Chapter 371 - Persuading the Constable
"What did you say?!"
Polman Vertes, though unintentionally, was stared at by Enkrid, who had memorized his name. Polman's face turned red with fury.
A constable—meaning a bureaucrat.
Naturally, he's a noble.
But what's going on here in this palace? Are they pulling nobles out of some bottomless pocket?
'Aren't there too many of them?'
It seems everyone is either a baron, viscount, or something similar—nobles with blue blood.
Haven't they handed out titles too recklessly?
This fleeting thought quickly disappeared and faded from his mind.
Whether there are too many or too few nobles, it was none of Enkrid's business.
Though, he did think that maybe they could stand to reduce the number a bit.
"Hey."
Rem spoke, picking his ear and addressing Polman, who was still angry.
"Listen closely now."
"This guy—who does he think he is, stepping out like that?!"
The commander of the guards, likely the one in charge of the other gate, shouted angrily.
Tap!
The gatekeeper of the South Gate smacked his forehead in exasperation.
It seemed he didn't understand why his superior was causing a scene.
Enkrid understood the military, and he understood soldiers.
How many of them had actually come here under their own will?
The quick-witted, sharp-eared soldiers seemed uncomfortable. They knew what these people had done for them.
These were the people who had dealt with the Moonlight Beast and ensured the safety of their families, citizens, comrades, and friends.
They had done what they were supposed to do in their stead.
Their eyes were uneasy, their expressions similarly conflicted.
Especially around the South Gate captain, there were many soldiers with similar discomfort.
Ignoring the man who had spoken, Rem continued.
"That Moonlight Beast killed and threatened the citizens. But what happened? YOU couldn't deal with it, so WE had to come join in. We caught it, only to find out it was some guy named Bentra or something. And now, 'murder'?"
"YOU IDIOT!!"
One of the guards, completely enraged, raised a spear taller than himself.
It seemed like he was about to charge right at them.
Rem lowered his hand, which had been scratching his ear, and looked at him.
If the man made a move, Rem was ready to cut him down right then.
"Wait, hold on, just a second."
The South Gate captain stepped forward in a hurry.
If this kept going, things would spiral into a massive disaster. He had seen Enkrid and his companions fight before.
Polman was blinded by jealousy, thinking it was his chance to act, but the captain had stopped him in time.
If this escalated and wasn't resolved, it would be impossible to maintain his current position.
But things hadn't changed. He had been dragged here anyway. He couldn't die for disobedience, could he? Even knowing it was dangerous, he had come here like a fool licking ghoul's blood.
But he couldn't just stand by.
If he let it go, all his subordinates would be killed. His comrades would be hacked to pieces by axes and swords, their heads rolling around on the ground. He couldn't just watch that happen.
"There's been a misunderstanding."
Upon seeing the South Gate captain step in, Polman squinted his eyes.
"Step aside, who do you think you're talking to!"
Where did authority and dignity come from?
Anyone who had seen Krang would know the answer. It came from the person themselves. Their stride, their words, everything about them was different. The weight behind their words came from the trust and loyalty they had earned through their actions.
But what about this man in front of them?
The tone he used seemed like a mosquito buzzing in the air.
There was jealousy clouding his judgment, making him seem petty.
His voice was low, trying to mimic dignity, but it came out whiny, like a child throwing a tantrum. Maybe it was the sheer arrogance that had brought him here.
'Have I seen too many great people?'
Krang, the Marquis of Okto, Luagarne, Aishia, and more.
They knew that protecting their lord was the priority, but they also understood that carrying out their lord's will came first. Their actions showed their ideals, duties, beliefs, and loyalty.
They were individuals who seemed to choose their actions, not as tools of others, but as people in their own right.
Compared to them, the one whining before them seemed pitiful.
Enkrid, too, had ears. Hadn't he heard that Polman was gnashing his teeth out of jealousy because his lady was infatuated with him?
"Unless you came here to speak, we should probably get things started."
Ragna stepped forward, speaking calmly.
Tap.
The South Gate captain smacked his forehead once more.
This was getting ridiculous.
The constable had reached his breaking point.
He had tolerated everything up to this point.
These damn commoners had no respect for noble authority.
And it wasn't even because he thought the lady he had his eye on had fallen for Enkrid.
He was a constable, a noble, and here was this soldier.
From the rumors, it seemed that Enkrid had stolen the glory of his comrade.
Rumors about Enkrid being a hero had spread quickly, but they were also becoming exaggerated.
Even worse, the constable, having blocked his ears to everything, only listened to what he wanted to hear.
The hero of Border Guard? He ignored that.
Bentra becoming a monster?
That had nothing to do with him. He had his own chance now.
Besides, hadn't Marenus the Baron subtly pushed him to deal with this?
Now here they were, and now he was giving the orders.
"Bind him!"
At the constable's command, two commanders and several cavalrymen dismounted and began advancing.
Their posture was menacing.
Even if the rumors weren't entirely true, the accomplishments were enormous.
Even if only some of it were true, Enkrid was not someone they could handle.
And yet, they were still making a move against him. This meant the rumors about Enkrid had spread widely.
Enkrid observed the advancing group without any particular reaction.
Should he quietly follow them? No. Even with gentle words, he knew it was better not to comply.
Enkrid instinctively knew.
'The situation has already escalated.'
If that weren't the case, would Krang and Marcus be coming after him?
"Capture Baron Andrew as well. He's guilty of the same charge. If he resists, kill him."
"Hmph."
At those words, Andrew snorted. He seemed to think, "Go ahead, if you can."
Polman Vertes, the constable, scanned Enkrid and his group's weapons.
It seemed like he was praying for them to make a move. Enkrid decided to grant that wish.
No grand battle was necessary. Ignoring the advancing group entirely, Enkrid spoke.
"Dunbakel, capture and bring them here."
Neither Ragna nor Rem needed to act.
A beastkin surged forward. A white shadow stretched out like a growing line. Her short white hair looked like an extended ribbon.
One of the guards, in reflex, extended his spear.
He was a skilled spear wielder, his technique honed as his specialty. Among ordinary soldiers, he was an exceptional warrior. But Dunbakel was a beastkin acknowledged by Aishia herself.
As she ran, she deflected the spear's tip with her claws, twisting the trajectory. Then, grabbing the shaft, she threw it aside.
"Ugh!"
The guard holding the spear rolled sideways as the tip slipped from his grasp.
A few soldiers stepped forward to block her, but Dunbakel didn't even draw her scimitar. She simply kicked the shin of one, knocking him over, and threw a punch to the jaw of another.
Their helmets didn't protect their chins.
Especially from a punch coming from below, aimed upwards, they were completely vulnerable.
The sound of cracking echoed as the guards fell.
Dunbakel didn't stop there. This was just part of the process.
She advanced further, and the constable, seeing this, reached for the sword at his waist. It was a broad sword with a wide blade.
As he tried to draw it, Dunbakel closed the distance and seized his wrist.
The horse he was riding on reared up in surprise, whinnying loudly.
"Ahhh!"
With her grip on his wrist, Dunbakel dragged the constable from his horse, his foot caught in the stirrup as he was pulled off. The ankle twisted awkwardly as he fell.
"Ahhhh!"
The constable screamed in pain, his cry ending in front of Enkrid.
Dunbakel had swiftly knocked down five soldiers, dragged the constable by the wrist, and brought him forward.
The second-in-command to the constable, the city's chief constable, hesitated to move.
'What the hell is going on?'
Honestly, he didn't even have the courage to stop this. He had barely drawn his sword, hearing the ting as it left the sheath, but it was more of an expression of hesitation than confidence.
"Can I stop this?"
The chief constable whispered. His squire, standing beside him with wide eyes, could barely speak.
"She's higher ranked than me."
The squire didn't need to say more.
He could tell immediately that he wasn't a match for Dunbakel.
Just watching her movements, it was clear—she was at least at the level of an advanced squire.
The difference in skill was obvious from the way she moved and struck, making full use of the beastkin's enhanced agility.
But what made it even more dangerous was the fact that there were those commanding her, and others calmly watching from the sidelines.
The soldiers were clearly intimidated, unable to speak.
The highest-ranking commander present had been taken down. The constable, who could no longer stand, lay sprawled on the ground, his ankle twisted, sweat pouring from his face.
"How dare you!"
Even with his will broken, the constable still tried to resist. He had no authority or dignity, but he still had some pride. After all, it must have taken pride to get to that position.
Enkrid looked at the constable and asked,
"It is true that Baron Bentra was involved in the murder, with Squire Aishia as well?"
"Squire Aisia? Do you think bringing a junior-knight into this will let you get away with it? These are traitors! What are you all doing!"
Blinded by jealousy, the constable completely lost track of the situation. He shrieked in fury.
The squire, watching this, stepped forward.
"Shouldn't someone speak properly?"
The chief constable, standing nearby, didn't seem to want to open his mouth, but he had come here to say exactly this.
"That's right. Junior-Knight Aisia has not denied any of the charges."
The squire raised his voice.
"Then has she been captured as well?"
Enkrid's gaze shifted to him, his blue eyes locking onto the squire.
"She is a member of the knight order."
The squire wanted to swallow his words. The tension in their locked gazes made it harder to speak. Still, he answered calmly.
Enkrid considered the squire's words.
Did this mean that a knight couldn't be held responsible for such matters? It sounded as though Aisia hadn't been caught.
Then, what else was going on? At the very least, something must have occurred within the royal palace. Enkrid pieced things together through his suspicions.
"What are you doing? You should arrest these traitors immediately!"
The constable, still full of defiance, shouted in frustration. His tears made his words sound less imposing, weakening his authority.
Despite his pain, he still spoke confidently. He might have had nothing but his tongue left, like a ghoul with no other power.
Enkrid decided on the quickest way to deal with this annoyance, even though it was a bit loud.
Thud!
With a swift kick to the chin, he knocked the constable unconscious.
It was a kick delivered without the intention to break his neck, and though the sound of it breaking echoed, the constable was lucky not to die.
His neck was twisted sideways, and he drooled as he collapsed, his face pressed into the ground. A quick glance showed he had merely fainted.
"What? If you're going to kill him, just say so."
Rem chuckled from behind.
"Did you forget my nickname?"
The noble hunter. He certainly had strange tastes.
Leaving the unconscious man behind, Enkrid spoke up.
"Who's the next person in charge? If you're thinking of ordering a full charge, you'd better reconsider. I'm not interested in turning Andrew's estate into a graveyard."
Enkrid was showing some courtesy. The captain of the south gate guards was present.
This man had fought for the capital's security. That alone earned him some respect.
He was on the right path, and Enkrid had made his judgment based on what he had seen and heard.
"It would be nice if you could explain what happened at the royal palace."
He continued, knowing that something significant must have happened. After all, such an event wouldn't have occurred without reason.
Was this a personal deviation from the constable?
If it had been, he would have stormed in without needing any pretext.
The only reason he had arrived here now was that permission had been granted.
Krang had mentioned that Baron Mernes was the main problem.
The unsettling atmosphere seemed to pierce through Enkrid's skin. He stopped speaking, and his gaze shifted to one side.
Clop! Clop!
The sound of hooves approaching rapidly was unmistakable. It was coming closer to the estate.
"Save me!"
A cry echoed, and Enkrid left those in front of him behind, kicking the ground and propelling himself over the estate wall.
Rem followed closely behind, his skill at scaling walls evident as he sprang upward with ease.
Seeing this, a few members of the constabulary made to move, but…
"Stay back."
Ragna stopped them. His sheer presence made them hesitate. Everyone froze in place.
On the wall, Enkrid saw someone running along a path lined with blue stones.
It was Marcus.
The cry for help had come from him.
And someone was chasing him, running after him with unusual attire—a cloak layered with several pieces of leather, and spears floating above both his shoulders.
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