Chapter 44. There Is a Mage
Binaeril passed through Edenbere and headed northwest.
East and west of Hoenberg felt distinctly different in atmosphere.
It felt like, 'From here on, it's the real Empire!'
The roads were wide and flat, and the people were full of vigor.
There was quite a crowd on the road.
The air was thick with the sense that this was a place safe from monsters.
One day, two days, on the third day after parting with Rike and the others, Binaeril thought,
“I should’ve gotten a horse.”
It was nice that the road was well-paved, but walking endlessly through flatland with nothing happening was unbearably tedious.
He regretted not having bought a horse to practice riding, since Rike had given him quite a lot of travel money.
Buying a horse and tack would easily cost more than one florin gold coin, but he had more than enough to spare.
‘At the next city, I’ll definitely get a horse.’
Still, it wasn’t that he had gained nothing.
The safe, flat road helped with Binaeril’s training.
While walking, Binaeril often reflected on Jineulbaram’s teachings.
In the Myo Tribe’s village, Binaeril had achieved some success.
You could say his communication with Eden had become smoother than before?
Whereas before Eden had decided actions autonomously,
now, with awakened senses, he could grasp Eden’s thoughts implicitly.
It might seem like nothing special, but it meant he could utilize his harmony with Eden more precisely.
Of course, at this level, he was still far from being able to oppose Hoenberg’s spirit, Zep……
His gains weren’t limited to this.
The breathing technique taught by Jineulbaram was specialized in using the five senses to perceive one’s surroundings.
While cultivating it, Binaeril obtained an unexpected harvest.
Namely, his senses had expanded.
Not only were his five senses sharper than before, but he could perceive his surroundings unconsciously even while asleep.
This was an incredibly useful advantage for a traveler journeying alone.
But there was a downside as well……
Gurrrrrgle—.
Binaeril quickened his steps against the hunger that felt many times more acute.
He had walked for three days straight. He was not far from the next city now.
Ayaksen was a large city.
To put it in perspective, it was the largest place Binaeril had visited since leaving Elfenbain.
Edenbere was a large city too, but Binaeril had only seen it from afar before passing by.
The central plaza of Ayaksen was packed with many street stalls.
“Here, here! Ayaksen’s famous specialty grilled with Hoenberg charcoal! Special chicken skewers for one donghwa coin!”
“We have smoked cheese with jam!”
“Sandwiches made with freshly baked bread!”
Stalls selling all sorts of food were lined up along the street.
Binaeril walked past them, walked past them, walked past them……
“One chicken skewer, please!”
“Welcome!”
He had planned to find lodging first and then eat, but he couldn’t resist the smell.
It was an irresistible force. He had to fill his stomach first.
From chicken skewers and sandwiches to fried fish and cured ham, Binaeril toured the stalls and sampled Ayaksen’s cuisine.
There was a vibrancy different from the food of Ruben where he was born and raised, or the area around Elfenbain.
“Mmm……!”
The skewer vendor burst into a hearty laugh watching Binaeril stuff his cheeks full.
“Heh, you sure can eat, lad.”
“I’ve been walking a long time.”
“I’ll give you a few roasted potatoes on the house, so eat your fill.”
“Thank you!”
The food stalls were packed with people.
No, the city of Ayaksen itself was an area with a large floating population.
“Why are there so many people here?”
“Hm? It’s thanks to the family that rules this place.”
“The family?”
The imperial territories east of Hoenberg were lands where noble lords had mostly lost their real power.
So-called abandoned lands. They were nominally owned by nobles, but they all lived around the safe capital.
That was why small villages could exist where village chiefs reigned like kings, such as Fairhil or Rostock.
But west of the mountain range, it was different. The concept of a feudal lord became distinct.
The stronger a lord was and the more powerful his military, the more taxes he could collect from residents and wanderers.
A lord’s authority depended on how safe his land was.
Hearing the vendor’s words, Binaeril noticed that soldiers were frequently seen throughout the city.
Most were fully armed soldiers wearing hard leather armor and carrying long swords.
It meant they received stable wages.
“Who rules Ayaksen?”
“Ayaksen is the fief of Count Siller’s family. And speak of the devil, the count’s knights are coming just now.”
“Commander of the Siller Knights is passing through!”
Scarcely had he finished speaking when a procession of horses appeared, thundering down the main street.
The crowd split left and right from the main street in perfect order.
It seemed this happened often.
Binaeril had been sitting in a stall chair, and now found himself with a prime viewing spot.
“The commander of the Siller Knights?”
“They’re the famous knights the count’s family prides itself on. The one leading them is the Platinum Knight, Sir Dominic Siller.”
The street vendor chattered on, explaining.
The Platinum Knight, Dominic Siller. He was one of the most renowned figures even outside the Empire.
Even though the era of magic had arrived, there were still knights who maintained great renown.
Such as Binaeril’s brother, called the Knight of Salvation, and Dominic Siller, called the Platinum Knight.
Binaeril had heard the name before, but today was the first time he learned that Ayaksen was his base.
Anyway, thinking he might see a famous figure, Binaeril kept his eyes fixed on the procession.
“Even if you stare like your eyes are falling out, it won’t amount to much. Sir Dominic usually rides in a carriage.”
“Hah, what a letdown.”
At the head of the knightly procession was, as the man had said, a splendid carriage.
It was a sight of knights in splendid armor and soldiers in neat gear, if less impressive, following the lead carriage.
Anyway, Binaeril felt his excitement drain out of him at the fact that he wouldn’t see the Platinum Knight.
The people cheered at the carriage.
The applause, whistling, and fervent crowd let him feel firsthand the reputation of Count Siller’s house.
“The count’s family seems well-liked?”
“Hm? Of course. Especially Lord Dominic. Thanks to Lord Dominic and the Siller Knights, Ayaksen is safe.”
It certainly seemed to have better public order than any city he’d seen on the way.
“And safe from mages too, haha!”
“…Haha.”
Binaeril laughed awkwardly along with the shop owner.
Dominic Siller was famous for the epithet of the Platinum Knight, but there was another title attached to his name.
Namely, the ‘Witch Slayer.’
Dominic Siller was notorious as a fierce anti-magic zealot.
‘Well, I’ll just eat and leave right away, so it’s not like I’ll run into him.’
The procession approaching from afar had advanced right in front of Binaeril before he knew it.
The crowd was growing thicker.
They had gathered to catch even a single glimpse of Dominic’s face.
Just then, a boy was shoved by the crowd’s surge and tumbled into the middle of the street.
“Don’t push, aah!”
The disheveled boy had been carrying a basket of bread in one arm.
But as he was pushed by the people, all the bread in it spilled into the middle of the street.
“Oh dear, what a waste.”
Binaeril thought the boy would give up on the bread and step back.
The procession was right upon him.
He was about to be trampled by horses trying to pick up the goods.
“No, my bread!”
But the boy hurriedly rushed in and gathered the bread from the dirt.
“Whoa! Whoa!”
The coachman driving the carriage with a bored expression pulled the reins urgently when he saw that.
The crowd’s gaze instantly focused on the beggar boy picking up the bread.
“Kid, move aside. Hurry!”
“What do you think you’re doing, blocking the knights’ path!”
Women shrieked and gestured at the boy, while impatient men hurled curses at him.
“Hey! What is this beggar brat doing, get lost already!”
The coachman immediately flew into a rage.
Binaeril frowned.
Leaping down from the driver’s seat, the coachman kicked away the basket the boy was gathering bread into.
“You brat, I said get lost! Disgusting.”
“Ah! Mister, what are you doing!”
The boy clung to the pant leg of the coachman who had kicked him.
When the boy in rags covered in dust clung to him, the coachman shook his leg free and heartlessly kicked him.
“Has this beggar brat lost his mind!”
The boy tumbled down, but the coachman, unable to quell his anger, grabbed a whip and began lashing at him.
The boy being beaten was one thing, but Binaeril had thought the soldiers would soon restrain the coachman.
They wouldn’t just leave someone acting so inhumanely……
‘So they would?’
The knights and soldiers on horseback following the carriage did nothing to stop him.
On the contrary, they watched the situation with strange amusement.
‘So these are the esteemed knights of House Siller?’
It was an unbelievable moral code.
Not just the soldiers, but none of the Ayaksen crowd stepped forward to stop him either.
-Ignore it.
‘Why.’
-The one inside that carriage. He’s stronger than you right now. If you interfere needlessly, you’ll only end up bleeding.
The one riding inside was likely the Platinum Knight, Dominic Siller.
If Binaeril stepped forward advertising himself as a mage and stopped the coachman,
the sword of Dominic Siller, who despised mages, would cut him in two in an instant.
-The first rule of wanderers. Don’t interfere in others’ affairs. You know that, right?
He knew it all too well.
It was a principle Binaeril had learned through experience as well.
There were countless unjust children being beaten in the streets; he couldn’t save them all.
‘As long as I don’t get caught, it’s fine, right?’
Binaeril smiled, hiding his expression.
The coachman, who had been lashing his whip nervously, felt his lower body grow strangely cold.
It wasn’t a mere illusion.
He was wearing dark trousers, so it wasn’t easy for others to see, but he himself could tell.
His pants were getting wet.
The boy who had been whipped raised his head and squinted at the situation when the coachman stopped hitting him.
The soaked pants now clearly showed a wet spot in the groin area, visible even to others.
“Pee?”
Because of the coachman’s whipping, everyone had been quiet.
The child’s voice rang out clearly.
“Did the mister wet himself?”
“N-no!”
-Sigh.
Veritas’s sigh echoed in Binaeril’s head.
Binaeril covered his mouth and giggled.
“Mister is dirty!”
The coachman was so flustered that he was speechless, his face flushing bright red.
Binaeril didn’t stop there.
The drops of urine(?) flowing down his pant leg wet the coachman’s feet.
And the moment they touched the ground, they froze solid.
The coachman stepped back in shame and slipped on the patch of ice he himself had created, falling flat on his back.
Binaeril now had to try very hard to hold back his laughter.
The citizens were all bewildered.
But no one was as bewildered as the coachman.
For a coachman who had raised his hand so thoughtlessly, even this was a light punishment.
Binaeril thought to wrap up this commotion and rose from his seat.
He planned to secretly slip through the crowd while no one noticed.
Just then, the carriage door opened.
One of the knights standing closest approached and explained the situation to the figure inside the carriage.
The moment Binaeril turned to leave.
“It smells of a familiar gutter.”
The man extended one foot outside the carriage.
Unable to overcome his curiosity, Binaeril turned his head to look at the rumored Dominic Siller.
At that moment, the Platinum Knight was also looking at Binaeril.
“Everyone stop, there is a mage here.”
Dominic smiled ominously.