Chapter 162
Chapter 162
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 162
Chapter Title: Clump (2)
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As soon as they entered the castle, the stench of death wafted through the air.
Every noticeable territory folk they saw had their mouths covered with cloth. Some were carrying corpses on stretchers.
"It seems the plague is still severe."
"The entire eastern region is like this. Our castle is better off, relatively speaking. It gets worse the deeper in you go."
The lord responded to Demian's question with a grim expression.
"People call this plague the Three Dreams Plague. Once it hits, victims suffer from extreme fever and die after three days of nonstop nightmares."
Demian gazed into the distance. There, people were digging pits and burning bodies.
"At times like this, I envy the knights. They say knights don't catch diseases easily, right?"
The lord's words were half right and half wrong.
Knights could catch diseases too. It was just that the higher their level, the stronger their immunity became, so it might look that way to ordinary eyes.
High-class like Demian and Athena could consider themselves fully immune.
That was why the Mercenary King had sent the two here without any special precautions.
"Will you tell me about that undead from earlier?"
"Ah, that wolf monster. I know it started appearing about a month ago. They say it suddenly burst out from a pile of corpses."
Given its beast-like appearance, it seemed a wolf's soul had fused with nearby corpses due to some lingering attachment from life, birthing an undead.
"At first, the eastern nobles all banded together to subjugate it... but they only ended up with dozens of casualties. Over ten knights were deployed, yet not a single scratch on that monster."
The lord shuddered.
"After that, His Majesty the King dispatched Sir Olfys and Sir Vallet... but even those two high-class couldn't repel it."
Newly born undead hadn't yet realized their own state, so they were inevitably weak.
Even so, the eastern nobles couldn't subdue Fenrir. It truly lived up to its future title as the Beast of Destruction.
"You two must be here to subjugate that monster, right? The plague has everyone on edge already, and now this thing—it's hellish. Please take it down as soon as possible."
It was then, as the lord spoke in a pleading tone.
"Viscount Burrer, are you there?"
A voice called from beyond the walls. The lord turned toward the sound.
"This voice... Excuse me for a moment."
The lord approached the gate and ordered the soldiers to open it.
The drawbridge rose with a rumble. There stood over a dozen knights in armor.
Viscount Burrer, the lord, was stunned to see the two knights at the front.
"Sir Olfys? And Sir Vallet, isn't it?"
"Kuhahaha! Burrer, old chap! Doing well?"
"Burrer, good to see you again like this."
Olfys and Vallet.
None other than Grape Kingdom's high-class who had been gravely injured and withdrawn after failing to subjugate Fenrir.
Those who had once failed at Fenrir's subjugation had now reappeared in the region.
"Hmm... somehow, I have a bad feeling."
Athena muttered under her breath. Demian agreed.
"How did the two of you end up here...? I thought you were recovering."
"After that wolf bastard humiliated us like that, how could we just lie around?"
"Exactly. This time, we're here to finish that monster off!"
Rage filled the two knights' faces. Their defeat to Fenrir must have been that humiliating.
"We needed a base before facing that monster again, so we came here."
"It's shameless, but we'll impose on you for a while."
The lord looked troubled at their words.
"What's wrong?"
"We intend to pay for our stay, so no need to worry..."
Just then, the two high-class spotted Demian and Athena.
Their eyes changed instantly. Olfys asked the lord.
"Who are those two?"
"Well... His Majesty hired them from the Fafnir Mercenary Group to subjugate the undead."
The lord hesitated. Their expressions twisted at his words.
"Fafnir Mercenary Group? Right, I remember. His Majesty said he was making that call."
"Didn't expect you'd arrive so quickly."
The two knights approached Demian and Athena. The lord tried to intervene, but it was futile.
"I'm Jim Olfys. This is Richard Vallet."
Athena whispered in Demian's ear at their introduction.
"Olfys is a duke, and Vallet is a marquis."
Both were high-class and high-ranking nobles.
That meant they wielded tremendous influence in Grape Kingdom.
"I'm Demian Haksen. This is Athena Hopper."
Demian gave their names.
Athena beside him fussed, 'Demian gave away my name!', but he ignored her.
"...Demian Haksen?"
"...Athena Hopper?"
The two looked at Demian and Athena with surprised eyes.
"You're not that prodigy from Apple Kingdom, Demian Haksen? Why's an Apple knight in Fafnir Mercenary Group?"
"Hopper... that's the Mercenary King's surname. You're not of the bloodline, are you?"
They immediately recognized Demian and Athena's statuses. But their attitudes didn't change much.
"I don't know your circumstances... but we're grateful you came to resolve the kingdom's worries. That said, now that we're here, you're not needed. Leave."
Olfys spoke in an arrogant tone. Vallet chimed in.
"We're here to reclaim the honor we lost to that undead. If you interfere... we won't act gentlemanly."
With that, Vallet subtly moved his hand toward his sword hilt.
Demian inwardly clicked his tongue. He hadn't expected interference like this.
Of course, he had no intention of complying with their demands.
'They rub me the wrong way.'
Seeing their overbearing attitudes stirred his rebellious streak.
'The problem is they're high nobles...'
Even a mutt bites off more than half in its own yard, as the saying goes.
This was Grape Kingdom—their turf. He couldn't just ignore their demands outright, or it would cause a huge backlash.
That was exactly why they could act so aggressively despite knowing Demian and Athena's identities.
It was while Demian was pondering.
"No can do."
Athena spoke up out of the blue. The two men looked at her in disbelief.
"Little girl doesn't get it, huh. I'm a high-class and duke of Grape Kingdom. If you don't heed our demands..."
"Our Fafnir Mercenary Group took an official commission from your king. If you want us gone, tell him. Have him pay the penalty and cancel it."
Athena said sharply.
"Otherwise, you have no authority to order us around."
"You insolent wench...!"
"Our Fafnir Mercenary Group has a principle: we complete our commissions no matter what. If that bothers you..."
Dense killing intent erupted from Athena's entire body.
"Want to go against Fafnir Mercenary Group?"
Her words silenced the two high-class.
Excluding the Empire and Holy Order, nothing could stand against Fafnir Mercenary Group.
But these two were Grape Kingdom dukes. And this was their domain.
"If you won't back down, no choice... we'll persuade you with force."
Olfys and Vallet gripped their weapons. Athena's killing intent thickened.
"Demian, don't worry. I'll handle this..."
Athena turned to Demian as she spoke. Then she flinched at his face.
Demian was grinning brightly.
"Right, I didn't think of that."
Behind Demian now stood Fafnir Mercenary Group.
In the world, only the Empire and Holy Order were sturdier backings.
Meaning, he could vent on these two without issue.
"That's why you need a solid backing."
Demian opened his subspace and pulled out a long object.
The moment they saw it, Olfys and Vallet couldn't help but look uneasy.
"Wh-what's that?"
"Oh, this?"
Demian tapped his palm with the hexagonal club.
"Introduce yourselves. This is the wood master who's here to fix your arrogance."
"What nonsense is that?"
"Ah, no need to get it now. You'll understand naturally once it hits."
"Hits? You dare lay hands on us two? This mad bastard!"
"Sir Olfys, no more need to watch. Let's show him a lesson!"
Vallet shouted and tried to draw his sword. But that was as far as he got.
Before the blade fully cleared the sheath, Demian swung the club down. Vallet took it to the head and slammed face-first into the ground.
"Ri-Richard Vallet!"
Olfys shouted in panic. He glared at Demian.
"What do you think you're..."
His entire vision filled with something shiny and smooth.
Before he could comprehend it, a dull thud hit his head.
Olfys smashed face-first into the ground just like Vallet.
"Argh!"
"Kuuaaa!"
The two high-class clutched their heads and staggered up almost simultaneously.
"You mad bastard! A mere mercenary touching a duke?"
"We won't let this slide!"
Athena beside them stared at Demian in shock.
"D-Demian... I-I mean, even so, this is..."
Fafnir Mercenary Group might be stronger than Grape Kingdom, but there were lines.
A commissioned mercenary striking a duke first? Unthinkable.
That was why Athena had only threatened them.
"We'll make you pay for this!"
"Pay? What pay?"
"You know, for our heads... our heads... Huh?"
Olfys felt his head and noticed something odd.
No wound.
He'd expected his skull cracked and bleeding, but his hair was fluffy. Not even a bump.
"H-How is this..."
Olfys looked at Demian in confusion. Demian tapped his palm with the club.
"Now, repeat after me. Don't try to steal another man's rice bowl after failing once."
"Bullshit!"
Olfys and Vallet swung their swords at Demian. They'd trained together, their teamwork decent.
Demian deflected each blade once with the club. The swords whipped off in different directions.
"Huh?"
"Wha?"
Demian brought the club down on the confused pair's crowns.
Twice each.
Crisp sounds rang out four times.