Chapter 61
Chapter 61 - Fantasy Cliché(2)
"Mm... Seolbaek. For now, would you like to look around the market?"
After grasping the situation, the first thing I did was to set Seolbaek aside.
Seolbaek widened her eyes at the sudden proposal and asked back.
"What? By myself... is that okay?"
"Yeah. I have something to do for a moment."
"Something to do? Is it something you can't tell me about?"
A faint hint of suspicion flickered in Seolbaek's eyes.
When I watched where her gaze was going, it was directed towards the Demon King Lucy.
I roughly understood what she was thinking, so I immediately waved my hand.
"Whatever you're thinking, it's not that, so don't misunderstand."
"Oh, uh? N-no! What, what was I thinking...!"
Seolbaek visibly panicked and stammered. She covered her reddened face and quickly averted her gaze.
I smiled bitterly and nodded.
"Anyway, I'll take care of something for a moment, so just look at some accessories."
"Accessories...?"
I pointed behind Seolbaek with my chin.
There, merchants selling various accessories were gathered together. The overall design was closer to a martial arts fantasy than a typical fantasy.
Looking closely, I could see hairpins. They would look incredibly good on Seolbaek.
"Wow, woah..."
Seolbaek was instantly captivated. It seemed I was no longer even in her consideration.
I nodded satisfactorily.
'They say most women don't dislike accessories.'
It's nice to apply knowledge learned from books like this. One lives and learns.
I called out to Seolbaek, who was heading towards the accessories section as if possessed.
"If you want to buy something later, just tell me. If the price is reasonable, I'll buy you one."
"Oh?! R-really?!"
Seolbaek turned to look at me at an incredible speed. Her eyes were sparkling beyond brilliance.
I slightly moved back, overwhelmed by her intense reaction.
"Yeah. You should carefully consider and choose. I'll only buy one."
"O-one...! Everything looks so pretty...!"
Well, this kind of bait should keep her occupied for a while.
I still have plenty of travel money from Lord Margrave, so buying an accessory shouldn't be a problem. It's not like they'd sell luxury items in such a remote village anyway.
"When you decide what to buy, wait for me at the market entrance! I'll come find you after I'm done."
"Yes, I understand! Take your time and finish your business!"
Earlier she was upset about not being taken along, but look at the temperature difference now. Capitalism, long may it reign.
Leaving Seolbaek, who had already entered shopping nirvana, I headed deeper into the marketplace with the Demon King.
"Come with me for a moment, Lucy."
"Mm? Okay. Got it."
I grabbed the Demon King's wrist and entered the market's alleyways. The lively market noise gradually grew distant.
Having arrived at a damp, sunless, secluded place, I finally let go of the Demon King's hand.
"……."
Looking around, there were only a few vagrants wrapped in rags, and no one else.
I stared into the pitch-black darkness and then opened my mouth.
"Stop hiding and come out now. I know everything."
Swoosh! I simultaneously drew the black and white swords from my waist and pointed them towards the darkness.
The Demon King was startled by my actions and let out a cry of confusion.
"Huh? What, hero? Were you being followed?"
The Demon King looked back and forth between the darkness and me with an expression like she'd been hit on the back of the head. Then she quickly hid behind me.
Beyond the darkness, it was quiet. It didn't seem like anyone was planning to come out even after time passed.
"……."
"……."
Dozens of seconds. One minute. And even after three minutes, there was no sign.
I eventually clicked my tongue.
"He's not coming out. I thought he'd come out wondering 'How did he notice?'
I awkwardly sheathed my sword and turned around, starting to walk away.
Lucy, who had been staring at me, asked in a bewildered tone.
"...Did you just shout out randomly?"
"No, look. The return point was updated in the middle of the market. What could possibly cause danger? It's standard for stalkers to show up."
"What world's law is that...?"
Trying to assert my coolness only added to my dark history. The Demon King's pathetic gaze was particularly piercing.
I started mumbling to myself and returned to where Seolbaek was, with the Demon King following behind after giving me a disdainful look.
Right now is the moment.
"Seven Swords Pierce."
I suddenly turned back and chanted the skill. I drew Bestak and swung it like lightning.
An unexpected moment... even the Demon King on our side was completely caught off guard.
"Keu... Huk!"
Whoosh! The seven magic swords flew like arrows and simultaneously attacked a single point.
The target of my surprise attack was none other than the vagrant lying in the alley.
"H-How... did you...!"
The vagrant, now riddled with wind holes, gasped out a dying voice. The sight of him desperately trying to escape with his back mercilessly torn apart was impressive.
Blood poured out between the tattered rags.
'As expected.'
Giving a feint to let him let his guard down worked well. All seven strikes landed perfectly.
I chuckled and slowly approached the vagrant.
"My eyes can't be deceived. Jermi Balkin."
Perhaps because his real name came out of my mouth.
The vagrant wrapped in rags opened his eyes wide. A trembling gaze was directed at me, seemingly asking how I knew.
'How would I know. x-wiki was turned on.'
This is why information is important.
Do you know what was the first thing I did as soon as I entered the alley? It was checking the status of the environment.
And there, I discovered one person's name and opened my eyes wide.
[Name: Jermi Balkin]
[Title: 151,668,943rd Hero, Apostle of Kasas, Master]
The ordinary man who had casually passed by us in the bustling street earlier.
The moment that man suddenly entered the alley, he became a vagrant wearing a tattered cloth?
Isn't this a bit strange?
"Yes... that guy... just as Kasas said... the witch's sorcery...!"
The vagrant, no, Jermi Balkin, muttered these words in a dying voice.
Honestly, I'm not interested in what he's saying. I approached right in front of him and struck the back of his neck once.
"Kheok!"
The vagrant began to tremble and convulse. Then Jermi Balkin grabbed the back of his neck and glared at me with bloodshot eyes as if he wanted to kill me.
I was taken aback. This wasn't the scene I had expected.
'... In fantasy novels, they would've passed out from a strike like this.'
Indeed, even after being reincarnated in another world and becoming a hero with increased strength, reality is not so easy.
Well, what's life anyway? I decided to keep hitting the back of Jermi's neck until he passed out.
"Kkeuk! Kkaak! S-stop! Just kill me!! Kkaaaaak!"
Eventually, after hitting him more than 10 times, Jermi finally lost consciousness.
Rather than me knocking him out with my hits, it felt more like he fainted from shock due to the pain.
I tied his arms with a piece of cloth lying around. I never thought I'd use the binding technique I learned in the military here.
"I have many things I want to ask you. Let's have an interview in the 'Room of Truth'."
"Heek!"
The Demon King, who was watching from behind, had an even more intense reaction when the words 'Room of Truth' were mentioned. I chuckled and lifted the unconscious Jermi.
And then I smoothly disappeared from that spot.
* * *
"I-I don't know... I know nothing... Just kill me...."
The market alley of the small town Kern. Another dark alley, different from before.
I was intensely interrogating the mysterious stalker Jermi. After 30 minutes of interrogation, what remained was Jermi hanging on the alley wall, beaten to a pulp.
And those words repeated like a parrot.
"Hmm. That's what he says? What will you do, hero?"
The Demon King, who had been drooling, now looks at me.
What to do? If he doesn't know, we'll have to take care of him thoroughly so he remembers.
I gestured slightly to the Demon King.
"Open the mouth."
"Okay."
The Demon King nodded and approached Jermi with a familiar movement. And began forcibly trying to open his tightly closed mouth.
Jermi, having gone through everything so far, was pale and desperately resisted.
"Ugh...!"
"Oh my?"
Jermi turned his head while gritting his teeth. The Demon King without magical powers is no different from an ordinary woman in strength, and couldn't force Jermi's mouth open.
I gave the Demon King another glance.
"Plan B."
"Okay."
As soon as my command fell, Lucy moved like lightning.
Pueoook! The Demon King's powerfully extended kick went directly into Jermi's groin.
"Mmm! Good impact!"
The Demon King clenched her fist with a face full of joy. Seems like she hit the mark.
By the way, Plan B's 'B' stands for 'Break all'.
"Keu, Ooooooo!!"
He let out a scream as if the world was collapsing.
Even with his arms and legs bound, he twisted his entire body. Honestly, although I ordered this, I felt a bit sorry.
Anyway, to scream, one must open their mouth.
Without missing the timing, I inserted an ether bottle into his mouth.
"Patient, please open your mouth. Ether coming in."
"Keu, Keup!"
Swoosh. Jermi's body turns a pale blue. Simultaneously, the wounds from severe torture begin to heal. The face that was immersed in pain also relaxed comfortably.
Of course, his face turned pale again soon after realizing his situation.
"Shall we enjoy the Park Jeong-yong Special from the beginning, infinitely?"
I approached Jermi slowly while loosening my finger joints.
Next to me, the Demon King added with an excited face.
"Uhahaha! Good! Good! What should we start with this time, hero!"
"Plan B course."
"Understood! I'll prepare right away!"
The most cooperative Demon King in history. With her grinning, we slowly approached him.
"Kheehehe."
"Kyohyohyo."
Our wickedly laughing faces gradually grew larger in Jermi's terror-filled eyes.
"Uuup! Uuuuuup!!"
Jermi's mouth blocked by the Demon King. The pitiful scream leaking out.
This sound echoed endlessly in a corner of the market alley for a while.