Chapter 10: 10 Urgent Problems to Solve

Chapter 10: Urgent Problems to Solve

Although some of the remaining five guards were merely followers, the seeds of betrayal had already been sown and had even sprouted once. Though Roan had cut them off this time, who could guarantee there wouldn’t be a second attempt? Therefore, betrayers should be avoided whenever possible.

But simply killing them? Roan frowned slightly. If these five were killed, who would drive the wagons? Surely Chahar couldn’t drive five wagons alone—he lacked the ability to clone himself, nor could he manage such a feat.

After pondering for a long while, Roan finally spoke: "Since you have recognized your mistakes, as a merciful lord, I can spare you once." These words poured like fine wine, intoxicated the guards, transforming their pleas into fervent gratitude and vows of never betraying him again. Roan merely listened to such promises. "Now I command you: take up your swords and gather sufficient fodder for the horses."

"Yes, yes, milord, we shall go now!" The kneeling guards hastily grabbed their weapons and plunged into the task of cutting grass, fearful that any delay might provoke their lord’s anger.

Roan withdrew his gaze from them. With Macken, the knight present, even without supervision, they dared not flee. These men had lost the courage to gamble on escaping from a professional knight.

"Milord, are we truly letting them go?" Chahar, standing nearby, felt indignant. As guards of the Wushan family, daring to assassinate their master was something he could scarcely imagine. Even more perplexing to him was the Baron’s decision to spare them.

"If we killed them all, could you drive five wagons alone?" Roan asked with a smile.

"Uh..." Chahar hesitated, scratching his head as he racked his brain. "Perhaps we could tie the wagons together with ropes?" Then he drooped his head. "But we lack such long ropes."

"Then let us spare their lives for now." Roan said, "Chahar, go and gather the weapons and belongings of the dead, lest they be wasted." The guards used crude iron swords; though poor quality and not worth much, they were still iron swords, and discarding them seemed wasteful.

"Yes, milord!" Chahar endured his discomfort from the sight of blood, collecting the iron swords while searching the corpses. The Baron said not to waste; surely these guards carried a few copper coins?

"Macken, come with me." Roan beckoned, leading Macken back to the main road. Six wagons and a fine horse were grazing by the roadside, none missing.

"Macken, tell me your story." Macken, following two paces behind Roan like a loyal guard, appeared puzzled at his master’s query: "Master, what story do you refer to?"

"Call me ‘milord’ or ‘master,’ as they do." The term ‘master’ was suited to specific contexts and settings; Macken’s usage, though understandable, felt somewhat abrupt. "I wish to hear your experiences—where your home is, your life’s journey, etc." Roan explained, "This will help me understand you better."

Macken fell silent, evidently pondering how to answer, but soon shook his head. "Milord, I only recall that you are my master, and I shall forever serve you. As for where my home is or my life experiences, my mind holds no such memories." Roan paused, then nodded slowly. "Oh, so that’s the case." He sensed the contractual bond between himself and Macken, likely a master-servant pact akin to those with magical beasts, where the servant could not survive the master’s death.

"No memories whatsoever? I feel your combat experience should not be low."

"During combat, I seem to possess an inexplicable intuition," Macken explained. "Oh, I do recall some things: everyday writing, communication, combat movements, at least."

Roan roughly understood. The character summoned from the seven-day login reward was flesh-and-blood real, yet seemed like a newborn entity—with strength and basic knowledge, yet otherwise a blank slate.

"Welcome, Macken Salidon!" Roan’s tone was formal. "From today, you shall be my guard officer, responsible for my safety. Additionally, you shall serve as my instructor and sparring partner, aiding me in enhancing my combat experience." Macken knelt on one knee, placing his right hand over his left chest. "I am at your service, milord!"

"No need for such grand gestures ordinarily." Roan helped him rise, inspecting Macken’s sword, shield, and leather armor. These items appeared with the summoning; their quality surpassed the guards’ crude iron swords by several grades. Thus, Roan need not spend money to equip Macken. According to his knowledge of this world’s prices, a knight’s sword alone cost at least five gold coins, plus shield and armor—a full set nearing twenty gold coins. Roan himself possessed less than 180 gold coins; spending nearly a ninth of it was a significant expense. Considering his need to save money for six magic crystals to obtain the first-reward, he sighed. "Truly, money feels scarce when needed." Now independent from Wushan Castle, seeking emotional leverage to gain financial or resource support from Roulans and others seemed improbable. To earn money, other avenues must be explored.

"Milord!" Macken’s voice pulled Roan back from his thoughts. "Milord, during the earlier battle, I suddenly felt my strength enhanced—what exactly happened?" This question had lingered within him for half a day, and he finally dared to inquire.

"This is our secret; remember to keep it confidential." Roan smiled mysteriously. "I can enhance your strength, as now." As he spoke, he applied the 20 energy essences obtained from completing the "King of Slaughter" achievement to Macken, raising his knight-level progress from 60 to 80. With just another 20 energy essences, Macken could advance to intermediate knight. Intermediate knights could externalize combat aura, their combat prowess surpassing primary knights by several tiers, thereby better safeguarding Roan’s safety. However, a territory truly needed high-level knights to showcase strength. Only high-level knights could accumulate sufficient merit to be ennobled as knighted nobles. From Wushan City to the forest town, Roan estimated an eight- or nine-day journey; upon reaching the territory, Macken would undoubtedly possess mid-level intermediate knight capability.

"Milord, I have grown stronger again!" Macken sensed the sudden surge in power, appearing incredulous. He increasingly affirmed inwardly: a master possessing such abilities was absolutely extraordinary!

Adapt to this force. That horse is yours now.

Ronin pointed to the black stallion that was not pulling the carriage, "This is a fine-quality warhorse, the best one I currently possess. I hope you will make good use of it and not disappoint my expectations!"

Knights love warhorses, and they especially cherish fine warhorses.

Think of Guan Yunchang from the Three Kingdoms, who resigned his post and sealed away gold—he took nothing else but accepted the Red Hare horse, showing his fondness for fine steeds.

McKen was no exception.

His gaze toward the black horse was fixed. "Thank you for your gracious gift, sir!"

Ronin watched the guard officer eagerly interacting with the horse and couldn't help but smile.

A fine-quality warhorse sells for hundreds of gold, a significant asset for Ronin, but he likely has few opportunities to charge into battle.

Granting it to Guard Officer McKen was a good choice.

Moreover, taking a step back, McKen wouldn't abandon him; if Ronin truly needed the black horse, he could use it anytime.

He turned his attention away and began seriously contemplating this betrayal incident.

Since arriving in this world, Ronin had thought that servants here would not easily betray nobles.

But after experiencing this betrayal, he realized that no matter which world, if there is sufficient profit and possibility, ambitious individuals will take risks.

Whether nobles, commoners, or serfs—they all harbor ambition, though the latter two are less likely to turn against their masters.

Drawing inferences, Ronin thought of Mountain Forest Town.

Would the residents there welcome him as their lord?

No, more accurately, would the local "bosses" welcome him as their lord?

It had been over ten years since any lord had wanted to go to Mountain Forest Town, and the family only assigned an administrative officer to maintain annual tax collection.

If this administrative officer stayed there long enough, could he treat Mountain Forest Town as his own territory?

That is possible.

Though Ronin hadn't personally experienced it, he had heard similar stories on Earth.

For example, a maid who worked in a household for years unconsciously regarded herself as the owner of the house, then started issuing orders to the employer.

Who could guarantee this administrative officer wasn't such a maid?

Ronin made a worst-case scenario: if the local bosses in Mountain Forest Town did not welcome him, and they had lived in that remote place for many years, they surely had their own forces.

Then he needed to consider the size of their forces and their combat capability.

He wasn't afraid of powerful knights there—any intermediate or advanced knight wouldn't choose to stay trapped in Mountain Forest Town without a lord; there was no future there.

Ronin only worried about the number of people they had.

"My subordinates are still too few."

Even including the reward from the seventh-day login—the Light Mage—Ronin only had McKen and Zahar as trustworthy individuals.

"I must find a way to solve this problem!"

(End of chapter)