Chapter 27
Chapter 27 - Another Senior(1)
"We won the war, but... the Margrave lost everything."
At that moment, Leila's expression dramatically darkened.
I started thinking of the saddest thoughts in the world to match the atmosphere.
"The soldiers and knights under the Margrave's command who were caught in the war died, and the few remaining people were completely wiped out during the war. The castle became ruins, and the smell of blood lingered in the wind."
"A victory that is nothing but wounds."
"Yes. And Gwyn... lost everything. Friends. Colleagues. And even his reputation. The only thing he gained was the infamy of being called a traitor by dying heroes."
"........."
"And after that, Gwyn became strange. Yes, he became strange."
Leila looked into the distance and kept nodding her head. As if recalling that time.
A glimpse of fear was visible on her face.
"From some point onward, the periodic summoning of heroes suddenly stopped, as if it were a lie."
With those dry words from Leila, I roughly understood the context.
The next content was like a video. Leila spat out the scenario exactly as I expected.
"Every time the summoning period came, Gwyn would disappear somewhere and then appear later. And he would always stare at the wall and mumble like a crazy person. Sometimes he would self-harm or... not recognize me and scream."
According to Leila, the mysterious person in the prison... Gwyn did not start showing madness immediately after the war. He gradually went mad afterward.
This was proof that he was committing some terrible act during that time.
"...So, as his girlfriend, what did you do?"
"As it repeated, I followed him. Because I was worried. And I witnessed it."
“He was slaughtering the summoned heroes, wasn’t he?”
As soon as the answer left my mouth, Leila fell silent.
She stared at me, eyes wide, before letting out a bitter, almost broken laugh.
“Yes. That’s right. Every last one of them—he didn’t let a single one live. And then, he stacked their corpses at the far end of the southern sewer.”
"Oh my."
"That's right. Just like what I'm doing now."
Leila said this while staring at me with her eyes wide open.
Perhaps she intended to threaten me. But I've already seen all this in my previous life. I'm not intimidated. Who are you trying to glare at, anyway?
As I showed no reaction, Leila seemed to lose interest and let out a sigh. Then she says,
"Gwyn gradually, but steadily went mad. He gradually lost control of himself. Eventually, he confined himself. And Gwyn's will... I continued it."
With those words, Leila closed her mouth. A heavy silence descended.
The story was over. This was the inside story of the heroes in this castle.
'Alright. I understand completely.'
The reason why Gwyn was given nicknames like executioner or traitor.
The state of this castle where only three people are alive.
And most importantly, why this woman was so hostile to me, who was just summoned.
Everything was understood.
However, after hearing her story, there was one part that became even more incomprehensible.
'If this story is true... the greatest victim of the heroes was the border Duke himself.'
Losing the handful of remaining domain people.
Losing the elite members who had dedicated their lives to him.
Losing his wife, whom he cherished more than his own life.
I clearly remember the scene of the border Duke carefully caressing his wife's rotting, maggot-infested hand. Leila's words are probably not a lie.
'But... he was so kind to me, a hero?'
There's something more to this.
Even after hearing these details, I'm not naive enough to think the border Duke's kindness was purely intentional.
The overwhelming presence I felt from the border Duke suddenly felt terrifyingly overwhelming.
I can't be careless about the monster hunt starting tomorrow. I let out a sigh. The path of hardship is so clear that it's almost laughable.
While thinking such thoughts and walking,
"... Please."
I suddenly heard a voice. As I walked absentmindedly, I felt my heart suddenly pounding.
Because the voice came from a place where it had no reason to be.
* * *
"...... Please."
I unknowingly stopped walking. I was near the stairs leading to the ground.
'Is it an illusion?'
I quickly turned my head, but there were only prison bars shrouded in darkness.
‘It must be my imagination’. I told myself, and chased after Layla, who had started to move away.
No. I tried to chase after her.
But isn't there a saying? Curiosity kills people.
I'm certain that someday I'll be severely punished because of this curiosity.
A prophecy with quite high credibility.
"Hey, Leila."
I called Leila in front of the bars in question.
Leila turned to look at me. She looked at where I was standing and her expression stiffened unusually. From that reaction, I was convinced.
There is something. Something here that she cannot tell me.
I pointed to the prison bars right next to me and asked,
"Who is in here?"
Leila relaxed her stiff expression and let out a chuckle. Shrugging her shoulders, she replied nonchalantly,
"Same as the others. Just an undead. Why?"
"It's the same undead, but this one isn't going crazy when it sees us."
"........."
The first thing I felt out of place was exactly that.
The other bars still have undead clinging to them, trying to catch and eat us. The sound of scratching wood continues from behind.
But the bars next to me are too quiet.
Not even a common moan could be heard.
The smile vanished from Leila's face in an instant. That abrupt change of expression was particularly eerie.
"... It seems to be an undead with cut-off legs."
She said this without any particular tone.
It was a kind of coercion. It was as if she was urging me to just think that way and move on.
Damn it. My reliable backing,the border Duke. Please give me courage and strength.
I stretched out my hand without backing down.
"Wait, lend me the lantern for a moment. To check."
"Hey, junior."
"What."
"You should have some sense. Don't you know what happens when you try to know something you shouldn't?"
Now she's making an open threat.
The oppressive feeling grows as she approaches slowly. At least one thing became certain. Something other than a real undead is inside here.
Around the time when the distance between Leila and me was gradually getting closer.
"Save... me..."
I heard it.
I heard it clearly.
Severely cracked, but definitely a woman's voice.
Not the sound of an undead scratching wood.
I opened my eyes wide and suddenly looked at Leila. Her gaze was directed towards the darkness beyond the bars. Tsk, she clicked her tongue briefly.
"How persistently disgusting. Surviving without eating anything for 3 years. What kind of hero is that? You are just a monster."
I was shocked by that reaction. Because the identity of the person who might be inside flashed through my mind.
I asked slowly with a trembling voice.
"I'm asking just in case, but..."
"Yes."
"The thing inside. Was it a hero who was previously summoned?"
Leila looks at me briefly with her characteristic half-open eyes. Then, just like before, she casually nodded and mumbled.
"Yes. Why? Is there a problem?"
I was at a loss for words.
Her attitude was so confident that my mind went blank, unable to refute anything. However, if the thing inside is really a hero, my task is clear.
I suddenly stretched out my hand to her.
"Lantern. And the key."
"Why me?"
"Lantern. Key. Quickly."
"Don't misunderstand, junior."
I heard Leila let out a short laugh.
The next moment, Leila suddenly came closer. When I came to my senses, Leila was already gripping my neck.
Crack. The sound of my neck breaking echoed like a surround sound.
"Ugh... Hack!"
In the midst of this, her chilling voice was stabbed into my mind.
"Am I your servant? Why do you think I would follow you? I'm barely holding back on killing you because of the Margrave."
"...... Cough. Cra... Crack."
"Or should I kill you right now? A useless hero dared to deceive me and set foot in this fortress. Honestly, I'm so annoyed I probably won't be able to sleep properly."
I hurriedly searched my pocket with my powerless hand and immediately held something out in front of Leila.
"This is..."
Leila lets out a surprised exclamation. The strength in her grip instantly disappeared.
"Le... Let go!"
What I held out was none other than the emblem of this Halcenberg Fortress.
Directly handed to me by the margrave of the Border. He said it was a sign that I would be hunting demons with him. Leila would know its meaning too.
Killing me would mean killing the Margrave's hunting companion.
She cannot kill me.
"... What an annoying hero."
Leila spat out words filled with clear contempt. And threw me to the ground.
Thud. After rolling numerous times could I finally get up. My body ached painfully.
"Ugh..."
Clang. A key and lantern rolled in front of me as I barely collected myself.
When I looked at Leila blankly, she frowned and immediately walked up the stairs with large strides.
"With your skills, you'll definitely die in tomorrow's hunt. Until then, do as you please. I'll go up first. I don't want to see your face."
Just before climbing the stairs, after seeing me picking up the lantern and key, Leila threw one last comment.
"Maybe the Margrave is bringing you to the hunt hoping for that. Hehe."
A tone that wishes it would be so.
When I looked at her displeased, she shrugged her shoulders and started climbing the stairs again. Leila's footsteps gradually became distant and then completely disappeared.
I let out a sigh of relief. And began carefully trying the keys one by one on the iron bars, jingling them.
"... Whew. I'm not sure if I'm doing the right thing..."
I hope someone comes out who is worth openly opposing Leila.
At the very moment I was desperately hoping internally, there was a click, and the key turned with a metallic sound.
I slowly opened the cell door and went inside. After swallowing once, I held the lantern forward. The damp interior became illuminated. In the center of the prison, someone was lying down.
A half-dressed woman.
"Save... me..."
That voice I heard outside the bars. A woman reaching out her hand to me.
Disheveled black long hair and blurry black eyes. Her face was very oriental, but she was so thin it looked like just skin draped over a skeleton.
"Oh, my God!"
The moment I saw her appearance, all rational deliberations flying in my mind disappeared.
No, she should look pitiful at least. I immediately approached the woman and supported her.
"Hey, hey! Are you okay? Are you conscious? Do you recognize me?"
"…… Ah."
The woman stared at my face illuminated by the lantern and then suddenly, with a thud, lost consciousness.
Was she relieved?
I immediately lifted her up. Her weight was shockingly light.
"Just wait a moment! I know a skilled doctor!!"
Carefully holding her as if she might break, I began climbing the stairs at full speed.