanding, Kassel added,
“I need to know this to convincingly play my role.”
“Well, we have to tell you. If we don’t, not only you but all our lives will be in danger.”
Gerald spoke up. Sheyden yielded to him with a ‘since you brought it up, you explain.’ Gerald cleared his throat unnecessarily before starting,
“We didn’t actually hear a detailed story either. During a regular training session, Master suddenly entered and said, ‘You guys need to visit Camort.’ So we asked, ‘Why?’ He responded, ‘A messenger has come from Camort, apparently two Counts are waging war, ignoring the King. He wants to suppress this rebellion, but he doesn’t have the troops. So, he requested troops from Aranthia, and Her Majesty selected you. Go.’”
Azwin, the female member of the group, narrowed her eyes, chewing over Gerald’s words, then shook her head.
“Isn’t that story too short?”
“I only told him the key points, just the key points.”
Gerald insisted, hitting his palm with his fist as he spoke.
“The problem, Azwin, is you always try to oversimplify my intentions. Anyway, that’s the story. We were ambushed on our way here with the royal sword instead of the document of Her Majesty’s orders. The rest is as we discussed before.”
“So, you came to Camort knowing nothing about it?”
Kassel asked seriously.
“That’s the case. That’s why we’re struggling now. We need to figure out what to do. Should we charge into the royal palace as we are, find our swords first, or return to Aranthia?”
Gerald finished speaking.
“Hey! The way you explained that, it sounds like we’re in a pitiful situation!”
Azwin was upset.
Gerald emphasized,
“Not like we’re in a pitiful situation, we are in a pitiful situation! Extremely so!”
“That’s true! Damn it!”
Azwin calmed her anger by clapping her hands.
“We were only trained in swordplay, not diplomacy or negotiation.”
“I get tongue-tied when there are more than ten people in front of me.”
Gerald shivered in a way that was out of character for his size.
“So my job is… Not simply a guide, right?”
Kassel summarized calmly.
“If you didn’t impulsively decide to make me Captain, I suppose I can start sharing a good portion of my thoughts from now on?”
“As long as it’s not some strange trick. We’ll follow reasonable orders.”
Azwin somehow seemed pleased as she spoke.
“Well, what should we do now?”
Until recently, Kassel was kept awake by the sheer number of things he would do once he became a knight. If he were to list them, it would take at least two days. But most of it revolved around showing off in front of women.
Kneeling before a lady and swearing loyalty? Roaming the streets with his cloak billowing, punishing villains? Waving at the cheering crowd tossing flowers? All of that seemed irrelevant now.
Kassel could not think of anything else beyond continuing what he had been doing.
“The first thing to do is to meet Count Godimer.”
“He did invite us, but do we really need to go?”
Azwin asked.
“You came to this country on the king of Camort’s letter to prevent a war between two counts… So the people who would be most uneasy about the entry of the Wolf Knights into Camort would be those two nobles, right? It is also highly possible that the person who hired the assassins is one of the two. But Count Godimer was already aware of the existence of the assassins and was worried about them, trying to contact us secretly even before I could say anything.”
Kassel concluded his statement with certainty, even though it was merely a conjecture.
“Count Godimer may even know who was behind the assassins who attacked us.”
He accidentally used the word ‘us’, but the three white wolves didn’t show any sign of resistance. On the contrary, they looked at each other at his suggestion, which felt so natural.
“So when are we going, Captain?”
Gerald asked.
“Tomorrow.”
Kassel answered and was taken aback.
The title ‘Captain’ that Gerald had just used felt weightier than he expected.
–TL Notes–
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