Private Information (part 1)

Ch. VI - Private Information (Rake)

-----

Three days have passed since the holy mission has been issued. 

My name became even more known in the kingdom, even to the other kingdoms. My achievements of defeating the legendary one eyed dragon Calibra with the other heroes were famed and spread wildly, that I bet there's no one even in the dwarven kingdom that doesn't know who I am.

But, I care about none of that. Fame might be useful for some things, but most of the time they are merely headaches.

I'm all over the place. Newspapers, the talk of the people, even babies are being named after me.

It's… annoying, but it's the result of my actions. I just hope whatever use fame has is actually worth standing up to.

The past three days, I have been shutting myself in the mansion. With my books, I continued to sharpen my knowledge over Velborn, and I memorized every bit of public details that they have. Their history, their territory, their traditions. I studied them thoroughly, in hopes that those information are going to be useful as my main weapons to take them down.

But… they were never enough.

All the knowledge inside those books are all public knowledge, something that has been known by the people already. I can't just only have that if I want to fight.

I need to know deeper. The things they kept hidden, their strengths, their numbers, their weaknesses.

That is why I am here today.

The Knights Headquarters, one of the most important facilities in the kingdom, located right at the center of the capital city.

The facility itself is in the same building alongside two other important instances, the great church and the royal mansion, which when combined becomes the White Cathedral. 

People tend to think that they are a separate thing, since they are indeed separate instances. When someone says they are going to the great church, it means they are going to the church specifically. But when someone said that they are going to the white cathedral, the opposite side will immediately ask why, or what instance specifically.

It is a single area with three of the most important instances in the whole kingdom. Its defenses are the tightest, hence not just anyone can roam around it freely.

I am currently standing right outside the entrance to the white cathedral, specifically the gate that immediately leads to the knights headquarters. It is currently morning, only a little bit after sunrise. There doesn't seem to be that many people around, which makes sense because it's only a little bit past dawn.

Yesterday, a messenger came from the knights, handing me a letter from one of the higher ranking knights. 

A Knight Commander, in charge of all things ethelen and Velborn. He is the person I am going to meet today.

Since my holy mission is related to Velborn, naturally that person will become my greatest aide. And so, he contacted me two days after the holy mission was issued.

Two days. 

Normally when something so important happens, it shouldn't take even a day to act. 

Clearly, it was him being late. But I also took my time with my information gathering, which was why I came the day after.

I am also taking my time with the stuff. Velborn's defenses have been standing for over a millennia. A few more days wouldn't hurt.

I took out the letter and immediately read the name to remember it better, so I can say that name clearly when asked. I chucked it back to my pocket and began entering the gate.

Arriving at the knight's headquarters's lobby, I was immediately welcomed by a knight standing by at the entrance.

From his expression, he recognized who I am, and began leading me towards my destination.

We both arrived in front of a room. He knocked on the door exactly three times rhythmically, and entered without even waiting for a response.

"The Paladin Hero has arrived."

The guide knight said after he entered, and the person inside answered.

"Thank you, you may leave."

The guide knight nodded and turned around, leaving me without even looking at me.

The air is cold, huh?

I entered the room and closed the door behind me, while the person at the table calmly studied me.

He is… messy.

He's not even wearing his knight armor, and simply wore a set of casual clothes. And from the looks of it, it doesn't seem like he bathed for a week already. He had messy hair and an uncontrolled growth over his moustache and beard. He is definitely old, around his forties.

But he has beautiful blue eyes. And just from seeing them I immediately realize what kind of person he is.

It has been my ability to see things better. My eyes--no, my mind has the knowledge that can tell even a slight sign of certain things.

Such as lies. An act, or a setup.

"Well, I didn't expect you to come."

He said to me as an opening, and I acted quite surprised.

"… You weren't?"

I'm pretty sure he was the one who sent the letter. And I'm pretty sure his name was correct when I saw the sign on the front of his door.

But apparently, that's not what he meant.

"Of course not. I sent that letter yesterday, early in the morning. Did you not receive the letter?"

"... I'm sorry. You expected me to come… yesterday?"

"Well, yeah. Isn't that what being 'Not Late' means?

… So this is his game.

"You sent me a letter two days after the holy mission was issued, and you still want to complain to me about being late?"

"I had things to prepare, don't act like you don't know how busy knights are, 'hero'."

"Well, it sucks to be you. I was having a very calm time preparing myself."

Very quickly, I took out the book that I was memorizing. The public information regarding ethelens and Velborn.

The book appeared on my right hand, right where my storage bracelet was. I held the book rather highly, and began approaching his table.

BLAM!!!

I lightly landed the book on the table, which caused a rather loud sound. The commander did not get surprised by that in the slightest, which made me pull my hand away from the book, allowing him to see it.

The messy knight commander stared at the title of the book, and he recognized something.

"Hmm… very well. I was wondering whether or not you are taking this thing seriously."

"I am. I memorized all of the contents."

After I said that, there is finally a change in his expression.

I made him break out of character.

"… What is the most southern territory of Velb--"

"Jura forest."

"The most south-eastern?"

"Mount Harphia."

"Technically there's two, but I guess even the public book can be wrong. Then, how many towns are there?"

"Twelve. Do you want me to say their locations as well?"

"… Do it."

I began saying the name of the towns and their locations. Even the capital city, which everybody knows where it is but doesn't actually know where it is relatively from the nearest landmark.

"Well, I'll be damned… You memorized the whole damn book."

"There's actually nine more books, but would you like to test me even more?"

"… well. I'd rather hear just the simple summary."

I stepped back a little bit to give him some space, and I explained to him what I know.

After telling him most of the things that I learned, he leaned his back against his chair.

I noticed very quickly that his expression, his behavior, and even his breathing has changed. Which means, he has fully broken out of the act.

So I spoke once more.

"I read quite a lot, and I already know quite a bit about you. You are… testing me to see if I am actually worthy to do this holy mission, correct?"

The knight commander leaned his back to the chair even deeper and stared into the ceilings. Seems like I surprised him well enough.

"When I heard about this holy mission… I was skeptical. It was an impossible mission, and yet someone actually agrees to do it? I immediately became curious, as to whether or not you are an idiot, or are you actually fooling everyone.

Turns out… you're neither.

It was an impossible mission, and you know it well. You prepared for it, even studying all of the publicly released information regarding them… I am shocked.

I was very tempted to test you, I even decorated everything messy just so you have a bad perspective about me."

"I know. It was all for show. Right?"

"… well, you read me like a book. Then, let us go back to square one."

The old messy looking knight then stood up from his chair, and he lifted his hand forward for a handshake.

"Gilbert. Commander Gilbert, the main man for everything ethelen. The one responsible on the kingdom for anything and everything regarding offenses, defenses, and secrets of the Velborn kingdom."

He lifted his hand forward for a handshake, and with a grin, he introduced himself fully to me.

His tone and his grin, he is being fully open. Looks like we are about to have lots of fun together.

I lifted my hand, and I shook his hand firmly with a grin.

"Rake Ignicius. Just a random nobody with a holy mission."