Episode 67

“What’s this? What’s going on?”

The Guards who saw me blocked my way.

“Step back. We are apprehending a criminal.”

“A criminal?”

I looked down at the person held by the guard.

She was the half-elf staying at our inn.

Her hood was pulled off, revealing her pointed ears, and her green eyes darted around in fear.

“This person is a thief?”

“I said step back!”

I got angry as the Guard shoved my chest.

“This person is staying at my inn! As the owner, I need to know if something is wrong with my guest!”

Intimidated, the Guards stepped back slightly.

“Uh… Lieutenant, he says he’s the innkeeper.”

The lieutenant, who had been shaking the half-elf roughly, glared at me and spoke curtly.

“What?”

“What did she do wrong?”

“This half-breed was carrying this.”

He showed me a few silver coins.

“Silver coins. So what?”

“It’s my money…”

The lieutenant glared at her as if shooting lasers from his eyes at her timid explanation.

“Did you think you wouldn’t be suspected while carrying such a large sum?”

“Excuse me, Lieutenant. How are a few silver coins a large sum?”

The lieutenant shook the half-elf like a rabbit caught during a hunt.

“For these lowly beings, it’s a lot of money. How did she earn it without a proper job?”

“First, let go of her. Above all, she’s a guest at our inn.”

The lieutenant didn’t listen, so I removed his hand forcibly.

The freed half-elf massaged her sore arm and crouched down.

“If she’s a guest at the inn, check her belongings right now. I’m sure something is missing.”

Then the lieutenant turned to the Guards and gave orders.

“Arrest her.”

“Arrest? With no evidence?”

“The fact that a half-elf has money is evidence. She’ll confess to everything under questioning.”

It is legal for the Guards to arrest someone on the spot.

But that’s when a crime is caught in the act; there’s no such situation now.

The lieutenant simply concluded that a half-elf with no decent way of earning money must have stolen the silver coins.

They probably found out she had money by stopping her suspiciously during a patrol and searching her.

It’s an obvious abuse of authority, and I couldn’t stand by and let it happen to a guest at my inn.

“What kind of absurd public duty is this? Is this what you do with authority entrusted by the King? Arresting anyone based on prejudice and preconceptions without evidence?”

“This is the evidence!”

The lieutenant grabbed the half-elf’s ear.

“Ouch…!”

“Let go!”

I shouted, pulling the half-elf being dragged by her ear away.

“How can someone of your rank act so recklessly? Aren’t you ashamed in front of all these people?”

But my criticism seemed to miss the point.

“No, I’m not ashamed at all.”

The lieutenant replied as if wondering what nonsense I was spouting.

“It’s the innkeeper making a fuss over one half-elf who looks strange.”

Right… that’s the typical attitude most people have towards half-elves.

That’s why they act without hesitation.

An atrocity that ordinary people can’t even imagine.

My rebuke about being ashamed in front of people had no effect.

Even so, I wasn’t going to let that half-elf get taken by the Guards.

I couldn’t tolerate a guest of my inn being treated like that.

When I stood between the Guards and the half-elf, the lieutenant angrily tried to push me aside.

“Innkeeper, this is obstruction of duty!”

“What are you talking about? I’m just fulfilling my duty to protect my guests as an innkeeper.”

The lieutenant looked at me with a puzzled expression, not quite understanding my words.

“First time hearing it? An innkeeper must actively ensure the safety of their guests. Since she’s staying at our inn, I’m trying to prevent her from getting caught up in unfair treatment.”

The lieutenant then looked me up and down as if I were ridiculous.

“You don’t seem to understand which has priority when that duty conflicts with the Guards’ lawful authority?”

“What’s your evidence? A few silver coins in a half-elf’s pocket? Lieutenant, you know that’s not definitive proof of a crime.”

“We just need a confession.”

I was infuriated by the lieutenant’s absurd statement.

“If the process of obtaining a confession is illegal, the confession itself has no legal effect. How do you not know this basic fact and still wear that rank?”

Of course, I don’t think the lieutenant doesn’t know this basic knowledge.

But the officer is acting ignorant of the law simply because the suspect is a half-elf.

‘A half-elf with money? She must have stolen it.’

Prejudice is terrifying. It can even prevent rational judgment at times.

The speechless lieutenant put his hand on the hilt of his sword.

Great… this crazy guy is going to draw his sword on a civilian?

The other soldiers looked anxiously at the lieutenant’s twitching hand.

“What’s going on, First Lieutenant?”

A low voice came from the road leading to the town.

“Captain…!”

As the soldiers stiffly saluted, Lambert casually returned the salute and walked over.

“Aren’t you the innkeeper? What’s going on with our company members?”

Lambert looked at me, the Lieutenant, and then the crouching half-elf behind me in turn.

He didn’t seem to understand the current situation right away.

“That Lieutenant is trying to arrest a citizen on the street out of nowhere.”

Lambert’s eyebrows twitched.

“Explain what’s going on, First Lieutenant.”

“Well, you see…”

The intimidated Lieutenant mumbled the earlier situation in front of Lambert.

After listening silently to the Lieutenant, Lambert spoke.

“You’re saying this half-elf is the thief we’re looking for.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Evidence?”

“That… we’ll get it through interrogation…”

Lambert stared at the Lieutenant in silence.

Facing that gaze, the Lieutenant clenched his mouth shut and swallowed.

“Let me guess. You think it doesn’t make sense for a half-elf to have money.”

“It’s not that…”

“Recite the principle of presumption of innocence.”

The Lieutenant sweated profusely, unable to open his mouth.

Apparently terrified of the Captain, the Lieutenant’s armor began to clatter as he trembled.

“First Lieutenant.”

“Y-yes, Sir!”

“Return to the barracks, fully gear up, and wait.”

The Lieutenant’s face turned white at those words.

The soldiers standing next to him averted their eyes because it was so pitiful to see.

“Didn’t you hear the Captain’s order?”

“No, Sir!”

The Lieutenant immediately turned and sprinted towards the barracks, with the soldiers following.

Lambert, watching the departing soldiers, turned to me and the half-elf.

“Our company members showed disgraceful behavior. I apologize as their commander.”

“Uh… yes…”

“I’m sorry, half-elf. You don’t need to be afraid anymore.”

Although informal, Lambert spoke to the half-elf in a softened tone.

I was a bit surprised by the unexpected demeanor.

Judging by his first impression, I thought he would be more aggressive than the Lieutenant and take the half-elf away.

“Don’t blame the Lieutenant too much. He’s just an ordinary person who likes what everyone likes and dislikes what everyone dislikes.”

Lambert glanced at the half-elf.

The half-elf, pitifully unable to make eye contact or lean on me, just trembled.

“There’s no particular reason to dislike her. He just dislikes her because everyone else does.”

“Aren’t you the one who drew your sword in front of the demon and…”

“Hey! The demons were actually fighting us! This isn’t the same situation at all!”

Embarrassed by the memory, Lambert tried to stop me, raising his voice.

Even so, I could sense some dignity of a noble and officer from him.

Perhaps his initial attitude at the inn was just a show because Della was there.

In other words… he’s the kind of guy who loses his mind in front of a pretty girl.

“By the way… is the lady at the Inn?”

Lambert craned his neck over my shoulder, peeking towards the inn.

“She is, but you weren’t coming here just to see Della, were you?”

“Of course not! I was patrolling a vulnerable area and ended up here by chance.”

When he mentioned patrolling, I looked behind him and saw no soldiers had followed.

“So why are you alone? Last time, you filled the yard with soldiers.”

“The soldiers were too hot waiting for me, so I came alone this time. It’s an unnecessary task unrelated to guard duty.”

“So you’re admitting that your visit to the inn isn’t for official purposes?”

“Ahem.”

Lambert gave a loud cough and walked past me towards the inn.

“Isn’t the Lieutenant waiting in full combat gear at the barracks?”

“Waiting is part of the punishment.”

Watching his gleaming armored back, I shed some of my preconceived notions about Captain Lambert.

As Lambert said, I shouldn’t blame the Lieutenant.

The Lieutenant, who assumed a half-elf must be a thief, and I, who thought Lambert was just an incompetent noble-born officer, were the same.

“Ah, shall we go back to the inn?”

I asked the half-elf, whom I had forgotten about for a moment, and she nodded slightly.

The half-elf who entered alone seemed to relax all at once, and she staggered, leaning on the table.

“Are you okay?”

The half-elf, who had been rubbing her forehead as if dizzy, suddenly straightened up as if she remembered something.

“Thank you… thank you… thank you for saving me…”

She repeatedly bowed to me, lowering her head.

Her appearance was so pitiful and miserable that Idi and Pelée, who were working in the hall, all focused their attention on her.

“No, you don’t have to go this far. It’s not like I did anything great.”

“No… you saved my life… A half-elf targeted by the Guards is as good as dead… No one would help… Thank you… I don’t know how to repay this kindness…”

Pelée soon turned her head coldly, and Idi looked at the half-elf with pity, as if seeing a reflection of herself.

“As long as you are at the Inn, I will help you avoid any unfair treatment.”

“Such a favor is too much for someone like me… I caused trouble by staying at the Inn… I’m sorry… Please forgive me…”

The more she spoke, the more the half-elf seemed to grovel.

If we continued talking, she might really prostrate herself and lick my shoes, so I stepped back.

“Ah, yes… Please rest comfortably.”

“Thank you… thank you…”

The half-elf put her hood on, bowed slightly, and climbed the stairs.

When the door to the half-elf’s room on the second floor closed, Idi muttered quietly.

“She’s so pitiful… She was probably accused of being a thief just because she’s a half-elf…”

“Our Idi, your life has improved a lot. You’re even worrying about others.”

“All thanks to Bertrand…”

As I patted her shoulder, I suddenly felt that the fabric was unusually soft.

It turned out that Idi was wearing a very expensive silk shirt.

Because she was usually gloomy and had long, unkempt hair, I hadn’t noticed.

“How much is that shirt?”

“Huh…? Why…?”

“It looks expensive.”

“Well…”

I almost fainted when I heard the price of the shirt.

“Don’t you save money…?! Are you planning to work under me forever?”

“Huh…? That doesn’t sound too bad…”

Idi giggled and scratched her head.

Wait? Come to think of it, she seems to have brushed her hair?

Has she ever brushed her hair before?

Curious, I patted Idi’s hair, and she closed her eyes and made a strange sound.

“Hehehe…”

“Didn’t the Guard Captain come in?”

“He was looking for Della and went out the back door…”

“Where is Della?”

Idi pointed upward with her finger.

“She saw the Guard Captain coming through the window and hid on the third floor… She asked to be told when he leaves…”

“Mademoiselle? Where are you?”

From the back of the inn came Lambert’s anxious voice.

Hearing that, Pelée shook her head with a completely bewildered expression.

In the afternoon, I visited the tenants I hadn’t been able to see due to the morning commotion.

Everyone seemed to be thriving, having settled in early.

However, the bakery was recently robbed, and the cash register was completely emptied.

Despite her grim expression, the bakery owner packed up the best-baked bread from the morning for me.

Homemade bread is usually coarse and hard because it’s not properly processed, but bakery bread is different.

Bread made from finely ground flour and various ingredients from the mill stretches and pulls apart when torn by hand.

The funny thing is, I own that mill too.

Walking and tearing bread, I saw the Guard barracks ahead.

The Guard barracks was a typical military building, built long horizontally, with a small dirt assembly ground in front.

It was surrounded by a wire fence, just like our inn’s parking lot, and armed guards stood at the entrance.

“Oh? Hello.”

The guards who recognized me greeted me warmly.

Looking at their faces, they were the soldiers who had followed Sergeant Ilian to search for Golruk remnants a few months ago.

“How have you been? It must be less busy now that the main unit is here.”

They must have more free time now that the company is here, after doing everything with just a squad.

I was going to invite them to the inn if they went out on leave or furlough.

But the soldiers’ expressions weren’t bright.

“Well… it’s harder, not easier.”

“Is it because of the new Captain Lambert?”

The soldiers just exchanged glances and laughed.

“He’s very strict… It’s not easy…”

“Is that so?”

“He’s so scary… If he catches us chatting with you, we’ll be in big trouble.”

As the soldiers hunched their shoulders, I also looked around, wondering if Lambert was glaring at us from somewhere.

“I was going to give you some bread… but I guess I’ll go.”

“It seems… that won’t be possible…”

I greeted them and walked along the garrison’s fence.

How far had I walked when I heard a loud command ahead.

“One! Two! Three! Four!”

Ahead, shirtless Guard company members were jogging in formation.

Captain Lambert at the front saw me and nodded in greeting.

For a nobleman’s son, he had quite the muscles.

“Sprint to the guard post! First one there!”

At Lambert’s command, the company members shouted and sprinted forward like mad.

A cloud of dust rose and engulfed me.

As I waved my hand through the dust and moved forward, I saw a company member staggering alone, having fallen behind.