Damn, I recarneted As A Judge in Fantasy World

Winter was slowly coming to an end in the Empire, but the weather in the North was different. This was a place where snow could fall even in May. Abel shivered but smiled to himself, thinking, 'It was a good thing I brought goose down.'

In fact, the padded jacket he was wearing was not supposed to be released until next year, but it was far too late to introduce it this season.

So, the one he recently launched wasn't a light flight jacket either. However, Abel had brought a few prototypes upon hearing how cold the North was. It had turned out to be a stroke of genius.

"I feel much better wearing this. Thank you very much, Your Highness," said a man with a grim face, shivering in the back seat of the carriage.

This man was Derek, a mercenary who had been hired to escort Abel several times before. The admiration Abel's supporters had for him was so great that he had considered making an offer to officially recruit Derek. However, the reason Derek was not officially part of the escort was to keep the number of troops to a minimum. Stay updated via empire

The vineyard patrol remained fully staffed. While they were just northern nomads, Abel appreciated Derek's expertise. After all, Derek was a skilled mercenary, class A, and a true professional. Abel recognized the difference between a regular soldier and a mercenary of Derek's caliber, who had honed his skills through repeated training and combat.

"No problem. How is life these days?" Abel asked casually.

"Thanks to Your Highness for giving us new products, my work has really increased. I've been getting a lot of requests from people to send goods to the provinces," Derek replied, his face lighting up.

"Oh, I guess I asked for nothing. You could have found a better job," Abel said, a teasing smile playing on his lips.

"Oh my! No. If it's His Highness's request, I should take off my shoes and step forward. Who do we all have to thank for eating and living like this?" Derek's response was sincere, and Abel appreciated the man's loyalty.

Derek was a pleasant companion. He often shared stories from his mercenary assignments, and they were quite entertaining. Abel found these stories to be a window into a world he wasn't familiar with—the dangerous, unpredictable world of mercenaries.

As they traveled through the harsh northern cold, something strange caught Abel's eye. It was snowing heavily, and there, on the side of the road, was an old man in a dangerous situation.

"Please stop the carriage," Abel commanded.

"Just a moment, Your Highness," Derek said, already on alert.

Abel was about to call the groom for help when Derek interrupted, his voice dropping to a mumble as he began sharing an old mercenary proverb.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"There's a saying among mercenaries: Always be careful of women, children, and the elderly," Derek said cautiously.

It was something Abel had heard before in martial arts novels. Even in America, there were stories where a child knocking at the door was just bait for a robber to strike when it opened. Abel could understand why mercenaries would be suspicious of such scenarios. After all, how many ambushes had Derek survived on his various assignments?

Abel nodded, thinking about the territories where the entire region had become a haven for robbers.

"It's okay. Let's stop and help anyway," Abel said, deciding not to follow Derek's cautious advice.

He was confident in his abilities. No matter who his opponent was, Abel believed he could handle it. Besides, what if the old man really needed help?

With that thought in mind, Abel jumped out of the slowly moving carriage and approached the elderly man.

"Sir, are you okay?" Abel asked.

The old man's coat was torn in several places, but it didn't appear to be very old. That meant he must have recently had an accident.

"Oh, my carriage fell off the cliff. Can you give me a ride to Northern Ark?" the old man asked, his voice trembling slightly.

"Of course. But is there anyone else with you?" Abel inquired.

"It was a small wagon, so I was driving it myself. The place was so steep that the mule probably died," the old man replied with a sorrowful expression.

"What a pity," Abel said sympathetically.

Horses were the most valuable mode of transportation in this era, and losing a mule, a cross between a mare and a donkey, was also a great loss. Mules were better suited than horses for pulling carts, especially in harsh terrains like the North. Unfortunately, with the heavy snow, they couldn't see all the way to the bottom of the cliff to check on the mule.

Abel helped the old man into the carriage and handed him a blanket. He felt good about his decision to help.

"You must be a great person to offer such kindness," the old man said with gratitude.

"No. We were on our way to Northern Ark anyway. Don't worry too much," Abel replied, waving his hand dismissively.

Several days later, Northern Ark, the largest city in the northern part of the Empire, finally appeared before them.

'It's much bigger than I thought,' Abel mused.

The colder the climate, the more people tended to live together in tightly-knit communities. High walls to block the wind made the city an ideal place to survive the harsh winters. Despite the heavy snow, the streets were filled with people.

"The weather is bad. Let's find a place to stay quickly," Abel suggested.

"Yes, I think Northern Ark has a good selection. Something like the Sanbaram Hotel might suit you," Derek replied.

"It doesn't have to be fancy. I'm just staying for one night," Abel clarified.

Derek was about to recommend another place when a group of men blocked the road, trying to chase them away.

"Hey, back off! You can't go in here," one of the men shouted.

They were standing in front of an inn, which was frustrating since Northern Ark's layout made it hard to take detours. Abel quickly assessed the situation. These weren't just random thugs. They were part of something more organized.

'They must be blocking the other side too,' Abel thought, realizing that underworld factions were always present, even in seemingly peaceful cities.

Abel glanced back at Cordell McNeil, who immediately looked away, signaling that he didn't want to get involved. At the same time, however, Cordell was keeping an eye on the situation, prepared to act if ordered.

Abel let out a sigh and said, "What good is making a fuss in someone else's land? Let's just turn around and go. There are other inns."

Derek, ready to draw his weapon, growled, "The accommodations on the outskirts are going to be incredibly shabby. I'll just tear them all down."

"There's no need for that," Abel replied calmly, glaring at Derek.

Just as Abel was about to turn back, the old man who had gotten out of the carriage stepped forward.

"There's no need to go back. I'll just open the way," the old man said confidently.

"Sir, please don't provoke them unnecessarily. You might get hurt," Abel warned.

But the old man approached the thugs anyway, despite Abel's caution.

And then, to Abel's astonishment, the thugs suddenly dropped to their knees, shouting in unison, "Boss!"

Abel stood there, blinking in disbelief.

'What kind of development is this?'

Abel blinked in confusion as the large thugs bowed deeply in front of the old man. He wasn't sure what was happening, and judging by Derek's equally bewildered expression, neither did his companion. The men, who moments ago had been blocking their path with menacing glares, now looked as though they were groveling at the feet of the elderly stranger they had just rescued from the roadside.

"Boss?" Abel muttered under his breath. He wasn't sure if he was talking to himself or asking the old man directly, but his voice was lost amidst the sound of the thugs addressing the elderly man.

"Sir, we didn't know it was you. Please forgive us for our rudeness!" one of the thugs said with a tremor in his voice.

The old man smiled lightly, brushing off the apology with a wave of his hand. "No harm done. Just make sure you're more careful in the future."

Abel exchanged a glance with Derek, who still had his hand hovering near the hilt of his weapon, ready to draw. Abel shook his head subtly, signaling for Derek to stand down. It was clear this situation had taken an unexpected turn, and aggression wasn't going to solve it.

"Who exactly are you, old man?" Abel asked, his tone carefully neutral.

The old man turned to Abel with an amused smile. "Ah, I suppose I should have introduced myself properly, shouldn't I?" He straightened his torn coat, which now seemed oddly regal despite its worn condition.

'Just who the hell is this old man?' Abel couldn't help but thought with frowend on his face.