A Lich Makes Geniuses Out of Mediocrity
Their identities are clearly highwaymen. In the lawless borderlands of the kingdom, where the reach of the law is too thin to maintain order, such outlaws are bound to swarm. Still, I’m relieved. At least they aren't "Manhunters." In Nine Stars, there are professional killers who make these small-time thugs look like nothing. They are known as "Manhunters," whose trademark is the bizarre masks they wear to hide their identities. If I had run into them, there would have been no hope, no dreams—just a quick end. Even though I’m a veteran player, I honestly have no idea what I would have done if I’d encountered Manhunters at this point in the game.
But the men leading me somewhere right now aren't wearing masks. And their appearance reeks of low-level mobs with nothing to offer. That means this is a situation I can definitely handle.
"See that cabin over there?" One of the robbers placed a hand on my shoulder and pointed ahead with his finger. Ugh, gross. Could you take your hand off me? You’re making me want to throw up what I haven't even eaten. A chill of disgust crawled up my spine. I barely managed to suppress the urge to shake him off immediately.
"I think it’d be better to take a short break before we reach the village. What do you think?" I could feel his gaze scanning me up and down. He was blatantly leering at the white, bare legs exposed beneath my cloak. It was a truly wretched feeling.
"Well... I’m not sure what the best thing to do is..." I intentionally dragged it out, acting as if I didn't know. I’d been curious about this for a while: why didn't they show their true colors the moment they ran into me in the forest? It couldn't be because they were wary that a weak-looking girl like me might fight back.
They must have wanted to keep me alive and bring me here. It would be a hassle if I started resisting or making a scene. This cabin is likely their hideout. The conclusion that follows is obvious. They don't intend to kill me right away.
Just because they’re highwaymen doesn't mean they only commit robbery. These are people whose morality has already fallen to the ground. They are fully capable of doing other, more horrific things besides theft. This is not welcome news for me. I could accept dying once and getting it over with, but there’s a high probability of experiencing the "dirty" things I was secretly worried about.
The robbers and I approached the cabin. The cabin itself was suspicious as could be. The windows were boarded up with planks nailed on haphazardly, and the only entrance—the door—had a thick iron chain wrapped around its handle. Seriously, guys? Can’t you at least put in a little effort? Even if I’m trying to act like an ordinary girl, it’s hard not to be suspicious of this.
Anyway, what I need to do is already decided.
"Excuse me."
"Yeah? What is it?"
"Thank you so much for helping me, but... by any chance..." A sinister shadow fell over the robbers' eyes. If I said something like "I’ll just go back alone" here, these bastards would immediately show their true colors.
"By any chance what?" Their expressions turned menacing in an instant.
"Would it be okay if I brought my younger sister?"
"Sister? You had a sister?"
"She’s my little sister. She was complaining that her legs hurt from walking so long, so I told her to sit and wait for a bit while I looked for the way... I’m really worried about her now." The robbers exchanged glances.
"Well, of course you should bring her." Unmistakable desire oozed out over their sallow faces. These bastards. Look at how their expressions changed the moment they heard the word "sister." Nausea welled up inside me.
"Let’s go quickly. Where is she?" One of them was even urging me on, breathing heavily as if his heart were racing. I sighed secretly and took the lead.
I’ll have to change the route a little. It’ll be different from the original plan of taking the shortest path to the village.
"Huh? Why are you smiling?" The robber next to me glanced at me and spoke up. I must have let my true thoughts show on my face without realizing it.
"Oh, no. It’s just... I was thinking how incredibly lucky I am."
"Ah—yeah, it is lucky. It’s not every day you meet nice people like us in a forest like this, right?" The robber grinned broadly. I smiled back, pretending I didn't know any better. Estelle Frostwind. This girl’s body is weak as hell, but maybe it’s easy to win people’s favor. Or maybe it’s just easy to make them let their guard down. Either way, this situation was a little interesting. A situation where everyone is hiding their motives and trying to deceive each other. Of course, I’m the only one who succeeded in the deception. These robber bastards just think they’ve succeeded in deceiving me.
"Park Sehyun." I repeat my original name to myself. From now on, I’m going to do something that the ordinary 26-year-old office worker Park Sehyun would never do.
"Whatever the time, it’s something I’ll eventually have to do. Are you prepared?"
Murder. My job is to drag these three humans to the execution ground. Of course, they won't run to the cliff and jump off on their own like the Golden Horn. I’ve already considered that much. There are traps for beasts, and there are traps for people.
"I’m so lucky." As I live in the world of Nine Stars, countless enemies will block my path in the future. Can I avoid harming anyone? Not a chance. There is no "pacifist ending" in this game. In the end, if I want to survive and see the happy ending, I have no choice but to advance while piling up a mountain of corpses. If I hesitate to do what must be done because of some half-baked sympathy, I’ll have to pay the price. In that sense, I’m lucky. Even if I could understand it in my head, the first murder would have been difficult to resist, but I’m grateful that the first ones are human trash like this.
"I don't think I’ll feel even a speck of guilt for killing you guys." I lifted my head and looked up at the sky. The sun was setting, and night was coming.
—Awooo.
—Awooooo...
The howling of wolves echoed from somewhere in the forest. The howls continued as if they were conversing with each other.
"This is why I can't quit this life." It had been a long time since I’d gotten my hands on such valuable prey. She might be the best woman I’ve ever seen. The man with the long scar carved across his face thought to himself. It was a good thing he’d run off into the forest. People really are meant to live in nature. The words of the ancient sages are a hundred times correct. What would have happened if he hadn't deserted and had remained a low-ranking soldier in the Imperial Army?
"I would have been dragged to the battlefield and died like a dog." He had to throw away his name and his status, but he had no regrets. Who cares about what happens later? It’ll work out somehow. You just have to live as your heart dictates, as things come. "And then, treasures like this roll in."
The man glanced at Estelle’s slender back. Where did this girl come from? A young lady walking around barefoot in nothing but a cloak out of nowhere. It was so surprising it felt almost mystical. And what about her beauty, which was so outstanding you’d believe it if someone said she’d stepped out of a fairy tale book? The man had never seen such a white, doll-like girl in his life. Furthermore, her attitude, as if she herself were indifferent to her own beauty, added to her charm.
"This time, I’m first. No matter what happens." The man glanced at his companions. He had to be the first one to taste this precious treasure. He’d been robbing with these guys for over a year or two, but... he had no intention of yielding. He was even prepared to draw his blade if it came to that.
"And she has a younger sister, too." The man pursed his lips, suppressing a laugh. Since the older sister is this pretty, the younger one goes without saying. It was worth enduring the harsh life and hiding in the forest. If you wait patiently, Mother Nature takes pity on you and sends you gifts like this.
"Are we almost there?"
"We’re almost there." The girl said in an indifferent tone, glancing around. "This should be fine."
"This should be fine?" The nuance bothered him, but the man just tilted his head and didn't press further. A terrain surrounded by hills as if they were encircling the area. Was her sister waiting in a place like this? Was she trying to avoid the wind? The man’s gaze suddenly shifted toward the bottom of Estelle’s cloak.
"Are you okay? You’re bleeding from your leg." The girl glanced down at her leg.
"So I am."
"Are you... on your period? It doesn't matter to us, so don't worry about it." One of them chuckled, tossing it out as if it were a joke. That idiot. The man swallowed his curse. Well, even if the girl noticed something suspicious, there was nothing she could do about it now. No matter how much she tried to run, there was no way she could shake off the pursuit of three grown men.
"This is troublesome. I must have been dripping blood all the way here without realizing it." As the girl pointed behind her, the men’s gazes followed her finger. Droplets of blood were scattered on the path they had traveled, as if following them. One drop, then another...
The man recalled a story from a fairy tale book he’d read as a child. Was it the story about children chased into the forest by a wicked stepmother who sprinkled breadcrumbs to reveal their location? He hadn't known it then. That the child who read that fairy tale with an innocent face would grow up to be such a terrifying robber.
"Do you know something, gentlemen?" The girl continued as if nothing were wrong. "This forest, you know. Wolves come out at night."
"You know that too? But you don't need to be afraid because you’re with us."
"Is that so?" Just now, it seemed like a faint smile had touched the girl’s lips.
"Night Wolf."
"...What?"
"They’re the most dangerous monsters in this forest. They’re strong as individuals, but they move in packs. With those daggers you have, you won't even be able to pierce their hides." The men were momentarily speechless. Something felt wrong. It was as if the invisible mask that had been covering the girl’s face was peeling away.
"There’s another reason the Night Wolf is scary. They love to tear their prey apart while they’re still alive. Why do you think that is? They say it’s because the meat loses its flavor if they die. Or they say it’s because they especially love the screams of the victims they tear apart."
"..."
"That’s why they’re nicknamed the 'Torture Technicians of the Forest.' Because they have a habit of not letting you die for at least two hours until they finish their meal, even if you want to." The girl reached into her cloak. A moment later, the palm she pulled out was soaked in blood.
"W-what is that—"
"Have you heard of the blood of the Golden Horn?"
"...Golden Horn?"
"There’s a roe deer called the Golden Horn. They say it’s a sacred beast favored by the gods. Honestly, I don't understand it at all." The girl flicked her hand lightly. *Splatter*—bright red blood was scattered on the ground.
"Whoever takes that blood earns the grudge of the forest beasts. If you’re in the forest, they’ll chase you to the ends of the earth. And..." The face that had been like a quiet doll changed coldly, as if revealing its true colors.
"The Night Wolf is especially good at smelling blood."
—Awoooooooo.
The howling of the wolves grew closer. It could be heard. Now, right nearby.
"What are you doing, you bitch...!"
"Hey, wait!"
The next moment, the girl lunged at the man. Was she trying to steal his weapon? Reflexively, the man swung his dagger. *Slice.* He felt the sensation of tearing flesh at his fingertips. The girl clutched her throat and collapsed to the spot in vain.
"Why did you kill her, you asshole! We haven't even had our fun yet!"
"She lunged at me suddenly—"
The men screamed at each other, veins bulging in their necks. A robbery that wasn't going as planned. The girl’s erratic behavior, which was essentially suicide. The wolf howls that didn't stop for a single moment, surrounding them. The room for calm thought vanished, and excitement, anxiety, and fear filled the void. The men began to back away, with no one saying who started it first. Their backs touched. They had to run. The Night Wolf would be upon them soon. But where? Did this witch of a girl know this would happen from the start and lure them here?
"Ahahaha..." The girl, her face deathly pale, giggled.
"...I’ll die first. See you later."