Ch#80
“Sir Ante and Polus, get ready for the shift change.”
The kicking finally stopped at the voice calling the two men. Ante Norr clutched his stomach on the ground, gasping for breath. Right above him came the sound of chuckling as someone threw an arm around his companion's shoulder.
“Polus, what if you end up killing your colleague? Isn't it getting worse lately?”
“Nonsense. Colleague? He's just a filthy bootlicker for money. This is why you shouldn't entrust important duties to lowly scum. Ptui.”
Spit landed on Ante Norr's face. Unable to wipe it on his cherished knight's uniform, Ante Norr rubbed his face on the dirt floor. The sticky saliva caused sand to stick to his cheek.
“I... told you. I've never taken any bribes.”
“The prison turned into a luxury inn while you were on guard duty, and you expect us to buy that? Shameless.”
Polus sneered, cracking his thick neck from side to side.
Less than a day after Evangeline Rohanson was imprisoned, the barren prison had transformed into a cozy space. It was clear someone had taken a bribe from the Rohansons to allow the furniture to be brought in. And the prime suspect was Ante Norr.
However, Ante Norr had neither taken bribes nor helped bring in the furniture. Polus acted as if he would kick Ante Norr again in anger, but their superior intervened to prevent the violence from starting anew.
“What are you doing? Hurry up and go for the shift change!”
Polus reluctantly moved his feet, and at the urging, Ante Norr gritted his teeth and rose from the dirt floor.
Fresh wounds layered over the ones from yesterday before they could heal. His legs hurt so badly with every step—perhaps from a misplaced kick—that he had no choice but to limp. Dragging his battered body underground, he found Argentie waiting for the shift change, smirking and patting Ante Norr's shoulder.
“It'll be tough, but good luck. Oh, I made a bit of a mess on the floor—could you clean it up, Ante Norr? If it's too much alone, feel free to call in the Rohanson people.”
The knights snickered as if it were a brilliant joke. Ante Norr ground his teeth watching Argentie leisurely ascend the stairs.
“Looks like Argentie had another field day. You clean it up.”
Argentie had apparently dumped all of Evangeline Rohanson's allotted meals onto the floor. And cleaning it up fell to Ante Norr. Polus acted as if the food waste staining the floor perfectly represented Argentie's integrity.
Ante Norr had always been ostracized, but ever since Argentie began openly showing hostility, the physical abuse had intensified. Everyone sided with Argentie. He was Sir Mugeta's maternal cousin, monopolized the superior's favor, and came from a formidable family.
In comparison, what about Ante Norr himself? His parents were tenant farmers in the countryside, and his sharp personality earned him no affection—only treatment as a thorn in the side.
A knight from commoner stock reeking of poverty. A tactless fool whose only trait was his abrasiveness. A traitor who sold his honor for material gain. The knights' order's errand boy who never refused dirty work. Those were the labels for Ante Norr.
That's why he admired Sir Gabriel.
Even from a different order, Sir Gabriel was an orphan who rose to knight commander single-handedly without family backing. Sir Gabriel was truly remarkable. Even filthy scum like Argentie admired
