Guardian: Derek Walker 12
“Walker, it's late. You must be exhausted—head on back.”
Rita's voice brimmed with gentle concern. As she spoke, she tilted her head at the pile of straw in one corner of the warehouse.
“Huh? There wasn't anything like this last time. What's that?”
I stepped toward her. As I closed the gap, Rita panicked and retreated a step. But it was a cramped warehouse—her back hit the wall in no time.
“W-Walker?”
“Someone's tailing us.”
“T-Tailing?”
Her eyes went wide at my words, and she whipped her head around. I just nodded silently, then lowered my voice to keep any sound from escaping.
“Probably Village Chief Gibbs. That's why I'm here.”
“Th-the village chief? He just sent me here a bit ago to check the inventory.”
“Nah, he's got other plans. I heard the drunk bastard muttering to himself earlier. Said he'd rape you in the warehouse tonight.”
“What!?”
Rita's shout came out uncontrolled at my bombshell. I kept tabs on Gibbs's position while pressing on.
“Gibbs has been skimming village funds. Money they're collecting regularly to buy weapons? Drobin caught him at it.”
“Th-that's…”
Rita looked like she already knew. Drobin must've told her—they were engaged, after all. No surprise they'd share a secret like that. Good, saved time.
“Exactly. Ask Drobin later, and you'll get the full story. He planned to expose it all once the orc invasion was over. For Gibbs, that's game over. So now he's going all-in, trying to rape you out of spite.”
“No way…”
Rita's body began to tremble faintly.
“You're Drobin's fiancée, right? Looked like he wanted revenge on the guy who ruined his life.”
“That's insane… Is it true?”
“Of course.”
As we talked, Gibbs approached the warehouse.
I locked eyes with him peeking through the window from outside. He grinned sleazily and stepped into view. His flushed face screamed drunk, but he seemed sober enough to know what he was doing.
“Village chief?”
Rita, now briefed, called out to him in a quavering voice. But he addressed me instead.
“Walker, take Rita already. I'll keep watch.”
Keep watch, my ass—he was planning to stab me in the back. I beat him to the punch.
“No clue what you're on about, Gibbs. Your plan to rape Rita? It's blown wide open. Give it up nice and easy.”
My response hit him like betrayal. His face twisted into a demon's snarl.
“Betrayal!? At this timing!?”
“What betrayal? I never plotted shit with you. Rita! Run—now!”
I blocked Gibbs's path. He drew a dagger from his coat with a guttural snarl.
“Damn it! Fine! Whatever! That bastard Drobin's dying here anyway! Without that maid bitch, you're nothing!”
The booze had him unhinged. Or maybe the backstab did it.
The plan had gone a bit sideways, but no big deal. Kill 'em all, done. Taking down that fat merchant would be easy. Gibbs figured.
“Damn it! Fine! Whatever! That bastard Drobin's dying here anyway!”
Rita waved her hands at the dagger-pointed Gibbs and yelled.
“Village chief! Calm down! I don't know what you're thinking, but nothing's happened yet!”
“Rita! He's been embezzling village funds. He's a cornered criminal scum!”
Walker fanned the flames to stop Rita from calming him. Exposed to her, Gibbs swung the dagger with even more fury. He'd realized Walker planned to betray him from the start.
“Damn trash!”
“Trash? That's you. Drop the weapon!”
“Gah! Hilarious bastard. Without that guard knight, what can you do? I can kill a disgusting pig like you barehanded!”
Gibbs lunged at Walker like a sharpened awl. His off-hand slapped at Walker's face. Lightning-fast for an untrained civilian, but yawn-worthy slow for Walker.
Walker didn't dodge. Time for victim cosplay.
“Guh!”
Walker's head snapped back. His hefty frame staggered and collapsed onto the straw.
“Where do you get off, you punk!”
Gibbs stomped Walker's fallen body mercilessly, venting rage. Rita yelped in shock and shielded him.
“Village chief! Stop!”
“Damn it! Spoiled you too long! You crawling now!? Don't get in my way!”
Gibbs grabbed Rita's hair. In that instant, Walker's eyes gleamed with feral menace.
If Gibbs threatened her life, he'd intervene immediately. Luckily, he didn't cross the line. He just flung her roughly aside.
“Kyaa!”
“Grr! Kill this guy, then rape you anyway.”
He needed traces of Rita's assault later. To fake that she'd been raped, sparking a fight with Drobin that got him killed.
Gibbs felt rotten lust ignite. He'd thought age had dulled his urges, but murder-lust boiled it up—sudden hunger for woman.
“Walker! I was gonna gift you Rita's virginity for the afterlife, but too bad. Regret your dumb choice!?”
“You beast! Still call yourself human!?”
“Heh! Whatever now. Just die!”
Gibbs raised his dagger arm high and slammed it down on Walker. Walker twisted away, dodging. The split-second agility startled Gibbs badly.
“Don't underestimate my merchant-built body!”
“Filthy merchant scum! I'm a hunter! Pigs like you ain't my match!”
Gibbs leveled the dagger horizontally and charged like a wild boar. Rita screamed at the sight.
“Kyaa!”
But Walker sidestepped like a seasoned bullfighter, evading. He clamped Gibbs's dagger hand tight.
“Guh! Filthy pig!”
Gibbs panicked at Walker's grip strength. Thought he'd overpower the flabby pig easy, but resistance was fierce.
Walker could've killed Gibbs effortlessly but held back, playing the part. Overpower him here, and Rita's debt of gratitude would fade. He was acting the romantic guy sacrificing for her.
“Gah! Let go!”
Gibbs tried shaking him off, but Walker's grip was iron. It looked like a tug-of-war over the dagger, but really, Walker controlled both blade and arm, swinging at will.
Walker flailed the arm with exaggerated groans. Looked like a clumsy struggle gone off-balance.
“Kyak!”
The blade grazed Rita's skirt—Walker's precise aim. Gibbs was just dragged along.
“Y-you bastard! So strong!”
“Guh! Rita! Run—now!”
Walker swung again. This time, it tore Rita's top. Terrified by the flying blade, she collapsed and pissed herself.
“Kyaaa!”
“Pig! Let go!”
“Never! Rita! Run!”
Thud!
Gibbs kicked Walker's gut hard. Yawn-inducingly dull, but Walker groaned and reeled back. Solid acting, even by his standards.
“Kuhuk!”
“Hah! Hah! Strong brute of a pig! End of the line!”
Gibbs glared maniacally and aimed the dagger.
'This should make me look pretty sweet.'
Walker ignored Gibbs entirely, pondering how Rita saw him.
'Time to exit this punk.'
“Die!”
Gibbs charged blade-first. Walker casually kicked his waist.
“Gaaak!”
Gibbs's dagger spun through the air and clattered down. Walker stomped his head. Neck bones snapped with a crack. Gibbs dropped dead, naturally.
“Hic… Hic…”
Rita sobbed in the warehouse corner. Anyone would crack after this. I knelt to meet her eyes.
“Rita! You okay?”
“Hic! H-how's the village chief…”
“Subdued him. For now.”
Technically killed, but broadly “subdued.” Not a lie.
Rita's clothes were in tatters—skirt ripped short enough to flash panties, top shredded. All Walker's handiwork.
“Guh… The spots he hit…”
Walker groaned, and Rita anxiously checked him.
“A-are you okay?”
“Might've cracked some bones. Damn. Should've brought Luna… Underestimated the old fart.”
“You're a hunter… L-let me check your wounds.”
“Appreciate it. I'll strip so you can see better.”
Walker did just that.
Drobin helped clean up the festival. His leading by example, even in small tasks, made him a village role model. Part of why he was youth leader—his character shone.
“Drobin oppa.”
Finishing up and heading home, Bianca called him.
“What, Bianca?”
“Sis isn't back yet. Village chief sent her to the warehouse earlier to check inventory. Should've been back by now…”
“Huh? Village chief's request?”
“Yeah. Count the goods, he said.”
“……”
Bad vibes. No need for that now. And Gibbs wasn't that diligent—except maybe when embezzling.
'No way…'
Drobin bolted for the warehouse.
“O-oppa!?”
“Damn! Bianca! Go home! I'll find Rita!”
Bianca sensed trouble from his reaction, hiked her skirt, and chased. The sturdy country girl could run.
“I'm coming too! Nothing happened to sis, right!?”
“Go home! This ain't for kids!”
“Why treat me like a kid!? Hargen oppa, Drobin oppa—everyone! I'm a full adult who can marry and have babies! And sis is family!”
“……Sorry, Bianca. I babied you. Fine, come. But stay sharp. Brace yourself.”
Drobin raced on, mind on worst-case. What had cornered Gibbs done? Emotional revenge…?
Should've punished him sooner? Regret always lagged. He bit his lip, running.
'Please… Just stay alive!'
He reached the warehouse in a sprint. Bianca, panting hard, barely caught his tail. Keeping up with the village's top hunter showed her speed.
“Light's on inside…”
Bianca whispered. The warehouse lamps—from the city's mage tower—auto-off when empty. Someone was in.
“……”
Drobin crept up quietly, peering through the window.
'Please…'
Hoping for nothing amiss, he saw a man and woman. Only the man's back, but it was Walker. And facing him: Rita.
“!?”
Walker shirtless. Rita's clothes in rags, hair disheveled like she'd crashed into something. Drobin's hackles rose.
“You bastard!”
Before Drobin could react, Bianca kicked the door open and charged. She dropkicked Walker's head like a nimble squirrel.