Almark – Northern Sword, Southern Wand

What came in was a well-dressed man who didn't resemble a tavern where a bunch of end-of-place rubbish gathered.

But his face looked exhausted.

"Someone. It doesn't matter to anyone."

The man stopped coming in and begged no one.

Would anyone like to save your wife?

The words raise your voice from the drunkards who have learned a little bit of interest.

"What, doesn't it look interesting? Come here and tell me more."

This is what the man told me when asked.

The wife of a nobleman was suspected of being close to the enemy.

To the angry nobleman, his wife tried hard to plead innocence.

The nobleman did not believe the explanation, but he broke into his wife's desperation, and said this at the end.

"If that's all you have to say, that's fine. If your words are true, you will have the help of the gods. Find a warrior who can fight Knight Augrey and win in less than 30 days from today. If that warrior triumphs over Augrey, I'll admit you're innocent. But if I can't bring a warrior, I'll rip your neck off. If the warrior I brought doesn't beat Augrey, I'll rip your heart out."

Knight Augrey was the greatest warrior under his nobility, as well as the accuser in this case.

It was his wife's claim that the snitch was revenge for his wife, who improperly accused her of favoritism.

My wife's ally was the only loyal servant I had ever served before I married her.

Immediately we sent the Servant to the neighboring city to recruit a warrior, but everyone lay face down just to hear Augrey's name.

The chosen Servant came to this city far from Augrey's name.

Certainly, no one was afraid of Augrey's name in this tavern.

But when everyone heard the story, they smiled and shook their necks sideways.

Some blatantly cursed.

The poor wife had nothing more to offer the warrior than the honor of breaking Augrey and saving her own life.

So when Balte, who heard the story, came forward, the Servant was ecstatic.

Naturally, the boy next door who was listening with him pulled the hem of Balte's clothes and stopped.

"Don't do it, Balte. There's nothing you can do about it."

"The sword's arm stood up, but he's still a kid. What about Almark?"

That's what Balte said and smiled at the boy's face.

"If I'm going to get my gold and silver treasure piled up to thank you, I'm not going to take this conversation. Nothing in return. No one will do anything. That's why it's okay."

Almark already knew the character of this swordsman, who was with him during the journey.

Barté, who dreamed of becoming a knight, certainly had a sword far above Almark, but Almark was so fond that he was impressed that he had survived so well that he slightly penetrated his neck into a rub that he would not get anything.

Almark, who was attached to it by the end of the day, was not accumulated.

"I wish I had honor and pride. That would be the knight."

Barthé, a knight and nothing but a journey swordsman, was always looking at the tired face of the mercenary rising Almark boy.

So it was no surprise that Balte was moved by this Servant's story and wanted to sympathize with his suspicious wife.

"The opponent must be bad. Knight Augrey. I've heard of him before."

That's what Almark advised.

Almark had unique knowledge of mercenaries who were sensitive to battlefield information.

"I'm talking about swinging a big stupid axe lightly. You're certainly strong, but you're no match to fight without any reward."

"It's getting better."

Balte tapped Almark on the shoulder.

"My story of the Knight begins here."

Besides, Balte added.

"If you're going across the Menover Strait, you're going through it anyway."

Almark was stuck.

Indeed, the aristocratic territory was a land that Almark had to pass on his way south.

After all, Almark broke.

Barthé and Almark hurried on their journey, along with the servants who were grateful for what they had just done.

The aristocratic territory is seven days on foot.

And the day of the promise between the nobleman and his wife was also seven days later.

During the journey, Balte kept talking to Almark.

Courage in a non-rewarding setting is true courage.

A warrior who can show it is a true knight worthy of the blessings of the brave gods of the North.

For Almark, who was born a mercenary son and had already experienced several battlefields, Balte's ideals sounded bleak.

"After all, you want to succeed as a knight, don't you?

In response to Almark's cold question, Balte shook his head with joy.

"I certainly want to succeed as a knight. But that's probably not what you think it's gonna be, Almark."

Seven days later, when the nobleman arrived in the city where he was lord, the square was already equipped with an execution bench, and his wife was on the verge of being pulled out by the executioner.

"Please wait, please wait"

The servant screamed, and split the crowd before the lord.

"I have brought a warrior to prove your wife's innocence. Please wait."

The lord lost sight in surprise.

The giant that stood aside was the Knight Augrey.

"To prove the innocence of the poor lady's body and soul."

Behind the crowd, Balte raised his voice magnificently.

"Knight Balte. I'm here."

"Don't call yourself a knight."

Almark speaks in a small voice, but where does Balte blow?

"Oh, I'm a knight now that I'm fighting a knight."

"Come on, knight Balte."

The lord severely told him that the waves of the crowd had broken.

Al Marc and the others saw the lord, Augrey, and a woman kneeling between them.

Looks like a goddess.

Balte said.

I guess so.

Almark disagreed.

However, even though it is, Almark knows that the woman has a nobleness that cannot be taken away.

"Let's do it, Almark. I'll try to save her."

Balte said so and squeezed the handle of the sword on his hips.

"Do as you please."

Almark said.

The square that was supposed to be the execution ground turned into a duel ground.

As the crowd watched, Balte raised his name in front of the lord with dignity as a knight, then knelt before his wife, and named him strictly.

Even in Almark's ear, which followed him with the treatment of a Balte servant, his wife made a fine voice, but clearly,

I'm innocent.

I heard that.

"Please have a strong heart."

Balte said.

"It won't be long now."

"Thank you. Dear Knight Balte,"

When his wife said that, Almark didn't know what to say about the look on Balte's face.

The duel opened with the onslaught of Augrey, the first brave man to hear the sound.

Augrey approached Balte with a gentle swing of a giant axe that was difficult even for ordinary people to lift.

But Balte parries all of his fierce attacks with a single sword.

An endless, windy sword.

Balte's swordsmanship was particularly impressive today, no matter how many times Almark went on.

The two names Balte calls "Silver Whirlwind” are not widespread in the world, but it was a shameless battle for the name anyway.

Eventually, Augrey's fatigue weakens the axe.

For a moment, Balte's sword was pointing at Augrey's neck.

Augrey's face distorts.

Barté pointed his sword even more perfectly, and Augrey threw an axe at the ground.

Confident of the victory, it was the moment Balte slowly lowered his sword.

Augrey quickly pulled out his hip dagger.

It was an instant event.

Augrey pierced the dagger deep into Balte's flank.

Balte!

Almark screamed, but Balte didn't squeal.

He grabbed Augrey's wrist with his dagger with his left hand and squeezed it.

Augrey's face was distorted in astonishment.

The tingling sound of the bones.

Augrey screamed in pain.

Say it.

Balte said.

Tell me the truth.

Augrey shook his head.

And when his arm was swollen, he made a noise, and when Augrey cried out, Balte did not let go of his hand.

Or tell the truth in the presence of God.

"Okay."

Augrey finally admitted it.

that his accusation was false.

After that, what happened to the wife who proved her innocence?

What happened to Augrey, who admitted false accusations in front of the lord?

I don't know Almark.

I wasn't interested.

But late that night, Balte died.

Until the end, Balte smiled satisfactorily.

"I'm satisfied, Almark. Save the lady and die a knight."

That's what Balte said on the floor of death.

You know how I feel, Almark?

"I don't know."

Almark shook his head.

But even though I was in trouble, I still remembered why I chose to travel with this man.

Never said it, but the unintended way of life was unusual for the northerners, and strange and dazzling for Almark.

I couldn't help feeling sad about losing this man here.

"I still think you did something stupid."

Almark said.

"It never seemed necessary for you to fight for a strange noble woman. But why? I think you've done something very noble."

"The time has come for you to understand, eventually."

Balte said with a gentle eye.

"My story is about his wife, his squire, and you know it. I'm satisfied with that."

"I won't forget."

Almark knew that Balte could no longer be saved.

"Knight of the Whirlwind." Or "Knight of Silver." Which two names would you prefer? "

When asked, Balte smiled with distant eyes.

"I see, I...."

That was the last time.

Balte never answered Almark's question again.

Earlier the next morning, Al Marc left town asking his servants to bury Balte.

Safeguarding someone's life without intent.

Almark still didn't know what that meant.

But the brave knight, wearing silver armor and smiling in the cold wind, disappeared into the brain of the boy who hurried his journey through grief.