Novel Full Chapter 161 : Chapter 161
Chapter 161. Rip My Stomach (1)
Originally, Patrick planned to fight all the powerful warriors of the Eastern Kingdoms.
Starting with the Decator Kingdom, he intended to sort out the Yusef Kingdom above it, and then the Flame Kingdom.
However…
“No matter what, going to the Yusef Kingdom now is a bit much, right?”
“Of course.”
“Do you even have to ask?”
Isabella and Matthew responded to Patrick’s words as if it were obvious.
“Tch, I didn’t think things would get this twisted.”
The reason Patrick was so disappointed was that the situation in the Yusef Kingdom was currently extremely chaotic.
The Yusef Kingdom had plunged into a state of severe turmoil when Prince Cierion inherited the throne.
Although it was said he inherited it, anyone who knew anything knew that he had, in fact, pushed his father aside and usurped the throne.
Originally, Prince Cierion was not high in the line of succession, but he had suddenly seized military control of the capital and ascended to the throne himself.
In the process, the former king was confined, and his other brothers were expelled.
It was only natural that some would not recognize King Cierion, who had risen to the throne in such a manner.
King Cierion was using force to subdue these opposing factions.
In the end, the Yusef Kingdom was now suffering from a civil war.
If I were to visit at a time like this and request a duel, I could be treated like a lunatic.
‘Tsk, that bastard looked like he’d cause trouble when I saw him at Arcana, and he finally did it.’
Patrick remembered Cierion clearly.
In fact, among the people he had seen at Arcana, Cierion had left the strongest impression on him, aside from the Imperial Sword Saint.
In Patrick’s view, if he hadn’t been there, Cierion would have had the highest chance of winning Arcana.
He didn’t particularly want to get involved with that type of person.
“Well, it can’t be helped. A wise man does not court danger.”
“What’s a wise man?”
“Someone like me.”
“So, a bad guy.”
“……”
In an instant, a wise man had become a bad guy.
In any case, Patrick adjusted his course from north to west.
There lay the Kaisar Kingdom, which Patrick had planned to visit after sorting out all the eastern nations.
A powerful nation occupying the central-northern part of the continent, hosting the Tower of Truth within its territory.
Officially, there were nine 7-Star knights in the kingdom.
Considering that the eastern nations had about one to three 7-Star knights each, this was a formidable force.
“Tch, nine of them. I originally planned to take them all on….”
“Were you planning something that terrifying?”
“If you’re going to do something, do it right.”
Matthew shook his head at Patrick’s words.
A monster was certainly a monster.
Even for a knight’s training journey, the scale was different from that of an ordinary person.
“But I felt it this time in the Decator Kingdom too. If I try to take them all on, interference comes my way. I should just catch a few big ones.”
After saying that, the first destination Patrick reached after crossing the border was right here.
The great city of Andemion in the Kaisar Kingdom.
***
Upon entering the city, Patrick looked around and marveled slightly.
“This city is quite big, huh?”
The wide central road looked like it could accommodate eight carriages passing simultaneously.
On both sides of it, buildings of at least five stories high were neatly constructed.
Andemion was a city as large as White Town, the capital of the Atronia Kingdom.
And in reality, this was no ordinary city either.
“It used to be the capital of a kingdom, right? A scale like this is only natural.”
“It was a capital?”
“You didn’t know?”
“Do I need to?”
At Patrick’s words, Matthew let out a sigh filled with the sentiment, ‘What was I expecting from this guy?’ and spoke.
“Until just 20 years ago, this Andemion was the capital of the Kreutz Kingdom.”
“Ahhh…. Wait, now that you mention it, I think I’ve heard of this place.”
Patrick searched his memory.
Andemion, Andemion….
He had heard the name somewhere, but the memory was just on the tip of his tongue….
“Ah, those mercenaries from back then!”
[The little brat has no manners. This one is Jorj, the survivor of Andemion.]
After struggling, Patrick succeeded in pulling the name Andemion from a distant memory.
Back when he met Red, the mercenaries hired by the other side during the process of dealing with the traitor had said they were from here.
The Kreutz Kingdom, destroyed in the war with the Kaisar Kingdom.
The fierce battlefield where that kingdom resisted until the very, very end.
That was this very Andemion.
The Kreutz Kingdom had lost all its territory, and with only its capital remaining, it had resisted and held out here for a staggering ten years.
“No wonder the buildings here and there look strangely new….”
It had been a bit strange that a city with a long history had so many newly built structures.
But it made sense if they were rebuilt after being destroyed in the war.
Matthew nodded at Patrick’s words and said.
“I heard that later on, they ran out of stones for the catapults, so they demolished buildings and used the debris to fire them.”
“It must have been desperate.”
“I’m sure it was. Though they lost in the end.”
The Kreutz Kingdom was a small country, but it was once a kingdom that proudly held its name on the continent.
Such a country had been defeated in war and completely vanished.
And now, this city had been completely absorbed into the Kaisar Kingdom.
Looking at the vast city and the people busily living their lives within it, it was hard to believe that this place had been a battlefield just a few decades ago.
The people living on this land must have done their best to rebuild the city that had been thoroughly destroyed by war.
That would not have been easy.
Weren’t they the people of a defeated nation that had lost their country?
How much sweat and tears must they have shed to raise their completely destroyed homes again?
Patrick looked at this scene of sorrowful history, feeling a strange sense of emotion….
“I’m hungry. Where should we eat?”
…Just get a little emotional.
This was the character of a man who, for what it’s worth, had lived his past life being called a Great Master.
To that, Matthew also replied nonchalantly.
“Since it’s a big city, there should be plenty of inns that serve food. Let’s go there.”
“Oh, sounds good. They’ll have alcohol too, right?”
“Of course. The dark beer from this region is a top-quality product exported all the way to the Empire.”
“Kaaah…. I have to drink that.”
Patrick and Matthew linked arms and headed to an inn, looking forward to the dark beer.
And Isabella and April silently followed behind them.
They’ve really corrupted the kids.
This is why one must choose friends carefully….
Gulp, gulp….
“Oh….”
After a brief pause, Patrick continued what he was doing with a short exclamation.
Gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp….
The rhythm of his throat was remarkably fast and precise.
The beer mug, larger than an average person’s head and filled to the brim, was being emptied without hesitation.
And after neatly finishing the beer, Patrick slammed the mug down with a thud and said with sincerity.
“Kaaah. This is killer!”
Patrick didn’t originally like beer all that much.
It didn’t suit his preference for strong liquor.
It was good to drink instead of water when eating meat with the soldiers, but he never sought it out when he wanted a drink.
But….
“This is really amazing.”
“The flavor is insane.”
“It’s truly excellent.”
“…Wow.”
Even April, the least expressive of her emotions, let out a small gasp.
That’s how excellent this dark beer was.
A savory and rich feeling that filled the mouth.
A cool and clean swallow.
Although it wasn’t expensive, fine liquor, it was amazing that a commoner’s drink like beer could be this good.
“Another one over here, please.”
When Patrick raised his hand to order more beer, a woman who appeared to be the innkeeper appeared.
Her physique was more impressive than most men, and she moved nimbly, holding eight beer mugs in each of her log-like arms.
And upon reaching Patrick’s table, she briskly set down the additional beer.
“Here’s your extra beer.”
No sooner had she placed the beer mug in front of Patrick than he picked it up and chugged it down.
“Kaaah…. Killer. This is a work of art.”
“Young man, you drink well.”
“Because the alcohol is amazing. What on earth is this?”
“What do you mean? It’s just ordinary dark beer, isn’t it?”
“Hey, I don’t think so. If this is ordinary dark beer, then all the beer I’ve had until now becomes trash, doesn’t it?”
“Ahahaha. You have a way with words. I’ll add some extra snacks on the house.”
“Wow, ma’am, I thought you were just beautiful, but you’re generous too.”
“Look at you talk. Your girlfriend next to you will get jealous.”
“So what if she does?”
“Ahahaha.”
The innkeeper lady slapped Patrick’s back with her thick hands and laughed heartily.
Seeing this, Matthew let out a chuckle.
‘This guy, I swear….’
Sometimes, he just didn’t understand.
Though it was said to be a humble family, the Schneider family was a landed noble family with a deep-rooted lineage of over several hundred years, and Patrick was its sole heir.
In other words, he was a blue-blooded noble.
He was also Princess Isabella’s fiancé and, crucially, a supreme warrior who had reached the 7-Star realm.
If he were to visit the Imperial Palace of the Empire right now, the Emperor himself would surely come out to welcome him.
Yet such a Patrick was laughing and joking informally with an ordinary innkeeper.
Was it because of his good character and personality?
‘No way.’
That was absolutely not it.
He could swear on the entire fortune of the Elbador Merchant Guild.
But….
‘He’s not entirely a bad guy either.’
Now, beyond the innkeeper, he was clinking glasses and having a drinking contest with the neighborhood man at the next table.
“Chug! Chug! Chug!”
“Chug! Chug! Chug!”
Amidst the fervent cheers of the surrounding drinkers, Patrick emptied his beer mug with a significant lead, then tapped it dry over his head and said.
“Khaha. Anyone next? This town doesn’t know how to drink, huh?”
“What did you say?”
“I’ll take you on.”
“Bring it on!”
It was truly dumbfounding.
How could he be like that?
After a few glasses of beer, the inn’s lobby had quickly turned into a festival.
He had never seen even nobles renowned for their character interact so informally and friendly with commoners.
But how could that scoundrel blend in so naturally with people?
Patrick mingled with the people, unabashedly engaging them in drinking contests.
“Next, ah…, wait, before that, where’s the restroom here?”
“Hahaha. It’s on the right in the second-floor hallway.”
“Wait for me. I’ll be right back to take you on again.”
And Patrick went up to the second floor of the inn.
Watching Patrick go up, grumbling that this was the problem with beer, Matthew chuckled.
“He’s a strange one, that’s for sure.”
Matthew chuckled and sipped the dark beer in front of him.
Even with Patrick gone, the already excited drinkers continued to drink and make merry among themselves.
But then….
“What? Why is it so loud?”
A group of people who would never be welcome in a cheerful pub entered.
The moment they entered the pub, the boisterous atmosphere turned icy cold.
The people who had been happily enjoying themselves instinctively became wary, quietly sitting down and watching cautiously.
From this alone, one could see the typical entrance of neighborhood thugs.
But the problem was….
‘Armor? Spears?’
Matthew was puzzled.
No matter how you looked at it, wasn’t that the uniform of the regular army?
Standardized armor and helmets, and even sharply well-maintained spears.
Anyone could see they were soldiers who were supposed to protect the city’s peace and its citizens from enemies.
So why were the citizens, who had been having a good time, cowering at the appearance of these soldiers?
Matthew’s question was answered right away.
“Hey, bring us some drinks.”
“Bring snacks too. The most expensive ones.”
As the soldiers who had plopped down in their seats and ordered roughly, the innkeeper approached and said.
“Would you like to order?”
“Yeah. Didn’t you hear? Bring dark beer and snacks.”
“Understood. Please wait a moment.”
Her demeanor, which had been bright and hearty when dealing with Patrick just moments ago, was completely different when dealing with the soldiers.
A short while later, she brought dark beer and what appeared to be roasted chicken.
“Well then….”
As she left, the soldiers took off their helmets, leaned their spears aside, and began to drink leisurely.
Judging by their attire, they were likely on duty, but they drank without hesitation.
“Kaaah…. Good.”
“This is what I live for.”
Watching the soldiers get tipsy, the people around them looked on with ominous gazes.
The soldiers, aware of this, looked around and yelled.
“What are you looking at! You worms!”
The people around them hastily turned their heads away.
Finding this amusing, the soldier chuckled, and then….
“Ooh…. What’s this?”
The man stood up from his seat and approached the table where Matthew and his companions were.
And looking at Isabella, he said.
“Wow. It’s the first time I’ve seen such a beauty in this town. Are you from out of town?”
Isabella looked around, then pointed at herself and said.
“…Me?”
The soldier then grinned slyly and said.
“Is there another pretty girl here besides you… well, there is.”
The soldier’s gaze shifted to April next to her, and he looked stunned.
What kind of beauty was this? The moment he saw her, his legs almost gave out.
“Ahem, but I’m not interested in men.”
Then the soldier looked back at Isabella and said.
“We’re soldiers of this fief. You don’t have to worry, we’re not suspicious people.”
“…Huh?”
Isabella was dumbfounded.
Although she was the daughter of a handmaiden, she was still born and raised a princess.
At the Academy, she was an object of admiration and treated as a prospective knight with excellent grades.
But….
‘Is this what they call being hit on?’
It was the first time she had experienced it in her life.
She was so dumbfounded that she wasn’t even angry. As she didn’t answer, the soldier grew bolder and said.
“Instead of drinking here where it’s no fun, come to our table. You can order as much alcohol and snacks as you want.”
“…I refuse.”
She was hesitant about how to respond, but she tried to be sensible for now.
Even if he was drunk, a man who knew his manners would back down.
“Ooh, so scary. Our pretty girl is even prettier when she’s feisty, huh?”
This ill-mannered bastard.
The man audaciously reached out to place his hand on Isabella’s shoulder.
At that, Isabella’s hand moved towards the hilt of her sword.
The moment his hand touched her shoulder, she planned to slice off his wrist.
But….
Pow!
“Aaargh!”
The soldier who was making a move screamed and collapsed along with the beer mug that shattered on his face.
“How dare these bastards make a move on someone!?”
Then, the other soldiers who had been watching with smirks on their faces shot up from their seats with grim expressions.
They grabbed their spears, aimed them at the opponent, and said.
“How dare you attack a soldier?”
“Don’t move. Resist and you die.”
“Who are you? Identify yourself!
Normally, the name that should have been given in response to such a question from the soldiers was Patrick Schneider.
But….
“I’m Matthew!”
I say it again.
One must choose friends carefully.