I Resign From the Coin Mercenary Knights

Why didn’t I notice my comrades’ odd gazes sooner?

Perhaps it was because of the title “Imperial Knights” that we held.

We were the Empire’s strongest military force.

We only numbered around 100 knights. But every single one of them possessed at minimum intermediate expert-level skills or higher, with many at the advanced or highest ranks as well.

Although we were permanently stationed in the Imperial City, leading to the misunderstanding that we lacked actual combat experience, in reality we had more battle experience than any other knightly order in the Empire.

For instance, if a monster wave threatened a fief, we would be the first to be deployed. Crises that might require conscripting a thousand soldiers could be swiftly resolved by just a dozen or so of our members swooping in like the wind.

We were the Emperor’s most useful instrument of rule.

Naturally, the pride of our members was beyond imagination. Most spent their entire days training in the grounds like ascetics, and even those who enjoyed leisure did little more than casual evening drinks.

‘I can’t believe those guys are envious just because I made some money.’

Once I became aware of my comrades’ gazes, even their casual offhand remarks no longer sounded so innocuous.

Especially today, someone I never expected to care about mere Codanas approached me.

“Eric. I heard Codana prices broke 340 million?”

“Did they? I didn’t know.”

“How could you not know? There’s no bigger whale in the Imperial City than you right now. I heard the Arclight Marquis family barely has around 50, while you have even more than them. …In a way, you’re a bigger deal than the Marquis family?”

Selina was a tall, statuesque blonde beauty with a healthy sun-kissed complexion.

She was a female knight, one year my senior, and undoubtedly the strongest among the female members, already at the advanced expert level. We had been close friends since joining the order. She preferred smashing skulls with her warhammer over swords.

Yet now, her narrowed eyes looked out of place as she kept prodding me, “Huh? Huh?”

“There are rumors that the hero will issue additional Codanas soon. …Ah, but I’m sure you know better than me.”

“I don’t know. It’s not like I’m in constant communication with the hero.”

“Really? You did assist the hero for a long time when he was staying at the palace. You even nearly became a member of his party.”

“I yielded that to Milliah. So what are you trying to say?”

Tired of her persistent snarky remarks, I ignored her.

In response, Selina leaned her face close to mine, a faint whiff of alcohol on her breath.

“By the way, why are you being so grim, Eric?”

“Grim? I’m just training.”

“Ah right, you gotta keep on training if you don’t want to lose your livelihood, unlike some people who struck it rich with Codanas.”

While her words implied that, her actions said otherwise.

She didn’t go to the training grounds to practice swordplay, nor did she visit the strength training area to lift weights. She just glared at me with dissatisfaction.

‘Come to think of it…’

I had heard rumors lately that Selina had been frequently skipping training sessions, often seen at taverns near our garrison instead. At the time, I thought she was just in a slump, but now it seemed my situation was a bigger factor.

Skipping training because of Codanas – what was she thinking?

If Selina herself held even a few Codanas, I could somewhat understand. Honestly, even I felt my heart pounding uncontrollably whenever Codana prices suddenly spiked, finding it hard to believe that an unsightly gold coin with the hero’s ugly face embossed on it was worth more than my annual salary.

But as far as I knew, Selina was not an investor.

Selina was originally from a family of knights – her entire clan either belonged to the Imperial Knights or our counterparts, the Black Iron Knights, now or in the past.

However, their family fief itself was quite meager, barely a self-sustaining small territory with a population of four thousand.

So why was Selina constantly checking Codana prices every day, despite having none herself? Confirming the price dozens of times wouldn’t suddenly make her acquire Codanas she didn’t have before.

‘Come to think of it, she does seem to have put on some excess weight around her sides.’

While a moderate amount of fat is necessary, Selina’s current figure looked somewhat slovenly – attractive for a woman perhaps, but unacceptable for a knight.

The Imperial City’s strongest female knight was wasting her time venting frustrations at a colleague. As presumptuous as it was for me to comment, I felt I could no longer just leave her be.

“Selina.”

“Yeah, what?”

“What do you want from me? Stop beating around the bush and just say it.”

When I bluntly asked, Selina’s gaze wavered ever so slightly.

“You really don’t know why I’m asking?”

“I’m asking because I don’t know.”

Letting out a deep sigh, Selina glanced sideways at our fellow members sitting apart from us.

The male and female colleagues who had been discreetly watching us responded with nods or awkward coughs, prompting Selina.

It seemed Selina had stepped forward as the representative voicing the grievances the other knights held towards me.

She then opened her mouth in a solemn tone.

“Eric. You’re a commoner.”

Did she really need to remind me of my status? It was the worst way to start a conversation.

“Are you asking me that in case I forgot?”

With another long sigh, Selina got to the heart of the matter.

“…The fact that you became a knight doesn’t change your status. Knighthood is a position, not a title, and it cannot be inherited by your children. Of course, with your abilities you may one day be granted a fief, but until then you’re a commoner.”

“I’m aware, so you don’t need to point it out.”

“But I, no, we have never discriminated against you. In fact, we’ve been very careful not to make you feel any discomfort.”

That was a fact I acknowledged too.

Most of my comrades were from noble families, without even a single illegitimate child among them.

While few held official titles, if they returned to their main households, they would all be addressed as “young master” or “young lady.” Many were heirs who would promptly return to inherit their family’s fief if anything happened to the current lord.

“I admit, I’ve never experienced discrimination here.”

But that didn’t mean I had to grovel in gratitude for their so-called equal treatment as noble superiors.

In the knightly order, ability was the true currency, and I had been considered a promising recruit from the moment I joined. Even now, I was living up to those initial expectations – it wasn’t for no reason that I was mentioned as a potential hero’s party member.

Yet Selina, and the knights backing her, seemed to attach tremendous significance to that bare minimum of equal treatment.

“I’m glad you acknowledge it. …But Eric, you’ve been making us feel really uncomfortable lately. Extremely so.”

“It’s because of the Codanas, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, that. …As you know, the knightly order has relatively low pay. It’s not a meaningful amount, at least for nobles. But you’ve suddenly come into immense wealth. How do you think we feel watching that?”

“Based on your bitter expression, not great.”

I chuckled while staring straight at Selina.

‘I may not like the commoner remark, but…’

I could roughly guess what she wanted.

It was true that I had been stingy towards my comrades, but it was really because I lacked funds. I had yet to sell a single Codana and was subsisting on the same meager salary as the other members.

However, seeing their expressions, parting with a couple of Codanas didn’t seem like a bad idea.

‘Right. Even if I sell two, I’ll still have 106 left.’

After alternating my gaze between Selina’s defiant chin and my other comrades, I let out a brief sigh and nodded.

Selina’s expression brightened ever so slightly.

“Eric. I’m glad you’re willing to acknowledge our grievances, even at this late stage. …It may be too late, but you’ve always been rather oblivious.”

“Yeah, let’s go with that.”

Alright. It might make me look like a fool, but I’ll sell just two.

The current Codana price was 340 million – enough to purchase a decent home in the Imperial City, or a multi-story mansion with a carriage in other regions.

Selling just two would be more than enough to compensate all my comrades.

‘They’re people I’ll be working with going forward, so I should take care of them to some degree.’

I immediately began considering how to share my largesse with my colleagues.

Should I just get them completely drunk for a week? Or sell two Codanas and distribute 6 million rir to each of the 100 members – equivalent to two months’ salary? If they had any sense of decency, they should be satisfied with that.

Having made up my mind, I looked Selina squarely in the eye, about to speak again.

But then,

“Eric. What do you think about turning over half the Codanas you own to the collective ownership of the knightly order?”

Selina even added, “If half is too difficult, forty percent would be fine too,” as if extending me a kind gesture.

It was only then, hearing those words, that I realized I had underestimated my comrades’ desires.

They weren’t simply expecting me to share a pittance. For some reason, they seemed to be under the delusion that they had a ‘stake’ in my holdings.

However, because their true intentions were revealed, I too could clarify my stance. I soon opened my mouth to address Selina.

“Selina. What do you mean ‘half’? That’s nonsense.”

There was no reason to seriously entertain such an unreasonable demand.

“…Nonsense?”

“Yes. Why would I, who is no fool, hand over half to you all?”

The Codanas I possessed were compensation for willingly giving up the honor of joining the hero’s party.

Of course, I didn’t expect Codana prices to skyrocket like this, but it didn’t mean I received them without any cost. Even now, there were occasional people mocking me behind my back for choosing money over the greater cause of subjugating the Demon King.

‘This is why commoners can’t be helped,’ ‘No wonder the imperial family doesn’t appoint them as honor guards,’ ‘I heard he even sews Codanas into his underwear’ – remarks along those lines.

Still, I endured it. I didn’t reveal that the hero kicked me out to build a perfect harem, nor did I issue warnings to those rudely gossiping, because I thought I had to tolerate that much to enjoy the big payday.

But if I were to give up those very Codanas? Then I would be a materialistic fool. That was absolutely unacceptable.