Chapter 179 - 179 Farewell, Abel
The man who proposed the bodyguard job looked to be in his late fifties. His face was covered with numerous cuts, telling the story of a man who had never walked a proper path.
"Who are you?"
"I am Emerson. I run a family in this town."
"Oh? A boss man. But is that okay? We just beat up some soldiers. If you take us on, won't you get in trouble?"
"No, no. We are in conflict with the local magistrate here. Several of our men have already been dragged away on trumped-up charges and hanged."
"But the opponent is the magistrate. Fighting them would be disadvantageous."
Brian said that, and Emerson waved his hand.
"No, that's not it. The magistrate is the third son of the local lord, and he is doing whatever he pleases. The lord doesn't even know about it. So they cannot move large-scale troops. The lord, Baron Moore, is a man of fastidiousness; if he knew of the magistrate's deeds, he would change things immediately. That is why it must be kept secret from his parents. So, if you become our bodyguards, they won't be able to lay a hand on us."
"Hmph. What a rotten fellow, that magistrate."
As they were having such a conversation, other customers carried the fallen soldiers out of the dining hall while glaring at Brian. They showed no sign of paying.
"What are those guys? They carried them off."
"They are the magistrate's men. They are drinking sake here, probing each other's movements."
"I see. No wonder the atmosphere was so bad."
"Hehehe. Don't say that. We are the same kind, aren't we? I saw your movements and realized it. You must have gone through quite a few bloody battles."
"Understood. We will accept the bodyguard job. So, what is the reward?"
"Well now. How about 1 million Dra per month?"
"Per person?"
"Yes."
"That is very generous."
"If we can silence the magistrate, it is cheap."
And so, Brian and the others became bodyguards.
Then, the customers left, and only Brian and the others remained in the dining hall.
Hannah, looking displeased, brought the food. She slammed the plate roughly onto the table.
"I thought you were decent people, but you were just like those guys."
She puffed out her cheeks.
"Well, you do have a good face for deceiving people, don't you?"
"Get out."
"Don't say that. I will pay. Also, what about the request? Did you ask your mother?"
"How is someone who became a bodyguard for the Emerson family supposed to get money from those guys?"
Water gathered in the corners of Hannah's eyes.
While Brian was worried about what to do, Hannah wiped it away with her arm and returned to the kitchen.
In her place, a woman in her mid-thirties, resembling Hannah, came over.
"I am sorry, my daughter was rude to the customer."
"No, it's fine. But how do you keep running an inn in a town like this?"
"We started this inn with my dead husband. Even though things turned out like this, I am reluctant to close it. Sorry for venting to a customer. But please don't forget that my daughter was happy too. She was extremely excited thinking she might be able to get money."
"That was my fault. But is it okay to tell us such things, now that we have become bodyguards for the Emerson family?"
"The customers didn't look like bad people. I may look like this, but I have seen many customers, so I am confident in my ability to judge people."
"I see."
After speaking thus, the woman left. The three of them ate their meal in silence.
Then, back in the room, they held a strategy meeting.
"What should we do?"
Abel asked Brian.
"We will punish the magistrate and also punish the Emerson family. Then, this town will return to normal."
"No, that's why I want to know the method of punishment."
"We will make the Emerson family and the magistrates fight each other until they are exhausted. Then, we will deliver the final blow when they are weakened."
"Will it work?"
"Well. According to prior information, they are already fighting each other. Even if we do something, they will first suspect each other. It will be fine."
Brian said that, but unknown to the three of them, the situation was moving in a bad direction.
A subordinate asked Emerson on the way back.
"Boss, are we really going to pay that much money to those bodyguards?"
"There is no way we will pay. Once we get rid of the magistrates, we will kill them."
"But they are strong."
"That is why we will hold a banquet and put sleeping medicine in the sake."
"As expected of the boss."
Emerson had no intention of paying Brian and the others.
When Emerson and his men returned to the inn, customers were waiting for their return.
Emerson knew the face of that customer. And he looked at the customer with an obvious look of disgust.
"What does the magistrate want?"
The customer was Isaac Moore, the magistrate. He was thirty years old, with a slightly chubby, light build. And he was the enemy currently in open conflict with the Emerson family. It was natural for Emerson to look disgusted.
"I found some delicious prey, but it is too much for us alone. Let us join forces."
"Hah, you are already calculating the abacus."
"Yes. Because it is you, you probably intend to let us attack them first, and then dispose of us afterwards. However, that would only yield the money they have and the small crumbs that will come from this town in the future. I heard they have fake medals. If I were you, I could make a profit using them well. After all, I am the son of a noble."
"I see. But then there is no profit for us."
Emerson's eyes glared at Isaac. As someone who runs a family, he cannot easily make peace with an enemy. He needs material to satisfy his subordinates. Currently, no such material has been presented, so he cannot agree. That is the meaning behind his gaze.
"Of course, I have considered that. First, the abolition of the crackdown on the Emerson family. Second, we need actors to use the medals. How about I lend you your subordinates, and in return, I pay a reward?"
"I see. In that case, there is enough profit for us to join hands. Let me think."
Emerson clicked his abacus in his mind. Honestly, he did not know the value of the medals, but seeing Brian and the others who looked wealthy, he thought fraud using the medals would be profitable. And it would also be a new trick for his subordinates.
And a conclusion was reached.
"Alright, let's join hands. So, what do we do? When and how do we attack?"
"If we are going to do it, do it immediately. Tonight, set fire to the inn. If they burn to death, good. If they escape, we can handle them by surrounding them with a large number."
"Are the medals safe?"
"When they are burning nicely, make a loud noise to wake them up. Then, even if they try to leave with the important medals, if we surround them, they won't be able to get out easily. If they burn to death, we can retrieve the medals quickly, right?"
Well, even if the medals burn, if we can get rid of the troublesome bodyguards, we can crack down on you, Isaac added in his heart.
Emerson, not thinking that Isaac was considering such things, praised Isaac.
"He is a villain worthy of being a magistrate."
"Indeed."
Thus, the two joined hands and gathered their subordinates, waiting for late night.
Finally, when late night arrived, the plan was executed.
Subordinates holding oil approached from all sides of the inn, sprinkling oil and setting fire.
The fire spread instantly, enveloping the inn.
They say a bug's warning, but a bug entered Brian's nostril, and Brian woke up. Then, the outside of the window was bright, and the room was very hot.
"It's a fire!"
Brian hurriedly woke Cody and Abel.
The three of them took their luggage and left the room. Then they shouted loudly.
"It's a fire!"
This was because they did not know which room Hannah and her mother were in. Thanks to the shouting, Hannah and her mother woke up.
And they also came out of the room. Brian confirmed this and tried to go outside.
"We must put out the fire."
Hannah shouted, but Brian grabbed her hand and pulled her forcibly.
"The fire is spreading too fast. It's impossible."
"I don't want to!"
Hannah resisted still, but Brian picked her up and ran.
Outside, there were many men. All of them held weapons like swords and axes.
"Grandpa~"
Thinking they had no chance against the unarmed ones, Abel looked at Brian with a tearful face.
"Looking at them, there are about 30 people. If we take 10 each, there is no problem."
"But we are unarmed."
"Take their weapons."
"That's..."
"On the battlefield, your own weapons often break. You survive by taking the enemy's weapons. Besides, stones can also be weapons."
Brian said that, and picked up a stone from the ground. It was a stone about the size of a golf ball.
There is even research stating that in the Sengoku period, stones had the same number of casualties as swords. Actually, swords were sub-weapons, and were used less frequently compared to spears and arrows. It is understandable that stones, which could be thrown or hit, had the same number of casualties as such swords.
He threw such a stone, and it hit one person's head, knocking him down.
"If you dawdle, you will burn to death."
Brian continued to pick up stones and throw them.
Behind them, the inn was burning, and the heat was so intense it was painful to breathe.
Cody and Abel also threw stones similarly, and seven people fell to the ground.
The ones surrounding them did not move because there was no one who could make their own decisions. All were waiting for instructions from Emerson or Isaac.
When the notable stones ran out, Brian ran. And he picked up a sword lying on the ground. It was one held by a fallen man, and now his hand was free.
Picking up other fallen swords, he threw them toward Cody and Abel.
"You two, attack all at once!"
Only now did Emerson give an order. The subordinates tried to narrow the encirclement and approached, but Brian did not wait for the enemy and kicked the ground, targeting the closest one.
A silver snake illuminated by the fire of the fire ran through the night darkness.
"Gyah!"
The man targeted by Brian screamed as his right hand holding the axe was cut off.
Also, Brian, who had just cut, made a grim face.
"Can't cut through the bone?"
The swung sword was stuck in the man's right wrist. The sword had stopped at the bone.
"Die!"
Someone was attacking Brian from behind. Brian dodged that strike and picked up the axe dropped by the man in front of him. The one who attacked from behind targeted Brian again, but was stabbed from behind by Cody.
Both were out of breath.
"Haa, haa, it's tough."
"Is it because of age? Abel cannot participate in the attack as a guard for two people. This requires some resolve."
Cody spoke very cheerfully, but the situation was the worst.
The two did not have the stamina to fight 30 people due to their age. If Abel joined the attack, there was a possibility that the two in the inn would be taken hostage.
The staring contest continued, but gradually the encirclement was narrowing.
Just as they prepared for a desperate attack, a voice was heard from outside the encirclement.
It was a woman's voice.
"I will help."
"Help."
Looking, there were two women wearing Venetian masks, hiding their eyes.
One was a large woman about 180 centimeters tall, and the other was small. The large woman held a long sword suitable for her height, and the small one held a knife.
The two defeated ten people in the blink of an eye.
"I didn't hear that there were allies. Split into two groups."
Isaac gave the order, but even during that order, two more were defeated.
"Monsters."
Emerson looked at the women with hatred.
Just then, a man's voice was heard.
"That's enough."
"Dad!?"
Isaac's eyes widened.
There stood Baron Moore, the lord.
"You are dealing with Lord Archibalt."
"Geee!"
Voices rose in unison.
In the Kingdom of Cascade, even commoners' children know the name Archibalt. Just not the face.
And the Baron called the superior Brian "Lord," but based on the common knowledge that Lord Archibalt refers to Steve, the others thought Brian was Steve.
"Dad, is that true?"
"Thief! How long will you pretend to be my son!"
Baron Moore shouted at Isaac.
Isaac was confused, not understanding the meaning. The person behind the Baron explained it.
"If the Baron's son attacks Lord Archibalt, the responsibility extends to the Baron. However, if it was done by someone who killed the son and impersonated him, the Baron will not be punished."
Hearing that, Isaac understood that he had been discarded to save the family. He had been committing crimes on his own whim until now, and now he was discarded. But the thinking of such people is often convenient for themselves, and Isaac was no exception.
While they were talking, the fire had somehow gone out, but in its place, a magic-created sphere of light floated in the sky, illuminating the surroundings like daytime.
In contrast to Isaac hanging his shoulders in defeat, Emerson tried to escape somehow, but magic chains appeared, restraining those who could move.
Brian saw this and accepted the situation.
"Steve."
"It's not 'Steve' or not. If I hadn't come, it would have been dangerous!"
Steve was angry. That was natural. One step wrong, and they would have died.
The bug that sensed the fire and flew into the nostril was Steve's familiar. From there, he woke Nancy and Bella and rushed over, while he himself teleported once to fetch Baron Moore.
Steve had been monitoring Brian and the others since they set out on their journey. Then, after telling Nancy and Bella that they had become bodyguards, they said they wanted to cause trouble too, so they were waiting for this opportunity. And so, the ones hiding their faces with masks were Nancy and Bella.
For these reasons, the fire extinguishing was delayed. It was a great nuisance for the innkeeper and his daughter.
But they did not know Steve's abilities, so they did not think so. And Hannah gave her opinion to Steve.
"Thanks to Lord Dragon Head coming, we were saved. I don't know if he is your son or something, but that way of speaking is too much."
"This, is not direct speech rude?"
Baron Moore hurriedly stopped her, but Brian forgave it.
And he looked at Steve and smiled with a grin.
There were two meanings contained in that: the misunderstanding of the mother and daughter, and the fact that they had gained an ally.
"How about it, Steve? There are people in the world who cannot raise their voices. Is that not what nobles are for, to save such people?"
"I do not deny that. I am just saying to think of a method."
Even though Steve was blaming Brian's method, he was shot from behind.
"Steve, this is fun."
"Yes, sir. Sometimes doing this is good, isn't it?"
"Look. Your wives are saying the same thing."
With this, Steve gave up.
"Yes, yes. But the secret trip ends here. I cannot accompany you to the Royal Capital, so please forgive me."
Hearing that, Abel breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, the end of this journey had come.
Here, Steve asked the mother and daughter.
"Well, the inn burned down because of my father. We will pay for the reconstruction costs. Is that okay?"
Hearing that, the mother shook her head.
"No. We will close the inn."
"Mom!"
Hannah looked at her mother.
The mother smiled gently at such a daughter.
"The inn with memories of that person burned down, but maybe this was for the best. Because if there is an inn, you will stay here forever. I have been worried that you are crushing the possibility of doing many more things."
"That's---"
Tears welled up in Hannah's eyes.
"Then, will you come to my territory? If you find what you want to do there, that is good. Of course, if the Baron permits it."
When Steve proposed this, the mother nodded.
Of course, Baron Moore did not oppose it.
"I will take responsibility for collecting the unpaid wages from Baron Moore, so I will advance the payment here first."
"Leave that to me. I will confiscate their property and use it for payment."
"Thank you, Baron. Is this case closed now?"
When Steve thought that, Hannah suddenly prostrated herself before Brian.
"I am sorry. I did not know you were Lord Dragon Head and spoke such violent words."
"Oh, about that, don't worry. I forgive you. But..."
"But, what is it?"
"That Lord Dragon Head is my son."
Here, Brian pointed out the misunderstanding, and Hannah turned pale. She then prostrated herself before Steve. Steve hurriedly stopped her.
"It's fine, it's fine."
After that, Hannah and her mother moved to the Archibalt Territory. The mother began working at a hot spring inn, and the daughter became a writer. Later, she wrote a work titled "The Retired Noble Travels the Countries and Helps the World," which became a hit.
Incidentally, Brian, Nancy, and Bella each had detailed requests regarding the active scenes of the characters, but it is unclear if the hit was due to that.
You guys, don't worry too much about Abel. Also, it wasn't up to a million characters yet.