Chapter 39
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: I Shall Pray for Your Rest
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Why was the light emanating from my body growing even brighter?
It didn't take long to deal with enemies who were full of openings, lost to their bloodlust and rampaging wildly.
Blood pooled, filling the narrow path.
The surviving bandit crawled through the bloody muck, splashing as he went.
I asked him, struggling to escape this hell.
"What's the point of living like that? Are you saying it's good just to be alive?"
The bandit didn't answer.
I hadn't asked expecting a reply, so I let him crawl. His legs were severed anyway—he was slower than a turtle.
Screams echoed from behind.
Requiya Lance was cutting down the fleeing cavalrymen.
Some had gotten away, but that was just luck. And karma.
I approached the cavalryman still standing, sword aimed at me.
He was one of the adjutants, taller than me with broad, imposing shoulders.
The sword gripped in both his hands trembled.
My face reflected in his steel armor.
His blue eyes thrashed within whites burst with blood vessels.
His thick golden hair was matted with blood, filthy and clumped.
He wiped his face with his hand, but it was covered in blood too—no skin color showed through.
"Monster..."
I tilted my head at the adjutant's assessment.
"Who knows. Am I the only monster? What about the bandits who came charging in excitedly over just two people? What about you lot, who rode here on horseback just to catch me?"
"W-Well, you're a Holy Knight."
"A Holy Knight, so what? It's honorable to gang up on me? I'm just a person, same as you."
The adjutant squeezed his eyes shut, tears spilling out.
I considered sending him back, but that would just be arrogance, not mercy.
"I'll give you a chance to duel me one-on-one."
I shook off the frost gathered on my sword.
I also drew the light from my body back inside.
"I am Luke Seid. A merchant, once a miner, and a fugitive Holy Knight."
I raised my sword vertically before my face.
Fred took this stance when sparring.
The adjutant glanced back, then glared at me again. Requiya was blocking the path behind him.
"Come."
As if he'd been waiting for those words, the adjutant kicked off the ground.
I could see his fierce resolve.
Even as tears flew, his well-honed swordsmanship remained steady and unshaken.
I wanted to say something to him.
That dying by my hand was at least honorable.
But it was arrogant, so I swallowed it.
I deactivated Blue Eye.
In that brief glimpse, he'd seemed far stronger than Andre or Bong.
For his honor, I decided to give him my all.
My front right foot slid forward smoothly.
His sword surged up from the lower left.
I twisted my wrist to block once, then immediately twisted my arm to thrust at his chest.
I ignored the strong pulsing at the blade's tip and drove deeper.
The blade pierced his steel armor by about a handspan before snapping.
Kugh—
The adjutant dropped to his knees like a puppet with cut strings.
His upturned eyes pleaded for something.
I decided not to hesitate or feel sorry.
His heart was pierced—he'd die soon anyway.
"In the name of Holy Knight Luke Seid, I pray for your rest."
A deflating wheeze rose from his throat.
His lips, curved upward, froze in a tremor.
He probably wasn't a villain.
Maybe just a soldier faithful to his duty.
I clenched and unclenched my bloody fist idly.
The heartbeat I'd felt through the sword seemed to grip and shake my hand.
The vitality in his eyes faded.
He was about my age.
A young man who wanted to see more of the world, forgetting to close his window even as night fell.
"Rest in peace."
I closed his window for him with my hand.
Good work.
Silver Star's voice soothed my chest.
My reddened vision cleared.
The sun had risen; the sky was already dyed blue.
The forest remained dark, shadowed by tall trees.
I leaned against a tree and sat in the shadows.
Not to hide.
I just wanted to gaze at myself quietly.
'Drunks or madmen always brimmed with strength.'
I'd experienced this explosive power surging through my body several times.
It wasn't unreasonable to suspect insanity.
As the power exploded, my sense of self went wild too.
What can I say! You just haven't adjusted to this world yet!
Is that so...
Anyone who enjoys a sea of blood is the real madman!
True enough.
Don't forget your goal!
'What was my goal?'
Sightseeing with Silver Star!
...Is that right?
You must fully trust Silver Star!
'Yeah. I trust you.'
Silver Star knows me best and is the one I can trust most.
Worship me!
Just a bit weird in a way that's almost embarrassing to admit.
Huuu—
I steadied my breathing.
My whole body throbbed despite no blows landing.
If I breathed while gazing at the stars, even the pain might become mine to command.
'The stars, huh...'
Probably because the source of my power was that mad star.
The situation had settled, but my breaths were long and hollow, like a drunkard's.
The product of madness gleamed, staining my hands.
It's not your fault, Luke!
I neither affirmed nor denied it.
I couldn't judge right from wrong; it was just struggling to survive. What use was assigning blame?
'Do standards of right and wrong differ by world?'
No way to know.
Leaning my head against the tree, I saw Requiya bustling alone.
"Gama issuh!"
Requiya was interrogating bandits and cavalrymen who still clung to life.
Vitality Acceleration.
A technique that burned the victim's life force to squeeze out strength, trapping their consciousness somewhere between deathbed clarity and a life-flashing-before-their-eyes curse—a demon's malediction.
Even with limbs severed or bodies pierced, as long as a spark of vitality remained, they wouldn't die until it was all consumed.
"It hurts too much... Kill me."
"Spit it out, and I'll ease the pain. Huh? Got it?!"
Requiya grabbed the cavalryman's hair and shook his head.
No better info came from the cavalryman than our guesses.
Even as elites, they weren't officer-grade; their intel quality wouldn't surpass that.
Should've interrogated the adjutant instead of killing him.
Still, one thing I'd wondered slipped from the cavalryman's lips.
"Who wears the red cloak?"
"Red Drag..."
With that, the cavalryman breathed his last.
'Red Drag...'
Come to think of it, the cloak's shape and color resembled the Red Dragon Knights.
I hadn't noticed since they weren't wearing blood-red armor underneath.
Who could it be!
'No idea. Just saw from afar. Now that we know Drawn and Fiore are connected, it's no surprise they're together.'
I see!
The bandits' info was all new.
Probably because these were the first ones we'd encountered.
"We're Letidna Artas..."
Grand-sounding name, but it just meant "Western Bandits."
Wonder what made it "western."
"There's a bandit gang east of Brad too? Are they Letidna Agiltoya?"
"Yes..."
Simpletons.
They operated mainly along the roads to Brad.
Spotters in watchtowers taller than trees would signal when a caravan or travelers appeared on the road, and they'd swoop in to rob the weak.
But after monsters appeared, fewer caravans used the main roads.
So they made these trails as a backup.
Shortcuts to Fiore bypassing checkpoints, used to quickly reach spotted caravans.
Revenue diversification, I guess.
These trails doubled as supply routes for the bandits.
When essentials unavailable in the mountains ran low, they'd procure from western border cities and haul via trails.
'Funny that bandits actually buy stuff with money.'
Requiya facepalmed, incredulous.
But it made sense.
Western border cities had heavy troops and solid defenses.
'Thanks to Fred, the security forces are top-notch too.'
Even bandits wouldn't dream of hitting those cities.
"How many in the main base?"
The bandit died without answering.
Vitality Acceleration victims' hair turned white, skin wrinkling like old prunes.
'Demons are demons.'
The Vitality Acceleration Requiya cast fit my image of a demon perfectly.
Seeing the demon approach, clapping blood off his hands, I instinctively shrugged.
He wouldn't use it on me, right?
"Heh heh heh—you look beat. Want to rest?"
"No. Too dangerous here."
Fiore's army would come searching for the vanished troops, and we had to account for the queen wildcard too.
"Let's head to the bandits' main base."
"Take it over?"
Requiya eyed my expression worriedly.
"We will."
We needed a place to rest and locals who knew the terrain.
I dusted off my rear and stood.
"I'll follow."
I discarded my broken sword and took the adjutant's.
The blood stench on me lingered, but I could walk leisurely now, unlike fleeing all night—much better.
I even had leisure to note the forest scent, air temperature, birdsong pitches.
"You'll need new clothes."
"Just wash and rewear."
Requiya's money was all demon's share.
I'd spent mine ringing the golden bell.
No begging demons for cash, and even if spending, only on food.
Spend money only on food and water. Wait, I can make water. Sweet deal.
In an unfamiliar world, spending only for survival is the golden rule.
"How will you take the base? Gates are shut tight."
"No need for Bloodlust Frenzy. Just protect yourself."
"Got it."
I chuckled at Requiya's reply.
Teaches him once, and he uses it right back.
I slung Hama's backpack over my shoulder.
Safer for me to guard than leave with him.
Pew—
One or two arrows, up to three at times, flew at us.
Bandits in watchtowers who'd grasped the situation.
Skilled archers—accurate and heavy hits.
Ting!
I deflected with my sword and advanced.
Not comparable to western border cities, but a massive log palisade blocked the way.
About three meters high?
Single layer, not built for standing guards on top.
I leaped up, landed on the palisade, and entered the gate-top watchtower.
"Eek!"
"Mercy—"
The lookout bandits dropped bows and knelt.
Faces to the ground, signaling no resistance.
"Get up."
The two exchanged glances, heads still down.
"On your feet. Say it twice, and you die."
"On our feet!"
I glared at the two bandits, then scanned inside the base.
Nearly a hundred clustered in the wide clearing.
I'd scouted with Blue Eye en route—no surprises.
'No one hiding in buildings?'
No sign of the boss, no matter how I looked.
"Where's your chief?"
"In his quarters!"
"Quarters? Sleeping?"
"Disturb his sleep, and you die."
"Even in an emergency like this?"
"First time for this, so we don't know."
Too plausible—I was speechless.
"Resist, and die."
"Y-Yes!"
As I spoke, arrows flew from another watchtower.
Those clueless bastards.
Troublesome. Should I kill them and pray for their rest?