The Imperial Scepter of Glory

Chapter 3 Edward (Part 2)

Pushing open the door and entering the tavern were four or five flamboyantly dressed young men. Leading them was a bald man with a large war hammer strapped to his waist. His bulging muscles made it clear he wasn’t someone to be trifled with. The moment the tavern attendant saw them, he immediately left Lintan’s side and hurried over to greet them.

Lintan recognized these people—or rather, Edward did. Lintan had inherited Edward’s memories, so naturally, he knew who they were.

He was currently in a small town near the Flegg Manor. As a minor noble of the area, it was only natural that he would be familiar with some of the local thugs. These guys were a notorious gang of troublemakers, living off street fights, petty theft, and extorting protection fees. However, they were merely underlings. The only person Lintan had actually known was their leader.

The gangsters wore menacing expressions as they spoke to the tavern attendant, whose face was a mix of helplessness and fear. Before long, the tavern owner emerged from the back and started negotiating with them.

Lintan remained seated, eating his meal while discreetly observing the commotion at the entrance.

It didn’t take long for the negotiations to break down. The bald man pulled out his war hammer and, with a mighty swing, smashed a nearby wooden table to pieces. He then grabbed the tavern owner by the collar and hoisted him into the air.

“D*mn it! No money? You think this shitty tavern can keep running without paying up?!” the bald thug snarled.

The tavern owner trembled in fear, unable to utter a word.

“Hey, didn’t your boss tell you that no protection fees should be collected in places where I’m present?” A lazy voice came from the side.

The thugs all turned their heads simultaneously, only to see a scruffy young man leaning against the wall, not even bothering to look their way. That man was none other than Lintan, who had just been quietly eating moments ago.

The bald thug let go of the tavern owner and sized up Lintan from head to toe. His gaze soon turned hostile. “Who the hell are you? How dare you interfere with my business?”

Lintan casually spat his toothpick at the bald thug’s face, an expression of utter disdain on his own. That look alone was enough to enrage the thug, who immediately swung his war hammer at Lintan’s head. The force of the swing howled through the air, prompting gasps from the onlookers. If that hammer landed, even a full-grown bull would have its skull shattered, let alone a seemingly frail young man.

But Lintan effortlessly sidestepped the attack.

The war hammer crashed into the wall, sending dust flying everywhere. The impact left the bald thug’s hands numb from the recoil. Before he could react, Lintan’s fists were already in his face. A few well-placed punches later, the once-fierce thug was sprawled on the ground.

The remaining gangsters charged at Lintan all at once, but these street brawlers were no match for a properly trained Tier-3 knight. In no time, they were all lying groaning on the floor.

As the defeated thugs scrambled to flee, Lintan clapped the dust off his hands at the entrance and turned to the tavern owner. “Your trouble is taken care of.”

To his surprise, the tavern owner didn’t look relieved at all. Instead, he wore a miserable expression. “Sir, you’ve only made things worse for me. Their boss won’t let my tavern off so easily…”

Lintan waved off his concerns. “I’ll be right here, waiting for their boss.”

Beating up those thugs wasn’t just about covering his meal expenses; Lintan was also looking for an opportunity. Their real leader was Baggins, the underground boss of Helko Town.

His first target after awakening was, of course, his treacherous Uncle Dukar. Strictly speaking, Dukar had only killed Edward, which had nothing to do with Lintan. In fact, one could argue that Dukar had done him a favor—without Edward’s death, Lintan wouldn’t have been able to return to life. But that didn’t mean he would spare the man. Not only did he owe revenge to the body he now inhabited, but Dukar surely wouldn’t let him go if he ever found out he was still alive. Striking first was the smarter move.

However, having just awakened, Lintan had nothing but his body—no sword, no resources. Challenging Dukar now was suicide. That’s why seeking out the local crime boss, Baggins, was the best course of action. After all, Edward had known Baggins personally.

Sure enough, it wasn’t long before Baggins arrived at the tavern with his gang, all bristling with hostility. He shoved aside the obsequious tavern owner and stomped into the room, shouting, “Who the hell messed with my guys? Are you looking to die?!” As he spoke, he swung a massive axe onto a table, the gleaming blade striking fear into the remaining patrons, who quickly lowered their heads and pretended to focus on their meals.

“Baggins, long time no see.”

From the shadows, Lintan stepped forward, a new toothpick in his mouth, looking at Baggins with a casual smirk.

Baggins turned, glaring fiercely at Lintan. But the next second, his expression changed to one of shock. “You’re not…” He stopped himself mid-sentence.

But Lintan had already caught the slip. This guy knew something.

“Haha! Edward, my friend! So it was you here. You idiots, do you have any idea who you just messed with? Trying to cross a knight like Edward? Do you have a death wish?” Baggins laughed, scolding his underlings.

According to the laws of the Liverpool Duchy, attacking a noble without cause was illegal. If a noble wanted to press charges, a commoner without connections would have no choice but to face the gallows. Though knights weren’t full-fledged nobles, they were still part of the aristocracy and had the right to execute commoners who attacked them without facing any consequences.

“Boss, bring out two jugs of wine. I must have a drink with my good friend Edward!” Baggins declared.

Lintan accepted the invitation.

Over drinks, they exchanged small talk. After a few rounds, Baggins finally lowered his voice and cautiously probed, “Lord Dukar is still at the manor. Why aren’t you there training? What brings you here?”

So, he did know something.

Lintan smirked coldly. He decided to get straight to the point. “Dukar must have already contacted you. Let’s not waste time with pleasantries. Are you with him or with me?”

Baggins hadn’t expected Lintan to be so direct. Sweat immediately formed on his forehead as he hesitated, unsure of how to respond.