I Became the Dark Knight in the Game

Chapter 29: The Two Dwarves (1)

The first person to come running as soon as he heard the news was, surprisingly, Harkin.

Oooh, Sir Dale! Ive heard the story! You got involved with some thieves, didnt you?

Harkin blurted that out as he burst through the inns door.

Kayla who was wiping the tables shifted her gaze to Dale.

Who is this?

A mercenary.

Harkin strode over and placed his order with Kayla.

A beer, please. Ah, of course, its Sir Dale whos paying.

Dale smiled wryly at this guys astonishingly brazen attitude.

Arent you a bit too bold?

Hey, you can afford a drink or two for me, cant you? Im a bit strapped for money these days, so please let it slide this time.

Werent you paid handsomely by Garland?

After all, they had defeated a demons servant and had been amply rewarded with a bounty from the guild.

Harkin laughed awkwardly and said,

Well, you know how it is with mercenary work. There are so many expenses

Where a mercenary might squander his money was predictable. Either he had blown it on drinking, gambling, or

Dale advised seriously.

You should moderate your visits to the brothel. Its not just about the money, you could catch a disease.

Kayla who was listening nearby sent a look of disdain in his way, which prompted Harkin to hastily deny it.

Its not like that! What do you take me for! I dont go there that often these days.

Which implied that he used to frequent the place quite a bit.

Embarrassed, Harkin quickly gulped down the beer Kayla had brought him.

Kuhh. But this tastes pretty bad. There are taverns with much better beer than this.

Im sorry the taste isnt to your liking!

As Kayla responded sharply, Harkin scratched his head and whispered to Dale.

But this place has a pretty bold waitress, huh?

Shes not a waitress. Shes the owner.

Really?

Harkin looked at her with newfound surprise while Kayla glared at him sharply.

Dale asked calmly.

So, why did you come here?

Eh? Oh, well. Does there have to be some reason for me to visit? Im hurt by your words, Sir Dale.

Dale quietly clenched his fist, causing a visibly startled Harkin to chuckle sheepishly.

Just curious. I heard you completely wiped out a thieves guild, didnt you? Why did you do that? Everyones talking about it now.

Is it really something to make a fuss over?

It was just a thieves guild, after all.

Dale had thought it wasnt something people would be so interested in.

But he was wrong.

Sir Dale, you dont understand. The Black Serpent Brotherhood has a history as long as the Empire itself. Although most of their fangs have fallen out, they were once a force to be reckoned with, with many tangled alliances Thats how they were perceived. Since such a place was wiped out overnight, it was bound to become a hot topic.

Hmm. I see.

He hadnt realized the extent of the organization.

Its leader did use some unique techniques but they were hardly a threat to Dale.

Harkins eyes lit up with interest as he spoke.

Everyones buzzing about it. Saying that youve delivered justice to those trash thieves, that the dark knight finally revealed his true colors, and that this was the beginning of a back alley war. So, whats the reason you decimated them all of a sudden? It wasnt a mercenary request, was it?

Dale tapped the table lightly.

There were several plausible excuses he could offer for such a massacre but he didnt feel like sharing them.

I didnt like them.

Is that all?

Thats all.

Harkin, who was dazed for a moment, burst out laughing.

Haha! As expected of Sir Dale! Very manly.

Dale just shrugged his shoulders and offered no reply.

Harkin felt spirited and he stealthily ordered another beer.

Dale just pretended not to notice.

After gulping down his beer, Harkin said,

Anyway, I feel great.

About?

Perhaps its that people are starting to recognize the true worth of Sir Dale. Everywhere I go, I hear praises for you, and it makes me happy.

Being praised for killing dozens of people

Its a strange feeling.

In moments like these, Dale was vividly reminded that he was in a world with vastly different moral standards.

The loneliness of being dropped into an unfamiliar world.

Dale stared blankly at his own blurry reflection in the glass of water.

As the water rippled, his reflection distorted in various directions.

Splash!

Dale spilled the water from the glass onto the ground, erasing his reflection.

He wasnt in the mood to wallow in self-pity.

Well, its not too bad.

It seems people are relatively appreciative of what he did this time.

Would the way people looked at him change a bit?

The drunk Harkin pointed at Dale and said,

And Sir Dale, try to go around without your helmet sometimes in the city. Youve got a handsome face; you should show it off!

Huh?

People shy away because youre always wearing that helmet. I heard you went around without it this time? Thats why people are seeing you differently.

Come to think of it, this time he went through the city with his helmet not fully regenerated due to the severe damage his body had sustained.

Kayla who was eavesdropping on Harkins words also muttered Exactly, exactly in a low voice.

So, the praises he received were because

Couldnt be just because of my looks, right?

That thought, in itself, felt oddly unsettling.

Dale asked Kayla to bring him a beer.

And then he downed it in one go.

Now, he couldnt taste or even get drunk due to his undead body.

But today, of all days, he craved a drink.

***

The next day, Dale briefly reported the incident to Garland.

Though there was no obligation to report since it wasnt a formal request, since Dale was now a member of the mercenary guild, he intended to cooperate as much as possible.

Garland had a serious expression on his face as he wrote down everything Dale told him on paper.

So, there was a warlock who turned out to be a necromancer and then there were some veteran crossbowmen

Garland murmured while pressing his eyebrows together.

Abaph has always been a greedy fellow. Hes always wanted to expand his organization and establish a position within the city walls.

Dale remembered Jimmys gang which had tried to take over Kaylas inn.

Why doesnt he just buy a building within the city walls? He must have had enough money for that.

Wanting to establish a position isnt just about living in the city. Its about growing a power base inside the city to secure a seat in the council.

The Council of Seven.

These council members who had immense authority could be considered the real powerhouses of this outer district.

Naturally, securing that seat was an exceedingly difficult task.

Becoming a member of the council means you have to push out another council member. And pushing out a council member means

It means waging a war.

Yes, exactly. Im not sure what Abaph wanted to achieve by becoming a council member.

Abaph had grand dreams but his abilities fell far short of them.

Therefore, Abaph formed alliances with external parties that shared his interests.

Since theyve even sent a warlock, its clear that the series of events happening now are related to the generals on the front lines.

It was audacious to quietly move key forces to the rear, especially when the frontlines had just entered a lull.

What would they do if the demons advanced again?

Or do they believe the demons wont attack?

Dale asked.

Whats the generals objective?

Garland shook his head.

I dont know. Its uncertain whether they are genuinely gearing up for war against us or if its simply a display of military strength as a sign of protest to His Majesty the Emperor. Whats truly unfair is that we, caught in the middle of it all, are the ones who end up suffering.

It goes without saying, but when an external attack occurs, the outer districts are the first to suffer damage.

Then the council must come together to fend off the attack.

After all, that was one of the reasons for dividing the area into districts.

Garland rubbed his face as if troubled by a headache before he looked at Dale and smiled.

The times ahead are going to be quite chaotic. Do you know who becomes most valuable in such situations?

Tell me.

Its the mercenaries who are both trustworthy and skilled. Like Sir Dale here.

In times of turmoil, the military might shine, and trust becomes even more valuable.

Single-handedly decimating an organization. This incident has more than proved Sir Dales strength. Especially since hes not yet entangled in the citys complex web of interests. That makes you all the more coveted.

I think youre overestimating me too much.

Garland spoke with confidence.

Just wait and see. Sir Dale will soon rise to the top. When that happens, I hope you wont forget me, Garland.

Was he being overly dramatic, or was he sincere?

Dale simply nodded his head calmly.

***

That evening, when Dale entered the inn, he was taken aback.

The inn was filled to the brim with customers.

Kayla who was bustling about greeted Dale cheerfully.

Ah, youre here? Whats with that surprised look on your face?

Its strange. Why are there so many customers?

Of course there are customers in an inn! What do you think this place is?

Kayla snapped back at him and resumed her task of carrying beer mugs to and fro.

From this, Dale realized that the people gathered here were not ordinary customers.

Theyre paying for beer that even Harkin acknowledged as terrible? Somethings off here.

As Dale took his seat, the customers inside the store glanced at him furtively and murmured among themselves.

Thats the one

He does seem alright.

We should keep an eye on him.

But isnt the beer here a bit strange?

Garlands words were true.

He didnt know which faction they belonged to, but these people had gathered here to size up Dale.

It was remarkable how he had attracted such significant attention overnight.

Annoyed by their covert stares, Dale thought about driving them away but then he saw Kayla working with a happy face and decided against it.

After all, a store should have customers; its not a pleasant sight to see it empty with only flies buzzing around.

Dale took his seat and sat blankly.

He could have gone straight to his room, but that would scatter these spies.

And then Kayla would be greatly disappointed if the sore became empty again.

So Dale chose to stay put.

Sitting casually, he figured it would deter anyone from approaching him rashly.

But his expectations were shattered. As soon as he sat down, someone approached and called out his name.

Sir Dale.

It was a familiar voice.

Dale simply lifted his gaze to see who was before him.

A short man with a bushy beard.

It was Balton, the dwarf Dale had rescued from the demons servant.

Balton bowed his head in greeting.

Sorry for coming so late. I couldnt go out for a while because I was recovering.

How are you feeling now?

As you can see, fit as a fiddle.

Balton clenched his fist and his forearm bulged with solid muscles.

Thats good to hear. So, why have you come?

To repay the favor! Didnt I say I would?

The favor?

Now that he mentioned it, Dale remembered such a conversation. Balton spoke with eager enthusiasm.

What do you need? Weapons, or tools? Just leave it to me. As Ive said before, Im a skilled craftsman and a blacksmith. Ill make whatever you desire.

After pondering over Baltons proud offer, Dale spoke up.

You said youre a blacksmith and a craftsman, right?

Thats right.

Then, can you modify me?

Hearing Dales request, Balton paused before replying,

Modify what exactly?

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