Ainz Ooal Gown: Noble Knight

As the sun gradually set, scattered lights began to illuminate the town.

In the distance came the soft clatter of cavalry hooves on patrol, and the faint sounds of laughter from the camp.

The evening breeze blew in from the end of the street, carrying the scents of earth and hay, which finally diluted the smell of ale that clung to our clothes in the pub.

Sebastian stood at the tavern entrance, letting out the pent-up frustration in his chest.

The information about dragons here is only slightly more specific than the kingdom's legends. Although it is a country that is inextricably linked to dragons, there seems to be no trace of dragons elsewhere.

'Perhaps things will be better in the capital. After all, that's where the royal family resides; there should be more detailed records or more reliable sources of information there,' Sebastian reassured himself.

After leaving the tavern, Sebastian did not immediately return to his tent; he planned to visit several more shops to gather intelligence.

But the image of the tavern owner holding the Queen's handwritten letter and taking a deep breath remained in his mind, like a shadow he could never shake off.

'The owner of that shop seems a bit off,' Sebastian thought to himself.

The town was quiet, with only the occasional neighing of horses coming from the direction of the distant camp.

Just then, a laborious shout came from ahead.

Sebastian looked over.

At the corner of the dirt road, a horse-drawn cart loaded with building stones and timber was stuck in a rather large mud pit.

The wheels were stuck deep, almost a third of them submerged in the mud. The old horse pulling the cart had its head down and its four legs taut, but no matter how hard it tried, the cart wouldn't budge.

An old man was standing beside the carriage, pushing the shaft with both hands. His thin shoulders pressed against the rough wood, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

His clothes were soaked with sweat, clinging to his back and outlining his thin, bony frame.

"Hey!"

The old man's shouts were hoarse, typical of the elderly. With each shout, his knees sank a little deeper, but the carriage only swayed slightly, the wheels making a dull gurgling sound in the mud before sinking back into place.

Just then, a young man rushed over from the side.

The young man wore mithril-plated armor, standard for the Aindora territory, the plates gleaming a dull silver-gray in the setting sun. His short, bright blond hair was damp with sweat, a few strands clinging to his forehead.

Without the slightest hesitation, he braced his shoulder against the other side of the carriage, gripped the edge of the carriage floor with both hands, and lifted it upwards with all his might.

He gritted his teeth, his lips pressed into a thin line, and his cheeks flushed red from the effort.

The shoulders of the armor were smeared with mud and wood debris, but he paid no heed.

"Sir, you go ahead. Leave this to me." The young man's voice was clear and bright, carrying the indomitable spirit unique to youth.

But the old man shook his head and refused, saying that this was his own business and he had no right to hand it all over to someone else.

The two of them immediately put their strength into it, but they still failed.

The wheels slipped in the mud and sank back in, splashing mud and water onto the young man's breastplate.

"Huff...huff..." The boy panted heavily, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, but also smearing the mud on his face. He straightened up, looking at the stubborn mud puddle, a hint of resentment flashing in his azure eyes.

Sebastian walked over.

"Do you need any help?"

As soon as he spoke, the old man and the young man turned their heads at the same time.

The young man saw Sebastian in his impeccably tailored black tuxedo and immediately recognized him, his eyes lighting up. But then, a look of hesitation crossed his face.

"You are Lord Rune's guest, how could we trouble you with such menial work..."

As he spoke, he subconsciously turned to the side, trying to hide his muddy and disheveled appearance.

Sebastian did not answer and walked straight to the carriage.

He stood at the back of the carriage, bracing one hand against the timber. The carriage was fully loaded with building stone and timber, weighing at least a thousand kilograms. Combined with the suction of the mud pit, it was no wonder that even two people working together couldn't push it.

Sebastian gave a slight push forward with one hand.

The carriage began to move smoothly.

The wheels slowly rose from the mud pit, kicking up a trail of sticky mud, before landing steadily on the dry road beside them.

The whole process was as easy as moving a piece of paper.

The old man's cloudy old eyes were wide open, and his mouth was slightly open, revealing a few chipped teeth.

"This... I'm not seeing things, am I? Is this something a human can do?"

The young man was also stunned. His azure eyes sparkled with surprise and admiration.

"In an instant... You're truly amazing, Lord Sebastian!"

Even the old horse in front stared at Sebastian in astonishment, its mouth agape in disbelief.

Sebastian turned his head and glanced at the young man.

The young man's face was covered in mud and his hair was messy, but his eyes were surprisingly bright.

The old man quickly stepped forward and nodded repeatedly to Sebastian in thanks.

"Thank you so much for your help, sir. If it weren't for you, my materials would probably have been delayed until dark."

Chapter 27 Reunion

The old man looked at Sebastian and the young man, and a sincere smile bloomed on his wrinkled face.

"I'm so lucky, I met two kind people in a row today."

Sebastian shook his head slightly: "No need to be so polite."

The old man thanked him several times, then put the old horse back on the saddle.

With a gentle tug on the reins, the old horse snorted and set off.

The carriage moved forward slowly again, its wheels rolling over the dirt road with a dull thud, leaving two deep ruts.

Even from a distance, you could still see his arm extending from the dashboard, waving in this direction.

Sebastian stood there, watching the carriage disappear at the end of the dirt road.

'Lord Tapchimi was right after all; helping others brings satisfaction to oneself.'

He thought to himself silently, and felt his breathing become a little easier.

The depression that had been building up seemed to be gently cleared away at this moment.

The young man beside him also gazed in the direction where the carriage had disappeared, a satisfied smile on his face.

Those azure eyes shone brightly in the twilight.

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he abruptly turned his head.

"Ah, I'm sorry, Lord Sebastian! I have other matters to attend to."

He quickly bowed to Sebastian, then turned and ran out.

Sebastian watched the boy's energetic back as a slight smile played on his lips.

Then he straightened his clothes and continued walking into the town.

He hadn't forgotten his mission.

The sun had completely sunk below the horizon.

When Sebastian reappeared on the road in town, his expression was completely different from before.

His brows furrowed slightly, and even his pace slowed down a bit more than usual.

Sebastian had already visited several shops in town.

However, he didn't find out much information about the "dragon," but he did see quite a few items related to the queen.

Each shop sells items related to the Queen, including portraits, sculptures, and even porcelain plates printed with her image.

Sebastian patiently examined each item, trying to find any clues related to dragons among them.

In the end, he even saw a piece of clothing.

It was a white short-sleeved shirt, made of cotton and linen, and the workmanship was fairly fine.

But the image printed on his chest briefly halted Sebastian's train of thought; it was a chibi-style portrait of Queen Dorothy, her petite, flat body particularly endearing.

Below the portrait is a line of crooked handwriting: "Fight for the future of the Dragon Kingdom."

Sebastian silently put the clothes back in their place.

'The people in this country aren't quite normal,' he concluded to himself.

But then he quickly changed his conclusion to "very special".

Because he suddenly remembered one of the forty-one Supreme Beings, Lord Peroroncino, the creator of Shalltear.

That person seems to have a similar hobby.

Sebastian silently retracted all those disrespectful thoughts from his mind.

When Sebastian returned to the camp, it was already late at night.

His tent was placed to the left of the main tent of Rune, a separate tent, some distance away from the tents of the ordinary soldiers.

The tent wasn't large, but it was sturdy, with thick canvas that could block the night wind.

A small oil lamp had been lit inside the tent, its dim yellow light filtering through the tent flap and casting a warm glow in the night.

These locations and arrangements also indirectly demonstrate Sebastian's status as a distinguished guest.

Sebastian had barely sat down in the tent when he heard footsteps outside.

The person stopped at the tent entrance, followed by the soft rustling of fabric, presumably tidying up their appearance.

"Lord Sebastian, I've brought you dinner."

A youthful voice rang out, and Sebastian recognized it as the young man he had met earlier that day.

The curtain was lifted, and a young man carrying a tray walked in.

A large steamed potato was placed on the tray, still steaming.

Next to it were two thick slices of brown bread and a bowl of thick white soup with plenty of ingredients, topped with chopped herbs and minced meat.

There was also a small dish of pickled cabbage, a slightly charred sausage, and a pot of hot tea.