Hans, who already seemed to be out of his mind, launched a full-fledged attack. He had introduced his level as 48 back in the dungeon. Mine was 28, and his was 48. It was obvious that I was no match for him.
“Ugh!”
Trying to dodge his sword, my right arm was sliced long. Fortunately, it didn’t seem to be a deep wound, but the area stung and blood flowed freely. It would have been good to stop the bleeding, but unfortunately, I didn’t have time for that.
“Stay still and die!”
I couldn’t just stay still and die as he demanded. I wasn’t willing to surrender my life, which I hadn’t even given up under the rare curse, even if it meant deceiving Kellian and the rest of the party, to someone like him.
Skill selection.
[Skill Selection]
– Club Combo (5)
– Club Shield
– Club Jump
I wanted to carefully examine the skill selection window again and choose the most appropriate skill, but I couldn’t afford to do so while trying to dodge Hans’s sword. In the end, I hastily chose the skill that appealed to me the most.
[Skill Created]
Hans was now extremely excited. His bulging eyes and the sword swinging randomly showed that.
“It’s all your fault… Losing everyone, and losing my position as sub-guild leader…”
He seemed more upset about losing his position as sub-guild leader than losing his comrades, but in any case, his excited state provided an opportunity for me, who had a lower level.
The next moment, I lowered my body and dove into his embrace. Then, I swung the club towards his abdomen, which seemed empty as if he hadn’t expected any retaliation.
Thwack.
“Ugh!”
Although the attack landed properly, Hans only groaned and didn’t seem to be seriously injured.
“Is this also considered an attack? Huh?”
Even as I watched Hans, who had stopped swinging his sword and was now laughing heartily, I didn’t feel any shame. I had simply activated the skill I had chosen a moment ago and struck his abdomen with the club.
Club Combo (5).
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
“Ugh, agh… Ah, ahh!”
I wondered what the (5) next to the skill name meant, but it turned out to indicate hitting five times in a row. My hand moved automatically with a speed and intensity incomparable to just hitting him, and struck Hans’s abdomen. When he was hit for the fifth time, Hans’s face, as he flew away, showed no signs of composure anymore.
“Cough… What, what the hell!”
“…”
“You, you said you weren’t even level 30?”
That was true… Anyway, it seemed like I had chosen the skill very well. As I approached Hans, who was writhing on the ground, he screamed at me.
“Wa, wait! Don’t come!”
Ignoring him, I swung the club at his back. Thwack, unlike when I used the skill, just hitting him now was weaker. Hans only let out a small groan and didn’t seem to be in much pain. His eyes glinted slyly again.
“Now you can’t use skills anymore, right? That’s it, isn’t it?”
I didn’t know… Since I didn’t know, I had to test it again to find out. While hitting him with the club on his back, I activated the skill again.
Fortunately, the Club Combo was cast, and Hans let out a desperate scream. He was almost prostrate on the ground.
“My, my bones feel broken…!”
Since he was hit while prostrate, it was possible that something had broken. I didn’t feel like attacking anymore, and I didn’t feel like taking him for treatment either. I had hoped to level up even to level 1 to follow the party of warriors, but it seemed like I had to return to the inn without any gains.
“Now pull yourself together. I’m leaving now.”
I lowered the club and tried to leave the intermediate hunting ground from behind. Even if he hadn’t grabbed my hair from behind, I would have been able to return safely.
“Ugh…!”
“I’ll definitely, kill you!”
Was the claim that his bones were broken a lie to make me relax? With his other hand that didn’t grab my hair, Hans thrust his sword into my neck. I closed my eyes tightly at the prickling sensation of the sword tip. That was when it happened.
“W… What, ugh, aaaaah!”
Hans’s body was engulfed in white flames. It sounded absurd, but it was real. The blazing flames consumed only Hans, not my hair or the parts of my body that touched him. It was solely devouring Hans.
Kelian listened silently to my continuing words and let out a forced sigh, as if trying to calm his anger. Soon, his strong arms wrapped around my shoulders and back.
“There’s a spell cast on the handkerchief that burns and kills anyone threatening the life of the holder.”
I already knew that from seeing Hans vanish into white flames without leaving any ashes behind.
“And at that moment, there’s also a spell that summons me to the holder’s side.”
“…Did you commission such magic?”
It wasn’t him who commissioned the magic for his own use from the beginning. Then…
“Yes. However, its durability was insufficient, so only a disposable spell could be cast.”
Even though it was disposable, its power was immense. It was an artifact that could summon a white flame to incinerate the attacking opponent and even summon a warrior like Kelian…
Returning the handkerchief, which had now reverted to an ordinary item after being used up, to him, Kelian accepted it and hugged me, lifting my body into the air. Even though I was in his embrace, there was no anxiety about falling, but rather, I felt only a sense of calmness. It felt as if being embraced by him was a very natural thing.
“I’ll take you to get treated.”
I tried to answer, but no sound came out when I tried to speak. Exhaustion and calmness crept over me like a cloud, causing my eyes to slowly close.
In the blurry vision, Kelian’s face, the last thing I saw, was shadowed with a faint shadow, but his hands holding me were still cautious.
**Extra Episode 1: So, what about Kelian Ail?**
Lord Rockenson Ail of the Chaos Empire had ten children. Kelian Ail, the third youngest among them, was born to the lord and his second wife, Lady Agnes Baekjang.
Kelian was born without a single cry, and on that day, a particularly large sun rose in the Empire, and although not a drop of rain fell anywhere in Lilka, a rainbow was spotted.
As Kelian grew older, his uniqueness became more noticeable to people. He held a sword at the age of four, surpassed his teacher at the age of twelve, began clearing various dungeons at fifteen, and started to be called a warrior at eighteen. Due to his reluctance to reveal his level, the exact number was unknown, but everyone who watched him assumed it exceeded 80.
Nobles sincerely loved warriors with beautiful appearances, but they did point out one flaw in his cold demeanor.
Kelian Ail was as cold and merciless as ice.
The reason why such rumors spread throughout the capital was because he ruthlessly rejected approaching people. He rejected marriages with aristocrats, replied to marriage proposals from various countries with short letters, and even ignored requests from his father, Lord A
Kelian, who was indifferent to riding, but couldn’t be as indifferent as others talked, gradually wore out. That was also the reason why he kept clearing dungeons as if he was being chased. When facing monsters, he felt less agitated as if taking an exam. And so, he became a hero.
Even without obsessing over the first clear, by searching for high-level dungeons, he ended up doing many first clears. That’s why there were many who wanted to join his party, but Kelian often avoided them and went through dungeons alone.
In the meantime, he encountered Seris Lynn, who was also clearing dungeons alone.
Seris was more skilled in dungeon strategies than Kelian and used magic skills he didn’t possess. Kelian, on the other hand, had more powerful physical skills and cleared dungeons faster. The two met inside the dungeon without exchanging a word until they realized these facts, only conversing briefly after defeating the boss.
“Invite me to the party.”
“Yes.”
Their first conversation was as blunt as Kelian’s response to Seris’ sudden party invitation.
They naturally became companions. Sometimes Seris did things that Kelian couldn’t understand, like randomly raising or throwing her staff without any reason, but regardless, they were quite compatible in dungeon exploration. Of course, their conversations were few and far between.
Although not as much as Kelian, there were those who mistakenly thought of Seris, who was also a famous hero in the empire, as his lover, but rumors quickly subsided with the testimonies of those who witnessed them up close. After all, there were no lovers who looked at each other as indifferently as they did.
Their party, which was quite an odd combination in the eyes of others, was later joined by flashy individuals like Jenin Elizabeth, Dain Parion, and Barkrud. There were many who wanted to join their party, but they didn’t accept new members for a long time.
Kelian was the leader of the party. He initially refused a couple of times, considering himself unfit for leadership, but eventually accepted because he seemed the most suitable among them. Seris disliked troublesome tasks, Jenin was too soft, Dain was hot-headed but followed Kelian’s orders well, and Barkrud was not accustomed to giving orders himself.
Thus, Kelian became the leader, but he wasn’t exactly a meticulous leader, only taking charge when necessary, so he couldn’t be considered a careful leader. Nevertheless, considering Kelian’s inherent indifference to others, his efforts for his comrades were enough, and his other companions who reluctantly made him the leader didn’t complain.
They were quite a close-knit party. Occasionally there were arguments, but they never escalated to serious situations. They acknowledged each other, didn’t interfere too much, and collaborated effectively to conquer dungeons. They could be called comrades or even friends.
However, even to them, there was a rift.
“I’d rather die and kill.”
Looking at the king of Pharic who was driving him to become a prospective murderer without any escape or tears, he thought so. And just the thought itself was so painful that he forcibly averted his gaze.
But his action seemed to blatantly ignore the king, and the princess, shocked and upset, collapsed as if fainting.
“It’s so obvious you’re pretending to faint.”
Dain muttered under his breath with a tongue-clicking sound. Although it was a whisper, it was loud enough for everyone to hear, causing the princess, who was supported by the maids, to blush slightly, and the king, who was taken aback, to rise from his throne, his anger evident.
“Can you truly be called a hero? Is it not the duty of a hero to help a princess afflicted with a rare curse?”
“You speak the truth, Your Majesty!”
“Therefore, a true hero should not turn away from those in need, even for the sake of righteousness!”
When the king glanced at the three teasing gods following him, they flinched and closed their mouths.
What the Philek royal family was asserting was that Kelian, who was considered the strongest among those called heroes, had an obligation to purify the princess, who was afflicted with a grade A rare curse. And the purification process was undoubtedly sexual intercourse.
Those afflicted with rare curses that Kelian’s party had encountered so far didn’t appear as healthy as the princess. At least, those afflicted with grade B or higher curses couldn’t even stand properly and had no color in their faces.
In comparison, the princess’s complexion looked very healthy. Though she seemed to be swaying, if you looked closely, she maintained her balance even before the maids’ supporting hands touched her body, and her eyes were constantly glancing between her father, Philek, and Kelian.
The decisive moment was when Seris, who offered to confirm with magic whether it was indeed a grade A rare curse, received a strong refusal. Seeing them excessively angry and ignoring the Philek priests who had confirmed the curse, there was no way to believe that this curse was genuine.
Actually, even if the curse were real, it didn’t matter. Kelian once again raised his head with a cruel impulse. His head felt dizzy and his head pounded. A prospective murderer without any escape or tears… It might be a fitting statement in a different context.
“You shouldn’t have come here for nothing. I’m sorry, Kelian.”
Jenin apologized, alternating between the Philek king, the princess, and the gods as if he were fed up. It was Jenin who had responded to the invitation from the Philek royal family.
The contents of the invitation were to give the hero and his party the opportunity to clear a grade B rare dungeon within the Philek castle. But here they were, forced to attend Philek’s grand party without even seeing the rare dungeon. That was their intention from the beginning.
“No. It’s not your fault.”
Had there been one or two of those types of people in his life? There were so many that he couldn’t even remember each one. Approaching under the excuse of being afflicted with a rare curse wasn’t the first time for the Philek royal family.
“Let’s go. I’m hungry.”
Barkrud woke Kelian from his reverie of sinking into the swamp. Kelian, who didn’t want to hear any more useless talk, tried to escape the confrontation with his companions.
The altercation, which could have ended peacefully, turned violent when the knights of the royal family drew their swords.
“You can’t just let them kill the princess like this.”
King Philek said sternly. It was a ridiculous leap. It couldn’t be blamed on Kelian and his party whether the princess died or lived due to a rare curse, and in fact, it probably wasn’t even a curse with a high probability.
At that moment, Seris raised her staff high. The blue light emitted from the staff precisely moved towards the princess standing among the maids. The princess’s body glowed blue.
“W-What are you doing!”
Unlike the anxious king, the princess looked puzzled as she stared at the light that didn’t seem to affect her even though it was attached to her body. Shortly after, the light gradually faded. A voice like thin ice flowed from Seris.
“The princess is not afflicted with a rare curse.”
“….”
“Not grade A, B, C, or any other grade is detected.”
Seris looked at them as if they were bothering her with such a topic. It was expected, but it was really as expected.
“….Stop!”
Seeing the party continue on their way despite the knights drawing their swords, the king ordered.
The knights of the royal family hesitated in place, as if considering whether they should forcibly stop the hero party or if it was even possible. Still, if the order came, they would soon be loyal ones raising their swords.
“I won’t let those who mock the Philek royal family go unpunished. Bring the heroes!”
So, as soon as the king gave the order, the knights were able to rush towards the hero party. Perhaps they suspected that they might not be able to face them, but it was the king’s command.
They probably didn’t really mean to rush. Since the king ordered them to bring the heroes, they might have planned to at least grab their arms and drag them in front of the king. The problem was Kelian momentarily losing his sanity at the sight of the swords flying towards him.
Enough was enough.
He’d rather die, even kill. He wanted to wipe them all out.
When the impulse that had been suppressed rose again, Kelian quickly drew his sword and killed the king’s knights. It happened in a matter of seconds. Four knights were cut down and fell to the ground.
“Wow… The, the hero killed the knights!”
Screams echoed throughout the arena. Kelian stood still with his blood-stained sword, not properly sheathed. Now, he wasn’t just a would-be murderer who ignored the princess’s rare curse; he had become a murderer who actually killed the king’s knights. In a different sense, it could be troublesome, but for now, it was fine. Kelian turned slowly to gaze at the king.
“….”
The king was startled, his shoulders twitching. The threatening demeanor he had just exhibited was nowhere to be found. It seemed like he wouldn’t stop Kelian from leaving the arena now. Kelian considered it sincerely fortunate. He didn’t know how he would have reacted if the situation had escalated further.
Pushing aside the frozen royal knights, Kelian left the arena with his companions. Though it was noisy behind them, they could guess what people were shouting even without hearing it. A terrible hero, an arrogant imperial hero who disregarded the royal family… It was a common criticism if Kelian didn’t do as they wished.
“Kelian. Are you okay?”
Jenin asked as Kelian exhaled deeply, placing a hand on his forehead. Kelian turned to his comrades and nodded.
“I’m a bit tired.”
“It’s understandable. It’s funny that we ended up in a duel just because we crossed paths with the king who tried to manipulate Kelian into becoming his own guard!”
While Dain was raging about how everyone inside the palace should hear him, they heard hasty footsteps from behind. When they turned around, they saw the princess whom King Philek had tried to arrange with Kelian. Despite panting as if she had hurried over, she didn’t seem to be afflicted with a rare curse.
“Hero. I… ”
“Is there still something to see?”
It was a cold tone, but it sounded just as merciless. The princess, who had momentarily hesitated at Kelian’s cold attitude, gathered her courage and stepped forward.
Soon, she handed Kelian a handkerchief. Although not as high-level as the empire, the Philek royal family, which had many high-level items and dominated trade with neighboring countries, had a top-quality handkerchief belonging to the princess. The smooth fabric was embroidered with the royal family’s emblem, the gold dragon.
“Five years ago, when I visited the capital of the Chaos Empire, I fell in love with you at first sight. You won the swordsmanship tournament back then. I haven’t been able to forget that sight and have dreamed of you as a hero every day since then. I’ve poured my true feelings into this handkerchief, so please accept it, hero.”
Next to her, Dain muttered, “She’s not even pretending to be cursed anymore,” but the princess only had eyes for Kelian.
In her eyes, Kelian reflected was the most beautiful, brave, and invincible person in the world. Of course, there had been minor disagreements due to her father’s lies about being cursed and his temper tantrums, but she believed that such things could be overcome with love. If he understood her heart, he wouldn’t be able to refuse her.
As Kelian’s blue gaze met hers, ecstasy washed over her. The desire to have him somehow grew stronger. What response would come back to her…
The princess’s eyes, once sparkling with anticipation, soon froze as if doused with cold water. The handkerchief she had handed over was torn to shreds by Kelian’s hands and fell to the ground.
“This is my heart.”
“…”
“I should have advised you not to participate in the tournament.”
Kelian continued walking away from the frozen princess. Seiris, who had treated the princess as if she were invisible, followed behind, and Jenin, Dain, and Barkrud, who blinked as if surprised, soon urged their steps as well.
“Uh…”
Although the princess was an unpleasant opponent, seeing her brutally rejected in front of her made Jenin feel uncomfortable, so he spoke up.
“Wasn’t that too harsh of a rejection? You could have accepted it first and then discarded it later.”
What’s the big deal about a handkerchief… Dain retorted instead of Kelian.
“Who’s the one not considering the other person’s feelings first? Those Philek royals tried to make Kelian feel guilty or intimidate him while pretending to be cursed.”
But even as he said so, he glanced at Kelian, feeling uneasy. Barkrud patted Kelian’s shoulder with his thick hand twice.
They were good comrades, but objectively, they were also good people. Among those good people, he felt like a monster all alone. Suppressing the sinking feeling even more, Kelian returned to the empire with his comrades.
❖ ❖ ❖
The next target chosen for the party, the SSS-grade regression dungeon ‘Trap of the Tail Tree Snake,’ was a place where qualifications were required from the entrance.
Located in the heart of the imperial capital’s highest-grade hunting ground, an ancient temple surrounded by ivy like a snake. As soon as one stepped into the entrance, they were promptly bounced back with the notification:
[Cannot enter the Trap of the Tail Tree Snake.]
[Dungeon entry qualification required.]
– Keys to enter the Trap of the Tail Tree Snake required: 1, 2, 3
– Obtainable from A-grade, S-grade, SS-grade rare dungeons
Nevertheless, despite gathering all the keys and meeting the qualifications, there were warriors who attempted to challenge it first, but rumors of either failure or first clear were unheard of. Adventurers curious about the mysterious dungeon proposed a party to clear it together with Kelian’s group, but everyone refused, opting to clear it among themselves as they had done so far.
The reason they stopped by the summer village was because they found out that there was an A-grade rare dungeon there, and it was also a convenient starting point for planning their route to the next dungeon. Although the villagers gathered around as if they were seeing Kelian, the renowned hero of the empire, and his companions for the first time, it was as familiar to them as it was uncomfortable for the party.
“Thank you!”
As they searched for an inn where they could stay for a day at the earliest and two to three days at the latest, a woman’s voice caught Kelian’s ears. Turning his head unconsciously toward the direction of the sound, he could see a woman greeting someone inside the shabby carriage as she got off.
Despite the crowd surrounding the party of warriors making the surroundings noisy, strangely, her words seemed to be heard as clearly as if she were whispering right next to him. It could have meant that he was paying that much attention, but no matter how much he thought about it, there was no reason for that, so he concluded that the woman’s voice sounded louder than usual.
“Well then, I’ll be going now!”
With uncommon black hair naturally falling down to cover her back, the woman, who seemed like she would collapse any moment but still managed to maintain her composure, finished her last greeting with a cheerful tone before taking her leave. Whether she didn’t think it was strange to have so many people around, or she didn’t have the luxury to think so, she looked around with an oddly anxious gaze before quickly disappearing with quick steps.
“Where to…”
Going… I almost blurted out what I unintentionally thought, but I shut my mouth belatedly. The party continued to search for an inn as if they hadn’t heard, and Kelian soon lost interest in the woman.
The next time he saw the woman was while he and his party were having a meal at the inn. After the woman, who had approached them asking for help to lift a curse, was exposed as a liar and fled from the inn, just as they were calming down, another uproar erupted.
“P-please, save me!”
That woman. Running behind Jenin, the hidden woman was exactly the same black-haired woman Kelian had seen earlier.
“Oh. Look who we have here, the hero’s party. Thank you very much for your efforts in protecting the continent.”
“What?”
“You guys have nothing to do here… We’ll just take the young lady quietly.”
The newcomers who followed shortly after gestured towards the black-haired woman in a manner that suggested trouble. Kelian’s gaze instinctively turned towards her, but the woman didn’t spare him a glance. Her face, tense due to the situation, looked even more fatigued than before.
“Come on, let’s not do this here. We don’t want to bother our heroes. Let’s go upstairs and talk.”
Seeing someone approach the woman, Kelian’s fingers twitched. Despite knowing that Jenin would handle it well since the woman had asked him for help, he felt an urge to step forward. But the woman didn’t look at him.
“By the way, my level is 73. If you want a fight, feel free to continue.”
The guys who heard Jenin’s level ran out of the inn as if fleeing.
“Are you okay? If you’re worried about those guys, I’ll walk you home.”
“N-no… I’m fine, really.”
Although the problem was roughly resolved, the woman hesitated as if she had more to do. Despite scanning his companions as if hesitating about something, Kelian felt even more downcast than before. It was hard to understand.
“Thank you for your help. Well then.”
“Oh, wait a moment!”
The item the woman left behind was one gold. Looking down at it with his palm open, Jenin burst into laughter.
“Wow, this is hilarious.”
“What’s so funny? The value of your kindness is only one gold.”
Even Danin’s sarcastic remark couldn’t easily quench Jenin’s laughter. He was usually one to laugh often, but this level of laughter seemed like it had been a while.
Does he really like that woman so much? Kelian found himself stubbornly staring at the one gold lying neatly on Jenin’s palm, without even realizing it.
❖ ❖ ❖
It was Ainé Kruger.
Desperately avoiding eye contact with him, startled whenever their eyes met, quickly turning away first. Refusing his outstretched hand, yet without hesitation, taking Barkrud’s hand. That was the name of the woman who fell into the rare dungeon with them until they reached the boss.
Kelian felt the strange gaze of his companions since he called Ainé’s name, but in fact, he already knew it himself.
They cleared the dungeon in a state of confusion. Even that was hurried, as it seemed Ainé was struggling.
“Thank you. I’ll accept it gratefully.”
As he handed over the items obtained by defeating the boss, Ainé smiled brightly. In that moment, he felt a pain in his heart, as if stabbed by a sword.
He had never allowed fatal attacks to humans or demons in his lifetime, so he had never experienced the pain of being stabbed in the heart. Yet, he felt choked as if that was the only way to express it.
“I’ll give you this too.”
“Is this… for me?”
“If you don’t want it, you don’t have to accept…”
In exchange for the boss item, what Kelian received from her was a childish patterned handkerchief.
“No, thank you.”
Their fingers brushed as they exchanged the handkerchief. The area they touched seemed to ignite. Before that heat could dissipate, Kelian pressed his lips against the handkerchief he received. It didn’t have any scent, but for some reason, it was incredibly stimulating. In that moment, he felt the need for a strange kind of patience for the first time in his life.
“Thank you.”
❖ ❖ ❖
“I am the Lord of the Three Seasons Castle, Petrel Revens, and this child is my daughter, Lina Revens.”
Facing persistent suitors who refused to take no for an answer was quite common. Therefore, Kelian wasn’t particularly surprised by the sudden appearance of the noblewoman.
It had only been a few days since they arrived in the summer village, yet they had already rejected several invitations to the lord’s castle. The lord, who went as far as sending messengers and personally traveling here, clearly had no intention of just turning back.
“Please accept my daughter, Lina, as your wife.”
It was a moment that Kelian didn’t particularly welcome. Without much deliberation, he promptly responded: he would decline.
“Oh, you don’t really know my daughter yet. If you spend just one day with her, I’m sure you’ll change your mind.”
“Yes. I’ve always dreamed of marrying a hero. I’ve worked hard to level up, and I’ve surpassed level 30. Of course, I’m nowhere near your level, sir…”
What did they think a hero was? Were they so selfless that they would willingly agree to marry someone they had just met in their life? Or did they mistakenly believe that heroes lacked personalities?
Despite finding solace in dungeons, he couldn’t stop clearing them. Being called a hero was not something he could control, but by now, he was genuinely curious about what others considered a “hero” to be. Of course, his curiosity wasn’t fueled by a willing spirit, but rather, his mind sank into a cold, indifferent state, as if being doused with cold water.
“Sir, if you marry my daughter, you can become the thirtieth owner of the Three Seasons Castle…”
Kelian endured the familiar yet unfamiliar impulse as he looked at the approaching noblewoman.
Considering the rampant impulse, one could say he was going quite smoothly insane. Even though he traveled through dungeons like a madman, killing monsters, and even trusted comrades, the deeply rooted human hatred and self-destructive impulses from childhood were enough to make him forget.
The woman, whom he had been consciously aware of all along, was the one who brought Kelian’s reasoning back to where it belonged.
“Marriage is not an option.”
No, his reasoning hadn’t returned; it had actually dulled. Kelian didn’t immediately grasp what she was saying.
“I heard you don’t have a lover, Sir. Who might that be?”
“Yes, we are lovers. It hasn’t been long since we started dating, so it probably hasn’t been publicized yet. Neither Kelian nor I really knew each other’s feelings until recently.”
“Sir, is that true?”
The lord, who didn’t dispel his suspicions, looked at Kelian and asked.
“…Yes.”
With an inexplicable feeling, Kelian couldn’t take his eyes off of Aine until the lord vanished with nonsense.
“I’m sorry, Sir. I thought you were in trouble, so I lied and stopped…”
She apologized, saying she lied because she thought he was in trouble. Hearing her apology made him feel even worse. As if he had been excited all along. Kelian pretended to be nonchalant.
“No, thanks to you, I avoided a hassle.”
But deep down, he was thinking hard. Since the meal was over, should he just part ways with her like this? If they don’t part ways, what should he do next?
Without knowing what he really wanted to do with Aine, or why he was doing this, he desperately searched for a way not to part ways with her.
“Thank you so much. I won’t forget you all… I hope you have a pleasant journey ahead.”
Aine, who seemed to have something more to say, finally left with just a farewell. Watching her leave, an unusual thirst welled up inside him.
Dain, who was observing Kelian with a deeply impressed face, warned him.
“She’s definitely got some ulterior motive. She must have approached you with some expectation.”
“So, should I fulfill her expectations?”
“…What? That’s not what I meant… Why should you fulfill what she expects in the first place!”
It was better that she had ulterior motives. At least it meant she didn’t avoid his gaze or reject his help because she disliked him.
If she had something she wanted from him when she awkwardly avoided Kelian as if she would give herself away… If she had left without daring to ask for it until the end, he would have willingly fulfilled her request. All she wanted in return was to stay by his side a little longer. That’s what she wanted at the moment.
The fact that the lord secretly sent a spy actually gave him an excuse to follow her.
“The lord left a spy behind. It seems Aine also had someone following her. It could be to make sure I don’t escape or to suspect our relationship.”
When they met again, Aine nodded without any sign of suspicion at Kelian’s words. It was a verbose excuse that felt contrived to him, but since there was indeed a spy, he wasn’t wrong in what he said.
“So, I’ll escort you to where you’re staying.”
“Thank you.”
They walked through the streets, exchanging light conversation. Even though the streets they walked yesterday were no different from the ones they walked now, it felt different walking together. Kelian briefly glanced at Aine, who seemed to have a lot on her mind, then turned his gaze straight ahead again. It felt like there would be no end if he kept looking.
“Oh. Here we are.”
The inn where they arrived looked like it could collapse at any moment. When he asked if it was right for them to stay here, he received a cheerful confirmation.
Kelian instinctively covered his mouth with his hand. There were plenty of inns in the village, but why did she choose this one? The door, which looked like it could crumble at a single push, seemed too weak to protect Aine.
“Shall we go to the inn where we’re staying? I’m worried about your safety here.”
“Oh…”
“I’ll cover the cost.”
He wanted to keep her by his side while worrying about her safety. While Dain suspected only Aine’s ulterior motives, the real liar was on his side. Kelian waited for Aine’s answer in front of the inn, which he didn’t even want to look at.
“Sir.”
Aine, calling him, approached him a step closer.
“Even now, um, is the lord’s spy still watching us?”
Her whispering voice tickled his ears. Her blue eyes, looking up at him, were completely black, blending with the darkness. She moved closer to him.
“They’re watching.”
“Then, let me, for the last time… help you.”
Her cautious touch wrapped around Kelian’s cheek and pulled him down. Soon, her soft lips touched his.
Kelian felt the muscles all over his body stiffen. As he opened his mouth, her bold tongue hesitated as if it didn’t know what to do once it came in.
“Hmm…”
As Aine moaned, Kelian’s rationality flew away. He eagerly explored her lips as if he had been longing for this all along. It didn’t feel like when he first learned swordsmanship. Unreasonable desire surged within him.
“Sto…p, Sir…”
The pushing hand allowed him to stop, thanks to his desperate patience.
“Goodbye then. Sir.”
Aine, who murmured something incomprehensible with a face that was grotesquely distorted even in the darkness, said her farewell and went into the inn. Left alone, the abnormal excitement that had surged gradually subsided. At the same time, a certain determination surged within him.
Kelian felt the need to convince his companions first. Except for Dain, he didn’t think anyone would oppose, but even if they did, he was determined to go forcibly.
To the point where he didn’t even think about being rude, he didn’t feel the slightest desire to bid farewell to her.
❖ ❖ ❖
Establishing their foothold in the only village, the valiant Falcon Guild had smoothly grown to become one of the largest guilds in the village, highly regarded by its residents. To maintain the guild’s reputation, thorough preliminary research was essential before venturing into dungeon clears with guild members. Guildmaster Regal was infuriated from that very point.
The dungeon that Deputy Guildmaster Hans Locke led the guild members to was a rare one. It seemed they hadn’t properly investigated what kind of dungeon it was beforehand, but even if they had roughly checked, if there wasn’t enough information, they should have postponed the dungeon. Nevertheless, despite that, if they had gone with guild members, they should have all returned safely.
The responsibility of the deputy guildmaster, who returned with most of the guild members lost, was immense, and after expressing his displeasure in front of everyone, Hans Locke stormed out like an irritable child.
Calling that guy a deputy guildmaster.
Regal wanted to demote him and kick him out of the guild immediately, but unfortunately, Hans Locke was the beloved younger brother of Regal’s wife. In other words, he couldn’t treat him disrespectfully.
It had already been over five hours since his brother-in-law left and hadn’t returned. Honestly, Regal didn’t care whether he went out and did something or not, but if he didn’t return like this, his wife would worry for sure. He also feared that his guild’s name might be tarnished by incidents happening here and there.
Eventually, when Guildmaster Regal was lifting his heavy buttocks, there was a commotion outside the room.
“What’s going on?”
Regal, who disliked noise, opened his eyes, and someone forcefully opened the door. No, they broke it.
Regal, who stared helplessly at the fallen door, belatedly took out a weapon from his inventory. Regal’s weapon, the Chain, was famous in the village to the extent that almost no one didn’t know about it. Once caught, it was not easy to escape from the entanglement of the Chain. Moreover, the owner of the Chain was also a high-level figure known for strong strength and power.
“W-who are you!”
However, even Regal, who had such a reputation, couldn’t help but be flustered by the man who suddenly broke the door and appeared.
The man, with a face that made people numb at the wrong time, looked at Regal with dark eyes despite his flashy appearance. Being under that gaze, a fantasy of being torn to pieces more miserably than anyone else passed through Regal’s mind.
Who is he really? Why does he look at himself so coldly? Regal couldn’t figure it out, except for Hans Locke, but Regal himself wasn’t particularly resentful towards him.
“Are you the guildmaster?”
The man spoke for the first time, with such a good voice. Regal subconsciously thought so and answered cautiously.
“Yes, but who are you…”
“Deputy Guildmaster Hans Locke just attacked my party a while ago.”
“…Yes?”
Regal’s face momentarily turned earthy. Hans Locke, that bastard! What has he done this time!
Moreover, the opponent seemed to be a nobleman or aristocrat of considerable level. Regal instinctively felt that of all the incidents Hans Locke had caused so far, this one hurt the most, but he responded casually on the surface.
“Do you have any evidence… as to why our deputy guildmaster, or rather, your associate, attacked you…”
Although his tone became increasingly polite due to the man’s imposing atmosphere, Regal knew that pretending to be calm was his only way out.
Then the man took something out of his inventory and tossed it onto the table. Regal’s pupils trembled uncontrollably when he saw it. The scabbard lying on the table was engraved with bold letters that read ‘Deputy Guildmaster Hans Locke of the Valiant Falcon Guild,’ clearly visible to anyone.
Regal remembered very well that this was a gift he had commissioned from the village blacksmith when he appointed Hans as the deputy guildmaster. He didn’t know where the sword that should have been inside had gone, but Hans always carried it with him. He wasn’t the type to carelessly leave it anywhere. Quietly, Regal asked,
“What happened to Hans?”
“He’s dead.”
Regal swallowed hard at the shocking news. It was hard to imagine what would happen if his wife found out. He didn’t care what Hans did outside, but he was still family. That’s why he had accepted him as the guildmaster despite causing accidents everywhere.
Even this time, although he had caused quite a scene, if he had shamelessly returned in a few days, Regal would have sighed and welcomed him back. If he had known this would happen, he would never have sent him out or let him die. Regal’s jaw tightened.
“What about the group Hans attacked?”
“They’re resting after receiving treatment.”
In other words, the opponent, unlike Hans, was not dead and was alive and well. His brother-in-law was dead, but the opponent, whom his brother-in-law attacked, was only receiving treatment and resting.
“I see. Then why have you come here? While this scabbard you brought undoubtedly belongs to Hans, he’s dead and the group is alive, isn’t that correct? In fact, this alone is not evidence that Hans attacked the group first. Why did Hans do that in the first place? It’s hard to understand why Hans would attack instead. If anything, it’s difficult to imagine Hans being attacked.”
“If that were the case, Hans Locke wouldn’t be dead.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because he died due to an artifact that activates only when the owner’s life is threatened.”
The man’s words grew noticeably shorter. As if he didn’t want to continue the conversation, he drew his sword. Sensing something amiss, Regal hurriedly tried to stop the man.
“So, are you here to kill me too? I understand what you’re saying. If there was such an artifact… then it seems Hans did something to deserve death. I’ll make sure the guild compensates adequately. I, as the guildmaster, will personally go and apologize to them! Then, isn’t it unnecessary to shed more blood?”
“Just that won’t likely satisfy their anger…”
Compensate and apologize personally as the guildmaster was just “that”? Regal almost lost his temper for a moment, but managed to overcome the crisis.
“It seems your companion is very angry.”
“I’m talking about myself.”
“…”
Seeing him talk, it seemed they weren’t family like Regal and Hans, just companions, but he couldn’t understand why they were so protective of each other. But for now, calming the situation was the priority.
“We’ll pay 5,000 gold as compensation! Oh, and, um, if your companion’s level is under 40, the guild can assist with leveling up!”
“I can do that myself.”
…Then what do you want?
‘Do they really want nothing but my life?’
With the opponent holding a sword and himself holding shackles, they could just bravely fight as the guild’s name suggested, but for some reason, he felt that if he confronted him head-on, he would end up dead in one blow. Although Regal was level 51, he had this intuition that would trigger when facing an opponent stronger than him. It had saved his life several times before.
“Even if you kill me, it won’t ease your anger! Is this what your companion wants?”
The man, who had been expressionless all along, hesitated. Bingo! Regal decided to bet on this unknown companion.
