Chapter 46 – The Enemy

000

The Marquis Hughes was a merchant whose wealth had suddenly increased over the past decade or so.

The title of nobility was also bought with money.

The original castle wouldn’t be something like Wood Knocker.

Among people who know

He brought a lot of slaves from the Dark Horse clan from somewhere.

It is said that he began to accumulate wealth based on it.

Although the Marquis Hughes had numerous women.

Among them, the one closest to me was

Even in the Order of the Protection of the Holy Spirit, she was a beautiful cleric with a lineage of warriors.

The Saint’s Protection Church and the Wood Knocker family needed each other.

The Marquis Hughes had money, but lacked respect from the people or social prestige.

The church has always needed many supporters and wanted the funds they had.

That’s why there was some kind of deal between the two.

The Marquis Hughes took the priest as his wife.

Borrow the power of the church by giving a lot of donations to the church

Strengthened their power and position.

No one knows if he really loved his wife.

At least she wouldn’t have loved the Marquis Hughes.

The year when she gave birth to a son with the Marquis and the child was 5 years old.

The wife of the Marquis Hughes tried to run away secretly from the mansion.

She was killed by a guard who mistook her for an intruder.

A death so absurd that the signboard of the descendant of the hero cries.

Both the Woodnocker family and the church treated this as something that never happened.

Just. Lest the well-established relationship between the family and the church be distorted.

Quietly, it buried the work in the dark.

Eustes at a young age still vividly remembers the incident.

Late night.

The mother who came to her room and tried to take her out.

But to Eustes, who was so young at the time.

Leaving the side of my father who lived without lacking

It was an act that made no sense.

That’s why he shook off his mother’s arm that was holding him.

The way she leaves the room saying that she will definitely come pick her up.

That was the last time I saw her.

My mother’s funeral was not held.

I was treated as a non-existent person from the beginning.

As he grew older, his father

Even if you are a human who is far from a ‘good man’

I hated being like my mother.

That’s why I’ve been running away from him ever since

I just lived my life as if I was hanging on to the pleasure of being nearby.

Without stopping to the point of running out of breath, I ran from the mansion and arrived at the adventurer’s guild.

“…What is this?”

Inside, the adventurers were arguing against each other.

No matter how you think about it, it wasn’t normal.

“Huh? You…”

Among the women who were watching the situation from the side

It was ‘Sasha’ who noticed Eustes.

“What the hell is this…?”

“Umm… So, it’s long to explain…”

As brief as possible, Sasha told Eusthes the story of her unexplored territory and her regressors.

“Well, then. Maxwell is now in unexplored territory…”

“But it’s okay. Big adventurers have already gone to stop the regressors… No, strong adventurers.”

Eustes grabbed his head and shook his head.

Are you strong adventurers?

Even if these adventurers from the periphery were strong…

“I can’t compete with the Sword Saint…”

“Wait, what are you talking about?”

Luti, who was watching him from the side, reacted to Eustes’ words.

“Sword Saint Talchek is one of the regressors. After turning a person into a sword, he went to unexplored territory with his father’s entourage.”

“…! Talcheck, that gorilla is finally…!”

Luti’s eyes split vertically in an instant, then came back with a sigh.

“…I’ll go to Cleon.”

When Quon said that, Luti shook her head.

“No. Bad vibes are coming from the forest. You don’t know what will happen in the city.”

“However…”

Luti thought he was going, but he thought he would leave this place.

You don’t know what kind of conflict will happen between adventurers.

Someone had to stay here and hold them by the reins.

Old wounds throb.

I’ve been defeated by Talchek once.

Of course, at that time, the hero Lesia was there too.

Due to the oath placed on him, the same strength as before did not remain.

Thinking about how, Luti bites his nails.

Then Sasha quietly raised her hand.

“I’ll go.”

“Sasha.”

“…The things I can do here are few compared to Mr. Quon and Mr. Luti. I want to be of some help to Mr. Cleon.”

Certainly, the forest is the ranger’s arena.

The ability to walk through the trees and at the same time naturally understand the forest path.

However, using the excuse of sealing her imprint, Layla left her Sasha here in her place out of consideration for her.

Ruth knew.

Do you respect Lila’s will?

Do you accept Sasha’s resolution?

When Luti was torn between the two, Sasha held her hand.

And he met her eyes with quiet determination.

Those eyes were eyes Luti knew well.

The strongest monster that is said to be impossible to defeat with a human body. Dragon.

She was aloof in front of herself.

Her eyes and Sasha’s now were somewhat similar.

Then, Luti let out a sigh as if he couldn’t help it.

“Okay. But you really have to be careful. Talchek is… A monster. As a human being, not a hero, he has reached his limit.”

Saying so, Ruti divided her little strength and added it to Sasha.

It’s a kind of auxiliary magic, but the element of wind will lighten her body a little.

Sasha nodded, grabbed her equipment, and let’s leave the guild.

“Wait…! I’m coming too!”

Eustes tries to follow her.

“No! You can’t do it. If someone as talented as you follows, it will only become a burden.”

Ruti frowns and tries to stop Eustes.

Eustes also turned to Luti and frowned.

“If one of the culprits of this situation is my father, the Marquis Hughes… I have to take responsibility for that too.”

At Eustes’ words, Luti pondered for a while before opening his mouth.

“You, since when did you think of noblesse oblige like that?”

“It’s not like that. It’s just… I just hate myself for running away.”

There is silence for a while.

Then Luti casts the same auxiliary magic on Eustes as Sasha did.

“Even if I dry it off, it won’t help. To be honest, I don’t feel like it.”

“…”

“Then don’t interfere with Sasha. Don’t let her resolve be in vain.”

When Ruti glared at Eustes and talked about it, Eustes lowered his head and turned around.

Then he opened his mouth.

“If Leona ever returns here… Tell the man Eustes that he won’t run away anymore.”

Eustes said that in a grave tone and left the building.

Ruti and Quon heard the story and became a little complicated.

“…I don’t know Leona’s true identity yet…?”

“A fool is a fool even if he grows up a little…?”

001

The deepest part of unexplored territory.

The path leading to the cliff is completely deserted and there are no trees around it.

Only the ground covered with gravel and black soil.

What happened here thousands of years ago.

Only traces of terrible contamination were imagining past events.

However, the closer you get, the stronger the magic of another dimension.

And it spreads like a barrier between the cliff and the black land.

A rainbow-colored veiled barrier.

It was preventing outsiders from easily approaching the seal.

“Maxwell!”

Priest Maxwell and Priest Tio.

And, Marquis Hughes was standing there.

When Maxwell slowly turns around at the voice calling him.

There, Cleon and Ruba were glaring at them with hostility.

“You… Ruba? Are you alive?”

Marquis Hughes seemed surprised to see Rubera.

“Yes. I don’t know what your stupid son said. Just like this.”

“Hmph. Eustes guy… What’s good. Are you going to return to the family right now?”

At that brazen attitude, Ruba snorted at her.

“No way. I’ll stop foolishly exploiting and clinging to shallow hopes. If I want anything, I’ll take it into my own hands.”

“As expected, it’s like a clan of dark demons descended from the demon king.”

Marquis Hughes shook his head with a fishy smile.

And Cleon looked at Maxwell and stanced.

“Even if I persuade you with words, nothing will change.”

“Haha… You know it well. It seems that our will to save was conveyed properly.”

At Maxwell’s words, Cleon shook his head.

“Iona is with Talchek. Your plan to use the holy sword is impossible to realize. In this situation, if you call the beast, it will be a dog’s death.”

At that, Maxwell opened his eyes wide for a moment.

“It’s surprising. I can’t believe he even noticed that. As expected, is he the man who once defeated a fellow warrior with his own hands?”

Before long, Cleon put strength into his legs to jump out.

“Give up… Even if I tell you, they won’t listen. I’ll cut you here.”

The next moment, Lubera and Cleon jump out at the same time.

Lubera rushes to Marquis Hughes, and Cleon rushes to Maxwell.

They approach with the speed of an arrow.

The next moment, the core of Tio’s sword opened the barrier once more.

A space that stops the function of the sword.

However, Cleon was beaten to the point where he was beaten again.

He was not a man who acted without measures.

Just before the barrier spreads and the effect is completely settled.

Imbued Galatea with a large amount of magical power

The blackened blade shakes like a haze.

Next moment.

True!

It cuts through the barrier itself with a perfectly straight cut.

A clean and perfect island.

The barriers that were not completed are dislocated and scattered.

The core of the sword Tio was holding cracked.

“Hee hee hee…!”

When Tio’s barrier was broken, Hughes screamed.

However, Maxwell’s body twisted in a strange way, and a tree trunk stretched out.

As it was, he blocked the swords of Cleon and Rubera.

“It’s surprising… Not only as a magic swordsman, but also as a pure swordsman, isn’t it similar to swordsmanship?”

“That body…”

A wood-like surface rose over Maxwell’s skin.

The hands and legs hidden in the robes were also different from those of humans.

It was like a tree trunk.

“It’s a blessing from Shradsel. I’ve been studying and researching for a long time to bring him into this world.”

Its appearance was like that of a member of his family jumping out of the forest.

This man had already given up being human.

“You… Did you sell your soul to that guy…”

“I give my soul only to the salvation of mankind.”

Cleon frowns and tries to cut down the tree trunk.

Maxwell swings the stem like a whip, and a powerful shockwave spreads and blows the two back.

“Kuh…!”

Ruba bit her lower lip and corrected her posture.

Marquis Hughes looks at Maxwell and smiles broadly.

“Is that a form that transcends humans…! Haha…! I’m looking forward to it! I want to become that body soon…!”

“…Was that the purpose? Stupid…”

Ruba shook her head as if she was dumbfounded at the too small bowl of the Marquis Hughes.

“Kuh-kuh… It’s four years of being stupid. Transcending humans will free you from all fears. Injury, illness, and even death!”

“Are you saying you live as a tree for that?”

I’d be so stupid

She, named Ruba, was so dumbfounded that she had been by this man’s side for thirteen years.

“No matter how strong you are, as long as you stay within the human limits, destruction will surely come. Just like your dark horse clan.”

“…”

Cleon and Ruba frowned at the words of Marquis Hughes at the same time.

“As the remnants of the empire, they couldn’t even maintain the village without the help of outsiders… Their value is that being used as slaves is the least useful way to use them.”

In the minds of the two, a nightmare night comes to mind.

Rubera’s grip on Barisada became stronger.

In Cleon’s hand, magic power is wrapped around him.

Maxwell silently looks at the Marquis Hughes.

“Are you still looking for the food courier who told you the location of the village? Rubera. Let me tell you one thing, even when you’re twenty, the day you’ll find him and cut her throat won’t come. Because, that’s-“

The next moment there was a slash.

A blow that cuts through space.

What was manifested on the blade of Barisada pulled out of the scabbard.

It was a rushing slash as if flying through the sky.

Hughes’ head fell to the ground.

He still had a mean laugh, he didn’t know what had happened to him.

“It’s clear who it is when you get here. I just wanted confirmation from you.”

Rubera returning the sword.

Maxwell opened her eyes wide and looked at her demon sword, Barisada.

“Your eyes are already half open. It’s a pity. I’m also interested in seeing the newly awakened demonic sword.”

“Then look this way.”

The next moment, 4 flame spikes extending from Cleon.

A flare spike borrowed from Lyla pierces the tree trunk, causing flames to spread.

But Maxwell doesn’t seem to care, she cuts off the fire,

It was to regenerate the body by absorbing energy from beyond the barrier behind it.

“…You’ve become a nuisance. Your regenerative power is more than that of a follower or a plant golem.”

Cleon looked at Rubera for a moment.

She stopped with her eyes closed and her hand on her barisada.

“Is the revenge over?”

“…Yes. The pleasure is short-lived and futile. Was this the feeling you felt?”

When she opened her eyes, there was still darkness in her pupils.

“Thanks to you, the revenge is over. I’ll hang out with you a little longer.”

“… Ha. Thank you for that.”

Rubera poses once more towards Maxwell.

Maxwell shook her head and let out a sigh.

“Let’s stop this pointless fight. I don’t die. Even if my head is cut off like this piece of meat, I will quickly regenerate.”

Ruba heard that and she looked behind her for a moment.

“…Should I wake Layla up and bring her back now?”

“Is there no blood or tears? Stop it.”

“If you have so much energy to fight, you’ll need a suitable opponent.”

Saying that, Maxwell turned her body around, and both Cleon and Lubera jumped forward at the same time.

But next moment.

An eerie feeling approaching from behind.

At the same time, I roll over and avoid something.

Then, a huge flash passed over them.

Even the barrier beyond it was cut.

“Geuk… Were you having fun? Cleon.”

“Exit… Check…!”

Cleon and Lubera stand in their positions.

With Talchek holding in his hand the holy sword Chevalier he had seen before.

Stands between Maxwell and the two of them.

And when Maxwell tries to enter beyond the open barrier, Cleon tries to chase after him.

“Oops. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a sparring. Please hang out a little longer.”

“This crazy gorilla…! What the hell are you thinking! Iona! Wake up!”

Cleon raised his voice in anger, but Chevalier did not respond.

“Uncheck the Sword Saint. Did you betray Cleon?”

“Betrayal? That’s a strange choice of words. I was on this side from the beginning. The one who cooperates in summoning the monster from the rift in another dimension.”

At those words, Cleon and Ruba’s eyes widened.

Soon after, Cleon’s face contorted.

“Are you really crazy? Talcheck.”

“Did you think that I, who had cut people to the point of being called the Sword Saint, wasn’t crazy, Cleon?”

A serious voice like never before.

Cleon sighed and glared at Talcheck.

The anger on his face her disappeared, but it was all condensed in his eyes her.

He only saw through the enemy in front of him.

“You have good eyes. Are those the eyes you look at the enemy?”

“Is it because of Lesia?”

At that, Talchek closed his mouth for a moment before laughing out loud.

“What is it? Aren’t you quick to notice?”

“You idiot…! What the hell are you doing by doing this…! Is the Memory Cube a lie?!”

Then Talchek still smiled and grabbed the holy sword and aimed it at Cleon.

“Okay.”

“Uncheck!!”

Disappointment, anger. And a cry mixed with a little bit of sadness somewhere.

However, Talchek didn’t answer and swung his sword.

Did Ruba realize that she couldn’t go beyond if she didn’t kill this gorilla?

She joins Cleon and lunges at Talchek.

002

Sasha and Eustes run through the forest.

Maybe it’s because of the wind element’s auxiliary magic he got from Luti.

I was able to move my feet more quickly and lightly than usual.

Sasha runs lightly up the tree, like a fairy’s steps.

If Eustes didn’t have the power of magic, he would have fallen from there long ago.

“Now, wait. Slow down a little…”

“No. The slower you go, the more dangerous everyone is.”

I wouldn’t leave Eustes behind, but I couldn’t delay with him.

On the road of Sword Saint Talcheck, who had just passed this place.

The remains of the heap of family members were piled up.

If you follow that path, you will be able to travel relatively safely.

‘I’ll be able to catch up with Mr. Cleon sooner than I thought. If you can help him in any way…`

The moment after thinking so.

A magic arrow flying from beyond the darkness grazed the side of Sasha’s face.

Eusthes suddenly saw an arrow flying over his head her and stuck in a tree.

I screamed ‘Hee-ik!’ And almost fell from the tree.

“…This…”

“Hey fellow countryman. Did you follow the owner?”

A hunter in green robes who emerges from the darkness.

Mikasia Rufenwolf.

“Kuh…”

I hope I can meet him here.

Noticing Sasha’s pursuit and sending Talcheck first, did he remain here?

“Hmm…? What about the engraving?”

Did he think it was strange to see that the pattern of the engraving did not come to Sasha’s eyes her?

Mikasia tilted her head.

“… I sealed it so I wouldn’t be detected by you. I didn’t want to feel your presence either.”

“Ahh. So that’s why he suddenly lost his presence in his… It’s funny. To think he’d become weak just because of that.”

At Mikasia’s mocking tone, Sasha pulled out her bow to her.

“I… Don’t care if I become weak. As long as I don’t go back to that village.”

“You fool. In the end, he’s strangling himself because he’s weak. If a hunter loses his strength, he has no choice but to become the prey.”

In the next moment, a fast-flying arrow pierces where Sasha is standing.

Sasha dodges the arrow by jumping higher than usual thanks to Luti’s wind magic.

Without the power of the imprint, it was unreasonable to use a bow in the air.

“Can’t we fight back?”

“Kuh…”

After landing on the ground, Sasha tells Eustes that she is still up in a tree.

“You go first!”

“What, what? But…”

“You just have to move along the rubble on the ground. I will decide with this person.”

Sasha’s determination was conveyed through her voice.

Mikasia shrugged her shoulders, still in a laid-back attitude.

Eustes walks over the tree helplessly.

“That idiot is no help.”

“I don’t care about that. …But there’s a need for a little bit of strength.”

I remember what Cleon said.

The imprint is Sasha’s own strength her.

The words she told me to release the seal at any time if necessary.

Conflict arises within her.

Surely, if you break the seal, the magic power of the seal that you have suppressed until now will burst out.

In an instant, it would be eaten by the power of the imprint.

Become a beast

I don’t know what that means yet.

She took a big deep breath and grabbed the bow.

In those eyes, the imprint was not visible.

“Not yet. Not yet.”
Her quiet determination her to look out for her nemesis drives her.