"Lord easel of Grandolf formally invites Sir Eugene."
"Lady Martina, the heiress of the Ingsman family, will be preparing a banquet in honor of Sir Eugene…"
Partek's predictions proved perfectly accurate.
Starting the next morning, influential figures and noble families of Maren came to the Celestial Constellation to invite Eugene.
"Ha! The Ingsman family? How does a noble who chases after the royalist faction dare to invite a knight who answered Maren's call for recruits?"
"And what about your master, who associates with the traitors of Kalsbekin? Do you think a knight who upholds noble chivalry would share wine with the kingdom's traitors?"
"What did you say!? Are you done talking?"
"I can say more if you'd like."
As a result, families that were on bad terms with each other occasionally broke into arguments.
But none of that mattered to Eugene.
"I appreciate the invitations, but my injuries have flared up. I'll need to rest for several days, so I'm afraid I must decline all invitations."
"Oh…"
"Since we expected this, my lord, Duke Rasnik, has prepared this finest-grade mana crystal as a gift. It will greatly help in restoring your vitality, Sir Eugene."
Some even offered expensive, top-grade mana crystals.
But Eugene refused at once.
"I have elf blood among my ancestors, so after resting well for three or four days, I'll be fine. I'll accept only the sentiment. Please convey my thanks to Duke Rasnik."
"Oh… I see."
Only then did they nod in understanding.
If he truly had elven blood, his striking appearance and far superior recovery compared to ordinary people made sense.
And even if refined, elves did not consume mana stones extracted from the bodies of monsters.
'Mana crystals are completely useless to me.'
Eugene was a vampire.
Mana crystals imbued with the divine power of high priests restored human vitality and even slightly extended lifespan, but to Eugene they were no different from poison.
Yet those who did not know the truth felt both shock and admiration at Eugene, who rejected such an expensive top-grade mana crystal even if it supposedly had little effect on him due to his elven blood.
'To think such a knight still exists…'
'Sir Eugene is a knight who truly understands honor!'
And such knights were difficult to tempt, but once they made up their minds, they would never betray their chosen side.
'We must have him in our family…'
'A knight like that belongs by my lord's side!'
Although all the invitations were declined, the desire of the butlers and attendants sent as representatives of each family for Eugene only burned hotter.
* * *
Three days later.
The plate armor crafted by the Betisak Armor Workshop was delivered to Eugene's room.
Normally, such armor alone took over seven days just to craft.
However, since the city lord personally placed the order and paid the enormous sum of three hundred silver coins, all of the dwarf brothers were mobilized, reducing the production time to an almost absurd degree.
"Just look at that shine! Whoa!"
Mirian's excited fuss was hardly necessary—the plate armor from the Betisak Armor Workshop boasted a truly splendid appearance.
The plate mail worn by knights like Galfredic and Madrika consisted of iron plates protecting each body part, tied together with leather straps.
But full plate armor connected each section with hinges and hooks, making it far easier to put on and take off.
Above all, its surface featured wave-shaped grooves and radiating lines, greatly enhancing both its defensive power and structural strength.
"It is made from our Betisak Workshop's proprietary steel—Elsik-produced iron mixed with ogre bone. I sincerely hope it will be of even the slightest help in displaying Sir Eugene's chivalry."
Because it was such a high-end product, even the workshop manager came personally for the delivery.
While inspecting the armor with satisfied eyes, Eugene soon narrowed his gaze.
"What is this?"
He pointed to a very small crest engraved from the neck down to the chest.
"Oh, that is the city emblem of Maren. It was the city lord's special request."
"Hm."
It felt slightly unsettling, but since the armor had been practically free, he could hardly complain about a small Maren city crest engraved on it.
And the dwarf brothers had faithfully applied not only the city lord's requests, but also all of Eugene's special requirements.
In particular, the front of the helmet protruded forward slightly, forming a perfect visor whether the face guard was raised or lowered, protecting the vampire's eyes from direct sunlight.
"It seems you like black very much, Sir Eugene."
At the manager's cautious question, Eugene nodded.
"That's part of it. And it would be troublesome if the armor reflected light at night or inside a dungeon."
In truth, he had asked for it to be black because he disliked how armor sparkled in sunlight during the day.
"As expected! Our masters also guessed that this might be the reason you requested black armor."
"Truly master craftsmen—they understand a knight's heart well. In any case, I've received it well. I'll put it to good use."
"Thank you. Unless it is completely destroyed, we will repair it free of charge for three years. If there is ever a problem with the armor, please visit the Betisak Armor Workshop at any time."
"I will."
After the manager and the workshop staff left, Eugene took off his chain mail and tried on the plate armor.
It was easy to put on, and it hardly restricted his movement at all.
It truly was worthy of armor crafted by all of Maren's finest dwarf artisans working together.
'With the black scale armor underneath, there's no need to wear another layer of defense.'
Eugene was highly satisfied.
Not only had he sold the monster by-products for more than the original plan, but he had also received recruitment battle pay and top-grade plate armor that was practically equivalent to an official identity certification from the city lord of Maren.
'And I got Silion as well.'
Thinking that coming to Maren in person had been an excellent decision, Eugene left his room.
The plate armor could be considered a reward for slaying the roaming goblins and orcs—but the exquisitely bred warhorse Silion, complete with a pedigree certificate, was a different matter.
So before leaving the city, it would be proper to personally greet the person who had shown him such kindness.
* * *
"Have you still not met that knight named Sir Eugene?"
"Yes."
At her grandfather's question—the Merchant Guild Master of Maren and the former owner of the Feilin Merchant Guild—Prechella bowed her head.
Even though her grandfather was well past sixty, he remained vigorous, and despite having retired from the front lines years ago, he was still an intimidating presence to Prechella.
"He gave out quite generously: a bloodline warhorse from the Argyle Stables, a first-class room at the Celestial Constellation, and expensive gifts. That must mean the investment value is sufficient, no?"
"Of course. If he enters the Tiwyn family's dungeon just once more and performs as well as he did in the gate-clearing subjugation, we'll more than recover our investment."
"Is merely recovering the investment enough for you?"
"Of course not. I believe Sir Eugene is a knight with clear long-term investment value at the headquarters level."
"On what basis?"
"For starters, the boy who recently became Mr. Billmore's new assistant is Sir Eugene's squire. He's the illegitimate son of the Tiwyn family— the younger brother of the new Lord Tiwyn."
"If a knight sends his squire to a merchant guild, doesn't that mean he doesn't consider him very important?"
"That is one possibility. But in Sir Eugene's case… I don't think he sent his squire to our guild because he didn't value him."
"Oh?"
Seeing her grandfather's interest, Prechella quickly continued.
"He seemed like a very ambitious knight. According to Mr. Billmore, he went to Lord Tiwyn's castle specifically to have his status officially recognized—and he acted boldly even before the nobles there."
"Did he now?"
"Yes. At first, the eldest son—the new Lord Tiwyn—was indifferent, but after just a few days he began treating Sir Eugene very warmly. And then…"
Prechella embellished and edited the stories she had heard from the three mercenaries who followed Billmore and Eugene.
Seven parts truth, two parts exaggeration, and the final part was her own hopeful misinterpretation—mistaking Eugene's 'arrogance' in not showing his face for several days even after receiving such an expensive horse as 'ambition.'
"He also refused every single invitation from the city's prominent figures, right? They said it was because of an injury, but when I asked the staff at the Celestial Constellation, they said he didn't seem to have any trouble moving around at all. In the end, it was just an excuse."
"Hm. Well, that has caused quite a few people to feel somewhat affronted. But since his achievements are so outstanding—and since he declined everyone equally—they can't quite make an issue of it."
The Merchant Guild Master stroked his beard as he recalled the current mood of Maren's elite regarding the knight named Yan Eugene.
"See? He is clearly a knight who is aiming for something higher. And isn't it skill and achievement that truly prove a knight's worth? Even if he appeared out of nowhere, I believe his investment value is more than ample."
* * *
"Heh. It's not bad seeing you so confident again after such a long time. Actually, my thoughts aren't very different from yours."
"Thank you, Grandfather."
In truth, she had spent an enormous amount of money buying a warhorse, and out of sheer stubbornness she had exaggerated things a little. But when her grandfather responded so positively, Pretzela felt her confidence grow.
"Even if he hasn't been known for very long, a sharp awl in a pocket always finds a way out. One day, it suddenly pops right up."
"Yes."
"And recognizing such talent before others and securing it—that is the virtue of a merchant. Saying things like 'he hasn't shown much yet' or 'he's unproven' is what amateurs do."
"Then…"
"Proceed with the investment. I'll speak separately with your father. Even if he only makes a little name for himself in this region and then stops, we'll still be able to recover the investment for sure, so don't feel too burdened."
"Yes! Thank you for trusting me."
Although he had retired from active duty, her grandfather still held the majority of shares in the Pailin Merchant Guild. At his words, Pretzela's expression brightened even more.
'By the way, he isn't really going to just leave like this, right? Should I go and see him myself? Surely he wouldn't turn me away at the door?'
As Pretzela was thinking this, the office door opened cautiously and a staff member entered.
"Deputy Manager, Sir Yan Eugene has arrived!"
"Well, that's perfect timing."
"Indeed."
Suppressing the urge to jump up from her seat, Pretzela secretly clenched her fist tightly.
"Nice to meet you. I am Pretzela, deputy manager of the Maren branch of the Pailin Merchant Guild."
"I am Yan Eugene. Thank you for the gift of the horse."
"You're very welcome. Please, have a seat, Sir Eugene."
Eugene had expected a deputy manager of such a large merchant guild to be quite extravagant, but after shaking hands with the rather modest-looking Pretzela, he took the seat she indicated.
However, contrary to Eugene's first impression of her, Pretzela herself was in quite a state of shock.
'This man—this is the terrifying knight who ripped a troll's head off with his bare hands and pierced an orc warrior's chest by throwing a spear? Really?'
He was tall and solidly built, but that alone wasn't remarkable since most knights were like that.
The real issue was his face.
Jet-black, long hair with a glossy sheen, skin so white it almost looked pale, and red eyes in which an eerie heat shimmered even in broad daylight.
He was someone too striking to be called merely "handsome."
"Do you like the horse? I heard you rode it without any problems in the battle a few days ago."
"I like it very much. Once again, my thanks."
"I'm glad to hear that."
It wasn't just polite talk—Pretzela was genuinely in a good mood.
For one thing, Eugene had come at just the right time, allowing her to score more points with her grandfather.
And besides—
'He thanked me twice, even though today is the first time we've met?'
She had obtained some information beforehand from Billmore about what kind of knight Eugene was, but Pretzela wasn't naïve enough to take it all at face value.
All the knights she knew were uniformly savage and violent, scoundrels who treated merchants as inferiors regardless of the guild's size or status.
But the Eugene she had met in person seemed different.
It was extremely rare to see a knight who so readily expressed gratitude to a merchant.
"I hear you'll be returning to the Tiwyn territory again. Are you planning to continue subjugating the dungeon there?"
"To do that properly, I'd have to become a knight of Lord Tiwyn, and I have no intention of doing so. I've also taken Pellid as my squire, so out of propriety I plan to help with the subjugation just once more."
"Oh! Pellid—you mean the young master learning under Mr. Billmore, right? He's already quite famous in the guild for being very bright. Of course, a distinguished knight like you wouldn't have taken him as a squire without good reason."
"That's good to hear."
"Then, may I assume that for the time being young master Pellid will be under the care of our guild?"
"Considering your relationship with the Tiwyn family, wouldn't that arrangement also be better for the Pailin Guild?"
"Oh, yes, that's true."
She had been trying to build a connection with Eugene, his master, under the pretext of "taking care" of Pellid, the squire—but now he had shifted the focus to the Tiwyn family instead.
'This won't be easy.'
Momentarily dazzled by Eugene's face, Pretzela immediately pulled herself together. This knight was absolutely not an ordinary man.
"You said that you would also be selling the monster byproducts from the next subjugation through our guild, correct?"
"That's right. The same way we did it this time, together with the Tiwyn family."
"Yes. Then… if you'll excuse my boldness, would you be willing to participate in the subjugation of other dungeons or labyrinths as well?"
"If the opportunity arises, I am willing."
For now, that was the only way for him to obtain red mana stones, so Eugene nodded.
"Oh! Then, may I make you a proposal?"
"A proposal?"
"Yes. You may not know this, Sir Eugene, but our guild doesn't operate only in the city of Maren. This is our headquarters, and we have branches throughout the kingdom. We also have branches at two ports of the Roman Empire."
"..."
"And the branches of our Pailin Guild conduct business with families who possess demon realms in their respective regions—just like the Tiwyn family you know so well. So perhaps—or rather, I can say for certain—I can arrange for you, Sir Eugene, to subjugate demon realms connected to the Pailin Merchant Guild."
(To be continued in the next episode)