Knights Who Hunt Monsters (3)
“Another new game already? Good grief, I have not even finished Age of Great Voyages yet.”
The new game ‘Witch Hunter’ was released.
But the response from its main customers, the nobles, was more lukewarm than expected.
Ironically, the reason was that the previous games were still too popular.
“I am looking forward to it, but I think ‘Honorlord’ is enough for me. I still have not developed my army as much as I want.”
“I still find Age of Great Voyages more entertaining. It has lost a little of its prestige now that commoners play it too, though…….”
“Civilization Development is still quite good as well. Some of the technologies and institutions are a little difficult to understand… but is that not exactly what makes them fascinating?”
Since the previous games remained popular, the nobles didn't pay particularly much attention to the new release.
The earlier games had plenty of content, and games were still rather expensive, creating an atmosphere of, Why bother buying the new one?
But that atmosphere didn't last long.
“You fellows still have not played ‘Witch Hunter’? You are throwing away half your lives!”
“You absolutely must play Witch Hunter! It is a masterpiece beyond comparison with the previous games!”
“Now, now. The earlier titles were masterpieces too. You are exaggerating terribly. Still… if you insist that strongly, perhaps I should try it.”
The nobles who tried it out of curiosity all praised it, which gradually drew the interest of the others.
And once they played it, their opinions changed as well.
“Truly astonishing. Action surpassing Honorlord, with a story even deeper than Age of Great Voyages… Is Ian Maxwell a god?!”
“Every character was distinctive and entertaining. Though I tried two-timing the witch heroines and ended up with the lonely-old-man ending.”
“It was more entertaining than most plays or celebrated novels. I am amazed that a game can incorporate a story of this quality.”
Even in the eyes of the discerning nobility, Witch Hunter distinguished itself artistically from its predecessors.
Of course, the earlier titles were all well-made masterpieces too.
But Witch Hunter had been created as a large-scale masterpiece from the outset, so it naturally appeared especially impressive.
“I hear this game is fashionable among the nobles these days.”
“Well, Baron Ian's games have always been popular.”
“They say this one is even more incredible. I need to find some way to buy it!”
And once it became popular among the nobles, commoners naturally began taking an interest as well.
Unlike Age of Great Voyages, Witch Hunter was somewhat expensive.
But the economy had grown more active since ‘Age of Great Voyages,’ and the number of commoners who had made money had increased, so there were now more people eager to follow noble fashions.
To those commoners, Witch Hunter was nothing short of revolutionary.
“Damn! This is way too entertaining!”
“Beautiful music, gorgeous visuals, a deep story… It doesn't lack a single thing!”
“I preferred Trace over Jennifer. She's a woman with passion like fire.”
“Tsk, tsk. You understand nothing. Jennifer is far more refined than that frivolous Trace.”
“What?! You dare insult my Trace? I challenge you to a duel!”
“Hmph! Do you think I would back down?!”
If nobles tended to leave refined impressions, commoners reacted in a much more unfiltered way.
The protagonist was cool, the heroines were beautiful, and they went wild over the mysterious and entertaining story.
“When I was young, I wanted to become a knight like those monster hunters too. Maybe I should volunteer for the Knight Order.”
“Forget it. The traditionalist knights are a setting sun these days. You would be better off applying to the modernized forces.”
“That is true. The old-fashioned Knight Order does not appoint commoners to important positions anyway.”
Naturally, that emotion turned into admiration.
They admired the monster hunters depicted as knights in the story.
But almost no one actually volunteered for the Knight Order.
Even if a commoner entered the Knight Order, becoming a knight was as difficult as plucking a star from the sky.
They could spend their entire lives as squires or doing menial work.
These days, it was better to join the modernized forces and distinguish oneself there.
The modernized forces actively appointed commoners as noncommissioned officers.
But then strange rumors began spreading throughout the Empire.
“Have you fellows heard? They say the knights have started hunting monsters.”
“Hm? What do you mean? Why would knights hunt monsters? That is mercenary work.”
“It used to be. But apparently, the traditionalist knights have been doing it lately. They carry a silver sword and a steel sword, cutting monsters down with the silver sword and ruffians and bandits with the steel one.”
“What? Don't tell me……”
“Exactly. Just like the monster hunters in Witch Hunter.”
Knights of the Knight Order were hunting monsters.
Just like the monster hunters in the game.
That was the rumor.
“Come now, it must be nonsense. Why would those arrogant knights bother doing something like that?”
At first, people didn't believe it.
Or they assumed a few knights obsessed with the game were merely doing it for amusement.
But as time passed, tales of their exploits began spreading from one place after another.
“The monster that tormented your village is dead. You may rest easy now.”
“Th-Thank you, Sir Knight. H-Here, this is only a small reward, but we gathered what we could……”
“I do not need it. Use it for the families of those who were killed by the monster.”
“B-But……!”
Stories spread of knights killing terrifying monsters without even accepting proper compensation.
Rumors told of one man burning down a bandit stronghold single-handedly, and heroic tales of knights immediately challenging evildoers to duels whenever they witnessed injustice.
Every one of those stories made commoners' hearts race.
“Oh, knights who follow the old traditions. Now they raise their swords for the people. For widows who have lost their husbands, for orphans who have lost their parents, they cut down monsters and drive away bandits. If something troubles you, toss the hunters a coin. Your troubles will soon disappear.”
Around that time, bards dressed exactly like characters from ‘Witch Hunter’ began actively spreading tales of their exploits.
The stories were turned into poems, songs, and even plays.
There were far too many witnesses claiming to have seen the events themselves for them to be dismissed as mere exaggerations.
And before anyone realized it, knights carrying a silver sword and a steel sword across their backs had become a common sight.
Commoners who had heard the rumors would cautiously approach those knights.
“S-Sir Knight, pardon me, but are you perhaps one of those rumored knights who hunt monsters?”
“…I am.”
“Th-Then do you really cut monsters down with that silver sword? Just like the monster hunters in the game……?”
“I have already slain five. Silver is soft, but it is remarkably effective against monsters. The magic imbued in a silver sword is deadly to them.”
“Oh! Could you please tell me more? Drinks are on me!”
As firsthand accounts from the people at the center of the rumors began spreading, the fame of the monster-hunting knights rose even further.
Naturally, the popularity and public perception of the traditionalist knights changed as well.
They were no longer seen as obsolete old men obsessed with tradition.
They became honorable knights pursuing true chivalry.
Now, genuine respect could be seen in the eyes of commoners who looked upon them.
A major reason for that transformation was that their hardship was genuine.
-The magical secret art placed upon you will only reveal its power if you first believe that the art truly exists. Therefore, truly believe that you are them. When you act as they do and endure hardship as they do, the magical possibility within you will manifest.
While developing ‘Witch Hunter,’ the mages of the Magic Tower had reproduced the secret arts used by the monster hunters in the game.
But for the magical possibility within those secret arts to truly manifest, the knights had to genuinely believe that they themselves were those monster hunters.
It demanded painful hardship that could even kill them.
But the knights willingly chose to endure it.
“The people are suffering. Do not rest, knights. There are many places beyond the battlefield where your swords are still needed.”
“Do not remain silent before injustice. Protect the weak. Kill monsters. Kill those worse than monsters. That is what will make you a true knight.”
While playing ‘Witch Hunter,’ the knights began practicing the chivalric virtues they had felt within the game.
If anything, they became even nobler than the monster hunters from the original ‘Witch Hunter.’
And the more they did so, the stronger they felt themselves becoming.
The stronger they became, the more deeply they believed in their convictions.
“The number of volunteers for the Knight Order is increasing.”
“There are many children of nobles, but commoners are especially numerous.”
“Why not use this opportunity to actively appoint commoners to important positions as well? The modernized forces already do so. We cannot afford to fall behind.”
Perhaps their sincerity had reached the people.
The Knight Order, which had been declining as its volunteer rate steadily fell, began to revive.
The knights couldn't deny that this, too, was thanks to Ian Maxwell.
Just as ‘Honorlord’ had made the modernized forces into a rising sun, ‘Witch Hunter’ had given new hope to those who had once been fading stars.
“Let us appoint Ian Maxwell an honorary member of the Knight Order.”
As a gesture of gratitude, the Knight Order decided to grant Ian honorary membership.
Of course, there was a political calculation behind it as well.
Ian enjoyed the favor of both the emperor and the Crown Prince.
If the Knight Order visibly honored Ian, the imperial household would surely be pleased.
And that calculation proved exactly correct.
“I grant Ian Maxwell the Honorary Knight Medal. I shall also grant rewards and decorations to the Imperial Knight Order for its contributions to the Empire's security and stability.”
The emperor immediately praised the Knight Order's virtuous deeds.
This decision, too, was calculated for both practical and political benefit.
“Thanks to the efforts of the traditionalist knights, public security throughout the Empire is genuinely improving. This should allow the Empire's economy to develop even further.”
The Empire possessed vast territory, and as a result, it also suffered heavily from monsters.
Mercenaries alone had struggled to deal with all of them, and many mercenaries eventually turned into bandits themselves, causing considerable harm.
Naturally, those conditions had negatively affected commerce.
But once knights took the initiative in dealing with monsters and bandits and stabilized public security, merchants could travel with much greater peace of mind.
That wasn't all.
Previously undeveloped lands and mines that had been too dangerous because of monsters could now be developed as well.
Territories of the Empire that had previously been impossible to utilize fully were gradually beginning to be properly developed.
Those were the practical benefits.
There were political benefits as well.
“If the modernized forces become too dominant, even the imperial household may find them difficult to restrain. I should support the traditionalist knights somewhat and use them as a counterbalance.”
At present, the modernized forces were growing at an astonishing rate as they absorbed concepts learned through ‘Civilization Development’ and ‘Honorlord.’
Thanks to that, the Empire's military strength had improved tremendously.
But if things went too far, they could become an organization that even the imperial household would be unable to control.
The emperor needed to keep them in check to an appropriate degree.
By supporting the traditionalist knights, he intended to create an indirect counterbalance.
Moreover, as knights regained popularity, the number of aspiring knights was increasing again.
Apparently, many commoners were also volunteering for the Knight Order, and unlike before, the Knight Order now seemed willing to open a genuine path for them to become actual knights.
“Knights are better at hunting monsters anyway, so increasing their numbers is hardly a bad thing.”
The more monster-hunting knights there were, the more public security would improve, and the faster undeveloped lands could be brought under cultivation.
The emperor was extremely pleased with the situation.
“Once again, this is thanks to a game made by Baron Ian. He truly never ceases to surprise me.”
The fact that this entire virtuous cycle had begun with one of Ian's games left the emperor deeply satisfied.
At the same time, however, a concern began to grow.
“Other nations are starting to take an interest in these ‘games.’”
Recently, the Empire had developed at a dazzling pace through the games Ian created.
Naturally, other nations had begun wondering why the Empire was suddenly advancing so rapidly.
But until now, they hadn't realized that games were the reason.
That was because the games had yet to be exported abroad.
Producing a ‘game console’ required magic stones, making mass production difficult, and there simply weren't enough units to sell overseas.
But more game consoles were gradually entering circulation.
Other kingdoms had also begun hearing rumors and noticing that the Empire's development was somehow connected to these ‘games.’
“If so, it is only a matter of time before they learn about Ian Maxwell as well. I will need to pay closer attention from now on.”
The emperor decided to take greater care with Ian's personal security.
So that no troublesome flies would gather around Ian Maxwell, the Empire's precious treasure.