The Former Holy Knight. Having Lost My Job and Childhood Friend, I Decided to Start a Dark Guild - Chapter 27

Guard duty varies greatly depending on who you’re protecting. Naturally, the more troublesome the protectee, the more likely someone like me, a perennially low-ranking and incompetent knight, will be assigned the task. At the top of the list of demanding charges was Lady Elena LeBlanc from the distinguished LeBlanc family, known for her capricious and whimsical demands.

I found myself frequently saddled with guarding Lady Elena, ridiculed as incompetent while I carried out my duties.

I knew of effective ways to handle Lady Elena’s tantrums, but unfortunately, the guards had ordered me not to approach her.

“Hey Kano, didn’t we pass a thicket of sweet berries earlier?”

“Yes, I remember. They were ripe, sweet berries, weren’t they?”

“Go and pick some.”

“Is that okay? Leaving my post?”

“It’s fine. Miss’s mood won’t improve anytime soon anyway.”

Following my instructions, Kano swiftly left the scene. Thanks to his sub-skill “Stealth,” no one noticed him. He quickly returned, arms laden with sweet berries.

“I found a clear stream and washed them. I thought offering them to the lady clean would be better.”

“These sweet berries aren’t for Miss to eat.”

“Eh? Weren’t they harvested to improve her mood?”

I plucked a sweet berry. “These are for me to eat before I exercise. You should have some, too, Kano.”

“Before exercise?”

Its sweet juice filled my mouth as I chewed on the precious berry. Kano did the same.

Soon, as expected, Lady Elena’s sharp voice could be heard. “Hey, you two! Why are you snacking during your duty?”

Turning towards the voice, we saw Lady Elena looking at us in disbelief.

“I’ve never seen anyone eat snacks while guarding me! What are you thinking?”

The captain, who had been criticized, seemed revitalized by her words.

“You’re right, Miss! What are you eating?”

“Erm, sweet berries,” Kano replied, still chewing.

“I’m not asking what you’re eating! It’s your lack of seriousness during duty that’s the issue!”

“Well, there’s no sign of anyone within a kilometer radius, so it’s probably fine.”

“Don’t make up such nonsense! There’s no way you, an elf, could know that!”

The captain stormed over and, reaching us, scattered the sweet berries Kano held with his hand before stomping on them. It was the perfect timing.

I stepped forward and deeply bowed to Lady Elena. “My apologies! The responsibility is mine! Please, punish me however you see fit!”

When I raised my head, Elena LeBlanc had a slight smile on her face.

“It seems you two need to be punished for your lack of seriousness. Let’s depart then.”

“Kyahaha! Your desperate faces are just priceless!”

Peering out from the carriage’s rear curtain, Lady Elena looked extremely pleased.

Kano and I, with weary expressions, were made to run on foot along the public road.

In front of us were the carriage and the guards on horseback. We had been stripped of our horses and commanded by Lady Elena to follow by running.

Kano and I would occasionally cry, “Too fast, Lady Elena!” Each time, Lady Elena would laugh joyously.

“It’s been a while since I’ve had this much fun. You two, try harder! I’m increasing the speed!”

As Lady Elena gave the order, the carriage sped up.

Running alongside Kano, I whispered, “Kano, can you keep up your stamina?”

“No problem. It’s my first horse riding, so running is easier.”

“Keep up the look of suffering.”

“Understood, Don.”

Of course, this was all according to plan. Lady Elena enjoyed making me run around like this for amusement. A Holy Knight would do anything to ensure the operation goes smoothly. Our pace matches a galloping horse’s, so if we keep her in a good mood, we should arrive at the villa on time.

When we were about an hour from the villa, near a gorge, Kano started looking around restlessly. His pointed ears twitched slightly.

“What’s wrong, Kano?”

“Um, it looks like the bridge ahead has collapsed.”

“Collapsed? You can see it?”

Kano nodded in response. If the bridge ahead is impassable, it would be wise to detour now. I increased our speed and informed the captain, who looked at me displeased.

“A collapsed bridge? I haven’t heard such a thing.”

“Our Kano is skilled in scouting and reconnaissance, so I believe him.”

The captain snorted.

“Trust the words of an elf? Anyway, this is overstepping. Return to your post.”

I couldn’t entirely disagree with the captain’s decision not to trust an adventurer of unknown origin. Though it would waste time, we had no choice but to proceed on this route.

Still, Kano looked uneasy.

“I feel a strange presence.”

“A strange presence?”

Indeed, there was an eerie sensation as if we were being watched. “Kano, keep on your guard.”

Kano’s information was accurate. The bridge over the gorge had completely collapsed, making passage impossible. The captain grimaced at the sight of the fallen bridge.

“Take the detour route! Turn back!”

As the captain gave the order, Kano shouted.

“Don! We’re surrounded!”

Men emerged from the gorge’s rocks, each with a crescent blade at their waist, clearly not ordinary adventurers. There were ten visible enemies. The gorge at our backs surrounded us.

The captain shouted.

“Bandits! Form a defense!”

The captain and his men engaged the bandits with their spears, a testament to the LeBlanc family’s private army’s solid defense. The bandits couldn’t get close.

The butler beside the young lady, no ordinary individual, cast a barrier over the carriage with holy magic, solidifying its defense.

However, focusing solely on defense would waste too much time. We were falling behind schedule, and my “hidden face” skill would soon disappear. I took a deep breath.

One minute. I had to subdue the surrounding bandits immediately.

“Hey! Don! Where are you going?”

I charged through the front lines, targeting a man who seemed to be the leader. With a high jump, I kicked him in the back of the head, causing him to collapse instantly creating a ripple of confusion among the bandits.

Ignoring the fleeing bandits, I swiftly subdued those around me. There was no need for a blade against such foes. I preferred not to kill or be splattered with blood. A precise strike to the head was enough to hinder them.

Though I was a nobody without manifested skills, I was the top Holy Knight training academy graduate. I would ensure the operation was flawlessly executed.

About a minute later, the ground was littered with twitching bandits.

Kano, mouth agape, stared in awe.

“Do-Don, that was amazing.”

Not just the captain but also Lady Elena and the butler were astonished. As I cleared a path for the carriage by lifting the fallen men, I said,

“We must depart quickly to avoid trouble with the remaining bandits.”

With Lady Elena asleep, the journey proceeded smoothly, and we reached our destination before the “hidden face” skill expired.

Our reward was initially set at one hundred silver coins but with an additional one hundred as a bonus for our achievements, totaling two hundred silver coins. Kano and I received fifty each, with the remainder going to the guild’s treasury.

The LeBlanc family’s butler gave us a grateful message,

“I will report today’s events to the master. Not only about the bandit incident, but it was also a relief to see the young lady smile again. We might call upon you for work again.”

They even lent us horses for the return trip, sparing us the need to run.

On the way back, Kano frequently examined the heavy leather bag of silver coins attached to his waist, then securely tied it back, only to take it out and gaze at it again shortly after.

“What’s the matter, Kano?”

Startled, Kano turned to me.

“Uh, is it really okay for me to accept this much money?”

“You earned it, so of course it is.”

“But getting the same amount as Don is not right!”

“You did your part, Kano. Now, let’s hurry back. We’ve got a bath and meal waiting, and Sani and Nina are expecting us.”

“Yes, let’s go home!”