I Killed the Demon King. It Was a Mistake.
Chapter 32
Sean whispered cautiously.
“Should I try to stop them?”
“No need. I’ve eaten, now it’s time for exercise.”
Bradley walked up behind the guy.
Unlike before, he looked pompous, like a Chihuahua.
“That’s him! Sir Chiffon!”
Chiffon walked towards Caesar.
He’s quite big in stature.
About the same size as Joseph.
The difference is that while Joseph has a firm, muscular body, this guy’s body is like a low-quality sausage mixed with fat and muscle.
“Are you Caesar?”
“That’s right.”
Chiffon spat at Caesar’s feet.
“I challenge you to a duel. Follow me.”
“Fine.”
Judging by his brief words, he’s certainly a knight.
Despite his notorious reputation as a wild dog or whatnot, he’s quite likable.
Quite straightforward, isn’t he?
After meeting so many overthinkers in Homigraph, I kind of missed someone this simple and direct.
Caesar slowly followed Chiffon.
People followed Caesar and Chiffon with curious eyes, expecting a good show.
Sean followed Caesar with anxious eyes.
“Sir Caesar, are you sure you’ll be alright?”
“You think I’ll lose?”
“No, it’s not that. There’s a rumor that seeing blood on your first day in Sanctus Lumen brings bad luck.”
“You believe in such superstitions when you claim to believe in Goddess Dre?”
“I’m a follower of the Royder religion.”
“Same difference, man.”
When they reached a suitable square, Chiffon spoke.
“Are you done chatting?”
“Yeah. You’ve brought a witness, right?”
Chiffon laughed heartily.
“You’re a newbie, aren’t you? Who needs a witness for a duel between knights? It’s not like it’s a duel between noble houses. We just do it.”
“Still, it’s better than not having one. It prevents annoying rumors later about who won or lost.”
Caesar took out the pendant of Goddess Dre that he received from Joseph.
The spectators, including Chiffon, widened their eyes in surprise.
“… Where did you get that?”
“Why does it matter?”
“What?”
“I said, why does it matter? Whether I have this or not, what does it have to do with the duel?”
“You bastard…”
Caesar handed the Blue Flame emblem to Sean.
“There’s a church nearby, right? Go fetch a priest or a holy knight. And go to the hotel and bring my weapon.”
“Huh? Oh, yes!”
Sean ran off in a hurry.
Chiffon glanced at Bradley and said.
“… Didn’t you say he was nobody special, young master?”
“He, he was nobody special.”
“Then why does he have the Blue Flame emblem? Only holy knights or those who have done great favors for holy knights have that.”
“That doesn’t change the fact that he insulted me. If the Goddess exists, you’ll win.”
“Is that all you can say?!”
Caesar smirked and said.
“Why? Getting cold feet now?”
Chiffon gritted his teeth.
“Do you have any nicknames?”
“I have a few. Why?”
“… A few, you say?”
“But is that important? Isn’t a fight between knights supposed to be about blood and sweat?”
Chiffon’s instincts, honed through years as a proxy duel knight, told him he had picked a fight with the wrong person, and badly at that.
But it was unthinkable to run away after challenging someone to a duel.
However, there was a way out in situations like this.
Chiffon cleared his throat.
“Then, until the witness arrives, let’s discuss the duel method. The one who disarms the opponent wins…”
“To the death.”
“… What?”
“It has to be a duel to the death. I don’t like leaving loose ends. But…”
Caesar pointed at Bradley, who was alternating anxious glances between Chiffon and Caesar.
“I’ll give you some time to consult with your lord. I don’t have any particular ill feelings towards you.”
At Caesar’s words, Chiffon immediately said to Bradley.
“I’ll admit defeat the moment the witness arrives. So either prepare to pay for my life or fight yourself, young master.”
“Si, Chiffon! This is different from what we agreed!”
“The one who’s different is you, young master. Didn’t you say he was nobody special? How can someone with the Blue Flame emblem be nobody special? He’s likely stronger than me, and even if he’s weaker, I’d be killing or injuring someone who has greatly helped a holy knight. That means I couldn’t show my face here anymore.”
Chiffon growled.
“If you can’t resolve this, I’ll report everything that happened today to the family without fail. So hurry up and fix this.”
Bradley’s face turned pale.
At that moment, Sean came running with a heavy axe.
“Sir Caesar! I’ve brought a priest!”
The priest bowed to Caesar.
“May the blessings of the merciful Goddess Dre be with you. Are you Sir Caesar?”
“I am. Have you ever witnessed a duel?”
“I have, though not many times.”
“Good. Then let’s have a prayer before the duel.”
The priest’s eyes sparkled as if moved.
“I never dreamed I’d meet such a devout knight. So that’s why Sir Joseph gave you this emblem.”
“How could I crack someone’s head without praying in a land blessed by the Goddess?”
“Pardon?”
“Anyway, let’s begin.”
At that moment, Bradley shouted.
“Wa, waaaait!”
Bradley bit his lip hard and approached Caesar.
“What is it?”
His face was so red it looked like red paint would come out if squeezed.
Bradley bowed his head.
“I, I’m sorry, Sir Caesar. It was all my fault.”
“Hey.”
“… Yes?”
SLAP.
Caesar slapped Bradley’s cheek hard.
Bradley staggered as if hit by a bear’s paw and fell.
Everyone was surprised, and a moment of silence fell.
“Does your pride shrink like a dried pepper when you see someone stronger? Do you want to die?”
“Uh… Ugh…”
Bradley couldn’t speak, his jaw dislocated.
“There are many knights weaker than me in the demon realm right now. Some are even weaker than Sir Chiffon. But do you think they’d run away when they meet vampires or orcs stronger than them? They never run, even knowing they might die.”
“Ugh… Uuugh…”
Caesar grabbed Bradley by the collar and lifted him up.
“Do you know why? Because if I run away, my comrades beside me die, the soldiers behind me die, and eventually my family and innocent citizens die. Fighting while knowing you might die is courage, and that’s what separates regular aura users from knights.”
Caesar threw Bradley in front of Chiffon.
“Don’t take the knight qualification exam. What knight would want to fight shoulder to shoulder with a coward like you? If I see you lurking at the entrance of the test site, I’ll turn your limbs to dust. Be prepared.”
Caesar dusted off his hands and spoke to the priest.
“I’m sorry. Seems I made you come for nothing.”
“No, no, it’s fine.”
“Then I’ll take this back.”
Caesar took back the emblem from the priest’s hand.
“Sean. Let’s go.”
“Yes!”
As Sean followed Caesar, he asked.
“But why did you suddenly change your mind? I thought you said you never turn down a fight that comes to you.”
“You said it’s bad luck to see blood on the first day. That’s why I didn’t do it.”
***
Bradley lay in the hospital bed, his fists trembling.
‘Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.’
He wanted to scream at the top of his lungs, but even slightly moving his jaw was too painful to speak.
A nursing nun approached.
“Fortunately, the bone isn’t broken, just dislocated, so it won’t affect your daily life in the future. We’ve also applied a potion, so the muscles will heal quickly.”
That was good news to hear.
But what followed was shocking.
“However, you should avoid excessive exercise for at least 3 months. For the next month, you should only consume soup.”
“Huh? Huuuh?!”
His jaw wouldn’t move properly, so he couldn’t speak clearly.
What about the knight qualification exam?
The exam is in 2 months… Does this mean he can’t take it?
Bradley wanted to grab the nursing nun by the collar and shake her in a fit, but Chiffon stopped him.
“What if we use a potion with a higher holy water content?”
“If we use a potion with 10% holy water, it would heal completely within a week, but… Unfortunately, potions with such high concentration have all been sent to the demon realm frontlines, so we don’t have any extras here.”
Bradley was about to go crazy.
He had devoted 10 years to aura sensitivity training to take the knight qualification exam.
And now what?
They’re telling him to give up?
“Mr. Bradley, how about skipping this year’s exam and taking it next year?”
“Uuuuuuugh!”
“Only 50% pass on their first attempt anyway. Most knights pass after taking the test two or three times.”
He couldn’t do that.
All of Bradley’s lackeys had passed this year, so if he alone passes next year?
There’s no greater shame than that.
“Uuuuuugh! Uuuuugh!”
As Bradley tried to remove the bandage tied around his jaw, Chiffon had no choice but to say to the nursing nun.
“Please give me something to tie him down. He needs to rest for a while.”
“…Ah, yes.”
Chiffon sighed as he looked down at Bradley having a fit.
‘Fuck, I just want to quit.’
He had planned to earn a lot of money in his later years and retire, but now he’s met this goddamn guy and is going through all this trouble.
It seemed this would be his last year with the Herson family.
***
After a good night’s sleep at the hotel, Caesar boarded the carriage.
‘What a strange world.’
They say each region has its own culture and characteristics, but can they be this different?
Everywhere he looked, there were aspiring knights or people who looked like knights.
In Homigraph, the only knights were Caesar, Joseph, and those hired to protect nobles, so it was rare to encounter them.
Even this number had decreased due to the demon realm war, so he wondered how many more knights would flock here when the war ends.
“Ah, Sir Caesar. Where are you planning to have your axe repaired?”
“I heard the craftsman who made Barbarian Knight Barre’s axe is in Shalibi. I’m planning to leave it with him.”
“I see. I’ll find out the craftsman’s name and location when we stop at a village on the way.”
“The blacksmith’s name isn’t very famous, is it?”
Sean scratched his head and smiled.
“Blacksmiths who make battle axes aren’t common. If it were Master Gix, he’d be famous. They say he made the hero’s sword, don’t they?”
“Weapon discrimination… Tsk tsk. Axes are good weapons too.”
“That’s right! If Sir Caesar becomes famous, maybe more knights will want to use axes like you!”
“Isn’t Barre more famous in terms of reputation?”
“Barre is a barbarian, isn’t he? Although he was granted knight status, many people seem to think he lacks a bit of knightly dignity.”
Right, this is the perception of barbarians.
Savages who are just strong and brainless.
You have no idea how much discrimination they faced in the demon realm war because of this.
“Ah, I’m sorry if I misspoke.”
“It’s fine. But I do like Barre.”
“Then is that perhaps why you’re going to the craftsman who made Barre’s axe?”
“He’s a good axe-maker, and it’s also a bit of personal fandom.”
In fact, more than that, it’s because he has personally used Wilderness and trusts the skills of the craftsman who made that axe.
Wilderness is truly a well-made weapon no matter how you look at it.
It doesn’t break or even chip against aura or various types of magic.
They say it’s made from a giant tree, but seeing how it doesn’t break even when Barre swings it recklessly, the blacksmith’s skill seems to be no joke.
Caesar yawned and lay down.
“Wake me up if there’s any problem on the way. I don’t know if there are bandits here, though.”
“There’s no way there would be bandits in Sanctus Lumen. Sleep comfortably.”
***
When Caesar woke up, it was evening with the sunset.
“Have we arrived?”
“Yes. You sleep very well. You didn’t move for 12 hours, you know?”
Caesar got up with a big yawn.
“Compared to sleeping during wartime, a carriage is nothing.”
Caesar opened the carriage door and stepped out.
“By the way, did you find out about that axe craftsman?”
“Ah, yes! His name is Pesson, they said.”
Caesar’s expression crumpled at the mention of Pesson.
“What? Pesson?”
“Yes. Oh, do you know him?”
Know him? Of course.
He’s one of the most eccentric blacksmiths that appear in the game.
When progressing as a knight character, you can choose a dedicated blacksmith, but Pesson was one of those you should never choose.
He doesn’t make weapons as requested and makes them as he pleases.
If you order a sword, he’d say “No, a spear suits you!” and make a spear, and if you ask for a spear, he’d say “No, a greatsword suits you!” and make a greatsword.
The problem was that the weapons he made had performance that surpassed end-game specs.
It was a real headache because you couldn’t just reset all the settings you had grown looking at that one weapon.
An even bigger problem was that he used all sorts of expensive materials, so the price wasn’t cheap either.
He’d charge at least several million Del, and sometimes up to 50 million Del.
“I heard rumors that he’s an eccentric blacksmith?”
“Ah, yes. That’s right. That’s why he’s not very popular. But he still needs to make a living, so they say he at least sharpens blades properly.”
“Hmm…”
Originally, he came all the way to Shalibi to repair and possibly upgrade his axe, but with Pesson, it’s a different story.
If he leaves it with him, Caesar’s axe might turn into dual swords or a greatsword.
‘What should I do…’
“Shall we rest for today? You might still be tired from the journey.”
“No. You go find a hotel. I’ll go see Pesson.”
Still, it’s right to at least see his face.
Game characters and real people are quite different.
If we talk, he might make a weapon that’s not bad unexpectedly.
“Ah, you’re going to do that?”
Sean handed over a map with the location of Pesson’s forge drawn on it.
“This is Pesson’s forge. It’s quite on the outskirts of Shalibi.”
Pesson’s forge was near the tomb of the Holy Hero.
How unlucky to set up shop near a graveyard.
Seems he’s not making much money.
Caesar took the map and said,
“Let’s meet in front of the Goddess Dre statue in the center of Shalibi.”
“Yes! Understood! I’ll see you later then!”
Caesar headed towards Pesson’s forge.
***
It took almost an hour to get there.
Caesar arrived at Pesson’s forge.
“…Is this really the right place?”
Pesson’s forge was an old, almost collapsing hut.
Smoke billowing from the chimney suggested someone was living there, but it looked more like a gravedigger’s house than a forge.
Especially with the Holy Hero’s tomb right next door.
Caesar decided to knock on the door first.
“Anyone there?”
About 10 seconds after knocking, the sound of someone running hurriedly was heard.
“I have no more money to pay back, so get lost right now!”
Just hearing his voice was pitiful.
He’s really struggling financially.
“I’ve come to have a weapon repaired!”
“Lies! Who comes to have a weapon repaired this late at night! Last time someone came like that and took all my furniture!”
“I really came to have a weapon repaired. The axe handle is broken.”
Creeeeak.
As the door opened, a gun barrel poked out first instead of a person.
If this guy was a debt collector, he really meant to shoot to kill.
Pesson looked Caesar up and down and spoke.
“Are you really a customer?”
“More of a knight than a customer.”
Pesson opened the door and said,
“Then you should have said so earlier. I almost shot you dead.”
Suddenly, Caesar started to regret this.
…Did I really come to the right place?
TL NOTE:
Schedule: Every {Wed-Sat}
Hope you enjoyed the chapter! If you would like to support me or read up to 30 chapters ahead, you can do so via patreon.com/ChibiGiant. OR by unlocking chapters.
You can also Rate this series in your free time @NovelUpdate.
