Chapter 117
Chapter 117
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 117
Chapter Title: Looters in the Ruins
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“My deepest apologies for the offense!”
It was hard to picture the lord who had just moments ago brought soldiers to intimidate them, now smiling so casually.
Naturally, Arsen hadn’t simply nodded along with an “Ah, I see!” the moment the lord said that.
The lord was wise enough to know that a heartfelt plea didn’t always equate to the truth—a reality many overlooked.
What convinced him wasn’t Arsen’s words, but power—specifically, a massive axe.
After claiming he had single-handedly defeated Rashka and his two knight companions, Arsen proved it by taking down the three knights the lord had sent, three against one.
All without injuring them, flaunting his overwhelming skill in the process.
Only then did the lord declare that such a powerful knight wouldn’t lie, so his words must be true—and thus, Arsen wasn’t part of a thief gang, but a benefactor to his domain.
Of course, the lord knew just as well that a heartfelt plea and brute strength were no guarantee of truth.
That was why he was acting this way—not because he believed Arsen, but because he didn’t want to antagonize such a formidable knight.
“I’m glad the misunderstanding has been cleared up.”
“The feeling is mutual. Today proves that the traitor Haras and his son have paid for their sins!”
“May I ask what those sins were?”
At the question, the lord hesitated briefly before saying he wanted to speak with Arsen alone.
They separated from the camp, each riding their Jin and mounts to find a private spot for conversation.
For the lord, this was a tremendous show of goodwill and trust—practically handing his life over to Arsen.
Of course, it didn’t faze Arsen much, since he’d had the lord in his grasp long before this.
“Now we can speak freely. It’s not something to broadcast widely.”
As he spoke, the lord cast a sidelong glance at Arsen, as if gauging him. In that look, Arsen detected a hint of bravado—the lord showing off his boldness in conversing alone with an outsider.
‘He’s still young.’
Afterward, the lord explained the details.
Rashka’s father had originally been a knight of Eden domain, so talented that the lord of the time favored him enough to marry him to his own sister.
But trusting in his talent and skill, he grew arrogant, committing all sorts of misdeeds. When they came to light, he fled with his son, taking all the family’s valuables—including those belonging to his wife, the current lord’s aunt.
Rashka had apparently taken part in some of his father’s crimes, though the lord didn’t specify what.
“If that’s the case, then Rashka is...”
“My cousin, I suppose. Though I don’t think of him that way.”
The lord pursed his lips as he said it.
From his expression, it didn’t seem he held any fondness for Rashka, fortunately.
In the end, it was a dull tale of villainous father and son fleeing, unable to break their habits, and meeting their end.
Whether the father died to Zanak for his crimes was unclear, but if the lord’s story held true, they hadn’t reformed and lived quietly in the ruins city.
“While we’re at it, I’d like to invite you all into my domain proper. To apologize for my rudeness and hold a feast...”
The lord went further, extending an invitation to Arsen’s group, but Arsen politely declined.
Who knew what they might slip into the food and drink, and besides, they’d planned to raid this domain’s ruins that very morning and leave.
Arsen could guess why the lord was being so hospitable.
He was smitten with the martial prowess Arsen had displayed and scheming to recruit this powerful knight to his domain.
Since Arsen had no intention of settling here, accepting the invitation and chatting would just be a waste of time.
“I’m sorry. We’re in a hurry.”
Even after that, the lord tried persuading him several more times, but Arsen refused in a way that wouldn’t offend.
The lord looked deeply regretful but didn’t try to force them.
Having witnessed Arsen’s skill, he knew resorting to force would lead to disaster.
“By the way, what happened to those knights who tried to bribe me?”
Arsen suddenly noticed their absence and asked. The lord’s face hardened briefly before he countered.
“Are you close to them, by any chance?”
“No, not at all.”
If anything, he harbored resentment over the jewel incident. And hadn’t their blunder caused all this hassle in the first place—getting caught taking bribes from him?
Arsen couldn’t fathom how they’d been found out so quickly after that evening.
In any case, satisfied with the answer, the lord smiled and replied.
“They’ll receive ‘appropriate’ punishment under our domain’s laws. They disobeyed orders and took bribes from an outsider—they’ll pay the price.”
In Beluan, knights weren’t executed for anything short of treason.
He wasn’t sure if this domain followed the same, but there were plenty of ways to torment a knight without the death penalty.
That was enough to satisfy Arsen.
“Understood. Oh, you might not have heard, but there’s a family of someone I know living in this domain.”
Arsen mentioned Ethan’s family, saying he hoped they’d receive no special treatment but at least live a bit more comfortably.
He added that he’d visit again someday.
Naturally, the lord—eager to win Arsen’s favor—grandly assured him it would be done.
A few words to saddle Lattice with another debt—not a bad outcome for Arsen.
* * *
Unlike the other ruins they’d conquered, Eden’s ruins were in a location unknown to the wider world.
Following Marun’s guidance, Arsen soon understood why it had stayed hidden.
No sane person would scour the middle of a fog-shrouded cliff for something.
Their position was a sheer cliff face fittingly called a “sky-high escarpment,” with thick fog below obscuring everything.
The white barrier cloaking the base looked almost like a sea of mist.
“We have to go down, Sir Marun.”
“Ughhh... Just, just a moment. Let me prepare a bit more.”
Arsen spoke to him gently, like coaxing a child, but it didn’t stop Marun’s trembling legs.
Marun’s eyes, fixed on the fog below, turned back to Arsen.
“S-Sir Arsen? What if the rope’s too short? Maybe we should measure it again...”
He babbled on, pleading with wide, teary eyes.
‘Are you really going to lower me into that abyss?’
Arsen stared for a moment, then unhesitatingly kicked Marun over the edge with his foot.
Words weren’t getting through, so this was the way.
“Gaaaaah——!”
With a scream, Marun vanished into the fog below.
Watching the scene, Arsen tugged on the rope dangling down, connected to Marun’s body. It was taut—thankfully neither slack nor snapped.
“Jeez, it’s not like he’d die from falling.”
Bazkal remarked incredulously from behind.
As he said, Marun—wearing high-grade relic armor—wouldn’t die from a cliff fall.
With the rope tied like a bungee cord, it was equivalent to a normal person dropping 3-4 meters with a safety line.
Even if it snapped, he’d get away with bruises.
“Now it’s our turn.”
Eloise said, snuggling into Arsen’s arms.
As they approached the edge to jump, she peered down and paled slightly.
“Ugh, now I get why Marun was scared.”
“Don’t worry.”
The simple reassurance, reminding her she was in Arsen’s arms, eased her faint trembling.
Moments later, the two leaped off the cliff.
“Kyaaaaah——!”
A scream laced with thrill, like riding a roller coaster.
The rapid descent created an illusion of fog surging up ferociously.
Soon, freefall ended as the rope around his waist went taut, arresting Arsen’s momentum.
Arsen held her securely, carefully modulating his strength so she neither slipped from his grasp nor got crushed.
Kicking off the approaching cliff face several times per physics, he swung toward a nearby opening.
Inside were the three mages who’d jumped first, and Marun.
“This way, Sir Arsen!”
One mage waved and shouted.
They stepped back to make space, and Arsen dashed straight into the hole.
“Phew.”
Once inside with Eloise, Arsen untied the waist rope and secured it to a nearby metal post.
‘It’s not like some wuxia novel’s hidden grotto of fortune...’
Not everyone could enter this ruin.
They couldn’t lower the precious Jin or mounts, nor leave them abandoned atop the cliff.
Arsen, Marun, Eloise, and the three mages went in; the rest guarded the ropes outside.
Marun, who had vertigo, insisted on waiting outside, but he couldn’t be spared.
The other mages lacked authority to handle the “攻略集,” and couldn’t hand it to Arsen.
“On your feet, Sir Marun.”
“Ahem.”
Marun, who’d been slumped on the ground groaning until then, coughed and stood.
His throat hoarse from screaming, even the cough grated metallically.
Rising, Marun shot Arsen a resentful glare.
“Come on, Sir Arsen. Even so, kicking a man off like that is too much, isn’t it?”
“That’s why you came down without issue.”
Arsen replied calmly, showing no remorse, leaving argumentative Marun flustered instead.
“Well, that’s true, but...”
Regardless, Arsen maintained his brazen attitude.
Here, seizing control and acting decisively beat pointless logical debates.
“Let’s move in quickly. They’re waiting up top.”
Leaving Marun’s bewildered expression behind, they ventured deeper into the ruin.
Sure enough, Marun soon forgot his irritation, marveling at the cave with exclamations.
“Wow. How did they even make a cave here?”
Despite ages of erosion, the cave clearly bore artificial marks—not a natural formation.
The still-angular corners and smooth walls gave it away.
As they proceeded, Eloise dusted off her robe hem.
“It’s kinda hot.”
Indeed, a strange heat emanated from deeper in.
With the weather nearing summer, it felt almost like a sauna.
Then, faint murmurs began to echo.
‘What’s that?’
For a split second, Arsen frowned, wondering if it was the ruin’s illusions.
But Marun’s voice from right beside disproved it.
“Huh? Sir Arsen, did you hear voices just now...?”
“Shh.”
Arsen raised a hand for silence, then crept forward, muffling his footsteps.
The others followed suit, moving slowly.
The voices grew clearer the deeper they went.
People were definitely inside.
Arsen turned to Marun, whispering.
“What’s going on?”
“I-I don’t know! It was supposed to be empty. Did someone else find the ruin in the meantime?”
True, there was no rule saying only they could discover ruins.
But how had they located one in such an out-of-the-way spot?
“Let’s get closer. We need to see who they are.”
If it was another excavation team, he’d yield all relics but secure the stone tablet.
Silently, they advanced, using the jagged walls for cover.
Soon, Arsen spotted the intruders.
“Looters?”
A ragged bunch, armed with mismatched old weapons and clothes of dubious origin.
Their identity was obvious.
“How the hell did they get here? Why?”
Shaking his head at Marun’s question, Arsen sized up their numbers.
Few structures, few wandering about—estimating those inside, maybe twenty to thirty at most.
Assessment done, Arsen stood.
Two looters screamed at the sudden knight.
“We’ll sort them out first, think later.”
If they’d been a proper excavation team, maybe spare them—but looters? No mercy.
Arsen’s wind axe gleamed ominously.