Obedient Only to Me! Sir Knight - Chapter 12

Chapter 12

“Hah, honestly! I told you running away would be pointless. You’re just wasting time.”
“How did they get here already?! Don’t tell me all the guards are—”
“That’s why I said we should’ve handled it quietly ourselves. Now we’ve shown something unsightly to a noble lord.”

The man standing at the very front of the group bowed playfully toward Lowie and Ban, greeting them with exaggerated courtesy. At his infuriatingly relaxed demeanor, the guide sucked in a sharp breath.

To think the guards couldn’t even lay a finger on them…

Cold sweat streamed down the guide’s back.

Who in the world are these people? How is this even possible?

The guards of the Veloa Trading Company—ranked among the continent’s top three merchant guilds—were renowned for their skill. Having never experienced anything like this, the guide was thrown into utter panic. He shuffled sideways, inch by inch, until he ended up behind Ban.

It was the spot that looked safest. A lone escort knight standing beside a wealthy noble—surely he had to be incredibly strong. …He had to be.

…But why is this noble acting so reckless?

Even now, Lowie kept pushing at Ban’s back, insisting on peeking outside himself.

“Please, my lord. It’s dangerous. Stay behind me.”
“I want to see too.”
“T-this way, please! Leave it to the knight!”

The guide grabbed Lowie’s arm and tugged him back. But Lowie, fearless to the point of madness, kept craning his head forward. The horrified guide desperately pulled him inward again and again.

“Ugh, how annoying.”

In the end, Lowie was forcibly dragged back by the guide’s iron grip. Catching sight of this, Ban drew his sword. The unidentified group was now only a few steps away.

“Come any closer, and I’ll cut you down.”

Ban raised his blade in warning.

“Oh, how terrifying.”

The man leading the group lifted his hand lightly, as if humoring a joke.

“Don’t worry, Sir Knight. We have no intention of laying a hand on the noble lord. Just hand over that guide. The one who knows where the holy sword is.”

“Hii—!”

At being singled out, the guide shrieked and fled backward. In that moment, Lowie slipped free of his grasp and darted back out from behind Ban.

“But I bought the holy sword.”

“…Please, just stay still.”

Ban shoved Lowie back again without taking his eyes off the man before him.

They’re after the holy sword… but why?

The holy sword was certainly the most important relic of the Elysion Order, but objectively speaking, it wasn’t all that valuable.

It carries the grand title of ‘a sword bestowed by god,’ but in the end, it belongs to a minor sect.

Compared to an imperial master-crafted blade, a relic of an obscure god should have been far less desirable. Yet these people had stormed the auction house, ignored other valuables, and targeted only the holy sword. Even Ban himself—the sword’s rightful wielder—had once surrendered it without much resistance in place of debt.

Granted, someone did just pay five billion sen for it…

…But aside from someone like Lowie, who would ever do such a thing?

What do they even intend to do with it?

After all, the sword couldn’t be properly wielded by anyone but Ban. None of this made sense.

“Time’s up. Hand him over. You’re not seriously thinking of taking us all on by yourself, are you?”

At the man’s words, another group of black-robed figures emerged from the opposite end of the corridor. The man’s voice grew smug.

“What exactly do you plan to do alone, Sir Knight? Take on all of us by yourself?”

Alone, you say…

Ban carefully assessed the black-robed figures—and reached a conclusion.

I can handle them alone.

To someone who had trained his entire life to fight demons, these humans were no threat, no matter how many there were.

Though I’ve little experience sparing humans in close combat…

He had faced demons barehanded—what was there to fear from men?
The real problem was the skittish colt clinging to him.

Ban glanced down at Lowie, who was still observing the group with sparkling, fascinated eyes.

If I tell him to hide somewhere… will he listen?

“……”

…No immediate affirmative answer came to mind.

But keeping him nearby while fighting was impossible with so many enemies. Ban had never fought while protecting someone before. If Lowie were to get caught up in it—if he were hurt—

Absolutely not.

Compared to Lowie, the holy sword meant nothing. Elion would surely understand if this choice was made to save a life.

…And the trading company will refund the five billion, right?

After considering even that very practical detail, Ban made his decision. He would give up the holy sword.

“…Is it enough if I hand over the holy sword?”

If he could just give them what they wanted and get Lowie out of this danger first—

“No.”

The refusal came from Lowie.

…I knew it.

Ban sighed and tried to reason with him.

“My lord, please. It’s dangerous. We need to retreat for now—”
“No.”

It didn’t work in the slightest. At the firm refusal, Ban squeezed his eyes shut.

This is driving me insane.

“Hey, I told you we don’t have time! If the knight order arrives, things will escalate. Let’s finish this quickly. We don’t want unnecessary injuries either.”

The man pressed them. Ban looked to the guide.

“…Where is the holy sword? Hand it over, and let’s get out of here.”
“No!”

This time, the objection came from the guide. Ban frowned deeply.

Unlike Lowie, the guide had a desperate reason.

“If the merchandise is stolen, they might spare me—but the company will kill me!”

The Veloa Trading Company, which sold only high-priced goods to nobles, was owned by the Levien Count’s family of the Empire. To them, the life of a common employee was insignificant. And if the item in question had sold for five billion sen—then even more so. Just thinking about the penalty fees made the guide turn deathly pale.

“No! Absolutely not!”

In a panic, the guide ran toward the window.

I’d rather jump!

If he was lucky, he might only break a leg and survive. But if the holy sword was stolen, he would die without question. With grim resolve, the guide grabbed the window latch.

“What—! Why won’t it open?!”

…Unfortunately, the window was locked.

“Haa…”

Utter chaos. Now Ban had not one but two reckless people to protect. Half-enlightened, half-resigned, he raised his sword once more.

“I’ll carve a path. Take responsibility and get my lord out of here.”

“Yes!”
“No.”

Two answers rang out at once.

Ignoring one of them entirely, Ban shoved Lowie toward the guide.

“…Hoo.”

Having resolved to send them away, Ban’s presence changed instantly. The sharp tip of his blade pointed straight at the man before him.

I will get them out safely.

For the first time, Ban’s body trembled—he who had never once feared even before demons. Yet the sword of a master who had surpassed all limits did not waver in the slightest. A taut tension filled the corridor.

“Step aside, and I won’t attack.”

But the man before him remained calm even with a blade trained on him.

“Scary. But you see, Sir Knight, I won’t be the one facing you.”

“What?”

Ban asked—but the man did not answer. He merely snapped his fingers.

At that instant, a figure appeared at the far end of the corridor. Ban’s eyes widened slowly.

That is…

A towering frame. The clanking of chains wrapped around neck and wrists. And above all—

A mask made from the bones of a goat’s skull.

Why is that here…

At the all-too-familiar sight, Ban’s face hardened.

“That thing! When that big one comes close, everyone collapses!”
“It looks like a ghost—gives me chills!”

“Ghost?”

At the word, Lowie poked his head out from behind Ban. Horrified, Ban pulled him tightly back into his arms.

“That is dangerous.”
“Huh? What is it?”
“That is…”

To Ban, that presence was unmistakable.

How is a demon here…

The sudden appearance of a demon.

Sacrifice… but we killed every last one of them.

A sacrifice—one who offered their own body to summon a demon. A demon dwelling within a human body was far weaker than its true form, but precisely because of that, it was far more dangerous. A demon hidden among humans could commit acts beyond imagination.

Ban tightened his grip on his sword, brimming with vigilance.

We exterminated all demon summoners. It hasn’t even been that long—

After the death of the Great Demon Mammon, all demon summoners lost much of their power. Without the demon lending them strength, they were no match for the Holy Knights. Under Elion’s name, countless summoners had been judged by divine punishment.

Yet evil, as always, had grown again in the blink of an eye and returned in force.

“……”

At last, Ban understood why they were after the holy sword.

The answer was simple.

Those who sought the holy sword were not those who wished to kill demons—

—but those who did not wish for demons to die.