The Fat Aristocrat Waltz in the Labyrinth - Chapter 53
Chapter 53: The fat aristocrat meets knight
“…Mitrof-sama, what happened to your face?”
The next morning, Canule timidly asked Mitrof, who had an unfamiliar bruise on his face and looked confused and unsettled.
If the bruise had been around his lips or eyes, it might have been assumed that he got into a fight, but in Mitrof’s case, the mark was a clean, straight line in the center of his face.
“…I was taking a shield course at the guild—I got hit by the instructor’s stick.”
“That must have been a very intense course…?”
Reacting to Canule’s expressions, which seemed to suggest she was from a good upbringing, Mitrof smiled wryly.
“Intense? Not at all—It was just bullying disguised as a course.”
Not only on his face but also all over his body, bruises were a constant reminder of his own inadequacy and the cruelty and skill of Sonn’s stick.
“Bullying…? Have you considered making a complaint to the guild?—Such behavior should be rectified.”
“No… even though I am unsatisfied with the method, I feel like the objective is being effectively accomplished… I also have trouble handling it.”
“I see.”
Canule was not satisfied, and Mitrof struggled to explain.
Mitrof was beaten, rolled on the ground, cursed, and covered in sweat and mucus.
However, in the end, he learned to dodge Sonn’s stick with his small shield. He had experienced genuine growth, and that made him unable to get angry.
“Anyway, let’s try it out in practice.”
Mitrof tightened the belt of the small shield wrapped around his left arm instead of his gauntlet.
Although the stick used by Sonn was different, exploring the 10th floor became much easier than Mitrof had imagined.
The best solution for the smallblade rabbit was undoubtedly the small shield.
He bounced off the smallblade rabbits as they flew in, knocked them down, or bounced them back with his shield.
The rabbits were small and light. Even when they collided head-on with his shield, his arms did not become numb.
Compared to the unrestricted movements of Sonn’s stick, it was not difficult to anticipate the straight attack of the smallblade rabbit. Mitrof calmly handled the small shield while observing where the smallblade rabbit would come from.
The intense training that left him covered in bruises had certainly taught Mitrof how to handle the small shield. He couldn’t even complain about it now, and he chuckled to himself.
“Are you hurt?”
After exterminating the group of smallblade rabbits, Canule approached Mitrof.
Mitrof opened his arms to show her.
“I’m not hurt at all—the small shield is useful—and the rapier that was sharpened for me is also sharp.”
“That’s good to hear—I’m relieved as well.”
Canule’s voice was somewhat bright. She had been watching Mitrof with a dark expression while covered in bruises until now.
“I also caused you worry, Canule—I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. But don’t let your guard down.”
“I’ll be careful.”
There was a teasing quality to Canule’s warning words. Mitrof also smiled and nodded.
Even though it was a small shield, it was not cheap.
Especially that old woman who does not sell mediocre items. If you prioritize quality that you can trust, the price will also increase proportionally. Although it cost quite a bit more than a cheap shield bought at a random armory, Mitrof thinks it was not the wrong purchase.
His life depends on this small shield. If safety can be bought with money, then there is no reason to hesitate.
However, the feeling of worry about an empty wallet is separate. Mitrof tightened his resolve to make full use of his shield and earn money properly.
“Speaking of which, Canule’s shield seems to be of much better quality.”
“Yes, it is—It is a sturdy item.”
The round shield that Canule carries on her back is much larger than Mitrof’s small shield. If the petite Canule were to hold it up, it would cover almost the entire upper body.
While Mitrof’s shield was made of wood with leather attached to it, Canule’s shield was made of shiny metal. A magnificent design of a soaring eagle was also applied, incorporating elegance into the rough armor.
As he was about to ask where he got it, Mitrof held back.
Mitrof is a nobleman. Nobles are required to have a cultured upbringing. He studied art from a young age, appreciated art pieces, and honed his sensibilities to understand “what is beauty.”
Therefore, if Mitrof’s noble eyes find something “beautiful,” then it must be an exceptional object. He sensed that inquiring about the origins of such an object would involve deeply related matters about Canule’s status and circumstances.
Canule also read Mitrof’s consideration in his silence.
The two collected the smallblade rabbit ears in silence and put them in Canule’s backpack. Canule tied the backpack’s straps under the lantern against the wall and looked around.
After carefully confirming that no one was there, Canule turned to Mitrof. The flickering flame illuminated the inside of the hood and partially revealed the whiteness of Canule’s concealed skull. She looked lifeless. Canule’s voice echoed from there.
“Mitrof-sama. You must have already noticed, but I’m——. ”
Mitrof listened carefully to the following words.
Canule stopped talking midway and turned around in the passage. It was the path that Mitrof had taken.
Mitrof turned his face as well. Clack, clack——the sound of metal footsteps on cobblestones. It wasn’t a monster. It was a human.
In the lantern light that uniformly illuminated the passage, the figure of a knight appeared.
“…What’s that?”
Mitrof tilted his head. A knight served someone. It was too unnatural for a knight to be in the labyrinth.
There was a possibility that the adventurer was wearing knight’s armor, but knight’s armor was not sold commercially. It was something passed down from generation to generation in a knight’s family.
If he was wearing armor, then that was a true sign of a knight.
Mitrof heard Canule gasp at the sight of the knight who had appeared. He knew that Canule had an idea of who he was.
Mitrof looked at Canule’s expression. If there were any signs of wanting to escape, Mitrof was prepared to run away with her immediately. However, Canule didn’t move.
She didn’t run away, nor did she run towards the knight. She just stood there, stunned.
The knight approached Mitrof and Canule in the garden, not rushing, and came to a stop before them.
“It seems you are well.”
A muffled voice came from within the knight’s armor.
“——Yes, Nii-sama.”
Canule nodded.
Mitrof’s eyes widened at the mention of “Nii-sama.”