Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Shadows Stir
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Late at night, the knights who had sortied during the day finally returned.
Wesley immediately reported the situation to Medlin.
“It was goblins again this time. But their numbers were more than double what they were last time.”
“Any casualties in the knight order?”
“Just a few with minor injuries. Everyone’s fine.”
“That’s a relief. But what could be causing these monsters to appear when they’ve been quiet all this time?”
Medlin wore a grave expression.
Wesley gauged her reaction before cautiously speaking up.
“We should probably investigate the western mountains. I’ll lead the investigation team myself.”
“No, you can’t. I can’t send you into a place full of unknown dangers. If we’re sending an investigation team, let’s send Sir Skevin.”
“As the knight order captain, he needs to stay and protect the count’s family. Besides, I need to investigate this incident personally to come up with proper countermeasures going forward.”
“But…”
Wesley stepped closer to Medlin and took her hand firmly.
“I’m not weak enough to fall to goblins. Trust me.”
“What if there are other monsters?”
“The knight order will be going with me, so it’ll be fine.”
“Haa…”
Medlin let out a deep sigh.
He looked just like Count Malcolm on the outside, but how could his personality match so perfectly too…?
Who could win against that stubbornness?
“If you’re that set on it, leave only the minimum garrison in the castle and take everyone else with you.”
“No, that won’t do.”
“You’ll have Skevin and Millerph with you, and there’s no one who’d attack the territory anyway. Don’t worry about things here and come back as fast as you can. That’s the best way to look after the count’s family and me.”
Faced with Medlin’s firm stance, Wesley had no choice but to nod.
“Understood. We’ll depart as soon as we’re ready.”
Wesley left the office right away and ordered the knights to form an investigation team.
Meanwhile, the territory’s residents trembled in fear at the news of monster sightings, but once word spread that the knight order had exterminated them, vitality returned in no time.
Arthur, however, was different.
He couldn’t shake the eerie roar he’d heard earlier that day from his mind.
Why had that come to mind?
He was perched by the window, lost in deep thought.
Knock knock.
‘Who is it?’
He glanced toward the door and saw Wesley entering the room.
“What’s up? Coming to my room too?”
“Heh.”
Wesley chuckled softly.
Back in the day, the kid had been terrified of him and wouldn’t have made a peep.
But now, not only was there no sign of that—he even seemed cocky.
Still, it didn’t feel bad to see the spoiled brat from before gone.
“I’m leading the investigation team to the western mountains tomorrow.”
“So?”
Arthur looked out the window as if uninterested.
Wesley pressed on regardless.
“If something happens to me, take care of Mother.”
Only then did Arthur turn to look at him.
“Why tell me that? You’ve got Aild.”
Aild was Arthur’s second brother.
If something happened to Wesley, the second son, Aild, should naturally step in.
Wesley gave a meaningful smile.
“Of course I told Aild too. But lately, looking at you… I don’t know, you give off this reliable vibe. Wonder why?”
“How should I know?”
“Fair enough.”
Wesley chuckled again and turned to leave. Before stepping out, he added one last thing.
“If—hypothetically—something unfortunate happens to me and I need help, go find the village blacksmith Ban. He’ll have your back.”
“With all that worrying, you gonna get any work done?”
“You got me there.”
Wesley gave a wry smile and left.
Left alone, Arthur shook his head as he gazed at the moon, three times larger than Earth’s.
“Tsk tsk, a guy heading into battle…”
***
The next day.
Wesley led the knight order toward the western mountains early in the morning.
Arthur dismissed the eerie roar from yesterday as needless worry and pushed it from his mind.
He then climbed up to the ramparts and surveyed the surroundings.
“How long do you think this peace will last?”
Andrew was taken aback by the sudden question.
“Young Master, what do you mean…?”
“Just curious.”
“I hope it lasts forever.”
“That’d be nice.”
Arthur flashed a meaningful smile.
“It’s about time to go see Madam.”
“Hmm.”
Arthur’s face soured, but he headed down without argument.
Andrew watched the greatly changed young master and smiled faintly.
Medlin was busy reviewing various administrative documents.
Knock knock.
Arthur entered at the knock.
Medlin set aside her work and welcomed him warmly.
“Come in!”
As always, she patted the seat beside her.
Arthur sat next to Medlin as usual, and she stroked his hair while asking,
“How are you feeling today?”
“I’m fine.”
“You always say the same thing.”
Medlin looked disappointed.
Her reactions weighed heavily on Arthur.
In his memories, his mother was nothing but a tormentor who abused and belittled him.
The object of his deepest hatred.
At first, Medlin’s attention and affection had felt repulsive.
It had gotten a little better with time, but it still burdened him.
If it kept building up, it’d explode someday.
After a moment’s thought, Arthur spoke firmly, as if resolved.
“I’m all better now.”
“But your memories haven’t fully returned.”
“They will when the time comes. Starting tomorrow, I’ll come when I want to.”
“Arthur…”
“Then I’ll be going.”
As Arthur stood,
Medlin grabbed his hand.
“No matter what anyone says, you’re my precious son. Always remember that.”
‘Precious son?’
The words sparked a strong aversion.
But from Arthur’s memories and how he’d observed Medlin so far, he could feel how much she adored and took pride in her son.
He couldn’t bring himself to deny it.
He bowed his head silently and left.
As Andrew approached, a faint sob echoed from behind the door.
‘Damn it!’
A person completely unrelated to him.
So why did it feel so shitty?
And why did his chest ache like this?
Was it because of the love and attention he’d never received in his life?
A flood of thoughts, guesses, and subtle emotions made his head feel like it would burst.
“Prepare the horse.”
Arthur furrowed his brow and strode off.
***
“Huh? He looks fine.”
“Figured Millerph healed him up.”
“Wasting a noble mage on treating a delinquent. Makes my blood boil.”
“What can you do? That bastard’s got the noble Julius Count family blood.”
“Noble blood my ass. Tell everyone to watch out since the delinquent’s on the move.”
“Got it.”
The group eyeing Arthur scattered.
As Arthur rode around the territory, he glanced toward the alley where they’d been hiding.
Even as Kang Tae-su, his senses had been unmatched.
They’d saved his life countless times from the brink of death.
Compared to back then, Arthur’s senses were decent enough.
“Heh.”
Arthur laughed derisively.
At the same time, one face popped into his head.
He’d planned to meet the guy someday, and today seemed like the day.
He tugged the reins and headed off.
Andrew’s face darkened as he saw the direction.
“N-No way, does he remember…?”
A short while later.
Arthur arrived at a tavern frequented by the territory’s rowdiest thugs.
The noisy place fell silent the moment he entered.
After a few seconds,
Someone approached from the darkest corner, footsteps heavy.
“Well, if it isn’t…”
A bear of a man with a bandit’s look—Kanrak, who ruled Grada Territory’s back alleys.
He was so vicious and had such a large crew that knights ignored him unless he caused major trouble.
Not out of fear, but because dealing with scum tarnished a knight’s honor.
Arthur, as a noble, had kept things amicable by paying up for what he needed.
Kanrak eyed Arthur up and down with a sneer.
“You’re still kicking, huh.”
“Disappointed?”
“If you’d died, the village would’ve thrown a festival.”
Kanrak grinned wickedly.
Arthur had been intrigued by the man from his memories, but seeing him now was disappointing.
“A delinquent and a thug…”
“What’d you say?”
“No observational skills either.”
Kanrak snorted at Arthur’s provocative words.
“Hey, you claw your way back from death and suddenly got no fear?”
“Maybe.”
Arthur nodded and approached the tavern owner.
“Give me my usual.”
“Y-Yes, sir.”
The owner hurriedly poured a glass of white shager.
Arthur tossed back the white shager—basically vodka—and turned to Kanrak.
“That pill you gave me back then.”
“How’s hell feel?”
Kanrak sneered.
“Meant to kill me with it?”
“Took you this long? I warned you, didn’t I? Don’t even think about screwing me over. Cough up the money you promised if you don’t wanna die.”
“That so.”
Arthur’s lip curled as he grabbed a nearby bottle and smashed it over Kanrak’s head.
Crack!
The bottle shattered.
Blood streamed down Kanrak’s head.
Yet he curled his lip into a chilling smile, as if unshaken.
“Begging me to kill you?”
“Pay for touching me.”
Arthur kicked Kanrak square in the groin.
Thud!
“Guh.”
This time, Kanrak’s face twisted hideously as he dropped to his knees.
“Urgh…”
Kanrak gritted his teeth and glared at Arthur.
“Now our eyes are level.”
“You little delinquent shit…”
“That glare—don’t like it.”
As he spoke, Arthur jabbed a finger into one eye.
“Aaagh!”
Kanrak screamed and writhed on the floor.
Tables and chairs toppled in the chaos, turning the hall into a mess.
His cronies growled but hesitated, cowed by Arthur’s menacing aura.
‘What the hell’s with that guy?’
‘Those eyes even human? Scary as fuck.’
‘He came back from death totally insane?’
Arthur calmly wiped the blood from his finger with a handkerchief.
“Next time, it’s your head, not your eye.”
He turned to leave, then tossed a gold coin to the owner as if it just occurred to him.
The owner caught it and tilted his head.
“Wh-What’s this?”
“For the drink. The rest covers my old tabs.”
“Huh?”
Something unimaginable had happened.
The guy who’d never paid once, now settling his bill and tabs.
Shock was brief.
‘What do I do? Some ulterior motive? Give it back? What if he flips out saying I ignored his goodwill? I’ll go mad.’
Worry creased the owner’s face.
Arthur endured the burning stares but walked out calmly, as if nothing happened.
The moment the door closed, jaws dropped.
“What the hell just happened?”
“Fuck! Thought my heart’d stop.”
“That really the guy we knew?”
It felt like a dream.
But with Kanrak groaning on the floor, they had to accept it.
“Ugh… my eye…”