Chapter 09
“Guards!”
Reinhardt shouted with a heavy voice. The ringing voice rode the street and echoed in all directions.
Urgent footsteps clattering could be heard. Checking the appearance of guards approaching with flustered expressions, only then did Reinhardt lower his gaze.
“Let go! Let go, you bastard!”
The man crushed under Reinhardt’s knee was squirming roughly. But Reinhardt didn't budge.
[Sudden Mission: Suppress Suspicious Man]
Righteous you must willingly step up for innocent citizens.
Suppress the suspicious person, and grasp the objective.
[Buff Applied: Justice x1]
[All stats increase by 23.]
Since the buff was already applied, he wasn't pushed back by strength.
Reinhardt put a little strength into his knee.
With a keok sound, the man became quiet.
“Si-Sir Reinhardt?”
At that time, three guards approached. They were looking alternately at Reinhardt and the man pinned under him with bewildered eyes.
At that, Reinhardt unfolded and showed the scroll he snatched from the man just before.
“Guard. Can you read this scroll?”
“I do not know. Sorr…….”
“I can read it! This is, ex, a scroll containing magic of explosion.”
The face of the guard examining the scroll closely turned pale.
Magic of explosion, he says.
Reinhardt clicked his tongue and checked the scroll.
If this man succeeded in tearing this, a massive explosion would have occurred in the middle of the street. The citizens caught in it would have died without mercy.
‘Is he a crazy bastard, this one.’
Reinhardt felt absurd.
To think I’d live to see a terrorist in this world.
Since it was a game with a story of confronting great evil, summoning a demon would be more like it, but ignorant terror of this kind shouldn't have happened.
“Soldier. What is your name?”
“I am Hans of the Serigel Guard!”
“Did you learn magic?”
“No! There is a wizard among my close acquaintances. I only learned how to read scrolls separately!”
“Excellent. I will hand him over to you guys. He might possess additional scrolls, so conduct a thorough body search.”
Saying so, Reinhardt relaxed his knee. At the same time, he grabbed the man's wrist and twisted.
Crack.
“Aaaaaah!”
Only after hearing a sharp scream did Reinhardt hand over the man to the guards.
Since he broke the wrist, even if the guards made a mistake, it would be difficult to tear the scroll.
[Suspicion resolved.]
[The effect of ‘Justice’ has been strengthened by the righteous choice.]
*Stat increase per stack +1
[Regaining composure.]
The rising message informed that the situation was resolved.
‘Giving 1 point for just something like this. Even when I caught and beat up bandits and mercenaries and whatnot, it was 1 point.’
Reinhardt gauged the criteria for strengthening the [Justice] buff effect.
‘The scale or skill of the opponent faced isn't everything.’
It might be the headcount of potential victims saved, or it might be a criterion that just being righteous is enough.
Anyway, such parts could be sufficiently confirmed while living in the future.
Brush brush.
Reinhardt brushed off the dust on his clothes. Looking around, Serigel citizens were looking at him with various gazes.
Someone had a surprised expression, and emotions including admiration hung on someone's face.
‘He is definitely famous, alright. I need to slip away for a moment and come back.’
The situation was resolved, and the hunger remained. To eat, he had to deal with the pouring gazes first.
Reinhardt moved his steps with an expression as if nothing had happened.
Going around a quiet alley nearby a few times, and only when he thought no one was watching did he wrap the voluminous robe again.
He returned to the place where he suppressed the criminal earlier. Thanks to wearing the robe, no one paid attention to him now.
[Blue Moon Inn]
The famous restaurant of Gateway City Serigel was in front of his eyes.
Pushing the door and entering, Reinhardt occupied a table with a strangely excited heart and sat down.
“Will you order?”
“I’ll have the special meat dish.”
“The portion will be large for eating alone, will you be okay?”
“Doesn't matter.”
“Yes, will prepare it soon!”
The waiter who took the order left with lively steps.
Reinhardt tapped the table with his fingers and looked out the window.
With the thought that if he saw any suspicious sight again, he would dash out quickly and grab [Justice] stacks.
It was that moment.
Scrape.
Someone pulled the chair opposite Reinhardt and sat down.
“……?”
The opponent was also wearing a robe.
It was a suspicious appearance, but messages about justice or missions didn't pop up.
“Who are you?”
“We saw each other earlier.”
Slide.
The opponent lifted the robe on the face side, then lowered it again.
“It is Knight Evangeline. Sir Reinhardt.”
***
Table is one.
People are two.
The dish placed on top was one.
Blue Moon Inn’s special meat dish. Even though the food came out, no one picked up the fork and knife.
Awkward air lingered. Eventually, the one who opened her mouth first was Evangeline.
“How long have you been here? As a member of the Taton Knights.”
It was a light question. Evangeline seemed to be trying to loosen the tension of the seat in her own way.
However, to Reinhardt, it was rather a countereffect.
‘How many years was I here? I don't know?’
City Serigel.
Knight Order, Taton.
Reinhardt didn't know how many years he stayed here.
He never paid particular attention, nor did he ever look it up.
Because it was a question perfect for buying suspicion from surrounding people for no reason.
“Um, I, here, that is…….”
Reinhardt dragged his words and desperately rolled his brain. He needed a plausible answer to escape this seat.
Then suddenly.
Reinhardt realized the fact that he was ‘Reinhardt’.
“I do not know exactly. I tend not to pay much attention to such matters.”
Confidently spouting nonsense.
And, a gaze thinking that if it's this honest knight, it might be so.
It was a situation frequently encountered while living as Reinhardt.
“I see.”
Indeed, Evangeline’s eyes were sparkling.
It was a much more ‘Reinhardt-like’ answer than saying vaguely 3 years, 5 years.
‘I have no interest in anything other than something righteous. I am that kind of character.’
Reinhardt reminded himself again.
He had to become a madman obsessed with justice. He had to be a human who paid immense attention only to sword and armor, and enemies to cut down.
‘Done. I think I can pass other questions like this too. More than that…….’
Reinhardt stared intently into Evangeline’s eyes.
Acting as if looking naturally, he read the room.
‘Did she see?’
It was the most important issue.
Just a while ago.
When suppressing the suspicious man, Reinhardt was in a state with [Justice] buff applied.
Of course, ordinary people or extra soldiers wouldn't be able to realize that difference. All they would think is that he is strong as expected of a knight.
But Evangeline was different.
The person who carried the alias Knight of Frost, and was in a position equal to Reinhardt as a ‘companion’ in the work, was exactly her.
“Sir Reinhardt.”
“Yes.”
“The food will get cold.”
At Evangeline’s words, Reinhardt felt absurdity.
Are you telling me to eat rice in this situation.
In this situation where a person seen for the first time sits facing and stares intently.
“It is fine. State your business first.”
“I do not wish to cause trouble.”
Then isn't it a matter of just leaving? Those words rose up to his chin, but Reinhardt barely held them back.
Because the honest knight Reinhardt would have willingly accepted the opponent's goodwill.
Clatter.
He grabbed the fork and knife. Reinhardt cut the meat and dipped it deeply in the appetizing sauce.
“…….”
Still, Evangeline was staring at Reinhardt with a calm gaze.
Reinhardt also met those eyes. Meeting eyes, he pushed the meat into his mouth and chewed.
Rich juices burst out. It was much more delicious than he thought, but he didn't reveal emotions.
Chew chew.
Even while chewing, gazes continued to look at each other.
And, only after the meal ended.
“Sir Reinhardt. Were you hiding your skills?”
Evangeline asked the question as if she had been waiting.
‘She saw.’
Reinhardt sighed mentally.
The opponent in front of him was clearly feeling doubt.
She was probing the disparity between the appearance seen at the Knight Order and the appearance seen a little while ago.
“I do not hide my skills. I only draw my sword when needed.”
“At the Knight Order, was it not needed?”
“There were no enemies to punish there.”
Evangeline’s eyebrows twitched. She seemed to chew over Reinhardt’s words, then soon nodded.
“That is your belief, Sir.”
“No need for such grand expression. I am only doing what I must do as a knight.”
Conversation stopped again there.
Reinhardt waited for Evangeline’s words with an anxious heart, but without showing it.
‘Driving me crazy.’
The hand lowered under the table had long been damp with cold sweat.
And.
“I heard you desire to join the Paganoa Knights.”
At the feared situation, Reinhardt’s head went dizzy.
“I desired it, but not now. It was merely a goal stemming from the foolish thought of trying to rank justice.”
“I see.”
“Yes. If you have no special further words, may I leave now? I still have work left to do.”
“Is it work that must be done as a knight?”
“This city is wide. To look into places where the eyes of the world do not reach, one must move busily.”
This was sufficiently natural.
The opponent also seemed to accept it in her own way.
‘She won't recommend joining Paganoa just by seeing what she saw just now. Considering how high the cutline is.’
Reinhardt thought while rising from the seat.
Paganoa was anyway the Empire's best knight order, and the current self was absurdly weak.
Being called the Knight of Light was also something applicable in the far future, when the [Justice] skill was sufficiently strengthened.
“The conversation, was enjoyable.”
“I am glad it seems to have been helpful.”
Evangeline offered a handshake. Reinhardt grasped it while tense, but it was just a truly pure handshake.
The skin of the hand was rough. Evangeline possessed a knightly hand.
“It seems we will meet again.”
“If there is a reason, it will be so.”
Reinhardt drew a firm line. He took a step leaving Evangeline behind.
And at that moment.
“Sir Reinhardt.”
The moment Reinhardt turned back at the voice heard from behind.
Whish-
A sharp sword tip was in front of his eyes. At a distance where he would have suffered a fatal wound if extended just an inch more.
“…….”
Reinhardt stared intently at the sword without budging an inch. Because his body had stiffened from being too surprised.
The reason he could at least avoid collapsing was thanks to the various skills ‘Reinhardt’ was born with.
“Did you not react?”
A calm voice dug into his ears like when she offered the handshake.
Only then did Reinhardt’s brain begin to spin. Understanding the situation, he blinked.
‘This one was a nutjob too.’
Evangeline was aiming her sword at him.
Receiving the sunlight, it was a sword flashing coldly.