I Became the Dark Knight in the Game
Chapter 16: The Unknown Enemy (2)

“So, are we going with just us three?”

Esther asked with a sullen expression on her face, while Harkin scratched his curly hair.

“Well, a shieldman, a priest, and a knight make up the bare minimum. We’re missing a long-range attacker. It would be perfect if we had an archer… Priestess, do you know any archers?”

“No, I don’t. And my name is Esther, by the way.”

Harkin ignored Esther’s correction and turned to Dale.

“What about you, Sir Dale?”

“No.”

“I don’t know one either. So we need to find someone new. Can we manage that?”

Dale shook his head.

Mercenaries showed interest in Dale but still maintained a strong sense of caution.

Finding a decent archer would require time and money, and unfortunately, they were short on time.

“There’s also the chance that the survivors are still alive. We need to hurry.”

“I agree with Sir Dale. If there is someone who can be saved, of course we must save them.”

Esther agreed with Dale.

However, Harkin seemed indifferent to it all. The term ‘missing mercenaries’ was almost synonymous with the dead.

“Well, alright then. In that case, can’t we find someone from the temple of the night? From what I know, followers of the goddess of the night don’t necessarily join the mercenaries’ guild and work independently.”

It was more accurate to say they weren’t able to join the guild, rather than they didn’t want to.

They too faced the same difficulties as Dale.

When the idea of adding another heretic was brought up, Esther made a displeased face.

Dale alone was enough to challenge her faith.

After a moment of contemplation, Dale also shook his head.

“It doesn’t seem like a good idea. I don’t want to take someone whose identity we don’t know.”

“Well, yeah. They’re all a bit off in the head anyway…”

Harkin caught himself mid-sentence and quickly added,

“I wasn’t talking about Sir Dale, though.”

“Be careful.”

“Yes.”

In the end, it was decided that only the three of them would go.

Having fewer people was certainly a disadvantage in terms of strength.

But it wasn’t all bad.

The fewer people you have, the faster you can react in times of crisis. At least they wouldn’t trip over each other.

Moreover, fewer people meant greater rewards for each individual.

The trio immediately went to the guild to complete their report. Garland nodded upon seeing them.

“Harkin, Sir Dale, and Lady Esther, I see. I’ve already prepared the carriage and the necessary items for the journey. I wish you good luck on your task.”

Dale nodded his head and strode forward.

Harkin and Esther followed him.

Once aboard the prepared luggage carriage, Dale spoke to Harkin.

“You’ll be the coachman.”

“Me? Do I have to?”

“Should I do it then? And she doesn’t know how to handle horses.”

Dale pointed to Esther and the latter narrowed her eyes.

“Wait a minute. Why do you assume I can’t drive a carriage?”

“Do you know how to?”

“…I don’t, but don’t just assume that I can’t.”

Harkin sighed deeply.

“I’ll do it.”

As Harkin grasped the reins, the two well-groomed horses moved their legs vigorously.

The carriage slowly left the city gates and entered the main road.

People from the slums gazed blankly in their direction.

They did not approach.

It was an unspoken rule not to beg from those leaving the city.

The day was warm.

The midday sun streamed over the carriage.

While feeling a little uncomfortable from the stinging sensation, Dale polished his longsword with a rag.

This one was a new sword that he purchased after the one he used in the fight with Miles and his underlings was chipped.

I paid quite a bit for it, so hopefully it won’t break easily this time.

Esther took out a bible from her belongings and read it. The paper was completely frayed from how often she had read it.

Esther was undisturbed by her surroundings as she focused solely on the text of the bible.

The sunlight also fell on Esther’s head.

Her already radiant platinum hair shone even more brilliantly.

A beautiful priestess reading the Bible.

It was quite a sight to behold.

If a bunch of devout believers were to see her, they might have caused a commotion, mistaking her for a saint.

Fortunately, there was no one like that here. Dale was endlessly tending to his weapon, while Harkin yawned lazily with sleepy eyes.

Unable to bear the boredom, Harkin asked,

“Why don’t we have a chat to pass the time?”

“I’m not bored.”

“Oh, come on. There must be something to talk about. For example, the story about how Sir Dale recently dealt with Miles and his lackeys and made a tidy profit.”

Dale stopped polishing his sword.

“I was wondering about that earlier. How do you know about that?”

Harkin gave a sly smile.

“Hah, there are no secrets in this business. If someone makes a score, the whole city knows the next day. Sometimes if you’re unlucky, even robbers come looking for you.”

Indeed, selling the equipment they took from Miles and his gang had been quite profitable.

But he didn’t expect the news to spread so far.

“Well, Sir Dale doesn’t have to worry about that. Unless a robber with really big guts comes along, who would dare target Sir Dale?”

Dale nodded his head indifferently.

Esther, who had been reading her bible silently, suddenly snapped it shut and looked up.

“Wait a minute. Are you saying that Sir Dale made a profit by killing people?”

The conversation had taken an odd turn.

Her words weren’t exactly wrong but they were certainly misleading.

Harkin frowned at this potential misunderstanding.

“Look, being a mercenary sometimes involves killing people. What’s the big deal?”

“Hey.”

That kind of remark only helped fuel the misunderstanding.

Esther looked at Dale with a shocked expression. Her hands were trembling as she pointed at him.

“Sir Dale, didn’t you promise me not to cause trouble?”

Anticipating that Esther might make a fuss, Dale sighed deeply and began to explain.

He explained everything, from the time they accepted Garland’s request to the massacre Miles carried out in the village.

After hearing the whole story, Esther covered her mouth with both hands.

“My goodness. How could such a terrible thing happen?”

“What are you saying? These things happen too often.”

Harkin remarked nonchalantly which made Esther avert her gaze.

“Happen often? Are such incidents common?”

Harkin responded with surprise.

“Eh? In an era where kingdoms centuries old are being destroyed, a village disappearing isn’t rare. It’s not just mercenaries either; bandits, monsters, demons, there are plenty of dangers out there.”

Esther muttered with a look of deep concern,

“I had no idea such a tragedy could occur so close to the city. All this time I’ve been living in peace…”

Her voice carried a faint sense of guilt. She was actually blaming herself for not being more aware of her surroundings.

Harkin snorted mockingly.

Feeling a sense of responsibility even for such matters seemed to him an exhaustingly burdensome way to live.

On the contrary, Dale was slightly envious of Esther.

Her ability to empathize and feel guilt even about matters not concerning her.

It was an emotion that the current Dale could not possess.

The group fell silent once again.

The surroundings became quiet.

Only the rhythmic sound of horse hooves hitting the ground echoed around them.

Harkin yawned lazily and muttered,

“Damn boring.”

***

The destination of the group was a rocky mountain located about three days northwest of Irene.

It was known as “Pointy Rock Mountain”, named for its sharp peaks jutting out towards the sky.

It was the territory of owlbears and eater packs, and where the previous investigation team disappeared.

Harkin swallowed hard as he gazed at the distant mountain peaks.

“Big, isn’t it? I know that pointy rock mountain extends up to the dragon bone range in the north. It’ll take a while to search through.”

“Well.”

Dale had a different opinion.

“If the owlbears and eater packs were scared enough to flee, we might find traces easily.”

“Now that you mention it, that does seem possible….”

When he heard that, a sudden fear gripped him.

Weren’t they now going to face a creature that dangerous?

Perhaps we should retreat even now.

Harkin looked around nervously and his gaze eventually fell on Dale.

Only then did his anxiety subside a little.

Well, Dale will handle it somehow.

He had no real basis for this belief, but it felt like Dale would manage things well.

Harkin stopped the carriage at a suitable spot.

There was still some time before sunset, but going any further would mean entering enemy territory.

“Aight. Let’s eat first. We need a good meal if we’re going to fight, right?”

The three of them didn’t divide the tasks specifically, but each one of them found something to do.

Dale chopped down a suitably small tree with his hand axe, Harkin fetched water from a nearby stream, and Esther prepared the cooking pot.

Once everything was ready, Esther addressed both Dale and Harkin.

“Let’s say a prayer before our meal. Dale, Harkin, please join hands with me.”

“?”

“What?”

Both Dale and Harkin expressed their confusion.

However, Esther ignored their reactions and clasped her hands together, beginning her prayer.

“O Merciful and Warm Light, thank you for providing us with the sustenance we need today…”

“The food supplies were actually prepared by Garland, though?”

“We give thanks and hope the light illuminates the whole world.”

Even as Harkin interjected, Esther continued her prayer resolutely.

Harkin scratched his head in confusion as he wondered what this was all about.

Of course, in the church, it was believed that prayer brightened the soul, and this applied to everyone who heard it.

In essence, Esther was offering a prayer for Dale and Harkin.

But isn’t Sir Dale of a different religion?

Dark knights were those who had received the baptism of the night and were seekers of darkness.

An entity that is the opposite of the church’s paladin.

If the situation were reversed and a prayer of darkness was recited in front of a church paladin, might it have been interpreted as a declaration of battle, provoking an aggressive response?

Harkin scratched his curly hair with a complex expression on his face.

He had felt it before, but this young priestess seemed to possess that typical obstinate attitude of the devout believers.

A belief that anything is allowed if one believes it to be right.

Harkin cautiously observed Dale, thinking he might find it offensive.

Just then, Dale removed his helmet.

Harkin swallowed hard.

But the corners of Dale’s mouth, now revealed, were slightly turned up. It was enough to be considered a smile.

The surprised Harkin blurted out without thinking.

“Eh, you actually know how to smile?”

“What do you mean?”

“I thought dark knights couldn’t smile… Why are you smiling, then?”

Why had he smiled?

After a moment of thought, Dale answered.

“Just. I was suddenly reminded of my grandfather.”

“Your … grandfather? Come to think of it, I’ve never heard stories about Sir Dale.”

In truth, Harkin had often been curious but had never bothered to ask.

He just assumed Dale wouldn’t respond anyway.

It was common for knights who embraced darkness to have a sinister past, and they usually preferred not to speak of it.

But seeing that Dale didn’t seem to mind, Harkin felt encouraged and asked his question.

“Could you start by telling me which kingdom you’re from? Lepanto? Baiman? Or perhaps one that no longer exists?”

“Kingdom, huh? I can’t say exactly.”

“Then give me a brief description. Was it famous for its seas, or did it have a long history?”

Dale pondered how to respond.

Describing modern Korea wasn’t easy. Talking about democracy or technological advancements seemed too far-fetched.

After some thought, Dale remembered that the people of this world had a strong interest in religion.

So, he tailored his explanation accordingly.

“It was a country where over half the population didn’t believe in a god. My grandfather was a man who, even in such place, never lost his faith and lived devoutly.”

Beyond that, nothing else about Korea came to mind.

Harkin blurted out.

“Sounds like a cursed place. Almost like hell, isn’t it?”

Even among mercenaries with little religious devotion, a complete absence of faith was practically unheard of.

In this world, since gods truly existed, people’s hearts inevitably harbored the presence of a deity, be it small or large.

Esther, who had been eavesdropping with interest, joined in.

“I’ve heard about it. Among the old dwarven kingdoms, there was one cursed for not worshiping a god. Is your place similar to that?”

“Well, with such a vast continent, there are all sorts of kingdoms.”

Can there also be an atheist country in this world?

Though he was briefly puzzled, Dale moved on.

“My grandfather used to recite something akin to a prayer before meals. It was called a ‘verse’… Seeing Esther reminded me of him, and that’s why I laughed.”

Esther’s expression brightened.

“Your grandfather must have been a deeply devoted man!”

“Yes, he was.”

His faith wasn’t in the light goddess though but Dale chose not to elaborate on that.

As Esther seemed about to probe further, Dale said,

“My grandfather was deeply devout, but he never imposed his beliefs on anyone. Thanks to that, I didn’t inherit his religion. I respect my grandfather for that.”

Having said this, Dale looked intently at Esther and asked,

“Do you understand, Esther?”

“……”

Esther must have had her reasons for urging Dale to join her in prayer.

Perhaps she hoped that this knight, who had embraced darkness, would turn back to the light.

Esther must have acted in good faith. Dale was not particularly offended either.

He saw his relationship with the goddess of the night as a mutual exchange rather than as true devotion to darkness.

However, to others, Dale appeared as a follower of the night goddess and Esther was aware of this fact.

Her behavior was, in essence, very rude.

If it had been any other dark knight other than Dale, Esther would have had a sword stuck in her heart by now.

Esther met Dale’s emotionless eyes and slowly lowered her head.

“……I’m sorry. I made a mistake.”

“Don’t worry about it. Next time, pray with Harkin instead.”

“Ugh! Why am I being dragged into this?”

When Harkin stepped back, Dale grabbed his shoulder. Harkin grimaced in pain.

“Ow, that hurts! Alright, I’ll pray, just let go of me… Ahh!”

Dale pulled Harkin forcefully towards him. Harkin screamed and fell forward, spilling the bowl of soup on the ground.

The next moment, a sharp spike whizzed through the air.

It passed right where Harkin’s head had been just a moment earlier.

Dale stood up and drew his sword.

“It looks like a guest has arrived.”

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