ã€ŠInside An Adult Game As A Former Heroã€‹


 Chapter 0: Prologue: The Weak Hero, Cloud

    (T/N: This R-19 novel contains coursenguage and sexual terms, viewer discretion is advised. Once again, don''t worry, the mc will not be ntred, he too chad for that. This prologue may feel distressing and all, but it''s only the prologue that is such, just try till chapter¡ª3.2)

    Where did it go wrong?

    What made the Hero Gis and my party members meet?

    Losing poorly in the battle against the Hero Lorian?

    I don''t know.

    As they say, I am a stupid, ipetent idiot possessed only by the sense of justice. But even such a fool knew where he started to fall.

    The first was Eri.

    My party''s wizard, a smart colleague who devised strategies for me, whocks a brain in his head.

    The night we were camping with the Lorian''s Party after the subjugation on the Goblin''s Road.

    I couldn''t fall sleep, so I went out for a walk and so I could see¡ª

    ¡ªEri and Lorian kissing on the wide field. The moonlight was as pretty as a picture, but I couldn''t get myself to appreciate it. Eventually, I left the two behind and headed for the tent.

    Next was Ophelia. She is the Saint Candidate of a Church that believes in the teachings of Goddess Iris, and possess a natural warm and kind heart.

    She was having an intimate affair with a clerk in the mill. Her appearance while flirting with a penis inserted into her ass was something I had never seen before. But¡­ even so far it''s was fine.

    Because it had nothing to do with me¡ªit didn''t matter whom they were dating with. It was their private life. My stomach hurt a little¡­ No, it hurted a lot, but ultimately¡ªit was all okay.

    But Neria.

    You¡­.

    You, who has always helped me as an orphan from while back in the vige and always showed me a warm smile¡­

    You, who said you would be a knight to protect me¡­ When I saw you getting down on your knees and nkly watch you licking Gis''¡­ you won''t know¡­ how it felt.

    I felt like all the moments I had spent together with you were falling apart.

    The feeling of me being denied of everything about me.

    I couldn''t stand it. Even if my heart was torn to pieces, there was no one to stick it back together for me. It was as if I had returned to be an orphaned child before I met you.

    I wanted to die.

    But I couldn''t die.

    ¡®Cause I''m a Hero.''

    Because I have a duty and responsibilities to save people suffering from monsters.

    But you know what?

    The duties of a Hero, which I was always proud of, felt too heavy from that day on.

    It was like arge chuck of luggage that I wanted to but couldn''t take off.

    That''s why.

    That''s the reason why I''m doing this strange ritual, because I''m obsessed with that suspicious old woman''s words.

    If I sprinkle my blood on the mysterious magic circle drawn on the floor, my existence will disappear and the soul of a new person will dwell in my body from now on.

    ¡­I felt extremely sorry for that person.

    But I can no more, I''m tired, so tired.

    From being persecuted as amoner to being ignored because of myck of skills. I was only able tough because of you.

    Now¡­ no more.

    Now¡­ there''s no one by my side.

    So I can''t stop now.

    The dagger split the palm of my hand and the flowing blood dripped into the magic circle. Then, the magic circle drawn by the old woman began to glow horribly, and my consciousness gradually began to blur.

    Ah¡­ it''s over now.

    The feeling of eternal rest approaching my being made me smile after a really, really long time.

    A new Hero will dwell in my body.

    Please, just don''t make the same mistake as I did.

 Chapter 1: Isnt It Too Much To Be A Hero? (1)

    Suppose you have a friend who borrows your money and doesn''t pay back.

    What''s the best revenge you can have on him?

    There are many ways, but this is the one I will choose.

    ¨CHeh, ang, nng..! Go, go away! I want something bigger than my husband¡­!

    To rmend a NTR game.

    Someone who lives with mantras of pure harem love in his mouth. What will happen if you make him y a NTR game without him knowing that it is NTR?

    Won''t he shed tears of blood?

    Just the thought of that made my lips twitch.

    F*cking son of a b!tch..!

    You said you will return it back in a jiffy and now when I ask back, you curse at my nose? Now that I don''t have any money left, what about my tummy?

    Great, just great! Now don''t pay it back if you want so.

    I also won''t ept someone''s dirty money.

    Just rece that 3 million won with your torn heart.

    I giggled as I watched the monitor showing a pretty married woman rocking her hips on the cock of an old man with a beer belly.

    And then I kept ying the game.

    Had it been 2 hours?

    The game was over and so the end credits pulled up.

    ¡°¡­it¡¯s shorter than I thought.¡±

    It was not a bad game concerning that it was faithful to its NTR theme¡­ but it wasn''t enough. I mean, I wanted to leave a permanent scar that will remain on that cry baby''s heart for the rest of his life, rather than making that bastard just feel dirty for a while.

    I bought and yed a few more ntr games.

    Dozens of hours passed on without a break.

    Leah entered the room asking what the hell was I even doing, only to give me a look filled with contempt when leaving.

    But¡ªthis was more important!

    And with that much effort, a certain number of specified candidates were selected.

    ¡°Uh, this one excluded, this one doesn¡¯t have much y time, hm no, this one''s CG is definitely some goblin''s work. So, um, if I take out this and that¡­ these two are left.¡±

    Surprisingly, the remaining two were made by the samepany. It''s those kind of games that shared the same worldview but have different protagonists.

    I looked at the two and thought about it for a while, then choose¡ª''The Hero''s Party''.

    Spicy! This one''s sequel was too spicy!

    The game I yed when I first encountered the waters of NTR gamey was the sequel to ¡®The Hero¡¯s Party¡¯, and spicy because even after the game was over, my mentality repetitively went off and on for a while.

    I can''t even remember how many keyboards I broke.

    Well, thanks to that, other NTR games were easier, but¡­

    ¡®If I rmend this, it would not end with him just being upset, but will altogether break off our friendship.''

    He''s the only friend I have left, and it feels kinda bad if even this connection breaks off.

    So I will yield this time.

    And although it''s less spicy than it''s sequel, ¡®The Hero''s Party'' is a good piece of crap too.

    The Hero''s Party.

    As the title suggests, a Hero''s Party goes on a journey to defeat the Demon King.

    The only problem in this is that the journey is not smooth for the main character.

    And, for your information¡ª

    This Game¡ª

    ¡ªHas Four Heroes!

    And three of them, including the main character, are men, at first the remaining two appear as ordinary viin-type supporting roles.

    Like a supporting actor that will one day get knocked down and give you the sweet feeling of victory after hard work.

    It reassures the yers and allows them to focus on the story and the growth of the protagonist.

    Then what''s so strange?

    By the time you would feel it, it would already be toote. The heroines will already be squabbling under the control of other heroes, totally lost to other hero''s hand in blink of an eye.

    Well¡­ even in that state, you can struggle to get them back somehow. The producers were aiming for that too, and so they did put in quite a few options.

    ¡°No matter how you look at it, the people who made this are real goddamn bastards.¡±

    In order to avoid NTR, I tried so many things¡ª

    Whether it was making the character grow stronger by grinding, spending quality time with the heroines or paying for an event, or even making a whole different choice¡ªI tried all the choices that a yer had.

    And what was the end result of that effort?

    F*cking same!

    Growing your character?

    But your character is already weak~ Even the growth rate is so much lower than other heroes~

    Raising the affinity with the heroines?

    Ah, they will be taken away by force anyway~ If you go backter, they will already be obsessed with another hero''s ¡®magic''~

    At first it gives a little hope, and then f*cking steals it away with effective interest!

    Dear producers, you surely do know how to effectively give despair~

    So, may that damn brat who doesn''t pay back experience his worst despair.

    ¡®By the way, is this how people perceive Heroes in the outside world nowadays?''

    I fell into my thoughts as I saw the title screen of ¡®The Hero''s Party''. With the start of the beginning, the three heroines and the main character were smiling and walking down the street.

    The surrounding scenery looked beautiful.

    Through the lush green fields, streams flowed, and the sun was shining brightly.

    ¡°It¡¯s a trip to subjugate the Demon King¡­ haa, no kidding around¡­¡±

    As soon as the game started, they were thrown into the battlefield without knowing left or right. Though realizing that it was useless, I had craved for it and gave myself a hell training for a year long.

    Pretty heroines? Touching events? Love scenes?

    Where do such things matter on battlefield?

    If you look around carefully, you can easily find the cut off head of some prettydies. And these bastards are travellingfortably, loitering here and there, and in the end NTR happens and all sh!t fall downs.

    In this game, you never know where the NTR may pop up the next moment. I know because I''ve yed this sh!t. Suppose, the woman you thought was pretty is having a go with another man the next day, who will get a happy type erection by looking at such things?

    If there is a person who can do it, I have the confidence to worship him as a god¡ª

    ¡ªand as a moron.

    ¡®¡­Am I being an asshole here?''

    It has been a few years since Ist yed it, but I can still feel the thwacking of my heart when I see these heroes.

    I sighed and pressed to start the game.

    I thought to check it out onest time, just in case. A nth hope for a pure love endingmemorating with the nth try? In fact, there shouldn''t be something like this.

    Whatever, it wasn''t like any possibility existed, but I didn''t want to leave the slightest of possibility behind.

    -click.

    As soon as the game start button was pressed, a bright sh of lightparable to the sr circle fulminated from the monitor along with the cheerful sound of game''s starting.

    "Oh shit, my eyes!"

    I closed my eyelids and blocked the light with my arms.

    After a while, the sh disappeared.

    What happened suddenly? Is the monitor broken?

    No good¡­ I don''t even have the money to fix it!!

    With that thought in mind, I pulled my arms away and opened my eyes.

    A wooden wall came into view. On the floor, a mysterious magic circle was devouring the blood flowing from my palm.

    I rubbed my eyes.

    Nevertheless, the wooden walls and the mysterious magic circle remained the same.

    I got up touching the wall.

    ¡ªFeeling the roughness of unpolished wood.

    I could finally feel my body. But this was not my body

    Little by little.

    My gaze traced downwards.

    Thin and small.

    "Uh¡­ um¡­ this.. what¡­ so¡­"

    After stuttering a few times, I took a deep breath and slipped my hand into the back pocket. Of course, there were no cigarettes that should have been ced there.

    ¡°Haha! Oh my god! WHY MEeeeeE!¡±

    Do you know the 5 steps to epting truth?

    I saw it on a website, somewhere on the inte, was it something from a famous American psychologist who wrote it in a book?

    Oh, why was I saying this outta nowhere? Because my current situation was very simr to that.

    "Is this a dream? Oh, I guess I fell asleep, I had been ying games for so long. Maybe because I pulled nighters for quite a few days."

    First stage, denial.

    ¡°No, why the fuck me?! Out of all those other humans and worlds, why am I the only one?! I''ve already experienced this! Already gone through so much pain! Why torment this poor soul?!¡±

    Second stage, anger.

    "Aaaah god¡­ Please¡­ I''d rather be sent to the army twice. That hell has already juiced me once, but nevertheless, I''ll give my best."

    Third stage, negotiation.

    ¡°Ah¡­.hah, really.¡±

    Fourth stage, depression.

    ¡°Yeah, damn, I guess I was meant for a different world. I just wasn''t destined to live on Earth. Bye-bye, my beautiful¡­¡±

    Fifth and final stage, eptance.

    With my emotions dead, I stared nkly at the wall.

    Crappy fantasy wooden wall. I thought I''d never see you again.

    Turning my head, there was something like a small notebook.

    I picked it up and read the content.

    Roughly speaking, there was a description of the situation so far, apologies, things to be done in the future, and¡ª

    Oh, that''s it.

    So, I am inside a game now.

    Wow, seriously¡­ I''m Cloud, the protagonist of ¡®The Hero''s Party''!

    There had been rumors that his pepper was very small. Shall we take a look?

    "¡­"

    Dang, is it really that small?!

    Haha! I''ve never seen anything only as big as a little finger in my whole life! And now¡ªit''s mine!

    ¡°Screw this sh!t!¡±

    I tossed the notebook with my emotions.

    Son of a b!tch.

    If you''re going to die, go die alone. Why are you dragging me into this?

    I groaned and stepped out.

    The ce I came out of was a hut situated in the remote parts of this vige.

    ¡®Aftering out of the hut, turn right and then go straight, wasn''t it so?''

    As I walked ording to what was written in the notebook, I saw a building with a sign on it that spelled¡ª

    ¡°Ryokan.¡±

    The fifth room on second floor you can see as soon as you enter.

    As I entered the inn, the group of vigers who were drinking and the innkeeper of the inn were drawn to me.

    ¡°Oh, my hero! Where were you at thiste hour? Did you have your dinner? I have some chicken stew left, should I bring it for you?"

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    I answered briefly and went up straight to the second floor.

    The innkeeper''s and vigers'' expressions were a little strange, probably because I didn''t treat them as kindly as Cloud did.

    Welp, whatever it was, I''ll just end up thinking that something bad was happening.

    I opened the fifth room, went in, and threw myself on the bed.

    I fell asleep praying that all this would be a nothing but a dream when I woke up.

    The next morning, looking at the unfamiliar ceiling, I realized once again, that this was the hard reality smacking right on my face.

    ¡°I want to smoke.¡±

    -knock, knock!

    Knocking sounded on the door.

    ¡°What are you doing inside, Cloud? Are you still sleeping?"

    -knock, knock!

    "Cloud?"

    -knock, knock!

    -knock, knock!

    -bang, bang!

    ¡°Hey Cloud! Answer me! Are you still sleeping¡­. What? The door isn''t locked..?"

    Ah, it''s noisy.

    I covered my ears with a pillow.

    Even so, I couldn''t stop the noise, the sound of thumping footsteps drew closer and something hard hit me right in the back.

    It hurts.

    I tossed and turned around, signaling that I needed some more sleep. Perhaps the person didn''t notice my signal, so he hit me in the back again with the hard thing from earlier.

    "Cloud! Wake up! Howte are you going to sleep?!¡±

    Welp. Now, if I don''t respond, this disturber will continue to be like this.

    I removed the pillow covering my ears and turned my head.

    Right then, I saw a cute girl with long smooth hair, further bifurcated into two ponytails. She appeared to be a little shorter than the average female height and was holding a long wooden staff in her right hand.

    ¡®Wow, it''s a heroine~''

    A tsundere, one who was mesmerised by the Hero''s handsomeness and good looks, and the only tsundere heroine in my party.

    Her name was, uhm, Eri?

    ¡°Oh Eri, why are you waking me up, gghhh?¡±

    ¡°Why waking you up, huh? It''s because everyone except you is awake!"

    "So?"

    ¡°So??! So you ask?! Come out quickly! Everyone is waiting for you.¡±

    "Why?"

    "Why?! We are supposed to stay here for just one day and then move on to the next location! Go, wash up quickly and get out."

    After pointing to the water in the gourd, Eri turned around and tried to leave the room.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s annoying.¡±

    "What?"

    She looked back at my voice with her eyes widened.

    It had to be¡ª

    ¡®Because I''m back in my bed.''

    ¡°What are you doing now?¡±

    ¡°I told you once already, I''m tired too¡­ I want to¡­ sleep¡­¡±

    I don''t want to continue¡­ this hero¡­

    I don''t¡­

 Chapter 2: Isnt It Too Much To Be A Hero? (2)

    You have to do work to eat and live.

    Especially if you live in a poor vige.

    Therefore, there was no one present in the inn in the early morning, except for some lodgers and the innkeeper.

    The empty hall on the first floor.

    Two beautiful women were seated, with their faces looking low-spirited.

    "Sigh, what''s happening for real?"

    The blonde beauty with a warm impression sighed.

    The owner of those beautiful emerald green eyes, her name, Ophelia.

    She is the Saint Candidates of a Church that believes in the teachings of Goddess Iris, and she is also a woman with a broad and warm heart.

    ¡°That''s what he said. What happened to him all of a sudden?"

    The woman with the name Eri shook her head with puzzlement etched on her face.

    Characterized by her sheep ck hair, she is both an outstanding wizard and the second daughter of the Duke of the Kingdom of Prona.

    She couldn''t understand the changed mindset of the Hero. Cloud is a person who has sincerity embedded deep in his bones. He was always thest one to go to bed and always the first one to get up.

    However, something seems to have incongruously changed in him, to be sozy that now he doesn''t get up from the bed.

    Thanks to this, the party was unable to leave the vige for several days.

    -cluck, cluck.

    At the sound of footsteps descending the stairs, Ophelia and Eri''s heads turned in expectation. The inkling of that little bit of anticipation disappeared when they saw the woman who hade down alone.

    ¡°Still no?¡±

    The three women all sighed together.

    The woman with short and dark navy blue hair and eyes nodded her head with a guilt-ridden expression.

    ¡°If he don¡¯t even listen to you, there¡¯s really nothing we can do¡­¡±

    Eri shrugged her shoulders with hopesid off.

    This is because the woman who went to wake up Cloud is none other than his cherished childhood friend.

    Cloud used to always listen to his childhood friend Neria.

    But now he even shunned her and continued toy on the bed.

    This means he has already made up his mind.

    "What''s the reason for this?"

    ¡°¡­That¡­ does the Hero knows?¡±

    "No way. You all know how dull Cloud is, right?"

    "Eri, nothing is absolute in this world."

    ¡°That¡¯s but¡­¡±

    Eri''s mouth closed.

    A social banquet is to be held in the Imperial Capital next month.

    And there, the three women are supposed to move to another Hero''s Party.

    If the Hero knew about it¡­ it made sense with what he is doing now.

    ¡°¡­even if he knows that doesn¡¯t change anything.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Okay then. Let''s just leave it be. Cloud will want it too.¡±

    "I guess, haa."

    But it won''t change the fact that they were changing the Parties.

    Only because Cloud was an ipetent Hero.

    A month has passed since I took possession of this weak body. Unlike how I thought, these heroines, who were annoying to no end for the first few days, gave up for some reason soon after¡­

    "Hero. We must be moving today."

    The Saint Candidate who likes exposure y spoke to me.

    Wow, just look at that slit right from her chest and that side slit. Do such big breasts and ass even exist? The fact that I was inside an adult game hit me once again.

    Hahaha.

    Damn, but how did she even became a Saint Candidate?

    A subus is all I see.

    Ignoring her as usual, I kept on chewing my bread, she sighed as if she had already predicted.

    "If we don''t move today, we will bete for the Imperial Social Banquet¡­ Since the Hero won''t go, we also have no choice but to go alone.¡±

    ¡°The Imperial Social Banquet?¡±

    Oh, that event?

    The Imperial Social Banquet, a get-together event held at the capital of the Empire, which is also the center of the continent, and is famously known for gathering all kinds of celebrities and for also being a great ce to make quality friends.

    Of course, the other Heroes will be present there as well.

    Whenever Cloud goes there, he will often face all kinds of maltreatment and persecution because of hismoner background and humble ability.

    But for me right now, that wasn''t least important.

    ¡®If it''s the food of the Imperial Capital, wouldn''t it taste very good?''

    I had enough of these bread and soup continuations.

    Now I can''t even look at the face of the soup that gave off a chicken smell.

    The hell is this world.

    It''s obviously a different world from my old one, but the food is still the same.

    Still, if it''s the Empire that is located in the center of the continent, the level of cooking must be higher.

    And if it''s an imperial banquet, any simple dish there, sprinkled with some spices will definitely be a hundred times better than this nd soup.

    Um~

    ¡°Yes, Hero. If we don¡¯t leave right away¡­¡±

    "Let''s go."

    ¡°Time is¡­ yes?¡±

    As if she didn''t expect my answer, Ophelia nkly widened her eyes. I didn''t really care, because I was totally ready now.

    "Let''s go, to the Empire."

    I packed whatever measly possessions I had and passed Ophelia who nkly stared at my figure as I walked down the stairs.

    As I walked down the stairs, the tsundere Eri and my childhood friend Neria who were absent-mindedly sitting at the table looked at me in shock.

    "Ah, did youe down to eat? No, the innkeeper surely delivered your meal?"

    Eri and Neria alternately looked at me and Olivia in confusion.

    ¡°He said he would also go to the Imperial Social Banquet. Let''s go."

    They both nkly stared at me with shock in their eyes, just like Ophelia who had hurried out to answer from behind me.

    Now you can''t wish kindness and merriment from a kidnapped person like me, can you? But I''m also not a total shut-in, okay?

    Even a shut-in otaku goes out to buy hamburgers, right?

    Oi, oi. Don''t look at me with those eyes, haah, yeah honestly that kinda hurts.

    Whatever, I just left the two of them alone and got out of the inn. Ophelia and the two girls looked at each other and hurriedly followed me from behind.

    "What happened? You adamantly kept yourself locked up in your room for a whole month, so, why did you suddenly change your mind?"

    Eri crossed her arms, characteristic of being a tsundere, she spoke in a cheeky manner.

    Surprisingly, none of that looked cute to me.

    ¡°Are we going by foot? Isn''t there something like a carriage here?"

    ¡°How can there be something like a carriage in a vige like this?¡±

    ¡°No way, are you thinking of travelling by foot then?"

    ¡°No, you two don¡¯t have to worry about that. I heard that there are some horses in this vige. We can borrow them.¡±

    Neria shook her head and reassured.

    "Really? Then let''s go there. Guide me.¡±

    "..I get it."

    With a bitter expression on her face, she turned her back and started leading. As I was walking after her, someone nudged me from the side. When I looked back, Eri was looking at me with a dissatisfied expression.

    ¡°Why are you talking like that? You can speak a little more kindly to her."

    Of course I ignored her, again.

    So we kept walking in silence for a while and soon arrived at the stable.

    Though I repetitively ignored her, Eri kept staring at my face for a while, then sighed away and looked down, I was left wondering if she was annoyed with the poor grass buddies.

    "Ah, respected warriors, any need for this humble self?"

    The owner of the stable who spotted us approached with a smile.

    ¡°We want to borrow some horses, we would like to use them to get to the nearest city.¡±

    Neria came forward to handle the conversation.

    ¡°If it''s to the nearest city¡­ it won''t be too far. How many are you nning to rent?"

    "Three, please."

    Three?

    Ah, it seems there is one of us who doesn''t know horse riding. Probably Eri or Ophelia. One is a wizard and another a nun, so they might be unable to ride horses.

    I decided to understand with an open mind and looked at the horses in the stable.

    ¡®That white horse seems to be in the best condition from this bunch.''

    It''s not a city, but a rural vige in a countryside area. But the horses still look quite well kept.

    Still, this one is better for me.

    I put one foot on the stirrup and got on the horse with one jump.

    ¨C Neigh! Neighhhgh!

    As a suddenly stranger got on his back, it neighed with its front hooves raised in the air with frenzied agitation.

    ¡°Woah, woah, good boy.¡±

    I lightly stroked his mane and reassured him.

    Only then the hysterical guy soon calmed down, as if he had never been agitated before. I lightly stroked the horse''s back and waited for the other party members to follow.

    However, no matter how much I waited, none of the three showed any signs of mounting a horse.

    "What are you all doing? Let''s get going."

    ¡°Um¡­ Cloud, I can¡¯t ride if you sit there.¡±

    Neria smiled awkwardly and scratched her cheek.

    "¡­you''re a knight¡­ you don''t know how to ride a horse?"

    A knight who can''t ride a horse?

    Oh man, this worldview, freaking insane.

    ¡°What nonsense? Of course, she can. You have toe down so that Neria can handle the horse.¡±

    Oh, so it''s Cloud who can''t ride h¡­.

    Wait what? ¡­just wait for a moment¡ªwhat kind of bullshit is that?

    ¡°..Eri, Ophelia, do you two know how to ride a horse?¡±

    "Of course I do."

    ¡°Yes, I know, but¡­ Why do you ask this, Hero?¡±

    Two people naturally nodded their heads.

    ¡­so that''s what they meant? Uh.

    Cloud didn''t know how to ride a horse, so he always used to ride with Neria, behind her?

    In front of this backasswards reality, I couldn''t stop kneading my forehead.

    A Hero can''t ride a horse?

    A freaking Hero?

    Under which kind of sun were you born, dude?

    ¡°But now I know how to ride.¡±

    "¡­What?"

    ¡°Now I know how to ride a horse.¡±

    ¡°No, what are you talking about again?¡±

    I lightly patted the horse on the back. Then the horse slowly began to trot forward.

    "Ang?!"

    "Uh¡­?"

    "¡­This¡­?"

    The three heroines were very surprised even though I just showed them a simple capability to ride a damn horse. So in meanwhile, I also showed them some horseback riding tricks that only some experienced teaching assistants can do.

    Result¡ª

    ¡°What is happening¡­¡±

    Neria was astonished as she looked back with a stiff face.

    "I can''t believe it¡­" Eri kept muttering as if possessed.

    "Oh benevolent Goddess¡­"

    Ophelia knelt down to her knees, covering her mouth with her hands.

    There was nothing I could do butugh at this absurd situation.

    Haha, Cloud, you damn punk. Just what were you?

 Chapter 3.1: Isnt It Too Much To Be A Hero? (3)

    There are five human countries in the game ¡®The Hero''s Party''.

    The Kingdom of Alitia, famous for its nightlife and crime activities.

    The Kingdom of Prona, famous for its wide granaries and peaceful environment.

    The Kingdom of Carta, lined with upright knight families.

    The Principality of Polycia where a princess called the Ice Witch exists.

    And finally, the Empire which is called the heart of the continent.

    The Empire, which is pretty much located at the center of the continent, is also the center of continental trade.

    Thanks to which, it is the most developed among all the five countries, it has the most expansive territory, and its national power strong enough to be regrly checked upon by the other three kingdoms together.

    Atleast the game settings were as such¡­

    ¡°It¡¯s feels too different in actuality.¡±

    The walls were white and the roofs red, the houses that you can only see back in the Renaissance period spread out widely. The brick-paved street was teeming with people like a market floor.

    ¡®I did had the impression that there was a cultural gap with the other kingdoms in the game but¡­ this is just on a whole different level altogether.''

    If we wereparing the cultural level, now I wouldn''t be shocked even if the city guards were carrying around a medieval rifle along with them.

    Of course, seeing them with swords around their waist, I knew that this wasn''t the case.

    ¡°Hero, what are you looking for? Let''s go.¡±

    Ophelia prompted.

    The other two, including her, seemed not to be much impressed by the Imperial Capital''s atmosphere.

    Well, they''ve been here quite a few times, so I guess they are now used to it.

    I walked after the three heroines.

    As we crossed the crowded streets, heading toward the center of the city, the number of people gradually decreased.

    Instead, there were a lot more of those well-armed guards patrolling around, and the surrounding buildings also began to look more antique than anything I had seen before.

    ¡®Is it a rich neighborhood perhaps?''

    As we were about to enter the antique-styled street, a young guard blocked us.

    ¡°Wait, who are you guys? I have never seen your faces before. Those whose identity is not evident cannot enter this ce.¡±

    "We are¡­"

    ¡°You moron!¡±

    Before Neria could finish speaking, a thick fist mmed onto the head of the guard blocking us.

    The guard who had been hit turned around with a sharp expression on his face, but seeing the person who had hit him, he quickly saluted in surprise.

    ¡°Good morning, Captain of the Guards! What are you doing here, sir?¡±

    However, the figure of the Captain of the Guards bowed his head towards us, not paying attention to the young guard.

    ¡°The Hero and hispanions. Long time no see."

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Hex. How are your children?¡±

    ¡°Ha ha, the hairs of those brats have grown bigger these days, other than that nothing much. But thanks to their mischiefs, my brain always remain in trouble, haha.¡±

    ¡°Ha ha, all children are like that. And that''s also what''s cute about them.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Oh, I''m sorry about this fellow. He just joined not long ago, so he still doesn''t know about many things."

    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t know much. A imperial banquet is being held at the Imperial Pce today, shouldn''t the guards be minimally aware of the Hero and his party members?"

    ¡°Indeed a wise word from you,dy Eri. I''ll definitely educate this guyter, ¡®properly''!"

    The young guard''splexion turned pale blue on the word ¡®educate''.

    It seemed to be a very strict hierarchical rtionship.

    He must have been terrified at the thought of being nicely kneaded up after we left.

    ¡®There was a time like that too.''

    Before I was summoned to this another world, I had been called and trained in ¡®hell'', I put in quite a lot of effort in order to appear good in the eyes of the army instructor.

    That didn''t change the cursed training intensity though.

    ¡°Are you going without a carriage? Would you like me to arrange a carriage right now?¡±

    ¡°We just came here after a really long time, so we wanted to take a look around. Don''t worry about it and do what you have to do."

    ¡°Yes, then¡­ goodbye.¡±

    The Captain of the Guards bowed his head once again and withdrew.

    ¡ªNot forgetting with a devilish face to drag the poor young guard who had stopped us earlier.

    We walked down those antique streets and headed to the Imperial Pce.

    * * *

    The Imperial Social Banquet is one of the most important events for the nobility.

    It is the sole opportunity for the nobility of lower ranks to catch the eyes of the nobles of the high ranks, and meanwhile the high ranking aristocrats can certain their allies and in process secure the safety of their territories.

    In that sense, the Imperial Social Banquet held in the Imperial Capital is nothing short of a ideal dream ce for the nobles.

    Not only the five pirs of the Empire, The Five Dukes¡ªbut one may also get the chance to meet His Majesty the Emperor himself!

    As such, the number of people who are allowed to participate in the Imperial Social Banquet is extremely limited.

    High-ranking nobles of the empire, the highly reputable people around the continent, and the royal family of the different Kingdoms¡ªthese people make up theposition.

    Even the nobles of the other Kingdoms hardly get a chance to attend.

    So, there were really few people from themoner background in such a ce¡ª

    ¡ªThe Hero Gis and Hero Cloud. And a few party members of their party.

    For the nobles, these muddy bloodlines that should not be even allowed to look at them by nature¡ªwere eating, drinking andughing in the same ce as them.

    It was naturallypletely uneptable for these high nosed nobles, but¡­ What could they do?

    A Hero is chosen by the Holy Sword, the Holy Sword which was crafted by the one and only Supreme Divine, Goddess Iris herself.

    The choice of the Holy Sword is the Heaven''s Will itself, and they, the mere mortals, can''t and couldn''t resist.

    However, they still could not erase the unpleasant feeling that came from deep inside their heart, that unpleasant feeling which is always directed at the weak.

    And the weakest among themoners participating in this banquet was, Cloud.

    ¡°You eat like a savage. Hoho, after all, low bloods cannot change their barbaric ways.¡±

    A young man in a neat suit clicked his tongue. Too loud to be a murmur and too indistinct to be a direct talk. But it was clearly meant to be heard.

    The woman next to the young man responded.

    ¡°That''s what I was saying. Really, as long as the source is muddy, river cannot be clean.¡±

    Cloud is very handsome. Though he looks skinny and a little frail, but if you focus on his looks alone, there are only a handful few on the whole continent who canpare to him.

    However, for women, more for women of nobility, a man''s appearance was not everything.

    Origin, character, ability and wealth.

    Everything has to be weighed on the scale.

    And Cloud had nothing to offer except for his handsome appearance and the trait of being a Hero.

    He came from a humble origin, his personality was indecisive, and his abilities as a Hero were a littleck¡­ no, he actuallycked quite a lot in that area as well.

    Even though there is a Hero named Gis whoes from the slums of the Kingdom of Alitia here, the target of the nobles'' gossip was only directed on Cloud.

    Why?

    Because, Gis is strong and Cloud is weak.

    Gis has notable achievements, while Cloud doesn''t.

    Some even say that the three Heroes can defeat the Demon King even without Cloud''s participation.

    ¡°These people¡­!¡±

    Next to Cloud, Neria bit her lips. Her fists under the table were trembling with force.

    It was an insult that they had already experienced a few many times before.

    Still, she just couldn''t get used to it. She felt like banging their heads bloody on the floor right away, but she had to put up with it.

    Because, she is amoner as well.

    And whatever she does, will all be ced on Cloud''s head.

    ¡°Oh my dear, isn''t that low-key bitch looking at us? While covering herself in that pathetic thing which is given a dress''s name? She still dares to present herself in that pathetic excuse of an outfit, huhu.¡±

    This was a woman''s filthy jealous nature.

    The first thing a fellow human sees in a person is their appearance.

    Even if one covers oneself with a glorious shield with the stamp of nobility, as the possessors of noble blood, they are still humans in the end.

    It was natural for a woman to like a handsome man, simrly, it was also perfectly natural to be jealous of the beautiful woman sitting next to him.

    And the more superior you are to your dissenter, the easier it is to turn that jealousy into action.

    However, it could be said that her timing was not good this chance.

    ¡°Oh, my dear. Isn''t it bad manners to insult others so openly? If you did that in our kingdom, you never know when you will be killed.¡±

    A handsome man with blonde hair and bronze skin naturally ced his arm on the woman''s shoulder. She was startled and tried to shake off that arm, but when she found who it extended from, she was left frozen.

 Chapter 3.2: Isnt It Too Much To Be A Hero? (3)

    <strong>Trantor: Lore_Temple</strong>

    ¡°H, Hero Gis¡­¡±

    ¡°Hello, miss. Don''t you look extraordinarily beautiful today?¡±

    ¡°T, That, we¡¯re f-first time meeting today¡­¡±

    ¡°It''s not important. The important thing is that we were meant to be met.¡±

    Gis gently stroked the woman''s cheeks. That alone made her cheeks turn red.

    ¡°What are you doing to my fiancee¡­!¡±

    A sword suddenly emerged in front of the young man who was about to rush in rage, blocking his path.

    ¡°W, Wh-What?! Who dares to point a sword at¡­ Lorian!?¡±

    What stood in the way of the young man was a handsome man with neatlybed brown hair.

    The First Prince as well as the Hero of the Kingdom of Carta, Lorian.

    Even as the son of an Imperial nobleman he couldn''t be reckless.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. This sword is just an unedged ceremonial sword.¡±

    ¡°W-Who are you saying was afraid!? And why did you stop me?! Can''t you see what that bastard is doing to my fiancee?!!"

    ¡°There''s a misunderstanding here. I did stop you¡ªbecause I was afraid that you would get hurt.¡±

    "What?"

    Lorian sighed at the young man''s baffled tone.

    ¡°Can you fight with Gis and win?¡±

    "T, That¡­.!¡±

    The young man closed his mouth. Growing up as a pampered young master, there was no possibility of him defeating the Hero, Gis.

    ¡°I had no intention of fighting in the first ce! This is the Imperial Social Banquet. There''s no way one initiate a fight here, right? Even if it¡¯s a Hero!¡±

    "Hmm, putting it that way you''re right, but once you leave, you''re going to be targeted by his enmity."

    ¡°What about it? You don¡¯t know, but my father¡­¡±

    "I know, I know. Count Cortell. The wine from his estate is famous all over the continent. I have also heard that the ie from the wine produce is quiterge.¡±

    ¡°You know it well, huh? Then¡­"

    ¡°I know, there will be a lot of people in your estate who will be there to protect you. But let''s guess. Do you really believe they can actually protect you?¡±

    "What..?"

    ¡°Gis is a master of stealth. Even though he is a Hero, it doesn''t mean that he can''t be shady. If he makes up his mind, can he do nothing about you?¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    The young man''s eyes, lost for words, turned to the floor. He felt the resentment with the increasing force in his clenched fists.

    ¡ªAnd the anger at being defeated as a male, and to lose a man''s pride!

    ¡°Fuhaha~¡±

    Gisughed teasingly and tried to kiss the woman between her lips. However, the ceremonial sword dug in between.

    ¡°You too, keep it in moderation. This is not a market street. This ce is where the giants who lead the continent gather. That kind of behavior doesn¡¯t look good.¡±

    ¡°Sheesh, you straight headed fellow at it again. Okay~ I honestly didn''t mean to do it either. Goodbye then, ugly girl. I hope I never see you again.¡±

    Gis removed his arm from the woman.

    The woman was startled by the sudden change in Gis''s attitude, but had no choice but to be dragged away along by the young man by her wrist.

    ¡°What will happen to those two in the future? I¡¯m really curious about that.¡±

    ¡°You really don¡¯t change no matter what others say. It¡¯s your that sick behavior again.¡±

    ¡°Well, how about it? This is how people live. How about you nobles, ha?¡±

    ¡°At least I think I¡¯m much much better than you.¡±

    "Really? Then why did youe this way? Didn''t youe here for the same purpose as me?"

    At Gis''s sarcastic remark, Lorian remained silent. As he said, their purpose was the same.

    Gis smiled and walked over to Cloud''s side.

    Until then, Cloud had been eating his smoked pork.

    ¡°Hey, Mr. Hero! What''s up?¡±

    Gis ced his arm around Cloud''s shoulder as if he was meeting an old friend. Of course, the two were surely not friends. It was an action that Gis did because he took Cloud lightly.

    But Cloud was not in a situation to care about that now.

    "Salty."

    "Yes?"

    ¡°It¡¯s salty.¡±

    Cloud threw the fork with an annoyed face.

    Chin! ng! Cling!

    The bowl and fork rattled, making an unpleasant noise.

    At that action, not only Gis, but also Lorian and Cloud''s party members looked at Cloud nkly.

    Meanwhile, Cloud looked at Gis and said.

    ¡°Hey, let me ask you one thing.¡±

    "Sure?"

    ¡°Aren''t the Imperial pce chefs one of the best chefs on the whole continent?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ that''s right?¡±

    ¡°Then why is the food so salty? No, it''s not just salty. This is a fucking jumbled mishmash, I just sprinkled some pepper. Not just one, twice or thrice. Bloody Hell, this screwed up taste just doesn''t go away!"

    "Is there no thing such as moderation in this world? Eating at a private inn tastes nd, and eating at a pce tastes too salty. If so, where should I eat!? Should I now buy the ingredients and learn to cook it myself?!¡±

    Gis is a person who has been rolling in the slums for years. He could read most of the emotions of most of the people, and now what he read was that¡ªCloud''s anger was bloody real.

    So he couldn''t help but feel a little awkward.

    ¡°No, this is natural dude. It goes without saying that the dishes eaten in the pce are salty. It''s a given.¡±

    ¡°Why is that a given?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that all because of the vanity of some high-ranking people? Look, we are rich enough to waste so many spices and sh!t! It¡¯s an indirect way of expressing that.¡±

    ¡°Oh, extravagance?¡±

    He hadn''t thought of that.

    In the world where he lived before that Cloud punk summoned him, no matter how extravagant a royal was, they could not afford to indulge in such ¡®screwed-up'' luxury.

    ¡°Okay, so let¡¯s calm down and¡­¡±

    ¡°Then you are saying that here salty food is served to the guests and the delicious food is eaten among themselves, right? Then where should! I! Go! To! Eat!"

    Cloud buried his face in the palms of his hand and screamed.

    Not only Gis but now others could also feel the sincerity in that scream. So everyone looked at him in half shock and in half astonishment.

    The despair he was experiencing was iprehensible to those who were born and raised here.

    Just a month ago, you can eat delicious food sprinkled with msg with just a few flicks of your finger, but now you are in a situation where even beggars on the street will spit such food on your face¡­

    Cloud wanted to cut his brain in half if so he could have a face off with the real Cloud who brought him in.

    ¡°Haha¡­ Sh!t¡­¡±

    ¡®If there were even tiny bits of his soul left, I would f*cking grab it and throw it to a Lich.''

    Unfortunately, when he possessed this body, the soul of original Cloud had long since disappeared.

    Taking a deep breath, he finally turned his head.

    "Hmm? What are you doing¡ªshouldering me since earlier?¡±

    ¡°¡­are you asking that now?¡±

    ¡°Try and eat this smoked meat. We will together see if you are left with any other thoughts?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. I will try it next time.¡±

    Not wanting to spend anymore time wasting on smoked meat, without paying any extra attention, he passed Cloud''s words.

    ¡°Why are you asking me dude? Hear it from those girls yourself.¡±

    Gis giggled and pointed his thumb behind his back. Behind him, Eri, Neria, and Ophelia were standing in a row at some point, with him unknown to the fact when they got up.

    Neria looked restless like a poopy puppy, Ophelia stuck her gaze at the floor with a guilty expression, meanwhile Eri looked away in the other direction.

    ¡°What are you guys doing? Should I tell him myself?¡±

    ¡°That, Cloud we¡­¡±

    ¡°So¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The three women hesitated and could not speak properly.

    Gis looked at the scene with a happy expression, and Lorian waited for them to speak without any expression.

    Cloud, on the other hand, spit out as if it was bothersome to wait any longer.

    ¡°You want to go to another party?¡±

    ¡°¡°¡°¡­!!!¡±¡±¡±

    The faces of the three women disyed various emotions.

    Surprise. Embarrassment. Guilt and so on.

    ¡®Not so good feelings, I guess.''

    Seeing this, Gis smiled cheerfully and tapped on the table.

    ¡°Ha ha ha! What am I hearing? You knew it, did''t you? I thought you were just a dumb fool, but it isn''t so, haha. So? Your girls want to go, so what do you¡­¡±

    ¡°If you want to go, just go.¡±

    A light, impassive answer that didn''t contain even the slightest bit of heaviness.

    The faces of the three women hardened.

    His reaction was not what they had expected. They thought he would catch them in one way or another, begging with tears and earnestly requesting, that he will scream, shout and curse while showing his anger.

    The moments that they had spent together now felt like nothing. While traveling, they crossed the hurdles together, eating, sleep, and saving people as a team.

    Moreover, isn''t Cloud kind-hearted and has a gentle personality?

    They thought he was going to stop them somehow, but they never ever imagined that he would respond so lightly as if they were just simple strangers.

    ¡°Fuha¡­ ha ha ha!¡±

    And it was the same with Gis who didn''t anticipate this situation.

    He was born in a slum and lived his life looking at all kinds of immoral things, and so he had developed a crooked personality. It was his greatest pleasure to steal what belonged to others while listening to the cries of the loser.

    And the situation of stealing from a fellow Hero would have been the most enjoyable entertainment he had ever staged.

    ¡­or it should have been such.

    ¡°Are you deliberately pretending to be shy? Oh dear, you are still thinking for the good of these girls? Whoa, that''s cool. You are a very indeed a ¡®kind'' Hero.¡±

    The arm resting on Cloud''s shoulder gained strength¡ªbring Cloud''s head to near his shoulders.

    Gis whispered into Cloud''s ear.

    ¡°But you know what? Your girls have already been fucked by me? There''s that bitch named Ophelia. She said she had to keep her chastity intact so I pulled my dick out and rammed right in her butt."

    "And do you know how many times your childhood friend has sucked my dick? Oh, did she say you two haven''t even kissed yet? I''m sorry. You can kiss her now, it''s not like you are kissing the lips that sucked my dick, uh?"

    ¡°¡­¡±

    "Why? Have nothing to say? Yes, you have nothing to say. Because you''re an asshole who can''t even protect his woman. So don''t pretend to be rude in front of me, you bastard."

    All of a sudden, the smile on Gis''s victorious face was gone.

    Cloud was looking back at him a pitiful expression.

    ¡°You should go home and suck some more.¡±

    He showed the gesture of putting the thumb between the index and middle finger.

    Gis frowned.

    "What is that?"

    Cloud whispered into Gis''s ear.

    ¡°Your momma''s nipples.¡±

    * * *

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 Chapter 4: Isnt It Too Much To Be A Hero? (4)

    When faced with situations that are too unconventional, people usually tend to panic.

    That was exactly the situation with Gis now.

    He voice felt struck as he looked at Cloud stupidly.

    After some time, as he regained consciousness, he realized that he had been teased.

    ¡°You bastard!¡±

    Thum-!

    Cloud, who was punched straight on his face by Gis, was thrown 5 meters back in the air.

    Cloud fell on the floor and rolled over.

    Gis hared right away and squarely kicked on Cloud''s stomach.

    Cloud''s waist arched like a stretched bow.

    ¡°You bastard who do you think you are! Ya know who you talking sh!t with?!¡±

    Every time he kicked and stepped on him, he heard a crunching, crackling sound.

    Even though Cloud''s body was being broken in real time, Gis''s mind just refused to cool down.

    It was strange.

    Usually hitting like this will relieve his mind, but no matter how much he hit this guy, that fucking annoying feeling didn''t go away.

    ¡®Why?''

    Gis soon realized.

    Usually, they cry and beg for their pitiful lives even if he only delivers a light beating.

    Humans are creatures that are vulnerable to pain.

    And Gis is the type of person who can feels appeased whenever he sees such an unsightly appearance.

    However, Cloud who was being thrashed right now was different from those ordinary bastards.

    No matter how hard he punched or kicked him, even if his bones were broken and his internal organs left ruptured, he didn''t leak even a single moan.

    Why is that?

    Cloud did neither avoid nor tried to block his kicks. It was like, as if, as if some mature adultsforting their children.

    And Gis definitely didn''t like that previous pitying look on his face.

    ¡®Should I just kill him?''

    It was the moment when Gis, who had been caught up in a murderous impulse, was about to kick Cloud''s neck.

    "Stop!!"

    Neria intervened in between them.

    Thanks to that, the kick that tried to break Cloud''s neck had to be stopped. Gis red at Neria in vehemence.

    ¡°What are you¡ªfucking trying to do?¡±

    ¡°What are you doing!? Isn¡¯t this different from what you promised?¡±

    Neria faced Gis, covering Cloud behind her back.

    Seemingly trying to be protect Cloud.

    Gis stifled a smirk.

    ¡°Fuhuhu, you¡¯ve already betrayed that bastard as much as you could, and now you¡¯re pretending to have care for him?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything to say, piss off. For I''m going to end it off with that bastard."

    ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen.¡±

    It was the moment when Gis was about to push Neria away. Lorian grabbed Gis by his shoulder and pulled him back¡ªto make Gis'' brow furrowed with hostility.

    ¡°You wanna pick a fight?¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just look around for once before you try to even get mad?¡±

    Lorian pointed to the left with a chin gesture. There, the circles of nobles were gathered, murmuring amongst themselves, although he couldn''t hear what they were talking about, the atmosphere did not look quite right.

    Of course.

    No matter how strong he is now, even if others respects the strong Gis more than the weak Cloud, the fact that hees from a humble background that is no different from Cloud, doesn''t change.

    No, in fact, he was from slums, so one can say that was even dirtier in a way.

    And such a guy assaults a fellow Hero at the continent''s most reputed social banquet?

    Meanwhile, Cloud who doesn''t even resist while the aggressor continues, from a viewer''s point of view anyone would be disgusted.

    It was natural for these nobles to be offended by his barbaric behavior and to babble amongst themselves.

    ¡°Others are ufortable with your brutal violence.¡±

    ¡°Brutal violence? Don''t be ridiculous! That motherfucker just insulted me by bringing in my mother.¡±

    The murmurs of nobles grew louder.

    However, the negative public opinion toward Gis did not change in slightest.

    Because¡­

    "Insult? And Cloud? You sure sound funny.¡±

    Cloud is of low origin and a figure of ipetence.

    However, he is a good-natured and caring human being.

    Although the nobles ignored him, they were well aware of his personality.

    That''s why they took Gis'' words for an aggressor''s pitiful lies.

    ¡®This bastard¡­ he definitely heard it.''

    No matter how low was the whisper, Lorian would have heard it. But he shamelessly pretended as if he didn''t,belling him in bad light.

    ¡°Haven''t you already achieved your purpose? I hope you don¡¯t make any more of this situation.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, my purpose has been achieved.¡±

    Gis threw away Lorian''s hand with a displeased expression.

    If Gis stole Cloud''s party members because of his own twisted desires, Lorian''s was in order to keep Cloud in check.

    At first, he was just going to shake up the things a little bit, but somehow, things worked out too well.

    So Lorian didn''t want his hardwork to be ruined by escting this matter any further.

    ¡°Shouldn''t you be content by now, with all that beating?¡±

    "Ha. What if I say no?"

    ¡°Then I will deal with you on his behalf. In the form of a duel.¡±

    When Lorian drew his ceremonial sword, cheers erupted from among the nobles.

    At this moment, the good and the bad were clearly divided.

    Gis, the viin, had created a situation where it was his loss regardless of either he won or lost.

    ¡°¡­.you fucking dirty bastard.¡±

    Gis clicked his tongue and hurtled out of the venue with a displeased expression.

    As soon as he left, Ophelia hurriedly ran towards Cloud.

    ¡°Hero! Are you okay?¡±

    That''s what she asked, but in no way he looked in a good condition to her.

    Neria, who looked with sad eyes, urged urgently.

    ¡°Ophelia, do the treatment, quick!¡±

    "All right. I''m¡­"

    "Wait."

    Cloud raised his upper bodynguidly.

    Neria and Ophelia''s eyes widened, but he didn''t care and looked at his own body.

    It was a total mess.

    The shoulder was hanging limpidly and his knee was bent in a inhuman direction, and there seemed to be quite a bit of internal bleeding too.

    Cloud pulled his dislocated right shoulder first. He ced his left hand on his shoulder and wrested with a strong force¡ªhis shoulder des aligned with a staunch crackling sound.

    The broken leg was grabbed and gyrated to the original direction.

    He moved around until the broken bones were positioned in right ces, and then released his hand snugly.

    "Done. Now heal me.¡±

    "¡­Y, Yes? A-Ah, yes¡­"

    Ophelia felt a little creepy for some reason and quickly used a heal on Cloud.

    * * *

    Our team was disbanded, and so I thought it was over. Atleast such was the case in my original world until I was dragged here. But it didn''t seem to be the case here.

    ¡°Then I''ll break the party connection. It may hurt a little.¡±

    An old man with gray hair walked up to me and stood behind me.

    In this world, there was a pretty tricky procedure to form and disband a party.

    When you form a party, you have to register that person''s blood on the status engraved on your back, and when you break up, you cover it with your own blood and wipe it off.

    The reason for doing this procedure is to share experience points thate from killing monsters.

    But, of course, there was no way I could reach out correctly to my back with my own hand. So I had to get help from others.

    The person who is rubbing off the party connection on my back is one of the butlers of the Imperial Pce.

    The three heroines will be assisted by maids in another room.

    "Let''s begin."

    I could feel a cold liquid on my back.

    Instead of a tingling sensation, there was a stinging and throbbing pain.

    It was not painful enough to make me grunt though. I just sat there spacing out, and it was over.

    ¡°Can I go now?¡±

    ¡°Yes, the party breakup isplete.¡±

    ¡°Well, see youter then.¡±

    I quickly left the room.

    It is said that Emperor always appear in the social banquet a littleter than others.

    If you try to leave the banquet while the Emperor was there, you would be stopped by the guard, so I thought I''d better get outta here before he showed up.

    Fortunately, the room I was in was on the first floor, close to the exit of the Imperial Pce, so it didn''t take long to find my way out.

    As I came out of the pce, going down the stairs, another new figure wasing from the other side.

    But the face was not unfamiliar.

    There was no chance I wouldn''t know. The woman who is climbing up the stairs right now is the only female Hero among the four Heroes in ¡®The Hero''s Party''.

    Frillite.

    The eldest daughter of an Imperial Duke and also the strongest of the four Heroes.

    "Cloud? The banquet isn¡¯t over yet, where are you going?¡±

    As she climbed up the stairs, she looked at me with a puzzled expression on her face.

    ¡°I¡¯m tired. I want to go back a little earlier today.¡±

    If the food wasn''t even good, what reason was even there for me to be present there?

    ¡°¡­what happened?¡±

    ¡°Nothing much?¡±

    I passed her and went down the stairs.

    Her gaze was fixed on me until I made my way down the stairs.

    * * *

    Surprisingly, there were bars in this world.

    In the dark and cryptic atmosphere, the bartender at the center bar table was wiping the sses.

    The only downside is that there are no cocktails, only wine.

    ¡®Why do you even need a bartender when you only have wine?''

    I had a question like that, but I decided to let it slide.

    Because the wine tasted excellent.

    Compared to the tasteless ale I drank at the inn, this one was damn good!

    ¡®But that beer without carbonation. What kind of devil made such a thing..?''

    After all, something like carbonated drinks don''t exist in this world, sigh.

    As soon as I''ll ever returned to Earth, I will drink bottles of coke. Haa, I still can''t forget that refreshing feeling from back then.

    I really wanted a coke.

    I drank the rest of the wine at once. The ss, which had been grayish-white before, reflected a transparent light.

    It''s strange that sses are so developed inparison.

    ¡°If you continue to drink like that, you will wake up sick tomorrow.¡±

    The woman who came to sit down next to memented.

    When I turned my head, I saw a gorgeous woman with ming red hair tied in a ponytail.

    The dark atmosphere of the bar did not detract her beautiful appearance in the least, though she was dressed in men''s clothing, with a reddish golden tailcoat on her, it couldn''t hide her womanly sensual body in the slightest.

    "Red? Or white?"

    ¡°White, please.¡±

    ¡°That''s quite unexpected. I thought you would choose red.¡±

    ¡°Why did you think so?¡±

    ¡°Because you are red, aren''t you?¡±

    I said, pointing at her red hair. To which she had an absurd look on her face.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you also drinking white wine with the same red hair?¡±

    ¡°This and that are different.¡±

    I didn''t originally had red hair.

    Not knowing that, she smiled.

    ¡°I¡¯m d that you still have the energy to joke around.¡±

    The bartender ced a ss of white wine in front of Frillite.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t joking, it''s the truth. More than that, what are you doing here, Frillite? I don''t think it''s time for the social banquet to end yet."

    Frillite de Perdiac.

    As a Hero and the sessor of the most powerful family located near the borders of the Empire, she should have been shining in the banquet this time.

    Not like drinking some cheap wine in an underground bar like me.

    Frillite picked the ss and twirled it, the grayish-white wine rippled like waves. Even so, not a single drop of wine spilled out of the ss.

    ¡°I heard what happened today.¡±

    She stopped twirling the ss and brought it to her lips.

    The wine flowed down endlessly in one gulp.

    Even though it was nothing more than simply drinking wine, there was dignity in that simple action as well.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say earlier that I will get sick drinking like that?¡±

    ¡°Sometimes one has to drink like this to feel better.¡±

    She smiled.

    Then soon put on a serious expression.

    ¡°I never thought those idiots would do something like that. It was my negligence.¡±

    ¡°Ha ha. Now, why is this your negligence?¡±

    ¡°I should have been a little more careful. I couldn''t do that because I was busy subjugating monsters but I cannot just side myself using this as an excuse. So it''s my fault."

    ¡°Well.¡±

    Frillite drank the wine the bartender had poured again.

    Those who didn''t know will find it strange, but I knew why she was here.

    It''s not because of personal friendship.

    There''s almost no contact between Cloud and her.

    So, there is only one reason why she cares so much about Cloud.

    He is a Hero.

    Frillite is worried that Cloud might lose his inner self because of this incident.

    The four Heroes must work together to seal the enemy of mankind, the Demon King.

    ¡ªA legend that circtes on this continent.

    She didn''t want anything to break it this time around.

    You might think why is some random legend so important, is it necessary that only the Heroes should defeat the Demon King, anybody else can do it too. Then, that''s a wrong idea.

    A Hero can grow endlessly without being impeded by the growth limit. It means that you can break through your limits as a human being.

    In other words, a Hero is like a humanoid nuclear weapon.

    Such Heros are supported one each by each of the four human countries except the Principality.

    But what if for some reasons the Hero of a particr country disappears?

    As it is, the bnce between the countries copses.

    The gap will be irreversibly widened with time, and the country that has lost its Hero may eventually go into ruin.

    Frillite is worried about that happening.

    Seriously, I''m telling you¡ªshe is a daughter who had been raised under the tutge of a strict but upright father.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how it feels to be separated from colleagues you were with all this time. I honestly can¡¯t even fathom.¡±

    "Well, uh."

    ¡°Nevertheless, I hope you don¡¯t break.¡±

    ¡°Nay, I don''t break.¡±

    ¡°I am d, you are a stronger man than I thought. Anyway, it''s going to take quite some time to find some new colleagues for you. I will help you with that, there are many people with outstanding talent in our Empire¡ª¡±

    "No need for that."

    Frillite, who had easily moved on despite my short answers, stopped.

    Then she looked at me with seriously encouraging eyes.

    ¡°I know it¡¯s hard mentally. But courage and stubbornness are different things.¡±

    "I already know that..?"

    ¡°Then take my favor. Even if it¡¯s burdensome, it''s for your own good.¡±

    Oh man, this persistent chic.

    ¡°God no. Why are pushing me some unknown team mates when yourself travel alone?¡±

    "For me¡­"

    ¡°Yeah, maybe it¡¯s because you have that skill. But I tell you, I''m pretty good too. I also like going alone, so don''t mind me."

    ¡°Cloud, you¡­¡±

    Frillite was unable to speak for a while, then she sighed deeply.

    She snatched the bottle of wine from the bartender''s hands and drank it in gulps.

    Cool, that''s a one-shot.

    I smiled and suddenly remembered something I had forgotten.

    ¡®Come to think of it, she had no CG in the game.''

    She was a very significant character in her own rights, but there was only some vague news that she had went missing after going in the underworld, there were no separate event scenes on her.

    ¡°Whew¡­¡±

    She emptied an entire bottle and ced it down on the table.

    I gave her a fitting round of apuse.

    ¡°That was a cool move, haha.¡±

    ¡°¡­it must have been because I got a little tipsy, ugh. I will talk to you again another time, after I''m sober."

    She reached out in between her arms and pulled out a heavy purse and threw it at the bartender.

    ¡°With this, deduct the cost of my drink, what this man drank, and what he will further drink. I don''t think there will be any shortage.¡±

    The bartender opened the purse slightly and nodded eagerly with wide-open eyes.

    ¡°Then next time.¡±

    She nced at me once, then turned her back and left the bar.

    My, that was really cool.

    Support me on Patreon (click here) and read more chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 5: Hero, Once Again (1)

    To be honest, after that day, Frillite and I never saw each other again.

    Why?

    That''s because the very next day, I ditched the Imperial Capital.

    Some may say¡ªsuch a caring beauty cares about you, just gratefully epted it you bastard, but to such a person, I want to say this.

    Then youe and take my ce.

    I don''t want to do these so called hero things again.

    First of all, it wasn''t really enjoyable, and secondly, there''s nothing there for me after having to go through that much hardship, right?

    Well, if I did put my whole mind to it, and if I did defeat the Demon King, then I can eat and lived well with just that achievement¡­

    ¡®But where''s the joy in living in a ce like this?''

    There''s noputer.

    There''s no smartphone.

    Nof!ix¡ª

    No chicken¡ª

    ¡ªAnd¡­ no coke.

    There''s nothing!

    The only thing that makes it better than Earth is that the average appearance of the people here is much higher.

    Even the face of the protagonist I am possessing right now is a face I could have never seen through out my life if I was back on Earth.

    ¡®And I thought it''s hard to look good with red hair.''

    If I could return back to Earth while retaining this face, I would easily be able to make a living as an idol, so much that I cacan eat and live well for the rest of my life. Unfortunately, I can''t.

    Welp, that''s a shame.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s get going.¡±

    I got up from bed.

    Since leaving the Imperial Capital, I have been on a food tour to other cities.

    With the little tiny hope that even in this world, there will be atleast one delicious thing somewhere out there.

    But today, it will be thest day.

    If what I eat today doesn''t taste good, I''m seriously just going to kill myself, truly.

    Once my soul escapes this body, maybe Leah will be able to do something about it.

    She does has that kind of ability.

    I wandered the streets while whistling.

    Although not as much as the capital of the Empire, since it''s still inside the Empire, the streets are particrly clean and the security is good.

    If only the food was also delicious, it would be really great.

    ¡®The skewers over there look too soggy, and the tavern over there had a very strong fishy smell. That house fruit had caterpirs, uh. Umm, for real?''

    As I was walking around the streets looking for restaurants, a shabby shop located in the corner of the street caught my eye.

    ¡®What, was there such a store here?''

    I''ve been to this area quite a few number of times, but I don''t think I''ve ever noticed this store.

    ¡­This smell.

    The smell of delicious food!

    I smiled and entered the shabby store. The inside of the store was shabby matching to its exterior. But that didn''t mean it was dirty. Rather, the tables and chairs were so clean that it was difficult to spot a speck of dust.

    That means the owner has sincerity.

    The smell of the food grew stronger.

    However, the owner of the store who should have been present to take the order was nowhere to be seen.

    Didn''t he hear the opening of the door?

    "Excuse me. Is anybody here?"

    -Ah yes, yes! Wait a minute!

    The answer came right away, looks like she didn''t hear when I opened the door.

    With a loud thud, a girl appeared from the inside. A girl who was neither pretty nor ugly, with long pink hair.

    ¡°¡­In any case, are you the owner of this store?¡±

    ¡°Ah, it''s me?¡±

    "Oh, I see."

    Without any hesitation, I turned my back to get going.

    I earlier thought it was a restaurant owned by a veteran chef with decades of experience, but it was just a shop run by a kid with no money.

    I had expectations, but looks like I got excited for nothing.

    ¡°H, Hey, wait!¡±

    The girl grabbed my pants as I was almost about to leave.

    "Why?"

    "It''s been a long while since I had a guest¡­ I can''t let you run off like this!"

    ¡°Whether he wants to eat or leave, that¡¯s the customer¡¯s choice, not the store owner¡¯s, right?¡±

    ¡°T, That''s right, but¡­ but¡­ we have good food! If our food doesn''t taste good¡­ you can leave without paying!¡±

    ¡°You aren''t nning on reporting me to guards in that way, mh?¡±

    ¡°Hey, I never even thought of something like that!¡±

    The eyes of the pink-haired girl contained that, the shine of a craftsman.

    Seriously, it''s not like I''m losing something, right?

    It would be cold to reject like that, so I finally sat down on the table.

    "Okay. I''ll take your word. Bring me the most delicious thing here."

    "Right away!"

    The girl smiled and entered the store.

    Well, let''s see what this little girl will be making.

    "¡­"

    I felt shocked to the core seeing what that little girl had brought with her.

    "This¡­?"

    ¡°Fufu, this is the thing. It''s not just any ordinary skewer¡­ Ahh¡­! Hey, wait, wait! I''m not done exining¡­!"

    Is the exnation even important now?

    It doesn''t matter whether this is the food I thought it was or not.

    I took arge bite out of the skewer covered in red sauce.

    Then, a slightly spicy yet sweet taste taunted my tongue.

    I ate up all the skewers quickly, then looked at the ck liquid in the ss.

    The ck water fizzling with bubbles reminded me of something¡­

    ¡®Please¡­ let my guess be correct¡­''

    I swallowed my saliva, lifted the ss of ale, and drank the ck water.

    Dock! Dock! Dock! Dock!

    A weak tingling sensation lingered down the throat. It was a little weak, but it was exactly what I thought of!

    It''s carbonated!

    ¡ªAnd c!

    "How is it? Tasty? H, Hey, brother..? Why, why are you crying?!"

    The girl panicked, but I couldn''t stop crying. Although it was a little weak¡­ the carbonation was present.

    It was as if I had found a small source of light in the abyssal darkness.

    "With this¡­ I can live¡­"

    Like this, I decided to live in this world.

    * * *

    After the meal, I asked the girl named Lina how she made these things.

    Lina had a face that showed it was difficult to answer, but I was so curious that I rushed into her kitchen without Lina stopping my steps.

    In the kitchen, there were not only cooking utensils, but also what appeared to be alchemy ingredients.

    Oh.

    Exactly.

    This little girl was not only a cook, but also an alchemist.

    ¡°Why are you, an alchemist, researching cooking in such a backward ce?¡±

    ¡°What''s wrong about culinary research-! I''m going to get rich from this!"

    "Rich?"

    I nced around the inside of the store. Would any visitor evere to such a shabby ce?

    Previously, I almost thought that I was fooled, but I don''t think people will eat out in a ce like this, atleast not for a while.

    ¡°If you want to be rich, you must first start with the interior design, right?¡±

    "Interior¡­ design..?"

    ¡°You have to fix the store. Else, which fool woulde to such a shabby ce?"

    Lina pointed her finger at me.

    ¡°¡­..Yes, I dide. But, what about before that? How many people havee till now?"

    Lina evaded my gaze dodgingly as I smirked at her.

    "Not a single soul."

    ¡°¡­! H, How did you know that?! Aaah! Do you think I also want to do business in a store like this?! I also have ambitions for my business, to have a better facilitated ce! But what do I do if I don''t have that much money! Right now, I''m in a situation where I''m struggling with research funding alone! Because *hic* of which I''m *hic* only eating single meals a day!!¡±

    Whether it was a tantrum or not, Lina poured out all the things I didn''t even wanted to know.

    I stroked my chin while she was almost about to cry.

    "So, it''s about money¡­ So you''re saying that if you have money you can make something better than this?"

    "What?"

    "I mean this one, the fizzling in this ck water. If you have money, can you increase that?¡±

    "Well, I''ve never done it, but I think it''s possible."

    "Really? Then take it.¡±

    I took out the money pouch I had from under my arm and threw it to Lina.

    "Eh?"

    Receiving the pouch, Lina looked puzzled, then she slowly opened the slit and peeked inside.

    ¡°Hey, eh¡­?! Eeeeh?!¡±

    Her eyes opened wide in astonishment.

    "Hey, w-why are you giving me such arge amount of money¡­?"

    ¡°Where''s itrge? It¡¯s only 3000 gold.¡±

    I haven''t adjusted to the price system of this world yet, but 3000 gold is not a huge amount. Though it''s not even a small amount either.

    ¡°It''s all that I have right now. I''ll send you moreter when I have money, so for now, be satisfied with that."

    "Yes¡­ uh¡­? No, wait a minute. Why can''t I keep up with this conversation?..!"

    ¡°Don''t you need research funding? I''ll back you up."

    ¡°W, Wow, sponsorship!¡±

    Lina''s cheeks trembled.

    ¡°Are you really going to support me?¡±

    "Uh. However, there are conditions.¡±

    ¡°What, what is it..?¡±

    "For now, let''s name¡ªthe ck water bes coke and the tingling thing will be called carbonic acid. Make that carbonic acid stronger than it''s now."

    ¡°Coke¡­ Carbonic acid¡­!¡±

    Lina took out her notebook and pen and started taking notes.

    Wait, where did you bring that out from?

    ¡°And normally, you can research whatever you want to, but if there is anything I specifically ask for, give priority to that research. That''s all."

    ¡°Eeh.¡±

    "Why? You have anyints?"

    "Um¡­ Thank you for your support¡­ but interfering with the research is a bit¡­ I''m afraid it''s absurd from an alchemist''s point of view¡­"

    Lina spoke with a submissive attitude like a business man persuading a treasured client.

    "No? Then there''s no support¡­¡±

    As I reached out for the 3000 golds that was resting in her bosom, Lina quickly hid the pouch behind her back.

    ¡°But I am a culinary researcher, not an alchemist! I will ept the offer!¡±

    ¡°Wise judgment.¡±

    I and Lina shook hands. The deal was sealed.

    * * *

    This world¡­ is worth living.

    So what I need to do from now on is simple.

    A spec-up to defeat the Demon King.

    I recalled the contents of the notebook that Cloud had left.

    Since the Goblin Road has already been subjugated, the first half of the game is finished.

    The three heroines have also been passed on to other heroes, so it can be said that we are almost halfway there.

    ¡®No, this Cloud, how did this bastard usually lived to get totally NTRed already?''

    To get NTR by all the three in just the middle course, it''s was almost impossible unless he possessed some kind of talent.

    However, the original Cloud did it naturally like breathing.

    He can''t be that great, right?

    Well¡­

    ¡®¡­that''s not what''s important right now.''

    Putting aside how stupid the original Cloud was, what matters now is how much power this body has.

    If I could exactly know that, I can properly decide whether to spec-up or farm equipments.

    First of all, no doubt¡ªthis body is weak.

    I can tell just by feeling this body. But I''m not sure how weak it really is.

    Just as people know that ants are weak, but they don''t know how weak they are, such was the case with me.

    Therefore, it is necessary to know my status.

    Because it will urately quantify the level of this body. As I''ve yed this game about 3 times, just by looking at the status, I can even range how much of an idiot the Original Cloud was.

    ¡®If I had known this would happen, I would have asked the butler about the status when the party was disbanded.''

    In fact, it is written on the back inconveniently, so how to see?

    After thinking for a while, I got up and left the inn.

    It was somewhere I was going to go anyways, so I guess I could just ask there.

    * * *

    Any mistakes or typos? Dm me on discord¡ª Lore#1942

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 Chapter 6: Hero, Once Again (2)

    In the game ¡®The Hero''s Party'', there are not only main quests rting to the journey of defeating the Demon King, but also sub quests.

    By performing sub-quests, you can raise your level, earn money, and get items with good stats.

    So, when it bes a little difficult to proceed with the main quest, one can take these sub quests.

    And it''s the Adventurer''s Guild were you can ept these sub-quest.

    "Hello. How may I help you?"

    The reception desk of the Adventurer''s Guild.

    The receptionist, an orange-haired beauty greeted me with a smile.

    ¡°I came here to receive a quest.¡±

    ¡°Yes, then would you please show me your Adventure License?¡±

    ¡°Adventure License?¡±

    ¡°Um, have you not been issued an Adventure License?¡±

    "Nope."

    ¡°Then the issuance of the Adventure Licensees first. Please follow me this way.¡±

    The receptionist got up from the reception desk and took the stairs to the second floor.

    I tilted my head and followed along.

    ¡®Adventure License? Was there something like that in the game?''

    In the game, you just had to stop by the guild and receive the quest from the receptionist.

    ¡®Is it because I didn''t reveal that I was a Hero?''

    It seemed very likely.

    In the game, from the beginning, Cloud was always open on being a Hero.

    Should I reveal that I am a Hero?

    I pondered for a moment, then shook my head.

    I don''t even know about my physical condition right now, so there''s nothing good about revealing that. If it was revealed that I was a Hero, won''t I will be handed over a difficult quest for nothing?

    And, perhaps they might even recognize me after looking at my status.

    Let''s look at the situation and decide.

    ¡°Please take your seat there and wait for a while.¡±

    I went inside the room pointed by the receptionist.

    The tables and chairs looked to be in a good condition, perhaps for hospitality.

    I was waiting while sitting on a chair when the door opened and a middle-aged man came in.

    He looked imposing with thatrge scar on his face.

    ¡°I''m Walter.¡±

    The man who introduced himself without hesitation reached out his right hand and asked for a handshake.

    I grabbed it with my right hand.

    ¡ªand felt a crushing force gripping my hand under a vice grip.

    * * *

    Walter, 42 years old.

    He is one of the branch managers of the Adventurer''s Guild.

    ¡®Young.''

    This was his first impression for Cloud. He was once an adventurer, and now he is the branch manager of the Adventurer''s Guild, so he knows the psychology of people whoe to be adventurers.

    Especially the younger one is, the more attention he focuses.

    ¡®Looking at the condition of the equipment, he seems to be from a fairly well-to-do family. Since, there''s no way such a family will let their child willingly be an adventurer, he must have run away from home.''

    Growing up as an untainted flower in a greenhouse, there are cases where some of these young masters who do not know the way of the outside world, seriously dislike being sheltered under their parents'' shadows.

    They run away from home with an unfounded confidence that they will make it big, being best at everything they will do.

    But, can these pampered young masters, who have lived a wholesome and warm live back at home, know the harshness of reality?

    In the end, most of them return back tired of being juggled around by the harsh and crude reality.

    There are cases where that maybe not be the case, but these kind of guys also don''t achieve much.

    And in Walter''s eyes, Cloud was the former, not thetter.

    ¡®He''ll run awayter anyway. It''s annoying¡­''

    Walter sighed and extended his right hand to Cloud.

    ¡°I''m Walter.¡±

    "Cloud."

    Cloud grabbed Walter''s right hand with his.

    Walter tightened the grip on his right hand.

    It is a kind of preemptive suppression move that is done whenever a new adventurer joins. But today, he applied more force than usual.

    It was because he didn''t like Cloud''s attitude.

    Walter looked at Cloud while straining his right hand. The reason for doing this now is not only to suppress the preemption, but also to look at the individual''s reaction.

    Whether he''s angry, embarrassed, orpetitive.

    By observing such reactions, you can figure out what kind of disposition the other person has.

    But¡­.

    ¡®No response?''

    Cloud was looking back at Walter with the same expressionless face he had seen him with for the first time.

    ¡ªGiving no strength or resistance to the hand holding each other as if asking how long would he be continuing this boring skit.

    ¡®He isn''t just a random kid¡­''

    Though it''s been a while, his eyes had been never wrong.

    He let go of Cloud''s hand awkwardly.

    ¡®By the way, Cloud. One of the Heroes born this time, his name was also Cloud.''

    Is this little fe that Hero?

    ¡®¡­it can''t be. Why would be a Hero interested in being an adventurer?''

    Walter shook his head and sat down on the chair.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start with a simple survey.¡±

    Walter asked where Cloud lived, his family background, and the names of his parents.

    These are formal contents that can be made up any number of times. There is no manpower in the guild to determine whether it is a lie or not, so whatever the other person says is recorded.

    Nevertheless, the reason for asking these questions is the same as the reason they shook hands before.

    Unless you''re a skilled liar, when you tell a lie, it''s a little bit noticeable. The purpose of a branch manager is to notice it and leave an evaluation on the character.

    ¡®From the Principality of Polycia. He lived in the City of Riverton and his parents are quite influential merchants in the city.''

    Walter tapped the desk with his index finger.

    It didn''t seem like he was lying. Every time he asked a question, the answer came naturally.

    ¡®The hero Cloudes from the Kingdom of Prona, so it''s just a guy with the same name?''

    It is very likely that was the case.

    But, there''s really no need to contemte. It''s just a matter of time¡ªhe will soon be checking his status.

    If the stats are abnormally high, the probability of being a Hero is higher. And if this guy is a Hero, everything he just said would be a lie.

    A Hero who tells lies naturally like breathing.

    That''s kinda funny.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to stop asking questions, now I¡¯ll have to take a look at your status, this is thest procedure. This is also an important part that determines the rank of an adventurer, so it cannot be omitted. If you don¡¯t like it, go back the way you came from.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. However, I would like you to show me the recorded status too.¡±

    "Well? You don''t even know your own status?"

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen it in a long time.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I see.¡±

    It''s not strange.

    It''s hard to see one''s own status written on the back unless you ask someone else to do it.

    Cloud began to take off his armor and jacket.

    ¡®He has a more disciplined body than I thought.''

    He had thought it to be a littlenky, but surprisingly it wasn''t.

    As Cloud took off his shirt, Walter stepped behind his back and checked his status.

    ============ Lv.17

    Strength: E(115) Agility: E (105) Durability: F (85) Mana: F (70) =============

    ¡®After all, he wasn''t a Hero.''

    Because the level of a Hero who has defeated the Goblin Lord and thousands of Goblins couldn''t be just a meager 17.

    Walter felt a little relieved.

    ¡®Still, it looks like he has focused on training himself.''

    If you are level 17, you are a prettypetent figure among adventurers. That''s right, a level 17 can even give you a decent position among the Kingdom''s guard. Moreover, there''s still room for growth since this guy was so young and high leveled for his age.

    ¡®It''s been a while since a good seed came in.''

    Before he knew it, his evaluation hadpletely changed differing from the first impression, but Walter didn''t care.

    New talents were always wee in the Adventurer''s Guild, which alwayscked extra hands.

    ¡°It¡¯s over. You can wear your clothes.¡±

    Cloud began to wear his clothes. While he tightened his breastte, Walter showed him the status he had noted.

    Seeing the status, Cloud narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°¡­this is my status?¡±

    "Yup. You are pretty good for a little fe.¡±

    ¡°You aren''t intentionally making it low on purpose, right?¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I¡¯ll just call someone else.¡±

    Hearing that, Cloud closed his mouth shut.

    "Why? You disappointed? Oh, is it lower than what you expected?¡±

    "¡­Yes."

    Cloud looked genuinely disappointed.

    ¡®Ho. There''s also a sense ofpetitive ambition. Very good.''

    The corners of Walter''s lips rose a little higher.

    * * *

    Netomazo route.

    A route that can be entered by only focusing on the events of the heroines while totally neglecting the character''s growth.

    If you enter this route, the heroines will give you a direct hit of NTR at a high speed, and in the middle, they will leave the Hero character behind.

    The Hero wouldn''t be able to stand it and will continue to hang around them. He will slowly start peeking at the steamy sex actions of the heroines and other heroes, and gradually fall for that forbidden sense of immorality.

    The other heroes who notice this will suggest that to go together to take advantage of the main character, and the main character will ept it.

    After that, the protagonist will be slowly transformed into aomazo by the heroines and other heroes, and like that¡ªGame Over.

    Of course, it''s a bad ending.

    Why am I mentioning this?

    Why else? It''s because I''m on that full-speed bad ending train right now.

    I once again looked at my a rat''s tail worth of status.

    ============ Lv.17

    Strength: E (115) Agility: E (105) Durability: F (85) Mana: F (70) =============

    The f*ck! How the hell can this be a mid game character''s stats?!

    By this point of time, it should have been taken upto normally around level 30, if not, even 40. However, this bastard Cloud didn''t level up because he was busy ying soft with the heroines!

    ¡®That''s why this body is so pathetically weak.''

    As I took a deep breath, Walter took back the paper with my status.

    ¡°I think you can be given a B-grade.¡±

    "Is that so¡­"

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too discouraged. Being a B grade at that kind of age is a great deal.¡±

    "Yes¡­"

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll give you your Adventure License by tomorrow. Come back tomorrow.¡±

    "All right."

    That way, I left the Adventurers'' Guild and returned to the inn.

    Laying down on the inn bed, I thought.

    ¡®Bye shiny equipments, level upes first.''

    I''ve yed this game 3 times, so I know where I can find what type of equipments. Before checking my status, I originally had thought of travelling to find some quality equipments.

    However, after seeing this status, I have no choice but to revise the n.

    What will I do with good equipment?

    ¡ªThe basic stat is a worm''s worth. It would just be hanging a pearl ne around a pig''s neck.

    And the current equipment isn''t that bad either. Although it''s a mass-produced version sold in the market, the current equipment is eptable for the current progress.

    Oh, talking about the equipments, is the Holy Sword alright?

    I took out the Holy Sword that was ced under the bed. When the rolled up cloth was removed, a pristine white Holy Sword appeared.

    Seemingly fine.

    What about inside?

    I poured my mana into the Holy Sword and looked inside the Holy Sword.

    ¡­it''s pretty much insanely broken.

    ¡°I knew this was going to happen.¡±

    In the game, the Holy Sword is treated as an attack enhancement skill with a fixed number of uses. It is a skill that is particrly strong against demons and evil spirits. However, the number of chances left now are too pitiful.

    4 times.

    From what I''m looking at, another 4 times is the maximum.

    ¡®I wondered how they even progressed to this stage¡­ Man, the poor Holy Sword was overworked to its limits¡­''

    It''s ridiculous.

    If you are in a spot, think about f*cking up that demon and level up with that! Is it okay to just take the sh!t out of the Holy Sword like this?!

    No matter how much of a p*ssy you are, this is too much you little sh!t¡ª!

    ¡®..Heh, it''s already done.''

    Now, what''s the use thinking about it?

    ¡ªnothing changes.

    Ifortably positioned myself on the bed and closed my eyes. Today will probably be thest time I will be sleepingfortably.

    * * *

    ¡°Here''s your B-grade Adventure License.¡±

    I epted the Adventure License that the receptionist gave me. The Adventure License had the personal details that I had told yesterday with arge letter ¡®B'' engraved on it.

    I got the Adventure License and was about to leave, but the receptionist stopped me.

    ¡°Mr Cloud. Isn''t this your first time working as an adventurer?¡±

    ¡°Um, indeed.¡±

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you try the Goblin Subjugation quest while also gaining practical experience? There is a party that justcks one member to fill the quota.¡±

    The receptionist said so and pointed in one direction.

    I turned in the direction she was pointing at and saw four people, men and women seated at the table.

    * * *

    Any mistakes or typos? Dm me on discord¡ª Lore#1942

    Support me (click here) and read extra chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 7.1: Hero, Once Again (3)

    ¡°My name is Samuel. Take care of me."

    The giant in leather armor held out his hand. He grabbed my hand and shook it a few times. Seeing that he was holding a wooden shield, this guy must be the tank of this team.

    ¡°From this side on, Gemina, Tom, and Marilyn.¡±

    ¡°Hello. This is Gemina.¡±

    A brte woman with two daggers tucked into her waist.

    ¡°This is Tom. Take good care of me."

    A man with a lot of freckles with a big ax behind his back.

    ¡°Marilyn.¡±

    A chic looking woman with a bow and quivers behind her back.

    These were the party members the receptionist had spoken of.

    "Mr. Cloud, we will be counting on you."

    ¡°¡­why you are being so formal?¡±

    Marilyn mumbled with a dissatisfied expression on her face.

    ¡°Yeah, you don''t have to be so formal. If you want to speak informally, please speak informally. In fact, that would be morefortable.¡±

    ¡°Rea¡­¡±

    ¡°Hahaha, no no. How can we speak like that to a B-ss adventurer?¡±

    Samuel covered Gemina''s mouth and spoke with a big smile on his face.

    "Really? Then I''ll speak informally.¡±

    However Samuel couldn''t stop Marilyn, who spoke openly. Samuel''s face turned white when he saw that happen.

    ¡°Hey, Marilyn, you¡­!¡±

    "Stop, you are just overeating too much. More than that, are we leaving today?¡±

    "Yeah? Ah yes. Because the sooner you hurry, the better¡­ Ah, Mr. Cloud, If you have any difficulties¡­"

    "Do not exist. Let¡¯s go right away.¡±

    "All right! Let''s go, guys!"

    * * *

    ¡°Our vige was a very poor one. It was difficult to even procure three meals a day, even if we continued to work all the day except for resting during sleeping hours. So the four of us made a promise back when we were young. Let''s get out of vige and make big. Thene back and save the vige."

    A day had passed since I left the city.

    If there''s one thing I had realized during this time, it''s that this guy named Samuel talks a lot.

    He keeps telling stories of the past that I''m not even curious about, and even if I tried to stop him vaguely, man, he was too dumb to understand.

    But, this guy is too kind to me to just directly dismiss him as being noisy.

    So I just listened with one ear and let it flow out through the other.

    ¡°As for what happened then¡ª¡±

    "Samuel."

    ¡°This guy, Tom¡­¡±

    "Samuel. Gemina is calling.¡±

    Marilyn pped Samuel on the back.

    Patak-!

    Listening to crisp sound, the force applied was by no means small.

    My lord¡­ weren''t you guys close friends?

    ¡°¡­Marilyn even if hit me a little softer, I would have noticed.¡±

    "Noisy."

    ¡°Geeez¡­ Gemina? Why did you call me?¡±

    "Shh!"

    Gemina, who was taking the lead, raised her index finger to her lips and pointed forward. I approached quietly and looked where she was pointing at¡ªto see six goblins carrying a small boar.

    ¡°What should we do?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Cloud, what would you like to do?¡±

    Samuel handed over Gemina''s question to me.

    Gemina and Marilyn looked at him in dissatisfaction, but he didn''t budge, waiting for my answer.

    ¡°I will say, we should follow. If they are from the den we are looking for, we can kill them altogether. Or¡ª"

    "Or? There''s even more?¡±

    ¡°Marilyn, you¡­¡±

    Marilyn interjected in a slightly irritated voice. Samuel tried to rebuke Marilyn, but I shrugged.

    ¡°Or you can inform the guild for dealing with them if we find too many moreter. Let''s stop arguing now and go after then. And, don''t make a single sound. It will be annoying to find another trail if we got caught."

    Samuel, who was about to rebuke Marilyn, closed his mouth shut. Marilyn also clicked her tongue and turned her head away.

    We followed the goblins stealthily.

    Fortunately, these guys didn''t make any unnecessary fuss while sneakingly trailing those critters.

    After folowing them to a distance, we found what looked like to be a goblin''sir¡­

    ¡®¡­what?''

    As I watched the goblins enter, I couldn''t help but tilt my head.

    It didn''t make sense, the ce they entered was a caverge enough to fit in arge wild bear.

    ¡°What''s wrong?¡±

    ¡°That cave, it''s was too big for some green ¦Áss goblins to live in. Why did they settle down in such a ce?¡±

    Goblins are small like children and haveparatively weaker muscle power. Their nails are a bit dangerous, but other than that, they are a race with nothing special.

    A species¡ªwhere it will not be even a little strange even if they go extinct from nature at any time.

    Nevertheless, they persistently survived in the harsh ecosystem.

    It was possible because they were clever and wicked.

    They''re not natural hunters, but they know a hunter''s patience. If you set a trap and have the persistence to wait, no doubt that someday it will catch its prey.

    They''re not natural fighters, but they know how to kill creatures. Pushing the advantage of numbers is the norm, and surprise sneak attacks their favorite.

    It is a race that should never be neglected just because it looks weak.

    The goblins in the world I was previously dragged into, digged and then used burrows that only they could go in and out of, just like ants.

    Therefore, in order to clear the goblin den, the whole den had to be copsed or smoked to cause suffocation to force them outside.

    Who will take the risks and crawl in to fight? Of course for those who even crawled in, half of them came out injured. Because all kinds of strange traps were waiting their arrival.

    So why are these shrewd critters living in a ce where foreign wild enemies can attack so openly?

    It was strange.

    ¡°Why are you so obsessed with their home? I guess they just took it because it looks good to live. Where could there be a usible reason for a dumb goblin''s mind?¡±

    Marilyn murmured gruntingly.

    This time, Samuel didn''t say anything different, either.

    Judging by their reaction, they seem to know what kind of stupid creature a goblin is¡­

    Hmm¡­ So the goblins here are different than the ones where I used to live in, aren''t they?

    How did you survive being so stupid?

    They should have been long gone extinct under the fangs of other monsters.

    Maybe that?

    The absurd setting I had only seen in mangas? The innate race gift of possessing a whopping monstrous fertility?

    If they get pregnant just once, they will deliver five or six babies at same time, something like that?

    ¡°Hey¡­ I want you to make a decision now¡­¡±

    Gemina came to the side and urged.

    I thought a little and said.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡±

    You can''t destroy such arge cave, and you can''t suffocate with smoke either, so there''s no choice but to go in and rampage in a straight way.

    * * *

    The inside of the cave was so dark that it waspletely invisible without a torch, and it was also full of sticky moisture.

    We walked through the cave in the order of Gemina, Samuel, Marilyn, Tom, and me, Cloud.

    From a young age, Gemina was the most agile and brightest of the four. That''s why she took the lead in this situation.

    Tuk. Tuk.

    Marilyn tapped Samuel on the shoulder. When he turned around, she spoke in a low voice that only Samuel could hear.

    ¡°What are you think?¡±

    "What?"

    ¡°Why are you being so courteous to that man?¡±

    When she was young, Samuel was a vige alley bully and a dependable older brother.

    It was him who thought out the n to revive the vige by teamwork with the four of them. Marilyn held deep respect for him¡­ It was only natural for her to feel offended when he acted like a humble side kick in front that man Cloud.

    Samuel signed.

    ¡°I rather want to ask you. What the hell are you doing, acting like that in front of a B-ss adventurer?¡±

    "Huh?"

    ¡°Except for me, who is a D-ss, all of the others are E-ss. Just what were even thinking while being so rude to that B-ss? Do you know how much my heart palpitated when I saw you like that?¡±

    "Ah! What''s with that doofus look? Where did the alley bully I knew go? Did you go to the city a year earlier and became a coward?¡±

    ¡°I did came a year earlier, so I saw a lot and realized a lot, you idiot. And, how whackingly dangerous these high-ranking adventurers are!¡±

 Chapter 7.2: Hero, Once Again (3)

    If there is one thing Samuel realized during his past year of adventurer life, it is that most of the high-ranking adventurers are not sane.

    They are people who will beat the bar clerk for offending them.

    They are person who can openly harasses a woman or a receptionist.

    There are times when two drunks go out and only one returns¡ª

    ¡ªwith the sword of the man who returns alone dripping with red blood.

    All the talented and sane guys are recruited as guards and knights, so it was very natural if only these crazy guys were left in the Adventurer''s Guild.

    In such a ce, the title of a vige alley bully from a rural area was useless in all means.

    Try to say it and you will beughed at and beaten like a donkey.

    So, all he could do was to humble himself over and over again until he could protect himself.

    Under such circumstances, the younger adventurers who have juste to the city are showing their fangs in front of a B-ss¡­

    For Samuel, his heart thumped nervously every single time.

    ¡°I¡¯ll exin it youter, so for now listen to me. Don''t intercept on whatever that person says. Just don''t bother him.¡±

    "There dude. It''s too noisy.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes, yes. I''m sorry."

    Samuel bowed his head toward Cloud. Marilyn frowned, but as Samuel gripped her wrist tightly, she bit her lip and loosened her expression.

    So, the group returned to silence again.

    By the time they felt they had entered the cave quite deep, the party encountered nine goblins.

    ¨C Kiiie?

    The goblins counted the number of Cloud''s party. They soon realized that they had more numbers and smiled cruely.

    The goblins drew out crude weapons such as wooden clubs and rusted daggers.

    ¨C Squeak! Chiiik!

    ¡®Did they really think that having a lot of numbers is advantageous?''

    The goblins rushed towards Cloud and his party.

    -Siuuu!

    An arrow fired by Marilyn pierced the leading goblin''s forehead. The goblin hit by the arrow fell down, but the other goblins did not stop and rushed.

    Samuel and Gemina faced the goblins while Marilyn nocked a new arrow.

    -Chiick! Squeak!

    The three goblins hollered excitedly and swinged their clubs. However, there was a huge difference in size between a Goblin and Samuel. Samuel also had a shield, so he didn''t take any significant damage from the goblin''s club.

    Rather, Samuel swung his sword and smashed the goblin''s shoulder.

    Meanwhile, Gemina, who had only two daggers, was having a hard time. Because all five of them were running towards her.

    Fortunately, Tom wasn''tte.

    He swung hisrge ax crosswards. The goblins tried to block it with clubs and daggers, but the difference in weight and force was huge. The clubs and daggers were broken, and the bones of the goblins were also harpooned.

    ¨C Kiiie¡­ Kiie¡­?

    In an instant, four of them were taken out.

    There was no more advantage in numbers. The goblins quickly began to run away into the cave.

    ¡°Where, huh?! Do you think I''ll let you go?!"

    Marilyn, with her hasty personality, drew a sword from her waist and chased after the goblins. Gemina, Tom, and even Samuel ran after her.

    The enthusiasm of victory fanned them.

    ¡°You¡¯re going too deep.¡±

    Of these, only Cloud remained calm. He slowly made his way into the cave.

    * * *

    Marilyn, she is a confident women. Since she was young, whatever she did, she was savvy and good at it.

    So this time too.

    It''s the first request I''ve received a quest, but it''s going good, isn''t it?

    ¨C Kik! Cheiik!!

    Seeing the goblins scream and run away, she ran after.

    ¡®Anyway, Samuel oppa has be too soft.''

    It''s not even an S-grade or an A-grade, just a B-grade, what''s so terrifying?

    If it''s a B grade, she can get it anytime she wants.

    Just like here too.

    When fighting the goblins, that B-ss human did nothing.

    No different from the vige idiots who can only increase pressure on their shoulders.

    ¡®I have to show him properly this time.''

    That, what a great warrior she herself is.

    It was when she was chasing the goblins with such thoughts. Suddenly, she felt something strange on the sole of her foot. She lost her bnce and fell on the floor.

    ¡°Ugh¡­ what¡­¡±

    What did she trip over? Uh, wait a minute, why her legs can''t move?

    Marilyn looked down at her immovable legs.

    A pointed spear de protruded through the back of her foot.

    ¡®uh¡­? Why is this here¡­?''

    She had ignored goblins as stupid creatures. Of course, she thought there would be no traps, so she stepped on the spear des the goblins had tinkered on the floor.

    And pain alwayses after recognizing the wound.

    ¡°Aaaaaah!¡±

    For the first time in her life, she felt the pain of raw tearing of flesh.

    Marilyn could not withstand and screamed.

    ¨C Kihehehehehe!!!

    The goblins, who had been running wildly before, giggled when they saw Marilyn''s appearance. And slowly approached her.

    ¡°Fuck off! Oh, don''te! Don''te!¡±

    Marilyn drew out her bow and tried to nock an arrow. But there''s no way she could target an arrow with those trembling hands.

    The goblins kept getting closer.

    ¡®What should I do¡­ What should I do¡­''

    She was full of confidence until the chase begin, but now she was afraid than anything of only these five goblins.

    ¡®Who, someone¡­"

    ¡°Marilyn!¡±

    Samuel, Tom and Gemina arrived at just the right time. Marilyn''s expression brightened.

    ¡°Y, You okay¡­ your feet¡­?!¡±

    "I¡­ I''m fine, those goblins! Kill the goblins first!¡±

    Marilyn pointed at the goblins with a bloody finger. Samuel nodded his head and clenched his shield and sword strongly.

    ¡°Dare you buggers¡­¡±

    Samuel trudged towards the goblins.

    The five goblins did not run away. They smiled more creepily than before.

    Gemina felt something strange about it.

    ¡°Oppa! Stop there''s¡­!¡±

    It gotte.

    Thum!

    Samuel was hit from the side by something heavy and rolled on the floor.

    ""Oppa!""

    ¡°Samuel hyung!¡±

    "I''m okay!"

    Samuel grabbed his aching side and barely got up. And he looked in the direction from where he was hit.

    A goblin appeared from the dark shadow.

    Although he was still short, his body was muchrger than that of ordinary goblins, and the club he was holding was thicker than the others.

    Samuel knew the identity of that goblin.

    ¡°Hobgoblin!¡±

    Hobgoblins, a type of mutated goblins.

    Hobgoblins are known for their strength and stamina that surpasses way more than those of ordinary goblins.

    Samuel held out his shield forward and took a stance.

    It''s unreasonable for his younger siblings who started working as adventurers for the first time today to handle this situation. Today, he was determined to fight this Hobgoblin with his real skills¡­

    ¡°Behind you!¡±

    "What?"

    Samuel quickly turned back.

    Arge club wasing down towards his head, he hastily managed to block it with his shield. But rolling down the floor unsightly was unavoidable.

    "Ugh¡­ two Hobgoblins¡­ what is this¡­"

    It''s usually hard to find even one.

    Without some badsh!t luck, it wouldn''t be like this.

    Since this is the case, Tom and Gemina would be in charge of one, and in the meantime, I¡­

    ¡°O, Oppa¡­ these two are n-not the end¡­¡±

    Gemina''s trembling voice sounded.

    "What?"

    Samuel immediately swung his torch and looked around. Red eyes visible from behind the pitch ck darkness. The goblins had crowded them.

    ¡®Damn¡­ it''s impossible to y against this number. We now have no choice but to carry Marilyn¡­ and run away¡­''

    Samuel turned his back.

    He couldn''t help but get throat-stuck at the scenery in front of me.

    Two new Hobgoblins had appeared and blocked their paths.

    ¨C Hee hee hee hee hee!!!

    ¨C Hee hee hee hee!

    ¨C Chihi chiiie hee hee hee hee hee hee hee!!!

    Goblinsughed at the stupid humans.

    How can they notugh at the pigs who have entered the ughterhouse on their will?

    How could they notugh at the foolish prey that mistook itself for being a hunter?

    The crescent-shaped red eyes that were clearly visible even in the dark, and theughter of goblins echoing through the cave.

    The four pitiful adventurers trembled in fear.

    They believed that one day they would grow into outstanding adventurers. So, from childhood, they listened only to the stories of sessful adventurers, and so the stories of adventurers who were killed by monsters were left out.

    Because they thought it had nothing to do with their life.

    But death alwayses suddenly.

    Now it was their turn to be the protagonist of the pitiful story of four people who looked down on the goblins and were killed and eaten instead.

    ¡­if only there wasn''t one more person here.

    -Sliik!

    The de pierced the Hobgoblin''s chest that was blocking the entrance.

    -Kihee¡­ Heh¡­?

    A hobgoblin who wasughing, stilled and died.

    As Cloud drew back his sword, the Hobgoblin slumped down forward.

    -Kiie..? Kii Kii?

    The Hobgoblin next to him jumped and smashed the club hard. Cloud turned his body dodgingly to his side to avoid it, then extended his sword forward.

    As before, his sword pierced the Hobgoblin''s heart.

    He kicked the Hobgoblin away with his feet and violently drew out his sword. He said as he swung his sword violently, sshing the blood from the rupture.

    ¡°Look at this. I told you guys, they are not stupid."

    Cloud moved his gaze without hesitation into the darkness full of red eyes.

    * * *

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 8.1: Hero, Once Again (4)

    <strong>Trantor: Lore_Temple</strong>

    ¨C Kuckh¡­..

    ¨C Haa¡­haah¡­.

    Samuel while carrying Marilyn was sprinting towards the exit of the cave. He was followed by Gemina and Tom.

    ¡°Agh¡­.¡±

    Every time the soles of her feet swayed violently, Marilyn groaned.

    ¡°Hold on, Marilyn. We are almost out."

    The cave wasrge, but not very deep.

    If they continue running like this, they will definitely soon see the exit.

    As Samuel had expected, after running for a while longer, he saw the boundary between the cave and the sunlight. Even after whizzing out of the cave, Samuel didn''t stop running.

    He only stopped his sprint after he reached the clear forest bushes in front of the cave.

    ¡°Samuel, why did you stop?!¡±

    ¡°We have to stop Marilyn''s bleeding. Better to treat now. Otherwise, she will grievously sufferter.¡±

    He had once seen an adventurer who suffered from sickness for a whole week just because of a shallow cut.

    As his condition worsened, he had to visit the priest, who said that his wound was infected. As per what he knew, the priest advised that it is better to treat the wound when it urs, unless you carry a potion or can use a heal.

    And Marilyn''s wounds were much worse than that adventurer at that time.

    Even if there was a risk of being pursued, it was better to deal with it quickly right now.

    Samuel took out the pestled herbs and a bandage out of his bag. The pestled herbs were applied evenly on the wound as he rounded the bandage.

    Meanwhile, Gemina and Tom looked back at the cave.

    "¡­brother. Will Mr. Cloud be fine? Shouldn''t we be on his side now?"

    ¡°Yes, bro. He''s a B grade. He killed those two hobgoblins prats so easily. With our help, we all can definitely kill all those goblins.¡±

    Gemina and Tom urged Samuel, who was doing the first aid.

    It''s because they both felt guilty for running away, leaving Cloud inside.

    But Samuel said sternly.

    "No way. You guys just saw the number of those goblins, didn''t you? Going in there is suicide.¡±

    "But¡­"

    ¡°No buts! I said no!¡±

    When Samuel shouted, Gemina and Tom, as well as Marilyn, who was being treated quietly, flinched in surprise.

    Seeing that reaction, Samuel sighed deeply.

    "Yes. As you said, Tom, Mr. Cloud took out the two hobgoblins in an instant. But that''s because there was an element of surprise in the mix. If dozens of goblins rush together on you, no matter which B-ss adventurer it is, there is no other end result.¡±

    ¡°That''s why we have to help quickly before..!¡±

    ¡°What if we go? What can we even do?¡±

    Tom and Gemina''s mouths shut closed at the words that stabbed right through the core.

    Except for the wounded Marilyn, there were the only three who still had the ability to fight.

    But¡­

    They are only two novice adventurers who have received their first quest today and a D-ss adventurer who has just climbed the rankings.

    They didn''t have the power to change the unfavorable battle situation.

    Tom and Gemina bowed their heads, feeling helpless and guilty.

    After fastening the knots of the bandage, Samuel patted Tom and Gemina on the shoulder.

    ¡°Don''t feel guilty. Even though we all could have run away together, unfortunately, only we were able to run away. It''s the destiny''s choice, not our¡­"

    Samuel couldn''t finish his speech.

    Because he saw someoneing out of the cave.

    At first he thought it was a goblin.

    However, the figure''s height, which was revealed btedly, was too big to be that of a goblin''s.

    "Brother?"

    Surprised by Samuel''s sudden pause, Tom and Gemina also turned their heads.

    ¡ªboth to be left frozen.

    "What happened? What is it? Is it a goblin?¡±

    Marilyn leaned up against the tree and struggled to get up. She turned her gaze to where they were looking with a hardened look.

    Her pupils dted.

    It wasn''t a goblin that came out of the cave, it was Cloud. He calmly sauntered out with four hobgoblin heads in his hands. He turned his head and looked around, and when he saw them, he approached with a bright smirk.

    ¡°I thought you ran away, so guys still here? Great. Come on, take one of the heads each, carry it for me.¡±

    Cloud held out the hobgoblin heads he was holding in his arms to the three uninjured people.

    But the three of them just looked at Cloud with nk expressions.

    ¡°What are you doing, not picking it? Mah man, to be honest, if you dudes still have a conscience, be of some help.¡±

    Cloud grunted, but his words couldn''t reach the heads of the three. Their heads were full of question marks.

    "How..?"

    "Yes?"

    ¡°How did you get out?"

    Samuel''s voice wasced with unbelievable absurdity.

    Cloud tilted his head and said as if it was all natural.

    ¡°I came out because I killed them all. What else do I had to do?¡±

    "What b¡­"

    ¨C''bullshit..?''

    The words reached his throat, but he had no choice but to swallow them back.

    Cloud''s figure that came out of the cave was bathed in dark red blood.

    Common sense is that there is no way humans can survive after that much blood loss, so it was reasonable to think that it was the blood of those goblin bastards.

    ¡®¡­He really killed them all?''

    So many goblins?

    ¡®¡­..''

    He is a B-grade adventurer?

    "¡­I''ll have to check it out."

    Samuel ran towards the cave.

    "Brother?!"

    "Brother!?"

    ¡°Wait, I¡¯ming too!¡±

    ¡°Hey you! My god, I just told you to carry some heads, why are you running now? Gosh.¡±

    He ignored the soundsing from behind. Samuel wanted to make sure that Cloud''s words were true, so he ran without stopping.

    And he was able to find it.

    Four headless hobgoblin corpses and dozens of goblin corpses lying strewn on the floor.

    Everything he said was true.

    "Brother! Where were you running like that¡­ hiik?!¡±

    Jemina, who followed, leaked a startled voice.

    And, so did Tom and Marilyn, who arrived a littleter.

    The scene where the intestines, severed limbs, and corpses were scattered disorderly was nt horrific.

    The three remained silent frozen, until Cloud arrived.

    "What the, what loots are you expecting to pick up from these penniless goblins? There''s nothing to salvage here, so rather carry these hobgoblin heads."

    Cloud''s voice came from behind.

    Samuel didn''t look back.

    ¡®You crazy guild bastards. That''s a B-ss adventurer, huh¡­''

    It was when he couldn''t ovee his fear and closed his eyes.

    "Excuse me¡­"

    Marilyn''s voice was heard.

    Samuel felt his heart sink. In his mind, the image of Marilyn, who was particrly prickly to Cloud popped up.

    ¡®Oh fuck, no Marilyn! Don''t offend him! Otherwise we all are fucked up big!''

    Samuel jerked his head in a hurry.

    He was going to run quickly and close Marilyn''s mouth¡­

    ¡°Sir, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    There was no need for that.

    Because Marilyn was bowing her head and apologizing to Cloud while being supported by Tom.

    "Yes?"

    ¡°T, That, I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn''t have talked like that. It''s my mistake to fall into a trap while running because I-I got needlessly excited, and to run away from the group¡­ I''m sorry¡­ I won''t do that ever again¡­sorry, I''m sorry¡­"

    Samuel looked at Marilyn''s face with her head bowed. She was weeping with her face etched with a horribly terrified expression.

    * * *

    There were no hobgoblins in the objectives of the quest that Samuel and his party had received. There was no mention of dozens of goblins either.

    Therefore, as soon as Samuel returned to the city, he had to report the anomaly to the head of the guild''s branch.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±

    ¡°Go back carefully.¡±

    Afterpleting the report, Samuel bowed his head once and left the waiting room. Seeing him leave, Walter sighed heavily, burying his back into his chair.

    ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Walter asked his secretary, Rickel, who was standing next to him.

    ¡°What exactly, sir?¡±

    ¡°Just now, what that kid said. Does it sound real?¡±

    ¡°I checked the money ledger, the hobgoblin heads are real. They exchanged four heads for money.¡±

    "All right¡­"

    Walter closed his eyes for a moment and pondered at what that kid had said earlier.

    ¨CI thought the first two kills were just a surprise attack. Anyway, the escape route was cleared, so I carried Marilyn and tried to run away. But¡­ Mr. Cloud didn''t intend to run away, instead he walked towards the goblin horde. Bewildered, I wondered if he had gone crazy. How are you going to handle those number?

    ¨CYes, we left him and ran away.

    ¨CEven if you curse me for being cowardly, I can''t help it. I wanted to live.

    ¨CIt was while hiding among the bushes in front of the cave, while giving first aid to Marilyn''s feet.

    ¨C¡­A figure appeared in front of the cave, it was him, who had appeared.

    ¨CYes, that''s right. It was Mr. Cloud.

    ¨CBathed in blood, his whole body in dark red, there were almost no wounds except for a few scratches.

    ¨CWhen I asked what happened, he lightly said, that he just got it all¡­

    ¨CAt first I thought it was total bullshit¡­ but when I went into the cave and checked, I had no choice but to admit that what Mr. Cloud was saying was true.

    ¨CHobgoblins and dozens of goblins were killed, they were horribly dead.

    Samuel shook his head, saying he didn''t want to remember more than that. He had ran away, so he didn''t see how they fought either.

    ¨CI could only guess that he had won overwhelmingly, seeing hisfortable condition and the gruesome scene, haah.

    ¡°Branch Chief. Is it possible to kill four hobgoblins and dozens of goblins alone, by a B-ss at that?¡±

    ¡°Impossible.¡±

    It''s just not as easy as one-on-one battles.

    Because every time you attack one, multiple other attacks wille at you, on the same time.

    It was for that reason that the adventurers did not move alone, but organized a party.

    Unless you have an overwhelming advantageous power gap, single against countless is a no brainer.

    Not like the case that happened now.

    Level 17.

    A level simr to the guards of any kingdom''s city after dingling for some time in their jobs.

    Cannot be said to be weak, but it was ambiguously wrong to say it was strong either.

    Of course, it was definitely stronger than a hobgoblin, which are at the most, something like level 10.

    One might even be able to fight two of them alone.

    But dealing against them with dozens of other goblins in the frey is another story.

    If everyone had been able to do that so easily, the continent wouldn''t have been rotten by the rampaging monsters, and the Adventurer''s Guild wouldn''t have been formed.

    ¡°If it¡¯s an ordinary B-ss, that is.¡±

    But Cloud did it.

    ¡ªhe''s no ordinary B-ss adventurer.

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 Chapter 8.2: Hero, Once Again (4)

    ¡°Then, sir, you are saying that he is not normal?¡±

    "Yes. My guess is that this friend must have been systematically trained by someone. After hard training, he must havee out to experience the outside world. That''s probably why the level is so low."

    ¡°Sir, by being systematically trained, you mean¡­?¡±

    At Rickel''s questioning tone, Walter shrugged.

    ¡°If anyone could do such a thing, who could it be other than a knight?¡±

    Knight.

    A humanoid weapon that is raised by the virtue of all kinds of hard work and systematic training since childhood.

    They do not depend on level.

    They fill that level gap with absolute skill.

    They are not bound by numbers.

    And, they are overwhelmingly strong.

    Rickel swallowed his saliva with a nervous expression at the word knight.

    ¡°Knight¡­ Then, shouldn¡¯t Mr. Cloud¡¯s rank be increased?¡±

    "It''s all right, just leave it alone. Most probably, he wouldn''t like that kind of perk. Just change the evaluation a bit. So that he can raise his rank any time he wants.¡±

    "¡­Yeah, sir."

    ¡°Then go out and do the work. I''ll sit down and think for a while."

    After Rickel left the reception room, Walter recalled his first meeting with Cloud.

    ¡®Somehow, even though he was young, his momentum was extraordinary.''

    ¡®¡­He was ying in a whole different world than me, all the time.''

    Walter smiled, but then he suddenly remembered what he had done.

    Everything from preemption to using grip to pressuring tone of voice.

    ¡®¡­Maybe, he wouldn''t hold grudges, right?''

    A drop of cold sweat ran down his back.

    * * *

    Killing the goblins allowed me to understand how the level system here works.

    ¡®It severs the soul.''

    It cleaves the soul of the dead by a little and get''s absorbed into the body of the opponent. When more than a certain number of souls umte in the body, the body is strengthened.

    So, mowing and absorbing the soul is what everyone calls experience, and umting them upto a certain extent to make the body stronger¡ªis called leveling up.

    So, what to do next was simple.

    Just kill all kinds of monsters at random and level up. After I''ve leveled up to a certain extent, I can leave to farm for equipments.

    But before that, there''s something more to be done.

    ¡°Wee. Are you here to join the swordsmanship guild?¡±

    The ce I was currently visiting was the Swordsmanship Guild, a ce that taught swordsmanship by paying money, just like in the game.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m just here to learn.¡±

    ¡®Probably, the being that pulled me here¡ªis very likely not to know who actually am I.''

    If it had known, it wouldn''t have thought of bringing him to his dimension.

    Of course, unless it''s really crazy.

    ¡®So, that guy probably thinks of me as some kind of wasted game obsessed freak who has yed a damn lot of games.''

    Then shouldn''t we act ordingly?

    Well¡­ one day I''ll may be forced to use my skills from the old world.

    But if that doesn''t happen, there''s no need to step forward and show my bottom line.

    So that''s why, I came to the Swordsmanship Guild to learn the skills of this world.

    As for the skit against goblins¡ªit was simply a matter of looking, dodging, and stabbing, but the next time I meet someone harder, it may lead up to showing some real skills.

    ¡°Learning is also good choice! Our swordsmanship guild is always open to anyone who wants to learn. However, learning, uhm, always costs money¡­¡±

    I took out a money bag containing 2500 gold and showed it to him.

    2000 gold is the money left over after giving Lina 3000 goldst time, and 500 gold is the money earned from thest goblin quest. Originally, 500 gold was to be divided among five people, but Samuel refused to take it, so, in the end I had all of it.

    While looking at the heavy money bag in my hand, the person showed a happy expression.

    ¡°You are eligible to learn. Follow me. I will guide you to the master.¡±

    I followed him as he guided me inside.

    From inside the guild, the sound of metal bumping didn''t stop, it seemed that the guild members were practicing with each other.

    ¡°Master, someone is here.¡±

    He said as he opened the back door of the guild.

    Passing through the back door, I saw the guild''s hall enclosed by white walls. There, about six people were following the movements of a middle-aged man.

    The man who guided me walked towards that middle-aged man.

    ¡°Master Riek.¡±

    ¡°What''s going on, Jack? Can''t you see I''m busy?"

    ¡°A visitor hase to learn.¡±

    "Oh? Let''s see. Are you the customer?¡±

    The middle-aged man wiped his sweat and looked at me. I nodded, and the middle-aged looked at the six continuing their training and ordered:

    ¡°I''ll be leaving for a while. Don''t stop, keep repeating from style one to eight until Ie back.¡±

    -Yes!

    "You. Follow me.¡±

    The middle-aged man led me into a side room. Even though it was not as big as the guild''s hall, there was enough space to swing around a sword, although not as freely as the hall.

    ¡°What do you want to learn?¡±

    ¡°What do you teach?¡±

    ¡°Double Sword Strike for three hundred gold. Parrying for five hundred gold. Wolf Buster for a thousand gold.¡±

    It''s the same as the game system.

    ¡°Then I will learn all of that.¡±

    My words made the master''s eyebrows twitch.

    ¡°You want to learn everything?¡±

    "Yes. Don''t worry, I have enough money. Then, please show the demonstration.¡±

    I threw the money bag minus 700 gold to the instructor.

    * * *

    Riek.

    By the time he approached the age of fifty, he was a wandering knight who had been wandering the continent from when he was young.

    Nobles and official knights looked at him and still ignored him, saying that even with a horse¡ªhe was nothing more than a wandering knight or a rootless mercenary, but he has always been proud of his one possession¡ªhis swordsmanship.

    He wasn''t in a good mood right now.

    It was because of the ballsy kid who came up earlier as a guest this time.

    Just by looking at his thin figure with those twig like arms, you would know that he must have been born in a well-to-do rich family.

    That''s why he could issue such an arrogant deration.

    ¡®Are you going to learn everything? Ha ha..! You wankers think that all you need is money¡­''

    That''s why these privileged buggers could never make it.

    They all thought that handling a sword was as easy as plucking flowers while lying on their big and soft beds.

    The reality is that, to master it¡ªyou have to work hard enough until your hands are filled with calluses, and practice until you cannot move an inch of your body.

    ¡®But¡­ I still have to make money.''

    Maintaining a guild costs money, it''s a matter of course.

    That was the reason why he, who held a strong pride in his sword, couldn''t kick out such a cheeky bastard.

    He smiledboriously and handed the wooden sword to Cloud.

    "Yes. It''s good to learn everything. So, let¡¯s start with the Double Sword Strike.¡±

    Riek took a stance with a wooden sword. He immediately swung his sword with a little tilt.

    "Ha!"

    A wooden sword swung toward the top.

    As he twisted his wrist, the wooden sword stretched in the opposite direction to the direction in which it was previously swung,ing right back at a greater velocity.

    It used the movement of the wrist to attack twice at high speed. Of course, the power is slightly lower than normal, but the advantage of being able to attack twice in a short time is the focus of Double Sword Strike.

    He looked at Cloud with a triumphant expression.

    ¡®Perhaps he didn''t even see it properly.''

    For a beginner who doesn''t know how it''s done, it''ll feel like something hase and gone in blink of an eye.

    "Can I try it?¡±

    "Of course."

    Cloud took the exact same posture that Riek had taken earlier. Seeing that, Riek internallyughed by himself.

    ¡®How''s it possible to learn with just one look? I had to practice it for a whole week back then to¡­''

    Shoo! Shoo!

    ¡ªthe sound of crackling of wind.

    Riek''s mouth fell wide open. Because Cloud followed Riek''s movements in the same exact manner.

    ¡®No¡­ H, How at once, that¡­''

    To Riek who was left bewildered, Cloud spoke calmly.

    ¡°Is it okay?¡±

    "Uh? Uh-huh¡­ well¡­ well done.¡±

    ¡°Then show me the next technique.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it should be.¡±

    Riek raised his wooden sword.

    Definitely, he is a guy who knows how to use a sword, no doubt.

    But this one won''t be easy.

    ¡°Parrying is letting the opponent''s attack flow in the other direction. It is meaningful in that it not only cuts off the opponent''s attack, but also creates a gap. Try swinging your sword at me once.¡±

    Cloud swung his wooden sword towards Riek. Riek directed off Cloud''s attack with his sword.

    ¡°This is called parrying."

    "Well, parrying is something that can only be done if you are skilled, beginners are better off hitting sideways rather than parrying it.¡±

    "I see."

    ¡°It would be better to try it yourself than to just see it. I will swing my sword at you. Take a good look at it and try to parry me.¡±

    Riek shed his wooden sword at Cloud, who had taken his stance. It contained power beyond what was needed to teach parrying.

    ¡®Let''s see if you can do it once again!''

    It was because such a childish thought had taken hold in Riek''s head.

    Seeing Riek''s sword attack, Cloud moved. When Riek felt something, his wooden sword was already hitting the ground.

    ¡®Uh¡­?''

    Without hesitation, Cloud continued.

    ¡°Teach me the next technique.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    In the end, Cloud learned all the three techniques in less than 10 minutes and went back the exact day.

    After he returned, Riek had to receive the puzzled eyes of his disciples as to why he had returned so early.

    ¡ªA hefty bonus on the already big crack on a certain someone''s pride.

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 Chapter 9.1: Hero, Once Again (5)

    The 17-year-old Denver is the youngest member of the bandit group upying the ck Goat Ridge.

    As the youngest member of this ¡®organization'', he is solely responsible for all the chores and minor troubles rted to other bandits.

    But that was all over now.

    Why?

    Because, a new member joined them today!

    ¡°Hey, Denver. Train this new rookie nicely. If this guyter acts like a fool, you would be the one to get a beating.¡±

    "Yes!"

    ¡°You answer quick, well do it.¡±

    A bandit named Nick tapped Denver on the back of his head and entered the hideout. As bad as it may have sounded, Denver''s face was full of smiles.

    ¡®No, idiot, what are you doing!''

    If you smile andugh in front of the newbie, he may look down on you. Denver erased his smile and looked at the newbie with a serious expression.

    ¡®¡­He''s a handsome guy.''

    It was the first time he had ever seen a guy with red hair, and that looked good on him too.

    Denver, annoyed for nothing, voiced out in a timorous tone.

    ¡°Rookie, follow me. I will teach you what to do in the future.¡±

    ¡°Yes, big brother.¡±

    "Yes..? What did you just say?¡±

    "Yes? Oh, I just said ¡®yes¡¯.¡±

    ¡°No, after that. What did you add?¡±

    ¡°Ah, ¡®big brother¡¯?¡±

    ¡­!

    Big brother. How wonderful it sounded.

    Denver trembled tiddly, it was the first ever time he had been addressed as ¡®big brother'' in his entire life.

    Denver, who was stunned, looked away as the neer looked at him with strange eyes, he quickly coughed in embarrassment.

    ¡°Yup,e with me. I will teach you everything that you should now know.¡±

    Denver took the neer into the living quarters and picked up a broomstick.

    "Take."

    "Yes."

    The newbie received the broom without uttering a single word more. He was originally going to give him a jab if the newbie dared to question his decision, but he seemed to be an actually sensible guy.

    ¡°Where should I clean?¡±

    ¡°Whatever we just passed, and all the ces where we live.¡±

    ¡°You mean all of this?¡±

    "Yes. Start asap.¡±

    The newbie started cleaning with the broom. Denver watched and delivered somements in mean time, and the neer would fix it right away.

    After he finished brooming, he was also taught to do other chores, such as chopping andundry.

    ¡°Hey you, newbie, you doing better than I thought. Have you ever done this before?¡±

    "Not really. I think I just have a little bit of knack for it, ha ha. Still, it''s nothingpared to big bro, you work is the definition of perfection."

    ¡°Of course it is. I''ve been rolling in here for years.¡±

    By the time all the chores were done, the two got fairly close. Because the neer followed Denver more obediently than he had expected, so he also opened the door to his heart.

    ¡°Brother, by the way, isn''t it dangerous?¡±

    "Hu? What exactly are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°I was just curious. Don''t we get protection fees from the three viges down there? I was wondering if there might be other people who covet it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, about that? Yes, of course, we have already bumped with them quite a few many times.¡±

    Denver, with shoulder to shoulder along the neer, pointed in the direction from where the sun rose.

    "There''s a group of skeletons freaks over there, those crazy bastards take out the skulls of those who they killed, crazy shit."

    This time, he pointed towards the direction where the sun was setting.

    ¡°Then, there are those wolf assholes over there who tame and use wild wolves.¡±

    ¡°They both sound strong.¡±

    "That''s right."

    Denver turned his head around to make sure it was only the two of them, and continued in a low whisper.

    ¡°Originally, there were about seven viges where we used to call the shots, you know? But except for the remaining three, the rest were stolen by those wolf assholes and those skeleton bastards."

    ¡°Did we lose the fight?¡±

    ¡°Captain says it''s a moderatepromise, but in fact, we were pushed back. Oh right, don''t talk about this with anyone else. If it flows into the captain''s ears, we both are dead meat."

    ¡°Haha, don¡¯t worry. I don''t have a big mouth.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I believe you.¡±

    Denver grinned at the neer pretending to zip his lips shut. Then, he decided to ask him something he had been curious about all along, since the first time he saw the rookie.

    ¡°Hey, but why did youe here?¡±

    "Yes?"

    ¡°I was hoping not to ask, but now I can¡¯t stand it, I¡¯m curious. With that face, frankly, you can seduce any well-to-do woman, and she will also eagerly pay for your needs, right? Then, why did you came all the way to this ce to suffer?¡±

    ¡°Ah, you mean that? Don''t ask mate, haash, it''s all bad luck.¡±

    ¡°Bad luck?¡±

    "Yes. As big brother says, I actually seduced a rich woman, but it turns out that she is not just any rich woman, but a woman from a very prestigious family, you know?"

    "Fortunately, I managed to escape due to her help, she lured away her father who in a rage was hell bent on killing me. But after I ran away, I found¡ªI actually had nowhere to go!"

    "If I start anew in another city, I will be a goner if that family sends assassins after my poor ass. So I was just wondering if there was any ce I could live in until I was forgotten, and what came to my mind was a bandit group.¡±

    ¡°God, I¡¯m so envious, you handsome fooker.¡±

    Since Denver was born, no women was ever attracted to him, so he was damn envious of the newbie''s exploits.

    ¡°So why did you be a bandit?¡±

    "Me? For me it''s a simpler reason than your''s. Our family was poor, it got torn apart. So my parents sold me for three rabbits.¡±

    ¡°Only three rabbits?¡±

    "Ugh. B, Because there were many children besides me. Anyway, I was caught in a cage and dragged away, but luckily I got a chance and escaped. And somehow, I came this far.¡±

    "¡­you''ve lived a harder life than I thought, big bro."

    ¡°Hey, you pitying me now, you lil punk, hah? Holy shit, imma getting goosebumps because of you.¡±

    "Hey! Denver and the newbie! It''s your turn. Come in!"

    While the two of them were peeling potatoes, a bald bandit suddenly shouted from inside the hideout. Hearing that, Denver clenched his fists and shook it in the air.

    "Atst!"

    ¡°What is our turn?¡±

    ¡°You will know when you arrive. Let''s go~!¡±

    Denver whistled and literally flew into the living quarters.

    The neer followed in his footsteps.

    Denver headed for the innermost room of the living quarters.

    A muscr gigantic man stood guard in front of the door.

    "Denver and your rookie, hm. Go in."

    ¡°Yesh, Mark!¡±

    Denver rushed into the room like flowing breeze, and the neer followed.

    There was absolutely nothing in the room.

    ¡ªExcept for a haggard woman staring nkly at the floor with unfocused eyes.

    ¡°Brother, this is¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh man, that¡¯s crazy¡­¡±

    Denver sighed deeply.

    ¡°What is?¡±

    "Bloody hell, just look at her. Look at this woman''s condition. Does she looks alright to you?"

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    "That''s right. She has atleast been yed around for a year. Haa, we have a new recruit too, how nice it would been if they gave us a girl who has been eaten less. Aw fuck, why don''t we just call it quits and run over to those skeletons or wolves? I heard recently, there are a lot of new batches of fresh girls there. me my shitty luck.¡±

    Denver groaned andid down the woman on the floor. The woman did not resist. She just stared at the ceiling with her hazy eyes.

    ¡°Where do you get these women from?¡±

    ¡°Why do we need to get her, uh? There are those three viges down there, right? They give it to us.¡±

    ¡°They, give it?¡±

    "Yeah, there are times when they can''t pay the protection fees on time because of poor crop harvest or something? Then, instead of protection fees, they give us these women.¡±

    ¡°What if they refuse and try to be stubborn?¡±

    ¡°Even if they try to hold on with the fees. Just go and turn it all over once, see if they don''t get down on their knees and beg for forgiveness. Then pick a few pretty bitches and bring them back. Are you just keep gonna talking? How are you not interested?"

    ¡°I¡¯m good. Big brother can enjoy it all for himself.¡±

    ¡°Oh my gosh, a woman like this doesn¡¯t even qualify to catch your eyes, is this? Anyway, it''s different for me anyway, too different."

    Denver grunted and loosened his pants. He proceed to take off his pants and spoke to the neer who was about to leave, as if he had forgotten something.

    ¡°By the way, I forgot to ask for your name. Come on, how did I even forgot this? Hey, rookie. What''s your name?¡±

    The neer paused for a moment, then turned around and answered.

    "Cloud, it''s Cloud."

    * * *

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 Chapter 9.2: Hero, Once Again (5)

    Late at night.

    Denver woke up. He tossed and turned a few times trying to get back to sleep, but he couldn''t.

    "¡­I should go and pee."

    Denver stood up and tried to go out¡­

    ¡°Oh, you woke up.¡±

    Cloud made eye contact with him.

    "¡­Hey. W, What are you d-doing?¡±

    "Yes?"

    ¡°What the fuck are you doing!?¡±

    If it was simply making eye contact with Cloud, there was no problem in it.

    Cloud, however, had the sword he was holding in his hand at the bandit''s neck sleeping next to Denver.

    ¡°God dammit¡­ which dick head''s so noisy¡­¡±

    Swiik-!

    ¡°Kuukgh¨C?!¡±

    As soon as the bandit woke up, he was transpierced directly through the neck.

    He died while struggling without even understanding the current situation.

    "Y, You, you..!"

    Denver looked around.

    All the bandits who slept with him in the same room were dead¡ªexcept for him.

    Only then did he notice the smell of blood wafting in the room.

    ¡°Shit!¡±

    Denver dashed quickly and pulled out the moon shaped scimitar hanging from the wall.

    "Are you nuts?! Do you think you will be able to get back alive after this, you biatch?! You don''t know how terrifying our boss is. As long as hees in person, your b¡­¡±

    ¡°That fat, tight pig? Ye, he was definitely a tad bit strong. But that was all.¡±

    "¡­What?"

    What did that bastard said just now?

    Denver didn''t understand what Cloud was saying. More like, it was something he desperately didn''t want to understand.

    Because, the boss was the strongest person he knew his entire life. Cloud spoke as if he had killed such a person. It only meant one thing¡ªhe had no way out of this situation.

    Tap.

    As Cloud took a step forward, the puddle of blood on the floor sttered further.

    ¡°Agghhh, don¡¯te.¡±

    Tap.

    ¡°Don¡¯te, you asshole!¡±

    Tap.

    ¡°You, why are you doing this to me¡­ I was good to you!¡±

    Tap.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do this because I wanted to! I just, because I wanted to live¡­! I did it because I wanted to live!¡±

    Tap.

    "Don''te¡­ wwhhg¡­ you fuckface!"

    Isn''t it said, that even a weak mouse when cornered to the end, dares to bite a cat?

    But while the mouse may give his all, at the most, it only leaves a small scar on the cat.

    And Denver was less than a mouse to Cloud.

    Tring-!

    The scimitar, which Denver swung with all his might, was deflected by the sword that Cloud twirled lightly.

    Denver''s body nted sideways.

    ¡ªand, Cloud''s sword pierced right through his chest.

    ¡°Kughk¡­¡±

    A de in your heart doesn''t mean you will die instantly.

    It takes at least a few seconds to die.

    And those few seconds were enough to look back into his life and leave some hushed murmurs.

    "Mom¡­ Dad¡­"

    Those were Denver''sst words.

    He was sold by his parents, at a low price of three rabbits, but he still found his parents even at the death''s breath.

    Cloud had no particr emotions about that.

    After pulling out his sword, he simply wiped the blood off the sword.

    * * *

    ¡°Heuk! Hiik! ¡­ I hate it¡­ I hate it¡­¡±

    A young girl was crying. Normally, when you see someone crying, you might try to soothe her, but no one here did so.

    Rather, they became annoyed because it was getting more noisy.

    This room, or more appropriately¡ªa cage, situated in the core of bandit hideout.

    Not a single ray of light enters the closed room, and the smell of filthing up from here and there stings one''s nose.

    ¡®Ah¡­ it''s noisy¡­''

    Katie is a woman who has been here for about two years. She may not be the oldest, but she is still a woman who has endured for a long time.

    The reason she came here was simple.

    The poor harvest gued her vige, and the vige, which was incapable of paying the ¡®protection fee'', had to send one of it''s women.

    At that time when everyone was in trouble, filled with loyalty and fidelity, she raised her hand.

    Eximing confidently.

    ¨CI will go.

    Now that she thought about it, that was a crazed decision. A foolish actmitted by being caught up in a nonsensical sense of heroism. But even if she regrets it, it doesn''t change the reality.

    Now, all she can do is to live each and every day with her emotions dying with time.

    Without knowing¡ªwhen she might suddenly end up dying.

    ¡°Wooo¡­ Mommy¡­ Daddy¡­¡±

    There were no signs of stopping¡ªthe young girl''s desperate sobbing echoed.

    Katie leaned back slightly and looked at the crying girl.

    ¡®It must be the new kid who came in today.''

    ¡ªwhose virginity will be picked up by that piglet asshole tomorrow night.

    ¡®Damn that motherf*cker. That pig bastard rolls so damn hard.''

    It''s a relief if she only got some bruises, for there were a lot of women who died after suffering from broken bones under that fat-ass.

    ¡°Who¡­ someone.. please save me¡­¡±

    As the girl sobbed, a snicker leaked out of Katie''s lips. It was not just her. The other women, who were mumbling in their annoyance, also burst intoughter.

    That''s because there were times when they were like that too.

    Those were the days when they endured each single day, with the hope that someone would save them, rescue them, and take them back.

    But, just like their''s, this young girl''s hope will also note true.

    Why?

    First of all, the number of bandits staying in this mountain hideout alone are over thirty. Compared to the vigers who can''t even get to eat proper regr meals because of unavability, these guys ate well and gain weight.

    In other words, even if the vigers made up their minds to retaliate, they will not be able to achieve anything.

    In addition, the city refuses to send it''s soldiers, iming that the urrence of monsters have exponentially increased nowadays. In this ce where there are rtively few monsters, the influence of bandits is bound to be strong.

    Some will say, "Why not collectively fund money and call an adventurer?"

    But¡­

    ¡®From where will the poor vigers who can''t even pay protection fee find the money to hire a powerful adventurer.''

    It''s hard and harsh, but that''s what we call reality.

    The day wille when that new kid will realize it too.

    Katie tried to fall asleep, ignoring the girl''s anguished wailings.

    It was then.

    Druck. Druck.

    As the pulley went up, the thick stone door that blocked the room and the outside world began to move.

    The young girl''s cry haulted.

    Instead, she looked up at the door with eyes full of hope.

    On the other hand, the women who knew the reality only sighed deeply.

    "Ugh, so annoying. Which bastard''s in heat so early in the morning?¡±

    ¡°Piss off, you brute bastards. If you are one of those losers with small sticks don''t disturb me or I will bite off what remains of your small family possessions. Go and skewer each other instead¡­"

    While the women groaned, the stone door waspletely opened.

    In between the dim lighting through the door, he stood tall, a handsome young man.

    ¡®¡­If it''s him, no would have any problem even if it''s early morning, hah? Eh? But was there such a man among the bandit bastards?''

    A question that suddenly came to her mind.

    Something started tickling inside her chest.

    It was something she had given up and abandoned long ago.

    Katie tried to ignore it.

    She didn''t want to be betrayed by her expectations again.

    It''s a bubbly dream that won''te true, she tried to restrain her heart, trying to remind it of the ruthless reality.

    Other women were in a simr situation like Katie.

    ¡°H, Hey, that¡­!¡±

    In the midst of that, it was the woman who was sobbing before. She asked him with an expression of half fright and half hope.

    ¡°Did you¡­e to save us¡­?¡±

    Gulp.

    Some swallowed their saliva.

    Some clenched their fists, and some shook their legs.

    Pretending not to care¡ª

    Pretending to give up¡ª

    ¡ªIn fact, they themselves were the women who were hungry for hope, more than anyone else.

    Tuk.

    Something was thrown amongst them.

    Clothes that were close to rags but could still cover their bodies.

    All the eyes focused on that one man.

    And, he, the handsome man, Cloud gave them the answer they desperately wanted.

    ¡°Get dressed. Time to go home.¡±

    * * *

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 Chapter 10.1: Hero, Once Again (6)

    Under Cloud''s direction, the women began to wear the clothes he threw. They were more like rags than clothes, but it was much better than being naked.

    ¡°When you are all dressed, hold each other''s hands. There, the blue-haired woman, what is your name?¡±

    ¡°M, Me? I am Katie-!¡±

    ¡°Then Katie will hold my hand.¡±

    As Cloud grabbed her hand, Katie trembled. But she didn''t try to pull herself out or shake off his hands. On the contrary, she held his hand more tightly, as if she didn''t want to let it go.

    ¡°Everyone, close your eyes.¡±

    ¡°Eyes¡­? Why the eyes¡­¡±

    ¡°There are a lot of things outside that you will get rattled upon seeing. If you really want to see it, I won¡¯t stop you, but if you do, you won¡¯t be able to swallow your food for a while.¡±

    One by one, the women obediently closed their eyes at his words.

    ¡°Okay then, we will be moving. Don''t panic and follow the person in front of you. I''ll walk slowly, so don''t be in a hurry. I will surely escort you all back safely, to your homes.¡±

    Starting with Cloud, Katie, then the woman holding her hand, and another woman simrly holding her hand, they began to move one after another.

    No matter how slowly and steadily you walk, walking with your eyes closed is quite frightening.

    Even more when with every step you take, you feel an unpleasant dampness on your soles, and especially if you can guess what it is.

    The women sped each other''s hands more tightly.

    How long had they walked like this?

    Krriik-!

    They heard the sound of arge wooden door creaking open, and as they walked out, an exhrating sense of liberation overtook them.

    ¡°You can open your eyes.¡±

    The women opened their eyes.

    What they saw was not the damp and rusty cage they had been seeing, but countless twinkling stars surrounding the crescent moon as if someone had taken a bite of it.

    They all nkly stared at the moon.

    ¡°Everyone, we are not at your home yet. The mountain at night is dangerous, so we will be moving carefully. Let go of your hands and follow me.¡±

    The dark mountain road oundished an eerie atmosphere.

    The ferocious beasts let out their howls, and the screams of something unknown whether it was a monster or a beast could also be heard clearly.

    But the women did not tremble.

    As if possessed by something, they just followed Cloud. They didn''t know why, but none of them could feel any fear as they walked behind his seemingly tall back.

    Exiting the mountains, a path appeared before them.

    Upon further walking down the man-made path¡ª

    ¡ªthey saw the clusters of shabby houses surrounded by wooden fences, which would make one too embarrassed to call it something that served as a barrier.

    But more than that, they saw it.

    ¡ªThe vige.

    A ce where real people lived, not vicious beasts pretending to be humans.

    ¡°Oh goddess¡­¡±

    A woman burst into tears. Starting with that, the wave of cries spread amongst other women as well.

    Even the women who had been confused till now, had realised¡ª

    ¡ªthey were back home.

    * * *

    When Cloud along with his sobbing group of females entered, the whole vige erupted into chaos¡ªtensed on suddenly seeing dozens of people entering the vige during early dawn.

    But only for a while.

    The vigers, realizing who the returnees were, weed them with tears.

    For the bandits, they were nothing more than ythings at any time of the day. But here, to some they were precious family members, and to others, they were friends with whom they shared memories.

    ¡°This favour, really¡­ thank you so much, O respected Adventurer.¡±

    Inside a shabby house.

    Although it is just a rural vige, even so, the vige chief¡ªthe most influential person in the whole vige, was deeply bowing his head.

    ¡°It wasn''t that difficult. So, pull up your head, old man.¡±

    "No, no way. If it wasn''t for you, sir, how much more torture these young children would have suffered¡­ I¡­ Thank you so much¡­"

    While the bandits harassed the vige women, the vigers were not just standing still.

    They had pleaded for help from the unresponsive officials¡ªgod knows for how many times, to the point of the old vige chief even desperatelytching onto a high official''s pant without letting go, only to be subduedter, but not to be outdone by circumstances, they even learned sword from a veteran who happened to stop by the vige.

    However, it seemed impossible to defeat the cruel group of bandits, even if they did everything in their capacity.

    So, in the end, he collected money from the vigers andmissioned it to the Adventurer''s Guild.

    He still remembers, the receptionist had listened to his story, and with a troubled look on her face, she had said that it would probably be impossible at such less amount, but he still held onto that without letting it go¡ªa faint glimmer of hope.

    As time passed and even that hope was about to crumble, a B-ss adventurer suddenly came to visit.

    An adventurer who introduced himself as Cloud.

    He took out the familiar quest sheet and said that he hade to subdue the bandits.

    The vige chief was, of course, extremely happy with it, but he still told him to return back. There''s no way a B-ss adventurer can handle those vicious bandits alone.

    Instead, a precious young life will fly away worthlessly.

    Despite all odds, the young man asked for the location of bandit''s hideout, and left the vige.

    And a few dayster, this morning¡ª

    ¡ªHe returned safely with the women who had been snatched away.

    For the vigers and the vige chief, who were not expecting it, it was like a miracle that showered on their doorsteps.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a lot¡­ but it¡¯s the promisedmission fee. The vigers have put all of their saved money. It may not be enough to fill sir adventurer''s pockets, but please¡­"

    The vige chief took out a shabby pouch and handed it to Cloud. Cloud took it and peeked a light look. Gold coins of denunciation one, five and ten were put in together.

    Adding it all up, the amount will probably not even go upto 300 gold coins.

    Cloud smiled bitterly and returned the pouch back to the vige chief.

    The vige chief''s expression got clouded in worries.

    ¡°Are you sure it''s still not good enough¡­? Please wait a little bit. I''ll go and talk with the people¡­¡±

    ¡°That''s more than enough. So, keep it.¡±

    "Yes..?"

    ¡°It means I don''t care if I''m paid or not.¡±

    The vige chief could almost notprehend his absurd words for a moment. An adventurer who doesn''t want payment for his job? It''s againstmon sense.

    ¡­or if he wants something else, something other than money.

    ¡°Well, so, is there anything else you want?¡±

    "Yup. I''ll like to take a rest for now. Do you have any spare room avable in the vige?¡±

    ¡°Yes, there are many empty houses. You can freely enter into any of those houses without a namete and take rest.¡±

    ¡°Then I will be off for today. Oh, and I''m hungry too, so I''d like you guys to spare me some meal. Come to think of it, I''m quite often missing my meals these days.¡±

    ¡°Of course, it should be done.¡±

    The old chief nodded his head.

    The main turning point will being now. The vige chief withheld his nervous expression and clutched his cane in a tight grip.

    ¡°Thank you for your kindness. I''ll just go and take a break. The vige chief must also be tired from waking up early in the morning, so please take some rest too.¡±

    Cloud got up from his seat and stepped for the door. The vige chief nkly looked at the standing figure with a foolish expression. Suddenly, he hastily stopped his thoughts before quickly scampering up on his feet.

    ¡°Sir, adventurer! Is there anything else you would like?¡±

    Cloud tilted his head, but soon he smirked knowingly as if knew what the vige chief was thinking.

    "Ah. Just that.¡±

    With those words, Cloud really left the vige chief''s house. The vige chief stared nkly at the spot he had left.

    It''s a difficult time for everyone.

    As the number of monsters are increasing, the burden on the territory is also increasing. Naturally, taxes also keep increasing, and some young men were conscripted and taken away. Due to which, these small viges, which were not very wealthy, were left dying.

    And simrly it was difficult for adventurers as well.

    Everyone says that adventurers are greedy and that their ships are full of oil, but they are living their day to day lives too.

    It is the money they earn by risking their one and only life.

    Because of this, there are not many adventurers whopromise on money, if not otherwise.

    The vige chief, who has been living in the world for a long time, knew this very well.

    And he briefly got to personally know the first one today.

    An adventurer who defeats ferocious bandits and rescues women, and is satisfied with just a single bed and a simple meal.

    ¡°At this age¡­ you idiot.¡±

    The vige chief wiped the droplets from his eyes with his wrinkled hands. If you cry at this age, people willugh. So instead of weeping, he decided to remember it clearly.

    The five letters of the name¡ªCloud.

    * * *

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 Chapter 10.2: Hero, Once Again (6)

    -Knock! Knock!

    Knocking sounded on the door.

    -Come in.

    With the permission to enter, the door opened and Katie entered through the door. Cloud who was sitting on the bed, disarming himself, looked at her.

    ¡°Mr. Cloud, we couldn''t prepare anything special¡­ but we did your best, here''s your meal.¡±

    Katie''s tray was topped with bread, soup, and broiled chicken. As she said, there was nothing extraordinarily special, but it was the best that a poor vige could have prepared by all their heart.

    "Thank you. It looks delicious.¡±

    Cloud epted the tray.

    To be honest, it didn''t look like it would be delicious, but sincerity has to be epted. He took a spoonful of soup and brought to his mouth.

    ¡®¡­I miss Lina¡¯s skewers.¡¯

    It''s been so long since he had one, to point of desperately missing her already.

    Cloud grumbled inwardly and started eating.

    Katie looked at Cloud like that quietly, then suddenly she opened her heavy lips.

    "Mr. Adventurer¡­ Thank you for saving us¡­"

    Gratitude was interrupted by the weeping that wetted her throat. Even until now, she couldn''t undertake the fact that she was back home, to live a brand new life. Meeting Cloud again and thanking him personally made her believe the present reality.

    But, humans are innately insatiable.

    It''s a person who you rescue from drowning, they will ask you to fetch a bundle that was washed away too.

    ¡°Why¡­ why¡­ I¡­¡±

    There was a young girl who was caught today.

    She hoped for salvation, and then she was saved. What happened to her tonight will be a happy memory she will never forget for the rest of her life.

    When she gets married and gives birth to her children, she can tell her tales with a gratifying smile to her children of her own salvation.

    That''s good thing.

    That''s indeed a good thing¡­

    But¡­.

    Why only that girl?

    Why is she the only girl that can be saved?

    What about me?

    She was much more desperate and miserable than that girl. Even though she couldn''t eat or sleep, she prayed all the time, so¡­ why didn''t she get saved?

    ¡°A little earlier¡­¡±

    Katie, who had said that far, covered her mouth in surprise. Unable to look at Cloud, she hurriedly shook her head.

    ¡°Oh, no, no. What the heck was I even trying to say¡­¡±

    What the hell did she just say that?

    Asking him to have arrived earlier? To save her?

    Isn''t that foolishly unreasonable?

    This man has neither has any obligation nor any responsibility to save her. It was in good faith that she received this favour¡ªto be saved. How can she be so greed and selfish, huh?

    ¡°I¡­ I just wanted to say thank you. Sorry for the weird mumblings. I will be going, bye¨C!¡±

    She rushed to get out of the house. She was so ashamed of herself that she could not bear to stand here. Just then¡ªCloud grabbed her wrist.

    He grabbed her and pulled her¡ªholding her into his arms.

    "H, Huh? Mr. Cloud..?¡±

    Kate mumbled in panic.

    Cloud gently stroked her hair like that and spoke in a gentle tone.

    ¡°It was very difficult, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    "I am so sorry that I waste. I couldn''t save you any sooner because of myck of abilities.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, no. There is nothing, Mr. Adventurer didn''t¡­ wrong. This is¡­ so¡­ just¡­¡±

    His embrace was so warm that she epted it with mere absurdity. The warmth she hadn''t felt in a long time melted Katie''s sad feelings.

    With tears in her eyes, she talked about the hardships she had gone through.

    Her weeping voice mixed with her light murmurs made it hard toprehend her words.

    But Cloud seemed to understand, and heforted her by stroking her head.

    The time passed like that.

    Eventually, Katie stopped crying. Even so, she was still in Cloud''s arms.

    His arms were so warm that she didn''t want to let go.

    After licking her lips a few times, she whispered to Cloud.

    ¡°Mr. Cloud¡­¡±

    ¡°Why is it, Katie?¡±

    "It''s¡­ It''s¡­ If it''s okay with Mr. Cloud¡­ May I sleep here tonight¡­?"

    Finishing her words, Katie hurriedly clinched her eyes. Because she didn''t have the confidence to see Cloud''s reaction.

    After a moment of silence, Cloud spoke in the same gentle tone as before.

    ¡°Katie, even with all that what happened, cherish yourself a little more. You deserve it.¡±

    His words were tender-sweet and caring to her.

    But Katie knew. That it was a gentleman''s way of refusal.

    "Is that so¡­"

    "Yes. One day, when you will meet someone who cherishes you, give that person what you cherish.¡±

    "I will. But¡­ is it okay for me, to be like this for a while longer?¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s a beauty like Katie, it''s everytime wee.¡±

    Liar.

    Katie smiled and rested her head a little morefortably on Cloud''s shoulder.

    * * *

    ¡°So, did you two¡­?¡±

    One of the women who was sharing the living quarters with Katie asked. After leaving the house where Cloud was staying, she was soon dragged by them.

    ¡°What did?¡±

    "Huh? What, weren''t you two sharing a good vibe?"

    ¡°¡­Did you peek?¡±

    At Katie''s bloody expression, the startled woman quickly fluttered her hand.

    ¡°Only until Mr. Adventurer wasforting the crying you on his shoulders! I didn''t see anything after that!"

    ¡°You sneak peeker!¡±

    Katie rushed at thedy. The other woman giggled while the two of them engaged in a mock fistfight.

    ¡°I can''t believe you didn''t¡­ That''s too bad¡±

    ¡°What so?¡±

    ¡°If you said you did, I was going to visit him the next day.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what..?¡±

    ¡°Why? Mr. Cloud is so handsome! He''s not only so kind and gentle but is also a man of ability! As soon as I drop by, once I show my skills¡­¡±

    "Ha! Like you can satisfy anyone with your poor skills? It should be about the size of my waist¡­¡±

    ¡°Hey, you crazy b*tches, don''t let me get you!¡±

    Katie ran towards the women turning their backs in mid-air.

    It seemed that she had to fold the waists of these twitchy prats tonight.

    * * *

    ¡°Ah, I want to have sex.¡±

    After Katie left, I muttered to myself, all alone inside an empty room.

    I am not a monk or a saint.

    In other words, a man who is strong enough to build a sturdy tent out of his pants every morning.

    To be honest, when Katie invited me to sleep earlier, I was, welp, honestly tempted.

    A night with a pretty vige maiden saved back to the vige.

    This is the dream of a budding hero!

    In the past, I couldn''t, because I was conscious of my colleagues, but now I''m alone¡ªwithout any colleagues!

    It doesn''t matter if I spend one or even two nights with a girl who consently likes me! There''s nothing wrong with that.

    But I couldn''t.

    Why?

    What other than that shithousery?! It''s because of this fucking bullshit setting!

    Did Katie know?

    That my little lord got an erection when her breasts touched my body?

    She most probably didn''t.

    Why?

    Because even if I had an erection, there was no damn sign!

    My pants were damn t!

    That''s why Katie must have given up quickly and left. What if she saw a tent pitched on my pants? Temptation would have followed.

    ¡°Oh, bollocks.¡±

    What''s the point of being handsome?

    When the real goods are cursed?

    I think, even if I fell for the mood earlier and ended up with Katie, the moment she caught this d!ck, she would have ended upughing without realizing it, and the atmosphere would have been totally ruined.

    After a while, the rumors may spread.

    That¡ª

    ¡ªCloud is a lil'' green chilli.

    ¡°Damn it¡­ I need a big tower¡­ a big one¡­¡±

    Something like a legendary medicine that can make any little manliness grow into a full fledged 18cm just by consuming it!

    It does not exist in ¡®The Hero''s Party''¡ªbut it appears in its sequel, ¡®The Tale Of A Knight''s Affair''.

    And since the two games share the same worldview, it must exist on this continent as well.

    ¡°Level up¡­ Farming¡­ Big tower¡­¡±

    n. Establishment. Completion.

    Just wait my 18cm.

    This brother''sing!

 Chapter 11: Well, Lets Do Well With The Same Protagonist (1)

    ¡°Have you heard those rumors?¡±

    ¡°What rumors?¡±

    ¡°What, you don''t know? There''s an adventurer who wanders around from vige to vige and hunts down bandits and monsters.¡±

    Two men were drinking ale at the inn, the one with the shaggy beard said.

    ¡°He must be an adventurer who is particrly obsessed with money, a money grubber, nothing new.¡±

    ¡°If you listen to the rumors, that''s quite opposite of the case. Some viges even said that he refused to ept even a single penny.¡±

    ¡°An adventurer who refuses money? What the, man, and you believe ''em? I''d rather be a dog stop pooping."

    ¡°It¡¯s true. Uncle Zod, you may not know it because you travel so much, but they are too many to be only simple rumors. Here, two ales as you ordered.¡±

    Emily, the waitress at the inn, ced two sses of ale between them. At that, Zod burst outughing.

    ¡°Is that so? Okay, then, let¡¯s hear the name of this so angelic adventurer.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­.. yeah! It''s Cloud. Adventurer Cloud!¡±

    "Cloud? Where did I heard that name¡­¡±

    Zod tapped his head with his finger, in thought.

    "Look, you''ve already heard the rumors too."

    "No, no¡­. Ah! Yes, it seems that Cloud was among the names of the heroes announced by the Empirest time.¡±

    "Hero? Whoa, haha! Yo, dude! That''s one he of a big shot, does it seems like he will be hunting bandits in a rag-tag ce like this?¡±

    ¡°Bah, who said he was a hero? They just have the same name.¡±

    ¡°Still, I think it would be so cool if he actually was actually the hero. A honorable hero who moves for the people under incognito.¡±

    ¡°Emily, aren''t you quite older, still reading fairy tales, eh?¡±

    Emily frowned as she watched Zod giggle.

    It was when she was about to say something.

    ¡°Take order here!¡±

    The inn door opened and a man entered.

    ¡°Yes, wee¡­¡±

    Emily''s smile hardened as she moved to wee the new guest with a smile.

    Her trembling pupils were filled with fear.

    ¡°Emily! Long time no see!"

    The man who had just entered the inn smiled broadly.

    However, the smile of the man with a bloody craze emanated by those hideous scars only made the atmosphere appear frozen.

    ¡°Ah¡­ ha ha, yes. Long time no see, Mr. Calix¡­¡±

    ¡°What, Emily doesn¡¯t seem to like me?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, no. How could it be? Mr. Calix, there''s an empty seat over there, so please be seated.¡±

    The direction Emily was pointing at was the table next to the quiet man in hood who was peacefully drinking his soup.

    Calix sat on the seat Emily pointed to and draped his shoulders over the chair.

    ¡°Anything you would like to order¡­?¡±

    She appeared to be panic-stricken¡ªEmily, who was bubbly when dealing with the two uncles, looked withdrawn when dealing with Calix.

    Calix smirked as if he found it funny, and patted the own table.

    ¡°I can¡¯t hear you very well. Come closer and talk to me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, sorry. I''ll talk louder. Anything you would like to order¡­¡±

    ¡°Aren''t youing, eh?¡±

    As Calix frowned at her, Emily shivered and walked closer as he told her to.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s nice when you do what you¡¯re told to. There is no need for me to get angry then.¡±

    His rough hand caressed Emily''s shoulder. It was an unpleasant feeling, but Emily clenched her teeth and held back.

    Seeing this, Zod tried to stand up from his chair as if he couldn''t take it any longer¡ªonly for his party member to hold him back at the spur of the moment.

    "I know what you''re trying to do, but hang in there, dude."

    ¡°Don''t be a pus*y! Are you seriously asking me to stay back after seeing a sight like this?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s the younger brother of the One-Eyed Bandits'' leader located right next to the town. If you touch him, the town will beyed waste!¡±

    ¡°That motherf*cker¡­¡±

    Zod bit his teeth.

    As his friend said, if that guy is the younger brother of the bandit groups'' leader, he can''t attack him recklessly.

    It''s impossible to win, and even if he wins, bandits wille to loot the town using revenge as an excuse.

    Because of this, Zod had to watch Emily, whom he had been seeing since her childhood, be harassed by Calix in front of his own eyes.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t youe with me? You will be treated much better than here.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve told you several times, I¡¯m fine. So stop¡­¡±

    A scuffle broke out between Calix, who tried to force Emily to sit next to him, and Emily, who resisted against him.

    Eventually, Emily resistance became fierce, and she identally knocked on the table next to her.

    As a result, the soup the customer next to her was drinking spilled on her floor.

    ¡°Ah! I''m sorry, sir. I''ll get you a new one right away."

    ¡°Where are you going?! I told you to sit here!"

    ¡°What are doing¨C! I have to bring the new soup for this sir right now.¡±

    "What a triffle¡­ Hey, bro. Wouldn''t you like to bring your soup by yourself, eh?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    "What¡­ Shouldn''t you be answering to me by now, ha?"

    When he didn''t answer again¡ªCalix got pissed as he had been bluntly ignored, frowned and banged his hand on the table.

    ¡°Hey you bastard, when I say answer¡ª¡±

    A sharp dagger pierced through the back of Calix''s hand.

    ¡°Aaaah! You motherf¡ª¡±

    Perhaps that alone was not enough, the hooded man gave a simple twist to the dagger.

    ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!¡±

    The flesh was torn and the bones were broken. Unable to bear the pain, Calix plopped to his knees.

    The man grabbed Calix by his hair and pulled him up. The man said as he looked at Calix trembling in excruciating pain.

    "Friend, I was peacefully having this breakfast, and what a pleasant morning. Although the taste buds were bonking my head, I had to eat, so I ate even this soup of a porridge with honey, what the, even honey, haash¡­"

    "So yeah, as I ate it like that, do you know what I saw? The bottom of the bowl. When I was about to feel the freaking sense of aplishment that I had finished this eatery, this friend overturned the bowl. But instead of apologizing, this friend got angry? So, can you feel how miserable I''m currently feeling?¡±

    ¡°Heh heh heh¡­ you bastard, do you know who I am?¡±

    Bang!

    The man mmed Calix''s head on the table.

    ¡°Can you feel how miserable I''m feeling?¡±

    ¡°You, you don¡¯t know¡­ I¡­¡±

    Bang!

    ¡°Can you feel how miserable I''m feeling?¡±

    ¡°My older brother¡­ of the One-Eyed bandits¡­¡±

    Bang!

    ¡°Can you feel how miserable I''m feeling?¡±

    ¡°M..Moma¡­ woo¡­ aahe, yeah, yeah! You must be very angry.¡±

    Calix answered with blood dripping down his forehead.

    "I know, right? So what should this friend say to me when I''m angry?¡±

    ¡°That, that¡­¡±

    Bang!

    ¡°What should he say?¡±

    "I''m sorry¡­ I was wrong¡­ I won''t do that again¡­"

    "Yesh. If you made a mistake and offended the other person, you should apologize, right? You got the correct answer, good, very good. Now let me stamp it for you."

    Bang!!!

    Calix, whose head was banged on the table with a force stronger than ever before, passed out as it was.

    * * *

    ¡°Huh¡­guugh!¡±

    Calix opened his eyes.

    He was lying on the bed, not on the table. His hand, which had been pierced by the dagger, was rolled up in a clean cloth.

    ¡°Where is this¡­¡±

    Calix recalled hisst memories before he lost consciousness.

    A hooded man who mercilessly hammered his head on the table.

    "That bastard..!"

    Calix stormed out of the door.

    He could see the empty hall of the inn on the first floor. There, Emily and the innkeeper were sitting.

    ¡°Oh, are you awake? Your hands are fine¡­¡±

    "Shut up!"

    Calix impetusly kicked the approaching innkeeper. He pointed his finger at the innkeeper who hasnded on his butt thumping on the floor and hollered.

    ¡°Do you rats think you will get away with this? Hang in there. The moment I go back and tell my brother, this town will be dead meat.¡±

    ¡°No, you can''t..! Please forgive us for only this once. He was a wandering traveler and had absolutely nothing to do with this town. No one in our town intends to go against the One-Eyed Bandits.¡±

    ¡°That''s not my f*cking business. And Emily!¡±

    At Calix''s call, Emily became as hard as a stone. He raised the corners of his lips devilishly and spoke cheesyly.

    ¡°You will regret for not taking my offer.¡±

    Calix sprinted out the inn door as it was.

    He strode in the direction of the One-Eyed bandit''s hideout.

    ¡®That bastard¡­ he must have not gotten far way.¡¯

    If they chased on horses, he will surely catch him, then torture him, and then atst, kill him.

    Calix spurred his pace. He soon reached the hideout, but there were no guards in sight from the watchtower.

    ¡°¡­these bastards must stretching under the eaves again.¡±

    It''s not like it had happened once or twice, so Calix swung opened the gate and entered the living quarters.

    ¡°Garlix! Listen to me. Some bastard in town¡­¡±

    Calix''s snitch did notst until the end.

    As he saw the sight in front of his eyes, his legs gave strength and he flopped down on the ground.

    He had no choice but to do so.

    ¡°Aren''t we meeting each other for the second time, my friend?¡±

    Because that hooded man at the inn earlier waszily sitting in the middle of the hideout. And the bandits¡ªthey were lying strewn on the ground, thrown like vegetables.

    ¡°You¡­ you¡­ why are you here¡­¡±

    Instead of answering, the man threw something at Calix.

    It fell on the floor and rolled over to Calix''s side.

    It was the head of Calix''s older brother, Garlix.

    ¡°Just a home visit.¡±

    The man took off his hood and smiled.

    The smile of the handsome man was refreshing, but to Calix, all he felt was bone-chilling fear.

    * * *

    I have raided 12 bandit groups and killed some monsters met by chance.

    ============ Lv.20

    Strength: E (130) Agility: E (120) Durability: F (100) Mana: F (95) =============

    The result is this.

    My status, that Emily told me.

    As one can see, the level has risen by 3. All other stats have also went up by 15.

    Since the level has risen by 3, and the stats has increased by 15, so the stat have increased by 5 per level up.

    ¡®Yeah, surely a trash body.¡¯

    The other heroes will go up by 8 or 9 every time they level up, but I alone only go up by 5.

    In the end, even if I level up, the basic hardware was inevitably different.

    ¡®Well, that¡¯s that, I have to work out hard or consume some inner core.¡¯

    In the game, when you hunt monsters, there is a certain probability that you get it''s inner core.

    If you consume that inner core, your stats will increase, as for what kind of stats will increase depends on what type of inner core you consume.

    ¡®By the way, it takes more time to level up than I thought.¡¯

    In the game, you could level up by quite a bit by clearing these bandit groups. Maybe it''s because it''s the reality, the number of bandits needed to level up has skyrocketed.

    This will mess up the ns a bit.

    The n to hunt for equipments after a quick level up session had to be scrapped.

    From now on, level up and farm equipment at the same time.

    ¡°Excuse me, Mr. Cloud..¡±

    A voice from behind broke my train of throught.

    I turned around to see Emily with her head bowed and her face blushing.

    She hadn''t gone back yet?

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°That¡­ Thank you for helping our town this time. Everyone is happy that the bandits are gone.¡±

    "Is that so?"

    "Yeah. Everyone had to struggle andbour under the tyranny of the bandits. So, we decided to hold a festival in the town to express our gratitude to Mr. Cloud.¡±

    "I see."

    ¡°Yeah¡­ So¡­ If you¡¯re okay with Mr. Cloud, can join with me¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m busy right now. Can you please leave?¡±

    "Yeah..? Ah, yes¡­ that, sorryy, y-yeah, you are busy¡­!!!¡±

    Emily ran out of the room, blushing.

    I feel sorry for her to refuse so coldly, but I couldn''t help it.

    ¡®I can¡¯t even make tents, what''s the use of setting the mood?¡¯

    A sweet exploratoy atmosphere without a boner?

    It''s just annoying.

    Ah. I want to get that big root nt quickly.

    I sighed deeply and plopped down on the bed.

    ¡®The first thing I need to get are the rings.¡¯

    Rings, which are essories that can be worn in the ¡®The Hero''s Party'', each have special abilities.

    Whether it''s raising magic resistance or increasing the attack power.

    In addition, multiple rings can be worn at the same time, which greatly affects the character''s stats. So the more rings you get, the better.

    Starting from tomorrow, I will start from the capital city of the Kingdom of Prona, where the game begins, and follow the progress of the game to brush off the remaining rings.

    ¡®Ah, on the way to the Kingdom of Prona, should I meet that punk once?¡¯

    It is a sequel to ¡®The Hero''s Party'' and a game that shares the same worldview.

    The main character of ¡®The Tale of A Knight''s Affair¡¯.

 Chapter 12: Well, Lets Do Well With The Same Protagonist (2)

    Kingdom of Prona.

    As one of the kingdoms that appears in the game, ¡®The Hero''s Party'', it is acknowledged as the world''s breadbasket and is a rtively peaceful kingdom with weak monster poption.

    Because it is peaceful, the soldiers have little to no realbat experiences, so their levels are low, like wise, the nation''s power is weak. Because of this, they always have to look out for other kingdoms, and the crops they work hard to grow are taken away in the name of a gift of friendship.

    As such, the Kingdom of Prona held particrly high expectations form the Hero of this generation.

    If the Hero of the Kingdom of Prona is superior to those of other kingdoms, other kingdoms will no longer be able to ignore Prona''s authority.

    Only if it happened as such¡­.

    ¡°Hero. What happened to yourpanions who went on the journey with you?¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t Your Majesty know already?¡±

    ¡°¡­I want to hear from you.¡±

    ¡°Got exported to another party.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re taking it very lightly¡­¡±

    ¡°Welp, what to do? They said they like other Heroes more than me.¡±

    The bureaucrats began to murmur.

    William, the king of Prona, raised his hand to calm them down, then raised his voice to rebuke Cloud.

    ¡°You shouldn''t have let them go, no matter what! Each and every member of your party was an important talent and a citizen of the Kingdom of Prona!¡±

    Eri is the second daughter of the Duke of Oler, who has a strong influence in the Kingdom, and meanwhile, she also possess strong talent in magic arts.

    Neria is a promising knight whose talent has been recognized by the Kingdom''s Knight Commander, not to mention Ophelia, a holy Saint Candidate.

    All of them are talents and valuable assets of the Kingdom of Prona.

    The fact that such people changed to another party was as good as passing on these talents to another kingdom.

    In response to the king''s wrath, Cloud continued to look at him without showing any signs of fright or frustration.

    ¡°I understand what Your Majesty is worried about. And, then the only thing I can to tell you, is not to worry about that.¡±

    "What?"

    ¡°Eri, as you all may know, is the blood of the Duke of Oler. Blood is thicker than water. If there''s ever a call from the Duke of Oler, she will answer.¡±

    That was correct.

    If Eri is summoned by her blood-rted father, Duke of Oler, she will definitelye and other kingdoms will have no justification to stop her.

    ¡°What about Neria and Ophelia?¡±

    ¡°A knight of Neria''s magnitude, aren''t they overflowing in our Prona Kingdom? There are even way better knights.¡±

    This, too, was irrefutable.

    It''s true that Neria has great talent, but she''s not the best knight in the kingdom.

    If otherwise, it would be ntly disregarding the other Knights of the kingdom.

    ¡°We don''t even have to think about it when ites to Ophelia. No matter how reputed a Hero, Gis is, will there be reverence for a foreign woman as the Saint Candidate? Even if he did try to do something, his supporters would object. And Ophelia, who is not a Saint, is just a slightly superior nun. She has no symbolism whatsoever.¡±

    A religion''s poweres from its uniqueness.

    That is why symbols are so important in religion. Because it makes the faith of the church stronger.

    A hundred priests with outstanding divine power are inferior to one ordinary person chosen by the Goddess herself.

    Because the mass will rather follow that ordinary person instead of those outstanding priests.

    When Cloud calmly spoke the facts, King William and the other officials went silent.

    Rather than being surprised by his words traced with logic¡­

    ¡®From when did the Hero Cloud had this kind of personality?¡¯

    It was because they were baffled by Cloud''s sudden change of attitude.

    Cloud, who was originally amoner, could not even properly look at the king, who was much higher in status than a poor-dirtmoner like him.

    So was his way of talking.

    Originally, he only responded with a little trembling tone when the king spoke to him.

    But now he did not hesitate to boldly express his opinion to the king.

    Not even stuttering for once! Not even once!

    The hall became quiet.

    The king spoke again.

    ¡°¡­After the end of the Imperial Social Banquet, your whereabouts were unclear for the past three months. What on the earth were you doing hiding your identity during that period of time?¡±

    This time there was no immediate answer.

    After a brief pause, the answer came.

    ¡°¡­I was contemting on life.¡±

    It was a lie.

    He can''t say about thest month due to a hectic lifestyle, but he randomly yed and ate for the first two months. But there was no way for the king or other officials to know that.

    "¡­is it so. I see. You must be tired from travelling all the way to here, so have your time and get some rest. Butler, give him a ce to stay.¡±

    ¡°By your order, Your Majesty.¡±

    The head butler bowed his head and led Cloud and left the hall. As he left, the officials who had their lips zipped, opened their mouths one by one.

    "Your Majesty, it seems that the Hero has changed a lot. Of course, it''s in a positive way.¡±

    ¡°Did the Minister feel the same?¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lord. I think letting the three of them go was a big trigger.¡±

    ¡°I think so too.¡±

    The Commander of the Imperial Knights added to the words of the Prime Minister.

    ¡°Honestly, when I met him before, he was just a random clumsy person. However, the Hero I saw today did not show any of such derogatories at all. Rather, he seemed like a mature warrior.¡±

    ¡°So the Knight Commander can give praises too, shocking.¡±

    It was the same Knight Commander who always looked down upon Cloud. When he showed such an abrupt change of attitude, William and other officials had no choice but tough.

    Of course, it was a politeugh.

    ¡°Losing three talents of the kingdom and the Hero finallying back to his senses. This is so¡­ Haa, I don''t know if it''s a good thing or a bad thing.¡±

    ¡°Of course it''s a good thing, Your Majesty. If Your Majesty has no objections with it, I would like to teach him once again.¡±

    ¡°If the Knight Commander says so, I can feel reassured.¡±

    ¡°I will look for new worthypanions who can apany the Hero, in the meantime.¡±

    "dly, Prime Minister. With your efforts, the future of the kingdom seems to be very bright.¡±

    A harmonious court outstretched.

    The very next day, the news that the Hero had vamoosed and ran away from the royal pce was hurriedly brought in the court.

    ¡°That Hero¡­ no, get that punk right now!¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Shut up and go catch him!!¡±

    William was caught in by the back of his neck by this annoying prick.

    * * *

    Goodness, those old foggies bber so much.

    I''m already so busy, I don''t have that much time to listen to those old chaps'' chit-chat.

    ¡®If I had known this would happen, I would not have entered the capital.¡¯

    I had never thought that I would actually be caught at the front door. I couldn''t wonder how even a minor guard knew my face.

    ¡®Now, if possible, I should not go to the capital of Prona Kingdom.¡¯

    Perhaps the king is going to give me a lot of support, but I have no intention of epting those.

    It would be nice to get it all at once.

    I will have money to travel, I will have useful colleagues, and I can also get various other favourable conditions.

    But, I have to vomit it all back one day, anyways.

    Where in the world is anything free? There''s no free lunch in my world view.

    Later, when I increase in power and create a proper force, they will try to use the support I got in the past as an excuse to put on a leash.

    If you stretch out your hand and cut that leash, from that day on, you''ll be an ungrateful beast who doesn''t know grace.

    So, it is better not to receive support from others.

    I can earn my travel expenses and can buy my own food.

    My money, my rules.

    It can be said that this is one of the basic rules for living in this harsh fantasy world.

    ¨C Creeee¡­!

    The wolf, which was taller than most people, bared its fangs and howled wildly.

    It wasn''t that threatening.

    Blood was still dripping from the severed front paw.

    -Creee¡­ Kurrr!

    Realizing that time was not on its side, he lunged towards me with its jaws wide open.

    Its teeth still feel razor sharp, but his leaping speed did not. I slipped beside him, and with another dodge, I swung my sword.

    Wolf Buster-!

    There was arge splitting gash on the side of the ferocious wolf''s neck. I don''t know if it''s because of the game system, but while using this technique, a beast''s defense can be easily breached through.

    Thanks to this, it was easy to subdue these big wolves as well.

    Anyway, the 1000 gold value is worth this skill.

    ¨C Kiiiiiiii¡­

    The wolf, who had fallen sideways, could not even breathe properly and let out a painful groan.

    ¡°Are you sick? No worries, I will finish it quickly.¡±

    The sword was positioned in the center of the nape and passed through¡ªto relieve the pain, for once and all. I took out a dagger and split the wolf''s belly, then put my hand and scoured the inside.

    After poking therge organs a few times, I could feel a small bead like thing and fished it out. When the bead soaked in blood was washed with water, the bead turned yellow.

    The inner core of the giant blue wolf.

    When you kill a level 22 giant blue wolf, it has a chance to drop inside an inner core, which increases your agility by 2.

    I swallowed it without hesitation and went deeper inside the cave. The dungeon wasn''t over yet.

    After ughtering the giant blue wolves that kept hindering me after that, l reached the deepest part of the cave.

    Inside the deep cave, three jars were lined up.

    Common sense says that it''s strange to have a jar in a wolf''s nest, but¡­

    Fantasy, right?

    So, just do it.

    I swung my sword and smashed all three jars. There I saw, something sparkling among the shards of the jar.

    The glitter was of a silver ring, and I knew what it was.

    The reason I entered this cave was because of this ring.

    Blue Wolf Ring.

    -A ring that increases the wearer''s agility by 20%.

    ¡®Are some already obtained?''

    Starting from the capital of the Kingdom of Prona, I searched for the rings going along the game route. Some of which I don''t know whether the previous Cloud had it, I only procured the ones that were still avable.

    Here is a list of the rings I got.

    Bandit''s Soiled Ring.

    -Increases poison damage by 20%.

    A ring from a peasant family handed down from generation to generation.

    -Increases the effect of using recovery items by 30%.

    Berserker''s Ring.

    -Attack power increased by 50%, durability decreased by 50%.

    A Lost Family''s Ring.

    -Durability increased by 50.

    An Unknown Knight''s Red Ring.

    -Attack power increased by 10%.

    Adding the Blue Wolf Ring I just got.

    ¡ªI got a total of 6 rings.

    Originally, there should have been about 5 more, but it was probably obtained by them while Cloud and his party were still traveling.

    ¡®Besides that, this guy doesn¡¯t even have a single ring.¡¯

    Did he give it all to those three?

    It was probably the most probable oue.

    Anyway, this punk was crash riding the one and only Netomazo route. I was already thankful that he had not even pulled out and gifted his livers and galldder too, for this fu*ked up body is the only thing I''m left with.

    I''m d they didn''t got the most important ¡®An Unknown Knight''s Red Ring''.

    This ring of an unknown knight has an ambiguous performance right now, but if you strengthen itter, it bes very useful.

    ¡®I got everything that was needed from the Kingdom of Prona, and then, the next is the Kingdom of Alitia.¡¯

    I had to move fast.

    Hmm, there are ces I still need to stop by before that.

    * * *

    A small rural town in the southern part of Prona Kingdom.

    There is a boy in that small town that doesn''t even has a name.

    An ordinary boy with blonde hair and blue eyes that could be found anywhere.

    The boy was wielding a wooden sword alone on the hillside of the vige.

    ¡®Found him.''

    I looked at the boy and grinned.

    The boy''s name is Mars.

    A knight of great misfortune who sacrificed his life to protect the city from the forces of the Four Heavenly Kingster, but lost all his fame to some ntr deepsh!ts for them to be the real saviors, heroes and what not.

    He is the main character in the sequel of the ¡®The Hero''s Party''¡ª''The Tale Of A Knight''s Affair''.

 Chapter 13: Well, Lets Do Well With The Same Protagonist (3)

    In order to take revenge on a friend who borrowed my three million won and didn''t pay it back, I chose the method of rmending a ntr game.

    Of course, in order to rmend a game, I had to have yed that game first.

    And, ¡®The Tale Of A Knight''s Affair'' is the first NTR game I ever yed.

    As it is usually the case with all the ¡®first experiences'', ¡®The Tale Of A Knight''s Affair'' left me with an unforgettable mark in my memoryne.

    First, it starts very normally.

    Mars lost his parents to a monster and became an orphan.

    After witnessing the bravery of the knight who saved the vige, he dreams of bing a knight and does not neglect himself from putting in vigorous efforts.

    By his side always stood his childhood friend Isabelle, who always took good care of him.

    To be honest, the first few hours after starting the game were wholesome,fortably wholesome.

    The fresh love story between Mars and Isabelle was quite interesting. I forgot it was an ntr game and started to enjoy ying it.

    Yes. Ipletely forgot that I was even ying a ntr game.

    As the ntr part started, as if all the starting sweet plot was only a device to make the ntr part that came after that to stand out specifically, ntr started pouring down like a relentless storm.

    Thanks to which, I was left alone in raging waves, someone who was hit properly with a jab, a punch, a straight, a hook of undesirable surprises!

    When I came back to my senses, the end credits are already showing up.

    After that, I somehow tried to achieve the pure love ending. This is because my heart wanted to present a happy future to this poor Mars. Even though he was just a game character, this guy was like a fellowrade who cried andughed together with me!

    But there wasn''t¡ª

    ¡ªThere was no pure love ending.

    The only true ending is that he saves the city, gets sacrificed in process, and before he can be evenbelled as the city''s hero, his reputation and sacrifice is by some ntr bastards.

    Ntred by his lover¡­

    Betrayed by his colleagues¡­

    Suddenly reminded of my past PTSD, I remember having almost stormed to the productionpany. If Leah hadn''t been there to subdue me down, I was gonna visit for real.

    At that time, I finally gave up with tears in my eyes¡­

    Now, it''s different. Because we live on the same continent.

    ¡®Mars, let me tell you what true happiness is.¡¯

    You have to live happily.

    You deserve it, dude!

    I watched Mars brandishing his wooden sword diligently even at this moment.

    Now, good that I found him, but how to approach him?

    It was very simple.

    ¡°What a mess.¡±

    You have to poke.

    At my words, Mars stopped swinging the wooden sword he was wielding and turned around. Of course, the expression he gave was not very good.

    "Who are you? I don''t think I''ve ever seen you in the town before."

    ¡°It''s just a handsome adventure passing by. I''m lodging in this town for a while, but I felt sorry for you, trying so hard, all in vain, so I thought I should talk with you.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You want to be a knight?¡±

    ¡°¡­from whom did you hear that?¡±

    ¡°I just asked, and the vigers told me. Why? Was that meant to be hidden or something?¡±

    ¡°It isn''t like that¡­¡±

    ¡°Anyway, there''s no way you will be a knight if you do that.¡±

    Mars frowned as those words were quite offensive to him.

    ¡°If you¡¯re here to pick a fight, why don''t you just go and mind your own business?¡±

    ¡°Nay, I''m not here to pick anything, I¡¯m just telling the truth. Why then? Will you like some proof?¡±

    ¡°¡­you can try, if you can, that is.¡±

    I could see Mars''s eyes, those sparks, burning with fighting spirit.

    The NPCs praised him for having an out of the world fighting spirit, I was seeing that with my own two eyes.

    "Great. Do you have any wooden swords left?¡±

    Mars went into the shabby house, took out one of his wooden swords, and threw it at me.

    It was a crude wooden sword that he had made by himself, perhaps because he had no money to buy one.

    ¡°Then show me now.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead. I''ll tell you why you can''t be a knight."

    As soon as I had finished speaking, Mars springed up to me and swung his wooden sword diagonally. Seeing that it was full of power, it seemed that my provocation had worked off quite brilliantly.

    I smirked and tilted my sword.

    * * *

    Currently, Mars was in a very bad mood.

    Since he dreamed of bing a knight, he never neglected a single day on increasing his efforts.

    Wake up in the morning and practice with the wooden sword.

    After that, help the vige elders with some chores, have the afternoon meal, and then spend rest of the time on practicing with the wooden sword.

    After afternoon passed, see if the vige elders need any help and after that, have the dinner, and then once again¡ªpractice with the wooden sword before going to bed.

    ¡ªThat''s how he lived.

    His calluses were peeling off and the blood never stopped flowing.

    That''s how much his heart was desperate to be a knight. However, an unknown man who suddenly appeared out of nowhere demeaned all of those efforts.

    He said that if even he did all of that, he wouldn''t be able to be a knight for the rest of his life.

    Anger, that''s what he felt.

    So he fell for the obvious provocation and started a confrontation.

    ¡®He''s an adventurer at best¡­ my dreams are much higher than that!¡¯

    He rushed in and swung his wooden sword to bash that cheeky face. In response, the adventurer brought out his wooden sword to Mars'' wooden sword.

    Then something strange happened.

    Obviously, Mars'' wooden sword that was aimed at the adventurer''s head was hitting the ground at some point.

    How!

    Without leaving any time for Mars to panic, he felt a heavy pain from the back of his head.

    ¡°You died there once. Will you do it again?¡±

    ¡°¡­I was a little careless.¡±

    Mars sped his wooden sword and striked towards the adventurer again. But no matter how many times he tried, the result was the same.

    Mars'' sword strikes were left bent and twisted. He couldn''t even graze the adventurer''s skin.

    In response, Mars decided to change his ways.

    ¡®There is no answer in running into his trap. I''d rather defend myself than do that.''

    Mars posed with his wooden sword at the adventurer.

    ¡°That''s what you wanna try now?¡±

    As if to understand what he was thinking, the adventurer smiled and approached Mars.

    Unlike Mars, who just ntly rushed in, he walked slowly. Those were the steps of leisure. Still, Mars was not leaving his vignce.

    Finally, it came under the range of his wooden sword. The adventurer moved the wooden sword.

    ¡®Top right!¡¯

    Hit it!

    The wooden swords collided with each other and made a murky sound.

    Nice, I blocked it. If I strike back right now¡­

    ¡®Huh..?''

    Mars opened his eyes wide.

    It was inevitable¡ªthe wooden sword that had just attacked his right side was touching his left chin before he knew it.

    "How..?"

    ¡°It''s not really that surprising. It''s a technique that uses wrist rotation to attack twice. It¡¯s a skill that can be learned by paying 300 gold at the local Swordsmanship guild called ¡®Double Sword Strike¡¯.¡±

    Anyone can learn it for 300 gold¡­?

    ¡®Did I just lost to that kind of skill..?¡¯

    Mars looked down at the floor with a gloomy expression.

    300 gold was not a small amount of money. Mars never had even 100 gold in his hands, let alone 300 gold.

    However, it was a big shock that all his efforts so far were worth less than 300 gold.

    ¡°Hey, hey! What type of face is that? Which real man makes a face like that? Dude, you can''t live in this harsh world like that."

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Hey, boy, take a stance.¡±

    "Yeah..?"

    ¡°Take a sword-wielding posture. I''ll take a look."

    Why this, suddenly looking at my posture?

    Mars was confused, but he first took the stance he normally took while wielding a wooden sword.

    The adventurer gave advice by tapping Mars''s leg or waist with his wooden sword.

    Mars swung his wooden sword as he advised. Then an amazing thing happened. The power of the wooden sword was much better than usual.

    Looking at the adventurer with a grin, he gave a surprised look.

    "How?"

    "Amazing. I just changed my posture a bit, but I feel a lot stronger.¡±

    ¡°It''s because you utilized your excess strength instead of wasting it away. Do you think your posture can be a little more stable?¡±

    "Yeah!"

    "Great. Then give me another pose.¡±

    "Yes!"

    Mars suddenly took a sideways swinging posture. The adventurer looked at his posture by tapping it with his wooden sword like before.

    * * *

    Three days passed like that.

    In the morning, Cloud left the inn and came to Mars''s house as he had promised.

    After some light stretching and muscle training, Cloud''s coaching began.

    ¡°That¡¯s not it. Turn your wrist a little more.¡±

    ¡°What if I turn it too much and my wrist breaks?¡±

    "Don''t worry brat, I will cut off for you if that happens, I think it''s better than beingter crippled with both hands. Now, don¡¯t bber more, turn more.¡±

    The wielding posture coaching had already ended, and now he was being taught how to do a ¡®Double Sword Strike''. Unlike Cloud, who seeded at once, Mars took quite a while.

    After practicing for a few hours, the two of them took out lunch. Simple rice balls with nothing special. However, with some pickles as the side dish, Mars ate the rice ball scrumptiously.

    Cloud looked at him pitifully.

    ¡°Who''s snatching? Eat slowly.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because hyung trains me without rest. As a fellow human being, shouldn¡¯t you atleast give me time to drink water?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all for quality training, you punk. If the real fight gets longer, and you are thirsty. Are you going to ask your enemy to wait, to take out your water bottle and leisurely drink water?¡±

    ¡°Ah, here we go again. I am not stupid enough to drink water in such a situation, okay?¡±

    ¡°Hey, look at this ungrateful punk. After letting you off the hook for a few days, now your head grew bigger, so you''re talking back to your hyung?"

    ¡°That¡¯s right, because hyung always nags me when I eat¡­ Ouch! Why did you hit me?!¡±

    ¡°It seems that youck basic respect for your hyung. I will personally engrave respect for you on your body.¡±

    "Ah! It''s hurts! Ouch, stop! It''s fucking childish!"

    "What? Are you even cursing at your hyung now?¡±

    ¡°Aaah! Hyung! Hyung! Sorry! I was wrongggggg¡­!¡±

    Unlike the first meeting, which was sour, the rtionship between the two was quite close now.

    It was thanks to Cloud''s teaching him swordsmanship, but the decisive factor was his attitude towards Mars.

    Mars was an orphan who lost his parents when he was young, and he quickly grew up mentally to make a living.

    There, he worked hard to fulfill his dream of being a knight, and only swung his wooden sword except for the time to eat.

    Of course, he had no one whom he could im to be his true friend from his heart deep.

    So, it was natural regarding Cloud, who joked around with a light attitude, like a friend of his age and also as a reliable older brother.

    ¡°Aww! My bone! Ow! Ow! Poor boney! My broken bones!!¡±

    Of course that''s it. The endurance training is always hurtful.

    That was when Mars was being beaten single handedly without effective counter-attack measures.

    "Mars! W, Whoa?! What, why are you getting hit?! You baddie! Who are you beating Mars!!¡±

    A pretty girl with long pink hair climbed up the hill and was startled to find Mars and Cloud.

    She was Mars'' only childhood friend, Isabelle.

    Mars waved his hand with delight, and stopped at a sudden thought.

    ¡®What if Isabelle falls for Cloud-hyung?¡¯

    Conversely, what if Cloud hyung falls for Isabelle?

    Mars looked at Cloud''s face, and innerly trembled with anxiety.

    And meanwhile, the man in question was surprised.

    Cloud was looking at Isabelle with an expression that looked like he was looking at dirty filth.

    ¡°Pink Woman[1]¡­¡±

    ¡ªwhile muttering unknown words alongwith.

    [1] It''s an inte ng term coined because the images of characters with pink hair that are usually naughty. The etymology is pink hair + prostitute, and in Korean standards, the word pink woman itself is another word for a prostitute.

    * * *

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 14.1: Well, Lets Do Well With The Same Protagonist (4)

    Unlike ¡®The Hero''s Party'', where there are several heroines, there''s only one heroine in ¡®The Tale Of A Knight''s Affair''.

    Isabelle.

    Mars'' childhood friend and the woman he has a big crush on.

    The story of ¡®The Tale Of A Knight''s Affair'' is very simple, even cliche.

    Mars, dreaming of bing a heroic knight, sets out on a journey to build up his experience as soon as bes an adult. On that trip, Isabelle and the son of the baron, whom they had met by chance, joined alongwith for the journey.

    As they travel, they meet two more colleagues, a disgruntled big-dick blonde thug and a disgusting-looking uncle with circr hair loss and thick belly.

    So the five of them continue the journey.

    Now, if you look up to this point, it''s just in NTR water.

    But, how could just that much would have been actually able to made me so mad?

    There are two reasons.

    First of all, I did not even know that I was hit by NTR in the 1st round.

    What does that mean?

    When ying for the first time, it just flows smoothly, like an ordinary RPG game. Adventures, establishing friendships, and flirting with Isabelle. Then the crisises at the end of the game.

    The invasion of a city by cruel demons.

    The party escapes with hard tenacity to run off the demons. Meanwhile, suddenly a burning building copses, and Mars throws his body to hold the structure which was meant to fall on Isabe.

    Demons were chasing after them, but Mars was in a desperate situation, crushed under the rubble of a building.

    Of course, I thought Isabelle would help there.

    But, actually what? This Pink Woman looked at the main character with a guilty expression, and just said, "I''m sorry¡­" and turned away.

    While I was thumping inside myself, wondering what the hellsh!t was going on, the other colleagues leave not-so-good remarks for the main character one by one.

    -Isabe will surely make us happy with her body. Go, go, sleep in peace.

    -You can''t even guard your own woman, so it''s rightful for us to enjoy her, isn''t it?

    ¨C Whoops¡­ That ¨¤ss, that sticity, keke¡­

    And so, his so-called colleagues and Isabelle turn their backs and run away, and the main character is killed by demons without even knowing what words to utter at that moment, and just like that, the first episode ends.

    ¡®At this point, I threw the monitor.¡¯

    Unable to contain the rising anger, I cried out in the east, west, north and south. Although to be soon overpowered by Leah.

    Anyway, after the first round ended in such a futile way, the second round reveals the hidden truth.

    First of all, the Baron''s son and Isabelle had been dating for quite a while before they even left for the trip. Of course, like a fantasy story''s thumb of the rule, it''s baron''s son using his status to half force it, but the deed was done anyways.

    And while traveling, she actually asks the blonde lecherous thug whom she had just met to be her teacher to ¡®teach'' her about love rtionships and takes ¡®real life experiences'', and thenter gets raped by the pot bellied geezer with circr hair loss under the two''s plotting.

    But what''s really crazy is that it actually shows all this psychological portrayals in the game. Fu*king out of mind blowing!

    Little by little, reluctantly she allowed others to use her body as they saw fit, thinking¡ª¡®This is for Mars¡­¡¯, ¡®If Mars finds out, he will be sad¡­¡¯

    ¡­This crazy b!tch.

    Anyway, while having stormy sex positions with the three of them behind his back, she pretends to be polite and virtuousdy in front of Mars again. She''s innocently shy when he hold her hand, and blushes when he kisses her on the cheek.

    And, then have steamy sex sessions with the other guys under the night sky again.

    What the actual f*ck?!!

    If you are doing this so ¡®selflessly'' for the main character, why do you do it with others then, is using brain such a tasking job nowadays!?

    Yes, I understand how you feel.

    You don''t want to show your dirty past secrets to someone you like, or something like that.

    But, you know what?

    You should rather have drove a sword right into Mars'' heart.

    Being skewered into a human sasami would actually have been a better fate for him!

    He dearly loved you, b!tch!

    ¡°¡­that¡¯s how it happened. Big Bro, this is my friend Isabelle.¡±

    As I recalled the past, Mars finished exining what had happened so far.

    "Hello. Sorry for yelling earlier. I was unnecessarily startled¡­ that¡­ Please take good care of me?¡±

    Isabelle held out her hand.

    I cooled my bubbling stomach.

    Yeah, she''s not that b!tch yet.

    She''s still a pure kid.

    I smiled and answered to her greeting.

    ¡°Get lost, Pink Woman.¡±

    F*ck it. People don''t change.

    * * *

    ¡®¡­what the hell is wrong with that guy?¡¯

    Isabelle recalled Cloud whom she had seen yesterday. She was going to thank him for coaching Mars, but he tsked at her at first sight and told her to collect her ping pongs and piss off.

    When she asked what he meant by ¡®pink woman'', he simply replied that it was a perfect word used to describe a person like her.

    ¡®No, by the way, who actually tells a person to get lost when they are just meeting for the first time?¡¯

    Isabelle grunted inwardly and climbed the hill. Because she innerly wondered what Mars was learning.

    Yesterday she was made to get lost, so she had no choice but to leave, but today she was going to hide and watch them.

    ¡®Where, ugh, what are you guys doing¡­ uh¡­?¡¯

    Isabelle''s eyes widened.

    She rubbed her own eyes again and again. Even so, the scenery entering her eyes did not change.

    It told her¡ªthe scene that she was seeing right now was hundred percent real. She hurriedly sprinted forward.

    "What are you doing?! S, Stop! Stop!"

    ¡°Isabelle?¡±

    Hearing Isabelle''s voice, Mars''s head turned. The wolf pushed open its jaws without missing the obvious gap.

    ¡°Aaah!¡±

    Isabelle shut her eyelids.

    She was not confident enough to keep her eyes open and watch the horrific situation that would soon ensue.

    ¡®¡­?¡¯

    But strangely, Mars'' screams were not heard.

    She slowly opened her eyes.

    Cloud was holding the wolf''s head in a vice grip and stopped it from moving in the slightest.

    Mars was standing in front of him and was looking at her with an expression of wonder.

    Isabelle was silent for a moment, then she looked at him again.

    No way. How can a person subdue a wild wolf? And that with one hand?

    Suddenly she came to her senses, and hurried over.

    ¡°What are you two doing?! To make Mars fight a wolf. It''s dangerous!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t talk to pink women.¡±

    "I beg your pardon?"

    ¡°Mars, exin it for me.¡±

    At that, Mars awkwardly scratched his cheek and began to exin to Isabelle.

    ¡°Ah, this is what it is¡­ that¡¯s what big bro said. Even if I learn a skill, my body wouldn''t just move at will in real life-threatening battles. That''s why I''m practicing actual situations right now."

    "But that''s too dangerous¡­!"

    "It''s okay, I guess? Didn''t you see big bro subdue that wolf? Rather, it¡¯s safer to do some real training when big bro Cloud is still here.¡±

    At Mars'' exnation, Isabelle bit her lips.

    She didn''t like it, but he was right. As long as Mars dreams of bing a knight, there wille a time when he will have to fight monsters anyhow.

    But then, if his body hasn''t adapted and he can''t show his skills, his life would be in danger.

    So, it would be better to practice in advance when it was safe like now.

    ¡°Ha¡­ I see. Ok, I understand¡­ Wait, but, why are you using a wooden sword?¡±

    "Yes? Ah. Big bro told me to kill a wolf with this wooden sword.¡±

    ¡°W, Wh-What?!¡±

    Isabelle was terrified.

    She understood that one needed to gain practical experience.

    But what about killing a wolf with wood?

    Originally, a wolf is a terrifying beast where victory cannot be guarantee even if a veteran vige hunter raises his knife.

    It''s not even a real sword, are you going to hammer it to death with a wooden sword?

    ¡°No, does that make sense!?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ I thought it was ridiculous at first too, but it turned out to be better than I thought. Fighting a wolf over and over again relieves some of my muscle tension and helps me in practicing my skills as well.¡±

    As Mars smiled awkwardly, Isabelle lost her words.

    What can a third party say when the person in question says it works?

    Meanwhile, Cloud clicked his tongue with an annoyed expression.

    ¡°Pink Woman, run off quickly. Otherwise, I will no longer be teaching Mars.¡±

    ¡°Big bro Cloud?! That''s a bit¡­¡±

    Mars fidgeted and looked at Cloud and Isabelle alternately.

    Seeing this, Isabelle sighed.

    She knew that she couldn''t make Mars'' get troubled by choices.

    "All right. I''ll go. Instead, promise me one thing. Please don''t hurt Mars no matter what. Then I will not care what the two of you do in the future.¡±

    Isabelle came up with apromise of her own.

    But Cloud shook his head resolutely.

    ¡°I don¡¯t make promises with pink women.¡±

    ¡°Aaaah! Really, why are you doing this to me?!¡±

    In the end, Isabelle gave up her vexed voice.

    "Mars. This ping pong woman is too loud. Make her quiet.¡±

    ¡°That¡­ Isabelle? I''m sorry, but can you please be quiet¡­"

    Isabelle wanted to cry.

    Only¡­

    She had no tears to shed.

    * * *

 Chapter 14.2: Well, Lets Do Well With The Same Protagonist (4)

    It was around the evening time when the sun was setting in the background, when Mars finally struck down the wolf with a wooden sword. He took a deep breath and wiped his sweaty face with his arms.

    As his breathing calmed down a bit, he flopped down on the floor.

    He was dead tired¡ªhe had been moving his body all day long.

    Cloud went and sat down next to him.

    ¡°How''s it? How do you feel about killing a wolf for the first time?¡±

    What the, that''s what you ask from someone who is finally getting his piece of rest after being worked to death?

    ¡®Don''t now people usually say that you have worked hard?¡¯

    Mars looked at Cloud with a fed-up expression, then sighed and released his expressions.

    Come to think of it, he was always like that, rather, being normal would be his abnormality.

    ¡°Honestly speaking, I was scared sh!t at first. I was so nervous that I couldn¡¯t even move ambly.¡±

    It felt like his heart had stopped moving when the wolf growled and showed it''s razor sharp fangs.

    ¡°However, I managed to hit it once, and that once became twice, and the twice became thrice, and at some point, I was just no longer afraid.¡±

    Instead of fear, rapacious fighting spirit filled his heart as if to outflow to his mind. A wolf''s wild predatory gaze and sharp mrs frighten him no longer.

    ¡°Is that so? Good job."

    Cloud smiled and patted Mars on the back. When Cloud, who was stingy with his praises, praised him, Mars smiled brightly as well.

    ¡°Right bro. It''s something I''ve been wondering about before. Why do you hate Isabelle so much?¡±

    Some may not like someone else in their first encounter, havit a bad first impression. However, Cloud''s attitude toward Isabelle was too extreme.

    Mars couldn''t help but wonder why.

    Cloud spoke, looking straight into Mars''s eyes.

    ¡°You like her, don''t you?¡±

    ¡°W, What?!¡±

    Mars was taken aback by the sudden query. What followed was abination of crude excuses that were embarrassing to even utter. Only after a while, was Mars finally able to calm himself down.

    He slowly nodded his head in affirmation.

    "¡­Yes, that''s correct. I do like Isabelle.¡±

    ¡°Then isn¡¯t it good for you that I hate her? To be honest, I was a bit sassy indeed. But, if I had been interested in her, it would have been the end for you, buddy. You won''t even stand a chance, ha."

    Cloud rubbed his palm against his neck.

    Just then he thought¡ªno, Mars will have his confidence shambled, but, he had nothing to console with, because everything he said was too true.

    Compared to Mars, who has a moderately decent appearance, Cloud had a face that made him look like a high nobleman.

    Frankly speaking, Mars was indeed a little relieved from inside that Cloud was hostile to Isabelle.

    As Mars was feeling the bitterness of reality, Cloud opened his mouth while savouring thest glow of sunset.

    ¡°¡­I also had a childhood friend like Isabelle.¡±

    Mars realized that those words were the real answer to his question. He listened to Cloud with a serious expression.

    ¡°I was an orphan. I lost my parents when I was young, so I can¡¯t even remember their faces.¡±

    Mars widened his eyes.

    Perhaps it was because he couldn''t fathom that Cloud was an orphan like him.

    "And, you know what? Children are pure and innocent, but sometimes cruel too. I was bullied by the vige children because I had no parents.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°At that time, the only friend who reached out to me was Neria. She was the vige chief''s granddaughter, and she always took care of me and, helped me.¡±

    She was the vige chief''s granddaughter, so, the vige bullies did not dare say anything reckless about Cloud anymore. Saying that, Cloud chuckled with a nostalgic expression on his face.

    ¡°I liked her as a kid. How can I not? She was the one and only person who took care of me when the world ignored me. Can''t help but falling in love with her, eh?"

    Mars smiled and nodded his head as if he knew that feeling too. That''s what Isabe was to him too.

    "And, you know what? Neria''s dream was the same, just like your''s¡ªto be a knight. It was a dream too big for a small vige chief¡¯s granddaughter.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°But she did not give up on. She ardently practiced her swordsmanship skills, and even saved her pocket money to buy herself a sword. I knew, she was just meant for it. So I decided to follow her. I wanted to like what she liked too."

    Mars continued to listen quietly.

    ¡°After a lot of hard work, I finally got the right to stand by her side. We went on many adventures. Caught monsters and meet many new people. Then, we met a man.¡±

    Mars noticed.

    When Cloud mentioned ¡®a man'', his face contorted for a moment.

    However, he soon returned to his normalid back expression and continued the conversation.

    ¡°That man had some pretty great skills. He was honestly much stronger than me. He wanted to apany us and we dly epted it.¡±

    That was a mistake. Cloud murmured under his breath while sneakily ncing at Mars.

    ¡°Our adventures continued, and then from a certain moment, the distance between the two of them began to grow closer. In case of a critical situation, Neria relied more on him than on me. It lobbed my pride, but what could I do?It was true that I was weak, too weak.¡±

    Cloud had a deep sense of defeat on his face.

    Mars had no choice but to swallow his saliva. Cloud so much stronger than him, but even someone like him couldn''t do anything¡­

    Once again, he felt that the continent was wide.

    ¡°I thought it was fine though. Unlike him, I thought that Neria and I were bound by a strong bond. Have you ever felt the same way with thatss named Isabelle?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I do feel that way.¡±

    When he gets marriedter, his wife could only be Isabelle.

    ¡ªMars had that conviction.

    ¡°But, it was all an illusion.¡±

    "¡­huh?"

    It felt like suddenly a hammer hit his head.

    Before Mars could backe back to his senses, Cloud continued.

    ¡°It was that one night. It was a particrly sleepless night. I wanted to go for a night walk, at that time, I noticed that she wasn''t in the bed next to me. I was trying to find out where she had gone when I heard some strange noises from the room next door. The voices from the room next door was Neria''s. An ominous imagination gripped my mind. But, I opened my door, believing it was nothing like that."

    Mars swallowed his saliva.

    ¡°But, my damned ominous imaginations had have always been right. What I saw through the gap in the door¡­ was Neria, who was biting that man''s cock."

    There were many emotions on Cloud''s face, which he struggling to hold up to this point.

    Sadness. Anger. Betrayal. Disappointment, etc.

    It was mixed, with all the negative emotions that a human could imagine was mashed up in a hodgepodge.

    Seeing that expression, Mars couldn''t almost breathe for a moment.

    ¡°That, big bro¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ I''m sorry, I must have been too empathetic. It¡¯s been a while, but even now, when I think of it, it¡¯ses up like this, mh.¡±

    Cloud had an awkward expression as he shook the back of his head.

    ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s why thatss named Isabelle didn¡¯t look so nice to me. Because¡­ she was just as beautiful and just as youthful as Neria back then.¡±

    ¡°¡­..¡±

    ¡°Haha, loosen your face, you baby chick. This is just my story anyway. Your''s would be different, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes, definitely.¡±

    ¡°Ha, look at heavy atmosphere I caused. I was just talking. Thanks to you, I now have to say goodbye in this heavy atmosphere.¡±

    Mars, who had a grim expression on his face, widened his eyes.

    ¡°Goodbye?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I''m no mama bird, boy. I can''t stay here forever."

    ¡°Yeah, b-but¡­ can¡¯t you just stay a little longer?¡±

    "Nope. To be honest, I''m already running a littlete."

    Having said that with a grin, Cloud took out a money bag from his arms and threw it at Mars. Mars, who received the heavy money bag, tilted his head.

    "This..?"

    ¡°About 2000 gold. With this, go to a Swordsmanship Guild in a nearby town and learn some cool sword skills.¡±

    ¡°2000 gold?!¡±

    Mars looked at the money bag in his hand, startled like a littlemb.

    He never held 100 gold in his whole life, let alone 2000 gold.

    Mars''s hand holding the money bag trembled.

    He resolutely shook his head and handed the money bag back to Cloud.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think this is right. I cannot pay you back.¡±

    ¡°Duh, what should I do of a guy who wants to be a brave knight but is scared of some measly 2000 gold?¡±

    "Still¡­"

    ¡°Seed in your ventures and pay me back, you idiot. Don''t worry, it''s interest free!¡±

    The grim expression on Cloud''s face was long gone. He patted Mars''s back with a bright smile as usual.

    To that, Mars alsoughed helplessly.

    ¡°Yes, I will pay it back after I make it big.¡±

    ¡°Do pay it back. Don''t die before you do, you stubborn punk."

    After giving him a few more tips, he turned his back and left. Mars waved his hand to see him off.

    Eventually, when he disappeared from sight, Mars'' expression darkened.

    Because of the recount Cloud had told him earlier.

    ¡®Cloud bro is handsome.¡¯

    Not just handsome, but very handsome.

    He is also slightly taller than average and has a good physique. He is a skilled adventurer and not poor.

    His personality is little questionable, but still charismatic in it''s own right.

    He was the one who took care of Mars like no other, he was a kind man too.

    ¡®¡­Yet brother''s love did note true.''

    He devoted himself to the woman he liked, but his love was not reciprocated.

    Cloud had no shortages.

    Cloud was like that too, but, what about him?

    He is uglier than Cloud, has no skills to speak of, was dirt poor, with a less interesting personality.

    He was how he was.

    "Mars! Did that big brother go? Can Ie up now?¡±

    Just then, his unrequited love, Isabelle showed up.

    She was as lovely as ever.

    However, Mars''s gaze on her was quiteplicated.

    * * *

    I didn''t stop by this vige to take Mars with me.

    Of course, if I take Mars with me and train him, he will grow quickly, but¡­

    ¡®It could be a poison pill instead.¡¯

    What is a protagonist?

    Isn''t it referring to someone who ovees the hard trials that befall on him in the name of fate and carves out a path of his own way ahead?

    But what if I take Mars with me and change his ways?

    ¡®That¡¯s no longer the main character.¡¯

    It''s just an extra or a slightly important supporting role.

    That''s why I didn''t take Mars with me.

    Because that guy has to carve his own path as the main character.

    All I can do for him is to give him some advice and to steer him on his path while being away from tragedy.

    ¡®My lie must have created a stir in Mars¡¯ heart.¡¯

    Hopefully the next time we meet, the stir will be bigger and ready to be waves that leads him to joy.

    * * *

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 15.1: Conflict (1)

    (T/L: The following are the updates of thest week, apologies for beingte.)

    ¡°Oh yes, did you say that the reason you are going to ¡®Oulheim¡¯ was because of that battleground championship?¡±

    The old man sitting in the leading carriage asked Cloud.

    Oulheim is the capital of the Kingdom of Alitia and is famous for the fierce battleground championship that is held once in every four years.

    As Cloud nodded, the old man shook his head with a sigh.

    ¡°Possessing the exploratory spirit of a youth is a good thing, but think againd. Even if you''re an A-ss adventurer, that''s not an easy ce to survive. It is a hellhole where even S-ss adventurers often die.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate the concern of the elderly, but I have already made up my mind.¡±

    ¡°Hey, let''s think about it again. Haven''t you achieved an A-ss achievement at such an early age? How many greater achievements can you achieve if you hone your skills in the future? You have a tip-top bright future waiting right in front of you, do you really need to take such a risk?¡±

    The old man''s tone was sincere, he was genuinely worried about Cloud. From his point of view, he wanted to stop this youngd from taking a wrong route, he wanted to steer this young man to the right path who was of simr age to that of his grandson. After all, he couldn''t just let him go to die.

    But Cloud confuted with a grin.

    ¡°Old man, do you remember the story you told me earlier? That story about you running away from a well-to-do family and setting up an independent shopping mall business.¡±

    ¡°Ummm¡­ I remember¡­¡±

    ¡°At that time, you threw yourself into danger despite having all the luxuries one will deeply envy. As a result, you have now built a business that is muchrger than the original family worth.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you mean to say that I and you are the same? Boy, listen carefully, I sells things, and you use a sword, okay?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the same when ites to an end. It¡¯s either dying of starvation because of business failure, or getting stabbed to death because of skill failure.¡±

    ¡°Haah, don¡¯t say a word anymore. So¡­how about, in a way of showing respect to your elder, you will call quits on this absurd decision?"

    ¡°I don''t even have an elder in my family, old man. If you¡¯re interested, you¡¯re wee to try to be my step-grandfather.¡±

    ¡°Crazy chap.¡±

    No matter whoughed first, the old man and Cloud together burst into fits ofughter.

    The other escorts and hired adventurers, who were looking at them, looked envious.

    Although the old man''s shopping center business was not a shopping center chain that was famed all across the entire continent, it was still well-known in this area.

    Moreover, this old man was not even amoner.

    Although he ran away from home, he was the second son of a Lord.

    But a measly newly promoted A-ss adventurer was freely joking around with such a person¡­

    Some adventurers were tantly jealous.

    ¡®Damn, I should have been at that position.¡¯

    ¡®Even that old man is a big fool, what makes a guy like that so amazing? That face, teh, looks like a parasitic leech.¡¯

    However, the guards of the old man were around them, so they couldn''t even mumble, justined inside their mind.

    Like that, their journey towards Oulheim continued. That was so, until dozens of people appeared and blocked the way up to the mountain pass. They were all armed.

    ¡°Are they bandits?¡±

    ¡°Stop.¡±

    The old man stopped Cloud from drawing his sword.

    ¡°Why are you stopping me?¡±

    "I think you said it hasn¡¯t been a year since you became an adventurer? Then you mustn''t know. It is customary to pay money in moderation when bandits block the route.¡±

    "Is that so?"

    At the old man''s words, Cloud nodded without questioning further. A merchant must have his merchant''sw. As a hired adventurer, it was not his job to meddle in their affairs.

    Instead, Cloud turned his gaze to the front.

    A person who appeared to be the head of the bandit gang and a personnel of the shopping mall were having a conversation.

    Maybe it''s a negotiation on the toll amount, but¡­

    Ssh-!

    Judging from the scene as the poor employee''s head that was sent flying off, it seems that the negotiation didn''t go well.

    The faces of the old man as well as the guards and adventurers hardened.

    The captain of the escorts, whomanded the guards, rode forward on his horse.

    ¡°Who is your representative?¡±

    "It''s me."

    The man who just blew off a man''s head stepped forward. It was a man with a hood on his head and a top off. The man''s body was buffed with toned muscles.

    ¡°How should I address you?¡±

    ¡°Why bother calling me by a different name? Just call me Boss.¡±

    "All right. Why did you harm a member of our convoy who came to negotiate?¡±

    ¡°I told you to call me Boss, you punk. As for why did I kill him? Of course that bastard was trying to cheat on us.¡±

    ¡°You mean he tried to cheat you? What kind of fraud did hemit for you to blow off his head all the way from his shoulders?¡±

    ¡°Of course, it''s about our reasonable toll. Even if you try to negotiate, you have to negotiate moderately, and that with proper respect. 5000 gold toll for going up this far. Have you seen farts?¡±

    ¡°¡­how much do you want?¡±

    ¡°Everything in the wagons. If you give it to us, you all will save your lives.¡±

    ¡°Everyone, in position!¡±

    At the words of the escort captain, the guards and the adventurers drew out their weapons. The bandits around them stretched their arrows on the bow.

    A tense pressure sparked between the two sides.

    As if it wouldn''t be strange if a fight broke out in the next second.

    The escort captain warned the bandit leader.

    ¡°Are you sure you want to handle it like this?¡±

    ¡°Why wouldn''t I be like this? I gave you guys a choice. It was you all who rejected it.¡±

    ¡°Who gave you that order?¡±

    The old man''s voice sounded in.

    He could easily point out that these dorks were no ordinary bandits, and that they had no intention of keeping the members of the convoy alive from the very beginning.

    The bandit boss, the one who should now be called the leader of the assassins put on a surprised expression.

    ¡°Sure enough, not everyone can be the owner of arge shopping district.¡±

    ¡°Take my life and everything in the wagon. Instead, I want others to live. Isn''t anything other than that pointless killing?"

    ¡°Old Master, what are you saying?!¡±

    ¡°You be quiet!¡±

    The old man ordered the captain of the guards.

    On the other hand, the head of the assassins smiled bitterly.

    ¡°I wish I had someone like you as my employer. And I''m sorry, but I''ll decline the offer. They''ve already seen our faces, how can they live?"

    The assassins'' leader raised his hand.

    When that handes down, the fight will begin with the arrows raining downwards. Those who survive the arrows will be brutally murdered by those over fifty skilled assassins.

    It was the time for the faces of those who had participated in this mission to became dark.

    ¡°Hey, old man, do you have any potions with you?¡±

    Breaking the heavy silence, Cloud asked the worried old man. He had a t tone that did not match the atmosphere, so the old man thought that he had heard it wrong.

    ¡°Potion?¡±

    ¡°You don''t?¡±

    ¡°No, there is.¡±

    ¡°Give me one.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ I see.¡±

    The old man took out a ss bottle from his waist pocket and handed it to Cloud. Cloud looked at the color of the potion stored in the ss bottle.

    Bright and bloody red with no impurities.

    It was an advanced potion.

    "Thank you."

    He nodded once, opened the potion''s lid, and poured half of it into his mouth. He drew his sword and slowly walked towards the head of assassins.

    It looked so natural, and it was so ridiculous that everyone was unable to speak words.

    ¡°Heh wimp, what are you d¡­¡±

    It was when the assassins'' leader opened his mouth with a cruel smirk. Cloud spurred from his location and rushed at the head of the leader.

    It happened in an instant, and the speed at which he spurred was damn too fast.

    When the assassins came to their senses, Cloud was already close to the assassins'' leader. They couldn''t shoot their bow in this distance.

    ¡°What kind of crazy person is this?!¡±

    The head of the assassins took out his sword and shed at the front as it was. Cloud slit his back in the air as he leaned down.

    However, Cloud''s posture was not for dodging the attack.

    Click-!

    A human arm floated up in the air.

 Chapter 15.2: Conflict (1)

    Even if he make a mistake once, he wouldn''t dare to make it twice. At themand of the leader who was quick to move away, the shooters freely fired their arrows at Cloud without hesitation.

    To which, Cloud threw his sword upwards, high in the air.

    Then he leaped up and oscited with his figure horizontally.

    Shush-! Shush-! Shush-!

    Arrows passed by his body.

    But not all of them. Several arrows lodged themselves on his body.

    Cloud, whonded on the floor, quickly fluttered away the arrows stuck on his body. After tilting his head to drink the opened high-grade potion, he spat out an empty potion bottle.

    The moment the potion bottle fell on the floor, the sword thrown upward fell towards him.

    Cloud reached out and caught the falling sword.

    He immediately sprinted with his legs up on the rocks while gaining the momentum towards the shooters on the left.

    Three seconds. There was not enough time to reload the arrows into the bow and aim again.

    Reluctantly, the assassins had to throw away their bows and face Cloud with their swords.

    ¡°Your opponent is just one brat! Don''t be afraid, kill him, kill him!"

    At the moment themander gave themand, the upper torso of an assassin who was at the very front slid down. Next, the shooters who rushed in had their legs cut off, and then their necks skewered.

    Since the fifty assassins were split on both sides, the number of assassins Cloud had to deal with was roughly around twenty-five in number.

    These twenty-five people sometimes decreased by one, and sometimes by two.

    ¡°What¡­ what, this bastard¡­!¡±

    Themander was also in deep shock.

    ¡®Those lousy pants said there would be some escorts and adventurers at best! Who is the bloody bastard who cheated us, son of a b!tch!''

    ¡°F*ck!¡±

    Themander turned his back.

    Dying minions will drag the time. In the meantime, if he runs away, he can survive¡­

    Pak!

    His body fell forward with a strong shock felt on his back. When he turned his neck, he saw an arrow embedded on his back.

    Even in the midst of the melee, Cloud threw it urately.

    "Crazy¡­ this monster bastard¡­"

    Themander closed his eyes as he saw the head of thest remaining assassin of the left front flying off.

    Shoo-! Shoo-! Shoo-! Shoo-!

    The sound that pierced through the air.

    Cloud timely pulled the headless corpse that was about to fall and covered himself.

    Pak-! Pak-! Pak-!

    Arrows, one after another, were blocked by the ready-made body shield.

    Cloud threw the corpse with arrows struck like a porcupine to his side and shelled the daggers ced in between his fingers.

    ¡°Kghw!¡±

    The shooters who were bustled by the daggers fell down with their bows slipping down their fingers.

    Seeing this, the other shooters turned their backs and started to run away, taking turns at pushing theirrades who were hit by the daggers.

    ¡°Not even second-rate, barely third-rate. The standard has fallen nowadays, teh!¡±

    Cloud spat out saliva mixed with dirt on the floor.

    He sprinted across the ground and targeted the fleeing assassins.

    He wasn''t going to miss a single one today.

    * * *

    ¡°Thank you, truly. Without you, everyone here would have died.¡±

    Before arriving in Oulheim and finishing his escort contract, the old man, named Stanley took my hand and thanked me.

    ¡°I just did what the contract asked me to do.¡±

    ¡°No, no, you did a much, much better job than what the contract asked. If it wasn''t for you, not only would I die, but also the business I had dedicated my whole life, to build it upto this stage would have copse. My sons are still not good enough to take over.¡±

    ¡°Hey, you do have wealth, old man, but sadly, not everyone has a child¡¯s fortune, ay.¡±

    ¡°¡­That''s what I mean. Hah, you little twerp¡­ In my case, those idiots back at home only know how to fighting amongst themselves, if only those prats could stand shoulder to shoulder, all together¡­¡±

    Tsk.

    With his tongue stuck in annoyance, Stanley summoned the captain of his escorts.

    ¡°Bring me that sword.¡±

    ¡°Old Master, you mean ¡®that'' sword?¡±

    ¡°Is there any other sword I could be talking about?¡±

    ¡°¡­But, Master. Without any disrespect, if you do this, the young masters will question¡ª¡±

    ¡°I will disqualify each one from heir''s position who dares to question my decisions, so what are you worried about? Quick, just bring me that damn sword!¡±

    Hearing the old man Stanley''s blunt orders, the captain of the escorts bowed his head as if he had no choice and entered the carriage.

    After a while, he brought along with him a long box.

    ¡°Have it. It¡¯s your deserving reward for saving me and my business.¡±

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°Hoho, open it.¡±

    At themand of the old man, another guard came to open the box.

    Inside the box was a well polished sword.

    It looked expensive at first nce as it was gold ted with an elegant pattern engraved on the sword''s de going all the way down to the handle.

    ¡°One of the treasured swords of our family. I took it with me when I ran away. Originally, I was going to give it to one of my sons, but now, I will give it to you.¡±

    ¡°Is it okay for me to ept this? Wouldn''t your dissatisfied sons be hiring assassins to retrieve this swordster on?"

    ¡°Hahahaha! It could be. But looking at your skills today, I think it doesn''t look like you''re going to be assassinated no matter what. So I¡¯m giving it to you without any worries.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Then I''m grateful for this wonderful gift.¡±

    ¡®Actually, you could have just given me some money bags.''

    With a regretful heart, I received the sword and put it on my waist.

    ¡°Yes, yes. I''m d you epted it. I don''t know why a person like you is staying on an A-ss grade, but there must be some reason behind it. But I have no doubt that one day you will spread your fame throughout the continent. I think it would be really a proud moment if you hold the sword I gave you at that time.¡±

    ¡°I will try to make that happen.¡±

    ¡°Mmm.¡±

    The old man nodded his head with a content expression.

    For some reason, I felt if this kept on going, I would beter pulled along to his house to stay. I decided to cut it short and get going.

    ¡°Then¡­ I already got the remaining share of my quest reward before, so I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±

    ¡°Oh, of course. I must have taken too much of your time. Come on, have fun. If you want to participate in the battle, you also need to take good rest.¡±

    ¡°Um, indeed.¡±

    I lightly bowed my head once, turned my back, and left.

    Behind the scenes, I could hear old man Stanley talking something with his guards but I lowered my sight once more and wandered the streets looking for an inn.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s better here.¡±

    On a shabby street, I went into an inn with a decent structure. The noisy interior of the inn was quietened at a moment''s notice. All their eyes were on me.

    I didn''t want to pay attention to it because it had already happened sometimes, but their gazes lingered on longer than I thought.

    But not on me, but on the expensive looking sword that was strapped to my waist.

    I roughly sat down and asked the waitress for the menu.

    ¡°What do you have best here?¡±

    ¡°Everything is delicious, but the tomatoes are very fresh today. So, I would rmend the tomato soup.¡±

    ¡°Then give me one serving.¡±

    The waitress took the order and went back to the kitchen.

    As soon as she left, gathered around me four or five nasty looking guys. Of course, their waist was housing somerge sword like cleavers.

    ¡°Brother, is this your first timeing to Oulheim?¡±

    One asked, putting his hand on the table.

    "How did you know?"

    ¡°One can guess it just by looking at you. No one around here carries such expensive things on themselves.¡±

    Expensive things, huh

    More appropriately, it''s too expensive for you to hold it.

    The only expensive thing I have with me is the sword I just got today.

    ¡°So what do you want to say?¡±

    ¡°So, it''s like this. Here in Oulheim, there is an old custom.¡±

    "Custom?"

    "Yup. It''s a no-brainer routine that must be followed. The first visitor to Oulheim must give a present to the very first person he or she has spoken to, no matter what.¡±

    I could hear giggles and sneers finding it''s way from all around the hall. Either way, the guy looked at me with a serious expression and said.

    ¡°I would like to receive a gift as a part of fulfilling the custom.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know there was such a custom. So, what would you like to receive?¡±

    The man smiled and stretched out his hand.

    "Haha, you are such a nice chap! As it''s just me who wants to make a friend who I canmunicate with! I don''t want anything much. If it''s just that sword hanging on your waist¡­"

    Stash-!

    The guy''s hand that stretched out for my waist was chopped off. He nkly stared at the cross-section of his severed arm.

    Did hee back to his senses only after seeing the blood that pumped up like a fountain?

    ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!¡±

    ¡ªand he screamed.

    ¡®Oh, this is sharper than I thought?¡¯

    I was going to sell it right away, but I''ll have a change of mind now.

    I will use it and then sell it.

    With that thought, I picked up the hand of the man who had fallen on his knees.

    ¡°I just picked this up, but it seems very important to you? I''ll give it to you as a gift. You don''t have to thank me. It''s just customary."

    With a humble expression on my face, I threw the hand at the bawling man.

    The remaining four, who had a stupid expression on their faces, had their expressions distorted.

    ¡°You f*cker, have you gone crazy?¡±

    ¡°You wanna to die, you son of a b!tch?!¡±

    The remaining four drew out their swords.

    I was already tired froming all the way from the Kingdom of Prona to the Kingdom of Alitia, so I was going to finish it quickly and take a nice rest¡­

    Thak-!

    When she appeared again, that waitress who locked the inn''s door.

    At the same time, the other guests in the inn stood up one by one and drew out their weapons.

    Even I was a little amazed at the sight.

    ¡®Is this Alitia, the Kingdom of crime and nightlife?¡¯

    If that''s the case, don''t I have to get a little serious for this?

    Holy f*ck!

    This''s awesome!

 Chapter 16: Conflict (2)

    Kingdom of Alitia.

    It is one of the three kingdoms that exist on the continent and is famous for its nightlife and different varieties of entertainment.

    As one can see, the innkeeper and the local residents are working together¡ªtrying to take in a tourist.

    Isn''t it really scary?

    How did a kingdom be such a heinous den of thugs?

    To find out, we have to go back in the history of the Kingdom of Alitia. There is nothing to go up too long. It is only necessary to find out the deeds of the previous king.

    Talking about the predecessor of the Kingdom of Atilia, he was neither superior nor inferior. Just a king who should be content even if some five lines are written about him in some history book. There was one thing about him, he had a very deep affection for his wife, his beautiful queen.

    Even as the king of a kingdom, he did not have a single concubine, so it is easy to imagine how deep his affection reached.

    And one day, the queen he loved so dearly was assassinated.

    The king was enraged and searched throughout the kingdom to find the culprit. The criminal was found within two days of the search, and he was executed with the most terrible torture procedures in the history of the Kingdom.

    The culprit who killed the queen was caught, but the dead queen wouldn''t return back.

    Disappointed, the king left the state affairs as it was.

    Then, as if just waiting for that, criminals began to run rampant in various parts of the kingdom under the name of an organization called Zarakh Society.

    And in the end, the situation reached to a point where it was difficult for the current king, who had inherited the throne, to do anything meaningful. That''s why the current king, just like his predecessor is and can only keep sitting on the sidelines.

    Only recently have there been rumors circting that the murder of the previous queen was a conspiracy arranged by the Zarakh Society¡­

    But, that''s not what''s important now.

    The important thing is.

    ¡°I mean, it won''t be a problem even if we made a fuss like this. Don''t you agree?"

    I looked at the woman sitting next to me. This is the gusty woman who locked the inn door earlier. Instead of answering, she just stared at the floor with a pale face.

    Well, there''s something to see, so I guess, it''s normal to keep looking over there?

    But, all I feel now is losing my sense of appetite.

    ¡°T, That, guest. I brought the tomato soup you ordered¡­¡±

    The innkeeper ced the freshly made hot tomato soup on the table.

    Well, first off, the smell sucks.

    Still, I don''t know, maybe it''ll taste good¡­

    I took arge spoonful of the tomato soup and delivered it to my mouth. Then, after gurgling a few times, it got spit on the floor. The blood that had pooled on the floor sttered slightly.

    ¡°A, Ah..!¡±

    The woman was startled and screamed when blood sshed on her. Inguidly put my arms on her shoulder.

    ¡°Annie, let me ask you one thing.¡±

    Annie is thisdy''s name.

    "Y, Yes?"

    ¡°You rmended this tomato soup to me¡­ Was it the best trash¡ªoh, I mean, food you guys have?¡±

    "Huh..?"

    ¡°I wonder if the things that don¡¯t sell well are sold to innocent tourists who don¡¯t know much about real food, does it causes tragedy-!¡±

    ¡°T, That..! I''m s-sorry¡­!"

    Annie mmed her head back on the floor and trembled. She looked at the innkeeper, and he immediately responded simrly like Annie.

    In any case, it is the same with a tourists'' misfortunes everywhere, an everyday story.

    I sighed and said.

    ¡°The Battleground Championship.¡±

    "¡­Yeah?"

    ¡°Tell me what you know about the Battleground. Where and when will it open? The person who provides the most useful information, will save one precious life.¡±

    The innkeeper and the waitress stared at each other.

    As soon as I put my hand on the handle of the sword by ¡®mistake'', and the innkeeper opened his mouth first.

    Words poured out like running water.

    The woman, who had her face muscles trembling with a betrayed expression, also began to speak.

    I folded my arms and listened.

    After a while, both of them shut their mouths as if they had told me everything they had to say.

    Now it''s the time to choose.

    As the sword was drawn, tension rose on the faces of the innkeeper and thedy. They didn''t grovel for forgiveness or shouted or help, looks like neither of them are stupid. They seem to know that instead of putting a pathetic disy it''s better to remain still which can more probably increase one''s chance of survival.

    This is the real Kingdom of Alicia.

    Even in a random inn, they know the art of survival.

    I smirked and swung my sword.

    ¨CClich!

    A head flew away, and the blood that should have been directed into the head pumped out like a fountain.

    The middle-aged man''s figure copsed.

    There was a deep sense of relief on Annie''s face as she looked at the scene.

    ¡°Annie, you are the innkeeper from today.¡±

    "Y, Yes..?"

    ¡°I¡¯m going to go upstairs and sleep, so clean up all this away by tomorrow morning.¡±

    I pointed at dozens of corpses lying on the floor. Annie''s eyes widened.

    ¡°That, all, until tomorrow? Alone?¡±

    "Yes. You can''t?"

    ¡°Of course I cannot! I''m a slender woman! How am I going to get rid of all those corpses by myself¡­¡±

    ¡°Then we should change the innkeeper to a stout man.¡±

    ¡°¡­wait, I think I can make it happen, no, it would be very easy in fact..!¡±

    Annie sped her hands and said in a voice dozed with fighting spirit.

    Thess who trembling before¡­

    Now that the death was overhead, look at how she is overflowing with strength again.

    ¡®As expected, this is the Kingdom of Alicia.¡¯

    How many times will I be amazed today?

    ¡°Anyway, clean it all away by tomorrow. And while I''m staying, this whole inn will be rented by me. Don''t take guests. The moment another guest enters the inn, that is the day the inn gets a brand new owner.¡±

    "¡­Yeah."

    I took my keys and went up the stairs.

    I heard a squawking sound from below, but I ignored it.

    * * *

    Battleground Championship.

    Once in every four years, it is apetition held in the capital of the Kingdom of Alitia, and many brave men who are confident in their skills participate.

    The reason for participating in thepetition is to publicize their name, but it is also because of the generous prizes that can be won.

    ¡®There are a lot of people here.¡¯

    Were the diator Arenas of the ancient Rome like this?

    The perimeter of therge-sized amphitheater was crowded with people. Most of them are spectators meanwhile some are participants.

    In the preliminary round, 16 finalists out of 100 contestants will be selected.

    ¡®By the way, there''s also a preliminary round¡­¡¯

    There was no such thing when I was ying this game?

    Is this also because of not revealing my identity as a hero?

    As I waited in line with that thought in my mind, it was my turn.

    ¡°Wee to this battle of passion. Did youe as a spectator or as a participant?¡±

    ¡°As a participant.¡±

    I showed him my A-ss Adventurer que and the recently issued battle-record que.

    He looked at the two cards for a moment, confirmed that it was genuine, and nodded his head.

    ¡°Yes, participant Cloud. Would you like to ce a bet and enter? Or would you like to go right in?¡±

    "Betting?"

    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ I know.¡±

    Annie told me the other day, but I forgot. It''s a setting that didn''t exist in the game.

    ¡®If it¡¯s betting¡­¡¯

    I took out my money bag.

    7000 gold.

    All that I have.

    ¡®Betting is double-edged.¡¯

    And, sometimes it can be made into single-edged.

    * * *

    The spectator seats around the battleground were filled with noisy audience.

    It''s a huge event that takes ce once in every four years.

    Although it is an event where people are killed and injured, this is after all, the capital of the Kingdom of Alitia.

    No one cares about the lives of the participants.

    Ah.

    There was one group that actually did care¡ª

    ¡ªThose in the audience who were holding small chits of paper.

    On that small piece of paper was written on whom and how much one was betting.

    These gamblers were also divided into two categories.

    ¡ªthose who bet small sums on famous people for small moments of enjoyment.

    ¡ªthose who betsrge sum on strangers to strike bouts of overnight riches.

    They dream of turning their lives around by bettingrge sums of money on people who are not very famous.

    And Annie, who recently became an innkeeper from an ordinary waitress, was one of thetter''s.

    Unlike those who opted for safety, she was restlessly looking at the arena.

    ¡°Ah¡­ please¡­ please¡­ please¡­¡±

    She grabbed the piece of paper and prayed to God. Haven''t I had a hard enough life until now? Grant me some good luck for only this once, please, please.

    That''s pretty much what it was about thisdy''s inner monologue.

    ¡°How much did thisdy bet that she is so agitated, uh?¡±

    An old man''s voice was heard next to her.

    Annie was startled and turned her head to her side. An elderly man sat down next to her and looked at her.

    ¡°Oh, my heavens! Which bbering old man¡­¡±

    Slowly, her voice got smaller and smaller. It is because of the old man''s guards who sat behind her, staring at her with her oppressive eyes.

    Ah¡­ high-ranking person¡­

    Naturally, Annie''s attitude became polite.

    ¡°Khm, hello old sir. My name is Annie.¡±

    ¡°Ho ho, unlike this youngdy, I''m just an old man. So, just call me old man. By the way, how much have you dipped to be so restless, youngdy?¡±

    At that, Annie''s expression got struck.

    ¡°.¡­everything.¡±

    "Huff¡­ I didn''t see thating, but you''re one true natural gambler, aren''t you?"

    ¡°I am not that kind of person. Until now, I have been living a steady life.¡±

    ¡°So why did thisdy who has lived normally until now suddenly yed with her entire fortune?¡±

    ¡°¡­I think the opportunity hase. When ites, one has to catch it.¡±

    Annie tightened her hold on that piece of paper.

    ¡°Oh¡­ who in the world instilled you with that much confidence? I''m curious. Can you tell this old man?¡±

    "It''s okay. Because I''m only betting in the preliminary round. There. That red hair you see over there.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ where¡­ oh?¡±

    The old man looked in the direction Annie was pointing at, with a slightly startled expression on his face. He soon started chuckling as if he was begining to feel the fun.

    Is this old man crazy? Annie thought inside her and opened her mouth.

    ¡°Why''s wrong?¡±

    ¡°No, haha, it happens to be a coincidence. It happened that this old man is also betting on that young man.¡±

    "Really?"

    "Of course. Why would this old man lie about something like that?¡±

    At the old man''s words, Annie''s expression lit up with joy.

    It''s reassuring to know that a tall-standing person is betting on someone is same as your choice.

    ¡®I was indeed smart in betting all my fortune!¡¯

    It is a bet that even chucks the money taken using the inn as coteral. If she went bankrupt, she would have to live a life of being chased by debtors¡­

    d that I ced my bet on right choice!

    It was time for her to be relieved.

    The preliminary round begun.

    Annie smiled and looked at Cloud. He''s very scary, but he''s a great person nheless. Come on, show me your skills and shower me with money!

    ¡­but her smile soon broke down like ss.

    ¡°Hiii, no, no!!!¡±

    As soon as the qualifiers started, Cloud barely broke away from the attack, tumbling on the floor.

    Annie''s stiff facial muscles trembled.

    ¡°Hey, is it not the same person¡­¡±

    On the other hand, the old man sitting next to her smiled broadly at Cloud. He said as he wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes.

    ¡°As expected, everyone''s crazy.¡±

    * * *

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 17.1: Conflict (3)

    The rules for the preliminary round of the battle are as follows.

    Put 100 yers in arge amphitheater.

    The fight doesn''t stop until there are only 16 yers left to advance to the finals.

    Even if a wounded tries toe out, even if someone asks for help, the firmly closed door will not budge.

    Until the blood of 84 people wets the floor.

    Duwoong-! Duwoong-!

    The drum sound signaled the start of the preliminary round.

    However, the participants kept their distance from each other and were warily eyeing one another, no one rushed into a fight.

    It was natural.

    Even if it is the preliminary round, they are participating in the all famous ¡®Battleground Championship''. No one here is a good person.

    Also, whenpeting with one strong person, dozens of people can gang up, and the fight that takes ce in the midst of dozens of people is most bloody.

    It''s more like a chaotic war than a duel.

    ¡®This breathtaking tension¡­''

    Dominic, one of the participants in the ground, broke into a cold sweat. If he makes a mistake even for once, even a tiny one, he feels like he is going to die for real. His grip on the sword tightened.

    ¡®Calm down. You have to be calm toe back alive.¡¯

    Dominic took a deep breath and looked around.

    ¡®That Old Quack isn¡¯t moving.¡¯

    The Old Quack, Chasty.

    An old woman who ims to have learned shaman magic, and is famous in Oulheim by the nickname of Quack.

    God knows, which mad orc shaman taught shamanic magic secrets to a human.

    Nevertheless, she is famous because the people who persecuted her all died at some point. Since then, no one has ever dared to called her a Quack, or even utter those words in secret.

    ¡®Even the Blue Rose is watching the situation¡­¡¯

    Blue Rose, Danate.

    A man with blonde hair like painted in a single canvas painting.

    He was given thar nickname because he looks like a blue rose blooming when executing his swordsmanship.

    The origin is unclear.

    There are rumors that he is from a noble family, and there are even many rumors that he is from a royal family.

    However, only the rumors that he was very strong was most true in everyone''s eyes.

    ¡®Aside from that, there are some other bigshots¡­¡¯

    While Dominic was checking the venue.

    ¨C Whoa!

    ¨C Whoa!

    Kwajik!

    Cheers and a scream was heard.

    Turning into the direction where the scream came from, arge man once again head-butted with two other contestants'' forehead and exploded them.

    ¡®Savage Barbarian, Gallid¡­!¡¯

    A barbarian from the northern Principality of Polycia.

    A man of great size and exaggerated muscles, he was already famous in Oulheim for his unhuman strength.

    The person closest to winning the championship is that man.

    ¡°Bloody hell, what are these guys doing here..?!¡±

    The other side was also noisy.

    This is the direction where the Old Quack, Chasty is.

    Five of the participants surrounded her in a semi-circle, protecting the old woman with bewitched expressions.

    ¡®What kind of situation is that¡­¡¯

    ¨C Whoa!

    This time in the direction of the Blue Rose, Danate.

    Ground was stained red with the blood of his opponents as the sword pulled out. Around him, participants with arms or legs amputated were rolling on the floor.

    Dominic swallowed his saliva.

    As expected, they are all monsters.

    Can he survive among these guys? Was it not a really bad idea to take part in this arena of maniacs?

    It was then that fear enveloped him.

    -Hey hey!!!

    ¡®Who is this time!¡¯

    Dominic rolled his trembling eyes.

    Then he saw a madman rolling and tumbling on the ground, and avoiding the spears and swords.

    ¨C Swish! Skish!

    Even though he rolls on the floor haphazardly, in the end, he avoids everything that should be avoided.

    Looks very lucky.

    Did that bastard save a country or something in his previous life?

    ¡®¡­Yeah, such a guy is also participating¡­¡¯

    Is there anything that can be called ordinary in this ce?

    ¡®What is the number of remaining contenders?¡¯

    He just has to survive the preliminary round and make it to thest 16.

    Because surrender is possible from the next stage.

    Dominic took one rough breath to calm his mind and¡ª

    ¡°Ahhhhhh!!!¡±

    He hollered and ran to another injured contestant. In the current state, it seemed that anyone could win.

    * * *

    Dooo-! Dooo-!

    The sound of drums signaling the end of the preliminary round.

    The locked door opened and the 16 surviving finalists left the venue.

    Among them, there was a young man who was seen continuously rolling on the floor throughout the fight, but there was no Dominic who rushed in with enthusiasm.

    * * *

    ¡°What were you even thinking?!¡±

    When I returned to the inn after finishing my part of hard work, Annie suddenly snapped with craziness.

    Did something go wrong in her head?

    "Is your head alright? Or gone crazy?¡±

    "Yeah! Of course I''ll go crazy! Someone almost made my soul fly out!¡±

    Annie pulled her hair out and she exined why she was angry.

    When she told the reason, I couldn''t help but marvel.

    ¡°You yed desperate bettings with house document?"

    And, not on the one which higher winning rate, but on the one with higher divided.

    Crazy newbie.

    ¡°I have to correct my words. You are already a crazy girl.¡±

    Maybe she feel on her head when she wasn''t old enough.

    Poor child¡­

    Seriously, one wouldn''t have been sane to survive in this harsh kingdom of Alitia.

    ¡°I asked why did you do that in the preliminary round, but why do you keep talking nonsense from a while ago?! Please exin properly!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s noisy! Don''t nag soy sauce, bring noodles!¡±

    ¡°Soy sauce? What is that? And, what''s with noodles?¡±

    ¡°Shut up and get something to eat. Before the inn owner gets changed in real time.¡±

    "¡­all right."

    Annie stared at me for a moment, mumbled something under her lips, and then went into the kitchen.

    This is why kids can''t be handled softly.

    You have to show anger to make them understand.

    ¡°By the way, old man, what are you doing here?¡±

    I turned my head and spoke to Stanley, who was looking at me and Annie with a funny expression.

    Obviously the escort contract is over, but why is this old gentleman here?

    ¡°I happened to meet that girl in the audience seats. When I heard that she is the owner of the inn where you are staying, I followed her. Still, ah, how wonderous this thing called fate is. May you guys excuse me?¡±

    ¡°You don''t have to say excuse me, old man.¡±

    I took a seat at the table next to the table where the old businessman was sitting. As I leaned back on my chair and turned my stiff shoulders, he asked me.

    ¡°You are going for to make a big dip, aren''t you?¡±

    "Um?"

    ¡°It¡¯s about hiding your skills in the preliminary round. Aren''t you trying this to make big earnings by increasing the dividend rate for the next stage?"

    "Yeah, right."

    Otherwise, there is no reason for me to roll on the ground,e on, I don''t have any kind of fetish.

    In response to my answer, Stanley said with a serious expression on his face.

    "Don''t do that."

    "Why?"

    When I tilted my head, old man Stanley said with a serious expression on his face.

    ¡°This is my sincere advice. Listen. From a long time ago, there have been lots of chaps who have been aiming for that big bowl like you. Why not? It''s a ce where big moneyes and goes. But it all ended badly.¡±

    ¡°So, what do you mean to say, that all end badly?¡±

    ¡°As you must have felt today, there is no such thing as a good opponent in the ground. Of course. It''s apetition at stake, but there''s no way someone who isn''t confident in their skills can live upto this point, right?"

    Annie brought two sses of ale and ced them on his and my tables respectively. And she naturally sat down next to me and began to listen to the story of the upper-level ssman.

    ¡®???''

    What¡­is this? Didn''t I told her to bring me some food?

    ¡°And among them, overly confident guys like you y such pranks. Hiding your real skills by creating a dangerous situation.¡±

    Stanley took a sip of the ale and continued the story.

    ¡°Even if I don''t know anything about the world which runs on swords, I do know one thing. A moment''s inattention can cost your life. This ce is a battle of strife. All of them are strong men who made a name for themselves in the vicinity. How many of those people who used to put on a breath-taking performance survived?¡±

    There are some morons who topple down while acting and overlooking others, unknown when a sword swatted their ass off this world. That''s the meaning of the words of this old and experienced upper ssman.

 Chapter 17.2: Conflict (3)

    ¡°And those real gamblers are not stupid idiots. Unless it''s a very great acting performance, you''ll be noticed in no time. It means that the odds won''t go up that much if you postpone it like that."

    Clumsy smoke work doesn''t work.

    I mean, my acting in the preliminary round was really so clumsy?

    Well, it was a little overkill. Even thinking about it now, rolling the ground was a bit excessive.

    Don''t roll on ground, you''ll won''t get hit by a sword but also not earn a single loaf of bread.

    I felt a little sad on realising my low talent.

    ¡°Again, let¡¯s say you were lucky and seeded. You made a lot of money by ying pranks. But what about those who lost money in those pranks? Take yourself, are you going to just leave the guy who was ying with you and your wealth?¡±

    After saying that, old man Stanley took another sip of the ale. I organized his words and opened my mouth.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that one has to be good enough to show a breathtaking performance against the contestants, has acting senses that is good enough to deceive those ¡®real'' gamblers, and doesn¡¯t have to worry about the repercussions after you eat other''s money?¡±

    ¡°¡­well, you¡¯re right, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Then that¡¯s it.¡±

    I picked up the ss of ale and gulped it all down my throat.

    Stanley and Annie looked at me with absurd expressions.

    ¡°¡­even so, I won¡¯t bet on you anymore.¡±

    Annie narrowed her eyes as she said.

    * * *

    ¡°Aggh, didn¡¯t I say I wouldn''t?¡±

    ¡°No, this is really thest time. Yes,st time.¡±

    "Thisdy, hah¡­"

    Old man Stanley looked at Annie, who was holding a piece of paper, with an expression of incredibility.

    ¡°W, Why are you looking at me like that?! It may not be known to the elderly, but to me, life is at stake!¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s about money, didn¡¯t you make quite a lot of money yesterday? Because I made twice my money.¡±

    ¡°Does my life makes a big difference if I earn that much money? Even if I do have some money in my pockets now, I still have to manage and serve food at the inn anyway. I want to turn my life around, not like this!¡±

    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±

    After all, young people these days like to eat raw. When I was young¡­

    The old man let out a deep sigh.

    Either way, Annie looked at her piece of paper with heated eyes.

    Chasty: 10

    Cloud: 1

    It''s a sign that the audience''s bet on Chasty is 10 times the money they''ve betted on Cloud.

    And, she is betting her entire fortune, 25000 gold, on Cloud, so if he just wins¡­

    ¡®I¡¯m making more than 200,000 gold..!¡¯

    As long as she has that money, she no longer has to do boring inn jobs. Possessing sufficient to buy a decent sized farm and ves.

    ¡®Let the ves work and I will only y and eat under the shades!¡¯

    It was when Annie raised the corners of her lips, imagining a happy future.

    "Ho? What, did you bet on that Cloud guy or something?¡±

    Annie looked back at the sound of ridiculeing from behind her. A middle-aged man with a pot like belly was sitting behind her, looking at her with a pitiful expression.

    ¡°Lady, it¡¯s good to be greedy for money, but this time it¡¯s a little bit overdone.¡±

    ¡°Huh, so what, old man? You wanna pick a fight, huh?¡±

    ¡°No, you look like a young friend of mine, but it¡¯s because you¡¯re pitiful. It looks like the money you''ve been working hard on is being screwed up in your own hands."

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The middle-aged man shrugged his shoulders as Annie frowned and red at him.

    ¡°The guy is called Cloud, isn¡¯t he? He barely survived the qualifying round thanks to running away. Do you think he can beat Chasty?¡±

    ¡°You wouldn''t know if you don''t watch the game until the end.¡±

    ¡°That is also true. If it¡¯s a game of characters of a certain level, that¡¯s it.¡±

    The smiling middle-aged man continued.

    ¡°Everyone says quack this and quack that, but you know it in your heart, right? I mean, Chasty has some unusual powers. Didn''t you see it in the preliminary round? She possessed the minds of five people in an instant and used them like her limbs. Do you think that Cloud can defeat that strange power?¡±

    ¡°¡­.you wouldn''t know if you don''t watch the game until the end.¡±

    ¡°At this point, my dear¡­ Well, let''s just see, it looks like it will start soon.¡±

    The middle-aged man''s eyes turned to the stadium.

    Chasty and Cloud were facing each other at a distance of 20m. The game was about to start as soon as the host struck the drum.

    And.

    Doo-! Doo-! Doo-!

    The game started with the sound of drums.

    Chasty skillfully wielded her skull staff. She mumbled something while twinning like a crazy b!tch.

    But then, something strange happened.

    A ck wave of energy materialized on the tip of her staff.

    As Chasty swung her skull staff towards Cloud, the dark energy flew quickly and shoved into Cloud''s body.

    Cloud''s running body stiffened as he flinched.

    The middle-aged man who looked at him grinned. The crowd who betted on Chasty cheered.

    ¡°Look at that. Because there''s no game left, mydy, it would be sad to lose money, but¡­¡±

    However, that cheers did notst long.

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Cloud, who had been hit by the dark energy, tilted his head and started moving again as if nothing had happened.

    Startled at the sight in front of her, Chasty jumped again and swung her wand.

    More bundles of ck energy were released than before and entered Cloud''s body.

    Still, nothing changed for Cloud. He walked towards Chasty with a puzzled expression on his face as if he was asking what sorcery was this.

    Chasty''s leaps and bounds be urgent.

    She shook her wand and began to mumble something the audience couldn''t understand.

    When the act reached its climax, Cloud arrived in front of her.

    Chasty was startled and she turned her back and tried to run away. Cloud''s sword pierced right through her back. Chasty expressed her pain with her horrific screams, and then she closed her eyes and died.

    -¡­..

    Silence prevailed in the arena.

    Nobody was able to get out of the shock.

    The host, who woke upte, shouted loudly.

    ¡°1st round, Participant Cloud, wins!¡±

    Only after the host spoke, amotion broke out among the silent crowd.

    ¨C Oh, crazy! Ya sure that was the real Old Quack?!

    -Hey, damn! Gaga, f*ck this sh!t, I''m fucking sure it''s that old whore! Just because you stole money from your wife to bet here, the reality will not change dude.

    -Who was the one who rmended me here? Come out, promise I won''t kill you!!!

    -Oh man, did she even use her real magic?! What was the ¡®piu-piu'' we just saw!?

    -They must have fixed this match with money, you idiot!! Take my money you cheaters, damn it!

    It was mainly the crowd betting on Chasty.

    They grabbed each other and fought and threw tomatoes at Chasty''s corpse.

    ¡°Haha, look. You wouldn''t know if you don''t watch the game until the end, right?"

    Annieughed and teased the middle-aged man.

    The middle-aged did not respond. He just looked at his paper slip and then at Chasty, with the liveliness of soul out of her face, lying down.

    Yes.

    He, like Annie, was betting all of his fortune. And, unlike Annie, who nailed it. He has now be a penniless beggar in this harsh Kingdom of Alitia.

    His future was bleak to say the least.

    * * *

    On the way back to the participant waiting room after the match.

    Cloud grazed his wrist with a dagger. Seeing the dripping ck slime-like drippy blood, he grinned.

    ¡°Indeed, I learned it right.¡±

    After the bright red blood started to flow instead of the ck blood, he drank the potion and took his steps again.

    * * *

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 18: Conflict (4)

    All matches in the round of 16 got over.

    Except for the battle between Cloud and Chasty in the first round, there was nothing of a big variable to call off.

    Not only the candidates for the championship, but also some well-known people made it to the quarterfinals.

    And for gamblers, the real game starts now.

    The finals of the Battleground Championship are all held within one day. The only time to recuperate the stamina or to heal the wounds procured in the previous match is the brief rest period given after the match. Even then, healing is all in the individual domain.

    The management team does not provide anything to the participants other than a simple room to rest.

    ¡°In the previous match, Tania suffered more injuries than I expected. She might struggle in the next game.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, Tania¡¯s next opponent is Grexxus. I don''t think he can even beat Tania, even if she doesn''t have one of her arms, right?"

    The break before the quarterfinals begins.

    Gamblers gathered around the betting counter and exchanged information with each other.

    Who is stronger than another?

    Who has learned what skills?

    Who is seriously injured and who is not?

    With the information they obtained, they ran simtions in their heads to predict the oue of the next match.

    And among those gamblers was Annie. She pretended to go to the bathroom but was secretly listening to snitch some precious informative tit-bits.

    ¡®Tania. Falik. Cloud. Danate.¡¯

    Characters that Annie thought would make it to the quarterfinals. She grinned and betted her over 200,000 gold from the first round.

    Stanley tried to stopped her, but the old man''s admonition could not stop Annie, who had already tasted the sweetness of easy money.

    ¡®Maybe my predictions are all right. Huhu, I may have a talent for gambling¡­''

    She was full with unfounded confidence.

    * * *

    The third match of the quarterfinals was over.

    In the first match, Grexxus won the match, exceeding everyone''s expectations. This is because the injury Tania suffered in the previous match was bigger than anyone expected.

    In the second match, Taru won.

    Due to his sharp spear, Falik could not even approach him and eventually surrendered.

    In the third match, Cloud won.

    As expected by the gamblers who watched the round of 16, he was a hidden talent. No matter how hard it was to hide until the quarterfinals, he showed his skills and defeated his opponent.

    All what was left was thest match of quarterfinals, the fourth round.

    The Savage Barbarian, Gallid and the Blue Rose, Danate stood face to face.

    ¡®Gallid¡­ a barbarian who lives up to his nickname.''

    Scattered hair and a face full of ze.

    The only thing he wore on his body was a piece of clothing that covered around his waist.

    He was truly a barbarian with no signs of civility.

    Danate thought as he looked at Gallid.

    ¡®I¡¯m different from this guy.¡¯

    Unlike such a savage beast, he has a noble bloodline, albeit only half. The decoration on the tip of his sword is proof of that.

    ¡®My mother told me to go see them right away, but¡­¡¯

    Danate had a different idea.

    They had never visited him and mother in his whole life. He wouldn''t be treated well just because of his father''s hilt that he left behind.

    Maybe he will be killed, as if he was a disgrace to the family

    So he did not visit his father''s house immediately after his mother died. Instead, he focused on training his sword and making a name for himself as he roamed the continent.

    If one day, he bes a hero, famous in the entire continent, even his father''s family will not be able to deny him.

    They would rather eagerly wee him.

    ¡®Gallid. You are just the cornerstone for that.¡¯

    Duwoong-! Duwoong-!

    The match started.

    Danate sprinted towards Gallid and drew out his sword. Gallid also swung his fist at Danate.

    A fight between the two began.

    ¡®There''s no skill in that guy''s fist.''

    A simplistic brute force can be ravaged by skill. As Danate thought, Gallid couldn''t keep up with Danate''s sword skills.

    In front of his mboyant swordsmanship, Gallid rushed to defend himself from being fatally wounded.

    However, that didn''tst long either.

    ¡ªhis neck was exposed as he tried to avoid Danate''s attack from the side.

    ¡°It¡¯s over, barbarian.¡±

    Danate spun around his left foot and stabbed his sword.

    The final blow that will take the Savage Barbarian''s breath.

    -Crak!

    The blow was caught between a thick palm, the barbarian''s thick palm.

    Danate''s eyes widened.

    "How¡­"

    Thak-!

    Gallid''s fist mmed straight onto Danate''s face. The body of the Blue Rose reclined backwards. But he didn''t fall.

    Because he couldn''t let go of his sword.

    This is mother''s memento, and his life''s meaning.

    Nothing can separate him from his sword.

    Ppak! Ppak! Ppak! Ppak! Ppak!

    ¡ªexcept death.

    With the sound of breaking bones, the Blue Rose glided over in the air.

    The body was thrown to the ground and rolled dozens ofps, but his eyes looked upwards, as if enjoying the rays of sunlight. Gallid walked over to Danate''s corpse and stomped on his neck,pleting a confirmed kill.

    ¡°Foolish bastard, could have lived if he abandoned the sword, cheh."

    Gallid, who spat on the Blue Rose''s ruined face, leisurely left the venue amid the boos and cheers of the audience.

    And there was a girl who booed the most¡­

    ¡°You sun of a gun¡­!!! Why do you had to win!¡±

    It was Annie.

    In the quarterfinals, she got all the results wrong except for Cloud. Thanks to that, her assets, which had exceeded 200,000 gold, fell to 50,000 gold. It was also the money that was saved because Cloud won.

    ¡®It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay¡­ I just need to pick the main game changer in the next match. I can do it.''

    She, Annie, has be a professional gambler.

    However, there was no way for the girl to regain her true strength in the quarterfinals. Even in quarterfinals, the only money she had was not hit on Cloud and Gallid, as both had low return rates due to high winning chances.

    Rather, she betted more on other participants and lost her money.

    Now, the money left with her was just 10,000 gold.

    And the only remaining match left now is the finals.

    Annie looked at the odds of Gallid and Cloud.

    Gallid: 33

    Cloud: 1

    No matter how you look at it, it is a rate that certained¡ªCloud had no chance of winning. Looking at his performance she had seen so far, Cloud indeed had no chance of winning.

    This was a predetermined match from the start.

    She can quit even now and go back with her 10,000 gold. That way, she can go back to lead a normal life.

    So¡­

    ¡°Yo, little girl, you are going to bet or not? If not, get going quickly. The game will start soon.¡±

    ¡°Hold on a sec! Cloud. 10,000 gold on Cloud!¡±

    She handed her 10,000 gold with trembling hands.

    A while ago she was a girl who tasted the honey of 200,000 gold and a happy future. She didn''t even notice when it became 10,000 gold and her road to inn work again.

    -Woh¡­ She just threw away some 10,000 gold.

    -Aigo, no matter how high the dividend rate is, there are some money tyrants¡­

    -You can see it just by looking at it. There''s nowhere to turn back. Unfortunately¡­

    As they watched her hand over her 10,000 gold, the gamblers around her smiled and felt sorry for her.

    Old man Stanley sighed and shook his head but said nothing.

    * * *

    I acted.

    Mimicking above themon pranksters told by the old man, who hid their skills but wereter forced to reveal their skills.

    The result is this.

    ¡®33 to 1¡¯

    It''s not that much of a big hit, but couldn''t this also be considered a sess?

    Categorically, putting in my 100,000 gold that I earned from betting so far, it would be about 3.3 million gold. No, after deducting the fee, it will be a little less than that.

    Anyway,ing all the way from the mid-game, it''s definitely a huge sum of money.

    -k.

    -Drooo.

    The sound of the pulley iron door opening that I have heard several times today.

    As I headed towards the stadium, I felt a different level of heat than ever before. Even at the nearing end of thispetition, the crowd did not show any signs of fatigue.

    They cried out as one.

    ¨C Gallid! Gallid! Gallid! Gallid!

    The name of the barbarian standing 20 meters away before my eyes.

    ¡®Are barbarians the same wherever one goes?¡¯

    When I saw the barbarian who covered only the important parts with a piece of cloth, I burst intoughter. It''s because I suddenly remembered the face of a friend whom I missed.

    A guy who was crazy about fighting, alcohol, and meat for the fear as if someone wouldn''t recognize that he is a barbarian.

    A thief who always secretly drank alcohol from his colleagues at night.

    Someone who said that armor is a warrior''s disgrace, a ferocious warrior who went to the battlefield wearing only one piece of clothing.

    A sleepy bastard who secretly started wearing mithril armor after tasting the 7th Corps Commander''s spear.

    A real man who rushed to the enemy even while everyone was retreating, saying that a real warrior did not know how to retreat.

    A piece of luggage who was always knocked out in the end and made us carry him and run when retreating. The bastard who after gaining his consciousness insisted that he only fainted during the battle, so it didn''t count as a retreat.

    And a cherished friend who stood with us in every fight.

    An unforgettable colleague who valued his honor as a warrior more than anyone else, but eventually forsaken his honor for the sake of his colleagues.

    A great warrior whoughed out loud until the moment he died, and our vanguard recognized by me and my colleagues.

    King of Barbarians, Asgat.

    My eternal friend.

    ¡®¡­Should I try it? It sure has been a long time.''

    I had asked Asgat in the past. How can I fight fearlessly like you barbarians?

    Then the chap gave me a serious, an uncharacteristically serious answer.

    -Take off your clothes first. Feel the nature with bare skin.

    I took off my coat along with my armor. Feeling the warmth of the sun and the coolness of the wind. And no, I couldn''t and didn''t take off my pants.

    ¡®Cause I''m not a true savage. The guy also acknowledged this.

    -Cut it or pull it up, get rid of those sissy bangs first. And put some blood on your face. It doesn''t matter if it''s your enemy''s blood or yours.

    I shed the palm of my hand with a dagger.

    I washed my face with the flowing blood and raised my bangs upwards.

    The smell of blood stung my nostrils, straining my body. My loosened muscles tightened, and tightened again.

    ¨C Breathe hard. Make your head feel dizzy with just breathing. Make yourself can''t think of anything else other than fighting.

    I breathed through my mouth, not by my nose.

    Shortening the breathing interval made my head dizzy and made conscious thinking more difficult. It forced me to only focus on what was in front of me.

    ¨C This is thest thing. And also the most important. Shout out the Holy Warrior''s name aloud to the sky. He will recognize your valor and give you strength.

    I squeezed my breath and shouted loudly.

    ¡°Carnock¡ª-!!!!!!!¡±

    Only the enemy can be seen in the narrowed field of vision.

    Only the words battle and victory linger in my head.

    A heart that beats wildly, spoke to me.

    Run right now and smash that bastard''s head.

    This moment right now.

    I am a Barbarian.

    My temporary motto¡ª

    ¡ªjump on everyone and f*ck them up!!!

 Chapter 19.1: Conflict (5)

    "Wh, What the f*ck¡­? Why is that punk taking off his clothes all of a sudden? What the heck is happening for real?¡±

    ¡°Is he out of his mind?¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    ¡°Hey, you crazy bastard! I bet 10,000 gold on you, what are you doing?!¡±

    As soon as the match started, most of the spectators were shocked to see Cloud throwing off his clothes. This chap already had a hard time climbing up with his sufficient sword skills, and then now, he suddenly let go of his sword, so it was inevitable what the end result will be.

    It was the same with Gallid who felt absurd.

    No, he felt offended beyond absurdity.

    ¡°What are you doing, twat? Did you think that if you pretended to be my kind, I''ll go gentle on you? If that''s what you are thinking, you''d better take it outta ya head. Go back now ande armed, b!tchyd.¡±

    He warned the approaching Cloud. But despite his warning, Cloud did not stop. Rather, he got a little faster than before, and then ran rushed as fast as he could.

    ¡°Carnock¨C!¡±

    Cloud''s fist pierced Gallid''s face. Plurp. A spurt of blood pumped out of Galid''s nose. Gallid frowned heavily.

    ¡°If you want to sh!t yourself like this¡­e you sh!tty head!¡±

    Gallid swung his fist.

    Whoop!

    Cloud''s head turned. His body twisted along with his head. He reclined his body posture, and then suddenly turned around and kicked Galid''s chin.

    ¡°Krup¡­¡±

    No matter how resilient he was, the barbarian felt dizzy when the kick thwacked his chin squarely.

    Gallid''s sense of bnce was disturbed and he staggered.

    Cloud wrapped his hands around the back of Gallid''s head, and then began to kick his knees up against Gallid''s face.

    ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! You cheeky bastard!¡±

    Even with a knee kick on the face, Gallid was firm. When his sense of bnce returned, he pped Cloud to the side.

    Thoom!

    The solid connection was pretty good. Probably this retard''s organ were crushed too.

    However, the hand that was wrapped around the back of Galid''s head didn''t release. The knee kick in the face paused for a moment. Then he started smacking Gallid in the face again.

    ¡°Let go of me!¡±

    Wham! Wham! Wham!

    After being hit three more times, Cloud released Gallid''s head.

    ¡°Whoa¡­ a tough bird¡­¡±

    Gallid stepped back for a moment, trying to recover his body senses.

    ¡°Carnock¡ª!!¡±

    But Cloud didn''t give Gallid the time to recover. He ran straight up and b!tch pped Gallid in the face.

    As Galid''s head cambered backwards, Cloud punched his fist twice into the barbarian''s stomach.

    ¡°Guughk..! This bastard, ghaaa!¡±

    With his head tilted, Gallid rotated his waist and swung his fists. It was a fist filled with the strength of his waist.

    Whoop!

    Cloud''s head staggered.

    But Cloud didn''t stop, although he must have been quite impacted. He also pped Galid in the face with his back strength. It didn''t end there, he pped him in the side once again.

    "Yeah, yeah, just like this. Don''t stop until one side falls, right?"

    Thoop.

    With blood splitting out of his mouth, Gallid also extended his power.

    Cloud''s waist was curved like a hunchback.

    ¡ªonly for a while.

    Cloud''s fists and kicks poured down on Gallid.

    Gallid Hits!

    Cloud Hits!

    Gallid Hits!

    Cloud Hits!

    There was no defense or evasion in the fight between the two.

    There was only pure attack.

    Even the spectators, who were initially stunned by the heat, werepletely absorbed in the game.

    ¨C Once again, Gallid! Wooo!

    ¨C Don''t stop Cloud! More! Thrash more! Waah!

    They didn''t care less who won or lost now. They just wanted to see this fightst a little longer.

    An unprecedented wave of cheers echoed throughout the venue.

    ¡®Damn¡­ why isn''t this punk falling?!¡¯

    Meanwhile, Gallid was confused.

    Usually, when he bashes this much, it is normal for the opponent to grovel on the floor or to even die. This level of tenacity was only limited to his n''s warriors, and the weak ragdolls of this kingdom should have already died.

    But Cloud didn''t.

    No matter how hard Gallid pummeled him, he did not fall. Instead of falling, he immediatelyunched a counterattack.

    No matter how intensely Gallid performs his attacks, he just refused to fall down. Rather, as if he were going to die the very next second, his attacks got fierer than before.

    ¡®Bloody hell!! What¡¯s with all these guys?!¡¯

    Gallid was born in a tribe of barbarians in the Principality of Polycia. He had strong muscture from birth, and he had no fighter to match his age, and all of his tribal warriors were atst defeated by him, one by one.

    That''s why he looked down on this Battleground Championship.

    When it came to winning the championship, sometimes one punch and sometimes two, nobody could stop his rampage, the winner would be him, it was inevitable in his view.

    But thest guy he met was different.

    He himself was not sure if he was dreaming. He just couldn''t imagine someone like this punk to exist in this world.

    It was the first time it happened.

    Little by little, his hands and feet began to tremble. The power injected into his fists weakened.

    ¡®Why? Why all of a sudden? What the heck is wrong with me?¡¯

    At the unfamiliar sensation he was experiencing for the first time, Gallid bit his teeths. It was time for him to somehow give his body the strength to counter this crazy person.

    ¡°Carnock-!!!¡±

    His and Cloud''s eyes met.

    Unfocused eyes, filled with fighting spirit and madness. He felt only a single desire in them¡ªto somehow defeat him, Gallid.

    It was then that Gallid realized what unfamiliar sensation he was feeling.

    Fear.

    The primal sense that the human race feels when its survival is threatened.

    There are two types of actions that humans respond with when they are scared.

    ¡ªto fight.

    ¡ªor, to run away.

    In Gallid''s case, it was thetter.

    Gallid is a strong warrior. He is a person who intimidates others, who is feared by others, not a person who gets scared of others. So he never felt fear.

    Even a strong barbarian of great size was all but a child in the face of his first fear.

    Gallid turned his back to Cloud and started running towards his door.

    ¡®Axe. I need my axe.¡¯

    It is necessary to split this assho!e''s head with an axe. Otherwise, the madman won''t stop. This crazy demon-like bugger will swallow him up with an eerieugh.

    That''s not happening.

    Absolutely not.

    A great warrior like him shouldn''t die in a ce like this!

    ¡®Damn, why did I leave my axe behind? F*cking idiot!¡¯

    It was because the participants he had met so far were so f*cktard. He regrets it so much now.

    It was the time when he was running with all his being towards the door.

    The body leaned forward along with the strong impact felt on the back. Gallid just fell forward.

    "The barbarian¡­ ran away¡­?"

    Galid''s body stiffened at the sound of the voice behind his back. He turned back slowly. Cloud was looking down on him as hell was brewing behind his back.

 Chapter 19.2: Conflict (5)

    There was no more fighting spirit or madness incast in the eyes peering down on him.

    What it contained in those cold, sunken eyes was indescribable disappointment and unfeeling murderous intent.

    The crazy dog-like appearance disappeared, but the fear that Gallid felt did not. However, the taste of his fear had changed.

    If what he felt before was the fear of being hunted down by a vicarious beast.

    Now, he felt the verdict of an irresistible approaching death.

    "G, Go away!¡±

    Gallid squeezed his remaining bits of power and swung his fist.

    It didn''t reach Cloud. He avoided it lightly, as if all the blows he had taken from Gallid before was all but a joke. Cloud poked Gallid''s eyes with two finger.

    "Aaaaaah!!! MY EYES!! MY EYES!!"

    Gallid enfolded his eyes with his palms and screamed. As if it was not enough, he even rolled on the floor to ease his pain. It was a in disgrace that could not have been seening from a strong barbarian warrior like him.

    ¡°I can only sigh.¡±

    Cloud grabbed Gallid by his hair and started walking in the direction of his sword.

    Gallid was dragged on the floor like a pig being snaffled to a ughterhouse.

    ¡°W, Wh, Whaaagh! Let me go! Let go!¡±

    Gallid swung his fists, flexing his legs, and even tried to break Cloud''s wrist that hadtched onto his hair, but to no avail.

    Nothing could stop Cloud.

    ¡°Aww! Let me go! Let me go! Ah ah agh!!!¡±

    His body was slowly dragged along into abyss-like darkness. He couldn''t even resist. All he felt was great fear.

    Enough to make even the great warrior Gallid struggle like a child.

    Cloud picked up his sword.

    He let go of Gallid''s hair. Instead, he trampled on the barbarian''s chest, preventing him from getting up, and then he ced the tip of his sword''s edge on Gallid''s neck.

    Gallid swallowed his saliva at the sharp sensation passed down his throat.

    ¡°Hey, stop it! You won, I surrender! T, There''s no need to kill me."

    ¡°Now even begging for life¡­ After all, you are really not a barbarian.¡±

    ¡°No, no. I''m really a barbarian, see, see! If you spare me¡­ w-well, then our chieftain will give you¡­!"

    "Shut up, rubbish. No more insults to barbarians, and none to my friend¡±

    Cloud gave strength to his hand¡ªinching his sword.

    Pooh-!

    The sword pierced through Gallid''s neck.

    ¡°K-Kgheh¡­! Sah, save me¡­¡±

    Perhaps, he had not yet given up on his regrets, Gallid struggled with his arms. But it didn''tst long. His arms drooped down like a toy that had ran out of battery.

    Cloud drew out his sword and swung it strongly.

    St-!

    Gallid''s head rolled down on the floor. Cloud looked at it coldly, then turned his gaze to the awestruck host.

    The host, who received Cloud''s gaze, trembled.

    ¡°Didn''t I win? So, why are you sitting still?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I-I¡¯m sorry. Finals are over! Participant Cloud wins! The winner is¡ªCloud!!!¡±

    The presenter eximed with both hands outstretched.

    ¨C p.

    ¨C p.

    ¨C p, p, p.

    Gradually, apuse poured in from among the silent crowd.

    -Whooooooooo!!!!

    A loud cheer dominated the venue.

    Cloud didn''t turn to look at the crowd.

    He was in a very bad mood at the moment. He walked out of the arena as soon as the doors opened.

    * * *

    "¡­how."

    A low whisper sounded.

    Haley, one of the four heads who rule the kingdom of Alitia, was rarely so perplexed.

    The reason she came to watch the Battleground Championship was simply because of a minor interest.

    Hearing the report that the Hero Cloud was participating in the battle, she thought it would be an interesting spectacle.

    The Ipetent Hero, Cloud.

    From the preliminaries to the quarterfinals, she got well-acquainted with the strength of Hero Cloud she had only heard of. She had seen him poorly struggle in the matches.

    It was even funny that such a thing was a Hero like Gis, who was sponsored by the Zarakh Society.

    But, that thought was throughly shattered in the finals.

    It was quite amazing in itself that he engaged in a fist fight with Gallid without stopping. Because the Cloud she had came to know so far wasn''t a guy who picked up reckless deeds.

    But up to that point, it was just a little surprising.

    It was then after that when he gave her shock and despair.

    It was shortly after Gallid tried to escaped and Cloud took a step forward to pursue him.

    From that moment on, to the moment Cloud left the venue, Haley couldn''t lift a single part of her body from head to toe.

    It felt like a cold de was grazing her slender neck.

    If she moved even in the slightest, that de will tear her body to pieces.

    ¡°Among the vampires, I''m someone who is fighting for the top¡­ and, I was crushed by a mortal¡­?¡±

    Is he from some unknown race? Or a strange new lifeform?

    She couldn''t even titter at this situation.

    ¡°Gis¡­ Even that little kid is impossible¡­¡±

    It is impossible even with for Frillite, let alone Gis.

    Vampires can''t be shaken by the spirit of a human. No matter how strong a human being is with a strong body, the spirit or will is the same.

    Because on life level, vampires scale higher than humans.

    Isn''t it strange that a higher lifeform is affected by a lower lifeform?

    Literally, the soul is different.

    But now the impossible had happened. A vampire was crushed by a human''s spirit.

    It is also on a high ranking vampire like her, not just any random vampire.

    And she was not just suppressed, but was leftpletely immobile.

    ¡®¡­it is impossible.¡¯

    In the first ce, there are only a handful of people on the whole continent who are capable of crushing her, with her high-ranking bloodline, and with her powerful spirit¡ª

    Dragon King. Elven King. Devil King. And, even her master, the Blood King.

    Except for these mythical beings, not many others.

    But none of them can weigh her down to immobility with their spirit alone.

    So what just happened must be her delusion.

    ¡°¡­Krappa.¡±

    ¡°Yes, mydy.¡±

    ¡°Did you feel it too?¡±

    ¡°¡­with what regards you maybe talking about, mydy?¡±

    So he didn''t feel it either.

    ¡®It must have been my illusion, yes.¡¯

    It was time for Haley to be relieved. Suddenly, she remembered what the Blood King had once said to her in the past.

    ¨C Haley. You are superior to me when ites to perception. If you make good use of its strengths, you will be able to achieve outstanding achievements in blood art.

    ¡°¡­.¡±

    Her pretty face, which was about to loosen, hardened again.

    ¡°¡­Krappa. Take my orders.¡±

    ¡°I will aplish anything, mydy.¡±

    ¡°Be apanion of Hero Cloud. And report his every move to me. Nothing shall be missed.¡±

    ¡°I oblige.¡±

    Krappa, who lowered his head, did not show any doubts. For vampires, the rtionship between a master and a servant is just like that.

    After Krappa left, Haley closed her eyes and fell into deep thought.

    ¡®I wish it was just an illusion.¡¯

    If what she felt was true.

    If Cloud''s rank really exceeds that of even the Blood King.

    ¡°I don''t know what to do¡­¡±

    Support me and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 20.1: Dance With The Orcs! (1)

    "Cheers!"

    Only the three of us were sitting in the quiet inn, Annie raised a ss of ale. When we three clinked our sses, the cups filled with ale swayed like a wave.

    ¡°Gulp, gulp, gulp, Kyaa! Sweet!"

    ¡°What does a littless like you knows about what real alcohol tastes like?¡±

    As I said with a grin, Annie burst out.

    ¡°Of course I know, the taste should able to create an atmosphere! Atmosphere, you know. And you eat up that atmosphere!¡±

    ¡°Huh¡­ so you know the basics?¡±

    ¡°Haha! Today, this messy life and this messy country, all over, guhahaha! It''s all thanks to you, stubborn guy!"

    ¡°If you hug me, you die.¡±

    ¡°Kek. Goodness, stubborn guy is so cold. Doesn''t even appreciate a hug from a pretty woman like me."

    "Pretty? You? When, how?"

    Annie frowned as I looked up with my eyes wide open in shock.

    ¡°Stubborn guy should have died in the final, huff.¡±

    ¡°Then you would have been a server here for your whole life and then poof, death of old age.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ I would be so sad if you died. Oh, more than that, oppa! I have a question¡­ What did you get as a prize?¡±

    Annie asked, her eyes twinkling. While pretending to be polite, the old geezer Stanley also pricked up his ears.

    ¡°Why are you curious about that?¡±

    ¡°Why, me, curious? You just won the Battleground Championship! You must have got something amazing, right, right?"

    ¡°It''s not huge or anything like that. I just received 1 million gold and two other items.¡±

    ¡°Bollocks¡­ One million..!¡±

    Annie''s mouth widened.

    Wasn''t the amount she earned from betting was 240,000 gold, excludingmissions?

    She was amazed when an amount close to four times of her own popped out.

    ¡°Item¡­ What items did you get?¡±

    ¡°Not really an item, I just got three ordinary rings.¡±

    I got three rings for winning the battle.

    Bleeding Ring.

    Increases the chance of bleeding. During bleeding, the opponent takes damage equal to 2% of their maximum HP every 1 turn.

    Perm''s ring.

    Negates the first low-level magical attack initiated at the start of the battle.

    The green ring of an unknown knight.

    Durability increases by 10%.

    Although they are not bad rings, the reason I participated in the Battleground Championship is because of the green ring of an unknown knight.

    The Ring of an Unknown Knight Series.

    I''ve already collected 2 out of 4! Now, if I just collect two more and go to that dungeon to upgrade¡­

    ¡°What kind of rings are those, yup?¡±

    My thoughts were broken by Annie''s face that suddenly intervened in the middle of my thoughts.

    Gosh, don''t pull your ugly face like that. I just failed my concentration.

    I pushed Annie''s face away with my palm.

    ¡°How much curiosity do you have? When you are curious, rather make a n for your life.¡±

    ¡°Keke, that¡¯s all already set up. I will change to Prona Kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Prona Kingdom? Why there?¡±

    ¡°Among other kingdoms, thend there is the most fertile, isn¡¯t it? I''m thinking of buying a suitable farm and some ves to look after the farm. While the ves works, thisdy will y and eat!¡±

    "Hoh¡­ that''s a great life n, haha."

    ¡°I know, right? To be honest, I really wanted to go to the Empire, but the taxes there are too much¡­¡±

    Annie''s shoulders drooped down naturally. I patted her on the shoulder, and consoled.

    ¡°Still, it¡¯s not bad if you want to switch to the Kingdom of Prona. It''s peaceful and quite beautiful there. But how are you going to get to the Prona Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of putting an escort quest in the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. Wouldn¡¯t it be okay to spend about 5000 gold to hire two or three strong people for my protection?¡±

    "Oh. So, a woman with some heavy 240,000 gold is going to go that long way alone, apanied by three adventurers? What, should I praise your courage, ha?¡±

    Annie tilted her head for a moment. As soon as she realized what I was saying, herplexion turned blue.

    ¡°W, Well, then, how about travelling with a caravan? I think it will be crowded enough and safe too!¡±

    ¡°Why would they ept you when you and them don¡¯t even know each other?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ right¡­ Can¡¯t you then just give them¡­ some money?¡±

    ¡°Would a rich businessman ept a lump of luggage for some pennies? You sure think differently from normal people.¡±

    ¡°Wu¡­¡±

    I thought money would solve everything¡­ Annie grabbed her head and muttered.

    I smiled at the slight and turned my gaze at the old geezer sipping his ale beside us.

    ¡°Can''t you just ask for help from the old man here? It''s not like you don''t know him, right?"

    "Eh? Why is old maning here all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°In the outside world, old man is a pretty great businessman. It¡¯s those who sit on the big top.¡±

    ¡°No, wha, big top?!¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    As Annie opened her eyes wide and looked up, the old man coughed in embarrassment.

    ¡°Gee, is it for real? Sta, Senior Stanley! Help meeee!¡±

    Annie fell on her knees abruptly and started hanging from the old man''s legs. Old mam Stanley tried to pry her apart in embarrassment, but she wouldn''t let go of his legs as if she had met herst pir of hope.

    ¡°Stop, stop, I meant to help from the beginning. So let go.¡±

    ¡°Really? Come then and say nothing more! In other words, alcohol with peanuts!¡±

    That was when the inn was getting noisy.

    Rattle.

    The inn door opened and a man entered.

    * * *

    The hierarchical social order is fixed among vampires.

    Who is born with a nobler blood and who is not? Their birth permanently determine the status of a vampire.

    A lower rank vampire cannot oppose a vampire nobler than them.

    Especially if it is the family master who shared their own blood with them.

    The same is true for Krappa.

    He fell into Haley''s sight 200 years ago and became a vampire. He didn''t know it until he became a vampire, but after bing a member of her family line, he realized it.

    How noble and great his master is!

    ¡®I will never let master down.¡¯

    ¡°Hey there~ Handsome brother~¡±

    The drunk Annie tapped on Krappa''s shoulders.

    How dare such a inferior thing dare touch my noble body!

    Should I just pull out that filthy arm? No, I have to endure, it''s my first priority to carry out master''s orders!

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Is that real? You came to see this oppa all the way from the finals?¡±

    Well, she speaks in a timely manner.

    So be it, I''ll mercifully put off the idea of pulling out your arm.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. It was such a mind blowing scene. To be honest, I still can''t forget it. That¡¯s why I wanted to meet my idol in person, so I followed after.¡±

    Krappa looked back at Cloud with a friendly smile. It''s because the person in question was wearing an indifferent expression since he came.

    After a moment of awkward silence, Cloud opened his mouth.

    ¡°What about the others?¡±

    "Yes?"

    ¡°There must be other people who should have followed me besides you.¡±

    Other guys?

    Oh, is he talking about those trashes?

    ¡°Haha, I did notice a few people like those. But they can''t stop me from meeting my idol."

    ¡°What did you say your name was?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Howl.¡±

    Of course, he wouldn''t tell the lower human the true name he was bestowed with. So Krappa took the pseudonym of Howl.

    ¡°Yes, Howl. I won''t turn round and round to spew meaningless talks. And, I really don''t like anyone lying to me.¡±

    "Yes?"

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie.¡±

    Cloud''s eyes looking on Krappa fell coldly.

    ¡®¡­did he noticed?''

    How?

    No, that''s not important now.

    If he has noticed it, there''s no point in acting now.

    "¡­since when?"

    ¡°From the very beginning. The bastards in this city won''t stand a winner who has beaten their sponsored warrior like that in the finals. At least, I was thinking, they would sneak up while I was sleeping or something. So what did you do with those rubbishes?¡±

    ¡°¡­killed them all.¡±

    At Krappa''s words, the air in the inn froze. Annie and old man Stanley looked at Krappa with hardened expressions, the alcohol''s intoxication hadpletely gone away.

    Meanwhile, Cloud''s eyes were still cold.

    "Why?"

    ¡°It was unavoidable. They were plotting to kill you, Cloud-sama¡­"

    ¡°No that, why did you kill them? Even if it wasn''t for you, they would have died in my hands anyways. All I''m asking is, what have you got to do with looping around me and killing them?"

    What to say now?

    Yes, just spew sh!t.

    ¡°Because I admire your skills! So, it was hard for me control myself, to let those guys attempt to do things like that. Cloud-sama, please let''s go together! Give me a chance to learn in the wider world!¡±

    Krappa bowed his head and shouted out enthusiastically.

    For him, the honorable henchman of a top rank vampire family, bowing his head to a human is a great shame.

    However, in order to fulfill his master''s orders, this level of shame can be drunk down his throat!

 Chapter 20.2: Dance With The Orcs! (1)

    ¡®¡­why isn''t he saying anything?¡¯

    It''s been a while since he has bowed his head, but there was no answer. Whether you ept it or not, isn''t it already time to give a proper answer?

    But raising his head now is something he can''t do. Krappa knew it from the experience of serving his honorable master for a long time. He must not raise his head until the answeres.

    Without knowing how long it took, Cloud finally opened his mouth.

    ¡°You want toe with me¡­ It doesn¡¯t really matter, but¡­ Do you like garlic?¡±

    The moment he heard the word garlic, his body trembled. He even wondered for a moment if he was caught. However, soon he judged that it was impossible.

    He not only hid the characteristics of his race, but also suppressed his blood energy to as low as possible.

    He can''t be noticed until humans see him using blood magic. No matter if the person in front of him is a hero or not.

    "Garlic¡­ Why¡­?"

    ¡°Welp, that''s because I like garlic very much. If you''re going toe with me, you''ll have toter eat a lots of garlic, so I was wondering if it would be okay."

    ¡°¡­I will bring my own food.¡±

    ¡°For reference, I don¡¯t n on going with a guy who doesn¡¯t eat garlic. Thepanions I hadst time said they didn¡¯t like the smell of garlic and so ran away.¡±

    ¡®¡­so the biggest reason for the disbandment of Hero Cloud¡¯s party was because of garlic¡­! Hisss-!¡¯

    No wonder they split so easily.

    The garlic smell is just so unbearable. Who can help it?

    ¡°So you like garlic? Don''t ya?"

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The higher race, the vampires, have two weaknesses.

    The first is holy magic.

    The holy energy practiced by the priests who believe in Goddess Iris can burn the flesh and blood of a vampire.

    The second is garlic.

    Unlike the Holy Power, it is an object that can be easily obtained by ordinary humans, and it is like poison for the vampires.

    For some reason, which is still not known, but if low rank vampire eats garlic, he will lose control of his blood, and might even fall down from his vampire life.

    The above two reasons are the culprits why the vampires, who are a higher race, have to hide from these lower humans.

    No matter how mighty and strong they are, their weaknesses are also that obvious.

    Hearing Cloud''s words, Krappa fell into deep trouble.

    ¡®Of all things, garlic. Garlic, it''s motherf*cking garlic again!¡¯

    When ites to someone of Krappa''s level, eating garlic can''t kill him.

    It will be just a little bit painful.

    ¡®F*ck, not just a little, but very painful¡­''

    ¡°Why? Do you hate garlic?¡±

    "No way. Honestly, I like it the most!"

    He can bear any level of pain for the sake of his master''s orders. Even if it is a pain that burns to the intestines!

    And if humans were to eat garlic, how much would one can even eat? At the most, they would use it as a seasoning for food.

    With that in mind, Krappa epted Cloud''s offer.

    And so, the next morning.

    ¡°Hey, garlic in the morning is delicious.¡±

    Krappa was terrified when he saw Cloud handing him a bunch of raw garlic while chewing some himself.

    ¡°Uh¡­ um¡­ what is this for¡­?¡±

    ¡°Why? Of course, to eat, dude.¡±

    Saying that, Cloud took a piece of raw garlic, put it in his mouth, and chewed it like peanuts.

    ¡°¡­.shit.¡±

    The noble vampire spoke out low-grade swear words out of his mouth after a long time.

    * * *

    It''s a certainty.

    This damn bastard must have figured out who I was. Otherwise there''s no way he canmit this type of sh!thousery!

    Krappa murmured to himself as he chewed on the jerky pickled in garlic sauce. Moreover, in front of him was a ss of garlic juice and garlic bread.

    Even if he wanted to eat something else without garlic, Cloud dismissed it, saying there was no such thing.

    Since then, he has been having his piece of crap.

    ¨C Ew, that Mr. is once again filling the room with garlic''s smell. Can''t he go somewhere else to eat?

    ¨C You can go and tell him that.

    ¨C What? No, no. You just saw earlier. Someone else went to tell him that, but his eyes made the poor man run away. Those eyes, they spoke murder.

    The people using the same room as Krappa and Cloud murmured their dissatisfactions.

    Krappa raised his eyes.

    Damned lower things! Who wants eat something like this! Every time I pick it up to my mouth, my stomach turns upside down!

    Krappa turned to his side, shaking his head.

    The culprit of this situation was lying peacefully on the bed with his eyes closed. Krappa was very vexed with his ways, but what to do? He had to carry the orders of his master, he have to endure it.

    ¡°¡­you still won¡¯t tell me?¡±

    "What?"

    ¡°Our destination. It''s been a while since we have been on this ship, but you still haven''t told me where we''re going."

    A few days have passed since their first meeting at the inn.

    Cloud said he wouldter tell him where they were going, but he didn''t tell him even until now, when they were already so far in the sea.

    ¡°Well, the time hase to tell me. So where are we actually going¡­¡±

    It was then.

    Thud! The ship shook violently with impact.

    ¨C Wh, What? What''s happening?

    The room was suddenly engulfed inmotion.

    ¡°Howl, go out and find out what¡¯s going on.¡±

    "¡­Yes."

    He didn''t like the way he was treated by his new ¡®boss'', but he had no choice but to do this.

    Because he had to carry out his master''s orders¡­

    Krappa tumbled out of the room.

    ¡°Hey, what the hell''s happening this time¡­?¡±

    Krappa narrowed his eyes at the scenery before him.

    He rubbed his eyes with his fingers, but the scenery did not change.

    ¡°Haha, shit.¡±

    These days, low-level swearing keepsing out more and more frequently.

    He turned back.

    With the door closed, Krappa strode forward and grabbed Cloud by the cor. Cloud, who was grabbed by the cor without a word, tilted his head.

    ¡°Hey, you bastard! I told you to walk instead of going by sea! You ignored my words and climbed into this f*cking ship¡­!¡±

    "Um? What happened to you all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°Why else!? Storm! There is a f*cking bigass storm outside!¡±

    A great storm was raging in the sea. The sailors were busy trying to somehow steer out of the storm.

    Listening to his words, the people in the room became more agitated.

    Cloud''s reaction, on the other hand, was t.

    ¡°Anything else? When I saw your reaction, I almost thought some twisted deep-sea octopus with slimy tentacles had popped out. And, you are trembling like this just because of a storm?¡±

    "Anything else?! Just because of a storm?! The ship looks f*cking wrecked right now, and that''s what you are saying now?!¡±

    In front of the mysteries of Mother Nature, he who belongs to a high-ranking vampire n can do nothing.

    He can pose no resistance and will be just as simrly swept away as any other person here.

    -Wrecked! Wrecked! No, I can''t die!

    Confused and shocked, the guests rushed outside. Cloud sighed and released himself from Krappa''s hand that was hanging his cors.

    ¡°Yes, I understand now. It must be your first time, first time going through a storm, eh?¡±

    "¡­so it''s not your first time?"

    ¡°It''s natural, mate. What else is not there in my adventure life? As an experienced adventurer, I will teach you what to do when you encounter a storm at sea. Come, follow along.¡±

    Krappa gulped his saliva with a nervous expression on his face.

    Really¡­ Is there a way to deal with storms?

    Yeah, looking at his confident face, maybe there really is.

    No matter how inferior a human is, isn''t he a Hero who has been wandering around the continent?

    Krappa decided to believe in Cloud''s words.

    ¡°For starters, lie down in bed.¡±

    ¡­?

    It was a strange instruction, but for once, Krappaid downfortably on the bed.

    ¡°Close your eyes.¡±

    Krappa closed his eyes.

    ¡°Take a deep breath to calm your mind, and chix.¡±

    As he took a deep breath, the feeling of urgency calmed down little by little. He was no longer concerned with the noise around him.

    ¡®Not bad.¡¯

    Yes, being calm is the most important thing in any situation. A vampire of my rank must not forget that.

    Reflecting on himself, he waited for the next instruction.

    ¡°Are you calm now? Good, then go to sleep.¡±

    ¡°¡­.?¡±

    ¡°You don''t know sleep? Sleep like, sleeping?You are grown up, dude, what the heck?¡±

    "Sleep? You literally mean to go to sleep?¡±

    ¡°Is there any other meaning behind sleeping?¡±

    ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t you just say that it was a remedy for the storm?¡±

    ¡°Of course, man. If you just go to sleep peacefully and wake up, everything will be fine. Whether the ship gets out of the storm, or gets wrecked and washed up on the shore, or we get drowned and go upto heaven. We just have to calmly wait for the results.¡±

    Then, Cloudid down on the bed and calmly closed his eyes.

    Krappa was at a loss for words at that casual action. He regained consciousness and grabbed Cloud by his cors again.

    ¡°How''s that a f*cking way to deal with it!¡±

    Cloud said while looking at Krappa with an annoyed expression.

    ¡°That''s the urate way. Tell me, is there any better way than to follow the rules like a good boy instead of going against nature? Just leave it to fate. That''s life, bud.¡±

    Cloud shrugged off Creepa''s hand, thenid down back on the bed and closed his eyes peacefully.

    "Peace xD."

    Krappa''s eyelids twitched.

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 21: Dance With The Orcs! (2)

    Cloud snuglyid on his bed and didn''t even care about opening his eyes again.

    ¡®Is he¡­really sleeping? Like, for real..? In this situation?¡¯

    What''s with all these crazy bastards?

    Are all Heroes like this these days?

    Krappa groaned and staggered out of the room to check the situation.

    Outside the cabin, on the deck, there was absolute chaos.

    Passengers who were doing all kinds of things to save their lives, sailors who were shouting, asking the others to stay still if they wanted to live, and even the captain who was shouting and giving orders in the meanwhile.

    And at the heart of it all, was a great storm.

    A whining passenger was pulled away in the strong cyclone, and the ship shook in the waves.

    ¡°¡­Should I just leave?¡±

    If he spreads his wings and flies away now, then maybe he will have a chance to survive. Though that thought passed in his mind, Krappa shook his head.

    If he did that, he will be disobeying his master''s orders.

    And even if he tried to escape by air, it was clear that in this strong wind, he would fall without much time to make any other moves.

    And because of that damn garlic even his own blood energy was not under his proper control!

    ¡°Should I just leave it to luck just as that human said¡­¡±

    It was time for Krappa to sigh as he turned back to return to his room.

    When¡ª

    ¡ªarge wave formed in front of the bow.

    A very, veryrge tsunami-like wave that seemed to swallow the ship.

    ¨C Hey, look at that!

    ¨C Damn it! Hold on tight, boys!

    ¨C H, Help me! I want to live, aaaw!

    In the midst of the chaotic crowd, Krappa fell on his knees.

    ¡°Master¡­¡±

    Why did you drive this faithful servant into such quagmire¡­

    For the first time since Krappa was reborn as a vampire, he resented his master.

    Woo, woo, woo, woo!

    Nature''s wrath timely struck upon the ship.

    * * *

    Krappa spent his childhood days as an ordinary human boy. His father was the only cksmith in a small town, so it can be said that he grew up in a rather well-to-do family.

    So like that, he was living his very ordinary but leisurely days.

    But, on one dark night, a group of people with hoodies on their head stormed the vige.

    Their physical abilities far exceeded that of ordinary humans, and the town people were ughtered without any resistance.

    Krappa couldn''t avoid them either.

    He was slowly dying with his sister in his arms.

    Was this his end? Will his life end in such a vain manner? At least, he wished his sister would survive¡­

    It was time for all kinds of thoughts to pass through his groggy consciousness.

    ¨C Hmm, these guys look pretty useful.

    When he saw a beautiful woman through his blurred vision¡­

    ¡°Yo dude, still alive? Stop sleeping and wake up.¡±

    ¡°Ugh.¡±

    Receiving a wake-up nudge on his shoulders from a leg, Krappa woke up from a dream that contained his old memories. Suddenly waking up from his dream, he cautiously jumped back on his feet and turned his head to look around.

    Drynd.

    Withered trees and seemingly endless ins.

    There were no shabby wooden walls or straw beds in sight.

    ¡°This is¡­¡±

    ¡°The western part of the continent. Thend of the orcs.¡±

    "Orcs? Why are we in the orc¡¯s territory suddenly¡­¡±

    ¡°What else? Looks like our luck is not that good, some deepsh!t luck, I must say. There''s nothing to be alert about, atleast for now there''s none, go bring those fallen bellops over here. I will go gather branches and make a bonfire.¡±

    On the shoreline Cloud pointed to, fragments of ships, crew members, and passengers who were toppling or floating in the waves came into view. Krappa pulled up the crew members and passengers on the side one by one.

    ¡®Damn it, I''m looking out for lesser things at the orders of a lesser bastard.''

    Double shame!

    Double damage!

    Krappa felt a sense of shame that he had to live with for the moment.

    ¡®What am I thinking now! It''s master''smand. I have the obligation to obey mydy''smands!¡¯

    His master had told him to monitor Cloud''s every action and report it ordingly. To do so, he had to first win Cloud''s trust, and in order to earn his trust, he had to pretend and show his obedience.

    So, what he is currently doing now is ultimately his master''s orders too.

    Krappa appeased his sense of shame and threw each of the humans he picked up near the bonfire that Cloud had lit. About twenty such people were stacked together around the bonfire.

    "Good work. The weather is muggy cold at night here, thankfully, we have a bonfire now, so we don''t have to worry about hypothermia. Let''s take turns in guarding and resting until they wake up.¡±

    "All right, Cloud-sama."

    "Hum? Why using honorifics again, dude? Just talk nonsense like you did before, feel free.¡±

    "¡­no."

    ¡®He didn''t forget it?¡¯

    Krappa added a line to the report about Cloud in his head.

    ¨C Holds grudges.

    * * *

    As time passed, those who had fainted began to wake up one by one.

    ¡°What, what?! W, Where are we?!¡±

    ¡°Howl, you go and exin.¡±

    "¡­Yes."

    Krappa walked up to people every time they woke up and exined the situation. The reactions of those who heard the exnation varied.

    ¡°Hey, what nonsense is that?! It''s thend of orcs, oh my f*ck!! It''s exactly the opposite of the direction the ship was going!"

    Denial of reality.

    ¡°My god, Orcs¡­? Monsters that are more cruel than barbarians¡­? Ah¡­ it''s over¡­ We are dead meat.¡±

    Despair.

    ¡°We are in thend of orcs¡­? Damn it! Does that captain even knows how to sail ships!? When I return home, I''ll tell my father and have him harpooned to the city wall!"

    Anger.

    "Ha, oh my goodness¡­ I heard that orcs are so barbaric¡­ If caught¡­ ha ha¡­?"

    ???

    What the heck was that just now..?

    ¡­anyway, all those who had fainted were awakened and by now were well aware of the reality.

    The atmosphere was dark because most of them were immersed in the negative emotions that grappled their hearts.

    p, p!

    The sound of ps evoked their attention. They turned their attention to the one who pped just now.

    Cloud, the person who made the movement, said with a smile.

    ¡°As you all know, the ship was wrecked in a storm. And so we fell into thend of the orcs. In such a situation, we have only one option to take. We have to somehow get to the border and get out of here.¡±

    ¡°Get out..? Is it possible? If the orcs see us while we are moving, it would be the end of all of us¡­¡±

    Someone questioned in a dismayed tone.

    The person who mumbled the desperate words earlier, he looked like he had already given up on everything.

    At those words, Cloud shook his head.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. If we encounter orcs in the process, there is no other end.¡±

    "Then¡­"

    ¡°But, does anyone has a better idea than the one I just suggested? If yes, please present it. We''ll all take a look at it positively.¡±

    "¡­none."

    ¡°Then do as I say. Wouldn''t it be better to live even a little bit longer with perseverance than dying here like dead logs?"

    Cloud looked at the people sitting around the bonfire one by one. The facial expressions were better than before. It was a positive sign.

    ¡°Ha ha, now I just can''t silently listen to you anymore.¡±

    And whenever things are going to go well, there''s always a guy present there who is always ready to ze the candle. Because it was a familiar situation, Cloud''s expression remained impassive.

    Really.

    He looked at the man who wanted to die with no expression on his face.

    A young man who appeared to be in his mid tote teens. He was the guy who had expressed his anger earlier by saying he was going toin to his father. Next to him stood a middle-aged man who appeared to be his escort.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°It looks like you are trying to take the lead in this group, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, is there any problem?¡±

    ¡°¡­you are brave. Well, that''s not bad. But taking the initiative is another matter. You must not take the initiative. Only I can take the initiative here.¡±

    His voice, speaking as if it were natural, was full of arrogance and confidence.

    Huh, does logic works in this way too?

    Cloud asked, tilting his head.

    ¡°So, why will you be the only one who can lead this group?¡±

    ¡°Of course it is because I am a noble. Isn''t it strange in the first ce that themoners who should obediently follow the nobles, are making the nobles follow them?"

    The young man who spoke up to that point looked at the reactions of others. He didn''t even need to look. From the moment the word ¡®noble'' came out, everyone had their eyes turned downwards or fidgeted.

    The imprint of being ruled, engraved over a long period of time from generation to generation, presented it''s reaction.

    The young man smiled contentedly and continued.

    ¡°So from now on, I will control you all. This is an order, not a suggestion or request. Those who do not obey my orders will be judged as criminals that instant¡­ keek!¡±

    The young man who was kicked to the side, rumpled on the floor. And the middle-aged man who was standing like an escort immediately drew out his sword.

    ¡°Dude, speak less sh!t."

    Cloud nced at the sword aimed at him and ordered Krappa.

    ¡°Howl, beat it. As long as it doesn''t interfere with his movement ability."

    "Yes."

    The middle-aged frowned at the casual conversation that seemed to be talking about cleaning some roadside garbage.

    "You. You dare insult a knight. Repay that insult with death!¡±

    A horizontally swung sword aimed at Krappa''s neck. It was a clean cut with no frills. And Krappa blocked it with his palm.

    ¡°What?!¡±

    The middle-aged was astonished.

    How can this person block his own sword just by sticking out his palm?!

    It was ridiculous.

    A knight''s sword is not something that can be stopped so lightly!

    But there was not much time for him to be astonished.

    Krappa''s fist pounded the middle-aged man''s face twice in a row like a clean cut.

    Puck! Puck!

    There was a dull sound, like being hit with a blunt weapon. Krappa got on top of the middle-aged man who fell backwards. He started whacking, one after another, waving his fists as forcefully as he could.

    ¡°Heh, heh. Heh, heh..!¡±

    ¡­with a bizarreugh.

    Cloud sighed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t hurt his bones. We still have a long way to walk together anyways.¡±

    "All right!"

    The voice was very bright.

    Um, did I tormented the dude too much? I also think it was a little bit too much to pickle up his secret stash of beef jerky with garlic juice.

    Cloud reflected a little on himself.

    That doesn''t mean he would stop the garlic feast arranged for his new panion'', though.

    ¡°Do you know who I am, how dare you do this to me?!¡±

    Callios, who rose from the floor while wriggling, red at Cloud with a terrifying force.

    ¡°Well, let''s now also hear, who are you?¡±

    ¡°I am the legitimate heir of Viscount Goldenbern of the Kingdom of Prona, Callios Goldenbern! Now do you understand? Who you made an enemy of, Goldenbern family¡­ geh!¡±

    After getting kicked again in his stomach, Callios rolled over the floor once again.

    ¡°Ugh¡­ you, you! Didn''t you hear what I just said? I am¡­"

    ¡°I heard it all. You said you are the son of a certain   Viscount family of countryside? Here I thought you were going to be some great aristocrat.¡±

    "What..? Countryside..?¡±

    Callios gave him a look of disbelief.

    Countryside?

    Did he heard it right?

    Sadly, it seemed that there was no problem with his hearing ability.

    ¡®He said that my family is just a countryside family..?¡¯

    There are only two cases where this is possible.

    Either he''s a crazy idiot or¡­

    Or, hees from a background that is ridiculously superior to his.

    Thetter was more likely to be the case when thinking about it rationally.

    ¡°T, That, who are you..?¡±

    Cloud squatted down and made an eye level contact with Callios. The frightened figure of Callios was reflected in his cold, sunken eyes.

    Cloud responded.

    ¡°So, who do you think I would be?¡±

 Chapter 22.1: Dance With The Orcs! (3)

    After the farce was over, we decided to move on immediately. It''s because the more time you dy, the worse it gets.

    ¡°Tsk, we don''t even have anything to eat.¡±

    ¡°Here''s your food.¡±

    I handed the beef jerky pickled in garlic juice to Howl.

    Howl was disgusted and shook his head readily.

    ¡°Wait, how did Cloud-sama brought that?¡±

    ¡°I carried it in a pouch tied around my waist. It''s a little wet, but it''s better than nothing."

    ¡°N, No, thanks. I have been eating it for days¡­ I can''t consume any more.¡±

    ¡°Um, as you say. Well, it looks like we don''t have anything else to pack, so let''s get going."

    "Guys, follow me well, and if you discover something along the way, please tell us.¡±

    We started moving.

    Me and Howl, who were the most powerful of the batch, both led the group from the front and the back.

    "Hot¡­"

    As we continued to advance further, the people following behind started murmuring one by one. I nced around and saw that everyone was drenched in sweat, muttering ¡®hot'' over and over again.

    If we keep going like this, many will be left behind.

    I decided to announce a short break.

    Howl came up to me while everyone was sitting down and resting.

    ¡°How much further does Cloud-sama think it will take us to get out of here?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what even I want to know.¡±

    ¡°¡­Cloud-sama doesn''t know? Then, you just told them toe together without knowing which way to go?¡±

    ¡°Do you really want to make me say it now? It was the only way I could see.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like that¡­ haa, so there''s nothing we can do?¡±

    Howl sighed and looked around.

    The surrounding was dotted with dried up trees, barrennd, and asional scorpions. There was nothing other than that.

    ¡°So that''s what thend of orcs look like. If it hadn''t, they wouldn''t had the need to loot others.¡±

    The territory of orcs is located on the western side of the continent.

    The sun is hot enough to remind you of a desert. In the drynd, there is no moisture to be found, and the soil structure is so loose that it crumbles with every step that one takes.

    Naturally, thend is not suitable for farming. Because of which, the Orcs were always struggling with food shortages.

    The method they choose to survive was¡ªlooting.

    Once a year.

    During the harvesting season, the warriors of all the orc tribes gather to create a powerful integrated army.

    And the great army tours the kingdoms, demanding that some of the harvested grain to be given away if they don''t want a war.

    This is the so-called rip-off.

    It''s a very outrageous request, but all the kingdoms grant it anyway. Anyone would be reluctant to take severe damage by fighting against arge orc army.

    ¡®In the first ce, it''s questionable if they can even win in a war against orcs.¡¯

    If it wasn''t for the intervention of the Empire, the three kingdoms would have long fallen in the orcs'' hands, the NPC in the game once said that.

    ¡®But this guy is a vampire, he doesn''t even knows about the territory of orcs?¡¯

    Seeing that he is still alive even after eating so many of my garlics, he seems to be of a fairly high ranking. Then he must have lived for quite a long time, and so, of course, he should must have visited the orc''s territory at least for once.

    That said, the appearance I see now is just acting.

    ¡®These smelly vampire bastards. I need to get rid of this one sooner orter.¡¯

    Unfortunately, I can''t kill him with this body right now. It would be very simple if I used my old techniques, but he''s not the kind of guy who canpel me to use my real moves.

    Simply¡ªnot worth it.

    But, he is a man that can be used in many ways.

    ¡®I¡¯ll have to ask Lina to make a stronger garlic concentrateter.¡¯

    If you can still eat it and endure it, then there''s nothing more. I''ll have no choice but to acknowledge your tenacity and give you a better and stronger food next time.

    As I was thinking about it, Howl opened his mouth with a serious expression.

    ¡°Then what now? First, we still don''t know how we are going to get to the border. Second, many will starve to death before that."

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about that. I already have something in mind.¡±

    * * *

    ¡°Are you sure this matches with the ¡®something'' in your mind?¡±

    Howl looked at me with an expression that said that he was already astonished enough and couldn''t be stimted anymore.

    ¡°Intrusi Kah Kah!¡±

    Orcs riding on camels orrge scorpions were pointing their spears at us.

    I spoke to him in a low voice so that only Howl could hear.

    ¡°Did you actually think we could get to the border without ever getting caught by the orcs?With more than twenty people? Really?¡±

    We''re not the FBI, how do we do that?

    ¡°Seguire Bh Tuk Fuke!¡±

    The orc, mounting on thergest scorpion, cried out and began to move.

    ¡°What is he saying?¡±

    ¡°He is asking us to follow. Everyone, don¡¯t be afraid and just follow along.¡±

    ¡°Hey, this crazy bastard is driving us to our death! After all, I shouldn''t have followed you idiots. Actually, I should have been in control¡­ huh?!¡±

    A sharp spear de was aimed at the nape of the bickering Callios, who let out a frightened scream.

    ¡°Tranq Ui Mente!¡±

    ¡°Gulp. W, What is he saying?¡±

    ¡°Shut up. Well, Mr. Callios, let''s shut up, as the orc friend here says. Kindly, you too. Guys, all of you have to be quiet to get things done. Ah, Mr. Callios, I hope this time you don''t do anything crazy. Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±

    I followed behind the scorpion riding orc. Howl followed me, and the others hesitated for a moment and then followed us.

    The orcs moved in a state of siege as if they moved while surrounding us.

    ¡°What are they going to do now?¡±

    ¡°Well, like I said before, we should settle the matter amicably through peaceful negotiations.¡±

    ¡°Is that possible?¡±

    As Howl said so, he nced at the orcs, as if he couldn''t understand how to converse with these ignorant bastards.

    I couldn''t evenugh out loud because of the situation though it was so ridiculous. As expected, vampires are still vampires. Seeing how easily they ignore, or more specifically¡ª disregard other races, vampires are vampires anywhere one goes.

    ¡°The orcs aren¡¯t as stupid as they may seem to you. They know how to measure the situation. Otherwise, they would have been long annihted by the Empire.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ that¡¯s right.¡±

    Howl nodded his head with a trembling expression. The status of the Empire is just so great, even a vampire would have to admit it.

    To be more precise, it should be said that it was the status of the tinum Knights, the Temr Knights under the Empire.

    tinum Knights.

    The sharpest sword of the Empire.

    It is an armed force capable of destroying a kingdom on its own strength without any need of other support troops.

    On the day they draw their silver swords on the vampires, that will be the day when the vampires will disappear from the continent, unless the Blood Kinges forward.

    ¡°So don¡¯t worry, just walk.¡±

    Howl nodded helplessly.

    * * *

    Hot sun and dry earth.

    With only these two, no matter how hard they plundered, the Orcs would not have been able to survive.

    But the orcs survived.

    Because there was something that allowed them to survive.

    Oasis.

    It is arge pool of water that can be found all around this drynd.

    However, there are big differences from the ordinary oasis back on Earth. Both in size and effectiveness. Aside from the fact that it is muchrger than what a naked eye could measure, it is said that the water in the oasis of this world is safe to consume.

    The quality of the water is so good that you can drink it even without boiling.

    It is a very fantasy type setting, but it is said that this is the key to the orcs''s present day survival.

    The water of the oasis can solve drinking problems and the surroundingnd is farmable.

    Of course, that alone is not enough, so they loot.

    ¡°Hey there. Are you sure we will be okay?"

    As I was yawning, someone pulled my shirt''s hem with a worried face.

    The orcs have brought us to the center of their tribe while still surrounding us from all sides, so its normal that there is a lot of anxiety mixed in the air.

    I smiled at her and calmed her down.

    "It''s okay. Trust me.¡±

    ¡°I want to believe it, but¡­¡±

    She looked around herself with a face full of fear. I followed her gaze and looked around, and besides the orc warriors who surrounded us, other orcs were gathering one by one.

    But it didn''t seem like there was a need to worry too much.

    Compared to the orc warriors, the energy they exuded was too poor.

    It was no different from a slightlyrger human being.

    ¡°Is it you people? Humans who fearlessly invaded our tribe¡¯s territory?¡±

    A thick voice came from inside therge tent. The orc that emerged from the tent was wayrger than any of the other orcs.

    He was 2.5 m tall with thick muscles.

    He also has a hideous ck tattoo on his right shoulder.

    The energy emitted by this orc was far exceeding those normal orcs as well as those orc warriors.

    ¡°Hey, the orc knows ournguage.¡±

    "Scary¡­"

    ¡°Indeed¡­¡±

    Those who were still very nervous were terrified by the appearance of therger orc.

    After calming them down, I asked the orc.

    ¡°Are you the chieftain of this tribe?¡±

    "Yesh. I am Lugar, the son of Roxar, and the chieftain of the Wolftooth tribe.¡±

    ¡°I am Cloud. Lugar, the son of Roxar, I¡ªchallenge you to a duel.¡±

    * * *

 Chapter 22.2: Dance With The Orcs! (3)

    ¡°I am Cloud. Lugar, the son of Roxar, I¡ªchallenge you to a duel.¡±

    Cloud''s sudden words stilled everyone in the group except for him.

    A duel?

    Does that mean he is going to fight against that strong-looking orc?

    On the other hand, Lugar looked at Cloud with an intrigued expression.

    It was because it was particrly strange that a human knew about the orc''s duel.

    ¡°Duel. Why should I duel with you, human?¡±

    ¡°For an orc warrior, isn''t a duel an honorable battle to showcase his pure strength?¡±

    "Indeed, but you are not an orc.¡±

    ¡°Is not being an orc a problem? I am also a warrior. Always ready to die a virtuous death in a honorable battle. Or that, you are unprepared to face one? Lugar, the son of Roxar.¡±

    ¡°A chieftain''s position is not so light, that it will make me fall for such trivial provocations. No need to ask me again, my answer will be the same. For say, do I need to have a duel with something which I can kill like a bug just because of some trival words?¡±

    Cloud put his hand under his arms. To which, the orc next to him raised his spear¡ªready to subdue him, but Lugar raised his hand to halt the orc''s movement.

    Because what Cloud took out were six heavy-looking tabloids.

    ¡°500,000 gold each. All together, it''s 3 million gold. I will bet this as a wager for the duel. If you win, you can have all this money.¡±

    At the word of 3 million gold, everyone''s eyes shook except for Howl. This is because most people here were not qualified to hold even 10,000 gold, let alone 3 million gold.

    Callios, the sessor of a Viscount family, was the same. It''s not that a Viscount family doesn''t have 3 million gold.

    But, there''s no 3 million gold in cash.

    To prepare 3 million gold in cash, they would have to sell a lot of their ves,nds and assets.

    He couldn''t help but be surprised that something like that was easily avable in Cloud''s hands.

    ¡®Damn, I was right after all..!¡¯

    Callios was very resentful of the past himself, who talked nonsense for no sense.

    But it didn''t matter, because people''s reactions didn''t mattered to Cloud.

    ¡°Ah, Mr. Orc, can you stop pretending to be so casual? You think I don''t know anything?"

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Jeez, still pretending to the end. You think I don''t know that you orcs are buying scarce quantity of food from the Empire.¡±

    ¡°¡­.you even know that much?¡±

    They farm around the oasis and loot food from the kingdoms. Even then, food was and is still a scarcemodity for them.

    Farming not always guarantees a bountiful harvest, and weaker the tribe, the less food they receive after looting the kingdoms.

    That is why most of the orc tribes use money as a medium to exchange it for food at the Empire''s borders.

    In such a situation, a huge amount¡ªthat is 3 million gold was like a coveted fruit that any tribe will want to swallow.

    ¡°What do you want in exchange for winning the duel?¡±

    ¡°Guaranteeing the safety of me and mypanions, plus food and bed for one day. And, a guide to the border.¡±

    Cloud had no intention of travelling to the border on his own from the very beginning.

    How can he get to the border with no food and proper navigation?

    If he had been alone, it wouldn''t pose a problem for him, but the burden that he was carrying was too much. So he chose to have a duel with the orcs. Surrendering to the oue of the duel was one of the Orc''s long standing tradition.

    Besides, he had to visit an orc tribe someday anyways. Because he had to get that ability, the one Gis got in the game.

    ¡°How about doing this? If you give us that money, I''ll fulfill every condition of your''s. We will give you food and a ce to sleep, and I''ll personally guide you all to the border. I swear in the name of the chief.¡±

    People''splexion brightened at Lugar''s suggestion.

    To them¡ªan easy way to survive was ted in a tter.

    However, just as Cloud said his words with a smirk, their faces stiffened again.

    ¡°Wait, wait, wait, you don''t really mean it, right? Do you think that treatment, it''s worth 3 million gold?¡±

    ¡°I can kill you and take it away right now.¡±

    ¡°Then do it, in form of a duel. It''s same, ain''t I right?¡±

    ¡°It just means that I don''t have to step up.¡±

    ¡°You are frightened.¡±

    ¡°Once again, a chieftain''s position is not so light, that it will fall for your trivial provocations. Choose¡ªeither give money and live, or die and then give money.¡±

    At Lugar''s threat, the group''splexion looked more frightened than before.

    They wanted Cloud to give that 3 million gold to this orc.

    Sure, it''s a lot of money, but what about it?

    ¡ªIt''s not my money.

    Callios poked Cloud on the shoulders.

    ¡°Hey, you¡­ I think it¡¯s getting a bit dangerous. Why don¡¯t you just give them the money? No matter how much it is, isn¡¯t it less valuable than your life?¡±

    ¡°Then will you put that 3 million gold on the tab of Goldenbern family?¡±

    ¡°Wh, What?! No why, why put it on my family?!¡±

    ¡°It was the money that I spent to save the heir of their family, of course I have to put it on their name. Why, you don''t like it?¡±

    ¡°¡­it¡¯s not that I don''t want to¡­ but, if I go back with such arge amount of debt, my position as the heir will be a little jeopardized¡­¡±

    ¡°Then shut up and be quiet. The same goes for others. Only those who can pay back 3 million gold, please kindly raise your hand.¡±

    Krappa standing on the side gently raised his hand and then quickly held it back.

    Now he''s not Haley''s henchman, but Cloud''spanion Howl.

    Confirming that the people had be quiet, Cloud looked back at Lugar and said.

    ¡°A group of humans who were caught in distress and begged for a duel to the chieftain of the tribe against all risks, risking everything to catch that glimmer of hope. However, the chieftain didn''t ept it, and his tribesmen cruelly annihted the humans who weren''t even capable of resisting. These are the real¡ªvery honorable orc warriors of a certain Wolftooth n. How does it sounds?"

    ¡°Didn''t I just said that provocation won''t work?¡±

    "You did. You said, a chieftain''s position is not so light that it will fall for trivial provocations. But now, it will.¡±

    "Hgm?"

    ¡°Even if you order your subordinates to annihte mypanions, I will survive. Because I have the ability to take myself out of here safely. Meanwhile, I will inform all the orc tribes around you about the disgrace you brought to the name of orcs. They will mock and despise you and your ancestors. Let¡¯s see then, if the chieftain¡¯s seat will still be heavy even then. Or, will it be light enough at that time?¡±

    ¡°You wanna die?¡±

    An unusual pressure emanated from Lugar. It was obviously hostile. People were terrified and trembled at the pressure that flowed from a strong warrior.

    But Cloud''s expression was still same.

    ¡°Like I said, I won''t die here.¡±

    "¡­the other tribes won''t believe you."

    ¡°I will make them believe. Even if in the process¡ªI have to use up all of this 3 million gold.¡±

    ¡°In that case, wouldn¡¯t it be better to quietly give us that 3 million gold and leave safely?¡±

    In Lugar''s words, the hostility had already disappeared. Cloud rxed his expression and shrugged his shoulders.

    ¡°As you value honor, I value self-esteem.¡±

    Seeing Cloud''s smirk, Lugar sighed and nodded his head.

    ¡°Okay, I ept the duel. Anyone of you who wants to challenge me,e forward and challenge. I shall take it all.¡±

 Chapter 23.1: Dance With The Orcs! (4)

    ¡°I will go first.¡±

    rk, Callios'' escort, stepped forward and dered.

    ¡°Who are you uncle?¡±

    Krappa and Cloud looked at him with their eyes squinted.

    It was an expression that spoke about their puzzlement.

    rk''s expression choked up, but he still took a deep breath and controlled himself.

    "It doesn''t matter. What matters is¡ªthe duel with that orc chieftain."

    ¡°That''s true, but¡­ are you sure? That orc''s strong. If it goes wrong, you will die.¡±

    ¡°Even though I lost to Howl, I am a knight of Goldenbern family. I have never feared death!¡±

    ¡°¡­do as you like then.¡±

    He already tried to stop, but the obstinate fellow didn''t look like he was gonna listen a word more. Cloud shook his hands portraying that he was at his own disposal. rk turned his gaze to his master, Callios.

    ¡°I will dedicate the orc¡¯s head to you, young master.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes, I believe you.¡±

    Callios nodded his head.

    But looking deep down, his master didn''t actually seem to believe him. rk clenched his fists.

    ¡®Young master, you lost trust in me too.¡¯

    It''s natural, it''s perfectly natural.

    It was because he, as an escort and as a guard was so helpless in front that person named Howl.

    ¡®But it''s all right. Lost trust can be regained too.¡¯

    First, secure his master''s safety by slicing the orc chieftain''s throat. Then, when he''s in good shape, challenge Howl and take the victory.

    If he does that, he can regain his master''s trust once again.

    There will be no vertical decline in his status within the family.

    With that determination, rk stood in front of Lugar.

    ¡°Are you the first?¡±

    "Yes. My name is rk, a knight of the Goldenbern family.¡±

    ¡°Lugar, son of Roxar. Let the duel begin.¡±

    rk drew out his sword. On the other hand, even after the duel begun, Lugar did not take out the greatsword hung on his back. rk frowned.

    ¡®Is he trying to insult me? Doesn''t matter. What matters now is not my pride, but something more!¡¯

    "Die!"

    rk stepped forward and broke into a dash, he straightened his sword posture and followed a standard stabbing motion.

    On the other hand, Lugar didn''t take any moves. Because of which, rk had no doubt that his sword would definitely pierce through Lugar''s heart.

    ¡°¡­what?¡±

    However, rk''s sword did not reach Lugar''s heart.

    It not even trickled his skin properly, let alone advancing to his heart.

    ¡°What kind of muscle is this, heck, this is stone¡­¡±

    It was when rk was perplexed by the unbelievable reality.

    Lugar grabbed the handle of his greatsword positioned on the back.

    It was a moment of a second.

    Whoosh!

    With a harsh wind crackling sound, rk''s upper and lower body were split in half based on the waist.

    The sword that rk brought to block the attack was also severed in half.

    ¨C Lugar! Guuah! Brave warrior!

    ¨C Brave warrior! Hah!

    ¨C Brave warrior! Hah!

    ¨C Brave warrior! Hah!

    Excited by Lugar''s victory, the orcs began to cheer loudly.

    The humans did not understand thenguage of the orcs, but they werepletely overwhelmed by the momentum.

    They just saw how rk got splited in half.

    They couldn''t help but feel terrified.

    ¡®The knight''s stab couldn''t even touch his muscles. Is it because of the level difference?¡¯

    Meanwhile, Cloud was lost in thoughts as he remembered the events of the previous duel.

    ¡®Looking at the skill proficiency of that knight, it would be difficult to see him as an elite knight, then he would be somewhere around level 28 or 29.¡¯

    Since Lugar is the chieftain of the orc tribe, he will be around level 50. It''s an overwhelming level difference. It was understandable that the knight''s attack didn''t work.

    ¡®But I don¡¯t think it''s because of a simple level difference.¡¯

    Looking at the tattoo on Lugar''s shoulder, Cloud scratched his chin. Then, at Lugar''s groar calling for the next opponent, Krappa was pushed on the back.

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Krappa tilted his head and pointed at himself with his finger.

    "Me..?"

    "Yup, you."

    ¡°No, why I am the one?! You just saw that. You want me to die?!¡±

    ¡°You also blocked that knight¡¯s sword with your bare hands. So, don''t you and that guy have simr strength?"

    ¡°What kind of nonsense is that?!¡±

    Cried Krappa.

    Even to him, that orc was a formidable opponent. It means that even if he fights with all his might when his physical condition is normal, he still cannot guarantee his victory.

    But now, he has to hide his characteristics as a vampire, his can''t use his nails, fangs, and blood skills.

    Is that all? No!

    The inner condition of his body is unsteady because of the garlics he had to eat constantly, and his skin still felt the hot burning sensation while standing in the direct sunlight.

    In such a situation, to fight that orc was like telling him to just go and die.

    It was time for Krappa to say something more and somehow get himself out of this fight. When, Cloud whispered quietly into his ears.

    ¡°Be quiet and listen. The n went awry. The orc chief is stronger than I thought. Probably no one here can beat that orc one on one.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Krappa looked at Cloud with eyes that showed he knew that Cloud was an unreliable bastard, but he didn''t expect it to be this much.

    The effect was insignificant.

    Cloud ignored that gaze and continued.

    ¡°Try to create a gap somehow, at least once. Then I''ll aim for his eyes. We can just hope the eyes aren''t as perverted as his body. Finding chance, we will escape, taking advantage of the uneasiness and bewilderment created among the other orcs.¡±

    ¡°You mean breaking the rules of the duel? If so¡­¡±

    ¡°I know, it¡¯s f*cked up. All orcs will be hostile towards us. But it''s better than having our coffins buried in the desert. Aigo, even coffins will be an extravagant thought here."

    Krappa thought for a moment, then nodded his head.

    The n didn''t sound bad to him.

    Because Krappa, under the protection of a high-rank vampire like Haley, didn''t need to fear the wrath of the orcs.

    ¡°¡­just onest question. What about them?¡±

    Krappa asked, pointing to the people trembling in fear. Cloud shook his head with a bitter expression.

    ¡°¡­We will have to give up. I am not an idiot, being stubborn even in a situation like this.¡±

    "Great."

    If Cloud had said he was going to take them all with him, Krappa was going to ditch him the next second and fly away by himself.

    Fortunately, there seemed to be a sense of reality in this person''s mind.

    Krappa said as he tapped his sword.

    ¡°I trust you.¡±

    "Yes. I trust you too."

    Cloud spoke in a serious voice and patted Krappa on the shoulder.

    . . . . .

    "Aaaagghh!!! Y, You! You goddamned bastard!! F*ck youuuu¡ª!"

    A bat screamed in the air.

 Chapter 23.2: Dance With The Orcs! (4)

    "Aaaagghh!!! Y, You! You goddamned bastard!! F*ck youuuu¡ª!"

    A bat screamed in the air.

    ¡®What''s this¡­¡¯

    Lugar looked at the bat with a ridiculous expression on his face.

    Until just now, he was fighting quite fiercely with a human named Howl.

    This Howl came out to be a better warrior than that previous human named rk, thanks to which Lugar was quite enjoying this duel.

    As the duel continued, Howl suddenly made a big mistake, probably due to theck of strength.

    ¡®Is it only up to here.''

    Leaving behind his disappointment, Lugar swung his sword to finish this duel at once.

    His sword was on the verge of ripping this human''s body to pieces.

    Pop!

    When the smoke rose up with a sound, and a bat flew up through the smoke.

    It was certainly surprising upto this extent, but what was even more surprising was this absurdity of a bat who was now screaming curses at that gutsy red-haired human.

    The heck, the bat actually talks?!

    At the sight they were experiencing for the first time in their life, Lugar and other orc tribesmen were stunned.

    ¡°I was a moron to believe in you! You sick human!¡±

    ¡°Can vampires believe in humans? My ?ss..!¡±

    On the other hand, the red-haired human who was being repeatedly cursed by the bat wasughing crazy while holding onto his belly.

    Theughter seemed to have simted more of the bat''s anger, who cursed like crazy but the red haired man''sughter didn''t take a stop.

    And so, a more confusing sight was enstaged¡ª

    A bat hollering curses one after another, while the humanughed nonstop, saying that it was the first time in his life that he had ever seen such a stupid vampire.

    ¡®Vampire?''

    Even Lugar had heard of vampires.

    They look like humans, but are actually monsters in human skin that can''t bepared to normal humans.

    When he was way younger, he had been once told by his father to be prepared to lose his life if he ever met a vampire.

    ¡®¡­I''m sure my father''s expression was serious.''

    Lugar once again looked at the screaming bat.

    ¡°I will kill you someday! Surely kill you! No, death is not enough! I will make you my eternal ve and make you suffer for the rest of your life! Do you listen, you human punk¡ª!¡±

    ¡®¡­that''s it?¡¯

    No matter how he looked at it, he couldn''t believe it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be shy mate, go and tell your master. If he did one more stupid thing, I would tie him up and make him eat only garlics for the rest of his vampire life.¡±

    ¡°How dare you..!!!!!¡±

    ¡°Why, you wanna fight?¡±

    Cloud shrugged his shoulders.

    His hand was already inside a pouch of grounded garlic. He was nning to sprinkle some tasty grated garlic into the vampire''s eyeballs if he dared rush in.

    ¡°Ugh..!¡±

    Krappa fell into silence.

    He would, by heart, like to tear off this man''s jaw right off his face right this instant, but the situation didn''t permit Krappa to do so.

    He was already in a bad state because of the overconsumption of garlic which was no less of a poison to vampires. Moreover, he was present in the direct sunlight.

    In such a situation, he even had to use his blood skills against the orc in the duel, whichpletely make the blood inside his body go berserk.

    If he doesn''t find a safe ce right now and stabilizes his blood, he will definitely be left with a great seque. There may be even aftereffects, which will weaken his strength, and then he may have to step down lower in the hierarchy of power in his master''s family.

    ¡°As soon as my body recovers, I will definitely find you! Until then, wash your neck clean!¡±

    In the end, Krappa had no choice but to flee, while only leaving behind some threats.

    ¡°Oh, well, well, I got threatened.¡±

    Cloud smiled and stepped forward and stood in front of Lugar.

    ¡°Then, I shall be thest one.¡±

    ¡°¡­Was that really a vampire just now?¡±

    "Hm? Oh, right. Is this your first time seeing a vampire?¡±

    "Yes. I''ve heard of them from my father. He said that vampires are a terrifying existence, but now, it just looks more like an exaggeration.¡±

    ¡°I don''t think that''s an exaggeration. It was only because he was very weakened earlier, that''s why he lost, if it wasn''t for certain things that happened earlier, your life would have been in danger. Especially if it was at night, you would have died unconditionally.¡±

    ¡°¡­is it that bad? The vampires?¡±

    ¡°Mostly, but no matter what, they can''t be ignored.¡±

    ¡°Wasn''t he also your follower?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t take him with me, he just followed me on his own. Ok, when will the duel start? I think we better finish this early.¡±

    After a moment of thoughtful silence, Lugar looked at Cloud for a moment and said.

    ¡°Apparently, you are after all just a young human, but I will give you another chance. Give us that money, I will safely send you to the border.¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t need it.¡±

    Cloud drew out his sword.

    His sword gleamed in the sunlight and radiated a soft silvery light.

    ¡°¡­you are risking your life.¡±

    Lugar sighed. Soon his eyes turned sharp.

    Whoosh!

    With the sound of crackling of the wind, his de aimed for Cloud at high speed. The de came from an upper right oblique angle. Cloud ced his sword''s front toward the direction the de wasing from.

    ¡®Stupid decision.''

    Did he not learn anything from the previous battles?

    If one can not even learn anything from watching his predecessor''s results, one doesn''t deserves to be called a warrior.

    The greatsword containing Lugar''s might touched Cloud''s sword. Just at that moment, Cloud moved. He glided, moving with the sword surface, dispersing the shock.

    Thud!

    The greatsword hit the floor with force. Making the sand and dust rise in the air.

    Clush-!

    Finding the change, a sword was swung in an inverse angle and passed by Lugar''s arm.

    His skin was torn and blood dripped down.

    Not only Lugar, but also the orcs and the humans were greatly surprised.

    The moment the greatsword touched Cloud''s sword, everyone thought he would die as horribly as rk, but suddenly he moved with a whirl, and not only did he avoid the greatsword, but also injured Lugar''s arm.

    ¡®I thought he didn¡¯t have the qualities of a warrior¡­ but actually, he''s the most warrior-like guy¡­¡¯

    He had judged his opponent''s abilities rashly.

    Lugar reflected briefly and paid attention to Cloud. He was no longercent like before and was going to take his opponent seriously.

    ¡°Even though I equipped a bleeding ring with my attack power ring, that¡¯s all¡­¡±

    Cloud muttered something that Lugar couldn''t understand. Looking at the ring on his finger, Cloud raised his head and stared at Lugar.

    ¡°That thing on your shoulders. It''s a glyph, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­how does a human knows about that?¡±

    ¡°There is no other way to exin thepactness of your body.¡±

    Glyph.

    The mysterious power of the orcs that descends from the distant past.

    A warrior with a glyph engraved on him inherits the karma of the monster he kills and acquires the abilities thatmensurates with it.

    It is also an ability that the Hero Gis obtainster.

    "¡­that''s right. This glyph was procured by defeating the giant scorpion that gued the tribe a few years ago.¡±

    When he heard the word giant scorpion, Cloud thought of the scorpion''s shell. Soon, he understood why Lugar''s body felt strangely imprable.

    "I see, I see. Then let¡¯s do what we shall be doing.¡±

    Cloud pointed his sword at Lugar. Lugar jumped up and mmed his greatsword down towards Cloud.

    The duel continued under the fierce supporting chants of the orcs and the humans.

    * * *

    The heat and vigour surrounding the duel was soon gone. Not only the orcs, but also the humans watching the duel couldn''t speak.

    Thud! Thud!

    This time, Lugar''s greatsword did not reach Cloud. His sword banged on the ground and made a dull sound. At the same time, anotherrge scar was made on his back.

    ¡°Agghhhhhhhhhh!¡±

    With a sonorous bellow, Lugar swung his greatsword wildly. The hulking piercing force seemed to be on the verge of tearing Cloud''s body to pieces at any moment.

    But in reality his body was still safe and sound.

    Only¡­

    The wounds on Lugar''s body increased one after another.

    After that, the fight continued for several dozen more minutes, and soon Lugar¡ª

    ¡ªknelt down on his knees.

    Countless wounds were carved on his herculean-like body.

    He wasn''t wounded as deep as it seemed, but he was left exhausted.

    Blood from his body pooled down on the floor, forming arge pool of blood.

    Cloud''s sword rested on the nape of Lugar''s neck.

    ¡°Haa¡­ Haa¡­ After all, it''s a little too much to handle it with this body.¡±

    Cloud took a deep breath. His hair was drenched in sweat, and his expression wasn''t light like before.

    With this weak body, he met hundreds of collision with an orc, so it was partly inevitable.

    ¡°¡­it''s my defeat.¡±

    Lugar admitted it surprisingly calmly.

    He, too, had just fully realized from the fight.

    The gap between Cloud and his own skills.

    Orcs, who had been staring nkly at Lugar''s deration of defeat, came to their senses.

    ¨C This is not a fair duel!

    ¨C He must have used some cowardly tactic. Protect the chieftain! Aagh!

    They each grabbed their weapons and stepped to run to Cloud, but¡­

    ¨C Stop!

    Lugar yawped aloud and blocked their actions.

    ¨C How far are you nning to embarrass me? I surrendered to the oue of the duel as a warrior, not as a chieftain. If you don''t intend to insult me, you too, as orcs, ept the results.

    ¨C Chief¡­

    The orcs looked at Lugar with gloomy expressions. They knew it too. That their actions were fraudulent and that it would damage Lugar''s honor.

    Nevertheless, they tried to act because Lugar was precious and important to them.

    Lugar understood their feelings and gave a smallugh, and as the chieftain gave his final order.

    ¨C Migatan, my friend. When I die, you will be the next chieftain of the Wolftooth n. May you lead the tribe wisely with a warm heart and a cold head.

    -¡­I swear, my Chief.

    Seeing Migatan promising with a firm determination, Lugar had a relieved expression on his face.

    ¡°My tribesmen made amotion. I''m sorry. It''s my defeat, you are the winner. Follow the winner''s right."

    Lugar raised his neck as if to make it easier to behead him.

    But Cloud did not decapitate him, but put his sword back into its sheath.

    ¡°¡­what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I have no intention of killing you.¡±

    Lugar frowned.

    ¡°Are you going to insult me too? I lost in the duel against you. For a warrior, defeat means death. So go ahead and kill me.¡±

    ¡°I refuse. It''s the winner''s right to take his opponent''s life, and it''s also the winner''s right to not take it."

    ¡°What kind of nonsense is that¡­¡±

    ¡°I am not satisfied with today¡¯s fight.¡±

    Lugar stopped talking, and Cloud continued.

    ¡°Obviously, I beat you. But I didn''t quite win. Because my sword couldn''t prate your muscles. I don''t like that. So I''ll save you for now. And if I''m sure one day my sword will pierce through your muscles, then I''ll fight again. Got that? I''m not keeping you alive for some trivial feelings like sympathy. I''m keeping you alive because of my self-esteem issues. So¡­"

    Cloud stretched out his hand towards Lugar.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bullsh!t about insults or anything, just get up. Because I want to fight with you again.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Lugar raised his head and looked at Cloud. There was no emotion likepassion on his face.

    Lugar turned his head to look at the people of his tribe. They were looking at him with anxious expressions.

    He looked at Cloud''s hand toward him onest time.

    With calluses and scabs, a sweaty palm.

    It was a small handpared to the hand of an orc, but it was the hand of a warrior, a real warrior.

    Lugar sighed and held Cloud''s hand.

    ¡°After all, isn¡¯t it stillpassion?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a winner¡¯s right, not apassion. If you are gonna twist it like that, better try to win next time.¡±

    ¡°I guess so.¡±

    Lugar got up and smiled. He hollered towards the people of the tribe as they cheered out loud.

    ¨C Prepare a banquet!

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 24.1: Dance With The Orcs! (5)

    The dinner prepared by the orcs was more splendid than I expected.

    Chilli roast mutton, smoked pork, and a variety of traditional orc delicacies and many others.

    It was an unexpected treatment for those who had been intruders of their territory until recently.

    During the banquet¡ª

    "Ha Ha Ha! To be honest, I realized it at the first moment my brother and I faced with our swords. My sword couldn''t even reach brother''s shadow!"

    ¡°Brother, you were the one who surprised me the most. Man, your muscles are rocks or what? My evading skills were actually a little less ssy. If I had made even one mistake, I wouldn''t be sitting here, ha ha."

    I because brothers with Lugar.

    It happened while we were drunk, but what about it?

    In the first ce, aren''t fellow sworn brothers discovered while drinking or making mistakes?

    And as we became sworn brothers, the atmosphere of the banquet became softer.

    Those who acted cautiously at first began to actively participate in the banquet.

    They shed tears of joy at the delicious dinner they didn''t know how long after they had eaten. When the Orcs saw it, theyughed and enthusiastically passed them more food to eat.

    Of course, not everyone enjoyed the banquet like normal peoples.

    ¡°I heard you two became brothers¡­ hup, which of you two is the older and who is the younger one?¡±

    There was a guy who stretched out his legs unnecessarily while he should have been quietly eating in moderation.

    Normally, it is rightful that I, who won the duel, would be the older brother. However, the psychology of orcs with their strong self-esteem, there is bound to be an unconscious aversion on calling a human older brother.

    So, I tried to gloss over it, but¡­ This ignorant Callios person pulled it out ntly in the limelight.

    Well, that doesn''t mean there actually isn''t a solution.

    ¡°Brother! That unscrupulous bastard is testing our brotherhood! Should he not pay the price for testing our iron solid brotherhood?¡±

    ¡°Ya, brother is right!¡±

    Lugar, who nodded his head, gave an order to the other orcs.

    ¨C Hey, put that jumpy guy into the jail till the banquet is over!

    ¨C Understood!

    Perhaps they also didn''t like the way this particr human acted, the orcs were also eager to drag out Callios.

    "Huh? Uh?!? Hey, let go! Wait, there''s a lot I haven''t eaten yet! Don''t let me go!? You know who I am¡­.¡±

    Callios was screaming like a pig who was dragged to the ughterhouse, but as he was gradually dragged further away, his screams became lesser and lesser.

    We put our minds on enjoying the banquet again.

    As the banquet came to an end, Lugar and I were admiring a masterpiece in the chieftain''s house.

    I don''t know if it was because we had be sworn brothers or because he reminisced something while looking at the masterpiece, but Lugar told me about his difficult past.

    It was a story about the burden of taking over the chieftain''s duties at a young age after his father, the former chieftain, tried to challenge the giant scorpion and died.

    ¡°It must have been difficult.¡±

    ¡°Gmm, it was hard. Every night I felt the urge to leave everything and run away.¡±

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°The tribesmen''s hope was on me, so how could I allow myself to escape.¡±

    ¡°You are a good chieftain. It is understandable that the other orcs respect you so much.¡±

    "Ha ha, don¡¯t over-praise me too much, or my mentality will float. Everything I did was just fulling my responsibility. Ho, I''d rather hear your story than that."

    "My story?"

    "Yes. Although I have not lived for too long, I have never seen anyone as good in swordsmanship as you, brother. Not only among humans, but also among orc warriors. How the hell did you achieve that level of swordsmanship?¡±

    Iughed out loud at Lugar''s words.

    Shaking the ss of ale, I watched the ale sway in waves.

    ¡°It''s true that my swordsmanship is excellent. But it''s not because I''m good. But because my friends were great.¡±

    They were heroes.

    Heroes who stood upright on the continent with their own bold moral objectives.

    I just copied what they achieved, and sometimes what they didn''t. That''s not to say I stole it, rather they taught me.

    If you''re a warrior, you won''t so generously teach your lifetime achievements to others.

    ¡°They were generous.¡±

    How wide would one''s heart has to be, to so easily just pass over whatever you have achieved throughout your life to the hands of others?

    Maybe it was because they had that big of a heart, that they made it possible to rise upto that position.

    Lugar nodded his head thoughtfully as I smiled bitterly thinking about them.

    ¡°It looks like it''s something you can¡¯t say.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your understanding. Let''s call it a day. Now that I feel, my head hurts a little.¡±

    By the way, I pulled out two tabloids from my pocket and ced them on the table. Seeing them, Lugar eyes widened.

    "This¡­"

    ¡°The price of today''s meal. I''m not so shameless to extol a free meal from a friendly orc tribe."

    Lugar looked at the tabloids of worth 1 million gold for a moment, then firmly shook his head.

    ¡°As a chieftain, I only treated the guest of the tribe. You can''t take money from a guest.¡±

    "Oh, did you upgrade my status from a intruder to a guest?¡±

    ¡°I won''t consider my brother as an intruder.¡±

    Lugar smiled, revealing his sharp mrs. I smiled at him and tossed the two tabloid purses of money to him.

    ¡°Okay, that''s enough, now take it. I would feel ufortable if my brother¡¯s tribe starved because of me.¡±

    "Yeah, but¡­"

    ¡°If it¡¯s that hard to ept, why don¡¯t you do me a favour.¡±

    "Favour? Is there anything that you want?¡±

    "The glyphs that you orcs can carve. Can I get that too?¡±

    I looked into Lugar''s eyes and asked. Unsurprisingly, Lugar''s face hardened. Even if we are sworn brothers, is it still not possible?

    ¡®How the hell did that Gis guy get one?''

    Did he slept with an orc chieftain?

    I sighed and said.

    ¡°I was just saying for the sake of it. No need to take it so seriously."

    "¡­no. Brother''s request¡­ Wait a minute.¡±

    Having said that, Lugar went out of the barracks and returned after a while. Rubbing his red swollen head, looking like he had received quite a beating.

    "¡­I''m sorry, but I don''t think it''s possible. It is said that it''s impossible to engrave a glyph on an ordinary human.¡±

    ¡°What if I¡¯m not an ordinary human?¡±

    I took out my Hero''s badge from my inner pocket and threw it at Lugar.

    Seeing the Hero''s badge, Lugar tilted his head.

    "This?"

    ¡°That¡¯s a que that proves that I am a Hero. Take it with you and ask again.¡±

    Lugar looked surprised.

    "Hero? That means, brother, you are a hero?¡±

    "Yes."

    ¡°Haha, really? Damn, I should have known. Lugar, the son of Roxar, how can I be defeated by an ordinary human! Yes, brother, wait a minute!¡±

    Lugar ran out to the barracks with excitement. When he came back, his face was more swollen than before.

    "¡­ha ha, brother. The elders said they want to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ I see¡­¡±

    That¡­ I''m sorry.

    * * *

    The elders in Luger''s mouth were elderly people living up to their image as tribal elders. Their faces were full of wrinkles while they were enclothed in shabby robes, and there was no orc-specific hulky muscles present on their limbs.

    However, their unique aura was notparable to other Orcs.

    Those five elders sat down solemnly, moving their eyes and looking at me.

    ¡°So, you are one of the Heroes of this generation?¡±

    Among the five elders, the elder who sat in the center asked in a voice that spoke of his age.

    "Yes."

    ¡°Which kingdom''s Hero are you?¡±

    ¡°The Hero of the Kingdom of Prona.¡±

    ¡°Ah, the Kingdom of Prona. I still remember it, the bread made from the wheat produced there is so delicious.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if there are any other pros of my kingdom, but in terms of farming, it is far superior to any other kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­ That''s why everyone expects to receive Prona''s wheat at the end of the Harvest Day. Unfortunately, mostly the strong tribes take them all.¡±

    The second elder smiled and said, with a hint of regret in his tone.

    ¡°More than that, our young chieftain said you wanted to receive a glyph?¡±

    "Yes."

    ¡°From the distant past, there has never been a single instance of engraving a glyph on a human. If we can engrave a glyph on you, our tribe will be recorded as the first in history. And that''s not some honorable achievement. Do you know?¡±

    "Yes."

    ¡°I''m d that you know. Then I''ll ask you one thing. Why should we bear such disgrace for you?¡±

    ¡°Second elder! I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Chieftain, be still. This is a matter of critical importance to the tribe. I mean, you shouldn''t make dealings with your private feelings here. Now, Hero, tell me.¡±

    If there''s something that goes, shouldn''t there be something thates? The second elder meant that. I answered without hesitation.

    ¡°You can make friends with a Hero.¡±

    ¡°How would it be beneficial to our tribe?¡±

    ¡°As far as I know, most orc tribes are heavily dependent on crops looted from the three kingdoms.¡±

    ¡°It''s an undeniable fact.¡±

    ¡°Until now, the three kingdoms have epted the deterrence brought by the orc army and has offered grains because they know that they can''t win or the victory will be brought by a heavy loss. Maybe this year, or the next year. But one of these years will be different. They will not offer grains to the orcs.¡±

    ¡°Do they have any another option except offering the grains to us?¡±

    What do you mean by that?

    The second elder asked with a sharp gaze.

    ¡°They will choose war.¡±

    ¡°Heh¡­ Are you saying that a kingdom, not the Empire, willpete with our army?¡±

    ¡°Usually, that would be impossible. No matter how hard the kingdoms prepare, will they be able topete with the orcs born with the heart of a warrior, that''s what you mean, right? But what I mean to simply say is that now is not the usual time.¡±

    I pointed at the Hero''s badge.

    The elders'' eyes dimmed.

    "Heroes¡­"

    "That''s right. Now, there is a Hero in each kingdom. Beings that are both human and non-human. They are still growing at this moment. And one day, when they are iparably stronger than before, the kingdoms will not obediently hand over the grains to you like before.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying that the Heroes will step forward?¡±

    ¡°There is no reason not to. These are the guys who will one day hold great power in their own respective kingdoms. Would they like to see the orcs take away the kingdom¡¯s property?¡±

    ¡°Will the Empire stand still?¡±

    The orcs'' looting behavior of the kingdoms was also a good thing for the Empire. Because the orcs shackled their growth by taking away the kingdom''s surplus produce.

    The second elder''s words meant that how can the Empire stand still when the kingdoms try to break those imposed shackles.

    "By that time, no matter how much the Empire doesn''t want it to happen, it wouldn¡¯t be possible for them to oppress or instruct the kingdoms like before.¡±

    So far, it was possible to oppress the three kingdoms with overwhelming military power.

    However, even the Empire is not strong enough to face all three grown Heroes.

    ¡°¡­Are you saying that our tribe will be given a lifeline by your kingdom at that time?¡±

    ¡°If we interpret it politically¡­ yes. In fact, I can receive the glyphs from other tribes if I want to. Among the many tribes, wouldn''t there be atleast one such tribe that would be willing to engrave a glyph for me? However, I wanted to have a mutual win-win exchange with the tribe of my brother instead of looking for the other tribes.¡±

    ¡°.¡­leave us for a while. I will talk with the other elders.¡±

    The silent central elder spoke.

    After that, after a few hours, I was finally asked toe back.

    ¡°We grant the permission to engrave the glyphs.¡±

    And so, I became the first human ever to receive a glyph.

    * * *

 Chapter 24.2: Dance With The Orcs! (5)

    ¡°Will this work?¡±

    I muttered as I looked at the tiny ck dot on my shoulder.

    ¡°That''s the way it looks like in the beginning. Later, if brother epts the karma of a monster, it will change into a pattern that suits to it ordingly.¡±

    "I see. So, how far are we from the border?¡±

    ¡°Not much long. Oh, haha, looks like we arrived.¡±

    A colossal wall appeared in the direction Lugar pointed with his finger.

    It''s the border wall that separates the territory of the orcs from the territory of the Empire.

    As we approached the wall, the soldiers guarding the gate aimed their spears.

    ¡°Halt, who are you? Why are being apanied by the orcs?¡±

    I beckoned to Callios. To which, he straightened his back and, with a solemn expression on his face, pulled something from between his arms and handed it to one of the soldiers.

    ¡°Now you know who I am.¡±

    What Callios handed over was a que proving his identity as the heir of the Goldenbern family.

    The tension disappeared from the faces of the soldiers who saw the que.

    ¡°So, young master is the nobleman of a kingdom. We apologize for the rudeness. But why did youe here, and that from the direction of thend of orcs?¡±

    ¡°The ship we took at the Kingdom of Alitia was wrecked in a storm. When we opened our eyes, we found ourselves in this ce. Fortunately, we met a kind orc and were guided here.¡±

    ¡°You mean, kind¡­ orcs¡­?¡±

    The soldier looked at Lugar with an expression that spoke loud that he was listening to such strange ordeal for the first time in his career.

    Well, my brother is kind. What''s the problem with that?

    "¡­I understand. We will open the gates. Hey, boys! Open the gates!¡±

    The big gate opened with a creaking sound. People poured into the opened gates with enlivened expressions.

    I stepped to follow them, but I stopped when I saw that Lugar was noting along.

    ¡°What are you noting along? Aren''t you here to buy food supplies?"

    ¡°Orcs cannot enter here. It has been like that since time immemorial.¡±

    Can''t enter?

    ¡°Then how do you buy food supplies?¡±

    ¡°It''s easy, the orcs give us the required amount, and our guards will buy the supplies for them.¡±

    The answer came from someone other than Lugar. The person who answered my question was a middle-aged man in a red robe over his chain armor.

    "Who are you?"

    ¡°I''m themander of the Imperial Border Guards. Continuing with your previous question¡ªwe guards purchase the food supplies for orcs in case they enter the vige and cause any disturbance.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ is that so?¡±

    At first nce, it does sounds pretty reasonable.

    There could be friction between the orcs and the vigers, there''s always a chance.

    The captain of the border guards said, looking at Lugar.

    "Orc, what did you bring this time? I don''t see anything expensive."

    ¡°This time, it¡¯s money, not stuff.¡±

    Lugar handed over one of the money bags he was carrying around his waist to the guardmander. Themander of the border guards opened the pocket and widened his eyes.

    ¡°Hey, this is¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s 500,000 gold. I hope you will prepare suitable grains and livestock for this.¡±

    ¡°¡­Wait a minute. How did you guys get all this money? Have you looted?¡±

    ¡°There was no looting.¡±

    "Do not lie with me! Otherwise, there''s no way you guys can possess this much amount of money! First of all, this is a damn foreclosure. I will personally go to your tribe and look for the clues that will prove it!¡±

    Themander of the border guards, who opened his eyes wide, began to y dominance. I guess, I roughly know why¡ªprobably trying to usurp that money. You can tell just by looking at those greedy eyes.

    I raised my hand and interrupted him.

    ¡°The money was given to me in exchange for guiding us to the border. Don''t worry, it''s not looted."

    Saying so, I pulled out some pockets of money and waved them in front of him.

    The guardmander''s expression hardened when he saw the money bags. He bent his back slightly and asked cautiously.

    ¡°That¡­ may I know, mister is the son of which noble family?¡±

    ¡°I''m not the son of any noble family. I¡¯m just a rich adventurer.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡±

    The bent back was straightened out in an instant.

    A huge shift in attitude.

    ¡°Hmmmm..! The source of the money is clear, so I won''t ask any more. For now, let me prepare grains and livestock with this money.¡±

    With that said, themander of the guards left.

    I looked at his receding back for a moment, then came to the gates with Lugar and the other orcs.

    ¡°Brother can go back, we¡­¡±

    "Nope. I just have something to check.¡±

    There''s one thing I''m worried about, and I''m going to stick with the orcs until I can confirm that.

    After a few hours, my unease became a reality. All the guards brought out were seven carts of grain and some seventeen cattles. It was an unusual situation.

    ¡®How the f*ck is this pitiful sh!tful of goods worth 500,000 gold?¡¯

    No no, maybe not even 100,000 gold, let alone 500,000 gold.

    ¡®Who do these punks see as stupid, huh?¡¯

    That was when I decided to grab the guardmander by his cor and rub his face on the floor.

    ¨C Chief! This is the first time we have received so many!

    ¨C If it''s this much, wouldn''t it be enough to go back and hold another banquet? Chief seems to have done a good job by forming a brotherhood with a human! Ha ha!

    ¨C Well, I was always good at making brothers.

    The orcs'' joyous voices could be heard from behind. When I turned around, they were looking at the grain filled carts and the livestock with great satisfaction.

    The sight made feel bitter inside.

    Aigoo¡­ You idiots!

    You can still be happy when others have already sucked your spine, bones and blood; leaving behind only some pitiful bits¡­

    Only a deep sigh came out in the end.

    ¡®¡­Okay, let''s calm down. It''s not like they are messing with me.''

    Only Lugar and the people of his tribe will suffer if I beat the sh!t out of this guardmander at this moment.

    To put it bluntly, if the Imperial side makes a decision that they will no longer trade because of this incident, Lugar willter have no way to obtain food supplies and the future will be bleak for his tribe.

    Instead of using my fists, I have to do it in a smarter way.

    In a way that makes it impossible for them to y others like fools in the future.

    What would that way be¡­

    ¡®Should I reveal that I am a Hero?¡¯

    If I reveal that I am a hero, it can be easily resolved. No matter how high is the ¨¡ss of an imperialmander, would he be able to disobey a Hero''s orders?

    It is also a very reasonablemand to not embezzle.

    However, I am also a little reluctant to do so. If the information spreads that the Hero Cloud has crossed the borders of the Empire, nearby cities will know who I am.

    It means that I will not be able to act as an adventurer and live asfortably as I currently am.

    It was when I was thinking about it.

    ¡®Hmm, isn''t that the guardmander, who had been watching the orcs happily pack the grains? Why did he abruptly ran out with a pale face?''

    I watched as he ran out of the gate and bowed his head to the figure approaching on a horse.

    ¡°Frillite-sama, you have worked hard. I will take you inside.¡±

    The figure the guardmander was bowing to was Frillite.

    A beautiful woman with pure white skin and a lustrous red ponytail. She was wearing a splendid silver armor unlike what I had seen her in the Imperial Capital.

    Why is she here?

    That was the question, but there was something more important than that.

    That is¡ªshe is also a Hero!

    ¡°My friend Frillite. Long time no see!"

    I approached her as she was talking with the guardmander and put my hand shoulder to shoulder.

    Frillite and the guardmander''s eyes widened at the same time.

 Chapter 25: Dance With The Orcs! (6)

    Was she surprised by my sudden touch?Frillite opened her eyes wide.

    Because of her cool personality, she always had an expression that was hard to see through, so even I was curious.

    ¡®Is it that surprising?¡¯

    Can''t I even do a little shoulder-to-shoulder with a fellow Hero? Ouch, isn''t that a little too harsh?

    "Friend..? Is this person Frillite-sama''s close friend?¡±

    Themander of the border guards, who had a hardened expression on his face, asked Frillite.

    Frillite didn''t give him a nce.

    She looked at me with puzzlement reflecting in her eyes and opened her mouth.

    "Clo¡ª"

    "Haha! You sure are one of a kind. Have you even forgotten my name? It''s James. Remember, James~?"

    She gave me a strange look for a moment as I interrupted her hastily and came up with a pseudonym. But soon she nodded her head lightly as if she understood something.

    ¡°Yeah, long time no see, James. What did youe here for?¡±

    ¡°My goodness, don''t ask. I have been through a lot. It will take quite a long time to talk about all that here. Let''s chat over drinkster. Rather, there''s something more interesting I want to talk to you about¡­¡±

    I deliberately dragged at the end of my tone and took a nce on the guardmander''s face. Unsurprisingly, he was rigidly shaking his head with a pale blueplexion.

    In his desperate eyes, I could feel his willingness to restore everything to its original state if I let him go for this once.

    It''s toote, bud.

    I kindly grinned at him and exined to Frillite about my suspicion of embezzlement from the part of this greedy sucker.

    As the story progressed, Frillite''s expression changed minimally from time to time. When the exnation got over, she looked at the carts, the orcs, and themander of the border guards and opened her mouth.

    ¡°Commander, what I heard, is that true?¡±

    Frillite''s voice was innately a little less shriller than that of ordinary women. Now that voice was deeply boiling in subdued anger.

    It was not a surprise that not only themander of the guards, but also the other guards tensed up.

    Swallowing his saliva, themander of the guards began to pretend to be subservient.

    ¡°No, that''s not true, Frillite-sama. There seems to be some misunderstanding.¡±

    "Misunderstanding? What you mean to say is that Cl¡­ hm, my friend lied to me?¡±

    ¡°No, not that¡­¡±

    ¡°Hey there, Mr. Orc.¡±

    Frillite didn''t even spare a nce to the guardmander and called Lugar, who was near the carts.

    Lugar pointed at himself.

    ¡°Are you calling me?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, whichever orc can speak the Imperialnguage,e over here.¡±

    Lugar frowned at the tone that was close to amand.

    After all, he is also the head of an orc tribe. It doesn''t feel pleasant to be ordered by a unknown human.

    "Brother, we just have some questions to ask. Give us a minute.¡±

    After hearing my words, Lugar rxed his expression and walked over to our side.

    On the other hand, Frillite narrowed her brow.

    "Brother?"

    ¡°The orc you called and I are sworn brothers.¡±

    ¡°¡­what the hell happened? How did you became brothers with an orc?¡±

    ¡°Shh, I¡¯ll tell youter. Now is not the time.¡±

    I pointed at Lugar, who was approaching us, gesturing with my chin. To that, Frillite sighed deeply and muttered.

    ¡°I have too many questions to ask.¡±

    Lugar asked Frillite, looking at her.

    ¡°Why did you call me, human?¡±

    ¡°I have some things to ask. You gave the guardmander 500,000 gold and demanded food supplies worth the price. Am I right?"

    "Yes."

    ¡°And the guardmander gave you seven carts of grain and seventeen cattles in return for 500,000 gold. Is that correct?¡±

    Themander of the guards tried to intervene, but Lugar responded quickly.

    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°So, is the food supplies worth 500,000 gold?¡±

    ¡°That''s what I heard.¡±

    ¡°Okay, thank you for answering my questions. You may return to your position.¡±

    Lugar''s eyebrows twitched slightly, it looked as if he was going to unfurl the axe tied to his belt the next moment, but fortunately he went back to his tribesmen without saying an extra word.

    He''s not a stupid orc either, so he probably got a good grasp of what was happening.

    ¡°Do you have anything more to say, Commander?¡±

    Frillite''s frigid cold eyes were shot at themander of the guards. Themander trembled like a prey eyed by a predator.

    ¡°But, that, I¡­¡±

    ¡°As themander knows, there is only one reason the Empire sells food supplies to the orcs. That is to prevent starving orcs from crossing the border and plundering the people of the Empire.¡±

    Frillite took a step towards the guardmander. Naturally, I rxed my arm, and she looked down coldly at themander, who bent down on his knees.

    ¡°However, you, an officer of the Empire, broke the strict nationalws of the Empire in order to satisfy your personal self-interest. Your illegal actions could have put the people of the Empire at risk. Do you admit?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, no! I never did. Today was just a mistake¡­¡±

    ¡°If you can¡¯t admit our crimes on your own, I will make you. Guards! Arrest this man right now!¡±

    The two guards, who were patrolling, at Frilite''s call, came to their senses and came running towards us and grabbed the guardmander by his arms.

    ¡°Uh, h-huh?? Hey, you guys! What are you doing!?"

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. We have to follow the Hero''s orders.¡±

    ¡°No, these guys¡­ that, Hero-sama. Calm down for a moment and please listen to me¡­¡±

    ¡°Where''s the vicemander?¡±

    "Yes? Y, Yes! W, here madam!¡±

    Maybe, because he was worried that he will be implicated in this too, the face of the vicemander of the guards who was called up was death pale. However, Frillite did not hold him ountable.

    ¡°The guardmander is to be brought to trial in ordance to thews of the Empire, for he refuses to admit his mistakes. And the trial should be a thorough and fair one under the name of Perdiac Ducal family. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, of course!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good that you do. During the trial, the vacant position ofmander of the border guards will be temporarily filled by you. And if the guardmander is convicted guilty, the position of guardmander will be taken over by you.¡±

    The eyes of the vicemander of the guards widened.

    He must have thought that he would be held ountable along with the guardmander, but he was surprised to hear Frillite''s words that came out to be way different from what he had expected.

    If themander of the guards was convicted guilty, there''s no way he will be left unpunished, so it''s tantamount to saying that he, the vicemander will be the one to fill this empty position.

    The face of the vicemander, who understood the hidden meaning, gradually began to fill up with joy.

    On the other hand, the guardmander''s face was cramped with despair.

    ¡°No, no. It''s unfair! Unfair! I''m not the only one who takes the money! That guy, that guy a-and that guy too, they did it too!¡±

    ¡°If we knock down the bookshelf inside the guardmander''s office, there is a hidden safe. All the property that themander has embezzled is hidden there.¡±

    It was the moment when the vicemander of the guards pointed his finger at the guardmander. And going with the flow, the vicemander blew up the position of the safe at a speed that could be considered almost simultaneous.

    Operation Pitfall The Teammates, thest move of the guardmander, also failed.

    In the end, themander of the guards screamed horribly as he was dragged away by the guards.

    Frillite then told the new interim guardmander what he had to do.

    ¡ªconfiscate the property embezzled by the former guardmander.

    ¡ªprovide testimony at trial.

    ¡ªprovision of the food supplies tomensurate with the amount prepared by the orcs, etc.

    While she was exining, I walked up to Lugar and exined what had happened so far.

    After hearing the story, Lugar promised to hide from his tribe about the misappropriation done by the Empire''s officer.

    If he tells others, the orcs'' animosity towards the humans will only increase, and then the future food trade may be more difficult.

    ¨C Chief. What did the chief''s brother say?

    ¨C Some human did an error, brought less food. My brother said that if we wait for a little while longer, they will bring us four times the amount we just got.

    ¨C F, Four times?! Chief! That, isn''t our tribe rich now?!

    ¨C Even if we are not rich, we might be able to live quite decently.

    ¨C Wow, wow! Let''s go back and have a banquet right away! It will be a bigger banquet than ever before!

    ¨C What banquet? No matter how much food we have, if we waste it like that, it will be depleted soon. These will be saved.

    ¨C What?! Chief, I didn''t see you that way, when was it that you became like a miser orc?

    ¨C Your meat will be confiscated for the next month.

    ¨C Chief is a great warrior.

    -¡­

    ¨C Chief¡­? Say something¡­

    Seeing them so innocently happy, it seems like I took the right decision.

    There will be no more scams in the future, so it''ll be fine.

    It was when I was eagerly looking forward to my journey.

    ¡°Cl¡­ James!¡±

    Presumably she had finished talking with the temporary guardmander, Frillite called me over.

    I approached her.

    "Anything?"

    ¡°Are you done with your business over there?¡±

    "I guess so?"

    ¡°Thene.¡±

    ¡°Come? Where?¡±

    ¡°Where? To a nearby town.¡±

    ¡°¡­you want to go together?¡±

    Frillite narrowed her eyes.

    ¡°¡­are you nning to run away again likest time?¡±

    ¡°Run? When did I¡­ ah.¡±

    I remembered.

    The day that Frillite came to pay for our drinks at the Imperial Capital.

    She asked me to meet again the next day for a talk when we both got a little sober. But the very next day I ditched the capital as soon as I woke up.

    ¡°At that time, there was a situation.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    "Really."

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Even if I told the truth, Frillite''s narrowed eyes did not seem to believe.

 Chapter 26.1: Ogre Subjugation (1)

    Fortunately, the town was located close to the border.

    After all, if there was no town near the borders, there would be no way the guards could work on the walls.

    I along with Frillite entered the town to have a drink at a tavern. Inside the tavern, there were only me, Frillite, and the tavern owner.

    That''s because Frillite brought out the Hero''s gue and so all the others backed down.

    Even though there was only one tavern in the whole town, the town people retreated quietly.

    Thanks to which, I was able to firsthand experience the greatness of power after a really long time.

    ¡°The ship that was sailing properly suddenly met a storm, and you guys found yourselves in thend of orcs? How did you and that orc you met by chance even formed a brother rtionship in such less time?¡±

    Frillite pressed her temples together as she asked.

    When she asked me what I had been doing since I left the capital, I basically answered without any omissions, and this was her reaction.

    Though I couldn''t quite well understand why she was doing that.

    She looked at my calm face as I stared back at her and let out a deep sigh.

    "Atleast you managed to survive. If it wasn''t for your luck, you would have died several times already, you know?"

    ¡°What luck? I got through it all on my own.¡±

    ¡°You really¡­ ha ha, no. It''s all my fault for letting you go out on your own."

    ¡°Why do I feel like you are going to say something my mother would say?¡±

    ¡°That''s how reckless you were!¡±

    Frillite sprang up to her feet and reproached loudly.

    ¡°Phew, that scared me. Why are you getting so hyped up,dy? Almost spilled my drink.¡±

    I sipped on the sttered ale on the back of my ss.

    Frillite looked at me like that with an incredible expression, and as if her pulse had loosened, she floundered and sat down back on her chair.

    She crossed her arms and shook her head.

    ¡°Yeah, even if it was reckless, it''s okay as long as you got out safely. I won''t say anything else. But this time you have to select yourpanions.¡±

    ¡°I''m going to do that even if you don¡¯t tell me.¡±

    ¡°Sigh¡­ I''m telling you again¡­ Hm? You are willing to?¡±

    "Yup. The time hase when I need to.¡±

    The youth like vigor in my body is not like what it used to be. This meant only one thing.

    That it''s time to go find the big root!

    The dungeon, where the big root is resting, has strict ess conditions.

    First, at least one of the party members must be of level 30 or higher.

    I achieved this condition a while ago while reducing the monster poption on the way to the border wall with the orcs.

    My level is exactly 30, so the first condition wouldn''t be a problem.

    ¡®The problem is the second one.''

    The second condition for gaining the ess to the dungeon is that the party that enters the dungeon must beposed of four members.

    Nothing more, nothing less.

    It should be a party of exact four members.

    So, I have to find three temporarypanions to go with me in search of the big root nt.

    Upon hearing my words, Frillite''splexion brightened.

    ¡°Well thought out. It seems that you have alsoe to realize a lot of things in the meantime. Don''t worry about finding colleagues. I have inquired in the Empire¡­¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to. Mypanions will be solicited through the Adventurers¡¯ Guild.¡±

    Frillite''s expression got vague.

    ¡°Through Adventurers¡¯ Guild? Well¡­ if you, as a Hero, recruitpanions, many outstanding adventurers will apply¡­ But, are you sure?"

    ¡°I have no intention of revealing that I am a Hero. I''ll recruit mypanions as a fellow adventurer.¡±

    Temporarypanions who will only explore the dungeon together, after that¡ªa permanent goodbye.

    Frillite frowned.

    ¡®She also has a lot of different facial expressions.¡¯

    As we were talking, I thought of that out of nowhere. Originally, I thought she was someone with a cold personality.

    I think it was exined by a game npc, about her indifferent personality and what not¡­

    After thinking about it for a while, I listened to Frillite again.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to recruit yourpanions while hiding your identity as a Hero? I don''t understand. Do you really need to? Why are you hiding your identity as a Hero in the first ce?¡±

    Why hide my identity as a Hero?

    Welp, it isn''t that great of a reason.

    It''s all because of the big root nt.

    As soon as I reveal my Hero identity, my follow-up deeds will be scrutinized. After that I will probably be tailed by some flies. Frillite isn''t of that nature, but Gis and Lorian definitely are.

    Moreover, I have to go to a dungeon to get the big root nt.

    And dungeons are a kind of wonder that adventurers as well as Heroes look for with their eyes lit on.

    When the flies who follow me find the ¡®Big Root Dungeon'' and contact their owners, I''ll get very, very, very, very annoyed by their disturbing tricks.

    This is because the dungeon where big root is resting is just as difficult to clear as it''s ess conditions.

    To be honest, I''m not confident in conquering it in just one try.

    I don''t even know if it will be conquered at the second or at the third one¡­

    And what if Gis and Loriane while I''m reorganizing after a failure?

    Maybe I would have to separate my attention from the dungeon and have scuffles with those punks?

    ¡­It doesn''t seem as bad as I thought, but the real problem is after that.

    Just as a child''s fight bes a parent''s fight, a Hero''s fight bes a nation''s fight in a moment.

    Others might be wondering¡ªisn''t the solution so easy? Just kill those flies.

    But that''s not a good solution either.

    Just think about it.

    Cloud has a docile personality, giving even his ownpanions to others.

    That Cloud suddenly finds the tails and kills them?

    The behavior itself can be packaged as having a great change after being ntred. However, my alert level in their minds will surely rise.

    Then those fookers will be sending out a bunch of flies with stronger strength one after another.

    Form past example, Howl, Howl, and um, Howl?

    Damn mosquitoes and flies.

    I haven''t slept for nights, so even my mentality feels pissed.

    Yeah, right.

    ¡­actually, it doesn''t really matter if those fliese after I have obtained the big root nt. After that, it doesn''t matter if the alert level goes up or not, I''ll just kill waves after waves of those buggers.

    In any case, even if there''s such a situation, I can''t tell Frillite about it.

    Because it''s the same for her, a powerful monster like Hero, to go crazy about dungeons.

    I said with a wistful expression on my face.

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s because of the worry that those guys Gis and Lorian will follow my back.¡±

    ¡°Are you worried about them doing something to you? If that''s the case, don''t worry. No matter how strong they are, they will not be able to harm you directly.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, they can¡¯t do any harm to my body directly as you said. But can''t they interfere indirectly?¡±

    It was a moment, as if she had remembered something, Frilite''s movements paused.

    Did she remember those three women who went to another party?

    If that''s the case, she doesn''t really have to worry.

    If all the three originalpanions have ntred in the middle, I can just find three newpanions. The problem is that I can''t go to pick them up at the moment.

    ¡°¡­you are right. Those idiots have already messed around a lot. It all makes sense now, why you are hiding your identity and why you lied about being my friend.¡±

    Frillite sipped from her wine ss with a bitter expression.

    "Yes? What does that mean?"

    ¡°Didn''t you say that? You can''t reveal your Hero''s identity because you are worried about those guys ying some tricks again?"

    ¡°No, not that. The second part. Why is that a lie?¡±

    ¡°?¡±

    Frillite looked at me with her puzzled eyes.

    ¡°Isn''t that a lie too? Are we friends?¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t we friends? Welp, I thought so.¡±

    ¡°Uhm??¡±

    Frillite''s eyes filled up with embarrassment.

    Yes, that''s understandable. If it were me, I''d wonder if this punk had gone crazy.

    But I can''t help it.

    I can''t break free from the taste of power I hadn''t tasted in a long time!

    I said calmly, folding my fingers together in position to convince her.

    I continued, ¡°We drank together, worried andforted each other, and even tried to help. There is no interruption in the conversation and our flow matches as well. Isn''t this enough to be considered friends?"

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°What was that vague reaction? Did you not consider me as a friend? Well, I''m a little saddened.¡±

    "No, that¡­ it''s because it''s the first time that someone ever called me a friend, so¡­"

    ¡­?

    ¡°What are you talking about? Don''t you have any friends?"

    You don''t have friends with that face?

    What the fu?k?! Are you deceiving me?

    As I looked at her with a mixture of surprise and astonishment, she hastily added an exnation.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been holding a sword ever since I was a kid so I didn''t get the chance. When I was a little older, I went out to subjugate monsters to gain practical experience. So, I didn''t have the time to socialize with my peers. It wasn''t because I wasn''t sociable or something!"

    ¡°Uh¡­ uh, yeah. Yeah, I got it. Now calm down."

    ¡°What, what''s with that reaction?¡±

    Frillite grumbled, frowned at me, and took a sip of her drink.

    Then she grinned and muttered.

    "Friend¡­ that¡¯s doesn''t sound half-bad.¡±

    ¡°Then do you recognize me as a friend?¡±

    ¡°Didn''t you proposed it first? It¡¯s an offer I don¡¯t really need to turn down.¡±

    All right, the n''s a sess.

    Now, if I run into trouble while roaming the Empire, I can sell Frillite''s name.

    If I told them I was Frillite''s friend, everyone would be definitely surprised.

    This is power!

    There''s no obligation I owe by having this power.

    Truly, a pleasure without responsibility!

    Thrilled by the feast of beautiful future, I couldn''t help but tremble.

    Of course, only inside.

    On the outside, it''s an amiable friend, Cloud.

    ¡°That means I¡¯m your first friend?¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    ¡°Tomemorate meeting your first friend, the drinks will be on your tab!¡±

    "All right, drink as much as you like¡­ Wait."

    As she almost spoke with a grin, she suddenly closed her mouth as if reminiscing about something. She narrowed her eyes and started staring at me.

    ¡°Didn''t I paid for the drinksst time? Why should I buy this time too?¡±

    ¡­I was going to seal the deal, why are you so needlessly quick-witted, madam?

    ¡°Last time I bought it, this time you pay. I have heard that friendship is not a one-sided rtionship, but a rtionship of giving and receiving from both sides.¡±

    You don''t even have friends, why do you know that?

    I raised both of my hands towards her.

    ¡°I don''t have money.¡±

    ¡°You don''t have money?¡±

    Frillite opened her eyes wide in shock as she asked.

    Actually, it''s not that I don''t have money.

    Because there''s still a lot of money I got from the Battleground Championship.

    However, after deducting the amount that''s needed to be kept for Lina and Mars, even the future travel expenses are quite tight on my part.

    ¡°Are you saying that you have already used up the funds you received from your kingdom?¡±

    ¡°I don''t have any such funds.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t receive any funds? Why?"

    ¡°It¡¯s the money I have to spit out after gobbling it. It feels dirty and cheap. If that¡¯s the case, I rather won¡¯t ept it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, but¡­¡±

    ¡°So let''s do this. The person who loses the bet pays.¡±

    ¡°You want to have a bet? So, what bet?¡±

    ¡°What else, mydy? We are in a tarven, isn''t it already decided?¡±

    I said raising my ss of ale.

    ¡°The one who falls first loses.¡±

    Friliteughed too.

    ¡°Are you going to challenge me? That''s fun. I ept it.¡±

    Frillite and I clinked our sses.

    * * *

 Chapter 26.2: Ogre Subjugation (1)

    Cloud was confident of winning the bet. It''s because he''s never got drunk in his entire life. After rolling around several years in the battlefield, his body was capable of fighting even in state of intoxication.

    But there was one thing he had forgotten.

    ¡ªthat his present body was not his original one.

    And that getting drunk is a question of body''s tensity, and not that of mind.

    No matter how strong Cloud''s mind was, he couldn''t ovee the chemical reactions that took ce inside his fragile body.

    From the point when Cloud''s tongue began to waver, Frillite suggested him to quit.

    However, the half-drunk Cloudpletely refused, and in the end he got drunk and fell to the floor.

    ¡°A little foolish¡­¡±

    Tsk tsk, Frilite clicked her tongue and gazed at the fallen Cloud. Then she got out of her seat and sat down on her buttocks next to Cloud, who had fallen on the floor.

    She took a deep breath as she looked at Cloud''s lucid sleeping face.

    ¡°What should I do with this guy¡­¡±

    Cloud refused her help and left the Imperial Capital on his own.

    After that, even though his track record became obscure, Frillite didn''t worry too much.

    It was because the way he looked at her while they were drinking wine in that bar was strangely calm. There was also the though that he was a Hero, so he will do well on his own.

    But why?

    From what she heard today, it wasn''t. He was on an absurdly reckless strike throughout the journey. He might have just died if luck had been a bit bitter for him.

    When she thought of that, she felt a chill coursing through her spine and the worries that came over rushing like a mountain of load were an extra.

    How can she get this stubborn man to listen to her? What should she say to convince him to make normalpanions and travel safely?

    It was when she was immersed in such troubles.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    Cloud, who stretched out in drunken stupor, suddenly groaned.

    Frillite let out a smirk.

    ¡°You sleep sofortably without knowing how worried others are for you.¡±

    Feeling exasperated for no reason, she pinched Cloud''s cheek.

    ¡°Uh-ugh¡­¡±

    She lightly giggled at the sound of him groaning strangely. Soon she closely looked at Cloud''s face without erasing her smile.

    ¡®Friend¡­''

    Frillite is the only daughter of Duke Perdiac, and the heir of one of the most prominent families in the Empire.

    Since she was the only child, it seemed that she grew up receiving all kinds offort, but it wasn''t the truth in the least.

    There were two reasons.

    The family''s style was too strict to grow up being loved and cared like a normal noble family''sdy.

    Second, because of her natural talent, she was a unique Hero candidate from birth.

    When she was born, she only contacted with her servants. Her attendants and maids, even her exclusive attendants, all treated her with restrained eyes, voice, and attitude.

    The case with her escort knights was a little better.

    As her escort knights, they were also in charge of teaching Frillite along with their escort work. Theyvished praised on her when she did well.

    But that was to it.

    They didn''t bring up their personal stories or expressed their emotions.

    This was because they represented a noble family, the Perdiac family, who regarded moderation as a virtue.

    She also took it for granted.

    Until she overheard about the Imperial Social Banquet.

    The words she heard were beautiful.

    Young gentlemen anddies having a pleasant conversation in front of a fancy garden apanied with luxurious cuisine, with melodious giggles blooming the environment.

    Something like a heart-tickling fate felt right that instant.

    Having lived her entire life in an restrained environment, everything about Imperial Social Banquet was like a fairy tale to her.

    Until one day, she got an invitation to participate in the Imperial Social Banquet.

    No matter how busy she was with training, she needed to get acquainted with other fellow nobles as long as she was also a noble.

    Frillite waited for the social banquet with great anticipation.

    But her disappointment was just as great as her expectations.

    The Imperial Social Banquet was not a beautiful ce to make friends.

    It was just a dirty political game pool for adults.

    Of course, there were still some innocent nobles of her age.

    But they were reluctant to approach her. It hit the wall of her heart and pushed her so far away that now even she could notice it.

    In fact, it was a matter of course, it was very natural.

    Frillite herself was unaware at the start, but unravelling oneyer after another¡ªshe was the only child of the Perdiac family, and also a unique Hero candidate.

    She is a person who will rise to the peak of power on the continent in the future.

    What if you make a mistake with such a personality and get remembered..?

    She can blow both you and your whole family away form the face of earth.

    It''s always the case for lower nobles to tie a string to a higher noble, but if the opponent is too overwhelming, they will be scared and run away.

    Of course, in the midst of that, there were many who tried to somehow attach their straps with her, or to take advantage of her.

    But those people were all smitten under Frillite''s sword.

    Although she had her fantasies, she was not stupid. The degree of intent of approaching her was easily discernible.

    And thanks to that, until now she had no one to call her friend.

    Except for her just-made friend.

    ¡®It¡¯s amazing.¡¯

    When he saw her, he suddenly began to be friendly, and now he outright became her friend too. That was a really stupid act, and he knew it too.

    But why?

    She didn''t feel bad about it. Rather, she enjoyed it quite a lot.

    ¡®Is it because there''s no malice?¡¯

    There didn''t seem to be much reason for Cloud to ask her to be his friend. He didn''te to her because he wanted something from her.

    No, there was.

    ¡®It¡¯s a thing as trivial as buying a drink.¡¯

    To be honest, to Frillite, it was like a deration of a friendship spat out under the influence of alcohol. He drank and became brothers with an orc, so was it difficult for him to establish a friendship now?

    Saying that, they seemed to be in a quite casual rtionship, but she was rather willing to.

    Because it was the first time someone had approached her without any ulterior motives.

    ¡®But he''s more like a troublesome little brother than a friend.''

    Not so cute, and always making others worried¡­

    In the end, she paid for their drinks, again.

    Suddenly feeling upset with her lost victory, she tried to pinch Cloud''s cheek.

    It was then.

    "Sorry¡­"

    Frillite''s hand stilled at the words that came out of Cloud''s mouth.

    She looked at Cloud''s face.

    His eyes were full of water.

    ¡°If only I had done a little better, you guys could have¡­¡±

    There was no follow-up. It was just a drop of tear dripping down. His face was full of sorrow.

    ¡®Is he having a nightmare?¡¯

    Then what was the nightmare?

    It was obvious without saying.

    She could tell just by listening to his sleep talks.

    ¡°Even if you pretend not to, you care. The betrayal of those three.¡±

    That''s why.

    Not only he rejected her offer but also embarked on a reckless journey.

    It was all done to forget those three.

    With a bitter expression on her face, Frilite carefully trimmed Cloud''s messy hair.

    A little, but Cloud''s expression rxed.

    Frillite smiled faintly.

    * * *

    ¡®Hurry, hurry up. A little faster!¡¯

    The cavalryman rushed the horse. The horse, which had already ran non-stop for dozens of miles, was already on itsst legs, but he had no choice.

    Because it was so urgent.

    ¡®Why, why¡­!¡¯

    An Ogre appeared in the peaceful forest. Although the lords of the surrounding cities had organized a subjugation army, they alone were not capable of subjugating such a monster.

    If they sh, they will probably not able to avoid annihtion.

    However, fortunately, ording to the recent news, Hero Frillite was in this area.

    Hero Frillite who was called the Red Phantom.

    If shees to help, the result will bepletely different.

    The cavalryman, disembarking at the gate of the town, quickly ran to the only tavern in the town.

    ¡®She should be somewhere here..!¡¯

    The cavalryman opened the tavern door roughly.

    Then he was at a loss for words.

    There were only two people in the tavern. A man and a woman, both had red hair. The man wasid out as if drunk, and the woman was gently stroking the man''s head.

    ¡®Rumor has it that Frillite-sama has red hair¡­''

    No way..?

    ¡°Excuse me, is this Frilite-sama?¡±

    "Shh."

    "Yes?"

    ¡°Be quiet.¡±

    ¡°But, it¡¯s very important¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know what I mean by being quiet?¡±

    When Frillite red with her eyes, the cavalryman was forced to shut his mouth.

    It''s really urgent ma''am¡­

    If you don''t go now, everyone will die¡­

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 27.1: Ogre Subjugation (2)

    I had a dream.

    I can''t remember what it was, but while I was dreaming, I felt a part of me missing and my heart ached.

    Maybe it wasn''t a good dream.

    Little by little, I heard.

    The sound of horseshoes hitting the ground.

    And my body shaking slightly with the beat.

    Is this why I woke up?

    Then who is supporting my body that''s leaning forward?

    I could feel the hard metal touch on my cheeks, feels like someone who is wearing an armor.

    I opened my eyes slowly.

    To see silky red hair and a pure white nape.

    When I raised my brows, I could see a familiar beauty with a cold impression.

    ¡°Frillite?¡±

    ¡°Huh?!¡±

    Perhaps she was surprised when I called out her name suddenly, Frillite pulled the horse''s bridle in shock.

    Her horse, with it''s head pulled, raised it''s upper body and neighed. I tightened my legs around it''s torso and held onto Frillite''s waist tightly to keep myself from falling off the horse''s back.

    No, it looks like I had been holding her waist tightly since I was asleep in the first ce.

    When I woke up, my arms were already wrapped around her waist.

    The horse that was neighing calmed down and lowered its forelegs. At that moment, Frillite let out a sigh of relief. She narrowed her brow and looked at me.

    ¡°Why did you suddenly startle me? What if we both had fallen down?¡±

    ¡°You call that startling you? I just opened my eyes and saw you, so I called your name. How do I know you would get so shocked?¡±

    ¡°Imagine that, someone you thought was sleeping suddenly whispers in your ears. How can you not be surprised? And when you wake up, show that you are alive. If you had, I wouldn''t have been startled."

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what¡¯s going on, and how to show that I''m awake? All right, all right. Let''s just pretend it''s my fault."

    ¡°Sigh¡­ you still sulk at this age, huh?¡±

    ¡°Come on, when did I? Rather, exin what''s the situation right now. Where are we going, and why am I sitting behind you?¡±

    ¡°Frilite-sama! We are in a hurry!¡±

    ¡°And what''s with that guy rushing you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the details as we move.¡±

    Frillite pulled the reins and made the horse, which was standing, pick up the speed again.

    She opened her mouth when the horse began to gallop faster.

    "An Ogre appeared," she said.

    ¡°Ogre? Why all of a sudden?¡±

    Ogres are level 60 mid-lvl boss monsters.

    As it is a mid-lvl boss, the specs are so high that it cannot bepared with normal monsters of the same level.

    In addition, the Ogres have a troublesome characteristic of 50% immunity to physical damage, so it is difficult to bash it unless you are a wizard.

    It''s short¡ªOgres are hard bones to chew.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why it appeared. However, ording to that cavalryman, the forest where the Ogre appeared has an environment were Ogres cannot live in the first ce. So I''m guessing that someone with ill will intentionally released that Ogre into the forest."

    "Ho¡­ If that guess is correct, someone''s pretty crazy. So, what does that have to do with me apanying you? You don''t want a weak person like me to fight against an Ogre, do you?"

    ¡°You really don¡¯t remember anything?¡±

    "Remember what?"

    ¡°You really don¡¯t seem to remember¡­¡±

    She took a deep breath and shook her head.

    ¡°When I heard that an Ogre had appeared, I was nning to leave you at the tavern. Because it''s a risk that you can''t handle. But I couldn''t. Do you know why?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    "Because by the end of the cavalryman''s report, you staggered to your feet and insisted on going with us."

    ¡°Did I?¡±

    "Yeah, you did. No matter how hard I tried, you didn''t listen. Time was running out, so I had no other choice but to bring you along with me.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ really?¡±

    I made a choice after listening to the situation while I was drunk.

    It''s very much possible.

    If I met an assassin in a drunk state and can''t fight, wouldn''t that be a game over for me?

    I can''t remember, but maybe I heard the word ¡®Ogre'' at that time and thought of the glyph.

    The reason I insisted on following her must have been to absorb the Ogre''s karma and to acquire the Ogre''s glyph.

    Well, it was a reasonable choice.

    But.

    ¡®In the end, it''s my fault, isn¡¯t it?¡¯

    I nced at Frilite''s eyes.

    As expected, it was those eyes, the eyes that wanted to nag.

    ¡®If she starts nagging right now, I think it willst until we arrive¡­¡¯

    That''s terrible and just as horrible.

    I quickly realized that the course of the subject needs to be changed.

    What would it be¡­

    What kind of conversation can I start to make Frillite forget her nagging session?

    I turned my head taut.

    Then, fortunately, I was able to open my mouth before she started nagging me again.

    ¡°But, are you okay with it?¡±

    "With what?"

    ¡°The thing that I''m stuck with you like this. Even though it''s just riding a horse, we are too close, right? Wouldn''t your fianc¨¦ feel offended if he finds out, um?"

    I found a joke that would make Frillite feel difficult.

    If she panics and spits out some strange words, I can grab her initiative and take control of the conversation.

    Frillite, who missed her nag timing, will eventually give up on nagging.

    "Fianc¨¦? I have no such thing.¡±

    But overshadowing the operation, she remained unperturbed.

    No, more than that, what did she say?

    ¡°You don¡¯t have a fianc¨¦? Why not? Aren''t you the daughter of a well-off noble family?"

    ¡°It''s a well-off noble family¡­ Well, you are not wrong¡­ but like I said before, I don¡¯t have a fianc¨¦. I have heard that there were many nobles who wanted to arrange an engagement with our family, but I have heard that my father refused to them all. And I have noints with that decision. Rather, I am quite satisfied.¡±

    "Satisfied¡­ Doesn''t that mean you don''t want to get married?"

    ¡°Right now it''s so. It''s because time is just so tight on my side with just training myself and saving the people. I have no time for meaningless things like engagement or marriage.¡±

    ¡°Then what about after defeating the Demon King? Will you change your mind then?¡±

    ¡°It must be so, when the Demon King falls and the appearance of monsters decreases and the continent enters a period of stability. As the heir, I have the obligation to inherit the family.¡±

    Frillite answered with a bitter smile. An awkward silence ensued.

    ¡®Man.''

    Why is the atmosphere suddenly dull?

    Why aren''t we talking again?

    ¡­if we go on like this, we''re going to spend hours in this awkward atmosphere.

    It didn''t seem like much, so I decided to spit out a little brazen joke.

    Before that, Iid some iron tes on my face¡­

    When I was ready, I opened my mouth.

 Chapter 27.2: Ogre Subjugation (2)

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to like the idea of having an arranged marriage. All right, then I''ll be kind for once and give you the benefit of taking me as your family''s son-inw."

    "W, What?"

    Presumably surprised by my ¡®sincerity'', Frillite was genuinely surprised.

    It''s the kind of expression presented on seeing some serious bullshit all of a sudden.

    It''s also the first time I have seen an expression like that.

    I decided toe out a little more brazenly.

    ¡°Hey, what''s wrong with your reaction, isn''t such a free benefit nice?¡±

    "Benefit? You sure that''s a benefit?¡±

    ¡°Of course it''s a benefit. Hey, to be honest, my character is good enough for you, my personality is not that angr, and since I am also a Hero, I canpare in status with you. No matter where you look throughout the continent, you won¡¯t find a better groom than me.¡±

    The ?ock is 3cm tall, but I''ll fix it soon, so let''s leave that out of the discussion for now.

    ¡°¡­you can say such things with your own mouth, don''t you usually shy?¡±

    ¡°Why should I? It''s all true. And it''s not bad for you either. Isn''t it better to be with someone you know than with someone you don''t know? Not only that, I''m confident I won''t touch you at all."

    ¡°Won''t touch me¡­ that¡¯s not possible. In order to carry on the family line, I have to bear children.¡±

    ¡°We''ll adopt.¡±

    ¡°¡­are you sane?¡±

    ¡°I am dead serious.¡±

    Frillite looked at my face with an absurd expression.

    In the meantime, I continued to appeal my strengths like a freshman interviewing for the first job.

    ¡°And I may not even care what you do and don''t. I''m not really interested in power, add that as a plus. As long as you give me three times of delicious meals, I will dly stay in the corner of the room.¡±

    I folded my arms and nodded confidently. The appeal is over. Now all that remains is to wait for the boss to dere the result.

    "¡­didn''t you ask me to be your friend just a few hours ago?"

    ¡°Umu, I did.¡±

    ¡°And now you are proposing? Do you have any idea of how many immediate steps you have skipped in the middle?¡±

    ¡°Isn''t it more attractive because it''s manly?¡±

    ¡°Crazy.¡±

    Saying that, Frillite didn''t look annoyed. Rather, she was smiling broadly as if she was enjoying the fun of it.

    Yeah, she was giggling.

    She''s the first friend I have made in this new world. Wouldn''t it be better to live with a smile if possible?

    ¡°Really¡­ when I first saw you, I never thought you would be like this. How the hell did you hide that cleverness?¡±

    I shrugged my shoulders.

    "Welp, was a bit hard. So what is your answer, mydy?¡±

    ¡°I am grateful, but I will politely decline. In the first ce, my marriage is not something that I can decide on my own.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that''s unfortunate. Hash, it was a great opportunity to change my status quo, missed, tsk, tsk.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too sad. I''m going to make that suggestion to my father. We don''t really know, maybe he will select you as his future son-inw, huh?¡±

    ¡°Sadly, by then, I will be out of stock already. It''s a body that the precious daughter of the Perdiac family cannot find once it''s sold.¡±

    ¡°You don''t have to worry about that. If I can''t find you, I will make youe to me.¡±

    "Oh? How?"

    Frillite said with an uncharacteristically warm smile.

    ¡°If you are married, why not just make that marriage a thing that never happened?Fortunately, I have that level of power.¡±

    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s a funny joke.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­you are kidding, right?¡±

    Frillite didn''t answer. She just looked at me with her smiling face.

    As cold shivering sensations were about to climb upto my spine, she burst into giggles.

    ¡°Of course it''s a joke. Did you really believed that?¡±

    I nodded my head.

    ¡°I hope you better not make such jokes in the future.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Depending on the listener, I think he might seriously consider suicide.¡±

    She took it as a joke, but unfortunately I was serious.

    You really can''t joke around lightly, nowadays world is very serious with things.

    * * *

    Maybe it was because the poor horse was made to gallop the whole night, we were able to meet the lord of the territory before the lord''s army collided with the Ogre.

    "Hero-sama! Thank you foring at such a short notice!¡±

    The old lord, who had been wandering here and there with a dark expression until before, saw Frillite and ran over to her with all his remorses.

    ¡°I''m just fulfilling my duty as a Hero. So where is the Ogre?¡±

    Frillite treated the lord lightly as if it was very natural, even though he is one of the oldest nobles and a Count of the Empire. Even so, the lord didn''t lose his smile throughout the whole conversation and treated Frillite with respect.

    Does he really not care, or is he being patient even though he cares?

    I didn''t know what he was thinking in his head, but one thing was certain for sure.

    ¡®There is a distant ss wall between Frillite and an ordinary count of the Empire.¡¯

    It was a new situation, but I realized it for once again that Frillite''s ss level was very high.

    ¡­I''ll have to make sure she was really joking.

    While I was thinking about it, the count exined the situation to Frillite.

    ¡°Most of the content will be omitted since Miss Frillite has already heard it from Alex. It''s been about four days since we found that Ogre, we don''t know exactly when it entered the forest. ording to the scout''s report, that Ogre is currently lodging beside ake inside the forest.¡±

    ¡°Ake in the forest. I got it. I''ll go right away.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, then¡­ Yes? Miss Frillite, I''m sorry, but this old man has a bad hearing due to old age. What did you just say?¡±

    ¡°I said I would go alone. Don''t worry, I''ll make sure to deal with that Ogre. I''ll have to ask Count Lykel to take care of the monsters who might escape during my fight with that Ogre, otherwise the aftermath will be more difficult to handle.¡±

    Leaving her words that was more close to an instruction, Frillite left the barracks.

    I walked after her.

    ¡°Cloud, there''s no need for you to apany me. Honestly, it''s too dangerous for you."

    ¡°Before that, let me ask you one thing. Can you really kill an Ogre by yourself? Aren''t you the one trying to be stubborn in that case?"

    As she said, if she can kill the Ogre alone, that''s the best ending.

    Because it can end without anyone dying.

    However, that was only when she was able to deal with the Ogre by herself.

    I looked around at the Count''s soldiers. There were elite soldiers and knights wearing good quality armor and holding sharp weapons, but most of the others were conscripts who didn''t have a piece of proper armament.

    For example, the farmers who don''t even know how to fight.

    If they collide with the Ogre in this state, they will take quite a good deal of damage. A lot of people will die and more will get hurt.

    Frillite was surely concerned about that, so she may have said that she would go alone.

    To a priest, it might be considered a noble behavior, but to me, it was in stupid.

    At my question, she stopped, she turned and looked at me, and asked.

    ¡°What if I said I can''t?¡±

    ¡°What then? We will go together and bash that monster together.¡±

    A startled expression appeared on her face as I spoke without hesitation.

    ¡°I thought you would stop me, but I was wrong.¡±

    ¡°What if I do? Are you even going to listen to me? Hah, even if I grab hold of your legs, you''re going to drag me in that state."

    ¡°That''s true.¡±

    Frillite broke into giggles. Then, she expressed in a serious voice soon after.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I''m not as reckless as you see. I''m going because I can.¡±

    ¡°You can deal with an Ogre by yourself? What level are you?¡±

    How much is she in saying she can subdue an Ogre by herself?

    ¡°60.¡±

    ¡°?¡±

    Damn?

 Chapter 28: Ogre Subjugation (3)

    For a moment I wondered if my ears were ying with me.

    However, there was no obvious change in Frillite''s expression, which meant she was telling the truth.

    I wanted to shout out loud, ¡®Even if it¡¯s the mid-point of the plot, level 60 is too high!¡¯

    But thinking about it again, unlike the other Heroes who acted with their parties, she acted all alone.

    So, all the experience points reaped were monopolized by her alone, there was no one to share with. But, even considering that, 60 was still too high.

    ¡°What the hell had you been doing, Frillite? Level 60, seriously?¡±

    ¡°Didn''t I tell you before? I have been busy subjugating monsters since childhood. The levels I raised in the process just came out to be so high.¡±

    ¡°Monster subjugations, uh? Then you must have consumed a lot of beast cores.¡±

    ¡°I ate all the cores of the monsters I killed. Besides that, I also ate what my father gave me¡­ I guess I could say that I did consume more than the others.¡±

    Frillite spoke nonchntly.

    Is this the majesty of the golden spoon¡­?

    ¡®We backbenchers are still paddling, while you, the topper had already begun studying ahead of time..?¡¯

    Maybe the reason Cloud became a poor punk was not because of hisck of ability, but because he was simply a dirt spoon?

    If Cloud had been the son of a well-off noble family like her, he might have grown into a full-fledged noble Hero.

    ¡®That''s why some people say, life''s shit.''

    It was time to ask Frillite about her abilities, of course, while feeling the impermanence of life.

    When, a cavalryman riding on a horse came from the other side of the forest and joined the army formation.

    He got off his horse quickly and glided down, running straight to the lord''s barracks and informed loudly.

    ¡°Count Lykel! Miss Hero! Another Hero is arriving!¡±

    Ho?

    I looked at Frillite with eyes wondering what that meant. She tilted her head implying that she didn''t know it herself.

    We turned around and went back to the lord''s barracks, and we got to hear more details as we got closer.

    ¡°Is that true? You mean, Hero Lorian ising?¡±

    "Indeed, my lord! He said he woulde by the time the preparations on our side gets finished!¡±

    ¡­At this point, it seems it is going to be a Heroes'' gathering session.

    * * *

    When Frillite heard that Lorian and his party members wereing, she stopped heading into the woods by herself. It was better to cooperate with the Lorian to subjugate the ogre.

    Because acting in a group rather than herself can reduce the risk in many ways.

    On the other hand, I was deeply troubled when I heard about Lorian''s arrival.

    Should I leave before Lorian arrives?

    Or should I stay and strive for the ogre''s glyph?

    After much deliberation, I choose the ogre''s glyph.

    I will earn more returns from the ogre''s glyph than the risk involved from exposing myself earlier and getting tailed by Lorian.

    In order for Lorian to set a tail on me, he would have to at least go to a city and contact his cronies, but as long as I move quickly before that, it won''t be too dangerous.

    If I don''t stop at a town or a city in the middle and run all the way through the forest and inhabited terrains, how are you going to find me then?

    Camping is a bit annoying, but it''s unavoidable to get benefits.

    ¡°There hees.¡±

    Frillite spoke.

    I looked in the direction in which she was pointing with her chin. Eight figures wereing from a distance riding on horses.

    The horses'' speed slowed down a little, and they stopped exactly in front of Count Lykel, who had came out to meet them.

    ¡°Goodness, Hero Lorian. It is an honor to meet you like this.¡±

    ¡°I am also honored to meet Count Lykel, whom I have only heard of through rumors. You look a lot better with a beard than I was told.¡±

    The handsome, long brown-haired man who was in the lead got off his horse, replied.

    Wait, long hair?

    ¡°Did Lorian grow his hair?¡±

    ¡°I think so.¡±

    ¡°You think so? You haven''t seem him in the middle?"

    ¡°Because there was nothing to meet for, so I didn''t. Thest time I saw him was at the Imperial Social Banquet like you.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    It was when we were having a silly conversation, Lorian with his party members and Count Lykel passed through the assembled soldiers.

    Lorian was walking on his way, chatting with Count Lykel. Before long, Lorian''s eyes caught Frillite.

    ¡°Frillite? Why are you here¡­¡±

    Upon discovering Frillite, he looked as if he had received a delightful surprise. That expression was distorted as soon as he saw me standing next to Frillite.

    "Cloud? Why are you here¡­¡±

    Same words, different feeling. I know, right?

    Maybe some discriminating feelings between a noble and amoner because he is a royalty?

    Damn Lorian, why be so meanish.

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s James, Frillite-sama¡¯s friend¡­ um? Did you just say Cloud?¡±

    The Count, who was about to introduce me, listened to Lorian and doubted his ears again.

    There was no need to hide now, so I nodded and extended my hand.

    ¡°I''m Cloud, the Hero of the Kingdom of Prona.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes¡­ But that, you said, Frillite-sama¡¯s friend, until just a moment ago¡­¡±

    ¡°Friend thing is not wrong. It''s just that his name is not James.¡±

    "Oh, I see."

    Instead of asking me why I hid my identity, the Count held my hand warmly.

    A guy with good means ofmunication, I had toment.

    It was when I was shaking my hands with the Count.

    "Cloud..?"

    I heard a familiar voice and turned my head.

    The person who called my name was a woman I knew well.

    A cute woman with long ck hair tied in two.

    A sorceress wearing arge witch hat and holding arge wooden staff in her right hand.

    Cloud''s former party member.

    It was Eri.

    It''s been a long time since I saw her.

    At least, it seems like yesterday when she hit Cloud''s ass with a cane toe down to eat.

    ¡®But why is she wearing the same equipments as before?''

    Isn''t it time for her to have higher level ones?

    I thought about it for a moment and then erased it from my course of thought. It''s not polite to judge about other''s personal affairs in front of them, especially when we were meeting after a long time.

    I smiled and waved my hand.

    ¡°Eri, it¡¯s been a while. How have you been doing?"

    Eri''s eyes fluttered.

    * * *

    Eri Oller.

    The second daughter of Duke Oller, a family with a strong influence in the Kingdom of Prona, born with a promising talent, with great talent for magic.

    A proper genius, other''s say that she can learn a magic spell by giving just a single nce at the spellbook.

    A girl with a mouth so rough that it can''t be more venomous.

    Etc, etc.

    These are the public opinion of her.

    But they are all only half right.

    It is true that Eri is the second daughter of Duke Oller. But her mother was just amoner maid working for the family. It is true that she has inherited the blood of aristocrats, but only half.

    Due to which, she grew up facing all sorts of ridicule and contempt from her brothers and sisters.

    It is true that Eri has a talent for magic, but it''s too much of an exaggeration to say that she can learn magic from just a single nce.

    All of the things that Eri has achieved today were all result of her hard work and effort.

    It''s also true that Eri has a rough mouth.

    But it''s not because she''s toxic from heart.

    Eri, who has been at the mercy of her family for a long time has developed a sense of delusion of harm, in short she has became sort of paranoid. The roughness of her mouth is more of a defense mechanism to protect her heart from her paranoid thoughts.

    Eri had no true family by her side, neither she thought she will, only magic as her closepanion, she had lived up to that point, and she thought she always will.

    If it hadn''t been for the King''s orders toe to the pce, her life would have been like that.

    When she arrived at the pce, she met a boy without knowing anything about the situation.

    -Hello..?

    Eri is a nobledy, even if only half. Modest handsomeness won''t even catch her eye. However, the boy in front of her was in a league of his own.

    He was such a handsome man that even she felt her breath taken away for a moment.

    She saw him for the first time there.

    -Excuse me¡­?

    -Who''s so ignorant, so daring to talk to me, hmph?

    But her tongue didn''t soften in the least.

    Because of the paranoid thoughts that webbed her mind.

    A handsome man like him must be a nobleman. He''s being friendly to me now, but that''s not going tost long. If he finds out where I am from, he willugh at me from inside, even if he doesn''t show it on the outside.

    Good things were not meant to happen to her.

    So, from the very beginning, she spit out harsh words. Hoping that he would get away from her on his own, like everybody else. But the boy wasn''t like that.

    He just smiled awkwardly and scratched his head.

    -Um¡­ I''m a little clumsy. By the way, did I do something wrong? If so, I apologize. I never meant to make you feel bad.

    -¡­W, What?

    That was Eri and Cloud''s first meeting.

    After that, she learned that he was a Hero from the king''s mouth who appeared only a littleter.

    Together with the fact that she was chosen as the Hero''spanion.

    When she heard about it, Eri''s heart swelled with hope.

    Her family, until now had not recognized her for any of her achievements.

    But what if she contributes greatly towards defeating the Demon King as a member of the Hero''s Party?

    Wouldn''t she, with all she was, be then recognized by her indifferent family for such a big achievement?

    Eri had such hopes, and she set out on a journey to defeat the Demon King as apanion of the Hero.

    The journey was more arduous than she had thought. It was only natural for her to camp on the hard ground instead of lying on a soft bed, and she was often unable to wash for days. For her who had lived as a half noble, those were some terrible days.

    But only for a while.

    Little by little, she began to feel the happiness hidden in it. As time went on, her closepanions took a liking to her.

    They recognized and respected her even if Eri did nothing special form any perspective.

    Eri felt thatfortable feeling for the first time with herpanions.

    And it was all thanks to Cloud who was able to make her feel that way.

    At the start of the journey.

    When even Ophelia or Neria couldn''t get close to her because of her haughty personality, it was Cloud who kepting to her.

    No matter how harsh the words were, he never lost his pure smile.

    He didn''t even look upset when she grudgingly hit him on the head with her wooden staff.

    He was such a foolishly nice person.

    To put it bluntly, he was like a pushover, but because of him, she was able to open her heart to others.

    Thanks to which, she was able to calm down her temper, which could pierce right through people''s heart to the point of lightly scratching them.

    Years passed like that¡­

    And a feeling of impatience had bloomed in Eri''s chest.

    She had only wasted years of time, but she hadn''t grown up in strength. It''s not that she hadn''t grown up at all, but those didn''t met her standards by any margin.

    The reason was simple.

    It was because Cloud was weak.

    When he was first selected as a Hero, he was just an ordinary boy.

    He was a weak boy who had never learned about sword, had no prior knowledge, and had never killed.

    Because of this, most of the journey was spent on him growing up mentally.

    Eri could only sigh deeply, feeling that she had wasted her golden years. She hadn''t even noticed it in these years.

    Cloud was like a sweet poison.

    It''s fun and joyful to be with him, but if you keep staying with him, you will get ruined together someday.

    In that way, she would lose the chance of being recognized by her family, that she had been seeking since birth.

    As her heart was gnawed by such impatience and fear, Eri met Lorian.

    Not as handsome as Cloud, but handsome enough.

    The background of the heir to the Kingdom of Carta.

    Together with outstanding skills and talent.

    Except for his face, he was far superior to Cloud in every way.

    Such a man showed his affection for her.

    She refused at first.

    She spit out harsh words, showed t disagreement.

    But Lorian didn''t give up. He smiled at her as gently as Cloud, and approached her as patiently as Cloud, meanwhile showing generous affection for her.

    Little by little, she began topare Cloud with Lorian, it eventually got to the point where she ended up ultimately weighing the two of them.

    Of course, the scale leaned towards Lorian.

    Because every time he showed her a Cloud-like image, she got that certainty.

    She felt that confidence, that if she follows him, she will be able to catch both a pleasant journey with a friendlypanion, and a happy future.

    Eri took Lorian''s hand to have her everything.

    As a result¡ª

    She lost everything.

    ¡°Eri, it¡¯s been a while. How have you been doing?"

    Cloud, whom she had not seen in a long time, weed her with a smile that was no different from before.

    Eri also tried to greet him with a smile, but she couldn''t.

    Because she had long lost her smile.

    "Long time no see."

    Barely squeezing out her voice, she lowered her head to avoid Cloud''s gaze.

    She hadn''t seen him in a long time, she shouldn''t have greeted him like that¡­.

    But, she felt so hollowed that she couldn''t even act to her wishes.

 Chapter 29.1: Ogre Subjugation (4)

    With Lorian''s party joining the group, the stability of Ogre subjugation increased.

    With the increased assurance, Count Lykel appointed a hunter who knew the inside of the forest as the guide.

    With a guide in hand, there was no need to dy any longer, so we headed straight for the forest.

    Me, Frillite, the eight including Lorian, plus the guide.

    A temporary subjugation squad made up of 11 people. Among them, Frillite and the guide were walking at the forefront of the subjugation party.

    It was only natural, as the guide had to show the way, while Frillite was questioning him about the surrounding features, just in case something unexpected happened during the real action.

    I looked over at Lorian''s Party.

    In the game, it was a party of 4 people, but now it consists of 8 people.

    ¡®I thought a party can have only a maximum of 4 people?''

    How did he get to 8?

    Did he made two teams side by side?

    It''s surely different from the game in many ways.

    ¡®If that¡¯s the case, the first team must be guys who walk proudly in front.¡¯

    And the 2nd group is probably the ones following them with slight reservation.

    It didn''t take much effort to different the 2nd team from the 1st, but seeing that, it seems the party definitely has a hierarchy of some sort with its ups and downs.

    For reference, Eri was in the 2nd team. She was walking at the back of the 2nd team.

    It seems that her orderes atst.

    It was when I was analyzing Lorian''s party, the punk came when I thought of him, it was Lorian who came up to me.

    It''s already strange that he approached, but as soon as he got closer, he also let out a strange tone among his words.

    ¡°Cloud, let me give you one piece of advice.¡±

    "Um?"

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you got close to Frillite. But I rmend you not to get any closer to her.¡±

    ¡°What the? Just say things straight, dude, tut.¡±

    ¡°¡­I mean literally. Know your ce. You can''t and shouldn''t get along with her.¡±

    ¡°?¡±

    ¡°It would be good for your personal life to not ignore my advice. Again, know your ce, Cloud.¡±

    Lorian tapped on my shoulders and went back to his party. I pondered for a moment, then walked forward and poked Frillite on the shoulders. After examining the terrain around her, she turned her gaze to me.

    "Cloud? Do you have something to say? I''m busy memorizing the surrounding terrain right now."

    ¡°Lorian doesn¡¯t want me to mingle with you.¡±

    ¡°..?¡±

    Frillite tilted her head implying she didn''t understand my meaning.

    Realizing that I had exined too briefly, I unpacked it so she could understand more clearly.

    ¡°That guy told me to cut contact with you. Otherwise, he won¡¯t leave me alone, yeah, that punk.¡±

    "Cut? Cut contact with me?¡±

    ¡°It means severing our friendship. If I cut contact with you, you and I will no longer be friends.¡±

    Frillite''s expression hardened. Even her steps halted, her red eyes reflected my figure.

    ¡°¡­so what did you say?¡±

    There was a hint of anxiety in the voice that seemed to have been squeezed through. Man, she''s even worried about something like this.

    I curled up the corners of my lips.

    ¡°Of course I told him to piss off. I''ve been almost drinking and partying freely these days, does he think I''m a fool? I will always be your friend, unless, of course, you dere the end of our friendship first.¡±

    It was then that her stiff expression loosened. She looks at me with a happy smile.

    Yh? The reaction looked purer than I thought.

    I thought that with Frillite''s personality, she would pull out her great sword and grab Lorian by the neck.

    ¡®It''s a little regretful, but I can''t help it.''

    I have no choice but to ensue n B.

    ¡°Then, now that we have reconfirmed our friendship, should we do some shoulder-sharing?¡±

    ¡°Shoulder sharing? Is that what I think it is?¡±

    ¡°If you imagined putting one''s arms on each other¡¯s shoulders, you are right.¡±

    "Then I''m right. But why to do shoulder-sharing out of nowhere?¡±

    ¡°I just wanted to deepen our friendship a little bit more. If you don''t like it, there''s nothing I can do about it."

    ¡°I don¡¯t hate it, but¡­¡±

    She rolled her eyes and looked around.

    I can''t feel any strong monster''s aura. Even if one appears, Lorian''s Party will be enough to hold for a while. There will be plenty of time to release our shoulders and get ready for battle.

    Frillite thought about it, then she nodded her head as if feeling convinced in her heart.

    ¡°I think it would be nice to bring our friendship closer.¡±

    "Great. Then, right away!¡±

    I ced my arm on Frillite''s shoulder. Frillite''s body trembled. Her hand reaching for my shoulder stopped as well.

    "Why stop? Just confidently put your arm around my shoulders. If I''m the only one with my arms around you, how can it be called shoulder sharing?"

    ¡°I, I see. Don''t rush, wait for me¡­!"

    Frillite''s hand began to move slowly again, and she ced it gently on my shoulders, then she coughed lightly to erase her awkwardness.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s more embarrassing than I thought it to be, this shoulder sharing thing. Do all friends usually do this?¡±

    "Indeed, miss. Same-sex friends do.¡±

    ¡°Same-sex? Then¡­"

    Frillite''s eyes narrowed little by little. Iughed and talked.

    ¡°Even if we are friends of opposite sex, don''t we go well together?¡±

    ¡°You tricked me¡­¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t cheat. After all, we''re not just normal friends, are we?"

    ¡°Aren''t we normal friends?¡±

    A puzzled Frillite asked. I whispered in her ear.

    ¡°We are friends who might get married someday.¡±

    I looked at her and winked mischievously.

    Frillite was at a loss for words, so she looked nkly at me, and then broke into suppressed giggles.

    ¡°Really, I don¡¯t know where your boldnesses from.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to share shoulders with me? If you don''t like it, just let it go."

    "Leave it. What will change if youe and solve what you have already done? Stay like this for as long as you want.¡±

    "As long as I want¡­ Then is it okay to stay like this for all day long?"

    Frillite replied with an impish smirk.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t ask, do as much as you want. Just like you got drunk and kept your word, I will also keep my word. Especially if it¡¯s something you said to a friend.¡±

    ¡°Hey,e on, it was just one big bottle.¡±

    I answered with a smile and nced back to have a spectacle of my work. Not surprisingly, Lorian was staring at me with eyes that could kill.

    Woohoo! Chap looks pissed, guess he''s gonna move?

    It seems like a pretty interesting situation would unfold, but I decided to put up with it.

    Because there are too many people watching now.

    Must try next time.

    * * *

    After travelling through the forest for all day, the sun was setting, but we were still far from reaching the innerke.

    Now, we couldn''t go any further, for the sun was going to set soon.

    Moreover it''s too dangerous to travel in the forest in dark.

    Restricting one''s field of vision is a bigger disadvantage than one can think. What if you are unfortunate enough to run into the ogre in such a situation? Just be prepared forplete annihtion.

    Therefore, the subjugation squad decided to camp overnight and move again the next morning.

    ¡°Hey, light fire.¡±

    Quite an overbearing tone, as if beating people with words.

    But whoever spoke those words, her status deserved it.

    Because she was the first princess of the Kingdom of Carta and the younger sister of Hero Lorian, Lorraine.

    She resembled Lorian, with long chestnut brown hair and round orange eyes. She had a cute dimple with a face that was also round and beautiful.

    But her personality was not round.

    Far from being round, she was viinous.

    "¡­yes."

    Eri ignited the firewood pile that she had gathered with magic.

    "I''ll start cooking."

    A man with arge, clunky-looking impression trimmed the ingredients. He ced the well-prepared fresh ingredients into the pot and started cooking.

    It didn''t take long for a delicious smell to float in the air.

    The finished soup was received by Lorian first.

    He''s a Hero as well as the heir to the throne, so it was natural for him to receive it first.

    After Lorian, it was Lorraine.

    She is the first princess of the kingdom.

    She holds the second strongest power after Lorian, so it was only natural for her to receive it in next order.

    Next is Princess Lisbeth.

    After that, Princess Marietta.

    As the distribution progressed, Eri''s turn came at the end. She didn''t even had anyone to distribute the soup to her. She had to scoop out the soup by herself and ce it into her bowl.

    ¡®Still, there''s quite a bit left today.''

    Most of the times, there was hardly any soup left for her, so she either had to chew on jerky or nibble on hard bread. Sometimes when none of them were present, she had to prepare her meals by herself.

    But today, they left quite a bit of soup. Among the other ingredients, there was also meat.

    Probably because of the presence of other two Heroes.

    Especially since Frillite was also present, it seems that they couldn''t show discrimination with food.

    Eri felt a little bit joyful in her heart, she was going to eat properly after a long time.

 Chapter 29.2: Ogre Subjugation (4)

    She scooped out about half of the remaining soup and transferred it to her bowl.

    She didn''t take all of the left over soup even if her turn was thest.

    She will get into troubleter when someone wants to eat more. Eri wasn''t stupid enough to do what she had already done once.

    Eri grabbed her bowl and stood up.

    They were just two meters away, eating with their fellow party members,ughing and chatting, but she walked towards the other side.

    She sat with her back on a suitable tree and savored her soup slowly.

    Her meals were always like this.

    It was very hurtful at the start, but once she got used to it, it felt bearable. Just focus on one spoonful at a time.

    ¡®The meat is delicious.¡¯

    Still, she was able to eat boiled meat today, so she was satisfied.

    After finishing her meal, Eri raised her head.

    In her eyes, Frillite and Cloud were chatting and enjoying their meals.

    Eri saw her past in that scene.

    She, Cloud, Neria and Ophelia were on adventures together.

    When it was time to eat, Neria gathered firewood needed for bonfire.

    Then Eri made a fire and Cloud cooked the food.

    Before they ate, they did their prayers at Ophelia''s initiative. After the prayer, she inserted her spoon into the meat soup faster than anyone else.

    Neria, the knight, was not so keen on meat, but the nun, Ophelia, loved meat just as much.

    Sometimes they even quarreled for thest piece of meat.

    Cloud just smiled awkwardly when he saw them bickering.

    As she recalled her happy past, a faint smile appeared on Eri''s face. But only for a while. Her chest soon started to pound and she felt the bitter pain in her heart.

    ¡®Why did I do that¡­¡¯

    She had a chance to be happy.

    She was living her life with a smile, surrounded by people who recognized and respected her.

    If only she hadn''t been greedy.

    Yes¡­ greed.

    She was too greedy.

    Honor, recognition, friends, family.

    She tried to get them all.

    She struggled to get everything with her two hands, but lost even what she had.

    ¡®I''m an idiot¡­''

    Until she lost it, she even thought she was a very smart person.

    But in reality, she was just a desperate gambler, who only knew how to throw away the things in her hands without any regret in order to get what she desired.

    But, like any gambler, she was just a loser who mistook herself for a gambling master.

    ¡®I want to go back.¡¯

    When she woke up from her sleep, she had to admonish Neria, who sweated buckets because of her morning workout.

    After which she woke up the weak Ophelia in the morning on the subject of a faithful nun by shaking her to and fro.

    When she went downstairs with everyone, Cloud, who had the meal prepared for everyone, smiled gently at her.

    "Water."

    What broke Eri''s vague thoughts was a short word that didn''t even make a sentence. Eri stopped reminiscing on her past and turned her head to the side.

    Lorraine''s gaze was fixed on her.

    "¡­ water, it''s in the water bag behind¡ª"

    "Hm? I''m sorry, I didn''t hear you clearly."

    Lorraine smiled at her and tilted her head innocently.

    A lie. She obviously heard.

    Eri turned her head to the other side.

    Cloud and Frillite stopped eating and looked at their side.

    Eri understood Lorraine''s intentions.

    By showing Lorraine ordering Eri, they meant to insult Cloud and Eri, both of them together.

    Eri bit her lips tightly.

    Normally she would have obeyed, but this time, she didn''t want to follow her words even if it meant she would die. She didn''t want to show this side of her to Cloud.

    ¡°Water is behind¡­¡±

    It was the moment Eri was about to turn down Lorraine''s request again.

    ¡°Eri.¡±

    A low-pitched voice sliced her words like a blunt knife. Eri''s gaze turned to Lorraine''s side.

    Lorian was looking at her with his distinctively kind smile.

    ¡°I am thirsty too. Can you please bring me some water?¡±

    Eri, who was about to disobey Lorraine''s words, had no choice but to obey Lorian''s. He was the one who usually neglected Eri as if she didn''t even exist. Now, he mentioned her. If she ignores it, she may face retaliationter, making her future more hellish.

    "¡­yes"

    Eri had no choice but toply with the request of the royal siblings. She took out a water bag from the bag just 3 meters behind the party members and handed it to Lorian.

    "Thanks."

    "¡­mh."

    Eri, who handed the water bottle, tried to leave her seat as it was. But Lorian grabbed her wrist.

    ¡°Sit next to me.¡±

    "Huh? No, I''m fine¡­¡±

    "Sit down, please."

    "¡­yes."

    Eri meekly sat down next to Lorian. Because his voice was in serious, or more like a threat. As soon as she sat down, he said in a voice low enough to make her feel eerie.

    ¡°Eri. This was just a very simple request that can be made between party members, just to bring water, right?¡±

    "..Yes."

    ¡°Then why did you refuse? Making people ufortable? If Ms. Eri does that, how will other people see us? Haven''t you thought about that?"

    "I''m sorry."

    ¡°From now on, think then act. And, Lorraine?¡±

    "Yes, brother."

    ¡°After dinner, you and I should talk to each other, got it?"

    "Understood¡­"

    Lorraine bowed her head. At first nce she looked like an obedient little sister, but Eri knew.

    Behind that reflection, Lorraine must be grinding her teeth. Later, she may have to face Lorraine''s harsh actions.

    And as expected,te at night, Eri was called by Lorraine.

    Lorraine, who had dragged Eri quite a distance from the campsite, hollered.

    ¡°Hey, are you kidding me? I got scolded, and that by my older brother, just because of you! Did I had to be scolded by my brother for a worthless mongrel like you?¡±

    Lorraine knew that Eri was a half noble. So when she insulted her, she used to call her a lowly mongrel [1].

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Eri bit her lips.

    She knew from the past experiences that any response would only increase the time for which she would get insulted.

    ¡°What? Don''t wanna answer? Huh¡­ Don''t turn your head around¡­ Hey, look at me, straight. Here."

    Perhaps she didn''t like how Eri acted, Lorraine grabbed her by hair and pulled her up.

    Lorraine asked while making eye contact with Eri.

    "What? You don''t like seeing me? Normally, when I say something, you follow it, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    "So why? Cloud, meeting thatmoner bastard after a long time, does it remind you of the past? Nostalgia came up, uh? Do you think you can go back to that time? Hahaha, when you guys traveled with a silly smile?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Strength entered her face to hold back the distortion of her expression.

    Noticing that, Lorraine opened her eyes wide as if amused and burst intoughter.

    "Wow, really. Could that be real? Ah ha ha ha! Not only are you a lowly but also a crazy mongrel as well. How are you going to do that? My goodness, you even thought about something like that? Don''t you remember what you did?"

    Laughing loud with her hands on her stomach, Lorraine suddenly thought of something and she pushed her face close to Eri. She pressed their foreheads together and she met Eri with her eyes.

    ¡°It was dered in the public eye, and not anywhere else, but in the Imperial Social Banquet. You dered that you wanted to get out of Cloud''s party ande to my brother''s party. After making Cloud, politically, an asshole like that, you nurture thoughts like that?¡±

    ¡°That was you guys..!¡±

    Eri''s eyes fluttered aimlessly. Lorraine contorted her eyes finely.

    ¡°Yeah, we did. But, what? It was you who said you wanted that. It was you who actually did it, and it was also you who drove the deepest nail into Cloud''s chest. Am I wrong?"

    No.. it''s not¡­.

    Eri, she who knew the truth better than anyone else¡ªknew that Lorraine was right. So she couldn''t object. She just bowed her head and clenched her tightened fists with more strength.

    ¡°Isn''t that your humble wish? Bing a member of the Hero Party that defeats the Demon King and getting the approval of your family. Right?"

    ¡°¡­¡±

    "Yes or no. Answer me."

    "¡­yes."

    ¡°Then you have to act nicely, right? Now you don''t even have else where to go. Isn''t it so?"

    Lorraine said as she pressed her finger against Eri''s forehead.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    "What? You won''t answer to me? Do you want to get kicked out of the party? I''ll let you go right away if you want so, Eri."

    "¡­no. I''ll do it right. Please forgive me this once.¡±

    ¡°Woh¡­ It would have been good if you had acted like that from the start. I''ll leave you just this one time. So, do better next time, got it?"

    "Yes¡­"

    ¡°Throw away any useless hopes of going back to the past.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    "Answer me."

    Lorraine tapped Eri''s cheek with the palm of her hand.

    Eri gritted her teeth and answered in a broken tone.

    "¡­yes."

    "Great! If you are a pet, you should listen carefully to the owner. Hah¡­ I''m sleepy, tsk, wasted my time on you. Just see what trouble I''m having in the middle of the night because of you. Don''t dare to do something like that next time. Then I''ll be going.¡±

    After she finished speaking, Lorraine returned to the camp.

    Eri stood there for a while. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and her clenched fists trembled in indignation.

    [1] A ng for half-blooded.

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 30.1: Ogre Subjugation (5)

    Like Count Lykel had said, there was an ogre by theke inside the forest. It was chomping on arge deer like a chicken leg.

    ¡®The size, around 5 meter, and uses a thick wooden club as weapon.''

    When ites to fantasy world ogres, it is the kind of guy that normallyes to mind.

    ¡°It is no joke. Even one mistake can be fatal.¡±

    Lorian swallowed his dry saliva andmented in a wobbly tone.

    He and his party members looked tense. Looking at that big club, it was worth it. If you are hit by it authentically, you''ll be crushed like a fly swatted by a fly stick.

    ¡°It would be better to n the operation properly.¡±

    Lorian, his party members, and Frillite began to n on how to subjugate the ogre.

    The n was nothing special.

    The sorcerers in Lorian''s party will apply debuffs on the ogre.

    Warriors standing on the vanguard will stop the ogre from using its size to its advantage, and meanwhile, the sorcerers will shoot out magic spells to inflict damage.

    Then, when the exhausted ogre shows a gap, Frillite willplete it''s burial with one great skill.

    It is amon strategy, mainly used when there are several personals and the goal is to catch one strong dog.

    After the nning was finished, Frillite came to my side.

    She spoke to me in a cautious tone.

    ¡°I know you also want to be active as a Hero. So, sorry. I also want to give you that kind of experience if possible. But this time it''s impossible. It''s too dangerous for you. I''m sorry, but I hope you understand."

    She was coaxing me like a child, while I was stunned and at a loss for words.

    ¡®I wonder how much I sinned to be treated like this¡­¡¯

    Meanwhile, Frillite smiled a little as she thought of my silence as eptance.

    ¡°Usually you act yful, but you also get serious when necessary. I like that thought of view.¡±

    Though I only kept my mouth shut and simply stayed still, Frillite''s favorability escted by second.

    This is all possible because of a handsome face.

    ¡®Really, this Cloud guy, I don¡¯t understand the least how this bastard gets ntred with a face like this. Does he has some kind of hidden talent for that?¡¯

    It was when I was admiring myself.

    The sorcerer scattered the magical ingredients in the air and uttered an iprehensible spell.

    As the spell continued, the magical ingredients began to disappear. Eventually, when the spell waspleted, it totally disappeared.

    Instead, something like a ck gas appeared in front of the sorcerer.

    ¡°Curse of Cognitive Ruination!¡±

    As the sorcerer hollored, the ck gas wave flew towards the ogre. The ogre was chewing and gnawing the deer, unaware of the curse flying towards him. ck gas poured into the Ogre''s body like a sponge adsorbing water.

    ¡°Grr..?¡±

    The cursed Ogre rubbed his eyelids. But something like rubbing the eyes will not break the spell.

    The ogre continued to rub his eyes for a while, and then he began to look around to see if something was wrong.

    ¡°Curse of Weakness!¡±

    Taking advantage of the opportunity, a new curse flew upon the ogre.

    The ck gas wave was clearly visible even in it''s blurred vision, the ogre swung his club towards the ck gas wave.

    However, there is no way that magic can be ruled out by pure brute force. The ck gas, which was dispersed in two by the club, gathered again and poured into the Ogre''s body.

    ¡°Ug-hgh-!¡±

    After two consecutive debuffs, the ogre finally understood the situation.

    The herculean guy who grasped our location jumped off the ground and ran.

    Thud! Thud! Thud!

    The ground shook with its every step.

    ¡°Now!¡±

    The first one to strike out was Frillite. She drew out her sword and ran leaning sideways. Therge wooden club wielded by the ogre tried to smash her.

    She jumped, dodging the hulkish weapon by a tip''s distance, and swung her sword in the air.

    A crimson sword aura flew coursing through the wind.

    -St!

    There was a long scar added on the ogre''s waist.

    ¡°Agww!¡±

    The ogre let out a painful groan. He''s the part of a race that lives with a 50% physical damage immunity. They are mostly not used to deep pain.

    ¡°We go too!¡±

    Taking the ogre''s groan as the signal, Lorian and his party members began to move.

    They moved around the ogre, spliting into different directions and moving ording to their presets.

    ¡°Ha!¡±

    Like Frillite, Lorian also raised his sword.

    In the game, when using the sword aura, a portion of the attack is converted into magical damage.

    Therefore, it can be said that it is a wise decision to use sword aura while ying against the ogres.

    As the blue sword danced, the wounds on the ogre''s legs increased. But none of them were fatal.

    ¡®So, he''s unable to shoot out sword aura from a distance like Frillite?¡¯

    If that''s the case, it would be better to cut off the tendons present in the Ogre''s heel first, rather than just making scars.

    I thought about it and then ditched down the thought.

    Because the subjugation itself was going smoothly.

    ¡°Curse of Cognitive Ruination!¡±

    ¡°Curse of Weakness!¡±

    A sorceress was constantly adding debuffs on the ogre. Making the ogre bewildered, maybe it was the first time it had experienced the bluntness present inside his own body, his movements became as simple as a child holding a sword for the first time.

    No matter how strong an attack is, it is useless if the movement is monotonous.

    Lorian and two of his party members attacked while leisurely dodging the ogre''s rampage.

    In Frillite''s case, she was peering at the ogre''s neck and aimed for the perfect timing to kill the ogre in one shot.

    As the vanguard held up well, the sorcerers at the rearguard were able to chant magic safely.

    Intermediate level magic spells like me spears and wind des flooded onto the ogre''s side.

    The tough skin of the ogre was pierced by a me spear and then torn by a wind de.

    ¡®If they keep going on like this, the ogre can be subjugated easily.¡¯

    When the ogre dies, all I need to do is to absorb its soul and make the glyph blossom. So, I watched the ogre''s subjugation with a rxed expression.

    Until it took a deep breath.

    It took a deep breath and his stomach swelled up like a balloon.

    ¡®Maybe something like that? No, it had never used that kind of skill in the game.''

    Contrary to my expectations, its body heaved and the Ogre took another deeper breath.

    And soon after, the Ogre breathed it out all in one go.

    A great roar thundered in the centre of the forest.

    * * *

    [The Ogre used Tearing Scream.]

    [Frillite is in a confused state.]

    [Lorian is in a confused state.]

    [Lorraine is in a confused state.]

    [Lisbeth is in a confused state.] . . . . [Eri is in a confused state.]

    [Cloud used a sound barrier. Cloud sessfully avoided the confused state.]

    [The ogre swung its club wildly.]

    [Critical Hit! Lisbeth took 1785 damage.]

    [Lisbeth is incapacitated in battle.]

    [Marietta is under divine protection.]

    [Marietta took 550 damage.]

    [Marietta faints.]

    [Critical Hit! Lorraine took 857 damage.]

    [Lorraine faints.]

    [Critical Hit! Halberd took 1129 damage.]

    [Halberd is in a paralyzed state.]

    [Critical Hit! Lorian took 200 damage.]

    [Critical Hit! Lorian took 189 damage.]

    [Critical Hit! Lorian took 257 damage.]

    [Lorian fainted.]

    [Frillite dodged the attack.]

    [Frillite dodged the attack.]

    [Frlilite dodged the attack.] . . . .

    * * *

 Chapter 30.2: Ogre Subjugation (5)

    I heard a beeping tinnitus ring in my ears. The vibrating tinnitus gradually diminished over time.

    Eri, with her hands pressed against her ears, lifted her head.

    "¡­ah?"

    She gasped at the unbelievable spectacle that unfolded before her eyes.

    Lisbeth, who usually looked down upon her with Lorraine.

    She was crushed to such an extent that it was impossible to recognize her from her original form, whatever remained of her didn''t even looked human.

    Marietta didn''t harass Eri directly, but she didn''t help either.

    She was lying on the ground with her face squashed, only her minor breathing indicated that she was still alive.

    Halberd, who always looked at Eri with a sinister look on his face from a far corner.

    He was lying in front of a rock with his back strangely bended.

    Lorraine had fainted, leaning against a tree, and Lorian was also lying on the ground. However, in his case, unlike the others, the ground around him was dented because he had received quite a continuous number of smashes.

    ¡°W, What is this¡­¡±

    It was miles different from Eri''sst memory. The ogre''s stomach inted like a balloon, and suddenly a great roar rang out. After that, she lost her mind in chaos, only now did she raised her head again.

    ¡®Does this even makes sense..?!¡¯

    Eri does hates Lorian and his party members.

    How can they keep openly ostracizing and ignoring her?

    However, apart from that, their abilities were fully recognized by her.

    Comparing Cloud''s original party with Lorian''s party, she thinks it''s the difference between heaven and earth.

    How was such a powerful party wiped out in such a short time? It was not even the Demon Lord''s Army, but only a random monster they encountered.

    It was something she couldn''t quite believe, even if it was clearly presented in front of her.

    She, however, had something she was wrong about, too.

    Ogres are not like ordinary monsters that are spread out throughout the continent.

    They are a higher level monster like dragons.

    If an ogre so desires, he alone can ruin a city.

    Not to mention, Lorian and his party members were at a lower level than the ogre.

    It was not unusual for the party to be wiped out in the meantime. Rather, it was surprising that they had pushed the ogre upto this degree.

    ¡®Now this has happened, so what should I do¡­¡¯

    ¡°Look down.¡±

    Cloud ced his hand on Eri''s head and forced her to bow down.

    Whoops!

    A strong wind blew past her back.

    Eri looked behind her.

    A road was made¡ª

    The overcrowded trees were swept away by the club, and the same was true for the remaining sorcerer and sorceress.

    They were knocked out by a trunk like club that had been thrown out like a stick.

    ¡®The club flew right above me.¡¯

    If it wasn''t for Cloud, Eri would have been in same state as them.

    As she imagined the scene, a bone chilling sensation ran upto her spine.

    She could have just died.

    Leaving nothing behind.

    Fear of death began to eat her heart. At first, her legs began to tremble, and then even her whole body.

    "Wake up."

    Cloud pped Eri on the back.

    There wasn''t even the slightest mercy in the force, and it brought back her mind.

    Eri''s heart still felt the throbbing feeling. She turned her head to Cloud.

    ¡°Cloud, escape¡­¡±

    Eri, who was about to tell him to run away, stopped.

    Unlike Eri, he was not drenched in fear. He was looking down at the Ogre with an indifferent expression on his face.

    It wasn''t the Cloud that Eri knew.

    Cloud lifted his hand from Eri''s head while she felt trepidation from his indifference. He stretched out his hand to his waist and drew out his sword.

    Sureung-!

    The silver sword came out with a fricative pitch.

    Eri, who was dazed at the sight of Cloud she had seen for the first time, came back to her senses facing the sword shining brilliantly in the sunlight.

    ¡°Cloud, what are you doing?! Do you want to fight? No! You will die!! You saw it too! T, That, with Lorain and his party! What are you going to do in such a situation?!¡±

    Eri tried to catch him by hand, trying to stop from doing something on impulse. But her hands only caught the empty air. He was already running towards the ogre.

    ¡°Gegege!¡±

    The ogre was cackling at the poor human.

    Unless it was that strange ck gas or that human woman blowing her sword, any human was nothing more than its toy.

    At least the ogre thought so.

    The ogre sped his fingers together and mmed it down in the direction of Cloud.

    Thud!

    The punch hit the ground, making a dull sound.

    Dust rose.

    "Cloud!"

    "Nooo!!"

    The voices of Frillite and Eri followed.

    ¡°Gegege!¡±

    Along with the sound of a cackling ogre.

    Ignoring them all, Cloud proceeded through the dust. The ogre''s fist didn''t even touch him. Just before it reached him, his footsteps knew how to get out of there.

    The ce Cloud reached through the dust was in front of the ogre''s heel tendon.

    There is such a saying among the sayings that have been passed down from time immemorial.

    Ogre tendons are harder than most of the rare metals.

    And it was true. An ogre, with its tough leather skin can repel all kinds of spear and swords, which will even deform when nked against an ogre''s tendons.

    Enough to withstand the swordsmanship of not only ordinary swordsmen, but also strong knights.

    A sword master of an era would have to be present to be able to cut an ogre''s tendon with a sword.

    And Cloud was such aplete sword master.

    Cloud drew out his sword with force.

    A pure ck energy without a single impurity faced the ogre''s tendon.

    St-!

    The tendons present in the ogre''s heels split gently without any resistance.

    ¡°Grrh, hgh?!¡±

    The ogre noticed the strangeness only a momentter, but it was already toote for him. His center of gravity was tilted to the side.

    ¡°Frillite!¡±

    Cloud called her to bring the end move. He himself was capable enough to finish the ogre, but he didn''t want to take any chances.

    Thud!

    Sweesh-!

    The moment the ogre fell.

    A sword aura made of countless concentrated sword swipes centered on the great sword piercing the ogre''s neck. It was one of the secrets techniques of the Perdiac Ducal family.

    The ogre groaned on the ground.

    But as more than one-third of its neck was seperated, there was no chance that it could survive.

    Before long, the meaningless fuss was over.

    Cloud reached out to the dead ogre''s corpse. He could feel the soul of the ogre left behind, which had been shed for experience points. Perhaps it was because he was a high-ranking monster, and even though he had been shed, he still had a strong soul left behind.

    ¡®Come here.¡¯

    Cloud''s point size glyph spreaded evenly and wrapped around his arm.The glyph wrapped around his arms began to absorb the ogre''s soul.

    The ogre''s soul struggled against him.

    However, since it was a soul that had already been minimized once, and the owner of the glyph was Cloud, resistance was meaningless.

    Soon, the soul of the ogre was absorbed into the glyph.

    He felt a burning sensation on his upper left torso, as if molten iron was poured inside his body.

    ¡®Is this the process of enlivening a glyph? Quite interesting.''

    Cloud quietly waited for the glyph to bepleted. When the glyph waspleted, he could instinctively understand the effect and skills of the glyph.

    * * *

    {Glyph of the Ogre}

    [Passive]

    -Reduces physical damage received by 25%

    -Increases strength by 20%

    [Active]

    -Temporarily doubles the strength

    -50% armor pration buff

 Chapter 31.1: Ogre Subjugation (6)

    Anyone who has ever yed a serious game will have experienced trying to find an Easter egg at least once.

    I also had that experience.

    It was only slightly different.

    When you reach the true ending of the game ¡®The Hero''s Party'', you will fight against either Gis or Lorian depending on the choices you have made earlier.

    When I started fighting these lopsy guys, I was suddenly curious.

    The ntr has already been done and the game scenario has reached its climax. What would happen if I defeated them in such a situation?

    Will there be any hidden Easter eggs?

    Isn''t there supposed to be atleast one true happy ending?

    So, I executed the level-up maniac strategy to confirm. Reaching the max level, with matching equipment of highest prefixes. The specs of the newly acquired colleagues were also raised to the point where they could no longer be raised.

    In that state, I started the challenge in earnest only after fully memorizing Gis'' fighting pattern.

    While applying excellent buffs to allies, debuffs were poured onto enemies.

    Gis''s lethal skills faced skills countering them at correct time, meanwhile my strong skills were released at precise timing to reduce the chance of getting sessfully blocked.

    After trying so many times, I finally knocked down Gis.

    And here I thought¡ªI had finally knocked down this twerp for real.

    Until, that bastard, Gis suddenly tore off his top and maniacallyughed out loud.

    The naked man''s body was full of ck tattoos.

    They were the glyphs he had received from the orcs.

    That guy actually apologized for not taking us seriously and for not using his real power, then he said that he was going to start for real and asked us not to die too easily, for it would lessen the fun.

    With that farce, Phase 2 began.

    Phase 2, which started like that, was literally followed by thrashing.

    After using some h h h glyph, my party''s buffs disappeared.

    That guy didn''t even use a debuff, but his strong aura pulled my team into a strong debuff state.

    For those who know it, in case of turn-based RPGs, if something goes wrong once, it leads to a snowballing effect and then everything goes to hell.

    It means that the characteristic of this genre is that we should pray that the boss monster will not use any skill made by some developer without basic humanpassion.

    However, Gis used every such skill that fitted the above description.

    Faced with such a situation, I was honestly left speechless.

    I ended up leaning on cheats¡­

    That too failed.

    It was because there was no f**king way one could ovee that f**king glyph skillbo even by raising one''s f**king stats to the maximum. I was supposed to be beaten for 10 minutes, but I ended up being beaten for an hour.

    At that time, I wondered why the bnce was like that¡ªso totally f**ked up, but now that I got the ogre''s glyph, I have a different opinion.

    ¡®You have face the soul''s overtaking.¡¯

    Glyphs are created by absorbing souls.

    So where do the absorbed souls go?

    The answer is, ¡®It enters the body and settles down in the same ce as body''s soul.¡¯

    It''s like having two souls in one bowl.

    So, of course, the two are bound to collide constantly, and in reality, the ogre''s soul is trying to steal my body in real time and make this body its own.

    ¡®It''s been a long time since I''ve felt this way. Last time it was around when Richie tried?''

    I was sick for several days and nights back then.

    With a grin, I weighed down the capering ogre''s soul. It was crushed like a scrapped car and then thrown into a corner.

    It won''t cause anymore troubles.

    But if there''s still some follow up trouble¡­ then there''s nothing else I can do.

    Have to get rid of it.

    ¡®By the way, this guy managed to enliven quite a big glyph.¡¯

    Is his soul that strong?

    If it wasn''t for remembering Gis at that time, I would have nearly ignored. Maybe, it had eaten some souls before.

    That was when I was just contemting about it.

    ¡°Cloud, are you fine?!¡±

    Frillite ran through the dust. She asked while examining the presence of injuries with her restless eyes.

    It was a little too burdensome gaze for me, so I nudged a step away.

    "I''m okay. There are no injuries.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good¡­ I¡¯m d. What happened there? The ogre suddenly fell?¡±

    Frillite turned to the now dead ogre and found the ogre''s severed heel tendons. She opened her eyes wide with a look of surprise, with her mouth slightly opened.

    ¡­what, it''s really that surprising?

    ¡°Cloud, this¡­ did you do it?¡±

    ¡°I told you, I''m not that bad myself.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. I can''t believe that you severed the ogre''s tendon. This is something that should be only possible for the now reclusive Sword Master.¡±

    She said so with a serious face.

    ¡­I see.

    No wonder Lorian was not aiming for its tendons and was looking all frustrated.

    There was such a thing.

    I thought this level of show would be eptable, I even simted it countless times in my mind, but¡­

    ¡­f**k.

    I can''t attract attention until I get the big root nt.

    Yeah, excuse.

    I have to make an excuse! A big, fat lie!

    I kept a calm expression and nonchntly shook my head to Frillite.

    ¡°Haha, Frillite that''s even too big for me. Cutting the ogre''s tendon? How can I do that now, I just used a magic artifact.¡±

    ¡°Magic artifact? What kind of magic artifact can sever even an ogre¡¯s tendon?¡±

    ¡°I also want to show it to you, but unfortunately it is a consumable item, so¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s all right. If it''s a consumable item, it''s definitely worth it. Once used, it loses its effectiveness, but this one-time ability is also great.¡±

    Fortunately, Frillite was convinced.

    Now there is only one problem left.

    ¡°I have a favor ask, is it okay?¡±

    "Favor? It''s all right, as long as it''s not too much. Do you have anything to ask of me?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it, you alone defeated the ogre.¡±

    Frillite frowned at that.

    ¡°What do you mean by that? Even though you used a consumable item, it was you who severed the ogre''s tendon. I have no intention of usurping other people''s merits. Even more so if it¡¯s your''s.¡±

    Agh, stubborn girl.

    ¡°Who said you are usurping it? I''m giving it to you because I don''t need it. The ogre subjugation''spletion is too burdensome for me to handle right now. I need calm and peace for this while.¡±

    ¡°Calm and peace¡­ I see. Sorry. I forgot about your situation.¡±

    Frillite nodded her head.

    Great. With that I have covered up all the worries and now it''s time to go find what I need the most!

    That was the thing that nowadays upied my mind.

    "¡­What happened?"

    The dust scattered and the almost forgotten person appeared.

    Eri.

    She had an expression, quite difficult to describe.

    * * *

    When Cloud ran towards the ogre.

    Eri thought he was doing something unreasonable.

    Maybe¡­ his pressed feelings, his inferiorityplex exploded, and he thoughtlessly rushed to the ogre, with a mentality of facing death.

    But it wasn''t.

    Frillite couldn''t see properly because of the ogre''s legs blocking her view, but Eri could see it clearly.

    Cloud evaded the ogre''s fist with light footwork.

    After that, she couldn''t see very well because of the dust, but when she saw the ogre fell down shortly after, she knew, he had done something.

    And that was impossible with themon sense that Eri knew.

    "¡­What happened?"

    As the dust scattered in all directions, only Cloud and Frillite could be seen.

    Eri looked at Cloud and asked.

    It was a very abstract question.

    But, she couldn''t help it. Because she couldn''t even organize her thoughts by herself.

    Cloud is weak. Expectations for growth are not high.

    He cannot be strong all his life.

    It was the conclusion Eri came to after seeing him grow while traveling together.

    But how does it matches with what just happened? What the hell was that skillful movement that easily dodged the violent ogre''s attack?

    No way¡­

    ¡°Did you deceive us..? D, Did you..deliberately pretended to be weak during the journey?¡±

 Chapter 31.2: Ogre Subjugation (6)

    ¡°Did you deceive us..? D, Did you..deliberately pretended to be weak during the journey?¡±

    It was an absurd assumption.

    Very inconvenient and annoying to enact, and there was no reason for him to do so.

    If one thinks about it, even with a little bit of rationality, anybody can figure it out.

    However, for the current Eri, rationality didn''t exist.

    Herst few months were too heavy for her mental state.

    It was only natural for her to receive all kinds of disregard and contempt, and she couldn''t even eat properly. She wasn''t even able to properly participate in the monster huntings, much less¡ªdream about changing her equipments.

    Maybe it wouldn''t have been so painful if she hadn''t experienced it.

    ¡ªhappiness.

    However, in the past, she had a pleasant experience of traveling with Cloud and hispanions, so it was even more painful for her.

    The anger that had umted for such a long time.

    Shredded her heart. Trampled her self-esteem. And, quaked her self-thinking.

    Tangled and mingled, it became something ck and sticky, messing around in her brain.

    ¡°Why did you deceive us? Why did you pretend to be weak so that we misunderstood¡­ so much that it disappointed us?¡±

    Words that were neither in her head nor in her heart poured out of her mouth. If she had been the normal Eri, she would never have said such things to Cloud.

    But, as mentioned earlier, Eri was unable to think normally.

    "If you hadn''t¡­ I¡­ I¡­"

    She wouldn''t even have considered making such a foolish choice.

    "Answer me!"

    The eyes dripping with sullen resentment turned to Cloud. Cloud made a troubled expression and nced at Frillite. She took a step back.

    This was something between Cloud and Eri, so she expressed her understanding to not meddle in his personal affairs.

    It was an unweed consideration for Cloud.

    He looked back at Eri. Eri''s face was filled with various emotions.

    Sadness. Resentment. Pain.

    It was an expression that was difficult to define with one word of expression.

    ¡®What would Cloud have done in such a situation?¡¯

    What he needs now is not a veteran swordsman with 10 years of battle experience.

    What was needed was a warm-hearted Hero, Cloud.

    ¡®I am Cloud. Good Cloud. The idiotic Cloud. I''m a tree that gives generously. A flying bird that raises the cuckoo as if it were its own[1]¡­''

    Cloud made a self-hypnosis to be Cloud. He made suggestions, and his mind felt at ease. He seemed to have be a foolish, but a good person. Yeah, definitely, a good person.

    Cloud looked straight at Eri and opened his mouth.

    ¡°Eri, I swear, I have never cheated on you or others. I never hid my strength.¡±

    ¡°You never cheated? So what was it just now? You mean you got that strong in just a few months? That makes no sense!¡±

    ¡°I was just lucky.¡±

    ¡°Lucky?¡±

    ¡°I found a dungeon. After clearing it to the end, l was able to obtain the legacy left behind by the owner of the dungeon. It''s just that.¡±

    "¡­a dungeon. I-If it was found a little earlier, just a little earlier¡­!¡±

    "I know. As you said, if I had found the dungeon a little earlier, I wouldn''t have disappointed you guys. But you know, Eri¡­¡±

    Cloud took one step closer to Eri.

    ¡°If you had trusted me a bit more¡­ would this have happened?¡±

    "¡­ugh?"

    ¡°After I was selected as a Hero, I never stopped to work hard. To save people, and not to disappoint who believed in me.¡±

    One more step.

    ¡°For the first time, I got calluses on my palms. That also peeled off shortly, and bled. Sometimes, my muscles were in pain, like being torn from inside out, and to be honest, when I was fighting monsters, I was really scared.¡±

    One more step.

    ¡°Still, I didn¡¯t stop. Because you guys were there, but you all also gave up on me, you all left for another party. It''s okay. I understand. It was a better path for you all. A third-rate person like me must have felt like nothing worthwhile, but a stumbling block holding onto your ankles.¡±

    ¡°No, no¡­¡±

    Eri took one step back. Cloud took one step further.

    Now, the gap between him and her was only one step distance.

    ¡°But even if I understand it, my heart ached a lot. I cried a lot for a while. Even the sword was thrown away. Still, in the end, I grabbed the sword once again and continued to pour out my efforts. And fortunately, the hard work paid off.¡±

    And so he took onest step.

    Cloud and Eri''s foreheads met.

    He made eye contact with her and smiled bitterly.

    ¡°So, Eri. Why didn''t you believe me?"

    "Agh¡­"

    Rattle.

    Eri felt her heart tremble. It was then that she realized what she had done.

    She rolled her eyes down. She couldn''t possibly make eye contact with Cloud, she wasn''t confident in doing so.

    ¡°I, Cloud. That, that¡­¡±

    She was so confounded that she couldn''t even speak properly. Still, it was time to somehow squeeze out her voice and try to apologize.

    Frillite pulled Cloud''s body back.

    She spoke in a slightly blunt voice towards him, who had a puzzled expression on his face.

    ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that too close?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Eri, I''m sorry. You must have feel bad.¡±

    "Uh?! No, no! I, I didn''t feel bad. Really!"

    "Yes. All right. Ah, Frillite, I have to go now.¡±

    ¡°The follow-ups are not over yet. Is it so urgent?¡±

    ¡°Very urgent. Please keep your promise and ask for Eri''s participation."

    "I got it. More than that, Cloud, the Imperial Social Banquet will be held soon. Don¡¯t forget to attend.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go when the timees!¡±

    ¡°You muste at correct timing!¡±

    "All right, gotcha! Then I will be going!¡±

    ¡°Hey, Cloud?! Come on, wait. I haven¡¯t even apologized properly yet¡­¡±

    Eri muttered, but Cloud had already left. She stood stunned and looked at the ce where Cloud had disappeared.

    * * *

    ¡°¡­I never imagined we would suffer this much.¡±

    Lorian leered at that.

    Princess Lisbet, the sorcerer Glenn Morrill, and Halberd, who had been in charge of vanguard, all died.

    In particr, Princess Lisbeth''s death will cause a great stir back in the Kingdom of Carta. No matter what happened during the battle, he would not able to avoid responsibility.

    ¡°Brother, what are we going to do now?¡±

    "Do what?"

    ¡°The number of people who used to be 8 has now be 5. Why don''t we recruit party members again?"

    ¡°¡­you can think of it by yourself. I have a lot other things to think about.¡±

    "Okay, I got it!"

    Lorraine nodded her head with a bright expression on her face. Herpanions died, but she didn''t care much.

    Lisbet and Umbri were rotten bitches who flirted with her brother. She rather like it if they both died together.

    It''s a bit unfortunate that she wouldn''t be able to eat the food that Halberd used to prepare, but¡­

    ¡®That¡¯s ok, just need to find another good cook!¡¯

    Lorraine, she had no attachments with anyone.

    Of course, except for her older brother, Lorian.

    ¡®Hehehe, I¡¯m looking forward to Eri¡¯s expression of despair~¡¯

    A team of 5 people will be a party of 4 peopleprising the 1st group, and thest remaining person will be the sole member of the 2nd group for the time being.

    And the person who will be thatst remaining bone has long been decided.

    ¡°Eri, congrattions! Have you ever felt a lot of pain in sharing experience points with others? Now, you don''t have to! For a while, the second party is on your own!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Eri? What, what''s with the expression on your face? You don''t like it? Hey, I told you to look at my face!¡±

    Lorraine bawled wildly, but Eri didn''t give her a nce. Because Lorraine''s words were like a duck egg in a river that didn''t reach her.

    Eri sat with her knees folded and just stared nkly at the floor.

    ¨C So, Eri. Why didn''t you believe me?

    Cloud''s bitter voice and the bitter smile he had, engulfed her in her mind, didn''t disappear.

    [1] Themon cuckoo is an example of a brood parasite. Such animals trick other animals into raising their young. They sneak their eggs into other parents'' nests.

 Chapter 32.1: Dont Work With Adventurers, Please. (1)

    The sequel to ¡®The Hero''s Party'', ¡®The Tale Of A Knight''s Affair''.

    The normal ending of this game is that the hero gets squashed under the rubble of a building instead of the heroine, but is abandoned by the heroine and hispanions.

    A death not worthy of the name of a knight.

    This is the normal ending.

    So, what is the true ending?

    In the true ending, one of the Four Heavenly Kings serving the Demon King appears in the capital city of the Kingdom of Prona. The Heavenly King and his army were strong, and the army of the Kingdom of Prona was weak.

    Most of the soldiers and knights ran away or were killed, Mars appears when the demon army tries to ravage the civilians.

    An army of demons numbering in thousands.

    And, only one knight against them.

    It was an overwhelmingly unfavorable fight, but Mars endured, and endured.

    A few days, and a few days more.

    Whether it was morning or night, he kept going.

    It was an overwhelmingly unfavorable situation, so although he did not win, he sessfully prevented the civilians from being ravaged until the Heroes arrived.

    Mars, exhausted to the bone, after seeing the Heroes and their troops arriving from afar,fortably closed his eyes.

    The death of a great knight who saved the people by burning himself.

    Of course, the rubbish ntr motherf**kers took away the honor and reward, but that''s not what''s important right now.

    What is important is why the power difference between the protagonist in the normal ending and the protagonist in the true ending is so great.

    The reason is very simple.

    A dungeon located in the Esnate region of the Kingdom of Prona.

    Whether you enter the dungeon or not is the difference between the normal ending and the true ending.

    Hearing this situation, someone may ask, does it make sense to be so overwhelmingly strong by just visiting one dungeon?

    If I answer that question from the perspective of a person living in a real fantasy world, the answer is ¡®of course, it makes sense.¡¯

    Modern people who are ustomed to games, see the dungeons as an old warehouse in the countryside, avable everywhere, but the reality ispletely different.

    Think about it.

    This is a world where many people are required even when a small castle is built.

    It''s not a metaphor, it''s a real world where sacrifices are made to make big castles and pces.

    In such a world, will someone make a hole in the mountain, dig underground, set up all kinds of traps, and kidnap various kinds of monsters to establish a proper ecosystem?

    Where can this be achieved with normal effort?

    A mediocre guy can''t even try.

    It is possible only when a transcendent being has such intentions.

    Clearing the dungeon means inheriting the legacy left by such a transcendent being.

    Whether it''s a part or all of it, it''s a life-changing opportunity for any average person.

    That is the reason why the word ¡®dungeon'' makes everyone''s eyes twinkle regardless of whether it is an adventurer or a knight.

    Anyway, I came to Esnate region by travelling nonstop to get the wonderful legacy left by a great man.

    ¡°Man, this mountain is filthy big.¡±

    As I always felt until now, there is a significant gap between game and reality.

    People carry real brains in their heads instead of genitals, a big dungeon needs a big space, this mountain that reaches to the top looks very majestic, is a perfect fit¡­

    Now, I have to search this magnificent mountain range inch by inch to find the hidden dungeon, right?

    This really makes my heart so majestically spooked.

    ¡°Let''s get started.¡±

    I climbed the mountain.

    * * *

    "Boss! F**k, f**k, f**k! Gotta run!¡±

    ¡°Ah, you damn bastard¡­¡±

    Awakened by his subordinate''s shouts, the bandit boss spit out swear words. He was dreaming such a sweet dream after a long time, but it was all blown away by this bastard.

    The bandit boss, who was about to show his fist power, saw his subordinate''s desperate expression and hastily calmed his anger.

    "What? What happened?"

    "Adventurer! We are under attack, boss!¡±

    At the word ¡®adventurer'', the bandit leader''s expression also became serious. It is usually thought that the enemy of bandits is militia, but that''s wrong.

    Unless the bandits cross the line to a certain extent, it is rare for a lord to send their troops.

    Rather, it is adventurers that bandits fear the most.

    Strange fookers who know the physiology of bandits better than bandits. Those guys are some money-crazed maniacs, so once theye in, they plunder anything that looks even a little valuable.

    It means that even if you are lucky enough to survive, you will not have the heart to recover and be a bandit again.

    It was the biggest crisis of his ten years of bandit life!

    ¡°F**k, how many? How many people came in?¡±

    Depending on how many adventurers attacked his base, the direction of the response will change.

    To calmly ept death, or¡ª

    To retaliate, or¡ª

    ¡°There''s only one!¡±

    "One person? Sh!t, run, run! Hurry up and pack our bags!¡±

    Opposite of the norm, the bandit boss didn''t say, ¡®What, only one guy? Looks like someone is begging for death in my hands!'' Instead, he chose to decisively stand up and move quickly.

    Although adventurers are crazy creatures with maniacal obsession for money, they terribly hold dear to their lives.

    They won''t bother to take an extra look at a treasure if it harms their life.

    So, why did an adventurer attacked the bandit group alone?

    It was either one of these two.

    Either he''s a nerd who is obsessed with heroism, or he''s simply a very strong guy.

    And in most cases, thetter is more likely to be the case.

    ¡°Did you get everything?¡±

    ¡°Yes, boss!¡±

    ¡°Okay then, let¡¯s jump!¡±

    ¡°Yes, by the way¡­ grrgh.¡±

    The groan of his subordinate came from behind.

    The bandit boss instinctively realized.

    If he turns back now, he will stay here for eternity.

    ¡®There''s no time. Get over this with one jump.

    ¡¯Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 32.2: Dont Work With Adventurers, Please. (1)

    ¡®There''s no time. Get over this with one jump.¡¯

    He''s right next to the window.

    Once he gets out of here, he will had an advantage, after all he knows the surrounding mountains better than the monster behind him.

    The bandit boss threw himself over while imagining how toter evade the tracking. Thuck! He couldn''t even get close to the window, and fell down straight on the floor.

    ¡®What the fuck?¡¯

    Why didn''t he get over it? He hasn''t been exercisingtely, but he''s definitely not that weak. Did something blocked his legs from moving?

    The bandit boss turned his head behind. Both of his ankles were cut off. Behind him was a red-haired young man who had done it.

    ¡®Ah. It''s already toote.''

    If he was just one beat faster, he might have been able to live. Unfortunately, it was how it was.

    ¡®Is it because I¡¯m getting old? Slow to react.''

    The bandit boss sighed andid down on his back. Seeing the adventurer with a puzzled expression on his face, heughed.

    "What? Do you have anything left to ask? I''m sorry, but I don''t have any kind of hidden treasure."

    ¡°Good, looks like I no longer need to trouble my hands. Anyway, I don¡¯t need your money, I just want to ask for directions.¡±

    "Directions? For where?"

    ¡°It is a ce where threerge peach trees form a triangle and surround the pond in the middle. Do you have any guesses?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know of a pond surrounded by three peach trees, but I know a ce with many peach trees.¡±

    "Nice. Fortunately, someone knows it this time.¡±

    "This time? You have been to others beforeing here?¡±

    ¡°About three, I guess.¡±

    ¡°Did you kill them all?¡±

    "Yes? They were probably bandits, but evil nheless.¡±

    ¡°Don''t you think that you are being too murderous?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think a bandit boss of all people should be talking about something like that with me. All right, let me know the direction.¡±

    At Cloud''s grunting tone, the bandit leader grinned.

    ¡°You are still too young, so you don¡¯t know, but if there is something you want to ask from an adversary, you should leave room for negotiation. But, you cut off my leg. Is there any reason for me to show you the way?"

    ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, I''m going to stop your bleeding and throw you down to the vige, the one down the mountain, what do you think, Mister? I think you gave quite a hard time to the vigers down below. Things like extorting money and r*ping the soon-to-be-married bride. I think then it would be not as simple as bing a cripple.¡±

    ¡°I should correct myself. You are a great negotiator.¡±

    The bandit boss pointed out the area where peach trees grew in batches. In return, Cloud stopped the bandit leader''s bleeding and threw him to the vigers.

    As a show of gratitude, Cloud was able to fall asleep in afortable bed after a long time.

    * * *

    As a result of searching the area where the peach trees grew, I was able to find the pond where the dungeon was hidden.

    All that was left was to find three adventurers to explore the dungeon together.

    They don''t have to be too strong. Because I''m not thinking of clearing through it in one go, either.

    But¡­

    ¡®They can¡¯t be too sloppy.¡¯

    As I said before, the clear conditions for this dungeon are as strict as the entry conditions.

    The dungeon consists of a total of 30 floors, and on every fifth floor, you must go through a sort of verification procedure to go down to the lower floor.

    There is only one verification condition.

    ¡ªSurvival of all the four personals who entered the dungeon as a team.

    There must be no party members who are in an ubatable state. If there is such a party member, the door going down to the lower floors will not open.

    In that case, it would seem like you can simply reorganize and try it all againter, but the reality is not so easy.

    Because each person has only three chances to enter the dungeon. If you eat up all the three chances just like that, it''s in stupidity.

    Therefore, adventurers who are going to die like vulnerable small fishes should be filtered out.

    I went down to the nearby city and found the Adventurers'' Guild.

    The clerk was a woman with brown hair tied neatly, giving off an aura of ripeness, and the tear mole under her right eye was bewitching.

    I asked her to bring the best of the bunch as quickly as possible.

    Then, with a bewitching smile, she asked me to wait for three days, and so I waited for three days like that¡­

    "Hey."

    ¡°Yes, adventurer-sama.¡±

    ¡°Would you like to have another chance?¡±

    This woman gracefully betrayed my expectations.

    ¡°What is the problem, Adventurer-sama?¡±

    Even so, she smiled shyly.

    ¡°What''s the problem? You are asking that from me? Didn''t I ask you to group me with the best guys around my level?¡±

    ¡°Yes, adventurer-sama.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I also spent extra 2000 gold to get your full cooperation?¡±

    ¡°Ah, adventurer-sama, that kind of thing only happens when the two of us are together¡­?¡±

    ¡°Stop it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, adventurer-sama.¡±

    The shy expression was quickly reced with a hospitable smile.

    I pointed my thumb behind my back.

    ¡°If you have eyes, you can see what I am pointing at. Isn''t it?"

    ¡°Yes, adventurer-sama.¡±

    ¡°Do those, look like quality adventurers to you?¡±

    I looked behind my back.

    There were three adventurers who were introduced by this clerk.

    ¡°Oh, please! Don''t do it outside! People are looking!¡±

    A teenage boy who should be going through puberty.

    ¡°Stay still. Your bangs are in a mess, you know?¡±

    A mother who looks strangely young even though she has a big son.

    ¡°Wow, good to meet you! We will be working together soon, let''s get acquainted with each other¡­"

    And the uncle-like figure who looks at the young mother with an insidious shine in his eyes.

    I looked back at her and asked.

    ¡°Are those quality adventurers I asked for?¡±

    ¡°Yes, they are. The name of the beautiful woman over there is Miss Xenia, and she has been active as an adventurer for a long time. Unfortunately, she lost her husband as soon as she got pregnant with the child¡­¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not interested in backstories, just tell me their level and grade.¡±

    ¡°From Miss Xenia, level 23 grade A, level 16 grade B, level 21 grade A, respectively.¡±

    "¡­okay?"

    Three Clouds before suicide?

    They might be better than I thought.

 Chapter 33.1: Dont Work With Adventurers, Please. (2)

    ¡°Hey, is the monster¡¯s nest still far away?¡±

    It was about an hour after I started climbing the mountain. The little boy named Chris began to whimper as he shrugged his shoulders.

    Xenia read through him.

    ¡°Chris, haven¡¯t we just left? Be patient with this.¡±

    ¡°Atleast, we have to know where we are going. Mister, you didn''t even tell us where that monster''s nest is."

    ¡°I will tell you thatter. That''s why you got that big sum as payment. Isn''t it so?"

    ¡°It is, but¡­¡±

    Chris'' momentum waned a bit. Taking advantage of that timing, that uncle guy¡­ Kurba interjected.

    ¡°No, Xenia. As your son said, this is important. We don''t even know where the monster''s nest is, moreover, we don''t know the identity of the monsters too. If left unchecked, this can be life-threatening.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ is that so¡­?¡±

    Kurba talked with his arms crossed, pretending to be cool.

    Seeing this, Xenia''s reaction was not very good.

    No matter how young she may look, she is the mother of a son in his mid-teens.

    The clerk said that she had been an adventurer even before she had children, so her career as an adventurer must be more than Kurba, not less.

    Naturally, she won''t look good when someone with lesser experience than her, tries to undermines her authority in front of her son.

    Of course, Kurba had no intention of offending her.

    He must have been nning to take it step by step while gaining the favor of those around her.

    "Right? Am I right? Look mama, I''m right!"

    He even won the favor of her child as he thought.

    "¡­I see. Mom was wrong.¡±

    However, unknown to him, it lowered the affection of Xenia, who was more important.

    ¡®But, well, it¡¯s time to start talking slowly.¡¯

    When I gathered the adventurers, I did not give out the cause¡ªdungeon exploration.

    If I said it out directly, it''s definitely going to attract a lot of attention.

    They can sell the location of the dungeon or even be threatened by others to know the dungeon''s location, after which, someone wille out to steal it.

    I will be bothered no matter what.

    So, I took out the cause of subjugating a monster nest instead.

    And now that we have climbed the mountain for quite some time, and are still far away from the city, now was the time to bring out the true purpose.

    I told the real purpose of bringing them.

    ¡°What?! Dungeon?!"

    ¡°Wow, great. A dungeon?¡±

    "¡­Really?"

    The reactions were different, but they had the same thing inmon.

    ¡°So that''s why¡­ that¡¯s why the down payment is so huge¡­¡±

    In Xenia''s case, she was even readily convinced. She also had doubts like Kurba, there was no way she wouldn''t have such doubts. Because it was a slightly suspicious quest if anyone looked over it carefully.

    The big down payment was the only thing that made her shut up.

    Anyway, the three of them followed me above the mountain with a brighter expression than before.

    So we climbed for a few more hours and arrived at a pond surrounded by peach trees.

    "Eh? Where is the dungeon here?¡±

    ¡°Wait, mister.¡±

    I took off my clothes along with my armor.

    "H, Huh?! W-What happened, why are you taking off your clothes?¡±

    Xenia covered her eyes and turned her head away.

    ¡°There is a mechanism that opens the dungeon under this pond.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s good.¡±

    ¡°¡­why is mommy¡¯s face red?¡±

    ¡°Hey, boy! When did mommy had any red on her face?!¡±

    Xenia and Chris quarreled just because of that.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Kurba was looking at me with hostility present in his eyes.

    Hehe, I see why. No matter what others say, some people are born handsome.

    Even if I just sleep, charm will radiate on its own, just because of that simple action, what to do?

    After some light stretches, I threw myself into the pond. It was a clear pond, so I could see the fishes swimming around me.

    Among the fishes, there was also this guy, the size of my forearm, he seemed to recognize me as a big prey and opened his mouth to stick out his sharp teeths.

    ¡®What''s with this bastard?¡¯

    I grabbed the head and tail of the fish that dared to teeth on me and bit on its fleshy nape.

    It was tougher than I thought, so my jaw ached, but I couldn''t just leave the guy who dared to go backwards in the food chain.

    After that, I scoured the bottom of theke, swinging the naughty fish who tried to go backwards in the food chain, to and fro.

    ¡®Found it.''

    I found a chain attached to a round ring hidden between the rocks.

    I grabbed the ring and pulled it up with force.

    Kugugung-

    With a loud sound, the structure of the pond began to change.

    The miracle of Moses unfolded in the middle of the pond.

    The water was divided into two halves, creating a staircase from above to the bottom of the pond.

    I swam up to the middle of theke and came out of the water. As I went up the stairs, I could see the three people looking at the pond with their mouths wide open.

    After putting on my clothes and gear, I gestured to them.

    ¡°Are you guys going to remain surprised? We still have a dungeon to clear."

    Only then the three of them came back to their senses and followed me.

    As I went down the stairs and continued walking, the stony floor splited on both sides.

    Arge stone gate appeared.

    -Prove your qualifications.

    The three adventurers panicked at the sudden sound. I gashed my palm with a dagger, soaked it in enough blood, and brought it to the stone gate.

    ¨C Qualified. Entry allowed.

    The stone door opened with a rattling sound. As the four of us entered, the stone gate closed immediately. The sound of water pouring over the stone gate was heard.

    ¡°¡­how will we get out of hereter?¡¯

    Xenia asked in a worried tone, to which I chuckled.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t found the treasure yet, are you already worried about going out?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ that¡¯s right, but¡­¡±

    ¡°I know how to get out, so don¡¯t worry and just focus on the dungeon for now. And as I''ve said before, I''m going to make it clear once again. Treasures from the dungeon will be distributed evenly. However, the treasure from the 30th floor is mine. Do you all agree?¡±

    "¡­Isn''t the lowest level floor''s treasure the best?"

    ¡°¡­¡±

    "Ah, all right! I just asked,e on. Don''t look at me like that!"

    I nkly stared at him, and this Chris guy''s dissatisfaction was corrected.

    It seems like this guy''s gonna beter catched up by Xenia and educated strictly again. His actions are no different from middle school students who fight at simple eye contact.

    ¡®Is that how he increased his adventurer grade¡­?¡¯

    I used to do that when I worked with tough mercenaries back in those days.

    I nced at the party members.

    A young-looking mother who cares about her son''s bangs and a son who hates such an action.

    The man who spies at the young-looking mother with wretched looks.

    Well. I don''t really need to.

    "¡­let''s go."

    Pulling out my torch, I stepped into the dark cave.

    * * *

    The 1st to 5th floors of the dungeon are made up of caves. Goblins live here, and these goblins are not ordinary goblins.

    Hobgoblins, goblin shamans, goblin knights, etc.

    All kinds of mutant goblins roam around on these floors.

    Among them, the goblin knights seem to be a bit inconsistent, but¡­

    "Damn! Why is a goblin, a green a**ed goblin better armed than me?!¡±

    These guys wore full te armor like real knights.

    Thanks to which, Chris had to go through the infamous experience of getting a soul match with a goblin.

    When I saw it, a lot of things naturally came to my mind.

    ¡®The goblin knights I saw in the game were of level 15. Chris¡¯ level is 16.¡¯

    Goblin knights or any other goblins, they are just mobs in the game.

    A misceneous mob that dies facing 3 to 5 attacks in case of yer''s or allies'' normal attacks and in 1 to 2 attacks in case of a skill.

    However, Chris was fighting such a mob in equal measure. Even though he''s one level ahead.

    ¡®An unimportant npc is an unimportant npc¡­''

    Growth potential is limited.

 Chapter 33.2: Dont Work With Adventurers, Please. (2)

    ¡®An unimportant npc is an unimportant npc¡­''

    Growth potential is limited.

    You might think that Chris is simply weak now because of his low level, but that''s being too optimistic about the situation.

    One has to rather look at it objectively.

    Now that it''s the top floor of the dungeon, only weak monsters like goblins will appear for a while, but the quality changes as one goes downwards.

    Levels 15-20 monsters will appear on floors 5-10.

    Level 20-25 monsters will appear on floors 10-15.

    Levels 25-30 monsters will appear on floors 15-20.

    In that structure, the level of monsters gradually rises, and when one reaches the bottom most floors, the monsters in their 40s will appear to ¡®greet'' you.

    On the other hand, the level of adventurers on my side is 23, 16, and 21.

    In order to reach the 30th floor, I have to make them grow eventually.

    Of course, I have no intention of putting them in any danger.

    Because I n to finish dangerous monsters and bosses alone.

    They only need to grow to the extent that they do not just burp down easily on the lower floors.

    ¡®¡­Is it possible?¡¯

    I honestly don''t know. Whatever, just gonna try. Even if it fails, I will still have two more chances.

    Besides, even if it really fails this time, there are many ways to keep these three''s mouths shut until I clear the dungeon.

    "Hh? There, that ce. Isn''t that the ce Mr. Cloud talked about?"

    Xenia pointed towards a goblin camp with arge totem and surrounded by leather fence on all sides.

    This is the boss zone of the 5th floor.

    ¡°It seems right. Miss Xenia has sharp eyes.¡±

    ¡°I have always had confidence in my eyesight. ording to Mr. Cloud, the strongest goblin wille out of that ce¡­ What should we do? Are we going to go straight for an ambush, or opt for reconnaissance prior to that?¡±

    "No. We don''t have to. You guys will wait here.¡±

    Leaving the wide-eyed Xenia behind, I sprinted towards the goblin camp.

    Shush.

    Arrows shot by goblin archers came tearing the wind. The visual acuity of the body follows the agility ability. And my agility wasn''t so low that I couldn''t dodge some goblin arrows.

    The pouring arrows couldn''t even touch my skin, not for a single instance.

    I ignored the bewildered goblin archers and passed by. There, seven goblins stood in my way. Hobgoblins, knights, shamans, etc, it was all mixed.

    There was no problem.

    I used the skills I had learned in cities I had visited before.

    [Strike]-!

    It is a skill that strikes out five attacks at random enemies.

    As the sword drew a silver trajectory, the heads of five goblins fell. The two goblins were startled and tried to pull themselves away, but to no avail.

    Because they had no option to go for that. Run away? No way!

    This is not a turn-based battle.

    [Strike]-!

    The heads of two remaining goblins drifted in the air.

    Everything that stood in the way was cut down. Stepping on the blood-stained floor, I entered the tent situated in the center of the camp.

    There, a goblin of a different size from the rest I had seen until now was sitting on a chair that looked like a throne.

    With the size of an orc and with muscles no less exaggerated than an ogre''s.

    This monster-like creature that could no longer be counted in goblin species was the king of goblins¡ª

    ¡ªa Royal Goblin.

    ¡°Are you finally here?¡±

    The bastard was still not ready to fight even though I had entered the tent, standing right in front of him. He just leaned back on his throne and looked down at me.

    "Late. It''s toote."

    The goblin king murmured.

    It sounded obscure.

    ¡°What do you mean by that, toote?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m talking about the time it took you to get here. It took too long.¡±

    ¡°It took a long time, really? We have arrived here for less than a day.¡±

    ¡°500 years.¡±

    From Royal Goblin''s mouth, heavy years that couldn''t be rubbed in one day came out.

    ¡°I waited, for 500 years. That, may someone like you will arrive here.¡±

    ¡°¡­that''s indeed a long time.¡±

    The goblin king nodded his head.

    ¡°It was too long. Enough for the mighty warrior to weaken. His steel-like body to be soft, and the spirit that contained his fervent passion to weaken.¡±

    Weakened¡­

    That''s right.

    Royal Goblins are boss mobs that appear in the early or middle-part of ¡®The Hero''s Party''.

    That means it will be usually around level 30.

    There is no way such a monster can emerge as the first boss of the dungeon.

    In order to achieve bnce, of course, there''s no choice but to add a weakened setting.

    "So, after waiting for these long years, isn''t it time to enjoy the fight that you been waiting for?"

    The goblin king shook his head this time.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that, little human. I''m tired, so I''m asking you to end it here."

    ¡°¡­howe I hear you asking me to kill you directly?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Come on, kill me.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. I know you want to die. But looking at you like this makes my mind wander. But, you won''t even resist? Usually at times like this, don''t you guys fight with all your might because it''s, um, thest fight of your life?"

    ¡°What is the meaning of fighting with a weakened body as it weakens more?¡±

    The Royal Goblin said with a grin.

    ¡°In the past, I was strong. I won a duel against an orc warchief, not a tribe leader, but a warchief, and used his neck as a totem. I led my n to war, and even the proud elves fell to their knees. Even now, when I close my eyes, those memoriese back vividly.¡±

    With his eyes closed, the goblin king made an pleasant expression as if tracing back those old memories. As soon as he opened his eyes again, he realized the reality and smiled bitterly.

    ¡°If I fight with a body like this, those memories will only be tainted. So please don''t be merciful, little human. Kill me. Free me from this cursed ce.¡±

    I brought the silver sword to the goblin king''s heart.

    ¡°You don¡¯t talk or think like a goblin.¡±

    ¡°Because I''m above my n and have transcend my n.¡±

    "Name?"

    "Name? What will you do with a goblin''s name that''s gonna die soon? Are you going to remember me?¡±

    "Maybe? For a while?¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much for that. My name is Goobriel. Little human, what is your name?¡±

    "Cloud."

    ¡°That''s a cool name. Warrior, Cloud, I hope that my name will be remembered. And, I, the Goblin King, Goobriel, blesses you on your journey to be stronger.¡±

    ¡°Yes, many thanks, Goblin King, Goobriel. You''ve worked hard all this time, now have your deserved rest."

    The silver sword pierced through Goobriel''s heart. Although the pain must have been considerable, Goobriel didn''t let out a single groan.

    He left with a rxed smile.

    ¡°¡­there is a real sense of disparity.¡±

    In the game, when he saw that pink woman, Isabelle, he got hearts in his eyes and hollered, ¡®Pretty female! Mating!'' Yeah, it was this guy who shouted all that.

    ¡°Is it because there''s no women?¡±

    Would the reaction have been different if Xenia had been brought in?

    With such doubts, I turned my back on Goobriel''s body.

    I did not absorb his soul into the glyph.

    He said he spent 500 years in this ce.

    Let him rest.

    * * *

    [Goblin King Goobriel''s Blessing]

    -All growth stats +1

 Chapter 34.1: Dont Work With Adventurers, Please. (3)

    It was different from the way I thought it to be, but I got through the 5th floor boss in the end.

    We decided to distribute the treasures we had collected before going down to the 6th floor. All the treasures in the backpacks wereid out on the floor.

    Wealth, that looked about something like 3000 gold.

    A goblin shaman''s amulet.

    A goblin knight''s sword.

    The goblin king''s ne.

    And, other misceneous things.

    I gave all three of them everything except for Goobriel''s ne.

    Xenia was startled and asked twice for confirmation, and I nodded my head without hesitation.

    These are items of floors 1-5 at most.

    It would bring a good sum of money if sold outside, but it wasn''t worth more than that.

    While they were sharing the treasures among them with ecstasy, I inspected Goobriel''s ne.

    Is it also 500 years old?

    It was covered with ck spots and mold.

    ¡®This item, I had never seen it in the game.¡¯

    What effect does it have?

    If I take it to an appraiser and show him, will he be able to find out?

    ¡°Have you guys finished the distribution? Then we can move on to the next floor.¡±

    At the end of the 5th floor, there is a door that looks exactly like the stone gate I saw when we first entered the dungeon.

    The only difference from back then is that this door has to be touched by all four of us.

    After confirming that all the party members were alive, the stone door opened.

    Beyond the stone gate, the portal was shining with a blue glow.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    I took a step forward.

    This party will face the real problems from next floor onwards.

    * * *

    ¡°From the 1st to 5th floor, you all probably didn¡¯t feel much of a threat. Your skills and experience were too strong to be threatened by goblins or anything like those.¡±

    -Crunch.

    With every step taken, one could hear the rustling of grass.

    Unlike the upper floors, the 6th floor had a grassy terrain. The surrounding area was blocked off by white stone walls in many directions, in the end it was same as a maze.

    ¡°First of all, the level of monsters here will be different from those upstairs. The traps are also iparable from those above.¡±

    ¡°Ah, anyway. How can there be too big of a difference with just one step down?¡±

    Chris shrugged his shoulders nonchntly.

    Indeed, this is the spirit worthy of puberty, and in full glow.

    "Unfortunately, yes. There is a big difference. Do you two know about blue wolves?¡±

    I turned to Xenia and Kurba and said. When the words ¡®blue wolves'' was mentioned, their faces turned serious automatically.

    ¡°Blue wolves¡­aren''t they level 22 monsters? How can they be here?¡±

    "They are. So from now on, you guys have to be careful. Otherwise, someone would really die.¡±

    ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that too dangerous?¡±

    Xenia asked in a worried tone. I smiled wryly in response.

    ¡°It¡¯s a dungeon. If you havee to a dungeon, you have to take this level of risk.¡±

    High risk, high returns.

    It is the principle of the world, and it also simrly applies to dungeons.

    A dungeon is a ce that holds treasures that anyone would covet, but it is also an equally dangerous ce at the same time.

    To only take the treasures without taking a single risk is no different from looting.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡­¡±

    She worriedly nced at Chris.

    It seems that she is worried about her son''s well being, not about her own.

    ¡°Can we send this kid back? He is still too young to take such risk.¡±

    ¡°Mom, what are you talking! Why are you making such decisions on your own?!¡±

    ¡°You be quiet! Even in adventurer''s field of work, there is a step by step process. To you who just had aing-of-age ceremony, the dungeon is too early!¡±

    Another fight broke out between the two, hash.

    The two didn''t make any concessions, and it seemed that the quarrel would never end if they were left alone.

    ¡®No one can return, anyway.¡¯

    This dungeon can only be progressed with 4 people. It means that the moment even one person falls out, it cannot be cleared.

    I had mentioned it when we came, did they really forget it in their own enthusiasm?

    So, now it was time to remind Xenia of that fact and try to calm her down.

    ¡°Be quiet for a moment.¡±

    I felt something approaching.

    The two, who had been arguing over each other''s words, shut their mouths.

    As I stood still, in an alert posture, arge wolf appeared at the fork on the right about 10 meters ahead.

    ¡°The blue wolf¡­ no, not that.¡±

    I nodded in agreement at Xenia''s words.

    It wasn''t a blue-haired wolf that suddenly appeared. It was a normal wolf with gray fur. The size was still unusual though.

    ¡®It''s front right foot is injured.¡¯

    More appropriately, it wasn''t just injured, it waspletely amputated.

    ¡°Wow¡­ the size is really big. Still, it doesn''t has one leg, so wouldn''t this one be worth trying on my own? Isn''t it, Mom?"

    ¡°¡­Yeah, it would be nice to have some experience at this point. Try it.¡±

    "Oh yea! Heh heh, you bastard, you are dead meat now¡­ Kek!¡±

    I grabbed Chris by the back of his neck as he was troting forward in jubtion. Chris grabbed my hand and let out a groan, but I didn''t care.

    My gaze was still fixed on the wolf''s paws.

    Blood was constantly dripping down from his other front paw.

    ¡°We have to get out. You can''t get close to that wolf."

    "What? Why¡­¡±

    Awwoo¡ª!

    Wolf howls came from all directions.

    F**k, it''s already toote

    ¡°W, What, what happened?!¡±

    ¡°What else? Wolves areing to catch the game they missed.¡±

    ¡°Game? Wolves are eating wolves?¡±

    ¡°There is not other species in the same dungeon level, so what else are they going to eat? Shut up and get ready to run. Tch, indeed, toote.¡±

    ¨C Woo¡­ Awoor!

    The gray wolf stared at the fork on the other side of the path and howled. At that moment, a blue-haired wolf jumped out of the fork and bit the gray wolf by its neck in an clean move.

    ¨C grrr¡­gr¡­

    Maybe that loud howling was the greatest effort it could create. The gray wolf was limp without much resistance.

    When the hunt was finished, the blue wolf turned his gaze to its new game.

    It looked at us with a ferocious light in its eyes.

    ¡°Follow me.¡±

    I immediately drew out my sword and bolted forward.

    The blue wolf spited out the gray wolf. Recognizing me as its new prey, the guy poked out its wide open jaws.

    Its jaws wererge enough to swallow me in one bite.

    If it could swallow me, that is.

    [Wolf Buster]-!

    An effective skill against beast-type monsters.

    From the top of the wolf''s jaw to the head, it was cleaved cleanly.

    -Awoo!

    At the fork on either side, a blue wolf jumped out, one from each.

    No problem.

    Just move the sword twice, instead of once.

    [Wolf Buster]-!

    [Wolf Buster]-!

    Killed the two wolves and looked back. They were confused at first, but soon they came back to their senses and started speeding with me.

    Okay, so that''s it.

    As long as the party is established, the experience points will be shared, so even if I kill the wolves by myself, they can grow too.

    ¡®Then there is nothing to be afraid of.¡¯

    Kill the monsters that stand in the way.

    Wouldn''t it be really easy if that was the only solution?

    But, as always, the world didn''t go the way I wanted it to.

    ¨C cruck-!

 Chapter 34.2: Dont Work With Adventurers, Please. (3)

    ¨C cruck-!

    A sound that makes people uneasy.

    I turned my head back.

    The ground that Kurba stepped on sunk by about 10 cm.

    A trap.

    -click.

    I quickly rolled my eyes around.

    Four small holes appeared on each side of the wall.

    ¡®The distance between them and me is about 5 meters. Can I strike out all the arrows?¡¯

    Even before I could do the calctions, my body was already moving. The body is faster than the head. After two steps, I reached by their side.

    ¨C Pavak.

    Eight arrows were fired at the same time I arrived.

    [Strike]-!

    The silver sword deflected five arrows.

    ¡®I couldn¡¯t get all of them out.¡¯

    No matter how good one''s technique is, it is impossible to ignore the limitations of the body. There is a limit to the speed of the sword that this body can produce.

    Can''t help it.

    The rest of the three shots are not muchpared to the original eight, I hope that the party members will figure it out and avoid it.

    I turned my head.

    ¡°My leg, agh, agh, aggh!!!!¡±

    Chris screamed as I gazed at his skewered leg.

    Oh, shit.

    * * *

    Chris was shot in the leg by an arrow, unable to move, so the party had to stop moving. The scattered blue wolves gathered and surrounded them in meantime.

    The blue wolves and Cloud along with his new party members fell into a stalemate.

    ¡°Pick out the arrow and heal with potions.¡±

    Having said that, Cloud stood still with his sword on the floor as he stared at the wolves.

    Chris felt pressure from the wolves'' fierce gazes. Nevertheless, he kept his hands busy for treatment.

    He picked out the arrow and applied a potion.

    ¡°Come on, workkk..!¡±

    The potion Chris used was of low quality.

    Abrasions and cuts can be easily treated, but forrge wounds like pration wounds, it''s less effective. Chris will be in great pain until it healspletely.

    ¡°Chris, hold on a little¡­ just a little bit. You''ll be fine. Ugh, why, I should have been hit instead¡­!¡±

    ¡°Mom, please¡­ be still¡­¡±

    ¡ªthat too while calming his restless mother.

    Meanwhile, Kurba was going crazy.

    ¡®Shit! Shit! Shit!''

    When he turns his eyes to this side, there''s a wolf.

    When he turns his eyes to that side, there''s also a wolf.

    There are only blue wolves all over.

    What if these bastards attack at once?

    What will happen?!

    He will be ripped to pieces without a trace of humanity!

    There is only one reason why these wolf cubs aren''t attacking despite their numerical superiority.

    ¡®That bastard called Cloud.¡¯

    He tore apart dozens of blue wolves by himself. These cautious suckers have seen it in person, that''s why they aren''t rushing in. If they rush in without reason, too much damage will ur.

    ¡®At first I thought he was just a lucky bastard¡­''

    Now it was different.

    He was a f**king monster bastard. Why the hell is his grade still A?

    If hees back alive, he will definitely question the guild.

    ¡­if hees back alive, that is.

    ¡®Damn it, I want to live!¡¯

    Like any adventurer, Kurba also had a strong desire to survive.

    He looked as Chris grabbed his legs and groaned in pain.

    ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for this shitty brat¡­!¡¯

    If Cloud broke through the pack of wolves, he could have run after him.

    Kurba resented Chris. Even though he was caught in a trap that Kurba stepped into. This is the essence of human selfishness always stuck in the heart''s corner.

    ¡®When will he f**king recover?!¡¯

    He was getting impatient and couldn''t keep his eyes in one ce.

    It was just as the time passed.

    Kurba found an unusually wolf-free area among the wolves'' siege circle.

    Kurba saw it and his eyes widened.

    ¡®Maybe that¡¯s..?¡¯

    Are they giving us the room to run away?

    Maybe it''s really so. Wolves aren''t stupid, otherwise why would they leave such a visiblyrge gap?

    From their point of view, Cloud is a natural enemy that threatens the survival of the n.

    Except for him, everyone else will look like a dwarf.

    They want to let go of the dwarfs who can get in the way of the fight engaged for the n''s survival. Otherwise, there''s no other exnation!

    ¡®I have to go, I have to. This is myst chance.¡¯

    It was the moment Kurba was about to take a step.

    ¡°If you go, you will die.¡±

    Cloud spoke.

    His voice was so cold that he couldn''t rte with the previous gentle Cloud.

    Kurba, as well as Xenia and Chris, felt the chill. The wolves lowered their heads and howled¡­but to some ears it sounded like weeping.

    ¡°Must go, we will die if we go, but if we don¡¯t, we will definitely die! Can''t you see that empty spot with your eyes? Just how you''re letting it go?! How?! If we just run up to that ce, we can survive!¡±

    ¡°I understand your fear. But dude, keep your mind straight. What''s the reason they will let you go? And even if you are lucky enough to get out of this siege, there will be a follow-up chase. Can you deal with these hungry wolf bastards alone? If yes, how many?¡±

    ¡°It could be up to one or two at most at a time! At least we''ll have a much higher chance of surviving than just confronting them here. Don''t you get it? Can you deal with all these wolf motherf**kers here? Alone?"

    "Yeah."

    An immediate answer without the slightest hesitation.

    For a moment, Kurba was at a loss for words. Soon, his expression darkened.

    ¡°Yeah, damn you, you can do it! But we can''t. If those bastards attack, you''ll live, but we''ll all die! Shit¡­ It''s all because of you, who brought us here in the first ce. Son of a biatch!¡±

    ¡°Aren''t you too old to be whining like a child? I clearly announced that we were going to a dungeon a few hours before we arrived. Yet you followed, smiling brightly. Then, wasn''t it your own decision, don''t you had any idea about risks a dungeon holds?"

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Kurba bit his parched lips.

    Because if he walks away with it, it will damage his pride as an adventurer.

    Cloud continued.

    ¡°Still, you are not very wrong. I''m a little responsible for you guysing here. So stay by my side. I will take responsibility and guarantee your safety.¡±

    Even for a moment, Kurba''s heart moved at those confident words.

    ¡®ording to the him¡­ maybe I can really survive in this kind of situation.''

    Kurba''s reasoning and sense collided.

    And Kurba¡­

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    He choose the opposite.

    Believing that reason would spare him, as always his mind worked, he ran towards the empty plot where there were no wolves.

    Following reason is a wise choice.

    If it was the perfect reason that was not eaten by other emotions.

    ¨C Aaaaaah!

    It wasn''t long before a terrible scream was heard.

    Cloud sighed.

    ¡°You brainless nuthead.¡±

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 35.1: Dont Work With Adventurers, Please. (4)

    I had fought on the front lines all my life.

    I had reliablepanions to whom I could entrust my back on, and could only focus on killing my enemies.

    Is that why? The feeling of fighting while protecting something was unfamiliar to me.

    Now me and my party are surrounded by big blue wolves.

    If I was the only one here, it wouldn''t have been least of my problems.

    As always, I just had have to hunt monsters.

    But now I am not alone.

    Behind me is Xenia and Chris, who is treating his injured leg. The moment I move onto one side to kill a wolf, the other wolves will attack both of them.

    So I had to stand still and contain the wolves until Chris''s treatment was over.

    ¡®Kurba, what was that man thinking?¡¯

    It''s quitemon for humans to be devoured by fear and to take crazy actions.

    I''ve seen it a lot too.

    But Kurba is a grade A adventurer.

    He must have gone through the risks of facing death several times¡­

    ¡®Had he never been through it?¡¯

    It¡­may be the case that he got promoted by umting his performances step by step, focusing on easy quests.

    It''s like subjugating bandits.

    The grade of an adventurer is not only about skill, but also about performance, so it''s a possible situation.

    ¡®Should I have shown my real skills?¡¯

    If I had used them, Kurba might have believed in me and kept his position. I shook my head as I thought about it.

    ¡®Well, there is no meaning in insisting on using those skills now.¡¯

    There is a high possibility that the god or being who summoned me only thinks of me as a simple gamer.

    Even if you are the ruler of one dimension, you can''t really know the affairs of another dimension.

    Just like Cheol-su''s mother knows well about Cheol-su''s family, but she doesn''t know about Young-hee''s next door.

    So I used the techniques and skills that exist in this game until now, to hide my underpinnings as much as possible.

    Still¡­ Well, by this time, it would may have realized that something was unusual.

    Because the guy who used to y games in the corner of his room is having fun slicing monsters.

    However, straight forwardly using a good sword and using a skill that contains the essence of a great hero are different stories.

    Someday, when I really need it, I''ll use it.

    Now there was no need to.

    Like I said, I had the confidence to saving everyone.

    Kurba¡­ He doesn''t want to live. What do I do?

    ¡°Hey there, Mr. Cloud. Chris'' treatment is over."

    ¡°Can he walk?¡±

    "No problem."

    Chris stood up and answered.

    Looking at his frown, it seemed that the pain was still there. But now, I couldn''t afford to worry about that.

    ¡°Don''t worry, both of you will be fine.¡±

    The wolves won''t let us go. Then we have to fight in the end, but Xenia and Chris are getting in the way of a fight with peace of mind.

    It is necessary to move the two to a safe ce and then engage in a fight. And on the 6th floor, there was a suitable ce to solve this problem.

    I stepped forward.

    ¨C Whoo¡­

    The wolves blocking the way lowered their posture and exposed their fangs. I didn''t care and kept walking. Chris and Xenia, who followed closely to my back, swallowed their saliva.

    ¨C Kunrrrr!

    As the distance drew nearer, the wolves cried fiercely.

    They threatened us with theirrge fangs exposed.

    Nevertheless, I kept going.

    Eventually, when the distance from the nearest wolf was about three steps away.

    ¨C Awoo¡­

    The wolves blocking the way turned to the side. Chris and Xenia sighed in relief.

    We kept walking. Go forward, turn right, and sometimes turn left. The wolves chased after us, besieging us on either side and behind us.

    Quite persistent, but it''s over now.

    Because I got to where I need to.

    ¡°Mr. Cloud? Did I heard it right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you did.¡±

    ¡°¡­this is a dead end, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    "I know. Would you two try walking over there once?¡±

    ¡°To the dead end?¡±

    ¡°Come on.¡±

    At my prompt, Xenia tilted her head while supporting Chris as she walked towards the ce I was pointing.

    ¡°Come¡­¡±

    ¨C Cluck.

    The floor beneath their feet gave out.

    Just before falling, the two of them opened their eyes wide and looked at me.

    I waved to them.

    There was a sense of betrayal on the two''s face.

    ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!¡±

    ¡°Ah, ah, ah!¡±

    The two fell down the hole.

    The screamssted a bit, but that''s ok. The fluffy leaves underneath will wee them.

    This trap is a device used while conducting an event scene in ¡®The Tale Of A Knight''s Affair¡¯. When one falls, an enclosed room decorated like a forest wees you, but there are no monsters.

    Talk about safety.

    Instead, there is aphrodisiac¡­

    ¡®It¡¯ll be okay because the two of them are mother and child.¡¯

    I decided to stop worrying about unnecessary things and turned to the wolves.

    ¡°I want to ask, why are you guys so filial¡­ even brought the boss from the 10th floor?¡±

    Among the big blue wolves, there was a wolf that looked twice as tall as others. It had sharp horns on its forehead, and sharp fangs protruding outward like mites.

    -Crakle!

    Electricity snaked around the sharp horns.

    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s a joke.¡±

    I swung my sword, then jumped and slipped through the wolves.

    [Strike]-!

    [Strike]-!

    [Strike]-! . . .

    * * *

    One has to visit to this dungeon to unlock the true ending of ¡®The Tale Of A Knight''s Affair''.

    There are several traps in the dungeon, and one of them is the one installed on the 6th floor.

    The other traps are also f**king spams, but this 6th-floor trap is especially venomous.

    If this trap is activated, one of the ntr man except Mars, with Isabelle will fall into the trap room on the 9th floor.

    You have to go down to the 9th floor to save them. In other words, it means that two people have to clear a field that would normally have to be cleared by four such people.

    Of course it''s really tight.

    You can only reach the trap room by using all kinds of consumables to make progress.

    But while the yer is going through such hardship, what are Isabelle and the ntr man doing?

    Just waiting for the rescue?

    No way.

    This is an ntr game, chap.

    There are no monsters in the trap room decorated like the center of a virgin forest. Instead, there is aphrodisiac. Of course, it''s not an ordinary aphrodisiac.

    It is a special aphrodisiac that only works when you have a reasonable sexual affinity for the other person.

    I don''t think I need to further exin anything after that, because I know it''s this kind of trap that I put the two of them into the this without hesitation.

    It is safe because there are no monsters.

    It''s between mother and child, so there''s no way they will be affected by the aphrodisiac.

    Could there be a more perfect safe zone for them?

    I swear they''ll be safe.

    Thanks to which, I was able to move freely. I ripped off the dead wolves''s bellies one by one, ate the inner cores, and cut off the boss monster''s horns.

    I''ll grind itter and use it to make equipment.

    After sessful farming, I went down to the 9th floor. Continuing to the east, I found a trap room.

    ¡®Hash¡­ but how do I close the mouths of those two?¡¯

    I have no intention of challenging the dungeon again with these two. Because I realized that no matter how good I was, I couldn''t clear this dungeon with a lousy team.

    If so, I need to take steps to prevent these two from talking about the dungeon outside.

    ¡®There is a way I thought of.¡¯

    I''m just going to tie them up and leave it to the vigers who gave me grace before.

    Wouldn''t it be better to leave it like that up to the time I have cleared the dungeon and pay for it financiallyter?

    Yeah, a bit savage, but that''s probably the best one.

    Having gathered my thoughts, I lowered the lever.

    The stone door opened with a creaking sound and I went inside.

    ¡°Chris?¡­ Chris¡­ Ugh?¡±

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t do this. P, Pleasee to your senses!¡±

    ¡­?

    Dafaq¡­?!

 Chapter 35.2: Dont Work With Adventurers, Please. (4)

    ¡°Chris?¡­ Chris¡­ Ugh?¡±

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t do this. Pleasee to your senses!¡±

    ¡­?

    Dafaq¡­?!

    ¡­was I wrong?

    I rubbed my eyes.

    ¡°How do you look more and more just like your father as you grow up¡­? ah~ Do you know how hard it has been for mama~? I''m going to punish Chris for harassing his mom without knowing his mother''s heart. Iyap?..Iyap?!¡±

    ¡°Ahhhhhh!!! Let me go! Let go of this!!!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    I calmly went outside and raised back the lever.

    The stone door closed with a creaking sound.

    There are many eatables like fruits in the trap room, so they won''t go hungry. In addition to that, there are many strange but wonderful things present in there too, so it won''t be inconvenient to live there.

    And since they can''t open the stone door from inside the trap room¡­

    There was no need to keep their mouths shut.

    ¡®Chris, hyung will eat his big root vegetable ande to pick you up right after.¡¯

    Until then, do some filial piety.

    * * *

    After the n to clear the dungeon with the adventurers was twisted, I was left deeply troubled.

    Since this is a city, there are a lot of people who live by paddling among quests.

    But none of them caught my eye. And I didn''t even intend to take some half-hearted person.

    After the first attempt that ended in failure, there are only two more chances left.

    If even these two remaining chances are blown away, the door of the dungeon will shut down for me, for eternity, and in that case, I will not be able to obtain the big root nt.

    Unless I can destroy the dungeon itself.

    ¡®I''ll really hate to do that.¡¯

    Second of all, if I use such a big skill with this body, the recoil wouldn''t be a joke.

    So somehow I have to clear the dungeon within just two remaining chances.

    ¡°It would be great to have them.¡±

    If Cloud loses all his party members in the middle, new party members will be acquired.

    Shedia, an assassin who uses the power of shadows.

    An excellent dancer and swordsman, Katarina.

    Princess Leslie of the Principality of Polycia who uses the power of frost.

    These three are neither upwardly nor backwardlypatible like the first three.

    Because the concept ispletely different.

    If the early set is a stable bnced type, the midte set is a slightly unstable but highly destructive attack type.

    And to be honest, I prefer to use thetter set.

    It was because the y of continuing the fight and then defeating an enemy that could not normally be defeated by blowing a strong shot evoked nostalgia from the past.

    I am sure about that.

    With them, this dungeon will be cleared unconditionally.

    ¡®But I can¡¯t bring them now.¡¯

    Shedia, Katarina, and Leslie.

    These three can only be recruited after defeating the Behemoth, the boss who appears in the second half.

    And there is still some time left for the Behemoth to appear. Even after this Imperial Social Banquet is over, a few more months must pass.

    It''s okay to wait until then.

    But b!tch, what to do now?

    Just when I was seriously considering on the future of my lil bro.

    "Oh? What a coincidence. I hadn''t assume that I will meet Mr. Cloud here."

    An adventurer''s guild employee appeared from behind.

    A woman with brown hair and a mature temperament, Elisha.

    She naturally sat down next to me and ordered the same ale as mine.

    ¡°¡­a married womaning to the bar alone?¡±

    ¡°What if she is more of a working woman than a married woman? If I don¡¯t take short breaks like this every now and then, I won¡¯t be able to work at the Adventurer¡¯s Guild window.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±

    I nodded my head lightly and sipped on the ale I had been drinking.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the reaction too cold? Anyway, the two of us have a secret between us¡­ Mister is too indifferent."

    Elisha lowered the corners of her eyes, giving a wronged expression.

    Really?

    ¡°I do miss my 2000 gold. Also my time.¡±

    ¡°Time, huh¡­ I guess things didn¡¯t go well?¡±

    ¡°I ate it cold. Thanks to someone who introduced me to those weird guys.¡±

    ¡°Seeing that all three of them whom I introduced did not return, it must have been more difficult than I thought.¡±

    "¡­right."

    The remaining two are still deepening the bond between mother and child inside.

    ¡°There''s nothing I can do about it. To be honest, I did somewhat expected that to happen?¡±

    ¡°You expected it?¡±

    Elisha nodded her head and spread one of her fingers.

    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s a monster¡¯s nest? Can four A-ss adventurers do what the military is supposed to do?¡±

    ?

    The four of us with me in there can''t take down a monster''s nest?

    What kind of bullsh!t is that?

    No, more than that¡­

    ¡°Then sending those three¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t get me wrong. First of all, I informed all the B-ss and A-ss adventurers in the guild. There were only five people who responded to the request, and I had chosen the three best ones.¡±

    "Is it so."

    Hmm.

    Well.

    All right.

    ¡°What are you thinking so deeply about?¡±

    ¡°A terrifying thought, that would destroy her happy family by introducing another young and beautiful woman.¡±

    ¡°Oh my, how terrifying is that?¡±

    Elisha grinned.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it funny? Yes, keep smiling.¡±

    The corners of Elisha''s lips twitched down.

    ¡°¡­Did I ever upset Adventurer-sama?¡±

    ¡°Are you talking about eating some 2000 gold raw?¡±

    In fact, rather than 2000 gold, it was the anger for blowing away one chance to enter the dungeon.

    But thinking about it, she had a small share of what she ate.

    Maybe it was just vexation, and not anger?

    ¡°Umm¡­ I think I need to get rid of the adventurer-sama¡¯s anger quickly, even for the sake of my family.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to relieve my anger? So, you giving me back those 2000 gold?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s better than that.¡±

    With a bewitching smile, Elisha came over to me.

    She put her lips near my ear.

    And said.

    Her breath was affiliated with cheap ale¡­

    ¡°Three S-ss adventurers. Now, you can invite for only 7000 gold.¡±

    Eh.

    ¡°¡­what level?¡±

    ¡°31, 32, 30.¡±

    Gulp. Dry saliva went down the gullet..!

    ¡°¡­what if it¡¯s fake products likest time?¡±

    ¡°Status can be checked.¡±

    Even the status?!

    My gaze began to tremble.

    Agh¡­

    I can''t¡­

    I really shouldn''t be hooked¡­

    But unlike my mind, my body was honest. My hands had already pulled out 7000 gold and handed it over to her.

    Elisha, who was handed with 7000 gold, lowered her eyebrows and gave a bewitching smile.

    She whimpered and whispered into my ear like the flowing lucidity of wind.

    ¡°Thank you for using my services, adventurer-sama~?¡±

 Chapter 36.1: Dont Work With Adventurers, Please. (5)

    Elisha asked me to pay visit to the Adventurers'' Guild a weekter.

    Is it actually possible for her to summon three S-ss adventurers in a week? And do these S-ss adventurers really have the ability to fulfill my need?

    So, I paid a visit to the guild on the day Elisha asked me to with a feeling of doubt.

    -¡­

    The Adventurers'' Guild was strangely quiet. It was definitely a strange thing. The guild is where all sorts of misceneous things gather to be famous adventurers.

    It''s not umon to make fusses over low rating for a mission, or to get beaten up by other adventurers for yelling at a female employee, why is it so quiet today?

    I shifted my eyesight and looked inside the guild properly.

    Some guys looking for a favourable quest on the bulletin board.

    Some guys sitting at the tables and waiting for their party members.

    Some guys reporting the sess of a quest to assigned staff members.

    Even the guild staff working there.

    Everyone was stealthily gazing at one group of people sitting at the same table.

    There were three people sitting at that table.

    A man who looked like a savage and had tworge axes hung on his back.

    A handsome, blond haired man donning an armorparable to that of a knight, with arge shield on his back.

    Lastly, the long pink-haired beauty with a spear on her back, wearing a lighter armor than the blonde¡­

    Wait for a moment¡­

    ¡®Pink?''

    Confused, I immediately shook my thoughts. A person should not be judged on the basis of one''s hair. Because, that''s racism. Was it that girl''s wish because of which she was born with pink hair?

    She came into this world with pink hair, just because it was so, it was her fate and destiny, not something that she had control over.

    Still, she was born with pink hair¡­

    Poor girl¡­

    Still, you shouldn''t show pity. Because it can hurt the other person''s heart. I made my way to the table where they were sitting with the most calm expression on my face.

    Um, where¡­

    Ah, the seat next to the barbarian-looking savage was empty.

    I naturally sat down there.

    The attention of the three people sitting at the same table was drawn to me.

    ¡®In these type of cases, first impression is most important.¡¯

    How would a normal employer converse in these type of situations?

    Just when I was still thinking while consuming my brain power.

    ¨C Look over there. A new madman has appeared..!

    ¨C Didn''t he see Rex being thrown over the tables after he talked with them..?

    ¨C Nope, he didn''t. That guy came after Rex was taken away.

    ¨C Hash¡­ no one will be able to see that handsome face ever again¡­ what a pity.

    I could feel the adventurers gazes centered on me, while they stealthily chattered among themselves.

    Someone was smashed over the tables for just saying some words..?

    My worries turned into something else.

    Is it alright to employ these iron-headed shotheads?

    I won''t be wasting another of my remaining chances for nothing, right?

    "You. Who."

    A thumping low-pitched voice interrupted my thoughts.

    I can see why I saw him like that.

    He''s not like a barbarian, he is a barbarian.

    ¡°I am an A-ss adventurer, Cloud. You are?"

    The answer came from somewhere else.

    ¡°Are you Cloud? Umm, she said it was some twinny-tiny rich boy, but you are kinda handsome, aren''t you?¡±

    ¡°Um!!!¡±

    ¡°What, I just praised him for his handsomeness. Why, are you annoyed? Oh, or, are you jealous?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    "Come on. It was a joke."

    The pink-haired woman and the blond man bickered.

    They seem to be couples.

    As I watched the couple flirt while the barbarian looked at them, Elisa approached in her cat-like gaits.

    ¡°When did you arrive, Mr. Cloud? I thought you''de a littleter. Have you guys already finished introducing among yourselves?¡±

    ¡°No, we haven¡¯t done it yet. I was just about to do it. Nice to meet you, Cloud. My name is Graveliya. As you can see, I''m a S-grade, I mostly use spears. Next to me is my husband, Kyle. He is also a S-grade like me, and uses a shield. He can''t speak, so I hope you understand."

    "Nice to meet you. This one?¡±

    I turned my gaze to the barbarian. The barbarian looked down at me with a contemptible gaze and grunted in reply.

    ¡°Garuda. S grade. Axe.¡±

    Okay¡­that was a very simple self-introduction.

    "All right. Please take good care of me, Mr. Garuda.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Garuda turned his gaze away and did not reply.

    "Oh, right! Mr Cloud. I had something to tell you, I nearly forgot. Can you please apany me for a moment?¡±

    Before the awkward silence could ensue, Elisha interrupted in between. I followed her into one of the rooms in the guild.

    Elisha unlocked the lock of her desk''s drawer and took out three pieces of paper and handed it to me.

    "This¡­"

    ¡°What I promised.¡±

    The paper sheets she handed me had status written on it.

    ======= Lvl.32 Strength: E (190) Agility: E (160) Durability: E (170) Mana: F (49) =======

    ======= Lvl.31 Strength: E (165) Agility : E (150)+(15) Durability: E (112) Mana: E (105) =======

    ======= Lvl. 30 Strength: E (160) Agility: E (130) Durability: D (135)+(70) Mana: F (97) =======

    ¡°In turn, these are the statuses of Garuda, Graveliya, and Kyle.¡±

    I looked at their status sheets one by one.

    At first nce, it wasn''t that bad.

    Most of the stats were lower than mine, but in the first ce, I''m a hero. It goes without saying that the higher the level, higher the growing difference in stats.

    So the stats of these guys are not bad.

    But if there''s a problem¡­

    ¡°Are their personalities okay?¡±

    "Huh?"

    ¡°I heard the adventurers gossiping earlier. Did a guy named Rex was thrown over the tables for saying a few words?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that? That was Rex''s fault."

    Elisha smiled.

    ¡°He spoke to Graveliya in an open, flirtatious manner. And Graveliya didn''t like it.¡±

    ¡°But does she usually thrashes others, while throwing over the tables..?¡±

    ¡°¡­she does have a little bit of personality. It''s alright, though. You can believe me this time. They are the people I have known for a long period of time.¡±

    ¡°Are you betting on your husband¡¯s honesty?¡±

    ¡°¡­if you wish, I will show you their achievements which are recorded in the guild.¡±

    "It was just a joke. I¡¯ve already seen the status sheets, then I will be going.¡±

    ¡°Before that, you should form a party, right?¡±

    Elisha pulled out three small vials of blood from her drawer. It was mostly probably the blood of those three adventurers waiting outside.

    She had already prepared everything?

    After I pulled over my shirt, she registered the party in the remaining space of my status.

    After she finished registering the party, I left the room with Elisha.

    The three S-ss adventurers who were sitting at the table were already waiting at the guild''s entrance.

 Chapter 36.2: Dont Work With Adventurers, Please. (5)

    ¡°Is the conversation over? Then let¡¯s get going~!¡±

    Graveliya pointed out and said.

    ¡°Have you all packed?¡±

    ¡°I know it can take a few days to subdue the monster nest, so I was already told to prepare the ration and the camping supplies. No worries, I got it all.¡±

    ¡°Then you guys can start right away. Graveliya, Kyle, Garuda, and Mr. Cloud. I hope you all have a safe journey~¡±

    ¡°Yeah, see youter, Elisha~ Don¡¯t forget to write a good review after this mission is over~¡±

    ¡°Agh, if you say that out so loud¡­¡±

    Graveliya giggled at Elisa, who looked around in embarrassment.

    Our party came out of the town.

    Graveliya and Kyle were conversing while moving. Kyle was mute, so it was mostly Graveliya talking with herself.

    ¡°It only takes a few hours to climb the mountain road from here. It will be difficult, so take precautions.¡±

    It was time to climb up the mountain road.

    When, Graveliya put her arm around my shoulders. Um, this feels familiar? When I turned my head to her, I saw her with a fierce expression on her face.

    ¡°Hey, Grade-A kid. Let''s correct one misunderstanding before we continue to go."

    ¡°?¡±

    ¡°First of all, we came here because Elisha asked for it, not because we wanted to fulfill your mission. Do you understand what that means?¡±

    "What does that mean?"

    ¡°If you are thinking of bing some leader or sh!t, and giving us orders, it¡¯s better to dream. If you do, I think I''ll kill you. You understand?"

    ¡°You are going to kill the employer? And, didn''t you guys came over at Elisha''s request?"

    ¡°Of course, then you didn''t die in my hands, but you were killed by a monster. Do you think this big sis isn''t capable of doing that?"

    ¡°Well, I think you are.¡±

    Graveliya grinned.

    "I know, right? Don''t worry though, your mission, we will finish it properly. From now on, I will be the leader of this party. No objections?¡±

    Graveliya''s eyes turned to Garuda.

    ¡°You, weaker than me. And,mands. I don¡¯t listen.¡±

    Her eyes went cold.

    ¡°Huh..? Why does that sound like I''m weaker than you?"

    "Yes. Female. Thin. A thin one, weak.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I''m thin, so¡­ would you like to try it? That misconception of your''s, are thin people, really weak?¡±

    ¡°Fight, oh? Good. Just, crush you.¡±

    And like that, a strange battle on the verge of breaking out looked to be happening soon.

    It wouldn''t be least strange if in the next second they drew out their weapons and started to sh right after.

    There was a heavy tension in the air¡­

    ¡°Ah, leave it. After all, there''s nothing of a rat tail''s worth to gain from this. There''s nothing good about fighting, either. I''m not going to give you orders, so let''s just be ourselves so that we don''t interfere with each other."

    That tension was quenched by Graveliya''s words as she waved her hands.

    ¡°So, no fight?¡±

    ¡°No~ None~, muscle guy~¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    After the farce was over, the party started moving again.

    After a few hours, we arrived at the pond surrounded by peach trees.

    "Hah? Why stopped? There is no monster nest here?¡±

    I dived into the pond.

    Pulled the ring to part the water and made a staircase. As I got out of the water, I saw the three adventurers with their eyes wide open.

    I touched the stone gate, opened it, and said to them.

    ¡°Come.¡±

    They descended the stairs slowly, as if looking possessed.

    ¡°This is¡­ too grandiose to be a monster nest¡­¡±

    They crossed the gate and entered. Thud! As soon as the stone door closed, Graveliya turned around in surprise. She carefully ced her hand on the stone door and began to stroke it.

    At the same time, the sound of water pouring over our head was heard.

    ¡°Ahaha! This is a dungeon! It''s a dungeon! So, this thing was hiding here. Little one, you''re stronger than I thought¡­"

    ¡°¡ïPink Women Crusher Punch¡ï¡±

    Looking back, my fist was firmly pressed onto Graveliya''s face.

    Currently, I''m pumping with strength because I used the Ogre''s Glyph.

    Graveliya flew out in a parab and rolled over the floor.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    When Kyle saw his wife being beaten, his eyes widened and then his expression ferociously distorted.

    He drew out a short sword from his waist and ran towards me. It looks like he''s aiming for the gap that was made while I swung my fist.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, chap. Thousand Miles Kick!¡±

    ¡°¡­!!!¡±

    Kyle, who was hit in the chin by my back kick, flew out in a parab like his wife and rolled over the floor.

    Seeing the two of them copsing together, I smiled contentedly.

    The reason I suddenly hit them is simple.

    These cubs are beast cubs.

    I saw it just a little earlier.

    These guys like fighting, fighting among themselves.

    Fighting for dominance. When worried about getting injured on fight with an opponent that''s not easy to suppress, they avoid fighting.

    No matter how you look, isn''t that the habit of young beasts?

    And if it is a beast, it can be tamed.

    How?

    ¡°Good, good! Everyone fighting! Ooooh!!¡±

    "You! Good! Powerful! That''s right!"

    ¡°Ugh! Wait! Aggr! I, smash!¡±

    You just need the right technique.

    If you have the technique, you can tame all the beasts in the world.

    ¡°Aww! How dare you p me on the face?!¡±

    ¡°..!!!!¡±

    ¡°Strong guy! Fight and win! Get recognized by ancestors!¡±

    If you can''t tame it, it''s simply because you haven''t put that right technique to its optimum usage.

    So, just hit more.

    ¡°The warm-up is finished. Guys,e jumping in.¡±

    Oh, by the way, this is just a necessary step to tame the beast.

    I never do it because it feeling addictive, never.

    "Heh, heh¡­ Kek¡­"

    ¡°How does the headlock taste, huh? Can you feel the difference in power, huh, barbarian?¡±

    But it''s a little strange.

    ¡°..!!!¡±

    ¡°Do you speak with the re of your eyes instead of tongue? From the first time I saw you, you have been looking at me with those jealous gazes, sending me those f**king warnings. I didn''t even think about messing around with your wife, you pimp! Just damn it, I have no interest in f**king our wife!¡±

    Obviously, in the process, you can''t have any sympathy, not the slightest¡­

    ¡°Why do you have pink hair! Among so many colors, why is it pink? Why, why?!"

    ¡°Ahhh! Don''t pull my hair, you crazy bastard!!"

    Why does it looks like I''m having fun?

    Dude, this will disqualify me as a trainer.

    That''s simply bing an animal abuser. And that, ain''t me.

    ¡°Come on, be a man, you are pulling a woman¡¯s hair?! You don''t have a dick between your legs?!¡±

    ¡­just for a moment, it wouldn''t hurt to be an animal abuser.

    ¡°Yeah, you pink biiiiith!¡±

    I grabbed Graveliya''s hair and turned it around like a windmill. She firmly hold on to her hair as it being the only solution to keep herself from bing bald.

 Chapter 37.1: Please Dont Work With Adventurers. (6)

    ¡°What about the loot?¡±

    -Equal distribution

    ¡°Who owns the treasure on the 30th floor?¡±

    -Cloud

    ¡°Who is the leader of the party?¡±

    -Cloud

    ¡°What if you don¡¯t follow my orders?¡±

    -Death¡­

    "No, no. There''s no killing. Did I ever say that? Like I said, this dungeon can only be cleared with four people. If one dies, its just not his death, we are all beaten backwards. Did you get that?¡±

    The three adventurers on their knees nodded their heads.

    Okay, I did it.

    I have tamed these three ferocious beasts.

    Catharsis climbed up my spine.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s start our exciting adventure~!¡±

    I went down the dungeon while feeling intoxication of my achievement.

    But that excitement didn''tst long.

    ¡°Pretty female! Mating~! Mating~!¡±

    ¡°Goobriel¡­¡±

    Yeah, I thought it might end up being like this.

    He probably had attempted suicide once in these 500 years.

    Even suicide didn''t work, so he must have been waiting for an explorer like me.

    Hoping to get liberation of his soul tied up in this dungeon.

    But I couldn''t clear the dungeon.

    How frustrated would he be?

    He even informed his name to the explorer who he got to met after so long and thought he would finally die peacefully, but then he again came back to life.

    It''s understandable that a bit of sanity is gone.

    ¡°Ugh¡­ what, a goblin? Damn, it''s big. Well, after all, a goblin is a goblin.¡±

    ¡°Strong goblin. Kill him, sacrifice to ancestors.¡±

    Graveliya and Garuda tried to reach for their weapons. I raised my hand to stop them and walked towards Goobriel.

    "Cloud? Um, are you going to do it alone?¡±

    I nodded at Graveliya''s words. I drew out my silver sword hung around my waist.

    "Mate! No fight! Die!"

    Goobriel''s iron rod sweeped with exemry force. I stepped up. In an instant, the distance between me and Goobriel narrowed.

    A silver sword was lodged into his heart.

    Slurrp! Goobriel''s body leaned forward.

    I whispered to him.

    "Sorry. I''ll make sure to finish it this time."

    Goobriel didn''t answer. He just copsed with a rxed expression on his face. I looked at him for a moment and then turned my gaze to the party members.

    "What are you looking at? Let''s go down."

    * * *

    5-10 floors.

    Abyrinth presented in form of a meadow.

    A ce where giant blue wolves and king-toothed tigers roam around, the ce where thest party struggled.

    No, it''s a bit wrong to call it as struggle.

    They didn''t even kill a single wolf in the end, did they?

    On the other hand, the party now¡­

    "Garuda, smash! Oogh!¡±

    Garuda held an axe in both hands and rotated like a top. Even though it looks like a very simple technique, it was just like a de against fruits with wolves put in a blender.

    ¡°Go away, you bastards! Oh shit! Hath! You savage bastards! Put away the flesh in your mouths, you beasts!¡±

    Unlike Garuda, Graveliya ravaged the wolves with a colorful spear. She pierced the vital points like the nape or eyeballs.

    When sometimes, another wolf ran into her gap¡­

    ¡°..!¡±

    Kyle blocked it with arge shield.

    The repelled wolf got wounded and then had no choice but to retreat andunch pincer attacks on the shield from a distance.

    So, the party members gradually killed the wolves.

    It was not at the level of ughter, but the expression of hunting was not wrong to present this show.

    Thanks to that, I didn''t have to go through the strange incident of meeting the boss on the 6th floor again. We properly went down to the 10th floor and met the boss.

    ¨C Whoa!

    The lightning from the wolf boss''s horns spread out in all directions. Kyle raised his shield and we hid behind him.

    Kaga-Gaga-!

    A strong fricative was heard, but Kyle''s shield remained firm.

    This shield looks like one with good magic resistance.

    The lightning emitted by the boss disappeared.

    ¡°The lightning shower is over. I will go from the front, while Graveliya and Garuda will enter from the sides. It can no longer use lightning shower as big as this one while engaged in battle. At most, it will be a single st of lightning, like a lightning bolt. Kyle, you will look at the situation and stop those lightning bolts.¡±

    Start.

    As soon as the word was uttered, everyone dispersed. I ran straight ahead and caught the wolf boss''s attention.

    In the meantime, Garuda and Graveliya will umte their power and charge attacks, when the Wolf Boss got furious and shot lightning bolts, Kyle moved quickly and blocked all of them with his shield.

    H¨¨ll, yeah! This is a party y.

    The proper party y that I had tasted in a long time was just so sweet. To the extent that I wished this moment would continue.

    ¡®No.¡¯

    No matter how enjoyable it is, you need to know when it''s over.

    Otherwise, you will be addicted.

    I swung my sword at the weary wolf.

    [Wolf Buster]-!

    The wolf boss''s neck was split.

    Losing its head, its body copsed, and its head fell onto the floor and jounced.

    When the wolf boss fell, the party members rxed and sighed.

    ¡°I had heard that the dungeon bosses were strong, but it must be this hard, I never thought. If that''s the case, I will be tired to death¡­"

    Graveliya, who was sitting on the floor, grumbled.

    ¡°I wonder if you will be still saying that after seeing this?¡±

    I said, tapping on therge treasure chest at the end of the boss room. When the three adventurers approached, I opened the treasure chest.

    The treasure chest contained rewards for clearing the 5th to 10th floors.

    Sword of Insight.

    Windfortune Ring.

    Storm Shield.

    Lightning Earrings.

    Wealth, about 10000 gold.

    and so on.

    Graveliya and Kyle, as well as Garuda, opened their eyes wide in shock.

    Soon a smile bloomed on their lips.

    I understand their feelings.

    The more reward you get after hard work, the sweeter it is.

    After discussing the distribution of loot, it was decided who would get what.

    Graveliya, Lightning Earrings.

    Kyle, Storm Shield.

    Garuda, Sword of Insight.

    Me, Windfortune Ring.

    Originally, my eyes were on Sword of Insight.

    ¨C Warrior, wear no essories. Wear the ring. Shame on ancestors!

    I decided to yield to Garuda''s stubborn persistence. In the first ce, it seemed bizarre for a savage, bulky barbarian to wear a tiny ring on his fingers. It is even doubtful if the ring will even fit into his fingers.

    Dispensing after that, we took a break in front of the bonfire.

    Maybe it was because we got good loot, the atmosphere of the party was much more rxed than before.

    "Me. Have a wife. Have a son.¡±

    ¡°Is your wife pretty?¡±

    "Kind of. She listens to me well, teaches my son well. She, a good mother.¡±

    ¡°Why does it look like empty words, ha ha, you didn''t even say that she was pretty, only kind of. But if you''re a barbarian, you should be from the Principality of Polycia. Why did a guy with a family came to another country to be an adventurer?¡±

    ¡°My son, be an excellent warrior. Must make, him a better warrior. Takes a lot of money.¡±

    Uh? So, working daddy, is it?

    I thought he was just a stone-headed barbarian¡­

    Suddenly, I started to feel a lilplicated.

    ¡°Do you miss your family?¡±

    "Miss them, my wife, son too. A lot. Me wonder, when we meet again."

    Garuda eyes looking at the bonfire were wet.

    Instead of offering empty words of constion, I patted him on the back.

    While I was doing so, Graveliya, who had been quietly listening to our conversation, opened her mouth.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering for a while, are you a nobleman?¡±

    It was a random question.

    A noble, huh?

    ¡°I admit that I''m terribly handsome. Still, I am not a noble.¡±

    "No¡­ I didn''t ask for the face. That gorgeous pommel. I have seen it somewhere.¡±

    I looked at my pommel.

    A silver-colored pommel engraved with an eagle looking ready to soar in the sky.

    ¡°Picked it up from the road.¡±

    Not on any road, but on the floor of the arena.

    Who was that?

    It must have been that kid, with the name of Blue Rose or something, the sword he used was lying on the floor. The decoration on the tip of the sword seemed to be of quite a special material, so I picked it up at a nce.

    ¡°By the way, is this the pattern of a noble family?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I think I have seen it somewhere. It must have been in the Kingdom of Alitia¡­¡±

    Saying that, Graveliya got mum at the end of her words, looks like even she is not sure.

    "Whatever. I can find it outter and return it if it belongs to a noble family. Stop talking nonsense and go to sleep. Tomorrow will be harder than today.¡±

    * * *

 Chapter 37.2: Please Dont Work With Adventurers. (6)

    Naturally, the difficulty increases as you go down the dungeon.

    From the 5th to 10th floors, even an S-ss party that easily hunted down monsters¡ª

    ¡ªon the 10th to 15th floors, there was no choice for them but to suffer.

    ¡°Die, you bastard!¡±

    The spear of Graveliya pierced through the kobold''s face.

    Kobold.

    A dog-like monster that walks on two legs, it is characterized like a old dog with a hunched back.

    Their level is about 20-25, so if you are an S-ss with your average level in 30s, you do have to give effort¡­

    ¨C Knock, Kung, Krrrr!

    ¨C Kung, Kung!

    ¨C Kung, krrrr!

    ¡°Noisy motherf**kers!!¡±

    They were too many in numbers.

    At first, there were only two or three kobolds, but as they barked, more kobolds began to appear from everywhere.

    As it continued, we ended up getting chased by dozens of kobolds, just like now.

    Shhh-!

    A crossbow shot by a kobold passed by Graveliya''s cheek.

    ¡°Hey! Hey, Kyle! Can''t you stop it properly!? Wanna be a widower?!¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    "Shut up! Don''t reply, just block it properly! Are the shields you received as loot decorations? You should carry one shield in each hand!¡±

    ¡°¡­!!!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t make the expression that you just realized, just do it quickly!¡±

    ¡°Hunting. Many more. Warrior''s blood, boil!¡±

    ¡°This bloody lunatic! Hey you, savage bastard!! Run you hot-head, don''t drag us! Ugggh, this is really killing me! Oh really, why am I doing this? Yes! Order, Cloud, you give him one¡­ What. Are you smiling now, smiling?! Really?! Is the situation so funny, really?!¡±

    Graveliya looked at my face and frowned and cursed.

    It seems that I just failed in managing my facial expressions.

    But what do I do when I''m having fun?

    ¡®How long has it been since I was chased like this?¡¯

    The most memorable one is being chased by the extermination unit directly under the 3rd Corpsmander. After running around for a whole week in Eliath Forest, I barely managed to get rid of them, right..?

    ¡°Hey, fuck you! Don''tugh and tell me what to do now! You said you would be the leader, be responsible!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go all the way to the boss room.¡±

    ¡°¡­Did I hear it wrong? Can you tell me once again..?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the boss room, damn straight.¡±

    "Huh¡­ heh heh¡­ heh heh heh heh¡­!"

    Graveliya giggled in surprise, then pointed her finger at the kobolds that were chasing us.

    ¡°To the boss room? With these bastards? Why are you making it so difficult for everyone, leader?¡±

    ¡°Come on, we won''t die. Trust me,e follow me.¡±

    ¡°What dog-¡±

    ¡°Break the block. Garuda, go with Graveliya!¡±

    ¡°Start!¡±

    "Kill!!"

    Graveliya and Garuda broke through the kobolds that stood in their way. Graveliya delicately gave her own finishing touch while Garuda shed through roughly with his axe.

    While they tore through like that, I deflected the crossbow arrows Kyle couldn''t stop with my sword.

    Each of us were faithful to our roles, and thanks to the hours of running, we were able to get right in front of the boss'' room on the 15th floor.

    From the 11th to the 15th floor, in just a few hours!

    What a wonderful record!

    ¡°I know it¡¯s hard, but just a little bit more. See that big stone gate over there? If we open it and then lock it, the kobolds won''t be able to get in."

    No answer was heard.

    Maybe it was because they were too tired to even answer.

    We arrived in front of the boss room and opened the stone door and went inside.

    "What? Why isn''t it getting locked? It can still be opened from outside. Hey, Cloud! What happened? Are you sure about what you said?!¡±

    Graveliya, who had closed the stone door and tried to lock it, was perplexed.

    ¡°Oh? Of course I''m, I''m not sleeping. It is supposed to be locked the moment intruders enter.¡±

    Graveliya continued to push the stone gate with a strange expression on her face.

    But the gate didn''t budge.

    "So now what? Imprisoned from both sides?¡±

    ¡°To be precise, it hadn''t locked up.¡±

    Thud!

    Now, it did.

    The 15th floor boss room is in the form of a round corridor.

    A heavy, heaving sound was heard from inside the corridor. Through the darkness that the torch light could not reach, arge figure began to appear, and then it appeared.

    ¨C Crer¡­

    What appeared was a strange kobold.

    About 3m tall, with muscles that fit his size. In his four arms, he was brandishing weapons like blunt hammers, axes, and swords.

    Just by looking at it, it seemed to be way stronger than any normal kobold.

    This is the boss of the 15th floor, King Kobold.

    Maybe it''s because he has four arms, in the game, he was a boss with double chances of action.

    The damage was great too, so it wasn''t a easy boss.

    But this isn''t a game.

    ¡®Um, so one person per arm?¡¯

    With that thought, I turned to the party members.

    They had been chased for hours by the kobolds, and their form was a mess.

    They had wounds all over their body, and blood was dripping from the wounds. But even so, it wasn''t that everyone was totally exhausted or the sound of breathing was low.

    ¡®¡­I think a party raid would be overkill.''

    That would be of course¡ªfun. Unfortunately, not now. I coughed and said to the three.

    ¡°You guys rest for now. I will take care of this one.¡±

    I swung my sword and walked towards the King Kobold.

    * * *

    ¡°¡­wanna just ask one thing.¡±

    Kobold meat was being grilled over the bonfire, when Graveliya suddenly asked.

    ¡°You finally decided to open your mouth. I¡¯ve been feeling lonely, it''s too quiet ever since without your - and chirps.¡±

    ¡°¡­You, if you had that level of skill, why did you stay still when we were chased by kobolds?¡±

    "I didn''t stand still¡­ but I know what you''re trying to say. The reason is simple. I feared one of you would die.¡±

    "What..?"

    Graveliya narrowed her brows as if she didn''t understand.

    ¡°I said, I feared that one of you would die. No matter how strong I am, there''s only one sword I hold. And there were too many kobolds to count. Is there any guarantee one of you won''t die while I kill them?"

    ¡°¡­No.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, now you get it. So stop asking strange things and eat meat. You must have spent a lot of energy running around.¡±

    I handed the meat skewers to Graveliya. These delicious skewers that have just been grilled nicely, with juices dripping down.

    She epted it and asked one more thing, still not eating her food.

    "I''m just asking, do you have any intention of leaving just after this?"

    "No."

    I answered firmly.

    If I was going to quit here, I wouldn''t havee in the first ce. Because every try consumes a chance. There is a lot of potential in this party. There was no reason to quit.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ I see.¡±

    Graveliya nodded her head. Then she ced the meat skewers back on the fire that I had just given to her.

    ¡°Isn''t it already cooked?¡±

    ¡°I will eat in a little while. I still have some energy left to spend.¡±

    ¡°For what?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to have sex with Kyle.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    I beg your pardon?

    Did I hear it wrong?

    ¡°Sex in the dungeon¡­? No, I understand that you guys are a married couple¡­ But, anyway, isn''t this a bit too much?"

    ¡°Why? It''s safe here. And if I don''t have sex, I don''t think this f**king stress will go away soon."

    ¡°Are you two going to do it in the corridors? What about Garuda and me?¡±

    ¡°Of course you two should go.¡±

    ¡°¡­what if there are still kobolds left out here? It''s risky.¡±

    ¡°Well, how about it? You guys are adults, or would you like to do it all together? I''m fine with that."

    No¡­shit

    ¡°You are crazy¡­¡±

    ¡°It''s interesting. Hey, barbo guy, how about you? You agree?¡±

    Graveliyaid her hands on her bulging breasts, showcasing her sex appeal.

    I frowned.

    ¡°Hey, no matter what, Garuda has a family¡­¡±

    "Would."

    ¡°Is this bastard crazy?¡±

    I looked at Garuda with a puzzled expression. He confidently looked into my eyes.

    ¡°You¡­too? Really?"

    ¡°To make things go, smoothly. Rest and entertainment, needed."

    ¡°It¡¯s true about rest and entertainment¡­ but your family? You have a family, dude. Don''t you think if you do this, that sweet family would crumble?¡±

    ¡°Opposite, also true. Has to be done, to keep our party, this new family together.¡±

    Garuda said with a very serious face, without stuttering in a single word of his.

    To keep the family together like this?

    What kind of bullshit is that¡­

    ¡°¡­Hey, isn''t your pretty wife still waiting for you? How would you meet her eyes after this, would you really have no guilt in your heart¡­ so, let''s not, right? I believe not.¡±

    Garuda avoided my gaze.

    Hey, why avoiding it, you punk?!

    Look straight into my eyes!

    ¡°¡­I don''t know anymore. Do what you guys wanna do.¡±

    I sighed and stood up from my seat.

    I huffed and walked out of the corridor.

    Before closing the stone gate, I heard Graveliya''s shout.

    ¡°Don¡¯te in before I say we are done! Don''t dare to peek either~! You missed the chance!"

    I closed the door without answering. Leaning my back against the stone door, I sat down on the floor as if sliding on it.

    ¡°Orgy¡­ Orgy in the dungeon¡­¡±

    This is an insult to the dungeon!

 Chapter 38.1: Dont Work With Adventurers, Please. (7)

    As I waited for my colleagues'' orgy to end, I recalled what had happened yesterday and today.

    Engaging in a fight against the wolf boss while faithfully ying one''s respective role.

    Sharing the loot with a smile after killing the boss through collective effort.

    Being chased by a group of kobolds while screaming andughing.

    The more I thought about it, the more I felt a smile creeping upon my lips.

    ¡®It would have been better if at the end we had done the King Kobold raid together.¡¯

    It''s unavoidable, but unfortunately, it can''t be helped. To be honest, the wolf boss raid wasn''t easy for them either.

    Not to say about a much harder King Kobold raid.

    Maybe, everyone would have faced a more tense situation? Perhaps then, these guys wouldn''t have had the energy left for other misceneous things.

    Ah¡­ the more I think about it, the sadder I get.

    ¡®It''s okay. It''s not like all the bosses have been finished.''

    There are still bosses on the 20th, 25th, and 30th floors.

    From now on, I just need to lower the speed so that the party members can maintain their best condition right before entering the boss room.

    That way, we will be able to raid properly.

    What''s going to happen to this party after getting out of here?

    The end? Last meeting?

    Honestly, that''s a bit disappointing.

    ¡®Maybe I will make a proper party invitation or something like that?¡¯

    If I reveal that I''m a Hero and promise wealth and glory after ying the Demon King, won''t they ept it then?

    I think it''ll be a pretty good ending.

    They''re normal NPCs, so even if their growth potential is low, it''s good enough to use good items or inner cores of beasts to fill in the gaps.

    ¡®But how much longer are these cubs going to have sex?''

    I think it''s been quite a while since I came out.

    There is a degree to which it is done.

    ¡®Did they fall asleep while doing it?¡¯

    There''s a possibility. After being chased by kobolds for a few hours, they must have been quite tired.

    Hah, then I''ve been waiting outside for so long for nothing.

    I groaned inwardly and opened the door.

    Something sharp came aiming for my face.

    Bollocks!

    Startled, I grabbed it.

    * * *

    ¡®Did he catch it?!¡¯

    She kicked him out with low-key words to reduce vignce.

    He opened the stone door and was stabbed by her spear from the blind spot, there was no way he would have known¡­

    Cloud grabbed the spear as if it was natural.

    ¡®What the hell are those monster-like reflexes..?!¡¯

    Graveliya swung the dagger towards his right hand, which was holding the spear de, without leaving him a second to recover. Cloud released his hold on the spear and dodged her dagger, and at the same time, she leapt wide behind, widening the distance.

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    She sent a look to Kyle indicating him to get ready.

    ¡°Don''t worry about me, I¡¯m fine. Our opponent is a strong one. Get ready, it will be a tough one.¡±

    Kyle nodded his head and held out therge shield forward. Graveliya hid behind him, ready to jab her spear through the openings at any time.

    The two were ready to fight at any moment.

    But the opponent didn''t act ording to their thinking.

    He just nkly stared at his palm.

    ¡®¡­Is he poisoned already?''

    To which, Graveliya and Kyle thought of the same thing.

    ¡°What..are you doing?¡±

    A chilling sensation ran through their spines. Cloud''s gaze, peering at them, it was filled with indifference. It was a short time for which they had been together, but that was a gaze they had never seen before.

    They didn''t feel it that way, even when he beat the three of them right after entering the dungeon.

    ¡®Is he that angry?¡¯

    In fact, it''s rather good.

    Because humans consumed by anger are not in the right mind. The situation for the opposition gets better, instead.

    ¡®We just have to hold on until the poison shows its miracle.¡¯

    The poison sheced on her spear was none other than that of a Cockatrice.

    It is a poison that can even kill powerful knights.

    It isn''t instrumental in inflicting deep wounds, but it is enough to weaken the body''s ability.

    Maybe he will just die from poisoning.

    Graveliya forcefully twisted her hardened lips.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you see it? It''s betrayal.¡±

    "Betrayal?"

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a familiar word to you? Hero, Cloud?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°There is no way an A-ss adventurer can kill that huge-ass kobold alone. If you wanted to hide, you should have been a little more professional, Hero-kun. After all, if can''t even do simple things like that, won''t yourpanions leave you? Just like before?¡±

    Having said that, Graveliya looked into Cloud''s eyes. At her provocation, she hoped him to be even more furious, she hoped that he would even lose his mind altogether.

    However, Cloud was the same as when he first looked at the two of them.

    "Betrayal¡­ Betrayal¡­ Betrayal~"

    Cloud, who was muttering alone, smiled.

    ¡°I have really be rather inattentive.¡±

    Although heughed, the heavy atmosphere did not change.

    ¡°Garuda. How''s that guy?"

    "Well..? Haven''t you figured it out already?"

    ¡°I somewhat did.¡±

    Tub. Tub.

    Cloud''s footsteps echoed throughout the corridor. There was no sense of urgency in his steps. As ¡®rxed'' was the atmosphere, just as rxed were his footsteps.

    Graveliya was not attracted to the atmosphere.

    The moment he entered the spear''s range, she red the spear without hesitation.

    ¡®Caught him¡­''

    ¡ªher spear couldn''t catch up to his figure.

    Cloud miraculously avoided the spear with just a single step. The moment her attack failed, his sword moved.

    A silver sword aimed at her neck.

    A thorn-studded great shield blocked it.

    Kang!

    ¡°..!!!¡±

    Kyle frowned.

    Apparently, he blocked the sword, but it was heavy, as if he had blocked some blunt weapon.

    [Smash Strike]-!

    It is a skill that deals double damage of attack power.

    Cloud did not stop the sword.

    [Smash Strike]-!

    [Smash Strike]-!

    [Smash Strike]-!

    [Smash Strike]-!

    [Smash Strike]-!

    Kyle clenched his teeth together and endured the continuous blows. However, his body couldn''t help it, regardless of his will.

    He began to be pushed back little by little.

    ¡°This monster bastard!¡±

    Graveliya stabbed forward with her spear to give Kyle a chance to catch his breath.

    [Piercing Stab]-!

    [Consecutive Stabs x3]-!

    [Consecutive Stabs x6]-!

    [Consecutive Stabs x9]-!

    [Consecutive Stabs x12]-!

    She even tried to shake off Cloud by using linked attack skills.

    But they didn''t bring any help to Kyle.

    Cloud''s sword didn''t stop even as he evaded her spear.

    ¡°Oh my gosh! No matter how monstrous you are, isn''t it too much to jump around like this, and that after being poisoned by a Cockatrice''s poison?!"

    She couldn''t stand her temper and hollered.

    Then, surprisingly, his attacks, which did not stop even to her linked skills, stopped.

    ¡°Oh, so it was Cockatrice''s poison?¡±

    Cloud slit his palm that held her spear de with the sword.

    Slurp-!

    ck blood, not bright red, dripped down from his palm. As the dripping ck blood fell to the floor, bubbles rose with a squeaking noise.

    ¡°Ha¡­ what crazy sh!t is this¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Graveliya and Kyle were at a loss for words at the sight that was too unusual for a human.

    Seeing the ck blood turning to bright red, Cloud raised his sword again, a indifferent smile entrenched on his face.

    * * *

 Chapter 38.2: Dont Work With Adventurers, Please. (7)

    ¡°..!!!!!!!!!!!!!¡±

    One of Kyle''s arms flew off as the sword shed. The remaining of the pair was also blown away in the rigidity of the pain.

    ¡°Kyle!!!¡±

    Graveliya came, jabbing her spear.

    The speed was fast, but the target was not slow either.

    In the motion of flow, I avoided the spear, and skillfully grabbed the spear. Graveliya opened her eyes wide in surprised.

    In response, I naturally kicked on her stomach and made her roll on the floor.

    ¡°..!!!!¡±

    Kyle howled, with his facial muscles bing bestial.

    I just pped him on the neck.

    We don''t need this dumb cub for now.

    ¡°Damn this sh!t!¡±

    Graveliya, who was sent rolling on the floor, injected her strength into her legs as soon as she stood up and swung her fist.

    Commendable. The courage to wield her bare fist at an opponent with a sword.

    In admiration to her courage, I chopped off her swinging arm in return without courtesy.

    As a bonus, her opposite leg was also included right after.

    She wobblingly hopped a few steps back with her remaining leg and then feebly copsed on the floor.

    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand. Why did you betray me?¡±

    I approached her as she copsed on the floor and asked. Sheughed softly.

    ¡°By chance, are you sick in your head? I did it. Of course¡ªbecause you''re a dick."

    ¡°Hm, that''s not new, I guess. Was it because of what happened when we entered the dungeon? I didn''t know, you had such a kiddish mentality?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a joke, you idiot. Would someone like me risk her life just because of something like that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d you still have the energy to joke around. I still do have some questions.¡±

    I stably slumped down right next to Graveliya.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Why do you think I will answer your doubts?¡±

    I took out a potion and showed it to her.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t answer me¡­maybe, I will make you a goblin sex ve?¡±

    ¡°Heh. This is what a Hero is. The world is ruined.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t turn around with your words. Answer, why?¡±

    ¡°Of course, because I wanted to live.¡±

    I frowned. It was still an iprehensible answer.

    Seeing my expression, she giggled and spoke to me.

    ¡°Didn''t you said? This dungeon has 30 floors.¡±

    "I did."

    ¡°We are on the 15th floor right now.¡±

    "Right."

    "Just look at this. We are only halfway here, but we almost dead, didn''t we?"

    ¡°Nope, no one died.¡±

    ¡°It doesn''t matter. It doesn''t matter, because we almost died. I don''t want to die. But you, stronger than the three of us, insists on going downwards to those more dangerous floors. You got your sh*tty answer? In order to survive, I had no f**kng choice but to kill you by surprise, got it?¡±

    ¡°You say you wanted to kill a Hero because you wanted to survive¡­ Isn¡¯t that a bit contradictory? If it''s found out, even if it''s not Prona, in the Empire, or in the other countries¡­ Oh, I don''t need to say this."

    No matter how heinous a crime someonemits, even a treason against humanity of killing a Hero, it doesn''t matter half a penny if one doesn''t get caught.

    And dungeon is the perfect ce to hide murder, arson, and thefts.

    ¡°If you wanted to kill me, weren''t there better ways? Killing me while I''m asleep, or poisoning my food?¡±

    ¡°We all know how to sleep shallowly, right? Even if someone gets a little close, you wake up. Besides, you didn''t eat the meat grilled by us, did you? You first have to give us a chance to do anything!¡±

    ¡­well, I still haven''t broken my old habits.

    ¡°..you didn''t felt any guilt? The suffering that the people of a country who have lost their Hero will suffer.¡±

    ¡°Is that really what the Ipetent Hero should be saying? Rumors have spread that the Hero of Prona is not trustworthy at all, some say that the people of the Kingdom of Prona have already given up on their Hero. The king is also said to be attaching a string with another Hero¡­ you don''t know?"

    ¡°I have no interest in politics.¡±

    "¡­I see. Anyways, that''s the reason I tried to kill you, the Hero. I wanted to live.¡±

    I sighed at her defiant attitude.

    ¡°I didn''t had any intention to let any one of you die. You know I''m strong, right? You also found out that I was a Hero. Then didn''t you had the option to trust me and follow me? If you did, the fame and fortune would be iparable to what it is now¡­¡±

    ¡°Trust the Ipetent Hero? Yo, Mr. Hero, aren''t you too overconfident in yourself?"

    ¡°¡­¡±

    "Tut¡­ Don''t give me that long face. Because I know that even the Ipetent Hero is much more powerful and respectful than the likes of us. Still, wasn''t that just another new road where I would have to still risk my life? So, I was thinking of handing over this dungeon''s location to another Hero. It''s a dungeon that the likes of us can''t raid anyway. Moreover, it''s a dungeon that the Hero Cloud covets, isn''t it? If I hand it over, wouldn''t I at least get the title of a baron?"

    ¡°The more I hear, the more I think you are a f**king b!tch. From the moment I saw the pink hair, I shouldn''t have given my trust. Ain''t gonna believe in pink hair weirdos from now on, or I''ll go crazy. What about Garuda?¡±

    ¡°At first, I was thinking of getting him into our n. But nutheads like him don''t listen. He thought that he can be some great warrior bullsh!t if he follows the Hero. So, I stabbed him with a dagger that was heavily poisoned with Cockatrice poison. He died in less than five minutes, with no dead body left.¡±

    "¡­I''m not sure on how to face Garuda''s family."

    ¡°He is a bastard that will readily have an affair even though he has a decent wife, what do you think? Arr¡­ with such a brain, he was gonna die soon anyways. There, there, Hero-kun, no need to be distressed. Now, why muddle up in past sorrows, can''t you just save me? For the rest of my life, I will only look at Hero-kun.¡±

    ¡°A goblin ve?¡±

    ¡°F**k¡­ just kill me.¡±

    Her face was pale, with a lot of blood drained from her smiling face.

    Looking at her blood that covers the floor, it seems that there is not much time left for her.

    ¡°Ah, before I die, I have something to say to our Ipetent Hero.¡±

    She turned her head to look at the ceiling. Then, she made eye contact with me, she said.

    ¡°It seems to me that there is a virgin flower garden on the head of the Hero. When people be teammates, it is natural to risk our lives for each other and  , eh?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Calm down, dude. Don''t you know you will just be suffering like that? Teammates are just pieces of interests. When you no longer need them, you throw them away. Especially the bastards of adventurers like me.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­But, well, if you want to have a teammate who risks his life for you, there is a way.¡±

    "?"

    ¡°Take away their weakness. Either physical or emotional. And use it. Let''s think. Why did Kyle risk his life to fight for me?¡±

    ¡°You two are a couple, he loves you, pink weirdo.¡±

    ¡°Then did I love Kyle? Love someone who is dumb, unable to speak?¡±

    ¡°You¡­ damn, I really have nothing to say.¡±

    "Hick¡­ haha, our innocent Hero doesn''t know, that''s what the world is all about. Use whatever that''s avable. A tool, is just a tool¡­ don''t give up on using them¡­ that¡¯s¡­ the secret to surviving to the end¡­¡±

    Graveliya''s voice got weaker.

    Soon her eyes darkened.

    I sighed and covered her eyelids.

    Iid down on the floor and looked up at the ceiling.

    There was only the coverage of the expanse of stone ceiling, but my eyes saw something else.

    ¡°Why do I miss you today so much¡­¡±

    The words that Graveliya had said reyed in my head.

    ¨C Take away their weakness. Either physical or emotional. And use it.

    ¨C Use whatever that''s avable.

    ¨C A tool, is just a tool¡­ don''t give up on using them¡­

    ¡°I just wanted to experience that feeling again¡­even if it''s just a little bit¡­ I don¡¯t think that¡¯s possible here.¡±

    If that''s the case, there''s no reason to cling on what''s unachievable.

    A bitterugh escaped my lips.

    Just when I closed my eyes to the ensuing darkness.

    ¨C Cloud, the Imperial Social Banquet will be held soon. Don¡¯t forget to attend.

    Frillite.

    It felt as if her voice was being yed right in my ears.

 Chapter 39.1: Imperial Social Banquet (1)

    The center of the continent.

    An imperial banquet that unfurls in the imperial pce.

    It is a supreme honor for any family just to get an invitation for participation.

    Infinite opportunities open up just by participating.

    This is the Imperial Social Banquet.

    The paramountcy and dominion of aristocrats leading the continent.

    ¡°Did a lot of your friends died while hunting the ogre? That''s just so sad~"

    And, a frivolous man who did not fit into such a noble ce. A handsome man with gorgeous blonde hair and contrasting copper skin.

    The Hero of the Kingdom of Alitia, Gis.

    He crossed his legs and sat in an unbing posture, picking up one of the grapes and put it into his mouth.

    ¡°It was a noble sacrifice. Their sacrifices will be recorded in the history and passed on to the future generations.¡±

    Contrastingly, the man sitting opposite to Gis was perfectly well suited to thevish backdrop of Imperial Social Banquet.

    A handsome man with long, curly hair neatly arranged, exuding the atmosphere of an upright nobleman.

    The Hero of the Kingdom of Carta, Lorian.

    He took a sip from the cup of tea in a gentleman posture.

    ¡°Sacrifice¡­ heh heh, you sure know to wrap it up in flowery words. Well, whatever. But these days, rumors say that your party has still not recovered from the damage taken during the Ogre Subjugation¡­ I was thinking, are the rumors true~?¡±

    Gismpooned while looking at Lorian''s party members busy chating with other nobles.

    They haven''t increased in numbers since the Ogre Subjugation.

    Still, 5 people.

    Eri is actually for handling luggage, so there are only 4 people in actual sense.

    To Gis'' sarcasm, Lorian replied with a smile.

    ¡°I found out that day. It''s better to have apact, small and qualitative group than to increase numbers with mediocre people."

    ¡°Aha, howe your ¡®chip-chip'' tone sounds sarcastic to me?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to, that¡¯s how you feel.¡±

    ¡°Damn, Lorian. As I have said many times, I hate the way you circle up and talk like little girls of your aristocratic ss.¡±

    ¡°Then let me be straightforward. Do it in moderation. Rumor has it that your party already has more than 16 members. Do you just pick up any girl or woman thates to your liking?¡±

    ¡°Nope, the fit between us should be good too. Honestly, the women that I can like are all over the continent. I can''t take all of them with me, so I made apromise, isn''t that rather good enough?"

    Lorian frowned.

    ¡°Then let me ask you one thing. How many of your party members can actually participate in battles?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a lot more than you can fantom. Because everyone is more talented than you think. These b!tches behind me were all in Cloud''s party, weren''t they?"

    Gis pointed his thumb behind his back.

    Behind him stood two beauties.

    Neria, a beautiful girl with short blue hair and the childhood friend of Cloud.

    Ophelia, a beauty with golden blonde hair and emerald eyes, a former teammate of original Cloud''s party and a saintess candidate.

    Unlike his other party members, they were not allowed to act freely.

    In the first ce, they had a different status from other party members in Gis'' party.

    For Gis, they were just trophies.

    Lorian looked at the two women and sighed deeply.

    ¡°You say that after you erase the bruises on the back of her neck.¡±

    "What?"

    Gis turned back to look at his ¡®trophies''. As Lorian said, there was a bruise on the back of Neria''s neck.

    He furrowed his brows.

    ¡°Hey, Ophelia.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes, Hero."

    ¡°Didn''t I clearly told you to make the outside intact?¡±

    "I''m sorry. I couldn''t see it because of the cor."

    ¡°What if you didn¡¯t see it? Do you want to say that it''s my mistake? By the way, what if like Lorian saw it, other nobles saw it too? I''m going to be known as a bastard who abuses his party members¡­ Was that really what you were aiming for? Do you want to get revenge in that way, even if you are timid otherwise, huh?¡±

    ¡°¡­Absolutely not. It was a mistake¡­¡±

    "Shut up. You are toofortable these days, eh? Let''s go back today."

    Ophelia''s shoulders trembled. She lowered her eyes and nodded her head.

    "Understood¡­ Hero-sama¡­"

    ¡°Aren''t you too harsh on them? I may not know about men, but I know you were kind to women.¡±

    ¡°For these back stabbing b!tches who I can¡¯t even f**k?¡±

    Gis wrinkled his brow.

    Lorian gave him an interesting expression.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like you. I thought you would have already yed with them. To be honest, I''m utterly surprised that you still haven''t. I had thought you would have already had your share of fun and would have thrown them off somewhere.¡±

    ¡°ying with a saintess candidate and throwing her off? Ha, you think I''m crazy?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that so?¡±

    ¡°F**k you, Lorian. I have a head too. I have no intention of turning the church into my enemy.¡±

    A saintess must be a virgin.

    If someone steals her virginity before the next saintess is decided, that person will be emunicated and receive a punishment worthy of his crime.

    ¡°So, I will wait until the saintess is decided. After the saintess is decided, I don''t have to look at the face of the church."

    Saintess candidates who are not selected as the saintess are nothing more than just nuns. And if the church had to choose between a Hero and a nun, it would naturally raise its hand in support of the Hero.

    "I see. I think her being a saintess candidate is the reason that stops you, so the other girl¡­ What about her?"

    Gis sighed deeply at Lorian''s words and scratched his head.

    ¡°Damn it, I¡¯ve been busy all this time. Do this, do that. How severe is the interference, you know? Tsk-!¡±

    Moreover, there was also no time to search for that wimpy Cloud.

    So he had asked one of his supporters and his adoptive mother, Haley, to catch him¡­ but was turned down.

    Haley had also instructed him not to engage against Cloud for the time being, which he simply couldn''tprehend.

    ¡®How interesting it is to make fun of that bastard.¡¯

    No matter how much his adoptive mother, Haley, instructed him against it, Gis had no intention of giving up on his own pleasure.

    ¡°So, I came with a lot of anticipation for today. He has been missing for the past few months, but won''t hee to the Imperial Social Banquet anyway?"

    Refusal to attend the Imperial Social Banquet without any good reason is an insult to the Empire and the Emperor who rules it.

    Moreover, it is "the Hero Cloud" who has no political foundation.

    He wouldn''t want to create any further problems for himself. He will probablye unconditionally.

    Gis giggled and whispered into Neria''s ear.

    ¡°Finally, the long-awaited day hase, Neria. The day you will graduate from your virginity status in front of your childhood friend.¡±

    To Gis'' words, Neria could no longer pretend to be calm. Her eyes fluttered like crazy. Her teeth clenched and shed, and her body shook in terror.

    Gis smiled brightly as he watched Neria shivering to her terrible future.

    Like a child who had received a toy as a gift from his parents.

    Lorian was already tired of this, but this time he was more tired of Gis.

    Gis wanted to take pleasure in savoring Cloud''s expression while depriving the innocence of the person he loved right in front of his eyes.

    Not touching her for months just for this show. As always, Gis'' obsession with his twisted desires was abnormal.

    "Uh? Look, Neria! The audience to watch your wonderful maiden pluck show has arrived~!¡±

    Neria turned her head into the direction Gis was pointing at. To the entrance to the Imperial Social Banquet.

    There, a handsome man in a ck tailcoat sauntered.

    An overwhelming handsome appearance that stood out even in the Imperial Social Banquet where there were a lot of handsome men and women.

    It was Cloud.

    ¡®Cloud¡­''

 Chapter 39.2: Imperial Social Banquet (1)

    ¡®Cloud¡­''

    Neria was moved to tears on seeing the face of her childhood friend she had not seen in a really long time. She wanted to run up to him right away and greet him, saying hello.

    But she didn''t deserve it, she didn''t have the strength in her.

    All she was allowed to do was to look at him from far away.

    ¨C Look, look!

    As he walked in, the nobles began to murmur among themselves.

    ¨C Who is that person? Really handsome¡­

    ¨C Which family is he from? Shall we speak with him after a while?

    Some of the young aristocratic girls who were attending the Imperial Social Banquet for the first time spoke admiringly about his appearance.

    But most of the nobles put him down.

    ¨C Well, isn''t it the Ipetent Hero? He has been hiding for months, did he finally decide toe out?

    ¨C The Ipetent Hero? Why is he called that?

    ¨C You don''t know? Though he''s all slick and shiny on the outside, but from inside¡ªweak, weak to the core. Even though he''s a Hero¡­ um, maybe he is even weaker than the newly recruited knight in my house?

    ¨C Well, maybe. But anyway, he''s a Hero.

    ¨C Really? Heh, it doesn''t matter how high the name goes, but the lower blood will always be of those lower runks.

    ¨C Of lower bloodline¡­ I..see.

    Some even openly raised their voices as if to make other''s listen.

    Cloud didn''t care about them and their gossips.

    He just looked around once.

    He didn''t see the one he was looking for.

    ¡®Looks like she hasn''t arrived yet.''

    He let out a small sigh and sat down in a suitable ce. After he got a drink from the waiter, he ordered the dishes and started dinning elegantly.

    Gis looked at him and grinned.

    ¡°Man, our hero is eating alone. He must be lonely. Well then, I will be the one apanying him."

    Gis ambled towards Cloud with a smile on his face and sat down next to him. He patted him on the shoulder and said something.

    Watching this, Lorian smiled.

    Gis'' behaviors are like childish pranks, but it''s different if the person being targeted is Cloud.

    For Lorian, the scene where Cloud and Frillite were shoulder to shoulder was still present in his eyes.

    ¡®She''s not a person that likes of you can touch with those lowly hands.''

    It would be really nice to make youe to your senses properly at this point.

    While was Lorian thinking so.

    Quang-! Clink-! Clink-!

    Gis'' face was nted onto the table.

    The tes on the table broke and fell down, making a ttering noise.

    Cloud raised his left hand, which grabbed onto Gis''s hair.

    The dull-witted expression of Gis who could not understand the situation was engraved into the eyes of the nobles.

    Quang-!

    His face was once again nted onto the table.

    Silence fell over the ce, all over this Imperial Social Banquet.

    * * *

    Gis'' actions were no different from usual. He approached Cloud with a lighthearted attitude and mocked him. He draped his shoulders, disturbed his meal, and undermined his dignity.

    If it was the usual ¡®amodating'' Cloud.

    ¨C Haha, first tell me kiddo, you did the things I asked you to do thest time? Or, do you want to show off what an unruly orphan like you has be, punk?

    He would have epted it as a fun game in a jovial tone. Because that would be more fun.

    However, for some not so good reason, Cloud was not feeling very well right now.

    Cloud grabbed onto the back of Gis'' head with his left hand and mmed it down on the table.

    Quang-! Clink-! Clink-!

    ¡ªfollowed by a loud noise.

    Because of which, Gis could not understand the current situation for a still second.

    Cloud lifted his head.

    Everyone''s figure who was attending the Imperial Social Banquet came back into Gis'' sight.

    Astonishment, surprise, bewilderment.

    The nobles were looking at him with such emotions.

    Quang-!

    It wasn''t until the second time his face was nted onto the table that Gis understood the present situation.

    Heat ran all the way up to his head.

    ¡®T-This trash?!¡¯

    He didn''t know what this p**sy bastard was thinking, but he knew that he was going to make him regret it.

    Gis grabbed Cloud''s wrist, which was pressing down on his head.

    He tried to throw it off¡­

    ¡®What kind of power is this..!?¡¯

    He couldn''t even shake it.

    Ogre''s Glyph.

    Cloud using it had a higher strength stat than Gis. Although it wasn''t a huge difference, it was enough for Cloud to subdue Gis.

    ¡®What the hell is happening..!''

    Gis groaned inwardly and swung his hand towards Cloud''s throat.

    He couldn''t fantom what means this loser bastard used to make himself stronger, but one''s vital points are unavoidable to not be defended. If Cloud''s throat was caught, and he stumbled, he was going to get out of this.

    ¡®Take a taste of hell, b!tch.¡¯

    Don''t think it''ll end up as easily asst time.

    However, his vow couldn''te true.

    The moment he saw Gis'' right hand move, Cloud lifted his hand from Gis'' head and pulled his body back.

    Gis'' hand cleaved through the empty air.

    Before his hand could retrieve itself back, Cloud grabbed Gis'' neck with his right hand. Without giving him a chance, using the power of his whole body, he whanged Gis'' body on the floor.

    Crrrak!!!

    A different level of impact from when Gis was thrown on the table resounded in the whole surrounding.

    ¡°Kuh..!¡±

    The impact Gis'' body suffered was also different from when he was thrown on the table. He felt jolted all around, but it felt the worst in his head.

    Mild concussions.

    Gis couldn''t stand up straight, and that moment was enough for Cloud to get on top of him.

    He smacked Gis'' stomach, followed by his buttocks.

    He interlocked Gis'' elbows along with his knees.

    Leaving no room for resistance.

    In terms of the beast world, he bit on the neck of the prey.

    The game was already over.

    If it were someone else.

    Gis is also a beast, the one you can consider as a viper.

    Even if you bite his neck, his spleen will remain. Gis rolled his tongue and pulled out the saliva he had hidden in his gums.

    It was not just saliva.

    But, Cockatrice poison with dried saliva.

    Cockatrice''s poison is so poisonous that it is only used on enemies one dearly wishes to kill.

    Therefore, it is a poison that should never be used against another Hero, but the current Gis did not care about that.

    There was only one thought in his mind, to bite, chew and defeat the person in front of him.

    He waited for the timing.

    And the moment Cloud was about to m his fist¡­

    ¨C Spit!

    He spitted on the face. Cloud''s face turned back.

    ¡®Done. Bastard, now slowly go to hell.''

    Gis'' face rose for a smile.

    He soon sumbed to embarrassment.

    The saliva he had spit was sandwiched between Cloud''s closed teeth as Cloud looked at him with his head lowered.

    If Gis was a poisonous Salmusa [1], Cloud at this moment was a Honey Badger [2].

    ¨C Spit.

    Cloud''s spit bounced off the marble floor. Gis looked at the saliva that was thrown out with empty eyes, while Cloud continued with moving his fist.

    What followed was unteral violence by the strong.

    The people at the Imperial Social Banquet, all looked at each other, totally overwhelmed by the sight.

    Cloud bashing Gis.

    It was something no one could have ever imagined. The realism never came.

    Meanwhile, Neria came back to her senses.

    ¡®Oh, no..!''

    She undoubtedly felt good for Cloud as he thrashed Gis.

    But, Cloud has no political foundation. There may be Gis'' own fault in this, but the most important thing right now is that there are too many eyes as witness.

    Even those who saw it are, at least, high-ranking nobles of the Empire, those who normally considered Cloud to be an unworthy Hero.

    What kind of aftermath wille to him when this situation gets over¡­

    Neria came up with a terrible thought and ran up to Cloud.

    "Cloud, I know that you''re angry, but calm down. Please?"

    Cloud didn''t stop despite her earnest tone.

    "Cloud! Please, calm down!¡±

    Neria grabbed Cloud''s arm and tried to pry him away from Gis. But his body didn''t move. Not knowing what to do, Neria felt her emotions floating in turmoil, as if she was gonna cry.

    ¡°What kind of fuss is this!!¡±

    Cloud''s fist halted still at the loud shout that came from the entrance of the hall.

    A figure came striding in, tearing through the crowd of nobles who were watching the fight.

    ¡°It''s Gis again, you¡­. Cloud¡­?¡±

    The one who just shouted was none other than Frillite.

    Seeing her, Cloud looked at her and greeted her with a calm smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Frillite.¡±

    [1] Mamushi, also known as Salmusa, is a venomous pit viper species found in Japan.

    [2] As fearless predators, honey badgers won''t hesitate to take down scorpions or venomous snakes for dinner. Even a bite or sting from its prey, such as the highly venomous Cape cobra (Naja nivea), can only temporarily knock out a honey badger.

 Chapter 40: Imperial Social Banquet (2)

    After requesting for consent from other nobles, Frillite withdrew from the banquet with Cloud.

    No matter how high-ranking these aristocrats were, no one dared to raise their voice against her, the heir of the Ducal Perdiac family and the Hero of the Empire.

    Thanks to which, Cloud was able to easily get his leave from the imperial banquet.

    After the two left, the banquet became noisy again. However, the topics they discussed were very different from before.

    ¨C What were you saying? That he may also lose to the newly recruited knight in your house? The knights of your family are great, then. Even a Hero would be so easily defeated.

    -¡­

    Some simply admired the indifference and might shown by Cloud.

    ¨C Is that really the Ipetent Hero? What the hell happened in thest few months?

    Some also wondered about what had happened in the past few months.

    ¨C Maybe¡­ it''s just because it was a surprise attack? Besides, Hero Gis didn''t had any weapon.

    ¨C But, Hero Cloud wasn''t armed either, right?

    ¨C Uh, umh, so do you think Hero Cloud will be able to defeat Hero Gis if he fights properly, with his weapon? Has he shown anything like such in the past?

    ¨C He must have trained a lot with a sense of revenge. I''ve seen plenty of cases like that. A person who has the right motivation is apletely transformed being.

    ¨C Would you like to make a bet, then? I have heard that you recently bought a decent beast ve this time¡­

    ¨C ¡­No, absolutely no. That toy is mine. No more mentioning it.

    Some just thought it was an interesting gossip material.

    The reason why these who had negative views on Cloud showed this attitude was simple.

    This is because Frillite personally led Cloud to leave the imperial banquet.

    Which means that there is a close rtionship between Cloud and Frillite.

    They wanted to avoid harming themselves by meaninglessly gossiping bad about Cloud for no actual gain.

    While the nobles chattered, Lorian recalled the scene he had just seen. Frillite took hold of Cloud''s arm and left the banquet together.

    "I knew there was a friendship between the two," he murmured.

    But he didn''t knew that she would still help Cloud even in this situation.

    ¡®Cloud¡­ you''re ignoring my warning.''

    After tricking Eri into bringing herself into his party, Lorian didn''t care anymore about Cloud.

    Because he wasn''t worth it.

    Cloud was simply no longer worth his attention.

    ¡®The retribution on ignoring my warning¡­¡¯

    ¡ªwill cost you a lot .Lorian vowed to himself.

    Meanwhile, Lorian wasn''t the only one looking at the exit of the banquet from where Cloud and Frillite had left.

    Eri and Neria were included too.

    They were looking at the direction where Cloud had left from with empty expressions.

    While looking at the exit, Ophelia sighed.

    * * *

    A bar with a tenebrous and chummy atmosphere.

    At the long table in the center, a middle-aged bartender was wiping a wine ss, while a man and a woman with identical red hair were sitting in front of him.

    ¡°When I was entering inside the banquet hall, I suddenly heard a lot of noiseing from inside. So, I wondered if Gis was making a riot again. But I never thought, that you were the culprit. Have to say, I was surprised in many ways.¡±

    Among the two, the woman with her long hair tied in a ponytail said, it was Frillite.

    She was wearing the same tailcoat she had worn at the previous imperial social banquet.

    ¡°Put aside how you managed to defeat Gis. Because that''s not what''s important to me right now."

    Frillite''s crimson eyes turned to Cloud.

    ¡°What happened to you?¡±

    "¡­Why do you think something happened?"

    ¡°It just seems so to me.¡±

    "Well, uh¡­ Man, you are too direct.¡±

    Cloud smiled.

    He twirled his wine ss and looked at the sparkling liquor inside.

    ¡°It¡¯s just because I kept thinking about the past.¡±

    "Thinking about the past?¡±

    "Yeah. At times, it was really hard to the point of wanting to die, but looking back, I miss those times.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Perhaps, you would have heard of it before? When people close their eyes, they remember the glory of the past? I sympathize with them, and understand it too. Because, maybe, I''m the same. Even if I try not to think about it, I still think of it, and sometimes I dream. A dream of oveing dangers with teammates whom I can trust.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°So let¡¯s, just pretend to be good with something less, because it is something we will never forget for the rest of our lives. But¡­ even that didn''t go as well as I thought? So, well¡­ I was a little disappointed, that''s all.¡±

    Cloud shrugged his shoulders nonchntly, showing as if it wasn''t that big of a deal.

    Frillite looked at him with hazy eyes. What came to her mind was the past experience at the bar. The sleep talk that Cloud, who was drunk and fell asleep, uttered.

    ¨C Sorry¡­

    ¨C If I had done a little better, even¡­ a little bit better, you¡­

    ¡®Yeah¡­ you didn¡¯t forget those three even back then. The nostalgia seems to have gotten worse.¡¯

    Frillite''s mouth closed shut.

    The hasty words of constion seemed more pernicious. But no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn''te up with effective words offort.

    So, there was a moment of silence between the two.

    It was Cloud who broke the silence. He asked, ncing at Frillite.

    ¡°Frillite, can I ask you just one thing?¡±

    ¡°Ask anything.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ I mean. I mean, if there''s something I need your help with. But it''s very dangerous, so much that I can''t even guarantee that you will be able to save your life. If I asked for help in such a situation, will youe?¡±

    "Of course."

    An answer without even the slightest hesitation.

    Cloudughed.

    ¡°Yeah, you are a person like that. Thanks for answering me.¡±

    He looked away from Frillite and began pouring new wine into the ss.

    Frillite tilted her head.

    ¡°You seem to be misunderstanding something.¡±

    "Yes?"

    ¡°Did you think that I would risk my life to help anyone?¡±

    ¡°No, not for anyone. But, don''t you, as a knight, follow the knight''s code of chivalry? So¡­"

    ¡°As you said, I am a knight. A knight and the only heir to the Duke of Perdiac, and a Hero of the Empire. I know my position, my role, and my responsibilities.¡±

    Cloud gave her a questionable gaze.

    ¡®You still don''t understand¡­''

    Frillite sighed and continued.

    ¡°I have never promised anyone that I would risk my life for them, to no one. It''s the first time I have made such a promise."

    Cloud stared nkly at Frillite for a moment. Then he burst out loud, suddenlyughing out loud like a madman.

    Frillite blushed slightly at him.

    ¡°W-What! At best, I''m caring about my f-friend, so why are youughing?! Are you kidding me?!¡±

    Cloud grabbed his stomach and desperately tried to stop hisughter. He said as he looked at Frillite with his smiling face.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that I feel like I was an a**hole until now. Something that was right next to me, I was finding it all over. I''m really, haha."

    His expression, which was full of fits ofughter, gradually turned into a warm smile.

    ¡°Frillite, can I borrow your shoulder?¡±

    "Shoulder? Well, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    Why is he all of a sudden asking to have a shoulder-to-shoulder?

    Frillite wondered to herself.

    But she soon realized that she was wrong.

    "Cloud?"

    "Yes?"

    ¡°..I thought it was shoulder-to-shoulder likest time, why are you leaning your head on me?¡±

    Cloud rested his head on her shoulder instead of putting his arm around her shoulder.

    ¡°Did I ever say it was shoulder-to-shoulder?¡±

    ¡°Cloud, no matter how much I''m unknown to matter between friends, I know that this is what lovers do.¡±

    ¡°Well, is that so? Hell, who make thatw! Besides, you agreed to lend me your shoulder earlier, didn''t you? Aren''t you both agreeing and disagreeing with the same mouth?"

    "You sure do know how to y with words¡­ Whoo, do whatever you want."

    In the end, Frillite left Cloud''s head resting on her shoulder.

    Because she honestly didn''t mind it either.

    It was when the ¡°resigned¡± Frillite was sipping on her wine again.

    ¡°But there was one."

    Cloud muttered softly.

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    ¡°Thank you. And your shoulders are cozy.¡±

    "Really? I thought it would be stiff because of my muscle training.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s veryfortable. If I didn''t know it was your shoulder, maybe, I would have even fallen asleep like this?¡±

    ¡°I want to see how you will look like then, haha. If that happens, I have to carry you to your bed, but I don¡¯t know where your bed is.¡±

    ¡°Want me to show you?¡±

    "Never mind. Come on, have a drink.¡±

    ¡°Hoho.¡±

    The two start drinking quietly again.

    Cloud asked quietly when another bottle of wine was finished.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it difficult for me to travel with you?¡±

    ¡°It will be. Regardless of whether you can keep up with my schedule, other kingdoms will protest. It''s not about maintaining neutrality, it''s about their personal interests, they won''t want any other kingdom to solely receive another Hero''s favour, support, or anything like that."

    ¡°Well, even if you didn¡¯t have that intention, it would look that way. Too bad. I wanted to travel with you.¡±

    ¡°It''s just a trip. It is also possible after defeating the Demon King.¡±

    ¡°After defeating the Demon King, you will have to take over your family. Where will you have the time to travel?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a honeymoon? How about going around the continent at least once with a little grandeur?¡±

    Cloud rolled his eyes. Then heughed.

    ¡°Wow, I didn¡¯t expect that from you, Frillite. You have improved a lot, too.¡±

    "Really? Well, apanying you, I have also picked one or two of your skills. Rather than that, it appears that your difficulties with finding teammates is quite serious, seeing that you even want to travel with me. How about it, as I mentionedst time, to have the talents of the Empire as your teammates?¡±

    Cloud waved his hand.

    "Never mind. Because it seems like everyone here is the same, except for you. I¡¯ll just recruit my teammates from the guys I know.¡±

    ¡°You know?¡±

    "Yeah, the people I''m well-informed about. Ah, let''s talk on what we were talking about at the beginning. Man, I was never so emotional type of guy.¡±

    Cloud scratched his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m d that your energy is back. And back to the beginning¡­ What was your original intention?"

    Cloud grinned at Frillite''s question.

    "Secret."

    Frillite''s brows speechlessly furrowed.

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 41.1: Imperial Social Banquet (3)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    ¡°Kuuck..!¡±

    After being kicked in her stomach, Neria let out a short moan. It felt harder to breathe. She sped onto her stomach and tried hard to breathe.

    But Neria''s pain was not in Gis'' consideration.

    He kicked, trampled and kicked Neria again.

    A heartfelt beating by a Hero who''s level was approaching in itste 40s.

    As a level 30, all Neria could do was to be heedful so that his attacks won''t break her bones or damage her inner organs.

    ¡°Sh!t! F**k! F**k! F**k!¡±

    One kick, one vulgarity.

    Neria''s body was getting more and more battered.

    "Stop it! She will really die!¡±

    Ophelia, who couldn''t stand it anymore, grabbed Gis by his arm and tried to pull him away.

    ¡°Let go, you slut!¡±

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    As Gis swung his arm, she couldn''t stand his strength and was flung away. Thud! She was powerlessly thrown out, her back mming against the table.

    ¡°Ouch¡­¡±

    ¡°Ophelia!¡±

    ¡°Where are you going, you damn b!tch?!¡±

    Gis grabbed Neria by her hair as she tried to run to Ophelia.

    Gis pulled Neria''s hair, making her look straight into his face.

    His expression was horribly contorted with anger.

    "Hey. Why the hell was that bastard able to change so much? What did I do to end up being beaten by a bastard like that?! Huh? Tell me, did you help that bastard without my knowledge? Come on, tell me, did you steal my item and gave it to him, huh?¡±

    ¡°Leave me..!¡±

    Puck. Gis didn''t dodge to Neria''s punch. He ran his thumb over the area he was punched by Neria. His lips were slightly parted, and there was blood on his fingers.

    ¡°Ha¡­ Haha¡­ Cloud-! After that bastard, the likes of you are going to make a mockery of me? The bugs like you two?! Haha, haha, hahhaha. Your maidenhood was nned to be saved until I did it in front of Cloud, but you know what? I''m just going to pluck it right now. I''ll exin the details to that bastardter."

    Gis grabbed onto Neria''s hair and started walking.

    Neria resisted, but there was an overwhelming difference in strength between her and Gis.

    She was dragged along like a mop sweeping the floor.

    Just when Gis opened the door to head out.

    ¡°That¡­ Hero¡­?¡±

    Outside the room stood a real member of Gis'' Party. Gis frowned as he spoke in displeasure.

    "What?"

    ¡°No, that¡­ Until now, I have only healed the skin and muscle injuries of the Hero. The injuries of the internal organs are yet to be treated¡­ I need to look into it a bit more."

    ¡°Wasn''t it already treated before?¡±

    ¡°That¡­ it was still in treatment stage, but the Hero suddenly ran out¡­¡±

    ¡°Hah, f**k it!¡±

    Gis scratched his head fiercely. He warned Neria while throwing her away.

    ¡°Wait here. I''ll being soon. Don''t even think about running away. If you get caught, you know what will happen.¡±

    Gis ignored Neria and Ophelia, and left the room with his party member.

    "Neria¡­ are you all right¡­?"

    Ophelia ignored the throbbing pain on her back and approached Neria with her head bowed.

    She was about to put her hand on Neria''s shoulder for treatment.

    Neria grabbed onto Ophelia''s hand.

    ¡°Ophelia, let¡¯s run away.¡±

    "¡­uh? Run away? But, where..?"

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to Cloud. Things will go back to the way they were.¡±

    "Neria¡­"

    Ophelia felt sorry for Neria, and her trembling voice that wasced with hope.

    That day.

    It was from that day, from when Cloud and the girlspletely separated.

    Gis'' attitude towards them changedpletely.

    At first, he started by harassing them lightly, but the intensity slowly grew stronger. Later, even if he felt a little offended, he started beating them.

    asionally he threw things like food waste and even instructed them to lie down and eat like a dog.

    Beatings and insults.

    It has be their daily routine.

    It was natural to leave the party in face of such situation, but it was impossible.

    Because Gis had no intention of letting them go.

    When they would go to bed after such a painful day, Neria would often talk to Ophelia about her childhood.

    She would recall the memories she had made with Cloud.

    Neria''s face literally glowed when she talked about her memories with him. In the middle of which, she would not have a dull face like normal times, but an expression full of longing, sadness, and joy.

    Whenever she was in a good mood, she would pull out items containing her memories with Cloud and show them to Ophelia.

    A wooden dolphin figurine.

    An object that Cloud''s father had made for her and him before his disappearance. A figurine that only two people in the world shared. She regarded it as an irreceable treasure.

    And that figurine was soon discovered by Gis and shattered by his foot.

    Ophelia would never forget the expression Neria made that day.

    Although she somehow joined it together with some adhesive, she didn''t get out of the gloom for a while.

    Whenever she saw Neria like that, Ophelia would often fall in her own thinking.

    Although she is a messenger of the Goddess, it is natural that she shall be punished for failing to ovee the temptation and desire.

    But what about Neria?

    What did she do to deserve this punishment, this suffering?

    Is this reasonable?

    She did not doubt the existence of the Goddess.

    The existence of the Goddess has already been revealed and verified through various happenings.

    However, is it really like the church says, is Goddess really just, and does she really gives retribution to the evil?

    If not, is she just¡­ throwing a tragic fate on nice people, for her own fun and enjoying it?

    Such a sphemous thought often arose in her mind.

    ¡°Ophelia, you saw it too. How Cloud beat Gis. Now we don''t have to worry anymore. Now, we can go back to the old days..!¡±

    Saying that, Neria had a desperately hopeful expression on her face.

    Ophelia understood her feelings. But she was skeptical of what Neria said.

    ¡®Is it really possible?¡¯

    As Neria said, Ophelia also saw Cloud at the imperial banquet.

    Even though it was a surprise attack and there were no weapons involved, Cloud overwhelmed Gis.

    While armed, Gis may lead. Still, Gis won''t be able to bully Cloud as tantly as he used to.

    Because now, Cloud is also capable of resistance.

    But there is one thing more important than that.

    ¡®Will Hero really ept us?¡¯

    If it was the Cloud Neria knew, then he would ept them unconditionally.

    Without thinking about the wounds they inflicted?

    The Cloud they knew was such a person.

    Yet like it or not, Cloud has changed.

    She could tell it just by looking at his brief appearance at the Imperial Social Banquet.

    ¡®Because I''ve never seen Hero with such a scary expression¡­''

    Cloud is a human, so, of course, he also gets angry.

    Especially when innocent people were eaten by monsters or killed by bandits, he would get particrly enraged.

    On the other hand, the behavior he showed at the imperial banquet waspletely different from before. He must have been angry, but it wasn''t like hot fire. Rather, it was like a sharpened sword.

    A razor-sharp sword that felt like it will split his opponent in two halves at any moment.

    It was an emotion that they hadn''t seen in the past him.

    ¡®Even if the Hero forgives us and epts us¡­¡¯

    Can we really go back to the way we were before..?

 Chapter 41.2: Imperial Social Banquet (3)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    Cloud of the past liked Neria.

    Anyone who was by Cloud''s side would know, unless they were an idiot. Because he would change his judgment at every single word from Neria.

    In fact, one could even say that he took Neria as the actual leader of the party.

    So how about the Cloud at the banquet?

    Aside from ignoring Neria''s earnest plea, didn''t hepletely treated her like a stranger?

    But the same person, when he heard Frillite''s voice, stopped at once.

    Neria, who was screaming desperately next to him, was ignored while he warmly greeted Frillite.

    After which, he was led away by her. Unlike Neria, when he was led by Frillite, he did not resist at all.

    This meant that Neria was no longer the top priority in Cloud''s mind.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know what happened between the two of them¡­¡¯

    It was certain that Frillite would take the former ce of Neria.

    And there''s no way that Neria didn''t notice that, she knew it even better than Ophelia. She was just ignoring it.

    Ignoring the cruel reality.

    "¡­okay. Let''s go, Neria."

    Ophelia decided to follow Neria, even if she suffered retaliation from Gister.

    Tofort her by her side when she was desperate, when she had to face the reality.

    ¡­to make her avoid making extreme choices.

    * * *

    Cloud didn''t stay in the Imperial Pce.

    So, it took quite a while to find him. Because the only lead they had was to depend on the poor memory of some drunkards.

    Still, they were finally able to find him.

    He was staying at a shabby inn, far away from the Imperial Pce.

    It was totally inconceivable that he chose to stay in a ce like this instead of the Imperial Pce, but that wasn''t the point.

    The important thing was that they found Cloud.

    Neria''s nervous heart was pounding.

    What should I say? Should I apologize first? What if Cloud resents me? Etc.

    Several thoughts galloped in her mind.

    ¡®¡­it''s not the moment to waste time.¡¯

    After taking a few deep breaths and appeasing her mind, Neria knocked on the door of Cloud''s room.

    ¨C Knock, knock

    Rattle.

    The door opened as soon as the knock sounded.

    Cloud rubbed his eyes as if he had just woken up from sleep.

    Neria was startled by the sudden opening of the door, but she tried to calm her startled emotions and spoke to him.

    ¡°Ah, hello, Cloud¡­¡±

    She said in a tone that felt like a snail''s crawling. Cloud tilted his head.

    ¡°Neria¡­ Ophelia? What are you guys doing here at this hour?"

    A calm tone without any extra emotion.

    Ophelia realized that she was right. Just when she wanted to figure out how toterfort Neria.

    ¡°I knew, you would.¡±

    Neria and Ophelia hardened at the voice that came from the stairs on the second floor.

    Their heads slowly and mechanically, turned to the side.

    ¡°I don''t understand why you guys are so afraid. I mean, I guess, you could have lived like that for the rest of your life."

    Crunch.

    He climbed the stairs and smiled at them.

    Cloud looked at Neria, Ophelia, and Gis alternately.

    He yawned profusely, as he interjected.

    ¡°This ce is small, let¡¯s go out and talk. My room has not much space either.¡±

    * * *

    I had an inkling that something like this might happen.

    I''d seen Eri being treated with a cold shoulder at Lorian''s party, and the look on her face I saw briefly at the imperial banquet seemed to say, ¡®I''m being abused!''

    But damn it, there is no way I could have thought that they woulde sote at night, and like this!

    Maybe it''s because they''re chad fantasy people, they don''t seem to know about manners~

    ¡°So, what do you think? I have brought all my equipments to meet you, when you saw me like this, you were scared, right?¡±

    Just ten meters away.

    Gis, who was fully armed, ¡°teased¡± with a giggle.

    I wasfortably sleeping, and then I was woken up, is that why you are so happy, you punk?

    This is unfair.

    At the very least, this bastard, this a**hole, mustn''t be happy. Just like me now!

    ¡°Tut, you didn''t change your habit of holding a b!tch in front of you like a shield? When I see a bastard like you, who has no power and only knows to hide under skirts¡­¡±

    ¡°Gis, I know, your mother is a prostitute.¡±

    "¡­what?"

    In an instant, the smile disappeared from his face.

    It didn''tst long.

    Because he had another smile on his face.

    ¡°Ahhh, you have really changed a lot, haven''t you? In the past, I would have never imagined you answering with something like that¡­¡±

    ¡°I also know that you are a real bastard who ran out of the house tired of the fact that your mother was a prostitute.¡±

    Little by little, the smile on Gis'' face began to disappear.

    ¡°Did you grow guts from just what happened in the banquet? Just because you seeded in a surprise attack doesn''t mean you''re stronger than me¡­"

    ¡°Your poor mother. Even at this moment, she must be shaking her head and worrying about her only son. Always, for her son who~ Ah, she might forget you on some moments when making love with some maximal c**k.¡±

    Now, on Gis'' face, there was no sign of a smile. He stared at me with a fiercely distorted expression.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to cut off your limbs and throw them away as pig food. When your limbs are torn, and you can''t even move¡­¡±

    ¡°Your mom, how much does she charge for an hour?¡±

    ¡°You motherf**ker!¡±

    Gis unfurled the chain scythe in his hands.

    Just as I was about to draw my sword.

    Pak!

    Arge bay flew in between me and Gis and stuck on the floor. Thereafter, Frillitended next with a greatsword, with long spears levitating behind her.

    ..?

    ¡°Frillite? Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°I was waiting around to see if something like this would happen. It was good that I stayed.¡±

    She said as she easily pulled out her bay, half-studded into the ground.

    I asked her carefully.

    ¡°¡­Did you hear that?¡±

    ¡°Well, I did. It appears to me that alcohol has made your mouth low. I didn''t know it when I was drinking along with you, but seeing it myself, I know it now."

    Nodding her head, she directly looked at me.

    ¡°Vulgarnguage demeans the speaker. I don''t want your dignity to be degraded. From now on, drink ale with a lower alcohol content instead of wine.¡±

    "No, but¡­Ale is just so tasteless¡­¡±

    ¡°Again, I don¡¯t want you to demean yourself.¡±

    Frillite dangerously narrowed her gaze.

    "¡­alright."

 Chapter 42.1: Imperial Social Banquet (4)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    Gis couldn''tprehend the current situation.

    He was about to inflict terrible despair on that cheeky Cloud bastard.

    Suddenly, Frilite appeared, ignored him, and got busy talking with Cloud.

    The attitude ofpletely disregarding him made Gis feel incensed, and a twisted ¡®tic'' appeared on his forehead.

    ¡°You bastards¡­!¡±

    As soon as the swear word was spit out, the eyes of the two Heroes turned to him.

    "Gis. Tell me, why are you doing this? There is nothing good for you in this, if you try to do more than what has already happened, you will make the situation worse.¡±

    ¡°There''s nothing good? Why not? Watching that bastard get f**ked makes me feel damn good.¡±

    ¡°But I won¡¯t let that happen. My meaning is simple, if you don''t want to get in trouble, go back."

    ¡°If I don¡¯t want to get in trouble, I should go back..huh? I know why you''re behaving like this. You''re trying to strike a bnce between us Heroes in order to continue that old tradition. Normally, I would have been forced to step back even though I was displeased. But now I feel like¡­¡±

    Gis let out a sly smile.

    ¡°I don''t wanna!¡±

    Whirlik! Whirlik!

    The chain scythes spinned with his arm movement and flew towards Frillite.

    Frillite observed the flying chain scythe and added strength to her hand gripping the bay.

    ¡°I thought that one day, I will have to strengthen the discipline of the Heroes who would bex in their behavior, but to think that¡­ today will be the day.¡±

    Frillite swung her sword horizontally.

    She swung it while wielding it in one hand at unbelievable speed.

    Kagang-!

    The flying chain scythe bounced off. Gis used the snap of his wrist to flick the chain movement. The waves moved along the chain.

    The chain scythe, which was bounced off, once again aimed at Frillite.

    Gis ced his hands between his arms and pulled out daggers through the gap between his knuckles. As he swung his arms, eight daggers walloped towards Frillite.

    Of course, the daggers wereced with a highly venomous poison.

    Frillite marked the chain scythe and daggersing towards her.

    Hah¡­ She took a deep breath.

    She lowered the tip of her sword. Then, she simultaneously oscited the mana inside her body.

    Her mana, which began to oscite inside her, soon affected her surroundings as well.

    A famous skill of the Perdiac family.

    [Radiant Wave]-!

    A red river of energy with ginormous churns.

    Katk-!

    The ground Frillite stood on was hollowed. With that, the ground around her proximity began to rupture.

    Daggers, which were aiming at her, were splintered and scattered everywhere by force. The chain scythe, made of a special material, bounced off without suffering the same fate. However, it could not escape the fate of being severely damaged.

    ¡°¡­After all, it¡¯s Frillite. I''m not lucky, but I''m not going to get defeated by just one skill."

    Gis scrutinized at the chain scythe''s broken de with a disappointed expression.

    Soon, a hippie smile returned to his face.

    ¡°Because I¡¯m not who I used to be!¡±

    Hank-!

    The chain scythes intertwined with each other and whizzed in a straight line towards Frillite.

    The entangled chains imbued with green mana looked like two menacing snakes.

    Frillite raised her sword upwards. A reddish ck energy coated her sword. As she swung her sword down, the crescent-shaped crimson sword wave severed the two snakes apart.

    With the snakes severed to their tail ends in a snap, the figure of Gis was nowhere to be seen.

    ¡°Didn''t I tell you? It will be different from before.¡±

    Frillite heard Gis'' voice from her own lower right direction.

    She tilted her head backwards by an inch .

    A colorful dagger of orange and ck pierced through the spot where her cheek had been.

    ¡°It¡¯s a dagger crafted from Wyvern¡¯s teeth. Even iron can be easily ripped apart. Not to mention a human''s body¡­ Oh, don''t worry. I''m not going to kill you."

    [Reaper''s Strike]-!

    A blow intertwined with malice struck her.

    * * *

    [Gis used Reaper''s Strike.]

    [Frillite evaded the attack.]

    [Gis used 4 consecutive Reaper''s Strike.]

    [Frillite evaded the attack.]

    [Frillite evaded the attack.]

    [Frillite evaded the attack.]

    [Frillite evaded the attack.]

    [Gis umted to use 44 consecutive Reaper''s Strike.]

    [Gis'' attack power has greatly increased.]

    [Gis'' uracy has greatly increased.]

    [Half of Gis'' HP has been consumed.]

    [All of Gis'' MP has been consumed.]

    [Gis used 44 consecutive Reaper''s Strike.]

    [Frillite evaded the attack.]

    [Frillite evaded the attack.]

    [Frillite evaded the attack.]

    [Frillite evaded the attack.]

    [Frillite evaded the attack.] . . . . . [Frillite evaded the attack.]

    [Gis fell into Weakness State.]

    * * *

    As expected by Gis, Frillite was strong.

    She avoided him easily, as if she knew where he would attack.

    All upto the next 4 consecutive attacks.

    Just like in the past, she was a woman against whom they weren''t capable of winning even if he, Lorian, and Cloud attacked together.

    ¡®Yes, she has to be of this level to give a meaning of defeating her.¡¯

    Only if Frillite is defeated, will he be the greatest Hero on the continent, in both name and reality.

    Then, no one will be able to meddle in what he does.

    The smile did not disappear from Gis'' face.

    Even though his attacks couldn''t even touch Frilite''s figure right now, it was okay.

    Because he had a trump card on him.

    44 consecutive Reaper''s Strike.

    It was a skill he had learned from a now retired, legendary assassin.

    Gis might not have been able to see even his shadow in this lifetime, but he had the strong support of his adoptive mother and the Zarakh Society to which she belonged.

    ¡®Even if it''s Frillite, as long as she is human, she won¡¯t be able to dodge this.¡¯

    Because this skill was created by the legendary assassin only to kill humans.

 Chapter 42.2: Imperial Social Banquet (4)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    Gis made preparations in advance to use the 44 consecutive Reaper''s Strike.

    This skill is very powerful, but at a cost.

    It is a skill that reduces your consciousness by half and explodes all the energy present inside your body tounch 44 consecutive strikes instantly.

    Gis'' eyes were filled with murderous intent.

    His heart was beating fast, and his blood began to pump rapidly.

    Preparationplete!

    Now all he has to do is to pour it all out.

    ¡°Try to avoid this too, Frillite!!!¡±

    Gis, who was half-conscious, buried in murderous intent, poured out an onught of merciless attacks on Frillite.

    It was destructive and savage, and, ironically, beautiful.

    10th strike.

    26th strike.

    Even after the 37th strike.

    His dagger still couldn''t even touch Frillite''s shadow. She was dodging his attacks as nimbly as before.

    Gis was greatly embarrassed by that.

    He knew that there was a gap between Frillite and himself.

    But it was this much?

    So much that he couldn''t leave a scratch on her, even after giving his all?

    "Don''t think that''s it!¡±

    Gis continued his streak by further abusing his tired body. The rest of the attacks became sharper than before, but that''s all there was to it.

    Even though Gis'' 44th consecutive Reaper''s Strike was over, Frillite didn''t shed a single drop of blood.

    "Damn it¡­ F**k¡­!"

    Having expended all his strength, Gis ced his hands on his thighs and took deep gasps. He no longer had the strength to even hold the dagger''s hilt.

    ¡°Is that all?¡±

    Gis raised his head.

    Frillite, who did not show a single expression throughout the fight, now did.

    ¡°It was okay.¡±

    She looked down at Gis with a calm expression.

    Cruuch-!

    Gis grinded his teeth.

    ¡°This bi-¡±

    Just when he was about to squeeze out thest bits of power he was holding onto, and attack Frillite.

    He felt a massive impact on his stomach.

    He flew back and miserably rolled on the ground.

    ¡°Gakh¡­!¡±

    With just one kick.

    Gis fell over and couldn''t get up.

    The reason was simple.

    It was because the moment Frillite kicked Gis, a wave of strong energy cascaded into his body.

    You have to react to energy with energy.

    Exhausted and weary, Gis couldn''t respond, and as a result his organs were severely damaged.

    Tuk. Tuk. Tuk.

    Frillite slowly walked towards Gis who was struggling on the floor. She stepped on Gis'' chest as he tried to stand up somehow.

    ¡°Ugh!!¡±

    Blood spurted out of Gis'' mouth with a groan. Either way, Frillite also trampled on his arms.

    Cluck-!

    His arms were clearly broken.

    Gis'' painful groan grew stronger, but Frillite didn''t care. She said, still looking down with an indifferent expression.

    ¡°Not a single thing has changed from before, Gis. You are still full of holes. As I thought, you must have neglected your training because you were totally drunk on your promiscuous lifestyle.¡±

    ¡°Shut up¡­ Shut up¡­¡±

    ¡°You have been harassing innocent women and intimidatingmon people''s wives. You had a journey where you didn''t show one single characteristic that matches up to your identity as a Hero. Still, I didn''t give you a heavy warning. Do you know why?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m not even curious, damn¡­¡±

    ¡°Because you are a Hero. I had previously sworn to uphold the tradition of the Heroes. So, I was reluctant to quarrel with another Hero. I feared that if I intervened, it will be difficult to keep my oath. By the way¡­"

    Frillite sighed and shook her head.

    ¡°Looking at you now makes me skeptical. I shouldn''t have made that oath."

    ¡°Cough, haha¡­ Then, I should thank you. You are not exining to me in such detail¡­ to just kill me¡­"

    "Yeah, I''m not going to kill you. I will not punish you for your arrogant behavior as long as you don''t cross the line. To keep my oath.¡±

    ¡°Great.. Cough, cough¡­ Thank you so much.. ha ha..¡±

    ¡°However, after defeating the Demon King as per the tradition, what if peacees back to the continent? Should I keep you alive then? A parasite that does not contributes to the peace, but rather eats the continent?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Gis'' expression hardened.

    Frillite released the strength from her foot that was pressing on his chest.

    ¡°I left your legs behind, so you should be able to walk. Get back to your residence on your own.¡±

    Frillite turned her back on Gis. He muttered under his breath, staring at her back.

    "B!tch¡­ Do you think you would be able to do the same¡­after I have the power to defeat the Demon King? You and that Cloud bastard¡­ Before defeating the Demon King, I''ll¡­"

    ¡°Oh, I forgot to add something.¡±

    Suddenly, Frillite turned back and strode towards Gis.

    She held her sword upside down and stuck it neatly into Gis'' stomach.

    ¡°Ahhhhhhhhh!!!¡±

    F**k Off! F**k Off! F**k Off!

    Youir! You said you won''t kill!

    You two bastards are exactly the same!!!

    Gis screamed both from his mouth and in his heart.

    Frillite added what she had forgotten.

    ¡°If therees a time when I have to break my oath to protect what and whom I treasure, I will dly do it. I hope you can understand. Hero, Gis.¡±

    Slurk-!

    Frillite drew out her greatsword.

    It was pulled out so neatly that Gis'' guts couldn''t even feel the movement.

    She retrieved a potion from in between her arms and sprinkled it on Gis'' punctured stomach.

    ¡°It is a high-quality potion even among advanced ones. Don''t worry, you won''t die, when you get back, get the treatment from your party members."

    ¡°Ahhhh¡­ Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!! F****k!!¡±

    Gis let out a terrifying scream filled with terrible pain because of the grantion of new tissues.

    This time, Frillite really turned her back on Gis.

    ¡°Frillite.¡±

    Cloud, leaning against the pir at the entrance of the inn, called out her name. Frillite rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Cloud, can you grow your sense of danger? You don''t know just how dangerous the situation was for you. Thankfully, you didn''t get injured by the flying daggers'' fragments¡­¡±

    ¡°I am afraid of you.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Frillite''s mouth was tightly shut.

    She felt slightly hurt.

 Chapter 43

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    ¡°Come on, it was a joke. Don''t be pissed.¡±

    ¡°I''m not.¡±

    If you were not pissed, you would surely not carry an expression like that on your face.

    Just as I was contemting how to soothe Frillite''s mood. She took in a deep breath.

    ¡°By the way, what do you n to do with those two?¡±

    ¡°Those two¡­I guess, you are talking about Neria and Ophelia?¡±

    "Yup. Now that Gis has lost so much, it will be impossible for the two of them to return to their original position. If they go back, there''s nothing but hell waiting for them. The best solution would be to put them in a safe ce where Gis wouldn''t be able to touch them¡­"

    Frillite was seriously thinking about the uing situation for Neria and Ophelia.

    But, I had my thoughts.

    ¡°Can¡¯t I take them to apany me? What''s the problem with that?¡±

    ¡°Of course¡­ um¡­? Wait, are you¡­?"

    Perhaps she guessed what I meant by looking at my expression, Frillite narrowed her eyes. When I said nothing, she shook her head with a serious expression.

    "That isn''t possible. I know you miss the past, Cloud. But the past is just the past. It¡¯s about looking at reality with a cool head.¡±

    ¡°What are you so worried about?¡±

    ¡°Listen. Although they might not be able to return to Gis after all this. Because I''m apprehensive of his retaliation against them. However, if they be yourpanions, the story changes. Gis will use them to make more problems for you. I know why you choose to forgive them, but¡­ they have already betrayed you once. So is there any guarantee that they won''t betray you twice?"

    ¡°Oh, was that what you were worried about? Are you afraid that I will be betrayed once again, and falter? If that¡¯s the case, you don¡¯t have to worry.¡±

    As I spoke out my mind, Frillite''splexion hardened even more.

    "Cloud, I know. Everything''s difficult the first time.¡±

    ¡°No, that''s not what I mean. Even if they betray me again, it won''t pose any obstacle or difficulties for me. Didn''t I tell you before?¡±

    I flicked my finger and tapped on Frillite''s forehead.

    ¡°Everyone is the same except for you. The only one I believe in here is you, Frillite.¡±

    She widened her eyes and looked at me nkly. Then, with her head, she swung her body toward the entrance of the inn.

    ¡°All right! Then feel free, and you do you¡­¡±

    "Wait a moment."

    I grasped Frillite''s wrist as she was about to leave.

    ¡°W, What!¡±

    "If I''m not mistaken¡­ I''m sure your face just reddened a little?"

    ¡°You are wrong!¡±

    "Really?"

    "Yeah, of course! If there''s nothing else, I''ll be going. Bye.¡±

    ¡°No, actually, I have something to tell you.¡±

    I don''t know if it''s because of the mood, but Frillite''s wrist that I was holding on to trembled.

    ¡°Can you help me to protect Neria and Ophelia for a while? I have to go out for a while, but I don''t know what kind of tricks Gis will y while I''m outside."

    ¡°Ah¡­ that''s true. I get it. Don''t worry, I won''t let that happen.¡±

    Frillitte turned her face again and nodded her head with her usual expression.

    ¡°Oh, and I¡¯m just asking because I¡¯m curious, what are you going to do after this imperial banquet is over?¡±

    "After the imperial banquet is over? I''ll probably go to the eastern part of the Empire. A report came in that an Apostle of the Evil God was sighted. I''ll most likely have to eliminate him."

    ¡°Evil God? Apostle?"

    Dafuq, what is that?

    Why haven''t I heard of it in the game?

    "Well? Oh, you probably don''t know. The Evil God Lebeus and his worshipers are one of the secrets hidden by the Empire. Don''t think about them too much. They are just one of those parasites that corrode the Empire. There is no need to worry, as the tinum Knights and I are taking care of vermins like them.¡±

    Aha.

    I wondered why she didn''t appear often in the game, but now my query has been answered.

    While the other Heroes were bullsh*ting, Frillite was working hard to keep the peace of the continent!

    ¡°¡­are you permitted to tell me that?¡±

    It should be confidential.

    Frillite smiled.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me earlier? You believe in me. And I believe in you too.¡±

    Holy cow, Frillite, you¡­!

    ¡°Uh? Haha. Your face looks a little red too, doesn''t it?"

    Frillite said with a yful expression on her face.

    There was no need to hide, so I nodded honestly.

    ¡°I just have a strong affinity for you.¡±

    ¡°?!¡±

    Didn''t she know?

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave the two to you.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to pick up the wizard? Go with caution. Oh, I want to ask you one thing before you go.¡±

    Frillite, who was about to go up the stairs, turned her head slightly and asked.

    ¡°That¡­ about Gis'' mother. Did you just make it up for provocation?¡±

    ¡°No, why would I? It''s true.¡±

    If I was just spewing bullsh!t, why would he be mad?

    His mom is a pro.

    She is also the top of the industry.

    * * *

    Soon after returning from the imperial banquet, Eri locked herself in her room.

    The image of Cloud she had seen at the imperial banquet never left her mind.

    The way he smashed Gis against the table with a cold expression that she had never seen before.

    "Cloud¡­"

    Cloud wasn''t nothing like that.

    He was a man who never ridiculed or harmed others. Even if the person next to him had harmed him before, he would still show kindness.

    Because he didn''t know how to hurt others.

    And, today, not long after Gis started making fun of him, he banged Gis'' head on the table. As if it wasn''t enough, he threw Gis on the ground and beat him wildly.

    He was thorough, as if he had met his archenemy.

    He didn''t stop even if Neria, who was his best friend, tried to make him stop.

    ¨C But, Eri. Why didn''t you believe me?

    Suddenly, Eri''s mind reyed what Cloud had said that day.

    His voice, his expression, his eyes, his everything.

    All of it, she recalled it vividly.

    It was as if he was talking to her directly, right now.

    But¡­ it''s all because of you that I changed like this.

    "No..! I¡­ I tried. I tried. But it''s you who didn''t change¡­ If you have atleast shown me a little bit of potential¡­ I¡­ I¡­!"

    Her voice, which leaked without her own rational thoughts, gradually lost strength and became muffled. Eri closed her mouth shut and lowered her head helplessly.

    Only a self-depreciating smirk escaped from her slightly opened lips.

    "What am I even saying¡­really¡­"

    What?

    If he had shown the potential, you wouldn''t have left?

    Heh, you stupid b!tch.

    If you say things like that, what makes you different from those beasts in human skin?

    How are you different from those people who despise you for being of low blood and ignore your potential?

    No.

    You are the worst.

    Cloud trusted you.

    Acknowledged and respected you.

    But you?

    You abandoned him because there was no possible future with him?

    Without even thinking of how will Cloud feel about this great betrayal.

    Instead, you pushed it to the back of your mind with a damn excuse¡ª''No matter what, he''s a Hero anyways, he''ll always eat and live better than ordinary people'', right?

    "Hick¡­ I''m really sick of myself¡­"

    The more Eri thought about her actions, the more she realized that she was a worldly and insatiable woman.

    At first, she wanted anyone to acknowledge her.

    She met Cloud, and he recognized her.

    But, as soon as she got the approval of one person, her greed inted.

    ¡®I even started to wish that the entire world would recognize me¡­"

    ¡®Yeah¡­ Maybe it''s because we''ve been together like this for years, that''s why Cloud didn''t get the chance to show his potential.''

    Eri has met all four Heroes.

    And if she were given to choose the person who fits the image of a Hero the most, among them, she would definitely choose Cloud.

    He is kind, affectionate, and values life. Although he was once weak, even then, he was a brave man, more than anyone else.

    After she parted ways with him, he became stronger. Being a greedy woman, she was only a burden that hindered the growth of a great and noble Hero.

    ¡®¡­the only thing I can do is support Cloud from behind.¡¯

    She had already picked a different path from him.

    It was also a one-way path far away from him.

    There is no going back.

    She¡­ she just had to support him.

    But¡­ she was worldly and greedy, so now she had no other path other than missing the past.

    She once again felt that she wanted to continue the journey with him.

    The thought, or want to feel his unconditional affection roamed her mind.

    Something like that¡­ it is impossible¡­

    ¨C Knock, knock.

    ¡°Eri,e with me¡­¡±

    "Go away. I don''t feel like talking to you right now."

    ¡°Okay¡­ then, bye¡­¡±

    The hoarse voice faded away.

    Damn Lorraine.

    Surely, her older brother will be there tofort her whenever she didn''t feel good, why did she have to trouble her. It''s not like she was living a happy life either, that Lorraine had to discolor it more¡­

    ¡®Huh..?''

    W, Wait for a moment!

    It wasn''t Lorraine''s voice. It wasn''t a woman''s voice in the first ce. A male''s voice. A familiar voice, it was¡­

    ¡°Hey, wait!¡±

    Eri jumped out of the bed and ran towards the door. In the process, she bumped her little toe against the table and fell, smashing her face on the floor, making her nose bleed¡­ but she still moved with arms back and forth as if she didn''t have any spare time to feel the pain, and desperately opened the door.

    Jerking her head outwards, she saw the back of a man walking down the hallway.

    Red hair¡­

    That look, so familiar.

    She swallowed her saliva and opened her mouth.

    "Cloud..?"

    Cloud turned around at Eri''s voice.

    He spread his arms out wide and asked in an excited tone.

    ¡°Eri! Do you want to go to a dungeon with me~?¡±

    ..?

 Chapter 44.1: Imperial Social Banquet (6)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    Clearly, Neria thought that Cloud would be resentful against her. Or that, he would atleast have a negative outlook on her, even if he wasn''t resentful.

    But what was this?

    Why did he suddenly bring her to his own room?

    How did the dungeon suddenly appear out of nowhere?

    No, rather than that, why are Neria and Ophelia already in his room??

    What kind of situation is this?

    Fortunately, it seemed she wasn''t the only one who was unaware of the situation.

    Because Neria and Ophelia had a simr expression to her own.

    Then the only person who can exin this situation is Cloud.

    And, Cloud is¡­

    ¡°Thank you, Frillite. Thank you for listening to this troublesome request of mine.¡±

    "It''s no big deal. Shouldn''t friends help each other in times like this? Rather, take this.¡±

    "Huh? What is this round medal?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a VIP badge. A badge that proves that you are a VIP of our family. It won''t hurt to take it with you."

    ¡°You¡¯re a member of a Ducal family¡­ This badge should have a considerable weight, right? You sure, you can give this to me without consulting your family?¡±

    ¡°As long as you don''t abuse it, it¡¯s alright.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t do anything that will bother you. Thanks, Frillite.¡±

    He was conversing with the famous Hero, Frillite, without wavering.

    Seeing the two of them like this, Eri was quite surprised.

    She had guessed that their rtionship was quite friendly considering what happened in the banquet.

    But, were they so close that Hero Frillite even handed him a VIP badge so imperturbably?

    Not just of any other noble family, but the Perdiac ducal family''s?

    ¡®¡­even the Royal Family would have to give certain weightage to this badge''s holder¡­¡¯

    Proffering such a thing as if she was giving a normal gift.

    How did they grow to trust each other so much?

    ¡°Then I will be going back. Let¡¯s have a good chat when we meetter.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for your help, Frillite. Let¡¯s have a drink next time.¡±

    ¡°No alcohol, you promised.¡±

    ¡°¡­Ya, right, no alcohol.¡±

    Seeing Cloud with a downcast expression on his face, Frillite smiled and left the room.

    ¡®What the hell did I just see..?¡¯

    Hero Frillite was smiling?

    What''s more?

    They even drink together?

    Eri felt as if her head had turned dizzy from the flood of information.

    Just then.

    ¡°Hey, Cloud..?¡±

    Neria raised her voice.

    His gaze, looking at the door, which Frillite had just used, turned to Neria.

    ¡°What is it, Neria?¡±

    ¡°Is that¡­ are you close with Hero Frillite?¡±

    ¡°As you can see, I guess?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡±

    Eri looked over.

    Neria''s eyes trembled.

    Neria was also concerned.

    "That¡­ how did you be friends with Frillite-sama?"

    At Neria''s question, Cloud tilted his head.

    ¡°Is that important?¡±

    "Uh¡­?"

    ¡°Is it important?¡±

    Cloud spoke sharply as if drawing a line.

    Not only Neria but also Eri and Ophelia were nervous.

    Right¡­ he hadn''tpletely forgiven them.

    ¡°Oh¡­ no. It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    Neria shook her head excessively.

    ¡®¡­Now that I see him, he has changed a lot too.¡¯

    Neria had never shown weakness in front of Cloud, she had always behaved like a strict and determined knight.

    But now¡­

    ¡®Well¡­ Neria must be the most guilty and desperate among us.¡¯

    Her strict and determined self would probably note out for a while.

    Because she might have to live with his antagonism.

    Meanwhile, Cloud smiled, satisfied with Neria''s answer.

    "Right. That''s not what''s important right now. The important thing is that we''re back together like this! Nice to see you guys again! After all, we were quite a good team! Let''s have fun exploring the dungeon together!¡±

    Cloud raised the atmosphere that had fallen due to his sharp rejection by himself. He began to exin his future ns in a bright tone.

    In the middle of his exnation, Ophelia raised her hand indicating that she had a question.

    Cloud didn''t stop exining, and she had to put her hand down with a flushed face.

    After the exnation, Cloud looked around at the three women and said:

    ¡°Now, did you all understand what I said? We will leave the Imperial Capital tomorrow in the early morning. Get some sleep right now. The room is not spacious, but it will be enough for three women to sleep in. I''ll go downstairs and sleep in the hall."

    Before the three women could respond, Cloud opened the door and went out.

    Just before the doorpletely closed, he added.

    ¡°Right, guys. As I said in advance, I''m afraid that this party might not bring you as many conveniences as before, because we don''t have the channels! So, you cane forward and tell me whenever you are in need of something, I''ll try. And, no stabbing with a dagger from behind~ If it happened again, that would feel really¡­ bad.¡±

    Hisst words were said in such a light tone that it felt as if he wasn''t serious but rather, just joking.

    But.

    Eri, Neria, and Ophelia flinched. They thought that the ¡®again'' he said was referring to their past.

    Just when they were in a hurry to apologize¡­

    ¡°Good night then, see ya!¡±

    Cloud closed the door.

    -¡­

    Silence fell all over the room.

    * * *

    I was going to leave the next day as soon as it dawned.

    But¡ªI couldn''t.

    ¡°It¡¯s the first time we¡¯ve met each other alone. Hero, Cloud.¡±

    Because the Imperial Emperor''s wife, the Empress, called for me.

    Thanks to which, I was enjoying the tea time with Ms. Empress in the middle of the filthy huge and splendid Imperial Pce garden.

    "Nice to meet you, Your Majesty."

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 44.2: Imperial Social Banquet (6)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    "Nice to meet you, Your Majesty."

    The Empress, who put down the teacup, smiled gracefully.

    While wandering around this world, I have heard all kinds of rumors at the taverns.

    One of the rumors is that the Empress of the Empire is the most beautiful woman on the whole continent.

    When I first heard the rumor, I thought it was just one of those rumors that was deliberately spread to lift the name of the Empire.

    ¡®Now that I''m here, I can see why the rumors were circting.¡¯

    I don''t know if she''s the prettiest on the continent, but honestly speaking, the Empress is a great beauty.

    The hair on her head dyed in blue and silver, neatly braided. All the splendid ornaments on her hair and dress were nothingpared to her natural beauty.

    She exuded the noble presence of the Imperial Royal family.

    Perhaps the rumors came from the coachmen and her servants; which entered into the ears of the nobles who admired her, and talked about her.

    But why would a person of such a great stature call me?

    ¡°It is an honor to meet Your Majesty the Empress. May I be so rude, as to ask for why did I receive such an opportunity? I''m a little nervous because there''s nothing to base my guess on."

    The Empressughed a little.

    She said, ¡°Huhuh, Hero Cloud, this Empress has heard a lot about you from Frillite. We were puzzled because the rumors we heard were different from what Frillite conveyed, we heard about what happened at the banquet too. We were curious. Meanwhile, excuse us for the abruptness.¡±

    Yes, awesome.

    "Not at all, Your Majesty. Who would refuse the Empress''s call? So, Hero Frillite conveyed on what happened?¡±

    "Yes, indeed. Frillite and we are close friends.¡±

    "¡­Yes?"

    Frillite told me that I was her first friend?

    ¡°If it''s not rude, may I inquire when Her Majesty first became acquainted with Frillite?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been since 4 years ago, when Frillite was selected as a Hero.¡±

    As if the Empress recalled some nostalgic past, she had a bright expression on her face.

    Four years ago, it was before I and Frillite became friends.

    Frillite said I was her first friend, and she''s not a liar.

    That is¡­

    ¡®She has mistakingly started to consider Frillite her friend¡­¡¯

    From Frillite''s point of view, it must have felt like she was just talking to her boss. However, the Empress seems to have interpreted it arbitrarily.

    ¡®They say the Emperor has a hysteria and is in control of his wife''s life, so the rumors were true.''

    If it weren''t for that, she wouldn''t have considered someone a friend with just a few words.

    ¡­poor woman.

    With a heart full of pity, I listened to the Empress'' words, while trying hard to keep attention on what she said. The Empress'' smile widened even more, maybe she was satisfied with the fact that her own words were being heard.

    ¡°Oh, right. We didn''t invite Hero Cloud today just to talk, how rude of us. Alfred, can you bring us what we had prepared?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty the Empress.¡±

    Alfred was absent for a while to carry out Empress'' orders.

    What he brought was an ornate box adorned with a golden leaf.

    ¡°Open it.¡±

    Alfred opened the box.

    Inside the box was a light blue jewel ne.

    It was a round,rge, sky-blue gem.

    "This..?"

    ¡°It¡¯s a ne made of moonstone. It clears the mind of the one who wears it. It goes without saying that it increases one''s resistance to mind contamination magic. We want to gift this to Hero Cloud. How is our gift?¡±

    ¡®Of course, it''s a no brainer. Who would refuse a ne of moonstone?''

    An ornament made of moonstone.

    Although there are no other effects, it is an item that definitively prevents confusion and berserk state abnormalities.

    It''s an item I needed to procure for a teammate who will I recruitter.

    In the game, Moonstone has a setting that is bizarrepared to its effect, while equipping it, you cannot wear any other essory

    I carefully epted the box.

    ¡°Why have I been given such a precious gift?¡±

    ¡°It is not an item of great value to the Imperial family, so there is no need to feel burdened. It''s just a personal gift we are giving because we want to get acquainted with Hero Cloud, who will be a noble Hero in the future."

    ¡°I want to know¡­ is it the Empire''s stand?¡±

    The Empress smiled.

    ¡°It¡¯s more like our husband¡¯s support.¡±

    * * * After receiving the gift, Cloud spoke a few more words with the Empress, then he left the Imperial Pce.

    There was a woman staring at him from behind as he left¡­

    ¡®How the hell did this happen..?¡¯

    It was the key swordsman of Gis'' Party and his henchman, Adreana.

    The reason she was spying on Cloud was simple.

    ¡®That pommel. It belongs to our family¡­¡¯

    The pommel of the sword, which Cloud had picked up from the floor.

    She instantly recognized it, because the pattern engraved on the pommel was the symbol of her family.

    ¡®I was always annoyed by my damn father.¡¯

    Her father was a f**king a**hole. While traveling, he slept not only with nobles'' wives, but also withmoners if their looks were okay.

    Thanks to him, once or twice a year, her half-brothers woulde to their hometown.

    Of course, she couldn''t take care of so many half-brothers, so she quietly dealt with the people who came.

    But this half-brother is different.

    ¡®I think Cloud must be my younger brother.¡¯

    Maybe not.

    He didn''t have that pommel before.

    However, there is a difference between the Cloud who has the pommel and who didn''t.

    When he didn''t have the pommel, he was weak, now that he has the pommel, he is strong.

    So she thought.

    Maybe he started equipping himself with the pommel because he is now able to protect himself¡­

    ¡®Don''t they say that Cloud is an orphan?¡¯

    In many ways, the situation is matching. Conjecture gradually turned into certainty.

    ¡®As an orphan, he will have a strong attachment to his family.¡¯

    What if she digs into it?

    Maybe she can pull Cloud into her grasp and use him.

    And if that''s the case¡­

    Gis'' love will be hers for taking!

    ¡®I have to thank my damn father for today.¡¯

    Thank you, father!

 Chapter 45.1: Dungeon (1)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    After my meeting with the Empress, I immediately remembered what I had forgotten while I was getting ready to set off for the dungeon.

    ¡®The receptionist who stole my 9000 gold¡­¡¯

    I''d definitely warned her over and over again.

    If the adventurers she introduced to me were once again problematic, she wouldn''t be able to keep her husband''s honesty, I had clearly told her.

    And the adventurers she had introduced backstabbed me right in the spine.

    So, this is no different than indirectly conveying that money is more important than her husband''s love.

    Instead of going back to the inn where the three were waiting, I headed to the street lined with red banners, aka the "Red Light District".

    So what? It''s daytime, chap.

    At this time, the pleasure district is no different from other districts.

    Except that women with pretty faces are washing their faces by the well.

    I asked the women I encountered about the whereabouts of the most popr courtesan [1] on this street.

    ¨C The most popr courtesan? Why are you looking for someone like that? Brother, I''ll do it.

    ¨C Is your lower waist already itchy so early in the morning? Haha. Come on, this big sister will take care of it for you.

    Surely, they weren''t professional, instead of answering my question, they took an interest in my lil brother.

    Yuck! Hands off!

    After shaking off the ws of the ravenous beasts in a jiffy, I was finally able to find the location of the most popr courtesan on this street.

    ¡®It is said to be the most popr brothel here, but the building itself is not much different from others.¡¯

    The renowned Imperial Capital, but the pleasure district is only of this level?

    I hope this helps.

    While a little worried, I still walked inside the building.

    "Hm? Are you a guest? Sorry. The kids aren''t ready yet. Can youe a little bitter?¡±

    After walking a little inside, a woman who seemed to be the Madame [2] approached me.

    Long, curly orange hair and a voluptuous body.

    True to the name of the Pleasure District''s most reputed Madame, she was full of mature color.

    Pass!

    ¡°The guest is surely very handsome and our kids will definitely like you. So if youe after a while¡­¡±

    I pulled out a heavy money bag.

    "¡­I''ll get the kids ready soon."

    ¡°I don''t want to see other prostitutes. Madame, I want you.¡±

    Madame put on a troubled expression.

    "Ummm¡­ Though, I''m already retired¡­ The customer is really handsome¡­ But¡­"

    I pulled out another money bag.

    ¡°¡­Would you like to wash up first? Or shall I wash you?¡±

    Money is the truth wherever you go.

    * * *

    "Ah¡­ So the guest doesn''t mean that he wants me¡­ You want me to start a new life?"

    ¡°When you say it like that, it sounds too grandiose. I''m just trying to give you a chance to start a new life.¡±

    ¡°To seduce a man who has a wife..?¡±

    "Right."

    Madame, no, Yuriel had a dissatisfied expression on her face.

    "Sir, I don''t know what you think of me, but I''m not a s!ut who would sell her life for a few bucks. And especially if it''s ruining someone else''s life¡­"

    I opened the money bag and knocked it over.

    Gold coins poured out of the fallen money bag.

    At least 1000 gold coins.

    Yuriel''s eyes widened.

    "Ah..?"

    Her expression contorted as if she was seeing something unbelievable.

    ¡°Why are you so surprised? Did you think I''d buy you for a small sum? For a few thousand gold coins? That''s disappointing, Madame. Aren¡¯t you underestimating your worth too much as the most reputed Madame of the Pleasure District?¡±

    "No¡­ that''s¡­ That, how much is it¡­"

    I brought my face closer to the bewildered Yuriel.

    I whispered in her ear.

    ¡°100,000 gold coins.¡±

    ¡°100,000..!¡±

    Surprised and startled, Yuriel quickly covered her mouth in case anyone else heard it.

    I smiled.

    ¡°How about it, isn¡¯t that enough to buy a woman who was once the best in her profession, the ace?¡±

    ¡°¡­how could I be the pleasure district''s ace¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only natural for an ace to take on the role of Madame¡­¡±

    I got up from my seat and went behind Yuriel.

    I stroked her cheek and whispered in her ear once more.

    ¡°If such a beautiful woman is not an ace, who else is?¡±

    "Ah¡­"

    Yuriel''s face turned red.

    Seeing she was half way convinced, I timely hammered on the wedge.

    ¡°And aren¡¯t you tired of working as a Madame? Since it''s a brothel, how civilized can guests be? Moreover, among them, there should be noble guests too, which are particrly difficult to take care of. It must have been very difficult. Right?"

    "¡­yes."

    ¡°At the same time, the kids, your prost*tutes don¡¯t listen to what you say. Instead of saying thanks to you for taking good care of the brothel, they only leave behindins."

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°What is left of you after suffering so much? Is there anything more than that rat-tail worth of sry given by the owner of the brothel? And, when you get old and ugly¡­ who will care what happens to you?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°When you are walking down the street, don''t you see the wives holding the hands of their husbands and children with a happy smile on their face? Don''t you feel envious? What makes you worse than them? You look much more beautiful, you know the heart of a man better than many women. Even the skill to please men¡­ you are way superior, right?¡±

    "¡­right."

    Yuriel nodded her head with a stiff expression.

    I ced her hands on top of the gold coins.

    ¡°Then take this chance. As long as youply with the conditions I have stated, nothing else will matter. With the money I''m giving you, you can buynd and start farming or open a shop as you please. You will have your own happy family. Even though it was stolen from someone¡­ how about it? Do you want to miss this chance to be happy? Imagine it. Watching your children grow up together with your husband as you both grow old.¡±

    Gulp.

    Yuriel swallowed her dry saliva.

    She said in a trembling tone.

    ¡°Ha, but I can''t get out of this brothel. If I tried to do that, he wouldn''t leave me alone. He would kill me."

    ¡®He¡¯ is probably referring to the owner of this brothel. I stroked her cheek a little softer to reassure her.

    ¡°Do you think I didn''t even think of that? That''s not for you to worry about. You just have to make a decision. Either yes, or no. Will you live as the Madame of this pleasure distinct and be abandoned when you grow old, or will you grow old as a mother in a family?¡±

    Yuriel''s body quivered. As if to harden her heart, she grabbed the pouch tightly.

    I stroked her hair.

    ¡°A good decision.¡±

    After that, I informed the owner of the brothel that I would take Yuriel along with me. Naturally, the brothel''s owner pulled out his sword, hollering that he''d kill me.

    I brought out the VIP badge of the Perdiac family.

    The brothel''s owner, who recognized the VIP badge, immediately mmed his head on the floor. Thanks to which, when I came out, the brothel''s owner personally escorted me to the door.

    "Cloud..? Who is that woman?¡±

    Neria looked at Yuriel who suddenly appeared, and she asked in a questioning tone.

    I roughly exined that she was a woman with some difficulties. Bluntly telling the truth that she was a prost*tute would hurt Yuriel''s self-esteem.

    "I see¡­"

    Neria didn''t ask further, she looked pretty convinced.

    But oddly enough, she didn''t take her eyes off Yuriel all the way to the dungeon.

    When I asked why, she didn''t answer.

    * * *

    [1] A prostitute, especially one with wealthy or upper-ss clients.

    [2] A position simr to the manager of the brothel.

 Chapter 45.2: Dungeon (1)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    ¡°Thank you for bringing me here safely. I will be taking my leave now.¡±

    "Sure. Just keep in mind what I said.¡±

    What I asked of Yuriel was the following.

    ¨C Topletely conquer Elisha''s husband''s heart. He shouldn''t have any lingering feelings for Elisha.

    ¨C After conquering her husband''s heart, she also needs to win the heart of the child. She will regard the child as her own.

    The reason for adding the second requirement was simple.

    It is Elisha''s offspring, but the child isn''t guilty of its mother''s crimes, right?

    I didn''t want the child to suffer because of family strife.

    So I came up with an amicable mother recement.

    A happy family is left as it is, and only the mother is changed in a swipe.

    She not only has a lot of money but also a lot of time, moreover, she is a kinder mother too.

    Wouldn''t that make the child happier?

    It is the best of both world where no one except Elisha is hurt.

    "Do not worry. To be honest, I have no chance in failing this. Sir Hero, please keep your promise. If I can create a happy family, you¡¯ll give me those remaining 50,000 gold coins.¡±

    ¡°If the child and father are happy, I will give as much as I can, so go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Yes, thank you!¡±

    Yuriel waved her hand and disappeared across the street with a brightplexion.

    ¡®I think she said two months would be enough?¡¯

    During the week when Elisha was assembling those S-ss adventurers, I investigated Elisha''s family.

    After all, I did need an insurance.

    And when I told her the information that I had investigated and found out, Yuriel swore to me that two months would be enough for her.

    She was full of confidence, but honestly, I was skeptical.

    Even though Elisha ate my money and made things messed up, she was a faithful woman in her own way.

    How can it be so easy to break into such a woman''s family?

    ¡®Well¡­ I should now go to the dungeon and worry about itter.¡¯

    If she seeds, I can pay the promised amount.

    If it''s in progress, I can support it.

    If she fails, I can take my money back.

    If she elopes with my money, I can hire an assassin.

    I decided for now to not care about Elisha''s matter any more.

    From now on, I have to fully focus on the dungeon.

    I went to the private lock-up storehouse''s caretaker and retrieved the equipments I had left before. Perhaps it was worthwhile to show the Hero''s que, the equipments were safely stored.

    Let''s see¡­

    ¡°Take it, Neria.¡±

    I handed the Lightning Sword, Storm Shield, Kobold Leather Armor, and an earring with health bonus to Neria.

    Neria widened her eyes.

    ¡°Cloud, this is..?¡±

    ¡°Your equipments are not quite good. At least the loot was not properly distributed at the previous party. We can¡¯t go to the dungeon like that.¡±

    Afterwards, the Staff of Woe and Lightning Earrings were given to Eri.

    Meanwhile, the Windfortune Ring and Thorn Mace went to Ophelia.

    The three of them looked at the equipments given to them with surprise.

    I added.

    ¡°Take them and follow me. Arm yourselves while we go up.¡±

    * * *

    The peach trees where the dungeon is hidden.

    While Cloud jumped into the pond to open the dungeon, Eri fiddled with the staff and earrings she had received from him.

    ¡°Eri, if you keep fiddling with the earrings, it will hurt your ear.¡±

    Ophelia cautioned her.

    ¡°I, I know. It''s just¡­ it''s been a while since I changed my equipments¡­ so.. so¡­"

    At Lorian''s Party, she was neglected.

    Instead of having a share in the loot, she had to be content with just some experience points.

    She found herself realizing this once again when she received these equipments from Cloud.

    I''m back¡­

    Looking at her side, Neria was also stroking the Lightning Sword she had received from Cloud with a subtle expression on her face.

    ¡°It¡¯s nice to see everyone looking better. But¡­ why was I given a mace?¡±

    ¡°Maybe it is for self-defense? No matter how much Cloud and Neria protect you, they might miss one or two from time to time. It will be useful at that time.¡±

    ¡°Is that so¡­?¡±

    Just when Ophelia was feeling an unknown sense of anxiety for some reason.

    Slurrrsh~!

    The pond parted and a staircase materialized.

    While the three women were startled, Cloud jumped out of the water. He grazed his palm with a dagger and brought it to the stone gate.

    ¨C Qualified. Entry allowed.

    The four of them were qualified because they were in a party, fulfilling the condition.

    The dungeon opened and Cloud walked inside.

    The three women hurriedly followed him into the dungeon.

    ¡°This is a dungeon¡­ it¡¯s amazing¡­¡±

    Eri admired, she looked further inside. The other two women''s reaction was not much different from hers.

    Then Cloud spoke.

    ¡°This dungeon has a total of 30 floors. It is cleared by killing the boss on the 30th floor.¡±

    ¡°30th floors?! It''s a huge dungeon!"

    "I know, right. It¡¯s going to take a lot longer than I thought.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if the food we brought will hold up until then.¡±

    Each of the three women gave an opinion.

    Cloud smiled slightly and shook his head.

    "Don''t worry. It won''t take long.¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t take long? How?"

    ¡°We will pursue speed. By tomorrow, we will reach the 15th floor.¡±

    The three women thought Cloud was joking with them. They smiled and were about to tell him not to joke, but then they looked into his serious eyes.

    This man¡­ he was serious¡­!

    Eri hurriedly tapped Neria''s back with her elbow.

    ¡°Neria, you try to convince him somehow..!¡±

    "I..?"

    ¡°You are the most likely among us¡­ If you''d say it, he might consider it even if he doesn¡¯t listen to you as unconditionally as before.¡±

    "Is it..? Okay, I''ll try.¡±

    Neria didn''t try to hide her nervous expression and approached Cloud. Her face, though hardened by her tension, contained a subtle anticipation.

    ¡°Cloud, why don''t you reconsider? Going from the 1st floor to the 15th floor in one day¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it has already been decided, Neria. That''s final.¡±

    ¡°Ha, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Neria. Am I the party leader? Or you?¡±

    "Ah? Of course, it''s you..!"

    ¡°Then you must obey the leader¡¯s orders. Oh, of course, if there''s a better way than what I n us to do, you can suggest it. That''s always wee. But the final decision is mine. Got it?"

    As Cloud spoke while looking straight into her eyes, Neria abruptly nodded her head.

    When Cloud asked if she had more to say, Neria replied in negative and returned to her position.

    When she returned to her position, it looked like Neria had tears in her eyes.

    ¡®¡­why did I even ask her.¡¯

    Eri felt guilty and turned her gaze away.

    ¡®Yeah, Cloud must have made his preparations. No wonder he aspires to reach the 15th floor in one day.¡¯

    However, contrary to Eri''s thoughts, Cloud was sincere, and the same day, Cloud''s Party made their way from the 1st floor to the 15th floor in one fell swoop.

 Chapter 46.1: Dungeon (2)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    I don''t know the ending of this world.

    Even though I have watched the endings of both ¡®The Hero''s Party'' and ¡®The Tale Of A Knight''s Affair'' that share the same worldview.

    The main character in ¡®The Tale Of A Knight''s Affair'' was only able to block the forces of one of the Four Heavenly Kings. He doesn''t even defeat the Heavenly King, and dies.

    It''s bound to be so.

    Because he wasn''t a Hero, he was just a very strong knight.

    He didn''t have the fate to see the future of the world.

    Then, what about Cloud, the Hero chosen by the Goddess?

    Whether the Demon King dies and peace returns to the continent.

    Or, the Heroes die and the continent perishes.

    Doesn''t Cloud deserve to know the fate of the world?

    If you ask me, I will nod my head.

    Cloud deserves it.

    However, even that qualification was taken away by another Hero.

    As the game progresses, either Gis or Lorian, one of them dies depending on the yer''s choice. Cloud crosses the portal with the surviving Hero and goes to the Demon Realm¡­

    ¨C You''re just a hindrance anyway. So just die. I''m starting to get tired of making fun of you, let''s end this in good faith, heh.

    ¨C I am the only Hero who will save the world. I''d be offended if your name gets stuck next to mine.

    Whoever you go with, you will get killed.

    Since this is an unavoidable event, the yer cannot do anything.

    Didn''t I say it before?

    I used cheats, yet I still lost.

    So, this was the sh!tty ending of this game.

    The ending where the woman you love, your life, and your qualifications as a Hero are all taken away from you.

    In a sense, it can be seen as a befitting ending for an NTR game.

    Recalling the ending, I always ended up with a ¡®Dafuq?¡¯ sentiment stuck in my throat.

    For me, it was natural to wonder what will the end result of the game be like, yet I wasn''t able to even have a glimpse. The game was already over and done, and it was not for me to know what the world would be like and what bullsh!t will ensue.

    But now I am Cloud.

    This continent has be the world I live in, so I can''t help but pay attention.

    Well, let''s think about it.

    How strong is the Demon King of this world?

    It is impossible to get a rough estimate from the fighting power shown by the Four Heavenly Kings.

    In the game it was said that the Four Heavenly Kings who Heroes fought were in a weakened state because they appeared on the continent, the domain of Goddess Iris.

    ¡®¡­The more I think about it, the more I don''t understand. What were Gis and Lorian even thinking?''

    Why did they have to fight the Demon King alone?

    Well¡­ I still can''t understand.

    Gis and Lorian in the second half were in a very strong state for various reasons. Even throughout the entire continent, they had no equal opponent left, it was quite a prideful achievement in itself.

    ¡®If it''s possible to subjugate the Demon King with that level of strength, that would be the best oue¡­¡¯

    If not, it raises many questions.

    I sighed and looked at Eri, Neria, and Ophelia who were lying on the floor.

    Maybe the speedy raid from the 1st floor to the 15th floor exhausted them entirely? The three of them have been lying still on the floor for quite some time, showing no signs of movement.

    ¡®They''re definitely better than adventurers.¡¯

    From basic physical abilities to skills to the ability to cooperate with each other.

    They were superior to the adventurers in every way.

    It wasn''t for nothing that they were assigned as Hero''spanions.

    That was not to say that there were no regrets.

    There were a few things that they themselves didn''t notice, but I felt it was quite a pity.

    ¡®Regrettably, they arecking in determination.''

    As long as you''re a member of the Hero''s party, you can''t always fight to win.

    Rather, it is often the case where you face an enemy you are not able to defeat.

    And when dealing with such enemies, you have to endure and persist with a strong mental fortitude. If you see a chance, bite ''em and chew them up, leaving no bones.

    But in them, I don''t see that.

    ¡®They also have a subconscious habit of choosing to back out.¡¯

    If it was the game, it wouldn''t be a problem.

    The tank fell into a wounded state, making the battle difficult?

    You just need to select the ¡®Escape¡¯ button, save or reload.

    But this is the stark reality.

    Even if it is possible to escape, there is no save or reload option.

    What happens when one member falls into a state where he/she is unable to continue fighting; leaving a vacancy in the co-ordination?

    The member who''s hands are free has to fill that void.

    It doesn''t matter if it ultimately fails.

    It''s important to have the mentality to fill that void even for a moment.

    If I can fix these issues, this party can be quite useful.

    I crossed my arms and fell into thought.

    ¡®At first, I had no intention of epting them as teammates¡­¡¯

    Just like in the game, they either went to Gis or Lorian. I didn''t even try to stop them, because I knew they were going anyway.

    So I thought I''d rather recruit decent teammates like Shedia, Katarina, and Leslie.

    However, be it fate''s mockery, these three''s situation got worse, and somehow or other I brought them back to my party.

    That way, there is no need to look for anyone other than Shedia, Katarina, and Leslie.

    Because recruiting too many party members can also leave behind a possibility ofplicating the situations.

    ¡®Um¡­ it is still a question mark whether they will join my party.¡¯

    After handling the savage Pink Woman who tried to kill me, I didn''t further explore the dungeon.

    In the midst of old nostalgia, I punished her lightly by my standards, but she paid the price.

    ¡®I sure do get emotional reminiscing the old days.¡¯

    If it wasn''t for that, I would have been able to react more flexibly.

    As soon as the thought crossed my mind, I erased it.

    That has already passed.

    Now what I have to make sure is not to make another mistake.

 Chapter 46.2: Dungeon (2)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    I approached them, while they rested on the floor, breathing softly.

    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t move any more. Really."

    Before I could say anything, Eri said with a desperate expression on her face.

    I nodded to reassure her.

    "Don''t worry. I have no intention of going any further today. You are free to rest.¡±

    Only then the three women sighed in relief.

    I smiled and asked them.

    ¡°How was it today?¡±

    ¡°I really thought I was going to die.¡±

    Eri answered immediately.

    ¡°Honestly, it was really hard¡­¡±

    Neria looked into my eyes and said.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Ophelia didn''t even have the energy to speak, so she put her hands together and nodded her head readily, indicating that she agreed with the two of them.

    ¡°But, we were sessful, right? We came from the 1st to the 15th floor in one day, and no one was seriously injured.¡±

    None of the three women put a word to it.

    Because it was correct.

    Although they were so exhausted that it nearly felt like dying, the danger was not big.

    ¡°I don''t lie in such cases. I don''t irresponsibly promise things I can''t do, so don''t worry."

    Three pairs of eyes turned to me.

    They were asking what the hell was I trying to say. Yeah, it''s understandable.

    Iughed bitterly.

    ¡°I''ll be honest. The journey ahead will be more difficult than it is now.¡±

    ¡°¡­more than now?¡±

    Eri was astonished. Neria and Ophelia suddenly looked more exhausted.

    "Yes. In fact, the results will be as great as the hard work. You will be stronger than you are now. Truly worthy of the name of the Hero''s Party.¡±

    ¡°¡­can we say no?¡±

    ¡°There''s another way. We can go down the dungeon slowly as you guys want. Should only move when we are in our best shape, and make aplicated n to greatly reduce the risk and suffering. If we choose this route, we will be able to reach the 30th floor without suffering much difficulty.¡±

    The three women''s expressions got better.

    They looked into each other''s eyes, silently made a decision, and then nodded their heads in sync.

    Eri came forward as their representative.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s do the second one. It was so hard today, I can¡¯t stand anything more difficult than this.¡±

    "Yeah¡­"

    A bitterugh came out.

    I can''t help it. The choice is their''s.

    "All right. Get a good night''s sleep. We have much to do tomorrow.¡±

    Finished with my words, just when I was about to turn my back.

    ¡°Cloud¡­ what happened? What¡¯s with the look on your face? Have we disappointed you because we chose the easy way?¡±

    Neria stopped my footsteps.

    There seems to be some misunderstanding.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if that¡¯s the case. However¡­"

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. Why would it disappoint me? It is only natural for people to find an easier way when they are having a hard time.¡±

    The faces of the three women slightly but surely, brightened.

    I kept talking.

    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ it¡¯s a pity that the trip with you guys ends in this dungeon.¡±

    It''s been a while since I had a real party-like party, but it seems this one''s also going to disband soon.

    To organize a new party, I have to wait until the Behemoth appears¡­

    It''s really sad sometimes.

    "¡­Cloud? What are you saying? It ends with this dungeon?¡±

    Neria''s expression hardened when she asked that question. It was not just Neria. Eri and Ophelia had a simr expression to her.

    Yes, it must have been a little sudden.

    I have to exin it to them so they don''t get confused.

    I scratched my cheek and said bluntly.

    ¡°Um¡­ you know, I''m a Hero, right? In the future, there will be many more difficult situations than this, so I thought it would be difficult for us to go together because it''d only increase your suffering.¡±

    Although the exnation was given, the faces of the three women did not improve.

    Oh, I forgot!

    "Don''t worry. I''m not oblivious to your situation either. I''ll ask Frillite to make sure you guys don''t face retaliation either by Gis or Lorian. If you sell the treasures obtained from this dungeon, you will be able to eat and live well.¡±

    Guaranteed food, clothing and shelter.

    As an added bonus, I reminded them of the reason to clear the dungeon together.

    Well, that''s enough for them to understand¡­

    ¡°Let''s go with the other way.¡±

    "Yes?"

    ¡°The hard route you spoke of. I will go that way.¡±

    Neria replied in a trembling tone.

    What, why did she suddenly change her words?

    ¡°Are you really sure? Honestly, it''s going to be really hard. It will be impossible to stop halfway at that time.¡±

    "I''m sure. No matter how hard it is.. so¡­ don''t just say it''s over¡­"

    Neria was biting onto her lips and making a distorted expression.

    I was frankly embarrassed by her sudden change of attitude.

    I took turns looking at the other two.

    ¡°Do you also agree with Neria? You can make your own free¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Eri and Ophelia raised their voices with determination.

    ¡®¡­they really want a revenge on Gis and Lorian so much?''

    Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

    At the same time, I felt a little sorry for them.

    How much had they endured in the past few months?

    ¡°¡­are you sure of your choice? I''ll pay no heed to yourintster. None."

    Because then, I won''t be able to slow myself down.

    [R-18 Chapters Avable~!] Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 47.1: Dungeon (2)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    Eri, Neria, and Ophelia epted Cloud''s proposal.

    The reason they epted the proposal was, of course, because he said that this dungeon would be theirst time together.

    Eri wanted to be recognized.

    Not only by Cloud, but also by her family whom she hated and loved, and even by the whole world.

    Neria wanted to be by Cloud''s side.

    Even though their rtionship was a little awkward right now, staying by his side, she had the hope that someday they will be able to go back to the way they used to be.

    Ophelia didn''t want to go back to the church.

    She didn''t want to waste her life locked up in a closed and cramped building.

    Although different, they had reasons why they didn''t want to be separated from Cloud.

    So they followed Cloud''s n¡­

    ¨C Bark! Bark!

    ¨C Barkk!

    The kobolds blocking the way were barking loudly. As loud as bereaved dogs! If the girls were in their normal condition, they would have easily solved it, but unfortunately, they weren''t.

    The reason was simple.

    It was already the eleventh time today that they were dealing with a kobold horde.

    Their stamina, mana, and divine power began to trickle down to the bottom little by little.

    Despite this, the kobolds kept appearing anew, and there was no path to escape.

    Why? You may ask.

    Because, the ce they were standing at was a dead end.

    Of course, it was Cloud who drove them into a dead end. It was Cloud who made them fight the kobolds without stopping.

    Why the hell did they have to keep dealing with these kobolds?

    These things that don''t give much experience points because of their low level?

    The three women could not understand what he was thinking.

    They were just following what he told them to do.

    However, no matter how hard they willed to, they had a limit.

    ¡°Hero, I don¡¯t have the divine power to maintain the buff anymore!¡±

    The first one to reach her limit was Ophelia.

    Having exhausted all her divine power, she was unable to maintain the buffs she gave to her party members.

    ¡°You have consumed all your divine power? Then pray.¡±

    Cloud replied as if it was a simple question, but Ophelia was terrified.

    ¡°Here?!¡±

    They were fighting kobolds. Not to mention sword and spears, even the crossbow bolts were very deadly.

    How do I pray in such a situation?!

    "Why? You cannot? Even if you cannot, do it!¡±

    Cloud didn''tpromise.

    "¡­all right."

    In the end, it was Ophelia who made thepromise.

    Yes, she was a member of the Hero''s Party that will eventually have to defeat the Demon King.

    She will surely experience theck of divine power in a crisis someday.

    So, think of it as an experience beforehand.

    She would be lying if she said that she wasn''t afraid, but she had teammates to trust¡­

    Just when Ophelia closed her eyes and knelt down to say her prayers.

    "Hey, Ophelia! What''re you doing!"

    Cloud grabbed Ophelia''s wrist and lifted her up.

    ¡°Why are you sitting and resting if you have to recharge your divine power?!¡±

    "Uh? Well, to gather divine power, you have to pray to Goddess Iris¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you have to sit and pray with your eyes closed? When everyone else is fighting to death, you''re saying you''ll be resting alone?"

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I want to rest¡­¡±

    ¡°Noisy. Go grab the mace! You can even pray while smashing kobold skulls!"

    ¡°Hell, how do I do that?! I''m not a pdin¡­"

    ¡°It¡¯s not my business, no way your faith is so cheap, to be swayed by just a posture. So hurry up and break kobold bones!¡±

    Cloud took the mace tied to Ophelia''s waist and made her hold it in her hand.

    ¡°Ah, no. Wait for a moment¡­"

    ¡°Trust yourself, you are strong. Charge!¡±

    Cloud pushed Ophelia''s back.

    ¡°Huh, Hero?! I really can''t. I can¡¯t..!¡±

    ¡°Eri! What are you doing?! Don''t be slow with your magic skills!"

    Ophelia begged, but Cloud was not the one to ept her objection, he turned his attention to Eri.

    Dodging a burning arrow that suddenly came for her, Eri was startled and started making excuses.

    ¡°I have almost ran out of mana. We don''t even have a mana potion, so what should I do..!"

    ¡°That staff was given to you for what? Team up with Ophelia, get along and bash those two legged dogs!¡±

    "W, What?! I-I''m a wizard, a magician! I am not a warrior!¡±

    "Shut up! I have no intention of raising you as a mage. From today onwards, you are a battle mage. Understood?!"

    ¡°Wh, What!?¡±

    "Cloud..! Come back here soon¡­¡±

    ¡°Neria, you idiot!!! Why are you looking back?! Look damn straight! Are you going to kill us all?!¡±

    ¡°Ah no, I didn¡¯t mean to..! I was just starting to get pushed back¡­¡±

    ¡°Aah, not again, you can say that without looking back!¡±

    "Ah. Sorry¡­"

    Neria swallowed her tears.

    . . . . . . . .

    "Sorry, guys. Working with adventurers has made my mouth rough. Sorry, I hope you understand.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    "¡­yes."

    "¡­yes."

    * * *

 Chapter 47.2: Dungeon (2)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    By repetitively grinding kobolds, they renewed their fighting style. Now they were more flexible in responding to emergencies.

    Due to engaging in fights for a long time, they had their fighting will polished as well.

    But Cloud wasn''t satisfied with that.

    He wanted them to have stronger willpower.

    So he mulled about what to do, and decided to cut down on their sleep.

    They now slept for only 3 hours a day and explored the dungeon rest of the time.

    For the three women, it felt really close to dying.

    Moreover, from 15th floor onwards, the level of the monsters became simr to theirs, making the raid more difficult, yet reducing the amount of time they spent sleeping¡­

    Physical and mental fatigue was no joke.

    Once they even begged him to let them sleep only for 5 hours a day, yet¡­

    ¨C Nope. I have no intention of changing the decision. Go back.

    They were bitterly rejected.

    ording to him, he had the things in perfect bnce.

    Eri wanted to seriously question whether he had made some great mistake in his calctions.

    But she couldn''t.

    Because.

    It was the same for Cloud, who also slept only 3 hours a day.

    If sheined more than that, he would only be disappointed with her.

    And that was not happening!

    Eri always recalled what happened some time ago. Cloud decided to break up with them simply because they wanted to take the easier path.

    It meant that Cloud had no attachment to them.

    It doesn''t matter to him even if they have to part.

    ¡®What actually happened in these months? People really do change, hah.¡¯

    If he hated them or resented them, she would understand¡­

    Yet, why was it indifference?

    No, reason told her, it wasn''t indifference either.

    ¡°Come on, Eri. A new magic skill book I got today. Can you learn it in a few days?¡±

    He kept picking up magic books just out of nowhere and always brought them to her.

    He brought the spellbook to her wand, like a wizard who enchanted it with magic.

    ¡°¡­three days would be enough.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t overdo it by reducing the amount of time you sleep. We have enough time.¡±

    "No. Three days are enough.¡±

    ¡­she took it again, like always.

    Cloud reassured her, but Eri, herself, was worried.

    Lest he saw her as useless.

    She was afraid of being abandoned, of being thought of as useless.

    ¡°Let''s not trouble Eri while she is studying. Hero, let¡¯s light a bonfire and rest¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right, Ophelia, I have one for you too.¡±

    Cloud said, pulling out an old divine skill tome. Ophelia''s eyes widened as she saw the tome.

    "¡­huh? Wh, Why is something like that in a dungeon of all ces¡­¡±

    "No doubt. The person who made the dungeon must have been a faithful person! Come on, take it.¡±

    Cloud ced the tome on Ophelia''s palm.

    Ophelia looked at it, her shoulders trembled.

    ¡°Ophelia, how long do you think it will take you to learn this?"

    Ophelia''s ears perked up.

    She might get more time than Eri if she ardently appealed she wasn''t good with her head.

    With that hope¡­

    ¡°Three days shall be enough for Ophelia. She is as smart as me.¡±

    Eri shattered that hope herself.

    Cloud gave a slightly surprised expression.

    "Really?"

    "Of course. Ophelia is a saintess candidate. A nun without a good brain in her head will not be a candidate for sainthood.¡±

    ¡°Sounds right. Then, Ophelia, you can apany Eri for three days. Neria, let¡¯s light a bonfire and get ready to rest.¡±

    ¡°Ah? Aaah, wait a minute..! Hero¡­?!¡±

    Ophelia called out in a desperate tone, but Cloud did not look back.

    She looked at Eri with a despairing expression.

    ¡°Eri¡­ why¡­?¡±

    "¡­sorry."

    There was no way Eri would admit that she felt lonely waking up alone when everyone else was fast asleep.

    * * *

    [Hellfire]-!

    Searing mes rose from the magic circle beneath the three gargoyles.

    Two of the three gargoyles turned into ashes without being able to withstand the mes bearing the moniker of hell itself.

    The remaining one was mortally wounded, but somehow nked and tried to injure Eri with its sharp ws.

    ¨C Kang!

    The gargoyle''s ws were blocked by Neria''s shield.

    As the gargoyle was about to attack again, a thick mace mmed into its head.

    ¨C Kaaah!

    The gargoyle staggered and let out a ferocious screech. Either way, the mace bashing its head didn''t stop.

    The mace stopped only after the gargoyle''s head was crushed beyond recognition.

    ¡®Sessful.¡¯

    The results of the previous training were clearly visible.

    I looked at the three women with delighted expression.

    ¡°¡­the mes at the middle were weak. Is it mana circuit''s problem? No. Maybe it''s just that my concentration is messed up. Calm down, Eri. You can do it. You can do it."

    Eri mumbled forlornly while training to fence with her wand.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Neria wiped her shield with an indifferent expression.

    ¡°Huhuhuhuh¡­ It¡¯s because you don¡¯t follow Iris-sama¡¯s doctrine. Oh, it''s a monster, so it probably wouldn''t understand the broad meaning of Iris-sama anyway. I''m sorry¡­ I hope you will be born as a faithful servant who can follow Iris-sama''s words in your next life, amen¡­"

    Ophelia giggled sitting next to the gargoyle''s corpse.

    Well. They seem to be reaching their limit.

    If I did more, they would be broken.

    They have polished their basics, so now I should give them a good rest.

    I said to them.

    ¡°Up until now, you guys had a hard time, sleeping only three hours a day. Let¡¯s go to thest boss room. But, before we engage in the final battle, let¡¯s sleep as much as we want.¡±

    At my words, the three women stopped whatever they were doing. They calmly exchanged nces with each other¡­

    And they¡­ they ran like crazy.

    I was stunned for a while at first¡­ but then I came to my senses and followed after them.

    "Guys! You understand what I''m saying, right?! Instead of thrashing thest boss, we are resting in front of the boss room! No, rather than that, how do you know where the boss room is!? Stop! Wait for me, guys!"

    So, after many twists and turns, we were finally able to defeat the 30th floor''s boss Minotaur and entered the reward room.

    ¡°The one who cleared the dungeon. Wee~"

    There was an Angel in the reward room.

    It wasn''t in the game.

 Chapter 48.1: Dungeon (3)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    There was an Angel in the reward room that followed after killing the boss on the 30th floor.

    Angels.

    Spiritual beings who assist the Goddess.

    Her faithful servants and messengers.

    When Eri, Neria, and Ophelia saw the Angel for the first time in their life, they were very bbergasted.

    That''s because Angels have only been mentioned in old stories. One would never imagine that they would see such a being with their own eyes.

    Cloud, on the other hand, was sullen.

    If it was just about the Angel, at most, he would feel a lil'' bored inside.

    But regarding this particr situation, he felt a little unpleasant.

    ¡®I can¡¯t see the rewards.¡¯

    In the game, when essing the reward room, the rewards for clearing the dungeon are listed in a row, and the yers can choose one of them.

    But now, the rewards were nowhere visible in the room.

    All he could see was a beautiful Angel with tinum blonde hair who shrouded her body with a single piece of cloth.

    ¡­no..way.

    Cloud felt as if a cold dagger flew right into his chest.

    ¡®¡­No. It won''t be. It cannot be.¡¯

    Otherwise, tonight''s dinner will be pigeon soup.

    Cloud managed to pry open his lips, which had be as heavy as reinforced bars.

    "I¡­"

    "Uh..? Uhhh?!! Hero, Cloud?! H, How did you get here..?!¡±

    Before he could even ask anything.

    As soon as the Angel saw Cloud, she was greatly flustered, and fluttered restlessly.

    ¡°Why is the Hero here? How, why? Moreover, it''s Hero Cloud, not any other Hero¡­? In the first ce, this is not a dungeon that Hero Cloud can clear! Ahh¡­ what happened..!!¡±

    Mumbling to herself, she looked like she was going through PSTD, panicked enough to rip her off own tuft of hair.

    Seeing that, Cloud realized.

    Alright, even she isn''t able toprehend the situation.

    Thanks to her, his mind was ced more at ease.

    ¡°Are you alright, Miss Angel?¡±

    "Yes? Oh no, heck..! Agh! Wee, one who passth the ordeal. Ramiel, the faithful servant of Goddess Iris, wees you.¡±

    Cloud''s voice made Ramiel promptlye back to her senses. She coughed lightly and tried to pretend again, but¡­

    Toote.

    She didn''t just expose herself, she left quite a deep impression, and a not-so-good one at that, at least in Cloud''s head she was already branded as an air-headed Angel.

    ¡°Are you, are you really an Angel?¡±

    Ophelia''s voice trembled.

    It wasn''t because as a believer of the Goddess, she was so moved by the reality that she had encountered a piece of the Goddess herself.

    It was simply because she felt her faith waver facing this oddity of an Angel.

    Ramiel smiled benevolently toward Ophelia.

    ¡°O'' Saintess Candidate, as you can see, I am the faithful servant of Goddess Iris. These pure white wings are a testament to it.¡±

    Ramiel fluttered a pair of pristine white wings as if showcasing them proudly.

    Ophelia''s eyes twitched as she saw the fluttering white wings.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Ophelia greets the great Angel, Ramiel.¡±

    Ophelia put her hands together and bowed her head. Ramiel responded with a benevolent smile.

    ¡°Isn''t it already over, Miss Ramiel? It is an eternal honor to meet an Angel, but I came here to clear this dungeon and get the hidden treasure. Why can¡¯t I see the treasure and why is there an Angel present here of all ces?¡±

    Cloud spoke up and intervened between the Angel and Ophelia.

    Ramiel''s smile turned slightly awkward, which she tried to hide.

    ¡°Ah¡­ there has been a tiny issue, I assure you, it''s a tiny one. Uh, I''m having some trouble with the procedure¡­ I can try tomunicate with the Goddess, so could you please wait for a while?"

    "Hmm?"

    Cloud narrowed his eyes.

    At the same time, Ramiel felt a strange pressure manifest over her.

    A bizarre situation where a mere mortal ced pressure on her, an Angel.

    But she didn''t find it strange.

    Because to her, a Hero is a being chosen by the Goddess herself, and is bound to be different from ordinary mortals.

    Ramiel hurriedly waved her hand.

    ¡°Hey, you can''t be angry with me. You weren''t meant to be here! ..but you got here. In other words, it''s a scenario of unexpected twists and turns¡­ It''s not something I can solve on my own!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Cloud sighed deeply at Ramiel''s excuse. There was some truth to her words, though. Originally, this was the ce where Mars shoulde, not Cloud.

    However.

    ¡°Is there any problem here? I cleared the dungeon top to bottom, sacrificing blood and sleep. So I do have the right to bepensated ordingly.¡±

    Cloud didn''t even care about blood, but if anything came in between him and his lil'' bro, this was going to get bloody personal.

    ¡°Exactly, I¡¯m going to ask the Goddess about that!¡±

    Ramiel''s answer was the same. Cloud made a tsk sound.

    ¡°Ask as soon as possible.¡±

    Having said his part, he suddenly took out a whetstone and began to sharpen his de.

    Sleer! Sleer!

    The sound of sharpening the de felt creepy for some reason.

    Ramiel''s eyes fluttered greatly.

    ¡°Iris-sama¡­ please hurry¡­!¡±

    Fortunately, for both him and her, Ramiel''s anxious expression did notst long.

    She gave a bright expression, then nodded her head a few times before returning a benevolent smile to Cloud and the others.

    ¡°Hero, Cloud. I deliver to you the divine message of Iris-sama. Although you have escaped your destiny, it''s also a new destiny. I will recognize you as the one who overcame the ordeal of this dungeon.¡±

    Fluuur-!

    Ramiel''s wings spread wide.

    Behind her a dazzling halo manifested. When the halo disappeared, four blobs of light floated behind her back.

    Ramiel lifted her finger and one of the four rewards flew forward.

    It was something that looked like a blue gem.

    ¡°This is the essence left by Ruin Krasio, the knight who overwhelmed the continent a hundred years ago. This essence contains everything Ruin Krasio had, including his skills and knowledge.¡±

    The three women were startled by Ramiel''s description.

    Ruin Krasio.

    A legendary knight who fought for days upon days with the Dragon King who lost his child and turned berserk.

    The blue, glossly gem in front of them is the essence that holds everything of such a knight¡­

    They couldn''t believe it!

    Ramiel snapped her fingers.

    This time, an obsidian sword apanied by its scabbard came forward.

    ¡°The blood-devouring demonic sword, Dainsleif. The more it consumes blood, the more powerful it bes. The stronger the sword, the more difficult it is to control.¡±

    The three women were surprised once again.

    Just as Ruin Krasio is famous for his might, there is no one who won''t know of his beloved sword, Dainsleif.

    After he disappeared, it was a treasure that many treasure hunters pursued, yet couldn''t find even if they searched throughout the entire continent.

    Before they were done being surprised, a bottle encasing a red liquid appeared in front of them.

    ¡°The Medicine Of Immortality. If you drink this medicine, you will not grow old and you will not be afflicted with any disease. But, the death is the same if you get fatally wounded."

    Medicine Of Immortality.

    Not to mention this.

    Immortality has been one of the mankind''s greatest desires since ancient times.

    Ramiel snapped her fingers once again.

    Arge tuft of grass that looked like a leaf came forward.

    ¡°This is the big root grass. As the name suggests, it is a medicinal herb that makes the male genitals bigger.¡±

 Chapter 48.2: Dungeon (3)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The three women put on a speechless expression in unison, as if they had rehearsed earlier.

    Because this one''s difference from the previous rewards was a bit toorge. To be honest, one may wonder if anyone would go after something like this with other rewards many times more lucrative ced before them.

    Ramiel knew that too, so she smiled a little as she saw their reactions.

    ¡°Hero, the reward you can take is only one of these. If you choose one, you cannot have the rest. Please choose wisely¡­¡±

    ¡°That one will do.¡±

    ¡°This choice is¡­ yes?¡±

    Ramiel looked at Cloud''s finger pointing at something. She turned her gaze to where his finger pointed.

    The big root grass.

    He was pointing exactly at the big root grass.

    ¡­?

    Ramiel nkly stared at the big root grass with a puzzled expression.

    Seeing that the air-headed Angel had once againnded into the buffering mode, Cloud kindly exined it in words.

    ¡°The big root grass. That will do.¡±

    ¡°¡­are you s-sure? A, Are you sure you want to choose the big root grass?¡±

    ¡°You heard me right. Give me the big root grass, asap. I feel dizzy.¡±

    Just when Ramiel hastily opened her lips with a bewildered expression.

    ¡°Agh!!! Aaaaaaaah!!!!¡±

    Eri wailed loudly.

    Cloud, startled by the sudden whatever-it-was, hurriedly backed away.

    ¡°Ah goodness, you scared me. Why are you screaming all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°Cloud, are you joking!? Are you seriously going to choose that?!¡±

    ¡°Is there any problem with that?¡±

    ¡°You are seriously going to choose it? That¡­ that p*nis growing herb!?¡±

    Eri was astonished, too much for her sake, it felt if she was going to rip off her twin pigtails.

    She quickly calmed herself down as she took a deep breath, and then put her hand on Cloud''s shoulder and began to persuade him slowly and steadily.

    ¡°Hey¡­ Cloud. Did you clearly hear the exnation the holy Angel just gave us?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°Then why are you forsaking all these great opportunities over a damn grass? Why are you kicking away your fortune?¡±

    Even though Eri emphasized the word ¡®great opportunities¡¯ with great stress, Cloud still had a look of disapproval. She continued her persuasion while clenching her fists.

    ¡°You know the lore of Ruin Krasio, right? A legendary knight who was recognized by the Dragon King. The legendary knight to whom even the Imperial tinum Knights couldn''t do anything, even the Emperor had to maintain a good rtionship with him¡­! It''s his essence we are talking about here!¡±

    Cloud looked at the essence of Ruin Krasio.

    A legendary knight¡­

    I see¡­

    Sounds strong.

    Seeing Cloud''s expression, Eri swallowed her saliva and pointed to the obsidian sword.

    "That sword¡­ it''s Dainsleif. The demonic sword used by Ruin Krasio. A legendary magic sword that even pierced the scales of the Dragon King, you understand¡­?¡±

    ¡°But didn''t she say it¡¯s hard to control?¡±

    Cloud nodded, andter shook his head.

    He has once seen a sword with a simr disadvantage. And along with, a crazy swordsman who used it like a club to thrash others, being more barbaric than a barbarian.

    Eri wanted to cry out loud, but she persevered.

    ¡°Ugh¡­ well then, there''s even a medicine for immortality¡­¡±

    ¡°Big root grass.¡±

    "Please Cloud¡­ We''ve worked really hard to get all the way till here¡­ You know, right¡­? As long as you make the right choice, you can easily surpass Gis and Lorian, or even Frillite¡­ So, please¡­¡±

    Eri was crying and begging, but¡­

    ¡°Big root grass.¡±

    Cloud remained honest to his heart.

    In the end, Eri exploded.

    "Why!! Why the hell are you so obsessed with that big root grass!!! Is your''s so small?! Is it so small to give up on all those life changing opportunities and choose that f**king giant root grass!!!¡±

    At Eri''s question, Cloud raised his little finger.

    With Eri''s eye widening.

    ¡°Maybe, no¡­ it''s really that small¡­? How¡­¡±

    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s even smaller than this.¡±

    ¡°?!?!¡±

    "What..!?"

    "Huh..?"

    The three women were astonished by Cloud''s candid truth.

    Eri had an expression of disbelief and absurdity, she violently shook her head, as if denying reality itself.

    "No¡­ no¡­ it cannot be¡­ no matter how small, how can a person''s¡­"

    A hand was ced on Eri''s shoulders.

    "Eri¡­ I''m sorry, but I too think it would be better to choose that herb."

    Neria.

    "Right. It must have been very difficult for him, so, I think so too¡­¡±

    Ophelia.

    ¡°Ah¡­ ah¡­¡±

    All Eri could do in face of the harsh reality was to helplessly kneel down on her knees.

    ¡°So¡­ the only thing we got from these hardships is¡­ a herb that increase the size of a p*nis¡­? Tell me it''s a sick joke¡­. what the hell¡­ All that suffering¡­all that suffering¡­.¡±

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be too sad. We got quite a lot of good equipment and magic books while reaching here, didn''t we? That¡¯s also a part of the reward.¡±

    "Did we¡­? Ha ha¡­ that''s right¡­ we did, haha¡­"

    Eri looked down at the floor with a nk gaze and murmured repeatedly. Cloud looked into her dead eyes and tried to say somethingforting, but found none.

    Ultimately, he turned to the Angel.

    ¡°Did you hear it? I don''t need anything else. So, please, hurry up.¡±

    ¡°¡­Let me contact the Goddess one more time.¡±

    ¡°Haven''t you already done it once? Why are you so dissatisfied with my selection of the big root grass?¡±

    "Please understand¡­ it''s really important¡­"

    Saying so, Ramiel hurriedly put her hands together and closed her eyes.

    After a while, she opened her luscious lips.

    ¡°Hero, Cloud. I shall be delivering the words of the Goddess directly. Are you ready to listen?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I''m. Please get it done quickly."

    The moment Ramiel opened her mouth again, her aura changed.

    ¡°Hero, Cloud. Your strong will to escape the destined fate, has found itself to me. I, Goddess Iris, am the mother of all things, and even you, the Hero, are my son. As a mother, it is only natural for me to make my children¡¯s wishese true.¡±

    The big root grass began to wiggle.

    "This moment, right this instant, I shall obliterate every line of fate that was destined to be bestowed upon you and grant you a new one.¡±

    A pure white light surrounded the giant root grass.

    The giant root grass emitting a soft light stopped it''s movement as it reached Cloud.

    ¡°Have it, Cloud. For, it shall change your destiny.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Cloud narrowed his brow and red at Ramiel. After a while, he let out a small sigh and shoved the big root grass into his mouth.

    It hadn''t even been ten seconds after he swallowed the giant root grass.

    Cloud felt his body heating up. He also felt heat gathering centered on his groin.

    He folded his arms and nodded his head, enjoying the feeling.

    Just as the heat gathering in his groin vanished, he slid his pants a bit and looked inside.

    ¡®Oh¡­''

    The heaviness that couldn''t bepared to the previous joke.

    A smile came out of nowhere.

    ¡°Do you like it?¡±

    ¡°Does it even needs to be questioned? Thank you, Goddess.¡±

    ¡°You''re happy, so I¡¯m happy. But it''s still too early to be happy. The erged p*nis is only part of the function of the big root grass.¡±

    ¡°So, more features?¡±

    It''s called big root grass, so maybe, my current biggest weapon will grow more?

    While Cloud felt puzzled, Ramiel continued.

    ¡°I have observed that the existing big root grass will not be able to fulfill its role in the new destiny that shall be bestowed upon you. So, I added one more feature. Yourrge p*nis will change shape the moment it enters a woman''s enve. Its size and shape will morph into what is deemed most suitable for the female partner to feel pleasure.¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s big, but¡­ In addition, you¡¯re saying that it¡¯s a malleable stick that changes ording to my female partner?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that''s correct.¡±

    Ramiel smiled warmly and spread her arms wide.

    ¡°Come on, Hero Cloud! Your fate has changed. Your p*nis is superior to any other male in the world! With that superior genitalia, take over every woman in the world!¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Cloud turned his head taut and tried to interpret the meaning of Goddess''s b!tchy sounding words in his own way.

    And then¡ªhe concluded.

    This crazy b!tch changed the whole genre, from NTR to NTL and harem.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Cloud looked at his lil'' bro once again. It didn''t really matter what the goddess intended. Whatever she wanted to see, he''ll do what he wanted.

    But, I feel, the change''s not too bad for myself?

    ¡°It seems unbelievable.¡±

    ¡°I guess¡­ how will it change its size and all¡­¡±

    ¡°Huh, it¡¯s fine. It is also the mother''s duty to convince a doubtful child. If Hero is doubtful, check it out with my faithful servant, Ramiel¡­ Huh? Uhhh? What are you saying, Goddess Iris?! What did you just say¡­ Huh?? W, What!? What''s wrong with my body?!"

    As her body unnaturally floated in the air, Ramiel looked greatly flustered.

    It was the same with Cloud who apanied her in the air.

    -Krrrrr!

    A room suddenly appeared behind the wall where previously stood nothing.

    The door opened and Ramiel along with Cloud were thrown into the room.

    There was nothing in the improvised room.

    Except for a queen size bed.

    * * *

    * * *

    Ophelia and Neria saw Ramiel and Cloud fly into a room that appeared suddenly.

    The door mmed shut as soon as they entered.

    On the door were words engraved:

    ?~The room you cannot leave without having sex~?

    [Pending!]

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    After a while, Neria, who hastily understood the situation, bleated and swiftly rushed to knock on the door.

 Chapter 49: Pigeon Training (1)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    What would you do if you found an injured wild animal while passing by?

    Most people would probably choose to ignore it. It''s a world where it''s hard to live in, most people have just ¡®me and myself'' in their mind. There''s no way they will spend their time and effort for someonepletely unrted.

    On the other hand, if it is an animal lover or one of the few kind people left on thisnd, they will try their part.

    In fact, healing is something anyone can do if they put their mind to it.

    Now, what if, after healing the wound, there is an additional condition to mate with that animal?

    Would anyone do it?

    The short answer is not, no one would.

    Why this nonsense all of a sudden? You may ask.

    Because, that''s the situation I''m in.

    ¡°Goddess?!! What do you mean check it out with my faithful servant?! Are you kidding me!? Is this one of your usual pranks?!¡±

    Now, there''s a pigeon over here.

    A pigeon that had been abandoned by its owner and is suffering from a severe heartache.

    After I heal the pigeon''s wounds, I have to mate with it.

    What..? You may question.

    But seriously, no bullsh!t. That''s what it is.

    Soundspletely different from what I told?

    Okay. I''ll admit it.

    She''s closer to a humanoid than a bird, and from an aesthetic point of view, she''s honestly quite pretty.

    But when you have white wings.

    Then you are part pigeon.

    Maybe a dove, to be more appropriate?

    Yes, yes. It sounds a bit absurd. But again, that''s it how it is.

    What else to say?

    I also have to put my stick in it too.

    I mean, it''s just¡­ just a dove!

    All right, let''s end this meaningless chatter.

    The primo is, I have to heal this wounded white pigeon and stick my cock in.

    To get out of this f**king room.

    What do you think is the most important part of healing a broken heart?

    Of course, nothing but sincere constion.

    In order to make her feel thefort, I have to empathize, and empathize again, making us close, psychologically.

    How close should be the psychological distance? That depends.

    But, then again, the physical distance should be close too.

    Let''s go over to that wounded pigeon first.

    ¡°Hey, Ramiel?¡±

    ¡°Hiieee?!¡±

    Oh.

    Without realizing it, I approached her while hiding my presence. The mistake is mine. It''s an old habit. Thanks to which, the startled pigeon ran away.

    Not by flying, but by crawling on the floor.

    And, very fast.

    For a moment, I wondered if that was a chicken there, and not a pigeon.

    Well, the question isn''t whether my target is a pigeon or a chicken.

    The problem is that the bird is terrified.

    She rested her back against the wall, exposing her pointed beak.

    Oh, of course, that''s not to say she''s sticking her lips out. It''s just an analogy. To be precise, that pigeon now has a spear in its hand.

    A bright yellow, shining spear.

    This¡­.

    It looks like the dove is stronger than I thought.

    For sure, this spear skill will have a name like the ¡®Holy Spear'' or the ¡®Divine Spear'', definitely something along that line.

    A spear with the power to destroy evil.

    I can feel it, in addition to having a superior effect on demons, it also has a powerful effect on ordinary creatures such as humans.

    Humans are also creatures that live with the evil emotions called seven sins.

    So that means¡­

    If I''m hit by that, it will have a high probability of piercing right through my body.

    Hey, that''s a skill that can only be used by a high-level angel.

    How dare she f**king throw away a pigeon so valuable.

    What was the pigeon''s owner thinking?

    Could it be that pigeons like these have overflowed the house and she just threw one of them away?

    Alright¡­ This makes things a little difficult.

    ¡°You! Don¡¯te near me!¡±

    ¡­Yeah, now isn''t the time to worry about that.

    Let''s get back to reality.

    First, I need to calm the pigeon that has been taken over by fear.

    I decided to take a step backwards to show that I meant no harm.

    Fortunately, the trembling of the pigeon''s hands lessened, perhaps because she understood my intentions.

    If she calms down, we can talk.

    Just to make sure that she understands that I''m not her enemy.

    ¡°Ramiel. I know you''re flustered, but I''m just as unnerved as Ramiel-nim. First of all¡­ can you exin what this room is for?¡±

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°I believe that an Angel, Iris-sama¡¯s faithful servant, will not lie.¡±

    Well. Pigeon looks worried.

    Is she okay?

    Well, I can afford to wait.

    Just tell me when you''re ready.

    ¡°¡­the room you cannot leave unless you¡­ do it.¡±

    "Yes?"

    What?

    ¡°It¡¯s the room you cannot leave without having sex!¡±

    Oh shit! The name''s bonkers.

    Uh, I see what that matafaka Goddess intends. But why is the pigeon ring at me? Why am I the one facing the me?

    ¡­

    Whoops, this is going to be a big deal.

    Because if I make another mistake like the one with that pink women, I will almost turn into an animal abuser once again.

    So, no.

    Because then, as a trainer I''m unqualified.

    I guess, my prime realization from the prior experience is that simply having the right technique cannotpletely tame a beast.

    No matter how much I think about it, I think my mistake was not applying the technique with adequate force back then¡­ But let''s not make the same mistake twice, in case I''m wrong with my hypothesis.

    First of all, I should break this heavy atmosphere with a light joke.

    "The room you cannot leave without having sex¡­? Is that sex the sex I know? The one where the cock¡­ Whoa!¡±

    ¡°Aaaah, don¡¯t say it!¡±

    ¡°Okay, but can you please stop throwing spears? I just nearly died.¡±

    "¡­ahh!"

    She looks genuinely surprised.

    Did she only realize that now¡­?

    Would you butcher a kind animal tamer just because he is doing his job? Why pigeon, why? But, I''m a good animal tamer, so I won''t mind this once.

    ¡°Hero, I¡¯m sorry. I''m so confused, I¡­ Are you hurt?"

    "It''s okay. But first, let''s put that spear away and then talk, alright? Just in case, to prevent an ident."

    "¡­I see."

    Finally she took the beak in.

    Now that I have extinguished the aggression, it''s time to heal the wounds.

    ¡­but a sudden thought came to my mind.

    Do I need to heal her wounds?

    My purpose is to get out of this room.

    I need to have sex with the pigeon for that. But taking a look, I came to the conclusion that there was no need to heal the wounds in order to achieve that.

    What? Are you saying that''s too much?

    Uh. That''s too much.

    To be honest, I get easily bored with stuff like this.

    I just want to have sex and go out.

    ¡°Miss Ramiel. Please keep your spear calm and listen. Is that sex, the sex I know?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Ramiel nodded her head with a red face instead of answering.

    ¡°Then do we have to have sex to get out of this room?¡±

    "¡­please, wait. I''m asking the Goddess, so the door will open again soon."

    ¡°You really think it will? Are you saying that the Goddess will take back what she said herself?¡±

    ¡°¡­if I beg her¡­¡±

    ¡°You know it won¡¯t happen.¡±

    ¡°Then what do you want to say?!! Do you mean that I, a servant of the Goddess, s-should¡­ have sex with you, a mere mortal?!¡±

    "Yes. That¡¯s the only way.¡±

    ¡°¡­don¡¯t be funny.¡±

    Hmmm, she took her beak out again.

    Now, I can''t help it.

    I just hope that she doesn''t take any drastic measures.

    ¡°Don¡¯te near me! Don''t! You have just seen the power of my spear, right!? Even you, a Hero, are at risk¡­¡±

    ¡°Throw it. I won''t avoid it.¡±

    Don''t be too scared just because the prospected beast has bared it''s fangs. If that''s the case, they''ll know your fear and wield it against you.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m really going to throw it. I''m not joking.¡±

    ¡°I said it. Just throw it. Have the honor of killing the Hero chosen by the Goddess.¡±

    ¡°Wuuu¡­ please, please just wait a minute. Goddess will give us the answer.¡±

    ¡°The answer has already been decided. You know it, Miss Ramiel, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°B, But, we can pray together! You are a Hero, if you earnestly ask for it, the Goddess will answer.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Respected Hero¡­ I, as an Angel¡­ I have to keep my chastity¡­ please¡­¡±

    ¡°However, the Goddess herself doesn¡¯t want to preserve the purity of this Angel.¡±

    ¡°¡­!!¡±

    Ummm¡­ Her body just shook, was it that big of a shock?

    I''ll bear no resistance if someone wants to bed me.

    I''m morefortable being the one in charge, though.

    "¡­follow your heart."

    "Yes?"

    ¡°Do whatever you want! I will be punished for sphemy, but that''s none of your business! Do whatever you want.¡±

    Ramiel cried out as sheid down on the bed.

    Hmmm?

    ¡°Are you really telling me what''s on your mind?¡±

    "Yesh! Unleash your filthy sexual desires to your heart''s content. Let''s take a look at how rotten the Hero the Goddess has chosen is!"

    Does this pigeon think that if it goes out too hard, I''ll be embarrassed and won''t do anything?

    "Why? Why are you standing still?! Come on. Put your sloppy penis inside, shake it, and be done with it! Isn''t that what you will do? After all, even a Hero is a mortal. Even they aren''t capable of taming their ugly desires.¡±

    It seems like she has already drawn the conclusion before I could answer anything.

    It''s absurd, so the step-by-step process is all broken.

    "It''s okay. I will forgive you with a wide heart for looking at me with a filthy gaze until now. So,e with me to the Goddess¡­ Kyaak!?¡±

    Instead of answering, I took off the thin piece of clothing the Angel was wearing.

    I just grabbed it and pulled it, and it came off so easily as if I had just pulled a feather.

    This is really for wearing?

    ¡°What are you doing?! Back, give it back to me right now!¡±

    Ramiel covered her p*ssy with one hand and sought to retrieve her cloth with other.

    Her logic¡ªif you can cover only one of them, either your breasts or your p*ssy, then you choose pu$sy.

    Watching her voluptuous breasts juggle vulgarly, I waved back with the piece of cloth to prevent Ramiel from grabbing it.

    "Hero..! Do you really want to be punished?!¡±

    A bright light shed in Ramiel''s right hand, and a holy spear was created instantly.

    ¡°This is onest warning. Give it back to me.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I said it is thest warning.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°You really¡­¡±

    Ramiel bit her lips. The distorted expression on her face was erased with a sigh.

    After removing her hand from in between her luscious legs, sheid down on the bed.

    ¡°Aaagh¡­ I don¡¯t know anymore. Do whatever you deem fit¡­"

    I took off my pants.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    And, Ramiel whined.

    [R-18 Chapters Avable~!] Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 50.1: Pigeon Training (2) [R-18]

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    ¡°You really don''t have an inch of hesitation. The world''s doomed. Are you really a Hero?¡±

    ¡°Gis and Lorian are also Heroes. Whatcha say?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Finding herself with no answer to the question, she bit her lips tightly.

    Surely, she looks like a dove with conscience.

    I took off the rest of my clothing¡ªmy underwear and top.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Ramiel''s gaze fixated on my groin.

    There was a perplexed look in her eyes.

    Is that really so scary?

    I gently lowered my head and looked at my stuff.

    Maybe, because it never had the opportunity to have a woman, the cock couldn''t have been harder and stiffer than this.

    18cm long in full glory, and thick enough to not fit into a tissue paper hole.

    Indeed, the word "big root" attributed to the herb is worth it.

    I nodded my head in admiration and brought my cock close to Ramiel''s face.

    ¡°Wh, What?!¡±

    Ramiel jolted her head back in surprise.

    ¡°Before having sex, there''s a forey phase. And that includes licking the other person''s genitals.¡±

    ¡°¡­now you look at my face and tell me. Do you think I would do anything like that?¡±

    Ramiel''s expression shone with contempt.

    Welp, receiving a warm fetio doesn''t look possible. Moreover, it seems like I''ll surely get a bite if I force her to it.

    I abandoned the forey as she wished and pointed my hot blooded cock at the mound of Ramiel''s p*ssy.

    Just when my cock grazed the entrance of her p*ssy.

    ¡°Hey! Wait a minute! I''m telling you, if you stop right now, I will be kind enough¡­¡±

    Ramiel was looking at my cock and her own stomach alternately with caution. Surely she''s suggesting to call quits now! Man, this daylight blue balling!

    I gathered my momentum, withdrew from her body and plunged back inside.

    Ramiel''s back arched.

    ¡°Agggh!!!¡±

    She grabbed onto the bedsheet and jerked her head upwards, leaking a loud moan.

    I felt a wet feeling on my cock and took a peek to see her blood dripping.

    Angels have hymens too¡­

    ¡°Agh¡­ Agg¡­ you¡­ You heretic, you did it in the end! You defiled me. How was it? Are you feeling delighted¡ªsinking into filthy pleasures that rise from below? Enjoy it to your heart''s content. When this is over, you will face my wrath for eternity¡­ Haangh! Ouch! Hey, stop moving for a second. Stop, you idiot!"

    Ramiel''s fishy smile copsed as the tip of my enormous cock entered her, causing a numbed pleasure to spread throughout her entire body.

    ¡°Are we having forey now? I said caressing stage is important.¡±

    ¡°Are you sick in your head!? Heck, no! Anyway, stop moving at once! If you move, you will be punished.¡±

    ¡°If I don¡¯t move, won''t I be punished too?¡±

    Ramiel tilted her head.

    ¡°What there''s to question? Of course, you will still be punished.¡±

    "Alright."

    ¡°Ahh!! Why, Why did you move?!"

    ¡°If I move, I will be punished, if I do not move, I will be punished. Looks same to me.¡±

    ¡°Aaah, if you stop moving, I¡¯ll give you a weak punishment! So, stop moving!¡±

    I ignored Ramiel''s words and silently pounded my shaft. I felt my thickness stirring up her insides, making her entire body tremble in pleasure. Her plump bosoms bounced up and down at my movement.

    "Eek! Keeuk! Stop! Stop it! Please stop!¡±

    ¡°Ah! Why are you grabbing my head?!¡±

    "Shut up! Stop right now! I''ll pluck all your hair, stop!¡±

    Ramiel cowardly took tufts of my hair as hostage.

    But I did notpromise to her hostage y.

    Great work requires unavoidable sacrifice!

    A few dozen hairs¡­ worth it.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t stop right now, you will suffer from hair loss for the rest of your life!¡±

    ¡°You f**king dare?! I''ll make you pregnant!"

    A husband with partial baldness you will get, Ramiel.

    I pistoned my thickness more violently.

    Looking for her pleasure zone, my cock did a powerful spear-like thrust.

    ¡°Kyaahahh!"

    Ramiel gave a raucous moan of apuse to my breathtaking spear mastery.

    "Keeuk! I-I will not give you any punishment! I won''t punish you, please stop!"

    Pluck.

    I stopped my cock.

    Had to.

    Just thought, isn''t 18cm too much for the first time of a virgin maiden?

    Welp, what happened, happened.

    ¡°¡­why are people like you Heroes? For the first time in my life, I have doubts about the Goddess¡¯ decision.¡±

    Ramiel snorted and muttered listlessly.

    * * *

    As Ramiel wanted, I stopped pistoning. However, this is a room you cannot leave without having sex, and people need to ejacte to have aplete sex.

    In the end, give or take, we had to start what we stopped.

    So, after reaching an agreement, we decided to go slowly.

    I moved slower¡­

    I didn''t feel as much resistance to my cock as before.

    Ramiel didn''t even look in pain.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    "Yes. It''s slow, so it doesn''t hurt."

    ¡°Can I speed up a little bit?¡±

    ¡°I think it will be fine.¡±

    As I asked her, I increased my speed little by little.

    Even when I reached my previous speed, she didn''t suffer like before.

    Rather, I felt her p**sy getting wet. Her warm and wet insides licked and sucked on my hard cock, sending shivers of pleasure up my spine.

    I had a question, ¡®Has her maiden pussy already adjusted to my 18cm monster?''

    No, wait. It would be more correct to assume that my cock has already changed into a shape suitable for her v*gina.

    As far as I remember, the added effect that the Goddess put into my big cock was morphing.

    Then, why did she keep feeling the pain?

    It was the first time, so it took time to change, or was it Goddess'' prank?

    It''s probably one of the two.

    Thetter makes her sound like a dick, but let''s focus on sex for now.

    Puck! Puck! Puck!

    Continuous flesh-ping sounds ensued.

    Unlike the first time, we didn''t exchange blows in conversation.

    I slid in and out of her warm body and she matched with the rhythm. It was a repetition of it.

    It sounds like the old-fashioned mandatory sex, without any fun and joy, but it''s different¡­

    ¡°Heh¡­! Eeeuk..!"

    And, it wasn''t that Ramiel didn''t want to talk, it was that she couldn''t.

    She was stifling her obscene moans as she bit her red lips and crumpled the bedsheet she was holding onto.

    Maybe she''s keeping her mouth closed because she''s afraid that if she opened her mouth, her moans will leak out right away.

    ¡®I have a taste for it, but¡­¡¯

    It''s been a long time since I had sex.

    I did have the desire to y a little more aggressively.

    To do that, it was necessary to break through those blocked moans.

    ¡®Will caressing work?¡¯

    My hand gently trailed on Ramiel''s soft flesh¡ªcupping her breast and gently pinching her n*pples.

    ¡°Eeek..!¡±

    Electricity ran through Ramiel''s body, her legs felt a little weak.

    Ramiel opened her teary eyes and looked at me.

    Apparently this was the correct answer.

    I gently mounded her ample breasts.

    ¡°Hey¡­! What are..! You doing..! Aaak!"

    It''s better than before, but I think I''m still a bitcking in exploration.

    Whenever her nipples are gently pinched, the moans leak briefly, but there''s no significant change.

    Her breasts don''t seem to be a major weak point of hers.

    So, where is Ramiel''s weak point?

    ¡®¡­Perhaps?''

 Chapter 50.2: Pigeon Training (2) [R-18]

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    I stopped myself.

    Ramiel gasped for breath a few times, calming her emotions, and looked at me as I stood up.

    "What? Are you done?¡±

    "Nah. Let''s change our posture a little bit.¡±

    ¡°Posture?¡±

    "Yes."

    I turned the puzzled Ramiel with her back facing me, and promptly pulled her ass towards me.

    ¡°Are you sure you want me to be in this position? It looks ufortable.¡±

    She made a fuss, but I didn''t give any opinion. People enjoy what they feel.

    ¡°I think that¡¯s how we can finish it up quickly. I''ll put it back. Don''t worry, it won''t hurt."

    "Alright. Ah, and don''t pinch my breasts the way you did before, don''t you dare."

    "Why? Isn''t it normal to touch my partner''s breasts during sex?"

    "No. Definitely not. If you don''t agree, I won''t do it with you."

    "I see. I''m sorry, for the previous time."

    Seeing that I agreed, she gave me a slightly startled expression. Maybe she thought I was going to be stubborn. But I didn''t have to stick to her chest, she was beautiful in many other ways.

    If I was stuck on her milky breasts, I wouldn''t have changed into this sex position.

    ¡°Then I will move.¡±

    "Yes."

    Puck! Puck! Puck!

    With the permission, I entered inside her softness.

    "Aagh¡­!¡±

    After a few thrusts, her breathing turned ragged again.

    Her aroused emotions did not subside with only a few minutes of rest.

    My gaze lingered on her bare back.

    The root part of her pristine white wings connected to her wing bone was clearly visible.

    I lowered my head and gently kissed the base of her wings.

    ¡°Aaak?!¡±

    Hoh, the sound changed at once.

    I moved my tongue till I reached the root of her wings and nibbled it teasingly.

    ¡°Hey! W, What-?!¡±

    Ramiel''s body quivered with a strange whimper.

    And! Finally sessful¡­

    Flutter! Flutter!

    Her pair of wings pped wildly and brushed on me.

    Ah, I got a feather in my mouth.

    I stopped the piston movement and pulled the feathers out of my mouth.

    ¡°Wh, What were you doing?!¡±

    In the meantime, like lightning, she turned her head and cutely red at me.

    I narrowed my eyes and asked her instead.

    ¡°Then what are you doing, Ramiel?¡±

    "What? Me? What am I¡­¡±

    ¡°You are deliberately suppressing your moans.¡±

    ¡°I, when did I?!¡±

    Ramiel''s figure palpitated and then she shook her head in childish denial.

    But this excuse was not going to work.

    ¡°Why are you holding back your moans? Do you feel so ashamed of having sex with a mortal?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no¡­ because I didn¡¯t feel¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie. Ramiel, you feel it.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t feel anything! Wait, do you have any evidence, huh?¡±

    A liar who sticks to the end. This innocent Angel is adorably silly.

    Evidence?

    ¡°Yes, of course there is.¡±

    ¡°How..? W, What is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your face.¡±

    "Ah?"

    ¡°You think I cannot see the expressions you have on your face? Did you forget? My c*ck is a co*k given by the Goddess?¡±

    "Ah¡­ I¡­ I am¡­"

    Ramiel quietly avoided my gaze.

    Huh?

    I held her chin and made her look into my eyes.

    ¡°Ramiel. Let me ask you again. Because I am a mortal, is it that shameful and disgusting for you to have sex with me?¡±

    Avoiding my gaze to and fro, trying to find an excuse for herself, she finally sighed deeply and replied.

    ¡°¡­it¡¯s not like that.¡±

    ¡°Then why do you hold back so much?¡±

    ¡°Hero¡­ you and I have different positions. I am an Angel. A faithful servant who follows Iris-sama. I should always be clean. But I lost my virginity. If I even make an obscene sound in such a situation¡­¡±

    Ramiel''s expression darkened. On the other hand, when Cloud heard the reason, he smiled.

    ¡°What, was it just for that reason?¡±

    ¡°¡­just? Hero, it may not be an important issue to you, but to me¡­ huh?!¡±

    The mouth that opened to rebuke Cloud was blocked by his lips. Dumbfounded, Ramiel''s eyes widened. But she couldn''t take him off because they were entangled in this unique posture.

    H-He made her look into his eyes and stole away her first kiss like the wind!

    ¨C Teup¡­ Mmm¡­!

    As their lips parted, Ramiel''s expression, which had been distorted by anger, was released.

    She stared nkly at Cloud.

    He gently stroked Ramiel''s cheek.

    ¡°Goddess has given me your purity. Do you remember what the reason was?¡±

    ¡°¡­to confirm the effectiveness of the big root grass you received.¡±

    "Right. It was to convince me that the big root grass is really effective for women. How did you feel, Ramiel? Did the big root grass did what it was made for?¡±

    "That¡­"

    ¡°Ramiel. Don''t think hard. Who made the big root grass?¡±

    ¡°¡­Goddess Iris.¡±

    "Yes. The big root grass was made by Goddess Iris. Then, I''ll ask again. Ramiel, how is the effect of the giant root grass that Goddess bestowed? Did you feel good?¡±

    ¡°Excellent¡­¡±

    ¡°Is it enough to please a woman?¡±

    ¡°More than enough¡­¡±

    ¡°So, what''s the problem? Goddess'' big root grass can even please you, an innocent Angel. Isn''t that normal? After all, it''s Goddess'' blessing. Am I not right?¡±

    Ramiel did not immediately answer his question. She licked her lips several times before answering in a low voice.

    ¡°Yes¡­ Goddess¡¯ big root grass is beyond excellent. Even me, an innocent Angel¡­ would feel pleasure¡­¡±

    ¡°Nice.¡±

    Cloud smiled brightly.

    His foxy smile, which stretched to the corner of his lips, had the magical charm to attract women¡­

    "Ah¡­"

    Even the noble Angel, Ramiel, could not escape the power of this demon.

    Cloud kissed her once again as she let out a jubnt sign.

    He wrestled with her tongue and she shook her waist.

    When they finished kissing and parted their moist lips, Ramiel no longer hid her rapturous moans.

    "Aah¡­"

    Rather, she did it actively as if to make him listen to her feelings.

    Cloud asked her, putting his forehead to her''s and looking into her eyes.

    ¡°Ramiel, how''s having sex with me? You like it?"

    ¡°Hah¡­ sex with Hero¡­ Agh.. I like it¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me Hero. There are many Heroes on the continent.¡±

    He kissed her briefly.

    And demanded.

    ¡°Cloud¡­ call me by my proper name.¡±

    ¡°Cloud¡­ ha ha¡­ I¡­ ha ha¡­ sex with you¡­ Cloud¡­ it feels good¡­¡±

    "Same with me. Ramiel, you are gorgeous.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ Cloud¡­¡±

    Ramiel kissed Cloud on her own initiative, leaking an obscene moan.

    For a while, the two melted into each other.

    For quite some time, the symphonies ensued.

 Chapter 51.1: Nerias Cry

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    A small town situated in the Kingdom of Prona.

    There was a little girl who used to live there.

    Since the girl''s grandfather was the vige chief, her family was one of the wealthy families in the vige.

    But the girl''s home was not peaceful.

    Flying dishes and obscene swear words were pretty normal, even a day to day urrence.

    The parents'' affection towards the girl was nil, they only had burning hatred for her and even more towards each other.

    The girl hated her home environment.

    What the girl liked the most was staying outside her home.

    ¨C Neria, how are you?

    ¡ªwith a red-haired boy.

    ¨C Oh honey, Neria is here.

    ¨C Did she have dinner? Honey, ask her if she would like to eat together with us.

    ¡ªand his family.

    They always greeted the girl with a bright smile.

    In fact, economically, the boy''s family was not quite well-off. The boy''s father made and sold chopped firewood or figurines he made, and that didn''t exactly make a lot of money.

    But the boy''s family was the warmest one in whole vige.

    So the girl liked to spend time with the boy''s family.

    It was because it felt like a warm and secure nket was enveloping her.

    It was one fine day.

    The boy''s father, who went to the city to sell figurines, didn''t return. The boy''s mother left in search of her husband, only to never return either.

    In an instant, the boy was all alone.

    ¨C Her husband must have cheated on her. Seeing that she still hasn''t returned, she must be feeling ashamed to return.

    ¨C Maybe. I mean, just maybe, she has already found a new husband? So, she left this kid to die here.

    ¨C Oh man,e on. Do you even know how much the kid''s mom loved that kid and his dad? The kid''s mother must''ve fought her husband when she saw him cheating on her. Seeing that she hasn''te back, the result seems obvious.

    The vigers didn''t have deep pockets or a kind heart to help the orphaned boy.

    Rather, envying the boy''s previous happy family, they poured out their vicious sense of envy and jealousy towards the boy who had lost his nket.

    Even knowing that it would hurt the boy a lot.

    Then one day, just like his parents, the boy disappeared from the vige.

    The girl frantically searched for the boy.

    Because she didn''t want to lose even thatst sce that she had left. After searching throughout the forest for hours, the girl was finally able to find the boy.

    The boy was sitting on the edge of a cliff.

    The boy was looking at the stars and crying.

    The boy was crying for his missing father and mother.

    The girl hugged the boy.

    Looking at the boy weeping in her arms, the girl vowed to herself.

    She vowed that from then onwards she''ll be the boy''s nket.

    * * *

    ¨C Bang!

    The sound of the stridently closed door echoed.

    Neria''s mind went nk.

    ¡®W, What just happened..?''

    The Angel looked bewildered and almost slipped in the air in an unusual way. Cloud, too, was suddenly floating in the air, and then, the two were thrown into a room that suddenly appeared out of thin air.

    Before Neria could even react, all that she was left with was a tightly closed stone door.

    She reacted and pushed the stone door with a grunt.

    It didn''t work.

    No matter how hard she tried, it just didn''t move.

    Has it to be pulled instead?

    But¡­the door had no handle.

    Only then, her gaze turned to the stone door again.

    It had inscriptions engraved on it.

    ?~The room you cannot leave without having sex~?

    [Pending!]

    As she stared nkly at the words, a single word caught her eye.

    ¡®Sex..?''

    That sex¡­?

    ¡°Aghhh¡­!¡±

    It was then that Neria realized the seriousness of the situation. She heavily banged on the doors and bellowed.

    "Cloud! Cloud! Can you hear me?! Cloud!!!"

    It was useless.

    Because Goddess Iris had enchanted the room to block out external noise.

    No matter how earnestly she shouted or cried, her voice wouldn''t reach the room.

    But, Neria didn''t know that.

    She believed her voice could reach him through the crack in between the doors.

    "Hang in there! I''ll get you out of there somehow! You got it?! Wait a minute¡­ just wait a minute!¡±

    She didn''t know how to get him out of there.

    Those were words she uttered to reassure Cloud, to keep him from getting intimate with Ramiel.

    Neria drew out her sword.

    She aggressively swung her sword towards the stone door.

    [Cross Sever]-!

    [Bash]-!

    [Crescent Screech]-!

    She used every attack skill avable in her arsenal. However, the toughness of the stone door reached her through the vibrations and passed on to her aching wrists, she couldn''t even leave a single small scratch on the resilient stone door.

    ¡°Why is it so hard!¡±

    Neria changed her strategy, with a maniacal expression on her face, she started bashing the her shield against the stone doors.

    Even with her attack skills, she couldn''t leave a single scratch. Much less to say about a shield¡ªthe poor thing being used in a wrong manner.

    After bashing the shield a few dozen times, Neria threw the shield on the floor.

    ¡°Ophelia! Can''t you ask the Goddess to open this door? You¡¯re a saintess candidate!¡±

    ¡°Even if you say that, I¡¯m not a real saintess yet¡­ Moreover, this is something the Goddess did by her own will¡­¡±

    Neria bit her lips tightly.

    She turned her head away from Ophelia and looked at Eri. Eri was still on her knees, staring nkly at the floor with dead-fish eyes.

    ¡°Eri, calm down. Alright?"

    "Ah..? But, big root..?¡±

    ¡°Eri¡­ please¡­!!¡±

    Neria grabbed Eri by her shoulder and shook her wildly. The light began to gradually return back inside Eri''s eyes, who had fallen in the bleak abyss.

    ¡°Uh¡­ uh¡­? Neria? W, What happened? Why are you looking so tensed? Ah? Where did Cloud go?¡±

    ¡°Cloud is locked in that room with the Angel!¡±

    "Room?"

    Eri turned her gaze to the room Neria pointed out for her.

    Her eyes narrowed.

    ¡°The room you cannot leave without having sex¡­? What kind of room is this..?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter now. The problem is that the damn doors just won''t open! Eri, can you open this door? Please?"

    Seeing Neria''s desperate expression, Eri sighed deeply.

    ¡°Wait a minute. I will try.¡±

    She ced her hands on the stone door and let her mana flow. Pure mana scanned the structure of the stone door. Indeed, there was magic present inside, outside and within this door.

    ¡­it possessed a magic so sophisticated that she dare not analyze.

    Eri''s expression hardened and she slowly retracted her hands away from the stone door.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be done. This magic just feels out of the world, it''s hard to analyze even a bit of it. Who the hell made this?¡±

    ¡°Goddess.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that''s good. I almost doubted my standard.¡±

    Eri''s expression softened as she felt relieved.

    Just when she was wondering how to console Neria, the inscription on the stone door changed.

    ?~The room you cannot leave without having sex~?

    [Preparing!]

    "Uh¡­?"

    Preparing for¡­that?

    Neria''s expression turned pale.

    Her body stilled for a moment, before she quickly rushed to the stone door and rammed on the door frantically.

    "Cloud?! Is it because it feels suppressive being trapped inside!? I''m sorry! I''ll quickly find a way somehow! So stop for a moment. Cloud?! Please¡­ Cloud!!¡±

 Chapter 51.2: Nerias Cry

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    "Cloud?! Is it because it feels suppressive being trapped inside!? I''m sorry! I''ll quickly find a way somehow! So stop for a moment. Cloud?! Please¡­ Cloud!!¡±

    Her knuckles were mangled and her bones creaked, but she did not stop knocking on the door. She hoped that somehow her words, her signals, would reach him on the other side.

    As a result¡­

    ?~The room you cannot leave without having sex~?

    [Shh! It''s happening!]

    The text changed somehow.

    It meant that all her words and the signals she had pounded out didn''t reach him.

    Ting-!

    Neria felt her head turn dizzy.

    She slid against the stone doors and plopped down to the floor.

    ¨C Agh¡­ Agg¡­ you¡­ You heretic, you did it in the end!

    Ramiel''s groans could be heard through the crack in between the doors.

    The outside noises didn''t reach inside, but inside ones reached outside.

    Just that, instead of Cloud''s, it was Ramiel''s voice.

    This was also the arrangement of the Goddess.

    Because of which, Neria became even more desperate.

    ¡®Ah¡­ you really did¡­ you did¡­¡¯

    A deste chuckle escaped her lips.

    ¨C Haangh! Ouch! Hey, stop moving for a second. Stop, you idiot!

    Hurts?

    Is it painful?

    If it hurts so much, change your position with me.

    If it''s Cloud, I would have the confidence to endure anything with a smile¡­

    She wished earnestly, but not like it was going to manifest into reality.

    Her old, vague memories shed by as she felt herself plunging into a pool of desperation.

    Old memories of their childhood.

    She had decided to be his nket. She had vowed that she would protect him from all the woes that the world would throw on him.

    It was difficult for a young and weak girl.

    Many times, she felt her will falter.

    But Cloud''s presence always encouraged her whenever that happened.

    Just like when she sprained her arm while practicing with the wooden sword that she had bought with her pocket money. Cloud caressed her arm gently, making all her efforts worth it.

    ¨C I''ll put it back. Don''t worry, it won''t hurt.

    ¨C Alright. Ah, and don''t pinch my breasts the way you did before, don''t you dare.

    At one point, she was caught wielding the wooden sword by her parents because of the calluses on her hands.

    Those living and walking mockery of parenting ridiculed her, and haughtily instructed her not to engage in that kind of nonsense and to obediently get married and settled when she came of age. Neria and her parents always fought because of this matter.

    Whenever she felt depressed after fighting her parents, Cloud woulde by her side and listen to her grievances.

    ¨C Your parents are also thinking for your good. Anyway, why worsen your mood more with these issues? Say, would you like my special tomato soup? I have tried some new improvements.

    ¨C Really?! Ah, why didn''t you tell me earlier?!

    There were times when she would secretly slip into the mountains to fight mindless beasts. She mostly won, but there was a time when she almost died. That gave her a trauma, she felt fear in her bones. At that time, Cloud took her hand into his and looked at her with genuine concern.

    ¨C Why do you have to do that? It''s dangerous! Don''t go again. And, if you must go, take me with you!

    ¨C ¡­Cloud, this may not be an important issue to you, but to me¨Chuh?!

    Cloud, who had just turned into a young man, tightened his grip, and for once said something serious with a shy face.

    ¨C That, I like how you praise the soup I make, I-I wish that we can always be like t-this.

    That made her smile at him.

    Because she thought it wasn''t time for that yet, she eluded by responding with a light-heartedughter.

    But Cloud smiled broadly, which made her wonder if he already knew what she felt for him.

    The smile that Cloud had back then, she could still¡­

    ¨C Hah¡­ sex with Hero¡­ Agh.. I like it¡­

    Yet¡­

    ¨C Cloud¡­ ha ha¡­ I¡­ ha ha¡­ sex with you¡­ Cloud¡­ it feels good¡­

    Wait¡­what kind of smile did Cloud had at that time?

    She couldn''t remember.

    Why?!

    She thought she''d never forget it for the rest of her life. So¡­why?

    ¨C Agh¡­ Cloud¡­ Cloud¡­ More¡­ More¡­ Hah¡­!

    ¡­stop.

    ¨C Ugh¡­! Great..! I really like it..! Cloud¡­ don''t stop..!

    I mean it, stop.

    ¨C Sex with Hero Cloud¡­ I love it¡­?~

    ¡°Please stop!!!¡±

    Bang!

    Neria mmed her forehead against the stone door. She didn''t stop after once. Twice. Thrice. And even for the fourth time. She continued to bang her head against the stone door until the startled Ophelia and Eri hastily pried her apart.

    Tip. Tip. Blood dripped from her torn forehead.

    ¡°Don¡¯t spoil my memories anymore! My¡­ don¡¯t pollute my Cloud!¡±

    Neria wailed with a messy expression on her face as she sobbed in tears. She hoped that it would somehow reach the Angel beyond the stone doors.

    ¨C Ah¡­! There¡­ good, Cloud¡­ I¡­ heut!

    But, of course, her voice didn''t. Rather, as if mocking her, a obscene moan, more excited than before, passed through the crack in between the doors.

    Neria screamed again, and again.

    She didn''t even know what she was shouting. She just spat it out, her feelings let loose.

    ¨C Ah¡­ Aaaah¡­! Hug me, Cloud..! Take me in your arms..! Uff, hug me tighter, you silly¡­!!

    Whether it reached or not was unknown, but the moans were still present.

    * * *

    Neria was the first to get tired.

    Her throat felt parched from inside; she couldn''t scream anymore.

    As her body got weary, her anger, which was naturally burning with intense heat, slowly cooled down.

    All that remained of her was a husk that seemed tock a soul.

    Ophelia, unable to tolerate Neria suffer any longer,forted her by calmly stroking her back.

    ¡°¡­it''s highly likely that even Hero had no choice but to choose it.¡±

    "He had no choice..? Can''t you hear those moans? Does it sound like it was happening against their will?¡±

    ¡°Neria, have you¡­ have you lost trust in our Hero?¡±

    "What? Do you know what are you saying?!"

    Neria expression almost twisted uncontrobly.

    Had she not been her friend, she would have held up Ophelia by her cor.

    Knowing this, Ophelia also hurriedly changed the subject.

    ¡°Neria, the Hero we know, is he the type of man who would casually engage in a rtionship with a woman he just met?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Answer me, Neria. Is he such a man?¡±

    "¡­no."

    Neria shook her head with a gloomy face.

    Even if other two Heroes are like that, Cloud isn''t such a person. He''s honest and innocent, and more affectionate than anybody else.

    He is by no means a person who targets women''s bodies in pursuit of momentary pleasure.

    ¡°¡­was it really unavoidable¡­? Was it really the only way out of this room¡­?"

    Seeing Neria''s improved expression, Ophelia readily nodded her head.

    ¡°Neria, you should know, Hero is different from before. In a good way. He''s stronger than before, and his determination has improved beyondparison. Perhaps that determination worked this time as well?¡±

    ¡°¡­Is that so?¡±

    A tiny glimmer of hope bloomed in Neria''s heart.

    Perhaps¡­ it''s really like that.

    She hoped Ophelia''s words to be true.

    Just then.

    ¨C Crunkle!

    The stone doors that had been firmly closed until now¡ªopened, and Cloud appeared.

    "Ah¡­ just like I thought¡­"

    "Cloud!"

    Neria fell into his arms. Tears were dripping down her cheeks as she buried her face in his arms, his warm hand stroked her hair.

    Neria knew instinctively.

    ¡ªthat it was Cloud''s hand.

    ¡ªthat he wasforting her right now.

    ¡®Ophelia was right. Cloud didn¡¯t want to do it either, but he had no choice but to do it.¡¯

    Now that her tensed mind felt rxed with the revtion, drowsiness drowned her.

    Neria slowly closed her eyes.

    ¡­she fell asleep while still standing in his arms.

    * * *

    Okay, let''s wrap this up.

    I came out after a cool sex session after a really long time, and was promptly hugged by a crying Neria.

    In the past, whenever my teammates cried, it was natural for me to firstfort them rather than asking why. Duh, old habits. So, Iforted her as soon as I was embraced by the crying Neria.

    Soon after, Neria got silent like a ghost, and she shortly fell asleep.

    While seriously trying toprehend what the f**k was going on, I passed the ball to the other two, but they didn''t seem to be in the condition to answer me either.

    Eri was evading my gaze with a blushing face, and Ophelia was staring nkly at something while covering her mouth with her hand.

    I followed Ophelia''s gaze and turned my head.

    ¡°Hick~? Heut~?¡±

    I saw my favorite pigeon lying on the bed with her buttocks raised. As if she had not yet extracted herself out of the afterglow of the climax, she twitched from time to time and her mounds shook.

    I carefully ced Neria down on the floor, walked over to my pigeon, and covered her with a duvet.

    ¡°Oooooo!¡±

    Ramiel trembled, as if she had climaxed once again from the feeling of being grazed by the touch.

    Seeing that, I realized.

    I won''t be able to enjoy normal sex for a while.

    ¡­f**k.

 Chapter 52.1: Elisha (1)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    ¡°Hero, the dungeon won¡¯t be closed because you didn¡¯t choose Ruin Krasio¡¯s essence. A human destined to clear this dungeon will eventuallye.¡±

    It was the Angel''s answer to my question.

    I wondered if Mars'' future opportunity of clearing this dungeon will disappear by my course of action, but fortunately, it didn''t seem to be the case.

    ¡®Welp, in the game, if I could have picked the big root grass, those darn party members would have shivered from even the thought of NTRing him.¡¯

    Unfortunately, the game didn''t give yers the choice for that. It was just for show.

    In my opinion, the big root grass was just an Easter egg of no actual value.

    ¡°Then we will be going. Miss Ramiel, do your best.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ I¡­¡±

    "Yes?"

    "¡­nothing."

    My favourite Angel was about to say something, but then she bit her lips.

    She surely looked sexy, though.

    It didn''t seem to be something important anyway, so I took my leave from the 30th floor with my teammates.

    On the way up, making my teammates halt on the 9th floor, I headed for the trap room of aphrodisiacs.

    The situation in the trap room was as I expected.

    After stunning the duo who were enjoying themselves in full swing, I took them on my shoulders and headed out.

    ¡°¡­Cloud, who are they? And, why does it smell so much?¡±

    Eri covered her nose and frowned. The other two responded simrly.

    They couldn''t take a bath for weeks as they were quite busy having¡­ fun, I guess.

    Though the trap room has several convenient features, not washing for weeks made them stink like hell.

    ¡°¡­it¡¯s better not to know.¡±

    I didn''t answer because the reality will really shock the hell out of them.

    We managed to get out of the dungeon after a few more hours from the 9th floor.

    ¡°Haha¡­ sunshine¡­ how long has it been¡­¡±

    "I know, right. It has been just a little over a month, but it feels like we had been trapped underground for years.¡±

    Eri and Ophelia, feeling the bright sunlight shining on their face, made cheerful expressions. On the other hand, Neria still had a gloomy face.

    ¡°Neria.¡±

    "Huh? Why did¡­ what''s the matter, Cloud? By the way, where are we going next?¡±

    I had an inkling, but to be certain, I was going to ask her why she was depressed, but she returned me a question of her own.

    ¡­why were the things different from what I had foreseen?

    What did I miss? Did my presence cause some butterfly effect?

    ¡°Huh!? What, What?! Why am I here¡­ Kek!¡±

    I karate chopped Chris on the back of his neck and knocked him out again.

    ¡°Any suggestions on how to clean them? Crap, I wish I had a deodorant, would have been way simpler."

    ¡°¡­dropping them in the pond and then fishing them out?¡±

    ¡°It would be really convenient if the smell went away just by doing so, but then they won¡¯t be able to breathe. Sigh. I guess, even if it bothers me, I''ll have to do it.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­? But here¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, another one woke up. Is the pond water so cold?¡±

    "Ghh..? Chris!? Wait, who are¡­! Ugh!¡±

    His mother faced the same fate¡ªkarate chop on the back of her neck which knocked her out.

    I put the duo in and out of the pond for a while, and the three women stared at me doing that with strange expressions.

    Man, I hate those judgemental looks.

    Eesh!

    Holy sh!t, why does it smell so much?

    * * *

    After getting rid of the bad smell from the duo''s body, we climbed down the mountain. Just as we entered the city, without any further dy, I handed the duo whom I had been carrying on my shoulders to Neria.

    Neria, who was looking depressed, gazed at them and gave me a puzzled expression.

    ¡°Cloud, who are these people?¡±

    ¡°Take them to the inn. I have a ce to visit, it will take a while.¡±

    "If that''s the case, then I¡­"

    ¡°Neria.¡±

    Ophelia intervened and shook her head, signalling Neria.

    To which, Neria looked a little dazed, then she calmly positioned the mother and son on her shoulders.

    "Alright. Be safe."

    ¡°Uh¡­ yes.¡±

    Um, what?

    What signals did they exchange that only I''m unaware of?

    That''s too much.

    This whole situation is going over my head.

    Still, since she politely epted them, I didn''t question her.

    After confirming that they were heading to the inn, I headed for the house of the Adventurer Guild''s receptionist, Elisha.

    ¡®Yuriel said she would take two months at most¡­ How''s the current situation?''

    I thought I''d check by myself and see what''s going on.

    By the way¡­

    ¡®What..?''

    Elisha''s house was no longer what I remembered it to be.

    The garden vegetables nted in the small yard were all dried up and dead, and there were cobwebs all over the house.

    What¡­happened?

    Thest time I saw it, it was rather well-maintained.

    Without wasting my time on wondering over the question, I grabbed a passerby to ask. After stopping a little more than ten people and asking for a clue, I was finally able to hear the truth from an old woman.

    ¡°That house? Her husband had an affair and left the house with the child. It''s been that way since then. It''s said that she even went to her husband and child''s new residence a few times to bring them back¡­ But unfortunately, even that didn''t work for her. The youth of this generation¡­tsk, tsk.¡±

    ¡°Do you know where the husband and the child live now?¡±

    ¡°Why would a fine youngd like you want to know about that?¡±

    ¡°I know the owner of this house, so that''s why, you see¡­¡±

    After I bribed her with 100 gold coins, the old woman didn''t ask any further.

    Memorizing the address of the ce where her husband and child lived, I headed there.

    And I was able to witness an unbelievable sight.

    "Mom! Push harder!¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid?¡±

    ¡°Not at all! Ha ha!¡±

    "Alright, if you say so~¡±

    ¡°Heh! Agh! Ha ha ha!¡±

    Yuriel was pushing Elisha''s son on a swing, both had matching smiles on their face, they seemed to be very close.

    I nkly stared at the scene for a while.

    Until Yuriel, who was pushing the swing, found me and waved her hand in the air.

    She approached me without hiding her weing look.

    ¡°Are you guys back from your trip?¡±

    ¡°How did it happen¡­ what¡¯s..the situation?¡±

    ¡°Didn''t I mention? Two months would be enough. Come in, I''ll exin the details inside. Jerry! Mommy will be inside apanying our guest, so have fun!¡±

    Yuriel led me inside her house by my arm.

    * * *

    ¨C After mulling on the details given to me by you; Mr. Cloud, I thought¡ªmaybe I should see the situation personally, with my own eyes. I wanted to dig in a bit deeper.

    ¨C So, I put my thoughts into action right away¡­ The rtionship between the couple was worse than we thought, you know?

    ¨C Elisha didn''t let her husband have any say in the family. Whenever he tried to put in his opinion, she doubted and objected him. Her crippled husband was incapable of even doing many simple actions without his wife''s help, except for lying in bed. Because of this, he was bound in aplex emotion between helplessness and inferiorityplex.

    ¨C As for her child, Elisha didn''t pay any attention to him. It''s natural for children of his age to be yful, to have the want to y with their mom, but she had no time for him. It was inevitable because she was mostly busy with work, but she wasn''t thoughtful enough to take her child''s age into ount to find him some ymates of his age.

    ¨C Since the situation in the family was like that, there was a lot of room for me to dig in. I continued to meet them under the guise of chance encounter, and slowly filled those gaps.

    Yuriel created a happy family just as Cloud demanded.

    She first got her husband''s crippled leg healed by donating 3000 gold coins to the church.

    With his legs back to normal, her husband be desirous again, and now he was making ns to set up a shop with her, she says.

    Yuriel, meanwhile, did not neglect the child either. She entertained and yed with him as he wished. Nevertheless, she was setting meticulous ns for the child''s future.

    She said to me¡ªwhen he gets older, I will send him to study at an academy in the Empire. As amoner, he may not be able to be a rich man. But, he will surely be capable of taking some authoritative position in a reputable firm.

    After hearing everything she had to recount, Cloud handed her her remaining 50,000 gold coins.

    Because the family she created was worth the word ¡®happiness''. As soon as she received the money, Yuriel sincerely expressed her thanks, for now, she would not have to worry about the cost of her child''s education any longer, she had a bright smile on her face.

    ¡®¡­I didn''t think at that time¡ªshe''d be so happy in this new life.''

    Yuriel, her husband and her child.

    Hmm. Yuriel said that Elisha wasn''t a good mother.

    It was even rumored that Elisha was a faithful wife and a caring mother, but the truth about her was very different. After all, you can''t know the contents of anything until you open the lid.

    Tuck-! Tuck-!

    Cloud knocked on the front door of Elisha''s house. He only wanted to see how she was doing and what she intended to do in the future. As long as she no longer cheated adventurers like him, it was fine.

    -¡­

    No one responded to the knock and so he knocked again.

    Tuck-! Tuck-!

    The door opened and Elisha appeared.

    Her hair messy and her eyes full of dark circles.

    She looked pretty exhausted.

    Elisha looked at Cloud and tilted her head.

    ¡°Mr. Cloud, you?¡±

    Cloud showed her the wine bottle he had brought along with him instead of answering her. Elisha looked at the expensive wine bottle and thought for a moment before she opened the door.

    She led Cloud to a chair in front of the table.

    ¡°Would you mind waiting for a while? I''ll freshen myself first."

    * * *

    [R-18 Chapters Avable~!] Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 52.2: Elisha (1)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    Why did Mr. Cloud came here?

    She was puzzled for a moment, but soon she found the answer without any difficulty.

    ¡®Perhaps it¡¯s because of the adventurers I introduced to him before.¡¯

    The S-ss adventurers she had introduced did not return.

    That meant only one thing.

    Results must have been disastrous this time too.

    So, he stormed to the guild to find her, andter came here after hearing about her situation.

    Elisha walked into the living room, wiping her damp hair with a towel.

    Cloud was sitting on a chair in front of the table.

    Seeing that the wine bottle he brought with him was still capped, he must have been waiting for her.

    At that little consideration, Elisha smiled as she naturally sat down next to him.

    ¡°Did I make you wait for too long? I hope you don''t mind.¡±

    ¡°If you apany me for a drink, I won''t.¡±

    ¡°It looks to be some premium quality wine¡­ Then I¡¯ll like to thank you for the treat.¡±

    Elisha took a sip of the wine Cloud poured for her.

    The mesmerizing smell of the wine, of expensive alcohol, tickled her nose.

    She put down her ss and nudged.

    ¡°Did you hear all those rumors?¡±

    Cloud twirled his own ss of wine and nodded.

    So, he knew.

    ¡°As rumored, my husband had an affair and left me. My child said he prefers a stepmother who truly loves him, and followed along.¡±

    She poured another ss of wine and gulped it down her gullet.

    Then, she smiled a little.

    ¡°Mr. Cloud, you know? I thought I was working really hard for the family. I even sacrificed myself for my family. But I guess my family didn¡¯t feel that way.¡±

    Elisha bit her lips and gulped down another ss of wine.

    ¡®Should I tell him my story?''

    The things she had kept inside her all along?

    Elisha no longer felt worried and decided to just let go. She desired a littlefort, even if it was from someone she barely knew, because she was exhausted to her very core.

    ¡°I was in debt, about 30,000 gold coins.¡±

    For a moment, Cloud''s hand stopped twirling the wine ss.

    ¡°You wanna know why?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Just how did you get to owe such a big debt¡­was purchasing this house so expensive?¡±

    ¡°I inherited this house from my parents. It''s a bit grating to say this, but thankfully, I was the only child in the family. Thanks to which, when we got married, we started without any debt.¡±

    ¡°Then where did all that debt came from?¡±

    ¡°My husband gambled secretly and pulled us all into debt.¡±

    ¡°30,000 gold coins worth of gambling, really?¡±

    ¡°It was originally 3,000 gold coins. But my so-called husband hid it from us and tried to solve it on his own, but as time went by, it became ten times the principal amount.¡±

    ¡°Ten times the principal amount? What kind of crazy interest rate is that? Why didn''t you report it right away?"

    ¡°I wanted to¡­ but then my husband would have been jailed for gambling.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that way better than paying back ten times the principal amount?¡±

    At Cloud''s words, Elishaughed bitterly.

    ¡°Then what about Jerry? I can''t let my child bear the name of a criminal''s son."

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°However, we tried to argue with them about the batsh!t crazy interest rate. Do you know what they did?¡±

    ¡°Um, your husband got¡­?¡±

    Elisha grinned.

    "Right. They crippled his legs. Because of which, he was no longer even capable of earning that sum. But, do you know what they said after doing that to my husband? They said, if we couldn''t return the money, the same situation would be my son''s future too¡­ Then, I realized¡ªmy whole family will die if they caught the wind of my thoughts on reporting them.¡±

    ¡°¡­there are many adventurers you know, right? If you couldn''t report it, why didn''t youmission the adventurers to fix them for you?"

    ¡°Commission the adventurers? Hahaha haaaha¡­!¡±

    Elishaughed with tears in her eyes as if she had heard something very funny.

    ¡°Well, would those adventurers really help me? It would already be very generous of them if they didn''t try to wield my weakness to put a leash on me.¡±

    Elisha gulped down another ss of wine.

    Even though she drank alcohol without any snacks, she was as good as drinking it as water.

    ¡°Anyway, I had to pay off the debt no matter what. First, I sold all the precious jewelleries I had inherited from my parents. I also had to unearth all the money I had saved up to send my son to the Imperial Academy. Even after all that, we still had 10,000 gold coins less. Do you know how desperate I felt back then? I even thought it would be better to just embrace death.¡±

    Then she met Mr. Cloud. Elisha murmured.

    ¡°I realized it when I saw Mr. Cloud bribing me with 2000 gold coins to introduce some decent adventurers. I thought. My, this guy is a gullible idiot.¡±

    "Hey."

    ¡°Fufu, please don¡¯t stare at me like that. I mean, I was in a hurry back then. There was no quick source of money open to me, and I still had a debt of 10,000 gold coins.¡±

    ¡°So, after introducing me to those punks, you ripped out 7000 gold coins more by introducing those S-grade weirdos?¡±

    ¡°Ding~Dong~Dang~ That''s right. Yes, I was finally able to pay off all my debts! Thank you, Mr. Cloud~!¡±

    ¡°Does it feels good paying off your debt from cheating others?¡±

    ¡°It did felt good. I felt freed from the heavy shackles that bound me. I thought that the only thing left to do was return to a happy family life again¡­¡±

    The lively voice suddenly turned mncholic.

    ¡°I guess I was the only one who thought so. Seeing how they left me so easily without any second thoughts."

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Maybe this is the price of sin I paid for cheating Mr. Cloud?¡±

    Elishaughed a little, as if joking with herself.

    However, her calmness did notst long.

    Lines of tears streamed down her cheeks. Her face was also slightly contorted with sadness.

    ¡°Honestly, it''s true that I resented my husband a lot. It''s 30,000 gold coins, alright? It''s an amount that made my mind turn nk. I tried hard not to express my real feelings, but he must have felt my resentment. He must have felt sad.¡±

    She wiped her tears with the back of her hand. Still, she did not stop talking.

    Like a child exining why she''s crying.

    ¡°I was also very strict with my son. I was in a very sensitive state because of the heavy debt. I don''t even remember very well how I behaved with him at that time, but I probably wasn''t a good mother. So after I paid off the darn debt, I thought, I thought I could¡­ finally be a good mother again¡­¡±

    The older one gets, the less likely they are to confide their feelings.

    There may be many reasons, but in Elisha''s case, she was the head of the family.

    She was the pir that supported the house.

    When pir falters, the house falters too.

    That''s why she couldn''t show her weakness.

    But now, she no longer had a family to support.

    The tears that bursted out in a situation where she had no reason to hold back, didn''t stop.

    Elisha looked at Cloud with her face messed up with tears.

    ¡°Mr. Cloud, the trip with the adventurers I introduced you¡­ it didn¡¯t go well, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­yeah.¡±

    "I''m sorry."

    Elisha bowed her head.

    ¡°I won¡¯t make excuses saying that I did my best. I received a huge sum of 7000 gold coins from Mr. Cloud, but I didn''t do my job properly. I can''t return it back to you because I don''t have the money right now¡­ but if you want, you can do whatever you want."

    "¡­it''s alright. In the first ce, I am also responsible for things that went wrong. Besides, you too were fired from the guild because of that, right? Employing three S-ss adventurers without clearance. Alright, raise your head.¡±

    ¡°Are you forgiving me?¡±

    Cloud offered her another ss of wine.

    "Thanks. Mr. Cloud is a very broad-minded person.¡±

    Elisha''s smile reached her wet eyes.

    After which, they quietly drank for a while in silence, while Cloud¡­

    ¡®¡­it¡¯s f**ked up.¡¯

    He was feeling strange.

    Clearly, its true that Elisha cheated him. This is something she admits too.

    But his conscience ached.

    Well let''s say this feeling is like when you are ying a game, you found someone using cheats.

    In revenge, you used bigger cheats and defeated him thoroughly and in passing, even deleted his ount.

    But youter came to found out that, that person was your best friend and he had to do that because he was in desperate need to earn some money for his mother''s medical bills. But now without his ount, he was f**ked up.

    ¡®¡­Should I introduce her to another man?''

    This time, Cloud began deliberating whether he should visit a male escort district''s ace to bnce things out.

    ¡°Ummm¡­¡±

    Elisha''s head jerked down as she began to doze off.

    ¡®¡­let¡¯s put Elisha in the bed and think about itter.¡¯

    He carried Elisha and walked inside her bedroom. Just when he tucked her down in the bed and was about to leave¡ª

    ¡ªElisha grabbed his arm.

    ¡°I¡­ Mr. Cloud, it''s really absurd, but¡­ just once¡­ can you pleasefort me¡­? It''s just so hard right now¡­"

    Beyond the disheveled clothes, her curvaceous mounds stood out.

 Chapter 53: Elisha (2) [R-18]

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    Silence ensued.

    For a few seconds, Elisha herself didn''t realize what she had just said moments ago. Soon after, her face turned red.

    ¡°Ah! Th-that¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ Just forget whatever I said¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    "Hah?"

    ¡°I thought it wasn¡¯t something you said lightly under intoxication. But, if that''s the case, I''ll pretend I didn''t hear anything."

    Cloud said as he gently stroked Elisha''s hair.

    It was a hand filled with human warmth.

    So much that Elisha felt tears well up in her eyes.

    She grabbed his hand and brought it to own her cheek.

    ¡°Then, are you sure? Of course, I have no problem. Heh, more like I cannot even have any problem.¡±

    Loyalty to her husband?

    Her husband abandoned her first, so what''s the point of keeping her fidelity?

    The one who first abandoned the basic morality is the one to be med.

    So now, Elisha also didn''t have to keep her fidelity. She just wanted to be embraced by the attractive man in front of her.

    She ced his hand, which had been moved to her cheek, this time on her voluptuous breasts.

    ¡°So please, hug me. You can use my body as you like, Mr. Cloud.¡±

    ¡°Mark your words.¡±

    Cloud kissed Elisha on her lips.

    At first, lightly enough to just lick each other''s lips. Then, their tongues intertwined and drowned both of them into a passionate kiss.

    ¡®How long has it been since I had such a deep one¡­''

    She didn''t remember.

    Even if she tried to trace down her memoryne, she couldn''t find one.

    Moreover, she didn''t need to remember.

    While Elisha was enchanted by his intense kiss, Cloud''s hands didn''t stop.

    Oneyer at a time.

    He pulled off the barriers that stood in between him and her.

    When Elisha woke up from her reverie, they were already naked. Just as she saw Cloud''s body, she nearly stopped breathing for a moment.

    A sculpted body to match his handsome looks.

    Neither too little nor too buffed muscles, everything just in the perfect proportion.

    Has she ever seen a body like this in her entire life? Or, something that can evene close?

    Never!

    While working as an employee of the Adventurer''s Guild, she has seen quite a few adventurers walking around half-naked. But none of them had such an utopian physique.

    ¡®On the other hand, I¡­¡¯

    She never thought her own bodycked anything. She often felt the lustful gaze of adventurers.

    So, she was full of confidence in herself.

    But after seeing Cloud''s body, her self-confidence plummeted in a straight line.

    Elisha covered her own body with her arms in a jiffy. Her own body was shabby and inferiorpared to his, she didn''t want to let him see her like this!

    ¡°Why are you covering yourself up?¡±

    Cloud tilted his head and held Elisha''s arm that covered her chest, and pinned it above her head.

    ¡°Ah, no¡­¡±

    ¡°You can''t hide your beautiful cherries from me.¡±

    Cloud bit onto Elisha''s nipples.

    He raised the tip of his tongue and gently whirled it around her rosy nipple, biting it lightly with his front teeth.

    ¡°Eeek?!¡±

    Elisha let out a startled moan at that tingling sensation rising from her breast.

    She was as sensitive as a rabbit.

    ¡®I know I haven''t done it with my husband for quite a long time¡­''

    But how could she be so sensitive?

    Elisha didn''t understand.

    ¡ªthat she was extremely excited that her body was being pleasured by an extraordinarily handsome man.

    His face won her heart before his techniques did.

    Cloud''s tongue, which was ying with her nipples, went down her navel, and directed itself toward her thigh and inside.

    Heut! Intense pleasure overtook her.

    "Ah, no!"

    Elisha hurriedly jerked her body upwards and pulled herself back.

    "¡­what. What''s the matter?"

    Cloud asked in puzzlement, but Elisha couldn''t answer the truth.

    Definitely not¡­

    ¡®How can I say that I almost climaxed¡­''

    And that because he lightly inserted his tongue inside her.

    Although Cloud is a handsome and capable man, he is younger than Elisha. She was an experienced married woman. A married woman''s pride didn''t allow her to be defeated in bed.

    ¡°I want to do it first.¡±

    So she made the excuse that she found.

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Cloud nodded his head, it wasn''t disadvantageous to him.

    Elisha eagerly licked her lips.

    ¡®Great, I''ll be doing it with my mouth. Don''t me me, you have done it too.¡¯

    It''s time to show the dignity of a senior.

    But there was one thing she didn''t expect¡­

    "Uh¡­?"

    It was the size of Cloud''s cock.

    It was almost the same length as her face; her eyelids quivered as she saw it rise.

    ¡®Is this for real..?¡¯

    Elisha had never seen one other than her husband''s in her entire life, because she got married right away after she came of age.

    She averaged a d!ck to be around her husband''s size at best.

    It was only natural for her to get flustered on encountering Cloud''s cock that pierced straight through hermon sense.

    Still, the embarrassment didn''tst long.

    ¡®¡­it''s alright. It''s bigger than I thought, but that''s not a big deal.''

    In the end, it''s just a penis that will deliver her pleasure.

    Although the thickness is a little too much and the veins protrude to the point of being monstrous¡­ it''s just a cock.

    Elisha stuck out her little tongue.

    She climbed up, licking his dick from the balls, and slurped his ns.

    Chup! Chup!

    Licking therge ns as she wrapped around it with her tongue, she bowed her head and half-swallowed the cock. She climbed back and licked his ns again.

    She repeated it several times.

    ¡®My husband usually tells me to stop at this point..?¡¯

    Cloud showed no such sign.

    Elisha sensed the ¡®strangeness'' and raised her eyes to look up at him. And, she found him¡ªlooking down at her and smiling softly.

    Cloud was enjoying her caress.

    Elisha, who felt happy, pleased him harder than before. Covering his ns with her tongue, licking his balls, or swallowing his cock up to the root at once.

    Elisha tried harder than she had ever done for her husband, but she didn''t care.

    She was just doing her best, hoping that he would feel more of her caress.

    As Elisha used her secret techniques¡ªthe cock in her mouth expanded and became stiffer than before. She immediately knew what this meant.

    ¡®He''s going to ejacte.¡¯

    Elisha paused for a moment and fell into trouble.

    Her husband had once asked her to ejacte into her mouth. The semen she received at that time was filthy and disgusting.

    ¡®Since then, I had decided to never take it in my mouth again¡­''

    Elisha rolled her eyes and looked at Cloud once more. He was still watching her lick his cock with a smile on his handsome face.

    She moved her head again and started fondling his balls.

    His cock twitched and then immediately spewed out white semen.

    She squinted her eyes and waited for the fishy taste of the semen to ferment.

    ¡®..?¡¯

    But strangely, there was no fishy taste.

    She could feel the semen flowing from her mouth, but there was no fishy taste or disgusting smell.

    Obviously, it''s both thick and substantial, even overwhelmingly thicker than her husband''s.

    ¡®¡­huh? Do handsome men taste different?¡¯

    Elisha was puzzled, but she decided to finish what she had to do. After she swallowed the cum inside her mouth, she rolled her tongue and licked Cloud''s cock.

    Just as she thought his cock had been cleaned, she pulled it out of her mouth and plopped down on the bed.

    ¡®¡­my jaw hurts.''

    Maybe it was because she had sucked on a big one for first time, her jaw ached a little.

    ¡®He has just ejacted, he needs to rest a lil'', right?¡¯

    In the meantime, she would cool down her aroused body.

    She thought so, but she was soon forced to realize that she had beencent.

    Cloud pinned Elisha down on the bed and ced his cock on her p*ssy.

    ¡°Hey, wait a minute! Don''t you need a breather?"

    "Nah, it''s alright. I can do this all day[1].¡±

    "Huh..?"

    B-But, doesn''t it takes time to reumte one''s stamina?!

    Hasn''t her husband always been like that!?

    While she panicked, Cloud held her by the waist and pushed his cock in all the way in one shot.

    ¡°Eeeek-?!¡±

    Elisha''s head tilted back, and her body quivered. Exhrating pleasure rose through her spine, tickling her brain.

    ¡®Uh¡­ uh¡­? I already..?¡¯

    Cloud prated her in one shot, like a hot knife passing through butter.

    With that alone¡­ Elisha reached the climax. She couldn''t believe it. She has never been through anything like this before.

    But it''s natural.

    Cloud''s handsome looks and sculpted body.

    From a passionate kiss that resonates with women to arge p*nis that stimtes the female instinct.

    She was going through three things at the same time when even one was enough to melt her in a pool of pleasure, and over that, her body was totally aroused.

    ¡ªto the extent of reaching a climax just by a single piston of his manliness.

    She sinked into the afterglow of the climax.

    She was startled by the feeling filling her insides.

    ¡®I thought it was big, but it was this much..?¡¯

    It pierced through the ces where her husband''s thing couldn''t reach, as if it were natural, and even gave a sense of pressure with instinctive thickness.

    And that pressure was giving her subtle bouts of pleasure instead of pain. Even though she had just climaxed, her body desperately longed for more.

    ¡®Hey, this is dangerous. This cock is very dangerous.¡¯

    It felt so good even when it''s still, so what if it moved¡­?

    What if it grazed the walls of her vagina with those thick ns?

    Will it be possible to preserve the dignity of a married woman or an experienced, mature woman¡­?

    No, no! Rather, she had to worry about her dignity as a person more than that of a mature woman.

    ¡°Cloud, there¡­¡±

    Just when Elisha, seized by her fears, was about to say something.

    Cloud moved his waist.

    [1] Don''t know if it''s a coincidence or not, but it''s a famous line by Captain America. This line is only said four times throughout the M?U movies, but it became so synonymous with St¨¥ve R?gers that it was used forical effect in Ave?gers: Endgam¨º when Steve faces off against his 2012 self. Even when Steve is not verbalizing this sentiment, he is embodying it.

 Chapter 54.1: Elisha (3) [R-18]

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    ¨C How did it feel? Was it good?

    ¨C Few men are as good as me.

    Elisha''s husband took great pride in his bed skills.

    Whenever he boasted, Elisha, who had only experienced her husband, epted it without any thought.

    And she was now acutely aware that it wasn''t true.

    ¡°Heh-!¡±

    Cloud pulled back his cock little by little until its hard tip was almost out before pushing it back in. As he repeated these shallow thrusts over and over again, his free hand slid up her smooth legs, thighs, abdomen, and waist, carefully caressing, pinching, rubbing, and teasing.

    Elisha felt her body heat up wherever he touched. He promptly switched hands and continued to move while gliding his other hand toward her breasts.

    His hand touched her breast and began to knead and pinch at it, Elisha suddenly felt a torrent of heat flow out of her entrance, only to be blocked by his cock.

    Before she could moan, Cloud thrusted inside her again.

    ¡°Eek!¡±

    Elisha quickly bit her lower lip, trying to suppress the embarrassing sound froming out of her mouth. She tightly wrapped her arms and legs around Cloud''s body at the same time, immobilizing him.

    Cloud asked, slightly perplexed.

    "Hm? What''s the matter?"

    ¡°Go¡­ Go slowly¡­¡±

    Elisha pleaded in a quivering tone.

    ¡°P-Please move slowly¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­I wasn''t even fast though?¡±

    It was his normal speed.

    While Cloud felt absurd, Elisha put on a desperate expression.

    "Please¡­"

    Because of her currently extremely sensitive body, even usual speed felt too heavy for her.

    Seeing her expression, Cloud sighed and nodded his head.

    "Alright."

    "Thanks¡­"

    Elisha released her arms and legs that held Cloud tightly in her grip.

    ¡°Ready?¡±

    "¡­yes."

    She put on a determined expression.

    As long as he moves slowly, she would be able to bear it.

    Cloud slowly moved his waist as she requested.

    He pulled his cock backwards.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    Then, back in.

    ¡°Ha ha ha..!¡±

    Backwards.

    ¡°Uhhhhhhh¡­¡±

    Inwards.

    ¡°Uhhhhhh¡­!¡±

    Indeed, it became bearable as he moved slowly.

    But, the problem was that what was bearable was really¡ªbarely bearable.

    ¡®I can now feel it better because he is moving slowly.¡¯

    It felt like an intense river of pleasure flowing into smaller tributaries.

    On the other hand, while he moved slowly, his other hand moved down and found the little nub hidden above her vagina, then he began to rub and pinch it, trying to encourage her body to produce more wetness from his pration.

    ¡®Aagh! Every time his thick ns brush inside me¡­ I feel like I''m going crazy!''

    Taking it slow didn''t mean her pleasure had diminished. She had just applied for a grace period. The moment his balls pped against her buttocks, producing an obscene melody of desire, she felt her pleasure meter bordering on another climax.

    ¡®I feel like my body is melting¡­¡¯

    It was as if a sweet feeling of hot-blooded pleasure was slowly softening her body.

    It''s not that she didn''t like it, rather, she enjoyed the feeling.

    It felt like she was floating among the clouds.

    But she couldn''t feel that way for long.

    ¡°This is not going to end.¡±

    Elisha was feeling supreme sense of pleasure as she reached another climax.

    But, not Cloud.

    Moving slowly, all he got were subtle drops of pleasure.

    If this continued, no matter how long he was going to engage with her, he wasn''t going to ejacte.

    ¡°Let¡¯s move fast and finish fast.¡±

    "Huh? Wh-What?! No, wait¡­!¡±

    Moving fast?

    Isn''t that multiple bouts of pleasureing all at once?!

    Terrified, Elisha quickly hugged him tightly and tried to immobilize him again.

    However, Cloud pinned her under his body, and ps resounded as their flesh collided, his cock began to pump inside her.

    ¡°Hey, wait¡­ Ugh¡­!!!¡±

    As he reached deep, Elisha climaxed.

    "Yes! Oh! Ahh..! Aaaaah!!!¡±

    She climaxed for the eleventh time.

    ¡°Hahhhhhhhhhhh!!¡±

    ¡ªand was already heading for her twelfth.

    Amidst numerous sessive climaxes, her mind gradually became hazy, and she becamepletely immersed in primal mating with her mind nk.

    ¡®Mr. Cloud¡¯s body¡­ it''s too dangerous¡­¡¯

    Elisha, pinned under Cloud''s body, felt the man''s heavy, musky breaths.

    In front of that, she couldn''t do anything. No resistance at all. All she could do was spread her legs and ept him.

    Only now did she fully understand what it felt like to get dominated by a male.

    ¡®This is a real man¡­''

    Real pleasure¡­

    Real sex¡­

    ¡°Yeah.. ha ha ha..!¡±

    And¡ªshe climaxed again.

    "Great, huh?"

    Cloud raspily whispered into her ear.

    Elisha heard his voice oveid with that of her ex-husband.

    ¨C How did it feel? Was it good?

    Huh, ha ha ha!

    Elisha couldn''t help butugh.

    Whenever her husband asked, she answered yes.

    She answered it that way, she said that she liked it, because she indeed felt somewhat satisfied.

    But not anymore.

    At that time, she thought it to be good enough because the only man she had ever experienced was her husband, but¡­

    ¡ªnot anymore.

    Because she found a real man¡­ real pleasure.

    "Haaah¡­ this cock¡­ is so much better than my ex-husband''s¡­!"

    Immediately after uttering the words, Elisha was startled.

    What she thought only on the inside, she spit it out to the outside.

    But only for a second. Because¡­

    There was a chilling pleasure in the fact itself that she had disparaged her husband.

    "Huh..?"

    Cloud, on the other hand, was slightly perplexed.

    He just asked if his new lil'' buddy performed well, why was it suddenlypared with her husband''s? Did the theme really changed from NTR to Netori..?

    But when he looked into Elisha''s eyes, he realized that now¡ªshe wanted to y like that.

    ¡®There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t adapt to.¡¯

    His pelvis pped on her ass harder as he whispered in her ear, his breath tickling her swan-like neck.

    ¡°So, my one is better than your husband¡¯s cock? Then, in what way?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s big, and strong..! It''s big, and hard! I love it when it stirs my spots which my husband couldn''t..!"

    ¡°Your husband''s was pretty small, eh? But you still haven''t seen what I can do."

    Cloud pushed his cock all the way inside and pped on her buttocks.

    ¡°Ahhh!! Yeah, that''s right..! Mr. Cloud¡­! His is total, total trash. A piece of garbage..!"

    Garbage.

    It was a bit harsh, but she felt a greater thrill climb up her spine.

    Would she feel more pleasure if she spoke more harshly?

    Something inside her clicked.

    ¡°Uh¡­ cough. I know, right~?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes..! Compared to Mr. Cloud, my husband''s cock is¡­ garbage¡­! I''ve been having sex with a trash''s trash..! Mr. Cloud.. Please drive it inside.. Please drive me hard and erase the traces of the garbage cock it has experienced..!¡±

    "¡­great. I¡¯ll shape your body with my cock. Then you will never able to feel pleasure from those garbage cocks for the rest of your life.¡±

    Cloud broke the safety meter and began to piston harshly again.

    ¡°Ahh¡­! This is sex¡­ Real sex¡­ Sex with a real man¡­ Heutt¡­! It can''t bepared to having sex with my unmanly ex-husband¡­ Aaaggh!!!"

 Chapter 54.2: Elisha (3) [R-18]

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    In the room, the scent of arousal and sex filled the air, mixed in was the smell of passion.

    As Cloud''s cock pushed deeper into her vagina, her lower body trembled, and her voice leaked. Cloud''s cock also twitched and began to show signs of ejaction.

    Noticing this, she begged Cloud.

    "Ahh¡­ Ah, inside¡­ release it inside¡­"

    ¡°Is it your safe day?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ it¡¯s safe¡­ inside¡­ Please do it inside¡­!¡±

    "Okay, then..!"

    Cloud rammed his cock deep into her as her insides were vigorously simted, Elisha instinctively tightened up.

    Puh-! Puh-!

    Immediately, the meat rod buried deep inside of her twitched violently, spurting out milky white fluid.

    ¡°Heut¡­! Ah¡­ Ah, I feel filled to the brim¡­ in the deepest¡­!"

    Her back trembled and a sweet pleasure spread throughout her body as she felt her womb being filled.

    St-!

    After ejaction, Cloud moved his waist again. His soft lips touched her right vicle. His wet tongue licked at Elisha''s tender neck.

    ¡°Ya~h¡­!¡±

    Elisha''s eyes twinkled with pleasure.

    * * *

    "Agh¡­"

    Elisha opened her eyes.

    Her body ached.

    Her back creaked like it was going to break. The aftermath of the previous night''s intense intercourse made her exhausted.

    Rather than frowning at the pain, she turned her head and looked around her.

    Soon, a bitter smile descended on her lips.

    ¡°He''s gone.¡±

    There was no trace of Cloud around the bedroom. Neither of him nor of his clothes. This meant that he left while she was sleeping.

    ¡°At least, he should have said he was leaving, uhh.¡±

    He didn''t even mean to bother her.

    Just when she pulled her body up from the bed with a mouthful of regrets¡­

    She found a small piece of paper and a heavy pouch on the bedside table.

    ¡®What is¡­ this?''

    Elisha tilted her head and unfolded the paper slip. There were only two sentences written there.

    ¨C Here''s 21,000 gold coins you lost.

    ¨C My 9,000 are with me.

    "Huh..?"

    Elisha''s eyes turned to the heavy pouch. Swallowing her saliva, she slowly loosened the string and¡­

    "Hah¡­"

    Her mouth opened wide, and she couldn''t help but gasp in surprise.

    Because the pouch was filled with shiny gold coins.

    She dusted the pouch and meticulously counted the gold coins.

    Exact 21,000 gold coins, neither more, nor less.

    The amount she honestly gathered to pay off her husband''s gambling debt.

    ¡°What the hell¡­¡±

    There was only one person''s figure in her mind.

    Elisha picked up the paper slip and read it again, word by word. It was too short to be counted as a letter, only two sentences in whole, but she read it over and over again.

    Tip. Tip.

    The center of the paper slip was soaked in tears dripping from above.

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Cloud.¡±

    Elisha murmured.

    * * *

    ¡°¡­is it real?¡±

    Yuriel expression hardened at my recount. It wasn''t too lengthy anyway. I just told her what I found out about her new husband.

    ¡°Do I look like someone who would lie about something like this?¡±

    ¡°¡­no, of course not. Whoa, what kind of lightning bolt from the blue is this?¡±

    Yuriel sighed deeply with inescapable emotions, totally confused.

    ¡°So, what are you going to do now?¡±

    ¡°What am I going to do..?¡±

    ¡°Are you going to continue living with that man after hearing everything?¡±

    I said while looking at the man ying with Jerry who was sitting on a swing.

    Although it is something I made her do, I have no intention of forcing her to live with him if he is such a man.

    A ticking time bomb you never know when will it explode.

    Yuriel couldn''t answer right away.

    Her eyes were fixed on Jerry.

    ¡°¡­well, what can I do? I have to stay. I took Jerry''s mom from him, I can''t let him lose even his dad.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    Yuriel looked like she was smiling.

    "It''s alright. Have you forgotten what I used to be? Isn''t it simply keeping a person''s desires in check? As for the economic authority of the family¡­ I can hold it.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    She quietly nodded her head.

    This is her new home. I''m not in a position to tell her what to do and what not to. It''s her choice.

    Instead of meddling in her decision, I asked her to let me converse with her husband for a while.

    While puzzled, she exchanged positions with her husband and sent him to me.

    Yuriel''s new husband sat across me with a frown on his face.

    Uh, what was his name again?

    Yes, it was Rickson. Most probably.

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Rickson.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes, hello.¡±

    ¡°Ho, why are you carrying such an expression? Your wrinkles will deepen before you age, ha ha. Life should be spent with joys andughter."

    Rickson frowned even more.

    ¡°I know you are my wife''s acquaintance. Maybe in the past, you had a deeper rtionship with her. But now, I am her husband. If you have any other thoughts, then stop before¡­"

    ¡°Sir, you seem to have misunderstood something.¡±

    I got up and sat down next to Rickson.

    "Misunderstood?"

    ¡°Right, misunderstood. I came today not because of her, but because of you.¡±

    "What? What are¡­¡±

    Before he could finish speaking, I pulled out two pouches from my arms and threw them in front of him.

    ¡°Open it. Be careful, so it doesn''t slip outside.¡±

    Rickson tilted his head and opened the pouches I ced before him.

    And¡­

    ¡°Uh-huh?!¡±

    When he saw the contents, his pupils constricted as he stumbled backwards.

    Look at this punk overreacting.

    Thanks to your reactions, your son and wife are looking over here.

    I waved my hand at Yuriel, implying that it was nothing serious, and then turned my attention back to this chap.

    His face was tinged with fear, unlike before.

    ¡°Wh, What is this¡­¡±

    ¡°As you see¡ªtwo ears. The left ear of the moneylender you know very well and the right ear of his goons'' leader.¡±

    Rickson shoulders quivered as he gulped down a mouthful of saliva.

    Still terrified, he quavered and tried to slip away from me, but I couldn''t let him just go away like that.

    ¡°Rickson, calm down and listen to me. You are a lucky man, a very lucky man. You''ve met good women twice in your life, which you honestly shouldn''t have. But keep in mind. No matter how lucky you are, there won''t be a third time. Do you know why?¡±

    My left hand rested on his shoulder.

    I warned him in a low threating tone, while he couldn''t look straight at me anymore.

    ¡°Because¡ªI will make it that way.¡±

    ¡°Hick..!¡±

    ¡°Hey dude, you seem to be very surprised. Anyway, my point is this¡ªdon''t lose your own happiness by doing something stupid, again."

    I took the pouches back into my hand and tapped Rickson''s shoulder a couple of times.

    ¡°These are not empty words, so keep that in mind.¡±

    Then I naturally greeted Yuriel and waved her a goodbye.

    It''s time to go to the inn where my teammates are staying. Of course, I have to also think of an excuse for staying outside overnight.

    ¨C Did you hear that? It''s said that the number of monsters in the south are increasing rapidly.

    ¨C There are more and more monsters appearing here and there everyday, what''s the big deal?

    ¨C It''s totally different from before. There are not only monsters, but also beasts and demons. Moreover, the number is overwhelming and still increasing.

    ¨C Huh¡­ Goddess knows what''s happening in this world, but those living in the south must be having a tough time.

    I overheard the talks of the people.

    ¡®It''s here¡­¡¯

    As per what I remember from the game, when NPCs start gossiping about the rapidly increasing number of beasts and monsters in the southern part of Kingdom of Prona, it means one thing.

    The Behemoth has appeared!

    It also signifies that the time for the Behemoth subjugation has arrived.

    And, I have to go down south.

    ¡®Ah, should I visit Mars on the way?¡¯

    His vige is also on the way to the south. It would be a pleasant choice to meet him, after all it''s been quite some time, and I will look into how much progress he has made meanwhile.

 Chapter 55.1: Mars (1)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    From time to time, I have consistently sent 3000 to 4000 gold coins to Mars for his spendings.

    It''s meant for him to asionally go to the city to learn skills, and to spend his time training instead of earning a living by doing vige chores.

    I''m visiting him to make sure he is appropriately spending the money I have been sending him.

    ¡°While we stay in this vige, you guys mustn''t reveal that I am a Hero.¡±

    Before entering the vige, I forewarned them.

    Mars only knows me as an adventurer. That''s why I was able to be close to him, like a neighborhood brother.

    But what if it''s suddenly revealed that I am a Hero?

    He will be simply surprised at first.

    With time, he may find it difficult to see me as equal which will create a sense of distance.

    So, ignoring the answer of why they shouldn''t do it, I only added that they should never do it.

    With me expressing my strong resolution regarding this matter, none of the three put it at issue. Only after getting confirmation from them, did I enter the vige.

    I got down the horse at the stable transit and walked out, when Eri spoke to me.

    "Um. Cloud, are we now going to an inn?¡±

    ¡°Ah, you guys go ahead. I have someone to meet for a while.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Cloud, can I ask who is the person you¡¯re going to meet? Can I follow along~?¡±

    ¡°I don''t think it''s a problem¡­ hmm, he wouldn''t mind either. Just keep in mind what I said before entering the vige.¡±

    I took them upto the hill behind the vige.

    ¡°Do people even live in a ce like this?¡±

    "Of course."

    ¡°There is a decent vige over there, so why rust in a ce like this? There''s not even a road.¡±

    Eri grumbled as if she was exasperated with climbing the hill. I answered her why Mars lived here.

    ¡°He¡¯s an orphan, like me."

    The three women stilled and their expressions hardened momentarily.

    In particr, Eri was restless.

    ¡°A-Ah¡­ I-I''m sorry. That''s not what I meant¡­"

    ¡°What are you sorry for? Though it''s a blessing, it''s also not a sin to be parentless."

    "¡­you never know."

    ¡°Is that your personal experience, ha? I thought you had parents?¡±

    "Yes..? Ah no, I mean¡­¡±

    Seeing Eri in embarrassment, I smiled.

    "It''s a joke. More than that¡ªlook, we arrived.¡±

    I pointed to the hut located at the top of the hill. In front of the hut, a boy was wielding a wooden sword, his posture was miles different from the sloppiness of the past.

    ¡°Hey boy, Mars!¡±

    The boy who was seriously practicing fencing with the wooden sword turned towards us. I waved my hand towards him. The boy''s expression brightened.

    "Bro!"

    The boy who put down his wooden sword to rush my way jerked suddenly and stopped at once.

    Huh?

    ¡°Hey, where''s my touching reunion hug,ddy?¡±

    ¡°Hyung[1]¡­ who are those beauties behind you?¡±

    "Um?"

    Only after looking behind did I realize why did Mars stop.

    Out of nowhere, three Isabe-ss beauties had appeared in front of him, and Mars was going through his teenage phase, lowering his immunity to the charms of pretty women. His heart must have abruptly jolted like a young fawn.

    ¡°My teammates.¡±

    "Teammates?"

    ¡°As you know, I¡¯m somewhat of a veteran adventurer, right? Therefore¡­"

    ¡°Hyung, I am very disappointed.¡±

    Mars looked at me with a slightly disgusted gaze. For a moment, I was at a loss for words. As I stared nkly at him, Mars sighed and continued while shaking his head disapprovingly.

    "I thought hyung was a genuine man with a genuine heart for love¡­ I never thought hyung would be the kind of person who will be having an affair with three beautiful women at the same time¡­"

    ¡°You are itching for a beating, eh?¡±

    ¡°Heh heh. Oops¡ª!¡±

    Mars fell after being pressed to the ground by me. I asked, squatting on his back, looking at the sad punk who was tumbling in difort with a smile.

    ¡°Still think the same of your hyung, huh?¡±

    ¡°Of course, isn¡¯t it¡­?¡±

    Mars still had a suspicious gaze in his eyes.

    Though, seeing my fist of brotherhood, he trembled, hastily correcting his words.

    "I was wrong! I understand now! You all are just friends!¡±

    "Uh, exactly. Simplypanions. Nothing more, nothing less.¡±

    ¡°Hyung, your colleagues are so beautiful¡­ is it really just a coincidence? I have serious doubts.¡±

    ¡°Your itching''s showing no signs of stopping, eh? Need more help?¡±

    ¡°No, no! But¡­ it''s weird. I can barelyprehend if there are one or two beauties teaming with you by chance, but here they are all beautiful! No matter how I look at it, it just cannot not look suspicious!"

    Mars grunted as ifining to the darn world for this unfairness, but I knocked on the punk''s head before his thought process turned into a dangerous direction.

    As he looked back, I sagely patted Mars on the shoulders and exined.

    "Mars, the continent is much bigger than you can imagine. Right now, in this small vige where you live, the only beauty is Isabe, that pink woman, but on a continental basis, there are plenty of beauties. Women prettier and stronger than Isabe can fill wagons!¡±

    ¡°Hah, wagons..?¡±

    Mars opened his mouth wide in astonishment¡­

    ¡°Hoh, it''s a lie! No matter how rural I am, I won¡¯t be fooled by such lies!¡±

    He shouted out loud as if denying the reality no matter what waited for him.

    Poor guy.

    Living in such a small vige, he only got to see a pink woman to count her as a rare beauty difficult to find. If he had lived in a big city, he wouldn''t have been obsessed with that pink women like now.

    That''s why people should fish in bigger waters.

    ¡°I must make you feel the cold reality. Neria, will youe over here for a second?¡±

    I called for Neria who was standing farther away from us, talking to Eri and Ophelia.

    ¡°Neria? Bro, did you just say Neria? That Neria?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s the Neria I told you about.¡±

    "Oh..? So, what did Cloud tell about me?¡±

    ¡°Wait, you hear us from that far?¡±

    I know she was not standing too far, but how did she heard it so clearly?

    ¡°I have always had confidence in my ears'' hearing¡­ So, what did he say about me?¡±

    When Neria repeated her question seriously for the second time, Mars'' expression fell into perplexity.

    ¡°Ah¡­ we, that¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°Don''t be noisy, go and get another wooden sword or something.¡±

    I know he will make silly excuses that will only worsen the situation to the worst if I left him alone to his devices, so I chased him away promptly.

    As Mars hurriedly set off to find another wooden sword, Neria made a curious expression, but she didn''t trouble me.

    After a while, Mars brought with him another wooden sword and handed it to me.

    "No. It''s not me who you should be handing the wooden sword, it''s her."

    I pointed at Neria with my index finger.

    She cocked her head, and looked at the two of us.

    ¡°I promised you. I will make you feel the cold reality. Fight Neria, then you''ll find out if what I''m saying is true or not."

    "¡­alright."

    Mars apprehensively handed the wooden sword to Neria while looking nervous. Neria was bewildered even as she received the wooden sword.

    "Cloud? Why this sudden sparring?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s sudden, but I request you. Just let him know how big the world is.¡±

    When I patted her shoulder, putting my sincere request, Neria''s eyes widened.

    She replied with a newfound smile.

    "Okay. If that''s the case, trust me."

    ¡°Do it in moderation. He is still low leveled.¡±

    "Don''t worry."

    Neria nodded her head confidently.

    I distanced myself from both of them.

    A heavy silence flowed between Neria and Mars, who were waiting for the signal.

    "Start!"

    As soon as I lowered my hand, the match started.

    ¡°Aww!¡±

    ¡°Ha!¡±

    Mars and Neria''s wooden swords collided.

    And¡ªNeria was almost defeated at the end of dozens of non-ending collisions between them.

    ¡­uh?

    Wait for a moment¡­

    Neria, she almost lost?

    * * *

    [1] A word used by Korean males to address another male older than them who they are close to. Hyung literally means ¡°older brother¡±.

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 55.2: Mars (1)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    ¡°Whoa¡­¡±

    Mars caught his breath.

    Neria was a strong opponent, just as Cloud said.

    If she had been his real enemy, any mistake could have been a fatal one.

    ¡®By the way, why is a person of this level hyung¡¯s teammate?¡¯

    Although she is strong, she is far short of being an equalpanion to Cloud. But, the question didn''t entangle Mars for long.

    ¡®Because of personal feelings¡­''

    Mars got a little depressed.

    It felt so cruel that even Cloud, who was superior to him in many ways, could not escape from his first love.

    ¡®This is the cold reality that hyung mentioned¡­''

    Just when Mars felt as if the world looked more gloomy.

    ¡°Hey, wait! One more time¡­ just one more time. I''ll do it right this time¡­!"

    ¡ªNeria earnestly put her request to Cloud.

    Cloud shook his head.

    ¡°Mars is tired. It will give you an advantage if both of you fight now.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Not knowing what to say, Neria bit her lips and bowed her head.

    ¡°I can do it one more time.¡±

    At Mars'' words, Neria and Cloud''s gaze turned to him.

    ¡°You cannot overdo it, understanding one''s limit is a necessary skill too. You are already tired, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not weak enough to get tired from just one match.¡±

    "Oh? Alright, if you say so. Get ready, Neria.¡±

    Cloud acquiesced Mars'' words.

    A guy who only wields a sword from morning to night, in the first ce, wouldn''t get exhausted just by this.

    Neria and Mars pointed their wooden swords at each other again.

    "¡­I''m sorry, but I''ll be a little more serious this time."

    Before the match began, Neria said to Mars.

    Mars was puzzled.

    ¡®That means she wasn''t serious the previous time?''

    He quickly understood the true meaning of those words the moment the match started.

    "Ha!"

    ¡°Ugh?!¡±

    Neria''s movements were much faster than before. Mars raised his wooden sword and managed to barely block the strike. His wrists tingled.

    ¡®Even the strength behind the sword is mightier..!¡¯

    That meant, the previous battle was fought with moderately controlled strength.

    ¡ªto lessen the pressure on Mars.

    Facing the fact, Mars felt slightly embarrassed.

    But apart from his pride, it was also clear that there was a huge difference in physical strength between the two.

    ¡®Strong.¡¯

    It was hard to follow Neria''s movements with bare eyes. Blocking her attack was only possible because he could narrowly predict where her next attack wouldnd.

    ¡®But¡­ not as much as hyung.¡¯

    He always experienced a particr feeling when fighting Cloud.

    He felt like he will never be able to triumph over him no matter what he did. Like an insurmountable mountain stood before him.

    Neria, who he was practicing with right now, did not give him that feeling.

    Her speed and strength surpassed what Cloud possessed back then, but he never felt as if he didn''t possess any chance of winning.

    Mars licked his dry lips.

    A want began to fill his chest.

    Neria''s wooden sword descended diagonally.

    Mars pretended to block it, but suddenly slumped it''s direction with his sword''s edge. Neria eyes'' opened wide and he saw her bewildered. Still, Mars didn''t attack immediately.

    His strength was far inferior to her.

    He will only go in when he was fully sure.

    [sh]-!

    Mars parried with his sword.

    [Cross Sever]-!

    With the first attack parried, he blocked the second one.

    [Crescent Screech]-!

    The rtively weak ones were blocked while the strong ones were avoided with minimal movement.

    As he continued to do so, he began to visualize Neria''s attack pattern in his mind.

    The more he understands her pattern, the easier it will be to deal with her. After dodging thest blow of [Wolf Buster], he immediately swung his wooden sword. His sword stopped right in front of Neria''s neck.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    An awkward silence ensued.

    Suddenly, Neria''s wooden sword fell to the floor.

    "Nonsense¡­"

    Neria stepped back with a look of disbelief on her face.

    Cloud approached her.

    "Good work."

    ¡°But, Cloud, this¡­ I¡­¡±

    "I know. You didn''t use your original strength.¡±

    She is the Neria who has reached level 39 from the fights in the dungeon. Without willingly lowering her own strength, Mars would have been beaten and rolled on the floor before he could have even done anything.

    The reason she was so shocked is probably because of the fact that she was defeated by Mars in simple swordsmanship.

    Cloudforted her by patting her shoulder.

    ¡°Swordsmanship isn¡¯t your ace. Your synergy with a sword and shield is what you excel in, isn''t it?"

    "¡­yeah."

    "Alright. So don¡¯t be heavy-hearted. Go, go and have conversation with Eri and Ophelia.¡±

    Cloud gently pushed Neria''s back in the direction of Eri and Ophelia. Even with hisfort, her droopy shoulders didn''t straighten.

    Either way, Cloud turned his attention to Mars.

    ¡°You have improved a lot, uh?¡±

    ¡°It''s all because of hyung. Truly, thank you."

    Thanks to the money Cloud regrly sent, he was able to learn techniques and skills from the Swordsmanship Guild and devote all his time to swordsmanship training.

    If it weren''t for that, no matter how much talented he was, he wouldn''t have grown to this extent.

    Just when Cloud was about to give a pleased expression to Mars.

    ¡°To be honest, I think I can even defeat hyung now.¡±

    Cloud''s eyes twitched. He shook his head knowingly.

    ¡°Hehe. That''s why they say don''t spare the rod.¡±

    ¡°What do mean, hyung? You saw it before, too, how I won. I have also been thrashed by hyung, why can''t I do the same? This may be the day I will do so.¡±

    "Heh¡­ heh heh¡­"

    Cloud smirked at Mars'' provocation.

    He picked up the wooden sword that was lying on the floor.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ let''s take a look how much has our Mr. Mars grown up¡­ Shall we?¡±

    ¡®Mission aplished!''

    Mars smiled inwardly with a smirk of sess.

    He also wondered how much had he grown from before. He had gauged it to some extent through Neria, but he also wanted to know it through Cloud.

    Of course, he knew he cannot win, but¡­

    If he can force back Cloud even a little, he would be satisfied with that alone.

    ¡°Start?¡±

    Cloud casually swung his sword in the air.

    ¡®Huh? Why can I see the sword''s trajectory?¡¯

    Mars subconsciously swallowed his saliva.

    Maybe¡­just maybe, he can defeat Cloud today. Such expectations slowly rose within him.

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    But¡ªthe moment he got hit, he realized that it was an illusion.

    ¡®But, I saw it! I definitely saw it¡­!''

    He sees it, but he cannot stop it.

    Even if he sees it, there''s nothing he can do.

    This feeling of not being able to touch something despite of it being visible hit him hard.

    ¡®¡­long time no see.''

    Mars once again faced the sense of helplessness he had felt when fighting against Cloud in the past.

    ¡°Ugh! Hyung is evil! Aww!¡±

    ¡ªfrom being thrashed left and right.

    "I surrender! I surrender!!"

    ¡°A devil doesn¡¯t ept surrender.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about, hyung?! Hyung just has evil taste! You''re not a devil, you''re a human!"

    ¡°Humans eaten by anger are no different from devil. So for now I am a devil.¡±

    "Hyung, what are you even saying?! Ouch! Ah, my bone! Hyung! It will really break!¡±

    "It''s alright though. We have an excellent nun who can neatly attach pieces of a broken bone together, with niche perfection. Should I ask her to prepare ahead of time, in case there are more broken bones?¡±

    "Aaaah, help! Hyung has gone crazy!¡±

    Mars came to the ultimate conclusion that he would drop dead if he stayed still like this and so, he ran for his life.

    But¡­

    ¡°I think you misunderstood me because I¡¯ve been rather still. You think I''m slower than you?¡±

    Mars came to realise one thing¡ªentity Cloud was faster than entity Mars, and so he had to go through a bizarre experience of being thrashed while running in desperation.

    * * *

    ¡°Now, tell me.¡±

    "¡­what."

    Mars rubbed the egg on his forehead, replying in a disgruntled tone.

    ¡°Your worries.¡±

    ¡°Worries?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t think I can''t see. I can see everything from looking at your dull sword motions. You are worried.¡±

    ¡°¡­hyung is really talented. You noticed that, even though we shed with swords only a couple of times.¡±

    Mars chuckled.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that a lot has been weighing on my mindtely.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°¡­I like Isabe.¡±

    "I know."

    ¡°But I don''t know if Isabe likes or will like me.¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you two very close?¡±

    Mars took a deep breath.

    ¡°We are. But that might changeter. Like hyung exined to me¡ªworld is fickle, that Isabe might fall in love with someone other than me¡­ and I don''t know what to do when that happens.¡±

    Hearing Mars'' words tinged in mncholy, I realized.

    ¡ªthat the doubt I had carved into Mars'' mind in the past was rolling.

    ¡®It¡¯s time.¡¯

    The time has finallye topletely twist off Mars'' ill-fated destiny.

    * * *

    ¡°Why do we have to practice at a ce like this and at this time?¡±

    Mars let out all kinds ofints.

    It''s justifiable because he was brought to the corner of the vige in thete night hours under the pretext of training.

    But I had a reason for bringing him here.

    ¡®The time hase. Maybe it¡¯s not today, or is it?¡¯

    If not today, I will have to bring him back the next day. Just when I was thinking about what excuse to make if things went awry.

    ¡®Good! They came.''

    I immediately pulled Mars and made him hide behind an obstacle together. Before he could say anything, I gave them a serious look and pointed to where they were.

    ¡°Mars¡­ isn¡¯t that that pink woman?¡±

    ¡°Ah, bro. Stop calling Isabe like that. Rather, why would Isabe be here at this¡­ hour¡­¡±

    Mars, who had beenining, shut his mouth.

    It''s inevitable.

    After all, he witnessed with his own eyes.

    In a corner of vige, Isabe and the handsome son of the baron, whose face literally glowed, were talking.

    ¡®Fortunately, today was the right day.¡¯

    As the plot goes on, it is revealed that Isabe and the baron''s son met and chatted once every three days at dawn.

    It turns out, as of course to meet the needs of the NTR genre, that Isabe waspelled to follow because of the pressure from the baron''s son, and there was nothing more to do than having a simple conversation.

    Isabe didn''t even enjoy talking with him and she was annoyed by his words, atleast she said so.

    Though, the situation is probably the same now.

    If you look closely, the baron''s son is smiling all the time, but Isabe''s expression was stale.

    But the point is, that''s not what matters.

    What matters is how Mars feels from what he is seeing.

    I turned and looked at Mars.

    His expression, it was horribly contorted.

 Chapter 56.1: Mars (2)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    ¡°I thought it might happen.¡±

    On the hill.

    Looking down at the view from above, Mars muttered in a gloomy tone.

    ¡°Isabe¡¯s treatment towards me these days has been strangely distant.¡±

    ¡°Distant, mh?¡±

    ¡°She''s notpletely withdrawn, butpared to the past, she is not as amiable. Before, if I couldn''t find time when I got busy, she woulde to visit me directly. Even after hyung sent me money and I started to focus on practicing swordsmanship.¡±

    Mars had a bitter expression on his face.

    ¡°But the number of visits started to decrease bit by bit, and at some point she totally stopped.¡±

    "She totally stopped, hm¡­ I only want to ask you one thing, you also visited her from time to time, didn''t you?"

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Mars bit his lips tightly.

    ¡°Goodness, you really became a punk with no conscience? You want someone to keep visiting you while you just stay put?¡±

    "I know! I know I did something stupid! But at that time, I was really not in my right mind. Thanks to hyung, I got to learn proper swordsmanship for the first time, and as I practiced, I felt like I was growing, so addicted that I couldn¡¯t even let go of my sword in sleep!¡±

    No matter how much he had practiced before, his was a half penny worth swordsmanship that he taught himself. Mars knew it as well. Therefore, when he first met Cloud, he was easily lured by his provocations.

    But that changed ever since he met Cloud.

    After Cloud taught him, Mars'' insubstantial swordsmanship changed systematically.

    With the money Cloud sent from time to time, he learned skills at the Swordsmanship Guild. When he returned home, he would immediately practice the skills he learnt.

    He didn''t have to do chores to earn a living like before, so he was able to focus wholly on practicing swordsmanship.

    The more he dug into the realm of swordsmanship, the more mysterious it became.

    Captivated by the mystery, Mars fell into a trance facing the sorcery of swordsmanship, and once he grabbed the sword, there were times he only stopped when the day had almost came to an end.

    ¡°Every time my swordsmanship improved, it felt like I was bing a man more suitable for Isabe. It told me that one day I would be a great knight, and that gave me the confidence that I would be capable of keeping Isabe happy, which made me work even harder.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I was so crazy about swordsmanship that I only realizedter how much I had neglected Isabe. I went straight to Isabe and apologized for neglecting her. But Isabe did not ept my apology.¡±

    After hearing Mars'' sincere apology, Isabe scoffed at him, saying that he came toote, and walked away.

    ¡°She''s justifiably angry, because she''s right. So, I tried many ways to show my sincerity, and how much I wanted her to forgive me. I visit her every day to apologize, buy stuff Isabe might like from the city and give it to her as a gift. I thought it was strange because nothing was changing no matter how hard I tried¡­but¡­b-but¡­¡±

    In the end, Mars could no longer bear it and burst into tears.

    A cry full of sorrow.

    Like the sob of a child who lost his parents, it sounded so simr.

    Because to him, Isabe was his everything.

    Cloud patted on Mars'' back, wiping away his tears and runny nose with his sleeve, whileforting him.

    It should not be as he said.

    ¡®That pink woman''s love is not so light to cool off just because he neglected her a bit for sometime.¡¯

    At the end of ¡®The Tale of a Knight''s Affair'', she eventually changes, but before the mid-tote part, she consistently shows her love for Mars through her actions.

    At the beginning of the plot, she is just so sweet that it even produces unrealistic fantasies in one''s heart.

    That pink woman''s present love will not be quenched just because Mars somewhat neglected her because he was immersed in swordsmanship¡­

    ¡®She''s like a hanging bone.¡¯

    Most probably, when the hanging bone Isabe was struggling with Mars'' changes, she must have been given advice by a "self-proimed dating expert" appearing out of nowhere.

    Otherwise there''s no way that pink woman would have changed so much.

    She must be doing what the self-proimed dating expert said her to do, to keep her man under her control¡­ to put a leash on Mars.

    What will happen if Mars is caught by a leash and the original plot continues?

    Cloud, imagining it for a moment, frowned and shook his head.

    It will be horribly awful.

    Such a thing shouldn''t happen.

    Cloud decided to cut off Mars''s rtionship with her somehow.

    ¡°Hyung, how can I bring Isabe back?¡±

    Mars, who suddenly stopped crying, asked Cloud. It was as if he thought that there might be a way out of what looked like darkness filled with light expectations.

    Cloud ced the hand that had been patting his back on Mars'' shoulder.

    ¡°Mars, let¡¯s face the reality. Your pink woman¡­ and that man with her, you saw him too. Tall and good-looking.¡±

    "¡­yes."

    ¡°Do you know who he is?¡±

    "¡­the baron''s son."

    "Alright. Now let''s recap what we know. Isabe is dating a guy without your knowledge. The man is tall, handsome and even a noble. He''s literally the idol of allmon women. Hash, do you have any advantage where you think you exceed than that guy?¡±

    Mars didn''t answer right away.

    Mars wasn''t ugly. He could be considered quite handsome. However, he doesn''t fit within the circle of real handsome men.

    Mars isn''t rich either. He is an orphan who had been doing vige chores for a living until he met Cloud. On the other hand, the baron''s son is wealthy. He would be atleast rather well-off, even if he is not as rich as other nobles.

    Knowledge and house management skills?

    It is ridiculous topare an orphan with a noble in such matters.

    After pondering for a long time, biting his lips, Mars gave a weak answer.

    "Being her shield¡­"

    "Shield? What is that? Maybe you want to say that you can get stronger and keep Isabe safe. Well, isn''t that what you''re implying?"

    Mars lowered his head sullenly. Cloud sighed.

    ¡°Look here, Mars. No matter how small a baron family of any kingdom is, it''s way morevish than amoner''s. Not only trained soldiers, but they also have a few trained knights. Are you confident about defeating those knights?

    ¡°¡­but hyung can beat those knights, right?¡±

    "¡­uh? Me? Um¡­yeah. If it''s me¡­ I can beat any knight, I guess..?¡±

    ¡°Then I can also win. It may seem unreasonable right now, but if I keep trying¡­¡±

    ¡°If you keep trying? But until when? When will you be capable of keeping Isabe better protected than a noble household? Can you say for sure when?¡±

    ¡°¡­.¡±

 Chapter 56.2: Mars (2)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    "Look at you. You can''t answer. Can, or should Isabe wait for something that even you don''t know when it''s going to happen? While leaving the idol-like man right in front of her?¡±

    Mars bit his lips.

    He was so mad at himself that he couldn''t even refute those words.

    "Then..? What are you telling me, hyung? Are you saying that I should give up on Isabe?!¡±

    "Yeah. Give up.¡±

    Cloud''s calm voice made Mars even more outraged.

    ¡°How can you say it so easily!? You don''t know how much I love Isabe. You don''t even know what Isabe means to me! So how¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you really think I don¡¯t know how you feel?¡±

    Cloud''s frigid tone made him flinch, and he stiffened.

    Then he slowly shook his head.

    "No¡­"

    Cloud once told Mars of his past with his childhood sweetheart. And how it was infinite times more tragic than Mars'' current experience.

    If there was someone who could understand Mars'' feelings, there was no way Cloud wasn''t on that damn list.

    ¨C Swiip! Swiip!

    The cold breeze blew and the grass rustled in its wake.

    ¡°Then¡­ Then what should I do now? I''ve been holding my sword with the intention of making Isabe happy¡­ If I give up on Isabe, what should I hold the sword for?"

    Mars murmured in a frustrated tone.

    Cloud replied to him as if it was natural.

    "Yourself."

    "Huh..?"

    Mars eyes lingering on the dirt on the floor rose up with his face. Cloud was looking straight at him with a nonchnt expression on his face.

    ¡°Raise your sword for yourself, you brat. What are you staring at me for with such a stupid expression?¡±

    ¡°Ha, but the precept I saw read that swords are meant to be raised for others¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what a guy who can find his own self does. You can''t even stabilize your mind right now, what can you care about others? You''d be considered lucky if you didn''t stab them in case of protecting them."

    Cloud smiled, and immediately made an unusually serious expression.

    ¡°Go on a journey, Mars. The continent is far bigger than you think. To be honest, with the skills you possess right now, it would be difficult to even take care of yourself. Still, try to get around somehow. And then, meet people like this, meet people like that, and live like that.¡±

    He will meet all kinds of people.

    From a nerdy guy with only a single sword to his name moring to be a knight, to a wizard with a runny nose.

    He will also face many dangers and strange situations.

    ¡°If you go through so many different people, emotions, and situations, at some point of time, you will find some precious people by your side.¡±

    Real, invaluable people.

    ¡°Your worries should be about then. Of course, the level of your concerns will be different. Not muddling in trivial concerns such as who should you raise your sword for, but with serious considerations such as how to protect the people and things you cherish.¡±

    So, until that timees, raise your sword for yourself.

    At Cloud''s serious advice, Mars'' eyes fluttered.

    ¡°¡­can I? I''m not a great person like you, hyung. If I fall down mid-way¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, you boring punk.¡±

    Cloud grabbed Mars'' head and messed it up.

    ¡°If you fall down, you have to stand up. If it is difficult to stand up, grab your teammates'' outstretched hands and stand up. And if your teammate falls down, you have to reach out and lift them back up.Then, even if everything is in shambles, it will not copse but regrow.¡±

    ¡°¡­is that so?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like that.¡±

    "I see¡­"

    With a small smile, Mars had a slightly better expression than before.

    He exhaustinglyid down on the dirt floor and looked up at the sky.

    The brightly shining stars of Milky Way looked unnaturally beautiful.

    ¡°I''m now looking forward to it after hearing all this from you, but that doesn¡¯t change that I¡¯m upset. My heart is still pounding and it hurts.¡±

    ¡°You just broke up, so of course. On the contrary, it''s weird if you are in a normal mood right now. In that case, I''ll assume you to be a yboy by nature."

    "Is it?"

    "Yeah. Besides, the genuine childhood sweethearts don''t go well together. It is an immutablew that I came across while traveling the continent.¡±

    ¡°I wish there were no suchws.¡±

    After chuckling together for a while, Mars looked at Cloud with a respectful gaze.

    ¡°Hyung is really great. It''s hard for me to even see them merrily chatting with each other¡­ but, hyung¡­¡±

    Mars couldn''t keep up with the conversation. Cloud tsked at the sight.

    ¡°Why do you always stop in between sentences? Just say it out loud. Your hyung''s amazing, his childhood sweetheart is sucking another guy''s cock but he epted the fact straightforwardly."

    "No¡­ ha¡­ hah goodness. I don''t think I''ll evere to understand you, no matter how many years passes."

    "Of course. Do I look like an easy fellow to be understood by just anyone? Stop thinking about unnecessary things and n your trip.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s it. I think I better say my goodbye to Isabe before leaving for the trip, what do you say?"

    "¡­what? What bullshit is that?¡±

    Mars'' words made Cloud totally bbergasted.

    If Mars says his goodbye to Isabe, telling her that he was leaving for a journey, it was sure¡ªIsabe would stop him.

    If things advanced in that route, misunderstandings will be resolved, he will apologize for pushing Isabe away, and Mars will fall in love with pink woman Isabe again¡­

    In the end, back to the pink woman route¡­

    ¡®F**k, that¡¯s not okay!¡¯

    How did this twisted destiny reattach itself so darn perfectly!

    No matter what, a return to the pink woman route has to be prevented!

    ¡°Hey, why are you wasting your time on meaningless things? She wouldn''t be interested anyway."

    ¡°Even so, she is an old friend. She would be perplexed if I suddenly disappeared, and the vigers would think I got missing¡­¡±

    ¡°Hoh, is everyone so interested in you? If you disappear, the vigers will look for you everywhere with concern? It''s all your imagination."

    ¡°No, what do you mean by that, hyung!? I know a lot of people in the vige, alright?!¡±

    ¡°They really don''t care, though.¡±

    "Aghhh! Really, they do!"

    Cloud and Mars quarreled for a while, arguing with each other. After a long time, they were able topromise their opinions by opening a mid-path.

    * * *

    While Cloud and Mars quarreled, Neria sat idly behind a tree a little far away from them.

    She came here with quality wine she brought from the innkeeper.

    She wanted to be friends with Cloud again, and Neria wanted herself to share this bottle of wine with him.

    So she came up to the hill to find him¡­

    She somehow ended up hearing the whole conversation.

    ¨C Besides, the genuine childhood sweethearts don''t go well together. It is an immutablew that I came across while traveling the continent.

    ¨C Just say it out loud. Your hyung''s amazing, his childhood sweetheart is sucking another guy''s cock but he epted the fact straightforwardly.

    Hah.

 Chapter 57.1: Mars (3)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    After reaching apromise, Cloud and Mars went down to the vige to find a paper.

    But Neria couldn''t find her footing, she leaned her back against a tree to find strength.

    That was the only thing she could do.

    Because her mind was aplicated mess right now.

    ¡®He knew..?¡¯

    Somehow, she overheard their conversation. She learnt that Mars had experienced a broken love, and Cloud wasforting him.

    Just when Neria felt pleased with his mature nature to console others.

    ¨C Just say it out loud. Your hyung''s amazing, his childhood sweetheart is sucking another guy''s cock but he epted the fact straightforwardly.

    She heard quite shocking words.

    What Cloud said¡ª

    ¡ªit must be referring to what had happened between her and Gis.

    ¡®How..?''

    She was thoroughly secretive so that Cloud would not find out. But he knew, and she had taken him for granted. Now he talked about it with a smile as if it was nothing.

    ¡®Then what Cloud told Mars about me¡­¡¯

    Was that it..?

    No, more than that¡­

    He saw.

    He has seen it.

    Cloud saw it.

    The fact was enough to quake Neria''s mind.

    She felt her chest tighten.

    It felt heavy.

    As if she couldn''t breathe properly.

    For a moment, she felt that disgusting touch on her lips.

    "Ahhh¡­"

    She has to wash.

    She has to cleanse this dirty mouth of hers. She has to wash it and make it clean.

    Neria frantically turned her head around her to take in her surroundings. But what she desired wasn''t around her, neither a well nor a river¡ªwhere she could wash her mouth.

    Instead, there was a bottle of wine that she had brought to drink with Cloud.

    Neria hastily opened the cork of the bottle. She immediately took a mouthful in her mouth and rinsed her mouth. Then she desperately poured wine on her quivering fingers and repeatedly wiped her lips.

    It being a very strong wine made the potent smell of alcohol sting the tip of her nose, but it didn''t matter.

    The thing most important to her right now was to cleanse her mouth!

    However, putting hard work didn''t mean sess, the feeling still lingered.

    ¡°Oh my god..!¡±

    While rinsing her mouth, the strong liquor touched her delicate uv making her cough violently. She fell right down. She spit out the alcohol she had been holding and vomited in vain.

    By the time the nausea was over, tears were dripping from her eyes.

    ¡°Cloud¡­ Cloud¡­¡±

    He knew, but he still epted her as a teammate again?

    Why?

    Because they had been close friends before?

    Or did he find out she was being abused by Gis?

    ¨C Besides, the genuine childhood sweethearts don''t go well together. It is an immutablew that I came across while traveling the continent.

    "Sorry, sorry¡­"

    I''m so sorry, Cloud.

    I''m sorry for hurting you so much.

    I didn''t want to¡­ no. No. I''m not worthy to make excuses. Sorry.

    I''m so sorry.

    Please don''t talk like that.

    ¡°You are the only one I have¡­¡±

    I don''t know what you think of me.

    Even if you think of me as a dirty woman with no sense of integrity.

    You mean everything to me¡­

    Neria spent the night in tears.

    She stayed up all night thinking about how she could be forgiven by Cloud, and then she decided to tell him the truth.

    It was all because of Gis'' intimidation that she did it, that she waspelled to follow him.

    It''s the truth she hid because she didn''t want those secrets to be found out¡­ but if Cloud already knows, she doesn''t have to hide it.

    ¡®If I tell the truth¡­ Cloud will forgive me.¡¯

    Rather, he mightfort her with why did she keep all this pressure inside of her. With that as an opportunity, they might be able to strengthen their rtionship with amon enemy called Gis.

    Neria walked down the mountain with deep uneasiness and a small bit of anticipation.

    Just when she took in a deep breath in front of the inn, having made up her mind.

    ¡°Cloud, you pooch,e out!¡±

    A girl with pink hair smashed through the inn door.

    * * *

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    Isabe woke up from her sleep, with a yawn she stretched out her arms. Even so, she felt the stiffness her body passed onto her. It was because she sleptte and woke up early.

    ¡®Oh, really. Why was that person again so persistent yesterday?¡¯

    How many times did she give hints on the way back, but he just refused to notice, or he did but pretended not to? Thanks to which, she came backter than the scheduled time.

    She felt like sleeping more.

    But she felt that her routine would be messed up if she did, so she persevered and went out of her room.

    "Good morning~"

    Her mother greeted her morning while stirring the soup in her pot with adle.

    Isabe replied while yawning.

    "Mmh. I am very sleepy.¡±

    ¡°Oh, did you meet the baron¡¯s son yesterday as well? What did he say?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s always the same. He just kept bragging how good he was. I''m sick and tired of it."

    Her father, who was sitting on a chair, interjected to Isabe''s grumbles.

    ¡°It''s because he has the right. After all, he is a noble, isn''t he? Why don''t you try to change your mind? Opportunities like this don''te often¡­¡±

    ¡°Dad, I previously asked you to stop mentioning this, didn''t I?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I mean¡­ If you think about your future, you will find that the Baron¡¯s son is way better than that Mars guy¡­¡±

    "Dad."

    ¡°Alright..! I got it. I''ll stop.¡±

    Her father, unable to ignore his daughter''s stern gaze, coughed and looked away.

    Isabe sighed deeply.

    ¡°Really, dad is sometimes too harsh on Mars.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all because your dad cares for you, you know. Ah right, there''s a letter for you.¡±

    Isabe''s eyes twitched at the word ¡®letter''. Her mother smiled knowingly and added.

    ¡°It¡¯s a letter from Mars, not the baron¡¯s son.¡±

    ¡°Mars?¡±

    Isabe''s expression changed dramatically as if the previous one was a facade.

    "Where is it?"

    ¡°On the table.¡±

    Isabe turned her gaze to the table. ced on the table was a letter, as her mother said.

    Not a fancy letter with a seal stamped on the envelope, but a normal double-folded paper.

    But Isabe liked this letter more than the fancy ones.

    Because the word ¡®Mars¡¯ was written on the edge of the neatly folded paper. Isabe, who promptly picked up the letter, narrowed her eyes for a moment and looked at her father.

    "I''m asking just in case¡­ Did you read my letter secretly?"

    ¡°e on, I would never do such a thing.¡±

    ¡°That''s a relief.¡±

    Isabe hummed merrily and entered her room. As she sat on the bed, she looked at the letter with a gleeful smirk.

    ¡®Mars wrote this for me, right?¡¯

    She couldn''t stop giggling.

    In fact, it was not limited to today¡ªthis wasn''t the first time she couldn''t stop herughs.

    She has been full of giggles these days.

    To the extent that she worried that wrinkles might appear on her face because of this.

    ¡®I was skeptical of what Narah said¡­¡¯

    At that time, she was worried because Mars no longer cared about her and was wholly engrossed with his stupid sword.

    Narah advised her that she just had to y hard to get, she said that it was the solution to all her problems.

    An advice from Narah who herself didn''t have any dating experience.

    Isabe didn''t believe her in spirit, but since there was no other way, she followed in skepticism.

    But, unexpectedly, the effect of the advice was enormous.

    Less than two weeks after she started ying hard to get, Mars came and apologized to her.

    Isabe was surprised, but she did not immediately ept his apology, as Narah had instructed.

    Then Mars kept apologizing to her even more sincerely. Daily visits became basic, and he even bought and gifted her her favorite things from the city.

    Mars, who had been ignoring her, only knowing to swing his sword all day long, was so focused on her that she even wondered where the previous him had gone to.

    Isabe was delighted with that.

    It felt so giddy to see Mars turn happy and sad with her every minute action. Now being able to put her loved one, who she was slowly losing, in her own hands and control him gave her a great sense of relief.

    ¡®Narah was after all right. I just had to grab the leash.''

    How good would have it been if she had known to y hard to get from a young age. Isabe reassured herself that she wasn''t toote.

    Her attention was again directed to Mars'' letter.

 Chapter 57.2: Mars (3)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    ¡®He even wrote a letter¡­ Should I forgive him now?''

    To be honest, it was hard for her, she hadn''t had a proper conversation with Mars for two weeks straight.

    She has already grabbed the leash, so there should be no problem in loosening it a bit.

    She smiled and unfolded the folds, and read the letter.

    Though, as she read the letter, her expression hardened bit by bit.

    =========================== To Isabe.

    Hi, this is Mars.

    You may have been a little confounded because of my unexpected letter, right? But, I thought this would be a better option. Also, it''s my first time writing a letter, so yeah, it''s a bit awkward for me. So forgive me if I ramble a bit.

    First of all, I would like to apologize for neglecting you while I was wholly immersed in swordsmanship for all this while. I never did it on purpose! You are my friend, our friendship is much more precious to me than swordsmanship.

    The reason I made that mistake was just because every time my swordsmanship improved, I felt like I was bing a person more deserving of you. You are a very precious friend to me, but sometimes too bright to look at, yeah.

    I know that saying this sounds like an excuse. I know how angry you are with me. I apologize again. I''m sorry.

    And now to the main point, I decided to go on a journey. I haven''t made any concrete ns yet, but I''m thinking of visiting the entire continent for now, that''s the current n at least.

    Before leaving for the journey, I wanted to say goodbye to you, but I couldn''te up with the courage, so I chose to write this letter.

    And you don''t have to worry about me, Cloud hyung gave me some good equipment and took care of my travel expenses.

    This journey will take a long time. Because the continent is so wide. By the time Ie back, I''ll be a lot more mature than I used to be. I''ll try to be a better person of what I was.

    So Isabe.

    If Ie back safely from my journey and see you again.

    Then please forgive me.

    And be my friend again.

    ¨CMars. ===========================

    Isabe read the letter again.

    The content did not change.

    Still, Isabe read the letter again.

    The content still did not change.

    But, Isabe read the letter yet again.

    However, the content refused to change.

    No matter how many times she re-read it, the content did not budge.

    She pinched her own cheek firmly. It hurt.

    It wasn''t a dream.

    Isabe then faced reality.

    "No, no, no. No!"

    She opened her door brashly, the letter clutched in her grasp.

    "Agh! You surprised me! Isabelle, what happened all of a sudden¡­¡±

    Ignoring her mother''s words, she ran out of the house. Without even putting on her shoes, she ran towards the hill where Mars'' house was located.

    Isabe didn''t stop, though blood trickled out of her feet as the rough groundcerated them, but she ran¡ªout of breath as she ran up the hill.

    That''s how urgent it was.

    Running without any happenstance, she climbed to the top of the hill. A little further, and she will soon see Mars'' cabin.

    ¡°Please, Mars¡­¡±

    Please be there.

    Just be there, swinging your wooden sword in front of your cabin as usual.

    Just by looking at his familiar face, all the negative emotions that currently gued her chest would be washed away.

    Isabe hit the ground hard.

    Mars'' cabin entered her sight¡­

    Though, there was neither Mars nor his sword.

    For an instant, Isabe almost copsed, but she managed to hold herself up, though barely stable.

    ¡°Mars¡­ he may have overslept today, why not?¡±

    She approached the cabin slowly, unlike how she climbed the hill. With every step she took, there was an imprint of blood left on the floor.

    ¡°Mars~ I¡¯m here~¡±

    Isabe said out aloud right in front of the shabby cabin. There was no response. Isabe chuckled.

    ¡°How deep are you sleeping?¡±

    There''s no other way. She has no choice but to take it on herself to wake him up.

    Isabe entered the cabin. The structure of the cabin where Mars lived was extremely simple. A single room structure in shape of a long rectangle. There was no room per se, so she could see the bed right away.

    There was no Mars sleeping on the bed.

    ¡°Uh, huh? Not here..? Oh, did he went down to the vige? We sure are at odds recently.¡±

    She tumbled into the cabin and sat down with her buttocks on the bed.

    She sure can go back down to the vige but they may miss each other again. Isabe intended to wait for Mars to return.

    She looked around the cabin and smiled.

    ¡°Did he clean up recently? He doesn''t have the habit¡­¡±

    Isabe''s smile hardened when she saw the side of therge cupboard empty.

    Originally, there was supposed to be a sword present.

    He said that he bought it in the city with the money Cloud sent him; he often used to brag about it.

    "No¡­ no¡­ no¡­"

    Isabe got up from her seat and looked under the bed. Again, his sword wasn''t there either. Thump, thump. Her nervous heart began to gallop.

    ¡°Mars can¡¯t leave me alone.¡±

    Isabe walked over to the drawer and grabbed the handle.

    ¡°Is that right, Mars?¡±

    She opened the drawer.

    The inside was empty.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    After she closed it quietly, she opened the second and third.

    They too, were empty inside.

    Her heart sank with a thump.

    The despair she didn''t want to ept, the reality, began to approach her.

    But she pushed it away.

    Instead, she began to rummage through the cabin.

    Nothing.

    It was totally empty.

    In the cabin Mars lived, all traces of his existence had disappeared.

    "It''s a lie."

    Isabe murmured with an enraptured expression, and then she ran out of the cabin.

    No, there was still hope.

    Ten steps from the second tree behind the cabin.

    Underneath the soil was the relic left by Mars'' mother. The wedding ring to put on his bride''s finger on his wedding.

    Had Mars gone, there''s no way he wouldn''t have taken it with him.

    So if it was still there, it was the proof that her Mars didn''t leave her behind.

    Isabe began digging.

    She didn''t bring a shovel, so she used her own hands. Her skin scrapped and her nails were broken, but she kept digging.

    However, despite such efforts¡­

    "Nothing..?"

    She dug nothing.

    Mars really had gone on a journey.

    Leaving her, Isabe, behind.

    "Why..? Why¡­?¡±

    She couldn''t understand.

    Why did he leave her behind?

    He liked her.

    He gave her a short, shy nce when they talked about the wedding ring, which he inherited from his mother.

    ¡°Is it because I have been acting coldtely? Are you that mad at me?¡±

    She wanted to dearly apologize, if that was the case.

    She did it because she loved him so much. She only did it because she loves him. She just wanted him to look her way.

    ¡°But you left just like that?¡±

    If you were going on a journey, you could have at least said a goodbye. If you had, I would have realized that something was wrong. I could have cleared up the misunderstanding¡­

    But Isabe knew why Mars had left a letter instead of a direct goodbye.

    That reason was also her.

    That fact ripped Isabe''s heart to pieces.

    "Mars please¡­ pleasee back¡­ I''ll apologize¡­"

    They were supposed to go to a festival in the city this time around, together.

    That''s why she pestered and pleaded her dad to buy her a pretty dress.

    She also saved up pocket money step by step for this asion.

    ¡®What good is it without you¡­''

    Why?

    ¡°Mars¡­!¡±

    Isabe sobbed as she held the letter in her arms. Desperately wishing this all to be a dream. Or maybe, that Mars would change his mind and hopefullye back.

    But in reality, the probability of that happening was low, very low.

    Because of this, Isabe could not stop her tears, she couldn''t find any constion.

    Tears dripped down out of her eyes, she only stopped crying when she had none to squeeze anymore.

    Isabe opened the letter with a forlorn expression on her face.

    She found a name that bothered her.

    "Cloud¡­"

    From the first time he saw her, he always called her a pink woman, he loathed her.

    This man definitely had the greatest influence on Mars to leave her behind and leaving on a journey by himself.

    As her thoughts reached that point, the sense of loss and despair that had gnawed at Isabe''s inner self disappeared. Anger and bloodthirst took their ce.

    She went straight down the hill to her vige.

    She sprinted through the door of the only inn in vige and shouted.

    "Cloud, you pooch,e out!¡±

    ¡°Woh! Woh!¡±

    Cloud, who was having his breakfast, barked.

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 58.1: Mars (4)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    ¡°Cloud, you pooch,e out!¡±

    ¡°Woh! Woh!¡±

    ¡°..?¡±

    For an instant, Isabe paused. An absurd look appeared on her face. I turned around and saw that Eri and Ophelia were also staring at me, with their breakfast before them.

    Alright. The joke is ruined.

    Dragging the time will make the atmosphere just more awkward, so let''s move on to the main topic.

    ¡°Miss pink woman? What happened to you in the early morning?¡±

    As I spoke, Isabe returned to her incensed expression. She strode over and mmed her palm heavily on our table.

    Thanks to which, not only the tableware, but also the food we ordered was scattered all over the floor.

    Eri leapt up to her feet.

    ¡°Hey, what are you doing¡­¡±

    ¡°Eri, calm down.¡±

    "Huh? But, Cloud, whatever is the case, this is just¨C¡±

    ¡°Eri, calm down.¡±

    "¡­alright."

    Eri sighed deeply and sat down back on her chair. She then red at Isabe with a terrifying look, but Isabe didn''t care.

    Her attention was focused solely on me.

    ¡°Alright, what made our miss pink so angry?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t y innocent. This is all because of you!¡±

    "This?"

    I looked down at the table. Indeed, between the table and her palm was a paper smeared in blood.

    ¡°He wrote a letter instead of saying goodbye? It''s not a one-sided opinion, but a kind of consensus we found through mutual debate¨C"

    ¡°So the letter was also your work?¡±

    Isabe''s brows furrowed to the point that I wondered if it could get worse than this.

    Hmmm. There seems to be a deep misunderstanding between us.

    I feel like this conversation is going to be very long.

    I made Eri and Ophelia give us some private space.

    Then I looked straight at Isabe and replied.

    ¡°The letter is also what Mars agreed to. It''s written there, right? Hah, I can see it on your face."

    "¡­it''s not the letter that matters. What matters is that you encouraged Mars to leave me and go on a journey, alone!¡±

    ¡°I encouraged him, uh¡­ I''m sure it''s true that I proposed going on a journey to Mars. I told him to take in those experiences to be more mature of a man.¡±

    ¡°Sure enough¡­ it''s your fault! Mars left me alone and went on a journey because of your instigation!¡±

    Isabe picked up a fork lying on the table and thrust it down straight at my nape.

    ¡ªwithout any hesitation.

    ¡®She has got a good eye.''

    I got a hold on Isabe''s wrist, lowering the fork. Thanks to that, the fork stopped just before it touched my neck. Isabe''s arm trembled as she tried to shove the fork right into my neck somehow.

    She even brought over her other arm, adding to the force, but to no effect.

    Just the level difference between her and me is over 30.

    The level difference is enough to prevent me any real injury.

    Nevertheless, I rather blocked it to prevent her from getting more fussy and to continue a smooth conversation.

    "Miss pink, you seem to be misunderstanding something?¡±

    "Misunderstand? That''s your illusion!¡±

    ¡°The way you say it sounds as if I forced Mars to a journey.¡±

    "Then what else?"

    Isabe burst outughing, she sounded hysterical.

    I nodded my head positively.

    I told her the truth, only to her bewilderment.

    ¡°Like I said, I proposed him to go on a journey. However, that was only a suggestion, notpulsion. The choice was made by Mars himself.¡±

    ¡°Mars¡­? Don''t be ridiculous! Mars can''t go on a trip without me! Even if it was him who made the decision, he would have invited me too! If it weren''t for you!"

    ¡°Again, you¡¯re ming me again. Think with your head. Why did I propose a trip to Mars in the first ce?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because you want to seperate me and Mars! Because you hate me!!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, my motives have been exined. Let''s move on to the next part. So why did Mars follow my proposal? Why did he leave for a journey without even saying a goodbye to you?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°You must be feeling guilty, that''s why your mouth is shut.¡±

    The strength drained from her hand holding the fork. Her face was filled with deep guilt instead of anger.

    But only for a while.

    Not long after, Isabe fiercely red back at me again.

    ¡°Yes, I''m. But it''s a matter between me and Mars. It wasn''t for you to intervene!"

    ¡°The matter is between you and Mars¡­? Ah! There is one more thing you are misunderstanding. Mars didn''t go on a trip because of your cold shoulders."

    "What?"

    ¡°Literally. No matter how bad your behaviour was, Mars cannot just give up on you for that, can he? You know how much he likes you, right?"

    ¡°Then how? Why did Mars leave me?!¡±

    ¡°That¡­ do you remember yesterday''s night?¡±

    "Yesterday''s night? What are y¨C¡±

    Isabe who jerked up to question with a twisted expression t on her face, paused.

    Soon her pupils began to waver violently.

    ¡°Maybe¡­ that¡­ no¡­?¡±

    Isabe desperately shook her head again as if to deny the reality.

    Looking at her, I smiled.

    ¡°I saw it with Mars. We saw you and the baron¡¯s son having a good conversation.¡±

    "Ah..Ahh!!"

    Isabe staggered back as if she had received a huge shock. She didn''t fall because I was holding her wrist. She was trembling as she looked down at the floor like she was a sinner.

    ¡°No, it''s a lie¡­¡±

    "Apologies, but it isn''t. Otherwise, as you said, why would Mars leave on a journey, while leaving you alone? Hey, did we discover some secret we weren''t meant to? You two really looked like a happy, young couple¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tie me up with that bastard!!!¡±

    Isabe suddenly bolted up her head and screamed furiously.

    ¡°Hey miss, why are you screaming so loudly? Was there really some secret for which you two were meeting atte night?"

    "Not at all! It''s just that guy who keeps sticking around me, and he''s the baron''s son, I was forced to hang out a few times with him. I have no interest in him!¡±

    ¡°Is that so? But Mars must have felt differently.¡±

    ¡°That was the part where the two of us could have resolved the misunderstanding throughmunication! If it wasn''t for you¡­"

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you talk about it with him earlier?¡±

    Unlike before, I didn''t pull out a smile, I could see pink woman bewildered at the sudden change of attitude. I didn''t stop.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell him about it earlier? If you had told him about the baron''s son in advance, Mars wouldn''t have felt so miserable."

    ¡°But it wouldn''t have been of any help. The one we are talking about is the baron''s son. Even if Mars knew about it, there was nothing he could do about it, and it would only increase his worries. That''s why I didn''t tell him!"

    ¡°So¡­ it was to protect Mars?¡±

    "Yeah!"

    Isabe answered the question loudly as if to confirm that she had gained more confidence towards her actions.

    I clicked my tongue.

 Chapter 58.2: Mars (4)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    I clicked my tongue.

    ¡°What a load of crap.¡±

    "¡­What?"

    ¡°Mars is not a kid, he is a grown up man. One can can live independently from their parents at this age, okay? And you are protecting him? What are you?¡±

    "I..!"

    ¡°A childhood friend? Doesn''t that mean an old friend who has been close since childhood? And friends are equal. You are not a mother hen looking after her little chick."

    "W-What¨C"

    ¡°Of course, I know why you engaged in that way of thinking. Mars is an orphan whereas you are known for having good parentage in the whole vige. Mars is moderately handsome meanwhile you are so damn pretty. Mars has neither money nor friends, while you get a lot of pocket money and have a lot of friends. So, at some point, that mentality must have been established. Oh, he''s a level lower than me. He is someone I need to protect.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense! I never thought of Mars that way!¡±

    ¡°Then why were you behaving with him like that? That one action of yours exin many things.¡±

    You hide your affairs with the baron''s son in order to protect him, total dogsh!t.

    You don''t know what Mars likes. On the contrary, Mars duly knows how much you like to sleep.

    Meanwhile, you even pulled a bullsh!t action like ying hard to get on a guy like him.

    ¡°Everything seems based on a sense of psychological superiority, and it is impossible unless you let it have room in your heart. Admit it. You see Mars as someone on a level lower than you, you see him as something to be protected. Not as a life partner.¡±

    As I finished my words, Isabe''s expression was nothing but miserable.

    In fact, my speech contained a lot of sophistry and exaggeration. Still, looking onto the expression on her face, I may have to poke a bit more to achieve the real effect.

    ¡°But actually, you are right. Mars is indeed someone who needs afort roof.¡±

    Isabe''s gaze changed strangely.

    Maybe because I defended her this time around.

    I smiled again and said.

    ¡°He is an orphan, isn''t he? He doesn''t have parents'' emotional support. The strong-minded will ovee, but the weak ones copse. In my opinion, Mars was thetter¡­ you did a great job. You healed his heart that was split in half, Isabe. That¡¯s why you were more precious than anyone else.¡±

    A precious person that no one can rece.

    ¡°The feeling of being abandoned by such a precious person¡­ can you envision it?¡±

    Isabe''s body shook violently. Not wanting to hear anymore, she tried to pull herself away from me, but¡­

    ¡ªno way.

    I didn''t let go of her wrist.

    ¡°For your information, I know it so well because I¡¯m an orphan too. Do you want me to exin how it feels?¡±

    Holding onto Isabe''s wrist, I pointed my remaining hand to my forehead.

    ¡°First, there is blood in your head. Your face turns red and veins unsightly protrude near your eyes. It feels like hot magma is boiling in your head and your eyeballs are turning upside down.¡±

    Next, I pointed to my eyes.

    ¡°In such case, it''s natural for a person to cry, isn''t it? But not for long, because the tear nds dry soon after. There are no tears left to shed. So, do you know whates out instead of tears? Blood. Tears of bloode out. It''s not a metaphor, it''s the same blood that flows when a person gets a cut. But in reality, those preceding things are not a big deal.¡±

    Finally, I pointed to my heart.

    ¡°Compared to here, they aren''t. Let''s see¡­ how do I exin this¡­¡±

    I gazed around, looking for something sharp. The sword around my waist is too big¡­ the knife is unfortunately out of sight.

    Welp, I cannot help it.

    I took the fork from Isabe and released her hand.

    ¡°The heart is this¡­¡±

    Showing her my palm and the fork clearly¡­

    I jabbed the fork on my palm.

    Isabe''s eyes widened in shock.

    I heard loud gasps and startled coughs. It was not Isabe, it was the vigers who overheard while having their breakfast, just like watching a morning drama show.

    I spoke a little louder so they could all hear it too.

    ¡°It tears through one''s heart, you know? It just hurts so much. To the extent that even a desperate cry doesn''te out even with a opened mouth. As if your vocal cords were blocked by a lump. But if you think this is the end, it''s not.¡±

    I plunged the fork through my palm!

    A few drops of blood sshed on Isabe''s face.

    Oh, sorry.

    I apologized inwardly, but Isabe didn''t say anything. She just stared still at my palm pierced by the fork as if possessed.

    ¡°It feels wrenching. It feels like something precious in your chest was being gouged out. Do you understand what I mean?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°How would Mars feel? Do you understand why I rmended a trip to him?¡±

    Isabelle didn''t answer.

    She just lowered her head and stood still. It wasn''t until I saw her tears dripping down and wet the floor that I realized she was crying.

    Seeing her like that made me feel bothered too, but I can''t help here.

    Destiny here is like a ma, and if I don''tpletely separate it, it will go back to its original state.

    It''s so f**ked up that even if I half-heartedly wish them happiness with discreet precautions, the tragic destiny of Mars could pop up back again.

    So, in order not to give any room for that development, I have no choice but to ept this hard choice, topletely separate them like this.

    I ced my hand on her shoulder and patted her infort.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for you, but please forget him, for Mars.¡±

    "¡­I."

    ¡°It may be difficult right now, but one day you two will have a good friendship back again. Maybe the baron''s son you are seeing right now¡­"

    ¡°¡­where ¡­tell me.¡±

    Huh?

    "Hm? Please say that again.¡±

    ¡°Tell me the direction to which Mars left.¡±

    Isabe said as she raised her head up.

    She had a calm expression unlike anything like before, there was no distortion and no fuss.

    ¡°¡­you understood what I was saying, right?¡±

    "I understand. You are saying that I inflicted such a deep wound on Mars that it would not be strange if it apanied him as a trauma for the rest of his life, am I right?¡±

    ¡°Well, you understand. So why do you want to know?¡±

    ¡°I understand, that''s why I have to ask. Mars is struggling a lot mentally right now because of me. Then I have to go and apologize.¡±

    ¡°¡­no, it''s not a small wound, you realise, right? Can''t you see this?"

    I waved my palm, pierced by the fork, in front of her.

    Even after seeing the sight, Isabe''s gaze did not waver.

    ¡°I will apologize enough to make up for it. If Mars wants, I''ll kneel down on my knees for him. If he remains traumatized for the rest of his life, I will love him so much that he won''t even think of that trauma.¡±

    Whezz.

    The wind began to move unusually around Isabe.

    It was not just wind.

    It was a de of wind with sharp anticipation.

    ¡°Then tell me the direction to which Mars went.¡±

    Isabe, who had just awakened as an elemental mage, spoke in between the center of the fluttering wind des.

    Looking at Isabe who suddenly awakened out of nowhere, I gruffly rapped my forehead.

    Woah¡­ is this chunni awakening moment, right at the end, for goddamn real?

    Goddess, you bleeping b!tch.

 Chapter 59.1: Behemoth (1)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    I sighed deeply as I watched Isabe surrounded by a flurry of rapacious wind des.

    I hadn''t assumed such a possibility.

    ¡°You aren''t going to go looking for him like that, right?¡±

    "Huh?"

    Judging by the look on her face, my assumption seems to be correct.

    Man, did she really thought of going on a journey to find him with nails broken and the soles of her feet bleeding?

    Holding back a sigh, I pointed my forefinger at the stairs to the second floor.

    ¡°You have seen my teammates, right? Go up and say my name and get yourself healed by a nun named Ophelia. I''ll go and get the surplus equipment we have to spare.¡±

    ¡°What do you want to do?¡±

    ¡°What do I want to do? Aren''t you going to find Mars? I''m not letting myself let you go to find death. Go, get yourself healed.¡±

    Isabe narrowed her gaze.

    ¡°¡­for real, what are you up to? Up until now, you have been very resolute on seperating me and Mars, but now you¡¯re helping me find him?¡±

    ¡°I still want you to stay away from Mars. But it doesn''t seem like that''s going to stop you, and you''re going to die if you go out like that. And if you die, Mars will me me. That''s a big no-no for me. So, go up, get yourself treated, equip some simple gear, and thene down. I''ll tell you the direction in which Mars left only after that."

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Isabe was suspicious, but she knew she wasn''t in the right state to do what she wanted, so she choose to go up to the second floor.

    After a while, Isabe descended, having herself healed and lightly armed in a leather armor along with a rapier.

    ¡°Tell me now. Where did Mars go?¡±

    ¡°The principality to the North. He probably went to the city of Lymar.¡±

    "¡­Are you sure? You are not lying, are you?"

    Ferocious swirls manifested around Isabe and intensified by second.

    ¡°What would you do if it is a lie? Kill me? Regardless of whether you have that kind of ability, are you confident that you won¡¯t be med by Mars?¡±

    Isabe bit her lip.

    "¡­if it''s a lie, you''ll see it yourself."

    After saying those words, she left the inn.

    I also watched her as she left the inn and the vige for the north.

    Of course, the direction I gave to Isabe was wrong.

    Mars was heading east, to the Kingdom of Carta.

    For that reason, the two will not cross each other for the time being.

    For the time being¡­

    ¡®I don¡¯t know what will happen in the future.¡¯

    My n to make Mars and Isabe walk their separate paths was already in shambles.

    Isabe will actively seek Mars, and they may one day meet again.

    If that''s a happy future for Mars, it''s all good and fine.

    But.

    ¡®If it''s a tragedy¡­''

    I might get a little bit pissed with the Goddess.

    I sighed and turned my back after Isabe was out of sight. And I was a little surprised.

    Because Neria with a horribly paleplexion was leaning against the inn wall.

    ¡°Neria, what happened to you? You weren''t even in the room¡­ where had you been?"

    I knew someone was eavesdropping from in front of the inn, but never thought that it was Neria. Neria was greatly startled by my question and stuttered in between her words.

    ¡°Oh, no¡­ that¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to overhear¡­ I was justing¡­ ah, but I couldn¡¯t¡­¡±

    "Are you alright? Well, things have been quite hectic recently. Let''s go in and have breakfast. We will leave immediately after dinner.¡±

    ¡°Cloud, uh¡­ can¡¯t we stay for one more day? I''m not feeling well¡­"

    "Not feeling well? What happened¡­¡±

    No sooner did I want to ask, than I smelled a strong liquor smell emanating from her.

    My brows furrowed intuitively.

    ¡°Did youe here after drinking all night long? Even after I said we were going to leave soon?"

    ¡°Ah, no, that''s because¡­ I, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    Tears like drops of rain flowed from the corners of her eyes.

    ¡°No,e on, don''t cry¡­ Ha, it''s okay. We are leaving tomorrow, so go in and have a rest."

    "Sorry, sorry¡­"

    No matter how many times I exined that it was okay, no matter how many times I asked her what was going on, her tears wouldn''t stop.

    Neria repeatedly kept muttering that she was sorry.

    * * *

    ¨C Why didn¡¯t you tell him about it earlier?

    ¡®I wanted to do it too. But if that happened, Cloud, I was afraid you''ll be in danger¡­''

    ¨C What a load of crap.

    ¨C And you are protecting him? What are you?

    ¡®I''m your childhood friend. I like you. That¡¯s why I promised myself to keep you safe.¡¯

    ¨C So, at some point, that mentality must have been established. Oh, he''s someone on a level lower than me. He is someone I need to protect.

    ¡®I¡­ I never thought of you like that.¡¯

    Neria denied Cloud''s words.

    Though he was actually talking to a pink-haired girl she didn''t know, she couldn''t help but deny it, as if it was her in that position.

    However, she could not deny Cloud''s following words.

    -That¡¯s why you were more precious than anyone else.

    ¨C The feeling of being abandoned by such a precious person¡­ can you envision it?

    ¨C First, there is blood in your head. Your face turns red and veins unsightly protrude near your eyes.

    ¨C So, do you know whates out instead of tears? Blood. Tears of bloode out.

    ¨C It feels wrenching. It feels like something precious in your chest was being gouged out.

    A huge nail was stabbed into Neria''s chest.

    Each word that Cloud spoke worked as a hammer on the nail.

    Her heart broke little by little.

    She knew, for sure, that he must have been hurt.

    But she didn''t think deeply.

    ¡ªbecause she was afraid.

    Neria was afraid to imagine the great wounds she had inflicted on Cloud, and after she did, she ran away.

    While she just thought he''d be able to give her a hug someday again.

    But the truth Cloud shoved directly into her head negated her optimism.

    ¨C Thak!

    The pink-haired girl ran out of the inn in a different attire than she entered. The girl jogged out of vige and sprinted towards the forest.

    Cloud also came out of the inn and he quietly watched the girl hurry away. It wasn''t until about the time the girl was gone that he sighed and turned around, startled to find Neria.

    ¡°Neria, what happened to you? You weren''t even in the room¡­ where had you been?"

    "Ah¡­"

    Neria bit her lips before she could answer something.

    What could she say?

    Originally, Neria was going to have a conversation with Cloud.

    Because she thought that if she divulged her true feelings about what she had kept pressing inside her, she would be able to be close with him as they were before.

    But it wasn''t so.

    Everything was different from her expectations¡­ from her optimism.

    In the current situation, what will happen if she told Cloud the truth? How will he take it? Wouldn''t that just make the wound all more agonizing?

    Could it be that their rtionship is beyond repair? It''s already ruined?

    Could it be that they will fall apart like Mars and that pink-haired girl?

    Neria was frightened.

    ¡°Oh, no¡­ that¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to overhear¡­ I was justing¡­ ah, but I couldn¡¯t¡­¡±

    So she ran away, once more.

    * * *

 Chapter 59.2: Behemoth (1)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    After prolonging their stay in the vige by one additional day, Cloud and his party moved toward the southern part of the Kingdom of Prona.

    The destination was the Dukedom of Oler.

    Ruled by the Duke and greatndowner of the southern region of the Kingdom of Prona.

    ¡°Hero Cloud..? P-Please, wait for a minute!¡±

    It was evident that the waitress was calm until he entered the reception room. However, after inspecting his hero''s que, she hurriedly left the waiting room without masking her agitation.

    ¡®I think I''ve already waited for quite a while. Do I still have to wait longer?''

    As it was a sudden visit from his part, there was nothing further to say.

    Cloud was about to sip on his tea when he found Eri with a very grim expression on her face.

    ¡®Come to think of it, Eri has a bad rtionship with her family.¡¯

    As far as he remembers, she''s an illegitimate daughter, and that was the only reason she was ignored by her family.

    ¡®We better get out of this house as soon as possible.''

    While Cloud was thinking about it, the waiting room''s door opened and a middle-aged man walked in.

    With two armed knights escorting him, the man was none other than the ruler of this dukedom.

    The duke sat on the central chair, and the knights found their ce behind him on his either side.

    ¡°When I heard of your arrival from my butler, I doubted my ears for a brief moment, but it''s true. Hero Cloud, pleasant to see you here.¡±

    ¡°Was my visit that surprising? Duke Oler?¡±

    The duke''s eyebrows twitched.

    ¡®Did this kid talk to me like that just now?''

    The ipetent Hero of the Kingdom of Prona dared to? To him, the Duke of Oler?

    Halstion, his knight, who noticed the duke''s displeasure, took a step forward and warned Cloud.

    ¡°Even if Cloud-sama is a hero, Duke Oler is a great lord with a vast territory and fame to his name, even in the Kingdom of Prona. Please pay attention to proper decorum.¡±

    Duke Oler gave a subtle but content expression to the knight''s words. Cloud, on the other hand, tilted his head as if in deep doubt. He asked the knight who issued the warning.

    ¡°What is your name?¡±

    ¡°Halstion.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sir Halstion. You want to emphasize that I should act more politely in front of the Duke, am I right?¡±

    "That''s correct."

    ¡°Then let me ask you. What rudeness did Imit in front of the Duke? Did I insult him? Have I dishonored him in any way?¡±

    ¡°The hero did notmit such a great disrespect. You justmitted a small breach of etiquette in front of the Duke. I hope you will exalt your words in the future.¡±

    ¡°Now, would you like to hear what I think?¡±

    Cloud crossed his arms and rxed himself on the seat with a brief contemting expression.

    As soon as he finished musing, he opened his arms and said.

    ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t see the need for that.¡±

    Matching the time with Cloud''s answer, the aura emitted by the knights made the surroundings freeze. The servants who served them stilled.

    On the other hand, Cloud, as well as his party, were unaffected by the knights'' aura.

    Even if they were the elite knights of the Duke of Oler, they were nothingpared to the intimidation posed by the Minotaur who roamed the depths of the dungeon.

    Cloud looked at Halstion and spoke in a t tone.

    ¡°Are the Heroes lower in stature than the Dukes of the Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Halstion did not answer.

    This was no longer just about Cloud, he used the word ¡®heroes¡¯. If he affirmed to this, not only the three other heroes, but also all the heroes in the continent''s history will be drawn into the question.

    Seeing Halstion''s unwillingness to answer, Cloud asked again.

    ¡°You cannot answer. Alright, then I''ll change the question. Is Cloud, the Hero of the Kingdom of Prona, lower in stature than Duke Oler?¡±

    Halstion thought he could very well answer that question.

    Cloud is a hero, but unlike other heroes, he doesn''t have any special achievements.

    Hees from a humble origin, and has no supporters.

    Compared to the ruler of the southern region of the Kingdom of Prona and his lord, the Duke of Oler, he was inferior.

    Halstion, who was loyal to his very core, thought so, and his answer would affirm that.

    "Stop."

    ¡ªhad it not been for his lord, the Duke of Oler, to block it himself.

    ¡°Duke?¡±

    ¡°Sir Halstion, stop it.¡±

    "However¡­"

    ¡°I asked you to stop, right?¡±

    Halstion trembled at Duke Oler''s subdued tone.

    ¡°My apologies, esteemed duke!¡±

    Halstion immediately bowed his head and backed off. Confirming that his loyal knight had retreated, the Duke of Oler looked at the young hero and smiled.

    ¡°Please forgive my knight¡¯s rudeness. He''s a good guy, but he''s still young, so he''s full of youthful passion."

    ¡°¡­¡±

    As if this was not the end to it, Cloud didn''t answer.

    Duke Oler sighed.

    Then he lightly bowed his head toward Cloud.

    ¡°I apologize on behalf of Sir Halstion for his disrespectful behaviour."

    ¡°I ept the apology.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Cloud continued to sip on his tea. Duke Oler looked at Cloud intently.

    ¡®If Halstion had just answered hastily, it would havended me into great trouble.''

    It is true that Cloud has no achievements to his namepared to other heroes. He is a humblemoner and has no support.

    But he is a Hero.

    A human being chosen by the holy sword crafted by the Goddess Iris herself.

    And a Hero representing the Kingdom of Prona.

    Then try to tell him that he is inferior to the Duke of Oler.

    Of course, the church will surely be hostile to you, meanwhile, other nobles and king who will mistakenly believe that the Duke of Oler is trying to put a hero under his feet may try to contain him.

    Great troubles can ur with just a single sentence.

    ¡°I think the rumors I heard were true. A lot has changed since thest time I met you, Hero Cloud.¡±

    Not long ago, Duke Oler heard of an incident that took ce in the Imperial Social Banquet.

    ording to his sources, Cloud assaulted Gis unterally, and that Cloud waster taken away by Imperial Hero, Frillite.

    It was a situation hard to believe in itself.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been through a lot. Even if you don¡¯t want to, you have to change.¡±

    Looking at his rxed attitude and calm eyes, the duke couldn''t help but realize.

    Three years had passed, no more was there the ipetent Hero who had his tail lowered at the threat of a knight.

    The Hero in front of him was the real deal.

    ¡°Let''s stop wasting our time on useless things and get back to the point. I heard that the number of beasts and monsters in the duke''s estate has increased rapidly. Did you find out the cause?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to figure out the exact cause. I''m just guessing it might be the work of a named monster. I found some convincing evidence.¡±

    Named monster.

    Like boss monsters, even if you kill it, it doesn''t truly disappear. Someday, another monster will take over it''s ce.

    ¡°If we are talking about the named monsters, a Behemoth is probably the most powerful. Did you inform the other heroes?¡±

    Duke Oler nodded his head.

    ¡°I have already informed the other three Heroes.¡±

 Chapter 60.1: Behemoth (2)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    After finishing the discussion about the Behemoth, Duke Oler arranged rooms for Cloud and his group.

    Though, that had nothing to do with Eri.

    Because this was also her house and she had her own personal bedroom.

    Eri stepped into her bedroom.

    The room she returned to after several years was nothing different from what she had left. Except for the fact that there was a lot of umted dust.

    ¡®¡­theypletely neglected it after I left, huh?¡¯

    Woh, isn''t this still too much?

    Taking in the absurdity, she let out a short chortle.

    Eri pondered whether she should clean her room, and then she shook her head. She was only going to stay for a while, unless something extraordinary urred.

    She just swatted the dust off the bed and plopped down on it. As she nkly stared at the ceiling, what happened a little earlier made her mind wander.

    ¡®¡­I don''t think he even cares.''

    Duke of Oler, Eri''s father.

    He never looked her way during the entire conversation with Cloud in the living room previously. He was acting as if she didn''t even exist.

    ¡®I feel like a fool for expecting anything.¡¯

    ¡®I should just get some sleep.''

    Eri was about to close her eyes.

    ¨C Knock, knock.

    ¨C Can Ie in?

    Along with the knock came the voice she hated the most.

    How she wanted to tell the owner of the voice to just piss off, but aware of her reality, Eri knew she couldn''t.

    "e in."

    With her permission, the door opened¡ªa man and two woman entered the room. They frowned to the room''s dusty interior.

    ¡°The half-blood''s room is just as dirty as her.¡±

    "You''re being shameless, Callion. Aren''t you the one who instructed the maids to specifically not clean this room?¡±

    ¡°But my words do hold some truth. Even after apanying a Hero on his glorious adventures, the fithly will remain filthy.¡±

    Duke''s eldest daughter, Marilyn Oler, and second daughter, Jerina Oler, grinned at the words of the eldest son, Callion Oler.

    They held an arrogantly contemptuous attitude, but Eri was not affected in the least.

    Not because she was used to it, but she had been through worse at Lorian''s party.

    "Right. I''m dirty that''s why my room is dirty too. So if you have nothing further to say, why don''t you all just get out of my room, my clean brother and sisters?"

    ¡°Hey, we came all the way here to meet you and this is with what you greet us? With this?"

    To Marilyn''s jeer, Eri snorted.

    ¡°Then why did my so clean brother and sisters came here?¡±

    "Ohh? Your way of conversation has improved a bit. Good, your way of speech to us is more courteous than before. Honestly, it''s quite a surprise~!¡±

    ¡°Just get to the point.¡±

    Eri interjected, tired of taking anymore bullsh!t from them. Callion, who had a smirk on his face, erased his smile.

    ¡°How brazen of you toe back with a straight face, isn''t it?¡±

    ¡°¡­I didn¡¯te back. We are staying for a while until Behemoth subjugation.¡±

    ¡°I hope that''s true. No one in our family wants a dirty rat to stay and pollute our house.¡±

    ¡°Dirty rat¡­? You''re crossing the boundary by all means, huh?"

    Eri grabbed her wand she had left beside the bed.

    She had no intention of harming them. No matter how abhorrent they were, they shared same blood, and above all else, letting herself flow into her impulsions will only lead to bad results.

    She just wanted to kick them out of her room with light wind magic.

    She started chanting in her head.

    It was not a difficult spell, so the chant duration was just five seconds.

    ¡°Hero Cloud and Hero Lorian. You have been switching back and forth between the two heroes, isn''t that a trait of a dirty colour-changing rat?"

    She flinched.

    Her body trembled slightly. Concentration was lost and the wind spell chant was nullified.

    Magic incantation requires a high level of concentration. So a mage must be capable of keeping their mind in a stable state. Eri was an excellent one, so she had never faced a simr problem.

    But until this instance.

    Because what Callion was referring to was¡ªher betrayal.

    ¡°Look at her, fortunately she seems to be conscious. I''m d the half-blood of our family isn''t a totally shameless human."

    Confirming that it worked, Callion continued his spiel with a smirk.

    ¡°Ever since childhood, you have always wanted to be recognized by others. Others thought it was the entricity of a genius, but the family knew the real reason.¡±

    Eri opened her eyes wide.

    As if asking if that was true.

    ¡°Did you think we wouldn¡¯t even notice those obvious actions? When you showed behaviors that seemed to clearly shout, ¡®Please look at me.¡¯ Members of the Oler family are not stupid.¡±

    ¡°So you know why? Then tell me. Why do I want to be recognized?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that because you want to be epted as a member of the Oler family? A real member, not half.¡±

    ¡°So you all know very well!¡±

    Eri raised her staff and pointed it at Callion''s neck. The indigo crystal at the tip of her wand began to glow.

    "Why! So why?! Even if it''s half, the blood flowing in my veins is all the same! You could have epted me as a part of the family!¡±

    "Because you''re a monster."

    Despite Eri''s unexpected behaviour, Callion didn''t even wiggle an eyebrow.

    He smirked.

    "Mo-Monster!?"

    "Yeah. When you were eight years old, your magical talent blossomed, and you were admitted to the mage tower. However, after two years, you returned back to the family. I was left wondering. Your talent is so huge, that''s why they even epted you, so why were you kicked out of the tower? I sent a letter to the tower to resolve the question, and it wasn''t long before I was able to find out why."

    He let out a smirk.

    ¡°You achieved quite a great track record, didn''t you? It''s understandable that you were kicked out from the mage tower, wherepetition is the motto.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been the same in recent times. You were at Hero Cloud''s party, but then you hopped into Hero Lorian''s party at will. Because his party''s better. It''s more capable of making your name known to the whole world."

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°But now you¡¯re back to Hero Cloud¡¯s party. And that was at the same time when the unbelievable rumors of him unterally assaulting Hero Gis came in. In a sense, you''re great. You''re the one who changed teams twice¡­ No, your other team members beat you at that. Still¡ªyou are but a dirty rat.¡±

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 60.2: Behemoth (2)

    T/L: Those who didn''t see the announcement on discord, the pr was off this week, so had to do the work myself and it gotte. Btw, updates from now on will be on Sat or Sun.

    Eri bit her lips tightly. She responded in a barely crawling tone.

    ¡°You want to state that I came back to Cloud¨C¡±

    ¡°Do you know why the family doesn¡¯t ept you? Because the way you do things is half-hearted and pretentious. Ambitious, but attempting to hide it and wrap it up under your sleeves. You''re someone who will even murder me if that means your addition to the family and even lording over it."

    "No! I never did harbour any thought so sordid!¡±

    Eri hollered loudly.

    She was being sincere. She only desired to be recognized by her family, she had no intention of harming her own brother and taking over his position as the heir.

    Seeing Eri scream out impetuously, Callion smiled brightly.

    ¡°One''s thoughts can always change. But nature doesn''t change. Eri. You are a monster hungered by your thrist for fame. And you will do anything for it.¡±

    "You are spitting nonsense."

    ¡°Am I? So, if Hero Cloud weakens again right away. If he can''t make a name for himself like the other heroes. Will you still be by his side, then?¡±

    ¡°Quit your nonsensical talks! Cloud forgave me. I swore I would never betray Cloud again!¡±

    "Well¡­ I don''t think your dirty nature is going to go anywhere just by making an oath."

    "Shut up! I won''t take any more of your insults!"

    The crystal inside Eri''s staff began to shine brighter.

    It looked like she was going to cast a spell at any given moment.

    Callion raised both of his hands upwards and took two steps backwards.

    "Alright. Our sister doesn''t seem to be in a good mood right now, so let''s stop here for today. The room''s a bit messy, but have your rest anyway.¡±

    Callion left Eri''s room with the eldest daughter and the second daughter. He looked back with a reminiscent look as if he had forgotten to say something before he leftpletely.

    ¡°Dear sister, you are both a dirty rat and a monster. You are still not going to get recognized, just as you weren''t all these years. Nothing''s stopping it other than your inner nature.¡±

    With those lingering words, he disappeared from Eri''s sight.

    Even after they left, Eri''s staff was still aimed where they had been moments ago as she stood there, heavily breathing.

    After a while, she let go of her wand.

    She plopped onto her bed and sat down with her arms around the knees.

    ¨C So, Eri. Why didn''t you believe me?

    A voice that had ceased to exist after she returned to Cloud''s party echoed in her ears.

    It muddled her mind again.

    ¡®Sorry. I''m truly sorry for not believing you. Trust me now. I have no doubt that you are a hero greater than anyone else.¡¯

    ¨C Eri. You are a monster hungered by your thrist for fame.

    The voice in her ears changed.

    An abhorrent voice.

    ¡®Don''t be ridiculous.''

    ¡®It is you who is hungered by the honor of bloodline.''

    ¡®I¡­ I just wanted recognition.''

    ¡®I''m not a monster!''

    ¨C So, if Hero Cloud weakens again right away. If he can''t make a name for himself like other heroes. Will you still be by his side, then?

    ¡®Of course. I made an oath that day, when Cloud came finding me.''

    ¡®That I will never betray this man again.''

    ¨C I don''t think your dirty nature is going to go anywhere just by making an oath.

    ¡®Shut up.''

    ¡®My nature is not dirty¡­''

    ¨C Dear sister, you are both a dirty rat and a monster. You are still not going to get recognized, just as you weren''t all these years. Nothing''s stopping it other than your inner nature.

    ¡®¡­¡¯

    Eri buried her face between her knees.

    Her body shook softly with a squeaking sound. The woe of sobs did not halt for quite some time.

    * * *

    Seeing Callion leaving Eri''s room without any regrets, Marilyn took on a dissatisfied expression.

    ¡°Brother, are you just kidding me? Is that all you had to say? Making that b!tch a fool twice?¡±

    Eri left the party of the Hero of the Kingdom of Prona, Cloud, and joined the party of a Hero from another kingdom.

    For quite some time, the Duke of Oler was condemned by the king as well as other nobles.

    The honor of the great Duke of Oler was tarnished.

    That alone would have been worth a year to chew on, but things soon changed.

    The disappearance of Hero Cloud.

    The increasing achievements of Lorian, a hero that stood out day by day.

    Judging that there was no longer any hope form the hero of their own country, the Kingdom of Prona decided to tie in their line with the heroes of other kingdoms.

    As a result, not only the value of Eri but also the value of the Duke of Oler and his family rose vertically. If she had behaved properly, she could have promised the safety of the Kingdom of Prona by reeling in Hero Lorian.

    But that stupid b!tch couldn''t stay put and switched back to Hero Cloud.

    How did she even make stupid choices twice in a row? How?

    It made her doubt if they were really of the same bloodline, even though that b!tch was only half.

    Taking in Marilyn''s dissatisfied expression, Callion grinned.

    ¡°How is that possible? What happened was only entertainment. The real thing is after this.¡±

    ¡°After this¡­?¡±

    ¡°After consulting with our father, the Oler family has decided to support Hero Cloud.¡±

    ¡°You mean, sponsorship? Would that be alright?"

    Even if the kingdom falls, noble families can survive.

    This is a characteristic of the feudal society, which means that even if the Kingdom of Prona is destroyed by the other kingdoms, the Duke of Oler can survive if negotiations go well.

    However, if they support Cloud, the situation changespletely.

    From the moment they hand over their support, they would be the backbone of Hero Cloud, and they will be deeply entangled with him.

    It would not be an exaggeration to say that the rise and fall of the family depended on Cloud''s future moves.

    ¡°Where is there a risk-free investment? And our father mentioned that the Hero, Cloud, was different from before. You must have heard of the incident that happened at the Imperial Social Banquet, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it was talked about so much back then¡­¡±

    ¡°He is a rising star. When no other faction''s hands have touched him, shouldn''t we be the first to reach out?"

    ¡°I understand what dear brother is conveying. But what does that have to do with Eri? As Hero Cloud rises¡ªEri, that bitch will make a name for herself too. I hate to see it go that way.¡±

    ¡°Marilyn, Marilyn. Don''t you think the hero who is going to receive our huge support would listen to a small request of ours?"

    ¡°Ah? No way¡­"

    ¡°You got it. No matter how hard Eri tries, she will not be able to achieve what she wants.¡±

    As soon as Callion finished speaking, the siblings chortled haughtily as they left the hallway.

    And the next day.

    "I don''t need it."

    The sponsorship offer was rejected with a snap.

 Chapter 61.1: Behemoth (3)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    "I don''t need it."

    Cloud rejected Duke Oler''s offer of support without an inch of hesitation.

    The members of the Oler family, who could not have imagined the t rejection, were all left totally perplexed.

    "Hero Cloud. Are you sure you heard us properly?¡±

    ¡°The Duke and the Oler family officially wants to support me, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you heard it right. Indeed, none other than us, the ducal Oler family, will be the backbone of the hero. Are you still going to refuse it?¡±

    ¡°I will decline.¡±

    ¡°Please reconsider!¡±

    Callion got up mming the table and interrupted the conversation between the Duke and the Hero.

    ¡°I understand that our hero feels a little burdened. But we are the Ducal Oler family, and not any of those misceneous families out there. This is definitely beneficial to hero, it will be a solid advantage, and there''s no harm. So, please reconsider.¡±

    ¡°There is no need to reconsider. My decision won''t change.¡±

    ¡°¡­are you already receiving support from other families?¡±

    Are you backed by a family or families other than us? If not, then why dismiss the Ducal Oler family''s sponsorship offer?

    To Callion''s words filled with deep meaning, Cloud shook his head.

    ¡°I''m not supported by any noble family or families.¡±

    "Though¡­"

    ¡°The royal family is no exception.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Except for the duke himself, all the members of the ducal family hardened as if struck by lightning.

    Even though the duke seemed to have maintained hisposure, but if you looked closer, you would still find that his lips were twitching ever so slightly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. Because I have no intention of abandoning my duties as the hero of this kingdom. I just don''t want to have a big debt on my head."

    ¡°¡­haven¡¯t you already received quite a lot of money from the royal family?¡±

    That being said, he has not epted any support since crossing over to this world, but talking about the situation before he crossed over is another matter.

    Cloud sighed.

    ¡°That''s still quite an issue of my concern. I also want to know how to pay it back¡­ Anyway, I have no intention of adding more debt with another sponsorship. So, let''s quit talking about sponsorship and talk about the Behemoth. When do you think the other heroes will arrive?¡±

    ¡°Hero Cloud, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Stop it.¡±

    The Duke stopped Callion.

    He seemed steadfast to Cloud''s notion of not epting sponsorship, and they''ll only attain animosity from slurping more.

    The Duke quit mentioning his sponsorship and answered Cloud''s question.

    ¡°I asked of them to arrive as soon as possible, so they should be here within three weeks at thetest.¡±

    ¡°Three weeks¡­¡±

    Cloud fell into his own thoughts as he tapped the table with his index finger.

    He looked over to the Duke of Oler and asked.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you mention stationing soldiers in front of the forest?¡±

    "Yes."

    ¡°Then lend me a soldier to be my guide, to take me there. Uh, you guys get ready to move too. We will be leaving soon after we get ready.¡±

    ¡°Hero Cloud, please wait. Do you mean that you will be waiting for the other heroes at the military camp instead of advancing after joining them here?¡±

    To Callion''s question, Cloud answered while inserting his chair into the table.

    ¡°ording to what I have heard, the number of monsters have been increasing rapidly. It wouldn''t be strange if they brought a beast tide out at any moment. I have to reach there quickly and reduce the damage we are facing. When the other heroes arrive, let them rest for one day and send them straight to the camp. If Gis or Lorrian deny, say my name.¡±

    ¡°¡­I will do as the hero wills. Though we can say that to the two heroes, we honestly don''t darepel Frillite-sama in any way.¡±

    A duke of a kingdom wasn''t capable in the least¡ªof imposing anything on Frillite, the hero of the Empire.

    To Callion''s words, Cloud smirked.

    ¡°She will most probably try to force her way right to the frontline, alright? Convince her somehow and make her take rest for a day. If you ask nicely, she will probably listen.¡±

    With those words, Cloud left the dinner table.

    The atmosphere quickly became awkward.

    Eri, Neria, and Ophelia cautiously got up and left.

    * * *

    The forest where the quantity of beasts and monsters had soared in great numbers.

    The forest was not far from the ruling city of Duke Oler. It was only at two hours distance on horseback from there.

    ¡°You are Hero Cloud, right? My name is Randolph Arc, the one in charge of this garrison¡±

    Inside themander''s barracks, Randolph reached out. The dignified old knight exuded the atmosphere of a veteran.

    I held his hand.

    ¡°A hero, and Cloud¡ªyou got it right. So yourst name is Arc? Isn''t it the vassal family of the Ducal Oler family?¡±

    "That''s right."

    ¡°For a task like this, the duke didn''t take directmand, but handed it over to a member from a vassal family. You seem to be very trustworthy.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m being trusted way more than I deserve.¡±

    Randolph smiled bitterly.

    I''m sure he understands.

    The reason he received the control is not because of the duke''s trust in him, but rather that the duke''s intention to take care of their own well-being was overwhelmingly high.

    If not for that reason, there is no reason why the direct descendants of the duke wouldn''t appear on the battlefield where they can make a big name for them in the whole kingdom.

    ¡®From the perspective of the soldiers, an experienced old man would be a better choice than a young aristocrat.¡¯

    Though from the perspective of the vassal family that serves the ducal household, this may be an undesired choice.

    ¡°We just arrived, so we aren''t exactly aware of the situation. I wish you could exin the situation in detail.¡±

    I decided not to give him time to indulge in negative thoughts.

    "All right. You may have already heard about it to some extent, but the exact situation in the field is different. Let''s go out together. I will exin as we walk to where hero and yourpanions will be staying.¡±

    When we got out of the barracks, Randolph led us and started exining.

    ¡°The total soldiers mobilized is about six thousand in numbers.¡±

    ¡°That''s quite a lot.¡±

    ¡°More than half of the duke''s army is mobilized. That''s how unusual the situation is. But, the problem is that the forest is sorge that even this number cannot cover itpletely. If we really want to force it, we can barely make do, but¡­¡±

    ¡°The line of defense will get weak. Then there''s a chance that lines of defense will get prated one by one in a row, and if that continues¡­¡±

    ¡°There will be chaos.¡±

    I''m d it has not already happened.

    The moment the lines of defense are broken, the massacre will happen.

    A human army that is not united as one is nothing more than a group of mob.

    ¡°How are you dealing with the monsters who escaped in a direction without a defense line?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re sending squads to take care of them.¡±

    ¡°Did you evacuate the residents of nearby viges?¡±

    ¡°All the vigers of the five viges near the forest have been evacuated safely to the city.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±

    I can fully focus on the Behemoth without worrying about other issues.

 Chapter 61.2: Behemoth (3)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    I can fully focus on the Behemoth without worrying about other issues.

    While cudgeling my brains about it, I saw Randolph look over at me with a look of bewilderment.

    ¡°Any problem?¡±

    ¡°¡­the hero is so contrary to the rumors I''ve heard so far. So true¡ªone should not believe in rumors. To be swayed by such nonsense even at this age¡­ It''s just shameful."

    ¡°Yeah, kinda embarrassing. It was true even for me until a few years ago, I was only an ignorant, sried employee.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I¨C"

    Just when Randolph felt staggered from listening to my self-abusive rant.

    ¡°Commander! Monsters haveunched another attack!"

    A soldier on horseback hurriedly came up to report the situation.

    Randolph''s expression turned serious.

    ¡°Which line of defense is it?¡±

    ¡°This is the third line of defense. The number of monsters is way bigger than expected, the defense line is struggling to hold them back.¡±

    "Alright, I''ming right up. Hero, please wait in the barracks.¡±

    "No. We areing along.¡±

    ¡°¡­it may be dangerous.¡±

    "What''s being a Hero without facing risks, eh?¡±

    Randolph pondered for a moment, then nodded his head.

    "Alright."

    Me and my party readily got on horses and galloped in toe with Randolph and his soldiers rushing towards the third line of defence.

    It wasn''t long before I could see the soldiers fighting fiercely at the entrance of the forest.

    The shield soldiers stood in a row at the front, holding back the monsters, while the soldiers standing behind them stabbed or skewered the monsters with their swords and spears.

    The soldiers tried their best keeping the monsters at bay, but there were just too many in number.

    The situation at the defense line looked so precarious that every next moment seemed to be the decisive one in monsters'' favour.

    ¡°Fortunately, we arrived on time. All troops! In positions!¡±

    He barked orders in quick session.

    While as I approached the defense line, the horse galloping under me did not slow down, but became even faster. I stood up on the back of the galloping horse. Taking heed of the timing, I kicked myself off the horse tounch me into the battlefield.

    ¨C Hero!

    By the time Randolph''s startled voice echoed, I had already crossed the line of defense.

    Inded on an empty spot right behind the group of monsters.

    ¨C Kreung¡­

    Perhaps they were wary of the sudden appearance of a foolhardy human, the monsters only menacingly bared their razor-sharp fangs and did not rush in.

    Thanks to which, I was able to examine my furry adversaries.

    ¡®As expected, these twerps are not some ordinary beasts or monsters.¡¯

    Either their muscles were abnormally erged, or they had extra horns on their body, or their hides were much thicker.

    The strengthening was branched in several different directions.

    Most probably, the Behemoth''s appearance was at fault.

    ¡®With such extreme numbers, they can even trample over knights.¡¯

    Looking closely, I could even see the corpses of what I assumed to be knights torn in shreds and lying on the ground.

    Not many.

    By rough estimate, around four.

    Seeing the corpses'' different positions, it seemed that they were nning to annihte the horde of monsters while the soldiers held them out.

    ¨C Crrrrr!

    ¨C Kunhhhg!

    The monsters began to move.

    A savage wolf withrge horns, a wild boar with huge ripped muscles bulging on its forelimbs, and a tiger with its pointed fangs attacked at the same time.

    I drew out my sword.

    [Strike]-!

    In the next second, the lifeless bodies of the three monsters dropped down with a thud. No matter how powerfully the Behemoth''s buff fortified them, my level status was also in a different league from before.

    ============ Lv.42

    Strength: D (312)+(62) Agility: D (301) Durability: E (266) Mana: E (248) ==============

    I went through my upgraded status after clearing the dungeon.

    These are pure stats excluding the effects of equipment or other essories.

    It was no longer necessary to use a high power attack skills like [Wolf Buster] against these beasts and monsters whose level and stats were far lower than mine.

    Even a range skill like [Rampage] was enough to ughter arge number of them in one move.

    I teared a path through the horde of monsters and swung my sword.

    * * *

    ¡°Neria, did you bring a towel?¡±

    "Yup. I brought it. I will wipe it for you.¡±

    ¡°Don''t mind, I¡¯ll take care of it myself.¡±

    "Okay, got it¡­"

    ¡°Hero, are you injured anywhere?¡±

    ¡°There are bites and scratches all over the ce. These monsters attack like damn thugs.¡±

    ¡°Fortunately, these are minor injuries. I will heal you right away.¡±

    The corpses and blood of dozens of monsters littered the floor. The hero and his party members conversed peacefully on the hellish battlefield that made out the scene to be horrific.

    The soldiers who saw the scene felt terrified.

    In particr, Randolph looked at the hero and found himself dumbfounded.

    He was the one who first decided to dismiss the rumors surrounding Cloud as nonsense. But, no matter how overstated it may be, isn''t there a reason for which he is called the Ipetent Hero?

    He originally assumed that Cloud, who showed a sober state of thought, would be weak in strength.

    But, far from being weak, he alone repulsed the whole horde of monsters that had gobbled up even the knights.

    Randolph tentatively asked Cloud.

    ¡°Hero. Can other heroes also do it this¡­ lightly?¡±

    Cloud paused wiping the blood off his body for a moment. He looked around at the corpses of monsters thatid still on the floor.

    "Um."

    He replied as if it was obvious.

    Randolph wanted to ask more, but he closed his mouth shut.

    He had no idea what to say anymore.

    * * *

    After arriving at the camp, he spent most of his time dealing with the monsters that were aiming for the defense line.

    About a weekter, Gis and his party arrived at the camp. Contrary to what I had expected from being bothered as soon as they arrived, Gis was not the one who appeared in front of me.

    Instead, someone else took the job.

    "Hello. Miss Adreana Salierre. I know you want to talk. But was there a need for it to be sote at night?¡±

    A team member of Gis suddenly appeared in front of my tent pointing that she wanted to have a conversation with me at this hour.

    Same was with Neria and Ophelia, and now her.

    Do all people who associated with Gis forget the basic concept of time?

    Please, please kindlye in the morning. Fuck you Gis!

    ¡°The pommel of your sword. Where did thate from?¡±

    Whether she knew my thoughts or not, Adreana only bothered with what she wanted to say.

    Gosh¡­

    I sighed and didn''t answer, she continued.

    ¡°Did you inherit it from your mother?¡±

    "Yes. But why do you care?¡±

    ¡°¡­your mother didn¡¯t exin it to you?¡±

    "Exin? Yeah, she looked like she was going to say something¡­ but she breathed herst before she could.¡±

    I lied in moderation to find out the intentions that brought Adreana to me.

    She clicked her tongue in annoyance, pointed to my pommel, and started her exnation.

    ¡°The pommel pattern. It is the emblem of our Salierre family. That pommel is a gift my father gave to the woman he had affection for. Now do you understand why I came?¡±

    Now he did.

    ¡®The owner of this pommel was an illegitimate son of the Salierre family.¡¯

    But the real owner of this pommel died in the contest, and I picked it up there. Because of that, she mistook me for her half-brother.

    If so, what I need to do is simple.

    "Age?"

    ¡°Twenty-four.¡±

    ¡°Sister!¡±

    ¡°W-What?!¡±

    I hugged Adreana tightly.

    A sibling hug.

    Though none of us shared a single drop of blood.

 Chapter 62.1: Behemoth (4)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    ¡°Sister!¡±

    ¡°W-What?!¡±

    As Cloud hugged her tightly, Adreana was left looking a little embarrassed.

    ¡®..I wasn¡¯t expecting this kind of reaction.¡¯

    She had guesses. Either he won''t believe in whatever she said and rebuke her words as nonsensical lies.

    Or, he will show his anger to why had they forsaken him and his mother until now.

    Or, in a moment of surprise, might squeal from having his status elevated from a meremoner to a nobleman.

    It was going to be one of the three, at least she had thought so.

    This was because all those who have appeared identifying themselves as the illegitimate children of Salierre family until now have been like that.

    But Cloud jubntly shouted "sister" and hugged her dearly.

    It was as if he had met a family member from whom he had been seperated for ages.

    Adreana felt a little absurd.

    She hadn''t even talked with him in her entire life, leave alone having close contact, why did he react so thrilled?

    ¡®No, more than that¡­¡¯

    He was too close!

    He''s a man who until recently she thought to be a stranger, let alone sharing same blood. He shouldn''t be so happy to brotherly hug her all of a sudden.

    Adreana pushed Cloud away.

    ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m sorry, sister. I was so ted by knowing that I have a family out there, that I reacted so ungainly.¡±

    Cloud apologized to Adreana with a sorry expression.

    Adreana helplessly chuckled in her heart.

    ¡°You acted like you were going to murder me and all because I interrupted your sweet dreams, why being so gentle now?¡±

    ¡°But of course, you are my sister.¡±

    ¡°To be exact, half-sister.¡±

    ¡°Does it matter? The important fact is that I have a family again.¡±

    Cloud smiled brightly and then got into recounting his past.

    From an early age, he was persecuted by the vigers for being fatherless. As if that was not enough, his mother suddenly fell grievously ill, and shortly before her death, he left with the pommel she dearly cherished.

    Having faced her numerous half-brothers, it was a damn repertoire for Adreana.

    However, the past Cloud spoke about and to which she was currently listening did not feel boring.

    Although it was anything but interesting, she attentively listened to him and, to a lesser extent, empathized with him.

    She also frowned when he told how he was mistreated by the vigers in numerous ways.

    She had a reason why she took Cloud''s life story seriously, unlike when Adreana nonchntly dismissed her other half-brothers.

    It''s because she saw the pure, childish joy Cloud showed on his face¡ªfacing the revtion that she was his elder sister.

    All of her half-brothers she had ever got to meet had seen her and the Salierre family as a tool to change their own life.

    It also meant that they did not have pure emotions like Cloud. Therefore, she was moved by the pure heart of her half-brother whom she was officially getting to know for the first time.

    By the time his recount got finished, Adreana''s wall of psychological distance from Cloud had diminished considerably.

    ¡°It must have had been very difficult,¡± she pitied. "Sorry for leaving you alone for so long. In the future, this sister of yours will take care of you.¡±

    "Thanks, sis. Then, can I ask you a favour?¡±

    "¡­a favour?"

    Adreana''s brow twitched.

    No, maybe he''s the same as her other half-brothers in the end?

    Fortunately, her worries were for naught.

    ¡°As you already know, I don¡¯t get along very well with Gis, right? So, can you let me know in advance if Gis ever has the intention to harm me or my party members in future?¡±

    Cloud''s request seemed very natural.

    Adreana happily nodded her head in assurance.

    Of course she would, but there was calction behind it.

    ¡®It would be better to build a bridge of trust by informing him once or twice.¡¯

    Just because her sense of psychological distance has diminished a bit didn''t mean she had forgotten her original purpose. She was not an idiot.

    Moreover, if she informs him once or twice and wins hisplete trust, it would be easier to use him.

    After having a little more conversation, Adreana prepared to take her leave.

    ¡°Go back carefully, sister."

    ¡°I will. Sorry for distributing you in the middle of your sleep. And about what happened today¡­¡±

    ¡°It''s our secret, right? Don''t worry, I will keep it to myself.¡±

    "Good. And, thank you."

    Adreana left the tent only after urging him several times to keep it a secret that he was her half-brother.

    Cloud stared at Adreana''s back until shepletely left his sight.

    ¡®It will be useful for once or twice.¡¯

    Hopefully, she would be able to inform him in advance if Gis ever sent an assassin of the Zarakh Society on his back.

    Cloud yawned and crawled back into the cozy bed.

    * * *

    It had been about three weeks since I arrived at the camp.

    I got Randolph''s call and headed to his barrack. As soon as I entered the barrack, I found a familiar face.

    ¡°Cloud, long time no see.¡±

    It was Frillite.

    Dressed in a silver-white armor, she smiled and held out her hand to me.

    I took that hand.

    "Same. Good to see you after all these few months. How have you been?¡±

    ¡°Days have been not much different from usual.¡±

    ¡°What have you been doing?¡±

    To my question, Frillite put her arms around her chest and started looking back into her memoryne as she recalled.

    ¡°After I parted with you, I headed straight for the eastern region of the Empire. As reported, the evil god''s apostle was bewitching the citizens. I killed the garbage and helped in purifying the citizens polluted by the evil god. Since then, I was busy doing little things here and there, such as capturing the leaders of the Revolutionary Army and executing a cabal of warlocks along with the church for tampering with some forbidden magic.¡±

    Frillite spit out what she had been doing, as if it was just normal happenstance in her daily life.

    She has been working hard.

    ¡°What have you been doing all this time?¡±

    "Me? I was exploring a small dungeon.¡±

    ¡°A dungeon exploration, uh? That''s interesting. What reward did you get?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ nothing really great. As I said earlier, it was a small dungeon.¡±

    I can''t just say that it''s a medicinal herb to make my PP grow in size.

    ¡°Heh. That¡¯s what can be expected from a poor ass like you.¡±

    Gis, who stood opposite to Frillite and me, smirked deviously. He had entered the barrack while I was talking to Frillite.

    I smiled amicably and responded with a gesture of thrusting my thumb between my index and middle fingers.

    Of course. Gis, well aware of the meaning of my gesture, yanked out his chain scythe¡ªhis face livid green.

    "You motherf**king bastard!"

 Chapter 62.2: Behemoth (4)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    Gis, well aware of the meaning of my gesture, yanked out his chain scythe¡ªhis face livid green.

    "You motherf**king bastard!"

    "Hey, you can also bark?¡±

    Distancing myself away from him, I was also about to draw my sword. When a strong,pressed wind pressure materialized and carried Gis away from his feet. Frillite was wielding her greatsword.

    "Stop. We are here to solve the abnormal situation that is currently happening in the forest, and not to fight among our fellow heroes.¡±

    Seeing Frillite step up made Gis twist his face beyond recognition as he reluctantly but silently inserted back his chain scythe. It seems that the experience of having a hole punctured right through the stomach was quite memorable.

    "Cloud. You too, take your hands off the sword.¡±

    "Alright, but did you really have to split the poor table? Judging from the look on Sir Randolph''s face, it seemed to be an expensive one."

    Frillite turned her head to look at Randolph''s face. Seeing Randolph staring nkly at the table or what it used-to-be, she coughed lightly in embarrassment and put up an apology.

    "¡­sorry. I will surely reimburse for itter.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ may I speak now?¡±

    Randolph individually looked around at the expression of the four heroes one by one.

    We all affirmed with a slight nod, Randolph sighed and began to exin the reason for summoning the heroes here.

    ¡°First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the heroes who havee a long way to help Duke Oler and the duchy. Anding straight to the main point, our soldiers will be marching into the forest to solve the cause of the anomaly.¡±

    ¡°Are we going to finish it quickly? That¡¯s damn good.¡±

    Gis smiled at Randolph as if he was darn pleased with the dude.

    The facial expressions of the other heroes didn''t look disagreeable either.

    I asked Randolph.

    ¡°What is the troop avablity?¡±

    ¡°Over five hundred of our people have been either killed or injured. So we n to deploy about five thousand soldiers except for the five hundred who will protect the wounded.¡±

    Randolph''s answer was quite surprising.

    ¡°You are going all in with the troops? That means we have to pull apart the defense lines surrounding the forest, but then what about the monsters who would in the meantime escape from the forest?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the reason why we¡¯re leaving five hundred people to protect the wounded.¡±

    ¡°That''s not what I''m saying. The monsters that manage to escape the forest are going to pass through the evacuated viges and eventually head to the city. If the gates are to be breached, the citizens will be at risk, Sir Randolph. I''m asking if you are sure about taking such a risk.¡±

    ¡°If that''s the cause of your concern, you don''t have to worry. ording to the reports of our scouts, the number of remaining beasts and monsters is at most around five hundred. With those numbers they won''t be able to break through the gates."

    ¡°Is the information reliable?¡±

    ¡°Information gained at the expense of numerous scouts. So, no doubt about it.¡±

    Randolph had an expression on his face that expressed he would never have been more determined than he was. With my scepticism answered, I put a lid on my doubts.

    Otherwise, it might turn into the starting point of a verbal conflict that none of us wanted.

    Having decided to march straight into the woods, all that was left was to draw up the finer details and prepare for the march.

    * * *

    It''s not easy to march through the forest.

    The forest path is at most wide enough for five people to walk side-by-side.

    Naturally, there was no way the troop could advance in a formation, and we had to walk through the grumpy forest.

    On top of that, a troop meant many people, so the pace slowed down even more.

    ¡°So, as we are looking for the Behemoth¡­¡±

    It was better to divide the troop to increase our efficiency towards finding it.

    However, if we did, there was a possibility that one side would be pincered by the Behemoth and the monsters he controls, annihting many in process.

    In order to reduce the damage, we better stick together, even if meant moving at a slow pace.

    ¡°You sound very confident. Why can''t something other than a Behemoth be the cause of this situation?¡±

    Frillite, who was walking next to me, quizzed.

    Seeing from Frillite''s point of view, her questioning my confidence is just, but since I''ve yed the game, I know that the cause of this is a freaking Behemoth.

    So what?

    ¡°Would you like to have a bet then?¡±

    I''m going to use it in the right way.

    "Bet? It doesn''t sound half-bad, but what are we betting with?"

    ¡°The loser pays for the drinks. Moreover, there are no restrictions, the winner can order expensive alcohol.¡±

    Frillite squinted her eyes rather dangerously.

    ¡°Didn''t you promise that you would only drink ale?¡±

    ¡°¡­are you really going to kill the fun?¡±

    I looked at Frillite with the most desperate puppy eyed expression. If one doesn''t even melt to this, they simply aren''t human. To which, Frilliteughed.

    She chuckled, ¡°It does sound okay to drink something intoxicating after a hard job. But, only this once.¡±

    "Yahooo!"

    F**k off to you, darn ale!

    My lovely expensive wine, here Ie~!

    As I was rejoicing inside, someone grabbed my arm. It was Neria who had pulled over, and herplexion looked pretty bad.

    ¡°Are you crazy, Cloud? You can''t be drinking with Frillite-sama¨C¡±

    Before she even finished speaking.

    The forest shook with the loud cries of the monsters.

    At the same time, there was the sound of many legs rushing through the forest.

    Highly likely¡ªbeasts and monsters. Many beasts and monsters.

    Their hurtle wasn''t directed at us.

    Rather, it was getting farther away.

    They must be heading to the city with the intention of raiding the empty and loosely-defended nest.

    ¡®I¡¯m d Randolph¡¯s information turned out to be correct.¡¯

    If the number of monsters had reached a thousand, the forest would have heaved just by their chaos.

    But the forest did not heave.

    Just the moment I felt reassured.

    I saw something flying in the sky.

    The face and body of a female, but the arms and legs had the characteristics of birds.

    A harpy.

    The harpies were flying with their big boobies pping in the air.

    How? And why were theying out here?

    They cannot be controlled by a Behemoth.

    No, rather, they''re flying to the city, right?

    This changes the situation by a lot.

    ¡®I''ll get to Randolphter.''

    Respectfully, at that.

    I sighed and asked Frillite.

    ¡°Do you want to go or should I?¡±

 Chapter 63.1: Behemoth (5)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    After discussing with Frillite, it was decided that I was the one going back. She would be more helpful than me at subjugating the Behemoth, if they encountered it.

    I had no regrets about missing the subjugation because I only needed the soul of the Behemoth to absorb it into my glyph.

    So I led my party members and the cavalry out of the forest.

    No matter how hard they ran, there was no way the soldiers could run faster than the beasts. By the time we got out of the forest, the beast horde was nowhere to be seen, only the traces they left behind proved their existence.

    ¡°Get on your horses, at once!¡±

    Before leaving the forest, Randolph handed over the jurisdiction of the soldiers to me. It means that I have the authority tomand these soldiers, for now.

    At mymand, the soldiers hurriedly mounted their horses.

    ¡°Follow the monsters!¡±

    Led by me and my party at the forefront, the cavalry of three hundred soldiers started galloping along the trail of the monster horde.

    Their traces pointed that they were heading towards the city, and not the viges.

    ¡®I hope it¡¯s not toote.¡¯

    If the gates aren''t breached, we can still fix this somehow. But that was just how I wished the things to be.

    When we arrived near the city, we were greeted by the wide open gates and terrified screamsing from inside.

    The situation inside the city was a mess.

    Beasts and monsters were rampaging around the city at will, and citizens were darting around for shelter in panic. The guards didn''t have the strength to subdue the beasts.

    ¡®Why can¡¯t I see the soldiers and knights?¡¯

    Even if more than half of the troops were deployed to the forest, there was still ample room for resistance.

    However, this was not the time for doubts.

    The more I uselessly waste my time on thinking, the more people will die. I turned my attention to the knights among the soldiers I brought with me.

    ¡°Are there any knights experienced inmanding soldiers?¡±

    Some of the knights raised their hands.

    Among them, I selected the five that stood out above others. There was simply no time to check out how good theirmanding skills really were.

    "Listen carefully. The soldiers will be divided into five units. And the knights I just pointed out will take themand of one unit each. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°We are in charge? But hero is¡­¡±

    ¡°I am a foreigner. I know less about the geography of this city than you do. So, lead your soldiers and subdue the damn monsters that are rioting in your city!¡±

    ¨C Yes, sir!

    The knights saluted and hastily began to divide the soldiers into five units.

    They will do the rest themselves.

    ¡®What¡¯s left for me is¡­¡¯

    ¨C Kihahaha!

    The harpy b!tches flying in the sky.

    Harpies caught people in their ws, released them from high air and joyfully giggled at their victim''s desperate screams.

    These bird brain motherf**kers!

    You think nothing can happen to you guys just because you can fly your asses up to the sky? Think so!

    If that''s what makes you confident.

    Just wait, you feathery thots.

    Let''s see how many holes can I puncture in your bodies.

    I rushed with my party members upto a tower.

    The tower, though only a little taller than an ordinary building, presented a very good view as it was open in all directions.

    This will be enough.

    ¡°Eri, prepare your spells.¡±

    "Hmm."

    Eri nodded.

    She seemed to understand the reason we had climbed the tower was to make her use the spells.

    ¡°Can''t you just wipe them out all together with the strongest spell in your arsenal?¡±

    "Huh? No, that''s not possible here.¡±

    So that would injure the innocent citizens too, huh?

    ¡°irvoyance and magic missile. Do you know these spells?¡±

    I do think she learned both of them in the dungeon.

    irvoyance was a buff spell that increased the uracy in the game, but in reality it literally broadens one''s field of vision.

    Magic Missile was a magical version of [Mana Strike] in the game, but in reality it is a mass of mana that can be manipted.

    Perhaps she understood my reason for mentioning these two spells, Eri''s eyes widened in horror.

    ¡°You aren''t telling me to do double incantation, are you?¡±

    ¡°Uhh, indeed.¡±

    ¡°Do you know how much concentration and mana does double incantation even require!?¡±

    ¡°There are mana potions we found in the dungeon. You can use them all.¡±

    Mana potions are much more valuable than recovery potions.

    After scouring the whole dungeon, we only got to secure five mana potions in total.

    ¡®Quite a pity, but¡­¡¯

    Now was not the time to save.

    Eri shook her head even though I had allowed the use of mana potions.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s impossible! What you''re saying is to kill the monsters by carefully manipting the magic missile while looking around with irvoyance! Do you know how much concentration does that require?! If I misspell, I''ll just faint. But if I lose control of my mana¨C¡±

    I ced my hands on her delicate shoulders, while she kept repeating that it was impossible.

    ¡°Eri, we have to make the impossible possible right now, I know that it''s hard for you, but¨C¡±

    ¨C Aaaaaah!

    A desperate scream echoed in our ears.

    St!

    The sick sound of a man''s body falling from high above resounded.

    I looked straight into her eyes and said.

    ¡°You gotta do it, Eri.¡±

    Eri''s eyes peered out and went back and forth to the ce where the poor guy had just fallen. She bit her lips tightly and gave a bitter expression.

    "Okay! Let''s do it! Yeah, do it! Screw whatever is going to happen!¡±

    "I believe in you."

    ¡°Don¡¯t believe in me. I don''t even know if I can do it.¡±

    Eri sighed, caught her breath, and closed her eyes. The indigo jewel at the tip of her wand began to glow.

    It means she had started to chant.

    I looked back at the other two.

    ¡°You guys stay and protect Eri from harm.¡±

    ¡°Us? Cloud, are you going somewhere else?¡±

    ¡°The two of you are ample enough to protect Eri. I have to do what I can.¡±

    After I finished speaking, I immediately jumped off the tower.

    ¡°Kihehehehe..?¡±

    The harpy, who was ripping apart the human corpse she had just dropped, looked at me and was startled. She btedly pped her wings and tried to escape, but¡­

    It''ste, bird b!tch.

    I grabbed the harpy by her neck andunched myself on the roof of the building just opposite the tower.

    Now, let''s see if you can stillugh and fly your ass into the sky.

    ¡°P-Please forgive me¡­¡±

    The harpy requested with a quiver.

    ¡­?

    ¡°What, what did you just say?¡±

    "Yes, yes! Please forgive me, I¡­¡±

    ¡°Why don''t you go and spit your sh!t somewhere else, b!tch?¡±

    Cruukh-!

    I crooked the harpy''s neck and flung it away.

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 63.2: Behemoth (5)

    Cruukh-!

    I crooked the harpy''s neck and flung it away. Tossing away the lump of organic mass that used to be a harpy, I turned my sight to examine the situation within the city.

    The situation was not looking good.

    Although the reinforcements had arrived, the ferocity shown by the monsters was still very strong. In fact, the impact was so small that most of the monsters weren''t even aware that the reinforcements had arrived in the first ce. The guards were getting pushed back by the rapacious beasts and monsters, and their morale plummeted bit by bit.

    ¡®Disregarding other things, I can¡¯t let the morale break.¡¯

    If we lose morale in this situation where we are already hanging by a thread, the damage will be irreversible.

    I had to raise the morale somehow.

    "Cough, cough."

    I cleared my throat.

    It''s been a while so I don''t know if it''s gonna work out.

    ¡°Proud citizens of Roberto!¡±

    I shout out loudly with mana infused in my voice.

    * * *

    It was a peaceful day as usual.

    Those days when he did the patrol duty with rxation and ate apples given by the proprietress of a fruit shop, or hurried out after receiving a report from a citizen to drive out roistering drunkards.

    Beyond the city, the number of beasts and monsters had increased in numbers, and he had heard that soldiers and knights were dispatched as a result, but Hans didn''t pay much attention to it.

    He had no doubts that those thick walls and gates would protect the city.

    He just wished that the outlying vigers who were disturbing the overall security would leave the city soon.

    So idle were his thoughts.

    Until the gates were pushed open by the harpies.

    The gates opened, and the beasts and monsters waiting outside rushed into the city.

    No one expected the gates to be opened so easily. Therefore, the horde of the beasts and monsters was nothing less than a heavy surprise. People ran away screaming in horror. The guards fought against the damned beasts to protect the citizens.

    Because that''s what a guard does.

    However, the hairy bastards strengthened by the appearance of the Behemoth were much more stronger than the guards expected.

    ¡°Aaaaah..!¡±

    ¨C Chwiik! Chwiik!

    Hans was rolling on the floor with a boar. It was the result of attacking the wild boar from the rear that was rushing towards a girl. The boar somehow tried to get back up again, and Hans used muscle strength to hinder it.

    However, the strength of the boar was much stronger than that of Hans''. As the wild boar hurled wildly, he bumped onto the ground.

    ¡°Ouch¡­!¡±

    He cannot let it go on like this.

    Hans made that decision and drew his sub-armed dagger and pierced the wild boar''s eye.

    The wild boar leaped with a painful scream. Hans twisted his dagger, while trying not to get jerked apart from the boar.

    ¨C Kiiii!!!

    With a loud scream, the boar took a few more unsteady steps and copsed.

    ¡°Ha¡­ ha¡­ what a f**ked up wild boar¡­¡±

    Hans breathed heavily.

    He had only killed three so far, but his body was spent. His thick cloth armor had long been torn to shreds, and there were scratches all over his body.

    He wanted to rest a little, but the dire situation did not allow him to do so.

    ¡°Aaaagh! Someone help!!¡±

    Hans snapped his head towards the familiar voice.

    ¡°Captain!¡±

    The guard captain in charge of the Second District was being bitten by a wolf. Hans picked up a spear that was rolling on the floor and threw it at the wolf.

    Sooop!

    The spear inserted itself right into the wolf''s rear.

    Making the wolf stagger.

    The guard captain did not miss the opportunity and swung his sword and severed off the wolf''s neck.

    And then he slumped down.

    Hans ran towards him.

    ¡°Are you alright?!¡±

    ¡°My mind wants to say it¡¯s okay¡­ But damn it, it doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±

    The guard captain''s condition was much worse than that of Hans. There were bruises here and there, as well as deep cuts in the ces where the wolf had bitten.

    ¡°Captain, when will the supporte?!¡±

    The guards were being pushed to the brink by the sudden attack of the beast horde. But if soldiers and knightse from the inner city, things will be much better.

    Hans asked him with such hope.

    ¡°Ain''ting.¡±

    "Huh?"

    ¡°No one''sing. That damned young master briefly checked the situation with the knights, then went back in and bolted the inside doors shut.¡±

    ¡°F**k, that doesn''t make sense! Are you saying that the Duke and the young master have abandoned Roberto?!¡±

    ¡°It''s more like waiting than abandoning. They have probably sent a messenger to the troops they have stationed outside. Those aristocrats intend to hole themselves within the inner walls until the troop returns.¡±

    ¡°¡­its us who are abandoned, not Roberto, huh.¡±

    At Hans'' words, the guard captain gave him a toothy grin.

    ¡°When did they ever treat us like humans? They only see us as livestock that adds value to their fortune. Those who can''t pay taxes even lesser than that. They would probably be thinking about bringing in new livestock, hah.¡±

    Because there are just so many people who would pursue the opportunity to live in a big city.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Hans bit his lips at the harsh reality.

    He never talked about it, but he was secretly proud of his job as a guard. He felt a sense of deep satisfaction in having contribution towards defending Roberto, and further devoting himself to his noble masters.

    But¡­

    The aristocrats who he looked up to¡ªthrew him as well as the citizens of Roberto like pieces of worthless crap.

    When was it that he and others were made sworn to show allegiance and devotion to the noble blood¡­

    Hans felt a deep sense of deprivation.

    He stood up wobblingly. He turned his head and looked around.

    ¨C Aaak! My legs! My legs!!!

    ¨C Mary! Aaaaah! Let me go! Whaa?! Aaaw!!

    ¨C Mommy! Mommy!!!

    ¨C Somebody help me! There, Mr. Guard! Please get me out of here!

    The man whose leg was bitten could not escape. As he was, surrounded by various beasts, bing a living prey.

    From the mother and daughter, one harpy snatched the mother, and the other harpy soon clutched the child chasing the mother. The two harpies looked at each other and giggled¡ªdropping the mother and the daughter at the same time. Both the mother and the daughter fell from above, and the moment they hit the floor, they sttered like y.

    Someone shouted for help from the wreckage of the copsed building.

    Grrrrr.

    In all this, Hans made eye contact with a wolf.

    Therge white wolf bared its sharp fangs as soon as their eyes met.

    Hans loosened his grip on the sword.

    His arms drooped and his eyes closed.

    He no longer wanted to live. He had no desire to survive.

    That was the moment he was about to give up on life.

    ¨C Proud citizens of Roberto!

    A man''s deep voice echoed throughout the city.

 Chapter 64.1: Behemoth (6)

    Day after day, fighting against the monsters that came in like innumerable flocks of ants. Oldrades dying beside them, the newly acquainted friends meeting the same fate.

    The soldiers'' will did not break even as the mountain of corpses piled up, they remained steadfast.

    Because they had a reliable general.

    Even soldiers who lost their morale¡ªwith a single speech from the general would start to silently sharpen their swords with zing intent in their eyes.

    And this great general was Cloud''s old friend.

    Cloud had once asked this friend of his¡ªhow was he able to raise the morale of his soldiers so much with just one speech.

    His friend replied, "There''s nothingplex about it."

    ¡°Proud citizens of Roberto!¡±

    Cloud''s voice reverberated throughout the city through mana. The citizens were befuddled. Even the monsters directed their attention towards him.

    ¨C Chi-hee!

    Two harpies stretched their ws towards Cloud.

    ¨C Slikk!

    His sword drew a silver afterimage and severed the body of a harpy lengthwise. The other startled harpy tried to run away, but for naught.

    Cloud grabbed the harpy''s leg and bashed it down. He crushed it under his feet, immobilized it, and then cut its throat.

    He shouted again.

    ¡°Roberto has been invaded by monsters! Innocents are bleeding and dying, our city guards are trying but aren''t able to stop them!¡±

    Citizens who hadn''tprehended the situation fell into despair.

    A mother and daughter pair hiding inside the basement of their house trembled, with tears running down their cheeks.

    Citizens who were escaping from monsters without a destination in mind gave up hope, and the guards'' hands holding their spears lost the strength.

    ¡°But do not be afraid! I, the Hero, Cloud, along with your brave soldiers have arrived in Roberto!¡±

    The Hero is back.

    The soldiers have returned.

    A rope called hope was given to the citizens who had fallen deep into the abyss of despair.

    However, no one was willing to take the rope. Theycked the will to get out of the abyss on their own bytching onto the rope.

    ¡°Proud citizens of Roberto. Where are we? Thend flowing with milk and honey. Isn''t it the most prosperousnd in the Kingdom¡ªyour Roberto? Those golden fields are evidence of the blood and sweat of our farmers, the strong walls and this beautiful city are the results of the maintenance of your ancestors, so you have the right to live. You have the right to live in this city of yours! You thought it would be taken away by these mere beast cubs?!¡±

    Right.

    Citizens flinched.

    Yes.

    This city is their''s. It is the city built by their ancestors. Here, they have the right to live in peace and security.

    ¡°Those who can fight, fight! Show those cheeky monsters the power of your rights! Those who cannot, run! Survive somehow and defend your rights!¡±

    His friend had said, it''s not difficult to raise people''s morale.

    First, inform them of the reality¡ªthat will bring everyone''s mood to the floor, and then bring it up again by giving hope. The will raised by hope is painted with pride and determination.

    And teach them what to do to protect their pride and self-esteem.

    Cloud''s voice infused with mana vibrated.

    The voice with the most suitable resonance to touch people''s emotions moved listeners'' hearts.

    Citizens held the ropes.

    A man ran up to pick a jar and threw it at the beast pursuing him. He fled into the alley while the beast smashed by the jar was left disoriented.

    The mother and daughter pair who hid in their basement no longer shed tears. With a determined look on their faces, they shut their mouths and hugged each other tightly, hoping to survive the danger somehow.

    ¨C Those who can fight, fight! Show those cheeky monsters the power of your rights!

    It was clearly only passed through their ear canals, but it strangely throbbed within their hearts.

    Hans opened his eyes.

    The wolf''s fangs were approaching to devour him. It was toote to avoid. He had to choose, and instead of the nape of his neck, he gave his left arm.

    Sharp fangs pierced through his skin.

    ¡°Aww!¡±

    It was painful, making him scream, but Hans kept his eyes open. He held the sword in reverse and pushed it into the wolf''s neck.

    The wolf didn''t die.

    The damn wolf had too much vitality.

    Moreover, the neck may not be as important to a monster as it where to a human.

    Just when the wounded wolf, furious at his prey''s retaliation, was about to tear off Hans'' arm.

    ¨C Sk!

    ¨C Sleeek!

    A spear and a sword anchored the wolf.

    It were his fellow guards who had ran away after seeing the beasts. They hollered out loudly.

    ¡°Twist!!!!¡±

    ¡°Ahhhhhh!!!¡±

    ¡°Die, bastard!!!¡±

    The sharp edges of their weapons rotated and tore the wolf''s skin and pierced its organs. The wolf howled painfully while clutching onto Hans'' arm. The guards drew their spears back, and plunged it back in.

    Pulled out.

    And, plunged it back again.

    The simple act was repeated until the monster copsed helplessly.

    For a moment, they looked down at the corpse that had fallen, and then began to move again.

    There were plenty of beast bastards left to be killed, and they were no longer afraid.

    * * *

    Morale was overflowing in waves among the soldiers and guards.

    They were no longer afraid to face the beasts and monsters. If one person wasn''t capable by himself, then two. Three, if not two. Somehow, the number of beasts kept reducing.

    And Eri''s contribution towards it was not small.

    [Magic Missile]-!

    Five magical masses materialized at the tip of Eri''s staff. Each magical mass was zoned at one monster.

    Before it could do anything, a monster was snipped by the magic missiles letting out a terrible welp, and died.

    The monsters who witnessed the death of their fellow monster dashed away. However, no matter how far they ran, the magic missiles continued to pursue them, and the monsters weren''t able to avoid their end.

    Eri, who sessfully snipped with the five magic missiles, took a deep breath.

    By no means was double incantation an easy task.

    Because the speed at which mana and chants had to be coordinated was no joke. Eri picked up one of the mana potions Cloud had left behind and gulped it down.

    She once again felt mana coursing in her veins, starting to rejuvenate her mana pool.

    Eri looked towards Neria and Ophelia while her mana pool was replenishing.

    ¡°Ha!¡±

    ¡°Get out of my way!¡±

    They were doing their best to protect Eri from the harpies. In case of Ophelia, in particr, she could see her arms trembling as she was losing her strength due to wielding the extra heavy mace.

    Eri looked at Cloud with [irvoyance].

    He was subjugating the dangerous monsters with the soldiers and guards.

    Eri quietly closed her eyes.

    She once again began chanting as the Magic Missiles materialized.

    * * *

 Chapter 64.2: Behemoth (6)

    At some point, Eri gave up counting the number of magic missiles she had shot.

    She just kept chanting like a machine¡ªshooting and sniping monsters with her magic missiles. Repetition became the strategy. After hours of what seemed to be a cycle of endless repetition, she finally saw the end of the damn thing.

    Two saber-toothed tigers scampered after seeing the magic missilesing to im their lives. However, the magic missiles whistled by faithfully and pierced through the backs of the two beasts.

    Those two were thest.

    There were no more monsters left in the city of Roberto.

    Eri slumped down.

    The magic missiles she just fired were created by squeezing outst bits of her mana pool. The only sensation she felt was the strong sense of exhaustion. Now, she didn''t even have the strength to pick up a spoon.

    While looking at the granite floor exhausted, she suddenly heard a rattle, signalling someone''s approach.

    When she jerked up her head, she saw Cloud maneuvering by jumping between the roofs. Soon, he reached the top of the tower where they were.

    When Eri saw Cloud, her expression became simr to that of a high school student who had just gone through a lot of hard work.

    So she cried out, her voice carrying frustration.

    "So what do you think? You saw it, right!? I did it! I did the impossible!"

    She had been using the god damned double incantation for mana''s sake! She did it for hours!!

    Cloud''s eyes widened for a moment at the voice that seemed to contain some anger of its own. But then, he smiled softly.

    "I know. I saw you while we were fighting. Well done, Eri. Thanks to you, many people have survived this disaster.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ huh?¡±

    Cloud ced a hand on Eri''s head and ruffled her hair.

    ¡°After all, you are the best wizard I know.¡±

    ¡°..!¡±

    How long¡­had it been since she received apliment?

    In the past, she used to receive praises and recognition from Cloud several times a day.

    However, since they broke up, she had never been recognized again. Everyone around her either demeaned or ndered her. As if, the whole world was there to me her.

    Except for Cloud.

    Though after she joined Cloud''s party again, he didn''tpliment her like before. There was a lot of her own fault in it, so Eri didn''t dare to voice herint.

    She was just grateful that he hadn''t undermined her like others.

    But now, Cloud just smiled brightly and praised her.

    She was excellent, he admitted.

    It has been a long time since she received recognition.

    Her chest was tickling and her face was burning, as if she was melting into a puddle of happiness.

    Eri bowed down her head.

    She pressed down her pointed hat, obscuring her own face.

    ¡°Hm, hm! As long as someone tries their best, this is nothing!"

    Eri, who said so, waited for Cloud''s response.

    She wanted to listen more of his praises.

    But she didn''t get the response she desired. When Eri, puzzled by the silence, raised her head, Cloud, who had been in front of her before, was not there anymore.

    "Huh..? Hey, Ophelia. Where''s Cloud?¡±

    ¡°Hero? He jumped off saying he has some other business to do.¡±

    "Oh yeah..?"

    * * *

    I dealt with all the monsters disturbing the peace of Roberto.

    There''s still a lot of work to do with the casualties and wounded, but that job can be done by guards and soldiers.

    I readily mounted an ownerless horse and galloped out of Roberto.

    ¡®They should have been able to subdue the Behemoth without any major problems, right?¡¯

    Actually, there was no need to worry too much since Frillite was present there, but my inner psyche couldn''t help but worry.

    Fortunately, it was revealed within ten minutes of driving the horse that my worries had been for naught.

    Because I was able to spot the troop rushing towards Roberto. Frillite, who was at the forefront, found me, and pulled her horse towards my position.

    ¡°Cloud, are you alright?¡±

    "I''m okay. The city is fine, too.¡±

    ¡°You mean the city is out of danger?¡±

    Frillite asked with anticipation, and I nodded my head in response.

    ¡°The gates had been breached, but all the invading monsters have been in.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good. Is the damage serious?¡±

    "Quite serious. To repair the damage, the Duke of Oler will have to suffer quite a bit.¡±

    Because there were many key structures that have copsed, property damage seemed he serious, and the number of people killed or injured cannot be counted at a nce.

    Frillite let out a deste sigh.

    ¡°I guess so. Still, there''s nothing we can do about it anymore. I''m d you didn''t get hurt either."

    ¡°Say for yourself. I was back at the city, the Behemoth subjugation seems to have ended well, hm?¡±

    For some reason, Frillite nodded her head, but with a bitter expression on her face. I was curious as to why she had that kind of expression, but I can always ask about thatter when we settle down for a drink or two.

    I asked her the most important question for now.

    ¡°Then can you tell me where the Behemoth¡¯s corpse is?¡±

    Frillite tilted her head.

    ¡°Huh, why?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve alreadye all the way here, at least I need to know what a Behemoth looks like.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ well, I''m sure anyone would be curious. It''s hard to exin in words, so let me guide you."

    I waved my hand to her goodwill.

    No matter how much I trusted Frillite, it was a lil'' too much to open my lid on the glyphs for now.

    I interjected, ¡°No. You should go back to the city and get things done. Even if you exin it to me in words, I will understand it perfectly, so just let me know.¡±

    ¡°The follow-up¡­ yes, there it was¡­¡±

    She recalled, her voice a tad bit regretful, but she told me where the Behemoth had fallen.

    Alright, gotcha.

    ¡°Then I''ll see you aftering back. Today let''s have drinks until we get tipsy."

    ¡°Tipsy¡­ sounds like a n. See youter.¡±

    I immediately hurried towards the location Frillite had pointed out. The dense forest drew near, but I did not get off the horse. My riding skills are good enough to manage a horse even inplex forest terrain.

    I arrived faster than I had expected thanks to riding a horse through the forest.

    ¡°A fierce one.¡±

    The trees that made the forest were all uprooted, and the ground was littered with the dead bodies of soldiers. Maybe, because their opponents were wild beasts, the condition of the corpses was also not in good condition.

    Dismembered bodies were a rare sight, because there were corpses with either their upper or lower half missing.

    I got off the horse.

    Because the horse was agitated, reluctant to walk on the corpse field. Honestly, there seemed to be no ce for the horse to set foot either.

    ¡®Is this the reason why Frillite¡¯s face was looking bitter?¡¯

    With her personality, she might have put all the responsibility on her shoulders.

    She didn''t have to.

    We can talk about that when we meet for drinkster. At some distance, the corpse of an intimidating beast began to appear.

    Slightly smaller than an ogre, the beast had a skeleton frame simr to that of a water buffalo at first nce.

    However, unlike a water buffalo, the upper body was much more developed than the lower body, and the horns on its forehead were iparablyrger than those of a water buffalo.

    Large horns curled on its back to form a spiky mane, its ws and minions were bigger and sharper than most swords.

    I gingerly walked over to the Behemoth''s corpse, taking my steps carefully so as not to step on the gore that pervaded the floor.

    And, saw.

    Two robed bipedal octopus heads chanting next to Behemoth''s corpse.

    The soul of the Behemoth was being sucked into the crystal that one of them was holding.

    So what''s¡­ going on here?

    I crossed my arms and pondered for a second, then quietly pulled out my sword.

    If they don''t spill out the beans nicely, gotta have to take the hard way.

 Chapter 65.1: Behemoth (7)

    In front of Behemoth''s corpse. With body close to that of a humanoid, but with the head of an octopus were K''Cha and Kne.

    ¡°This person is no less than a monster, whatcha think?¡±

    K''Cha, the green-skinned bipedal octopus, felt his tongue slip as he traced therge scar on Behemoth''s neck.

    To K''Cha''s admiration, the pink-skinned Kne answered.

    ¡°There is only one hero who can inflict wounds so fatal on a freaking Behemoth, right?¡±

    ¡°True.¡±

    Frillite.

    As the strongest of the heroes, she was also famous among demons.

    Mainly, ''cause she was a constant source of fear.

    K''Cha shivered.

    "I heard she yed an Ogre by herselfst time¡­ uh, she will note back, will she? Kne, how much more time is it gonna take?¡±

    K''Cha looked at the crystal orb that was slowly absorbing Behemoth''s soul and hurriedly asked. Kne looked at him with a disdainful gaze.

    ¡°Tch, see getting yourself scared by a human¡­ now think about it withmon sense. The main camp is under attack, so their priority will rest there, so why would theye back?¡±

    ¡°That''s true, but¡­ can''t we just hurry up a little? To us, demons, the air of human world is like poison mist. I''m out of breath.¡±

    ¡°Hah, what? You''re not even a high-tier demon, you can''t choke on your breath just becau¡­ Hik? Someone''sing here."

    ¡°Wh, What?! Fr-Frillite, she is here?!"

    "Nope. Just a human male.¡±

    K''Cha turned his figure to the direction Kne was pointing. As he said, the human walking towards the two demons was a male. That meant the person couldn''t be Frillite.

    ¡°Ah, just some human bug? Kinda scared me.¡±

    K''Cha narrowed his sleek brows in indignation.

    He morphed his hands into giant octopus tentacles and headed towards the human.

    ¡°Oh~ he''s so dead.¡±

    ¡°Do it in moderation. You know I hate human screams. Do you have any idea how annoying it was just because you were having ¡®your'' fun?¡±

    Behemoth''s corpse was guarded by three knights of the Duke. The corpse of a named monster is so valuable that it was only natural for knights to stay behind and protect it.

    The three knights were killed by K''Cha.

    His poison coursed from their skin to intestines, melting them bit by bit, making their death painful. Because of which, Kne had to tirelessly listen to annoying human screams.

    "Okay, okay. This time, I''ll do it fast."

    K''Cha waved his hand, um, tentacle in the air.

    ¡°Anyway¡­ don''t bother me.¡±

    Kne grunted and looked at the orb that was absorbing the Behemoth''s soul.

    An artifact that absorbs souls.

    An important artifact it was. Entrusting this artifact to them meant¡ª

    ¡®I have finally earned my lord''s trust.¡¯

    Taking on this difficult task had been the right decision. Afterpleting this mission safely, when he returns home, he will surely be promoted¡­

    ¡°Aaaaaaah!¡±

    ¡°Ah goodness! Hey! I told you to not let screams reach my ear¡­ uh¡­?"

    Kne, who zapped his head to the loud scream, was bewildered at the unexpected sight. He thought the screams were of the human.

    But it wasn''t.

    ¡°Aaaaah! My tentacle¡­!¡±

    It was K''Cha, whose tentacle had been chopped off that caused that scream. Blue blood dripped from the cross section of the severed limb. While K''Cha faltered, Cloud approached him.

    ¡°Don¡¯te, you bastard!¡±

    K''Cha stretched out his left limb.

    Hisrge octopus limbs were divided into eight sections, resulting in eight octopus tentacles. Which were further branched into eight more, resulting in sixty-four slimy, octopus tentacles.

    Each octopus tentacle had small and sharp teeths at the edges, secreting a toxic substance coating the tentacle in whole.

    A menacing venom that will lead to fatal wounds with just a single touch.

    ¡°Tch, disgusting.¡±

    Cloud frowned and drew his sword.

    Unlike the transparent sword which he had used to sever the ogre''s tendon, the current sword was crimson-red in color.

    This was the sword he found to match the level with the one on Lorian''s waist, in case, or whenever they were going to have a fight.

    He held the sword in reverse and threw it like ance.

    Trrrng-!

    The crimson-red sword pierced through the cross sections of the small octopus tentacles and darted into K''Cha''s head. K''Cha staggered, and then copsed helplessly.

    Cloud drew out his sword from the octopus''s head. He yanked it in the air, brushing the blue blood off his sword, this time walking towards Kne.

    Seeing that K''Cha was defeated in an instant, Kne panicked.

    He should have ran away then, but the crystal ball hadn''t fully absorbed the Behemoth''s soul yet.

    If he didn''t bring the crystal ball with Behemoth''s soul filled to the brim, his lord''s wrath will take away his life. But waiting for the absorption to bepleted? A hole will drill into his head before that.

    While Kne was facing problem in making a choice, Cloud reached in front of his eyes.

    Cloud extended his hand to Kne.

    Kne stared at the empty hand nkly, and then carefully ced the crystal ball on top of it.

    Cloud smiled in satisfaction.

    Fortunately, he seems to have survived, at least for now. Just when Kne felt relieved to be alive. He was questioned.

    ¡°Can you speak humannguage?¡±

    "Yes."

    "Great. What a smart octopus. So now tell me all about who you are, why you''re here, and what you''d been up to with this crystal ball. Don¡¯t hide anything.¡±

    ¡°If I tell you, will you let me live?¡±

    "Nope. You will die.¡±

    "¡­then why should I tell you anything?"

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to say it, you don¡¯t have to. Instead, you will have a fantastic experience of seeing your own internal organs, ¡®alive''.¡±

    Cloud''s smile widened.

    Kne''s octopus eyelids fluttered wildly.

    * * *

    I looked at the corpses of the two demons with different gaze.

    ¡®So, they were the servants of Four Heavenly King.¡¯

    Not wanting to experience his organs picked out alive, Kne confided in everything he knew.

    Surprisingly, these were the demons following the Heavenly King, Kreas.

    One of the Four Heavenly Kings¡ªKreas.

    He was the first of the Four Heavenly Kings that appeared in the game ¡®The Hero''s Party'' and is a demon that looks like a giant octopus.

    Just because it looks like an octopus doesn''t mean it''s a real octopus. It has a lot more legs than a Kraken and no suckers. It can be thought of as being somewhere between a kraken and the tentacle monsters that can only be seen in Cthulhu mythologies.

    ¡®But why do Kreas¡¯ minions need the Behemoth¡¯s soul?¡¯

    It felt surprising that these guys were the servants of a Heavenly King, but what''s even more surprising are the deeds.

    Not theirs, but of the person acting above them.

    Deliberately woke up the sleeping Behemoth.

    Then gave orders to K''Cha and Kne in the name of Kreas.

    To bring back the soul of the Behemoth in the crystal ball after it was subjugated by heroes.

    When I asked for what was the Behemoth''s soul required, Kne said that he knew nothing more than this.

    I stabbed him a couple of times with the dagger to see if he was lying, but the only words he cried out were slogans of injustice. He really didn''t seem to know.

    Silly me, thinking about why the Heavenly King''s minions were ordered to collect the Behemoth''s soul.

    There was no need to think long.

    ¡®What else can be the reason when the minions of the Four Heavenly Kings¡¯ are involved in something?¡¯

    Either working for the Demon King himself or for the Heavenly King they serve.

 Chapter 66.2: Behemoth (8)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    ¡®What, what? Why are you closing your mouth all of a sudden? It was a joke, alright..?¡¯

    N-Noo way?

    Just when Lorian wanted to open his trembling lips.

    "What are you guys doing?"

    Cloud, approached from behind, intervening between the two of them.

    Precisely, he stood close to Frillite.

    ¡®Wh-When did he leave the square?¡¯

    Why was he here? Rather, why at this time!

    Now, it was impossible for him to urge Frillite to answer the previous question. What happened next made Lorian''s expression wrinkled in annoyance.

    Because, he saw.

    Frillite looked at Cloud and opened her eyes wide, she was surprised, then she smiled softly.

    It was a big contrast to the cold expression she had taken towards Lorian.

    ¡°Cloud, you literally jump out of nowhere. Thanks to you, I was shocked silly.¡±

    ¡°I don''t jump out of air. I walked here, openly, just that you didn''t notice. What were you so engrossed with that you didn¡¯t even notice my footsteps?¡±

    ¡°Something you don¡¯t need to know.¡±

    Indeed, it was not the cold voice she had when dealing with Lorian.

    "Come on, tell me! What is it? What are you guys hiding~?¡±

    ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s not a big deal.¡±

    ¡°Hoh¡­ so you are going to hide it to the end? You don''t know, but these things pile up one by one and destroy friendship. You have nted the seed of distrust between us, Frillite.¡±

    ¡°Why do you like exaggerating things so much? Stop whining and chill out. Is there any reason to whin like a kid?¡±

    ¡°Of course I¡¯m jealous!¡±

    ¡°Gee, jealous?!¡±

    ¡­he felt so confused.

    The world itself seemed to be tilting on the other side.

    She is Frillite, right? The Frillite he knew?

    A small sense of uneasiness grew in size and made Lorian''s heart heavy.

    ¨C You don''t want to marry Cloud, do you?

    A joke thrown in to lighten the mood.

    It was just a joke, but suddenly it started to turn realistic.

    ¡®Marriage..? With that guy?¡¯

    With that bastard who had nothing to this name except his worthless good looks?

    Why?

    Lorian couldn''t quite understand.

    Lorian was better than Cloud in all aspects except for his appearance. Also, had he be ugly just because his looks were inferior to Cloud?

    No!

    He was so good looking that ny out of the hundred women would turn around when he walked down the street.

    ¡®Is Frillite more into appearance than I thought?¡¯

    If so, this anomaly could have been exined. But instead, Lorian felt the sensation of being stabbed in the chest with an awl. For the first time in his life, Lorian felt a sense of inferiority.

    Lorian was about to clench his fists to control his burning heart.

    When, Cloud''s and his eyes met.

    Cloud looked at Lorian for a moment, and then gently ced his hand on Frillite''s shoulder.

    Lorian eyes popped with blood pressure.

    It was almost funny, his eyes seemed to be popping out.

    ¡®Whose body does that lowly bastard thinks he is touching!¡¯

    Last time and this time too.

    He didn''t know his ce.

    Just when Lorian was about to say something stingy.

    "So be it. I won''t ask any more, let''s go get a drink."

    Cloud smiled and invited Frillite.

    For a moment, Lorian doubted his own ears.

    Had he heard it right? Did thatmoner bastard just dared to invite the heiress of the Perdiac family for a drink?

    It felt so ridiculous that he was barely stopping himself from bursting out withughter.

    Building friendships as fellow heroes and having a drink together arepletely different things. If she does that, she will never be able to avoid a rumour in making.

    And having such rumours were one of the worst nightmares for an unmarried woman of a noble family.

    Of course, there are still some young girls who secretly went out to drink with handsome men.

    However.

    ¡®¡­ Frillite isn''t your usual woman.''

    She was qualitatively different from the women around Lorian.

    Regardless of whether it was an aristocrat or amoner.

    That was one of the reasons Lorian adored her.

    No matter how friendly you are, she will firmly reject your offer¡­

    "I got it. Alright, don''t rush. Where are we going to drink though? The city is not in the mood for them to open the pubs, as you can see.¡±

    Lorian''s face contorted in despair.

    That was enough to startle even Cloud for a second, but Frillite was not surprised.

    Because she just wasn''t paying attention to him.

    Since Cloud came, she hadn''t looked at Lorian a single time.

    It was same for this time as well.

    ¡°Can we not have drinks in the castle? If the duke still has some conscience left, wouldn''t he bring out some fine produce for us to taste?"

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s kind of exciting.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s decided, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Cloud turned on his heels, cing a hand on Frillite''s shoulder.

    The two heroes headed for the castle, leaving Lorian behind, alone.

    What could he even say?

    He wanted to stop them, he hade up with reasons, but his lips just wouldn''t move.

    Lorian was nkly staring as two of them were about to leave his sight. When¨C

    Cloud turned his head to look at Lorian, and then, saw his misery¡­

    He smirked.

    Lorian, who had seen Gis prank others several times in the past, knew the meaning of that smirk. So, he suddenly lost his sanity.

    His face contorted fiercely, he stretched out his hand towards his sword.

    Cloud''s eyes turned sharp.

    [Strength in Numbers]-!

    The moment he saw Cloud''s eyes, his body stiffened.

    The stiffness was released within 0.5 seconds. Lorian with his high resistance to status abnormalities, wasn''t made to suffer ¡®fear'' status.

    Originally, he should have been happy with his high resistance showing its worth¡­

    ¡®I-I am scared? M-Me?¡¯

    Lorian didn''t know anything about Cloud''s Behemoth''s Glyph. Therefore, it was natural for him to ept the stillness of his body with a different meaning.

    Slump!

    Lorian sat down helplessly.

    There was no more of his characteristic arrogance in those eyes. There was only a deep sense of defeat.

 Chapter 67.1: Behemoth (9)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    Cloud popped the wine bottle''s cork.

    The deep aroma of the wine rose in the air.

    The wine was some hundred and forty years old, it had a rich yet subtle entrancing scent.

    The wine was poured into the ss as it glowed in its bright crimson hue.

    "Sure enough, expensive things taste different. It isn''t at all worthparing to the wine I have at the pubs.¡±

    ¡°The wine has been fermented for more than hundred years in a warehouse where clean mana flows. Yup, it''s picky topare it to the wine purchased at a regr bar. By the way, the Duke did pay a lot of attention towards us.¡±

    Wines of this quality are very expensive. By the kingdom''s standards, it is impossible for even a rich merchant to get his hands on one, maybe only a wealthy count would have the capacity to own a bottle.

    Of course, in the Empire, there are cases where a baron may own several dozen bottles of such quality, but the Empire and the kingdoms are different in nature and money.

    Giving this quality of item to consume to the guests, than saving it for banquets or important meals, was a sign of considerable favor.

    ¡°The next head of the Perdiac family asked for drinks, you know, so I guess he could not had have offered a crude one.¡±

    "¡­but I never did put pressure on him for that."

    As Frillite sighed with a sullen expression on her face, Cloud smiled and poured more wine into her ss.

    ¡°It¡¯s just a joke, and maybe it¡¯s because they are trying to win the heroes'' favour. The public sentiment is already in bits because of this incident, now he can''t be a miser even to the heroes who saved the city, can he?¡±

    ¡°¡­is it really true that the Duke of Oler locked the inner city''s gates?¡±

    "Um, yeah. Because of that, the public sentiment is very heavy. I don''t know about nobles, but among the knights there must be quite a few who are housing animosity."

    And not to mention themon soldiers.

    Cloud tilted the wine ss he brought to his mouth. He sipped a mouthful of wine and savored the taste.

    Well. It tasted just like wine.

    ¡®Yeah, I¡¯m not some wine sommelier, how should Ipliment the taste of wine?¡¯

    Whether it was expensive or cheap, it was good wine to him as long as it exceeded a certain level. He gulped down the wine from his mouth to the throat.

    He said, cing the wine ss on the small round table.

    ¡°Then tell me about you.¡±

    ¡°You already know most about me."

    ¡°Not that.¡±

    Cloud shook his head.

    ¡°I saw soldiers'' corpses lying around the Behemoth. Is it because of that that you have a wilted expression on your face, Frillite?"

    Frillite opened her lips to say something then pressed it into a fine line.

    Cloud gently patted Frillite on the back tofort her.

    ¡°If anything feels difficult, tell me. Isn''t that''s what a friend is for? To share theirughs and sorrows as the time shows them one by one?"

    Frillite raised the corners of her lips and tugged a small smile. She quickly erased her smile and she put on a serious expression. Like Cloud, she poured her wine into her mouth without savoring it.

    ¡°The Behemoth was strong.¡±

    "Hm."

    ¡°The sound of his roars made my head ache, the ground shook when he stomped his foot, and he shredded dozens of soldiers with any kick of his like it was nothing.¡±

    ¡°Crazy.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, crazy. But it was preventable. Unbeknownst to others, I was capable of stopping his attack. Still, I did not and dodged it. Do you know why?¡±

    Frillite''s expression was pained.

    A look of self-hatred and guilt was etched on her face.

    Instead of answering, Cloud quietly poured wine into her ss. She continued to speak, she didn''t want an answer, she needed a listener.

    ¡°It was because there was a possibility that I would not be able to subdue the Behemoth. I could have held the attack, but if I did, injuries would have built up inside my body, making me lose my strength to face it again.¡±

    ¡°So do you regret it? What you did? ¡±

    "No."

    Frillite firmly shook her head.

    ¡°I do not regret that. The me back then thought it was right, and the me now still thinks so. Even if I go back to the past, my judgment will not change.¡±

    "However, I cannot shake the thought that if I had been stronger, they wouldn''t have had to die."

    Frillite muttered with a bitter expression.

    Even though known as the strongest of the four Heroes, she had taken it as her own weakness.

    Cloud couldn''t stay silent towards Frillite''s self-ming attitude.

    ¡°Hey, let me ask you one thing. Have you ever not done your best in your life? Have you ever beenzy, indulging yourself?¡±

    Frillite tilted her head as if to ask why I was asking such a question.

    Still, she answered my questions faithfully.

    ¡°I think I did my best. But now that I think about it, there were many better paths.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, there must have been a better way, there must. But you didn''t know at that time, and you did your best. The you of that time exerted effort. Why are you belittling her hardship? Why are you criticizing the results of your own?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Sometimes¡­ no, I always think. You are too strict with yourself. I mean, you have a tendency to push yourself too hard. I don''t even know if that''s a bad habit. Because most people who do, don¡¯t have a good ending.¡±

    In the past, Cloud had a colleague. A swordsman with no talent for swordsmanship. What others would realize in one hour, he had to practice for ten continuous hours to realize the same thing.

    Everyone told him to give up.

    It was not that they were demeaning him or sympathizing with him. They said it because they were genuinely concerned.

    But the swordsman did not agree. Every time he heard such words, he secretly increased his training time and abused his body into practice.

    After pushing and overusing himself like that, the swordsman finally bloomed into a beautiful flower and became what others called fruit. Or maybe not?

 Chapter 67.2: Behemoth (9)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    After pushing and overusing himself like that, the swordsman finally bloomed into a beautiful flower and became what others called fruit. Or maybe not?

    For the fruit withered like a flower not long after it beared.

    Cloud still couldn''tprehend what drove him so hard. Because his friend was reluctant to talk about his past.

    Cloud just thought he had been stupid.

    Doesn''t matter if you try and seed, what good it gives if you lose yourself in the process?

    Who will recognize a flower that lost its mour soon after blooming? So what if they had been proved wrong? They will remember the moment when the flower lost its life rather than the moment when it looked most beautiful.

    ¡°Many have died. Each of them had families and friends¡ªsomeone''s son, husband or father. Many people cry over the death of their loved one. If I could lessen their tears, wouldn''t it be worthwhile for me to push myself?"

    ¡°Then what if you are wrong? What about the people who will cry at your loss?¡±

    Who will cry for me? She questioned internally.

    To Cloud''s words, the first thing that came to Frillite''s mind was her family.

    Her father and mother.

    Will they shed two tears for her?

    It didn''t seem like that.

    So, what about the people in her family?

    Frillite, who recalled her family members, shook her head again. She couldn''t imagine seeing those statue-faced people weeping for her.

    Frillite sipped on the wine silently for a moment.

    She asked, her voice tiny and small as she looked at her own face reflecting on the wine ss'' surface.

    ¡°If something happened to me, will you cry for me?¡±

    "Um. I will cry. I will cry out loud enough to make a river out of my tears.¡±

    An immediate answer without any hesitation.

    Frillite grinned and turned her head to Cloud.

    ¡°ying jokes at times like this¡­¡±

    Frillite''s mouth shut closed.

    His face, which she thought would be full of yfulness, was dead serious. He was missing his usually rxed expression.

    He also looked a little sad.

    "I''m not joking. If you don''t want to see me die of dehydration, start taking care of yourself."

    The withered flower inside Cloud''s chest was not only of his swordsman friend. His chest was filled with graves of countless flowers.

    And he didn''t want to add another new flower there.

    * * *

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    Cloud, who had fallen asleep on the narrow round table, made a strange groan. There were several empty wine bottles rolling around him.

    Frillite silently stared at Cloud, who was drooling.

    She felt at peace.

    Just looking at him without doing anything made her feel at ease.

    ¡®It wasn¡¯t like this at first.¡¯

    How had ite to this?

    It was somewhat ironic.

    Frillite looked at him with a smile and remembered what he had just said a few hours earlier.

    ¡®If you don''t want to see me die of dehydration, start taking care of yourself.''

    It was a strangely intimidating tone, but the thing put in as coteral was her life.

    He sounded sincere though.

    Even thinking about it now, she wanted tough out loud at the sheer incredibility.

    Still¡­

    It honestly wasn''t a bad feeling.

    Because whatever he said, he genuinely cared for her.

    The permanent emptiness in her heart seemed to be filling up. Now that it was mentioned, she had never felt so free and light before even though she was filled up.

    ¨C You don''t even want to marry Cloud, do you?

    What Lorian had said during the day.

    Made Frillite briefly recalled a conversation she had with her father.

    Her father, surprisingly, saw her, Frillite''s proposal positively. She also credited her father for giving in to her will, but that was not all.

    Because the head of the Duchy of Perdiac was not a person who can err on the side of emotions.

    Everything was calcted.

    First, Cloud has the status of a hero. His status is notcking to Frillite.

    And he is an orphan frommoners.

    There will be no such thing as an outsider disturbance within the family. In addition, Cloud himself said that he would not touch any of the family affairs and would be faithful only to his role.

    It was another bonus that he wouldn''t have to worry about the appearance of his grandchildren because of his natural handsome looks.

    So, from the Duke of Perdiac''s point of view, Cloud was a very good son-inw candidate.

    Because of which, the Duke of Perdiac had given his consent for the marriage if Cloud showed improvement and removed the tag of the Ipetent Hero.

    ¡®I had never even thought about marriage until now.''

    Until Cloud spoke up.

    To be honest, even now, when thinking of the word "marriage", she felt a little confused.

    ¡®It''s not bad though.''

    While governing her stale household, if Cloud will be with her, her boring life will have an element of fun.

    Frillite was not concerned about the conditions the Duke of Perdiac had presented.

    From what she recently watched, Cloud was never really ipetent. And ording to what had happened today.

    Tags such as the Ipetent Hero will be easily shaken off soon.

    As she continued to stare at the sleeping Cloud, Cloud''s hand somehow caught Frillite''s attention.

    Cloud''s hand was amazing.

    Unlike her warrior-like hand, which was crude, his were white and beautiful.

    Frillite nkly stared for a while, then carefully took his hand into hers. She intertwined his hand along hers and peacefully looked at him.

    ¡°¡­I must have been drunk too.¡±

    Her face turned red and her heart started pounding. Yeah, she must have been drunk.

    Heavily drunk, actually.

 Chapter 68.1: Behemoth (10)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    Frillite, who was staring at Cloud in silence sping her hands under the cheek, finally thought it was time for her to wrap up.

    Since Cloud was showing no signs of waking up from the sleep.

    She helped Cloud out of the room.

    ¡®Which one is Cloud''s room?¡¯

    As soon as she left with him, she faced a problem. Frillite didn''t know in which room was Cloud staying. Just when she was contemting whether to justy him down in the spare room.

    She saw a woman with short blue hair walking down the dark hallway, visible through the faint lighting of a candle.

    Frillite knew the woman''s identity.

    She was one of Cloud''s teammates.

    ¡®Her name was Neria, I guess,'' she thought.

    Neria was looking around, restlessness showing on her face. She had a reason why she was doing this in the middle of the night.

    During the day she had listened to Cloud and Frillite betting on a drink. It meant that the two of them were going to have a drink, and Neria, who was worried, went to check on Cloud in his room.

    Cloud was not in the room.

    Because of which, Neria felt anxiety rising inside her and she was out looking for Cloud.

    "You?"

    Neria was startled by Frillite''s voice and turned her head. As soon as she saw Frillite, and Cloud leaning on her, she gave them a wide eye, before hurrying forward to check on Cloud''s condition.

    ¡°Cloud, are you alright?¡±

    "Yes..? Yes¡­"

    Cloud opened his bleary eyes, sighted Neria, and then closed them again. He was looking more drunk than she had expected. dly, she found him quick. The thought passed Neria''s mind.

    ¡°Are you Neria, Cloud''s teammate?¡±

    Frillite questioned suddenly. It was then that Neria regained the consciousness of the surroundings and turned her attention to Frillite.

    Frillite was dressed in white shirt and long ck trousers, unlike when outside, where she wore her silver armor. She was dressed in in clothes, but maybe because she was the one wearing them, she looked strangely pretty.

    The saying that the clothes made a person wasn''t holding true in this case.

    For, a person was making the dress more beautiful.

    Neria''s eyes narrowed slightly.

    It was not because of jealousy over Frillite''s beauty. She was dissatisfied with her casual attire, or with the casual way she got along with Cloud.

    "¡­Yes, that''s right."

    Frillite looked at Neria''s expression, and felt puzzled inside for a moment before continuing what she was saying.

    ¡°That''s good. Now can you tell me where Cloud''s room is? I want to bring him there, but I''m facing trouble because I don''t know where his room is.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? No problem."

    Neria supported Cloud with his empty shoulder.

    ¡°I will take Cloud. Frillite-sama, please go and have rest.¡±

    "Well? No, it''s fine. It''s also my responsibility that I let Cloud get drunk, I can''t burden you. Just tell me the location of his room and I will take him there.¡±

    Neria shook her head.

    ¡°If Frillite-sama does do that, when Cloud wakes up next morning he will be shy about the experience.¡±

    Cloud, and shy?

    Frillite''s expression became strange.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, but¡­¡±

    ¡°He will be.¡±

    ¡°How can you be so sure?¡±

    ¡°Because Cloud and I are childhood friends.¡±

    "Well?"

    Frillite''s eyebrows twitched.

    She couldn''t understand why, but Neria''s words made her feel ufortable. Neria, unaware of her feelings, went ahead with her own words.

    ¡°And Cloud is the hero of our party. It is also my duty to look after him.¡±

    Right.

    Now Frillite realized at least a little where this difort wasing from.

    She remembered the words Cloud had murmured in a pub in a vige west of the Empire, near the border.

    ¨C Sorry.

    ¨C If only I had done a little better, you all¡­

    At the time, Cloud missed his teammates who had left him in tears.

    He attributed everything to his own shorings.

    She left Cloud because Neria thought him to be ipetent. And now that the tables had turned, she was pretending to care for him.

    Frillite abhorred Neria''s hypocrisy.

    Frillite''s heart wanted nothing more than to scold her out loud then and there, but she couldn''t.

    No matter what Frillite thought, Cloud had epted Neria again. Neria was Cloud''s teammate, and what she was doing now was a very natural act of taking care of her own teammate.

    There was no reason for Frillite to intervene. So she withheld.

    ¡°Where is Cloud''s room?¡±

    ¡°As I said before, Cloud¡­¡±

    ¡°I asked. Where is Cloud''s room.¡±

    But she couldn''t hide the anger in her voice.

    Her anger made Neria quiver.

    ¡°¡­Thank you, once again for your kindness, Frillite-sama. But Cloud¡­¡±

    ¡°Neria. What is yourst name?¡±

    ¡°¡­I have nost name.¡±

    She was a junior baron.

    When Neria was recognized as a knight, she was given a noble title alongside. Since knight is just a title and cannot be hereditary, she was not granted her ownnd.

    Before she defeats the Demon King and is recognized for her work and receives a real title, Neria was just Neria for now.

    "Right. Dame Neria, I won''t ask again. Where is Cloud''s room?¡±

    She added ¡®Dame'' to Neria''s name.

    Unlike before, the tone held authority. In other words, this was amand, and not a request.

    Command of the next ruler of the Duchy of Perdiac.

    How many people on the continent can reject it? At least in this kingdom, there were only a handful.

    And Neria wasn''t counted among those handful. She told Frillite the location of Cloud''s room.

    ¡°Then I will be taking Cloud. I have no intention of doing anything bad, so don''t worry and go back. Dame Neria.¡±

    "¡­right."

    Frillite supported Cloud to his room. Looking at the back of the two figures moving away from her, Neria bit her lips tightly.

    * * *

    A few days had passed since Behemoth''s subjugation. Except for Frillite, the other three hero parties had not left the Duchy of Oler. It was because Duke Oler, who was trying to make a connection somehow, was persistently holding onto them.

    The treatment wasn''t bad either, so his party hadn''t taken their leave until now.

    ¡®But we will have to leave soon.¡¯

    Behemoth was already subjugated.

    The implications of which were quiterge.

    After the death of Behemoth, the demons¡ªthey will begin to attack in earnest.

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 68.2: Behemoth (10)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    After the death of Behemoth, the demons¡ªthey will begin to attack in earnest.

    Starting with Creas, the Heavenly King who descends first¡ªLich,manding his undead corps, and then the Queen of Demons, Subus Queen.

    Big events will follow one after one.

    Before they start, it is necessary for me to find and recruit Shedia, Katarina and Leslie.

    That meant we had to be moving quickly.

    ¡°So I shouldn¡¯t be interested in things like this.¡±

    When I woke up, I found a letter pushed in the gap under the door.

    It was a duel invitation penned under the name of Lorian''s younger sister, Lorraine. The letter asked toe to the grounds alone tonight.

    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡±

    Unlike the mind, body was honest.

    I had woken upte, the sun had set and I was crossing through the darkened garden and heading towards the grounds.

    But it sounds like fun.

    A duel letter sent by Lorian''s sister.

    How can I leave this go?

    As I was rationalizing in my mind, I arrived at the grounds. A slender figure stood in the center where the only light source was the moonlight.

    A woman with long curly brown hair.

    She was Lorraine.

    With only metal tes covering her vital points to retaining mobility, she had a thin, sharp broadsword belted around her waist.

    ¡°What did you do to my brother?¡±

    As soon as I arrived at the grounds, Lorraine looked at me with a terrifyingly frigid expression, and asked.

    ¡°What are you talking about? On the side note, you were actually really waiting alone? I had thought you will have other guys hidden up to ambush me.¡±

    There was no sign of any significant presence around the grounds. She may have hired someone with hiding mastery, enough to deceive my senses, but that''s unlikely.

    Why would such a great master of skills follow the orders of a princess of some Kingdom of Carta?

    He would have served the Emperor instead, that would guarantee a better life quality.

    Which means that Lorraine really intends to fight me damn straight.

    ¡°Answer the question I asked!¡±

    Lorraine shouted as she drew her broadsword.

    I quietlypared my sword to hers.

    ¡®¡­it''s again time to change the sword.¡¯

    In the meantime, I had been using it because of my positive emotions towards the old man, who I''d met in the Kingdom of Alitia, but now seems to be the time to let it go and give the rest it deserves.

    ¡°So you are not going to answer me, huh? Alright, let us both see for how long you can keep your mouth closed!"

    Lorraine sprinted towards me.

    She wasn''t someone with just all talks and no show.

    She wasn''t Lorian''s blood sister just in name.

    I drew my sword and used the glyph.

    (King''s Sense)

    My senses expanded.

    Sense of hearing.

    I could hear Lorraine''s clear footsteps, her breathing, and even her heartbeat.

    Sense of sight.

    My vision, which had just been in darkness, opened up in gray and white. Darkness was no longer an obstacle. When I narrowed my eyes, I could clearly see the small scratches on Lorraine''s sword.

    Sense of smell.

    The smell of my body, the smell Lorraine''s body carried, the smell of earth, the smell of flowers in the garden, etc. There were various smellsing in at once, but they were distinguishable.

    Sense of touch.

    As Lorraine ran, I felt the air flow passing across her skin.

    "Die!"

    The broadsword descended diagonally.

    Lorraine shed her sword horizontally as I pivoted on my right foot, ducking her sharp sword.

    The sword passed by me withoutnding as much as a graze.

    ¡®Cause I had already distanced myself away from her.

    All of my enhanced senses made me read her movements in advance.

    ¡°How long can you scurry away from my attacks, lowly subject?!¡±

    Judging that her normal attacks alone were not enough, Lorraine began mixing feints.

    But even that was easily readable.

    It was too obvious a feint to deceive the sense enhanced by the Glyph.

    After about two minutes, the expanded sensation gradually returned to normal.

    As effective as it was, it wasn''t longsting.

    But the loss of my enhanced senses didn''t turn me hapless. I calmly dodged or knocked out Lorraine''s sword moves. After participating in the sweet sword dance for quite some time, Lorraine finally became tired and plopped on her knees.

    ¡°Unbelievable¡­ No way¡­ This is nonsense¡­ I-I was defeated by a cmoner, an i-ipetent hero¡­¡±

    Lorraine mumbled with a look of disbelief. Then she red her eyes and looked at me.

    ¡°What trick did you use?!¡±

    "Hm?"

    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about shrugging it off! Your movements had definitely seen a sudden change in between! I definitely felt it!¡±

    There was a huge difference in the depth of five senses I feel normally, so my movements were bound to be slightly different.

    There is a big difference between reading the opponent and anticipating the opponent''s moves.

    However, the minor change in my movements wasn''t that great.

    To actually catch that, it means that she had some actual talent¡­

    I thought she was just an end user of royalty pleasures, but I was left surprised.

    "Look! I see you can''t answer, so I''m right. To cheat in a sacred duel. Right, I shouldn''t have involved a lowly person in such sanctity.¡±

    And now she had brazenly epted my silence as affirmation.

    What the hell was she, for real?

    ¡°Hey, let me ask you one thing. Do you hatemoners so much? After all, your people are also mainlymoner, alright?¡±

    I asked as I walked to Lorraine.

    As I moved, she was startled, and then spoke in a voice bordering on anger.

    "Hah! Isn''t it natural to dislike ugly things that are dumb like mules and don''t know about basic politeness? In particr, things like you who don''t know their position and try to elevate themselves, are more disgusting than dirty cockroaches!"

    ¡°Please, let that hate be given to your cockroaches alone.¡±

    "What do you¡ªhuh?¡±

    Lorraine''s eyes widened.

    That was natural.

    Because I stole a kiss off her lips. Lorraine, who was momentarily stunned by the sudden kiss, grasped the situation and immediately swung her sword.

    I tilted my head and avoided the sword''s sharpness.

    Lorraine heaved as if she couldn''t believe what just happened.

    I eximed at her exhration towards me.

    ¡°Ever dreamed of having a romantic first kiss with a wonderful nobleman? Regretful, ain''t it? Your first kiss ismoner''s, miss, it''smoner Cloud''s.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ no¡­ no no!!!¡±

 Chapter 69.1: Kingdom of Prona (1)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    Lorraine screamed out in despair and anger on losing her treasured first kiss to a meremoner. She wiped her lips and rushed in with a sword after Cloud with bloodlust in her eyes.

    The sword, engulfed in passion, lost its sharpness.

    As Cloud lightly dodged the flying sword attacks, Lorraine gnawed her teeth and red at him.

    ¡°Y, You¡­ do you think you will be safe after you did this to me?¡±

    "What?"

    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend like it''s nothing! You think I won''t tell anyone what you did to me!? Y, You are done! Can you understand what situation you are inside now? Do you understand what you just did?! Of course, getting on your knees and begging will not bag you forgiveness!"

    As she continued speaking, Lorraine lost her anger and regained her triumphant spirit. As if she was the one now holding the hilt of control.

    ¡°But if you told someone else, you would end up marrying amoner, right? Are you okay with that?¡±

    "Huh?"

    Lorraine''s eyebrows curled up as if she didn''t understand what he was saying. But soon realizing that the moner'' he was referring to was himself, a scowl appeared on her face.

    ¡°What kind of bullshit is that!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a dog bark, if you must. So listen carefully. Oh, do you have a fiance?¡±

    ¡°What does that have to do with you?!¡±

    ¡°Answer with yes or no.¡±

    Lorraine licked her lips, then she replied in an annoyed tone.

    "No."

    ¡°Then the first kiss you had was with me, right?¡±

    "Bastard!"

    Lorraine swung her sword in wild abandon as her anger erupted again. Cloud leisurely avoided her swings and continued with his exnation.

    ¡°As a member of a royal family without a fiance, if you talk about what happened today, it will only be a scandal.There will be nothing good about it.¡±

    ¡°At least I can kill you!¡±

    Politically and physically!

    Lorraine shouted and pushed more power in to her sword.

    ¡°I understand your feelings, but will it work out the way you think? I assure you, your parents will only want to marry you with me, wanting to crush the scandal before it ruins their royal honor.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not funny¡­¡±

    Lorraine, who was about to refute, bit her lip.

    She wanted to refute, but the reality didn''t seem different.

    ¡°Brother¡­ he will support me.¡±

    ¡°Lorian?¡±

    "Yes! That''s how much my brother loves me! If he find out that I''ve been harassed, he wille to kill you right now!"

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­ Lorian isn¡¯t evening out of his room right now, is he?¡±

    Lorraine''s eyes fluttered slightly.

    ¡®What a surprise!'' That surprised Cloud too.

    But it wasn''t a very difficult guess.

    He recently showed off his acquaintance with Frillite, when they were in front of Lorian.

    At that time, Lorian was quite desperate.

    Afterwards Lorraine called him to the grounds and she asked what he had done to her brother. The guess wasn''t hard to make.

    ¡°Shall I make a prediction? As soon as your brother hears about it, he will be the one most hurried about your marriage with me.¡±

    "Shut up! My brother won''t do anything such!"

    ¡°Are you sure? If you are, go ahead and tell him. Thar is, if you want to wear your wedding dress within a month.¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    Lorraine chewed her lips.

    She believed in her brother, but the present was an uncertainty, shaking her confidance.

    Cloudughed mercilessly.

    ¡°If you want, I¡¯ll ept as many battles as possible today. Instead, prepare yourself for being kissed again when you lose.¡±

    She inserted her sword back into her sheath and turned her back.

    Having said that, she wasn''t going to fool around anymore. Because she didn''t want to marry a lowlymoner, let alone kiss him again.

    She will go back to the room and sleep.

    The next day, Cloud again found a challenge letter stuck in the gap between the door.

    * * *

    Kang!

    With a clear metallic sound, Lorraine''s sword was thrown in the air.

    Lorraine¡ªdefeated.

    She bowed her head.

    ¡®Why? Why can''t I win?''

    She couldn''t quite understand.

    Lorraine recalled the past Cloud.

    He was a nerd, an ipetent hero defeated too many times by her brother for her to count. He was a weakmoner with too clear ideals.

    He was a lower bloodline''smoner.

    But what about now?

    No matter how much they fought, a win didn''t seem under her grasp.

    It didn''t match the scene that enfolded when he fought Lorian previously.

    What the hell happened that day, after the Imperial Social Banquet? What happened to make him so strong?

    ¡®If it''s not that¡­ maybe he had been hiding his skills?''

    That also didn''t seem right.

    Cloud of the past was too weak to be even called a hero.

    What was the reason for him to hide his skills to this level?

    Just when she found herself circling in a sphere of doubt.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    Cloud murmured.

    ¡°You don''t like low bloodmoners like me, do you? That''s why you hated me as amoner. Why do you keep on challenging me to a duel even though you know you will lose?¡±

    Since the first day, Lorraine sent a challenge letter every day, and Cloud epted it.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way you want to kiss me¡­¡±

    This was already the 12th time.

    At this point, Cloud had no choice but to admit that Laurenne''s pride was greater than he had expected.

    ¡°Shut up and just do it quickly.¡±

    Lorraine said, frown marring her face.

    Cloud looked down at Lorraine on eye level, then leaned down to face her.

    His lips met hers, and they kissed.

    That''s how the kiss started.

    It was something that could be called a real kiss, unlike the first lipbutt.

    ¨C Chup! Churp! Tsu-eup!

    Their tongues mingled together.

    To the extent that people who didn''t know would have mistaken them for lovers.

    They had met for twelve consecutive nights, and the number of times they had fought was far more than that. Of course, every time she lost, Lorraine gave her lips.

    The second kiss was still unpleasant. Enough to make her almost swing her sword.

    The third was simr.

    Fourth too.

    Fifth too.

    The matches continued, and the kisses too.

    Lorraine no longer counted the numbers.

    At some point, her difort diminished and she couldn''t even feel it at all.

    Lorraine was having trouble at understanding.

    No matter how many kisses she has experienced, the fact that Cloud is of low blood and that he was amoner didn''t change¡­

    She didn''t like it.

    Cloud gently stroked the back of her head, making Lorraine''s body quiver. She regained her bearing and quickly pped his hand away.

    "Don''t¡­ don''t do it¡­ all I''ve allowed is¡­ a kiss¡­ only on lips¡­"

    ¡®Alright, Madam.'' Cloud shrugged his shoulders with that expression on his face.

    Lorraine narrowed her eyes and looked at Cloud.

    ¡®¡­I mean, he is kinda handsome and good-looking.''

    White and clean skin with no spots, like spotless jade.

    Big eyes, a tall nose, and lips beautifully harmonized.

    Ruby-red eyes with a strange charm that made people fall in love with them.

    ¡®Wh, Why is he amoner?¡¯

 Chapter 69.2: Kingdom of Prona (1)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    Lorraine had seen several personable men among themoners who rose up to be famous.

    They were all people who she didn''t understood for why they were called handsome. They were good looking, yes. But not actually handsome.

    The same went for nobles.

    Among the aristocrats who were reputed to be handsome, there was no one she really found handsome.

    Lorraine had been seeing Lorian since childhood, so her standards were set quite high.

    But even Lorraine had no choice but to acknowledge Cloud''s natural appearance.

    ¡®¡­Yes, no matter if he is amoner, he is a hero, right? A being chosen by the Goddess. That''s no ordinarymoner.¡¯

    He was a human being chosen by the Goddess herself.

    So of course, he was fundamentally higher than a knight, and his status should be higher than that of any nobleman. So, wasn''t it the same as him being an honorary nobleman?

    Self-rationalization.

    It was Lorraine''s self-rationalization to defend her pride from the fact that she didn''t feel offended by being kissed by amoner whom she thought as vulgar.

    ¨C Chueup¡­ Chueup¡­!

    The kiss felt long but ended shortly.

    Even after the short kiss ended, Lorraine sat there nkly. Because the heat left on her lips hadn''t gone away yet.

    Then she felt Cloud staring at her without leaving yet.

    "What? Why aren''t you going away?"

    Normally, he would have left as soon as the kiss was over, why was he still with her?

    ¡°Are you going to send a challenge letter tomorrow morning?¡±

    ¡°That''s upto me! Why? Losing your confidence to defeat me the next day?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ that¡­ well, anyways.¡±

    Cloud took a deep breath and left the grounds.

    Lorraine looked at his back in dissatisfaction.

    "What? I thought he had something to say.¡±

    She grunted and stood up from her seat.

    She went back to her room, and she wrote a new challenge letter, ced it inside the crevice of Cloud''s room door, and then she went to bed. And the next night, she waited for Cloud at the grounds.

    It had be a normal routine from some moment on, but Lorraine always pretended she didn''t care.

    But it was weird.

    No matter how much she waited today, Cloud did note. Lorraine, tired of waiting for him, scrunched her brows, and stormed into Cloud''s room.

    "Hey! You sleeping or what? Are you sure about ignoring me?!¡±

    Lorraine spurred the door and entered the room.

    The inside of the room was clean and empty.

    ¡°..?¡±

    What? Did something happened?

    It can''t be, right?

    Lorraine, who was bewildered, didn''t get the answer until the next morning.

    ¡°Are you talking about Hero Cloud and his team? They left yesterday, early morning.¡±

    She couldn''t half-believe what the butler told her.

    Lorraine went to bedte and woke upte because of waiting for him at the grounds, and Cloud had left while she was sleeping?

    ¡°This¡­ y-you motherfucker¡­!¡±

    ¡®You left without saying a word to me..!''

    Lorraine was furious.

    No, he had left but why should she get angry?

    Why should she get angry¡­

    Oh yes, the duel.

    She hadn''t won a duel. She even lost her first kiss, and more kisses every time after, she hadn''t been kissed so many times by her parents on the cheeks, alright?

    That bastard made fun of her lips.

    Yes, this was r¨¡pe.

    He''s a r¨¡pist who r¨¡ped her lips and left!

    When she came to the conclusion, she felt even more angry.

    Promising to catch him by the hair the next time she saw him, Lorraine headed to Lorian''s room.

    She intended to improve her skills by asking Lorian to teach her. She was no longer allowing Lorian to bury himself in the corner and wallow in self-pity.

    But¡­

    "Huh¡­ Where did my brother go now? What is actually happening?! Are they making fun of me as a group?!¡±

    Lorian was not in his room.

    * * *

    While Lorraine was yelling out her frustrations at Lorian''s room wall, Lorian was facing Gis.

    Gis blew out white smoke from his mouth and rubbed the cigar he was smoking on the table.

    ¡°So, you mean you want to hire our assassination squad?¡±

    "That''s right."

    ¡°Why did youe to me? Our handsome prince will surely be able to hire an assassination squad himself, even without me in this whole thing, eh?"

    ¡°It is a fact that no one can deny, the Zarakh Society''s assassination squad is the best on the continent. And so I thought I should hire the assassination squad for amission through you than going directly myself.¡±

    Gis was sponsored by the Kingdom of Alitia''s criminal organization, the Zarakh Society. It was a secret to outsiders, but what every insider knew.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s right. So, the target? Cloud, right?¡±

    Lorian nodded his head.

    ¡°There is no need to kill. If you do, you may incite her wrath. But¡­ you see. I wish you can instill despair in him. Despair deep enough to break his heart.¡±

    ¡°It is not difficult. Torture is one of the specialties of our assassination squad. You don''t have to worry about other issues. The Assassination Squad of the Zarakh Society is not that cumbersome.¡±

    Gis giggled and leaned back on to the chair.

    ¡°The number of aplices have increased. That¡¯s good.¡±

    Lorian narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°Aplices?¡±

    ¡°Yes, aplices. You didn''t think I''d stay still even after being humiliated, did you?"

    Gis said with a creepy smile.

    ¡°I have already sent them a letter.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Among the women in the room, Adreana was the only one deeply troubled.

    * * *

    After refusing the solicitation of the Duke of Oler, we were going to the capital of the Kingdom of Prona.

    Because the royal family had called us there.

    The king himself had, actually.

    If we didn''t go, we would have had another troublesome problem on ourps, so we followed the call and arrived at the capital¡­

    And, saw.

    ¡°Put the heretics to the guillotine!¡±

    ¡°Put the prince to the guillotine!¡±

    ¡°Down with the heresy! Overthrow the prince!¡±

    The citizens who filled the front of the royal castle.

    ¡°Come out, Prince! If you''re not a heretic, you have to prove your innocence!!!"

    Clergymen shouting at the forefront of citizens.

    ¡°¡­do you guys want to turn back?¡±

    The group nodded their heads in a heartbeat without saying a word.

 Chapter 70.1: Kingdom of Prona (2)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    Leaving the capital behind proved to be an unsessful endeavour.

    Some ignorant knight who was pacifying the citizens found me and shouted over the crowd, ¡®Hah!? Hero!''

    That knight must have been going through a hard time because of the raging citizens, it surely was quite palliating to see a heroing to the rescue.

    So he must have believed that I would help out somehow, if I was quite the hero. Maybe he was thinking of pushing the citizens who were running rampant at me, and then resting in peace.

    But what about it?

    No matter how low in the poprity list I am, a hero is a hero.

    How can a knight beat me when ites to attention grabbing charisma? Thanks to him, I was on the other end of receiving stinging res from the citizens and was semi-forced to be dragged to the royal pce.

    ¡®You bastard. I memorized your face.¡¯

    Next time we meet, it would be a clear face-to-face talk between you and me.

    Knock, knock!

    As I was grumbling inside, I heard a knock.

    ¨C Hero. I''vee to pick you up for dinner, it''s ready.

    I was quietly waiting for the banquet in the room I was showed. The situation outside was like hell, and I honestly wondered if they were actually holding a banquet, but as the guest, I was in no position to say anything, so I stayed quiet.

    When I opened the door, a knight in full te armor was waiting for me. As I followed him to the banquet hall, I asked what I was the most curious about.

    ¡°What''s with themotion outside?¡±

    ¡°It is just ignorant citizens who are caught up in rumors. I hope you don''t worry too much because of it."

    ¡°Are there even priests involved in these ignorant citizens?¡±

    ¡°When ites to divinity, it''s these chaps who are a little off minded, isn''t it? They will make drops of blood into flowing fountains if you allow so.¡±

    "Is it?"

    In other words, it''s like a witch hunt.

    It''s just that the person in question is not an ordinary civilian, but a prince and the heir to the throne of a kingdom.

    ¡®I don¡¯t think it¡¯s just your regr witch hunt.¡¯

    I was skeptical of the knight saying it was just a rumor. The scale was toorge for that. They were iming the heir to the throne of a kingdom to be a heretic, alright? The moment the prince''s innocence is revealed, the church''s position will be caught in an awkward standing.

    Still, they had been fighting established elites such as nobles and royalty for power, and that for years.

    Nevertheless, the fact that the church threw such an irrational information means that there is solid evidence that prove the prince is a heretic.

    As I was walking forward with such thoughts, we arrived at the banquet hall.

    The king and his other vassals were already seated in the banquet hall.

    The same went for Eri, Neria, and Ophelia.

    Wait..?

    Shouldn''t the king be thest toe at a banquet like this?

    I came just when I was told to, so why did I be theter?

    Even though it felt strange, I bowed with my back bent slightly.

    ¡°I''ve kept you people waiting, pardon me.¡±

    ¡°Hah hah, it¡¯s fine. Come on in.¡±

    The king smiled and beckoned.

    This gentleman, thest time I saw him, he had a mask of impassive grandness stuck on his face, but now he was here, acting like a next door grandfather.

    I smiled in return and entered the banquet hall. The banquet wasn''t as great as the Imperial Social Banquet, but it was indeed splendid. I thought it might have been a little overkill.

    It was just a short visit, or were we actually so weed?

    ¡®Have we been treated simrly in the past?¡¯

    I nced at the faces of mypanions.

    Bewildered expressions, they were.

    So, it wasn''t.

    When all the people gathered at the banquet, the king set the tone and started his speech.

    ¡°Recently, in the southern part of the kingdom, there has been a disaster event called Behemoth. It was truly a devastating news. The devastating damage seemed inevitable. But what about reality? Brave heroes defeated the beast. There was very little damage as such.¡±

    There was little damage, eh?

    I remembered the corpses left on the battlefield and the streams of blood. I remembered the faces of the guards and soldiers who died while doing their best to protect the citizens and fulfill their duties.

    ¡®And here I thought it was way too much¡­''

    In the worst case, it had been assumed that the whole southern part of the kingdom would be devastated, so rtively little damage was correct.

    However, seeing the scene up close wasn''t the best indicator.

    ¡°Our, the Kingdom of Prona¡¯s hero, rescued Roberto from the ws of Behemoth. They say that in the city the people call him Roberto''s Hero.¡±

    Everyone in the banquet hall looked at me and my friends.

    Then everyone apuded.

    ¨C p p p.

    The apuses and baptism of praise continued for a while and ended with the king raising his hand.

    The king lifted the cup, and everyone followed him and raised the cup together.

    -For the Kingdom of Prona!

    The banquet began.

    I tried to go eat something that looked delicious, yet I failed.

    Because the nobles kept approaching one after one, with the intention of talking with me.

    They appeared one by one and asked the damn same thing¨Cwhat happened in Roberto. Since when did they get so interested in me?

    It was time to seriously think how to shrug them off and leave.

    ¡°Hah hah, this ce looks the most bustling. What are you talking about?¡±

    The king came this way.

    With a man who seemed to have just crossed into adulthood.

    The nobles bowed their heads towards them.

    ¡°His Majesty the King.¡±

    ¡°The Prince.¡±

    Is this scrawny kid a prince?

    The one people outside were shouting to put on guillotine?

    As I watched the prince, the king tapped him on the shoulder.

    ¡°Where are your manners? You should greet the hero.¡±

    "Y, Yes. Hmm, nice to meet you. My name is Nell, the prince of the Kingdom of Prona. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet Roberto¡¯s hero.¡±

    The prince held out his hand.

    He did tremble slightly, but he held out his hand. Then the king showed a happy expression on his face and got on to boasting about the prince.

    He''s been smart since he was young, he''s a nice kid, he''s so nice at riding horses,   .

    Those werepliments that any parent would give.

    But as thepliments continued, and continued, I felt strangely unpleasant.

    Because I was having a feeling, a very bad feeling.

 Chapter 70.2: Kingdom of Prona (2)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    ¡°¡­Your Majesty adores the prince very much.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm. Of course. He is my only son.¡±

    The king, with an evasive cough, looked over at him and whispered quietly.

    ¡°So, by the way¡­ did you see it when you were arriving?¡±

    ¡°I saw it. It was noisy.¡±

    "Right. I don''t know where the rumors came from, but thanks to them, the public''s opinion is very bad. So, by any chance, the prince¡¯s innocence, in front of the citizens¡­¡±

    ¡°I decline.¡±

    I simply refused.

    I knew it would end up like this.

    Somehow it actually did.

    I didn''t listen to the end part, but the wordsing next were obvious anyway. To do what? To guarantee the prince''s innocence in front of those madmen?

    This is no less than asking me to climb the guillotine instead.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, guys.¡±

    I motioned towards my teammates.

    The three of them came to follow me slowly, examining the king''s and other nobles'' reaction.

    ¡°Hero, please stop.¡±

    When I came out through the aristocratic crowd, the knights blocked my way as if they were just waiting for that.

    Yeah, it was strange that there were armed knights in the banquet hall in the first ce.

    ¡°I want to go out.¡±

    "Apologies. We can''t oblige to your words.¡±

    ¡°I want to go out.¡±

    "Apologies."

    They repeated the same words like a machine.

    When I was pondering what to do about this, Eri opened her mouth, probably feeling ufortable with the knights'' attitude.

    "Why? Why are you stopping us from leaving?¡±

    ¡°Our king''s order, mydy. We hope that you, as a daughter of the Duke of Oler will follow suit.¡±

    "Order? What type of order is this?¡±

    Eri frowned deeply.

    ¡°Eri, calm down. I''ll see to it.¡±

    When things seemed to be getting worse in many ways, Neria tried to break through the knights who stood in their way.

    The knights were pushed back without a hitch as she put strength into her arms and pushed them away.

    Level 39, indeed.

    The knights of the kingdom who were used to the peace times were no match for thedy who was tempered in dungeons.

    ¡®She does it good.''

    Just when I felt proud of seeing the knights being pushed away by a knight of mine. A towering man with a scar on one of his eyes stood in front of Neria.

    ¡°¡­Captain of the Knights.¡±

    Themander of the knight legion.

    Seeing him, Neria face''s hardened.

    "It''s been a long time. I see, you have grown a lot.¡±

    ¡°Please move away.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but no, it¡¯s an order.¡±

    Neria had no intention of pushing the knightmander away like the rest.

    The knightmander was her teacher.

    Her hands wouldn''t able tomit such an act on him.

    ¡°What are you guys doing? Clear out.¡±

    The knightsmander barked orders at the knights who were standing nkly. It was only then that the knights came to their senses and scrambled to pull Neria out. She resisted, but the strength she exerted was nowhere near her true strength.

    Seeing this, Eri''s expression changed wildly.

    ¡°So you all aren''t going to stop this? You want to force us or what!?¡±

    The jewel at the tip of Eri''s wand brightened.

    The chanting must have been alreadypleted in her mind.

    She just had to aim and shoot.

    Swing!

    Seeing the glow of her staff, the knights drew out their swords.

    The knightmander said in a low, thick voice.

    ¡°Eri Oler, lower down your wand immediately. It is an order.¡±

    ¡°What if I don''t?¡±

    ¡°Again, this is an order. If you do notply, it will be considered treason. As you know, treason is a felony among felonies. Punishment doesn''t end with you alone. If you don''t want to harm your family, surrender."

    ¡°These bastards¡­¡±

    Eri sharpened her teeth.

    And then she looked at me, asking my opinion on the matter. I, in turn, looked at Ophelia, she was secretly stretching out her hand towards the mace.

    ¡®Oh my gosh¡­''

    I''m carrying walking explosives with me.

    I took a deep breath.

    "It is thest warning. Lower down your wand¡­¡±

    "Halt."

    [Strength in Numbers]-!

    * * *

    The confrontation between Cloud and the knights had turned tense. The staff brightened with a piercing light, and the des drawn by the knights glinted with sharpness.

    It would not be strange for a fight to break out at any moment.

    "It is thest warning. Lower down your wand¡­¡±

    Themander of knights opened his mouth to warn in his characteristic gruff voice, when¨C

    "Halt."

    A cold voice echoed.

    [Strength in Numbers]-!

    Along with ¡®fear'', the mana woven together scattered like mist.

    Everyone present in the banquet hall froze and stiffened. The body, crushed by the psychological pressure, ceased movement all together.

    No matter how much these knights were feared, they were ultimately but knights of one of the many kingdoms.

    Cloud, who had been steadily leveling up, had long surpassed their level. The [Strength in Numbers], without any issue imposed ¡®fear'' status on all of them.

    Some of them could no longer even look directly at Cloud, they had to bow their heads.

    Cloud turned to the King.

    "Your Majesty. Since ancient times, a hero is the one who protects the weak from ferocious demons and evils. He holds a sword, not a brush, and it can be seen from actions instead of words. So¡­"

    Don''t make me use my sword.

    Cloud spoke in an almost impassive tone, making the king swallow his saliva and barely nod his head.

    Cloud confirmed his actions and turned around again to shake off the knights in front of him. They were pushed back more easily than when Neria pushed them away. When the knights were pushed away, the figure of themander of knights was revealed again.

    Cloud asked as he made eye contact with the stiffmander of knights.

    ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t hold resentment for something like this?¡±

    "¡­Yes."

    ¡°Good luck.¡±

    Cloud smiled and walked out of the pce with his stiff teammates.

    * * *

    ¡°Hero-sama. The Archbishop is waiting for you.¡±

    ¡°Huh¡­¡±

    I smirked.

    As soon as we came out of the pce, a certain priest appeared, saying that the archbishop was waiting for me and asked me to follow in turn.

    Normally, this would have been a minor issue, but with what I had just experienced, it felt very significant.

    ¡°I can''t, I need some rest. I''m tired too, we can do thister."

    So, I refused.

    I ignored the priest and proceeded to find an inn. The priest then panicked, and came running, blocking my way.

    Goodness, do I need to face this repertoire again?

    I even turned to look at Ophelia, because the only option I saw to remove this priest out of my way was violence. Feeling my gaze on her, she smiled benevolently and approached the priest.

    ¡°Brother. The hero is feeling deeply tired from the arduous journey. I will tell the Archbishop ab¨C¡±

    ¡°Hero, please listen. This is an invitation from the Archbishop directly to you, the hero.¡±

    ¡°Brother?¡±

    ¡°No matter what, you can¡¯t refuse so harshly, please.¡±

    ¡°Brother??¡±

    The priest kept on begging me to ept the Archbishop''s invitation. He didn''t care for shit what Ophelia was saying standing next to him.

    ¡®Is it okay to ignore the words of the saintess candidate so bluntly?¡¯

    Is it?

    I looked at Ophelia for the answer.

    Ophelia''s smile began to crack.

    Doesn''t matter how much understanding Ophelia is, it seems she can''t stand the fact that her subordinate kept ignoring her own words.

    Just when I was expecting to end this farce, the priest took a deep breath and looked around cautiously. After confirming that no one extra was there, he carefully pried open his mouth.

    ¡°You muste. Hero, this matter is rted to you, and important.¡±

    ¡°Important, to me? And exactly what is that?"

    ¡°The Archbishop wants to rece the candidacy of saintess.¡±

    The priest said with a lot of weight in his tone.

    The moment I heard those words, I was like, ¡®Why?¡¯. When I was traveling alone, you were letting it happen quite fine, so why now?

    Moreover, why now of all times?

    No, is it even possible to change the candidacy of a saintess by an archbishop alone?

    ¡°Hup.¡±

    A sudden hup sound interrupted my thoughts.

    I turned my head in the direction of the sound.

    Ophelia''splexion was pale.

    ¡°Ophelia? Are you fine-"

    ¡°Hup.¡±

    Alright, she was not fine.

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 71.1: Kingdom of Prona (3)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    I decided to go to the church, following the priest''s advice. It''s a bit daunting, but he had left me wondering if it was possible to change the candidacy of a saintess.

    ¡°I¡¯m just going to listen to the story. Don''t you worry?"

    ¡°Yes, yes¡­ I believe in Hero¡­¡±

    Ophelia nodded with a nk face.

    I continued to try calming her down, but in vain. Her contemtive face did not unravel until we arrived at the church.

    ¨C Knock, knock.

    ¡°Your Highness the Archbishop, this is Liam. I have brought in the hero and the saintess candidate as ordered.¡±

    ¨C Come in.

    With the Archbishop''s permission, Liam opened the door and bowed towards me.

    He didn''t seem to be going together with us.

    I left the priest behind and entered the Archbishop''s chamber with Ophelia.

    Inside the chamber sat a table for entertaining guests, and on another side sat an old man with graying hair. The white church robe and therge Archbishop hat on his head indicated his designation.

    I sat down across him.

    There was only one chair avable, so Ophelia stood to my right.

    The Archbishop smiled warmly, and then said.

    ¡°Greetings, hero. It must havee off as an unexpected invitation, but you have my thanks for epting it.¡±

    ¡°How can I refuse the Archbishop¡¯s invitation? If you call me, it''s my duty to answer your call.¡±

    ¡°Hah hah, I don''t know now how to respond to hero''s politeness.¡±

    A moderate gilding followed.

    Before moving on to the main topic, I asked him a question.

    ¡°Does Your Holiness the Archbishop knows about themotion happening outside?¡±

    Archbishop gave a bitter expression at my question.

    ¡°It¡¯s a sad thing. The prince of a kingdom fell for the evil devil''s lure. Even the Goddess will be sad.¡±

    ¡°So the archbishop does. Are you sure the prince is a heretic?¡±

    ¡°Everyone who believes in heresy is a heretic. They''ll try to hide it, but it''s useless in the face of Goddess'' loving grace. I am indeed convinced that the prince has fallen into the hands of a heretical devil.¡±

    ¡°It was the Archbishop who spread the rumors about the prince, hm?¡±

    The archbishop quietly nodded his head.

    Indeed, that''s how it happened.

    The doubt has been resolved.

    Now is the time to get to the point.

    I drank the tea the Archbishop had prepared and moistened my throat, before opening my mouth again.

    ¡°I have already heard about the reason you called me here. You want to change the candidacy of my saintess?¡±

    ¡°Hoh, have you already heard from Liam? And here I thought I was giving you a surprise, haha. Quite unfortunate.¡±

    The archbishop smiled gently.

    Then he motioned his right hand. A nun, who had been standing behind the archbishop since before, came forward.

    ¡°My favorite child, Be. I''m confident if this child were to inherit the position of a saintess candidate, she will do her all to preserve its holiness.¡±

    The nun Be, whom he introduced, was a beautiful woman. Unlike Ophelia, who had an unconventional figure, she was a moderate body type, and she did look innocent and pure.

    As I nced to my side, Ophelia''s trembling expression came clean to my eyes.

    Archbishop and Be didn''t care about her, though.

    ¡°I''m Be. It''s an honor to meet you, hero. In the future, I will do my best to help you through your journey.¡±

    Be bowed her back with her hands on the stomach.

    Because of which, a few strands of her hair that had been tucked behind her veil fell out. Those few strands of hair were pink.

    Hmmm.

    ¡°Why do you want to change her candidacy all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°About that, I want to talk only with the hero himself, and in private. Be?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Archbishop. Understood, I''ll wait outside."

    Hearing Be''s answer, the archbishop looked at me. I let out a small sigh and said to Ophelia.

    ¡°Well, that''s that. Can you please go out and wait for me, Ophelia?¡±

    "Yes, yes¡­ I''ll wait patiently outside¡­"

    ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    "I am."

    What''s alright when you are showing me that abandoned puppy-like face?

    ¡°Then tell me now. Why do you want to suddenly change her candidacy when we just arrived to the capital?¡±

    ¡°Actually, it''s not sudden. It is a nned procedure starting from when the saintess candidate representing a Kingdom switched her affiliation to another hero.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s even weirder. When Ophelia had left my party, she had been away for half an year before she joined me again."

    ¡°We can''t help it, the deliberation process is quiteplicated. Please consider ourplications, esteemed hero.¡±

    ¡°So why is it the archbishop¡¯s favorite nun who was chosen after so manyplications?¡±

    ¡°¡­ that child was chosen because of her strong faith. I never put my personal feelings to it.¡±

    "Is that so? Good, good.¡±

    As I nodded, the archbishop''s expression, which had been darkening slightly, opened up.

    ¡°Then do you also agree with Be being the new saintess candidate of your party?¡±

    ¡°Before that, let me ask you one thing. That nun called Be, is her hair pink?¡±

    "Yes? Oh, yes. She has beautiful pink hair like flowers.¡±

    "Right."

    I sipped the rest of the tea in one gulp.

    And then I said with a smile.

    ¡°I guess, I will decline.¡±

    * * *

    Ophelia was an orphan.

    The church epted her, who was abandoned by her parents and raised her as a nun. She did not voluntarily be a nun, but she was not dissatisfied.

    If she hadn''t been epted by the church, she could easily guess what her life would have been like.

    But her eptance did not mean that her life at the church was smooth.

    The strict routine and torturous discipline were difficult for even her to bear.

    Nevertheless, Ophelia was faithful to her duties.

    In the years that followed, she be a nun known for her faithfulness within the church, and she was even chosen by the Goddess as a candidate for sainthood.

    Ophelia couldn''t understand the intentions of the Goddess.

    Probably because she didn''t actually believe in Goddess.

    That didn''t mean she was not religious at all.

    As she had spent half her life inside the church, she had the same religious faith as others.

    However, her faith was not so deep as tond herself a candidature designation.

    It was only the recent situation that made her guess the Goddess'' intentions.

    ¡®You were testing my resolve¡­'' she thought.

    Outside, she was surrounded by things that were fun in nature, unlike when she was enclosed inside the church.

    Not only delicious food, but also entertainment such as theatre ys and beautiful scenery.

    Exposed to all those stimuli, she could not suppress her desires that she had kept suppressed.

    She did not live up to the teachings¡ªto stay away from worldly desires.

    The result was her current situation.

    Goddess, disappointed with her, disqualified her from her candidacy.

    ¡®Now what?¡¯

    What rumors will circte if a nun who was chosen as a saintess candidate was suddenly disqualified? It would surely be nothing good. How will her fellow nuns, who will believe in the rumors, react?

    Ophelia remembered those nuns, relieving their own stress by beating younger nuns. Herplexion turned white.

    ¡®I will be bullied for the rest of my life..!¡¯

    Ophelia''s body quivered.

    Cloud told her not to worry whileing to the church, but there was no way she could believe it right away. That was exactly what her parents said before they abandoned her away.

    ¡®Should I hold him by his legs?¡¯

    Just when Ophelia found herself seriously considering the option.

    ¨C Clup!

    The door to the Archbishop''s chamber opened and Cloud came out.

    He made eye contact with her before she could say anything.

    ¡°Hero, please take good care of me.¡±

    Be crossed her arms around Cloud and flirted. Seeing this, Ophelia lowered her head helplessly.

    This meant¡­ she was abandoned, again.

    Just when Ophelia closed her eyes as she epted her fate. p! The back of her head tingled with the sound.

    "What are you doing? Let go."

    Ophelia lifted her head as someone touched her tingling scalp. Cloud was in front of her. Ophelia opened her eyes and looked to the side.

    She saw Be being stunned.

    "Uh? This¡­? Um?"

    Finding Ophelia appalled by the situation, Cloud rolled his eyes.

    ¡°¡­maybe I should have epted.¡±

    ¡°!!! No! Icked faith in you, Hero forgive me! Neria and Eri will be waiting for you, let¡¯s go!¡±

    She hurriedly grabbed Cloud''s arm and led him outside. Cloud still rolled his eyes at her action, but Ophelia, who was filled with the joy of living, did not notice.

    However, her sense of bliss did notst long.

    "Excuse me. Are you Hero Cloud by any chance?¡±

    It was because an elderly nun with wrinkles was blocking the way of the duo. Ophelia, seeing her appear, was startled and snapped behind Cloud to hide herself.

    Cloud took a deep breath.

    He tilted his head and looked at the old nun.

    ¡°I have already given the archbishop my in refusal. I have no intention of overturning this decision, so sister, give up and go.¡±

    ¡°¡­I don''t know what you are talking about. I am only here to meet Ophelia. I''m the head nun of the convent, by the way.¡±

    ¡°Is that really all?¡±

    "That''s all. If you don''t mind, could you tell this old woman what the hero is worried about?"

    "¡­I think I don''t. Now, if you just want to talk, I have no right to stop you.¡±

    Cloud stepped aside, facilitating smooth conversation between the two.

    "Thank you, Hero Cloud.¡±

    At his consideration, the head of the convent bowed her head. Then she coughed sternly, and faced Ophelia.

    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s been a while, Ophelia. Have you been doing well¡­¡±

    The nun''s eyes nearly popped open.

    It was a little funny to see her with a stern expression looking shocked, eyes widened, hardly would one expect such expression from a steadfast nun.

    ¡°O, Ophelia..? What''s with your outfit? What''s with this ludicrous outfit of yours?!"

    The head nun pointed to what was the side slit and chest slit of the nun''s robe Ophelia was donning.

    Ophelia made an excuse in cold sweat.

    ¡°Th, This was unavoidable. The old-styled nun outfit was inaptly unsuitable for battle.¡±

 Chapter 71.2: Kingdom of Prona (3)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The head nun speechlessly pointed to her chest cutoff, revealing the upper part of her meaty bosom.

    ¡°This is because¡­ I-I sweat a lot¡­¡±

    ¡°No excuses for even half a penny! Our saintess candidate has been travelling around in a outfit like that?!"

    ¡°N, Not really. I wasn''t actually traveling around¡­¡±

    ¡°Shut up! How can you even put on such an unbing attire?! The scandal didn''t go around just like that, did it? No, no, I can''t let it go happening. If I hadn''t seen with my own eyes, I wouldn''t have known better, leaving you to your own devices! Follow me. That messed up brain of yours! I will fix it again.¡±

    "U-Uhh?!"

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Hero, but may I take Ophelia with me for an education session? I won''t hold onto you for long. Ten days or so.¡±

    ¡°What do you do during this education session?¡±

    ¡°It''s nothing special. We just pray for ten days straight.¡±

    Ophelia was startled by the head nun''s words.

    Indeed, they just prayed but the prayer she was talking about only included praying and more praying. No sleep, and minimal amount of food and water.

    ¡®Do I-I have to do it again?¡¯

    Ophelia''s hair stood in horror.

    She wanted the hero to excuse their way out, but¡­

    ¡°So praying, huh? That''s good. I''ve seen Ophelia bing less frequent with her prayers these days, so I was worried she might lose her faith."

    ¡°Hero?!¡±

    "Why? Am I wrong? You sometimes forget to pray before meals.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s¡­!¡±

    At Cloud''s words, Ophelia couldn''t hide her resentment. Why was he pushing her down this deep rabbit hole!?

    Wasn''t it because of Cloud, who didn''t even give her a chance to properly eat and rest in the dungeon that she formed this habit?

    Ophelia remembered it vividly.

    After the hard fights, whenever she asked them to pray before meals, the cold eyes of Neria and Eri used to pierce on her.

    In Cloud''s case, he used to ignore her words and get straight to eating.

    With nobody to apany her and the tumblings of stomach distracting her, sh-she only sometimes forgot to pray!

    But Ophelia was not given time to make excuses for herself.

    ¡°Y, You don''t pray before dinner?! Y, You actually don''t pray!!?"

    The head nun''s eyes opened wide as she gagged out those words. Before Ophelia could plead, the head nun grabbed her by head.

    ¡°H, Head nun! Please release me! I can''t talk this way!¡±

    ¡°Shut up. You don''t even have the right to open your mouth. You will be spanked for hours tonight!¡±

    ¡°Hick, hick?!¡±

    The head nun''s spanks, they were particrly reserved for nuns who broke rules.

    The spanks were not done by hand, not by a wooden cane either, but an iron bat studded with small thorns.

    The head nun would mercilessly p their ass with that bat. Whether the flesh got torn and blood trickled, or bones got broken, her spanks did not stop.

    As for the inconveniences causedter to the punished nun? Wasn''t there the Goddess granted ¡®Heal'' spell?

    While Ophelia was startled, her face turning pale by second; Cloud, ignorant of the reality, just sighed deeply.

    ¡°Are you afraid of spanks even at this age?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because the hero doesn¡¯t know! The nun''s spanks are¡­ aih?!¡±

    ¡°Hero, please, leave us. I will even contently leave my designation if granted the chance to teach this stupid saintess candidate.¡±

    "Alright. Please teach her properly. As much as you can."

    "Hero, save me! Oops!!!¡±

    ¡°You stay still, Ophelia!

    The head nun gagged Ophelia''s lips with one hand and loaded her over the shoulders at the same time. She seemed very familiar with the movement as she was done with the action in one swift motion.

    Cloud looked at her and smiled for a moment, then nced back.

    His eyes coldly scanned the archbishop''s chambers.

    * * *

    The archbishop''s chamber after Cloud left.

    ¡°Are you sure you aren''t kidding me? So, I came all the way here only to be rejected?"

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m really sorry.¡±

    A nun rebuking the archbishop.

    Such an unbelievable sight was unfolding. But to them, it was natural.

    Because the nun wasn''t just a nun, and the archbishop wasn''t a faithful archbishop either.

    One was a demon and the other a traitor.

    ¡°I really didn¡¯t know that the hero had forgiven the saintess candidate. I thought he waspelled to ept her because he had no other substitutes¡­¡±

    ¡°Maybe he noticed the bullshit about changing the candidacy of a saintess early on.¡±

    ¡°The hero said he refuses because he doesn''t like pink hair¡­¡±

    ¡°You actually believe that, hah? See and think, it''s just an indirect way of saying no! He already knew it was bullshit all along! Which servant of the Goddess has the authority to change the candidacy of a saintess that the Goddess had chosen herself, huh? If he thought about it for even a little bit, he would have realised the problem. It was a poor n that relied on the emotions of that hero Cloud in the first ce.¡±

    "¡­sorry."

    The archbishop bowed his head.

    Seeing this, the nun clucked her tongue.

    ¡°Whatever you do now, do it well. In particr, if the lies you wove about the Prince get blown away, the cause would be disrupted. What will happen to you if something like that happens¡­ you know well, right?¡±

    A turbid energy emanating from the nun crushed the Archbishop''s body. As for the Archbishop, he did not dare to push the energy away. All he could do was keep his head lowered as much as he could.

    ¡°Y-Yes, I will do my best!¡±

    ¡°Show the results. I need results, not words.¡±

    Having said that, the nun turned her back on the archbishop.

    She left the chamber and walked down the hallway.

    Her steps were filled with deep irritation.

    ¡®Damn it. Nothing''s happening right.¡¯

    The subordinates who she had ordered to retrieve the Behemoth''s soul lost contact, and their n to infiltrate Cloud''s suddenly-rising party was in torn pieces.

    Just when the nun was scratching her hair which felt more awkward with her body today.

    She realized something was wrong around her.

    ¡®¡­why is it so quiet?¡¯

    No matter how dark it got after the sun went down, the sounds of patrolling steps were ever-present. But currently there were none.

    ¨C Tuck. Tuck.

    Except for her footsteps as she walked down the hallway. When¡ª

    Cloud appeared from the edge of darkness where the light of the torch could not reach.

    Seeing him, the nun smiled gleefully.

    ¡°Hero? Youe back? Have you changed your mind?¡±

    Cloud didn''t answer.

    He simply scanned the nun up and down, as if admiring her figure.

    ¡°There is really nothing wrong no matter how many times I look. You look just like a human no matter which angle I use.¡±

    ¡°¡­what do you mean by that?¡±

    The nun kept her smile present while her body strained for any possible attack.

    ¡°Don¡¯t waste my time. You are a demon, I know. And of the same species as those octopus heads that were loitering about the Behemoth''s corpse. You guys smell the same.¡±

    The nun''s face hardened coldly.

    ¡°You know K¡¯Cha and Kne?¡±

    "I do."

    ¡°What did you do to them?¡±

    ¡°I killed, after asking a few questions."

    Cloud drew his sword.

    ¡°I have a lot more to ask you too.¡±

 Chapter 72.1: Kingdom of Prona (4)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    Prince of the Kingdom of Prona, Nell.

    Having received proper education from his childhood, he was not an authority-drunk jerk. He was not arrogant and had an actually good personality.

    There was nothing special about him, but most agreed that under him, the kingdom will have a stable rule.

    And this prince was now lying in his room, quavering under a nket.

    ¨C Pull the heretic to the guillotine!

    ¨C Haul the prince to the guillotine!

    ¨C Overthrow heresy! Overthrow the Prince!

    The angry voices of the masses still echoed in his ears. They seemed unwilling to stop unless the prince was hung on the guillotine.

    ¡®The guillotine¡­ the guillotine¡­!¡¯

    Wasn''t decapitation by guillotine a death penalty used to publicly execute vicious criminals?

    So why him?

    Why? What wrong did hemit?

    The prince trembled as he recalled the sharp de of the guillotine glinting under the harsh sunlight.

    "Prince!"

    The door swung open and his escort knight barged in.

    ¡°Huh?! S, Sir Carr? You surprised me!¡±

    ¡°Your Highness, now is not the time to be surprised. Yours, the prince''s name has been cleared!"

    "What? No, I mean, how all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°It is difficult to exin in words. Please, follow me!¡±

    Nell felt very confused.

    Just when he was thinking of the guillotine, feeling afraid, his escort knight suddenlyes in and says his name was cleared. How can anyone not be surprised?

    But the escort knight''s eyes were serious, so maybe? That thought made a small wave in his mind.

    Nell got up from his bed and followed the steps of the knight.

    ¡°But where are we going?¡±

    ¡°To the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°Dungeon? Why there?¡±

    ¡°Your Highness will understand only after looking with your own eyes!¡±

    When he finally reached the dungeon, Nell could understand Sir Carr''s words.

    An octopus humanoid was shackled in captivity.

    This was really hard to put into words. Even if Sir Carr had said it himself, Nell would not have believed it.

    ¡°Nell, you are here?¡±

    The King, William, turned to Nell and smiled.

    The king was not alone in the dungeon.

    Butlers, scribes, knights, etc.

    All the high-ranking officials in the pce had gathered.

    ¡°Father? I''ve been told that my name has been cleared, but¡­ what the hell is this? What is this octopus humanoid!?¡±

    ¡°Calm down, I will exin everything. Good, take a deep breath."

    Only after hearing the king''s words did the prince realize just how excited he was. The thought of getting rid of the usations that had been tormenting him for the past few weeks had made him exhrated.

    Nell took a deep breath and calmed his mind.

    ¡°¡­I have shown an insightly behaviour, apologies.¡±

    "It''s alright. Everyone here knows how much you''ve suffered. Head butler, will you exin to the prince?¡±

    "Yes, of course, Your Majesty."

    The head bulter bowed and then began to exin everything Nell.

    Hearing the exnation, Nell was astonished.

    ¡°Are you saying that the archbishop was holding hands with the demons to frame me? An archbishop, what in the Goddess'' name?!¡±

    Even if an ordinary priest had teamed up with the demons, it would have been a shocking matter. But the archbishop? No one would could have fathomed.

    The prince could hardly believe the words of the head bulter.

    "Can''t that demon be lying to dirty the Archbishop''s name?¡±

    ¡°The chances of that happening are¡­ small. Which many people would have the audacity tobel the royal family as heretics and incite the masses?¡±

    ¡°What¡­ for what¡­ what did he do this for?¡±

    Seeing the prince staggering back in disbelief, the head butler shook his head with a bitter expression.

    ¡°That we haven¡¯t figured out yet.¡±

    At the head bulter''s words, Nell sharpened his teeth.

    He strode forward and grabbed the demon''s cor.

    "Say it! Why¡­"

    The prince''s anger quickly cooled when he saw the traces of terrible gashes on the demon''s body.

    Cuts, tears, pokes, and stabs.

    Traces of simple but heinous wounds were engraved on the demon''s body. There was no sense of focus in the demon''s hazy eyes.

    ¡°What is this¡­¡±

    ¡°Those are the signs of torture. And what made the demon open their mouth.¡±

    Nell turned his head in the direction the voice came from.

    Cloud was leaning against the wall.

    When Nell entered the dungeon, his figure had been obscured behind the king and officials.

    "Hero? Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°The thing the prince is holding, I caught it.¡±

    The prince turned his gaze to the king.

    The king nodded his head notifying that the hero''s words held the truth.

    Nell''s expression brightened.

    He let go of the demon''s cor, approached Cloud and grabbed his hand.

    ¡°You are my benefactor!¡±

    ¡°In retrospect, that¡¯s what it is.¡±

    "Thank you. Thanks to you, I was able to get rid of the dirty usations. I will repay this favor somehow!¡±

    ¡°Repay the favor?¡±

    "That''s right. Let me know if you want anything. I''ll do anything that I''m allowed to."

    ¡°Then let me ask you that one thing right now. Please ask others to leave. I have something to say to His Majesty in private."

    ¡°Ummm¡­¡±

    The prince gave him a slightly troubled expression.

    To have a private conversation with the king.

    This was a request that went beyond the authority of the prince. One could only do it with the permission of the king himself.

    Nell nced at his father, the King. Feeling his son''s gaze, William met Cloud''s eyes.

    ¡®¡­he must have something important to say.¡¯

    The king recognized it from Cloud''s eyes and raised his hand to stifle the opposition of his subjects.

    ¡°Leave with the prince.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, please don''t. At least keep Sir Weasel by your side.¡±

    "Your Majesty, please allow me to stay with you as the head butler says.¡±

    The butlers and the knights asked for it, but the king was adamant.

    ¡°Why do I need Sir Weasel''s protection when engaging in conversation with the hero? Do you think the hero will harm me?¡±

 Chapter 72.2: Kingdom of Prona (4)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    At William''s words, the servants shut their mouths.

    They did remember what the hero had done at the banquet. But they weren''t going to say that.

    Because there is a big difference between what you think and what you say with your mouth.

    At this point when the hero had captured the demon and uncovered the innocence of the prince, it was even more difficult to put it into words.

    "¡­Alright."

    In the end, the servants had no choice but to bow their heads and leave. When they left, only the demon, King William, and Cloud remained in the dungeon.

    William said, looking at Cloud.

    ¡°Before I ask you why you wanted it to be private, can I ask you one thing?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for apprehending the demon and cleaning the rumours, but why did you torture the demon yourself?"

    ¡°For information, as simple as that.¡±

    ¡°Thanks to you, the demon has lost its mind.¡±

    ¡°Because I don¡¯t have a deep knowledge of torture arts.¡±

    ¡°There are excellent torture specialists in the pce.¡±

    ¡°Stop asking more questions, Your Majesty. You are ming my arbitrary torture because of which the demon lost its mind. But I did it for a sufficient reason.¡±

    ¡°I am listening.¡±

    ¡°Soulstone.¡±

    William''s face hardened at the word Cloud uttered. Cloud grinned as if he had caught the right string.

    ¡°What are these demons aiming for, to be desperate enough to entangle even the prince''s name? As I thought deeply, the direction of my thoughts turned to the royal family. Maybe they want something the royal family has. But as far as I know, there is nothing in the royal family''s possession that demons would want. So I tortured it to see if there was something the royal family was hiding, and I was right.¡±

    Cloud got up and brushed the dust off his butt.

    He walked in front of William and faced him.

    ¡°You will guide me.¡±

    "¡­I''m thinking I should have epted the head butler''s proposal, letting Sir Weasel stay behind."

    ¡°Nothing would have changed.¡±

    ¡°Was worth trying.¡±

    William sighed deeply.

    ¡°Follow me.¡±

    William and Cloud walked down the stairs of the dungeon. After going down for a while, they reached thest floor.

    ¡°There are no prisoners here.¡±

    ¡°Not enough prisoners that would requisite the need of this floor, and it wasn¡¯t made for that purpose in the first ce.¡±

    William entered the sixth prison cell on the right and fumbled with the wall across the iron bars. A brick that touched his hand went deep.

    Kugugung-!

    The wall splitted, revealing a passage leading to the inside. William went in first, followed by Cloud.

    ¡°You don''t look surprised.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been through much to be surprised by just this.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been curious about it for a long time. What kind of experience did you go through that changed you like this?¡±

    ¡°Not a great experience, I''ll give you that.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want to talk. We don''t have time to listen anyway."

    William motioned at the purple light he saw through the aisle. That was the end of the passage, and the ce the thing Cloud mentioned was stored at.

    Arriving in the small round room, Cloud found himself in front of a gem emitting dazzling purple light.

    He recognized it at a nce, this gem was the soul stone, and at the same time frowned at the strong energy it oozed out.

    Soul stone.

    A gem that turns captured souls into energy.

    A gem touted as a sacred artefact among warlocks.

    Cloud had wondered why the Kingdom had this treasure, but now was more curious as to why the Soul Stone emitted such strong energy.

    ¡°How many people did you sacrifice to gather this amount of energy?¡±

    ¡°Not too many. I can count on ten fingers.¡±

    ¡°You are saying that fewer than ten souls will radiate that kind of energy? Like what, had they all been the heroes of the century?¡±

    "Don''t say nonsense," Cloudughed.

    William went silent with a bitter face.

    Cloud''s expression hardened slightly.

    ¡°You said you can count on ten fingers. Exactly how many?¡±

    ¡°Seven in total.¡±

    ¡°Which among them were heroes?¡±

    ¡°All seven of them¡­ ugh¡­!¡±

    Before William could finish speaking, Cloud grabbed him by neck. The neck was fragile, so fragile that it could be broken at any moment if desired, but Cloud did not.

    He just looked at him with cold eyes, his hand around the neck.

    "Tell me why I shouldn''t break this neck."

    ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re mistaken¡­ something big¡­¡±

    "Mistaken?"

    ¡°You think the kingdom¡­ forced¡­ their souls¡­ don¡¯t you think¡­"

    "Oh?"

    ¡°Never..! The kingdom never siphoned their souls! Kugh..! They sacrificed¡­ for the sake of the kingdom¡­ There''s no way we could have siphoned the soul of a hero¡­ who are beyond the realm of humanity in the first ce¡­"

    ¡°Maybe with threats, you could. There are many other ways."

    A hero is a superhuman.

    However, that does not necessarily mean that the people around a hero are superhumans too. For example, what if you secretly kidnap a hero''s family and force him to sacrifice his soul to the soul stone?

    If he is a man with strong family affection, he will have no choice but to give in to the threats.

    "Yeah¡­ There may be many ways like you said¡­ But think about it¡­ If the kingdom had done such a vicious deed¡­ wouldn''t it have been punished by the Goddess?"

    ¡°Now that you bring in the Goddess, even thest bit of trust is gone."

    ¡°What?!¡±

    What a sphemous remark!

    Just when William, astonished, prayed to the goddess that he had nothing to do with those remarks.

    ¡°So you are the hero of this time. If that child''s words are true, won''t you let go?"

    A suspicious voice was heard.

    Cloud turned his head in the direction the voice came from.

    A spirit in the form of an old man was looking at him, hovering above the soul stone.

    ¡°¡­and who you may be?¡±

    ¡°Sylus, was the first hero of the Kingdom of Prona.¡±

    Starting with the introduction of the old spirit, six more spirits jumped out of the soulstone one by one.

 Chapter 73.1: Kingdom of Prona (5)

    <strong>Proofreader: DreaMing </strong>

    "¡­and that''s how I ended up marrying everyone and living happily ever after."

    ¡°You cheated outright, and you are even proud of it, hah.¡±

    ¡°Hey, not again, everytime I tell my story you jump up to counter me. I didn''t break anyw, I legally married to several woman. What''s wrong with that?"

    ¡°Think with that poor brain of yours. Had your wives supported polygamy? But, they got a yboy for a husband, they had no choice but to ept it. Hey, Cloud, don''t be like him."

    ¡°No matter how much you preach, no guy will not learn in my support. Harem is a man¡¯s romance!¡±

    ¡°Shitty romance it is then!¡±

    Eredna, a beautiful-looking female spirit, yelled at the handsome male spirit, Drake. She nagged some more and then turned her gaze to Cloud.

    ¡°Forget his bullshit and listen carefully to what I have to say. That would be more helpful in the future.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Cloud, don''t listen. You will only get a packed bundle of boasting weaved in a heart-warming story about a woman preserving her chastity only to get obsessed with it and die a virgin.¡±

    ¡°Boasting? When did I ever boast about it?¡±

    Drake clicked his tongue at Eredna''s growl.

    ¡°Did I listen to you once or twice? When you talk, you exin in detail the origins and abilities of the men you have been secretly courting.¡±

    ¡°I was just telling the story objectively¡­¡±

    ¡°You mean being objective sounds like that? See me, I''m a woman who was courted by so many great men, but rejected them all, because virginity is my motto! You keep going on and on about that. Anyway, I''m saying Cloud, there''s definitely something shady about this woman.¡±

    ¡°Shady?! What do you mean shady!?¡±

    Emotionally, Eredna grabbed Drake by the neck who released a tired sigh with a look of disinterest as her hands phased past him.

    To which, Eredna face darkened further.

    ¡°Guys, stop fighting. It''s not everyday that we see the present generation''s hero.¡±

    Seeing the atmosphere worsen, the spirit of a hero who looked naive intervened, with the motive to stop them¡­

    ¡°Shut up, you idiot who doesn¡¯t even understands how a woman feels!¡±

    ¡°Sit down, you fool who lost his woman to the Demon King.¡±

    Wounded by Eredna and Drake''s verbal chide, he squatted down in a corner, drawing imaginary circles in self-pity.

    The other hero spirits smiled slovenly as if it was a matter happened on daily basis.

    Cloud took a deep breath.

    ¡®Where did it go wrong?¡¯

    Seven spirits suddenly appeared when he was talking to the king.

    They were the souls of the heroes had assimted with the soul stone.

    Among them, Ss, who imed to be the first hero, admitted that the recount about the soul stone was true and beseeched to release the king.

    Cloud was slightly stunned at their appearance.

    It''s the first time he had ever seen a soul absorbed in a soulstone move freely outside.

    Even Cloud was like that, no need to say about the King.

    More than bewildered, he was astonished, and after all the fuss, he left to give them some personal space, but before greeting all of them politely.

    After that, the heroes decided to move on to the self-introduction.

    ¡®Then this happened.¡¯

    Cloud''s facial muscles twitched as Eredna and Drake shot innovative insults at each other.

    ¡°You can ignore them, they can be a little embarrassing, even as heroes."

    The first hero, Ss, approached and sat down next to Cloud.

    ¡°Are you disappointed?¡±

    "No. Unique personality they have and it looks good.¡±

    A hero who created the harem.

    A hero who believed in pure love.

    A hero whose woman was wooed by the Demon King.

    A hero who suffered alone in a dark worldview, etc.

    All heroes with different personalities of their own.

    Rather, Ss, the first hero, was the most uncharacteristic among them. His adventures seemed like something you would rather see in a fairy tale.

    ¡°Haha, that¡¯s true. They have been alone in the soulstone for hundred of years, isted form the outside world.¡±

    ¡°Is there anyone who could not hold it and copsed?¡±

    It was a rather rude question, but Ss smiled and shook his head.

    ¡°I know what you are worried about. But that never happened. In the first ce, I didn¡¯t even give an offer to a hero who had such a possibility.¡±

    He had said before that all the heroes gathered here were voluntarily absorbed into the Soul Stone after receiving a offer from Ss in some way.

    Except for Ss, there were six, so he had thought that that was all, but it was only those who met the criteria.

    ¡°You said it before, it was you who made the Soul Stone.¡±

    "Yes."

    ¡°Is there really a reason you had to do this? Sacrificing yourself, sacrificing others as well.¡±

    Ss went silent for a moment at Cloud''s question, before opening his mouth.

    ¡°How long do you think this peace willst? How long do you think that the routine of heroes defeating the Demon King willst?¡±

    It was a bad way, answering a question with a question, but it made it easier for Cloud to guess what he meant.

    ¡°You are preparing in case the heroes are defeated.¡±

    Ss nodded his head.

    ¡°I killed the Demon King along with the other heroes. But strangely, the alien feeling that the Demon King remains lingered in my mind. Obviously, the Demon King was dead, but our instinct told us otherwise. It meant that that was not the end of the confrontation between humans and demons. We decided to go back home and prepare for the future in our own way.¡±

    ¡°The soul stone was your way?¡±

    ¡°At that time, the Kingdom of Prona was a much poorer kingdom than it is today. So what if you are a hero, you cannot create something out of nothing. Maybe there was a better way. But it was the best I could think of.¡±

    The day the heroes are defeated by the Demon King.

    An unprecedented great chaos will unfold when arge army of demons invade the continent.

    There was no way that the previously small Kingdom of Prona would be able to handle the chaos. Therefore, the strong soul energy of the heroes was used as a medium to create a measure to protect the kingdom.

    Ss recounted everything.

    ¡°But it all turned out to be pointless. This old secret has been exposed to the demons.¡±

    Secret weapons are valuable because their existence is a mystery. Otherwise, a secret weapon is of no great value.

    ¡°As you said, the Four Heavenly Kings are trying toe down intact through the power of Soul Stone¡­ It has all turned pointless.¡±

    He lived his entire life to protect the kingdom from demons. He maintained his ego in the soulstone for hundreds of years for the kingdom.

    But now, his presence will threaten the kingdom on the contrary.

    There was a bitter look on Ss'' face.

    ¡°It may not bepletely meaningless.¡±

    At that time, the hero who had experienced the darkness of the world, the one who had been quiet until now looked at Cloud and said. Noticing the meaning in his eyes, Ss opened his eyes wide, bobbing his head.

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 73.2: Kingdom of Prona (5)

    ¡°Yeah, it could be.¡±

    ¡°What do you two mean? You two are cooking something, tell me too.¡±

    Ss turned his bodypletely towards Cloud.

    "You. Would you want to learn swordsmanship from me?"

    ¡°¡­swordsmanship?¡±

    Cloud tilted his head at the rather ludicrous statement.

    ¡°There are many things I can teach you other than swords. Even though we can''t show you magic in our current state, we can give you a theory."

    ¡°I can teach you bed techniques if you want!¡±

    ¡°You bastard, read the mood!¡±

    Eredna pped Drake on the back.

    Drake, who wasughing, changed his gaze to dead seriousness in an instant. Not only his, but also the eyes of all the other heroes looking at Cloud changed.

    Even the hero who was drawing circles in the corner after being chided by Eredna and Drake.

    Cloud also erased his smile.

    ¡°What do you want from me?¡±

    ¡°Nothing great. We just hope that you will learn what we will teach and pass it on to the next generation in some way.¡±

    "It''s not a difficult request, but¡­ Wasn''t that something you could have done yourself, even if it wasn''t through me? Like nurturing a sessor.¡±

    ¡°Ummm¡­ shamefully, I didn¡¯t think of it when I was still alive. I don''t know why, but everyone here also didn''t. I also left a few pieces of my used equipment¡­¡±

    "Hah¡­"

    Does it make sense to not remember something like that?

    There must have been third party intervention.

    And it goes without saying who the third party was.

    Cloud smiled and nodded his head.

    It was a good thing for him to increase the number of skills that he could use in this world.

    To be honest, using only basic skills such as [Strike], [Parring], and [Bash] was a bit tedious.

    ¡°How long will it take to learn?¡±

    ¡°One year, more or less.¡±

    "One week."

    Cloud stood up and dered.

    ¡°If it getste, let¡¯s finish it within a month.¡±

    Drake smirked at that.

    ¡°This hero is pretty cocky. Good, good. Only someone of such mindset is qualified to inherit my swordsmanship!¡±

    * * *

    ¡°¡­do I really have to teach my bed techniques too?¡±

    Drake muttered gibberish as usual, but his voice was weak. He couldn''t put finesse in his words, so was for Eredna and other heroes.

    ¡°I really couldn''t have fathom you would learn it all in a week.¡±

    Ss chuckled and shook his head. Cloud learned their skills in a week, as he initially dered.

    It was a happy mistake.

    The hero of this generation was far more capable than them.

    However, someone was able to imitate the skills he had honed throughout his life in just a simr way, if not the same, at once, so he couldn''t help but feel somewhat frustrated as a swordsman.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that the time for parting woulde so quickly, but I¡¯m d that we part with fewer regrets.¡±

    ¡°¡­as I said before, you don''t have to do it like this. The coaching is enough.¡±

    ¡°Now that this secret has been revealed to the demons, the soul stone must be destroyed anyway. You stopped it this time, but no one knows whether future heroes will be able to do the same.¡±

    ¡°I mean,e''on, you guys can free yourself from your duties as heroes.¡±

    ¡°The past hundreds of years have be meaningless. Please make our sacrifices meaningful.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Cloud. Don¡¯t try to hog all the cool experiences to yourself, let¡¯s share some.¡±

    ¡°Been locked up in this little jewel for hundreds of years. Gotta make it worth it."

    Cloud sighed at the generosity of the heroes. It''s even more rude to say no now.

    ¡®Anyway, old people are always stubborn.¡¯

    How did they even know about glyphs?

    ¡°Don¡¯tinter.¡±

    Cloud held the soul stone and used the glyph.

    Next moment, the spirits of the heroes were sucked into the Soul Stone. A strong sense of resistance was felt on the hand holding the soul stone.

    It wasn''t because the souls of the heroes refused to.

    This was because Cloud''s vessel was too small for all the souls to enter. No, it was wrong to me Cloud''s vessel in the first ce.

    ¡®The presence of each one is no joke.¡¯

    The heroespressed their souls as much as possible to make it easier for Cloud to ept.

    However, each of them was a hero who had represented the Kingdom of Prona for an era. Both the quality and size of the soul could not bepared to a mere Ogre or Behemoth.

    ¡®It¡¯s like holding the ocean with a funnel.¡¯

    The arm that was connecting the souls of the heroes and Cloud''s vessel was in pain as if torn asunder. The veins sprung up and the muscles wriggled like worms.

    The souls, that had barely crossed over by overusing the arm, tried to take a seat in Cloud''s vessel.

    The vessel reaction was justified.

    The tiny veins in his eyes bursted, tears of blood flowing down.

    Blood was dripping from his ears as well as from his nose as he began to hear his tinnitus beeping.

    ¨C Grrp!

    One fistful of blood ran up his throat.

    ¡®I can¡¯t. If I just epted it, the body would copse.¡¯

    He was suppressing his instincts from pressuring the souls, but the situation wasn''t allowing.

    Cloudpressed the souls of the heroes.

    However, unlike when hepressed the soul of the Ogre or the Behemoth, he used his imaginary hands very carefully so as not to affect the originality of the souls.

    Because of which, it was only after two full days that Cloud was able to stabilize the souls of the heroes.

    Cloud took a deep breath and sat down. His blood vessels were twisted, his organs were injured, and his muscles were torn. In that state, he stayed up for two days straight.

    He was literally a walking miracle to be still alive.

    ¡°¡­that¡¯s why I said I didn¡¯t want to receive it.¡±

    Next time they met, he was surely going to jab them on this one.

    Cloud spit the blood from his mouth on the floor and stood up, leaning against the wall as he pushed his body up.

    He staggered and took a step forward.

    * * *

    [Passive]

    ¨C Damage from demons is reduced by 20%.

    ¨C Damage to demons is increased by 20%.

    ¨C Damage from ck magic is reduced by 20%.

    ¨C Damage from undead is reduced by 20%.

    ¨C Damage to undead increases by 20%.

    [Active]

    (Blooming) ¨C Unleash the full potential within a short period of time. At the end of ¡®blooming'', the user will lose consciousness.

    (Abloom) ¨C Can be used in the ¡®blooming¡¯ state. Unleash more than what your inherent potential allows. When ¡®blooming¡¯ ends, all stats are permanently reduced by 10%.

 Chapter 74.1: Kingdom of Prona (6)

    Upon hearing that Cloud hade out of the dungeon, King William put aside all his work and headed for his private room.

    ¡°Arrived?¡±

    Cloud said, his face pale.

    The royal healer sitting next to him stood up to voice the pleasantries, but William raised his hand at once to halt.

    ¡°How is the hero''s condition? It surely doesn''t look good, so¡­¡±

    ¡°It hasn''t gone that bad. Atleast now he''s out of danger, but it was very serious before.¡±

    ¡°¡­more than this?¡±

    What can be even worse than shadowy, sunken cheeks and thick dark circles?

    The healer nodded.

    ¡°When I firstid my eyes at him, the hero¡¯s body was a horrific spectacle. The blood flow was unorganised, organs were all bruised, and the muscles'' condition was the worst¡ªswollen, torn and spasming. It is a miracle to be still alive.¡±

    "¡­Iris-sama''s miracle."

    "Yes. I can only see it as the graceful mercy of Iris-sama.¡±

    Cloud frowned, but that passed the sights of the two devout believers.

    ¡°Is he alright now?¡±

    "Yes, Your Majesty. The first aid treatment went well and after that the recovery too.¡±

    ¡°Good, good. Would you mind leaving us for a while? I desire to colloquy with the hero, in private.¡±

    "I don''t, Your Majesty."

    The healer nodded his head politely towards both of them and left the private room.

    Cloud waved his hand at the departing healer and grabbed the soup bowl beside him and began to drink in mouthfuls.

    Seeing this, William sighed in relief.

    ¡°I came here in a hurry hearing about your condition¡­ What in Goddess'' name happened!?¡±

    ¡°I''m somewhat injured, I guess? What am I supposed to do when the means of the older generation are so heavy?¡±

    ¡°Means are heavy..? There''s no way you''d have had a fight with them¡­ You were being taught?"

    "Yes."

    ¡°What?! R, Really!? They actually taught you!?¡±

    ¡°Anything for me to gain from lying?¡±

    William opened his mouth stupidly, then smiled broadly.

    "Ha Ha Ha! Yes, I can understand what it would have been to be taught by them. No, considering they have taught their skills in such a short span of time, the level of effort must have been tasking.¡±

    "Yeah."

    The reason Cloud''s physical condition was ruined was entirely due to the Gylph. But he couldn''t tell William anything about the Glyphs, so he rummaged around, and let him believe in his own self-thought conjuncture.

    ¡°Good, good¡­¡±

    William was satisfied as he stroked his beard.

    Soon after, his expression became more serious than ever.

    ¡°What about the Soul Stone?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s broken.¡±

    ¡°Is that so¡­¡±

    William smiled bitterly.

    Cloud tilted his head, finding the reaction nder than he expected.

    ¡°I thought you will shout and all because I broke it for no reason, hah¡­¡±

    William shook his head.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way you would break it for no reason. There must have been some intention, was there not?"

    ¡°Was.¡±

    ¡°Everything''s fine, then. In the first ce, soulstone was created by their sacrifice. They''ve decided to destroy it, so who am I toin? As royalty or the king of the nation, the end result is a little disappointing, but as a man who admires them, I am happy. They deserve rest.¡±

    William''s eyes changed for a moment to that of a young boy with longing. The relieved look in those eyes made Cloud feel unsettled.

    Even though he had absorbed the souls on their persuasion.

    He decided to change the subject of the conversation.

    ¡°By the way, what happened to that demon and the archbishop?¡±

    William''s eyes returned to that of a King''s.

    ¡°The demon has been given a public execution date. It will climb the guillotine in the city square soon. The Archbishop¡­ unfortunately, it is best to keep him in custody.¡±

    ¡°Is it because of the Church?¡±

    "Indeed. An archbishop''s position is not light, we can''t put him up for felony¡­"

    The significance of the any Archbishop in the Church was not small.

    Mere testimony from a demon who had lost its mind to torture was not a proof enough.

    That alone was not sufficient reason to be arbitrarily executed by any King.

    ¡°Still, he betrayed humanity, so he will be under Church''s direct custody and face interrogation.¡±

    ¡°And the Church will press up his dishonorable action.¡±

    ¡°What can I do? The kingdom is too weak to stand up against the Church.¡±

    How could William be willing to leave that bastard so easily?

    That bastard was the one who tried to dishonor his son''s honor and put him on the guillotine.

    He was feeling a volcano boiling in his chest, beseeching to tear the bastard into two with his own hands.

    But the reality was not into his favour.

    If the archbishop were to be executed, the Church will emunicate William and diplomatically iste the Kingdom of Prona.

    Kingdom of Prona was a weak kingdom at its core.

    The moment they are isted, the future will disappear.

    So William had no choice but to clench his teeth and endure.

    Before he was a father, he was the king of a nation.

    Cloud looked at William''s expression of suppressed anger and let out a short sigh.

    ¡°Execute him. If the Church reacts, say that I insisted."

    ¡°Thank you for saying that.¡±

    William grinned.

    But soon he saw that there was no sign of joking on Cloud''s face, and his expression hardened.

    ¡°Are you serious? Going against the Church?"

    ¡°Not the thing I will not be serious about. This matter is not about killing an innocent person, it''s about killing a traitor who has teamed up with the demons."

    ¡°Even if it is true, they would take it differently.¡±

    ¡°It would be truly sad if that happened, but it¡¯s okay. Even the Pope would never harbour the thought of emunicating the hero chosen by the Goddess herself. More less sending a pdin for revenge,plete nonsense.¡±

    ¡°Forget about outside, from inside they will hate you. By which I mean, they will no longer be kind to you."

    ¡°Tell me something I don''t know. How many people have ever been kind to me?¡±

    How many people in this world would fully stand by his side?

    Frillite. Lugar. Mars.

    Only these three names came to mind right away.

    ¡®Shedia, Katarina, and Leslie will be on my side soon.¡¯

    I wish they would.

    When this gets over.

    Cloud chuckled.

 Chapter 74.2: Kingdom of Prona (6)

    ¡°Ahem..!¡± William, unprepared for Cloud''s sudden remark, coughed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you are doing this for me but I have to tell you anyway¡ªand I will speak on behalf of the kingdom¡ªhonourable hero, I thank you for your devotion.¡±

    ¡°I''m d to hear that. The time hase to replenish the travel funds, and with this, we will be able to receive our activity expenses without any hesitation.¡±

    "Uh? Activity expense?¡±

    To William''s puzzled expression, Cloud narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°Will you just say thanks and be done with it..?¡±

    William hurriedly waved his hand at the sound of his voice dripping with disappointment.

    ¡°No, no. I was just a little startled. You haven''t asked for activity expenses in a while!"

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the situation different then and now?¡±

    At that time, if he received money, he will owe king a favour. But now, he was getting it for his hard work.

    William, who understood the meaning of his words, grinned stoically.

    ¡°I understand what you mean. So, how much is the activity expense¡­¡±

    ¡°How much can you give?¡±

    Cloud interrupted William''s words and went in.

    "Well..?"

    ¡°How much can you give the hero who rescued the kingdom and prince from a Heavenly King, and dig out the conspiracy between the Church and demons?¡±

    Cloud said with a friendly smile.

    A cold sweat ran down William''s neck.

    * * *

    "Wake up, you imbeciles! Don''t believe these motherf**kerrrrrs!!! This is wrong! I''m the archbishop, there is no way I can collude with numpty demons! Believers, open your eyes! Come on, these foolish demon worshippers who are persecuting me¡­ Puhuh?!¡±

    When a rotten tomato orthodoxly pped on his face, the archbishop''s earnest cry ceased.

    Before he could shake his head and shake off the tomato pulp, a new fruit or stone hit him in the face.

    The hero had dered the archbishop a traitor.

    In front of the archbishop, a bizarre looking demon was shackled and being dragged away together.

    Only a few priests who ardently believed in him protested. Even that was suppressed by citizens and rest of the majority clergy.

    And so the demon and the archbishop were hanged on the guillotine.

    "No, no! Do you guys really believe what these demon worshippers say?! You guys should be loyal to Iris¡­¡±

    tak-!

    Their necks fell side by side.

    Seeing the heads of the demon and the archbishop falling side to side, Cloud felt a little empty.

    A spy who tried to overthrow the kingdom and a traitor who had ties to him. Committed such treasons, but their heads were cut off and it was all over.

    ¡®At least a little bit of torture¡­¡¯

    Suddenly, Cloud remembered the subus torture festival he had been through in the past.

    Remembering the maddening, hollowughters of women who had lost their husbands or sons to subus, he shook his head.

    ¡®It¡¯s good to be ordinary sometimes.¡¯

    Torture, not always a good means.

    ¡°There was nothing special about it.¡±

    "I know, right. I thought he was going to suffer first.¡±

    ¡°Consider him lucky. There are not only adults here, but also children.¡±

    Ophelia, Eri, and Neria were sharing their feelings about the execution. Their talks continued until they returned to the pce and had dinner.

    "Guys."

    ¡°So, as an example, a sharp harpoon¡­ huh? What is it, Cloud? You have something to say?¡±

    Eri, who was hypothesizing the ways the demon and the archbishop would have received justifiable punishment for their crimes, turned her attention to Cloud. So did Ophelia and Neria.

    ¡°I have something important to announce.¡±

    ¡°Important? What?"

    ¡°You also know that the capital of our kingdom has been shaken by this incident, right? That is why this has be such a serious problem.¡±

    "Indeed. Who would have thought demons were conspiring to summon a Heavenly King right in the middle of the city.¡±

    ¡°Who would have predicted the fall of an archbishop or something simr? Hero has done a great job.¡±

    Ophelia put her hands together in a prayer posture. After she was taken by the old nun, she seemed to have turned a little more faithful.

    "I''m d I don''t need to do the exnation part. As you all know, currently the kingdom''s peace is at stake. It''s unbelievable that demons had been teeming in the city openly. The king said he would raise the level of vignce in the future, but¡­¡±

    ¡°It has already happened once, so how can we trust, eh?¡±

    Eri patted her chin and muttered.

    She said again, looking at Cloud.

    ¡°I think I know what important thing you want to announce is. The capital of the kingdom is at stake, and unstable, it would not be strange if anything happens out of blue, and you no longer have trust in the Royal family. So you mean we should stay in the capital for a while and see what happens?¡±

    Cloud nodded his head.

    Eri leaned back in the chair as she smiled confidently.

    "I think the same. Last time, we killed a herd of beasts, is there any difference with demons?¡±

    ¡°As a knight, I cannot neglect the safety of citizens.¡±

    ¡°Oh my, now that the two of you have made your mind, who am I to object.¡±

    ¡°Your Saintess Candidate is in favour of our decision too, it seems.¡±

    ¡°Fufu, that¡¯s right.¡±

    There was a friendly atmosphere between the three women.

    Seeing that, Cloud smiled.

    ¡®Thank god.''

    Now, he has to recruit Shedia, Katarina, and Leslie, and find the equipment left behind by the heroes.

    In the meantime, while he was going to get busy, someone was needed in the Capital. Thankfully, the party agreed without any issues.

    "Thanks. Thanks to you all, I can go aboutfortably.¡±

    So, with all of his sincerity, he thanked them.

    ¡°What, go about.. you mean?¡±

    "Uh?"

    ¡°?¡±

    They didn''t understand him for a moment.

    And only for a moment.

    The friendly atmosphere changed to a chilly one.

    Cloud gulped.

    ¡®Oh, this is not possible.¡¯

    He tried to jump over it, but failed.

 Chapter 75.1: Kingdom of Prona (7)

    "Cloud, it sounds like you''re going to leave us here and go somewhere¡­ is that right?"

    To Eri''s words, Cloud nodded his head.

    ¡°Where are you going to go?¡±

    ¡°I n to visit the Kingdom of Alitia, the Empire, and the Principality of Polycia. Maybe even the Kingdom of Carta, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    "That''s almost going about the whole Continent¡­ It''s not a brief visit. Cloud, be honest. You don''t need us anymore?"

    Eri was persistently bullied at Lorian''s party. Bullying was not as direct as beatings and abusive slurs.

    Lorian, the core of the party, disliked such vulgar behavior.

    Because of that, they ignored or persecuted Eri in an indirect way, that is, by turning their backs on her, to leave her out of the ns.

    That''s why Eri was a little sensitive to this way of speaking. It was only natural that the words of leaving behind three party members in the Kingdom''s capital and going around the continent felt like he was saying that they were being abandoned.

    ¡°Is that really..?¡±

    Neria asked in a trembling tone.

    ¡®Cloud doesn¡¯t need us¡­ me¡­? W, Why..?''

    Numerous thoughts ran through her mind.

    Leaving Cloud''s party at the Imperial Banquet.

    The fact that Cloud knew her secret.

    She was defeated by Mars in a simple swordsmanship challenge.

    The figure of Cloud, who was more friendly with Frillite than her.

    There were too many things that came to mind.

    Neria''splexion turned pale blue.

    Her expression stiffened, she no longer even knew what to say.

    Eri said while pursing her lips.

    ¡°Tell us if there is anything weck. I''ll fix it, we will fix it. If you want, I will work harder than I did in the dungeon.¡±

    Eri didn''t put her pride in front of her as usual. She went open with a low attitude, she was ready to ept even harder trials.

    Neria also came to her senses at that moment and nodded her head eagerly.

    ¡°I, too, will try harder than before. I''ll try my best not to be a burden¡­"

    Neria''s eyelids trembled.

    Looking at her face that looked like she was about to burst into tears at any moment, Cloud let out a deep sigh.

    ¡°When did I ever say I was leaving you all? It''s just a small breakup for a while for a purpose."

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    "Different."

    Cloud interrupted Eri with a more serious attitude than before.

    ¡°As you all know, I am a hero. I have a duty to protect citizens from demons. In order to fulfill that duty, there are times when we have to be away from each other for a while. Now is the time.¡±

    Cloud had a lot of work to do.

    Before any of the Four Heavenly Kings descend, he must recruit new colleagues and find the equipment left by the other heroes.

    In the meantime, if something goes wrong and he waste, there may be a terrible situation where humanity will face a Heavenly King without a hero.

    That is why it is necessary to dy the advent of the Four Heavenly Kings as much as possible by letting the party hunt the leftover demons.

    ¡°And did I ever try to give up on you guys, even a little? No, that will be the answer. I always try to bury the past and treat everyone like nothing ever happened. As such, I am very disappointed by your present behaviour.¡±

    Eri and Neria''s mouths closed shut.

    He had treated them nicely, that''s why they had forgotten what they did to him in the past. When they thought about the sordid past Cloud had been ignoring, they also realized how rude the remarks they had just made were.

    A long silence ensued.

    Neria, let alone Eri, couldn''t figure out how to open their mouths.

    Their frivolity was so shameful that their lips felt heavy.

    ¡°You seem to need some time to organize your thoughts. Let¡¯s take a break today and talk again tomorrow.¡±

    After breaking the long silence, Cloud left his seat and went upstairs.

    After he left, the table went still.

    After a moment, Eri leaned back on the chair, ruffling her bangs backwards. She turned her head to look at the other two.

    Neria stared nkly at the table. Looking at her sad expression, Eri knew what she was thinking without asking.

    Ophelia was quietly chanting after meal prayers.

    Eri spoke to them.

    ¡°Ophelia, are you okay? There was no sign of agitation from the beginning¡­¡±

    Ophelia finished her prayer and opened her eyes.

    What should she tell Eri?

    That it was because of the kindness and faith he showed in her?

    Cloud did not ept the Archbishop''s proposal to change the candidacy of the saintess. That showed he trusted her, and meant she should too.

    Ophelia didn''t forget the tingling tension she felt at that time, the panic that her heart drummed with, the looks she received from her fellow nuns.

    As long as they remain in her mind, her faith in the hero will not be shaken.

    However, she said it concisely because it was a bit difficult to exin this in detail.

    ¡°I just know that hero is not like that.¡±

    To Ophelia''s words, Eri smiled bitterly.

    "That''s right¡­ I''ll go up first."

    She had not finished her food, but she was no longer in the mood to eat.

    Eri climbed the stairs and entered her own room.

    Sheid down on the bed and organized her thoughts.

    ¡®I understand Cloud''s meaning, it''s his duty. However, why¡­''

    Whenever she imagined failing Cloud, her body and mind felt venerable.

    For some reason, she expected it too.

    Cloud was one of the few people who recognized and acknowledged her work. She would never want to fail such a person.

    ¡®¡­Neria and Ophelia are the same, they acknowledge me.''

    Cloud was not the only person who acknowledged Eri.

    Neria and Ophelia also acknowledged her.

    Even if Cloud was leaving for a while, the two of them remained, so she shouldn''t be depressed.

    Yet, there was another strange thing.

    If things went well by doing as Cloud said, she can hamper the evil ns of the demons with her own hands.

    If that happens, not only will she be acknowledged by the royal family, but will also be acknowledged and respected by the citizens.

    It was Eri''s lifelong dream.

    It was at a different magnitude, where only a few people like Cloud acknowledged her.

    Still, her heart was not moved.

    Getting that kind of recognition and acknowledgement should have moved her heart, she should be squealing with joy, that should have been happening. But, whenever she removed Cloud from the picture, her heart felt empty.

    Conversely, what if Cloud came into the picture?

    What if heplimented her by putting his hand on her head, as he did at Roberto?

    ¨C Pound!

    An exhrating sensation rose from her chest, and at the same time a great sense of satisfaction filled her being.

    This had been going on since Roberto incident.

    At this point, Eri had no choice but to admit it.

    Eri hade to crave recognition from Cloud, a single person, more than the recognition of all othersbined.

    His smile.

    His hand moving her way.

    After she admitted it, her mind felt at ease.

    ¡®¡­I''m going to have to follow him tomorrow somehow.''

 Chapter 75.2: Kingdom of Prona (7)

    Eri thought through the process how she would apologise to Cloud while thinking of ns to safeguard the city in another way.

    After staying up all night, she was able to perfectly articte the words of apology.

    However, she found no particr way to solve the city''s demon problem.

    ¡®¡­if the four of us put our heads together, something will definitelye out.¡¯

    Brushing away her scuttling thoughts, Eri cleaned up her messy self.

    She walked down to Cloud''s room and knocked on the door slowly.

    ¨C Knock.

    "Cloud? I am Eri.¡±

    ¨C Knock.

    "Cloud? ¡­are you sleeping?"

    She knocked on the door a few more times, but no answer came. The more she knocked, the more anxious she became. In the end, Eri couldn''t stand it and grabbed the doorknob.

    ¨C Cluck.

    The door wasn''t locked.

    Eri swallowed her saliva and entered the room.

    The room was neatly empty.

    Except for a folded paper on the table.

    Eri unfolded the paper, her hands trembling slightly.

    To Eri, Neria, and Ophelia.

    By the time you read this letter, I must have already left the capital.

    I''m going to apologize for leaving like this after telling you all to stall our talk till tomorrow.

    It must be feeling sudden, you all may be feeling betrayed too, but I couldn''t help it.

    Seeing your reactions, I didn''t think you all would understand what I was trying to convey. Unfortunately, I don''t have enough time to convince you all.

    That''s why I ended up using this hard measure.

    After reading the letter, don''t even think about moving amongst you guys to find me. Then, if thingse to worst, it would be a hero party without a hero.

    Okay?

    Again, I''ll ask for you all to keep the capital safe.

    In fact, it''s up to you how you act after this.

    Because you guys are not a hero, and don''t need to shoulder the responsibilities of one.

    But if you leave the capital, I will, personally, be greatly disappointed.

    Eri''s hand holding the letter trembled.

    The first thought that came to her mind was to run after Cloud right away, but the word ¡®disappointment¡¯ written on the letter caught her attention.

    For her, who longed for Cloud''s approval, the disappointment he mentioned came very heavy.

    In the end, she was bound by the shackles of ¡®Cloud''s disappointment'' and all Eri could do was sit down helplessly.

    ¡°Eri? What are you doing in Cloud''s room¡­?"

    Neria came checking, finding it strange that Cloud and Eri hadn''te down yet even though it was time for breakfast.

    "Huh¡­? No¡­"

    Reading the letter, she shook her head.

    ¡°Ah¡­ no¡­ this is¡­ this is a dream!¡±

    Denying the reality, she banged her head repeatedly against the wall of the inn chanting she had to wake up, and soon.

    It would have worked either way if not for her level; a level 40''s body was quite damn strong.

    ¨C Clutter.

    Unable to withstand Neria''s repeated headbutting, the inn wall copsed.

    And Opheliater had to pay for the copsed inn wall.

    * * *

    A paradise of crime and nightlife, the Kingdom of Alitia.

    It is a kingdom, but only in name, the king has very little real power. Because the royal family''s nothing more than imaginary puppet royals, and there''s a separate organization behind the ck curtain to control and limit them.

    It''s a criminal organization.

    For which there are four heads, not one.

    Each head, or Vampire Ancestors,mand a family of their own.

    They, endowed with eternal life, had long sunk their fangs inside this kingdom hundreds of years ago and were now masters of it.

    And one of those Ancestors, Kutcher, questioned with an expressionless face.

    ¡°Is what I have heard correct? Third Squad was wiped out?¡±

    The only survivor trembled at the Vampire Ancestor''s impassive tone. Even the Ancestor''s impassive tone made him scrunch in fear, who was just a low-level vampire.

    ¡°One survived, but he says that even it was done intentionally."

    ¡°T, The hero said t-that we were definitely send by s-someone p-pussy vampire. Not even worth a nail of that f-female vampiress'' strength. G, Go tell h-him to hammer h-himself back i-into a c-coffin¡ª"

    Kutcher''s eyebrows, which had been consistently expressionless, twitched slightly. Simultaneously, Raymond''s hand, Kutcher''s assistant, pierced the lower vampire''s chest and grabbed at his heart.

    "Keep, Kuk, hick¡­ A, Ancestor¡­ P, Please have m-mercy¡­"

    "Our master''s mercy is not worth your life."

    Raymond tightened his fingers and punctured the lower vampire''s heart.

    The lower vampire copsed.

    Raymond wiped the blood off his hands with a handkerchief.

    ¡°Raymond.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±

    ¡°How weak was the Third Assassination Squad? Enough to be defeated even by the weakest hero?¡±

    ¡°If it had been in the past, I would have shook my head without hesitation, master. Laughing it off as nonsense, not believing in least. However, if the rumors about the hero I have heard recently are true, I cannot give you a definitive answer.¡±

    ¡°The result is here, anything else to doubt, hm?" Kutcher said, pointed his finger nail at the dead vampire.

    ¡°There is a possibility that they couldn''t show their prime skills as the mission was to suppress rather than assassinate.¡±

    ¡°We even took the advantage of surprise and numerical superiority. Saying that they couldn''t show much of their skill is nothing but an excuse."

    Kutcher disdainfully looked at the dead vampire.

    ¡®I thought it would be easy, but I was wrong.¡¯

    Not long ago, a spy nted in the Haley family brought an important piece of information.

    The information was that Haley had ignored Gis'' request. From what he had heard, it wasn''t an unreasonable request. What he asked for was not the death of Hero Cloud, but just to scare him off.

    Kutcher was puzzled as to why Haley had not granted such an easy request.

    However, it was an opportunity too precious to miss just because of puzzlement.

    It was an opportunity to bring in the trust of Hero Gis, who had been uniquely attached only to Haley, to Kutcher.

    Taking advantage of this opportunity would have lowered Haley''s position and raised his position in the vampire world.

    ¡®I thought it was just a sweet apple to bite, but at least I know now it is slightly poisonous.¡¯

    But the fruit was too sweet to abandon just because of its minor toxicity.

    Just having a single nail peeled off wasn''t something that hurtful.

    So, Kutcher ordered Raymond.

    ¡°Send the Prime Squad and Shedia.¡±

    "¡­apologies, Master. Unlike Third Squad, Prime Squad members are of noble lineage. It would be considered an insult to even breathe in the same air as Shedia.¡±

    ¡°I hope this mission to sess, no matter what. Shedia is undoubtedly of dirty blood, but it''s also true that she has brought us results. Bring anyone whoins here, to me. I''ll solve their breathing problem at once, with leisure."

    There was a slight hint of anger in Kutcher''s tone. All Raymond could do before the Vampire Ancestor''s wrath was to bow his head.

    ¡°¡­at yourmand, my master.¡±

    Raymond left the Vampire Ancestor''s room with his head bowed.

    His face turned dark.

    ¡°Prime Squad shouldn''t make things go wrong because of emotions, I think not.¡±

    If the hero dies, there will be a riot on the continent.

    Raymond sighed as he walked down the hallway.

    * * *

    Iy down on the bed and threw the crumpled paper up into the air before catching it to throw it up again, killing time.

    By the way, this roll of paper was a warning letter from Adreana.

    Mentioning that Gis was sending assassins after me, so toy low for a while.

    Thanks to this warning letter, I handled things cleanly, with appropriate quietness.

    ¡®By the way, the time hase¡­¡¯

    I took out the moonstone ne out of my arms. This item was given to me by the Empress as a gift.

    ¡°Is this really going to work?¡±

    If we brought a werewolf into the question, it would. It definitely would.

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 76.1: Shedia (1)

    ¡°Gah! You still got drunk, hah? Didn¡¯t I warn you to drink in moderation? It¡¯s going to get in the way of tomorrow¡¯s work!¡±

    ¡°Who, Who is drunk?! Don¡¯t spout nonsense!¡±

    ¡°Is that something a person staggering like you should say, ah?¡±

    A middle-aged man scolded a youth, making the youth protest and deny, only to stagger off the main road, almost sprawling himself on the dirt ground. The housewives passing by who saw his funny gestures burst into giggles.

    View of a peaceful vige.

    Shedia sat on a random rock, looking around.

    Her semi-curly dark hair nketed one of her eyes, but she didn¡¯t mind and continued to stare at the vige.

    The reason she was doing so was because this vige involved the mission given to her by the Ancestor.

    The mission was to subdue Cloud, a hero who was staying in a hut in the mountains near this vige.

    Originally, she was supposed to travel with the Prime Squad.

    However, they were displeased at her presence, so she travelled alone and was now waiting for them.

    For several days while she waited for the Prime Squad, Shedia mostly nkly stared at the serene vige.

    Most of her life, she had lived alone in the dark underground, so it was not a bad change to savour in the peace.

    ¡°That big brother just likes alcohol too much. Other than that, he¡¯s a really good person.¡±

    The kid sitting next to Shedia said, swinging his legs two and fro.

    The child was attracted to her ever since she first came to this vige, clinging to her and chattering whenever he managed to find free time.

    Vigers would normally be wary of outsiders, but Shedia¡¯s round, innocent-looking eyes easily shattered the vignce of any onlooker.

    Her characteristic nk expression was enough to make others want to take care of her.

    So even though the child was attached to an outsider, the vigers didn¡¯t bother much.

    ¡°Sis. Sis, are you listening to me?¡±

    The child pulled on Shedia¡¯s sleeve.

    She turned her gaze towards the child. The child had a freckled face.

    ¡°Every day I only talk to myself and sister doesn¡¯t even answers. Are you also bothered by me like other adults?¡±

    Shedia shook her head.

    Had she disliked the child¡¯s loud-mouthed bbering nature, she would have left at once and hid out of the child¡¯s sight.

    For a fact, she didn¡¯t dislike peacefully looking at the vige while the child bbered in the background.

    But, it seemed to have been perceived differently by him.

    She had to think how to exin what she felt to him.

    Contemting as she tilted her head, Shedia recalled her older sister¡¯s warm hand stroking her hair when she was a child herself.

    If it was that kind of warmth, her meaning would definitely reach out.

    Shedia inched her hand slowly. She was about to stroke the child¡¯s head with her palm.

    ¨C Aww!!

    When a loud scream spread throughout the vige, men in ck robes attacked the center of the vige. They either killed or subdued vigers who resisted.

    One of them ripped off his mask and sunk his sharp fangs into the nape of the person who he had suppressed.

    Bloodsucking.

    For vampires, it was an act that was no different than having dinner or lunch.

    ¡°Uh¡­ wha¡­?!¡±

    The child made a stupid sound at the sudden chaos that unfolded.

    However, the child was more hands-on than she expected.

    He snatched Shedia¡¯s hand, pulling her.

    ¡°Run, sis! Come on, let¡¯s run away! Come over to my house and we will hide with Dad and Mom¡­ Sis?¡±

    The child felt strange as he looked at Shedia, who stared back at him nkly.

    The child, taking a shuddering step backwards from Shedia¡¯s arm, thuded back into someone, before mechanically lifting his head up, cowering.

    A vampire in ck robe was looking down at the child.

    ¡°Hiiik?!¡±

    The terrified child stiffened before his body scrambled.

    The vampire snatched the child and brought him near his lips.

    ¡°Haha, the blood of a pure human child is a delicacy among delicacies. Don¡¯t worry, kid. I won¡¯t eat you right now. When I¡¯m extra hungryter, I¡¯ll devour you then.¡±

    The child¡¯splexion turned pale at the vampire¡¯s giggling tone. The child instinctively snapped a look at the adult closet to him, Shedia.

    Seeing that, the vampire giggled as his body quivered.

    ¡°You want that b!tch to save you? But what about it? It doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s going to save you.¡±

    As the vampire said, Shedia nkly stared at the captured child, she did nothing else. The vampire also did not act hostile to Shedia.

    The child questioned in a trembling tone.

    ¡°Sister¡­ maybe¡­ n, no, right¡­?¡±

    His words were incoherent, but meaning clear enough.

    Shedia neither affirmed nor denied.

    The child¡¯s face was hit by a sense of betrayal. Tears like chicken poop fell from the corners of his eyes.

    ¡°Traitor! How well aunties and uncles treated you! Evil! Traitor!¡±

    The vampire couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter at the little child¡¯s swear words, finding them cute. Either way, the child cursed at the overflowing sense of betrayal he felt.

    Shedia¡­ she nkly stared at the child.

    * * *

    ¡°It¡¯s over there.¡±

    Looking at the old hut in the middle of the forest, Rowan, the leader of the Prime Squad, said. ording to the sources, Hero Cloud was staying there.

    ¡°He hasn¡¯t moved yet? After being hit by the Third Squad? What is he? A pig?¡±

    Did he considered them equal to those Third Squad trash?

    Laughters echoed in the silent night.

    If he was indeed having such a misunderstanding, it was their duty to correct him, out of politeness, of course. Haha.

    ¡°Demolish that shithole.¡±

    ¡°Man, we don¡¯t need to spend so much effort on this, now do we?¡±

    ¡°Ancestor wants it done.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

    When Ancestor¡¯s order was mentioned, the crew members also got silent.

    For them, Ancestor was an irresistible existence.

    The members of the Prime Squad circled around the shabby hut.

    Shedia tried to move ordingly.

    But Rowan grabbed her arm tightly, stopping her.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Shedia stared at him nkly for asking the obvious.

    Rowan frowned.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly and be still. We do the work.¡±

    ¡°¡­it¡¯s master¡¯s order.¡±

    ¡°Cut the crap. You know how much I want to tear that disgusting face of yours, master¡¯s order being the only reason I¡¯m not.¡±

    Rowan was feeling disgruntled at being appointed to the same mission that was to a werewolf and had been to lower blood vermins.

    Had it not been for the direct orders of the Vampire Ancestor, Kutcher, he would not have taken this mission.

    ¡°Again, we are enough, so stay still. Contradict me, and your safety is no longer of my concern.¡±

    To Rowan¡¯s re, Shedia nodded her head with her signature nk expression. Seeing the casual attitude, Rowan clicked his tongue distastefully.

    ¡®Why are we still holding on with her? What fucking use is she?¡¯

    However, now was the time to do the duty rather than understanding his master¡¯s intentions.

    ¡°Everyone ready? Activate your blood magic with moderate output. When I give the signal, st towards the hut at once.¡±

    Rowan shouted after confirming that everyone in his squad was ready, and in position.

    ¡°Shoot.¡±

    Red arrows and spears made of clotted blood poured towards the hut.

    ¨C Kugugung.

    The hut could not hold longer and copsed.

    Rowan ordered his men to nk any visible figure.

    The opponent was a hero, a human who annihted the Third Squad alone.

    They weren¡¯t of those mongrel¡¯s level, but caution was not redundant.

    Rowan¡¯s thoughts were right.

    Above the copsed hut, a figure rose from thick cloud of billowing dust.

    As the dust dispersed in the wind, his identity was revealed.

    A man with ming red hair and an almost inhuman handsome appearance.

 Chapter 76.2: Shedia (1)

    It coincided with the personal information of Hero Cloud they knew.

    Rowan squinted.

    ¡®He is unharmed?¡¯

    He had expected his move to not do much, but he had not expected Cloud would swagger out without a single wound.

    ¡®It is not a coincidence that the Third Squad was annihted, uh?¡¯

    Alright. This was gonna be fun.

    Rowan chuckled.

    ¡°You all are different from those who came before, yes? All they knew was the art of individual assassination, while you all, I think specialize as a group in killing a single target.¡±

    Cloud said as he looked around, surveying the vampires surrounding him.

    ¡°There is no need to give up on numerical superiority, leading to a pointless melee.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. A wiser than ever has arrived. This will be fun.¡±

    ¡°Fun, yes? That¡¯s a little weird. Here I thought you will be tasting despair. No worries, I will let you learn the consequence of running wild without knowing the world is wide.¡±

    Rowan snapped his fingers.

    Eight squad members located at the rear of the formation used blood magic. Sharp des of conjured blood flew true, aiming at Cloud.

    Cloud deflected the first five des with his sword, as the remaining three missed him behest of his agile footwork.

    Taking a stance, he dashed towards the vampire in front of him and lowered his sword vertically.

    Bang!

    Kang!

    The vampire blocked the [Strike] byying his sword horizontally. The sword that blocked the attack only wavered a little, yet the vampire¡¯s posture wasn¡¯t disturbed in the slightest.

    The Four Vampire Ancestors of the Zarakh Society sported different specialties.

    Gis¡¯s adoptive mother, Haley, was good at manipting blood, while Kutcher was good at strengthening body using blood magic.

    So, of course, members of each family were also greatly influenced by their Ancestor¡¯s specialties.

    And the Prime Squad members of the Kutcher¡¯s family were those who dedicated themselves towards strengthening physique through the virtue of blood magic.

    Cloud¡¯s heavily casted [Strike] was a skill they could block without too much trouble. Cloud turned his body and rotated his sword diagonally.

    A sh aiming at the center of the unprepared vampire¡¯s body.

    Another vampire intervened from the left, blocking it. At the same time, the vampire on the right aimed at Cloud, thrusting his sword.

    A refined rendezvous ensued.

    Cloud evaded the sword, eyeing the spear of blood flying towards him. Just before the spear¡¯s tip arrived, he turned, avoiding it.

    He was going to induce a team kill.

    But things didn¡¯t turn how he imagined.

    The blood spear that had zoomed by, lost its shape and returned to the form of a sphere when the vampire twirled his hand a little.

    The vampire morphed it back into a spear and threw it at Cloud, who tried to widen the distance.

    Kang!

    Cloud broke the hardened blood.

    ¡°Morphing the blood that is being manipted? That¡¯s a bit unexpected, sure.¡±

    The vampires he knew were extremely proud creatures. To them, it was a great insult for someone else to touch their bloodstream.

    Should this be viewed as a cultural difference between different worlds, or should he consider these vampires castrated for they were raised as assassins?

    Cloud turned apprehensive.

    On the other hand, Rowan, who mistook Cloud for admiring their superior skills, burst intoughter.

    ¡°It¡¯s only natural. Because we are qualitativelypletely different from the Third Squad you encountered.¡±

    Listening, Cloud nodded his head.

    They¡¯d had been castrated.

    * * *

    Arrows and spears conjured of blood zoomed through the air.

    Dodging the mercilessly flying arrowheads and spear des, Cloud flicked away a vampire¡¯s sword.

    Four hours had passed since then.

    The sun had set, and Rowan¡¯s face had a frown.

    ¡®What the hell is this guy? Why isn¡¯t he falling?¡¯

    Formations had been created to exhaust and kill strong individuals.

    The line closest to the enemy blocked the enemy from escaping the siege.

    Three rows of vampires used long-distance attacks to injure or keep baiting their enemy, draining their stamina.

    Rest of the columns moved fluidly, helping one or three rows, depending on the situation.

    Just as a prey caught by a snake suffocates to death, the opponent who is caught in their Squad¡¯s formation gradually loses their stamina and eventually copses.

    Rowan was confident that even Gis wouldn¡¯t be able to get out of this formation alone. He believed that he would even be able to kill him if he sacrificed the majority.

    Because of this, Rowan thought that Cloud, trapped in the formation, would copse sooner orter.

    But looking here, why was it¡­ so different?

    Rather than exhausting and copsing, why it seemed he was getting quicker?

    Rather, his squad members who were dealing with him were getting exhausted.

    ¡°¡­Captain. It¡¯s embarrassing to say, but I¡¯m f**king exhausted.¡±

    One of the squad members who had been shooting blood spears approached and said so.

    Rowan grunted.

    ¡°¡­fortunately, we thought about securing meal boxes on the way. Replenish ande soon.¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    Just when, the vampire nodding his head, turned to get himself one of the meal boxes they had secured.

    Rowan kicked the vampire.

    At the same time, a dagger passed through the spot where the vampire¡¯s head had been.

    Tiiing! The dagger was nailed to the floor, the de of the dagger waspletely embedded into the rocky ground surface.

    ¡®What¡­¡¯

    Even Rowan, who woke up from a stupor, couldn¡¯t help but be surprised.

    It was so fast and urate, that it was impossible to deal with it in a more amicable way. Kicking was the best option he found at that moment.

    ¡°Meal boxes? What did you guys do before you came to me?¡±

    Rowan wasn¡¯t the only one surprised by the sudden change. The entire Prime Squad panicked, stopping their attack on Cloud, raising their vignce.

    ¡°I asked. What you all had been doing?¡±

    Meanwhile, Rowan read annoyance on Cloud¡¯s face. It was a good omen, a precursor to disturbance. Losing one¡¯sposure in a life-and-death battle was no different from wanting to die.

    ¡°What we had been doing? Nothing eventful. Just killing the hapless humans popting the surrounding viges to replenish our blood stock, dragging the remaining few to serve as our meal boxes to consumeter.¡±

    So, Rowan provoked Cloud.

    He mocked the desperate resistance of the vigers.

    Hoping for Cloud to be a little more emotional.

    And Rowan¡¯s attempt was sessful.

    Cloud¡¯s eyes turned cold.

    ¡°Better had been the vampires I used to face before.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Ignoring Rowan¡¯s frown, Cloud muttered quietly.

    [All Bless]!

    A divine blessing rested upon his body.

    Strength, Agility, Durability, Magic.

    All of his abilities scaled off.

    [All Bless]!

    The divine blessing superimposed on his body.

    The stats that had been greatly increased amplified once again.

    [All Curse]!

    The intangible mana that flowed from Cloud dwelled upon the vampires.

    Manapletely interfered with the operation of the vampires¡¯ blood magic to the movement of their muscles.

    Imposing shackles on their abilities.

    Before the vampires could panick at the sudden increasing pressure on their bodies¡ª

    ¡ªCloud murmured once more.

    [All Curse]!

 Chapter 77.1: Shedia (2)

    A Hero is a special existence.

    They can be a strong warrior, an excellent wizard, and at the same time a faithful priest.

    It means you can be anything if you put your mind to it.

    And a hero who has experienced a grim world understands it well.

    He was not a peak master in one field, but he was an all-rounder who could do anything.

    [All Curse]-!

    The intangible mana that flowed from Cloud once again enveloped the vampires. The thicker chains of mana significantly lowered the physical abilities of the vampires.

    ¡°Wh, What¡¯s happening?!¡±

    ¡°Ggrh! It¡¯s getting difficult to manipte the blood..!¡±

    ¡°Captain! Something is strange!¡±

    Confusion spread among the vampires. They were proud of their excellent physical abilities. They couldn¡¯t help but panic, feeling their body suddenly bing heavy and shackled.

    In the midst of the chaos, Cloud took a step forward.

    The weight pressing on the vampires put them at hold.

    The moment the word meal box came out of that vampire¡¯s mouth, the damage had been done.

    Meal box.

    A word that refers to a captive human.

    Not only vampires but also cannibals, it¡¯s a term they casually use.

    And Cloud really hated that word.

    ¡°You idiots! Come on, calm down! The hero is moving!¡±

    Only when Rowan shouted, the vampires came back to their senses. But when they regained theirposure, Cloud had already reached in front of a vampire.

    Cloud raised his sword.

    Seeing this, the vampire grinned.

    ¡®That shit again? Such a simple minded guy, all his patterns are easy to discern.¡¯

    The vampire nced at herrades on either side. The two vampires recognized her gaze and moved. She will block the attack, and they will nk and attack Cloud from both sides.

    Every time Cloud rushed in previously, they had done it this way.

    But this time something was different.

    The vampire realized when she saw her sword being split into bits.

    That was thest scene the vampire saw.

    Drake-style swordsmanship.

    [Tree Cleaver]-!

    The vampire was split in half.

    The two vampires who came rushing, froze at the hideous appearance of the corpse split in half.

    Cloud didn¡¯t miss that short pause.

    Drake-style swordsmanship.

    [Leaf Cutter]-!

    The sword strike zipped fast, so much that it became hard to follow its trajectory with naked eye as it swept through the bodies of the two vampires.

    ¡°Uh?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    It was toote when they realized.

    ¨C Aww!

    Wounds ripped open and blood gushed out like a fountain.

    The two vampires grabbed onto their injuries and copsed on either sides.

    Cloud¡¯s sword moved again.

    The vampires¡¯ head, moaning in pain, fell cleanly.

    ¡°Shoot!!¡±

    Cloud turned to scan his surroundings at Rowan¡¯s voice.

    Spears of blood,rger than before, were flying towards him.

    Should he avoid it?

    No..?

    Cloud ced his thumb and middle finger at the tip of the back side of his handle. He swept through the de with grace. Red mes rose from where his fingers passed.

    Cloud hefted his sword as he faced the spears.

    The mes of the sword created arge circle.

    Eredna Magic Swordsmanship.

    [Sword of Fire]-!

    The blood spears melted without getting the pass through the mes of clean mana.

    After all the blood spears had melted, Cloud ran towards the vampires. His body, strengthened by two blessings, moved at an explosive speed.

    On the other hand, the vampires whose physical abilities were reduced due to the two curses weren¡¯t properly adapting to the new changes.

    Whenever a tongue of fire was created, a vampire¡¯s arm, leg, or head fell.

    Rowan doubted his eyes.

    ¡®Is he the same guy as before?¡¯

    Prime Squad could not harm or defeat Cloud in four hours, but it was the same with Cloud. He couldn¡¯t do anything to them either.

    What in the blood¡¯s name was unfolding before him!?

    A man, cold faced, ughtering vampire elites like venison?!

    Rowan, devoured by fear, shook his head and came back to his senses.

    If he let the fear override him, everything will go to dust.

    ¡®I feel like I want to retreat.¡¯

    Even if he confronted Cloud himself, the situation won¡¯t change.

    Ask any sane man, and he would retreat.

    But retreat was not one among his choices.

    ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for master¡¯s orders¡­!¡¯

    For the family, the Ancestor¡¯s orders are absolute.

    He cannot return to the family until he carries out andpletes those orders. Above all else, if he returned in this state, he might get killed by the angered Ancestor himself.

    Rowan turned his gaze to Shedia.

    ¡°You. I¡¯ve heard that you are of dirty blood, but pretty good at it. Go, stop the hero.¡±

    Rowan didn¡¯t know anything about Shedia¡¯s abilities.

    However, he decided to put her in, thinking that there must have been a reason why the Ancestor sent her with them.

    If she was actually capable and did subdue the hero, it would be for the best, but if not, she would atleast buy them some time.

    However, a variable urred.

    Even at Rowan¡¯s orders, Shedia did not move.

    ¡°What are you doing? I told you to move, didn¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°I was told to stay still.¡±

    ¡®Don¡¯t be silly, stay still.¡¯ That was what Rowan said to Shedia before the battle began. Rowan, who recalled it, clicked his tongue.

    ¡°That order is null from this moment. New order for you. Subdue the hero right now.¡±

    Shedia shook her head.

    ¡°You are not the master. No one can give me orders unless it¡¯s master.¡±

    ¡°This bitch..!¡±

    Rowan grinded his teeth.

    He wanted to educate this cheeky bitch, but he didn¡¯t have the time to do it now.

    ¨C Whoa!

    Even at this moment, his squad members were dying.

    ¡®It¡¯s impossible to retreat or fight. What should I do¡­¡¯

    Rowan, clenching his fists and simmering in anger, chanced upon an idea.

    ¡®Damn, why didn¡¯t I think of this until now?¡¯

    It was such a simple method that he felt stupid for thinking about it only now. Rowan ran into the woods.

    Three daggers came zooming ¡ª but he was able to avoid them by rolling around ¡ª he had expected them.

    Shortly after running, he found the packed meal boxes.

    People tied to trees.

    Rowan caught the youngest of them all.

    ¡°No, nooo! Eat me instead!¡±

    ¡°No, me, me! Eat me! Let go of the child, he¡¯s skinny!¡±

    Some of the humans glowered and some cursed, but Rowan ignored them and took the child with him.

    He had tried to backtrack as quickly as possible, but¡­

    ¡°Shit. Shit.¡±

    The situation was already at its worst.

    Only three vampires were left alive.

    The rest were now dead corpses lying on the floor, and Shedia nkly staring at it all.

    Rowan quelled his boiling anger and shouted at Cloud.

    ¡°Halt! Hero, if you don¡¯t want to see this bastard face a gruesome death, throw away your weapon right now!¡±

    Cloud turned to Rowan.

    Rowan clutched the little boy, bringing his sharp nails next to his tender, fleshy neck.

    The boy trembled as he watched sharp nails touch his neck. He eventually burst into tears as the vampire¡¯s nails touched his skin, grazing them to draw blood.

    ¡°You don¡¯t even have the pride of a vampire.¡±

    Cloud sighed.

    ¡°I need to meet your master someday. How did they train their subordinates? Oh, by any chance, have you heard of a guy named Howl?¡±

    ¡°What bullshit are you spitting? Didn¡¯t you hear? Your weapon, down, now.¡±

    ¡°Ohkay. Okay, take your nails off him.¡±

    Cloud said, lowering his sword.

    Rowan confirmed and blinked at the three remaining vampires. The vampires nodded and approached Cloud.

    They pounched to tackle Cloud.

    Cloud kicked the vampire in front of him and hooked the other two vampires with his arms. The first impacted against a trunk, and the other two hunched over. Cloud put force on the neck of the fallen one with his foot and grabbed the other two¡¯s necks with his hands.

    It happened so quickly that neither the three vampires nor Rowan had time to react.

 Chapter 77.2: Shedia (2)

    ¡°What, what are you doing! Do you want to see this bastard die? Let them go, right now!¡±

    ¡°And do you want these bastards of yours to die? Take in your nails, or give me the option, for I¡¯ll break them piece by piece.¡±

    The vampires caught by Cloud grunted as he exerted pressure around their necks.

    Rowan grinded his teeth.

    ¡°Damn it! You are kidding with me!¡±

    ¡°Kidding? Does this seem like a joke to you?¡±

    ¨C Crick. Cluck.

    Cloud applied force to his leg, breaking the neck of the vampire he had been trampling on.

    ¡°You bastard!!!¡±

    ¡°Rx your voice before I break off the heads of these two.¡±

    ¡°¡­you will let this kid die, huh?¡±

    ¡°If the boy gets hurt, you and these guys die too. Of course, the death won¡¯te easily.¡±

    ¡°Fucker¡­¡±

    Rowan bit his lips.

    It¡¯s not because of his men he wasn¡¯t killing the boy. He knew that if the hostage died, he would die too.

    ¡®Stupid bastards! They had to subdue him with blood magic, why did they had to approach him?!¡¯

    He knew he had no other choice, so he could only resent his ipetent subordinates.

    Taking a deep breath and exhaling, Rowan looked at Cloud and said.

    ¡°Great. Then, wepromise¡­¡±

    ¡°No, there¡¯s nopromise.¡±

    Rowan frowned.

    ¡°What bullshit¡­¡±

    Before Rowan¡¯s words were finished, a sharp de pierced through Rowan¡¯s chest.

    ¡°Ugh¡­?!¡±

    Rowan looked at the sword protruding from his chest in astonishment. He exhaustingly turned his head back, swallowing the blood that came up.

    It was Shedia who stabbed the sword from the back.

    ¡®When did she got behind my back?¡¯

    No, more than that, why¡­?

    Why did Shedia stab him?

    All that came to his mind was betrayal. After all, she was of filthy blood, his master¡¯s kindness was for naught.

    Rowan croaked, his lips trembling.

    ¡°You dare betray our master¡­ you won¡¯t die a easy death¡­¡±

    ¡°Dead people don¡¯t speak. The master will not know.¡±

    ¡°You bitch!¡±

    Rowan squeezed the rest of his strength and tried to swing his nails at Shedia.

    Shedia twisted the sword she was holding.

    Rowan, whose heart was shredded, could not stand it any longer and copsed.

    Shedia pulled out her sword and kicked Rowan¡¯s body aside.

    Then, the figure of the boy who he had held hostage caught her eye.

    ¡°Wu¡­ woo¡­¡±

    He always talked loudly and endlessly, but now he was shivering in fear.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Shedia reached out her hand slowly towards the child¡¯s head.

    She was thinking of stroking his hair to calm him down.

    But Shedia¡¯s hand could not reach the child¡¯s head.

    ¡°Woah¡­ wow!¡±

    Because the boy cried and ran in the direction where her parents were. Shedia was startled and tried to pursue the child, but then stopped in her tracks. She looked at her own hands.

    Her hands were covered in blood.

    The cold blood of a vampire.

    Those won¡¯t make him feel the warmth her sister¡¯s caress used to give her.

    She wiped her hands on Rowan¡¯s pants and started warming her hands with her warm breath.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Cloud, who looked at it quietly, sighed and used the Ogre¡¯s Glyph.

    ¨C Cluck. Cluck.

    He broke the necks of the two remaining vampires and headed in the direction the boy ran. Even as Cloud passed by her, Shedia concentrated on wiping and warming her hands.

    * * *

    ¡°Thank you, hero. Thank you so much!¡±

    ¡°Naw. I wasn¡¯t of much help.¡±

    ¡°Not only you defeated those evil vampires but also saved our lives! How can we not thank our lifesaver!¡±

    ¡°Well, I think, I¡¯m already thanked enough. Be at ease.¡±

    Only after that the vigers stopped bowing their heads.

    ¡°What do you all n to do now?¡±

    I said looking at the messed up vige.

    ¡°¡­the burial of the dead woulde first. Then we would likely move to the closet vige. They have space, so they likely won¡¯t chase us away. There are also some grain stocks left in the vige, so there will be no starvation. You don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡±

    The manughed and shook his head.

    However, as someone who indirectly led to this, I wanted to help somehow.

    I took out a piece of parchment from my backpack, scribbled some words with a pen, and then grazed my palm with a dagger.

    ¡°Hero?!¡±

    The vigers were terrified of the sudden self-harm, but I didn¡¯t care and took out my Hero¡¯s que and doused blood on it. The Hero¡¯s que soaked in blood was stamped on the underside of the parchment like a seal.

    ¡°Take it.¡±

    I handed the parchment to the man.

    The man who received the parchment had an iprehensible expression on his face.

    ¡°What did you just¡­ do? What is this?¡±

    ¡°If you take this to any city and show it to the city lord, they will provide you citizenship. They will also provide financial support to help you settle in the city.¡±

    ¡°R, Really?!¡±

    The vigers, with their eyes wide open, stared at the parchment.

    ¡°Hey, is it really true?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you see hero dabbing his blood on some kind of que and stamping on the paper? That will prove that the letter was written by a hero.¡±

    A hero¡¯s letter.

    The man¡¯s eyes, who understood the value, trembled.

    The faces of the vigers brightened.

    Being able to live within strong walls that provided safety was a dream for them.

    Especially after they had been through something like this.

    ¡°T, Thank you. May Goddess bless you!¡±

    Vigers collectively bowed their heads again.

    ¡°Thank you, hero!¡±

    The children, who looked around in a daze, bowed their heads in the same way as adults did.

    ¡°You have nothing to be thankful for. After all, the money is what King will pay.¡±

    In the document, it was written that the cost of settling the vigers would be paid by the king. Not that I had asked for king¡¯s approval, but having saved his beloved son¡¯s neck¡­ this much should be eptable.

    I thought so.

    I left the vige under the warm goodbyes from the vigers.

    I walked down the dirt road leading out of the vige, before stopping at a distance.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t say goodbye to that kid. Your hands aren¡¯t warm yet?¡±

    ¡°¡­not yet.¡±

    I turned to the direction the voice wasing from.

    A woman in a ck robe clinging to her figure sat at the top of a tree.

    Shedia was blowing warm air on her hands.

    ¡°What are you going to do with me?¡±

    ¡°Kill you.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°You saw me killing Rowan.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you want to kill me?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Shedia jumped from the top of the tree. Although the height was substantial, when shended, she made no sound. She drew two short swords from her waist.

    ¡°It¡¯s night.¡±

    She sped towards me at high speed.

    I took out a ne, the moonstone hanging on its end.

    ¡°This is a moonstone!¡±

    ¡°?!¡±

    Shedia eyes widened.

    ¡°Catch!¡±

    I threw the moonstone ne into the river.

    Abruptly mming her brakes, Shedia turned around and without hesitation jumped into the river.

    Shedia swam upstream, aiming for the ne.

    As the distance between them lessened, Shedia¡¯s expression brightened, and just before she could sp the moonstone ne into her fist¡­

    I pulled the thread that was attached to the moonstone ne.

    The ne sailed in the air, towards me as Shedia¡¯s outstretched hand caught empty air.

    She looked at the ne, moving away from her, her expression as if she had lost her country.

    Soon she slipped into the river.

    ¡°Haha.¡±

    I grabbed the flying ne and smiled, finding her actions endearing.

    Stupid, but adorable.

 Chapter 78.1: Shedia (3)

    Werewolves.

    Those who can shift into a wolf-faced ¡ª half-beast, half-human ¡ª bipedal monstrosity. Although their beastly form seperated them from normal humans, they were humans in the end.

    At least they thought so, and that¡¯s why they hid among humans.

    But that also slowly changed.

    Shedia is the only one of her species making an appearance in The Hero¡¯s Party.

    Because the poption of werewolves is dire in numbers.

    The reason is that when you be a werewolf, you lose your sanity and be a ferocious minded beast.

    That was the reason why Shedia turned inane upon seeing the moonstone and promptly jumped into the river.

    Moonstone is an item that definitively prevents confusion and beserk status abnormalities. If you possess a moonstone, you can maintain your sanity even if you transform into a werewolf.

    As Shedia stood up, the river water cascaded on both sides. With wet hair dropping down and clothes sticking to her body, she looked like a drowning dog.

    She climbed out of the river and looked at me.

    ¡°Hand it over.¡±

    Growling, on the edge to run over me.

    Why, no.

    I held up the moonstone ne in my hand.

    ¡°Force me and I will crush it and then throw it into the river. If you want to prevent such an unfortunate incident from happening, your cooperation will be appreciated.¡±

    Shedia flinched and stilled.

    Looking at my hand holding the moonstone, she clenched her fist and trembled.

    Teething her lips gently, she snarled.

    ¡°¡­what do you want?¡±

    ¡°You seem to understand the situation. My request is not that difficult. You just need to follow me for a while and be my teammate.¡±

    ¡°Teammate?¡±

    Puzzled by the word, Shedia tilted her head nkly.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know what a teammate is?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡±

    Shedia spoke proudly.

    I wondered if she was teasing me for a moment, but considering she had been locked up inside a dark closet for most of her life, it was not impossible.

    ¡°Teammates are¡­ they bond, going through experiences, sometimes difficult, sometimes enjoyable, together; sometimes they support each other¡¯s backs, and sometimes they risk their lives for each other.¡±

    Shedia, hearing my exnation, made a nk face.

    Did my exnation passed over her head?

    With a contemtive look on her face, Shedia nodded after a moment.

    ¡°Alright. Teammate. Agreed.¡±

    Then she stretched out her hand towards me.

    ¡°Give me the moonstone now.¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    Shedia narrowed her eyes dangerously.

    ¡°You agreed to give it to me if I eded to be your teammate.¡±

    ¡°If you get the moonstone, nothing will hold you off from running away, breaking the deal. For such an uncertain deal, a solid trusting rtionship has not been established between us yet.¡±

    ¡°?¡±

    ¡°¡­don¡¯t give me that betrayed look. I¡¯ll keep the moonstone for now and hand it to youter when time¡¯s appropriate.¡±

    Shedia made a nk face again and then nodded her head.

    ¡°Right,¡± I said. ¡°You can try sneak attacks on me. We will together see if you seed first or I powder the moonstone before you get close.¡±

    ¡°Tsk.¡±

    Shedia clicked her tongue as if she was seriously considering the option.

    I smiled, put the moonstone ne under my arms, and started covering the distance down the road again. Shedia followed me at a distance.

    * * *

    ¡°You didn¡¯t say we were going to Oulheim.¡±

    Shedia said with a prickly expression on her face.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t ask.¡±

    To my response, she puckered out her lips like a child.

    ¡°If I go to Oulheim, I would die.¡±

    Oulheim was the capital of the Kingdom of Alitia.

    It was the stronghold of the Zarakh Society, and as such, their connections were also widespread.

    What worried her was the Vampire Ancestor who lorded over her finding out she was travelling with me.

    Prime Squad was annihted, but she lived and was travelling with me, the hero ¡ª their target. That was enough to cog all the wheels in correct direction, letting them know she had betrayed them.

    ¡°You won¡¯t die.¡±

    ¡°How do you know that?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t let you die.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a secret.¡±

    I answered her, before busying myself with socializing with the people at the bar. It wasn¡¯t hard. Just buying a ss of reed did wonder.

    I locked shoulders with them, sang songs, drank alcohol, and inquired when the festival was going to be held in Oulheim.

    Feeling a gaze, I gently turned my head.

    Shedia was still staring at me.

    With her characteristic nk expression.

    * * *

    From morning to evening, they trained them, lightly brushing past death at moments. After the training got finished, they were locked in cramped, dark cells and fed on whatever meal the vampires provided them.

    That was the daily life of the werewolves captured under Kutcher.

    A life of less worth than that of a ve¡¯s; with no mercy for an intelligent life.

    Shedia had no majorints about that.

    She was very young when she was captured, so she knew nothing about the concept of freedom.

    But those who remembered the life of the outside world were different. They wanted to free themselves from the shackles on their legs. They wanted the training to finish, to be the assassin their new master wished them to be and once again see the world outside.

    And Shedia trampled on those beautiful hopes.

    All she got after was loneliness.

    Her one and only blood rtive, her sister, was no longer with her.

    She was a sinner.

    She was obligated to atone for all whom she has trampled upon.

    But the atonement didn¡¯te easy.

    The blessing of her n, which was the strength she had trained to acquire, became a curse that entangled her even to this day.

    Shedia waited for the opportunity toe as she was educated. Passing her days in the narrow, dark basement. At the end she chanced upon a precious opportunity that she hadn¡¯t thought about.

    Moonstone.

    A treasure touted to barrack the negative alignments of werewolves since ancient times, she had to have it, by hook or crook.

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 78.2: Shedia (3)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    The only reason Shedia dealt with the Zarakh Society was because on every full moon night, her werewolf instincts triggered her into a beserk state.

    Running away wasn¡¯t going to help once the berserk state overtook her, leaving behind trackable traces.

    When that would happen, escaping the clutches of her master would no doubt prove fruitless, so she never thought in this direction.

    But what if something could control her berserk state?

    She had no problems at losing her potential vampire trackers. Raised as an assassin her entire life, she was confident she wouldn¡¯t get caught.

    That¡¯s why moonstone was a must.

    A night when everyone was asleep.

    Shedia slipped out of her bed. Tip-toeing a few steps forward, her body sank into the shadows.

    Brought up to be a skilled assassin, it was a skill that was uniquely learned at the instructor¡¯s direction.

    Shedia was the only one among all werewolves who could use this skill.

    The vampire, who had taught her this skill, fussed about her talent and how easily she had picked up the skill. To Shedia, it was just something that made her work convenient.

    She quickly assimted into the shadows, crossed the doorway and headed into Cloud¡¯s room.

    -Krrrr!

    The strong smell of alcohol and snoring.

    Shedia waited for about an hour as she hid in the shadows. Cloudy on the bed, unmoving and defenseless.

    When she was convinced that he waspletely asleep, Shedia slowly revealed her body from the shadows.

    She looked at Cloud, lying on the bed and sleeping soundly.

    ¡®I have no grudges.¡¯

    No, actually, a little, but not enough to take his life.

    She had to kill because she had to, as always.

    Shedia moved her hand to ess the sword around her waist.

    At that moment Cloud opened his eyes and fisted Shedia¡¯s stomach, sending her knocking away.

    ¡°Ugh..!¡±

    Shedia couldn¡¯t stand the force as she rolled away, crashing against the wall.

    ¡°You did it after all.¡±

    With an ominous feeling, Shedia lifted her head.

    Cloud let go of his clenched fist.

    Fragments shining blue enough to be seen even in a dark room flowed down to the floor.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Her nk eyes quivered for the first time, looking at the pieces of jewelry that waspletely shattered.

    That was hope.

    The hope that this long period of time had given her for a chance at atonement, removing the curse that had been entangling her by throat.

    And that hope was now shattered.

    She will forever be bound by the curse of the full moon, and she will die without atonement.

    Even in death she won¡¯t be forgiven by them.

    Shedia¡¯s eyes, hazed by despair, gradually lost their light.

    When a round blue jewel appeared before her eyes.

    ¡°..?¡±

    Wut¡­?

    She froze for two seconds¡ª

    ¡ªbefore, having grasped the situation, she hastily reached out her hand, fisting nothing. The moonstone sailed up and slipped into Cloud¡¯s hand.

    Shedia, wondering what the hell was happening, looked up at Cloud with a nk expression on her face.

    Cloud grinned and squatted down, making eye contact with Shedia.

    ¡°I never thought that it would be easy to get over with one oral contract. I expected you to try breaking the deal at least once.¡±

    ¡°That was¡­¡±

    ¡°Not the moonstone, just a simr-looking faux. Didn¡¯t I just show you the real one?¡±

    Cloud stroked Shedia¡¯s head.

    ¡°Breaking the deal once can be passed off as cute antics. Not twice. If something like this happens again¡­¡±

    Cloud slightly tightened his hand holding the moonstone. Shedia shook her head wildly, beseeching him not to. Cloud smiled and stroked Shedia¡¯s hair.

    ¡°You know it without me telling you, right?¡±

    Shedia nodded her head.

    ¡°Then you won¡¯t do this again in the future, right?¡±

    ¨C Nod.

    ¡°Are you going to be a good girl who listens?¡±

    ¨C Nod..?

    Seeing Shedia nod her head indecisively, Cloud re-strengthened the hold on the moonstone.

    ¨C Nod nod nod nod.

    Shedia nodded her head frantically.

    * * *

    A woman poked her face out and looked into the hallway.

    After making sure that no one was in the hallway, she pulled out two curved des that had been wrapped in her clothes.

    She took a deep breath and stepped forward on her right foot.

    At the same time, her arms moved gently like flowing waves, swinging her curved des.

    She whirled, whirled, and whirled again.

    Her long orange hair intertwined with a red veil and her thin skirt fluttered, exuding mourous splendor.

    Her ripe copper-colored skin and breasts that rippled with every step she took made her beauty monumental, adding femininity to splendor.

    However, the sharpness hidden behind that beauty was dangerous.

    ¡®It¡¯s going well today,¡¯ she thought. ¡®If the next part flows just as fluidly¡­¡¯

    Changing softness to rigidity.

    She failed at it every time, but today she was feeling encouraged.

    The moment the woman jerked her left foot for the next move¡ª

    ¡°Katarina!! The parade will start soon, where are you?!¡±

    A sharp shout echoed through the hallway.

    Astonished and startled, she hurriedly hid the des and put on her veil.

    ¡°Coming!¡±

    The third-ss dancer, Katarina, ran out into the hallway.

 Chapter 79.1: Katarina (1)

    On the day of the festival, Oulheim was teeming with life.

    The number of smiles on the faces of citizens and the number of people roaming the streets was iparable to that ofst year¡¯s battle royale I had participated in.

    Guards barreled out between the crowd and pushed the masses to make a passage.

    Just then someone shouted.

    ¡°The dancers areing!¡±

    I looked over the sea of heads and saw that somethingrge and grand wasing from the other end of the road. A little whileter, we will soon be seeing the parade of the dancers.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be hiding?¡±

    I asked Shedia, who was jumping on her heels to catch a sight of the parade.

    On the way to Oulheim she had mored half the way about being killed by the vampires, now instead of hiding, she was here, enjoying the festival like just any other normal citizen.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m in disguise.¡±

    ¡°Your thick coat and tight-fitting hat are only making people look at you suspiciously.¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m disguising myself as a sick person.¡±

    She started jumping again to see the parade. When she came to kill me that night, she was exuding a bloody atmosphere but at times like this, she was like a child.

    I smiled and slipped my hands between her armpits before hefting her up and saddling her on my shoulders.

    ¡°?!¡±

    Shedia, startled, struggled to get off me and hop to the ground.

    ¡°Stay still. You are so short, you won¡¯t be able to see the parade nicely.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just not tall.¡±

    ¡°When you are smaller than average, it means you are short. Now look over there. The dancers areing.¡±

    Shedia, who was looking at me with a puffed-up expression on her face, snapped her head with joy, her expression brightening.

    I smiled and turned my gaze towards the parade.

    Music and singing.

    In line with it, dancers in tight clothes dancing.

    Fast when the music flowed softly, slow when it flowed heavily.

    The music, song, and dance of the dancers were woven together into one to create an exquisite and harmonious performance.

    ¡®On the wooden structure, the three women in the center are first-ss dancers, and those around them are the second-ss dancers who apany them to make them stand out.¡¯

    And the dancers who danced on the ground with their faces covered with veils were third-ss dancers.

    While people cheered at the beautiful appearance of the first and second grade dancers, I looked at the rows of third grade dancers.

    Among them, Katarina must be present.

    ¡®It would have been easier if they hadn¡¯t covered their faces.¡¯

    Only second-ss dancers and above were allowed to reveal their faces.

    Revealing your face meant revealing yourself to the world as a dancer.

    An inexperienced third-grade dancer was not qualified for that.

    But Katarina¡¯s case was different.

    She has the skills to be a second-ss dancer and maybe even a first-ss. Nevertheless, the reason she is still a third-ss dancer is because of some intricate circumstances.

    I looked for the best dancer among the third ss dancers. At first nce, they looked simr. Naturally, they had done coordination practice for the parade.

    But if one looked closely, the difference was present.

    There is a big difference between simply following memorized movements and understanding the meaning of the movements and giving them meaning.

    ¡®Found her.¡¯

    One of the third grade dancers was exuding a different energy and demeanor from the others.

    (King¡¯s Sense)!

    The expanded senses were focused on the field of vision.

    A slender, stic, copper-colored waist and well-endowed breasts.

    Orange hair protruding slightly through the veil and then tucked back in again.

    These are all characteristics of Katarina I know.

    ¡°Shedia. That girl over there¡­ Whatcha you doing?¡±

    Shedia was drawing lines on a piece of paper as she watched the parade. Feeling my gaze, she hurriedly stuffed back the piece of paper.

    ¡°¡­Nothing.¡±

    Nothing, hm.

    ¡­it looked kind of a bucket list.

    ¡°Let¡¯s focus. Do you see that dancer over there?¡±

    ¡°I do.¡±

    ¡°Follow her.¡±

    ¡°Until when?¡±

    ¡°Continue until the end of the festival.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Shedia¡¯s shoulders drooped helplessly.

    Clearly, she was enjoying the parade and wanted to see more of what the festival had to offer.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a moonstone after the day is over.¡±

    ¡°!¡±

    Her droopy shoulders straightening up, she looked at me with her eyes wide open.

    Her eyes searching for the truth in my words.

    ¡°Really. So please do it.¡±

    Shedia nodded her head frantically and came down from my shoulders. pping a small salute, she cut into the crowd, and disappeared.

    ¡®I can leave Katarina¡¯s movement to Shedia¡­¡¯

    I got out of the crowd and walked down the street.

    * * *

    When people think of nightlife, they think of things like alcohol, gambling, drugs and wh*rehouses.

    However, the original meaning of nightlife was to have fun, and any games that can be enjoyed as well as those mentioned above are included in entertainment.

    And the kingdom of Alitia is a kingdom of entertainment.

    All kinds of entertainment are developed thanks to its unique free atmosphere.

    The dancer¡¯s dance parade is one of them.

    How many men do not fall for the charming dance moves performed by a beautiful woman?

    The men, drunk under the dancer¡¯s seductive dance, craved to see them dance one more time. For that purpose, they were willing to open their wallet.

    And the dancer is ady selling dance.

    This ce, the ¡®Coffin of Starlight,¡¯ was created as the two interests met.

    Here, anyone could pay to watch the dancers dance. They can watch it alone in a separate room, or put it on stage and watch it with other audiences. All at the customer¡¯s discretion.

    Of course, private rooms were more expensive.

    ¡°Wee. Wee to the Coffin of Starlight.¡±

    A beautiful woman dressed as a dancer greeted us with a smile.

    ¡°Are you here to avail the services of Coffin of Starlight?¡±

    ¡°Indeed so.¡±

    ¡°Is this your first time at the Coffin of Starlight?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my first, but I know roughly how it works.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good. Is there any particr dancer you are looking for? If there isn¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°There is.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±

    The dancer shed a stiff smile before quickly regaining her smile and asked the name of the dancer.

    ¡°Katarina.¡±

    ¡°Um, Katarina¡­ Katarina¡­?¡±

 Chapter 79.2: Katarina (1)

    The dancer narrowed her eyebrows and scoured her brain. She spoke again, with her brows stretched.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but there is no dancer going by the name of Katarina in the Coffin of Starlight.¡±

    ¡°Is there really not?¡±

    I asked, cing a money bag containing five hundred thousand gold coins on the counter.

    ¡°I really want to meet a dancer named Katarina.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ uh, wait a minute. I may have forgotten, I¡¯ll take a look at the list. P, Please wait a moment!¡±

    Looking at the purse with wide eyes, she hurriedly entered the room behind the counter. She came out only momentster, having taken way more than what was a minute.

    ¡°¡­sorry. There really is no one going by the name of Katarina.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I checked it three times, but she isn¡¯t on the list, so I¡¯m pretty sure.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    I nodded.

    As expected, her name was not registered here. That means the settings of the game I know of haven¡¯t changed.

    ¡®dly, I don¡¯t have to revise my ns.¡¯

    I thought so and put the purse back between my arms. The dancer looking at the hefty purse, swallowed her saliva before slowly opening her mouth.

    ¡°Actually¡­ there¡¯s a new dance style I¡¯m trying these days¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh~ Which handsome young man graced our doors?¡±

    Her words were drowned out by an alluring voice from upstairs. Lifting my head, I saw a woman with pure white hair leaning against the railings, looking at me.

    She sported skimpy attire, with only the front and back of her lower body covered with cloth, and the only thing on the sides being a string connecting the two pieces of clothing.

    When she descended the stairs, her coppery thighs bounced off themp light.

    ¡°Miss C-Catherine.¡±

    Seeing thedye down, the dancer who was trying to encite me trembled.

    Catherine?

    ¡®That¡¯s Gis¡¯s mother¡¯s name.¡¯

    I took a closer look at Catherine.

    Her pure white hair came down at her waist, and her bangs turned sideways to reveal her forehead.

    She had bewitching eyes, her body was ripe and bouncy in all right ces.

    She was practically a woman full of color.

    She was one of the first-ss dancers who was in the center of the wooden structure during the parade.

    ¡®Is Gis¡¯s mother a first-ss dancer? Wasn¡¯t she a prostitute..?¡¯

    It¡¯s natural for Gis¡¯s mother to appear as she had existed in the game, but not here because the genre of The Hero¡¯s Party was NTR, not wholesome.

    All the information I have about Gis¡¯s mother stems from the fights and face-offs between Gis and Lorian in thete game.

    ¡ªwhen an enraged Lorian mocks Gis¡¯s lowly bloodline, calling his mother a wh*re. Looking at the atmosphere of the conversation and Gis¡¯s reaction, I thought that the mockery was based on a true fact.

    But what¡¯s going on here¡­

    I, believing Lorian, had been thinking she was the Kingdom¡¯s No.1 Prostitute, while she actually turned out to be just a first-ss dancer.

    ¡®No. She can be just an ordinary person with the same name.¡¯

    But is it a coincidence that the same kingdom has two Catherines sitting atop the entertainment industry?

    I decided to test it out.

    ¡°Catherine. That¡¯s a beautiful name. Will you allow me to call you by your sweet name?¡±

    ¡°Oh, what a funny kid. Do whatever you want.¡±

    Catherineughed.

    ¡°Thank you. Catherine, how old are you?¡±

    The alluringughter was gone. Her smile hardened and her eyebrows twitched.

    I had to know that to figure out if she was Gis¡¯s mom.

    ¡°¡­ don¡¯t you consider it rude as a gentleman to ask a woman¡¯s age?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I remembered your dance back at the parade, losing myposure. But it did get me wondering.¡±

    ¡°Did you see my dance? So, how did you feel about my dance?¡±

    ¡°Attractive. Beautiful. It makes me want to see you again someday.¡±

    ¡°Really¡­?¡±

    Catherine came up to me.

    Closing the gap between us, she stroked my chest with her delicate hands.

    She whispered in my ear with her sweet lips.

    ¡°Do you want to see me do it again? I¡¯m avable, and quite cheap right now.¡±

    Her alluring voice sent a shiver down my ear.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I have an appointment right now. Can we postpone it untilter?¡±

    ¡°Oh my, you¡¯re pretty cocky, aren¡¯t ya? This is just but a favor, a whim. Do you think it will still be there the next time we meet, yes?¡±

    Catherine frowned slightly, as if her self-esteem had been hurt.

    I ced my hand around her waist, gently stroking her narrow waistline and whispered into her ear like she had done.

    ¡°So, won¡¯t you?¡±

    The hand that was stroking my chest stopped and quivered.

    After a while she said:

    ¡°Cassia.¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my real name. Next time you name me, use this name. Then I will dance for you.¡±

    Just a bit more expensive.

    Cassia motioned, licking her lips.

    * * *

    I stopped by the Coffin of Starlight and confirmed that the game settings were the same. Now all that¡¯s left is to make contact with Katarina. It was for this reason that Shedia was stalking Katarina.

    The problem was how to make contact with Katarina.

    Here, I chose a slightly ssic method.

    ¡°Coming?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Notify me exactly three seconds before she takes the turn. I will run right away.¡±

    Currently I¡¯m waiting at the crossroads of an alley.

    With Shedia giving the signal, I¡¯ll run and bump into Katarina, who will pop out of another alley.

    It¡¯s a situation that looks like something out of a cartoon movie, but what else can I do? There is nothing better than this to make contact with people you don¡¯t know.

    ¡°Run.¡±

    At Shedia¡¯s signal, I immediately kicked off the ground. I didn¡¯t put a lot of force, just moderately enough that we would fall down after bumping into each other. After three seconds, a fork in the alley appeared and a figure suddenly popped out in front of me.

    Katarina.

    I closed my eyes and prepared to act.

    Thud.

    ¡°Aiii?!¡±

    Thuk. Cluck. Thuk.

    ¡­yes?

    Isn¡¯t the sound effect too heavy for a light impact?

    I opened my closed eyes.

    The opposite wooden wall was smashed, and in the middle of it was Katarina.

    ¡°¡­what?¡±

    I adjusted the power under the assumption that Katarina would be at least of Shedia¡¯s level.

    But she directly flew off¡­

    ¡®How weak are you?¡¯

    Scratching my head, I walked towards the fallen Katarina.

    ¡°Hey, are you okay? Oh, she fainted.¡±

    I squatted next to her and checked her condition.

    Fortunately, there were no serious injuries anywhere. There were only light cracks in her humerus.

    About to whip out a potion for her treatment, I stopped.

    A poor dancer girl is unable to work for a while because of a fractured arm¡ª

    ¡ªa rich man who hides his identity and helps the girl out of guilt and self-reproach.

    After thinking for a while, I quickly made a decision.

    ¡®Doable.¡¯

    I discarded the old script and wrote a new one.

    The genre of the new script is drama.

 Chapter 80.1: Katarina (2)

    Awakening from darkness and confusion, Katarina nkly looked at her arms ¡ª padded with a splint, and neatly bandaged.

    She continued to look at her arms.

    She had no sense of reality at all.

    From her point of view, it was ludicrous.

    She was on her way home happily after receiving her daily pay.

    At the crossroads, she bumped into something that suddenly popped out, was knocked away, fainted, and when she opened her eyes, she was in this condition.

    ¡°Aww¡­¡±

    She felt exhrating pain as she moved her arm slightly. At this point, she had no choice but to admit ¡ª her arm was broken.

    ¡®Now what?¡¯

    Katarina, the sole breadwinner of the family, had five younger siblings to look after.

    She was a third grade dancer and with the meager wages she received, it was barely enough, she could hardly feed her siblings full.

    But now¡­ for now¡­ that didn¡¯t look possible.

    Who the hell would hire a dancer with one of her arm dangling?

    Taking a deep, shuddering breath, Katarina was about to ept the bleak reality.

    ¡°That¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    When the man who bumped into her apologized.

    Katarina narrowed her eyes and looked at the apologizing man. He was handsome, beyond handsome, but to her, the present her, he was her enemy.

    ¡°No, why in the alley¡­ ha¡­ no no no.¡±

    She tried to shoot something and stopped.

    ¡®It was an ident, not an intentional one.¡¯

    And he was very sorry, wasn¡¯t he?

    She tried to erase everything about Cloud from her head and go back to her real problems.

    ¡°Here¡­ I know it¡¯s nothing for what I did, but please take it.¡±

    A small pouch appeared in her vision, Cloud holding it.

    Katarina tilted her head, took the pouch and opened it.

    There was money in the pocket.

    She snapped her eyes and counted the coins in the pouch.

    ¡®T, This¡­with this the young¡¯uns w-won¡¯t have to starve!¡¯

    No, she might even be able to save a little.

    Will she finally be able to have something called savings for the first time?

    Katarina, who had a bright expression on her face, froze. She came back to her senses and corrected her expression with a line coughing.

    ¡°Ahem. What is this money?¡±

    ¡°You look like a dancer, but because of me, you won¡¯t be able to find a job for a while. I¡¯m taking responsibility for what I have done. Please do not decline by all means. This puts my mind at ease.¡±

    Was the word responsibility originally such a sweet word?

    Katarina nodded her head, fighting back her lips from wobbling.

    ¡°Then¡­ I, I will take it. Thank you. You don¡¯t have to worry about my arm. It will heal¡­¡±

    Just as Katarina was about to turn her back with a smile.

    ¡°Ah, wait a moment.¡±

    Cloud¡¯s voice caught her.

    Should she have said more? Katarina stopped, half turned and waited for him to speak. With a shifting expression, he spoke.

    ¡°This is a little sudden but the circumstances, well¡­ can I stay at your house for a while?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Katarina wondered if her own ears had taken some serious injury.

    But Cloud¡¯s voice was sincere.

    ¡®Is he crazy!?¡¯

    They didn¡¯t know each other and had met for the first time today. Why would he request to stay in her house?!

    Nonsense.

    She will refuse¡­

    ¡°It¡¯s small, but I¡¯ll pay the price.¡±

    Cloud pulled out another pouch.

    Katarina¡¯s eyes fluttered slightly.

    * * *

    If a stranger you just met today asks to stay in your house for a while, how many would ept?

    There would probably be very few.

    Especially if they have a family to take care of.

    Therefore, the process of convincing Katarina was quite arduous.

    I described what I went through and how harsh the inns in Oulheim was for tourists.

    I also proved that I was not a dangerous person.

    She epted it only after I epted her¡¯s ¡ª terms ¡ª confiscating my weapons, helping with the housework, and paying for the stay.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pretty shady ce.¡±

    The ce Katarina and I were walking through was a slum in Oulheim. She strode down the ominous dark street, unaffected.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it dangerous to stay in a ce like this?¡±

    Katarina chuckled at my question.

    ¡°It may look like that from the outside, but it¡¯s a lot better ce to live than you think. Quite a lot.¡±

    ¡°Quite a lot, huh?¡±

    I looked around.

    Yobs spitting and squabbling on the streets; and beggars with broken bones.

    Seeds that would turn into robbers given the chance and a sharp knife.

    Admiring her courageous remark, I made my way through narrow streets. Soon we came across a shabby house in the corner of the street, her footsteps towards it.

    Katarina pulled the doorknob of the shabby house and the hinge holding the door fell off.

    ¡°Ah, here we go again. Still usable¡­ after I borrow a hammer from the cksmith?¡±

    Katarina, in a manner dangerously familiar, picked up the hinges and nails that had fallen off.

    ¡°It¡¯s quite shabby, but pleasee in.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me.¡±

    I followed Katarina into the house.

    Contrary to the shabby exterior, the interior was quite nice. Brazier, pot, bed and so on. Everything was there. Old, but clean.

    ¡°Sister!¡±

    A small child, barely reaching my waist, ran up to us and hugged Katarina. Starting with that child, two other children ran out and hugged Katarina tightly.

    Not joining in on the embracing session were the older siblings who seemed to be going through puberty, and the elderly pair who looked like a couple.

    The old couple looked at Katarina¡¯s arm, eyes wide.

    ¡°Katarina, what happened to your arm?!¡±

    ¡°Which bastard hit you?!¡±

    Katarina smiled awkwardly and shook her head.

    ¡°No one hit me. I just missed a step and fell, causing it to sprain.¡±

    Katarina hid that I had bumped into her.

    Maybe because she didn¡¯t want me to feel difort during my stay here.

    ¡°I have someone to introduce.¡±

    ¡°Who would you like to introduce? Huh?! Is he your boyfriend?! Hey, it¡¯s too sudden! You never told us before!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that! Grandma, see Grandpa, he¡¯s over fussing again.¡±

    ¡°No no, my dear, it¡¯s worth a fuss! You don¡¯t know, but all men are wolves, wolves! Add a guy with a smug handsome face like that. How many girls must have cried over that face? Never fall for that!¡±

    Smug..?

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, really¡­ he¡¯s Cloud, and he¡¯s a tourist who came to witness the festival, but due to some circumstances, he has to stay in our house for a while.¡±

    ¡°Wh, What?! Katarina, you are an unmarried young woman, you cannot sleep under the same roof with another man, try to understand.¡±

 Chapter 80.2: Katarina (2)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    ¡°Wh, What?! Katarina, you are an unmarried young woman, you cannot sleep under the same roof with another man, try to understand.¡±

    Said the old man as he jumped up, causing Katarina to sigh as she looked at me.

    ¡°Grandpa please¡­ I¡¯m exhausted from going through so much today. Can¡¯t you just give me a break?¡±

    ¡°Kat, your Grandpa at times does make a fuss, but this is an important issue. Yours and your siblings¡¯ safety is at stake.¡±

    The Grandma interjected softly as she sped Katarina¡¯s hands with her wrinkled fingers.

    Katarina smiled. ¡°Thank you for your concern. It¡¯s okay, though. His weapons have been confiscated, and I have the confidence to protect myself as well as my my brothers and sisters.¡±

    ¡°Katarina, think again¡­¡±

    The old couple persistently persuaded, but Katarina¡¯s determination was firm. At her insistence, the old couple had no choice but to back down.

    ¡°Alright¡­ I see. Goddess, who can break your stubbornness? We¡¯ll be going then. Talk to us anytime if you need help.¡±

    ¡°Pay attention and see if that wolf isn¡¯t trying anything sneaky!¡±

    The old couple left the house only after they each uttered their concerns.

    ¡°Who are they?¡±

    ¡°There are people who live around here. When I go out to work as a dancer, they take care of my young brothers and sisters.¡±

    ¡°They are good people.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? It¡¯s a very friendly neighborhood.¡±

    Katarina said, while taking out ingredients such as cabbage and carrots from arge basket.

    ¡°We will be having soup for dinner. Are you going to eat with us, Cloud-nim?¡±

    ¡°I think we¡¯re of the same age, you can talk casually to me.¡±

    ¡°Yes? Alright. Then, would you be eating with us, Cloud?¡±

    ¡°Yup. But will you be able to cook with one hand? May I help you?¡±

    ¡°I certainly can. One hand is enough to make the soup, so our dear customer can rest.¡±

    Saying so, Katarina started cutting the vegetables on the chopping board. Likely, if you have a knack for it, you can cut nicely with one hand, using snaps of the wrist.

    With nothing else to do other than resting needlessly, I picked up the hinges and nails that Katarina had ced on the table.

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s your name?¡± I asked the teenage girl who had been staring at me for a long time. She pointed a finger at herself, as if asking for confirmation.

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah you. What is your name?¡±

    ¡°Brenna¡­¡±

    ¡°Nice, Brenna. Can you help this Oppa of yours?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Brenna pranced joyfully.

    ¡°How can Brenna help you?¡±

    ¡°While I fit the door into the gap, hold the doorknob and make sure the door doesn¡¯t fall over. Can you do that?¡±

    Brena nodded her head vigorously.

    ¡°Then, when I give you a signal, hold it. One. Two. Three. Now!¡±

    Brena grabbed the doorknob and began to hold it against her weight. Meanwhile, I positioned the hinges and nails on the door frame.

    I ced a thumb on the nail head and pressed it firmly. The nail went in as smooth as a fork through jelly.

    All the remaining nails were driven in the same way ¡ª the way of force.

    ¡°Would you like to open the door now?¡±

    Brena pulled the adjoined door and her eyes widened.

    ¡°Wow¡­ is it really fixed?¡± She eximed. ¡°Oppa is great. How strong does Brenna have to be so she can push in the nails with her bare fingers?¡±

    ¡°Just a little strong, haha.¡±

    After fixing the door, it was soon time for dinner.

    Brenna recounted with exaggeration how I fixed the door as she scooped out the delicious soup.

    Katarina¡¯s eyes widened as she heard my story as she stared at me.

    * * *

    ¡°Honestly, isn¡¯t this a little too much?¡±

    ¡°At the beginning, the use was to confiscate your weapons. But I¡¯m realizing after hearing Brenna, your body is a weapon itself.¡±

    ¡°But this doesn¡¯t warrant you tying my wrists and ankles¡­ How would I sleep like this?¡±

    ¡°Noisy. Be thankful I¡¯ll be tying you up at night only.¡±

    Katarina pushed him back to sleep, as if unavable to listen to any further objections. And now, he had to crouch like a chrysalis on the ground, nkly staring at the ceiling.

    It wasn¡¯t until Katarina fell asleep that he untied the knots. It was not difficult for him to untie the knots tied by a beginner.

    Walking out of the house, two people with their faces covered with masks were waiting for him.

    ¡°Sorry to keep you guys waiting. It took time for Katarina to fall asleep.¡±

    ¡°Why did you approach Katarina?¡±

    ¡®Getting straight to the point, aren¡¯t we?¡¯

    But it wasn¡¯t undesirable or anything.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you guys take those stuffy masks off your faces before we start talking? Grandma, Grandpa.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    They quietly took off their masks.

    The faces of the old couple he met at Katarina¡¯s house during the day were revealed.

    ¡°¡­Since when did you find out?¡±

    ¡°From the moment I first saw you.¡±

    The structure of muscles and flow of qi was not that of an ordinary old man. A body that cannot be structured without being highly trained. This only meant that they were no ordinary old-fashioned couple.

    ¡°Rightly so, I think. I heard the rumors that the Hero of the Kingdom of Prona waspletely different from before, and the rumors are indeed true.¡±

    The old man nodded his head. Soon, he spoke with a threatening tone in his voice.

    ¡°I showed my face as requested, so answer the question. What¡¯s your intention? Why approach Katarina?¡±

    ¡°I have no intention. Only that I am the one who broke that arm, and I was just trying to help out a little out of pity.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t take us for idiots. As a Hero, you have enough means to heal Katarina¡¯s arm. And you certainly didn¡¯t have to apany her and live in her house to help. Tell us your true intention.¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The threat that the old pair exuded deepened.

    ¡°I won¡¯t say it, but here¡¯s my promise ¡ª I won¡¯t let any harm fall upon Katarina. So tell him not to worry about his daughter.¡±

    ¡°How can we believe¡­ wait what?¡±

    The old pair¡¯s faces hardened.

    ¡°¡­how much do you know?¡±

    ¡°Everything,¡± Cloud said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have no intention of doing any harm.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°If you can¡¯t believe me, there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡±

    The old pair put on their masks back on and started to loosen their hands lightly.

    ¡°¡­I hope those words are sincere.¡±

    With those words, the old pair jumped up onto the rooftop. After confirming that they had moved away, I called out.

    ¡°Shedia.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Shedia rose from my shadow, bathed under moonlight. In her hands were the heads of the vampires that were following us.

    ¡°Did you take care of everything?¡±

    ¡°I killed all except these two you let go.¡±

    Shedia put the heads down on the floor and reached out her hand towards me with a face full of anticipation.

    ¡°No. It¡¯s not all over yet.¡±

    Shedia gave a sullen expression.

    * * *

    ¡°Aha. I see¡­ I see.¡±

    He nodded, and the old pair jumped off.

    Having let them go, he looked at the stone statue in the center of his room.

    A stone statue of a beautiful dancer performing a sword dance.

    He muttered, his voice faint.

    ¡°Anelliese.¡±

    The name of the dancer who was once the best in the all of Oulheim.

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 81.1: Katarina (3)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    ¡°The house¡¯s shabby.¡±

    That¡¯s what Cloud said while eating breakfast. It was so out of the blue that Katarina inadvertently responded back.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Cold breeze blows into the house through holes. Frigid breeze blew on my face for the whole night as I slept. Don¡¯t you guys feel the cold?¡±

    When Cloud asked, the childrenined in unison as if they had been waiting just for it.

    ¡°Cold, yes! The bed is sooo cold at night, and the nket is thin!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t even have a nket! Brenna noona always steals it.¡±

    ¡°Wh, what.. when did I steal it?!¡±

    ¡°You pull it on yourself when asleep. Sleeping warmly all alone, leaving me without a nket!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t get any warmth? You can roll yourself with the bedsheet¡­ No, I didn¡¯t take it away!¡±

    Brenna peeked at Cloud as she yelled in rification.

    Hearing the children¡¯sints, Cloud crossed his arms and nodded.

    ¡°As expected, I ain¡¯t the only one who is dissatisfied.¡±

    He turned his gaze to Katarina.

    ¡°¡­what.¡±

    ¡°Your younger siblings have also voiced, shouldn¡¯t you think out ns, elder sis?¡±

    ¡°¡­Do you think I want to live in a house like this? What can I do if it¡¯s unaffordable for me?¡±

    She mumbled and dipped her carrots with her fork, while Cloud tapped on the table with his index finger.

    ¡°Then can I help you? Calling a carpenter will solve the problem.¡±

    At Cloud¡¯s words, the children snapped their gazes at her with expectant eyes.

    They finally won¡¯t have to fight over the futon while sleeping. They wouldn¡¯t have to worry about losing their nkets overnight.

    That expectation did notst long.

    ¡°Nope. You don¡¯t have to do that. You¡¯ll be leaving in a few days anyway.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid those days will be difficult.¡±

    ¡°Alright, talk¡¯s over. And, you¡¯re a guest, we¡¯ll solve our family problems ourselves. You don¡¯t have to spend your money trying to help. We¡¯ll figure it out.¡±

    They slept in the same house and ate the same food, but Cloud will always be a guest. Katarina didn¡¯t want to be obliged by a favor, she had handled the household till now and she also would.

    So she clearly drew her line.

    It hurt a little to see her younger siblings a bit disappointed, but it was better than having problemster.

    But perhaps he understood her intention, Cloud smiled.

    ¡°You mean I cannot spend my money, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes..?¡±

    ¡°What you mean is that you don¡¯t feelfortable with me spending money over your problems. Alright, I won¡¯t spend my money.¡±

    Cloud concluded Katarina¡¯s words and stood up.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be taking the sword.¡±

    And he left the house.

    It happened so suddenly that Katarina couldn¡¯t even react.

    She nkly stared at the door as he left.

    ¡®Did he leave?¡¯

    No.

    Because he left his luggage behind.

    Then where did he go?

    ¡®¡­I¡¯m wholly confused.¡¯

    Maybe to spend time outside doing stupid things men do.

    Katarina passed the day convincing herself she didn¡¯t care if Cloud returned or not.

    Just when she was getting ready for dinner preperation, unable to ovee the whining of her younger siblings about being hungry¡ª

    A splintering sound was heard.

    Turning her head, she saw that one of the wooden beams supporting the house had been torn away.

    ¡°Hell?¡±

    Why? Who did that?

    If Katarina was perplexed, her younger siblings were curious.

    The children rushed outside.

    ¡°Guys?!¡± she yelled from behind. ¡°Wait for me!¡±

    Katarina hurriedly grabbed her saber she kept hidden away. She didn¡¯t know who was the perpetrator, but it was clear that it was some madman. A madman who could harm her younger siblings.

    She jumped out of the doorway and dered threateningly.

    ¡°Dare you touch even a single hair on my brothers.. sisters¡­?¡±

    The exhrating voice gradually turned into a questioning one.

    What the hell¡­ was happening¡­

    ¡°Wow! Oppa¡¯s sword is shining!¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯ve heard of this before! You see that sword? I heard that only the greatest adventurers can use it!¡±

    ¡°Oh, stop. If you touch it wrong, your fingers may fly off.¡±

    The scene unfolding before her eyes was beyond her imagination.

    Logs were neatly stacked in front of her house.

    Cloud was trimming the logs into wooden beams, shaving the thick logs with his sword beaming a beautiful blue, as if peeling a fruit.

    He cautioned the approaching children, saying he was preparing a surprise.

    ¡°What the hell is this¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s fine. Just scaring them. Gotta be cautious when dealing with children.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Me? Fixing the house, of course.¡±

    ¡°I guess I said I didn¡¯t need it.¡±

    ¡°You only said I cannot spend money, yup?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I did, exactly. Then what is that?¡±

    Katarina pointed to the pile of logs. ording tomon sense, there was no way he could have obtained so many logs unless they had been purchased from a lumber yard.

    However, Cloud¡¯s answer was far beyondmon sense.

    ¡°I got it from outside.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    ¡°Freshly cut from outside the city.¡±

    Apparently,mon sense didn¡¯t apply to Cloud.

    Cloud grabbed the log and hefted it up in the air. The approach was as natural as Katarina lifting an onion.

    Katarina¡¯s legs began to tremble little by little.

    ¡°Oppa! Oppa! Can you take more?¡±

    ¡°More? Why, of course.¡±

    Cloud lifted another log with his other hand as well. As he started juggling the logs, Katarina couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and flopped down.

    ¡°Ahhh¡­¡±

    Wh, what had she done¡­

    Bringing such a monster into her house for just a few pennies¡­!

    Katarina clutched her head and resented her past self.

    Regardless of her thoughts, Cloud diligently reassembled the ramshackle house. The shabby house was transformed into almost a brand new one, the fantasy world example of Theseus¡¯ ship.

    Thanks to which, Cloud and Katarina¡¯s younger siblings were able to sleepfortably without being exposed to the cold wind.

    Katarina, on the other hand, could not sleep.

    The ropes that bound Cloud¡¯s limbs seemed too flimsy to her.

    ¡®Chains. I need chains, thick chains!¡¯

    But a poor woman like her could not afford an expensivemodity like a pure metal chain, so she slept, resenting her own poverty.

    * * *

    Cloud¡¯s entricity did not end with renovating the house.

    ¡°The closet is small¡­¡±

    Arge chest of drawers was made.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to have a garden?¡±

    A sturdy fence now surrounded her house.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it ufortable when cooking?¡±

    A three-level wooden shelving was created.

    If he felt ufortable with anything, he just hammered it up on the spot. Later, he even challenged himself with more difficult structures one after another.

    Three weeks passed in such absurdity.

 Chapter 81.2: Katarina (3)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    After dinner, everyone went to bed. As usual, before going to bed, the children talked excitedly about the time they yed with Cloud. Katarina was normally the one her younger siblings asked questions to but today it was her.

    Is Cloud Oppa that good?

    The younger siblings replied without hesitation.

    Veeery Good!

    They wanted their Cloud Hyung to stay with them forever.

    Katarina smiled bitterly at their words.

    When he first came, she was wary of him. When he demonstrated the bizarre act of juggling with logs, she was horrified.

    However, those negative feelings faded over time.

    Because Cloud was always genuinely kind to her and her younger siblings.

    ¡®I wish he could stay¡­¡¯

    She also had a simr fantasy.

    She hoped these ordinary pleasant days would continue in the future.

    However, Katarina was not an unsophisticated child like her younger siblings.

    She was fully aware that these happy days wouldn¡¯tst long.

    After making sure that everyone was asleep, she changed into her dancer¡¯s clothes and went out with her saber.

    She basked under the soft moonlight and removed the bandages.

    Flexing her arm no longer gave pain.

    ¡®This is the end.¡¯

    In fact, her arm was healed a few days ago.

    But she hid it.

    Because she vaguely felt it.

    As soon as her arm was healed, the lives of her and her siblings will go back to when he was not there, not a part of their lives.

    Humans are social animals.

    When adequate safety and happiness are guaranteed, they want to settle.

    The same was for Katarina.

    She lied with herself, wanting to continue the past three weeks of happiness. If she so decided and made up her mind, there was a chance.

    But she couldn¡¯t.

    Her memories of that day, stained red with her parents¡¯ blood, did not allow her to rest.

    So Katarina danced, and danced.

    To awaken her body that had been drowning in peace.

    To avenge blood with blood.

    And¡­

    In order not to be discouraged by the happiness that would disappear.

    [Segment 1: The Dance of the Butterfly.]

    The caterpir that hatches from the egg turns into a pupae, and when it breaks the hard shell it turns into a butterfly¡­

    Her dance was interrupted.

    Was it because of the three-week hiatus that caused my body to stiffen?

    No. It can¡¯t.

    The Dance of the Butterfly was a very basic dance. She had never stopped dancing on those moves since she was fully trained.

    But what was happening now?

    ¡®I don¡¯t know.¡¯

    It just¡­ felt as if she didn¡¯t have the motivation to dance right now. Maybe she would be able to after he left tomorrow. Katarina turned back to return to her bed.

    And she stiffened.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you dance for a while longer?¡±

    Cloud leaned against the doorframe and looked at her.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you sleeping?¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep, so I just had my eyes closed. Rather, why don¡¯t you dance?¡±

    ¡°I just¡­ I don¡¯t feel like dancing today.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Cloud thought for a moment before approaching Katarina.

    ¡°Uh¡­ uh¡­? What are you doing..?¡±

    ¡°Stay still.¡±

    Cloud put a hand on Katarina¡¯s back and made her follow him. He pressed on the bottom of her belly button with the index finger of his right hand, holding her close to him.

    ¡°Hey?! Wh, what are you doing?!¡±

    Startled, Katarina tried her best to shake him off, but Cloud slyly avoided it.

    ¡°How do you feel?¡±

    ¡°What would I feel¡­ uh¡­?¡±

    Cloud¡¯s fingertips tingled.

    Something strange started to flow through her blood. She trembled at the unfamiliar feeling.

    ¡°What¡¯s this..?¡±

    ¡°Mana, Ki, Ether. It¡¯s an inexplicable force with many names. From now, I¡¯ll control this to match your dancing. Remember the feeling.¡±

    ¡°You want me to dance? In this state?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind me. I¡¯ll know how to dodge the de.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ that¡¯s not the problem¡­¡±

    Katarina, who had been biting on her lips, reluctantly started dancing at Cloud¡¯s urging.

    ¡°Katarina, focus.¡±

    Not long after she started, she was pointed out why her sword dance was so dull.

    Katarina was embarrassed.

    From an objective point of view, Cloud was a very attractive member of the opposite sex.

    Not only because of his looks, but also because of his demeanor.

    Besides, having seen Cloud¡¯s caring side for the past three weeks, Katarina has developed a crush on him.

    She was close to him, and he was close to her.

    How could she dance withposure?

    Her heart was pounding, her head ming, and her tactile senses were concentrated on the hand on her back.

    But that was only for a while.

    As Cloud began manipting mana in earnest and mana began to dwell in her sword dance, Katarina¡¯s consciousness instantly fell into the sword dance.

    In the past, even though she reproduced the movements perfectly, she always thought she wascking something.

    It was natural for her to indulge herself madly in finding the answer.

    A caterpir bes a pupae, and a pupae bes a butterfly.

    [Segment 1: The Dance of the Butterfly] ended sessfully.

    Katarina dropped her arm without continuing her dance.

    Closing her eyes, she recalled the feeling from earlier.

    How was it different from the dance she used to perform before?

    The energy around her was different.

    To be precise, her dancing changed the energy around her.

    Aftering back to her senses and even indulging in the newfound answer, she opened her eyes.

    Turning her head slightly, she found a smiling Cloud. Seeing her smile, Katarina inadvertently asked.

    ¡°Why are you staying at my house?¡±

    A question she had been storing inside her for the past three weeks.

    She was curious, but a feeling always tugged in the back of her mind, fearing that he would leave if she found out.

    Yet, she took the leap of faith.

    ¡°Uh..?¡±

    ¡°Why are you staying at our house?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ as I said before, there are various circumstances¡­¡±

    ¡°Lie. The way I see you, you¡¯re not an ordinary person. You must be a famous adventurer somewhere. I don¡¯t think you would have problems staying at the inn just because you are a foreigner.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Then tell me the real reason. Why are you with us¡­¡±

    Katarina¡¯s words stopped.

    For now she felt that something was touching her ass.

    That something was hard, thick, and long.

    And she, Katarina, was not a womanpletely ignorant of the opposite gender.

    Her eyes trembled.

    ¡°Y, you, you can¡¯t be¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes? Ah, this is a misunderstanding¡­ No, it¡¯s not a misunderstanding when I think about it.¡±

    Cloud nodded as he crossed his arms. He said to her with a serious expression.

    ¡°I got an erection because of you, take responsibility.¡±

 Chapter 82.1: Katarina (4)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    ¡°I got an erection because of you, take responsibility.¡±

    ¡°Responsibility?! Why am I responsible for that!¡±

    ¡°You look too sexy in these clothes, its appealing in ways, you know. So you have to take responsibility.¡±

    ¡°Ain¡¯t getting you¡­¡±

    Certainly, her dancer attire was very revealing. Katarina was aware of that too.

    ¡®Uh¡­ so it¡¯s my fault?¡¯

    No. It was him clinging onto her.

    ¡­but he was there to help her, and she didn¡¯t push him away even if she knew she was exposed partially.

    So was it her fault?

    Should she really be responsible?

    If yes, how should she shoulder the responsibility..?

    How..

    Isn¡¯t that the only way to take responsibility for an erection?

    Long ago, she woke up at night and caught up on her mother and father making love, which she had identally peeked up on. Just thinking about it dyed Katarina¡¯s face red.

    ¡®I, I, w-we have to do that?! That¡¯s what married couples do¡­!¡¯

    Katarina, with heat rushing to her head, was unable to think normally.

    Looking at her, Cloud suddenly burst intoughter.

    When Katarina looked at him with her eyes wide open, as if asking why he was suddenlyughing, he said, distancing his and her body apart.

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s a joke. Does it make sense to take responsibility for me having an erection?¡±

    Katarina was stunned for about three seconds.

    She frowned as she understood he had been having fun pranking her.

    ¡°Who the hell makes a joke like that? Do you know how seriously I thought about it?¡±

    ¡°It was nonsense from the beginning, why worry? What is there to worry about?¡±

    ¡°Ahh, that¡­¡±

    After her head cooled down, thinking about it, what he said was really absurd. But why did she take it so seriously?

    Katarina found herself questioning her thoughts.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know either. That¡¯s that. Why did it rise anyway?¡±

    ¡°Why, is that a question? Of course it¡¯s because of you.¡±

    ¡°Ah? Wait, don¡¯t joke¡­¡±

    ¡°The joke was when I asked you to take responsibility. It¡¯s true that I got an erection because of you. You are beautiful and charming, Katarina.¡±

    ¡°Wh, Wha?¡±

    Katarina¡¯s face gradually turned red, like a persimmon turning crimson. She hugged her chest and pulled her body back.

    ¡°You, you, you¡­ sure enough, I am the target..! Don¡¯te near me, pervert!¡±

    Seeing Katarina ying the mind drum by herself, Cloud shrugged his shoulders and backed away. Katarina, feeling that she was safe, regained herposure.

    She had to endure her temptations in return.

    ¡®I care.¡¯

    The feeling of that hard rod stabbing her buttocks, the swelling of his pants that she had seen at first nce kepting back to her mind, and it bothered her.

    She tried hard, but in the end, she couldn¡¯t ovee the temptation, and she slightly lowered her eyes.

    His pants still had a tent, as if something from inside would pierce through.

    ¡®In there¡­¡¯

    There was a male genital organ called penis.

    ¡®It¡­ seems really big¡­ Is that what everyone is like there?¡¯

    Katarina swallowed her saliva.

    Feeling her gaze, Cloud said with a smouldering expression.

    ¡°Do you want to touch it?¡±

    Those words were very unconventional for Katarina.

    Touch it?

    That of a man?

    ¡®Can I touch it?¡¯

    During her childhood, her mother had once told her that both men and women allowed their bodies to be touched only by those who were important to them. And Cloud was saying she could touch his penis.

    That meant she was important to him?

    Right?

    Not having proper confidence, she fidgeted, shifting her weight.

    However, no matter what, she was at an age where she was most interested in the opposite sex.

    She¡¯d been weighed down by her sense of duty to look after her younger siblings, but Cloud has relieved her of that burden.

    And when her shoulders became a little lighter, her interest in the opposite sex, which she had put off, came flooding back in¡­

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    In the end, the dam called rationality was broken.

    She gently raised her hand, caressing the bulging pants.

    ¡®It¡¯s hard.¡¯

    And thick.

    Just when Katarina was distracted by the sensation in her palm.

    She felt a little, pleasurable pressure on her breasts.

    She turned her eyes slightly to the side to see Cloud¡¯s arms caressing her breasts.

    ¡°..?¡±

    She looked at Cloud with her eyes asking what he was doing. Cloud replied with a look that she was asking the obvious.

    ¡°What? If you touch mine, I have to touch yours to fair the game.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Katarina tried to retort, but thinking about it, he was right, so she shut her mouth.

    * * *

    Katarina had worked tirelessly to recreate her mother¡¯s dance moves. But, no matter how much she copied the movements, there was something intrinsically different about her from her mother¡¯s dancing.

    She had been fiddling for a while, not knowing why, but not anymore.

    Because Cloud taught her.

    Flow of qi.

    That was the problem.

    No matter how diligently she followed the movements, it feltcking because of theck of the most important element.

    But that problem had now been solved.

    Cloud clung to her and let her know the flow of her qi. Katarina felt the flow of qi he showed her and tried to reproduce it. Then, slowly, her mother¡¯s sword dance waspleted.

    After a day¡¯s worth of training¡­

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Cloud grabbed Katarina¡¯s breasts. Then, without saying anything, she ced her hand behind her and over the top of his pants, caressing his cock.

    No matter how close they touched each other during the training, both the man and woman felt a different type of excitement up on rubbing each other.

    They couldn¡¯t help but get excited.

    The two sat on the ground and groped each other.

    ¡°You seem alot harder than usual today¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because today you rubbed your butt incessantly while dancing.¡± ¡°Wh, When did I do that!¡±

    ¡°Excuse me. You were tantly rubbing it the whole time.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because I-I was more focused on d-dancing today.¡±

    Cloud¡¯s hands slipped under her bralette and squeezed her breasts bare. He caressed her nipples gently and flicked them with his fingers.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    Katarina trembled at the pleasant friction and the tingling sensation she felt every time her nipples twitched.

    She red at Cloud.

 Chapter 82.2: Katarina (4)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    It was an unspoken promise between them to touch her only over her clothes. Cloud had just broken that promise. But instead of ming him, she snuck her hand into his pants.

    Her mindset was focused more on getting revenge the same way than ming him. On the other hand, she also wanted to hear Cloud¡¯s startled voice, him sounding surprised.

    But it was her who was surprised.

    ¡®Ehhh, what is this? I-It¡¯spletely different from when I touch over the pants..!¡¯

    Inside his pants, the hard, thick, long pole radiated warmth.

    She slowly moved her hand to feel the length.

    ¡®It¡¯s warm,¡¯ she thought, heaving.

    Cloud whispered into her ear as she marveled at the heat in her hand.

    ¡°Move it up and down.¡±

    ¡°Move it? Ehh, like this..?¡±

    Katarina began tugging her hand up and down with a good grip on his length. When Cloud smiled, she yanked her hand even harder, feeling proud for some reason.

    ¡°Is it¡­ good?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s great.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ aii?!¡±

    His hands, which had been touching her breasts until now, began digging into her skirt. Katarina tried to block it somehow with her remaining hand, but her strength was not enough.

    Cloud¡¯s hand dug between her legs.

    ¡°That, you can¡¯t go there..!¡±

    ¡°Whyyy? You are touching mine too.¡±

    ¡°That and this is different¡­¡±

    ¡°Not much different.¡±

    Cloud ran the palm of his hand over Katarina¡¯s crotch. Her vagina was dripping wet. He thought about teasing her about it, but then stopped. Because it seemed that Katarina would run away without being able to hold back the shame reddening her face.

    Instead of teasing her, he caressed her vagina in earnest.

    ¡°Sssh¡­ ah¡­ please¡­ wait a minute¡­ hah¡­¡±

    Katarina was perplexed.

    The happiness she felt when she ate delicious food, the happiness she felt when seeing her younger siblings¡¯ smile, and so on.

    Those were all the pleasures she had ever felt. But what she was feeling now was a different kind of pleasure.

    She felt the pleasure of being a woman for the first time.

    Strength drained from her body and fear creeped in little by little.

    ¡°Hu..! Ah¡­ ah¡­!¡±

    Katarina hugged his arm tightly with her both.

    She was in his arms¡­ she¡­ she had entrusted her body and soul to him.

    ¡°That, stop¡­ oops¡­ aaah¡­¡±

    His hand movements, which seemed to continue endlessly, ended soon after. Katarina was still holding on to his arm tightly.

    Cloudid her on the floor. After taking off her lingerie, she pulled off her skirt.

    ¡°Uhhh¡­ Uhhhhh..?¡±

    With a gurgling sound, Katarina roused out of the pleasure as her lower body felt empty.

    Her skirt and underwear were ripped off her, revealing her bare skin. When she saw her naked lower body, she was startled and hurriedly pulled her legs together.

    She said as she waved her arms wildly, feeling her body still weak from pleasure.

    ¡°Wait a minute! Stop!¡±

    Cloud stopped his hand movements and looked at her.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Why! Look at me! You still need to ask what¡¯s the matter?!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to?¡±

    ¡°No, no! It¡¯s not like that¡­ it¡¯s just¡­ too¡­ too early¡­¡± muttered Katarina, turning her blushing face from side to side.

    ¡°Then¡­ I won¡¯t put it in.¡±

    Saying that, Cloud pried Katarina¡¯s mped legs.

    Katarina looked at him with a dazed expression.

    Because her curiosity about his words was greater than the fact that her vagina was visible.

    It wasn¡¯t long before she realized what Cloud meant by ¡®I won¡¯t put it in¡¯.

    He ced his cock on top of her pussy.

    ¡®It¡¯s heavy¡­¡¯ Feeling it with her hands and feeling it with her body were thoroughly different sensations.

    Katarina was slightly impressed.

    Cloud moved his hips and began rubbing his penis against his vagina. His hard cock slid above her vagina and between the clitoris.

    ¡°What?! Whoa¡­ uh¡­ Now, wait a minute, this is¡­¡±

    ¡°Why? I didn¡¯t put it in.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I¡¯m not¡­ I¡¯m¡­¡±

    He hadn¡¯t, yes, but the way he was rubbing her genitals with his, her body mostly bare, was no less simr to sex between a man and a woman.

    Katarina¡¯s body quivered with excitement, even though she felt ashamed of it.

    Looking straight ahead, she saw Cloud¡¯s face looking down at her. She took hold of his neck the same way she had held his arm earlier.

    ¡°Yesss..! Ah¡­ heh¡­ slow down a little..!¡±

    Even though it wasn¡¯t real sex, it felt better than what she did with her hands. She loved the feeling of his cock directly in touch with her crotch and the feeling of their skin rubbing against each other.

    ¡®I think I¡¯m going to get addicted¡­¡¯

    She looked at Cloud¡¯s face as she struggled with keeping her pleasure lidded.

    A very handsome face.

    As Grandpa had said before, he was a handsome man who could make women dull in his love.

    If you go down the line of that handsome face, you could see his broad shoulders and well-toned muscles that were neither too exaggerated, nor too little.

    ¡®Aaaaa¡­¡¯

    She¡¯d seen Cloud¡¯s face and muscles a lot. She had thought she was partially immune to it now, but seeing it in this situation, it was different.

    No, was it different because of the situation?

    Re-recognizing that Cloud was a very attractive male making love with her, she melted from the heat of her head and body.

    She knew, if she kept staring at his face, she would go dizzy from head to toe.

    Katarina lowered her head, avoiding looking straight at his face¡ª

    ¡ªto his penis.

    She spied at the huge penis shuttled in between her thighs. The tip of the slightly forked ns touched her navel every time he lifted her back.

    ¡®Too big¡­¡¯

    Could something like that fit into her?

    Or rather, could any woman fit something like that inside her?

    Katarina, suddenly curious, asked him.

    ¡°Cloud¡­ have you ever had sex?¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    ¡°Sex¡­ ha¡­hmm¡­ have you ever done it before?¡±

    ¡°Why are you curious about that?¡±

    He returned a question, not an answer.

    A thud ¨C and her heart sank. A sharp thorn pricked her chest, and she felt tears welling up.

    She wasn¡¯t sure why, but she was feeling angry and sad.

    ¡°I asked¡­ Have you ever had sex¡­!¡±

    Looking at Katarina¡¯s crying face, Cloud smiled and put his mouth to her ear.

    ¡°So, why, are you curious?¡±

    ¨C Ouch!

    Katarina bit on Cloud¡¯s shoulder.

 Chapter 83.1: Katarina (5)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    ¡°Ouch. Why are you biting?¡±

    Cloud stopped, pushed Katarina away and asked. Katarina turned her face to the side, her lips pursed.

    ¡®I¡¯m pissed off.¡¯

    Had he teased a little too much?

    But he couldn¡¯t help it. Every time he teased her, she showed a cute reaction. So, how can he stop teasing her?

    But, now it was time to stop teasing thedy.

    Cloud caressed Katarina¡¯s cheek gently.

    ¡°Sorry for teasing you. But, Katarina, asking your partner for such a thing is inherently rude.¡±

    Katarina rolled her eyes and turned to Cloud.

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It is.¡±

    Katarina put her pursed lips in. Instead, she put on a slightly sullen expression.

    ¡°Sorry. It¡¯s my first time doing something like this¡­ I just wanted you to be like me, for the first time¡­¡±

    Cloud moved his waist again, which had stopped.

    Slick. Slick.

    His penis railed on her pussy.

    ¡°What?! Aaah, why all of a sudden¡­ uh¡­ ah¡­ ah¡­ ah¡­ ah¡­! Wait¡­ too.. eh..! It¡¯s too fast¡­ Woh!¡±

    Cloud¡¯s waist movements were faster and rougher than before. Katarina found herself unable to withstand the storm of pleasure and frantically patted him on the back to tap out, begging him to move slowly.

    However, once Cloud increased his speed, he did not slow down.

    ¡®Sorry. But it¡¯s your fault.¡¯

    With that look on her face, she said something like that. How many men in the world can stand it?

    Others might, but at least he could not.

    ¡°Stop..! Strange. I¡¯m feeling something strange..! Aah?! Oh..! Aaaaaaaaaaaa¡­!!!¡±

    Katarina, who had wrapped her arms and legs around Cloud, flinched and trembled.

    The cool feeling she felt as her umted pleasure was discharged all at once rushed to her brain.

    She experienced a climax for the first time.

    But she was not given time to feel the afterglow of her very first climax.

    ¡°Ugh¡­ Cloud, stop for a second. Spare me.¡±

    Of course, when a woman climaxes, her vagina bes sensitive. When she is rubbed in such a state, she feels more tingles than pleasure.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. You¡¯ll feel good again soon.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?! Stop!¡±

    Katarina put her hand on Cloud¡¯s chest and tried to push him away. However, he didn¡¯t budge and rather snatched Katarina¡¯s hand.

    He snaked his fingers into Katarina¡¯s and interlocked their hands. In that state she could no longer resist, he pressed her against his chest with her body weight.

    ¡°Stop it¡­! I will hate you if you don¡¯t stop!¡±

    Cloud did not give in to the cute threat. He buried his face in her nape and kissed her, licking her corbone and caressing her cheeks.

    ¡°Eeeh¡­ you..!¡±

    No matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t push Cloud away. Words were unable to calm him down. All tangled up with him, she couldn¡¯t do anything.

    Katarina felt helpless.

    And her sense of helplessness turned on her sense of immorality and excited her body.

    ¡°Kyaa?!¡±

    Pleasure soon outweighed the tingling sensation.

    Perhaps her sensitivity was higher than before because she was soon drowning in pleasure.

    ¡°Ssss, ahss, yes.. ah! Hem! Hum! Aaaang..!!¡±

    Shaking and quivering.

    Strength drained from Katarina¡¯s body.

    A feeling of exhaustion overtook her twice-climaxed body.

    And her mind felt a bit hazy.

    From the third time onwards, she felt no tingle or irritation, and the pleasure was subtle, not strong. Thanks to which, Katarina was able to focus on the man in front of her eyes.

    Cloud.

    Her attractive male was coercively demanding her.

    Her crush, an opposite sex wanted her.

    Katarina was intoxicated with such sensibility. She kissed his nape as he was doing it.

    ¡°Cloud¡­ Haa¡­¡±

    After a while, the intense pleasure rose from below again.

    Katarina felt herself climaxing again as she sped her hands with his. Feeling the afterglow of climax, she lovingly trailed his nape again.

    Time flew in their youthful vigour.

    Katarina was no longer licking Cloud¡¯s nape. The legs that had been wrapping around Cloud¡¯s waist were limp and soft; Cloud was holding on to the interlocked hands unterally.

    Her body and mind could not withstand the climax that followed several times after.

    Holding on to her consciousness, albeit vaguely, was the best she could do.

    ¡°Ah¡­ ah¡­ ah¡­ ah!¡±

    She flinched.

    And climaxed again.

    There was no dramatic reaction like the first time. She tremored a little and it was over.

    Cloud rasped into Katarina¡¯s ear, who was feeling nothing but pleasure.

    ¡°Coming. Katarina.¡±

    ¡°Coming..?¡±

    What..?

    She couldn¡¯t understand, and she didn¡¯t have to. She felt his cock swell, and he groaned as he squirted his cum. A powerful spurt of semen sprayed over Katarina.

    The warm sensation on her belly made Katarina instinctively aware.

    That warm thing was her Mr. Baby.

    ¡®Mr. Baby wille out after we finish..?¡¯

    Cloud didn¡¯t move his back anymore. It did look like it was over. Katarina closed her eyes. Melting under the kiss she felt on her forehead, she fell asleep.

    * * *

    ¡°Umm¡­ Huh!¡±

    Katarina woke up tossing and tumbling from her slumber, opening her eyes with a snap.

    ¡®Where.. am I..?¡¯

    She rolled her eyes and looked around. She was lying on her bed. Furthermore, she was in her normal outfit and not her dancer dress.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure we fell asleep outside?¡¯

    Waking up, she was in her bed.

    That meant Cloud shifted her.

    And changed her clothes too.

    ¡­changed her clothes?

    ¡®Muh, what?! That means he took off the clothes of a grown-up girl and changed them?! That¡¯s a problem¡­¡¯

    ¡­or not a problem.

    Because they already did more.

    The scene ofst night passed through Katarina¡¯s mind.

    A seminude man and woman intermingling with each other.

    Especially the scene where she whined like a puppy, held by him.

    She wanted tomit suicide out of shame.

    ¡®Why does Cloud¡¯s face alwayse to mind when I¡¯m shy?!¡¯

    No matter how inexperienced she was, she wasn¡¯t meant to show it.

    Cloud must beughing at her.

    No, not only that, she might have to face him with a goofy smirk on his face the whole day.

    Just the thought sent feverish shame heating her head.

    ¡®Let himugh.¡¯

    She will make him starve for all three meals for that.

    Katarina braced herself up and raised her body.

    Clearing her throat, she whirled her head toward Cloud¡¯s bed.

    The bed¡­ was empty.

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 83.2: Katarina (5)

    ¡®¡­wh?¡¯

    Katarina¡¯s heart skipped a beat and she hurriedly looked around the bed. Fortunately, his luggage was still there. It seemed he had gone outside for a while.

    Where would he have gone this early in the morning?

    Wondering if she might find him in the yard, Katarina went outside. However, it was the postman who was waiting for Katarina outside, not Cloud.

    ¡°Something for me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, ya. For you.¡±

    The delivery man tossed the letter and frantically cut into the alley round the corner, grumbling why he was the unlucky one forced to send letters in the slums.

    Katarina tilted her head and read the letter tossed by the postman. And as she read the letter, her expression stiffened.

    ¡°Lonwell.¡±

    A colossus figure in the Kingdom of Alitia.

    Her enemy, who had destroyed her peaceful life and brutally murdered her parents.

    The letter was from that man.

    The content of the letter, in short, was as follows: his birthday wasing soon, and so he needed dancers to entertain his guests.

    Katarina crumpled the letter and threw it away.

    ¡°Bastard¡­ he doesn¡¯t even remember my parents, does he?¡±

    Well, they certainly weren¡¯t worth remembering for a ¡®Tycoon Noble¡¯ like him.

    Otherwise how could he have not felt any shame sending her a letter?

    Yup, she was going.

    She could now do her mother¡¯s dance moves. The timing was just right. He needed entertainment? Yes, she would provide him plenty. The price would be his neck.

    Feeling her arms trembling and her fists balled up, she let out a sigh to calm her emotions.

    ¡®This is not the time. I have to start preparing breakfast.¡¯

    Cloud will be back soon.

    ¡®¡­should I talk to Cloud about it?¡¯

    The story of her past and revenge.

    Originally, she wouldn¡¯t even have had the thought.

    ¡®We are no longer strangers¡­¡¯

    Katarina went back into the house, fanning her sweaty face with a hand.

    * * *

    ¡°People are driven by desire. I have a desire and I survive to satisfy it. But as a child, I didn¡¯t really have any desires.¡±

    Lonwell was born into a hereditary family of Counts in the Kingdom of Alitia. Just not any ordinary Count family, but a family that had umted great wealth through trade.

    Because of this, he had no particr grand desires.

    He had everything since he was born.

    He could eat what he wanted to eat and wear what he wanted to wear.

    He had no ambition to raise his family to a higher position.

    ¡°It was just like any other boring day. There were many times when I thought that it might be better to die than to continue this boring life. In the midst of all this time when I was going through these psychological phases, I was officially introduced, at the festival, as the sessor of the family.¡±

    At a nd festival, he happened to see a parade of dancers.

    ¡°I saw a dancer. The moment I saw her dance, I fell in love at first sight.¡±

    Perhaps an Angel had descended.

    That thought struck in his head, and Lonwell fell in love with the dancer.

    ¡°For the first time, I had something I wanted. I couldn¡¯t stand it. I intervened, stopped the march and immediately proposed to her.¡±

    He was too young back then.

    Lonwell chuckled.

    ¡°At first I was rejected, but after persevering, she epted my marriage proposal. That¡¯s how I married her and had a truly happy time, different from what I had so far. But I was the only one who was happy.¡±

    The love of a man who had spent his entire life in nothing but emptiness.

    It was not a warm, cozy affection. It was something possessive, twisted to the point of stinking.

    ¡°She ran off with the gardener. I don¡¯t know when the two of them met, but¡­ I must have been such a pain that she got tired of me enough to fall for a gardener or something.¡±

    Upon learning the truth, Lonwell was furious.

    He immediately sent a pursuit party to capture the two lovers.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t difficult to apprehend them both. I asked her after beating the gardener. Why did she run away from me? What was it that I wascking? She cried and cried, before replying that she had never once loved me since the beginning.¡±

    She said as if to let out the resentment she had been holding back for so long.

    She said she wanted to continue performing as a dancer.

    Her marriage with him was forced because of the pressure from his proud parents.

    She was fed up with his obsession and twisted love.

    ¡°After crying for a long minute, she called out in a thin voice. ¡®If you still love me, just let me go.¡¯ What do you think I would have done after hearing that?¡±

    ¡°Shackled and detained?¡±

    ¡°Ha ha, I loved her too much to do that. ¡®Can¡¯t we start over?¡¯ I had asked. ¡®It can never happen,¡¯ she replied adamantly. Because I loved her, I let her go as she wanted. And I returned to the family and took over as the head of the household.¡±

    It was not a normal session.

    Because the former head of household, his wife, and his concubines were all found poisoned.

    ¡°A lot of time had passed since then. Even so, her dancing, her grace was still clear in my mind. I was once again going through phases, dealing with them. And it was when I came to supervise the festival as usual. I saw her there. Standing beside her, was the man who was once our family gardener.¡±

    He had thought that the hurt and anger would have weathered over time. But it hadn¡¯t. It was just a precarious dam that was waiting to crumble down.

    ¡°I lost my temper. I was consumed by anger.¡±

    When he came back to his senses, what caught his eyes was a bloody sword in his hand and two cold corpses.

    There was a little girl holding a small dagger and shivering while guarding the entrance to the attic where her younger siblings were hunkering.

    ¡°I knew it the moment I saw the child. I knew that the child was mine. I inquired into and confirmed she was indeed my child.¡±

    He had killed the woman he loved with his own hands.

    It was only because of his own daughter that Lonwell did not kill himself after making such a horrid mistake.

    ¡°So, what do you want to say? Calling me all the way here couldn¡¯t be just for a story of first love, or asking for help with a touching father-daughter reunion, aye?¡±

    Cloud leaned back in his chair and spoke nonchntly.

    Lonwell smiled and shook his head.

    ¡°We both already know that is impossible. I haven¡¯t forgotten the day she didn¡¯t let go of her knife, trembling but unyielding; she was afraid but still red into my eyes, with hatred.¡±

    How nice it would have been if she could live like an ordinary woman.

    But that was impossible.

    Because the child held a great grudge against him.

    ¡°Resentment and revenge are the shackles that bind my child. Unless they disappear, my child will not be able to fly.¡±

    Just like her mother, Anneliese, did.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want that.¡±

    Katarina was Lonwell¡¯s daughter and the mark left by Anneliese and him.

    Lonwell loved his daughter as her father.

    He hoped that his daughter would spread her wings and fly high into the sky.

    So he asked the hero¡ª

    ¡°So I ask you. Please do not stop her from killing me.¡±

    ¡ªto turn a blind eye to his child¡¯s desire.

 Chapter 84.1: Katarina (6)

    On the day of Lonwell¡¯s birthday banquet.

    In the waiting room, several dancers were waiting for their turn toe.

    Most of them were happy to be invited for such a big event, and their faces were glowing bright, except for one of them.

    Katarin was staring at the floor with a dingy, dead expression.

    ¡®He didn¡¯te after all¡­¡¯

    Over the past few days, Cloud hadn¡¯t returned.

    On the first day, she ignored, but on the second day, she started getting a little anxious, and on the third day, she couldn¡¯t stand it and went through his luggage.

    There were many misceneous items in his luggage, but no important items such as money.

    She shook her head and consoled herself, ¡®If it¡¯s an important item, he would carry it on himself. He will be back soon.¡¯

    But soon, she had no choice but to ept.

    ¡®My body was the target¡­¡¯

    Once in the past, one of her dancer colleagues was cheated on by a man who ran away, leaving her behind to cry her woes¡­ A sad fate¡­

    Never she¡¯d thought that it would be hers too.

    ¡®Bastard. I was serious¡­!¡¯

    Katarina had cried out her eyes red that day.

    ¡°Is Miss Katarina here?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I am.¡±

    ¡°Next is your turn. Get ready and step outside.¡±

    The butler, who stopped by the waiting room to call her name, left.

    Katarina wiped away her tears and grabbed her saber. She made a promise as she walked out of the waiting room.

    ¡®After killing Lonwell, it¡¯s Cloud¡¯s turn.¡¯

    She promised¡­

    Until she saw Cloud standing next to Lonwell, her resolve was broken.

    Why¡­ why was he over here?

    Was he one of Lonwell¡¯s subordinates? So it had been their intention all along..?

    Noticing her stupor, Lonwell said, tsking, ¡°She is a dancer I invited¡­ but thedy seems to be interested in men beside me, haha.¡±

    ¡°What you mean¡­¡±

    ¡°Tsk¡­ This is the Adventurer I called as a guest and escort.¡±

    ¡°Hi?¡±

    Cloud chuckled and waved his hand.

    ¡®Escort? Adventurer?¡¯

    Only then did Katarina realize that he hadn¡¯t been ying with her. The resentment that was filling her heart subsided. But a little was still left.

    ¡®You could have told me before leaving!¡¯

    When Katarina red at him, Cloud smiled bitterly. She held back a sigh.

    ¡®I won¡¯t forgive him easily¡­¡¯

    ¡°What are you doing? Come on, Miss, dance.¡±

    Katarina looked at the man with a dry expression on her face.

    ¡®I have to end the longsting rivalry first.¡¯

    Two cogs with resentment on same torque turned.

    * * *

    [Segment 1: The Dance of the Butterfly.]

    The moment the dance started, Katarina¡¯s demeanor changed. Her girlish freshness was gone, and the caterpir¡¯s desperateness to survive took hold of the atmosphere around her.

    The survival was gruesome, but not ugly.

    The strange difference caught the attention of the audience.

    Katarina continued her dance and looked at Cloud with squinted eyes.

    Katarina¡¯s life was also bleak like a caterpir in her dance.

    She dreamed of revenge, but the reality was bleak.

    Lonwell was the upper ssman among upper ssmen, while Katarina was just a lower runk nobody, barely getting by.

    When she was about to give up everything, even her mother¡¯s dance, which was her only hope, her life took a turn.

    ¡®You appeared.¡¯

    The day she was about to fall, he picked her up and lent her his shoulder.

    Thanks to him, she could see hope again.

    The caterpir, barely worming its way, became a pupae, before breaking off its thick shell, and then bing a beautiful butterfly and flying away.

    ¡®Ah¡­¡¯

    Lonwell eximed.

    Such a graceful and beautiful dance.

    That dance that even changed the atmosphere around her was definitely Anelliese¡¯s.

    She had inherited her mother¡¯s dancing skills to a T.

    ¡®All preparations have beenpleted.¡¯

    In the chaos that would unfold with Lonwell¡¯s death, Cloud was scheduled to leave the banquet hall with Katarina. After that, the hand he was leaving behind to support her would perform its machinations.

    So he didn¡¯t have to worry about it anymore.

    The only wish left was to admire Anelliese¡¯s dance for thest time and soak in the afterglow.

    Katarina¡¯s sword dance reached its peak.

    Her sword, which expressed the beauty of nature and ferocity of beasts, now began to draw something that was not just life and vitality.

    [Closing Segment: Dance of Death.]

    All thingse to an end, to cease existing, and that is death.

    The distance between the two ¡ª life and death ¡ª was getting closer to the front.

    The de representing death was directed at Lonwell¡¯s neck.

    ¡®Finally.¡¯

    Years of hard work was paying off.

    She would be free from those painful memories.

    The girl was delighted.

    ¡®Finally.¡¯

    The end of a sinful life wasing.

    The man epted.

    The ending both of them expected for their own reasons wasing close to fruition.

    Kang!

    With a clear metallic sound, the saber aiming at Lonwell flew away. Katarina and Lonwell opened their eyes wide and looked at Cloud, the protagonist who had halted the saber¡¯s trajectory.

    Cloud intervened between the two dumbfounded people in an unexpected situation.

    ¡°Evening, Katarina. Meet him, your biological father.¡±

    * * *

    The time point in the game when Katarina and Cloud meet is after her revenge is over.

    The plot is the happenings of an encounter with Cloud while traveling on a journey to soothe her heart that had rapidly gone empty after her revenge, which she had devoted half her life to, was over.

    Just as she carried the pain of losing her parents, Cloud also carried the pain of losing hisrades.

    The two of them, who shared pain in their heart, got along quite well, and gradually became aware of each other as members of the opposite sex.

    But this was an NTR game.

    It was also a desperate game that I had picked to apesh!t a friend who hadn¡¯t paid back.

    After losing the first three, will thetter three give the main character happiness?

    No way.

    If it was such a game, I wouldn¡¯t have picked it.

    Not that I had any idea I would get transported into this game.

    Anyway, Katarina¡¯s NTR trigger is the truth about her revenge.

    The revenge she spent half her life on.

    As the plot progresses, it is revealed that the target of her revenge was her own father and that he had been helping her behind her back.

    Katarina avenged her parents¡¯ death, but she was deeply disturbed by the irony that she carried with it.

    Well, needless to say what happened after that.

    And, of course, I have no intention of going through that.

    That¡¯s why I met her before her revenge began.

    ¡°Evening, Katarina. Meet him, your biological father.¡±

 Chapter 84.2: Katarina (6)

    ¡°Evening, Katarina. Meet him, your biological father.¡±

    So I told the truth before her revenge could be enacted.

    ¡°What..? What the hell are you saying? Go away. I have to kill this man.¡±

    Katarina narrowed her eyes and red at Lonwell.

    Yup, that was a normal reaction.

    How low could be the probability of her parents¡¯ killer being her biological father, after all.

    But what if it was real?

    I stood still and blocked the distance between Katarina and Lonwell.

    She let out a deep sigh.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this. Exinter¡­¡±

    ¡°We have a lot of time.¡±

    ¡°Huh? This is seriously¡­¡±

    It seemed that Katarina also felt a sense of incongruity from my words. She turned her head and looked around her. Lonwell was almost close to dead, but no one moved.

    Both the guests and the escorts.

    ¡°What the hell is¡­ happening¡­¡±

    A confused Katarina swiveled around with her eyes wide open.

    I spoke.

    ¡°Have you everpared your daily wage with that of other third-ss dancers? Don¡¯t you get more per performance than they do?¡±

    As a result of research, the daily wage of a normal third-ss dancer cannot feed five younger siblings.

    But Katarina could.

    And that also all three meals of a day, not less.

    ¡°That¡­ that¡¯s because I dance the best among the third ss dancers, so I earn more¡­¡±

    ¡°You know that makes no sense. And among the third ss dancers, if you dance the best, you should have gone up to be a second ss. You have had more than ample chance for that. But you¡¯ve always been a third-ss dancer. Why do you think that is?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because of myck of skills¡­¡±

    ¡°No. Because when you be a second-ss dancer, you gotta show your face.¡±

    Katarina¡¯s looks are outstanding.

    Compared to her youthful personality, her body is ripe and her face is the most beautiful of all the dancers I have ever seen.

    Then would there be no nobles who would notice and take interest in her?

    So Lonwell made arrangements so that she could remain a third ss dancer.

    ¡°You were denied enrollment even in the Coffin of Starlight,¡± I said. ¡°And it¡¯s not just a ce that sells dances.¡±

    It is nominally a business that sells dance.

    However, no one can know what happens between the dancer and the guest in the private room.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you live deep in the slums yet have never once been robbed? The children were never hurt and are doing well. Honestly, inside, you know that it makes no sense, right?¡±

    There¡¯s no way she wouldn¡¯t have noticed these things. She just didn¡¯t want to think that deeply. It would have been too much for her, to be giving her all to just eat and survive. She may have brushed it off as being lucky.

    But no matter how lucky you are, the world isn¡¯t such an easy ce.

    Katarina frowned.

    ¡°Then¡­ are you saying that this man did all of it? For me?!¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    I nodded my head and called out.

    ¡°Shedia.¡±

    Shedia burst out of Katarina¡¯s shadow and quickly subdued the two guards who were leaning against the nearby pir. It was such a quick surprise that the two couldn¡¯t react.

    Shedia removed the guard helmet and tore off the fake leather face.

    Katarina¡¯splexion turned white when their real faces were revealed after their fake faces were ripped off.

    ¡°Grandpa..? Grandma..?¡±

    I held her hand as she backed away in disbelief.

    It was a bit shocking for her.

    However, once she starts epting¡­

    ¡°Everyone¡­ yed with me. Well yed.¡±

    Alright, we will start with the extreme first.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s not like that!¡±

    Katarina shook off my hand.

    ¡°ording to what you say, he has been helping me from behind my back, right? Because he¡¯s my biological father? Grandpa and Grandma listened to his orders and took care of my younger siblings? Ha, fuck¡­¡±

    She let out a sigh of utter disbelief and brushed her hair up.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that and left my younger siblings in your charge. I was an idiot.¡±

    She mocked herself in a throaty voice. Small drops of tear began to form in her eyes. She wiped them with the back of her hand.

    ¡°Katarina, we did it because we also¡­¡±

    ¡°I want to hear nothing! I don¡¯t even want to hear your voice!¡±

    The old man¡¯s mouth closed. He lowered his gaze helplessly. On the other hand, Katarina frowned, but soon red at me with eyes that said she would burst out crying any moment.

    ¡°Are you his subordinate too?¡±

    ¡°No, of course not.¡±

    ¡°I guess so. But in the end you are standing here.¡±

    Tuk. Katarina¡¯s weak fist hit me in the chest.

    ¡°Why are you blocking me?¡±

    Tuk.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me if you knew?¡±

    Tuk.

    ¡°Did he give you a lot of money? Is that so? Answer me!¡±

    She shouted with a ferocious expression.

    Soon after, she couldn¡¯t hold back and burst into tears. She rested her head against my chest and again began pounding my chest with her fist.

    ¡°Bad guy. How I liked you. You were the first person I fell in love with. Not that it matters. I¡¯m just one of the many girls in your life, a passerby, right? My body was your goal from the beginning, huh?¡±

    As the words continued, her voice grew more enraged.

    I gently pushed her away. The expression on her face showed she knew it would happen. I ignored it and kissed her softly.

    Her eyes widened.

    But her lips were firmly shut, as if to show her closed heart.

    Sure.

    Because what is closed can be opened.

    I licked her lips.

    Slowly. Without being in a hurry. Softly.

    Then, softly, her lips opened.

    I knocked.

    Can Ie in?

    She was confused whether to let me in.

    I knocked again.

    The lips twitched for a moment, then parted. I inserted my tongue between her lips. And caressed her shy tongue like a pearl in the m. She was shy at first, even regretful.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    ¡­a bit regretful.

    I pressed my forehead against hers and leveled my gaze with hers.

    ¡°Katarina. I am on your side.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I will always be by your side. I swear. I¡¯ll always be by your side, always. So¡ª¡±

    I said holding our hands together.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡±

    Katarina, who was silent for a moment, answered.

    ¡°¡­alright .¡±

 Chapter 85.1: Katarina (7)

    ¡°Wait a minute, my head isn¡¯t following.¡±

    Katarina, who had heard everything from me, said, processing it while cradling her forehead.

    I could understand.

    How could she easily ept being the daughter of an aristocrat, and that her younger siblings are half-brothers and half-sisters that her mother gave birth to through eloping with a gardener?

    Not a problem.

    Because there is plenty of time anyway. We took one of the many rooms in Lonwell¡¯s mansion, so she didn¡¯t have to worry about people staring at her.

    I waited for Katarina, stroking her back.

    After a while, as if she had finally pulled her thoughts together, Katarina spoke with a sharply addled look.

    She drawled, ¡°¡­I understand everything you say. That Lonwell is my biological father and has been supporting me without my knowledge. But one way or another, he is my parents¡¯ murderer.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°He killed my parents right in front of my eyes and that scene is still vivid in my eyes. I will never forgive him.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°I will kill him.¡±

    ¡°Then do it.¡±

    Katarina¡¯s eyes, which were sharp, sank. She looked at me with a slightly puzzled look.

    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you trying to stop me from killing Lonwell?¡±

    ¡°Not really..? Why would I stop you from avenging your parents?¡±

    Katarina narrowed her eyes and gave me a look of iprehension.

    ¡°Then why did you stop me earlier?¡±

    ¡°Thing are different now than then. You didn¡¯t know then that Lonwell was your real father, but now you do.¡±

    ¡°¡­does it matter?¡±

    ¡°Maybe it doesn¡¯t. However if you hadn¡¯t know, you may have came to regret itter.¡±

    ¡°I would¡¯ve had no regrets.¡±

    ¡°Really? Are you sure you wouldn¡¯t have regretted it hence? Are you confident that you would have brushed it off as something inconsequential?¡±

    At my question, her mouth closed tight and it did not open again. Even as it was now, she seemed to have no confidence.

    I patted her on the shoulder.

    ¡°From what I can see, you are in a state of confusion from epting many things at once. Even at this moment when I am speaking, your head is only full of question marks, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not bad actually. If you don¡¯t take enough time to think and just act emotionally, you may end up regretting your actions, all those question marks you have would be exmation marks.¡±

    I gently jabbed Katarina in the middle of her chest with my forefinger.

    ¡°You are to dig in here. It¡¯s a hard choice, a very hard one.¡±

    ¡°¡­then.¡±

    Katarina¡¯s expression blurred.

    ¡°Then what should I do now? I¡¯ve only been looking at this so far¡­¡±

    Her voice turned gloomy.

    I put my hand on the back of hers and replied seriously.

    ¡°Let¡¯s put it off untilter.¡±

    ¡°¡­yes?¡±

    Katarina¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to decide now. Let¡¯s go on a trip, and think slowly. You know what, there are so many wonderful ces in this world to visit¡­ For example, let¡¯s see¡­ the World Tree worshiped by the elves in the corner of the continent, those sweeties don¡¯te out of the forest¡­ or the Dragon Nest where the dragons hoard everything¡­¡±

    I said whatever came to my mind, but Katarina¡¯s expression was a bit dazed when she heard my travel ns.

    ¡°Would you not like to go on a trip with me?¡±

    ¡°Uh..? Uh? No no. It¡¯s not like¡­¡±

    Katarina hurriedly shook her head. And then she spoke in a low, grating tone.

    ¡°¡­ording to what you said¡­ Lonwell, you¡¯re saying, he tried to make me kill him out of guilt?¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°But what if he changes his mindter? When I decide to kill him, if he resists, if he doesn¡¯t want to die¡­¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡±

    I chuckled.

    He is a human being who dly jumped on the bandwagon to quench his daughter¡¯s ¡ª his sole blood¡¯s ¡ª hatred.

    Will such a person change his mind in a few days when he hadn¡¯t in years?

    But Katarina seemed uneasy.

    ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen, but if it does, I¡¯ll help you kill him. Didn¡¯t I say? I am always on your side.¡±

    ¡°Really..?¡±

    ¡°Really.¡±

    ¡°Really¡­ are you really going to do that? Will you still be by my side?¡±

    Katarina¡¯s eyes flickered with a mixture of anticipation and anxiety.

    I took her in my arms.

    ¡°Yes. Always.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    Her body, leaning against me, quivered slightly.

    The pent up pressure inside her released as the sound of sobbing reached my ears.

    Lonwell had let out a bitterugh when I had stopped Katarina and had exined the hidden intricacies to her.

    Katarina had quivered but she did not let go of her saber.

    She was afraid, but she red at his face all the way.

    Because of that, I had thought Katarina was emotionally a rational woman.

    But it wasn¡¯t so.

    She didn¡¯t let go of the saber, but her hand had been trembling.

    She red all the way, but was afraid inside.

    Katarina had shown a strong exterior so far, but that was a false image created out of vengeance. In reality, she is just an ordinary woman with a soft heart.

    She is a precarious person with no pir to lean on.

    I stroked her hair gently.

 Chapter 85.2: Katarina (7)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    Itsted for a while, and little by little her sobs subsided. Before I knew it, she was holding my body tightly in her arms.

    ¡°Finished?¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t actually cry.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°M¡­ Maybe a bit.¡±

    Katarina lifted her head and looked up at me, pouting her lips. Aww, quite cute. I was about tough, but her face suddenly drew closer.

    Puck.

    A cute kiss with only her lips brushing mine before falling behind.

    ¡°Thank you. And I like it.¡±

    Even though it was embarrassing for her, Katarina said with an endearing smile.

    I put on a deep kiss.

    ¡°Eh?! Eup¡­ Chup¡­ Churep¡­ Ugh¡­¡±

    At first, she was taken aback, but soon she got used to it, and then she was reacting little by little. Her expression melting into a soggy expression.

    My hand reached for her chest.

    I lowered her breasttes and gently caressed her bulging breasts.

    Her hand slipped into my pants, grabbing my half-erect cock and running it up and down.

    I took off her skirt, and she also took off my pants.

    With underwear, of course.

    Katarina propped my erect c*ck on top of her own pussy.

    The damp p*ssy and rock-hard c*ck rubbed together, making obscene sounds, her p*ssy slick and wet.

    The sound of heavy breathings, hers and mine, filled the room.

    When the atmosphere heated up to the peak, I looked at her face and asked.

    ¡°Katarina.¡±

    ¡°Uhhh, ye¡­sss..¡±

    ¡°Can I eat you?¡±

    Her expression nked as if she didn¡¯t understand my words for a moment.

    Soon, her face turned red.

    ¡°What are you talking about?!¡±

    ¡°Can I eat you?¡±

    ¡°Damn Cloud, eat, dang¡­¡±

    I lowered my head and licked her t!ts with my tongue like a puppy. I asked again, looking up at the trembling girl with my earnest, innocent-looking eyes.

    ¡°No?¡±

    ¡°Goddamnit¡­¡±

    Katarina¡¯s eyes trembled.

    I went ahead and kissed her breasts, and then in a crawling voice she answered:

    ¡°¡­okay.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°¡­do it.¡±

    ¡°Do what?¡±

    Katarina red at me. But now I¡¯m just an innocent boy. Very innocent.

    Seeing my innocent expression, Katarina stopped ring, perhaps resigned.

    She looked away with a look of embarrassment.

    ¡°T-T-T-T-That¡­ you can eat¡­¡±

    I smiled and kissed her on the forehead.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Damn you, Cloud¡­¡±

    Katarina grunted, probably pouting.

    I put my c*ck into her p*ssy. I shoved it in slowly and stopped when I felt something slightly snag.

    ¡°Katarina.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­ what..?¡±

    ¡°I love you.¡±

    ¡°Uh?! Yeah¡­ I love you too¡ª¡±

    She was taken aback by her sudden disy of affection, when I thrusted my cock into her.

    ¡°¡ªey, eeeyyyy?!¡±

    Katarina let out a strange screaming moan and threw her head back. Not only her head, but also her waist bent upward.

    Her body and breasts trembled.

    She slowly returned to her original position.

    Tears welled up in her eyes.

    ¡°Are you in a lot of pain?¡±

    ¡°A, As if a knife stabbed¡­¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I thought it would hurt less if I diverted your attention and put it in at once, but it doesn¡¯t seem to be¡­ the case.¡±

    I stroked Katarina¡¯s cheek, waiting for her to adjust. It didn¡¯t take her long. With the power of my magical shape adjusting c*ck, mere seconds actually as my cock changed to a size and shape that she could feelfortable with.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be moving.¡±

    ¡°¡­go on.¡±

    Katarina stopped, as if to say something but then closed her eyes. Maybe she was trying to tell me not to move. But she must have quickly realized that nothing would change from that.

    I moved my hips slowly, very slowly.

    My ns gently throbbed within the walls of her v*gina.

    ¡°Haa¡­¡±

    Her voice was slightly peaked.

    The pleasure seemed to outweigh the pain.

    That didn¡¯t make me speed up pistoning into her v*gina or anything. For her, today is her first experience.

    If she experiences intense sex the first time, she may develop a phobia of sexter.

    ¡°Cloud¡­¡±

    A sweet, melted voice called me.

    In response, I hugged her and kissed her on the lips. Mixing our tongue, I stroked her belly.

    As the feeling of ejaction came to her little by little, I started to feel her thighs quavering.

    She seemed to be reaching a climax.

    Just in time for her orgasm, I thrusted my cock all the way into her innermost chambers and ejacted.

    Thick semen poured deep into her, and she and I felt the afterglow as we held each other.

    But only for a while.

    ¡°What, did you wrap it up inside?! What are we going to do if a baby pops out!¡±

    Katarina,ing to her senses and freed from lust, pped me on the back with paleplexion.

    ¡°Was it a dangerous day?¡±

    ¡°Uh? Uh¡­ it¡¯s not like that¡­ but I can still get pregnant even if it¡¯s not the day!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±

    She frowned.

    ¡°How can you be so calm? Goodness..!¡±

    In anger, Katarina started bashing me with her pillow. Mood swings already? Wait¡­ the menstrual cycle doesn¡¯t start so fast.

    ¡°Why would I not be? I will take the responsibility as the baby¡¯s father. Simple.¡±

    ¡°R, Responsibility.¡±

    Katarina¡¯s cheeks turned slightly red.

    ¡°That, yes. Of course. Right.¡±

    Katarina muttered in a daze as she bobbed her head with a silly but sweet smile on her face.

    Then she gently put her hand on my own chest, almost mewling.

    ¡°Do you want to do it one more time?¡±

    This time I ejacted outside.

    Katarina pouted, theny on her back, ignoring my invitation.

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 86.1: Katarina (8)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    ¡°Adopt Katarina¡¯s younger siblings.¡±

    Lonwell¡¯s office.

    I spoke, leaning against the window, looking at the children admiring the huge garden.

    ¡°¡­nonsense. Why should I?¡±

    ¡°So that you can live for a while.¡±

    Last night, after a long talk with Katarina, we decided to leave the children with Lonwell.

    Because I cannot take kids on a trip.

    At first, Katarina was opposed, but she eventually gave a nod to my repeated persuasion.

    ¡°Raise the children in the best environment possible.¡±

    One of the reasons she was persuaded was the environment. Unless you chance upon luck, you can be a big person only by ying in the big water from childhood.

    But what about the environment surrounding Katarina¡¯s younger siblings?

    Slums.

    Amunity infested with all sorts of losers and societies¡¯ trash who gave up living faithfully and covet others¡¯ things.

    Even if theye out of the slums, the only ce the children can stay while Katarina is gone is orphanage.

    It¡¯s hard to say that it¡¯s a particrly good environment.

    On the other hand, what about Lonwell?

    The count of a kingdom and the master of a rich noble family that has amassed enormous wealth.

    Power and money.

    When that is in ce,working naturally follows.

    The perfect environment for children to pursue their dreams.

    ¡®I was worried that the kids might recognize Lonwell¡­¡¯

    Katarina had reassured me she was the only one who saw Lonwell¡¯s face that day.

    Luckily her siblings don¡¯t know.

    ¡°It¡¯s the family you destroyed in the first ce. You have to take full responsibility.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Henry, the eldest, says he wants to be a knight. Apprenticeship and systematic study is an option. Or send him to the Imperial Academy. The second, Brenna, says she wants to marry a nice guy. Either get her set up with a suitable noble or send her to the Imperial Academy. And the third¡­¡±

    I listed the children¡¯s dreams to Lonwell, which they had confided. As long as it¡¯s not something outrageous, Lonwell would be able to aplish it.

    ¡°What if¡­¡±

    After patiently hearing about the children¡¯s dreams, Lonwell opened his mouth with a dry expression.

    ¡°If I raise the children well ording to your words¡­ can I be forgiven by my child?¡±

    The dry expression contained a ray of hope.

    ¡°No, you will never be forgiven.¡±

    But I had no such glimmer of hope.

    Although the various circumstances were a tangled mess, and he was Katarina¡¯s real father, and had helped her behind her back¡­

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t change that you killed Katarina¡¯s parents right in front of her eyes. So let go of unnecessary expectations.¡±

    Katarina would want to kill Lonwell, even now.

    The reason she held back that urge was to wait until her inner turmoil subsided and for the sake of her younger siblings.

    Lonwell put on a bitter expression.

    I looked at him, his figure forlorn, and continued .

    ¡°But maybe¡­ If you raise the children happily and nicely, even if she don¡¯t forgive you, won¡¯t she at least allow you to look at her from a distance when she bes a great dancer someday?¡±

    Lonwell¡¯s eyebrows eased and the corners of his mouth rose slightly.

    ¡°¡­that¡¯s enough.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t long before he returned to his dull expression again.

    ¡°I would like to thank you again. It didn¡¯t turn out the way I wanted it to, but in a way, it made for a better result.¡±

    ¡°None needed. It wasn¡¯t for you, it was all for Katarina. Raise the kids well, I¡¯ll thank you for that.¡±

    ¡°¡­As rumor has it, you are a good person. Not a surprise actually, naturally my child would develop feelings for you.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    The conversation took a sudden turn.

    As I tilted my head, Lonwell looked at me with a dead serious expression and said, ¡°But as it is, even though I¡¯m not qualified to call myself the father of my child, if you ever make her cry¡­ I swear I¡¯ll make you regret it even if I have to risk everything.¡±

    Oh, father-inw standard warning?

    I smiled and replied.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I can¡¯t give you surety when in bed, but I¡¯ll make sure that she never cries otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Ah, good. That¡¯s good¡­ wait, what?¡±

    Lonwell, smiling and nodding in relief, suddenly turned stiff.

    ¡°Did you just say¡­ bed? Wait, you can¡¯t be¡­ can¡¯t right? You two haven¡¯t even gotten married yet¡­ No, no, I must be¡­¡±

    ¡°Mhmn.¡±

    Lonwell¡¯s eyes quavered.

    His face, which seemed to take the dry look as a trademark, turned red like a volcano on the verge of exploding.

    ¡°That bastard! Kill that bastard right now!¡±

    And the volcano erupted.

    Lonwell¡¯s protectors hiding in corners burst out and charged at me.

    ¡°Damn it, why do you have to be so conservative, father-inw?¡±

    Breaking through the window, I hurriedly bolted out.

    * * *

    Even after escaping from Lonwell¡¯s mansion, there was plenty of time until we were supposed to meet up at the port.

    So I walked into the Coffin of Starlight, requested Cassia, and entered a separate room.

    The room was dark and windowless.

    However, the faint scarletntern on the wall illuminated the room, creating a strange atmosphere.

    Waiting for time I left uncounted¡ª

    -Kruch!

    ¡ªthe door opened and Cassia entered.

    ¡°Quitete, aren¡¯t you? I thought I was forgotten again.¡±

    ¡°Sorry. I had some work.¡±

    ¡°Whoa, am I getting an apology for that?¡±

    There was a gold bracelet I hadn¡¯t seen before on her arm as she stroked my cheek in a cute way.

    That was not the only thing that was different from thest time.

    Her clothes were also more revealing.

    Before, even though risky, her attire could be cataloged into the category of regr clothing. But now, all of her coppery brown skin was exposed except for the ck cloth that covered important areas.

    Her earrings, her belt, and many other essories she wore were bonuses.

    ¡°So, you entertain every guest like this? I know it is nominally a ce that sells dances.¡±

    I said looking around the strange room.

    Cassia smiled.

    ¡°A ce that sells dance, right? Really, that¡¯s what you thought?¡±

    Instead of answering, I looked as she took my hand and stroked it on her waist and pelvis. She put a finger on my chest and whispered into my ear.

    ¡°Wanna change your mind?¡±

 Chapter 86.2: Katarina (8)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    Cassia gently traced my hand along her pelvis as she began dancing around me. Her graceful movements appearing and then disappearing.

    Her movements in sight were always different.

    Every time that happened, the part of her illuminated by the reedy crimson glow also changed.

    Sometimes, her voluptuous face and neckline.

    Sometimes, her well-ripened cleavage and smooth belly line.

    Sometimes a clear back line and a wide pelvis.

    Her stimting figure made to delight the eyes of men.

    It was not just eyes that Cassia pleased.

    As she continued to dance, she quietly came and went, brushing against my body.

    Her fingertips tickled my body and her breasts brushed my back. And as she rested her butt on my crotch, something boned.

    She flinched and stopped her dance as my cock rocked up despite myself and got wedged between her ass.

    She turned her head around and smirked.

    ¡°Oh, you got some pretty nice stuff, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Pretty nice, uh?¡±

    I gently rocked my back and rubbed my cock between her ass.

    Cassia¡¯s smile deepened.

    She also began to respond by moving her hips up and down. We shook our waists in a position as if we were having sex.

    ¡°What do you think? Feeling good?¡±

    ¡°Pretty good.¡±

    ¡°Hehe, yeah. Pretty good.¡±

    ¡°Maybe a bit more.¡±

    I reached out and grabbed her chin. The moment I was about to kiss her as she sat on me, Cassia stopped it by putting her index finger to my lips.

    ¡°No more than that. Hero-sama?¡±

    She smiled.

    ¡°Oh. You know?¡±

    I immediately pulled my body away from Cassia.

    Then Cassia came back to me with a smile that trickled down her cheeks. She pressed herrge breasts close together and ran her fingertips at her breastbone.

    ¡°Ain¡¯t I a first-ss dancer? It was not that hard to figure this out. And didn¡¯t hero-sama also investigate about me beforeing to meet me?¡±

    ¡°Alright. So, what¡¯s your purpose? Did Gis ask for a favor?¡±

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing like that, so can you please remove that ufortable thing poking me?¡±

    Cassia said with a hardenedplexion as she eyed the dagger jabbing at her waist.

    ¡°Let¡¯s hear you out.¡±

    ¡°Gis didn¡¯t ask me for anything. He¡­ He doesn¡¯t even contacts me, never does.¡±

    I could hear the bitterness in her voice.

    Wondering if there was any truth in her statement or not, I pretty quickly concluded it to be true. As far as I know, Gis hates his mother.

    ¡°Is it with your own judgment that you approached me?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Not a good judgment,dy. If you have correct informationing your way, you must know that I¡¯m not on good terms with Gis, yeah?¡±

    ¡°Of course I do. That¡¯s why I choose to serve you.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    As I scrunched my brows in confusion, Cassia smiled and buried her face into the nape of my neck.

    ¡°I heard that Gis caused a lot of trouble. As a mother, I apologize on his behalf. Please forgive Gis. Instead, I will take responsibility for it today and make it fun for you¡­¡±

    Cassia peppered kisses on the nape of my neck.

    Her hand stroked my cock over my pants.

    I chuckled and pushed her away.

    ¡°You¡¯re nuts. You are not sane at the moment, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m Cassia, a first-ss dancer. It has been my designation for over 10 years. It¡¯s a bit hard to say about other things, but I¡¯m a legend in the world of dancers. Even royalty don¡¯t enjoy this level of service from me.¡±

    ¡°I do not believe in the taste of the puppet king.¡±

    I moved towards the exit.

    I just wasted my time for nothing.

    Just when I grabbed the doorknob to leave.

    ¡°Mouth! I¡¯ll do it with my mouth!¡±

    Cassia eximed urgently.

    What she said made me stop.

    ¡°Mouth?¡±

    Fetio?

    That¡¯s something Katarina doesn¡¯t do.

    I asked for it several times, but she rejected it, warranting she hated to put it in her mouth.

    ¡°Yes, mouth. It won¡¯t be until the end¡­ but I¡¯ll do it with my mouth.¡±

    Cassia¡¯s voice seemed to take it for granted as I had stopped walking. She lured me with her gooey voice.

    ¡°You can look forward to it. My skills cannot bepared to those that young children clumsily imitate.¡±

    A clumsy fetio?

    I imagined Katarina doing fetio.

    Katarina¡¯s face as she licks my c*ck with an affronted expression on her face. Her eyes looking up at me, gauging my reaction as she clumsily licks my shaft.

    ¡°Damn it, I shouldn¡¯t be wasting my time here.¡±

    I kicked the door and strode out.

    Cassia called my name out loud from behind, but she was already out of my mind.

    * * *

    After searching around the harbor, I found Katarina and Shedia browsing the seafood stalls. I was about to run right to them, but a sudden thought stopped me.

    ¡®How should I persuade her?¡¯

    If I just ask for a fetio, it won¡¯t be any different from thest time. It seemed like she would do it if I kept imploring her, but that process would take time to be real.

    As I was thinking about how to get my c*ck into Katarina¡¯s mouth, the girls found me and approached me offhandedly.

    ¡°What are you doing there?¡±

    Just when I was threading thoughts to answer Katarina¡¯s question.

    Shedia held out her palm in front of my eyes.

    ¡°Hm? What?¡±

    ¡°Moonstone!¡±

    Shedia answered with a twinkle in her eyes.

    Oh right. I was supposed to give her that.

    I held the moonstone in my fisted hand.

    ¡°Only one hand?¡±

    Shedia suddenly held out her other hand as well.

    I nodded.

    ¡°Yes, when you receive something from adults, you receive it with both hands.¡±

    ¡°¡­there¡¯s not much age difference actually.¡±

    ¡°More than you can think, so be quiet.¡±

    I silenced Katarina, who grumbled under her breath, and cleared my throat as I dropped the moonstone into Shedia¡¯s palm.

    The corner of Shedia¡¯s mouth caught her ear and then hardened.

    ¡°What is this..?¡±

    ¡°A piece of moonstone? No worries, I cut it neatly into 8 parts, so if you go to a craftsman, he¡¯ll stick it back together. Cheers, Shedia, now you just need to collect 7 more, uh?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Shedia¡¯s face cooled.

    Light faded from her twinkling eyes.

    Soon, empty eyes without a single hint of light turned to me.

    Those were the eyes looking to kill.

 Chapter 87.1: Elf King (1)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    Shedia, who had obtained a piece of moonstone, looked at me with empty eyes without a single beam of light.

    The murderous intent tethering on her made me feel as if any soul poking her further would find a bad end.

    I ignored it at first, but as it continued until today, three days after the ship departed, I couldn¡¯t just keep ignoring it.

    ¡°Ah, I lost. I lost, okay. I¡¯ll give you another one.¡±

    When I tossed in another piece of moonstone, Shedia quickly caught it.

    She took out another piece of moonstone from her breast pocket and ced it on her palm. As she looked at the two pieces of moonstone, a hearty smile broke on her otherwise impassive face.

    Yeah, wolf puppies are kinda ditz.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just let her go? She¡¯s really¡­¡±

    Katarina began, part dumbfounded at our antics.

    ¡°You can¡¯t talk nonsense, Kat. Shedia has a lot of useful corners. She should be used for a long time toe.¡±

    Katarina looked at me with a fed up expression, then she turned back to Shedia.

    ¡°Like you said, she¡¯s great. Especially when she popped out of my shadow, I was horrified. How did she do that?¡±

    ¡°Ask yourself.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ming to you because she doesn¡¯t tell me. And more than that¡­¡±

    Her eyes narrowed.

    ¡°You¡¯re just friends with Shedia, right?¡±

    ¡°What else do you feel looking at the two of us? Are you doubting me?¡±

    ¡°What doubt? Just a reasonable query .¡±

    I grunted and looked at her. Suddenly, chuckling, she pinched both of my cheeks.

    ¡°Aww, you look cute like this, I¡¯m not worried about that anyway.¡±

    ¡°If I was, I wouldn¡¯t have fallen for you in the first ce.¡±

    ¡°Me too. You know, I¡¯m more in love with your heart than your face?¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    As I stared at her suspiciously, Katarina slightly averted her eyes.

    ¡°Very little¡­ a lil¡¯ part of your face.¡±

    ¡°I knew, haha.¡±

    ¡°Shut up. You came to me because of my appearance too.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? I also fell in love with your heart.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    I supported her chest with both hands.

    ¡°Big heart.¡±

    ¡°¡­Cloud.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Can I hit you once?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°Just once.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t, it¡¯s bad. Dating violence is toxic.¡±

    ¡°Damn you¡­¡±

    Katarina let out a deep sigh.

    Even so, I did not remove my hand from her breasts. She sat on myp so she was rather easy to touch.

    I groped her moderately, then released my grasp, wrapping my arms around her and hugged her tightly, whispered in her ear.

    ¡°Katarina.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you give me a blow job?¡±

    Katarina put on a disgusted expression.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t like it. Why are you so hell bent on getting your thing in my mouth?¡±

    ¡°Because that¡¯s so romantic.¡±

    ¡°No way does it sound romantic. No. I will not.¡±

    She voiced firmly. And my heart got a little sad.

    ¡°Do you hate sucking the man you love so much?¡±

    ¡°Is it nice to ask the woman you love to do that?¡±

    Just when I was about to say, ¡®I want you to receive it because I love you.¡¯

    ¨C Kukung!

    The boat rocked loudly.

    To an extent that the pieces of moonstone settled in Shedia¡¯s hand flew out, dying herplexion dead white.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    Katarina and I hastened out of the private cabin, leaving Shedia crawling on the ground and searching for the pieces of moonstone.

    The deck was literally in chaos.

    Sailors rushed about, and the captain shouted at them indignantly, barking orders.

    We approached the captain.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a small problem. It will be fixed soon, don¡¯t worry and please go back to your cabin¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re fucked, Cap! The reef that smashed into the keel is bigger than we thought! We can¡¯t stop the water from flooding in!¡±

    A sailor who had just climbed onto the deck shouted.

    His clothes were soaked with sea water.

    ¡°L, Look over there, Cap! A mother bleeping storm! A storm ising!!¡±

    Another sailor shouted.

    The direction he pointed at was full of ck clouds, and the flow of the waves was also unusual.

    ¡°A small problem, is it?¡±

    I asked sarcastically, but the captain did not answer back. With a paleplexion, he gasped, ¡°H-Heavens, we¡¯re fucked.¡±

    Gauging the inevitability of the situation, the Captain also seemed to have given up.

    As I was shaking my head, Katarina grabbed my arm with quivering hands.

    ¡°Hey, Cloud, isn¡¯t it a big problem for us?¡±

    ¡°Right. A big problem, indeed.¡±

    ¡°T, Then why are you soid back?!¡±

    ¡°That¡­¡±

    After lightly looking around her, I whispered into Katarina¡¯s ear.

    ¡°I know how to get through this crisis.¡±

    ¡°Hah, really?¡±

    Katarina¡¯s expression brightened as I nodded confidently. She urged me to quickly tell her what the method was.

    So I said to her:

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you if you promise me to give me a blowjob.¡±

    ¡°Wh, what? Is it seriously the time?! There¡¯s a hole in the ship, and a storm may capsize the ship and that¡¯s what is in your mind?!¡±

    ¡°Are you really going to insist on not giving me fetio, even in a situation like this?¡±

    Katarina¡¯s eyelids trembled.

    She bit her lip tight and said in a mosquito-like voice.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll give.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡±

    ¡°Really? You can¡¯t go back on itter.¡±

    ¡°Quit bullshit! Just quickly say what¡¯s the way¡­ Ugh!¡±

    Katarina passed out as my hand chopped her unconscious while she was defenseless. I carried her unconscious form on my back and returned to our private cabin. I fumbled out a rope from her backpack and tied her up on my back.

    ¡°Did you find the pieces?¡±

    Shedia nodded her head.

    ¡°Then follow me. We are in a situation .¡±

    Shedia followed me up onto the deck, her dark eyes questioning before finding the answer herself, for the storm was approaching.

    She opened her eyes wide as she watched the huge waves approaching the ship.

    Only then did she seem to understand my concern.

    A heartbeatter, arge wave crashed over the ship.

    * * *

    ¡°Tho-Ewo.¡±

    I spit out the sand, still feeling some of it remaining.

    Gosh.

    I wiped my mouth and untied the rope tied to my body. Katarina¡¯s body slid onto the sandy beach.

    I put my ear to her nose.

    ¨C Sssk¡­sssk¡­

    Fortunately, her breathing was stable.

    I need not take any special emergency measures. Taking a deep breath, I looked the other way.

    A soaked Shedia was crawling our way, slithering through the seawater.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¨C Nod. Nod.

    ¡°You alright, huh? Good job on keeping with us.¡±

    I stroked a seaweed out of her hair.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to pick up some firewood and look around, so stay here, guard Katarina.¡±

    ¨C Nod.

    Shedia bobbed her head without a question.

 Chapter 87.2: Elf King (1)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    I left her behind and turned on my heel. There was arge forest right in front of the shore.

    I strode into the woods, looking to pick firewood to make a bonfire, and made my way forward, shing the trees at intervals to avoid losing my direction.

    Even after walking for quite some time, the forest showed no signs of ending.

    ¡®This looks like a much bigger forest than I thought.¡¯

    This will provide a hard time getting out of.

    I was mulling on my choices. Whiing. When a small but definite cracking sound was heard. Instinctively, I turned and threw my dagger in the direction the sound came from.

    An darting arrowhead grazed my cheek.

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    I heard a groan as if the dagger I threw flew true. Soon someone fell from a tree. A handsome man with a dagger sticking out of his corbone, but with long ears. By long, I mean really long.

    ¡°Elf?¡±

    Tilting my head I tried approaching the fallen elf, when dozens of arrows flew towards me.

    What¡¯s always with these long ear bastards?

    * * *

    Katarina regained consciousness at the sensation of someone pping her on the cheek.

    She opened her eyes and roused up, annoyed.

    ¡°Stop. Stop hitting me! Can¡¯t you see a person is sleeping¡­ Huh?¡±

    Katarina, who had been spitting out her displeasure, stiffened as if statued.

    Imagine beautiful men and women with long ears aiming their bows in your direction and your boyfriend holding onto someone who looked simr to your potential assants, a knife ced on his throat, anyone in her ce would react the same.

    ¡°Woke up?¡±

    Cloud nodded and said.

    His calm voice sounded like a normal morning greeting.

    However, no matter how she looked about, this was not an ordinary situation, and Katarina was more confused because of the sense of alienation.

    ¡°Uh¡­ what¡¯s the situation?¡±

    ¡°You remember we were shipwrecked, right?¡±

    ¡°Shipwreck?¡±

    Parrotting Cloud¡¯s words, Katarina narrowed her eyes. Her memories before she had lost consciousness pieced together bit by bit.

    Her ship had collided against a reef, and to make matters worse, a storm arrived as well.

    Cloud said he would tell her how to get out on the condition that she would do a blowj*b for him, so she agreed, and then she lost her consciousness soon after¡­

    ¡­but no matter how much she processed, herst memory and the current situation could not be connected.

    Katarina decided to listen to his exnation.

    ¡°Yes. Therefore?¡±

    ¡°This is thend the sea took us to. But the natives here don¡¯t seem to be liking us. For now, they have been trying to kill me at all costs.¡±

    ¡°Is that why you¡¯re holding a hostage?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. If he is gone, all those arrows will fly towards us.¡±

    ¡°I see. Are we in a more dangerous situation now than on the ship?¡±

    ¡°Ah, not so much. How can long earspare to the power of Mother Nature?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ that¡¯s true too.¡±

    Katarina nodded her head.

    Once again she nced around and with a desperate expression she said.

    ¡°Please tell me it¡¯s a dream.¡±

    To that, Cloud smiled.

    ¡°Not a dream, my love. So jump up and get ready to walk. So be it, but we have a forest terrain to walk through.¡±

    Reality, yeah, it was cruel.

    * * *

    We were traveling through the forest.

    Although a dagger was ced upon the captive elf¡¯s throat, and we were surrounded by countless elves, the interpretation of my words was not actually different.

    It¡¯s aw that you feel different depending on what you make up inside your mind.

    In that respect, Katarina should learn from emting Shedia.

    One should just look at Shedia.

    Rather than being nervous at the sharp arrowheads, isn¡¯t she enjoying the forest and the elves aiming their murder weapons with eyes twinkling all the same?

    ¡°How is the elven forest? You are seeing one for the first time, yes?¡±

    ¡°Interesting. The energy of the forest is very fresh, totally different from ordinary forests.¡±

    I was just asking for her impression of the scenery¡­

    Maybe it¡¯s because she¡¯s half an animal, so she has a slightly different outlook.

    But, well¡­ It¡¯s good, if all is good.

    ¡°Shall we go and see the World Tree?¡±

    ¡°World Tree?¡±

    ¡°It is a veryrge tree.¡±

    ¡°More than that?¡±

    Shedia pointed to a tree that looked to be several tens of meters tall.

    I smiled.

    ¡°There is noparison. Compared to the World Tree, it cannot evenpare to a branch.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Shedia¡¯s eyes grew brighter.

    Now it¡¯s unavoidable.

    We must go to see the World Tree.

    ¡°Hey. Where is the World Tree?¡±

    I asked, tapping my hostage¡¯s nape with the side of his dagger.

    The hostage crowed with a humiliated expression.

    ¡°Keugh..! The World Tree is not something that you and the likes of you can visit..!¡±

    ¡°Alright. So where is the World Tree? We just wanna go and say hello.¡±

    ¡°I will never speak. Rather kill me.¡±

    The hostage spoke in a heartless tone, and the other elves around him looked as if they were enamored by his sacrificial spirit.

    Why must things go on like this?

    ¡°Look, the reason I have held you hostage is because I want a guide. But if you don¡¯t y the role of guide properly, you and the guys here are all useless. Do you want that?¡±

    ¡°Ha, you talk as if you could kill everyone here if you put it to your will.¡±

    ¡°You think I can¡¯t?¡±

    The hostage shut his mouth.

    He was still shocked by how I had broken through the siege and even took him hostage, making him unable to pass my threat as bluffing.

    But the silence didn¡¯tst long.

    ¡°Even if you¡¯re right, you won¡¯t be able to pass the Rangers.¡±

    ¡°Rangers?¡±

    ¡°It is an elite group that only elves who havepleted a long period of painstaking training can enter. We are nothingpared to them.¡±

    The hostage, who was exining about the Ranger, suddenly opened his eyes wide and then smiled.

    ¡°Arrived just in time.¡±

    I followed his gaze and turned my head.

    A trio of elves dressed in green, like some sort of elven version of Robin Hood, were approaching.

    The atmosphere of the elves who saw them brightened.

    It was as if they had no doubt that those three would solve the whole situation.

    However, things went differently than they thought.

    ¡°Respected Hero, Mr. Cloud. The Elven King officially invites you.¡±

    And different from what I thought.

    Still, different was great.

    ¡°Shedia, we are going to see the World Tree.¡±

    Possibly, we will now visit the World Tree legally, not illegally.

    Shedia grinned brightly.

 Chapter 88.1: Elf King (2)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    Just when Shedia smiled brightly to the confirmation we were going to see the World Tree.

    ¡°The King invited them?¡±

    ¡°You mean, these intruders?¡±

    The elves asked, iprehensibly, but a Ranger shook his head.

    ¡°He¡¯s a Hero, not an intruder. Set your words right.¡±

    He bounced off theint. Scores of conversation balled between the elves and Rangers, but ultimately, it seemed Rangers ranked higher in authority.

    Meanwhile, there was another person who was shocked by the Ranger¡¯s words¡­

    ¡°Hero..?¡±

    It was Katarina.

    She looked incredibly like she couldn¡¯t believe what she had just heard.

    ¡°Cloud¡­. what are they saying? You¡¯re a Hero?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? I am a Hero.¡±

    ¡°¡­don¡¯t kid with me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not kidding.¡±

    Katarina¡¯s eyes quivering.

    ¡°Well, then I¡¯m not traveling the continent like normal people do, but I¡¯m following the journey of a Hero who¡¯s on a quest to defeat the demon king¡­?¡±

    ¡°Answer!¡±

    When I nodded in affirmation, Katarina chuckled, somehow dangerously as if she had lost her mind.

    ¡°Cloud, I will go back and be the best dancer. Let¡¯s meet again after defeating the Demon King someday.¡±

    She naturally took the angle to run away.

    I caught her, chuckling, gave her a deep kiss and said, parting our lips.

    ¡°Ha ha, I can¡¯t let you go.¡±

    * * *

    After injecting Katarina with the reality of the unachievable, we followed the Rangers.

    They walked us through the woods for a while and then they led us into a cave system under a cliff.

    ¡°¡­why do we have to enter a freaking cave?¡±

    Katarina muttered in a weak voice.

    Well, she was still trying to get over the shock.

    Anyway, talking about weak¡­

    Back in the days, if I had revealed I was a Hero, the guys who fought me in the tournament back in Alitia would have quit that instant, jumping out of the ring.

    As I clicked my tongue at the weakness of things these days, we reached the end of the cave before we knew it.

    Exiting the cave, a beautiful scenery unfolded that was iparable to the forest f**kery from before.

    Arge tree ¡ª World Tree ¡ª sat right in the center.

    A white wall surrounded the World Tree and an antique pce sat under it.

    Not to forget the jade-colored fresh fields stretching across the pce.

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    Not only Shedia, but Katarina also was mesmerized by the scenery.

    The Rangers gave the two women time to admire.

    They pretended to be reticent, but their wooden faces cracking down behind their masks showed pride.

    ¡°Please,e. Our King awaits your presence.¡±

    They ushered us into the pce.

    The white walls exuded more grandeur the closer we got.

    It reached its climax when we reached the gates.

    The pce gates, made of the very same material as the castle walls, looked very sturdy.

    ¡®There are dozens of defense magic formations alone.¡¯

    An unbelievable amount considering that only five defense magic formations were engraved on the gates of the Capital of Prona.

    As I was looking at the magic technology applied to the gate, someone came out through the open gate.

    It was a female elf with her hair braided in a tail.

    She did some quick chat with the leader of the Rangers who was leading us.

    ¡°Klein, you are here. Are they those people?¡±

    ¡°The Hero and hispanions. I¡¯ll take them to where the King is.¡±

    ¡°Yes, thank you for your hard work.¡±

    After gaining clearance from the female elf, Klein led us into the pce.

    The inside of the pce was all white, as if it were designed by a patient with mysophobia.

    If it weren¡¯t for the colorful patterns engraved here and there, you could think of it as a ce made to torture people¡¯s mind.

    As I was looking around the pce, Katarina tugged at my seam.

    ¡°Hey, Cloud. Those people over there¡­ No, the elves are looking at us and whispering something, they give me a bad vibe. What do you think they are talking about?¡±

    Looking in the direction she was pointing, I saw elves dressed in luxurious clothes that imperial aristocrats would wear. They gathered among themselves, looked at us, and whispered and squabbled.

    I didn¡¯t try to overhear their conversation using the Behemoth¡¯s Glyph.

    Just by looking at their expression, you could tell it was nothing good.

    ¡°Racists, you can find them anywhere actually. Here, they are hating people with short ears ¡ª us.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ are ears really that important?¡±

    Katarina asked in a puzzled tone.

    ¡°They are like that. Someone gotta be on the lower end of the scale, right?¡±

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s like that.¡±

    Convinced, she nodded her head.

    Then she made a pouty face.

    ¡°That means we¡¯re not wee.¡±

    ¡°Better than being riddled with arrows.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Please maintain silence. Soon we will arrive at the ce where the King is.¡±

    Klein cut short of our conversation.

    We walked in front of a stone gate with a huge wooden inscription engraved on it.

    Klein got down on one knee toward the stone gate.

    ¡°King. I brought the Hero, Cloud, and hispanions.¡±

    Krrrr!

    The stone gate opened, revealing the expanse of white mist blocking the door.

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    ¡°This¡­ means we can go in, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. If you go in without the King¡¯s permission, you¡¯ll be lost in the woods for the rest of your life, but you¡¯re invited. You may go in.¡±

    To Katarina¡¯s question, Klein replied, as if to reassure her. However, it worked less at reassuring Katarina, and more at making her more anxious.

    I ran my hand through the fog a few times before walking into it.

    After crossing the fog, what was visible was the huge World Tree.

    It was sorge that just looking at the cross section of the World Tree filled my field of vision.

    Looking away from the World Tree, I could spot countless elementals roaming the air. Walking down the trail, I soon saw a handsome male elf sitting in front of the table.

    The elf was wholly different from the ones I had seen so far.

    He¡­ gave off a sophisticated and elegant atmosphere.

    ¡°Cloud? You okay?!¡±

    Katarina¡¯s panicked voice was heard from behind.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,e in.¡±

    Shedia was the first to react after hearing my words. Hopping through the fog, the first thing she saw was the World Tree, leaving her eyes widened.

    After that, with a probing look, came Katarina. Her reaction was also not much different from Shedia¡¯s.

    ¡°Wee. I was waiting.¡±

    The Elven King smiled.

    ¡°I am honored to have you waiting for us. May I ask why you have called us?¡±

    ¡°The Hero of this age is impatient, I see. Come, sit down. It¡¯s never too less time to talk over tea.¡±

    I let out a small sigh as I the Elf King offered me a seat across him.

    ¡°I see. Sit down guys¡­ hey, what are they doing?¡±

    I asked, looking at Katarina who was struggling, surrounded by over-enthusiastic elementals.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know either. They suddenly came, clinging to me¡­!¡±

    She pushed away the touchy elementals.

    However, the number of approaching elementals was too many for her to push away with both hands. Before long, she was buried under elementals.

    Seeing the chaos, the Elven King remarked in a surprised voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s amazing.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Mostly, elementals do not like humans. That¡¯s why humans have a low sensitivity to elementals. But thisdy is different. Even though she is a human, her sensitivity to the elementals is surprisingly high.¡±

    Now this wasn¡¯t the time to drink tea leisurely. After saying that, the Elven king stood up from his chair and blew a whistle. The elementals surrounding Katarina quickly dispersed.

    I approached her.

    ¡°You okay?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m not okay¡­¡±

    Her hair was like a wild bush, dirt on one side of her face, and parts of her body were soaked wet as Katarina answered with her ckened face.

    Shedia looked over with envy, then stretched out her hands towards an elemental.

    The elemental fled far away.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Shedia pouted as she looked down at her own hands.

    I left her alone and looked at Katarina again.

    ¡®Fortunately, there are no scorched wounds.¡¯

    It seem that the fire elemental controlled its heat.

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 88.2: Elf King (2)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    ¡°Mydy, what is your name?¡±

    The Elven King approached and gently asked Katarina her name.

    ¡°Me? I¡¯m Katarina. Why?¡±

    ¡°Katarina, you have the rare talent of an Elementalist.¡±

    ¡°Elementalist..? What in Goddess¡¯ name is that?¡±

    ¡°I cannot let her talent go to waste.¡±

    ¡°Hey¡­ what is an Elementalist?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, the elementals here cannot leave the World Tree by virtue of the contract. Still, it¡¯s not like there¡¯s no way. There are still some ancient elementals that didn¡¯t make a contract with the World Tree.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°Follow me.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?!¡±

    The Elven King swept his steps toward the World Tree.

    I also took Katarina¡¯s hand and pulled her up.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Help me, Cloud. What are these Elves? What is an elemental, and what the heck is an Elementalist?¡±

    ¡°Is that important now? He said he would make you an Elementalist. Let¡¯s go before he changes his mind.¡±

    ¡°Heck, but what is an Elementalist?!¡±

    ¡°How do I exin Elementalist when you don¡¯t know elementals? Just close your eyes and be a hosh-whosh Elementalist. Then you will find out by yourself.¡±

    ¡°To do something I don¡¯t even know?¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t know, just follow me. Yes? Am I going to pull you into something harmful?¡±

    Katarina squinted her eyes and looked at me.

    I know that gaze.

    The gaze of ordinary people before they fall in for something.

    Alright, not a great example but the best I can do now.

    As I tightened my hold so as to reassure her, she reluctantly followed.

    The Elven King brought us right up to the base of the World Tree. He flicked his hand once towards the ground. A big hole appeared in the ground as if he had used a giant shovel as he floated off down into the hole.

    ¡°OMG..?¡±

    Katarina was shocked at the feat.

    Shedia was also slightly startled as she looked at the heap of dirt.

    It was only natural, for the clod of soil was taller than most of the skyscrapers.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too surprised. After all, he¡¯s the king who represents a race. This much is natural.¡±

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t the king of our kingdom capable of such feats?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t put humans and elves, who live thousands of years on the same line.¡±

    ¡°H-Hell, thousands of years¡­¡±

    ¡°Learn being surprised. You¡¯re going to see a lot more than that in the future, so what are you going to do then? Oh, let¡¯s get going.¡±

    Where the Elven King had dug, there was a staircase.

    He went down first and we followed, but there was another stone gate at the bottom of the stairs. The Elf king opened his palm gently.

    Then another staircase appeared beyond the opening gates.

    ¡°Down here are the ancient elementals who refused to sign a contract with the World Tree. Katarina, since you have a high sensitivity to the elementals, you may form contracts with all four elementals. Make the contract, thene catch up with us outside.¡±

    Listening to the Elf King, Katarina looked over at me.

    ¡°Cloud. If I¡¯m going to be with you in the future, it won¡¯t do good if I remain as I am right now, right?¡±

    ¡°You cannot participate in my fights even now.¡±

    She frowned.

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have made it less hurtful?¡±

    ¡°It is a matter of life and death. Clumsy kindness is worse than literally nothing.¡±

    ¡°And you still brought me¡­¡±

    Catarina grunted, pouting her lips.

    I said looking at her.

    ¡°If you really don¡¯t want to travel with me, I¡¯ll send you back. You came to travel with Cloud, not with the Hero Cloud.¡±

    Katarina stared straight into my face, and then she let out a deep sigh.

    ¡°Goodness. Even if I go back, I won¡¯t be able to live without you. So even if I don¡¯t feel like it, I¡¯m not going back without giving it a chance. I will be back.¡±

    She swayed her shoulders and ambled for the stone gateway.

    ¡°It might be dangerous, take Shedia with you.¡±

    I looked over at Shedia with eyes wondering if she agreed. Shedia nodded her head curiously. When the two women entered, the stone gates closed.

    I looked at the closed stone gate and asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s safe, right?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They can be a bit entric, but they¡¯re not bad-natured children. At the very most, it would be some pranks.¡±

    ¡°I hope that is true.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true, I assure you. Let¡¯s go upstairs.¡±

    The Elf King came up the stairs and invited me to sit down at the table.

    ¡°Which one do you prefer, ck tea or green tea?¡±

    ¡°ck, please.¡±

    ¡°Sure, then.¡±

    As soon as the Elf King snapped his fingers, elementals floating in the sky came down to brew me tea.

    The water elemental absorbed the ck tea leaves of a wood elemental, the fire elemental heated the mixture and the wind elemental stirred it. The finished ck tea flowed into a teacup and was ced in front of me.

    What the f*ck!

    That was so¡­. natural.

    Why are you guys so proud again? Your friend was turned into ck tea.

    Oh, the woody is alive.

    I epted the ck tea with shaking hands.

    Should I drink this, or not?

    ¡®If I drink this, I¡¯m afraid of wooden ws worming out of my stomach.¡¯

    A whole new type of elvish assassination.

    Just when I was in deep contemtion.

    ¡°Hero, why do you think I invited you?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know that, that¡¯s the reason I asked when I first saw you.¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m interested in you. There is one thing I really want to ask you. Can you answer that?¡±

    ¡°That depends on the question.¡±

    ¡°Is that so¡­ Okay. Then¡­¡±

    ¡°And before you ask.¡±

    I cut off the Elf King.

    I said looking him dead in the eye.

    ¡°I¡¯m the only one left here, so you don¡¯t have to hide it anymore. No, I hope you don¡¯t hide it. Talking to fake dolls is a little unpleasant.¡±

    The Elf King opened his eyes wide. He suddenly burst offughing as if I had triggered some funny joke.

    ¡°Since when did you know?¡±

    ¡°I knew the instant I saw you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a good child.¡±

    The Elf king who was drinking tea across me instantly turned into a statue made of twisted tree trunks.

    ¡°A strange child too.¡±

    A graceful voice followed.

    When I turned my head in the direction from which the sound came, this time a beautiful elf was looking at me with her hands behind her back.

    ¡°What do you mean strange?¡±

    The World Tree smiled.

    ¡°You have unusual eyes. Eyes show me the inner side of intelligent life. And I see the inside of you.¡±

    ¡°What do you see?¡±

    ¡°Chaos.¡±

    The World Tree cut it right to the chase.

    ¡°Your inner side, which my eyes see, is full of darkness and twisted as much as possible, in any semnce. It feels like an endless abyss, swirling. You are a broken man. Too broken..¡±

    Enthusiasm was shing in the voice of the World Tree.

    ¡°Even in that twisted abyss, light and goodness clearly exists. Yet, they do not affect each other as if they are in a different dimension from the bottomless pit. I¡¯ve never seen a creature with such an inner world in my entire life. You¡¯re broken but not broken. I am so curious and perplexed about you.¡±

    The beautiful female elf instantly turned into a piece of tree trunk.

    ¡°So tell me.¡±

    An elf in the shape of a small girl pulled my arm.

    ¡°How is that possible? How did that happen?¡±

    The child¡¯s eyes were full of curiosity.

    What should I answer to appease the curiosity of this old tree?

    I thought about it, but nothing came to mind.

    So I just told the truth.

    ¡°It¡¯s just because without that¡­ there¡¯s nothing left.¡±

 Chapter 89.1: Elf King (3)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    ¡°He said I had talent! Fuck you! All bullshit!¡±

    Katarina shouted as she ran through the winding dark tunnel. A wolf donning dark gray fur chased after her. mes rose from the wolf¡¯s forehead, and from its undting tail made entirely of fire.

    Yes.

    After all it was an ancient fire elemental, not just any ordinary wolf.

    Katarina found the fire elemental in this deep caravan, and she roused herself up to convince it into making a contract, but before she could open her mouth, the spirit transformed into a wolf and leapt.

    ¡°Shedia! Help me!!¡±

    She shouted urgently, but Shedia, who had sunk into Katarina¡¯s shadow, did not pop out.

    The distance between her and the wolf gradually inched closer.

    Shedia remained unresponsive.

    That made Katarina more restless. Taking a few hops further, she bit her lips.

    ¡®If I only keep running like this, I would eventually be eaten alive and then everything will be over. If that¡¯s the case¡­¡¯

    Katarina halted on her tracks and turned around. She drew out her curved saber with both hands and red at the half-ming wolf scuttling towards her.

    Big.

    And huge.

    That gigantic maw could easily munch her in half.

    Katarina¡¯s body stiffened with fear.

    Taking advantage of the gap, the wolf pounced on her. Katarina shut her eyes as the wolf lunged for her.

    The faces of her mother, her father, and her younger siblings shed through her mind.

    It was Cloud who came at the end.

    He was her first love and the man who would be herst.

    ¡®I should have kissed him one more time before leaving.¡¯

    She regretted, reluctant to let go.

    Momentster, Katarina¡¯s body, pushed by the wolf, was knocked over. She had thought the stone floor to be scraping and rough, but it was¡­ surprisingly soft.

    ¡®..Fluffy?¡¯

    Why was the stone floor soft?

    Katarina opened her closed eyes. Therge wolf was supporting her body with its forelimbs. And before she even got a sense of what had transpired.

    ¨C Lick.

    ¡°Ugh?!¡±

    The wolf licked Katarina with itsrge tongue, drowning her in saliva. She stalled and blinked, this dumb cute behaviour was expected of a puppy and not from a freaking grown ass wolf, the size difference was huge.

    ¡°Hey, hey, hey, wait a minute. Stop it.¡±

    ¨C Lick.

    ¡°Stop it¡­¡±

    ¨C Lick.

    ¡°Stop!!¡±

    Katarina crowed loudly.

    The wolf, startled, threw its head back with a sullen expression.

    ¨C Eeek¡­

    This time, it was Katarina who was taken aback.

    ¡°Uhh¡­ sorry for yelling at you?¡±

    The sullen wolf¡¯s expression softened slightly.

    Katarina tentatively questioned the wolf.

    ¡°Are you a fire elemental?¡±

    The wolf stared at Katarina without any reaction.

    ¡°Th¡­ are you thinking of signing a contract with me? Any chance..? As for the terms of the contract, um¡­ well, there¡¯s an old elf up there? A bit pushy? Yeah. He will arrange it.¡±

    Finding it unresponsive, Katarina continued to speak gibberish.

    Don¡¯t you want to go outside, aren¡¯t tunnels and only tunnels so boring, there are many beautiful things outside, and so on.

    The wolf just stared, and stared.

    Anxiety bloomed in Katarina¡¯s mind.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to sign a contract..? Looks like¡­we couldn¡¯t reach an understanding. I¡¯m sorry for taking your time. Now, if you would let me go¡­¡±

    ¨C Lick.

    ¡°Ugh!?¡±

    The wolf gawked at Katarina once more and changed its form, ring up. The huge wolf blossomed into red fire and the fire gathered in one twirl.

    The wolf¡¯s forelegs suddenly disappeared, knocking Katarina onto her butt. She looked at the fire elemental as she rubbed her ass.

    ¡°Will you sign a contract?¡±

    Sparks spurted slightly from the fire elemental.

    Taking that as a sign of eptance, Katarina experimentally reached out her hand. A thin skein of fire shot from the elemental and licked Katarina¡¯s palm.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Katarina hurriedly withdrew her hand from the sting. Could she have been burned? She examined her palm.

    Instead of burns, her palms had strange, unreadable writing.

    As she tilted her head, the fire spirit approached and rubbed itself on her cheek. Although the fireball touched her face, it was strangely¡­ not hot.

    ¡°Are we contracted?¡±

    ~Yes~

    The elemental¡¯s inscriptions had been handed down to her.

    Katarina jerked up in surprise at the sudden voice as the elemental perched up to reassure her that it was the elementals¡¯ means ofmunication.

    Then something rose from Katarina¡¯s shadow.

    ¡°Shedia?¡±

    ¡°Um.¡±

    ¡°¡­You didn¡¯te out when I called for you way earlier.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t feel any killing intent from the wolf. If I had felt it, I would havee.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Um.¡±

    Katarina let out a small sigh as Shedia nodded her head boldly. Well, she was right. The fire elemental didn¡¯t want to harm Katarina, it was just a prank. A heart whopping prank.

    ¡°Okay. Now, let¡¯s go find the other elementals¡­¡±

    Katarina, who was about to pull her along, hesitated.

    Shedia was looking at the lively fire elemental with twinkling eyes.

    Katarina recalled how Shedia had stretched out her hand for an elemental, and she sulked as the elemental fled away.

    ¡°Do you want to touch it?¡±

    ¡°¡­Can I?¡±

    ¡°Uh. Are you fine with it?¡±

    Katarina asked her elemental. The elemental was reluctant, but it did not refuse her request.

    Taking that as a yes, Shedia reached out, able to touch an elemental for the first time in her life.

    Seeing Shedia giggle like a child, Katarina smiled happily, affected by her spirit. Looking at her, she felt like she was looking at her own sister.

    ¡°Shedia, how old are you?¡±

    Shedia was puzzled by Katarina¡¯s somewhat unexpected question. But it wasn¡¯t a particrly important question for her, so she just answered.

    ¡°Twenty.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡®She¡¯s only two years older than me, actually..?¡¯

 Chapter 89.2: Elf King (3)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    She had thought there would be a difference of at least six years between them.

    As Katarina scaled up Shedia¡¯s age in her head, Shedia looked up at her and said, ¡°Hey¡­ thank you.¡±

    ¡°Um? For what?¡±

    ¡°T-The elemental¡­ for allowing me to touch it¡­¡±

    Shedia¡¯s voice sank.

    Was she shy?

    Katarina smiled, finding the short girl cute.

    ¡°Sis.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me ¡®hey,¡¯ call me Sis.¡±

    Shedia¡¯s expression hardened for a moment.

    Katarina fanned her hand in embarrassment.

    ¡°No, no. I don¡¯t mean to enforce it on you or anything¡­ I thought we have known each other for quite some time, so I figured it would be better to be more friendly in¡­ you know¡­ If you don¡¯t like it, don¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°Sis.¡±

    ¡°Uh?¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Katarina.¡±

    Looking at Shedia again, Katarina found her face didn¡¯t have the gloom she had shown a moment ago. She was smiling brightly, and after pausing a moment, Katarina also smiled happily.

    After that, Katarina got in to making contracts with the rest of the four ancient elementals in next four hours.

    * * *

    ¡°They¡¯re here.¡±

    The World Tree suddenly said.

    No additional exnation was needed.

    Momentster, Katarina came up the steps, gasping for breath. Around her, four elementals of different shapes hovered around.

    I propped myself up and ambled towards Katarina.

    Looking at me, she trudged over and leaned into my arms.

    ¡°Was it hard?¡±

    ¡°Very. I can¡¯t measure how much I have ran around inside¡­¡±

    ¡°You did well.¡±

    ¡°Um.¡±

    Katarina hummed, rubbing her face in my arms.

    I gently brushed the back of her hair and said to the World Tree, who had returned to the body of the male elf.

    ¡°Since we have had our conversation and Katarina¡¯s business is over, don¡¯t you think we should be leaving?¡±

    ¡°Why are you being so hasty? You all can stay for a few days if you all want.¡±

    ¡°No. We have distance to catch up. The reason we ended up here in the first ce is because the ship sailing to the Principality of Polycia sank, leaving us stranded. Originally, we had no intention of stopping by.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Then I shouldn¡¯t be holding on to you guys any longer.¡±

    The World Tree made a very sad expression.

    What exactly is this old tree trying to pan out?

    Without hesitation, I turned my back to the World Tree.

    ¡°Then we should be going. I would appreciate it if you could get us a guide to show the way.¡±

    ¡°Oh, wait a moment.¡±

    The World Tree said so and he stretched out his hand below the ground. A tree trunk ¡ª almost ¡ª rose from under the ground, sundering the dirt ground. The Elf King cut it off and threw itnguidly at me.

    The chopped part sailed through the air andnded gently in my hand.

    ¡°Is it what I think it is?¡±

    ¡°A twig of the World Tree.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re giving it to me?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°You have a surprisingly big heart.¡±

    ¡°You all are but my guests. I¡¯m the one who brought you all here as guests, if I can¡¯t present even this much hospitality, I¡¯m letting myself lose face.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, then.¡±

    I carefully stuffed the World Tree¡¯s twig into my backpack.

    ¡°I would like to talk a little more, but that will perhaps only be possible somethingter. I hope you all will stop by again someday.¡±

    Saying that, the World Tree waved his hand at once.

    Branches rose from the ground, intertwining andcing, to create a faux cave that surrounded us.

    ¡°Huh? What??¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, calm down.¡±

    I calmed Katarina down by grabbing her by the shoulder.

    Momentster.

    The entangled branches untied and went underground again, the scenery around us hadpletely changed.

    We were out of the woods.

    The pristine fields were nowhere to be found, only a smelly dirt road and hard stones littered around us.

    Katarina and even Shedia were surprised, their eyes wide open.

    ¡°We¡­ weren¡¯t we just in the middle of a forest?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the Elf King¡¯s hocus pocus. Not too surprising.¡±

    ¡°No, do you think this all whatever for whoever¡¯s sake it is can be boiled down to him being the King of Elves?!¡±

    I nodded without speaking.

    ¡°¡­is the Elf King really that great?¡±

    ¡°Probably, even if all three Kingdoms attacked together, they wouldn¡¯t be able to win. Maybe even add The Empire.¡±

    Katarina¡¯splexion turned pale.

    ¡°That¡¯s gotta be a lie. How¡¯s that even possible?¡±

    ¡°I know, right.¡±

    And why so.

    ¡°Then, the twig that the Elf gave me earlier¡­? Is it something amazing?¡±

    ¡°This? It¡¯s a twig of the World Tree. Not only is it a material with zero resistance towards mana channeling, but it can also amplify magic. I don¡¯t know if it will sell, but if it does, I might be able to buy a county.¡±

    Katarina¡¯splexion turned blue from pale, as if she might start hyperventting.

    Iughed and wrapped my arms around her waist.

    ¡°Katarina, our journey is just beginning.¡±

    Hk.

    Katarina began to hup.

    * * *

    Northern part of the Continent.

    A woman strided in to a castle in the Principality of Polycia, a barbard of danger and blood.

    Her white dress and long white hair fluttered behind her.

    She was a pure beauty on the outside, with skin as white as snow and eyes blue like jewels¡ªlike a heroine¡ªbut in reality, she was Leslie, a viin. A tyrant known for her cruelty.

    However, that nickname was not matching as she ran down the aisle with a desperate yet pitiful face.

    Arriving at her destination, she opened the door vehemently.

    ¡°Father!¡±

    In the room she opened, a skinny old man was staggering up from his bed with the help of his maid. The old man, hearing Leslie¡¯s voice, turned his attention to her.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Tears dripped from Leslie¡¯s eyes at the sound of the old man¡¯s murmur.

    Gasping, she murmured.

    ¡°Oh thank you, Goddess Iris¡­¡±

 Chapter 90.1: Leslie (1)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    ¡°Cold¡­¡±

    Katarina, covered in a nket, spoke. Her teeth ttering.

    Watching her, I chuckled.

    ¡°Yeah, I told you to get thicker clothes. You didn¡¯t listen to me then.¡±

    We were in the Principality of Polycia situated on the northern part of the Continent. I had warned her to buy some thick clothes in a vige bordering the Elven Realm and the Principality of Polycia, but Katarina snorted and shook her head in denial.

    It was no big deal.

    Until we got here, into the Principality of Polycia, where it panned out like this.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know it would be this cold¡­¡±

    Katarina grumbled and made an excuse.

    She then looked at her own shadow reproachfully. Hiding in that shadow was Shedia, who had been having a pleasant conversation with Katarina.

    Until recently.

    When it got too cold.

    ¡°Traitor.¡±

    There was no reaction from the shadow.

    I picked her up with a smile.

    ¡°Hold on until we reach the next town. You can buy fur clothing there.¡±

    ¡°Ughh¡­ when will that towne out?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. If we are lucky, we may find it today, maybe tomorrow, maybe the day after tomorrow.¡±

    Despair crossed Katarina¡¯s face.

    ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work, ask the fire elemental to warm you up.¡±

    ¡°It also said it doesn¡¯t like the cold and hid away.¡±

    Even the elementals aren¡¯t liking the cold.

    Seeing as they have run away to the elemental realm.

    Katarina trembled, but did not cease her footsteps. We continued on and by the time the sun was setting down we reached a decently sized vige.

    ¡°Let¡¯s buy clothes tomorrow. For today, let¡¯s rest at the inn.¡±

    Katarina nodded her head vigorously in favor of the motion, and we entered the inn. It was evening, so the inn was crowded with people. As we entered, the noisy atmosphere suddenly became quiet.

    Their eyes turned to us.

    Ignoring their gazes, I settled down with Katarina at a nice table. They also turned away their gazes and started talking loudly again.

    ¡°¡­what happened? I was part frightened when so many people suddenly snapped their eyes our way.¡±

    ¡°They must be wary of outsiders,¡± Cloud answered. ¡°What would you like to eat?¡±

    ¡°Without a doubt something warm¡­ Huh?¡±

    Katarina abruptly narrowed her brows, then she sighed and stood up to walk out of the inn. When she came back, Shedia was with her. She looked disapprovingly at Shedia, to which the shorter girl tried ying innocent ncing around.

    We ordered a stew and after a while we ate the prepared meal served to us.

    Just when Ipletely emptied my bowl of stew.

    One side of the inn went up in an uproar.

    ¨C Is it really true?

    ¨C Yeah, yeah. It is. How about it, isn¡¯t it tempting? It¡¯s a tournament held by the princess herself. The winning prize gotta be awesome!

    ¨C Ha, so are you asking me to be a spectacle for that witch?

    ¨C No, no. Listen to me, my friend. Who said you to be a spectacle? Just¡­

    Two men were having a conversation so loudly that I could hear it from far away. One was the size of a normal man, and the other was a huge man half more the size of a normal man.

    I got up from my seat.

    Apparently their talk caught my interest, so I was going to listen more closely.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°Wait a minute, I want to talk to those people over there.¡±

    ¡°Really? Then I will go with you.¡±

    Katarina finished her remaining stew in a mouthful and stood up after me.

    Why? I didn¡¯t ask. She said she would follow me, and I saw no reason for her not to do so. We approached the two men engrossed in the conversation.

    ¡°Hey, dudes. Can I ask something about what you guys are talking about?¡±

    The eyes of the two men turned towards me.

    Somehow, they were slightly bulging. Well, this is usually the reaction when someone others don¡¯t know approaches.

    But what if the power of money is added?

    Just when I slid my hand into my money bag to work up a golden miracle.

    ¡°Who is this fugly punk?¡±

    The big man looked at me and furrowed his brow. I didn¡¯t know because I hadn¡¯t looked closely, but now that I did, he was pretty ugly.

    What is the probability of him getting mad from seeing my face?

    ¡°¡­¡±

    His furrowed brow widened.

    His gaze turned to Katarina, who was standing next to me.

    ¡°Well you did one thing right, punk. Bringing a woman who fits me. Lady, how is this guy at night? His unmentionable¡¯s really worthless, ain¡¯t it?¡±

    He continued, ¡°Are you satisfied enough? Don¡¯t be excessive with insults but you can be honest. Hahaha.¡±

    Katarina frowned and red at him, tugging my arms tighter.

    I was at a loss for words because I was dumbfounded, but the manughed out loud.

    ¡°Ha ha ha! It seems that thedy doesn¡¯t know what a real man is. I will show you what a real man means today.¡±

    The man tried to reach out a hand towards Katarina.

    He didn¡¯t know I had anger issues. I let him know, kicking him in the stomach.

    He couldn¡¯t ovee the strength difference and flew off and crashed into the wall of the inn. He grunted while holding onto his stomach, reeling, then got up and red at me like he was going for a kill.

    ¡°Huh, you aren¡¯t just some weak shit, are you? It¡¯s going to be fun. A lot of fun.¡±

    Despite calling for fun, the expression on his face was grim tight.

    ¡°You picked the wrong opponent. I am Galid the Giant yer, who killed the giant Marcus.¡±

    Galid clenched his tunic by seams and pulled them, tearing them apart.

    His writhing, hideous muscles were exposed with the loss of his shirt.

    Arms the size of a woman¡¯s waist, thick chest muscles that even arrows can¡¯t prate, and abs like a washboard.

    He hefted up the two axes slinging from his waist.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be crazy! Are you thinking of killing him, Galid?!¡±

    The man who had been chatting with Galid shouted.

    ¡°It was him who raised my temper in the first ce.¡±

    ¡°You were the one who started the fight¡­ No, this is not okay, this is a vige! What are you going to do when the vigntese?¡±

    ¡°Kill them all and leave. Didn¡¯t you say that the princess is holding a tournament? Let¡¯s win there and leave the principality. Anyway, the principality has be too small to contain me.¡±

    The face of the man who had been halted by Galid¡¯s words brightened. Conversely, the expressions of the residents who had been drinking at the same inn deteriorated.

    But no one was willing to step out.

    He was famous around here, eyh?

    ¡°Then finish quickly. No matter what, it¡¯s annoying when the vigntes intervene.¡±

    ¡°Alright. It won¡¯t take long anyway.¡±

    Yeah, it won¡¯t. I promise.

 Chapter 90.2: Leslie (1)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    Galid trudged towards me. Katarina breathed, looking nervous as she tried to draw her saber. Reaching out, I restrained her hand, then looked around, swiveling my head, for something suitable.

    Oh. Now that would be nice.

    Grabbing the round table by the leg pir, I lifted it up, pouring mana into it.

    ¡°Take iiit!¡±

    Galid, holding an ax in both hands, lunged at me.

    He had bbered grandiose statements such as killing a giant and being a yer, he may have been bluffing, but his speed was quite fast. He reached right in front of me in an instant. I swung the table.

    The guy sneered.

    Likeughing at an asshole doing something stupid. He believed that his ax would split the table, so he heaved the ax and struck it.

    His sneer didn¡¯tst long.

    The ax stuck into the table, but couldn¡¯t split it.

    The table hit his embarrassed face.

    Bang!

    Galid¡¯s body flew.

    He hit the ceiling loudly and fell to the floor in a pitiful state. His nose bone caved in and his teeth came tumbling out.

    ¡°Huh¡­ huh! G, Get off¡­!¡±

    And also seemed to be suffering from concussions.

    Seeing him still trying to get up, I hit him with the table a few more times. Then he stopped trying to stand up. Tsking, I kicked him off, knocking him away to the corner of the inn.

    After hitching the ax from the table, I set it down in front of the man who appeared to be Galid¡¯s friend.

    The man looked at the fallen Galid with a dazed expression, as if he couldn¡¯t believe how the situation had transpired.

    Tuk. Tuk.

    I patted him lightly on the cheek.

    His head snapped back, then he came to his senses and turned his tensive gaze to me.

    ¡°Excuse me.¡±

    ¡°Y, Yes?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Th, That my friend, he, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°What friend? I just wanna talk. Hope you wouldply.¡±

    ¡°¡­of course,¡± he gulped.

    * * *

    Unlike other sovereignties, the Principality of Polycia has a short history.

    Originally, barbarians lived in tribal units, just like orcs. They made their living by hunting and plundering other tribes.

    This was due to the weather in the north, which boasts sub-zero temperature all year round.

    Unlike other kingdoms, farming was difficult, and adding to the woe, the food was always in short supply.

    It was thete King Regner who unified such savages and received food support from the Empire along with the title of Grand Duke.

    After Regner¡¯s death, Leslie¡¯s father, Osner, seeded him.

    Osner was weak.

    And sickly. He was unfit as a ruler by barbarian standards.

    Naturally, he shouldn¡¯t have been able to be the Grand Duke. However, the Empire did not want the barely stable principality to fall into chaos again, so it directly intervened and authorized Osner as the seeding Grand Duke.

    Osner faltered as a warrior, but he excelled as a lord.

    The wise Osner brought several benefits to the principality through negotiations with the Empire, and thanks to his efforts, the number of people starving to death in the principality were significantly reduced in numbers.

    The people of the principality cheered.

    No one questioned him about his qualifications as a monarch anymore.

    Everyone in the principality respected him.

    However, even the wisest of North failed in parenting.

    As soon as his term session was fulfilled, the Witch Leslie led her own faction and raised a rebellion.

    She dethroned her father, Osner, and kicked out all of her siblings, and established a dictatorship.

    That was how the anecdote went as far as the world was concerned.

    And these were mostly bits I didn¡¯t know.

    Because there was no detailed exnation about the Principality of Polycia in the game.

    All I knew was that Leslie¡¯s father wiped out the capital of the principality and became one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King¡¯s armyter.

    And since it was said to have happened at a festival, judging from the timing, it will probably happen at the tournament and festival that will be held this time around.

    ¡°Are you here to participate in the tournament?¡±

    The middle-aged man with a bald head yawned and asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You have a lot of guts toe and apply for participation on the same day. Are you the only one who wants to participate? Or thedy behind you too?¡±

    ¡°I am alone.¡±

    The middle-aged man, who heard me, inscribed something on a wooden que with a chisel and threw it to me.

    ¡°Take that and go over there and wait. When the preliminaries start, just show that shit and you can enter.¡±

    The ce the middle-aged man pointed out was crowded with dozens of people. Contrary to my expectations that the barbarians¡¯ smell of savage sweat would be seething the ce, there were quite a lot of foreigners.

    A knight in aristocratic armor.

    A martial artist in a revealing cloth suit.

    Even an elf with a thin sword strapped to the waist.

    Wait, why is an elf here?

    I was under the impression that Elves prefer cramming themselves in their forest as per the game settings.

    Did he run away?

    As I was wondering, Katarina pulled my arm.

    ¡°Hey, Cloud?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°There¡­¡±

    Katarina pointed her finger at something.

    Someone.

    Three meters tall with six arms. Its six arms were holdingrge axes, great swords, and hammers.

    However, the skin and appearance was close to a human.

    Even considering how he stunk like a beggar who hadn¡¯t taken a bath in years.

    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that a bit dangerous? Seems very dangerous, I¡­¡±

    Grimacing at the monster¡¯s ferocious appearance, Katarina looked to be considering suggesting that I back out.

    I spoke, putting a hand on her shoulder.

    ¡°Katarina, close your eyes and remember what we saw with the Elven King in the forest.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Alright.¡±

    Katarina was puzzled, but she obeyed my words.

    ¡°You did?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Now then, open your eyes again and look at the walking b of beef.¡±

    She opened her eyes and looked at the six-armed monster.

    ¡°How do you feel?¡±

    ¡°¡­stand-offish.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    She¡¯s finally starting to get used to the adventure.

    I grinned and patted her on the shoulder. However, she had a puzzled look on her face as if she did not like her own change.

    It was then.

    A woman emerged from the balcony above the huge arena. She brushed her grayish white, long hair to the side.

    ¡°Wee to the home of warriors, fighters.¡±

    Princess Leslie intoned.

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 91.1: Leslie (2)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    ¡°Wee to the home of warriors, fighters.¡±

    The elegant cry drew the attention of all participants to the owner of the voice.

    The upper level of the arena.

    A snowishly gray-haired woman stood on a balcony specially set up to look down.

    ¡°Witch¡­¡±

    One of the preliminaries muttered.

    Calling the princess of the Duchy a witch was sphemous in every sense, but no one criticized.

    Rather, they all looked at Leslie with vehement looks, as if agreeing with him.

    Leslie didn¡¯t seem to care about such stares, and she continued.

    ¡°Today, you all havee here to prove your worth as warriors. However, this fight, this tournament will be a bloody battle in which lives cannot be guaranteed. There will be no one to give a hand. So if you are afraid, turn back right now.¡±

    There was no one retreating.

    Leslie put on a satisfied expression.

    ¡°Wee, warriors.¡±

    Krrrgh!

    The thick arena door opened and the assigned personnel began checking their ques before letting the participants enter.

    ¡°Carefully go up to the stands.¡±

    I said to Katarina and Shedia.

    ¡°If there is danger, just run away. It doesn¡¯t matter if it looks ugly. Got it?¡±

    Katarina¡¯s voice was full of anxiety.

    I chuckled.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you doubting your boyfriend too much? Is it because I have never shown myself to you in a fight before?¡±

    ¡°Stop talking nonsense. Do you understand what I said?¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    When I gave a passive nod, Katarina¡¯s face soured as Shedia muttered from behind.

    ¡°Just die. Really¡­¡±

    Katarina hugged me tightly before turning away to walk with Shedia, trailing behind the crowd. I watched them for a while, and when it was my turn, I showed the wooden que to the soldier.

    ¡°Pass.¡±

    The soldier dismissively nced at the wooden que and let me in. The arena was a circr arena like the Colosseum of ancient Rome.

    Participants who had entered first were searching for a good ce to stand in the arena.

    They were moving away from those who looked strong and approaching those who seemed weak.

    Those who seemed to be really talented took their ce without much care. For example, that friend with six arms. There stood no one next to him.

    I also took a stand in a fairly empty spot.

    Then, some guys sneakily gathered around me. They exchanged nces among themselves and then began to surround me like hyenas staring at their prey.

    ¡®These fucking jackasses¡­¡¯

    We haven¡¯t even started yet, but they¡¯re already teaming up?

    Stunned, I looked around.

    I wasn¡¯t the only one experiencing this phenomenon. The elf, knight, and female martial artist I had sighted before were also in trouble of being surrounded by other warriors.

    Oh, of course, the six arms ox was an exception.

    There was no one by his side.

    ¡°Why is he being not targeted by any of you guys?¡±

    When I pointed at the six arms, the people around me burst intoughter.

    ¡°Why is the man who is about to die curious about that?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell that much to satisfy the curiosity of a man ¡®who¡¯s about to die¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ actually, it¡¯s simple. Really.¡±

    One of them shrugged.

    ¡°After we are done with you guys, we¡¯ll kill him altogether.¡±

    Aha.

    Hunting slowly by stepping on stage by stage. Good n. Mostly.

    ¡°I wonder, does that satisfy you?¡±

    ¡°One more thing. I understand about those guys, but why make me one of the primary targets?¡±

    ¡°The Giant yer, Galid the yer.¡±

    One of the assholes grinned.

    ¡°I hope you are catching up?¡±

    ¡°That is the guy I beat up. Is he famous?¡±

    ¡°You dare say that even after hearing Galid¡¯s moniker? Such a grandiose moniker doesn¡¯t stick for nothing. It¡¯s only when you achieve that level of achievement, you get one.¡±

    The moment the man finished speaking, a screeching horn resonated throughout the arena.

    It was the signal to announce the start of the preliminaries.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too heartbroken. It¡¯s because of you, yourself, who acted too conspicuous before the tournament.¡±

    With their mob monologue finished, eight men surrounding me lunged. Seeing the des approaching my body, I side-stepped to draw my sword.

    ¡®Don¡¯t think Katarina¡¯s immune to witnessing killing yet.¡¯

    She wanted to kill Lonwell to take revenge, but eventually, she relented as well. And there¡¯s a huge visual difference between killing one person and killing eight people at once.

    ¡®I¡¯ll have to slowly increase her immunity.¡¯

    Letting out a small sigh, I recalled my hand back from the handle of the sword. I twisted my body to avoid the stab from the front and punched the man in the face. At the same time, I leaped forward and got out of the encirclement.

    ¡°What?!¡±

    ¡°Tect, that idiot¡­ Let¡¯s go together at the same moment!¡±

    ¡°Is this the time toin? Kill that bastard!¡±

    The remaining seven warriors nked without hesitation.

    I grabbed the ankle of the man who had passed out after being hit by my fist and swung him like a club at the man who came closest to me.

    ¡°Hih?!¡±

    Maybe he hadn¡¯t expected me to use a person as a weapon?

    He opened his eyes wide. At the same time, he was hit by a ¡®Tect¡¯ and rolled on the floor.

    ¡°What the f**k¡­¡±

    The other six who had rushed at me hesitated in bewilderment. I went in between them and mercilessly swung ¡®Tect¡¯. Fortunately, none of them cut their formerrade without hesitation, and they fell like fallen leaves in autumn.

    I flicked ¡®Tect¡¯ ¡ª the human weapon I wasing to like ¡ª to flick off the blood¡­

    Oh. He was not a sword.

    Shook him again, then stopped and roughly threw him away.

    Wiping my hands, I looked around. Perhaps because of the stunt I had just showed, no one tried to approach me.

    ¡®Five? They are holding up better than I thought.¡¯

    Contrary to their embarrassing appearances earlier, the knight, sissy elf, and martial artist were calmly responding to the duel. Avoiding the approaching des, they made sure to clean them up one by one.

    The six arms was yawning, perhaps because no one hade to him.

    I turned my gaze to the spectators.

    I careened my eyes a few times over and found the familiar faces.

    Katarina and Shedia.

    As I waved my hand at the two of them, Katarina let out a smirk of astonishment, and Shedia silently continued to eat her bread.

    Next, I turned my gaze toward Leslie¡¯s balcony.

    I had no particr intention, just curious about what Leslie was doing.

    But by some coincidence, her eyes met mine.

    A situation that would turn awkward if we just averted our gazes.

    While she wondered what to do, I winked at her, to her shocked amusement.

    * * *

    Leslie tilted her head.

    Did she see it right? Did that guy just wink at her?

    It seemed right when he kept looking at her.

    One of my siblings brought off mooks, huh?¡¯

    There was no other reason one would insist on squaring gazes with her, the monarch of thend.

    ¡®There are all entric people.¡¯

    She smiled and looked away from him.

    Her interest in Cloud ended there. Because he won¡¯t be the only one bought off by her brothers and sisters.

    ¡®Elf, knight, martial artist capable of strange techniques, and even a monster. They have gathered quite a collection.¡¯

    The reason she pinned them easily was because they didn¡¯t kill other warriors, just like Cloud.

    Leslie knew why they didn¡¯t bother killing other warriors.

    That¡¯s why she snorted.

    Because they had prepared to gain nothing.

    With calm eyes, she watched over the arena until there were eight people left to go to the finals.

    * * *

 Chapter 91.2: Leslie (2)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    The inn was noisy.

    Regardless of whether they were drinkers or not, customers chatted about the preliminaries that took ce today.

    Some about the swift maneuvers of the Elf.

    Some about the Knight¡¯s fantastic swordsmanship.

    And some talked about the Martial Artist¡¯s beautiful figure.

    I was sipping honey wine alone in the corner of such an inn. The reason I was alone was simple.

    As soon as we returned to the inn, Katarina rushed up to her room, saying that she had no appetite.

    Probably because of the bloody scenes she saw in the preliminaries today. Even if I didn¡¯t kill anyone, there was now stating others couldn¡¯t.

    Shedia bounded along with Katarina.

    I wondered of doing the same andfort Katarina, before deciding to give them their girls time.

    And we had rented only one room; I couldn¡¯t rent more because the other rooms were full.

    That was why I seemed like a post-recovery widower.

    Scrutinizing at my empty ss, I was about to order another serving of mead, when someone put a hand on my shoulder.

    ¡°Drinking alone? Come and drink with us.¡±

    It was the Knight.

    The Elf and Martial Artist were sitting in the direction the knight pointed. These were the contestants who had advanced to the finals like me and the Knight.

    ¡°Drink with people I¡¯m going to best tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­ you don¡¯t wanna?¡±

    The Knight scratched the nape of his neck with an awkward expression. I smiled and stood up.

    ¡°Why not.¡±

    ¡°Haha! That¡¯s a man, of course you should!¡±

    I shrugged and approached the table as the Knight followed me. As I sat down at the table, the Elf frowned in displeasure. The Martial Artist snapped her fingers and sent me an extra bottle of honey wine, which deftlynded right in front of me.

    ¡°Thank you for the hospitality.¡±

    The Martial Artist shrugged her shoulders.

    Then she turned around and threw an empty ss flying. The ss hit a middle-aged man in the head.

    He was the one whomented on her figure a little earlier.

    After seeing him copse, losing conscious, she rxed and lounged in her chair.

    ¡°By the way, this is the meeting of finalists, yeah? Then I think a few people are missing.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t even want to see those pathetic bastards who are only filling the leftover seats.¡±

    The one who answered my question was the Elf with a disgusted expression.

    ¡°What about our six-armed friend? That dude, he stands the chance, doesn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not serious, are you?¡±

    ¡°Why? Just because he didn¡¯t fight today, doesn¡¯t tell anything. I don¡¯t think I have to tell you the type of advantage he holds with those two pairs of extra arms, do I?¡±

    ¡°Ha, whatever, I wouldn¡¯t want to talk to a monster like that.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one fighting that monster tomorrow.¡±

    The Elfughed.

    ¡°He is a monster, yes. But only because of how he looks: gross. You really think I¡¯m going to lose to that guy? I, the heir to the Elendos family, Aneraf Elendos?¡±

    ¡°Never heard the name.¡±

    ¡°It would be better if you memorize it now. It will be the name of the First King of the Elven kingdom that will first appear on the Continent.¡±

    ¡°An Elven kingdom, huh?¡±

    Now what kind of fresh bullshit is this?

    Or it¡¯s the alcohol talking?

    The Knight and the Martial Artist were also tilting their heads.

    These guys feel the same way as me.

    ¡°All the guys in the woods are old-fashioned bastards. They do not think of venturing outside, saying that only the forest is our home. Because of that, this whole vast continent is being upied by the likes of you humans, gawd.¡±

    The elf gulped down the honey wine and continued.

    ¡°I can¡¯t stand that. I will definitely establish an Elven kingdom and revive the n. This job will be the foundation for that cause.¡±

    After that, the Elf began talking at length about the ns he had made.

    Ah, fuck. I¡¯m not even curious. This guy is a gone cause.

    * * *

    ¡°What were you doing out there sote?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that bean pole could talk so much either.¡±

    Who would have expected him to bber till dawn?

    Instances were there where I wanted to cut it short, but good quality wine kept us ¡ª the Knight, Martial Artist and me ¡ª seated.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. None of the other participants slept either.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­? Ugh¡­ Come on.¡±

    Katarina pulled me by my head and made mey on her thighs.

    She was warmer than a pillow.

    ¡°I¡¯ll wake you up when it¡¯s your turn, so sleep until then.¡±

    Katarina said as she stroked my hair.

    ¡°Alright, alright. But at least let me watch the first match.¡±

    ¡°Oh, an interesting one?¡±

    ¡°The Elf and six arms.¡±

    As I was talking with Katarina, the doors on both sides of the arena opened and the contestants entered.

    Six arms on the left.

    The Elf on the right.

    The two stood facing each other with some distance between them.

    Because of the distance, I couldn¡¯t see his face, but the Elf seemed full of confidence that he could tear his opponent apart at any time.

    Momentster, Leslie raised her hand and started the match.

    At the same time as the given motion, the Elf moved.

    With a swift yet graceful lurch, he circled around the six arms.

    The movement was so fast that afterimages were left behind as the Elf thrusted his rapier.

    Six arms couldn¡¯t keep up with the Elf¡¯s speed.

    Because of that, he covered his vitals with his pairs of arms.

    The number of holes drilled in his arms and thighs increased. Blood flowed through the punctured holes. He was bleeding profusely, but he stood firm as a rock.

    The circle drawn by the afterimage disappeared.

    The Elf was in front of six arms. The elf¡¯s rapier, which had begun to tinge with jade, fired at the speed of an arrow.

    Piiik!

    It pierced through the back of his hand that covered his head and holed through the forehead of the monster.

    That marked the finish.

    Perhaps thinking so, the elf pulled out his rapier and turned around as he waited for the apuse to pour over him. But the crowd was quiet and it was time for the Elf to panic.

    ¡°Turn back, you asshole!¡± Someone shouted. A desperate gambler probably.

    The six arms that had been stationary all along moved.

    Only then did the Elf, who noticed his living presence, veered quickly, trying to lengthen the distance.

    But it was toote.

    Four of his arms, like cleavers with unmeasured intensity, blurred and when they reappeared, the Elf¡¯s body was cut into four pieces and rolled across the floor.

    Silence fell over the arena.

    I looked at the six arms as I thought.

    ¡®He yed it.¡¯

    The speed at which he cut the Elf into four pieces.

    If he had been at that speed from the beginning, the Elf would have struggled.

    He would just keep getting pushed around and eventually die.

    I turned my eyes toward the Elf.

    ¡®And an Elven Kingdom sank like that¡¯

    If so, wasn¡¯t the time I spent yesterday listening to his oh-so-glorious n a waste of time? I was about to let out a deep sigh, but a slender palm tapped my head.

    Turning my head, Katarina was staring at the four-pieced Elf with a nched face.

    ¡°Abstain¡­ Let¡¯s abstain! No, abstain right now!¡±

    With it rose theplexity.

 Chapter 92.1: Leslie (3)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    ¡°Abstain? Why should I be the one abstaining?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Didn¡¯t you just see what just happened!? That Elf! He was agile as hell but was chopped into pieces in an instant!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so great about that¡­ Shedia next to you can do that too, if not better.¡±

    ¡°Why is Shedia suddenly¡­ Huh? Really..?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s rightdy. Ain¡¯t it, Shedia?¡±

    Katarina¡¯s gaze and mine were simultaneously fixed on Shedia. Shedia, mechanically chewing on her bread, nodded, leaving Katarina startled.

    ¡°Really? Can you beat that ¡®thing¡¯?¡±

    Shedia tilted her head, taking another chomp.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t the question about chopping the Elf into slices?¡±

    ¡°Uh? Ah, yes¡­ but the other way around¡­¡±

    Katarina¡¯s expression quivered as if she felt a sense of alienation as she spat out those hideous words to Shedia¡¯s innocent face. Either way, Shedia looked at the six arms jacked guy for a moment, then nodded again.

    ¡°Yes. I can win.¡±

    ¡°Look at that. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s strange if the Hero¡¯s party members can¡¯t win against something like that in the first ce?¡±

    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t win.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s okay.¡±

    Katarina¡¯s sword dance is excellent.

    That is only natural as it is a sword dance left by her mother, who was one of the best if not the best dancer years ago. Adding to that, Katarina had made contracts with four ancient elementals not too long ago.

    If she mixes the power of the sword dance and the elementals well, she can create a great synergy effect.

    However, no matter how good her skills are, if her body doesn¡¯t cooperate, hers will be a douchebag performance.

    Katarina has lived the life of a dancer, far from the world of killing, so naturally her level is low.

    As her level is low, of course her body is also weak.

    If Katarina has to fight that monster right now, she would be cut in half before she would be able to do anything or even think of anything.

    However, this is a very simple problem with an easier solution.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I will make sure you will be the one toe out on top sooner orter.¡±

    Isn¡¯t her body falling behind because the level is low?

    So, isn¡¯t it just a matter of leveling up?

    Sooner orter, I will have to find a dungeon that Katarina can run through.

    ¡°What are you thinking? No, why are you making that face?¡±

    Did she feel something ominous from my face? Katarina flinched.

    It will be okay.

    It wouldn¡¯t be a dangerous endeavor. Just a tiring one.

    * * *

    The quarterfinals went smoothly, except for the first game, which was somewhat shocking. Other parts of the tournament went smoothly as everyone had expected.

    Iledric, the Knight, the Martial Artist, and I advanced to the semifinals.

    Ah, Iledric is the name of six arms.

    The referee announced it at the end of the match.

    The semifinals started two dayster.

    The first match was Iledric against the Knight.

    I¡¯ve been waiting for this game with anticipation. Compared to the previous match, Iledric¡¯s skills would shore up better, but a skilled knight always has something hidden.

    If Iledric isn¡¯t careful, even his six arms won¡¯t do him any better.

    Because of that, I waited for the round to start in the waiting room right in front of the stadium.

    After a while, the match started and the knight dropped his weapon to the floor and raised his hands above his head.

    It meant quitting the match.

    ¡®What..?¡¯

    Giving up without a fight?

    Damn¡­

    I turned my gaze toward the audience.

    Even I was quite disappointed with my expectations egged, what about these guys?

    A loud booing¡­

    ¡®Eh?¡¯

    There was no booing.

    I thought these savage bastards would mock the knight who ran away without even showing his tail. As I was puzzled by the unexpected reaction, the Knight returned to the waiting room.

    I talked to him.

    ¡°I thought you were going to be stoned to death. How did you do that?¡±

    ¡°Well? Oh, is that what you mean?¡±

    The knight put a hand on my shoulder and smiled.

    ¡°You will find out tonight. Regardless of whether I win or lose this tournament, it matters not.¡±

    He just said that and left.

    What the fuck is going on¡­

    ¡®Is it rted to Leslie¡¯s father bing one of the Four Heavenly Kings?¡¯

    After thinking about it for a moment, I shook my head.

    He said I would find out tonight, so I needn¡¯t worry. I cleared my mind and went into the arena and easily beat the Martial Artist.

    And that night, I learned why the Knight was not stoned.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ so it¡¯s a rebellion?¡±

    At my words, the Crown Prince, Alfred of the Principality of Polycia, frowned.

    ¡°Rebellion? I¡¯m just trying to get my rightful authority back.¡±

    ¡°Is that so¡­¡±

    I crossed my arms and looked around.

    Four men and women were sitting at the same table as me. They were all sons and daughters of the Grand Duke. In other words, Leslie¡¯s blood siblings.

    The Knight, the Martial Artist, and Iledric stood beside the aristocrats as if escorting them.

    Looking about the hall, you could see barbarians drinking and talking. At first nce, they look like ordinary inn guests, but everyone is paying attention to this side of the hall.

    Private soldiers of these aristocrats.

    I sighed deeply and spoke to the Knight.

    ¡°You had said to me that I¡¯ll find out tonight, but like this? Weaving a foreign hero into politics?¡±

    More than three years ago, Archduke Osner¡¯s health, which was already bad, had been deteriorating rapidly.

    He couldn¡¯t bear to take care of state affairs, so Alfred, originally the Crown Prince of the Duchy, was handed the reins of the Principality of Polycia.

    However, taking advantage of the chaos, Leslie led her own forces and quickly took control of the pce, expelling all her brothers and sisters, including the Crown Prince.

    Indulging in her lust for power, she imprisoned her father, the Grand Duke, and now rules the Duchy as if she were the Grand Duke herself.

    The Crown Prince and his group tried to correct this wrong, but the result was not very good. All assassination attempts had failed, and the vassal lords weren¡¯t cooperating.

    So while they were stomping their feet in anger, Leslie held a contest.

    The Crown Prince and his entourage saw this tournament as an opportunity. Even Leslie, who rarelyes out of the pce, would show up at the tournament she had organised.

    As for the winner, they will be awarded by her own hands.

    They knew they could bring Leslie down if they used this opportunity properly.

 Chapter 92.2: Leslie (3)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    Jumping on the opportunity, they had hired outside talent to participate in the tournament, disguising the enlisted soldiers as spectators and contestants.

    The n was to attack Leslie when she would descend to award the victor but unfortunately, for them, I was bing a variable in their n.

    Now they hoped there wouldn¡¯t even be that slight variable.

    That¡¯s why they hade to me in the middle of the night. To draw me into their ns. In order not to interfere at all.

    I was not sure how much of their n they had disclosed to me but their course of action wouldn¡¯t be far off.

    ¡°Surprising,¡± I said to the Knight. ¡°This was what you were saying about?¡±

    The knight who heard me scratched his head with an embarrassed expression.

    ¡°Honestly, weren¡¯t you already expecting something?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. To some extent I did expect it. But I never thought that you would want me to intervene in the politics of a foreign country, knowing that I am a Hero.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not about politics. As I said before, it is the cause of recovering my brother¡¯s legitimate rights.¡±

    A blonde woman sitting on the far right said in a frosting tone.

    What was her name again¡­

    Alright, I don¡¯t remember, but I think she was somewhere along the lines of Third Princess.

    ¡°Leslie¡­ she is ipetent. As a ruler, her greed knows no bound. If such a person were to rule the principality, not only the principality but also the entire continent would fall into chaos.¡±

    Another princess opened her mouth.

    ¡°You speak as if it won¡¯t take anything for her to throw the whole Continent in chaos¡­ and you mean she¡¯s going to rebel against the Empire?¡±

    ¡°¡­It may sound very foolish, but it is true. If it¡¯s her, the chances linger.¡±

    As if agreeing, the other Prince and Princess nodded their heads.

    Eyeing their serious gazes, I leaned back on the backrest.

    I don¡¯t know how it will affect them, but I know for a fact that what they are saying is utter bullcrap.

    Leslie is not ipetent.

    I know that much as I have yed the game. The setting in the game exined that she waspetent.

    Also, even if you just listen to their story, not the game setting, you can tell that Leslie being ipetent is bullshit.

    If, as they say, Leslie is ipetent, then what about them who were kicked out by her? They weren¡¯t even kicked out one by one, they were kicked out all together. No matter how ipetent they are, if Leslie is ipetent, then the Demon King is a stripper.

    And if not ipetent?

    She wouldn¡¯t dare to touch the Empire on the ount of the principality.

    If the Empire cuts off its food supply, not just one or two people would starve to death.

    If that happens, they will go back to the past when they plundered for a living. Unlike before, when they were at the level of tribes and ns, the scale has grown to the level of lords and minor nobles. In the end, even if something outrageous were to happen, it will only be the Principality that will fall into chaos, not the Continent.

    ¡®If you guys had wanted to deceive me, you should havee up with a slightly more usible story.¡¯

    While I was thinking about that, the Crown Prince spoke in a serious tone.

    ¡°So, respected hero, will you ept our offer?¡±

    I let out a deep sigh.

    ¡°Alright. I can¡¯t agree, but I won¡¯t interfere.¡±

    Their faces brightened.

    ¡°Let¡¯s discuss the fees.¡±

    ¡°Well?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take it as an advance payment. One million gold, IOU not epted.¡±

    The faces of the cheering nobles distorted.

    They argued and yelled, but I persisted and they had no choice but to pay. A million gold, alright.

    Ahhh, a good side business indeed.

    * * *

    Leslie blinked her eyes.

    It was because Iledric withdrew without a fight in the Finals.

    ¡®Aren¡¯t they just too open handed?¡¯

    No matter how much they were itching for a chance to fish, wasn¡¯t this too much of a debacle?

    Leslie clicked her tongue.

    Hearing the crowd cheer for Cloud, Leslie stretched out her hand. Chilling mist flowed from her fingertips, creating an ice staircase leading from her balcony to the arena.

    The cheers of the crowd vanished like ghosts in the sun the moment she walked onto the steps. Instead of cheering, Iledric¡¯srge ax sailed through the air.

    ¡®Annoying.¡¯

    Leslie sighed and reached for the ax.

    The chilling air took the shape of a disc.

    The flying ax crashed into the ice disk and got stuck. It was a powerful ax that could lightly smash through ice, but the ice that blocked the ax was no ordinary ice.

    [Ice Shield]

    The ice shield made of dense crystals was much harder than normal ice. Enough to block Iledric¡¯s mighty throw. Nothing bothered her anymore since the ax was stuck.

    Walking down the steps, she stood facing the victor, Cloud.

    Recognizing that he was the strange man who winked at her during the preliminaries, she spoke to him.

    ¡°What and how much did they give you?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be shy. I know my siblings have hired you lot.¡±

    ¡°Ah. That? A million gold.¡±

    Leslie was a little taken aback by his words.

    They paid a million gold for just one person?

    Those misers?

    ¡°You must be quite talented.¡±

    ¡°I won, of course.¡±

    ¡°Won by abstention.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t really matter. I would have won either way.¡±

    ¡°You are shameless.¡±

    She chuckled.

    Maybe because he had left out the pretense? She was liking the conversation.

    ¡°How about going back now? You won¡¯t get hurt. I swear by my family name.¡±

    ¡°Ah, you confident? Even after seeing this?¡±

    Cloud nced toward the audience.

    Soldiers disguised as spectators rose, carrying bows. The arena door opened and armed warriors rushed in.

    Dozens upon dozens of elite soldiers filled in, surrounding her in an instant.

 Chapter 92.3: Leslie (3)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    Dozens upon dozens of elite soldiers filled in, surrounding her in an instant.

    Even so, Leslie¡¯s expression did not change one bit.

    The slight tilt at the corners of her lips disyed arrogance.

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m confident. So what are you going to do?¡±

    Before Cloud could answer.

    ¡°Four years! Witch Leslie! Four years!¡±

    Shuffling through the warriors surrounding Leslie, the clique of Princesses and Princes appeared. The Crown Prince eximed triumphantly, intoxicated with the feeling of victory.

    ¡°You confined the Grand Duke with your heinous schemes, harmed me, the fittest, and trampled on the Principality¡¯sws. Iris looks down on us, so let the witch pay for her sins!¡±

    Leslie let out augh.

    ¡°Now I¡¯m the one viting the Principality¡¯sws? Aren¡¯t you the ones who tried to split the Principality over our father¡¯s dead body because he was in critical condition?¡±

    ¡°Shut up, witch! I will not tolerate any more of your transgressions. If you surrender obediently, I will look over your sordid deeds and may grant you mercy.¡±

    ¡°You sound funny, Alfred. You have no right to do that, by the samew you speak of. Because only the Grand Duke has the right to punish criminals in this Principality.¡±

    ¡°Yesss, two years! How dare you, a mere girl, proim yourself to be the Grand Duchess? And when I am still alive?!¡±

    ¡°When did I proim myself as the Grand Duchess? I just said you have no right to punish me.¡±

    ¡°Oh? What is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Please correct me, father. If I¡¯m wrong.¡±

    Leslie spat out with a smile.

    Her words shook the arena.

    Agitation spread among Princes and Princesses, as well as upon their warriors.

    Alfred hastily spoke.

    ¡°Oh, that can¡¯t be. Our father, the Grand Duke was already on his death throes, inch away from death . Do you believe that you can fool us with this excuse for your ignoble rebellion?!¡±

    ¡°What rebellion¡­ if you want to believe it, so be it. You can see it with your own ignorant eyes. Father!¡±

    Leslie eximed, looking out onto the balcony.

    All eyes in the arena turned to the balcony. A figure walked from the inside of the balcony under dozens of pairs of eyes.

    A tall giant man donning a fur cloak and a breastte carved into a wolf¡¯s face. Even at a cursory nce, he seemed to be an outstanding warrior, but his face was engraved with long, diagonal scars.

    Among the warriors of the Principality of Polycia, there was no one who did not know the owner of that scarred face.

    He was Osner, the Grand Duke of the Principality of Polycia.

    He cast his gaze down the balcony with a cold expression.

    ¡°No, how can this¡­¡±

    The Crown Prince¡¯s eyes quivered.

    The Grand Duke of Polycia, Osner, was alive and healthy, which meant that a crisis had arrived for him, who was pressing charges on Leslie on the pretext of imprisoning the Grand Duke.

    Now the cause was gone.

    Leslieughed.

    ¡°Alfred. Why don¡¯t you stop making a show of yourself and go greet our father, whom you haven¡¯t seen in a while?¡±

    Alfred¡¯s eyebrows twitched. He bit his lip hard enough to draw blood.

    ¡®It¡¯s over if I step back from here.¡¯

    He had already drawn his sword and his father saw it too. If he withdrew from here, he would lose everything he had, even if his life was to be spared.

    He shouted loudly to the wavering warriors.

    ¡°Everyone, get your head straight! Do you intend to be bewitched by this treacherous witch¡¯s damned witchcraft?!¡±

    Leslie frowned.

    ¡°¡­witchcraft?¡±

    ¡°Yes! You want us to ept that is our Grand Duke? I remember thest time I saw the Grand Duke he couldn¡¯t even eat a bowl of porridge by himself. But look at that; not only is he healthy but also jacked up too, tell me how? Because, now this sure sounds funny! It must be your witchcraft!¡±

    The warriors who heard his words widened their eyes.

    The bow-bearers took aim again, and the de-bearers squeezed on their grip. Even to them, the Grand Duke¡¯s sudden turnaround was unbelievable.

    And it was not only Alfred who had no going back, but they too. If not more. Unlike Alfred, who would get away with his life, they would all be executed.

    Leslie¡¯s eyes darkened coldly at the unchanging attitude shown by Alfred and his soldiers.

    ¡°Even though I gave you all a chance to undo your wrongdoings, you all still wag your tails to the traitors. Good, very good. You are no longer citizens of the Principality.¡±

    A chill of rage began to emanate from her. Alfred raised his hand. With the fall of his hand, arrows will rain down and a fight will begin.

    In such a spur-of-the-moment situation.

    ¡°Hey, old man. Yes, here. I want to receive my prize first, is that okay?¡±

    Cloud raised his hand and spoke, addressing his words to the Grand Duke.

    The cold, frozen atmosphere melted for a moment.

    What did he say..? While everyone was half tensed and half dumbfounded, Grand Duke Osner, who had been silent all along, opened his mouth.

    ¡°Since you won, it¡¯s only natural to give you the prize. What do you want?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want anything special¡­¡±

    Cloud scratched his cheek then grinned.

    ¡°Come on, give me a shot, old man.¡±

    A loudugh broke the silence that followed.

    Osnerughed out loud and jumped off the balcony.

    ¡°Huh, Father?!¡±

    Leslie, who lurched to catch him with her magic, herplexion dyed blue, heaved a sigh of relief as hended lightly.

    ¡°¡­uh?¡±

    Leslie narrowed her eyes.

    What did she just see?

    Osner didn¡¯t even care about the thoughts of his frozen daughter. He passed Leslie and faced Cloud.

    No, he looked down.

    Because he was one head taller than Cloud.

    ¡°You want to fight this old man who just broke out off of his death bed? Is that really what you want?¡±

    Cloud shrugged his shoulders.

    ¡°Look at yourself, old man. Do you give the impression of a dyin¡ª¡±

    Puck! Bang!

    When the sound came, Cloud¡¯s form had already vanished. The warriors in a straight line behind Cloud had their backs folded as if they had bumped into something, and dust rose from the cracked walls of the arena in the distance.

    ¡°What, only this much? True, young people these days are getting weaker.¡±

    Osner, who was shaking his fists, clicked his tongue in a pitiful countenance.

    -¡­

    Silence fell.

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 93: Leslie (4)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    Osner¡¯s sudden punch and its intense aftermath.

    Silence fell over the arena.

    While everyone was having troubleprehending the scene unfolding in front of them, a woman¡¯s scream resounded throughout the arena.

    ¡°Noooo! Cloud!!¡±

    Katarina, who had been watching nervously from the edge of her seat, shot up.

    Frenziedly, Katarina snapped her gaze towards the pile of rising dust and scrambled for it.

    Katarina¡¯s screams awakened Alfred¡¯s bleary thought process.

    ¡®A H-Hero was blown away by father¡¯s fist!?¡¯

    It was beyondmon sense; unbelievably insane. The Osner he remembered was a weakling, not a great warrior who could knock a Hero against a wall with a single punch.

    Because of that, Alfred was even more convinced that the man in front of him was not his father, but a fake made by Leslie.

    ¡°Archers!¡±

    The archers who were doused to their senses from Alfred¡¯s cry pulled their bowstrings tight.

    ¡°Shoot! Shoot! Shoot!¡±

    Alfred¡¯s hand frantically lowered repeatedly as a signal, and all of the archers let go of their bowstrings. To which, Leslie¡¯s eyes lit up, literally. As she spread her hands out, the mist blew from her palms, forming a domed shield.

    [Ice Barrier]

    The rain of arrows hit against the barricade conceived of ice.

    Except for a few arrows with strong tension, most of them bounced off the thick ice sheet.

    ¡°Father.¡±

    Leslie called Osner, who was stroking the ice barrier. There was deep perplexity hidden behind her calm voice.

    ¡°Just what was that, father? Please exin.¡±

    When he suddenly got up from his sickbed, she thought Goddess had heard her prayers. She considered it a miracle that, in less than a month, he had suddenly gained weight as muscle began to fill out his skeletal frame.

    Common sense made no sense to her, so she chalked it up to being heaven¡¯s grace.

    Because she was so desperate.

    Because she missed her father¡¯s warm chuckles.

    However, no matter how much she missed him, she couldn¡¯t wrap it up as a miracle after what just happened. Because her father was a sickly man who spent half of his life in bed. He was not a monster of a human being who could cannonball people away with a punch.

    ¡°¡­just your father getting better.¡±

    Osner stared at his daughter.

    Just when he opened his mouth as if to add words to his statement.

    Bang!

    Someone broke through the ice barrier and entered. Through the white steam, she could see the silhouette of a man with six thick arms.

    ¡°Groooowl!!¡±

    Iledric, a Chimera created inside the Mage Tower, shed his thick ax at Osner. Osner dodged easily as the ax dug a hole in the floor.

    ¡°Father!¡±

    Leslie was suspicious of Osner, but suspicion was only suspicion. He was still her precious father. A chilling blow of mist erupted from Leslie¡¯s hand, forming sharp constructs in the air.

    [Ice Thorn]

    Just when she was about to fire the ice picks at Iledric.

    Bang!

    The ice walls on either side of Leslie were shattered, and the knight and martial artist rushed in.

    [Shockwave]

    The martial artist tapped the ground with her right foot. The ground cracked, and the floor Leslie stood on shook. Leslie¡¯s posture shifted. Aiming for that moment, the knight¡¯s arm moved quickly.

    The silver sword glittered, drawing a curve.

    Leslie threw an ice pick to block the knight¡¯s sword incursion. Just as she twirled her fingers, readying a retaliation on the knight, a soft blow came.

    [Qi Punch]

    A light touch became a hard blow, knocking Leslie to the side.

    ¡°Cheuk..!¡±

    Blood gushed out of her mouth with a brief sh of agony. Her body was flung away, bouncing sideways after being hit squarely by [Qi Punch], but that was only for a moment. Leslie froze her legs to the floor, keeping herself from being flung further.

    Leslie gritted her teeth at the throbbing pain she felt not only to her side but all over her intestines.

    ¡°They dare¡­¡±

    She wanted to have a proper conversation with her father and end this both quickly and simply, but these guys weren¡¯t letting that happen.

    Leslie¡¯s eyes shone viciously.

    The amount of mana flowing through her body increased rapidly. Tensions between her and the knight and martial artist rose as frostings began to fall around them.

    Just then.

    ¡°Get off meeee!!!! Arrrrh!¡±

    A terrible scream caught their attention. The three of them looked in the direction from which the screams rose. Iledric was being trampled under Osner¡¯s feet. His arms, which had been six, had be five.

    ¡°There are still five left.¡±

    Osner tossed the one arm he was holding on to and grabbed another of Iledric¡¯s arm.

    And¡ª

    ¡°Aaaaaaa!!¡±

    ¡ªripped it off like candy.

    Both the knight and martial artist froze for a moment at the brutal sight. Iledric was the strongest thug among the mercenaries hired by the nobles. Neither the martial artist nor the knight could predict their chances of victory against him.

    However, Osner was pulling out the monster¡¯s arm as easily as an insect¡¯s leg.

    ¡®There is no way unless it was a pincer attack.¡¯

    Both of them made the decision. The knight and the martial artist rushed towards Osner at the same time, regardless of which one came first. Thinking of saving Iledric first and then attacking him together with the three of them as node points.

    [Bone Digger]

    The swift sword drew a straight line and aimed at Osner¡¯s neck. Osner reached out with his left hand and deftly grabbed the de. The knight was momentarily taken aback, but the martial artist yed her part calmly.

    Her slender finger, balled together, touched Osner¡¯s spine.

    [Qi Punch]

    The blow that shook Leslie for a moment hit Osner¡¯s spine. She intended to damage his spine, but the result was unbing.

    Her [Qi Punch] only worked to tear off Osner¡¯s cloak, it did not give her a meaningful advantage.

    ¡°What the¡­¡±

    His body was definitely not a piece of metal¡­

    Osner slowly turned his head, while the martial artist was startled by the tingles on her knuckle.

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±

    The gaze of an old man assessing the pathetic performance of a young generation.

    But the disappointment in his gaze was real. The startled knight and martial artist tried to distance themselves, but it was toote. To get out, they should have left right away when their attacks were nullified.

    Osner turned around and swung his right fist. The knight hit by his fists bounced off and crashed into the ice barrier.

    Without stalling there, he took arge stride forward and stretched out his opposite foot. Osner¡¯s toes hit the stomach of the martial artist, who was widening the distance.

    ¡°Aagh¡­!¡±

    She flew and crashed into the ice barrier, feeling the pain in her stomach intensifying. She sagged down, limp, and didn¡¯t stand up again.

    ¡°Aaaaa!!!¡±

    Iledrick, trampled by Osner, struggled to get out.

    Osner lifted his foot and mmed it down again.

    Crack! Iledrick¡¯s chest caved into the shape of Osner¡¯s sole.

    After confirming that Iledric was dead, he headed outside the ice barrier, where dozens of warriors were waiting.

    ¡°Father.¡±

    A misty chill froze Osner¡¯s feet, stopping him in his stride.

    ¡°Is there anything left for you to exin to me?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Osner turned his face towards Leslie.

    The ice that froze his feet shattered with the slightest force he exerted. The tall giant approached withrge strides. Leslie did nothing.

    He came, looming right in front of her.

    The father and daughter met their gazes.

    Both the father and the daughter had eyes that made it difficult to read their thoughts.

    The father opened his mouth first.

    ¡°Leslie. Please avoid.¡±

    His right arm, with tendons sticking out, slowly rose. He was so slow that it couldn¡¯tpare to the way he had performed his acts of force just moments ago.

    Leslie did not budge.

    She said, eye-to-eye with her father.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened to my father. But I know one thing. That you are no longer the father I knew.¡±

    The cold mist coalesced in the air and materialized into an ice dagger. She grabbed the dagger and brought the tip to Osner¡¯s chest.

    ¡°Do you want this? Is this really what you will?¡±

    Tendons had sprouted all over Osner¡¯s face before he knew it. Grizzled, he couldn¡¯t answer. However, with warm eyes, he affirmed her question.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±

    Leslieughed bitterly, then smiled brightly.

    ¡°Father. Thank you for giving birth to me and raising me with love.¡±

    She just couldn¡¯t stick in the dagger.

    Her trembling hands turned weak, and her bright smile twisted terribly.

    There was no way she could.

    There was no way she could kill her beloved father just because of a sense of duty.

    The dagger slipped out of her hand as she flopped down.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, father. I just can¡¯t do it.¡±

    Tears flowed from Leslie¡¯s eyes. Seeing her cry, Osner wanted to shout at her toe to her senses. But he couldn¡¯t. It was clear as day that if he loosened up even a little to speak, his unruly arm would harm his daughter.

    He could only hope that his daughter would win the struggle inside her heart.

    However, Leslie did not have the strength to stand up against him.

    For the past three years, she had been facing constant assassination attempts. Empire had dispatched investigators to find fault with her and try to break the pact; and within the Principality, she was detested and called a witch.

    While she was busy making things work, without a support to lean on, her father miraculously recovered.

    Her hope shot up.

    Her hope that with just a bit of patience she would be able to go back to the good, old days.

    And that hope was dashed.

    She was¡­ too exhausted to get back up.

    Seeing his daughter not standing up, Osner narrowed his eyes.

    ¡®Ah¡­ what have I done¡­¡¯

    As his illness grew serious, and his death neared, a voice spoke to him.

    It said, ¡®I¡¯ll save you.¡¯

    It said that it would fix his weak body and make him an outstanding warrior.

    Osner epted its offer.

    Because he wanted to live longer.

    Because he wanted to get rid of the disease that had gued him all his life.

    It did work. Better it had not.

    He shouldn¡¯t have been greedy for life already well spent.

    Osner was so afraid that his beloved daughter might not only suffer but also lose her life because of his foolish choice.

    Creak!

    The overextended muscles were torn, and the bones began to strain. The arm was getting out of his control. If left unchecked, these out-of-control cleaver of arms would break his daughter¡¯s head.

    ¡®Leslie. Please. Please, avoid it.¡¯

    However, contrary to his wish, Leslie slowly closed her eyes instead of avoiding him.

    As if she were epting her fate.

    Osner, who felt the despair in her, lost control of himself for a moment, and his palms were swiping forward, to split Leslie¡¯s head like a watermelon.

    A fist that came out of nowhere struck him in the jaw. The fist contained considerable strength. Osner was knocked back, sent rolling on the floor.

    Touching his stinging chin, Osner raised his head. He saw a man, a crazy man, with his face covered in blood and his shirt off. The madman looked at Osner andughed.

    Pounding on his chest vehemently, he hollered out an unintelligible word, ¡°Carnock¡ª!¡±

 Chapter 94.1: Leslie (5)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    Some crazy guy was spitting out the same word again and again, something totally out of hisprehension. Osner¡¯s head couldn¡¯t grasp the situation, but his body wasn¡¯t having it. The moment he was hit, he recognized Cloud as an adversary and fired a kick with the strength of his body fuelling the attack.

    Instead of retreating, Cloud lunged. Osner¡¯s thigh hit on his side. Even though he was only hit by the thigh, a lightning strike of menacing pain shot up. However, instead of frowning, Cloud smiled brightly.

    ¡°Carnock¡ª!¡±

    Grabbing Osner by the neck, Cloud mmed his right fist into his face. Osner pped Cloud in the side with his fist, even as he was repeatedly punched in the face. Cloud could his organs thrumming. A normal person would have flinched and stopped, addressing their body first.

    ¡°Kukh.¡±

    But Cloud let the pain go, along with a peal ofughter. His lips were wet with ck, oxidized blood, and hisughter made him look like a madman. Jerking up, Cloud his head mmed into Osner¡¯s.

    ¡°Uck!¡±

    Osner¡¯s body strained as he groaned. Cloud grabbed him by the neck and tossed him toward the ice barrier. Thud! The giant of a man rebounded off the barrier. Cloud rushed in and punched him in the face.

    Thuck.

    His head was embedded into the ice barrier. Grabbing him by neck, Cloud dragged his form all the way along the barrier. Tuck! Tuck! Tuck! Thuk! Osner¡¯s head repeatedly broke and bobbed through the ice barrier.

    Osner plunged his soles and slowly his feet into the plow-able soil. The drag slowed down, and when it stoppedpletely, hetched onto Cloud¡¯s arm, batting him straight on the floor. It didn¡¯t end there. This continued until his temper cooled down.

    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

    The floor cracked and dust rose.

    The moment the dull sound stilled, Cloud flew through the dust and crashed into the ice barrier.

    Osner, who caught up in an instant, fired a follow-up, but it was in vain. His fists pierced the ice barrier as he was hit with another head-butt at the cost of a miss.

    ¡°Carnock.¡±

    Cloudughed as Osner reeled and immediately went for a kick. Osner, struck by the side kick, was sent hurling at the icy dome.

    Rumble!

    The ice barrier began to copse due to losing the walls that were supporting its weight. Leslie, who had been watching the fight nkly, came to her senses. She hurriedly dissolved the ice barrier.

    Solid ice crystals melted into water and puddled on the floor.

    ¡°The barrier is gone!¡±

    Alfred eximed. Alfred and his warriors had been hesitant to enter the ice barrier. Iledric, the knight, and the martial artist who went inside prior, hadn¡¯t returned, while the ice barrier shook wildly like a boiling egg.

    They hadn¡¯t known exactly, but it was certain that a fierce fight was going on inside.

    And now that the ice had melted away, they witnessed the fierce battle.

    ¡°Ha Ha Ha! You¡¯re strong, boy. To the point where I want to make you my son-inw! Very good!¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh.¡±

    ¡°Right. It¡¯s a waste of time to talk, isn¡¯t it? My thoughts exactly!¡±

    The breastte in the shape of a wolf¡¯s head was already in tatters. Osner tore off his breastte and pulled off his tunic like Cloud had. Thick and savage steaming muscles revealed themselves.

    Immediately after, the two ran, hurling themselves towards each other. The floor cracked with every step they took. When the distance was close, they swung their fists andunched punches on each other mercilessly.

    The monotonous actions seemed unending and not so impactful, but they were anything but that.

    Fast. Destructive. Ferocious.

    Along with sts, the sounds of bloody blows resounded in session throughout the arena.

    Blood sttered and sometimes patches of skin came ripping off.

    ¡®What the hell¡­ where did those three go?¡¯

    Alfred, who looked around, soon found the trio lying on the floor.

    ¡®Dead¡­?¡¯

    These three were adventurers who had made a name on the Continent. All three of them died horribly. And who killed them?

    The answer was obvious.

    It was right in front of him.

    ¡®Damn it. What is this thing?!¡¯

    Alfred did not consider Osner, who was fighting Cloud, to be his father. To him, it was something beyond human. Because of that, the more he saw Cloud punching it, the more he admired him.

    Because he was fighting toe-to-toe with a monster like that.

    ¡®I had heard that the young hero has matured, but¡­¡¯

    This was something beyond.

    Or was this only average among the heroes? Then was an army even worthwhile in this generation?

    Alfred¡¯s head was filled with all sorts of random thoughts. To put it bluntly, he should have sent a warrior to support Cloud, but he hadn¡¯t. Nor did the other¡¯s me him for it.

    Everyone in the arena was so overwhelmed by the fight between the two, that they couldn¡¯t even dare to intervene.

    ¡°Crazy¡­ crazy!¡±

    ¡­except for one person.

    Katarina, who had been waiting impatiently outside the barrier, turned pale when she witnessed the vicious fight between the two.

    Watching them fight, bloody and tattered, she didn¡¯t admire or awed it like the rest.

    How could she!

    The one fighting over there, the one that was getting beaten up with bloody thumps, was the man she loved!

    ¡®I-Isn¡¯t he going to die like this?¡¯

    It seemed like he would.

    Every time he got hit, she heard something crunching.

    Loud enough to be heard even from such a distance!

    ¡°Stop! Stop!¡±

    Eventually Katarina couldn¡¯t stand it and stepped forward with the intent to tear them apart from each other. However, Shedia blocked her way.

    ¡°Shedia? What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Cloud¡¯s instruction. If sis tries to barge in, stop her.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

 Chapter 94.2: Leslie (5)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    ¡°Shedia? What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Cloud¡¯s instruction. If sis tries to barge in, stop her.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Katarina gave her an expression of incredulity. Wasn¡¯t she seeing how bloody the fight had taken for a turn? That it could im Cloud¡¯s life? Grinding her teeth, she tried to walk around Shedia.

    However,pared to Shedia, a trained assassin, there was no way Katarina, who was so weakpared to her, could root her out.

    In the end, Katarina had no choice but to appeal to Shedia.

    ¡°Get out of the way, please! Cloud wil die if we don¡¯t stop this madness!¡±

    ¡°Might as well¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Uh, it sounds bad. But, he instructed me. I have to keep sis here.¡±

    ¡°Because of the moonstone fragments?¡±

    Shedia nodded her head. Katarina let out a deep sigh and ced a hand on Shedia¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Shedia. This sis of yours is requesting of you. Can you please get out of the way?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°You can still acim the moonstone piecester, no? You will listen to this simple request of mine, right? Surely the moonstone pieces are no more important than your sis¡¯s request?¡±

    Shedia¡¯s eyelids quivered as Katarina¡¯s tone turned colder. She swayed for a moment, then spoke avoiding Katarina¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°¡­sis won¡¯t be of any help there either way.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Katarina wordlessly raised her head to look at Osner and Cloud as they fought. To her eyes, the limbs of the two people were a motion of blurring illusions. She couldn¡¯t even predict where they were going to be the next moment.

    There was nothing she could do, much less interjecting, just as Shedia had said.

    Rather, she would turn into his burden.

    Katarina felt helplessness. She bit on her lower lip.

    ¡®I can¡¯t just let it go on¡­¡¯

    Was there any method through which she could stop this fight? As she pondered desperately, she suddenly realized. What if she couldn¡¯t work out something herself, no one was stopping her from enlisting help, was there?

    ¡®Shedia won¡¯t listen even if I ask.¡¯

    She didn¡¯t know why, but Shedia was obsessed with the moonstone pieces.

    Katarina turned her gaze to Leslie. The white-haired woman sitting on the floor nkly watching the fight. Noting that she was the one who created that huge dome of ice in an instant, she would be able to stop two of them as well.

    ¡°Hey, Miss Leslie!¡±

    Leslie didn¡¯t turn for Katarina.

    Why? Wasn¡¯t she listening?

    Katarina decided to shout more loudly.

    ¡°The person fighting over there is your father, am I not right, Miss Leslie? Then why don¡¯t you stop him? Any more and he could seriously get hurt, you know!¡±

    Leslie didn¡¯t answer.

    When Katarina, frustrated, tried to shout over again, Leslie¡¯s muttering reached her as if by the nature of force.

    ¡°Can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Huh? No, hell no, you can do it! If you put up a thick wall of ice between the two of them, and g¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mean that.¡±

    Leslie shook her head and continued.

    ¡°My father¡­ he is smiling. He is so happy¡­ I¡¯ve never seen him¡­ so happy before.¡±

    Osner¡¯s smile¡­ Leslie never remembered him having one after his gaining age had pushed him away from his duties, responsibilities, and work. Leslie felt bitter whenever she thought about that lost smile. But he wasughing now. He was smiling freely even though his body was riddled with scars.

    How could she stop him after seeing him like this?

    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±

    Leslie didn¡¯t want to deprive her beloved father of happiness.

    Even if that road would eventually lead to catastrophe.

    Of course, this was only Leslie¡¯s circumstances and had nothing to do with Katarina. Hearing Leslie¡¯s denial to provide help, Katarina was momentarily bewildered.

    Had the girl lost her mind¡­

    No.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this pure madness?! Hey! What does it have to do with me that your father¡¯s having fun as my lover¡¯s getting hurt?! Don¡¯t let me get my hands on you. If Cloud gets hurt or dies, I¡¯ll be the death of each one of you! Do you understand?!¡±

    ¡°Patience, sis. Even if you fight with her, you will lose.¡±

    ¡°Whose freaking side are you on¡ª¡±

    Bang!

    The sound of someone being mmed into the wall drowned out Katarina¡¯s voice. The walls of the arena thundered as clouds of dust rose. Cloud, who was stuck there, slowly pulled himself up.

    His body ached as he took deep whoops of air in.

    Broken ribs and punctured lungs, he instantly figured the former was causing theter.

    ¡®I should be on par with Frillite, right?¡¯

    He had even activated the Ogre¡¯s Glyph, stacking it on [All Bless], but was still pushed back in a simple contest of pure strength. That was considering his current physical prowess was scaling up to Frillite.

    Of course, his technique was overwhelmingly superior to Frillite¡¯s.

    ¡®I won¡¯t be fighting Frillite.¡¯

    And if he fought with such buffs, he¡¯d be damned.

    ¡®Though there¡¯s no need for a fight to happen in the first ce.¡¯

    Cloud smiled and looked up. As he wrenched himself out of the thick dust, he saw Osner standing from where he had just blown him away.

    ¡°Cloud!? Hey, Cloud, are you okay?!¡±

    Katarina¡¯s worried voice came from the side, but he didn¡¯t search for her. It was stupid to distract yourself in front of an enemy.

    ¡°Your breaths are heavy. It looks like a broken rib stabbed your lung¡­ still wanna continue?¡±

    There was a strange worried intone to Osner¡¯s voice.

    Cloud smiled and took a deep breath and said, ¡°I will put an end to this fight before it stops.¡±

    As soon as he finished speaking, he kicked off the ground. He seemed to hear Katarina¡¯s voice copsing in real time with the sound of ¡®Yaaaaaaaaaa!!!¡¯, but he ignored it.

    ¡°You are full of confidence!¡±

    Osner careened towards him with a somewhat relieved, yet joyful expression. A tendon sprouted from Osner¡¯s forearm. He swung his fist at Cloud¡¯s head, but Cloud ducked and dodged.

    He was sorry for Osner, but Cloud was thinking of putting an end to this scuffle.

    He stretched out his straightened right palm, inverting it.

    [Breaker]-!

    His fingertips dug into the left side of Osner¡¯s chest.

 Chapter 95.1: Leslie (6)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    I expected something from the start.

    How could a nobleman who had lived half his life in bed, gued by sickness, suddenly amass a bodyparable to Frillite?

    My thought was that he had signed off a contract with a demon or something.

    Only he hadn¡¯t.

    Usually, when you make a contract with a demon, there would be a trace left behind. Like the thread of a marite, a line connecting the contractor and the demon.

    Osner had no such line.

    So I had to think in a different direction. How did he magically be stronger? Did he consume any godly herb? Seeing as how heter turns out to be one of the Four Heavenly Kings, surely the hand of demons was involved?

    And my doubts resolved themselves as I fought with Osner.

    The evil energymonly referred to as demonic energy was weak, but it was felt from the side of his heart.

    [Breaker]-!

    A skill I had learned from the heroes of the past.

    I sourced weak mana to the palm of my hand.

    The fingertips became des and raked through Osner¡¯s left chest. As I passed between the ribs, I feel a throbbing pulse.

    Proof that my hand was close to his heart.

    Like a slime toting on my palm.

    ¡®I knew it.¡¯

    Something strange ¡ª parasitic ¡ª was inside him.

    Perhaps this not only made Osner¡¯s body tough, but was also taking away the body¡¯s control little by little.

    I caught the parasite.

    Since the heart is a sensitive organ, it had to be done with a delicate touch. After wrenching it, I realized that this thing wasn¡¯t just clinging to the heart, it was extended all over Osner¡¯s body.

    Not that it mattered.

    Even if the parasite had its roots throughout the body, this was the core nucleus.

    If it were eradicated or erased, the rest will also stop moving, or wiggling, in its case.

    When I tried to pull out the parasite, it started to rebel. Trying to cling further to the heart, refusing to leave.

    Moody, huh. I could deal with that.

    I used mana to disentangle the trojan lifeform from Osner¡¯s heart. Thanks to that, the little boy came out of the heart as smoothly as if it had been oiled.

    ¡®Looks like a slime.¡¯

    The parasite I took out was something ck with an irregr shape.

    Slime¡­ definitely slime, but¡­

    Surely this is not a Heavenly King, no?

    ¡®Oh god, no way.¡¯

    I could put away with them being an octopus or a scubbi, slime wasn¡¯t working for me.

    The magic I could feel from it was almost close to nothing.

    As my mind scoured the possibilities, I heard coughing fits from behind. I turned around and saw an old man, doubled over, coughing helplessly.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    When I asked him to lie downfortably, he grinned painfully.

    ¡°You dig out my heart and ask if I¡¯m okay?¡±

    ¡°Would you like me to put it back?¡±

    As I lifted the ck slime, Osner shook his head in apprehension.

    ¡°Fine. You can joke. I know now, alright?¡±

    Young people these days¡­ Osner clicked his tongue before speaking with a serious expression.

    ¡°Thank you. Thanks to you, I was put to a halt beforemitting a great sin.¡±

    His gaze was directed to someone other than me, but in those eyes was Leslie, running towards us with her pping linen of snowy hair.

    ¡°Father! Are you alright? B-Blood, blood¡­! A priest, right now¡­¡±

    ¡°It will be useless.¡±

    Leslie¡¯s eyes turned to mine. I raised the ck slime in my hand at the vehement expression daggering out my meaning.

    ¡°This, a parasite from your father¡¯s body. No¡­ the word parasite is a little wrong for this guy. In fact, it was keeping his dying body alive. Huh, that twists the whole meaning of its existence.¡±

    Leslie¡¯s gaze returned to Osner.

    She looked at him, as if to ask if that was true, and Osner nodded slowly. Leslie¡¯s expression darkened. Osner smiled warmly and stroked her hair.

    ¡°Honestly, with a body like mine, I should have died long ago. It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve lived a little longer because of my stubbornness and obsession. Even to the point of causing you major trouble.¡±

    ¡°No. It¡¯s not trouble. Not for me, don¡¯t say that.¡±

    Her eyes moistening, Leslie shook her head.

    Osner¡¯s smile only widened further.

    ¡°If you really feel that way, shouldn¡¯t you be smiling instead of crying? I mean, you look pretty when you smile.¡±

    ¡°¡­yeah.¡±

    Leslie raised the corners of her lips. It was an awkward, forced smile, but Osner didn¡¯t say anything more about her expression, as if that had satisfied him. Instead, he talked about the fight he had just had.

    ¡°Did you see me tear off that strange creature¡¯s arm?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. You ripped it off as easily as you would have a chicken leg.¡±

    ¡°To be honest, I was also surprised. I had never imagined my strength would grow so much.¡±

    ¡°After that, you took care of the two humans who had attacked me.¡±

    ¡°I did,¡± he said ruefully. ¡°It was so easy that it almost made me question my sanity. After all, they were definitely strong fighters.¡±

    ¡°Father¡¯s strong too.¡±

    ¡°Strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t my strength, but it is what it is. But still, I couldn¡¯t win against this young man.¡±

    Osner looked at me with a fleeting expression of regret.

    I chuckled.

    ¡°Do you seriously intend to defeat a hero?¡±

    ¡°Hero..? Wait, you are a hero?¡±

    Osner and Leslie opened their eyes wide.

    I could have expected that from the old man, but Leslie too?

    I mean, all her siblings knew.

    How uninterested was she in me?

    ¡°Cloud, the Hero of the Kingdom of Prona. It¡¯s an honor to meet you, Grand Duke.¡±

    Osner, who had a dazed expression on his face, burst intoughter after hearing my self-introduction.

    ¡°Ha Ha Ha! Yes, you are a hero. How could I have won! Rather, my win would have been strange.¡±

    ¡°How does fighting with a hero feel like? Did you enjoy the experience?¡±

    ¡°Not just enjoyed. Enjoyed and lived. I made a good memory before I die.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d you think so.¡±

    I smiled.

    Osner stared me in the face and uttered a nonsensical question.

    ¡°For some reason, I wanna ask¡­ do you have any intention of bing my son-inw?¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you¡­ you know, like, first ask your daughter¡¯s consent about that?¡±

    ¡°She would like it.¡±

    ¡°No reason to refuse, I guess?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, no reason to refuse. Take care of my daughter, son-inw.¡±

    It was unknown who cracked first, but a chorus ofughter broke out and the gloomy atmosphere gradually brightened. Leslie¡¯s awkwardugh also followed, bing natural.

    The conversation continued.

    It was mainly Osner talking and his daughter conferring.

    ¡°At that time¡­ what your mother said¡­¡±

    Every time a word came out of his mouth, the old man¡¯splexion turned pale. His voicecked strength, and the pauses between each word grew longer.

    Still, Leslie didn¡¯t show it.

    She sustained am appearance of strength on her face and tried to keep tears from falling while maintaining a smile.

    Perhaps it looked too pitiful to see his daughter struggling at his own end, Osner cut off the conversation.

    He instead, pulled strength into his fingers around his daughter¡¯s palm, sped tightly.

    ¡°Love.¡±

    That was it.

    Strength drained from around Leslie¡¯s hand, and the affectionate eyes slowly lost their luster.

 Chapter 95.2: Leslie (6)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    ¡°Father? Father..?¡±

    Leslie called out, her voice turning anxious, but there was no response. For dead answered naught. Leslie¡¯s shoulders quivered imperceivably.

    Closing Osner¡¯s open eyelids, I stood up, cing a hand on Leslie¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°He went away smiling. Don¡¯t be too sad.¡±

    After consoling her with a few more words, I moved on. From the corner of my vision, I saw Katarina staring at me with a sullen look. There were manyints nt on her face, but considering the situation, she did not intervene.

    She really is a woman whom I can¡¯t help but love.

    Smiling at her, I gestured to Shedia.

    ¡°Potion.¡±

    She pulled out a potion bottle from her small backpack and threw it. Slicing a cut on my stomach with a dagger, I reached in and pushed and pulled, setting my broken ribs in ce and draining the blood from my lungs. Then I drank the potion.

    The potion showed why it was so expensive ¡ª the effect was immediate.

    The skin that had been ripped off filled up and the bones began to stick together.

    Huh, I could finally breathe now, without issue.

    I picked up the knight sword rolling on the floor and turned to face Alfred. Dozens of pairs of eyes were directed at me.

    Astonishment. Fear. Admiration. Awe.

    The emotions in their eyes ranged.

    I walked towards them facing all those emotions and gazes.

    * * *

    To start with the conclusion, Alfred, as well as the other Princes and Princesses, weren¡¯t put to their deaths.

    Even though they partook in heinous deeds, they were her father¡¯s children after all and he wouldn¡¯t have wanted them dead.

    So Leslie didn¡¯t kill them.

    Without killing them, she cut off each of their limbs, one by one.

    They hollered to just be given death instead, but Leslie tly refused.

    Impaired snobs would mean less trouble and they would have attendants sticking around them all day, meaning no inconvenience to their normal lifestyle, and so she dismembered all of them in front of my eyes.

    It was a bit pitiful to see them howling over their limbs as they were dismembered, but they were at least getting the better part of the deal.

    The warriors who had joined the rebellion were all beheaded without exception.

    ¡®Maybe it¡¯s because her father died right in front of her, she has be quite cold-hearted.¡¯

    It wasn¡¯t like that in the game.

    Should I reconsider enlisting Leslie?

    ¡®No, that¡¯s not what¡¯s important right now.¡¯

    I have a more important issue than Leslie¡¯s personality.

    ¡°Katarina. Are we not going to talk today as well?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    That¡¯s right, Katarina snorted, but didn¡¯t speak.

    Even though a week has passed since that day!

    We eat together and sleep in the same bed, but she treats me as if I don¡¯t even exist.

    She ignores me when I talk to her, and if I gently touch her like this¡­

    ¨C Patak!

    Swatted away.

    ¡®¡­Is it finally time to use separate rooms?¡¯

    It hadn¡¯t been long since we started dating, but I never thought we¡¯d already be using separate rooms. Doesn¡¯t this usually happen after some ten years of married life?

    I took a deep breath and grabbed the pillow.

    ¡°Where.¡±

    Still, she didn¡¯t seem to bepletely distanced. As I stood to walk out with a pillow, her words arrived in timely fashion.

    ¡°Another room. Get some rest, will see you tomorrow morning.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to see her? So you want to be her husband as well, huh?¡±

    There was a rustle and the sound of the folds of the nket scrubbing against each other.

    Katarina seems to have risen up.

    And what husband?

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    I asked, looking back over the shoulder.

    As I expected, Katarina was sitting on the bed, ring at me.

    ¡°You think I didn¡¯t hear you? The old man asked you if you would like to be his son-inw. You graciously epted.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Wait, don¡¯t tell me this is all happening because of that?¡±

    ¡°What if it is?¡±

    Katarina frowned. I shuffled back to the bed, put my pillow down on my seat, and put a hand on Katarina¡¯s shoulder. Fortunately, I wasn¡¯t swatted away this time.

    ¡°It was just a white lie.¡±

    ¡°A white lie?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The poor old man was dying right in front of us, so there seemed no need to ruin the atmosphere by saying no. The dead should be sent offfortably.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°And so what even if I did ept? Did you hear Leslie ept it? We don¡¯t even know each other properly. Who in their right mind would ept a stranger for a husband?¡±

    ¡°That¡­ is that so..?¡±

    Katarina, who had been pinning me with a death re, turned soft and puzzled.

    I smiled and hugged her. She was startled and tried to push me away, but I wasn¡¯t having it this time around.

    ¡°Hey, let me go! I¡¯m not done talking yet!¡±

    ¡°Do we still have anything left?¡±

    ¡°Of course! How you put yourself in a dangerous situation back then! Do you know how horrified I was when you knifed yourself to fix your bones and bloodlet your lungs?!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It didn¡¯t hurt much.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care how little, it did hurt, yes?¡±

    Katarina gave out a strange yelp that was half indignation and half vexation.

    I hugged her tighter.

    ¡°I¡¯ll listen to the naggingter, so can¡¯t we just focus on hugging for now? It¡¯s been ages since I¡¯ve hugged you. I¡¯m so excited.¡±

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s been only a while. Like in days, Cloud.¡±

    Katarina wrapped her arms around my waist as she grunted. It felt like it had been ages since I had felt Katarina¡¯s body temperature.

    The door opened with a ng sound.

    ¡®Yo?¡¯

    No attendants carried their duties at this hour. Did someone send an assassin?

    ¡°You haven¡¯t slept yet. What a relief.¡±

    It was Leslie wearing a white negligee, not an assassin, who came inte at night. As her negligee caught the moonlight, it subtly revealed the underwear she was wearing underneath.

    ¡°Uh¡­ her nightgown is a bit shy, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what¡¯s shy! You shouldn¡¯t be looking!¡±

    Katarina wrenched my head to make me face her. Then she looked over my shoulder at Leslie as she said.

    ¡°You¡­ No, Archduchess. What are you doing here at night? Seeing that you¡¯re wearing your nightgown, I think you¡¯re about to go to sleep¡­ Did youe to the wrong room by chance?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this Cloud room?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, so¡­¡±

    ¡°Then I havee to the right ce.¡±

    ¡°¡­You have any business with Cloud?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°What¡­ business?¡±

    Was it my delusion?

    Katarina¡¯s voice seemed to be getting colder.

    ¡°Nothing of concern. I just think now that my father¡¯s funeral has been done and all the backlogs have been worked out, we should now behave like a prospective couple.¡±

    On the other hand, Leslie¡¯s voice was as matter-of-factly as when she had entered the room.

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of sleeping with Cloud. I¡¯m sorry to say, but Katarina-san, please move to another room.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Katarina did not respond. She just slightly turned her head and looked at me, and looked. She had the man-killing eye I had so far only seen in Shedia.

    ¡°A white lie?¡±

    ¡°W, Wait a minute. You¡¯re misunderstanding something. I have nothing¨C¡±

    ¡°¡®Yet¡¯?¡±

    Katarina¡¯s head tilted to the side. The motion felt bloody, very bloody. Good god, she was screaming murder from her eyes.

    ¡°Um¡­ Katarina. It¡¯s not that.¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh, yes?¡±

    ¡­why is there no save or load button in this world?

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 96.1: Leslie (7)

    Katarina red at me with narrowed eyes. I held out a pacifying hand forward.

    ¡°Katarina, let¡¯s calm down and let me do this talkin¡ª¡±

    ¡°Talking to her?¡±

    Her cold voice cut off my words.

    For some nagging reason, I felt the talk I was meaning wasn¡¯t going to be the same as hers.

    ¡°Cloud?¡±

    After hesitating for a while, Katarina called my name as if urging me on.

    ¡°Yes. Talk.¡±

    ¡°Right? As you said, if it¡¯s a misunderstanding, will it be resolved through dialogue?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Yes. I mean, we can always try.¡±

    I replied with a quick nod of my head. In my experience, if you hesitate at this point, you¡¯re screwed. And there is no need to hesitate because now there is nothing to hold back.

    Katarina¡¯s expression rxed a little, as if well satisfied with my quick response.

    ¡°I see now that you are a very jealous woman. They say one get frustrated of jealous women quickly¡­ I will rmend fixing it quick.¡±

    Oh. Shit.

    I hurriedly covered Katarina¡¯s ears, but judging from the frown deepening between her eyebrows, it was already toote. She slipped out of my arms and trudged towards Leslie.

    ¡°What did you just say?¡±

    ¡°A concubine getting jealousy is honestly ugly, so I advised her to fix it quickly, well?

    ¡°Wh..? Concubine? Concubine!?¡±

    Katarina¡¯s voice contained suppressed anger, like a balloon about to burst at the slightest touch.

    ¡°Yeah. Concubine.¡±

    Leslie didn¡¯t care and poked her with a needle.

    ¡°Who told I am a concubine!¡±

    Katarina, who finally exploded, shouted out loud. Leslie replied with an expression expressing as if why she was being made to say such an obvious.

    ¡°Well, I am an aristocrat, and you are amoner, no? Surely, the original wife is amoner, but a noble cannot marry as a concubine under her, now, can she? That is an act that will disregard the authority of the whole noblemunity.¡±

    ¡°That¡­¡±

    Katarina couldn¡¯t bear the usation of undermining the authority of the nobility. She bit her lip tightly in resentment, then pursed her lips. However, it wasn¡¯t long that she remained unresponsive.

    She instead turned her head and nced at me.

    Huh? What, me? I had to rebut? Me?

    ¡­yeah. She surely meant me. Yeah, why not.

    ¡°Katarina is not amoner. She is the only daughter of a Count family of the Kingdom of Alitia.¡±

    ¡°Oh, are you? Sorry. I did make a mishap.¡±

    Leslie¡¯s apology did not improve Katarina¡¯s expression. Maybe because of internal conflict? Because now she had to use her enemy¡¯s family name just to win a verbal fight. And she couldn¡¯t refuse the win either.

    After taking a few deep breaths, her expression improved a little. Recovering herposure, she said to Leslie.

    ¡°Do you hear? I am not a concubine.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    Leslie tilted her head.

    Then she said, ¡®Ah¡¯, before smiling with a sound as if she realized something.

    ¡°I think you misunderstand something. Even if you are the daughter of a Count, nothing changes.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Why are you making that puzzled face? No way¡­ do you put a Count of a kingdom on the same line as the Archduchess of the only Principality who can very well match the Empire¡¯s Duke in status?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Once again, Katarina was speechless.

    As she rolled her eyes on me toe with a new counter, she suddenly narrowed her brows and put on a bewildered expression.

    ¡°Wait a minute. A concubine or anything, why does it even matter when you rte as of nothing to Cloud? It hasn¡¯t been long since you met Cloud, either, right?¡±

    ¡°Because my father wants me to be with Cloud.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Is that all?¡±

    Leslie shook her head.

    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s not all. Cloud-sama has a status that cannot be reced by anything else: a hero, and he is braver and stronger than anyone else. In addition, he has an excellent appearance and is even very kind.¡±

    Leslie touched the top of her head for a moment, then cleared her throat as she spoke.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it enough to want him as a prospective spouse?¡±

    ¡°What the hell. So, you want Cloud because of conditions, not love.¡±

    ¡°I like Cloud.¡±

    ¡°Like? Then it is not love.¡±

    ¡°I love him too.¡±

    ¡°Are you trying to y puns with me!?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a pun, it¡¯s truth. And who are you to arbitrarily judge my love?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Okay, that was not nice of¡­¡±

    ¡°Apologize for the offense.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ no, not. Why should I apologize? You are the thieving cat who covets otherdy¡¯s man!¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t he mine now as well?¡±

    ¡°Our conversation ends here!¡±

    The tone of their voices, Katarina¡¯s to be exact, went up, and the atmosphere also became stern.

    I¡¯d wondered if there was a possibility of them talking down the situation, but it appears that my expectations were ced too high.

    So, I quickly intervened between the two.

    ¡°Both of you, calm down. This will be a real fight.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Katarina who needs to calm down, not me¡­¡±

    ¡°Duchess.¡±

    ¡°¡­yeah?¡±

    ¡°Quieten down.¡±

    ¡°¡­yes.¡±

    Leslie blinked her eyes and then bowed her head in response. With a wronged expression. Sorry, Leslie. I need to do this hard to ease Katarina¡¯s mood.

    I turned to look at Katarina.

    As I thought, she was hoisting her chest up with a triumphant face. I smiled and kissed her on the forehead.

    ¡°I must apologize, but I have to step out and talk to Leslie for a while.¡±

    Katarina¡¯s expression, which was cheering bright, hardened.

    ¡°¡­just the two of you? You serious?¡±

    ¡°It will really take only a moment. I won¡¯t do anything weird. Promise.¡±

    I held out my pinky finger.

    But Katarina only had her eyes quivering with betrayal on her face.

    ¡°Do whatever you want! Whether it¡¯s the two of you making rice cakes [1] or jumping into a river, do whatever you want!¡±

    She huffed and went back to bed andid down on her face.

    I scratched my head and motioned Leslie out of the room.

    * * *

    ¡°You bastard¡­ you really left me alone just because I said you to¡­¡±

    Katarina muttered, voice weak. Tears streamed down her pillow.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since we met, when our eyes meet¡­¡±

    He had been with her for months. And had he even known that girl for over a month?

    So why?

    Did he really get sick of her jealous nature, like that woman said?

    Jealousy, or nagging?

    Just when Katarina, whose sadness exploded, was crying alone.

    There was a knock and the sound of the door opening.

    ¡®What, how?¡¯

    How was he back so soon?

    Embarrassed, she took a deep breath and stopped crying. Simultaneously, the sound of footfalls came closer, and she felt the bed shake and him lying down.

    ¡°Dear?¡±

    Cloud asked, cing a hand on her waist. She pondered dozens of times whether she should answer. As his hand gently stroked his waist, weight tipped to one side.

    ¡°¡­sit down.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Cloud sneaked up on her.

    Her heart pounded at the familiar male touch that hadn¡¯t taken hold of her waist in days.

    Not same for the troubled mind.

    [1] Korean idiom for seggs.

 Chapter 96.2: Leslie (7)

    ¡®¡­wh, why doesn¡¯t he say anything?¡¯

    Hugging her, he didn¡¯t speak, but instead kept stroking along her waist. Finally, just when she was about to break the silence, he opened his mouth.

    ¡°Are you mad?¡±

    ¡°Are you just asking or you don¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    Silence followed again.

    Katarina hated this silence.

    It looked as if the silence were to continue, a crack would ur in the rtionship.

    And she didn¡¯t want that.

    Even though something hard to skim over had happened just a moment ago, she still loved him very much.

    He was already a part of her life.

    There was no way she could just rip him off of her and throw him away, out of her life.

    So Katarina, as a sign of reconciliation in her own way, put her hand on the back of his hand, which was stroking her waist.

    He stopped moving.

    Instead, he kissed the nape of her neck. Katarina flinched, but luckily she didn¡¯t make any strange noises, or more embarrassingly, moan. Stroking along her back again, he spoke.

    ¡°I sent Leslie back to her room after pacifying her. In the process, nothing you need to worry about happened.¡±

    ¡°What would I be worried about?¡±

    ¡°Do I have to put it into words?¡±

    ¡°¡­no. Don¡¯t. I feel like my stomach will churn upside down.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    After that, Cloud said nothing more. Instead, he continued peppering Katarina on the nape of her neck.

    He at times whispered how he loved her.

    To which, Katarina realized that the corners of her mouth were trying to unravel.

    ¡®No, Katarina, no. If you forgive him so easily, something simr will happen next time.¡¯

    She needed to get angry properly so that this would never happen again.

    Definitely no halfway forgiveness!

    However, that promise was shaken every time she felt tingles on her neck, and in the end, the promise seemed to be crumbling. Katarina let out a sigh.

    ¡°Is it true that you two only had a conversation?¡±

    ¡°It is.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Katarina swung and turned her body around. Before Cloud could respond, she grabbed onto his hair, sinking her fingers into the locks, and kissed him on the lips. She licked his lips slowly, savoring them.

    There was no sweet taste or sticky feeling.

    Her tongue crept in between his lips before sneaking back.

    After parting their lips, she buried her face in the nape of his neck and sniffed.

    It was his unadulterated scent, not mixed with that of another woman. She had lived as a dancer and her sensitive nose could tell it apart.

    Apparently, what he said was true.

    ¡®But just in case.¡¯

    Katarina removed her face from the nape of his neck and met Cloud¡¯s eyes.

    In a coercive voice, she said.

    ¡°Take it off.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    Cloud swallowed his saliva and pulled off his clothes.

    Before long, two forms of flesh were coalescing as coquettish voices echoed through the room.

    When the bed stopped creaking, Katarina looked contentedly as she cradled herself in his arms.

    ¡°Really.¡±

    Really.

    * * *

    ¡°¡­I believe youforted her well enough?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I did.¡±

    ¡°So why is she here?¡±

    Katarina pointed a finger at Leslie, who was tethering her rucksack to her white stallion.

    ¡°Because now she¡¯s a colleague on the quest of subjugating the Demon King together with us?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that, listen to me. I am a hero, and the duty of a hero is to defeat the demon king and his minions who disturb the continent, ain¡¯t it? Of course, the journey is very dangerous. We¡¯ll probably end up in a life-or-death battle several times. In that case, what you need is a colleague, a reliable one.¡±

    ¡°So, since she¡¯s useful, we are taking her along?¡±

    Cloud nodded his head.

    As on the cue, Katarina let out a deep sigh. In her head, Katarina wanted to shout out loud to get rid of her immediately, but the fight between the former Archduke and Cloud, which she saw a while ago, stalled her.

    She couldn¡¯t do anything in that fight.

    Leslie, on the other hand, could have been involved in some way or other.

    Because she possessed the ability to.

    Rationally and figuratively, she was a well-thought out choice.

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t trust her.¡±

    But that didn¡¯t mean her intentions were rational too.

    Katarina whined, and Leslie lowered her head slightly, pulling up the sides of her dress.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about what happenedst night. Please forgive my rudeness.¡±

    ¡°Huh..?¡±

    Leslie¡¯s sudden countenance imbnced Katarina on her heels.

    Who had swapped the witch?

    Leslie spoke again as Katarina could only stupidly open her mouth wide.

    ¡°Please forgive me.¡±

    ¡°Uh? Ah, yes¡­ yes. It¡¯s okay. Just¡­ don¡¯t do it next time.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Miss Katarina has a big heart.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    ¡°Then, in exchange for your forgiveness, would you allow me to be Cloud-sama¡¯s wife?¡±

    ¡°Ah, alright¡­ wait what!?¡±

    Katarina¡¯s hand, which had been awkwardly scratching her cheek, froze. Leslie clicked her tongue.

    ¡°Here I thought it would be easy.¡±

    ¡°Wh, What?! What are you talking about?¡±

    Leslie answered her question without hiding the intensive regret on her face.

    ¡°Last night, Cloud-sama offered me a ce in his team. The benefits offered under the vocation are quite appetizing. However, it is nothingpared to the fact that I¡¯ll have to leave behind the Principality. I set our engagement as an add-on benefit, but Cloud-sama said it wouldn¡¯t work. So what I came up with as apromise was the condition that I had to get permission from you.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Katarina looked at Cloud in silence. He let out an awkwardugh.

    ¡°And now I miss a chance. Unfortunate.¡±

    Katarina sighed as she wiped a hand at her face.

    ¡°Shedia.¡±

    At her call, Shedia poked her face out of the shadows.

    ¡°Yes, sis.¡±

    ¡°Can you not kill these two b!tches?¡±

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±

    Shedia looked back and forth between Leslie and Cloud, assessing; and shook her head.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure about scoring one but two¡­ and if I don¡¯t kill Cloud on my first attempt, I don¡¯t think he will give me the moonstone.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ I see¡­¡±

    Katarina licked her lips and got off her horse. She patted Cloud on the thigh, prompting him to shift back, then she sat on the seat, positioning herself before him and spoke as she leaned on his chest.

    ¡°I won¡¯t allow it, no matter what.¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t happen, so don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t telling you¡­¡±

    Leslie smirked. ¡°I¡¯ll make you blurt out one day.¡±

    ¡°Damn it¡ª¡±

    Looking at the two women quarreling, Cloud smiled bitterly. It was a little far from the harmonious party he had imagined.

    It was okay though.

    This was a problem that could be solved if he coordinated well. While making ns for the future, he suddenly thought of another problem.

    ¡®I¡¯m going back to Prona now, what if they fight with those three?¡¯

    And what should he do if those three get territorial and bully their new colleagues?

    ¡°Your locution is as weak as can be. Are you really a noblewoman?¡±

    ¡°Then why do you covet other women¡¯s men if you are a so called noble aristocrat? Isn¡¯t that the behavior of a prostitute?¡±

    ¡°¡­I have got it all wrong. After you¡¯re gone, there¡¯s no need for me to seek permission, hmm?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re threatening me? Then, shoot. If you have the courage to be hated by Cloud, shoot your magic!¡±

    Mulling over his thoughts, Cloud immediately shook his head. A scuffle or two wasn¡¯t unexpected but they deepened bonds instead of triggering an all-out war.

    Cloud, whose worries disappeared, began to n the route back to the Kingdom of Prona.

 Chapter 97.1: Apocalypse? (1)

    On the way back to the Kingdom of Prona.

    Leslie¡¯s mind was full of Shedia.

    ¡®She is morepetent than I thought.¡¯

    To be honest, her first impression of Shedia was not very good. Even though she had a possessively cute face, she looked stupid because of her unique nk expression.

    But that thought was reversed on the first day of the journey, when she witnessed Shedia emerging from her shadow.

    She couldn¡¯tprehend what principle it was, but Shedia was able to freely move in and out of the shadows.

    It was a very useful ability, even from Leslie¡¯s viewpoint, which was naturally very high. It must be the reason that not only Katarina, but also Cloud, appeared to trust her.

    Furthermore, it hadn¡¯t been empty words when Shedia had told Katarina she was capable of killing Leslie.

    She could jump out of Leslie¡¯s shadow if she ever loosened her guard, meathook her, and drag her dagger across Leslie¡¯s mage physique. And Shedia wouldn¡¯t find it hard to fulfill the exact description.

    Of course, Leslie did not neglect this risk factor.

    ¡°Hi¡­¡±

    Shedia turned her head around and crept closer to Leslie. She was hesitant as she got closer, but Leslie spoke to her first.

    ¡°Do you want to see magic today?¡±

    Leslie looked carefully after Shedia to eliminate the potential danger of an assassination. And so, Leslie knew that Shedia liked things that were either novel or beautiful. Leslie immediately approached Shedia and showed off the beauty of her magic, and the effect was outstanding indeed.

    Initially wary of her, Shedia soon fell in love with sparkling snow crystals and gigantic ice statues.

    Leslie smiled as she watched Shedia bob her head, a face full of anticipation.

    ¡°Yup. I¡¯ll show you. Just, from now on, please call me unnie.¡±

    ¡°Eh..?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t¡­ want to? It¡¯s not a difficult request, is it?¡±

    ¡°That¡­¡±

    Shedia nced ahead, over her shoulder, hesitant to answer. Leslie spoke reassuringly, as she knew Shedia cared about Katarina.

    ¡°If it¡¯s Katarina¡¯s anger that worries you, then worry not. We are colleagues now, aren¡¯t we? As much as she is fixated with Cloud, Katarina isn¡¯t inherently jealous, now is she?¡¯

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Trust me.¡±

    Shedia was persuaded by her confident tone. She looked ahead once and then closed her eyes tightly.

    ¡°Uh, unnie!¡±

    ¡°Not just unnie, Leslie unnie.¡±

    ¡°Leslie unnie!¡±

    ¡°Well done. Shedia is a good kid. Good kids should receive gifts.¡±

    A plume of mist rushed over Leslie¡¯s palms and began to take shape. In less than a minute, a statue of a war horse made of ice materialized. The statue was so delicate that even the mane of its fur was clearly enunciated in minute detail.

    ¡°Ahhh¡­¡±

    Shedia, who was handed the statue, giggled heartily. Leslie said something more to her, and Shedia replied with a smile on her face. Meanwhile, Katarina looked at them with a puffed up expression.

    ¡°Traitor.¡±

    ¡°Traitor? Oh, goodness. She¡¯s just bonding with her colleague. Why don¡¯t you also try to chat with Leslie?¡±

    Her dark gaze moved to Cloud.

    ¡°Why? Do you want me to get close to her and then allow her to marry you? Goddess forbid, if you have that n, wake up. I have no intention of sharing you with anyone.¡±

    Katarina leaned her back on Cloud¡¯s chest and stated firmly.

    Cloud smiled bitterly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you will be able to be friends with my other teammates like this.¡±

    ¡°Your other colleagues who are waiting in the capital, those you mentioned before? Don¡¯t worry about that. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m not sociable, I¡¯m confident that I¡¯ll get along with them just fine.¡± She cast a dismissive gaze at Leslie. ¡°It¡¯s just stray cats that make me grumpy.¡±

    ¡°I hope it¡¯s as you say ¡­¡±

    ¡°In fact, I¡¯m more curious about what your other colleagues are doing there?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I ever tell you?¡±

    Katarina shook her head.

    ¡°You just said you had colleagues who were waiting, but never said anything about them.¡±

    ¡°Really? I guess, I must have forgotten. Should I tell you about them now?¡±

    ¡°Yes, do. I should know them in advance. Wouldn¡¯t that make it easier to make friends with?¡±

    ¡°Right, then¡­¡±

    Cloud massaged Katarina¡¯s breasts with his left hand. As she looked at him with judging eyes asking what he was doing, Cloud spoke with an innocent expression.

    ¡°What, you wanna touch mine too?¡±

    ¡°¡­you really like breasts.¡±

    Katarina shook her head, and Cloud smiled and started talking about his teammates.

    ¡°Eri is an outstanding wizard who has reached 4 stars despite her young age. She may be a bit prickly, but if she finds you fine, you will face no problem getting along.¡±

    ¡°Four stars? What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Oh, maybe you don¡¯t know. As per the Mage Tower, wizards are scaled based on various criteria, such as spell understanding and mana depth. The result concluded thus is graded. The rating ranges from 1 to 9, and the higher, the better.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that wizards had ranks like dancers. Then how many 9 stars wizards are there in the world?¡±

    There were three first-ss dancers in the Kingdom of Alitia.

    Concludingly, 9 stars for a wizard and first-ss for a dancer were the peak summit of their profession. Since the continent wasrger than a Kingdom, more than three, perhaps?

    Katarina asked with such a simple thought.

    However, what she was returned with, was an answer different from her thoughts.

    ¡°No? ording to rumors, the Mage Tower Master of the Empire is a 7 star. Unless there is an archmage hiding somewhere on the continent, there won¡¯t be any wizard higher than 8 star.¡±

    Katarina opened her eyes slightly wide.

    ¡°Is it that hard to be a 9-star wizard? Even harder than bing a first-ss dancer?¡±

    Cloud chuckled.

    ¡°If you say that to another wizard, their spiteful re will burn you to ashes.¡±

    ¡­wizards sounded grumpier than her roused self.

    Katarina¡¯s expression lightened slightly.

    ¡°Uh¡­ um, that¡¯s right. So, is Eri a great wizard? The Mage Master is 7 star, and she is 4 star. Young, too.¡±

    ¡°I told you. An outstanding wizard.¡±

    ¡°If we already have such an outstanding wizard, then isn¡¯t she unnecessary?¡±

    She pointed a thumb behind.

    ¡°I think, Leslie is also on the same level? And the two types of magic they wield are different.¡±

    ¡°Tsk.¡±

    ¡°¡­Neria is a knight. Because she uses her shield and one-handed sword, she specializes in defense rather than offense. She¡¯s sturdy, so in case of emergency, hide behind her back.¡±

    Pretending not to hear Katarina click her tongue, Cloud continued speaking.

    ¡°Finally Ophelia. She is a Saintess candidate chosen by the goddess. Her main job is to heal wounds and bestow blessings.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Katarina muttered to herself, trying to memorize the three people in order.

    ¡°Wizard Eri. Knight Neria. Saint Ophelia¡­ Huh? Howe all the names are feminine?¡±

    ¡°Because they all are, you know, female?¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Katarina¡¯s body stiffened.

    As if the imaginary puzzle fit into the ce.

    Her stiff body began to tremble.

    ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t it¡­?¡±

    She was crying.

    ¡°No, no¡­ no. There¡¯s no way, right?¡±

    In a voice dripping with sorrow.

    ¡°Please say no. Please. Please?¡±

    Shaking her head wildly.

    Cloud was meanwhile appalled as Katarina looked like as if she were possessed. His wide-eyed silence made Katarina motion it as the truth, rendering her hysterical.

    ¡°Why, why don¡¯t you say anything? No way¡­ is it real? Is that so!?¡±

    She moistened her eyes and grabbed Cloud by the cor.

    ¡°You, you, you, you¡­ Had you and me been enemies in our previous lives? Why are you doing this to me!? Why are you like this..!¡±

    She grabbed him by the cor and started shaking him.

    ¡°What are you talking about? What¡¯s wrong, what previous life are you talking about? What does that have to do with my colleagues¡­¡±

    Cloud stopped speaking, and Katarina also stopped shaking him. He spoke, confused, looking at her teary-eyed yet expectant face.

    ¡°No. You don¡¯t think I had an orgy wi¡ª¡±

    ¡°You, you¡­ You cheater!!!¡±

    Katarina shook Cloud so strongly that he winded like a fan.

    ¡°Stop, stop! I didn¡¯t have any orgy, stop shaking me, Katarina. I will fall from the horse.¡±

    ¡°Liar!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling no lie. I haven¡¯t even held hands with them.¡±

    ¡°Sure! You must have held the chest, not the hand!¡±

    ¡°No, really not. We share a healthy colleague rtionship.¡±

    ¡°Then tell me! How do you exin your bed techniques?! Why are you so good at it!¡±

    ¡°¡­Talent?¡±

    ¡°Are you kidding me right now!?¡±

    ¡°Why would I kid you? If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask them directly. They are all there. Cresting this hill¡­¡±

    Cloud suddenly scrunched his brows. He tilted his head as if he were looking at something bizarre.

    ¡°What, say what? There¡¯s no use changing the topic¡­ Huh?¡±

    As if freezed, Cloud no longer responded, and she turned her head to follow his gaze, embarrassed, and her eyes widened and froze at the scene before her.

    ¡°Mr. Cloud? Why are you like that? Do we have any problem¡­¡±

    Leslie, who followed behind, also soon stiffened.

    Only Shedia eximed, ¡°Wow.¡±

    ¡°¡­Cloud, is that¡­ the capital of the Kingdom of Prona?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, but¡­¡±

    Cloud scratched his cheek as he looked at Lupus, the kingdom¡¯s capital.

    ¡°It definitely doesn¡¯t look like that.¡±

    Hovering above the city, a giant purple octopus was slowly devouring the pce with numerous tentaclesshing.

    ¡®What had been those three doing?¡¯

    He had left them behind to stop something like this from happening.

    * * *

 Chapter 97.2: Apocalypse? (1)

    ¡°Are you really going to be okay without an escort? Of course, no ungodly person would dare to harm the Saintess candidate, but just in case¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s really fine. I can defend myself.¡±

    Ophelia pointed at the mace slung around her waist. Seeing the heavy mace, the priest swallowed his saliva. He had seen her lift and sway it like a child toy moments ago.

    ¡°Yeah, I mean, that¡¯s right. I guess I¡¯m worried about nothing. Then please be careful.¡±

    Leaving behind the priest to focus on his work, Ophelia left the church. It wasn¡¯t until she had left the church building and its premises that Ophelia dropped her smile.

    ¡®I¡¯m tired.¡¯

    It took her over a week just to get permission to go out. They had been insistent on getting her a host of escorts, but somehow she had managed to convince them out of it.

    ¡®I can¡¯t get used to it.¡¯

    It wasn¡¯t to this extent in her childhood.

    They had no reason to care so much about her, as she used to be only a little nun. However, after she became a saintess candidate, everything was different. The church tried to monitor her every move.

    Even now.

    They thought she wouldn¡¯t perceive the two people they had employed to tail her?

    ¡®This never happens when I¡¯m with hero.¡¯

    Without him, it immediately took a simr turn.

    ¡®A saintess candidate¡­ it would have been better if I hadn¡¯t been one.¡¯

    She sighed and moved on. After a while of strolling, the ce she arrived at was a shabby inn. There was only one guest at the inn, and the one she was looking for.

    ¡°You are eating.¡±

    Ophelia approached Eri, who was stuffing sausages into her mouth at a table in the corner of the inn. Even though she came pretty close, she just mechanically ate the sausages.

    ¡°Eri?¡±

    ¡°Whoops! O, Ophelia? What a surprise! You suddenly popped out of nowhere! Definitely surprised me!¡±

    Eri lowered the staff she had, by reflex, aimed forward.

    ¡°I came over calling you, Eri. You didn¡¯t hear me.¡±

    ¡°¡­was it? Sorry. I¡¯m not so observing these days.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because you don¡¯t take proper sleep.¡±

    Eri¡¯s eyes were dark, and her skin was ky. There was no vigor to be found in her eyes. It was the result of staying up all night for several days straight.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Sooner orter, the research will bepleted. How to sleep in such a situation? If I sleep, I¡¯m disqualified as a wizard.¡±

    Saying that, Eri stood up from the table, as she crammed the rest of the sausage into her mouth roughly.

    ¡°I have to continue the rest of my research, so I¡¯ll be going upstairs.¡±

    Eri headed for the stairs as Ophelia looked at her back with concerned gaze.

    ¡°Please get some sleep at night. You¡¯ll otherwise break yourself.¡±

    ¡°Worry more about Neria than me. I only expend my mind, but she? She expends her body, right?¡±

    Eri shrugged her shoulders and climbed the stairs. Ophelia looked for a moment at the stairs as Eri climbed, then she sighed and left the inn.

    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ Neria¡¯s situation is more precarious¡­¡±

    After she left the inn, Ophelia headed for the royal arena. Inside the arena, numerous knights were honing their skills, and Neria was one of them.

    ¡°Ha!¡±

    One of the knights mmed her sword down at Neria, perpendicr to her. Neria parried off the sword with her shield, and she immediately turned around to dodge another.

    Block and avoid, block and avoid.

    She seemed busy enough with that repeating motion.

    That was also true, for she was sparring with eight people at the same time.

    Not just eight ordinary soldiers, but eight knights.

    ¡®She didn¡¯t do this at first.¡¯

    Neria couldn¡¯t deal with eight knights at the same time from the beginning. She sparred with one by one and when she defeated them all, she started sparring with two at the same time.

    As it continued, she reached a level where she could deal with eight knights at the same time.

    It was clear that she had grown to this extent in a little over half a year, which was great. But it was also clear that she was overdoing it.

    Because of her big and small injuries, she visited church almost every day, and when her injuries were serious, she even came to visit Ophelia herself.

    That made Ophelia more concerned than proud of her.

    ¡°OMG!¡±

    Neria pushed thest of the knights with her shield and hit her helmet with a wooden sword. Neria, who had passed her ordeal of defeating eight knights, flopped down tired.

    As she stared at the floor and breathed heavily, a white handkerchief appeared in front of her eyes.

    Knowing who the owner of the handkerchief was, Neria smiled.

    ¡°When did youe?¡±

    ¡°A little while ago. You¡¯re doing great. It¡¯s really spectacr topete with eight people at the same time and win.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    Neria wiped the sweat with the handkerchief handed to her. Ophelia watched the scene and cautiously opened her mouth.

    ¡°At least now, hero will think you¡¯re great enough.¡±

    The hand that was wiping the sweat froze. The expression on her hardened face soon loosened up again. Neria smiled bitterly.

    ¡°¡­maybe so.¡±

    ¡°Well? Hero must be¡­¡±

    ¡°But maybe not. He might even think that I am not good enough.¡±

    ¡°Neria, hero didn¡¯t leave you alone because he thought you werecking.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Neria didn¡¯t answer. She just silently wiped off the sweat. Ophelia felt tight in her chest. The same was with Eri as was with Neria. Everyone thought that the reason Cloud left was because of theirck of ability, so they pushed themselves endlessly.

    ¡®They are holding on somehow¡­¡¯

    But if they keep doing this, sooner orter, they will break.

    ¡®I have to stop it.¡¯

    She had to somehow put some leeway back in the hearts of the two of them.

    Just when Ophelia was choosing the words to persuade Neria in her head.

    ¨C Pound!

    Suddenly, her chest tightened strongly.

    An eerie sensation spread through her body, and cold sweat drenched her back.

    Ophelia slowly turned her head.

    Pce.

    An evil aura was flowing from within the pce. An aura strong enough to weigh down her sainthood candidature. Even that was being suppressed and overpowered.

    And it felt like that suppressed energy would explode soon.

    Her lips trembled slightly.

    ¡°Oh my¡­¡±

    ¡°Ophelia?¡±

    ¡°Run away! Everyone, get out of the pce right now!!!¡±

    Having said that, Ophelia grabbed Neria by wrist and started running. She could feel themotion behind her back, but she didn¡¯t have time to pay attention to the chaos. She couldn¡¯t even answer Neria¡¯s question why she was doing what she was.

    She just kept running.

    The moment they finally got out of the pce proper.

    ¨C Crumble!

    The pce copsed, revealing a huge monster with numerous tentacles.

    An evil aura enveloped the entire city, and dark clouds covered the sun.

    Lupus, the capital of the Kingdom of Prona and a city teeming with life.

    There, the apostle of the end had arrived.

 Chapter 98.1: Apocalypse? (2)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    Thud.

    ¡°..?!¡±

    Eri¡¯s forehead bumped off against the desk, and she lifted her head up, spluttering.

    ¡°¡­ Did I fall asleep again?¡±

    Had she zoned out then fell asleep? It would have been unimaginable if she was in the Magic Tower, it seemed she had gottenzytely.

    Stretching her body, she grabbed her staff and left the room.

    She was thinking of strolling around to rouse herself up.

    She passed through the hallway on the second floor and came down to the first, but there was no sign of patronage present in the inn. It wasn¡¯t strange. She had rented the entire inn for research.

    However, unlike the quietness on the inside, it was noisy outside.

    So loud that she could hear it all the way into the inn.

    Was something the matter?

    Eri was puzzled and got out of the inn.

    ¡°..?¡±

    She froze at the unreasonable sight, far beyond what her imagination could fulfill. She rubbed her eyes. Deluding herself that she had seen wrong. But that changed nothing.

    ¡®Is it a dream?¡¯

    Maybe she hadn¡¯t ovee her drowsiness and fell asleep again? These were the nightmares her burnout were bubbling up in her consciousness? Just when she thought it was pretty usible.

    ¡°Eri!¡±

    She saw Neria running,ing from afar. She was dressed in light leather armor with a cloth shirt, probably had jumped out in the middle of her sparring sessions.

    ¡®How can a dream be so detailed?¡¯

    Eri slowly pulled up her middle finger behind her. A simple test to determine if it was her dream or reality was to try breaking her finger. If it did not hurt, it was a dream, and if it did¡­ motherf**king reality. She couldn¡¯t break her finger, but the stretch made it feel strained. And sore.

    It didn¡¯t seem like a dream.

    ¡®So this isn¡¯t a dream?¡¯

    The giant tentacle monster covering the whole royal pce, and the sky shrouded under dark clouds and strange purple particles?

    ¡®What the hell happened while I was asleep?!¡¯

    Her answer came in the form of her friend, Neria, who had run out searching for her.

    ¡°The pce suddenly copsed and ¡®that¡¯ came out?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Right after I was pulled away from the pce by Ophelia, the pce copsed, and it appeared.¡±

    ¡°What the¡­¡±

    Eri looked at the tentacle monster with a somewhat dazed expression. She only felt it now, but the amount and quality of magical energy flowing from the diabolical monster was unusual, and¡­ strange.

    ¡®Like a demon¡­¡¯

    And a fairly top-level demon, in fact.

    Could it be a Heavenly King, of whom she had only heard about?

    ¡®How did a Heavenly King appeared in Lupus!?¡¯

    After Cloud left them behind, they were disappointed for a while, but that didn¡¯t mean they didn¡¯t do anything. Apart from being left alone, his concerns were usible.

    They had an audience with the king and conveyed their opinion that the vignce should be strengthened, and the king, naturally, epted it.

    In fact, all they could do ended there.

    The three of them couldn¡¯t just search the wide Lupus every day.

    And that alone was enough.

    Not only did the regr patrols of the guards increased, but sometimes even the knights came out on patrol.

    Thanks to that, the security of Lupus was very stable.

    So, the girls had also taken a sigh of relief.

    ¨C Kgrrr. Kgrrr.

    As the Heavenly King swung its massive tentacles, the surrounding structures copsed and fragments of buildings flew high.

    Eri opened her mouth as she watched the flying debris.

    ¡°What about Ophelia? Where is Ophelia? She was with you, wasn¡¯t she?¡±

    ¡°Only Ophelia can respond most effectively to that power. She stayed behind to protect people. Eri, we need to go and help.¡±

    ¡°The Knights? What about the pce wizards? Where are they? The hell is breaking loose here!¡±

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know. Everyone must have been in the pce.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The monster appeared from inside the pce. If they had been inside the pce at the time, it seemed difficult to see them safe.

    ¡®Do we have to deal with that on our own?¡¯

    Eri went beyond fainting and became dizzy.

    The Four Heavenly Kings.

    In legends and myths, they were always defeated by a Hero, so no one ever thought much of them. But Eri could feel the weight of that name just by looking at the monster.

    They couldn¡¯t win against it, not now.

    No¡­ she couldn¡¯t even be certain they would be able to defeat it in the future.

    What she was totally sure of right now was that they wouldn¡¯t beat that monstrosity, no matter what they did.

    Eri didn¡¯t want to throw herself into an uncertain battle.

    It would be a dog death.

    So just when she was about to refer to a well-packaged getaway named ¡®Retreat¡¯, citizens scrambling away came into her sight.

    They were mauled to death by stone splinters from afar, crushed by others after falling over, or killed by robbers in the confusion.

    A half-destroyed city also entered her eyes.

    The royal city, which was shabbypared to the Empire¡¯s, but still retained its beauty, was losing its luster.

    Looking at them, Eri felt no pity or guilt.

    She felt afraid.

    What if she runs away from here?

    Her life may be spared. But what about after that?

    Even though she was apanion of a Hero, she would be ridiculed an eternity for running away from the demons and surviving miserably.

    Mongrel of a noble family. Failure of the Magic Tower. Coward. Fugitive. All kinds of dishonorable adjectives would stick on her and she would lose a lot. A lot.

    And above all, how would Cloud react if he ever came to find out she had run away?

    The more she imagined it, the more afraid she became.

    ¡°Eri? What are you thinking?! We don¡¯t have time for this!¡±

    Beside her, Neria shouted at Eri, but Eri didn¡¯t move. She eventually became frustrated and was about to pull Eri with her in tow.

    When a colossus purple tentacle approached in the direction they were in¡­ to be precise, towards the entrance of the castle.

    ¨C Kyaaaaagh!!

    ¨C S, Save us!!

    Citizens who found the tentacleing were horrified and sped up, cursing, but it moved faster. And faster than that was Eri¡¯s invocation.

    [Magic Shield]

    A fiveyered translucent protective shield intruded the gap between the citizens and the tentacle.

    Chuk! Chuk! Chuk!

    Fouryers of protection were shattered, but thest one remained affront. Although cracked, it sessfully fended off the sessive tentacles.

    [Hellfire]-!

    [Magic Missile]-!

    A red magic circle hovered in front of Eri.

    The magic missiles passed through the magic circle, and the fire of hell coated the magic missiles, which were mere lumps of pure magic.

    The magic missiles with the fire of hell easily pierced through the tentacles. Eri manipted the magic missiles and made numerous holes in the tentacles, eventually causing the tentacles to hang limp.

    All eyes in the vicinity were drawn to her.

    Normally, she would enjoy those gazes, but not now.

    ¡°Hey, thatdy wizard over there? Please escort me out! Money is no prob¡ª¡±

    AAAW! The middle-aged man, hit in the face by an unhinged cane, rolled on the floor. He screamed, but Eri didn¡¯t even give him a nce.

    She peered at the Heavenly King in the distance with an irritated yet desperate expression.

    ¡°Hah¡­ I don¡¯t think I can win against this¡­¡±

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 98.2: Apocalypse? (2)

    Upper-ss district.

    Streets that once brought as much leeway to its residents as the wealth they possessed, were now devoid of serenity, cause of mayhem. For the upper-ss district sat in the center of the city, close to the royal pce.

    The high concentration of demonic mana hindered breathing, and all kinds of tentacles, from giant tentacles to small and thin extensions, roamed and wreaked havoc.

    For themon people, this ce, which was the epitome of envy and jealousy, had turned into a pit of despair.

    But even in that despair, there was a small hope.

    On the outskirts of the posh district.

    A golden light shone betwixt the boundary between the wealthy and themon people. No matter how mighty the Four Heavenly Kings might be, they could not cross that sacred light. Clouds of demonic mana touched by the light were purified and the tentacles burned.

    ¨C I, I lived. I¡¯m alive.

    ¨C Oh Goddess Iris¡­ Thank you. Thank you¡­

    Those who were protected by the holy light were relieved.

    They had no doubt that the blessing of the Goddess would keep them safe.

    However, those borrowing the power of the Goddess were not having it easy.

    This was especially true for Ophelia, the core of the barrier.

    ¡®It can¡¯t go on like this.¡¯

    There was no problem with the effectiveness of the barrier.

    The barrier of light created by the prayers of the ten clerics and the Saintess Candidate waspletely warding off the evil energy.

    The problem was elsewhere.

    ¡°That way! Quickly!¡±

    ¡°You fools! Run when it¡¯s time! That monster won¡¯t be waiting for you!¡±

    Neria and Eri, joined by Ophelia, immediately began the rescue operation. The rescue operation itself was not a concern. Because both women were great in their own way and capable. In addition, soldiers and guards were helping, so the rescue was going smoothly.

    The difficulty arose because of that ¡®smoothly¡¯.

    Because the rescue was going smoothly, the number of people entering the barrier increased rapidly. It meant that the inside of the barrier was starting to get cramped.

    To the extent that after a while, they won¡¯t be able to ept any more people into the barrier.

    It did seem that the problem could be simply solved by widening the barrier, but there were things that had to be thrown away if the barrier were to be widened.

    Things like the defense capability of the barrier and the standing capacity.

    None of them were disposable , so Ophelia couldn¡¯t decide easily.

    ¡®It will be great if there are more church members¡­¡¯

    Half¡­ no, even half of the half, and she wouldn¡¯t have worried. However, there were only 11 people at present, including her. It was just one handful of many church officials.

    ¡®Where¡¯s everyone?¡¯

    They emphasized love and devotion, but in the time of need, what did they do? Ran away?

    What were they if not cowards?

    And they were the one trying to force upon her the ideals and will of Goddess?

    Negative thoughts filled her head.

    Ophelia shook her head and erased them.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure everyone is working hard elsewhere.¡¯

    Maybe they would see the light ande to help. All she had to do was to hold on until then¡­

    ¡°I can¡¯t stand this any longer. This is crazy!¡±

    A young male priest stopped praying and stood up. Despite his young age, he had a lot of divine power in his heart, and considered having a great future ahead of him.

    ¡°What are you doing? Please start praying again.¡±

    ¡°Saintess Candidate. No more¡­ No more. I want to live.¡±

    ¡°Stop. Stop with this sick joke¡­¡±

    ¡°Sorry, sorry!¡±

    The priest lowered his head and skittered out of the barrier.

    ¡°Hey, hey¡­ stop! It¡¯s dangerous to leave¡­¡±

    Ophelia shut her mouth.

    The priest ran past the barrier unimpeded and scuttled away while the tentacles, though unable to prate,shed against the barrier.

    ¡®How did¡­¡¯

    She opened her eyes wide and turned her attention to the monster that upied a seat atop the vandalized pce.

    ¡®¡­intentionally?¡¯

    Did it let go purposefully?

    A Heavenly King?

    Why?

    ¡®¡­ah!¡¯

    Ophelia, btedly realizing its intentions, turned her gaze to the other priests. Two of the priests who had been watching her stood up to run away like the first priest.

    ¡°Catch them!¡±

    As Ophelia cried out, the dazed citizens came to their senses and grabbed the two priests who were trying to make a run.

    ¡°Leave me! Let go!¡±

    ¡°Crazy bastard. Like I¡¯ll f**king let go off you bloodsuckers!¡±

    The two resisted, but were soon subdued. It would have been nice if it had ended there, but the citizens seemed to be offended that they tried to run away, so theyid the two of them down and started beating them.

    ¡°Stop! Please stop it! Now is not the time for this insanity!¡±

    ¡°Shut Up! Damn¡­ how much I donated to the church so far! But what did you all do for betterment? Filling your stomach with my money? If you¡¯re going to run off, spit out my money, you bastards!¡±

    The citizens didn¡¯t listen to Ophelia¡¯s pleas. She couldn¡¯t actively stop them because she couldn¡¯t move from her ce, as hers was an important role in keeping the barrier stabilized.

    Therefore, she asked other citizens, but they only watched, reluctant to intervene.

    The fact that the priests tried to abandon them seemed to have hit their hearts.

    So instead of stopping the assault, they chose to monitor other clergy. They approached other priests doing their prayer and applied unspoken pressure.

    As if they wouldn¡¯t let go if the priests tried to run away.

    Even Ophelia, a candidate for sainthood, was not free from such pressure. Because they watched her with distrustful gazes.

    Divine power that gathered in Ophelia kept decreasing. It was natural, she couldn¡¯t possibly pray devoutly in such a situation. Most priests were having issues stabilizing their minds, loading the pressure on her.

    As the situation continued, even Ophelia began to get annoyed.

    She bit her lip hard.

    ¡®Ah really¡­¡¯

    Why were they doing this?

    They should have done just as they were told to.

    The trying percentage of survival would have scaled up, so why were they so headstrong?

    Why were Neria and Eri noting to extend a hand in calming the situation?

    Kane¡­ Why did that son of a b!tch run away and made things so hard?

    Why were the church personnel still noting?

    With the intensity of the light, how dumb one had to be to not understand the simple principles of the church? Or, better, how selfish?

    She needed help.

    She was having a hard time too.

    Scared and tired.

    Why was she trying so hard in the first ce?

    Because she was a candidate for Sainthood?

    Did she even want it?

    She didn¡¯t, but it was the Goddess¡¯ choice and that pushed her forward.

    With unbridled expectations, the load on her shoulders increased.

    If things go well, Goddess¡¯ glory, if she shat, Ophelia¡¯scking?

    Damn church.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for the fact that her parents had abandoned her, she wouldn¡¯t have been in this position.

    Why did her parents abandon her¡­

    Oh, right. Wasn¡¯t that also a fate bestowed by the Goddess?

    Haha. Yes. It was.

    Damn Goddess.

    Now she was having her butt bitten by the Demon Lord¡ª

    -Ah¡­ Ophelia¡­ My dear daughter¡­ You¡¯ve crossed the line¡­

    A clear voice filtered directly into her head.

    Ophelia quivered.

    Because she could instinctively realize whose voice it was.

    ¡°¡­Goddess?¡±

    H, How?

    She didn¡¯t say it out loud, she just expressed her dissatisfaction inside¡­

    ¡®Ah.¡¯

    Ophelia recalled, she had been praying.

 Chapter 99.1: Apocalypse (3)

    Ophelia froze in her prayers. The unimaginable had happened. She immediately figured out what was going on, herplexion turning blue.

    ¡°O Mighty Goddess¡­ This is¡­ I¡¯m¡­¡±

    Ophelia searched for an excuse, an escape, her emerald eyes darting in their sockets.

    But no matter how much she digged, she couldn¡¯te up with anything that could pass off as an excuse.

    What she had said, what she had muttered to herself was nothing short of sphemy.

    And it was nobody else, but the Goddess herself listening on the other end.

    There was no way out for her.

    ¡°That, that¡¯s not true¡­¡±

    ¨C Ophelia, my daughter. You have always beencking in faith.

    ¡°Uh, me?¡±

    ¨C Indeed, you. Unlike the other Saintess Candidates, you haven¡¯t put your faith in me. On the contrary, you¡¯ve have always doubted my actions.

    ¡°No, no. O Holy Goddess, I always¡­¡±

    ¨C The suspicions weren¡¯t enough? Now you want to lie to me too?

    ¡°¡­sorry. Please forgive your foolish daughter.¡±

    Ophelia realized she couldn¡¯t make excuses, so she begged for forgiveness. There came no response from the Goddess. Just as she was beginning to feel flustered, the voice of the Goddess came again.

    ¨C Ophelia. As you know, there are many believers who are more apt than you in the Church of the Kingdom of Prona. Even so, I chose you as the candidate for the Saintess. Why do you think I did that?

    ¡°¡­As a lowly devout, I cannot fathom the Goddess¡¯ intentions.¡±

    ¨C You doubted my meaning, but you did not specte to understand. Ophelia, I¡¯m disappointed.

    The chilling voice of the Goddess intoned.

    Ophelia, a mere mortal, felt considerable fear from that alone.

    It was the fear of a child being abandoned by her parents, thrown into the world without a pir to lean on.

    It was natural for her to feel such fear, for she had incurred the wrath of Goddess Iris, the ruler of the world and the mother of all things.

    Struck by fear, Ophelia couldn¡¯t even keep her mouth from trembling, but Goddess¡¯ rebuke had just begun.

    ¨C The reason I chose you as a Candidate for Sainthood despite yourcking faith, was because I wanted to see how you¡¯ll change. Because I wanted to see you ovee the changed environment and the burden of duty and be a proud daughter of mine. But you¡¯ve betrayed my expectations.

    ¡°O Goddess¡­ I¡­¡±

    ¨C You weren¡¯t satisfied with your improved life. Despite not starving, sleeping in a warm bed, and being respected by everyone, you were more dissatisfied with the increased control than grateful. You couldn¡¯t give up your greed.

    ¡°That, that¡­¡±

    ¨C You haven¡¯t been able to control your lust, not even tried to control your sexual desire. Indulging in the pleasures of intercourse, forsaking your duties and obligations.

    Ophelia¡¯s head became dizzy facing the endless usations of the Goddess.

    ¨C You doubt me on every subject, and in the end, you even criticize me. I¡¯m so sorry, Ophelia. All expectations I have for you are gone.

    Expectations¡­ gone¡­

    As soon as those words were finished, the divine power that had been dormant within Ophelia began to dissipate.

    ¡°Goddess?!¡±

    Flustered, Ophelia tried to rein control on the divine power somehow, but it was impossible.

    It was no longer her power.

    The divine power within her was dissipating, and the light that maintained her barrier was weakening.

    ¡°O Goddess! Forgive me, please forgive me! Please forgive this foolish and stupid daughter of yours!¡±

    ¨C I have already forgiven you so many times.

    ¡°I will never doubt you again. I will only pursue a life of servitude and dedication. Please forgive me¡­¡±

    ¨C Like I just stated, I¡¯ve already forgiven you many times. Still, you were the same. I don¡¯t think it will change even if I add one more attempt to your list.

    Kang! Khang!

    A thin tentacle prated past one side of the barrier. The tentacles wrapped around a priest who was praying and dragged him out of the barrier.

    ¡°Aaaagh!¡±

    The priest who was dragged out of the barrier was sucked of his life force and instantly turned into a withered mummy. The tentacle crushed the cleric in half and tossed it away, beforeshing back into the barrier.

    ¡°Kyaah!¡±

    ¡°Move! Get out of the way!¡±

    People ran and lunged away from the slimy limb.

    However, there was a limit to escaping within the space-limited barrier, and in the end, a strong man was caught.

    ¡°S, Save me!¡±

    The man grabbed another person.

    ¡°Let go, let me go! Aww!!¡±

    Then one caught another and so on. They were woven together like sausages, and as many as five people were dragged out.

    Shhesh!

    Meanwhile, a new hole was opened into the barrier. A new tentacle forced its way in and snatched ady away, who had considered her safe on the other end.

    ¡°Quaaaaaaaa!¡±

    Creepy screams ensued.

    Ophelia¡¯s eyes trembled.

    ¡°Ah¡­ Agh¡­ O Merciful Goddess, forgive them¡­ please forgive them. I may be a sinner, but they are not. Everyone is someone¡¯s child, father, or mother. Please have mercy¡­¡±

    ¨C Ophelia, my foolish daughter. Don¡¯t ask me for mercy. You could have saved them. The failure to do so is entirely your fault.

    ¡°My¡­ is it¡­? This..?¡±

    How was this her fault?

    She did her best to stop the Heavenly King.

    However, others did not cooperate and participated in the effort, creating danger.

    ¨C And why didn¡¯t they listen to you, a candidate for Sainthood? Why? It¡¯s because you¡¯re not trustworthy enough to entrust their lives with.

    Not trustworthy?

    ¨C I¡­ I did my best¡­?

    ¨C Best? Don¡¯t talkcking tact. Youck faith in me. A Saintess Candidate who doubts her faith? No matter how morous your title looks, in the end you holed it into an empty shell. They must have felt it subconsciously.

    An empty shell¡­

    ¨C You wonder why my other sons and daughters didn¡¯te to help, right? Then I¡¯ll ask you back. Why should my children seek you and risk their lives to help?

    ¡°That, that¡¯s because¡­ Love and devotion are the teachings of the Church, so dedication to the people¡­¡±

    ¨C My children are alreadymitted.

    ¡°¡­huh?¡±

    ¨C They¡¯re alreadymitted. They¡¯re saving people all over the city.

    ¡°Well, then this¡­¡±

    ¨C Yes. Even after seeing the light barrier you created, they didn¡¯t join. Because you¡¯re not trustworthy. Judged from what you¡¯ve shown them all these years¡­ They couldn¡¯t help themselves into making that judgment.

    Kang! Kang! Kang!

    The barrier was broken at the same time Ophelia¡¯s divine powerpletely dissipated.

    ¨C So everything that happens from now on is your fault.

 Chapter 99.2: Apocalypse (3)

    The barrier shattered and the tentacles rushed in, as if they had been waiting for that exact moment.

    ¡°Run!!¡±

    ¡°There is nowhere to run. Everyone¡¯s struck!!¡±

    Unlike how it let the priest go untouched prior, the tentacles blocked every alley. The remaining tentacles moved swiftly towards the people who were searching for an escape.

    A thin tentacle pierced a middle-aged man¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Khkh..?!¡±

    The middle-aged corpse, deprived of its life force, was tossed high into the sky.

    ¡°Honey!¡±

    The dead man¡¯s wife nched and ran toward her husband, who had been thrown away. Chuk! She wasshed off by tentacles that swung like whips, pinning her to a building.

    No, for the lifeless and crushed form was now just a ssh of raw meat.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Ophelia looked at the hunk of meat with quivering eyes. That woman was thedy who had earlier shed tears, thanking her for saving their lives when Ophelia had saved her.

    ¡°Kyaaaaaaaaa!!¡±

    Hearing a scream, Ophelia jolted her head around.

    A young woman who was iled by her arms and legs let out her scream. Slowly the tentacles tore at the skin of her stomach. Flick! The woman¡¯s blood flicked on Ophelia¡¯s face.

    Ophelia didn¡¯t hastily wipe it off.

    She put her hands together and prayed fervently.

    ¡°Ah¡­ Goddess. O Goddess Iris. Please forgive me. Please forgive me for being stupid, dull and foolish. I will ept my sins. They are not guilty of anything. Please have mercy¡­¡±

    ¡°Ugh, aaaa!! Run away!¡±

    ¡°Please¡­¡±

    ¡°Dad! Daddy!!!!!

    ¡°Please¡­¡±

    Despite her earnest prayers, the Goddess did not respond.

    Something did interrupt her prayers though ¡ª screams.

    A young man who was being dragged across the floor by tentacles.

    As he met Ophelia¡¯s eyes, he cried out to her in terror.

    ¡°Saintess! Help!¡±

    Ophelia raised her body. She stumbled forward and brandished her mace from her waist.

    Pak.

    The mace mmed down on the tentacles, which held the young man, impotently.

    She raised the mace and pummeled again.

    Pak! Pak! Pak! Pak! Pak! Pak!

    The force swinging the mace gradually increased.

    She hollered, striking her mace as if she were mincing meat.

    ¡°Leave him! Let go!!¡±

    Ophelia did her best.

    Sadly, it had little effect. The flesh which the mace had dented remained such for a while, and then filled up again.

    ¡°Saintess?! What are you doing? Divine power! Please use your divine power!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    She could no longer use divine power.

    She couldn¡¯t bear to say that, so she struck harder with her mace.

    The young man made out a part desperate and part puzzled expression.

    ¡°Saintess? Can¡¯t you hear me? Holy Maiden!? Holydy¡­ You son of a bitch! Divine power! Use your divine power¡ª¡±

    The young man was tossed aside.

    He sailed swiftly and disappeared from Ophelia¡¯s sight in an instant. The only thing left in ce was a long bloodstain left by the young man¡¯s clutching palm.

    As she stared, nkly, someone shouted.

    ¡°Saintess! Help me!!¡±

    Ophelia came to her senses and turned her head in the direction of the voice. The moment her eyes met the woman who had asked for her help, thick tentacles blew away the woman¡¯s upper body.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    ¡°Saintess! Here!!¡±

    She turned her head.

    An old man who called for help was crushed by the tentacles.

    ¡°O Saintess, please!¡±

    The man had a hole in his stomach.

    ¡°Saint¡­ help me¡­¡±

    A woman sagged down.

    The building copsed and covered the woman.

    Tang!

    The mace fell to the floor.

    Ophelia¡¯s lips trembled.

    ¡°Sorry¡­¡±

    People were dying.

    ¡°Sorry¡­¡±

    These were the people who had been living their lives like normal people hours ago.

    ¡°Sorry¡­¡±

    They were the ones who had once bowed their heads to her, thanking her for saving their lives.

    The parents who paid their gratitude.

    They were¡­

    Crying, shouting, screaming for help.

    But Ophelia¡­ she couldn¡¯t help.

    Because she was no longer a candidate for Sainthood.

    She was just a woman with slightly higher muscle strength.

    She could do nothing but watch people die horribly right in front of her eyes.

    Ophelia flopped down on her knees.

    She closed her eyes and put her hands over her ears.

    ¡°Sorry. It¡¯s my fault. It¡¯s all because of me. Sorry, sorry.¡±

    She should have been patient.

    She should have endured.

    She shouldn¡¯t haveined.

    She shouldn¡¯t have doubted.

    Had it been¡­

    Had it been so, none of this would have happened.

    It was all her fault.

    Really¡­ sorry.

    She was sorry¡­ Her heart seeked forgiveness¡­

    ¨C You can¡¯t run away.

    Ophelia was ovee with pain that seemed to set her eyes on fire.

    ¡°Kyaaaaaa!!¡±

    Unable to ovee the excruciating pain, Ophelia mmed her head on the floor.

    ¨C Open your eyes. Don¡¯t run away from your exploits.

    ¡°No, no! I don¡¯t want to!¡±

    Ophelia scratched the floor with her fingers, trying to contain her pain. However, the pain gradually got worse. It was agony should have left her unconscious, but she could not pass out.

    In the end, Ophelia failed in her resistance.

    She opened her eyes and was able to run away from the burning pain.

    Instead, she had to hear the screams and the sight of people dying en masse. However, the aspect of the scream was different from before.

    They no longer asked Ophelia for help.

    They uttered words of resentment and curses at her, and some did not stop there.

    ¡°This bitch! Why did you remove the barrier!!¡±

    A man kicked Ophelia with a face full of rage. She fell to the floor and he began to trample her.

    Not knowing when he would be killed by the tentacles, he didn¡¯t care and assaulted her.

    Then a strange thing happened.

    The tentacles were leaving out the man who assaulted Ophelia.

    The people who noticed that fact gathered around Ophelia. They started beating her like the first man.

    They kicked her in the face and stomach, and trampled on her hips and sides.

    The tentacles did not touch them, and confirming that the hypothesis was real, they began to channel their resentment into violence.

    ¡°Why! Why didn¡¯t you save my son!¡±

    ¡°You said you were a Saintess Candidate! Why can¡¯t the glorious Saintess maintain a single barrier?!¡±

    ¡°I recognize her from the time she went around bare-chested. Are you actually not a whore, but a Saintess Candidate!?¡±

    Ophelia repeated the same whenever that happened.

    ¡°Sorry¡­¡±

    ¡°Sorry¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my fault¡­¡±

    ¡°Sorry¡­¡±

    A blood vessel burst and a liquid mixed with her blood and tears flowed down her cheeks.

    Gradually.

    Slowly.

    Ophelia was breaking from within, and was about to be brokenpletely.

    ¡°What kind of insane shit these crazy bastards are pulling? Hey! You guys, get.. Huh? Ophelia?¡±

    An inaudible voice hit her ears.

    At the same time, the beating also stopped.

    Ophelia slowly raised the arm that covered her face. She could see the red-haired handsome man looking at her with a bewildered expression.

    ¡°He.. Hero..?¡±

 Chapter 100.1: Apocalypse (4)

    ¡°He.. Hero..?¡±

    She stared in disbelief.

    Contrary to the expression, there was a hint of anticipation in her voice.

    Expectations as to whether he was real than just a fragment of her desperate imagination.

    Cloud looked at her face instead of answering.

    Tears of blood flowed from her red, bloodshot eyes, and her skin was torn in several ces. Her pure white robes were covered in dirty shoe marks.

    ¡°Portion.¡±

    Shedia hurriedly took out a potion from her small backpack and handed it to him. Crouching on his knees, he slowly applied it over Ophelia¡¯s wounds.

    ¡°Agh..!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll hurt, I know, just a little patience.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    As he healed her with potions, someone among the murmuring citizens called out aloud.

    ¡°Are you the hero?¡±

    He was a strong middle-aged man with a mustache.

    Cloud did not stop applying the potion and answered.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    The murmurs grew louder among the citizens.

    In such a desperate situation, the hope had appeared in the form of a Hero. No doubt, they were thrilled.

    So the middle-aged man requested Cloud with a relieved expression.

    ¡°Thene and save us.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m for, I will do it anyway. Please wait a moment until I have healed her.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s seriously injured, so why not first cate the situation, then heal her?¡±

    ¡°It will only take a moment.¡±

    ¡°And that moment is dangerous for us!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why my teammates are guarding you all, aren¡¯t they? If you want to avoid getting hurt, stay still.¡±

    Cloud answered as his voice adopted a slight chilly tone.

    The middle-aged man shut his mouth and the citizens stopped murmuring.

    He asked her again, focusing on Ophelia¡¯s treatment.

    ¡°What were you doing here? Why were you being beating by these people?¡±

    Ophelia¡¯s pupils trembled, and guilt appeared on her face.

    ¡°Because of me, the barrier was broken, and many people were injured or died. It¡¯s all my fault. They are right, I¡¯m worthless¡­¡±

    ¡°So you mean that the barrier broke because you ran out of divine power? Why is that your fault?¡±

    ¡°No, I-I mean, that¡¯s¡­ my, my fault. I couldn¡¯t¡­¡±

    She lowered her eyes and trailed out.

    Cloud narrowed his eyes.

    Everything seemed suspicious in bits. What had happened anyway?

    ¡°We can have our me gameter, where is Erina and Neria?¡±

    He asked as he set the empty potion ssware on the floor. In actuality, he wanted to know how Kreas was summoned, but he could always listen to it after solving the problem.

    ¡°They both went to rescue other citizens. It¡¯s been a while since they left, they haven¡¯te back yet¡­¡±

    ¡°Alright, I see. And are totally juiced out of divine power, now?¡±

    ¡°Yeah? Yeah¡­¡±

    ¡°Then wait here.¡±

    Cloud got up and drew his sword.

    He took in a breath and hit the ground. Three tentacles homed towards him as he jumped up to the wall of a building.

    A blue-ck me rose from his sword.

    As the blue line gently continued, the three tentacles fell thickly.

    When his legs came in contact with the wall of the building, he sprinted along the length of the wall and hopped towards the other building.

    Arriving at the wall of the new building before the limp form of tentacles could even hit the floor, he cut the tentacles wrapped around the building in half.

    Then he ran again towards the wall of another building.

    He bolted around the building in a zigzag pattern like a pinball, slicing the tentacles along with his speeding.

    He hadn¡¯t dispatched them all, but that much was enough for the time being.

    He kicked off the wall towards the roof of the building where hest set his foot. It was quite a tall structure, so he had to dip in a couple of hops to reach atop.

    From the tip of the tall building, he could properly see the monster that upied the pce.

    A monster with a round head like an octopus, but unlike an octopus, it has dozens of eyes and thousands ofrge and small limbs.

    The ruler of the vast sea of demons and a faithful servant of the Demon King.

    One of the Four Heavenly Demon King, Kreas.

    ¡®There¡¯s definitely a different grip off the screen.¡¯

    It was a little creepy to see dozens of eyeballs rolling around and many more limbs wriggling.

    ¡®How was it subjugated in the game?¡¯

    Oh, yeah. The Four Heroes and the tinum Knights of the Empire subjugated the monster together. It was Mars who endured until the subjugation army arrived.

    ¡®But now, both are unavable.¡¯

    Kreas had just been summoned, and the rest of the countries were unaware of the news.

    Even after getting the news, it would take quite a while for the Heroes and the tinum Knights to be dispatched.

    In the game, Mars had dragged the time until then, but today Mars was not here.

    Because he had changed Mars¡¯s fate.

    ¡®But I can¡¯t subjugate that alone¡­ it looks impossible.¡¯

    As he shook his head, he saw the city copsing from the corner of his eyes.

    Tentacles protruding from the pce engulfed the city and its citizens. Buildings copsed and citizens screamed to death or fled.

    Cloud reced his Ring of Offense.

    ¡®It¡¯s not like there is no way at all, but¡­¡¯

    If he used his skills rather than the skills of this world, he may be able to solve it.

    But that was stupid.

    What was the reason for hiding his arsenal until now?

    Wasn¡¯t it to hide his identity and, above all, to avoid the Goddess¡¯s sudden reaction?

    So, why reveal it just because a few people were dying?

    It was just in stupid to scribble away the meaning of the actions he had carried out so far.

    {Glyph of Behemoth}

    (Buffed) ¨C 50% reduction in uracy ¨C All stats increase by 100%

    The moment Kreas was summoned in the first ce, the death of most of the citizens was confirmed. That was something even Mars couldn¡¯t stop. All Mars was able to do was drag the time so that Kreas wouldn¡¯t leave the city to wreak havoc across the Kingdom.

    So, thinking rationally, it was intellectual to leave the city and join the subjugation army.

    {Glyph of Ogre}

    [Active] -Temporarily doubles strength. ¨C 50% armor pration buff

    Actually the situation was better than concerned to the one in the game.

    He didn¡¯t know why, but the Heavenly Kings¡¯s subordinates, his minions, hadn¡¯t made an appearance.

    Maybe quite a number of people would survive.

    As his thoughts continued, a crying girl came into the corner of his field of vision. Perhaps the child had lost her parents, as she wept and wailed bitterly.

    However, no adults passing by were willing to take a look at the stranded child.

 Chapter 100.2: Apocalypse (4)

    ¡®Huh, that¡¯s right.¡¯

    Favors are always given as long as they do not harm thyself.

    Helping others even at a disadvantage?

    That¡¯s an act of stupidity.

    {Glyph of Heroes}

    (Blooming)

    ¨C Unleash the full potential within a short period of time. At the end of ¡®blooming¡¯, the user will lose consciousness.

    Cloud kept a watchful eye on the crying girl. When a boy sprinting by stopped upon spotting the girl.

    The boy looked to be of the same age as the girl.

    The boy moved his head back and forth, and then approached the girl with a determined expression on his face.

    The boy said something to her. The girl shook her head and did not stop crying.

    Cloud expected the boy to give up and run away alone.

    But the boy did not run away.

    The boy grabbed the girl¡¯s hand and started running, pulling her along in tow.

    That was stupid.

    The girl did not resist, so they were running together, but he was significantly slower from when he was making a run on his own.

    He would end up at more risk.

    The boy knew as well.

    Still, the boy did not let go of the girl¡¯s hand.

    Cloud saw a familiar figure in the boy.

    A poor pdin, adamant not to listen to a single word from others.

    ¡°It¡¯s really stupidity.¡±

    Cloud smiled and drew his holy sword.

    {Glyph of Heroes}

    (Abloom) ¨C Can be used in the ¡®blooming¡¯ state. Unleash more than what your inherent potential allows. When ¡®blooming¡¯ ends, all stats are permanently reduced by 10%.

    * * *

    She was a devout believer.

    Her only thought was to praise God and be grateful for what was given.

    She kept her desires at bay and did not covet what was others.

    She was a knight too.

    Loyal only to God, vowed to protect the weak.

    Although she possessed excellent skills, she was humble and knew forgiveness.

    She was an extrovert as well.

    And never made exceptions when it came to doctrine and chivalry.

    The day an army of tens of thousands of demons besieged the holynd, Atria.

    When everyone was talking about retreat, she stood alone in front of tens of thousands of demons.

    Brandished the sword in both hands in a praying position.

    Everyone who saw it criticized her.

    She was stupid.

    A single-minded fool who operated on ideals than brains.

    And everyone saw it.

    The divine light that fell on her sword.

    A miracle created by the golden light.

    The holy sword with golden light shining brightly.

    The light lifted the darkness that had descended on the city and enveloped the people.

    Those who escaped from darkness turned to the source of light one by one.

    So was Ophelia.

    She, who was drowning in muddy despair, raised her head and looked.

    A dazzling golden light.

    It was dazzling and divine.

    Ophelia no longer felt afraid.

    She no longer felt anxious.

    Her inner self, atst, was at peace.

    Because it did not doubt the light would save everyone.

    And it did.

    The tentacles that chased them all gathered towards the light.

    Thousands of tentacles covered the source of light.

    Darkness descended once again.

    The moment when everyone lost hope and was about to despair once again.

    ¨C Kwagwagwang!

    The light shed and split the sky.

    They closed their eyes shut. Momentster, when they slowly opened their eyes, there was neither the divine light nor the darkness to cover them.

    Patches of clouds floated.

    The sunlight that filtered through them illuminated a man.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Drip!

    A drop of water ran down Ophelia¡¯s cheek.

    She knelt down and orderly put her hands together in a prayer.

    Seeing this, the citizens followed her and prayed together.

    Other citizens, who saw the citizens praying, did the same, and the action continued to spread. Soon, most of the citizens were praying towards the man shining in the sunlight.

    Pound.

    A new divine power bloomed inside the empty Ophelia. Although it was so feeble that she could not even feel it herself, it was clearly divine power.

    * * *

    ¡°Hey, Cloud are you alright?!¡±

    ¡°Does he seem alright to you? Come on, let¡¯s get some potions and pour them!¡±

    ¡°Ah okay!¡±

    Katarina and Leslie each took out a potion andthered it across Cloud¡¯s body.

    They were full of smiles, until they reached the rooftop, seeing Cloud dripping blood from every orifice ¡ª eyes, nose, and mouth ¡ª putting them in a frenzy.

    ¡°Spraying on the body alone won¡¯t heal the internal wounds. He must drink the potion. Cloud, please open your mouth.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Cloud? It must be hard, but can you please try?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Cloud..? Huh? Did he pass out standing?¡±

    ¡°What? But his eyes are open. How does someone pass out with eyes open?¡±

    ¡°How would I know? Lay him down. It will be easier to feed.¡±

    The two women carefullyid Cloud down. Leslie lifted his torso and grabbed his nose. When he gasped to breathe, a potion was tipped in his mouth.

    ¡°Hey, take it slow!¡±

    ¡°What slow? The potion¡¯s already trickling inside very slowly, just keep your mouth shut¡­¡±

    ¨C Puck!

    Cloud vomited a mouthful of blood.

    ¡°Damn?! You, you crazy fool! I told you to put it in slowly!¡±

    ¡°Why is this my fault? It¡¯s just backflow of blood! Now we have a bigger problem, in fact.¡±

    ¡°Why? What?¡±

    ¡°The potion won¡¯t go in because of the backflow of blood.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°What ¡®huh?¡¯ Gosh¡­ if the potion is not used, the internal wounds won¡¯t mend up. This is bad.¡±

    Katarina¡¯splexion turned white.

    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that a bit problematic, then?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a little, but very problematic. If the potion doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯ll need a priest, but the only priest nearby is a woman with low divine power¡­¡±

    Leslie bit her lips, showing a distressed expression on her face.

    No suitable solution seemed in sight.

    Just then, Katarina opened her eyes wide, as if she had realized something.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you incision his stomach and pour in the potion?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Leslie stared intently at Katarina.

    ¡°You¡¯vee up with a good idea, not like you.¡±

    Instantly, she conjured an ice dagger.

    ¡°Just watch.¡±

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 101.1: Queen Maker

    (1)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    Not a single speck of light entered my field of vision.

    An expanse of dark space was all.

    There was no sensation, only a feeling. Feeling of levitating listlessly.

    Still, I wasn¡¯t surprised.

    Because it was a familiar situation.

    [Ah, master. Can you hear me?]

    An elegant voice spoke.

    However, the owner of that voice was anything but elegant.

    [Hey. Didn¡¯t I tell you not to enter the spirit world until I¡¯m done? What if I get caught?]

    [That¡¯s why I haven¡¯t contacted you for more than a year. We¡¯re talking after a whole year and this how you greet me, huh?]

    [Oh alright. Nice to meet you. Satisfied?]

    [Insensitive bastard.]

    [Huh?]

    [Nothing. Do you know how surprised I was back then? Does a person just suddenly copse and be unmoving, closing off his mental world at the same time? ]

    [You think I did it because I wanted to? It just happened that way.]

    [And what made you almost parcel an NTR game?]

    [¡­god, I even have to answer this? I didn¡¯t buy it to enjoy it, but to give it as a gift to that guy for not paying me back¡ª]

    [Huh. But Master¡¯s friend already paid the money back.]

    [What? When?]

    [A month after Master copsed. He even paid interest and remitted 3.1 million won?]

    [¡­]

    Damn.

    If you¡¯re going to give it to me, give it to me sooner.

    I was a bit annoyed, but since he had paid me back with interest, letting go¡­

    [I installed a newputer set up with that money, how¡¯s that?]

    Already spent!?

    [Hey! Why waste money to buy a new one, wasn¡¯t ourstputer in good condition?!]

    [But Elden Ring came out? Who would have thought FromSoftware would pull such a move? You know that pretty much left me with no choice.]

    [But you could¡¯ve yed it on our previousputer as well! Dark Souls 3 worked on it just fine!]

    [Oh, Master, please! Dark Souls 3? You haven¡¯t changed your graphics card in years. Does it make sense to use a 1060 in an era where even 3080ti has made its appearance in the markets! How do I run the Elden Ring on aputer like this!?]

    [Goddamn it¡­]

    This insidious b!tch doesn¡¯t understand the real value of money¡­!

    I held back the tantrum that was about to rise.

    [Yeah¡­ What can I do when you have already bought one? Enjoy yourself, yeah. Just do what I told you to do and do it right. Oh, speaking of which. How much longer until you are finished?]

    [Yes? Ah¡­ that¡­ I¡­]

    [¡­don¡¯t tell me you haven¡¯t even started.]

    [No! Of course, I have. I¡¯m working hard. That, and¡­ how is Master doing these days? How¡¯s everything there?]

    She changed the subject in a hurry.

    It looked obvious, but I decided to pass it on. There¡¯s more than one way for me to check, other than just asking verbally.

    [It¡¯s much better than the ce I was taken to before. I just gather my colleagues and loiter around.]

    [By colleagues¡­ you don¡¯t mean a bunch of rambunctious men, do you? s, my poor master. Doesn¡¯t even have a girlfriend¡­]

    [I actually have one?]

    [Huh?]

    [I have a girlfriend.]

    [Huh??]

    [And¡­ I don¡¯t have any guys either? They are all women.]

    [Huh???]

    Leah was silent for a while, as if stumbling to carry the conversation.

    After a while, she spoke again.

    [You mean, real girlfriend? Not like, friends with benefits?]

    [Hey.]

    [No, how can I not be surprised?! Your ideals, your¡ª]

    [People¡¯s minds can change. Anything surprising about that?]

    [Still¡­]

    Leah stretched out her words, then let out a sigh.

    [Oh right. It¡¯s time for Master to wake up, so let¡¯s hold on over sweet, stretched conversation forter. And Master¡ª]

    Leah¡¯s tone turned serious.

    [I¡¯m saying this just in case, but even if your c*ck dominates your brain, you have to be patient. Otherwise, you might really regret itter. You know?]

    [What? Hey, what do you¡­]

    Just as I was about to ask what she was talking about, a crack broke through the darkness and light leaked in.

    My consciousness awoke and was forcibly ejected from the mental world.

    When I opened my eyes, what I saw was an alien ceiling.

    ¡°This is¡­¡±

    ¡°Hero, you¡¯re awake!¡±

    Turning my head, I saw Ophelia with a bright expression on her face.

    * * *

    Leah wormed out of the mental world and returned to reality.

    She was lost in her thoughts with her arms crossed. It was because of her master¡¯s attitude in the spirit world.

    ¡®It¡¯s true that people¡¯s minds can change¡­¡¯

    Leah remembered the image of the broken man holding a woman¡¯s limp, dead body in his arms and wailing under the rainy storm.

    ¡®Master is not a man like that.¡¯

    Even if he had a change of mind, he wouldn¡¯t react or act on it so readily.

    In other words, it seemed something had affected his personality.

    ¡®¡­Did a small gap seeped in the mental spirit as the soul moved between nes?¡¯

    Someone, finding the chance, dug that gap.

    Otherwise, it couldn¡¯t be exined.

    Her master¡¯s spirit was so rocksolid that even Leah would have trouble finding a dent, much less a gap.

    Leah frowned.

    She didn¡¯t know who it was.

    Maybe the one who whisked away his soul, or some other transcendent being.

    But either one doesn¡¯t matter.

    Whoever it was would pay dearly for daring to touch her master.

    Starch, white eyes shone brightly. Every time she murmured, runes rose into the air, spinning around her.

    Across her, a notification popped up stating the instation of the Elden Ring waspleted, but she didn¡¯t even spare a nce over.

    * * *

 Chapter 101.2: Queen Maker (1)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    Opening his stomach and dumping in the potion directly proved to be a correct decision, as his wounds mended on their own.

    However, he was not fully healed, and needed rest.

    Originally, it would have been better to take him to the church, but the church was already a flurry of injured folks.

    Just when they were musing on solutions, Eri and Neria btedly joined them, seeing them worried.

    After hearing about the situation, Eri suggested moving him to the inn she had rented out, and the girlsplied.

    After ushering Cloud to a room on the second floor, all the girls except Ophelia, who stayed behind to nurse him, came down to the first floor.

    Eri, Neria, Katarina, and Leslie.

    An awkward silence descended at the table, the four women seated across from each other.

    In the trail of the situation, they coordinated deftly and with aptness, but now was the moment of awkward introductions.

    In the minutes of awkward silence that continued, it was Katarina who was most nervous.

    ¡®You¡¯re pretty! Yeah, you good!!¡¯

    Since Cloud had stated he hadn¡¯t even held their hands, she honestly thought their appearances to be just good or average.

    However, the Saintess Candidate she met moments ago, as well as the two in front of her, Cloud¡¯s colleagues were much prettier than she had supposed.

    And it squirmed like a worm in her stomach.

    ¡®Didn¡¯t hold hands? More like attacked in less than a month!¡¯

    He apparently hadn¡¯tid a single finger on the beauties, with all the time in the world he had?

    No matter how she peered, it was bullshit.

    ¡®Maybe, really not? No one would spout a lie that would be torn off that quickly. Perhaps it¡¯s the truth.¡¯

    Her hope circuits rescued her from falling into despair.

    She decided to gauge if Cloud¡¯s words were true or false.

    ¡°Hey¡­ nice meeting you. Are you two Cloud colleagues, Neria-san and Eri-san?¡±

    Eri tilted her head.

    ¡°Do you know us?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Cloud often talked about you all. A pair of an excellent wizard and a knight among his colleagues here in the capital.¡±

    Neria¡¯s and Eri¡¯s eyes shot wide.

    They were surprised that Cloud had secretly praised them.

    ¡°Did he really say that? Excellent wizard?¡±

    ¡°Did he talk about me too?¡±

    ¡°¡­yes, he did.¡±

    Neria and Eri¡¯s faces turned red.

    Two emotions coexisted on their faces: joy and shame.

    ¡®Calm down, Katarina. Don¡¯t be so quick to judge. You have to pry apart theyers.¡¯

    Katarina pinched her thigh, trying to keep her smile.

    Unaware of her feelings, the smiles on Eri and Neria¡¯s faces did not disappear.

    After a while, Eri came back to her senses and cleared her throat.

    ¡°Ehum, as you already know, I am Eri and this is Neria. Cloud has already talked about us, so we don¡¯t ought to introduce ourselves. Our introduction is over, now it¡¯s your turn. Who are you and how did you get to know Cloud?¡±

    As if waiting for this moment, Katarina quickly opened her mouth.

    ¡°I am Katarina, and I was a dancer who worked in the Kingdom of Alitia. I met Cloud by chance, and with time, our friendship developed into a romantic rtionship.¡±

    ¡°So you are from the Kingdom of Alitia. Romantic rtionship with Cl¡­oud?¡±

    Eri and Neria¡¯s smiles hardened awkwardly.

    Katarina swallowed her saliva.

    The moment of the leap of faith.

    Their reactions would tell everything!

    ¡°You¡­ in a rtionship with Cloud¡­ what do you mean¡­ that¡­¡±

    Neria, herplexion pale, stammered to structure her sentence.

    ¡°¡­don¡¯t be kidding.¡±

    A drop of cold sweat dripped down Eri¡¯s forehead, who was perplexed.

    Seeing the two people¡¯s reactions, Katarina realized.

    That Cloud was indeed telling the truth.

    If they had been his lovers, they would have grabbed her by the cor, not look so soul-stricken!

    Katarina¡¯s expression softened.

    ¡°I¡¯m not kidding. It¡¯s true that I¡¯m dating Cloud.¡±

    No, she went beyond lightly loosening up and started spilling facts.

    If she had seen the two women¡¯s expressions across her, she would have stopped short, but the released pent-up pressure considerably worked like euphoria.

    Leslie raised her voice while Neria and Eri¡¯s expressions were getting serious.

    ¡°My name is Leslie, the Grand Duchess of the Principality of Polycia. I¡¯m going to be Cloud¡¯s wife someday. Please don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t oppress any of you on the virtue of my status, never.¡±

    ¡°You want to be his wife? You think I would let you?¡±

    ¡°You will, of course. No, actually, you don¡¯t have to trouble yourself. Of course, in that case, an unfortunate ¡®ident¡¯ will happen.¡±

    ¡°Watch your tongue, do you think I¡¯ll let it slip that you¡¯re threatening me!? The more you do, the more I will stick to Cloud.¡±

    ¡°Are you certain? They say men get tired of such women surprisingly quickly.¡±

    ¡°You, you..!¡±

    ¡°Stop ying on us!!¡±

    Eri shouted and interrupted Katarina and Leslie¡¯s banter.

    The gazes of the two women turned to Eri.

    ¡°A girlfriend or a wife, such childish pranks and jokes are not as fun as they look to be! In the first ce, Cloud has no interest in such matters!¡±

    Neria nodded her head frantically.

    ¡°Uh¡­ well, it¡¯s really not. I¡­ we¡­ are already, you know¡­

    Katarina, her face flushed, wiggled her fingers.

    Pluck!

    The string of rationality that supported Eri snapped.

    ¡°There¡¯s no stopping you!¡±

    She grabbed her staff and jumped to her feet. Just when the jewel on her wand was about to glow red.

    A cool de sensation touched the nape of her neck.

    ¡°If you move, you die.¡±

    Shedia warned in a cold tone.

    Eri turned her eyes to the side.

    ¡°So will you.¡±

    Neria ced her hand at the hilt of her sword.

    The noisy inn became dead quiet.

    Eri and Neria, as well as Katarina and Leslie, restrained moving hastily.

    Nobody could any longer spot in Shedia the clumsy girl who wore a nk expression orughed at little trinkets.

    She was a well-forged sword, and her sharpness made even Katarina and Leslie leery.

    Shedia suddenly turned to them and smiled.

    As if asking for an encouraging pat, as would a dog.

    Katarina and Leslie were at a loss for words.

    ¨C Kiik.

    There was a sound of the door opening upstairs, and after a while Cloud appeared.

    He looked at the situation on the first floor and frowned.

    ¡®What the hell?¡¯

    He wanted to question, but for that, he would first have to cate the atmosphere.

    ¡°Put down the sword, Shedia.¡±

    ¡°She threatened noonas first.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, alright, stand down. If you don¡¯t, one moonstone piece will be confiscated.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Shedia pursed her lips and lowered the sword she had steadied at Eri¡¯s neck.

 Chapter 102.1: Queen Maker (2)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    His body felt jaded.

    No doubt, the after effects of using [Abloom] had sapped his stats by a staunch 10%.

    So, in addition, witnessing the scene unfolding in front of him made his head hurt.

    ¡°Eri, make some distance.¡±

    Eri hastily backpedaled away from Shedia. After caressing her neck to check forcerations, she immediately shouted at Shedia.

    ¡°What did you think you were doing!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Shedia silently stared at Eri.

    ck, unfeeling eyes.

    Eri trembled, her body startled. A chilling rush that evaded her spine, making her fingers tingle.

    ¡®This isn¡¯t good.¡¯

    It wasn¡¯t. They were going to be teammates. A rtionship that started poorly only seemed to be getting worseter on.

    He was in the right to squish any antagonism this instant.

    ¡°Shedia. Apologize to Eri.¡±

    ¡°¡­I told you earlier. She tried to threaten Noonas first. Her wand sparkled. I know how spell casters act. It would have been toote if I¡¯d kept mum until what generally happens after the glow.¡±

    ¡°So what was your go-to decision to salvage the situation? Putting a dagger on your teammates¡¯ neck?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Shedia bit her lips tightly with an expression of uncertainty. She stayed that way and just when she opened her mouth to retort, her head drooped to the floor as she sighed.

    ¡°Sorry. I won¡¯t do that next time.¡±

    ¡°Look at that. You know you have that in you.¡±

    He stalked down the stairs and approached Shedia. Smiling, he reached out to stroke her hair. The ck-haired she-wolf pursed her lips and pulled her head back, avoiding his hand.

    Stifling the subdued sigh lingering in his throat, he decided better.

    Halting, he lowered his hand and turned his gaze to Eri.

    ¡°I know the experience must be harrowing, but could you please forgive her for me? She didn¡¯t even know what she was doing.¡±

    Eri put on a puzzled expression.

    ¡°Is that something you just do without knowing? Do you think that makes sense?¡±

    ¡°I would have told you at a more appropriate timing, but then again, here we are. Shedia¡­ she grew up in a special environment. She seems to have taken your actions as a measure of serious threat.¡±

    ¡°A threat?! I don¡¯t think¡­¡±

    ¡°The jewel on your wand shone, yeah? Isn¡¯t that what urs when the chant ends?¡±

    ¡°That, that¡¯s true¡­ b, but I really didn¡¯t mean to attack¡­!¡±

    ¡°Even though your intentions weren¡¯t such, you drew your weapon, didn¡¯t you? She, and many others, ssify that as a threat.¡±

    ¡°That, that¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°Can you forgive her, please ?¡±

    Eri licked her dry lips, looking resigned as she nodded her head.

    ¡°Yesh. I will. Only because¡­¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Eri. Sure enough, you have a big heart.¡±

    ¡°Ah! I, It¡¯s not a b-big deal! I, It happens!¡±

    Eri fumbled aloud before running up the stairs. At first nce, her ears were slightly red. As he tilted his head, Neria asked him in a trembling voice.

    ¡°Hey, Cloud. I heard something strange earlier¡­¡±

    ¡°Something strange? About what?¡±

    ¡°That you have a lover¡­¡±

    ¡°You mean Katarina? That¡¯s right, she is my lover.¡±

    Neria¡¯s face nched.

    ¡°Why¡­ why, all of a sudden¡­¡±

    ¡°Cloud! What the hell are you doing down here?!¡±

    Neria¡¯s voice was drowned out by Katarina¡¯s vexed and annoyed intonation. She walked up to him and pped him on the arm.

    ¡°If you woke up, you should haveid back down and rested, why did youe down!¡±

    ¡°Why? What¡¯s sooo horrific about me leaving the bed?¡±

    He rather shouldn¡¯t have said that. Katarina¡¯s eyelids twitched in anger.

    ¡°Why? ¡®Why¡¯ is what you ask? Do you know what condition you were in?!¡±

    ¡°I was?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Not only me, but Leslie too, she was in a state of fright as well!¡±

    Turning his gaze to Leslie, he found her nodding supporting Katarina¡¯s im.

    ¡°I was nervous. Seeing as how you were bleeding to death.¡±

    ¡°Oh, was I?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Do you know through what we had to go through to save you? To s, save you, we¡­¡±

    ¡°What did you do to keep me alive?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Listening to your experiences, the ordeal seems more than what I had assumed, so satisfy my intrigue ¡ª if you will ¡ª what you two did specifically.¡±

    ¡°Yes..?¡±

    Katarina¡¯s eyes widened greatly.

    Hmm. He wondered why.

    Was she hiding something?

    He tried to pry one more, before she yelled, pping him on the forearm again.

    ¡°Ah, whatever! You are sick, so go in and get some rest!¡±

    Katarina¡¯s face adopted a vexed expression .

    Leaning in, he kissed her lips briefly.

    She stared back, perplexed.

    ¡°What, why?¡±

    ¡°You looked too cute.¡±

    He took a step back, grabbed her cheek, and kissed her again. Unlike before, their tongues wereced thick. He spoke again, parting their lips.

    ¡°This is a thank you for treating me.¡±

    -Krunch!

    The sound of something being crushed between fingers.

    It was Neria.

    The muscles of her face quivered.

    ¡°Ugh, ugh!¡±

    She wobbled a step back before taking off in a sprint.

    Katarina narrowed her eyes as looked at the ce Neria had left empty.

    ¡°There are oh-so-many thieving cats.¡±

    * * *

    Dealing with the smallmotion at the inn, I ambled outside. Katarina and Leslie tried to stop me, instructing me to rest, but I came out nheless.

    To be honest, I just wanted to fall down on bed in the inn and go to sleep.

    The recoil from using my friend¡¯s skills with this body was quite severe.

    However, I couldn¡¯t just rest in peace.

    The situation here was different from the Behemoth¡¯s. At that time, there was a leadership at the top to take care of these obligations, but that was not the case now.

    The royal pce, the mainstay of the monarchy ¡ª the royal family and its leading vassals ¡ª had beenpromised and nowy in shambles.

    If they had all died, it would be natural for Lupus, the capital of the kingdom, to be paralyzed, and in severe cases, the Kingdom of Prona itself could copse.

    The cause being the civil war of the lords.

    ¡®I hope it doesn¡¯t happen.¡¯

    I hoped that most of the blue bloods, or at least the king, was unharmed.

    While I was walking towards the pce with such hopeful thoughts in mind, I felt that the atmosphere on the streets was a bit strange.

    Compared to the city being destroyed, the atmosphere of the citizens was not that bad.

    Usually, with everything destroyed, soggy emotions such as despair and anger should rule the streets, but I couldn¡¯t find them.

    There was sadness, but they hadn¡¯t broken down.

    And even a small kindling of hope remained.

    ¡®More reason for me to not let the bed be my obstacle. But¡­¡¯

    Why was everyone stepping aside, giving me a wide berth?

    Why were they quietening down in front of me, and were they stopping to pray?

    ¡®Did they recognize that I am a Hero?¡¯

    It seemed highly likely.

    I increased my pace quickly. I couldn¡¯t afford to be surrounded by citizens like during the Behemoth subjugation. Time was running out for that.

    Fortunately, no citizen came up to me, and thanks to that, I arrived at the pce faster than I had imagined.

    No ¡ª not the pce ¡ª but the majestic edifice¡¯s ruins.

 Chapter 102.2: Queen Maker (2)

    <strong>Proofreader: Chaddude </strong>

    Sighing to myself, I approached the ruins, when a man lightly armed in a breastte and pauldrons stopped me.

    ¡°Hey. No entry here¡­ Um? Red hair? By any chance, are you the Hero Cloud?¡±

    ¡°Hmm. That will be me.¡±

    ¡°Can I see the Hero¡¯s que?¡±

    I fished out my Hero¡¯s que and handed it to him.

    He examined it carefully, then handed the que back and bowed his head.

    ¡°Excuse my rudeness. The circumstances are hectic and so is my mind, I did not even recognize a Hero.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. What about you?¡±

    ¡°Selenion, I am a knight of the Kingdom of Prona.¡±

    ¡°You are a knight, huh. Then Sir Selenion, can you brief me on the pce¡¯s status?¡±

    ¡°Yes. No problem. I will guide you inside and exin.¡±

    Selenion led me back to the right yard of the pce.

    ¡°As you can see¡­ the pce haspletely copsed. It is hard to score not only the royal pce proper, but also the gardens, gymnasiums, and other misceneous divisions.¡±

    ¡°You managed to survive in such a situation. That¡¯s amazing in itself.¡±

    A small shadow fell on Selenion¡¯s face.

    ¡°¡­I was on patrol in the city at the time. I was just lucky. Lucky and ungant.¡±

    ¡°There is nothing to be ashamed of. Even if you say that you survived because you were lucky, you did what you could. Why me yourself?¡±

    He shook his head.

    ¡°I have sworn allegiance to His Majesty the King. So, when a monster appears above the pce, I should run to it and fight. But I didn¡¯t. Cowardly, the moment I saw the monster, my body froze in fear. So I ran away from my obligations in the name of saving the citizens. I don¡¯t deserve to be called a knight.¡±

    Selenion suddenly stopped walking.

    He locked me with a serious gaze.

    ¡°But you are different from me. Like you proved, you did not turn your back to the creepy monster, but rather fought back. And defeated it.¡±

    ¡°I just did what I had to do.¡±

    ¡°And I didn¡¯t what I was supposed to.¡±

    Selenionughed bitterly, but soon erased his croaks and knelt down on one knee.

    ¡°I, Selenion Fargarte, thank the Hero on behalf of the Kingdom. Thanks to you, the Kingdom of Prona didn¡¯t disappear into the backwaters of history of destroyed Kingdoms of old.¡±

    Selenion reached out to me, supporting his sword with both hands.

    ¡°I, Selenion Fargarte, by the virtue of my knighthood, swear to the benefactor of the kingdom, as long as the benefactor¡¯s orders are not against the peace of the kingdom, my sword is at your disposal.¡±

    I was a little taken aback by Selenion¡¯s sudden oath.

    A knight oath was a serious matter.

    However, my heart stilled, gauging the serious expression on Selenion¡¯s face, holding the sword.

    I decided to ept his oath.

    ¡®The Kingdom of Prona¡¯s rite of knight oath¡­ I¡¯m sure this was it, right?¡¯

    I bit on my thumb and smeared it along the sword¡¯s face.

    ¡°I, the Hero of Prona, Cloud, ept your oath.¡±

    Solemnly, I drew my thumb along his sword.

    And so, a blood oath formed.

    Seeing that, Selenion stood up with a satisfied expression.

    ¡°It must have been a little sudden, but thank you for epting it.¡±

    ¡°Are there any other surviving knights, Sir Selenion?¡±

    ¡°There are, and just as grateful to you.¡±

    ¡°¡­knight¡¯s oath level of gratefulness?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°You have to be kidding me.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it the miracle that the Hero showed us just so great?¡±

    Selenion shrugged his shoulders.

    I saw the knights jogging towards us and eyed my thumb, which I had bitten earlier.

    It had healed, and a scab was sitting there.

    Damn. I¡¯ll have to bite again. If not, multiple times.

    * * *

    The work of digging up the rubble was finished only when the sun hadpletely set and the sky was darkening.

    We decided to gather again tomorrow and work at it again, but I think everyone had realized it by now.

    Neither others hoped for any more miracles.

    Just that this was the only thing in mind, so we were at it non-stop.

    ¡®It¡¯s going to be the worst-case scenario after all.¡¯

    The administration of Lupus had been paralyzed.

    It meant that the system that supported the city was broken.

    How long will it take to recover this system?

    I don¡¯t even know if it can be restored in the first ce.

    I returned to the inn with mixed feelings.

    There was no one in the hall on the first floor.

    It waste at night, so naturally yes. I went upstairs and entered my room.

    ¡°Arrived?¡±

    Katarina, who was lying on the bed, pulled herself up.

    ¡°Katarina? Why aren¡¯t you sleeping by now?¡±

    ¡°You are out therete at night, tiring yourself out, and you expect me to sleep blissfully.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not so weak to have everyone worry about me.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense. Hey,e over here and sit down. Not that way, this way.¡±

    As she ordered, I sat down on the edge of her bed. Then she started to take off my pants.

    So active today?

    s, bad timing.

    ¡°Katarina, I¡¯m tired, so can we do it next time?¡±

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll take care of it. You just sit there.¡±

    She knelt down in front of me.

    Uh, is this posture¡­ no?

    ¡°Could this be..?¡±

    ¡°¡­yes.¡±

    ¡°How? You ground your teeth to dust when I had asked you.¡±

    ¡°Oh goodness, so noisy. It¡¯s special, just this time.¡±

    Katarina¡¯s face reddened.

    She moved her head down, brushing her side hair behind her ear.

    It was adorable that she moved harder when I stroked her hair.

    * * *

    ¡®Lovers¡­ why, why all of a sudden¡­¡¯

    Lying on the bed, Neria thought, covered within a nket.

    Since she ran into her room during the daytime, she hadn¡¯t gotten out from under the covers even once.

    ¡®Tell me it¡¯s a joke¡­¡¯

    A lie.

    Just a prank to tease her.

    But her hope circuit wasn¡¯t holding well.

    The kiss between Cloud and Katarina was too strong to be a joke.

    So much that the viewers were overwhelmed.

    Both of them seemed used to it.

    All circumstances pointed to the fact that the two were lovers.

    Crying again, she buried her face in the pillow and sobbed.

    ¡°Huh¡­ You said you like short hair¡­ Then why are you dating a long-haired girl¡­!¡±

    Cutting her hair, which she has grown along the years, was not an easy task.

    Even so, Neria closed her eyes tightly and cut them short.

    Because she had heard that Cloud liked bobbed hair.

    However, he himself was dating a long-haired woman.

    How could she not be sad?

    ¡°You¡¯ve known me longer¡­ *sob*..!¡±

    Unlike Neria, whom he had known since childhood, Katarina and Cloud had not known each other for very long.

    But Cloud was dating her.

    Even though she didn¡¯t have short hair, which was his preference, but long ones.

    Which proved that Katarina had the charm that he needn¡¯t bother with his taste, which made Neria feel like a female who had lost her malepanion.

    In other words, she was fucking sad.

    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have done that then!¡¯

    The day Cloud had said, ¡®Every day can be a happy one if it¡¯s with you¡¯.

    She hadughed it off back then. Apparently, she should have seized the opportunity.

    At that time, she teased him about his confession as well. She shouldn¡¯t have.

    If she had chosen the right options¡­

    Wouldn¡¯t she be living happily with Cloud?

    Her happy imagination was momentary, but at the touch of her damp pillow, she returned to the gutter-like reality and sobbed again.

    She did it over and over again, so she couldn¡¯t sleep all night, and she had to greet the morning sun with eye bags.

    She had cried all night, she looked like she was going to die of exhaustion, but surprisingly, her eyes were gleaming.

    Becausest night, she hadn¡¯t heard Katarina moan!

    ¡®Maybe they haven¡¯t reached that level of rtionship yet.¡¯

    Feeling a little hopeful from that fact, Neria stepped out of her room.

    As she walked down the hallway, she heard someone talking downstairs.

    ¡®Cloud?¡¯

    Cloud and Katarina, together.

    ¡®Looks like they woke up early.¡¯

    Together.

    And she also knew it would get painful to be caught between the two of them, especially now¡­

    After much thought, Neria made up her mind to go back to her room, but the moment she moved to turn around.

    ¡°Can you not do it with your mouth one time more, please?¡±

    A single sentence from Cloud reaching her ear made her stand still.

 Chapter 103.1: Queen Maker (3)

    <strong>Proofreader: Rayjerk </strong>

    A week of time of digging up the ruins of the copsed pce, and the number of corpses found was too many to count, and among them there was also a corpse presumed to be the prince.

    The reason we had only presumed was because the body had dried up to the point where it was difficult to recognize the original shape.

    It was because of the princely garb he was wearing that we were able to assume that he was the prince.

    ¡°Your stamina is no joke. You haven¡¯t shed a drop of sweat even though you have been moving for hours. We all get exhausted after only half a day of work.¡±

    Selenion, who was taking a break, approached me. He picked up the thick piece of pole next to my feet and threw it aside.

    ¡°Sir Selenion, you will find yourself to be the same if you back up to travel the whole Continent and explore and experience a plethora of things.¡±

    ¡°I would like to take my words back. Rather than wandering around, it suits my constitution to settle down in one ce.¡±

    The conversation ended with his bear-likeughs. We immersed ourselves in work in silence, and soon the rest of the other knights returned to work.

    After several more hours of digging, we were able to find the entrance down to the dungeon.

    The entrance to the dungeon was sabotaged with stones.

    Looking at the darkness beyond the stairs, the knights hardened their expressions little by little.

    ¡°I hope that His Majesty is safe in there.¡±

    One of the knights muttered.

    Yes.

    There was a reason why the knights and other workers were nervous as they looked at the entrance of the dungeon, though it was not a dungeon that spilled out monsters.

    A thorough search over the past week hadn¡¯t hauled us with the King¡¯s body.

    Even his supposed corpse.

    Based on that, the knights had hope.

    The hope that their King might have secured himself in the dungeon.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go down.¡±

    I tramped down first, and other knights followed. We hadn¡¯t settled down the stairs yet, but the darkness that enveloped every inch in front of us was already weing us.

    ¡°I can¡¯t see nothing. Hey, did anyone bring a torch?¡±

    ¡°Not me.¡±

    ¡°Me neither.¡±

    ¡°No one brought one? Why does no one ever brings anything? Ah, wait a minute. I¡¯ll go up and get it right away.¡±

    ¡°Leave it to me.¡±

    At my words, the knight who was about to climb the stairs stopped.

    ¡°Yes? Hero? Did you by chance carried a torch?¡±

    Instead of answering, I drew my sword and injected magic.

    Crimson mes soared on the surface of the sword. A skill I had learned from a former Hero I met in the depths of the dungeon.

    Brightness revealed the surprised expressions of the knights.

    ¡°Condensing mana on top of the sword¡­ is that even possible?¡±

    ¡°I heard that it is possible. But I also heard that, even in the Empire, only a few outstanding knights can do it.¡±

    They looked at the mes and were genuinely amazed.

    ¡°Now, now. Admire itter, and let¡¯s rescue His Majesty first.¡±

    Selenion garnered the attention with a p.

    The knights also nodded and mped their mouths shut.

    By the way, ¡®rescue¡¯.

    They seemed to conclude that the king will definitely be alive out there.

    ¡®It¡¯s not good to be so excited.¡¯

    The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment.

    ¡°Then, the light source problem has been solved, so we will continue.¡±

    We went downstairs and started searching the first basement floor.

    And I started seeing some bad signs.

    ¡°The prisoners are all dead.¡±

    All the prisoners confined on the first basement floor were dead.

    Most of themy unscathed, but they seemed to be dead from dehydration.

    ¡°Do you have anything to store drinking provision in the prison? Like in the guard¡¯s room or something like that.¡±

    ¡°Yes? Nope. There¡¯s nothing such. The guards look out for themselves¡­¡±

    The knight couldn¡¯t finish his words, hisplexion turning white.

    He was no different from any other knight.

    An ominous imagination dominated the air.

    And the dream soon became a reality.

    ¡°Ha, damn it.¡±

    Fourth floor of the basement.

    The kingy dead against the wall.

    Cause of death: dehydration.

    * * *

    Lately, Leslie was having a problem.

    She was seeing no serious progression towards her rtionship with Cloud.

    It was not like she was on bad terms with him.

    Rather, she was on the good side of the starting vestiges of a romantic rtionship.

    Because he cared for and respected her as a teammate.

    But it didn¡¯t go any further than that.

    All because of Cloud¡¯s lover named Katarina.

    Leslie honestly thought it would be easy to bake and boil even when she first set out. Katarina seemed to be an innocent woman who knew nothing of the world. However, Katarina¡¯s obsession with Cloud was much stronger than Leslie thought.

    She was obstinate about simple subjects, tuned out her conciliation or threats, stuck close to Cloud like gum and left Leslie with no opening.

    It wasn¡¯t as if there weren¡¯t times when she was lucky to find Cloud alone.

    Any every time she snooped for an advance, he parroted out to seek permission first.

    It triggered her further on meeting his older teammates crushing on him¡­

    No wonder, she was uncharacteristically nervous.

    So, when he came to her room alone in the middle of the night, she had expectations.

    She did¡­

    ¡°The king is dead.¡±

    She was at a loss for words at the unexpected deration.

    ¡°¡­huh?¡±

    ¡°The king of Prona is dead. So is the prince, and are all the vassals.¡±

    Cloud sighed as he dropped on the bed.

    Seeing that, Leslie sighed.

    So the reason he hade over was not just to provide a tidbit. He had a good reason toe sneaking up at night.

    ¡°I will ask you a few questions. Did you confirm the king¡¯s death today?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Found his body in the dungeon today.¡±

    ¡°Who knows about the death of the king? Are there any others beside you?¡±

    ¡°The knights who searched with me. They are alright. I asked them to not open their mouths about the fact that the king is dead. Even took an oath.¡±

    ¡°Good job. Dering the death of the king would have only added to the anarchy in the city.¡±

    Even though it was a rtively small stormpared to a Heavenly King¡¯s descent, it was still but a storm. What if another storm strikes the city that has already been swept away by the great storm named the Heavenly Kings? No one would be able to stand it.

    ¡°But if the king and the prince are dead, isn¡¯t¡­ the bloodline of the royal familypletely severed?¡±

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 103.2: Queen Maker (3)

    ¡°But if the king and the prince are dead, isn¡¯t¡­ the bloodline of the royal familypletely severed?¡±

    ¡°Not really. They say there is a princess who¡¯s currently studying at the Empire¡¯s Royal Academy.¡±

    ¡°Good, that¡¯s fortunate in adversity. The fact that the lineage remains means that the validation also remains. I¡¯ll ask you onest question. What do you want?¡±

    ¡°What do I want?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I need to know that to set in order the direction of my advances. If you want to be a king or a prominent noble, I¡¯ll do my best to make it happen.¡±

    There was a strange fervor to Leslie¡¯s voice.

    As if she wanted him to be the king.

    Cloud looked at Leslie quietly for a moment before opening his mouth.

    ¡°I would rather not be in power. I just don¡¯t want the kingdom to fall into chaos. To be precise, a rebellion happening.¡±

    ¡°¡­you mean the civil war between the lords.¡±

    ¡°Even if it is not civil war, there¡¯s the possibility of small circles of power struggle breaking out. For example, the conflict between other Kingdoms over this piece of monarchlessnd in chaos. I just wish not to see that. I don¡¯t like, neither want war.¡±

    This time, Leslie stared at Cloud.

    Then she slowly nodded her head.

    ¡°I understand your choice. It¡¯s a bit unfortunate that you have no intention of bing the king, but I will do my best to help regardless.¡±

    ¡°Are you certain? I hope you¡¯re not just bringing this option out to satisfy me, this will be an exhausting ordeal.¡±

    ¡°I have mandated the Principality of Polycia, and that was more difficult to manage, more barbaric. It will not be more difficult to take charge of such a peaceful city for a while.¡±

    Her voice was full of resolve, sourcing from her experience.

    Relieved, Cloud smiled.

    ¡°Thanks. To be honest, I suck at administration or ounting. I don¡¯t even know the basics of how to run a country. I think I did myself a favor consulting you.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. It¡¯s all what I¡¯ll get paid for.¡±

    ¡°¡­huh? Paid?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Did you really think I would work nonsried? And for this country, which has nothing to do with me?¡±

    ¡°No, yesh, you¡¯re right.¡±

    As anyone else woulde to know, Leslie was his teammate.

    No matter how clouded he was in economics, he wasn¡¯t so shameless that he would make his teammate work for free.

    That¡¯s why he had thought to present her a surpriseter, but was stuck as of now. He hadn¡¯t thought of anything yet!

    ¡°Is there anything you want?¡±

    ¡°Yes, definitely. But before that, please answer me honestly.¡±

    Crawling forward, Leslie sat down on Cloud¡¯s chest.

    It wasn¡¯t too difficult to get on top of him, who was lying on the bed and unguarded. She put her hands on his chest, lowering her body just as it was, and looked down at him.

    ¡°What do you think of me?¡±

    ¡°Of you?¡±

    The thin, white long hair that tickled his cheek was as soft as fine silk. The jewel-like eyes that shone blue made likely to fall into if one got careless even for a moment.

    In an attempt to look down, away from her mesmerizing eyes, one would see the translucent n¨¦glig¨¦e; the shy ck underwear visible through the see-through curtain of cloth.

    Sensing his gaze, she quietly squeezed her chest together and spoke.

    ¡°Looking at it objectively, I¡¯m on the pretty side. I have the hair, the skin, the face, and even the body.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve vacated it now, but I was also the head of a country. In addition, I certainly have a certain air to myself.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I have heard that men prefer beautiful women. And have also heard that they take pleasure in corrupting and tainting a noble woman, and take additional pleasure in crushing an overbearing woman.¡±

    Leslie led Cloud¡¯s hand up her soft thighs.

    She continued speaking.

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you embrace me? I have everything. Don¡¯t you want to see me more deeply? Don¡¯t you want to see me covet your manhood rather than power? Don¡¯t you want to see me groan under you?¡±

    Leslie stroked Cloud¡¯s cheek like a fragile jar.

    ¡°I can show you everything.¡±

    She felt the warmth in her cold hands.

    Leslie smiled at that warmth. The natural smile was alluring enough to touch the heart of the man who saw it.

    Cloud sighed.

    ¡°I know. You are a stunning woman. Too good for a guy like me. But like I said the other day, I want to avoid ruining the party because of a fuss. That¡¯s why I put the condition of getting permission from Katarina,¡±

    ¡°If I had met you before Katarina, would the position have been reversed?¡±

    Cloud nodded his head.

    Without the slightest hesitation.

    Satisfaction lingered in Leslie¡¯s smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m d I¡¯m notcking.¡±

    ¡°Yes. So stop¡­¡±

    ¡°Not so easily.¡±

    Cloud, who tried to raise his body, was gently pushed back by Leslie as she leaned on him.

    ¡°I want to be paid for my service in advance.¡±

    Leslie pulled Cloud closer to her face. When he raised his palm to stop her, she swatted it.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t pay for it, I will return to the principality.¡±

    ¡°You really don¡¯t think from my position at all.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think, I feel. Didn¡¯t you also don¡¯t think about my heart?¡±

    ¡°¡­If you say like that, I have nothing to add.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, though. I¡¯ll only ask to get paid when two of us are alone. And I won¡¯t cross the line. I¡¯ll do ¡®it¡¯ only after I get permission from Katarina.¡±

    ¡°Wait for a moment. Are you sure you intend to fall in this entanglement?¡±

    Leslie tilted her head.

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m. I n to continue serving you from now on, alright?¡±

    ¡°No, but if the tail is long, it will be stepped on in due time, so if you keep doing it, you might get caught.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Even if I have to lose a little bit, I will get permission before I get caught. Then the secret will remain a secret forever.¡±

    Even if she said so, Cloud was disapproving.

    Still, they¡¯de a long way at this point.

    Was he just going to back out?

    Leslie decided to drive in a wedge.

    ¡°Cloud. I don¡¯t know if you know it, but the world is really simpler than you think. Mine or someone else¡¯s. It is divided into two parts.¡±

    She caressed Cloud¡¯s face with both hands and let out a sad mewl.

    ¡°In other words, if you push me away, I will be someone else¡¯s. Do you want that?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Leslie¡¯s eyes widened at his immediate reply. She hadn¡¯t predicted him to be so sudden. It was a pleasant mistake. She smiled and slowly lowered her face to his lips.

    ¡°Then take me. I will dly be yours.¡±

    Cloud¡¯s hand pressed against Leslie¡¯s forehead, blocking her kiss.

    ¡®Now what else is the problem?¡¯

    Leslie narrowed her brows to express her question.

    ¡°Let me ask you one thing. Are you doing this because you like me or because of your father¡¯s will?¡±

    Was this really a question worth to ask for breaking the mood? Leslie was puzzled, but when she saw Cloud¡¯s serious expression, she smiled.

    ¡°No woman pushes this hard herself on someone she doesn¡¯t even like.¡±

    ¡°¡­is there any reason why you fell for me?¡±

    ¡°Why, um? Hmm¡­ If I had to think about it, there are a few things thate to mind, but should I summarize them?¡±

    After thinking for a moment, Cloud shook his head.

    Because love¡¯s a feeling, not a calction.

    He removed his hand from her forehead.

    ¡°Are you sure about getting permission from Katarina?¡±

    ¡°Do not worry. Even if I have to lose a little bit, I will definitely ept it. So now¡­¡±

    ¡ªfocus on me.

    Leslie and Cloud¡¯s lips ovepped.

    The girl managed to win her first kiss in a bit of a rough way.

 Chapter 104.1: Queen Maker (4)

    ¡°So I¡¯m thinking of staying in Lupus for a while. It will take a considerable amount of time to restore the broken administrative system.¡±

    The inn hall on the ground floor.

    Over breakfast, I informed my party members about my uing schedule.

    ¡°I feel sorry for you two. Even ¡ª and I know it is ¡ª if it¡¯s frustrating, I hope you two, please bear with me.¡±

    Eri and Ophelia had been waiting for me in Lupus while I was waltzing around the continent. They would have liked to finally get out of this damn city, so it must havee off as exasperating hearing to my prospects.

    But what else to do?

    ¡°If hero says so, I would dly stay.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m myself, a bit reluctant to waste time travelling anyway. I¡¯m in the middle of an important research work.¡±

    They showed no signs of difort. I could figure out Ophelia, but what about Eri? She was the one who always grumbled and nitpicked.

    ¡°If you say so, it must be pretty important, yes?¡±

    ¡°Right. If you didn¡¯t bring it up, I was going to talk about dying our stay in the city first.¡±

    ¡°Oh, since you have already said, I wonder what kind of research got you so interested.¡±

    Leslie, who had been quietly eating next to her, suddenly stated her curiosity. Perhaps surprised that she had asked about her research, Eri¡¯s eyes widened slightly. But then she red at Leslie with a sullen gaze.

    ¡°Why are you curious about that?¡±

    ¡°Research that a brilliant mage like you values. As a fellow mage myself, how can I not be curious?¡±

    She must have subtly added the praise, the way it worked for Eri. Just, instead of Eri¡¯s expression improving, it became even more distorted.

    ¡°As a fellow mage? Uh huh. If you consider yourself to be a fellow mage, you should also know how uncouth it is to pry into a mage¡¯s research, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Hm? There¡¯s such a culture? Sorry. I didn¡¯t know that. I was really curious, so I just asked.¡±

    ¡°Uhh! You didn¡¯t even know the basic rules of the Mage Tower, and you im to be a fellow mage? Funny.¡±

    Eri spoke vehemently, but what came back was a nonchnt answer.

    ¡°Aw, what rules of the Mage Tower? Sorry, but I¡¯d have never heard of Mage Tower before today.¡±

    ¡°¡­You¡¯ve never been to the Mage Tower? You mean, all your magic is self-taught? What are you? Once in a thousand-year genius?¡±

    ¡°Geniuses are overrated. I just worked on a inspiration copied in a magic tome.¡±

    ¡°Inspiration? Do you mean to say you use ingenious, self-made magic?¡±

    ¡°Self-made? Depending on your perspective, maybe. Because no one can imitate my magic.¡±

    Eri narrowed her brows as if offended.

    Leslie smiled and spread her palms.

    ¨C Wrrr.

    A whirlwind of breeze churned on her palms. The cold air solidified, changing from a sword to a spear, from the spear to an axe, and then from the axe to a horse.

    The horse¡¯s mane flickered as if someone wasbining through its mane. It was as if a living horse had been ced in the palm of her hand.

    ¡°As you can see¡­¡±

    ¡°How can your mana control be so¡­¡±

    Eri¡¯s face no longer held any displeasure. Instead, with a frozen expression, she stared as if she was seeing the impossible.

    Leslie tilted her head.

    ¡°Mana control? Are you talking about this?¡±

    The shape of the horse that was prodding on her palm scattered, and an eagle took shape. The eagle beat its wings and flitted through the air.

    Eri¡¯s eyes twitched without a word.

    Turning to her, Leslie spoke, her voice as if it were nothing.

    ¡°Just this?¡±

    ¡°Just..?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Just. It has been so since I was born.¡±

    ¡°¡­you are lying.¡±

    ¡°Lying? Why would I? Do I have anything to gain by lying to you, Eri?¡±

    Silence.

    Eri bit her lower lip and banged at the table, got up from her seat and strode expressly toward the stairs.

    ¡°Eri, where are you going? You haven¡¯t finished your breakfast yet.¡±

    ¡°I have no appetite.¡±

    Huffing, she climbed the stairs.

    I looked, then turned my eyes to Ophelia.

    ¡°Ophelia, I¡¯m sorry to disturb your breakfast, but can you go up andfort Eri?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sure. I¡¯ll make sure she finishes her food while at it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ve bothered you.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. Hero just state.¡±

    Ophelia bowed her head before hurrying off to the second floor with Eri¡¯s unfinished te in hand. After making sure she out of our earshot, I opened my mouth.

    ¡°Did you do that on purpose?¡±

    ¡°On purpose? What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    As I narrowed my eyes and stared at her, her puzzled expression turned into a smirk.

    ¡°You knew.¡±

    ¡°Of course. There¡¯s no way a mage who doesn¡¯t even know what mana control is can reach that level.¡±

    ¡°My talent could¡¯ve just been outstanding, no?¡±

    ¡°The more outstanding people are, the more faithful they are to the basics. You know?¡±

    ¡°Um, true.¡±

    Leslie folded her palms over. The air picked up, and the eagle was scattering into icy kes.

    ¡°Apart from that, it is also true that I have been able to do this since I was born. I want you to believe this.¡±

    I nodded.

    This time around, her words held truth.

    Because her powers were closer to psychic energy than magic.

    Converting the mana in the body into icy mana and manifesting it in turn.

    It was the so-called mana constitution.

    Thanks to which, it was possible for her to skip the roadblocks faced while learning mana control and chanting, but there were also clear limitations.

    Because all her mana was transitioned into icy attribute, other branches of magic were harder for her.

    Live example of which was she couldn¡¯t manifest an energy shield or even a basic fireball.

    ¡°So, what was it for?¡±

    ¡°There isn¡¯t really a good reason. I just did it because she seemed a little cheeky.¡±

    ¡°And weren¡¯t you cocky, too?¡±

    ¡°Ow, I just didn¡¯t like how she put her words. As if she wasn¡¯t extending her lodging in this city because you wanted her to, but because she wanted it herself all along.¡±

    ¡°Is that what it sounded like? You have a very twisted point of view.¡±

    ¡°¡­it¡¯s not just because of those words. I have an eye for assessing people. First impressions are important to such people. Like, if I looked down on you, would you¡¯ve considered me to be someone not worth associating with?¡±

    ¡°How do you know that?¡±

    ¡°I am that type.¡±

    Leslie grinned.

    ¡°Adding into that. Cloud deary, you knew my intentions, so why didn¡¯t you stop me? A single word from you and I would have zipped my mouth shut.¡±

    Hm, why didn¡¯t I?

    Yes, why¡­

 Chapter 104.2: Queen Maker (4)

    ¡°Hm, I think it will only invigorate her to work harder. She has instances of going off track, so a reality check would do her good.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think she might get crushed internally, instead?¡±

    Crushed internally?

    I suddenly remembered those days we waltzed about the Giant Root Dungeon.

    Those days when she only slept for three hours a day and studiedbat and magic at the same time.

    I chuckled ruefully.

    ¡°She isn¡¯t that weak.¡±

    Even when her vocation transitioned from a schr mage to a battle mage, she carried on in stride.

    How can someone like that be broken so easily?

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean, but I can pick up that you trust Eri. Honestly, I am jealous.¡±

    ¡°Then work as hard as she is doing and show the results. Don¡¯t you have the opportunity right in front of you?¡±

    ¡°You mean the administrative work? Um, yeah. Fret not, you will soon find yourself putting your trust in me.¡±

    ¡°I will remember these words.¡±

    The conversationpsed.

    As I smiled at the thought of the amount of administrative work currently piling up as we spoke; Katarina sitting next to me said in a tired voice.

    ¡°You guys are really¡­ I feel sorry for Miss Eri.¡±

    Katarina shook her head.

    I cocked an eyebrow.

    ¡°Why the sudden sympathy? I thought you were the one among us disrelishing the idea of me having more female teammates the most.¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m not as twisted as you guys?¡±

    ¡°Nah, Katarina. Just the weakest.¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m just not too strong.¡±

    ¡°Then list the names of individuals among the ones lodging in this inn whom you can fight and win?¡±

    Katarina¡¯s mouth fell shut.

    She muttered in a small voice as she darted about her gaze.

    ¡°Miss Ophelia..?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re choosing a saintess candidate, really? I¡¯m sorry to say this, but do you have any conscience?¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    As Leslie questioned, Katarina¡¯s face scrunched in embarrassment.

    I shook my head.

    ¡°The thing seeking importance here is not conscience. It is that she can¡¯t defeat Ophelia too.¡±

    ¡°¡­what? No way. No matter how much you guys trivialize me¡­ isn¡¯t this a bit too much?¡±

    ¡°I am not trivializing you. Rather, I highly value your potential. For the record, do you know you¡¯re the only human being who canmunicate with spirits?¡±

    ¡°Then why are you saying I can¡¯t win?¡±

    ¡°There is a big difference between high potential and reality. What is the level difference between you and Ophelia right now? How vast is the actualbat experience?¡±

    It stood true that Katarina was definitely superior in potential sector.

    If Ophelia can wield a mace, Katarina is good at irregr sword dance and the use of ki.

    But the overwhelming spec difference is unavoidable.

    What if Ophelia, in seriousness, applies a buff on herself and lunges to mace Katarina?

    She would be dead, minced meat.

    Not joking, for real.

    ¡°If it¡¯sbat experience, I¡­¡±

    ¡°Our party¡¯s standards doesn¡¯t count brigand subjugation as a bullet point in thebat resume.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    In the end, Katarina¡¯s mouth waspletely shut.

    However, she hadn¡¯t fully epted the reality. I supposed it must be because of the pride she held in mastering her mother¡¯s prolific sword dance.

    ¡®I guess I¡¯ve been avoiding this too.¡¯

    It seemed high time to awaken her sense of reality.

    For that, real-lifebat is the best.

    Pitting against Katarina¡­ Neria is probably the best, right?

    Both are swordswoman.

    ¡°But Neria didn¡¯te down today. She hasn¡¯te out since yesterday morning.¡±

    ¡°Neria? Didn¡¯t she note out only for breakfast, but also for lunch and dinner? If I¡¯m not mistaken, she seems to have confined herself to the room this whole time.¡±

    ¡°What? The hell, actually?¡±

    ¡°Uh, are you serious?¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯m..?¡±

    ¡°No, I thought she was practicing in her room. Just like Miss Eri is researching¡­¡±

    ¡°Where in the world have you seen a knight who trains while foregoing sustenance?¡±

    I said that and put a big sausage in the te. She would be famished, so I picked the thickest and longest one.

    ¡°You guys eat. I¡¯m going to Neria¡¯s room.¡±

    Leaving them behind, I went upstairs and knocked on Neria¡¯s door.

    -¡­

    There was no reaction.

    And so I knocked again.

    ¡°Neria? Are you sleeping? Can Ie in?¡±

    There was no response this time either. Was she not inside? Just when I was about to open the door in puzzlement.

    Sounds were heard from inside the room, and at the same time, the door that had been slightly open was mmed shut.

    ¡°Neria?¡±

    ¨C Cloud? Wh..Why?

    ¡°What why? You haven¡¯t been out since yesterday. I came up because I was worried.¡±

    ¨C Worried..? Why are you worried about someone like me?

    ¡°Someone like you? What are you saying now. It¡¯s natural to be concerned if my teammate¡¯s behaving strange.¡±

    ¨C Ah¡­ that¡¯s right¡­ we were teammates¡­

    ¡°Yes, right. So stop talking nonsense, and let mee in. I have something to ask of you.¡±

    ¨C Yes? No, wait! Hang on! I¡¯ming out!

    When I pushed the door with force, Neria hurriedly shouted. She let out a sigh of relief as I rxed my hold.

    I waited patiently for her.

    After a while, the door opened and Neria walked out of the room with an awkward smile.

    ¡°Did I make you wait long?¡±

    ¡°Not really¡­ More than that, what¡¯s wrong with yourplexion?¡±

    Neria¡¯s condition was iprehensible.

    Maybe¡­ she had slept? Because her eyes were slightly wide, her pupils cloudy and her hair disheveled.

    There¡­

    ¡°Why are your eyelids so swollen? Were you crying?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Oh no. Something just got into my eye.¡±

    ¡°No? It looks very swollen.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not¡­ ah, you said you have something to ask of me. What¡¯s it?¡±

    Neria shook her head and changed the subject.

    She had the attitude that told ¡ª even if I asked more, she wouldn¡¯t answer. I waved my hands.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Looking at your condition, I can¡¯t ask. Just eat and get some rest.¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s really okay, so ask me anything. I¡¯ll help you with anything I can.¡±

    She pushed, and I refused, we did so several times more, but I could tenaciously hold off only until Neria suddenly grabbed my arm.

    As if she had to do me a favor.

    I had no choice but to step back and given in to her stubbornness.

    ¡°I was thinking of asking you to spar with Katarina.¡±

    Stupid Neria.

    I sighed.

    ¡°I know, a match-up is hard while¡­¡±

    ¡°I will do it.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t overexert yourself. You should get some rest and we can schedule it forter.¡±

    ¡°Nope. I want to do it today.¡±

    Neria¡¯s eyes were filled with the will and want, and I was about to say something, only to just endure it. What to do¡­

    ¡°Thanks. Come¡¯on, eat some. You¡¯ve starved yourself.¡±

    I held out the meal I had brought. She smiled as she picked up her te.

    ¡°Oh, thank you¡­¡±

    That smile stiffened at the sight of the sausages on the te for some reason. Not only that, her body quivered like an aspen tree.

    ¡°Ahh!?¡±

    She threw her te away.

    OMG, what the f**k?

    I hurriedly snatched the te and caught the falling sausages one by one. Catching all of them, I turned my gaze to Neria in disbelief.

    I was thinking of scolding her for her doing.

    I almost did¡­

    ¡°Woo-wook..! Kkeek..!¡±

    Only to see Neria vomiting her gastric juices out, and that thought disappeared.

    ¡­were the sausages spoiled?

    I smelled, it didn¡¯t seem so.

 Chapter 105.1: Queen Maker (5)

    ¨C Can you not do it with your mouth one time more, please?

    A sentence spoken by Cloud that she overheard by chance.

    Now, Neria knew she wasn¡¯t too smart, but she wasn¡¯t so stupid that she couldn¡¯t understand what that meant.

    The reasonst night was quiet wasn¡¯t because the two hadn¡¯t made progress.

    Oral s*x.

    The act of a woman pleasuring a man¡¯s genitals with her mouth.

    For that reason, no sound reached Neria¡¯s room.

    She didn¡¯t even know that, and she was consoling herself, full of hope.

    Neria did not go down to the first floor.

    Feeling sick, as if a load had stuck in her chest, she returned to her room, pulling the nket over her. A cozy space that only she alone shared. It was as if she were disconnected from the cruel reality, and so she calmed down for a while, but that was only for a moment.

    ¨C Can you not do it with your mouth one time more, please?

    His voice yed in her ears.

    Scenes conjured in her head.

    Inside a dark room.

    A flickering candle illuminating two figures.

    Cloud siting on the bed, with Katarina kneeling in front of him.

    ¨C Cheup. Churup.

    With a lewd undtion, Katarina¡¯s head bounced up and down. Cloud looked at her with loving eyes, warmth buoying in his gaze.

    ¨C Hoo¡­ Haa¡­ Cloud, you feel good..?

    ¨C Very good. Why, so good. Katarina, is it because you are doing it?

    ¨C Hah, really? Then I¡¯ll make it better than before for you.

    Katarina bobbed her head harder than before.

    A scene she¡¯d never seen before.

    A scene she¡¯d never heard of.

    She was imagining it so easily.

    Her heart felt like it was about to burst.

    She didn¡¯t want to imagine that scene. She would rather have her brain shut down.

    She tried to erase it by pulling her hair. It didn¡¯t work.

    Rather, the imagination weighted on her.

    Katarina licking Cloud¡¯s thing while making obscene noises, and Cloud repeatedly mouthing how much he loved her.

    ¡®Stop¡­ Please stop..!¡¯

    She didn¡¯t want to see.

    She didn¡¯t want to hear.

    Neither did she want to imagine.

    However, the scene did not disappear.

    Neria couldn¡¯t understand.

    Why could she imagine a scene so vividly of which she waspletely ambiguous to?

    ¨C Suck it straight, b!tch!

    Then what she heard suddenly was not Cloud¡¯s gentle voice, but a grating male voice.

    Only then did she realize why the poses of Cloud and Katarina in her imagination were so familiar.

    At the same time, she felt a touch on her lips that she didn¡¯t want to recall.

    ¨C Cheuk¡­!

    Unbearable disgust came over her.

    Unbidden disgust.

    She pulled her head out of bed and vomited, gastric juicespsing out.

    ¨C Kkeuk¡­!

    The more she retched, the clearer her memory became.

    A mocking voice.

    Eyes looking down at her. Condemning her lowliness.

    Her feeling of powerlessness against him.

    A disgusting feeling on her lips.

    All of that.

    ¨C Uh¡­ Kkeuk¡­Kuh¡­

    Now not even gastric juice came out.

    When she had nothing to vomit, the nauseousness that was engulfing her whole also stopped.

    But even if the nauseating feeling vanished, it didn¡¯t ease her.

    Shame and guilt.

    The des of two emotions ripped through her heart.

    She called a name mournfully, wiping her tear-stained face.

    ¨C Cloud¡­

    The name of the man she loves.

    She wished to see him.

    Look at his face and apologize. She wanted to be forgiven. Even if it meant getting on her knees and banging her head on the floor.

    And it was something that could be done right away.

    All she had to do was to meet him outside the room and act.

    But she didn¡¯t.

    How would he react if she suddenly stormed out to him, begging and crying?

    He would probably be puzzled and ask why she was asking to be forgiven.

    She would exin why and with a kind smile, he would forgive her easily.

    Again she¡¯d believe it and a smile would blossom in her heart.

    Like a sicko.

    It was not okay.

    One word didn¡¯t change anything.

    Feeling stung in her nose, Neria vomited the juices from the pit of her stomach and wrung out tears. When she was in so much pain, how much pain would he have been in?

    How pained must he have been when he saw it with his own eyes.

    ¨C Sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t know¡­ I didn¡¯t know it would be this hard¡­

    The day she met Cloud again.

    Cloud wasn¡¯t angry with her nor did he scold her.

    He just said he was d they were back together and smiled.

    So she thought it would be fine.

    Even if it was awkward, she thought that it would be possible to go back to the way it was before. Before everything spiraled out of control.

    Even when she overheard Cloud and Mars¡¯ conversation, she believed it would only make it a little longer.

    She just didn¡¯t realize how selfish she was being.

    ¨C Sorry¡­

    And now, no matter how many times she was to mouth a sorry, it wouldn¡¯t reach him.

    Wouldn¡¯t touch.

    Because that word would bring him back to the nightmare of that day once again.

    The pendulum of guilt that hung heavy from her heart was the karma she would have to carry with her for the rest of her life.

    ¡­in fact, if she were to leave him, maybe she would easy the load on Cloud.

    He surely felt pained every time she entered his vision.

    But Neria¡­ she couldn¡¯t leave his side.

    For Neria, Cloud was everything in her life.

    From the past to the present.

    Without him, she would fall apart.

    She was terribly afraid of it, so she couldn¡¯t leave him.

    A selfish, ugly coward.

    That was who was she.

    ¡°Are you both ready?¡±

    Cloud¡¯s voice broke her thoughts.

    So much had happened. And so much had zoomed past in a blur. And she soon found herself standing in the dance hall of the copsed pce.

 Chapter 105.2: Queen Maker (5)

    Looking straight ahead, she scanned the beautiful woman with long, scarlet hair that reminded her of a beautiful sunset.

    Katarina.

    She was wearing her light clothes and had a tense expression while holding her long, curved saber.

    What was so special about this woman?

    So special that Cloud pledged her as his lover?

    Would the oue had been different if she was in her ce?

    She was curious, mystified and puzzled. So, when the chance came, she grabbed it with both hands.

    ¡°I am ready!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ready too.¡±

    With Katarina and Neria nodding, Cloud affirmed.

    ¡°Start.¡±

    As the match began, Katarina took a big step forward, rotating her body on the axis of her foot. With a light movement like a butterfly spreading her wings, she bolted toward Neria.

    Neria stood still and waited as the beautiful and splendid sword dance approached.

    When she reached close range, Katarina charged faster than she had been showing.

    A surprise side cut.

    ¨C Kang!

    Neria raised her shield to block it off.

    Even though her first attack was hindered cleanly, Katarina was unfazed. Because she hadn¡¯t assumed it would work in the first ce. She rotated her body to the right and swung the curved edge opposite hers.

    ¨C Kang!

    This one was also blocked by the shield.

    Katarina jumped high on her haunches and pushed her momentum behind the sh. Neria swung her shield and knocked it away, off the trajectory. Neria had the upper hand in the power struggle, so Katarina, being wise in her reflexes, somersaulted off on the push.

    ¡®Neria is stronger than me. I have to go with speed and skill rather than strength.¡¯

    Katarina ran toward Neria, holding her breath.

    [Wolf Dance]-!

    Like wolves surrounding a prey, Katarina moved about Neria, taking her as the radius of her circles.

    She didn¡¯t put her weight into the maneuvers. All she wanted was speed. One step at a time, one leap at a time. A skilled dancer¡¯s sword dance attacked Neria.

    As the saber pointed downward, Neria hopped on a leg to avoid it. As soon as she lifted her leg, a sudden shift and the saber was aiming for her head.

    ¨C Kang!

    She blocked it with her shield.

    Even before the ringing of the saber against the shield had quietened, the curved edge that aimed at her lower end was pointed at the back of Neria¡¯s head this time. Even that was blocked by Neria, as she at end moment slipped her stance.

    Although none of her attacks went through, Katarina smiled.

    One of Neria¡¯s feet hadn¡¯t touched the ground yet.

    In other words, her next attack would have to be blocked and not dodged.

    Katarina jumped high and swung on her side. She turned her body and spun her two sabers around like a spinning top.

    Neria held out her shield towards the top of the des that could sh through even ferocious beasts.

    ¨C Kagagang!!!

    The curved sabers screeched as if it were about to punch through the shield, and sparks flew everywhere.

    Contrary to the mor, however, Neria was not pushed back in the slightest, and Katarina, who hadnded, had to step back a couple of steps.

    ¡®Doesn¡¯t work whatsoever?¡¯

    Not even made her bat an eye.

    That much of a difference?

    Katarina sensed her impatience and bit her lips.

    ¡®Let¡¯s take it a notch up.¡¯

    [Bear Dance]-!

    Heavy blows like a bear¡¯s paws rained down on Neria.

    Neria, who blocked it with her shield, thought in bafflement.

    ¡®Is she kidding?¡¯

    The [Butterfly Dance], which showed swift footwork, and the [Wolf Dance], swinging sabers teething all around the enemy.

    Katarina¡¯s sword dance, with her irregrity added to it, was excellent.

    However, Neria, who defeated eight knights altogether, was not slightly impressed.

    [Bear Dance] that was to break the posture of opponents with its heavybo attack.

    Perhaps because of the difference in levels, it didn¡¯t feel very heavy to Neria.

    Even if Katarina was of the same level, she wouldn¡¯t have felt threatened. As heavy as her attacks were, her peculiarity was missing, making it simple. The trajectory of her sword was clearly visible.

    ¡®¡­this can¡¯t be all.¡¯

    Katarina probably wasn¡¯t showing everything because it was a probe battle.

    Neria pushed Katarina away with her shield, giving her time to catch her breath.

    She hoped that Katarina would now show some sincerity in her attacks.

    ¡°Whoa¡­¡±

    Katarina caught her breath.

    She lunged at Neria again, and the ensuing attack¡­

    There was nothing different from before.

    ¡®..?¡¯

    What was she doing?

    Why was she attacking just like before?

    As if she didn¡¯t know how it worked.

    And if it was a joke, it wasn¡¯t at all funny.

    Was it because Neria wasn¡¯t attacking in response?

    So, Katarina still wanted to probe more?

    Thinking that it might be, Neria decided to go a little aggressive. She twisted her body to avoid the curved sabersing down her line of sight. Before Katarina could spin, she swung her shield towards her abdomen.

    ¡°Huh..!¡±

    Hit in the stomach, Katarina backed away as she groaned in pain.

    ¡®¡­why didn¡¯t she avoid it?¡¯

    It wasn¡¯t like she had swung too fast.

    It moved, matching ordingly to Katarina¡¯s level.

    So why did she stumble back?

    It felt like something was wrong with her.

    Neria walked over to Katarina and drew her sword down at an angle. The moment she blocked the attack by crossing two sabers before her, Neria¡¯s foot kicked her in the stomach.

    ¡°Uck..!¡±

    Unlike being hit with the shield, her kick was tolerable, Katarina froze still for a moment before moving again.

    Her mesmerizing sword dance reached upon Neria.

    Avoiding them, Neria frowned.

    ¡°¡­what.¡±

    She muttered spectively

    Because she couldn¡¯t understand.

    Why was she getting hit by simple attacks?

    If she had such good skills, why couldn¡¯t she use them properly?

    She was Cloud¡¯s chosen woman.

    Unlike her, Katarina had to be special.

    Neria let go of her sword.

    She punched Katarina, sending her stumbling back.

    ¨C Puck!

    Katarina spluttered.

    At that, Katarina came to her senses as well.

    Even without a sword, she realized that the gap between her and Neria had not disappeared.

    Her sword dance ensued again.

    A raging storm of des.

    Neria¡¯s eyes were cold, looking at it.

    She approached, blocking the storm of swords with her shield, and struck her in the side.

    Ugh!

    The storm of swords disappeared with Katarina¡¯s groan.

    Neria frowned.

    ¡®Why is she getting weaker?¡¯

    Was it because of the pain from being beaten?

    Or was it because she acknowledged the difference in their skills?

    Katarina¡¯s eyes grew poisonous. She tightened her grip on the sabers.

    A sword dance that she did not want to use in a match because it was too dangerous. She was left with no choice.

    The air cooled down.

    The murky aura of death wrapped around her and pressed against Neria¡¯s shoulders.

    A gloomy pressure hovered in the air.

    Signifying the sword dancer¡¯s grit.

    [Dance of Death].

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 105.3: Queen Maker (5)

    [Dance of Death].

    The sword that contained the thick curse turned into a dark ck.

    A cursed sword dance that prays for the death of the enemy.

    Death bloomed splendidly and rushed toward Neria.

    In the face of the approaching flower of death, Neria did not hesitate.

    She even threw away her shield after her sword.

    ¨C Huung.

    She twisted her head to avoid the sword tearing through the wind. The saber aiming at her shoulder de was swatted away by her arm guard.

    Avoiding what could be avoided, and buckling what was difficult to avoid.

    As she repeated the series of movement, the dance of curse was over before she knew it.

    Just that she hadn¡¯t thought it wouldn¡¯t even be able to chaff her skin.

    The sword dancer¡¯s face was stained with despair. Seeing that, Neria clenched her fists.

    ¡®There¡¯s nothing different about her.¡¯

    ¨C If you don¡¯t follow me, I will kill you and all your friends. Then the spirit of your foolish Hero will be broken, right? Even if he manages to ovee it and makes new allies, I will kill them again. Until the Hero you love loses his mind.

    A threat from Gis.

    As if to prove that it wasn¡¯t just a bluff, a dagger was stuck by her bedside when she woke up the next morning.

    Neria was weak and ordinary.

    Consoling herself that she had no other choice, sheplied with Gis¡¯s threat, and she left Cloud with a great scar.

    It was meant to be, she thought.

    She had hurt Cloud. But if the women chosen by Cloud were to take her ce, wouldn¡¯t she be able to wade through it all? Take all the right decisions?

    She wanted to check it out.

    Maybe she just wanted to be convinced.

    That the woman of Cloud¡¯s choice was so great that she would never reach her.

    From the beginning, being next to him was not her destiny.

    But no.

    That woman was not the special woman she thought her to be.

    Little by little¡­

    The emotion of anger began to shore up inside Neria.

    She swung her fist.

    ¨C Puck!

    She was no different. Not at all.

    ¨C Puck!

    Just lucky.

    ¨C Puck!

    She was more desperate. So why¡­! Why her!?

    ¨C Puck!

    Neria didn¡¯t stop punching.

    ¡°Stop!¡±

    Until Cloud shouted.

    Neria was startled by his voice and stopped her fist. When she saw Katarina stumble and fall, she was horrified.

    It was too much.

    She had badly beaten Cloud¡¯s lover.

    Her heart pounded and fell.

    Maybe he would criticize her for going over her bounds.

    Would he hate her more?

    Maybe she won¡¯t even be able to be by his side.

    While Neria was trembling with anxiety, Cloud strode forward.

    She couldn¡¯t contain her fear and closed her eyes tightly.

    So the words that travelled to her were unexpected.

    ¡°You¡¯ve improved a lotpared to before, Neria. You¡¯ve worked hard all this time.¡±

    Neria sighed.

    Far from being criticized, she was rather praised.

    It was true that she had tried her best, putting in the effort because she wanted to be recognized, but¡­ she never thought she would receive it at a time like this.

    Embarrassed, Neria was speechless.

    She barely calmed down before lifting her head and opening her eyes.

    ¡°Are you fine? Any broken bones?¡±

    Cloud wasn¡¯t looking at Neria.

    ¡°I think my ribs are broken. No, they might be smashed¡­¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ Feeling any pain?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s my chest!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t people have ribs in their chest too? Anyway, it looks fine, just chug one down.¡±

    ¡°Chi¡­ you don¡¯t worry about me.¡±

    He was talking to her, feeding her a potion.

    ¡°Gulp¡­ ugh¡­ I always meant to ask this, why does the potion taste like this? Can¡¯t they make it delicious?¡±

    ¡°There are other, more delicious things to taste. Plus, it would be pricier. Alright, hop on.¡±

    ¡°Hih? What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you see? Hop on. It would be hard to walk now that you¡¯re beaten ck and blue.¡±

    ¡°¡­not to that extent.¡±

    Katarina muttered with a reddened face, but was quietly carried by Cloud. Carrying her on his back, he turned his attention back to Neria.

    ¡°We¡¯ll stop by church for a while, so why don¡¯t you go back first?¡±

    ¡°Church..? Why church?¡±

    ¡°Even if she seems fine, we never know. Maybe something inside her could have gone wrong. Ophelia said she can¡¯t heal for a while for some reason, so we¡¯re going to church.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯ll¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m grateful that you showed your hand. That means a lot. See you at the inn in a little while.¡±

    After saying that, Cloud turned his back and walked toward the outside of the dance hall.

    Neria flinched and held out her hand, then put it back down. She stared nkly at the two walking away.

    Memories from the paste to mind.

    ¨C Ugh¡­

    ¨C Does it hurt a lot? Be patient. We¡¯ll reach the vige soon.

    ¨C Yes¡­

    She had carried Cloud, who had sprained his foot in the mountains, on her back.

    For some reason, those memories ovepped with view now.

    But back then it was different.

    The young Cloud was being carried on her back, but now he was carrying someone else.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t because Katarina is special¡­¡±

    Cloud had changed.

    From the person who borrowed the back to the person who lends the back.

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    Neria¡¯s voice turned gloomy.

    Normally, a childhood friend would rejoice at such growth, but she couldn¡¯t.

    Because she had no ce of her own on his back.

    And because she never seemed to in the future.

    Neria barely survived a near copse and walked toward the dropped sword and shield.

    She shouldn¡¯t be weak.

    If she turned weak, she won¡¯t be able to stay by his side.

    As she crouched down to pick up her shield.

    ¨C Tuk. Tuk.

    Her tears fell and soaked the dirt floor.

    * * *

    ¡°Cloud.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Are you pretending not to know? Or do you really not know?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I mean Neria.¡±

    ¡°What Neria?¡±

    ¡°She loves you.¡±

    ¡°¡­You are being very straightforward, aren¡¯t you? Don¡¯t you usually say things like that part by part?¡±

    ¡°Be honest and answer quickly. Okay? You don¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°¡­if I¡¯ve to say it, I do know.¡±

    ¡°I knew it. It¡¯s rather strange that you wouldn¡¯t know it when she disys it so openly. So, did you just draw a line?¡±

    Katarina said in a somewhat joyous voice.

    I smiled bitterly and shook my head, staring forward.

    ¡°The line was drawn from the very beginning.¡±

    Because Neria likes Cloud.

    Not ¡®me¡¯.

    T/L: Finally the conclusion. Btw, we have a new pr now.

 Chapter 106.1: Queen Maker (6)

    Katarina¡¯s sword dance was impable.

    Sometimes heavy, sometimes fast.

    Her ever-changing sword dance can deal with a variety of opponents.

    If there is a problem, it¡¯s Katarina herself using the technique.

    ¡°You must have felt so in yesterday¡¯sbat, but you are not using your skills duly.¡±

    No matter how excellent a technique is, if used without thoughtfulness, it is worse than a run-of-the-mill horizontal sh used at the opportune timing.

    The sparring between Katarina and Neria the day before yesterday was staunch proof of that.

    Katarina jutted out splendid sword dance moves from beginning to end, no doubt, but she couldn¡¯t even scrape Neria¡¯s skin. On the other hand, Neria subdued Katarina with minimal movement, not even her brilliant skill set at use, even throwing away her shield and sword.

    This is the difference between knowing how to use your skills properly and not to.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing better than gaining experience through actualbat to get the gist of it.¡±

    I pped three sheets of parchment on the table.

    Shedia, Neria, and Katarina¡¯s gazes were fixed on the parchments.

    ¡°What are these?¡±

    ¡°Maps marking the location of dungeons.¡±

    I answered Katarina¡¯s question.

    Inside the dungeons marked on the map,y the weapons of epic proportions once used by the Heroes of the Kingdom of Prona, now inert.

    Something they told me themselves, so there¡¯s no doubt about it.

    ¡®I couldn¡¯t get hold of an answer to my question as to why they¡¯d made dungeons to hide their weapons.¡¯

    It¡¯s stranger when you think about it now, but at that time, maybe it was for the best?

    Regardless, it will be easier to level up Katarina, so it was not a bad oue.

    ¡°The three of you can form a party and explore these dungeons.¡±

    ¡°The three of us? You aren¡¯ting?¡±

    ¡°I have to keep my hold here. I am the only one who can deal in case of any unexpected situation.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    She knew the state of the city, so Katarina, despite herself, kept herself from expressing her exasperation.

    I smiled and spoke.

    ¡°I have prepared all the equipment and consumables necessary for dungeon exploration, just load them up. Listen carefully to Neria in the dungeon. She knows more about dungeons than you do. Neria, you are the leader of this party. Take good care of the two of them.¡±

    ¡°¡­alright, leave it to me.¡±

    Neria nodded her head.

    Everything after that happened quickly.

    They packed up their belongings and headed out for the dungeons. I looked at the backs of the girls leaving the city and spun around.

    The spot where my steps halted was in front of arge building located in the center of the city.

    Building belonging to a guild, the owner of which and all of his family members had died during the Heavenly King Incident, and so the building was unupied. Past tense.

    We were currently using this ce as a temporary administration hub.

    When I opened the door and walked in, I could see piles of documents and people reviewing them, milling around here and there. These are people who originally worked for this guild, and we hired them temporarily when they lost their jobs.

    They knew how to read and write, as they were the ones who worked for the upper strata.

    ¡°Ah, Hero?¡±

    The one spotting me was a woman carrying loads of paper as she bowed her head.

    ¡°What are you doing today?¡±

    Anxiety flickered in the quailing eyes.

    I waved my palms.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t bring you a new assignment. I just came to see Leslie.¡±

    ¡°Is that so¡­¡±

    She breathed a sigh of relief.

    I couldn¡¯t find in her the fresh impression when we had first met.

    I could only see the face of a sry man who was tired of overtime.

    Ooh, look at those dark circles.

    Poordy was definitely not a zombie.

    ¡°If it gets hard, take a short break and do it. If you work without rest, you could die from overwork.¡±

    ¡°This is what you brought me yesterday.¡±

    She pointed her chin at the heavy pile of papers she was carrying. The pile of stacked papers reached from her belly button to the chest.

    ¡°Your sacrifice will be remembered,rade.¡±

    I patted her on the shoulder and made my way upstairs. I felt a stinging gaze from behind, but I ignored it and opened the door to the room where Leslie worked.

    ¡°Whoever came in without knocking, rude is¡­ Oh, if it¡¯s not Mr. Cloud.¡±

    The furrowed brows rxed when they found me.

    I tilted my head at the pile of papers piled on her desk.

    ¡°The amount of documentation seems to be the same as yesterday, do I assume it to be a hallucination?¡±

    ¡°No hallucination for you, only unending work for me. Whenever I finish one, a new onees in.¡±

    Leslie said, rubbing at her dark circles with her fingers. Because of her pure white skin, her dark circles stood out distinctly.

    ¡°Looks like there¡¯s more work than I thought.¡±

    ¡°Yes. From the money to be donated to the church, to the money to be assigned to the citizens who have be homeless, to the money allotted into rebuilding the city. Just sorting the budget¡­ there are so many popping up that I feel like I¡¯m going to explode, but withintsing in¡­ I have no time to rest.¡±

    ¡°Are thereintsing in?¡±

    ¡°Yes. These areints from citizens, most of whom were wealthy. Aren¡¯t they the ones who suffered the most this time around? As a result of that, they are forced to incorporate themselves into the working ss dependably, so there are begging us to do something.¡±

    Perhaps her head hurt, Leslie sighed and pressed her temples.

    ¡°May I help you?¡±

    ¡°If you do, I will be grateful. Would you like to sit next to me?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    I pulled a chair and sat next to Leslie.

    As I turned my head to ask what I could do, her soft redness pounced upon my lips. Before I could react, her tongue squeezed in.

    ¨C Chep¡­ Chewp¡­ Churp¡­

    ¡°Haa¡­ I feel like my head is clearing up a bit now.¡±

    Leslie parted her lips and put on a look of satisfaction.

    ¡°Is this what you were asking for help with?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Sitting next to me and giving me your lips whenever I want. Isn¡¯t it so? My ¡®sry¡¯?¡±

    ¡°¡­yeah. Do whatever you feel like.¡±

    As I raised my hands in a gesture of surrender, she smiled and pressed our lips together again.

    ¨C Chewp¡­

 Chapter 106.2: Queen Maker (6)

    After another long kiss, she lowered her face and licked the nape of his neck.

    ¡°Come to think of it, Katarina-san isn¡¯t here today, right? She¡¯s not going to be around for a while.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Then, won¡¯t it be alright if I sleep next to Cloud-sama today?¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Well, we can¡¯t touch the subtle boundaries of the drawn line without being caught by Katarina-san, right? So, today¡¯s just the day! Whew. I am eagerly awaiting today¡¯s sunset.¡±

    Leslie spoke as if it were a done deal that we were going to sleep together tonight. I was about to say something, but shut up when I saw the pile of papers on the desk and the dark circles under her eyes.

    Noticing that, she chuckled.

    ¡°It was a nice stroke of luck to ept this job.¡±

    Her arms wrapped around my neck. Just when her pink lips wereing close once again.

    ¨C Tuck.

    Someone knocked outside.

    ¡°¡­Who is it?¡±

    Leslie¡¯s voice red with annoyance.

    The person who knocked, as if taken aback by her, trembled.

    ¨C Me, Meria. It¡¯s Meria.

    ¡°I¡¯m busy right now, so if it¡¯s not relevant, would you like toe backter?¡±

    ¨C Well, it seems like something important to me¡­

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¨C The princess has returned¡­ But as soon as she arrived, she dered that she won¡¯t inherit the throne¡­

    She said so even after taking a look at the city?

    It seems that the princess is only grown up and not mature.

    ¡°Cloud? Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°To meet our princess.¡±

    The medicine of maturity, I¡¯ll have to find it.

    * * *

    The morning after the Heavenly King was subjugated.

    ¨C The Hero, Cloud, vanquished one of the Four Heavenly Kings, Creas, to nothingness.

    Pope and the Saintess Candidates received an oracle with unbelievable particrs.

    Of course, the Holy See was turned upside down.

    Although the Four Heavenly Kings are under themand of the Demon King, they are one of the absolute rulers of the Demon Realm.

    The rulers of the Demon Realm who reign only through strength, not cause ofw, wealth, or politics.

    It was hard to believe that such an existence was defeated by a single Hero, and by Cloud alone.

    However, they did not dare to doubt the oracle, so the Holy See announced it to the Continent before sending an investigation team.

    The Hero, Cloud, had annihted a Heavenly King.

    One of the giant threats hazarding the continent had disappeared.

    After hearing the news, Lorian, the Crown Prince and the Hero of the Kingdom of Carta, sent for his retainers andmenced an assembly.

    However, Lorian, who had initiated the assembly, was silent with a serious face; the vassals couldn¡¯t help but get nervous as they watched.

    After a while, Lorian opened his mouth.

    ¡°Do you guys think that Frillite can dispatch a Heavenly King by herself?¡±

    Why was Frillite being mentioned all of a sudden?

    The retainers were puzzled, but soon began to think seriously.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s hard to predict.¡±

    Someone said, and the other vassals nodded in agreement.

    They knew that Frillite was a strong Hero.

    It was known that she had subjugated the Ogre alone while the Lorian¡¯s party was incapacitated.

    But she wasn¡¯t an open book to know exactly where her limits were.

    They knew that the Four Heavenly Kings were gigantic evils that threatened the continent. But they didn¡¯t know how threatening such a monster was.

    They did not dare to express their opinion because theycked all the critical information on the subject topare.

    Lorian also nodded in understanding and asked another question.

    ¡°Then do you think Frillite is weaker than Cloud?¡±

    Silence ensued again.

    However, unlike before, the vassals shook their heads one by one.

    Everyone admitted thattely Cloud had be a changed person.

    However,paring him to Frillite was different.

    She was fundamentally different from other Heroes.

    Comparing him and her was likeparing a just-turned adult dragon to a thousand-year-old elder dragon.

    At least they thought so.

    ¡°That would mean that something is there. Whatever it is, if it¡¯s enough to defeat a Heavenly King, it won¡¯t be easy. What do you guys think?¡±

    ¡°I think what the prince said is right. It would have been impossible to defeat a Heavenly King through ordinary means.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the location where the Heavenly King descended was Lupus, the capital of the Kingdom of Prona. There is a high probability that it died there too.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, the Kingdom of Prona is going to be in turmoil. Great.¡±

    Lorian smiled and ordered his vassals.

    ¡°Please ask all the lords of our Kingdom to mobilize an army within three months. Our army will head for the Kingdom of Prona.¡±

    The vassals gaped at him, astonished.

    ¡°To the Kingdom of Prona? The Empire won¡¯t stand still if we do so without justification.¡±

    ¡°There is a justification. Isn¡¯t the harvest daying just yet?¡±

    Harvest day.

    Once a year, arge army of Orcs travelled around the Kingdoms to receive food, a festival-like event for the Orcs.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to sort that out, too. We will head to the Kingdom of Alitia to stop the Orcs. We can ask the Kingdom of Prona to open the roads to the Kingdom of Alitia.¡±

    ¡°Ah..!¡±

    The eyes of the vassals shot up.

    ¡°Certainly, if that is the case, the justification problem is resolved. And if there is a justification and the Kingdom of Carta starts to move, other countries will not stand by. The Empire will be no different¡­ Eventually, the Kingdom of Prona will be absorbed by other countries.¡±

    ¡°In the end, it¡¯s a race against time. Please do your best for the prosperity of the Kingdom of Carta.¡±

    ¨C Understood, Your Highness!

    The retainers bowed their heads and scurried out of the meeting room.

    Lorain, left alone, leaned back in his chair and recalled the face of that unlucky bastard.

    ¡®Cloud¡­ I still can¡¯t forget the insults I received from you.¡¯

    He probably won¡¯t be able to forget it in the future.

    So why not return a double of it all.

    Lorian¡¯s teeth grounded agai¡ª

    ¨C Thuk!

    ¡°Brother! Is it for real ¡ª you are going to the Kingdom of Prona?!¡±

    Lorraine bust in, spurring the doors of the conference room open. Lorain was slightly surprised, but he replied calmly.

    ¡°Yes. Is there any problem?¡±

    ¡°No. There is no such thing as a problem. Yeah, so¡­ When are you nning to leave?¡±

    ¡°I will leave in three months at the earliest, four months at thetest.¡±

    ¡°¡­longer than I expected.¡±

    ¡°You know very well that an army is not so easy to organize.¡±

    ¡°It is¡­ it is not. I know. Oh, brother. Are you free this evening?¡±

    ¡°Before dinner? Yes. I don¡¯t have any other ns at that time, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Can youbat with me then? I feel like I amcking recently.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I will be happy to.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, brother! Then see you tonight!¡±

    After saying that, Lorraine disappeared.

    Lorian felt proud of his younger sister¡¯s determination to move forward.

    But at the same time, he felt a bit ufortable.

    ¡®Have I missed something?¡¯

    He dipped back into the deep sea of thinking.

 Chapter 107.1: Queen Maker (7)

    Francisca Frutois.

    First daughter of the deceased, former King, William.

    Originally, the kingdom¡¯s session structure was impable because there was only one prince. Consequently, Francisca was allowed to go to the Imperial Academy to study in peace.

    Those who enter the academy were divided into two categories: those who really want to learn and those whoe to build awork.

    In Francisca¡¯s case, it was thetter.

    Born to the rich royal family that provided her with allvishness avable, she had no dreams or ambitions of her own.

    So, she was in the midst of her search for a candidate for marriage while building her personalwork.

    When a letter came from Lupus, and the letter contained the full story of the terrible incident that had urred in the city.

    She wasn¡¯t a psychopath.

    When she read that her family had died, she was shocked and cried for a while.

    As moments passed, and she got out of her sorrow, her feelings boiled down to uneasiness.

    The letter was urging her to return to Lupus as soon as possible. It took her, her identity as a royalty, to put an end to the chaos in Lupus, the letter said.

    It was clear what it meant.

    They were calling her to inherit the throne.

    Unbelievable and appalling.

    She had spent her life invishness ¡ª an affair of easy and unbounded lifestyle.

    Unlike her brother, she had never received any training for kingship.

    But she would have to go and take over the Kingdom?

    She neither had the ability nor the responsibility to do so.

    So Francisca vowed that she would return to Lupus, but would not inherit the throne.

    No matter what anyone would say, she wouldn¡¯t change her mind!

    That was two days ago¡­

    ¡®Why am I here?¡¯

    A shabby hovel made of bricks and straw.

    Moos of cattle could be heard from everywhere.

    Compared to Lupus¡¯s huge castle walls, even the wooden fence was flimsy.

    Francisca looked around and her head hurt.

    She had been living at the Imperial Academy until just a month ago. In the splendid academy that even she, who had lived in a royal pce, was astonished by. But now? Standing in the middle of a shabby vige.

    She was wearing a ragged dress, not the cambric she always wore.

    ¡°We have something to do today. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    After speaking with the vige chief, Cloud approached and said.

    Francisca red at Cloud.

    ¡®It¡¯s all because of this man.¡¯

    The day she arrived in the capital and dered that she would not seed the throne.

    Cloud came to visit her and asked if she was willing to change her mind. He tried to persuade her by giving her various reasons, but of course, she didn¡¯t budge.

    Then he dragged her to this downtrodden vige.

    He even created a strange backstory.

    ¨C Are they the brother and sister pair who came a while ago? Those from Lupus?

    ¨C He said so.

    ¨C What a pitiful pair.

    The vige women chattered while watching Francisca and Cloud walking down the street.

    Yes.

    The strange backstory that Cloud had created was that he and Francisca were brother and sister who lost their family and property in the ident in Lupus.

    Thepassion of the vigers granted them a stay in the vige, ying on the backstory.

    Of course, they couldn¡¯t stay for free.

    In exchange for receiving a ce to stay and food, they had to help the vige.

    ¡°I guess you are the brother and sister vige chief spoke of?¡±

    A middle-aged man spoke to the two on a field outside the vige.

    He was a slightly robust man, just short of being stout.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m Carl and this is Frena. We look forward to working for you.¡±

    Cloud naturally gave out a pseudonym and bowed his head.

    Then he turned his head and stared at Francisca.

    ¡®Huh? What?¡¯

    He didn¡¯t want her to bow her head, did he?

    No, can¡¯t be.

    That¡¯s absolutely impossible.

    With that thought in mind, Francisca frowned at him. However, her thoughts didn¡¯t matter. Cloud squeezed the back of Francisca¡¯s head, forcing her to bow her head.

    Consequently, she became the first royalty in the history of the Kingdom of Prona to bow her head to a peasant.

    Francisca strained her neck, trying to free herself from Cloud¡¯s grasp, but her head, hunched by him in ce, remained immobile.

    ¡°Ah..!¡±

    Just when she was about to burst out in indignation and anger.

    Cloud red at her with a half-lidded re.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Her mouth, which was about to open, closed on its own.

    She quietly turned her gaze to her floor.

    ¡°As I heard, you are polite. Come with me. I will tell you what to do.¡±

    As the middle-aged said, the chore itself was not difficult to understand. All they had to do was water the potato sprouts.

    The only problem was¡­

    ¡°We have to water all these fields¡­ really..?¡±

    The potato fields were filthy big.

    They didn¡¯t stretch beyond the horizon, no; the ends were so far that the borders were too blurry to distinguish between.

    While Francisca was shocked at the seemingly unattainable amount of work, the middle-aged man nodded.

    ¡°If you two start now and work diligently, you should be able to finish it before the sun goes down.¡±

    ¡°Ah, no matter, this is too much¡­¡±

    ¡°Then work hard.¡±

    The middle-aged sauntered away, leaving Francisca no time to argue.

    Cloud ced a hand on her slouching shoulder.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it from here to there. You do the rest.¡±

    ¡°¡­You cut it in exact half.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fair.¡±

    Fair?

    Was it fair for a freaking Hero and a frail Princess to do the same amount ofbor?

    ¡°Did you eat your conscience with your dinnerst night?

    ¡°It was delicious.¡±

    He pped Francisca on the shoulder and fetched water from the well, before pouring water from the bucket onto the potato sprouts little by little.

    Francisca nkly stared at him.

    ¡°How did I end up here¡­¡±

    She sighed heavily, picked the bucket and walked to the well. She worked the pulley system to pull the water, but that was not as easy as she¡¯d thought.

    ¡®I saw it work earlier, other women were making it work, why can¡¯t I?!¡¯

    Could it be that there was some kind of magic that made it difficult for outsiders to use the well?

    As she mused about it, it seemed supposedly usible.

    Water was also the property of the vige, so maybe they didn¡¯t like outsiders hauling it easily like themselves.

    ¡®They didn¡¯t seem like that kind of people. Tut.¡¯

    She grumbled inwardly, pulling against the unhinged enchantments that seemingly attuned the well.

    She used her body weight to pull on the rope until she got a bucket full of water. She lifted the bucket of water she had with difficulty scooped out.

    ¡°What?!¡±

    It was ridiculously heavy and she almost staggered.

    ¡°Ha, I almost fell over.¡±

    She broke into a cold sweat. She had almost spilled the water she had worked so hard for. She carefully lifted the bucket and tottered to the potato field, leery not to stumble.

    She whimpered, exhausted.

    Pak.

    Her foot got caught in a rock.

    ¡°Kyaaak!?¡±

    She doubled over. The bucket flipped.

    As if her face plunging into the clump of soil wasn¡¯t bad enough, even the water she had fetched spilled onto the floor and pooled around her, getting her muddy.

    ¡°Ahhh¡­¡±

    How hard had she worked to haul the bucket of water¡­

    Almost ready to cry, she held back her tears.

    ¡°Julis¡­ help me¡­¡±

    She hade with her escort knight.

    During the battle of nerves with Cloud, she was frightened and fled apace.

    What was Julis doing now?

    Was she livingfortably in Lupus?

    Damn it.

    ¡®I¡¯ll see you when I get back.¡¯

    * * *

 Chapter 107.2: Queen Maker (7)

    <strong>Proofreader: Ray </strong>

    ¡°It¡¯s over, it¡¯s over¡­!¡±

    After watering thest potato sprout, Francisca threw the bucket toward the corner of the field.

    Finally, this crap was over.

    As soon as she thought of it, a heavy feeling of exhaustion overtook her. All day long she had worked with a heavy bucket, so that was normal.

    Francesca walked toward the vige, her torso limp.

    Cloud had already finished his work and returned.

    ¡®He could have helped if his¡¯ was over.¡¯

    Went off to have a good time alone.

    Where did you see, a Hero, in that?

    The ce she was walking to, grumbling, was a shabby house located in the corner of the vige. The house where an old woman who had lost all of her children lived. People said she had also passed away due to some illness not long ago.

    ¡®Why must they give us a house like that¡­¡¯

    There must be many other nice houses!

    As she grumbled, stomping into the house, Cloud greeted her.

    ¡°You came at just the right time. Dinner¡¯s done. Eat.¡±

    Cloud said, scooping the stew from arge pot into a bowl.

    Francisca looked at the contents of the bowl Cloud had handed her. Vegetables, grains, and flecks of meat were added to the vermilion-colored broth.

    To put it nicely, it was meat stew and putting it badly, it was in gruel.

    Her gaze trembled.

    ¡°This is dinner..? This? Are you kidding me or making fun of me?¡±

    ¡°If youin about the food, you will get punished. Stop talking nonsense and sit down and eat.¡±

    ¡°How do you eat something like this!¡±

    Francisca, stunned, shouted.

    She didbor for the first time in her life. Not ordinarybor, but very hardbor! After all the hard work, shouldn¡¯t she at least be given something decent to eat?

    However, despite Francisca¡¯s angry voice, Cloud responded calmly.

    ¡°Well, eat like how everyone does.¡±

    ¡°Eat something like this?!¡±

    ¡°Yes. If you don¡¯t believe me, go visit another house.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    This was a shocking fact for Francisca, who had spent her entire life eating only well-cooked food in the pce. She looked at her¡­ stew, bit her lip, and threw herself on the bed.

    ¡°What are you doing? Not going to eat?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not eating!¡±

    ¡°Stubborn you¡¯re. You will regret itter.¡±

    ¡°Stubborn? I¡¯m stubborn?!¡±

    She lifted herself up from the bed and red at Cloud.

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who brought me here in the first ce! If you hadn¡¯t brought me, I wouldn¡¯t have been so stubborn!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because you were stubborn and refused to inherit the throne. Will that still be so? Do you want to inherit the throne now?¡±

    Cloud said with a smile.

    Furious and seething, Francisca turned her back and closed her eyes.

    Tired, she immediately fell asleep.

    And the next evening.

    In the end, she could not ovee hunger and ate¡­ the stew.

    Unlikest time, there were not many ingredients. Cloud exined that thest time they had plenty of ingredients thanks to the gifts the vige girls brought for him..?

    Meals would continue to be like this for a while, he said after she finished.

    Francisca got depression.

    * * *

    Meanwhile, when two weeks had passed since Cloud left Lupus, Eri was continuing her research in her room.

    ¨C Knock. Knock.

    ¡°Eri, are you avable?¡±

    Ophelia¡¯s voice came along with the knock.

    ¡°Is it time already?¡±

    She stretched and stood up from her seat.

    It was time for her to cast the soundproofing spell on Ophelia¡¯s room.

    As she opened the door and walked out, Ophelia saw her and smiled.

    ¡°Sorry to bother you.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that difficult.¡±

    The door closed, and the chatter of the two became quieter. When it turnedpletely inaudible, Shedia emerged from the shadow of the table.

    She immediately took out a paper and pen and began copying Eri¡¯s work. As it was the research that Eri had been immersed in all day, she had a lot to copy, but it was not a problem.

    Shedia had been trained for situations like this.

    She quickly leafed through the research, copying along with. Even so, her handwriting was undisturbed. Shedia, who even drew the diagrams perfectly, quickly left the room before Eri returned.

    Holding the wad of paper, she headed to the temporary administration center of Lupus.

    Shedia, flitting and hopping across the shadows throughout the city, went straight to the room where Leslie was.

    ¡°Leslie noona.¡±

    Before she made her appearance, she spoke, revealing her presence. When she had suddenly shown up the other day, she had been scolded by a startled Leslie.

    ¡°Yes? Oh, you¡¯re here?¡±

    Only when she heard Leslie¡¯s voice did Shedia emerge from the shadows.

    ¡°Here¡¯s today¡¯s part.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    Leslie took the wad of paper Shedia handed her and ced the haul at the corner of her desk.

    ¡°But is it really alright to do this? Wouldn¡¯t the wizard girl get angry if she found out?¡±

    ¡°If you get caught, of course she would be angry, no? Why do you ask? Are you afraid of the wizard girl getting angry?¡±

    Shedia shook her head.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid of Cloud getting angry. If he gets angry with me, he might not give me the moonstone anymore.¡±

    Or he could break it down even further.

    Shedia¡¯s expression turned rather sullen.

    ¡°Maybe. Don¡¯t worry, though. If you get caught, it¡¯ll all be my fault. Do you really think I¡¯m going to push the me on our dear Shedia?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Shedia shook her head.

    ¡°And if it makes you worry less ¡ª isn¡¯t it a matter of not getting caught in the first ce? I believe in you, Shedia.¡±

    ¡°Right. I won¡¯t be caught and I¡¯ll do well. So¡­¡±

    Shedia stretched out her hand with a look of anticipation.

    ¡°I know. When Cloudes back, I¡¯ll talk him into giving you a moonstone piece. So don¡¯t worry, go back and rest.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Shedia ducked into her shadow after exhratedly throwing her head back in celebration.

    Leslie stared.

    ¡®¡­It¡¯s a great feat, no matter how you look at it.¡¯

    To be able to enter and exit the shadows at will. Doesn¡¯t that mean that the whole swath of darkness is her domain?

    ¡®It doesn¡¯t seem she has revealed anything.¡¯

    Eri, Neria, and Ophelia; she was also unaware of the power they possessed. However, unlike the three, who can be guessed at, Shedia couldn¡¯t be.

    If, by chance, Shedia ever want to assassinate her, will she be capable of disarming her?

    No, leave disarming or winning. Would she be even able to hold her ground?

    ¡®How does Cloud dear manages to curb her¡­¡¯

    She knew that Shedia wanted the moonstone and Cloud was using the same to deal with her.

    But for such an act to be possible, one thing must be premised.

    The premise that ¡ª Shedia couldn¡¯t triumph over Cloud.

    Had it not been for that, Shedia would have left with the stolen moonstone long ago.

    Nothing new to Leslie, but¡­ her Hero dear was surely astounding.

    Leslie smiled and looked over at her desk. Spread out, there were all kinds of administrative papers, as well as the copies of the research work brought to her by Shedia.

    She held a copy of the research work in her hand.

    Suddenly, the words Shedia had said yed in her ears.

    ¨C But is it really alright to do this? Wouldn¡¯t the wizard girl get angry if she found out?

    A whimsical giggle echoed.

    ¡°The reaction of a mage when they get to know their research is stolen¡­ I¡¯m curious.¡±

    Leslie remembered a scene from the past.

    Inside a darkb.

    The dark-haired girl who was copying the professor¡¯s research journal while relying on the light of a candle.

    Leslie¡¯s statement that she never attended the Mage¡¯s Tower was, of course, a lie.

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 108.1: Queen Maker (8)

    Cuckoo~!

    The crowing of the rooster set off the day, echoing throughout the vige.

    Francisca¡¯s eyes lit up.

    She rolled around and sat up, tossing her head adjacent to her. Cloud, lying on the floor, was still asleep.

    Francisca slipped out of bed and boiled water over the hearth. As the water began to simmer, she threw two fist-sized potatoes into the pot.

    She squatted and waited for the potatoes to cook.

    ¡®Is it cooked yet?¡¯

    When she pushed with adle, it nudged in.

    It was ready.

    She scooped up the potatoes with adle and ced them in a bowl, then she tapped Cloud, who was still sleeping, with her foot.

    There was not a hint of respect for the Hero in her behavior.

    ¡°Eat breakfast.¡±

    ¡°¡­five minutes.¡±

    ¡°No five minutes. If you don¡¯t wake up now, I know how to wake you up. Otherwise, you¡¯ll sleep away the whole morning.¡±

    ¡°Oh really, a man can¡¯t even sleep.¡±

    Cloud scratched his head and stood up.

    By the time he roused up, yawning, and got his share of potatoes, Francisca had already finished her meal.

    ¡°I will be going first.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to do theundry?¡±

    ¡°Um.¡±

    ¡°Finish quickly ande to Uncle Dan¡¯s potato field.¡±

    ¡°You want help? There¡¯s extra workload?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not it, today¡¯s harvest day.¡±

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s today! Nice! I¡¯lle running as soon as I finish theundry!¡±

    She replied in an exuberant voice and left the house. Woof, woof! The dog, who was sleeping in the kennel, woke up and barked at her.

    The dog¡¯s name was Go, Cloud had brought the guy wandering ownerless in the streets and even gave it a name.

    At first, she had wondered why he even bothered bringing a mutt back home, but now she was quite attached to it, too.

    ¡°Go, I¡¯m busy, you know? Go, ask that person for rice.¡±

    After patting Go¡¯s head a few times, she headed for the vige chief¡¯s house.

    ¡°Frena? You¡¯re here early.¡±

    A middle-aged woman, wrinkles deepening across her cheeks, greeted Francisca with a smile.

    ¡°Here is theundry I need done today.¡±

    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll finish it soon, ma¡¯am.¡±

    Honorifics, which were awkward at first, now flowed like water.

    Was it because she was now attuned to the thought of hiding her identity?

    Welp, she didn¡¯t feel a snag anymore.

    ¡°About what I said earlier, have you seen my son? Once you two¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll finish theundry first and talkter, ma¡¯am.¡±

    Matchmaking was a different story.

    Francisca cut off the chief¡¯s wife¡¯s prattle and headed for the river.

    She saw the chief¡¯s wife¡¯s displeased expression, but¡­

    So what?

    She didn¡¯t care.

    Far from paying attention to her marriage, humming a tune, she sat down by the river. As she pounded the clothes with a club, the other women of her age gathered one by one by the river.

    ¡°You are the first to arrive, again.¡±

    A woman with brown hair pulled in a braid sat down beside her.

    Aberneen.

    Francisca¡¯s first friend in the vige. Because of her naive and friendly personality, she was also Francisca¡¯s best friend.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you too diligent?¡±

    ¡°I just sleep less. More than that, how are people deciding to deal with what happened in the mountain behind the vige?¡±

    Not long ago, bodies of wild beasts and monsters were found in a pile in the mountain behind the vige.

    Hunter Joe, who witnessed the anomaly, said he only saw afterimages, and all he knew for sure was that he had been hearing eerie wolf howls all night long.

    ¡®I mean, Cloud left with a serious face when he heard the wolves¡¯ howl.¡¯

    He came back empty-handed.

    After which he sent a letter, but to whom did he write it?

    ¡°Ah? Oh, my dad said he was thinking of speaking with the government official who ising today. If they hear out our plight, maybe they¡¯ll send over soldiers?¡±

    Aberneen answered Francisca¡¯s question.

    ¡°Then there should be no problem. Okay, then I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡±

    ¡°Huh? What! You are done already?!¡±

    Seeing Francisca stand up with theundry basket, Aberneen eximed.

    ¡°You have changed a lot. It seems like yesterday that I heard you getting nagged for snagging theundry¡­¡±

    ¡°Two months have passed, what yesterday are you living in?¡±

    She smiled and returned the cleanedundry to the vige chief¡¯s house, then ran to Dan¡¯s potato field. Her face was full of smiles because, as Cloud had said, today was the potato harvest day.

    When she arrived at the potato field, she could see Cloud and Dan¡¯s family members squatting and digging potatoes.

    ¡°Frena?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Uncle Dan! Where¡¯s my hoe? Oh, here you are.¡±

    Picking her hoe, she hesitated and then asked.

    ¡°No one has touched Elizabeth, right?¡±

    ¡°The chance doesn¡¯t exist. You warned so sternly, is there anyone so courageous who can touch it? Then again, why is the name of the potato¡­ Elizabeth?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s much better than Go.¡±

    Responding to Cloud¡¯s sarcasm as usual with a diplomatic smile, she squatted down. She grinned and dug with her hoe. As the soil churned up, arge potato gradually emerged.

    Arge potato that easily surpassed her fist.

    ¡°Elizabeth..!¡±

    Francisca¡¯s eyes shed with ecstasy. She heard Cloud muttering something along the lines of Princess finally insane from behind, but she ignored it.

    Because Elizabeth was more important to her!

    ¡°Uncle Dan, are you really giving me Elizabeth?¡±

    A question she had been asked dozens of times.

    ¡°Whew, this girl. How many times are you going to ask? Take it, take it.¡±

    Dan shook his head with borderline exhaustion.

    Receiving the affirmation, she hoed more quickly and soon had the potato in her hand.

    ¡°Hee hee hee.¡±

    The woman who was the first princess of the Kingdom of Prona, and the first-in-line of sessionughed gleefully at her first sown potato.

    And the potato which was taken away by the tax collector who came a whileter.

    Francisca was left wailing.

    * * *

 Chapter 108.2: Queen Maker (8)

    ¡°Elizabeth¡­!!!¡±

    Seeing the official¡¯s carriages receding beyond the horizon, Francisca knelt down and howled.

    ¡°It¡¯s my fault¡­ I should have hidden her¡­!¡±

    It was her fault, if she hadn¡¯te back with Elizabeth in her hands with the intention of bragging to the vigers¡­

    If it hadn¡¯t been for her worthless vanity, Elizabeth would never have fallen into the hands likes of such men.

    Memories with Elizabeth sh through her mind.

    ¡®Elizabeth¡­¡¯

    She was quite surprised when they first met.

    After that, they started rubbing off each other.

    So she subtly gave Elizabeth more water than the others.

    In the end, she acknowledged Elizabeth¡¯s feelings for her and gave her a name¡­

    ¡°Elizabeth-!¡±

    She¡¯ll miss her but would never be able to see her again.

    Call her by name, like this.

    Francisca howled once more as she watched the carriage¡¯s roof recede before it was all gone.

    ¡°It sucks. Doesn¡¯t it.¡±

    Then she gets whacked in the back of the head by Cloud.

    ¡°Ah! What, what are you doing!¡±

    ¡°Why are you so devasted over just a potato?¡±

    ¡°Just a potato?! You don¡¯t know how much Elizabeth has given me hope in my troubled life¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stop spewing bullshit and take a look around.¡±

    Francisca frowned and red at Cloud, but she did as asked and turned her head around herself to look.

    ¨C If they take it all away like that, how will we survive this winter¡­

    ¨C Are they bent on starving us to death? Damn bastards.

    ¨C If nothing else, what was the point of taking my only hen?

    The faces of the vigers were seriously grim.

    She was ashamed of how she was crying over a potato moments ago.

    ¡°Can you understand the situation?¡±

    Francisca nodded slowly, very slowly, keeping her mouth shut. Cloud continued as he watched the carriage disappearpletely.

    ¡°For those of us who don¡¯t have anything right now, only one of our potatoes was taken away, but the other residents are different. They have to pay an exorbitant amount of tax. Do you know why?¡±

    ¡°¡­why?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s to rebuild Lupus. It¡¯ll take a lot of money to rebuild a copsed city, and the royal family¡¯s wealth isn¡¯t enough, so they¡¯re levying their estates enormously. And this vige happens to be the domain of the royal family.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°This will go on for a while. Maybe it willst for a very long time. Why? Because no matter the city is rebuilt, there is no one to be the center of importance. Then the guys who aim for the rebuilt city will appear one by one. They will fight each other for the throne. And who will bear the damage caused by it? Who, Francisca?¡±

    Francisca didn¡¯t answer.

    He didn¡¯t want an answer either, so he let go.

    ¡°Now, you have two options,¡± said Cloud, opening two of his fingers and folding one.

    ¡°Inherit the throne and be the queen.¡±

    He folded the other one.

    ¡°Continue to live as a farmhand over her. Pick one.¡±

    Instead of choosing right away, Francisca turned her head and looked about the vige.

    From the nosy vige chief¡¯s wife to Aberneen¡¯s father who ran a tavern and Uncle Dan who worked at the fields.

    Most of them were people who had lost their smiles in the past two months.

    That¡¯s why she knew.

    How distraught and worried they were behind the calm facade.

    They were hard workers. At least that way they weren¡¯t the ones who had to worry about starving to death.

    Francisca let out a deep sigh.

    From the moment she saw behind the facade, her options were already limited.

    ¡°First.¡±

    ¡°This is a wise choice, my Queen.¡±

    He smiled.

    * * *

    ¨C Knock, knock.

    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±

    Even in the middle of answering the knock, Leslie¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t move away from the papers.

    ¨C It¡¯s me.

    Until the voice passed through the wooden door and her brain registered it to be Cloud¡¯s.

    Hearing the nostalgic voice, she turned her head toward the door.

    ¡°Cloud, that¡¯s you?¡±

    ¨C That¡¯s right. I¡¯ll be entering.

    The door opened and a red-haired handsome man came inside. Leslie¡¯s expression, which had been diplomatically cold, brightened.

    ¡°You are back. When did youe?¡±

    ¡°Just a while ago. How¡¯s it going? And how have you been while I was gone?¡±

    ¡°Not so spectacr. You can see why.¡±

    Leslie pointed to the pile of papers on her desk with a nce.

    ¡°I have a lot of work, but there is no one to energize me.¡±

    Cloudughed awkwardly at her smile, chilling smile.

    ¡°Sorry. At least, there have been results. The princess has decided to seed the King.¡±

    ¡°That is a very good news. The surrounding lords are already somewhat skittering to move.¡±

    ¡°If the princess is bequeathed the throne and I dere that I take her as the official queen, it¡¯ll be alright. There¡¯ll be no more argument for them to y over.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t snag you when you left with the princess.¡±

    Sweeping in front of Cloud before he knew it, she gently stroked his cheek and kissed him.

    The kisssted for a long stretched duration.

    As if she was going to ingrain every moment she had missed out.

    When their lips parted, Leslie¡¯s pale face was painted with a blush.

    Hearing Cloud chuckle, she turned her back shyly.

    ¡°I have a couple of letters for you, Cloud.¡±

    ¡°Letters, for me?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Leslie pulled out two envelopes from her desk drawer and handed them to him.

    Both letters had seals on the wax, one with the Perdiac family crest and the other with an unknown one.

    ¡°Is this a seal you know?¡±

    ¡°No. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever seen this crest. To find the sender, I leafed through all family crests, but in the end I still couldn¡¯t find it. I don¡¯t think we will know who sent it until we check the content.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ Thanks anyway. When do you think today¡¯s workload will end?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just as clueless. I might have to stay up all night again.¡±

    ¡°¡­this, every bit of this must be difficult. Would you like me to apany you?¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? I¡¯m not a narrow-minded woman to hold on to the man who has just returned from a journey. You must be tired, so stop thinking about me and go back and get some rest.¡±

    ¡°¡­Thank you. Then I will.¡±

    As he was about to leave the office, he asked one more question before he left as he stopped short at the doorway.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard Ophelia doesn¡¯te out of her room often, do you know what going on with her?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m not in knowledge of what Ophelia is doing. It¡¯s been a while since I left this office.¡±

    Cloud couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly at Leslie¡¯s revtion.

    * * *

    I returned to my room and opened the sealing wax with the wing-shaped crest engraved on the p.

    I was also curious about the letter from Frillite¡¯s family, but right now I was more curious about this mysterious letter.

    I unfolded the letter.

    ====================== Bombardment x3 There are only three more chances left.

    After reading the letter, I was momentarily at a loss for words.

    Because I immediately understood what it was all about.

    There¡¯s no way she didn¡¯t see the skill used to annihte the Heavenly King, but I thought it was just strangely quiet.

    ¡®She was thinking about how many bombs to give.¡¯

    Treating my friend¡¯s skill as a bomb¡­

    I raised my head and looked up at the ceiling.

    ¡°Three is too few. Let¡¯s sort it out at five.¡±

    -¡­

    Naturally, there was no response.

    What a supercilious jackass.

    " "

 Chapter 109.1: Queen Maker (9)

    ¡®What a doleful read.¡¯

    It would be like a witch ying with a man¡¯s innocence. Exactly, that.

    I crumpled the letter from the Goddess and was about to throw it to the corner of the room, but paused. If someone misunderstood this letter, sphemy will be more of my concern, for anybody would think the sender had dared to use the name of the Goddess arbitrarily. So burning with a candle seemed a better alternative.

    It calcined well.

    After burning the letter, I turned my attention to the remaining letter.

    A letter from the Perdiac family.

    ¡®Who send it? It could be Frillite, but¡­¡¯

    Expectations were not wrong.

    ============================== Dear Cloud.

    I¡¯vee to hear what has transpired in Lupus.

    It is said that you, alone, defeated a Heavenly King.

    I¡¯d be lying if I say I wasn¡¯t surprised when I heard the news. Because it was impossible for you, the you I saw thest time we met.

    But before questioning, there is something I must say.

    Congrattions.

    Defeating a Heavenly King alone is a feat that no other Hero of the time, including myself, has achieved.

    You are worthy of being touted, as people call you now, the Greatest Hero.

    Now that your achievements have been recognized by the Pope, no one will ever doubt your abilities.

    No one will be able to make fun of you employing your origin as an excuse.

    The dishonorable title of the Ipetent Hero will also fade.

    I can¡¯t even imagine how much effort you must¡¯ve put in until now.

    I¡¯m really proud of you as a friend.

    And I have something to tell you about. It is also the main reason for writing this letter. You may wonder why I didn¡¯t just state it in the letter, but I want to say this face to face.

    Just think of it as my obstinacy.

    To be honest, I want to head for Lupus right away, but I have too many responsibilities to do so.

    You¡¯ll be busy in your own way, so you won¡¯t have time toe see me either.

    Still, I would like you to participate in the Imperial Banquet that will be held in a few months. I will also participate even if I¡¯ve to split the time I don¡¯t have of much.

    I miss your sillyugh.

    Hope to see you again soon.

    ¡°Who writes an informal letter so formally?¡±

    But on second thought, Frillite¡¯s speech had always been like that: austere and reserved.

    Still, it was good to hear from her.

    Rather good.

    I felt like I was talking to her just reading through the letter.

    ¡®It¡¯s been a long time, I wanna see you too.¡¯

    The shy expression that sometimes sprang on her mirthless face was rather cute.

    ¡°What are you looking at, smiling like that?¡±

    I quickly swivelled around to the voice emerging from right behind me. Katarina, who had just washed her hair and was drying the scarlet cascade of strands, tilted her head.

    ¡°What kind of letter is it that the normally sensitive Hero wouldn¡¯t even notice a presence gaining on him?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a letter from a friend.¡±

    I answered, then folded my letter and put it under my coat.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t Frillite the name of another Hero?¡±

    My body stiffened at the words she spat out.

    ¡®Did she see?¡¯

    I was bowled over.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. To be precise, the Hero of the Empire.¡±

    ¡°¡­I recall the Hero of the Empire being a woman.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°The two of you even exchange letters¡­¡±

    Katarina stared at me with a half-lidded gaze. At that, I felt like hitting my forehead! Come on.

    ¡°Are you even suspicious of receiving letters from my friends? You¡¯re so doubting!¡±

    ¡°Doubting? Hey! Okay, let¡¯s just say I¡¯m over-possessive. Then what about the smile you just made? What is that bright yet hearty smile I¡¯ve never seen before? That¡¯s not the smile you¡¯d elicit getting a friend¡¯s letter!¡±

    ¡°¡­was my expression like that?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you bastard!¡±

    Katarina suddenly grabbed me by the cor and threw me onto the bed. She climbed onto my stomach and bit on my neck.

    It didn¡¯t hurt because didn¡¯t nibble hard.

    More of a feral gesture of discontent mixed with grumbling.

    I said, gently stroking her hair.

    ¡°She is just a friend. I¡¯ve never even held her hand.¡±

    ¡°¡­really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    I nodded my head without hesitation.

    I¡¯ve rested my head on her shoulder and linked arms, but never held her hand, so it was not a lie.

    ¡°In the first ce, the world we live in is so different. She¡¯s the eldest daughter of one of the exalted noble families in the Empire. What she¡¯scking to see in me?¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    ¡°When did you be so easy to understand?¡±

    I grabbed her by the waist and turned her body over.

    We were now upside down as her body writhed beneath mine.

    ¡°The real reason you¡¯re upset isn¡¯t because of that letter just now, but because I¡¯ve been out with the princess for two months, right?¡±

    ¡°Does everything gets to you btedly?¡±

    Katarina propped her head aside, snorting. I smiled and gently stroked the rear of her head.

    ¡°Sorry. It was important.¡±

    ¡°You could have gone together with me.¡±

    ¡°Then how would you¡¯ve levelled up? Were you nning to remain the most flimsy one of us?¡±

    ¡°Hey¡­eup?!¡±

    Seeing veins protruding from her forehead, I quickly kissed her. She frowned, her brows creasing as if she didn¡¯t like it, but gently rubbed her thighs against mine.

    We were in the middle of kissing each other hard, mixing her tongue with mine.

    Suddenly, the content of the letter came to my mind.

    ¡®What is it you must say face to face?¡¯

    I ruminated but nothing noteworthy came to my mind.

    * * *

 Chapter 109.2: Queen Maker (9)

    About a month has passed since I brought the princess.

    We really have had a good time this month.

    ¨C Katarina, the other side is empty! Aren¡¯t you nking on too fast?!

    ¨C Katarina, are you actually sleeping inbat? No matter how much sleep youck, this is not the time!

    ¨C Katarina, aaaa! I told you to be careful and not to step on the trap!!!

    Exploring the dungeons where the gears of previous Heroes were stowed.

    ¨C Katarina, dodge my strikes. Training.

    ¨C Hurts? I hit you saying it will hurt, but of course it should hurt. Avoid it if you don¡¯t want to get hurt!

    ¨C Spirits are not Shedia¡¯s toys!

    I honed her skills through sparring and training.

    Come to think of it, it seems like I¡¯ve been grinding Katarina a lot¡­ but what to do?

    She gets airheaded with monsters.

    Eri, Neria, and Ophelia have all gone through this phase, so it isn¡¯t as if the situation is unfair.

    And the results are as exceptional as the effort put in.

    =========== Lv.56

    Strength: C (364)+(66) Agility: B (411) Durability: C (308) Mana: C (300) ============

    Right now, my stats have risen to such a scale, and there also has been progress with Katarina¡¯s.

    She, who was in herte 10s, is now looking up to be in herte 30s.

    This is what she aplished in just three months.

    It is truly an astonishing rate of growth.

    Of course, it helped that I reaped off quite a lot of experience points, plus the speed was possible because I ate the beast cores that the Kingdom had stocked up.

    ¡®There were many beast cores to consider they were using them efficiently.¡¯

    It was enough to recover my stats, which had been reduced by 10% due to the side effects of using the [Glyph of Heroes].

    ¡°Cloud, are you really okay with just that earring?¡±

    Leslie, who was looking at the papers, asked, looking at my ear.

    I touched the earring dangling from my earlobe.

    Round, jade-colored earring without any runes adorned.

    It was the only item I had picked out of the loot I got from the dungeon. It made sense she was asking.

    ¡°I said it before. This is enough.¡±

    Contrary to its normal appearance, these earrings have a background: the prolific Dwarf King made them from the scales of the Dragon King.

    As such, the effect is excellent.

    When used, the mana harnessed in the earring wraps around the user¡¯s body to create a protective shield. As the Dragon King¡¯s scales are the forging ingredients, the mana that can be contained is considerable, so the conjured protective shield is very powerful.

    Although it onlysts 3 seconds, so what?

    It¡¯s enough if I could chew up a special move of my adversary.

    It¡¯s extravagant to wish for more.

    ¡°When will they elect a new Archbishop? Because of that, the coronation keeps getting dyed.¡±

    The coronation ceremony, an event that announces the official ession to the throne.

    In order to hold the coronation ceremony, an Archbishop recognized by the church ispulsory, but the seat of the Archbishop of the Kingdom of Prona is currently vacant.

    After the execution of the Archbishop, who shook hands with the demons, the newly elected Archbishop also died in the Heavenly King incident.

    ¡°I asked about that too, but it seems that they are having difficulties because there is no suitable candidate.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s a problem of theirs, there¡¯s nothing we can do about it.¡±

    If they put up a weirdo into the Archbishop¡¯s seat, we can get f**ked up once again.

    As I was wetting my parched lips, someone knocked on the door of Leslie¡¯s office.

    ¨C Hero, are you inside?!

    ¡°Yes, I am here. Why?¡±

    ¨C I, I think you shoulde out and see it yourself!

    ¡°Alright?¡±

    When I opened the door outward, I saw Selenion drenched in sweat. When I asked what was going on, he pointed outward with his index finger.

    ¡°An army¡­ an army has gathered outside the walls!¡±

    ¡°?¡±

    What kind of new bullshit is this?

    I tilted my head, nonplussed, to which Selenion urged me toe out and see myself.

    Eventually, I followed his advice and went up to the wall with Leslie, and I was able to see.

    An army sprawled out in front of Lupus¡¯ east gate.

    ¡°Is that the army of the Kingdom of Carta?¡±

    ¡°It seems so. Not only the royal family but also several aristocratic families are mixed.¡±

    ¡°Oh? But why is that thing over there?¡±

    I pointed to the g of Duke Oller, the ruler of the southern region of Prona.

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s not just the Duke of Oler family and their vassal families. There are also families that are said to be the finest in the East.¡±

    ¡°So, mutiny, is it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but it seems that way under the current circumstances.¡±

    I had been wondering why no one spotted the movement of Carta¡¯s army, but it would make sense if the eastern nobles had turned their backs.

    The Kingdom of Carta upied the east of the Kingdom of Prona.

    ¡°Huh, now, why would they bring the army? It¡¯s not like they would want to go to war at the current timing.¡±

    Although we suffered great damage, Lupus was victorious in a battle against a Heavenly King.

    Commencing a war before Lupus even recovers is also a challenge to the Church¡¯s authority, that calls for extinction.

    No matter how crazy some of these sods are, it won¡¯t be worth not giving the Church face.

    The question was resolved upon reading the letter brought by the messenger from the other side.

    ¡°On their way to the Kingdom of Alitia, we have to give shelter?¡±

    It sounded like something you¡¯d read in a history book.

    ¡°This is so nonsensical.¡±

    Leslie said as she closed the letter.

    I nodded and agreed.

    The Kingdom of Carta is famous not only for its knight families but also for its shipbuilding and sailing skills. As written in the letter, if they simply intended to go to the Kingdom of Alitia, they would have chosen the sea route rather than thend.

    Even if the ground route was chosen due to unavoidable circumstances, this letter should have been sent before marching over the troops to Lupus.

    In other words, asking was just a justification.

    The real intention was to swallow Lupus.

    ¡°Alright, the army has been brought in to create coercion.¡±

    Perhaps, after swallowing Lupus, they would really head to the Kingdom of Alitia.

    As I was lost in thought thrumming the parapet with my fingers, the soldier who had brought the letter earlier came up to the walls again.

    ¡°Apologies, esteemed Hero, but the other side is pushing for an answer.¡±

    ¡°You mean they won¡¯t even give me the time to think.¡±

    As if on cue, Leslie immediately gave orders to the soldier.

    ¡°Stretch out the time no matter what excuse you have. Ignore them even if they prod for an answer. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    The soldier answered energetically and scuttled down the wall again.

    ¡°This bought us a little bit of time. In the meantime, I need to think of a solution¡­¡±

    ¡°Hey, Leslie. Didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t have enough money to rebuild Lupus?¡±

    ¡°Yes? Ah yes. I told you two weeks ago.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s take that money from them.¡±

    At my sudden pronouncement, she opened her eyes wide. She thought for a moment, then smiled.

    ¡°Will¡­ that be so?¡±

    An impish smile.

 Chapter 110.1: Queen Maker (10)

    <strong>Proofreader: Ray </strong>

    ¡°¡­Only your esteemed selves cane in and out. And each can only be apanied by up to four escorts.¡±

    Having finished his part, the messenger of Lupus bowed his head.

    He did it to keep his manners, but more so because he couldn¡¯t ovee the heavy air hovering in the tent and the stinging res directed at him.

    ¡°¡­It was not enough to make us wait for several hours, now you¡¯re limiting the number of people who can enter.¡±

    One of the men sitting at the table murmured.

    ¡°Is this the will of Her Highness?¡±

    Calion Oller.

    As the eldest son of the Oller family, the de facto ruler of the southern region of the Kingdom of Prona, he revealed his displeasure without filter.

    The messenger opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it. For he had beenmanded not to answer whatever they asked.

    ¡°Looks so.¡±

    And that silence was epted by Calion as affirmation.

    ¡°Haha! It seems that Her Highness, the new Queen, is quite apprehensive of us.¡±

    The name of the man smiling cheerfully adjacent to Lorian was Louis Sentry.

    He was the eldest son of Count Sentry, who heralded the eastern region of the Kingdom of Prona.

    ¡°It would be more correct to see it as a wiser choice.¡±

    The brown-haired handsome man shook his head.

    Lorian Cartar.

    The powerful sessor to the Kingdom of Carta, and one of the only four Heroes on the continent.

    When he spoke, the nobles who had been whispering among themselves all paid attention to him.

    Which was enough to show his ce in this alliance.

    He quietly enjoyed the silence and continued.

    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t change it bes risky for us too, there are too few people you are allowing to enter.¡±

    The ones allowed to enter Lupus were Lorian and his party members, Calion and Lewis, and four of their own escort knights.

    ¡°Suppose, I assume there will be very little of that, but if an impure intention begets on the other side, we will be helpless. How is this not different from asking us to deliver ourselves into the tiger¡¯s mouth?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Go back. Go and speak our mind to your master.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Just when the messenger, who had lightly bowed, turned his back and was about to leave the tent.

    ¡°If there¡¯s no rectification, you better note back.¡±

    Words Lorian spat out quietly turned into a proverbial dagger and flew at the messenger. The messenger swallowed a mouthful of saliva in cold sweat.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    The messenger bowed his head once more toward the inside of the tent and hurried for the castle. After the messenger left, Lorian¡¯s expression, which had been solemnly stiff, turned somewhat lukewarm.

    Seeing that, Lewis quickly ttered.

    ¡°As expected, those who inherit the lineage of the royal family are different no matter what. There is a candid dignity to your voice. When you said those words to the messenger just now, his face dropped dramatically, haha.¡±

    ¡°I just said what I had to say, it¡¯s unnecessary to bring it up like that.¡±

    Lorian smiled lightly and epted Lewis¡¯ tant ttery. Other aristocrats, who had been paying attention to him, began to tter him in order to get his attention.

    The tent, which was freezing until just now, was filled withughter.

    Time passed like that.

    ¡®These people know no shame.¡¯

    Lorraine, who was apanying Lorain soon got tired with the banal fawning.

    They were an alliance, there wasn¡¯t a need to stoop so low¡­

    ¡®Older brother would always listen to it in moderation and make them stop. Why is he liking it so much today?¡¯

    Lorraine let out a small sigh as she skillfully received tteries around her. She should know. That was all for managing image and personal connections.

    But it wasn¡¯t just today¡¯s instance that made her think this way.

    Lately, Lorian had been more likely to hold a pen than a sword.

    He was certain he would inherit the throne, so he slowly worked for thetter.

    Solidifying his support base was certainly a good move.

    ¡®But there are priorities.¡¯

    Lorraine wasn¡¯t happy with Lorian¡¯s behaviortely.

    Because, just like she thought, he yed with the pen rather than the sword.

    No.

    He wasn¡¯t neglecting martial arts either.

    He regrly went out to cull monsters, practised every night so that his skills wouldn¡¯t go dull, and recently acquired an incredible set of equipment.

    Far from declining, he was much stronger than before.

    Then, what was the real reason for Lorraine¡¯s bad mood?

    The answer was not difficult.

    ¡®¡­Even if I ask for sparring, he won¡¯t do it because he¡¯s always busy.¡¯

    She felt disgruntled with her older brother, who neglected her with the excuse of being busy.

    While a grumpy expression was creeping on Lorraine¡¯s face, the knight guarding the doorway of the tent walked inside. Seeing him enter, Lorian raised his right hand. The nobles shut their mouths as if they had been perfectly silent.

    Lorraine propped her gaze over on the knight.

    ¡°The Hero Cloud has arrived.¡±

    The knight¡¯s words, more precisely the name of the man he had spoken, stuck in Lorraine¡¯s ears. She opened her eyes wide as if she had been hit in the back of the head with a sledgehammer.

    She wasn¡¯t the only one surprised.

    The other nobles in the tent, as well as Lorian, were momentarily agitated.

    It was not unusual for the leadership from both camps to meet and talk. However, it was strange, the leader of the enemy side was visiting the other camp.

    Of course, they were not at war right now.

    Though, they didn¡¯t seem far off either.

    It required gut and self-confidence.

    ¡°He is bold. Great. Please let him in.¡±

    Shortly after the knight left, a man with a crimson g for hair came inside. His appearance was the most outstanding of the ones in the tent.

    Hero Cloud.

    In the past, he was an insignificant Hero who was below nondescript, but now he was a man who had literally created a miracle.

    All attention was focused on him.

    Among them was Lorraine.

    ¡®Cloud¡­!¡¯

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 110.2: Queen Maker (10)

    ¡®Cloud¡­!¡¯

    The demonic man who had trampled on her innocence and virtue!

    Lorraine red at him with a hot, smothering gaze. Perhaps he felt the look in her eyes, he turned his head right towards her.

    ¡®Uh?!¡¯

    The one left embarrassed was Lorraine.

    Cloud peeked at her and gave her a wink. It happened so quickly that others couldn¡¯t see it, but she saw it clearly.

    ¡®This lip rapis??!¡¯

    Lorraine¡¯s eyelids quivered.

    But when she snarled, he had already turned his gaze elsewhere.

    Cloud left the trembling Lorraine behind and slumped into the chair brought by the knight. As he leaned back against the backrest, for some reason, a slightlyckadaisical attitude was portrayed.

    In the silence that ensued for a moment, it was Lorian who spoke first.

    ¡°Long time no see. Thest time I saw¡­¡±

    ¡°Cull the greetings, let¡¯s get right to the point.¡±

    Cloud interrupted Lorian with an openly exasperated voice. His rudeness made the people who were boot licking Lorian croak. However, Lorian, the person in charge, only slightly wiggled his eyebrows.

    ¡°Did you ask for an increase in the number of people allowed to enter? I¡¯ll start with the conclusion. No.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not asking because you don¡¯t know, are you?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want myself satisfied with such a vague answer. Kindly exin properly why you can¡¯t provide a ce to rest for the staff of the Army marching to support the Kingdom of Alitia.¡±

    ¡°First military pressure, then just motive, got yourself quite the toys to y, uh?¡±

    Cloud looked at Lorian with a disgruntled expression. When that expression wasbined with his slightly informal posture, it birthed a great synergy.

    ¡°Hero Warrior. Your behavior is a bit rude. Even though you are a Hero, just the same, Hero Lorian is the Prince of the Kingdom of Carta. We¡¯ll want you to be polite.¡±

    One of the nobles of the Kingdom of Carta, who could not hold back his anger, said it as if to bludgeon him.

    At his words, Lorian clicked his tongue inwardly, and Cloud responded as if he had just been waiting.

    ¡°Politeness? Who gave you the right to stand on high moral ground and demand politeness and civility when your barge your way, with an army, pounding at the doors of an uninformed host¡¯s house?¡±

    ¡°¡­We are sorry about that.¡±

    Cloud snickered at the apology that didn¡¯t look boding well for the aristocrat.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t considering apologizing to the messenger, did you, then? As soon as the poor guy arrived, he flopped down, sweating loads. So I halted writing my ¡®polite¡¯ letter and came all the way here.¡±

    His words were uncourtly, coarse.

    But no one objected.

    Even if this n were to seed, it didn¡¯t mean Cloud will lose out. Judging from his rapid growth, there was a high possibility that he would continue to win and hoist up in the future.

    That¡¯s why they didn¡¯t want to be remembered by him for nothing.

    There was no love lost between Lorian and Cloud, but just because Lorian was present currently didn¡¯t mean he would always protect them.

    Maybe if things gotplicated, he might even cast away a sacrifice or two.

    So the nobles kept their mouths shut.

    Sweeping his gaze at the nobles who remained silent, Lorian sighed.

    ¡°I present my deep apologies both to you and the princess. But we couldn¡¯t help it either. The request for support from the Kingdom of Alitia seemed very urgent. We forgot the basics because we only thought about advancing briskly. ept our sincere apologies.¡±

    Lorian lightly tipped his head forward.

    In response to his apology, Cloud¡¯s demeanor became colder rather than milder.

    His frivolousness erased, he said coldly.

    ¡°You know how farcical this looks? You guys seemed to be dering war on the Kingdom of Prona. That¡¯s no different from questioning the authority of the Church when this is the site where a Heavenly King was vanquished.¡±

    ¡°We never intended to do that.¡±

    ¡°Even if you didn¡¯t mean it, the result won¡¯t change. I will send a letter to the Empire and the Church to formally protest on this matter.¡±

    ¡°Once again, we present our apologies on the matter, but it will only getplicated to stretch this further.¡±

    ¡°Whatplications? No matter where you look, the fault¡¯s yours.¡±

    ¡°I concur. However, if our forces are forced to retreat now, the Kingdom of Alitia will suffer devastating damage from the Orcs. You know they¡¯reing.¡±

    ¡°Ah, what bothers me is not the Kingdom of Alitia, but you. The scattered-brained slipshod idea to impose the moral absurdity no sane mind would believe. Huh, could this be called a political threat?¡±

    A chilling conversation.

    The aristocrats in the tent darted their gazes at each other, the atmosphere was heavy, where des colliding against each other seemed likely to happen any moment.

    If a fight broke out between the two Heroes, they would be the first to be swept to death, so they had no choice but to be perceptive to momentary changes.

    Fortunately, the pensive atmosphere did notst long.

    ¡°I have no intention of threatening you. I just said that all three Kingdoms could suffer great losses from this incident.¡±

    ¡°If we let you go beyond this, only we will lose.¡±

    ¡°Then, we will make amends for those losses.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m aware the damage the Heavenly King has done to the city is great. To the point where citizens are not even equipped with basic food, clothing, and shelter.¡±

    They would provide food, water, and sustenance.

    They could afford enough because they¡¯d have prepared enough supplies for various situations.

    Lorian¡¯s proposal was something like that.

    After thinking about it for a while, Cloud added one more condition.

    ¡°That¡¯s not enough.¡±

    ¡°¡­anything more you want? Tell me. I shall ept it as long as it is not unreasonable.¡±

    ¡°Huh, not unreasonable? Then pay the toll.¡±

    This time, Lorian was silent.

    Again, it wasn¡¯t long.

    ¡°All right. We will remunerate. How much will it be?¡±

    When Lorian epted hisst offer, Cloud grinned.

    ¡°Wee to Lupus, guests. Please, let¡¯s negotiate the intricate details inside.¡±

    The cold expression from before morphed into a warm smile so bright that the distant demeanor was nowhere to be found.

    * * *

 Chapter 110.3: Queen Maker (10)

    Something was disconcerting.

    Lorian thought so.

    The n had worked.

    The number of people allowed to enter the city had also been elevated.

    As desired, all nobles were being allowed to enter the city. Instead, the number of escorts assorted to each person; the retainers they could bring with was reduced to two, but that was no big issue.

    What mattered, and important was that they all came together.

    Pretending to sympathize and stealthily unpacking and distributing the ration supply was also sessful. With their overwhelming quantity and quality, it would not be a that hard task to capture the food flow of the city.

    And to seize the food flow in crumbling, starving cities like these was to seize power.

    From that perspective, in retrospect, the toll negotiations were an advantageous happenstance for them.

    Because time was on their side.

    ¡®¡­Strange.¡¯

    It was nice that the n had worked out faithfully.

    But it had worked out¡­ too well.

    Like puzzle pieces fitting together¡­

    The doubt that kept gnawing at his heart wasrgely resolved the moment he entered Lupus.

    ¡®The damage is more serious than expected.¡¯

    The streets were lined with beggars begging for just a quarter penny, the sight was aggravating for anyone to believe it was the Capital City of a Kingdom.

    ¡®They must be horribly starving.¡¯

    To the point they fought and devoured the apple he gave out to the core, even the seeds.

    Then what he ought to do was simple.

    All he would have to do was to make the apples so sweet they wouldn¡¯t realise they were swallowing poison.

    Yes, that was it.

    Then he can¡­

    Something stuck.

    ¡®Why? What¡¯s the matter?¡¯

    Lorian, who continued to think, immediately recalled the conversation he had with Cloud at the camp.

    He had apparently came out in the middle of writing a letter.

    ¡®Why had he been writing a letter?¡¯

    Maybe the letter could be a variable.

    Lorian, who wanted to thoroughly prune out the variable from the n, stuck next to Cloud and quietly inquired.

    ¡°Oh, that? Frillite.¡±

    He answered airily, to the extent as if Lorian was vain to ask about it.

    ¡°Right. My apologies for being intrusive¡­¡±

    It was so airily that he almost slipped by.

    ¡®Wait.¡¯

    Lorian¡¯s steps stalled.

    ¡°¡­what did you just say? A letter to whom?¡±

    ¡°Did you not hear? It¡¯s a letter to Frillite.¡±

    Was it an illusion that Cloud subtlety brightened mentioning Frillite?

    No. In the grand scheme of things, that didn¡¯t credit importance. For now.

    Lorian frowned and criticized.

    ¡°Why are you writing a letter to Frillite? You should know she is very busy. The time to get your letter¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know, she¡¯s busy. But if you receive a letter, you have to write a reply in regard out of courtesy, Prince Lorian.¡±

    Thud! Lorian felt his heart drop.

    ¡°The letter¡­ you got it..? You got..? From her..?¡±

    His voice, which had not been affected even in the freezing battle of wills, quivered violently.

    It was gibberish.

    Frillite had said she had never written a letter to anyone. When she needed to send a letter, she had someone else ghostwrite it.

    She couldn¡¯t have written a letter to this man¡­

    ¡°Really. Wanna see?¡±

    Cloud pulled out a parchment of paper from his bosom.

    It was a letter envelope.

    Treated with such great care that even the sealing wax used to seal the letter still adorned the letter.

    ¡°Look. Isn¡¯t it real?¡±

    He tapped the center of the wax seal with his index finger.

    The motif stamped in the center of the wax was a crest Lorian knew well.

    How could he not.

    It was the family crest of the woman he loved.

    Lorian tipped his head forward.

    He couldn¡¯t believe it.

    He just didn¡¯t want to believe it.

    However, no matter how much he denied reality, it didn¡¯t mean that nothing had happened.

    He had to admit.

    Frillite wrote her first letter.

    Not to Lorian, but to Cloud.

    His heart ached and eyes watered.

    He bit his lower lip to fight back the pooling tears from dripping, but it was not enough to stop the blood that trickled down his heart.

    Tuk. Tuk.

    Tears fell drop by drop, soaking the floor.

    ¡®Why¡­ only do the likes of you always decorate her first memories?¡¯

    After light skinship and drinks, now even a letter.

    What was next?

    Just imagining it makes his heart rattle painfully.

    ¡°What? Why are you like this?¡±

    Cloud¡¯s voice sounded flustered.

    Bastard.

    He clearly knew about Lorian¡¯s adoration and love for Frillite, considering the smirk he showed Lorian the other day; but was now pretending to be naive. Disgusting bastard.

    ¡®Wait, does he¡­?¡¯

    Lorian¡¯s head whirred quickly as he recalled the past.

    When talking in the tent, Cloud was sarcastic and intoned his words in a pulling tone.

    Lorian thought it was just psychological warfare he was using to take the lead in the conversation.

    But what if it was not?

    What if it was just groundwork for mentioning the letter rather than a psychological warfare?

    ¡°Hey, are you really crying?¡±

    Lorian raised his head.

    He saw Cloud¡¯s face desperately suppressing a cracklingugh.

    ¡°You son of a b!tch!¡±

    Lorian couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer and threw out his fist.

 Chapter 111.1: Queen Maker (11)

    ¡°¡­I apologize for the rudeness I showed to you earlier. Please overlook our transgression.¡±

    In the wake of the racket, Lorian, who had his head cooled down, sat at the inn table, smiling politely and apologized.

    It was Leslie, not Cloud, who responded to his apology.

    ¡°As if it wasn¡¯t enough that you brought an entire army without any pronouncement, you very well tried to assault Cloud. Even though it was only an attempt¡­ You know it¡¯s not an issue that will end with a simple apology, right? You will have to concede a bit in this negotiation.¡±

    She fired her points one after another in her characteristic cold tone.

    ¡°¡­the rumors that the new Grand Duchess of the Principality has joined the Cloud¡¯s party as his colleague are well met.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, right. So, I would like you to look at me as Cloud-sama¡¯s colleague, and not as the Grand Duchess of the Principality. The chatter ends here. Let¡¯s move on to negotiating the toll.¡±

    The reason they had gathered here was not to wee Lorian and the others as guests. They had gathered to get a reasonable fee from the uninvited guests.

    That¡¯s why she didn¡¯t bother wasting time with useless bluff.

    Lorian sped his hands together and nodded.

    ¡°Alright. How much do you want?¡±

    ¡°30 million gold.¡±

    The meeting room tinged with silence. The words, 30 million, echoed in their ears.

    Lorian¡¯s expression hardened.

    ¡°You are asking for too much.¡±

    ¡°Are we? I think this is meagrepared to the risk our side faces and the potential losses.¡±

    Leslie replied with a grin.

    ¡°Then I think the risk is overstated. Our army is justmuting through the Kingdom of Prona on the way to support the Kingdom of Alitia.¡±

    ¡°The army itself is a big threat to the Kingdom. Especially in times like this.¡±

    There was a heated negotiation between Lorian and Leslie to set the toll. While the two were negotiating, neither the Princess nor Cloud offered an opinion.

    It had been discussed in advance that Leslie would be entrusted with this negotiation.

    It was the same on Lorian¡¯s side.

    Most of the nobility kept their mouths shut and paid attention to Leslie and Lorian¡¯s conversation.

    Of course, there were also those who did not.

    ¡®Huh¡­¡¯

    Lewis Sentry.

    The eldest son of the Sentry family, the acimed loser of the Eastern region of Prona, he admired the women sitting across him.

    Duchess Leslie handling the negotiations and the downcast princess were also beautiful, but there was another woman who caught his eye.

    Lewis tapped the nobleman sitting next to him. When he turned around, he pointed at the woman with his chin and asked.

    ¡°Do you know who that knight is?¡±

    ¡°Who are you talking about¡­ oh, you mean Miss Neria?¡±

    ¡°Hoh, so her name is Neria? It¡¯s a pretty name¡­but somehow it¡¯s familiar.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s natural. She is a member of the Hero¡¯s party, Hero Cloud¡¯s colleague. Don¡¯t you know the Hero¡¯s party of your kingdom?¡±

    ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t prominently travel outside my manor.¡±

    When the aristocrat asked incredulously, Lewis scratched his cheek shyly. Then he looked at Neria again and murmured.

    ¡°Right. Neria, huh¡­¡±

    He was well aware of the rumors about Neria.

    * * *

    The first seating of negotiations broke down.

    It was because Lorian, who had to somehow drag the time, deliberately didn¡¯t reach an agreement.

    Negotiations broke down and the participants went their separate ways.

    Cloud was the same.

    He was set for upstairs to discuss the future premises with Leslie.

    If only Lorraine hadn¡¯t caught on.

    Cloud tilted his head at the sight of Lorraine sping onto his arm.

    ¡°What do you have to say?¡±

    ¡°What, what..?!¡±

    Lorraine was momentarily at a loss for words.

    After anticipating what he might bber in his defence, shetched onto him. However, Cloud broke all expectations and showed a brazen attitude.

    Did this man have a conscience?

    Feeling her heart whine, Lorraine just wanted to scream out loud, but managed to hold it back. If she got angry here, she would only fulfill what he intended.

    She wasn¡¯t stepping into a trap so easily.

    She took a deep breath to calm down and spoke again.

    ¡°Duel. We haven¡¯t reached an end yet, have we?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I win that already? You have already lost to me over ten times.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not over yet! Who dered it ended?!¡±

    ¡°Then when will it end?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    ¡®Until I win!¡¯ was what Lorraine almost replied, but she shut her mouth timely. All things considered, saying that loud was a quagmire.

    ¡°Yeah, when?¡±

    ¡°Sigh, stop being noisy! Shut up and prepare for a duel. Why are you chickening out now? You didn¡¯t when you did to me what you go around doing across the continent.¡±

    ¡°Did I end up f*cking you too?¡±

    ¡°F*ck you! I¡¯ll defeat you this time!¡±

    ¡°Crazy b!tch¡­¡±

    Lorraine unnatural obsession with the duels had Cloud fed up.

    ¡®This is the precursor to the very annoying nuancesing after.¡¯

    As he pondered over what excuse he should give to refuse, he remembered something and smiled.

    ¡°Sure. If you want to do that, let¡¯s do it. Duel.¡±

    ¡°From the very beginning¡­¡±

    ¡°Instead¡­¡±

    Cloud mped his fingers around Lorraine¡¯s shoulder. He leaned and whispered into her ear.

    ¡°Starting today, this won¡¯t end with just kisses. Are you sure about this now?¡±

    Lorraine flinched.

    What did he mean it just won¡¯t end with kisses?

    Was there something he could do more than kisses?

    What could be more than a kiss?

    Suddenly, the contents of the sex education she had received in her childhood came to her mind.

    Lorraine¡¯s eyes trembled incessantly.

 Chapter 111.2: Queen Maker (11)

    <strong>Proofreader: Rayjerk </strong>

    ¡®I-I don¡¯t think this is alright¡­¡¯

    More than a kiss? No, how could she. Even the thought was atrocious.

    ¡®Yeah, this can¡¯t be wagered.¡¯

    Let¡¯s not do it, she urged herself.

    Just when Lorraine opened her mouth to say no, Cloud smirked as if expecting her answer. The moment she saw that expression, something exploded, something in her that held her up broke.

    ¡°You are done for today! Grab your sword and follow me!¡±

    So she crossed the river from which she would never return.

    * * *

    It was alreadyte night when negotiations broke down. Neria looked up at the night sky and sighed.

    As Cloud¡¯s colleague, she liked being part of the negotiations.

    But that took up too much of her time.

    Neria trailed her way to the gymnasium with subdued steps. As she expected, there was no one present in the gymnasium.

    It seemed the knights had retired for today.

    Well, not like they had to stay and train all the time. Training results were highly efficient when apanied with proper rest.

    Neria mused and picked up her wooden sword and shield that sat in the corner of the gymnasium.

    She brandished her sword and shield to test her skills.

    When that was over, she created an imaginary enemy to fight.

    She took no breaks in between.

    She pushed her body to the limit to be better than yesterday.

    For nearly a year, her training routine had been like this.

    In addition, she did not fall asleep no matter howte it was if she did not finish the training allotted for the day.

    If her training ended early, she would do extra training until it was time to fall asleep.

    As a result, herplexion became haggardpared to her past self. To the extent that Cloud, who was worse off, forced her to bed, admonishing her to rest. No matter what she was doing, when he forced her to bed, she took a break.

    And the next day she continued to train as before.

    Nobody could understand her,prehend her actions; they questioned internally why she pushed herself so hard.

    But Neria had her own reasons.

    ¡®I have to be stronger to stay by Cloud¡¯s side,¡¯ Neria would think.

    In the past, she was weak.

    She swore to protect him, but she didn¡¯t have the strength to do so. That¡¯s why she had to leave the seat next to him, and that seat was taken by another woman.

    The only thing left for her now was aplimentary position by his side.

    She was in such a humble positionpared to before, but she was afraid of losing even that.

    So she swung the sword ardently.

    She braced her shield.

    Her whole body screamed, but it mattered little.

    As strenuous as it was, the fear and anxiety that gnawed at her heart disappeared along with.

    So she continued and continued, and did so all again.

    ¡°Ah, I wondered from where such sounds wereing in the middle of the night, so it¡¯s Miss Neria training.¡±

    Lewis Sentry walked into the gymnasium with two of his escort knights.

    Neria looked at him for a moment, then returned to her training.

    Lewis was slightly offended by the tant disregard, but he didn¡¯t bother showing it on his face.

    He smiled softly and spoke to her.

    ¡°I was at the table across you during the negotiations earlier, do you remember?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Looks like you didn¡¯t notice me. It¡¯s okay. Because I saw you.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Neria ignored Lewis¡¯ attempt at conversation and silently swung her sword.

    Every time the sword cut through the air, a loud whipping boom sounded in the ears of Lewis and his escort knights.

    As the knights admired her neat swordsmanship and the power behind her swings, Lewis approached her, schooling his smile.

    He had calcted that if he got close, he might get hit, so she would stop swinging her sword and shield, and then she wouldn¡¯t be able to ignore him anymore.

    ¡°Miss Neria. Will you please take a break from training and talk to me¡ªWoah?!¡±

    As the practice sword buzzed right across his face, Lewis fell backwards, bbergasted.

    ¡°Young Master! Are you alright?!¡±

    The escort knights who arrived btedly tried to raise him up, but he jerked out of their grasp roughly and stared at Neria, reclining on the floor.

    She was still wielding her sword and shield.

    Swinging down without fail. She didn¡¯t care.

    The face that had been filled with a smile distorted.

    Lewis was the eldest son of the House of Count Sentry.

    In the eastern region of the Kingdom of Prona, no one dared raising their voice in front of him.

    Having never been ignored, he wasn¡¯t used to this kind of neglect, so he couldn¡¯t help his wrath unbridled.

    If the individual who angered him this much had been an ordinary person, he would havepletely crushed them under his heel.

    Both physically and mentally.

    But the individual here was no ordinary character.

    She was a colleague of Cloud, the Hero of the Kingdom of Prona.

    Nothing good woulde from being hasty.

    In the end, Lewis couldn¡¯t do anything he wanted, and even had to leave with a stain on his honor.

    If it was up to this, it would have ended then and there.

    ¡°Acts like a ve to Gis and exhibits aloofness at others.¡±

    The problem was that his high self-esteem did not allow him to just leave, and the words he sarcastically said were, of course, reactive.

    Her sword and shield, which had never stopped since Lewis came, drooped in her pause.

    Neria stretched out her arms, hoisting her practice sword and shield slowly, very slowly.

    She slowly turned her head to stare at Lewis.

    ¡°What did you say..?¡±

    With a freezing cold gaze.

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 112.1: Queen Maker (12)

    T/L: I¡¯m busy with my exams that¡¯s why I¡¯m barely able to churn out chapters, so less chapters for this week. Plus, no updates next week. Regr updates would start from the week after. Ty~

    The man introduced himself as Lewis and started bbering.

    Judging by his fakeughs and smiles, his purpose was blunt obvious without asking. Having her training interrupted, she was slightly annoyed, but Neria shoved down the irritation and continued training.

    ¡°Acts like a ve to Gis and exhibits aloofness at others.¡±

    Until the name she didn¡¯t want to hear, words she didn¡¯t want to face slipped out of his mouth.

    Snapping her head at him, she stared at Louis with a chilling gaze.

    ¡°What did you say.?¡±

    On the opposite end of her frigid gaze, Lewis was taken aback for a moment. Why did a woman who had been ignoring all of his advances had a sudden change in her attitude? He just spat out incidentally to appease the unpleasant feeling lingering in his chest.

    ¡®Hmm? Ah¡­ Come to think of it, that¡¯s not far off.¡¯

    It was a thoughtless remark, but it must have gotten on the woman¡¯s nerves.

    Lewis smiled, leering, as he met Neria¡¯s cold eyes.

    ¡°I said: acts like a ve to Gis and exhibits aloofness to others.¡±

    He took special care of enunciating every syble and spoke loudly. Hopefully, those words would turn this cheeky woman¡¯s attitude upside down. It seemed he seeded when he saw that her already dead cold gaze felt even more menacing.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Neria took a step forward, closing in the distance between them, her gaze pinned on him.

    Lewis snickered.

    He seemed to have made her angry¡­

    ¡®What will she even do?¡¯

    Just as Lewis couldn¡¯t touch Neria, she couldn¡¯t touch him either.

    He was the eldest son of the Sentry family and one of the main yers in this negotiation.

    His opinion could capsize their momentum.

    If she even harbored any thoughts¡­

    ¡®W-Why? Why doesn¡¯t she stop?¡¯

    Neria footsteps didn¡¯t halt.

    Lewis bit his lip, slightly nervous. Maybe he was just trembling because he¡¯d trekked a long distance. But the chilling sensation, which increased each time she got closer, warned him of impending danger.

    Even the escort knights felt that energy, that uncanny aura.

    The two brought their hands to the sword hilts strapped to their waists.

    ¡°Miss Neria, please halt. If you approach any further, we will consider you a threat and take arms.¡±

    She trudged another step.

    ¡°Miss Neria!¡±

    One of his escort knights shouted high-handedly, but Neria did not pay heed. The moment she took another step, the two escort knights drew their swords without hesitation.

    A sh for her left thigh and a stab for her right shoulder.

    Neria veered her body to avoid the cuts, then deflected the stab with her sword.

    ¡°Ugh?!¡±

    The sword bounced violently to the side, and the knight¡¯s posture copsed.

    ¡®What kind of power is this?!¡¯

    One of the things swordsmen were most wary of was losing their posture. As a knight, he naturally knew that, and moved with the measured change in the center of gravity in all direction.

    But his posture copsed due to the sword swat that Neria had just swung. It was impossible without a huge difference in power.

    While the knight was shocked, Neria swung the shield on her left arm.

    ¡°Cheuk..!¡±

    A blow from her shield hammered the full te armor. The knight reeled while holding on to his stomach, then buckled to his knees.

    Taking advantage of that gap, the remaining knight burrowed into Neria¡¯s lower left.

    Whooop-!

    The sword turned blue.

    He raised the sword, brimming with sword energy and swung.

    He was thinking of amputating the entire arm beyond the shield.

    Tung.

    the shield blocked the intended sword.

    It wasn¡¯t even a normal metal shield, it was just a practice shield with some straps of iron encrusted to wood.

    ¡°What the hell¡­¡±

    He wasn¡¯t even given the chance to be shocked. Neria let go of her sword and punched him in the face, and he passed out with his morphed helmet on.

    ¡°What, what¡­ what are you guys doing?!¡±

    The ones surprised most about the situation was Lewis, not the two knights. Because the two knights, contenders for the rank of Knight Commander in the family, were defeated so easily that it seemed like a show. He couldn¡¯t believe the absurdity.

    However, unlike his thoughts, by naturalw, the result was apt.

    The two knights were level 34 and 37 respectively.

    On the other hand, Neria¡¯s level was 51.

    There stood a big difference in the basic physical ability.

    In addition, Neria had a record of winning, contending against eight knights at the same time. And not the likes of these bumpkins, but against the elite knights of the royal family. It would be strange for her to struggle against a couple of knights from the fringes of the Kingdom.

    Tang-!

    The knights dispatched, Neria threw the shield to the floor as well.

    She strode toward Lewis, her cold expression intact.

    A frightened Lewis backpedaled, but Neria came faster.

    She came right in front of his nose, and repeated, just like he had.

    ¡°What did you say? Say it again.¡±

    A haggard expression and cold eyes loomed over him.

 Chapter 112.2: Queen Maker (12)

    A haggard expression and cold eyes loomed over him.

    When the two were added, the pressure that weighed on Lewis was unusual. Amon individual would have tried to apologize and move on, but Lewis had a much stronger ego than a normal individual.

    He trembled inwardly but didn¡¯t betray his fear, straining his eyes.

    ¡°Acts like a ve to Gis and exhibits aloofness at others. What? Did I say something wrong?¡±

    Kwak.

    Neria clenched her fists.

    ¡°What are you going to do with your fists? Are you going to hit me? Hah, just go away. If you do that¡­ What?!¡±

    Lewis¡¯ body coiled like a hunchback.

    He shuddered as he held onto his stomach. Although Neria managed to calibrate her strength, he was not a person ustomed to suffering.

    Just when he felt like he was going to lose his mind, Neria raised her hand.

    Lewis, who saw, quickly came back to his senses.

    ¡°Stop it! I apologize for my mistake earlier. Please¡­¡±

    Thack-!

    But before he could finish his sentence, he was smacked and rolling on the floor.

    ¡°I, I¡¯m sorry. I was wrong¡­¡±

    Puck!

    Got kicked in the stomach by foot.

    ¡°Don¡¯t, please¡­¡±

    When the area that was hit was hit again, he started to feel difficulty in breathing. Neria stood and looked down at him as he groaned, unable to speak properly.

    ¨C Acts like a ve to Gis and exhibits aloofness at others.

    What Lewis had said echoed in her ears.

    Like a tide.

    The moment she heard the disgusting name, unpleasant memories, touches, and voicese to mind.

    Ah¡­ she hated¡­

    Why did he had to bring that name infront of her?

    Why make her re-experience that unpleasantness?

    Why make her angry?

    What wrong she had done to him?

    Why was he making things hard for her by bringing out that obnoxious name?

    Why did he had to say that?

    Why!!!

    A slimy mixture of disgust, hatred, displeasure, and anger med her eyes and ears.

    Neria lifted her foot.

    Just when she was about to hit Lewis hard.

    ¡°Neria.¡±

    She heard her favorite voice. Ironically, just hearing his voice once melted away all the stale emotions that shackled her.

    Neria turned towards the direction she heard his voice.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Cloud was there.

    ¡­with a woman who was said to be Lorian¡¯s younger sister.

    Why was he with that woman, especially at such ate hour?

    Wasn¡¯t his lover Katarina?

    Just when she couldn¡¯t stand the doubts and was about to ask about him.

    ¡°Wow¡­ you gave those yorkels quite a good beating. How are you going to take care of that now?¡±

    Seeing the copsed trio, Lorraine eximed in admiration.

    That awakened Neria¡¯s sense of reality.

    ¡®My, what have I done¡­¡¯

    She turned back to see the form of the one she had just battered.

    She couldn¡¯t even recall his name.

    However, seeing that he was apanied by two escort knights, he must have been a nobleman.

    Since she didn¡¯t know his face, he must be from Lorian¡¯s party currently negotiating with Lupus, and she assaulted such a person.

    What would be the aftermath of this incident?

    Would she be able to solve it alone?

    Probably not.

    They would try to take this incident as a pod and lead the negotiations to their advantage.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Cold sweat streamed from the back of Neria¡¯s neck.

    The fact that her own actions had be a nuisance to Cloud seemed to disorient her mind.

    Cloud put a hand on her shoulder.

    ¡°Are you okay? Are there any injuries?¡±

    ¡°Uh? Yes¡­¡±

    ¡°What are you asking about? Just looking at it, it was a one-sided attack¡­ Agh! You-you hit me?!¡±

    ¡°You should be shutting up by now. The moment you open your mouth again, you know you¡¯ll be rapped again.¡±

    Cloud raised his knuckles. After confirming that Lorraine¡¯s slightly parted lips were screwed shut, he turned his gaze back to Neria.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no¡­ that¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not pushing you, so don¡¯t be afraid. What have they done?¡±

    Cloud¡¯s voice was kind.

    In fact, it was more of a in tone rather than a kind one, but even that felt considerate to Neria, especially now.

    ¡®¡­just say it.¡¯

    She was unscathed and all of her opponents were on the floor.

    No matter how one looked at it, it only seemed like sheunched an one-sided assault. They had first quarreled and resisted with swords, but there were no eyewitnesses to testify.

    No one would believe her.

    ¡®But if it¡¯s Cloud¡­¡¯

    He might believe.

    No, he would believe her.

    Neria opened her mouth to exin what had just transpired.

    And she closed it again.

    At that, Cloud tilted his head.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? What are you trying to tell me?¡±

    He said it was okay and asked her to speakfortably, but she shook her head while keeping her mouth shut.

    She wanted to say something too.

    That aristocrat reminded her of painful memories by mentioning Gis.

    But she couldn¡¯t speak.

    She had already hurt Cloud a lot with Gis.

    How could she mention that man¡¯s name in front of Cloud?

    Just the mention of that man¡¯s nameing out of her mouth would bring back unpleasant memories for him.

    ¡®Ah¡­ Why can¡¯t I do anything properly?¡¯

    He had always been there for her.

    Why was it so different?

    Maybe he didn¡¯t need her¡­

    Neria lowered her head and spoke in a low voice.

    ¡°Sorry¡­¡±

    Emotions began to rise as she spoke those words. Sorrow punctuated by helplessness and guilt.

    Clenching her fists to hold back her tears, she spoke again.

    ¡°Sorry¡­¡±

    * * *

    Neria sobbing and Cloud pacifying her.

    Seeing the two of them, Lorraine strained her brows.

    ¡®The assaulter¡¯s crying after beating others?¡¯

    Who was actually crazy here?

 Chapter 113.1: Queen Maker (13)

    <strong>Proofreader: Rayjerk </strong>

    ¡°This won¡¯t be forgotten easily. I¡¯m Lewis Sentry. I will make everyone pay a fair price for the insult I¡¯ve received, in the name of my family!¡±

    Lewis grouched, brushing the dust off his clothes.

    When Neria was present, heid down and groaned, now that she had withdrawn, he was jumping on his feet, shouting and hollering.

    What kind of show was this in the middle of the night?

    I sighed and waved my palms.

    ¡°Alright. About that, I¡¯lle to your room in a little while, so let¡¯s talk about it then.¡±

    ¡°¡­You mean, you¡¯lle to my room? Today?¡±

    ¡°Why? Is there any reason not to?¡±

    ¡°Uh, no. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that. Then I¡¯ll be waiting. Hero.¡±

    As if his childish whining was a lie, he quickly changed his attitude. He kicked the fallen knights awake and scrambled away hurriedly.

    As I followed my gaze with them making a beeline for the exit, Lorraine came to my side.

    ¡°What are you thinking?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°That bastard, he¡¯s the heir of the Sentry family. Rumor has it that the heir is an idiot, but he¡¯s the part of the most powerful family in the eastern part of your Kingdom nevertheless. Since you defeated him like a rat, it would get annoying to handle in many ways.¡±

    I stared at Lorraine as she exined in an uncharacteristically calm tone. I opened my mouth just as she was about to return a look on what I was staring at.

    ¡°Are you worried about me right now?¡±

    ¡°What?! Don¡¯t be ridiculous! Why would I be worried about you!?¡±

    She raised her voice as she crossed her arms. Seeing her return to her usual antics, I shook my head.

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s no way a kid like you would be worried about others.¡±

    ¡°A kid like me?!¡±

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s have our duel.¡±

    I walked to one end of the gymnasium and stood.

    Lorraine gave me one of her those sharp, piercing res and soon stood opposite me.

    Her armament was as light as before.

    Only the vital parts adorned with metal, and the rest encased in thin leather.

    The armament design put weight on rapid movement.

    However, her armor itself had changed a lot.

    ¡°Come to think of it, did you change your armor?¡±

    When I brought up the topic of her armor, she straightened her wrinkled face.

    ¡°Ha! Did you only find out about that now? You are too slow.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t enough to tip her face, so she flexed her shoulders.

    How fast do her emotions change, I wonder?

    ¡°I needn¡¯t find out, I already knew. I just didn¡¯t voice my thoughts.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? Then tell me where it has changed.¡±

    I looked at her all the way, narrowing the corners of my eyes. At that, as if Lorraine knew, sheughed. It was a bit of a condescending smile.

    ¡°So that¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve changed your breasttes, pauldrons, and arm and knee pads. You¡¯ve also changed the breastte from silver that contained divinity to something else.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Oh, right.¡±

    A look of surprise.

    I continued speaking.

    ¡°You¡¯ve changed the pauldron from in to something that looks like a dragon¡¯s head. Supposing the region it protects, it must have had some kind of special effect. It seems that the arm and knee guards were just reced with good ones. The leather is¡­ Behemoth¡¯s hide. They said someone bought it expensively at an auction, and I presume that was you?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I managed to procure¡­¡±

    ¡°Earrings have changed from star patterns to blue jewels. That¡¯s prettier. They fit well too.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s see, the ring¡­¡±

    ¡°Ugh, ugh!!¡±

    Lorraine, whose form was quivering, suddenly attacked with a spirited, frenzied gait. Examining her ring, I hurriedly spun my body to avoid her sword.

    ¡°I was talking, but you suddenly attacked? Cowardly b!tch.¡±

    ¡°Goddamn it, shut up!¡±

    * * *

    nk.

    Lorraine¡¯s broadsword fell to the floor. At the same time, the sword aimed at her neck eased away.

    ¡°Lost even after a surprise attack? Ugly.¡±

    When Cloudmented sardonically, Lorraine red at him.

    ¡°I just wasn¡¯t able to show my actual skill¡±

    ¡°How old are you? Now you even make excuses.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s real! This is all because you-¡±

    Lorraine, who had been yelling, shut her mouth.

    It was true that her mind was disturbed by Cloud, and that she could not brandish her skills aptly because she lost her reason.

    However, there was something strange about trying to string those into words.

    Why was her heart disturbed by just a few words from him?

    It wasn¡¯t even that he provoked her, he just prattled.

    She didn¡¯t have the confidence to convince Cloud when she herself didn¡¯t understood the reason.

    And above all.

    ¡°Me? What about me?¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to heft excuse in front of him. She didn¡¯t know why, but inside, she felt abashed.

    So instead of answering, she closed her eyes and slightly pushed her face forward.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°What you do. Hurry up and finish!¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you quick? What am I supposed to do?¡±

    ¡°¡­Are you trying to y with me now?¡±

    Cloud shrugged.

    Seeing his nonchnce made Lorraine feel exasperated. She clicked her tongue and turned her head away.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t do it if you don¡¯t wanna, it¡¯s fine with me. How nice it is to be not touched by amoner. So be it¡­ Huh?!¡±

    Grabbing her grunting head, Cloud abruptly kissed her on the lips. Lorraine was a little taken aback, her eyes smiled.

    ¡®That¡¯s right.¡¯

    How could amoner reject the lips of royalty?

    It must have been because he was afraid that he would not be able to kiss because of thepse of a pointless prank.

    ¡®Anyway, it¡¯s stupid.¡¯

    Just when she wasughing inside.

    Cloud¡¯s hand moved sneakily over her and wrapped around Lorraine¡¯s thin waist.

    ¡®?!¡¯

    Lorraine, startled, shoved off his arm, but it wasn¡¯t long before he wrapped it around her waist again.

    She parted her lips and tried to argue, but then remembered what she had said just before he epted the duel.

    ¡®Didn¡¯t he say he would do more than just kissing..?¡¯

    Her blood had surged to her head and she had forgotten. But only for the while.

    ¡®For me to forget this of all things..!¡¯

    It was time for her to me her own stupidity.

    When the hand, which had been stroking her waist, moved slowly down, towards her buttocks. He gently caressed her ass in tight leather pants.

    ¡®Ugh¡­¡¯

    The feeling of having her ass touched by a man was quite strange. Should she say ticklish and slightly creepy? The feeling reached its climax when his hand suddenly and strongly mounded her hip.

    ¡°Huh?!¡±

    She couldn¡¯t stand it and let out a moan in her voice. She, now btedly aware of her own ungainliness, looked at him with quivering eyes.

    Cocked eyebrows.

    And he wasughing too!

    Whining, Lorraine grabbed his arm.

    She tried to yank it off with her strength, but¡­

    ¡°Ugh?!¡±

    At that moment, Cloud¡¯s tongue intensified.

    He swallowed her tongue like a hungry wolf.

    ¡°Uuuwu!¡±

    Was it because he and she had kissed after so long?

    Lorraine¡¯s mind began to get hazy at the intensified kiss.

    ¡®Ah¡­ I can¡¯t¡­¡¯

    She tried to seize the pull, but to no avail.

    Her reason melted in an instant like wet cotton candy.

    The strength drained from the hand holding his arm.

    Feeling it, he now openly massaged her rump. Still, Lorraine didn¡¯t react. She only flinched asionally when he grabbed her tightly, but otherwise focused on kissing him.

    It was in the meantime.

    With a dull thud, for some reason, her body felt lighter. At the same time, she realized that the brush of his hand on her hips were gone.

    She wondered and lowered her eyes.

    Her breastte hade off.

    ¡®¡­ah?¡¯

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 113.2: Queen Maker (13)

    Why did it came off?

    Did he loosen the string?

    How did he unravel thatplicated knotwork without her knowing?

    Her leather attire looked like normal garb, but they were tougher than most leather armor.

    Because the material was Behemoth¡¯s hide.

    It saved her from wearing heavy leather armor and allowed her to move more fluidly.

    And now that became her poison.

    He could feel the softness of her breasts even through her clothes. He clutched her chest. He squeezed and opened his palms, doughing her breasts, which she couldn¡¯t quite grasp.

    ¡®Cloud, you¡¯re crazy!¡¯

    Embarrassed, she clenched her fists with both her hands to push him. However, his strong body was not pushed out in the slightest.

    In the first ce, her fists did not contain much force.

    Although she didn¡¯t know that.

    Lorraine, who continued to resist for a while, eventually gave up resistance.

    ¡®¡­okay. He had said he¡¯d do more than a simple kiss from the start. I epted the condition. So this is just taking responsibility for my words as a royalty.¡¯

    She didn¡¯t know how he intended to push, but as long as she epted it, she must take responsibility as a member of the royal family..!

    After rationalizing, little by little she epted his savage touch¡ª

    ¡°Whoa¡­¡±

    Cloud parted his lips.

    At the same time, he removed his hands that were teasing her breasts and buttocks and spread them out to the distance.

    Lorraine was stunned by the sudden change of events.

    ¡°Uh? What, what happened?¡±

    ¡°What? Today¡¯s over.¡±

    ¡°Is this¡­ the end¡­?¡±

    ¡°Why? Want more?¡±

    Cloud¡¯s words brought her back to her senses and her face turned red.

    She shouted, pointing at Cloud.

    ¡°You, you son of a b!tch! Do you know what you just did?!¡±

    ¡°What I did?¡±

    ¡°Amoner, but you put your hands on the body of a royalty! You also groped the breasts and buttocks of a princess who had never been married. Do you know what would happen if an ordinarymoner did that? Death penalty, death penalty!¡±

    ¡°But am I not an ordinarymoner?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant!!!¡±

    His smirk made Lorraine ground teeth. He smiled at her and turned his back on her.

    Lorraine frowned.

    ¡°Where? You¡¯re not thinking of ghosting me for today, are you? I haven¡¯t even shown my true skills yet.¡±

    ¡°I want to hang out with you more, but I¡¯ve made an appointment earlier.¡±

    ¡°Appointment? Ah.¡±

    Cloud had promised to visit Lewis. She knew how important trust was, so she couldn¡¯t tell him to break off the appointment.

    She just click her tongue with an annoyed expression.

    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll excuse it for today. But don¡¯t even think about leaving me stranded next time.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t give up. I¡¯m going to win anyway, why would I give up on the fun?¡±

    Before the woman could say anything, Cloud spat another word.

    ¡°And next time I won¡¯t finish it on top of the dress.¡±

    With that said, he left the gymnasium.

    Lorraine, too shocked to speak, couldn¡¯t say anything more, she just looked at him as he walked away.

    Her heart beat wildly, probably because she was angry at his impudence.

    * * *

    The street where Lupus¡¯s real rich people lived.

    Among them, Lorian and his aristocrats were staying at the most luxurious inn.

    The same went for Lewis Sentry, who apanied them.

    Even though it waste at night, he was sitting in a chair, still awake.

    Because there was a reason to do so.

    Knock! Knock!

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¨C Young master, Hero Cloud has arrived.

    ¡®Ah, he¡¯s finally here.¡¯

    The reason why he hadn¡¯t slept until now.

    Was because of the appointment he¡¯d made with Cloud a few hours ago.

    An appointment to discuss the cost of damage from Neria in his room.

    ¡®How far can I take it?¡¯

    It was rted to the honor of the Cloud¡¯s Party.

    Depending on what he did, he might be able to get a lot out of it. He opened his mouth, tugging at the corner of his lips that spilled ear to ear.

    ¡°Bring him inside.¡±

    The door opened and Cloud entered along with the knight guarding the front.

    ¡°I was waiting. Have a seat.¡±

    Lewis pointed across the table to the chair from him. However, Cloud passed Lewis and sat on the bed behind him.

    Louis clicked his tongue inwardly.

    ¡®It¡¯s the same whether it¡¯s a b!tch or a guy.¡¯

    He did not show his displeasure on his face. While schooling his expression, he pushed the chair towards Cloud. Meanwhile, Cloud scanned Lewis¡¯ face.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t been treated yet?¡±

    ¡°It would be a nuisance to go to church at this hour.¡±

    ¡°You can treat it with a potion.¡±

    ¡°I left the potion at the military camp outside. I didn¡¯t foresee that anything like this would happen¡­¡±

    It was obvious, but a lie.

    How could an aristocrat of Lewis¡¯ stature not carry a potion?

    Ironically, his face was not treated because these injuries were the only evidence.

    ¡®I can¡¯t erase it until I¡¯m promised goodpensation.¡¯

    At Lewis¡¯ words, Cloud nodded his head as if he understood.

    ¡°It¡¯s about Miss Neria¡­¡±

    Lewis almost smiled before hardening his expression slightly. Smiling at a time like this would make him an idiot. Give chance, he would even have to cry.

    ¡°About that, let me ask you one thing. What the hell did you do to make Neria beat you like a bastard?¡±

    ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t you hear from Miss Neria?¡±

    ¡°Huh. She didn¡¯t tell.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Lewis was a bit surprised by Cloud¡¯s words.

    ¡®Why didn¡¯t she tell?¡¯

    He didn¡¯t know why.

    However, taking advantage of this situation might make things easier.

    Lewis held back the urge tough. Instead, he put on a bitter expression like a victim who was unterally assaulted.

    ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know much about that either. Perhaps something in the conversation I had with her got on her nerves¡­ Maybe that part was my fault. But that doesn¡¯t warrant violence. Does it? Hero Cloud?¡±

    Lewis spoke as if he were deliberately asking for consent.

    The moment Cloud agreed with his opinion, a consensus would be created and the conversation would be easier.

    But instead of answering right away, Cloud stared at Louis.

    Time passed slowly.

    ¡®What? Why is he staring at me?¡¯

    It was at this point when silence was getting on Lewis¡¯s nerves.

    ¡°Hey. Be honest. Gis; did you mention that bastard¡¯s name?¡±

    The muscles bunching Lewis¡¯s face twitched at Cloud¡¯s cold words.

    ¡®The f*ck she didn¡¯t say anything!?¡¯

    Was it a lie?

    ¡®No, that must be a guess.¡¯

    He had surmount it from here.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you are saying.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way she would do that just for mentioning him¡­ Did you make fun at her expense about Gis?¡±

    ¡°I never did that. How could I mock the Hero¡¯s party¡­¡±

    ¡°You stink.¡±

    Cloud reached out and grabbed Lewis by neck. It happened so quickly that even his escort knights couldn¡¯t react.

    Although they btedly reached for the sword.

    ¡°Choose with consequences.¡±

    They were crushed by the ferocious aura flowing from Cloud, and froze.

    From that aura, the two knights realized.

    That was not just a warning, it was the truth.

    The moment they would draw their swords, they would die without being able to resist.

    That was how far the distance the two knights felt from Cloud was.

    Lewis couldn¡¯t even afford to scold his knights. His throat was strangled and his breathing wasboured.

    ¡°Kuh¡­ Hero¡­ If you do this to me¡­ you¡¯ll be in trouble¡­¡±

    Lewis struggled as he panted.

    ¡°You speak too much, traitor bastard.¡±

    Cloud gave Lewis a little more strength in his grip on his neck.

 Chapter 114: Queen Maker (14)

    ¡°You speak too much, traitor bastard.¡±

    Cloud tightened his grip on Lewis¡¯ neck. His breath faltered, but only the word ¡®traitor¡¯ hovered in Lewis¡¯ head.

    Count Sentry moved his army along with the Kingdom of Carta in the pretext of supporting the Kingdom of Alitia.

    However, it was an unmistakable fact that the justification was only a justification, and their ulterior motive was close to treason.

    ¡°Traitor¡­ Kek, Hero¡­ can you take responsibility for that statement¡­?¡±

    No matter how close they may have been to treason, there was a big difference between admitting it yourself and not.

    That was why Lewis desperately resisted, even while his consciousness was fading due tock of oxygen.

    Of course, the reason why he could was because he was sure that the Hero wouldn¡¯t kill him.

    He was the heir of a noble family.

    Even though Cloud was a Hero, Lewis thought himself to be colloquially not taken lightly.

    Cloud stared at him for a moment to see if he was adamant, then released his grasp from around the neck.

    The freed Lewis sighed, catching his breath. As his breathing stabilized, his mind cleared. The moment he scowled and rose to argue with Cloud, Cloud grabbed the back of his hair and mmed him on the table.

    Bang-!

    A dull sound echoed through the room.

    ¡°Young Master!¡±

    ¡°Hero, what are you doing!¡±

    The escort knights came to their senses at the sound of their master¡¯s head hitting the table.

    Tried to draw the sword to rescue Lewis, but¡­

    ¡°I said it before. Choose, but choose along with the consequences.¡±

    The let go of the hilt of their swords to Cloud¡¯s bloodthirsty gaze. The knights who swore to sacrifice their lives could not draw their swords. The aura Cloud radiated was so vicious.

    To the point where they couldn¡¯t fantom the entity in front of them was humane.

    ¡°Kkeuheugh¡­ Are you really trying to push me to be a traitor¡­?¡±

    Instead of responding, Cloud lifted Lewis¡¯ head.

    Bang!

    And mmed it down on the table.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m not a traitor¡­ trust me¡ª¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the answer I want.¡±

    Bang!

    Lewis¡¯ face hit the table harder than before. When Cloud lifted his head, the table was covered with what he assumed was his blood.

    Cloud swept the table with his arm and flickered the slick blood onto the floor.

    He mmed his puffy face down once more on the clean table.

    Bang!!

    Feeling the intensity growing stronger, Lewis realized. Cloud was sincere. If he were to stay still, he would really die like this.

    Wanting to do something, he decided to apologize first.

    ¡°Come on, Hero. Forgive me¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not the answer I want to hear.¡±

    Bang!!

    * * *

    ¡°I¡¯m a traitor. I¡¯vemitted a great sin.¡±

    His face was a mess as he spoke on his knees. His skin was torn, and his flesh was swollen, to the point where the scars he had suffered from Neria seemed like children¡¯s scuffle.

    After hearing Lewis¡¯ confession, Cloud nodded his head.

    ¡°Now you¡¯re going to say that a little more properly. If you were so truthful from the very beginning, there would¡¯ve been no harm done, how good would that been had?¡±

    He tugged out the potion he had prepared beforeing here and threw it to Lewis.

    ¡°It¡¯s a high-level potion. Drink it.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    Lewis cradled the potion in his bosom. He then looked up and stared at Cloud. He was still sitting on the bed, looking down at Lewis.

    Looking at what he was doing.

    ¡°You want to mend yourself, right?¡±

    ¡­could he refuse?

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    Lewis started picking up his teeth that had fallen to the floor.

    The knights who had been standing ufortably until then hurriedly squatted down and tried to help their master.

    ¡°You guys stay still.¡±

    But had no choice but to stand up awkwardly at Cloud¡¯smand. In the end, Lewis had to put all the missing teeth in by himself and drink the potion.

    Still, it was a high-level potion, the effect was pronounced.

    The teeth assorted into their ces, and all the swelling on his face receded.

    As the pain subsided, Lewis¡¯ face returned to normal. However, after taking a look, Cloud drew his sword and aimed it at Lewis¡± neck.

    Lewis¡¯ face went red.

    ¡°Why are you doing this to me¡­¡±

    The de shifted to Lewis¡¯ chin.

    Lewis lips screwed shut.

    Cloud started to speak.

    ¡°Let me have a guess at your thoughts. Well, it¡¯s obvious. I will never forget today¡¯s shame, I¡¯ll pay back several times someday, and  . Was that what you were thinking?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. How can I¡­¡±

    The tip of the sword pricked Lewis¡¯ throat.

    The signal to shut up.

    Lewis shut his mouth.

    Cloud smiled and continued.

    ¡°If you would rather not forget, don¡¯t forget. I won¡¯t forget either. I will remember your name, face, and even family.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°So, treat yourself well. Next time it won¡¯t be as light as today.¡±

    Cloud withdrew his sword.

    As the sword propping his head disappeared, Lewis¡¯ head fell down helplessly.

    Cloud left him behind, got up and walked to the door.

    Before leaving the room, he frowned as he looked at the stiff knights by the door.

    ¡°What you¡¯re looking at. Won¡¯t you bow your heads?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The two knights ceremoniously bowed their heads in silence.

    * * *

    She scribbled with her pen, then craned her head to the ink stained parchment of squares, runes, circles, and other symmetrical patterns.

    She was in the middle of resuming her scrawling.

    ¡°Ugh..!¡±

    When a tingling jolted to Eri¡¯s wrist, and she put her pen down.

    ¡®Once again.¡¯

    Currently, Eri was literally grinding her body into research. The wrist was no exception. Perhaps the strain on the wrist to fill dozens of sheets of parchment with ink was the strongest.

    Anyway, the important thing was that the cycle of wrist pain had been shortened considerably.

    Inversely proportional to that, the recovery time increased.

    She let out a deep sigh.

    Since her wrist started to cramp, her research got hampered.

    ¡®It¡¯s not the time to sleep, let¡¯s go for a walk.¡¯

    Eri put on her skimpy coat and came out of the inn with her staff. Warm sun greeted her. While she was enjoying the sunlight she hadn¡¯t felt in a long while, she heard the sound of a conversation from somewhere.

    ¨C Really? They¡¯re giving us something to eat?

    ¨C Yeah, right! The line in front of the east gate is no joke! It¡¯s already quite long, we¡¯ve to hurry to forage some for ourselves.

    East gate? Something to eat? Long line?

    What did that mean?

    ¡®Come to think of it, I don¡¯t see any vagrants around.¡¯

    Since the city was in ruins due to the descent of the Heavenly King, there had been many vagabonds wandering the streets. There were quite a bit around her inn where she was staying too, which was annoying, but now they were scant.

    Apparently, just as the vagrants had said, they went to the east gate.

    ¡®Curious. Shall I go?¡¯

    It wouldn¡¯t hurt to take a look while she was on a walk. She regretted that thought the moment she arrived at the east gate.

    ¡°Calion? Why are you here¡­¡±

    Because there was a person she hated the most. Calion had a surprised expression, probably not expecting to cross her either.

    ¡°I thought you were kicked out of the Hero¡¯s party, given I wasn¡¯t seeing you around, but I guess that wasn¡¯t the case.¡±

    ¡°What? Why would I get kicked out? I was just staying at the inn for some reason!¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask.¡±

    F*ck him¡­

    A cry rose from the depths of her chest, but she held it in.

    ¡°¡­why are you here? What is that line for?¡±

    She asked, pointing her finger.

    At the east gate, people gathered to form a long line, but people were confused by people trying to cut in the line or take away their ce.

    If there were no soldiers around, it would have spread into great chaos.

    ¡°I wonder why I have to exin this to you, but I have something to tell you, so I have no choice but to exin.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much for that.¡±

    Although Eri¡¯s tone was sarcastic, she was carefully waiting for Calion¡¯s exnation.

    The space between her brows narrowed as she listened to the exnation.

    ¡°Are you going to treason?¡±

    ¡°Treason? Sounds like a big allegation. We are going to provide humanitarian aid to the Kingdom of Alitia. Even now. Look around. Do you see this as a callous act, like treason?¡±

    ¡°Even if you say that, it¡¯s just a blindfolded lie. I understand everything. So don¡¯t be silly and answer straight. Is this really our father¡¯s will? The Oller family¡¯s stance?¡±

    As Eri spoke in an argumentative manner, Calion¡¯s expression turned cold.

    ¡°Why do you wonder if this is the family¡¯s will or not?¡±

    ¡°Well? Yes, of course I¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, sorry. I forgot to state. I forgot to tell you, didn¡¯t I? I will tell you that now.¡±

    Clearing his throat, Calion put his hands behind hia back and spoke in a solemn voice.

    ¡°Eri Oller. Calion Oller conveys the will of the family head as the heir of the family. As of today, I will retrieve your surname of Oller granted to you.¡±

    ¡°¡­what? What¡­ does that mean?¡±

    ¡°What that means, you say?¡±

    Calion smiled as he looked at Eri, whose eyes quivered.

    ¡°It means that you are no longer a part of the Oller family. Simply put, you¡¯ve been dug out and flicked off of the family register.¡±

 Chapter 115.1: Queen Maker (15)

    Eri couldn¡¯tprehend what Calion just pronounced.

    Retrieve herst name?

    Dug out of the family register?

    That meant¡­

    ¡°No, don¡¯t talk nonsense. Who wants to dig me out of the family register? No matter how much you hate me, this is crossing the line. If fatheres to know¡ª¡±

    ¡°Did I not told you? I¡¯m telling in stead of the head of the household.¡±

    ¡°What? So¡­ does that mean it¡¯s father¡¯s will to erase me off the family register..?¡±

    Her voice trembled uncontrobly. To that, Calion was delighted beyond measure. It was notmon to see his cheeky half-sister so flustered.

    ¡®Ah, she¡¯s not even my sister anymore.¡¯

    She was just a stranger, no strings attached.

    He smiled and responded to her words.

    ¡°You are right. It¡¯s the will of the head of the household on which you are excluded from the family register this time.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense¡­ father couldn¡¯t have¡­¡±

    Eri murmured in denial of reality, and Calion scrunched his brows in displeasure.

    ¡°Who is your father? The head of the household is no longer your father. There is no one in the world you can call your father!¡±

    ¡°You..!!!¡±

    Losing sanity in boiling rage, she chanted a wind de spell instantly. The jewel on her wand glowered and mana condensed as two well-forged des touched his neck.

    Calion¡¯s escort knights pulled out their swords.

    ¡°You, you¡­¡±

    Eri¡¯s gaze trembled. Although she was the youngest daughter, she was treated well in her own way. That was why those escort knights were also familiar faces.

    ¡°Eri, let go of the mana.¡±

    They warned her with an infinitely cold face, bringing their des to her. Originally, they used the title ofdy, but now they called her just ¡®Eri¡¯.

    The changed attitude of the escort knights forced Eri to ept reality.

    She was really abandoned by the family, by her own family.

    ¡°¡­why? What did I do wrong¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you ask because you really don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Eri shut her mouth.

    This time around, she understood.

    It was most probably an extension of what they talked about at home the other day.

    Her family¡¯s declined status due to what she did in the past.

    Yeah. She understood.

    Because she too was aware of her own faults.

    But¡­

    ¡°If you¡¯re doing this because of that¡­ Why, why do this now?¡±

    If she was being expelled because she disgraced the family¡¯s status, shouldn¡¯t she be punished at the time she did the wrong?

    Not now. Not so out of the blue.

    To her question, Calion replied as if it was no big deal.

    ¡°Because you are useless.¡±

    ¡°Useless..?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, useless.¡±

    From the Oller family¡¯s perspective, Eri was a nuisance. She was a mischievous troublemaker who somehow managed to attain attraction. They wished it would have ended there, but the problem was that the troublemaker was unnecessarily good at her job.

    Since she was kicked out of the Mage Tower, she had taught herself magic on her own, and she was so much better than most wizards in the Mage Tower.

    Her genius was recognized, and she even became a Hero¡¯s ally.

    Thanks to which, the Oller family had to be dragged along by her actions for a while.

    Not until she returned to Cloud¡¯s party, let alone when she voluntarily walked into Lorian¡¯s party.

    They were somehow responsible for all of her actions, but the family could not punish her.

    Because you never know what the next day would be.

    In the future, Cloud¡¯s teammate Eri might be needed.

    But now it was all different.

    The Oller family had lined up with Prince Lorian.

    Not vaguely, but explicitly.

    Even if the Cloud¡¯s party made her name known and Eri¡¯s influence became stronger, it would be difficult to use her.

    So it was more in the family¡¯s advantage to earn Lorian¡¯s favor by demonstrating their willingness to cut off the rtionship with her with a single stroke.

    Duke Oller¡¯s decision carried such an intention.

    And Eri, not knowing the details of the situation, felt a terrible sense of betrayal.

    ¡°Used and thrown, just like a tool¡­!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not about being a tool, it¡¯s about being useful.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Looking at Eri, who frowned at him, Calion continued with a stern expression.

    ¡°Not only you, but me, my sisters, and even the family head. All of us are tools for the Oller family to shine.¡±

    But you were just a tool that could be thrown away.

    That was all.

    His part said, Calion raised his right hand. The swords that had been aimed at Eri¡¯s neck were withdrawn.

    ¡°You wasted time needlessly, custron.¡±

    Calion passed by Eri, who had her head dipped low, along with his escort knights. Grounding her teeth, she turned around and called after Calion.

    ¡°Yeah, do whatever you want! I don¡¯t need an unfeeling family either! Rather thank you! For getting me out of the damn family soon! For not ruining my life!¡±

    Unlike harsh words, her voice was teary.

    Calion stopped short and raised his right hand, which then clenched into a fist.

    And the moment Eri narrowed her eyes.

    * * *

    ¡°Are things going as nned?¡±

    Arge room in an inn.

    Lorian asked, looking at Calion and some nobles who were in charge of supplying food.

    In response, Calion, who supplied the most food among the nobles, responded on behalf of the nobles.

    ¡°Yes. The princess herself is also actively cooperating, so the work itself is proceeding without a hitch.¡±

    ¡°How do people feel about us?¡±

    ¡°Every day it¡¯s getting better.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    Calion added with a slightly exasperated expression.

    ¡°But?¡±

    ¡°It is true that public sentiment towards us is improving. But there is one problem.¡±

    ¡°That is?¡±

    ¡°Citizens¡¯ support for the Hero, Hero Cloud, is stronger than expected. They keep talking about miracles, I think the biggest reason is that they saw the events of that particr day in person.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of that day¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes. The day the Hero Cloud defeated one of the four Heavenly Kings alone.¡±

    At Calion¡¯s words, Lorian hummed while crossing his arms together.

    Miracle day.

    The citizens of Lupus referred to the day the Heavenly King fell.

 Chapter 115.2: Queen Maker (15)

    Miracle day.

    As if they couldn¡¯t get tired of it, the citizens of Lupus talked about it every day.

    How the city was entangled in thousands of ck tentacles, shrouded by the Heavenly King, when the holy light shone aloft, and the Heavenly King disappeared into thin air.

    ¡®Nonsense.¡¯

    Even if the whole church, including the pope, were to hold a holy ceremony as a group, there was no way they would harness that intensity of holy mana, let alone an individual.

    ¡®But there was a pronouncement from the Goddess and then the Pope¡­¡¯

    It was clear that he had expedited the monster alone.

    They just had no notion of what method was used.

    Lorian let out a deep sigh.

    ¡°Is that why it¡¯s so hard to dig into?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not, not really. If we don¡¯t bother trying to put him down, we can win enough people¡¯s hearts either way.¡±

    ¡°That will be enough. We don¡¯t have to overdo it and mess up our objective.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Calion nodded his head.

    Lorian¡¯s gaze darted away from him to the other nobles.

    ¡°It is important to win the hearts of the citizens, but we have a more important thing to regard. And that is the coronation of the princess.¡±

    Tension appeared on the faces of the nobles.

    The princess may not have proved her abilities, but she stood perfect as far as legitimacy went.

    She was a difficult opponent to touch.

    Lorian smiled at the aristocrats with hardened expressions.

    ¡°By the way, ording to rumors, the former archbishop passed away during thest Heavenly King incident, and the new archbishop seat is still vacant.¡±

    At his words, some quick-witted nobles¡¯ eyes lit up.

    ¡°That means¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes. I think we better ce our attention on the seeding archbishop first. To someone who is as close as possible to bing the next Archbishop.¡±

    An archbishop was necessary to perform the coronation ceremony.

    * * *

    The nip scribbled¨C

    ¡ªwriting down words and sybles on the parchment. The speed was iparably slower than before.

    ¡®Tool that can be discarded? Don¡¯t be ridiculous! Do you think I¡¯m just a tool!?¡¯

    She¡¯d made herself sessful.

    And she would do so more and make their stomach ache in agony. They¡¯d regret everything they had imposed.

    It would be useless toe and beg then.

    With bitterness in her heart, she continued her research work.

    At that moment, suddenly, a drop of water dripped, soaking the parchment, and smearing the ink across the page.

    ¡°Ah, wha¡­¡±

    Realizing that the water droplets wereing from her own eyes, she wiped at the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand. She was able to wipe away her tears, but her eyes were still red.

    Water droplets welled again from the corners of her reddened eyes.

    Soon, she cried as the bitterness docked in her heart drained.

    She was given no choice; isted from her own family.

    No matter how they had fared in years, they were rted by blood. To her, as to everyone else, blood ties held a special meaning. She wondered what all the hard work she had waded through to get the recognition of her family meant.

    Although she was eventually abandoned.

    Again.

    Her hand gripping the quill tensed. She couldn¡¯t help but throw the quill to the corner of the room.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need you! You don¡¯t need me either!¡±

    She had tried her whole life to be epted by her family.

    Still, they abandoned her.

    Then she would forsake them too.

    ¡®I¡­ just needed someone to acknowledge my hard work.¡¯

    And she had one such person that came to mind.

    He was the man who had always acknowledged and respected her.

    Cloud.

    He was all she had left to herself.

    ¡®This research is also nearing its end.¡¯

    A kind of trick that slightly twisted and roiled the mana circuit so that one could temporarily use magic beyond their own circle.

    Completing this alone would be of great help to Cloud.

    He too would be very happy and praise her.

    ¡®That¡¯s enough.¡¯

    Eri nodded, picked up a new quill, and tried to continue her research.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    But maybe it was because her mind was disturbed, and the research was tapering.

    After blowing dozens of minutes thinking, she finally let go of the quill.

    ¡®¡­I should visit Cloud. It has been quite some time.¡¯

    If she would talk to him, even this stuffy feeling would get much lighter.

    Eri left the room and knocked on Cloud¡¯s door.

    Then she heard an unexpected voice.

    ¨C Who is it?

    Katarina¡¯s voice, not Cloud¡¯s.

    Eri stiffened momentarily.

    ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t this Cloud¡¯s room?¡±

    ¨C Is it you, Miss Eri? Yes, that¡¯s right.

    The door opened and Katarina peered out her head.

    ¡°But why are you¡­¡±

    Eri started to ask why she was there, but then she stopped. Because Katarina was Cloud¡¯s lover. It was not unusual for her to be in his room.

    Although this was slightly off-handed¡­

    It wasn¡¯t something Eri couldment on. Rather than that, she decided to achieve her purpose ofing here.

    ¡°Is Cloud inside?¡±

    At her question, Katarina shook her head.

    ¡°No?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he isn¡¯t. Do you need him? For he onlyeste at night. Even if I ask, he just skims over.¡±

    As if she had umted quite some, Katarina began to express her dissatisfaction. As for Eri, she didn¡¯t have the will to listen, so she cut her off short and left for outdoors.

    Normally, she would have made sure he wasn¡¯t there and she would have gone back to her room, but this time around she wanted to see him anyway.

    She recited an incantation.

    As mana took shape, huge blue eyeballs appeared in the sky above her.

    [irvoyance]-!

    The eyeballs swivelled and scanned the city.

    Mana drained quickly like water into a bottomless hollow, but that was okay. Because the ces he could be at were limited. She would find him before she would run out of mana.

    ¡®Found him.¡¯

    Red hair was caught in the royal pce¡¯s gymnasium.

    There was no one other than Cloud with that hair color.

    Eri slightly modified the irvoyance spell.

    The field of view quickly expanded toward the kingdom¡¯s gymnasium.

    ¡°¡­uh?¡±

    She caught sight of Cloud kissing a brown-haired woman.

    And the brown-haired woman was someone she knew very well.

    Lorraine.

    Lorian¡¯s younger sister.

    She was someone Eri loathed beyond dislike.

 Chapter 116.1: Queen Maker (16)

    Due to the magic spell [irvoyance], the scene of Lorraine and Cloud kissing was imprinted into Eri¡¯s mind.

    ¡°What..?¡±

    Eri¡¯s pupils trembled at the unexpected and shocking sight. Just when Lorraine and Cloud, who had been fiercely kissing, suddenly snapped their heads toward her.

    Surprised, she hurriedly erased the magic spell.

    She cradled her thudding chest.

    ¡®Did¡­ did they notice?¡¯

    irvoyance, and at such a great distance?

    No, it can¡¯t be.

    There was no way the irvoyant¡¯s form could be seen with the naked eye at such distance, and so if they had noticed, it must have been the flow of mana which again was impossible unless they were wizards like she was.

    Not to mention, since they were kissing and so engrossed in it, their attention must¡­

    ¡®¡­¡¯

    Surprised by the unexpected situation, she suddenly recollected what she seemed to be forgetting.

    Kiss.

    The act of kissing¡ªan expression of love between lovers.

    Lorraine and Cloud were doing it.

    ¡®What the hell is this situation!¡¯

    Eri¡¯s thoughts made her head teeter. She stumbled into the inn and sat down on a chair provided on the first floor. She brushed her bangs, organizing her thoughts.

    ¡®I headed to Cloud¡¯s room to meet him.¡¯

    He was not in the room and so she used irvoyance to find him. The ce he was at was the gymnasium near the copsed royal pce premises. There he was kissing Lorraine.

    Throb-!

    Her heart ached, but Eri didn¡¯t stop mulling.

    ¡®Why were they kissing?¡¯

    Cloud¡¯s lover was Katarina.

    It must be true because he said it himself.

    But why was he kissing Lorraine and not his lover Katarina?

    Was he having an affair?

    ¡®No, no. It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s a bloody affair or not. The reason he kissed Lorraine is important.¡¯

    What on earth happened that led to him and Lorraine kissing each other?

    She reasoned hard, pulling at her hair with a vexed expression.

    Soon she recalled Katarina¡¯sint.

    ¨C Yes, he isn¡¯t. Do you need him? For he onlyeste at night. Even if I ask, he just skims over.

    Comeste at night.

    It meant that their rtionship was not made up of just one or two encounters.

    She recounted Cloud¡¯s personality, which had changed from before¡­ conspicuously.

    He didn¡¯t pay attention to things that didn¡¯t interest him.

    In other words, the fact that they had met several times meant that Lorraine had something to interest him¡­

    ¡®¡­gymnasium.¡¯

    The two were at the gymnasium.

    Lightly armed.

    What could this mean?

    Nothing came to mind exceptbat.

    ¡®Agh¡­¡¯

    Only then did all the puzzle pieces clicked together.

    For some reason, Lorraine challenged Cloud to a fight.

    Cloud epted.

    The simple spar begets another.

    And the sparring, which she didn¡¯t know when started, continued until now, and the two¡¯s eyes met and the current rtionship¡­

    Eri, who finished grasping the situation, bit her lip.

    Her rising anger and sense of betrayal dyed her reason ck. She wanted to run to Cloud and ask about it right away.

    Why was he kissing that b!tch?

    Didn¡¯t he have a lover named Katarina?

    Why that witch, then?

    Didn¡¯t he know what that b!tch had done to her?

    She really would have done so if she had let her temper simmer just a little longer. She would have rushed to the gymnasium and shouted aloud, setting aglow the jewel on her staff.

    But she had a handful of reason left.

    ¡®With qualifications would I¡­?¡¯

    If it was Katarina who saw that scene, as a lover, she deserved to scold them for infidelity.

    If it had been Neria, as a childhood friend, she would have been able to stem her friend from going the wrong way.

    As a priestess, Ophelia could have rebuked him for falling into wrong, vile desires.

    Then Eri, who was she?

    Did she deserve?

    What was she to Cloud in the first ce?

    ¡®Colleague.¡¯

    Who left when they were facing a hard time.

    And came back when things rendered into the right path. ¡®¡­that¡¯s the end? No. There has to be more to this.¡¯

    Something¡­

    Anything¡­

    Her fingers gnarled into locks of hair. A few strands that could not withstand the grip fell out, but it was out of Eri¡¯s interest.

    She shook her head, hoping that she meant a little to Cloud.

    However, nothing else came to her mind other than the ¡®colleague¡¯ she had just thought of.

    ¡®Is this really all? Is that all I can do?¡¯

    No.

    It can¡¯t be.

    She had been called a genius since she was little.

    She had never been hesitant to try.

    So there must be something more.

    There had to be.

    Otherwise¡­

    ¡®Lorraine¡­ I would be meaninglesspared to that woman¡­¡¯

 Chapter 116.2: Queen Maker (16)

    ¡®Lorraine¡­ I would be meaninglesspared to that woman¡­¡¯

    And that was not right.

    She didn¡¯t hate many, but she did Lorraine; she couldn¡¯t lose to that woman.

    No¡­ actually she did hate many a lot.

    Eri¡¯s face twisted ugly. Drops of tears dripped from the corners of her wrinkled eyes andnded on the table.

    What¡­

    What.

    Didn¡¯t she just want to be acknowledged?

    A bit of respect and a morsel of praise was all she had ever asked.

    Why was this happening to her?

    Why was she so lost? So lonely?

    When did she be so picky?

    ¡®¡­I don¡¯t know.¡¯

    Her hair was messy and her eyes hot.

    Her chest throbbed, and she couldn¡¯t stop crying, exuding stifled whimpers.

    Ah¡­

    What had be of her.

    * * *

    Ophelia, as always, was going to go to Eri¡¯s room. Until she heard whines from the first floor. She didn¡¯t know who was crying and why, but that didn¡¯t stop her. It must be someone she knew.

    Only Cloud¡¯s Party was staying at this inn.

    She cautiously descended to the first floor.

    And she was taken aback by the unexpected sight.

    ¡°Eri?¡±

    There she saw Eri who rarely left her room except during meal times. Why was she crying at a table on the first floor, and not in her room, at a time like this?

    While Ophelia was puzzled, Eri, hearing her voice, propped up her head.

    ¡°Ophelia? Why are you¡­ Oh, right. The spell, I have to cast the spell.¡±

    Eri wiped away her tears and snot with the sleeve of her dress.

    After cleaning up the messed-up face to some extent, she stood up and trudged toward the stairs.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. I will cast the spell for you.¡±

    ¡°Eri, are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Huh, I¡¯m alright.¡±

    After answering nomittally, Eri went into Ophelia¡¯s room and enchanted with her soundproofing magic.

    Now the noise made in this room would not spread out of the bounds of the room.

    She ducked out of the door right after casting the spell.

    ¡°Eri..!¡±

    Ophelia called after her.

    ¡°If you have any difficulties, you can tell me.¡±

    In a very sweet voice.

    At that, Eri slowly turned her head.

    ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡±

    She replied with a forced smile that didn¡¯t quite reach her reddened eyes.

    ¡°¡­all right. If you still feel like confiding in me,e visit me anytime.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Creak!

    Eri closed the door.

    At the same time, Ophelia¡¯s beautiful emerald eyes softened.

    ¡°¡­If it wasn¡¯t me, but the Hero, Eri would have confessed.¡±

    She was not expressing sadness.

    She could only me her own inadequacies for not wringing trust from herpanion.

    Ophelia locked the door and pulled out a thorn-studded whip from her drawer.

    She knelt and untied theces of her nun¡¯s robe.

    The nun¡¯s robe, which barely covered herrge breasts, copsed, revealing her white bare skin and underwear.

    She even took off her underwear.

    She knelt down and raised the whip, heaving herrge breasts and smooth back.

    ¡°Holy, holy, noble being. O Almighty One who bestows blessings and glory on heaven and earth. There is a sheep here. There is a sheep fattened like a pig, fattened with lust.¡±

    Ophelia swung her wrist.

    p!

    The whip cut through the air andshed her back. Her flogged flesh swelled red.

    ¡°There is a foolishmb who has thrown her body away for fleeting pleasure.¡±

    p!

    ¡°There is a foolish sheep who mistook a pail for water and threw her body into the river.¡±

    p!

    ¡°The foolish sheep dares ask forgive, I beg you.¡±

    p!

    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t pity me.¡±

    p!

    ¡°Let me be put to the test, I beseech. Test and trial this foolish sheep your way. Please bestow your spectacr and noble miracle, bestow grace.¡±

    p!

    ¡°Finally, I earnestly pray, please allow me to witness that brilliant miracle from your side or even from afar.¡±

    p!

    When she finished reciting her prayers, her back was a mess of torn wounds and dripping blood.

    Although the pain was considerable, she did not let out even the slightest moan.

    Rather, she continued whipping while reciting prayers. The torn wounds widened further and the blood-soaked her backpletely. Ophelia did not stop despite the growing wounds and pain.

    Her dirty body.

    The disgusting flesh tainted with desire.

    She can¡¯t stand next to Him with a body like this. She shouldn¡¯t be allowed in his vicinity, let alone his side.

    Therefore, she must be purified.

    Ophelia tightened the whip in her hand.

    p!

    Intense pain apanied by the sound of flesh tearing.

    Every time she felt it, a little bit of vile was relieved from her body, which was a lump of filth.

    She would only allow herself to go to bed after she had been cleansed and purified and feltpletely clean.

    That way she could see him again the next day.

    When she was around Him, when she witnessed His divinity, she would be frustrated realizing her own body was still dirty, but that was okay.

    Because you can wash dirty things.

    p!

    If you keep washing it, one day you would be able to get it clean again.

    So she had to diligently wipe out the filth for that one day.

    p!

    New scars were added to the scarred back.

    Not even a ray of light remained in her eyes as she recited prayers.

 Chapter 117.1: Queen Maker (17)

    As had been the casetely, Cloud won the duel against Lorraine. The moment he kissed her, he felt the flow of magic targeting him.

    ¡®Attack? Or observation?¡¯

    With Cloud¡¯s mana-strident body, he could only feel the flow of magical energy, but he couldn¡¯t figure out his opponent¡¯s intentions.

    Still, what he could do, at least, was to trace back the flow of mana to its conjurer.

    Cloud parted his lips and propped his head sideways. Just when he touched, grasped onto the mana to reverse the flow of magic.

    The magic that was aiming at him suddenly died.

    ¡®Observation it is, then.¡¯

    He concluded seeing how quickly the observer had slipped away with their spell.

    ¡®Who is it?¡¯

    Wizards, for a matter of fact, were rare creatures.

    Not only did it require high intelligence, but it also required an aptitude for mana.

    As for the wizards staying in Lupus right now, Leslie, Eri, and the wizard of Lorian¡¯s party were the only three.

    So it was very likely that one of those three was the culprit.

    In terms of motive, the wizard of Lorian¡¯s party was the most likely. From their point of view, Cloud was the enemy.

    ¡°What? Why did you suddenly stop?¡±

    Lorraine was puzzled as he had plucked away his lips no sooner than he had joined them.

    Cloud asked her.

    ¡°I have a question for you. Does your party¡¯s wizard know how to use observation magic?¡±

    ¡°Wizard? Are you talking about Grace?¡±

    ¡°Grace, Nabal, whatever, can they use observation magic?¡±

    ¡°Uh, we¡¯ll..? Maybe? I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    As Cloud had suddenly asked while sping her shoulders, Lorraine, embarrassed, answered involuntarily. Soon, she gasped, wondering why she was made to answer.

    She was about to say something but Cloud covered her mouth with his index finger.

    ¡®?!¡¯

    The touch of his fingertip on her lips startled Lorraine, and she froze.

    Either way, Cloud continued with his train of thought.

    ¡®The remaining candidates are Leslie and Eri¡­ As far as I know, Leslie doesn¡¯t know how to use observation magic.¡¯

    Conversely, Eri has [irvoyance].

    All circumstantial evidence pointed at Eri as the culprit.

    Except for one question.

    ¡®Why would Eri?¡¯

    Why would Eri use [irvoyance] on him?

    Surely it wasn¡¯t for the purpose of spying on him, had something happened?

    Not likely.

    If that was the case, there was no reason to erase the magic spell in such a hurry.

    When he couldn¡¯te up with a good reason, Cloud sighed as he caressed his forehead.

    Whatever the reason, the important thing was that Eri ended up seeing him and Lorraine kissing.

    That meant that a very annoying and difficult situation had been spawned.

    ¡®I guess she won¡¯t tell Katarina right away.¡¯

    Eri wasn¡¯t even close with Katarina.

    To put it bluntly, she wouldn¡¯t encourage turmoil within the party.

    ¡®Even if she can¡¯t help but curse.¡¯

    He had to work something up.

    ¡®But for what excuse?¡¯

    He couldn¡¯t talk about his covert n, so he had had toe up with a usible excuse¡­

    Which just didn¡¯t worsen the situation more.

    While Cloud was struggling, Lorraine¡¯s brows furrowed looking at him frowning.

    ¡®What happened? Why did he go still?¡¯

    Not only opted out of kissing on the wee but was also frowning?

    ¡®Could it be that I have bad breath?!¡¯

    Still unable to get out of her perplexity, Lorraine forgot what Cloud had just asked her.

    She put her mouth closer to the palm of her hand and sniffed her own breath.

    ¡®I don¡¯t think it¡¯s bad¡­? Not really¡­¡¯

    Come to think of it, she should have brushed her teeth beforeing.

    ¡®No, then what¡¯s the problem?¡¯

    While Lorraine looked deeply concerned about him, Cloud, having halted his train of thoughts, opened his mouth.

    ¡°Let¡¯s end here for today.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Lorraine¡¯s fine brow wrinkled.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your expression? Wouldn¡¯t it be good for you if I ended it up here?¡±

    ¡°Huh, right. How many times do you think I¡¯ve been harassed by you so far? It has nothing to do with you teasing me, right?¡±

    ¡°For something like that, your response was fresh every time.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, noisy! Anyway, winning you is more important to me. So finish it quickly and duel again!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m no longer in the mood.¡±

    Cloud shook his head.

    ¡°What, what¡­?¡±

    At that, Lorraine gaped.

    Her clenched fists trembled.

    ¡°¡­Am I bothering you, too?¡±

    From Cloud shaking his head, her brother¡¯s face, who shook his head saying he was busy, ovepped. A wave of sadness came and dampened her heart.

    ¡®Why is everyone like this?¡¯

    Looking at Lorraine, who suddenly looked hurt, Cloud felt embarrassed.

    Did it hurt that much just because he wanted to finish early today?

    ¡®What should I do?¡¯

    It would be counterproductive to say he was ready to duel again.

    Allow things to go back to normal on their own?

    ¡®Well, that¡¯s being too optimistic.¡¯

    As time ticked and Lorraine¡¯s expression did not seem to improve, Cloud scratched at the back of his head and said to her:

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not in the mood for that today, so let¡¯s just take a walk.¡±

    ¡°¡­huh?¡±

    Her downcast face was stained with wonder.

    When Cloud confirmed that he couldn¡¯t feel the flow of another mana spike, he grabbed her hand almost as if snatching it.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go for a walk. Together.¡±

    He started walking with her in tow.

    ¡°Uh¡­ uh??¡±

    Lorraine¡¯s gaze widened, but she was drawn to him, her footstep falling in behind him.

 Chapter 117.2: Queen Maker (17)

    How did it happen?

    Lorraine thought as she wove through the ruined pce.

    Cloud, holding hands with Lorraine, was introducing the old pce, but her ears did not register.

    Her attention was solely focused on the hand sping hers.

    They were only holding hands, so why was she so nervous!

    They usually did things much worse than this!

    ¡°¡­that¡¯s how it happened¡­ What is it, you aren¡¯t listening.¡±

    ¡°Uh..? No, no! I¡¯m listening!¡±

    ¡°Why are you screaming? It¡¯s night time now.¡±

    ¡°My heart..!¡±

    Lorraine gasped softly. Cloud chortled.

    After that, the trek of the two continued.

    The ce where the walk stopped for a while was in front of the pond in the pce garden.

    ¡°What ce is this?¡±

    The nts in the garden had withered and died, but mysteriously, the water in the pond remained transparent and clear.

    ¡°This is the ce where royals used to get married or betrothed. The divine power that went into keeping that pond clean must be staggering. That¡¯s why it was able to manage to hold on even in such havoc.¡±

    ¡°Why did they have weddings in a ce like such? Queer.¡±

    ¡°It looks like this now, but back then the garden was pretty. I guess that¡¯s why.¡±

    ¡°Huh¡­¡±

    Lorraine nced over the garden and nodded. For she did not know the significance of the garden or the beauty of the past.

    She just wanted to finish the pond tour and continue her walk.

    But even after a while, he showed no signs of trudging.

    ¡°Hey. What¡¯s here¡ª¡±

    The moment she couldn¡¯t wait any longer, she turned her head, and Cloud kissed her on the lips.

    ¡°Eh?!¡±

    ¡®What, why? Were we not doing it today? Why all of a sudden¡­¡¯

    While Lorraine was puzzled, Cloud moved his hand. She naturally assumed that he would go for her hips or breasts. However, his hand wrapped around Lorraine¡¯s thin waist.

    Very politely.

    She couldn¡¯t figure out his intentions any more.

    Why was he acting so gentle all of a sudden¡­

    At that moment, the words Cloud had just said passed through Lorraine¡¯s mind like struck lightning.

    ¨C This is the ce where royals used to get married or betrothed.

    ¡®Ah..?¡¯

    A, Ah?

    Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah?!

    No, no, wait a minute.

    What?

    T, This didn¡¯t make sense!

    When did this atmosphere appear?

    How they came to be?

    Fighting, kissing, groping¡­

    So how?

    Lorraine was distraught at the thought that she, unbeknownst to her, was already acquaintances with him.

    So when she writhed under him, Cloud parted lips.

    Lorraine, who had regained the freedom of her lips, tried to argue, tried to protest.

    But she couldn¡¯t.

    Moonlight gently streamed down the night sky.

    Beneath was a man who looked as if he had jumped out of a painting crafted by a grandmaster himself.

    The splendid red hair attracted the attention of the viewer and the beautiful appearancetched onto that attention.

    His red eyes, simr to that of Blood Ruby, didn¡¯t lose their gleam even in the darkness.

    Cloud.

    He was looking at her against the tapestry of starry moonlight.

    Lorraine swallowed her saliva.

    ¡®Really, no matter where I look, he doesn¡¯t look amoner¡­¡¯

    It was foul y, this.

    She stared nkly at his face without realizing it.

    Waiting for him to say something.

    And waited longer.

    Finally, Cloud¡¯s lips moved.

    He cocked an eyebrow.

    ¡°Are you aroused or what?¡±

    A teasing expression crept on his face.

    ¡°..?¡±

    Lorraine¡¯s awestruck face rendered into a dumbfounded expression for a moment.

    She soon realized that Cloud was pranking her. With her face flushed red from shame, she threw down her fist.

    ¡°You asshole-!¡±

    * * *

    Archbishops.

    The general managers who heralded the huge diocese of their respective Kingdoms.

    They held a position of considerable authority in the church, and also held considerable authority throughout the continent, which believed in one Goddess, Iris.

    As far as authority was concerned, they pledged oath from the enthroned monarch at the coronation ceremony, the coronation ceremony of the ruler of a Kingdom.

    And in the Kingdom of Prona, not even the new archbishop was elected, let alone the date of the coronation ceremony.

    This was an opportunity for Lorian.

    Making the archbishop their own would give them a considerable say in the matters within the Kingdom.

    So, Lorian was currently having a covert meeting with a bishop.

    ¡°So, what the Hero says is that he¡¯ll make me the archbishop, and at the coronation, I must say something that shows my support for the Hero.¡±

    ¡°If we can maintain a close rtionship not only at the coronation but also beyond, even deeper cooperation awaits.¡±

    Lorian said, assessing Bishop Vedic.

    Bishop Vedic.

    Among the bishops of Lupus, he had the highest contribution to the church, so he was a popr choice as the next archbishop.

    Bishop Vedic stroked his white beard.

    ¡°To make me the archbishop¡­ The Hero sure knows how to amuse. But I see no reason to seek help from the Hero.¡±

    ¡°Bishop Parua.¡±

    The hand that had been stroking the white beard halted.

    Lorian¡¯s smile deepened.

    ¡°He was the former archbishop¡¯s favorite bishop, right? Feeding to that, there are quite a few people who support him.¡±

    ¡°¡­Since the former Archbishop was into ying favourites, it can¡¯t be helped.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you anxious?¡±

    ¡°What is there to be anxious about? Everything will be as it should be.¡±

    ¡°Surely¡­ that¡¯s a good way to put it. By the way. ording to the bishop, did the descent of the Heavenly King also happen ording to the natural will?¡±

    The smile vanished from Bishop Vedic¡¯s face.

    ¡°Imagine. The sight of Bishop Parua being elected as the Archbishop. The sight of Bishop Vedic bowing to the newly elected Archbishop.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°If you want, I can erase all those insecurities.¡±

    Saying that, Lorian hoisted the small chest that had been put down on the floor onto the table.

    ¡°Please, open it.¡±

    Vedic opened the chest as Lorian said. The chest was thronged with gold coins and jewels. He stared at it for a moment longer before closing the chest.

    ¡°This is?¡±

    ¡°This is but only a facet of the help I can give you, bishop. If we share a close rtionship, we can help each other more.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Vedic silently stroked his beard. Seeing that, Lorian slowly stood up from his seat. It would do him no good to show impatience.

    Lorian spoke onest time to Bishop Vedic before turning to leave.

    ¡°If we develop a close rtionship, we can promise more help. Please make the wise choice.¡±

    With those words, Lorian pulled on the hood and left.

    A priest who could be said to be his aide approached Vedic, who was stroking his beard while looking at the spot where Lorian had left, and dipped his head.

    ¡°From Hero Cloud to Hero Lorian, they have alle to you, Your Holiness. No need to fret about the voting anymore. Congrattions.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, got it. What did he mean¡­¡±

    ¡°What are you going to do now?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Hero Cloud and Hero Lorian, whose side are you going to choose.¡±

    Since it was a sensitive issue, the priest asked in a sufficiently surreptitious manner.

    Even so, Vedic looked the priest in the eye, his expression austere.

    ¡°Do you have to ask me to know?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Youck faith. Tsk.¡±

 Chapter 118.1: Queen Maker (18)

    The coronation ceremony took ce in Lupus Square.

    Francisca, the heir to the throne, kneeled on a single knee on a tform high enough for citizens to look up to, and the Archbishop held the crown over her head.

    ¡°Archbishop Vedic dares query the Queen by borrowing the name and authority of the Goddess. Do you solemnly swear, Queen, to rule Lupus, and hence the kingdom of Prona, byw and custom?¡±

    ¡°I solemnly swear.¡±

    ¡°Will the Queen exercise her royal power ording to thew, with fairness and mercy?¡±

    ¡°I will.¡±

    ¡°Finally, does the queen acknowledges that she puts her faith in Goddess Iris and that she would serve the Goddess with all her heart and soul as she would her own mother?¡±

    ¡°I swear.¡±

    ¡°Then, I, Archbishop Vedic borrow the name of the Divine Mother and consent. You are the Queen of the Kingdom of Prona from this moment onward.¡±

    The regal crown rested on Francisca¡¯s head.

    Archbishop Vedic knelt down and muttered hymns as he ced the crown.

    ¡°Please be a merciful and wise queen.¡±

    Francisca nodded her head and stood up, looking around at the people fanning behind the Archbishop.

    Hero Cloud and his teammates.

    Hero Lorian and his teammates.

    The cohort of Royal Knights.

    She looked back.

    Francisca froze.

    Under the podium¡ª

    ¡ªmany of her citizens were looking up at her with eyes full of anticipation, enough to crowd the vast za.

    Heavy.

    Their gaze toward her and their expectations was so heavy.

    Her lips stuck together and couldn¡¯t be separated.

    No.

    This was the most important moment.

    She must suggest a way for the kingdom to move forward so that the citizens could feel at ease.

    ¡®So please, open up!¡¯

    Just as she felt her lips would twitch and fall off her face.

    ¨C You¡¯re too stiff on the shoulders.

    Cloud¡¯s voice stuck in her head.

    Startled, she looked behind her. He smiled and waved his hand slightly.

    Seeing him, the pressure that had weighed on her shoulders alighted.

    Yeah, she was not alone.

    Francisca raised her voice and fixed her scrutiny on the citizens who only looked at her.

    ¡°In the recent past, we faced a great ordeal.¡±

    Darkness fell on the faces of the citizens. It must have reminded them of the fear they felt that day and the precious things they had lost.

    ¡°But we persevered. We did not sumb to the evil and darkness and even overcame it. What else can we not ovee? We even defeated the malevolent Heavenly King!¡±

    It wasn¡¯t the citizens of Lupus who overcame the Heavenly King.

    Cloud.

    It was something he did alone.

    But Francisca didn¡¯t bother to tell the hard truth. Instead, she emphasized ¡®we¡¯ so she could pack the painful memories together.

    Because people have the habit of finding strength in collective unification.

    Especially if it¡¯s a difficult memory.

    Murmurs carried over.

    Strange heat began to dwell in the za.

    Francisca didn¡¯t miss it and dered it out loud.

    ¡°I, Francisca Frutois, promise you¡ªLupus will prosper. It will be iparably richer than before. We will create a city full ofughter and joy and happiness, not tears and grief.¡±

    Citizens cheered at the Queen¡¯s confident tone.

    ¨C Wow!!

    ¨C Long live Her Highness!

    ¨C Prosperity to Lupus!

    Francisca smiled as the crowd cheered.

    She was worried about what she would do if she messed up, but she had warped it up nicely.

    Now her role was over.

    After her speech, Francisca stepped back and the Archbishop stepped forward in her stead.

    As the archbishop stepped forward, the noisy za slowly began to quiet down.

    Finally, when it waspletely quiet, the Archbishop opened his mouth.

    ¡°Dear citizens of Lupus, blessed be you. Like all of you, I sincerely congratte Her Highness the Queen on her coronation. No one can deny that Her Highness the Queen is today¡¯s protagonist.¡±

    Lorian smiled looking at the archbishop, who addressed the public.

    ¡®Looks like he made a choice.¡¯

    Otherwise, there would be no reason for the archbishop to step forward.

    As expected, the Archbishop lifted the queen up a few times and sprinkled constion and hope, finally finishing with that there was a person indispensable to this city.

    When the people asked, the archbishop pointed to Lorian with a gnarled finger.

    ¡°Hero Lorian, people. As you may already know, a lot of food and ration was distributed at the squares. It was Hero Lorian who contributed the food. Greet him with apuse and cheers.¡±

    No citizen was surprised by the fact the archbishop revealed. It was because Lorian had spread enough rumors.

    But apart from that, they were grateful in their heart deep.

    Citizens greeted Lorian with apuse and cheers.

    ¡°It¡¯s not something I did in hopes of hospitality, but I¡¯m d the citizens are happy.¡±

    A humble expression schooled on his face.

    The Archbishop continued.

    ¡°Her Highness the Queen has decided to bestow a present to Hero Lorian as a token of her gratitude. Hero Lorian, please kneel before Her Highness.¡±

    Even Lorian was a little surprised by his pronouncement.

    Because this wasn¡¯t what he had asked for.

    ¡®It¡¯s worth the money.¡¯

    The situation was good for Lorian, if not very good. If he was to receive a gift from the queen herself, it would leave a deep impression on the citizens.

    Lorian willingly got down on one knee toward the queen.

    ¡°Hero Lorian. We present this bracelet to you in gratitude for your services to Lupus.¡±

    The bracelet Francisca handed over had gold edging and colorful patterns and embellishments.

    She couldn¡¯t have given him an ordinary bracelet, so it must have some function.

    Lorian bowed his head toward the queen.

    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness, the Queen.¡±

    He returned to his original position and nced at Cloud. He was curious to see how he was reacting.

    It would be best if he looked as distraught as possible¡­

    ¡®Hmm?¡¯

    Contrary to Lorian¡¯s expectations, Cloud¡¯s expression was mirthless and poise. Just silently looking ahead.

    However, Lorian smiled at the sight.

    ¡®Pretend Cloud, pretend.¡¯

    This was even funnier.

    Just when Lorian almost chuckled at him and pulled to wear the bracelet leisurely, the archbishop continued.

    ¡°Next is Hero Cloud.¡±

    As if he was done with Lorian, the archbishop pointed at Cloud.

    This¡­ was something he had not expected.

    ¡®What the hell is he doing?¡¯

 Chapter 118.2: Queen Maker (18)

    <strong>Proofreader: Rayjerk </strong>

    Cloud stepped in front of the podium while a bewildered Lorian shook his head.

    ¡°Everyone knows about this person, even if I don¡¯t address. You must remember it well. The holy light I saw that day. The brilliant miracle that saved Lupus, which was reeling in despair!¡±

    The Archbishop, who had been austere until a moment ago, suddenly hollered frenziedly toward the square as if possessed.

    On the other hand, unlike the archbishop, the citizens quietly listened to him as if frozen by some spell.

    When the Archbishop¡¯s speech to the people ceased, the Queen called Cloud.

    ¡°Hero Cloud.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness the Queen.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately I was not in the city that day. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t know the fear and despair you all must have felt. I don¡¯t know much about the miracle you brought upon the city that fateful day. But¡­¡±

    ¡­they knew the miracle had saved cities, kingdoms, and even the continent.

    Francisca flourished her right hand.

    A knight waiting at the lip of the podium approached and opened a long red case.

    Inside the case was a sword, radiant blue and glimmering.

    The splendid gold patterns embossed on the sword¡¯s surface and hilt seemed to suggest that this sword was not an ordinary item.

    ¡°It is one of the treasured swords that have been passed down from generation to generation in the royal family,¡± Francisca introduced. ¡°It is one of the swords favored by the progenitor of the Kingdom of Prona, His Highness Caltus.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness the Queen.¡±

    Receiving the sword, Cloud slid it into the scabbard.

    He turned around.

    The eyes of countless citizens were focused only on him.

    Still, Cloud fretted not.

    Rather confidently, he drew his sword and brandished it at the sky.

    -¡­

    There was no apuse or cheers like for Francisca or Lorian. On the contrary, in the za, which became as quiet as it was strange, citizens put their hands together and prayed.

    One couldn¡¯t have known about other ces, but here, in Lupus, the symbolism of Cloud was something else entirely.

    * * *

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    Returning to the room, Lorian plucked off the bracelet and flung it away. The mmed bracelet was pinned into the wooden t, but he didn¡¯t care.

    Compared to the sword Cloud had received, that thing was nothing more than a toy.

    ¡°You insult me like this, huh?¡±

    The coronation was, in a nutshell, a y to keep Cloud afloat.

    Lorian and Francisca were just supporting characters to make the y stand out.

    ¡°That damn bastard¡­¡±

    Originally, the main character in the y should have been Lorian, not Cloud.

    To do that, he tried to enlist the Archbishop¡¯s affiliation.

    But the archbishop betrayed him.

    Lorian remembered what he had said when he confronted Archbishop Vedic after the coronation ceremony.

    ¨C You took the bribe, so why didn¡¯t you keep your promise?!

    He couldn¡¯t say he was actually betrayed because the archbishop had praised him a little.

    ¡°What bribe you are talking about, Hero Lorian¡­¡±

    A person called a priest could be so shameless.

    But Lorian couldn¡¯t argue further.

    There was no evidence and the other individual was the archbishop of a foreign Kingdom, and the meeting at that time was ndestine. And if Vedic was caught, he would be embroiled too.

    He was angry but could only chew at the inside of his cheek.

    ¡°Whoa¡­¡±

    Lorian pounded at his chest to relieve the frustration.

    ¡°You cannot me me for whates next.¡±

    He would now have no choice but to go a little into the rougher way.

    He seized one of his knights and gave hismand.

    ¡°Go and tell the queen. I want to meet her.¡±

    * * *

    ¡°Imploring a meeting¡­ Is that really what he said?¡±

    Queen¡¯s temporary residence.

    Francisca asked, lyingfortably on the huge bed. Her demeanor as a queen was nowhere to be found.

    ¡°It was Leslie¡¯s idea, not mine. I only made the bigger picture, she wove all the nuances.¡±

    The same went for Cloud, who answered.

    He was lying in the same bed, as if not talking to the queen of a monarchy.

    It might be a heart-dropping scene to others, but the two of them were used to it.

    The time the two spent in the countryside hiding their identities was by no means short.

    Now, whenever they got formal in front of others, they wouldugh behind the back.

    ¡°Now, now, don¡¯t get carried away by trivial matters like this. So maybe now? Did you do what you said before?¡±

    ¡°Uh huh. Make an appointment for tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow? Do we really need to? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to make them wait a long time until they are vexed?¡±

    ¡°I think that would be fun too.¡±

    Cloud stretched and propped up.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to finish it. I¡¯ll finish it all tomorrow night.¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow night? That¡¯s fast.¡±

    ¡°Shedia did better than I thought. I will reward her when shees back.¡±

    Two pieces of moonstone and she would be happy, right? It was twice as much as originally nned.

    Shedia would be delighted.

    Cloud nodded and saw Francisca yawning.

    ¡°Sleepy?¡±

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s because I have not rested properly in days¡­¡±

    ¡°Then sleep. I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    Just when he covered her with the nket and was about to get out of the bed.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you sleep with me as well?¡±

    The words she uttered made Cloud stop.

    Cloud turned his gaze to her. She looked at him with her innocuous, liquid gaze.

    ¡°What? Didn¡¯t we do it before?¡±

    ¡°Is a vige girl and a queen the same?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the difference? As I am¡­ Ah!¡±

    Cloud flicked Francisca on the forehead.

    ¡°Stop talking nonsense and just go to sleep, my queen. I¡¯ll be leaving.¡±

    ¡°Hero, how dare you hit the queen? Hey! This is treason! Treason, I say!¡±

    Cloud raised his middle finger and left the queen¡¯s quarters. When he came out, the knights guarding the mansion looked at him strangely. Cloud frowned at them.

    ¡°Did you guys think it was weird? That¡¯s insulting to royalty. If you don¡¯t want to be flogged for sphemy, don¡¯t even think about spreading rumors.¡±

    ¡°Ye, Yes sir!¡±

    Cloud, cating the knights, headed for the gymnasium.

    As always, Lorraine, lightly armed, was waiting for him there.

    Lorraine, who found Cloud, spoke before he could say anything.

    ¡°Go back ande properly armed. Today¡¯s duel will be thest.¡±

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 119.1: Queen Maker (19)

    In response to Cloud¡¯s one-sided notice, Lorraine frowned at him.

    ¡°Today¡¯s thest day? What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°Exactly what I said. Literally. Today is thest time I duel with you. So put all your skills into the duel so you don¡¯t regret itter.¡±

    ¡°Ah! It¡¯sst? You wish! Do you think I would forget about what you did to me? If I uncover what¨C¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    ¡°What..?¡±

    Lorraine¡¯s eyes wavered.

    ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°¡­why? Why are you doing this all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°Your reaction just now pretty much says everything. You know very well that I was only epting because of your insistence until now, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Go. Go put on proper armor and bring your main sword.¡±

    Even to Cloud¡¯smand, Lorraine chewed her lips but didn¡¯t move. She asked with the downcast expression she had shown before.

    ¡°Do I annoy you? So you mean to finish this?¡±

    Cloud shook his head faintly.

    ¡°If you were annoying, I wouldn¡¯t have entertained you until now.¡±

    ¡°Then why..!¡±

    ¡°I am a Hero.¡±

    He said with a solemn expression and stern voice.

    ¡°You know the duty of a Hero well, right? I can¡¯t y house with you like this forever.¡±

    ¡°y house..?¡± So everything that happened was just a joke?

    Was that all?

    ¡°Ha¡­ haha..!¡±

    The face chortled ruefully and then turned ferocious and vicious.

    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s see the end today if you so wish. But you know what? If I win, you have to listen to what I want. Don¡¯t even think about cheating. If that happens to be the case, I won¡¯t stay still.¡±

    Having said that, Lorraine promptly turned around and left the gymnasium without waiting for Cloud¡¯s retort.

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re back¡­ Princess? What happened?¡±

    ¡°No big deal. Move.¡±

    Arriving at the inn, she passed her fussy knight and entered her room. She unhooked the armor disyed in the room and put it on.

    Silver full te armor.

    Parts not guarded by metal, such as joints, were arrayed by chain mail.

    As she hauled her armor and broadsword, she looked at the backpack next to her bed.

    Stowed within were magic items with various effects.

    After thinking for a moment, she looked away from her backpack.

    Bringing it along would help.

    However, she wanted to defeat him entirely on her own.

    Having donned her armament, she returned to the gymnasium.

    She narrowed her eyes as she looked at Cloud, who was in the same state as before she had left.

    ¡°Huh. You tell me toe properly armed, so why are you still the same?¡±

    Instead of answering with words, Cloud tapped the sword at his waist.

    The sword was bestowed by the Queen on the coronation day.

    Lorraine snorted.

    Her eyes turned cold and she red at him, her gaze signalling warning.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn ya.¡±

    Lorraine bent over and pulled her sword free.

    She spurred forward and stabbed.

    It was the same attack as usual, but the speed was iparably faster than before.

    But not to the point of being unresponsive.

    Cloud ducked sideways, avoiding the stab.

    ¡°You put on the armor, but instead of slowing down, you got faster. Runed armor, I presume?¡±

    Runeing.

    It referred to the act of eying runes on equipment.

    If wizards were rare, wizards who could enchant were even rarer. And wizards who could emboss enchantments were rarest.

    Because of that, runed equipment was hard toe by.

    And as he thought, Lorraine¡¯s armor was runed for light weighted deftness.

    It was the product of imperial power and wealth.

    ¡°Good you know what you¡¯re against!¡±

    The broadsword rippled with blue sword energy.

    She lunged at Cloud again.

    Carter Family Imperial Swordsmanship.

    [Lotus Flower Style]-!

    The sword filled with sword energy cut at Cloud¡¯s waist. He then drew his sword. The two swords collided. ng! Lorraine¡¯s sword was blocked.

    Lorraine¡¯s attack didn¡¯t end with a single stab.

    She immediately swerved her sword and aimed elsewhere.

    ng! ng! ng! ng!

    Her sword aimed at a different ce each time, making him focus on defence. A truly one-sided attack. The reason this was possible was because of the characteristics of [Lotus Flower Style], the family swordsmanship; but the weight-lightening rune that was engraved on the sword was the biggest factor.

    The factors that determined victory or defeat in a fight included not only skill but also the performance of equipment.

    Rare metals, enchantments and runes were considered expensive not for nothing.

    ¡®What would you do? I have everything ounted for¡­¡¯

    Lorraine smiled, joyful at the foreboding emotion of her victory.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the raised corners of her lips to falter down.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Cloud parried all of Lorraine¡¯s swift, yet unconventional sword strikes with minimal movement.

    Result: it was Lorraine, and not him, who was getting tired because of the erratic swordsmanship.

    Something was strange.

    Feeling the strange dread, Lorraine receded backward.

    ¡®Why? Why does he block so easily?¡¯

    It could have been a bit messy, but he didn¡¯t take even a single extra measure.

    Cloud lowered his sword, considering her expression.

    ¡°Is it over?¡±

    Cloud asked, and it was just a simple question. However, to Lorraine, it carried a sarcastic undertone, a challenge.

    Grinding her teeth, she added strength to the grip that held her sword.

    ¡°No way!¡±

    She hurtled toward Cloud again.

    * * *

    Anyone who has ever been preupied with something must have felt the wall.

    A wall that stands in your way, a wall that seems like you can never get over it.

    Lorraine was feeling it now.

    ¡°Aaaaaa!!!¡±

    Out of rage, she mmed her sword on the floor. Furious and vexed, she red at Cloud.

    ¡°What are you? What sted thing are you!¡±

    Cloud never attacked.

    The only one who assumed offence was Lorraine. He only defended.

    Still, she felt a sharp sense of defeat.

    It was not just a matter of not winning.

    She couldn¡¯t imagine the sight of her own sword grazing him. It got worse with each of her attacks, and eventually, she had to admit defeat.

    ¡°Tsk¡­ you won¡¯t even answer anymore?¡±

    It was the same defeat, as usual, but this one felt different. After she put in all she had, she was defeated by a crushing blow.

    What made her feel more miserable was that this was herst.

    She had lost¡­ and for good.

    Her head slumped. Cloud came forward.

    Lorraine raised her head and stared at him.

    She smiled as she watched his slowly approaching face.

    ¡®Even if it¡¯s thest time, he will do something, right?¡¯

    Do as you like.

    Lorraine didn¡¯t resist and brought her lips to Cloud to kiss. His tongue pressed against her lips and teased her tongue.

    ¡®It¡¯s something I always feel, but he is unnecessarily good at it.¡¯

    It must be because he flitted between touching this woman and that.

    Feeling awkward for some reason, she did her best not to respond to his kiss. Although it had no effect. Each time his tongue stirred inside her, and each time his hands massaged her body, her mind slowly rendered haywire.

    Due to which, she didn¡¯t notice that she was being pushed behind little by little

    Also that her armor was being shed off.

    By the time she noticed, she had already been pinned to a stone pir.

    The hand that had been stroking her buttocks grabbed her thigh and lifted her leg.

 Chapter 119.2: Queen Maker (19)

    ¡®Thighs? Today¡¯s ster. Maybe because it¡¯s thest one.¡¯

    Up to this point, she just took him lightly, thinking he was a pervert.

    Until he hauled up her opposite leg as well.

    Leaning back against the pir, she clung to him, and she parted her lips in surprise.

    ¡°Hey, what are you doing¡­ Eww?!¡±

    It wasn¡¯t long before he covered her lips again. With no chance to speak, Lorraine had no option but to give up.

    ¡®A real pervert¡­¡¯

    Feeling ashamed, she mumbled under her breath.

    Even that embarrassment soon disappeared.

    She was so used to weird postures and sharing skinship with him, that the new notion of being lifted by her thighs felt no different.

    With her thighs propped on his arms, she was stunned for a moment, but it didn¡¯t make her feel bad.

    She even had a slight pounding in her chest.

    Just then, Lorraine felt the touch of something hard and intrusive between her thighs.

    It felt strangely different from just a solid object poking you.

    It was flexible as well¡­

    ¡®..uh?¡¯

    Lorraine rolled her eyes down. Her guess was right. A huge, upright c*ck was wedged between her thighs.

    ¡®Mi, crazy! Why is he bringing that out?!¡¯

    Her frightened eyes saw the dagger in Cloud¡¯s hand.

    Dagger?

    Common sense said he couldn¡¯t hurt her¡­

    Lorraine realized why he was holding the dagger when it nudged near her crotch area.

    This guy was crazy!

    ¡®Haha! Anyway, it¡¯s of no use. These pants are made of Behemoth¡¯s hide. It won¡¯t be torn by a dagger!¡¯

    The dagger radiated a blue-ck streak.

    ¡®Uh?¡¯

    Contrary to her thoughts, the Behemoth¡¯s skin couldn¡¯t withstand the dagger¡¯s edge. It only gave a slight resistance, and in the end, split vertically just as he wanted.

    Cloud tossed the dagger aimlessly and pointed his c*ck at the crevice in her pants.

    Lorraine hurriedly stopped kissing her.

    ¡°You, can you handle what you¡¯re doing right now?¡±

    She trembled through and so did her body at the sensation passed, simr to being stabbed by a knife.

    ¡®Goodness¡­ this punter¡­ he really put it in..!¡¯

    She held him tightly with her arms and legs, trying to wash away the pain.

    When the pain of the breakthrough subsided, she chided in a trembling voice.

    ¡°You idiot! You¡­ You really did it¡­ Ah! Now, stop moving for a second!¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Why!? It hurts!¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°What? So? So what? Are you crazy?!¡±

    That was what he had to say after plucking away one¡¯s innocence!

    Lorraine¡¯s eyelids quivered and then shuttered in rage. Cloud continued.

    ¡°Anyway, the wager is over, we¡¯re done for life. Then there is no reason for me to care about you.¡±

    Then he started to hoist her up again.

    ¡°Evil bastard! Aww! Ah, okay. We¡¯re not done. It¡¯s not over!!¡±

    It was only after she cried out that he stopped.

    ¡°It will be soon.¡±

    ¡°Hic¡­¡±

    Lorraine red at Cloud with her weeping face. He smiled at her and then kissed her on the cheek.

    It was just that, she felt a little relieved.

    It was also infuriating, so she muttered as if to lull herself.

    ¡°About you being amoner¡­ aboutmoner, we can¡­¡±

    ¡°You mean procreating with amoner?¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡±

    A meaningless conversation ensued.

    Meanwhile, thanks to the effects of the Goddess¡¯ blessing, Cloud¡¯s c*ck had changed to suit Lorraine¡¯s preference, and she had somewhat adjusted to the feeling of being prated.

    Little by little, his c*ck began to rub against the inside of her v*gina.

    ¡°How long are you going to shun me because of being amoner? I am a Hero as well, you know.¡±

    ¡°Shut up. Once amoner¡­ always¡­ always amoner¡­¡±

    The throbbing pain turned into subtle pleasure.

    When Cloud stopped rubbing and began shaking her waist in earnest, she lost the will to speak.

    Every time he lifted her up, her body and so did her bosom bobbed up as well.

    She could feel her body jiggling unsteadily and his c*ck filled her v*gina.

    ¡®I¡¯m mixing my body with him.¡¯

    Really, how did this happen?

    The first time she saw him, she only thought him to be a worthless asshole.

    Even disgusting.

    ¡®But now I don¡¯t think so.¡¯

    Since when?

    She didn¡¯t know.

    It seemed so long ago.

    Well, it mattered no longer.

    She was not affronted by doing things like this now.

    ¡®Ah¡­ but it feels really good¡­¡¯

    Was sex meant to feel this good?

    She felt like her whole body was being caressed.

    As if the desire was engulfing her.

    ¡®Huh? Wait for a second. This¡­¡¯

    ¡°Whoa!!?¡±

    She was screwed

    She was making too much noise.

    They would notice.

    Would have already noticed.

    ¡°Man, be a little slower¡­ Agh!¡±

    ¡®Yeah, I didn¡¯t expect that, you damn bastard. Do what you like.¡¯

    ¡°Ah, Goddess, ang! Haaang!¡±

    Wait for a sec.

    It seemed to be arguably getting worse¡­

    Uh¡­? Uh..huh..?

    ¡®Hey, this is no longer just being caressed!¡¯

    p!

    ¡°Ahhh!!¡±

    He had gone crazy!

    And she was going crazy too!

    p! p! p!

    The sex intensified and her moaning became lewd. As the moans reached their peak, Cloud thrust his cock hard into the root.

    Lorraine felt a knot of thrill shoot up her spine. She clutched Cloud¡¯s head tightly with both hands.

    ¡°Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah¡­!!!¡±

    Something thrilling came up to her head and melted her brain into a soggy mess. She flinched and leaned her face against Cloud¡¯s arms, unable toe to senses for a while.

    ¡°Hah¡­ hah¡­¡±

    Withboured breathing, she narrowed her eyes and red at him, barelying to her senses.

    ¡°I told you to be slower. Why were you ignoring me?¡±

    ¡°Did you not like it?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Was it bad?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ that¡¯s not it¡­ huh?¡±

    Lorraine, who refused to answer his flirt, felt the sensation of something trickling down her thigh.

    As she lowered her head, she saw a thick, cloudy liquid running down her thighs.

    Herplexion turned pale.

    ¡°¡­did you finish inside?¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Huh?! Huh, what? You crazy bastard! How can you be so flippant?! What the hell were you thinking when you finished it inside!!!¡±

    Lorraine girded her legs around Cloud¡¯s waist and grabbed him by the cor.

    He answered in a faux pitiful tone.

    ¡°How many times did I ask you along the way? It¡¯s you who didn¡¯t answer, only ¡®uhh¡¯-ing every time.¡±

    ¡°F**k you, when did I make that noise!¡±

    Lorraine cried, blushing.

    After arguing for a while, Lorraine calmed down.

    ¡°Huh, it¡¯s okay. Come to think of it, today isn¡¯t even my pregnancy cycle. Hey, what are you doing? I¡¯m not¡­ What the hell?!¡±

    His c*ck filled her v*gina.

    ¡°¡­Do you n to do more?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you feel it¡¯s still hard?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve learned that once you do it, it¡¯s over¡­¡±

    ¡°Not for me.¡±

    Cloud grinned and started thrusting his waist again.

    ¡°You are a pervert.. Yep! Ah no! Yes! Ahhh! Goddess! Hey, stop poking around there¡­ haang! Ahak! Haaaaaa¡­!¡±

    She hugged Cloud by the neck, her body thrumming.

    He tilted his head.

    ¡°What? I didn¡¯t even poke around properly, you cummed already?¡±

    ¡°Ugh..! Yes, it¡¯s your fault! Because you keep stabbing me there¡­!¡±

    Lorraine went gibberish in shame.

    Cloud gave her a French kiss. Then he put his forehead against hers and made eye contact with her.

    Their lips connected again.

    The kiss lengthened.

    When he stopped kissing her and smiled, Lorraine¡¯s face was red in a different way than before.

    ¡°Lorraine, I have something to tell you, is it okay?¡±

    ¡°¡­What.¡±

    Lorraine, unable to ovee her embarrassment and slightly averting her gaze, answered curtly.

    ¡®It¡¯s probably a pointless matter anyway.¡¯

    Just like thest time he set the mood and terminated it with a joke.

    Still, there was some expectation there. Lorraine regarded him with a side-long gaze, feigning disinterest.

    Cloud kissed her once more before opening his mouth.

    ¡°Honestly, aren¡¯t you so much better than Lorian?¡±

    ¡°..?¡±

    ..??

 Chapter 120.1: Queen Maker (20)

    ¡°Would you like to be a queen too?¡±

    To Lorraine, who was bewildered by his nonsense, Cloud asked out of the blue.

    Lorraine¡¯s lips twitched.

    ¡°What the hell are you thering?¡±

    His brow furrowed.

    ¡°Uh-huh, it sure is bittersweet when a noble blood swears at you.¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡±

    Lorraine mmed her forehead into Cloud¡¯s.

    ¡°Ouch. Why did you hit me?¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re making silly jokes again!¡±

    Lorraine sighed as she watched Cloud rub his forehead, frowning.

    ¡®I¡¯m an idiot for expecting anything.¡¯

    She should¡¯ve known he was this kind of guy. Lorraine grumbled in disappointment. Her expression hardened, noticing theck of yfulness on Cloud¡¯s face.

    ¡°Are you sure you mean it?¡±

    ¡°No matter how capricious I am, would I y around with something like this?¡±

    ¡°¡­a queen. Are you thinking of seizing the monarchy of your kingdom?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? Why impeach our queen who is doing well? You should feast in your own kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Kingdom of Carta? Ha, are you dreaming?¡±

    Lorraine snorted.

    ¡°Our kingdom has brother Lorian, alright?¡±

    ¡°Not if we oust him.¡±

    ¡°You really are crazy, aren¡¯t you? Not that it matters. I don¡¯t feel the need to talk to you anymore. Move.¡±

    Lorraine tried to shove Cloud away. But when he caught her on the waist, her body copsed with a moaning, ¡®Heeep.¡¯

    ¡°Where are you going? I¡¯m not done yet.¡±

    Cloud started thrusting his hips again.

    ¡°You..!¡±

    Lorraine red at him fiercely. That didn¡¯t change anything, and realizing that, she sighed and brushed off her bangs.

    ¡°As you like.. whoa.. do it slow. Son of a brute¡­ eh?!¡±

    The irritation on her face disappeared as soon lips met. A warm expression overtook its ce.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you feel anything while watching our queen during the day? Reverence, awe. That I want to be like that too. Such ambition.¡±

    He said as he kissed her briefly.

    ¡°Chuuuu¡­ Chuuuuu¡­ Haa¡­ Is that how you coax me? Just shut up, shake your waist, and cum fast.¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t have ambition, think of betterment, yes? Haven¡¯t you felt anything while watching Lorian,tely?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Lorian,tely.

    Those magical words make Lorraine¡¯s mouth shut.

    Thinking of him, changed remarkably from the past, Lorraine felt slightly vexed.

    ¡°If you let things remain as it is, you will be used politically and then discarded.¡±

    As a princess, being used politically, the only thing she could was to be married into a powerful family.

    That needn¡¯t need to be said.

    Cloud said it was nothing, but Lorraine¡¯s expression turned serious.

    She didn¡¯t want to get married like being sold to a man she didn¡¯t know.

    Which woman would like that? So, viscerally, she felt a strong sense of budding rejection.

    Lorraine¡¯s eyes colored with anxiety.

    ¡°¡­brother won¡¯t do that to me.¡±

    Lorraine was the favourite of her brother. That was why she had followed him since childhood and had have been trying to be of help to him at every instance. Common sense told her such an admirable little sister wouldn¡¯t be cast away by any older brother.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t it be so? Can¡¯t you see that he has brought an army to Lupus? He is crazy about power.¡±

    Her inner mind, which had been heading in a positive direction, was shattered by his snarking remark.

    ¡°No, no. Brother is not that kind of person¡­¡±

    Contrary to her words, Lorraine bit on her lips, consumed by anxiety.

    Cloud whispered into her ear.

    ¡°Letting it go, if it gets worse in the future, it will only get worst, never better.¡±

    * * *

    The first floor of the luxurious inn where the Lorian¡¯s party lodged.

    Lorian and his subordinate nobles were sitting in a circle of tables and chairs, and their escort knights stood behind each nobleman.

    ¡°You mean the Queen refused? Even though you brought ration supplies as the issue?¡±

    At Calion¡¯s words, Lorian nodded his head.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Is it because she has gone senile, or the queen has lost touch with reality itself? How many citizens will starve if we cut off the food supply?¡±

    As nned, Lorian¡¯s side had seized Lupus¡¯s food flow. It was safe to say that more than half, if not all of this city, depended on them for food.

    If they stopped supplying food, there would be a massive food shortage in the city.

    Despite such situation, Lorian and his subordinate nobles could not understand the attitude of the queen who showed such courage.

    In the midst of the absurd queries, someone spoke.

    ¡°If the other side behaves so arrogantly, then there is no need for our side to look at the situation anymore, right? Let¡¯s immediately stop the food supply.¡±

    No need to y on the shores, enter into the river directly.

    Others nodded their heads in agreement in matching opinions.

    ¡°I think so too. At the same time, let¡¯s spread rumors to the citizens that the cause of the food shortage lies with the ipetent queen.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. When the people¡¯s wrath is directed at the Queen, we may very well make our case. It would be then righteous to lead our army and bring down the queen. In the thick of bringing down the ipetent queen, the current forces of Lupus won¡¯t even be able to resist.¡±

    Other nobles burst into scheming waves ofughter.

    Lorian smiled bitterly and shook his head.

    ¡°If we move the army, we may fulfil our motive quickly, but it won¡¯t poise well to others. And if we move so tantly, the hero, Cloud, will not stand still. Haven¡¯t you all seen it? The citizens¡¯ abnormal faith in him.¡±

    Laughter disappeared among the nobles.

    The sight they saw that day was unusual.

    Calion interjected in between the awkward silence.

    ¡°Is there any need to bring in the army?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean to say?¡±

    ¡°The question is, do we really need to step in? After all, aren¡¯t citizens the ones suffering from this food crisis? Let them stand up for themselves. We just need to encourage and support them a tad.¡±

    ¡°Ah, you mean to cause an uprising. That¡¯s a good suggestion. If it is the will of the people, even Hero Cloud will have a hard time stepping out.¡±

    ¡°In addition, we will also have a justification to rule ¡®for a while¡¯ so that Lupus does not fall into chaos.¡±

    ¡°Haha! Nice! But the justification is too paltry, so we have to prepare well so any investigation ploughs through.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Of course.¡±

    Once the strands of the n were settled, thenceforth flowed with ease. In the makeshift meeting room, the cordial atmosphere full ofughter thickened.

    Until the inn door burst open and a man entered.

    All eyes in the conference room turned to the door.

    They erased their smiles recognizing the person who had entered the inn.

 Chapter 120.2: Queen Maker (20)

    ¡°Cloud? Why are you here?¡±

    Lorian asked on behalf of all the nobility.

    ¡°Looking at you all gathered, it seems you are busy. Apologies, but we are currently working on short notices and so it happens I have a notice to deliver.¡±

    Cloud entered the inn lobby even though he was not invited to enter. He dragged a chair and sat across Lorian. Cloud¡¯s party members lined up behind him.

    ¡°¡­what is this all about?¡±

    ¡°I told you. I have something to inform you guys. Neria, please.¡±

    Nodding her head, Neria ced the parchments in front of the nobles one by one.

    ¡°Something is written in a lot of verbosities, but it¡¯s nothing special. As we discussed before, it¡¯s a contract to pay the toll. All you have to do is sign.¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t we supposed to discuss that matterter?¡±

    ¡°I thought the discussion would be too long. We are also busy with many other things, we can¡¯t just hold on to that, now can we?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Lorian rapped the table with his knuckles before turning his attention to the parchment. The nobles who had been paying attention to him also began to read the contents of the parchment.

    ¡°100 million gold..?¡±

    He was astonished at the heinous amount of good.

    A noble raised his hand cautiously.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t 30 million gold originally requested by the kingdom? Why did it suddenly jump to 100 million¡­¡±

    ¡°Did you not read it? Don¡¯t just look at the numbers, read carefully. It exins why the tolls went up.¡±

    ¡°Attempted assassination of the queen..?¡±

    Another noble muttered in a trembling voice.

    The eyes that had been directed to the parchment returned to Cloud.

    What did this mean?

    They wanted an exnation.

    It was what the gazes asked.

    Unbidden burdensome gaze may have slumped anyone, but Cloud epted it with a smile.

    ¡°Unfortunately, there was an assassination attempt against the queen. Fortunately, the assassination ended in an attempt and the culprit was caught. I interrogated him to find out, poor sod confessed before he died.¡±

    That Lorian had sent him.

    Cloud stated explicitly as he slouched back in his chair.

    The nobles who could not stand still, exploded.

    ¡°What nonsense is this! Why would we do that?!¡±

    ¡°He is damn right. Instead of appreciating our service to Lupus, you are pointing fingers at us?! Is this really the character of a Hero!¡±

    They were aristocrats who hadn¡¯t wanted to logger heads with Cloud, so they had kept themselves within certain boundaries.

    But this case crossed the line.

    It was better to logger heads against Cloud than to take the absurd guilt of trying to assassinate the queen.

    ¡°How do I know what you think? Anyway, our big-hearted queen decided to cover up your assassination attempt. Still, royalty has face, so we can¡¯t just pass on it, therefore a small increment. So consider 70 million gold as a fine.¡±

    Cloud reacted indifferently to the nobles¡¯ protests.

    The nomittal attitude infuriated the nobles even further.

    70 million gold was a huge amount even if it was to be divided among several people.

    Such an amount, if spent carelessly, could have the family falter.

    They couldn¡¯t afford it.

    Eventually, the nobles went beyond protesting and began to express resentment.

    ¡°Can you take responsibility for what you have done, Hero? If you can¡¯t take responsibility, withdraw immediately. It¡¯s not child¡¯s y, this is¡­¡±

    ¡°Is it a joke to you?¡±

    Cloud¡¯s cold voice cut like ss.

    Silence hung over the conference room as if the raucous din that had buoyed just now was a lie.

    It was different from what Lorian had seen in the past.

    If he had captured the aristocrats with his charisma, Cloud was wedging a knife through their throats.

    ¡°Are you kidding me? Child¡¯s y, huh?¡±

    Cloud asked quietly as he looked around the crowd, but no one made eye contact with him. They would turn their head away and slouch when they seemed to encounter his gaze.

    Answer and death went hand in hand.

    The sharp gaze dominating them warned.

    ¡°¡­I sincerely believe we can hush it up like adults. It¡¯s you who brought the army that made it look like a children¡¯s yground. Because you created a situation where one has to die. Isn¡¯t that right, Lorian?¡±

    Eyes turned to Lorian.

    Facing it, Lorian also had a mutually cold expression.

    ¡°That is not wrong. But the method is cheap. If you continue to pressurize us, I will cut off the food supply to Lupus.¡±

    As if there was no point in further civil conversation, Lorian stood up from the table and ended the conversation one-sidedly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget. We are the ones holding the hilt, not you. Don¡¯tpel us to drive the sword.¡±

    While leaving a taunting warning.

    Lorian ascended the stairs with his party members.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Cloud looked at Lorian¡¯s back and remained silent.

    The aristocrats, who had only noticed, began to stand up one by one, judging that the momentum was slipping toward Lorian.

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t look good as a Hero¡­¡±

    ¡°For a righteous Hero to ckmail us¡­¡±

    Not forgetting tond a few pricky remarks, they headed for the stairs Lorian had climbed.

    In front of those nobles, Neria blocked the threshold with the tip of her sword carved into the floor.

    Her sword was also drawn from the scabbard.

    The nobles who felt threatened by her stopped.

    ¡°¡­Sir Neria. What are you doing?¡±

    Face-to-face with her, Calion Oler asked. But she stayed silent and didn¡¯t answer the question.

    Calion sighed.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be passing.¡±

    He stepped forward.

    Neria grabbed Calion by the neck and mmed him to the floor.

    ¡°Cheuk..!¡±

    ¡°Young Master!¡±

    Calion¡¯s two escort knights reflexively reached for the hilt.

    A sh and the hands heading for the sword hilt were severed. Both hands fell to the floor.

    Looking at the hand that had been cut off in an instant and rolling on the floor, both nobles and escort knights had theirplexions hardened.

    ¡°He¡¯s moody. But you guys should sign and then go, no?¡±

    The pen is mightier than the sword.

    In most cases, yes.

    In most cases.

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 121.1

    ¡°Hold onto it, dammit¡­!¡±

    The knights who had their hands sheared off btedly held onto their wrists to stop the bleeding. They wanted to retrieve their hands that had fallen to the floor, but couldn¡¯t because if they did, they would lose the remaining one hand as well.

    The same went for other escort knights.

    Seeing the blood dripping from Neria¡¯s sword, they didn¡¯t dare put their hands on the hilt.

    ¡®No one can react to such precision and speed¡­¡¯

    Unlike the knights of the Kingdom of Prona, which were of lower quality, the knights of the Kingdom of Carta were of high quality. That¡¯s why they were able to see Neria¡¯s sword attack.

    But that was to it.

    Even if they and their position had changed, nothing would have changed ultimately.

    ¡®This is a Hero¡¯spanion¡­¡¯

    Only one exnation to sum up the gap in the skill.

    ¡®Can we win if we rank together?¡¯

    Knights who had simr notions soon denied the idea. They were not colleagues, not the knights of the same order, but knights from different families.

    Even if they fought together, there was no way they could synchronise with each other.

    And even if there was an iota chance of defeating her, fighting her alone itself was a problem.

    It was not just Neria who was here.

    ¡°What are you doing? You want to aggravate the situation?¡±

    Hero Cloud.

    And his colleagues filed behind him.

    Assuming that they were all on the same level as Neria¡­

    They had no way out.

    The nobles and their escort knights made the prompt judgement and twisted their gaze to Lorian.

    He was also a Hero, so they wanted him to stand up to Cloud.

    Lorian looked down at Cloud with a displeased expression.

    ¡°Do you want to impose regardless?¡±

    ¡°Why not? What do you want me to do? Do you want me frightened by your nonsensical pranks and leave the city as it is? Lorian¡­ please don¡¯t f*ck with me.¡±

    ¡°¡­I guess I didn¡¯t make myself clear enough.¡±

    Lorian muttered to himself in a voice that everyone in the hall could hear.

    Cloud stood up and trudged toward Lorian. As soon as he moved, the startled nobles and escort knights gave way.

    A path that parted into a straight line.

    When Cloud arrived in front of Lorian, Lorian¡¯s skin and armor were covered in grayish-white stone.

    Seeing this, Cloudughed.

    ¡°You¡¯re not some kind of gargoyle,e on.¡±

    ¡°Looking at you talking nonsense, you don¡¯t seem to be nervous yet.¡±

    Lorian drew his sword and cut wide in an oblique swing in front of him. As Cloud widened the distance and avoided it, Lorian¡¯spanions took advantage of the gap and handed him a shield.

    It was a silver shield with a lion¡¯s face protruding.

    ¡°Time to put you in your right ce.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Following the conversation, the two Heroes kicked off at the same time. Caang! Sword and shield shed. The nobles and escort knights winced at the wind pressure emanating from between the two Heroes.

    ¡®Can¡¯t see¡­¡¯

    They could only make out blurry apparitions of Cloud and Lorian moving, but couldn¡¯t properly grasp them.

    Caang! Vish!

    Sparks flew with the sound of metal shing.

    Whoo!

    Only the fierce and resounding tters and ngs told them a battle of unimaginable prowess had ensued.

    ¡®This is a battle between Heroes¡­¡¯

    Level¡­ No, the realm was different.

    When the escort knights felt a sense of helplessness that they hadn¡¯t felt since bing official knights, the two Heroes drifted apart.

    ¡°Come to think of it, this is my first time fighting you.¡±

    Cloud said as he patted his wrist. At that, Lorian narrowed his brows, then sighed andughed.

    ¡°First time¡­ Have you forgotten what happened that day? Well, from your point of view, it must have been disgraceful¡­ It wouldn¡¯t be strange if you possibly forgot it.¡±

    In the past, Cloud had been overwhelmingly defeated in a spar against Lorian. Those who saw them sparring said that it was like an adult and a child fighting. At the time, Cloud was very shy whenever anyone brought up the anecdote.

    The current Cloud didn¡¯t know that.

    However, it was possible to make a rough guess based on Lorian¡¯s schadenfreude.

    ¡°Sages of old tell the important thing is the present, not the past.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re trying to win a mental victory regardless. It¡¯s ugly.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your face that¡¯s ugly.¡±

    [All Bless]-!

    [All Bless]-!

    The stacked blessings greatly amplified Cloud¡¯s physical abilities.

    He immediately leapt at Lorian.

    Lorian hurriedly lifted his shield and tried to defend himself, much faster than before.

    [All Curse]-!

    [All Curse]-!

    The curse, stacked twice, darted and Lorian¡¯s abilities efficiency was greatly gnawed. Lorian was shaken by the sudden deterioration of his physical abilities. Cloud, who had reached close range before he knew it, poised his sword.

    Lorian quickly regained hisposure.

    ¡®It¡¯s okay to get hit once.¡¯

    His defence had been greatly increased with [Turtle¡¯s Blessing], and there was also a protectiveyer in form of [Gargoyle¡¯s Skin].

    One attack would be eptable.

    While thinking about the next move, Cloud¡¯s sword drew a blue trajectory.

    Drake-style swordsmanship.

    [Tree Sunder]-!

    Crack!

    The heavy sword strike broke the [Gargoyle¡¯s Skin] and crumpled his pauldron.

    ¡°Keugh?!¡±

    Lorian¡¯s expression contorted at the unexpected pain.

    ¡®It wasn¡¯t enough to break the gargoyle¡¯s skin, he pierced through the shoulder des and even broke my shoulder des?¡¯

    Unlike past, the current Lorian would not take much damage from Ogres¡¯ swings. However, still he was injured by Cloud¡¯s blow, it was no wonder he was taken aback.

    The problem was that the fight between the two was a battle of zero points, not seconds, and any emotional agitation that urred in between was fatal.

    Retrieving his sword, Cloud once again jammed his sword downward.

    This time, with the intention of cutting off his arm altogether.

    However, when Lorraine stepped in front of Lorian, he had no choice but to rx his arms.

    Kang!

    His sword and Lorraine¡¯s sword collided.

    Taking advantage of that gap, Lorian threw himself against the wall of the inn. Hard. The wooden wall copsed and he tipped outside.

    Cloud looked at Lorraine without even looking at her.

    ¡°What were you thinking?¡±

    ¡°¡­you were thinking of killing him?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You were thinking of killing my brother, right?¡±

    In Lorraine who said that, he couldn¡¯t find her characteristic boldness.

    ¡°Do not do that¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Cloud let out a deep sigh as he looked pitiful like a stray cat in the rain.

    ¡°Alright, won¡¯t kill him. Hah. Do I look stupid enough to kill a fellow Hero?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Lorraine silently shook her head.

    Cloud walked past her and headed toward the hole in the far inn wall that Lorian had created.

    She didn¡¯t stop him either.

 Chapter 121.2

    How long, how long it had been since I have been walloping Lorian like a wet cloth on river rock?

    Lorian, his voice howling and growling, had suddenly became inaudible.

    I mped Lorian¡¯s ankle and lifted him up. I grabbed into the guy¡¯s unnecessarily long hair. Citizens who stayed nearby were all evacuated in advance, so there was no need to worry about maintaining a Hero¡¯s prestige.

    I returned to the inn, dragging Lorian on the floor.

    When I opened the door of the inn and entered, countless eyes fixed at me.

    The eyes that started with wonder soon erupted with different emotions.

    ¡°He, Hero Lorian!¡±

    Astonished. Poignant. Worried.

    ¡°Cloud-sama..!¡±

    Apprehension. And, atst, awe.

    Eliciting those emotions, I threw Lorian inside. Thud. As Lorian fell to the floor, all eyes that were directed at me turned to him.

    ¡°Brother¡­!¡±

    Lorraine put down her sword and hurried toward the fallen Lorian. She knelt down and examined his neck artery with quivering fingers. After confirming a few more sections, she let out an audible sigh of relief.

    ¡°He has just passed out¡­¡±

    With her words, the air that had been strung like lead loosened a little.

    It was notpletely liberated though.

    I nced around the inn.

    Myrades and Lorian¡¯s party members.

    The two groups faced off, armed. And when I brought back the fainted Lorian, the tension multiplied.

    Before the nobles who ascertained Lorian¡¯s rise and faling chest could say anything, I spoke first.

    ¡°Who was this?¡±

    ¡°¡­ yes?¡±

    ¡°Who told you could draw your weapons?¡±

    ¨C ¡­

    Silence fell.

    But the sound echoing and rolling was loud. Probably bogging them into thinking how to get out of this situation.

    I tried not to give that opportunity, but someone stepped forward.

    ¡°That was me. I gave the order, Hero, sir.¡±

    It was a middle-aged nobleman.

    ¡°Order? Who are you to give orders?¡±

    I approached the middle-aged man and asked. Instead of lowering his head, he answered with a stiff posture.

    ¡°Reltor Artos. I am the current head of the Artos Family, Duke Artos. In the absence of Hero Lorian, I am expected to takemand.¡±

    ¡°You? Not Lorraine?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    When I turned my eyes, I saw Lorraine, shaking at Leltor¡¯s words. I turned my gaze back to the nobleman standing ramrod straight, shoulders squared up.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you gave the order? Then you are responsible for all the actions theymitted. Can I hold you ountable?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you can, sir.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­¡±

    I crossed my arms and pondered for a while before pulling out my sword. The aristocrats began to mumble. Ignoring them, I faced the aristocrat in front of me and asked onest question.

    ¡°Do you have a son?¡±

    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s my heir, a brilliant son and my pride.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±

    I drove the sword into the resolute aristocrat¡¯s chest. I grabbed him by the shoulder as he trottered, blood pooling around the wound. I said in a low voice that only he could hear.

    ¡°Duke Artos. I¡¯ll remember you.¡±

    ¡°Do you mean¡­ we¡¯re clear¡­?¡±

    I nodded slowly.

    ¡°Of course your son would hate me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s natural that he would hate his father¡¯s killer¡­ but don¡¯t worry¡­ he¡¯s not a guy to lose sense only because emotions sway him¡­¡±

    ¡°It would be nice to have a brave family like Artos in our kingdom. What a pity.¡±

    The middle-aged chuckled bitterly.

    That was it.

    Reltor¡¯s body fell limp and his escort knights approached.

    After I nodded, the two escort knights hauled Reltor¡¯s corpse on their backs.

    ¡®The master they served is dead, but no emotions to show on their face.¡¯

    As if they expected it to be like this from the moment I entered.

    ¡®Reltor Artos.¡¯

    One more name to remember.

    Although he couldn¡¯t be an ally.

    As I scratched the nape of my neck, I could see themotion stir in the inn.

    ¡°Reltor-nim, he¡­¡±

    ¡°That was done without due process, Hero! You have crossed the line!¡±

    Agitated by the death of Reltor, the nobles began spurring criticism.

    I addressed the noisiest of them all.

    ¡°What if I crossed the line? What would you do? Do you want to formally protest against me to the Empire and the Church?¡±

    An impressively ck mustached man shook his head with a solemn expression.

    ¡°We don¡¯t even have to go there. Get us out of this fucking city right now, or we¡¯ll order the troops outside to attack!¡±

    ¡°You know that¡¯s bullshit, ha? You guys are going to be arrested, how are you going to give orders, and even though Lupus has been destroyed partly, the walls are still intact. Can they get over it?¡±

    ¡°Hoh! Hero, you¡¯re the one talking bullshit. How could we have entered here without a safety implementation? Once we¡¯re arrested, the hidden minions shall spread the word to the army outside the city. High walls? What if there are walls. You don¡¯t have an army to protect it.¡±

    The man with the impressive mustache urged to let them go immediately if we sought good for the sake of the citizens of Lupus.

    Perhaps impassioned by his confident demeanor, other nobles mored to get them out.

    Ah, so noisy.

    ¡°¡­these dare-¡±

    Leslie, who was worse off, was about to step forward but I raised a halting palm.

    Instead, I called out our party mascot.

    ¡°Shedia, take that one out.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    Shedia asked, sticking her face out of Katarina¡¯s shadow.

    ¡°Huh?!¡±

    ¡°That, that person appeared from the shadows?!¡±

    Ignoring the astonished nobles, I raised my index finger towards the target. Then she nodded her head and threw something out of the shadow.

    And something fell to the floor with a dull sound¡­

    ¡°Wh.. huh..!?¡±

    It was a human head.

    The nobles who saw it began to be visibly frightened, naturally.

    ¡°Is this the guy? The minion you mentioned. Don¡¯t lie that there are more. I¡¯ve checked everything.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The mustachioed man was silent for a moment, then stammered out.

    ¡°So, so what? Even if it¡¯s not this guy, if we don¡¯t contact them, the army outside the city will find out the strangeness. Later on, they¡¯ll attack Lupus to save us. In the end, it would be an extension of what I said earlier!¡±

    His loud voice resounded in the inn. At the same time, the door burst open, and knights in armor entered one after another.

    Looking at the knights who suddenly appeared, he shut his mouth.

    Or had to.

    If he had a good eye, he would have noticed that those knights weren¡¯t knights of Lupus.

    Among the nobles, there were even those who were horrified to find out the knights¡¯ identities.

    Either way, I waited for all the knights to file in.

    The knights who came in first lined up in two columns and made a path. An old man and a middle-aged man in dazzling armor walked side by side.

    The old and the middle-aged man got down on one knee toward me.

    ¡°The Comital Lopez family responds to the summon of the Hero and Her Highness the Queen.¡±

    ¡°The Ducal Collins family responds to the summon of the Hero and Her Highness the Queen.¡±

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 122.1

    Lorian¡¯s Phase 2 pattern is very simple.

    After summoning lion summons and dispersing aggro, he would use ultimate skill that stacks defense buffs and deals damage proportional to your defense.

    That¡¯s all.

    But the problem is that even though I know it, I can¡¯t prate through.

    Each of the Lion summons have ogre-level stats. No matter howte-game it is, it¡¯s not a stat constitution that can be ignored.

    So it would seen a better choice to kill the summoned beasts first and then apprehend Lorian, congrattions if you did, but oh my God, resummoning would f*ck you left and right.

    Then you would think the order is wrong.

    Yes, it¡¯s a rule of the thumb to kill the summoner first.

    But even if the target is shifted to Lorian, he won¡¯t take any real damage.

    Because the defense stacked is too high.

    What if you scrape off that disgustingly thick she¡¯ll and dwindle his health?

    Then¡­

    Ever heard of potions?

    What was the name of the potion¡­

    Full potion?

    Something¡­ Full blood..?

    It would turn your hard work into fool¡¯s turd.

    ¡®It gets really f*cked up then.¡¯

    I think I gave up after trying about ten times. No matter how annoying it was, in the end, it was just a game. yed for fun, abandoned when done.

    ¡®But I didn¡¯t expect to see this armor now.¡¯

    Why did ite out now when it only emergedter in the game timeline?

    I¡¯ve only culled one of the Four Heavenly Kings just yet, the Lich and the Subus Queen remain.

    Did I morph the game plot too much?

    Was it the simtion and derision that spurred Lorian to overachieve?

    A worm of self-reproach writhed in my stomach but that was something to worry aboutter.

    ¡°Did you beg your father?¡±

    Yeah, it¡¯s family Inheritance. I hate nepotism.

    ¡°..what?¡±

    ¡°This is your family heirloom, that much I know. Ugh, why are you forcing yourself to wear something you can¡¯t even use properly?¡±

    Unlike the game, it was embarrassing topare the white lions summoned with Lorian into Ogre ss construct.

    It seemed that the buffs he had werecking, so the ultimate result was absurdlycking, and the ability to control it seemed to becking as well.

    What was he thinking?

    ¡°Position these into safe hands of mine. I¡¯ll give it back to youter when you can use it properly. Until then, it will be confiscated.¡±

    While Lorian was raging inside, I scooped away the lion¡¯s shield. The guy came to his senses only after being mugged like an idiot.

    ¡°What are you doing!¡±

    ¡°Uh, confiscation?¡±

    He had stretched out his hand to ask for it back, so I quickly hid the shield behind my back. Then Lorian opened her eyes wide. Seeing his eyeballs quivering, dude must be upset.

    ¡°Stop the nonsense and give it out!¡±

    Lorian brandished his sword, asking for the shield.

    It had not caught my attention, but now that it did, its special nature didn¡¯t escape my perusal.

    Should I confiscate that too?

    ¡®No, that wouldn¡¯t look good.¡¯

    I don¡¯t even properly know about the sword.

    Let¡¯s focus on what we clearly know.

    Thinking so, I blocked Lorian¡¯s sword attack with Lorian¡¯s shield.

    ¡°Hey. Take it easy. The shield might get scratched!¡±

    ¡°Why you, filthy bastard, are concerned about my shield!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t give it fucking scratches! No, you don¡¯t!¡±

    The sword that harnessed the sword spirit streaked a blue trajectory and descend. I swung the shield in the vertical direction of that trajectory. Ting! The hand holding the sword bounced off and Lorian¡¯s posture copsed.

    I let go of the shield and clenched my fists.

    ¡°Have yourself mendedter.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t Ieave his arms and legs intact.

    [Active]

    -Temporarily doubles strength

    -Armor Pration 50%

    I swung my fist hard into Lorian¡¯s stomach. A mocking expression donned his face on my stupidity. That expression contorted the moment I jammed the fist in.

    ¡°Keuhuh..!¡±

    Lorian backed away with a pained expression on his face and looked at his abdomen. Seeing that his armor was intact, his eyes widened.

    ¡°How is this¡­¡±

    ¡°Ever heard of soft punches?¡±

    Startled by my words, Lorian raised his head.

    Toote prat.

    I hooked my heel behind Lorian¡¯s and grabbed him by the neck and mmed him to the floor.

    ¡°Ouch..!¡±

    The back of his skull connected with the floor with a dull thud.

    I immediately jumped on top of his midriff as he struggled to stand up and grabbed his sword-holding hand and wrist. I tried to break it as it was, but it didn¡¯t snap.

    He is also a tough guy.

    Taking a deep breath, I tightened my grip in one vice mp.

    ¡°Quaaaaagh!¡±

    With Lorian¡¯s scream, his wrist snapped. Of course, his half-turned wrist didn¡¯t have the strength to hold the sword, and his sword ttered to the floor with a clear ring.

    I roughly kicked the fallen sword and sent it skidding away.

    ¨C Crack!

    ¡°Keuuugh!¡±

    Then the guy swung his fist with his intact left hand. Grabbing the fist, I twisted it like his right hand.

    ¨C Crack!

    ¡°Goddammit¡­!¡±

    Lorian gritted his teeth and endured the pain. Even so, the fact that his eyes were alive stated he hadn¡¯t given up yet.

    He wriggled underneath me, trying to throw me off.

    I m my fist into Lorian¡¯s face. I don¡¯t know if it was because I was bare-fisted or because Lorian¡¯s skin and skeleton were so strong, but it didn¡¯t seem like he was even getting hit.

    ¡°Move!¡±

    Rather, he started struggling like a mudfish to shake me off.

    Okay.

    ¡°I would-¡±

    Crack!

    If it doesn¡¯t work, do until it does.

    ¡°Son of¡­¡±

    Crack!

    ¡°F*cke¡­¡±

    Crack!

    ¡°Bas¡­¡±

    Crack! Crack! Crack!

 Chapter 122.2

    How long, how long it had been since I have been walloping Lorian like a wet cloth on river rock?

    Lorian, his voice howling and growling, had suddenly became inaudible.

    I mped Lorian¡¯s ankle and lifted him up. I grabbed into the guy¡¯s unnecessarily long hair. Citizens who stayed nearby were all evacuated in advance, so there was no need to worry about maintaining a Hero¡¯s prestige.

    I returned to the inn, dragging Lorian on the floor.

    When I opened the door of the inn and entered, countless eyes fixed at me.

    The eyes that started with wonder soon erupted with different emotions.

    ¡°He, Hero Lorian!¡±

    Astonished. Poignant. Worried.

    ¡°Cloud-sama..!¡±

    Apprehension. And, atst, awe.

    Eliciting those emotions, I threw Lorian inside. Thud. As Lorian fell to the floor, all eyes that were directed at me turned to him.

    ¡°Brother¡­!¡±

    Lorraine put down her sword and hurried toward the fallen Lorian. She knelt down and examined his neck artery with quivering fingers. After confirming a few more sections, she let out an audible sigh of relief.

    ¡°He has just passed out¡­¡±

    With her words, the air that had been strung like lead loosened a little.

    It was notpletely liberated though.

    I nced around the inn.

    Myrades and Lorian¡¯s party members.

    The two groups faced off, armed. And when I brought back the fainted Lorian, the tension multiplied.

    Before the nobles who ascertained Lorian¡¯s rise and faling chest could say anything, I spoke first.

    ¡°Who was this?¡±

    ¡°¡­ yes?¡±

    ¡°Who told you could draw your weapons?¡±

    ¨C ¡­

    Silence fell.

    But the sound echoing and rolling was loud. Probably bogging them into thinking how to get out of this situation.

    I tried not to give that opportunity, but someone stepped forward.

    ¡°That was me. I gave the order, Hero, sir.¡±

    It was a middle-aged nobleman.

    ¡°Order? Who are you to give orders?¡±

    I approached the middle-aged man and asked. Instead of lowering his head, he answered with a stiff posture.

    ¡°Reltor Artos. I am the current head of the Artos Family, Duke Artos. In the absence of Hero Lorian, I am expected to takemand.¡±

    ¡°You? Not Lorraine?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    When I turned my eyes, I saw Lorraine, shaking at Leltor¡¯s words. I turned my gaze back to the nobleman standing ramrod straight, shoulders squared up.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you gave the order? Then you are responsible for all the actions theymitted. Can I hold you ountable?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you can, sir.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­¡±

    I crossed my arms and pondered for a while before pulling out my sword. The aristocrats began to mumble. Ignoring them, I faced the aristocrat in front of me and asked onest question.

    ¡°Do you have a son?¡±

    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s my heir, a brilliant son and my pride.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±

    I drove the sword into the resolute aristocrat¡¯s chest. I grabbed him by the shoulder as he trottered, blood pooling around the wound. I said in a low voice that only he could hear.

    ¡°Duke Artos. I¡¯ll remember you.¡±

    ¡°Do you mean¡­ we¡¯re clear¡­?¡±

    I nodded slowly.

    ¡°Of course your son would hate me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s natural that he would hate his father¡¯s killer¡­ but don¡¯t worry¡­ he¡¯s not a guy to lose sense only because emotions sway him¡­¡±

    ¡°It would be nice to have a brave family like Artos in our kingdom. What a pity.¡±

    The middle-aged chuckled bitterly.

    That was it.

    Reltor¡¯s body fell limp and his escort knights approached.

    After I nodded, the two escort knights hauled Reltor¡¯s corpse on their backs.

    ¡®The master they served is dead, but no emotions to show on their face.¡¯

    As if they expected it to be like this from the moment I entered.

    ¡®Reltor Artos.¡¯

    One more name to remember.

    Although he couldn¡¯t be an ally.

    As I scratched the nape of my neck, I could see themotion stir in the inn.

    ¡°Reltor-nim, he¡­¡±

    ¡°That was done without due process, Hero! You have crossed the line!¡±

    Agitated by the death of Reltor, the nobles began spurring criticism.

    I addressed the noisiest of them all.

    ¡°What if I crossed the line? What would you do? Do you want to formally protest against me to the Empire and the Church?¡±

    An impressively ck mustached man shook his head with a solemn expression.

    ¡°We don¡¯t even have to go there. Get us out of this fucking city right now, or we¡¯ll order the troops outside to attack!¡±

    ¡°You know that¡¯s bullshit, ha? You guys are going to be arrested, how are you going to give orders, and even though Lupus has been destroyed partly, the walls are still intact. Can they get over it?¡±

    ¡°Hoh! Hero, you¡¯re the one talking bullshit. How could we have entered here without a safety implementation? Once we¡¯re arrested, the hidden minions shall spread the word to the army outside the city. High walls? What if there are walls. You don¡¯t have an army to protect it.¡±

    The man with the impressive mustache urged to let them go immediately if we sought good for the sake of the citizens of Lupus.

    Perhaps impassioned by his confident demeanor, other nobles mored to get them out.

    Ah, so noisy.

    ¡°¡­these dare-¡±

    Leslie, who was worse off, was about to step forward but I raised a halting palm.

    Instead, I called out our party mascot.

    ¡°Shedia, take that one out.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    Shedia asked, sticking her face out of Katarina¡¯s shadow.

    ¡°Huh?!¡±

    ¡°That, that person appeared from the shadows?!¡±

    Ignoring the astonished nobles, I raised my index finger towards the target. Then she nodded her head and threw something out of the shadow.

    And something fell to the floor with a dull sound¡­

    ¡°Wh.. huh..!?¡±

    It was a human head.

    The nobles who saw it began to be visibly frightened, naturally.

    ¡°Is this the guy? The minion you mentioned. Don¡¯t lie that there are more. I¡¯ve checked everything.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The mustachioed man was silent for a moment, then stammered out.

    ¡°So, so what? Even if it¡¯s not this guy, if we don¡¯t contact them, the army outside the city will find out the strangeness. Later on, they¡¯ll attack Lupus to save us. In the end, it would be an extension of what I said earlier!¡±

    His loud voice resounded in the inn. At the same time, the door burst open, and knights in armor entered one after another.

    Looking at the knights who suddenly appeared, he shut his mouth.

    Or had to.

    If he had a good eye, he would have noticed that those knights weren¡¯t knights of Lupus.

    Among the nobles, there were even those who were horrified to find out the knights¡¯ identities.

    Either way, I waited for all the knights to file in.

    The knights who came in first lined up in two columns and made a path. An old man and a middle-aged man in dazzling armor walked side by side.

    The old and the middle-aged man got down on one knee toward me.

    ¡°The Comital Lopez family responds to the summon of the Hero and Her Highness the Queen.¡±

    ¡°The Ducal Collins family responds to the summon of the Hero and Her Highness the Queen.¡±

    Support me (click here) and read chapters in advance xD.

 Chapter 123.1

    There were four major noble families in the Kingdom of Prona.

    The ducal Oler family of the South.

    Theital Sentry family of the East.

    The ducal Collins family of the North.

    Theital Lopez family of the West.

    They mandated a prominent, king-like authority in their respective domains. That¡¯s why the legitimate heir of the Oler family, Calion Oler, felt like the ground had slipped from under his feet.

    ¡®Why are the North and West kneeling?¡¯

    A great aristocrat is someone from whom even the king cannot carelesslymand servitude.

    It looked strange that such people would not only kneel, but alsoply with the summons?

    The more the capital¡¯s authority decreases, the better it will be for them, so why were they trying to help the royalty?

    ¡®Are they trying to elicit gratitude from the clumsy queen?¡¯

    While Calion formted spection of his own, Cloud reached out to the ruler of the northern and western regions of Prona.

    ¡°Thank you for answering the call even though it was close to an unteral summon. You must have had a hard time amassing the army in such hurry.¡±

    ¡°No. I just did my duty as a vassal.¡±

    ¡°So did I.¡±

    After speaking, Duke Collins took out a round metal que from his bosom and ced it on Cloud¡¯s palm.

    A dragon pattern embedded on the distinct metal te.

    The eyes of the aristocrats who recognized it trembled involuntarily.

    ¡°T, The emblem of the Perdiac family¡­?¡±

    One of the Five Great Ducal families of the Empire and the only Imperial family that produced the Hero, Frillite.

    A behemoth they didn¡¯t even deserve to meet as mere nobles of a kingdom.

    That was the Imperial ducal Perdiac family.

    Why was Cloud holding the family emblem and not Frillite?

    Cloud, noticing the suspicious eyes of the nobles, tucked the que into his bosom and rified.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a family emblem, it¡¯s a VIP que. Of course, it¡¯s a gift.¡±

    Who gave him the VIP que as a gift?

    It wasn¡¯t too difficult to think.

    There was only one person in the Perdiac family who could have contact with him.

    ¡®Frillite de Perdiac¡­¡¯

    The faces of the aristocrats hardened as they recalled the reputation of the Crimson Phantom. The risk of her being included was not in the n.

    If they had known in advance that Cloud and Frillite were this close, they would have never stepped into this quagmire.

    Frillite, she alone, heralded influence stronger than that of Lorian and his family.

    That was to say, they had done themselves more harm than good in trying to please their royal prince.

    The nobles chewed their lips as they calcted the damage their family would suffer from this incident.

    Cloud asked the mustached man.

    ¡°Is there anything else you want to say?¡±

    ¡°¡­Hero, it¡¯s a misunderst¡ª¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like one.¡±

    Cloud¡¯s sword gleamed through the air. A solid red line formed around his neck as the mustachioed man blinking his eyes blearily. The red line became more and more apparent.

    ¡°Uh..?¡±

    Those were thest words of his life.

    When Cloud pushed, his head and body separated and rolled along the floor. Having lost the head, neck spewed blood, soaking the garbs of the nobles and knights around him.

    Silence ensued.

    No one in the inn was any longer screaming or making a fuss. The nobles were staring at the corpse or considering Cloud with nched expressions.

    Meanwhile, Calion cautiously opened his mouth.

    ¡°¡­Hero. Isn¡¯t this too much? To fling off the necks of the nobles as if it were amoner¡¯s. Would you be able to handle the consequences?¡±

    His words sounded like a warning at first nce.

    However, digging into it, one could see that it was just a servile begging for life.

    He begged for their lives, not to kill them because they were nobles.

    Cloud replied, wiping the blood smear off his cheek.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think my head will fly off if I kill one or two of these sted guys. And it won¡¯t be any different if it gets to three.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Calion, not wanting to be the third, shut his mouth. So did the others. Cloud turned his attention away from the frayed nobles.

    ¡°Duke Collins, Earl Lopez. I¡¯m sorry for asking you this right after you arrived, but please incarcerate them.¡±

    He stalked out of the inn without saying anything further. As he prowled alone along the dark side of the avenue, he pulled out the VIP que of the Perdiac family from his bosom.

    He thought distractedly, ¡®I had no intention of using it for political purposes¡­¡¯

    Would Frillite be angry when she were to find out?

    No, he would be d if it just terminated with her being disgruntled.

    What if they broke up?

    Cloud looked at the VIP que with an appraising gaze, then crushed it with dull force.

    * * *

    Lorian opened his eyes at the strange sensation of something undting about his body.

    Purple full moon.

    Beneath it was a vast in, above which stretcthed withering and dying grass.

    Looking at the mysterious and destendscape, Lorian blinked.

    ¡°What¡­¡±

    He bowed his head. When he wondered what emanted the strange feeling, purple thorny vines writhed around his body.

    His mind was a bleary mess, but this was familiar.

    Witch of Constraints.

    It was her thorny vine.

    ¡®What? Why am I tied to this? I¡¯m sure¡­¡¯

    He was startled.

    Lorian shuddered as he roused up and recalled what had happened. Slowly, his face contorted viciously.

    ¡°Darned Witch of Constraints!¡±

 Chapter 123.2

    Ch- 123.2: Queen Maker

    Lorian found himself awake tied and wound by purple vines. He shouted at the purple destendscape, but the witch did not appear.

    Lorian shouted again in a slightly louder voice.

    ¡°Where are you?! Witch of Constraints! Reveal yourselves immediately!!¡±

    -Noisy.

    The witch¡¯s voice reverberated in his head like a searing brand. It was a sharp voice unlike thest time¡¯s sensual and sweet.

    In front of Lorian, purple thorny vines rose from the ground and began to twine into each other. The mass of thorny vines twisted into a human shape and marbled a woman with white jade skin.

    The woman¡¯s light purple eyes red intently at Lorian.

    ¡°You¡­ you¡­ what you did to me and you dare¡­ you dare¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I should say! I asked you to restrain Cloud for five seconds. But you released him in less than three. Why? Why did you break the contract! You broke the contract at will, and I¡­¡±

    Lorian couldn¡¯t speak further, he bit his tongue in indignation.

    The day he was humiliated by Cloud, Lorian swore to avenge himself.

    He swore he would pay back dozens of times the humiliation he¡¯d suffered.

    He swore he would win the woman he loved.

    It took strength and grit to oath both of these goals.

    He needed power and more power.

    So Lorian returned to the kingdom and brought the nobles together to create a solid political foundation. He persuaded his father, the King, to relinquish him the national treasure, the Lion King¡¯s Armor, and increase his power.

    Just when he thought he had garnered enough strength and he finally had his chance.

    Lorian, who wanted to achieve his ambition as quickly as possible, seized the opportunity but shambled and copsed.

    What caused the n to fail?

    There were many surprises, if one looked. However, it couldn¡¯t be denied that one of them was this damned witch.

    Lorian red at the Witch of Constraints with seething hatred. Seeing those eyes, the witch let out a hollowugh, as if she was harrowed.

    ¡°Ha¡­ haha¡­ You really don¡¯t know..? You¡­ what did you do to me¡­?¡±

    She balled her palms into fists.

    The grip of the thorny vines twining Lorian grew stronger.

    ¡°Keuk¡­¡±

    Lorian frowned in pain, but his expression loosem.

    ¡°At least a millennium. A whole millennium. Thousand years were the time I spent hiding and skulking from those guys! But everything went wrong because of you!¡±

    ¡°Hah, so dangerous to constrain a single Hero for a few seconds¡­? You¡¯re only this much?¡±

    ¡°Only..? Did you say only? Only¡­ how can you say that! How can you!¡±

    Kwrack-!

    The grip of the vines became stronger. The raw strength would have crushed an ordinary person, but Lorian, Hero and prince, withstood it.

    ¡°Aaaagh¡­!¡±

    Although it was execrably painful.

    ¡°Shut your mouth. I don¡¯t want to hear your whines.¡±

    Thorn vines muffled Lorian¡¯s mouth. Then no sound came out of his mouth.

    After a while, her eyes, filled with fervor, darkened.

    The Witch of Constraints tiraded in a gloomy voice.

    ¡°I have to leave this ce, everything I have built, and run away. From now on, I will be wandering without a ce to rest for the rest of my life. Just because of one request from you. Isn¡¯t it too miserable, too hopeless?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Lorian couldn¡¯t answer. For the thorny vines mped his mouth shur.

    The witch also didn¡¯t want an answer. She continued, stroking Lorian¡¯s cheek as one would their lover. Right before they died.

    ¡°Fortunately, my life isn¡¯t the only miserable thing. What you gave me¡­ it must be returned. Destiny, understand?¡±

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. As per the contract, I¡¯ll only take equal pay. Yes, equal pay.¡±

    The witch smiled and put her lips to his ear.

    ¡°Listen carefully. Your life from now on will be full of grief and despair. You will lose reputation, fealty, trust and much more. In the end, you will lose even this humble, mortal life. In the name of Eriache, the Witch of Constraints, a promise is made. And it shall be done.¡±

    The Witch of Constraints, Eriache, looked into Lorian¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Your end will be very, very miserable.¡±

    There was a ghost in those light purple eyes.

    * * *

    ¡°Huh..!¡±

    Lorian, who opened his eyes, reflexively raised himself. He turned his head and looked around. It was a narrow cell of stone walls and dense iron bars.

    ¡°This ce is..?¡±

    ¡°Dungeon, Hero.¡±

    Marietta, a candidate for sainthood who was imprisoned with other women in the iron cell across from him, answered his question.

    Her face was full of displeasure.

    No, not just her.

    She and his other colleagues were in a simr dour mood. The moment Lorian felt it and was about to say something, something like a memory yed in his head along with a tingling headache.

    ¨C Lose¡­ destiny¡­ hopeless¡­ miserable¡­ very, very¡­

    But the memories were hazy, like fog.

    A woman looked at him and said something, but he couldn¡¯t remember what she said, let alone what she looked like.

    ¡°Brother? Are you okay?¡±

    Inside the dungeon, only Lorraine spoke out, worrying about him.

    Lorian didn¡¯t answer.

    He was just trying to recall the hazy memory.

    However, no matter how hard he tried, his memory gradually faded and never became clearer.

    * * *

    ¡°Uh, what..? What?¡±

    Eri asked as her voice trembled. I repeated what I had just said clearly.

    ¡°I mean Calion, your brother. Usually, we would¡¯ve executed him, but if you want, I¡¯ll think of another way. What should I do?¡±

 Chapter 124.1

    The nobles of the kingdom of Carta were imprisoned. They couldn¡¯t be released off of their narrow cells until their respective families were to send a ransom.

    One could say the level of punishment was meagerpared to what they had done, but Cloud wasn¡¯t having it easy either.

    He¡¯d Lorian¡¯s food supply to bear through, but that wouldn¡¯t make Lupus¡¯s situation any better.

    Food shortages will rear back and money was needed to rebuild the city.

    In order to obtain that money, it was best to umte as much as possible, but of course, in order to receive these ransoms, the hostage must not have a hand or leg missing.

    So, as a matter of fact, not a scratch was to fall on them.

    At least, that was possible if they were the nobles of the neighboring kingdom.

    The vassal families of the royal family of the Kingdom of Prona weren¡¯t ordained to escape the death penalty. An uprising in one¡¯s own country was a different matter than the invasion faced from neighboring kingdoms.

    Calion and Lewis had imed that it was their own independent action instead of their families, but¡­

    ¡®It¡¯s bullshit.¡¯

    Even if they were the heirs to great aristocratic families, they weren¡¯t endowed with the authority of an independent army without the permission of the head of the family. Therefore, it was safe to say they were granted authority from the family heads.

    Originally, the crime of treason was ruled by extermination of the whole lineage.

    But this time, it was decided to execute only the ringleaders and move on.

    Right now, Lupus didn¡¯t have the resources to wipe out two great aristocratic families, and even if they had, Cloud had no desire to start an internal war.

    Instead, he intended to put des through the two families in the name of neglect of their sessors.

    A very big, huge de.

    However, there were also minor problems with this method.

    Calion Oler.

    Eri¡¯s older brother.

    No matter what bad blood they shared, or even if she was disowned, blood was blood. He didn¡¯t want Eri to be depressed by Calion¡¯s execution, or evene to resent him.

    That¡¯s why Cloud took Eri¡¯s counsel on the disposal of Calion.

    As the leader, it was his duty to amodate his colleagues.

    For Cloud, the solution was simple enough.

    On the other hand, Eri¡¯s head was teetering.

    Calion.

    The name of her brother she disliked.

    Oler.

    The family she had tried all her life to truly belong, but was eventually thrown out. Which she too disliked.

    When two dislikes arebined, it bes hate.

    Contrary to her thoughts, however, she did not readily answer.

    Although there was not much left, the bond of blood and kinship still remained.

    She hoped that perhaps, with this incident as an opportunity, she might be able to enter the family register of the Oler family once again.

    These thoughts also made her hesitate, and then, steadying herself, she replied.

    ¡°Let me meet¡­ Let me meet and decide.¡±

    * * *

    ¡°No need.¡±

    ¡°¡­did I hear you wrong?¡±

    He said ¡°no need.¡±

    Eri was momentarily slumped by his words that were as firm and sharp as a knife.

    Coming to her senses, she asked, ¡°Are you sure you understood what I was saying?¡±

    ¡°Of course. That I¡¯m about to be executed and you can prevent it. And even swear that the nobles of the Kingdom of Carta will survive. I got it alright.¡±

    ¡°So what do I make of your answer?¡±

    ¡°Hah. What did you think? I would crawl between your crotch and beg to save my life?¡±

    Calion snorted at her as if she was being ridiculous.

    ¡°Not that I have any inclination of doing that, but even if I did, what would be left of me? There is only this honor that has not fallen to the floor.¡±

    ¡°Goodness! You would give up your life just for your pride?¡±

    ¡°Not just.¡±

    The look on his face as he spoke as he leaned back in his chair was impably serious.

    ¡°Aristocrats are rulers. And they have people who rally under them. If such an aristocrat bends his pride, even his vassal¡¯s pride will be dishonored. Would the lower ones look up to such seemingly craven lords? Will they believe and follow me? At least I don¡¯t think so. That is why the honor of the nobility is important.¡±

    His hair was a mess and his face was rugged.

    Nevertheless, the dignity engraved deep in his bones showed he was still an aristocrat.

    Eri felt her mood rapidly be unpleasant. Why? Shouldn¡¯t she have the upper hand in this conversation?

    The reason was not difficult to find.

    For her, it was a familiar feeling.

    The overwhelming sense of defeat.

    How would she have reacted if she had been in this situation herself?

    Would she haveid down her life as courageously as Carlion?

    Probably not.

    Even if she wanted to deny it, she couldn¡¯t.

    Eri had been pursuing practicality rather than honor since ever.

    Her way of thinking was different from that of Calion, who valued honor.

    Yes, it was different.

    Born and raised in the same family, the two were so different. Perhaps that was the mindset of a great aristocrat. Since they were born with everything, they didn¡¯t have to struggle to get anything.

    Unlike her.

    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m not saying this because I¡¯ve already lost most of my honor.¡±

    Calionughed bitterly.

    Eri stood up from her seat.

    ¡°I definitely gave it a chance. You were the one who said you wanted to die.¡±

    Saying that, she turned her back and walked briskly.

    Or wanted to.

    Wanted to get out of this unpleasant space as soon as possible.

    ¡°Congrattions anyway, Eri Oler. It¡¯s your victory.¡±

    What caught Eri¡¯s brisk footsteps was a jeer from Calion that came from behind her back.

    With that, her feet stuck to the floor as though she had been sprayed with glue. She asked without looking back.

    ¡°What do you mean..?¡±

    ¡°You are the only hope of a family that has lost ground due to my foolish judgment. The family will try to ept you into the fold again. Of course, on much better terms than before. Maybe you can be the next head of the household. That¡¯s why I said it was your victory.¡±

    Eri¡¯s clenched fist quavered. She whipped her head around and shouted at Calion.

    ¡°You are f**king next level arse!¡±

    The next head of the household? Victory?

    Had she ever wished for that?

    ¡°I just wanted to be epted into the family. How many times have I told you, sh*thead!¡±

    She wanted to be praised by her father.

    She wanted to live without strife with her half-brothers and sisters.

    She wanted to say the surname ¡®Oler¡¯ proudly in front of others.

    ¡°That was all I wanted¡­ why¡­¡±

    Tears welled up in deep sorrow. Eri bit her lip tightly. She erased her sad expression and red at her Calion with ferocity.

    ¡°First dig me out of the family register and then ept me again? Do not be ridiculous. Such an obnoxious family, I won¡¯t ept it even if I was given!¡±

    Having spat out all the resentment in her heart, she left the room in a fit of rage.

    Looking at her back, Carlion smiled dully.

    ¡°This is all I could do, father¡­¡±

    A few dayster, Calion and Lewis were executed.

    * * *

 Chapter 124.2

    The dungeon¡¯s facilities were mediocre. Stone walls and iron bars.

    But those only barred ordinary, the shackles that restrained Lorian and his party were enchanted with restraint magic. Given that Lorian or his party members could break through faced with a little internal injury.

    But they did not think of breaking the shackles and escaping.

    They knew too.

    If they were to attempt escape, they would ept death.

    In the hands of none other than Hero Cloud.

    Death certainly would not be granted to Hero Lorian, but for others, they would face it unconditionally. Cloud¡¯s astute expression they saw that day further backed up the impression.

    That was why they had quietly epted imprisonment.

    Although their bodies were sticky because of the dampness, and they couldn¡¯t wash it, and the moldy food, which was worse than not eating at all, and the insects and rats that appear from time to time to eat up their spirits¡­

    It was better than dying.

    But that was to it, and difort was difort.

    The nobles who had never been treated like this in their lives, as well as Lorian¡¯s party members, were distraught and dissatisfied.

    And ironically, their dissatisfaction was directed at Lorian, not Cloud.

    He was the reason they were half-forced to follow the n, and he was also the cause of the n¡¯s failure.

    Of course, since Lorian was both a Hero and the prince of the Kingdom of Carta, he had no one openly expressing the dissatisfaction.

    They just swept him with disapproving looks or didn¡¯t look around to meet his gaze.

    It was a really minor act of repulsion, but it was enough to set the ufortable air flowing in the narrow dungeon thick.

    ¡®Not good.¡¯

    Of course, Lorian also noticed. And just as he chided his mind toe up with some salvaging assistance.

    ¡°How are you all?¡±

    With the steady sound of footsteps, Cloud appeared in the hallway.

    ¡°From the looks on your face, you don¡¯t seem to be getting along well.¡±

    He looked around the bars and smiled. Lorian frowned at that.

    ¡°Do youe to mock me, Cloud?¡±

    ¡°No. To get you out, Lorian.¡±

    Cloud pulled out a bushel of keys. The eyes of the nobles changed at the sound of the keychain jingling. One by one, they started putting their faces to the bars.

    ¡°Did the families send the ransom money already?¡±

    Cloud shook his head in denial toward the anticipation on their faces.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t received a reply yet, let alone the ransom. And I¡¯m not here to get you all out.¡±

    ¡°¡­then?¡±

    Cloud opened the iron grate of Lorian¡¯s cell in exchange for an answer. ¡®Ah¡¯ and sighs were heard from various cells.

    Watching Cloud release him from shackles, Lorian frowned.

    ¡°What is your intention?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°There is no reason for you to release me obediently. Unless you have some ulterior motive.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be joking, Lorian. I¡¯m just catching up with the burden of keeping a kingdom¡¯s royalty locked up.¡±

    After loosening Lorian¡¯s shackles, he immediately released Laurenne¡¯s. Lorian¡¯s other colleagues, including the candidate saintess, weren¡¯t released. Same for the other nobles.

    Lorian considered them and said.

    ¡°I want the others to be released too.¡±

    ¡°No. You and Lorraine are royalty, so we let you go. Just because you¡¯re bing free, don¡¯t forget what you did.¡±

    ¡°¡­Then I will stay here as well. I shall not go out alone.¡±

    Lorian tried to jostle back into the cell.

    Cloud grabbed him by the crook of his arm.

    ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve misunderstood something, this isn¡¯t an invitation of goodwill.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Follow me.¡±

    Before being pushed back by Cloud, Lorian turned his head and looked ahead. He never looked for the eyes fixed on him and on Lorraine.

    * * *

    ¡°Do I really have to do this?¡±

    A room in an ordinary inn that could be found anywhere in the city.

    Lorraine grumbled, wiping her freshly washed, damp hair with a cloth.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend. There¡¯s no way a serpent like you wouldn¡¯t have noticed the atmosphere.¡±

    Lorraine red at him.

    Cloudughed and slipped behind her.

    He pried away the cloth and began wiping her hair instead.

    ¡°Hey! What are you doing!¡±

    ¡°Stay still. It¡¯s harder to clean if you move.¡±

    ¡°Aww..! Ha, don¡¯t!¡±

    Lorraine waved her hand at him with a flushed face, but she didn¡¯t go through. Cloud skillfully avoided her. In the end, she got tired first and had no choice but to give up.

    ¡°What is this really¡­¡±

    As she pouted and grunted, Cloud opened his mouth.

    ¡°I had to, Lorraine. I had to. To make sure this doesn¡¯t happen again.¡±

    ¡°¡­wasn¡¯t there another way?¡±

    ¡°Was. But I don¡¯t want it to end with homicide.¡±

    In a calm tone, he replied. Lorraine, slightly appalled, looked behind her. Cloud smiled as if asking what.

    ¡°Come to think of it, is there anything you haven¡¯t answered yet?¡±

    ¡°What¡­ what¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend you forgot. You are not stupid.¡±

    Cloud stroked her brown hair. Lorraine hesitated with her mouth shut, then looked at him and replied.

    ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t betray my brother.¡±

    ¡°Is that your answer?¡±

    Lorraine gave him a small nod.

    ¡°Yeah, well¡­ Let¡¯s say that¡¯s the case for now.¡±

    Cloud cupped her cheek and kissed her on the lips. After sharing a long kiss, he met her eyes.

    ¡°There is still plenty of time.¡±

    Cloud kissed her again and began untying theces of her dress.

    Lorraine did not oppose.

    * * *

    A mountain range near Lupus.

    There, on a cliff, a young man was watching Lupus and the encamped army, sprawling on the open meadows off the city.

    ¡°As rumored, it is very precarious. Is Cloud hyung still here?¡±

    Without him, there was no point ining here.

    As the young man was mulling, he heard his colleague¡¯s voice call from behind.

    ¨C Mars, what are you doing there? Hurry up, we gotta go!

    ¡°Huh? When did you get there? Wait for me!¡±

    The young man, Mars, sprinted toward his teammates.

 Chapter 125.1

    ¡°Is it here again?¡±

    Marietta sighed and tossed away the bug crawling up her neck. The rat that roamed outside her cell caught the fly bug and nibbled it to pieces with its sharp teeth before swallowing it in one gulp.

    Sizzle-!

    As if to thank her, it flicked its tail a few times and then skittered away. Marietta smiled and looked around her.

    Stone wall and iron bar that make you feel entrapped just by looking at them.

    A prison with no venttion, damp and ufortable.

    In addition, her wrists were mped in shackles, so there was an additional weight tugging.

    ¡°It reminds me of the old days¡­¡±

    Marietta, a candidate for the Sainthood affiliated to Hero Lorian¡¯s Party.

    She was born as the fourth daughter of a poor peasant family. Her memories of her childhood were so messed up that she didn¡¯t want to recall those.

    She worked all day to the bone and ate only a single potato. She¡¯d, at times, struggled to eat more of that, but was severely scolded.

    Home?

    It was a narrow, decrepit wooden house with a thatched roof.

    The space was too cramped for husband and wife and their four boys and four girls to live. Thanks to which, when they were to sleep, the brothers and sisters had to y rock-paper-scissors to see who would sleep in the bed.

    If she were unlucky enough to sleep on the floor, such inconveniences were ubiquitous.

    All sorts of bugs would stick to her body and bother incessantly.

    Sometimes, on days when bugs get into her clothes and die¡­

    Those were terrible days.

    Marietta couldn¡¯t stand such a life anymore. If she had lived so, she would have one day either starved to death or failed to some disease. She escaped her house and put her mind and body to the servitude of the church.

    And she deeply regretted it.

    Why hadn¡¯t she ran out sooner!

    The quality of life at home and at church was so different.

    From basic daily necessities, a private bed, and three meals a day to many others.

    For Marietta, who ate only one potato a day, the church was literally heaven.

    Of course, the church also has its downsides.

    First of all, because it was a closed organization, the hierarchy was strong.

    They interdivided into factions and conducted politics among themselves, and above all, religious education was hard and difficult.

    But it didn¡¯t matter much to Marietta.

    Strong hierarchy?

    More so than societal order, wherendlords towered farmers cruelly?

    Clique? Politics?

    Funny, the thing you can get from politics is to be assigned an easy job.

    The real problem was faith education¡­

    Marietta had gritted her teeth and studied.

    A nun who couldn¡¯t radiate her goddess¡¯s blessing, divine power, didn¡¯t deserve to remain in the church.

    She didn¡¯t want to get kicked out of the church and live that necessitous life again.

    Fortunately for her, she had talent, and it wasn¡¯t long before she invoked and radiated divine power higher than those of her predecessors.

    After that, there was nothing special.

    She followed orders faithfully and was treated ordingly.

    The end result was the candidature for sainthood, a position that ordinary nuns could never have dreamed of.

    ¡®At that time, I really thought I could be the Saintess.¡¯

    Because the Empire did not promote candidates for saints, and her hero, Lorian, was superior to the other heroes, Gis and Cloud.

    But in the end, here she was.

    Imprisoned in a dirty, poorly maintained dungeon.

    ¡®I really hate this¡­¡¯

    Marietta has gotten used to her life in the church.

    It meant that she was spoiled withfort and leisure and opulence.

    So she couldn¡¯t stomach it now that she was experiencing the same difort as when she was a child.

    Eventually she looked across from her empty cell with an annoyed gaze.

    This was the ce where her Hero, Lorian, was imprisoned not too long ago.

    ¡®So, why did you do this for nothing¡­¡¯

    Why do something you can¡¯t take responsibility for.

    As she was about to click her tongue in displeasure, a soldier approached and opened the bars of the prison where she was imprisoned.

    ¡°Lady Marietta, Archbishop Vedic summons you.¡±

    * * *

    ¡°How does tea taste?¡±

    ¡°It smells really good. Not to be rude, but where did youe across such exotic produce?¡±

    ¡°These are the tea leaves that were grown in the garden of the royal pce of Lupus. That was until something unpleasant happened.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    Marietta put down her teacup and bowed her head quickly.

    ¡°I am sorry for what our hero did this time. I should have stopped it, but the hero pushed so hard¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, hold your head high. If the Saintess Candidate bows her head, I would feel ufortable. And I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t get you out right away. I beseeched Hero Cloud several times that such a ce was not fitting for a Saintess candidate to put in, but the Hero¡¯s conviction was firm, so it took me a while to convince him.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see. Thank you, Archbishop, for your grace.¡±

    ¡°No, no. You must have faced a gruelling time living in such a shabby environment.¡±

    ¡°¡­I honestly can¡¯t say no.¡±

    A harsh environment that reminded her of her childhood.

    She didn¡¯t want to experience that again.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay though. It was our fault in the first ce.¡±

    That¡¯s why she wanted to get into the good graces of Archbishop Vedic. And even as a Saintess candidate was showing deference to the Archbishop.

    Because if he thought she had gotten cocky, he might order her to be dragged back to the dungeon after this conversation.

    Looking at her, Archbishop Vedic gave her a satisfied smile.

    ¡°Thank you for saying that. Then, I should soon tell why I invited you, Lady,¡± said Archbishop Vedic after taking a sip of tea.

    ¡°Miss Marietta. Have you ever considered an option other than Hero Lorian?¡±

    ¡°¡­yes?¡±

    The archbishop¡¯s proposal was unexpected even to Marietta; she was surprised. On the other hand, the Archbishop continued with a warm smile as if he had expected her reaction.

    ¡°You are very kind, Miss Marietta. Don¡¯t you have any intention of serving Hero Cloud?¡±

    ¡°Oh no, wait a minute. I can¡¯t follow the conversation. Isn¡¯t there already another Saintess candidate serving Hero Cloud?¡±

    ¡°That would be incorrect.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    What?

    Wasn¡¯t Hero Cloud assigned with a Saintess candidate?

 Chapter 125.2

    ¡°That you see, there¡¯s a bit of trouble. Poor thing, Lady Ophelia.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    Poor thing?

    Did Marietta just heard Vedic refer to a saint candidate as ¡°poor thing¡±?

    Marietta didn¡¯t expect to be caught off guard by a series of unexpected words, causing her to remain tight lipped.

    ¡°Do you remember when Lady Ophelia switched to the party of Hero Lorian in the past?¡±

    ¡°Yes? Oh, yes¡­I remember.¡±

    How could she forget? Lorian had even brought in Eri.

    In fact, at that time and even now, Marietta didn¡¯t care what those women were doing. She thought she was better focusing in her own business no matter what they did.

    However, judging by the expression on Archbishop Vedic¡¯s face, it seemed that the problem was more serious than that.

    ¡°At that time, the Church of the Kingdom of Prona was in a state of emergency. Even the priests and bishops, not to mention the previous archbishops, were running around in a frenzy. I think Lady Marietta would already know the reason.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    People were ultimately the same everywhere, wherever they lived.

    Churches were no different.

    They pursue more power and more honor.

    That¡¯s why each kingdom attains a saint candidate.

    The church in the kingdom that produces a Saintess Candidate will have a stronger voice.

    ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying, Archbishop. However, as you may know better than I do, if I were to switch to Hero Cloud¡¯s party, I would be at odds with all the church branches in the Kingdom of Carta. I cannot ignore the fact that my reputation will be ruined externally.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re refusing the offer.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for the offer, but yes.¡±

    ¡°No, no, if that¡¯s your choice, I can¡¯tpell you to do otherwise.¡±

    Archbishop Vedic turned his head and shouted outside.

    ¡°Send someone to escort Lady Marietta back to the prison.¡±

    Marietta opened her eyes wide, she alternated between looking at the door of the Archbishop¡¯s chamber and the Archbishop himself, not knowing what to do.

    ¡°Wait, Your Eminence?! I, I¡¯m a saint candidate-¡±

    ¡°Just kidding.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    Archbishop Vedic smiled slyly at the stiffened Marietta.

    ¡°No matter what, can we really put the Saintess candidate in such a humble ce? It was just a joke I threw out hoping that you would think about my proposal again. Did you not find it winsome?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ yeah, it¡¯s¡­ amusing. Haha¡­¡±

    She found it ¡®very¡¯ funny.

    ¡®Just you wait until I be the Saintess. Hmph.¡¯

    Marietta hid her true feelings behind a forced smile.

    Archbishop Vedic¡¯s tone became more astute.

    ¡°Most likely, what Lady Marietta worries about will not happen.¡±

    ¡°How can you be so sure?¡±

    ¡°Lupus recently vanquished an evil Heavenly Demon King. Lorian, the Hero, is eager to capture when it¡¯s down on its knee. Lady Marietta may have entreated him to reconsider many times, but he eventually raised an army. What do you think about that?¡±

    Isn¡¯t that a sufficient story for a Saintess Candidate to fall back on to switch sides?

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Think carefully. Hero Lorian is running rampant. For some reason, he is too obsessed with power. The same goes for this incident. If he continues to rush in headfirst like this, he will eventually meet his doom.¡±

    Marietta couldn¡¯t deny the harsh criticism toward Lorian. He had been moving recklesslytely, unlike the past where he moved calmly and coldly.

    He may even do things worse than this incident, and the aftermath may spread not only to him but to those around him as well.

    Like now, when she was trapped in the subterranean cell.

    ¡®¡­That¡¯s not possible.¡¯

    Marietta had worked hard to get better treatment. Why should she be treated unfairly because of someone else¡¯s mistake?

    No, she was fortunate if it was just unfair treatment.

    Considering what he¡¯d been doingtely, it would not strange if he causes a heinous scandal someday.

    After pondering for a while, she cautiously asked:

    ¡°Why are you proposing this to me? Is it all just political revenge against Lady Ophelia?¡±

    Archbishop Vedic widened his eyes at her doubtful voice and then he chuckled lightly, wiping tears ofughter.

    ¡°You are misunderstanding something. I¡¯m not doing this to get revenge against Lady Ophelia.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­¡±

    ¡°I just judged that Lady Ophelia is no longer suitable for Hero Cloud.¡±

    * * *

    Summoned by the Archbishop was not only Marietta, but Ophelia as well. She had also been summoned.

    ¡°A¡­ Ahh¡­¡±

    Eavesdropping on the conversation between the two outside the Archbishop¡¯s chambers, Ophelia fell into panic.

    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not fit to be with the hero¡­?¡±

    Had all her efforts been in vain? Bit by bit, her body magnified in Ophelia¡¯s pupils, slowly blotting in mud and grime.

    ¡°I hate it¡­! Dirty. Dirty. Dirty. Dirty!¡±

    She began to scratch at her arms as if trying to tear off the mud and grime. Her skin turned raw red and soon blood began to drip.

    Many priests and nuns saw Ophelia walking down the corridor, but no one dared to approach her. Her appearance, with tears streaming down her face and a wounded body, was abnormal to anyone.

    * * *

    ¡°Hero¡­ The Archbishop urgently requests your presence. He waits for you to arrive.¡±

    ¡°Tell him to wait a little longer. I have more pressing matters.¡±

    I gestured with my hand and indicated the priest to return. But instead of leaving, the priest raised his voice as if he was going to continue this way.

    ¡°Hero!¡±

    ¡°What!¡±

    ¡°¡­Why do you refuse the Archbishop¡¯s summons?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? Do you see me as someone under the Archbishop¡¯s influence? Using the word ¡®summon¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Well, yes¡­ Ah, no. That¡¯s not what I meant¡­¡±

    ¡°Really? Then go back quietly and tell the Archbishop to wait. If he didn¡¯t even set an appointment and just calls me out like this, I should have the liberty to decide. Now, why don¡¯t you scurry away?¡±

    Given a stern look, the hesitant priest scooted back.

    As I watched his back, I turned around. I felt sorry for the guy who got caught in the middle, but what can I do?

    I can¡¯t bete for my little brother whom I haven¡¯t seen in a long time because of these incidents.

    ¡°By the way, he really surprised me.¡±

    A guard came in the early morning to inform Mars was looking for me. He was an unidentified person to them, but he was detained because he was iming so incessantly.

    I knew I would meet him someday soon, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be like this.

    ¡°Come to think of it, I guess he found me faster than I found him.¡±

    I had wondered how Mars was doing.

    It¡¯s been quite a while, so he must have grown a lot, right?

    I¡¯d heard there were four of them, including Mars, but I hoped his colleagues were decent people.

    While walking and thinking, I arrived at the guard room where Mars was detained.

    With a little anticipation, I flung opened the door of the guard room.

    ¡°No, really¡­ Oh, brother!¡±

    I could see Mars arguing with the guards.

    The Mars I met after these few years was quite different from before.

    He had grown taller and his body had gotten broader.

    However, the appearance of the guy waving his hand and smiling was just like before.

    Just as I was about to enter the guard room with open arms and a smile, saying, ¡°Hey, is it really you?¡±

    An uneptable tone of voice hit my ear. I quickly turned my head. Three people with familiar features widened in my pupils.

    Kim Tae-yang, who looked like a skinny fish.

    A bald pig human with a hawkish nose.

    A woman with pink hair who was not Isabe.

    I slowly, but surely reached for my sword.

 Chapter 126.1

    ¡°Hyung?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    I snapped out of my thoughts at Mars¡¯ voice and shrugged my hand off the sword handle.

    The thought alone was too dangerous.

    ¡°Was just checking if I hadn¡¯t forgotten my sword somewhere.¡±

    Of course, it was not because of that.

    I should probably reflect.

    But then again, this was not just a small problem.

    All the things I¡¯ve done for Mars have been wasted. My time, effort, and money have all gone down the drain.

    Don¡¯t I have the right to be angry?

    I was seriously considering when Mars spoke up again.

    ¡°What are you thinking about, hyung?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Have you been doing well all this time?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been doing quite alright. I went on a journey and made some friends like we talked about back then.¡±

    Oh, fuck. I hoped it wasn¡¯t true, but now it was confirmed. Geez, this guy. Is this how it was going to be? No, I need to wait and see how it proceeds.

    ¡°Hyung?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah. What?¡±

    ¡°I can tell you aren¡¯t listening. You¡¯ve something bothering you, Hyung.¡±

    ¡°Just disturbed by some things I seeing you upto¡­ ¡±

    Mars quickly changed the subject with a slightly ufortable expression as we walked down the street.

    ¡°Hyung, are you really a Hero?¡±

    ¡°Changing the subject, aren¡¯t you? It¡¯s a clich¨¦ move, but let¡¯s entertain you. A hero? Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me? Do you know how surprised I was when I got to hear my hyung¡¯s name as the hero who defeated one of the Four Heavenly Kings?¡±

    ¡°Would you¡¯ve believed me had I told you then?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­not really¡­¡±

    ¡°See? More importantly, who are those three over there?¡±

    Pointing at the three boors looking in our direction from a distance, I asked. He seemed to have remembered something he had forgotten.

    ¡°Ah. I forgot to introduce my colleagues.¡±

    ¡°¡­yeah.¡±

    I had a rough idea, but when Mars used the word ¡°colleague,¡± a painful sensation shot through my spine.

    Oh, dear.

    But I clutched onto that slippery hope. They might have be ordinary colleagues, unlike how it was in the game.

    Mars brought over his colleagues and introduced them.

    I wasn¡¯t curious, so I only took note of their names. The name of the skinny fish Kim Tae-yang [1] was Hyo-woo, the name of Pink Woman Part-2 was Christina, and the name of the pig of a human was Bomuro.

    ¡°I see. But, uh, that Pink-¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not trying to say Pink Woman, are you?¡±

    ¡°The woman with hair that incidentally happens to be pink is just a simple colleague of yours, right?¡±

    ¡°Christina is¡­¡±

    Mars stopped speaking and approached Pink Women Version-2, taking her hand.

    ¡°She¡¯s my lover.¡±

    ¡°¡­Lover? You mean, girlfriend?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Mars nodded his head. Beside him, the seconding of Pink Woman lowered her head, blushing. The tanned delinquent and the bald pig snickered mockingly. Maybe it was just my imagination?

    ¡°What¡¯s this neck pain.¡±

    Am I getting a cervical disc herniation at this age?

    I should ask Katarina for a massage when I go back.

    ¡°Hyo-woo, Christina, Mr. Bomuro. Let me introduce you to my big brother. This is Cloud-hyung that I mentioned earlier.¡±

    ¡°Ah, hello! I¡¯m Christina, Mars¡¯ lover. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. You helped Mars a lot when he was going through a tough time¡­ Well, nice to meet you!¡±

    Pink Women Part-2 bowed as she greeted.

    ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡±

    Next, the bald pig and the blonde delinquent approached and asked for a handshake.

    ¡°I thought it was just empty talk, but you really know him¡­ I¡¯m Hyo-woo, Mars¡¯ colleague. Nice to meet you~.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    Although his tone and face were unpleasant, surprisingly, he was polite. Are they just ordinary colleagues? After shaking hands, the blonde skinny fish let out a slyugh.

    ¡°You say you¡¯re close to Mars, right? I¡¯m quite close to Mars too. So, can I ask you something? Can you introduce me to a pretty girl sometime? I heard there are a lot of beautiful women surrounding every hero. Even your colleagues are rumored to be beauties~¡±

    He licked his lips with a sinister expression.

    Hmm.

    ¡°Guards, can you all step out for a moment?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­?¡±

    ¡°Just for a moment. I ask you to do me a favor.¡±

    The guards, who were puzzled, eventually understood and started leaving the guard room one by one. I turned my head to Mars.

    ¡°You should step out too.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Why do you ask? If your hyung asks you to step out, you step out.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s not that I have a problem with stepping out for a moment, but I¡¯m worried about your expression, hyung. If I leave now, it seems like a very regrettable situation might unfold.¡±

    ¡°What do you think of me, dude? Don¡¯t worry, there won¡¯t be any problems, so just go out.¡±

    ¡°What? What¡¯s going on? Hey? Hey-¡±

    Mars was pushed out of the doorway by me and the door to the guard room was locked. Then I pulled the curtains off the window.

    Okay. Now people outside the guard room won¡¯t know what¡¯s going on inside.

    That should be enough for now¡­

    [1] Characters with bronze hair and blond streaked hair which is a recurring theme/meme for one who is proficient at ntr-ing (infidelity and c*ckoldry) .

 Chapter 126.2

    I turned around.

    ¡°You bastard!¡±

    That was enough!

    I lumbered over and back-pped the blonde fish.

    Snap!

    His body lost bnce and copsed to the ground. Did he fall over just from a p?

    What a weakling!

    ¡°What the hell¡­why are you doing this¡­ugh!¡±

    He groaned and tried to stand up with a frown. I kicked him in the stomach. His waist buckled like a bow. He was so weak that his waist couldn¡¯t even handle it. How did he satisfy a woman with a body like that?

    ¡°What, what¡­why are you doing¡­ugh! What did I do wrong?!¡±

    ¡°You¡­ you crossed the line. You said words that should never havee out of your dirty mouth.¡±

    ¡°What the fook are you on, bas¡­ugh!¡±

    Instead of kicking him, I stomped on him with my foot.

    ¡°I¡¯m asking you, why did dirty thoughts trained on my colleaguese out of your mouth? Huh? Hey, speak up. Why did you mention my colleagues and smiled a licentious smirk?¡±

    ¡°W-Well, t-this is just my usual smile¡­¡±

    ¡°Then you need to change it! If it makes others ufortable, you need to change it!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s unreasonable¡­¡±

    ¡°Your existence is unreasonable!¡±

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    There was a throatyugh that sounded like someone crowing.

    The Pink Woman Version-2 rolled her eyes to the side, I saw the bald pig smiling knowingly.

    ¡°Wanna fight?¡±

    I rammed my clenched fist into the folds of the bald pig¡¯s chin.

    ¡°Fight? Fight?? Fight??? You want to fight, you bastard, then fight!¡±

    ¡°Ugh! Ack! Ack! Kuk!¡±

    As I kicked the blond fish with my foot and rattled the bald pig with my fist, Pink Woman Part-2 suddenly regained herposure and yelled out in surprise.

    ¡°What, what are you doing? Who are you to hit two people like this?!¡±

    ¡°Me? I¡¯m Mars¡¯ hyung. Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Me? I¡¯m Mars¡¯ girlfriend!¡±

    ¡°Bullshit. I don¡¯t recognize Pink Women as girlfriends!¡±

    ¡°Ahh! What are you doing now? Let go of me!¡±

    ¡°Hyung, let go! Hyung!¡±

    Mars tried to tow me away by putting his arms through my armpits and eventually decided it was futile, crossed his arms together before my neck.

    Is this guy crazy?

    ¡°Let go! Let go, damn it!¡±

    ¡°There won¡¯t be any problem! There won¡¯t be any problem!!¡±

    Mars¡¯ grip around my neck tightened.

    Is this guy really going to¡­?

    ¡°Mars, you can¡¯t do this to me. I went through so much to make you live like a person! I even taught you how to use a sword and sent you money for living expenses! And at my age, I even spout childish lines, riddling my heart with holes, but then, then you¡ª! You¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know! I know you helped me a lot, too! But why are you bringing this up now?! And what do you mean by spouting childish lines?¡±

    ¡°Damn!¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?! No, this isn¡¯t the time for that. Guards! Don¡¯t just stare nkly, please help me!!¡±

    ¡°Uh..? Oh, yeah. Hero Cloud, please calm down!¡±

    After that, the guards rushed over.

    ¡°Ah, let go. I said let go!¡±

    * * *

    ¡°I got too excited. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    He apologized to the three people at the table across from him. The three still had disgruntled expressions.

    ¡°Hey, I gave them a potion to heal and even offered them settlement. Can¡¯t you guys at least lighten up?¡±

    Silence.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to offer more settlement because of this.¡±

    While they continued to make narked expressions, the bald pig and the skinny fish lowered their gazes and muttered in hushed whispers.

    ¡°I mean, who can say he¡¯s a hero. .. he¡¯s just a thug and acts like one, doesn¡¯t he¡­ even the guards are at his beck and call¡­ isn¡¯t this abuse of power¡­? A hero abusing his power to oppress ordinary citizens¡­ wouldn¡¯t it be dangerous if rumors like these spread among the public?¡±

    The voice was not meant to confide in each other but rather meant to be heard by others. As proof, he grinned when their eyes met.

    ¡°Rumors, huh?¡±

    Cloud jumped up onto the table.

    ¡°Yes. Yes. Yes, you pig bastard. They can.¡±

    He grabbed hold of the piggy¡¯s scarce hair strands and smacked him in the face.

    ¡°Ouch! Ah! Ah! Ah! Stop it¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, hold on, hyung¡­¡±

    Since Mars intervened, I reluctantly let go of his hair.

    ¡°Where did you get the nerve to threaten a hero? You¡¯re asking for trouble.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­ ugh¡­¡±

    The bald piglet nursed the p he¡¯d received, trembling with fear. When their eyes met again, he lowered his gaze on his own.

    ¡°What a pity. If you have red at me a time more, I could have enjoyed the ¡®privilege¡¯ of using my fists a tad bit.¡± Lounging in his chair, Cloud said to Mars, ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you after so long, but I have some work to do. I¡¯ll introduce you to a decent inn nearby, make yourselffortable here for now.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t Mars your close brother? Then why not stay at a fancy inn, if not the pce?¡±

    ¡°The pce and the fancy inns are destroyed. With shut mouths that suit affable guests, grace these inns.¡±

    ¡°R-Right.¡±

    The seconding of Pink Woman closed her mouth. Shetched onto Mars¡¯ arm, who looked at her with pity, while Cloud conveyed to him the location of the inn.

    ¡°Is your brother staying at that inn too?¡±

    ¡°Am I crazy? Staying in the same inn as you bea¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hyung, please don¡¯t say that¡­¡±

    Mars looked around at his colleagues and spoke. His expression around Pink Women Part-2 reminded Cloud of the boy who used to look around for Isabelle, and he sighed unconsciously.

    ¡°After work, I¡¯lle find you. Don¡¯t wait too long. If you have something to do, go ahead and do it.¡±

    After patting Mars on the shoulder a few times, he left the guardhouse.

    Some of the guards stared at him, but when he sneaked his index finger on his lips, they nodded as if they understood.

    * * *

    ¡°¡­So, Your Excellency means to say Ophelia heard you proffering Marietta, the Saintess candidate of Lorian¡¯s party, her position in mine. ording to the testimony of the clergy, Ophelia¡¯s state when she returned to the inn seemed very unstable, is that correct?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, yes.¡±

    Archbishop Vedic nodded his head with a truly regretful expression. I leaned back in my chair without saying a word. Archbishop Vedic was babbling about something like appointing Marietta as the saint candidate at this point, but I wasn¡¯t listening.

    There was only one thing dominating my mind right now.

    ¡®I want to smoke a cigarette.¡¯

    Should I ask Leia to bring me one? If I covertly receive it and smoke it secretly, wouldn¡¯t that work somehow?

    No, why am I going through all this trouble then? I can¡¯t throw away all the suffering I¡¯ve gone through just for a cigarette.

    ¡®But I really want to smoke¡­¡¯

    Leia, you¡¯re working hard, right?

    Surely you aren¡¯tzing around in my absence, right?

    ¡°Oh, my neck.¡±

 Chapter 127.1

    Everyone has desires. Depending on how they were born and the environment they grew up in, their desires may differ, but ultimately, they are still desires.

    And people want to fulfill these desires.

    If there¡¯s appetite, they will seek food to sate their hunger. If there¡¯s greed, they will chase after money. If there¡¯s lust, they will make efforts to beguile others with their charm.

    This is by no means an immoral act.

    Human civilization has developed using these desires as a driving force.

    However, in the church, desires are considered sins and are taught to be kept at bay, to be given a wide berth.

    Desires are never satisfied here, and if one pursues desires without restraint, one may eventually bring about their own downfall.

    Ophelia fell into such a situation.

    Having lived her whole life within the confines of the immacte church walls, she stepped out into the world for the first time as a candidate for sainthood.

    Unlike the church, the world was filled with all sorts of mysterious, stimting, and pleasurable knick-knacks.

    Naturally, she had no resistance to such things since she had never experienced them before, and she pursued them eagerly, just like a child chasing after a firefly.

    Unaware that she was a moth diving headfirst into the me.

    Even if she realized itter, it was toote. Her wings had already caught fire, zing into motes of ashes. She could no longer soar high in the sky. She could no longer witness the beautiful scenery.

    All that was left was living a wretched life crawling on the ground like a worm.

    In such situations, people usually forked into two paths.

    One was denying reality and believing they can fly again, jumping off a cliff.

    asionally, there would be cases of them soaring again, but most end up falling to their death.

    Another, epting reality and therefore epting a wretched life.

    They may consider themselves miserable, but they can still live somewhat like a person. Perhaps they would find different happiness within that.

    So, which category did Ophelia belong to?

    If she were to categorize, she would be closer to the first case, but it was slightly different from that.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ It¡¯s okay¡­¡±

    She was throwing herself toward a freshly stoked kindle, not a cliff.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be alright¡­¡±

    Ophelia scratched herself. In her heart, she wanted to whip herself, but there was no soundproofing magic to ward off theshes. Even if she wanted to ask for such magic, it was difficult to ask since Eri had been unusually depressedtely.

    That¡¯s why she scratched herself with her nails.

    Her arms. Her chest. Her stomach. Her waist. Anywhere her hands could reach.

    As a result, there was no ce on her body without wounds, and the blood and torn garb clung to the wounds hideously.

    ¡°Hero won¡¯t leave me¡­¡±

    Tears constantly streamed down her dark green eyes that had sunk into darkness.

    ¡°It was the same back then¡­¡±

    Before the Evil Heavenly King descended in Lupus.

    When the Archbishop, charmed by a nubile nun, had proposed her as a candidate for sainthood, her hero had firmly refused.

    He even tried tofort her, who was anxious.

    So there won¡¯t be anything different this time either.

    Ophelia reassured herself with these thoughts, calming her restless heart.

    ¡°Ophelia, it¡¯s okay to let go if it¡¯s getting difficult.¡±

    It didn¡¯t take her long to realize that it was needless.

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    Ophelia froze at Cloud¡¯s words, which were like a bolt from the blue.

    * * *

    I know what it¡¯s like to be a ¡°Hero¡± while not being one.

    Ophelia is not suitable for a Saintess Candidate. It¡¯s not about her abilities or character being insufficient. It¡¯s just that her personality doesn¡¯t match the station of a Saintess.

    Being a Saintess warrants a lot of patience, but Ophelia is¡­ well, she has a very free-spirited personality.

    She eats what she wants and buys what she wants.

    I got to know her better as we spent time together.

    ¡®Besides, she wasn¡¯t keen to attain the position of the Saintess in the game.¡¯

    I said what I said because I was afraid of the aftermath and had no other choice.

    Honestly, I think she¡¯s still the same now.

    People don¡¯t change so easily, andtely, I haven¡¯t seen Ophelia going to church much.

    Perhaps she hit rock bottom in her faith after the previous incident.

    If she doesn¡¯t want it herself, I have no intention of forcing her into the role of a Saintess Candidate.

    ¡®As long as I look into that she doesn¡¯t get bullied and finds a more skeptic job in the church, she would be ¡®fine.

    Or she can renounce her life as a nun and live as a civilian.

    She would lose her divine power, but as long as she lives moderately ordingly, no harm woulde to her.

    Ophelia looks pretty and has a pretty decent personality¡­

    Well, she¡¯ll livefortably.

    At least it would be much better than living with incessant stress like now.

    ¡­so that¡¯s why I said what I said with those thoughts in mind.

    ¡°H-Hero, what are you saying¡­?¡±

 Chapter 127.2

    ¡°H-Hero, what are you saying¡­?¡±

    Considering her stiffened body posture and emotions bristled like the hairs of an animal, it seemed like my conjuncture was wrong.

    Or was she simply surprised?

    ¡°I¡¯m saying that it¡¯s alright to let go of the burdens that bind you. Even if you quit, I¡¯ll take measures to ensure it doesn¡¯t affect your life¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to quit!¡±

    Uh-oh, a surprise.

    Startled, Ophelia dithered back and then bowed her head.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for raising my voice¡­ but I have no intention of quitting as a Saintess Candidate. Please let me continue!¡±

    Ophelia¡¯s voice carried a sense of earnestness.

    ¡®She seems sincere.¡¯

    Has her perspective changed from the game version?

    No, but if she wants to be a Saintess Candidate, why hasn¡¯t she been going to the church?

    As I was pondering, Archbishop Vedic suddenly cut in.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know Lady Ophelia have such overflowing passion. I must have misunderstood because you haven¡¯t been showing up at the church for a while.¡±

    It seemed the Archbishop had the same second thoughts like mine.

    ¡°Then, how about we do it this way? As nned, Lady Marietta will join Hero Cloud¡¯s party, and Lady Ophelia will join Hero Lorian¡¯s party.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    Ophelia widened her eyes in apparent confusion and tilted her head. I felt the same way. What kind of nonsense was this old, senile man bbering with such a winsome, cheerful smile?

    ¡°Lady Marietta has already estranged herself from the people in Hero Lorian¡¯s party. It¡¯d be difficult for her to go back. That¡¯s why I¡¯m making this suggestion. It might be a little jarring, but Lady Ophelia, as a Saintess candidate, can still fulfill her role. Isn¡¯t it a good thing?¡±

    ¡°What nonsense are you babbling?! Why should I leave Cloud¡¯s side just because of something you two arbitrarily decided?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    Archbishop Vedic let out a heavy sigh as if it was difficult for him to say what he was about to say.

    ¡°It¡¯s because Lady Opheliacks the ability to serve alongside Hero Cloud.¡±

    ¡°What, what are you saying¡­?¡±

    Her eyelids trembled as if in shock. I, who was about to interrupt, stopped short upon hearing the Archbishop¡¯s words.

    Lacks the ability, huh?

    What did he see to make such a judgment?

    ¡°Do you not trust me?¡±

    ¡°Of course not!¡±

    ¡°Well, then there¡¯s no choice. I¡¯ll have to show you myself. Lady Marietta, I know it¡¯s bothersome, but I ask for your assistance.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡±

    Marietta calmly nodded her head, sping her hands to her chest and reciting a prayer.

    A golden radiance intertwined in her hands. The light briefly enveloped Ophelia before disappearing. However, even though the light was gone, she still looked bewildered.

    ¡°Marietta, please endow this upon the hero as well.¡±

    A golden radiance enveloped me.

    As my head cleared, my body felt lighter, and my mana became purified, the effect was even better than my usual buff, [All Blessings].

    In ¡°The Hero¡¯s Party,¡± there is only one buff that surpasses [All Blessings].

    ¡°The Blessing of the Goddess?¡±

    ¡°As expected of you, Hero. You recognized it right away. As you can see, Lady Marietta can use the ¡®Blessing of the Goddess,¡¯ which only a select few devotees could use throughout history. She can even bestow the blessing upon others.¡±

    The Archbishop praised her, pronouncing how she was the only one on the whole continent who could do such a thing in the present.

    I wasn¡¯t particrly impressed by those words.

    Well, that¡¯s understandable.

    ¡°But Ophelia can use this too?¡±

    Since [Blessing of the Goddess] is a basic skill that Saintess Candidates learn automatically as their levels increase.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like it¡¯s some ancient hidden blessing found in a dungeon¡­ It¡¯s a bit excessive to arrange recement because of something like this¡­¡±

    Isn¡¯t that right?

    That¡¯s what I think.

    However, it seemed unexpected both to the Archbishop and Marietta, judging by their stiff expressions.

    No matter how indolent our Ophelia looks, how could they undermine her so?

    ¡°Ophelia, show them.¡±

    Actions speak louder than empty words.

    I turned my head towards Ophelia.

    However, something unexpected happened.

    Ophelia began sweating profusely, keeping her mouth tightly shut¡­

    ¡°Ophelia?¡±

    What are you doing? Show them already.

    If you keep doing this, it would look like I¡¯m lying for the sake of appearance.

    ¡°Ophelia??¡±

    Why are you clenching your fists so tightly?

    Why does your face look so pale?

    Just using the darned blessing once.

    It¡¯s supposed to be extremely easy.

    After all the hard work we went through, you went around showing off everywhere once you mastered it, didn¡¯t you?

    Back then, even if I tugged your braid, you wouldn¡¯t stop bragging, but now, even when I ask you to do it, you won¡¯t?

    ¡°Well, um¡­¡±

    ¡°Um?¡±

    ¡°Well, you see¡­¡±

    ¡°I see?¡±

    As Ophelia stumbled over her words, she finally managed to speak with a quavering tone after several attempts.

    ¡°I, I can¡¯t do it any lon¡ª¡±

    I was upon Ophelia and Ophelia was before me, hand struck to the wall beside her head, red-eyed, I asked.

    ¡°What happened to the levels we ground?!¡±

 Chapter 128.1

    There is a saying among those who have ever started a venture or have reached a certain level of sess, they would, together, in conjunction, say:

    ¡°Raising something from the ground is extremely difficult. And managing them is even more so.¡±

    I wholeheartedly agree with that statement.

    Even when we first met, the three of us were like strangers, but I worked hard to bring them together as party members.

    I went through all that trouble to make them into individuals who can contribute.

    ¡°But where did your levels go?!¡±

    Did I forget about managing them?

    What the hell could one do to make their hard earned skills and levels disappear?!

    As I trembled with trepidation, Ophelia struggled to make excuses.

    ¡°I, I didn¡¯t lose them. I just can¡¯t use them temporarily.¡±

    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s so much better, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    As I raised my hand to my forehead, she flinched and lowered her head.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    I could feel the indescribable gazes of the Archbishop and Marietta.

    Damn, this makes me look cruel.

    Bute to think of it, I am cruel.

    I grabbed Ophelia by the shoulder and exerted pressure.

    ¡°Kyaaaaah! Hero, it hurts!!!¡±

    ¡°My heart hurts more than anything.¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m really sorry!!¡±

    ¡°Why¡­¡±

    ¡°I made a mistake. I made a mistake!¡±

    ¡°Since you made a mistake, you should receive punishment.¡±

    ¡°Kyaaaaah!!!¡±

    Ophelia iled like a freshly caught fish.

    ¡°It seems like I¡¯ve been too lenient with you all this time. Instead of growing, you¡¯ve regressed. Look forward to it. I¡¯ll make your old memories resurface like fresh sprouts.¡±

    ¡°Ahh..?! W-Well, I may not have [Divine Blessing], but I can still use [All Bless]. And even though it¡¯s not immediate, someday I¡¯ll be able to use [Divine Blessing] again¡­¡±

    ¡°And that warrants pride? Shut it, Ophelia. A Saintess Candidate lying is¡ª¡±

    ¡°[All Bless]!!!¡±

    ¡°Hey¡­ Huh?¡±

    I saw as a radiant white light emanated from Ophelia¡¯s hand, to which I narrowed my eyes. Releasing my grip on her, I asked.

    ¡°What¡¯s this? Why is your divine power of a different color? Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be golden?¡±

    ¡°Well, you see¡­¡±

    ¡°sphemy! It¡¯s sphemy!¡±

    Before Ophelia could evene up with an excuse, Archbishop Vedic abruptly jumped up to his feet and hollered.

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    ¡°Since ancient times, the divine power of the followers of Goddess Iris has been golden. From the Pope to the Saintess, without any exceptions! But now, the light that Lady Ophelia manifests is not golden, but white. This is consummate evidence that she believes in some other false, pagan deity, not the Goddess!¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    ¡°Hero, why are you wearing such an optimistic expression? This is a very serious issue!¡±

    ¡°¡­What do you want to say?¡±

    ¡°We need to cause an uproar! We must strip her of her qualification as a Saintess Candidate and find out which false deity corrupted her!¡±

    ¡°How do you intend to find out?¡±

    In response to my question, Archbishop Vedic assumed a serene, assuring smile.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even though it may not seem like it, the church has skilled interrogators¨C¡±

    The chair Ophelia was sitting on was up in the air and then down on the Archbishop.

    Thud-!

    The old man fell to the ground like a sack of grains.

    ¡°Hey, let¡¯s stop with the crazy talk. What the hell, you are talking about torture?¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­ Well, what I meant to say¡­¡±

    ¡°Heh. I haven¡¯t finished talking yet!¡±

    Thump!

    ¡°I appreciate you took my side before, but since then, you¡¯ve kept crossing the line.¡±

    ¡°C-Crossing the line..?¡±

    ¡°Why do you make decisions about my business without consulting me, Your Eminence? Even if I¡¯m just in an honorary position and haven¡¯t been designated any office or position by the Church, this is not right. It¡¯s not something that an ordinary Archbishop, who is not even the Pope or the Emperor, should do. Got it?¡±

    Thump!

    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡±

    ¡°From now on, I believe you¡¯ll maintain healthy boundaries.¡±

    Looking at the writhing Archbishop on the floor, I hurled the chair behind.

    ¡°Ugh.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Oh.¡±

    Wondering what that noise was, I turned around and saw Ophelia, who had been hit by the chair, copsing on the floor.

    ¡°Uh oh.¡±

    I¡¯ll have to ask Marietta to take care of the Archbishop¡¯s treatment. I turned my head to Marietta.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    When Marietta¡¯s, who was crawling on all fours, on way to slip out of the room, and my eyes met. She swallowed her saliva and whimpered,

    ¡°I-I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Wait a moment.¡±

    I rummaged through the Archbishop¡¯s desk and found a piece of paper and a reed. I drew a map on the paper and handed it to Marietta. She looked at the map on the paper and tilted her head.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the inn where I and my colleagues are staying.¡±

    ¡°What? Why are you giving this to me, hero?¡±

    ¡°You are going to refresh yourself, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you understand? Marietta, you passed. You¡¯ve earned the right to join us.¡±

    ¡°Yes?? No, no. I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m good as I¡¯m.¡±

    ¡°What did you hear from me? I told you to go back. To our inn.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m really okay. Besides, Ophelia is in your party¡­ I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a ce for me.¡±

    Marietta shook her head and spoke hesitantly.

    Oh, she didn¡¯t understand.

    I put my arm around her shoulder and exined in a friendly voice.

    ¡°Marietta, it¡¯s always better to have two than one, no matter what it is.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Got it?¡±

    Her pupils trembled like crazy.

    * * *

    ¡°You¡¯ve definitely gone mad.¡±

    Concluded Mars, after listening to my story, shaking his head ruefully.

    ¡°You think so?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it batshit insane?! You beat the Archbishop, support a Saintess of pagan belief and, hash, kidnap another.¡±

    ¡°Mars, as a man, there are times when you have to do things you don¡¯t want to.¡±

    Mars narrowed his eyes in scepticism. ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you three seconds to open your eyes wide. Three. Two¡­¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re already open! They are!¡±

    ¡°Tsk.¡±

    ¡°Enough of my story, tell me about yours. What have you been upto?¡±

    What did he do that made him encounter those bastards..!

    ¡°Me? Well¡­¡±

    Mars lounged back in his chair and told me about the things that happened after he embarked on his journey. It was quite a long story, and there were many significant events, but one thing stood out to me the most.

    ¡°You reached the end of the dungeon?¡±

    The dungeon where I obtained my little brother in the pants.

    The dungeon that Mars had to clear in order to see the true ending where he is at least a pseudo-protagonist.

    Mars recounted how he cleared the dungeon and received the reward, the ¡®Essence of Ruin Crassio.¡¯

    ¡°Yeah. I also met an Angel. By the way, were you acquainted with Archangel Rahmiel, brother? She asked about your well-being.¡±

    ¡°Rahmiel¡­ Ah, that was the name of the Angel. We¡¯re not that well acquainted.¡±

    ¡°Really? Judging by the expression on the angel¡¯s face¡­¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s stop bickering about that. But speaking of which, you seem to have grown more than I expected. You¡¯ve already cleared the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°That may be true, but it¡¯s mostly thanks to Christina and the otherrades who helped me. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to do it alone.¡±

    Mars chuckled fondly.

    On the other hand, I felt a sense of unease as three unpleasant faces came to mind.

    ¡°So, they did that¡­¡±

    Come to think of it, I wonder how skilled they are. Did they be stronger earlier than Mars did?

    ¡°I¡¯m not particrly hopeful.¡±

    They¡¯re the kind of guys who can¡¯t put up a proper resistance even if they get beaten up.

    ¡°But I¡¯m curious about how much those who changed you are aplished themselves.¡±

    After thinking it through, I nodded to Mars.

    ¡°Are they asleep right now? If they¡¯re not, bring them here. Wake them up if necessary.¡±

    ¡°What are you nning?¡±

    ¡°They cleared the dungeon, right? Let¡¯s see their skills in action.¡±

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