Chapter 193: It’s Easy to Be Sarcastic Towards Longdagger 4
Frankly speaking, the relationship between nobles and adventurers—armed groups of commoners—is not friendly.
The reason commoners treat nobles as nobles is because they die in their place, because they fight. But adventurers are commoners, yet they fight and die.
The very existence of adventurers came about because nobles couldn’t handle Monster Subjugation on their own. Essentially, adventurers shoulder the work of nobles.
Most adventurers probably aren’t conscious of this.
The profession of adventurer is something people fall into because they have nothing else they can do.
They are granted considerable freedom as a privilege because they take on the nobles’ work, but few adventurers are aware of this.
In fact, many probably think of that privilege as nothing more than a convenient pretext for nicely discarding those of them who have lost their place in villages and towns.
From the nobles’ perspective, adventurers are rivals who steal their work, potential business competitors whose privileges they tolerate.
From the adventurers’ perspective, nobles are—whether they realize it or not—unlikeable people who cast them out of society, push work onto them, and then complain, telling them not to get in their way.
Therefore, a direct request from a noble to an adventurer is quite a rare event.
If a noble absolutely needs a specific adventurer for a task, they first make them a vassal. Becoming a noble’s vassal is considered one of the better goals for an adventurer.
Merseja, who acts as the liaison between us and Erica’s father, Prime Minister Faltar-dono, is necessary precisely because the Prime Minister cannot make adventurers his vassals for political reasons.
And the Margrave probably has political entanglements similar to the Prime Minister-dono. After all, the military power commanded by a Margrave is second only to the king’s.
If he were to recklessly make adventurers his vassals, he would likely invite unnecessary suspicion.
The Margrave-dono has it tough, too.
I thought this while sitting in my chair, vaguely gazing at the Margrave-dono who was staring back at me.
Suddenly, I got elbowed from both sides.
Disapproving gazes flew at me from Erica and Shara. I realized then that I had let the silence drag on a bit too long.
The Margrave-dono was watching me—no, glaring at me—while quietly clenching his jaw.
His hands, clasped in front of his stomach, looked as if he was restraining himself from strangling me.
I hurriedly opened my mouth. I had managed to avoid getting bitten in the neck; I wanted to avoid being strangled too.
“May I inquire about the details of the request?”
When a noble uses adventurers instead of their own subordinates, the content of the request requires the most caution.
There aren’t many nobles who would blatantly push dirty work onto adventurers. However, ending up doing dirty work as a consequence is a plausible scenario.
The Margrave-dono doesn’t seem like that type of noble, but there’s no doubt he possesses the capacity and resolve to handle both the good and the bad. He wouldn’t hesitate if he had a reason, and I have far too many things that come to mind.
Should I perhaps tell him directly that I wasn’t the one who blew up the fountain?
The Margrave-dono gave a single nod, as if suppressing something, and opened his mouth.
“The request is for protection.”
I almost tilted my head instinctively.
A protection request is the least suitable kind for a noble to give an adventurer. Someone like a Margrave should be able to handle it with his own forces.
Has he really decided to handle the “dirty” work?
Perhaps my suspicion showed on my face, as the Margrave-dono gestured as if understanding my feelings, telling me not to worry.
“Currently, my domain is severely short of Knights.”
The Margrave casually confessed his territory’s predicament.
Knights are the cornerstone of maintaining public order in a domain. Confessing that their numbers are insufficient is something that should normally never be revealed, no matter the reason.
The content starkly contrasted with the Margrave-dono’s gestures and tone meant to reassure me. Recognizing him as the lord of Hecate, I gathered my Guts again.
This was a form of threat.
A threat from the Margrave-dono, essentially saying, Don’t you dare refuse.
If the Margrave-dono were merely the portly noble coasting on his ancestors’ achievements that he appeared to be, I would scoff. But this was the man who declared he himself would land the first blow on the Blackened Dragon, the man who went out to the front lines where Majin might be present and took command.
Scoffing would likely cost me my head.
Even if we refused here, he probably had second and third plans ready to drive us into a situation where refusal was impossible.
The man before me possessed god-like strategy and demonic cunning, the man who prevented even a single resident death when Majin swarmed the city.
I steeled my resolve.
Afterword
Thank you always for the comments, likes, follows, ratings, etc.
Thanks to you, the author’s heart-fuel tank is always full.
Announcement
I’ve posted an SS (Short Story) exclusively for supporters in the recent activity report section.
I’ve felt bad that I haven’t been able to give much back to my supporters until now.
I hope this serves as a small token of my appreciation… I wonder if it does?
By the way, the content of the SS is a comedy where one day Shin and Erica’s genders are swapped.
If I have another chance, I hope to give back in some other way.
(Do your best, future me)
Promotion (Feel free to skip)
I am currently participating in the short story division of Kakuyomu Con 10.
Wizard Punk! 9700 characters
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818093089540860113
The Underside of the Underside of a TS Magical Girl 4900 characters
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818093089663854836
I aimed for both to be quick reads.
Please check them out if you’d like!