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

I, along with Nina, the vessel of the Demon Lord, was riding a horse, advancing along the endless Western Road. The further west we went, the more the sun scorched our bodies, causing sweat to break out.

Lately, rumors have been spreading that Don Michino controls the underworld of the royal capital, but as for me, I’ve been busy taking on requests and sweating it out day after day. The workload has become incomparable to before, leaving no time for rest.

This time, the client is a dark merchant from the royal capital, who wants us to deliver a parcel to the domain ruled by Count Bernard in the western region. Since the uprising of a certain tribe, security in the western territories has deteriorated rapidly, and even the regular adventurers’ guilds seem hesitant to take on transportation jobs. That’s why the job came to our Dark Guild.

I brought Nina along for a change of scenery, as her movements in the royal capital have been restricted due to the Demon Lord issue.

As expected, when the largest city in Bernard’s domain, Nasheem, came into view, Nina’s eyes sparkled.

It’s no wonder, given that the landscape of Count Bernard’s domain—with its scarce rainfall and eternally dry winds—is so different from the royal capital. The unique red rock houses and the local Sun Trees, Ramnal, which only grow in this region, filled the convent-raised Nina with curiosity.

Especially in the bustling market bazaar, where unfamiliar foods, unseen in the royal capital, were on display. Nina pointed at a fruit and asked, “Don, what is this? Can you eat it?”

“It’s called Batteca. It’s an important source of hydration in this dry region. You should try it.”

I took a copper coin from my pouch and handed it to the stall owner, who was wrapped in a turban, to cut up some Batteca.

Nina stared at the Batteca for a moment before stuffing it into her mouth. With each bite of the juicy fruit, her expression brightened. “Don, this is really delicious.”

Probably, no one would guess that this innocent, fruit-eating girl is the very person causing turmoil in the royal capital’s theological circles.

Of course, seeing me in my travel garb, it’s unlikely that anyone would recognize me as the Don of the Michino Family. And that’s convenient for us in this town.

Naturally, every town has its dark side. This city is dominated by the Said Family, a Dark Guild that has a monopoly here, unlike the royal capital where multiple families vie for power. They certainly wouldn’t be happy with an outsider Dark Guild like ours hanging around. We must avoid unnecessary conflict by disguising ourselves as mere adventurers.

“First, we need to secure a place to stay.”

After a long journey without a proper inn or a bath, we badly needed to wash up. It was essential to maintain some cleanliness while delivering the merchant’s package.

After Nina finished eating the Batteca, we headed toward the inn district.

We passed through the lively bazaar and checked the adventurers’ district for inns with baths, but they were all fully booked. We considered splurging a bit on a luxury inn as we walked through the city when suddenly, we stopped.

We had entered Cleanse Square, the central hub of this city. There, a man and a woman, escorted by Holy Knights, came into view.

They were in tatters, with shaggy hair and wearing only ragged clothes, wooden shackles on their wrists, and ropes tied around their waists.

People on the street cast scornful glances at them, with some even throwing stones or spitting at them.

Gradually, loud cries filled the square.

“Under the name of Saintess Cecil-sama, punish the filthy heretics! A severe death!”

Seeing this, Nina looked uneasy. Such blatant persecution of heretics was rare in the royal capital.

“This place has always been troubled by the threat of the western tribes, so the suppression of heretics is even harsher here.”

In the center of Cleanse Square stood a grand statue of Saintess Cecil, with people praying around it. I had heard that in harsh environments, devotion to the saint grows stronger, and this town was a prime example of that.

Eventually, we found an inn with a bath and, after a quick rinse, delivered the parcel to the city’s merchant, completing the request with ease.

After enjoying some local cuisine at a diner, we returned to the inn where we finally had some leisure time.

Nina, exhausted from the journey, immediately fell asleep on the bed.

I sat by the window of the guest room, gazing out at the foreign night scenery. Even as night fell, the streets were as crowded as during the day.

Meanwhile, at the edge of the city, the massive “Saintess Wall” stood guarding the nation, enveloped in an indescribable calmness. Beyond that, the frontier stretched out, where the royal capital’s Holy Knights were presumably battling the frontier folk.

As I was admiring the view, a knocking sound came from the door. I stood up, and before I knew it, my hand was on the hilt of one of the twin swords leaning nearby.

(What is this presence?)

I hadn’t noticed it until now, but a chilling, unfamiliar presence was emanating from the other side of the door.

The knocking continued. I held my breath, staring intently at the door. Three armed figures stood outside, likely heretics. I wanted to avoid any conflict in this foreign land.

As I was considering putting them to sleep with a newly learned “Phantom Technique,” a woman’s voice echoed in my mind.

“Don Michino, I am not here to oppose you. I have come with a request for you.”

Then, the woman revealed her name. It was Shea Sirene, the ringleader of the recent frontier folk uprising.