Chapter 24
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: The Baron Takes Flight
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The Baron Takes Flight
When I first saw Baron Pulpuchu, the lord of Casedic Castle, I thought of an eagle.
Piercing eyes, a hooked nose, thin lips, and even a deep M-shaped receding hairline—Baron Pulpuchu was the perfect middle-aged eagle.
And now.
‘Is he a real eagle?’
Watching Baron Pulpuchu floating high in the sky from the blast's aftereffect, I replayed the situation in my mind.
Baron Pulpuchu had been seated on the left side of the platform, while the heavily armored knights and the rest of the figures were on the right.
Beneath the Baron lay that same black plank the Ska bastards had painstakingly moved. The plank’s durability was far greater than I’d imagined.
Despite an explosion happening right below it, the black plank didn’t break.
As a result, while the others lost their balance and toppled over, a strange phenomenon occurred where Baron Pulpuchu alone was launched into the air.
Those untouched by the explosion were staring blankly, watching the Baron ascend into the sky.
Among them, there was even a guy clapping and marveling that this was surely the work of a divinely chosen bloodline.
‘Was this intentional?’
I quickly looked over at Au, but seeing him blinking his fleshy eyes as he stared up at the sky, he seemed just as surprised.
Eeeee—
The ringing in my ears grew louder, mixing with the sound of the explosion.
The searing heat slowly receded.
I gathered my wits and scanned the square.
“Aaaaaargh!”
People had collapsed from the sudden blast, tangling together and instantly creating a scene of utter chaos. Some screamed and tried to flee, but the dense crowd only caused them to get more entangled.
‘A simple act of terror? Or is there another motive?’
My mind racing, I drew my sword. The cool touch of the steel quieted the ringing in my ears.
First, I had to get the situation under control.
“Team Four!!”
I screamed at the top of my lungs and charged forward. People formed a wall in front of me, but I didn't care, simply shoving them aside with force to clear a path.
“Team Four!!”
I kept shouting amidst the screams and groans laced with pain and the cacophony of noise.
“Team Leader! What in the….”
It was Brick, holding a pale-faced Charlotte in his arms.
“This is an emergency, so stop copping a feel.”
“W-When did I ever touch her chest!”
“Whatever! Guide these people slowly out of the square!”
I shouted, pointing toward the exit for Brick, whose face was flushed as if it would burst. He nodded with a grim expression.
I saw Brick's hand stealthily slip out from under Charlotte's dress, but I did my best to ignore it.
“It worked.”
“Y-Yes?!”
I cracked a joke at the terrified, pale-faced Charlotte and started moving again. As the tangled crowd came to their senses, they scrambled to escape the square, making the situation even worse.
The thick stench of sweat, vomit, and blood mixed into a truly foul odor.
“Team Four!!”
“Team Leader! Over here!”
“Get back! Don’t you dare touch our Rosa, you bastards! If you’re going to touch her, pay up!”
“Oh my, how thoughtful.”
Berman was there, trying to maintain his composure, along with Kel, who was yelling at the people around them, and Rosa.
“What happened? First, we should evacuate the people…”
“They’ll crush each other trying to get out first, so maintain order, even if you have to swing your swords. Berman, you take this side. Kel, you take that one.”
“Hello, Aron?”
“Hey, it’s been a while, Rosa.”
While everyone else’s face was deathly pale, Rosa, ever at ease, greeted me in a relaxed voice.
“Aron, Luna said you haven’t replied to her letter. She…”
“Yeah, later.”
I waved off the trivial conversation and moved again.
“Move in an orderly fashion! Hey, you son of a bitch! Stop running!”
“Calm down, you won’t get hurt if you move slowly! I said calm down!”
Snake-eyes Pul was standing on a stall with Hana and Kanna, yelling his head off. Like a sheepdog, Pul was smacking people on the head with his scabbard, shouting in frustration.
“Hey, Pul!”
“Team Leader! What is this bullshit?! I haven’t even sold all the booze yet, goddammit!”
Spotting me, Pul’s face crumpled as he pointed to the wooden barrel beneath him.
“Just get everyone out of here for now. Hana, Kanna, you two should head back too.”
“...What about you, Aron?! Let’s go together!”
Hana, her pupils wide with shock, grabbed my arm and clung to me. I flinched for a moment at the softness I felt through my clothes before pushing her hand away.
“I’m a guard. What would it look like if I ran? Just take good care of her.”
Despite being just a child, Kanna showed no change in expression, merely nodding her head. She was actually calmer than Hana.
“B-But I have a bad feeling about this!”
Hana clung to me again, spouting ominous lines. My neck suddenly felt itchy, and I scratched it with my fingernails.
“What do you mean, a bad feeling? Just go, quickly!”
I snapped, and only then did Hana finally move.
Tightly—!!
Hana, holding Kanna in her arms, disappeared into the crowd. It looked as if they were being swept away by a wave.
“Team Leader, what kind of lunatic… would target a noble….”
‘...Yeah, what kind of lunatic.’
Pul’s question made my stomach churn for some reason. I picked up a cup from the stall and downed it in one go. The rich aroma of red wine filled my senses, followed by a rush of heat.
“I don’t know. A lunatic, I guess.”
*Thunk!*
Just then, I heard a familiar sound. I turned to see Dallus, expressionless, picking up a severed head. Though no one was watching, Dallus held up the head, blood pouring from the neck. The red blood trickled down, staining the ground.
“...I don’t think that guy’s right in the head either.”
“Let him be. It’s probably his craftsmanship, or something. You know how artisans are. They say they have to finish the job even with a knife to their throat.”
I waved a hand dismissively and passed a cup to Pul. He spat on the ground with a sour look, took the cup, and gulped it down.
“Anyway, you said you were in on it too, Team Leader, so give me two silver later.”
“...Tsk.”
By then, more than half the people had cleared out of the square. The guys from the other teams seemed to have gotten their act together, as they were also shouting and directing the crowd.
“Stop! Move and I’ll run you through!”
“Don’t move!”
A great commotion erupted from the lord’s direction. Ashen-faced soldiers were brandishing their weapons at the surrounding people, preventing them from moving.
Behind them, a grim scene was visible. The black wooden plank that had served as the platform’s floor was still intact. The problem was that *only* the wooden plank was intact.
The lord, cradled in Knight Adela’s arms, was dribbling blood from his mouth. He appeared unconscious, only the whites of his eyes showing.
Next to them, people were tangled in a heap. Among them, Knight Toik’s neck was bent at a very unhealthy angle.
‘He’s dead.’
Not burned to a crisp in the explosion, but to have his neck broken in a fall. A truly pathetic end for a knight.
It was a problem that occurred from time to time with knights. Here, where the steel on their bodies signified their status, knights were always clad in heavy iron. It wasn't uncommon for them to be crushed under their own weight.
Of course, enveloping oneself in Aura could prevent that, but one couldn't maintain Aura twenty-four hours a day, and problems always arose.
The others seemed to be in better shape. Knight Ben was behind them, his head whipping around as if searching for something.
‘...Where’s the young lady?’
The young lady was nowhere to be seen.
The reason the soldiers were so desperately holding people back was obvious. They had failed to protect their master; if they let the culprit escape as well, they would surely become work for Dallus the artisan.
“Hey, you piece of shit, bend over.”
“Sir? Agh!”
I stepped on Snake-eyes Pul’s shoulder and hoisted myself up. Pul screamed and staggered but managed to stay upright.
Amidst the torrent of people pouring out, I spotted a black-hooded figure slipping into an alley on the opposite side. He was surrounded by several others in identical black hoods, and among them, I caught a glimpse of the young lady’s back.
“Over there! The one who assassinated the lord and kidnapped the young lady is getting away over there!”
I yelled with all my might. I waved my hands frantically, pointing in their direction and repeating myself over and over.
Quick-witted Pul started shouting along with me. The soldiers, who had been taking out their frustration on the crowd, finally broke into a desperate sprint in the direction I was pointing.
The knights followed. Ben and Adela, despite their heavy armor, took off at an incredible speed.
“Outer Wall Guard! Teams One through Three, to the main gate! Teams Four through Six, to the North Gate! Move it! If we lose them, we’re all dead men! Run your fucking asses off!”
Just then, the captain of the Outer Wall Guard, his face flushed as if he’d been drinking, bellowed his orders. His voice was so loud that even from a distance, it cut through the screams of the crowd.
“Agh..., Team Leader, my shoulder’s about to give out.”
“Ah, I forgot.”
At Pul’s pained groan, I jumped down. Kel, Brick, and Berman had gathered.
“Hey, Brick. You looked like you were in heaven earlier. Were the tits that good?”
“Shut up, Kel! How can you say that at a time like this…”
“You... you really touched them? You, Brick?”
Berman stammered, looking at Brick with a disgusted expression. In response, Brick’s lips curled into a strange smirk, and Berman’s jaw dropped.
“All of you, shut up. Where’s Quarter?”
“He didn’t show up. Probably still sleeping, don’t you think? He’s been acting strange lately.”
Pul’s answer made something click in my head. I pressed my temples hard. Quarter and Au...
‘Come to think of it, Au gave Quarter something like candy.’
The image of Quarter, delighted after receiving something like candy from Au, came to mind.
It might not be true, but Quarter was the type to oversleep, not be this late. My suspicion hardened into certainty.
“We’re going after the one who ran.”
“But the captain ordered us to the North Gate, didn’t he?”
Pul narrowed his eyes and questioned me. The others didn’t ask, but their expressions showed they were wondering the same thing. Disobeying orders in a situation like this would surely lead to severe punishment later.
If things got serious, the request I’d jokingly made to Dallus could become a reality. And Dallus the artisan would undoubtedly do his utmost to grant my request.
‘Did I make a mistake joking with a guy who can’t take a joke?’
Facing their expectant gazes, I hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“If we get caught later, I’ll take responsibility, so don’t worry. For now, we need to find that bastard. I think Quarter might be involved with them.”
“...That crazy son of a bitch! He should’ve just stayed in bed!”
“Team Leader, are you sure?”
Kel immediately cursed, while Pul bit his lip and asked. I nodded, and they all let out a collective groan.
“What are you all doing? We’re going to lose them.”
Brick said, his kind eyes hardening as he furrowed his brow. The expression looked rather comical on him, but no one laughed.
“First off, he’s not alone. From what I saw, he might be a mage, but I’m not sure. He used some kind of object to cause the explosion. They’re wearing black hoods. The knights have started the chase, so they can’t have gotten far. If you run into them, don’t do anything stupid. Just scream. I’ll come.”
I looked each of them in their grim faces and spoke clearly, emphasizing the part about screaming.
“It’s so reassuring when you say it like that, Team Leader.”
Kel sneered, and the others chuckled softly.
I laughed along with them.
“...So you really touched them?”
Berman, the only one not laughing, asked as he stared at Brick with eyes full of envy.
“Heh heh...”
Brick’s low chuckle was his only answer.
*Thunk!!*
At that moment, the chilling sound of the guillotine echoed once more, and Dallus the artisan held up the final head.
Blood streamed down, dripping from the guillotine to the ground below.
“Looks like we really do have to run our fucking asses off, just like the captain said.”
Kel said gravely, watching Dallus.
***
*Pweeeet!! Pweeeeeet!!!*
Whistles shrieked from all directions.
Listening to the sounds, I predicted their route.
‘There’s no way out if they go that way. Where are they trying to go?’
Their escape route was toward the castle wall, which made no sense. They seemed to be running in circles, perhaps trying to shake their pursuers.
‘Are they planning to break the wall?’
The explosion was big, but not big enough to destroy the castle wall.
“Team Leader, there’s something up ahead.”
Berman, sweat pouring from his forehead in his nervousness, whispered in a low voice.
I checked ahead. In a dark alley, someone was sitting slumped against a wall in the shadows. I pointed behind me with my thumb. Berman nodded and slowly backed away behind me.
I held my sword at an angle, ready to cut down anything that might jump out, and slowly approached.
As I got closer, the dim moonlight revealed the person’s face. It was a familiar figure.
“...Ben?”
“Ah, Aron.”
Knight Ben was pressing a hand to his chest, where blood was seeping from his torn armor. Blood trickled through his fingers.
“Keuk... Be careful. There’s a traitor among the soldiers.”
Ben muttered resentfully, biting his lip hard.
Seeing his pathetic state, I couldn’t help but scratch my cheek.
‘...Isn’t this guy a total weakling?’
Seeing him collapsed now, just like last time, made me question if he truly possessed the skills of a knight. Maybe he just wore armor he’d won in a game of tiddlywinks and was just posing.
‘Tsk.’
I took out the potion I’d received from Priest Blian earlier and poured it on his wound. He grimaced in pain but didn’t scream.
“I am grateful beyond words.”
Ben, looking much more comfortable, tried to stand, but he must have lost too much blood. He staggered and collapsed again.
‘He’s definitely a knight, though.’
I stroked my beard as I looked at Ben, panting on the ground in a heap.
Just then,
“KYA-A-A-A-AK!!”
A shrill, grating scream from a deep voice echoed through the air.
***
Cold, the devil’s minion, was thoroughly excited by this rare chance to flex his power.
‘Fucking bastards. You follow a devil, yet you have to endure this, endure that.’
Cold took a deep breath. The thick smell of blood made the corners of his mouth curl up automatically.
There were too many restrictions. He couldn’t go outside, couldn’t procure blood, and had spent the last few weeks in frustration.
When that big, weird-looking guy started openly watching his house, Cold had to endure that too. He’d been so angry he’d pulled out his own fingernails.
‘All because that idiot failed.’
It was a plan their side had invested heavily in, but the one who received the devil had failed, throwing all their plans into disarray.
He’d been stuck in this castle for weeks when he should have left long ago, and he had finally reached his limit.
When he could bear it no longer, the black mage gave the order to act.
It was a small castle on the frontier, but it still had a population of over two thousand. If he drank as much blood as possible during this opportunity, he might even be able to make a direct pact with the devil.
‘If I had a direct pact, I wouldn’t have failed like that bastard.’
A laugh escaped him. The only obstacles were the knights, but the black mage had said he would handle them.
Without the knights, there was no way the ragtag soldiers of a backwater place like this could stop him. It was the perfect situation to unleash everything he had been holding back.
“...This looks pretty fucked, don’t you think?”
“I never thought I’d agree with a virgin like you, but I do.”
Two men, chattering fearlessly, got on Cold’s nerves. One was a round-faced man who hadn’t even grown a beard, and the other was a slick-looking fellow.
“Hey—you, the weird-looking one. Have you seen a guy who looks kinda drowsy? The one who’s always nodding off.”
The slick-looking one ran his mouth insolently.
Cold didn’t bother to reply, simply holding out his hand. Humans didn’t talk to insects. They just crushed them.
He hadn’t received the Handprint yet, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t use the devil’s power. He had already received the seal of the pact through the black mage.
‘I’m still young.’
The evaporating blood made him dizzy, but Cold swayed on his feet. Power surged through his body. He kicked off the ground, and his body shot forward in an instant.
The slick-looking man raised his sword diagonally to block the punch. *Clang!* Fist met sword, but it was the one holding the sword who was pushed back.
“Kel! You son of a bitch!”
The round-faced man thrust his sword into the opening, but it was after Cold’s leg had already shot out. *Thwack!* The man took a direct kick to the abdomen and went rolling backward.
A thrill shot up Cold’s spine. His opponents were clearly unskilled, but Cold himself had never been in a fight in his life. Just by having a thread-thin connection to a devil, he could wield such overwhelming power...
The mere thought of what destructive force he would possess if he received the Devil’s Handprint was exhilarating.
‘I will make the pact today.’
The sweet, intoxicating taste of power made Cold’s eyes spin.
“This isn’t going to work.”
Just then, the slick-looking man shook his head. Seeing this, Cold couldn’t help but sneer. Did he think he would be spared if he surrendered?
‘Foolish insect.’
Cold pondered for a moment. Should he play along and then, at the last moment, crush that little glimmer of hope to savor the thrilling sweetness?
“...I guess we have to call him, right?”
“Ahem... The Team Leader mentioned training. If we call him this time, we’ll definitely be dragged into it...”
The two of them were chatting casually as if they were in a tavern, right in front of him. Cold was dumbfounded. Had the immense fear driven them mad?
“Still, it’s better to go through hell alive. I’ll count to three. We shout together.”
“Haaa...”
“One, two.”
Watching them count so placidly, Cold felt a momentary tension. Did these trash-like bastards have something up their sleeves?
“Do you think I’ll just stand by and watch!”
Cold belatedly tried to cover their mouths, but it was too late.
“Three! KYAAAAA-A-A-A-AK!!”
“UWAAAAAAAARGH!!”
The two of them screamed as if they were singing in a choir. They yelled so loudly that the veins on their necks bulged.
Taken aback by their unexpected action, Cold stopped his outstretched hand awkwardly.
“This should be enough, right?”
“The Team Leader has good ears.”
As if their job was done, the two returned to their usual calm expressions. Cold seriously considered how he should react.
‘What am I doing? I’m running out of time.’
Realizing he had been drawn into their petty trick, Cold shook his head lightly and crossed his arms. His fingernails turned black and elongated, soon resembling the claws of a wild beast.
“Wait, would you mind waiting a moment.”
“...What?”
The slick one’s bold request nearly made Cold lose his focus.
‘Are these guys out of their minds?’
Whatever. He would just kill them cleanly, drink their blood, and move on. The night was short, and there was much blood to be drunk. He had to move quickly if he didn't want to fall behind the others.
*Thump-.*
“Ah, there it is.”
Just then, the sound of something breaking was heard faintly in the distance. The two men once again returned to their peaceful expressions.
“You insane bastards.”
Cold wiggled his fingers, playing his long, black claws like a piano as he approached them. It wasn't as good as a woman's blood, but they were young, so their blood should be fresh.
*Thump-.*
This time, the dull sound was closer than before.
‘...What is that?’
The sound was strangely grating, so Cold narrowed his eyes and stared in the direction it came from.
*CRASH!*
A roar like a hammer striking something grew even closer, now coming from just beyond the wall.
“I think we should back up a bit.”
“Good idea.”
The two whispered to each other and took a step back. Only then did Cold notice something was wrong.
‘It’s like they’re waiting for something...’
It was then.
*KRA-A-A-ANG!*
The wall beside them exploded with a deafening roar.
Amidst the shower of stone fragments and thick dust, the shape was unclear, but a massive silhouette could be seen bursting through the wall.
Cold instinctively swung his claws.
*CLANG!* A sound of metal on metal rang out, and his hand was flung back.
‘...A lump of iron?’
The giant red form drew closer, and only then did Cold realize it was a person.
A man in a ridiculous outfit: a red chest piece, green shoulders, and yellow leg guards.
‘No, is that even a person?’
Disheveled hair and countless scars. Deep eyes that seemed devoid of any emotion. The bizarre outfit that didn't match any of it. Everything combined to create an indescribable atmosphere.
Cold forced his gaze away from the man's piercing eyes and looked at the scene unfolding behind him. His jaw dropped.
Behind the man, a straight path had been forcibly carved where no path had been before. He had run here by smashing through everything in his way with his body.
Then, watching the massive fist rapidly approaching, Cold instinctively squeezed his eyes shut.
Cold was more terrified of this man than he had been when he saw the devil.