The Debt Collector

The sun was setting, casting an orange-red hue over the evening trade route, making the already desolate path seem even more forlorn. This commercial road, once frequented by merchants, had seen a drastic decrease in traffic ever since a gang of bandits claimed it as their territory, extorting and plundering those who dared to pass.

The merchants determination to avoid the route had left the bandits without spoils for nearly six days, leaving them listless and worried about the impending lean times. A lookout, half-asleep and muttering under his breath, "One fat sheep, two fat sheep, three fat sheep..." was on the verge of dozing off when a sharp pain on his forehead jolted him awake. The grumbling voice of a minor gang leader echoed from behind.

"Damn it! Its because you lot nap on the job that weve had no work for days. The fat sheep have all been scared off by you. What kind of... What kind of... Theres a fat sheep! Get to work!" With that, he sprinted off, leaving only a small figure in the distance.

The lookout stiffened for a moment, then, understanding the leaders meaning, he too excitedly peered out from his hiding place. A large caravan, the likes of which the whole gang had been fantasizing about for days, was slowly approaching. Inside the most luxurious carriage of the caravan, a handsome man with a chestnut ponytail and a smile as refreshing as a spring breeze, was earnestly instructing a silver-haired man who sat with closed eyes and an expressionless face.

"Lothar Galveston, this is your first mission with the Knights Order, equivalent to a capability assessment. It cannot fail. Let me repeat the procedure once more..."

It turned out that this caravan was a ruse by the local Knights Order, disguised to lure out the bandits and eliminate the threat to travelers. The emotionless man was the knight captain leading this mission; the knight who nagged like an old wife was his close friend. Unfortunately, the silver-haired knight didnt take in a word from his friend, still adjusting to the transition from a fugitive demon to a glorious knight, pondering how to live his life henceforth.

Was he to spend the rest of his life as a human knight, forever evading possible pursuit from the demon realm?

Ha! What if he didnt want to? As a demon who was nothing, where did he have a choice? Since he had no plans to return, why not sever the past completely and play a new role?

"...Just pretend that the old Lothar Galveston is dead."

With this resolution, the emotionless silver eyes that reopened held a new mischievous glint, a roguish air, and a playful spark. The hard lines of his face softened instantly, even taking on a distinct aura of decadence.

External sounds once again became clear to his ears—clanging of metal, shouting of men, and neighing of horses. The soldiers and bandits had already fought several rounds without the need for his command.

"Lothar Galveston?" questioned the knight with chestnut hair, witnessing the complete transformation of Lothar Galveston and finding it hard to accept. A cold, impersonal guy had, in the blink of an eye, become unscrupulous, as if an angel had fallen to earth.

"No worries, Ive just had an epiphany," he said with a sly smile and a slightly frivolous expression, "Thank you for taking care of a melancholic patient for so long. How about we place a bet?"

"Bet?" The chestnut-haired knight immediately put on a stern face, "No way. Lothar Galveston, have you forgotten? The Knights Code forbids gambling." He spoke with righteous indignation.

"Ah? Is there such a rule?" The man feigned indifference and sudden realization, "What a pity to lose such a path to enormous profits... Alright, its time for me to fulfill my knightly duties." He pushed open the carriage door, lazily stuck out half his body, and with a voice that boomed, commanded: "Everybody─stop─fighting!"

The immense volume vibrated through both friend and foe, causing their ears to buzz and see stars, forcing them to cease combat and look towards the knight who had climbed onto the carriage top, exuding an air of unparalleled arrogance.

"Now, listen up, all you bandits!" Lothar Galveston stood with his hands on his hips, looking down, "Men to the left, women to the right, and those who are neither to the center. Drop all your valuables on the ground! You heard it right, no doubt about it, I──am going to rob you!"

Upon hearing this, the knights fell in a heap, and the bandits stood agape.

Was this a knight? Oh, truly a rare breed!

Lothar Galveston, the newly appointed captain of the Royal Knights Order, Seventh Squadron, earned his moniker "Rogue Knight" from this inaugural mission of "soldiers turned bandits," which was witnessed and spread throughout the city, establishing his notoriety and the foundation for the tarnished reputation of the Royal Knights Order...