Chapter: 05
Everyone present turned their heads toward the source of the sound.
The vice-captain’s expression was ice-cold.
And behind him, Antonio was frowning deeply.
Antonio walked over to me.
“Could it be that to you that’s… no, she… no, that brat… no.”
Apparently, he couldn’t think of an appropriate way to address the lord’s niece.
Then the vice-captain asked,
“Was it Miss Marina who did this to my guest?”
So her name was Marina.
Marina flinched.
“That sewer rat is your guest, Captain?”
At that, Antonio, who had been helping me up, spoke with an offended look.
“Sewer rat?”
Startled by their reactions, Marina’s lips twitched.
Then, as if she had thought of an excuse, she pointed at me.
“She didn’t know her place and coveted those clothes, so I simply taught her a lesson.”
“Clothes?” Antonio repeated and looked at the dress Marina was holding.
The servants awkwardly turned their heads away.
That alone seemed enough for the vice-captain to understand that Marina had mistaken the dress for her own.
His gray eyes gleamed coldly.
“She knows exactly who the owner of those clothes is. The one who didn’t know their place was someone else.”
He snatched the dress from Marina’s hands and handed it to a servant.
“Iron out the wrinkles and package it properly.”
“Yes, Captain.”
Marina’s face flushed red.
“No matter if you’re the Knight Commander, you can’t treat me this rudely.”
The vice-captain, who had maintained a blank expression, leaned close and whispered into her ear.
The servants looked confused, but my ears, which had once been used to standing watch for a band of thieves, caught every word.
“Don’t forget.
It was us who chose your uncle, who owned nothing but a single well, to become the Lord of San Miguel.”
‘Wow.’
Marina’s complexion darkened instantly.
Biting her lip hard, she spun around and ran off.
After watching her briefly, the vice-captain sat down on the sofa.
Then he told the servants,
“Leave.”
The servants immediately exited the room.
Antonio seated me on the sofa opposite the vice-captain and asked,
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“No. I’m fine.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Um, but why did you call for me…?”
I looked at the vice-captain nervously.
His face was as stoic as ever, but something about the atmosphere felt strange.
Was he embarrassed?
‘Maybe he feels awkward telling me never to show my face in this city again?’
That would be a problem.
I had planned to work in the city and make a good impression on the squad members.
Then, when the commander became a duke and Irregulars no longer had to hide, maybe he’d let me join the organization.
‘But if I push my luck and end up completely on the vice-captain’s bad side, that’s not good either…’
Right. I couldn’t afford to earn the hatred of the Irregulars’ second-in-command.
In the end, I made up my mind.
Just then, the vice-captain finally opened his mouth.
“The reason I called you is…”
“Yes, I’ll leave.”
“…What?”
I answered with a sorrowful expression, and the vice-captain flinched.
It was understandable. I had said what he was supposedly about to say.
I sighed.
“I’ll go as far away as possible.”
“No, I…”
“I’ll never work in this city again, not even in my dreams…”
“…”
Until the commander became a duke, I’d have to work elsewhere.
Then I’d come back afterward.
As I lowered my head gloomily, the vice-captain spoke in a flustered voice.
“Um… isn’t it difficult to find a job?”
“I have recommendation letters from Imperial Army commanders. I can work anywhere.”
“Recommendation letters from commanders?”
Antonio immediately chimed in.
“Her references are incredible. Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel, Brigadier General… and one of them is old man Muñoz.”
Oh, right.
I’d heard that Brigadier General Muñoz’s fleet had fought the Irregulars before.
He was supposedly an excellent commander who had dealt them considerable damage.
‘And the vice-captain was the one who overcame that, I think?’
After being completely crushed by the vice-captain’s command in the end, the brigadier general would fly into a rage whenever the Irregulars were mentioned.
I nodded.
“Yes. If I can’t find work, I can go to Brigadier General Muñoz. So don’t worry.”
Please think kindly of me.
I won’t bother you.
I widened my eyes at the vice-captain.
For some reason, his eyes trembled slightly.
‘…Huh?’
‘Damn that Brigadier General Muñoz…’
The vice-captain silently ground his teeth and pressed a hand to his forehead.
Unaware of his thoughts, Antonio was busy chatting with Yustea.
“Muñoz is picky. He doesn’t hire people easily. Everyone on his ship had been there for over five years.”
“Really? He did tell me to come if I needed anything. If the brigadier general is difficult, I could go to the colonel.”
“Colonel Ragoni? He wrote you a recommendation too?”
“Yes. Colonel Ragoni, and Colonel Mori told me to come see them if I needed a job. Also…”
One famous Imperial Army officer after another was named.
Shouldn’t they focus on managing the Imperial Army instead of poaching other people’s talent?
The vice-captain’s head throbbed.
Words he’d spoken before flashed through his mind.
“How foolish.”
“I can tell you’re clever. You certainly managed to win Antonio over. That’s why I dislike the idea of letting you live.”
And then…
“Are you saying you’ll kill me?”
“It’s the surest and cleanest method.”
He felt like punching himself for having said such things to the teacher sent by heaven itself.
‘How am I supposed to cheer her up and ask her to work for us?’
The fact that she’d immediately declared she would leave the city showed just how hurt she was.
And she had plenty of places she could go.
‘But she’s the only one we have.’
Eleven teachers had already been replaced.
And the fool who was about to lose his twelfth…
Only she could be his teacher.
Just then, the fool—no, Antonio—changed the subject.
“It’s a shame those old geezers monopolize your braised ribs. You taught letters really well too.”
“Do you want to keep learning?”
“The vice-captain keeps telling me I absolutely have to.”
“Then shall I stop by occasionally and teach you?”
The vice-captain’s head snapped upward.
For a moment, it was as if he saw divine light.
Antonio asked,
“Can you really?”
“Of course.”
“But traveling from the capital to here would be difficult…”
“Yes, it would be difficult.”
The vice-captain quickly cut in.
Antonio and Yustea flinched and looked at him.
After a cough, the vice-captain said,
“If both of you are willing, I can arrange accommodations in the castle.”
“In the castle?”
Yustea asked in surprise, while Antonio frowned.
“You chased her away so coldly, and now you’re offering her a job?”
“…”
“You’ve been acting strange since earlier. You suddenly ran out looking for a teacher and then—mmph!”
The vice-captain covered the oblivious illiterate’s mouth.
“Will you do it?”
Yustea’s eyes widened.
As her answer was delayed, he grew anxious.
“I’ll pay whatever tuition fee you want.”
“…”
“I’ll grant full authority.”
“…”
“I can even give you privileges equivalent to a division leader and treat you as an honored guest…”
At that moment—
Grab.
Yustea seized both of the vice-captain’s hands and cried out,
“Really?!”
The vice-captain froze.
He was handsome, but he carried the intimidating aura unique to those who wielded blades.
Girls his age were usually frightened of him.
No one had ever thought of grabbing his hands like this.
They were small and soft.
They felt so fragile that he couldn’t bring himself to pull away.
Yustea practically bounced with excitement.
“Wow! Waaah!”
She even hopped up and down while holding his hands.
Wearing such an adorable smile that even Antonio, whose mouth was still covered, let out a chuckle.
Watching her, the vice-captain himself unconsciously found the corners of his lips lifting.
Several weeks later.
“I heard she’s an honored guest from the capital?”
“That’s right. She must do something very important. The head butler said so. Lady Yustea’s requests are to be granted without question.”
Listening to the maids whispering around the corner of a hallway, Marina gritted her teeth.
For days, the entire castle had been talking about that sewer rat.
‘An honored guest from the capital? What a joke.’
She’s basically a beggar.
And yet she walks around with her chin up.
Grinding her teeth, Marina stormed off.
Her destination was Baron San Miguel’s office.
“Are you really going to let this continue?”
The baron looked up from his documents and frowned.
“What are you talking about?”
“The Knight Commander. He’s acting like the lord and bringing guests into the castle.”
The veins on the back of the baron’s hand bulged.
He had already heard.
That troublesome girl had entered the castle alongside the commander and had even been accepted as a guest.
The baron spoke darkly.
“So you want me to drive her out?”
“You could, couldn’t you? You’re the real lord, Uncle. The Knight Commander even said that they were the ones who chose you. How rude—”
“Didn’t I tell you never to repeat those words?!”
The baron roared.
Marina shrank back.
“I was only trying to say the Knight Commander has gone too far…”
The baron’s expression hardened.
His influence could not compare to the vice-captain’s.
Because the commander had never allowed it.
Just as the vice-captain had said, the current Lord of San Miguel was a chosen one.
Because his family was insignificant and he had no children.
Without an heir, there was no one to inherit San Miguel.
Once Escarrot was secured, replacing the lord would happen naturally.
‘As if I’d just let that happen.’
The baron spoke coldly.
“That’s why your role is important. Marina, you must become the commander’s daughter.”
“…”
“If you win his favor, not only San Miguel but Escarrot itself will fall into our hands.”
“Yes.”
Only then did the Baron of San Miguel smile with satisfaction and pat his niece’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry about that girl. This is actually good.”
“What do you mean?”
“Antonio, that fool, will never properly learn to read. The girl will prove her own incompetence.”
If that happened, would the commander ever consider adopting her?
A smile returned to Marina’s face.
“So she’ll be kicked out soon.”
“Hehehe.”
She laughed sweetly like a blooming flower.
At that very moment, however, something strange was happening in the blacksmith shop outside the castle.
A blacksmith with fifty-four years of experience.
And almost as many years of experience scamming fools.
The same old man who had sold defective weapons to the squad members before.
He was bewildered.
“You want a contract?”
“That’s right.”
The squad members were demanding contracts when purchasing weapons.
And furthermore…
“This old man still hasn’t learned his lesson! What kind of contract says [Absolutely No Refunds]? Are you trying to scam us again?!”
“…!!”
Where in the world had these idiots learned to read?
On a sunny morning.
I held up a sketchbook before Antonio and the other squad members.
Before I could even tell them to answer—
“Me!”
“I know it!”
The squad members raised their hands eagerly.
What had started as a lesson with only Antonio had now grown to dozens of participants.
Antonio’s hand was already the highest.
I nodded.
“Yes, Antonio. Go ahead.”
“Several merchant ships… uh, ships? Ah! Several merchant ships have sunk!”
I nodded proudly.
Now he could even read difficult words.
‘He could already speak casually, but his progress is incredibly fast.’
It seemed I had chosen the right teaching method.
Apparently, previous teachers had simply handed them vocabulary lists and ordered them to memorize everything.
That approach didn’t work for people like Antonio and the other squad members.
Instead, I had them read simple books that interested them.
Things like:
“[The Transparent Dragon roared loudly. The king was strong.]”
Or:
“[Madam stroked the butler’s chin. She stroked it for a long time. The king was sexy.]”
‘The important thing is making them interested.’
Whenever they encountered unknown words, they had to look them up.
Gradually, I increased the difficulty of the books.
I also provided suitable rewards.
Those who already had some grasp of casual speech improved at an astonishing rate.
“Alright, Antonio, come claim your reward.”
Antonio punched the air triumphantly and hurried forward.
“Ha! This is amazing!”
The squad members who had lost the chance to answer stared at him with fierce jealousy.
Even those still learning the alphabet ground their teeth.
“Just wait until I finish learning.”
“Little Teacher, don’t we get any questions?”
Now everyone called me Little Teacher.
Lessons lasted around five hours.
Then three hours of self-study so they could absorb everything themselves.
And during that time…
‘I should go make my report.’
I gathered the squad members’ assignments and headed to report this week’s educational results to the vice-captain.
Since the number of students had increased so much, the backyard was now being used as a classroom.
So I took the southwest corridor.
It was the most secluded route, but also the fastest.
‘I need to get back quickly and answer their questions.’
That was when I noticed someone standing near the southwest passage.
A figure wearing a deep hood that completely hid their face.
And standing with that person was—
‘Marina.’
The baron’s niece.
“Do you think it’ll succeed?”
“The barrier is strong, but if it falls into my hands, it’ll be easy.”
“Good. Then go and—”
Before she could finish saying “see to it,” our eyes met.
Marina’s expression instantly froze.
The hooded figure flinched and hurriedly fled.
Marina glared at me viciously.
“You dare follow me?”
“I wasn’t spying. I was just passing by.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
This girl was absurdly self-important.
And this wasn’t the first time.
Not only had she stolen the dress, but for weeks she’d picked fights with me every time we met.
She always accused me of trying to attract attention.
But I was genuinely just passing through.
Crossing her arms, Marina approached me.
Then she shoved my shoulder.
“How much did you hear?”
Thud.
“I’m asking what you overheard, little rat.”
Thud.
“You think doing this will make the commander notice you?”
Thud.
With every shove, I was pushed farther back until I was trapped against the wall.
Marina raised her hand again.
As she moved to shove me once more—
I grabbed her wrist.
“Please stop. You’ll drop the assignments.”
Marina let out a mocking laugh.
Then she slapped the stack of papers from my hands.
The assignments scattered everywhere.
“What are you going to do if they fall?”
“…”
I silently stared at the scattered papers.
Of all places, they had landed in a puddle left by last night’s rain.
The assignments were soaked.
Antonio had stayed in the library until dawn working on them.
When he handed me his crookedly written work, he’d grinned and said,
“Little Teacher works hard teaching us, so this big student worked hard too.”
The other squad members had also squeezed time out of their busy schedules to complete theirs.
Marina stepped on the assignments.
“So? What are you going to do about it?”
“…Like this.”
“What?”
In an instant, I slipped between her arms and twisted one behind her back.
Before she could react, our positions had reversed and she was pinned down.
I was the daughter of a marquis’s family.
I had learned self-defense as soon as I could walk.
“Let go! Let me go! Aaaah! Uncle—!”
“It’ll hurt more if you struggle.”
Your uncle isn’t coming.
Because—
“Why did you summon a gold mage?”
“…What?”
I recognized the voice of the hooded figure.
The Gold Magic Shop was one of the shops in the game.
A place where you could hire specific mages for requests.
And that gold mage specialized in brainwashing.
I could already guess who they were targeting.
‘Only the elite squad regularly maintains active barriers.’
Which meant only one thing.
“You’ve just handed me your weakness.”
