Chapter 69


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    [TL/N: 69th chap hehe]


    Located at the westernmost edge of the continent, Lonkers was a small vige with just over a thousand inhabitants, but few in the vicinity were unfamiliar with its name.


    Such conversations often took ce in the cozy homes of nearby cities.


    “You! If you don’t listen, I’ll send you to Lonkers.”


    “…How can you say such things to a child!”


    Rumours of gloom circted in the abandoned mine: a diminishing poption, lurking ouws, poverty, and despair.


    For the majority, Lonkers was not a ce they wished to be close to.


    ‘Huh… Although it is a familiar hometown to me.’


    Hans, a native of Lonkers, peered out from his hiding spot in a pit, only showing his head as he surveyed the surroundings.


    Hisplexion turned pale, as if sensing impending misfortune.


    The moon was as thin as a fingernail, clouds were dense, and darkness descended like mist.


    The air, unpleasantly sticky, hinted at the impending doom.


    It had been less than an hour since Hans set out for reconnaissance.


    ng-!


    Krrrr-!


    A pack of feral dogs rushed at him with their eyes glowing red.


    Thanks to them, he lost the donkey he was riding.


    Nevertheless, he thought it was too early to give up and continued a bit further.


    Then, his vision strangely blurred.


    Even if he held up a torch, the brightness didn’t extend beyond a certain range.


    It was all due to the influence of demonic magi.


    ‘It’s more corrosive than I thought. Going further from here seems impossible without adequate preparation. Returning without any gains is disheartening.’


    Facing a return without any ie, Hans sighed as he tucked himself back into the pit.


    It was disappointing to let down the expectations of the vigers.


    “Huh… Are you, are you going back?”


    Right next to him, a terrified whisper was heard.


    It was hispanion, Diontri.


    “It seems like that’s the only option.”


    “Well, I suggested staying in the vige quietly. Why did you decide to go scouting and create this mess?”


    Hans felt irritation on his forehead at his friend’s pathetic words.


    A fierce whisper followed.


    “So you want to just stay in the vige doing nothing when people aren’ting back? Do you want to act so cowardly?”


    It’s been more than three days since we sent a plea to nearby cities and viges for help.


    Enough time has passed.


    But there’s been no news.


    That’s why Hans, who’s known for using a sword in the vige, decided to venture out with his friend Diontri.


    Diontri also argued with a sense of injustice.


    “…W-what can we do? Look. In the end, we’re in danger. Damn it, if we had stayed in the vige, thanks to that craftsman, we might have at least saved our lives.”


    “Shut up. Whether we get help from around or not, the result will be the same. Whether we die early or diete, it doesn’t make a difference.”


    “I-if we endure, the extermination force mighte, right?”


    Hans let out a deep sigh.


    “…Talking naively. Do you think they care about us from the center? The vige atmosphere is already strange enough, and if we don’t do something…”


    Hans’s words became muffled at that moment.


    He reached out and covered Diontri’s mouth.


    Grrrrr-!


    Not too far away, a sound distinct from the cries of animals echoed, spreading terror.


    As the horrifying noise repeated, piercing their eardrums, even Hans couldn’t help but shiver.


    “W-what is this sound?”


    “Hush.”


    As Hans’s expression became serious, Diontri turned pale.


    Soon, they could sense a very peculiar presence.


    Ssswip.


    In an instant, they understood.


    This wasn’t the sound of a creature with a normal structure moving.


    It felt as if mud was wriggling with a semnce of life.


    …The problem was that the sound was getting closer.


    Both exchanged nces.


    Hans spoke first.


    “…It’s a demon.”


    “D-demon? Is it like those dog-like creatures from earlier?”


    Diontri asked, even though he knew it wasn’t the case.


    “……”


    Hans remained silent, then sighed.


    “It’s probably something much more horrifying.”


    Squelch.


    Hans’s hand, slippery with sweat, tightened around the hilt of his sword.


    ‘…I have to do it.’


    Hans’s n, just formted, was as follows.


    He could only strengthen the sword with magic for a brief 2 or 3 seconds.


    Killing it with one stroke wasn’t his hope.


    He aimed to sever its legs, impairing its mobility, and then escape with all his might.


    Having concluded his thoughts, he kicked Diontri’s buttocks.


    “You, just don’t do anything and run straight. If I die… I entrust Jennefer to you.”


    “Oh, okay. If I die…”


    “You won’t die, so shut up.”


    “Uh, yeah.”


    “Then….”


    Go!


    “Aaaah!”


    Hans screamed as he leaped out of the pit.


    Simultaneously, a faint light emanated from the tip of his longsword.


    It was an absurdly feeble light to dispel the surrounding darkness.


    As Hans turned his head towards the direction where he sensed the presence, he eximed,


    “Ah…”


    His concentration wavered, and his magical power scattered.


    Unconsciously stepping back, he gazed at the ‘something’ in front of him.


    ‘Where are its legs?’


    Diontri, who was rushing out behind him, froze in ce.


    ‘…Is this a dream?’


    The demon had such a bizarre form that it felt unreal, as if the most unpleasant parts of several people’s nightmares were put together one by one.


    Being born in the western region, they hadn’t encountered demons frequently.


    Seeing a mutated demon directly affected by the dense magi of the stake was unsettling, and they couldn’t adapt to it easily.


    “Oh, no…”


    Hans stared at the creature, which was emitting something that seemed to be either legs or tentacles, with a stiffened expression.


    Slurp-!


    The grotesque contraction and expansion of the appendage at the end continued.


    Hans needed to avoid it…


    “Bow!”


    Hans couldn’t react in time to the voice suddenlying from behind.


    However, it didn’t matter.


    His head, against his will, obediently bowed.


    The demon’s tentacle barely grazed the back of his head.


    ‘Huh?’


    Hans looked at his own neck with widened eyes.


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    Something was entwined.


    ‘Is this… a thread?’


    A thin thread pulled down his neck, allowing him to evade the tentacle.


    Thud thud thud thud!


    Startled, the sound of hooves echoed loudly in his ears.


    A silhouette on horseback, charging towards the demon.


    Countless threads were unravelling from her hands.


    Swish-!


    The threads, imbued with magical power, gained a high degree of sharpness and resilience.


    They whipped through the air, cutting through the tentacles that lunged like whips.


    The threads, emitting a blue light, left dazzling trails in the darkness.


    And…


    “Burn it.”


    Another voice was heard, this time in a deep tone.


    Hans looked at the man riding an unusuallyrge horse.


    Though he couldn’t see anything due to the deep hood, an overwhelming presence pressed down on Hans, leaving him breathless.


    “W-who…”


    As Hans stammered, the man reached out and grabbed the back of Hans’s clothes.


    Like a kitten held by the scruff of its neck, Hans, who had always beenrger than his peers, found himself awkwardly mounted on the horse.


    It was a truly unfamiliar experience for him.


    “N-no! Wait a moment!”


    However, the mysterious man paid no attention and spurred the horse forward.


    It happened at the moment he passed by the girl who was fending off the demons.


    “The demons are swarming. Head to the vige first.”


    “Understood.”


    “…Also, help the man who went into the pit.”


    Whoosh-!


    The girl rescued Diontri, who was shivering with his head in the pit.


    He was still trembling and couldn’t even think about covering his wet trousers.


    Frowning, the girl just extended her outer garment.


    The man reassured them,


    “Now you’re safe. Don’t worry.”


    “Th-thank you. Sir.”


    The only calm one among them, Hans, looked at the vast expanse of the man’s broad back with a bewildered expression.


    ‘W-who is this?’


    …He didn’t have the courage to ask, so he just held onto the saddle in silence.


    Clip-clop! Clip-clop!


    The monstrouslyrge horse carried the two riders swiftly.


    ‘…It’s the vige.’


    The homnd, which seemed even more weing from a distance, unfolded before them.


    It was the moment when the hero and Nyhill smoothly entered Lonkers.


    * * *


    The men we rescued were indeed residents of Lonkers.


    They even imed to be part of the local militia.


    Thanks to that, we were able to pass through the gate without any inspection.


    Fiddling with the forged identification nestled in his pocket, Hans looked at me.


    I felt sorry for Nyhill, who had prepared it all.


    “Hans, thanks for guiding us.”


    “Haha, no problem. This is the center of Lonkers. It might be a bit modest, don’t you think?”


    Although I wanted to deny it out of courtesy, it wasn’t a ce I particrly wanted to stay for a long time.


    Despite thete hour, it was excessively dark and quiet, with buildings stained by moisture and dust.


    The asional passersby had dark expressions, a mix of curiosity and hostility, casting nces at us.


    A dead street.


    The only bustling ce was a store across the street.


    Sounds of horses and the inviting smell of alcohol wafted from it.


    I turned my gaze back towards the direction we came from, the wagon.


    ‘The artifacts mentioned by the guys we met at the checkpoint…’


    Amidst everything worn and crude, they stood out distinctly.


    I looked at the sophisticated and intricate structures of the Sumerian artifacts ced somewhat awkwardly on the wagon.


    There was a sense of aesthetics that didn’t match this crude ce.


    Hans cautiously added,


    “Are you here to find the craftsman who made those?”


    I nodded.


    “Do you happen to know him? I heard he’s been here in Lonkers for quite a while.”


    “Well… I know, but I’ve only spoken a few times. In fact, there are hardly any locals who are close to him. Even for me, I only started talking because of the Sumerian artifacts.”


    “Are you avoiding interaction as expected…?”


    Hans widened his eyes.


    “Do you happen to know him?”


    “Well, something like that. So, where should I go to meet him?”


    “Uh, that’s a bit tricky…”


    Hans pointed across the vige with his finger.


    I squinted my eyes.


    ‘…The abandoned mine?’


    It was the abandoned mine, the cause of Lonkers’ decline.


    Under the faint moonlight, a vaguely visible path led to a moderately steep hill and mining equipment moving back and forth.


    “…He spends time in the abandoned mine?”


    “Yes. Except when hees down to the vige to buy essentials, he stays in the mine.”


    “Why?”


    “Well… I don’t know the details, but he bought thend as soon as he came here and settled down.”


    I looked back at the direction of the mine.


    Of course, Dwarves and Elves were not races that particrly enjoyed interactions with humans.


    Even if they disliked getting involved with others, why would they choose to live in such a wretched ce?


    Since the mine had been abandoned for a long time, it might not even be producing minerals anymore.


    Thinking about this, I was about to move my steps towards the mine.


    “Alright then.”


    “Oh, wait a moment!”


    Hans urgently raised his head.


    “You don’t need to go all the way there. It’s about time for him toe down.”


    “What?”


    …That strange sound was heard at that moment.


    Whirring!


    nk.


    “…?”


    Whirring!


    nk.


    …?!


    HEL SCANS


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