Chapter 126 - The Guard Instructor
“Well, if you’re looking for a traditional guard, a skilled member of the Royal Guard would be the best choice. But I assume you’d prefer to avoid that, Volf?”
“Yes. The seniors in the unit also advised against it...”
Volf trailed off, and Guido nodded in understanding.
“I thought so. If you get involved with the Royal Guard, they might try to pull you into their ranks. Even for diplomacy, I have no intention of sending you off as a son-in-law to another country.”
“I doubt it would come to that...”
“It’s troublesome if high-ranking foreign guests ‘request’ you.”
“Does that really happen?”
“Occasionally. The king might stop it if he finds out, but many act in the interest of their kingdom or family.”
His brother answered casually, his expression one of a noble’s, an expression Volf wasn’t used to seeing.
Feeling a distance between them, Volf couldn’t help but ask further.
“Um... should I, in principle, be acting for the sake of the family as well?”
“What are you talking about, Volf?”
Guido looked at him with genuine confusion in his blue eyes.
“You’ve been carrying the family’s honor in the Monster Subjugation Unit all this time. You’ve fought in the Scarlet Armor for years, taken down a cyclops, and brought down a wyvern. Even if you retire now, you can do whatever you like at home. As long as you bear the Scalfarotto name, no one will interfere or restrict you.”
“...Thank you.”
Volf expressed his gratitude sincerely, but something still nagged at him.
The Scalfarotto name was a noble one. If he left the family and became a commoner, just plain Volfred, even Guido would find it difficult to protect him.
“Well... for swordsmanship against people, it depends on whether you prioritize defense or offense. For guarding, it depends on whether you follow traditional methods or just want to protect at all costs.”
“I haven’t thought that deeply about it. Right now, my priority is... to be able to protect.”
Guido, who had steered the conversation back, sipped his coffee and pondered for a moment.
Volf also took a sip of his coffee. The aroma was excellent, but the bitterness was a bit strong. It wasn’t quite to his taste.
“If you’re looking for strength in protection, there’s someone I’d recommend, though there’s a bit of a catch.”
“If it’s someone you’d find difficult to ask, I can look elsewhere.”
“No, it’s not that. His traditional swordsmanship is decent, but he’s first-rate in guarding and fighting against people. He prioritizes the survival of both himself and the person he’s protecting.”
“Could you tell me more about his fighting style?”
“Those who attack him usually end up with their sword tangled, their dominant arm severed, and then their legs cut. Ah, he doesn’t kill them immediately because he needs to interrogate them. Otherwise, he usually goes for a single slash to the neck.”
Guido spoke as if he had witnessed it himself.
Perhaps because the conversation had taken a rather violent turn, the attendant behind them coughed lightly.
“To put it nicely, he’s ‘adaptable.’ To put it bluntly, he’s ‘ruthless.’ He takes out mages by targeting their throat or eyes first to disrupt their incantations or aim. He throws anything he can get his hands on—knives, tools, stones, even sand. Anything nearby becomes a weapon.”
“I see.”
It was a fighting style that prioritized the protection of his charge above all else, free and unrestrained.
For Volf, who mostly fought monsters and trained with his unit, this was something he hadn’t considered.
“He’s a guard among guards, and his attention to detail is meticulous. However, he doesn’t hold back during combat. Also, he’s a bit of a worrywart and... quite talkative.”
“Guido-sama.”
“As you can see, he has a habit of interrupting conversations between brothers.”
Guido smiled brightly and shifted his gaze to his attendant.
“This is my close friend, Jonas. He’s my attendant and also my guard.”
The man, who had barely made eye contact until now, turned his rust-colored eyes toward Volf. They held neither warmth nor coldness—they were just a strangely unnatural hue.
His hair, a shade lighter than his eyes, was tied back, and he wore a black attendant’s uniform.
Volf hadn’t paid much attention before, but his physique was more than fitting for a knight. His slightly tanned skin gave him an exotic air.
“Jonas Goodwin. I’m the second son of the Goodwin viscounty.”
Volf had often seen him in his brother’s presence, but this was the first time he had heard his voice clearly.
The name reminded him of a friend.
“Excuse me, Jonas-dono, but do you know Randolph Goodwin-dono?”
“We’re distant relatives. There are eleven noble houses bearing the Goodwin name, so I wouldn’t expect Randolph-sama, born into the Margrave’s family, to remember someone like me.”
“I see...”
The flat tone of his voice made Volf wonder if he had touched on something he shouldn’t have, leaving him with a hint of regret.
But Jonas showed no expression.
“Jonas, would you mind teaching Volf your fighting style? Just the basics will do.”
“Guido-sama, my fighting style isn’t that of a knight. In fact, it goes against chivalry. Are you sure it’s appropriate to teach such things to Volfred-sama?”
Jonas asked for confirmation, but Guido didn’t answer.
“Volf, this is the man I’ll have serve you if I die. Remember that.”
“Brother!”
“Guido!”
Their voices overlapped perfectly.
“Elude is at the border and has no intention of returning home. If something happens to me, Volf will have to take over.”
“That’s impossible! I don’t want to think anything could happen to you, Brother Guido, and if it did, Brother Elude would succeed you. I’m not fit to be a noble, nor do I have the ability to lead the family or the five-elemental magic. For the family’s future, it would be better to adopt an heir from a relative.”
Volf spoke in one breath, and Jonas stared at him intently.
Guido finished his coffee in silence, then turned to his attendant.
“Jonas, are you reassured?”
“...Volfred-sama, I’m a ‘Curse-Bearer.’ Is that acceptable?”
“A monster’s curse?”
“Yes. I was cursed after slaying a rather large lizard. It’s convenient, so I haven’t had it removed.”
The man spoke matter-of-factly as he rolled up his right sleeve. Just beyond where the cuff had hidden it, a red-bronze bracelet gleamed.
“Guido-sama, may I remove the bracelet for a moment?”
“Yes, I don’t mind. Volf is in the Monster Subjugation Force. He won’t panic.”
“Then, if you’ll excuse me.”
As Jonas undid the bracelet, a chill ran down Volf’s spine.
It must have been a perception-blocking bracelet. On his right arm, vivid red scales came into view. They covered the back of his hand and extended upward in a dense pattern, likely continuing along his upper arm as well.
His neck and face were free of scales, but his eyes seemed to have a faint red tint.
“Volfred-sama, is this your first time seeing a ‘Curse-Bearer’?”
Jonas’s red tongue flicked briefly between his teeth.
At the slightly troubled tone, Volf instinctively bent his knees, only to realize his hand was reaching for a sword that wasn’t there.
“I apologize for my reaction. I’ve seen Curse-Bearers in the unit before, but they usually have the curse removed quickly, so I’m not used to it.”
“No, it’s natural to feel uneasy. The magical fluctuations are similar to those of monsters. If the curse is compatible, it can be quite useful.”
Jonas refastened the red-bronze bracelet, and the scales on his arm disappeared.
It was as if what Volf had just seen was an illusion.
Volf wondered what made a curse compatible and what combinations existed, but asking felt rude, so he remained silent.
As Volf sat there, feeling as if he’d been tricked by a fox, Guido shifted slightly in his seat. Jonas immediately pulled his chair back, and Guido stood up.
Watching the two, Volf finally realized the cold sweat trickling down his back.
“Knights are creatures you can’t understand just by talking. Why don’t you spar with him in the back of the mansion?”
Guido’s expression was as cool as ever.
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