Volume 1, Chapter 44: Earl Aubock?
After the raid on Earl Aubock’s mansion, Germain headed to the royal capital to bring Earl Aubock’s crimes to light.
The evil deeds of Earl Aubock, the lord of Ainsaz City, were revealed and announced across the entire kingdom.
Although Earl Aubock was sent alive to the royal capital, all that awaited him over there was a death penalty.
In addition to the extremely heavy crimes such as the massacring of his own citizens and repeat offenders of the kingdom’s law, his heaviest crime was supporting the anti-government organization 『Devil’s Piper』.
When people heard that Earl Aubock, a member of the upper echelon, supported the anti-government organization, it caused a huge shock amongst his peers.
This revelation was a wakeup call for the kingdom in regard to 『Devil’s Piper』. However, the organization made full use of its massive size to elude the kingdom’s officers, using their disposable pawns and hiding themselves again in the darkness.
In addition, even those who were involved with the organization in Regios Kingdom had no idea about the scope and management of the organization. That was why the truth about the organization was never fully unveiled.
Even the special investigation team that was formed to hunt them down couldn’t find any information about the organization’s scale or their goal. Everything was shrouded in mystery.
But one thing about them was clear: they were not “just a group formed to research banned magic,” as the masses believed.
After his death, Earl Aubock and his entire family were stripped of their noble title. Other noble families with deep connections to Earl Aubock were placed under deep suspicion of supporting the anti-government organization. And despite dispatching their investigation unit, they were having a hard time catching the leaders of the organization.
Two months later, Ainsaz City’s new lord was appointed after the domestic turmoil had somewhat calmed down.
Germain also dropped by Ainsaz City for a short visit during that time.
In a certain bar, Germain held a meeting with the other three members of 『Spirit’s Dusk』: Fiona, Lloyd, and Lily.
「It’s been a while, Guildmaster.」
Germain smiled wryly upon seeing Fiona bow to him.
「… Yeah, it’s been a while. Here’s the thing, I decided to take over my family’s name, which had been crushed by Aubock a long time ago. Please forgive this selfish guildmaster of yours.」
Even though Germain was originally the son of a baron family, his entire family—save for him, who chose to abandon his family to become an adventurer—was falsely accused and executed by Earl Aubock.
Germain had only left his family to become an adventurer, and yet this was the reason his life was spared.
Although his peerage had been returned by the kingdom, his family’s name would be truly lost this time if he forsook his peerage again.
His reason for leaving his family had been due to a huge quarrel with his father.
And now, Germain decided to restore his family’s name.
「Eh… Guildma-… I mean, Germain-san was a noble?」
Lloyd, who failed to understand the situation, asked Germain.
In short, Germain was his real name. He hadn’t used an alias to escape Earl Aubock’s suspicion.
「I heard the new lord for Ainsaz arrived, but don’t tell me…」
「No, you’re mistaken. Even if it’s rotten, this Ainsaz City is an important hub for the kingdom. The kingdom wouldn’t leave such an important post to someone as insignificant as me. That’s why the kingdom chose some relatives of the royal family to prevent the same thing like turning the region into private properties like what Aubock did from happening again.」
Germain shook his head as he replied to Fiona’s question.
「Seriously… And here I thought that we could get a proper job once you returned. I mean, I’m almost out of money…」
Lloyd slumped down on the table, heaving a deep sigh.
Including Lloyd, the other members of 『Spirit’s Dusk』 weren’t that talented.
Germain had only accepted them in order to make a guild in Ainsaz City and get the title of guildmaster in order to further his investigation into Earl Aubock.
After all, ability-wise, aside from Germain, everyone else was only so-so.
Being in a different guild in the past wouldn’t hinder them from registering their name with another guild, but not that many guilds were willing to accept people with average skill like them.
「Lloyd, bringing that kind of talk to this occasion is just…」
Fiona smiled wryly upon hearing Lloyd’s remark, and Lily scolded Lloyd for his rudeness.
「It’s not like I don’t have a way out for you guys. Are you guys willing to be employed as knights of my family? I mean, my family is understaffed, and I’d rather employ my acquaintances than a stranger.」
Lloyd stood up from his chair with a shocked face upon hearing that offer.
「A-A-A-Are you serious? Germain-san… No, I mean, Germain-sama!」
There was a great difference when comparing the treatment between a knight and that of an adventurer of a weak guild.
Although the position of knight came with an increased workload and more responsibilities, it was definitely a royal road of life.
「How about you two, Lily and Fiona? You will come too, right? Right?」
Lily nodded in silence.
After pondering the situation for a while, Fiona shook her head.
「Thank you for the invitation, but… I think I’ll continue in this line of work for a while longer. And this time, in another place. Sorry for my selfish decision.」
「I see. That’s unfortunate… But still, I expected you to say that, Fiona.」
Having said that much, Germain glanced around the bar. After making sure no one was listening in, he spoke to her.
「That man… Is he no longer in Ainsaz?」
「… Y-Yeah, we never saw Uncle Lambert since that day. It’s as if… he vanished like a ghost.」
「I see. It seems he has a complicated past. I don’t think it’s strange for him to suddenly vanish into thin air, but… I really wanted to see him again for one last time.」
「What, so your real goal is Uncle Lambert and we’re just freebies.」
Lloyd complained with a sulking face.
「It’s not like that. He’s my benefactor. Moreover, there’s no way I can put a man of that caliber to work as my subordinate.」
「If we’re really linked by fate, I’m sure that we’ll meet him again later.」
After the raid on Aubock’s mansion, Germain had told his three subordinates about what had transpired in the mansion. Soon after, he departed to the royal capital.
Lambert raided Aubock’s mansion, single-handedly killing almost every one of Aubock’s private soldiers who dared to block his path. Finally, he slayed Hector after a fierce duel in front of Earl Aubock.
Although it sounded impossible, defying commonsense, for those who had witnessed Lambert’s abnormal strength again and again, they somehow managed to calmly accept that story as the truth.
But after that day, Lambert’s figure had never been seen again in Ainsaz City.
It was as if he never existed. As the person himself had proclaimed, he was a ghost-like existence.
Even Germain, who saw Lambert’s abnormal strength firsthand, wondered from time to time whether it was all a dream.
The figure of Lambert slashing down Hector, who descended from above, kept appearing in Germain’s mind.
He was deeply moved and a little bit excited, as if he just became a witness of history.
Germain looked at the scenery outside of the window.
His eyes opened wide upon seeing a man donned in full-plate armor walking amongst the pedestrians. But no sooner did he realize that he had mistaken another for Lambert. Germain smiled self-mockingly at himself for making such a mistake.
「Could it be that he… is the real one…?」
===End of Act 1: Resurrected Knight===
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