I Became the Dark Knight in the Game

Chapter 45: Mage (2)

In this world, you can gain power by paying a price to powerful beings.

This was the reason many relied on demons or gods.

But there were exceptions.

A select few managed to cultivate their magical power and achieve strength beyond human potential on their own.

Among them were knights serving the imperial family and some mages as well.

These mages had come together to form an institution for research and education known as the Magic Tower.

The Magic Tower is getting involved.

The Magic Tower was one of the most influential groups in the city.

Even the haughty nobles of the upper districts dared not disregard the mages lightly.

This raised even more questions.

Why though?

These were individuals who seldom left the upper districts.

What business could they possibly have in the slums, not just any outskirts of the city, to warrant their involvement in this plan?

This is going to be troublesome.

Dale observed the reactions of the mercenaries around him. They too were greatly surprised by the Magic Towers involvement.

Wow, the Magic Tower

What do they lack that theyd join in on something like this? Are they planning to burn down the entire slums?

Does that matter? The fact that the Magic Tower is involved means this job is a piece of cake. If we get lucky and catch the eyes of the mages, becoming affiliated with the Magic Tower could set us up for life. Lets sign up quickly.

Before, many mercenaries hesitated and weighed their options.

Searching the entirety of the slums with just the power of the council members was realistically difficult.

But the involvement of the Magic Tower changed the story.

Just dispatching a few warlocks could easily crush any resistance from the slum dwellers.

It meant the risk associated with the mission had significantly decreased.

All of the mercenaries who hesitated decided to participate.

No one was foolish enough to refuse such an easy chance to boost their records and earn money.

Dale who was watching the mercenaries flock to the guild staff walked alone towards the stairs.

I need to hear the full story first.

Garland might know something.

Dale strode up the stairs and knocked on the office door.

A voice from inside called out,

Please come in, Sir Dale.

He was called out by name even though he didnt even make a sound.

After pausing for a moment, Dale opened the door and entered. Garland was sweating under a mountain of documents.

Upon seeing Dale, Garlands stern face broke into a welcoming smile.

Have you come to give me an answer to the request I made?

Dale nodded his head once before asking,

But how did you know I was here? I didnt go through any staff this time.

Ha, well, I didnt get to this position by winning a dice game.

Garland made a joke and shrugged his shoulders playfully.

He didnt seem like he would elaborate further and Dale didnt press him.

Instead, Dale got straight to the point.

I have to decline your offer.

Oh. May I know the reason?

Ive been asked by the high priestess to protect the followers during this search. To prevent them from being unjustly detained.

Garland nodded in understanding.

Indeed. The followers of the night are easy scapegoats in this incident. Its understandable that high priestess Erielle is concerned. Please, Sir Dale, take care of yourself as well.

Dale was advised to take care. Under normal circumstances, such words would not have been uttered.

But the situation was different now.

You must have heard about the Magic Towers involvement?

Did you know?

Ha, its a bit embarrassing, but I only found out this morning. I wondered why the other council members were pushing such a reckless plan only to learn it was backed by the Magic Tower.

It seemed the plan was carried out in strict secrecy.

Dale asked,

Do you know why they are getting involved?

Well I heard they are looking for someone. But they havent disclosed who or why.

Garland said with a bitter smile,

Regardless, Sir Dale, be cautious. Mages are all dangerous, regardless of whether they are good or bad. Their way of thinking differs from ordinary people. If it serves their magical pursuits, they will resort to any means necessary. They wouldnt hesitate to burn down the slums if they deemed it necessary. So

It appeared Garland had much pent up regarding mages. He paused and swallowed hard.

And then he repeated his warning with a serious expression on his face.

Take care, Sir Dale.

***

A figure cloaked deeply in a hood entered the bustling guild office.

After casting a glance around, the figure strode purposefully towards a receptionist. Their footsteps were light as if floating.

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The lively movement caught the mercenaries attention momentarily.

Noticing the hood puffing out at the sides, they quickly made way for the figure.

Look, an elf.

Best not to start trouble; just let them through.

Without significant hindrance, the elf reached the receptionist and inquired,

Id like to ask what happened to the nomination request I made earlier.

The receptionist was taken aback by the abrupt question and she broke into a cold sweat.

Fortunately, she remembered the elfs request.

Ah, the nomination request for Sir Dale. Weve been wanting to inform him, but Sir Dale hasnt visited the guild office since then

At that moment, another receptionist who was listening to their conversation interjected.

Not exactly. He has been here a few times but went straight to the branch guild masters office instead of stopping here.

Is that so?

The receptionist said with a troubled expression on her face.

As youve heard, Sir Dale hasnt come by the reception Hes been quite busy lately, so the request hasnt been relayed to him yet.

Thud!

The elf slammed a dagger into the wooden desk, embedding it at least halfway into the solid oak.

What am I supposed to do then! This is urgent!

I have unfortunately crossed paths with trouble today. The receptionist broke out in a cold sweat and spoke hurriedly.

If if its that urgent, perhaps you could try finding him yourself?

Sir Dale?

Ye-yes, exactly.

Ah! What an excellent idea!

Delighted, the elf clapped their hands and then seemed to fly out of the guild office in their haste.

The receptionist called out pitifully to the departing elf,

Um, you might want to take your dagger from the desk

But the elated elf had already left the guild office behind.

Ill find Sir Dale myself. I cant believe I didnt think of this sooner!

Laughing heartily, the elf ran for a while before coming to an abrupt stop.

Then the elf started scratching their head as they wondered,

But how do I find him?

***

After leaving the guild office, Dale made his way to the market where he gathered as much food as he could.

Money was not an issue for him.

Thanks to a series of successful requests, Dale had earned a substantial amount.

His expenses, on the other hand, were minimal.

It was to be expected.

He only spent enough on food to satisfy his mood, didnt drink alcohol, nor did he engage in meeting women or gambling.

Occasionally, he would buy a secondary weapon, but beyond that, there was hardly any outlet for his money.

That reminds me, I wonder how Balton is doing.

Balton who had taken a weapon crafting request from Dale had been out of touch ever since.

Dale had told him to speak up if he ever needed money, but the lack of news meant one of two things.

Balton was either still wrapped up in his plans or had simply run away.

Either way, it didnt particularly concern Dale.

He continued to roam the market and diligently bought food.

He preferred the smaller stalls over the larger stores because he could buy items at a cheaper price.

We-welcome.

A woman with a life-weary face manned a stall selling fruit.

When Dale approached her, she recoiled in fear and bowed her head while wrapping a small boy who was likely her son within her skirts folds.

Dale who was silently looking at this opened his mouth.

Id like to buy some fruit.

Wh-what would you like me to give you?

All of it here.

All? Yo-you mean, everything?

The woman was taken aback and she was at a loss for words. Dale thought as he looked at the pile of fruit.

The problem is how to transport it

Then, an idea struck him.

Are you selling this cart as well?

Excuse me?

Of course, Ill pay for it.

Oh, well. Its a rather shabby item

That doesnt matter.

The woman hesitantly named her price, which was slightly less than Dale expected. This probably meant that she had given him a discount.

Dale held out his money purse without saying anything. And then he moved and started pulling the cart.

Thank you so much!

The woman and her son bowed deeply towards Dale.

Regardless, Dale moved on to another stall and repeated the same thing.

Id like to buy this cart in its entirety.

Excuse me?

Are you selling it?

Ye-yes, of course!

Having acquired everything he wanted, Dale tied several carts together with a rope and vanished into the distance.

The unexpected windfall left the street vendors buzzing with excitement.

A generous dark knight came and swept away all the goods.

Buying up goods without haggling or hassles.

This knight was the ideal customer in the eyes of the vendors, taking what he needed and paying without fuss.

Those who had missed their chance resolved to seize the opportunity should it arise again.

***

Dale towed the line of carts together and pulled them.

The carts full of food were quite heavy, but that didnt even bother Dale.

Harty trudged along beside him while yawning lazily.

Dale then suggested,

You could help pull these too.

Harty cast a sidelong glance at Dale, then it deliberately turned its head away as if it didnt hear him.

What a funny guy.

Nevertheless, Dale didnt have to worry about getting lost thanks to Harty.

This clever wolf knew the path leading to the underworld like the back of its paw.

The sight of a single person maneuvering multiple carts was a curious spectacle for the slum dwellers, who watched with blank expressions on their faces.

A few children were hopeful of receiving something and approached him.

Dale tossed them a few apples.

Be content with these for today.

The food had another destined recipient.

The children were slightly disappointed but soon looked satisfied.

They nodded gratefully and disappeared.

Considering they used to run away in fear after receiving food, this was a significant improvement.

Ma-make way.

Dale stepped past the flustered vigilantes and into the underworld.

He parked the line of carts tied together in an open space. The village chief and the residents came out after hearing the commotion.

Seeing the mountain of food piled on the carts, the chief asked,

What is this?

Ive brought enough food to keep you from needing to work for a while.

Dales most urgent concern at the moment was the control of the residents.

Sticking together during the forthcoming searches was the safest option available.

This way, Dale could protect them more effectively.

The problem was that the residents were so poor that they would starve if they did not go to work for a single day.

Thats why Dale had procured food in advance.

With the amount he had brought, they could hold out until the search was over.

Though purchasing the food and carts had cost a bit of money

But when considering the relic, its a small price to pay.

Dale instructed that the food from the carts be moved elsewhere.

Then, he positioned the empty carts at the main passages leading to the underworld.

Stack them with sacks filled with sand or useless furniture. Theyll come in handy.

The carts would serve as makeshift barricades. Crude, yes, but far better than nothing.

The work progressed smoothly.

The residents joined forces and they transferred the food and loaded the carts with sandbags.

For the first time in a long while, a buzz of activity enlivened the usually quiet and dark underworld.

As Dale directed the work, he continued to make plans in his mind.

Maybe set up some traps too? If I call Balton, he could install a few useful ones.

He entertained the thought of fortifying the place to aid in defense but quickly dismissed it.

It doesnt really matter. In the end, I have to do it myself.

The residents were unarmed and lacked knowledge in combat.

If a battle were to occur, Dale would have to handle it all alone.

Setting a trap or two wouldnt make much difference.

The best scenario for now would be to avoid any fight altogether.

But if a fight were inevitably to happen

I need to show strength. To deter them from recklessly attacking.

Instilling fear to make everyone back off.

That was the only option left.

***

On the day the search officially began.

The square was bustling with mercenaries, guards, mages involved in the event, and the crowd that had gathered to watch them.

Jophis, the nominal leader of the operation, and Kadal, the captain of the guards, delivered speeches in turn.

Therefore, we will root out the traitors hiding in the slums and restore stability and peace to the city! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Empire! Long live Irene!

The crowd responded to Kadals powerful cry with a roar akin to thunder.

Waaaaah!

Long live the Emperor! Long live the Empire!

God will aid us!

Hang all the traitors!

Most citizens had high expectations for this operation.

Especially since unsettling incidents have been continuously erupting in the city causing the people to be anxious.

The people yearned for the righteous guards and mercenaries to thoroughly hunt down all dangerous people.

And thereby restoring their peaceful daily lives.

Kadal looked on with satisfaction at this reaction.

A middle-aged man wearing a white robe with a very mage-like outfit spoke to Kadal.

I wish we would start soon. I hate wasting time.

Hmm. Understood.

Though Kadal frowned at the mages impatience, he soon issued the order to march.

Led by the outer guards, the mercenaries began to march in a line along the road.

Their parade looked as grand as if they were setting off to war, though in reality, they were merely heading to raid the slums.

Regardless, the citizens showered the mercenaries with flowers as they passed.

At a certain point, Kadal announced,

We split up here.

The plan was for four groups to divide and head toward different city gates to search the slums.

The soldiers were divided into groups as previously assigned and dispersed towards different gates of the city.

Kadals group, designated as Team 1, made their way to the eastern gate. This was the point where resistance was expected to be the fiercest.

And their expectations were precisely met.

Kadal immediately encountered members of the vigilantes.

What is this Are they preparing for war?

The vigilante members who were blocking the alleyway were well-armed.

They took cover behind carts and hastily constructed barricades, and occasionally, large crossbows could be seen on the rooftops.

Kadal had anticipated some resistance but he had never dreamed it would be to this extent.

He rubbed his face a couple of times. It was a pain in the a**, but he knew he had to try talking first.

These people are also His Majestys subjects. I must resolve this as gently as possible.

Kadal stepped forward and shouted.

I am Kadal, Captain of the Outer District Guards! We are conducting a search operation for the safety of the city, so clear the way immediately!

But only angry retorts came in response.

Cut the crap! Who are you to barge into our homes!

Yeah, right! Youre just looking to slap false charges on us and throw us all in jail or force us into labor!

Faced with the sharp retorts of the vigilante members, Kadal swallowed a groan and shouted back.

Its a misunderstanding! This operation is solely to search for dangerous elements threatening the city and the empire! I swear on my honor, my ancestors, and my beard, there will be no harm to innocent people!

His honor, his ancestors, and even his beard.

He had staked everything that was more precious to him than life itself.

It could be said that Kadal, this stubborn dwarf, had done his utmost to prove his sincerity.

Regrettably, Kadals heartfelt intentions failed to get through.

Go to hell, you rat-sized runt!

Kadals face turned beet red with rage.

The insult had precisely targeted what dwarves hated most to hear. This most likely wasnt the first time the insulter had used such words.

Yet Kadal endured.

He believed there must be some way to resolve the situation.

This was truly an operation to protect the city. Kadal was convinced that there must be a way to convey his genuine intentions to them.

As Kadal, who usually didnt rely much on his intellect, was fervently racking his brain at that moment,

The mage accompanying him stepped forward.

Why have we stopped here?

Were blocked by these folks, so I was trying to think of a solution.

Ah, is that all thats holding us up?

Is that all?

Instead of replying, the mage began to mutter something under his breath. Kadal who stood watching the mage with curiosity suddenly realized what was about to happen.

Could it be

Kadal tried to stop the mage in haste, but it was too late. The spell had already been cast.

A fireball materialized out of thin air.

This fireball then descended right into the midst of the vigilante members.

Whoooosh!

The fireball hit the ground and immediately transformed into a pillar of flame that engulfed the area and burned everything in its vicinity.

The intense heat swept over the area, engulfing the vigilantes in its fierce embrace.

Kwaaaak!

Ugh!

Screams of agony erupted as those struck by the flames flailed in pain.

The makeshift barricades and obstacles they had erected were quickly consumed by the raging fire.

The sickening smell of burning flesh and wood filled the air.

Amidst this horrifying scene, the mage spoke calmly as he looked at the dazed Kadal.

I did mention, did I not, that I hate wasting time?