Chapter 75

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 075

Chapter Title: Hermit's Hideout #1

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Hermit's secret arrow lodged right into Karma's forehead.

Puk-!

Thud.

Karma Dantes collapsed flat on the floor.

Instant death.

"Hey, hey, Hermit! You sure this is okay!?"

"What if it's not? We can't exactly die in her place."

She had a point.

All around me lay decapitated skulls and corpses.

All courtesy of the bitch right in front of us.

A little more time, and I'd have ended up the same.

I wiped the cold sweat from my forehead and asked,

"But Hermit, how'd you even know to show up here?"

"I figured you'd screw things up, so I was keeping an eye on you!"

"Pretty sure I already did."

"Then let's loot the body quick and get outta here!"

"...Heh... hehehe! Gotta do what we've gotta do!"

Hermit and I ransacked Karma Dantes's pockets.

Jingle.

Hermit peeled a talisman off Karma Dantes's corpse.

"Hehe! This talisman's gotta be the catalyst for contracting with that idol Ralcar, right?"

Ralcar was an idol said to devour creatures' brains and steal their abilities.

Naturally classified as an evil god.

While Hermit pocketed the talisman, I grabbed the weapon.

Whoosh.

I swung it a few times, and it sliced through the air nicely.

Felt like it'd lop off a human skull without breaking a sweat.

After that, we rummaged through the rest of this creepy slaughterhouse.

Boom.

We found locked crates stashed all over.

Thinking maybe treasure, I pried one open—and nearly choked.

"Ugh! Hermit, check this out!"

It was packed full of human heads.

Neatly stored like melons or watermelons.

The stench assaulted my nose.

Fearless as ever, Hermit picked one up and tapped its forehead.

"Judging by the grimaces, looks like they had their brains scooped out while still alive."

I could've ended up like that too.

Terrifying. Infuriating.

"Ugh... fuck, that crazy bitch!"

Truth be told, I'd taken a slight dislike to her ever since she started whining about her misfortunes.

If a noble-born girl who's never gone hungry a day in her life counts as miserable, then what am I?

What about me, scavenging scraps from back alleys!?

"Goddamn rich folks always have it worse!"

Thud.

I stomped in rage.

Crack.

The wooden floor splintered, revealing a hidden box beneath.

"Oh?"

Looked like a sturdy iron box—promising.

Pretty high lock difficulty?

Click.

I picked the lock and opened it. Inside sat some eerie statue.

About half my size?

The face was lizard-like, front limbs like a mantis, legs like a goat.

An idol statue, huh.

Sabrannik spoke up.

Wanted the statue?

Sure, whatever!

"Angrat's Flame Jewel."

After grabbing most of the goods, flames erupted from Hermit's staff.

Crackle.

The raging fire quickly spread through the foul slaughterhouse.

"Fire!"

"Fire!"

"Dammit, fetch water!"

"Call a mage!"

Black smoke billowed into the sky over the city of Nightfall.

Watching from afar, my whole body suddenly went limp.

'Is this really happening?'

Did a baby rat feel like this escaping a tiger's jaws?

Hadn't realized it, but my entire body was drenched in cold sweat—gross.

Snort.

We mounted Moltma.

Time to hightail it out of this city.

But my arms ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠felt too weak to hold the reins properly.

No choice—Hermit took them.

"Rookie! If you fall off and crack your skull, you'll be a vegetable, so hold on tight!"

Helpful advice.

So I grabbed her waist, whatever.

"......"

Thought she'd say something, but surprisingly, she stayed quiet.

Maybe I was overthinking it.

Clop-clop.

Moltma started galloping.

By the time the city walls shrank to a dot, Hermit spoke up.

"Rookie, today's our little secret."

"Obviously!"

Thieves killing a noble lady—

'In this case, I was the victim—pure self-defense.'

'But the Dantes family wouldn't buy that crap!'

I knew from experience, up on the gallows.

"Anyway, Hermit! I really owe you my life!"

"Rookie, from now on, watch out for women! Quit chasing skirts just 'cause they seem nice!"

"But there's always a chance she actually liked me..."

"No way!"

"No way?"

"You're a thief orphan! What girl would like that!?"

Hermit tore into me harshly.

Like one of her secret arrows to the chest?

Worst part? Utterly convincing.

Any girl who likes me is probably nuts.

'Does that mean Lieutenant Colonel Ezekiel's nuts too?'

Was her date invite just a ploy?

We snuck back to the Great Wall.

Felix was on watch. He sighed at the sight of us.

"You two sneak out without permission? I'll pretend I saw nothing—just get inside quick without anyone else spotting you."

"Heh, lucky Felix is on watch tonight."

"Bullshit."

I crashed in the barracks right away.

Exhausted.

Had a dream.

A super raunchy one—with Karma Dantes as the star.

I woke screaming like a chick before a snake.

Next morning.

Hammer unfolded the paper and said,

"Fire in Nightfall—Dantes warehouse burned to the ground. No casualties, but they found a few charred bodies..."

Swoosh.

Hammer turned to eye me.

"Yor, nothing to do with you, right?"

"Yessir!"

"Good. Keep it up."

Then—

Stomp-stomp-stomp.

Military boots. Major Jeremiah burst into our unit's office with some soldiers.

My hair stood on end.

Jeremiah's main family was Dantes.

"Soldier Yor."

"Yessir! Loyalty!"

"At ease."

"Yessir!"

"You know my eighth cousin? Karma Dantes. Been visiting, you two even strolled together."

"The lady was the major's eighth cousin?"

"Well, eighth cousin's daughter's daughter or something? Hard to keep track. Our family's got more relatives than I can recognize."

"Ah."

"Dantes women pop 'em out like hens laying chicks."

"I-is that so... like hens laying chicks..."

I glanced at Major Jeremiah.

Would he turn his wife into a hen someday?

"Anyway, Karma? Vanished last night. Thought maybe you knew something, Yor."

"No clue, sir."

I shook my head vigorously.

Jeremiah stared me down, but asked nothing more and left with his men.

Hammer sighed.

"Every time I see Major Jeremiah, feels like my lifespan drops."

Karma Dantes was quietly written off as missing.

Gurgle.

Relief hit, and suddenly I was starving.

"Hammer, let's grab some chicken!"

"Yor, your treat today!"

"Eek..."

"I'll have spicy!"

Hermit loved spicy chicken.

Felix freaked.

"I hate spicy!"

"Tough!"

We were about to order a bunch when—

Thud-thud-thud.

Knights stormed into the campfire lounge.

"Hammer Party, sorry to barge in unannounced while you're resting."

A man stepped forward from the knights.

Silk robes screamed old money.

High up the chain, obviously.

His slicked-back gray hair kinda resembled Felix.

He approached Hermit.

"Used 'Angrat's Flame' in Nightfall. I recognized your mana signature right away."

"......!"

Hermit's eyes shook wildly under her conical hat.

But the man stayed calm.

"Of course, I've handled everything there. No need to worry. Even those slimy Dantes won't pursue it."

Sounded like he'd cleaned up the whole Karma mess?

What the hell? As I wondered, he extended a hand to Hermit.

"Come now, Alicias. Time to return to the capital with us."

Alicias? What's that?

Some word I'd never remember in a lifetime.

"I... I'm not going b-back to the c-capital!"

Hermit yelled.

But she trembled like a raccoon before a tiger—pitiful.

The man smiled faintly.

"Alicias, I've put up with your stubbornness for four years now."

"It's not stubbornness—"

"Excuses are done. How many people have you inconvenienced with your pigheadedness?"

He yanked Hermit's arm.

Her conical hat tumbled to the floor.

"Eek!"

"What the hell are you doing?"

I owed Hermit big.

So I stepped toward the man—

Knights formed a wall.

"Explorer, do not approach the court mage any further!"

"Or die."

"Seems you don't know who I am, lad. Wiseman Pilgrim at your service. Alicias's father."

Pilgrim.

A noble on par with Dantes?

"No need for concern, boy. I can tell rudeness from ignorance. I'll forgive your minor slight."

"......"

"Also, that little disturbance in Nightfall? Erased from records. You all just keep living honest lives, sweating for your daily bread."

Whoosh.

The knights dragged Hermit away.

The finest steeds galloped for days to reach the city.

Among them, Pilgrim's Rest, filled with soaring towers.

The head of the famed house that produced great mages had returned.

"Welcome home, my lord."

"Welcome back."

Many bowed to greet the procession.

But Wiseman indifferently dragged his daughter by the hand.

He shoved her into a tower stacked with books like a grand library.

"The ascension rite is soon. Stay put in there until then."

Clank.

A heavy, intricate lock sealed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the door.

Thumps pounded from the other side, but he ignored them.

"That tower's iron door matches the palace guards' security lock. Alicias, you can pound away—no opening without my say-so."

The man turned toward his study.

Then, idly—

He recalled the rogue who'd picked the palace lock and raided the treasure vault.

'That guy... One-Eye, was it?'

Ignorant fools have such lowly names.

That lowly one got dragged to the Great Wall eventually.

No word lately—probably died like a dog.