Excising the Rot (1)
Pant, pant.
A dark, damp dungeon.
Along with the clinking of iron chains, someone's labored breathing echoed through the gloom.
"Urgh..."
Hakun Durdamel was bound in chains, forced onto his knees.
His condition was utterly wretched.
Dried blood clung to his swollen cheeks and the corners of his mouth, and signs of torture were evident all over his body.
"Oh dear. My men seem to have treated you far too harshly."
Edmon Brickwood clicked his tongue.
Wearing a feigned expression of pity, he lowered himself to meet Durdamel's eyes.
"Tell me, Durdamel. Do you have any idea what you've done?"
"..."
"You crossed a line you shouldn't have. No matter the circumstances, how could you bring back the corpse of a Divine Beast?"
Durdamel, who had been hanging his head, slowly raised his gaze.
Only ragged breaths escaped his lips. Seeing this, Edmon smirked and continued speaking.
"From the look on your face, you don't even seem to understand what's happening."
"..."
"Fine. I shall kindly explain what is about to happen to you, step by step."
Edmon leaned in close.
"Tomorrow, the investigation team from Midtemple will arrive. They will brand you as the sinner who slaughtered the Divine Beast of Elder."
"..."
"The trial is as good as over. You will be executed for blasphemy, and the merchant coalition you spent your entire life building will lose its master overnight."
"..."
"And then, that masterless coalition will fall right into my hands."
Unable to contain his laughter, Edmon Brickwood chuckled greedily.
"Why did you have to be so greedy? Didn't anyone teach you not to covet food you cannot digest—"
"Ptooey!"
A thick glob of bloody phlegm splatted squarely onto Edmon's face.
For a moment, silence descended upon the dungeon.
Edmon stood frozen in sheer disbelief before his face contorted into a hideous scowl.
"You dog-like bastard...!"
Edmon's boot stomped down mercilessly on Durdamel's body.
Thud! Crash!
The sickening sound of bones snapping echoed with every blow to his chest and ribs.
Yet, Durdamel did not let out a single scream, merely gritting his teeth through the pain.
"...Haah, haah."
Eventually, Edmon grew tired and stopped kicking.
Struggling to balance his obese frame, he stumbled back and growled in irritation.
"Wash your neck and wait quietly! The moment we capture that fraud Gaon, I'll have you executed right alongside him!"
Edmon spat on the floor and stormed out of the dungeon.
Shortly after, the heavy iron bars slammed shut with a resounding clang.
"..."
How much time had passed?
Left alone in the darkness, a smile tugged at the corners of Durdamel's lips.
He let out a low, irrepressible chuckle.
"Khehehe..."
Foolish bastards.
How could he not find it laughable?
A greedy pig running wild, completely oblivious to its own impending doom.
A flame of vengeance began to flicker in Durdamel's eyes.
...Just you wait. The ones being executed won't be me, but you.
"Did you rest well?"
"...Yes."
Adelia pushed herself up.
Thanks to the effects of the Mandrake, her body seemed to have fully recovered.
At least on the surface, not a single injury was visible.
"Huh?"
Adelia froze as she looked around with a dazed expression.
The corpses of the adventurers lay scattered all around them.
Noticing them, she slowly turned to look at me.
"T-this is..."
"There was a minor disturbance. It's nothing to worry about, so don't mind it."
"..."
Adelia's expression grew complicated.
Her lips parted and closed several times, as if she wanted to say something.
She seemed to feel guilty, thinking she had burdened me with trouble while she was unconscious.
Ignoring her look, I gave a detached command.
"Enough. Go and extract the Earth Dragon's heart."
"..."
After a brief hesitation, Adelia nodded.
"Yes. Understood."
The extraction was completed in an instant.
Having retrieved the Earth Dragon's heart, Adelia placed it at my feet.
Wow, this thing is much larger and more grotesque than I expected.
I didn't realize it would look like this when I saw it on a monitor.
Well, compared to 'that place' I'll have to visit later, this is child's play.
Suppressing a gag, I rummaged through the heart with both hands.
Then, I pulled out a round, pill-like object from within.
The Earth Dragon's Heart.
It was an item that increased the consumer's physical stats.
Although it would be useless in the late game when a character's stats hit the ceiling...
For someone like me with currently abysmal base stats, there was no better way to grow.
I placed the Earth Dragon's Heart into a chest.
Since Adelia had consumed the Mandrake, one chest remained empty.
I could consume the item right now, but I had a better plan.
There's a way to multiply the effects of the Earth Dragon's Heart.
Once we return to the Free City of Vertas, I'll have to visit 'that place' first.
And while I'm at it, I can acquire an ability to prepare for that crazy Sword Master.
...Of course, there is something else I need to resolve first.
Having finished my thoughts, a satisfied smile spread across my face.
Things are going quite smoothly.
Now, it's time to move. Our business in Labyrinth Village is finished.
After leaving the depths, I searched the surroundings for Dangno.
Before long, I spotted him huddled behind a boulder, trembling uncontrollably.
"Stop hiding and come out. It's all over."
"H-Hieeeek!"
When I tapped his back, Dangno flinched as if he had been shocked.
I couldn't help but let out a dry chuckle.
At first, I thought he was cowering at the entrance of the depths because he was afraid of the Earth Dragon, but now I realized he was hiding from the Fire Dragon Sword Master.
Moreover, given that he had hidden behind the boulder, he must have sensed the approach of the adventurer party as well.
I've felt this ever since I played the game...
But his ability to sense and avoid danger is truly unmatched.
Well, that is his skill, after all.
As a price paid through a restriction, his survival instinct is absolute.
It's the very reason he could accurately predict the collapse of the Silk Road's barrier and dodge monster raids a step ahead of everyone else.
To think I can exploit a guy like this until the ending for the mere price of a single Mandrake root. No matter how many times I think about it, it was a fantastic contract.
Looking at Dangno, I was reminded once again of his extraordinary ability.
Whatever the case, he is a talent I must keep by my side until the late game.
Anyway.
After a quick reorganization, we headed straight for the Free City of Vertas.
Rattle, clack.
Inside the swaying carriage, Adelia wore a gloomy expression.
Seeing how she kept stealing glances at me, she clearly had something on her mind.
"Is there something you wish to say?"
"...Ah."
Adelia hung her head.
Her usual confident demeanor was nowhere to be found.
Biting her lip for a moment, she mumbled in a barely audible voice.
"I am sorry."
"For what?"
"That... well..."
As Adelia trailed off, I cut her off, knowing exactly what she was thinking.
"There is no need to blame yourself. As I said before, your opponent was a Sword Master."
"..."
"In fact, the very fact that you managed to react to his strike is an incredible feat in itself."
Adelia still couldn't bring herself to look up.
"Here, take this."
I reached into my robes and pulled out an object.
Adelia, momentarily bewildered, widened her eyes.
"This is...?"
"A scale of the Fire Dragon."
To those who walked the path of the sword, it was considered the ultimate badge of honor.
Receiving it with both hands, Adelia's eyes sparkled.
"Why... are you giving this to me?"
"That Fire Dragon bastard left it behind."
"..."
"He said you show promise. He even seemed jealous that I had taken on such a fine disciple."
I exaggerated a bit to boost her spirits.
Sure enough, the corners of her mouth began to twitch upward.
Honestly, she's an open book.
I didn't know whether to be pleased by her innocence or worried about her complete lack of a poker face.
Without realizing it, I found myself treating her like a concerned father.
"Um... Sir Gaon?"
It was then.
Staring blankly at the Fire Dragon's scale, Adelia asked a question.
"If I may ask, what is the relationship between you and Lord Pokryong?"
"..."
"I apologize. I lost consciousness right after the attack, so I still have no idea what transpired."
Well, I'm sorry, but to be honest, I don't really know what happened either.
Recalling the nonsense Pokryong spouted, it seemed he received some revelation and attacked me under the assumption that I was a Sword Master...
But that was merely a guess. Nothing had been confirmed yet.
"It is rather complicated to explain."
"..."
"But yes, we have known each other for a very long time."
It wasn't a lie.
I had watched him for twelve years, after all.
...Of course, this was the first time we had met face-to-face, but details, details.
"So, do not doubt yourself any longer. Even Pokryong acknowledged your talent."
"Ah..."
Adelia looked at me, deeply moved.
"Yes. I will keep that in mind."
I offered a faint smile.
As I had noted many times, Adelia possessed the highest potential in Lost Elder.
In the future, she would become a transcendent who reached Level 100.
She would even proudly claim a seat among the twelve Sword Masters.
I must make her completely mine.
I planned to turn Adelia into my loyal right hand.
By keeping her motivated like this and constantly feeding her high-grade elixirs like the Mandrake.
With other characters, treating them with such devotion might carry the risk of betrayal...
But with Adelia, I didn't have to worry about that at all.
At least in Lost Elder, there was no one as innocent and good-natured as her.
Thud!
The head of the Earth Dragon crashed onto the wooden floor of the guild hall.
With a heavy, booming sound, the entire building shook as if struck by an earthquake.
Only then, upon seeing the severed head of the Earth Dragon, did everyone lose their words.
The adventurers who had looked down on us just a few days ago now stood frozen with dumbfounded expressions.
Amidst the commotion, Adelia expressionlessly brushed the dirt and grime off her hands.
"T-that's...!"
"Holy shit, is that an Earth Dragon? They actually hunted an Earth Dragon?"
"...Insane. They really reached the depths."
Whispers quickly filled the guild hall.
The adventurers' gazes locked onto Adelia before shifting back to me.
A guild staff member rushed over, frantically examining the Earth Dragon's head, before muttering in a trembling voice.
"C-confirmation complete."
"..."
"T-the advance payment is here... As for the remaining balance, we will settle it after contacting the client."
I nodded, accepting the heavy pouch of coins handed over by the staff member.
This mission hadn't been for the money in the first place.
More importantly, there was another matter that required my immediate attention.
"Y-Young Master!"
The moment I returned to the inn, Madame Durdamel ran toward me, wailing.
Her expression was somehow familiar.
It was the exact same desperation I had seen when receiving the widow's quest in the game.
The look of someone on the verge of losing their beloved.
"What happened?"
"Sob... The Eastern Merchants Coalition... they took my husband..."
I nodded, my expression turning cold.
Yes. It was all within expectations.
Ever since the moment that butler showed his face before me.
"Lead the way to the Brickwood estate."
From this moment on, it was time to excise the rot of the Free City of Vertas.