Slowly Becoming Alike
“Twenty-five young men, seventeen women, ten children, and twenty elderly residents. In total, seventy-two refugees,” Hans the butler reported concisely about the latest group that had arrived.
“That’s quite a lot.”
“There were more at first, but some split off and headed elsewhere.”
“I see. And where did these people come from?”
“They fled from Rabin Territory.”
“That’s quite a distance.”
Rabin Territory lay a considerable way from Legrian lands. The refugees had walked the entire route—a journey that would take two full days even by carriage. It was an absurd march.
“And you’re saying the ones who abducted them were Mains…?” Elena’s gaze shifted to Albert. She had never imagined that the people responsible for kidnapping refugees would turn out to be Mains.
“That’s right.”
“What happened to him? I’ve heard Mains are supposed to be immortal… Did you kill him?”
“No, I couldn’t. Even I can’t use holy power.”
“You can’t use holy power?”
“Is that really so surprising?”
“Well…” She had always believed her brother could do anything. Given everything Albert had shown her so far, she had assumed holy power would be no exception.
“I can’t use holy power.”
“Why not?”
“I’m an atheist.”
To wield holy power, one had to believe in a god, praise it, and be deeply moved by faith. Because Albert did not believe in any deity, he could not use holy power.
“Then how did you catch him? Mains are…”
“I killed something else.”
“What?”
“His mentality.”
“Huh?”
“Turns out Mains have surprisingly fragile minds. After I killed him over a hundred times, his spirit broke and he couldn’t do anything anymore.”
“……”
He hadn’t killed the body—he had killed the mind. It sounded simple when he said it, but how many people could actually defeat a Main that way? Only someone at the Master rank could pull it off.
“So where is the Main now?”
“Locked up in the underground prison.”
“What if he regains his senses?”
“Ah, it’s fine. I’ve got someone watching him. Plus, I already snapped off his horns.”
“Y-you snapped off his horns!?”
That was even possible? As far as Elena knew, a Main’s horns could never be broken without holy power. They were supposedly harder than mithril. And he had…?
“How?”
“I just put some strength into it and they snapped.”
“……”
“Maybe they were made in China. I was surprised they broke so easily too.”
Elena stared at him in disbelief as he spoke so casually.
“Then……”
Just then, a commotion erupted outside. Sensing something amiss, Elena opened the window and looked out. She saw a knight on horseback and a carriage standing at the entrance to the territory. Beside her, Albert grinned.
“Looks like we’ve got guests.”
* * *
“What in the world……”
Tolt, the knight who had accompanied Vess to Legrian Territory, stared with wide eyes. It was only natural. He had heard countless rumors about Legrian Territory. Ten years ago, the eldest son of the family had vanished. The count’s household had been accused of smuggling weapons—an act of treason—and reduced to a barony. The former count and countess, Rian and Ella Legrian, had died in a monster attack. Their second daughter, Elena Legrian, had taken the seat of the family head, but her inexperience had driven people away until the territory collapsed.
Because refugees from Legrian had also reached Vess Territory, Tolt knew the situation fairly well.
‘That place isn’t fit for human habitation.’
‘It’s terrifying. No merchants come, there’s no way to earn money…… Living there is…… haa……’
‘Every time I woke up, I wondered if I was still alive.’
‘There’s no hope left for that place.’
‘We had to sleep while listening to the constant roars of monsters.’
A completely ruined territory—that was what he had heard. So when the refugees fled toward Legrian instead, he had honestly wondered why. No matter how much they hated Vess, he couldn’t understand why they would choose a fallen territory.
‘I laughed at them for choosing the lesser evil to avoid the worst.’
He had thought them foolish. If they were going to run, they should have gone farther, to a better place. Why Legrian of all territories? Going there would be pointless.
Yet……
“Is this…… really Legrian Territory……?”
It was nothing like the rumors. The collapsed walls the former residents had described were now solid and reassuring, as though they could withstand any monster attack. The roads were neatly maintained. The houses that had supposedly looked ready to collapse at any moment were now built sturdy with bricks. The territory everyone had supposedly abandoned was lively, filled with people working and laughing.
“How is this possible? It’s completely different from what I heard……”
“Is this really Legrian Territory?”
“Did we come to the wrong place……?”
“But there’s only one Legrian Territory around here.”
“That’s true, but……”
It was clearly a pleasant place to live. One could tell just by looking at the faces of the residents. There was no trace of worry or anxiety—only cheerful smiles.
“What on earth happened here?”
Even Vess, watching through the carriage window, was stunned by the state of the territory. It looked far too prosperous. He had heard it was ruined—how had this happened? He wore an expression of utter disbelief.
“Who goes there!”
“Halt! Identify yourselves!”
The area outside the carriage grew noisy. Tolt drew his sword as he saw a massive man approaching them. It was pure instinct. The man was merely walking, yet the sheer pressure radiating from his physique made it feel as though a mountain were bearing down on them.
“You…… Who are you?”
Tolt was tense. Up close, the man’s muscles looked so thoroughly trained that it was hard to believe they belonged to a human. Tolt prided himself on his own physique as a knight, but compared to this man, it was laughable—like a child next to an adult.
And that wasn’t all.
‘Why does his face look so terrifying?’
Tolt was a knight who would never back down even against the fiercest monsters, yet the moment he saw the man’s face, he found himself lowering his gaze. Meeting those eyes was frightening. Terrifying. The synergy between that face and those muscles was overwhelming. He felt an urge to bow at a perfect ninety degrees and offer up his coin purse on the spot. A few of the other knights weren’t even reaching for their swords—they were reaching for their money pouches instead.
Even knights were still human. Fear was fear.
“I-identify yourself!”
Tolt shouted loudly, trying to shake off his fear. The man glanced over the other knights, snorted, and spoke.
“I am Aiden, captain of the guard protecting Legrian Territory.”
“C-captain of the guard?”
“That’s right.”
“With a face like that?”
It was a complete waste of talent. No one would ever associate that body and face with the guard. Look at those massive muscles. A chest broad enough to casually shatter an ogre’s punch. Washboard abs that could tear apart a washing machine. Forearms that looked capable of twisting an ogre’s arms off. It was absurd. This was the first time he had ever been intimidated by muscles.
“What? Got a problem?”
Aiden asked. At the same time, his pectoral muscles flexed alternately, showcasing their vitality. They bulged and rippled. The moment Tolt saw the anaconda-like veins, any complaints he might have had vanished instantly. Who would dare voice dissatisfaction in front of muscles like those? Anyone bold enough would have been handed a holy sword and told to go slay the Demon King. That person would be a hero.
What was even more surprising was……
‘Why is the usual loudmouth so quiet today?’
One of the knights was a notorious loudmouth who normally spoke without thinking. He had caused plenty of trouble because of it. Yet now he was silent, as though he had honey in his mouth.
‘That guy never reads the room! Why is he reading it now!?’
Even the tactless loudmouth was reading the room—this was the power of those muscles.
“Now it’s my turn to ask. Why have you entered another’s territory armed?”
Aiden’s presence grew heavier. His aura was immense. Already huge, he seemed to grow even larger. An overwhelming pressure filled the air.
‘I have to answer carefully. Otherwise, we could all die……’
“We……”
“Tsk! What do you think you’re doing? You’re just the guard captain!!”
At that moment, Vess stepped out of the carriage. He wore an irritated expression and shouted at Aiden.
“I am Viscount Vess Rabin!! I have no business with you! Where is your lord!?”
“Why are you looking for the lord?”
Upon hearing the word “noble,” Aiden switched to polite speech. Even so, the pressure he exuded remained unchanged. Vess, however, showed no sign of caring.
‘He’s just a guard captain—a commoner.’
His noble superiority was on full display. Believing commoners were absolute inferiors beneath nobles, he began looking down on Aiden the moment he learned he was merely a guard captain.
“I have nothing to say to you! Take me to your lord at once!!”
He puffed out his chest, convinced he was displaying the dignity of a noble.
‘If I, a noble, speak this way, even this guy should understand!’
“What are you doing!? Guide me already!!”
At Vess’s arrogant words and attitude, Aiden briefly considered what it would feel like to blow his head off. He couldn’t let them go. They clearly hadn’t come with good intentions. The moment they set foot in another’s territory armed, they had become threats to the territory’s security.
‘I won’t kill them because they’re nobles, but I can’t leave them be. I’ll rough them up a bit……’
Just as he was about to step forward and teach a few of them a lesson, Albert’s voice reached his ears.
“……Understood. If you continue down this road, you’ll see the mansion. That is the lord’s residence.”
“Tsk, you should have said so earlier. Let’s go!”
As Vess climbed back into the carriage, Aiden stepped aside. The knights and carriage passed by, mocking him as they went.
“What a joke. All muscle and a scary face, but nothing special.”
“A guard captain is still just a commoner.”
“What a waste of muscles.”
“I could build muscles like that too.”
“And he’s uglier than me.”
The knights sneered at him as they passed. Aiden didn’t show anger. Instead, he looked at them with pity.
Somehow, Albert’s voice reached him again.
-I’ll handle those guys. Let them through.-
“Poor bastards.”
Still, Aiden remembered one man’s face—the one who had called him ugly.
‘That guy……’
He glared at the knight with the same look he gave an orc that had stolen meat he had been saving to replenish his protein after a workout.
‘I’m definitely going to break that one.’
* * *
The noble reception room of Legrian Mansion.
Vess and several knights had entered. Across from them sat Elena, poised and composed. Albert had originally intended to handle this, but Elena had insisted on dealing with it herself. He had yielded. She was the head of the family. External matters concerning the territory and household were her responsibility as lord.
[You drew the line quite clearly.]
‘Of course. I don’t like crossing lines. If I dislike something, others probably do too. So we should respect boundaries.’
It was good to clearly separate duties and responsibilities. Territories had to be divided. She couldn’t steal the authority and dignity that came with being the head. Just as front and back couldn’t be swapped, Albert was carefully maintaining the boundary so Elena could establish her presence as lord.
[But that noble…… Will it be all right?]
[Lady Elena is……]
‘It’s fine. Think of it as gaining experience. It’s not so bad.’
Besides, Elena was more than capable of handling this much. She might not have been before, but she had grown enough now.
“So you’re saying you want us to hand over the refugees who came to our territory?”
“That’s right! They’re my property. So hand them over. And I’ll be taking compensation for damages as well.”
“Compensation for damages? What do you mean?”
“What do you think!? You stole my property, so you’re thieves who took my belongings! You need to compensate me for that!”
“That’s absurd. They are not your property or your belongings. And we didn’t steal them—they came of their own……”
“Haa, this is why children shouldn’t be in charge. When an adult speaks, you should just say ‘yes’ and agree…… Tsk tsk. No wonder your territory fell apart. Too little experience, too young to be a lord…… Though I suppose I don’t know how you managed to revive it.”
Vess sneered at Elena’s rebuttal. Then he swept his gaze over her body with a repulsive look and smirked.
“You must have worked hard to rebuild a fallen territory to this extent…… You wouldn’t want to see it ruined again, would you?”
“……Are you threatening me?”
“Oh my, how sensitive. This isn’t a threat—it’s a negotiation.”
He smiled sinisterly at her. Elena felt a chill, as though a snake were slithering over her skin. The knights accompanying him began pressuring her with their auras. It was coercion disguised as negotiation.
“……You do know that a noble coercing another noble without cause violates kingdom law? If I report this……”
“Hahaha, report me? Go ahead. But you know the saying—law is far, but the sword is near. Even if you report it, it’ll take at least a month to process. In the meantime……”
The knights’ auras grew stronger, pressing down on her. Vess let out a wicked laugh.
“Can your territory hold out?”
Hand over the refugees and pay compensation. If not, he would take them by force. Reporting this to the kingdom court would bring sanctions, but processing would take at least a month. He intended to attack during that time.
“Haa……”
Elena sighed. She had thought they might be able to talk. He was a noble, a viscount—surely dialogue could resolve things peacefully.
‘He won’t listen.’
Whenever she spoke, he got angry, claiming a child was talking back to an adult.
‘Brother must have expected this. That’s why he tried to step in.’
Albert had smelled the stench of a true scoundrel the moment he saw Vess. That was why he had wanted to handle it himself. But Elena had insisted on doing it. Albert had known Vess was the type who wouldn’t listen to reason.
‘Experience? How did Brother know?’
He had already figured out Vess’s nature.
“Tsk, this is why a count’s family falls apart. Your parents were criminals who committed treason, and their daughter doesn’t even know how to respect her elders. If you’re a baroness, act like one. Though I suppose with your parents dying so early, you never learned properly. Still, showing off your lack of education like this……”
“……”
Vess was extremely self-centered and selfish. He had no qualms about digging into others’ wounds. As long as things went his way, nothing else mattered. He was convinced Elena, a mere baroness, could do nothing to him, a viscount.
‘What can a baroness do to me, a viscount? She should just hand over the money while I’m still being nice. If she built the territory up this much, she must have found a gold mine or something.’
He let out a low, sinister chuckle. Greed stirred within him. Where had the funds to rebuild a fallen territory come from? He wanted it. He wanted to take it. After all, this place was an isolated spot near Monster Land. Other nobles wouldn’t care. Even if he secretly devoured it, no one would know.
‘She’s not even twenty. What can she possibly do? If I sweet-talk and threaten her a bit, she’ll hand it over on her own.’
“Pay the compensation immediately!”
“Huu…… Let’s try to resolve this through dialogue. We’re both nobles, so let’s act like it.”
Elena still wanted to settle things through conversation. They were nobles. She wanted to resolve this without relying solely on force, through dialogue as much as possible.
Her mother had once said:
‘The reason humans can be great is because we can resolve things through dialogue. We mustn’t rely on force. Dialogue is the greatest weapon.’
Because of her mother’s words, Elena wanted to try resolving things through dialogue rather than force.
“Let’s talk……”
“Talk? Just pay the compensation! Compensation for stealing my belongings! Either you’re too young to understand, or you’re just pathetic. Tsk tsk.”
He lashed out without warning. It was a wall. Dialogue required mutual understanding, but Vess wasn’t conversing—he was issuing demands. Elena held her patience for now.
‘They’re my territory’s residents now. They’re people I have to protect.’
A strong light gleamed in her amethyst eyes. As the head of the family. As the lord. She had to protect the refugees who had come under her wing.
“Would you like to see this?”
“What is it?”
“This is a contract. It bears the signature officially accepting them as residents of my territory.”
“……”
“According to Article 5, Clause 12 of the kingdom law—the Refugee Relief Act—they have officially become my territory’s residents.”
The Refugee Relief Act was one of the few laws that existed for the common people.
“If a refugee who left their territory a week ago finds another territory and is accepted by its lord or head, they become official residents. That’s the kingdom law.”
Elena also drew up her own aura, shaking off the knights’ pressure. The knights were strong, but Elena was the sister of an EX-rank hunter, Albert. Proving that bloodlines didn’t lie, a powerful light rippled in her amethyst eyes, radiating a pressure far greater than before.
“It means they are not your property, but officially recognized residents of my territory by the kingdom. Therefore, I have no reason to pay you compensation.”
So.
“If you have nothing else to say, would you please leave? Unlike some people, I have a lot of work to do.”
If you have nothing more to say, then get out already.
Vess’s eyes narrowed. He glared at Elena with clear displeasure, then spoke in an irritated tone.
“Tsk, this is why children shouldn’t be made lords. That’s why families end up like this. Your parents—”
Just as Vess was about to utter another unforgivable insult, Elena’s hand—having endured enough—moved. Her hand flashed like lightning and struck Vess’s cheek in an instant.
Smack!
A heavy silence fell over the noble reception room. The knights and even Vess, whose cheek had been struck, wore dazed expressions. The attack had come so suddenly, without warning, that no one had been able to react.
“Ah.”
In the silence, Elena let out a sound. She had been so furious that she had reached out without thinking. In the past, she could have endured such humiliation. She had heard it many times before and had always held back. She had thought she could do the same this time.
But……
‘Ah, I couldn’t hold back.’
She had wanted to follow her mother’s words as much as possible, but she simply couldn’t. Still, she couldn’t help feeling refreshed. It was as though a lump of indigestion had finally gone down. Seeing that dazed expression on his face, she thought—though she knew she shouldn’t—that hitting him had been the right choice.
“Well done.”
Albert entered. There had been no sign of the door or windows opening, yet he was suddenly inside the reception room. He gently stroked Elena’s soft hair. The knights were startled. Faced with a sudden intruder, they tried to draw their swords and fight. But……
‘I can’t draw it.’
‘If I draw it…… I’ll die.’
At a single glance from Albert, the knights found themselves unable to draw their swords. It was as though they had been hit by Medusa’s petrifying gaze. Their bodies froze. An overwhelming pressure. Like mice before a cat. Like an orc served as a meal before a hungry dragon, they couldn’t move. Prey standing before a predator. Under that overwhelming presence and aura, the knights could do nothing but stare.
“Brother? When did you……?”
“You worked hard holding back.”
“But I……”
“Ah, it’s fine. Mother once said something about this.”
“Mother did?”
“Yeah.”
Albert remembered something his mother had told him—a warm piece of advice deeply engraved in his heart.
“Dialogue is the greatest weapon. But sometimes, there are scoundrels who won’t listen. With those kinds of people, words don’t work. In times like that, you need to have a different kind of conversation.”
“A different kind of conversation……?”
“Not all conversations have to be spoken with the mouth. Conversations can also be had with the body, don’t you think?”
If words didn’t work because the other party wouldn’t listen, then one should have a conversation by beating the words into their body—physically. Elena mulled over the meaning several times before nodding. Then she looked at Vess and spoke.
“Let’s settle this with a proxy duel.”
Elena had grown steadily and surely.
[She really does resemble Lord Albert……]
[……That wasn’t a compliment. Don’t look so proud.]
Elena was becoming more and more like her brother. Like brother, like sister.
