BXBX NOVEL Chapter 71 71 – The Camp
Karl showed his nobility insignia to a soldier guarding the army camp with many red flags with dragon heads.
"I just wanted to have a look." The mayor of Silkdale city smiled. "I don\'t usually see a camp like this."
"Please come in, sir!" The soldier tapped his spear to the ground.
"Thanks." Karl smiled and put some coins into the soldier\'s pocket.
The mayor then entered the camp area, followed by two bodyguards.
"Is it okay for you to come here?" Charlia, who hugged Karl\'s hand, whispered after they were a bit away from that soldier.
Karl smiled even more. "If I do it myself, people will believe more if I persuade them. My position as a noble has its own advantages."
"But, still, this is reckless."
Karl waved to several soldiers who were preparing a bonfire. "Don\'t stop. I just wanted to have a look."
The mayor continued to walk between the tents and looked around. Occasionally he greeted and chatted with some of the soldiers.
"You haven\'t gone into detail about what your plans are." Charlia was starting to look impatient. They had been walking around there for quite some time.
"You\'ll find out later..." Karl stopped when he saw a soldier separating himself from the others.
That man is smoking from a black tobacco pipe.
"You guys wait here." The mayor gave the order, then half ran to the unarmoured soldier.
"Excuse me, sir!" Karl put on a surprised face. His eyes fell on the tobacco pipe. "W-where did you get that pipe from!?"
The soldier frowned, then bowed down when he realized Karl\'s noble insignia. "I bought it in a shop, sir."
Karl\'s eyes widened. "This thing is made by Theobold Hayles, and there are only 9 in the world! The material is from the Yggdrasil tree, and the tobacco it uses has to be special! That is to make the taste come out! You have an amazing item!"
The soldier looked at the item with his mouth agape. "Is that so, sir?"
"How much do you want to sell it for?" Karl looked more and more enthusiastic.
The soldier scratched his hair. "Well..."
"How about 500 gold coins and a chance to escape from here?" Karl hissed, making sure no one else heard his voice. "From your face, I can tell you hate being here. I can arrange something for you to leave, and you\'ll be safe."
"W-what do you mean, sir?" The soldier became nervous.
"There\'s a clause regarding those who want to quit the journey to war. You can go to any city office to make a special request to quit, right?" Karl continued. "However, you will be imprisoned if the request is approved, and the city is obliged to provide a replacement."
The soldier looked around for a moment. "So, what? Everyone knows about that weird rule, but no one wants to do it because it\'s not worth it."
"I can keep you from being punished for carrying out that clause." Karl\'s smile widened. "I can arrange for your successor immediately since I know the people of this city government."
The soldier remained silent, still looking doubtful.
"Meet me in the alley next to the Red Acorn restaurant tonight." Karl held out his hand for a shake. "And don\'t tell anyone about our meeting."
***
"Is he really coming, Karl?" Charlia asked when she and the mayor were in that alley.
"He\'s already very interested in my offer." Karl, leaning against the wall, grinned. "He will definitely come."
"Yeah, he\'s not very smart. He can\'t see into your lies." The succubus shrugged, looking at another man who was with them. "What do you think, John?"
The man is a shapeshifter who takes on the form of a man with thin sideburns. "Well, I don\'t know. However, I think Sir Karl\'s acting is excellent."
The story about the rare tobacco pipe was only made by Karl. Actually, that thing is common and can be bought anywhere.
Several minutes passed. The soldier finally entered the alley and looked around.
"Is this really safe?" He asked in a cautious tone. "I don\'t want to go to jail. I\'m married and have kids."
"Don\'t you trust someone like me?" Karl widened his smile.
"Sorry, a noble like you can\'t lie." The soldier gulped. "But can you raise the money you\'re about to give me? This is to make sure I have enough money on the run. How about a thousand gold coins?"
Karl sighed. "Fine, but no more than that, or you won\'t be able to get freedom."
The soldier gulped again. "I understand, and I want to get back with my wife, so..."
"We don\'t have much time." Karl handed the man a paper roll, ink bottle, and feather. "Write your resignation letter and sign it."
The soldier nodded, then crouched down and used a wooden box as a writing pad. Several times he thought about composing sentences and finished writing about ten minutes later.
He then handed the letter to Karl. "Where\'s my money?"
Karl nodded as he read the letter, then handed it to John, the shapeshifter.
"Sorry." The mayor hissed, covered the soldier\'s mouth, and pushed him against the wall.
The soldier widened his eyes as Karl thrust a knife into his chest.
"This is nothing personal. My best friend needs my help." Karl added in a cold tone.
It took several minutes for the soldier to fall, covered in blood.
Charlia crouched before the breathless man. "Poor him."
"You already know what you have to do, don\'t you, John?" The mayor cleaned his knife with a handkerchief.
"Tomorrow, I will bring this letter of resignation and the letter of recommendation from the city government to the troop camp," John answered.
"If someone asks why this man was able to get a recommendation, even though he didn\'t leave the camp during the day, just say he went to the city officer\'s house at night," Karl explained. "I paid that officer to admit that this man forced him."
"Is the troop leader going to check that far?" Charlia rose to her feet.
Karl looked at the man\'s corpse. "Well, I don\'t think that\'s possible either. It\'s a trivial matter. The important thing is that they\'ve got a replacement soldier. But there\'s no harm in being on guard."
John bowed down. "I must take my leave, sir. Lord Vorn asked me to report to him as soon as this worked out."