Chapter 22: One by one

“That’s an interesting joke.”

Ganien took the steak unpeeled fork into his mouth.

“You’re right. It’s a very, very funny joke.”

Cassion smiled and inserted a knife into the chicken leg.

Even I want to applaud him for his neat workmanship.

“I’m not kidding.”

When the two denied it more than expected, Ruel became more serious.

“I’m going to be a real adventurer.”

“Are you crazy…?”

His heart probably hurt, Cassion said with a sharp edge.

“Listen till the end.”

Ruel wiped my mouth and inhaled Breath.

“I need a fake identity to get around comfortably outside. For that reason, the status of an adventurer is pretty good.”

“Where and how long are you trying to get around?”

“Cassion, when my name is mentioned, what kind of modifier is usually attached to it?”

“There’s a disease-related modifier.”

Ruel flicked his finger lightly into the glass.

“Setiria isn’t ready yet. I’m going to do something different, and I’ll get attention every time… I’ll be swept away, for sure.”

“Are you saying you need a fake identity to go unnoticed?”

“No, you have to say that it was me when Setiria stood up. Why would you waste that opportunity?”

“Are you going to lead a double life?”

Ganien looked at Ruel with interested eyes.

Ruel raised the corners of his mouth.

“Right, a double life.”

Cassion’s sigh was followed by Ruel’s answer.

Ganien sat deep in his chair, folded his arms, and said. “Isn’t that bad? Clearly, as you said, Ruel, there’s no way Setiria deserves the attention. It’s time to solidify it.”

“As expected, my best friend.”

“That’s it, and how crazy are you thinking of needing a fake identity?”

“I don’t know.”

Ruel really didn’t know either. He was just being prepared because he didn’t know.

Don’t be swept away until Setiria hardens.

“Ruel-nim, I’m asking you just in case. Do the adventurer titles include me and Ganien?”

“Of course, I can’t even fight. Let’s get on your back.”

Cassion was speechless because he spoke so confidently.

Then, Ganien tapped the table.

“Okay, I think it’s going to be fun, so I’ll cooperate.”

I was thinking he’d be happy to allow it. Isn’t there a lot of fighting because of his job as an adventurer?

Being able to get out of the mold of being a knight would be pretty liberating.

Ruel smiled and looked at Cassion.

“The majority have agreed, so you’ll have to follow, right?”

“An adventurer is certainly free. But do you know that you need the right identity to be an adventurer?”

“I know.”

“Are you going to keep your mouth shut?”

Feeling Ganien’s stinging gaze, Ruel immediately shook his head.

Ruel coughed out and said, “Why are you so ferocious? We can find a guild of adventurers we can trust.”

“That’s easy for you to say.”

“We’ll see.”

Ruel grinned and raised the corners of his mouth.

***

A shield pattern appeared on the back of Ruel’s hand to prove that he was the Lord of Setiria.

The guild leader, called the ‘Hand of the Wind,’ was stunned and collapsed backward.

“Will you believe it now?”

“Forgive this old man’s insolence.”

The guild leader stepped out from behind his desk and gave Ruel a polite bow.

“I’ll help you, so give me an ID to prove myself to be an adventurer.”

“Lo, Lord, How would I dare to deny the Lord’s help? I will make it right away.”

Ruel looked at Cassion, coughing.

Seeing him startled and astonished, he felt relieved.

“How the hell did you know?”

I didn’t mean to tell you, so I kept smiling.

Hand of the Wind Guild.

It was originally a guild with the greatest adventurers.

However, it declined dramatically due to its misplaced connection with the Barons.

He came here because he knew that they would grab his hand if they knew he was a nobleman.

Isn’t it a way to help with joy, to be guaranteed an adventurer’s status, and to keep a secret?

“What do you want your name to be?”

At the question of the guild leader, Ruel looked at them.

Ruel had a name already set.

“I’ll just go with Cassion. I don’t care if I get more jobs.”

“Then I’ll go with Gaff.”

“Yes, Cassion and Gaff. What name would you like, Lord?”

“Han, let’s go with that name.”

Kim Han.

Before I knew it, it was his real name.

“Okay, I’ll make it for you in a minute.”

“The place of birth will be decided by you according to your name.”

“Yes.”

Ruel and his party took the adventurer ID card as soon as it was made.

They got a bronze rank, because they were beginners who didn’t take any quest.

“A person named Han, do you know anyone with that name?”

‘A quick-witted guy.’

After a brief bite of solitude, Cassion didn’t miss the gap.

“You don’t have to remember.”

“All right.”

It was okay not to remember.

There’s no possibility of him becoming Kim Han again.

Ruel grabbed the cane hard and relaxed his hands.

“Cough, cough.”

Now I’m used to the chest pain caused by coughing and wheezing.

“Let’s go.”

There was a place to stop before punishing the Barons.

But I didn’t tell the two where to go.

It was because I had to pretend it was a chance meeting.

***

The name of the Baron that afflicts the Hand of the Wind Guild is Matyros Henya.

His money situation had become very urgent because he got into debt while gambling.

He ran the Adventurer’s Guild before he owed money, but he didn’t have much fun because of the Hand of the Wind Guild.

How mean it would be.

Some work well and some don’t in the same area.

When that anger piled up, eventually people would bet on tricks.

If you entrust the Hand of the Wind Guild with a plausible quest called a top escort, and when the quest is completed, you say, ‘Hey, the thing is gone.’

The Hand of the Wind Guild claimed that the goods had not disappeared, and the rumor had already spread while its client, Matyros, claimed that they had disappeared citing fabrication.

In the end, the Hand of the Wind Guild wept and confessed to it, but it was not enough to catch the widespread rumors.

‘If a person who was originally good doesn’t do it once, it’s a big deal.’

Ruel saw the sign in front of him.

Matyros Guild.

It was a guild named after him.

“That’s interesting.”

Ganien showed his surprise.

Because he didn’t know that he would come to the base right away.

“It’s not new, it’s ridiculous. What are you thinking? You’re not going to ask me something out of the blue, are you?”

“I’m here to see what it looks like. Wow, look at the building. He slapped it on with money.”

The signboard was decorated with gold, so it stood out from afar.

To be honest, I didn’t intend to get this close, but I wondered how much money the inside of the building was painted with.

‘Not now, but I’ll come by later.’

“… Are you interested?”

“Well, I’ve never seen it before.”

Yeah.

Cassion watched Ruel with a sharp edge and soon calmed down.

He forgot that Ruel was still excited about life outside.

How amazing everything must be since he had been living in a mansion for several years.

“You can’t go inside.”

“I know.”

Ruel walked slowly, pretending to be watching.

It wasn’t just to make an adventurer ID card that allowed me to work in the Hand of the Wind Guild. It was to have a future escort to protect the adventurer guild and Ruel.

Ruel walked toward an alley where a wagon could barely fit.

That was the Matyros Guild building, so I thought the two would not doubt it.

Bam!

At that time, Cassion snatched Ruel and pulled him back.

It was so sudden that Ruel felt the shock of his whole body shaking.

“Who is it?”

Ganien looked at someone and raised his momentum.

Ruel looked forward with a blank look on his face.

A dirty boy with the smell of blood was lying on the floor.

It looked like his legs were twisted.

At a glance, I felt sorry for his thin bones.

‘…this never happened in the original novel.’

Ruel wrapped his throbbing head around for a moment.

Originally, between 3 and 4 o’clock, when guests would be quiet, those who had been secured for use as slaves in the Matyros Guild were picked up by carriage in the back alley.

In the novel, Ganien checked the smell of blood in the carriage and followed him because he felt suspicious. And it was not long before he noticed that the Matyros Guild was engaged in human trafficking.

That’s why I brought them here.

In particular, there was an expectation that Cassion, sensitive to the smell of blood, might find something.

“Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“No, I’m fine, but he’s…?”

“He suddenly popped out of the alley.”

Cassion, wary of the front, pulled Ruel behind him.

“Who is it?”

Ganien’s voice became sharper than before.

When Ruel turned into the alley, it was natural for the boy to appear suspicious.

“Sa, save me!”

The boy, who barely raised his upper body, cried desperately.

Ruel walked forward despite Cassion’s restraint and looked at the alley and the boy.

The entrance door to the alley was slightly open.

Whoever saw it, the boy must have come from there.

“Ruel, step back.”

Ganien raised an eyebrow.

There was a possibility that the boy had hidden a blade on his slender body.

“Do you need help?”

But Ruel reached out to the boy.

It was a moment, but I saw a huge swaying thing around the boy.

It must have been because he couldn’t control his mana, so he was seeing it everywhere.

With so much mana, there was only one person who could come out of the alley of the Matyros Guild.

‘Found him.’

Ruel laughed.

Aris, the right arm of Ganien and a genius Archmage.

“Help me…”

Of course, I’ll help you. You’re gonna be my escort.

“I’m taking you.” Ruel looked at him and said.

Ignoring the sighs and smirks that ensued.

***

“I’m sorry.”

Ganien apologized to Aris, who was eating while looking around.

Aris opened his eyes wide and shook his head.

“Don’t touch the food.”

Ruel said with a sharp edge.

It was Ganien who was going to take Cassion with him, so it was difficult to keep a mole on Aris.

“I just apologized.”

“He says it’s burdensome. Isn’t that right?”

“It’s okay, it’s okay.”

Aris’ eyes at Ruel were a little soft.

The difference between those who reached out their hands and those who were wary was huge.

“What’s your name?”

“… It’s Aris.”

When he heard the boy’s name, Ruel smiled gloatingly. As expected, Aris.

“That’s a nice name. Do you want to eat more?”

Aris shook his head.

Looking at the spoon still in his hand, Ruel called Cassion.

How can I be so disingenuous?

“Cassion, order more.”

“All right.”

“I’m Ruel. The bad brother there is Ganien, and that’s Cassion.”

“Oh…ha, that’s very offensive.”

‘Well, then we’ll have to make a big dent in our favorability.’

Ganien did not make excuses because of what he did.

“I’ll hear from you when you are done. Do you want me to leave you alone?”

Aris nodded again instead of answering.

Ruel thought it was fortunate that at least human distrust did not occur in those intimidated-looking eyes.

Looking at Ruel and Aris, Ganien quietly moved aside.

Then he took Cassion out of the restaurant, noticing that he had returned from the order.

Cassion, who came out together unexpectedly, asked puzzledly.

“What’s wrong?”

“Did you notice? Aris, a child, was abused. It’s not normal abuse…”

“People are trafficking, people being sold as slaves. It must have been harsh.”

“Ruel will intervene, right?”

“It’s highly like that. Didn’t he bring in a person already?”

Ganien touched his chin.

While working as a knight, he did encounter slave traders a few times.

They were animals, not people.

An animal to be killed.

“I don’t think it’s a good sight.”

“It’s Ruel, so I’m sure he already made up his mind. He doesn’t move without thinking.”

“That’s true.”

Ganien nodded and agreed.

Ruel never did anything without thinking.

“Then I’ll go in.”

“Wait, I’ll be there in a little while.”

Ganien grabbed Cassion.

Cassion looked at Ganien instead of words.

“Somehow, I want to make the two of them get along as they are the same age.”

“Ruel will be angry if he hears it.”

“But Ruel…”

Lowering his voice, Ganien whispered.

“Isn’t he young?”

Cassion looked at Ganien with a ridiculous look on his face at the words.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read