章 11: Knowledge (part 2)
Many hours have passed, and I didn't even realize it.
The librarian had to lift my book away from my hand to snap me out of my daze, and I had no idea I was that immersed in reading.
I ended up borrowing all the books that I read so I can read them some more and even memorize them, and the librarian actually allows it. There were like ten books, and he just agreed easily even with me not giving him any ID.
"You are a commendable one. Your love to read was so impressive, that even a poor nerd such as I am is wildly annoyed by it. Therefore, I shall allow you to borrow them.
Just make sure to return them within the week, else I will get my head chopped."
This library was not his. He was just a worker here.
It's a bit funny how irresponsible he is, but I understand his passion. His love to read makes him understand just how incredible of a person I am. The same goes with me, knowing that he will definitely get punished if I fail to return these books.
"I promise. I will return it."
He nodded at me, and I left the library. I was met with a night scene of Ardjestyn, and I was immediately mesmerized.
The street was brightened, the skies were dark blue, and people were crowding the road with their businesses. The sound of children laughing, male and female walking on a date, even the old man selling his meals and drinks at his shop stall not far from my position.
I liked this atmosphere, it was one of the best things of Ardjestyn. The happiness of the people is my happiness as well, as their hero.
I began walking under the cold air. There were tons of people everywhere, but it was actually not that loud. It was peaceful, no dragon shouting anywhere, no people screaming from pain.
But the more I looked into the people, the more I realized something.
This feels lonely.
Seeing these people now, how they are walking around with their families, how couples are enjoying their love lives, I began to question things.
Do I… have anyone like that?
Family? Friends? … Lover?
Do friends count? What about Jack, and maybe Baggets, or Arthur? Do they count as my friends?
Jack is definitely a friend. But, does he also feel lonely without me?
As I took a stroll, I looked around a lot. I studied the people's expressions, the things they are talking about, the small things like how a thief is secretly grabbing a man's wallet from his pocket.
Oh, thievery.
Nah, I'm just going to let that happen. I'm not really an officer at work, plus I'm too tired.
But then my eyes landed at the person currently moving at high speed chasing down the thief.
… Arthur?
"Hey, thief!"
He shouted as he run, and looking at him now, he does look stupid.
He is wearing a regular knight's armor, when he usually wears fancy battle clothes that are easy to move. His armor must be pretty heavy, because he is having a hard time running. The armor looks too big for him, which adds more points to how ridiculous he looks.
Oh my… he look so stupid.
The thief started running immediately with money in his hand. But seeing Arthur now, he won't be catching up to the thief that is running at mach speed.
Maybe… I'll help out a bit.
I lifted one finger, and a small yellow butterfly of light appeared. The butterfly began flying away towards the thief, faster than a human can run. It landed on the back of the thief's right leg, and it exploded.
BAR!!
"Ghaaakkk!!!!"
The thief fell over face first, and Arthur finally caught up.
"W-Wha--"
"Stay down!! Give me the wallet!"
Arthur began tackling the thief while taking the wallet off his hand. Before long, the other knights arrived, and they helped with bringing the thief in.
I watched the whole situation unfold and grinned when they took the thief away.
"That guy is having fun."
I turned around and continued my way back home--
"Oi! You there!"
Ah… did he find me?
Well, obviously he did. Rank four, Arthur Bladeforce. There's no way he didn't spot the butterfly of light I conjured.
I turned around, and I saw his angry face walking towards me. I took off my mask slightly, and let him recognize my face. His face turned to confusion immediately when he recognized me.
"Rake?"
"Good evening, Arthur."
Well, this is nice. I also wanted to talk to him about something, as well.
We both sat down at the stone wall right under a tree, with drinks in our hands. Arthur's new knight friend saw me when he approached us, and immediately ran away to treat us with drinks. And now, we have ourselves an awkward air and a brain freeze since these drinks are so cold.
"This sucks."
Arthur said so suddenly, and I chuckled.
"Come on, the drink isn't that bad--"
"I meant the punishment. Being a knight sucks."
Oh. He meant that.
I was about to say a hundred lines of speech to defend the drink, thinking that he was too pampered that he disliked a normal people's beverage. But it looks like I was wrong.
"The drink also sucked, but being a knight sucks ass."
Oh…
"What's the beauty of it?"
I asked as a joke, and he started explaining his hundred lines of speech.
"That thief was the fifth thief I caught today, alongside two potential rapists that I stopped from harassing women. There was also some sort of smuggling going on, but when I tried to find out what's going on, a knight captain appeared out of nowhere and told me to go away.
Did you know our kingdom was this fucked up…? I'm so pissed that I couldn't just use my abilities… The chief, the vice general, actually did not allow me to use my magic. Can you believe that?
I really want to just beat all those people up. Those thieves… those rapists… I hate this."
… This guy is a justice maniac.
I can't really blame him. His family raised him to be a heroic individual, even trained him with the strongest sword abilities known to men. This guy is definitely a great asset to the kingdom.
But… Earlier…
"I wanted to ask you something. I couldn't ask this since we were so occupied and it was not the time. But now that we're free…"
"Speak. Stop being dilly dally."
I turned my annoyed face to him, but his face looked more annoyed than I am, so I kept the complaining to myself.
"Earlier this morning… why did you rush to the dragon by yourself?"
Hearing my question, he turned his gaze forward, away from my face. He held his beverage much tighter as he answered.
"I saw the dragon sleeping. That was like a golden chance to strike--"
"That was not what I meant. I saw you wearing that grin, and what you said afterwards, about getting paid."
"… I had my reasons."
"That is what I'm asking, moron--"
"I can't share them. Not to a random individual that has nothing to do with my life."
Hearing his words, I nodded. I turned my gaze forward, and I was about to leave. But then he spoke again.
"But… you did speak like that to cover me, hence lessening my sentence."
I turned my gaze back to him, and I realized his face turning red.
Whoa. Why is he turning red?
Arthur closed his eyes and let out a sigh, and he opened his mouth without opening his eyes.
"It was money. Why else?"
"… I know it was about money. What I meant was for what reason--"
"You are being a pain in the ass, you know that!?"
He suddenly barked… I don't know what to say anymore.
I immediately became silenced. He jumped from the stone wall and stood up. Without even turning to me, he spoke again.
"It was for my people."
Oh…?
"Dukedom Bladeforce is the poorest of all Ardjestyn territories, despite being so wide and powerful. There are plenty of orphanages, even terrible diseases keep on going on. I'm doing all these… for their sake, and only for them."
Hearing him opening up like that made me feel very much surprised. All the time, I thought Arthur was someone egoistic, who cares only about himself... But it seems like I was wrong.
He is not lying… right?
"You're not lying… right?"
Hearing that out of my mouth, Arthur stayed silent. I immediately knew that I shouldn't have asked that question.
"Whatever you think about it… whatever actions you do with that information, I don't care. I did it not because I want attention, so…"
He turned his gaze to me, and looked at me with only one sharp eye. His mouth spoke, and with a heavy tone, he gave me a warning.
"Stay away… from all that."
He thickens his voice at that warning, as if I am his nemesis. He then walked away after saying that, leaving the ever loving confused me on the bottom of the tree.
D-Does he think I'm a bad guy…?
Whatever. My mind is probably tired, and I might need some sleep. The guy is also probably quite tired, chasing all those thieves.
So, I returned home.
With a grin, knowing that someone else other than me has a much bigger sense of justice.
クリエイターの想い 
FinnAlfi
FinnAlfi "If you know the enemy, and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles."
- Sun Tzu, the art of war.
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