Little Hero (6)

The voice that caught the audience's attention was usually high-pitched.

No matter how noisy it was, a high-pitched voice didn't blend in and distinctly stood out.

Therefore, speaking in a low-pitched voice, most people couldn't hear and get buried.

However, the voice they heard was of a different dimension.

It felt like the presence of a charging heavy bull.

Nobody could help but look back at such a voice.

Despite wearing a gray robe, he couldn't hide his elegance.

Ashen hair.

Sharp eyes.

Golden irises invigorating within them.

"Traveler, sir..."

The middle-aged man, who had spoken to Reed once before, doubted if the person was the same.

Even sitting in the restaurant eating, he felt that there was an elegance to him, but it seemed completely different now.

Both soldiers and peasants instinctively felt that Reed was a dangerous person.

Golden light spread from Reed's irises as the soldiers stared.

'It's a magician!'

'It's definitely a magician!'

No one said a word, but the knight didn't falter and asked Reed.

"Who dares to interfere with this sacred duty? Reveal your identity!"

Instead of answering, Reed took out a hidden object from his chest and threw it to the knight.

It was a gold-plated nameplate.

From a distance, the soldiers knew that the symbol represented a noble, and those closer could tell what the emblem was.

"The, the Tower Master of Silence?"

"What's the Tower Master of Magic doing in a place like this..."

Nobody expected the Tower Master of Silence to be in such a small village on the outskirts of the kingdom.

Reed retrieved the nameplate that the knight respectfully returned.

"May I ask, what brings the Tower Master of Silence to such a small village?"

"I came to show the world to my child. And in the process, I came across this scene."

"Was the magic earlier also the work of the Tower Master?"

The knight's eyes were sharp.

At that moment, Rosaria's hand, which was holding Reed's leg, tightened.

"Yes."

Reed confirmed.

For a brief moment, the knight bit his lower lip.

"Breaking that sword is like challenging the authority of the royal family."

"The sword broke because it had forgotten its purpose."

"What do you mean?"

The knight looked up at him with wide eyes.

"What is the difference between a sword that should protect its people but aims at their own and a mad dog?"

"..."

"That's why I broke it."

It was a fact that could not be denied.

Since the knight had witnessed everything, he couldn't lie thoughtlessly either.

Therefore, the knight spoke to Reed.

"I will pretend I didn't see you breaking the sword. So please let me finish my sacred duty."

"I don't want to."

Reed flatly refused him.

The knight had a puzzled look on his face.

Tower Masters shouldn't be involved in incidents within a kingdom.

So, the knight only thought that Reed might have been annoyed by this matter.

"Are you intervening in the kingdom's affairs now?"

"I'm not sure. I don't know if these farmers belong to your kingdom."

"This village is under the protection of the Huper Kingdom. It's an event that happened strictly within the territory of the Huper Kingdom."

"That's interesting."

Reed said with a sarcastic laugh.

"Then does that mean I can spread the rumors that the Huper King is exploiting his farmers by buying their crops at low prices?"

The knight's eyes narrowed.

In contrast, Reed raised his eyebrows.

"Are you frowning?"

"..."

"Are the knights called the face of the royal family, dare to be rude in front of a Tower Master?"

As acknowledged by the golden nameplate, Reed had aristocratic status.

Between a foreign aristocrat and a knight, Reed held a higher rank.

'Besides being a mage...'

He was the Tower Master of the Silence Tower.

Even if they say he is the weakest Tower Master, his capabilities as a mage far surpassed their royal court mage.

All the people present here had witnessed Reed's abilities.

If he could turn a sword into scrap metal in an instant, turning it into dust wouldn't be a big deal.

Having finished their calculations, the knight placed one hand on his chest and got down on one knee.

"... …Please forgive my rudeness."

Then, he slightly lifted his head and pleaded with Reed.

"However, this is a contracted item. As such, I must take the crops."

The knight clung stubbornly.

At this point, he should have gotten the hint and left...

However, Reed had no intention of backing down, even if the knight behaved annoyingly.

As Reed looked down at the kneeling knight, he lifted his gaze.

"You there."

"Yes, yes!"

Before the middle-aged man appeared, he had argued with the knight, so he asked the young man.

"How much are these carrots worth?"

"W-well..."

"Answer quickly. I don't like wasting time."

"That... a thousand... a thousand! It all adds up to 1,000 UP!"

"1,000, huh? Take it."

As soon as Reed heard the answer, he pulled out a money pouch and threw it.

Inside it was exactly 1,000 UP.

Then Reed looked up at the knight and said.

"I forcibly 'bought' all these carrots. So now, there are no carrots for you to take."

"...Doing this will make us enemies."

The knight spoke in a serious tone.

"I don't care."

Reed sent a look that seemed to find even the threats amusing.

"If your so-called benevolent king is a hypocrite who exploits my people..."

Reed's golden eyes shone even brighter.

"I will gladly become evil."