Chapter 10
Chapter 10
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Cursed Land and the Girl (2)
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I had breakfast early in the morning and asked the innkeeper for a packed lunch before heading to the Cursed Land.
A tall wall stood between the Cursed Land and the city, and to pass through the gate, one needed a mercenary badge. Of course, I already had mine, so I was able to get through easily.
‘…….’
The Cursed Land lived up to its name. The moment I stepped outside the wall, the wind carried the stench of death. And it wasn’t just that—the sky was as dark as if covered in storm clouds, and the ground was stained black like tar.
“This…….”
The instant my foot touched the ground, a surge of disgust and revulsion made me pause.
As a Druid, I could instinctively sense the curse permeating this land.
I looked around.
The Cursed Land had once been the ‘Blessed Forest.’ Passing through this ‘Blessed Forest’ led to the prosperous Holy Kingdom of Aurora… back in those days.
‘But that was a very long time ago.’
Now, it was neither forest nor anything else. The trees that once formed the forest had all turned undead due to the curse, spewing poison. It was these cursed trees that made the land uninhabitable even for monsters.
Unless it was holy fire made with sacred oil, fire wouldn’t catch properly, making it impossible to burn the entire forest. And chopping them all down? No lumberjack could withstand the toxic fumes they emitted.
So the undead trees were left standing right where they were.
‘Now, it’s just a resting place for the dead…….’
I activated [Wood Skin], which boosted my defense, and [Leaf Step], which increased my movement speed, then ventured deeper into the forest.
Contrary to its infamous reputation, the entrance to the Cursed Land had no monsters at all. Only faint ghosts drifted occasionally between the dead trees.
The valuable ones with physical bodies—like skeletons or zombies—could only be found deeper in. The ones at the entrance had long been swept clean by hunters.
I chose rough paths with no signs of human activity and pushed deeper into the Cursed Land, swiftly dispatching the occasional annoying ghost-type monsters.
After advancing like that for several hours.
-Clatter.
-Thud.
-Clatter.
-Thud.
The hollow clanking of armor pieces bumping against each other echoed through the air.
Turning toward the source of the sound, I saw corpses clad in armor and wielding swords shambling toward me from not far away.
‘Zombies.’
There were six of them in total.
Judging by their gear, which didn’t look too worn……
It was obvious.
“Tch…….”
They must have come hunting and gotten killed by monsters.
Naturally, getting attacked by undead turns you into undead. And that’s how they multiply endlessly.
That’s why undead are so feared and powerful.
-Clatter. Clatter. Clatter.
They were slow, but steadily shambling toward me.
I watched them leisurely.
‘Come on, then.’
As they drew closer, the totems around my neck glowed brighter.
These undead-specialized totems were reacting strongly to the undead.
A blue light and a faint vibration.
Just that was enough to make the zombies hesitate.
‘Looks like I made these totems really, really well.’
I drew my bow, nocked an arrow, and pulled back the string.
‘First up, [Shaman Arrow].’
The zombies were slow, but they weren’t standing still, so sealing their movements was key.
If one bit me by some unlucky chance, I’d end up with the same fate as them.
-Twang!
I released the string, and the arrow shot out swiftly.
-Whoosh!
-Thunk!
Two per arrow.
-Whoosh!
-Thunk!
-Grroowl!
Vines rapidly sprouted from the hit arrows, binding their ankles.
-Whoosh!
-Splat!
After landing three arrows, I pulled out a specially crafted one.
It was made from silver fir, deadly to undead, and inscribed with forest shamanism to purge the impure, boosting its attack power.
‘Feels good.’
The totems around my neck and the arrow resonated softly, vibrating together.
I carefully drew the arrow.
The taut bowstring thrashed as if begging to be released.
The moment the zombies lined up perfectly.
-Release!
I let the string go.
-Boom!!!!
Encased in a cluster of silvery light, the arrow flew at high speed, piercing all six zombies in one go before embedding itself in a tree beyond.
-Thud!
-Thud!
They toppled one by one. No, ‘shattered’ would be more accurate.
Having cleverly pierced their necks around the armor, their heads now rolled across the ground.
‘Gotta collect that armor and sell it.’
Up close, it was pretty decent stuff. Worth some money.
For now, I passed by the zombies and yanked the arrow from the tree.
‘Stayed up all night inscribing this ritual on it.’
Of course, I’d recycle it. That’s why I’d pre-treated it beforehand.
Even after piercing six zombies, the arrow was pristine.
‘Worth performing the purification ritual.’
The rotten blood and flesh had all turned to dust and vanished.
Simpler than expected—nice.
I returned the silver fir arrow to my quiver and turned back to collect the armor.
“…….”
There stood a girl blocking my path, as if to protect the zombies.
I looked at her calmly, without panic. She was armed, sure, but her body was covered in wounds and she was skin and bones.
‘How the hell is she even alive?’
A kid wielding a flimsy sword like that? I could kill her easily. But I didn’t—not out of pity.
Pure curiosity.
“H-How dare you to Reinhardt’s retainers!”
Reinhardt?
A familiar name……
-In this update, [Revenge of the Silver Lion Reinhardt]……
A memory from my days as ‘Kang Tae-oh’ flashed back.
If it was Reinhardt, it could only be that.
[Silver Lion Reinhardt]!
……But this little girl was Reinhardt?
I racked my brain.
House Reinhardt ruled the northern Barak Empire, bordering the Cursed Land.
Until they were framed for treason.
The Reinhardt Duke, seen as a thorn in the side of the cunning central nobles, was executed by the emperor on false charges of treason. His heirs and retainers were exiled straight to the Cursed Land.
House Reinhardt, who had guarded the empire from the Cursed Land, was cruelly discarded. And when everyone had forgotten the name Reinhardt……
A figure calling himself the Silver Lion emerged, leading an army of undead to assault the empire.
That was the story of [Revenge of the Silver Lion Reinhardt].
“Ah…….”
Of course. In the game, the true identity of [Silver Lion Reinhardt] was never revealed.
He always appeared as a powerful, mysterious figure in silver armor engraved with a lion and a silver helm.
The only hint was silver hair.
I glanced back and forth between the girl’s armor and the zombies’.
Covered in mud, it was hard to tell at first, but it was engraved with a ornate golden lion.
No wonder it looked fancy……
It was House Reinhardt’s gear.
‘So this one becomes that [Silver Lion Reinhardt]?’
House Reinhardt’s symbol was the ‘Golden Lion,’ but the girl before me wasn’t blonde. Her hair was silver, shining transparently.
Her hair must have turned white from the ordeal of wandering the Cursed Land after losing her entire family and retainers.
“Those are zombies. They’re no longer Reinhardt’s retainers or anything.”
“No!”
“Once you die in this land, nothing returns to what it was.”
“No!”
She still hadn’t grasped the situation.
-Stab!
While watching her, I drew a dagger from my belt and plunged it deep into one of the zombie heads rolling at my feet.
“No!”
“Yes. Because it’s a zombie.”
My original plan was to dismantle the zombie corpses and sell the parts……
But with the person involved right here, that felt awkward.
So, I’d just have to dispose of them cleanly, out of courtesy.
“If you truly cared for them, you should’ve ended their lives long ago.”
I held my sword and spoke reproachfully to the trembling girl, then pulled the dagger from the now-still zombie head.
Black, sticky blood dripped slowly from the dagger.
“Y-You bastard!!!”
The girl charged at me with her sword.
-Swoosh!
But she was far slower than me, already using [Leaf Step].
We clashed a few times like that.
For her age—no, even compared to adults—her skill was impressive, but it was nowhere near enough against me.
‘Still, you can feel her talent.’
That’s how she survived the Cursed Land and became the true Death Duke who commands the undead, [Silver Lion Reinhardt].
‘Wait…….’
I casually parried her attacks half-heartedly. She had skill, but rage and fear were holding her back—it was almost pitiful.
“Yaaah!!!!!”
-Smack!
But I couldn’t just let her win. I dodged her final desperate strike and knocked her down. She glared up at me, panting in frustration.
“Kill me!”
“Well, now…….”
I clicked my tongue and looked down at her.
Well…… her spirit was impressive, at least.
I pinned her shoulder firmly to the ground to keep her from getting up and spoke.
“Really want me to kill you?”
“…….”
“Then who’ll avenge Duke Reinhardt?”
“Shut up!”
“You shut up.”
-Crack!
Her shoulder popped out. Eh, I could fix that easily. Let’s keep going.
“Arghhh!!!!”
“Listen well.”
Ignoring her writhing in pain, I continued. If she couldn’t endure this, I’d just leave her.
“Do you think the duke, your family, and your retainers saved you just to see you moping and guarding zombies?”
“…….”
“No.”
“……Sob…….”
“If you want proper revenge, stop this idiotic nonsense.”
“Sob, sniff, Father…….”
Finally, she broke down crying like the child she was.
I lifted my foot from her shoulder, stepped back, and placed my hand on her dirt-caked shoulder. In an instant, I reset the dislocated joint and used [Wound Healing]. Even though it must hurt, she didn’t scream like before.
“For their sake, at least.”
“…….”
“Survive first.”
That was sincere advice.
From one person in the same boat—someone who ‘had to survive’ in this world.
“Live.”
I muttered, as if speaking to myself.