Saving the ruined Knights’ Order

Episode 4

Charlie Wayne killed his superior officer because of an unfair order. Normally, killing a superior would mean a harsh punishment. But Charlie only got expelled from his knight order, demoted, and given three months of probation. No one knew the full story. People only whispered about it, as if it were just another rumor.

One thing was clear—Charlie had a very good reason. In fact, many believed the officer deserved to die. People even said, “That guy had it coming.”

If players met Charlie in the game, they would quickly realize he wasn’t the type to kill without reason. He was quiet, serious, and loyal. So loyal that players started calling him “Free Knight,” “Walking Supplies,” or “Soup Charlie”—because he was always dependable, no matter how badly he was treated.

Even when players built up a bad reputation, Charlie stayed loyal until the very end. He never betrayed his order, and in the end, he left the knights with his honor intact.

But despite his loyalty, other knights never truly accepted him. They pitied him, but no one reached out to him. No knight order wanted him. Even his old comrades ignored him.

Why?

Because having someone like Charlie—someone with a dark past—would make things awkward. He was a walking reminder of something unpleasant. So, knights avoided him.

That’s why Charlie was always alone, training in the practice yard, waiting for a knight order to take him in.

And that’s where players came in.

Charlie was meant to be recruited. He was a gift for players who needed a knight. If you invited him, he would bow deeply and say, “Thank you for accepting me. I will be loyal to you.”

That’s how it was supposed to go.

But now…

“Isaac Wood. You are the son of the infamous Knight Hunter. And also known as a kin-slayer. Who would want to be associated with someone like you?”

Charlie was rejecting the offer.

I chuckled to myself.

Oh? This guy is refusing?

This was completely new. In all my time playing Saving the ruined Knights, this had never happened before.

Charlie had never refused to join.

I had played as mercenary commanders, criminal knights, even former prisoners of war. No matter what, Charlie had always responded the same way:

“Thank you for accepting me. I will be loyal to you.”

But now, for the first time…

His answer had changed.

Something was different.

Charlie Wayne had nowhere else to go. If the player didn’t recruit him, he would vanish from the game forever.

That had always been his fate.

So why was it different this time?

I had to find out.

As I reached that conclusion, Charlie suddenly sneered.

“A knight order with both the son of the Knight Hunter and a superior-killer? Sounds more like a criminal gang.”

That was a big clue.

“This is it.”

All the scattered thoughts in my head suddenly connected into one clear answer.

This wasn’t a normal situation. This was a special event.

A hidden story.

“This is happening because I am Isaac Wood.”

I had played Saving the ruined Knights for 10,000 hours. Yet, I had never seen this before.

That meant this event was only triggered by my character.

So, what was the correct response?

There were no guides, no walkthroughs to rely on.

I had to trust my own instincts.

At that moment, Charlie spoke again.

“No one would want to join that knight order.”

That confirmed it.

This was it!

I knew Charlie Wayne’s speech patterns by heart. I had spent years playing this game.

And Charlie had a habit—whenever he was nervous, he repeated himself.

So… why was he nervous now?

I smiled and said smoothly,

“Sir Charlie Wayne… Are you scared?”

His eyes flickered

***

“…Scared?”

Charlie tilted his head slightly.

A bit of irritation.

A hint of curiosity.

“What do you mean?”

His sharp gaze demanded an explanation.

I just smirked.

I didn’t answer.

The silence must have made him anxious because Charlie asked again,

“Do you seriously think I’m afraid of joining you? Just because you’re the son of the Knight Hunter?”

Charlie’s voice grew louder. His pride was hurt.

I shrugged and replied, “No way. Do you really think someone called a ‘superior killer’ would be scared of a mere nickname?”

A knight hunter.

That nickname wasn’t great for a knight. But my question had a clear purpose from the start.

“Hah! Then what do you think I’m scared of?” Charlie’s voice rose. His sweat-drenched hair stuck to his forehead, and his burning eyes shone through.

Lonely. He looked so lonely.

I spoke calmly, without a single tremor in my voice.

“You’re scared that no one will come to your knight order.”

Charlie Wayne.

He had been alone for so long that he believed loneliness was normal. He thought it was right for no one to be by his side.

A knight who had suffered from deep, unbearable loneliness.

Charlie seemed taken aback. He didn’t respond. But that silence told me he understood exactly what I meant.

“Who would want to be with someone surrounded by such dark rumors?”

If that question was meant for me, then my answer remains the same.

I reached out my hand to him. His pupils wavered.

“I don’t care about those rumors. What I care about is that you are a skilled knight. And our order needs skilled knights. That’s all.”

Charlie stopped shaking.

His gaze was firm, unwavering.

***

For two whole minutes, he stood completely still.

At first, I wondered if he was touched by my words. But… that didn’t seem to be the case.

…Shouldn’t we be shaking hands by now and wrapping this up nicely?

Then, Charlie finally spoke.

“Sir Isaac. You’re right.”

“Then hurry up and accept. Let’s sign the contract.”

“But I can’t.”

I shut my eyes tightly.

Why was this guy like this? I thought I had explained it well enough.

But Charlie’s next words were surprisingly realistic.

“Joining the order would be an honor. But the problem comes after that.”

“After? What do you mean, after?”

Charlie hesitated for a moment, glancing at me before finally speaking.

“The entire knight order consists of just two people—the commander and one knight. The commander is the son of a knight hunter and a kin-slayer. The only knight? A superior-killer. Tell me, what kind of knight would be crazy enough to join us?”

His words were sincere.

And I understood why.

Honestly, things would get harder. I wasn’t worried about whether I could handle it, but I did acknowledge the challenge.

Even thinking about it for a moment made it clear—this knight order was far from appealing.

A commander with that kind of background and a knight with that kind of past?

It was a miracle that people even called it a knight order instead of a criminal gang.

“Not everyone is as understanding as you, Commander.”

Understanding or not, even I wouldn’t join a knight order like this if I were in their shoes.

“If my name is the first one on the list, even those who might have considered joining will hesitate.”

Charlie wiped the sweat off his forehead, revealing his sharp features.

A man nicknamed the ‘Lone Wolf’—his fierce expression fit that name perfectly.

He let out a bitter sigh before speaking again.

“So please, Commander, let’s save the handshake for later.”

Huh. He can actually think ahead.

I smiled at him.

If Charlie was thinking this far, it meant he truly wanted to join.

Good. Very good.

But I wasn’t without a plan either. That’s why I came to find Charlie in the first place.

With a grin, I grabbed his hand firmly.

“As I said, I’ll handle it. So don’t worry about anything and just sign.”

Most importantly, we needed at least one name on the list to qualify for funding.

Of course, Charlie had no idea about that little detail. He simply nodded stiffly, looking oddly serious.

“…Thank you, Commander.”

And then, at that very moment—

Huh?

A faint glow began to surround Charlie’s body.

He didn’t seem to notice, but I could see it clearly.

What’s this now?

I was startled. I had never seen anything like this happen before.

It wasn’t a battle aura, and he wasn’t drawing on any special power. So what was that light?

Before I could take a closer look, the glow around Charlie flickered and vanished completely.

A hidden story event, maybe?

I frowned slightly, observing Charlie closely.

Our eyes met, and he gave me a confused look.

“Commander?”

I quickly withdrew my hand, acting like nothing had happened. Then, I pulled out the contract and a pen.

“First, let’s sign here.”

After signing the contract, Charlie went through another death and revival before returning to training.

Watching from afar as he swung his sword, a faint smile formed on my lips.

“What a crazy bastard.”

Honestly, it still doesn’t feel real. My heart just keeps pounding.

But it’s exciting. This situation is insanely fun.

This is why I can’t stop playing this game. It always offers something new and thrilling.

I muttered in disbelief, “Even Charlie Wayne had a synergy?”

A synergy.

In saving the ruined knights, when certain knights are placed together, special events or powerful effects happen. It’s called synergy.

For example, two knights with complementary skills can combine their powers to use special synergy attacks. Or if knights with matching traits are in the same squad, they gain experience much faster.

Even the strongest knights aren’t exceptions. If a swordsman from a famous family teams up with a knight from another top lineage, they can unlock incredibly strong synergy skills.

But Charlie Wayne had never shown synergy with anyone.

That’s why players usually kept him around for a while and then sold or traded him away.

A disposable character. Just someone to use in the early game and then get rid of.

Sure, if trained properly, he could become a skilled swordsman. But so could many others. There was no real reason to keep him.

But now, things are different.

Charlie Wayne was a synergy character.

And not just any synergy—he had one with Isaac Wood.

“No wonder no one discovered this before.”

This was a completely new storyline. His dedication to the future of the knights, everything—

It was all because he was my synergy character.

A tragic past.

Charlie Wayne, burdened with loneliness from his painful history, couldn’t help but feel a deep connection with someone who shared his struggles.

Good. That’s one down.

With this, I had completed one of the three tasks I promised Wood. Two more to go.

At least now, I could expect some support from Knights’ Forge.

“Next, I’ll need to go through the Recruitment Route.”

In saving the ruined knights, there was a special way to recruit knights.

I had been putting it off for when I had no other choice. And now, it seemed like that time had come.

I was going to recruit him anyway. Might as well get it over with now.

With firm resolve, I clenched my fist.

“Let’s go—to the tavern in Pilorn.”

A dark, shady place.

And the first step to securing a new knight for my squad.