Episode 10: Let’s Curry Favor With The Enemy Forces.

 

――The economy of the Bonclay territory was dying all due to a certain event where many of the city’s specialty products were copied and distributed.

As a result of continuing to inject those copies into the economy, the balance between the supply and demand finally collapsed. Many shops here and there were closed, and item that once were deemed to be of the highest quality, were being sold for a price a little higher than trash. Many of the locals were happily complicit in the re-sale of those products.

 

 

――At such disastrous situation, the anger of the Lord, Jaikov, exploded.

 

 

“WHAAAT THE HECK IS THIIIIIIIIS! ! ! ?　JUST WHAT THE HELL IS MY PEOPLE DOOOOOOOOOOOOOING! ! ! ”

 

A wrathful scream echoed throughout the Lord’s mansion――！

Jaikov slammed his fist against a luxurious desk in a fit of rage, shattering it to pieces. Furthermore, not feeling satisfied, a 『Large Rock』 was shot from the palm of his hand, blasting away a wall of his manor.

 

Still, even then, his anger didn’t stop……!

 

“Haaaa, haaaa……!　The guard, WHERE IS THE GUARD CAPTAAAAAAIIIN! ? ”

 

“Sir, I’m here! ”

 

In response to Jaikov’s yell, the man who was the chief of the guard immediately entered the office.

His complexion turned pale as he stood in front of Jaikov, who was seething with anger. Why? Because he completely forgot that a 『Magician』 like that was almost like a disaster.

 

“……Hey, guard captain, was the culprit caught already! ?　There should’ve been checkpoints set all over the territory, right! ? ”

 

“N-No, the thing, is…… seems like since the culprit who was distributing the copy goods could no longer profit in the Bonclay territory, he has pulled out immediately…… We haven’t gotten any result……! ”

 

“AAAAAHHHHHHH! THIS INCOMPETENT! ! ! ”

 

Jaikov’s stone bullets were shot at the guard’s feet.

Receiving the tremendous aftershock, the guard captain was blown away, his back hitting a wall. After his helm fell off, the sharp face of the captain, distorted with pain, was visible.()

 

“Ugh, guuuh……! ? ”

 

Those commoners are making a fuss!　They really make me want to vomit!

Guard Captain, I’ll give you bastard one last order. Catch that criminal before dawn. Otherwise, you’ll be paying with your own neck.”

 

“Wh-, such a thing! ? ”

 

It was impossible to catch someone who had been evading them as soon as overnight.

In other words, this was a de-facto death sentence. The guard shuddered at the extremely ruthless words of Jaikov.

 

“P-Please wait!　That’s too little ti……! ”

 

“Shut your stupid mouth!　Are you trying to go against me!? A noble! ?　Or are you asking me to simply take care of you trash right here and right now!? ”

 

“HIIIIIIIIII! ?　Forgive me!　Please, forgive meeeeeeee! ! ! ”

 

In front of Jaikov’s grueling smile, the Guard Captain continuously bowed down his head at the same time his body trembled.

 

——

 

And thus――

 

 

 

 

“――Rize-samaaaaaaaa!　I came as an exileeee! ! ! ”

 

“Ohh, you came as well, Guard Captain. ……Wait, aren’t you full of wounds? Let me heal you right away.”

 

“Yahoooo!　Ahh, Rize-sama is gentle indeed! ”

 

……A few hours later, the Guard Captain had betrayed Jaikov and immediately fled to Rize in the Baibalon territory.

After having his wounded and scarred body healed, the Guard Captain bowed to Rize and thanked him in the purest manner, incomparable to how he was with Jaikov.

 

“Thank you very much, Rize-sama!　Phew, that bastard Jaikov is really the worst!　He immediately lashes out on the commoners, well, in the first place, he doesn’t think of commoners as people at all!　……He doesn’t even begin to compare to you, Rize-sama, and how gracious and ki9nd you are……”

 

“Don’t worry. I’ve also been helped plentiful times by you.”

 

“Not at all, I’ve received so much from you! ”

 

With a pleasant smile plastered in his face, the guard made the shape of a gold coin with his fingers.

 

That’s right―― After all, it was this man the one who helped Rize smuggle his copied goods……!

And with him, the leader of the guards being behind this issue, there was no way the criminal would be identified.

 

“……Hehe, at first I thought I could make some pocket money for once, and received it as a bribe.()

But as I saw Jaikov getting more and more troubled, it became funnier…… And before I knew it, I was fully invested in it……! ”

 

While relaxing on the sofa inside the drawing room, the Guard Captain received a cup of tea from a maid.

 

Originally, he had no desire of betraying the Bonclay territory.

When he was younger, he climbed to the position of Guard Captain because his wish to withhold justice and protect the territory.

 

However―― As he continued to serve under Jaikov, whom would beat him at every opportunity and think of the people as nothing more than animals, he began to think like this.

 

“Is it really justice to protect a territory governed by this garbage of a person?”――He thought.

 

 

That’s when he met him.

Pretending to be a villain raising money out of the Bonclay territory, and with that money buying out many wounded slaves; a heretic noble who used his magic to heal them.

 

 

The Guard Captain then got up from the couch at the same time his expression changed, taking a knee in front of Rize.

 

 

“With that said ――If you could allow me, I, Klaus, would like to serve under you. Please, just order away……! ”

 

“Alright. Then, I’d like for you to teach people in the territory about being guards…… But I suppose you’re tired today. I’ll cook you a beef steak, so eat your fill and then get some rest.”

 

“Wha- Cook?…… You mean yourself! ?　Moreover, to go such lengths for a commoner like myself! ? ”

 

“Well, it’s just a hobby of mine. But my cooking isn’t much worse than the maids’, so rest assured.”

 

After saying that, Rize walked off towards the kitchen, while the guard Klaus looked at him while thinking.

 

――”He’s fundamentally different from other nobles after all”.

 

 

“Fufu, fufufu……”

 

 

He laughed, but not because it was funny. Quite the contrary, Klaus really wanted to serve under Rize.

 

He knew. About that time Rize entered the slums in the Bonclay territory, and about how he had healed the sick people.

He knew. That when he had received some moldy hard bread as gratitude, he ate it without hesitation even if he was part of the nobility.

 

And ever since the moment he heard about those stories from the slums, he was prepared to betray Jaikov.

Klaus himself had also been born in the slums, and that was why he wanted to make the territory of his birth a peaceful place.

 

However, it was different now. Klaus had learned from Rize, and had decided to become a man who would no longer protect the territory, but rather, the 『People』.

Eventually, his fellow guards and the people whose home was the slums would defect towards the Baibalon territory, after having enough of Jaikov; and in turn, they will become devoted to Rize.

 

 

“――Please wait, Rize-sama!　I can also help you if you like! ”

 

 

And thus, there was no longer hesitation inside Klaus’ heart.

With a beaming smile, he followed after his gentle and friendly master.

 

——

 

Obviously……Klaus wasn’t aware of it.

 

Rize had only entered the slums because he was lost as he was taking a walk.

Moreover, she was scared after being surrounded by the people there, so he used his magic as a form of selling a favor.

And the story about how he had eaten moldy bread without batting an eye despite being a noble was simply because, in order to survive, he had even boiled weeds to eat just a few months ago――!

 

 

By the way, he could cook better than the maids because he didn’t have enough money to hire servants, therefore he had cooked simple dishes himself……!

 

 

“What is it, Klaus? I told you you can rest, didn’t I?　……Alright, then you’re in charge of the salad.”

 

“Yes!　So, my first assignment will be along with you! ”

 

“Fuuu, don’t be silly.”

 

Along a small misunderstanding, Klaus joined Rize inside the kitchen.

 

 

However―― they didn’t know.

 

 

“H-Haaa……Haa……!　I wonder what’s this feeling……!?

Looking at the『Interactions』 between Klaus-sama and Master, for some reason my heart is beating very fast……! ”

 

The head maid girl, Bell, quietly looked them peeking from a wall, staring at them with the eyes of a starved beast……!

 

 

And so, the night in the Baibalon residence became noisier.

 

======

 

 

【Sad News】Rize-sama pulled out the guards from a territory in the brink of collapse 【Insurrection Inevitable】.

 

 

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