Chapter 234
Chapter 234
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 234
Chapter Title: I Won't Harm You (2)
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A slender man was strolling leisurely through the northern forest.
Wearing round glasses, he was the Black Sword Soldier in charge of the 50th Cohort, known as Glasses Guy.
At the sudden appearance of the Black Sword Soldier, a few cohorts who happened to spot him flinched and stepped back.
Leaving those people behind.
Glasses Guy hurried toward his destination and finally arrived near it.
‘Is that it?’
In the middle of the forest stood a foreboding castle.
That was his destination today.
‘...This is my first time seeing it in person.’
As a Black Sword Soldier responsible for an entire cohort, he was inevitably burdened with all sorts of duties.
Because of that, he'd received plenty of reports about the so-called "Demon King's Castle" that had appeared in the northern sector, but this was his first time seeing it with his own eyes.
And upon seeing the real thing right in front of him, he let out a small gasp of admiration.
‘No wonder they call it the Demon King's Castle.’
Whoever built it had certainly named it well.
Then Glasses Guy recalled a passage from one of the reports.
‘The Demon King and the Four Heavenly Kings, was it?’
It was a rumor that had spread among the cohorts after the Hundred Steps Ritual.
He had walked 51 steps during the ritual, with everyone watching.
Yuri had earned the right to challenge from the Sword Lord.
And his acquaintances—Teresia, Arin, Poppi, and Gunter—who had achieved remarkable results in the previous Muryong Tournament.
Since they all happened to live together in this bizarre castle dubbed the Demon King's Castle, the cohorts started calling Yuri the Demon King and his four friends the Four Heavenly Kings.
As the dedicated Black Sword Soldier for the 50th Cohort, Glasses Guy knew Yuri's temperament well and thought the nickname suited him perfectly.
With that idle thought, the moment he approached the entrance of the Demon King's Castle.
Glasses Guy froze in his tracks with a jolt.
"Hmm......"
The entrance to the Demon King's Castle.
In the center of the pitch-black cavernous opening stood a figure blocking the way.
Two legs like sturdy pillars firmly planted on the ground.
Caterpillar-like eyebrows drawn in a fierce inverted V.
Lips pressed tightly shut and piercing eyes.
A hulking man with a face that looked thoroughly pissed off was leaning on an enormous axe-spear stabbed into the ground.
He resembled a gatekeeper guarding the entrance to hell.
Glasses Guy approached the gatekeeper, who exuded an overwhelming pressure.
It was right then.
Thud-.
Spotting the approaching figure, the gatekeeper slammed his spear into the ground and bellowed.
"Halt!"
A thunderous voice.
Glasses Guy involuntarily stopped at the shout laced with killing intent.
Seeing this, the gatekeeper shouted again with a furious expression.
"Beyond this lies only a hell filled with death!"
"......"
"If you do not wish to hasten your demise, turn back the way you came!"
A deep, resonant bass that would make the faint-hearted flinch.
But as Glasses Guy continued staring silently, the gatekeeper put more force into his glare and said.
"Hah! Even after my warning, you refuse to retreat!"
"......"
"Very well! I shall commend your courage and open the gates of hell for you. However, if you wish to pass, you must place all your possessions into that box over there."
With that, the gatekeeper pointed to a wooden box placed neatly off to the side.
Glasses Guy glanced at it, and the gatekeeper puffed out his chest.
"If you return alive, you'll get your items back. If you can return alive, that is."
He sneered at Glasses Guy as if doubting whether he could ever make it back out alive.
"......"
After silently looking up at the gatekeeper for a moment, Glasses Guy asked.
"51st Batch?"
A twitch-.
Black attire without even a cohort insignia.
This reminded Glasses Guy of the recent report that one member of the 51st Batch had joined the Demon King's Castle.
Letting out a small sigh, Glasses Guy looked at the gatekeeper and asked.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
At that question, the gatekeeper's stern, dignified expression melted away completely.
"Ah, well......"
The overwhelming pressure from moments ago was gone; Moochi quickly reverted to his innocent, simpleminded self.
He scratched the back of his head and recalled what had happened a few days earlier.
* * *
Yuri's assurance not to worry.
When the others shot him looks of "What the hell is this guy up to now?"
Yuri was looking at Moochi.
"Hey, time to earn your keep."
"Huh? But... Senior Arin already covered my meal tickets?"
Moochi tilted his head in confusion.
Yuri clicked his tongue sharply.
"Tsk, rent, rent, you idiot!"
"You said meal costs earlier..."
"Sip!"
"Yes......"
"Anyway, you didn't lift a finger to build this castle, right? If you're gonna freeload here, you gotta pay the proper price. No such thing as free in this cradle."
Moochi nodded with an innocent face, finally understanding.
"Oh, I see. So what do I have to do?"
"Nothing much. Just use your talents a bit."
"My talents?"
Yuri grinned at the puzzled Moochi.
Everyone except Moochi subtly looked away.
To avoid watching the innocent boy get exploited.
In the meantime, Yuri explained various things to Moochi.
No, it was more like indoctrination.
Arin, watching from the side, whispered into Teresia's ear.
"Yuri said he'd handle it himself earlier, right? So why's he making the maknae do it?"
"He said he'd handle it, not that he'd do it personally."
"Ah-ha!"
Arin was impressed by Teresia's perfect grasp of "Yuri-speak."
* * *
Finishing his recollection, Moochi scratched the back of his head some more and answered.
"This is, um... Yuri hyu—er, Senior Yuri told me to..."
Before he could finish, a black shadow darted out from behind and smacked the back of Moochi's head.
Smack-!
A crisp, satisfying sound.
His upper body lurched forward, clearly hit hard.
"Ow......"
But Moochi rubbed the spot lightly as if bitten by a mosquito and lifted his head calmly.
Standing in front of him was Yuri, who had appeared out of nowhere, pointing accusingly and yelling.
"Hey, you punk! I told you not to drop the act! Did I say half-ass it, or did I not?!"
"B-But, hyung..."
"Sip!"
"Senior, this guy's a Black Sword Soldier..."
"Black Sword Soldier my ass! While you're standing here, you're not snot-nosed Moochi—you're the foul-tempered gatekeeper! Can't you play the role right?"
"Uuu......"
"Ho, you wanna talk back with that motor mouth? Wanna test me? I'll pop it for you!"
At Yuri's menacing warning, Moochi's chubby cheeks sucked in.
Yuri shoved his hands in his pockets, looking all thuggish, and issued another warning.
"Sheesh, I come to check if you're doing okay, and you're already slacking!"
"Uuu......"
"You punk again?!"
Pffft-.
"Anyway, if you wanna live here with us, do as you're told. This is your job from now on."
"Yes......"
"Answer properly."
"Yes, sir!"
Moochi replied loudly with perfect form, while Yuri tsked in dissatisfaction.
And Glasses Guy, the actual Black Sword Soldier, stood ignored like a fifth wheel with "Black Sword Soldier my ass."
Finally fed up with the constant dismissal, Glasses Guy furrowed his brow, stepped forward, and spoke.
"Yuri Holland."
Only then did Yuri turn around at the call.
Having completely forgotten about Glasses Guy's presence, Yuri blinked and asked.
"What're you doing here, old man?"
"...Old man?"
His glasses slipped slightly down his nose.
Tap-.
He had undertaken many missions since joining the Black Sword Corps.
And managed plenty of cohorts before.
But this was the first time a cohort member had called him "old man."
Realizing his flustered expression, Glasses Guy quickly composed himself.
Pushing up his glasses, he glared sharply at Yuri.
"Yuri Holland, I have something to discuss with you."
Yuri waved it off lightly.
"Ah, got it. Got it."
"...Got what?"
"That's why I put this burly gatekeeper right here."
Yuri patted Moochi's back heartily.
Moochi immediately scowled and struck a dignified pose again.
Glasses Guy's face crumpled once more.
"...I have no idea what misunderstanding you have."
"Misunderstanding? Cadets without insignias keep dying here, so you came to bitch about that?"
At that, Glasses Guy scoffed.
"You think the Cradle cares about that? They may not have insignias yet, but they're official cadets. No reason for the Cradle to care if a few die."
Frankly, so many new cadets dying in such a short time was unusual.
But to the Cradle, they were just your run-of-the-mill cadets.
Even if the entire 51st Batch got wiped out here, the Cradle wouldn't hold Yuri accountable.
Yuri looked relieved at Glasses Guy's response.
"Right? I thought you came to manage 'em since the newbies are dropping like flies and there's already so few."
"We will manage the 51st Batch's survivors. But that's our Black Sword Soldier job, not yours."
"Yes, yes."
Yuri nodded casually, while Glasses Guy seemed indifferent.
Their conversation was utterly mundane for the Cradle.
But Moochi, listening in, stiffened and swallowed dryly.
‘This... is the Cradle?!’
Moochi knew his fellow 51st Batch members had died here.
But he never imagined the Cradle wouldn't even care.
He realized then that everything said before the Hundred Steps Ritual was true, and the will he'd written wasn't just for show.
Thus, Moochi grasped the Cradle's reality before any other 51st Batch member.
Meanwhile, Yuri pocketed his hands and tilted his head.
"So what'd you come here for?"
At Yuri's question, Glasses Guy glanced briefly at Moochi before answering.
"Come with me. I have private words for your ears only, in a quiet spot."
Then he turned and walked ahead.
Seeing Glasses Guy disappear into the brush, Yuri glared at Moochi.
"You, guard duty properly."
"Yes, sir!"
Satisfied with Moochi's more rigid response, Yuri followed Glasses Guy.
After the two left, Moochi continued his assigned duty with a stern glare.
"......"
Some distance from the Demon King's Castle.
Rustle-.
A teal gaze that had been silently watching Moochi from the bushes slowly withdrew.
* * *
Glasses Guy, who had left first.
After walking quite a ways, he stopped in a small clearing.
‘This should do.’
Confirming no presences in his domain, he turned to Yuri.
In the meantime, Yuri looked around and asked.
"How big a deal is it that you're being this cautious?"
Brushing off the sarcasm, Glasses Guy got straight to why he'd come.
"You know about the Leather Gathering Quest."
"Who doesn't."
"The Leather Gathering Quest is mandatory for new cadets' standard training and discipline."
"No kidding."
"...The 51st Batch will naturally go through it too. Starting tomorrow."
"So? What's your point? Spit it out already."
Yuri crossed his arms, responding flippantly, showing no interest.
But his expression changed instantly at Glasses Guy's next proposal.
"For this Leather Gathering Quest, Yuri Holland... I want you to be the tiger."
His arms slowly unfolded.
"...For real?"
Yuri's eyes sparkled beautifully, as if holding starlight.