The eight people selected as the advance party included Arendt, Arthur, and Richt. It was the perfect number to form a typical mercenary group.

At the evening time when they decided to leave

Arthur and Arendt, who had returned from outside, unpacked the luggage they had brought with them. Arendt, as always, said something to his seniors who were looking at him with questioning eyes.

“Take off your uniform and change into this.”

“This? Why?”

“Seniors, from now on, you are not knights but mercenaries. Remember this well.”

The luggage the two men unpacked were clothes and armor that mercenaries would wear.

Rider who was going along with them lifted the leather belt with a tired face.

“Where did you get something like this?”

Arthur spoke as he dragged a large sack from somewhere. It was filled with crude swords and weapons that had no decorations whatsoever.

Everyone’s expressions became a little more cloudy.

“I wanted to bring what I was using, but…”

“Everything I bought was new, so don’t worry.”

Arthur quickly added to Arendt’s mutterings of regret.

Arthur was met with admiring looks. If he had hesitated, they would have ended up wearing the sweaty armor of mercenaries whose faces they had never seen before.

“I understand that it’s the captain’s order, but… do we really have to go this far?”

“Are you still disappointed with the new ones?”

“Whew, let’s stop talking.”

The knights sighed deeply and began to change their clothes one by one.

Just as Richt was about to pick up a piece of clothing and change into it, Arendt stopped him.

“Our clothes are over here.”

“What?”

What Arendt gave him were luxurious clothes that only noble children would wear.

Richt asked sheepishly.

“Why?”

“What, why are you discriminating against people? Senior Richt is one thing, but why you?”

“You can’t wear something like this because you’re a noble?”

Complaints with the same questioning voices erupted here and there.

Arendt looked back at his seniors absentmindedly.

“Do you want to know the real reason?”

“Of course.”

Arendt clicked his tongue at the outpouring of boos and pulled Richt next to him.

“Face.”

“…?”

“Do you think that shiny face suits a mercenary?”

“…”

They couldn’t bring themselves to refute it.

The knights, speechless, looked around at each other. Looking at them, it seemed that, except for Arthur, only the most rugged and fierce-looking members of the Order were gathered there.

Meanwhile, Arthur was hurriedly changing his clothes. It was as if he had anticipated what Arendt was going to say, or as if he didn’t want to get involved in the conversation.

The knights decided to follow his example and just keep quiet.

Arendt’s eye for everything from casting to costumes and props was precise. The group, who had been alternating between uniforms and formal attire for a long time, transformed into a group of mercenaries without a hint of awkwardness.

Richt and Arendt, who came out after changing clothes separately, had also transformed into noblemen.

After the preparations were complete, Laius, who came to double check the situation, seemed to be at a loss for words for a moment at the sight.

“That… suits you well.”

The knights who had become mercenaries slumped their shoulders slightly, not knowing whether to be happy or not.

Laius coughed and changed the subject.

“I’ve already informed the police intelligence unit in advance, so they should be able to meet you nearby. You can follow their guidance to the base.”

“Yes!”

A neat answer came back.

“It will take about three days to reach the destination. We will leave tomorrow for training and wait in the nearby forest. When the time comes, give us a signal. We will join you right away.”

Laius handed the communication crystal ball he had brought to Richt and added:

“The goal is to find out the whereabouts of the missing people. Once that’s achieved, make some noise and escape to join us. And then.”

As the story, which seemed to have ended, continued, the knights looked at the captain with questioning looks.

Laius was more serious than ever.

“Don’t let that guy cause any trouble.”

The knights were momentarily speechless at the sincere instruction.

But that was only for a moment, as the eyes of the group were filled with determination.

“Yes, I understand!”

“Just leave it to me, Captain!”

Not even realizing that on one side, Richt and Arthur were looking at the distant mountains.

“If the captain didn’t say that, they wouldn’t have to suffer.”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

The two men’s gazes turned to Arendt.

But the person in question just stood there indifferently, with no intention of making excuses or expressing his discontent. Why was that sight so annoying?

On one side, the knights in the guise of mercenaries were still burning with enthusiasm. Arthur considered offering them a word of advice, but stopped himself.

Because they would soon realize the reality.

Late at night.

A group of people wearing robes turned inside out quietly left the palace.

It is said that the palace never sleeps, even at night, but no one was able to catch sight of the knights who had deliberately hidden their presence.

Having successfully left the palace, they walked in the opposite direction from the busy area where shops and inns were lined up.

The only thing that illuminates the future was moonlight.

Even that was obscured by clouds, which was fortunate for those who were hiding in the darkness.

They found the horses that had been hidden outside the city gate, and only when there was no sign of human presence did they mount their horses and begin to ride in earnest.

One person from the group sighed as he threw off the robe he had been wearing over his head.

It was Glenn.

“I thought I was going to suffocate to death. Why do we have to go through this when we’re not doing anything bad?”

“In order to achieve great things, small inconveniences must be taken.”

“I know that, but this is not a common-sense struggle.”

At Richt’s words, Rider grumbled and glared at Arendt.

“Isn’t this all because of that kid?”

“I told you clearly that if you had any complaints, you could express a different opinion?”

But Arendt responded indifferently to such criticism.

Richt stepped forward and dismissed their complaints.

“Stop talking nonsense and let’s go. We’ll have to run all day to get there tomorrow night.”

The group grumbled but began to ride smoothly.

Neither the deep darkness nor the obstacles of the wilderness could stop them. They diligently hurried on their way, guided by the twinkling starlight and the dim moon.

Rider, who was focused solely on running, glanced at Arendt.

As befitting the setting of a young master being escorted by a mercenary group, Arendt and Richt were riding side by side in the middle of the group.

No matter what he did, he couldn’t shake off the feeling of uneasiness.

How on earth did things turn out like this? He got caught up in it without even realizing it, but he still couldn’t understand what was going on.

First of all, the fact that this many people were moving according to the will of that arrogant apprentice knight was beyond common sense.

“Isn’t that absurd?”

“What?”

At that moment, Arthur’s voice suddenly burst out from the cold wind and woke Rider from his thoughts.

“That guy can easily persuade the Captain and even His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Huh? Uh uh, what…”

Embarrassed to admit it outright, Rider muttered vaguely. Arthur’s grumbling could be heard through the strong headwind blowing against the horse’s fast gallop.

“I think the seniors will soon find out what a ridiculous bastard that guy is.”

“I already feel it to the point of overflowing. Where is the person who would cut ties with their family just because they’re upset?”

Recently, when Arendt was away, the thing the Knights talked about the most was the story of Count Eckhart.

Because everyone present confirmed that the world-famous Count Eckhart was trudging back to his territory like a dog chasing a chicken.

Strictly speaking, it was Arendt who suffered the greater loss. However, it was strange that in their eyes, the sight of Count Eckhart returning with his eldest son looked even more shabby.

“That’s just a drop in the bucket. If he was the type of guy who would just keep going so fast that you couldn’t handle it, then it’s better.”

“…?”

Rider glanced at Arthur, frowning.

Arthur pouted and blurted out his emotions, as if he was really fed up with it.

“That’s really nothing. Everyone, you better be prepared. That guy is really crazy.”

“…”

The conversation ended there, leaving Rider feeling a little uneasy.

Arthur, who added the last word, clearly had his brow furrowed, but for some reason he didn’t look that upset.

Rider briefly tried to read the expression that had just passed across Arthur’s face.

So, that’s…

‘…Is it anticipation?’

But even if he read it, it was still confusing. Of course, they all knew that Arendt was an extraordinary person.

Rider soon shook off the thought.

Even if Arendt’s head was somewhat clever, he was still just an insolent apprentice knight.

‘You’ve been feeling very proud of yourself lately, after all the achievements you’ve made.’

Rider firmly resolved that he would one day fix this bad habit, without realizing how big of a mistake that was.

They hurried along the road diligently and ran for a whole day until they reached the entrance to a small village just as the sun was setting.

It was a village that catered to travelers and was located at the crossroads leading to the next territory.

Richt stopped the group.

“I think it would be better to stay there tonight.”

They weren’t the type of people who would blink an eye at the night dew, but there was no need to force themselves. They were all already in a state where they hadn’t had a proper meal because they had been chewing on jerky all day on horseback.

They rode slowly past an entrance that wasn’t even properly gated.

The streets were bustling with people. There were travelers looking for a place to stay and merchants hawking their wares at stores and restaurants.

No one paid attention to the group that had mingled in there. Some people glanced at Arendt and Richt, who had striking appearances, but that was all.

“It’s been a while since I’ve felt this way.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Rider chimed in as Glenn muttered softly.

No one could fail to recognize the uniform of the Imperial Knights, even outside the palace or the imperial capital.

They were so used to always walking in with their shoulders back and looking confident that they felt awkward mingling with people.

Then Arendt blurted out:

“Don’t act like a country bumpkin, because I’m embarrassed to take you with me.”

“What?”

For a moment, the seniors’ gazes filled with absurdity poured over him. But Arendt just shamelessly lifted his head.

The expressions of the group that came across the arrogant expression instantly distorted.

Just as someone was about to say something, Arthur struck first.

“I’m sorry, Master. It’s been a while since we’ve been on a long journey like this.”

It was a line that was a bit awkward, but still passable. Arendt added to it.

“There’s still a long way to go, so don’t be distracted. Brother, I think we’ll have to stay here for today and then go. Is that okay?”

“Huh, huh?”

Richt, who had been staring blankly, nodded his head absentmindedly.

As Richt and Arthur jumped on the bandwagon of the situation that started out of nowhere, the knights were left helpless and just stared at each other.

The person who saved them from not understanding the situation was Arthur, who knew how to take care of his seniors better than Arendt.

He made eye contact with his companions and moved his lips so that no one else could hear.

‘Another mercenary group is looking this way.’

It was a single sentence that sent shivers down their spines.