Knights, Let’s Smash Them

160 – The festival is over (5)

As a large-scale festival was held in the Marquis of Rupel, the towns and cities of the Marquis’ Territory experienced an unprecedented boom.

The beginning was the free city of Monterto.

It is an autonomous territory managed by Baron Kirten, and the closest city to the capital in Rupel territory.

Since it was also the starting point of the Iron Road going up from the south to the north, all the crowds flocking from the capital came to Monterto first.

“You’re crazy.”

“As the Lubern bailiff said, if we hadn’t inspected and expanded the accommodations in advance, we could have been in trouble.”

Fortunately, despite the considerable crowds, the inside of Monteroto was well controlled.

Although it was all thanks to Lubern Alroy’s orders.

Since the last cooking contest attracted more people than expected, it was quite difficult.

Lubern Alroy had to give the mayor or semi-lord who managed the towns and villages in the territory a special order of ‘securing large-scale lodging facilities’.

At first, they were skeptical that no matter how much the fame of Rupel’s estate had risen, it wouldn’t attract that much crowd.

The bailiff’s conciliation to think of it as an investment in the future.

They did not stretch their necks and renovated the accommodations, but only when the festival was over, did they call the knights with tears in their eyes?

And even before the long-awaited festival started, as they said, the accommodations in Monterto City were full.

“It could have caused all sorts of problems if it hadn’t been properly maintained.”

Baron Kirten had a light smile on his face.

Even the extended accommodations were not enough, so tourists who arrived late were dispersed to nearby villages. If only the existing accommodations were maintained, all kinds of problems would have occurred.

Leaving visitors who come to Rupel with their own bloated dreams on the streets or outskirts of the city is tantamount to tarnishing the name of the Marquis.

“Thank you very much. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here fooling around like this.”

Chen, the leader of the Baron’s People’s Knights and former prisoner mercenary leader, added.

“By the way, aren’t you going out to play?”

“How can I leave the baron and go out to play? Let his men play to their heart’s content. It’s enough just to play around.”

Of course, there were festivals held in Baron Kirten, especially in the free city of Monterto.

Because the number of prisoners who heard the rumors and came to see them started from the fact that the prisoner mercenaries were made into the People’s Knights.

In Monterto, a ‘nomadic festival’ was held in which the traditional culture of the prisoners was partially combined.

In fact, it was almost like a gateway city.

Monterto’s Nomadic Festival was quite successful as a festival to announce the start of the Marquis’ Winter Festival.

Even though it’s been a while since the sun went down, the whole city was still noisy.

“…… Well, it’s a loss to stay as usual even on such an exciting day.”

“Yes?”

Chen, leader of the People’s Knights, stood up from his seat and stared blankly at the baron as he took out a bottle of high-quality liquor from the cupboard.

She was expensive enough to live on her chi for a month, even though she received a decent salary as a knight commander.

“It’s just the two of us. Would you hang out with me, Chen?”

The leader of the Beast Knights’ ears trembled. She tried to pretend to be calm, desperately controlling her wagging tail.

“I noticed that he licked his lips from time to time. Did you think that I, as your monarch, would not know that?”

“Ugh… ….”

“Don’t feel pressured, think of me as a knight commander.”

Chen swallowed dryly as he stared at the expensive liquor being poured into a transparent glass.

“I love you, Baron—!!!!!”

“So I told you not to say that to anyone… ….”

“How can you not like it when you do it like this!!”

In the end, Chen’s unbearable tension exploded. Baron Kirten burst into laughter as he looked at the leader of the knights who were extremely lively.

It was winter.

***

Starting with the nomadic festival in Monterto, unique festivals of villages along the Iron Road began.

On the other hand, there are villages that simply prepare simple food and enjoy a simple festival with residents and small groups of visitors.

As well as major cities such as Monterto and Petaronto, there were also outlying towns that had a large number of cooks and merchants, attracting tourists at this time.

Since these festivals are supposed to precede the Spirit Ritual, they have been given the name of ‘The Spirit Premise’.

And, of course, among those spirit premises, the most important thing is.

“Chunshik, the goblin knight! It’s awesome!!”

“Kyaaak!!”

“Look at that big nose!”

“Aigonan!”

It was an event in Tiffen Village that had previously captured the attention of outsiders.

Now, Tiffen Village has grown so big that it cannot be called a village even with empty words. It was also the town where the parish office of Rupel was located.

It was also because the golden dragon’s nest and the tomb of the old hero, the dragon knight Orgius, were opened to the public and quite a lot of tourists usually flocked to it.

In fact, even within the retainers, there is a serious discussion about upgrading the village to a city level.

Tiffen Village had already formed a gated city.

However, when there are many people, problems inevitably arise.

“…… Why should we be doing this?”

“Well, in order, it was our turn to patrol Tiffen Village, right?”

The knights of the Snow Leopard Knights, Heinz and Barbara, were urgently dispatched to guard and stabilize the town of Tiffen.

Even if it’s something to do from the start, there’s no way it’s pleasant to hold onto work while the entire territory is in a festive mood.

Besides, the plan to stay with Barbara under the world tree that was said to be being moved to Petalonto has come to nothing.

For Heinz, it was an even more thunderous shift.

“It sucks.”

“Isn’t that the duty of a knight?”

Heinz couldn’t help but lick his lips at Barbara’s snappy answer.

And as Barbara said, regret is regret, and a knight’s duty is a duty.

Since I became one of the few knights of the Snow Leopard Knights at a relatively young age, grunting about wanting to play was rather a betrayal of my honor.

‘But…… Wouldn’t it be bad if it was just the two of us?’

Heinz looked up and saw a huge campfire burning in the middle of the village.

If the person next to me was Lonz, a muscle idiot, or someone else, I wouldn’t feel much better.

The fact that it was Barbara and no one else tickled the heart of the young knight who had just passed the age of majority.

‘…… Is not it? Maybe vice-captain Emain Lua and Lubern Executor did it on purpose?’

Suddenly, such a thought passed through Heinz’s mind as he glanced at Barbara, who was staring at the campfire with a bright smile on his face.

I still had clear memories of Nodarks, a resort town in the Duchy of Hebron.

The very day I confessed the secret I had been hiding because I fell for the tricks and provocations of the two evil demons.

However, to my shame, from that day until now, the relationship between Heinz and Barbara had not progressed a single step.

‘It would be enough for two people.’

In Heinz’s mind, the images of the ‘Two Darknesses of the Knights’ pointing at him with strange poses overlapped.

-I adjusted the work schedule, Heinz. This is won…… From now on, it will take less than a second to make you the official couple of the Knights!!

-Heinz, determination opens the way!!

They are really annoying, and the more I think about them, the more I can only sigh.

“Wow, but look at that! Heinz!”

At the time I didn’t know what to do with such a complicated state of mind.

Barbara grabbed Heinz’s hand and pulled it. Shortly after being startled by the sure warmth felt through his skin, Heinz moved his gaze to the place Barbara was looking at.

There, goblins and humans gathered together and danced.

Bards playing lutes and harps, and countless people jumping around waving their hands and heads excitedly.

It was a sight that made even the cold night air warm up.

“It will definitely be fun. I am good at dancing too.”

Barbara said in a wistful voice. She is nicknamed the Sword Demon and is Barbara, who is known as a genius knight, but it does not disappear the fact that she is in her prime.

Running around with friends and dancing with a nice guy over a campfire.

What girl can not dream of?

“You can just dance.”

“Hmm?”

Heinz held out the back of her hand to Barbara. It was a gesture that meant to dance together.

“Now? Here!?”

“Is there anything I can’t do?”

“Ugh, hmm… …. There is nothing that can’t be done.”

Barbara rolled her eyes here and there as if embarrassed, and finally grabbed Heinz’s hand.

The sound of breathing accompanied by upbeat music.

The boy knight and the girl knight slowly matched their feet and drew a picture against the background of the night sky.

At that moment, a throbbing feeling arose in Barbara’s heart.

It will probably take a little longer for her to realize her true intentions.

***

So many towns and cities are full of festive atmosphere.

When a new relationship is being created with the name of romance painted on top of the relationship between the couple, couples, and ambiguous friends.

Rubern Ailroy, the bailiff of Rupel who planned the festival, was also enjoying the festival wholeheartedly.

Of course.

“The number of chickens received from the Merchant yesterday was incorrect!!”

“Where did the person in charge of Luchihyup go!!!”

“Ah, I said my girlfriend came for a while and didn’t come back.”

“…… No way.”

“Eh, ah, can you really do that? I have so many things to do right now.”

“Say goodbye when that bastard comes back!!”

“Executor of Luberne! However, several merchants raised objections regarding the selection of stores in the Petalonto Night Market.”

“f*ck.”

In a field that is far from the romance and sensibility of winter they enjoy.